Legend:
fight for the ball
Atlanta forward De’Andre Hunter (right) in a tackle with Miami’s Bam Adebayo.
Imago/EFE Agency
Hawks drop feathers in playoffs opener
At the start of the NBA Playoff Conference quarterfinals, the Atlanta Hawks were defeated by 91:115 against qualifying winners, the Miami Heat. Clint Capela, from Switzerland, was out with a sprained right knee suffered in the playoffs. The fourth best rebound specialist in the NBA will not be available again until Game 3 of the best-of-7 series at the earliest.
Bucks submit – Celtics in the last minute
Defending champion Milwaukee got off to a winning start in the playoffs. Led by MVP contender Giannis Antetokounmpo (27 points and 16 rebounds), the Bucks beat the Chicago Bulls 93-86. At the last second, the Boston Celtics scored an opening victory against the Brooklyn Nets. Jayson Tatum scored the decisive basket in a thrilling game with the final whistle at 115:114 on Sunday night. “I think this is kind of a microcosm for our season,” coach Ime Udoka said of the final play, in which all 5 Celtics professionals were involved on court, “that the boys move the ball selflessly.”