Augustin hits game-winner as Magic upset Raptors; Spurs edge Nuggets in Denver, Russell shines in Nets road win over Sixers
Sunday 14 April 2019 08:14, UK
Stephen Curry scored 38 points and hit eight three-pointers as the Golden State Warriors opened the title defence with a Game 1 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Stephen Curry complemented a game-high 38 points with a career-playoff-high 15 rebounds in a historic performance as the Golden State Warriors opened the defence of their NBA title with a 121-104 win over the Los Angeles Clippers in a volatile Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series.
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The matchup of familiar Pacific Division rivals featured the ejections of the Warriors' Kevin Durant and Clippers' Patrick Beverley, each of whom was nailed with a second technical foul for a verbal altercation near midcourt midway through the fourth quarter.
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Curry's 38 points included 8-for-12 shooting on three-pointers on a night when he passed Ray Allen (385) for the NBA all-time career playoff record. Curry finished the game with 386 career threes.
Draymond Green provided a surprising offensive spark with 17 points on 7-for-12 shooting to go with seven rebounds and a team-high-tying seven assists, helping Golden State win the opener of its first-round series for the sixth consecutive season.
Montrezl Harrell had 26 points, and Lou Williams 25 with a game-high nine assists for the Clippers, who are the last Western Conference team to beat the Warriors in a playoff series. That was in 2014, when they also lost Game 1 before winning four of the last six.
The Warriors led nearly wire-to-wire, but the Clippers remained competitive most of the way by taking advantage of 21 Golden State turnovers and enjoying a 65-22 advantage in points off the bench.
Durant contributed 23 points and three blocked shots in 32 minutes while Klay Thompson added 12 points. DeMarcus Cousins, playing in his first NBA playoff game, collected nine points and nine rebounds before fouling out.
Game 2 of the series takes place in Oakland in the early hours of Tuesday morning (3:30am).
DJ Augustin scored the final five points of the game, including a tie-breaking three-pointer with 3.4 seconds left, as the Orlando Magic upset the host Toronto Raptors 104-101 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first-round series.
The Magic, the seventh seed in the East, won their first playoff game since their most recent postseason appearance in 2012. The Raptors, the second seed, fell to 2-14 all-time in series-opening games.
Kawhi Leonard scored four straight points to give the Raptors a 101-99 lead with 1:02 left. After Augustin tied the score with a driving lay-up with 44.9 seconds left, Marc Gasol's open 3-pointer from the corner rimmed out.
The Magic didn't call timeout on their way up the floor and Augustin sank the go-ahead basket as the shot clock dwindled.
The Raptors called timeout, after which Leonard lofted an airball from three-point range from beyond the top of the key. Following a timeout, the Magic inbounded the ball without issue to end the game.
Augustin and Leonard each scored 25 points to share game-high honours. Evan Fournier added 16 points for the Magic while Aaron Gordon had a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds). Jonathan Isaac (11 points), Nikola Vucevic (11 points), Terrence Ross (10 points) and Michael Carter-Williams (10 points) also reached double figures for Orlando.
Pascal Siakam had 24 points and nine rebounds for the Raptors. Kyle Lowry collected eight assists and seven rebounds but was scoreless after missing all seven shots from the field and both free throw attempts.
The game featured 13 lead changes and 12 ties, including seven ties in the fourth.
Game 2 of the series takes place in Toronto in the early hours of Wednesday morning (1am).
DeMar DeRozan had 18 points and 12 rebounds and Derrick White scored 16 as the San Antonio Spurs beat the host Denver Nuggets 101-96 in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series.
LaMarcus Aldridge and Bryn Forbes scored 15 each for the seventh-seeded Spurs, who grabbed the lead early and never relinquished it.
Nikola Jokic had 10 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists for a triple-double in his first playoff game for Denver. Gary Harris had a game-high 20 points, and Jamal Murray scored 17.
The Nuggets trailed by six when Harris hit a bank shot and a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 88-87 midway through the fourth. DeRozan answered with a fadeaway, and Davis Bertans hit a three-pointer to push the lead to six again.
San Antonio led 97-94 with 1:34 left when Murray hit a floater to get it to one. After trading turnovers, the Spurs missed two chances, and Denver got the rebound and called a timeout with 13.3 seconds left. Murray missed a jumper, and Aldridge grabbed the rebound and was fouled.
He hit both free throws, and White stole the ball at halfcourt before hitting two free throws to seal it.
Game 2 of the series takes place in Denver in the early hours of Wednesday morning (2am).
D'Angelo Russell scored 26 points and Caris LeVert added 23 as the visiting Brooklyn Nets defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 111-102 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.
Spencer Dinwiddie contributed 18 and Ed Davis had 12 points and 16 rebounds for the sixth-seeded Nets, who competed in their first playoff game in four years after finishing the regular season at 42-40.
Jimmy Butler led the third-seeded Sixers with a career-high 36-point performance in the playoffs.
Joel Embiid had been doubtful with left knee soreness and was cleared to play less than 10 minutes before the game.
Embiid, who missed 14 of the team's final 24 games, finished with 22 points and 15 rebounds but clearly looked bothered by his injury.
The Nets ripped off a late 12-0 run to close out the first quarter to take a 31-22 lead. Early in the second quarter, LeVert knocked down a pair of threes and Brooklyn pulled ahead 37-23.
Early in the third, the Sixers sliced the lead to 65-63, thanks in large part to some tenacious team defense. Dinwiddie's tough driving lay-up pushed the Nets ahead 97-86 and LeVert followed with a three-pointer from the top of the key for a 100-86 advantage with 8:40 remaining.
Game 2 of the series takes place in Philadelphia in the early hours of Tuesday morning (1am).
