Category: Dallas Mavericks

NBA Playoff Schedule: Full Rundown for Conference Semifinals
6 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

NBA Playoff Schedule: Full Rundown for Conference Semifinals

The first round of the 2024 NBA postseason had some great matchups, and things will only get better from here on out. Saturday marked the start of the second round of the playoffs, when true contenders battle against one another in an effort to reach the final four of their conference. Iron sharpens iron, after all, and this year's slate of Round 2 contests look pretty great across the board.

Fewer games means fewer overlapping broadcast times, too. After two weeks with up to three NBA games on every night, we're more or less back to the standard of an Eastern Conference tip-off around 7 p.m. ET and a Western Conference tip-off around 10 p.m. ET.

For your viewing habit purposes, here is the full schedule for the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs, organized by series.

NBA Playoff Schedule for Second Round

Eastern Conference

(1) Boston Celtics v. (4) Cleveland Cavaliers

• Game 1: Cavaliers vs. Celtics, Tuesday, May 7 (7 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 2: Cavaliers vs. Celtics, Thursday, May 9 (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• Game 3: Celtics vs. Cavaliers, Saturday, May 11 (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
• Game 4: Celtics vs. Cavaliers, Monday, May 13 (7 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 5 (if necessary): Cavaliers vs. Celtics, Wednesday, May 15 (TBD)
• Game 6 (if necessary): Celtics vs. Cavaliers, Friday, May 17 (TBD)
• Game 7 (if necessary): Cavaliers vs. Celtics, Sunday, May 19 (TBD)

(2) New York Knicks v. (3) Indiana Pacers

• Game 1: Pacers vs. Knicks, Monday, May 6 (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 2: Pacers vs. Knicks, Wednesday, May 8 (8 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 3: Knicks vs. Pacers, Friday, May 10 (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• Game 4: Knicks vs. Pacers, Sunday, May 12 (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
• Game 5 (if necessary): Pacers vs. Knicks, Tuesday, May 14 (TBD)
• Game 6 (if necessary): Knicks vs. Pacers, Friday, May 17 (TBD)
• Game 7 (if necessary): Pacers vs. Knicks, Sunday, May 19 (TBD)

Western Conference

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder v. (5) Dallas Mavericks

• Game 1: Mavericks vs. Thunder, Tuesday, May 7 (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 2: Mavericks vs. Thunder, Thursday, May 9 (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• Game 3: Thunder vs. Mavericks, Saturday, May 11 (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
• Game 4: Thunder vs. Mavericks, Monday, May 13 (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 5 (if necessary): Mavericks vs. Thunder, Wednesday, May 15 (TBD)
• Game 6 (if necessary): Thunder vs. Mavericks, Saturday, May 18 (8:30 p.m. ET)
• Game 7 (if necessary): Mavericks vs. Thunder, Monday, May 20 (8:30 p.m. ET)

(2) Denver Nuggets v. (3) Minnesota Timberwolves

• Game 2: Timberwolves vs. Nuggets, Monday, May 6 (10 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 3: Nuggets vs. Timberwolves, Friday, May 10 (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• Game 4: Nuggets vs. Timberwolves, Sunday, May 12 (8 p.m. ET, TNT)
• Game 5 (if necessary): Timberwolves vs. Nuggets, Tuesday, May 14 (TBD)
• Game 6 (if necessary): Nuggets vs. Timberwolves, Thursday, May 16 (8:30 p.m. ET)
• Game 7 (if necessary): Timberwolves vs. Nuggets, Sunday, May 19 (TBD)

Key Dates for the 2024 NBA Playoffs

Aside from the all the above, the NBA postseason generally has a few key dates.

The first have already passed in the form of the play-in tournament, as well as the start of the first round. The Nuggets and Timberwolves kicked off the second round on Saturday, May 4. Below are several other key dates to look forward to.

• Conference Finals start dates: May 19-22, depending on the length of the second-round series.
• NBA Finals start date: Thursday, June 6 will be Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals. Sunday, June 9 will be Game 2. Game 3 will take place on Wednesday, June 12. Friday, June 14 will be Game 4.

First Round Results

Below are the full results for the first round of this year's postseason.

Eastern Conference

(1) Boston Celtics def. (8) Miami Heat in 5 games

(2) New York Knicks def. (7) Philadelphia 76ers in 6 games

(4) Cleveland Cavaliers def. (5) Orlando Magic in 7 games

(6) Indiana Pacers def. (3) Milwaukee Bucks in 6 games

Western Conference

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder def. (8) New Orleans Pelicans in 4 games

(2) Denver Nuggets def. (7) Los Angeles Lakers in 5 games

(3) Minnesota Timberwolves def. (6) Phoenix Suns in 4 games

(5) Dallas Mavericks def. (4) Los Angeles Clippers in 6 games

And that's everything you need to know about the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs. Enjoy watching!

Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder
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Mavericks Sign Jason Kidd to Multi-Year Contract Extension
6 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Mavericks Sign Jason Kidd to Multi-Year Contract Extension

The Dallas Mavericks are celebrating their first round series win over the Los Angeles Clippers by locking down the coach who helped them get there. On Monday, the franchise announced they had reached an agreement on a multi-year contract extension with Jason Kidd.

Kidd, fresh off his third series win as head coach in Dallas, has been with the organization since the 2021-'22 season. In his first year at the helm he got an unmatched level of defensive buy-in from Luka Dončić and it resulted in a Western Conference finals appearance; there, the Mavs would fall to the eventual champion Golden State Warriors.

Kidd's squad stumbled in his second season at the helm. They finished 38-44, 11th in the West, despite trading for Kyrie Irving halfway through the year. But it's safe to stay they bounced back. Doncic and Irving's partnership blossomed under Kidd and a series of moves at the trade deadline finally gave Dallas the ideal roster to surround the two superstars. The Mavericks wrapped up the 2023-'24 season with a 50-32 record, finished fifth in the West, and beat the Clippers in six games to move on to the second round of the postseason.

Extremely good vibes in Dallas, in other words. Great business sense by Kidd to negotiate his extension right now.

"We are excited to have coach Kidd continue to lead our team throughout the coming years with this well-earned contract extension," team governor Patrick Dumont said in the release. "Kidd led our team to two playoff appearances in three seasons, and we are looking forward to his leadership in continuing to build and grow this already great franchise."

"I have known Jason for a long time, and I cannot think of a better, more qualified candidate to lead this team going forward," general manager Nico Harrison said. "As a former NBA Champion Hall of Fame player, Jason brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this role which cannot be duplicated. He has earned the trust and respect of our players and that of so many across the league, and I look forward to working alongside him as we continue to build upon the culture and foundation of success he's helped foster throughout his tenure as head coach."

Kidd's gone 140-96 in three seasons in Dallas and is now on board for a few more years. The pressure to deliver is always high when coaching a talent of Dončić's caliber, and Kidd has been rewarded for doing just that. He can now look ahead to the team's next series against the Oklahoma City Thunder with job security fully ensured.

Dallas Mavericks, Jason Kidd, NBA
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Mavericks' Maxi Kleber Suffered Full Shoulder Dislocation, per Report
4 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Mavericks’ Maxi Kleber Suffered Full Shoulder Dislocation, per Report

Dallas Mavericks big man Maxi Kleber suffered a full shoulder dislocation on Friday night in his team's Game 6 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, according to a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic.

As a result of the injury, Kleber is expected to miss a significant period of time, if not the remainder of the Mavericks' postseason run.

Kleber suffered the injury on a drive to the basket in the second quarter when he was fouled by Clippers wing Amir Coffey and landed with all his weight on his shoulder.

The injury is significant to Dallas' frontcourt, and is devastating for Kleber, who was really coming into his own this postseason off the Mavericks' bench. Kleber averaged 5.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 19.3 minutes per game off the bench in the team's first-round series.

Kleber will certainly be missed moving forward, as the Mavericks attempt to navigate their upcoming series with Oklahoma City without one of their key frontcourt players.

Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, Maxi Kleber, Oklahoma City Thunder
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Ty Lue Addresses Coaching Future After Clippers' Elimination From Playoffs
4 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Ty Lue Addresses Coaching Future After Clippers’ Elimination From Playoffs

The Los Angeles Clippers lost to the Dallas Mavericks 114-101 in Game 6 on Friday night, ending their season short of the lofty goals set before them.

With his team out of the playoffs, and the Los Angeles Lakers sporting one of the most sought-after coaching openings in the NBA, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue was forced to address his future in the wake of Friday's loss. Lue has been reported as one of the Lakers' top targets, while a separate report indicated that the Clippers are very interested in retaining him.

As for Lue, he'd prefer to stick around with the Clippers.

"I didn't come here to bounce around and go all over the place," Lue said in the wake of his team's 114-101 loss. "Mr. Ballmer, Lawrence [Frank], Mark [Hughes] and Trent [Redden] have all been great to me. This is where I want to be. Hopefully they feel the same way."

Time will tell whether or not Lue will ultimately remain with the Clippers, who enter the offseason with plenty of roster questions ahead of next season. What happens with James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Paul George and ultimately Lue, will determine whether or not the Clippers remain competitive next season.

Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, NBA Playoffs
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Mavericks Bench Had Funniest Reactions to Kyrie Irving's Four-Point Play
4 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Mavericks Bench Had Funniest Reactions to Kyrie Irving’s Four-Point Play

Dallas Mavericks star guard Kyrie Irving poured in 28 of his team-high 30 points in the second half to lead his team to a 114—101 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night at the American Airlines Center. But four of those points were more memorable than any of the others scored by Irving in the victory, which advanced the Mavericks to the Western Conference semifinals.

One fourth quarter sequence perfectly encapsulated Irving's offensive arsenal, as he put Clippers defender P.J. Tucker in a blender with a series of crossover dribbles and a sidestep, leading to a three-pointer, which Irving drilled, and a foul, which resulted in a made free throw from the Mavericks star.

The four-point play, which occurred with 5:38 remaining in the game and the Mavericks up by 20 points, left fans' and announcers' jaws on the floor. But the best reactions came from the Dallas bench.

The entire bench was electrified by the four-point play. But Mavericks center Daniel Gafford's reaction was priceless—and pretty much sums up what it looks like to watch Irving dribble a ball.

Irving averaged 26.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 44.9 percent from three-point range in six games in the first round.

Dallas Mavericks, Kyrie Irving, Los Angeles Clippers, NBA Playoffs
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Shaq Rips Paul George Over Comments About Failing After Clippers' Ugly Loss
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Shaq Rips Paul George Over Comments About Failing After Clippers’ Ugly Loss

The Los Angeles Clippers had a prime opportunity to seize control of their series against the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5. Instead, Paul George and Co. got blown at home, losing 123-93, and are now facing elimination in Friday night's Game 6 in Dallas.

George had a bad night for the Clippers, scoring just 15 points on 4-of-13 shooting. The Clippers were without Kawhi Leonard and needed their other star to come out and set the tone for the team in a huge game, but that didn't come close to happening.

George spoke after the game, saying, "You work your tail off all summer. You train for these moments. To where, if you fail, you fail. Live with the results."

Shaquille O'Neal was not a fan of those comments and explained why during Thursday night's Inside the NBA:

Leonard will be out again for Game 6, so the Clippers will need George to put Game 5 behind him in a hurry or the franchise will have another early exit from the NBA playoffs.

Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, NBA Playoffs, Paul George
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Paul Pierce Blasts Clippers With Blunt Five-Word Message After Ugly Loss to Mavs
2 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Paul Pierce Blasts Clippers With Blunt Five-Word Message After Ugly Loss to Mavs

The Clippers had a chance to take control of their series with the Mavericks in Wednesday night's Game 5 in Los Angeles, but instead they stunk up the joint in the second half and got blown out, 123-93, to fall behind 3-2 as the series shifts to Dallas for Friday night's Game 6.

The Clippers were without Kawhi Leonard in Game 5, as he continues to deal with an injury to his right knee. Los Angeles had won the other two games in the series that Leonard had missed, which makes Wednesday night's performance even harder for fans to understand.

Paul Pierce didn't hold back on the Clippers on FS1's Unidisputed, calling them a moody team.

The Clippers, who won Game 4 in Dallas without Leonard, will need to turn things completely around in Game 6 or their season could come to an abrupt end.

Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, NBA Playoffs
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Clippers Used Savage Arena Advertisement to Troll Mavericks Ahead of Game 5
1 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Clippers Used Savage Arena Advertisement to Troll Mavericks Ahead of Game 5

The Los Angeles Clippers are set to host the Dallas Mavericks at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday night for Game 5 of their opening round playoff series, which is currently tied up 2–2.

Ahead of the clash, the Clippers took the opportunity to comically troll their opponent.

When Mavs players arrive at the arena for Wednesday night's game, they'll be greeted by a cleverly placed advertisement. Plastered on the side of the arena is a massive Skyscanner advertisement, hilariously depicting a flight offering direct from Dallas to Cancún.

"For great flights to Cancún, visit Skyscanner," reads the ad.

Of course, among NBA circles, there is not a more notorious postseason vacation destination than Cancún, and Los Angeles boldly hinted to the Mavs that it may be time to start doing some research on tickets and hotels in the area.

Regardless of how Game 5 plays out, the series won't be ending on Wednesday, as both teams need two more wins to clinch their place in the Western Conference semifinals. That gives Dallas and the American Airlines Center the perfect opportunity to clap back with some good-natured trolling of their own ahead of Game 6 on Friday night.

Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, NBA
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