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          NBA playoffs 2024: First-round news, schedule, scores and highlights

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          Mavs cruise past Clippers, advance to face OKC (2:14)

          Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic combine for 58 points to propel the Mavericks past the Clippers and into the second round. (2:14)

          • ESPN
          May 5, 2024, 04:00 PM ET

          The first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs has concluded and there was plenty of drama and thrilling finishes.

          The Boston Celtics clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference in March and have homecourt advantage through the entire postseason. After eliminating the No. 8 seed Miami Heat, the Celtics take on the No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round. The Cavs eliminated the No. 5 seed Orlando Magic in the round's only series that went to seven games.

          Meanwhile, the No. 6 seed Indiana Pacers knocked out the No. 3 seed Milwaukee Bucks and the No. 2 seed New York Knicks defeated the No. 7 seed Philadelphia 76ers in a exciting six-game series. That sets up a second round clash between the Pacers and Knicks.

          In the West, the No. 3 seed Minnesota Timberwolves became the first team to reach the second round, sweeping the No. 6 seed Phoenix Suns and the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder swept the No. 8 seed New Orleans Pelicans. The No. 2 seed Denver Nuggets defeated the No. 7 seed Los Angeles Lakers in five games and are set to face the Timberwolves in the second round. The Thunder take on the No. 5 seed Dallas Mavericks, who eliminated the No. 4 seed LA Clippers.

          After the play-in tournament, the 16-team NBA playoffs began with four games on April 20 and four more on April 21. Eight teams from each conference reach the first round and 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 homecourt 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: Previewing every playoff team | Offseason guides

          EASTERN CONFERENCE

          Boston Celtics (1) defeat the Miami Heat (8), 4-1

          Game 1: Celtics 114, Heat 94
          Game 2: Heat 111, Celtics 101
          Game 3: Celtics 104, Heat 84
          Game 4: Celtics 102, Heat 88
          Game 5: Celtics 118, Heat 84

          New York Knicks (2) defeat the Philadelphia 76ers (7), 4-2

          Game 1: Knicks 111, 76ers 104
          Game 2: Knicks 104, 76ers 101
          Game 3: 76ers 125, Knicks 114
          Game 4: Knicks 97, 76ers 92
          Game 5: 76ers 112, Knicks 106 (OT)
          Game 6: Knicks 118, 76ers 115

          Indiana Pacers (6) defeat the Milwaukee Bucks (3), 4-2

          Game 1: Bucks 109, Pacers 94
          Game 2: Pacers 125, Bucks 108
          Game 3: Pacers 121, Bucks 118 (OT)
          Game 4: Pacers 126, Bucks 113
          Game 5: Bucks 115, Pacers 92
          Game 6: Pacers 120, Bucks 98

          Cleveland Cavaliers (4) defeat the Orlando Magic (5), 4-3

          Game 1: Cavaliers 97, Magic 83
          Game 2: Cavaliers 96, Magic, 86
          Game 3: Magic 121, Cavaliers 83
          Game 4: Magic 112, Cavaliers 89
          Game 5: Cavaliers 104, Magic 103
          Game 6: Magic 103, Cavaliers 96
          Game 7: Cavaliers 106, Magic 94

          WESTERN CONFERENCE

          Oklahoma City Thunder (1) defeat the New Orleans Pelicans (8), 4-0

          Game 1: Thunder 94, Pelicans 92
          Game 2: Thunder 124, Pelicans 92
          Game 3: Thunder 106, Pelicans 85
          Game 4: Thunder 97, Pelicans 89

          Denver Nuggets (2) defeat the Los Angeles Lakers (7), 4-1

          Game 1: Nuggets 114, Lakers 103
          Game 2: Nuggets 101, Lakers 99
          Game 3: Nuggets 112, Lakers 105
          Game 4: Lakers 119, Nuggets 108
          Game 5: Nuggets 108, Lakers 106

          Minnesota Timberwolves (3) defeat the Phoenix Suns (6), 4-0

          Game 1: Timberwolves 120, Suns 95
          Game 2: Timberwolves 105, Suns 93
          Game 3: Timberwolves 126, Suns 109
          Game 4: Timberwolves 122, Suns 116

          Dallas Mavericks (5) defeat the LA Clippers (4), 4-2

          Game 1: Clippers 109, Mavericks 97
          Game 2: Mavericks 96, Clippers 93
          Game 3: Mavericks 101, Clippers 90
          Game 4: Clippers 116, Mavericks 111
          Game 5: Mavericks 123, Clippers 93
          Game 6: Mavericks 114, Clippers 101