What a difference a year makes.<\/p>\n
Home teams are 7-1 entering Friday in the conference semifinals. Detroit is up 2-0 on Cleveland, Oklahoma City is up 2-0 on the Los Angeles Lakers, New York is up 2-0 on Philadelphia and San Antonio got a 1-1 split with Minnesota.<\/p>\n
In other words, games went largely as seedings suggested they would.<\/p>\n
That wasn’t the case last season, when home teams went 2-6 in Games 1 and 2 of the conference semifinals. This is only the third time in the last 16 postseasons when home teams went 7-1 to start Round 2.<\/p>\n
On Friday, it’s a pair of Game 3s: New York at Philadelphia and San Antonio at Minnesota.<\/p>\n
Friday’s schedule<\/p>\n
\u2014 Game 3, New York at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. EDT (Prime)<\/p>\n
Series: New York leads 2-0.<\/p>\n
Odds: 76ers by 1.5.<\/p>\n
An overlooked part of New York’s Game 2 win: After three consecutive blowout victories by the Knicks going back to Round 1, they dug deep in the fourth quarter \u2014 holding Philadelphia to 4 for 19 shooting in the final 12 minutes on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Game 3, San Antonio at Minnesota, 9:30 p.m. EDT (Prime)<\/p>\n
Series: Tied 1-1.<\/p>\n
Odds: Spurs by 4.5.<\/p>\n
Expect a bounceback game from Anthony Edwards, if his knee allows. He was never in rhythm in Game 2 (at least, not the way he was at times in the Game 1 win) and the Timberwolves were minus-33 in his 24 minutes.<\/p>\n
Saturday’s schedule<\/p>\n
\u2014 Game 3, Detroit at Cleveland, 3 p.m. EDT (NBC\/Peacock)<\/p>\n
Series: Detroit, 2-0.<\/p>\n
Odds: Cleveland by 4.5.<\/p>\n
The Pistons have won five consecutive postseason games for the first time since 2008 \u2014 and three of them were while facing elimination in Round 1. Cleveland is now 2-10 in conference semifinal games over the past three seasons.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Game 3, Oklahoma City at LA Lakers, 8:30 p.m. EDT (ABC)<\/p>\n
Series: Oklahoma City, 2-0.<\/p>\n
Odds: Oklahoma City by 8.5.<\/p>\n
The Lakers are furious with elements of the officiating right now, and that might go one of two ways in Game 3. They’ll either come out inspired on Saturday and make this a series, or the anger could work against them.<\/p>\n
Thursday’s recap<\/p>\n
\u2014 Pistons 107, Cavaliers 97<\/a> for 2-0 series lead.<\/p>\n \u2014 Thunder 125, Lakers 107<\/a> for 2-0 series lead. The Lakers are angry.<\/a><\/p>\n Awards watch<\/p>\n A breakdown of this season’s NBA awards:<\/p>\n \u2014 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year<\/a>: DeAndre Jordan, New Orleans.<\/p>\n \u2014 Hustle Award<\/a>: Moussa Diabat\u00e9, Charlotte.<\/p>\n \u2014 Defensive Player of the Year<\/a>: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio.<\/p>\n \u2014 Clutch Player of the Year:<\/a> Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City.<\/p>\n \u2014 Sixth Man of the Year:<\/a> Keldon Johnson, San Antonio.<\/p>\n \u2014 Sportsmanship Award:<\/a> Derrick White, Boston.<\/p>\n \u2014 Most Improved Player:<\/a> Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta.<\/p>\n \u2014 Rookie of the Year:<\/a> Cooper Flagg, Dallas.<\/p>\n