The first round of the playoffs has left authentic basketball recitals, and a long list of injuries that condition the teams for the next games. The biggest score came in the game between the Nuggets and the Timberwolves where the Denver franchise swept the Minnesota team at home 109-80.
The Nuggets, the best team in the Western Conference in the regular season, gave their rival no choice and made it 1-0 in the first game of their playoff series. Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets to victory with 13 points, 14 rebounds and six assists in just 28 minutes.
Anthony Edwards, with 18 points, was the top scorer for some Wolves who also lost the battle for the rebound (48 vs. 65). The most tense moment of the game occurred when Kyle Anderson and Christian Braun got into a fight that ended with the former being penalized with a flagrant type 1 foul at a time when Wolves trailed by 25 points. The second game of this tie will also be played on Wednesday in Denver.
The Bucks, for their part, suffered a double defeat at home: they fell 117-130 against the Miami Heat and lost Antetokounmpo, who was injured and could miss the next game. The Bucks star fell to the ground after colliding with Kevin Love and suffered a severe blow to the lower back.
The Greek wasn’t the only player injured in the eventful game, however, as Miami Heat’s Tyler Herro suffered a broken right hand when he dived for a ball.
In strictly sports terms, the Miami Heat, eighth in the East and arrived from the play-in spot after defeating the Chicago Bulls, surprised the Milwaukee team, first in the East with the best record in the league. Despite posting the worst 3-point percentage of any team making the playoffs this year (34.4% in the regular season), Erik Spoelstra’s men were also on point from the perimeter with a fantastic 15 of 25 3-pointer.
Jimmy Butler led Miami with 35 points and 11 assists. In the Bucks, in the absence of Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton led the team with 33 points and 9 rebounds. Game 2 of this Eastern first-round series will also be played in Milwaukee on Wednesday.
Lebron James’ Lakers, for their part, defeated the Grizzlies with authority this Sunday in Memphis who, in addition to starting the playoffs with a defeat (112-128), lost their star, Ja Morant, due to injury. The Los Angeles team, which reached the playoffs as seventh in the West after its disastrous start, had a great performance with performances by Hachimura (29 points and 5 of 6 on 3-pointers) and Reaves (23 points, 9 of them in a row in the last room).
The Lakers thus snatched the home court factor from the Grizzlies (second in the West) who were the best home team in the regular season. The Spanish Santi Aldama got 8 points and 6 rebounds in a Grizzlies unsuccessful in the triple (13 of 36) and inferior to the Angelenos in the rebound (40 for 53).
The most even game of the day was between the Phoenix Suns of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Chris Paul, and the Los Angeles Clippers (110-115). Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers (fifth in the West) with 38 points, 13-of-24 shooting (3-of-5 3-pointers), five rebounds and five assists.
In the search for the first ring of the franchise in its entire history, the Suns were on the verge of achieving victory, but the general mistake of the team condemned them to defeat and therefore they missed the home court factor.
