VICTOR OLADIPO LED led the depleted Miami Heat to a series-clinching 97-94 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday as Ja Morant produced a dazzling late scoring spree to give Memphis a thrilling win over Minnesota in the NBA playoffs.
Miami, missing injured stars Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry, produced a superb defensive performance to shut down Atlanta and advance to an Eastern Conference semi-final series against either Philadelphia or Toronto.
Oladipo, who only returned to action in March after an 11-month injury layoff, was handed his first start of the playoffs by Heat coach Erik Spoelstra.
The 29-year-old two-time All-Star repaid that faith with a 23-point display alongside Bam Adebayo, who finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds.
The win marked a fairytale return to centre stage for Oladipo, whose career has been decimated by injuries and surgeries over the past three years.
Oladipo was sidelined for nearly a year after undergoing surgery to repair a ruptured quadriceps tendon in May last year. He had undergone surgery to treat the same problem in January 2019.
Victor Oladipo led the @MiamiHEAT to the Game 5 W in his first playoff start since August 24th, 2020!@VicOladipo: 23 PTS, 3 STL
— NBA (@NBA) April 27, 2022
The @MiamiHEAT have advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals! #HEATCulture pic.twitter.com/MbVZa0HBOZ
“There’s nothing I can’t handle,” Oladipo said after Tuesday’s win.
“There’s nothing I haven’t gone through. At the end of the day I feel like I can come back and get through anything.
“So when they told me I needed to start tonight, I just stepped up to the plate and did everything I could to help my team win… this is only the beginning.”
Adebayo took pride with a Miami defensive performance that restricted Hawks star Trae Young to just 11 points. De’Andre Hunter led the Atlanta scoring with 35 points.
“We knew it was going to be a fight to the end, we just had to finish it with our defense,” Adebayo said. “Defense wins championships.”
In the Western Conference playoffs Morant scored a gravity-defying last-gasp layup as the Grizzlies conjured an epic late fightback to stun the Minnesota Timberwolves 111-109.
Morant’s wizardry with one second remaining sealed an enthralling battle which leaves Memphis 3-2 ahead in the best-of-seven series with game six in Minnesota on Friday.
Minnesota had led by 13 points early in the fourth quarter after big performances from Karl Anthony-Towns, who finished with 28 points and Anthony Edwards (22 points).
But Morant, who bagged 30 points, suddenly found his scoring touch to haul Memphis back into contention.
😤 OH MY JA!!#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel on TNT pic.twitter.com/gR6IBaFsAw
— NBA (@NBA) April 27, 2022
The 22-year-old rising star of the NBA erupted for 18 points in the fourth quarter as Memphis outscored Minnesota 37-24 in the final period.
The catalyst for Morant’s masterpiece appeared to be a jaw-dropping dunk over Wolves guard Malik Beasley at the end of the third quarter that brought the Memphis crowd to their feet.
Morant later said he was “not that excited” by the dunk, but added: “It definitely ignited the crowd and that gave us some energy.”
The Grizzlies’ come-from-behind win was too close for comfort for Morant though.
“Me personally, I’m tired of it, tired of playing from behind,” he said. “Last three games we haven’t played our basketball.”
Morant, who also had 13 rebounds and nine assists, was backed with a 25-point display from Desmond Bane while Brandon Clarke added 21 points with 15 rebounds.
In Tuesday’s other game, Western Conference top seeds Phoenix returned to winning ways with an emphatic 112-97 win over New Orleans in Arizona to take a 3-2 series lead.
Mikal Bridges led the way for Phoenix with 31 points and five rebounds while Chris Paul added 22 points with 11 assists.
“Hell of a win tonight,” Bridges said. “We stayed together to get the win, now we’ve got to go and get another one.”
The win marked a return to form for Phoenix, who had been erratic over the opening four games of the series against the eighth-seeded Pelicans.
“They’ve been playing harder than us so we knew we’d have to come out tonight and play harder than them,” Bridges said.
Game six in the series takes place in New Orleans on Thursday.
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Mega :)
Blessed with such strength and depth now, hope we make the most of it. Heres to a healthy and successful 2015!
Have you been watching the provinces recently? Scrums in reverse all over the gaff.
Two world class players that I wish were kiwi. Hopefully they’ll bring back what Leinster have been missing.. Grunt and efficiency up front combined with some destructive ball carrying.
Great news coming into world cup year but the best thing is, they won’t just walk back into the team, they will have to fight for their place because the other lads have done so well in their absence. Happy days.
If fit both are automatic choices.
Nobody has come anywhere near performing even close to healys level. Scrum has been going backwards for ages.
The boys are back in town :-)
Hope Sean takes his time and comes back without injury concern. God have mercy on any team facing both him and Healy back on form! Exciting times ahead.
We still have time to sharpen up and blow Wasps and Castres away in January. Positive vibes chaps! Is MOC giving in on his stubborn ideology a little or is that just me? The last 3 games seem to be at least TRYING to sort out the problem areas? Is it just my wishful thinking?
Cian until we play with half backs that can move the ball we will not get any better.
No back tries created since away to traviso.
Reddan (Mc Grath 21), Madigan 10, Reid 12, Fitzy 13 please please please
Leinster have been getting very little forward ball for the their half backs to be fair.
Brilliant news, possible inclusion for the last two crucial pool games of the Champions Cup would be excellent and have them battle hardened for the 6 Nations :)
As Leinster was the only Irish team to win last weekend and showed a marked improvement in cohesiveness, when these two players become available it can only strengthen the squad. Running the ball requires winning the ball first and that is why the old saying ” forwards win matches the backs by how much”. Next Friday will show just how much Leinster’s forwards have improved as I am quite sure the breakdown will be contested with the usual Munster vigour that earned them a comprehensive win last time out.
Brian the breakdown was handed to Munster because someone though it was a good idea to put only one or two players into the ruck v Munster.
Hopefully Leo will have enough balls about him to speak up this time and tell Matt that unless your forwards meet Munster head on with at least if not more numbers at the ruck your going to get your ArSe handed to you