Timberwolves rout Lakers 117-95 in 1st-round series opener, overcoming Luka Doncic’s 37 points
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jaden McDaniels scored 25 points, Naz Reid added 23 with six 3-pointers, and the Minnesota Timberwolves overcame Luka Doncic’s 37-point Lakers playoff debut for a 117-95 victory over Los Angeles. Anthony Edwards had 22 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in the first-round series opener for the sixth-seeded Wolves, who weathered Doncic’s 16-point first quarter in front of a roaring LA crowd. LeBron James had 19 points to begin his 18th NBA postseason, but the third-seeded Lakers were overwhelmed. Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is Tuesday night in Los Angeles. Minnesota made a franchise playoff-record 21 3-pointers,
Knicks use a 21-0 run in the 4th quarter to beat the Pistons 123-112 in Game 1
NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 34 points, Cam Payne had 11 of his 14 in the fourth quarter and the New York Knicks stunned the Detroit Pistons with a 21-0 run in the final period to rally for a 123-112 victory on Saturday night in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. Karl-Anthony Towns had 23 points and 11 rebounds in his first playoff game with the Knicks and OG Anunoby also scored 23 points for the No. 3-seeded Knicks, who host Game 2 on Monday night. The Pistons held up well for more than three quarters of their first playoff game since 2019 and had a 98-90 lead, but trailed by 13 by the time they scored again.
Westbrook fuels Nuggets’ comeback to edge Clippers 112-110 in OT in teams’ NBA playoff opener
DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic scored 29 points and Aaron Gordon added 25, and the Denver Nuggets roared back from a 15-point first-half deficit to power past the Los Angeles Clippers 112-110 in overtime in the opener of their Western Conference playoff series. Russell Westbrook hit a key 3-pointer late in regulation and made the game-saving play with 10 seconds left in overtime when he forced a turnover on the Clippers’ inbounds play with Los Angeles trailing by three.
Siakam, Haliburton help Pacers race past Bucks 117-98 for a 1-0 lead in 1st-round playoff series
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Pascal Siakam scored 25 points and Tyrese Haliburton added 10 points and 12 assists to lead the Indiana Pacers past the Milwaukee Bucks 117-98 and take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven first-round series. Indiana led by as much as 28 and fended off a charge that got the Bucks within 12 midway through the third quarter by holding the Bucks to only three points over the final 5:24. Two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 36 points and 12 rebounds but the Pacers held him to just one assist. Bucks’ All-Star guard Damian Lillard sat out with deep vein thrombosis in his calf.