Biography

2024 NBA playoffs

Tournament details
Dates	April 20 – June 2024[a]
Season	2023–24
Teams	16
← 2023 2025 →

The 2024 NBA playoffs is the ongoing postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2023–24 season. The playoffs began on April 20 and will conclude with the 2024 NBA Finals in June.

Overview

Updates to playoff appearances

• The Boston Celtics entered the playoffs for the tenth consecutive season, currently the longest such streak in the NBA. They also won the Maurice Podoloff Trophy for clinching the best record in the NBA for the first time since 2008.
• The Oklahoma City Thunder entered the playoffs for the first time since 2020 and also clinched the number one seed in the Western Conference for the first time since 2013.
• The Milwaukee Bucks entered the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season.
• The Philadelphia 76ers entered the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season.
• The Denver Nuggets entered the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.
• The Miami Heat entered the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.
• The Phoenix Suns entered the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.
• The Minnesota Timberwolves entered the playoffs for the third consecutive season.
• The Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers entered the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
• The Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans returned to the playoffs after missing the postseason the previous year.
• The Orlando Magic and Indiana Pacers entered the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
• The Sacramento Kings missed the playoffs after making the postseason the previous year.
• The Golden State Warriors missed the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
• The Memphis Grizzlies and Atlanta Hawks missed the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
• The Brooklyn Nets missed the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
• The Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs missed the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.
• The Charlotte Hornets missed the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season, currently the longest active playoff drought in the NBA.

Notable occurrences

• This is the first playoffs to not feature Chris Paul since 2010.^[2]
• With an average of 23.9 years old, the Oklahoma City Thunder became the youngest team to earn the 1-seed in NBA history.^[3]
• The Thunder also became the seventh different Western Conference 1-seed in the last seven years, the longest stretch in the West since the 16-team format began in 1984.^[4]
• The Boston Celtics finished first in the Eastern Conference standings by 14 games, which is the largest margin between No. 1 and No. 2 in either conference since 1976.^[5]

First round

• All home teams in the first-round matchups won game 1 for the first time since 2013.
• The Knicks' game 2 comeback against the 76ers marked just the fourth time in the play-by-play era (dating to the 1996–97 season) that a team won a playoff game after trailing by at least five points in the last 30 seconds.^[6] The Knicks were also the first team to win in regulation, as the other three teams completed their comeback in overtime.^[7]
• The Miami Heat's 23 three-pointers made in game 2 against the Celtics, are the most ever by a team in a road playoff win in NBA history. This is also the Heat's franchise record for most threes made in a single playoff game.^[8][9]
• In game 3 against the Knicks, Joel Embiid became the first player in NBA history to score 50 points on fewer than 20 shots in a playoff game.^[10]

Format

Eight teams from each conference participate in the playoffs. The top six teams in each conference, based on winning percentage, directly qualify for the playoffs; the seeding order of those teams is also based on winning percentage. If two or more teams had the same record, standard NBA tiebreaker rules are used.

The NBA Board of Governors adopted a format starting in 2021 to have a play-in tournament involving the teams ranked 7th through 10th in each conference. The 7th place team and 8th place team participate in a "double-chance" game, with the winner advancing to the playoffs as the 7-seed. The loser then plays the winner of the elimination game between the 9th place and 10th place teams to determine the playoff's 8-seed. The NBA's regular playoff format then proceeds as normal.^[11]

Each conference's bracket is fixed with no reseeding. All rounds are a best-of-seven series; a series ends when one team wins four games, and that team advances to the next round. All rounds, including the NBA Finals, are in a 2–2–1–1–1 format with regards to hosting. In the conference playoffs, home-court advantage goes to the higher-seeded team (number one being the highest). For the NBA Finals, home-court advantage goes to the team with the better regular season record, and, if needed, ties are broken based on head-to-head record, followed by intra-conference record.

Playoff qualifying

On March 14, 2024, the Boston Celtics became the first team to clinch a playoff spot.^[12] While noted in the below tables, division titles have no bearing on seeding.^[13]

Seeds 7 and 8 in each conference were determined via the first-stage play-in tournament, held April 16–19.

Eastern Conference

Seed	Team	Record	Clinched
			Play-in berth	Playoff berth	Division title	Best record in conference	Best record in NBA
1	Boston Celtics	64–18	—	March 14[12]	March 20[14]	March 24[15]	April 3[16]
2	New York Knicks	50–32	—	April 10[17]	—	—	—
3	Milwaukee Bucks	49–33	—	April 7[18]	April 14[19]	—	—
4	Cleveland Cavaliers	48–34	—	April 12[20]	—	—	—
5	Orlando Magic	47–35	—	April 14[21]	April 14[21]	—	—
6	Indiana Pacers	47–35	—	April 14[22]	—	—	—
7	Philadelphia 76ers	47–35	April 14[22]	April 17[23]	—	—	—
8	Miami Heat	46–36	April 14[22]	April 19[24]	—	—	—

Chicago (39–43) and Atlanta (36–46) also secured play-in berths but did not advance to the playoffs.^[24][25]

Western Conference

Seed	Team	Record	Clinched
			Play-in berth	Playoff berth	Division title	Best record in conference	Best record in NBA
1	Oklahoma City Thunder	57–25	—	March 31[26]	April 14[22]	April 14[22]	—
2	Denver Nuggets	57–25	—	March 31[27]	—	—	—
3	Minnesota Timberwolves	56–26	—	April 1[28]	—	—	—
4	Los Angeles Clippers	51–31	—	April 9[29]	April 9[29]	—	—
5	Dallas Mavericks	50–32	—	April 9[29]	April 10[30]	—	—
6	Phoenix Suns	49–33	—	April 14[22]	—	—	—
7	Los Angeles Lakers	47–35	April 10[31]	April 16[32]	—	—	—
8	New Orleans Pelicans	49–33	April 14[22]	April 19[24]	—	—	—

Sacramento (46–36) and Golden State (46–36) also secured play-in berths but did not advance to the playoffs.^[24][33]

Play-in tournament brackets

Eastern Conference

Bold Game winner
Italic Team with home-court advantage

Western Conference

Bold Game winner
Italic Team with home-court advantage

Bracket

Teams in bold advanced to the next round. The numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's seeding in its conference, and the numbers to the right indicate the number of games the team won in that round. The division champions are marked by an asterisk. Teams with home court advantage, the higher seeded team, are shown in italics.

First round

Conference semifinals

Conference finals

NBA Finals

E1

Boston*

1

E8

Miami

1

E

E

E4

Cleveland

2

E5

Orlando*

1

E

Eastern Conference

E

E3

Milwaukee*

1

E6

Indiana

2

E

E

E2

New York

2

E7

Philadelphia

1

E

W

W1

Oklahoma City*

2

W8

New Orleans

0

W

W

W4

LA Clippers*

1

W5

Dallas*

2

W

Western Conference

W

W3

Minnesota

3

W6

Phoenix

0

W

W

W2

Denver

3

W7

LA Lakers

0

First round

Note: Times are EDT (UTC−4) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.

Eastern Conference first round

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Miami Heat

Jayson Tatum recorded his first playoff triple-double, leading the Celtics to a 114–94 Game 1 victory over the defending Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat. Tatum's performance of 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists was complemented by his teammates, as they knocked down 21 of Boston's 22 three-pointers. Derrick White added 20 points and four assists for Boston, which finished with six players in double-figures. The Heat, who were without Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier, never held a lead and trailed by as much as 34 points. Bam Adebayo had a game-high 24 points, while Delon Wright and Jaime Jaquez Jr. finished with 17 and 16 points respectively.

Without Jimmy Butler, the Heat hit a franchise playoff-record 23 three-pointers as Miami tied the series at one game apiece. Tyler Herro had 24 points and 14 assists, hitting 6-of-11 from beyond the arc, while Bam Adebayo finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds on 69% shooting. Caleb Martin also had 21 points and five threes for the Heat, who shot 53.5% (23-of-43) from beyond the arc to bounce back after a game 1 blowout. Jaylen Brown scored 33 points for the Celtics, who lost just their fifth home game of the season, while Jayson Tatum scored 28. Boston newcomers Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis combined for 15 points and shot 5-of-21 from the field, with Porziņģis finishing with a plus–minus of –32 in a 10-point loss.

Regular-season series

Boston won 3–0 in the regular-season series
October 27, 2023 Recap Miami Heat 111, Boston Celtics 119 TD Garden, Boston, MA January 25, 2024 Recap Boston Celtics 143, Miami Heat 110 Kaseya Center, Miami, FL February 11, 2024 Recap Boston Celtics 110, Miami Heat 106 Kaseya Center, Miami, FL

This is the seventh playoff meeting between the two teams, with the Heat winning four of the first six meetings.^[34]

Previous playoffs series

Miami leads 4–2 in all-time playoff series

2010 Boston Celtics 4, Miami Heat 1 2010 Eastern Conference First Round 2011 Miami Heat 4, Boston Celtics 1 2011 Eastern Conference semifinals 2012 Miami Heat 4, Boston Celtics 3 2012 Eastern Conference finals 2020 Boston Celtics 2, Miami Heat 4 2020 Eastern Conference finals 2022 Miami Heat 3, Boston Celtics 4 2022 Eastern Conference finals 2023 Boston Celtics 3, Miami Heat 4 2023 Eastern Conference finals

(2) New York Knicks vs. (7) Philadelphia 76ers

With the Knicks' starters struggling, the New York bench outscored the 76ers' bench 42–7, with Miles McBride, Bojan Bogdanović and Mitchell Robinson leading the way to win Game 1. McBride scored 21 points and outscored Philadelphia 13–12 in the second quarter, as he brought the Knicks out of an early 13-point deficit. Josh Hart recorded a double-double and hit multiple three-pointers late in the fourth quarter, while Jalen Brunson had seven rebounds and seven assists. A hobbled Joel Embiid scored 29 points, alongside eight rebounds and six assists, while Tyrese Maxey had a game-high 33 points. Despite a higher field goal percentage, the Sixers were outrebounded, as they conceded 23 offensive rebounds to New York.

In a dramatic turnaround, the Knicks overcame a five-point deficit in the final 30 seconds to win 104–101 and take a 2–0 series lead. After Kyle Lowry missed his second free throw, Jalen Brunson, who was previously 7-for-28 from the field and 0-of-5 from beyond the arc, hit a three-pointer that bounced on the rim and dropped in. Following the inbound to Tyrese Maxey, Josh Hart stole the ball and kicked it out to Donte DiVincenzo, who missed a three-pointer, but an offensive rebound by Isaiah Hartenstein found the ball back in DiVincenzo's hands, who drained a go-ahead three with 13 seconds left. Maxey then missed a driving layup, New York made two free throws, and the Knicks secured the victory after Joel Embiid's three-point attempt missed at the buzzer. Maxey, battling flu-like symptoms, tallied 35 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds, while Embiid finished with 34 points and 10 rebounds.

After vowing the 76ers were “going to win this series”, Joel Embiid scored a playoff career-high 50 points, with 18 of them coming in a decisive third quarter to win 125–114. Embiid, who's been battling Bell's palsy, was 13-of-19 from the floor, made 19-of-21 free throws, and hit five three-pointers, with four of them coming during Philadelphia's 43–27 third quarter. Tyrese Maxey finished with 25 points, and Kelly Oubre Jr. had 15 points on 75% shooting. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 39 points and 13 assists on an improved 48% from the field, while Josh Hart and OG Anunoby recorded 20 and 17 points, respectively. Mitchell Robinson also had seven rebounds before getting injured following a controversial flagrant foul from Embiid.

Regular-season series

New York won 3–1 in the regular-season series

January 5, 2024 Recap New York Knicks 128, Philadelphia 76ers 92 Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA February 22, 2024 Recap New York Knicks 110, Philadelphia 76ers 96 Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA March 10, 2024 Recap Philadelphia 76ers 79, New York Knicks 73 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY March 12, 2024 Recap Philadelphia 76ers 79, New York Knicks 106 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

This is the tenth playoff meeting between these two teams, and the fifth since the Syracuse Nationals relocated to Philadelphia in 1963, with the 76ers winning six of the first nine meetings.^[35]

Previous playoff series

Philadelphia leads 6–3 in all-time playoff series

1950 Syracuse Nationals 2, New York Knicks 1 1950 Eastern Division Finals 1951 New York Knicks 3, Syracuse Nationals 2 1951 Eastern Division Finals 1952 Syracuse Nationals 1, New York Knicks 3 1952 Eastern Division Finals 1954 New York Knicks 0, Syracuse Nationals 2 1954 Eastern Division Round Robin Semifinals 1959 New York Knicks 0, Syracuse Nationals 2 1959 Eastern Division Semifinals 1968 Philadelphia 76ers 4, New York Knicks 2 1968 Eastern Division Semifinals 1978 Philadelphia 76ers 4, New York Knicks 0 1978 Eastern Conference Semifinals 1983 Philadelphia 76ers 4, New York Knicks 0 1983 Eastern Conference Semifinals 1989 New York Knicks 3, Philadelphia 76ers 0 1989 Eastern Conference First Round

(3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (6) Indiana Pacers

In his first playoff game in three years, Damian Lillard scored all 35 of his points in the first half to give the Bucks a 27-point halftime lead and ultimately secure a 1–0 series advantage without Giannis Antetokounmpo. Khris Middleton also had 23 points and 10 rebounds on 64% shooting for the Bucks, while Bobby Portis added 15 points and 11 rebounds. The Pacers, who averaged a league-high 123.3 points per game, finished with a season-low 94 points and shot 8-of-38 (21%) from three-point range. Pascal Siakam finished with a game-high 36 points and 13 rebounds on 60% shooting, center Myles Turner shot 5-for-17 from the field, and Tyrese Haliburton finished with nine points and eight assists in his playoff debut.

After a tightly contested first three quarters, the Pacers used a 23–4 run in the fourth quarter to even the series at 1–1. Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with a game-high 37 points on 69.5% from the field, along with 11 rebounds. Myles Turner and Andrew Nembhard scored 22 and 20 points respectively, as the Pacers shot 55.6% in game 2 compared to 39.6% in game 1. Tyrese Haliburton also provided 12 assists for Indiana, who snapped a 10-game playoff losing streak that dated back to 2018. Damian Lillard scored 26 by halftime for the Bucks but finished with 34, continuing his second-half struggles with just eight points in two games this series. Brook Lopez scored 22 on 6-of-7 from deep, while Bobby Portis had a double-double.

Regular-season series

Indiana won 4–1 in the regular-season series

November 9, 2023 Recap Milwaukee Bucks 124, Indiana Pacers 126 Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN December 7, 2023 Recap Indiana Pacers 128, Milwaukee Bucks 119 T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV December 13, 2023 Recap Indiana Pacers 126, Milwaukee Bucks 140 Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI January 1, 2024 Recap Indiana Pacers 122, Milwaukee Bucks 113 Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI January 3, 2024 Recap Milwaukee Bucks 130, Indiana Pacers 142 Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN

This is the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Pacers winning the first two meetings.^[36]

Previous playoffs series

Indiana leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series
1999 Indiana Pacers 3, Milwaukee Bucks 0 1999 Eastern Conference First Round 2000 Indiana Pacers 3, Milwaukee Bucks 2 2000 Eastern Conference First Round

(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Orlando Magic

The Cavaliers led wire-to-wire to take the series opener. Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points, Jarrett Allen grabbed 18 rebounds, Darius Garland had eight assists, and Evan Mobley notched a double-double. Paolo Banchero, the first overall pick in 2022, scored 24 points in his playoff debut but committed nine turnovers, contributing to the Magic's offensive struggles, as they shot 33% from the field and missed 11 free throws. The Cavaliers, who are 17–1 all-time in playoff series after winning Game 1, set the tone for the game after making five three-pointers in the opening five minutes of the game, giving them an early 12-point lead that they rode for the remainder of the game.

The Magic never led for the second straight game as the Cavaliers secured a 2–0 series lead. Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with a game-high 23 points, while Jarrett Allen grabbed a playoff career-high 20 rebounds, including nine offensive boards. Evan Mobley and Darius Garland added 17 and 15 points respectively, while Isaac Okoro provided four steals off the bench. Paolo Banchero scored 21 points for the Magic, while Franz Wagner contributed 17 of his 18 points in the first half, as the duo combined for 12 turnovers. Just like in game 1, Orlando shot a dismal 36% from the field and 9-of-35 from beyond the arc as the Magic failed to score over 90 points for the second consecutive game.

After never trailing in the first two games of the series, the Cavaliers were handed the worst loss in their postseason history as the Magic won 121–83. Led by Paolo Banchero's 31 points and 14 rebounds, alongside Jalen Suggs' contribution of 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting, the Magic won their first home playoff game since 2011. Franz Wagner added 16 points and eight assists to the Magic's tally, as he and Banchero combined for zero turnovers. On the defensive end, they limited the Cavaliers to just 39% shooting from the field and 23.5% from deep. Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert led Cleveland in scoring with 15 points, while the starting backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland combined for 18 points on 8-of-26 from the field.

Regular-season series

Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
December 6, 2023 Recap Orlando Magic 111, Cleveland Cavaliers 121 Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH December 11, 2023 Recap Cleveland Cavaliers 94, Orlando Magic 104 Amway Center, Orlando, FL January 22, 2024 Recap Cleveland Cavaliers 126, Orlando Magic 99 Kia Center, Orlando, FL February 22, 2024 Recap Orlando Magic 116, Cleveland Cavaliers 109 Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH

This is the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Magic winning the first meeting.^[37]

Previous playoffs series

Orlando leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
2009 Cleveland Cavaliers 2, Orlando Magic 4 2009 Eastern Conference finals

Western Conference first round

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) New Orleans Pelicans

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 28-point performance, including a go-ahead basket in the final minute, secured the Thunder's first home playoff win in five years. Rookie Chet Holmgren delivered a double-double to go along with five blocks, while Jalen Williams provided 19 points. For New Orleans, CJ McCollum had 20 points, Trey Murphy III finished with a team-high 21 points, and Jonas Valančiūnas grabbed 20 rebounds in addition to his 13 points. The game stayed close with 20 lead changes and 13 ties, as no team held a lead bigger than 10. After a Holmgren free throw made it a two-point game with 14 seconds left, Thunder rookie Cason Wallace forced McCollum into a difficult three-pointer that missed as time expired.

After playing a tightly contested game against the eighth seed in game 1, the Thunder routed the Pelicans 124–92 to seize a 2–0 series lead. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City onslaught with 33 points on 13-of-19 from the field, while rookie Chet Holmgren had 26 points and seven rebounds on 9-of-13 shooting. Jalen Williams added 21 points and seven assists for the Thunder, who shot 59% from the field and made 14-of-29 three-pointers. On the defensive end, they held New Orleans to under 95 points for the second straight game and forced 18 turnovers, converting them into 22 points. Jonas Valančiūnas led the Pelicans in scoring with 19, while Brandon Ingram and Herbert Jones both finished with 18 points.

Regular-season series

Oklahoma City won 2–1 in the regular-season series
November 1, 2023 Recap New Orleans Pelicans 110, Oklahoma City Thunder 106 Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK January 26, 2024 Recap Oklahoma City Thunder 107, New Orleans Pelicans 83 Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA March 26, 2024 Recap Oklahoma City Thunder 119, New Orleans Pelicans 112 Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA

This is the first playoff meeting between these two teams.^[38]

(2) Denver Nuggets vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers

In a rematch of last year's Western Conference Finals, the Nuggets won their ninth consecutive game against the Lakers, fueled by Nikola Jokić's 32 points and 12 rebounds on 65% from the field. Jamal Murray contributed 22 points and 10 assists, as the two-man game of Jokić and Murray yielded 17 assists to zero turnovers. Aaron Gordon secured a double-double while Michael Porter Jr. finished with 19 points and eight rebounds. On the Lakers' side, LeBron James scored 27 points and Anthony Davis added 32, as Los Angeles led for the majority of the first half. But a 13–0 run late in the third quarter by the Nuggets, which included three Kentavious Caldwell-Pope three-pointers, allowed them to seize control of the game.

The Nuggets came back from a 20-point deficit to win it at the buzzer. The Lakers dominated the first half, cruising to a 59–44 lead at halftime. However, Denver, led by Nikola Jokić's 27-point, 20-rebound triple-double, fought their way back into the game. Michael Porter Jr. scored 22 points and made a game-tying three-pointer with 1:15 to go. LeBron James tried a wide-open three with the score at 99–99, but it rimmed out. The Nuggets secured the rebound, and Jamal Murray scored the game-winning fadeaway jump shot over Anthony Davis. Murray, who was 3-of-16 in the first three quarters, shot 6-of-8 and scored 14 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter. Davis led the scoring for the Lakers, tallying 32 points and 11 rebounds, but did not record a point in the fourth quarter. D'Angelo Russell made seven three-pointers after shooting 1-of-9 from deep in game 1, while James notched 26 points and 12 assists.

The defending champions came away with their 11th straight win over the Lakers to take a commanding 3–0 series lead. Aaron Gordon led the Nuggets with a playoff career-high 29 points and 15 rebounds, while Nikola Jokić shot 9-of-13 from the field and finished one assist shy of a triple-double. Jamal Murray contributed 22 points, and Michael Porter Jr. added 20 for Denver, who have trailed by double-digits in every game this series. Anthony Davis posted 33 points and 15 rebounds for the Lakers, LeBron James contributed 26 points and nine assists, while Austin Reaves scored 22. Los Angeles missed 15 of their first 16 three-point attempts, and only got five points combined from starters D'Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura.

Regular-season series

Denver won 3–0 in the regular-season series
October 24, 2023 Recap Los Angeles Lakers 107, Denver Nuggets 119 Ball Arena, Denver, CO February 8, 2024 Recap Denver Nuggets 114, Los Angeles Lakers 106 Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA March 2, 2024 Recap Denver Nuggets 124, Los Angeles Lakers 114 Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA

This is the ninth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning seven of the first eight meetings.^[39]

Previous playoffs series

LA Lakers lead 7–1 in all-time playoff series

1979 Denver Nuggets 1, Los Angeles Lakers 2 1979 Western Conference First Round 1985 Los Angeles Lakers 4, Denver Nuggets 1 1985 Western Conference finals 1987 Los Angeles Lakers 3, Denver Nuggets 0 1987 Western Conference First Round 2008 Los Angeles Lakers 4, Denver Nuggets 0 2008 Western Conference First Round 2009 Los Angeles Lakers 4, Denver Nuggets 2 2009 Western Conference finals 2012 Los Angeles Lakers 4, Denver Nuggets 3 2012 Western Conference First Round 2020 Los Angeles Lakers 4, Denver Nuggets 1 2020 Western Conference finals 2023 Denver Nuggets 4, Los Angeles Lakers 0 2023 Western Conference finals

(3) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (6) Phoenix Suns

Anthony Edwards scored 18 of his 33 points in a pivotal third quarter to help the Timberwolves take a 1–0 series lead. Edwards led a 19–4 run to close the third quarter, as Minnesota held the Suns to zero field goals in the final seven minutes of the quarter. Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in with 19 points, Nickeil Alexander-Walker contributed 18 points and four steals off the bench, while Rudy Gobert anchored the defense with 14 points and 16 rebounds. Despite Kevin Durant's 31-point performance on 65% shooting for the Suns, alongside Bradley Beal's 15 points on 60% from the field, the Wolves outrebounded Phoenix 52–28 and outscored them in the paint 52–34. The Minnesota bench also outscored the Suns' reserves 41–18.

Jaden McDaniels led all scorers with a playoff career-high 25 points and spearheaded another stifling defensive performance by the Timberwolves to win 105–93. Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley both contributed 18 points while Phoenix was focused on containing Anthony Edwards, who shot 3-of-12 with 15 points and eight assists. Despite Phoenix's efforts to rally, Minnesota's 11–0 fourth-quarter run solidified their second-ever 2–0 playoff series lead. The Suns' "big three" of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal struggled, shooting a combined 18-for-45 (40%), while the Timberwolves capitalized on turnovers, scoring 31 points off 20 Phoenix errors compared to the Suns' two points from Minnesota's 14 turnovers.

Regular-season series

Phoenix won 3–0 in the regular-season series
November 15, 2023 Recap Minnesota Timberwolves 115, Phoenix Suns 133 Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ April 5, 2024 Recap Minnesota Timberwolves 87, Phoenix Suns 97 Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ April 14, 2024 Recap Phoenix Suns 125, Minnesota Timberwolves 106 Target Center, Minneapolis, MN

This is the first playoff meeting between these two teams.^[40]

(4) Los Angeles Clippers vs. (5) Dallas Mavericks

In their playoff series opener, James Harden and Ivica Zubac led the Clippers to a 109–97 victory over the Mavericks, with Harden recording 28 points and eight assists in his playoff debut for the Clippers, while Zubac achieved a playoff career-high of 20 points alongside 15 rebounds. Despite Luka Dončić's 33 points and Kyrie Irving's 31 (with 20 of those points coming on 100% shooting in the third quarter), the Mavericks had only one other player finish in double figures. Meanwhile, the Clippers, who were missing Kawhi Leonard due to injury, limited Dallas to their fewest points in a playoff half, as they held them to 22% from the field and 2-of-18 from beyond the arc in the first half to secure a commanding 26-point halftime lead.

Luka Dončić had 32 points and nine assists, Kyrie Irving scored 23, and P. J. Washington scored 10 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter to beat the Clippers 96–93. After the Mavericks led for most of the game, Dallas trailed by six with 9:32 left in the fourth quarter. The Mavericks responded by scoring 14 straight points to permanently give them the lead, with all 14 of those points coming from Dončić, Irving, and Washington. Paul George and James Harden each scored 22 points while Ivica Zubac recorded a double-double. Kawhi Leonard also had 15 points and four steals in his first game since March 31. The Clippers shot 37% from the floor and made just 8-of-30 three-pointers after shooting 50% (18-of-36) from deep in game 1.

Regular-season series

LA Clippers won 2–1 in the regular-season series
November 10, 2023 Recap Los Angeles Clippers 126, Dallas Mavericks 144 American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX November 25, 2023 Recap Dallas Mavericks 88, Los Angeles Clippers 107 Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA December 20, 2023 Recap Los Angeles Clippers 120, Dallas Mavericks 111 American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX

This is the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Clippers winning the first two meetings.^[41]

Previous playoffs series

LA Clippers leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series
2020 Los Angeles Clippers 4, Dallas Mavericks 2 2020 Western Conference First Round 2021 Los Angeles Clippers 4, Dallas Mavericks 3 2021 Western Conference First Round

Statistical leaders

Category	Game High			Average
	Player	Team	High	Player	Team	Avg.	GP
Points	Joel Embiid	Philadelphia 76ers	50	Joel Embiid	Philadelphia 76ers	37.7	3
Rebounds	Jonas Valančiūnas Jarrett Allen Nikola Jokić	New Orleans Pelicans Cleveland Cavaliers Denver Nuggets	20	Nikola Jokić	Denver Nuggets	15.7	3
Assists	Tyrese Haliburton	Indiana Pacers	16	Tyrese Haliburton	Indiana Pacers	12.0	3
Steals	Kelly Oubre Jr.	Philadelphia 76ers	5	Isaac Okoro	Cleveland Cavaliers	2.3	3
Blocks	Chet Holmgren	Oklahoma City Thunder	5	Chet Holmgren	Oklahoma City Thunder	3.5	2

Media coverage

Linear television

ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV will broadcast the playoffs nationally in the United States. For the first time, TruTV will simulcast or air alternate broadcasts of select TNT games. Each team's regional broadcaster will also televise local coverage of first-round games, with the exception of weekend games on ABC. In general during the first two rounds, ABC will air Sunday afternoon games, TNT will broadcast Sunday through Wednesday night games, and ESPN will televise Friday night games (including a rare Friday Tripleheader on April 26).^[42] For Thursday night games, TNT has them in the first round and ESPN in the second round. NBA TV will also televise selected Monday through Thursday night first-round games. Saturday first- and second-round games will be split by ABC, ESPN, and TNT. As per the alternating rotation, ESPN/ABC has exclusive coverage of the Eastern Conference finals while TNT has exclusive coverage of the Western Conference finals. ABC has exclusive coverage of the NBA Finals for the 22nd straight year.

Streaming

This will be the first playoffs that the streaming service Max will have live access to TNT's games on its Bleacher Report Sports Add-on tier.^[43] NBA TV games will be available on NBA League Pass as part of its normal streaming service for that channel. Only selected ESPN/ABC games may stream live on ESPN+.

Sponsorship

For the third straight year, the playoffs will be officially known as the "2024 NBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel". During the multiyear agreement with Google Pixel, this sponsorship provides the logo branding inside the venues and in official digital properties on-court, as well as commercial inventory during ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV's telecasts of the playoff games.^[44]

Notes

References

External links

• Basketball – Reference.com's 2024 Playoffs section