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The match: The Rockets overthrow the Warriors on the wire
Golden State held its qualification for the last four of the competition. Then the Warriors cracked in the last minute. While they were 6 points ahead, Stephen Curry’s teammates conceded a 7-0 which allowed the Rockets to finally win in Houston (91-90). Alperen Sengun dominated the proceedings in the paint and finished with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists. The Turk is one of three players to have scored during this famous last minute.
Fred VanVleet first gave his team hope with a decisive winning basket, followed by a close shot from Sengun to bring Houston within one point. The Warriors missed opportunities to kill the game, notably Curry, and Jalen Green ended up getting a foul from Jonathan Kuminga 3 seconds from the final buzzer. Although clumsy during the game, the young back did not fail on the repair line. He put in his two throws. Brandin Podziemski’s final attempt was blocked by Jabari Smith Jr. The Rockets will therefore face the Thunder for a place in the NBA Cup final.
The players: Trae Young, Jalen Johnson and the Hawks surprise the Knicks
The adventure continues for Atlanta. The Hawks would be the equivalent of the competition’s little thumb if the NBA Cup were compared to the national football cups in Europe, a model sought by Adam Silver. Zaccharie Risacher’s teammates (2 points to 1 out of 8 on Wednesday evening) are those who have the worst record among the teams still in the running. But that didn’t stop them from taking out the Knicks by winning in New York last night (100-108). Jalen Johnson and his partners thus won their ticket to the Final Four in Las Vegas.
The young winger was at the heart of his team’s success by blackening the statistics sheet during his 41 minutes spent on the floor. He compiled 21 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Trae Young also finished with a double-double (22 points, 11 assists). The All-Star leader, great enemy of the New York public, was able to maintain his rivalry with the opposing supporters by upsetting the public at Madison Square Garden, which was successful for him. De’Andre Hunter was once again very prolific (24 points) coming off the bench.
The Knicks led at the break before collapsing in the second period, like an uninspired Jalen Brunson (5 out of 15 on shots).
All scores
Knicks – Hawks : 100-108
Rockets – Warriors : 91-90
