Reuters
Memphis, May 16
In less than three minutes, the Golden State Warriors went from nearly allowing the Memphis Grizzlies to erase a 15-point deficit to cruising to a 108-95 series-clinching victory in Game Six of the Western Conference semifinals on Friday.
Warriors guard Stephen Curry’s 62-foot heave as time expired in the third quarter capped an 11-4 scoring run over the final 2:37 of the period and gave Golden State a 76-68 lead going into a fourth quarter, where they rolled to advance to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 1976.
The Warriors will face either the Houston Rockets or Los Angeles Clippers in the conference finals.
Curry finished with 32 points, with 24 of them coming on 8-of-13 shooting from three-point range.
Warriors guard Klay Thompson had 20 points and forward Draymond Green had 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Memphis got a team-high 21 points and 15 rebounds from Marc Gasol and 16 points from veteran swingman Vince Carter.
But the Grizzlies, looking to force a Game Seven at Golden State on Sunday, shot just 37.4 percent from the field and made just 4-of-16 three-point attempts. Still, they managed to cut a 15-point first-half deficit down to one with 3:55 left in the third quarter.
But Warriors reserve Andre Iguodola (nine points, seven assists, six rebounds) answered with a three-pointer with 2:37 left to push Golden State’s lead back to four.
Festus Ezeli followed with a layup, Iguodola made another there and then Curry stuck the dagger into Memphis with his 62-foot shot to end the period.
Hawks eliminate Wizards with Game Six win
The Atlanta Hawks survived a frantic finish to eliminate the Washington Wizards with a 94-91 win in Game Six of their Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series on Friday.
DeMarre Carroll had 25 points and 10 rebounds, Paul Millsap added 20 points and 13 rebounds, and guard Jeff Teague scored 20 points for the Hawks, who advanced despite blowing a 15-point lead in the second half.
Wizards forward Paul Pierce hit a three-pointer that would have tied the game but it came just after the final buzzer.
The Hawks reached the conference finals for the first time since 1970 and will face the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers. The top seed in the East, the Hawks host Game One on Wednesday.
Bradley Beal and John Wall fueled Washington’s comeback.
Beal scored 29 points, including the final six during a 9-0 spurt to put the Wizards up 88-87 with 3:50 remaining after trailing the entire second half.
Atlanta’s Carroll countered with consecutive baskets for a 93-89 led with 31 seconds left.
Wall had 20 points and 13 assists. The All Star guard played the entire second half without any apparent hesitation in his second game back after suffering five fractures in his left hand and wrist during in the series opener.
The difference in the score in each of the previous three games in the series was three points or less inside the final four seconds.
Horford’s putback with under a second remaining gave Atlanta an 82-81 victory on Wednesday. He scored 13 points in the series clincher.
