Throughout the 2025 playoffs, there have been several exciting first-round matchups. That includes Pistons vs. Knicks in the East and Clippers vs. Nuggets in the West.
New York and Denver both have a 3-2 lead heading into Game 6 on Thursday night. They are each the road team and will look to close out the series in enemy territory. Can the Knicks and Nuggets win tonight to advance to the conference semi-finals?
The Knicks and Nuggets are eager to close out their respective series in Game 6
🏆 PLAYOFF BRACKET 🏆
▪️ Timberwolves advance to West Semis
▪️ Rockets force Game 6The #NBAPlayoffs presented by Google continue Thursday on TNT! pic.twitter.com/PDLU4Y1j5T
— NBA (@NBA) May 1, 2025
New York Knicks vs. Detroit Pistons
In the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs, the #3 seed Knicks are matched up vs. the #6 seed Pistons. It’s been a highly-contested series, and New York has the 3-2 lead. They are on the road Thursday night to face Detroit. New York had a chance to close out the series in Game 5 at home on Tuesday. However, the scrappy Pistons hung on for a 106-103 win. The last three games of this series have been decided by eight points total.
Despite scoring 103 points on Tuesday, it was the first time this series that the Knicks did not have a player score at least 30 points. O.G. Anunoby scored a team-high 19 points. All five starters scored at least 15 points for New York in Game 5. The Knicks have a 3-2 series lead heading into Game 6 on Thursday night. Detroit has gone toe-to-toe with the Knicks in the first-round series. New York would love to close out the series in Game 6 and end the Pistons’ season.
Denver Nuggets vs. LA Clippers
Arguably, the most entertaining series in the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs has been Clippers vs. Nuggets. Three of the five games have been decided by one possession or fewer. Denver has a 3-2 series lead heading into LA on Thursday night. The Nuggets are coming off a 131-115 win vs. the Clippers on Tuesday night. Jamal Murray had a vintage playoff performance with 43 points and eight made three-pointers. Denver is looking to advance to the conference semi-finals for the sixth time in the last seven postseasons.
In Game 5 on Tuesday, the Clippers could not match the pace at which the Nuggets were scoring. Big man Ivica Zubac led the Clippers with 27 points. On top of that, James Harden had his worst game of the series. The Clippers averaged 0.72 points per play on the 35 plays Harden was involved in. Those were both his lowest outputs this postseason. LA is at home tonight, and they’re going to need a masterful performance from Harden. Additionally, the Clippers will need Kawhi Leonard to step up his production. He scored 39 points in Game 2. That type of performance in Game 6 could help the Clippers make this a seven-game series.
