Gilgeous-Alexander Closes Out Grizzlies While Former Raptors Fall Short in the West

Former Toronto Raptors Kawhi Leonard, Norman Powell, & Fred VanVleet all fell short while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City past the Memphis Grizzlies

Apr 26, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) dribbles against Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody (right) during the fourth quarter of game three of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did it again.

With the game on the line, the Canadian guard pulled up for a step-back jumper in the final seconds to eliminate the Memphis Grizzlies and complete the first-round sweep. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 38 points, six assists, and five rebounds, leading the Thunder to a 117-115 win and pushing them into the Western Conference semifinals.

Lu Dort added four points and two rebounds, but once again made his biggest impact defensively, chasing around Desmond Bane and making life difficult for Memphis’ perimeter scorers.

For the Grizzlies, Canadian big man Zach Edey finished with eight points, eight rebounds, and a playoff career-high seven blocks in 33 minutes.

Oklahoma City will now await the winner of the Clippers-Nuggets series.

VanVleet’s Hot Start Not Enough vs. Warriors

Former Raptors guard Fred VanVleet came out firing on Saturday night, scoring Houston’s first nine points with back-to-back threes followed by a three-point play. He finished with 17 points, four rebounds, and three assists in 41 minutes, but the Rockets could not keep pace with the Warriors, falling 104-93 to drop to 2-1 in their first-round series.

VanVleet cooled off after a 13-point first quarter, and Houston’s offense stalled as Stephen Curry took over, finishing with 36 points to lead Golden State. The Warriors now head into Game 4 with a 2-1 lead over the Rockets.

Nuggets Survive Late Scare from Leonard & Powell

Kawhi Leonard’s late rally wasn’t quite enough for the Los Angeles Clippers.

The former Raptors star had 10 points in the fourth quarter, leading a furious comeback that briefly gave Los Angeles the lead before the Denver Nuggets stole Game 4 with a buzzer-beating dunk from Aaron Gordon to win 101-99 and even the series 2-2.

Leonard finished with 24 points and nine rebounds, pacing a Clippers push that saw them outscore Denver 34-16 in the fourth. Norman Powell added 22 points, knocking down four threes and playing with intensity throughout a chippy game that saw him assessed a technical foul during a first-half scuffle.

Canadian guard Jamal Murray struggled for Denver, finishing with 13 points on 5-for-17 shooting but adding seven rebounds and seven assists to help the Nuggets hang on.

Davion Mitchell Fights but Heat Fall in Blowout Loss

Davion Mitchell smothered Donovan Mitchell most of the night, but it was not enough for Miami, who fell in a 124-87 blowout loss to the Cavaliers.

The former Raptors guard finished with 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting, knocking down two threes while adding four rebounds, four assists, and a steal in 36 minutes.

Defensively, Mitchell did everything he could, holding Donovan Mitchell to just 13 points on 4-for-14 shooting across nearly 38 partial possessions, according to NBA Stats tracking. Despite his efforts, the Heat were overwhelmed early, falling behind by 19 points in the first half and never getting back into the game.

Miami now trails 3-0 in the series and will look to avoid a sweep Monday night back at home.

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