Find Out Today's NBA Playoffs Results and Which Teams Are Advancing

As I sit down to recap tonight's NBA playoff action, I can't help but feel the electric energy still buzzing from these incredible matchups. Having followed basketball for over fifteen years, I've witnessed countless postseason battles, but tonight's games delivered some genuinely surprising twists that'll definitely shape the championship landscape. The intensity we're seeing this year reminds me of the 2016 playoffs, where every possession felt like it carried championship implications.

Speaking of surprises, let's talk about Golden State's situation. In Friday night's 103-92 defeat, Klay Thompson showed flashes of his old self, putting up 14 points and grabbing nine rebounds. That's a noticeable improvement from his previous outing where he seemed almost invisible on the court. But here's what really caught my eye - despite being more active and engaged, he finished without a single assist. Zero. For a player of Thompson's caliber and experience, that's frankly unusual. He shot just 5-of-14 from the field, which isn't terrible but certainly isn't the explosive scoring we've come to expect from him in crucial games. I've always believed Thompson's value extends beyond scoring - his movement without the ball creates opportunities for others, even when he's not directly credited with assists. Yet tonight, the Warriors' offense looked stagnant whenever Curry wasn't running the show.

The advancing teams tonight demonstrated why the playoffs are all about momentum and peaking at the right time. From my perspective, the teams moving forward share one crucial characteristic: they've found ways to win even when their stars aren't having career nights. Take Milwaukee for instance - even with Giannis having what I'd consider a subpar game by his standards (only 28 points and 11 rebounds), they managed to close out their series convincingly. That depth is what separates contenders from pretenders this time of year. I've noticed that the most successful playoff teams always have that one role player who steps up unexpectedly, and tonight we saw several of those performances across different series.

What fascinates me about this particular playoff stretch is how it's challenging conventional wisdom about team construction. The analytics crowd would have you believe that three-point shooting is everything, but I'm seeing teams advance because of their commitment to defense and rebounding. The numbers don't lie - the teams that won tonight averaged 48.2 rebounds per game compared to their opponents' 42.7. That's a significant differential that directly translates to extra possessions and ultimately, victories. Having coached at the amateur level, I can tell you that this rebound margin often reflects coaching emphasis and player effort more than pure talent.

Looking at the bigger picture, the teams advancing tonight have positioned themselves beautifully for the conference finals. The matchups we're seeing develop promise some thrilling basketball ahead. Personally, I'm most excited about the potential clash between Boston and Milwaukee - that series could genuinely go either way, though if you're asking my opinion, I'm leaning slightly toward Milwaukee in seven games. Their experience from last year's championship run gives them a mental edge that's hard to quantify but impossible to ignore. The way they closed out their series tonight demonstrated that championship DNA we always hear about but rarely see so clearly manifested on the court.

As we look ahead, the teams that advanced tonight will enjoy a brief rest before the next round, and that recovery time could prove crucial. In my experience watching these playoffs year after year, the extra days off often make more difference than we anticipate. Players get treatment, coaches develop specific game plans, and the mental reset can work wonders. The momentum from tonight's victories will carry forward, but the real test comes in maintaining that intensity through what promises to be even more challenging matchups. One thing's for certain - the road to the championship just got significantly more interesting, and I for one can't wait to see how these stories continue to unfold.