Lions upset as Varsity nabs 2nd win

The scrap for the playoffs remains unchanged in Dunedin men’s club basketball.

The three teams fighting for the final two spots — the City Rise Bombers, Magic Lions and Andy Bay Falcons — all remain on five wins after all three lost on Saturday.

The Falcons and Bombers were beaten by the top two teams, the Mid City Magic and St Kilda Saints.

However, the Lions were upset by a Varsity side which claimed just its second win of the season.

Joseph Euphrat and Isaac Smiler had 19 and 14 points respectively as the students claimed a 63-60 win.

The Lions, without Tall Black centre Sam Timmins, held a 17-14 lead at the end of the first quarter and extended that to 39-35 at halftime.

But the Lions managed just eight points in the third quarter, as Varsity tied the scores heading in to the fourth.

From there, it pulled ahead, a Euphrat three-pointer taking it clear and giving its second win.

The St Kilda Saints finished strongly to beat the City Rise Bombers 87-80.

The Bombers led by two at the end of the third quarter, but the Saints won the fourth 29-18 to claim the win.

James Ross was key in that, finding his way to the line to put up 10 of his 27 in that fourth.

Tyler Lapham was also crucial, scoring 20 points, including six three-pointers.

Matt Bardsley top-scored for the Bombers with 26.

In the late game, a rampant second half from the Mid City Magic beat the Falcons 90-65.

The Falcons had led 42-38 at halftime, before the Magic defence locked in and created transition opportunities at the other end, while also pounding inside to use its size advantage.

Centre Aaron Roydhouse top-scored with 25 points.

Three weeks remain before the playoffs.

The NBA playoff resumed yesterday with the Milwaukee Bucks beating the Orlando Magic 118-104 to close out their first-round series, AAP reports.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 28 points and 17 rebounds to lead the top-seeded Bucks to a 4-1 Eastern Conference semifinals showdown against the Miami Heat, beginning tomorrow.

Anthony Davis scored 43 points and LeBron James added 36 to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 131-122 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers yesterday to win the Western Conference first-round series in five games.

Davis was 14-of-18 shooting and collected nine rebounds, while James made 14 of 19 shots and recorded 10 rebounds and 10 assists

as Los Angeles won a playoff series for the first time since beating the Denver Nuggets in the first round in 2012 during Kobe Bryant’s tenure.

James Harden scored 31 points and Russell Westbrook returned to face his former team in the playoffs for the first time as the Houston Rockets steamrolled the Oklahoma City Thunder 114-80.

The win gave the Rockets a 3-2 lead in their Western Conference match-up and they can advance to the second round with victory in game six tomorrow.