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LeBron clinches series as Raptors, Pistons tie; OKC tops odds

5/3/2026

31 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

LeBron Clinches

LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers forward) beat the Houston Rockets 98–78, clinching the series 4–2.
RJ Barrett (Toronto Raptors guard) hit a 3-pointer for a 112–110 overtime win over Cleveland, tying the series 3–3.
Detroit rallied to a 93–79 win over Orlando after the Magic missed 23 straight shots, also tying that series 3–3.
Oklahoma City leads NBA title odds at -130, with San Antonio at +375 and Boston at +700.

Summary

Barrett Clutches OT

Barrett became the second NBA player to hit a game-winning field goal in the final two seconds of overtime to avoid elimination.
Coach Darko Rajakovic designed after-timeout plays for Barrett, who then raised his three-point rate from under 34% to 42% (16-for-38) in the postseason.
Scottie Barnes posted 25 points, 14 assists, three steals and three blocks while Toronto logged 20 fast-break points versus Cleveland’s six.

History

Historical Context

In the 1995 Eastern Conference semifinals, Reggie Miller sparked the Indiana Pacers’ comeback by scoring eight points in 8.9 seconds to beat the New York Knicks 92-88, shifting a series the Pacers had won the Central Division with a 52-30 record. The moment echoed Miller’s 25-point fourth-quarter surge in the 1994 EC finals, cementing the rivalry’s reputation for late-game drama.

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LeBron Clinches

LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers forward) beat the Houston Rockets 98–78, clinching the series 4–2.
RJ Barrett (Toronto Raptors guard) hit a 3-pointer for a 112–110 overtime win over Cleveland, tying the series 3–3.
Detroit rallied to a 93–79 win over Orlando after the Magic missed 23 straight shots, also tying that series 3–3.
Oklahoma City leads NBA title odds at -130, with San Antonio at +375 and Boston at +700.

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