Indiana Pacers 117, Milwaukee Bucks 98
Denver Nuggets 112, Los Angeles Clippers 110 (OT)
Detroit Pistons at New York Knicks (Live on ESPN)
Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers (8:30 ET on ESPN)
Pistons-Knicks Tied After Q1, 27-27 😱🤩
There were four lead changes in the opening frame, but we’re tied after a buzzer-beater from OG Anunoby.
He was the best player in the opening frame, finishing with 12 points and three rebounds.
Tobias Harris leads Detroit with nine points and two boards.
Detroit Pistons at New York Knicks (Live on ESPN)
Tie game after one pic.twitter.com/lRGePkOwL2
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) April 19, 2025
Nuggets Defeat Clippers in OT, 112-110 ⛰️⛰️⛰️
Denver takes a 1-0 series lead.
Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 29 points, nine rebounds, 12 assists and three steals.
Aaron Gordon amassed 25 points and eight rebounds.
James Harden led the Clips with 32 points, six rebounds and 11 assists.
Game 2 will be in Denver on Monday. Check out that game on TNT!
DUB IN OUR HOUSE#MileHighPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/eLGImqi8dy
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) April 19, 2025
🍿 OT in DEN
After an intense fourth quarter with several lead changes and big shots, this game needs overtime.
Russell Westbrook canned a clutch triple to give the Nuggets a two-point lead with 24.0 seconds to go, but James Harden answered on the other end to knot it up.
WESTBROOK TRIPLE.
HARDEN LAYUP.
Two veteran stars go back-and-forth to send Game 1 of Clippers/Nuggets to OVERTIME 🔥🔥
5 extra minutes coming up on ESPN! pic.twitter.com/yUoVB9DLmL
— NBA (@NBA) April 19, 2025
👀 Nuggets retake lead late
The Nuggets hadn’t led since the middle of the first quarter. Until now.
The Nuggets and Clippers are battling it down the stretch in a back-and-forth final period.
AG GETTIN’ BALL ON THEIR FEET pic.twitter.com/3ICdIHGryG
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) April 19, 2025
😱 Down to the wire in Denver
The Clippers are clinging to a one-point lead on the road against the Nuggets in Saturday’s Game 1 showdown.
Catch the finish now on ESPN.
Pull-up triple 🔥 pic.twitter.com/MQ25lzYozo
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) April 19, 2025
🚨 Knicks vs Pistons tipoff update
Tonight’s Game 1 matchup between the Knicks and Pistons has been moved to 6:18 ET as we await the end of Clippers vs Nuggets. Adjust your Saturday plans accordingly.
The NBA and ESPN have pushed tipoff tonight to 6:18
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) April 19, 2025
🗽 Knicks vs Pistons matchup
The Knicks vs Pistons first round series is set to tip off at 6:00 ET Saturday on ESPN.
The Knicks had won 15 in a row against the Pistons coming into the season but this Detroit team is a much different beast and won 3 out of 4 vs New York this season.
This is a fascinating matchup in that the Knicks are accustomed to playing this time of year while this will be the first taste of the playoffs for many of the key players on the Pistons. New York has made the playoffs in four of the last five seasons, including three straight. Detroit, meanwhile, hasn’t been here since the 2019 season.
The Knicks added Karl-Anthony Towns this season in hopes of getting over the second round hump and it paid dividends as they won 51 games, their best mark since the 2013 season. For the Knicks, though, it’s all about what’s ahead in these playoffs.
The Pistons may lack postseason experience, but they make up for it with explosive athleticism and young star power headlined by Cade Cunningham, who finished top 10 in both points per game (26.1) and assists per game (9.1).
This sets up as a fascinating series between two teams at very different points in their competitive windows. Read more on our Knicks vs Pistons series preview for more key stats and info.
Pistons lineup
First five on tonight’s floor | @Kia pic.twitter.com/XfYC8PmErV
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) April 19, 2025
🍿 Crunch time in Denver
Clippers 75, Nuggets 72 after three
The Nuggets and Clippers played a near stalemate in the third with the Nuggets winning the period 23-22 to cut the deficit to just three points.
Nikola Jokić is starting to cook; he had 12 of his 25 points in the third. Aaron Gordon is making his mark as well with 12 points and four rebounds.
The Nuggets have done a good job at limiting James Harden after he dropped 15 in the first. He’s had just five points in the last two quarters. Denver is also making the most of their trips to the line (80 percent on 15 attempts) while Los Angeles is lagging there at just 55.9 percent from the stripe.
Joker leading the fast break for Denver 💨 pic.twitter.com/Qqlo9pJMOq
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 19, 2025
⬆️ Norman Powell. Elevation.
Normal Powell checking in with the scoop and score as the Clippers look to hold onto their lead over the Nuggets. Powell is up to seven points with four assists, a steal and a block.
Powell with the pick & slam 🔨 pic.twitter.com/trIfB73DN3
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) April 19, 2025
🌎 Basketball is global
Take a listen to the best international calls from the Pacers’ Game 1 win over the Bucks.
the best international calls from our Game 1 win over the Bucks 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/CQn7IdtRas
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) April 19, 2025
🔎 Timberwolves vs Lakers matchup
The Lakers (3) host the Timberwolves (6) in Game 1 of their first-round series tonight in LA. Though they’re separated by three spots in the seeding, the Timberwolves finished just a game back of the Lakers at 49-33. This projects as a very even matchup between two of the best in the West.
There is a ton of star power in this series. For Los Angeles, LeBron James and Luka Dončić are embarking on their first postseason run together after Dončić was acquired in a blockbuster trade at the deadline. The Timberwolves are headlined by Anthony Edwards, who continues to find ways to impact the game in his fifth season. He led the league in made three-pointers with 320. That was 130 more made triples than he had last season. Plus, he still has his elite ability to get to the rim at his disposal.
The Timberwolves and Lakers were two of the best teams in the league after the All-Star break. The Timberwolves were 18-8, good for the sixth-best win percentage. They ranked third in Offensive Rating and fifth in NET rating in that span. The Lakers went 18-12 down the stretch as they recalibrated a new-look rotation following the Dončić trade. At their best, the Lakers look like one of the scariest teams in basketball.
Check out our full Lakers vs Timberwolves series preview for a deeper dive into this matchup.
📈 Nuggets build momentum going into half
Clippers lead Nuggets 53-49
The Clippers got up by as many as 15 midway through the second quarter but the Nuggets locked in from there. The Nuggets outscored the Clippers 13-2 over the final five minutes to make it a four-point game at the break.
Nikola Jokić is up to 13 points with four rebounds and four assists in 20 minutes. The Nuggets have found some success in forcing turnovers to help get back into the game. They turned the Clippers over 10 times in the opening half.
We have a phenomenal second half on tap. Catch the action on ESPN.
CB TAKING THIS TO GO pic.twitter.com/VfNtO2DtRd
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) April 19, 2025
👏 Harden making history
With 15 points in the first quarter, James Harden moved into 14th on the NBA’s all-time playoff scoring list, surpassing John Havlicek. Harden is 120 points behind Larry Bird for 13th all-time.
🚨 JAMES HARDEN BUZZER-BEATER 🚨 pic.twitter.com/45apytxfbw
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) April 19, 2025
Congrats to @JHarden13 of the @LAClippers for moving up to 14th on the all-time playoff scoring list!#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google pic.twitter.com/2tAReaWSJH
— NBA (@NBA) April 19, 2025
📊 Clips lead after 1Q
Clippers 35, Nuggets 27
Though the Clippers are on the road and playing at altitude, the elements don’t seem to be bothering them after turning in a strong first quarter in Denver. James Harden has been on fire to start with 15 first-quarter points on 6-for-11 shooting.
The Clippers’ bigs, fronted by Ivica Zubac, have limited Nikola Jokić’s impact thus far as the Joker has just seven points, three rebounds, and two assists. That’s a great first quarter, still, but Jokić gets graded on a different curve after averaging a triple-double in the regular season.
Catch the action now on ESPN.
BLOCK BY DERRICK JONES JR. 🚫
DEEP THREE BY JAMES HARDEN 👌 pic.twitter.com/WSHdPogEJT
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) April 19, 2025
💪 Pacers take Game 1 vs Bucks in convincing fashion
Outside of a mid-fourth quarter run, it was all Pacers in their series opener against the Bucks on Saturday. The Pacers led by as many 28 points and never trailed after the early parts of the first quarter.
It was a complete team effort by the Pacers. Four starters and two reserves scored in double figures. Pascal Siakam led the team in scoring with 25 points while Tyrese Haliburton dished out 12 assists to go with his 10 points and seven rebounds.
Milwaukee cut the lead to 12 late in the fourth quarter, but then the defense tightened up on both sides. The score was gridlocked at 107-95 from the 5:24 mark until 1:59 remained. The Pacers would go on to score 10 of the game’s final 13 points as their suffocating defense took over down the stretch.
stepback to beat the shot clock 🚨
Myles Turner buries the clutch three late in Q4 for a 15-point lead. pic.twitter.com/7BokSLtEI3
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) April 19, 2025
The Pacers now hold a 1-0 series lead over the Bucks. Game 2 is set to tip at 7:00 Eastern on Tuesday in Indianapolis.
🦌 Bucks making a run
The Bucks have gone on a 9-0 run in the fourth quarter to cut the Pacers’ lead to 12 with 5:00 to play. AJ Green and Gary Trent Jr. both connected from long range to help fuel the run.
Things are getting intense as we reach the final minutes in Indy. Catch the action on ESPN.
GIANNIS UP TO 36 PTS👀
Bucks looking to make a 4Q push in Game 1 on ESPN! pic.twitter.com/heiXutNpX9
— NBA (@NBA) April 19, 2025
⛰️ Nuggets vs Clippers matchup and lineups
The Nuggets vs Clippers series tips off the 4 vs 5 series in the West on Saturday afternoon. The two teams finished the season in wildly different fashions as the Clippers stormed their way to the five seed with eight straight wins while the Nuggets hit a snag in April that resulted in a coaching change. That said, the Nuggets did win their final three games — all against teams that qualified for at least the Play-In — to regain some momentum entering the playoffs.
These two teams split their regular-season slate at two games apiece. However, the season series wrapped up on Jan.8 and these two teams look wildly different now than they did just after the New Year. Kawhi Leonard was just starting to work his way back into the rotation and did not appear in any of the four regular-season meetings.
Check out our Nuggets vs Clippers series preview for more key stats and storylines.
Clippers lineup
The Clippers run out a starting five headlined by Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Ivica Zubac. The team was red-hot to end the regular season, but can the Clippers keep it up in the playoffs?
Starting 5⃣ vs. @nuggets
🏀 James Harden🏀 Kris Dunn🏀 Norman Powell🏀 Kawhi Leonard
🏀 Ivica Zubac pic.twitter.com/iogb4BBUN6
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) April 19, 2025
Nuggets lineup
Jamal Murray is good to go for the Nuggets. He missed some time towards the end of the season but was able to put up 15 and 16 points respectively in Denver’s final two regular season games.
Starting 🖐#MileHighPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/DcQ3u5BvGj
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) April 19, 2025
🚨 4th Quarter in Pacers vs Bucks
Pacers lead Bucks 93-76
The Bucks put in the work to cut into the Pacers’ 24-point halftime lead with a solid third quarter but still have a mountain to climb down 17 going into the fourth.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is keeping the Bucks in it with 31 points and 10 rebounds already and Kevin Porter has added a nice scoring punch off the bench with 12 points in 18 minutes.
The Pacers, though, are getting contributions from all over. Four Pacers have scored in double figures and Tyrese Haliburton has 10 assists.
Tune in to see if the Pacers can put a bow on a strong Game 1, or if the Bucks can find a way to mount a comeback.
OBI OUT IN FRONT 💥
Indy’s running it up in Game 1! pic.twitter.com/x67E2270z5
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 19, 2025
😤 Pacers make first half statement
Pacers lead Bucks 67-43 at half
Indiana is starting its postseason with a bang, racing out to a 24-point lead at half against division rival Milwaukee.
Tyrese Haliburton is setting the table and finding his teammates with open looks as he racked up seven assists in 18 minutes.
Andrew Nembhard led the way on the scoring front for Indiana with 15 points (7-8 FG) in 15 minutes while Pascal Siakam (12) and Bennedict Mathurin (11) have also reached double figures.
Andrew Nembhard from DEEP to end the half 🤑 pic.twitter.com/4Z5sjx4WVR
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) April 19, 2025
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been stellar with 19 points and five rebounds but no other Buck has scored more than six points thus far.
Catch the second half on ESPN.
🚧 Siakam putting in the work
Pascal Siakam went 1-on-1 vs Giannis Antetokounmpo in the post and found his way into a tough bucket to give him two of his 12 first-half points.
Antetokounmpo has answered the bell on the other end with 18 but the Pacers continue to build on their double-digit lead as halftime approaches in Indy.
Siakam going to WORK. 😤
MIL-IND | Game 1 on ESPN pic.twitter.com/9z01lcbALG
— NBA (@NBA) April 19, 2025
🍇 Jelly Rollins
Milwaukee’s Ryan Rollins opened the scoring for the Bucks with a slick layup in traffic.
Rollins with a nice drive for our first points of the postseason. pic.twitter.com/F4bIitIXtz
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) April 19, 2025
Giannis Antetokounmpo has six early points as well, but the Pacers have been on fire to start the game, shooting 75 percent from the floor to take a 15-8 lead.
🏁 Pacers vs Bucks matchup
The Pacers and Bucks are plenty familiar with one another coming from the Central Division. The Bucks had the upper hand this season, taking 3 out of 4 from the Pacers with an average margin of victory of nine points.
The Bucks will begin the series without Damian Lillard, but fortunately Dame Time may not be to far off. Lillard was cleared for basketball activity Friday after being sidelined while undergoing treatment for deep vein thrombosis in his right calf.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is unsurprisingly the key to the series on either side. He scored 30-or-more in each of the Bucks’ three wins vs the Pacers this season and in Milwaukee’s lone loss, he was held to 19 points.
Read the rest of our Pacers-Bucks series preview with more key storylines to follow as things unfold.
Pacers lineup
Game 1’s first five 👀 pic.twitter.com/ywx006B2nv
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) April 19, 2025
Bucks lineup
Game 1 starters. pic.twitter.com/4moaVDD2YD
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) April 19, 2025
🍿Top NBA storylines today
- Playoffs get underway: After a terrific SoFi Play-In Tournament, the NBA Playoff bracket is officially set and the action begins today with a quadruple header.
- Heat check: Momentum will be put to the test today in several series. The Clippers finished the season on a tear, winning all seven of their games in April while their opponents, the Nuggets, went 3-4 and had to endure a coaching change. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves (6-1) also stormed into the playoffs while the Lakers stumbled a bit by comparison with a 4-3 mark in their final seven games. Lastly, the Bucks and Pacers are both red-hot going into the playoffs with the Bucks winning their last seven and the Pacers going 6-1 in April.
- Can the Pistons play spoiler?: The Knicks added Karl-Anthony Towns to a strong lineup this season and it netted the No.3 seed in the East. This is a team with aspirations for a deep run in the playoffs. However, the upstart Pistons more than tripled their win total from a year ago en route to grabbing the 6 seed. The impact of playoff experience will be a major storyline in this series.
