Basketball, NBA Playoffs: Golden State defeats Houston in Game 7. Indiana surprises Cleveland

Milan, May 5 (LaPresse) – Stephen Curry scored 14 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, and Buddy Hield hit nine three-pointers, totaling 33 points, as the Golden State Warriors advanced to the Western Conference semifinals with a 103-89 win over the Houston Rockets in Game 7. The Warriors will face the Timberwolves Tuesday evening in Minnesota. Hield had a fiery first half with six three-pointers and 22 points, leading the Warriors to a 12-point advantage, while Curry scored just three points before the break. Then, Golden State's star took over in the final minutes and performed his signature ‘goodnight’ gesture as the Warriors defeated the Rockets in the decisive game. In the East, Tyrese Haliburton hit a key three-pointer midway through the fourth quarter, leading the Indiana Pacers to a dominant 121-112 victory over the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Haliburton finished with 22 points and 13 assists. Andrew Nembhard added 23 points and hit five three-pointers for the Pacers, who finished 19-for-36 from beyond the arc. Despite 33 points from Donovan Mitchell, who broke Michael Jordan's playoff record by scoring at least 30 points in his eighth consecutive opening game of a series, the Cavs couldn't pull off the win.