NBA play-offs: Matches on Thursday and Friday after Pistons and Rockets survive and lead to round 6

Six teams are still in the NBA play-offs after Lakers and Magic were defeated last night.
Text: Javier Escribano
Published 2026-04-30

The NBA play-offs will last a little longer as the Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons held back Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic and saved the first "match point", putting the series 3-2 and pushing a sixth game in the best-of-seven series.

These were the results from NBA matches on Wednesday night:


Detroit Pistons 116-109 Orlando Magic (Orlando leads 3-2)
Los Angeles Lakers 93-99 Houston Rockets (Lakers leads 3-2)
Cleveland Cavaliers 125-120 Toronto Raptors (Cleveland leads 3-2)


In the 2026 play-offs, no team has achieved a clean sweep, but the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are the only teams to have qualified for the Conference semi-finals; in the case of the Spurs, ending a nine-year wait.

NBA play-off games in Round 6

Round 6 of the NBA play-offs continues immediately, with three games on Thursday night and three on Friday night (although check the times in European time).

Knicks, Celtics, Timberwolves, Magic, Cavaliers, and Lakers are one win away from winning the play-off series:


Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks: Friday, May 1, 1:00 AM CEST, 00:00 BST
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics: Friday, May 1, 2:00 AM CEST, 1:00 BST
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets: Friday, May 1, 3:30 AM CEST, 2:30 BST

Orlando Magic vs. Detroit Pistons: Saturday, May 2, 1:00 AM CEST, 00:00 BST
Toronto Raptors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: Saturday, May 2, 2:00 AM CEST, 1:00 BST
Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers: Saturday, May 2, 3:30 AM CEST, 2:30 BST

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