14.05.2024
Cleveland Cavaliers 102 - 109 Boston Celtics
Jayson Tatum scored 33 points to lead the Boston Celtics to a 109-102 victory over the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers, giving the Celtics a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Despite Cleveland missing key players Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen, Darius Garland scored 30 points for the Cavs. The Celtics struggled to pull away, but Jaylen Brown's 27 points helped secure the win. LeBron James watched the game courtside, sparking speculation about his future in the NBA, while the Cavs lamented the free-throw discrepancy between the two teams. The Celtics now have a chance to close out the series in Game 5 at home.
Dallas Mavericks 96 - 100 Oklahoma City Thunder
The Dallas Mavericks took a 2-1 series lead over the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder with a 105-101 victory in Game 3. P.J. Washington emerged as a third scoring threat for Dallas, scoring 27 points and making five 3-pointers in the win. Luka Doncic played through injuries, while Kyrie Irving provided 22 points. Despite a strong performance from Shea Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder have lost two straight games after starting the playoffs 5-0. The Thunder may need to adjust for Game 4, with coach Mark Daigneault considering playing big men Chet Holmgren and Jaylin Williams together for added rebounding and rim protection.