NBA conference semifinals: Knicks rally to take a 2-0 lead back to MSG

The second round of the 2025 NBA playoffs is here, and our NBA insiders have you covered for every game of the Eastern and Western conference semifinals.

The No. 4 seed Indiana Pacers kicked off the East semis Sunday night by taking home-court advantage away from the No. 1-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers with a 121-112 victory. The Cavs fell to the Pacers again on Tuesday, this time 120-119, after Tyrese Haliburton drilled a 3-pointer with one second remaining.

Also on Tuesday, No. 7 seed Golden State defeated the No. 6-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves 99-88 despite an injury to Warriors star Stephen Curry.

The East’s third-seeded New York Knicks beat the 2-seed Boston Celtics in an overtime thriller in Game 1 behind Jalen Brunson’s 29 points before shocking Boston again on Wednesday in a 91-90 comeback victory to take a 2-0 series lead. In Monday’s other Game 1, the 4-seed Denver Nuggets toppled the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder in the West after a fourth-quarter surge.

As teams continue to chase the Larry O’Brien Trophy, here’s what matters most in both conferences and what to watch for in all four series.

Jump to a series:
Cavaliers-Pacers | Knicks-Celtics
Thunder-Nuggets | Warriors-Timberwolves

More coverage:
Schedules and results | Offseason guides

Western Conference

Game 1: Warriors 99, Timberwolves 88

What we learned: It’s hard to think of this as anything other than a major missed opportunity for the Timberwolves. When Stephen Curry exited in the second quarter with a left hamstring injury after scoring 13 points in 13 minutes, the Wolves had a chance to take charge. Instead, the Warriors proved they can win without their superstar. Give credit to the Warriors’ Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler III for brilliant floor games, as they combined for 38 points, 19 rebounds, 14 assists, 4 steals. But Minnesota shot itself out of it. As anomalous as the Wolves’ 3-point shooting seemed in their closeout win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, when they went 7-for-47 from deep and advanced out of the first round, the troubling trend continued in their second-round opener on Tuesday.

Minnesota started Game 1 by going 0-for-15 from 3 in the first half, tying their own record for the most missed 3s without a make in a playoff half in the past 25 seasons, according to ESPN Research. It was the first time the Wolves didn’t make a 3 in a half of a playoff game since 2004 and the first time they didn’t hit one in a half of any game since 2018. It was an inexplicable cold spell, considering the Wolves ranked No. 4 in 3-point percentage and No. 5 in total 3s made in the regular season. Anthony Edwards finished with 23 points, but only after starting 0-for-10. Julius Randle, after being lights out against the Lakers, was an underwhelming 4-for-11. A team has no business thinking about winning an NBA game in 2025 while only scoring 88 points. — Dave McMenamin

Game 2: Warriors at Timberwolves (Thursday, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT)

What to watch: All eyes will be on Curry’s left hamstring strain, which could change the complexion of this series. Curry was hurt following a driving floater early in the second quarter. Depending on the severity of the injury, the likelihood is that Curry is looking at missing time; the question is how much. There is just one day off in between each contest from Games 1 through 5. But after that, there is an unusual three-day break between Games 5 and 6. Curry has missed 12 playoff games in his career, the most recent one being Game 1 of the 2018 Western Conference semifinals when a knee injury sidelined him against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Warriors have gone 9-3 without him in the playoffs, but they had Green and Klay Thompson in all 12 of those games and Kevin Durant in six.

Green continued his stellar play from Game 7 against the Houston Rockets by setting a tone on defense and hitting four 3-pointers on Tuesday. The Warriors’ offense will be centered around Butler’s playmaking. And Golden State will need Butler to do what he does best: Carry the offense without Curry. Perhaps Jonathan Kuminga, who was pressed into action following Curry’s injury, will return to the picture again and see a bigger role since the Warriors will need all the scoring they can get. Golden State’s defense was outstanding, but it can’t bank on Anthony Edwards again missing his first 10 shots from the field. — Ohm Youngmisuk

Game 1: Nuggets 121, Thunder 119

What we learned: The Nuggets have no fear whatsoever of the West’s top seed. Denver stormed back from a 14-point deficit in the second half to steal Game 1 on the road despite a six-day rest disadvantage. Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic was a dominant force, recording 42 points, 22 rebounds and 6 assists to give the Nuggets hope. Oklahoma City’s offense dried up down the stretch, and a pair of missed free throws from Chet Holmgren left the door cracked open. Aaron Gordon delivered another game winner for a Denver squad trying to win its second NBA title in three years. — Tim MacMahon

Game 2: Nuggets at Thunder (Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)

What to watch: Denver did not shoot the ball well or take care of it, as you’d expect from a tired team that just wrapped up a grueling seven-game series against the LA Clippers. The Nuggets shot just 29% from behind the 3-point arc (9-for-31) on Monday and turned the ball over 18 times, leading to 23 OKC points. And they still won! Nikola Jokic was brilliant with 42 points and 22 rebounds, and Aaron Gordon has a knack for drilling game winners during these playoffs. If Denver can clean things up and shoot closer to its usual 37.6% from 3, Game 2 could look very different. Of course, OKC will make adjustments too. Don’t expect Alex Caruso to be the Thunder’s second-leading scorer very often or Jalen Williams (16 points) and Chet Holmgren (12 points) to be as quiet offensively as they were in Game 1. — Ramona Shelburne

Eastern Conference

Game 2: Knicks 91, Celtics 90

What we learned in Game 2: Game 1 apparently wasn’t a fluke. Like Game 1, the Celtics pulled ahead in the first half, and built a 20-point advantage in the third quarter. Like Game 1, the Knicks came roaring back while Boston’s offense went ice cold — this time for a nearly nine-minute long span without a basket in the fourth quater. And like Game 1, Jalen Brunson and the cardiac Knicks were able to hold on late and completely stun the defending champions, who’ve now blown back-to-back 20-point leads and find themselves down 2-0 heading to Madison Square Garden over the weekend.

Game 3: Celtics at Knicks (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)

What to watch in Game 3: A few things: Are the Celtics, who’ve been historically good on the road this season, any more comfortable shooting from 3 in New York? After hitting just 15-for-60 in Game 1, they hit the same brutal 25% on Wednesday, making just 10-of-40 in Game 2. Also, is Kristaps Porzingis able to extend his minutes? And, more than anything, are the battle-tested Celtics in a decent headspace after blowing a pair of monumental leads? We’ll find out during some point in Game 3. — Chris Herring

Game 2: Pacers 120, Cavaliers 119

What we learned: Tyrese Haliburton did it again. The Pacers had been behind all game long before a furious comeback in the fourth quarter, when Indiana outscored Cleveland 36-21, punctuated by a step-back game-winning 3-pointer from Haliburton to stun the home crowd and give Indiana a commanding 2-0 lead in the series. The Pacers were down by as many as 20 points thanks to a superstar performance from Donovan Mitchell, who finished with 48 points, 9 assists and 5 rebounds, joining LeBron James as the only Cavs players with 45 points and 5 assists in a playoff game. But it wasn’t enough to rally a top-seeded Cavs team missing three key rotation players; after dropping two home games to open the series, they head to Indianapolis needing a fast response.

Game 3: Cleveland at Pacers (Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

What to watch: The short-handed Cavs travel to Indy down 0-2, and their injury concerns will be a question mark for the rest of the series. None of the three Cavs on the injury report for Game 2 — Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and De’Andre Hunter — took the floor for a workout on Tuesday, and there is concern about their status going forward. Garland hasn’t played since April 23, and Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson expressed concern over putting him on the court at less than 100 percent with the fast-paced nature of this series. Mobley has been walking with a noticeable limp since Sunday’s game, and Hunter dislocated the thumb on his shooting hand in Game 1. — Jamal Collier