The NBA playoffs' conference semifinals are underway. Expect plenty of drama after a thrilling start to the postseason.
The Boston Celtics, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and top overall seed, battle the No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers. In the other East series, the No. 2 seed New York Knicks renew their old rivalry with the No. 6 seed Indiana Pacers.
In the West, the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder take on the No. 5 seed Dallas Mavericks. The other West clash pits the No. 2 seed and defending NBA Finals champion Denver Nuggets against the No. 3 seed Minnesota Timberwolves.
The four teams from each conference 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 home court 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: First-round news and scores |
Offseason guides
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Boston Celtics (1) lead Cleveland Cavaliers (4), 1-0
Game 1: Celtics 120, Cavaliers 95
Game 2: Thursday, May 9 at Boston (7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 3: Saturday, May 11 at Cleveland (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Game 4: Monday, May 13 at Cleveland (7:00 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, May 15 at Boston (TNT)
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday, May 17 at Cleveland (ESPN)
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday, May 19 at Boston
Jaylen Brown throws down a vicious slam over Isaac Okoro in the third quarter.
New York Knicks (2) lead Indiana Pacers (6), 1-0
Game 1: Knicks 121, Pacers 117
Game 2: Wednesday, May 8 at New York (8:00 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 3: Friday, May 10 at Indiana (7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 4: Sunday, May 12 at Indiana (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday, May 14 at New York (TNT)
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday, May 17 at Indiana (ESPN)
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday, May 19 at New York
Relive the best moments from past Knicks-Pacers playoff battles.
Knicks' Mitchell Robinson (ankle) out for rest of postseason
Reggie Miller warning to MSG fans: 'The Boogeyman is coming'
NBA confirms key illegal screen call on Pacers' Myles Turner
Herring: How Jalen Brunson's ruthless old-man game is driving the Knicks
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Oklahoma City Thunder (1) leads Dallas Mavericks (5), 1-0
Game 1: Thunder 117, Mavericks 95
Game 2: Thursday, May 9 at Oklahoma City (ESPN)
Game 3: Saturday, May 11 at Dallas (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Game 4: Monday, May 13 at Dallas (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, May 15 at Oklahoma City (TNT)
Game 6 (if necessary): Saturday, May 18 at Dallas (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 7 (if necessary): Monday, May 20 at Oklahoma City (8:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Chet Holmgren gets the crowd going with a two-handed dunk.
Thunder stifles slumping Luka Doncic in commanding Game 1 win
MacMahon: Two under-the-radar trades turned the Mavs into a real threat
Pelton: Why OKC's championship window is wide open for years to come
Minnesota Timberwolves (3) lead Denver Nuggets (2), 2-0
Game 1: Timberwolves 106, Nuggets 99
Game 2: Timberwolves 106, Nuggets 80
Game 3: Friday, May 10 at Minnesota (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 4: Sunday, May 12 at Minnesota (8:00 p.m. ET, TNT)
Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday, May 14 at Denver (TNT)
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday, May 16 at Minnesota (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday, May 19 at Denver
Check out the top rejections from Rudy Gobert in the 2023-24 NBA season as he wins Defensive Player of the Year for the fourth time.