Cleveland 86, Detroit 84 (Cavs lead series, 3-2)
OK, winning two games at home to tie the series is one thing. But to beat Detroit at their place to take a 3-2 lead in the series is something else entirely. LeBron James – as usual – led the way for the Cavs, scoring 32 points while grabbing five rebounds and dishing out five assists. Zydrunas Ilgauskas finally made an appearance in the series, going for 14/10 while blocking six shots. Donyell Marshall added 14/13 in the victory. The Pistons have to be feeling the pressure being so close to elimination. The pressure should even out a bit as the Cavs and their fans will expect a win at home in Game 6. It will be interesting to see how the young Cavs – who have won three straight without Larry Hughes – respond to the added pressure.

San Antonio 98, Dallas 97 (Mavs lead series, 3-2)
An energized defense made the difference in Game 5, allowing the Spurs to survive for another trip to Dallas. Tim Duncan was once again a force, posting 36 points and 12 rebounds, while Bruce Bowen and Manu Ginobili made key defensive plays down the stretch. Dirk Nowitzki was more aggressive, going for 31/10, but the Mavs lost despite shooting 51% from the field. The Mavs are in the same position as the Cavs – two young teams going home with an opportunity to close out series that they weren’t supposed to win. Much like the parity of the NFL, conference championships without the Spurs and Pistons would be good for the league.