The 2024-25 NBA playoffs are in full swing, and our NBA insiders have you covered for every game in the march to the Finals.
The No. 4 Denver Nuggets and No. 5 LA Clippers played another close thriller on Monday, this time with the Clips grinding out a Game 2 win thanks to Kawhi Leonard‘s stellar performance. The series now heads to Intuit Dome for the first playoff games to played at the NBA’s newest arena.
With the Clippers-Nuggets tied at one game apiece, Tuesday’s slate in the West will try to see the No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers do the same against the No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves. The No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies will also aim to get back on track but face a tall order following Sunday’s 51-point blowout loss at the hands of the No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder.
As the West playoffs continue, here’s what matters most and what to watch for in all four series.
Jump to a series:
Thunder-Grizzlies | Rockets-Warriors
Lakers-Timberwolves | Nuggets-Clippers
More coverage:
East first-round takeaways
Schedules and results |
Offseason guides
Monday’s game
Game 2: Clippers 105, Nuggets 102
What we learned: Kawhi Leonard is still capable of postseason brilliance. After an underwhelming, seven-turnover performance in Game 1, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said the team needed to get Leonard back into “attack mode” again. Consider that answered after Leonard’s exceptionally efficient 39 points on 15-for-19 shooting in Game 2. That was his most points since a 41-point showing against Utah back on Dec. 8, 2023.
Leonard start Tuesday’s game by hitting his first six shots, missed a 3-pointer, then hit six more in a row. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter he missed consecutive shots, but the two-time NBA champ was as close to automatic as a scorer can be in what has already turned into a contentious series. Leonard sealed the Clippers win by clawing away a cross court pass by Nikola Jokic in the final minute. It was Jokic’s seventh turnover of the game, a testament to how tightly the Clippers have defended him.
0:51
3 techs handed out as tempers flare between Nuggets, Clippers
Tempers flare as Jamal Murray and Norman Powell get into a shoving match in the third quarter.
Game 3: Nuggets at Clippers (Thursday, 10 p.m. ET, TNT)
What to watch:
Denver got strong contributions from Jokic (26 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists), Jamal Murray (23 points), Michael Porter Jr. (15 points) and Aaron Gordon (14). But outside of Russell Westbrook’s 14 points, no other Denver player made an impact offensively. That’s going to have to change if the Nuggets are going to win a game at Intuit Dome.
One bright side for the Nuggets? They obliterated the Clippers on the offensive glass. It’s undermining the Clippers’ outstanding half-court defense and giving Denver extra opportunities to score (18 second-chance points on Monday). So even though the Clippers didn’t give up the 29 points off turnovers like in the first game, this one came down to the wire again.
— Ramona Shelburne
Game 1: Nuggets 112, Clippers 110 (OT)
What we learned:
Denver can take a punch — literally. Nikola Jokic got hit in the face by an errant Derrick Jones Jr. forearm, picked up a technical foul for arguing the non-call and somehow rallied the Nuggets back from a 15-point deficit to win this game in overtime. Russell Westbrook was incredible on the glass with clutch offensive rebounds, putbacks and even a key 3-pointer down the stretch. It was his first career go-ahead 3 inside the final 30 seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime in his playoff career. Jamal Murray shook off a poor first half to finish with two huge 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, and Aaron Gordon had six of the Nuggets’ 14 points in overtime to seal the win.
The Clippers will wonder what would have happened if James Harden wasn’t in foul trouble for most of the game. He was brilliant for the team, but the Nuggets survived with grit and might just have rediscovered their championship swagger after a tumultuous final week of the regular season. — Shelburne
West first-round series
Game 1: Thunder 131, Grizzlies 80
What we learned:
This wasn’t a fair fight. The Grizzlies have their hands full against the Thunder — a team fresh off setting the record for best point differential in a regular season — regardless of circumstances. But on a 36-hour turnaround from the play-in finale with travel in between? Good luck, Grizzlies. Oklahoma City’s smothering defense overwhelmed Memphis, fueling a 17-0 advantage in fast-break points in the first half.
This game was over midway through the second quarter despite MVP front-runner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander getting off to a slow start (2-of-10 shooting in first half) and finishing with his fewest points (15) in a game this season. Granted, he was subbed out for the rest of the game with just under five minutes left in the third quarter.
1:52
OKC crushes Memphis in a 51-point blowout
Oklahoma City sets a franchise record with its biggest win in the playoffs, defeating the Grizzlies 131-80.
Game 2: Grizzlies at Thunder (Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
What to watch:
If the Grizzlies can’t generate some transition offense, they’ll be making a fast break for Cancun soon. Oklahoma City’s top-ranked defense is simply too tough to have to grind out every possession in the half court. The Thunder rotated two premier perimeter stoppers (Luguentz Dort and Cason Wallace) on Ja Morant and have two others (Jalen Williams and Alex Caruso) to utilize against Desmond Bane or Jaren Jackson Jr. Oh, and Oklahoma City has a tandem of terrific rim protectors (Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein) as co-anchors. If the Grizzlies can’t run, their chances of winning are slim and none.
— Tim MacMahon
Game 1: Warriors 95, Rockets 85
What we learned:
The Warriors can play defense too. The Rockets didn’t even score 50 points until the 4:36 mark of the third quarter, and their 85 points were the fewest this season. The Rockets had a furious start, highlighted by Alperen Sengun‘s monster dunk on Draymond Green, but the Warriors kept hanging around. Stephen Curry began scoring inside on drives against aggressive defenders while still finding time to hit ridiculous 3-point shots. Jimmy Butler III also began to pick his spots and finished with 25 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.
On defense, the Warriors appeared content with letting Sengun score, although the All-Star forward had only four of his 26 points in the fourth quarter. The Rockets found scoring difficult, shooting 6-for-29 from 3 and missing several attempts at the rim. They trailed by 23 in the third quarter but got back into the game by dominating the glass with 22 second-chance points and 22 offensive boards (nearly eight more than their regular-season average).
Houston got to within three midway through the fourth as Amen Thompson made some big baskets, but Butler hit two big shots in the end and the Warriors showed exactly why no one wanted to face them and their championship experience in the first round. — Ohm Youngmisuk
1:46
Why Stephen A. is disappointed in the Rockets after Game 1 loss
Stephen A. Smith explains how the Rockets fell short against the Warriors and why their performance didn’t meet expectations.
Game 2: Warriors at Rockets (Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
What to watch: Golden State seemed to swipe Houston’s identity in the first half, outscoring the Rockets in transition 14-2. Losing in that area gives the younger, more athletic Rockets virtually no shot this series, especially considering their season-long struggles generating half-court offense. An aggressive, physical start helped Houston seize a 13-point first half lead that vaporized when the veteran Warriors settled in.
Look for Houston to continue asserting physicality to wear down Golden State, while relying even more on Sengun in the half court. Sengun blistered Green as Houston’s most reliable scorer, but he can’t do all the work alone on offense. — Michael C. Wright
Game 1: Timberwolves 117, Lakers 95
What we learned:
The Lakers organization geared up for Game 1 by distributing a hype video with their postseason motto “Unleash Joy.” The video, in the Lakers’ words, was meant to tip off their “2025 Playoff Run.” The anticipation for a deep playoff push was understandable, considering how well L.A. played after trading for Luka Doncic and securing the No. 3 seed in the West.
And the way Saturday started, with Doncic personally outscoring Minnesota with 14 points as L.A. went up 20-12 early in the first, that story was seemingly going to plan. But nobody in L.A.’s marketing department considered that the Wolves, who lost to Doncic in the conference finals a year ago, would become the main characters.
“We know not many people are picking us,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said pregame. “I think our guys have leaned into that a little bit.”
After Doncic’s initial flourish, the Wolves took control in the second and third quarters, leading by as many as 27 points as they owned the boards (44-38) and spread out the Lakers’ defense by making the extra pass to open shooters (hitting a franchise postseason record 21-of-42 from 3). The run-up to this series focused on Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves on one side and Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle on the other. However, Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid combined for 48 points on 19-for-25 shooting to completely outperform L.A.’s role players and put the Wolves in the driver’s seat.
0:52
Stephen A: LeBron was ‘lethargic,’ Luka was a defensive liability
Stephen A. Smith breaks down the Lakers’ Game 1 loss to the Timberwolves, calling out both LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
Game 2: Timberwolves at Lakers (Tuesday, 10 p.m. ET, TNT)
What to watch:
Lakers starting center Jaxson Hayes played only eight minutes, with coach JJ Redick opting for Jarred Vanderbilt at the 5 and using his activity (and some of his extracurricular efforts to get under the Wolves players’ skin) to try to make a dent in the monstrous deficit, getting as close as 12. Redick will have a decision to make regarding whether he will want to give Hayes a second look — that starting group was 10-3 in the regular season — or make his first chess move of the series going small from the start, ceding the size disadvantage.
— Dave McMenamin
