NBA playoffs 2024: First-round news, schedule, scores and highlights

The first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs is wrapping up and there’s been plenty of drama and thrilling finishes.

The Boston Celtics clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference in March and have homecourt advantage through the entire postseason. After eliminating the No. 8 seed Miami Heat, the Celtics await the winners of the series between the No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers and No. 5 seed Orlando Magic.

Meanwhile, the No. 6 seed Indiana Pacers knocked out the No. 3 seed Milwaukee Bucks and the No. 2 seed New York Knicks defeated the No. 7 seed Philadelphia 76ers in a exciting six-game series. That sets up a second round clash between the Pacers and Knicks.

In the West, the No. 3 seed Minnesota Timberwolves became the first team to reach the second round, sweeping the No. 6 seed Phoenix Suns and the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder swept the No. 8 seed New Orleans Pelicans. The No. 2 seed Denver Nuggets defeated the No. 7 seed Los Angeles Lakers in five games and are set to face the Timberwolves in the second round. The Thunder will next take on the No. 5 seed Dallas Mavericks, who eliminated the No. 4 seed LA Clippers.

After the play-in tournament, the 16-team NBA playoffs began with four games on April 20 and four more on April 21. Eight teams from each conference reach the first round and face off in a 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 homecourt 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: Previewing all 16 playoff teams | Offseason guides for every team

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Boston Celtics (1) defeat the Miami Heat (8), 4-1

Game 1: Celtics 114, Heat 94
Game 2: Heat 111, Celtics 101
Game 3: Celtics 104, Heat 84
Game 4: Celtics 102, Heat 88
Game 5: Celtics 118, Heat 84

Celtics close out Heat in Game 5 rout, advance to East semis
Kristaps Porzingis (calf strain) out; could miss several games
Heat rule rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. (hip) out for Game 5
Celtics’ Brad Stevens named NBA Executive of the Year

New York Knicks (2) defeat the Philadelphia 76ers (7), 4-2

Game 1: Knicks 111, 76ers 104
Game 2: Knicks 104, 76ers 101
Game 3: 76ers 125, Knicks 114
Game 4: Knicks 97, 76ers 92
Game 5: 76ers 112, Knicks 106 (OT)
Game 6: Knicks 118, 76ers 115

Bontemps:
Brunson, Hart heroics lift Knicks by Sixers in 6, into East semis
76ers owners buy Game 6 tickets to block Knicks fans
Knicks’ Bojan Bogdanovic done for season after foot surgery
Herring:

Indiana Pacers (6) defeat the Milwaukee Bucks (3), 4-2

Game 1: Bucks 109, Pacers 94
Game 2: Pacers 125, Bucks 108
Game 3: Pacers 121, Bucks 118 (OT)
Game 4: Pacers 126, Bucks 113
Game 5: Bucks 115, Pacers 92
Game 6: Pacers 120, Bucks 98

Collier:
Giannis Antetokounmpo: Tried best but wasn’t close to playing in series
Patrick Beverley vows to ‘be better’ after fan, media spats after Game 6 loss
‘Frustrating’: Damian Lillard laments Bucks’ injuries after playoff exit
Bench players Obi Toppin, T.J. McConnell lead Pacers into semis

Cleveland Cavaliers (4) tied with the Orlando Magic (5), 3-3

Game 1: Cavaliers 97, Magic 83
Game 2: Cavaliers 96, Magic, 86
Game 3: Magic 121, Cavaliers 83
Game 4: Magic 112, Cavaliers 89
Game 5: Cavaliers 104, Magic 103
Game 6: Magic 103, Cavaliers 96
Game 7: Sunday, May 5 at Cleveland (1 p.m., ABC)

Magic ‘stay the course,’ survive Mitchell’s 50-point game to force Game 7
Andrews:
Cavaliers’ Jarrett Allen, Magic’s Gary Harris ruled out of Game 6
Tynes:
Andrews:

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Oklahoma City Thunder (1) defeat the New Orleans Pelicans (8), 4-0

Game 1: Thunder 94, Pelicans 92
Game 2: Thunder 124, Pelicans 92
Game 3: Thunder 106, Pelicans 85
Game 4: Thunder 97, Pelicans 89

Pelton:
Pelicans VP praises Zion Williamson, calls injury ‘disheartening’
Oklahoma City Thunder secure sweep over New Orleans Pelicans
Thunder’s Daigneault wins NBA’s Coach of the Year award
Shelburne:

Denver Nuggets (2) defeat the Los Angeles Lakers (7), 4-1

Game 1: Nuggets 114, Lakers 103
Game 2: Nuggets 101, Lakers 99
Game 3: Nuggets 112, Lakers 105
Game 4: Lakers 119, Nuggets 108
Game 5: Nuggets 108, Lakers 106

Lakers fire coach Darvin Ham after two seasons
McMenamin:
James declines to say if Game 5 could be last with Lakers
Jamal Murray hits 2nd game winner as Nuggets sink Lakers in Game 5

Minnesota Timberwolves (3) defeat the Phoenix Suns (6), 4-0

Game 1: Timberwolves 120, Suns 95
Game 2: Timberwolves 105, Suns 93
Game 3: Timberwolves 126, Suns 109
Game 4: Timberwolves 122, Suns 116

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch leads practice day after surgery
Suns owner Mat Ishbia bullish on team, mum on Frank Vogel’s future
Wolves’ Mike Conley named NBA’s Teammate of Year
Windhorst:
Suns’ firepower can’t overcome ‘details’ in playoff sweep

Dallas Mavericks (5) defeat the LA Clippers (4), 4-2

Game 1: Clippers 109, Mavericks 97
Game 2: Mavericks 96, Clippers 93
Game 3: Mavericks 101, Clippers 90
Game 4: Clippers 116, Mavericks 111
Game 5: Mavericks 123, Clippers 93
Game 6: Mavericks 114, Clippers 101