NBA Playoffs Articles - Page 48

The Denver Nuggets are up 1-0 in their first-round matchup in the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Clippers following a 112-110 overtime thriller at Ball Arena last Saturday. However, the victory did not come about without some concerns for Denver, including the anemic production of forward Michael Porter Jr. The 26-year-old Porter mustered […]

The Memphis Grizzlies endured a 51-point beatdown from the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. While Ja Morant was seen laughing on the bench, Stephen A Smith was having none of it. On ESPN’s First Take, he held nothing back on the point guard, and the team as a whole. “Y’all down 50 & you on […]

Tyronn Lue and the Los Angeles Clippers felt like they had Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs against the Denver Nuggets and gave it away. The Clippers led the game for 40 minutes and 39 seconds, but ultimately fell in overtime with Nikola Jokic recording a near triple-double in the Denver victory. Tyronn Lue hints […]

If the Pistons are to have a chance at pulling off a massive first-round upset in the NBA Playoffs over the New York Knicks, they will need their entire core at full strength. There are a lot of positive takeaways for the Pistons after losing 123-112 in Game 1 of this series on Saturday, but […]

When Shannon Sharpe declared the Los Angeles Lakers series win against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Stephen A Smith was the least bit surprised. However, after the Timberwolves’ destruction of the Lakers on Saturday, Smith was eagerly waiting for a chance to give his response. On First Take, the show’s host had a funny clap back to […]

With the Miami Heat facing the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, Game 1 was won by the latter 121-100 as they showed why they are the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. As the Heat look to steal one in Cleveland, there isn’t much disappointment in the locker room, […]

The Los Angeles Clippers came out of Game 1 against the Denver Nuggets feeling good, but acknowledged that they gave the game away. Both Tyronn Lue and Kawhi Leonard expect a much better performance from the team in Game 2. With the second game scheduled for Monday night, it’s a quick turnaround for the two […]

After a day of blowouts by some of the top teams in the NBA on Sunday, the Houston Rockets and the Golden State Warriors gave NBA fans some fodder to chew on heading into the Game 2s in the first round. In a low-scoring slugfest, the Warriors stole Game 1 on the road with a […]

The Golden State Warriors drew first blood in their series in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets. Behind their 1-2 punch of Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, the Dubs subdued Houston on Sunday night via a score of 95-85, at the Toyota Center. The final score can come across […]

The Golden State Warriors opened their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets with a hard-fought 95-85 victory on Sunday night, and once again, it was the team’s new dynamic duo of Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler that led the way. After the game, Butler gushed over Curry’s ability to create “chaos” and make things […]

It wasn’t the prettiest win, but the self-proclaimed Batman and Robin duo of Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler stole Game 1. The Golden State Warriors edged out the Houston Rockets in a 95-85 rock fight. Curry finished with a game-high 31 points on 12-of-19 shooting. Next to him, Butler collected a historical statline with 25 […]

Steve Kerr is no stranger to the bright lights. With nine NBA Championships, five as a player and four as a coach, Kerr has been a winner throughout his basketball career. And with the Golden State Warriors’ 95-85 win over the Houston Rockets in Game 1 of the series, Kerr became the seventh head coach […]

It’s safe to say that the 2024-25 season has not gone according to plan for the Orlando Magic. And yet here they are, still alive and kicking and looking to make the reigning champion Boston Celtics sweat in the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs. For the first half of Game 1, the Magic […]

Winning the first game of a seven-game series might be important, but it does not necessarily mean that the odds of advancing to the next round are heavily in favor of the team that comes out on top in Game 1. But these Golden State Warriors under head coach Steve Kerr’s tutelage are a different […]

The Houston Rockets’ biggest question mark heading into their first-round series against the Golden State Warriors was their halfcourt offense. And in Game 1, this weakness of theirs came back to haunt them, as they shot just 39.1 percent from the field as a team in a 95-85 loss to the Warriors. Even their 16-rebound […]

Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka was blunt after his team’s 95-85 loss to the Golden State Warriors. The Western Conference’s No. 2 seed dominated Game 1 from a physicality standpoint. Unfortunately, the shots were not falling for the Rockets, and they now find themselves in a 0-1 hole. Everyone predominantly struggled on offense Sunday […]

The Golden State Warriors’ championship hopes looked dead in the water prior to pulling off the Jimmy Butler trade. Without Butler, the Warriors relied so much on Stephen Curry to do everything, and at 37 years of age, that doesn’t seem to be a fair ask of him anymore. But with Butler embracing the “Robin” […]

At this point of his career, Stephen Curry has nothing more to prove. But all-time greats like him never rest on their laurels, and Curry will be giving his all in pursuit of the fifth championship of his career until he finally decides to call it quits. On Sunday night, it was ever so evident […]

Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic understood the importance of keeping Boston Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in check. However, they didn’t take into account the role players who can “kill” them. The Magic did well at making Tatum and Brown earn their points, holding them to 33 combined. However, they were unable […]

Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler played tag-team in the Golden State Warriors’ 95-85 win over the Houston Rockets in Game 1 of the West First Round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on Sunday night. Curry and Butler combined for 56 points, making up over half of the Warriors’ scoring throughout the game. They shot 22-of-38 […]

If you can’t handle him at his worst, then you don’t deserve him at his best; this is the battle cry Russell Westbrook’s fans have had for the future Hall of Famer over the years. And there’s nothing that encapsulates the chaos factor that Westbrook brings to the table more than Game 1 of the […]

Jimmy Butler was ferociously historic in the Golden State Warriors’ 95-85 victory over the Houston Rockets in Game 1 of the West First Round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on Sunday night. In 42 minutes of action, Butler put up a stat line of 25 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and five steals. He shot […]

Jonathan Kuminga’s future with the Golden State Warriors is in serious doubt amid head coach Steve Kerr’s decision to completely phase him out of the rotation. The Warriors over the years have given Kuminga some very tough love, and it’s quite telling that the 22-year-old forward is currently in the doghouse as they enter the […]

Turns out the Memphis Grizzlies weren’t the only ones with embarrassing moments in Oklahoma City. Even ABC dealt with a massive blunder — one that Jaylen Wells put on notice Sunday. The network zeroed in on the Grizzlies sidelines. A discussion surfaced involving Wells and his in-game injury. Cameras zoomed in on the player originally […]

Donovan Mitchell had high praises to give to Ty Jerome after his huge performance in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 121-100 victory over the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the East First Round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on Sunday night. In 26 minutes of action off the bench, Jerome finished with a stat line of […]

Draymond Green started his Easter landing on the final list for NBA Defensive Player of the Year. But Alperen Sengun of the Houston Rockets shook up his chances, literally, early on in their NBA playoffs contest. Sengun cut inside with Green in the vicinity. Jalen Green fed Segun inside. The Turkish center then lifted off […]

BOSTON — TD Garden held its breath as Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum writhed on the floor after a hard foul from Orlando Magic wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. However, following the Celtics’ 103-86 win in Game 1 of the first round on Sunday afternoon, Tatum revealed that he’s doing just fine. The six-time All-Star told the […]

Dillon Brooks and the Houston Rockets have a tough assignment in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. While they are the higher seed in their series matchup at No. 2 against the No. 7 seed Golden State Warriors, Stephen Curry and the Dubs are always going to be a tough out. Perhaps to […]

Jaylen Brown had some fun with the Orlando Magic before the Boston Celtics’ 103-86 victory in Game 1 of the East First Round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on Sunday. In 30 minutes of action, Brown finished with a stat line of 16 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals. He shot 6-of-14 from […]

Jayson Tatum had high remarks for Derrick White and Jrue Holiday following the Boston Celtics’ 103-86 victory over the Orlando Magic in Game 1 of the East First Round on Sunday afternoon. The Celtics star had an off day shooting the ball, finishing with a humble 17 points on 22 shot attempts. However, White and […]

Coming off a week-long rest and a solid 50-32 season, the Los Angeles Lakers were surprisingly run out of the arena by the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs in the first round. The Timberwolves ultimately spoiled Luka Doncic’s 37-point performance, cruising to a dominant 117-95 win. Although it’s only the first […]

The Memphis Grizzlies did not have their best game to start the NBA playoffs, to say the least. But one stat, in particular, really puts into perspective how historically bad Memphis, as well as how great the Oklahoma City Thunder, played on Saturday. Almost from the opening tip, the Thunder were in complete control of […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has come a long way from a young prospect GM Sam Presti traded for with the Los Angeles Clippers to an ascending MVP candidate. After Game 1 against the Memphis Grizzlies, where the Thunder defeated their opponent by 51 points, 131-80, Gilgeous-Alexander took a moment to […]

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Lakers dropped Game 1 of their opening round playoff series, 117-95, against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Starting guard Austin Reaves, who has formed a sort of ‘Big 3‘ for the Lakers alongside LeBron James and Luka Doncic, didn’t quite have the game fans have come to expect from him. In […]

The Los Angeles Lakers watched the Minnesota Timberwolves rain down on them in game one. The visitors and No. 6 seed launched 42 three-point attempts to trounce the Lakers 117-95. But the 42 isn’t the only wild stat on Minnesota’s side for this NBA playoffs romp. NBA writer Keith Smith outlined some uncanny numbers after […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — For only the second time in his career, Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams embarked on a postseason run in Game 1’s historic 51-point win against the Memphis Grizzlies. It set the NBA record for the largest margin of victory in a series opener. After the victory, Williams shared the difference in […]

LeBron James doesn’t have “2 Phones,” but he delivered a savage response to rapper/singer Kevin Gates. The Los Angeles Lakers star took a break from the NBA Playoffs. All to go on Instagram to respond to the emcee’s criticism of James’ wife. The Baton Rouge musician weighed in on James’ marriage to wife Savannah. Gates […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — After an unprecedented 2024-25 regular season, head coach Mark Daigneault and his Oklahoma City Thunder made NBA history in their 131-80 series-opening blowout win against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Thunder’s 51-point victory is the largest Game 1 win the association has ever seen. However, on Tuesday, Daigneault is prepared to see a […]

LOS ANGELES — When the Minnesota Timberwolves needed a spark in their playoff opener against the Lakers, it wasn’t their All-Star guard who stole the show, it was Jaden McDaniels. When the Timberwolves needed it the most, the 6-foot-11 power forward got active, racking 14 first-half points. Minnesota overcame an early deficit to dominate the […]