Pacers close out series vs Bucks in Game 5 overtime win
The Indiana Pacers completed their first-round NBA playoff run against the Milwaukee Bucks with a thrilling 119–118 overtime win in Game 5 of their series on Wednesday, April 30 (Philippine time), at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Tyrese Haliburton led the charge for the Pacers with 26 points, including a game-winning lay-up with 1.3 seconds left in overtime. He also tallied five rebounds, nine assists, three steals, and three blocks in 42 minutes of play to cap off his heroic performance.
He was followed by Myles Turner, who added 21 markers and nine boards, and Aaron Nesmith, who registered a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds in over 40 minutes of action on the hardwood.
Andrew Nembhard and Pascal Siakam chipped in 15 and 10 points, respectively, while T.J. McConnell provided a spark off the bench with 18 markers to help seal the win.
Milwaukee appeared dominant early, building a 30–13 lead by the end of the first quarter. But Indiana clawed back in the second and third canto to tie the score entering the final frame.
The fourth quarter turned into another deadlock, leading to overtime, where the Pacers edged the Bucks by one point just before the buzzer—clinching the series and setting up a second-round clash with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
But the drama didn’t end there, as a commotion erupted during the postgame handshakes when Haliburton and his father got into a heated exchange with Giannis Antetokounmpo.
In another series, the defending champions Boston Celtics advanced to the next round after dismantling the Orlando Magic in Game 5, 120–89, behind Jayson Tatum’s double-double of 35 markers and 10 dimes, along with eight boards and a deflection.
The Celtics now await the winner of the Detroit–New York series, where the Pistons secured a tight 106–103 win on the same day.
Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 24 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and one block, giving them a 3–2 edge in their Eastern Conference matchup.
Over in the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets defended home court with a 131–115 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers to move one step closer to the next round.
Jamal Murray exploded for 43 markers, hitting 8-of-14 from beyond the arc, and added five boards, seven dimes, three steals, and a block in 40 minutes of action.
Nikola Jokic also stepped up with a triple-double performance: 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists, along with a steal and two blocks. Aaron Gordon and Russell Westbrook contributed 23 and 21 points, respectively.
Tomorrow, May 1 (PH time), the Golden State Warriors look to close out their series against the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center, while the Minnesota Timberwolves aim to do the same against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Crypto.com Arena in LA.
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The NLEX Road Warriors wrapped up their preseason on a high note, clinching the 40th Kadayawan Invitational championship with a commanding 101-84 victory over the Blackwater Bossing on Sunday night, August 26, at the University of Southern Philippines in Davao City.
It wasn’t the smoothest of starts for NLEX, which found itself down by 11 early in the game. But the tide shifted in the second quarter, where the Road Warriors erupted for a 34-12 run behind the efforts of Robert Bolick, Dominic Fajardo, Tony Semerad, and Xyrus Torres to seize a 52-36 halftime lead.
Blackwater attempted a late push, cutting the gap to 76-65 in the fourth quarter, but NLEX responded with a 12-5 counter that put the game out of reach. Semerad, who buried three triples in the payoff period, earned Finals MVP honors with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Torres topped the scoring for NLEX with 19 markers, while Bolick came close to a triple-double with eight points, six boards, and nine assists. JB Bahio and Fajardo chipped in 12 and 10 markers, respectively. As a team, the Road Warriors torched the net from beyond the arc, going 18-of-34, with Semerad and Torres sinking four each.
Sedrick Barefield paced Blackwater with 15 points, while Richard Escoto added 14. The Bossing, despite falling short in the finals, had an impressive run in the preliminaries, including a comeback win over NLEX, 95-90, earlier in the tournament.
The championship serves as a timely boost for NLEX heading into the new PBA season. Last year, the Road Warriors finished second in the Philippine Cup eliminations before bowing out in the quarterfinals against Rain or Shine. Deputy mentor Adonis Tierra called the shots in their last two games, steering the team to become the second straight PBA squad to lift the Kadayawan crown, following Rain or Shine’s sweep in 2024. NLEX closed the tournament with a 3-1 card, their lone loss coming at the hands of Blackwater.
In the battle for third place, Phoenix avoided a winless campaign with a convincing 101-81 rout of Converge. Raffy Verano led the way with 19 points and nine rebounds, while Tyler Tio and Kai Ballungay contributed 17 and 15 markers, respectively. The win marked the first for new head coach Willy Wilson, who took over during the offseason. Coincidentally, Phoenix also defeated Converge for third place in last year’s edition of the tournament.
The NLEX Road Warriors and Blackwater Bossing opened their campaigns in the 2025 Kadayawan Invitational with victories in their respective first games on Thursday, August 21, at the USEP Gym in Davao City.
In the first game, Sedrick Barefield made an immediate impact for the Bossing. The 2024 second overall pick erupted for 28 points, including six triples. Three of those came in succession in the fourth quarter, turning a slim 72-66 lead into a more comfortable 81-68 cushion.
Troy Mallillin contributed 17 points and six rebounds, while newcomer Jed Mendoza impressed in his debut with 16 points.
For the Phoenix Fuel Masters, Jason Perkins and Kai Ballungay scored 12 points apiece in their first game under new head coach Willie Wilson, who took over from Jamike Jarin after he was moved to a team consultant role.
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