NBA PLAYOFFS
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ALL TIMES EASTERN STANDARD TIME
• GAME 1: CELTICS 114, HEAT 94
• GAME 2: HEAT VS. CELTICS; WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24 (7 ET, TNT)
• GAME 3: CELTICS VS. HEAT; SATURDAY, APRIL 27 (6 ET, TNT)
• GAME 4: CELTICS VS. HEAT; MONDAY, APRIL 29 (TBD, TBD)
• GAME 5: HEAT VS. CELTICS; WEDNESDAY, MAY 1 (TBD, TBD)*
• GAME 6: CELTICS VS. HEAT; FRIDAY, MAY 3 (TBD, TBD)*
• GAME 7: HEAT VS. CELTICS; SUNDAY, MAY 5 (TBD, TBD)*
BOSTON LEADS SERIES 1-0
* = IF NECESSARY
(2) NEW YORK VS. (7) PHILADELPHIA
• GAME 1: KNICKS 111, 76ERS 104
• GAME 2: KNICKS 104, 76ERS 101
• GAME 3: KNICKS VS. 76ERS; THURSDAY, APRIL 25 (7:30 ET, TNT)
• GAME 4: KNICKS VS. 76ERS; SUNDAY, APRIL 28 (1 ET, ABC)
• GAME 5: 76ERS VS. KNICKS; TUESDAY, APRIL 30 (TBD, TBD)*
• GAME 6: KNICKS VS. 76ERS; THURSDAY, MAY 2 (TBD, TBD)*
• GAME 7: 76ERS VS. KNICKS; SATURDAY, MAY 4 (TBD, TNT)*
NEW YORK LEADS SERIES 2-0
* = IF NECESSARY
• GAME 1: BUCKS 109, PACERS 94
• GAME 2: PACERS 125, BUCKS 108
• GAME 3: BUCKS VS. PACERS; FRIDAY, APRIL 26 (5:30 ET, ESPN)
• GAME 4: BUCKS VS. PACERS; SUNDAY, APRIL 28 (7 ET, TNT)
• GAME 5: PACERS VS. BUCKS; TUESDAY, APRIL 30 (TBD, TBD)
• GAME 6: BUCKS VS. PACERS; THURSDAY, MAY 2 (TBD, TBD)*
• GAME 7: PACERS VS. BUCKS; SATURDAY, MAY 4 (TBD, TNT)*
SERIES TIED AT 1-1
* = IF NECESSARY
• GAME 1: CAVALIERS 97, MAGIC 83
• GAME 2: CAVALIERS 96, MAGIC 86
• GAME 3: CAVALIERS VS. MAGIC; THURSDAY, APRIL 25 (7 ET, NBA TV)
• GAME 4: CAVALIERS VS. MAGIC; SATURDAY, APRIL 27 (1 ET, TNT)
• GAME 5: MAGIC VS. CAVALIERS; TUESDAY, APRIL 30 (TBD, TBD)*
• GAME 6: CAVALIERS VS. MAGIC; FRIDAY, MAY 3 (TBD, TBD)*
• GAME 7: MAGIC VS. CAVALIERS; SUNDAY, MAY 5 (TBD, TBD)*
CLEVELAND LEADS SERIES 2-0
* = IF NECESSARY
WESTERN CONFERENCE
ALL TIMES EASTERN STANDARD TIME
(1) OKLAHOMA CITY VS. (8) NEW ORLEANS
• GAME 1: THUNDER 94, PELICANS 92
• GAME 2: PELICANS VS. THUNDER; WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24 (9:30 ET, TNT)
• GAME 3: THUNDER VS. PELICANS; SATURDAY, APRIL 27 (3:30 ET TNT)
• GAME 4: THUNDER VS. PELICANS; MONDAY, APRIL 29 (TBD, TBD)
• GAME 5: PELICANS VS. THUNDER; WEDNESDAY, MAY 1 (TBD, TBD)*
• GAME 6: THUNDER VS. PELICANS; FRIDAY, MAY 3 (TBD, TBD)*
• GAME 7: PELICANS VS. THUNDER; SUNDAY, MAY 5 (TBD, TBD)*
OKLAHOMA CITY LEADS SERIES 1-0
* = IF NECESSARY
(2) DENVER VS. (7) L.A. LAKERS
• GAME 1: NUGGETS 114, LAKERS 103
• GAME 2: NUGGETS 101, LAKERS 99
• GAME 3: NUGGETS VS. LAKERS; THURSDAY, APRIL 25 (10 ET, TNT)
• GAME 4: NUGGETS VS. LAKERS; SATURDAY, APRIL 27 (8:30 ET, ABC)
• GAME 5: LAKERS VS. NUGGETS; MONDAY, APRIL 29 (TBD, TBD)*
• GAME 6: NUGGETS VS. LAKERS; THURSDAY, MAY 2 (TBD, TBD)*
• GAME 7: LAKERS VS. NUGGETS; SATURDAY, MAY 4 (TBD, TNT)*
DENVER LEADS SERIES 2-0
* = IF NECESSARY
• GAME 1: TIMBERWOLVES 120, SUNS 95
• GAME 2: TIMBERWOLVES 105, SUNS 93
• GAME 3: TIMBERWOLVES VS. SUNS; FRIDAY, APRIL 26 (10:30 ET, ESPN)
• GAME 4: TIMBERWOLVES VS. SUNS; SUNDAY, APRIL 28 (9:30 ET, TNT)
• GAME 5: SUNS VS. TIMBERWOLVES; TUESDAY, APRIL 30 (TBD, TBD)*
• GAME 6: TIMBERWOLVES VS. SUNS; THURSDAY, MAY 2 (TBD, TBD)*
• GAME 7: SUNS VS. TIMBERWOLVES; SATURDAY, MAY 4 (TBD, TNT)*
MINNESOTA LEADS SERIES 2-0
* = IF NECESSARY
(4) LA CLIPPERS VS. (5) DALLAS
• GAME 1: CLIPPERS 109, MAVERICKS 97
• GAME 2: MAVERICKS 96, CLIPPERS 93
• GAME 3: CLIPPERS VS. MAVERICKS; FRIDAY, APRIL 26 (8 ET, ESPN)
• GAME 4: CLIPPERS VS. MAVERICKS; SUNDAY, APRIL 28 (3:30 ET, ABC)
• GAME 5: MAVERICKS VS. CLIPPERS; WEDNESDAY, MAY 1 (TBD, TBD)
• GAME 6: CLIPPERS VS. MAVERICKS; FRIDAY, MAY 3 (TBD, TBD)*
• GAME 7: MAVERICKS VS. CLIPPERS; SUNDAY, MAY 5 (TBD, TBD)*
SERIES TIED AT 1-1
* = IF NECESSARY
NBA NEWS
76ERS PLAN TO FILE GRIEVANCE ABOUT OFFICIATING DURING FIRST TWO GAMES OF SERIES AGAINST KNICKS
NEW YORK (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers plan to file a grievance related to the officiating during their series against the New York Knicks, a team spokesman said early Tuesday.
The 76ers lost both games in New York, with the Knicks rallying in the final 30 seconds for a 104-101 victory on Monday night.
The Knicks got the go-ahead 3-pointer from Donte DiVincenzo with 13 seconds left, a possession that started when they stole the ball from Tyrese Maxey. Maxey was unable to cleanly catch the inbounds pass while swarmed by Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart and fell to the ground, with Hart then ripping the ball away from him.
Joel Embiid said Maxey was fouled, and also that coach Nick Nurse and some players had attempted to call timeout before the Knicks got the ball. The All-Star center used an expletive in saying the officiating had been unacceptable.
The Knicks protested their Feb. 12 loss in Houston after referees determined after the game that a foul on Brunson that set up the winning free throws shouldn’t have been called. The NBA denied the protest, saying a referee error was not grounds to overturn a result.
The Knicks began listing breakdowns of that night’s officials in their game notes during the playoffs, listing their record with the officials along with statistics detailing the frequency of violations they call and how often their calls are challenged.
REPORT: NBA LOOKING INTO ALLEGED ACTIONS OF NIKOLA JOKIC’S BROTHER
The NBA is investigating a brother of Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, who was shown on video appearing to punch someone following the Nuggets’ win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night, The Athletic reported.
A video of Strahinja Jokic made the rounds after the Nuggets beat the Lakers 101-99 in Game 2 of the Western Conference first-round playoff series. It appears to show Strahinja and another Jokic brother, Nemanja, confront two men in the stands at Ball Arena, with Strahinja landing a punch with the right hand on the fan’s face.
The Nuggets have yet to issue a statement but reportedly are looking into the incident.
The elder Jokic brothers have been known to take exception to actions they consider disrespectful of their younger brother.
The brothers had a social media feud with NBA players Marcus and Markieff Morris, and in 2017, Strahinja had to be restrained from arena security to keep him from approaching a referee.
Strahinja has also faced trouble away from the basketball court. In 2019, he was arrested for allegedly choking and pushing a woman in an attempt to prevent her from leaving an apartment in Denver. Strahinja ultimately pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of obstruction and trespassing and received a deferred sentence.
In Game 2, Nikola had 27 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists to give Denver a 2-0 series lead. The Serbian is a two-time league Most Valuable Player and is a finalist for the award this year.
On the season, Jokic averaged 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists. In 675 career games, all with the Nuggets, the 29-year-old has averages of 20.9 points, 10.7 rebounds and 6.9 assists.
The series resumes Thursday in Los Angeles.
NBA PLAYOFFS
NBA ROUNDUP: MAVS GRAB ROAD WIN OVER CLIPPERS
Luka Doncic had 32 points and nine assists and Kyrie Irving added 23 points as the Dallas Mavericks got the best of the Los Angeles Clippers 96-93 in Game 2 on Tuesday to even their first-round playoff series.
P.J. Washington scored 18 points and Derrick Jones Jr. had 10 as the Mavericks recovered from a double-digit defeat in Game 1 on Sunday, when they trailed by as many as 29 points and scored just 30 in the first half.
Doncic and Irving combined to go 19 of 44 (43.2 percent) in the game after they struggled in the decisive first half of Game 1 when they combined to shoot 5 of 19 (26.3 percent). Irving made 3 of 4 free throws in the last 12 seconds to seal the win.
James Harden and Paul George each scored 22 points as the Clippers were unable to take advantage of Kawhi Leonard’s return. Leonard, who had not played since March 31 because of right knee inflammation, scored 15 points in 35 minutes.
Pacers 125, Bucks 108
Pascal Siakam recorded 37 points, 11 rebounds and six assists and Indiana evened its first-round Eastern Conference playoff series with an impressive victory over host Milwaukee in Game 2.
Myles Turner added 22 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three blocked shots for the sixth-seeded Pacers, who snapped a 10-game postseason losing streak dating back to 2018.
Damian Lillard scored 34 points and Brook Lopez added 22 for the third-seeded Bucks. Each player made six 3-pointers. Milwaukee again was without star Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf).
Timberwolves 105, Suns 93
Jaden McDaniels scored 25 points on 10-for-17 shooting and Minnesota pulled away from Phoenix in Game 2 of their Western Conference quarterfinals series in Minneapolis.
Mike Conley and Rudy Gobert finished with 18 points apiece for Minnesota, which seized a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Timberwolves won by double digits despite a subpar night from Anthony Edwards, who shot 3 of 12 from the field and finished with 15 points.
Devin Booker led the Suns with 20 points on 6-for-13 shooting, though he was 1-for-6 from 3-point range. Kevin Durant finished with 18 points and Bradley Beal scored 14, but the pair combined to shoot 12 of 32 from the field.
SIXERS G TYRESE MAXEY IS NBA MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey is the NBA Most Improved Player, the league announced Tuesday evening.
A first-time All-Star selection this season, Maxey won the award over finalists Coby White of the Chicago Bulls and Alperen Sengun of the Houston Rockets. Maxey had 51 first-place votes (worth five points), 18 for second place (worth three) and 10 for third (worth one) for 319 total points. White (32 first-place votes) had 305 points, and Sengun (six) had 92.
Maxey, 23, improved his scoring average from 20.3 in 2022-23 to 25.9 this season, and also set career bests in average assists (6.2), rebounds (3.7), steals (1.0) and blocks (0.5) as well as minutes (37.5).
He ranked 11th in the league in scoring average and 20th in assists. He also made a career-best 212 3-pointers, up from 160 last season.
“The Most Improved Player award is a testament to your incredible work ethic, including countless early mornings in the gym perfecting your craft,” 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said in a statement. “Your journey to All-Star in just your fourth season is inspirational to everyone who watches you play. Your dedication to continuous improvement and excellence has you on the path from MIP to MVP.”
Philadelphia selected Maxey 21st overall in the 2020 NBA Draft out of Kentucky. He finished sixth in the MIP vote for the 2021-22 season.
This year, he averaged 1.7 turnovers, becoming with Dallas guard Kyrie Irving (also set in 2023-24) the only two players in NBA history to average at least 25.0 points and 5.0 assists with fewer than 2.0 turnovers for a full season.
“Tyrese is a tireless worker who has elevated his game to an All-Star level in a short period of time,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse said in the statement. “In my years of coaching against him and our one year together so far, it is clear that he brings a special joy and energy to the game of basketball and his enthusiasm and work ethic will continue to lift his game for years to come.”
Maxey, who tied for the most 50-point games (three) in the league this season, became the second 76ers player to win the award, joining Dana Barros in 1994-95.