Eight teams are coming out of the weekend with Game 1 victories. But the real winners? Basketball fans everywhere 😎
For all your hoops content needs this playoffs and beyond, we’ve got you covered! Recently, Kenny sat down with Andre Iguodala, Fred VanVleet, and Shaun Livingston on State of the Game, while Kenny and Pierre faced off on the league’s Enjoy the NBA trivia show. Give them both a watch!
Today’s Lineup
🪄 Magic Men
Orlando upsets Detroit in Game 1.
🥊 Fight to the Finish
Denver downs Minnesota in a physical bout.
🏆 Trophy Talk
Your MVP finalists are…
🎉 Happy birthday Kel’el Ware, Danny Granger, and Ochai Agbaji! 🎉
Game Recaps
Big third quarter run helps Nuggets to 116-105 G1 win over Wolves
Two teams, 42 fouls, and one critical 14-0 run— that’s playoff basketball.
On Saturday, the Nuggets and Timberwolves rang in the first day of the postseason in proper fashion, with Denver gutting out a physical 116-105 win in the opener of the #3 vs. #6 series out West. In what Nugs HC David Adelman called a “grimy game,” Denver used a pivotal 14-0 third quarter run to seize control, ultimately winning the day. Jamal Murray led all scorers with 30 PTS including a 16/16 clip from the free throw line, while Nikola Jokic notched a triple-double with 25 PTS, 13 REB, and 11 AST.
Minnesota’s offense played its normal hits, racking up 54 PTS in the paint, but went cold when it mattered most, including a stretch of nine straight missed field goals during the aforementioned Denver run. Anthony Edwards, who finished with 22 PTS, seemed unbothered in the aftermath of the tight defeat. Monday’s Game 2 can’t come soon enough 👀
🏀 🏀 🏀
Cade’s 39 not enough as Pistons fall to Magic 112-101
The first major upset of the NBA postseason is in the books. But can the Magic last for an entire series?
Orlando hopes the answer is yes following a big-time win over the top-seeded Pistons in Game 1 of the East first round. After advancing to the postseason proper with a Play-In dub over Charlotte on Friday night, the Magic carried that momentum over, jumping out to an early 18-5 lead over 60-win Detroit and riding it to victory . Though Cade Cunningham did his part with a playoff career-high 39 PTS, the rest of the Pistons shot just 36% from the field, spelling doom for the East’s top dogs.
Orlando was buoyed by a balanced scoring effort that saw all five starters score 16+ PTS. Paolo Banchero led the way with 23, and the team as a whole dominated inside the arc, connecting on 60% of their two-pointers to survive a 29% three-point clip. The Magic also hauled in 11 offensive boards to Detroit’s 6. The Pistons have the resume, but for now, the Magic have the momentum. Let’s see how MoTown responds!
🏀 🏀 🏀
Elsewhere around the NBA:
In the West:
Rockets-Lakers was originally branded as another titanic clash between LeBron James and Kevin Durant. But through Game 1, it’s the Luke Kennard show. The former Duke Blue Devil scored 27 PTS and hit five threes in LA’s 107-98 win over Houston, one that saw KD, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves all sit out with injury. Will Kennard play hero again in G2, or will the Rockets rise again?
OKC began their quest for a second straight title with a dominant 119-84 victory over Phoenix, one that saw their big three of SGA, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams combine for 63 PTS. But it was the Thunder’s vaunted defense that made the difference, holding the Suns to under 35% from the field and limiting Play-In hero Jalen Green to 6/16 shooting.
San Antonio took care of business in its first playoff game since 2019, and the franchise’s young phenom looked like he’d been there before: Victor Wembanyama scored 35 PTS in his playoff debut, surpassing Tim Duncan’s franchise record with the Big Fundamental in attendance, including 21 in the first half, the most since the play-by-play era began in 1997. Deni Avdija had 30 PTS and 10 REB for Portland (though he did end up on the wrong end of a Wemby highlight), but a 26.3% three-point shooting day for the Blazers sunk any chance they had in the 111-98 defeat.
In the East:
Jayson Tatum is back with a vengeance this postseason, and he kicked things off by helping Boston set a franchise record. JT (25 PTS, 11 REB, 7 AST) and Jaylen Brown (26 PTS) led the Celtics to a 123-91 dub over Philly, setting a new team mark for the largest win to open a playoff run. Tatum scored 21 of his points in the first half, announcing to the world, with both his play and his words, that he’s back and better than ever.
Shooting 52% from the field and 48% from three… in a loss? It sounds far-fetched, but that’s exactly what happened to Toronto in Saturday’s 126-113 defeat against Cleveland. The Raps shot the ball well with four players (RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, and Jamal Shead) scoring 17+ PTS, but a combined 17 turnovers were the difference against a Cavs squad that enjoyed a hot shooting day of its own (54% from the field, 50% from three.) And of course, playoff Donovan Mitchell showed out, dropping 32 PTS to set the NBA playoff record for most consecutive 30-point Game 1s.
The Hawks were the league’s hottest team toward the end of the regular season, but they ran into a Garden wall on Saturday in NYC. The Knicks downed Atlanta 113-102 with each of their stars leading the way for part of the contest— Jalen Brunson made his first 6 shots and had 19 first-half PTS en route to a 28-point day, while KAT had 19 in the second half and finished with 25. That duo will be a handful for the Hawks — or any other team — to contain.
🧠 Daily Trivia 🧠
Which famous Duke product did Luke Kennard play with in college?
Trophy Talk
NBA announces finalists for MVP, DPOY, other major awards
After a long regular season, some recognition is in order. Here are the finalists for every major award as announced by the league Sunday night:
MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC), Nikola Jokic (DEN), Victor Wembanyama (SAS)
DPOY: Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren (OKC), Ausar Thompson (DET)
ROY: Cooper Flagg (DAL), Kon Knueppel (CHA), VJ Edgecombe (PHI)
MIP: Nickeil Alexander-Walker (ATL), Deni Avdija (POR), Jalen Duren (DET)
6MOY: Keldon Johnson (SAS), Jaime Jaquez Jr. (MIA), Tim Hardaway Jr. (DEN)
Coach of the Year: Joe Mazulla (BOS), Mitch Johnson (SAS), J.B. Bickerstaff (DET)
Clutch Player of the Year: Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards (MIN), Jamal Murray (DEN)
Some of this year’s tightest races include ROY, where college teammates Flagg and Knueppel are vying for bragging rights, and MIP, where the debate between NAW’s 10-PPG scoring jump and Avdija’s development into a legitimate star for Portland is tough to call.
Most of the winners will be announced throughout this week, starting with DPOY on Monday, though we’ll have to wait until later in the postseason to crown the MVP. What a joy it is to watch these guys hoop!
Three in the Key
🔥 Long-Range Deadeye
J-Will threads the needle, Chet beats the buzzer!
👏 Man of the People
FVV speaks up for the players’ business interests!
🎥 Absolute Cinema
Another year, another fire SportsCenter playoff promo.
What We’re Enjoying
Game 1 of each series may be in the books, but the real madness of the postseason is still to come. Our guys over at Numbers on the Board called their shots, making official predictions for each first round matchup. Give it a watch!
Signing Off
And we out! Thanks for spending a portion of your day with us. This week, don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Whether it’s a tough task or a hard day, there’s always someone willing to lend a hand. See you soon!
Walker Carnathan
