US-Sport compact Timberwolves and Heat secure final NBA playoff spots
Düsseldorf · While most Europeans are asleep, the North American professional leagues are buzzing. What Happened That Night in American Football, Basketball, and Ice Hockey.
Miami Heat guard Gabe Vincent (2) pulls past Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8).
Photo: dpa/Rebecca Blackwell
Timberwolves and Heat secure final NBA playoff spots
The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Miami Heat have secured the last two spots in the NBA playoffs. The Heat prevailed in the play-in duel with the Chicaco Bulls on Friday with 102:91 and will meet the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round on Sunday. The Timberwolves dominated the Oklahoma City Thunder, especially in the second half, and earned a first-round series against the Denver Nuggets with a 120:95. The Bucks and the Nuggets were the best teams in the Eastern and Western Conferences in the main round.
In the Heat, Jimmy Butler and Max Strus impressed with 31 points each. Bam Adebayo had a poor evening on offense, hitting just one of nine shots, but still had a big hand in his side’s playoff qualification with 17 rebounds.
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At Minnesota, Rudy Gobert was allowed to play again after his suspension and contributed 21 points and 10 rebounds. As in the loss to the Los Angeles Lakers three days earlier, the best player for the Timberwolves was Karl-Anthony Towns, who had 28 points and 11 rebounds. Anthony Edwards also recorded a double double with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Avalanche win in NHL and clear playoff series against Kraken
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Photo: AP/Ashley Landis
National goalkeeper Philipp Grubauer meets his former teammates of the defending champion Colorado Avalanche with the Seattle Kraken in the first round of the NHL playoffs. The ice hockey team from Denver won the last main round game against the Nashville Predators 4:3 on Friday evening (local time) and thus made first place in the Central Division of the NHL and the first round duel with the Kraken perfect.
Even before the meeting was sealed hours later, Grubauer expressed anticipation in a round with German journalists. “It doesn’t get any hotter,” said the 31-year-old from Rosenheim. “A lot has changed in the team, like we did last year. But that would be great.” Grubauer had been in goal for the Avalanche for three years and during this time had matured into one of the best goalkeepers in the league. The best-of-seven series begins Wednesday night in Denver.
The day before the first round between the Edmonton Oilers around Leon Draisaitl and the Los Angeles Kings begins. Draisaitl and Grubauer are the only two German ice hockey pros who made it into the NHL playoffs with their teams this season. The two teams could meet on the way to the final series for the Stanley Cup.
Embiid, Jokic and Antetokounmpo among top three in NBA MVP contest
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Photo: AP/Charles Krupa
Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo and defending champion Nikola Jokic got the most votes in the NBA Season Most Valuable Player election. The NBA announced this the day before the start of the playoffs on Saturday. 100 journalists had until the end of the main round in the world’s best basketball league to cast their votes.
Serb Jokic, who plays for the Denver Nuggets, has won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) title for the past two years. Antetokounmpo has also been voted MVP twice, the Greek from the Milwaukee Bucks received the award in 2019 and 2020. It would be a first for Cameroonian Embiid, who plays for the Philadelphia 76ers. The NBA will announce who has won during the playoffs.