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NBA playoffs 2024: Conference semifinals news, schedule, scores and highlights

Here's what you need to know about the conference semifinals, including the latest scores, news and schedules.

Matt Waldron strikes out 10 as Padres silence Braves' bats in 3-1 win

— Matt Waldron struck out a career-high 10 and the San Diego Padres bounced back after being swept in their last series, beating the Atlanta Braves 3-1 on Friday night.

Nootbaar, Winn hit 2-run homers, Cardinals drop Red Sox below .500 with 10-6 win

— Lars Nootbaar and Masyn Winn hit two-run homers, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat Boston 10-6 on Friday night to drop the Red Sox below .500 for the first time since the season’s opening week.

Hotel fire alarm a good omen as Panthers oust B's

"In my career, the number of times that something got messed up at the hotel ... it's like a guaranteed win," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said after a 2-1 victory over Boston earned Florida a spot in the Eastern Conference finals.

Meyers, Peña homer as Astros beat Brewers 5-4 for season-high sixth straight win

— Jake Meyers hit a two-run homer and Jeremy Peña’s three-run shot in the fifth inning gave the Houston Astros a 5-4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night to extend their season-long winning streak to six games.

The NBA playoffs' conference semifinals roll on. One team has advanced, but there's still plenty at stake in the other matchups. 

The No. 1 seed Boston Celtics are on their way to the Eastern Conference finals after eliminating the No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers in five games. They now await the winners of the other East series between the No. 2 seed New York Knicks and the No. 6 seed Indiana Pacers.

In the West, the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder take on the No. 5 seed Dallas Mavericks. The other West clash pits the No. 2 seed and defending NBA Finals champion Denver Nuggets against the No. 3 seed Minnesota Timberwolves.

Each team must win their 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 home court 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: First-round news and scores |   Offseason guides

EASTERN CONFERENCE

  

Boston Celtics (1) eliminate the Cleveland Cavaliers (4), 4-1

Game 1: Celtics 120, Cavaliers 95 Game 2: Cavaliers 118, Celtics 94 Game 3: Celtics 106, Cavaliers 93 Game 4: Celtics 109, Cavaliers 102 Game 5: Celtics 113, Cavaliers 98 

Sources: Celtics' Kristaps Porzingis expected out for start of ECF Celtics fend off Cavs, return to Eastern Conference finals Bickerstaff's Cavs future in question after Game 5 loss; Mitchell, too Sources: Celtics assistant Charles Lee to become Hornets coach Marks: What the eliminated Cavaliers need to do this offseason

 

New York Knicks (2) tied with the Indiana Pacers (6), 3-3

Game 1: Knicks 121, Pacers 117 Game 2: Knicks 130, Pacers 121 Game 3: Pacers 111, Knicks 106 Game 4: Pacers 121, Knicks 89 Game 5: Knicks 121, Pacers 91 Game 6: Pacers 116, Knicks 103 Game 7: Sunday, May 19 at New York (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)

Pacers force Game 7 after blowout win over Knicks Borden: Behind the 'Go NY Go' song pumping up the Knicks' Garden Kweon: The will and weariness of Thibodeau and his Knicks squad Windhorst: The growing Tyrese Haliburton-Jalen Brunson rivalry

WESTERN CONFERENCE

  

Dallas Mavericks (5) lead the Oklahoma City Thunder (1), 3-2

Game 1: Thunder 117, Mavericks 95 Game 2: Mavericks 119, Thunder 110 Game 3: Mavericks 105, Thunder 101 Game 4: Thunder 100, Mavericks 96 Game 5: Mavericks 104, Thunder 92 Game 6: Saturday, May 18 at Dallas (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC) Game 7 (if necessary): Monday, May 20 at Oklahoma City (8:30 p.m. ET, TNT)

Luka Doncic focuses on game, not refs, as Mavs take Game 5 Lowe: How Mavericks' surprisingly good defense is befuddling the Thunder MacMahon: Kyrie is still standing in a postseason dominated by young stars Shelburne: How Chet Holmgren became a perfect fit in OKC's budding dynasty Pelton: Why OKC's championship window is wide open for years to come

 

Denver Nuggets (2) tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves (3), 3-3

Game 1: Timberwolves 106, Nuggets 99 Game 2: Timberwolves 106, Nuggets 80 Game 3: Nuggets 117, Timberwolves 90 Game 4: Nuggets 115, Timberwolves 107 Game 5: Nuggets 112, Timberwolves 97 Game 6: Timberwolves 115, Nuggets 70 Game 7: Sunday, May 19 at Denver (8 p.m. ET, TNT)

Timberwolves hammer Nuggets by 45 to set up Game 7 Nuggets' Jamal Murray hopeful elbow feels better by Game 7 McMenamin/Williams: The 'wild' chess match between Nuggets, Timberwolves Lopez: How Nickeil Alexander-Walker became an X-factor for the Timberwolves Holmes: The forgotten Serbian legend who paved the way for Jokic and other stars