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Jimmy Butler dunks Miami into Conference Finals
Photo: Matt Slocum/AP
The Miami Heat became the first team to reach the conference finals of the playoffs in the North American professional basketball league NBA.
With a 99:90 (49:48) win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday evening (local time), the Heat won the quarterfinal series 4:2.
The best pitcher with 32 points was Jimmy Butler, who had led the Heat to the NBA final two years ago (2:4 against the Los Angeles Lakers).
On the other side, the Sixers' star players weren't having a good day.
League top scorer Joel Embiid hit less than 30 percent of his throws and stayed at 20 points.
James Harden scored all of his eleven points in the evenly balanced first half.
In the third quarter, the Heat pulled away decisively with a 16:2 run – in which Butler alone scored 14 points.
The Heat's next opponent won't be known until Friday night (CEST) at the earliest, when the Milwaukee Bucks play their sixth game against the Boston Celtics in the second semifinals of the Eastern Conference.
So far, the Bucks have led 3-2 around star player Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Mavericks equalize series
Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks forced a decisive game seven with a clear 113:86 (60:45) in their quarterfinal series against the Phoenix Suns.
So far, both teams have won their home games in the series - game seven takes place in Phoenix on Sunday.
The Suns made the playoffs as the best team of the regular season.
The outstanding player was Luka Doncic with 33 points, eleven rebounds and eight assists.
Maxi Kleber contributed nine points from the bench to the clear victory, which was never seriously threatened.
The Suns allowed themselves 22 turnovers (Dallas six), alone the two star players Devin Booker eight and Chris Paul five.
“I'm so proud of this team.
It was a great team effort,” said Doncic.
In the Western Conference, the second semi-finalist decides between the Golden State Warriors and the Memphis Grizzlies.
Golden State is 3-2 up in the best-of-seven mode after five games played and, like the Bucks, can make it into the conference finals with the next game.
cev/dpa
