Saturday's NBA Games: Cavaliers-Heat, Thunder-Grizzlies,
Oklahoma City has a possibility to secure its area in Round 2. Cleveland and the Los Angeles Clippers can get to the doorstep of the 2nd round. And the Houston-Golden State winner is going to have control of their match.
Those are the headlines going into a quadruple-header of NBA championship game on Saturday: Oklahoma City can sweep its series with a win at Memphis, Cleveland can take a 3-0 lead over Miami, the Clippers will go for a 3-1 edge when they host Denver and the nightcap is a Rockets-Warriors matchup in San Francisco with those groups tied at a game apiece.
And there are some injury concerns, particularly for Memphis and Golden State. Grizzlies guard Ja Morant took a bad fall that knocked him out of Game 3 against Oklahoma City with a bruised hip - and helped contribute to the Thunder rallying from a 29-point deficit - while Warriors forward Jimmy Butler likewise is handling the side effects of a fall that knocked him out of Game 2 in Houston.
"I never ever want to see anybody get harmed. I hope he's OK," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said of Morant. "You want everybody to be at complete strength. He's a great competitor. He was playing great. Obviously, that had something to do with the game as well. It 'd be wrong of me not to acknowledge that."
The Thunder, since transferring to Oklahoma City, were 0-95 in video games where they tracked by a minimum of 27 points - until Thursday.
"Never shocked. Always satisfied," Daigneault said. "They simply feel an amazing obligation to one another."
Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr., right, attempts to get a loose ball ahead of Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) in the 2nd half of Game 3 of an NBA first-round playoff series Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)
When/Where to Watch: Game 3, 1 p.m. EDT (TNT)
Series: Cavaliers lead, 2-0.
BetMGM Sportsbook: Cavaliers by 6.5.
What to Know: Miami did a great deal of things right in Game 2 - groups in playoff video games were 76-0 all-time when scoring a minimum of 112 points, making 16 threes, shooting 50% or much better from the field and holding their opponent to under 50% shooting. The Heat did all that and lost Game 2 anyway, merely because of Cleveland ´ s barrage of 3-pointers and Donovan Mitchell ´ s capability to make big plays down the stretch to ward off a Miami run. The Heat state Game 3 is a must-win, so anticipate a huge push to open the video game. It ´ ll be a great test for Cleveland, which was fantastic on the road all year, to see how it deals with a playoff roadway atmosphere.
When/Where to Watch: Game 4, 3:30 p.m. EDT (TNT)
Series: Thunder lead, 3-0.
BetMGM Sportsbook: Thunder by 14.5.
What to Know: Oklahoma City will have an opportunity to be the first team to reach Round 2 of the playoffs, plus can complete off a first-round sweep for the 2nd consecutive year after ousting New Orleans 4-0 last season. The 14.5-point spread, presuming it doesn't move before game time, would be the biggest according to BetMGM Sportsbook for any roadway team in a playoff video game over the last years. (Excluding bubble video games, the most significant road favorites in the postseason considering that 2012 were San Antonio at Memphis in 2016 and Milwaukee at Detroit in 2019. Both were 12.5-point favorites and both covered). The obstacle for Memphis will be how to eliminate back after losing a 29-point lead in Game 3.
When/Where to Watch: Game 4, 6 p.m. EDT (TNT)
Series: Clippers lead, 2-1.
BetMGM Sportsbook: Clippers by 5.5.
What to Know: The Clippers trailed 26-19 after 9 minutes of Game 1 - and outscored the Nuggets 98-57 the rest of the method. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray had 37 of those final 57 points for Denver while their colleagues combined to shoot 7-for-37 and score just 20 points in those 39 minutes. That is all an obvious credit to the Clippers' defense, which has actually been an ignored story all season. Another increase for the Clippers out of that video game was how Kawhi Leonard didn't have to log huge minutes; he played just 34. Denver needs to get some shooting entering Game 4, after getting outscored 54-21 on 3-pointers in Game 3.
When/Where to Watch: Game 3, 8:30 p.m. EDT (ABC)
Series: Tied, 1-1.
BetMGM Sportsbook: Warriors by 2.5.
What to Know: Golden State forward Jimmy Butler's injury status is the big concern going into Game 3. And if he plays, can he work? The Warriors still have the upper hand in the series after getting a split of Games 1 and 2 in Houston and now come home to Chase Center - where they are 16-4 in playoff and play-in games. The Rockets are just 2-8 because structure, the third-worst record among Western Conference teams, ahead of only Utah (2-9) and Portland (1-9). Houston has to love what it has actually done defensively so far in the series, holding the Warriors to 95 and 94 points in the very first two matches. That's a clear pattern, with the Warriors being held under 100 points in 5 of their last 6 games versus the Rockets. The combined numbers from those video games: Rockets 582, Warriors 579, and each group going 3-3.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) handles the ball versus Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (22) in the second half of Game 3 of an NBA first-round playoff series Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) gestures after a three point basket in the first half in Game 2 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) battles in the 2nd half in Game 2 of an NBA first-round playoff series versus the Cleveland Cavaliers, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, center, battles for a loose ball with Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet, left, and Rockets center Steven Adams during the 2nd half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series versus the Houston Rockets in Houston, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Los Angeles Clippers guard Patty Mills, left, and Denver Nuggets guard Jalen Pickett grab a loose ball throughout the second half in Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Fans tease the Denver Nuggets from "The Wall" throughout the second half in Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series versus the Los Angeles Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)