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Knicks advance to an Eastern Conference semi-final series against the Boston Celtics

Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks celebrates after making a three-point basket late during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons in Game Six of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on May 01, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan

Los Angeles, United States: Jalen Brunson scored 40 points as the New York Knicks clinched a series victory over the Detroit Pistons while the Los Angeles Clippers downed the Denver Nuggets to set up a titanic NBA playoff decider on Thursday. 

Brunson drained a game-winning three-pointer with four seconds remaining to give the Knicks a thrilling 116-113 win over the Pistons and seal a 4-2 series triumph.

In the Western Conference, the Clippers beat the Nuggets 111-105 at the Intuit Dome to level their series 3-3 and force a decisive game seven in Denver on Saturday.

James Harden led the way for the Clippers with 28 points while Kawhi Leonard finished with 27 points, 10 rebounds and five assists as Los Angeles bounced back from Tuesday's 131-115 game-five drubbing in Denver. 

In Detroit, the Pistons had also looked poised to level their best-of-seven series with the Knicks after fighting back from 11 points down to lead 112-105 with just under three minutes remaining.

But an extraordinary late rally spearheaded by Brunson saw the Knicks claw their way back into the contest to tie at 113-113 with 36 seconds left on the clock.

Detroit star Cade Cunningham missed a layup to restore the Pistons lead, and that set the stage for an ice-cold three-pointer from Brunson to give the Knicks what turned out to be the winning lead.

"I stay poised and I rely on the trust and the composure that my team-mates give me," Brunson said. "None of this happens without them."

The third-seeded Knicks advance to an Eastern Conference semi-final series against the Boston Celtics, the reigning NBA champions, with game one set for Monday.

Brunson finished with 40 points, four rebounds and seven assists, with Mikal Bridges scoring 25 points and OG Anunoby adding 22.

"Jalen's shot, what can you say?" Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said of Brunson's game-winning three. "He's at his best when his best is needed, and he's done it all year. That's what makes him special."

Cunningham led Detroit's scorers with 23 points, backed by 21 from Jalen Duren and 20 from Malik Beasley.

'Win or go home'

A see-saw first half saw the Knicks romp into a 14-point lead after the opening quarter, outscoring the Pistons 37-23 thanks to 15 points in the opening frame from Brunson.

But Detroit came roaring back in the second quarter, with the hot hand of Beasley draining five-of-eight three-point attempts to haul the Pistons back into contention and into a slender lead at half-time.

The Knicks came out for the second half with renewed focus, the defense locking in to halt the flow of Detroit points while at the other end Brunson and Bridges combined for 21 points to build a double-digit lead.

The momentum shifted once more in the fourth quarter as Detroit fought back against a Knicks team who suddenly looked out of ideas as the Pistons surged into the lead, before Brunson rescued New York at the end.

In Los Angeles, a fired-up Clippers held off a late charge from Denver to secure their series-leveling win.

A nip-and-tuck contest hinged on a huge third quarter by the Clippers, who outscored Denver 32-22 to open up a double-digit lead which stretched to 15 points with just under six minutes remaining.

Denver rallied to cut the gap to just five points with less than a minute remaining, but the Clippers held firm to set up Saturday's decider.

"It was win or go home -- and we didn't want to go home," Clippers star Harden said.

"We've got one more game in a couple of days. We've got to be better. Still a lot of mental mistakes, still a lot of execution that we can get better at. But we've got to go out there and take it."

Denver interim head coach David Adelman pinpointed the third quarter as the moment the game swung away from his team. 

"We got sped up, we didn't handle it -- we played defense but we never could come up with the 50-50 ball. That quarter absolutely killed us," Adelman said. 

"We played a really good fourth quarter, but we've got to be better throughout the whole game."

Nikola Jokic led Denver with 25 points while Jamal Murray finished with 21 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.

- AFP

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CELTICS HANDLE PACERS, TAKE 2-0 EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS LEAD

 BOSTON -- In each of the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Celtics comfortably won Game 1 before dropping Game 2 at home, first against the Miami Heat and then against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

They flipped the script against the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals.

After needing a minor miracle to escape with a Game 1 win at home, when a last-second 3-pointer by Jaylen Brown forced overtime, Brown again ensured this series would be different in Game 2 on Thursday night, finishing with 40 points to power Boston to a 126-110 victory and a 2-0 lead in this best-of-seven affair.

Afterward, Brown, who learned Wednesday that he was edged out by Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton for an All-NBA selection, kept his focus on the main prize when asked about missing out on the honor.

"We're two games from the Finals," he said. "So, honestly, I don't have the time to give a f---."

The Celtics' 2-0 advantage feels more significant in the wake of not only their great escape in Game 1, but with Haliburton exiting Game 2 with a sore left hamstring -- the same hamstring he injured in a home game against the Celtics in January.

Two more victories by the Celtics in this series and they advance to the NBA Finals for the second time in three years. They will have a chance to close the series in Indianapolis after holding home court through two games for the first time since the beginning of last year's first round against the Atlanta Hawks.

And they've done it largely thanks to the play of Brown, who led the charge for a Celtics offense that shot over 50%, went 15-for-37 from 3-point range and finished with a 54-34 edge in points in the paint.

Add in Indiana's 16 turnovers and it became a comfortable victory for Boston. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle played his bench players for most of the fourth quarter as the partisan fans at TD Garden were relieved.

"Just continue to lock in," said Jrue Holiday, who had 15 points and 10 assists with just one turnover in 37 minutes. "We know that these guys coming off the bench, second and third string, this is their chance to make anything happen. ... We know on the big stage anything can happen and guys can make plays, so we really wanted to set the tone and control the game toward the end of the game."

Before Haliburton's injury in the third quarter, it appeared a Celtics injury would be the most significant. Luke Kornet, who has served as Boston's primary backup center with Kristaps Porzingis sidelined, left in the first quarter with a left wrist sprain. That forced Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla to go with small lineups whenever Al Horford was off the court.

For a brief stretch at the end of the first half and another in the fourth, those groups featured Jayson Tatum at center. Most of the time, however, it was reserve forward Oshae Brissett -- who had five appearances with five or fewer minutes through the first 11 games of the playoffs -- operating at center.

That lineup, in particular, helped open the game up in the third quarter, when the Celtics outscored the Pacers by six over the final five minutes after Brissett put together what became a plus-18 performance in 12 minutes.

"I'm happy to see that," Holiday said of Brissett, who spent the past three years with Indiana before signing with Boston in the offseason. "He stays ready. He hasn't seen many minutes this postseason, probably didn't play as much as he wanted to in the regular season, but that's part of sacrificing and staying ready."

Tatum added: "It was great. Just the energy he came in with at both ends, just find a way to impact the game. We see the 'stay ready' group guys work and show up for us every single day, so I love when they're able to get their number called and help us win the game."

As the series shifts to Indiana, the Celtics are hoping their success on the road -- the one trend that has carried through the first two rounds of the playoffs, with Boston 4-0 away from TD Garden -- will continue at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. If it does, the Celtics will get a full 10 days off before the start of the NBA Finals on June 6 in Boston and will likely spend several days watching the Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks duke it out in the Western Conference finals.

If there's any team that knows not to take anything for granted in the playoffs, however, it is Boston, which has repeatedly played in one long series after another.

"The only thing we should be thinking about is, they were down 2-0 a series ago and brought it to Game 7," Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said, referring to the Pacers' series against the Knicks. "They do a great job protecting their home court. They're undefeated at home. It's gonna take a lot more than confidence to get the job done.

"We have to focus on the details and the execution and the mindset, the things that go into playing against a team like this at home. I know they're gonna respond so it's up to us to do the same."

- Tim Bontemps, ESPN

CELTICS SURVIVE PACERS IN OT TO TAKE GAMES 1 OF EAST FINALS

 The Indiana Pacers came into Boston and pushed the Celtics to the brink on Tuesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Indiana was up by five with just under two minutes left in regulation, but Boston found a way to force overtime before going on to win 133-128 to open the best-of-seven series on a high note.

Now the top-seeded Celtics will try to win Game 2, something they haven't been able to do this postseason. They failed to go up 2-0 on the Miami Heat in the first round, then had to settle for a 1-1 series against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the semifinals.

"We just gotta be prepared," Boston star Jaylen Brown said. "We know it. We've seen it. We've been hearing it. Now we just have to come out and execute and be better. We will."

Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals is scheduled for Thursday in Boston.

Jayson Tatum collected a game-high 36 points and 12 rebounds in Boston's Game 1 victory against Indiana. He scored 10 points in overtime, including five straight that gave the Celtics a 127-123 lead with 42.9 seconds to play.

Jrue Holiday added 28 points and Brown finished with 26 for Boston.

Andrew Nembhard canned a 3-pointer to put the Pacers up 115-110 with 1:57 remaining in the fourth quarter, but then the Celtics took over.

Holiday converted a layup and Brown sank two free throws to get Boston within one, 115-114, with 57.4 seconds to go. Nembhard stemmed the tide with a jumper, and Indiana took its 117-114 edge into what was originally supposed to be the game's final seconds.

But Brown knocked down a trey from the corner, knotting things at 117 with 6.1 seconds on the clock. Indiana star guard Tyrese Haliburton missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer, sending the contest to overtime.

Three free throws from Haliburton in the extra session put the Pacers ahead 123-121 with 1:46 left, but Tatum answered with a three-point play, and the Celtics never gave up the lead the rest of the way.

Haliburton had 25 points and 10 assists. Pascal Siakam finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists for the sixth-seeded Pacers, who received 23 points from Myles Turner.

"Our guys just need to concentrate on fighting the way they fought in (Game 1) from start to finish, and we'll be back Thursday," Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said. "We did a lot of good things that we need to continue to do. We've been a tough-minded and resilient team, really for almost the entire second half of the year. We have to continue with that and come back in here on Thursday night."

Indiana made 9 of 10 free throws in the game. Boston was 24-for-30 from the foul line.

The Pacers committed 22 turnovers that led to 32 Celtics points.

The Celtics led 34-31 after one quarter, and it was 64-64 at halftime. The Pacers used a 9-0 spurt to pull within four points, 92-88, late in the third quarter, and they trailed 94-93 entering the fourth.

"They scored a lot of points in transition," Brown said. "We gotta clean that up. We want to get them in a half-court game as much as possible.

"Defense is where we have to hang our hat. We have to make sure we execute on defense and the majority of it is transition -- getting back in transition. No layups. Gotta run."

- Reuters 

BRUNSON SCORES 44, KNICKS BEATS PACERS 121-91 TO MOVE A WIN AWAY FROM CONFERENCE FINALS

AP Photo 

 NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks have one more step to climb to reach the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2000.

Jalen Brunson, after a couple rough games, looks ready to take it.

Brunson scored 44 points, reaching 40 for the fifth time in this postseason, and the Knicks beat the Indiana Pacers 121-91 on Tuesday night for a 3-2 lead in their playoff series.

The Knicks rebounded from a blowout loss and guaranteed themselves at least one more game at Madison Square Garden in front of their roaring fans who had been aching to see big games in late spring again. Josh Hart had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Deuce McBride scored 17 points after he was inserted into the starting lineup.

The No. 2-seeded Knicks can win the series Friday night at Indiana after the first two-day break between games in the series. Caitlin Clark's WNBA home debut with the Indiana Fever is scheduled for Thursday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, causing the extra day that perhaps can benefit a New York team that is playing without four key players.

Game 7, if necessary, would be Sunday afternoon.

“We still need one more win so we can’t get too excited about it,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We have to understand what we need to do, stay focused on the task at hand. If you feel good about yourself you get knocked down in this league. We’ve got to be ready to go.”

Brunson hurt his right foot in Game 2 and was limited to 18 points Sunday, his lowest of the postseason, when the Pacers ran the Knicks off the floor in a 121-89 romp. He kept insisting he was fine and there was no reason to question that Tuesday.

“I think as a team, no matter what the situation is, we have the same mindset no matter what,” Brunson said. “And regardless of how I’m feeling or someone else is feeling, we know what’s at stake, we know what we have to do and we’re going to figure it out.”

Pulling up quickly for 3-pointers off the dribble or using his series of fakes and spins to set up soft jumpers in the lane, Brunson shot 18 for 35 and again looked like the player who finished fifth this season in MVP voting, not the one who shot 10 for 26 in Game 3 and 6 for 17 on Sunday.

AP Photo

He scored 28 in the first half, a Knicks playoff record, and then put away the game in the fourth with seven straight points, capped by a three-point play that made it 106-86 with 7:57 to go.

Brunson, who scored 43 in Game 1 to become the fourth player in NBA history with four consecutive 40-point games in the playoffs, had plenty of help.

Alec Burks, who had been out of the rotation entirely until re-emerging after a rash of injuries, added 18 points off the bench and Isaiah Hartenstein had seven points and 17 rebounds. Hartenstein grabbed 12 on the offensive end, helping the Knicks overwhelm the Pacers 53-29 on the glass, with 20 offensive rebounds leading to 26 second-chance points.

“We got annihilated on loose balls, rebounds. Gave up 20 offensive rebounds and 29 more shots. So, we all own it,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “But very embarrassing. Very embarrassing and a hard lesson.”

Pascal Siakam scored 22 points for the sixth-seeded Pacers, who will try to stay unbeaten at home in the postseason to force the decisive game. Myles Turner added 16 but All-Star Tyrese Haliburton had only 13 after averaging 29.7 over the last three games.

Indiana got off to a strong start before the Knicks surged ahead with an 11-0 run en route to a 38-32 lead after one. Carlisle burned three timeouts in the quarter, the crowd seemingly growing louder with each.

Brunson had consecutive baskets for a 13-point lead early in the second quarter and then had the first basket in a 9-0 run that made it 65-47 with 2:11 remaining. A 17-0 run in the third turned an eight-point lead into an 89-64 bulge.

“They killed us on the glass better than they probably have in any game all series,” Haliburton said. “We just didn’t match the intensity level all night.”

The Knicks haven't reached the conference finals since the Pacers beat them in 2000 in the sixth meeting between the teams in eight years. With Patrick Ewing, Latrell Sprewell and Larry Johnson among the players from that era in the crowd, this one had some of that 1990s Knicks-Pacers fierceness in a game featuring five technical fouls.

Isaiah Jackson was called for a foul for a hard pick that knocked Donte DiVincenzo to the court in the first half. Hartenstein walked up and got chest-to-chest with Jackson, and Burks also came in and appeared to bring his hand up and make contact with Jackson. All three players were called for technical fouls.

Later, after DiVincenzo slammed down the miss of Brunson's jumper, he and Turner got tangled up as DiVincenzo tried to fight through a pick. They then screamed at each other after a foul was called and both were given technical fouls as the crowd chanted DiVincenzo's name while referees reviewed the play.

- BRIAN MAHONEY

JAYSON TATUM SCORES 33 POINTS, CELTICS REBOUND FROM LISS TO BEAT CAVS 106-93 FOR 2-1 SERIES LEAD

AP Photo 

 CLEVELAND (AP) — Jayson Tatum scored 33 points, Jaylen Brown added 28 and the Boston Celtics looked more like themselves after stumbling at home, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 106-93 on Saturday night in Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The top-seeded Celtics didn't mess around after dropping Game 2 on their home parquet floor by 24.

That lackluster performance — Boston was favored by double digits — was reminiscent of the first round, when the Celtics lost Game 2 against Miami before winning three in a row to eliminate the Heat.

“We just wanted to bounce back,” said Tatum, who added 13 rebounds. “Disappointing loss the other night, coming into a hostile environment on the road. It was a good test for us to see how we respond.”

Tatum scored on a three-point play and the Celtics opened the second half with 14 straight points to take a 23-point lead.

That was way too much for the Cavs, who overcame a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter to stun Boston in March.

Donovan Mitchell scored 33 points for Cleveland, but the All-Star guard aggravated a left knee injury in the fourth quarter and was labored. With Boston up 13 and in control, Mitchell left the court with 1:19 left and walked directly to the locker room.

Cleveland got within nine three times in the fourth but the Celtics, who went just 8 of 35 on 3-pointers in Game 2, got back-to-back 3s from Payton Pritchard and Derrick White to stave off the Cavs' comeback.

AP Photo 

Game 4 is Monday night in Cleveland.

Down by 23 and unable to stop Tatum, the Cavs clawed back.

They cut Boston's lead to 15 by the end of the third, and scored the first six points in the fourth, sending their towel-waving crowd at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse looking for another upset into a frenzy.

But whenever the Celtics needed a bucket, they went to either Tatum or Brown, who broke down Cleveland's defense for layups or made tough, contested jumpers.

Evan Mobley added 17 points and Darius Garland and Caris LeVert 15 apiece for the Cavs, who lost for the first time at home in these playoffs.

Cleveland was again without starting center Jarrett Allen, who missed his sixth straight game with a painful rib injury. Allen has been out since Game 4 of the opening-round series against Orlando and there's no telling when — or if — he'll be available.

Mitchell made six 3-pointers and scored 23 in the first half to pace the Cavs, but Cleveland didn't get nearly enough from the rest of its starters or bench as the Celtics opened a 57-48 halftime lead.

After the Celtics were stunned on their home floor in Game 2 despite being heavy favorites, coach Joe Mazzulla said the message to his players heading into Game 3 was simple.

“Do what you do best, and do it better,” he said.

The Celtics started cold again, missing their first two 3-pointers before making 5 of 8 to take a 30-28 lead after one.

Cleveland got a nice early lift as forward Dean Wade made his postseason debut after missing the past two months with a sprained knee. Wade, who scored a career-high 23 against Boston on March 5 when the Cavs overcame a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter, knocked down a 3-pointer on his first touch.

Boston center Kristaps Porzingis missed his fourth straight game with a calf strain.

- TOM WITHERS

HEAT 🔥 TOURCH CELTICS WITH 23-3 POINTERS TO EVEN SERIES IN GAME 2

USA Today Sports 

 BOSTON -- The day before his short-handed Heat sought to even the score with the heavily favored Celtics, Miami coach Erik Spoelstra made an intriguing comment about his team's identity.

After being deluged by Boston's 3-point shooting in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first-round series, Spoelstra said his team needed to do a better job of letting it fly in order to keep pace.

"I understand the math of it," Spoelstra said, before adding, "We're not going to shoot 50 of them. That's not realistic."

Maybe 50 3-point shots wasn't quite realistic. But the upset-minded Heat did just fine with 43 attempts Wednesday night. And by finishing with a playoff franchise-record 23 treys, the Heat beat the Celtics 111-101 on the road in Game 2 to even the series at 1-1.

The series moves to Miami for Game 3 on Saturday.

The sheer nature of Wednesday's upset is one of the reasons Game 2's outcome was remarkable. Miami trailed by as much as 34 in Game 1, prompting many to believe that, without star wing Jimmy Butler or starter Terry Rozier, this would be a four-game sweep.

Instead, the Heat became the first playoff team in the past 30 years to win by double digits despite being an underdog of 14 points or more.

"We've been doubted a lot through our playoff runs, people saying we couldn't do a lot of stuff that we [eventually] did," said Miami big man Bam Adebayo, who had 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting and 10 boards. "So for me and my team, why lose belief now? Our backs are against the wall. Everybody's against us. So just use that as fuel.

"Our guys believe we can win. So, let's make it mano a mano -- a cage fight. Let's hoop."

Miami's ability to shape-shift into a 3-point gunning team one game after being lit up from beyond the arc by a five-out, floor-spacing Celtics team was highly impressive. An NBA playoff-record 62.2% of the Heat's points came from their 3-point shooting in Game 2. It was the complete opposite in Game 1, during which just 38.2% of the club's points came from behind the 3 line.

Miami had connected on more 3s by halftime of Game 2 (13) than it had in all of Game 1 (12).

Following Spoelstra's edict, Miami wing Caleb Martin said he and his teammates came out looking to shoot whenever they were open in Game 2.

"I think it was realizing that being passive [as shooters] hurts us. We'd just be playing into their game plan," said Martin, who got booed relentlessly whenever he touched the ball after his late-game midair collision with Celtics star Jayson Tatum in the series opener. "We're too good of a shooting team to hesitate from 3."

Tyler Herro's Game 2 turnaround was the biggest. After scoring just 11 points on 13 shots in the opener, he had 24 points on 13 shots, including six 3-pointers, and added 14 assists (the second most in a game in Heat playoff history).

"Based on how we look right now [in terms of injuries], he's going to be involved one way or another, and sometimes that's going to mean making the right play over and over and over again," Spoelstra said of Herro. "And he made the right read repeatedly tonight."

Down three at halftime, the Heat took the lead and got some separation in the third period. Aside from catching fire -- Miami was 6-for-9 from deep in the quarter -- the club also limited Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis whenever he got the ball in the post. Porzingis finished just 1-for-9 from the field and was a minus-32 on the night.

It clearly disrupted the flow of Boston's usually steady offense and forced Tatum (28 points) and Jaylen Brown (33 points) to do a bit too much off the dribble at times.

"They're obviously undersized and very athletic," Celtics guard Jrue Holiday said. "They've always swarmed and not let KP go one-on-one."

Miami's victory moved Spoelstra to 10-3 in his career in Game 2s after dropping the first game of a playoff series. Of those who have coached 10 such games, only Frank Vogel, who is 8-2 after a Game 1 loss, has a better winning percentage in NBA history.

With the Heat being a considerable underdog, it might be tempting to write off their hot shooting night as an anomaly. But doing so might be selling their recent history with the Celtics short, including their conference finals victory over Boston as an underdog last season. Wednesday's outing marked the fourth time in the past two postseasons Miami has shot 50% or better from beyond the arc against Boston. No other team has hit that figure more than once against a playoff opponent in that span.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said the natural adjustment after Miami's historic shooting performance would be to press up on the Heat's shooters more. But he cautioned against the notion of overcorrecting.

"We're going to have to find a balance, because a lot of those shooters are also good drivers and are good at getting downhill," Mazzulla said. "We have to find that balance of making sure we can close out appropriately so we don't open up the other side of that."

- Chris Herring, ESPN Senior Writer

JOEL EMBIID SCORES 23 POINTS, HAS.THE BIG ASSIST AS 76ERS BEAT HEAT IN PLAY-IN TO EARN NO. 7 SEED

AP

 PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The 76ers needed all the improbable tricks they could summon to even have a chance at winning their first play-in game in team history.

Nicolas Batum hit game-shifting 3-pointers. Buddy Hield was in the mix. Even the promise of free chicken nuggets was enough to revive an offense and smother the boos from Philly fans that rained inside the arena.

But in crunch time, the game came down to Joel Embiid. Always Joel Embiid.

With the NBA MVP on the court, the 76ers proved they have a shot at a long postseason run as long as he’s in the lineup.

Embiid had 23 points, 15 rebounds and one huge assist to Kelly Oubre Jr. on a go-ahead three-point play that led the 76ers to a 105-104 win over the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament on Wednesday night.

“Lots of booing,” Embiid said, smiling. “We stuck together. It just shows you that I don't play my best, I don't get to my spots the whole game until the fourth quarter, and we still find a way to win.”

The 76ers earned the No. 7 seed and advanced to play the second-seeded New York Knicks in the opening round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Game 1 is Saturday at Madison Square Garden.

The Heat — who went from the play-in tourney to the NBA Finals a year ago — host Chicago on Friday night, with the winner getting the No. 8 seed.

Embiid exploded out of a quiet game late in the fourth and carried the Sixers back from 14 down in the second half. Embiid, who missed 43 games this season and finished out on a surgically repaired left knee, was a non-factor as Batum and Hield sparked the 76ers in the second half. Batum had 20 points.

“We won the game because of them,” Embiid said. “Those guys stepped up and we won the game.”

But when the Sixers needed big buckets, who else was there but their big man?

Embiid buried a go-ahead 3-pointer from the top of the arc with 2;33 left in the game for a 93-91 lead that sent a crowd — that had about booed the Sixers out of the building at the half — into a frenzy. After the Sixers blew that lead, Embiid again was clutch with a three-point play for a 96-94 lead.

With the game tied 96-all, Miami's Tyler Herro was whistled for a backcourt violation. Embiid slipped the ball to Oubre under the basket for the bucket, the free throw and a 99-96 lead they would not give up.

The 76ers played this one like it was Game 7 — and with good reason. They like their chances against the upstart Knicks rather than playing for the No. 8 seed and a date with the NBA's best, the Boston Celtics.

That's what Miami faces if it can get out of Friday's game and make the playoffs under this format for the second straight season.

Herro — who hit a 3 in the final second before the 76ers lost the ball out of bounds as time expired — finished with 25 points. Jimmy Butler, perhaps slowed by a first-half knee injury, had 19.

“We will do this the hard way,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “That has to be the path right now. We're going to rest up, treat up, rally around each other up, get ready for Friday. Again, embrace these competitive games. It will be competitive in front of our home fans.”

AP

Butler had four steals in the first half, and gutted out two free throws after he slipped and appeared to tweak his right knee, perhaps a reason he scored only two points in the fourth. Butler said he would need an MRI on Thursday.

“It felt like I couldn't do too much, which sucks with the timing of the game and everything,” Butler said. “I hope that I'm fine. I hope that I wake up tomorrow and can still stick-and-move. Right now, I can't stay that's the case.”

The 76ers rallied in the third, fueled perhaps by a free fast-food chicken promotion triggered when the Heat missed consecutive free throws with a nine-point lead.

With the crowd roaring for the first time all night, the Sixers took off — but not behind the usual suspects. Batum — acquired in the James Harden deal with the Clippers — instead hit three 3s in the quarter that edged the Sixers within one possession of a tie game three times. Each time, the 76ers were stymied, none worse then when Embiid was stripped on a drive that could have knotted the game at 68-all. Kevin Love instead buried a 3 and the Heat took a 74-69 lead into the fourth.

After a few quick buckets put them up early, the Sixers caved and seemed downright befuddled by Miami’s zone. The Sixers were passive and could not find a way to dump the ball inside to Embiid -- the 7-footer waving his arm in vain for a ball that never came. And where his help? All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey -- who had three 50-point games this season -- vanished and scored only nine points in the half. He finished with 19.

Philly’s voracious boo birds were heard early, often and never louder than when the oft-maligned Tobias Harris ripped a page out of the 1990s Knicks star Charles Smith's book when he missed four -- four! -- gimmes at the bucket on one possession.

Harris was benched in the final minutes of the game.

They'll need Harris playing close to an All-Star level moving forward. But for a game, Batum and Hield — and a heaping dose of Embiid — were enough for the Sixers.

“Just like we planned it,” a smiling team president Daryl Morey said in the locker room.

- Dan Gelston

NBA PLAYOFFS 2024: FIRST-ROUND NEWS, SCHEDULE, SCORES AND HIGHLIGHTS

 The 2023-24 NBA regular season is complete and the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs is almost here. Expect plenty of drama after a memorable regular season.

The Boston Celtics clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference in March and have homecourt advantage through the entire postseason as they look to return to the Finals for the first time since 2022 and hang an NBA championship banner for the first time since 2008. They'll await the results of the play-in tournament to know their first-round opponent, as will the No. 2 seed New York Knicks.

In the West, the defending champion Denver Nuggets are the 2-seed, behind the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who are in the playoffs for the first time since 2020 and are looking to win the team's first NBA championship since moving to Oklahoma City in 2008.

After the play-in tournament, the 16-team NBA playoffs will begin with four games on Saturday and four more on Sunday. Eight teams from each conference will reach the first round and face off in a best-of-7 series to advance. All four rounds of the NBA playoffs are best-of-7, and teams are not reseeded after each round. The team with the better regular-season record in each series will have homecourt advantage for that series. All series are played in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, with the team with the better record hosting Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 (if necessary).

We'll have complete coverage of the NBA playoffs all the way through the 2024 NBA Finals, which tip off on June 6 on ABC and the ESPN app.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

 

Boston Celtics (1) vs. TBD (8)

Game 1: Sunday at Boston, 1 p.m. ET (ABC)

Game 2: Wednesday, April 24 at Boston, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 3: Saturday April 27 at play-in winner, 6 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 4: Monday April 29 at play-in winner

Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday May 1 at Boston

Game 6 (if necessary): Friday May 3 at play-in winner

Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday May 5 at Boston

New York Knicks (2) vs. TBD (7)

Game 1: Saturday April 20 at New York (6 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Game 2: Monday at New York, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 3: Thursday April 25 at play-in winner, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 4: Sunday April 28 at play-in winner, 1 p.m. ET (ABC)

Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday April 30 at New York

Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday May 2 at play-in winner

Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday May 4 at New York (TNT)

Milwaukee Bucks (3) vs. Indiana Pacers (6)

Game 1: Sunday at Milwaukee, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 2: Tuesday at Milwaukee, 8:30 p.m. ET (NBA TV)

Game 3: Friday April 26 at Indiana, 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Game 4: Sunday April 28 at Indiana, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday April 30 at Milwaukee

Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday May 2 at Indiana

Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday May 4 at Milwaukee (TNT)

Cleveland Cavaliers (4) vs. Orlando Magic (5)

Game 1: Saturday at Cleveland, 1 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Game 2: Monday at Cleveland, 7 p.m. ET (NBA TV)

Game 3: Thursday April 25 at Orlando, 7 p.m. ET (NBA TV)

Game 4: Saturday April 27 at Orlando, 1 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday April 30 at Cleveland

Game 6 (if necessary): Friday May 3 at Orlando

Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday May 5 at Cleveland

WESTERN CONFERENCE

 

Oklahoma City Thunder (1) vs. TBD

Game 1: Sunday at Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 2: Wednesday April 24 at Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 3: Saturday April 27 at play-in winner, 3:30 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 4: Monday April 29 at play-in winner

Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday May 1 at Oklahoma City

Game 6 (if necessary): Friday May 3 at play-in winner

Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday May 5 at Oklahoma City

Denver Nuggets (2) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (7)

Game 1: Saturday at Denver, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

Game 2: Monday at Denver, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 3: Thursday April 25 at Los Angeles, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 4: Saturday April 27 at Los Angeles, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

Game 5 (if necessary): Monday April 29 at Denver

Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday May 2 at Los Angeles

Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday May 4 at Denver (TNT)

Minnesota Timberwolves (3) vs. Phoenix Suns (6)

Game 1: Saturday at Minnesota, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Game 2: Tuesday at Minnesota, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 3: Friday April 26 at Phoenix, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Game 4: Sunday April 28 at Phoenix, 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday April 30 at Minnesota

Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday May 2 at Phoenix

Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday May 4 at Minnesota

LA Clippers (4) vs. Dallas Mavericks (5)

Game 1: Sunday at LA Clippers, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

Game 2: Tuesday at LA Clippers, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)

Game 3: Friday April 26 at Dallas, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Game 4: Sunday April 28 at Dallas, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday May 1 at LA Clippers

Game 6 (if necessary): Friday May 3 at Dallas

Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday May 5 at LA Clippers

- ESPN

2024 POSTSEASON TRACKER: PLAYOFFS, PLAY-IN, PROJECTED BRACKET

 The 2024 NBA playoffs will soon be here and teams are booking their postseason spots before the regular season ends April 14.

The top six teams from each conference will be assured playoff spots, while team Nos. 7-10 in the standings will enter the play-in tournament (April 16-19).

Two teams in each conference will then emerge to fill out the eight-team field, with the first round of the playoffs starting April 20.

Get the updates ahead of the playoffs here as the road to the NBA Finals kicks into full gear.

East postseason picture

Clinched a playoff spot: Boston Celtics (No. 1 seed), Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers

At least a play-in spot, not yet playoffs: Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat

Only a play-in spot: Chicago Bulls (No. 9 seed), Atlanta Hawks (No. 10 seed)

Eliminated: Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons.

West postseason picture

Clinched a playoff spot: Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, LA Clippers, Dallas Mavericks

At least a play-in spot, not yet playoffs: New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns

Only a play-in spot: Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers

Eliminated: Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs

Eastern Conference projected bracket, as of today:

Play-in tournament:

No. 8 Heat at No. 7 76ers (April 16)

No. 10 Hawks at No. 9 Bulls (April 17)

Winner 9/10 at loser 7/8 (April 19)

First round:

No. 1 Celtics vs. No. 8 seed (76ers/Heat/Bulls/Hawks)

No. 2 Bucks vs. No. 7 seed (76ers/Heat)

No. 3 Knicks vs. No. 6 Pacers

No. 4 Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Magic

Western Conference projected bracket, as of today:

Play-in tournament:

No. 8 Kings at No. 7 Suns (April 16)

No. 10 Lakers at No. 9 Warriors (April 17)

Winner 9/10 at loser 7/8 (April 19)

First round:

No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 8 seed (Suns/Kings/Warriors/Lakers)

No. 2 Timberwolves vs. No. 7 seed (Suns/Kings)

No. 3 Nuggets vs. No. 6 Pelicans

No. 4 Clippers vs. No. 5 Mavericks

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Boston Celtics

What they've clinched: Best overall record, No. 1 seed in Eastern Conference, Atlantic Division title

Boston became the first team to clinch a postseason spot in 2024 and have clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. And as holders of the overall best record, they're guaranteed home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.

The Celtics have made the playoffs the previous nine seasons, losing to the Miami Heat in the conference finals last season. The last time they were the top overall seed in the East was after the 2016-17 season, when they lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference finals.

Milwaukee Bucks

What they've clinched: At least a playoff spot

The Bucks have locked up a Eastern Conference playoffs as they try to now lock up a top-four seed.

Milwaukee has made the playoffs the previous seven seasons. The Bucks were the top seed last year but suffered a first-round exit at the hands of the Miami Heat. In 2022, they were also the top seed in the East, but they lost to the Boston Celtics in the conference finals.

New York Knicks

What they've clinched: At least a playoff spot

The Knicks have secured a place in the Eastern Conference playoffs as they aim to secure a top-four spot.

The Knicks advanced the conference semifinals last season, where they lost to the Miami Heat. It marked just the second playoff appearance for New York in the past 10 seasons, which included a seven-year stretch without postseason play.

Cleveland Cavaliers

What they've clinched: At least a playoff spot

The Cavs are also into the postseason with a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Cleveland made the playoffs last season, losing in the first round to the New York Knicks. It marked the Cavs' return to the postseason after missing the previous four editions, and their first appearance since winning the 2016-17 NBA Finals, led by LeBron James.

Orlando Magic

What they've clinched: At least a play-in spot

The Magic will play past the regular season for the first time since 2020, clinching at least a place in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament.

Orlando will next eye a playoff berth, having only appeared twice since the 2012-13 season. The team last advanced past the first round in 2010 when it reached the conference finals.

Indiana Pacers

What they've clinched: At least a play-in spot

The Pacers have qualified for at least the play-in tournament in the Eastern Conference

Indy is back in the postseason for the first time since 2020, breaking a three-season stretch. Prior to that, the team was bounced in the first round of the playoffs in five consecutive seasons.

Philadelphia 76ers

What they've clinched: At least a play-in spot

The 76ers have qualified for at least the play-in tournament in the Eastern Conference.

Philadelphia has made the playoffs each of the previous six seasons, but has not advanced beyond the second round since reaching the NBA Finals in 2001.

Miami Heat

What they've clinched: At least a play-in spot

The Heat have qualified for at least the play-in tournament in the Eastern Conference.

Last season, Miami became the first team to reach the NBA Finals as a play-in team. After losing first to the Atlanta Hawks, they secured the No. 8 seed by beating the Chicago Bulls. The Heat then beat the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, and the Boston Celtics to win the East before losing in the finals to the Denver Nuggets.

Chicago Bulls

What they've clinched: No. 9 seed for the play-in tournament; cannot directly clinch a playoff berth

The Bulls will be playing in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament and will host the Atlanta Hawks for the 9/10 game. The winner will advance to play the loser of the 7/8 game for a chance to clinch the last playoff spot.

This is the second straight season that the Bulls will be in the play-in tournament. Last year, they beat the Toronto Raptors in the elimination match before losing to the Miami Heat in No. 8 seed game.

Atlanta Hawks

What they've clinched: No. 10 seed for the play-in tournament; cannot directly clinch a playoff berth

The Hawks will be playing in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament and will visit the Chicago Bulls for the 9/10 game. The winner will advance to play the loser of the 7/8 game for a chance to clinch the last playoff spot.

This is the third straight season that the Hawks will be in the play-in tournament. They've advanced out of it but then been bounced in the first round of the playoffs -- by the Miami Heat in 2022 and by the Boston Celtics in 2023. In 2021, they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks to the conference finals.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Oklahoma City Thunder

What they've clinched: At least a playoff spot

The Thunder remain in contention for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, but they've at least clinched a playoff spot.

The team has not been in the playoffs since the 2019-20 season -- a three-season hiatus -- after previously missing the postseason just twice since moving to OKC in 2008.

Minnesota Timberwolves

What they've clinched: At least a playoff spot

The Timberwolves have locked in a spot in the Western Conference playoffs as they remain in a tough battle for the No. 1 seed.

Minnesota has advanced from the play-in tournament the last two seasons, only to bow out in the first round of the playoffs. Last year, it was to the eventual champions Denver Nuggets.

Denver Nuggets

What they've clinched: At least a playoff spot

The defending NBA Finals champions have clinched a playoff spot amid a tight race for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

The Nuggets will be making their sixth straight appearance in the playoffs -- capped by last season's run that saw them beat the Miami Heat for the franchise's first ever NBA Finals trophy.

LA Clippers

What they've clinched: At least a playoff spot; Pacific Division title

The Clippers have clinched a playoff spot in the Western Conference and are on the verge of a top-four spot.

The team was bounced from the first round of the playoffs last season by the Phoenix Suns. The year before, they finished ninth in the West but lost the elimination match to the New Orleans Pelicans.

Dallas Mavericks

What they've clinched: At least a playoff spot; Southwest Division

The Mavericks will return to the postseason, having booked their place in the playoffs in the Western Conference.

Dallas missed out altogether last year after having previously made the playoffs in three straight seasons.

New Orleans Pelicans

What they've clinched: At least a play-in spot

The Pelicans have clinched a play-in tournament spot in the Western Conference, although they can still nab a playoff berth.

Last season, New Orleans lost the 9-10 elimination match in the play-in tournament to Oklahoma City. The year prior, they made the playoffs via the play-in, but lost in the first round to the Phoenix Suns.

Phoenix Suns

What they've clinched: At least a play-in spot

The Suns have clinched at least a spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament to continue their streak of postseason appearances.

Phoenix has reached the conference semifinals the last two seasons, but lost to the Denver Nuggets (2023) and the Dallas Mavericks (2022). In 2021, they reached the NBA Finals but fell to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Sacramento Kings

What they've clinched: A play-in spot; cannot clinch a playoff berth

After having been in the mix for a playoff spot for most of the season, the Kings will now have to settle for a spot in the play-in tournament in the Western Conference.

Sacramento made the playoffs last season for the first time since 2006, but lost to the Golden State Warriors in the first round.

Golden State Warriors

What they've clinched: A play-in spot; cannot clinch a playoff berth

No shot for a top six spot for the Warriors, who will have to first navigate the Western Conference play-in tournament.

Last season, Golden State reached the conference semifinals before losing to the Lakers. In 2022, the Warriors won the NBA Finals over the Boston Celtics. In 2021, they finished eighth in the standings but lost two straight play-in games (to the Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies) to end that season.

Los Angeles Lakers

What they've clinched: A play-in spot; cannot clinch a playoff berth

The Lakers' path to the playoffs will have to go through the Western Conference play-in tournament as they can no longer finish in the top six.

LeBron James and crew made it to the conference finals last season before being swept by eventual NBA Finals champions Denver Nuggets.

- ESPN

EAST & WEST INTRODUCTION | 2024 NBA ALL-STAR GAME

 

NBA ALL-STAR RETURNS TO EAST-WEST FORMAT IN LEBRON'S 20TH GAME

USA TODAY Sports 

 Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James will face off as All-Star captains for the fourth time when the best players from the Eastern and Western conferences square off against each other at the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday evening in Indianapolis.

The game will mark another milestone in James' storied career. The 39-year-old is celebrating his 20th All-Star selection, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most all-time.

James is averaging 24.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game this season. He earned 10 All-Star selections with the Cleveland Cavaliers, six with the Los Angeles Lakers and four with the Miami Heat.

"I give credit and a lot of respect to my fans who have been along with me through this whole 21-year journey," James said. "And voting me in as an All-Star starter for the 20th consecutive time, (I'm) just very humbled. Very blessed to be able to do what I love to do and just try to give back, give back to the game that's given (to) me over two decades.

"So, to be able to know this is the first time ever in NBA history to have this many All-Star starts or whatever the case might be, it's very cool."

THE NBA’S TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINALS ARE SET

AP Photo 

MIAMI (AP) — Khris Middleton had a thought pop into his head immediately after Milwaukee topped Miami to finish group play in the NBA’s In-Season Tournament with an unbeaten record.

“We’re going to Vegas,” he said.

Maybe. But not yet. Middleton didn't know he'd skipped one important step — the quarterfinals.

Hey, some people are evidently still learning the tournament format. It gets simple now, though, with the inaugural event down to its final eight teams.

In the Eastern Conference, it'll be Milwaukee hosting New York on Dec. 5 and Indiana playing host to Boston on Dec. 4; in the Western Conference, it'll be the Los Angeles Lakers hosting Phoenix on Dec. 5 and Sacramento — thanks to a huge comeback over Golden State — playing host to New Orleans on Dec. 4.

The winners go to Las Vegas for semifinal games on Dec. 7, and those winners play Dec. 9 to be the first team to hoist the NBA Cup and win $500,000 per player, $250,000 for those on two-way deals.