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Bucks defeat Magic
The Milwaukee Bucks returned to the court and showed no effects of a strike to protest Jacob Blake’s shooting in a 118-104 victory over the Orlando Magic in Game 5 on Saturday in Orlando and advanced to the second round of the playoffs.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had a game-high 28 points and 17 rebounds, while Khris Middleton had 21 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for Milwaukee, which topped the Magic 4-1 and set up a showdown with the Miami Heat.
The Magic threatened 96-93 with 7:39 left in the game, but the Bucks responded with a three and never looked back.
Nikola Vujecic led the Magic with 22 points and 15 rebounds.
Rockets whip Thunder to 3-2 lead
The Houston Rockets went 3-2 after a 114-80 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
James Harden scored 31 points and Robert Covington added 22 points and seven rebounds to push the Thunder over the edge. Eric Gordon scored 20 points and Jeff Green had nine points and 10 rebounds for the Rockets who can end the series with a victory Monday.
Dennis Schroder led Oklahoma City with 19 points, but was sent off midway through the third quarter for hitting Houston’s PJ Tucker. Tucker was also ejected for hitting his head on the back of Schroder’s head, prompting a heated exchange between the two.
Russell Westbrook returned from injury to face his former team and finished with seven points.
The Lakers beat the Trail Blazers
The Los Angeles Lakers ended the Portland Trail Blazers’ season of wishes with a 131-122 victory in Game 5 of their first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Anthony Davis scored 43 points and LeBron James had a triple-double – 36 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists – to break into the second round and eliminate the Blazers who were without Damian Lillard, 4-1.
The Lakers won their first playoff series in eight years and James kept his perfect first-round playoff record alive.
“We knew this was a very attractive Portland team. We wanted to get in and get better and better as the series went on, and we did, ”said James.
CJ McCollum scored 36 points and provided seven assists, while Carmelo Anthony added 27 points for the Trail Blazers.
The Lakers face the Houston Rockers or the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round.
Moment of silence for Boseman, Robinson, Olsen
The Bucks and Magic observed a moment of silence in honor of the late actor Chadwick Boseman, former Trail Blazers star Cliff Robinson and Hall of Fame basketball coach Lute Olson before their game.
Robinson, 53, a former NBA All-Star and Sixth Man of the Year, died Aug. 29 of lymphoma, a rare form of cancer.
Olson was a former head coach of the University of Arizona men’s basketball team who died on August 27 at the age of 85 and is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame and the National College Basketball Hall of Fame.
Boseman had the honor of being a great friend to the NBA. He died of colon cancer on August 28 at the age of 43.
READ: LeBron James grim after losing Black Panther, Black Mamba in 2020; The sports world mourns the passing of Chadwick Boseman
Kidd wants to coach the Sixers: report
Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Jason Kidd has expressed interest in the Philadelphia 76ers head coach job vacated by Brett Brown.
Kidd had been a head coach before the Brooklyn Nets and Bucks. He compiled a 183-190 record in the regular season and a 9-15 record in the playoffs.
He is a member of the NBA Hall of Fame, NBA Champion and 10-time All-Star. He is second all-time in NBA history in assists (12,091) and steals (2,684).(Compiled by Tristan Lozano)
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