Top-seeded Thunder and Cavaliers host critical Game 5s in conference semifinals

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers, the top seeds in the playoffs and owners of the best regular-season records in the NBA, find themselves in dire need of wins as they host Game 5s in the conference semifinals on Tuesday night.

Oklahoma City might have saved its season with a 92-87 win at Denver on Sunday that tied the Western Conference series at two wins apiece. The Thunder finally won a close game in the series on Sunday after losing Game 1 on a last-second shot and Game 3 in overtime.

“I think we fought, stayed the course, played the game," Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Especially in this series, it’s been so random almost. It’s throwing different things at us. I think we’ve been able to stay the course and it gave us a chance late. We closed it out.”

The Thunder regained the homecourt advantage they worked so hard to get in a franchise-best 68-14 regular season. But lose on Tuesday, and they head to Denver down 3-2 and facing elimination.

“I mean there’s no relief at all," Thunder forward Chet Holmgren said after Sunday's win. “It’s still a really competitive series with a good team on the other side. There’s no relaxing until ... There’s just no relaxing.”

Cleveland, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 64-18 regular-season record, is on the brink of elimination after being blown out 129-109 at Indiana to fall behind 3-1.

The Pacers, who reached the Eastern Conference Finals last season, know there's work ahead to return.

“You've got to be able to go into hostile territory and be able to stay focused,” Pacers center Myles Turner said. "I think that people are going to start talking about us now, ‘We’re this, we’re this, we’re that.’ We've got to keep our heads down, keep our blinders on and just keep rolling.”

When/Where to Watch: Game 5, 7 p.m. EDT (TNT)

Series: Pacers lead, 3-1

BetMGM Sportsbook: Cavaliers by 7.5.

What to Know: Cleveland All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell’s status is unclear for Tuesday’s game after he injured his left ankle during Game 4. He was limited to 12 points in 20 minutes and sat out the second half after the Cavaliers fell behind 80-39. He had an MRI on Monday. Mitchell scored 48 points in Game 2 and 43 points in Game 3 before being limited in Game 4. Cleveland’s Darius Garland scored 21 points in Game 4, but he’s still recovering from a toe injury. Indiana won the first two games in Cleveland, and the Pacers are 3-1 on the road in this year’s playoffs. The Pacers tied an NBA playoff record with a 41-point halftime lead in Game 4. Indiana has scored at least 120 points in all three wins.

When/Where to Watch: Game 5, 9:30 p.m. EDT (TNT)

Series: Tied, 2-2

BetMGM Sportsbook: Thunder by 9.5.

What to Know: Oklahoma City has bothered Denver’s Nikola Jokic more than most. In his past three games, the three-time league MVP has been limited to 21.3 points per game on 33.3% shooting from the field and 18.2% shooting from 3-point range. He exploded for 42 points and 22 rebounds in Game 1. He also has had some foul issues, with five in Game 1, fouling out of Game 2 and committing four in Game 4. Jaylin Williams, a backup center, appears to have done the best job of pestering him. Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged 33.5 points and shot 59% in the home games this series and 21.5 points on 36.6% shooting on the road.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (1) in the second half of Game 4 in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) drives to the basket against Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) in the first half of Game 4 in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic gestures to teammates after hitting a basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second half of Game 4 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Sunday, May 11, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) looks to pass the ball as Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun (0) defends in the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Sunday, May 11, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, right, drives past Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, center, and forward Aaron Gordon in the second half of Game 4 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Sunday, May 11, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Four years after showing up late for the Beijing Olympics and missing one of his races because of a case of COVID-19, U.S. long track speedskater Casey Dawson is enjoying what he jokingly terms his “villain arc,” peaking at the right time ahead of the Milan Cortina Games.

Dawson secured a spot for next month in the men's 5,000 meters — an event he was forced to skip in 2022 while sick — by winning at that distance at the U.S. Olympic trials in 6 minutes, 12.857 seconds on Friday night.

“I actually got COVID two or three weeks before going to the competition. Tested positive for 50 straight tests,” said Dawson, a 25-year-old from Park City, Utah. “Couldn’t go over to the Games. I missed the opening ceremonies. Missed the 5,000 meters. Showed up 12 hours before my 1,500 meters. So I kind of got a little screwed over from that point of view. But this time around, I’m just looking forward to getting there smoothly and just getting a little bit of redemption.”

And then, with a chuckle, Dawson added: “It’s kind of fun to have, like, my villain arc, I would call it. Just coming back and having some fun.”

Ethan Cepuran was about 6 1/2 seconds back Friday, finishing next in 6:19.335.

The last American man to medal in the 5,000 at an Olympics was Chad Hedrick at the 2006 Turin Games.

Dawson already had secured the lone U.S. place for Milan in the men’s 10,000 — a race not being contested at these trials — and also will be part of the trio for men’s team pursuit at the Olympics.

Dawson, Cepuran and Emery Lehman took the bronze in that event in Beijing four years ago, set the world record in 2024 and claimed gold in the team pursuit at the world championships in March.

In the other race Friday, the women's 3,000, Greta Myers won in 4:06.799. As of now, the United States does not have a berth in Milan for that distance, but one of its athletes could end up in the field if another country relinquishes an opening.

“It's hard to wait,” said Myers, a 21-year-old from Lino Lakes, Minnesota. “But I'm very hopeful. I think it's at least a 50-50 chance that it'll happen.”

The U.S. Olympic roster for long track won't become official until the four-day trials at the Pettit National Ice Center wrap up on Monday. One element that could come into play is that the Americans are allowed to bring a maximum of eight men and six women to these Winter Games.

The biggest star of the team — and the sport — is scheduled to make his trials debut Saturday in the men's 1,000 meters: Jordan Stolz. The 21-year-old from Kewaskum, a town about 40 miles north of Milwaukee, is not just competing at home this week; he's racing at the same rink where he first began taking lessons as a kid.

He made his Olympic debut at age 17 in Beijing four years ago, finishing 13th in the 500 and 14th in the 1,000.

At both the 2023 and 2024 world championships, Stolz earned titles in each of the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters.

He's already pre-qualified for the Olympics based on performances at those three distances. All he really needs to do to lock down berths on the squad for the Feb. 6-22 Milan Cortina Games is show up at the starting line this week.

The 500 and 1,500 are slated for Sunday, and the mass start is Monday.

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Casey Dawson, of Park City, Utah, right, and Ethan Cepuran, of Glen Ellyn, lllinois, left, compete in the men's 5,000 meters at the U.S. Olympic trials for long track speed skating at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Howard Fendrich)

The Pettit National Ice Center is seen in Milwaukee on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, the first day of the U.S. Olympic trials for long track speedskating. (AP Photo/Howard Fendrich)