We’ll let Steph Curry answer that.
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
April 29, 2025
Warriors Win Thriller: Jimmy Butler III takes Golden State home in battle over Houston
Cavaliers Advance: The East’s top seed makes history in dominant sweep
Pivotal Game 5: Clippers-Nuggets verging on a legendary series entering tonight’s game
Beasts Out East: All-Star point guards have Knicks, Pacers one win away
JT In The Spotlight: As Boston tries to advance tonight, go inside Jayson Tatum’s mindset
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Yesterday’s scores & what to watch today…
Four Game 5s tip off tonight, as the Pacers (vs. Bucks, 6 ET, NBA TV), Knicks (vs. Pistons, 7:30 ET, TNT) and Celtics (vs. Magic, 8:30 ET, NBA TV) look to clinch their First Round series at home, the Clippers and Nuggets meet for a pivotal Game 5 (10 ET, TNT).
1. WARRIORS OUTLAST ROCKETS AS PLAYOFF JIMMY RIDES AGAIN
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“Jimmy! Jimmy!”
Warriors 109, Rockets 106: The Chase Center crowd chanted in approval as Butler capped a 14-point 4th quarter — including the Dubs’ last seven — with 2 clutch FTs in the final 4 seconds to seal a hard-fought win and a 3-1 lead. Recap | 5 Takeaways
- “Somebody said something to me,” Butler, who missed Game 3 due to injury, said afterwards about his motivation. “That’s all it takes.”
It had been a battle, featuring 11 lead changes and 10 ties. The score was within five points throughout the 4th, as the teams didn’t give an inch.
Down the stretch, the Warriors’ experience – and Butler’s clutch credentials – shined through.
- Playoff Jimmy: Butler III was 12-12 at the free throw line while scoring over half of the Warriors 4th-quarter points
- “It’s the Playoffs, and he’s Jimmy Butler. This is what he does,” said Warriors coach Steve Kerr
- “Sheer determination and will,” said Steph Curry on Butler’s gutsy Game 4 performance after missing Game 3
- Stepping Up: On an off-night for Steph, Brandin Podziemski (26 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl) & Buddy Hield (15 pts) combined for nine 3s
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
While Jimmy was Batman on Monday leading the offense, his Robin was Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year finalist Draymond Green, who proved why he’s one of the top defenders in the game.
- Defensive Backbone: Houston started the 4th shooting 5-of-7 from the field to take a 91-90 lead with 7:51 remaining. Draymond entered, and helped hold Houston to 6-of-16 shooting – including the game-sealing stand on Sengun with six seconds remaining
- “He’s the best defender I’ve ever seen in my life,” said Kerr of Draymond
- “I told Dray if you get this stop, I will get this rebound,” said Jimmy on his role in the game-winning play
Sengun (31 pts, 10 reb, 5 ast) became the sixth Rocket to put up 30/10/5 in a Playoff game in the loss, joining Hakeem Olajuwon, James Harden, Charles Barkley, Tracy McGrady and Ralph Sampson.
- VanVleet Heats Up: After making six 3s on 20.9% shooting from deep in Games 1-3 combined, Fred VanVleet splashed eight 3s on Monday to match his Playoff career-high. | Best of Sengun & FVV
- Standing Tall: Steven Adams (5 pts, 7 reb, 4 blk) was +16 in 26 minutes off the bench for the Rockets, who outrebounded Golden State and outscored them in the paint 48-28
- “We’ll take a look at everything,” said Rockets coach Ime Udoka when asked about the starters after Game 4. “Obviously, certain lineups have been much better at times.”
- Looking For Buckets: Jalen Green (8 points on 8 shots) scored in single-digits for the third time this series. He scored 38 points in Houston’s Game 2 win
What’s Next: Golden State leads 3-1 as the series shifts back to Houston for Game 5 on Wednesday (7:30 ET, TNT).
2. CAVS MAKE HISTORY WITH DOMINANT SERIES-CLINCHING WIN OVER HEAT
The Cleveland Cavaliers revved their offense to a new level Monday night, extending a franchise record for scoring brilliance while sweeping the Miami Heat.
Cavaliers 138, Heat 83: Donovan Mitchell (22 pts) led six Cavaliers in double-figures. Cleveland raced out to a 35-8 advantage after 10 minutes and never looked back, leading by as many as 60 in a rollicking win. | Recap | Cavs Best Plays Of First Round
- Rattling Sabers: The Cavaliers scored 120+ points for a fourth straight Playoff game – the longest such streak in franchise history
- Achieving Greatness: Jarrett Allen (14 pts, 12 reb) was +42 in the series-clincher – tying Kevin Love for the 2nd-best plus-minus in a Cavs Playoff game. LeBron James (+46 in 2017) is the only Cav to ever post a higher number
- A Historic Win: The 55-point win is the fourth-largest in NBA Playoffs history
- Cavs On Parade: Cleveland’s 30.5 average margin of victory in the series is the largest in a Playoff series in NBA history. The previous high was +24.2, when the Nuggets defeated the Hornets in 2009
Megan Briggs/Getty Images
The Cavs and Thunder – the No. 1 seeds in each conference – both swept their first-round series. It’s the first time that’s happened since 2005, when the Heat swept the Nets and the Suns took down the Grizzlies.
The Cavs offense was explosive all series, but defensively Cleveland saw their intensity level up – and will look to carry it into the next round
- Allen’s Key Takeaway: “Our intensity on the defensive end. That took leaps and bounds every single game that we played. Tonight was an excellent showing of how intense we can play.”
What’s Next: The Cavs await the winner of the Indiana-Milwaukee series, which the Pacers lead 3-1 with Game 5 tonight.
- Cavs vs. Pacers: Indy is one of only two East teams – along with Atlanta – to win the season series with Cleveland this season (3-1)
- Cavs vs. Bucks: Cleveland swept its season series with Milwaukee (4-0), with an average margin of victory of 9.5 ppg
3. TONIGHT ON TNT: PIVOTAL GAME 5 BETWEEN NUGGETS & CLIPPERS
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There are good series and there are great series.
Then, there’s Clippers-Nuggets – doing what hasn’t been done in a decade with three of their four battles decided by three points or less.
Denver plays host to the next chapter tonight in Game 5 (10 ET, TNT) following Aaron Gordon’s game-winning, buzzer-beating dunk – the first such Playoff game-winner of the play-by-play era.
The series is the only one among six remaining first-round matchups to be knotted at 2-2.
- “Each one of these games is its own thing – its own chapter in the book,” said Nuggets coach David Adelman. “So learn from what we have to learn from, but also take the positives away from things we really struggled in Game 3 with.”
Nikola Jokić shot a fadeaway 3 that missed the rim, but went directly to Gordon’s hands, ultimately reclaiming home-court advantage. The two often reap rewards for Denver when operating together.
- Ace In The Hole: In 47 games together this regular season, Gordon and Jokić have led the Nuggets to a 31-16 record and hold a 13.7 Net Rating
- From The Start: Since Denver acquired Gordon in 2021, they’ve connected for a combined 747 assists in the regular season, 2nd most among active duos
- Boost: Despite playing 24 more games with the 11th-year forward than he did without him, Jokić’s true shooting percentage improved from 64.4% to 67.3% alongside Gordon
LA was on the doorstep of a comeback for the ages in Game 3. It trailed by 22 points with 11 minutes to go until the final buzzer, and stifled Denver offensively for just 16 points that frame.
- “We caught them off guard a little bit and kind of surprised them, and (we were) able to take advantage of that,” said Clippers coach Tyronn Lue. “The 4th quarter was when we really executed and did what we’re supposed to do.”
A return to the Intuit Dome is inevitable, but if the Clippers want a chance to advance at home during Thursday’s Game 6, they’ll want to avoid 17-point quarters like they produced in the 3rd on Saturday.
- Recent Riser: Norman Powell (22 points in Game 4) has scored more in each game than the last throughout this series, and across the last two, has shot 14-for-25 from the field
- At Full Mast: Four starters in Game 3’s 34-point win scored at least 19 but no more than 21, while Nicolas Batum and Derrick Jones Jr. each submitted 10+ off the bench
4. ALL-STAR GUARDS HAVE PACERS, KNICKS 1 WIN AWAY
Jalen Brunson has taken his scoring to a whole new level, and it’s done wonders for New York.
He’s bumped up his regular-season scoring average by 7.3 points this postseason, marking the highest such increase among players who averaged 20+ ppg this season.
As reward for his efforts, the Knicks can eliminate the Pistons tonight with a victory in Game 5 (7:30 ET, TNT), having already scrapped out tightly-contested wins in their last two battles. Games 2 through 4 of the first-round series were all decided by six points or fewer.
- Steady As He Goes: The 7th-year guard has scored 30+ points in every game so far this Playoff run, averaging 33.3 and barely trailing Giannis Antetokounmpo (33.8) for the NBA lead this postseason
- Playoff Powers: The Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year is also averaging 13.3 points on 63% shooting in the 4th quarter in these Playoffs – including a league-best 21 total clutch points
- “He’s got great belief, and it comes from his preparation,” said Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau on Brunson. “In the end, he’s always going to figure out, ‘Okay, I can get to this.’ And he’s got a variety of things he can get to.”
- Answering The Call: Karl-Anthony Towns only accounted for 10 points on 5-for-11 shooting in Game 2, but has since taken on a higher volume with great results. He’s totaled 58 points across the last two on a 20-for-41 clip
Stacy Revere/Getty Images
Tyrese Haliburton, meanwhile, continues to put his squad in winning positions as a playmaker.
He hasn’t registered a big scoring night this postseason, and he hasn’t needed to.
Tonight, the Pacers return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse with a chance to knock out the Bucks in Game 5 (6 ET, NBA TV). They just earned the most decisive result of the first-round series with a 26-point win Sunday.
- Unselfish: The 5th-year guard seeks his 5th consecutive points-assists double-double to open a Playoff run, joining Russell Westbrook, Steven Nash, John Stockton and Magic Johnson as the only other players in NBA history to achieve such a feat
- “Their game plan is to make me be a scorer – that’s what it feels like,” Haliburton said on his approach to Milwaukee’s defense. “Just try to take advantage of that, keep getting two feet in the paint and just making the right read.”
- Fear The Facilitator: Set up by Haliburton’s passing, Pascal Siakam has shot the ball exceptionally well with a true shooting percentage of 67.7% this series. He posted 57.8% and 55.8% in the 2024 and 2022 Playoffs, respectively.
- Winning Plays: Indiana is also 29-8 this season when Haliburton does dish out 10+ assists in a game
5. TATUM, CELTICS LOOK TO CLOSE IN BOSTON
“People remember people that win.”
Jayson Tatum stars in the latest episode of Pass The Rock, which just dropped ahead of Game 5 between the Celtics and Magic (8:30 ET, NBA TV), with Boston up 3-1.
In it, JT talks about what has fueled his ironman work ethic and rise to success.
- “I pride myself on being the last to leave practice, the last to leave shootaround. Even though I might not be the most vocal person, trying to lead by example.”
- Tatum’s father, Justin, introduced him to the game of basketball, teaching him to shoot and dribble
- Tatum would wake up at 5:30 AM in high school to work out before class
- “There was some kid, somewhere, working out while I was sleeping. I never wanted that to be the reason why my journey didn’t work.”
- “Winning is the most important. People remember people that win.”
Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
Tatum also approached his comfort in Boston, which “has a special place in his heart,” and his love for his son, Deuce, born in the city.
“Boston has accepted a 19-year-old kid and watched him grow up,” said Tatum. “My dreams have come true – and I’m still writing my dreams, my legacy.”
Tatum had 37 points and 14 rebounds in the Celtics’ Game 4 win over Orlando, keying an inspired all-around effort that brought the series back to Boston with a chance to clinch.
- Securing Possessions: Tatum is one of three players averaging 10+ defensive rebounds this Playoffs, along with Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Inspired Defense: The Celtics are holding the Magic to 94.8 PPG this series – Orlando averaged 105.4 this season
- One Last Trick? Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are averaging 58 of those points this series – they have the highest combined usage percentage of any two teammates in the Playoffs at 70.5 (min. 100 minutes)
Continued Success: With a win, Tatum would lead Boston to the conference semifinals for the seventh time in his eight-year career.
