You could see it when Jaden McDaniels finally had enough of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s arm-hooking and pushed him to the floor for a flagrant-1 foul.

“I just wanted to foul him for real. I wasn’t even mad,” McDaniels said. “I had fouls to use.”

The Timberwolves are more than annoyed by the officiating. They’ll hint at it without fully going into “fine me” territory, but they’re definitely distracted in their quest to find answers in this series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

They played zone, the zone was shredded. Anthony Edwards got the ball in different places, it only mattered so much.

The adjustments could be physical, but it certainly feels like the mission to stay on task for 24 seconds at a time is too difficult against this team, as the Thunder again ran away from the Timberwolves in the third quarter and took a 2-0 lead with a 118-103 win at Paycom Center Thursday night.

Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves have a tall task ahead of them. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

A year ago, the Timberwolves were equally happy to be in the NBA’s final four but also beating themselves up for dropping two games at home to Luka Dončić and the Dallas Mavericks. As unlikely as it was for them to turn that series around on the road, it feels even more of a tall task this time around.

Just because the Thunder are that damn good.

It feels like these two squads are in different weight classes, almost like if Sugar Ray Leonard took on Mike Tyson in his prime. Leonard is one of the greats, but he couldn’t beat a heavyweight because it would take just one devastating punch to send a historic boxer flying to the canvas.

In the first, second and fourth quarters of Game 2, the Timberwolves were only outscored by the Thunder 83-82, but that third quarter is the bugaboo to end all bugaboos — another disastrous 12 minutes after halftime. This go-round, it was the Thunder outscoring the Wolves 35-21.

“It’s a five-minute stretch of a game that they take over. They go up 12, 15 and the game gets out of hand,” Timberwolves guard Mike Conley told Yahoo Sports. “But for the majority of it, the first two quarters, it’s a five-, six-point game. Three-point game, they’re up, we’re up. We just gotta find a way to match or exceed the intensity that they come with in those moments in spurts.”

The spurts feel like a predictable avalanche.

The turnovers (five in the third quarter) came in bunches for the Wolves, and they couldn’t hit anything from the 3-point line. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 11 of his 38 in the period, in front of a crowd that chanted “MVP” every time he went to the free-throw line.

It’s not that the Thunder have played a perfect game. They’ve been anemic from the 3-point line, just like the Timberwolves (27% for Oklahoma City, 28% for Minnesota). The Thunder just play a cleaner game, while the Timberwolves can’t get in front of the game long enough to exert control.

“Little things are what they’re doing. They’re being physical. It’s a dogfight. Bad calls, good calls, whatever,” Conley said. “Can we look past that and go get the defensive rebound? Can we do the hustle stuff that they’re doing? We gotta find our way and push our way through that.”

Conley’s the only starter with a positive plus-minus, and the second he leaves the game, usually midway through the first and third, the floodgates open.

Like a self-fulfilling prophecy, Julius Randle came back down to earth after several stellar games, playing just 10 minutes in the second half as the Timberwolves tried to go smaller to match up with the Thunder’s overall speed.

“Myself as a player, I gotta take responsibility and see how the flow of the game is going,” Randle said. “Get myself in some type of action, whether it’s screening or cutting or rebounding. But I’ll figure it out.”

Randle wouldn’t wade into the waters of anything controversial, only saying the Thunder play with a “different kind of physicality.” He declined to elaborate, only giving a wry smile when prodded further.

All agree the Thunder stay connected, particularly on defense, which keys those third-quarter runs. It’s deflating to look up after a solid half and see the slightest thing turn a competitive game into one that trends toward the danger zone.

“We put ourselves on such a razor’s edge in the third,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “We only had six turnovers at halftime, a few more in the third, missed some shots, didn’t finish, led to a bunch of stuff for them.”

The Thunder drive you right to the edge. They drive you insane with their execution. That’s why it’s so puzzling for the Wolves, because they don’t feel 20 points worse than this team, not right now.

But get in line.

If it’s a close game for OKC, it’s a rarity. The Thunder outscore their opponents by nearly 13 points a game, and if the last series against the Denver Nuggets was their hump to get over, keep in mind their two “gotta have it” wins came in the form of a 43-point win and a 32-point win — the latter being in Game 7.

It’s not impossible to envision Anthony Edwards breaking the streak of non-American players winning Most Valuable Player, on the night commissioner Adam Silver delivered the Michael Jordan trophy to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Jaden McDaniels received votes for All-Defense, although not as many as Jalen Williams and Lu Dort.

It’s not that they profile similarly, they just have players who can function similarly — even Edwards can match Gilgeous-Alexander shot-for-shot when things are perfect.

But Edwards is seeing every type of defender the Thunder have to offer and his teammates feel he’s not getting the calls Gilgeous-Alexander is receiving on the other end. Edwards was much more aggressive, taking 26 shots after just 13 in Game 1 to score 32, but he was 1 for 9 from the 3-point line.

The newly crowned MVP saw fewer limbs and bodies on his way to another efficient night, and added eight assists and went to the foul line 15 times.

There’s a difference in where these teams are now, and where they can be in the future. Williams showed that when he’s a capable second scorer, the Thunder are impossible to beat. Not difficult.

Impossible.

“He’s getting to his left hand way too much and we gotta do a better job of cutting that off,” Finch said succinctly.

That sounds simple, just as so many other potential adjustments. But it isn’t, and it feels like it’s a matter of time before it’s fully acknowledged by all.

Elimination is staring them in the face, an unexpected development considering how well the LeBron James-Luka Dončić partnership has worked in a few short months.

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Elimination is staring them in the face because they couldn’t manage to scrape out one win on the road against a Minnesota Timberwolves team we can no longer describe as immature and unserious.

But most importantly, elimination is staring the Lakers in the face because Anthony Edwards pushed them there, because Edwards’ mental and physical stamina is greater than the two stars he stands across the way from.

The Lakers faltered down the stretch in their 116-113 Game 4 loss to the Timberwolves on Sunday afternoon, as Minnesota has taken a 3-1 series lead and can eliminate the Lakers with a win at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday.

Edwards is on the verge of becoming the NBA’s giant slayer. He took down champions and MVPs in last year’s playoff run. The encore for sending Kevin Durant and Nikola Jokić home could be two more players he holds in the highest regard.

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“Luka’s probably the best player in the game — young player in the game and Bron is the best player leaving the game, so I’m just trying to prove I belong,” Edwards said.

One supposes James will leave the game eventually, but before he does, Edwards wants a piece — that the best respect he can show someone he called a mentor from their time as Olympians last summer is to put him out.

Edwards scored 16 of his 43 in the fourth quarter as the Timberwolves clawed back from a 10-point hole, beginning the proceedings with back-to-back triples. He finished with icy free throws, calm free throws, following a review that ruled James fouled Edwards on the hand on a drive with 10.5 seconds left.

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“Hand is part of the ball. I feel like the hand was a part of that ball,” James said. “I was able to get his hand on top of the ball. The ball stripped out and went out on him.”

The officials saw it differently.

“He’s swiping at the ball, he can’t get to it, you gotta hit my arm,” said Edwards, who also finished with nine rebounds and six assists.

Edwards wants his respect, as not just a top young player, but the guy — the standard. And who are we to deny him. There’s this glimmer in his eye when he talks, almost as if he knows a secret he’s not willing to share — but he knows it’ll be revealed in due time anyways.

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Due time could be Wednesday, or Friday, or even a week from now if this goes to a Game 7. Consider Edwards’ approach here, seeing those two across the way. It was clear the Lakers stars were going for it, and the temptation, the urge to match them shot-for-shot had to be yearning inside those 23-year-old bones.

Instead, he lulled them to sleep — almost like a black cat, one would say, before he pounced in the final period. He picked his spots, continuing his trend of facilitating without turning the ball over (six turnovers in four games), chased Dončić around, bodied up on James and yet had enough down the stretch to dominate.

The Lakers are one more Anthony Edwards explosion away from elimination from the playoffs. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) (Robert Gauthier via Getty Images)

He’s making sure Julius Randle stays engaged and doesn’t stray, pumping life into Jaden McDaniels and crediting teammates like Donte DiVincenzo for pointing out nuances he doesn’t often read in real time.

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But he sees it and is a quick study.

The biggest plays he made were when he gave it up, to DiVincenzo for a driving layup and 3-point play, then not forcing it against a triple-team with 42 seconds left, dishing a hockey assist that resulted in McDaniels having a 3-point play opportunity with his team down two.

These moments keep adding up, these random isolated instances keep going to the ledger — and it equals something.

“These are moments that we should live for, going on the road, trying to close the team out,” Edwards said looking ahead to Game 5. “It’s gonna be tough, gonna be a tough atmosphere, but it should be fun, if you like competing at the highest level.”

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And with the way the Lakers emptied their tanks, the fact Lakers head coach JJ Redick didn’t make a single substitution in the second half, lets you know how critical they saw this game. James played 46 minutes and 14 seconds, while Dončić, fully recovered from an illness that slowed him Friday, played 45 minutes and 49 seconds. James was limited to five points, five rebounds and five assists after halftime, finishing with 27, 12 rebounds, eight assists, three blocks and three steals. Dončić scored 38, but added just two assists.

“We had some really good looks. Luka missed a point-blank layup to put us up seven. I missed a point-blank layup to put us up four,” James said. “We had a couple opportunities, I don’t think it was fatigue. We just missed shots.”

Such is life with James’ legs that Mike Conley — another senior citizen here — managed to recover from being pushed off by James on a look-ahead pass to block his shot from behind midway through the third quarter.

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“It’s the best block I’ve ever had. It’s probably the only one [on James], but I’ll take it,” said Conley, the 37-year-old who’s compiled 242 blocked shots in 1,172 games. “I’ll take a bum ankle over it, too.”

That pain was soothed in the win, similar to Edwards when James’ weight landed square on his left ankle in the third — but he popped up and played on, showing no signs of pain later.

Perhaps it’s the flaws on the Lakers’ roster that brought them here. Redick has done yeoman’s work making this bunch a better defensive team, but Dončić has been targeted on defense and has little use for starting center Jaxson Hayes, who played the first four minutes, picked up two fouls and never returned.

Was it the smartest move by Redick to play his starters the entire second half, considering this was a Sunday afternoon game and Game 3 was Friday night? It was certainly a calculated risk, perhaps done out of respect for what the Timberwolves can do, perhaps out of desperation for what awaits the Lakers on the other side of this: a 3-1 deficit where Games 6 and 7 will be played every other day and the cities sit two time zones away.

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“Today I felt better, there’s no excuse,” Dončić said. “This is the playoffs, fatigue shouldn’t play any role in this. Played a lot of minutes, but they shouldn’t play a role. I think they just executed better on the defensive end during the last minute.”

This was Redick’s chance to get the best of this bunch this series. Those who saw this matchup and looked directly ahead to a Golden State Warriors or Houston Rockets meeting before a showdown against the Oklahoma City Thunder didn’t truly foresee this.

This is clear and present danger, and it was evident in the fourth before Austin Reaves’ corner 3 bounced off the rim before the buzzer. It was evident even with Rui Hachimura being the only Laker outside of James, Dončić and Reaves to score in double figures this series — he scored 23, including some big shots with the Timberwolves charging in the second half.

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It’s evident the Lakers have the top-end talent but perhaps not the sweat equity the Timberwolves have grown to possess — the playoff callouses from last year’s run to the Western Conference finals.

“I think it helps having the continuity that we have, the chemistry that we have, the belief that we have together. Just understanding that we can beat anybody, any night,” Conley said. “We go 8-9-10 deep, with guys that continue to fight and find ways to impact the game.”

This series isn’t over, not with James still able to conjure excellence and Dončić doing something otherworldly every night. But Edwards smells blood in the water — and for the Lakers, that water could be the sandy beaches of Bora Bora or some other tropical island if they don’t pull it together, fast.

Five seasons in, the Minnesota Timberwolves guard has established himself as one of the best, most exciting and most impactful players in the league.

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But in 2020, the jury remained out. And Steve Kerr wasn’t a believer. At least, not at first.

The Golden State Warriors coach was less than impressed with Edwards’ pre-draft workout and delivered a message to Edwards that changed his approach to the game.

Edwards has told the story before. Now both Edwards and Kerr have shared it again ahead of their clash in the Western Conference semifinals as Edwards’ Timberwolves and Kerr’s Golden State Warriors prepare to face off Tuesday night.

The Timberwolves held the No. 1 selection in the 2020 draft in which Edwards, James Wiseman and LaMelo Ball were all considered candidates to go first overall. The Warriors had the No. 2 pick and thus did their due diligence on the top prospects, Edwards included.

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During a pre-draft workout, Kerr told Edwards the Warriors wouldn’t select him if they had the No. 1 pick. Let Edwards tell the story:

‘That’s all you’ve got?’

“Before he came, I thought I was like, working hard,” Edwards said of Kerr during a news conference ahead of Game 1. “And, like, when he came, I was going through the drills. And he kept stopping them, like, ‘That’s all you’ve got? That’s all you’ve got?’

“I’m like, ‘Bruh, I’m going hard as you want me to go. What you want me to do?’ I’m sweating crazy. He’s like, ‘You’ve got to see Steph and KD and Klay work out.'”

That wasn’t the end of Kerr’s and and Edwards’ pre-draft interaction.

‘We wouldn’t take you’

Edwards said he went out to dinner that night with a Warriors contingent that included Kerr and then-general manager Bob Myers. There, Edwards said Warriors brass told him they wouldn’t draft him if they had the first overall pick.

“They still was continuously telling me that ‘you didn’t work hard enough,'” Edwards continued. “‘If we had the No. 1 pick, we wouldn’t take you.'”

Steve Kerr’s words served as motivation for Anthony Edwards to step up his workouts and his game. Now Kerr will see the fruits of that work first-hand with a trip to the Western Conference finals at stake. David Berding/Getty Images) (David Berding via Getty Images)

But there were no hard feelings. Edwards, instead, let Kerr’s and Myers’ words serve as motivation.

“Me and my trainer are driving home after dinner, and we’re just talking like, ‘We’ve got to pick it up,'” Edwards said. “‘I don’t know how. I don’t know what we’ve got to do. But we’ve got to pick it up.’

“After that, man, I became a mad man in the gym. I try to work til I’m tired, I’m exhausted.”

Kerr’s side of the story

Kerr was asked about the interaction and recalled his version of the story Monday during a virtual news conference from his hotel room.

“It’s a funny story,” Kerr said. “I didn’t think much of it at the time. I didn’t think I was doing anything special. … I think it was [Warriors owner] Joe Lacob, Bob Myers and me. And then Ant goes out to work out with his trainer. We’re the only five people in the gym.

“After 15 minutes of just watching him lazily shoot 15 footers, I thought, when’s the workout gonna start? And it turns out that was the workout. And I just went down there and I said, ‘Hey, can we see something more?’ And I think they were kind of surprised.”

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Kerr then recalled what happened at dinner that night.

“And then we had dinner that night,” Kerr continued. “Bob and I both talked about Steph and Kevin Durant and Klay and how hard they work, what it takes to be great. He was genuinely captivated by it, hearing stories about those guys.”

Kerr went on to say a workout with Edwards two weeks later was “way better.”

“At that point, we were sure,” Kerr said of the second workout with Edwards. “You could see he was just exploding with talent and charisma.”

Alas, the Timberwolves took Edwards No. 1 overall, and the Warriors never had a shot at him.

Kerr has since coached Edwards in the Paris Olympics and speaks glowingly about Edwards as a person and as a basketball player. Now he’ll have to game-plan against Edwards as Golden State looks to advance to the Western Conference finals.

And they did it by going up +70 so far in their First Round series.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

April 23, 2025

Lakers pull even: Luka’s 31 leads Lakers past Wolves in Game 2 in L.A.

Indy, OKC up 2-0: Pacers get past Bucks, Thunder roll against Grizzlies

Warriors-Rockets: Can Steph repeat Game 1 magic or will Houston get a split?

Cavs-Heat: Spida Mitchell-Ty Jerome bond on Playoff stage as Cavs seek 2-0 lead

Celtics-Magic: Balance lifted C’s in Game 1, they’ll need it again with Tatum doubtful

BUT FIRST … ⏰

Yesterday’s scores & what to watch today…

After delivering its most-watched opening weekend in 25 years – averaging 4.4 million views – the 2025 NBA Playoffs presented by Google continue tonight with a trio of Game 2s.

The action opens with the top two seeds in the East seeking 2-0 leads as the Celtics host the Magic (7 ET, TNT) and the Cavs welcome the Heat (7:30 ET, NBA TV). The nightcap shifts West with the Rockets seeking a split with the visiting Warriors (9:30 ET, TNT).

After Payton Pritchard was named Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year on Tuesday, the Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year will be revealed tonight (6:30 ET, TNT). The finalists? New York’s Jalen Brunson, Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards & Denver’s Nikola Jokiċ.

1. LAKERS HOLD OFF WOLVES TO KNOT SERIES AT 1-1

Game 2 in Los Angeles started with a WOO! and ended with a Lakers W.

A hot start from Luka Dončić and a defensive effort that held the Wolves to a season-low 85 points helped the Lakers even the series on Tuesday.

Lakers 94, Wolves 85: Luka scored 22 of his game-high 31 points in the 1st half as L.A. built a 22-point lead and held off the Wolves, who cut the lead to nine in the 4th quarter, but got no closer after LeBron’s game-sealing steal and layup with 2:41 left. | Recap

Lakers coach JJ Redick: “All of a sudden there was [Timberwolves] momentum… LeBron just made a massive play.“

“All of a sudden there was [Timberwolves] momentum… LeBron just made a massive play.“ Dynamic duo: After dropping their first Playoff game as teammates, Luka (31 pts, 12 reb, 9 ast) & LeBron (21 pts, 11 reb, 7 ast) combined for 52 points and both flirted with triple-doubles

After dropping their first Playoff game as teammates, Luka (31 pts, 12 reb, 9 ast) & LeBron (21 pts, 11 reb, 7 ast) combined for 52 points and both flirted with triple-doubles Luka Curry? Listen as a mic’d up Dončić “did my best Steph impression” with his look at the bench after releasing a 3

Listen as a mic’d up Dončić “did my best Steph impression” with his look at the bench after releasing a 3 More must-see Luka: Check out the handle, the fake and the fadeaway, plus a slick no-look dime to a cutting Dorian Finney-Smith

Check out the handle, the fake and the fadeaway, plus a slick no-look dime to a cutting Dorian Finney-Smith Among legends: Luka joined Shaq and George Mikan as the only players to post 30+ points in each of their first two Playoff games with the Lakers

Luka joined Shaq and George Mikan as the only players to post 30+ points in each of their first two Playoff games with the Lakers Luka’s reaction: “That’s fine but it don’t matter, we gotta win no matter what. If I have 30, if I have 10, we just gotta win. It’s not about players, it’s about team.”

Two pack: After four Wolves scored 16+ points in their Game 1 win, only two reached double-digits in Game 2. Anthony Edwards (25 pts, 6 reb, 1 must-see slam from all-angles, plus slow-mo) and Julius Randle (Playoff career-high 27 pts, 6 ast) combined for 52 in the loss.

Missing offense : The Wolves dropped to 2-3 on the season when scoring fewer than 100 points, including a 1-1 mark against the Lakers in such games

: The Wolves dropped to 2-3 on the season when scoring fewer than 100 points, including a 1-1 mark against the Lakers in such games What’s next: Tied 1-1, the series heads to Minneapolis for the next two games, beginning with Game 3 on Friday (9:30 ET, ESPN).

2. THUNDER, PACERS PROTECT HOME, EARN 2-0 LEADS

The Thunder set the record for the highest point differential in league history during the regular season (+12.9).

They’re taking it to a new level to begin the postseason.

After posting the largest Game 1 win ever (+51), the Thunder followed it up with a 19-point win in Game 2 to take a 2-0 series lead.

Thunder 118, Grizzlies 99: The trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (27 pts), Jalen Williams (24 pts) and Chet Holmgren (20 pts, 11 reb, 5 blk) combined for 71 points, while OKC’s defense stifled Memphis for the second-straight game. | Recap

Historic pace: OKC has posted the 2nd-largest point differential (+70) in the first two games of a Playoff series. The most? The 1986 Lakers (+75 vs. the Spurs)

OKC has posted the 2nd-largest point differential (+70) in the first two games of a Playoff series. The most? The 1986 Lakers (+75 vs. the Spurs) One of four: The Thunder are only the 4th team with a differential of 70+ over any two-game Playoff span, joining the aforementioned Lakers, the 2009 Nuggets (+79) and 1971 Bucks (+71)

Setting the tone: The Thunder scored the game’s first nine points, holding Memphis scoreless on 0-for-10 shooting for the first 3.5 minutes.

Answering every run: OKC led by 15 after the 1st quarter and held a double-digit advantage most of the night. When Memphis closed the gap to eight midway through the 3rd, OKC responded by pushing it back to 23 in the 4th

OKC led by 15 after the 1st quarter and held a double-digit advantage most of the night. When Memphis closed the gap to eight midway through the 3rd, OKC responded by pushing it back to 23 in the 4th Winning with defense: This season, Memphis averaged 121.7 ppg (2nd in NBA) and scored fewer than 100 points only once. The Thunder have held the Grizzlies under 100 in each of the first two games in this series

This season, Memphis averaged 121.7 ppg (2nd in NBA) and scored fewer than 100 points only once. The Thunder have held the Grizzlies under 100 in each of the first two games in this series Joining elite company: Holmgren joined Dwight Howard (2x), Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon and Amar’e Stoudemire as the only players with 20+ pts, 10+ reb and 5+ blk in a Playoff game before turning 23

Headed home: Jaren Jackson Jr. (26 pts) and Ja Morant (23 pts, 1 unreal chasedown block) combined for 49 points in the loss. The Grizzlies go for their first win in the series on Thursday (9:30 ET, TNT) back in Memphis.

After dropping Game 1 on the road, the Bucks had Damian Lillard back in the lineup for the first time in a month as they sought a split before the series heads to Milwaukee.

But the Pacers used another fast start and a clutch finish to fend off the Bucks and take a 2-0 lead.

Pacers 123, Bucks 115: The Pacers dropped a 40-piece in the opening quarter – their highest scoring Playoff quarter of the play-by-play era, building a lead that would be challenged but never overcome. | Recap

Tyrese Haliburton had seven points and six dimes in the opening frame, while Bennedict Mathurin added 10 points off the bench in the 1st half

had seven points and six dimes in the opening frame, while Bennedict Mathurin added 10 points off the bench in the 1st half Indy led by as many as 16, but the Bucks cut the lead to two points on a Dame 3 with 2:31 to play before Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard delivered a pair of clutch 3s to ice the game

but the Bucks cut the lead to two points on a Dame 3 with 2:31 to play before Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard delivered a pair of clutch 3s to ice the game Two-man game: Siakam (24 pts, 11 reb) and Haliburton (21 pts, 12 ast) each posted 20/10s in the win. Tyrese became only the 3rd Pacer with multiple 20-pt, 10-ast Playoff games

Bucks leaders: Giannis Antetokounmpo (34 pts, 18 reb, 7 ast) and Bobby Portis (28 pts, 12 reb, Playoff career-high 6 3pm) combined for 62 points and 30 boards in the loss, while Lillard had 14 points and seven assists in his first action since March 18.

Matching a legend: With his 8th Playoff game with 30+ pts, 15+ reb and 5+ ast, Giannis tied Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most such games in Bucks history

With his 8th Playoff game with 30+ pts, 15+ reb and 5+ ast, Giannis tied Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most such games in Bucks history What’s next: The Pacers take a 2-0 lead as the series shifts to Milwaukee for the next two games. Game 3 is set for Friday (8 ET, ESPNU/NBA TV)

3. ROCKETS TRY TO BOUNCE BACK AGAINST STEPH, WARRIORS

No Western Conference team held Stephen Curry to fewer points per game during the regular season than the Houston Rockets.

As the 2025 NBA Playoffs began, Steph changed the narrative.

After averaging just 16.3 ppg against the Rockets in three regular-season matchups, Curry dropped a game-high 31 points with five threes in Game 1, cheffing up a road victory for the Warriors.

Tonight in Houston (9:30 ET, TNT), Curry and the Warriors look to take a commanding lead heading back to the Bay, while the Rockets look to knot the series at 1-1.

“In order for us to win basketball games, it requires Steph Curry to be great,” Draymond Green said after Game 1. “And he was just that.”

Sunday’s Steph show saw a few wild circus shots, including a bomb while fading into the right corner, which, in the words of TNT’s Kevin Harlan – “geometrically, that should not have happened!”

saw a few wild circus shots, including a bomb while fading into the right corner, which, in the words of TNT’s Kevin Harlan – “geometrically, that should not have happened!” Curry’s Warriors have gone 10-1 in his career after going up 2-0 in a series

have gone 10-1 in his career after going up 2-0 in a series Golden State is 17-6 when Curry puts up 30+ points this season, including postseason play

when Curry puts up 30+ points this season, including postseason play “That’s a Batman if I’ve ever seen a Batman,” Jimmy Butler III has said of his new running mate. “Always coming to save the day. You’re never out of any game.”

The Rockets have the tools to strike back, including an elite defense, which ranked 5th in defensive rating at 110.3 and 6th in opponent points per game with 109.8.

They’ve done it all season, as the Rockets tied for the league lead with 26 clutch wins

as the Rockets tied for the league lead with 26 clutch wins One of those clutch wins came against Golden State with stakes on the line in the Emirates NBA Cup Quarterfinals as Houston held the Warriors scoreless over the final three minutes in a 91-90 win

came against Golden State with stakes on the line in the Emirates NBA Cup Quarterfinals as Houston held the Warriors scoreless over the final three minutes in a 91-90 win But now it’s time to deliver on the biggest stage

Coach Ime Udoka was pleased with the Rockets’ defensive effort in Game 1, but called for more from his offense.

“Not our best offensive night by any means,” said Udoka. “(But) holding somebody to 95, you’d expect to win if you have a decent offensive night.”

The Warriors were 0-8 when held to 95 points or less this season… until Game 1.

Center Alperen Sengun is a significant factor in Houston’s offense – he averaged 22.5 ppg in the Rockets’ two wins over Golden State during the regular season and 13.3 ppg in their three losses

is a significant factor in Houston’s offense – he averaged 22.5 ppg in the Rockets’ two wins over Golden State during the regular season and 13.3 ppg in their three losses Houston went big in Game 1, playing Sengun and Steven Adams to seize a 22-6 advantage on the offensive glass and a +20 advantage in points in the paint. Will they repeat that tactic tonight?

playing Sengun and Steven Adams to seize a 22-6 advantage on the offensive glass and a +20 advantage in points in the paint. Will they repeat that tactic tonight? Jalen Green (7 pts, 3-15 FG in Game 1) is likely to bounce back in Game 2. Beyond the games once Houston had the 2 seed secured, Green scored in single-digits just nine times this season. In the following games, he averaged 25.9 ppg and Houston went 7-2

is likely to bounce back in Game 2. Beyond the games once Houston had the 2 seed secured, Green scored in single-digits just nine times this season. In the following games, he averaged 25.9 ppg and Houston went 7-2 Fred VanVleet could also rebound – he shot 4-19 in Game 1, his lowest FG% since 2022 on that many attempts

4. CAVS BACKCOURT LOOKS TO STAY HOT VS. HEAT IN GAME 2

It takes historic numbers to achieve a historic season. The Cavaliers accumulated a 58.0% effective FG% and averaged 121.9 ppg in 2024-25 – neither of which had been done across 54 years of franchise lore.

They stayed true to such unprecedented offense to open these Playoffs.

Cleveland took Game 1 against Miami handily on Sunday, scoring its most points (121) in a Playoff game since 2018, and can extend its series lead with another favorable result in Game 2 tonight (7:30 ET, NBA TV).

A three-headed monster roared in the form of Donovan Mitchell (30 pts), Ty Jerome (28) and Darius Garland (27). Jerome exploded in the 4th quarter with 16 points on 6-for-7 shooting

roared in the form of Donovan Mitchell (30 pts), Ty Jerome (28) and Darius Garland (27). Jerome exploded in the 4th quarter with 16 points on 6-for-7 shooting “He turned the game for us. He did it all tonight,” said Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson about the Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year Finalist

Mitchell and Jerome have embarked on their first postseason together, and their connection dates way back. They once played on the same teams in AAU basketball and youth baseball.

Brotherly boost: When the two guards shared the court in the regular season, Cleveland posted a 11.5 NetRtg that, if standing alone, would place 2nd in the league

When the two guards shared the court in the regular season, Cleveland posted a 11.5 NetRtg that, if standing alone, would place 2nd in the league Swordsmanship: Jerome’s 28 points Sunday trailed only Kyrie Irving’s 30 (2015) and LeBron James’ 32 (2006) for the most ever by a Cavalier in their postseason debut

Jerome’s 28 points Sunday trailed only Kyrie Irving’s 30 (2015) and LeBron James’ 32 (2006) for the most ever by a Cavalier in their postseason debut Spread the wealth: Although Mitchell’s 30-piece was instrumental, his team has been better off when the whole squad is rolling. Cleveland was 13-6 in regular-season games where he scored 30+ but 27-2 when he scored between 20 and 29

Miami will look to Tyler Herro (21 pts) and Bam Adebayo (24 pts) for answers after their combined 45 points Sunday wasn’t enough. But the man guiding them is more prepared than most for what comes next.

The Spoelstra secret: The Heat are 10-3 in Game 2s following Game 1 losses since Erik Spoelstra took the reins in 2008, including last year’s Game 2 victory over the Celtics in the First Round behind Herro’s 24 points and 14 assists

The Heat are 10-3 in Game 2s following Game 1 losses since Erik Spoelstra took the reins in 2008, including last year’s Game 2 victory over the Celtics in the First Round behind Herro’s 24 points and 14 assists Heat check: Across those outings, Miami has averaged a 3-point percentage of 44.6% compared to its mark of 36.7% set during the 2024-25 regular season

5. CAN BOSTON’S DEPTH PROPEL THEM TO A 2-0 LEAD?

The defending champs were challenged in a way Sunday they rarely have been this season. For just the 3rd time in 2024-25, neither Jayson Tatum nor Jaylen Brown scored 20 points in a game they played together.

But unlike the last two occasions – both losses – Boston didn’t need its All-Stars to shine.

Thanks to Derrick White’s 30 points and Payton Pritchard’s 19 off the bench, the Celtics return to the parquet tonight for Game 2 (7 ET, TNT) against the Magic with the 1-0 series advantage in hand.

Five members of their roster entered the postseason averaging 14+ ppg.

“The best gift that we’ve gotten as a team is our flexibility,” said Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla

that we’ve gotten as a team is our flexibility,” said Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla Depth might be tested once again, as Tatum is doubtful with a bone bruise in his right wrist per Tuesday’s injury report. The team went 8-2 in his absence during the regular season

once again, as Tatum is doubtful with a bone bruise in his right wrist per Tuesday’s injury report. The team went 8-2 in his absence during the regular season Two-way play: Boston finished top five in both OffRtg and DefRtg for the 3rd consecutive season, making them the first to do so throughout the 48 years that turnovers have contributed to calculations

Boston finished top five in both OffRtg and DefRtg for the 3rd consecutive season, making them the first to do so throughout the 48 years that turnovers have contributed to calculations Lucky No. 7: Not only did seven players pitch in 24+ minutes in Game 1, but seven also submitted multiple assists, overwhelming Orlando defensively with their ability to create open looks anywhere and move the ball efficiently

Sunday also represented the Magic tasting their own medicine. They were limited to 86 points themselves after holding teams to a league-best 105.4 points per game during the regular season.