The next day.
The flames of the NBA playoffs continued to spread.
The Western Conference took the court first, with the Portland Trail Blazers facing the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Utah Jazz taking on the Seattle SuperSonics.
The matchup between the Trail Blazers and Timberwolves was a collision of muscle and talent.
The Timberwolves' "Wolf King," Kevin Garnett, wreaked havoc in the paint and displayed an exceptionally well-rounded skill set.
Not only could he post up down low, but he could also step out high to facilitate the offense, even knocking down mid-range jumpers time and again.
However, the Trail Blazers' tremendous depth proved to be the key to victory.
Rasheed Wallace and Arvydas Sabonis engaged Garnett in fierce physical battles inside, constantly draining his stamina. On the perimeter, Damon Stoudamire and Steve Smith repeatedly hit clutch shots as well.
In the end, the more complete Trail Blazers defeated the Timberwolves 104-97.
Garnett put up 28 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists in a losing effort, while the Trail Blazers had scoring contributions across the board. Rasheed Wallace posted 22 points and 8 rebounds, while Stoudamire added 18 points and 7 assists.
The other game, between the Jazz and the SuperSonics, was a contest between veterans and players in their prime.
Though the Jazz's "Utah Duo," John Stockton and Jeff Hornacek, were advanced in years, their experience and chemistry on the court remained an insurmountable mountain for the SuperSonics.
Gary Payton of the SuperSonics gave everything on both ends of the floor, trying to disrupt the Jazz's rhythm with his speed and defense.
But the Jazz's textbook pick-and-roll attack tore through the SuperSonics' defense time and time again.
After a hard-fought four quarters, the Jazz defeated the SuperSonics 98-93. Stockton recorded a double-double with 15 points and 12 assists, while