Past analysis of Round 1 of the NBA playoffs

Our basketball writers shared observations throughout Round 1 of the NBA playoffs. Tap to return to the main story.

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

Monday, April 20

Denver does itself no favors

This was really a case of the Nuggets overcomplicating things offensively, but especially in the second half. Jamal Murray, despite leading the Nuggets in scoring with 30 points, had a string of questionable decisions in the third quarter that would have restored some valuable breathing room after blowing a 19-point lead midway through the second frame.

After failing to bait a 3-point foul by Donte DiVincenzo, Murray tossed up a rushed three with his very next shot despite Denver having a significant numbers advantage in transition, allowing DiVincenzo to bat the ball to safety. The Wolves couldn't crack the Nuggets' defense, and missed free throws from Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle didn't help. However, the Nuggets' poor decisions allowed Minnesota to keep it close enough until late, when neither Murray nor Nikola Jokic - save for an unexpected last-minute dunk on Rudy Gobert - appeared to have much left in the tank from not slowing things down when they had the opportunity to do so.

That Murray tossed up a long two when Denver needed a three to tie (or at least a quick high-percentage bucket) was perhaps the simplest microcosm of how David Adelman's squad let this one slip away. - Jonathan Soveta

Mike Brown has some explaining to do

The list of deciding factors in a close game is often far longer than the losing team's fans care to admit, and a head coach is never the reason a club wins or loses. But Knicks head coach Mike Brown has some explaining to do after a couple regrettable decisions played a part in New York's blown lead and Game 2 loss to Atlanta.

Leaving a timeout on the table is the error everyone will cite. Brown elected not to take his use-it-or-lose-it timeout before the three-minute mark of the final frame despite his Knicks coughing up a double-digit fourth-quarter lead and being involved in a one-point game. Making matters worse (and more perplexing), Brown then called a surprising timeout at the 2:43 mark while Jalen Brunson was in transition. By the time the Knicks collected a missed free throw down one point in the final five seconds, they had no timeouts left.

Perhaps even more unconscionable, the Knicks spent 11:22 of Game 2 with both of Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns on the bench. It was baffling when Brown sat both to start the second quarter, and downright shocking when he did it again for an even longer stretch between the late-third quarter and early-fourth. A minus-seven rating in those minutes might not sound like much, but in a one-point playoff loss, it's colossal. Brown has two All-NBA caliber stars at his disposal. They should rarely be riding the bench together in a postseason contest, let alone for as long as they did on Monday. - Joseph Casciaro

CJ McCollum, ageless wonder

Who had CJ McCollum as the series scoring leader through two games?

The 34-year-old committed a couple turnovers (and missed two free-throws) in crunch-time of Game 2, but he was largely magnificent, matching the Knicks' total of six points over the final 2:08. Add in a 3-point assist to Nickeil Alexander-Walker earlier in the fourth quarter, and McCollum accounted for nine of Atlanta's 13 points over the final 4:12

The 13-year veteran flew somewhat under the radar while younger Hawks led the team's charge up the Eastern Conference standings, but McCollum's shot-creation and offensive know-how helped steady the ship. Atlanta went 19-4 with McCollum in the lineup after he became a full-time starter on Feb. 22, and he owned the team's second-best on/off differential behind Dyson Daniels. Through two playoff games in New York, McCollum has 58 points on 55% shooting.

It's still early, but if McCollum is the best scorer in this series, the Knicks are in trouble. - Joseph Casciaro

Cavs stars remind Raptors there are levels to this

There are too many reasons to list why Cleveland has a 2-0 series lead over Toronto and has led for roughly 86 of 96 minutes thus far. After all, the Cavaliers are the superior team, and the Raptors are missing their starting point guard, Immanuel Quickley. Despite a tremendous second-half effort on the defensive end Monday night, the Raps also aren't going to steal any playoff wins while committing 22 turnovers, many of which were unforced. But the story of Game 2 was that the Cavs have two shotmaking Stars with a capital "S" in Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, while the Raptors employ one lowercase version in Brandon Ingram.

Mitchell and Harden, with 18 All-Star selections and double-digit All-NBA nods between them, consistently beat Toronto's improved Game 2 defense with incredible shotmaking, each made basket more impressive than the last. On the other end, Ingram bricked his way to a 3-of-15 performance after he and the Raptors spent 48 hours talking about how the two-time All-Star needed more shot attempts than the nine he took in Game 1.

Ingram enjoyed a fine first season north of the border, and his ability to make tough shots - bailing the Raptors out on plenty of regular-season possessions - was a big part of Toronto's drastically improved halfcourt offense. The attention he commands from opposing defenses has also been on display in this series. But the lanky forward doesn't score efficiently or consistently enough (and he doesn't get to the free-throw line often enough) to be the go-to scorer on a contending team.

Ingram doesn't have to be Toronto's best player; Scottie Barnes has that covered. But Barnes is a defensive star and playmaking forward who needs a go-to, three-level scorer beside him. Had Ingram played anywhere near the level the Raptors were banking on Monday night, this series might be tied. - Joseph Casciaro

Sunday, April 19

Blazers let down by bench

Of the 16 teams to make the playoffs, the Portland Trail Blazers posted the worst offensive efficiency in the regular season at 113.1 points per 100 possessions, a mark also weighed down by their 34.3% clip from distance - the third-worst mark in the NBA. While Victor Wembanyama was probably going to impress against any team in his playoff debut, those Blazers numbers spelled a recipe for disaster against the San Antonio Spurs' 7-foot-4 phenom.

If Portland hopes to mount any sort of challenge in an already very uphill series, it can't waste rare opportunities during Wembanyama's rest minutes, and the Blazers' second unit has to be much more effective than it was Sunday. Maybe Jerami Grant was simply distracted by the Spurs arena's vibrant postseason makeover, but a minus-25 in just 19 minutes with five points is far from the type of impact a young Portland squad needs from its vet off the bench if it hopes to topple Wembanyama and Co. in Round 1. - Jonathan Soveta

Suggs sets the tone for Magic

Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said it took his team playing with a sense of "desperation" to beat the Charlotte Hornets in the play-in and make it this far. Jalen Suggs may have taken that to heart in Game 1 against the Detroit Pistons. The 24-year-old was absolutely everywhere in the opening minutes. After hitting a pair of threes for Orlando's first buckets, the Magic guard reminded his teammates of the kind of effort it's going to take to really bother the No. 1-seeded Detroit Pistons when he threw himself at a loose ball in the middle of the open floor - even when it may not have been entirely necessary.

In just nine first-quarter minutes, Suggs posted 11 points, two rebounds, two steals, and a block. But critically, he helped Orlando stun Detroit out of the gate; it was just the eighth time all year Mosley's squad has scored at least 35 first-quarter points on the road, but the Magic seemed to have a response for nearly everything from that point on and refused to let the conference leaders slowly re-assemble their suddenly shaky confidence at home.

If the Pistons come out slow again in Game 2, the East's best regular-season squad may be staring at an embarrassing 2-0 deficit when the series shifts to Orlando. - Jonathan Soveta

Suns had no answer for Thunder's defense

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's detractors may take issue with his 17 free-throw attempts in Sunday's blowout of the Suns (Phoenix shot 18 free throws as a team), but Oklahoma City simply smothered Phoenix with impeccable defense in Game 1. Specifically, the reigning champs showed they're still resistant to mismatches.

After the Suns went 0-of-5 on threes contested by Chet Holmgren in the first half, they seemed more willing to attack the void left inside by the 7-foot-2 All-Star in the third quarter. That proved all but futile, too. Early in the frame, Oso Ighodaro had what appeared to be a clean dunk snuffed at the rim by Gilgeous-Alexander. A couple minutes later, some excellent ball movement by Phoenix gave Dillon Brooks the opportunity to drive to the basket - and it didn't matter, because Jalen Williams stonewalled him.

Not everyone's a fan of the Thunder's aggressive, physical style - certainly not Devin Booker, who had a miserable time with Lu Dort and Cason Wallace - but it's the attention to detail and structure that makes Mark Daigneault's squad such strong contenders to retain their crown. Sunday, it felt as though Phoenix would have to play five-on-four for this series to feel fair. And when the Suns found themselves in exactly that situation after Dort was left behind on a layup late in the third, they turned it over on an offensive foul. That's not a good omen. - Jonathan Soveta

Tatum's comeback continues

There was no guarantee Jayson Tatum would be back this season after rupturing his Achilles tendon in the second round of last May's playoffs. He returned less than a year after the devastating injury and appears to be rounding into form after a strong finish to the regular season.

Tatum flirted with a triple-double Sunday, tallying 25 points, 11 boards, and seven assists as the Celtics coasted to a dominant 123-91 Game 1 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. The six-time All-Star asserted himself right out of the gate, scoring or assisting on 19 of Boston's 33 first-quarter points, according to ESPN Insights. He joined Jimmy Butler and Russell Westbrook as the only players in the play-by-play era to produce at least 21 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals in the first half of a playoff game.

Tatum was involved in all facets of Boston's offense. The 6-foot-8 forward knocked down turnaround jumpers, split defenses out of the pick-and-roll, and got to the rim at will. He flourished as a playmaker with hit-ahead passes in transition and feeds to his big men as the pick-and-roll operator. If the Celtics keep getting this version of Tatum, they'll be a serious threat to win it all. - Chicco Nacion

Saturday, April 18

Rockets can't score without KD

LeBron James' age-defying greatness is always a story, and Luke Kennard firing his way to a game-high 27 points (on 9-of-13 shooting) was fun to watch, but the headline of Los Angeles' Game 1 victory over Houston wasn't how the Lakers overcame injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. It was how predictably hopeless the Rockets' attack was without Kevin Durant, who missed the contest due to a right knee contusion.

The Rockets' anemic halfcourt offense already looked like the team's Achilles heel with Durant in the lineup, as a preseason knee injury to Fred VanVleet left Houston without a true point guard. Among the 16 playoff teams, Houston owned the 13th-best half-court offense (and the worst among the 12 top-six seeds). The Rockets would've killed for such standard levels of futility Saturday night in Hollywood.

Houston's 98 points and 24th percentile efficiency (per Cleaning The Glass) don't even tell the entire story, as the Rockets feasted on offensive rebounds and turned many of the Lakers' 18 turnovers into fast-break points. Take second-chance points out of the equation, and the score was 100-75 for the Lakers. Eliminate fast-break points, too, and it would've been 96-64. Houston's effective field-goal percentage of 43.5% was the lowest such mark for any team over the last 23 playoff games dating back to last spring.

Between All-Star big man Alperen Sengun, the shooting of Reed Sheppard, the relentlessness of Amen Thompson, and the team's commitment to crashing the glass, Houston should be able to score at least slightly better than this, but it's not going to be pretty. And if Durant doesn't return immediately, this series won't last long.

Suddenly, the possibility of the Lakers surviving long enough to get Doncic and Reaves back doesn't seem so far-fetched. - Joseph Casciaro

Knicks hunt switching Hawks in Game 1

Jalen Brunson's 28 points on 25 shooting possessions may not seem remarkably efficient in the boxscore, but in a series-opening game where offense was hard to come by, the Knicks' franchise star led the way. How he went about it was the story of the contest, as Brunson spent the majority of Game 1 being guarded by tough perimeter defenders like Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Or at least that's how it looked on the surface.

Brunson and the Knicks ran Daniels and Alexander-Walker (mostly Daniels) through a dizzying maze of screens to ensure anyone but those guys actually guarded Brunson. Sometimes New York used a simple screen for Brunson on the ball. At other times, multiple off-ball screens allowed him to eventually receive it with a lesser defender on him. For the switch-everything Hawks, that meant the defensively challenged CJ McCollum or bigger players ill equipped to move their feet with the undersized Brunson - like Onyeka Okongwu or Mouhamed Gueye - ended up having to contest the All-Star despite Daniels or Alexander-Walker initially guarding him.

Nine of Brunson's 25 shooting possessions began with Daniels guarding him, but only two of his shot attempts actually came with Daniels as his closest defender. It should be noted that in deploying Alexander-Walker on Brunson more than Daniels in the second half, the Canadian appeared to have more leeway to abandon the Hawks' usual strategy and fight over screens, forcing Brunson into tough shots and more misses. Atlanta's defense vastly improved after Trae Young played his last game for the Hawks, with their switching scheme finding great success. But at some point, head coach Quin Snyder should consider letting his best perimeter defenders find a way to stick to Brunson (if they can). - Joseph Casciaro

Should Wolves be deflated or encouraged?

Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets pulled away from the Timberwolves in the second half of a Game 1 win, but there are reasons to be encouraged in Minnesota. For one, Rudy Gobert was mostly excellent at defending Jokic, and he even contributed on offense. The Wolves also managed to find themselves in a clutch-time game despite Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle combining for an inefficient 38 points on 39 shooting possessions.

The glass-half-empty view is that Gobert might not replicate that two-way performance again in the series, whereas Edwards' struggles could continue. The four-time All-Star still looks hampered by a knee injury that sidelined him for most of March, and the full-strength Nuggets (with Aaron Gordon in the lineup) have a much higher ceiling than their 21st-ranked regular-season defense suggests. Denver will continue to show Edwards extra bodies, help, and multi-layered defensive looks until Randle and Co. make the Nuggets pay. - Joseph Casciaro

Lineup decisions burn Finch, Wolves

Head coach Chris Finch will have to answer for a random and inexplicable lineup combination early in the second quarter that took the air out of Minnesota's balloon. With his team up by 10 points to start the frame and Jokic on the bench, Finch turned to a lineup that didn't log a single minute together during the regular season: Mike Conley, Bones Hyland, Ayo Dosunmu, Naz Reid, and Gobert.

The awkward quintet was outscored by six points in just over three minutes (11-5 in 3:18), paving the way for Denver to take control when Jokic returned to the court. Similar lineups with Donte DiVincenzo or Jaden McDaniels in place of Conley had success in limited regular-season minutes, but Game 1 in Denver wasn't the time to test out the Conley-led version. - Joseph Casciaro

Cavs have Raps facing tough questions

The seeds say Cleveland vs. Toronto is a 4-vs.-5 matchup, but the talent disparity is more in line with a 2-vs.-7 or perhaps even a 1-vs.-8 with Raptors starter Immanuel Quickley (hamstring) sidelined. That much was evident in a 126-113 Game 1 victory for the Cavaliers, which saw Cleveland lead for nearly 38 minutes and by as many as 24 points.

There's plenty to nitpick about Toronto's performance: The consistency and body language of Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram were disappointing, the Cavs did a great job getting back (even after turnovers) to neutralize the Raptors' fast-break attack, and Toronto didn't close quarters (or open the second half) with the focus necessary to trouble a superior opponent. But the most glaring issue for the Raptors was the defensive vulnerability of Jakob Poeltl and RJ Barrett.

The former has been a shell of himself most of this season (largely due to early-season back issues), while the latter is one of the league's worst defensive players. That gave Cleveland's core four a couple of surefire targets to attack. Between the backcourt brilliance of James Harden and Donovan Mitchell and the way big men Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen play off Cleveland's star guards, the Cavs feasted on the combo of Barrett and Poeltl.

If the Raptors want to keep this competitive, tough decisions need to be made. Head coach Darko Rajakovic should consider using Barnes on Harden more often (even though he prefers Barnes as a help defender), starting rookie Collin Murray-Boyles over Poeltl, and giving more of Barrett's minutes to sophomore Ja'Kobe Walter, who's emerged as a solid 3-and-D rotation player. It won't fix everything and probably won't change the ultimate result of the series, but it's worth a shot after the pitiful defensive display we watched in Game 1. - Joseph Casciaro

The NBA playoffs are finally here

After a regular season defined by an all-time tank-fest, the 2026 postseason promises to deliver a much-needed jolt of competitive basketball.

Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder are looking to become the Association's first repeat champions in eight years. Oklahoma City will face stiff competition from Western Conference foes San Antonio, led by phenom Victor Wembanyama, and Nikola Jokic's Nuggets. The injury-depleted Lakers may not factor into the championship picture, but a first-round matchup between LeBron James and Kevin Durant's Houston Rockets - if and when KD returns from his own knee injury - is the kind of legendary battle postseason memories are made of.

Out East, the Pistons are trying to prove that their first-place finish wasn't a fluke, while Jayson Tatum's inspiring return from a devastating Achilles injury has Boston thinking about banner No. 19. And of course, the Knicks continue their quest to end New York's 53-year title drought. - Joseph Casciaro

Friday, April 17

Can disappointing Magic stun Pistons?

Orlando entered the season poised to threaten for a top-three seed and the team's deepest playoff run in a generation, but a combination of injuries and woefully uninspiring play left the Magic fighting for their postseason lives. After a curb-stomping of the upstart Hornets on Friday - one of Orlando's most impressive performances all season - the question now becomes, can the Magic give the top-seeded Pistons a run for their money?

The Magic have size, multiple All-Star caliber shot creators, a high defensive ceiling, and they enter the playoffs healthier than they've been all year. With Pistons star Cade Cunningham only 10 days removed from recovering after a collapsed lung, and Detroit light on shooting, this series has the potential to be much more of a slugfest than a typical 1-vs.-8 matchup.

Given the assets surrendered for sharpshooter Desmond Bane (who's been great for them) and the preseason expectations, the Magic face more pressure than a standard eight-seed. A deep run feels unlikely, but Orlando will fancy its chances on the Pistons/Cavs/Raptors side of the bracket more than it would've on the Celtics/Knicks/Hawks half. - Joseph Casciaro