Cavaliers, Celtics up 2-0; Rockets battle back vs Warriors
The East's top-seeded teams, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics, got the better of their lower-ranked opponents—the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic, respectively—to take 2-0 leads in their first-round matchups of the NBA Playoffs. Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets bounced back from their Game 1 home loss to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, April 24 (Philippine time).
The Cavaliers earned a 121-112 victory behind the heroics of their starters—Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Max Strus.
Mitchell tallied 30 points, six rebounds, six assists, and one steal, while Garland added 21 markers, two boards, and nine dimes. Mobley chipped in 20 points, six rebounds, one assist, and one steal, and Strus finished with 14 markers, one board, six dimes, and two deflections.
De’Andre Hunter also contributed off the bench with 12 points, three rebounds, and one steal.
The Cavaliers’ win overshadowed the strong performances from Heat stars Tyler Herro, who had a game-high 33 points along with six rebounds and five assists, and Bam Adebayo, who nearly notched a triple-double with 11 markers, 14 boards, and nine dimes.
Meanwhile, the defending champion Celtics pulled away in the third quarter and held their lead until the final buzzer, claiming a 109-100 win over the Magic.
Jaylen Brown led Boston with a monster performance of 36 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Kristaps Porzingis, who suffered a forehead cut after catching an elbow from Goga Bitadze, recorded a double-double with 20 markers and 10 boards, on top of his two steals and two blocks.
Derrick White and Jrue Holiday also scored in double figures with 17 and 11 points, respectively, while Payton Pritchard added 14 off the bench.
For the Magic, Paolo Banchero led the way with 32 points, nine rebounds, and seven steals. Franz Wagner followed with 25 markers, four boards, four dimes, and two deflections, while Wendell Carter Jr. added 16 points, eight rebounds, and one assist.
In the West, the Rockets tied their series against the Warriors with a 109-94 victory, fueled by Jalen Green’s all-around performance of 38 points, four rebounds, six assists, and three steals.
Alperen Sengun also made a major impact, posting 17 markers, 16 boards, seven dimes, and two deflections.
Stephen Curry was the only Warrior to score more than 12 points, finishing with 20 on 4-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc, alongside four rebounds, nine assists, one steal, and one block.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Butler was limited to just three points after exiting the game early due to a hard fall. He was later diagnosed with a pelvis contusion.
Game 3 of the NBA Playoffs series featuring the New York Knicks vs. the Detroit Pistons, Oklahoma City Thunder vs. the Memphis Grizzlies, and Denver Nuggets vs. the LA Clippers are all scheduled for tomorrow (Philippine time).
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The East Asia Super League (EASL) is officially set to raise the curtain on its new season with a twin opening in Taipei and Tokyo on October 8, 2025 — a move that reflects the league’s expanding reach and growing stature as Asia’s premier basketball competition.
All eyes in Taiwan will be on the Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium, which will host a blockbuster doubleheader featuring some of the region’s most decorated clubs.
The action tips off with a clash between the B.LEAGUE champions Utsunomiya Brex and the P. LEAGUE+ runners-up Taipei Fubon Braves. Utsunomiya, led by veteran guard Makoto Hiejima, entered as one of Japan’s most successful franchises. The Braves, meanwhile, look to prove their resilience after falling short in a grueling seven-game finals series last season, banking on the leadership of Chinese Taipei legend Lin Chih-Chieh.
The second game of the night brings a rematch between the P. LEAGUE+ champions Taoyuan Pauian Pilots and Japan’s Ryukyu Golden Kings. Their last encounter came in the 2025 EASL Final Four semifinals, where Taoyuan stunned Ryukyu, 71–64. This time, the Golden Kings are eager for redemption, while the Pilots hope to reaffirm their place among Asia’s elite.
Game schedule (HKT):
- Utsunomiya vs. Taipei Fubon – 6:30 PM
- Taoyuan vs. Ryukyu – 8:30 PM
China came within a single basket of toppling Oceania powerhouse Australia in the FIBA Asia Cup final, bowing 90-89 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, but sending a clear message that it remains a force in Asian basketball.
The Chinese squad, bannered by Hu Mingxuan and Hu Jinqiu, led by as many as 15 points through three quarters before faltering in the final minutes against the defending champions. Despite the heartbreaking loss, the performance was a reminder of China’s proud basketball heritage and its potential return to continental supremacy.
Gilas Pilipinas advanced to the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup quarterfinals after triumphing over host nation Saudi Arabia in a tense 95-88 overtime victory on Monday, August 11 (Tuesday, August 12 in Manila) at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.
Justin Brownlee once again showed his ‘Never Say Die’ attitude after drilling a contested three-pointer with 3.7 seconds left to force the extra period. He went on to finish with 29 points, five assists, and four rebounds, paving the way for a quarterfinal showdown with two-time defending champion Australia on Wednesday, August 13.
Brownlee’s heroics set the stage for Kevin Quiambao, who buried two triples in OT to complete a 17-point performance alongside three dimes and three deflections.
"It was a special game, it was a special performance from both teams," said head coach Tim Cone. "They (Saudi Arabia) posed a lot of problems for us, and by all rights, they had the game won — except for the guy sitting to my right (Brownlee). If you know his history, that’s not unusual. He’s been hitting big shots."
AJ Edu anchored the middle with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists, while Dwight Ramos chipped in 13 markers, 10 boards, three dimes, and a rejection.
Beyond Brownlee’s late-game magic, the Philippines secured the win by neutralizing Saudi Arabia’s high-scoring duo of Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman and Mohammed Alsuwailem in the extra frame.
Abdur-Rahkman erupted for 33 points on 8-of-14 shooting from deep, while Alsuwailem tallied 26 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks — but the two combined for only five points in OT as Gilas closed the door on the hosts’ upset bid.
The Scores:
Philippines 95 – Brownlee 29, Edu 17, Quiambao 17, Ramos 13, Fajardo 6, Tamayo 5, Thompson 4, Newsome 4, Malonzo 0, Perez 0, Aguilar 0.
Saudi Arabia 88 – Abdur-Rahkman 33, Alsuwailem 26, Almuwallad 10, Abdel Gabar 8, Ma. Almarwani 4, Belal 3, Kadi 3, Mo. Almarwani 1, Shubayli 0.
Quarters: 25-15, 40-37, 60-59, 79-79 (reg.), 95-88 (OT).