2024 NBA playoffs

2024 NBA playoffs

Tournament details
Dates	April 20 – June 17, 2024
Season	2023–24
Teams	16
Final positions
Champions	Boston Celtics (18th title)
Runner-up	Dallas Mavericks
Semifinalists	Indiana Pacers Minnesota Timberwolves
← 2023 2025 →

The 2024 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2023–24 season. The playoffs began on April 20 and concluded on June 17 with the Boston Celtics winning the 2024 NBA Finals for their 18th championship, the most in NBA history.

• The Boston Celtics entered the playoffs for the tenth consecutive season, the longest present streak in the NBA. They also won the Maurice Podoloff Trophy for clinching the best record in the NBA for the first time since 2008.
• The Oklahoma City Thunder entered the playoffs for the first time since 2020 and also clinched the number one seed in the Western Conference for the first time since 2013.
• The Milwaukee Bucks entered the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season.
• The Philadelphia 76ers entered the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season.
• The Denver Nuggets entered the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.
• The Miami Heat entered the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.
• The Phoenix Suns entered the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.
• The Minnesota Timberwolves entered the playoffs for the third consecutive season.
• The Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Lakers entered the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
• The Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans returned to the playoffs after missing the postseason the previous year.
• The Orlando Magic and Indiana Pacers entered the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
• The Sacramento Kings missed the playoffs after making the postseason the previous year.
• The Golden State Warriors missed the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
• The Memphis Grizzlies and Atlanta Hawks missed the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
• The Brooklyn Nets missed the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
• The Houston Rockets missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.
• The Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs missed the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.
• The Charlotte Hornets missed the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season, currently the longest active playoff drought in the NBA.

• This was the first playoffs to not feature Chris Paul since 2010.^[1]
• With an average age of 23.9 years old, the Oklahoma City Thunder became the youngest team to earn the 1-seed in NBA history.^[2]
• The Thunder also became the seventh different Western Conference 1-seed in the last seven years, the longest stretch in the West since the 16-team format began in 1984.^[3]
• The Boston Celtics finished first in the Eastern Conference standings by 14 games, which was the largest margin between No. 1 and No. 2 in either conference since 1976.^[4]

• All home teams in the first-round matchups won game 1 for the first time since 2013.
• The Knicks' game 2 comeback against the 76ers marked just the fourth time in the play-by-play era (dating to the 1996–97 season) that a team won a playoff game after trailing by at least five points in the last 30 seconds.^[5] The Knicks were also the first team to win in regulation, as the other three teams completed their comeback in overtime.^[6]
• The Miami Heat's 23 three-pointers made in game 2 against the Celtics were the most ever by a team in a road playoff win in NBA history. This was also the Heat's franchise record for most threes made in a single playoff game.^[7][8]
• In game 3 against the Knicks, Joel Embiid became the first player in NBA history to score 50 points on fewer than 20 shots in a playoff game.^[9]
• The Minnesota Timberwolves swept the Phoenix Suns, marking the 48th year in a row that a sweep occurred. The last time a sweep did not occur was in 1976. This was the 184th series sweep in NBA playoffs history.
  • The series also marked the Timberwolves' first playoff series win since 2004 and the first sweep of a best-of-7 series in Minnesota men's professional sports history.^[10]
• Kevin Durant was swept in a playoff series for the second time in his career, with both instances occurring in the first round.^[11]
• For the first time in playoff history, there were four 40+ point scorers on the same day, as Devin Booker, Jalen Brunson, Anthony Edwards, and Kyrie Irving all scored 40+ points on April 28.^[12]
• Jamal Murray became the fourth player in NBA history to hit two go-ahead shots inside the final five seconds in the same postseason, and the only player to do so in the same series.^[13]
• This marked just the second time LeBron James was eliminated in the first round, with his only previous first round elimination coming against the Suns in 2021.^[14]
• The 76ers became the first team in the play-by-play era (since 1996–97) to win a playoff game when trailing by at least six points in the final 25 seconds of regulation.^[15]
• The Bucks became the first team in NBA history to win a playoff game without playing their top two leading scorers from the regular season (Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard).^[15]
• The Celtics became the first team in postseason history to score 100+ points and hold their opponents to under 90 points in three straight playoff games.^[16]
• The Pacers' elimination of the Bucks marked their first playoff series win since 2014.
• Jalen Brunson became the third player in NBA history with four consecutive playoff games of 35+ points and 5+ assists in a single postseason, joining LeBron James and Michael Jordan.^[17]
• The Cavaliers–Magic series was the first of the 2024 playoffs to have a game 7, making it the 25th 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 151st game 7 in NBA playoffs history.
• Donovan Mitchell scored 52.1% of the Cavaliers' points in game 6, the most by a player with an opportunity to clinch a playoff series in NBA history.^[18]
• Mitchell recorded his third 50-point playoff game, tying Allen Iverson for the third-most 50+ point games in playoff history, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan.^[19]
• The Cavaliers won a playoff series without LeBron James for the first time since 1993.

• This was the first conference semifinals without LeBron James, Kevin Durant, or Stephen Curry since 2005.^[14]
• This was the first Western Conference semifinals without a team from California since 2005.
• Anthony Edwards joined Kobe Bryant as the only players aged 22 or younger to have consecutive 40-point playoff games.^[20]
• Jalen Brunson became the first player in NBA history to record 40+ points and 5+ assists in four straight playoff games.^[21]
• The Cavaliers' 24-point win over the Celtics in game 2 was the biggest in the playoffs by a double-digit underdog since 1991.^[22]
• This was the third straight year in which there were no series sweeps in the conference semifinals.
• Jayson Tatum became the second player since 1973 to lead both teams in a playoff series in total points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks after LeBron James did so in the 2016 NBA Finals.
• Kyrie Irving extended his win-loss record in close-out NBA playoffs games to 14–0.^[23] This streak would end on May 28 however, when Dallas lost game 4 of the Western Conference Finals against the Timberwolves.^[24]
• The Timberwolves’ 45-point lead in game 6 against the Nuggets was the largest margin of victory against a defending champion in NBA playoff history.^[25] It was also the second largest margin of victory in playoff history by a team facing elimination, surpassed only by the Minneapolis Lakers' 58-point victory over the St. Louis Hawks in the 1956 NBA Playoffs.
• The Pacers set an NBA playoff record for shooting percentage, making 67.1% of their shots in game 7 against the Knicks.^[26]
• The Pacers also set the highest shooting percentage rate in a half with 76.3%, making 29 out of 38 shots in the first half. This was also the highest rate in the postseason for 25 years since 1997, when the NBA began keeping detailed play-by-play for all four quarters.^[27]
• Aged 20 years and 96 days old, Dereck Lively II became the youngest player in NBA history to record 10+ points and 15+ rebounds in a playoff game, coming during game 6 of the Maverick's Western Conference Semifinal win against the Thunder on May 18.^[28]
• The Timberwolves overcame a 20–point deficit to win game 7 against the Nuggets, the largest game 7 comeback in NBA playoffs history.^[29]
• With the defending champion Nuggets losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the 2024 playoffs marked the fifth straight year where the defending champion was eliminated before the conference finals.
• The Nuggets' elimination also confirmed there would be unique NBA champions across a six-year span for the first time since 1975–1980.
• This marked the first time that two road teams won a game 7 on the same day.

• Neither the first-seeded team nor the second-seeded team made the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2022.
• The Celtics entered the Eastern Conference finals for the third straight playoffs.
• This was the first Eastern Conference finals to feature either the Boston Celtics or the Miami Heat, but not both, since 2018. Each finals since that year either included both the Celtics and the Heat, or neither team.
• The Mavericks returned to the Western Conference finals after missing the previous playoffs.^[23]
• The Pacers advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2014.^[27]
• The Timberwolves advanced to the Western Conference finals for just the second time in team history, and the first time since 2004.^[29]
• The average age of the leading scorer for each team remaining (Tatum, Haliburton, Edwards, and Dončić for the Celtics, Pacers, Timberwolves, and Mavericks respectively) was 24.62, the youngest in a conference finals since 1971.^[30]
• Game 1 vs the Pacers was the first time in Celtics' franchise history that three of its players (Tatum, Brown, and Holiday) scored 25 or more points in a Conference Finals game.^[31]
• Dereck Lively II became the first player in NBA history to record a perfect 16/16 (100 percent) from the field in a playoff series.^[32] He surpassed Chris Andersen 's previous record of 13/13 FG made at 2013 Eastern Conference Semifinals series.^[33]
• This was the third instance (following the 2015 and 2023 playoffs) where both conference finals series had teams go up 3–0 in the series. Just like in 2015, the Celtics would go on to complete the sweep in the East, while the Timberwolves would successfully force a game 5 in the West but fell short.
• This was also the second time that the Indiana Pacers and the Minnesota Timberwolves were runner-ups in their respective conference finals, the last occurrence being in 2004.

• This was the first time the Dallas Mavericks played a team other than the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals, having lost to Miami in 2006 and won against them in 2011.
• The Mavericks became the second #5 seed in NBA history to make the finals, joining the 2019–20 Miami Heat.
• Luka Dončić became the first player to lead all players in points, rebounds and assists entering the NBA Finals.
• The Dallas Mavericks' 38-point lead over the Boston Celtics (122–84) in game 4 of the Finals was the third largest margin of victory in NBA Finals history.^[34]
• Tim Hardaway Jr. joined Ray Allen and Stephen Curry as the only three players to score five or more three-pointers in a single quarter of an NBA Finals game.^[35]

Eight teams from each conference participated 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.^[36]

Each conference's bracket was fixed with no reseeding. All rounds were a best-of-seven series; a series ended when one team won four games, and that team advanced to the next round. All rounds, including the NBA Finals, were in a 2–2–1–1–1 format with regards to hosting. In the conference playoffs, home-court advantage went to the higher-seeded team (number one being the highest). For the NBA Finals, home-court advantage went to the team with the better regular season record, and, if needed, ties were broken based on head-to-head record, followed by intra-conference record.

On March 14, 2024, the Boston Celtics became the first team to clinch a playoff spot.^[37] While noted in the below tables, division titles have no bearing on seeding.^[38]

Seeds 7 and 8 in each conference were determined via the first-stage play-in tournament, held April 16–19.

Seed	Team	Record	Clinched
			Play-in berth	Playoff berth	Division title	Best record in conference	Best record in NBA
1	Boston Celtics	64–18	—	March 14[37]	March 20[39]	March 24[40]	April 3[41]
2	New York Knicks	50–32	—	April 10[42]	—	—	—
3	Milwaukee Bucks	49–33	—	April 7[43]	April 14[44]	—	—
4	Cleveland Cavaliers	48–34	—	April 12[45]	—	—	—
5	Orlando Magic	47–35	—	April 14[46]	April 14[46]	—	—
6	Indiana Pacers	47–35	—	April 14[47]	—	—	—
7	Philadelphia 76ers	47–35	April 14[47]	April 17[48]	—	—	—
8	Miami Heat	46–36	April 14[47]	April 19[49]	—	—	—

Chicago (39–43) and Atlanta (36–46) also secured play-in berths but did not advance to the playoffs.^[49][50]

Seed	Team	Record	Clinched
			Play-in berth	Playoff berth	Division title	Best record in conference	Best record in NBA
1	Oklahoma City Thunder	57–25	—	March 31[51]	April 14[47]	April 14[47]	—
2	Denver Nuggets	57–25	—	March 31[52]	—	—	—
3	Minnesota Timberwolves	56–26	—	April 1[53]	—	—	—
4	Los Angeles Clippers	51–31	—	April 9[54]	April 9[54]	—	—
5	Dallas Mavericks	50–32	—	April 9[54]	April 10[55]	—	—
6	Phoenix Suns	49–33	—	April 14[47]	—	—	—
7	Los Angeles Lakers	47–35	April 10[56]	April 16[57]	—	—	—
8	New Orleans Pelicans	49–33	April 14[47]	April 19[49]	—	—	—

Sacramento (46–36) and Golden State (46–36) also secured play-in berths but did not advance to the playoffs.^[49][58]

Bold Game winner
Italic Team with home-court advantage

Bold Game winner
Italic Team with home-court advantage

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 home court advantage, the higher seeded team, are shown in italics.

First round

Conference semifinals

Conference finals

NBA Finals

E1

Boston*

4

E8

Miami

1

E1

Boston*

4

E4

Cleveland

1

E4

Cleveland

4

E5

Orlando*

3

E1

Boston*

4

Eastern Conference

E6

Indiana

0

E3

Milwaukee*

2

E6

Indiana

4

E6

Indiana

4

E2

New York

3

E2

New York

4

E7

Philadelphia

2

E1

Boston*

4

W5

Dallas*

1

W1

Oklahoma City*

4

W8

New Orleans

0

W1

Oklahoma City*

2

W5

Dallas*

4

W4

LA Clippers*

2

W5

Dallas*

4

W5

Dallas*

4

Western Conference

W3

Minnesota

1

W3

Minnesota

4

W6

Phoenix

0

W3

Minnesota

4

W2

Denver

3

W2

Denver

4

W7

LA Lakers

1

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

Jayson Tatum recorded his first playoff triple-double, leading the Celtics to a 114–94 Game 1 victory over the defending Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat. Tatum's performance of 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists was complemented by his teammates, as they knocked down 21 of Boston's 22 three-pointers. Derrick White added 20 points and four assists for Boston, which finished with six players in double-figures. The Heat, who were without Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier, never held a lead and trailed by as much as 34 points. Bam Adebayo had a game-high 24 points, while Delon Wright and Jaime Jaquez Jr. finished with 17 and 16 points respectively, with Wright going 5-for-5 from beyond the arc.

Without Jimmy Butler, the Heat hit a franchise playoff-record 23 three-pointers as Miami tied the series at one game apiece. Tyler Herro had 24 points and 14 assists, hitting 6-of-11 from beyond the arc, while Bam Adebayo finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds on 69% shooting. Caleb Martin also had 21 points and five threes for the Heat, who shot 53.5% (23-of-43) from beyond the arc to bounce back after a game 1 blowout. Jaylen Brown scored 33 points for the Celtics, who lost just their fifth home game of the season, while Jayson Tatum scored 28. Boston newcomers Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis combined for 15 points and shot 5-of-21 from the field, with Porziņģis finishing with a plus–minus of –32 in a 10-point loss.

The top-seeded Celtics responded emphatically to their home loss with a wire-to-wire 104–84 victory over the Heat, retaking the series lead. Led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown's 22 points each, the Celtics improved upon their defense and held Miami to a season-low 84 points. Tatum also contributed 11 rebounds and six assists, while Kristaps Porziņģis and Derrick White added 18 and 16 points respectively. The Heat, who trailed by as much as 29, struggled to find an offensive rhythm, with Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro combining on 13-of-34 (38%) from the field. With the win, the Celtics improved to 15–4 immediately following a loss this season and improved to 6–1 in their last seven road playoff games against Miami.

Derrick White scored a career-high 38 points to move the Celtics to the brink of the second round. White shot 15-of-26 from the field and 8-of-15 from beyond the arc for Boston, who are 28–0 all-time in playoff series after taking a 3–1 lead. Jayson Tatum contributed 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Jaylen Brown added 17 points. Despite the win, the Celtics lost Kristaps Porziņģis in the first half to a calf injury, from which he would not return until the NBA Finals. For the Heat, Bam Adebayo recorded a double-double with 25 points and 17 rebounds, while Tyler Herro recorded 19 points and five turnovers. Despite a 4-of-8 three-point shooting night from Caleb Martin, the rest of the Heat shot 5-of-25 from deep, as they managed under 90 points for the second consecutive game.

The Celtics dominated the game from start to finish, winning every quarter and blowing out the Heat for a 4–1 series win. Derrick White scored 25 points, including 5 3-pointers. Jaylen Brown also contributed 25 points, while Jayson Tatum completed a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Sam Hauser came off the bench and shot 5-of-8 from beyond the arc en route to 17 points. The Heat endured a hard time on the offensive end, making just 3 3-pointers in 29 attempts, along with an overall field goal percentage of 41.4%, as they were limited to below 90 points for the third straight game. Bam Adebayo led the scoring for them, notching 23 points in the losing effort.

Regular-season series

Boston won 3–0 in the regular-season series
October 27, 2023 Recap Miami Heat 111, Boston Celtics 119 TD Garden, Boston, MA January 25, 2024 Recap Boston Celtics 143, Miami Heat 110 Kaseya Center, Miami, FL February 11, 2024 Recap Boston Celtics 110, Miami Heat 106 Kaseya Center, Miami, FL

This was the seventh playoff meeting between the two teams, with the Heat winning four of the first six meetings.^[59]

Previous playoff series

Miami leads 4–2 in all-time playoff series

2010 Boston Celtics 4, Miami Heat 1 2010 Eastern Conference First Round 2011 Miami Heat 4, Boston Celtics 1 2011 Eastern Conference semifinals 2012 Miami Heat 4, Boston Celtics 3 2012 Eastern Conference finals 2020 Boston Celtics 2, Miami Heat 4 2020 Eastern Conference finals 2022 Miami Heat 3, Boston Celtics 4 2022 Eastern Conference finals 2023 Boston Celtics 3, Miami Heat 4 2023 Eastern Conference finals

With the Knicks' starters struggling, the New York bench outscored the 76ers' bench 42–7, with Miles McBride, Bojan Bogdanović and Mitchell Robinson leading the way to win Game 1. McBride scored 21 points and outscored Philadelphia 13–12 in the second quarter, as he brought the Knicks out of an early 13-point deficit. Josh Hart recorded a double-double and hit multiple three-pointers late in the fourth quarter, while Jalen Brunson had seven rebounds and seven assists. A hobbled Joel Embiid scored 29 points, alongside eight rebounds and six assists, while Tyrese Maxey had a game-high 33 points. Despite a higher field goal percentage, the Sixers were outrebounded, as they conceded 23 offensive rebounds to New York.

In a dramatic turnaround, the Knicks overcame a five-point deficit in the final 30 seconds to win 104–101 and take a 2–0 series lead. After Kyle Lowry missed his second free throw, Jalen Brunson, who was previously 7-for-28 from the field and 0-of-5 from beyond the arc, hit a three-pointer that bounced on the rim and dropped in. Following the inbound to Tyrese Maxey, Josh Hart stole the ball and kicked it out to Donte DiVincenzo, who missed a three-pointer, but an offensive rebound by Isaiah Hartenstein found the ball back in DiVincenzo's hands, who drained a go-ahead three with 13 seconds left. Maxey then missed a driving layup, New York made two free throws, and the Knicks secured the victory after Joel Embiid's three-point attempt missed at the buzzer. Maxey, battling flu-like symptoms, tallied 35 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds, while Embiid finished with 34 points and 10 rebounds.

After vowing the 76ers were “going to win this series”, Joel Embiid scored a playoff career-high 50 points, with 18 of them coming in a decisive third quarter to win 125–114. Embiid, who's been battling Bell's palsy, was 13-of-19 from the floor, made 19-of-21 free throws, and hit five three-pointers, with four of them coming during Philadelphia's 43–27 third quarter. Tyrese Maxey finished with 25 points, and Kelly Oubre Jr. had 15 points on 75% shooting. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 39 points and 13 assists on an improved 48% from the field, while Josh Hart and OG Anunoby recorded 20 and 17 points, respectively. Mitchell Robinson also had seven rebounds before getting injured following a controversial flagrant foul from Embiid.

Jalen Brunson scored 47 points, setting a Knicks franchise playoff record en route to securing a commanding 3–1 series lead back to New York. Brunson shot 18-of-34 from the field and finished with an assist-turnover ratio of 10 to 1, as he surpassed the 46 points scored by Bernard King in 1984. Josh Hart had zero field goals but finished with a playoff career-high 17 rebounds, while OG Anunoby had a double-double of 16 points and 14 boards. Joel Embiid had 27 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, but shot 0-of-5 from the field in the fourth quarter and finished the game 7-of-19. Tyrese Maxey scored 23 and Kelly Oubre Jr. had 19 points as the Sixers shot 29-of-82 (35%) from the floor, their second-lowest percentage of the season.

Trailing by six with under 30 seconds and facing elimination, Tyrese Maxey converted a four-point play and hit a 35-foot game-tying three to force overtime and save the 76ers' season. Maxey finished with a playoff career-high 46 points and nine assists on 57% shooting, while Joel Embiid, who shot 7-of-19 from the field and committed nine turnovers, recorded his first playoff triple-double. Jalen Brunson had his second straight 40-point game and scored all nine of the Knicks' overtime points, but committed a crucial turnover in the waning seconds. Tobias Harris had 19 points and Kelly Oubre scored the go-ahead layup in overtime for Philadelphia, while Josh Hart and OG Anunoby tallied 18 and 17 points, respectively, for New York.

With the game tied at 111-111 with 26 seconds left in the fourth quarter, a wide open Josh Hart made a go-ahead three-pointer to put New York on top as they eliminated the 76ers 4-2. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 41 points and 12 assists on 13-of-27 shots alongside 12-of-16 free throws, his third-straight 40-point game. Hart had a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds, while Donte DiVincenzo added 23 points for New York. For Philadelphia, Joel Embiid recorded 39 points and 13 rebounds on 12-of-25 shots, although he committed five turnovers and fouled out in the final seconds of the game. Tyrese Maxey had 17 points on 6-of-18 shots, while Tobias Harris failed to score in 29 minutes of play. Off the bench, Buddy Hield added 20 points for Philadelphia, but he overshot a potential game-tying three-pointer at the end of the game.

Regular-season series

New York won 3–1 in the regular-season series

January 5, 2024 Recap New York Knicks 128, Philadelphia 76ers 92 Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA February 22, 2024 Recap New York Knicks 110, Philadelphia 76ers 96 Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA March 10, 2024 Recap Philadelphia 76ers 79, New York Knicks 73 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY March 12, 2024 Recap Philadelphia 76ers 79, New York Knicks 106 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

This was the tenth playoff meeting between these two teams, and the fifth since the Syracuse Nationals relocated to Philadelphia in 1963, with the 76ers winning six of the first nine meetings.^[60]

Previous playoff series

Philadelphia leads 6–3 in all-time playoff series

1950 Syracuse Nationals 2, New York Knicks 1 1950 Eastern Division Finals 1951 New York Knicks 3, Syracuse Nationals 2 1951 Eastern Division Finals 1952 Syracuse Nationals 1, New York Knicks 3 1952 Eastern Division Finals 1954 New York Knicks 0, Syracuse Nationals 2 1954 Eastern Division Round Robin Semifinals 1959 New York Knicks 0, Syracuse Nationals 2 1959 Eastern Division Semifinals 1968 Philadelphia 76ers 4, New York Knicks 2 1968 Eastern Division Semifinals 1978 Philadelphia 76ers 4, New York Knicks 0 1978 Eastern Conference Semifinals 1983 Philadelphia 76ers 4, New York Knicks 0 1983 Eastern Conference Semifinals 1989 New York Knicks 3, Philadelphia 76ers 0 1989 Eastern Conference First Round

In his first playoff game in three years, Damian Lillard scored all 35 of his points in the first half to give the Bucks a 27-point halftime lead and ultimately secure a 1–0 series advantage without Giannis Antetokounmpo. Khris Middleton also had 23 points and 10 rebounds on 64% shooting for the Bucks, while Bobby Portis added 15 points and 11 rebounds. The Pacers, who averaged a league-high 123.3 points per game, finished with a season-low 94 points and shot 8-of-38 (21%) from three-point range. Pascal Siakam finished with a game-high 36 points and 13 rebounds on 60% shooting, center Myles Turner shot 5-for-17 from the field for 17 points and eight rebounds, while Tyrese Haliburton finished with nine points and eight assists in his playoff debut.

After a tightly contested first three quarters, the Pacers used a 23–4 run in the fourth quarter to even the series at 1–1. Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with a game-high 37 points on 69.5% from the field, along with 11 rebounds. Myles Turner and Andrew Nembhard scored 22 and 20 points respectively, as the Pacers shot 55.6% in game 2 compared to 39.6% in game 1. Tyrese Haliburton also provided 12 assists for Indiana, who snapped a 10-game playoff losing streak that dated back to 2018. Damian Lillard scored 26 by halftime for the Bucks but finished with 34, continuing his second-half struggles with just eight points in two games this series. Brook Lopez scored 22 on 6-of-7 from deep, while Bobby Portis had a double-double.

Tyrese Haliburton's game-winning three-point play in the final seconds of overtime gave the Pacers their first back-to-back postseason wins since 2014. Despite shooting 8-of-22 from the field and 1-of-12 from beyond the arc, Haliburton showcased his resiliency and recorded his first playoff triple-double with 18 points, 16 assists, and 10 rebounds in Indiana's first home playoff win in six years. Pascal Siakam had 17 points and nine rebounds, while Myles Turner's playoff career-high 29 points and nine rebounds also bolstered the Pacers' effort, as they led by as much as 19 in the first quarter. Damian Lillard was hampered by injuries, finishing with 28 points on 6-of-20 from the field, while Khris Middleton stepped up for the Bucks with a playoff career-high 42 points, including a three-pointer that sent the game to overtime. Bobby Portis also had 17 points and 18 rebounds for Milwaukee.

Already without Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks also entered game four without Damian Lillard, who injured his achilles in game three. Moreover, early in the first quarter, Bobby Portis was ejected after a scuffle with Andrew Nembhard. Without three key players, Milwaukee kept the game close only trailing 67–64 by halftime. However, during the third quarter, Indiana built a 17 point lead and never looked back, taking a 3–1 series lead. Myles Turner again recorded 29 points and nine rebounds, shooting 7–9 from three, while Tyrese Haliburton added 24 points in the win. For Milwaukee, Brook Lopez finished with 27 points and nine rebounds while Khris Middleton added 25 points and 10 rebounds.

Again, Milwaukee entered game five without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, looking to extend their season. Indiana held an eight point lead after the first quarter, but Milwaukee's defense responded by holding the Pacers to only 17 points in the second quarter, helping the Bucks take a 53–48 halftime lead. Milwaukee carried this momentum throughout the rest of the game, cutting Indiana's series lead 3–2 behind Khris Middleton's 29 points and 12 rebounds, as well as Bobby Portis' 29 points and 10 rebounds. Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 16 points and six assists, while Myles Turner and Pascal Siakam were held to 13 and 12 points respectively.

Despite being injured the past two games, Damian Lillard suited up for the Bucks hoping to extend the series to game seven. However, Indiana was able to eliminate Milwaukee 4–2 with the help from their bench, outscoring the Bucks 50–10. Off the bench for Indiana, Obi Toppin recorded a playoff career–high 21 points and eight rebounds while T. J. McConnell added playoff career–highs with 20 points, nine assists, and four steals. For Milwaukee, Lillard scored 28 points and Bobby Portis recorded 20 points and 15 rebounds. Pascal Siakam scored 19 points while Tyrese Haliburton added 17 points and 10 assists. With this win, Indiana improved to 8–3 against Milwaukee this season.

Regular-season series

Indiana won 4–1 in the regular-season series

November 9, 2023 Recap Milwaukee Bucks 124, Indiana Pacers 126 Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN December 7, 2023 Recap Indiana Pacers 128, Milwaukee Bucks 119 T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV December 13, 2023 Recap Indiana Pacers 126, Milwaukee Bucks 140 Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI January 1, 2024 Recap Indiana Pacers 122, Milwaukee Bucks 113 Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI January 3, 2024 Recap Milwaukee Bucks 130, Indiana Pacers 142 Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN

This is the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Pacers winning the first two meetings.^[61]

Previous playoff series

Indiana leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series
1999 Indiana Pacers 3, Milwaukee Bucks 0 1999 Eastern Conference First Round 2000 Indiana Pacers 3, Milwaukee Bucks 2 2000 Eastern Conference First Round

The Cavaliers led wire-to-wire to take the series opener. Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points, Jarrett Allen grabbed 18 rebounds, Darius Garland had eight assists, and Evan Mobley notched a double-double. Paolo Banchero, the first overall pick in 2022, scored 24 points in his playoff debut but committed nine turnovers, contributing to the Magic's offensive struggles, as they shot 33% from the field, 22% from beyond the arc, and missed 11 free throws. The Cavaliers, who are 17–1 all-time in playoff series after winning Game 1, set the tone for the game after making five three-pointers in the opening five minutes of the game, giving them an early 12-point lead that they rode for the remainder of the game.

The Magic never led for the second straight game as the Cavaliers secured a 2–0 series lead. Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with a game-high 23 points, while Jarrett Allen grabbed a playoff career-high 20 rebounds, including nine offensive boards. Evan Mobley and Darius Garland added 17 and 15 points respectively, while Isaac Okoro provided four steals off the bench. Paolo Banchero scored 21 points for the Magic, while Franz Wagner contributed 17 of his 18 points in the first half, as the duo combined for 12 turnovers. Just like in game 1, Orlando shot a dismal 36% from the field and 9-of-35 from beyond the arc as the Magic failed to score over 90 points for the second consecutive game.

After never trailing in the first two games of the series, the Cavaliers were handed the worst loss in their postseason history as the Magic won 121–83. Led by Paolo Banchero's 31 points and 14 rebounds, alongside Jalen Suggs' contribution of 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting, the Magic won their first home playoff game since 2011. Franz Wagner added 16 points and eight assists to the Magic's tally, as he and Banchero combined for zero turnovers. On the defensive end, they limited the Cavaliers to just 39% shooting from the field and 23.5% from deep. Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert led Cleveland in scoring with 15 points, while the starting backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland combined for 18 points on 8-of-26 from the field.

Trailing by nine at halftime, the Magic opened the second half on a 41–10 run to even the series at two games apiece. With Paolo Banchero having a quiet night (nine points, five assists), Franz Wagner stepped up for Orlando, tallying 34 points and 13 rebounds on 13-of-17 shooting, as he outscored the Cavaliers by himself in the third quarter. After putting up 60 points in the first half, Cleveland struggled mightily in the second half, scoring just 29 points and enduring a scoreless drought that lasted almost seven minutes. Jarrett Allen led the Cavaliers with 21 points and nine rebounds, while Donovan Mitchell scored 18 points in the first half. However, Mitchell failed to score after halftime, going 0-of-4 from the field with four turnovers.

In a pivotal game 5, the Cavaliers edged past the Magic 104–103, with Evan Mobley blocking Franz Wagner's layup in the final seconds to secure the victory. After the first four games had a combined eight lead changes, game 5 featured 17 lead changes. Without Jarrett Allen, Mobley filled his shoes in his absence, providing 14 points and 13 rebounds on 7-of-11 shooting, while Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland in scoring with 28 points, and Darius Garland had 17 of his 23 points in the first quarter. In his fifth career playoff game, 21-year-old Paolo Banchero scored 16 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter and finished 14-of-24 from the field for the Magic, who lost their seventh consecutive road game dating back to the regular season.

The Magic overcame a 50-point performance by Donovan Mitchell to defeat the Cavaliers 103–96 and force a game 7 back in Cleveland. Paolo Banchero scored nine of his 27 points during a 14–7 Orlando run to end the game, Franz Wagner had 26 points, and Jalen Suggs made six three-pointers and finished with 22 points for the Magic. Meanwhile for Cleveland, Darius Garland scored 21 points on 59% shooting, Evan Mobley had five blocks, and Mitchell shot 22-of-36 from the field and scored the Cavaliers' final 22 points, including all 18 in the fourth. Although Cleveland had a significantly higher field goal percentage, they were outrebounded and shot 7-of-28 from deep, as center Jarrett Allen missed his second straight game.

The Cavaliers overcame an 18-point first-half deficit and advanced to the conference semifinals for the first time in six years, and the first time without LeBron James on their roster since 1993. Trailing 49–31 midway through the second quarter, Cleveland rallied behind Donovan Mitchell, who finished with 39 points and nine rebounds on 41% from the field. Down by ten at halftime, the Cavaliers held the Magic to just 4-of-24 from the field in the third quarter, as Mitchell outscored them 17–15 in the period. Darius Garland scored 10 of his 12 points in the final quarter, Caris LeVert scored 15 off the bench, and Evan Mobley tallied five blocks and 16 rebounds. Paolo Banchero's 38-point effort for Orlando, particularly his 24 points in the first half, wasn't enough as he struggled shooting 27% in the second half. His co-stars did not fare well either, as Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs combined to shoot 3-of-28 from the field.

Regular-season series

Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
December 6, 2023 Recap Orlando Magic 111, Cleveland Cavaliers 121 Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH December 11, 2023 Recap Cleveland Cavaliers 94, Orlando Magic 104 Amway Center, Orlando, FL January 22, 2024 Recap Cleveland Cavaliers 126, Orlando Magic 99 Kia Center, Orlando, FL February 22, 2024 Recap Orlando Magic 116, Cleveland Cavaliers 109 Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Magic winning the first meeting.^[62]

Previous playoff series

Orlando leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
2009 Cleveland Cavaliers 2, Orlando Magic 4 2009 Eastern Conference finals

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 28-point performance, including a go-ahead basket in the final minute, secured the Thunder's first home playoff win in five years. Rookie Chet Holmgren delivered a double-double to go along with five blocks, while Jalen Williams provided 19 points. For New Orleans, CJ McCollum had 20 points, Trey Murphy III finished with a team-high 21 points, and Jonas Valančiūnas grabbed 20 rebounds in addition to his 13 points. The game stayed close with 20 lead changes and 13 ties, as no team held a lead bigger than 10. After a Holmgren free throw made it a two-point game with 14 seconds left, Thunder rookie Cason Wallace forced McCollum into a difficult three-pointer that missed as time expired.

After playing a tightly contested game against the eighth seed in game 1, the Thunder routed the Pelicans 124–92 to seize a 2–0 series lead. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City onslaught with 33 points on 13-of-19 from the field, while rookie Chet Holmgren had 26 points and seven rebounds on 9-of-13 shooting. Jalen Williams added 21 points and seven assists for the Thunder, who shot 59% from the field and made 14-of-29 three-pointers. On the defensive end, they held New Orleans to under 95 points for the second straight game and forced 18 turnovers, converting them into 22 points. Jonas Valančiūnas led the Pelicans in scoring with 19, while Brandon Ingram and Herbert Jones both finished with 18 points.

The young top-seeded Thunder continued their dominance over the Pelicans to take a commanding 3–0 series lead. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 24 points, eight assists, and four steals, while Jalen Williams and Josh Giddey each contributed 21 points. Chet Holmgren also had eight rebounds and four blocks as Oklahoma City connected on 47% of their three-point attempts, hitting 17-of-36 shots from deep. Brandon Ingram led the Pelicans with 19 points, followed by CJ McCollum with 16 points on 7-of-22 shooting. New Orleans continued to struggle from long range, as they shot under 30% from beyond the arc for the third consecutive game, and they committed 21 turnovers that turned into 23 Thunder points.

Oklahoma City closed the series out on a 22–9 run as the Thunder swept a playoff opponent for the first time since their NBA Finals run in 2012. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Jalen Williams scored 11 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter. Chet Holmgren and Josh Giddey each scored 14 points as the Thunder became the youngest team to win a playoff series. CJ McCollum scored 20 for the Pelicans, who continued their poor three-point shooting, making just 8-of-34 (23%) shots from deep, with Naji Marshall hitting half of them. Jonas Valančiūnas had 19 points and 13 boards but was limited by foul trouble, while Brandon Ingram shot 2-of-14 for the game and finished the series shooting 34% from the field.

Regular-season series

Oklahoma City won 2–1 in the regular-season series
November 1, 2023 Recap New Orleans Pelicans 110, Oklahoma City Thunder 106 Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK January 26, 2024 Recap Oklahoma City Thunder 107, New Orleans Pelicans 83 Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA March 26, 2024 Recap Oklahoma City Thunder 119, New Orleans Pelicans 112 Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.^[63]

In a rematch of last year's Western Conference Finals, the Nuggets won their ninth consecutive game against the Lakers, fueled by Nikola Jokić's 32 points and 12 rebounds on 65% from the field. Jamal Murray contributed 22 points and 10 assists, as the two-man game of Jokić and Murray yielded 17 assists to zero turnovers. Aaron Gordon secured a double-double while Michael Porter Jr. finished with 19 points and eight rebounds. On the Lakers' side, LeBron James scored 27 points and Anthony Davis added 32, as Los Angeles led for the majority of the first half. But a 13–0 run late in the third quarter by the Nuggets, which included three Kentavious Caldwell-Pope three-pointers, allowed them to seize control of the game.

The Nuggets came back from a 20-point deficit to win it at the buzzer. The Lakers dominated the first half, cruising to a 59–44 lead at halftime. However, Denver, led by Nikola Jokić's 27-point, 20-rebound triple-double, fought their way back into the game. Michael Porter Jr. scored 22 points and made a game-tying three-pointer with 1:15 to go. LeBron James tried a wide-open three with the score at 99–99, but it rimmed out. The Nuggets secured the rebound, and Jamal Murray scored the game-winning fadeaway jump shot over Anthony Davis. Murray, who was 3-of-16 in the first three quarters, shot 6-of-8 and scored 14 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter. Davis led the scoring for the Lakers, tallying 32 points and 11 rebounds, but did not record a point in the fourth quarter. D'Angelo Russell made seven three-pointers after shooting 1-of-9 from deep in game 1, while James notched 26 points and 12 assists.

The defending champions came away with their 11th straight win over the Lakers to take a commanding 3–0 series lead. Aaron Gordon led the Nuggets with a playoff career-high 29 points and 15 rebounds, while Nikola Jokić shot 9-of-13 from the field and finished one assist shy of a triple-double. Jamal Murray contributed 22 points, and Michael Porter Jr. added 20 for Denver, who have trailed by double-digits in every game this series. Anthony Davis posted 33 points and 15 rebounds for the Lakers, LeBron James contributed 26 points and nine assists, while Austin Reaves scored 22. Los Angeles missed 15 of their first 16 three-point attempts, and only got five points combined from starters D'Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura.

In danger of getting swept by the Nuggets for the second straight year, the Lakers responded with a wire-to-wire win in game 4, forcing the series back to Denver and snapping their 11-game losing streak against the Nuggets. LeBron James led the way with 30 points, Anthony Davis had 25 points and a game-high 23 rebounds, while Austin Reaves and D'Angelo Russell contributed 21 points a piece. Nikola Jokić, with 33 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists, recorded his second triple-double of the series, Michael Porter Jr. contributed 27 points and 11 rebounds, and Jamal Murray scored 22 points, although he was 0-of-4 from deep. The Lakers this time were able to hold on to their double-digit advantage, never letting the Nuggets get any closer than 7 points.

In a closely-contested game 5, Jamal Murray hit his second game-winner of the series, thus giving the Nuggets the series-clinching win over the Lakers. Murray led the way for the Nuggets with 32 points, 12 of which came in the fourth quarter. Nikola Jokić, although committing an uncharacteristic 7 turnovers, nonetheless finished the game with 25 points, 20 rebounds and 9 assists, narrowly missing out on his third triple-double of the series. Michael Porter Jr. stood out once again, scoring 26 points and making 5 of his 7 three-point attempts. For the Lakers, LeBron James once again lead the way with 30 points and 11 assists, Anthony Davis finished with an efficient 17 points and 15 rebounds, shooting 72.7% from the field, while Austin Reaves and D'Angelo Russell had 19 and 14 points respectively, although shot a combined 3-of-14 from three.

Regular-season series

Denver won 3–0 in the regular-season series
October 24, 2023 Recap Los Angeles Lakers 107, Denver Nuggets 119 Ball Arena, Denver, CO February 8, 2024 Recap Denver Nuggets 114, Los Angeles Lakers 106 Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA March 2, 2024 Recap Denver Nuggets 124, Los Angeles Lakers 114 Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA

This was the ninth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning seven of the first eight meetings.^[64]

Previous playoff series

LA Lakers lead 7–1 in all-time playoff series

1979 Denver Nuggets 1, Los Angeles Lakers 2 1979 Western Conference First Round 1985 Los Angeles Lakers 4, Denver Nuggets 1 1985 Western Conference finals 1987 Los Angeles Lakers 3, Denver Nuggets 0 1987 Western Conference First Round 2008 Los Angeles Lakers 4, Denver Nuggets 0 2008 Western Conference First Round 2009 Los Angeles Lakers 4, Denver Nuggets 2 2009 Western Conference finals 2012 Los Angeles Lakers 4, Denver Nuggets 3 2012 Western Conference First Round 2020 Los Angeles Lakers 4, Denver Nuggets 1 2020 Western Conference finals 2023 Denver Nuggets 4, Los Angeles Lakers 0 2023 Western Conference finals

Anthony Edwards scored 18 of his 33 points in a pivotal third quarter to help the Timberwolves take a 1–0 series lead. Edwards led a 19–4 run to close the third quarter, as Minnesota held the Suns to zero field goals in the final seven minutes of the quarter. Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in with 19 points, Nickeil Alexander-Walker contributed 18 points and four steals off the bench, while Rudy Gobert anchored the defense with 14 points and 16 rebounds. Despite Kevin Durant's 31-point performance on 65% shooting for the Suns, alongside Bradley Beal's 15 points on 60% from the field, the Wolves outrebounded Phoenix 52–28 and outscored them in the paint 52–34. The Minnesota bench also outscored the Suns' reserves 41–18.

Jaden McDaniels led all scorers with a playoff career-high 25 points and spearheaded another stifling defensive performance by the Timberwolves to win 105–93. Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley both contributed 18 points while Phoenix was focused on containing Anthony Edwards, who shot 3-of-12 with 15 points and eight assists. Despite Phoenix's efforts to rally, Minnesota's 11–0 fourth-quarter run solidified their second-ever 2–0 playoff series lead. The Suns' "big three" of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal struggled, shooting a combined 18-for-45 (40%), while the Timberwolves capitalized on turnovers, scoring 31 points off 20 Phoenix errors compared to the Suns' two points from Minnesota's 14 turnovers.

In a dominant display, Anthony Edwards propelled the Timberwolves to the brink of their first playoff series win in 20 years. Edwards scored 18 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter, while Rudy Gobert had 19 points and 14 rebounds for Minnesota, who never trailed. For the third consecutive game, the Wolves overwhelmed the Suns in the third quarter, highlighted by Nickeil Alexander-Walker's four three-pointers, to take a 22-point lead into the final quarter. Bradley Beal scored 28 points, Kevin Durant had 25, and Devin Booker finished with 23 points for the Suns, while the rest of the team scored just 33 points. Meanwhile, Minnesota had six players finish in double figures and dominated the boards with a 50–28 rebounding margin.

The Timberwolves completed the sweep of the Suns to advance past the first round for only the second time in franchise history. The game was tied or within four points for almost the entire game, as neither team led by more than six. The Wolves were able to pull away thanks to Anthony Edwards, who scored 31 of his 40 points in the second half on 11-of-15 shooting, while Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 28 points and 10 rebounds on 65% from the field. For Phoenix, Devin Booker scored a playoff career-high 49 points on 62% from the field and 20-of-21 from the free throw line, while Kevin Durant scored 33 points on 12-of-17 shooting. But no other player finished with double digits, as Bradley Beal fouled out after finishing with nine points and six turnovers. The victory was marred for Minnesota, as head coach Chris Finch suffered a ruptured patellar tendon after a collision with Mike Conley in the fourth quarter.^[65]

Regular-season series

Phoenix won 3–0 in the regular-season series
November 15, 2023 Recap Minnesota Timberwolves 115, Phoenix Suns 133 Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ April 5, 2024 Recap Minnesota Timberwolves 87, Phoenix Suns 97 Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ April 14, 2024 Recap Phoenix Suns 125, Minnesota Timberwolves 106 Target Center, Minneapolis, MN

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.^[66]

In their playoff series opener, James Harden and Ivica Zubac led the Clippers to a 109–97 victory over the Mavericks, with Harden recording 28 points and eight assists in his playoff debut for the Clippers, while Zubac achieved a playoff career-high of 20 points alongside 15 rebounds. Despite Luka Dončić's 33 points and Kyrie Irving's 31 (with 20 of those points coming on 100% shooting in the third quarter), the Mavericks had only one other player finish in double figures. Meanwhile, the Clippers, who were missing Kawhi Leonard due to injury, limited Dallas to their fewest points in a playoff half, as they held them to 22% from the field and 2-of-18 from beyond the arc in the first half to secure a commanding 26-point halftime lead.

Luka Dončić had 32 points and nine assists, Kyrie Irving scored 23, and P. J. Washington scored 10 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter to beat the Clippers 96–93. After the Mavericks led for most of the game, Dallas trailed by six with 9:32 left in the fourth quarter. The Mavericks responded by scoring 14 straight points to permanently give them the lead, with all 14 of those points coming from Dončić, Irving, and Washington. Paul George and James Harden each scored 22 points while Ivica Zubac recorded a double-double. Kawhi Leonard also had 15 points and four steals in his first game since March 31. The Clippers shot 37% from the floor and made just 8-of-30 three-pointers after shooting 50% (18-of-36) from deep in game 1.

In the Mavericks' defensive-minded victory over the Clippers, Luka Dončić led the charge with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists. With Dončić struggling with his shooting efficiency, going 7-of-25 from the field and 3-of-14 from beyond the arc, his co-star Kyrie Irving poured 19 of his 21 points in the final 14 minutes of the game to keep the Clippers at bay. Despite a strong first half, James Harden's scoring output diminished in the second half for the Clippers, finishing with 21 points, while Norman Powell scored 21 off the bench. The Clippers' offense was hampered by 19 turnovers, and they also got little offensive support from Paul George and Russell Westbrook, as the pair combined for eight points on 3-of-18 shooting.

The Clippers squandered a 31-point lead but rallied to win, led by Paul George and James Harden, reclaiming home-court advantage. Without Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles jumped out to an early 55–24 lead as George scored 26 points of his 33 points in the first half. However, the Mavericks rallied behind Kyrie Irving, who had his first 40-point playoff game in seven years, as his layup gave Dallas the lead with 2:14 remaining. However, a step-back three by George and key floaters from Harden, who scored 15 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter, secured the victory. Luka Dončić recorded his fourth playoff triple-double, while the Clippers shot 62% from beyond the arc, with George and Harden hitting a combined 11-of-15 three-pointers.

Battling a sprained knee and an illness, Luka Dončić led the Mavericks with 35 points, seven rebounds, and 10 assists as Dallas routed the Clippers by 30 points to take a 3–2 series lead. Dončić shot over 50% for the first time this series, Maxi Kleber hit five three-pointers, and Kyrie Irving added 14 points for the Mavericks, who handed the Clippers the biggest margin of defeat in their playoff history. Ivica Zubac shot 7-of-8 from the field and Bones Hyland had 11 points in garbage time for Los Angeles. Paul George and James Harden shot a combined 6-of-25 (24%) from the field and committed seven turnovers, while Russell Westbrook continued his shooting woes, going 2-of-11 and shooting a mere 6-of-35 (17%) in his last four games.

• Game 5 was the last Clippers home game played at Crypto.com Arena, as the team will move its home games to Intuit Dome next season.

Luka Dončić set the tone by scoring 18 of his 28 points in the first half, and Kyrie Irving closed out the Clippers by scoring 28 of his 30 points in the second half as the Mavericks advanced to the Western semifinals for the second time in three years. Dončić finished with 13 assists but struggled with his shooting, going 9-of-26 from the field and missing nine of his 10 three-pointers, while Irving shot 10-of-13 from the field after halftime, as he improved to 13–0 in series-clinching games for his career. For the Clippers, Norman Powell had 20 points off the bench and Ivica Zubac recorded his third double-double of the series, while Paul George and James Harden continued to struggle, combining for 34 points on 32% (11-of-34) shooting.

Regular-season series

LA Clippers won 2–1 in the regular-season series
November 10, 2023 Recap Los Angeles Clippers 126, Dallas Mavericks 144 American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX November 25, 2023 Recap Dallas Mavericks 88, Los Angeles Clippers 107 Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA December 20, 2023 Recap Los Angeles Clippers 120, Dallas Mavericks 111 American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Clippers winning the first two meetings.^[67]

Previous playoff series

LA Clippers lead 2–0 in all-time playoff series
2020 Los Angeles Clippers 4, Dallas Mavericks 2 2020 Western Conference First Round 2021 Los Angeles Clippers 4, Dallas Mavericks 3 2021 Western Conference First Round

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

Jaylen Brown scored 32 points on 12-of-18 from the field, while Derrick White made 7-of-12 three-pointers and finished with 25 points as the Celtics cruised to a 120–95 victory in the series opener. Jayson Tatum added 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Payton Pritchard added 16 points off the bench as Boston improved to 20–0 this season when holding their opponent to fewer than 100 points. Donovan Mitchell provided a game-high 33 points for the Cavaliers, while Evan Mobley shot 8-of-12 from the field and finished with a double-double. Darius Garland finished with 14 points as Cleveland struggled from long range, shooting just 11-of-42, while the Celtics capitalized and shot a more efficient 18-of-46 from beyond the arc.

After getting blown out in the opening game of the series, the Cavaliers responded with a 24-point victory over the top-seeded Celtics to even the series at 1–1. Donovan Mitchell finished with eight assists and scored 16 of his 29 points in the third quarter to push the Cleveland lead to double digits, as they led by as much as 29 points in the fourth quarter. Evan Mobley recorded his third consecutive double-double, while Caris LeVert provided 21 points off the bench as the Cavaliers shot 13-of-28 (46%) from beyond the arc. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown finished with 25 and 19 points, respectively, while Derrick White struggled, managing only 10 points as he and Brown shot a combined 1-of-14 (7%) from three-point range.

Jayson Tatum registered his first 30-point game of the playoffs and Jaylen Brown (28 points) shot an efficient 13-of-17 from the floor as the Celtics reclaimed the series lead. Jrue Holiday, who had been struggling with his shooting, scored 15 of his 18 points in the first half on 70% from the field, while Tatum logged 13 rebounds and six assists. Despite a strong start from Donovan Mitchell, who scored 33 points and made seven three-pointers, the Cavaliers struggled to match the Celtics' intensity, particularly in the second half. Evan Mobley and Caris LeVert each provided 15+ points, while the rest of Cleveland's starters (Garland, Strus, and Okoro) shot a combined 30% (9-of-30) from the field and 19% (3-of-16) from beyond the arc.

The Celtics beat the shorthanded Cavaliers 109–102 to take a commanding 3–1 series lead back to Boston. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined for 60 points and fought off a late rally by Cleveland by scoring 15 of the Celtics' 21 fourth-quarter points. The duo also made 16-of-18 free throws, compared to just seven total free throw attempts for the Cavaliers. Jrue Holiday (16 points) hit 4-of-8 three-pointers for Boston, who improved to 4–0 on the road this postseason. Darius Garland stepped up for Cleveland, who were missing starters Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen, with his first 30-point game of the playoffs. Evan Mobley and Caris LeVert each tallied 19 points, while Max Strus made 5-of-9 three-pointers before fouling out.

The shorthanded Cavaliers were unable to overcome the Celtics as they were eliminated 113–98. Jayson Tatum scored 25 points and made 4 steals but was one assist shy of a triple-double while also becoming the second player since 1973 to lead both teams in a playoff series in total points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks after LeBron James did it in the 2016 NBA Finals. Meanwhile Al Horford sunk 6 three-pointers and tallied 15 rebounds and 3 blocks. Derrick White added 18 points. Evan Mobley tied his season-high with 33 points as Cleveland were left without Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert. Marcus Morris Sr., who barely saw playing time throughout the playoffs, had a breakout performance with 25 points on 10-of-13 (77%) shooting and made 5 three-pointers. Darius Garland struggled, making only 4-of-17 (24%) for 11 points.

Regular-season series

Boston won 2–1 in the regular-season series
December 12, 2023 Recap Cleveland Cavaliers 113, Boston Celtics 120 TD Garden, Boston, MA December 14, 2023 Recap Cleveland Cavaliers 107, Boston Celtics 116 TD Garden, Boston, MA March 5, 2024 Recap Boston Celtics 104, Cleveland Cavaliers 105 Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH

This was the ninth playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning four series apiece.^[68]

Previous playoff series

Tied 4–4 in all-time playoff series

1976 Boston Celtics 4, Cleveland Cavaliers 2 1976 Eastern Conference finals 1985 Boston Celtics 3, Cleveland Cavaliers 1 1985 Eastern Conference First Round 1992 Boston Celtics 3, Cleveland Cavaliers 4 1992 Eastern Conference semifinals 2008 Boston Celtics 4, Cleveland Cavaliers 3 2008 Eastern Conference semifinals 2010 Cleveland Cavaliers 2, Boston Celtics 4 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals 2015 Cleveland Cavaliers 4, Boston Celtics 0 2015 Eastern Conference First Round 2017 Boston Celtics 1, Cleveland Cavaliers 4 2017 Eastern Conference finals 2018 Boston Celtics 3, Cleveland Cavaliers 4 2018 Eastern Conference finals

Jalen Brunson recorded his fourth consecutive 40-point game and rallied the Knicks from a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win the series opener. Brunson scored 21 of his 43 points in the fourth quarter, Donte DiVincenzo scored 25 points and hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 40 seconds remaining, while Josh Hart shot 69% from the field, finishing with 24 points and 13 rebounds in 48 minutes played. Myles Turner finished with a team-high 23 points for the Pacers, while Pascal Siakam finished with 19 points as Indiana got strong support from their bench, as they outscored New York's bench 46–3. Tyrese Haliburton had eight assists and four steals but finished the fourth quarter with zero points and three turnovers.

After missing the entire second quarter due to a foot injury and trailing by ten at halftime, Jalen Brunson's return in the second half sparked a 21–4 run and propelled the Knicks to a 2–0 series lead. Brunson scored 29 points and shot 11-of-18 from the field, while OG Anunoby had 28 points before leaving in the third quarter with a hamstring injury. Donte DiVincenzo also finished with 28 points, Isaiah Hartenstein had a double-double with eight assists, and Josh Hart played all 48 minutes and finished with 15 rebounds on 8-of-12 from the field. For the Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton rebounded from a six-point performance in game 1 with 34 points and nine assists, while the Indiana bench provided 46 points for the second straight game.

Andrew Nembhard, who had been scoreless through 46 minutes, hit a 31-foot, go-ahead three-pointer with 16 seconds to go, giving the Pacers a critical 111–106 victory. Tyrese Haliburton finished with 35 points and seven assists, as he rallied Indiana from a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to avoid a 3–0 series deficit. Pascal Siakam shined with 26 points and seven rebounds on 9-of-14 shooting, while Myles Turner contributed 21 points and 10 rebounds as the Pacers improved to 4–0 at home this postseason. Donte DiVincenzo led the Knicks, who were without OG Anunoby, with 35 points and seven three-pointers, backed by Josh Hart's 18 rebounds and Jalen Brunson's 26 points. Alec Burks, who had played one minute this postseason coming into game 3, provided 14 points off the bench, while Brunson's potential game-tying three-point attempt barely grazed the rim, securing the Pacers' victory.

Indiana jumped out to a 20 point lead during the first quarter, and never looked back, leading by as many as 43 points in the blowout win to tie the series. The Pacers shot 57% from the field, hitting 14 threes, led by Tyrese Haliburton's 20 points, six rebounds, and five assists as well as Aaron Nesmith's 12 rebounds. Off the bench for Indiana, T. J. McConnell recorded 15 points and 10 assists with Obi Toppin providing 14 points. The Knicks struggled all game, shooting 34% from the field and 19% from three, with Jalen Brunson being the only starter to score in double digits with 18 points on 6-17 shooting and 0-5 from three. Off the Knicks' bench, Alec Burks scored 20 points and Miles McBride provided 16 points.

After suffering a demoralizing blowout loss in game 4, the Knicks responded with a 30-point victory to move one win away from their first conference finals appearance in 24 years. Jalen Brunson led the charge with 44 points and seven assists, marking his fifth 40-point game of the postseason. Josh Hart recorded 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Miles McBride and Alec Burks combined for 35 points on 8-of-15 from beyond the arc. New York dominated the glass, outrebounding Indiana 53–29 and securing 20 offensive rebounds (with 12 of them coming from Isaiah Hartenstein) that led to 26 second-chance points. Pascal Siakam had 22 points, Myles Turner scored 16, and Tyrese Haliburton finished with 13 points on nine shot attempts.

Pascal Siakam finished with 25 points and seven rebounds, Myles Turner posted 17 points and eight rebounds, and the Pacers improved to 6–0 at home this postseason to force a decisive game 7. Haliburton, Nembhard, and McConnell each scored 15 points and combined for an assist-turnover ratio of 19 to 2. Indiana also held a 47–35 rebounding edge and dominated the Knicks in the paint 62–38, as they led by as much as 23 points in the second half. Jalen Brunson tallied 31 points and five assists on 11-of-26 from the field, but missed his final 11 shots in the first half. Miles McBride and Donte DiVincenzo scored 20 and 17 points, respectively, while Josh Hart was forced out of the game due to an abdominal injury.

After the home team won the first six games, the Pacers went on the road and shot a playoff record 67.1% from the field to advance to their first conference finals in ten years. Indiana led by 22 points in the second quarter, and although the Knicks got within six in the second half, the Pacers ultimately prevailed and overcame their first-ever 0–2 series deficit. Tyrese Haliburton had 26 points, while Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner recorded 20 and 17 points, respectively. Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith combined for 39 points on 16-of-18 shooting, and T. J. McConnell tallied seven assists. A hobbled OG Anunoby and Josh Hart started for New York, but Anunoby exited in the first quarter, and Jalen Brunson (17 points) left in the second half with a broken hand, adding to the Knicks' injury woes. Donte DiVincenzo scored 39 points on 9-of-15 from deep, and Alec Burks added 26 points on 8-of-13 shooting.

Regular-season series

Indiana won 2–1 in the regular-season series
December 30, 2023 Recap New York Knicks 126, Indiana Pacers 140 Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN February 1, 2024 Recap Indiana Pacers 105, New York Knicks 109 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY February 10, 2024 Recap Indiana Pacers 125, New York Knicks 111 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Pacers winning four of the first seven meetings.^[69]

Previous playoff series

Indiana leads 4–3 in all-time playoff series

1993 New York Knicks 3, Indiana Pacers 1 1993 Eastern Conference First Round 1994 New York Knicks 4, Indiana Pacers 3 1994 Eastern Conference finals 1995 Indiana Pacers 4, New York Knicks 3 1995 Eastern Conference semifinals 1998 Indiana Pacers 4, New York Knicks 1 1998 Eastern Conference semifinals 1999 Indiana Pacers 2, New York Knicks 4 1999 Eastern Conference finals 2000 Indiana Pacers 4, New York Knicks 2 2000 Eastern Conference finals 2013 New York Knicks 2, Indiana Pacers 4 2013 Eastern Conference semifinals

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 29 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists as the Thunder routed the Mavericks 117–95 to secure the series opener. Chet Holmgren added 19 points and seven rebounds, Jalen Williams scored 10 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, while Aaron Wiggins scored 12 of his 16 points in the first half to help Oklahoma City improve to 5–0 this postseason. Dallas cut the Thunder lead to nine with 8:29 left in the fourth quarter, but Oklahoma City responded with a 15–2 run that prompted the Mavericks to empty their bench. Kyrie Irving scored 20 points and Daniel Gafford posted a double-double with five blocks, while Luka Dončić struggled, finishing with 19 points and five turnovers on 6-of-19 from the field.

Led by Luka Dončić and P. J. Washington's 29 points each, the Mavericks improved to 3–0 following a loss this postseason and leveled the series at one game apiece. Maintaining control throughout the first half, Dallas briefly lost the lead in the third quarter but regained control with a 15–2 run, as the Thunder never got closer than four points. Dončić and Washington combined to shoot 12-of-19 (63%) from beyond the arc, while Kyrie Irving tallied 11 assists and Tim Hardaway Jr. provided a spark off the bench with 17 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 33 points, 12 boards, and eight assists, while Jalen Williams added 20 points for the Thunder, who allowed more than 100 points for the first time this postseason.

The Mavericks, led by their trio of Dončić, Irving, and Washington, protected homecourt and secured a 2–1 series lead over the top-seeded Thunder. Dončić contributed 22 points and 15 boards while Irving finished with 22 points and seven assists, as the pair made key plays down the stretch. Washington scored 27 points and spearheaded a 16–0 run in the third quarter that gave Dallas a lead they wouldn't relinquish, while rookie Dereck Lively II, being fouled intentionally in the fourth quarter, finished 8-of-12 on free throws. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tallied 31 points and five blocks, but shot 1-of-6 and committed three turnovers in the final quarter, while Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren finished with 16 and 13 points, respectively.

In a critical game 4, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a playoff career-high 34 points and orchestrated a 20–10 run to end the game as the Thunder tied the series. Oklahoma City also got clutch three-pointers from Chet Holmgren (18 points) and Luguentz Dort (17 points), as they surged back from a six-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Despite a triple-double from Luka Dončić, he and Kyrie Irving struggled shooting, combining for 27 points on 10-of-31 (32%) from the field. Derrick Jones Jr. added 17 points and four blocks for the Mavericks, while P. J. Washington posted 21 points and 12 rebounds. Dallas's woes were compounded by missed free throws, shooting just 52% (12-of-23) compared to 95.8% (23-of-24) from the Thunder.

After averaging just 22 points on 39% shooting over the first four games, Luka Dončić delivered a 31-point triple-double and made 12-of-22 shots to give the Mavericks a pivotal 3–2 series lead heading back to Dallas. On the road facing a hostile crowd, the Mavericks trailed by six early but seized the lead midway through the first quarter and maintained it for the rest of the game. Derrick Jones Jr. recorded 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting, Kyrie Irving added 12 points, and both P. J. Washington and Dereck Lively II notched double-doubles. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points and dished out eight assists, but no one else on the Thunder scored more than 13 points, as his teammates combined to shoot 8-of-36 (22%) from deep.

The Mavericks overcame a 17-point second-half deficit to reach their second conference finals in three years. Luka Dončić scored 29 points and logged his third straight triple-double, Kyrie Irving and Derrick Jones Jr. each scored 22 points, while P. J. Washington scored all nine of his points late in the fourth quarter, including go-ahead free throws with 2.5 seconds left. Dereck Lively II also grabbed 15 boards for Dallas, who shot 16-of-34 (47%) from beyond the arc and outrebounded the Thunder 47–31. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander posted a playoff-high 36 points, while Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren had 22 and 21 points, respectively. Holmgren briefly put Oklahoma City ahead on an alley-oop with 20 seconds left, but Gilgeous-Alexander fouled Washington on a three-point shot. The Thunder lost their final timeout challenging the call, leaving them with a desperate half-court heave that missed as time expired.

Regular-season series

Oklahoma City won 3–1 in the regular-season series

December 2, 2023 Recap Oklahoma City Thunder 126, Dallas Mavericks 120 American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX February 10, 2024 Recap Oklahoma City Thunder 111, Dallas Mavericks 146 American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX March 14, 2024 Recap Dallas Mavericks 119, Oklahoma City Thunder 126 Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK April 14, 2024 Recap Dallas Mavericks 86, Oklahoma City Thunder 135 Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK

This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, and the fourth since the Seattle SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008, with the Thunder winning three of the first five meetings.^[70]

Previous playoff series

Oklahoma City leads 3–2 in all-time playoff series

1984 Dallas Mavericks 3, Seattle SuperSonics 2 1984 Western Conference First Round 1987 Dallas Mavericks 1, Seattle SuperSonics 3 1987 Western Conference First Round 2011 Dallas Mavericks 4, Oklahoma City Thunder 1 2011 Western Conference finals 2012 Oklahoma City Thunder 4, Dallas Mavericks 0 2012 Western Conference First Round 2016 Oklahoma City Thunder 4, Dallas Mavericks 1 2016 Western Conference First Round

In the Timberwolves' first conference semifinal game in 20 years, Anthony Edwards scored a franchise playoff-record 43 points, leading Minnesota to a 1–0 series lead over the defending champions. Edwards shot 17-of-29 (59%) from the field, while Naz Reid came off the bench and scored 14 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter, igniting an 18–7 run that allowed Minnesota to pull away. Mike Conley tallied 14 points and 10 assists, while Karl-Anthony Towns scored 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting as the Timberwolves shot 71% from the floor in the second half. Nikola Jokić had 32 points but shot under 50% from the field and finished with an assist-turnover ratio of 9 to 7, while Jamal Murray scored all 17 of his points after halftime.

The Timberwolves stunned the Nuggets in the first half, as they jumped out to a 26-point halftime lead that they rode to take a commanding 2–0 series lead back to Minneapolis. Without Rudy Gobert, the Timberwolves still held Denver to 80 points, their fewest in any game since 2020. Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns combined for 54 points and shot 21-of-32 from the field, while Kyle Anderson, replacing Gobert in the starting lineup, had seven offensive rebounds and eight assists. Aaron Gordon led the Nuggets with 20 points, while Nikola Jokić notched 16 rebounds on 5-of-13 shooting. The rest of Denver's starters struggled, particularly Jamal Murray, finishing with eight points and four turnovers on 3-of-18 from the field.

Trailing 2–0 in the series, the Nuggets bounced back with a dominant 117–90 road victory and handed Minnesota their first loss of the postseason. Jamal Murray, who scored two total points in the first half coming into game 3, had 18 of his 24 points in the first two quarters and set the tone for Denver, who led by as much as 34 points. Nikola Jokić shot over 50% from the field and finished an assist shy of a triple-double, while Michael Porter Jr. finished with 21 points as the Nuggets knocked down 14-of-29 (48%) three-pointers. Anthony Edwards was held to under 25 points for the first time in five games, while Karl-Anthony Towns made 4-of-5 three-pointers for the Timberwolves, who endured their largest defeat of the season.

Despite Anthony Edwards setting a franchise playoff record with 44 points, Nikola Jokić and Aaron Gordon led the Nuggets as they evened the series going back to Denver. Jokić recorded 35 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals making 15-of-26 shots, while Gordon made 11-of-12 for 27 points. Jamal Murray added 19 points and 8 assists, making a 56-foot buzzer-beating half-courter as the Nuggets led by 15 points going into halftime. Edwards made 16-of-25 shots and made five three-pointers. All Timberwolves starters plus Naz Reid scored in double-digits, although Karl-Anthony Towns shot 1-of-10 in the first half, ultimately finishing on 5-of-18 from the field. Towns and Rudy Gobert led the game's rebounding with 12 and 14 boards respectively.

Against the number one ranked defense in the league, Nikola Jokić shot 15-of-22 (68%) from the field and finished with 40 points, 13 assists, and zero turnovers as the Nuggets took a 3–2 series lead after falling behind 0–2. Alongside Jokić's stellar performance, Jamal Murray had 16 points on 50% shooting, Aaron Gordon had a double-double, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope made 4-of-5 three-pointers for Denver. Rudy Gobert tallied 18 points and 11 rebounds on 100% shooting, while Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota with 23 points. However, Anthony Edwards started off slow, missing 8-of-9 shots in the first half and ultimately finishing with just 18 points as the Timberwolves suffered their first three-game losing streak of the season.

Facing elimination, the Timberwolves held the defending champions to the fewest points scored by any team in six years and forced a game 7. Anthony Edwards posted 27 points with a +43 plus-minus, Jaden McDaniels added 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting, and Mike Conley contributed 13 points in his return from injury. Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Naz Reid combined for 38 boards, helping Minnesota outrebound Denver 62–43. The Timberwolves' bench outscored the Nuggets' reserves 36–9, including a 24–0 run in the fourth quarter that pushed the lead to 50 points. Nikola Jokić and Aaron Gordon combined for 34 points on 50% shooting, while the rest of the Nuggets shot 22%, with Jamal Murray missing 14-of-18 shots.

On the 20th anniversary of their first conference finals berth, the Timberwolves rallied from a 20-point second-half deficit to eliminate the defending champions on the road. Although Jamal Murray's 24 first-half points gave the Nuggets a 15-point halftime lead, Minnesota surged back, as they closed the third quarter with a 28–9 run and took the lead in the fourth. Karl-Anthony Towns tallied 23 points and 12 boards, and Jaden McDaniels notched 23 points on 70% shooting as the Timberwolves finished with six players in double figures. Anthony Edwards, initially slow, finished strong with 16 points, eight boards, seven assists, and hit a three-pointer that pushed Minnesota's lead to 10 with three minutes left. Despite a combined 69 points from Murray and Jokić on 55 shot attempts, no one else on the Nuggets scored more than seven points, as Denver was held to under 100 points in all four losses this series.

Regular-season series

Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
November 1, 2023 Recap Denver Nuggets 89, Minnesota Timberwolves 110 Target Center, Minneapolis, MN March 19, 2024 Recap Denver Nuggets 115, Minnesota Timberwolves 112 Target Center, Minneapolis, MN March 29, 2024 Recap Minnesota Timberwolves 111, Denver Nuggets 98 Ball Arena, Denver, CO April 10, 2024 Recap Minnesota Timberwolves 107, Denver Nuggets 116 Ball Arena, Denver, CO

Previous playoff series

Tied 1–1 in all-time playoff series
2004 Minnesota Timberwolves 4, Denver Nuggets 1 2004 Western Conference First Round 2023 Denver Nuggets 4, Minnesota Timberwolves 1 2023 Western Conference First Round

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team previously winning one series by four games to one.^[71]

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

In a matchup between the top two scoring teams from the regular season, the Celtics rallied behind Jayson Tatum's 36 points and Jaylen Brown's clutch three-pointer to secure the series opener in overtime. Boston opened the game on a 12–0 run, but the Pacers fought back and eventually led by three with 10 seconds remaining. However, Indiana turned it over after failing to inbound the ball, and Brown hit a contested three-pointer to tie the game at 117. Tatum then orchestrated a personal 6–0 run in overtime to put the Celtics ahead for good. Brown finished with 26 points, Jrue Holiday scored a season-high 28 points, and Derrick White dished out nine assists. The Pacers had seven players finish in double figures, but struggled with 22 turnovers, which led to 32 points for Boston. Tyrese Haliburton recorded 25 points and 10 assists, while Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner combined for 47 points and 22 rebounds.