NBA Playoffs Recap: Thunder Take 3-0 Lead; The Lakers prevent elimination

ORLANDO, Fla. – Franz Wagner had 34 points and 13 rebounds, and the Orlando Magic held the Cleveland Cavaliers scoreless for nearly seven minutes in the second half on Saturday in a 112-89 victory that tied the Eastern Conference first-round series at 2 points equaled -2.

Wagner had 10 points in the first five minutes of the third quarter, matching Cleveland's total for the period, as the Magic outscored them 37-10 and turned a nine-point halftime deficit into their second straight game.

Jonathan Isaac (14 points, including Orlando's only 3-pointer in the first half) and Markelle Fultz (12 points, four rebounds) helped the Magic off the bench. Paolo Banchero, who scored 35 points in Orlando's 121-83 win in Game 3 on Thursday night, finished the game with nine points and five assists.

Jarrett Allen scored 21 points and nine rebounds for the Cavaliers. Donovan Mitchell scored 18 points, all in the first half, and six assists.

Thunder 106, Pelicans 85

NEW ORLEANS — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 24 points and Oklahoma City beat New Orleans to take a 3-0 lead in the first-round playoff series.

Jalen Williams and Josh Giddey each scored 21 points for the Thunder, who cruised through Game 1 with a two-point win before jumping out to a lead of 32 in Game 2 and a lead of 21 in Game 3.

Top-seeded Oklahoma City shot 17 of 36 (47.2%) from 3-point range and maintained a lead of 10 or more points in the second half, which grew to 24 in the fourth quarter.

The eighth-seeded Pelicans, who were without star forward Zion Williamson during the series because of his hamstring injury, will try to avoid an elimination in Game 4 at home on Monday night. But even if they do, history is not on their side. No team in NBA history has overcome a 3-0 series deficit.

Celts 104, Heat 84

MIAMI (AP) — Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each scored 22 points and Boston soundly defeated Miami to take a 2-1 lead in the first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.

Tatum contributed 10 rebounds and six assists for the Celtics, who led from the start of Game 3 and regained the home-field advantage they lost when Miami won Game 2 in Boston. Kristaps Porzingis had 18 points and Derrick White 16 for the Celtics, who used first-half runs of 12-3, 11-0 and 20-8 to take full control.

Bam Adebayo scored 20 points for eighth-seeded Miami, which is still without starters Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier due to injuries. Nikola Jovic and Tyler Herro each scored 15 points for the Heat, who got 12 points from Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Game 4 is Monday in Miami, where the Celtics are 9-2 in their last 11 games and 6-1 in their last seven playoff games.

LAKERS 119, NUGGETS 108

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James scored 30 points, Anthony Davis added 25 points and 23 rebounds and the Los Angeles Lakers avoided playoff elimination with a victory over Denver in Game 4 of their first-round series.

D'Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves each scored 21 points for the seventh-seeded Lakers, who ended their 11-game losing streak against the reigning NBA champions with their first win over the Nuggets since December 2022.

Denver knocked Los Angeles out of the Western Conference finals last season, but the current Lakers responded to that 3-0 deficit with a performance more worthy of a team that entered the postseason with 12 wins in 15 games. James scored 14 points on 6 of 8 shooting in the fourth quarter to lead the Lakers again near the end of his 21st NBA season.

Nikola Jokic scored 33 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists in the 18th triple-double of his career, second in the series.

Game 5 is Monday night in Denver.