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2023 NBA playoffs

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2023 NBA playoffs
DatesApril 15 – June 2023[a]

The 2023 NBA playoffs is the ongoing postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2022–23 season. The playoffs began on April 15 and will end with the conclusion of the 2023 NBA Finals.

Overview

Updates to postseason appearances

Notable occurrences

  • For the first time since the 2000–01 NBA season, no team won at least 60 games in an 82-game regular season. (Not counting the 2011–12, 2019–20, and 2020–21 seasons, all of which were shortened due to the lockout and the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively.)
  • This season marked the first time since the 2004–05 season that two of the league's top three scorers (namely Luka Dončić and Damian Lillard) failed to reach the playoffs.
  • All three Texas teams (Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio) missed the playoffs in the same season for the first time since the Mavericks were formed in 1980 and the first time since 1976 where Texas did not appear in the playoffs.
  • All four California teams (Golden State, LA Clippers, LA Lakers, and Sacramento) made the playoffs in the same season for the first time since the Kings relocated to Sacramento in 1985.
  • All five teams from the Pacific Division qualified for the playoffs, marking the third instance every team in a division qualified for the playoffs since the NBA adopted the current six division format in 2004–05. Previously, all five teams from the Central Division during the 2005–06 season and the Southwest Division during the 2014–15 season qualified for the playoffs.
  • A No. 10 seed advanced to the second stage of the play-in tournament for the first time since the implementation of the Page–McIntyre system in 2021.
  • The Miami Heat became the first team since the 2000–01 Indiana Pacers to drop from a No. 1 seed in the playoffs to a No. 8 seed the following year.
  • The Philadelphia 76ers swept the Brooklyn Nets, marking the 47th year in a row that a sweep occurred. The last time a sweep did not occur was in 1976. This was the 183rd series sweep in NBA playoffs history.
  • Ja Morant scored 22 straight points for the Memphis Grizzlies in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers, becoming the first player to score at least 22 straight points for their team in a playoff game since Kobe Bryant in 2010.
  • Jimmy Butler became the sixth player in NBA history to score 56 or more points in a playoff game, joining Michael Jordan (twice), Elgin Baylor, Donovan Mitchell, Charles Barkley, and Wilt Chamberlain.
  • Devin Booker became the third player since 1997 to score at least 25 points in a quarter during a playoff game, joining Damian Lillard (25 in 2019) and Allen Iverson (26 in 2001).
  • Devin Booker and Kevin Durant became the first duo in playoff history to each score 25+ points in each of their first six games of a postseason.
  • The New York Knicks won a playoff series for the first time since 2013.
  • The eighth-seeded Miami Heat defeated the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in five games, marking the sixth instance in NBA history of an 8th-seeded team defeating a 1st-seeded team in the first round, following previous instances in 1994, 1999, 2007, 2011, and 2012. Additionally, this was the fourth time such an upset occurred in a best-of-seven series, and the first to be completed in fewer than six games.
  • The Heat became the first play–in team in NBA history to win a playoff series.
  • The seventh-seeded Lakers defeated the second-seeded Grizzlies in six games, marking the sixth instance in NBA history of a 7th-seeded team defeating a 2nd-seeded team in the first round, following previous instances in 1987, 1989, 1991, 1998, and 2010.
  • A seventh-seed (Lakers) and an eighth-seed (Heat) both advanced in the first round of the playoffs, marking the first time this happened since the 16-team format began in 1984. In all previous instances when a seventh or eighth seed advanced, only one or the other advanced (not both).
  • The Kings–Warriors series was the first of the 2023 playoffs to have a game 7, making it the 24th consecutive NBA postseason to feature a game 7. The last time a game 7 did not occur in the playoffs was 1999. This was the 148th game 7 in NBA playoffs history.
  • Stephen Curry's 50 points against the Kings in the first round were the most in a game 7 in NBA history.
  • This is the first time in NBA history that every seed number from 1–8 made it to the second round across both conferences.
  • The sixth-seeded Warriors have homecourt advantage in the western semifinals, becoming the lowest seed to have homecourt advantage since the sixth-seeded Houston Rockets in 1987.
  • P. J. Tucker had zero field goal attempts and zero free throw attempts in 37 minutes played against the Boston Celtics, marking the most minutes played without a field goal or free throw attempt in a playoff game in the shot-clock era (since 1954–55).

Format

See also: NBA playoffs § Format

Eight teams from each conference participate in the playoffs. The top six teams in each conference, based on winning percentage, directly qualified for the playoffs; the seeding order of those teams was also based on winning percentage. If two or more teams had the same record, standard NBA tiebreaker rules were used.

The NBA Board of Governors adopted a format starting in 2021 to have a play-in tournament involving the teams ranked 7th through 10th in each conference. The 7th place team and 8th place team participated in a "double-chance" game, with the winner advancing to the playoffs as the 7-seed. The loser then played the winner of the elimination game between the 9th place and 10th place teams to determine the playoff's 8-seed. The NBA's regular playoff format then proceeded as normal.[2]

Each conference's bracket is fixed with no reseeding. All rounds are a best-of-seven series; a series ends when one team wins four games, and that team will advance to the next round. All rounds, including the NBA Finals, will be in a 2–2–1–1–1 format with regards to hosting. In the conference playoffs, homecourt advantage will go to the higher-seeded team (number one being the highest). For the NBA Finals, homecourt advantage will go to the team with the better regular season record, and, if needed, ties will be broken based on head-to-head record, followed by intra-conference record.

Playoff qualifying

On March 14, 2023, the Milwaukee Bucks became the first team to clinch a playoff spot.[3] While noted in the below tables, division titles have no bearing on seeding.[4]

Seeds 7 and 8 in each conference were determined via the first-stage play-in tournament, held April 11–14.

Further information: NBA play-in tournament § 2023

Eastern Conference

Seed Team Record Clinched
Play-in berth Playoff berth Division title Best record
in conference		 Best record
in NBA
1 Milwaukee Bucks 58–24 — March 14[3] March 28[5] April 5[6] April 5[6]
2 Boston Celtics 57–25 — March 18[7] April 5[8] — —
3 Philadelphia 76ers 54–28 — March 21[9] — — —
4 Cleveland Cavaliers 51–31 — March 26[10] — — —
5 New York Knicks 47–35 — April 2[11] — — —
6 Brooklyn Nets 45–37 — April 7[12] — — —
7 Atlanta Hawks 41–41 April 5[13] April 11[14] — — —
8 Miami Heat 44–38 April 7[15] April 14[16] April 6[17] — —

Toronto (41–41) and Chicago (40–42) also secured play-in berths but did not advance to the playoffs.[18][16]

Western Conference

Seed Team Record Clinched
Play-in berth Playoff berth Division title Best record
in conference		 Best record
in NBA
1 Denver Nuggets 53–29 — March 16[19] March 16[19] April 5[20] —
2 Memphis Grizzlies 51–31 — March 24[21] March 22[21] — —
3 Sacramento Kings 48–34 — March 29[22] April 4[23] — —
4 Phoenix Suns 45–37 — April 4[24] — — —
5 Los Angeles Clippers 44–38 — April 9[25] — — —
6 Golden State Warriors 44–38 — April 9[25] — — —
7 Los Angeles Lakers 43–39 April 9[25] April 11[26] — — —
8 Minnesota Timberwolves 42–40 April 8[27] April 14[28] — — —

New Orleans (42–40) and Oklahoma City (40–42) also secured play-in berths but did not advance to the playoffs.[29][28]

Bracket

Teams in bold advanced to the next round. The numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's seeding in its conference, and the numbers to the right indicate the number of games the team won in that round. The division champions are marked by an asterisk. Teams with homecourt advantage (i.e., the higher-seeded team) are shown in italics.

First Round Conference Semifinals Conference Finals NBA Finals
            
E1 Milwaukee* 1
E8 Miami* 4
E8 Miami* 1
E5 New York 1
E4 Cleveland 1
E5 New York 4
 
Eastern Conference
 
E3 Philadelphia 4
E6 Brooklyn 0
E3 Philadelphia 1
E2 Boston* 1
E2 Boston* 4
E7 Atlanta 2
 
 
W1 Denver* 4
W8 Minnesota 1
W1 Denver* 2
W4 Phoenix 0
W4 Phoenix 4
W5 LA Clippers 1
 
Western Conference
 
W3 Sacramento* 3
W6 Golden State 4
W6 Golden State 0
W7 LA Lakers 1
W2 Memphis* 2
W7 LA Lakers 4
  • * Division winner
  • Bold Series winner
  • Italic Team with home-court advantage

First Round

Note: Times are EDT (UTC−4) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.

Eastern Conference First Round

(1) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (8) Miami Heat

April 16
5:30 pm (4:30 pm CDT)
Miami Heat 130, Milwaukee Bucks 117
Scoring by quarter: 33–24, 35–31, 34–33, 28–29
Pts: Jimmy Butler 35
Rebs: Bam Adebayo 9
Asts: Jimmy Butler 11		 Pts: Khris Middleton 33
Rebs: Khris Middleton 9
Asts: Jrue Holiday 16
Miami leads series, 1–0
Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
Attendance: 17,381
Referees: Tony Brothers, Tyler Ford, Michael Smith

The Heat took advantage of Giannis Antetokounmpo's early exit in the first half to secure a 1–0 series lead. Jimmy Butler led Miami with 35 points, while Bam Adebayo contributed 22 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. However, the Heat also suffered a setback, as they lost Tyler Herro to a broken hand in the second quarter. Miami had built a 68–55 halftime lead before Herro's departure and maintained their advantage by shooting an impressive 59.5% from the field, their second-highest percentage of the season. Khris Middleton stepped up for the Bucks, finishing with 33 points and nine rebounds, but Milwaukee shooting 24.4% from the three-point line hindered any chance at a comeback.

April 19
9:00 pm (8:00 pm CDT)
Miami Heat 122, Milwaukee Bucks 138
Scoring by quarter: 28–35, 27–46, 30–37, 37–20
Pts: Jimmy Butler 25
Rebs: Cody Zeller 8
Asts: Caleb Martin 6		 Pts: Brook Lopez 25
Rebs: Bobby Portis 15
Asts: Jrue Holiday 11
Series tied, 1–1
Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
Attendance: 17,576
Referees: John Goble, Brian Forte, Tre Maddox

After shooting 11-of-45 from three-point range in their Game 1 loss, the Bucks shot 25-of-49 from beyond the arc, tying the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers for the most three-point makes by a team in a playoff game. Despite Giannis Antetokounmpo's absence, Milwaukee managed to dominate the Heat thanks to a team effort, as six Bucks players scored at least 16 points. Brook Lopez scored 25 points, Jrue Holiday added 24 points, and Pat Connaughton dropped a playoff career-high 22 points, shooting 6-of-10 from beyond the arc. Jimmy Butler scored 25 for Miami, but it wasn't enough to keep up with the hot shooting of the Bucks, as they led by as much as 36 points.

April 22
7:30 pm
Milwaukee Bucks 99, Miami Heat 121
Scoring by quarter: 21–29, 32–37, 26–28, 20–27
Pts: Khris Middleton 23
Rebs: Bobby Portis 10
Asts: Khris Middleton 6		 Pts: Jimmy Butler 30
Rebs: Adebayo, Martin 11 each
Asts: Bam Adebayo 5
Miami leads series, 2–1
Kaseya Center, Miami, FL
Attendance: 19,734
Referees: Eric Lewis, Kevin Scott, Rodney Mott

The No. 8 seeded Heat retook their series lead with a 121–99 victory over the shorthanded Bucks. Jimmy Butler led the way for Miami with 30 points in 28 minutes on 12-of-19 shooting. After Milwaukee went 10-of-18 (56%) from deep in the first half, they cooled off after halftime, shooting only 5-of-21 (24%) from three-point range in the second half. Khris Middleton scored 23 points, while Jrue Holiday added 19 and Grayson Allen scored 14. Meanwhile, Miami's Duncan Robinson scored 20 points on his 29th birthday, while Kyle Lowry added 15 points as the Heat led by as much as 29 points. However, the win was bittersweet for the Heat, as Victor Oladipo left the game with a season-ending knee injury in the fourth quarter.

April 24
7:30 pm
Milwaukee Bucks 114, Miami Heat 119
Scoring by quarter: 33–28, 24–22, 32–28, 25–41
Pts: Brook Lopez 36
Rebs: Brook Lopez 11
Asts: Giannis Antetokounmpo 13		 Pts: Jimmy Butler 56
Rebs: Butler, Martin 9 each
Asts: Gabe Vincent 8
Miami leads series, 3–1
Kaseya Center, Miami, FL
Attendance: 19,614
Referees: Marc Davis, Mark Lindsay, Jacyn Goble

Jimmy Butler scored a career-high 56 points, which included 21 in the fourth quarter to push the team with the best overall record on the verge of elimination. Down by 12 with under six minutes remaining, the Heat went on a pivotal 27–8 run, which included a 13–0 run to take their first lead of the night. Butler, who scored 22 of Miami’s 28 first quarter points, finished 19-of-28 from the field, 15-of-18 from the foul line, and added nine rebounds. His 56 points also set a franchise playoff record for the Heat. Brook Lopez was the leading scorer for the Bucks, with 36 points and 11 rebounds. Giannis Antetokounmpo returned from a two-game absence with a bruised back and had a triple-double, with 26 points, ten rebounds, and 13 assists.

April 26
9:30 pm (8:30 pm CDT)
Miami Heat 128, Milwaukee Bucks 126 (OT)
Scoring by quarter: 36–33, 27–36, 23–33, 32–16, Overtime: 10–8
Pts: Jimmy Butler 42
Rebs: Kevin Love 12
Asts: Bam Adebayo 10		 Pts: Giannis Antetokounmpo 38
Rebs: Giannis Antetokounmpo 20
Asts: Holiday, Middleton 6 each
Miami wins series, 4–1
Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
Attendance: 18,113
Referees: James Williams, Sean Wright, Pat Fraher

Two nights after outscoring Milwaukee 30–13 in the final six minutes of a 119–115 victory in Miami, the Heat came back from a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit and tied the game on Jimmy Butler's layup with half a second left in regulation. The Heat went on to win in overtime, becoming the sixth 8-seeded team to knock off a No. 1 seed and the first play-in team ever to win a playoff series. Butler, who averaged 37.6 points throughout the series, led Miami with 42 points, while Bam Adebayo dropped a 20-point triple-double. Khris Middleton scored 33 points for the Bucks, while Giannis Antetokounmpo had 38 points and 20 rebounds. However, he missed a career-high 13 free-throw attempts, the most misses by any player in a playoff game since 2015. Despite leading 102–86 heading into the fourth quarter, the Bucks crumbled under pressure, shooting just 5-of-25 from the floor in the final quarter and overtime.

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Heat winning two of the first three meetings.[30]

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Atlanta Hawks

April 15
3:30 pm
Atlanta Hawks 99, Boston Celtics 112
Scoring by quarter: 19–29, 25–45, 31–20, 24–18
Pts: Dejounte Murray 24
Rebs: Capela, Murray 8 each
Asts: Trae Young 8		 Pts: Jaylen Brown 29
Rebs: Jaylen Brown 12
Asts: Smart, White 7 each
Boston leads series, 1–0
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Attendance: 19,156
Referees: David Guthrie, Bill Kennedy, Ben Taylor

Jaylen Brown guided Boston to a 112–99 victory with 29 points and 12 rebounds, while Jayson Tatum added 25 points, 21 of which came in the first half as the Celtics built a 30-point lead at halftime. Derrick White also had a strong performance with 25 points and 11 rebounds. The Hawks meanwhile struggled with their shooting, missing their first ten three-point attempts and shooting 5-of-29 from beyond the arc for the game. Despite a late push from Atlanta in the fourth quarter, the Celtics regained control and secured the victory, as they held Dejounte Murray and Trae Young to a combined 15-of-43 shooting.

April 18
7:00 pm
Atlanta Hawks 106, Boston Celtics 119
Scoring by quarter: 25–28, 24–33, 32–29, 25–29
Pts: Dejounte Murray 29
Rebs: De'Andre Hunter 12
Asts: Murray, Young 6 each		 Pts: Jayson Tatum 29
Rebs: Jayson Tatum 10
Asts: Malcolm Brogdon 8
Boston leads series, 2–0
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Attendance: 19,156
Referees: Mark Lindsay, Karl Lane, James Williams

Jayson Tatum led the Celtics to a 2–0 series lead over the Hawks, finishing with 29 points and ten rebounds. The Hawks once again tried mounting a comeback, as they pulled within eight points with under eight minutes left in regulation. However, the Celtics responded with a 20–6 run to put the game out of reach. Derrick White contributed 26 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks for Boston, while Jaylen Brown added 18 points. Although Young and Dejounte Murray combined for 53 points, Atlanta couldn't keep up with Boston, who outscored them 64–40 in the paint.

April 21
7:00 pm
Boston Celtics 122, Atlanta Hawks 130
Scoring by quarter: 37–33, 30–41, 26–26, 29–30
Pts: Jayson Tatum 29
Rebs: Jayson Tatum 10
Asts: Marcus Smart 8		 Pts: Trae Young 32
Rebs: Clint Capela 11
Asts: Trae Young 9
Boston leads series, 2–1
State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
Attendance: 18,536
Referees: Scott Foster, Pat Fraher, Mitchell Ervin

In danger of falling behind 3–0 in the series, Trae Young scored 32 points and nine assists in his first 30-point game since the Hawks' Conference Finals run two years ago as Atlanta put up their most points in a playoff game since 1986. Young was supported by his backcourt partner Dejounte Murray, who had 25 points, six rebounds, and five assists. The duo played their best when it mattered most, as they accounted for 22 of Atlanta's 30 points in the final quarter. Jayson Tatum scored 29 points, while Marcus Smart added 24, but Boston was forced to play catch-up the majority of the game, as they allowed Atlanta to knock down 30-of-46 shots (65.2%) in the first half.

April 23
7:00 pm
Boston Celtics 129, Atlanta Hawks 121
Scoring by quarter: 35–25, 30–28, 27–34, 37–34
Pts: Brown, Tatum 31 each
Rebs: Robert Williams III 15
Asts: Al Horford 5		 Pts: Trae Young 35
Rebs: Dejounte Murray 9
Asts: Trae Young 15
Boston leads series, 3–1
State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
Attendance: 19,144
Referees: Zach Zarba, Tyler Ford, Gediminas Petraitis

After starting off the game shooting 1-of-7, Jaylen Brown removed his protective mask in the second quarter as he went on to shoot 11-of-15 the rest of the way, moving Boston to the brink of advancing to the second round. Jayson Tatum also had 31 points for the Celtics, as both Brown and Tatum combined to score their team's final 16 points, thwarting any attempt by the Hawks to even the series. In addition to the duo's combined 62 points, Marcus Smart added 19 points and Derrick White had 18. Although Trae Young scored 35 points and 15 assists, and De'Andre Hunter and Dejounte Murray combined for 50 points, the Hawks were unable to gain a lead after the first quarter.

April 25
7:30 pm
Atlanta Hawks 119, Boston Celtics 117
Scoring by quarter: 30–27, 28–39, 24–26, 37–25
Pts: Trae Young 38
Rebs: Clint Capela 7
Asts: Trae Young 13		 Pts: Jaylen Brown 35
Rebs: Jayson Tatum 8
Asts: Jayson Tatum 8
Boston leads series, 3–2
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Attendance: 19,156
Referees: Josh Tiven, Courtney Kirkland, Tre Maddox

Facing elimination, Trae Young scored 38 points and hit a deep three-pointer with less than two seconds left to give the Hawks the lead and ultimately force a Game 6 in Atlanta. Young also had 16 points in a frenetic fourth quarter, getting support from his teammates who knocked down a series-best 19 three-pointers. John Collins added 22 points for Atlanta, who played without Dejounte Murray, who was suspended for bumping an official in Game 4. Despite an impressive performance from Jaylen Brown, who scored 35 points, and Jayson Tatum, who added 19, the Celtics ultimately lost control of the game in the fourth quarter, allowing Atlanta to outscore them 23–8 in the final minutes, with 14 of those points coming from Young.

April 27
8:30 pm
Boston Celtics 128, Atlanta Hawks 120
Scoring by quarter: 35–34, 33–33, 30–33, 30–20
Pts: Jaylen Brown 32
Rebs: Jayson Tatum 14
Asts: Jayson Tatum 7		 Pts: Trae Young 30
Rebs: Onyeka Okongwu 11
Asts: Dejounte Murray 11
Boston wins series, 4–2
State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
Attendance: 19,176
Referees: Marc Davis, Curtis Blair, Jacyn Goble

After collapsing late in Game 5, the Celtics responded by closing out Game 6 on an 18–7 run to advance to their sixth Eastern Semifinals appearance in seven years. Leading the way for the Celtics were Jaylen Brown with 32 points, Jayson Tatum with 30 points and 14 rebounds, Marcus Smart with 22 points, and Malcolm Brogdon with 17 points off the bench. Meanwhile, Trae Young, who finished with 30 points and ten assists, missed 12-of-13 shots in the second half and finished just 9-of-28 from the field. His backcourt partner Dejounte Murray also struggled, scoring zero points in the first half as the duo ultimately combined for a shooting percentage of 34.1% (14-of-41).

This was the 13th playoff meeting between these two teams, and the ninth since the St. Louis Hawks relocated to Atlanta in 1968, with the Celtics winning ten of the first twelve meetings.[31]

(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Brooklyn Nets

April 15
1:00 pm
Brooklyn Nets 101, Philadelphia 76ers 121
Scoring by quarter: 25–30, 33–37, 23–26, 20–28
Pts: Mikal Bridges 30
Rebs: Nic Claxton 10
Asts: Spencer Dinwiddie 7		 Pts: Joel Embiid 26
Rebs: P. J. Tucker 7
Asts: James Harden 13
Philadelphia leads series, 1–0
Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
Attendance: 20,913
Referees: James Williams, Mark Lindsay, JB DeRosa

James Harden led the way for the 76ers with 23 points and 13 assists, including seven three-pointers. Joel Embiid contributed 26 points for Philadelphia, while Tobias Harris added 21 points. The 76ers also set a team record for playoff three-pointers, with 21 made shots from beyond the arc; with 13 of them coming in the first half. Mikal Bridges had a standout performance for the Nets, making 10-of-16 shots for 23 points in the first half and keeping Brooklyn within nine at halftime, but the Nets never led in the game.

April 17
7:30 pm
Brooklyn Nets 84, Philadelphia 76ers 96
Scoring by quarter: 25–25, 24–19, 14–24, 21–28
Pts: Cameron Johnson 28
Rebs: Dorian Finney-Smith 7
Asts: Mikal Bridges 7		 Pts: Tyrese Maxey 33
Rebs: Joel Embiid 19
Asts: Embiid, Harden 7 each
Philadelphia leads series, 2–0
Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
Attendance: 20,958
Referees: David Guthrie, Curtis Blair, Tre Maddox

Being heavily defended throughout the game, Joel Embiid showed increased trust in his teammates as Tyrese Maxey scored 33 points, Tobias Harris had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Embiid contributed with 19 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks as Philadelphia took a commanding 2–0 series lead. After a slow start, the 76ers rallied in the second half and held off the Nets, who shot 35% from the field in the second half. Cameron Johnson scored 22 of his 28 points in the first half, but Brooklyn was unable to get anything going in the second half, scoring just 35 points.

April 20
7:30 pm
Philadelphia 76ers 102, Brooklyn Nets 97
Scoring by quarter: 32–28, 26–19, 18–35, 26–15
Pts: Tyrese Maxey 25
Rebs: Joel Embiid 10
Asts: Harden, Tucker 4 each		 Pts: Mikal Bridges 26
Rebs: Dorian Finney-Smith 9
Asts: Spencer Dinwiddie 7
Philadelphia leads series, 3–0
Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
Attendance: 17,910
Referees: Tony Brothers, Ben Taylor, Nick Buchert

With James Harden ejected in the third quarter and Joel Embiid struggling offensively, the 76ers rode Tyrese Maxey's team-high 25 points, including ten points in the final three minutes to give Philadelphia a 3–0 series lead. Although Joel Embiid was held to just 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting, he remained dominant on the defensive end and sealed the game by blocking a potential game-tying layup by Spencer Dinwiddie with just under ten seconds left. Mikal Bridges led the Nets with 26 points, but Brooklyn was held to just 15 points in the fourth quarter as the 76ers went on an 11–1 run to hand the Nets their ninth consecutive playoff loss.

April 22
1:00 pm
Philadelphia 76ers 96, Brooklyn Nets 88
Scoring by quarter: 22–29, 18–19, 26–15, 30–25
Pts: Tobias Harris 25
Rebs: Paul Reed 15
Asts: James Harden 11		 Pts: Spencer Dinwiddie 20
Rebs: Nic Claxton 12
Asts: Spencer Dinwiddie 6
Philadelphia wins series, 4–0
Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
Attendance: 18,037
Referees: John Goble, Sean Wright, Karl Lane

Without Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris led Philadelphia with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while James Harden contributed 17 points and 11 assists as the 76ers swept a playoff opponent for the first time since 1991. Paul Reed, who replaced Embiid in the starting lineup, contributed ten points and 15 rebounds, while De'Anthony Melton scored all 15 of his points in the fourth quarter. The 76ers' defense also limited the Nets to 40 points in the second half and outscored Brooklyn 21–4 during an eight-minute stretch in the third quarter. Despite Spencer Dinwiddie's 20 points and Nic Claxton's 19 points and 12 rebounds, the Nets lost their tenth consecutive playoff game. Additionally, they went 0–8 against Philadelphia this season.

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, and the second since the New Jersey Nets relocated to Brooklyn in 2012, with the 76ers winning two of the first three meetings.[32]

(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) New York Knicks

April 15
6:00 pm
New York Knicks 101, Cleveland Cavaliers 97
Scoring by quarter: 30–24, 20–21, 28–25, 23–27
Pts: Jalen Brunson 27
Rebs: Hart, Randle 10 each
Asts: RJ Barrett 6		 Pts: Donovan Mitchell 38
Rebs: Jarrett Allen 14
Asts: Donovan Mitchell 8
New York leads series, 1–0
Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
Attendance: 19,432
Referees: Zach Zarba, Curtis Blair, Sean Corbin

With the help of 27 points from Jalen Brunson, the Knicks stunned the Cavaliers in Cleveland. Julius Randle and Josh Hart each had ten rebounds, in addition to scoring 19 and 17 points, respectively. Donovan Mitchell led the way for Cleveland in the losing effort, logging 38 points, eight assists, and five rebounds in 44 minutes. Jarrett Allen finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds, and Darius Garland scored 17 points. Cleveland rallied from ten points behind early in the fourth quarter to lead by one with a little over two minutes left in the game, but the Knicks held on and prevailed.

April 18
7:30 pm
New York Knicks 90, Cleveland Cavaliers 107
Scoring by quarter: 22–25, 17–34, 21–23, 30–25
Pts: Julius Randle 22
Rebs: Julius Randle 8
Asts: Jalen Brunson 6		 Pts: Darius Garland 32
Rebs: Evan Mobley 13
Asts: Donovan Mitchell 13
Series tied, 1–1
Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
Attendance: 19,432
Referees: Tony Brothers, Ben Taylor, Brent Barnaky

After a lackluster playoff debut, Darius Garland bounced back with a dominant performance, scoring 26 of his 32 points in the first half to lead the Cavaliers to their first playoff victory since 2018. Caris LeVert scored 24 points off the bench for Cleveland and Donovan Mitchell added 17 points and a playoff career-high 13 assists. Cleveland capitalized on New York's mistakes, scoring 27 points off of 14 turnovers in the first half, the most by a team in a half since 2009. Although Julius Randle led the Knicks with 22 points, the team's starters shot just 33.3% from the field, making only 18 of their 54 attempted shots.

April 21
8:30 pm
Cleveland Cavaliers 79, New York Knicks 99
Scoring by quarter: 17–17, 15–28, 23–27, 24–27
Pts: Donovan Mitchell 22
Rebs: Evan Mobley 10
Asts: Donovan Mitchell 5		 Pts: Jalen Brunson 21
Rebs: Barrett, Randle 8 each
Asts: Jalen Brunson 6
New York leads series, 2–1
Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
Attendance: 19,812
Referees: Josh Tiven, Courtney Kirkland, Justin Van Duyne

In the Knicks' first sold-out home game since 2013, they limited the Cavaliers to 79 points, the lowest point total by any team in a game this season. Jalen Brunson scored a team-high 21 points, while Josh Hart added 13 points off the bench. RJ Barrett, who was 6-of-25 in the first two games, shot 8-of-12 from the field and scored 14 of his 19 points in the first half. For Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell scored 22 points, but Darius Garland, who scored 32 points in Game 2, managed just ten points on 4-of-21 shooting. The Cavaliers struggled mightily with their offense, shooting 7-of-33 from beyond the arc, committing 20 turnovers, and scoring just 32 points in the first half.

April 23
1:00 pm
Cleveland Cavaliers 93, New York Knicks 102
Scoring by quarter: 23–30, 22–24, 26–19, 22–29
Pts: Darius Garland 23
Rebs: Caris LeVert 9
Asts: Darius Garland 10		 Pts: Jalen Brunson 29
Rebs: Mitchell Robinson 11
Asts: Jalen Brunson 6
New York leads series, 3–1
Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
Attendance: 19,812
Referees: Scott Foster, Tre Maddox, Kevin Cutler

In a pivotal Game 4, Jalen Brunson led the way for the Knicks with 29 points, while RJ Barrett contributed 26 points and Josh Hart added 19 points and seven rebounds as the Knicks took a 3–1 series lead over the Cavaliers. Although Darius Garland rebounded with 23 points and ten assists after a poor showing in Game 3, Donovan Mitchell struggled mightily, finishing with just 11 points and six turnovers on 5-of-18 shooting as he made just one field goal in the second half. Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen each scored 14 points, but Allen was outrebounded by the Knicks' Mitchell Robinson, who finished with a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds as New York held Cleveland to under 100 points for the third time this series.

April 26
7:00 pm
New York Knicks 106, Cleveland Cavaliers 95
Scoring by quarter: 33–26, 28–25, 26–24, 19–20
Pts: Jalen Brunson 23
Rebs: Mitchell Robinson 18
Asts: Julius Randle 6		 Pts: Donovan Mitchell 28
Rebs: Evan Mobley 9
Asts: Donovan Mitchell 5
New York wins series, 4–1
Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
Attendance: 19,432
Referees: John Goble, Kevin Scott, Mitchell Ervin

For the fourth time in five games, New York held Cleveland to under 100 points as the Knicks won a playoff series for just the second time in 23 years. The Knicks were once again led by Jalen Brunson, who scored 23 points, and RJ Barrett, who added 21. Brunson was consistent throughout the series for New York, averaging 24 points in the series and leading the team in scoring in all four wins. Mitchell Robinson anchored the Knicks' defense with 18 rebounds (11 of them offensive) as he outrebounded Cleveland's Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley for the second straight game. Although Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland both scored 20+ points in the same game for the first time this series, the Cavaliers were never able to gain a lead.

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning the first three meetings.[33]

Western Conference First Round

(1) Denver Nuggets vs. (8) Minnesota Timberwolves

April 16
10:30 pm (8:30 pm MDT)
Minnesota Timberwolves 80, Denver Nuggets 109
Scoring by quarter: 23–26, 21–29, 14–32, 22–22
Pts: Anthony Edwards 18
Rebs: Rudy Gobert 13
Asts: Anthony Edwards 5		 Pts: Jamal Murray 24
Rebs: Nikola Jokić 14
Asts: Jamal Murray 8
Denver leads series, 1–0
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Attendance: 19,628
Referees: Josh Tiven, Pat Fraher, Rodney Mott

The Nuggets thrashed the Timberwolves in the opening game of the series, holding Minnesota to 30-of-81 field goal shooting and 11-of-36 from beyond the arc. In his first playoff game since the 2020 NBA Bubble, Jamal Murray led the scoring for Denver, scoring 24 points. Nikola Jokić and Michael Porter Jr. both achieved double-doubles, the former having 13 points and 14 rebounds, while the latter finished with 18 points and grabbed 11 boards. Anthony Edwards scored 18 points in the losing effort, while Karl-Anthony Towns had 11 points and ten rebounds. Minnesota's 80 points were their lowest in a game since 2016 and tied for the fewest points scored by any team this season.

April 19
10:00 pm (8:00 pm MDT)
Minnesota Timberwolves 113, Denver Nuggets 122
Scoring by quarter: 22–31, 27–33, 40–23, 24–35
Pts: Anthony Edwards 41
Rebs: Karl-Anthony Towns 12
Asts: Mike Conley 7		 Pts: Jamal Murray 40
Rebs: Aaron Gordon 10
Asts: Nikola Jokić 9
Denver leads series, 2–0
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Attendance: 19,683
Referees: Marc Davis, Ed Malloy, Tyler Ford

Jamal Murray scored 40 points and Michael Porter Jr. had 13 of his 16 in the fourth quarter, powering the Nuggets past the Timberwolves to seize a 2–0 series lead. Nikola Jokić had another strong performance for the Nuggets, finishing with 27 points, nine assists, and nine rebounds as Denver built a 21-point lead in the first half. For Minnesota, Anthony Edwards scored a playoff career-high 41 points as the Wolves shot 17-of-21 (81%) in the third quarter to send Denver trailing entering the final quarter. However, the Nuggets regained their lead thanks to Porter Jr. scoring eight straight points to begin the fourth, including a three-pointer that permanently gave Denver the lead.

April 21
9:30 pm (8:30 pm CDT)
Denver Nuggets 120, Minnesota Timberwolves 111
Scoring by quarter: 28–28, 33–27, 33–33, 26–23
Pts: Michael Porter Jr. 25
Rebs: Nikola Jokić 11
Asts: Nikola Jokić 12		 Pts: Anthony Edwards 36
Rebs: Rudy Gobert 10
Asts: Kyle Anderson 6
Denver leads series, 3–0
Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Attendance: 19,536
Referees: Zach Zarba, James Williams, Eric Dalen

The Nuggets delivered a disciplined performance to take a commanding 3–0 series lead, with two-time reigning MVP Nikola Jokić leading the team with his seventh career triple-double in the playoffs. Michael Porter Jr. added a team-high 25 points and nine rebounds, while Jamal Murray contributed 18 points and nine assists. Despite another impressive performance by Anthony Edwards, who scored 36 points, the Timberwolves struggled to keep up, as Denver had two 9–0 runs in the first half and started the second quarter by making 12 of their first 16 shots on their way to a 13-point lead. The Wolves' Karl-Anthony Towns had 27 points, while Rudy Gobert had 18 points and ten rebounds.

April 23
9:30 pm (8:30 pm CDT)
Denver Nuggets 108, Minnesota Timberwolves 114 (OT)
Scoring by quarter: 22–23, 30–25, 22–32, 22–16, Overtime: 12–18
Pts: Nikola Jokić 43
Rebs: Nikola Jokić 11
Asts: Nikola Jokić 6		 Pts: Anthony Edwards 34
Rebs: Rudy Gobert 15
Asts: Mike Conley 8
Denver leads series, 3–1
Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Attendance: 18,978
Referees: David Guthrie, Bill Kennedy, Ray Acosta

Down by 12 with under three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Denver went on a 12–0 run to tie it at 96–96, but the Timberwolves ultimately prevented a series sweep in overtime. Anthony Edwards again led the Timberwolves in scoring, logging 34 points in addition to six rebounds and five assists. Nikola Jokić scored 43 points, tying his playoff career-high, on 15-of-26 shooting, while also having 11 rebounds and six assists. Mike Conley contributed 19 points, Karl-Anthony Towns had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Rudy Gobert produced 14 points and 14 rebounds in the victory. Jamal Murray scored 19, while Michael Porter Jr. had 15 points in the losing effort.

April 25
9:00 pm (7:00 pm MDT)
Minnesota Timberwolves 109, Denver Nuggets 112
Scoring by quarter: 29–22, 18–26, 30–29, 32–35
Pts: Anthony Edwards 29
Rebs: Rudy Gobert 15
Asts: Mike Conley 9		 Pts: Jamal Murray 35
Rebs: Nikola Jokić 17
Asts: Nikola Jokić 12
Denver wins series, 4–1
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Attendance: 19,691
Referees: Scott Foster, Curtis Blair, Brian Forte

After a sluggish start, Denver managed to rally and secure their fourth Western Semifinals appearance in five years behind the performances of Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray. Down by 15 in the first half, the Nuggets came crawling back, as neither team led by more than six after the Nuggets made it 34–28 with 7:15 left in the second quarter. Jokić notched his second triple-double of the series, scoring 28 points despite missing 21-of-29 shots, while Murray scored a game-high 35 points. Anthony Edwards led the Wolves with 29 points, but missed a potential game-tying three-pointer as time expired. Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert both scored 26 and 16 points respectively, but both centers fouled out in the fourth quarter.

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Timberwolves winning the first meeting.[34]

(2) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers

April 16
3:00 pm (2:00 pm CDT)
Los Angeles Lakers 128, Memphis Grizzlies 112
Scoring by quarter: 32–27, 27–38, 37–25, 32–22
Pts: Rui Hachimura 29
Rebs: Anthony Davis 12
Asts: D'Angelo Russell 7		 Pts: Jaren Jackson Jr. 31
Rebs: Aldama, Morant 6 each
Asts: Desmond Bane 6
LA Lakers lead series, 1–0
FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Attendance: 18,487
Referees: Scott Foster, Eric Lewis, Aaron Smith

The Lakers finished the game on a 15–0 run to seal a Game 1 victory in Memphis. Led by Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves, the duo combined for 37 of the Lakers' 69 points in the second half, including nine straight points from Reaves in the closing minutes to put the game away. LeBron James contributed 21 points and 11 rebounds, while Anthony Davis added 22 points and seven blocks. Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with 31 points, and Desmond Bane scored 22. Ja Morant had 18 points but left the game in the fourth quarter with an injured right hand.

April 19
7:30 pm (6:30 pm CDT)
Los Angeles Lakers 93, Memphis Grizzlies 103
Scoring by quarter: 19–30, 25–29, 27–24, 22–20
Pts: LeBron James 28
Rebs: LeBron James 12
Asts: Reaves, Russell 4 each		 Pts: Xavier Tillman 22
Rebs: Xavier Tillman 13
Asts: Tyus Jones 8
Series tied, 1–1
FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Attendance: 17,928
Referees: Josh Tiven, Courtney Kirkland, Justin Van Duyne

In danger of falling behind 2–0 in the series and without their All-Star Ja Morant, Xavier Tillman stepped up for Memphis, scoring a career-high 22 points and a season-high 13 rebounds. Newly-named Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. added 18 points and three blocks, while Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones had 17 and 10 points, respectively. LeBron James led the Lakers with 28 points and 12 rebounds, and Rui Hachimura dropped 20 points off the bench, but starters Anthony Davis and D'Angelo Russell struggled, combining for just 18 points on a combined 6-of-25 from the field.

April 22
10:00 pm (7:00 pm PDT)
Memphis Grizzlies 101, Los Angeles Lakers 111
Scoring by quarter: 9–35, 28–18, 31–35, 33–23
Pts: Ja Morant 45
Rebs: Xavier Tillman 12
Asts: Ja Morant 13		 Pts: Anthony Davis 31
Rebs: Anthony Davis 17
Asts: D'Angelo Russell 7
LA Lakers lead series, 2–1
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Attendance: 18,997
Referees: Marc Davis, Ed Malloy, Brian Forte

In their first sold-out playoff crowd since 2013, the Lakers produced one of the greatest first quarters in team history, as they leaped to a 35–9 lead, tying an NBA record by taking a 26-point lead into the second quarter. Anthony Davis dropped 31 points and 17 rebounds, LeBron James finished with 25 points, and Rui Hachimura scored 16 points off the bench. For Memphis, Dillon Brooks was ejected early in the second half for striking James in the groin. Ja Morant scored 45 points in his return from a one-game absence, scoring 22 consecutive points for Memphis during his 24-point fourth quarter. Morant also had 13 assists and nine rebounds, but Memphis couldn’t fully recover from their slow start.

April 24
10:00 pm (7:00 pm PDT)
Memphis Grizzlies 111, Los Angeles Lakers 117 (OT)
Scoring by quarter: 23–29, 29–25, 31–27, 21–23, Overtime: 7–13
Pts: Desmond Bane 36
Rebs: Jaren Jackson Jr. 14
Asts: Ja Morant 7		 Pts: Austin Reaves 23
Rebs: LeBron James 20
Asts: LeBron James 7
LA Lakers lead series, 3–1
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Attendance: 18,997
Referees: John Goble, Sean Wright, Mitchell Ervin

In his 270th career playoff game, LeBron James made a game-tying layup with less than a second left in regulation and scored four of his 22 points in overtime to help the No. 7-seeded Lakers take a 3–1 series lead. James also grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds for the first 20–20 game of his 20-year career. Austin Reaves scored 23 points and Anthony Davis had five of his 12 points in overtime as Los Angeles surged back from a seven-point deficit with five minutes left in regulation with a rally that began when D'Angelo Russell hit three consecutive three-pointers. The Grizzlies' Desmond Bane scored 36 points, and Ja Morant scored 19 points with an injured right hand, but Davis blocked his jumper at the regulation buzzer.

April 26
7:30 pm (6:30 pm CDT)
Los Angeles Lakers 99, Memphis Grizzlies 116
Scoring by quarter: 24–38, 28–23, 24–33, 23–22
Pts: Anthony Davis 31
Rebs: Anthony Davis 19
Asts: D'Angelo Russell 10		 Pts: Desmond Bane 33
Rebs: three players 10 each
Asts: Ja Morant 7
LA Lakers lead series, 3–2
FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Attendance: 18,117
Referees: David Guthrie, Bill Kennedy, Nick Buchert

The No. 2 seeded Grizzlies staved off elimination with a collaborative team effort. Desmond Bane had his second-straight 30-point game to go along with ten rebounds, while Ja Morant added 31 points and ten boards, and Jaren Jackson Jr. contributed 18 points and ten rebounds. LeBron James started off 1-of-7 shooting and ultimately finished with 15 points and ten rebounds, while Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 31 points and 19 boards. Although they trailed for most of the game, the Lakers pulled within one point with 4:36 left in the third quarter. However, Memphis responded with a 26–2 run that effectively put the game away. Los Angeles tried to rally with a 20–7 run in the fourth quarter, but couldn't get closer than 12 points.

April 28
10:30 pm (7:30 pm PDT)
Memphis Grizzlies 85, Los Angeles Lakers 125
Scoring by quarter: 20–31, 22–28, 25–41, 18–25
Pts: Santi Aldama 16
Rebs: Tillman, Roddy 6 each
Asts: Ja Morant 6		 Pts: D'Angelo Russell 31
Rebs: Anthony Davis 14
Asts: Austin Reaves 8
LA Lakers win series, 4–2
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Attendance: 18,997
Referees: Tony Brothers, Kevin Scott, Sean Corbin

Los Angeles dominated throughout the game, building a 20-point lead in the first half and a 36-point lead in the third quarter as the Lakers won a playoff series in their home arena for the first time since 2012. LeBron James led the way with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting, while Anthony Davis put on a defensive clinic with 16 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks. D'Angelo Russell had a career playoff-high 31 points, and Austin Reaves contributed 11 points, eight assists, and six rebounds. Ja Morant, who was playing with an injured right hand, struggled mightily, scoring just 10 points on 3-of-16 shooting. Dillon Brooks, who gained notoriety throughout the series, scored just 10 points and finished the series shooting 31% from the field.

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.[35]

(3) Sacramento Kings vs. (6) Golden State Warriors

April 15
8:30 pm (5:30 pm PDT)
Golden State Warriors 123, Sacramento Kings 126
Scoring by quarter: 29–29, 32–26, 29–36, 33–35
Pts: Stephen Curry 30
Rebs: D. Green, Looney 9 each
Asts: Draymond Green 11		 Pts: De'Aaron Fox 38
Rebs: Domantas Sabonis 16
Asts: De'Aaron Fox 5
Sacramento leads series, 1–0
Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
Attendance: 18,253
Referees: John Goble, Ed Malloy, Sean Wright

In his playoff debut, De'Aaron Fox finished with 38 points, five assists, and three steals as he led Sacramento to their first playoff win in 17 years. Malik Monk, who was also making his playoff debut, came off the bench and scored 32 points on 8-of-13 shooting and 14-of-14 from the free throw line in 29 minutes of play. Domantas Sabonis, the league leader in double-doubles this season, came up with another, posting 12 points and 16 rebounds. Stephen Curry was the leading scorer for the Warriors in this game, scoring 30 points on 6-of-14 shooting from beyond the arc, but missed the potential game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds. Klay Thompson added 21 points, while Draymond Green had 11 assists and nine rebounds.

April 17
10:00 pm (7:00 pm PDT)
Golden State Warriors 106, Sacramento Kings 114
Scoring by quarter: 23–17, 29–41, 23–25, 31–31
Pts: Stephen Curry 28
Rebs: Kevon Looney 7
Asts: Stephen Curry 6		 Pts: Fox, Sabonis 24 each
Rebs: Domantas Sabonis 9
Asts: De'Aaron Fox 9
Sacramento leads series, 2–0
Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
Attendance: 18,253
Referees: Zach Zarba, Courtney Kirkland, Gediminas Petraitis

Tied 95–95 late in the fourth quarter, The Kings went on a 17–8 run to become the first team to take a 2–0 series lead over the Warriors under Steve Kerr's tenure. De'Aaron Fox scored 24 points and hit a crucial three-pointer that helped seal the victory for Sacramento. Domantas Sabonis added 24 points, and Malik Monk scored 18 off the bench. Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 28 points, but went 3-for-13 from beyond the arc as the Warriors committed 20 turnovers and 26 personal fouls. The game got heated midway through the fourth quarter, as Draymond Green was ejected for stepping on Sabonis' chest after Sabonis fell down and grabbed Green's leg following a rebound attempt.

April 20
10:00 pm (7:00 pm PDT)
Sacramento Kings 97, Golden State Warriors 114
Scoring by quarter: 20–29, 21–24, 31–31, 25–30
Pts: De'Aaron Fox 26
Rebs: Domantas Sabonis 16
Asts: De'Aaron Fox 9		 Pts: Stephen Curry 36
Rebs: Kevon Looney 20
Asts: Kevon Looney 9
Sacramento leads series, 2–1
Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Attendance: 18,064
Referees: Eric Lewis, Kevin Scott, Sean Corbin

The Warriors entered Game 3 trailing 2–0 and missing two of their top defenders, including Draymond Green, who was suspended as a result of his actions the previous game. The Warriors responded to the challenge by dominating the Kings 114–97, as Sacramento never led in the game. Stephen Curry scored 36 points, Kevon Looney matched his career high with 20 rebounds to go with nine assists, and Andrew Wiggins added 20 points and seven rebounds. The Kings’ De'Aaron Fox scored 26 points, ten rebounds, and nine assists, while Domantas Sabonis added 15 points and 16 rebounds.

April 23
3:30 pm (12:30 pm PDT)
Sacramento Kings 125, Golden State Warriors 126
Scoring by quarter: 32–31, 37–34, 23–37, 33–24
Pts: De'Aaron Fox 38
Rebs: De'Aaron Fox 9
Asts: Domantas Sabonis 8		 Pts: Stephen Curry 32
Rebs: Kevon Looney 14
Asts: Draymond Green 7
Series tied, 2–2
Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Attendance: 18,064
Referees: Josh Tiven, James Williams, Pat Fraher

In a collaborative team effort, Stephen Curry scored 32 points, Klay Thompson added 26, and Jordan Poole dropped 22 points as the Warriors tied the series at two games apiece. Draymond Green returned from his one-game suspension and provided 12 points, ten rebounds, and seven assists, while Andrew Wiggins contributed 18 points. Despite the victory, the Warriors made a late blunder when Curry called a timeout that they did not have, giving the Kings a chance to win the game in the final seconds. However, Harrison Barnes missed a three-pointer at the buzzer, allowing the Warriors to hold on for the win. For the Kings, De'Aaron Fox put up 38 points and nine rebounds while Keegan Murray contributed 23 points.

April 26
10:00 pm (7:00 pm PDT)
Golden State Warriors 123, Sacramento Kings 116
Scoring by quarter: 33–36, 27–20, 39–34, 24–26
Pts: Stephen Curry 31
Rebs: Kevon Looney 22
Asts: Stephen Curry 8		 Pts: De'Aaron Fox 24
Rebs: Domantas Sabonis 10
Asts: De'Aaron Fox 9
Golden State leads series, 3–2
Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
Attendance: 18,253
Referees: Tony Brothers, Mark Lindsay, Tyler Ford

In spite of their 11–32 record on the road this season, the Warriors came away with a critical Game 5 victory as Golden State won a road game for the NBA-record 28th straight playoff series. Stephen Curry spearheaded the victory with 31 points, while Draymond Green had his highest scoring output since 2019 with 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Klay Thompson added 25 points and five three-pointers, Andrew Wiggins had 20 points, and Kevon Looney matched his career-high with 22 rebounds. Despite a broken index finger on his shooting hand, De'Aaron Fox scored 24 points for the Kings, while Malik Monk and Domantas Sabonis added 21 points apiece, but it wasn't enough to overcome the defending champions.

April 28
8:00 pm (5:00 pm PDT)
Sacramento Kings 118, Golden State Warriors 99
Scoring by quarter: 23–25, 35–26, 32–29, 28–19
Pts: Malik Monk 28
Rebs: Keegan Murray 12
Asts: De'Aaron Fox 11		 Pts: Stephen Curry 29
Rebs: Kevon Looney 13
Asts: Draymond Green 10
Series tied, 3–3
Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Attendance: 18,064
Referees: David Guthrie, Bill Kennedy, Ben Taylor

The Kings, led by Malik Monk's 28 points, staved off elimination on the road and forced the first Game 7 of the 2023 playoffs. De'Aaron Fox added 26 points and 11 assists, and rookie Keegan Murray scored his first playoff double-double. For Golden State, Stephen Curry scored 29, Klay Thompson had 22, and Kevon Looney pulled down 13 rebounds. However, starters Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole combined for just 20 points on 29.2% shooting (7-of-24). Although Domantas Sabonis fouled out in the fourth quarter, the Kings controlled the game in the second half, never allowing the Warriors to get closer than seven points in the fourth quarter.

April 30
3:30 pm (12:30 pm PDT)
Golden State Warriors 120, Sacramento Kings 100
Scoring by quarter: 30–31, 26–27, 35–23, 29–19
Pts: Stephen Curry 50
Rebs: Kevon Looney 21
Asts: Draymond Green 8		 Pts: Domantas Sabonis 22
Rebs: Huerter, Monk 9 each
Asts: Domantas Sabonis 7
Golden State wins series, 4–3
Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
Attendance: 18,253
Referees: Scott Foster, Kevin Scott, Curtis Blair

Stephen Curry scored a playoff career-high to help the Warriors advance to the Western Conference semifinals, becoming the first player ever to score 50 points in a Game 7. While the rest of his team shot 37% from the field, Curry shot 20-of-38 (53%) with seven three-pointers to go along with eight rebounds and six assists, as no one else for Golden State scored more than 17 points. In addition to Curry's performance, Kevon Looney grabbed 21 rebounds, including ten offensive boards, to mark his third 20-rebound game of the series. For the Kings, Domantas Sabonis had 22 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, but the Warriors held De'Aaron Fox in check as he scored 16 points on 5-of-19 shooting in his third game with a broken finger. Although they trailed at halftime, the Warriors opened the second half with a 22–8 run and held Sacramento to 42 points on 33% shooting after the break.

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.[36]

(4) Phoenix Suns vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers

April 16
8:00 pm (5:00 pm MST)
Los Angeles Clippers 115, Phoenix Suns 110
Scoring by quarter: 30–18, 29–36, 22–27, 34–29
Pts: Kawhi Leonard 38
Rebs: Ivica Zubac 15
Asts: Russell Westbrook 8		 Pts: Kevin Durant 27
Rebs: Chris Paul 11
Asts: Kevin Durant 11
LA Clippers lead series, 1–0
Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
Attendance: 17,071
Referees: Marc Davis, Kevin Scott, Brian Forte

In the absence of Paul George, Kawhi Leonard took charge for the Clippers, scoring 38 points and hitting two crucial three-pointers in the closing moments to secure the series opener. Despite a poor shooting performance from Russell Westbrook, who went 3-of-19 from the field, he added 11 rebounds, eight assists, and made two crucial free throws late in the game. He also blocked Devin Booker's layup attempt in the final minute to secure the win. For Phoenix, Kevin Durant scored 27 points to go along with nine rebounds and 11 assists, while Booker contributed 26 points, three blocks, and four steals. Notably, this marked Durant's first loss as a member of the Suns.

April 18
10:00 pm (7:00 pm MST)
Los Angeles Clippers 109, Phoenix Suns 123
Scoring by quarter: 29–24, 30–35, 28–33, 22–31
Pts: Kawhi Leonard 31
Rebs: Kawhi Leonard 8
Asts: Kawhi Leonard 7		 Pts: Devin Booker 38
Rebs: Deandre Ayton 13
Asts: Devin Booker 9
Series tied, 1–1
Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
Attendance: 17,071
Referees: Scott Foster, Eric Lewis, JB DeRosa

The Suns overcame a slow start and a 13-point deficit midway through the second quarter to even the series at one game apiece. Devin Booker led the Suns with 38 points and nine assists on 14-of-22 shooting, while Kevin Durant added 25 points. Although the Clippers' bench outscored Phoenix's 30–13, The Suns' starters combined for 110 points on 45-of-74 (60.8%) from the field, as the Suns went on a 23–4 run during the middle two quarters to take control of the game. Kawhi Leonard led Los Angeles with 31 points, while Russell Westbrook added 28 points on an improved 9-of-16 shooting. Notably, Chris Paul had his 13-game playoff losing streak snapped when referee Scott Foster is on the floor.

April 20
10:30 pm (7:30 pm PDT)
Phoenix Suns 129, Los Angeles Clippers 124
Scoring by quarter: 27–27, 27–24, 40–34, 35–39
Pts: Devin Booker 45
Rebs: Deandre Ayton 11
Asts: Chris Paul 7		 Pts: Norman Powell 42
Rebs: Westbrook, Zubac 8 each
Asts: Russell Westbrook 11
Phoenix leads series, 2–1
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Attendance: 19,068
Referees: David Guthrie, Bill Kennedy, Jacyn Goble

Devin Booker and Kevin Durant combined for 73 points to take a 2–1 series lead. Despite Kawhi Leonard's absence, the Clippers remained competitive in the first half, with neither team leading by more than six points. The Suns pulled away in the third quarter, with Booker scoring eight points in a 17–8 run to give Phoenix its first double-digit lead of the game. Norman Powell stepped up for Los Angeles, scoring a career playoff-high 42 points on 15-of-23 shooting, while Russell Westbrook dropped 30 points and 11 assists. Bones Hyland (20 points) came off the bench and outscored the Phoenix bench (18 points), but it was not enough to overcome the Suns' starters, as they combined for 110+ points for the second straight game.

April 22
3:30 pm (12:30 pm PDT)
Phoenix Suns 112, Los Angeles Clippers 100
Scoring by quarter: 23–30, 25–17, 35–31, 29–22
Pts: Kevin Durant 31
Rebs: Deandre Ayton 13
Asts: Chris Paul 9		 Pts: Russell Westbrook 37
Rebs: Ivica Zubac 9
Asts: Mann, Westbrook 4 each
Phoenix leads series, 3–1

Kevin Durant scored 31 points, Devin Booker added 30, and Chris Paul finished with 19 points and nine assists as the Suns won their third straight game against Los Angeles. The Clippers were without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, but Russell Westbrook carried the team in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 points, including nine in a row when they twice pulled within two points. However, Paul staved off the Clippers in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting against his former team. Westbrook finished with a game-high 37 points, while Norman Powell added 14 points and Terance Mann had 13 off the bench.

April 25
10:00 pm (7:00 pm MST)
Los Angeles Clippers 130, Phoenix Suns 136
Scoring by quarter: 30–32, 40–29, 24–50, 36–25
Pts: Norman Powell 27
Rebs: Plumlee, Zubac 10 each
Asts: Russell Westbrook 8		 Pts: Devin Booker 47
Rebs: Deandre Ayton 11
Asts: Devin Booker 10
Phoenix wins series, 4–1
Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
Attendance: 17,071
Referees: Zach Zarba, Ben Taylor, Karl Lane

Devin Booker led Phoenix past the Clippers with a 47-point performance, including 25 points in the third quarter, to advance to the Western Semifinals for the third straight season. The Clippers attempted to come back from a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter, hitting four straight three-pointers to quickly close the gap, and had multiple chances to tie the game in the final three minutes but could never convert. Kevin Durant sealed the win for the Suns by making a layup to extend their lead to 134–130, and then made two free throws to put them up six with 31 seconds left. Durant finished with 31 points while Deandre Ayton had 21 points and 11 rebounds. Booker shot 19-of-27 from the field, including 4-of-7 from three-point range.

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning the first two meetings.[37]

Conference Semifinals

Note: Times are EDT (UTC−4) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.

Eastern Conference Semifinals

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers

May 1
7:30 pm
Philadelphia 76ers 119, Boston Celtics 115
Scoring by quarter: 31–38, 32–28, 24–21, 32–28
Pts: James Harden 45
Rebs: Paul Reed 13
Asts: James Harden 6		 Pts: Jayson Tatum 39
Rebs: Jayson Tatum 11
Asts: Marcus Smart 7
Philadelphia leads series, 1–0
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Attendance: 19,156
Referees: David Guthrie, Courtney Kirkland, Karl Lane

Led by James Harden's 45 points, the 76ers rallied without Joel Embiid to beat the Celtics on the road to take a 1–0 series lead. Harden, who tied his playoff career-high, hit a go-ahead, step-back three-pointer over Al Horford with less than ten seconds left to help secure the victory. Tyrese Maxey added 26 points and Tobias Harris finished with 18 for Philadelphia, who made 17 three-pointers in the absence of MVP Embiid. Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 39 points and 11 rebounds, while Jaylen Brown added 23 points and Malcolm Brogdon finished with 20 points. The Celtics had one final chance and got the ball to Tatum, but he lost the ball to Paul Reed, who later hit a pair of free throws to seal the win for Philadelphia.

May 3
8:00 pm
Philadelphia 76ers 87, Boston Celtics 121
Scoring by quarter: 22–28, 27–29, 16–35, 22–29
Pts: Tobias Harris 16
Rebs: James Harden 10
Asts: James Harden 4		 Pts: Jaylen Brown 25
Rebs: three players 7 each
Asts: three players 4 each
Series tied, 1–1
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Attendance: 19,156
Referees: Zach Zarba, Kevin Scott, Rodney Mott

The Celtics bounced back from their series opening loss to rout the 76ers by 34 points and hand Philadelphia their first loss of the playoffs. Jaylen Brown scored a game-high 25 points, while Malcolm Brogdon added 23 points, connecting on six of Boston’s 20 three-pointers. Derrick White and Marcus Smart scored 15 points apiece, while Jayson Tatum struggled with fouls and scored just seven points. The Celtics stepped up their defense and limited the 76ers, who made 17 threes in Game 1, to just 6-of-30 from beyond the arc. Joel Embiid returned from injury to score 15 points and five blocks, while James Harden struggled to find his rhythm, shooting just 2-of-14 from the field and missing all six of his three-point attempts.

This is the 23rd playoff meeting between these two teams, and the 15th since the Syracuse Nationals relocated to Philadelphia in 1963, with the Celtics winning 14 of the first 22 meetings.[38]

(5) New York Knicks vs. (8) Miami Heat

April 30
1:00 pm
Miami Heat 108, New York Knicks 101
Scoring by quarter: 21–32, 29–23, 31–20, 27–26
Pts: Jimmy Butler 25
Rebs: Jimmy Butler 11
Asts: Kyle Lowry 6		 Pts: RJ Barrett 26
Rebs: Mitchell Robinson 14
Asts: Barrett, Brunson 7 each
Miami leads series, 1–0

After the Knicks led the majority of the first half, the Heat pulled away in the third quarter with a 21–5 run highlighted by a Kevin Love three-pointer that gave Miami a lead they would not relinquish. Jimmy Butler led the way for the Heat with 25 points and 11 rebounds before rolling his ankle in the fourth quarter. Butler got help from his teammates, however, as Gabe Vincent, Kyle Lowry, and Bam Adebayo each scored 15+ points as all three players made key plays down the stretch. The Heat's defense also held firm, as they limited New York to just 7-of-34 shooting from beyond the arc. The Knicks, who were without Julius Randle, were led by RJ Barrett and Jalen Brunson who scored 26 and 25 points, respectively.

May 2
7:30 pm
Miami Heat 105, New York Knicks 111
Scoring by quarter: 29–31, 25–20, 23–25, 28–35
Pts: Caleb Martin 22
Rebs: Adebayo, Martin 8 each
Asts: Adebayo, Lowry 6 each		 Pts: Jalen Brunson 30
Rebs: Julius Randle 12
Asts: Josh Hart 9
Series tied, 1–1
Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
Attendance: 19,812
Referees: Scott Foster, Curtis Blair, Mark Lindsay

After shooting 20% from deep in the series opener, New York bounced back, converting 40% of their three-point attempts as the Knicks evened up the series at one game apiece. Jalen Brunson atoned for his 0-for-7 three-point shooting in Game 1, as he shot 6-of-10 from beyond the arc, finishing with 30 points. Josh Hart finished an assist shy of a triple-double, as he scored ten of his 14 points in the final five minutes of the game. Julius Randle returned to the Knicks lineup and contributed 25 points and 12 rebounds, while RJ Barrett added 24 points. For the Heat, Caleb Martin stepped up in place of the injured Jimmy Butler, scoring 22 points, while Gabe Vincent and Max Strus combined for 38 points, all of whom were undrafted.

This is the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning three of the first five meetings.[39]

Western Conference Semifinals

(1) Denver Nuggets vs. (4) Phoenix Suns

April 29
8:30 pm (6:30 pm MDT)
Phoenix Suns 107, Denver Nuggets 125
Scoring by quarter: 32–31, 19–37, 30–26, 26–31
Pts: Kevin Durant 29
Rebs: Kevin Durant 14
Asts: Devin Booker 8		 Pts: Jamal Murray 34
Rebs: Nikola Jokić 19
Asts: Jamal Murray 9
Denver leads series, 1–0
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Attendance: 19,762
Referees: Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, Tre Maddox

After missing their previous matchup in 2021 due to injury, Jamal Murray led the Nuggets' fast-paced offense with 34 points and six three-pointers as Denver snapped their seven-game playoff losing streak to the Suns. Nikola Jokić was productive as well, recording 24 points and 19 rebounds (8 of them offensive), while Aaron Gordon added 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting. For Phoenix, Kevin Durant scored 29 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Suns, while Devin Booker added 27 points and eight assists as the duo each scored 25+ points for the sixth straight game. Although the Suns finished with a better field goal percentage, the Nuggets dominated the three-point line, outscoring Phoenix by a 48–21 margin and forcing 16 turnovers.

May 1
10:00 pm (8:00 pm MDT)
Phoenix Suns 87, Denver Nuggets 97
Scoring by quarter: 21–18, 21–22, 31–30, 14–27
Pts: Devin Booker 35
Rebs: Ayton, Durant 8 each
Asts: Booker, Paul 6 each		 Pts: Nikola Jokić 39
Rebs: Nikola Jokić 16
Asts: Jamal Murray 8
Denver leads series, 2–0
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Attendance: 19,592
Referees: John Goble, Eric Lewis, Sean Wright

Nikola Jokić scored 26 of his 39 points in the second half and had 16 rebounds to lead the Nuggets to a 2–0 series advantage over the Suns. Jokic's performance was crucial for Denver, as Jamal Murray only scored 10 points on 3-of-15 shooting, having scored 34 in the series opener. Aaron Gordon added 16 points and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope contributed 14 points, including back-to-back three-pointers that put the Nuggets ahead for good in the fourth quarter. Devin Booker led Phoenix with 35 points, but the team lost Chris Paul to a groin injury, and they struggled shooting in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 points on 28% shooting. Kevin Durant added 24 points, but went 10-of-27 shooting, including just 2-for-12 from beyond the arc.

This is the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning three of the first four meetings.[40]

(6) Golden State Warriors vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers

May 2
10:00 pm (7:00 pm PDT)
Los Angeles Lakers 117, Golden State Warriors 112
Scoring by quarter: 29–31, 36–33, 31–24, 21–24
Pts: Anthony Davis 30
Rebs: Anthony Davis 23
Asts: D'Angelo Russell 6		 Pts: Stephen Curry 27
Rebs: Kevon Looney 23
Asts: Draymond Green 7
LA Lakers lead series, 1–0
Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Attendance: 18,064
Referees: Marc Davis, Ed Malloy, Nick Buchert

Anthony Davis put up 30 points, 23 rebounds, and four blocks, while LeBron James added 22 points and 11 boards as the Lakers held off a late push by Golden State to win Game 1 on the road. D'Angelo Russell had 19 points and six assists, while Dennis Schröder scored 19 points off the bench. The Warriors, who made 21 three-pointers, were led by Stephen Curry's 27 points, Klay Thompson's 25 points, and Kevon Looney's career-high 23 rebounds, marking his fourth 20-rebound game of the playoffs. Down 14 with under six minutes left, Golden State went on a 14–0 run to tie the game. The Lakers regained the lead, and the Warriors' late rally fell short as Jordan Poole missed a three to tie the game with under ten seconds left.

May 4
9:00 pm (6:00 pm PDT)
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors
Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Referees: Tony Brothers, Eric Lewis, Pat Fraher

This is the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning six of the first seven meetings.[41]

Statistical leaders

Category Game High Average
Player Team High Player Team Avg. GP
Points Jimmy Butler Miami Heat 56 Jimmy Butler Miami Heat 35.5 6
Rebounds Kevon Looney
Anthony Davis		 Golden State Warriors
Los Angeles Lakers		 23 Kevon Looney Golden State Warriors 16.1 8
Assists Jrue Holiday Milwaukee Bucks 16 Trae Young Atlanta Hawks 10.2 6
Steals P. J. Tucker Philadelphia 76ers 5 De'Aaron Fox Sacramento Kings 2.1 7
Blocks Anthony Davis Los Angeles Lakers 7 Anthony Davis Los Angeles Lakers 4.3 7

Media coverage

In the United States, games air nationally across ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV. Each team's regional broadcaster televise local coverage of first round games, with the exception of weekend games on ABC.[b]

In general during the first two rounds, ABC broadcasts Sunday afternoon games, TNT airs Sunday through Wednesday night games, and ESPN televises Friday night games. For Thursday night games, TNT has them in the first round and ESPN in the second round. NBA TV also televised selected Tuesday through Thursday night first round games. ABC also aired a Friday night first round game, and ESPN will televise a Sunday afternoon second round game due to ABC's coverage of the Miami Grand Prix. Saturday first round games were split, with ESPN airing five games, TNT two games, and ABC one game. TNT then aired the opening Saturday second round game (in place of any potential first round game 7's that were originally scheduled on that day). ABC will air the remaining Saturday second round games. As per the alternating rotation, ESPN/ABC will have exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals while TNT will have exclusive coverage of the Eastern Conference Finals. ABC will have exclusive coverage of the NBA Finals for the 21st straight year.[42][43] Select ESPN broadcasts will receive an alternate presentation similar to Manningcast, anchored by Stephen A. Smith on ESPN2 and streamed on ESPN+ as NBA in Stephen A's World.[44]

NBA TV games will be available on NBA League Pass as part of its normal streaming service for that channel.[45] Only selected ESPN/ABC games will stream live on ESPN+. For other games, live streams will only be available for pay-TV subscribers via authenticated streaming on ESPN and TNT's respective apps.[44][46][47]

In Canada, coverage is split between Sportsnet and TSN, with both simulcasting the U.S. national feed.

Sponsorship

For the second straight year, the playoffs will be officially known as the "2023 NBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel". During the multiyear agreement with Google Pixel, this sponsorship provides the logo branding inside the venues and in official digital properties on-court, as well as commercial inventory during ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV's telecasts of the playoff games.[48]

Notes

  1. ^ The final game of the playoffs could be as early as June 9 or as late as June 18, depending on the length of the NBA Finals.[1]
  2. ^ Game 3 of the Cavaliers–Knicks first round series aired nationally on ABC and co-existed with the teams' respective regional sports networks.

References

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  4. ^ Moore, Matt (September 9, 2015). "5 Things to Know: NBA division winners not guaranteed playoff spot". CBS Sports. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
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External links

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