Yardbarker
x
Four stars from Tuesday's NBA playoff games
Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) dunks in the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks during Game 5 of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Four stars from Tuesday's NBA playoff games

Two teams advanced to the second round, one team saved their season and another shot the lights out. Here are four stars from a very busy night of NBA playoff basketball.

Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson | 22 points, seven rebounds, two blocks

When the Detroit Pistons had their backs against the wall down 3-1 in their first-round series, 22-year-old Ausar Thompson came through with 22 points. He shot 8-for-10 from the field, grabbed seven rebounds and blocked two shots in a strong defensive effort from the whole Pistons team.

Plus he dunked. A lot.

On a night where the Pistons went 8-for-29 from three-point range, the easy points they got from Thompson were crucial in their 106-103 win over the New York Knicks.

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum | 35 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds

Jayson Tatum didn't shoot like a player coming back from an injured shooting hand in the Boston Celtics' 120-89 win over the Orlando Magic. He was 4-for-5 on three-pointers, 11-for-11 on free throws and 10-for-16 overall on his way to 35 points.

Not only did Tatum lead all players in scoring Tuesday night, he led the Celtics in assists and rebounds and spearheaded a Celtics defense that held Orlando to only 13 points in the third quarter. Maybe all he needed was a few days off before returning to MVP form.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo | 30 points, 20 rebounds, 13 assists

The Milwaukee Bucks lost another first-round series when the Indiana Pacers beat them, 119-118, in overtime, but it's hard to imagine what more Antetokounmpo could have done on Tuesday night. He put up a triple-double with 20 rebounds, found teammates for 13 assists and added two blocks and two steals.

For the series, Antetokounmpo averaged 33 points, 15.4 rebounds and six assists, while shooting over 60% and committing just 2.4 fouls per game. It's a shame he's out of the playoffs already, though he didn't need to take out his frustrations on Bennedict Mathurin and Tyrese Haliburton's father.

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray | 43 points, seven assists, three steals

Tied 2-2 in their first-round series with the Los Angeles Clippers, the Denver Nuggets desperately needed points from someone other than Nikola Jokic. Tuesday night, Jamal Murray came through with the kind of shooting night he's become famous for in the playoffs.

Murray scored 43 points with eight three-pointers, shooting 17-for-26 overall. That means Murray cracked 40 points with the benefit of only a single free throw. Counting points scored on his assists, Murray was involved in 59 of Denver's 131 points in their 131-115 win over the Clippers, giving it a 3-2 series lead.

Jokic had a quiet (for him) triple-double, with 13 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. Murray's big night — and Russell Westbrook's 21 bench points — meant that for one night, the Nuggets didn't need their big man to do it all. 

Sean Keane

Sean Keane is a sportswriter and a comedian based in Oakland, California, with experience covering the NBA, MLB, NFL and Ice Cube’s three-on-three basketball league, The Big 3. He’s written for Comedy Central’s “Another Period,” ESPN the Magazine, and Audible. com

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!