Saturday's NBA Games: Cavaliers-Heat, Thunder-Grizzlies,

Oklahoma City has a chance to secure its area in Round 2. Cleveland and the Los Angeles Clippers can get to the doorstep of the second round. And the Houston-Golden State winner is going to have control of their match.


Those are the headings going into a quadruple-header of NBA championship game on Saturday: Oklahoma City can sweep its series with a win at Memphis, Cleveland can take a 3-0 lead over Miami, the Clippers will go for a 3-1 edge when they host Denver and the nightcap is a Rockets-Warriors match in San Francisco with those groups connected at a video game each.


And there are some injury worries, particularly for Memphis and Golden State. Grizzlies protect Ja Morant took a bad fall that knocked him out of Game 3 against Oklahoma City with a bruised hip - and assisted contribute to the Thunder rallying from a 29-point deficit - while Warriors forward Jimmy Butler also is dealing with the effects of a fall that knocked him out of Game 2 in Houston.


"I never ever want to see any person get harmed. I hope he's OK," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault stated of Morant. "You want everyone to be at complete strength. He's an excellent competitor. He was playing fantastic. Obviously, that had something to do with the video game also. It 'd be incorrect of me not to acknowledge that."


The Thunder, given that transferring to Oklahoma City, were 0-95 in games where they tracked by at least 27 points - till Thursday.


"Never stunned. Always satisfied," Daigneault stated. "They simply feel an unbelievable responsibility to one another."


Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr., right, attempts to get a loose ball ahead of Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) in the second half of Game 3 of an NBA first-round playoff series Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)


When/Where to Watch: Game 3, 1 p.m. EDT (TNT)


Series: Cavaliers lead, 2-0.


BetMGM Sportsbook: Cavaliers by 6.5.


What to Know: Miami did a lot of things right in Game 2 - teams in playoff games were 76-0 all-time when scoring a minimum of 112 points, making 16 3s, shooting 50% or much better from the field and holding their challenger to under 50% shooting. The Heat did all that and lost Game 2 anyhow, just because of Cleveland ´ s barrage of 3-pointers and Donovan Mitchell ´ s ability to make big plays down the stretch to fend off a Miami run. The Heat say Game 3 is a must-win, so expect a huge push to open the game. It ´ ll be a great test for Cleveland, which was fantastic on the road all year, to see how it deals with a playoff roadway atmosphere.


When/Where to Watch: Game 4, 3:30 p.m. EDT (TNT)


Series: Thunder lead, 3-0.


BetMGM Sportsbook: Thunder by 14.5.


What to Know: Oklahoma City will have a chance to be the first team to reach Round 2 of the playoffs, plus can round off a first-round sweep for the second successive year after ousting New Orleans 4-0 last season. The 14.5-point spread, assuming it doesn't move before game time, would be the largest according to BetMGM Sportsbook for any road team in a championship game over the last decade. (Excluding bubble games, the most significant roadway favorites in the postseason considering that 2012 were San Antonio at Memphis in 2016 and Milwaukee at Detroit in 2019. Both were 12.5-point favorites and both covered). The challenge for Memphis will be how to combat back after losing a 29-point lead in Game 3.


When/Where to Watch: Game 4, 6 p.m. EDT (TNT)


Series: Clippers lead, 2-1.


BetMGM Sportsbook: Clippers by 5.5.


What to Know: The 26-19 after 9 minutes of Game 1 - and outscored the Nuggets 98-57 the rest of the way. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray had 37 of those last 57 points for Denver while their colleagues combined to shoot 7-for-37 and score only 20 points in those 39 minutes. That is all an obvious credit to the Clippers' defense, which has actually been an overlooked story all season. Another increase for the Clippers out of that game was how Kawhi Leonard didn't have to log big minutes; he played just 34. Denver has to get some shooting going in Game 4, after getting outscored 54-21 on 3-pointers in Game 3.


When/Where to Watch: Game 3, 8:30 p.m. EDT (ABC)


Series: Tied, 1-1.


BetMGM Sportsbook: Warriors by 2.5.


What to Know: Golden State forward Jimmy Butler's injury status is the big question entering into Game 3. And if he plays, can he work? The Warriors still have the upper hand in the series after getting a split of Games 1 and 2 in Houston and now come home to Chase Center - where they are 16-4 in playoff and play-in games. The Rockets are only 2-8 in that building, the third-worst record amongst Western Conference groups, ahead of only Utah (2-9) and Portland (1-9). Houston has to love what it has actually done defensively so far in the series, holding the Warriors to 95 and 94 points in the first 2 matches. That's a clear pattern, with the Warriors being held under 100 points in 5 of their last 6 video games against the Rockets. The combined numbers from those games: Rockets 582, Warriors 579, and each group going 3-3.


AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba


Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) deals with the ball versus Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (22) in the second half of Game 3 of an NBA first-round playoff series Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)


Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) gestures after a three point basket in the very first half in Game 2 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)


Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) duels in the second half in Game 2 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)


Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, center, fights for a loose ball with Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet, left, and Rockets center Steven Adams throughout the second half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series versus the Houston Rockets in Houston, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)


Los Angeles Clippers guard Patty Mills, left, and Denver Nuggets guard Jalen Pickett grab a loose ball during the 2nd half in Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)


Fans taunt the Denver Nuggets from "The Wall" throughout the 2nd half in Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series versus the Los Angeles Clippers Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)