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

The first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs are underway and expect plenty of drama after a memorable regular season.

The Boston Celtics clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference in March and have homecourt advantage through the entire postseason as they look to return to the Finals for the first time since 2022 and hang an NBA championship banner for the first time since 2008. Among the series in the East to watch will be the No. 2 seed New York Knicks, who will clash against reigning MVP Joel Embiid and the No. 7 seed Philadelphia 76ers.

In the West, the defending champion Denver Nuggets are the 2-seed, behind the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who are in the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets drew a high-profile matchup for the first round, taking on LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

After the play-in tournament, the 16-team NBA playoffs began with four games on April 20 and four more on April 21. Eight teams from each conference reach the first round and face off in a best-of-7 series to advance. All four rounds of the NBA playoffs are best-of-7, and teams are not reseeded after each round. The team with the better regular-season record in each series will have homecourt advantage for that series. All series are played in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, with the team with the better record hosting Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 (if necessary).

We'll have complete coverage of the NBA playoffs all the way through the 2024 NBA Finals, which tip off on June 6 on ABC and the ESPN app.

MORE: Previewing all 16 playoff teams | Offseason guides for every team

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Boston Celtics (1) tied with Miami Heat (8), 1-1

Game 1: Celtics 114, Heat 94
Game 2: Heat 111, Celtics 101
Game 3: Saturday, April 27 at Miami, 6 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 4: Monday, April 29 at Miami
Game 5: Wednesday, May 1 at Boston, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday, May 3 at Miami
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday, May 5 at Boston

• Heat torch Celtics with 23 3-pointers to even series in Game 2

• Heat goal: Correct 3-point 'discrepancy' in Game 2

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• Jayson Tatum sparks Celtics to win over Heat, downplays fall

• Sources: Heat's Butler (knee) expected to miss several weeks

• Holiday lands Celtics contract extension ahead of playoffs

New York Knicks (2) lead Philadelphia 76ers (7), 2-1

Game 1: Knicks 111, 76ers 104
Game 2: Knicks 104, 76ers 101
Game 3: 76ers 125, Knicks 114
Game 4: Sunday, April 28 at Philadelphia, 1 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5: Tuesday, April 30 at New York
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday, May 2 at Philadelphia
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday, May 4 at New York (TNT)

• Embiid scores 50 in Game 3 win, reveals Bell's palsy diagnosis

• Knicks call Embiid's flagrant on Mitchell Robinson 'dirty'

• Bontemps: Why the Sixers situaton might not be as dire as it seems

• Maxey fouled twice during chaotic Game 2 sequence, L2M report says

• Embiid: 76ers 'are going to win this' despite 2-0 hole vs. Knicks

Milwaukee Bucks (3) tied with Indiana Pacers (6), 1-1

Game 1: Bucks 109, Pacers 94
Game 2: Pacers 125, Bucks 108
Game 3: Friday at Indiana, 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4: Sunday, April 28 at Indiana, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5: Tuesday, April 30 at Milwaukee
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday, May 2 at Indiana
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday, May 4 at Milwaukee (TNT)

• Tyrese Haliburton: Brother called racial slur by fan in Milwaukee

• Dame's 35-point first half carries Bucks to Game 1 win

• Bucks rule out Giannis Antetokounmpo for Pacers opener

• Bucks look to put emotions aside vs. familiar foe

• Collier: Game balls, Dame Time taunts and the budding Bucks-Pacers beef

Cleveland Cavaliers (4) lead Orlando Magic (5), 2-1

Game 1: Cavaliers 97, Magic 83
Game 2: Cavaliers 96, Magic, 86
Game 3: Magic 121, Cavaliers 83
Game 4: Saturday April 27 at Orlando, 1 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5: Tuesday, April 30 at Cleveland
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday, May 3 at Orlando
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday, May 5 at Cleveland

• 'Floodgates open' for Magic's Banchero in crucial Game 3 win

• Tynes: How tough love (and disrespect) fuels Paolo Banchero

• Andrews: How the Cavs' defense locked down the Magic in Games 1 and 2

• Magic's Jalen Suggs returns to Game 2 after injuring knee

• Mitchell sets Cavaliers' tone with 30 points in Game 1

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Oklahoma City Thunder (1) lead New Orleans Pelicans (8), 2-0

Game 1: Thunder 94, Pelicans 92
Game 2: Thunder 124, Pelicans 92
Game 3: Saturday, April 27 at New Orleans, 3:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 4: Monday, April 29 at New Orleans
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, May 1 at Oklahoma City, 8:30 p.m. ET (NBA TV)
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday, May 3 at New Orleans
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday, May 5 at Oklahoma City

• Holmgren's hot start, SGA's playoff career high give OKC 2-0 lead

• Injured Zion: Playoff return 'definitely realistic'

• Thunder clinch 1-seed, keep 'eyes on the prize'

• Daigneault wins NBCA Coach of the Year honors

• Shelburne: Inside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's improbable rise

Denver Nuggets (2) lead Los Angeles Lakers (7), 3-0

Game 1: Nuggets 114, Lakers 103
Game 2: Nuggets 101, Lakers 99
Game 3: Nuggets 112, Lakers 105
Game 4: Saturday, April 27 at Los Angeles, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5 (if necessary): Monday, April 29 at Denver
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday, May 2 at Los Angeles
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday, May 4 at Denver (TNT)

• Lakers try to take positives from Game 2 collapse vs. Nuggets

• Police eye Jokic's brother for reported fan punch

• Lakers' LeBron James sounds off on officiating and replay center

• 'Great one:' Jokic's impact draws LeBron's praise

• MPJ: Nuggets 'had my back' after brother's sentencing

Minnesota Timberwolves (3) lead Phoenix Suns (6), 2-0

Game 1: Timberwolves 120, Suns 95
Game 2: Timberwolves 105, Suns 93
Game 3: Friday at Phoenix, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4: Sunday, April 28 at Phoenix, 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday, April 30 at Minnesota
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday, May 2 at Phoenix
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday, May 4 at Minnesota

• Timberwolves' Naz Reid wins NBA Sixth Man of the Year award

• Suns' big 3 look to bounce back at home after frustrating Game 2

• Suns' Grayson Allen aggravates ankle injury vs. Timberwolves

• MacMahon: Why do so many players have beef with Rudy Gobert?

• What's next for the sale of the Timberwolves

LA Clippers (4) tied with Dallas Mavericks (5), 1-1

Game 1: Clippers 109, Mavericks 97
Game 2: Mavericks 96, Clippers 93
Game 3: Friday at Dallas, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4: Sunday, April 28 at Dallas, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5: Wednesday, May 1 at Los Angeles, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday, May 3 at Dallas
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday, May 5 at Los Angeles

• Clippers' Kawhi Leonard nets 15 in first game since March 31

• Luka Doncic's defensive effort keys Mavs' Game 2 win

• Kawhi Leonard OK'd to play for Clippers' Game 2 tilt vs. Mavs

• Pelton: What history can tell us about the future of the Mavericks-Clippers series

• The moment that transformed Westbrook and the Clippers' title chase