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Three stars from Sunday's NBA playoffs
The second round of the NBA playoffs began Sunday in Cleveland, mere hours before the first round of the playoffs ended in Houston. The Indiana Pacers stole home-court advantage from the Cleveland Cavaliers, while the Golden State Warriors sent the second-seeded Houston Rockets out of the playoffs.
Golden State Warriors guard Buddy Hield | 33 points, 12-of -15, 9 3PM
Buddy Hield tied an NBA playoff record for Game Sevens by sinking nine three-pointers, outshooting the Houston Rockets (six threes) by himself from behind the arc in a series-winning 103-89 win. Hield was unconscious on his deep shots, including a buzzer-beating 42-footer to end the first quarter.
BUDDY FROM NEAR HALFCOURT TO END THE FIRST
— NBA (@NBA) May 5, 2025
WARRIORS LEADING BY 4 AFTER 1Q!
Game 7 on TNT pic.twitter.com/d9FYshq0id
While the Rockets were shutting down Stephen Curry early in Game 7, Hield was making everything. He finished 12-of-15 on the game and hit nine of his 11 three-point attempts in a game he will never forget. Not known for his defense or his distributing, Hield still finished with three assists, a steal and two blocks.
His nine three-pointers tied the NBA record for triples in a Game 7, a record set last year by Donte DiVincenzo. Now the Warriors are moving on to face DiVincenzo's Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round.
Golden State Warriors center Draymond Green | 16 points, six rebounds, five assists
It sounds strange to talk about Draymond Green playing a calm, impactful Game 7 when he still picked up a technical foul for shoving an opposing player after a foul. But the Defensive Player of the Year finalist had a huge game for Golden State, shooting 7-of-15 and scoring 16 points in a game where the Rockets focused their defense on Stephen Curry.
Draymond Green's got the hot hand early
— NBA (@NBA) May 5, 2025
He's got 8 of GSW's first 13 PTS in Game 7 on TNT!#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google pic.twitter.com/XX8GwwSnZY
His offense was essential in a game where Curry didn't score until the final seconds of the second quarter. Green had five assists and only a single turnover, while on defense, he had a steal and two blocks, holding Rockets All-Star Alperen Sengun to 21 points, but on 9-of-23 shooting.
Plus, zero flagrant fouls! That shouldn't be impressive, but by Green standards, it was a disciplined, gentle game.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton | 22 points, 13 assists, 3 blocks
It's tempting to give this honor to Indiana Pacers wings Andrew Nembhard (23 points, 7-of-10 shooting, +21) or Aaron Nesmith (17 points, four 3PM, eight rebounds) after the Pacers made over half their shots while beating the Cleveland Cavaliers, 121-112. But it was Tyrese Haliburton who delivered 13 assists, scored 22 points and turned the ball over only a single time.
Haliburton orchestrating on both ends
— NBA (@NBA) May 5, 2025
Gets the stop, pushes it ahead, and finds Siakam for the OPEN fastbreak layup!!
Pacers leading the Cavs in the 4Q of Game 1 on TNT. pic.twitter.com/wEuvx9TZdq
In the fourth quarter, Haliburton helped shut down a Cavaliers comeback with nine points and three assists. He also delivered two blocked shots on consecutive possessions, showing off his preternatural ability to block three-point shots. In the final 6:21, Haliburton had seven points, three assists, two blocks and some back-breaking baskets that iced the upset victory.
what a move by Tyrese Haliburton to extend the lead to 10 late in the fourth pic.twitter.com/NlWQytMJNM
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 5, 2025
The 64-18 Cavaliers are formidable, but Haliburton in the playoffs is tough for even the best NBA teams.
More must-reads:
- Pacers use balanced attack vs. Cavaliers to steal home-court advantage
- Watch: Stephen Curry goes ‘night night’ on Rockets to close out Game 7
- The '2024-25 NBA assist leaders' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
NBA Analyst Believes Former League MVP Would 'Flourish' With Knicks Amid Free Agency Rumors
The New York Knicks entered the offseason looking to make some small upgrades to their roster as they try to build of their run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Of course, the Knicks are set to bring back their core of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges next season but one area they needed to improve was their bench. That is exactly what the Knicks focused on during free agency as they signed Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele, filling two key holes in their second unit. After signing both Yabusele and Clarkson, New York still does have one more roster space open and they have been linked to many players. Rachel Nichols believes Knicks should sign Russell Westbrook Two player who have garnered the most attention from the Knicks are Ben Simmons and Russell Westbrook and NBA analyst Rachel Nichols believes that Westbrook would “flourish” in New York. “That’s a team that needs a guy like him. That actually has a slot for a guy like him. I think he would flourish in New York,” Nichols said on the Open Floor podcast. “I think New York fans would love him, and I think he would be able to fill that sort of vet energy role really well.” Nichols does make a great point about Westbrook being a solid fit in New York off the bench as the backup point guard behind Brunson. Of course, Westbrook revitalized his NBA career last season with the Denver Nuggets as he proved that he could still be a key piece both off the bench and in the starting lineup on a contending team. Last season, the former MVP averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 44.9% from the field and 32.3% from three. For the Knicks, adding Westbrook to their roster would give them another great scorer and playmaker off the bench and would allow Miles McBride to slot in as the backup shooting guard with Clarkson being a forward. By signing Westbrook, the Knicks would be able to upgrade their bench even more this offseason and with the East being weakened due to injuries, New York could be the team to beat next season in the conference.
Steelers Now Have A Surefire Solution To End Cam Heyward's Hold-In
The Pittsburgh Steelers got hit with quite a bit of interesting news on Thursday. It started when NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that veteran defensive lineman Cam Heyward was staging a hold-in, attending training camp but not fully participating as he seeks a new contract. Not long after that, kicker Chris Boswell was also reported to be interested in a new deal, adding another contract situation to the team’s growing list of concerns. As for Heyward, Steelers insider Mark Kaboly quickly suggested a possible solution that could effectively end the hold-in without requiring a full contract extension. Kaboly proposed the idea of adding incentives to Heyward’s existing deal, which would reward performance while avoiding a long-term financial commitment. He believes this compromise would allow the Steelers to show respect for Heyward’s contributions while keeping the team’s salary cap in check. Kaboly explained that the Steelers used a similar approach in 2016 with star wide receiver Antonio Brown. At the time, Brown was also seeking a new deal, and instead of offering an extension, the team added incentives to his contract to keep him satisfied for the season. The move kept Brown on the field and productive, and Kaboly believes this method could work just as well for Heyward, helping resolve the situation without complicating the team’s financial outlook. "Steelers don't restructure contracts until a year out, but Cam Heyward has 2 years remaining on his deal," Kaboly posted on his social media. "Here is the kicker and this is what I would use if I were Heyward: The Steelers worked some funny math with Antonio Brown in 2016 to get him a $4 million raise." Heyward just received a new deal ahead of the 2024 season. Now, Kaboly is pointing out that with two years remaining on his contract, the Steelers typically don’t restructure deals until there’s only one year left. However, Kaboly believes that if the team follows the same approach they used with Brown, it could help resolve Heyward’s situation. "They moved $4 million of AB's 2017 money to 2016, then tore up the contract in 2017 and made him the highest-paid WR in the NFL," Kaboly said. "AB got a $4 million raise, and the Steelers were able to keep their long-standing policy intact." Both sides could technically come out ahead with this approach. The money was going to Heyward anyway, but by advancing a portion of it to this year, he gets earlier financial recognition without requiring a full extension. Then, when the time comes to negotiate a new deal, both parties can do so in good faith, working toward a contract that makes sense for everyone involved. For now, moving some money forward would be a clear sign of appreciation for Heyward’s contributions and an acknowledgment of how the market has shifted for elite defensive linemen. It would also allow the Steelers to maintain their long-standing policy of waiting until a player enters the final year of his contract before negotiating an extension. Ultimately, it’s a short-term financial gesture that builds trust and buys time for a more permanent solution. Steelers And Cam Heyward Both Could Come Out As Winners This approach not only benefits Heyward financially in the short term but also helps preserve the relationship between the player and the organization. It shows the Steelers value his contributions and want to keep him motivated without rushing into long-term decisions prematurely. By handling things this way, the team retains flexibility in managing their salary cap and future roster moves. It also avoids the potential pitfalls of a large extension that might limit options later. For Heyward, it offers a sense of security and respect while keeping open the door for a more comprehensive agreement when the time is right.
Cardinals All-Star Addresses Future; Hints Time In St. Louis Is Ending
The St. Louis Cardinals made changes this summer but the winter is going to be even more transformational. Trading away guys like Ryan Helsley, Steven Matz, and Phil Maton certainly hurt. But, these were necessary moves with the Cardinals' chances at a playoff spot just barely hanging on for dear life. The Cardinals are one game below .500 at 57-58 right now through 115 games played as of writing ahead of their showdown with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday afternoon. Sure, the Cardinals could go on some long winning streak and change the perception around the club once again. That would be great, but right now, the odds of the club making the playoffs are slim and that's why the Cardinals traded the three relievers before they could hit the open market in free agency. Once the season ends, bigger changes are coming, though. Cardinals at crossroads that will start to be answered this winter The Cardinals used the trade deadline to move on from some of the team's players heading to free agency that didn't have no-trade clauses. The Cardinals opted against trading players under team control beyond this season and guys with no-traded clauses made it clear that they wanted to stick around, including Miles Mikolas, Sonny Gray, and Willson Contreras. Nolan Arenado also reportedly didn't expand his list of approved teams from this past offseason. Of the no-trade clause guys specifically, Gray, Contreras, and Arenado still control their destiny beyond the season. Mikolas will be a free agent and spoke about his future and noted he wants to continue pitching, but made it sound like he won't be back with Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "I want to finish strong," Mikolas said. "And I want to do my best to be a good example for the young guys. There are some young guys in here who I’ve seen from their rookie years, seen them mature and get better. Hopefully, I’ve left a little bit of an imprint on them. Show the younger guys what it’s like to go about your work – day in, day out, rain or shine. I’ll be in here tomorrow working out, busting my tail in the gym, getting my work done with the trainers, watching video, trying to get better. Bottom line: I want to finish strong and show teams that I’ve still got a lot of good baseball left in me... "I know teams look beyond that. They’ll look at everything. Teams are going to sign you after they go back and look at all of your starts and go, ‘What was the difference? Can we fix him? Can we help him? Can we do this? Can we do that?’ If my stuff is good – and the ball is coming out of my hand good – and I’m available wire to wire, that’s something. That’s something I take a lot of pride in...I’ll play as long as I can. The ball is still coming out of my hand pretty good for being almost 37. I’ll play as long as they let me." Mikolas has been with the Cardinals since 2018 and has earned two All-Star nods with the team, but his future is in question now.
Raiders Open Preseason in Seattle With An Unlikely Ending
On Thursday night, the Pete Carroll era for the Las Vegas Raiders officially kicked off as Carroll's new team traveled to the place Carroll once had roaring in the 2010s, the Seattle Seahawks. Geno Smith took to the field with the starting offense as they attempted to put the learned concepts of Chip Kelly into practice. The results: not great. Smith and the offense were in the game for one series, and they looked sharp to start with Smith hitting Tre Tucker for a first down on the very first play from scrimmage. Then the Raiders went three and out, leading to the first two issues of the night. Preseason Flow The Raiders could not stop the run all night and struggled to deal with fullback Robbie Ouzts. Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak was slicing and dicing the Raiders' defense all night with near uninterupted success on the ground paired with moderate success in the air. At least the Raiders were able to intercept Drew Lock on the Seahawks' first drive with Isaiah Pola-Mao hauling in the pick. Kyu Blu Kelly almost added a second pick but dropped the ball. Aiden O'Connell would come into the game and was under pressure all night. The backup tackles are not on the same page as the offense, with Charles Grant struggling to hold up against the Seattle attack. O'Connell went on to throw two inexcusable interceptions in the first half. Seattle's George Holani took over in the first half, running for 61 yards and a touchdown on seven carries. Alex Bachman was O'Connell's most reliable target, making two catches for 36 yards on four total targets. Collin Johnson kept getting targeted but they could not link up with Johnson catching two passes for 17 yards off five targets. The Raiders trailed 16-3 at halftime. That's when we started to see the Pete Carroll effect. Coming out of halftime, O'Connell looked confident while fittingly, it was New Hampshire's Dylan Laube that opened up Kelly's offense. After forcing a Seattle punt, the Raiders scored a touchdown when O'Connell hit Laube for a six-yard touchdown. On the drive, O'Connell went 5/5 passing. The Raiders defense started to lock in, forcing a three-and-out, with the offense scoring a field goal off a 15-play drive. 16-13 Seahawks. However, the Raiders defense started to break, allowing the Seahawks to run the football seven times on a nine play, 65 yard drive for a touchdown. At this point, we were in the fourth quarter and rookie QB Cam Miller got his shot and he came out hot. Making it clear he can make platform throws, he hit Shedrick Jackson for a 41-yard score, placing the ball perfectly in between the corner and safety. 23-20 Seahawks. A heroic effort from a tired defense on 4th and one on the Seattle 45, with the defense staying disciplined against Jalen Milroe, forced a turnover on downs, resulting in Miller leading the Raiders to a game-tying field goal with 1:12 left in the game. Milroe had his shot to lead the Seahawks downfield, but after throwing for first down on the first play of the drive, Milroe threw two incompletions before being sacked by Treven Ma'ae. Cam Miller would get his shot to lead the Raiders downfield for the win. Ball at the Las Vegas' 32-yard line. 25 seconds left. The world was on his shoulders and yet, Miller was firing the Raiders towards victory. A 20-yard pass to Jackson put the Raiders into Seattle's territory. Miller would hit Jackson again for four more yards to set up a 55-yard field goal attempt for Daniel Carlson with five seconds left. This was the Raiders' moment. Despite all the mistakes, all the errors, all the issues, somehow the Raiders were in position to win. This was Carroll's moment. To once again snatch win from the jaws of defeat, this time against the team that thought they didn't need him anymore. This was the Raiders' moment, and then the kick was blocked. The game ends in a tie. 23-23. There were ups, there were downs. Now the Raiders fly home with a feeling of what just happened? If there's three lessons the Raiders need to learn, it's these. They need to stop the run. The Seahawks had 170 rushing yards on the night. We all need to see more of Cam Miller. The Raiders have no idea who should fill out their wide receiver room but Bachman and Jackson made strong cases. Such an odd evening. Welcome to the Pete Carroll era. Let's see how the Raiders respond. Join us on X (formerly Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and Instagram @HondoSr so you never miss another story on the Raiders in 2025! We invite you to interact with us when you check out our Facebook page, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE right this second!
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