NBA Playoffs Articles - Page 45

The Los Angeles Clippers return home to host the Denver Nuggets for Game 3 of the Western Conference first round! It’s time to continue our NBA odds series with a Nuggets-Clippers prediction and pick. The Nuggets fumbled their opportunity to take a 2-0 lead when the Clippers defeated them in Denver in Game 2. The […]

The Grizzlies host the Thunder on Thursday in Game 3! The Thunder are playing like the best team in the NBA and have dominated these first two games, while the Grizzlies have talent, but are in desperate need of a win to make this a series. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series with […]

Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony fired back ahead of Game 2 in response to criticism surrounding Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s flagrant foul on Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. Speaking to the Orlando Sentinel’s Jason Beede, Anthony dismissed any negative reactions to the play and embraced the physicality his team […]

When you think of load management in the NBA, Kawhi Leonard is one of the first players who comes to mind. Unlike others, though, Leonard has faced an uphill journey to get back on the court from multiple knee injuries through the years. Now that he’s finally healthy, the Los Angeles Clippers star is putting […]

The Pistons host the Knicks on Thursday in Game 3! The Knicks want to bounce back after the Pistons stole Game 2 in Madison Square Garden. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series with a Knicks-Pistons prediction and pick. The Knicks are 51-31 but desperately need a win after the Pistons stole Game 2 […]

As the roster is currently constructed, the Los Angeles Lakers run about eight players deep. A couple of extra guys might get occasional minutes based on the matchup, but, for the most part, JJ Redick seems to prefer an eight-man rotation for key games for the Lakers. By NBA standards, it’s a thin rotation that […]

Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat was supposed to be a showcase of Cleveland’s depth. It should’ve been a culmination of a regular season that saw the Cavs’ bench emerge as one of the most reliable and productive in the Eastern Conference. Instead, it echoed ghosts of […]

The New York Knicks suffered a tough 100-94 Game 2 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Monday night that tied the series up 1-1. It was a close contest throughout that New York just let fall through its fingertips. Leading up to Game 3 in Detroit, New York head coach Tom Thibodeau brushed off the […]

As soon as Giannis Antetokounmpo said the Milwaukee Bucks were in life or death mode, the motivation is there. However, for the Indiana Pacers, they might not want to give more motivation to the former MVP. Despite being down 2-0 in the series, Antetokounmpo has had masterful performances. Most recently, he posted a 34-point and […]

Giannis Antetokounmpo has joined a rare group of NBA legends for all the wrong reasons. Antetokounmpo became just the fourth player in league history to average at least 35 points and 15 rebounds over the first two games of a playoff series and still trail 0-2. The others — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, and Cliff […]

After Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard exchanged words during Game 1, it was more of the same in Game 2. The Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks rivalry continues to heat up, and with probable cause. The Pacers defeated the Bucks last season after missing Giannis Antetokounmpo for that playoff series. Not to mention, Haliburton has […]

It can be hard to know what to say sometimes, especially for a new voice trying to lead a well-established, entrenched group. Well, Memphis Grizzlies interim coach Tuomas Iisalo delivered a terse but pointed message to his team following a 118-99 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 of their first-round Western Conference […]

LOS ANGELES – Following the Los Angeles Lakers’ humiliating Game 1 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in their opening round series of the NBA Playoffs, they had plenty to think about. At the forefront was the level of physicality and how the Wolves simply out-toughed them. But in the days leading up to Game 2, […]

The Los Angeles Lakers secured a crucial 94-85 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night, tying their first-round playoff series at one game apiece. But while the focus was largely on the team’s bounce-back performance, leaked audio from the third quarter revealed a fiery sideline moment from head coach JJ Redick. With just over […]

The Los Angeles Lakers came back in Game 2 and defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 94-84 to tie the series as they head on the road next. It was a big game from Luka Doncic, who finished with 31 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists. Of course, at the end of the game, the players come […]

The Memphis Grizzlies were unfazed after a Game 1 blowout but Game 2’s 118-99 scoreline suggests Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Oklahoma City Thunder are still unbothered by the lower-seeded squad. The Ja Morant-led high-octane, drive-and-kick offense, built around generating open three-point looks, continues to falter against the NBA’s most suffocating defense. Jaylen Wells being out can only […]

Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers handled their business through the first two games of their first-round series against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. After picking up a 19-point win on their home floor over the Bucks in Game 1 of this series, the Pacers held on to win 123-115 on Tuesday night. Indiana […]

Former Boston Celtics guard and 2008 NBA champion Eddie House did not hold back in his defense of Jayson Tatum, labeling the Celtics forward as the “most disrespected” star in the league. In a recent interview with Boston.com’s Conor Ryan, House voiced frustration over Tatum’s continued exclusion from the MVP conversation despite his consistent All-NBA […]

After dominating Game 1 of their first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Minnesota Timberwolves struggled to get going in a 94-85 Game 2 loss that wasn’t as close as the final score would indicate. Anthony Edwards had a decent game with 25 points on 10-of-22 shooting, but he and the Timberwolves were left […]

The Los Angeles Lakers secured a crucial win Tuesday night, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 94-85 to even their first-round NBA Playoff series at 1-1. LeBron James and Luka Doncic once again played central roles in what has quickly become one of the most compelling matchups of the postseason. Following the game, James spoke with Mike […]

With the Milwaukee Bucks down 0-2 to the Indiana Pacers, some might’ve hit the panic button. For Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo, he sees it as more than just being panicked. He dropped a bar on where the Bucks are at, via Eric Nehm of The Athletic on X (formerly Twitter). “It’s not something that you […]

Jayson Tatum is the engine behind the Boston Celtics’ championship success. The six-time All-Star is why Boston has a great chance at winning back-to-back championships. But those championship dreams took a hit in Game 1 against the Orlando Magic, and the entire organization held their breath when Tatum was writhing in pain on the ground […]

The Los Angeles Lakers dropped Game 1 of the Western Conference first round against the Minnesota Timberwolves, 117-95. However, Game 2 was much different as the Lakers earned the 94-85 win to tie the series at 1-1. Luka Doncic (31 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists) and LeBron James (21 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists) both […]

As the Los Angeles Lakers took down the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2, forward LeBron James issued a bold take on what it’ll take to defeat Minnesota. "That's what it's gonna take… it's gonna be like this all series." LeBron James (21 pts, 11 reb, 7 ast) speaks with @LakersReporter after the #LakeShow 94-85 win […]

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 94-85 in Game 2 and were able to tie up the series. It was another physical game, but the Lakers fought and were led by their stars, LeBron James and Luka Doncic. The Lakers had a 20-point lead at one point, but the Timberwolves cut down their […]

Respect throughout the NBA continues to rise for the Detroit Pistons and All-Star point guard Cade Cunningham. The Athletic conducted an anonymous poll with 158 players to gauge their opinions on their contemporaries throughout the league. One of the biggest honors was Cunningham’s selection as the most underrated player in the NBA. There were 136 […]

Luka Doncic has never been one to shy away from big moments—or big matchups. And in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 94–85 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series, the Slovenian superstar didn’t hold back in making his strategy clear: go straight at Rudy Gobert. Doncic, who finished with 31 […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault gave a warning to his team after the Game 2 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. The Western Conference No. 1 seed once again took over a game from the jump and was comfortably in front throughout this 118-99 victory. This 68-win team has looked like the cream of […]

Chet Holmgren didn’t just make an impact in Game 2—he made history, and he did it in a way only Tim Duncan had before him. In the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 118–99 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies Tuesday night, the second-year big man helped power his team to a 2-0 series lead behind a dominant all-around […]

The Minnesota Timberwolves had a golden opportunity to grab a stranglehold of this first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night, but they failed to capitalize. The Lakers made adjustments after their Game 1 loss and came out on fire before winning a defensive slugfest 94-85 to even the series at one apiece. […]

What might have gotten overlooked during the Los Angeles Lakers’ surge in the second-half of the campaign is that Luka Doncic was struggling from the field. He shot less than 40 percent in four of his first six games with the team and had several other cold nights along the way. Those struggles are hard […]

Before opening the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat, you might’ve had to scroll far down the Cleveland Cavaliers’ depth chart to find Sam Merrill’s name. He’s not one of the Cavs’ headliners. He doesn’t generate flashy highlight reels or make postgame headlines. But in Game 1 of the Cavs’ playoff opener against the […]

The Los Angeles Lakers got humiliated on their home floor in Game 1 of the first round against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but they responded quickly in Game 2. LeBron James and company jumped out to a 19-point lead at the end of the first quarter and coasted to a 94-85 win to even the series […]

The Memphis Grizzlies have been the laughing stock of the first round of the playoffs so far. While they improved on their 51-point loss to the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the first-round series, the Grizzlies still got blown out 118-99 in Game 2 to go down 2-0 before heading back home. […]

The Milwaukee Bucks are drawing closer to another early exit in the NBA Playoffs following Tuesday’s 123-115 road loss to the Indiana Pacers. They can quickly get back into the series by thriving on their home floor, starting this Friday, but Doc Rivers’ squad is in a 2-0 hole at this moment. Three consecutive first-round […]

The NBA’s announcement for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year was made with fanfare, with Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard winning the award. There were cheers in Boston and respectful nods from the Detroit Pistons, where Malik Beasley finished second. But then there was Ty Jerome and the Cleveland Cavaliers, where the reaction was […]

After a very impressive performance in Game 1, the Minnesota Timberwolves are trying to get the road sweep over the Los Angeles Lakers in the first two games of this first-round series. Unfortunately for the Wolves, things aren’t going their way as the Lakers have a comfortable 81-65 lead at the end of the third […]

As the Los Angeles Lakers look to get revenge on the Minnesota Timberwolves and shore things up at 1-1 in their open playoff series, Luka Doncic made waves with an absolutely vicious shot through the hearts of Chris Finch’s bench. With Donte DiVincenzo charging in to defend the shot, Doncic left a deep 3-ball fly […]

The Milwaukee Bucks have had an up-and-down season this year, and now they are just two losses away from being eliminated. After a 123-115 loss in Game 2 of the first round against the Indiana Pacers, the Bucks are headed back home with their backs against the wall despite the best efforts of Giannis Antetokounmpo. […]