Game 1 helped set the tone across the board — from the chaos in the West to the statement wins in the East. Game 2? That’s where things start getting real. 

It’s when adjustments hit, role players either rise or vanish, and stars show why they’re stars. At this point in the playoffs, it’s less about who looked good last game and more about who’s starting to figure it out. The first round’s long enough to test your depth, your coaching, and your nerve — but short enough that slipping up early can cost you everything. And now, we’re starting to see which teams are actually built to weather that storm.

Eastern Conference

(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (8) Miami Heat

Cavs 121, Heat 112

Cleveland came out hot. Not much else to say. They buried 11 threes in the second quarter alone, and that turned a tight 25–24 game into a 17-point halftime lead before Miami could blink. Donovan Mitchell and Max Strus were just letting it fly — pull-ups, corner looks, even some deep heat-checks that probably had the coaching staff laughing mid-game. When they’re shooting like that, good luck keeping up.

But playoff basketball is never that tidy, especially against a Miami squad that treats fourth quarters like a street fight. Tyler Herro morphed into a human space heater (33 total, 20 after halftime), Bam Adebayo bullied every Cav smaller than a minivan, and suddenly that comfy lead shrank to two with a shade over four minutes left. The building got library‑quiet.

Then Spida took the wheel. Mitchell’s 30‑9‑6 line is nice, but the film hits harder: 17 in the final frame, six‑of‑nine shooting, four threes that really put the game away. Darius Garland kept the engine purring with 21 and nine, Jarrett Allen inhaled 14 boards, and Cleveland went to bed up 2‑0.

So what now? Miami needs to turn Kaseya Center into a track meet — zones, traps, whatever keeps Cleveland’s snipers off rhythm. The Cavs just showed they’ve got the tools to win no matter how the game plays out. They can bury you with threes, but if those stop falling, they’ve still got the defense and playmakers to gut it out. That’s the kind of flexibility you want this time of year — and not a lot of teams have it.

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Orlando Magic

Celtics 109, Magic 100

Celtics fans were already fretting over Jayson Tatum’s taped‑up wrist when Kristaps Porzingis face‑planted into Goga Bitadze’s elbow and left a CSI‑worthy blood trail falling down the top of his head. Five stitches and one huge cheer later, the 7‑foot‑3 unicorn trotted back out with a massive band-aid slapped on his forehead, and the Garden volume knob snapped off.

Jaylen Brown smelled the moment and went full‑throttle: 36 points, 10 boards, and looked like he was ready to take over the whole series. He scored in every way imaginable — bully‑ball drives at Franz Wagner, mid‑post spins, catch‑and‑shoot rainbows when Jrue Holiday collapsed the defense.

Orlando’s plan — pack the paint, live with contested jumpers — was solid on paper. On the hardwood? Not so much. They shot 38%, tossed 14 turnovers that morphed into 19 Boston points, and outside Paolo Banchero’s 27, most of their shots felt like a grind just to get off, let alone make.

Looking ahead: The Magic need to drag this series into a 94‑92 mud bath back home, because half‑court slugfests on Boston’s terms are a slow bleed. And if Tatum’s wrist loosens up? Yikes.

(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Detroit Pistons

Pistons 100, Knicks 94 

Every postseason gifts us one “Oh, so that’s the next guy” performance. Say hello to Cade Cunningham’s coming‑out party. He dissected New York’s drop coverage with snake dribbles and mid‑range pull‑ups, bulldozed Josh Hart at the rim, and hunted Karl Anthony-Towns switches all night. He finished with 33 points, 12 rebounds, and looked completely in control the whole way. No rush, no forced plays — just steady, smart basketball.

The pivotal moment was a classic playoff brain‑cramp. Knicks erase a 15‑point hole, tie it at 92, Garden shaking. Detroit runs a simple high brush screen, Jalen Brunson and Hart play “You got him, right?” and Dennis Schröder steps into an uncontested left‑wing three. Splash. Good night.

Karl‑Anthony Towns completely vanished after halftime (10 total and no shot attempts in the fourth quarter), Isaiah Stewart wrestled eight offensive boards, and Brunson’s 29 came with visibly heavy legs after chasing Cade around.

Series vibe: Detroit rolls into Little Caesars Arena smelling like they just stole the keys to Dad’s muscle car. Thibs needs a Brunson hiding spot on defense and a Towns wake‑up alarm — otherwise the momentum’s already in Motown.

(4) Indiana Pacers vs. (5) Milwaukee Bucks

Pacers 123, Bucks 115

Rick Carlisle wants pace, space, and about a million back‑cuts. Check, check, and check. Six Pacers hit double figures, Pascal Siakam churned out a 24‑11 line in cruise control, and Tyrese Haliburton finally saw floaters fall (21 and 12 assists). Andrew Nembhard calmly rainbowed an end‑of‑clock three over Giannis that felt like a sucker‑punch the Bucks couldn't come back from.

Giannis was a one‑man monsoon (34‑18), and Dame tried to flip the switch in his first game back, but a 3‑for‑11 start, 15 fast‑break points surrendered, and Brook Lopez getting danced into exhaustion spelled trouble.

Road ahead: Down 0‑2, Milwaukee needs to find Jrue‑Holiday‑level perimeter grit without Jrue. If this keeps turning into a 48‑minute track meet, the Deer District might be booking vacations by the end of the weekend.

Western Conference

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Memphis Grizzlies

Thunder 118, Grizz 99

Credit to Memphis — they at least showed a pulse in Game 2. Jaren Jackson Jr. had a third‑quarter pop‑off, Desmond Bane hit a heat‑check triple, and the deficit dipped to single digits. Did it matter? Not really. 

Jalen Williams casually tossed a 24‑6‑5 line, Chet Holmgren blocked shots without even pretending to jump, and Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander’s off-night (10-29 from the field) still produced 27 points.

Memphis’ half‑court offense looked like someone poured syrup in the gears: 41% shooting, 16 turnovers, 15 assists, and no Ja Morant rescue mission on the horizon.

Translation: OKC can afford another Shai clunker and still sleepwalk into a 3‑0 lead if the Grizz don’t find offense fast.

(2) Houston Rockets vs. (7) Golden State Warriors

Rockets 109, Warriors 94

Ime Udoka kept it simple after the first game: the shots were there, we just didn’t knock them down. In Game 2, the Rockets did exactly that. They came out firing, hit nine threes in the first half, and looked way more relaxed. Jalen Green went off for 38, and Alperen Sengun did a bit of everything — 17 points, 16 boards, 7 assists. The energy in Toyota Center felt different this time — it was loud, confident, and it felt like Houston had finally settled into the series.

Jimmy Butler III got undercut by Amen Thompson while going for a rebound, landed hard right on his tailbone, and stayed down for a minute before heading to the locker room. He didn’t come back, and that changed everything. The Warriors’ offense basically became "Steph, figure it out," while Houston swarmed, switched, and made sure nobody else got clean looks.

Layer in 35 whistles, Tari Eason’s towel‑toss tantrum, and Draymond vs. Green Jr. jaw‑jacking, and you’ve got a series knotted at one, plus an MRI result with potentially massive implications.

Big picture: If Butler’s pelvis keeps him sidelined, Golden State’s whole “mix the vets with the kids” plan becomes “Steph or bust.” Houston, meanwhile, smells opportunity like a shark smells blood in the water.

(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves

Lakers 94, Wolves 85

Minnesota couldn’t find their shot in Game 2. They opened 4-for-24 from deep, and it felt like nothing was coming easy. The Wolves’ bench, which had brought real energy in Game 1, struggled to get anything going this time around. This version of the Wolves lives and dies with Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle, and while they put up numbers, the supporting cast didn’t give them much help.

Luka Doncic, meanwhile, remembered he’s Luka Doncic: 31‑12‑9 and a couple of signature one‑legged fadeaways. JJ Reddick went small, letting Rui and LeBron split rim‑protection duties while Gobert got yanked into space. Worked like a charm.

Next chapter: We roll into Target Center 1‑1. If Ant Edwards and company rediscover that Game 1 shooting, buckle up. If not, Luka’s slow‑motion pick‑apart could turn this series in a hurry.

(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) LA Clippers

Clippers 105, Nuggets 102

Kawhi Leonard cooked like it was 2019 — 15‑for‑19, 39 easy points, and a pick‑six steal on Jokic’s sideline pass to seal it. James Harden quietly chipped in 18 and 7 assists. Denver’s starters did their part: Jokic triple‑double (26‑12‑10), Jamal Murray’s bounce‑back 23, Aaron Gordon bullying mismatches. But the bench? Four points beyond Westbrook. That’s not a typo.

Whenever Kawhi rested, L.A. treaded water. Whenever Jokic sat, the Clippers pounced. Now the series heads to the gleaming Intuit Dome tied 1‑1, with L.A. having all the momentum.

Key stat: Denver’s bench is averaging 11 points through two games. If that number doesn’t significantly improve on the road, they could find themselves down 3-1 when they head back to Ball Arena.

What Comes Next?

• Holes to climb: Miami, Orlando, Memphis, Milwaukee — four teams staring down the 0‑2 barrel. Historically, only about 7% of squads escape that grave.

• Medical charts: Jimmy Butler’s pelvis, Kristaps Porziņģis’ stitches, Tatum's wrist — injury reports could yank two or three series sideways.

• Kid‑on‑the‑road tests: Detroit, Houston, and OKC now walk onto hostile hardwoods. Split the pair, and they own the narrative. Fold, and suddenly everything feels like a toss-up again.

Two games in, and things are finally starting to take shape. Teams are making adjustments, stars are stepping up, and some underdogs are starting to look a little dangerous. No matter who you root for, there’s something worth watching — and it’s just getting started.