Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) and Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) during overtime against the LA Clippers at Ball Arena. Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Three stars from Friday's NBA playoff games

By Andrew Wright | Last updated May 10, 2025 1:26 AM ET

The NBA playoff schedule picked back up on Friday with two games after just one game on Thursday. After a blowout win for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the night's opening game, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets provided one of the best games of the playoffs.

Here are three stars from Friday's two games.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell | 43 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists

Down 2-0 in the series and their backs against the wall, the Cavs needed a huge performance from someone. Mitchell stepped up and delivered it in Cleveland's 126-104 Game 3 win.

After scoring 48 points in a one-point loss in Game 2, Mitchell scored 43 points on 14-of-29 (5-of-13 3PT) from the field.

It is the fifth time in seven postseason games that Mitchell has scored 30-plus points and the seventh time in his career that he's scored 40-plus in a playoff game.

Donovan Mitchell was UNSTOPPABLE in the @cavs Game 3 road win!

️ 43 points
️ 9 rebounds
️ 5 assists
️ 5 threes

Cleveland looks to tie the series Sunday at 8:00pm/et on TNT pic.twitter.com/lNvsm2iVj9
— NBA (@NBA) May 10, 2025

Oklahoma City Thunder shooting guard Jalen Williams | 32 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists

On a night that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did not have his best stuff, Williams stepped up and helped Oklahoma City get ever-so-close to securing a road win in Denver. The Thunder ultimately lost 113-104 in Game 3.

He was an efficient 11-of-21 (3-of-7 3PT) from the field, and his 32 points were a playoff career-high.

He looked like Oklahoma City's best player for most of the second half, and if he continues to play at the level he did on Friday, the Thunder have a magnificent chance at securing a championship.

JALEN WILLIAMS HUGE THREE

30-piece and counting pic.twitter.com/OmLg94ac4P
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 10, 2025

Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray| 27 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals

It was tough to decide between Murray and Aaron Gordon, who hit a clutch three-pointer that eventually led the game to overtime.

Murray's performance in the overtime period gave him the edge, and he looked like the dominant postseason player we've seen him turn into in previous seasons.

His 27 points were the second most in the playoffs this season and a touch above his career playoff average of 23.9 points per game.

JAMAL MURRAY, WOW!

DENVER IS BOOMIN' IN OVERTIME ️ pic.twitter.com/xkJcci3i5y
— ESPN (@espn) May 10, 2025

Andrew Wright

Andrew "Dew" Wright graduated from Charleston Southern University with a degree in Communication Studies. He is a lifelong Chicago Cubs and Washington Commanders fan.

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