What happened in four snapshots in the NBA Playoffs on Sunday, April 28, 2024.
Basketball Wiretap
In the postgame media session after the Minnesota Timberwolves swept the Phoenix Suns, Wolves franchise star Karl-Anthony Towns had high praise for Anthony Edwards.
"He’s the face of the league. I’ve been saying that. He hates when I say it, but it’s true," Towns on Edwards' place in the NBA.
Minnesota's young star also drew high praise from Suns forward Kevin Durant.
Edwards scored 40 points in helping the Timberwolves to close out the Suns in four games. He shot 13-of-20 from the floor, including 7-of-13 from behind the arc. Edwards added nine rebounds, six assists, two blocks and a steal to his big scoring line.
Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic won't use a right knee injury as an excuse for his struggles in the first-round playoff series against the LA Clippers. But Doncic is clearly playing through it, and he feels as if that's putting a lot on Kyrie Irving's shoulders.
"I just got to help him more," Doncic said of Irving. "I feel like I'm letting him down, so I got to be there. I got to help him more. He's given everything that he has, and he's been amazing for us the whole series."
Doncic injured his right knee in the first quarter of Game 3. It's impacted his ability to create separation from the Clippers defenders. But the Mavs star expects himself to be better, despite the injury.
"It's hurting obviously, but it shouldn't be an excuse, man," said Doncic on playing 45 minutes in Game 4. "Just came out and a little sloppy, so I got to be way better than that."
The Clippers won Game 4 to even the series at 2-2. Game 5 is in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Joel Embiid was mostly upset at how his team played down the stretch of the Philadelphia 76ers Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks. That lost left the Sixers on the verge of elimination, as the Knicks lead the series 3-1.
However, Embiid was also upset at the number of New York fans in the building for Games 3 and 4 of the series in Philadelphia. At various points through both games, it sounded as if the crowd was at least 50-50. Embiid called that "disappointing".
"I love our fans. Think it's unfortunate and I'm not calling them out, but it is disappointing. Obviously, you got a lot of Knicks fans and they're down the road and I've never seen it," Embiid said. "And I've been here for 10 years. Yeah, it kind of pisses me off, especially because Philly is considered a sports town. They've always shown up and I don't think that should happen. Yeah. It's not okay."
Game 5 shifts back to New York on Tuesday, with the Knicks having a chance to close out the series in front of their home fans.
Kevin Durant reportedly never felt comfortable playing alongside Devin Booker and Bradley Beal in the Phoenix Suns' offense, sources told Shams Charania and Doug Haller of The Athletic.
Durant had "persistent issues" with being relegated to the corner with the offense built around pick-and-rolls instead of his strengths.
Teammates and those close to the organization felt like Durant should have voiced his concerns more directly with Frank Vogel.
Kevin Young, now at BYU, was responsible for the Suns' offense. Players questioned the coaching staff's ability to maximize a lineup of Durant, Beal, and Booker.
The Suns are reportedly taking a "hard look" at making full changes to the coaching staff this summer.
The Phoenix Suns are expected to take a "hard look" at a full coaching change for the second straight offseason, sources told Shams Charania and Doug Haller of The Athletic.
The Suns will, at the very least, make changes to Frank Vogel's staff.
The Suns were swept by the Timberwolves in the first round.
Vogel said before Game 4 that he has the "full support" of Mat Ishbia.
James Jones is expected to remain as the general manager next season.
Chris Finch is feared to have a torn patellar tendon in his knee, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Finch suffered the injury during a collision late in the Timberwolves' win in Game 4.
The Timberwolves swept the Suns in the first round.
Frank Vogel said he felt "very" confident that he would return as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns next season.
"I've got full support of [Suns owner Mat] Ishbia," said Vogel before Game 4 on Sunday.
Vogel originally signed a five-year deal in June 2023.
Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault won the NBA Coach of the Year award on Sunday night.
Daigneault finished in front of Jamahl Mosley and Chris Finch.
"I've used the word uncommon with this team all year, and the reason I think they're so uncommon is they have incredible ambition," said Daigneault on Sunday night.
Joe Mazzulla and Tom Thibodeau rounded out the top five in voting.
Host Danny Leroux talks with Jared Dubin of Last Night in Basketball about the playoffs and Anthony Slater of The Athletic about the Warriors.
Dubin and Leroux discuss the Knicks going up 3-1 on the 76ers, a bizarre Clippers/Mavericks series, which teams have been most impressive so far and much more. After that, RealGM Radio debuts the “Exit Interview” as Slater joins to break down what happened to the Warriors this season and where they go from here, including young player development, ownership’s willingness to pay the tax, Klay Thompson’s future and much more.
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