Cleveland Cavaliers have impressively glided into Round 2 of the NBA playoffs, achieving this with an authoritative 55-point victory to seal the series. Conversely, Golden State Warriors are on the edge of advancing after a hard-fought battle against Houston, clinching a win at the very last moment to earn a 3-1 series lead.
The method to victory matters little in these playoffs.
The Cavaliers exhibited dominance by sweeping Miami in what is recorded as the most lopsided series in NBA playoff history, securing their berth in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Meanwhile, the Warriors showcased resilience and determination to overcome Houston’s challenge in the Western Conference first round.
A full slate of four games is on the Tuesday calendar. Indiana has an opportunity to eliminate Milwaukee, New York can do the same against Detroit, Boston has a chance to oust Orlando, and the winner between the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets will take a 3-2 lead in their closely contested series.
Here’s Tuesday lineup for national viewing, with all times presented in Eastern Time:
– 6 p.m. – Milwaukee vs. Indiana on NBA TV
– 7:30 p.m. – Detroit vs. New York on TNT
– 8:30 p.m. – Orlando vs. Boston on NBA TV
– 10 p.m. – Los Angeles Clippers vs. Denver on TNT
Wednesday’s schedule for national broadcasts is as follows:
– 7:30 p.m. – Golden State at Houston on TNT/truTV/Max
– 10 p.m. – Minnesota against LA Lakers on TNT/truTV/Max
In the realm of betting odds, Oklahoma City is seen as the frontrunner, tipped at +150 to win the NBA title according to BetMGM Sportsbook. They are followed by Boston at +200, Cleveland at +450, and Golden State at +1500. The Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota share odds at +2500, while the Los Angeles Lakers stand at +4000. New York is at a distant +50000, with Indiana and Denver both at +6000.
Houston sits at +15000 odds, Milwaukee at +100000, Detroit at +150000, and Orlando rounds up the list with +200000.
Notably, the lower-seeded teams in the Western Conference are predicted to advance. Golden State is a favorite over Houston at -375, while Minnesota is heavily favored against the Lakers at -500. The Clippers hold a slight edge over Denver at -165.
Turning to awards, the NBA will announce the rookie of the year on Tuesday, with contenders including Stephon Castle, Zaccharie Risacher, and Jaylen Wells. On Wednesday, the focus shifts to the most improved player award, with candidates Cade Cunningham, Dyson Daniels, and Ivica Zubac. The sportsmanship award will be revealed on Thursday.
Current accolades have recognized Golden State’s Stephen Curry as the Twyman-Stokes teammate of the year, and Draymond Green for the hustle award. Cleveland’s Evan Mobley secured the defensive player of the year title, New York’s Jalen Brunson is the clutch player of the year, and Boston’s Payton Pritchard is honored as sixth man of the year. Announcements for other awards like MVP and coach of the year, alongside All-NBA, All-Rookie, and All-Defensive team selections, are yet to be scheduled.
LeBron James is navigating familiar territory, facing a 3-1 deficit for the sixth time in his storied playoff career. Here are the outcomes of past performances under similar conditions:
– 2009 (Cleveland): Eastern Conference quarterfinals against Orlando, lost in 6
– 2014 (Miami): NBA Finals against San Antonio, lost in 5
– 2016 (Cleveland): NBA Finals against Golden State, won in 7
– 2017 (Cleveland): NBA Finals against Golden State, lost in 5
– 2024 (LA Lakers): Western Conference quarterfinals against Denver, lost in 5
Significant upcoming events on the NBA calendar include potential earliest starts for Round 2 on Saturday, with possibilities extending into early May. The draft lottery will occur on May 12 in Chicago, with the Western and Eastern Conference finals commencing in mid-May. The NBA Finals begin on June 5, culminating on June 22 if a Game 7 becomes necessary. The NBA draft will be conducted over two days at the end of June.
Notable stories include a preview of pivotal games involving the Magic against the Celtics, Pistons against the Knicks, Bucks against the Pacers, and Clippers versus the Nuggets.
Injury news involves Damian Lillard who requires surgery on a torn Achilles. Additionally, the Pistons and Lakers were involved in disputed officiating decisions. Meanwhile, there are anticipated changes within the Miami Heat organization.
Other highlights have been personal, such as the passing of Kevin Love’s father Stan, as well as the Thunder benefiting from some downtime. Finally, Cleveland’s Kenny Atkinson has been honored with the NBCA coach of the year award.
Statistical observations of the day include “Playoff Jimmy” Butler, who racked up nine critical points in the final moments of Golden State’s Game 4 win over Houston, running a cumulative streak of 121 clutch-time points since 2020—the highest in the NBA.
Cleveland’s largest previous win was a 68-point victory over Miami in 1991, with the recent 55-point playoff margin now ranking second overall. Golden State, for the first time since 2007, managed two 25-point scorers in a playoff game beside the usual suspects of Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson, with Jimmy Butler scoring 27 and Brandin Podziemski chipping in 26.
In their recent sweep against Miami, Cleveland amassed a total of 504 points across four games, narrowly missing the four-game series record held by Toronto with 505 points achieved in their 2020 sweep of Brooklyn.