Starting 5, May 18: Clear your Sunday plans for two Game 7s – NBA.com

The Pacers defended home against the Knicks to force Game 7 back at The Garden. Plus, tonight’s Thunder-Mavs Game 6 in Dallas.

What’s better than a Game 7 on a Sunday? How about two?
Knicks-Pacers at MSG. Nuggets-Wolves in Denver.
How about a 3rd Game 7 this round? The Thunder and Mavs will decide that tonight in Dallas.

Pacers Force Game 7: Indy stayed perfect at home to set up an epic series finale at MSG
Round 3: Knicks-Pacers will be decided by Game 7 for the 3rd time in the rivalry’s history
The Closers: Kyrie and Luka have put up historic marks in series-clinching games
Win Or Go Home: OKC’s season is on the line in tonight’s Game 6 in Dallas
First Look: The path to Nuggets-Wolves Game 7 and both teams’ history in such games
Last night’s scores & what to watch today.

Tonight in Dallas (8 ET, ABC), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder aim to keep their breakout season alive as they face elimination for the first time against Luka, Kyrie and the Mavs.
2 Game 7s Sunday (!!) Pacers-Knicks at 3:30 ET on ABC, Wolves-Nuggets at 8 ET on TNT. Catch up in the playoffs Hub.

Unbeaten in Indy: With their season on the line, the Pacers did what they’ve done all postseason – win at home.
Powered by an electric crowd and led by Pascal Siakam’s 25 points, the Pacers raced past the Knicks to a 116-103 win to send the series back to New York for Game 7. | Recap

Game-Changing Run: Midway through the 2nd quarter, the game had seen 10 ties, eight lead changes and no lead larger than five points. The Pacers closed the half on a 17-5 run to build a 10-point lead.
Brunson Joins Knicks Legends: After struggling in the 1st half (5 pts, 2-13 FG), Brunson finished with 31 points – his 7th 30+ point game of the Playoffs – becoming the 5th Knick to score 400+ pts in a single postseason (404 and counting).
Eyes On Hart: Josh Hart played through discomfort for 31 minutes before exiting for good with abdominal soreness in the 4th quarter.

For the 8th time ever and the first time in 29 years, the Knicks will host a Game 7 at Madison Square Garden.
And for the 3rd straight time, it will be against the Pacers.
🗣️ Knicks Coach Tom Thibodeau on Game 7: “This is the nature of the playoffs… this is what you play for… if you love competition, this is it.”

After splitting their first two Game 7s in 1994 and 1995, respectively, the long-awaited rubber match goes down on Sunday.
Let’s rewind to the mid 90s and relive two epic series finales that solidified Knicks-Pacers as a classic NBA rivalry.
1994 East Finals: Ewing did it all (24 pts, 22 reb, 7ast, 5 blk) – including a putback dunk to put NY up for good with 27 seconds left – in a 94-90 win to reach the Finals for the first time in 21 years.
1995 East Semifinals: Reggie Miller led the Pacers with 29 points and three 3s, while Rik Smits added 19 as Indy held on for a 97-95 win.

Knicks Game 7 History: Sunday’s game will be the eighth Game 7 for the Knicks at MSG (they are 5-2 in their previous seven) and 16th overall Game 7.
Pacers Game 7 History: Sunday will be the 10th Game 7 in Pacers’ NBA history and their ninth to come on the road.

Eyes On The Prize: When the Mavs try to close out the Thunder in Game 6 tonight (8 ET, ABC), they’ll have two of the game’s elite closeout performers on their side.
On May 3 in Dallas, Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic combined for 58 points as they won their first playoff series as teammates – closing out the LA Clippers in six games.

A win would make Kyrie 14-0 in series-clinching games – extending his own NBA record for best-win percentage in closeout games.

A win would give Luka four straight closeout wins, increase his record to 4-2 all-time, and give him a chance to add to his already historic stats in clinching games.
Top 4 Scorer: Luka’s 32.4 ppg ranks 4th among all players that have played in at least five clinching games.
Top 4 Playmaker: Luka’s 10 apg ties him with Oscar Robertson for 3rd among all players that have played in at least five clinching games.
One Of One: Luka is the only name that appears on both lists as his combination of scoring, playmaking and rebounding in series-clinching games is unmatched.

Proving Point: Tonight, a team that’s made a habit of exceeding expectations all season long faces its toughest test – a win-or-go-home Game 6 in Dallas (8 ET, ABC) against two of the best closers in the game.
Now, to keep their season alive, OKC will have to solve a Dallas defense that’s swarmed – and subdued – one of the NBA’s top offenses.

Staying The Course: A team that’s defied the odds since October – and one that’s no stranger to rallying, after leading the league in double-digit comebacks – has preached poise heading into Saturday.

Hey, Coach Malone, what are the two greatest words in sports?
“Game 7.”
When? Sunday, May 19 (8 ET, TNT).
Where? Denver (Ball Arena).
For What? A trip to the Western Conference Finals.
This heavyweight series between two of the best in the West has been a rollercoaster ride with ups and downs for both sides, and it all reaches a peak on Sunday.
Despite running the table last year, the Nuggets haven’t played in a Game 7 since 2020.

Meanwhile, the Wolves have only played in one Game 7. Ever.
The date? May 19, 2004 — exactly 20 years from Sunday.
🗣️ Anthony Edwards: “I’m super pumped for it. I’m super happy. I’m ready to play.”
🗣️ Jokic: “It can go one way or another. I think that’s why the series is interesting…they blow us out… we blow them out… hopefully, we blow them out Sunday,” he said with a laugh.
Indiana takes a page from New York's book by setting a physical tone for an emphatic Game 6 victory.
Here's what you need to know before the win-or-go-home showdown in the Western Conference semifinals.
Minnesota doesn't wait around, Karl-Anthony Towns avoids foul trouble and, now, a win-or-go-home Game 7 awaits.
The 2024 NBA Playoffs Presented by Google Pixel concluded with the Boston Celtics winning their 18th championship.
Indiana takes a page from New York's book by setting a physical tone for an emphatic Game 6 victory.
Here's what you need to know before the win-or-go-home showdown in the Western Conference semifinals.
Minnesota doesn't wait around, Karl-Anthony Towns avoids foul trouble and, now, a win-or-go-home Game 7 awaits.
The 2024 NBA Playoffs Presented by Google Pixel concluded with the Boston Celtics winning their 18th championship.
GG Jackson II continues leveling up, Colby Jones carves up the Jazz & rookie bigs stuff the stat sheet in Summer League play.
Neemias Queta rocks the rim while scoring a game-high 22 points, along with 8 rebounds & 3 blocks at the NBA 2K25 Summer League.
Kings guard Colby Jones carves up the Jazz, scoring a game-high 25 points (10-21 FGs) at the NBA 2K25 Summer League.
No. 7 overall pick Donovan Clingan continues stuffing the score lines, posting 8 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks.
GG Jackson II and Scotty Pippen Jr. show out for the Grizzlies in a wire-to-wire victory at the NBA 2K25 Summer League.
Heat rookie Kel'el Ware racks up a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double as Miami rolls at the NBA 2K25 Summer League.

source