“Just trying to prove I belong.”
– Ant Edwards, after going for 43 to put Minnesota a game away from advancing
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
April 28, 2025
Minny Masterpiece: Edwards’ 43 pts, Wolves’ clutch run hold off Luka, LeBron & Lakers
Knicks Win Thriller: Brunson leads Knicks to 3-1 lead over the Pistons
Celtics, Pacers Up 3-1: Boston & Indy head back home with a chance to clinch
New Ground For Steph: Ahead of Game 4, Curry found a new level to put Dubs up 2-1
Jerome Stepping Up: Cavs’ star Sixth Man has Cleveland a game away from 2nd Round
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Yesterday’s scores & what to watch today…
A TNT doubleheader awaits tonight, with the Cavs (up 3-0) looking to close out their series against the Heat at 7:30 ET and the Warriors (up 2-1) and Rockets tangling in SF at 10 ET.
1. ANT’S MASTERPIECE, WOLVES’ CLUTCH RUN SEND MINNESOTA TO 3-1 LEAD
Anthony Edwards entered the fourth quarter with his team down 10 points and facing an even series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
He then scored 14 of his 16 fourth-quarter points in a 21-10 run that put the Timberwolves up one, before the game swung wildly back-and-forth at the end.
“I’ve been dreaming all my life of these moments,” Edwards said.
Timberwolves 116, Lakers 113: Luka Dončić had 38 points, but Edwards (43 PTS, 9 REB, 6 AST) and the Wolves answered every challenge in front of an adoring crowd, to take a 3-1 lead in the series. | Recap | Star Duos Duel | Ant on the Matchup
- Naz Reid hit a big three to put the Timberwolves up 108-107 with 3:21 to go off an assist from Julius Randle (25 PTS, 7 REB)
- Dorian Finney-Smith followed with a three from above the break to give the Lakers a 113-111 lead with 1:29 left
- Jaden McDaniels (16 PTS, 11 REB) gave the Timberwolves the game-deciding lead with an and-1 off a slick pass from Reid (10 4th Q points) with 39.5 seconds left … then stole the ball on the ensuing inbounds pass
- After Edwards drew a foul on James and hit 2 FT’s to go up 116-113 with :11 left, the Timberwolves forced the ball out of LeBron and Luka’s hands at the end, forcing a pressured Austin Reaves three that went just long
“Naz Reid, Jaden McDaniels, Donte DiVincenzo – man, those boys came up big in the clutch time,” said Edwards. “Big stops, big shots by Naz, big finish by Jaden, and Donte keeps reading the game and making the right play all night.”
- A Closer In Minnesota: Edwards posted 16 fourth-quarter points – the third time in his Playoff career he’s reached that mark
- Historic Scorer: Edwards had his fifth career 40+ point game in the Playoffs – only Luka has more before turning 24 years old in the last 50 years
- Hanging In The Balance: There were five lead changes in the final 3:47
LeBron had a classic chasedown block of DiVincenzo before the Finney-Smith late make, then another on the next possession, but the Lakers — who played their starting five for the entire second half — weren’t able to find a bucket late.
- Laker Royalty: LeBron (27 PTS, 12 REB, 8 AST, 3 STL, 3 BLK) and Luka joined Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal as the only duos in Lakers franchise history to record 20+ PTS each in a half of a postseason game during the PxP era (1997-98)
2. KNICKS WIN THRILLER, GO UP 3-1 HEADING BACK TO NEW YORK
“Every possession is so intense,” ESPN broadcaster Dave Pasch said.
Cade Cunningham’s poster slam had just given the Detroit Pistons the lead over the New York Knicks in the 3rd quarter of Game 4, with the Pistons grinding for a 2-2 tie in the series.
The intensity only went up from there. There were five lead changes in the third. The Pistons led by 10 early in the fourth. But the Knicks kept the pressure on.
Knicks 94, Pistons 93: Towns scored eight points down the stretch, including a 27-foot stepback three to put the Knicks up by one with 47 seconds to go and up 3-1 in the series as it heads back to New York. | Recap
Towns hit a three to give the Knicks an 88-87 lead with 2:43 left in the fourth. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jalen Brunson then traded buckets, before Towns (27 pts, 9 reb) finished with a five-point flurry to give the Knicks the win.
Brunson (32 PTS, 11 AST) and Cunningham (25 PTS, 10 REB, 10 AST) took turns making history Sunday.
- Unshakeable: Brunson, who scored 15 fourth-quarter points after returning from an ankle injury, became the first player with 30+ PTS and 7+ AST in the first four games of a Playoff run
- Setting New Standards: Brunson became the first player since 1997-98 to score 12+ points in the fourth quarter of four straight Playoff games
- Point Guard Wizardry: Brunson is the franchise’s all-time leader with five Playoff games of 30+ PTS and 10+ AST
- There With Zeke: Cunningham became the second Piston to put up a triple-double in the Playoffs, joining Isiah Thomas, who did it twice
- Powering The Pistons: He became the third player in NBA history to total four consecutive 20+ point double-doubles in their first four career postseason games
Game 5: After the series’ last three games were decided by 6 points or less, the Knicks look to close – and the Pistons look to keep their historic season going – Tuesday at 7:30 ET on TNT.
3. CELTICS, PACERS GRAB 3-1 LEADS LEAVING SUNDAY
The Magic brought the Celtics to the brink.
But, facing a 2-2 tie or 3-1 series lead, the defending champs didn’t break.
Celtics 107, Magic 98: The Celtics finished the game on a 16-7 run – with 9 of those points from Jayson Tatum (37 pts, 14 reb, 3 ast, 3 stl) – to hold off a combined 55 points from Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner and go up 3-1 in the best-of-seven series. | Recap
- Flowers For Tatum: The Celtics star’s 70th Playoff win before the age of 27 puts him in a class with Magic Johnson (85), Kobe Bryant (79), Tony Parker (79), Jaylen Brown (74), Kawhi Leonard (73), and LeBron James (72) as the only players to ever do it
- JT In Clutch: With the Celtics up 4 late and the Magic breathing down their necks, Tatum stuck this turnaround to create distance. All Of Tatum’s Best
- A’s For Jays: Jaylen Brown added 21 pts & 11 reb, as the Celtics’ star duo both scored 20+ in a Playoff game for the 46th time – 8th all-time
- The Others? Elgin Baylor & Jerry West (74), Michael Jordan & Scottie Pippen (68), Kobe Bryant & Shaquille O’Neal (67), Larry Bird & Kevin McHale (58), Kevin Durant & Russell Westbrook (56), Stephen Curry & Klay Thompson (53) and Tim Duncan & Tony Parker (50)
- Speaking Of History: Al Horford joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (3x) as the only players to record 5+ blks in a game at 38 or older
- Celtics Coach Joe Mazzulla: “There should be a separate stat sheet for guys like him [Horford].”
Magic Hang Tough: At no point was this more than a single-digit game, as Orlando led early, then kept the Celtics close throughout, eventually tying it at 91-91 with 4:18 left.
- Tying It Up: Wendell Carter Jr’s tip-in with just over 4 mins to play tied it at 91, bringing the Magic crowd to a roar
- Paolo’s Early History: Banchero’s 7th consecutive 25+ pt Playoff game joins Kobe Bryant and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players to do so before turning 23
- Magic Duo: Franz Wagner added 24 pts, 6 reb & 7 ast, as the pair accounted for 56% of the Magic’s points – and 61% of Orlando’s scoring this series
- Champs & Clamps: The Celtics have held Orlando to 100 or fewer points in all four games
Game 5: The series heads back to Boston on Tuesday (8:30 ET, NBA TV)
Pacers 129, Bucks 103: Eight Indiana players scored in double-figures, led by Myles Turner’s 23 and Andrew Nembhard’s 20 – and powered by Tyrese Haliburton’s 15 ast (to go with 17 pts) – as the Pacers took a 3-1 lead over the Bucks with a dominating offensive performance. | Recap
- Finding Balance: The Pacers became just the second team since 1995 to have eight players with double-digits in a Playoff game
- Rarer On The Road: Just one other team has ever had 8+ players drop double-digit points on the road in a Playoff game: the Rochester Royals, in 1963
- Nine Years Since: Before the Pacers’ 36-ast, 60% FG% night, the last team to go for 35+ ast & 60%+ FG% in a Playoff game was the 2016 Spurs
- Setting Tone Early: After the Pacers lost Game 3, Turner came out hot, scoring nine points in the game’s first 4 ½ minutes, as the Pacers never trailed
- Up Again: After eliminating Milwaukee last year, Indiana is now a game away from securing a spot in the second round
- Said Haliburton: “There was no panic from us.”
For Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way with 28 pts and 15 reb, while Kevin Porter Jr. added 23 pts.
- Lillard Injured: The Bucks’ NBA 75 point guard exited in the first quarter after suffering an injury to his lower leg
Game 5: The teams square off again Tuesday at 6 ET on NBA TV
4. CURRY KEEPS BREAKING NEW GROUND AS WARRIORS SEEK 3-1 LEAD OVER ROCKETS
At age 37, Stephen Curry raced over 2.9 miles in Saturday’s Warriors-Rockets Game 3 – nearly half a mile more than his regular season average, and third-most of anyone in the game.
Although he was playing in his 150th career Playoff game Saturday, Curry got free time and time again against a young, physical squad.
As the game went on, he got stronger. Curry (36 PTS, 7 REB, 9 AST) broke new ground in a historic second half, scoring and dishing the Warriors to a 2-1 lead ahead of tonight’s Game 4 (10 ET, TNT).
Curry scored 21 points and dropped seven assists over the third and fourth quarters, showing his versatility as a scorer and passer, reading the defense under pressure.
It was the first time he’s hit those marks in a half in his hallowed Playoff career.
- The Work Put In: Curry opened the third by coming off a screen and outmuscling Fred VanVleet, creating space for a running scoop layup
- All-Time Touch: His third bucket was a ridiculous and-1 floater from outside the paint to give the Warriors the lead, as Curry went to his left to draw contact and elate the Bay fans
- Steph Doing Steph Things: Curry hit four three pointers during the second half, creating space with the crossover from the left flank to tie the game at 77 with 9:46 to go
- A Point Guard Extraordinaire: Steph also cheffed up seven assists in the second half. Gary Payton II was the primary beneficiary, scoring nine points off four Steph dimes, including a three to put the Warriors up four with 4:29 left
- Elite Company: Curry became one of just five players in the top 10 of All-Time Playoff points and top 20 in all-time Playoff assists, joining LeBron James, Jerry West, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant
“He was brilliant,” Coach Steve Kerr said afterwards.
Rockets will look to Jalen Green to bounce back in Game 4 to match Curry and the Warriors (10 ET on TNT).
He scored 23 points in the second half of Game 2, as Houston took its lone win of the series.
- “He’s just stacking them up tonight,” said Spero Dedes as Green hit his fifth three of the second half
- Can Green Find His Stroke? A crucial part of Houston’s attack, the Warriors have stifled Green twice this series — holding him to seven points in Game 1 and nine in Game 3
- Green scored 38 points in Game 2 – the Rockets were 13-1 when he had 30+ points in the regular season
5. JEROME STEPPING UP FOR CAVS, AS HEAT VOW TO EXTEND SERIES
The Cleveland Cavaliers are blistering hot to start the Playoffs, scoring more than 120 points in each of their three wins against the Miami Heat. (Game 4, Tonight on TNT, 7:30 ET)
That’s a franchise record, building on a historic regular season.
But Darius Garland was out for Game 3, and Donovan Mitchell had a rare off night (13 points on 14 shots).
“A lot of teams when you lose your top guy there’s a big drop-off,” said Coach Kenny Atkinson previously. “For us, there’s very little drop off.”
So Ty Jerome, who finished third in Kia NBA Sixth Man Of The Year voting, stepped up and showed out, demonstrating inspired floor generalship off the bench.
- Steady Playmaking: Jerome became the first Cav to drop 11+ AST and zero turnovers off the bench in team history in Game 3
- The Guards Lead: The Cavaliers lead the Playoffs in points per game from their pick-and-roll ball-handlers with 24.3 – Jerome is accounting for 4.8 PPG, third on the team behind Donovan Mitchell (9.5 PTS) and Garland (8.6)
- The Virginia Connection: UVA alums Jerome and De’Andre Hunter were +33 and +34 off the bench respectively in Game 3. Before that, a bench player had never hit that height in Cavs Playoff history
Tyler Herro vowed the Heat would not be swept during the postgame press conference for Game 3.
“It’s not time to let go of the rope. We’re going to play to the final buzzer, whether that’s Game 5, 6, 7, another series after this,” said Herro. “We’re not going out 4-0.”
- Heat-Tested: Miami has a chance to fall back on its defense – in the last 15 games of the regular season, they posted the fourth-best defensive rating in the Association
Adebayo noted that the Heat were up 3-0 against the Celtics in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals before Boston stormed back to force a Game 7.
“We’re going to ride it until the wheels fall off,” said Adebayo.
