Sunday’s NBA Playoffs featured a pair of highly-anticipated Game 4 matchups. The action started with the Indiana Pacers blowing out the New York Knicks by 32 points in a game that was over by the start of the second quarter. The short-handed Knicks and the rebounding Pacers are heavily featured in Sunday’s biggest winners and losers.
But we also can’t forget about Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets or Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves’ hungry pack of defenders. After another thrilling day of fun, here are our biggest winners and losers from Sunday’s NBA action.
Winner: T.J. McConnell
The Pacers’ backup point guard helped set the tone off the bench, scoring 15 points while chipping in 10 assists and swiping two steals all in 21 minutes of play. He was one of the best players on the floor, rarely making a mistake.
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Loser: Josh Hart
What happened to the Josh Hart who averaged 46.4 minutes per game over the first three matchups? He played just 24 minutes in their Game 44 loss, but he wasn’t getting it done, being held to two points, three rebounds and two assists while shooting 16% from the floor. Hart needed the rest.
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Winner: Obi Toppin
This one had to feel good for Obi Toppin. The eighth overall pick by the Knicks in 2020 was traded to the Pacers for two measly future second-round picks, but he showed Coach Thibodeau why he’s valuable. Toppin sank 2-of-3 3s, and 6-of-11 shots overall for 14 points to help pace Indiana off the bench.
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Loser: Tom Thibodeau
Tom Thibodeau might have pushed his team past the limit. To be fair, the Knicks are missing several key contributors such as Julius Randle, OG Anunoby, and Mitchell Robinson. Still, maybe it’s time Thibs trusts his bench a bit more only to ease the burden off the players who have been playing heavy minutes.
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Winner: Tyrese Haliburton
The head of the snake got to rest a bit on Sunday, only playing 28 minutes. But when you can get out to a 43-point lead, you know it’s a good night. Haliburton was effective, scoring 20 points to go with six rebounds and five assists without committing a turnover. Best of all, the Pacers have evened up the series.
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Winner: Anthony Edwards
Anthony Edwards brought his best, but his teammates didn’t. Edwards was magnificent, scoring 44 points on 25 shots on a night when the Timberwolves scored just 107 points as a team. He’s expected to dominate from here on out, but the 22-year-old needs to find a way to make sure his teammates are at their best too, and that’s part of being a leader.
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Winner: Jamal Murray
The basket looked like a hula hoop for Jamal Murray in Game 4 on the road in front of a feisty crowd. Murray couldn’t miss, not even from half-court. Murray didn’t have to take a lot of shots, just 17, but the ones he did make took the air out of the Timberwolves’ sails. Murray also had eight assists and two steals to go with his 19 points.
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Loser: Karl-Anthony Towns
Karl-Anthony Towns may be playing on a supermax contract, earning $49.3 million this season, but he’s not earning his keep. Towns showed up on the glass, pulling down 12 rebounds, but scoring 13 points on 18 shots is pitiful in a game that the Wolves lost by 12 points. The Timberwolves need their best players to show up, and KAT didn’t live up to the billing, despite having the home crowd at his back.
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Winner: Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic isn’t known for his shot-making ability, but that was his best trait on Sunday. The three-time MVP put the Nugs on his back by scoring 35 points while shooting 57% from the floor. But he also filled up the box score in typical fashion, dropping seven dimes, grabbing seven boards, and swiping three steals while erasing a shot in a complete effort. There’s a reason why he’s the MVP folks.
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Loser: Timberwolves home crowd
The home crowd at Target Center hasn’t experienced a lot of highs over the years. Their past two home games delivered a chance for some special moments thousands of Minnesotans would never forget. But the Nuggets had other ideas, embarrassing the home crowd with an average margin of victory of 19.5 points. That’s not fun for anyone, aside from the Nuggets fans cheering from home in Denver.
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