Another night of pro basketball’s postseason. Unlike Ashanti, it’s always there when we call and always on time. Two swaggering Eastern Conference contenders try to go up 3-0 against desperate home teams, then Luka Dončić and LeBron James visit Anthony Edwards up north. Here’s a look at Friday night’s stakes.
Viewing guide for Friday
| Game | Time (ET) | TV | Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Celtics at Magic |
7 p.m. |
ESPN |
|
|
Pacers at Bucks |
8 p.m. |
ESPNU, NBA TV |
|
|
Lakers at Timberwolves |
9:30 p.m. |
ESPN |
Watching in person? Get tickets on StubHub.
Boston Celtics at Orlando Magic
Celtics lead series 2-0
Series odds: Celtics -10000, Magic +4000
Game 1: The guests led at halftime, but Boston shed its sluggishness with a 30-point third quarter. Paolo Banchero had 36 points and Franz Wagner added 23, but no other Magician scored more than 7. Derrick White hit seven 3s; Orlando hit 10 as a team.
Game 2: No Jayson Tatum (wrist), but same result for the reigning champs. Boston broke away with another momentous run out of the break, led by Jaylen Brown’s 36 points, 10 boards and five assists. Ian Eagle said one of his floaters “tickled the clouds.” At least a third Magic bucket-maker emerged in Wendell Carter Jr. (6-for-8 shooting, 3-for-3 on treys).
Looking ahead: Tatum’s status is unclear for Game 3 in Orlando, but the Celtics survived Game 2 without him and are still favored anyway. The Magic were closer Wednesday, but still have ground to make up in what is a virtual must-win game.
Best playoff performer for both teams: Shaquille O’Neal (three postseasons and a Finals run in Magic pinstripes; two points in his Celtics twilight)
Expert picks
Indiana Pacers at Milwaukee Bucks
Pacers lead series 2-0
Series odds: Pacers -500, Bucks +375
Game 1: Giannis Antetokounmpo put up 36 points. The other four Bucks starters combined for 14. Milwaukee was a paltry 24 percent on 3s and couldn’t establish any transition rhythm. Torrid Indy fielded six double-figure scorers and made more tries than it missed. Tyrese Haliburton is still a demigod of efficiency (12 dimes, one turnover), and Playoff Andrew Nembhard has kept his lights on.
Game 2: Damian Lillard (blood clots) returned for the Deer, but Indiana locked up a win with 49/44/100 shooting splits. Another dozen assists for Haliburton. Eight Pacers hit a 3 on Tuesday. Milwaukee got doubled up on turnovers, 16-to-8, while midseason addition Kyle Kuzma brought his series average up to 6 points per game. In better developments, Bobby Portis microwaved 28 points off the bench, Antetokounmpo is still a gravity-warper, and the proceedings were far closer than the final score reads.
Looking ahead: The Bucks return home as the favorite for Game 3. Lillard was 4-for-13 in his first action since mid-March. Milwaukee will hope the rust shakes off quickly. At full strength, Lillard had a plus-minus of plus-7.3 in four meetings with Pacers, though he shot below 36 percent in those games. Indiana is trying to get past the opening round for the second time since 2014, after breaking into the conference finals last spring. Since winning it all in 2020-21, the Bucks have won one series and lost three, including back-to-back first-round exits.
Best playoff performer for both teams: George Hill (he made the Eastern Conference finals wearing each jersey)
Expert picks
Los Angeles Lakers at Minnesota Timberwolves
Series tied 1-1
Series odds: Lakers -120, Timberwolves +100
Game 1: Minnesota went coast-to-coast on LA’s home floor, leaping out in the full court and earning wide-open looks. It was the proper-noun Jaden McDaniels Game (25 points, 11-for-13 from the field with furious defensive energy). Also — and we mean this with all sincerity — Naz Reid.
Game 2: Episode No. 1 was a shaky way to start things, but The Lake Show looked like itself last time out. Luka Dončić was one assist shy of a 31-point triple-double, though he added four turnovers and missed six of eight 3s. To be fair, both teams looked reset to early-2000s settings, as the Wolves finished at 20 percent behind the arc and the Lakers at almost 21. One of the best playoff games of Julius Randle’s career was spoiled by Dončić’s languid glides to the rim:
Looking ahead: In one of the bracket’s closest and most anticipated series thus far, LA remains a narrow favorite despite surrendering its home-court advantage. Minnesota is a small favorite as Friday’s host. James will need to lock in from long range, having converted just 2 of 10 in the two games in LA. He shot above 43 percent from 3 at home, but below 32 percent on the road.
Best playoff performer for both teams: D’Angelo Russell (26 starts in three postseasons)
Expert picks
On this day in NBA history (Apr. 25):
- 2015 — Jerryd Bayless buzzer-beater off a Jason Kidd ATO call! Jimmy Butler had 33 points in the Game 4 loss.
- 2010 — Tim Duncan with just four points, and Manu Ginóbili shooting 4-for-16. So the Spurs get saved by … George Hill’s heat check? A second George Hill callback in this piece?!
- 2005 — Dirk Nowitzki fadeaway for the tie, then Tracy McGrady pull-up for the win.
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(Photo of LeBron James and Rudy Gobert: Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)
