Wemby makes history in postseason debut, Magic steal Game 1 in Detroit and more from Sunday’s slate.
What does the opening weekend of Playoff basketball look like?
What does the Spurs’ first postseason win in seven years look like?
What does Victor Wembanyama’s record-setting Playoff debut look like?
This.
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
Opening Fireworks: Everything from the Playoffs’ opening weekend in two minutes
Alien Arrival: Wemby passes Duncan in historic postseason debut as Spurs beat Blazers
Opening Magic: No. 8 Orlando outmuscles No. 1 Detroit to take a 1-0 series lead
Sunday Statements: Thunder and Celtics’ stars shine bright in big Game 1 wins
Monday On NBC & Peacock: Why tonight’s three Game 2s are pivotal, and what’s next this week
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Three Game 2s tip off tonight across NBC and Peacock, with all three road teams looking to even the series, while Cleveland, New York and Denver look to go up 2-0.
Catch Up Quick: From the bracket, to schedules, to the latest news from every single series, tap here for the NBA Playoffs hub.
Award Finalists: The finalists for seven regular-season awards, including the Kia NBA MVP, were unveiled yesterday. See Section 1 for more ⬇️
1. WHAT’S TRENDING: PLAYOFFS OPENING WEEKEND IN TWO MINUTES
Playoff basketball hits different.
From the atmosphere to the stakes to the stars — to how every moment goes up a level — there’s nothing like postseason hoops.
And as the First Round tipped off this weekend with eight Game 1s, we got eight reminders of exactly that:
- Victor Wembanyama breaking records – and the Jackals shattering decibels – in the Spurs’ first Playoff win in seven years
- Orlando pulling off magic against the top-seeded Pistons
- The past two champs, OKC and Boston, opening with eye-popping wins
- A 41-year-old LeBron James igniting the Lakers – with some timely help from Luke Kennard
- Nikola Jokić & Jamal Murray doing what they do best
- East beasts collecting big dubs behind their star tandems
Weekend Rewind: Before we dive into Sunday’s highlights, let’s relive opening weekend in two minutes, starting with last night’s spectacle in San Antonio.
- Wemby Wows: With Frost Bank Center shaking, Wemby announced his Playoff arrival with 35 points – the most by any Spurs player in a postseason debut – to lift San Antonio over Portland
- Magic Stun Pistons: Hours earlier, Orlando beat top-seeded Detroit in a win that hasn’t been matched in the play-by-play era
- OKC & Boston Roll: The Thunder and Celtics each took a 1-0 series lead with 30+ point wins, powered by their championship cores
Saturday Shine: The opening day of the Playoffs saw four duos electrify their respective home buildings, resulting in four wins by the higher seeds:
LeBron & Luke Lead Lake Show: With Luka Dončić (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) out, LeBron James (19 pts, 8 reb, 13 ast) and Luke Kennard (27 pts) lifted the Lakers past the Rockets.
Denver Duo Takes Over: After going down 12 in the 1st half, Denver stormed back behind another Nikola Jokić triple-double (25 pts, 13 reb, 11 ast) and 30 points from Jamal Murray, as the Nuggets surged past the rival Wolves.
Brunson & KAT Boost Knicks: New York outlasted Atlanta at a raucous MSG, as Jalen Brunson (28 pts, 7 ast) and Karl-Anthony Towns (25 pts, 8 reb) combined for 53.
Spida & Beard Ball Out: The Cavs’ star duo of Donovan Mitchell (32 pts) and James Harden (22 pts, 10 ast) also shined, propelling Cleveland to a 126-113 win over Toronto.
Award Finalists: The finalists for seven awards honoring top performers from the regular season were announced Sunday, led by Kia MVP candidates Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić and Victor Wembanyama. Find the full list here.
- Announcement Schedule: Award Week begins tonight with the Kia Defensive Player of the Year announced at 6 ET on Peacock ahead of Raptors-Cavs (7 ET)
2. WEMBY DAZZLES IN PLAYOFF DEBUT AS SPURS BEAT BLAZERS
It was the Spurs’ first postseason home game since April 25, 2019.
It was the first Playoff game of Victor Wembanyama’s NBA career.
It was well worth the wait.
Spurs 111, Blazers 98: In an otherworldly atmosphere, Wemby’s alien arsenal was on full display as he scored 21 in the 1st half en route to 35 points, 5 3s and 2 blocks, propelling San Antonio past Deni Avdija (24 pts, 9 reb, 5 ast) and Portland. | Recap
- Wemby 🤝 Timmy: With Tim Duncan in the building, Wemby’s 35 points set a Spurs record for a postseason debut, topping Duncan’s 32 from 1998
- All-Time Arrival: Wembanyama also became the first player ever to post 35+ points and 5+ 3s in a Playoff debut
- “It’s not that much,” said Wemby of his 35 points. “So it really reflects the spirit of the team.”
That spirit was everywhere Sunday. The entire Spurs roster arrived at Frost Bank Center dressed in black suits. The crowd answered in bright color-coded shirts. And in the franchise’s first home Playoff game in 2,551 days, the whole building moved as one.
- Supporting Stars: De’Aaron Fox (17 pts, 5 reb, 8 ast) and Stephon Castle (17 pts, 7 reb, 7 ast) stuffed the stat sheet, while Devin Vassell scored 15
- Spark Plugs: Keldon Johnson nailed an electric 1st-quarter buzzer-beater, while Vassell jolted the crowd with a double-block, double-3 sequence amid a key 3rd-quarter swing
- “Are You Kidding Me?!”: Wemby joined the party with a pair of early alley-oop jams, before splashing a ridiculous fallaway 3 that had Reggie Miller in disbelief
- Early Eruption: He entered the break with the most 1st-half points by any player in a postseason debut since play-by-play data was first tracked in 1997-98
- Final Roar: He finished the night with a standing ovation – then joined the applause as the Spurs’ postgame drumbeat rolled on
- “The first time I stepped on the court, even for warmups, I felt the atmosphere was different,” said Wemby. “It’s probably the most excited I’ve seen this arena.”
- Game 2: Tuesday, 8 ET on NBC & Peacock
3. SUNDAY MAGIC: NO. 8 ORLANDO OUTMUSCLES NO. 1 DETROIT
On Friday, the Magic were staring at elimination, needing a win over the surging Hornets in the SoFi Play-In Tournament finale to keep their season alive.
Now, they hold a 1-0 First Round series lead over the East’s top seed.
Magic 112, Pistons 101: Orlando kept rolling on Sunday, overcoming a huge night from Cade Cunningham (39 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast) with a complete team effort as they staved off a late push to take Game 1 in Detroit. | Recap
- Banchero Buckets: Paolo Banchero (23 pts, 9 reb) scored 17 in the 1st half as Orlando never trailed, entering the break up 55-51
- 3rd-Quarter Swings: After the lead grew to 11, Cunningham sparked a 13-2 run to tie the game midway through the 3rd, but Orlando regained control with a 14-5 burst before the 4th
- Then, Franz: As Detroit looked to make another push, Franz Wagner (19 pts, 4 ast) took over, dropping 11 points and 4 assists in the 4th, capped by three straight dimes in the final 2:13 to seal it
“There’s a physicality to this game that’s going to be real. There’s going to be a lot of aggression. There’s going to be a lot of physicality. It’s going to be a dogfight.”
Those were the words of Magic coach Jamahl Mosley heading into Game 1 against Detroit.
And when the fight arrived, Orlando answered the bell.
- Owning The Inside: The Pistons posted an NBA-best 57.9 ppg in the paint in the regular season. On Sunday, Orlando outscored them inside 54-34
- Board Battling: The Magic also owned the glass, outrebounding Detroit 45-39, with an 11-6 edge in offensive boards
- Strong Finish: Detroit cut the lead to four in the 4th, but Orlando answered with a 16-9 closing run, with five of their next seven buckets coming at the rim – capped by Wendell Carter Jr.’s exclamation hammer
- The Result: Orlando earned its first road Playoff win in six years – and became the first No. 8 seed in the play-by-play era to win a Playoff opener over a No. 1 seed without ever trailing
- Game 2: Wednesday, 7 ET on ESPN
4. SUNDAY STATEMENTS: THUNDER & CELTICS ROLL IN GAME 1 WINS
The defending champion Thunder closed the regular season as the West’s top seed (again) – and excellence everywhere you look:
- A Kia MVP & Clutch POY Finalist: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- A Kia Defensive POY Finalist: Chet Holmgren
- The NBA’s best record: 64-18
- The NBA’s best point differential: +11.1
On Sunday, to open their title defense, that all-around excellence was on full display.
Thunder 119, Suns 84: The Thunder struck early and often, building a 15-point 1st-quarter lead that they never relinquished as SGA (25 pts, 7 ast), Holmgren (16 pts, 7 reb) and Jalen Williams (22 pts, 7 reb, 6 ast) powered OKC to a commanding Game 1 win. | Recap
- Two-Way Chet: Holmgren scored all 16 points in the 1st half and added 2 steals and 2 blocks hours before being named a Kia DPOY finalist
- Stops On Stops: SGA (2 blk) got in on the block party as OKC held Phoenix to 34.9% shooting while winning the turnover battle 17-6
- “We don’t have a great defense if we don’t have our highest-minute player being as good as he is, and as impactful as he is,” said coach Mark Daigneault of Shai defensively. “But it’s one game. It’s the beginning of the series, not the end.”
- Suns Spotlight: Devin Booker (23 pts, 6 reb) led Phoenix, which will look to even the series Wednesday on ESPN (9:30 ET)
One C’s win, another Jays masterclass.
Celtics 123, 76ers 91: Jaylen Brown (26 pts, 11-21 FG) and Jayson Tatum (25 pts, 11 reb, 7 ast) were in complete control – and so were the Celtics – as Boston jumped out to a 64-46 halftime lead and rolled to a 1-0 series lead over Philly. | Recap
- Opening, Closing: Tatum dropped 21 in the 1st half, before Brown scored 16 in the 3rd quarter to slam the door
- Historic Jays: It’s Tatum & Brown’s 50th Playoff game where they’ve each scored 20+ points, becoming the eighth duo in NBA history to reach the mark
- Special C’s: The only other Celtics tandem to do it? Larry Bird & Kevin McHale
- Boston Ball: Four more C’s scored in double figures, including Sam Hauser (12 pts, 7 reb, 4 3s), as Boston hit 16 treys, while holding Philly to 4-of-23 from deep
- “That was Celtics basketball,” said Brown postgame. “Winning the fight – being the harder-playing team, and just guarding.”
- Sixers Shine: Tyrese Maxey led Philly (21 pts, 8 reb), which will look to bounce back in Game 2 on Tuesday (7 ET, Peacock)
5. WHAT’S NEXT: THREE GAME 2s TONIGHT ACROSS NBC & PEACOCK
Teams that go up 2-0 at home in a best-of-seven First Round series are 283-23 all-time. That’s the opportunity in front of Denver, New York and Cleveland tonight.
All three higher seeds opened with Game 1 wins and now have an opportunity to take control before they hit the road for Games 3 & 4.
Will they tighten their grip, or will the Wolves, Hawks and Raptors answer back and turn up the pressure?
Wolves at Nuggets (NBC/Peacock, 10:30 ET): In the regular season series (won 3-1 by Denver), Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray averaged a combined 67.3 points, 19.8 rebounds and 18.6 assists against Minnesota.
The duo continued to cook in Saturday’s Game 1, combining for 55/18/18 in a Nuggets win – the latest example of Denver’s elite two-man engine elevating in big spots.
- Scorching In Sync: Of the 40 duos to log 1,500+ minutes this season, Jokić & Murray have the best OffRtg (127.8) by 7.7 points
- Rolling In: That chemistry has fueled 13 straight Nuggets wins dating back to March 20, with Denver posting 129 ppg in that span
- When It Matters Most: Saturday marked the 20th Playoff game where Jokić & Murray each scored 25+ pts – the most of any active NBA duo. In those games, Denver is 13-7
- Ant Ignition: In his first game since April 10, Anthony Edwards posted a team-high 22 points and 7 dimes for the Wolves, but shot 7-of-19 from the field. Now, he’s eager to turn up in Game 2…
- “My shot just didn’t fall,” said Edwards after Game 1. “They did their job, got the first game on their floor – we’re gonna do our job the next game.”
Hawks at Knicks (NBC/Peacock, 8 ET): Jalen Brunson set the tone in Game 1 with 19 1st-quarter points, before Karl-Anthony Towns finished the job, dropping 11 in the 4th to stamp a Knicks dub at MSG.
Now, Atlanta will try to answer in a building where New York has been dominant all season.
- Home Sweet Home: The Knicks went 30-10 at MSG this season while boasting a 120.8 OffRtg – the best home mark in the NBA
- Garden Bloom: It starts with Brunson, who posted 27 ppg at MSG this year (compared to 24.7 on the road), while six other Knicks averaged 10+ ppg
- ATL Engine: Atlanta will look to rebound behind Jalen Johnson, who now has his first career Playoff game under his belt and is ready for Game 2
- “It was everything I anticipated, being in this environment and this atmosphere – especially it being New York,” said Johnson on his first taste of Playoff ball. “You have to play physical.”
Raptors at Cavaliers (Peacock, 7 ET): James Harden is now 20-7 as a Cav – and 1-0 in the Playoffs – after he and Donovan Mitchell dissected Toronto to take Game 1. But the Raptors have reason for optimism.
- Cavs Cooking: In Saturday’s win, Mitchell (32 pts, 4 ast) and Harden (22 pts, 10 ast) were responsible for 90 of Cleveland’s 126 points
- Strus Juice: Adding to the attack? Max Strus, who dropped 24 (8-10 FG) in just his 13th game this season after returning from foot surgery
- Raps Recipe: The Raptors will look to cool Cleveland’s attack tonight to even the series – and they’ve done it before, going 3-0 vs. the Cavs in the regular season while holding them to 104.3 ppg
What’s Next: Three more Game 2s tip off Tuesday across NBC & Peacock, followed by two more Wednesday on ESPN:
- Tuesday (7 ET, Peacock): 76ers at Celtics (BOS leads 1-0)
- Tuesday (8 ET, NBC): Blazers at Spurs (SAS lead 1-0)
- Tuesday (10:30 ET, NBC): Rockets at Lakers (LAL lead 1-0)
- Wednesday (7 ET, ESPN): Magic at Pistons (ORL leads 1-0)
- Wednesday (9:30 ET, ESPN): Suns at Thunder (OKC leads 1-0)
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