NBA Playoff Updates: Thunder Sweep Grizzlies, Cavaliers Dominate Heat

The Oklahoma City Thunder completed a 4-0 sweep over the Memphis Grizzlies, while the Cleveland Cavaliers took a commanding 3-0 lead over the Miami Heat. Get the latest NBA playoff updates.

The Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Memphis Grizzlies 117-115, completing a 4-0 sweep in their Western Conference playoff series. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 38 points, while Jalen Williams added 23 points. Despite Ja Morant's absence due to a hip contusion, the Grizzlies kept the game close, with Scotty Pippen Jr. scoring a career-high 30 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

In a parallel matchup, the Cleveland Cavaliers thrashed the Miami Heat 124-87, taking a commanding 3-0 lead in their series. The Cavaliers' bench played a crucial role, outscoring the Heat's bench 46-29 and dominating in the paint 60-30. De'Andre Hunter scored 21 points, and Jarrett Allen added 22 points for the Cavaliers, who are now on the verge of a sweep.

Scotty Pippen Jr. led the Grizzlies with 30 points, while Santi Aldama and Desmond Bane each scored 23 points. Despite a strong comeback, the Grizzlies fell short, trailing by 12 points with 3:37 left to play before closing the gap to just two points with 7.1 seconds remaining.

The game saw a dramatic shift in momentum, with the teams trading leads 15 times in the first three quarters. The Thunder took an 88-85 lead into the final period, but the Grizzlies managed to narrow the deficit to two points with 9:14 left to play. However, Oklahoma City responded with a decisive 10-2 scoring run, securing the first double-digit lead of the game.

Got it done in Round 1 ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/IpgbHPahIm

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) April 26, 2025

Without Ja Morant, the Grizzlies struggled to keep pace, ultimately unable to extend the series. Morant's absence was deeply felt, particularly in the second half, where the Grizzlies were outscored 63-31 in their previous game. The Thunder's strong performance, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, proved too much for Memphis to overcome.

The Cleveland Cavaliers dominated the Miami Heat 124-87, handing them their worst playoff defeat in franchise history. This commanding win gave the Cavaliers a 3-0 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series, putting them on the brink of a sweep.

Despite missing All-Star guard Darius Garland, the top-seeded Cavaliers performed strongly. Jarrett Allen scored 22 points, and D'Andre Hunter added 21 points off the bench. Six Cavaliers players scored in double figures, showcasing the team's depth and contributing to their convincing victory. The Heat struggled to capitalize after dropping the first two games in Cleveland, now facing a tough challenge to stay in the series.

The Miami Heat got off to a strong start, leading by nine points midway through the first quarter. However, the Cleveland Cavaliers quickly regained control, taking a 13-point lead by the end of the quarter. The Cavs' lead never dipped below double digits for the rest of the game.

Ty Jerome had a standout performance for the Cavaliers, scoring 13 points off the bench and handing out 11 assists—a playoff record for a Cavaliers reserve. Bam Adebayo led the Heat with 22 points, but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit. The Heat's 37-point margin of defeat was their worst in postseason history, surpassing a 36-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the 2013 NBA Finals.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra acknowledged the disappointing loss, saying, “Clearly a very disappointing day.” The Heat now face a daunting task to overcome a 3-0 deficit, as no NBA team has ever come back from such a deficit to win a playoff series.

CAVS WIN!@KayJewelers | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/x2Q4sej6DO

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) April 26, 2025

The Oklahoma City Thunder, who dominated the league with 68 regular-season wins, are set to face the winner of the Denver Nuggets versus Los Angeles Clippers series. The Nuggets and Clippers are currently tied 2-2, with the Nuggets taking the upper hand in Game 4.

The Nuggets secured their 2-2 series tie with a thrilling 101-99 win over the Clippers, thanks to Aaron Gordon's decisive put-back dunk at the buzzer. Nikola Jokic delivered an impressive performance, scoring 36 points, grabbing 21 rebounds, and dishing out 8 assists. Despite the Clippers' strong effort, the Nuggets' lead, which reached 22 points early in the fourth quarter, ultimately proved too much to overcome.

The Los Angeles Clippers mounted a strong comeback, led by Kawhi Leonard's 24 points and Norman Powell's 22 points. They took their first lead of the game, 97-96, on Bogdan Bogdanovic's reverse layup with 1:11 remaining.

The game ended in thrilling fashion, with Nikola Jokic scoring a basket to briefly put Denver ahead, only for Ivica Zubac to tie it with a tip-in with eight seconds left. Ultimately, Aaron Gordon sealed the win for the Nuggets with a put-back dunk at the buzzer.

The game-winning play unfolded with Nikola Jokic launching a long-range three-pointer with barely a second left, which rimmed out. Aaron Gordon grabbed the rebound and slammed the ball home, securing a thrilling 101-99 win for the Nuggets. The call required a lengthy video review to confirm Gordon had beaten the buzzer.

“It was a crazy game. That was tough!” Gordon exclaimed about the intense finish. Evan Mobley, the newly named Defensive Player of the Year, praised his team's resilience, saying, “We just came out with energy. We took the first punch and from there we just took the game over.” Mobley contributed 19 points to the Nuggets' victory.

Stephen Curry overcame a slow start to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 104-93 victory over the Houston Rockets, putting his team up 2-1 in the series. Curry finished with 36 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists.

The game was a back-and-forth battle with 18 lead changes, and the Rockets had a one-point lead with under six minutes left. However, Gary Payton II sparked a crucial run for the Warriors, scoring four straight baskets and setting up Curry for a three-pointer that gave Golden State a 95-86 lead.