The Playoffs 2024-25 of the NBA are underway, and our NBA experts have you covered for each game in the march to the finals.
The list of the Eastern Conference Games saw the Indiana Pacers No. 4 easily handle the 5 -seed Milwaukee Bucks, which will now wait on whether Damian Lillard will return to action for game 2. Meanwhile, New York number 3, New York Knicks, broke into the game 1 win behind a large multitude of Madison Square Garden to beat the Pistons No. 6 of Detroit Pistons.
On Sunday you will see the two best teams in the east start their postseason careers. The Cleveland Cavaliers No. 1 welcome the Miami Heat, who became the first team of 10 seeds to escape the game tournament and reach the playoffs. That precedes the defense champion Boston Celtics, who will begin his defense of the title as seed number 2 against the 7 -seed Orlando Magic.
This is what stood out of Saturday’s results as we prepare for Sunday’s games.
Jump to a series:
Cavaliers-Heat | Celtics-Magic
Knicks-Pistons | Dip
More coverage:
West First Round Control
Schedules and results |
Low season guides
(Knicks Leadership Series 1-0)
Game 1: Knicks 123, Pistons 112
What we learned in game 1:
Just or not, when you enter the series, a lot would talk about the collective experience of Knicks playoffs in relation to the Pistons, who present a handful of young key. It was difficult to deny that afternoon, when Detroit opened the fourth period in Madison Square Garden with an incoming five -second rape, then followed that rotation with a rape of the 24th. The plays were signs of things to come, since New York jumped on the mistakes and began to press the defendant’s screws, embarking on a better 21-0 race on a four and a half minutes section to take a 1-0 advantage in the best of seven.
Detroit had a lot to feel good in three quarters. The work he did defensively in Jalen Brunson. His ability to convert Og Anunoby into a single man offensive. The spacing of the Pistons and the ball movement were solid, even when Cade Cunningham was arrested in the stretching score column. But everything collapsed to start the room, a period in which New York beat Detroit 40-21, and Knicks veterans never looked back.
1:38
Knicks USA 21-0 RUN to take control in 4th vs. Pistons
The Knicks go out by 21 points without response to send the Garden of Madison Square to a frenzy against the Pistons.
Game 2: Pistons in Knicks (7:30 pm et, TNT)
What to see in game 2:
Brunson’s health, who started the game shooting 2 of 13, but then, after looking, to modify his ankle, and change his shoes, it looked like a different afternoon player. He connected in five of his seven shots during the fourth dominant quarter of the team. When asked about the state of his star guard and the change of late footwear, coach Tom Thibodeau said: “I think he grabbed his layer.”
– Chris Herring
(LEAD SERIES OF PACERS, 1-0)
Game 1: PACERS 117, Bucks 98
What we learned in game 1:
The depth of the Pacers was evident throughout the game, with the deep rotation of Indiana overcoming Giannis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee. Indiana had few defensive responses against Antetokounmpo, who ended with 36 points and 12 rebounds and showed periods of domain in this rematch of the first round series last season. But the MVP twice ended with only one assistance, since the Pacers pressed and limited the remaining Milwaukee players to 34% of shots from the field.
A key indicator of the difference in the movement of the ball between the equipment in the general assistance numbers was evidenced; Indiana ended with 28, while Milwaukee had only 15. That led to a typical balanced score effort of the Pacers, with five players in double figure points, led by the 25 of Pascal Siakam.
1:52
The pacemakers route to the bucks in the victory of game 1
Pascal Siakam leads the Pacers with 25 points and 7 rebounds while crushing Bucks 117-98.
Game 2: Bucks in Pacers (Tuesday, 7 PM ET, NBA TV)
What to see in game 2:
The attention now resorts to whether the Bucks guard, Damian Lillard, will return to game 2 after being left aside from March 18 due to a blood clot in its right calf. Lillard practiced again this week after being clear of deep venous thrombosis, and bucks could certainly wear their shot after the cold shooting performance of the Milwaukee support cast in game 1.
– Stephen Holder
Game 1: Heat in Cavaliers (Sunday, 7 pm et, TNT)
One thing to see from the cavaliers:
Will they be elite of 3? Before March 11, the cavs were number 1 in a percentage of 3 -point shots and had been at the top for months. Since then, they are 19th. What will be when it matters? Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland are excellent games and players, and the CAVs cover their defensive deficiencies with a large background in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. But it works much better when its main guards are making 3s. Mitchell fired 39% before the whole rest and 30% later. Garland fired 43% before and 34% later. They combine to take 16 triples per game, so these percentage swings make a big difference for their error margin. – Brian Windhorst
One thing to see from heat:
There is no way that heat can do this again … or can they? After becoming the first 10 seeds to reach the playoffs sending the bulls and hawks on the road in a period of three days, the Heat will now try to advance the first round from the game once again. However, not having Jimmy Butler III this time is a big difference. But the heat passed the whole season playing well for three quarters, just to implude repeatedly in the room. If you can avoid that in this series, at least they have the ability to make this slightly interesting. – Tim Bontemps
Game 1: Magic in Celtics (Sunday, 3:30 pm et, ABC)
One thing to see from the Celtics:
Given Orlando’s issues in the offensive, there should not be much drama on the court of this series. But for Celtics, the main approach will be Jaylen Brown’s right knee. The All-Star guard has been dealing with a bone bruise for weeks and recently received injections to control the pain. Boston will not need Brown at his best to win this series, or even next time, but he will need it to defend his title. How it deals with a break will be a heavy approach to all after this series. – Bontemps
One thing to see from magic:
Can I take advantage of Brown’s right knee in Brown applying more defensive pressure on Jays Tatum and the other Celtics? Orlando is relentless at that end of the court, and if they detect and exploit a weakness in that sense, the confrontation could become the type of low possession and routine series that low -score magic would finally prefer. – herring
