Kevin Durant's Out, Lakers Ready to Close Out Houston Tonight

Three Game 5s are happening tonight in the NBA playoffs, and two teams have a real shot at ending their series. The Orlando Magic are looking to pull off a massive upset against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons, the Los Angeles Lakers can close out the Houston Rockets, and the Toronto Raptors face the Cleveland Cavaliers in what's become one of the most compelling first-round matchups with the series tied 2-2.

Magic Feeling Good, But Detroit Finds a Way

The Pistons looked rough in Game 4. Duncan Robinson got hunted on defense and his shot wasn't falling (2 for 8 from the floor, 1 for 6 from three). Jalen Duren has been getting outplayed all series by the Magic's Wendell Carter Jr., and when Cade Cunningham goes 7 for 23 from the floor, you're not winning playoff games.

Give the Magic credit though. They won Game 4 without Franz Wagner at full strength, as he picked up a right calf strain and only played 25 minutes. Wagner might miss Game 5. Desmond Bane was the best player for Orlando in that win, and Jamal Cain made people take notice with a vicious one-handed dunk over Duren.

The Magic are playing well enough to close this out, but I'm still picking Detroit to show fight on their home floor and force a Game 6.

Raptors' Defense Is Real, But Can It Last?

Games 1-3 of the Raptors-Cavaliers series were ugly. Both teams put together historically bad shooting performances in Game 4, but Toronto's elite defense on Cleveland's backcourt and standout play from Scottie Barnes and rookie Collin Murray-Boyles carried the day.

Here's the thing though: the Raptors showed they can win ugly, but shutting down Donovan Mitchell and James Harden for two straight games is one thing. Doing it for a third time while also keeping pace offensively? That's another. When Cleveland's backcourt gets rolling, Toronto doesn't have the firepower to keep up. I'm betting on Harden and Mitchell to break out of their slump before Toronto catches fire on offense.

Lakers Getting Healthy at Exactly the Right Time

Kevin Durant is out for the Rockets with a bone bruise and sprained ankle. That's huge. Without him, I don't feel confident in a Rockets team that's already been outplayed and outcoached by a Lakers squad that's dealt with way more injuries.

Even if Durant were healthy, I probably wouldn't pick Houston. The Lakers are also getting reinforcements. Austin Reaves is expected to play in Game 5. LA is getting healthier at the perfect moment to close this thing out on the road.

Game 5s tip off tonight at 7 p.m. ET (Pistons-Magic on Prime Video), 7:30 p.m. ET (Raptors-Cavaliers on ESPN/fubo), and 10 p.m. ET (Rockets-Lakers on ESPN/fubo). Two teams could be headed home for the summer.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.