NBA fans witnessed something truly historic this weekend — for the first time ever, all four road teams won Game 1 of the conference semifinals. That’s not just rare; it’s unprecedented. In a league where home-court advantage is usually a big deal — especially in the playoffs — the underdogs marched into hostile arenas and came out with statement wins. Shock, disbelief, and excitement filled arenas and living rooms alike as higher seeds were left scrambling for answers.
Let’s take a moment to appreciate the gravity of this. In every series — East and West — the teams that were “supposed” to protect home court fell short. Not once, not twice, but four times. And while the NBA playoffs are always unpredictable, this kind of full-sweep by the road teams? It’s never happened — until now.
Starting in the Eastern Conference, the Indiana Pacers continued their magical postseason run with a gritty win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Tyrese Haliburton may not have had a monster scoring night, but he kept the offense humming and made the big plays late. Pascal Siakam, meanwhile, turned in a veteran performance, capitalizing on every mismatch the Knicks gave him. Indiana silenced one of the league’s loudest arenas — and showed they’re not afraid of the bright lights.
In Boston, the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off arguably the most shocking win of the night, stealing Game 1 from the top-seeded Celtics. Donovan Mitchell went into full takeover mode, scoring in bunches and making clutch plays down the stretch. Without Garland and Mobley at 100%, many expected Boston to cruise. But the Cavs had other plans — and they played with the kind of edge and toughness that shook the Celtics out of their comfort zone.
Out West, it was the Dallas Mavericks who took down the Oklahoma City Thunder in a tightly contested battle. Luka Dončić showed why he’s one of the league’s premier playoff performers, delivering a near triple-double while keeping OKC’s defense guessing. Kyrie Irving hit timely shots and provided veteran leadership, as the Mavs exposed the Thunder’s inexperience in late-game situations. The crowd in OKC was rocking all night, but Dallas held firm.
And finally, the Golden State Warriors proved their championship DNA is alive and well, grinding out a defensive win over the Denver Nuggets in one of the toughest road environments in basketball. Stephen Curry didn’t need to drop 40 — his mere presence opened up the floor, while Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins made life miserable for Jokic and the Nuggets offense. The Warriors made a statement: don’t count us out yet.
The ripple effects of this historic night will be felt all series long. Road wins in Game 1 shift the momentum and steal home-court advantage, putting massive pressure on higher seeds to respond quickly. Fans are already wondering: is this the wildest postseason ever?
One thing’s for sure — the 2025 NBA Playoffs just got a whole lot more interesting. Buckle up.
