NBA Game Notes (May 5, 2026)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on May 5, 2026.
Three Stars
Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games, with the “first star” considered the top performer.
First ⭐️
Chet Holmgren scored a team-high 24 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 108-90 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of their Western Conference Semifinals series. Holmgren shot 9-17 from the field, sinking both of his 3-point attempts. He added a game-high 12 rebounds (tied with Deandre Ayton), a game-high three blocks, and one steal, and was not charged with either a turnover or a personal foul in 31 minutes played.
Second ⭐️
LeBron James scored a game-high 27 points, but it wasn’t enough in the Lakers’ loss to the Thunder. James was very efficient, going 12-17 from the floor with three 3-pointers made. He also contributed six assists, four rebounds, and one steal in 36 minutes of action.
Third ⭐️
Duncan Robinson scored 19 points as the Detroit Pistons held off the Cleveland Cavaliers 111-101 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. Robinson went 7-12 from the field, hitting five of his eight attempts from 3-point range. He also swiped two steals in 28 turnover-free minutes.
Milestones
The Cavaliers’ James Harden scored 22 points, passing Tony Parker to move into 11th place on the NBA’s all-time playoff scoring list with 4,061 points. It was his 181st career playoff game, breaking a tie with Dennis Johnson for 18th place on the league’s postseason leaderboard.
Streaking
The Pistons’ Cade Cunningham scored 23 points for his 14th straight 20-point playoff game. It’s the longest such streak in franchise postseason history, a span in which he’s averaged 28.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 7.8 APG, 1.4 SPG, and 1.0 BPG.
James has scored in double figures in each of his last 147 playoff games, tying Karl Malone (April 18, 1986 to May 25, 1999) for the fourth-longest such streak in NBA postseason history.
Miscellany
James was the night’s leading scorer, tallying 27 points. He was followed by Holmgren (24 points), Cunningham (23), the Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell (23), and Harden (22).
The Lakers’ Deandre Ayton, the Pistons’ Jalen Duren, and Holmgren shared nightly honors in rebounds with 12 apiece.
Cunningham, Harden, and the Lakers’ Marcus Smart were the top playmakers last night, each handing out seven assists.
Mitchell’s streak of nine straight playoff series openers with at least 30 points came to an end. It’s the longest such streak in NBA postseason history, besting two seven-game runs by Michael Jordan.
The Detroit Pistons snapped an NBA-record-tying 12-game postseason losing streak to the Cleveland Cavaliers, securing their first playoff win over Cleveland since Game 2 of the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals.