The NBA playoffs' conference semifinals roll on. One team has advanced, but there's still plenty at stake in the other matchups.
The No. 1 seed Boston Celtics are on their way to the Eastern Conference finals after eliminating the No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers in five games. They now await the winners of the other East series between the No. 2 seed New York Knicks and the No. 6 seed Indiana Pacers.
In the West, the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder take on the No. 5 seed Dallas Mavericks. The other West clash pits the No. 2 seed and defending NBA Finals champion Denver Nuggets against the No. 3 seed Minnesota Timberwolves.
Each team must win their best-of-7 series to advance. All four rounds of the NBA playoffs are best-of-7, and teams are not reseeded after each round. The team with the better regular-season record in each series will have home court advantage for that series. All series are played in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, with the team with the better record hosting Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 (if necessary).
We'll have complete coverage of the NBA playoffs all the way through the 2024 NBA Finals, which tip off on June 6 on ABC and the ESPN app.
MORE: First-round news and scores |
Offseason guides
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Boston Celtics (1) eliminate the Cleveland Cavaliers (4), 4-1
Game 1: Celtics 120, Cavaliers 95
Game 2: Cavaliers 118, Celtics 94
Game 3: Celtics 106, Cavaliers 93
Game 4: Celtics 109, Cavaliers 102
Game 5: Celtics 113, Cavaliers 98
Jayson Tatum breaks away to the basket and rocks the rim with a one-handed jam.
Sources: Celtics assistant Charles Lee to become Hornets coach
Marks: What the eliminated Cavaliers need to do this offseason
New York Knicks (2) lead the Indiana Pacers (6), 3-2
Game 1: Knicks 121, Pacers 117
Game 2: Knicks 130, Pacers 121
Game 3: Pacers 111, Knicks 106
Game 4: Pacers 121, Knicks 89
Game 5: Knicks 121, Pacers 91
Game 6: Friday, May 17 at Indiana (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday, May 19 at New York (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Jalen Brunson goes off with 44 points, including 28 in the first half, as the Knicks bounce back to take Game 5 from the Pacers.
Kweon: The will and weariness of Thibodeau and his Knicks squad
Windhorst: The growing Tyrese Haliburton-Jalen Brunson rivalry
Herring: The eight moves that fueled this Knicks resurrection
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Dallas Mavericks (5) tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder (1), 2-2
Game 1: Thunder 117, Mavericks 95
Game 2: Mavericks 119, Thunder 110
Game 3: Mavericks 105, Thunder 101
Game 4: Thunder 100, Mavericks 96
Game 5: Wednesday, May 15 at Oklahoma City (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 6: Saturday, May 18 at Dallas (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 7 (if necessary): Monday, May 20 at Oklahoma City (8:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Jalen Williams works around his defender and flushes down a slam to extend the Thunder's lead late in the 4th quarter.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander rallies Thunder to Game 4 win vs. Mavs
Luka Doncic battles knee, Kyrie Irving closes strong in Game 3 win
MacMahon: Kyrie is still standing in a postseason dominated by young stars
Shelburne: How Chet Holmgren became a perfect fit in OKC's budding dynasty
Pelton: Why OKC's championship window is wide open for years to come
Denver Nuggets (2) lead the Minnesota Timberwolves (3), 3-2
Game 1: Timberwolves 106, Nuggets 99
Game 2: Timberwolves 106, Nuggets 80
Game 3: Nuggets 117, Timberwolves 90
Game 4: Nuggets 115, Timberwolves 107
Game 5: Nuggets 112, Timberwolves 97
Game 6: Thursday, May 16 at Minnesota (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday, May 19 at Denver
Nikola Jokic drops 40 points with 13 assists to lead the Nuggets past the Timberwolves in Game 5.