Three elimination games. No eliminations.
Thursday, May 1 marked an evening in which two heavy underdogs and one embattled franchise could close out their respective series. The results remained consistent with the wild nature of the 2014 NBA Playoffs, as two road teams won and no squad was able to close out.
Here’s everything that you need to know about last night’s action.
1. Kevin Durant posted 36 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 104-84 road demolition of the Memphis Grizzlies. It was a high-stakes game for OKC, which fought off elimination and forced a Game 7 on their home court.
Durant’s 36 points tied a postseason career-high.
2. Derek Fisher tied Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for second all-time with 154 career playoff wins. Only Robert Horry has more with 155.
3. David West posted 24 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and two steals to lead the Indiana Pacers to a crucial 95-88 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Paul George added 24 points and Lance Stephenson had 21 as the Pacers fought off elimination and forced Game 7.
The Hawks are 0-8 all-time in road Game 7s. Indiana is 0-10 in a series in which it trails 3-2. Something’s gotta give.
4. Roy Hibbert joins Jim King in 1968 as the only two players in NBA history to make an All-Star team and go scoreless in consecutive playoff games in the same season. Call that a specific stat, if you’d like, but Hibbert hasn’t scored in 125 minutes and nine seconds of game time.
5. Stephen Curry scored 24 points and Andre Iguodala tallied a big 15 to lead the Golden State Warriors past the Los Angeles Clippers 100-99. Blake Griffin and J.J. Redick both fouled out, Chris Paul had five fouls and DeAndre Jordan committed four as the Warriors’ aggressive offensive attack put L.A. in foul trouble.
This was the Warriors’ first victory in an elimination game since 1988.
Bonus Fact: Every single team that won on May 1 was trailing 3-2 in their respective series. In one day, three separate teams fought off elimination and forced a Game 7.