Running analysis of Round 1 of the NBA playoffs

Our basketball writers share their observations and insights throughout Round 1 of the NBA postseason.

Monday, April 27

Nuggets in control from the edge

The Nuggets essentially took this one over by repeatedly pulling Rudy Gobert away from the basket with Nikola Jokic, allowing Spencer Jones and Christian Braun plenty of opportunities on the break as Denver's supporting cast entirely outshined Minnesota's. Denver led 10-0 in fast-break points in the first half, and Braun and Jones capitalized on that open space during a 15-4 third-quarter run that blew it wide open.

Without its starting backcourt of Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo, closing out a series against this Denver team was always going to be a mountain for Minnesota to climb. But the Timberwolves had the third-worst offensive efficiency by bench players during the regular season, and it showed, as the Nuggets raced away and eventually won their second game of the series. It didn't help Minnesota that Rudy Gobert went scoreless until 20 seconds remained in the third.

🏀 Bet on the NBA playoffs with theScore Bet here

The one bright spot for the Timberwolves was another strong performance by Ayo Dosunmu, who helped Chris Finch's side cut the deficit to 10 and give Denver a minor scare late. Gobert was not on the floor for that fourth-quarter run, however, and Jokic capitalized on a couple occasions against the much smaller Naz Reid, smothering a resilient Minnesota squad's momentum. And if the Timberwolves can't solve the balance of going small while somehow slowing Jokic, momentum won't be any easier to come by in a potential Game 7 in Denver. - Jonathan Soveta

Champs cruise to second round

The defending champion Thunder are off to the Western Conference semifinals after sweeping their third straight first-round series. A gritty, overachieving Suns team was unsurprisingly no match for Oklahoma City, which won its four games by an average margin of 17.3 points. Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaged a postseason-leading 33.8 points per game on absurd efficiency, Chet Holmgren continued to anchor a terrifying defense, and not even Jalen Williams' latest hamstring injury could slow down the Thunder.

However, as detailed below (Apr. 22), Williams' absence could complicate things for OKC's offense going forward. The team's first real test could come in Round 2, especially if the Lakers - currently up 3-1 on Houston - get Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves back. - Joseph Casciaro

Cade's Pistons face same old questions on brink of elimination

The eighth-seeded Magic deserve credit for winning a Game 4 rock fight - and little-known Jamal Cain is a terrific story for Orlando - but it's Detroit's glaring offensive flaws that demand our attention. As I wrote in two different playoff previews, there were serious issues hiding under the hood of the Pistons' ninth-ranked offense and 60-win regular season.

The East's top seed didn't shoot the ball well enough or often enough from deep (and didn't address the issue adequately at the trade deadline), and franchise star Cade Cunningham still led a turnover-prone attack. Those issues resurfaced as the Pistons lost three of four games to begin their first-round series. Detroit has recorded more than twice as many as turnovers (72) as made 3-pointers (33), with their Game 4 turnovers (20) more than tripling their made threes (six). Cunningham, himself, coughed it up eight times Monday, giving him an NBA playoff-record 24 turnovers over his last three games.

To be fair to the likely All-NBA First Teamer, the lack of spacing and secondary scoring around Cunningham make his task of running Detroit's offense that much tougher. It also doesn't help that Orlando has neutralized All-Star big man Jalen Duren, who's averaging 9.8 points on 46.9% shooting in the series. But at some point, Cunningham has to find a way to drag his team and this offense to better results.

A dearth of surrounding talent and floor-spacers were excuses for a turnover-prone Cunningham when his team was a 60-loss cellar-dweller. It's somehow still an issue even as they've collectively elevated themselves to 60-win front-runners. Is that an organizational failure or an individual one? The correct answer is that Cunningham and the Pistons must share the blame. - Joseph Casciaro

Rockets finally get hot from three, avoid sweep

The NBA is often described as a make-or-miss league, and while things are usually a little more complicated than that, the Rockets were down 3-0 because they couldn't make shots. They've attempted 17.8 wide-open threes per game, the fourth most this postseason, but are shooting 33.8% on those looks, the seventh-worst mark. Houston shot under 30% from long range in Games 2 and 3. Without Kevin Durant, who's missed three of the four games in this series, the Rockets drilled 40% of their threes in their Game 4 win.

Hot shooting wasn't the only thing that propelled Houston's offense in Game 4. The Rockets, who have often appeared discombobulated at that end of the floor, intentionally targeted weak defenders like Luke Kennard and made quicker, more confident decisions. While it's probably too little, too late - especially with Austin Reaves potentially coming back for Los Angeles - Houston's got something positive to build on for the rest of the first round. - Sam Oshtry

Harden's playoff woes continue

Stop me if you've heard this one before: James Harden is letting his team down in the postseason. While the Cavs' issues go beyond Harden (see below), he's a bigger part of the problem than the solution, as is frequently the case for one of the greatest playoff chokers of his generation. Cleveland's guards, including Harden, knifed through the Raptors' point-of-attack defense in the Cavs' opening two wins. Then the Raptors' ball pressure improved, and Harden committed 15 turnovers over the next two games while making just 11 field goals. Toronto scored 40 points off turnovers in those games - a huge reason the team was able to generate offense despite shooting 13% from three Sunday.

Across Games 3 and 4, Harden shot 40% from the floor, and he didn't reach 20 points in either outing after averaging 25 in the opening two games. With the series headed back to Cleveland, the Cavs need Harden to avoid his recklessness and become a greater scoring threat. Unfortunately for them, that usually ends in playoff disappointment for Harden's team. - Sam Oshtry

Sunday, April 26

Embiid's valiant effort in defeat

It was always going to be an uphill climb for the 76ers, even with Joel Embiid back in the lineup for the first time since April 6. Nobody quite knew what to expect from the seven-time All-Star coming off his recent surgery for appendicitis. It's one thing to be taking part in on-court activities during practice, but the intensity of actual gameplay is another story.

Embiid's night started off pretty well as he scored his team's first eight points in Game 4. But after scoring his 10th point of the opening quarter, he missed six straight field goals. He didn't break the dry spell until midway through the third quarter with an 18-foot jumper. Embiid seemed to find his offensive rhythm from that point on. The 7-footer was making pull-up jumpers, threes, and hook shots down low. He set up Tyrese Maxey for an easy transition basket and carried the ball up the court on the fast break before feeding Quentin Grimes.

Embiid's 26-point, 10-rebound, six-assist stat line in 34 minutes was all the 76ers could ask for considering the circumstances. But the Celtics were simply too good from beyond the arc (as they have been all series), making a franchise playoff-record 24 threes. - Chicco Nacion

Wemby proves why he was unanimous DPOY

It's no coincidence that the Blazers had their second-lowest scoring game of the season Sunday against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs. It was business as usual for the Frenchman as he became the youngest player ever with seven blocks in a playoff game and the first player in franchise history to reach that mark since Tim Duncan in 2007, according to ESPN Insights. Wembanyama added four steals to reach double digits in stocks for the third time this season.

Portland managed only 73.8 points per 100 half-court plays and converted 48.3% of its attempts at the rim, per Cleaning the Glass. There's truly no player in the game that has a bigger defensive impact. Wembanyama's presence in the paint makes players think twice about driving and forces opponents into making errant passes. The 7-foot-4 center's ability to frequently keep the ball in play after swats allows the Spurs to quickly counter.

When guards attack Wembanyama off the bounce, he knows when to reach in and poke the ball loose. The two-time All-Star also has the mobility and instincts to cover a wide range of the court. On one possession, he seamlessly switched from challenging a Jrue Holiday drive to blocking a point-blank shot from Robert Williams III. Wembanyama had another stat-stuffing performance, but his plus-28 rating in Game 4 illustrates just how effective he was on both ends. - Chicco Nacion

Barnes making the superstar leap

The Cavaliers flew to Toronto with a 2-0 series lead against a Raptors team that looked overmatched, wouldn't get starting point guard Immanuel Quickley back, and was about to watch Brandon Ingram shoot 11-of-32 at home. The two teams will return to Cleveland tied, largely because Scottie Barnes has been the best player in the series, bridging the gap between stardom and superstardom.

Barnes has been an All-Defensive caliber player all season, but his work on that end of the court has ratcheted up another notch during the playoffs. He remains an impact helper, but the Raptors have leaned on him to defend star guards Donovan Mitchell and James Harden at times. Barnes can be seen face-guarding Mitchell or Harden one moment, then covering enough ground to contest another Cavalier's shot attempt the next.

However, what's set Barnes' performance apart over the last two games is the consistent force he's played with on the offensive end. Barnes has always been a pass-first star - more of a playmaking forward than a traditional scoring star. But he made a commitment to getting downhill and bullying whoever was in his path in Games 3 and 4, whether he was finishing plays himself or using his rim pressure to create for others. The loudest example of that aggression came with the Raptors down one in the final 40 seconds of Game 4. Such a scenario had too often seen the Raptors force-feed a struggling Ingram. On this occasion, Barnes drove and elevated so ferociously, he nearly ripped the roof off Scotiabank Arena on his ascent, then almost broke Jarrett Allen in half on his way down.

Barnes had to settle for two free throws, but he sunk both to give the Raptors the lead. They never trailed again, thanks in part to four more Barnes free throws in the clutch. It was the perfect bow on a two-game showing that saw Barnes pour in 56 points (on 43 shooting possessions), 17 assists, 14 rebounds, four blocks, and two steals in 77 minutes. The Raptors won those minutes by 32 points. Toronto was a minus-six in 19 minutes without Barnes.

If head coach Darko Rajakovic is to be trusted, Cleveland - and the league - is only getting a taste of Barnes' two-way ceiling. "I expect more from Scottie," Rajakovic deadpanned when asked if this version of Barnes was who he envisioned early in his Raptors tenure. "The way he's playing right now, he's at 60% of the player he's going to be in two or three years," Rajakovic told theScore. "He's going to be one of the best players in the league. How much he cares about winning, how he pushes forward to do whatever it takes to win a game, that's what makes him special. I expect him to continue getting better." - Joseph Casciaro

Cleveland has a 'big' problem

The Cavs need Mitchell and Harden to be better than they were in Game 4 if Cleveland wants to escape the first round, let alone flirt with its Finals upside. A stout Raptors defense has done a great job mixing up its coverages to cause the star guards havoc. Toronto is face-guarding and top-blocking to eliminate Mitchell and Harden from some possessions, bringing different forms of pressure and double-teams to force the ball out of the duo's hands, and generally taking away Cleveland's first actions (and options) on possessions.

It's on Mitchell, Harden, and Kenny Atkinson's coaching staff to figure things out, but some of these struggles would be mitigated if Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen played as big as their sheer size. Both have been tremendous rim deterrents in the series, but Mobley has been exposed guarding in space, outworked for some rebounds, and still looks too uncomfortable with the ball in his hands. Meanwhile, Allen hasn't played with nearly enough force around the rim on either end. Toronto hasn't gotten much from its only true center - a diminished Jakob Poeltl - and yet the smaller Raptors have punished the Cavs inside because small-ball "bigs" like Barnes and rookie Collin Murray-Boyles have bullied Mobley and Allen. The Raptors outscored Cleveland 110-78 in the paint during Games 3 and 4.

This is an all-too-familiar trend for this era of the Cavs, but it can't continue if the league's only second-apron team has any hope of a deep run. - Joseph Casciaro

Saturday, April 25

Ayo has night of his life

Donte DiVincenzo's season-ending Achilles tear and Anthony Edwards' knee injury will have huge implications going forward for the T-Wolves, especially if Edwards is sidelined for an extended period. But let's commend Ayo Dosunmu for stepping into a difficult spot and bringing Minnesota within one victory of its third straight appearance in the second round of the postseason.

Dosunmu went off for a career-high 43 points on 13-of-17 shooting - including a perfect 5-of-5 from deep - to go along with a 12-of-12 clip from the charity stripe in 42 minutes off the bench. The Illinois product is the first player in NBA history to tally at least 40 points, shoot at least 75% from the field, make five-plus threes without a miss, and convert 10 or more free throws without missing in a regular-season or playoff contest, per OptaSTATS. The last player to have a 40-point game off the bench in the postseason was Stephen Curry in 2016.

If anybody still thought the T-Wolves gave up too much for Dosunmu at the deadline, there's no doubt now Minnesota won the trade. Dosunmu has developed into an elite 3-point shooter. He has the soft touch to hit floaters in the lane as well as the strength to power through defenders on drives. The ex-Bulls guard has already proven his worth, and his breakthrough Game 4 performance provided a national stage for what he brings to the table. - Chicco Nacion

Point Towns takes over to draw Knicks level

Karl-Anthony Towns turned in one of the finest playoff performances of his career in Game 4 against the Hawks, registering 20 points, 10 boards, and 10 assists in 29 minutes for his first-ever postseason triple-double. The scoring and rebounding Towns provided was no surprise. But the passing acumen he displayed Saturday evening was critical in tying up their first-round series with Atlanta at two games apiece.

Towns' playmaking took center stage early in the third quarter when Jalen Brunson exited with an apparent ankle injury. Things could've easily unraveled for the Knicks with their star point guard sidelined for nearly five minutes. But Towns took the reins as the lead facilitator during that span, dropping four dimes to help New York double its lead to 18 points by the time Brunson checked back in at the 5:38 mark.

Towns found a cutting OG Anunoby twice and Jordan Clarkson on another occasion when stationed at the top of the key. The 7-footer also set up an open Jose Alvarado 3-pointer after drawing a double team off the drive. Towns has always been a solid passer for his position. Give Knicks head coach Mike Brown credit for leaning into one of Towns' strengths at an important juncture of the contest. - Chicco Nacion

Friday, April 24

Harper's coming-of-age moment

With Victor Wembanyama still in the NBA's concussion protocol, the Spurs needed somebody to rise to the occasion. In Game 3, it was Dylan Harper who stepped up.

The rookie guard went off for a career-high 27 points on 9-of-12 shooting - including 4-of-5 from deep - to go with 10 boards, three assists, one steal, and one block in 30 minutes. He's the second-youngest player after Kobe Bryant to score 20-plus points off the bench in a playoff game.

Harper had a quiet first half before exploding for 12 points in the third quarter and another 10 in the final frame. The No. 2 pick in last year's draft looked anything but a player competing in just his third postseason game. He was shooting threes with confidence, taking the ball to the rack with authority, and even making a highly-respected perimeter defender like Jrue Holiday look silly. The Spurs were 12-6 this season without Wembanyama, and having depth pieces like Harper certainly helps manage the Frenchman's absence. - Chicco Nacion

Rockets crumble in crunch time again

Houston's struggles in clutch games this season are well-documented. The Rockets were just 22-23 in such situations and ranked 24th in net rating. Fittingly, their championship hopes were put to bed with another collapse down the stretch.

Ime Udoka's squad had no business losing Game 3 to the Lakers. After fighting back from a 15-point first-half deficit, Houston retook the lead with just under five minutes to go. The Rockets held their advantage and even appeared to seal the victory when Alperen Sengun picked off LeBron James and threw down a transition slam, putting his team up 101-95 with 40.6 seconds to go.

But it somehow wasn't enough to push Houston over the finish line. Jae'Sean Tate made an ill-advised foul on Marcus Smart's 3-point attempt, which cut the Rockets' lead in half. On the ensuing possession, James poked the ball away from Reed Sheppard in the backcourt and subsequently drilled a game-tying three to force OT. The Lakers took charge in the extra frame to take a commanding 3-0 series lead, while the Rockets missed seven of their final 10 field-goal attempts.

Houston could've certainly used the shot-creation of Kevin Durant, who was a late scratch Friday due to an ankle sprain suffered in the previous matchup. But the season-long absence of Fred VanVleet arguably loomed larger, as Houston too often lacked an experienced point guard who could settle things down whenever the game got tight. - Chicco Nacion

Celtics' sharpshooting sinks 76ers

Boston has been one of the most lethal 3-point shooting teams under Joe Mazzulla. They set an NBA single-season record for threes made (1,457) in 2024-25 and tied the single-game mark (29) just two weeks ago. The Celtics were third during the regular season with 15.5 threes per game and eighth in 3-point percentage (36.7%). Their numbers through the first two games of the playoffs were down from their regular-season marks. But Boston re-discovered its outside stroke in a bounce-back Game 3 road win.

The Celtics connected on 20-of-47 attempts from deep, outscoring Philadelphia by 24 points from beyond the arc. Eight different players knocked down at least one triple, including five apiece from Jayson Tatum and Payton Pritchard. Boston needed every one of those 3-point makes as a feisty 76ers squad kept the matchup within two possessions for most of the fourth quarter. The Celtics were finally able to put the home side away with a trio of threes in the final 1:57. - Chicco Nacion

Nuggets' offense falters in Game 3 loss to Wolves

When Nikola Jokic struggles, Denver's offense stumbles. The Nuggets own the league's best offensive rating but failed to score 100 points for the first time since January on Thursday night. The Timberwolves now own a 2-1 series lead. Jokic scored 27 points in the worst shooting outing of his playoff career, going 7-for-26 from the field and 2-for-10 from three. The three-time MVP is shooting 20.8% from long range this series, while four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert is shutting Jokic down on his drives and post touches.

Jokic's three assists in Game 3 are the fewest he recorded in any game this season where he played at least 20 minutes. Meanwhile, Aaron Gordon didn't play due to a calf injury - a major blow since the Nuggets are 10 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor. Jamal Murray's lackluster 16 points on 5-for-17 shooting Thursday didn't help, and no other Nuggets starter reached double figures, but their offense relies on Jokic to function. For the first time in Jokic's career, he looks lost. Denver needs him to find the answers before this series gets out of hand. - Sam Oshtry

Thursday, April 23

Battle might've saved the Raptors' season ... again

Jamison Battle wasn't the story of Toronto's Game 3 win over Cleveland - Scottie Barnes put together a two-way masterpiece - but the undrafted sophomore shooter tipped the scales in the Raptors' favor during a fourth-quarter barrage.

Desperate for some shooting to grease the wheels of Toronto's offense, head coach Darko Rajakovic turned to Battle on Thursday after the swingman had played just three minutes of garbage time through the series' first two games. To say it paid off would be the understatement of the postseason. Battle rewarded Rajakovic's faith with 14 fourth-quarter points on 5-of-5 shooting.

Battle's first made basket flipped a one-point deficit into a one-point lead early in the final frame. By the time he made the last of his five shots just 7:21 later, a 33-15 Raptors run had Toronto up by 17 points. According to ESPN's play-by-play data, the Raptors had a 49.7% chance of winning before Battle's first points of the game and a 99.9% chance after his final jumper.

It might've felt like deja vu for Raptors fans, who watched Battle shoot the Raptors past the Cavaliers back on Oct. 31. At the time, the 1-4 Raptors found themselves down double digits to the shorthanded Cavs, only for Battle's performance to spark a run that saw Toronto win 14 of 15 games. That early-season run carried the Raptors through an up-and-down rest of the year, ultimately resulting in a playoff berth.

The Cavs are still heavy favorites in the series, but for at least a couple more days, Raptors fans can dare to dream about another run fueled by the unlikeliest of heroes. - Joseph Casciaro

Kuminga sparks Game 3 win

Jonathan Kuminga could never fully gain the trust of Steve Kerr before his tumultuous five-year tenure with the Golden State Warriors ended. Quin Snyder has given the Hawks forward more leeway in the postseason as the former top-10 pick has worked 62 minutes through the first two contests of the series. Kuminga was on the floor for significant minutes once again in Game 3, and he responded to his head coach's faith with a difference-making performance.

Kuminga led all reserves with 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting, including a 2-of-4 clip from deep, in 28 minutes. The 23-year-old came out of the gates firing with 10 points on 4-of-4 shooting in the opening frame. He made timely cuts to the basket and shot the ball with conviction. He continued to assert himself in the fourth quarter with a pair of fearless drives to the basket and a putback after outworking multiple Knicks players. Kuminga punctuated his evening with an outstanding final possession, which began with his on-ball pressure on Josh Hart and ended with him poking the ball away from the Knicks forward to prevent New York from getting a potential game-winning shot off. - Chicco Nacion

Jalen Williams week-to-week

Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams is week-to-week after suffering a Grade 1 hamstring strain in the Thunder's Game 2 rout of Phoenix. The defending champions shouldn't have a problem closing out the Suns after grabbing a 2-0 series lead, but Williams' absence leaves OKC more vulnerable going forward, especially on the offensive end. Scroll down for more on how Williams' latest hamstring injury affects the Thunder and the field.

Wednesday, April 22

J-Dub's injury cause for concern in OKC

It won't matter while the Thunder cruise through a first-round matchup against the eighth-seeded Suns, but Jalen Williams' left hamstring injury is the type of blow that can crack the door open for a rival contender. It's also just a real bummer for J-Dub, who missed significant time due to two right hamstring injuries this season after recovering from offseason wrist surgery.

Williams' general health - and the rust he couldn't seem to shake during the regular season - was the only potentially fatal flaw I saw in the defending champions entering the postseason. The Thunder's league-leading defense is an immovable object regardless, but a healthy Williams gives them an unstoppable force on offense, too. That's why Williams' play early in this series was so encouraging for Oklahoma City (and so deflating for the field). Through a game and a half, the 25-year-old looked sharper and fresher than he had since last spring.

Williams' jumper looked better. He was assertive on the offensive end. He attacked mismatches and closeouts with conviction and finished through contact. He was moving better defensively. Even while sharing the floor with the reigning MVP, Williams was the best player in the series through six quarters, pouring in 41 points and 10 assists on 62% shooting. Then he came up a bit gimpy after a third-quarter drive, grabbed at his left hamstring, and never returned.

The Thunder managed to win a league-leading 64 games despite all of Williams' absences this season. They boast, at worst, the second-best player on the planet in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the second-best defensive player in Chet Holmgren. They're fully stocked with disruptive defenders and two-way difference-makers around them. But a healthy Williams playing at full throttle made the Thunder feel inevitable. His latest injury may not seem like much at the moment, but championship hopefuls around the league smell blood in the water. - Joseph Casciaro

Pistons' defense fuels bounce-back win

Detroit's defense was its calling card all season. With a potential 0-2 series deficit staring the Pistons in the face, they delivered a signature defensive performance to draw level with the Magic. J.B. Bickerstaff's squad limited Orlando to season lows in both points (83) and field-goal percentage (32.5%). The Magic couldn't do anything against the Pistons' stingy half-court defense, managing only 68.8 points per 100 possessions, per Cleaning the Glass. The trio of Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter Jr., and Desmond Bane was held to 27 points on 25% shooting after combining for 53 in Game 1.

Detroit exerted its physicality, forced multiple shot-clock violations with sharp rotations, contested shots at the rim, and created havoc on the perimeter. The Pistons led the NBA in blocks during the regular season, and showed that prowess in Game 2 with 11 rejections - including seven swats in the first quarter to tie the postseason record in the play-by-play era. Jalen Duren was the lone Detroit starter that didn't have at least one steal and one block. Meanwhile, Isaiah Stewart and Javonte Green each posted multiple blocks off the bench.

Ausar Thompson was all over the floor, too, rotating to protect the rim, guarding multiple players, and jarring balls loose to ignite the Pistons' fast break. Detroit tallied 18 points off 17 Orlando turnovers, with the 2025-26 Defensive Player of the Year finalist serving as a major catalyst. - Chicco Nacion

Rockets can't capitalize on size advantage

The Rockets are the league's best offensive rebounding team, and they have a massive size advantage over a Lakers team lacking reliable frontcourt depth. Houston has grabbed 43% of its misses and secured an average of 19 offensive rebounds through the series' first two games. Offensive rebounds lead to more shooting opportunities, and fittingly, the Rockets attempted 27 more shots than the Lakers in Game 1 and 17 more in Game 2. More shots theoretically should lead to more points, but not for a Rockets squad devoid of shooters and on-ball creators.

Even with the return of Kevin Durant (whose erratic ball-handling and playmaking led to nine turnovers), Houston doesn't have enough offensive initiators to create quality looks. And when the Rockets do manage to do so, they deploy too many questionable shooters, especially on nights like Tuesday when Reed Sheppard only plays 11 minutes. The Rockets shot 40% from the field and 24% from three in Game 2. If they can't capitalize on all those extra shots, their offseason will start sooner than expected. - Sam Oshtry

Edgecombe's historic night powers Sixers

As Tyrese Maxey struggled in the second quarter of Game 2 and Paul George sat most of the period because of foul trouble, Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe scored 16 points and drilled four threes while playing all 12 minutes. First-year players rarely carry teams to playoff wins, but Edgecombe finished with a team-high 30 points and 10 rebounds, becoming the first rookie to score at least 30 in a playoff game since Donovan Mitchell in 2018. He also became the first rookie to record 30 points and 10 rebounds in the playoffs since Tim Duncan in 1998.

Edgecombe made the Celtics look foolish on his catch-and-shoot threes as Boston helped off to prevent the Sixers from getting to the rim. He also torched the Celtics as a pick-and-roll ball-handler, drilling pull-up jumpers as Boston sat in drop coverage. The Baylor product's athleticism shone through in college, but Edgecombe's development as a shooter in his first season was impossible to anticipate. His historic performance sends the Sixers back to Philly with the series tied at one game apiece. - Sam Oshtry

Tuesday, April 21

LeBron, Lakers outclass Rockets in KD's return

There's a palpable difference between the joy LeBron James and the undermanned Lakers are playing with right now and the wretched, laborious basketball the Rockets are subjecting fans to. With Kevin Durant returning to the lineup after a knee injury sidelined him in Game 1, Houston was once again favored. You would've never guessed it.

James just continues to pummel Father Time. Meanwhile, Marcus Smart is making winning plays all over the court. Luke Kennard and Rui Hachimura continue to hit big shots. And JJ Redick is coaching circles around Ime Udoka. Then again, Udoka's stars aren't helping him.

Durant's decision-making in a nine-turnover performance was pitiful. KD himself may chalk that up to the lack of spacing and self-creators around him, as Houston's lack of competent table-setting has been an issue all season with Fred VanVleet sidelined. But the future Hall of Famer just doesn't have the playmaking instincts to quarterback an offense the way James does.

Alperen Sengun looks even worse, as the big man's touch has completely abandoned him through two games. Sengun has managed just 39 points on 44 shooting possessions. There's also zero synergy between Houston's two All-Stars, made painfully clear by the number of mistimed and misplaced passes between Durant and Sengun in Game 2 and by the passes not even attempted.

As Game 3 and 4 loom in Houston, are the Rockets going home to figure things out or to be put out of their misery? - Joseph Casciaro

Blazers stun Wemby-less Spurs

The Trail Blazers outscored the Spurs 24-8 over the final 7:44 of Game 2 and 11-2 over the final 3:26 to steal a win and send what's now a best-of-five series to Portland. But it was the absence of Victor Wembanyama - and uncertainty about his status going forward - that stole the headlines after the unanimous Defensive Player of the Year suffered a concussion on a scary second-quarter fall.

Even in a worst-case scenario where Wembanyama missed extended time, the Spurs wouldn't draw completely dead. Portland's rim frequency would rise, as it did Tuesday night, but Luke Kornet's an underrated rim-protector in his own right, and San Antonio's defense shouldn't fall off a cliff. Plus, the dynamic combination of Stephon Castle, De'Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, and Dylan Harper is more capable than it collectively showed in Game 2 (when Fox was especially abysmal). But the team's most exploitable mismatch disappears if Wembanyama does.

That much was evident as the Spurs disintegrated in crunch time of Game 2, with no levers for head coach Mitch Johnson to pull without his great equalizer destroyer on the court. Portland has an embarrassment of defensive riches to throw at that aforementioned collection of Spurs guards, while reserve big man Robert Williams III dominated the interior in a way Wemby would never have allowed.

Defense is the first thing that comes to mind when we think of the giant Frenchman, but in this particular matchup against the Blazers, manufacturing consistent offense without Wembanyama will be the real challenge. The seventh-seeded Blazers suddenly find themselves with home-court advantage and potentially the best player remaining (Deni Avdija) in a shorter series. Scary times for the Spurs. - Joseph Casciaro

76ers flip 3-point script on Celtics

Joe Mazzulla's Celtics live and die by the long ball, but they aren't often burned like they were Tuesday. Boston was caught flat from distance on both ends of the court, which allowed VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey to shoot the Philadelphia 76ers right back into this series with a statement Game 2 win at TD Garden.

Edgecombe specifically shook off a poor playoff debut to put up 20 points in the first half, 12 of which came on four threes in a four-minute stretch late in the second quarter. The barrage was part of an 18-8 run by the Sixers that gave them an eight-point lead at half - their largest lead of the series to that point and a buffer sufficient to withstand Boston's response in the third. Maxey, meanwhile, saved his best for the fourth, capitalizing on breakout center Neemias Queta's reluctance to step out to the perimeter against the pick-and-roll on back-to-back screens by Andre Drummond.

This is probably not where you want to be when Maxey sets his feet.

And yet, the Celtics likely could have lived with the shortcomings of a deeper drop coverage against one of the NBA's most dynamic backcourts if they simply converted their own 3-point looks. Instead, they went historically cold. Of Boston's 89 field-goal attempts Tuesday, 50 were from beyond the arc, and only 13 went in. No team has fired away from deep on a higher percentage of their shots in a playoff game since the Minnesota Timberwolves tried 51 threes in 83 field-goal attempts (a 61.4% 3-point attempt rate) in Game 1 of last year's Western Conference finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Minnesota lost that game by 26. - Jonathan Soveta

Gobert's defense shines

With just over four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of Monday's Game 2, Nikola Jokic isolated Rudy Gobert on the block before missing a hook shot. Nearly a minute later, Jokic went one-on-one with Gobert in the same spot. Another miss. The three-time MVP missed six of his last seven shots, all of which Gobert guarded. The Wolves let Gobert defend one of the greatest offensive players ever on an island, rarely sending double-teams. The Nuggets' big man seldom loses one-on-one matchups, but Gobert's defense overpowered a fatigued Jokic, who finished with only 24 points on 8-for-20 shooting from the floor and 1-for-7 from three.

Gobert's valiant defensive effort came on the same day he was snubbed as a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year.

"Not the first time I get disrespected," Gobert said. "Probably not the last."

The four-time DPOY winner has powered Minnesota's defense this campaign. With Gobert on the court, the Wolves posted a 108 defensive rating in the regular season, which would match the second-best mark in the NBA. However, their rating slipped to 115.9 while he was on the sidelines, a figure that would rank 21st. Minnesota can take control of this series if Gobert continues to shut down Jokic in the clutch. - Sam Oshtry

Past analysis

Check out all our archived items from previous days here.

US: Must be 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER; Hope is here. Call (800)-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org for 24/7 support (MA); Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY).

ON: Please play responsibly. 19+. ON only. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call ConnexOntario 24/7 at 1-866-531-2600. Text us at 247247 or chat with us at www.connexontario.ca.