We have liftoff.

Jalen Green erupted for 38 points to lead the Rockets to their first Playoff win in five years and even the series with the Warriors.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

April 24, 2025

Rockets Get Even: Green’s 38 points lead Houston to first Playoff win since 2020

Cavs, Celtics Up 2-0: Top two teams in the East successfully protect home court

Another Thriller? What do the Nuggets & Clippers have in store for Game 3?

Back In Detroit: Playoff basketball returns to Detroit for first time since 2019

OKC Defense: How the Thunder have stifled Memphis’ high-powered offense

BUT FIRST … ⏰

Yesterday’s scores & what to watch today…

A TNT doubleheader opens a trio of Game 3s on Thursday. The action begins with Detroit hosting New York (7 ET, TNT) in a 1-1 series, followed by OKC visiting Memphis (9:30 ET, TNT) seeking a 3-0 lead.

The Nuggets and Clippers close the night (10 ET, NBA TV) after their first two games were decided by five total points.

After Jalen Brunson was named Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year on Wednesday, the Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year will be revealed tonight (6:30 ET, TNT). The three finalists are Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels, Golden State’s Draymond Green and Cleveland’s Evan Mobley

1. GREEN STARS AS ROCKETS EVEN SERIES WITH WARRIORS

Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images

After scoring just seven points on 3-of-15 shooting without a 3-pointer in his Playoff debut on Sunday, Jalen Green bounced back in a big way on Wednesday night.

Green went off for 38 points and matched the Rockets’ Playoff record with eight 3s to lead Houston to its first Playoff win since 2020.

Rockets 109, Warriors 94: Green had his highest-scoring game since mid-January and Alperen Sengun stuffed the stat sheet (17 pts, 16 reb, 7 ast, 2 stl) as the Rockets built a double-digit lead in the 1st quarter and never trailed. | Recap

• Green & Dream: Jalen joined Hakeem Olajuwon (2x) as the only Rockets to score 38+ points in a Playoff game at age 23 or younger
• The Journey: Green (2nd) and Sengun (16th) entered the league together in the 2021 NBA Draft. On Wednesday, the duo combined for 55 points to get their first Playoff win together
• Sengun: “I told him ‘we earned this.’ We came a long way, we’ve seen the bottom, now we’re seeing the top … We got our first win tonight, we’re really happy, we’re just going to keep growing together.”

Steph Curry scored 20 to lead the Warriors, who were held to 95 points or less in consecutive Playoff games for the first time since 2018.

• Rockets Defense: Wednesday marked the fifth time in seven games this season that the Rockets held the Warriors to less than 100 points. Houston is 3-2 in those games and 15-3 overall this season when holding an opponent below 100 points
• Jimmy Exits: Jimmy Butler III left the game with 2:28 remaining in the 1st quarter and did not return after suffering a pelvic contusion. The Warriors announced he will have an MRI exam today
• What’s Next: Tied 1-1, the series shifts to the Bay for the next two games, with Game 3 on Saturday in primetime (8:30 ET, ABC)

2. CAVS, CELTICS HOLD HOME COURT, TAKE 2-0 LEADS

Wednesday’s Game 2 featured two hallmarks to Cleveland’s 2024-25 season – dazzling offense and clutch play when the game is on the line.

The Cavs hit 11 3s in the 2nd quarter – the most by any team in a Playoff game in the play-by-play era (since 1997-98) – as they dominated the frame 43-27 and led by as many as 19 points.

But the Heat battled back, using a 25-8 run to cut the deficit to two with 4:25 to play. No team had more clutch wins than Cleveland’s 26 this season. Now they have their first of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

Cavs 121, Heat 112: Donovan Mitchell (30 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast, 7 3pm) scored 17 in the 4th – including eight straight Cavs points in the span of 66 seconds – as the Cavs outscored the Heat 20-13 to close the game and earn a 2-0 series lead. | Recap

• Double 20s: Cleveland’s other two 2025 All-Stars – Darius Garland (20 pts, 9 ast) and Evan Mobley (20 pts, 6 reb) – combined to add 40 in the win
• Heat Trio: Tyler Herro led all scorers with 33 points, Bam Adebayo (11 pts, 14 reb, 9 ast) finished one dime shy of a triple-double and Davion Mitchell scored 14 of his 18 in the 4th to lead Miami’s comeback attempt
• What’s Next: Cleveland holds a 2-0 lead as the series shifts to South Beach for the next two games, beginning with Game 3 on Saturday (1 ET, TNT)

With Jayson Tatum sidelined (wrist), Jaylen Brown had a performance that only his injured teammate had ever done in the storied Playoff history of the Boston Celtics.

Celtics 109, Magic 100: Brown filled the box score with 36 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and five 3s, leading the Celtics past the Magic to take a 2-0 lead and improve to 9-2 without Tatum this season. | Recap

• Stepping Up: In eight games this season without Tatum, Brown has averaged 24.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg and 6.1 apg – increases across the board from his regular season averages (22.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 4.5 apg)
• Brown’s Mindset: “Whatever it takes, every single night.”
• Boston Depth: Kristaps Porziņģis (20 pts, 10 reb, 5 stitches to his forehead before returning) led four more Celtics in double figures, including 14 from Payton Pritchard, who was presented the John Havlicek Trophy as the Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year pregame

Magic Duo Not Enough: Paolo Banchero (32 pts, 9 reb, 7 ast) and Franz Wagner (25 pts, 4 ast) combined for 57 points in the loss. Going back to last postseason, Paolo has scored 30+ in four of his last five Playoff games.

What’s Next: Boston holds a 2-0 lead as the series shifts to Orlando for the next two games, beginning with Game 3 on Friday (7 ET, ESPN).

3. WILL NUGGETS & CLIPPERS DELIVER A 3RD STRAIGHT THRILLER?

Some of the best ball in the 2024-25 Playoffs has come from the Nuggets and Clippers.

Just ask the three-time NBA Kia MVP who’s been in the thick of it all:

• “If you’re a basketball fan, I think this is the best basketball you can watch on both ends,” said Nikola Jokić about the series
• Tonight marks the latest installment (10 ET, NBA TV) in what’s proved to be a saga of twists and turns between No. 4 Denver and No. 5 LA in their First Round matchup. Games 1 and 2 were both decided by three points or less, with the first needing overtime

Jesse D. Garrabrant & Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images

Kawhi Leonard reigned in that latest victory, posting 39 points while shooting 15-for-19 from the field – a season-high 78.9%. There’s a history of him being at the center of winning moments.

• Behold, The Klaw: To cap his third season with the Spurs back in 2013-14, Leonard averaged 17.8 ppg and +12.4 in the NBA Finals, securing MVP honors
• Heard ‘Round The World: He delivered the first-ever, buzzer-beating Game 7 winner in Playoff history on May 12, 2019, inducing pandemonium throughout the basketball world with a forever-famed corner jump shot
• Fun Guy, Not-So-Fun Foe: The then-7th-year forward averaged 28.5 ppg and 9.8 rpg in the 2019 Finals to again take MVP while winning Toronto its first title
• Anotha One: Joining the Clippers ahead of the 2019-20 season, Leonard again made a winning impact, helping lead the franchise to its maiden West Finals in 2020-21 with 30.4 ppg and 2.1 spg

Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images

Game 3 will be the first-ever Playoff contest hosted at the Intuit Dome, where “The Wall” – 51 rows of Clipper fan-only seating behind the basket – has made opponent free throws an ordeal.

• Mind Games: Visiting teams shot a combined 71.7% from the free-throw line in the 2nd half in Intuit, lowest in the NBA
• Home Cooking: LA went 30-11 in Inglewood during the regular season, posting better per game numbers in points, rebounds, assists, FG% and 3P% than their season averages

Cutting back on turnovers figures to be a focus for the Nuggets. The group totalled 20 in Game 2, and now has 31 through the series – a number shared by the Clippers.

• “Games like this – a grind – and the possessions are so tough. Those easy baskets going the other way are such a killer,” said Nuggets coach David Adelman

4. PLAYOFF HOOPS RETURN TO DETROIT TONIGHT

17 years of struggle are in the rearview mirror for the Pistons.

A new era is underway as of Monday, with Detroit emerging victorious in Game 2 against NY to secure its first Playoff win since 2008.

Tonight, the series shifts to the Motor City for Game 3 (7 ET, TNT) of their First Round battle, with Detroit out for its first back-to-back Playoff wins since the 2008 Eastern Conference semis.

• Royalty: Chauncey Billups (16.1 ppg) was the 2nd-leading scorer for that 2008 run to the East Finals, and eventually earned induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024
• Laurels: Right behind him was Tayshaun Prince with 13.8 ppg. The veteran forward would play for “The Redeem Team” that summer in Beijing and earned a spot in the Hall of Fame with that group
• Around the NBA: Rookie of the Year went to Kevin Durant in 2007-08 following his 20.3 ppg for the then-SuperSonics. LeBron James – in his 5th NBA season – became the fastest player to 10K points
• Just A Kid: At that time, Cade Cunningham was only 6 years old and 14 years away from getting picked No. 1 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, becoming the next face of Motor City basketball

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Cunningham has played his part thus far, tallying 54 points combined on 19-for-42 shooting. 33 of those came in Game 2 while doubling his Game 1 rebound total to 12.

• “He had his mind made up on what he was going out to do tonight, and he was elite at it like he always is,” said coach J.B. Bickerstaff on Monday

The supporting staff of Dennis Schröder, Tobias Harris and Jalen Duren accounted for 47% of the team’s production. They boast a combined 58% FG% this series and have contributed 43.5 ppg in that time

For New York, look for the offense to run through Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year Jalen Brunson. But after JB was the only Knick to crack 20 points in Game 2, who will rise up alongside him?

• Rarities: Karl-Anthony Towns scored just 10 points in that contest – just the 3rd time he’s done so in 2024-25. It was also the 9th time he’s attempted 11 shots or fewer
• The Flipside: When the five-time All-Star attempts 14 or more field goals, like in Game 1’s win, the Knicks are 35-20

5. INSIDE OKC’S ‘SMOTHERING’ DEFENSE AGAINST MEMPHIS

This First Round matchup pits OKC’s elite defense against Memphis’ high-powered offense.

• The Thunder touted the league’s top defensive rating (106.6) and allowed the 3rd-fewest points per game (107.6) this season
• The Grizzlies countered with the 2nd-highest scoring offense (121.7 ppg) of the season and 14th-highest in league history
• Through the first two games of the series, OKC’s defense has given Memphis fits, holding the Grizzlies under 100 points in each game with an average of 89.5 ppg – 32.2 ppg lower than their regular-season average.

How have the Thunder done it? Let’s break it down:

Here’s an example of the defense SGA spoke about. Keep your eyes on Cason Wallace (22), Jalen Williams (8) and Alex Caruso (9), who execute multiple switches to stop every Memphis action.

• As Jaren Jackson Jr. backs Williams down on a post-up, Wallace flashes over to double, forcing JJJ to pick up his dribble
• Wallace then recovers back to Scotty Pippen Jr. in the lane, forcing JJJ to pass out to Desmond Bane on the perimeter with Caruso sprinting out to him
• As Bane drives past Caruso, he and Williams switch, while Wallace is also diving into the paint to stop the drive, forcing Bane to pass to Pippen outside the 3-point line
• Wallace closes out quick, poking the ball away as Pippen tries to pump fake and drive
• As Pippen recovers the loose ball, Williams switches and closes out to him. With the shot clock at 2, Pippen forces up a 3 that draws air for a 24-second violation

OKC ranked 2nd in defending pick-and-roll ball handler plays this season, allowing 0.83 points per possession. Check out this example from Lu Dort and Holmgren.

• As Dort gets hit with a Zach Edey pick outside the 3-point line to free up Ja Morant, Holmgren retreats to the free throw line to meet Ja and slow his drive
• This allows Dort time to recover back to Ja, who has now driven across the lane. As Morant starts to back out, he and Dort get tangled and Dort falls backward
• Thinking he has an open window, Ja drives toward the baseline, but Dort quickly gets up and recovers, forcing a tough jumper that comes up short

OKC led all teams in steals (10.3 spg) and points off turnovers (21.8 ppg) this season. Here’s an example of both in the span of nine seconds.

• Caruso fights over the Edey pick, trailing Bane on his drive down the lane
• Dort dives to the elbow but is unable to impede Bane’s drive, forcing Aaron Wiggins to stay in the paint to stop Bane, leaving Morant open in the corner
• With Wiggins’ two feet in the paint, Morant cuts down the baseline looking for a pass from Bane
• At the same time, Williams drops off John Konchar on the wing to close that passing lane to Ja; Williams gets the steal and immediately pushes in transition
• Williams and Wallace execute the fast break perfectly with Williams ending the sequence with an alley-oop dunk