Jaden McDaniels led the Minnesota Timberwolves with 25 factors in a dominant 117-95 victory over LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, securing a commanding begin to their NBA Western Conference playoff collection.
Luka Doncic, taking part in his first post-season sport with the Lakers after arriving in a surprising February commerce, scored 37 factors and James, chasing a fifth title in his twenty second NBA season, added 19 after shaking off a sluggish begin that noticed him go scoreless within the first quarter.
But the Lakers had been no match for the Timberwolves, who trailed by seven after the primary quarter, took management within the second and by no means let as much as rating the primary blow within the best-of-seven collection.
Naz Reid scored 23 factors off the bench, drilling six of Minnesota’s franchise playoff-record 21 3-pointers.
Anthony Edwards added 22 factors, eight rebounds and 9 assists for Minnesota, who led by as many as 27.
A ten-0 Lakers run lower the deficit to 88-71 within the third quarter, however the Timberwolves had a solution for each Lakers run.
“I think we just came out ready to play,” mentioned Edwards, who had suggested his teammates earlier than the sport to come back out “ready to fight.”
“Everybody’s got to trust their work, trust themselves, and they did that tonight,” he mentioned.
Lakers coach JJ Redick mentioned his staff was “mentally ready” however did not reply to Minnesota’s physicality.
“I thought our spirit was right,” Redick mentioned. “I assumed even once they made runs our huddles had been nice, the communication was nice.
“(But) when they started playing with a lot of thrust and physicality, we just didn’t respond immediately to that,” he added.
The Lakers had been the one dwelling staff to lose on the opening day of first-round motion.
Nikola Jokic scored 29 factors and Aaron Gordon added 25 because the Nuggets edged the Los Angeles Clippers 112-110 in an additional time thriller in Denver.
The New York Knicks put collectively a 21-0 scoring run of their 40-point fourth quarter to tug away for a 123-112 victory over the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden.
The Indiana Pacers romped to a 117-98 victory over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic added 9 rebounds, 12 assists and three steals for the Nuggets, who erased an early 15-point deficit to seize the win in sport considered one of their Western Conference collection.
Russell Westbrook got here up large on each ends of the ground, his basket with 3:37 left within the fourth quarter, giving the Nuggets their first lead for the reason that first interval.
Westbrook drilled a 3-pointer that put Denver up 98-96 with 24.1 seconds left in regulation.
James Harden tied it because the Clippers compelled the additional session, which Gordon opened with a dunk.
Denver would not path once more. They had been up by three when Westbrook broke up a Clippers inbounds try, and Jokic sealed it on the free-throw line.
‘Staying sensible’
Harden led the Clippers with 32 factors. Kawhi Leonard added 27, however the Nuggets, who ended the common season in turmoil after sacking coach Michael Malone with three video games remaining, prevailed.
In New York, Jalen Brunson scored 23 of his 34 factors within the second half whereas Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby scored 23 factors apiece for the Knicks, who trailed Detroit by eight heading into the fourth quarter of a back-and-forth battle.
“Staying smart and composed,” Brunson mentioned of the important thing to the Knicks’ fourth-quarter surge. “Just us being smart and finding a way to win the game.”
Tobias Harris scored 25 factors and Cade Cunningham added 21 for the Pistons, who’re within the playoffs for the primary time since 2019, however have not gained a playoff sport since 2008.
In Indianapolis, Pascal Siakam scored 25 factors to guide six gamers to attain in double figures for the Pacers, who led by as many as 28 factors.
Two-time NBA MVP Antetokounmpo led all scorers with 36 factors and grabbed 12 rebounds, however the remainder of the Bucks’ starters mixed for simply 14 factors.
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