Oklahoma City Thunder vs. New Orleans Pelicans Live Score and Stats - April 29, 2024 Gametracker - CBS Sports

NEW ORLEANS (AP) For all the scoring Shai Gilgeous-Alexander does for Oklahoma City, his hustle back on defense after having a shot blocked was a pivotal part of a playoff series-clinching victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.

“To win basketball games, a lot goes into it,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We just know those little things come with winning and we do it every opportunity we get.”

Gilgeous-Alexander had 24 points and 10 rebounds and the Thunder beat the Pelicans 97-89 on Monday night to complete a four-game sweep of their first-round playoff series.

The game turned on a fourth-quarter sequence which began with Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado knocking the ball from Gilgeous-Alexander as he attempted a mid-range shot. Pelicans guard CJ McCollum grabbed the ball and dribbled the other way on a two-on-one fast break against the Thunder's Jalen Williams.

When McCollum's layup attempt missed, Gilgeous-Alexander, trailing from behind, grabbed the rebound.

“I turned it over, clearly. And then they would have got a layup if it wasn’t for Dub,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, referring to Williams’ defense under the basket. “I just wanted to make sure that if he did his part, I was there to do my part”

Soon after, Chet Holmgren’s putback and Josh Giddey’s 3 tied it at 80 and ignited a decisive 18-2 run, capped by Williams’ 3, that put the Thunder up 93-82 with 3:08 left.

“Guys played with great confidence and when we play offense the way we did in the fourth quarter, the shots will go in a little bit more,” said Thunder coach Mark Daigneault, who a day earlier had been named the NBA’s coach of the year. “When we needed to, we really worked together, executed, got great shots. The guys delivered.”

Williams finished with 24 points. Giddey and Holmgren each scored 14 points. Holmgren also had nine rebounds.

“We knew tonight was going to be a challenge,” Giddey said. “Guys came in with the right mindset ... and we put it to bed.”

McCollum scored 20 for New Orleans, which was plagued by poor 3-point shooting. The Pelicans hit just eight of 34 shots from deep (23.5%).

“We were right there,” McCollum said. “This is a really good team we played against. Obviously, they are the No. 1 team for a reason, and it’s disappointing we weren’t able to get one game.”

Jonas Valanciunas had 19 point and 13 rebounds but might have produced more had he not been limited by foul trouble to 26 minutes on the court. Naji Marshall hit half of the Pelicans' 3s and finished with 16 points.

“I loved our fight and the way we battled tonight," Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “That’s a special group in that locker room, and what I told them is that there’s no other group that we would rather get on that floor and compete with than that group. They poured it out tonight. Unfortunately, we came up short.”

The Thunder held a 44-43 halftime lead in a game was highly competitive through three quarters, with 18 lead changes and neither team leading by more than five.

“The defense just kind of stabilized us all night,” Daigneault said. "The game never got away from us, despite struggles offensively.

The Pelicans, Daigneault said, “tested our conviction in the game plan and the guys just stuck with it.”

New Orleans stayed close despite Brandon Ingram missing 12 of 14 shots and finishing with eight points - well below his season average of 20.8 points per game.

With the Pelicans missing star power forward and leading scorer Zion Williamson for all four games in the series, New Orleans needed more from Ingram.

“Obviously, with the injury to (Zion) Williamson, that changed the complexion of their team coming into the series,” Daigneault said.

But the normally Ingram was largely frustrated by the physical defending of the Thunder's Lu Dort.

“For Lou to kind of take that challenge and do that is huge for us,” Williams said.

---

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Copyright 2024 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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Oklahoma City Thunder vs. New Orleans Pelicans Live Score and Stats - April 29, 2024 Gametracker - CBS Sports
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Oklahoma City Thunder sweep New Orleans Pelicans in NBA playoff series - USA TODAY

NEW ORLEANS — Just as the series had seen over and over — whether early in blowouts or in the game’s final minutes — the Oklahoma City Thunder swiftly choked life from the New Orleans Pelicans in a 97-89 Game 4 win and sweep.

It marks Oklahoma City’s first playoff series win since the 2015-16 season, the last time Thunder fans were brimming with this level of hope. With dreams of contention. 

That’s eight seasons, five trips to the postseason, three eras of Thunder basketball, a kiss goodbye to the two placeholder seasons that built this team, and one arrival — not appearance — that Sam Presti was hoping for.

A mark of where this young Thunder squad stands, it did it without an overwhelming performance from its MVP candidate.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who fell over after a shot attempt to end the first quarter after seemingly stepping on a pair of teammates’ ankles, had his least efficient output of the series. He shot just 8 for 21 from the field and made six free throws, scoring 24 points. 

In possibly the series’ ugliest game (and Game 1 happened), it was Josh Giddey and Jalen Williams who delivered with shotmaking. Giddey hit gutsy 3s, shooting 4 for 6 from deep. Williams added 24 points on 17 shots

Ugliness aside, the Pelicans appeared like a team with the desperation that comes with playing in a season-ending game. Willie Green played Jose Alvarado like it was his last game. Naji Marshall aimed to be a hero, drilling four 3s. But it wasn’t enough to outlast the verve of the Thunder, which held New Orleans to its fourth straight game under 93 points.

The Thunder, which became the youngest team in NBA history to win a playoff series, will face either the Clippers or Mavericks in the Western Conference semifinals. Los Angeles and Dallas are tied two games apiece.

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Oklahoma City Thunder sweep New Orleans Pelicans in NBA playoff series - USA TODAY
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NBA Playoffs: Clippers survive epic Dallas comeback, NY Knicks edge Sixers - Al Jazeera English

James Harden and Paul George combined for 66 points as the Los Angeles Clippers survived an epic Dallas comeback bid to tie their NBA playoff series, as New York took a 3-1 lead over Philadelphia thanks to Jalen Brunson’s 47 points.

The Clippers squared their best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series at 2-2 with a 116-111 triumph in Dallas, but not before the Mavs erased a 31-point deficit in a thrilling comeback on Sunday.

George scored 26 of his 33 points in the first half to help the Clippers build their big lead despite the injury-forced absence of Kawhi Leonard.

Harden scored 15 of his 33 in the fourth quarter when Dallas – led by the star duo of Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic – threatened to match the biggest comeback win in NBA playoff history.

Irving scored 40 points for Dallas, including a driving layup through traffic with 2:14 to play that gave the Mavs their first lead since the first quarter at 104-103.

Doncic delivered a triple-double of 29 points plus 10 rebounds and 10 assists, but in the waning minutes, it was George, Harden and the Clippers who came through.

George made his first basket of the second half, a three-pointer, to put the Clippers back up 107-105 with 1:55 to play.

🏆 SUNDAY'S FINAL SCORES 🏆

Jalen Brunson scores a playoff career-high 47 points and wills the @nyknicks to victory in Game 4!

OG Anunoby: 16 PTS, 14 REB, 3 BLK
Miles McBride: 13 PTS, 3 3PM, 4 REB
Joel Embiid: 27 PTS, 10 REB, 6 AST, 3 STL

Game 5: Tuesday, 7:00pm/et on TNT pic.twitter.com/H9kZMWfjm6

— NBA (@NBA) April 28, 2024

In Philadelphia, Brunson broke the New York franchise record for points in a playoff game and added 10 assists as the Knicks pushed reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid and the Sixers to the brink of elimination in their Eastern Conference series.

OG Anunoby had 16 points and 14 rebounds while putting in an impressive defensive effort against Embiid.

Embiid led Philadelphia with 27 points and 10 rebounds while Tyrese Maxey added 23 points.

With a chance to clinch the series at home on Tuesday, Brunson was not interested in reflecting on his franchise record.

“I’ll look back when I retire,” he said.

“Seriously, it’s great right now, helped us get a win. But it’s not going to do anything for us going forward.”

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts after scoring against the Philadelphia 76ers during the fourth quarter of game four of the first round in the 2024 NBA playoffs [Bill Streicher/USA Today Sports]

In Indianapolis, the Indiana Pacers drilled 22 three-pointers in a 126-113 victory over the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks to take a 3-1 series lead.

Myles Turner hit a playoff career high of seven three-pointers on the way to 29 points and Tyrese Haliburton added 24 points for the Pacers, who had six players in double figures.

The Pacers were brutally efficient from beyond the arc, connecting on better than 51 percent of their attempts.

The Bucks, with superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo still sidelined by a calf injury, were also without injured Damian Lillard and saw Bobby Portis ejected in the first quarter after a scuffle with Andrew Nembhard after the two tangled under the basket.

Brook Lopez scored 27 points and Khris Middleton, who tweaked an ankle in the third quarter but stayed in the game, had 25 for the Bucks, who will try to stay alive when they host game five on Tuesday.

Indiana Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton makes a pass against Milwaukee Bucks’ Jae Crowder and Andre Jackson Jr [Michael Conroy/AP]

Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns were eliminated at home in the final game of the night as the Minnesota Timberwolves completed a four-game sweep.

Anthony Edwards scored 31 of his 40 points in the second half in a 122-116 victory.

Edwards made seven 3-pointers and had nine rebounds and six assists for the third-seeded Timberwolves. Karl-Anthony Towns added 28 points and 10 rebounds as Minnesota won a playoff series for the first time in 20 years.

“I knew we had a chance to sweep them and why would we want to go back to Minnesota,” Edwards said after the game.

“We know the recipe. They came out and competed. They played hard tonight.”

The @Timberwolves advance to the Western Conference Semifinals!#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/xxFN5ZojEc

— NBA (@NBA) April 29, 2024

NBA playoff results on Sunday, April 28:

New York 97, Philadelphia 92 – New York lead series 3-1
LA Clippers 116, Dallas 111 – series tied 2-2
Indiana 126, Milwaukee 113 – Indiana lead series 3-1
Minnesota 122, Phoenix 116 – Minnesota win series 4-0

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NBA Playoffs: Clippers survive epic Dallas comeback, NY Knicks edge Sixers - Al Jazeera English
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NBA: Clippers give up 31-point lead, but knot series with Mavs - GMA News Online

Paul George and James Harden each scored 33 points and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied after coughing up a 31-point lead for a 116-111 road win over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 4 on Sunday, evening their Western Conference first-round playoff series.

Harden, who scored 13 points down the stretch, began his late-game flurry with 4:39 remaining when he scored the first of his three straight baskets in the paint that broke a 98-98 tie.

Kyrie Irving answered with a 3-pointer and a layup to give Dallas a 105-104 lead with 2:15 remaining. But George made sure that lead didn't last long, answering with a 3-pointer to give the Clippers a 107-105 advantage with 1:55 left. Los Angeles didn't relinquish the lead after that.

The series, which is tied 2-2, heads back to Los Angeles for Wednesday's Game 5.

"It was all-or-nothing for us," Harden said. "(George) didn't have a good game (in Game 3) so we wanted to come out and be aggressive and score the basketball, and that's what he did."

Luka Doncic finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in the loss. Irving scored a game-high 40 points on 14-of-25 shooting from the floor, including 6-of-12 from 3-point range. The rest of the Mavericks shot only 5-of-21 from deep, including 1-of-9 from Doncic.

"He did everything he could," Dallas coach Jason Kidd said of Doncic, whose struggles shooting from outside came amid knee soreness. "As far as (Doncic's) health, you'd have to ask him. But I thought he competed on both ends, put us in position again to take the lead there in the fourth."

Los Angeles went on a 32-8 run over the final 7:47 of the first quarter. The Clippers opened a 31-point lead thanks to a 16-8 spurt over the first 6:17 of the second quarter, but the Mavericks wasted little time beginning their rally.

Dallas trimmed the deficit to 17 by halftime, then held Los Angeles to 16 third-quarter points to pull within four points going into the fourth. The Clippers pushed the lead back to 11 points midway through the final period before a 19-7 Mavericks run.

Los Angeles finished 18-of-29 from beyond the arc. Harden was 4-of-5, while Terance Mann, who scored 11 points, went 3-of-6 from outside. Norman Powell added another 11 points off the bench and shot 3-of-5 on 3-point attempts.

With the win, the Clippers improved to 2-0 in the series without Kawhi Leonard. He missed Game 4 due to knee inflammation.

Sunday's contest was the series' first in which both teams scored 100-plus points. — Field Level Media/Reuters

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Jalen Brunson Sets Knicks' Playoff Scoring Record, Hears MVP Chants In Game 4 Road Victory - Forbes

As Jalen Brunson stepped to the foul line with 5.2 seconds remaining on Sunday afternoon, he heard a familiar refrain.

“MVP! MVP! MVP!,” the fans screamed.

This wasn’t Madison Square Garden, where the New York Knicks point guard is among the most popular players in decades. No, it was the Wells Fargo Center, the Philadelphia 76ers’ home arena.

Brunson made both free throws, clinching the Knicks’ 97-92 victory in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference first round series and putting New York ahead three games to one. He finished with 47 points, setting a Knicks’ playoff single game record that was previously held by Hall of Famer Bernard King, who scored 46 points in consecutive first round games in April 1984.

With one more victory, the Knicks will advance to the second round for the second consecutive season, the first time that would have happened since they made the NBA Finals and Conference Finals in the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons, respectively.

Rick Brunson, Jalen’s father and a current Knicks’ assistant coach, was a reserve guard on those New York teams. Now, his 27-year-old son, who was born in August 1996, has the Knicks back in the thick of the playoffs after the franchise has endured so much disappointment for nearly a quarter century. And the New York fans are embracing the team.

Several times on Sunday, “Let’s Go Knicks” chants emanated from the crowd even though it was a Knicks’ road game. Thousands of Knicks supporters traveled to Wells Fargo Center, which is about 100 miles from Madison Square Garden.

Brunson grew up a Philadelphia Eagles fan and played in college at Villanova, just outside of Philadelphia, so he understands how seriously sports are taken in the city.

“I’m not going to lie, this Philadelphia fan base….they’re very relentless, very passionate,” said Brunson, who made 18-of-34 field goals and added 10 assists and just one turnover. “Seeing the Knicks (fans) here and hearing the (fans) here was pretty cool. It’s awesome.”

76ers center Joel Embiid, meanwhile, had a different opinion.

“I love our fans,” he told reporters in Philadelphia’s locker room, per PHLY Sports. “I think it’s unfortunate. I’m not calling them out, but it is disappointing…I’ve never seen it. I’ve been here for 10 years. It kind of pisses me off, especially because Philly is considered a sports town. They’ve always shown up. I don’t think that should happen. It’s not OK.”

Despite the loud contingent of Knicks’ fans, the 76ers led 27-17 after the first quarter and remained close throughout the afternoon.

The 76ers cut their deficit to 90-89 with 5:04 remaining on a dunk from Kelly Oubre, who had 19 points. But the rest of the game, the Knicks had 13 rebounds, including six offensive rebounds, as well as four blocks, including three from reserve Precious Achiuwa. Meanwhile, after Oubre’s dunk, the 76ers went 0-for-11 from the field and made 3-of-5 free throws.

Even with center Mitchell Robinson out with a sprained left ankle and Bojan Bogdanovic only playing one minute and 11 seconds after leaving with a foot injury, the Knicks had 52 rebounds, 10 more than the 76ers. In the fourth quarter alone, the Knicks had 18 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end.

Josh Hart, who like Brunson and fellow starter Donte DiVincenzo played at Villanova, missed all seven of his field goals and scored just four points. But Hart led the Knicks with 17 rebounds, including five on the offensive end. OG Anunoby contributed 16 points and 14 rebounds, while reserve Miles McBride had 13 points.

Achiuwa, a 6-foot-8 forward, and Anunoby, a 6-foot-7 forward, spent much of the day guarding the 7-foot-2 Embiid, but they had plenty of help from Hart, Brunson and the rest of their teammates. After scoring a career playoff high 50 points in Thursday’s Game 3 victory, Embiid had 27 on Sunday but made only 7-of-19 field goals. Embiid was 0 for 5 in the fourth quarter.

“I thought our pace kind of slowed down (in the fourth quarter), so that hurt us a little bit,” Embiid said. “And then I thought for the most part we got good shots. We just didn’t make them.”

The Knicks didn’t shoot the ball well late, either. They made just 6-of-21 field goals and 7-of-11 free throws in the fourth quarter. With 22.4 seconds remaining and the Knicks up 95-91, Hart missed both free throws, triggering a promotion that gives anyone in the Philadelphia area free Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets if a player on the opposing team misses consecutive free throws in the second half.

Still, that was about the only highlight for 76ers fans. They left disappointed after Philadelphia blew a lead of at least 10 points for the third time this series. Knicks supporters were elated as the series heads back to New York for Game 5, which is all that Brunson was thinking about following Sunday’s victory.

At the end of the third quarter, Brunson limped off the court and held his right knee after colliding with 76ers point guard Kyle Lowry, a fellow former Villanova player. Brunson briefly went to the locker room before returning with 9:35 remaining in the fourth quarter. Asked about that sequence later, Brunson said he was “all good.”

Brunson also wasn’t about to take much time contemplating the significance of his 47-point performance and passing the legendary King in the record books.

“I’ll look back when I retire,” Brunson said. “Seriously, it’s great right now. It helped us get a win, but it’s not going to do anything for us going forward.”

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Jalen Brunson Sets Knicks' Playoff Scoring Record, Hears MVP Chants In Game 4 Road Victory - Forbes
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Jayson Tatum, Celtics Hailed By NBA Fans for Bounce-Back Game 3 Win vs. Adebayo, Heat - Bleacher Report

Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored 22 points apiece to lead the No. 1 seed Boston Celtics to a 104-84 road win over the No. 8 Miami Heat in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs on Saturday.

Tatum added 11 rebounds and six assists for the Celtics, who took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

The Celtics never trailed and led by as many as 29 points. Boston held Miami to 12 points in the first quarter before exploding for 42 points in the second quarter. The C's also committed just five turnovers.

It was a fantastic performance for Boston, which fell 111-101 at home to the Jimmy Butler-less Heat in Game 2. That game featured all five Miami starters scoring 11 or more (led by Tyler Herro's 24), while Tatum and Brown combined for 61 points and didn't get enough offensive help otherwise.

Boston's defense was far better this time around, while the Celtics also got some more offensive production, led by Kristaps Porziņģis (18 points, a trio of three-pointers) and Derrick White (16 points).

Miami clearly felt the absence of Butler, who is still out with a sprained right MCL suffered during the play-in tournament. Bam Adebayo scored 20 points to lead Miami, while Nikola Jovic and Tyler Herro scored 15 apiece.

Ultimately, the Celtics got back on track after a brutal Game 2 defeat, looking far more like the team that paced the NBA with 64 wins and crushed Miami 114-94 in Game 1:

JRFIII @JRFIIIEsq

Great Celtics win. Let's put a chokehold on this series Monday fellas

Shaban @_Mafioso255

<a href="https://twitter.com/celtics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@celtics</a> that's how it's supposed to get done, now can y'all be consistent please. 🧎🏾‍♂️

ℍ𝕦𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣☘️ @HunterCeltics

Celtics really shouldn't lose another game in this series

Dante Defalco☄️🦈🎸 @DefalcoDante

Celtics In 5☘️☘️

Garmanarnar @GarmanarnarC137

They had their best game last game and we had one of our worst and Porzingus was off it, today was a true representation of the levels between us. Celtics in 5 ☘️☘️☘️

jessss @swagjesssss

very content with how the celtics played tn

Jack_Beau20☘️ @Beau20Jack

The Celtics found the recipe on defense to destroy their offense

CelticsMuse @CelticsMuse

feel a gentlemens sweep incoming, might delete later... <a href="https://twitter.com/JimmyButler?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JimmyButler</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MiamiHEAT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MiamiHEAT</a> <a href="https://t.co/BjphAQKmDF">pic.twitter.com/BjphAQKmDF</a>

PatriotsMuse @PatriotsMuse

Let's go Celtics, win the games you're supposed to win and play defense like that and we're closing this series in 5 games as we should. See what happens when we play hard, we beat them by 20 and they don't score 90. Why can't we keep this mindset at all times?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Celtics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Celtics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA</a>

Evan Medina @EVENMEDIAN

Celtics basketball at its best tonight. They were phenomenal defensively and got great contributions from everyone. LET'S GO C'S!!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DifferentHere?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DifferentHere</a> <a href="https://t.co/J1jOMIfImW">https://t.co/J1jOMIfImW</a>

Vinyl Richie 🎸 @jakalaonu_

Celtics with a dominant win. No bullshit today, and I'm appreciative. Let's wrap this up in 5. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DifferentHere?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DifferentHere</a>

Tumi @Tumi213

Statement win from the Celtics

Game 4 will go down on Monday in Miami before the series shifts back to Boston for Game 5 on Wednesday.

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Jayson Tatum, Celtics Hailed By NBA Fans for Bounce-Back Game 3 Win vs. Adebayo, Heat - Bleacher Report
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WATCH: Fencer Catantan stuns South Korean Foe - The Manila Times

Filipino fencer Samantha Catantan stuns South Korean Sena Hong in the women's foil event semifinals 15-3 to move a win away of claiming a spot in the Paris Olympics via the Asian & Oceania Olympic Qualification Tournament on Saturday, April 27 here at the Zayed Sports Complex in Fujairah, UAE.
Video by Waylon Galvez

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NBA playoffs: Tyrese Haliburton’s game-winner lifts Pacers to 2-1 lead over Bucks - The Guardian

Tyrese Haliburton struggled to find his shooting touch Friday night.

So he looked for other ways to impact the game – a thunderous slam dunk off a rebound, finding open teammates and patiently waiting for a chance to make a statement. Then in the waning seconds of overtime, Haliburton wanted the ball.

The All-Star guard completed a three-point play with 1.6 seconds left, capping his first postseason triple-double in his first home playoff game to give the Indiana Pacers a 121-118 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. Indiana leads the best-of-seven series 2-1, with Game 4 on Sunday in Indianapolis.

“You know I was going to shoot it, no matter what,” Haliburton said. “What I was going to get was really based off of feel. there. Khris (Middleton) pushed Pascal (Siakam) up to tell Patrick (Beverley) to go under and as soon as I saw Patrick kind of turn his head, I reacted and everything opened up across the middle and I finally made a shot. I couldn’t buy a bucket tonight.”

Yes, Haliburton was just 8 of 22 from the field and 1 of 12 on three-pointers. But he did just about everything else right, finishing with 18 points, 16 assists and 10 rebounds as two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo again sat out for Milwaukee because of a strained left calf.

Myles Turner added 29 points and nine rebounds, both playoff career highs, to help give Indiana their first back-to-back postseason wins since taking three straight in the 2014 Eastern Conference semi-finals.

The Pacers also have their first lead in the playoffs since Game 3 of a first-round matchup against Cleveland in 2018. Indiana hasn’t won a series since reaching the 2014 Eastern Conference finals.

“It was a really fun game and overtime, what more could you ask for?” Haliburton said. “It was a really fun atmosphere.”

Perhaps not so fun for a Bucks team that has gotten more bruised and battered by the game.

Middleton finished with a playoff-career high 42 points and had 10 rebounds and five assists after missing practice Thursday because of a sprained right ankle. He forced overtime by making a three-pointer with 1.4 seconds to go in regulation, banked in a three to tie the score with 6.7 seconds left in overtime and then missed a three at the buzzer that could have forced a second overtime.

Damian Lillard added 28 points and eight assists, most coming after he hurt his left knee in the first quarter and then aggravating an achilles tendon injury late in the fourth quarter.

“We’ve just got to turn the page and get one win after another,” said Lillard, who is playing in his first postseason with the Bucks, who are 2-6 against Indiana this season.

It was a wild finish in front of a festive crowed decked out in gold T-shirts for Indiana’s first home playoff game since 21 April 2019 – and with many local favorites in attendance. The crowd included Indiana Fever newcomer Caitlin Clark, former Colts coach Tony Dungy, former Pacers forward Derrick McKey and current Colts players Anthony Richardson, Kenny Moore II and EJ Speed.

But these fans never expected to see the experienced Bucks methodically trim a 19-point first-half deficit to 90-83 after three quarters or to open the fourth on a 10-2 run to take a 95-92 lead on Bobby Portis Jr’s putback early in the fourth.

The teams then traded baskets, ties and leads over the final seven and a half minutes of regulation, with Siakam’s putback with 19.1 seconds left giving the Pacers a 109-106 lead. But Siakam missed the ensuing free throw, Middleton answered with a midrange shot and the three to tie it. Siakam’s long three to win it hit off the back of the rim at the buzzer.

“I thought we picked up our energy, I thought we got more physical,” Lillard said. “We just kind of got things under control, we got matched up, got into the gaps and thought once we started to do all of those things, the game started to turn. That’s something we’ve got to focus on.”

It was more of the same in overtime – until Haliburton broke free for the mid-range shot that drew a foul and led to the decisive three-point play.

Siakam had 17 points and nine rebounds. Portis had 17 points and 18 rebounds for the Bucks.

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Donovan Mitchell, Cavs Ripped By NBA Fans for Loss to Paolo Banchero, Magic in Game 3 - Bleacher Report

Rich Storry/Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers had an opportunity to take a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Orlando Magic Thursday.

To say the Cavaliers failed that mission would be putting it lightly.

Yahoo Sports @YahooSports

The Magic cruise past the Cavaliers to win their first home playoff game since 2011 🪄 <a href="https://t.co/VshtggCb9M">pic.twitter.com/VshtggCb9M</a>

Cleveland Cavaliers @cavs

Final.<a href="https://twitter.com/betwayusa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@betwayusa</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LetEmKnow?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LetEmKnow</a>

Cleveland dropped Game 3 by a score of 121-83, which means that Orlando now faces just a 2-1 series deficit and have an opportunity to tie the series up in Game 4.

Paolo Banchero led all scorers with 31 points while Jalen Suggs had 24 points and Franz Wagner had 16. Banchero also picked up 14 rebounds, and the Magic as a whole won the rebounding battle 51-32.

Jarrett Allen led Cleveland with 15 points and Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley had 13 and 10 points respectively. The Cavaliers committed 14 turnovers and had 16 fouls, which certainly helped Orlando take the massive victory.

Fans took to social media to blast the Cavaliers for the lackluster performance and declare that the series is far from over:

Michael Reghi @MichaelReghi

Absolute deplorable performance from the Cavaliers. Complete meltdown in every facet of the game. Awful representation of a playoff team. Own it.

Jessica @its_justjessica

Damn the Cleveland Cavaliers score vs the Orlando magic is insane. I know the players will be crying tonight when they reach the locker room. That's a true blowout! <a href="https://t.co/5drczm0K4K">pic.twitter.com/5drczm0K4K</a>

Cigamodnalro @cigamodnalro

THE WORST PLAYOFF LOSS IN THE HISTORY OF THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

Zainul-Abideen @AbideenKyle

This Cavaliers game isn't a defeat, it is a full blown massacre

Trend Sound Off @trendsoundoff

<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cavaliers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cavaliers</a> took the whole night off. Should be well rested for game 4. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lets?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lets</a> go Cavs <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a>

The Hudson Hornet 🐝 @RunnerWest

Two surprises so far tonight:<br>1. The beat down the Magic are putting on the Cavaliers<br>2. The Falcons drafting a QB with the eighth pick

BigSavannah Die$eL @Diesel_2244

The Cavaliers are pathetic

Thaddeus Alderson @knalB04

Imagine being down 16 at half and your response is scoring 21 points in the next 19 minutes...<br><br>Would you believe me if I told you this was a playoff Cavaliers team???<br><br>Legit playing with 0 heart and energy. You could have won the series here, game one away, up 2-0. Pitiful...

A win could have pretty much secured a trip to the second round barring a collapse. Instead, Cleveland will now need to rebound from the disappointment and try to take the next step towards winning the series.

Cleveland will have two guaranteed games at home to do that, but winning one on the road would be crucial to getting some breathing room.

Game 4 is set to tip-off Satuday at 1 p.m. ET.

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Donovan Mitchell, Cavs Ripped By NBA Fans for Loss to Paolo Banchero, Magic in Game 3 - Bleacher Report
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NBA Playoffs: Heat hit playoff-record 23 3s to tie Celtics at 1-1 - Inquirer.net

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) celebrates with Caleb Martin late in the second half Game 2 of the team’s NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics, Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

BOSTON — The Miami Heat beat Boston with an unprecedented barrage of 3-pointers on Wednesday night to erase the NBA home-court advantage the Celtics worked all season to establish.

Tyler Herro had 24 points and 14 assists, hitting six of Miami’s 23 3-pointers — the most in a playoff game in franchise history — to lead the Heat to a 111-101 victory over top-seeded Boston and tie the first-round playoff series at one game apiece.

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“It was a very good response,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “And then we also made some shots. It always looks better when you make shots.”

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READ: NBA: Jayson Tatum leads Celtics past Heat in series opener

Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo led the way as the @MiamiHEAT get the road W and knot up the series!

Herro: 24 PTS, 6 3PM, 14 AST
Bam: 21 PTS (9-13 FGM), 10 REB pic.twitter.com/QsWuGJvrDf

— NBA (@NBA) April 25, 2024

Bam Adebayo had 21 points and 10 rebounds, and new Celtics nemesis Caleb Martin also had 21 points for the Heat, who shot 53.5% (23 of 43) from beyond the arc to bounce back after a Game 1 blowout. That broke Miami’s playoff record of 20 3-pointers, set against the Bucks in the 2021 first round.

“They obviously made a conscious effort to have free reign to shoot more,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said.

And shoot and shoot and shoot.

Playing their third straight game without playoff stalwart Jimmy Butler, who was injured in the opening play-in game, Miami shot better than 50% from 3-point range in each of the first three quarters (and a still productive 4 of 10 in the fourth).

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After Boston cut an 11-point lead to six, 102-96, with 3:16 to play, Martin hit a 3 and Boston never got as close as two possessions again.

“You have to take ‘em, based on how they were playing us the first two games,” said Spoelstra, who saw Boston hit 22 3-pointers to Miami’s 12 in the opener. “I did not want to get annihilated in that department like we did the game before.”

READ: Celtics’ Jayson Tatum OK after collision late in win over Heat

Jaylen Brown scored 33 points for Boston. Jayson Tatum scored 28, showing no ill-effects of Martin’s hard foul that sent him crashing to the floor with under a minute to play in Boston’s 114-94 victory on Sunday.

Tatum got up off the parquet floor.

But so did Miami.

“It seemed we couldn’t get them to miss,” Brown said. “They had a record-breaking night. … They made a lot of shots that usually we’re comfortable with.”

The series moves to Miami for Games 3 and 4 on Saturday and Monday.

“It’s always a good thing if you can get one on the road,” Martin said. “You always look to try to steal one. We were able to do that.”

The Celtics won 64 games in the regular season to claim home-court advantage through the NBA Finals, but they didn’t make very good use of it on Wednesday despite a crowd that was still fired up over seeing their star land hard in the series opener.

Tatum had his first career playoff triple-double on Sunday, scoring 23 points with 10 rebounds and 10 assists in game in which Boston led by as many as 34 points in the fourth quarter. But the big question was how he would bounce back after getting undercut by Martin while going after a rebound.

Tatum started Game 2 and had 14 points in the first quarter. And Martin was heartily booed every time he touched the ball.

It only seemed to energize him and the Heat, who needed to win a play-in game to earn the right to face the Celtics.

“He’s a competitor. He’s the ultimate X factor,” Spoelstra said. “He’s the X factor of X factors.”

Miami led by five, 55-50, with two minutes left in the first half before Brown hit three straight 3-pointers to open a four-point lead. Brown missed a 3 the next time down, but his layup in the final seconds made it 61-58 at the half.

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Miami went on a 10-0 run to take an 82-70 lead with under four minutes to play in the third before the Celtics cut it to six.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” Tatum said. “There’s a lot of history between these two franchises, especially recently. … It’s never going to go exactly as people expect it to go and that’s the beauty of it.”

EDITORS' PICK

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NBA Playoffs: Heat hit playoff-record 23 3s to tie Celtics at 1-1 - Inquirer.net
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Thunder 124-92 Pelicans (25 Apr, 2024) Game Recap - ESPN

OKLAHOMA CITY -- — Just a few days ago, the Oklahoma City Thunder looked like a young team struggling through their first playoff game together.

On Wednesday night, they looked like grizzled playoff veterans.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points and the top-seeded Thunder beat the New Orleans Pelicans 124-92 to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference playoff series.

Gilgeous-Alexander said the Thunder remained focused instead of worrying about outside issues such as other highly seeded teams struggling at home.

“I think it just goes back to us prioritizing winning,” he said. “And all those things are distractions that get in the way of winning. And every night, all 15 of us go to bed and want to win the next game, want to win the next day. And we do everything we can to do so.”

Chet Holmgren had 26 points and seven rebounds and Jalen Williams added 21 points for the Thunder, who shot 59% from the field and made 14 of 29 3-pointers.

Jonas Valanciunas scored 19 points and Herb Jones and Brandon Ingram added 18 each for the Pelicans.

In Game 1, Valanciunas had 20 rebounds, including nine offensive, and the Pelicans outrebounded the Thunder 52-44. On Wednesday, Oklahoma City outrebounded New Orleans 37-35 and held the Pelicans to eight offensive boards.

The Pelicans continued to struggle on offense without top scorer Zion Williamson, who remained out with a strained left hamstring. Ingram, New Orleans' No. 2 scorer in the regular season, got off just 10 shots in Game 2 as Oklahoma City's Lu Dort harassed him throughout the night. Ingram made just 5 of 17 field goals in Game 1.

The Thunder also scored 22 points off New Orleans’ 18 turnovers.

Game 3 is Saturday in New Orleans.

“Now, the challenge is to continue to grow and learn and improve with the series because the Pelicans are going to improve," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "They’re a good team that’s going home and they’re well coached. They’re going to get better. You know so we have to continue to get better.”

The pace picked up significantly from Sunday's game, which Oklahoma City won 94-92. The Thunder, who averaged 120.1 points in the regular season, were much more comfortable with it.

“In the first game, I thought both teams were kind of calibrating," Daigneault said. "And, tonight we had much quicker recognition of the way that they were guarding us, where we wanted to attack, and we got to those things pretty well.”

Valanciunas scored 11 points in the first three minutes, but Holmgren countered with 13 points in the first seven minutes.

Gilgeous-Alexander picked up where Holmgren left off. He didn't score for the first nine minutes, then scored seven in the final three minutes of the quarter to help the Thunder take a 35-22 lead. Holmgren's 15 points were the most by a Thunder rookie in any quarter of a playoff game.

“I thought they turned up the pressure offensively,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “They got some early 3's and that opened the floodgates up for them.”

Oklahoma City led 63-50 at halftime. Holmgren scored 20 points and Gilgeous-Alexander added 16 before the break.

The Thunder extended their lead to 92-74 at the end of the third, and Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren went to the bench for good with the Thunder leading 120-86 in the fourth.

“Tough one for us,” Green said. “Give them credit, they took care of home court. It was a dominant win for them. So we’ll get home, we’ll regroup and get back after it.”

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Thunder 124-92 Pelicans (25 Apr, 2024) Game Recap - ESPN
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“Gets me going”: Luka Doncic reveals motivation for electrifying showdown vs Clippers - Sportskeeda

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1. “Gets me going”: Luka Doncic reveals motivation for electrifying showdown vs Clippers  Sportskeeda
2. 2024 NBA Playoffs Takeaways: Kawhi Leonard returns, that may not be enough  NBC Sports
3. Mavericks vs. Clippers: Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving 'locked in' on defense, steal home-court advantage  CBS Sports
4. Doncic shines, Mavs equalize  Philstar.com
5. Mavericks 96-93 Clippers (Apr 23, 2024) Game Recap  ESPN

“Gets me going”: Luka Doncic reveals motivation for electrifying showdown vs Clippers - Sportskeeda
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Gameday update: Pelicans at Thunder, Game 2 (4/24/2024) - NBA.com

NEW ORLEANS PELICANS AT OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Oklahoma City leads series 1-0

After a physical, hard-fought, low-scoring opening game of the 1 vs. 8 series in the Western Conference, New Orleans will try to avoid falling behind 0-2 on the road, a deficit that relatively few lower-seeded NBA teams have overcome. The Thunder and Pelicans averaged 120.1 and 115.1 points during the regular season, respectively, but nothing resembling that type of production occurred Sunday, with Oklahoma City holding on at the buzzer for a 94-92 victory, despite shooting 44 percent from the field (the Pelicans finished at 39 percent). New Orleans was held under 100 points in a game for only the 10th time all season, though one of those instances came against Oklahoma City (season-low 83 points on Jan. 26). It was only the fourth time in 2023-24 that the Thunder failed to reach the century mark in scoring.

Players to Watch

PELICANS
Trey Murphy
The third-year forward continued to open eyes across the country in Game 1, making several deep threes among a 5/12 night from beyond the arc, scoring a team-best 21 points. With the Thunder packing the paint and playing rugged defense, Murphy is sometimes the Pelicans’ best release valve, able to space the floor and beat rim-protecting opponents from 30 feet.
Brandon Ingram
Wednesday will be just his fifth game back from a knee injury. He’s still trying to find a rhythm, shooting 5/17 from the field in Game 1, with defender Lu Dort draped all over him. Ingram was held to 12 points and three assists – his passing was a telling barometer for NOLA’s success during the regular season (Pelicans went 24-12 when he had six-plus dimes, but 14-14 in his other games).
CJ McCollum
Like Ingram, he missed some shots in Game 1 he’s generally been making all season, particularly on the road during the second half of the regular season. Now in his 10th trip to the playoffs of an 11-year NBA career, McCollum scored 20 points, but went 2/9 from three-point range, misfiring on a difficult attempt by a hair at the buzzer.

THUNDER
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Oklahoma City media members noted that the MVP candidate expressed some rare visible frustration during Game 1, amid a 11/24 performance from the field. New Orleans did a decent job of keeping SGA off the foul line, though his seven charity tosses nearly matched the Pelicans’ entire team total (the visitors were 7/9).
Jalen Williams
The second-year forward was a factor across the board Sunday, registering 19 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. He also delivered some barking – it’s become a thing among Thunder players – to the raucous Paycom Center crowd after a few inspiring plays.
The bench
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault opted to go with an 11-man rotation in Game 1, sticking with his ultra-successful plan of attack from the regular season that yielded 57 wins. OKC’s reserves outscored their NOLA counterparts by a 24-18 margin, but also logged significantly more minutes (75-57).

Previous Game Starting Lineups

NEW ORLEANS (8TH SEED IN WEST)

Sunday Game 1 loss at Oklahoma City

CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, Brandon Ingram, Trey Murphy, Jonas Valanciunas

Notes: The last time the Pelicans reached the playoffs (2022), they lost Game 1 at top-seeded Phoenix, but responded with a Game 2 victory over the Suns, one of the best games of Ingram’s career (37 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists). … Compared to 2022, Murphy has seen the largest change in his role among all Pelicans players. He logged 44 minutes Sunday, after never playing more than 26 minutes as a full-time reserve during the series vs. Phoenix. … Valanciunas’ 20 rebounds Sunday were five shy of the franchise record for boards in a playoff game, which was set by Valanciunas in Game 1 of the 2022 Suns series.

OKLAHOMA CITY (1ST SEED IN WEST)

Sunday Game 1 win vs. New Orleans

Josh Giddey, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren

Notes: The Thunder were playing their first playoff game since the 2020 Orlando bubble and first in their home arena since 2019. OKC is seeking its first playoff-series triumph since 2016, Kevin Durant’s final season on the plains. … Gilgeous-Alexander’s 28 points Sunday represented the second-most he’s scored in his 14 career playoff games. He notched 31 points vs. Houston in Game 2 of a first-round series in 2020. Gilgeous-Alexander has logged at least 35 minutes in all eight of his Thunder playoff appearances. … The Thunder improved to 10-2 at home since March 1 with Sunday’s victory.

Keys to the Game

EFFICIENCY ON OFFENSE
Across the board, the Pelicans must make offensive improvements in Game 2. On Sunday, they shot just 38.5 percent from the field, 28.2 percent on three-pointers and only made nine trips to the foul line. If those first two numbers had occurred during the regular season, that would’ve ranked as the team’s seventh- and 13th-worst shooting performances, respectively. The Pelicans also did not have a game of single-digit attempts from the charity stripe in any of their 82 games.
CAPITALIZE ON SECOND CHANCES
Step 1 was effectively displaying rebounding dominance over Oklahoma City, including an 18-8 edge in offensive boards. Step 2 is converting more of those additional possessions into points. The Pelicans had several late-game opportunities to do so, but couldn’t put the ball in the hoop during some critical sequences.
MATCHUP TO WATCH
At starting center, Game 1 featured a fascinating head-to-head encounter between Valanciunas and Holmgren. Both players recorded double-doubles, with the veteran Valanciunas powering his way to 13 points and 20 rebounds, while rookie Holmgren posted 15 points and 11 rebounds, along with five valuable blocks. His shot-blocking was one factor in a bad night for New Orleans shooting-wise in the paint.

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Gameday update: Pelicans at Thunder, Game 2 (4/24/2024) - NBA.com
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Lakers News: Nikola Jokic Puts Up Historic Stat Line Vs LA - Sports Illustrated

As the Los Angeles Lakers continue their series against the Denver Nuggets, the team will need to figure out how to defend star Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets' star big man has caused all sorts of problems for the Lakers over the last few years, putting up some incredible stat lines along the way.

In game two of the series, Jokic continued his impressive ways, posting another strong line. He put up 27 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists in helping Denver come back from a 20-point deficit to Los Angeles. 

While the Lakers aren't going to be able to stop Jokic, they may be able to slow him down, even a little. Against him, using a big physical defender can make all the difference. But the problem is that Los Angeles doesn't have any on their roster.

When they beat Denver in the 2020 playoffs, granted two different teams, the Lakers employed the services of JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard to throw at Jokic. This didn't completely work but it did just enough for the Lakers to be able to win the series.

The team is expected to get center Christian Wood back into the mix for game three, giving them another big body that they can throw at Jokic. However, Wood isn't a great defender and that alone could cause some issues. 

If the Lakers are going to get back into this series, slowing down Jokic needs to be the first part of their game plan. This team has shown that they can hang with the defending champions and it only takes one win to change the entire trajectory of a series.

More Lakers: Lakers News: LA's 2024 First Round Draft Pick Revealed

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Mavericks vs. Clippers betting odds & predictions for Tuesday matchup - The Philadelphia Inquirer

The Dallas Mavericks take on the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 2 of the opening round of the NBA Playoffs after a surprising Game 1 rout.

Despite Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard not playing in Game 1, the Clippers led by a large margin for much of the game and smashed the spread, winning by 12 points.

However, some of the Clippers’ offensive production might not be repeatable in Game 2.

Let’s take a look at Tuesday night’s matchup in Los Angeles and make a pick.

Mavericks vs. Clippers odds

Team

Spread

Moneyline

Total

Team

Dallas Mavericks

Spread

-2.5 (-110)

Moneyline

-138

Total

O 217 (-110)

Team

Los Angeles Clippers

Spread

+2.5 (-110)

Moneyline

+118

Total

U 217 (-110)

Mavericks vs. Clippers prediction

Sharp bettors have been burned before by strong James Harden performances early in the postseason.

Harden surged to 28 points in Game 1 and set the tone for the Clippers’ offense in what was a low-scoring affair. However, I’m not sure he can maintain that level of production, and the books agree, with his projected point total for Game 2 at 19.5.

Unfortunately for the Clippers, I see some of the stats posted in the first game as an anomaly. Besides Harden’s line, it will be hard for Ivica Zubac to repeat a 20-point, 15-rebound performance.

Furthermore, Kawhi Leonard is most likely out again for Game 2, which could lead to a lack of scoring for the Clippers, who were more than six points below their season average in Game 1.

The Mavericks aren’t without their share of scoring issues. Outside of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving both posting more than 30 points in Game 1, the production from their other starters and bench was abysmal.

The next highest scorer, P.J. Washington, posted 11 points in 37 minutes.

The Mavs will need to find more offensive production from role players and not rely on Doncic and Irving to score 30-plus points every night.

Offensive production across the NBA has slowed down post-All Star break. It looks as if offensive numbers have taken another hit coming into the opening rounds of the postseason.

» READ MORE: Timberwolves have best value to win competitive Western Conference in 2024 NBA playoffs

Mavericks vs. Clippers pick

There’s opportunity to capitalize on the point total of 217 in this game.

The Clippers are missing one of their top offensive producers in Leonard, and Harden isn’t consistent enough game-to-game to fill that gap in production.

Additionally, it’s hard to assume the Mavs combo of Doncic and Irving can continue producing 30-plus points each. Unless role players step up and can provide some support, the points simply aren’t there on the Mavs side.

I like this game to be closer and potentially a bounce-back spot for Dallas. However, fade the points with questions surrounding the offense from both teams.

1. Pick: Under 217 points (-110, FanDuel)

The Inquirer is not an online gambling operator, or a gambling site. We provide this information about sports betting for entertainment purposes only.

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Mavericks vs. Clippers betting odds & predictions for Tuesday matchup - The Philadelphia Inquirer
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Cavaliers 96-86 Magic (23 Apr, 2024) Game Recap - ESPN

CLEVELAND -- — Through two games, the Cavaliers have been tough guys in these playoffs.

This year, they're the bullies.

Donovan Mitchell scored 23 points, Jarrett Allen had 20 rebounds and Cleveland outlasted the Orlando Magic 96-86 on Monday night in a second straight slugfest to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round Eastern Conference series.

It’s been an impressive opening for the Cavs, who spent the regular season waiting for a chance to redeem themselves following last year’s first-round exit against the New York Knicks, who punished Cleveland in five games.

The Cavs were labeled soft, especially Allen, who was criticized for saying “the lights were too bright.” They've flipped the script so far.

“It's very satisfying,” Allen said. “It shows that we've grown not only as a team but as individuals. We're not folding under pressure. We do have our moments, but as a whole I feel like we've taken a huge step.”

Mitchell set the tone as the Cavs led from start to finish, just as they did in Game 1.

Evan Mobley added 17 points and Allen scored 16 — with nine offensive rebounds — for Cleveland. He's the third player in team history to get 20 rebounds in a playoff game, joining Kevin Love (21) and Brad Daugherty (20).

“It means a lot,” Allen said. “It’s good company.”

Paolo Banchero scored 21 points and Franz Wagner 18 for the Magic, who have only come back to win one playoff series in 13 tries when losing the series opener. They're now in an even deeper hole.

As was the case in Game 1, the Magic couldn’t find their shooting touch. They shot 36% from the floor, including 9 of 35 on 3-pointers.

“We’ve got to make shots, that’s the name of the game,” said Banchero, who was 9 of 20. “It’s frustrating for everybody when you keep shooting and it’s not going in. The way these two games have gone, I don’t think anyone thinks this will continue when we come home.”

Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is Thursday in Orlando, and Allen is expecting another physical battle.

“First one to 85,” the 6-foot-11 Allen predicted. “lt's been a defensive-minded series and let's keep it that way.”

Magic guard Jalen Suggs went down with a sprained left knee in the first quarter. He collapsed to the floor after making contact with Mitchell and immediately grabbed his leg in pain. After being helped up, an emotional Suggs couldn't put any weight on his leg as he was carried to the locker room.

However, the former high school football star returned after halftime with a sleeve on his leg. He finished with nine points and sparked a rally in the fourth quarter as the Magic scored 13 straight to pull within 87-78.

Mitchell, though, checked back in and scored two quick baskets to restore order for the Cavs.

“We did some good things,” Mitchell said. “I'm not mad at the way we played, but we can be better.”

'Suggs' injury seemed to shake his teammates. The Magic were only 14-13 when he went out, but the Cavs closed the opening quarter with a 19-5 flurry to open a 12-point lead.

“It takes the wind out of your team when our head of the snake on defense goes down,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. "He was in quite a bit of pain when he returned, so we’ll evaluate him when we get back home.”

Suggs did not seem to be in any pain following the game, and was confident he'd be good to go in Game 3.

“I’m good," he said. "I was able to finish. It will be cool to get back home and get treatment for a couple of days. We play Thursday at 7 p.m. and I’ll be ready.”

Garland's layup with 9:09 left gave the Cavs a 22-point lead, allowing their towel-waving fans to let off some steam and celebrate Cleveland getting a second postseason win for the first time since 2018.

Allen knows getting a third win won't be easy.

“We know when we go to their place, they’re going to be a completely different team,” he said. “They’re going to have their home crowd behind them. They don’t want it to get to 3-0. They’re just going to try to come at us like we’ve been doing to them.”

UP NEXT

Orlando hosts its first playoff game since April 21, 2019. It will be Cleveland's first postseason visit there since the 2009 conference finals.

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