NBA Recap: Celtics, Cavs Take 2-0 Leads, Rockets Even Series

The Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers took 2-0 leads in their respective series, while the Houston Rockets evened their series against the Golden State Warriors.

The Boston Celtics proved their toughness in the absence of Jayson Tatum, who missed his first career playoff game due to a bruised right wrist bone. Jaylen Brown stepped up, scoring 36 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out 5 assists, leading the Celtics to a 109-100 victory over the Orlando Magic. This win puts Boston ahead 2-0 in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Guarded our yard 💪#DifferentHere pic.twitter.com/MfJVmtaXP1

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 24, 2025

Kristaps Porzingis also played a crucial role, scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds despite battling through a forehead gash that required stitches. The Celtics' dominant performance showcases their depth and determination, sending a message to their rivals that they're ready for physical play. “We're not going to be pushed around,” Porzingis said, emphasizing the team's playoff mentality.

In other games, the Cleveland Cavaliers took a 2-0 lead in their series against the Miami Heat, winning 121-112 behind 30 points from Donovan Mitchell, including 17 in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets evened their series against the Golden State Warriors 1-1 with a 109-94 win, thanks to Jalen Green's 38-point explosion. The Warriors suffered a setback when Jimmy Butler exited the game with a pelvic contusion.

Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis played through a bloody forehead gash to score 20 points and grab 10 rebounds, matching Jaylen Brown and Al Horford. Porzingis suffered the injury in a rebound battle with Orlando's Goga Bitadze, requiring five stitches.

“It was a tough, physical game. Nothing easy on either side. Every rebound is a war and it's probably going to be that way for the rest of the series,” Porzingis said. He added, “We're going to be us. We're not going to let anybody punk us,” emphasizing the Celtics' readiness to respond to physical play from their opponents.

Kristaps Porzingis said the Celtics anticipate physical play from opponents and are prepared to respond aggressively. “We expect teams to be doing this kind of stuff, to get in our heads, try to provoke us, get some reaction out of us,” Porzingis said. “We weren't surprised but we're just not going to take it. We're going to hit them right back.”

In other games, the Cleveland Cavaliers took a 2-0 lead in their series against Miami with a 121-112 win, led by Donovan Mitchell's 30 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets evened their series against Golden State 1-1 with a 109-94 win, behind Jalen Green's 38 points.

The Golden State Warriors suffered a setback when Jimmy Butler exited the game with a pelvic contusion after a hard foul by Houston's Amen Thompson. An MRI will determine the extent of the injury. Meanwhile, Alperen Sengun contributed 17 points and 16 rebounds for the Rockets, while Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 20 points.

Kristaps Porzingis endured a bloody forehead gash during the game but returned to play after receiving stitches. “This one was just a quick flash, a quick cut, but I saw the amount of blood as soon as I looked at my hand so I knew it was going to be some stitches for sure,” Porzingis said, likening the physicality to pro wrestling. Despite the injury, Porzingis played on, showcasing his toughness and determination.

Kristaps Porzingis embraced the physicality of the game, saying, “I love my 'WWE' moments for sure. It just happens in the game. I knew getting hit again, blood again, crowd was going to go with it. It's cool. It was fine.” The Celtics maintained their lead throughout the fourth quarter, with Boston up 81-71 entering the final period. They held on for a 109-100 win.

Porzingis acknowledged areas for improvement, stating, “We didn't play up to our level. I expect us to be better going forward.” Jaylen Brown credited the team's talent and aggression for their success, saying, “We've got a lot of talent so it just comes down to being ready. We came out and were aggressive.”

CAVS WIN!@KayJewelers | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/5fSkkXCBvp

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) April 24, 2025

Tensions flared between the teams, with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope involved in two incidents, including tripping over Al Horford in the second quarter. Both players were restrained to prevent the situation from escalating further.

Cleveland Cavaliers Outlast Miami Heat 121-112

The Cleveland Cavaliers outlasted the Miami Heat 121-112, with Donovan Mitchell scoring 17 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter. The Heat trailed 53-34 in the second quarter but mounted a strong comeback, pulling within 101-99 with 4:25 remaining. However, Mitchell took over, hitting crucial shots to seal the win.

“I was just trying to find my rhythm,” Mitchell said. “My job is just to lead every single night in any way possible. Tonight it was go score.” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson praised Mitchell's performance, saying, “It was one of those 'superstar takes over game' situations. He hit some big-time shots.” Darius Garland added 21 points and Evan Mobley scored 20 for Cleveland, while Tyler Herro led Miami with 33 points in a losing effort.