Saturday, May 16, 2015
Associated Press
WASHINGTON
Avoiding overtime in Game 6 when Paul Pierce’s potential tying 3-pointer was released after the clock expired, the Atlanta Hawks made it to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time by beating the Washington Wizards 94-91 on Friday night.
The Hawks held on thanks primarily to DeMarre Carroll’s playoff career-high 25 points, including two layups in the last minute off assists from Jeff Teague.
After Al Horford went 1 of 2 from the free-throw line for a three-point lead, the Wizards inbounded the ball with 6.4 seconds left. They got the ball to Pierce, who won Game 3 on a banked-in buzzer-beater, then put Washington briefly ahead late in Game 5 with a 3. This time, his 3 from the corner swished through, but after a couple of anxious minutes for both teams, a replay review determined it was too late.
Once trailing 2-1 in the best-of-seven series against the Wizards, the Hawks won three straight games. They improved road teams to 6-0 this postseason in Game 6s.
Now No. 1 seed Atlanta will host LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the conference finals on Wednesday night.
It’s the Hawks’ first trip to a conference final since the NBA realigned into conferences in 1970-71. The team had not won two playoff series in a single year since moving to Atlanta for the 1968-69 season.
Teague and Paul Millsap both added 20 points for Atlanta, which won 60 games during the regular season but was about a .500 team for part of the postseason.
Warriors 108, Grizzlies 95
MEMPHIS, Tenn.
Stephen Curry scored 32 points, including a 62-footer to end the third quarter, and the Golden State Warriors advanced to their first Western Conference finals since 1976 by beating the Memphis Grizzlies 108-95 on Friday night.
They advanced with some of the best shooting in the NBA postseason since 1985, becoming the first team since that year to hit 14 or more 3s in three consecutive playoff games. Curry was 8 of 13 from beyond the arc as the Warriors knocked down a playoff-best 15 3-pointers, closing out Memphis with their third straight win.
Curry, who had 10 assists, had the shot of the night after Andre Iguodala blocked Jeff Green’s shot near midcourt. Curry grabbed the loose ball and beat the buzzer from the Grizzlies’ 3-point line for a 76-68 lead. Klay Thompson had 20 points, Draymond Green added 16, Harrison Barnes 13 and Shaun Livingston 10.
Marc Gasol led Memphis with 21 points and 15 rebounds.