The Conference Semifinals of the NBA Playoffs continued Friday night with four teams in action, two of which had yet to lose a game in the 2024 postseason. That streak ended after losses by the Knicks and Timberwolves.
While only two squads could emerge victorious, some players stood out more than others, both good and bad. Who were the biggest winners and losers?
Winner: Donte DiVincenzo
Donte DiVincenzo often looked like the best player on the floor. He put on a shooting clinic, drilling 7-of-11 shots from distance. He was Coach Thibodeau’s most-trusted player, playing a game-high 44 minutes, but he also tied Haliburton for the scoring lead with 35 points. Considering the stakes, this was the best game of the sharpshooter’s career, but it wasn’t enough to pace the Knicks to victory.
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Loser: Jalen Brunson
We know Jalen Brunson was questionable coming into the night, and he deserves credit for toughing it out. While he still played 38 minutes, it’s clear he was hobbled. Brunson struggled, committing five turnovers while shooting just 38% on a night when the Knicks essentially could have wrapped up the series by taking a commanding 3-0 lead. Now the Pacers are very much alive.
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Winner: Tyrese Haliburton
Much of the talk coming into the game was about how Tyrese Haliburton hasn’t looked like his same elite self since suffering a January hamstring injury. We didn’t see any rust on Friday. Haliburton was back to being a flamethrower, connecting on 53.8% of his shots to rack up 35 points while committing just two turnovers. If he can keep this up, the Pacers could still make plenty of noise.
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Loser: Tom Thibodeau
Tom Thibodeau is known for having a tight rotation, and he has no fear of giving heavy minutes to his most trusted players. But we saw a bit of restraint from Thibs, with Josh Hart even getting four minutes to breathe after playing all 48 in Game 2. Still, four of the Knicks starters played 38 minutes or more. Brunson is already banged up, and Anunoby’s set to miss Game 4, at what point does Thibodeau try reducing the workload of his stars?
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Winner: Indiana Pacers fans
Indiana Pacers fans have already enjoyed a magical season, seeing their team lead the NBA in scoring and reaching the Eastern Conference Semifinals. But they were at the risk of practically being eliminated had they fallen behind 3-0 in the series, as no team has ever overcome such a deficit. Andrew Nembhard’s incredible 31-foot game-winning shot keeps Indiana’s hopes alive, but it’s also the Pacers’ first playoff win past the first round since 2014. This is one Pacers fans will remember for a long time, but hopefully, it’s just the beginning.
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Loser: Minnesota Timberwolves’ momentum
Until Friday’s loss the Timberwolves had a perfect record in the 2024 NBA Playoffs after sweeping the Suns and getting out to a 2-0 series lead on the road in Denver. Yet, the Timberwolves just didn’t have it despite playing in front of an energized crowd at Target Center that hadn’t seen a playoff game of this magnitude in 20 years. We’ll see what a pivotal Game 4 has in store.
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Winner: Jamal Murray
Jamal Murray had a frustrating Game 2, even throwing a towel and heat pack onto the floor to earn a $100K fine while shooting 16% from the floor. He was ice-cold, in a good way in this one, setting a new series high with 24 points to set the tone for a Nuggets team in desperate need of a win.
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Loser: Rudy Gobert, Timberwolves defense
The Timberwolves may have had the NBA’s best defense during the regular season, but we didn’t see their best tonight. Rudy Gobert didn’t make a big impact, largely because the Nuggets couldn’t miss from the perimeter, shooting 48% with 14 treys made. Gobert isn’t out there to get numbers, but six points and four rebounds with no blocks or steals wasn’t what the Wolves had in mind.
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Winner: Nikola Jokic
Jokic was an assist shy of a triple-double, contributing 24 points and 14 rebounds, but most importantly, the Nuggets keep their series hopes alive with a crucial momentum-swinging win. Jokic also got three steals and three blocks to control the narrative on both ends of the floor. If Jokic can do this again in Game 4 while getting the same production from his supporting cast, the Nuggets could be ready for another run.
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Loser: Anthony Edwards
The Timberwolves were held to under 100 points for the first time this postseason, and we’re putting the blame on their superstar. Anthony Edwards has been spectacular in the playoffs, but he wasn’t able to recreate the same magic in Game 3. He had a strong night, shooting 8-of-15 from the floor to score 19 points, with six rebounds and five assists, but the Wolves needed so much more.
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