NBA playoffs: Top-seeded Boston Celtics, Okalhoma Thunder win opening games | Basketball News

The highest-seeded Boston Celtics and Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder have rolled to convincing victories of their opening NBA playoff collection.

Jap Convention high seeds Boston laid down a marker with a 120-95 rout of the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers on the TD Backyard on Tuesday.

Oklahoma Metropolis, in the meantime, have been made to work tougher by Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks earlier than lastly pulling clear to seal a 117-95 victory of their Western Convention semifinal collection opener.

In Boston, Jaylen Brown scored 32 factors whereas Derrick White added 25, together with seven three-pointers, in an emphatic win for the Celtics, who’re chasing a report 18th NBA championship.

Boston have been in full management for many of the recreation, holding a double-digit lead by means of the second half to shut out an emphatic win on the TD Backyard.

Boston star Jayson Tatum added 18 factors however had an off-night shooting-wise, making simply 7-of-19 from the sector.

Donovan Mitchell led the scoring for Cleveland with 33 factors, with Evan Mobley including 17 and Darius Garland 14.

Brown stated the Celtics’ defence had laid the muse for the win.

“It begins with defence, we wished to set the tone on defence and we saved them below 100 (factors),” Brown informed TNT tv.

“However we really feel like we’ve received a solution for the whole lot so we simply play the sport the correct method, and see what they wish to take away after which we play after that.”

Recreation two within the collection takes place in Boston on Thursday.

🏆 TUESDAY’S FINAL SCORES 🏆

Jaylen Brown comes out in assault mode, scoring 15 within the 1st, on approach to 32 for the sport because the @celtics take Recreation 1!

White: 25 PTS, 7 3PM, 5 AST
Tatum: 18 PTS, 11 REB, 5 AST
Mitchell: 33 PTS, 4 3PM, 6 REB, 5 AST

Recreation 2: Thursday, 7:00pm/et on ESPN pic.twitter.com/3cfhBdmcWi

— NBA (@NBA) May 8, 2024

Thunder edge Doncic’s Mavericks

In Oklahoma Metropolis (OKC), the Thunder and the Mavericks fought a nip-and-tuck duel earlier than the highest seeds pulled away decisively within the fourth quarter.

Trailing by 9 factors at half-time, Dallas rallied within the third quarter to get inside one level at 66-65.

However the youthful Thunder lineup started to search out their vary, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander including 10 factors within the third quarter to assist OKC construct a 10-point cushion heading into the fourth quarter.

Oklahoma Metropolis’s barrage of scoring continued within the fourth with Jalen Williams including 10 factors because the Thunder outscored their guests 28-16 to seal victory by a 22-point margin.

Gilgeous-Alexander led the OKC scoring, ending with 29 factors, 9 rebounds and 9 assists whereas Chet Holmgren added 19 factors and Williams 18.

Kyrie Irving led Dallas with 20 factors whereas Luka Doncic, fighting a sore knee, completed with 19 after capturing six-of-19 from the sector.

Oklahoma Metropolis, who’ve a median age of simply over 23, are the youngest staff to win a second-round playoff recreation and have been the youngest staff to win a postseason collection after sweeping the New Orleans Pelicans within the first spherical.

“We don’t fear about all of the statistics and the stats, and the way younger we’re,” Gilgeous-Alexander stated after the win. “We simply wish to win basketball video games at a excessive stage and that’s what we give attention to.

“We attempt to get that executed each night time and tonight we did so.”

Doncic stated the Mavericks would wish to enhance dramatically for Recreation Two happening in Oklahoma Metropolis on Thursday.

The Slovenian star disregarded questions on his personal capturing efficiency.

“Who cares? We misplaced. We’ve simply received to maneuver on to the following one. I’ve received to be higher, we’ve received to be higher,” Doncic stated.

“They’re a fantastic defensive staff and a fantastic offensive staff, so it’s not going to be simple in any respect. We’re going to need to play excellent basketball, centered basketball, for 48 minutes.”