NBA Playoffs Game 1 winners and losers: Trae Young silences Knicks crowd; Devin Booker torches Lakers

NBA followers have been handled to a veritable cornucopia of playoff basketball over the weekend, with eight improbable Recreation 1s going down on Saturday and Sunday. It was a staunch reminder of how completely different postseason basketball is from the common season, by way of high quality, depth and total drama.

One of the best half in regards to the playoffs, nevertheless, is that the celebs come out in full drive. There are not any extra minutes limits or holding again — simply my finest in opposition to your finest and let’s see what occurs. That was definitely the case on Saturday and Sunday, however whereas some stars shined, others struggled. Listed below are the outcomes from each Recreation 1, together with some winners and losers from the weekend.

Sunday’s Recreation 1 outcomes:

• (1) Philadelphia 76ers 125, (8) Washington Wizards 118
• (2) Phoenix Suns 99, (7) Los Angeles Lakers 90
• (5) Atlanta Hawks 107, (4) New York Knicks 105
• (8) Memphis Grizzlies 112, (1) Utah Jazz 109

Saturday’s Recreation 1 outcomes:

Winner: Trae Younger

A lot for needing time to get acclimated to playoff basketball. The 22-year-old Younger completely dominated the Knicks in his first-ever NBA postseason sport to the tune of 32 factors, 10 assists and 7 rebounds, and completed issues off with a game-winning floater with lower than a second left to silence the packed MSG crowd.

You don’t have to be knowledgeable lip reader to see that Younger was emphatically remarking about how quiet the Backyard instantly grew to become after his floater. Afterward, Younger mentioned that the Knicks followers had been chanting “F-U” at him (you may take heed to the NSFW model right here) and that he was questioning the place these chants went after his game-winner.

Total, the Hawks couldn’t have requested for a greater playoff debut for his or her franchise participant.

Loser: Julius Randle

Breakout Knicks star Julius Randle averaged 37 factors and shot 58 p.c from the sector in three video games in opposition to the Hawks this season. In Sunday’s Recreation 1 loss, Randle scored 15 factors and shot 26 p.c (6-for-23) from the sector. Evidently, had Randle made only a couple extra of these pictures then the Knicks might have gained the sport. It speaks to a bigger problem of how a lot the group relies on Randle for half-court offense, however what playoff group doesn’t closely depend on its star? Clearly, the Hawks did one thing to trouble Randle greater than they did in the course of the common season, and now it will likely be Randle’s flip to regulate.

Winner: Alec Burks

The Knicks’ bench had an incredible Recreation 1, and that’s largely due to Burks. The 29-year-old is on his sixth group in three seasons and had the perfect playoff second of his profession with a 27-point outburst, 18 of which got here within the fourth quarter, in Sunday’s loss to the Hawks.

I designated Burks as New York’s X-factor heading into the collection, and he confirmed why together with his deadeye capturing in Recreation 1, each off the catch and off the dribble. He went 5-for-8 from the sector, 2-for-3 from the 3-point line and 6-for-7 from the free throw line as he nearly delivered the Knicks a win regardless of a brutal efficiency from Randle.

Winner: Devin Booker

Trae Younger’s playoff debut might need been barely higher due to the game-winner, however Booker’s was proper there with him. The 24-year-old had waited six years to succeed in the postseason, and he delivered with 34 factors, eight assists and 7 rebounds to steer the Suns to a Recreation 1 win over the Lakers. 

Booker’s effort was all of the extra spectacular as a result of Chris Paul was severely hampered by a shoulder damage for a big portion of the sport. Paul had simply 4 factors on 2-for-6 capturing following the damage, leaving Booker — who performed 45 minutes — to do the heavy lifting. Any followers who in some way nonetheless thought of Booker an “empty stats” participant misplaced their final leg to face on together with his sensible playoff debut.

Loser: Anthony Davis

Davis has been spectacular within the playoffs all through his profession, however he put up an actual clunker on Sunday with 13 factors on 5-for-16 capturing in opposition to the Suns. After the sport, Davis acknowledged his disappointing efficiency, going so far as to take full blame for the loss.

“There’s no means we’re successful a sport, not to mention a collection, with me taking part in the way in which I performed,” Davis mentioned. “So this one is on me. I take full duty for positive. We’ll be higher in Recreation 2.”

Given Davis’ observe file, it’s protected to imagine he’ll bounce again.

Winner: Montrezl Harrell

Harrell had a stable efficiency for the Lakers on Sunday, scoring 12 factors on 4-for-5 capturing in quarter-hour, however the motive that he made the “winner” record has nothing to do with basketball. Throughout the fourth-quarter dust-up between the Lakers and Suns following Chris Paul’s foul on LeBron James, Harrell got here operating in from throughout the court docket to defend Alex Caruso, who was moving into it with Cameron Payne.

The velocity and aggressiveness with which Harrell ran into Payne was acknowledged with a technical foul, nevertheless it might have been a lot worse if Harrell wasn’t good sufficient — and fast sufficient — to catch Payne and forestall him from hitting the ground. We all know the NBA is all about optics, and if Payne would have gone tumbling to the hardwood, it’s fairly attainable that Harrell might have been ejected and possibly even suspended. TV cameras appeared to catch Payne discussing this precise state of affairs together with his teammates in the course of the ensuing timeout, miming that he was able to flop to the ground earlier than Harrell caught him.

It’s not a significant factor, however the Lakers will want each possibility they’ll get in opposition to the Suns, so Harrell avoiding additional punishment by catching Payne might show essential.

Loser: Jazz 3-point capturing

Utah led the NBA in 3-pointers made and tried this season, and the largest worry heading into the playoffs was what would occur if the pictures didn’t fall. Properly, we came upon on Sunday — and it wasn’t fairly. The Jazz went 12-for-47 (25.5 p.c) from the 3-point line within the Recreation 1 loss to Memphis, a far cry from the 38.9 p.c they shot in the course of the common season. Right here’s a breakdown of Utah’s 3-point shooters on Sunday:

• Bojan Bogdanovic: 4-for-11
• Mike Conley: 3-for-11
• Jordan Clarkson: 0-for-8
• Joe Ingles: 3-for-7
• Georges Niang: 1-for-6
• Royce O’Neale: 1-for-3
• Miye Oni: 0-for-1

Woof. The off evening was exacerbated by the truth that they didn’t have Donovan Mitchell, probably the most adept Utah participant at breaking down the protection off the dribble to create offense. That is the fashionable NBA and shooters are going to have nights like this, however the Jazz can take pleasure in the truth that they solely misplaced by three factors regardless of their horrid capturing.

Winners: Dillon Brooks and Ja Morant

The Grizzlies confirmed the NBA world simply how powerful and gifted they’re in Sunday’s Recreation 1 upset win over the top-seeded Jazz, they usually have been led by unimaginable performances from Brooks and Morant — each making their playoff debuts. Brooks carried the offense for almost all of the sport, scoring 29 factors within the first three quarters on 12-for-22 capturing and setting a franchise file for factors in a playoff debut.

He solely scored two factors within the fourth quarter, however that’s when Morant took over, placing up 10 of his 26 factors within the ultimate body. The second-year level guard got here up with clutch bucket after clutch bucket to assist stave off Utah’s livid comeback try.

Memphis is the youngest group to make the NBA playoffs for the reason that Kevin Durant-Russell Westbrook-James Harden Thunder, they usually confirmed completely no worry in opposition to the league’s finest group behind enormous performances from Morant and Brooks. We’ve obtained ourselves a collection.

Winner: Tobias Harris

Joel Embiid solely performed 10 minutes within the first half of the 76ers’ Recreation 1 win over the Wizards as a result of foul bother, they usually might have been in actual bother have been it not for the heroics of Tobias Harris. The Sixers ahead put up 28 factors within the first half alone on 12-for-19 capturing, en path to a playoff career-high 37 factors for the sport.

Embiid averted fouls within the second half and wound up with 30 factors, however the 76ers might have dug themselves into a big gap have been it not for Harris maintaining them afloat within the first half.

Winner: Nets Massive Three

Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving mixed to go 11-for-32 from the sector within the first half in opposition to the Celtics, and the Nets trailed by six heading into the locker room. Then the league’s latest Massive Three proved how shortly they’ll flip issues round, going 15-for-26 whereas outscoring the Celtics by 17 within the second half to cruise to a Recreation 1 win.

The Nets’ stars additionally deserve credit score on protection, significantly Durant and Harden, who mixed for 4 steals and a block within the second half to assist stifle the Celtics assault. It was only a glimpse of how harmful this group will be when all three of these guys are clicking.

Loser: Celtics offense

The Nets averaged 118.6 factors per sport in the course of the common season. If you happen to maintain them to 104 factors, because the Celtics did on Saturday, you HAVE to win that sport. As an alternative the Celtics solely mustered 93 factors, and missed a beneficial likelihood to steal a sport from Brooklyn on a subpar offensive evening. The Nets performed good protection, however finally Boston was simply unable to make pictures — Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum mixed to go 11-for-36 from the sector. Holding the Nets beneath 110 factors might be not going to occur typically throughout this collection, so the Celtics could be kicking themselves for going ice-cold within the second half and letting this one get away.

The Boston Celtics have taken half in a hell of loads of playoff video games, so if you put your identify within the franchise file books it’s a fairly unimaginable accomplishment. Williams blocked 9 pictures within the collection opener in opposition to the Nets, setting a brand new Celtics file for a playoff sport.

He wound up one rebound and one block in need of a triple-double with 11 factors and 9 rebounds to go together with the blocks, and did all of this in simply 22 minutes. I listed Williams because the Celtics’ X-factor heading into this collection, and he definitely confirmed what he’s able to in Recreation 1.

31 factors. 11 assists. 10 rebounds. Plus a Recreation 1 win over a group some are calling the title favourite. Not unhealthy for a 22-year-old. It was Doncic’s third triple-double in seven profession postseason video games.

Doncic was plus-19 in his 41 minutes, and the Mavericks scored an absurd 130.8 factors per 100 possessions with him on the ground on Saturday. The Clippers are going to have their arms full on this collection.

Oh boy, the Kristaps hate positive was flowing on Saturday night. The 7-foot-3 heart scored 14 factors on 4-for-13 capturing, together with 1-for-5 from 3-point vary whereas knocking down simply 4 rebounds. He even drew some ire from Dallas sports activities legend Dez Bryant after a deep 3-point try barely caught a chunk of the backboard in a two-point sport within the fourth quarter.

As nice as Doncic was in Recreation 1, the Mavs are going to wish Porzingis to play higher in the event that they’re going to upset the Clippers within the first spherical.

Loser: Clippers within the clutch

After final postseason’s repeated, embarrassing fourth-quarter meltdowns in opposition to the Nuggets, you’d think about the Clippers would need to begin this playoff run with a powerful clutch efficiency. Properly, that didn’t occur. In reality, they have been downright terrible, being outscored 18-5 within the final six minutes of the sport. If you happen to’re counting at house, that’s a clutch web score of minus-121.4, and a clutch offensive score of 28.6. Kawhi Leonard scored simply three factors within the fourth quarter on 1-for-4 capturing. Yikes.

Among the many groups with the league’s prime 12 information in the course of the common season, the Clippers had by far the worst clutch web score, so this isn’t precisely a brand new downside. They’ll want to scrub it up shortly, particularly in opposition to a participant like Luka Doncic.

It’s straightforward to establish a participant as a “winner” when he fairly actually wins the sport for his group. Middleton was the principle supply of offense for the Bucks on Saturday with 27 factors, six rebounds and 6 assists, and he buried the Warmth with an extremely tough game-winning fadeaway jumper with lower than a second remaining in extra time.

Due to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s limitations within the half-court, Middleton has grow to be the Bucks’ go-to scorer down the stretch of video games, and has a historical past of developing clutch. Coming off of a five-game loss to the Warmth final postseason, this was an enormous win for the Bucks’ confidence transferring ahead, and it might not have occurred with out Middleton’s heroics.

Sure, he made an incredible play to get the sport to extra time, however Butler went 4-for-22 from the sector, together with 2-for-9 from 3-point vary. Contemplating they have been one Khris Middleton soar shot away from double extra time, only a couple extra made buckets from Jimmy Buckets might have given the Warmth a Recreation 1 win. For what it’s price, Butler didn’t appear too involved after the sport.

“You miss pictures. You’ve obtained days like that. That’s OK. The entire thing is you’ve simply gotta bounce again, determine methods how one can be higher,” Butler mentioned. “We are going to proceed to take those that we missed, as a result of they’ll fall.”

Because of Denver’s damage points, many really feel that the No. 6 Blazers have a very good shot at a first-round upset. It definitely helps when Damian Lillard performs the way in which he did in Recreation 1. Lillard put up 34 factors and 13 assists on 5-for-12 3-point capturing because the Blazers pulled away within the second half for a convincing win on Saturday to steal home-court benefit from the Nuggets.

Lillard had three subpar scoring efforts in opposition to Denver in the course of the common season, however he made up for that shortly regardless of hounding protection from Facu Campazzo all evening lengthy. Nikola Jokic will most likely win MVP, however his supporting solid simply gained’t be sufficient to maintain up with Portland if Lillard continues to play like this.