NBA playoffs: Sixers stay alive; Wagner's layup blocked in Magic loss

New York — Tyrese Maxey saved Philadelphia from elimination with seven points in the final 25 seconds of regulation, finished with 46 and led the 76ers to a 112-106 overtime victory over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night in Game 5 of their first-round series.

The 76ers trailed by six points with 28 seconds left in regulation before Maxey pulled out a comeback that evoked memories of Reggie Miller's eight points in nine seconds for Indiana at Madison Square Garden in 1995.

The All-Star guard converted a four-point play with 25 seconds remaining to cut it to two, and after Josh Hart's free throw, pulled up from 35 feet to tie it at 97 with 8.1 seconds left in front of a stunned crowd that was set to celebrate the Knicks' second straight trip to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Joel Embiid finished with 19 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists for the 76ers, who will host Game 6 on Thursday night.

Jalen Brunson scored 40 points for the Knicks, who were thinking about a possible Game 1 of the second round at MSG on Saturday night. Instead, it could be Game 7 of this series, which seemed all but over.

(At) Cleveland 104, Orlando 103: Donovan Mitchell scored 28 points, Evan Mobley blocked Franz Wagner’s layup in the final seconds and Cleveland survived a scare from Orlando, holding off Paolo Banchero and the Magic to take a 3-2 lead in their Eastern Conference series.

The Cavs, who were embarrassed by the Magic while dropping two games in Orlando last week, regrouped inside roaring Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

After Mitchell missed a jumper with 15.7 seconds left, Wagner (Michigan) drove the left side for a potential game-tying layup but was denied at the rim with 6 seconds left by Mobley, who smacked the ball off the backboard.

Mitchell was fouled and made two free throws with 3.2 seconds remaining to make 104-100. There wasn’t enough time for the Magic, who got a 3-pointer in the final second from Banchero, giving him 39 points.

(At) Milwaukee 115, Indiana 92: Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis each scored 29 points and short-handed Milwaukee kept their season alive by routing Indiana in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.

Portis had the highest point total of his playoff career and added 10 rebounds to make amends two nights after he got ejected from a Game 4 loss. Middleton had his third straight game with at least 25 points, and he also contributed 12 rebounds and five assists.

The Pacers still lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 heading into Game 6 on Thursday in Indianapolis. The Pacers are trying to advance beyond the opening round for the first time since 2014.

Ex-Piston Bogdanovic out for season

New York — Former Pistons swingman Bojan Bogdanovic will have surgery on his left foot and miss the rest of the playoffs.

Bogdanovic, who had played well off the bench to help the Knicks take a 3-1 lead over the Philadelphia 76ers, was hurt in Game 4 on Sunday when Nicolas Batum fell on his leg while they chased a loose ball.

“It’s unfortunate. I thought he was really playing well for us,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Injuries are part of the game. Great guy. Great worker. Just unfortunate.”

The Knicks didn't specify the nature of the injury Tuesday — Thibodeau said he didn't even know all the details himself — or when Bogdanovic would have surgery. They said he would be evaluated again in three months.

The veteran from Croatia was acquired from Detroit in February at the trade deadline. He had 13 points in Game 1, with the Knicks outscoring the 76ers by 27 points while he was in the game.

Bogdanovic joins All-Star forward Julius Randle (shoulder surgery) in being lost for the season. OG Anunoby (elbow) and Mitchell Robinson (ankle) both had surgery during the season but were able to return.

“You hate to see anyone get hurt, but it’s been our reality all season: Julius being out, Mitch being out, OG being out, Isaiah (Hartenstein) being out,” Thibodeau said. “Next guy get in there and get the job done – that’s what we have to do.”

Antetokounmpo, Lillard out for Game 5

Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard were unavailable again as the Bucks attempted to keep their season alive in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference first-round series with the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night.

Antetokounmpo is dealing with a strained left calf that has kept him out for the entire series. Lillard injured his Achilles tendon during the Bucks’ 121-118 Game 3 loss on Friday.

Bucks coach Doc Rivers said before Tuesday's game that Antetokounmpo had done some shooting earlier in the day and that Lillard hadn't done anything. Both players had been listed as doubtful on the injury report leading up to Tuesday’s game.

The Bucks headed into Tuesday's game trailing the best-of-seven series 3-1. Indiana was seeking to clinch its first playoff series victory since 2014, while Milwaukee was trying to avoid a second straight first-round exit.

Antetokounmpo hasn’t played since straining his left calf in an April 9 victory over the Boston Celtics. The two-time MVP was struggling to run up the court in the third quarter of that game when he grabbed his left calf and took a seat on the floor before eventually heading to the locker room. An MRI revealed the muscle strain.

Lillard twisted his left knee in the first quarter of Game 3, went to the locker room and returned to the game, then hurt his Achilles late in the fourth quarter. He didn't play in the Bucks' 126-113 Game 4 loss on Sunday.

The Bucks did have forward Khris Middleton and guard Patrick Beverley available for Tuesday's game. Both players were listed as probable on the injury report, as Middleton has a sprained right ankle and Beverley has a strained right oblique.

Cavaliers center Allen sidelined

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen is not playing in Tuesday night's pivotal Game 5 against the Orlando Magic because of a bruised rib.

Allen, who has arguably been the Cavs' best player to this point in a deadlocked Eastern Conference series, took an elbow in the ribs during the second half of Saturday's 23-point loss in Game 4 at Orlando.

He's officially listed as active, but will not dress.

Allen's averaging 17.0 points and 13.8 rebounds and shooting a league-best 67.6% from the field in the playoffs. He had a team-high 21 points and nine rebounds in Cleveland's 112-89 loss in Game 4 as the Magic tied the series 2-2.

With Allen unavailable, Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff is going with a smaller lineup and starting Isaac Okoro.

Cleveland needs as much muscle as it can get against the bigger and more physical Magic, who dominated the Cavs on the boards in winning Games 3 and 4 by a combined 61 points.

Allen was widely criticized following Cleveland's first-round exit to the New York Knicks last year. The affable Allen made headlines by saying the “lights were too bright” for him and his teammates.

But he's been solid all season for the Cavs, who endured numerous injuries but stayed among the East's top teams.

“He’s been the guy who when we’re at our best, is having a quiet impact,” Bickerstaff said before Game 4. “A lot of times people don’t call out his number, they don’t talk about his defensive abilities, but he’s the kind of the quiet glue that helps us all be better, and he’s got that type of presence on both ends of the floor.”

Allen grabbed 20 rebounds in Game 2.

Leonard ruled out for Clippers

Kawhi Leonard will miss Game 5 of the Los Angeles Clippers' tight first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night due to right knee inflammation.

Leonard was ruled out by Clippers coach Tyronn Lue on Tuesday. The six-time All-Star will sit out for the third time in the series' five games.

Leonard missed Game 1 and Game 4 of the series after missing the final eight games of the regular season with right knee pain. Leonard returned to play in the second and third games of the series, but managed just 24 points in the two games while failing to make a 3-pointer and generally not looking sharp.

Surprisingly, the Clippers won both of the games that Leonard missed, while Dallas won both of the games in which Leonard played.

Leonard averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists this season while playing in 68 games, his most since the 2016-17 season with San Antonio. Injuries have repeatedly slowed Leonard in the second half of his NBA career, and he has never played a full healthy season since joining the Clippers in 2019.

He missed the entire 2021-22 season after injuring his right knee during the 2021 playoffs and requiring major surgery. The Clippers advanced to their only Western Conference finals in franchise history that spring, but Leonard missed the entire season.

Mavericks-Clippers set for pivotal Game 5

The Los Angeles Clippers and the Dallas Mavericks are all tied up after four games in a series that's been a back-and-forth thriller with big finishes, surprising twists and an intriguingly counterintuitive narrative.

The Boston Celtics know they should really try to finish off the Miami Heat before their own series edges toward classic status as well.

Two big Game 5s loom on the NBA calendar Wednesday night as the opening round of the postseason reaches its final days.

Top-seeded Boston has its first chance to eliminate defending conference champion Miami at TD Garden. A win would give the Celtics valuable rest time before the second round and eliminate the chance for the Heat to do what the Celtics did to them last year by stretching their Eastern Conference finals matchup out to seven exhausting games after Miami had taken a 3-0 lead.

The Clippers are at home in the doubleheader’s nightcap, hosting the Mavs in the next chapter of a tremendously entertaining series. Los Angeles evened it in Game 4 on Sunday with a 116-111 win at Dallas despite playing without Kawhi Leonard and blowing a 31-point lead.

Leonard is out again for Game 5 with right knee inflammation, but James Harden and Paul George have been good enough to win without their two-time NBA champion teammate.

“I think we've seen the blueprint, what it's going to take in order to beat this team,” Harden said. “For us, it's just watching film, getting better and finding ways to do it consistently throughout a four-quarter game. Easier said than done. But for us, it's just we can't have any wasted possessions, because this team is so gifted offensively, they can make you pay for it.”

Dallas' best player is also struggling on an injured right knee: Luka Doncic missed eight of his nine 3-point attempts in Game 4, making the Mavs' comeback even more remarkable.

Leonard missed the final eight games of the regular season and Game 1 against Dallas. He returned for the next two games of the series, but sat out Game 4.

The star's absence has affected the Clippers, but not in the way you might expect: They've beaten Dallas in both of the games Leonard missed, and they've lost both games in which he played.

Eastern Conference

Milwaukee vs. Indiana

(Indiana leads 3-2)

▶ Game 1: Milwaukee 109-94

▶ Game 2: Indiana 125-108

▶ Game 3: Indiana 121-118 (OT)

▶ Game 4: Indiana 126-113

▶ Game 5: Milwaukee 115-92

▶ Game 6: Thursday @ Indiana, TBA

▶ Game 7: Saturday @ Milwaukee, TBA

Boston vs. Miami

(Celtics lead 3-1)

▶ Game 1: Boston 114, Miami 94

▶ Game 2: Miami 111, Boston 101

▶ Game 3: Boston 104, Miami 84

▶ Game 4: Boston 102, Miami 88

▶ Game 5: Wednesday @ Boston, TBA

▶ Game 6: Friday @ Miami, TBA

▶ Game 7: Sunday @ Boston, TBA

Cleveland vs. Orlando

(Cavaliers lead 3-2)

▶ Game 1: Cleveland 97, Orlando 83

▶ Game 2: Cleveland 96, Orlando 86

▶ Game 3: Orlando 121, Cleveland 83

▶ Game 4: Orlando 112, Cleveland 89

▶ Game 5: Cleveland 104, Orlando 103

▶ Game 6: Friday @ Orlando, TBA

▶ Game 7: Sunday @ Cleveland, TBA

New York vs. Philadelphia

(Knicks lead 3-2)

▶ Game 1: New York 111-104

▶ Game 2: New York 104-101

▶ Game 3: Philadelphia 125-114

▶ Game 4: New York 97-92

▶ Game 5: Philadelphia 112-106

▶ Game 6: Thursday @ Philadelphia, TBA

▶ Game 7: Saturday @ New York, TBA

Western Conference

L.A. Clippers vs. Dallas

(Series tied 2-2)

▶ Game 1: L.A. Clippers 109-97

▶ Game 2: Dallas 96-93

▶ Game 3: Dallas 101-90

▶ Game 4: L.A. Clippers 116-111

▶ Game 5: Wednesday @ L.A. Clippers, TBA

▶ Game 6: Friday @ Dallas, TBA

▶ Game 7: Sunday @ L.A. Clippers, TBA

Denver vs. L.A. Lakers

(Nuggets win 4-1)

▶ Game 1: Denver 114-103

▶ Game 2: Denver 101-99

▶ Game 3: Denver 112-105

▶ Game 4: L.A. Lakers 119-108

▶ Game 5: Denver 108-106

Oklahoma City vs. New Orleans

(Thunder wins 4-0)

▶ Game 1: Oklahoma City 94-92

▶ Game 2: Oklahoma City 124-92

▶ Game 3: Oklahoma City 106-85

▶ Game 4: Oklahomas City 97-89

Minnesota vs. Phoenix

(Timberwolves win 4-0)

▶ Game 1: Minnesota 120-95

▶ Game 2: Minnesota 105-93

▶ Game 3: Minnesota 126-109

▶ Game 4: Minnesota 122-116