The Eastern Conference quarterfinals are done, with none of the first-round series lasting more than five games. In the Western Conference, the top-seeded Utah Jazz dispatched the Memphis Grizzlies in five games, winning four straight after dropping the opener, but the other three series are at least headed to a sixth game. On Thursday, we have two games, as Denver heads to Portland and Phoenix heads to L.A. to face the Lakers, and on Friday, the Clippers return to Dallas in a series in which the road team has won each of the first five games.
Don’t miss our NBA betting previews for all of these games.
NBA News: Western Conference Games (June 3-4)
Thursday, June 3
Denver Nuggets at Portland Trail Blazers
Game 6 (8:00 pm ET, TNT) | Nuggets lead, 3-2
In Game 5, Portland’s Damian Lillard went off for a franchise postseason record 55 points, nailing a dozen three-pointers to set an NBA postseason mark, edging Klay Thompson, who had made 11 for Golden State in a 2016 playoff contest. His long three-balls at the end of regulation and the first overtime forced the game to continue, but Denver would still prevail, 147-140. Portland scored 19 points in the two overtimes — with Lillard accounting for 17 of them. However, he did not score in the last 3:47 of the second overtime after draining his final three-ball, and none of the other Trail Blazers would score, either.
For Denver, Nikola Jokic got back to his usual tricks with distribution, handing out nine assists to go along with 38 points. Michael Porter Jr swished a three for Denver to make it 143-140, and then Robert Covington missed a dunk in the last minute of overtime. On the next possession, C.J. McCollum stepped out of bounds with 9.1 seconds left and the lead still at three. Four Denver three throws in the last 8.8 seconds gave the game its final margin. Can the Trail Blazers recover from that gut punch?
Final Prediction:
Nuggets 121, Trail Blazers 111
Phoenix Suns at L.A. Lakers
Game 6 (10:30 pm ET, TNT) | Suns lead, 3-2
LeBron James has made the playoffs 14 times before this season, and in each of those 14 times he has led his team to at least the second round. Phoenix would like to end that run and is just one game away from doing it after a 115-85 shellacking of the Lakers on Tuesday. James has had a tendency of leaving the floor early or mentally checking out of certain losses in his career, and that happened again on Tuesday, as he left the bench to go to the locker room with three minutes left in the blowout. The Lakers did not have Anthony Davis, and they played virtually no defense. The Suns led by 30 at the half, which was Los Angeles’ biggest deficit at the intermission in 25 years.
Devin Booker led the Suns with 30 points, and the Suns drained 14 shots from downtown. LeBron James had 24 points on the night, 17 in the third quarter, but the Lakers simply did not respond. The only bad news for the Suns was that Chris Paul went down again with a right shoulder injury and did not come back. The Lakers need more out of role players like Dennis Schroder, who went 0 for 9 from the floor, including 0 of 4 from behind the arc.
Final Prediction:
Suns 110, Lakers 104
Friday, June 4
L.A. Clippers at Dallas Mavericks
Game 6 (9:00 pm ET, ESPN)
The Mavericks bounced back from a dreadful Game 4 performance at home, jumping out to a ten-point lead in the first quarter. When the Clippers responded by taking the lead in the third quarter, the Mavericks went on a 25-5 run to end the frame and then held on for a 105-100 win in Los Angeles. Luka Doncic put up 42 points, and Tim Hardaway Jr hit a huge three and two clutch free throws in the fourth quarter, sinking the free throws with eight seconds left. Hardaway had 20 points on the night.
Paul George led the Clippers starters with 23 points and ten boards, and Reggie Jackson and Kawhi Leonard each scored 20 points. However, Leonard air-balled a three-pointer near the buzzer. The Mavericks adjusted to the Clippers’ size by starting both Kristaps Porzingis and Boban Marjanovic, and the tactic worked for a while in the first quarter. It remains to be seen which team will bring more energy and execution in Game 6.
Final Prediction:
Mavericks 111, Clippers 107
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