Skip to main content
KSRKSR Plus
KSBoard
kentucky logo

BBNBA: Tyrese Maxey continues hot streak as Philly takes 2-0 series lead

Kassidy Stumboby:Kassidy Stumbo•04/19/22•

kass_stumbo

On3 image
Photo by Tim Nwachukwu | Getty Images

We’re just barely into the 2022 NBA Playoffs at this point and we’re already seeing plenty of drama and excitement unfold. Though only one former Wildcat had quality minutes on Monday night, there is lots else to catch up on. Let’s get right into it.

Monday’s results:

(4) 76ers 112 – (5) Raptors 97 (PHI leads series 2-0)
(5) Mavericks 110 – (4) Jazz 104 (series tied 1-1)
(3) Warriors 126 – (6) Nuggets 106 (GSW leads series 2-0)

Maxey ends just shy of triple-double in Philly

The Philadelphia 76ers seem to be rolling at just the right time. On Monday night, the Sixers put on a dominant showing at home, defeating the Toronto Raptors to take a 2-0 series lead. It was a scrappy one from start to finish, too.

Following Game 1, Toronto head coach Nick Nurse was very vocal about his thoughts on the officiating — particularly in regards to 76ers star Joel Embiid. Nurse claimed that Embiid was throwing his elbows with no penalty. Last night, it was clear the Raptors came ready to match that physicality. Just minutes into the game the two teams had to be separated and a pair of technical fouls were dished out to Embiid and OG Anunoby.

Regardless, Embiid put on a show. The big man ended with 31 points and 11 rebounds. He found his way to the free throw line plenty, taking foul after foul from the Raptors defense. He made 12 of his 14 free throw attempts in the game, putting an exclamation point on his night. Former Wildcat Tyrese Maxey followed with 23 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Maxey has been key to the Philly’s success as of late. In Game 1, he dropped 38 points, making him the youngest Sixers player ever to score 30-plus in a playoff game.

The Raptors trailed by as many as 27 at one point, but cut it to 11 in the fourth. They wouldn’t get any closer than that, though. Anunoby led with 26 points. Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam each had 20, but the Raptors just couldn’t overcome the Sixers effort. Game 3 will be Wednesday night in Toronto.

Mavericks narrowly beat Jazz to tie the series

This game was a little closer. The Dallas Mavericks beat the Utah Jazz 110-104 to tie the series — and they did it without injured superstar Luka Doncic.

One person they could not have done it without, though, is Jalen Brunson. The former Villanova guard led the Mavs with a career-high 41 points to go along with eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. He was 15 of 25 from the field and a scorching 6 of 10 from the 3-point line. Dallas made a playoff-record 22 3-pointers in the game and recorded just three turnovers. Maxi Kleber came off the bench for 24 points in 32 minutes, adding eight 3-pointers to that record.

Former Louisville Cardinal Donovan Mitchell led the Jazz with 34 points. Bojan Bogdanovic added 25 points of his own and Jordan Clarkson came off the bench for 21. Utah led by 10 points at halftime, but the Mavs were bound and determined to even the series — which they did. It was their first home playoff win since 2015.

Game 3 will be Wednesday night in Utah, where Dallas has lost its last 11 games.

Steph still doing Steph things

Would you get a load of this guy? Wardell Stephen Curry II is officially back. The eight-time NBA All-Star scored 34 points off the bench last night as the Warriors defeated the Nuggets 126-106. He was 12 of 17 overall and 5 of 10 from the 3-point line. Curry, who has been sidelined with a foot injury for the last month, played just 23 minutes in the game.

He wasn’t the only guy out there who looked good. Jordan Poole had 29 points in the game, along with eight assists and five rebounds. Klay Thompson added 21. Draymond Green had just six points, but did an impressive job of locking up Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic all night — much to Jokic’s disliking. The four-time All-Star from Sombor, Serbia ended with 26 points, but he seemed to be flustered all night. The mounting anger was capped off by a technical foul late in the third quarter when Jokic had to be held back from an official.

Former Wildcat DeMarcus Cousins seemed a bit frustrated as well. Cousins came off the bench for eight points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals — all in just 12 minutes on the floor. He and his teammate Will Barton got in a bit of a verbal altercation during the Warriors’ 44-point third quarter. Following the game, head coach Michael Malone blamed his team’s frustration on the Warriors’ ability to take over the game in an instant.

“That’s two games in a row where you’re in the game, then snap of the finger you’re out of the game, and it just seems like it happens that quickly,” Malone said.

Now, here are some Steph highlights to start your day:

Tonight in the NBA:

7:30 p.m. – (8) Hawks at (1) Heat (MIA leads series 1-0)

8:30 p.m. – (7) Timberwolves at (2) Grizzlies (MIN leads series 1-0)

10:00 p.m. – (8) Pelicans at (1) Suns (PHX leads 1-0)

Discuss This Article

Comments have moved.

Join the conversation and talk about this article and all things Kentucky Sports in the new KSR Message Board.

KSBoard

2025-02-16