The 2024 NBA Playoffs resumed Sunday with eight teams facing off in Game 4. The Mavericks matched the largest comeback in NBA playoff history by erasing the Clippers’ 31-point advantage and briefly holding the lead late in the fourth quarter. But this was as close as I could get. Paul George sizzled in the first half and finished with 33 points, James Harden added 33 and Los Angeles pulled one back victory 116-11 to tie the series 2-2.
In Sunday’s opener, Jalen Brunson got the playoff party started and scored 47 points to set a franchise playoff record as the Knicks held on for a victory 97-92 in Philadelphia to take a 3-1 lead over the Sixers.
With a 126-113 victory over the Bucks, the Pacers pushed Milwaukee to the brink of elimination with a 3-1 series lead. Things got spicy early when Bobby Portis found himself ejected after fight with Andrew Nembhard.
In Sunday’s finale, Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves completed the sweep against Kevin Durant and the Suns. This is Minnesota’s first playoff victory in 20 years. Despite the head coach Chris Finch abruptly exits due to injurythe Timberwolves held on to win 122-116.
Here’s a recap of the final scores from Sunday’s action, along with some takeaways from the evening:
NBA playoff results: Sunday, April 28
- Game 4: Knicks 97, 76ers 92 (NY leads 3-1) – to summarize
- Game 4: Clippers 116, Mavericks 111 (series tied 2-2) – to summarize
- Game 4: Pacers 126, Bucks 113 (IND leads 3-1) – to summarize
- Game 4: Timberwolves 122, Suns 116 (MIN wins series 4-0) – to summarize
Things to remember from Sunday evening
Brunson’s burner
As if Jalen Brunson could become even more of a legend in Knicks world, he went out and set a franchise record with 47 points in Philly’s Game 4 win on Sunday, putting his team one win away from a conference semifinal appearance. The All-Star point guard went 18 of 34 from the field, 9 of 11 from the free throw line and scored 24 points in the second half to lead the Knicks to victory.
After struggling to start the series, Brunson has clearly found his rhythm, and the 76ers will have to rethink their approach if they want to avoid elimination on Tuesday night.
Harden rides the clutch
In a game entirely dominated by the Clippers early on, the Mavericks fought to the end from 31 points behind to take the lead at the end of Game 4 on Sunday. It is when James Harden decided to take controlscoring 13 points in the final five minutes, almost entirely on floaters in the lane.
Harden had plenty of postseason moments to forget during his Hall of Fame career, so milestone performances like this stand out. Kawhi Leonard might not return in this seriesso the Clippers will need a lot more production from Harden and Paul George if they want to survive a tied series heading back to Los Angeles.
Shorthanded Bucks fall…short
The Bucks were already fighting an uphill battle in Sunday’s Game 4 with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard injured. Things got complicated in the second quarter, when Bobby Portis was kicked out following an altercation with Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard.
Milwaukee fought hard to keep the game close, but they eventually ran out of gas, despite Brook Lopez’s 27 points and nine rebounds and Khris Middleton’s 25 points and 10 rebounds. The Pacers are now one win away from advancing to the second round, with the status of Milwaukee’s top two players still up in the air.
Edwards gives Wolves power
The Phoenix Suns have officially been fired. The Timberwolves became the first team to punch their ticket to the conference semifinals with an impressive victory Sunday in Phoenix. Anthony Edwards was the story of the game, scoring 40 points, including 31 in the second half, while making spectacular plays on both ends along the way.
It was the Timberwolves’ first playoff victory in 20 years, and they now advance to face the winner of the Denver Nuggets-Los Angeles Lakers series. Meanwhile, the Suns are going to have a lot of questions this offseason with a top-heavy roster that it clearly wasn’t good enough to compete for a title.
