FloaterDaily Brief
Wednesday, April 29, 2026Playoffs · 3 games
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3 games, none went to overtime. Biggest comeback: 7 points, by CLE (vs TOR) and HOU (vs LAL).

Final · R1 · G5 · Box score
Magic109
Pistons116
Q1 DET +12; Q2 DET +6; Q3 DET +10; Q4 DET +7
Final · R1 · G5 · Box score
Raptors120
Cavs125
Q1 CLE +4; Q2 CLE -7; Q3 CLE -3; Q4 CLE +5
Final · R1 · G5 · Box score
Rockets99
Lakers93
Q1 HOU -7; Q2 HOU +4; Q3 HOU +9; Q4 HOU +6
On this day · 2024–25Apr 29, 2025: 4 games. Top scorer: Jamal Murray (Nuggets-Clippers), 43 points.
Apr 29 in other seasons202420232022202120192018201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996
The lead · First round · Game 5 · Raptors-Cavs

Cleveland wins Game 5 over Toronto, 125–120

Paolo Banchero goes for 45 points

Game flow · CLE margin at each break
-15-10-50+5+10+15TipEnd Q1HalfEnd Q3Final0+4-7-3+5CLE AHEAD ↑TOR AHEAD ↓
By quarter
Q1Q2Q3Q4T
Raptors34402917120
Cavs38293325125
Who led
James HardenPoints, last 10 games: 17, 19, 28, 21, 20, 22, 28, 18, 19, 23CLE23 PTS · 9 REB · 5 AST
Evan MobleyPoints, last 10 games: 6, 12, 24, 22, 10, 17, 25, 15, 8, 23CLE23 PTS · 9 REB · 1 AST
RJ BarrettPoints, last 10 games: 25, 15, 16, 22, 26, 24, 22, 33, 18, 25TOR25 PTS · 12 REB · 5 AST
Ja'Kobe WalterPoints, last 10 games: 16, 9, 7, 15, 11, 7, 14, 0, 0, 20TOR20 PTS · 3 REB · 2 AST
Second story · Rockets-Lakers · R1 · G5

Houston stays alive against Lakers

A 99–93 win in Game 5 cuts the first round deficit to 3–2. Jabari Smith Jr. led Houston with 22 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists.

Series tracker · Rockets-Lakers
G1 · @ LALLAL107–98G2 · @ LALLAL101–94G3 · @ HOULAL112–108G4 · @ HOUHOU115–96G5 · @ LALHOU99–93
Lead changes
Rockets-Lakers5
Magic-Pistons0
The night in charts
Raptors-Cavs combined for 245, 20 more than any other game
Points by game
Raptors-CavsRaptors 120, Cavs 125
245
Magic-PistonsMagic 109, Pistons 116
225
Rockets-LakersRockets 99, Lakers 93
192
CLE won the closest game by 5
Closest finishes
Raptors-CavsRaptors 120, Cavs 125
+5 CLE
Rockets-LakersRockets 99, Lakers 93
+6 HOU
Magic-PistonsMagic 109, Pistons 116
+7 DET
CLE rallied from 7 down, the night's biggest comeback
Biggest comebacks, at quarter breaks
Raptors-CavsCLE won · Raptors 120, Cavs 125
7 pts
Rockets-LakersHOU won · Rockets 99, Lakers 93
7 pts
Ayton shot 9-of-14 for the night's hottest hand
Hottest shooting · min 10 FGA
AytonLAL · 18 PTS, 17 REB, 2 BLK
64% (9-14)
SchroderCLE · 19 PTS, 2 AST
64% (7-11)
MobleyCLE · 23 PTS, 9 REB, 3 BLK, 1 AST
62% (8-13)
BlackORL · 19 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL
58% (7-12)
CadeDET · 45 PTS, 5 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL
57% (13-23)
Final · Raptors-Cavs
Raptors 120Cavs 125
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Raptors34402917120
Cavs38293325125
The story
James Harden's 23 points carried Cleveland past Toronto, 125-120

For Toronto, RJ Barrett had 25 PTS, 12 REB, 5 AST 23 PTS, 9 REB, 5 AST · 7-13 FG, 4-8 3PT

The swing

The Cavaliers trailed by 3 going into the fourth, then won it 25-17.

CLE lead by quarter
200 +4−7−3+5 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle

Scottie Barnes was the fantasy play: 51.1 FPTS on 17 PTS, 11 AST, 8 REB

Final · Rockets-Lakers
Rockets 99Lakers 93
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Rockets2130252399
Lakers2819202693
The story
Houston beat Los Angeles 99-93 behind 22 points from Jabari Smith Jr.

Austin Reaves paced Los Angeles: 22 PTS, 6 AST, 4 REB 22 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST · 6-13 FG, 4-9 3PT

The swing

A 30-19 second quarter erased a 7-point hole for the Rockets.

HOU lead by quarter
200 −7+4+9+6 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle

Deandre Ayton topped the game at 43.4 FPTS: 18 PTS, 17 REB

Final · Magic-Pistons
Magic 109Pistons 116
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Magic26341930109
Pistons38282327116
The story
Cade Cunningham had 45 points as Detroit beat Orlando 116-109

Anthony Black led Orlando with 19 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST 45 PTS, 5 AST, 4 REB · 13-23 FG, 5-8 3PT

The swing

The Pistons won the first 38-26, their biggest quarter edge.

DET lead by quarter
200 +12+6+10+7 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle
Heating up
+8.7points, last 3 playoff games vs reg. season avg
Points per game
13.3Reg. season avg22.0Last 3 playoff games

22.0 points a game over his last three playoff games, against 13.3 in the regular season (63 games). Today: 23 points in 31 minutes.

Losing minutes
−11.9minutes, last 3 playoff games vs reg. season avg
Minutes per game
25.2Reg. season avg13.3Last 3 playoff games

13.3 minutes a game over his last three playoff games, against 25.2 in the regular season (82 games). Today: 2 points in 9 minutes.

Stepped-up role
+14.6minutes, today vs reg. season avg
Minutes per game
20.4Reg. season avg35Today

35 minutes today, against 20.4 a game in the regular season (72 games). Line: 20 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists.

Top performances

Paolo Banchero leads the day with 45

Paolo BancheroPoints, last 10 games: 20, 14, 23, 18, 25, 23, 18, 25, 18, 45Magic-Pistons · L
25.8 PPG playoffs to date · +24.0 vs his playoff average before tonight
Most like it, modern era: Paul George OKC, Feb 22, 2019: 45 PTS · 9 REB · 7 AST
Season high45 PTS · 9 REB · 7 AST
Cade CunninghamPoints, last 10 games: 33, 6, 13, 14, 7, 39, 27, 27, 25, 45Pistons-Magic · W
32.6 PPG playoffs to date · +15.5 vs his playoff average before tonight
Most like it, modern era: Jordan Poole WAS, Feb 7, 2025: 45 PTS · 4 REB · 5 AST
45 PTS · 4 REB · 5 AST
RJ BarrettPoints, last 10 games: 25, 15, 16, 22, 26, 24, 22, 33, 18, 25Raptors-Cavs · L
24.4 PPG playoffs to date · +0.8 vs his playoff average before tonight
25 PTS · 12 REB · 5 AST
LeBron JamesPoints, last 10 games: 13, 30, 26, 28, 18, 19, 28, 29, 10, 25Lakers-Rockets · L
22.2 PPG playoffs to date · +3.5 vs his playoff average before tonight
25 PTS · 3 REB · 7 AST
James HardenPoints, last 10 games: 17, 19, 28, 21, 20, 22, 28, 18, 19, 23Cavs-Raptors · W
22.0 PPG playoffs to date · +1.2 vs his playoff average before tonight
23 PTS · 9 REB · 5 AST
Evan MobleyPoints, last 10 games: 6, 12, 24, 22, 10, 17, 25, 15, 8, 23Cavs-Raptors · W
17.6 PPG playoffs to date · +6.8 vs his playoff average before tonight
23 PTS · 9 REB · 1 AST