Bearbeiten von „Saturday's NBA Games: Cavaliers-Heat, Thunder-Grizzlies,“

<br>Oklahoma City has an opportunity to protect its area in Round 2. Cleveland and the Los Angeles Clippers can get to the doorstep of the second round. And the Houston-Golden State winner is going to have control of their matchup.<br><br><br>Those are the headings entering into a quadruple-header of NBA playoff video games 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 each.<br> <br><br>And there are some injury worries, particularly for Memphis and Golden State. [https://wikibase.imfd.cl/wiki/User:PhillisStaples1 Grizzlies safeguard] Ja Morant took a bad fall that knocked him out of Game 3 versus Oklahoma City with a bruised hip - and assisted add to the Thunder rallying from a 29-point [http://www.drawmaster.ru/user/ErinMcKean816/ deficit -] while Warriors forward Jimmy Butler likewise is handling the aftereffects of a fall that knocked him out of Game 2 in Houston.<br><br><br>"I never wish to see anyone get hurt. I hope he's OK," Thunder coach Mark [https://historydb.date/wiki/User:EttaWahl6756467 Daigneault] said of Morant. "You want everybody to be at full strength. He's a great competitor. He was playing terrific. Obviously, that had something to do with the game too. It 'd be incorrect of me not to acknowledge that."<br><br><br>The Thunder, since relocating to [https://menwiki.men/wiki/The_Bet9JA_Promotion_Code_This_2026_Is_YOHAIG Oklahoma] City, were 0-95 in games where they tracked by at least 27 points - till Thursday.<br><br><br>"Never surprised. Always pleased," Daigneault said. "They simply feel an unbelievable responsibility to one another."<br><br><br>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)<br><br><br>When/Where to Watch: Game 3, 1 p.m. EDT (TNT)<br><br><br>Series: Cavaliers lead, 2-0.<br><br><br>BetMGM Sportsbook: Cavaliers by 6.5.<br><br><br>What to Know: Miami did a lot of things right in Game 2 - teams in championship game were 76-0 all-time when scoring at least 112 points, making 16 3s, shooting 50% or better from the field and holding their challenger to under 50% shooting. The Heat did all that and lost Game 2 anyhow, merely since of Cleveland ´ s barrage of 3-pointers and Donovan Mitchell ´ s ability to make big plays down the stretch to ward off a Miami run. The Heat say Game 3 is a must-win, so expect a huge push to open the video game. It ´ ll be a good test for Cleveland, which was great on the roadway all year, to see how it deals with a playoff roadway [https://www.garagesale.es/author/alyciamiche/ environment].<br><br><br>When/Where to Watch: Game 4, 3:30 p.m. EDT (TNT)<br><br><br>Series: Thunder lead, 3-0.<br><br><br>BetMGM Sportsbook: Thunder by 14.5.<br><br><br>What to Know: Oklahoma City will have an opportunity to be the very first team to reach Round 2 of the playoffs, plus can round off a first-round sweep for the 2nd successive year after ousting New [https://webads4you.com/author/carmellatra/ Orleans] 4-0 last season. The 14.5-point spread, presuming it does not move before video game time, would be the biggest according to BetMGM Sportsbook for any road group in a championship game over the last decade. (Excluding bubble games, the greatest 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[https://goldminesforsaleglobal.com/the-bet-9ja-promotion-code-2026-is-yohaig/ -point favorites] and both covered). The difficulty for Memphis will be how to combat back after losing a 29-point lead in Game 3.<br><br><br>When/Where to Watch: Game 4, 6 p.m. EDT (TNT)<br><br><br>Series: Clippers lead, 2-1.<br><br><br>BetMGM Sportsbook: Clippers by 5.5.<br><br><br>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. [http://swwwwiki.coresv.net/index.php?title=%E5%88%A9%E7%94%A8%E8%80%85:SoniaPimentel66 Nikola Jokic] and Jamal Murray had 37 of those final 57 points for Denver while their colleagues integrated to shoot 7-for-37 and rating just 20 points in those 39 minutes. That is all an obvious credit to the [https://harry.main.jp/mediawiki/index.php/%E5%88%A9%E7%94%A8%E8%80%85:ChristenPither4 Clippers'] defense, which has actually been a neglected story all season. Another increase for the Clippers out of that video game was how Kawhi Leonard didn't need to log big minutes; he played only 34. Denver needs to get some shooting going in Game 4, after getting outscored 54-21 on 3[http://topsite.otaku-attitude.net/index.php?a=stats&u=natishakeartland -pointers] in Game 3.<br><br><br>When/Where to Watch: Game 3, 8:30 p.m. EDT (ABC)<br><br><br>Series: Tied, 1-1.<br><br><br>BetMGM Sportsbook: [https://wiki.knihovna.cz/index.php/U%C5%BEivatel:DawnaMcKillop6 Warriors] by 2.5.<br><br><br>What to Know: Golden State forward Jimmy Butler's injury status is the huge concern entering into Game 3. And if he plays, can he be effective? The [https://www.adpost4u.com/user/profile/4363843 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 video games. The Rockets are just 2-8 in that structure, the third-worst record amongst Western Conference teams, ahead of only Utah (2-9) and Portland (1-9). Houston needs to like what it has done defensively so far in the series, holding the Warriors to 95 and 94 points in the first 2 matches. That's a clear trend, with the Warriors being held under 100 points in 5 of their last six video games versus the Rockets. The combined numbers from those video games: Rockets 582, Warriors 579, and each group going 3-3.<br><br><br>AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba<br><br><br>Oklahoma City Thunder [https://darkupper.com/User:Juliane40C guard Shai] Gilgeous-Alexander (2) handles the ball versus Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (22) in the 2nd half of Game 3 of an NBA first-round [https://metazoowiki.com/index.php/User:KatherineMarcott playoff] series Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)<br><br><br>Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) gestures after a 3 point basket in the first half in Game 2 of an NBA first-round playoff series versus the Miami Heat, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in [https://wiki.arbyten.de/index.php?title=The_Betnaija_Promotional_Code_2026_Is_YOHAIG Cleveland]. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)<br><br><br>Miami Heat [https://www.mnemosome.org/index.php/User:Sherman6431 center Bam] Adebayo (13) duels in the second half in Game 2 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in [https://dev.yayprint.com/the-bet-naija-promotion-code-2026-is-yohaig/ Cleveland]. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)<br><br><br>Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, center, [https://wikifad.francelafleur.com/Utilisateur:AnitraNorton70 battles] for a loose ball with Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet, left, and Rockets center  throughout the second half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round [https://bsaru.ru/index.php?subaction=userinfo&user=Lasonya71I playoff series] versus the Houston Rockets in Houston, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)<br><br><br>Los Angeles Clippers guard Patty Mills, left, and Denver Nuggets guard Jalen Pickett reach for a [https://www.garagesale.es/author/jaquelinebu/ loose ball] during the second half in Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round [https://animeautochess.com/index.php/User:BeaTurney0 playoff series] Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)<br><br><br>Fans tease the Denver Nuggets from "The Wall" throughout the second half in Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)<br>