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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Of all of the ex-Indiana players participating in the NBA playoffs? Golden State’s Trayce Jackson-Davis had played the least going into Game 5 of the Warriors’ Western Conference first round series against the Houston Rockets. Jackson-Davis had played just 10 minutes in two games.
On Wednesday, the Warriors had a chance to close out the Rockets as they had a 3-1 lead, but Houston stayed alive with a 131-116 victory at Toyota Center in Houston. With the Rockets reaching a peak lead of 31 points, Golden State coach Steve Kerr turned to his bench in the third quarter. Jackson-Davis, an All-American at Indiana, was going to get his longest playoff appearance of his career.
Jackson-Davis played 12 minutes – and it was an eventful appearance. To start, Jackson-Davis and the Warriors reserves led an unlikely comeback. Golden State sliced its deficit to 13 points in the fourth quarter.
It compelled Houston coach Ime Udoka to put the Rockets starters back in the game. Then it got chippy. With 4:14 left, Golden State’s Pat Spencer pushed Houston’s Dillon Brooks and head-butted Rockets big man Alperen Sengun.
When Sengun went back at Spencer, Jackson-Davis protected his teammate and shoved Sengun away from Spencer. Jackson-Davis and Sengun were given a double technical and Spencer was ejected for the headbutt. Jackson-Davis scored four points and four rebounds.
Being part of Golden State’s comeback gave hm a plus-12 in the plus-minus statistic. With the loss, Golden State will go home on Friday to try to eliminate the Rockets in Game 6 of the best-of-seven series. Game time and broadcast network have not yet been announced.
As for other ex-Hoosiers in the NBA playoffs, the happiest is Thomas Bryant. Bryant and the Indiana Pacers eliminated the Milwaukee Bucks in five games. The Pacers rallied twice to defeat the Bucks 119-118 in overtime of Game 5 in their Eastern Conference first round series.
Bryant played, but didn’t register an official minute in Game 5. Bryant was more prominently in the rotation in previous games. He played 21 minutes in Game 3 as the Pacers lost 117-101.
Bryant, who played at Indiana from 2015-17, had a 12-minute appearance in Game 1 and eight-minute appearances in Games 2 and 4. Bryant has scored nine points in his five appearances. The No.
4-seeded Pacers advanced to play the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round. The Cavs are the top seed in the East. Game 1 of the Pacers-Cavs series will be Sunday in Cleveland.
Game time and broadcast outlet have not been announced. One ex-Hoosier still waiting to move on is small forward OG Anunoby. With a 3-1 lead, Anunoby’s New York Knicks could have eliminated the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, but Detroit stayed alive with a 106-103 victory in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference first round series in New York.
Anunoby had 19 points and eight rebounds in the loss. He was 8 of 13 from the field – his best shooting performance of the playoffs. So far, Anunoby has averaged 16.
4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 steals for the Knicks.
His 3-point shooting has been a bit off. He’s at 33.3% for this series.
Anunoby, who played at Indiana from 2015-17, has a career playoff average of 39% from 3-point range. Game 6 of the Knicks-Pistons series will be at 7:30 p.m.
on Friday at Detroit’s Little Caesar’s Arena. It will be broadcast on TNT. The fourth ex-Hoosier in the playoffs has been eliminated.
Kel’El Ware and the Miami Heat were swept by Cleveland in their Eastern Conference first round series. Cleveland humbled Miami on their home court in Game 4 as the Cavs rolled to a 138-83 victory. Ware started every game for the Heat, but didn’t play more than 20 minutes in any of the games as Miami coach Eric Spoelstra preferred to use a smaller lineup against the Cavs.
In his first career playoff appearance, Ware averaged 4.8 points and 4.8 rebounds.
It was a disappointing finish to an otherwise outstanding rookie season for Ware. He averaged 9.3 points, 7.
4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. Ware got four third-place votes in the NBA Rookie of the Year voting.
San Antonio’s Stephon Castle won Rookie of the Year. Related stories on Indiana basketball CONERWAY, MGBAKO ON EARLY NBA DRAFT LIST: Former Hoosier Mackenzie Mgbako and future Hoosier Tayton Conerway were on the early NBA Draft list. CLICK HERE.
JOSH HARRIS IS A HOOSIER: North Florida forward Josh Harris committed to Indiana. CLICK HERE. ALEXIS ADDED TO INDIANA FRONTCOURT: Sam Alexis, who played for national champion Florida, committed to Indiana.
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