What. A. Night.
A pair of Game 1s for the history books came down to one shot…
…and ended like this:
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
May 6, 2025
Road Warriors: Road teams now 3-0 as Knicks, Nuggets both send shockwaves with late comebacks
Overtime Heroics: NY rallies from 20 down vs Boston, as Mikal Bridges’ steal seals the win
The Joker At Work: A historic 40-20 by Nikola Jokić leads Denver over top-seeded OKC
Timberwolves-Warriors: All respect between Ant and Steph in Wolves-Dubs Gm 1 (9:30 ET, TNT)
Pacers-Cavaliers: Up 1-0, Pacers look to keep control in Cleveland (7 ET, TNT)
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Yesterday’s scores & what to watch today…
Tonight’s TNT doubleheader features four star guards with plenty on the line — Donovan Mitchell’s Cavaliers and Tyrese Haliburton’s Pacers in the opener (7 ET), followed by Anthony Edwards’ Timberwolves facing Stephen Curry’s Warriors in the nightcap (9:30 ET).
1. TWO HISTORIC ROAD COMEBACKS CREATE SPECIAL NIGHT IN THE NBA
Maddie Meyer & Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images
“It’s the Playoffs – you only get a certain amount of chances.”
“This is our opportunity – tonight! Live in the present… we never let go of the rope.”
Nuggets coach David Adelman encompassed the historic night to tip off the semifinals series between the Knicks-Celtics and Nuggets-Thunder with his postgame comments.
Monday proved it’s not over ‘til it’s over.
Road teams are now 3-0 to start the Conference Semis, as the New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets came back in hostile territory to steal Game 1 from their higher-seeded opponents, the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Last night was the first time in the play-by-play era (1997-98) two road teams won Game 1 of a semifinals series when trailing by 10+ points.
Down 20 to Boston, the Knicks stormed back with defense, holding the C’s to 35.1 FG% – their lowest in a Playoff game since 2022 – including a 29.1% mark in the second half.
- “Your defense, your toughness, your teamwork,” said Coach Tom Thibodeau. “That’s paramount in a Playoff game.”
- “It’s the Playoffs … That’s how physical it is,” Jayson Tatum said about the Knicks’ defense.
- The Decider: Defense prevailed in OT, too, as the Knicks’ Bridges stole the inbound on the potential game-tying shot to seal it (more in Sec 2)
Maddie Meyer & Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images
The Celtics shot 25% from three-point range, while the Knicks nearly doubled their efficiency (45.9%).
- Aiming From Deep: The Celtics shot 19 threes in the third quarter and one two-point field goal attempt
- Stalwart Defense: The Knicks put up a 100.0 defensive rating in the third, which dipped to 76.2 in the fourth quarter – and 71.4 in overtime
- “We can’t just fire up threes,” Jaylen Brown said afterwards. “I feel like we settled.”
Sam Hodde/Getty Images
Down 11 with 4:31 left, the Nuggets took over with their offense, capped by a second Playoff game-winner from Aaron Gordon in the last 10 days.
- After two missed free throws by Chet Holmgren and with no timeouts remaining, Russell Westbrook pushed the rock up the floor to set up Gordon…
- Who came racing up the left wing, setting his feet, rising and firing over Holmgren’s outstretched arm
- And knocked it through with 2.8 seconds remaining, raising the Nuggets to a Game 1 win
- Delivering: Gordon joins Robert Horry (2002), Hedo Turkoglu (2009) and LeBron James (2018) as the only players since 1998 to hit two game-winners in a single Playoff run
- “I worked on my jumper a lot – a lot – throughout the years,” said Gordon. “You guys have seen the maturation of it. It’s nice to have it all culminate in a game-winner.”
Denver scored 36 points in the fourth, ending the game on a 15-4 run. Nikola Jokić, in the midst of a tremendous night (more in Section 3), had 18 PTS in the final period.
Teams that win Game 1 of a best-of-seven series go on to win 75.2% of the time, and for New York and Denver, claiming victories on the road to claim home-court advantage.
2. KNICKS DELIVER IN OVERTIME, TAKE GAME 1
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The Knicks were swept by the defending champion Boston Celtics in the regular season, losing by an average of 16.3 points.
They were down by 16 at the half and as many as 20 in the third.
But they got back up off the mat Monday night, then delivered in the clutch like they have all season.
Knicks 108, Celtics 105 (OT): The Knicks rallied from 20 down with endurance and hustle, snagging home-court advantage with a steely effort on the road. | Recap | 20-pt Comeback
They earned their fourth clutch win of the Playoffs – the most in the Association.
- The Captain: Jalen Brunson started clutch time with eight straight 4Q points for New York, giving the Knicks the lead at 97-91
- Elite Company: Brunson has scored 77 4Q points through seven Playoff games, joining Steph Curry (2023) and Kobe (2008) as the only player with at least 75 4Q points through the first seven games of the Playoffs in the last 25 years
- “Keeping it simple,” Coach Tom Thibodeau said of Brunson’s 4Q performance. “The game tells you what to do.”
Nathaniel S. ButlerNBAE via Getty Images
With the score tied at 100 and the clock winding down in regulation, Jayson Tatum and Brunson both had a chance to put their team on top. Tatum missed a signature stepback three, while Brunson’s floater glanced off the rim.
Then, the Knicks’ supporting cast stepped up.
The wings took over in overtime – Boston never led in the extra period.
- OG, Oh My: OG Anunoby opened scoring in overtime with a thunderous jam as part of his six clutch time points
- A Bridge To Victory: Mikal Bridges hit a crucial three and came up with the game-winning steal to seal the game – his third of the night
- Iron Man: Bridges (8 PTS, 6 REB, 7 AST, 3 STL, 2 BLK) played 51 minutes – the longest stint he’s logged in his career
- Knick History: He’s the eighth Knick to reach that statline (8/6/7/3s/2b) in a game since 1973-74, joining Michael Ray Richardson, Bob McAdoo, Walt Frazier, Gerald Henderson, Immanuel Quickley, Latrell Sprewell and Ray Williams
“We told each other just keep believing, keep fighting,” said Brunson. “It wasn’t going to be a 20-point shot… We were going to keep chipping away.”
What’s Next: The Celtics and Knicks will reconvene for Game 2 (7 ET, TNT) on Wednesday with a chance to reclaim momentum before heading to MSG
3. JOKER’S BRILLIANCE HELPS LEAD NUGGETS TO ROAD WIN
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Three-time MVP Nikola Jokić had one of the great games of his career Monday night, setting up a second moment of game-winning brilliance from Aaron Gordon.
His team had just won a Game 7 on Saturday, then traveled to play the best team in the West just 48 hours later.
But when his needed him, Jokić showed up and dominated.
The Joker (42 PTS, 22 REB, 6 AST) became the fifth player to put up 40 / 20 / 5 in a Playoff game, joining Wilt Chamberlain (2x), Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shaquille O’Neal. He’s the first to have two blocks as well since 1973-74.
- “The team wants me to be aggressive,” Jokić said. “I’m just trying to help the team win the game.”
Nuggets 121, Thunder 119: Jokić’s performance — including an 18-point 4th Q to power Denver’s rally — overcame the swarming Oklahoma City Thunder defense, giving the Nuggets home court advantage. | Recap | 5 Takeaways
Jamal Murray (21 PTS, 6 AST, 6 REB) praised his teammates afterwards, celebrating Gordon’s (22 PTS, 14 REB) clutch shot.
“We’ve been doing that for years, just having that type of resilience,” Murray said afterwards. “What a frigging shot by AG.”
Russell Westbrook – “a Hall of Famer passer,” Gordon said afterwards – had 18 points off the bench. Christian Braun (11 PTS, 13 REB) added a double-double.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (33 PTS, 10 REB, 8 AST) led the Thunder in scoring, who also received an excellent night from Alex Caruso (20 PTS, 6 REB, 5 AST, 5 STL).
- Super Sub: Caruso is the sixth player with at least 20 pts, five ast, five stl and five threes in a Playoff game, joining Luka Dončić, Khris Middleton, Victor Oladipo, Mike Bibby and Tim Hardaway. He’s the first to do so off the bench
- The Caru-Show: Caruso hadn’t scored 20 PTS in an NBA game since March 2024. His teams are now 5-1 lifetime when he tallies that many buckets
The Thunder led by as many as 14 in the contest, but couldn’t put the Nuggets away, shooting 38% as a team in the second half.
“We’re going to find out what we’re really made of,” SGA said after the game. “It’s the game of life. It’s about how you respond to getting knocked down.”
What’s Next: The Thunder will look to re-claim home-court advantage Wednesday (9:30 ET, TNT) and avoid dropping back-to-back games for only the third time this season.
4. CURRY & EDWARDS HEADLINE WARRIORS-WOLVES MATCHUP
The Warriors have been here before.
Tonight will mark the third time a 7-seed has faced a 6-seed in NBA Playoff history — with the Dubs about to do it for a second time.
In 2023, the 6-seed Warriors faced the 7-seed Lakers and a familiar foe in LeBron James, who they had faced in four straight Finals from 2015-18. L.A. eliminated the Warriors in the West Semis – the only time Golden State’s made the Playoffs and failed to reach the Finals in the last decade.
In 2025, the 7-seed Warriors will face one of the league’s brightest rising superstars, Anthony Edwards and the 6-seed Timberwolves — a team they’ve never met in the Playoffs — with Game 1 tonight (9:30 ET, TNT).
At the heart of the matchup are two of the game’s most electrifying talents: Edwards and Stephen Curry, who have built a relationship over the years.
- Edwards impressed Curry as a 17-year-old, standing out with his activity and athleticism at Curry’s camp in 2018, which was held at the historic Kezar Pavilion in San Francisco
- Edwards’ uptick in three-point shooting — he led the league in threes this year — can be traced back to Steph’s influence
- “I’m just cutting, getting out the way and I get easy shots,” Edwards said of Steph’s influence as they played for Team USA this summer. “I think I learned the most from Steph.”
- “He’s playing with supreme confidence,” Curry said of playing Edwards after the Warriors punched their ticket to the second round. “Same Ant, trying to take strides with every opportunity he gets.”
- From Range: Edwards and Curry were two of five players to reach 300 three-pointers this season
Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images
The two All-Star guards will lead their team’s offensive attack in the series.
- After six career Playoff series, Edwards is averaging 27.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.6 AST and 3.1 3PM
- After his first six series, Curry averaged 25.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 7.4 AST and 4.0 3PM
The Warriors won the season series 3-1, with two of the wins coming on the road. All four games took place before Golden State acquired Jimmy Butler III.
While Ant and Steph can provide fireworks with the best of them, elite defense will also be crucial in this series.
- Defensive Player Of The Year finalist Draymond Green will lead the Dubs’ defense. The Warriors had a 108.5 defensive rating after acquiring Jimmy Butler on Feb. 8 – best in the league
- Green, Curry and Brandon Podziemski, the Warriors’ most common three-man lineup in the first round, earned a +12.8 net rating, buoyed by a 102.9 defensive rating
- The Wolves’ best defensive lineup in the first round – Julius Randle, Naz Reid, Jaden McDaniels, Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo – ran a minuscule 73.8 defensive rating over five games in the series
- Four-time DPOY Rudy Gobert is coming off one of the great games of his career, dropping 27 points and 24 rebounds to close out the Lakers and join Kevin Garnett as the only Timberwolves to put up 25+ and 20+ in the Playoffs
5. PACERS LOOK TO PRESS ADVANTAGE IN GAME 2 VERSUS CAVS
The Pacers thrived when the going got tough Sunday night. They have for months now.
Trailing 102-101 with seven minutes remaining in the final frame of Game 1, the visitors embarked on a 19-11 run to stun a Cleveland crowd that witnessed just seven losses all season.
“The key word is aggression,” said Pacers coach Rick Carlisle. “We’ve got to be in attack mode to have a chance to beat this team.”
Now, Indiana takes the 1-0 advantage into tonight’s Game 2 (7 ET, TNT) at Rocket Arena in its East Semifinals matchup with Cleveland. The Pacers are now 13-4 in clutch games dating back to March 1st, qualifying as the most wins in the league during that time.
- The Heart: Tyrese Haliburton has epitomized the Pacers’ tenacity in tight situations, scoring the fourth-most points (14) in the clutch during these Playoffs
- Before The Battle: The 5th-year guard was also 4th during the regular season in 3-pointers made (16 of 39) during the last five minutes or overtime of five-point games
David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images
But it takes a village to overwhelm the Cavaliers, and the Pacers relied on precisely that to deal the East’s top seed its first defeat of the postseason.
- Super Six: Indiana’s entire starting lineup plus Bennedict Mathurin scored in double figures. The team has now posted 5+ scorers with 10+ points across a league-leading 25 games since March 1st.
Cleveland struggled from deep, draining less than 10 3s for the first time this season. But the group was right in the thick of it despite a 23.6% percentage from beyond the arc.
- Shoot For The Stars: When the Cavaliers made less than 12 3-pointers during the regular season, they were 6-6. But they were 23-2 when sinking upwards of 18.
- Weaving His Web: Donovan Mitchell put up 33 points in the loss, marking his third 30+ point outing in five attempts this postseason.
“The positive is I felt like we got accustomed to how they were playing and did a much better job (in the second half),” Atkinson said. “We’ll figure out the 3-point shooting.”
