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

Oklahoma City has an opportunity to secure its spot 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 playoff video games 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 matchup in San Francisco with those teams tied at a video game each.


And there are some injury worries, especially for Memphis and Golden State. Grizzlies secure Ja Morant took a bad fall that knocked him out of Game 3 versus Oklahoma City with a bruised hip - and helped add to the Thunder rallying from a 29-point deficit - while Warriors forward Jimmy Butler also is handling the of a fall that knocked him out of Game 2 in Houston.


"I never want to see anybody get hurt. I hope he's OK," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault stated of Morant. "You want everybody to be at full strength. He's a great rival. He was playing fantastic. Obviously, that had something to do with the video game also. It 'd be wrong of me not to acknowledge that."


The Thunder, because relocating to Oklahoma City, were 0-95 in games where they trailed by a minimum of 27 points - until Thursday.


"Never shocked. Always satisfied," Daigneault said. "They simply feel an incredible obligation to one another."


Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr., right, tries to get a loose ball ahead of Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) in the 2nd 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 great deal of things right in Game 2 - groups in championship game were 76-0 all-time when scoring a minimum of 112 points, making 16 threes, shooting 50% or better from the field and holding their challenger to under 50% shooting. The Heat did all that and lost Game 2 anyhow, merely since of Cleveland ´ s barrage of 3-pointers and Donovan Mitchell ´ s capability 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 big push to open the video game. It ´ ll be an excellent test for Cleveland, which was terrific on the roadway all year, to see how it deals with a playoff roadway environment.


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 an opportunity to be the first string to reach Round 2 of the playoffs, plus can finish off a first-round sweep for the 2nd consecutive year after ousting New Orleans 4-0 last season. The 14.5-point spread, presuming it does not move before game time, would be the largest according to BetMGM Sportsbook for any road team in a playoff video game over the last years. (Excluding bubble video games, the most significant road favorites in the postseason since 2012 were San Antonio at Memphis in 2016 and Milwaukee at Detroit in 2019. Both were 12.5-point favorites and both covered). The obstacle 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 Clippers tracked 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 final 57 points for Denver while their colleagues integrated to shoot 7-for-37 and rating only 20 points in those 39 minutes. That is all an apparent credit to the Clippers' defense, which has actually been an overlooked story all season. Another boost for the Clippers out of that game was how Kawhi Leonard didn't have to log huge minutes; he played only 34. Denver needs to get some shooting entering 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 huge concern going 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 video games. The Rockets are just 2-8 in that building, the third-worst record amongst Western Conference groups, ahead of just Utah (2-9) and Portland (1-9). Houston has to love what it has actually done defensively up until now in the series, holding the Warriors to 95 and 94 points in the first two matches. That's a clear trend, with the Warriors being held under 100 points in 5 of their last 6 video games against the Rockets. The combined numbers from those video 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) handles the ball versus Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (22) in the 2nd 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 3 point basket in the first half in Game 2 of an NBA first-round playoff series versus the Miami Heat, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)


Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) duels in the 2nd 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, defend a loose ball with Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet, left, and Rockets center Steven Adams during the 2nd 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 throughout the second 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 ridicule the Denver Nuggets from "The Wall" during the second half in Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)