NBA playoffs winners and losers: 76ers sweep, Knicks on brink of advancing

NBA playoffs.

Philadelphia is the only team that has advanced to the conference semifinals. The Sixers will start the second round either Saturday or May 1, and with Joel Embiid dealing with a sprained right knee, they’re hoping for the later date so Embiid has more time to heal.

Two series are 2-1 (Los Angeles Lakers over Memphis, Miami over Milwaukee), one is 2-2 (Golden State-Sacramento) and four are 3-1 (Denver leads Minnesota, Phoenix ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers, Boston on top of Atlanta, New York in front of Cleveland).

The Dillon Brooks-LeBron James trash-talking took center stage headed into Game 3 only to be upstaged by Brooks’ ejection after striking James in groin area Saturday.

Hawks’ loss to the Celtics on Sunday.

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Here are the winners and losers from the second weekend of the NBA playoffs:

a 3-1 series lead with efficient offense, especially inside the 3-point line. Barrett scored 19 points in Game 3 and 26 points in Game 4 on a combined 17-for-30 from the field including 14-for-18 inside the arc.

Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves

Denver and All-NBA center Nikola Jokic have been strong in the series, but Anthony Edwards saved the Timberwolves from elimination with 34 points in a 114-108 overtime victory. Minnesota wasted a 12-point lead late in the fourth quarter, but Edwards had five points in OT, including the game-deciding 3-pointer.

James Harden was ejected from Game 3 in the third quarter, but the Nets blew a 96-91 lead with 2:15 left in the fourth quarter and lost. In Game 4 with their season at stake, the Nets failed to capitalize on the absence Embiid. The Sixers swept the Nets.Brooks ran his mouth at Lakers star LeBron James during and after Memphis’ Game 2 victory. Brooks said he likes to poke the bear. He should know better. There’s a long line of people who poked James, and it didn’t turn out well from Lance Stephenson to Joakim Noah to Klay Thompson. Brooks was not at his best in Game 3 – ejected for hitting James in the groin area and shot just 3-for-13 from the field for seven points in the Lakers’ 111-101 victory. Brooks is better off, at least in this series, focused on basketball.What’s happens next in Dillon Brooks-LeBron James feud after groin shot?

Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers

Mitchell was 1-for-9 for just two points in the second half of Game 4 on Sunday. He missed his first eight shots of the half and his bucket came with 2:13 left in the fourth quarter. He finished with just 11 points on 5-for-18 shooting, including 0-for-4 on 3-pointers. Mitchell also had six turnovers. This is nothing Mitchell, who will be an All-NBA selection this season, doesn’t know: the Cavs can’t win if he plays like that.

Milwaukee’s defense

Even without Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks have outstanding defenders: Jrue Holiday, Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton. The Heat were 23-for-36 in the paint and 16-for-33 on 3-pointers. The Bucks defense is in disarray minus Antetokounmpo, but they also have enough talent and institutional knowledge to play better defense if Antetokounmpo is not on the court.

is out for the season after sustaining a torn patellar tendon in his left knee against Milwaukee in Game 3.

Just awful.

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