The Milwaukee Bucks entered the postseason for the seventh consecutive season and also clinched the best record in the NBA for the third time in the last five seasons.
The Denver Nuggets entered the postseason for the fifth consecutive season and also clinched the best record in the Western Conference for the first time in franchise history.
The Nuggets also advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.
The Boston Celtics entered the postseason for the ninth consecutive season, currently the longest such streak in the NBA and the second-longest playoffs streak in major North American sports behind the MLB's Los Angeles Dodgers after the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins missed the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 16 years.
The Philadelphia 76ers entered the postseason for the sixth consecutive season.
The Brooklyn Nets entered the postseason for the fifth consecutive season.
The Miami Heat entered the postseason for the fourth consecutive season.
The Heat also entered the NBA Finals for the first time since 2020 and the seventh time in franchise history. Miami also became the first play-in team to win a playoff series since the play-in tournament was implemented in 2020, as well as the sixth eighth-seed in history, and first since the 2012 Philadelphia 76ers to advance past the first round.
The Utah Jazz missed the postseason for the first time since 2016.
The Charlotte Hornets missed the postseason for the seventh consecutive season, the longest active postseason drought in the NBA.
Notable occurrences
For the first time since the 2000–01 season, no team won at least 60 games in an 82-game regular season.[a]
This season marked the first time since the 2004–05 season that two of the league's top three scorers (Luka Dončić and Damian Lillard) failed to reach the playoffs.
All three Texas teams (Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio) missed the playoffs in the same season for the first time since the Mavericks formed in 1980. This also marked the first time since 1976 that Texas did not appear in the playoffs.
All five teams from the Pacific Division qualified for the playoffs, marking the third instance every team in a division qualified for the playoffs since the NBA adopted the current six division format in 2004–05. Previously, all five teams from the Central Division during the 2005–06 season and the Southwest Division during the 2014–15 season qualified for the playoffs.
A No. 10 seed advanced to the second stage of the play-in tournament for the first time since the implementation of the Page–McIntyre system in 2021.
The Miami Heat became the first team since the 2001 Indiana Pacers to drop from a No. 1 seed in the playoffs to a No. 8 seed the following year.
First round
The Philadelphia 76ers swept the Brooklyn Nets, marking the 47th year in a row that a sweep occurred. The last time a sweep did not occur was in 1976. This was the 183rd series sweep in NBA playoffs history.
Ja Morant scored 22 straight points for the Memphis Grizzlies in game 3 against the Los Angeles Lakers, becoming the first player to score at least 22 straight points for their team in a playoff game since Kobe Bryant in 2010.
Devin Booker became the third player since 1997 to score at least 25 points in a quarter in a playoff game, joining Damian Lillard (25 in 2019) and Allen Iverson (26 in 2001).
Devin Booker and Kevin Durant became the first duo in playoff history to each score 25-plus points in each of their first six games of a postseason.
Giannis Antetokounmpo missed 13 free throws in game 5 against the Heat, marking the most free throw misses in a playoff game since DeAndre Jordan in 2015, and the most misses in any game (regular season or playoffs) since Ben Simmons in 2017.
The Heat became the first play–in team in NBA history to win a playoff series.
The eighth-seeded Heat defeated the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in five games, marking the sixth instance in NBA history of an 8th-seeded team defeating a 1st-seeded team in the first round, following previous instances in 1994, 1999, 2007, 2011, and 2012. Additionally, this was the fourth time such an upset occurred in a best-of-seven series, and the first to be completed in fewer than six games.
The seventh-seeded Lakers defeated the second-seeded Grizzlies in six games, marking the sixth instance in NBA history of a 7th-seeded team defeating a 2nd-seeded team in the first round, following previous instances in 1987, 1989, 1991, 1998, and 2010. Additionally, this was only the second time such an upset occurred in a best-of-seven series.
A seventh-seed (Lakers) and an eighth-seed (Heat) both advanced in the first round of the playoffs, marking the first time this happened since the 16-team format began in 1984. In all previous instances when a seventh or eighth seed advanced, only one or the other advanced (not both).
The Kings–Warriors series was the first of the 2023 playoffs to have a game 7, making it the 24th consecutive NBA postseason to feature a game 7. The last time a game 7 did not occur in the playoffs was 1999. This was the 148th game 7 in NBA playoffs history.
Stephen Curry's 50 points against the Kings was the first 50-point performance in a game 7 in NBA history.
Conference semifinals
This was the first time in NBA history that every seed number from 1 through 8 made it to the second round across both conferences.
The sixth-seeded Warriors had home-court advantage in the western semifinals, becoming the lowest seed to have home-court advantage since the sixth-seeded Houston Rockets in 1987.
P. J. Tucker had zero field goal attempts and zero free throw attempts in 37 minutes played against the Boston Celtics, marking the most minutes played without a field goal or free throw attempt in a playoff game in the shot-clock era (since 1954–55).
Devin Booker's 35.9 points per game were the most through a player's first ten games of a postseason since Michael Jordan in 1990.
The Denver Nuggets' 81 first-half points in game 6 against the Phoenix Suns were the most in a first half by an away team in postseason history.
Jalen Brunson became the fourth player in NBA history to make more field goals than the rest of the team combined in an elimination game, joining LeBron James (twice), Kobe Bryant, and Penny Hardaway.
With the defending champion Warriors losing to the Los Angeles Lakers, the 2023 playoffs marked the fourth straight year where the defending champion was eliminated before the conference finals.
The Warriors lost a playoff series to a Western Conference opponent for the first time in the Steve Kerr era (since 2014–15).
With the Lakers' series win over the Warriors, LeBron James earned his 41st career playoff series win, setting a new NBA record for the most career playoff series wins and surpassing Derek Fisher's previous record of 40.
After losing Game 5 in the Warriors series, LeBron James lost 3 consecutive games at the first chance of clinching a series. The streak included Game 5 losses to the Grizzlies in the previous round this year and to the Heat in the 2020 Finals. Before the current losing streak, James won 5 straight and 15 of his last 16, with the lone loss being in the first round to the Pacers in 2018
Jayson Tatum's 51 points against the 76ers were the most in a game 7 in NBA history.
Additionally, his 51 points and zero turnovers set a playoff record for the most points in a game without any turnovers.
There were four 50-point games this postseason, the most in a single postseason.
Doc Rivers, as a coach, has now blown seven 3–2 series leads. Out of those seven, three of them were 3–1 series leads.[2]
Conference finals
The Heat became the second eight-seeded team to reach the conference finals, joining the 1999 New York Knicks.[3]
The Heat also became the first eight-seeded team to reach the conference finals in a full 82-game season, as the 1998–99 season was shortened due to a lockout.
The Lakers became the second seven-seeded team to reach the conference finals, joining the 1987 Seattle SuperSonics.[4]
All four teams in the conference finals from the 2020 Bubble returned to the 2023 conference finals.
Like the aforementioned season, the Heat and Celtics have both beaten the Bucks and 76ers, respectively. The Heat also had beaten the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals.
The Heat became the first eight-seeded team since the 1999 Knicks to go up 3–0 in a series.
The Heat became the first eight-seeded team to win a playoff game by more than 25 points.
The Celtics lost their 6th game 7 at home this year, with previous losses in 1973, 1982, 2005, 2009 and 2018, while no other team has lost more than three. Both the Heat (2000, 2005, 2022) and the Suns (1981, 1995, 2022) lost three games 7 at home.
This was the second instance (following the 2015 playoffs) where both conference finals series had teams go up 3–0 in the series. However, the difference is that the Nuggets completed their sweep while the Celtics won three straight games but fell short.
Nikola Jokić recorded his eighth triple-double of the 2023 playoffs in game 4 against the Lakers, breaking the record held by Wilt Chamberlain for the most triple-doubles in a single postseason.
The Nuggets beat the Lakers 4–0 in the conference finals, marking their first playoff series sweep in franchise history.
The Nuggets also eliminated the Lakers in the playoffs for the first time in eight encounters, having been eliminated by the Lakers in 1979, 1985, 1987, 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2020.[5]
The Nuggets became the 4th Western Conference team to sweep the Lakers en route to their first championship, following the footsteps of the Trail Blazers (1977), the Spurs (1999) and the Mavericks (2011).
Since the Lakers joined the league in 1948–49, of the nine teams that won their first NBA championships while representing the West, seven eliminated the Lakers en route to their titles. In 2023, the Nuggets joined the Royals (1951), the Bucks (1971), the Trail Blazers (1977), the SuperSonics (1979), the Spurs (1999) and the Mavericks (2011). Only the 1958 Hawks and the 1994 Rockets did not do so.
This marked the third time LeBron James was swept in a playoff series. The last two times he was swept were in the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs in 2007 and the Golden State Warriors in 2018.
Jokić became the second player to average a triple-double in multiple playoff series in a single postseason, joining Wilt Chamberlain in 1967.
The Celtics became the fourth team ever to force a game 7 after trailing 0–3 in a series, and the first team to do so since 2003.
Additionally, the Celtics became the first team to host a game 7 after trailing 0–3.
Derrick White became the second player in NBA history to hit a buzzer-beater with his team trailing and facing elimination, joining Michael Jordan's "The Shot" in 1989.
It was also the sixth game-winning buzzer-beater when facing elimination in NBA history, and the first since Kawhi Leonard in 2019. Coincidentally, Jimmy Butler has been on the losing side of three of those buzzer-beaters.
Jaylen Brown became the fifth player with 8-plus turnovers in a game 7 since individual turnovers were tracked in 1978, joining Shawn Kemp, LeBron James, Donovan Mitchell, and Joel Embiid.
After Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, the Lakers lost six consecutive games while facing playoff elimination. The streak included Game 6 vs. the Suns (2021), Game 4 vs. the Spurs (2013), Game 5 vs. the Thunder (2012), Game 4 vs. the Mavericks (2011) and Game 6 vs. the Celtics (2008). They also lost 15 out of their last 16. Before winning Game 5 of the 2008 Finals against the Celtics, they also lost Game 5 vs. the Suns (2007), Game 7 vs. the Suns (2006), Game 5 vs. the Pistons (2004), Game 6 vs. the Spurs (2003), Game 4 vs. the Spurs (1999), Game 4 vs. the Jazz (1998), Game 5 vs. the Jazz (1997), Game 4 vs. the Rockets (1996), and Game 6 vs. the Spurs (1995).
NBA Finals
The Heat became the second eight-seeded team to reach the NBA Finals, joining the 1999 New York Knicks. Coincidentally, both the Knicks and the Heat beat each other during their respective run to the Finals.
The Heat also became the first eight-seeded team to reach the Finals in a full 82-game season, as the 1998–99 season was shortened due to a lockout.
For the first time, an NHL and NBA team from the same metro area made the final as the lowest seed in the same season. Ironically, both the Heat and the Florida Panthers would lose to the number 1 seed in the Western Conference in 5 games.
The Heat became the first team to make the NBA Finals after making the playoffs via the Play-In tournament.
The Heat became the third team in NBA history to finish last in PPG (points per game) during the regular season and reach the NBA Finals, joining the 1956 Fort Wayne Pistons and 1964 San Francisco Warriors.
In game 1, the Heat had two free throw attempts, breaking the NBA record for the fewest free throw attempts in a playoff game. The previous playoff record was three, by the New Jersey Nets in 1993 and the previous Finals record was five, by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1983.[6]
The Heat collected their 13th win of the playoffs in game 2 against the Nuggets, breaking a tie with the 1999 Knicks for the most wins ever by a No. 8 seed in a single postseason.
In game 3, Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray became the first teammates to record a triple-double in the NBA Finals and the first teammates to both record 30-point triple-doubles in any game.[7]
Udonis Haslem, aged 42 years, 363 days, became the oldest player to play in the NBA Finals, coming off the bench in the last minute.
Nikola Jokić became the first player in NBA history to put up at least 500 points, 250 rebounds, and 150 assists in a single postseason run.
Nikola Jokić became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in points (600), rebounds (269), and assists (190) in a single postseason.
Nikola Jokić was the lowest-selected player to be named NBA Finals MVP. Jokić was selected 41st overall in the 2014 NBA draft.
Eight teams from each conference participated in the playoffs. The top six teams in each conference, based on winning percentage, directly qualified for the playoffs; the seeding order of those teams was also based on winning percentage. If two or more teams had the same record, standard NBA tiebreaker rules were 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 participated in a "double-chance" game, with the winner advancing to the playoffs as the 7-seed. The loser then played 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 proceeded as normal.[8]
Each conference's bracket was fixed with no reseeding. All rounds were a best-of-seven series; a series ended when one team won four games, and that team advanced to the next round. All rounds, including the NBA Finals, were in a 2–2–1–1–1 format with regards to hosting. In the conference playoffs, home-court advantage went to the higher-seeded team (number one being the highest). For the NBA Finals, home-court advantage went to the team with the better regular season record, and, if needed, ties were broken based on head-to-head record, followed by intra-conference record.
Playoff qualifying
On March 14, 2023, the Milwaukee Bucks became the first team to clinch a playoff spot.[9] While noted in the below tables, division titles have no bearing on seeding.[10]
Seeds 7 and 8 in each conference were determined via the first-stage play-in tournament, held April 11–14.
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 (i.e., the higher-seeded team) are shown in italics.
The Heat took advantage of Giannis Antetokounmpo's early exit in the first half to secure a 1–0 series lead. Jimmy Butler led Miami with 35 points, while Bam Adebayo contributed 22 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. However, the Heat also suffered a setback, as they lost Tyler Herro to a broken hand in the second quarter. Miami had built a 68–55 halftime lead before Herro's departure and maintained their advantage by shooting an impressive 60% from beyond the arc, their highest percentage of the season. Khris Middleton stepped up for the Bucks, finishing with 33 points and nine rebounds, but Milwaukee shooting 24.4% from the three-point line hindered any chance at a comeback.
After shooting 11-of-45 from three-point range in their Game 1 loss, the Bucks shot 25-of-49 from beyond the arc, tying the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers for the most three-point makes by a team in a playoff game. Despite Giannis Antetokounmpo's absence, Milwaukee managed to dominate the Heat thanks to a team effort, as six Bucks players scored at least 16 points. Brook Lopez scored 25 points, Jrue Holiday added 24 points, and Pat Connaughton dropped a playoff career-high 22 points, shooting 6-of-10 from beyond the arc. Jimmy Butler scored 25 for Miami, but it was not enough to keep up with the hot shooting of the Bucks, as they led by as much as 36 points.
The No. 8 seeded Heat retook their series lead with a 121–99 victory over the shorthanded Bucks. Jimmy Butler led the way for Miami with 30 points in 28 minutes on 12-of-19 shooting. After Milwaukee went 10-of-18 (56%) from deep in the first half, they cooled off after halftime, shooting only 5-of-21 (24%) from three-point range in the second half. Khris Middleton scored 23 points, while Jrue Holiday added 19 and Grayson Allen scored 14. Meanwhile, Miami's Duncan Robinson scored 20 points on his 29th birthday, while Kyle Lowry added 15 points as the Heat led by as much as 29 points. The win was bittersweet for Miami, as Victor Oladipo left the game with a season-ending knee injury in the fourth quarter.
Kaseya Center, Miami, FL Attendance: 19,614 Referees: Marc Davis, Mark Lindsay, Jacyn Goble
Jimmy Butler scored a career-high 56 points, which included 21 in the fourth quarter to push the team with the best overall record on the verge of elimination. Down by 12 with under six minutes remaining, the Heat went on a pivotal 27–8 run, which included a 13–0 run to take their first lead of the night. Butler, who scored 22 of Miami's 28 first quarter points, finished 19-of-28 from the field, 15-of-18 from the foul line, and added nine rebounds. His 56 points also set a franchise playoff record for the Heat. Brook Lopez was the leading scorer for the Bucks, with 36 points and 11 rebounds. Giannis Antetokounmpo returned from a two-game absence with a bruised back and had a triple-double, with 26 points, ten rebounds, and 13 assists.
Two nights after outscoring Milwaukee 30–13 in the final six minutes of a 119–115 victory in Miami, the Heat came back from a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit and tied the game on Jimmy Butler's layup with half a second left in regulation. The Heat went on to win in overtime, becoming the sixth 8-seeded team to knock off a No. 1 seed and the first play-in team ever to win a playoff series. Butler, who averaged 37.6 points throughout the series, led Miami with 42 points, while Bam Adebayo dropped a 20-point triple-double. Khris Middleton scored 33 points for the Bucks, while Giannis Antetokounmpo had 38 points and 20 rebounds. However, he missed a career-high 13 free-throw attempts, the most misses by any player in a playoff game since 2015. Despite leading 102–86 heading into the fourth quarter, the Bucks crumbled under pressure, shooting just 5-of-25 from the floor in the final quarter and overtime.
The Heat's upset of the Bucks was seen as reminiscent of the series that occurred in the 2020 NBA Bubble, where the Heat also toppled the higher-seeded Bucks in five games.[36]
Jaylen Brown guided Boston to a 112–99 victory with 29 points and 12 rebounds, while Jayson Tatum added 25 points, 21 of which came in the first half as the Celtics built a 30-point lead at halftime. Derrick White also had a strong performance with 24 points and seven assists. The Hawks meanwhile struggled with their shooting, missing their first ten three-point attempts and shooting 5-of-29 from beyond the arc for the game. Despite a late push from Atlanta in the fourth quarter, the Celtics regained control and secured the victory, as they held Dejounte Murray and Trae Young to a combined 15-of-43 shooting.
TD Garden, Boston, MA Attendance: 19,156 Referees: Mark Lindsay, Karl Lane, James Williams
Jayson Tatum led the Celtics to a 2–0 series lead over the Hawks, finishing with 29 points and ten rebounds. The Hawks once again tried mounting a comeback, as they pulled within eight points with under eight minutes left in regulation. However, the Celtics responded with a 20–6 run to put the game out of reach. Derrick White contributed 26 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks for Boston, while Jaylen Brown added 18 points. Although Young and Dejounte Murray combined for 53 points, Atlanta could not keep up with Boston, who outscored them 64–40 in the paint.
In danger of falling behind 3–0 in the series, Trae Young scored 32 points and nine assists in his first 30-point game since the Hawks' Conference finals run two years ago as Atlanta put up their most points in a playoff game since 1986. Young was supported by his backcourt partner Dejounte Murray, who had 25 points, six rebounds, and five assists. The duo played their best when it mattered most, as they accounted for 22 of Atlanta's 30 points in the final quarter. Jayson Tatum scored 29 points, while Marcus Smart added 24, but Boston was forced to play catch-up the majority of the game, as they allowed Atlanta to knock down 30-of-46 shots (65%) in the first half.
After starting off the game shooting 1-of-7, Jaylen Brown removed his protective mask in the second quarter as he went on to shoot 11-of-15 the rest of the way, moving Boston to the brink of advancing to the second round. Jayson Tatum also had 31 points for the Celtics, as both Brown and Tatum combined to score their team's final 16 points, thwarting any attempt by the Hawks to even the series. In addition to the duo's combined 62 points, Marcus Smart added 19 points and Derrick White had 18. Although Trae Young scored 35 points and 15 assists, and De'Andre Hunter and Dejounte Murray combined for 50 points, the Hawks were unable to gain a lead after the first quarter.
TD Garden, Boston, MA Attendance: 19,156 Referees: Josh Tiven, Courtney Kirkland, Tre Maddox
Facing elimination, Trae Young scored 38 points and hit a deep three-pointer with less than two seconds left to give the Hawks the lead and ultimately force a Game 6 in Atlanta. Young also had 16 points in a frenetic fourth quarter, getting support from his teammates who knocked down a series-best 19 three-pointers. John Collins added 22 points for Atlanta, who played without Dejounte Murray, who was suspended for bumping an official in Game 4. Despite an impressive performance from Jaylen Brown, who scored 35 points, and Jayson Tatum, who added 19, the Celtics ultimately lost control of the game in the fourth quarter, allowing Atlanta to outscore them 23–8 in the final minutes, with 14 of those points coming from Young.
After collapsing late in Game 5, the Celtics responded by closing out Game 6 on an 18–7 run to advance to their sixth Eastern Semifinals appearance in seven years. Leading the way for the Celtics were Jaylen Brown with 32 points, Jayson Tatum with 30 points and 14 rebounds, Marcus Smart with 22 points, and Malcolm Brogdon with 17 points off the bench. Meanwhile, Trae Young, who finished with 30 points and ten assists, missed 12-of-13 shots in the second half and finished just 9-of-28 from the field. His backcourt partner Dejounte Murray also struggled, scoring zero points in the first half as the duo ultimately combined for a shooting percentage of 34% (14-of-41).
This was the 13th playoff meeting between these two teams, and the ninth since the St. Louis Hawks relocated to Atlanta in 1968, with the Celtics winning ten of the first twelve meetings.[38]
James Harden led the way for the 76ers with 23 points and 13 assists, including seven three-pointers as Philadelphia moved to 5–0 against the Nets this season. Joel Embiid contributed 26 points for Philadelphia, while Tobias Harris added 21 points. The 76ers also set a team record for playoff three-pointers, with 21 made shots from beyond the arc; with 13 of them coming in the first half. Mikal Bridges had a standout performance for the Nets, making 10-of-16 shots for 23 points in the first half and keeping Brooklyn within nine at halftime, but the Nets never led in the game.
Being heavily defended throughout the game, Joel Embiid showed increased trust in his teammates as Tyrese Maxey scored 33 points and Tobias Harris had 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Embiid contributed with 19 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks as Philadelphia took a commanding 2–0 series lead. After a slow start, the 76ers rallied in the second half and held off the Nets, who shot 35% from the field in the second half. Cameron Johnson scored 22 of his 28 points in the first half, but Brooklyn was unable to get anything going in the second half, scoring just 35 points.
With James Harden ejected in the third quarter and Joel Embiid struggling offensively, the 76ers rode Tyrese Maxey's team-high 25 points, including ten points in the final three minutes to give Philadelphia a 3–0 series lead. Although Joel Embiid was held to just 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting, he remained dominant on the defensive end and sealed the game by blocking a potential game-tying layup by Spencer Dinwiddie with just under ten seconds left. Mikal Bridges led the Nets with 26 points, but Brooklyn was held to just 15 points in the fourth quarter as the 76ers finished the game on an 11–1 run to hand the Nets their ninth consecutive playoff loss.
Without Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris led Philadelphia with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while James Harden contributed 17 points and 11 assists as the 76ers swept a playoff opponent for the first time since 1991. Paul Reed, who replaced Embiid in the starting lineup, contributed ten points and 15 rebounds, while De'Anthony Melton scored all 15 of his points in the fourth quarter. The 76ers' defense also limited the Nets to 40 points in the second half and outscored Brooklyn 21–4 during an eight-minute stretch in the third quarter. Despite Spencer Dinwiddie's 20 points and Nic Claxton's 19 points and 12 rebounds, the Nets lost their tenth consecutive playoff game. Additionally, they went 0–8 against Philadelphia this season.
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, and the second since the New Jersey Nets relocated to Brooklyn in 2012, with the 76ers winning two of the first three meetings.[39]
With the help of 27 points from Jalen Brunson, the Knicks stunned the Cavaliers in Cleveland. Julius Randle and Josh Hart each had ten rebounds, in addition to scoring 19 and 17 points, respectively. Donovan Mitchell led the way for Cleveland in the losing effort, logging 38 points, eight assists, and five rebounds in 44 minutes. Jarrett Allen finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds, and Darius Garland scored 17 points. Cleveland rallied from ten points behind early in the fourth quarter to lead by one with a little over two minutes left in the game, but the Knicks regained the lead on a three-pointer by Hart and an offensive rebound by Randle sealed the win for New York.
After a lackluster playoff debut, Darius Garland bounced back with a dominant performance, scoring 26 of his 32 points in the first half to lead the Cavaliers to their first playoff victory without LeBron James on their roster since 1998. Caris LeVert scored 24 points off the bench for Cleveland and Donovan Mitchell added 17 points and a playoff career-high 13 assists. Cleveland capitalized on New York's mistakes, scoring 27 points off of 14 turnovers in the first half, the most by a team in a half since 2009. Although Julius Randle led the Knicks with 22 points, the team's starters shot just 33.3% from the field, making only 18 of their 54 attempted shots.
In the Knicks' first sold-out home playoff game since 2013, they limited the Cavaliers to 79 points, the lowest point total by any team in a game this season. Jalen Brunson scored a team-high 21 points, while Josh Hart added 13 points off the bench. RJ Barrett, who was 6-of-25 in the first two games, shot 8-of-12 from the field and scored 14 of his 19 points in the first half. For Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell scored 22 points, but Darius Garland, who scored 32 points in Game 2, managed just ten points on 4-of-21 shooting. The Cavaliers struggled mightily with their offense, shooting 7-of-33 from beyond the arc, committing 20 turnovers, and scoring just 32 points in the first half.
In a pivotal Game 4, Jalen Brunson led the way for the Knicks with 29 points, while RJ Barrett contributed 26 points and Josh Hart added 19 points and seven rebounds as the Knicks took a 3–1 series lead over the Cavaliers. Although Darius Garland rebounded with 23 points and ten assists after a poor showing in Game 3, Donovan Mitchell struggled mightily, finishing with just 11 points and six turnovers on 5-of-18 shooting, as he made just one field goal in the second half. Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen each scored 14 points, but Allen was outrebounded by the Knicks' Mitchell Robinson, who finished with a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds as New York held Cleveland to under 100 points for the third time this series.
For the fourth time in five games, New York held Cleveland to under 100 points as the Knicks won a playoff series for just the second time in 23 years. The Knicks were once again led by Jalen Brunson, who scored 23 points, and RJ Barrett, who added 21. Brunson was consistent throughout the series for New York, averaging 24 points in the series and leading the team in scoring in all four wins. Mitchell Robinson anchored the Knicks' defense with 18 rebounds (11 of them offensive) as he outrebounded Cleveland's Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley for the second straight game. Although Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland both scored 20-plus points in the same game for the first time this series, the Cavaliers were never able to gain a lead.
The Nuggets thrashed the Timberwolves in the opening game of the series, holding Minnesota to 30-of-81 field goal shooting and 11-of-36 from beyond the arc. In his first playoff game since the 2020 NBA Bubble, Jamal Murray led the scoring for Denver, scoring 24 points. Nikola Jokić and Michael Porter Jr. both achieved double-doubles, the former having 13 points and 14 rebounds, while the latter finished with 18 points and grabbed 11 boards. Anthony Edwards scored 18 points in the losing effort, while Karl-Anthony Towns had 11 points and ten rebounds. Minnesota's 80 points were their lowest in a game since 2016 and tied for the fewest points scored by any team this season.
Jamal Murray scored 40 points and Michael Porter Jr. had 13 of his 16 in the fourth quarter, powering the Nuggets past the Timberwolves to seize a 2–0 series lead. Nikola Jokić had another strong performance for the Nuggets, finishing with 27 points, nine assists, and nine rebounds as Denver built a 21-point lead in the first half. For Minnesota, Anthony Edwards scored a playoff career-high 41 points as the Wolves shot 17-of-21 (81%) in the third quarter to send Denver trailing entering the final quarter. However, the Nuggets regained their lead thanks to Porter Jr. scoring eight straight points to begin the fourth and a three-pointer with 6:25 left that permanently gave Denver the lead.
The Nuggets delivered a disciplined performance to take a commanding 3–0 series lead, with two-time reigning MVP Nikola Jokić leading the team with his seventh career triple-double in the playoffs. Michael Porter Jr. added a team-high 25 points and nine rebounds, while Jamal Murray contributed 18 points and nine assists. Despite another impressive performance by Anthony Edwards, who scored 36 points, the Timberwolves struggled to keep up, as Denver had two 9–0 runs in the first half and started the second quarter by making 12 of their first 16 shots on their way to a 13-point lead. The Wolves' Karl-Anthony Towns had 27 points, while Rudy Gobert had 18 points and ten rebounds.
Down by 12 with under three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Denver went on a 12–0 run to tie it at 96–96, but the Timberwolves ultimately prevented a series sweep in overtime. Anthony Edwards again led the Timberwolves in scoring, logging 34 points in addition to six rebounds and five assists. Nikola Jokić scored 43 points, tying his playoff career-high, on 15-of-26 shooting, while also having 11 rebounds and six assists. Mike Conley contributed 19 points, Karl-Anthony Towns had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Rudy Gobert produced 14 points and 15 rebounds in the victory. Jamal Murray scored 19, while Michael Porter Jr. had 15 points in the losing effort.
After a sluggish start, Denver managed to rally and secure their fourth Western Semifinals appearance in five years behind the performances of Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray. Down by 15 in the first half, the Nuggets came crawling back, as neither team led by more than six after the Nuggets made it 34–28 with 7:15 left in the second quarter. Jokić notched his second triple-double of the series, scoring 28 points despite missing 21-of-29 shots, while Murray scored a game-high 35 points. Anthony Edwards led the Wolves with 29 points, but missed a potential game-tying three-pointer as time expired. Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert both scored 26 and 16 points, respectively, but both centers fouled out in the fourth quarter.
The Lakers finished the game on a 15–0 run to seal a Game 1 victory in Memphis. Led by Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves, the duo combined for 37 of the Lakers' 69 points in the second half, including nine straight points from Reaves in the closing minutes to put the game away. LeBron James contributed 21 points and 11 rebounds, while Anthony Davis added 22 points and seven blocks. Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with 31 points, and Desmond Bane scored 22. Ja Morant had 18 points but left the game in the fourth quarter with an injured right hand.
FedExForum, Memphis, TN Attendance: 17,928 Referees: Josh Tiven, Courtney Kirkland, Justin Van Duyne
In danger of falling behind 2–0 in the series and without their All-Star Ja Morant, Xavier Tillman stepped up for Memphis, scoring a career-high 22 points and a season-high 13 rebounds. Newly named Defensive Player of the YearJaren Jackson Jr. added 18 points and three blocks, while Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones had 17 and ten points, respectively. LeBron James led the Lakers with 28 points and 12 rebounds, and Rui Hachimura dropped 20 points off the bench, but starters Anthony Davis and D'Angelo Russell struggled, combining for just 18 points on a combined 6-of-25 from the field.
In their first sold-out playoff home game since 2013, the Lakers produced one of the greatest first quarters in team history, as they stormed out to a 35–9 lead, tying an NBA record by taking a 26-point lead into the second quarter. Anthony Davis dropped 31 points and 17 rebounds, LeBron James finished with 25 points, and Rui Hachimura scored 16 points off the bench. For Memphis, Dillon Brooks was ejected early in the second half for striking James in the groin. Ja Morant scored 45 points in his return from a one-game absence, scoring 22 consecutive points for Memphis during his 24-point fourth quarter. Morant also had 13 assists and nine rebounds, but Memphis could not fully recover from their slow start.
In his 270th career playoff game, LeBron James made a game-tying layup with less than a second left in regulation and scored four of his 22 points in overtime to help the No. 7-seeded Lakers take a 3–1 series lead. James also grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds for the first 20–20 game of his 20-year career. Austin Reaves scored 23 points and Anthony Davis had five of his 12 points in overtime as Los Angeles surged back from a seven-point deficit with five minutes left in regulation with a rally that began when D'Angelo Russell hit three consecutive three-pointers. The Grizzlies' Desmond Bane scored 36 points, and Ja Morant scored 19 points with an injured right hand, but Davis blocked his jumper at the regulation buzzer.
The No. 2 seeded Grizzlies staved off elimination with a collaborative team effort. Desmond Bane had his second-straight 30-point game to go along with ten rebounds, while Ja Morant added 31 points and ten boards, and Jaren Jackson Jr. contributed 18 points and ten rebounds. LeBron James started off 1-of-7 shooting and ultimately finished with 15 points and ten rebounds, while Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 31 points and 19 boards. Although they trailed for most of the game, the Lakers pulled within one point with 4:36 left in the third quarter. However, Memphis responded with a 26–2 run that effectively put the game away. Los Angeles tried to rally with a 20–7 run in the fourth quarter, but could not get closer than 12 points.
Los Angeles dominated throughout the game, building a 20-point lead in the first half and a 36-point lead in the third quarter as the Lakers won a playoff series in their home arena for the first time since 2012. LeBron James led the way with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting, while Anthony Davis put on a defensive clinic with 16 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks. D'Angelo Russell had a career playoff-high 31 points, and Austin Reaves contributed 11 points, eight assists, and six rebounds. Ja Morant, who was playing with an injured right hand, struggled mightily, scoring just ten points on 3-of-16 shooting. Dillon Brooks, who gained notoriety throughout the series, scored just ten points and finished the series shooting 31% from the field.
In his playoff debut, De'Aaron Fox finished with 38 points, five assists, and three steals as he led Sacramento to their first playoff win in 17 years. Malik Monk, who was also making his playoff debut, came off the bench and scored 32 points on 8-of-13 shooting and 14-of-14 from the free throw line in 29 minutes of play. Domantas Sabonis, the league leader in double-doubles this season, came up with another, posting 12 points and 16 rebounds. Stephen Curry was the leading scorer for the Warriors in this game, scoring 30 points on 6-of-14 shooting from beyond the arc, but missed the potential game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds. Klay Thompson added 21 points, while Draymond Green had 11 assists and nine rebounds.
Tied 95–95 late in the fourth quarter, The Kings went on a 17–8 run to become the first team to take a 2–0 series lead over the Warriors under Steve Kerr's tenure. De'Aaron Fox scored 24 points and hit a crucial three-pointer that helped seal the victory for Sacramento. Domantas Sabonis added 24 points, and Malik Monk scored 18 off the bench. Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 28 points, but went 3-for-13 from beyond the arc as the Warriors committed 20 turnovers and 26 personal fouls. The game got heated midway through the fourth quarter, as Draymond Green was ejected for stepping on Sabonis' chest after Sabonis fell down and grabbed Green's leg following a rebound attempt.
The Warriors entered Game 3 trailing 2–0 and missing two of their top defenders, including Draymond Green, who was suspended as a result of his actions the previous game. The Warriors responded to the challenge by dominating the Kings 114–97, as Sacramento never led in the game. Stephen Curry scored 36 points, Kevon Looney matched his career high with 20 rebounds to go with nine assists, and Andrew Wiggins added 20 points and seven rebounds. The Kings’ De'Aaron Fox scored 26 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, while Domantas Sabonis added 15 points and 16 rebounds as the Kings missed a season-high 36 three-point attempts.
In a collaborative team effort, Stephen Curry scored 32 points, Klay Thompson added 26, and Jordan Poole dropped 22 points as the Warriors tied the series at two games apiece. Draymond Green returned from his one-game suspension and provided 12 points, ten rebounds, and seven assists, while Andrew Wiggins contributed 18 points. Despite the victory, the Warriors made a late blunder when Curry called a timeout that they did not have, giving the Kings a chance to win the game in the final seconds. However, Harrison Barnes missed a three-pointer at the buzzer, allowing the Warriors to hold on for the win. For the Kings, De'Aaron Fox put up 38 points and nine rebounds while Keegan Murray contributed 23 points.
In spite of their 11–32 record on the road this season, the Warriors came away with a critical Game 5 victory as Golden State won a road game for the NBA-record 28th straight playoff series. Stephen Curry spearheaded the victory with 31 points, while Draymond Green had his highest scoring output since 2018 with 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Klay Thompson added 25 points and five three-pointers, Andrew Wiggins had 20 points, and Kevon Looney matched his career-high with 22 rebounds. Despite a broken index finger on his shooting hand, De'Aaron Fox scored 24 points for the Kings, while Malik Monk and Domantas Sabonis added 21 points apiece, but it was not enough to overcome the defending champions.
The Kings, led by Malik Monk's 28 points, staved off elimination on the road and forced the first Game 7 of the 2023 playoffs. De'Aaron Fox added 26 points and 11 assists, and rookie Keegan Murray scored his first playoff double-double. For Golden State, Stephen Curry scored 29, Klay Thompson had 22, and Kevon Looney pulled down 13 rebounds. However, starters Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole combined for just 20 points on 29% shooting (7-of-24). Although Domantas Sabonis fouled out in the fourth quarter, the Kings controlled the game in the second half, never allowing the Warriors to get closer than seven points in the fourth quarter.
Stephen Curry scored a playoff career-high to help the Warriors advance to the Western Conference semifinals, becoming the first player ever to score 50 points in a game 7. While the rest of his team shot 37% from the field, Curry shot 20-of-38 (53%) with seven three-pointers to go along with eight rebounds and six assists, as no one else for Golden State scored more than 17 points. In addition to Curry's performance, Kevon Looney grabbed 21 rebounds, including ten offensive boards, to mark his third 20-rebound game of the series. For the Kings, Domantas Sabonis had 22 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, but the Warriors held De'Aaron Fox in check as he scored 16 points on 5-of-19 shooting in his third game with a broken finger. Although they trailed at halftime, the Warriors opened the second half with a 22–8 run and held Sacramento to 42 points on 33% shooting after the break.
In the absence of Paul George, Kawhi Leonard took charge for the Clippers, scoring 38 points and hitting two crucial three-pointers in the closing moments to secure the series opener. Despite a poor shooting performance from Russell Westbrook, who went 3-of-19 from the field, he added 11 rebounds, eight assists, and made two crucial free throws late in the game. He also blocked Devin Booker's layup attempt in the final minute to secure the win. For Phoenix, Kevin Durant scored 27 points to go along with nine rebounds and 11 assists, while Booker contributed 26 points, three blocks, and four steals. Notably, this marked Durant's first loss as a member of the Suns.
The Suns overcame a slow start and a 13-point deficit midway through the second quarter to even the series at one game apiece. Devin Booker led the Suns with 38 points and nine assists on 14-of-22 shooting, while Kevin Durant added 25 points. Although the Clippers' bench outscored Phoenix's 30–13, The Suns' starters combined for 110 points on 45-of-74 (61%) from the field as Phoenix went on a 23–4 run during the middle two quarters to take control of the game. Kawhi Leonard led Los Angeles with 31 points, while Russell Westbrook added 28 points on an improved 9-of-16 shooting. Notably, Chris Paul had his 13-game playoff losing streak snapped when referee Scott Foster is on the floor.
Devin Booker and Kevin Durant combined for 73 points to take a 2–1 series lead. Despite Kawhi Leonard's absence, the Clippers remained competitive in the first half, with neither team leading by more than eight points. The Suns pulled away in the third quarter, with Booker scoring eight points in a 17–8 run to give Phoenix its first double-digit lead of the game. Norman Powell stepped up for Los Angeles, scoring a career playoff-high 42 points on 15-of-23 shooting, while Russell Westbrook dropped 30 points and 12 assists. Bones Hyland (20 points) came off the bench and outscored the Phoenix bench (18 points), but it was not enough to overcome the Suns' starters, as they combined for 110-plus points for the second straight game.
Kevin Durant scored 31 points, Devin Booker added 30, and Chris Paul finished with 19 points and nine assists as the Suns won their third straight game against Los Angeles. The Clippers were without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, but Russell Westbrook carried the team in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 points, including nine in a row when they twice pulled within two points. However, Paul staved off the Clippers in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting against his former team. Westbrook finished with a game-high 37 points, while Norman Powell added 14 points and Terance Mann had 13 off the bench.
Devin Booker led Phoenix past the Clippers with a 47-point performance, including 25 points in the third quarter, to advance to the Western Semifinals for the third straight season. The Clippers attempted to come back from a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter, hitting four straight three-pointers to quickly close the gap, and had multiple chances to tie the game in the final three minutes but could never convert. Kevin Durant sealed the win for the Suns by making a layup to extend their lead to 134–130, and then made two free throws to put them up six with 31 seconds left. Durant finished with 31 points while Deandre Ayton had 21 points and 11 rebounds. Booker shot 19-of-27 from the field, including 4-of-7 from three-point range.
TD Garden, Boston, MA Attendance: 19,156 Referees: David Guthrie, Courtney Kirkland, Karl Lane
Led by James Harden's 45 points, the 76ers rallied without Joel Embiid to beat the Celtics on the road to take a 1–0 series lead. Harden, who tied his playoff career-high, hit a go-ahead, step-back three-pointer over Al Horford with less than ten seconds left to help secure the victory. Tyrese Maxey added 26 points and Tobias Harris finished with 18 for Philadelphia, who made 17 three-pointers in the absence of MVP Embiid. Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 39 points and 11 rebounds, while Jaylen Brown added 23 points and Malcolm Brogdon finished with 20 points. The Celtics had one final chance and got the ball to Tatum, but he lost the ball to Paul Reed, who later hit a pair of free throws to seal the win for Philadelphia.
The Celtics bounced back from their series opening loss to rout the 76ers by 34 points and hand Philadelphia their first loss of the playoffs. Jaylen Brown scored a game-high 25 points, while Malcolm Brogdon added 23 points, connecting on six of Boston's 20 three-pointers. Derrick White and Marcus Smart scored 15 points apiece, while Jayson Tatum struggled with fouls and scored just seven points. The Celtics stepped up their defense and limited the 76ers, who made 17 threes in Game 1, to just 6-of-30 from beyond the arc. Joel Embiid returned from injury to score 15 points and notch five blocks, while James Harden struggled to find his rhythm, shooting just 2-of-14 from the field and missing all six of his three-point attempts.
With Joel Embiid receiving his MVP trophy in a pregame ceremony in front of his home floor, the duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown spoiled the show for Philadelphia, combining for 50 points and giving the Celtics a 2–1 series advantage. Boston led the majority of the game thanks to a 14–4 run to start the game, with six Celtics players scoring in double figures. Although Philadelphia pulled within four points late in the final quarter, Boston hit timely three-pointers that prevented the 76ers from gaining any more ground. Despite Embiid's 30-point and 13-rebound performance on one good knee, James Harden and Tyrese Maxey's combined shooting of 7-for-30 (23%) left him with little offensive support.
After having the worst shooting stretch of his career over any two-game span in Games 2 and 3, James Harden bounced back in Game 4 by scoring 42 points on 16-of-23 shooting to help Philadelphia tie the series at two games apiece. After Boston rallied from a 16-point deficit to take a five-point lead with two minutes left in the fourth quarter, the 76ers responded with key baskets from Harden and P. J. Tucker, including a floater from Harden with 16 seconds left to force overtime. In overtime, Joel Embiid hit a pair of free-throws to give Philadelphia the lead, but Jayson Tatum hit a step-back three to put the Celtics ahead by two with less than a minute remaining. However, Harden answered back with his sixth three-pointer of the night, putting the 76ers back in front with 18 seconds to go. Although Marcus Smart had a chance to win it for Boston, his shot was ruled too late, securing the victory for Philadelphia.
With a commanding performance on the road, the 76ers moved to the brink of their first conference finals berth in 22 years. Joel Embiid recorded 33 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks as Philadelphia built an early 42–27 lead and never looked back, leading by as much as 21 points. Tyrese Maxey also stepped up for the 76ers, contributing 30 points and six three-pointers, while James Harden had 17 points, ten assists, and eight rebounds on 50% shooting. Jayson Tatum scored 36 points for Boston, but he struggled to shoot efficiently, going 11-of-27 from the field. Jaylen Brown contributed 24 points, but the Celtics struggled to find their shot throughout the game, shooting just 40% from the field and 31% from beyond the arc.
Jayson Tatum struggled mightily in the first three quarters, scoring just three points on 1-of-13 shooting. However, he came alive during the final quarter, dropping 16 points and leading a crucial 14–1 run in the final five minutes to force a Game 7 back in Boston. Despite trailing by as much as 16 points in the first half, the 76ers rallied thanks to the efforts of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, who helped the team take the lead entering the fourth quarter. However, Philadelphia faltered down the stretch, missing all eight of their three-point attempts in the fourth and failing to make a single field goal over the last six minutes until garbage time. Embiid and Maxey scored 26 points each, while James Harden shot a poor 4-of-16 from the field.
In a historic performance, Jayson Tatum scored a playoff career-high 51 points, setting a new record for the most points ever scored in a game 7 as he led the Celtics to their fifth conference finals appearance in seven years. Tatum started off strong, scoring 25 points in a competitive first half and adding 17 more in Boston's 33–10 third quarter, which turned a three-point lead into a blowout victory. Tatum also finished with 13 rebounds, five assists, and zero turnovers, setting a playoff record for most points in a game with zero turnovers. Meanwhile, the 76ers lost in the conference semifinals for the fifth time in six years, with MVPJoel Embiid scoring just 15 points on 5-for-18 shooting, while James Harden scored nine points on 3-of-11 shooting. Additionally, 76ers head coach Doc Rivers has now lost a record 10 game sevens, with his teams going 4–13 in their last 17 chances to close out a playoff series.
This was the 23rd playoff meeting between these two teams, and the 15th since the Syracuse Nationals relocated to Philadelphia in 1963, with the Celtics winning 14 of the first 22 meetings.[45]
After the Knicks led the majority of the first half, the Heat pulled away in the third quarter with a 21–5 run highlighted by a Kevin Love three-pointer that gave Miami a lead they would not relinquish. Jimmy Butler led the way for the Heat with 25 points and 11 rebounds before rolling his ankle in the fourth quarter. Butler got help from his teammates, however, as Gabe Vincent, Kyle Lowry, and Bam Adebayo each scored 15-plus points as all three players made key plays down the stretch. The Heat's defense also held firm, as they limited New York to just 7-of-34 shooting from beyond the arc. The Knicks, who were without Julius Randle, were led by RJ Barrett and Jalen Brunson who scored 26 and 25 points, respectively.
After shooting 20% from deep in the series opener, New York bounced back, converting 40% of their three-point attempts as the Knicks evened up the series at one game apiece. Jalen Brunson atoned for his 0-for-7 three-point shooting in Game 1, as he shot 6-of-10 from beyond the arc, finishing with 30 points. Josh Hart finished an assist shy of a triple-double, as he scored ten of his 14 points in the final five minutes of the game. Julius Randle returned to the Knicks lineup and contributed 25 points and 12 rebounds, while RJ Barrett added 24 points. For the Heat, Caleb Martin stepped up in place of the injured Jimmy Butler, scoring 22 points, while Gabe Vincent and Max Strus combined for 38 points, all of whom were undrafted.
Kaseya Center, Miami, FL Attendance: 19,927 Referees: Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, Brian Forte
The Heat improved to 3–0 at home this postseason, putting them just two wins away from becoming the second eighth seed ever to advance to the conference finals. Miami started the game by setting the tone on both ends of the court, as they made ten of their first 15 shots, while the Knicks missed 13 of their first 17. Jimmy Butler, who returned from his one-game absence, scored 28 points, Max Strus added 19 points, and Bam Adebayo had a double-double for the Heat, who never trailed. Meanwhile, New York struggled to find their rhythm, as their top three scorers from the regular season (Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, and RJ Barrett) shot a combined 16-of-51 (31%) from the field, including 2-of-17 (12%) from beyond the arc.
Led by Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, the Heat moved one win away from their third trip to the conference finals in four years. Butler finished with 27 points and ten assists, while Adebayo contributed 23 points and 13 rebounds as Miami became the fourth No. 8 seed to win at least seven playoff games. Although the Heat struggled in the fourth quarter, as they missed 12 of their first 15 shots, the Knicks failed to take full advantage. After New York gave up six offensive rebounds in the first three quarters, they gave up seven more in the fourth quarter alone. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 32 points and 11 assists, while RJ Barrett had 24 points and Julius Randle scored 20 before fouling out in the final minutes.
Jalen Brunson played all 48 minutes and contributed 38 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists to help keep the Knicks' season alive. RJ Barrett scored 26 points, while Julius Randle added 24 as the trio combined for 88 of New York's 112 points. Although the Knicks built a 19-point lead in the third quarter, the Heat cut it down to two with under three minutes remaining in the game. However, New York closed the game out on a 9–2 run to force a Game 6 in Miami. Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 19 points, as he was held below 25 points for the first time this postseason. Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson also contributed with 18 and 17 points respectively, but Miami struggled from deep, missing 21 of their first 25 three-pointers.
The Heat advanced to the conference finals for the seventh time in the last 13 seasons and became just the second No. 8 seed ever to reach the conference finals. Despite an early 14-point lead by the Knicks, Miami took the lead by halftime and held it throughout the second half. However, up by six with under a minute remaining, Gabe Vincent's flagrant foul on Jalen Brunson allowed New York to score four points in five seconds. After a Jimmy Butler miss, the Knicks had an opportunity to tie the game, but Kyle Lowry came up with a steal, and Butler made free throws with 14 seconds left to clinch the win for the Heat. Butler scored 24 points, Bam Adebayo added 23, and Lowry had nine assists. Meanwhile, Brunson scored 41 points, accounting for over half of the Knicks' 27 made field goals. But his teammates only scored 51 points, with Julius Randle and RJ Barrett combining for just 26 points on 4-of-24 shooting.
Ball Arena, Denver, CO Attendance: 19,762 Referees: Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, Tre Maddox
After missing their previous matchup in 2021 due to injury, Jamal Murray led the Nuggets' fast-paced offense with 34 points and six three-pointers as Denver snapped their seven-game playoff losing streak to the Suns. Nikola Jokić was productive as well, recording 24 points and 19 rebounds (8 of them offensive), while Aaron Gordon added 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting. For Phoenix, Kevin Durant scored 29 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Suns, while Devin Booker added 27 points and eight assists as the duo each scored 25-plus points for the sixth straight game. Although the Suns finished with a better field goal percentage, the Nuggets dominated the three-point line, outscoring Phoenix by a 48–21 margin and forcing 16 turnovers.
Nikola Jokić scored 26 of his 39 points in the second half and had 16 rebounds to lead the Nuggets to a 2–0 series advantage over the Suns. Jokic's performance was crucial for Denver, as Jamal Murray only scored ten points on 3-of-15 shooting, having scored 34 in the series opener. Aaron Gordon added 16 points and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope contributed 14 points, including back-to-back three-pointers that put the Nuggets ahead for good in the fourth quarter. Devin Booker led Phoenix with 35 points, but the team lost Chris Paul to a groin injury, and they struggled shooting in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 points on 28% shooting. Kevin Durant added 24 points, but went 10-of-27 shooting, including just 2-for-12 from beyond the arc.
Without Chris Paul and down 2–0 in the series, Devin Booker shot 80% (20-of-25) from the field and tied his playoff career-high with 47 points, recording his third 45-point performance of the playoffs en route to cutting Denver's series lead to 2–1. Kevin Durant contributed 39 points as he and Booker accounted for 86 of Phoenix's 121 points, as no one else on the Suns scored more than seven points. For Denver, Nikola Jokić had a triple-double with 30 points, 17 assists, and 17 rebounds, Jamal Murray added 32 points, and Michael Porter Jr. chipped in 21 points and 12 rebounds. Despite a 15-point halftime lead, Phoenix trailed by three late in the third quarter. However, they rode a 14–0 run to give them a lead they would not relinquish.
Despite a career-high 53 points from Nikola Jokić, the Suns were able to defend home court and tie the series at two games apiece, with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant each scoring 36 points. Booker shot 14-of-18 from the field, as he boosted his shooting percentage at home to 79% (34-of-43) for the series. The Suns were able to take a six-point lead into the fourth quarter after a scoring flurry from Booker, who had 17 points in the third quarter. Although Denver attempted to rally, backup guard Landry Shamet made four timely three-pointers to keep Phoenix ahead, as the Suns' bench outscored the Nuggets' bench 40–11. For Denver, Nikola Jokić shot 20-of-30 from the field, while Jamal Murray added 28 points and seven assists.
Nikola Jokić's tenth career playoff triple-double led the Nuggets to a pivotal Game 5 victory over the Suns, improving to 37–4 at home this season with Jokić on the floor. Jokić had a standout third quarter, as he made 7-of-8 shots for 17 points and helped the Nuggets turn a three-point halftime lead into a 91–74 advantage. Michael Porter Jr. scored 14 of his 19 points in the first quarter, Jamal Murray contributed 19 points and six assists, and Bruce Brown scored 25 of Denver's 34 bench points. Although Devin Booker and Kevin Durant each scored 25-plus points for the ninth time this postseason, the Suns were outrebounded 50–42 and outshot from beyond the arc 48% to 33%, as they trailed by as much as 24 points.
The Nuggets secured a spot in the conference finals by defeating the shorthanded Suns by 25 points, the largest win margin by a road team this postseason. Denver dominated the game, using a 23–2 run in the latter part of the first quarter to establish a commanding 44–26 lead. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who had been averaging 9.5 points in the playoffs, scored 17 points in the first quarter, while Nikola Jokić contributed 14. Denver's offensive onslaught continued, as the lead had grown to 81–51 by halftime. Jokić finished the game with his third triple-double of the series, and Jamal Murray added 26 points. Cameron Payne led Phoenix, who were without Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul, with a career-high 31 points, hitting 7-of-9 three-pointers. Kevin Durant added 23 points, but missed nine of his first ten shots as the Suns fell behind by 30 points at halftime in an elimination game for the second straight year.
Notably, this was Al McCoy's final game, concluding his 51-year career as the Suns' play-by-play radio announcer.
Anthony Davis put up 30 points, 23 rebounds, and four blocks, while LeBron James added 22 points and 11 boards as the Lakers held off a late push by Golden State to win Game 1 on the road. D'Angelo Russell had 19 points and six assists, while Dennis Schröder scored 19 points off the bench. The Warriors, who made 21 three-pointers, were led by Stephen Curry's 27 points, Klay Thompson's 25 points, and Kevon Looney's career-high 23 rebounds, marking his fourth 20-rebound game of the playoffs. Down 14 with under six minutes left, Golden State went on a 14–0 run to tie the game. The Lakers regained the lead, and the Warriors' late rally fell short as Jordan Poole missed a three to tie the game with under ten seconds left.
After Los Angeles took a seven-point lead into the second quarter, the defending champions took control of the game, outscoring the Lakers 84–47 in the second and third quarters to even the series at 1–1. Klay Thompson scored 30 points with eight three-pointers, while Stephen Curry added 20 points and 12 assists as the Warriors made 21 more threes in Game 2, giving them an NBA-record 42 total in the series' first two games. JaMychal Green scored a playoff career-high 15 points in his first playoff start since 2019, while Draymond Green contributed 11 points, 11 boards, and nine assists. LeBron James scored 23 points for the Lakers, but Anthony Davis had a quiet night, finishing with 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting.
After Golden State took a seven-point lead into the second quarter, the seventh-seeded Lakers took control of the game, outscoring the Warriors 63–38 in the second and third quarters to regain the series lead. Anthony Davis led the way with 25 points and 13 rebounds on 7-of-10 shooting, while LeBron James finished the game with 21 points, eight assists, and eight rebounds. D'Angelo Russell also hit five three-pointers and scored 21 points for Los Angeles, who moved to 4–0 at home in the playoffs. Golden State meanwhile struggled offensively, committing 19 turnovers and shooting 40% from the field. Stephen Curry scored 23 points, while Andrew Wiggins had 16 for the Warriors, who trailed by as much as 34 points.
Down by seven entering the final quarter, the Lakers rode a 15-point fourth-quarter performance from Lonnie Walker IV to take a 3–1 series lead over the defending champions. Walker, who made the same number of field goals as the Warriors did in the fourth quarter, hit a go-ahead jumper with under two minutes left and made two crucial free throws with 15 seconds to play. LeBron James contributed 27 points and six assists, Austin Reaves scored 21 points, and Anthony Davis had 23 points and 15 rebounds for Los Angeles. For the Warriors, Stephen Curry had 31 points, ten rebounds, and 14 assists in his third career postseason triple-double, but he missed 11-of-14 three-point attempts and turned the ball over in the final seconds.
In a must-win situation, the Warriors rallied behind Stephen Curry's 27 points and eight assists, along with Andrew Wiggins' 25 points and seven rebounds to avoid elimination. Draymond Green contributed 20 points and ten rebounds, while Gary Payton II scored 13 points. Golden State made seven of their 13 total three-pointers in the first quarter as they took an 11-point lead into halftime, with their 70 first-half points marking the most they've scored since 2019. Meanwhile, the Lakers struggled with rebounding, being outrebounded 48–38 overall, along with committing 14 turnovers that led to 20 Warriors points. LeBron James had 25 points and nine rebounds, while Anthony Davis added 23 points and nine boards for Los Angeles.
After starting the season with a 2–10 record, the Lakers advanced to their second conference finals in four years and became just the second No. 7 seed to clinch a conference finals berth. LeBron James had 30 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, while Anthony Davis contributed 17 points and 20 rebounds. Additionally, Austin Reaves scored 23 points, including a 54-foot shot from midcourt at the halftime buzzer, as Los Angeles never trailed in the game. Stephen Curry scored a game-high 32 points, but Donte DiVincenzo was his only teammate to finish in double figures. Klay Thompson missed ten of his 12 three-point attempts as the Splash Brothers went dry when it mattered most, with Thompson going 10-of-36 from deep in the final four games, while Curry was 14-of-49. This also marked the Warriors' first playoff series loss to a Western Conference opponent under Steve Kerr, having previously gone 19–0.
Jimmy Butler and the eight-seeded Heat rallied in the second half to win Game 1 on the road for the third straight series, becoming just the fifth team ever to do so. Trailing by nine at halftime, Miami scored a franchise playoff-record 46 points in the third quarter, as they were fueled by their success from beyond the arc, shooting over 50% from deep (16-of-31). Butler scored a game-high 35 points to go along with seven assists, six steals, and five rebounds. Bam Adebayo added 20 points, while Kyle Lowry, Caleb Martin, Gabe Vincent, and Max Strus each scored 15 points. Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 30 points, but failed to attempt a shot in the fourth quarter. Jaylen Brown added 22 points and nine rebounds, while Malcolm Brogdon contributed 19 points. Although Boston narrowed the deficit to four points late in the fourth quarter, they ultimately fell short, dropping to 4–4 at home this postseason.
Similar to how they defeated the Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks, the Heat overcame their sixth double-digit deficit of the playoffs to take a commanding 2–0 series lead back to Miami. Jimmy Butler scored 27 points, including nine points during an 18–4 run late in the fourth quarter that turned a nine-point deficit into a 105–100 lead. Bam Adebayo recorded 22 points, 17 rebounds, and nine assists, while Caleb Martin came off the bench and provided a season-high 25 points as the Heat became the first No. 8 seed to take a 2–0 series lead in the conference finals. Meanwhile, Jayson Tatum put up 34 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists, but he failed to make a field goal in the fourth quarter for the second straight game. Jaylen Brown did not fare well either, as he converted just seven of his 23 shot attempts and went 1-of-5 from the field in the fourth, as Miami outscored Boston 36–22 in the final quarter.
In a dominant team effort, the eight-seeded Heat improved to 6–0 at home this postseason and moved one win away from their sixth NBA Finals appearance in the last 13 seasons. Gabe Vincent scored a career-high 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting, Duncan Robinson scored 22, and Caleb Martin added 18 points, all of whom went undrafted. In addition, Jimmy Butler had 16 points and six assists, Bam Adebayo added 13, and Max Strus scored ten points for the Heat. For Boston, the All-NBA duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were a no-show, as they combined for just 26 points on 12-of-35 (34%) from the field and 1-of-14 (7%) from three-point range. The Celtics also lacked effort on defense, as they allowed Miami to shoot 57% from the field and 54% from beyond the arc, resulting in a substantial 33-point deficit in the third quarter that prompted head coach Joe Mazzulla to empty his bench for the final 12 minutes.
Led by Jayson Tatum's 33 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, the Celtics fought off elimination and forced the series back to Boston. The Heat initially held a nine-point lead in the second half, but a 48–22 scoring run by Boston in just 14 minutes turned the game in their favor, as Tatum scored 25 of his 33 points in the second half. Jaylen Brown contributed 17 points and Derrick White added 16 points, while Grant Williams, Al Horford, and Marcus Smart each scored in double figures. Jimmy Butler led the Heat's efforts with 29 points and nine rebounds, while Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin added 17 and 16 points, respectively. The Heat struggled from beyond the arc, shooting 8-of-32 (25%) from deep, while the Celtics made 18-of-45 (40%) three-pointers, creating a significant 30-point difference in scoring from long range. Boston also capitalized on Miami's mistakes, as they scored 27 points off 16 turnovers.
In front of their home crowd, the Celtics dominated the Heat from the jump, surging to a 23–7 lead that set the tone for the rest of the game as Boston moved two wins away from becoming the first NBA team ever to overcome a 3–0 series deficit. Derrick White scored 24 points and connected on six three-pointers, while Marcus Smart contributed 23 points and five steals. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each added 21 points as Boston improved to 4–0 in elimination games this postseason. With Gabe Vincent out with an ankle sprain, Miami struggled to find their offensive footing, as the Heat were forced into ten first-half turnovers that led to 17 Boston points. Duncan Robinson led Miami in scoring with 18 points, while Bam Adebayo contributed 16 points and eight rebounds. Jimmy Butler, who had been averaging 30 points this postseason, finished with an underwhelming 14 points as Miami never led.
With just a mere tenth of a second remaining on the clock, Derrick White emerged as the hero, scoring a crucial putback to secure the win for the Celtics, joining Michael Jordan as the second player in NBA history to hit a buzzer-beater with his team trailing and facing elimination. In addition, Jayson Tatum scored 31 points, Jaylen Brown scored 26, and Marcus Smart added 21 for Boston, who became only the fourth team to erase a 0–3 deficit and force a decisive game 7. For the Heat, the duo of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo went 5-of-30 from the field in the first three quarters, combining for just 18 points. However, trailing by ten with under four minutes to go, Butler scored 13 of his 24 points during a 15–4 run that gave Miami the lead with three seconds left. After a Celtics timeout, White inbounded the ball to Smart, who missed a three-pointer, but White crashed the boards and scored the game-winning tip shot.
Following their defeat in a decisive seventh game against the Celtics last year, the Heat overcame the setback of squandering a 3–0 series lead to secure their second NBA Finals appearance in four seasons. Caleb Martin, who averaged just 9.6 points in the regular season, scored a playoff career-high 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting, finishing the series averaging 19.3 points. Jimmy Butler scored a game-high 28 points, while Bam Adebayo recorded his seventh double-double of the playoffs as the Heat became the first No. 8 seed to reach the Finals in a full 82-game regular season. The Celtics meanwhile were discombobulated from the start, as they missed their first 12 three-point attempts and finished the game shooting 21% from deep. Derrick White scored 18 for Boston, and Jayson Tatum had 14 points with 11 rebounds after turning his ankle on the first play of the game. Jaylen Brown contributed 19 points and eight rebounds, but shot 1-of-9 from beyond the arc and committed a playoff-high eight turnovers as Boston lost their 12th playoff game at home over the last two postseasons.
Butler was awarded the second annual Eastern Conference finals MVP, averaging 24.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 6.1 assists on 42% from the field, 35% from beyond the arc, and 83% from the free-throw line. Had the Celtics won the game, they would have become the first NBA team to overcome the 3–0 series deficit (and second basketball team overall, after the PBA's San Miguel Beermen in the 2015–16 PBA Philippine Cup Finals).[49]
Looking to advance to their first NBA Finals in their 47th season, the Nuggets got off on the right track, as Nikola Jokić recorded his sixth triple-double of the playoffs to propel Denver to a 1–0 series lead. Jokić notched 34 points, 21 rebounds, and 14 assists on 12-of-17 shooting as he outrebounded the Lakers by himself in the first half, 16 to 13. Jokić's performance was backed by his teammates, as five other Denver players finished in double figures, with Jamal Murray scoring 31 points on 60% shooting. For the Lakers, Anthony Davis finished with 40 points, while LeBron James put up 26 points, 12 boards, and nine assists. Los Angeles trailed by as many as 21 but they pulled within three points multiple times in the fourth quarter, with Austin Reaves scoring 11 of his 23 points in the final quarter. However, the Lakers could not fully recover from their slow start, as the Nuggets improved to 7–0 at home this postseason.
Behind Jamal Murray's 23-point fourth quarter performance, the Nuggets took a commanding 2–0 series lead in the conference finals for the first time in franchise history. Although Murray was 5-of-17 from the field entering the fourth quarter, he shot 6-of-7 from the field and scored 23 of the Nuggets' 32 fourth quarter points. Murray's performance fueled a pivotal 15–1 run that gave Denver a lead they would not relinquish. Nikola Jokić also recorded his 13th playoff triple-double, contributing 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 12 assists as Denver moved to 39–4 at home this season with Jokić on the floor. Meanwhile, Rui Hachimura shot 7-for-7 in the first half and finished with 21 points for the Lakers, while Austin Reaves scored 22 points. However, the star duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis shot a combined 13-of-34 from the floor, with James going 0-of-10 from beyond the arc in the first two games of the series.
After the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors were both blown out in their first road game against the Lakers, the Nuggets flipped the script, as they handed the Lakers their first home loss since March 26 and moved to the brink of their first NBA Finals appearance. Trailing by one with under eight minutes remaining, the Nuggets orchestrated a decisive 13–0 run, capitalizing on a disciplined team performance that yielded 30 assists to just five turnovers. Jamal Murray picked up where he left off in Game 2, as he scored 30 of his 37 points in the first half, while Nikola Jokić scored 15 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter. Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 28 points and 18 rebounds, LeBron James contributed 23 points and 12 assists, and Austin Reaves contributed 23 points and seven rebounds. However, Los Angeles lacked scoring depth, as Rui Hachimura was the only other player to reach double figures.
The Nuggets exorcised their playoff demons against the Lakers and advanced to their first NBA Finals in their 47-year history. Denver faced a 15-point halftime deficit but opened the second half on a 36–14 run. Los Angeles tied the game in the closing minutes after erasing a seven-point deficit, but Nikola Jokić's 25-foot fallaway three-pointer and go-ahead layup sealed the Nuggets' first playoff series sweep in franchise history. Jokić broke an NBA playoff record with his eighth triple-double of the playoffs, recording 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists, while Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon contributed 25 and 22 points, respectively. LeBron James matched his playoff career-high as a Laker with 40 points, ten boards, and nine assists, as his 31 points in the first half marked the highest-scoring playoff half of his career. However, James missed critical shots, including a potential game-tying shot that was blocked by Gordon in the final seconds. Anthony Davis contributed 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Austin Reaves scored 17 points as the Lakers were swept for the 11th time in team history.
Jokić was awarded the second annual Western Conference finals MVP, averaging 27.8 points, 14.5 rebounds, and 11.8 assists on 51% from the field, 47% from beyond the arc, and 78% from the free-throw line.
In the United States, games aired nationally across ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV. Each team's regional broadcaster televised local coverage of first-round games, with the exception of weekend games on ABC.[h] In general during the first two rounds, ABC broadcast Sunday afternoon games, TNT aired Sunday through Wednesday night games, and ESPN televised Friday night games. For Thursday night games, TNT had them in the first round and ESPN in the second round. NBA TV also televised selected Tuesday through Thursday night first-round games. ABC also aired a Friday night first-round game, and ESPN televised a Sunday afternoon second-round game due to ABC's coverage of the Miami Grand Prix. Saturday first-round games were split, with ESPN airing five games, TNT two games, and ABC one game. TNT then aired the opening Saturday second-round game (in place of any potential first-round game sevens that were originally scheduled on that day). ABC aired the remaining Saturday second-round games. As per the alternating rotation, ESPN/ABC had exclusive coverage of the Western Conference finals while TNT had exclusive coverage of the Eastern Conference finals. ABC had exclusive coverage of the NBA Finals for the 21st straight year.[53][54] Select ESPN broadcasts received an alternate presentation similar to Manningcast, anchored by Stephen A. Smith on ESPN2 and streamed on ESPN+ as NBA in Stephen A's World.[55]
NBA TV games were available on NBA League Pass as part of its normal streaming service for that channel.[56]
For other games, live streams were only available for pay-TV subscribers via authenticated streaming on ESPN and TNT's respective apps.[55][57][58] In Canada, coverage was split between Sportsnet and TSN, with both simulcasting the U.S. national feed.
For the second straight year, the playoffs were officially known as the "2023 NBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel". During the multiyear agreement with Google Pixel, this sponsorship provided 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.[68]
