Philadelphia 76ers (45-37, seventh in the Eastern Conference) vs. Boston Celtics (56-26, second in the Eastern Conference)
Boston; Saturday, 7:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Celtics -7.5; over/under is 205.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Series tied 3-3
BOTTOM LINE: The Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers square off in game seven of the Eastern Conference first round. The 76ers defeated the Celtics 106-93 in the last matchup on Friday. Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 30 points, and Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 18.
The Celtics have gone 36-16 against Eastern Conference opponents. Boston leads the league giving up only 107.2 points per game while holding opponents to 44.2% shooting.
The 76ers are 27-25 against Eastern Conference opponents. Philadelphia is sixth in the Eastern Conference with 16.9 fast break points per game led by VJ Edgecombe averaging 8.0.
The Celtics are shooting 46.7% from the field this season, the same percentage the 76ers allow to opponents. The 76ers are shooting 46.2% from the field, 2.0% higher than the 44.2% the Celtics' opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Brown is averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Celtics. Jayson Tatum is averaging 18.7 points over the last 10 games.
Quentin Grimes is scoring 13.4 points per game and averaging 3.6 rebounds for the 76ers. Maxey is averaging 25.0 points and 3.9 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Celtics: 6-4, averaging 112.2 points, 46.1 rebounds, 25.1 assists, 6.3 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.7 points per game.
76ers: 5-5, averaging 105.2 points, 44.2 rebounds, 21.0 assists, 7.6 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 44.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.4 points.
INJURIES: Celtics: None listed.
76ers: Joel Embiid: day to day (abdomen).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
James had 28 points, eight assists and seven rebounds as the Lakers beat the Rockets 98-78 on Friday, May 1. It was his league-record 157th playoff game with at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists.
The Lakers played with a sense of urgency and energy that was missing from their home loss on Wednesday.
“My mindset was to play with aggression,” James said during a postgame interview on Prime. “(The Rockets) changed the aggression level in Games 4 and 5. … Most of our guys haven't been in a close-out game situation. … So I had to come out and set the tone for my team and just try to find a way to close this thing out.”
The Lakers will be asked to produce the same level of energy if they want to compete with the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, in the second round.
The Lakers must continue to get strong contributions from players such as Rui Hachimura, who helped neutralize the Rockets and kept them from having any chance of battling back into the game with several big shots. Hachimura finished with 21 points and six rebounds. He shot 5-of-7 from the 3-point line.
The Lakers will need all the rest they can get before the series with the Thunder begins on Tuesday, May 5, in Oklahoma City. The three days off won’t be enough time to get guard Luka Doncic back, though.
Doncic has not played since suffering a hamstring injury on April 2 in a blowout loss to the Thunder during the regular season.
Without the guard, Los Angeles will be tasked with overcoming the Thunder's defense and finding a way to generate enough offense to match the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Austin Reaves will be asked to shoulder some of that offensive responsibility. He made his return to the Lakers on Wednesday for Game 5 after missing time due to a left oblique muscle strain. He returned to the starting lineup in Game 6.
Reaves has 37 points, eight assists and seven rebounds combined in his first two games back. He will need to round back into form at the 3-point line, where he's made just 2-of-12 this week.
The Thunder will enter the series well-rested, having swept the Phoenix Suns. OKC will enter the second round having had a full week off.
The Thunder could also see the return of Jalen Williams in the series. He has not played since April 22 due to a hamstring strain.
There was no history made in Houston on Friday night. In fact, it was a night Rockets fans would like to forget entirely.
The Lakers came out aggressive and focused from the opening tip, while Houston didn't match that energy. At the same time, its offense went ice-cold at the worst possible time — Los Angeles packed the paint defensively and the Rockets shot 2-of-11 from 3-point range and a disturbing 29.3% overall in the first half, scoring just 31 points. Think of it this way: LeBron James outscored the Houston Rockets by himself, 14-13, in the second quarter.
It didn't get much better in the third quarter, with the Rockets shooting 1-of-6 from 3 and 33.3% from the floor in the frame. While the Lakers were not exactly lighting up the scoreboard, they had LeBron James, who had 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and he dominated the game.
Los Angeles cruised to a 98-78 win to take the series 4-2, ending talk of the Rockets becoming the first team to come back from 0-3 down to take a series.
The Lakers advance to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder starting Tuesday night in OKC.
Give the Lakers their flowers. They entered this series without Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique), and while Reaves returned and had a good Game 6 (15 points), this was an impressive team effort throughout the series. LeBron led the way, but role players — such as Luke Kennard early in the series and Rui Hachimura in Game 6 — stepped up when the team needed them.
Houston didn't lose this series on Friday night; it lost it in the final 30 seconds of Game 3. That's when the Rockets blew a six-point lead thanks to a couple of ugly turnovers and an ill-advised foul. Win that game, maybe things play out differently, but once the Rockets went down 0-3, everything had to be perfect — and the Rockets were not perfect or anything close to it in Game 6.
Friday's game was decided from when there was 4:51 on the clock in the first quarter to 8:02 of the second, when the Lakers went on a 27-3 run, going up by 19. Their lead never touched single-digits again, the Rockets simply weren't good enough on offense to close that gap. Nor were they able to get consistent stops.
Part of that was Hachimura, who added 21 points and hit a few clutch 3-pointers for the Lakers when it felt like the Rockets were making a push.
Amen Thompson led the Rockets with 18 points while Alperen Sengun added 17. The Rockets played this series with Kevin Durant only appearing in one game (and no Fred VanVleet or Steven Adams for any of it). Their young players showed flashes of potential but could not sustain it. It leads to an interesting offseason in Houston as it decides whether to run it back and bet on better health and its young players improving, or if the Rockets feel this is a sign to shake things up.
The Lakers don't have to start thinking about the offseason yet, they have at least four more games to play.
TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 01: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket against RJ Barrett #9 of the Toronto Raptors during the first quarter in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 01, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers made their bed. Now they have one game left to get out of it.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Mitchell should be the best player on the floor. That hasn’t been true for four straight games. Mitchell has finished with a negative plus/minus in each game since Game 2 — and wasn’t able to change that even with his strong end to this one.
Donovan Mitchell hasn't finished with a positive plus/minus since Game 2
The Cavs nearly had enough to come back and win tonight. Mitchell’s in-between scoring helped bring them back, but his previous three quarters are what put them in the hole.
Harden’s turnovers are hard to defend. He’s often so careless with the ball that it drives you crazy. His 5-14 shooting didn’t help either.
Still, Harden’s command of the offense has felt night and day compared to Mitchell. The Cavs at least have a chance with the way Harden is playing. He’s generating advantages, even if he isn’t consistently converting on them.
Grade: C+
Evan Mobley
26 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal
The last two games have been huge for Mobley’s reputation. After consecutive stinkers in Toronto, Mobley put up back-to-back heroic fourth quarters in games 5-6.
Mobley nailed a corner three-pointer in the fourth quarter to keep Cleveland alive. Then, he buried CMB in the paint for the tying bucket. His defense helped hold the Raptors to just 12 points in the fourth quarter, and his shot-making felt like the counterstrike that the Cavs have needed with Mitchell struggling.
Allen deserves massive credit. He set the tone early by being aggressive on offense (even laying himself out on the opening possession). As the game went on, his contested rebounds were pivotal in Cleveland’s rally. Allen snagged some key boards and did all he could to get his team the weekend off.
I removed half a grade for his 2-6 free-throw shooting.
Grade: B+
Dean Wade
10 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal
Wade’s the best fit next to the core four. He’s proven that in this series. He’s done a phenomenal job defensively and is doing enough to stay on the floor offensively. I think the Cavs need to revert to Wade in the starting lineup for Game 7.
Grade: A-
Max Strus
6 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists
Strus hasn’t gelled with the core four like he did in the past. I truly think that has more to do with Mitchell than him. Still, the Cavs can’t afford to keep him in this spot. Strus is undersized at the wing and hasn’t made a significant difference in how the Raptors defend the backcourt. He isn’t posing a big enough offensive threat to force an adjustment.
Grade: C–
Thomas Bryant
0 points, 2 rebounds
We’ve seen enough of Bryant in this matchup. He just doesn’t have it.
Grade: F
Jaylon Tyson
5 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists
Tyson did his thing, floating in the short-roll and making plays from there. The only problem was his 1-5 shooting from downtown. That’s not going to cut it.
Grade: C+
Sam Merrill
2 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound, 1 steal
Merrill went 0-3 from deep and shot just 1-2 elsewhere. That caused him to play just 18 minutes as the rest of his game was tested by Toronto’s full-on attack.
Grade: D+
Dennis Schroder
7 points, 1 assist, 2 steals, 2 turnovers
Schroder saved the day in Game 5. In Game 6, he partially threw it away. He shot 0-4 from the floor and flat-out made the wrong read at the end of the game.
TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 1: RJ Barrett #9 & Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors celebrate after the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Well, if you were paying attention to the NBA Playoffs Friday night, you’ll most likely agree with us that there’s no question about what today’s Gold will be.
With the seconds running down in overtime, RJ Barrett got a pass out at the top of the key from Toronto teammate Scottie Barnes, and put up a long three.
It took a very high bounce off the rim, which was straight out of Hollywood. It seemed to go up, and up, and up…and by the time it came down, more than another full second had come off the clock, making it next to impossible for Cleveland to top that shot.
Making it even sweeter? Barrett is playing in his hometown. Okay, he’s actually from the suburb of Mississauga, but big whoop. He’s a hometown kid who people will be talking about for years after that shot.
You may remember that a few years ago, Barrett was criticized for his poor outside shooting. We linked to a video of him just grinding in the gym, trying to refine his shot.
What you saw against Cleveland was no miracle. It’s a guy who put in the time, and when he was called upon, he was ready.
Here are some other videos of what folks in Toronto will be calling The Shot.
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura elevates toward the rim after driving against Rockets center Alperen Sengun during the first half of Game 6 on Friday night in Houston. (Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
LeBron James knew what was at stake in this first-round playoff series and that it was on his shoulders to meet the moment and have his teammates follow his lead.
James simply elevated his play like he has so many times over his illustrious 23-year NBA career, playing with a purpose and willing the Lakers to a 98-78 win over the Houston Rockets on Friday night at Toyota Center.
His 28 points, eight assists and seven rebounds is why the Lakers won the best-of-seven series, 4-2, over the Rockets and why L.A. will meet the defending NBA champion Thunder on Tuesday night in Oklahoma City in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.
James and the Lakers had been on the verge of collapsing in these playoffs, their commanding 3-0 lead cut to 3-2.
But the Lakers and James let the Rockets know they were going to stay the course in Game 6 by building a 25-point lead in the third quarter.
Rui Hachimura let James and the Lakers know he had come to play, scoring 21 points on eight-for-15 shooting and a sizzling five for seven on three-pointers. Hachimura also had six rebounds.
Lakers guard Marcus Smart dives behind Rockets center Alperen Sengun for a loose ball during the first half of Game 6. (Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
Austin Reaves started in Game 6 and Luke Kennard, who had started the first five playoff games and the last five regular-season games, came off the bench. Reaves did his part for the Lakers with 15 points.
Deandre Ayton had just seven points, but his 16 rebounds and defensive presence was just as powerful.
Marcus Smart was the defensive catalyst for the Lakers. He had two blocks, one in which he just raised up to swat a shot by Tari Eason in the third quarter while then falling down backward in the process. Smart scored seven points, but it was his defense that helped the Lakers limit the Rockets to 34.2% shooting and 17.9% from three-point range.
After grabbing his last rebound with 3 minutes and 17 seconds left with the Lakers leading by 26 points, James raised his hand to come out of the game. He left with 3:07 remaining having played 37 minutes.
The Lakers built a 19-point lead in the second quarter, doing it behind James’ thrust and a strong defense that stifled the Rockets early in the period.
James had 18 points in the first half, shooting seven for 14 from the field and two for four from three-point range to help the Lakers keep a 49-31 lead at the half.
He also had four assists and three rebounds.
Lakers forward LeBron James, center, is fouled by Rockets center Alperen Sengun, right, on a layup in the first half of Game 6. (Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
On the defense, the Lakers worked hard and put the Rockets on their heels in the first 24 minutes.
The Lakers held the Rockets to 28.6% shooting and 16.7% from three-point range. The Rockets turned the ball over 10 times in the first.
James then opened the third quarter with a turnaround move in the post to give the Lakers a 20-point lead.
Returning to Houston for another game was not the end of the basketball world for the Lakers.
Even if all the momentum had shifted away from the Lakers and to the Rockets, L.A. still had the lead in the series.
Even if the Lakers had failed to close out the Rockets twice and had seen their three-game lead drop to one game, L.A. had no choice but to be ready for the next moment.
In the eyes of Lakers coach JJ Redick and his group, being back here is “exactly where we’re supposed to be.”
“So, you certainly don't want to drop two games in a row,” Redick said. “You certainly don't want to feel like you've given the other team confidence and momentum. But prior to the series, and if you said we were up 3-2, coming here for a close-out game and AR would be back, we'd be ecstatic.
"So, I said this after Game 2, that this thing was just getting started. I don't think any of us expected a full sweep. We know they're a great basketball team and they were going to continue to play, continue to fight. We've got to match that tonight.”
HOUSTON, TX - MAY 1: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Houston Rockets during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After a couple of losses, the Lakers finally finished off the Rockets, beating them 98-78 in Game 6 to advance to the second round.
Los Angeles went on an impressive 13-1 run to start the second quarter, giving them control of the game and they never looked back.
The Lakers started this game by scoring a pair of baskets in the paint. Tari Eason started off hot for the Rockets, converting on his first two shots, and after a three by Jabari Smith Jr., Houston was in front 10-6.
Points in the paint continued to be the focus for the purple and gold and after a dunk from Rui Hachimura, they had their first lead of the game.
Unfortunately for LA, Houston had a much more balanced attack. Alperen Şengün scored inside and after an Eason dunk, the Rockets were back in control.
With Austin Reaves starting, Luke Kennard was relegated to the bench and got his first minutes midway through the first quarter. He hit a corner three to give LA back the lead and end his two-game drought of not making a beyond-the-arc basket.
Jake LaRavia added a three of his own, making it a 9-0 run for Los Angeles.
Smith Jr. ended the scoring drought for the Rockets by knocking a pair of free throws, but LA was still ahead by five.
In the closing minutes of the quarter, the Lakers bricked all their shot attempts, but so did the Rockets, leaving LA ahead 23-18 after 12 minutes.
END OF 1: Lakers lead 23-18. Rui Hachimura leading with seven points, three rebounds. Austin Reaves five points. One three each from Luke Kennard and Jake LaRavia. Lakers have three offensive rebounds while the Rockets have none (!)
In the second quarter, the Lakers got their offense going with a LeBron basket. Jake LaRavi added a three and, after another basket by James, LA was on a 7-0 run and Luka Dončić was jokingly signaling for Houston to call a timeout.
The Rockets didn’t, but after another basket from James, they took Luka’s advice and asked for a stop in play.
Houston finally scored off a free throw, but LaRavia immediately responded with a fastbreak dunk. This second-quarter shift from LaRavia was his best play of this series.
The Rockets literally couldn’t score, missing 15 consecutive shots. Reed Sheppard finally scored on a layup, but by then the Lakers were up 38-21.
Sheppard scored again on a three and then Smith Jr. had a putback dunk to give the Rockets some offensive life.
The Lakers maintained their advantage with some timely baskets, including a gorgeous spin move by Reaves inside.
Slowly, but surely, the Rockets began chipping away at the deficit with some free throws and defensive stops. After an Amen Thompson layup, Houston was down by just single digits.
The Lakers continued to apply pressure on the rim and while it didn’t lead to makes, it did force the Rockets to foul and send them to the line.
In the final moments of the second quarter, LeBron dished the ball to Hachimura for a three and then scored himself to send the Lakers to the locker room in front 49-31.
Halftime: Lakers 49, Rockets 31
After trailing 16-11 midway through 1Q, LA has outscored HOU 38-15. Their defense has been suffocating. Offensively, they’re taking care of the ball and dominating the offensive glass. LeBron has 18/3/5 — he’s been amazing. Rui has 10 points.
LA came out firing on all cylinders to start the second half. LeBron scored on the first possession, Hachimura knocked down a three and, after a basket by Reaves, LA was up by 20 points.
The Lakers shifted into cruise control in the third, but Hachimura remained hot while the Rockets struggled to score or go on any kind of significant run. Reaves continued to look more and more comfortable in his second game back, beating Şengün to the rim for a smooth layup.
Add in an impressive block by Smart on Eason’s dunk attempt and it was becoming increasingly clear this wasn’t going to be Houston’s night.
The Rockets finished the quarter with a 7-0 run to give themselves a puncher’s chance entering the fourth. Still, LA was in full control, leading 71-55 with 12 minutes left to play.
The final period was more of the same for the Lakers. Hachimura hit a three to start the fourth and LeBron scored inside. After a Deandre Ayton putback, the lead was once again up to 20 points.
The Rockets continued to struggle, unable to knock down any shots. Houston didn’t make their second field goal until there was 6:57 left in the game.
Meanwhile, Hachimura kept on scoring on mid-range shots and was clearly in the flow state, slicing through the Houston defense.
Midway through the fourth, Sheppard hit a three. He was the only Rocket that had anything going. However, Smart responded with a three of his own, making it 91-67 Lakers.
Then Jaxson Hayes had a slam dunk and Lakers head coach JJ Redick cleared out the benches as the game was over.
Key Player Stats
LeBron was magnificent in this game. His play is the main reason this contest was an easy win for Los Angeles. He ended the night with 28 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
Hachimura was a laser throughout the night, scoring 21 points and going 8-14 from the field with six rebounds. Austin Reaves struggled with his shot from distance, but got to the rim repeatedly to finish with 15 points on 7-14 shooting.
Ayton had just seven points, but grabbed 16 rebounds. Marcus Smart had a masterful game, finishing with seven points, seven rebounds, two steals, two blocks and an assist.
LaRavia had seven points, Hayes had five points and four rebounds and Kennard had three points, three rebounds and three assists.
The 41-year-old superstar finished with 28 points, eight assists and seven rebounds as the Lakers beat the Rockets 98-78 in Game 6.
He produced 18 points and was responsible for seven of Los Angeles' 18 successful shot attempts from the field throughout the first two quarters of play.
During the game, James reached 1,500 career playoff points as a member of the Lakers.
He reached the mark with a 4-foot, two-point shot, giving the Lakers a 32-18 lead with 9:26 left in the second quarter. James entered Game 6 with 1,489 playoff points for the Lakers.
LeBron James career playoff points
James is currently the NBA’s all-time leader with 8,428 career points scored in the postseason. He scored a career-high 748 during the 2017-18 postseason while playing with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The most he scored in a single postseason with the Miami Heat was 697 in 2011-12. He finished with 580 with the Lakers on the way to winning the 2019-20 NBA title.
TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 01: RJ Barrett #9 of the Toronto Raptors celebrates after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 112-110 in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 01, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was win or go home for the Toronto Raptors on Friday night as they hosted game six IN the 6ix against Cleveland. After losing game five, the Raptors either had to win to force a game seven or be eliminated from the playoffs. There were a few tough blows for the Raptors before the game even started, with Brandon Ingram being a late scratch due to a heel injury he’s been battling for a while now. He joined Quickley on the bench, meaning the Raptors were down two starters.
Jamal Shead and Ja’Kobe Walter filled those spots for the Raptors instead. The atmosphere in Toronto was absolutely rocking as the game started, and the Raptors fed into it immediately. They played tough defence, got stops, and were sharing the ball enough to gain a 10-point lead at halftime.
Despite the steallar play in the first half, the Raptors’ tired legs got ahead of them in the second half. The Cavaliers slowly inched back until it was a one posession game. Of course, because why not in this series, the game went to overtime. Overtime ended up being a gritty rock fight (shocker), but a highlight was Jamal Shead’s sixth foul being overturned by a well timed coach’s challenge.
It was a one-point game in the waning seconds as the Raptors had the posession, and who else to have the ball in his hands than RJ BARRETT? In another Raptors playoff moment that involved a gravity-defying rim bounce, the ball went in, giving the Raptors the lead. What a moment for the hometown kid.
RJ Barrett is averaging 24.3 points in the series, the most in a single postseason in Raptors franchise history.
According to Scottie, RJ looked at him and said “I got you Scott” before making the series-saving shot. The Raptors win the game 112-110. You can’t script it any better than that.
Scottie Barnes had a massive game, just coming up huge in every way with a 25 point, 14 assist, 7 rebound, 3 steal, 3 block stat line. The MVP chants he got were well deserved as the was everywhere for his team. RJ Barrett scored 24 points of his own along with 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal. Ja’Kobe Walter had 24 points as well, with 5 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 block.
So much about this game proved the growth of the Raptors in the past 12 months. A year ago, they were a lottery team — now? They are holding their own in a playoff series off of some incredible performances. They are winning these clutch game situations. No matter how game seven goes, there is so much to look on in this Raptors series as a success.
It’s not just the growth of Barnes either, though that’s a highlight. It’s the way Barrett has stepped up, the way Jamal Shead has been so important on the floor — so much so that Darko risked a challenge to keep him in the game. It’s the way Ja’Kobe Walter had that next man up mentality, or the way this team has stayed in the series despite being down two starters for most of the series. So much about this series has showed the progression of the Raptors, but also who they should focus their team building efforts on going into next season.
The Raptors have never won a playoff game Cleveland. Ever. How poetic would it be for this team to break that streak? They have proven time and time again that they are gritty, that they don’t give up. Of course, this series has far exceeded expectations of what people thought was possible from this team, but getting the win and going to round two would just be beyond any expectations. It would be fun. Raptors fans haven’t had much of that in the past few years. Let’s keep it going. Back to Cleveland we go.
TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 01: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts from the court against the Toronto Raptors during the third quarter in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 01, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers blew a chance at ending the series. Now they’ll face the Toronto Raptors for a Game 7 in Cleveland.
Let’s go over today’s winners and losers.
LOSER – Single Rims
I’ve seen enough. The NBA should invest in double rims, preferably ones that cause shots to rattle out more often.
Please, I’m begging you.
LOSER – Late Game Turnovers
Jokes aside, the Cavs had a golden opportunity to end the series. A one-point lead with the shot clock off and the ball in their hands.
They turned it over.
I understand having Dennis Schroder on the floor. He’s your slipperiest player who can dash into the backcourt and guarantee the ball is put into play. From there, however, problems emerge.
Let’s maybe use one of your timeouts before trying a jump pass? Especially when tossing a grenade to your team’s worst free-throw shooter (who also happens to be straddling the sideline and is smothered by an elite defender).
It’s not Schroder’s fault that Mobley lost the ball. But the process was questionable, and the results speak for themselves.
Worse, this isn’t even the first time the Cavs turned it over in a similar position. In Game 4, they choked away a late lead after Donovan Mitchell was forced into an eight-second violation.
LOSER – The Backcourt (for three quarters)
This has been the story of the series. The Cavs’ backcourt, to varying degrees, has thrown a 2-0 lead down the drain with some truly abysmal road performances.
We’ll start with the less egregious offender.
If you could magically remove the possessions where James Harden threw the ball straight to a Raptors defender, then I wouldn’t have many complaints. Hell, even cutting that number in half would be pretty sweet. But even with Harden raising the floor by keeping the offense alive in the non-Mitchell minutes, his erradic turnovers have led directly to Toronto’s fastbreaks, which have broken Cleveland’s back.
The Raptors had 25 points off turnovers tonight. Harden finished with 4 turnovers.
That pales in comparison to Donovan Mitchell. Who, by all accounts, has been awful since Game 2.
You can afford to have your best player struggle in the playoffs. That’s bound to happen for at least a game or two. But four out of six? That’s downright diabolical. That’s the stuff that causes you to rethink the future of your entire franchise.
Mitchell was once again out of sorts. Totally thrown out of whack by the Raptors’ swarming defense. He shot 2-10 from deep, mostly on desperation attempts — and failed to register an assist until the closing minutes despite commanding so much defensive attention.
These two would turn it around significantly. But the first three quarters are still important!
WINNER – The Fourth Quarter Rally
Alright, you don’t get within seconds of closing out a series without doing at least a few things right.
Mitchell turned it on in the fourth quarter. He finally broke free from Toronto’s shackles and found a nice home for himself in the mid-range. His floater helped fuel the comeback while Cleveland’s defense continued to ratchet up the intensity.
The Cavs held the Raptors to just 12 points in the fourth quarter. That’s as good as it gets defensively. If the Cavs could have been more effective on offense (only scoring 23 points themselves), they might have avoided overtime altogether.
This is where Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen deserve their flowers.
The two bigs came up huge throughout the rally. Mobley, in particular, scored 7 points in the clutch without missing a shot. He hit a corner three-pointer to cut into the lead, and then scored in isolation to force overtime in the final seconds.
Allen wasn’t as active in the scoring department but he applied maximum pressure on the glass. Allen grabbed contested board after contested board, helping the Cavs end possessions and extending them on the other side of the floor.
For a minute, this felt like the moment Cleveland was going to break through and prove they’re ready for the moment. Now they face elimination on Sunday.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Orlando forward Paolo Banchero, when asked to explain what went wrong for the Magic in the second half against the Detroit Pistons on Friday night, had a very succinct answer.
“They went on a pretty big run there,” Banchero said. “And we didn't score.”
It truly might have been that simple.
The Pistons — facing elimination and down by 24 points, on the road, in the second half, and about to join an ignominious club of No. 1 seeds who were ousted from the playoffs by No. 8 seeds — pulled off a comeback for the ages in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference first-round series against the Magic.
A breakdown of how the comeback — or the collapse, depending on one’s perspective — happened:
The basic numbers
— The score over the first 25 minutes: Magic 62, Pistons 38.
— The score over the final 23 minutes: Pistons 55, Magic 17.
— The score in the fourth quarter: Pistons 31, Magic 8.
— Orlando's shooting percentage in the fourth quarter: 5%. The Magic were 1 for 20.
— That was the worst shooting percentage by any team, in any quarter, since Washington shot 5% in the fourth quarter against Charlotte on Nov. 25, 2015. Put another way, it was the worst shooting performance in any quarter by an NBA team in the league's last 20,238 games.
Orlando's shooting drought
The Magic missed 23 consecutive shots from the field, the most by any team in a playoff game during the play-by-play era (which started with the 1996-97 season).
— Banchero and Desmond Bane were both 0 for 6.
— Jalen Suggs was 0 for 4.
— In all, eight Magic players missed a shot during the drought and 13 of the 23 misses were from 3-point range.
— Orlando led 70-54 when the run of missed shots started. Detroit led 89-75 when it ended. That's a 35-5 Pistons run.
— In game time, the missed-shot stretch took 13 minutes, 50 seconds. In real time, it was about 41 minutes.
What the Pistons did
Cunningham had seven field goals in the second half and Duncan Robinson had four for the Pistons in that span.
The Magic — as a team — had four baskets, in the entire second half. And Cunningham outscored the Magic in the second half by himself, 24-19.
“I mean, we just have amazing spirit and never quit," Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “This is a testament to what we’ve built.”
Detroit didn't exactly get red-hot; the Pistons shot 40% in the second half. But the defense and a dominant show on the glass — the Pistons outrebounded the Magic 35-17 in the second half — was more than enough.
The final word
“It keeps us alive. It allows us to fight another day. And now it's about us going and finishing the job. None of this stuff means anything if we don't go win Game 7. But we'll be back at home, we'll have a lot of energy in there, and these last two games have given us a lot of life.” — Cunningham, on what the comeback and having a chance to play Game 7 means.
TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 1: RJ Barrett #9 of the Toronto Raptors scores the game winning basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
This era of Cleveland Cavaliers basketball has become synonymous with playoff collapses. How it happens changes. The final result doesn’t.
This time, it was RJ Barrett who broke Cleveland’s heart by hitting a game-winning three that careened off the rim, hung in the air for eternity, and then fell through the hoop with just over a second to play to keep the Toronto Raptors season alive. That bounce turned what would’ve been a 110-109 win for the Cavs into a 112-110 victory for Toronto.
For as good as that shot was, Barrett should’ve never had an opportunity to attempt it, at least not for the win.
The Cavs had the ball up one with 11 seconds to play. Head coach Kenny Atkinson subbed Dennis Schroder, the Game 5 hero, into the game for the crucial possession and decided to inbound the ball in the backcourt.
Toronto applied pressure, but Schroder broke it, bursting into the front court. Then, inexplicably, he attempted a pass to Evan Mobley — the worst free-throw shooter on the court — when the Raptors were going to inevitably foul and send Cleveland to the line. As bad as that decision was, something far worse happened. Mobley just let the ball be poked out of his hands.
If that inexcusable mistake doesn’t happen, that shot from Barrett might not have either. Or at the very least, it probably wouldn’t have won Toronto the game.
But to blame the defeat on just one play is disingenuous. The Cavs lost this game in the first three quarters due to their inattention to detail, incoherent offense, poor lineup decisions, and the inability of their stars to rise to the occasion.
The Cavs sleptwalked through the first three quarters against a Raptors team that was without their starting point guard and leading scorer from the regular season. They approached the game with the same intensity you’d expect from the second night of a back-to-back in January. Not a closeout playoff game.
The Raptors took advantage. They were the aggressors as they jumped out to a 10-point lead at the break, and then extended it to 15 midway through the third quarter.
This game had all the makings of any of the previous Cavs no-shows in the playoffs. Except this time, they counterpunched.
Defense, not offense, got the Cavs back into the game.
The attention to detail that wasn’t present at the start of the game was suddenly there. This resulted in the Raptors going three-and-a-half minutes without scoring and putting up just 12 points in the fourth quarter.
Cleveland’s offense wasn’t great, but it did enough to get them back into the game. Donovan Mitchell came alive, scoring 11 points in the final frame.
For as well as the Cavs played throughout the fourth, they couldn’t get over the hump. They found themselves down two with 16 seconds left, before Evan Mobley hit a clutch finger roll to tie the game.
A missed Jamal Shead three-pointer sent the game to overtime.
The Cavs then grabbed their first lead since the opening quarter off a James Harden midrange jumper. Then, a Mitchell finger roll with 34 seconds left in overtime gave the Cavs a two-point advantage.
Unfortunately for Cleveland, that would be the last shot attempt they would get.
Jamal Shead drew a shooting foul on the following possession. He split his free throws, making it a one-point game.
Cleveland grabbed the rebound on the missed shot. Mitchell advanced it into the forecourt and was then fouled. The Raptors had a foul to give, which meant the Cavs had to do it again before they could attempt free throws. Then Mobley fumbled it away, Barrett hit the three, and the Raptors escaped with the victory.
Mobley was the lone bright spot in the loss for Cleveland, even though he committed the turnover late.
Mobley played one of the best games of his career, considering the moment. He came up with numerous big shots, including a triple at the end of regulation and a game-tying basket just before the close of the fourth quarter that kept the Cavs in this game. Mobley finished with 26 points on 9-15 shooting with 14 rebounds, three assists, and a steal.
Mitchell struggled to get anything going until the fourth quarter. He ended the evening with 24 points, but it took him 26 shots to get there. He had just five rebounds, two assists, and three turnovers in the loss.
Harden struggled to find his scoring touch. He went 5-14 from the field for just 16 points. He did, however, provide nine big rebounds, including five on the offensive end, to go along with nine assists. Turnovers were once again a problem for the Cavs, and Harden was the biggest culprit as he committed four.
Toronto was led by 25 points from Scottie Barnes on 11-21 shooting to go along with 14 assists, seven rebounds, three steals, and three blocks. Barrett and Ja’Kobe Walter had 24 points apiece.
The Cavs are one loss away from their season ending. Game 7 will be back home on Sunday evening.
TORONTO — RJ Barrett hit a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining in overtime and the Toronto Raptors pushed their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series to a seventh game by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 112-110 on Friday night.
Evan Mobley had a chance to win it for Cleveland but his 3-pointer bounced off the front of the rim.
Scottie Barnes had 25 points and 14 assists, Barrett and Ja’Kobe Walter both scored 24 points and Collin Murray-Boyles added 17 as Toronto held on after blowing an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Game 7 is in Cleveland on Sunday. The home team has won all six games so far in the series.
Mobley had 26 points and 14 rebounds, Donovan Mitchell scored 24 points and James Harden had 16 for the Cavaliers. Jarrett Allen scored 14 points and Dean Wade had 10.
Harden shot 5 for 14 and went 1 for 4 from 3-point range. He finished with nine rebounds and nine assists, but also made four turnovers.
Cleveland finished with 18 turnovers, leading to 25 points for Toronto.
The Raptors also held a big edge in fast-break points, outscoring the Cavaliers 20-6.
Barnes had 14 points and 10 assists by halftime, making him the eighth NBA player since 1997 with 14 or more points and 10 or more assists in one half of a playoff game.
Raptors forward Brandon Ingram did not play because of a sore right heel. Ingram left in the second quarter of Wednesday’s 125-120 loss at Cleveland.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Cade Cunningham scored 32 points and the top-seeded Detroit Pistons pulled off an incredible rally Friday night, erasing a 24-point deficit and beating the Orlando Magic 93-79 to force a Game 7 in their Eastern Conference first-round series.
Detroit trailed by 22 at the half and Orlando’s lead went to 62-38 early in the third quarter. The Magic looked absolutely poised to become the seventh No. 8 seed to eliminate a No. 1 seed in the conference quarterfinal round.
And then everything went wrong for Orlando. Everything.
The Magic became the first team since 1996-97 — when play-by-play began getting tracked digitally — to lose at home after leading by at least 24 points with a chance to win a series.
Tobias Harris scored 22 points for Detroit, which will host Game 7 on Sunday. Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane each scored 17 for Orlando, which is now 0-2 in closeout opportunities in this series.
RAPTORS 112, CAVALIERS 110, OT
TORONTO (AP) — RJ Barrett hit a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining in overtime and Toronto pushed their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series to a seventh game by beating Cleveland.
Evan Mobley had a chance to win it for Cleveland but his 3-pointer bounced off the front of the rim.
Scottie Barnes had 25 points and 14 assists, Barrett and Ja’Kobe Walter both scored 24 points and Collin Murray-Boyles added 17 as Toronto held on after blowing an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Game 7 is in Cleveland on Sunday. The home team has won all six games so far in the series.
Mobley had 26 points and 14 rebounds, Donovan Mitchell scored 24 points and James Harden had 16 for the Cavaliers. Jarrett Allen scored 14 points and Dean Wade had 10.
LAKERS 98, ROCKETS 78
HOUSTON (AP) — LeBron James had 28 points and Los Angeles eliminated Houston in Game 6 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series by holding the Rockets to a season low in points.
The No. 4 seed Lakers move on to meet the top-seeded Thunder with Game 1 Tuesday in Oklahoma City.
The Lakers used a 27-3 run in the first half to take an 18-point lead at halftime. They led by 22 with about three minutes left in the third quarter before Houston went on an 8-2 run to cut the lead to 71-55 entering the fourth.
But Los Angeles opened the quarter with a 10-3 spurt, with five points from Rui Hachimura, to make it 81-58 with about seven minutes left.
Hachimura added 21 points with five 3-pointers.
Amen Thompson had 18 points and Alperen Sengun added 17 for Houston, which is heading home after a first-round playoff loss for a second straight season after losing to the Warriors in seven games last year.
The Toronto Raptors had to scrap after blowing a 15-point lead to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second half, but guard RJ Barrett got the friendliest of bounces off the back rim on Toronto’s game-winning 3-pointer in overtime that extended the season to a Game 7.
With the Raptors facing a one-point deficit with 10.9 seconds left in overtime, Toronto inbounded the ball to forward Scottie Barnes, who brought it up the floor. Barnes faced a double-team when Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley collapsed on Barnes in the paint, leaving Barrett wide open at the top of the key. Barrett hoisted a 3-point attempt that hit the back rim and then bounced high in the air, reaching to the top of the shot clock above the basket, before it fell through the net.
RJ BARRETT HITS THE GO-AHEAD 3 IN OT TO WIN IT FOR THE RAPTORS AND FORCE GAME 7 🚨
