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.
Thursday’s action in the Western Conference will see the first ever playoff game at the Intuit Dome as the No. 5 LA Clippers host the No. 4 seed Denver Nuggets after the teams split the first two matchups at Ball Arena. Elsewhere, the No. 8 seed Memphis Grizzlies will try to get back on track against the No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder.
Friday will see the No. 3 seed Los Angeles Lakers travel to No. 6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves, while the No. 7 Golden State Warriors await word on the injury status of Jimmy Butler III ahead of Saturday’s game against the No. 2 Houston Rockets.
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
Thursday’s games
Game 3: Thunder at Grizzlies (Thursday, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
What to watch:
What if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander snaps out of his mini-slump? The Thunder cruised to a couple of wins to open the series despite a pair of uncharacteristically poor shooting performances from the likely MVP. Gilgeous-Alexander, who led the league in scoring with 32.7 points per game, is shooting 32.6% from the floor in the series.
— Tim MacMahon
2:23
SGA drops 27 in OKC’s Game 2 win
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander goes off for 27 points to help the Thunder claim a 2-0 series lead vs. the Grizzlies.
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 beat the Clippers and win a game at Intuit Dome, which will be hosting its first ever playoff games.
One bright side for the Nuggets? They obliterated the Clippers on the offensive glass. That undermined the Clippers’ outstanding half-court defense and gave Denver extra opportunities to score (18 second-chance points Monday). So even though the Clippers didn’t give up 29 points off turnovers as they did in the first game, this one came down to the wire again.
— Ramona Shelburne
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 2: Rockets 109, Warriors 94
What we learned:
It’s no surprise to see six 3-pointers splashed over a span of 57.5 seconds in a game involving the Warriors. But you don’t expect a Warriors opponent to stand toe-to-toe trading 3s the way Houston did over the last 1:48 of the second quarter, as they drilled three 3-pointers for a total of seven by halftime. The Rockets leaned on crushing physicality and a 38-point night from Jalen Green in besting the Warriors in Game 2. Houston coach Ime Udoka wanted his squad to lean on its youth, athleticism and physicality to run the Warriors ragged. It’s now worth pondering whether that physicality might take a toll on Golden State throughout this series.
— Michael C. Wright
2:22
Jalen Green bounces back from Game 1 woes to score 38
Jalen Green goes off for 38 points as the Rockets blow out the Warriors to win Game 2.
Game 3: Rockets at Warriors (Saturday, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
What to watch:
All eyes will be on Butler and his status for Game 3. Butler took a scary fall when he grabbed a defensive rebound and crashed to the floor after Amen Thompson collided with him. Butler landed hard on his tailbone and left with 1:51 to go in the first quarter. The team ruled him out for the rest of the game because of a pelvis contusion in the second quarter, and will undergo an MRI on Thursday. Butler has two days off before Saturday’s Game 3 at Chase Center, but if he has to sit out any time, that would be a crushing blow for the Warriors, who entered Game 2 with a 25-8 record in the regular season, play-in and postseason since Butler made his Warriors’ debut on Feb. 8. Butler not only has rejuvenated Stephen Curry, he has been the driving force behind Golden State’s turnaround.
He has provided the team with a star on both ends of the court, a calming presence and a go-to guy during the crucial non-Curry minutes. The Warriors had the top-ranked defense since the Butler trade and he was in “Playoff Jimmy” form. Butler’s injury could change the complexion of the series. With Butler out in Game 2, Jonathan Kuminga made his series debut after being out of the rotation, and he might play an even bigger role depending on Butler’s status. Kuminga has had success against the Rockets, scoring 33 points against Houston on Dec. 5.
— Ohm Youngmisuk
Game 2: Lakers 94, Timberwolves 85
What we learned:
If there was one sequence that perfectly illustrated the extra edge the Lakers brought to Game 2 after being pushed around in Game 1, it was Rui Hachimura yanking off his face mask, tossing it to the side and running down the court to keep competing. Hachimura didn’t let a hit to the face and a bloodied nose keep him out early on Tuesday, and the Lakers didn’t let Minnesota’s series-opening surge keep them from looking like the contender they’ve been rounding into since acquiring Doncic.
L.A. flipped from feeble to forceful on a laundry list of Saturday’s issues. After being routed 25-6 in fast-break points, they led 13-6 on Tuesday, and after Minnesota shot 21-for-42 on 3-pointers, the Lakers’ perimeter defense held the Wolves to 5-for-25 from deep. And while Doncic scored big in both games (37 points, followed by 31), he racked up nine assists in Game 2 after just a single dime in the opener, completely commanding the Lakers’ offense. Now, we have a series.
2:21
Luka, LeBron power Lakers to even series with the Wolves
Luka Doncic drops 29 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists while LeBron adds 21 and 11 boards in the Lakers’ Game 2 win over the Timberwolves.
Game 3: Lakers at Timberwolves (Friday, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
What to watch:
Can LeBron James and Austin Reaves find an offensive groove this series? After combining for 35 points on 13-for-31 shooting in Game 1, they put up a combined 37 points on 15-for-33 shooting in Game 2. It’s a bit of a dip from the 44.6 combined points they averaged in the regular season, and those could prove to be precious points L.A. will need as the series shifts to Minneapolis.
— Dave McMenamin
