NEW YORK (AP) - The Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers are on the verge of a second round of play, and it seems to be forming soon at the Eastern Conference.
On Tuesday night, there was nothing to decide in the only game in the West, the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Clippers might still be out of the way, too close when they played Game 5.
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The Celtics, Knicks and Pacers will take a 3-1 lead with Sunday's victory. In NBA history, the team did not advance with just 13 leads, so all three teams are in the semi-finals for the second consecutive year.
The defending champion Celtics second-place and third-seeded Knicks will hold their first playoff meeting between long-term rivals since 2013. Boston needs to beat Orlando again, while New York can end Detroit in Detroit, with a 94-93 victory in Game 4, after officials said they made some fouls among officials, who missed a handful of racing fouls.
The fourth seed walker can eliminate Milwaukee for the second consecutive year without Damian Lillard. Cleveland is the top seed trying to finish a big seat in Miami on Monday.
"Everyone in the locker room knows what the deal is. We have to go into Indiana and play some good basketball," said Giannis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee. "Obviously we don't have a wife. But the next guy has to step up. We have to do what we have to do. Move the ball, play together, try to win the game and come back."
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On the other hand, the Nuggets and the Clippers may fall on the wires.
They definitely did it on Saturday, when Aaron Gordon's Nikola Jokic's dunk missed the buzzer's shooting and tied for the series 2-2. The Clippers easily won the third game, but the other three games are determined by three-pointers or less.
So Gordon and the Nuggets didn't celebrate too long after that victory.
"It's 2-2 now," teammate Michael Porter Jr. said. "A big win. We can go home, but stay away from the end."
Orlando Magic of the Boston Celtics
When/Where to watch: Issue 5, 8:30 PM, Eastern Time (NBA TV)
Series: Leadership of the Celtics, 3-1.
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Betmgm says: Celtics 12.5
What to know: Boston easily took two games at home before it gotten harder in Orlando, where the Magic won Game 3 and took the Celtics deep into Game 4 before falling to 107-98. Jayson Tatum scored 36 and 37 points in the last two times after missing a wrist injury. The Celtics will not have starting guard Jrue Holiday's third straight game with a tight right hamstring. Orlando's Paolo Banchero scored 25 points or more in seven straight playoff games, tied with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Kobe Bryant for the longest winning streak for under-23.
Detroit Pistons in New York Knicks
When/Where to watch: Issue 5, 7:30 PM, Eastern Time (TNT)
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Series: Knicks lead, 3-1.
Betmgm says: Knicks (5.5)
What to know: Last year, the Knicks failed to finish the series in the same situation, losing overtime to the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 5 and forcing them to win the series on the way. The Pistons calculated their victory in Game 2 of the series with a 3-1 score in Madison Square Garden this season, when Karl-Anthony Towns scored just 10 points. However, the Knicks scored the All-Star Center in Detroit, with an average of 29 points in two wins for the Knicks. Jalen Brunson scored 12 points or more in the fourth quarter of all four games and averaged 33.3 in the series, second only to Antetokounmpo's 33.8 season.
Milwaukee Bucks in Indiana Pacers
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When/Where to watch: Game 5, Eastern Time (NBA TV)
Series: Pacers lead 3-1
Betmgm Sportsbook: Pacers 7½
What you know: After winning 4-2 last year, the Pacers hope to eliminate Milwaukee for the second straight season. The Bucks lost eight playoff games, with the last five in Indiana. Milwaukee had to reunite without seven All-Star Lillard, who received court help midway through the first quarter of Game 4 of Milwaukee on Sunday. With or without Lillard, the Bucks have been unable to slow down in the Indiana series. Each of Indiana’s three series champions scored at least 115 points, shooting 60.2% from the field in Game 4, with the eight Pacers scoring in doubles. In this series, six Pacers scored at least 12 points in each game, including Pascal Siakam's 22.3 points. Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton averaged 12.3 assists in the series, with 15 Sunday. Antetokounmpo scored 33.8 points, 14.3 rebounds and 5 assists per game in the series, but he didn't get enough help. Lillard's injury could mean a bigger role for Kevin Porter Jr., who scored 23 points and 6 assists on the bench on Sunday.
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Denver Nuggets' Los Angeles Clippers
When/Where to watch: Issue 5, 10 pm ET (TNT)
Series: Bundle 2-2
Betmgm says: Clippers are 1.5
It's important to know: The Clippers lost one less in the series than they did when they finished the regular season in more than a month, i.e. they ended with a 18-3 record. After averaging triple-double in the regular season, Jokic ranked second in the playoffs (13.5) (13.5) and assists (10.8) while averaging 28.5 points. The Nuggets have won 12 of their last 13 playoff games when keeping their opponents below 100 points.
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Milwaukee-based AP sports writer Steve Megargee contributed to the report.
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