There have not been too many championship performances from the Golden State Warriors as they have produced an unconvincing defence of their NBA title so far this season.
On Saturday, they delivered a reminder of their ability to rise to the occasion against the most vaunted of opponents, and typically it was Steph Curry who inspired them as the Warriors saw off the Milwaukee Bucks in overtime.
Curry was at his brilliant best in the clutch in a 125-116 victory, with 22 of his 36 points coming in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Eleven of his 13 fourth-quarter points came in the final two minutes of regulation, including a three-pointer over Jevon Carter with 19 seconds left to tie the game.
A more important contribution was to follow with 2.2 seconds left when Curry rose to block a potential game-winning shot from Jrue Holiday.
In his regular-season career, that was the first time Curry had blocked a shot in the final 10 seconds of the fourth quarter and overtime.
"When you [make] a couple of big shots down the stretch and then find yourself in a position to make a play on the other side, I think that gives everybody a good boost," Curry said. "I think I got more compliments on that in the locker room than any shot I made."
Curry re-entered the game in the fourth after a spell on the bench with the Warriors trailing by eight points to a Bucks team that leads the Eastern Conference having compiled 48 wins this campaign. Golden State had led by 13 in the third.
"It's the challenge of bringing execution and focus," Curry said. "Even when things aren't going your way -- that fourth quarter when they take an eight-point lead -- and you slowly walk them down, that's the belief you have to have that we can do."
Coach Steve Kerr was in awe of Curry's all-round display, which lifted the Warriors to 35-33, still in the sixth seed in the Western Conference.
"Steph was incredible, and he did it against one of the great defenders in Jrue Holiday," Kerr said. "It's amazing watching those two guys battle. Steph is fearless. It doesn't matter if there is a slow start or if he hasn't had much going, he can ignite at any time."
"Championship stuff," he added of the Warriors finishing the game off. "That is the team that won four titles. They know how to do it. They got it done against probably the best team in the league."
Heat rally in fourth quarter to even NBA Finals at 1-1
Gabe Vincent scored 23 points and helped spark a fourth-quarter rally that propelled the Miami Heat to a 111-108 win over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, evening the championship series at 1-1.
The Heat overcame an eight-point deficit to start the fourth quarter to snap the Nuggets' seven-game winning streak and send the series to Miami all tied. Game 3 will take place Wednesday.
Denver also was handed its first loss in 10 home games during this postseason despite another big effort from two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić, who poured in 41 points on 16-of-28 shooting along with 11 rebounds.
Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo each contributed 21 points for the Heat, while Duncan Robinson scored all 10 of his points during a pivotal 15-2 run to open the fourth quarter that sent Miami ahead to stay.
Jokic scored the final six points of the third quarter to give the Nuggets an 83-75 lead that turned out to be short-lived. Robinson had the first eight points of Miami's momentum-shifting surge, and Vincent later added a 3-pointer before hitting two free throws that put the Heat up 90-85 with nine minutes remaining.
Miami held a 107-95 advantage after Caleb Martin's 3-pointer with 3:39 left to play, but the Nuggets responded with a late charge to put the outcome back in doubt.
Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray hit 3-pointers to ignite an 11-2 run Murray capped with another triple that pulled Denver within 109-106 entering the final minute.
After Jokic countered two Butler free throws with a short turnaround jumper with 35.6 seconds left, Butler missed a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to give the Nuggets a chance to tie.
Murray misfired on a step-back 3-point try with 1.9 seconds left, however, and Martin grabbed the rebound as time expired.
Denver, which led by as many as 15 points in the first half, had been 11-0 this postseason when holding a double-digit lead.
Miami Heat rally late against Denver Nuggets to even NBA finals series
The Miami Heat produced a fourth-quarter comeback to win the second game of the NBA finals 111-108 and even up the seven-match series against the Denver Nuggets.
The Heat trailed by eight heading into the final period, having trailed by 15 earlier in the game in the wake of another massive performance from Nikola Jokic.
Jokic scored 41 points, scoring 16 of 28 shots from the floor including one with 36 seconds remaining which cut the Heat’s lead to three points.
But after Jimmy Butler missed on Miami’s next possession, Jamal Murray was unable to tie the scores with an effort on the buzzer.
The defeat was Denver’s first since May 7 and they had won all 11 play-off games in which they had opened a double-digit lead.
They had trailed 21-10 in the opening quarter before a barrage of three-point scores helped them to a 44-32 advantage which had been trimmed to six points at the break.
And Miami held on through the third quarter before the late surge that takes the series to Miami all square.
Gabe Vincent led the way for Miami with 23 points as Butler and Bam Adebayo each grabbed 21.
Knicks' Julius Randle has ankle surgery, expected healthy for 2023-24
New York Knicks forward Julius Randle underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle Friday and is expected to recover in time to participate in training camp before next season.
The team announced the successful operation Saturday on Twitter.
Voted a member of the All-NBA Third Team this season, Randle was hindered down the stretch after spraining his ankle during a March 29 game against the Miami Heat and re-injuring it in the playoffs.
Randle missed the Knicks’ final five regular season games. He returned to play through the injury in 10 of New York’s 11 postseason games but averaged 16.6 points on 37.4-percent shooting from the field.
Before spraining his ankle, Randle played the first 77 games of the 2022-23 season, averaging a career-high 25.1 points, 10 rebounds and 4.1 assists while being voted to his second career All-Star Game.
This season, Randle and offseason addition Jalen Brunson led the Knicks to a 47-35 record, a No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and a first-round series win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
With Randle visibly hobbled, the Knicks were eliminated by the Heat in six games in the East semifinals.
Randle, 29, has two years and $58.5 million remaining on his deal, plus a $32.4 million player option in 2025-26.
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