The NBA playoffs 2024-25 are in full swing, and our NBA insiders covered them for each game in March for the final.
The No. 4 -Samen Denver Nuggets and No. 5 -Semen La Clipperers played another thriller on Monday, this time with the clips, which thanks to Kawhi Leonards outstanding performance resulted in a win 2 win. The series now drives in intuit Dome in Inglewood for the first playoff games in the latest Arena of the NBA.
On Tuesday, No. 1 -Sowing Oklahoma City Thunder had another dominant victory against No. 8 seed Memphis Grizzlies when they prepared to change for game 3. The No. 3 seeds Los Angeles Lakers went against No. 6 -Semen Minnesota Timberwolves behind Luka Doncics 31 points.
Since the West Playoffs continue, what is most important and what you should pay attention to in all four series is.
Jump to a series:
Thunder-Grizzlies | Rockets Greatator
Lakers-Temberwolves | Nuggets clipper
Further reporting:
Real estate farmer in East
Subjects and results | Offseason guides
Tuesday games
Game 2: Lakers 94, Timberwolves 85
What we learned:
If there was a sequence that perfectly illustrated the additional edge who had brought the Lakers after game 2 after they were pushed around in game 1, it was Rui Hachimura, who pushed from his facial mask, threw it aside and ran down the place to continue competing. Hachimura did not let a goal in the face and a bloody nose kept him in the early service on Tuesday, and the Lakers made Minnesota's serial opening boost like the candidate that they have rounded off since the acquisition of Doncic.
LA has been weakly too powerful on a laundry list of editions on Saturday. After they had been led to fast points with 25: 6, they led on Tuesday with 13: 6. After Minnesota had held a 3-point defense of the Lakers' Perimeter defense 21: 42 to 5-to-25 depth. And while Doncic scored big goals in both games (37 points, followed by 31), he scored 2 nine templates in game after a single cent in the opener who completely commanded the offensive of the Lakers. Now we have a series.
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Doncic Cooks Gobert for a base jumper
Luka Doncic shows his movements on Rudy Gobert on the way to a base jumper for the Lakers.
Game 3: Lakers at Timberwolves (Friday, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
What can be seen:
Can LeBron James and Austin Reaves find an offensive groove in this series? After summarizing 1 35 points in the game in the 13-by-31 shoot, they put together 37 points together in game 2. It is a bit of a dip of the 44.6 combined points that you have average in the regular season, and these could prove to be precious points that LA needs when the series shifted to Minneapolis.
Game 1: Timberwolves 117, Lakers 95
What we learned:
The Lakers organization has prepared for game 1 by distributing a hype video with its post -season motto “unleashed Joy”. The video in the words of the Lakers should tip your “Playoff run 2025”. The anticipation for a deep playoff -push was understandable when you consider how well LA was played in the west after trading with Luka Doncic and the securing of No. 3.
And the path on Saturday started when Doncic Minnesota personally exceeded 14 points when LA rose at the beginning of the first 20-12, this story was apparently planning. But nobody in La's marketing department was of the opinion that the wolves who lost a year ago against Doncic in the conference final that would become the main characters.
“We know that not many people choose us,” said Minnesota coach Chris Finch before the game. “I think our boys have supported themselves a little.”
After Doncics accomplished initial, the wolves took control in the second and third quarter, led by up to 27 points when they had the boards (44-38) and the defense of the Lakers, spreading the additional passport for the open shooters (on a franchise night season 21 of 4). The advance of this series focused on Doncic, LeBron James and Austin on the one hand and Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle on the other. Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid in Minnesota summarized 19-to-25 shootout for 48 points to completely surpass the role players from LA and bring the wolves to the driver's seat.
– Dave McMenamin
Game 2: Donner 118, Grizzlies 99
What we learned:
The grizzlies made up for their vows much better than playing better than in a humiliating game 1. It was simply not nearly good enough to fight a team from Oklahoma City on the street that had the best record of the NBA. The grizzlies moved the deficit several times in the third quarter to single -digit digits when Jaren Jackson became Jr. But the result was never in doubt, since the thunder wire led to the wire to take over a 2-0 series that seems insurmountable. Oklahoma City has won all six meetings with Memphis with double -digit margins this season.
2:23
SGA drops 27 in the Game 2 victory of OKC 27
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander runs out for 27 points to help thunder to claim a 2-0 lead against the grizzlies.
Game 3: Donner at Grizzlies (Thursday, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
What can be seen:
What if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander snaps out of his mini-slump? The thunder drove to a few wins to open the series despite two not characteristically poor shooting ideas of the likely MVP. Gilgeous-Alexander, who led the league in the league with 32.7 points per game, shoots 32.6% in series.
Game 1: Donner 131, grizzlies 80
What we learned:
This was not a fair struggle. The grizzlies have their hands against the thunder – a team that set the record for the best point differential in a regular season – regardless of the circumstances. But with a 36-hour turnaround from the game final with travel in between? Good luck, grizzlies. The suffocating defense of Oklahoma City overwhelmed Memphis and promoted a 17-0 advantage in the first half in the first half.
This game was in the middle of the second quarter, although the MVP front manager Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had ended a slow start (2 von 10 shooting in the first half) and with its fewest points (15) in a game this season. Admittedly, it was exposed to almost five minutes in the third quarter for the rest of the game.
– Tim Macmahon
West series of the first round
Game 2: Clippers 105, Nuggets 102
What we learned:
Kawhi Leonard is still capable of brilliance in the post -season. After the overwhelming performance of the veteran in game 1, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said that the team had to bring Leonard back into “attack mode”. According to Leonard's exceptionally efficient 39 points in the 15-against-19 shoot in game 2. That was his highest number of points since a 41-point version against Utah on December 8, 2023.
Leonard started the game on Monday by hit his first six shots, missed a 3 pointer and then hit six in a row. It was only in the fourth quarter that he missed consecutive recordings, but the two-time NBA champion was as close to as automatically as a scorer can be in an already controversial series. Leonard sealed the Clipper's victory by stolen a Crosscourt pass from Nikola Jokic in the last minute. It was Jokic's seventh turnover of the game, proof of how closely the clipper defended him.
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3 technicians who were distributed as minds between nuggets, clipper
The mind flee when Jamal Murray and Norman Powell get into a thrust game in the third quarter.
Game 3: Nuggets at Clippers (Thursday, 10 p.m. ET, TNT)
What can be seen:
Denver received strong contributions from Jokic (26 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists), Jamal Murray (23 points), Michael Porter Jr. (15 points) and Aaron Gordon (14). But outside of Russell Westbrooks 14 points, no other denver player aggressively had an effect. That has to change if the nuggets at Intuit Dome will win a game.
A bright side for the nuggets? They triggered the clipper on the offensive glass. This undermined the outstanding defense of the Clipper and gave Denver additional points to the goal (18 points of the second chance on Monday). Although the Clippers did not take 29 points from the sales as in the first game, he came back on the wire.
Game 1: Nuggets 112, Clippers 110 (OT)
What we learned:
Denver can take a blow – literally. Nikola Jokic was hit in the face by a faulty Derrick Jones Jr. Unterarm, got a technical foul to argue the non-call, and somehow collected the nuggets from a 15-point deficit to win this game in the extension. Russell Westbrook was incredible on the glass with an offensive bumper, putbacks and even an important 3 pointer on the track. It was his first career in the last 30 seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime in his playoff career. Jamal Murray shook one arms in the fourth quarter with two huge 3-horses in the first half, and Aaron Gordon had six of the Nuggets 14 points in extra time to seal the victory.
The Clipper will wonder what would have happened if James Harden had most of the game in bad difficulties. He was brilliant for the team, but the Nuggets survived with Grit and possibly rediscovered their championship outlet after a turbulent last week of the regular season.
– Ramona Shelburne
Game 1: Warriors 95, Rockets 85
What we learned:
The Warriors can also play defense. The Rockets only scored the 4:36 mark of the third quarter 50 points, and their 85 points were very few this season. The Rockets had an angry start, which was highlighted by Alperen Senguns Monster Dunk on Draymond Green, but the warriors kept around. Stephen Curry began to achieve up to date against aggressive defenders and still found time to hit ridiculous 3-point shots. Jimmy Butler III. Also began to select his seats and ended with 25 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.
In defense, the Warriors seemed to be satisfied with Ling Sengun, although the all-star striker had only four of his 26 points in the fourth quarter. The Rockets found a difficult score, shoot 6-to-29 of 3 and were missing several attempts on the edge. They stayed at 23 in the third quarter, but came back into play by dominating the glass with 22 points of the second chance and 22 offensive countries (almost eight more than the average of the regular season).
Houston came in three to fourth when Amen Thompson made some large baskets, but Butler hit two large shots and the warriors showed exactly why nobody wanted to face them and their championship experience in the first round. – Ohm Youngmisuk
1:46
Why Stephen A. is disappointed in the Rockets after game 1
Stephen A. Smith explains how the rockets against the warriors did justice and why their performance did not meet expectations.
Game 2: Warriors at Rockets (Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
What can be seen:
Golden State seemed to wipe Houston's identity in the first half and exceeded the rockets in the transition 14-2. Losing in this area, there are practically no recording in this series, especially when you consider that the seasonal fights generate half a crime. An aggressive, physical start helped Houston to take a 13-point lead in the first half, which evaporated when the experienced warriors were involved.
Search for Houston to continue to assert physicality to wear the Golden State while you rely more on Sengun in the half -dish. Sengun has blown Green as the most reliable scorer from Houston, but he cannot do the whole work alone on the offensive.
– Michael C. Wright
