BBNBA: Mixed emotions for Julius Randle and Anthony Davis
Both playing in Game 5s, BBNBA’s finest, Julius Randle and Anthony Davis, had vastly different evenings. One man was giving his family a hug after Wednesday night’s NBA Playoffs action, and the other would be sidelined after a modest effort of 23 points.
Randle went and embraced his son, Kyden, as time expired inside Madison Square Garden. The New York Knicks were victorious at home, 109-101. The Knicks now extend the series to a Game 6, trailing the Miami Heat 3-2. Randle posted 20 points, nine rebounds, and three assists in the Big Apple Dub.
After being benched for a short period of time in the opening round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs, Randle has bounced back to a better spot where his old-scoring self looks comfortable again. He’s averaging nearly 20 points in the second round after not playing in Game 1 with a minor injury.
Prior to New York’s Wednesday night contest, Randle had already been rewarded on the evening. The All-NBA selections were announced and Randle was named to the All-NBA Third Team. It seems to be a year of seconds for Randle, who made his second NBA All-Star Game earlier this season and now is selected to his second-ever All-NBA team.
As for the Knicks, well they need two more wins to stave off elimination and find themselves a place in the Eastern Conference Finals. The series turns to Miami for Game 6 which is scheduled for Friday at 7:30 p.m. EST. It continues to be do or die for Randle and company.
Worry or not
The man who had a completely different night to Randle was Anthony Davis.
AD was cooking Wednesday night before a fourth-quarter injury ruled him out for the remainder of the evening. Down 13 points and trying to fight for a rebound down low, Davis caught an elbow to the face from Golden State’s Kevon Looney.
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The Lakers certainly felt the absence of their big, who had 23 points before leaving the game. Davis has been awesome this postseason, it’s no secret. He’s dropped eight double-doubles in 11 games and has posted 30-plus point nights three times in the playoffs.
Senior NBA Insider, Chris Haynes, revealed that AD left Game 5 in a wheelchair. That being said, better news has surfaced for Davis and the Lakers. The former Wildcat looks to have avoided a concussion and is set to be back for Game 6 on Friday night.
The Lakers ultimately fell in Game 5 to the defending champion Golden State Warriors, 121-106. On a night where scoring was scarce, it only got more difficult for the Purple and Gold because of Davis’ late-game injury. The Warriors were able to protect their home court and look to the City of Angeles to stay alive in the postseason. The Lakers lead 3-2 with Game 6 set for 10:00 p.m. EST on Friday.
Other BBNBA Notes
- Knicks’ guard Immanuel Quickley was inactive for the second game in a row. Quickley’s ankle injury remains a problem, with his status being day-to-day.
- On a night when All-NBA honors were announced, two other BBNBA gentleman saw their names on a list. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was selected to the All-NBA First Team. SGA’s monster year was rewarded with the highest of honors. Additionally, joining Randle on the Third Team was De’Aaron Fox. Fox’s breakthrough year which saw him as an All-Star for the first time, was also rewarded.
- Bam Adebayo was productive Wednesday night for Miami. He had 18 points and eight rebounds. Meanwhile, Heat guard Tyler Herro remains sidelined with a broken hand. The BBNBA Miami boys have two more chances to close their respective series out.
- Jarred Vanderbilt and Wenyen Gabriel didn’t add much in the Lakers’ loss. While Vando had more minutes than Gabriel, the latter added one point whereas Vanderbilt had none. Of course, their roles aren’t as primary scorers. However, both big men did combine for four rebounds in 12 total minutes of play.
5/10/23 statistics
| Player | Score | PTS | FG (3PT) | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | +/- | MIN |
| Julius Randle (NYK) | 112-103 W vs. MIA | 24 | 7-13 (4-7) | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 35 |
| Anthony Davis (LAL) | 121-106 L @ GSW | 23 | 10-18 (0-0) | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -22 | 32 |
| Bam Adebayo (MIA) | 112-103 L @ NYK | 18 | 7-11 (0-1) | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -11 | 38 |
| Wenyen Gabriel | 121-106 L @ GSW | 1 | 0-2 (0-0) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -1 | 2 |
| Jarred Vanderbilt | 121-106 L @ GSW | 0 | 0-2 (0-2) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -16 | 10 |
| Immanuel Quickley (NYK) | 112-103 W vs. MIA | DNP (ankle) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Tyler Herro (MIA) | 112-103 L @ NYK | DNP (hand) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Tonight in the NBA
Eastern Conference Semifinals
7:30 (ESPN): Celtics @ 76ers (Maxey) | PHI leads 3-2
Western Conference Semifinals
10:00 (ESPN): Nuggets (Murray) @ Suns (Booker) | DEN leads 3-2
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