After an offseason of massive free agent signings, blockbuster trades and the captivating Olympic Games in Paris, the 2024-25 NBA season will tip off on Tuesday.

While player movement and new rosters have grabbed the majority of the headlines since June, the defending champion Boston Celtics remain mostly unchanged and poised to make a run at a repeat.

Jayson Tatum returns as one of the top scorers in the league, and Jaylen Brown is coming off a Finals MVP performance. Tatum, however, barely played for this year’s gold medal-winning Team USA squad – and Brown was left off the roster entirely – despite Boston teammates Derrick White and Jrue Holiday playing key roles in Paris.

These dynamics could cause a lesser team to engage in a power struggle, but the core of this Celtics team appears to be as cohesive as they come, with Brown and Tatum gladly passing the “primary scorer” baton back and forth in their seven seasons together.

The Celtics finished last season 64-18, then followed with a 16-3 post-season, making them one of the most dominant champions in recent memory. Sports books have forecasted Boston’s win total this season at 58.5, the highest in the league.

With Tatum and Brown still in the heart of their primes, the Celtics will be difficult to dethrone, but Al Horford, 38, and Holiday, 34, may begin to regress. Boston will also closely monitor the status of Kristaps Porziņģis, who underwent left leg surgery in June and may be out until the calendar turns to 2025.

Knicks, Sixers load up to compete in East

The Celtics’ most likely challengers in the Eastern Conference appear to be the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers, both of whom made attention-grabbing acquisitions in the offseason.

The Knicks lost Isaiah Hartenstein to free agency but made a massive trade to acquire Karl-Anthony Towns. The multi-talented big man joins a stacked starting lineup that includes Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby.

New York won 50 games last season before injuries decimated their play-off hopes. This year’s squad is undoubtedly more talented than last year’s, but how quickly can this group gain cohesion after losing three of last season’s top five scorers?

The Knicks will play in the NBA’s tip-off game Tuesday in Boston, where the Celtics will raise another championship banner.

The 76ers were successful in their gambit to accrue salary cap space for last offseason and made a massive addition in signing Paul George to a four-year max contract that includes a player option.

George teams up with former MVP Joel Embiid and rising star Tyrese Maxey on a team with title aspirations. Philadelphia also added veteran role players this offseason in Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon, Caleb Martin and Reggie Jackson.

The 76ers are built to contend this season but face a number of durability questions. Embiid announced last week that he will not play on back-to-back nights after missing 45 games last season. George, 34, played 74 games last season but averaged 47 games played over the previous four seasons.

Philadelphia have said that their sole focus will be on having a healthy roster when the playoffs start in April, so Embiid and George could have plenty of rest days during the regular season. 

While Philly and New York appear to be Boston’s most formidable challengers in the East, others are lurking just a tier below.

The Milwaukee Bucks expect the second year of the Giannis Antetokounmpo-Damian Lillard pairing to yield better results under coach Doc Rivers, while Tyrese Haliburton and a young Indiana Pacers team will look to build on last season’s Eastern Conference finals appearance.

James family history

While the Western Conference is loaded with championship contenders, a team likely outside the title conversation has stolen most of the attention this offseason.

The Los Angeles Lakers used the 55th overall pick in June’s draft on Bronny James, making him teammates with his father, LeBron James. The pair will become the first father-son duo to play in the same NBA game.

Bronny struggled in six preseason games, shooting under 30 percent from the field and racking up more turnovers than assists. Even if Bronny spends most of the season in the G League, the Lakers will almost certainly allow him to take the court with his legendary father at some point.

The elder James will celebrate his 40th birthday this season as the future Hall of Famer enters his 22nd NBA season.

While James seems to have defied the aging process over the last several years, Los Angeles will likely ease his workload and give more opportunities to Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves and DeAngelo Russell.

James and Davis missed just 17 combined games last season, and the Lakers will need a similarly healthy season to compete in a loaded West.

MVP race: West is best

Luka Dončić won last season’s scoring title at 33.9 points per game and guided the Dallas Mavericks to an NBA Finals appearance.

The Mavs added veteran sharpshooter and long-time Golden State Warrior Klay Thompson in hopes of a title run and will be banking on big growth from second-year center Derek Lively II.

Dončić opens the season as the betting favourite to win MVP, but he will have plenty of competition both for personal accolades and team success.

Nikola Jokić was voted MVP for the third time last season and enters the 2024-25 season as one of the favourites, although he would need a truly spectacular season to overcome voter fatigue and win a fourth MVP in a five-year span.

After the free agent departures of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Bruce Brown and Jeff Green the last two off-seasons, the Nuggets will need contributions from younger players and will hope Jamal Murray’s health improves as the season progresses.

For years, the Oklahoma City Thunder were considered a sleeping giant, and OKC has signalled over the past year that they are ready for contention.

The Thunder were the top seed in the West last season with a 57-25 record, then used the playoffs to identify weaknesses and gain experience. OKC acquired Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein in the offseason, giving them a better-fitting and more flexible roster, and the Thunder enter this season as the favourites in the West.

Hartenstein will miss the first six-or-so weeks of the season after breaking his left (shooting) hand, but once healthy he should help negate a rebounding weakness that doomed the Thunder in the playoffs.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is among the MVP favourites after averaging 30.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.2 assists last season while shooting a career-high 53.5 percent from the field.

As deep and talented as the Thunder are as currently constructed, they own a staggering amount of future draft capital and could become a juggernaut if they decided to trade for another star player.

The Minnesota Timberwolves turned heads with their run to the West finals last season and stunned the basketball world when they traded Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.

The decision to move on from Towns puts more of the offensive load on Anthony Edwards, whose scoring and efficiency have improved each year since being the No. 1 overall pick in 2020.

Minnesota made easy work of the Phoenix Suns last post-season, but the Suns will look to rejoin the contenders’ conversation as Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal enter their second season as a teammate trio.

Wembanyama: A matter of time

One of the most prevalent storylines entering 2024-25 is the continued growth of Victor Wembanyama in his second NBA season.

Wembanyama had one of the best rookie seasons in recent memory, with the 7-foot-4 center leading the league in blocks and finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Wembanyama followed with an impressive run in the Paris Olympics and has hit all the early checkpoints of a future MVP.

Most experts agree that the San Antonio Spurs aren’t ready to compete for a play-off spot this season, but Wembanyama seems destined to become a top-five player, and his ascendancy could happen sooner rather than later.

Flounder for Flagg?

This year’s rookie class is full of questions, but prognosticators are bullish on several top prospects in the 2025 class, setting the stage for a race for the bottom.

Duke forward Cooper Flagg is projected to be a two-way force and is the consensus No. 1 prospect in the class after playing with Team USA Select Team over the summer.

Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe, along with Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper of Rutgers, have also got scouts excited in a draft class considered much deeper than 2024’s crop.

With one or more possible franchise-changers available in the 2025 draft, many of the NBA’s less talented teams will be content to sit at the bottom of the standings this season, especially in the Eastern Conference.

From the Washington Wizards to the Brooklyn Nets to the Portland Trail Blazers, there will be a handful of organisations focused more on the 2025 draft than their 2024-25 record.

The New York Knicks named Jalen Brunson as their new captain on Tuesday.

He is the team's first captain in six years, with Lance Thomas the last in the 2018-19 season, and the 36th overall.

Brunson has established himself in the team since arriving in 2022, helping the team to the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs in both seasons since leaving the Dallas Mavericks.

He averaged 28.7 points, 6.7 assists and 3.6 rebounds over 35.4 minutes in 77 games in the regular season.

Brunson also became the first player in NBA history to score at least 40 points and get at least five assists in four consecutive playoff games.

"The New York Knicks have a deep and storied history, and today we are immensely proud to add to that lineage by naming Jalen Brunson as our captain," said Knicks president Leon Rose.

"Jalen is a natural-born leader, and I am confident he will continue to represent our organization, fans, city and his team-mates with the same heart, grit and class that he has displayed each and every day since he came to New York."

Brunson earned his first All-Star nod last season and finished fifth in the voting for the NBA MVP award. 

League MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder were both unanimous selections to the All-NBA first team.

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, Boston Celtics guard Jayson Tatum and Giannis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee Bucks were also named to the first team, which was revealed Wednesday.

Jokic, who has won three of the last four MVP awards, and Gilgeous-Alexander were both listed on all 99 ballots.

Doncic fell one vote shy of joining them, while Antetokounmpo received 88 first-place votes and Tatum garnered 65.

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard and Los Angeles Lakers centre Anthony Davis were named to the second team.

The third team was made up of Lakers forward LeBron James, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton and Suns guard Devin Booker.

This is the 20th consecutive season James has been named to an All-NBA team since being included on the second team in his second season.

At 39 years old, he became the oldest All-NBA player in league history. He was also the youngest All-NBA selection as a 20-year-old back in 2004-05.

Jokic, who won the 2023-24 MVP award in a runaway with 79 of a possible 99 first-place votes, was named to the All-NBA first team for the fourth time to go with a pair of inclusions on the second team.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished second in MVP voting, was named to the first team for the second straight season.

Doncic made the first team for the fifth year in a row, while Tatum is on it for the third consecutive season.

Antetokounmpo has been on the first team each of the last six seasons after being on the second team the previous two years.

Jalen Brunson's Game 7 ended with a fractured left hand.

Shortly later, the New York Knicks' season ended.

Brunson sustained a broken left hand and sat out the fourth quarter in the Knicks' 130-109 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.

With the win, the Pacers reached the Eastern Conference finals, where they'll face the top-seeded Boston Celtics.

Brunson, who had averaged 31.8 points and 5.7 assists in the first six games of the series against Indiana, had 17 points on 6-of-17 shooting and nine assists before exiting.

Instrumental to New York's success in 2023-24, Brunson finished fifth in NBA MVP voting during the regular season after averaging 28.7 points, 6.7 assists and 3.6 rebounds.

Jalen Brunson refused to make excuses for the New York Knicks after injuries and fatigue hampered them in their Game 4 defeat to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.

The Pacers recorded a dominant 121-89 win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to level the teams' Eastern Conference semifinal series at 2-2, with Tyrese Haliburton scoring a team-high 20 points.

Haliburton was one of six Indiana players in double figures but it was their defense that did the hard yards, limiting Brunson to just 18 points in support of Alec Burks, who had 20 points of his own.

Brunson entered the contest averaging a league-high 34.6 points this postseason, but he was 6-of-17 shooting and received little support from elsewhere as Josh Hart had two points in 24 minutes and Donte DiVincenzo tallied seven.

The Knicks were sluggish from the off as they played a second straight game without defensive stopper OG Anunoby, who sustained a hamstring injury in Game 2.

Brunson, however, was not about to excuse their poor performance.

"We can talk about fresher legs and you can give us all the pity that we want," he said. "Yeah, we're shorthanded, but that doesn't matter right now. 

"We have what we have and we need to go forward with that. There is no excuse. There's no excuse whatsoever. If we lose, we lose. That's what that was."

The series will now head back to Madison Square Garden on Tuesday for Game 5, and Pacers coach Rick Carlisle expects a strong response from their opponents.

"New York is a team that has shown that it has an indomitable will to compete and rise above anything people say they can't do," Carlisle said. 

"We've seen it throughout the season. We've seen it in this series. We're believers in that, and so we've got to focus on us. 

"Everything is going to be a situation where you've got your hands completely full."

Jalen Brunson was hailed "a warrior" by team-mate Donte DiVincenzo after his return from injury inspired the New York Knicks to a second-half turnaround against the Indiana Pacers.

The Knicks ran out 130-121 winners in Game 2 at Madison Square Garden to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semi-final series.

Things did not look good for the hosts, who also lost OG Anunoby in the third quarter to a hamstring injury, as Brunson was forced to exit during the first quarter with a foot problem.

However, with the Knicks trailing 73-63 at half-time, the point guard received a raucous ovation from the home supporters as he returned to warm up in a bid to shake off his injury.

"He's a warrior," said DiVincenzo, who finished with 28 points. "There was no doubt in my mind he'd be back."

"He's a great leader, and the players all have respect for that when a guy tries to give whatever he has. It says a lot about him," coach Tom Thibodeau added.

"To me, the actions say a lot more than the words. It says that you care a lot about your team and your team-mates."

Brunson's return certainly inspired New York, who were already without Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson and Bojan Bogdanovic due to season-ending injuries.

He notched up 24 of his 29 points during the second half as the Knicks moved halfway towards reaching their first Eastern Conference final since 2000.

"It was really cool," Brunson said of his half-time reception. "But I just knew I had to get my mind in the right place to figure out how I was going to attack in the second half."

New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau hailed Jalen Brunson after he became just the fourth player to score 40 points in four straight playoff games, saying: "Whatever it is we need, he'll provide."

Brunson continued his incredible postseason form with 43 points in the Knicks' 121-117 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the teams' Eastern Conference semifinal series on Monday.

He is just the fourth player to achieve that feat in NBA history and the first since Hall of Famer Michael Jordan in 1993. Jerry West and Bernard King are the other players to do so. 

Brunson also added six rebounds and six assists, while Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart supported him with 25 and 24 points respectively.

Speaking after the game, Thibodeau credited Brunson for his single-minded approach as he said: "You could go on and on every night, and the thing I love about him is he's all about the team.  

"All he cares about is winning, and he cares about his team-mates, and he's like, in the end, what do we need? Do we need a big bucket? Whatever it is we need, he'll provide."

Brunson has averaged 12.4 fourth-quarter points in his last five games, and he came up clutch again on Monday by making six of 10 shots and all eight of his free throws in the final period.

The All-Star guard, however, chose to give credit to his team-mates, saying: "The little things can go a long way. The 40 points are cool and all, but it's the little things that help us win games like that. 

"So I'm just happy I have the group of guys that I do. I just know that we're going to fight every single day. That's all I'm thinking about."

There was a hint of controversy about the Knicks' win as Indiana center Myles Turner was called for a moving screen on DiVincenzo with just 12.7 seconds left.

The Pacers challenged the call but failed to overturn it, having earlier seen Aaron Nesmith contentiously pulled up for a kicked ball – a decision the referees admitted to getting wrong after the game.

Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said: "We're not expecting to get calls in here. It would have been nice if they laid off that one, but they didn't. So that's just the way it goes."

Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns each had 27 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves frustrated the Denver Nuggets once again to take a stunning 2-0 series lead on the reigning NBA champions.

Monday's 106-80 rout put the third-seeded Timberwolves in firm control of this Western Conference semifinal series, as they'll host the next two games after taking the first two matchups in Denver. Game 3 is set for Friday in Minneapolis.

Minnesota improved to 6-0 this post-season by shutting down Nikola Jokić and the second-seeded Nuggets' potent offence, and did so even with three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert unavailable as he attended the birth of his child.

The Timberwolves held Denver to 32.6 per cent shooting in the first half while taking a commanding 61-35 lead into the break, and the Nuggets finished the night shooting 34.9 per cent while committing 16 turnovers.

Jokic was held in check as the two-time league MVP was held to 16 points on 5-of-13 shooting, while Jamal Murray ended 3 of 18 from the field while managing just eight points in 36 minutes.

Aaron Gordon paced Denver, which entered the series 14-1 in its last 15 play-off games dating back to 2022, with 20 points. Jokic did record 16 rebounds and eight assists and Murray amassed 13 rebounds.

Towns added 12 rebounds for Minnesota, which led by as many as 32 points in the third quarter and finished with its largest margin of victory in a road play-off game in franchise history.

Brunson joins exclusive club, leads Knicks past Pacers in Game 1

Jalen Brunson extended his streak of 40-point performances and led a fourth-quarter rally that propelled the New York Knicks to a 121-117 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Brunson netted 21 fourth-quarter points and 43 overall for his fourth consecutive post-season game with 40 or more. The All-Star guard is just the fourth player in NBA history to achieve the feat and first since Hall of Famer Michael Jordan did so in 1993.

Donte DiVincenzo added 25 points and put New York ahead for good on a 3-pointer with 40.4 seconds left that snapped a 115-115 tie. 

The second-seeded Knicks trailed No. 6 seed Indiana 94-85 early in the fourth quarter before closing the gap with an 8-0 run. Brunson scored the first three points of the spurt, which DiVincenzo capped with a 3-pointer that brought New York within one with 8:56 remaining.

The Knicks later scored nine straight points - seven coming from Brunson - to take a 113-109 lead with 2:42 left, but two New York turnovers led to six consecutive Indiana points as the Pacers moved ahead by a 115-113 count with 1:33 to go.

Brunson buried a short jumper on the ensuing possession, however, and DiVincenzo knocked down a 28-footer after Indiana's Andrew Nembhard missed a 3-point try to send the Knicks back in front.

Pascal Siakam's layup with 26.6 seconds left to play brought Indiana within 118-117, but the Pacers went scoreless the rest of the way and Brunson sealed the outcome with three late free throws.

Siakam finished with 19 points and Myles Turner had 23 for Indiana, though Pacers' All-Star Tyrese Haliburton was held to six points in 36 minutes after being listed as questionable for Game 1 due to back spasms.

Josh Hart also had a big night for New York, which will host Game 2 on Wednesday, by compiling 24 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists. 

Jalen Brunson will not spend too long thinking about his 47-point haul in Game 4 against the Philadelphia 76ers as he looks towards the second round of the playoffs.

The New York Knicks took a 3-1 lead in their first-round series thanks to a 97-92 victory on Sunday.

Brunson inspired the Knicks with a stunning 47-point performance, while he also chipped in with 10 assists.

But with the Knicks just one win away from progressing, Brunson is not resting on his laurels.

"I'll look back when I retire," Brunson said.

"Seriously. It's great right now, it helped us get a win.

"But it's not going to do anything for us going forward."

Brunson's haul was a franchise record, as he surpassed Bernard King (46) for the most points scored in a playoff game for the Knicks.

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said: "I think we learned that throughout the course of the season. Jalen has played at such an incredibly high level all season long, and we can play off that.

"We have a little bit of everything. And the rebounding has been terrific. Everyone questioned the rebounding with Josh [Hart] at the power forward. We've been the best rebounding team all year. Everyone questioned Jalen being a leader.

"We have a lot to prove. It takes four to win a series, that's what we have to focus on."

The Sixers are staring down the barrel of an early exit, but Joel Embiid, who finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds, does not believe the pressure is on Philadelphia.

"One at a time," said Embiid. "We know we're good enough. We didn't make shots, so we just got to keep trusting ourselves.

"We got no pressure. We're the seven seed, down 3-1, a lot of guys are hurt.

"I don't know why we would feel the pressure. So we should just go out there and go out and play our best basketball and one at a time, win one, come back home, win another one and then Game 7 over there. So, yeah, I'm looking forward to it. Yeah. No pressure."

The Denver Nuggets are on the brink of sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers after opening up a 3-0 lead in the teams' first-round series on Thursday, registering their 11th straight win against them.

Aaron Gordon had a playoff career-high 29 points and added 15 rebounds, while Nikola Jokic was just short of a triple-double with 24 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists as Denver clinched a 112-105 win.

Having squandered a big lead in Game 2, the Lakers failed to respond at home as the Nuggets began the second half with a 24-10 run to pull away from their hosts. Los Angeles failed to get closer than eight points in the fourth. 

LeBron James had 26 points, six rebounds and nine assists, while Anthony Davis had 33 points and 15 rebounds, but Los Angeles were let down by their shooting from the field.

They shot just 5 of 27 from the floor, missing with 15 of their first 16 3-point attempts. 

Game 4 takes place at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday, with the Lakers needing to become the first team in NBA history to rally from a 0-3 playoff deficit to keep James' 21st season alive. 

A small group of home fans showed their displeasure with head coach Darvin Ham after the loss, staying behind to chant, "fire Darvin" as the rest of the crowd filtered out.

Embiid's half-century takes Knicks-Sixers to 2-1

Joel Embiid's huge 50-point haul breathed fresh life into the Philadelphia 76ers' series with the New York Knicks, bringing the Sixers back to 2-1 after two road losses to start the playoffs.

The 76ers triumphed 125-114 as Embiid became the first player in playoff history to score 50 points on fewer than 20 shots in a game, going 13 of 19 from the floor and making 19 of 21 free throws.

Philadelphia were three down at the half but produced a huge third quarter, Embiid dragging his team into a 98-85 lead with four 3s in that period.

Tyrese Maxey supported Embiid with 25 points and seven assists, after the NBA admitted the officials missed a foul on him in the closing stages of the Sixers' controversial Game 2 loss.

Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 39 points and 13 assists while Josh Hart tacked on 20 points, but Donte DiVincenzo only had five after hitting the decisive 3-pointer in Game 2.

Cavs suffer worst playoff loss as Magic hit back

The Orlando Magic also hit back after losing the first two games of their first-round series, dealing the Cleveland Cavaliers the heaviest loss in their playoff history on Thursday.

Taking the series back to Kia Center after a pair of road losses, Orlando recorded a 121-83 win behind Paolo Banchero's 31 points, with Jalen Suggs adding 24 for the fifth seeds in the East.

Orlando led by as many as 43 points in the fourth quarter before ultimately settling for a 38-point margin. The Cavs' previous worst playoff loss was a 36-point defeat to the Washington Wizards in 2008.

Franz Wagner tacked on 16 points and eight assists for Orlando, who now have the chance to level the series at home in Game 4 on Sunday.

Cleveland had four players in double figures but none managed more than the 15 put up by both Jarrett Allen and Caris Levert, the visitors shooting a miserable 8 of 34 (23.5 per cent) from the floor. 

Donte DiVincenzo's go-ahead 3-pointer with 13.1 seconds left highlighted a furious late rally that propelled the New York Knicks to a crucial 104-101 win over the Philadelphia 76ers in Monday's Game 2 of an Eastern Conference quarter-finals series. 

Down 101-96 in the final minute, the second-seeded Knicks scored the game's final eight points to grab a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, which shifts to Philadelphia for Thursday's Game 3.

DiVincenzo finished with 19 points and Jalen Brunson had 24 along with eight rebounds and six assists for New York, which also got a big effort from center Isaiah Hartenstein to overcome a 10-point deficit late in the first half.

Hartenstein scored all 14 of his points in the second half on 7-of-7 shooting while helping the Knicks contain 76ers' star Joel Embiid. The reigning NBA MVP managed 34 points and 10 rebounds, but made good on just 12 of 29 field goal attempts and missed a potential tying 3-point try at the buzzer.

Tyrese Maxey ended just shy of a triple-double for seventh-seeded Philadelphia, as he compiled 35 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.

The Sixers trailed 90-82 early in the fourth quarter before outscoring New York 19-6 over a seven-minute stretch to pull ahead late. Maxey's jumper with 2:22 to go gave Philadelphia a 97-96 edge, and the All-Star buried a 3-pointer shortly afterward to extend the lead to four entering the final minute.

Brunson gave New York some life with a 3-pointer with 27.4 seconds remaining to cut the lead to 101-99, and after Maxey turned it over on the ensuing possession, DiVincenzo knocked down a 26-footer on a second-chance attempt to send the Knicks in front.

Maxey then couldn't get a contested layup to fall with 6.6 seconds left, and New York's OG Anunoby was fouled after grabbing the rebound before making both free throws ahead of Embiid's game-ending miss. 

Nuggets rally from 20 points down to stun Lakers in Game 2

The Denver Nuggets also took a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference series with the Los Angeles Lakers after overcoming a 20-point second-half deficit to rally for a stunning 101-99 win.

Jamal Murray capped Denver's improbable comeback by hitting a game-winning 15-foot jumper with 0.4 seconds left on the clock.

Murray scored 16 of his 20 points in the second half and Nikola Jokić had 15 points after half-time to also spark the defending NBA champions. Jokic ended the night with a 27-point, 20-rebound, 10-assist triple-double.

Anthony Davis finished with 32 points and 11 rebounds for the seventh-seeded Lakers, who appeared on the verge of sending the series back to Los Angeles all tied up after opening up a 68–48 lead two minutes into the third quarter.

Second-seeded Denver trailed 74-55 near the midway point of the third before getting back in it with a 10-0 run. The Nuggets later went on a 10-1 spurt to pull within 83-81 on Murray's layup with 6:45 remaining.

Murray was later fouled with 57.6 seconds left and made both free throws to forge a 97-97 tie. LeBron James answered with a layup on the ensuing possession to put Los Angeles back ahead, but Murray sunk a step-back jumper with 30 seconds remaining to even the score once again.

James then misfired on a 3-point try and the Nuggets secured the rebound before getting the ball to Murray, who knocked down the game-winner right before the buzzer sounded with Davis contesting the shot.

James had 26 points and 12 rebounds, while D'Angelo Russell netted 23 points for the Lakers while going 7 of 11 from 3-point range.

Game 3 will take place Thursday night.

Cavaliers shut down Magic again to take 2-0 series lead

Donovan Mitchell scored 23 points and Jarrett Allen led another strong defensive effort for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who took a 2-0 lead in their first-round series against the Orlando Magic by recording a 96-86 win.

After holding the Magic under 33 per cent shooting in Saturday's series opener, fourth-seeded Cleveland forced 17 turnovers and limited No. 5 seed Orlando to a 36.2 per cent rate from the field to move within two wins of advancing.

Allen particularly made his presence felt by corralling 20 rebounds along with three blocks and two steals. The standout center also contributed 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting.

Evan Mobley added 17 points and Darius Garland had 15 in a game the Cavaliers never trailed while taking control early by building a 30-18 lead after one quarter.

Cleveland's margin grew as high as 17 points in the second quarter as the Magic continued to struggle to score, and Mitchell registered 19 of his points in the first half to help send the Cavs into the break owning a 58-44 advantage.

Orlando never seriously threatened in the second half and will now attempt to reverse momentum when it returns home to host Game 3 on Thursday. 

Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 21 points and Franz Wagner had 18 for Orlando, though all but one of those points came during the first half.

Kristaps Porzingis suggested Thursday's defeat to the New York Knicks could be just what the Boston Celtics needed ahead of the playoffs.

The Celtics went down 118-109 to the Knicks, as New York hunt down the No.2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Boston have long since had their playoff berth secured, but have now lost their last two games.

Porzingis, though, is taking the positives.

"It stings to have this loss, but maybe we need this before heading into the postseason with a killer mentality," Porzingis said.

"It's not who we are. This is not the team our fans love. That wasn't on display.

"You best believe we'll show up when we have to. We know what the goal is and make no mistake about it."

Jaylen Brown chipped in with 15 points for the Celtics, and like Porzingis, recognises Boston have not been up to scratch as of late.

"We got out-toughed the last two games and haven't played to our standard," Brown said.

"The game has shifted and it's going to shift even more in the playoffs."

Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 39 points, and New York are now just one game behind the Milwaukee Bucks in the race for the No.2 seed.

"We made shots and made the right plays," Brunson said.

"Obviously, we know they're the top dog in the East. Whenever you play against them, it's always a good measuring stick to see where you're at.

"We played pretty well, but we know what they’re capable of doing. We just had their number tonight."

Jalen Brunson needed only three quarters to score 39 points and the New York Knicks continued their push for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 118-109 win over the league-leading Boston Celtics on Thursday.

Brunson was 15 of 23 from the field and 6 for 11 from long range, while Donte DiVincenzo added 17 points and Josh Hart had 16 points and 16 rebounds.

New York won its third straight and pulled within a game of Milwaukee for second in the East, with each team having two games left. The Knicks would need to win both and have the Bucks lose their games at Oklahoma City and Orlando, because Milwaukee has the head-to-head tiebreaker.

The Knicks dominated on the glass, 52-36, and had 22 second-chance points compared to 12 for the Celtics.

Boston got 18 points from Jayson Tatum and lost its second in a row.

Surging Warriors handle Trail Blazers

Stephen Curry scored 22 points and Jonathan Kuminga added 22 to propel the Golden State Warriors to their ninth win in 10 games, 100-92 over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Golden State, which played without Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, has already clinched a play-in spot but can potentially improve its playoff seeding in the final two games.

With their 45th victory, the Warriors surpassed their win total from last season, when they advanced to the conference semifinals.

Deandre Ayton had 25 points and 11 rebounds and Scoot Henderson tallied 18 and 12 assists for the Trail Blazers, who have won just two of their past 15 games.

Pelicans complete season sweep of Kings

CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson scored 31 points apiece and the New Orleans Pelicans completed a five-game season sweep of the Sacramento Kings with a 135-123 win.

McCollum matched a season high with nine 3-pointers in 12 tries and added seven assists for the Pelicans, who improved to 27-14 on the road, a franchise record for wins and tied with Boston for the best mark in the NBA.

New Orleans is sixth in the Western Conference, one game ahead of Phoenix with two games remaining.

De’Aaron Fox scored 33 points as the Kings lost for the fourth time in five games and failed in a bid to avoid the play-in tournament.

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson each scored 29 points and the Golden State Warriors won their season-high sixth straight game, 133-110 over the Houston Rockets on Thursday.

Rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis had a career-high 20 points, five rebounds and four assists for the Warriors, who made it 13 straight wins against the Rockets since a loss on Feb. 20, 2020, and tightened its grip on 10th place in the Western Conference.

Thompson scored 21 points in the first half with five 3-pointers to help Golden State take a 65-50 lead into the break.

The Warriors held a 16-point lead after three quarters and were up 20 with just under four minutes left when coach Steve Kerr cleared his bench.

Jabari Smith Jr. scored 24 points for the Rockets, who dropped their third straight following an 11-game winning streak.

Knicks rally past Kings to end skid

D had 35 points and 11 assists and Josh Hart added a season-high 31 points as the New York Knicks overcame a 21-point deficit in a 120-109 win over the Sacramento Kings.

Hart shot 14 of 19 from the field, had nine rebounds and eight assists and Donte DiVincenzo scored 21 points to help New York snap a three-game skid and tie Orlando for the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference.

De’Aaron Fox had 29 points, seven boards and seven assists for the Kings, who failed in a bid to tie New Orleans and Phoenix for sixth in the West.

Sacramento raced to a 46-25 lead while making 19 of its first 28 shots, but the Knicks responded with a 16-2 to get back in it.

Clippers hold off Nuggets

Paul George had 28 points and Ivica Zubac scored the final six points for the Los Angeles Clippers in a 102-100 win over the Denver Nuggets.

James Harden tallied 20 points, eight assists and six rebounds and Zubac finished with 14 points and 15 boards as the Clippers snapped a five-game home skid despite the absence of Kawhi Leonard, who sat out his second straight game with a sore right knee.  

Nikola Jokić notched his 24th triple-double of the season with 36 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists, but the Nuggets couldn’t come all the way back from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter and dropped one-half game behind Minnesota for the Western Conference lead.

Victor Wembanyama wants to be part of "greatness" after his San Antonio Spurs team overcame Jalen Brunson's 61-point effort to beat the New York Knicks on Friday.

Brunson became just the third Knicks player to ever score more than 60 points in a game, 38 of which came in the second half to lead his team on a 21-point comeback, but it ultimately counted for little as the Spurs took a 130-126 victory after overtime.

Wembanyama had a career-high effort of his own, scoring 40 points and collecting 20 rebounds to lead his team to a win that moves the Spurs to 18-56 on the season, still bottom of the Western Conference, while the Knicks slip to 44-29.

Wembanyama managed 13 points and six rebounds in the fourth quarter to hold off the Knicks' comeback before scoring five points and collecting two rebounds in overtime to ensure Brunson's huge game was in vain.

The Spurs rookie was appreciative to have prevailed in the face of Brunson's brilliance, telling reporters: "I've never seen so [much] greatness before this season.

"I've just witnessed so much greatness and I want to be a part of it.

"I always wanted to, but more and more seeing that [I am] already able to compete with those guys. I'm not near [them] but I'm on the right path. I know it and I'm going to get there one day soon."

Brunson has full faith that Wembanyama will go right to the top, also stating that he would only enjoy having had the second-highest scoring game in Knicks' history when he retires due to coming out on the losing end.

"He's going to be one of the greatest players this game has seen," Brunson explained. "[It is] just the way he's built and what he's been able to do so far.

"I've got a lot of respect for him, and it's definitely tough to get a shot up and in over him."

Having watched Brunson and Wembanyama go blow for blow before his team ultimately came out on top, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich stated he had never seen a game quite like it, while heaping praise on his star player.

"It just shows what [Wembanyama] is going to be when he understands all the physicality that's coming at him all the time and what to do about it," Popovich said.

"Fortunately, he's also a hell of an instinctive passer and he's willing to do what he needs to do in that regard. So, he's pretty special."