Greatest takeaways from the primary weekend of the 2024 NBA playoffs – ESPN

Jayson Tatum explains what the Celtics want to repair heading into Recreation 2 vs. the Warmth. (0:41)
The NBA playoffs tipped off this weekend, because the Denver Nuggets look to change into the primary repeat champions because the 2017 and 2018 Golden State Warriors. They picked up proper the place they left off within the Western Convention a season in the past, successful their fifth consecutive playoff sport by downing the Los Angeles Lakers. The East additionally contains a rematch of final season’s convention finalists, however this time it was the Boston Celtics dominating Recreation 1 towards the Miami Heat, after falling 3-0 final season.
Our NBA specialists have been in any respect eight Recreation 1s on Saturday and Sunday — all of which have been gained by the house group, the primary time that has occurred since 2013 — and shared their first impressions of each sequence, with a look at what we’d anticipate as these groups head to Recreation 2 and past.
MORE: Complete coverage of 2024 NBA playoffs
To have a shot, Magic want to search out their shot
The Orlando Magic dropped Recreation 1 of their sequence towards the Cleveland Cavaliers for one clear motive: poor taking pictures.
The Magic shot simply 32.6% from the ground, 21.6% from 3, and 63.3% from the free throw line. They scored simply 15 factors within the second quarter and 17 factors within the third.
Orlando did enter the playoffs with statistically the worst offense of any group within the postseason (112.9 factors per 100 possessions, twenty second total within the common season). The Magic know that has to alter for them to advance.
“Whenever you go 19 of 30 on free throws and 8-for-37 on 3-pointers, it is exhausting to make up floor,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley stated after the sport. “We cling our hat on protection, and holding a group to 97 factors is an efficient job. The query is how can we clear up a number of the issues on offense for the following sport?”
Get unique entry to 1000’s of premium articles a 12 months from high writers.
• Ranking the best 40 players in CFB portal »
• Coaches pick 22 NFL draft sleepers »
• NFL mock: Two draft picks at all 32 slots »
More ESPN+ content »
The beginning backcourt of Jalen Suggs and Gary Harris mixed to shoot 4 of twenty-two from the sector and 1 of 12 on 3s. In the meantime, backup guards Cole Anthony and Markelle Fultz went 0 of seven and 0 of 4, respectively.
Regardless of getting a mixed 17 factors from that quartet, Orlando is not panicking.
“We shot 32(%) from the sector, 21 from 3 and 60 from the road, and it nonetheless wasn’t ever over till the final two minutes,” stated Paolo Banchero, who scored a team-high 24 factors, however was simply 2-for-7 from 3 and 4-for-8 from the free throw line.
“Clearly, we have to hit photographs to win this sequence,” Franz Wagner stated. “However I am assured we’ll make them subsequent sport.”
— Kendra Andrews
Timberwolves protection is extra than simply Gobert
Anchored by Rudy Gobert, the Minnesota Timberwolves’ inside protection is clearly acclaimed. The middle controls the paint and is on monitor to win NBA Defensive Participant of the 12 months honors for the fourth time. However in a 120-95 demolition of the Phoenix Suns in Saturday’s opener of the first-round sequence, Minnesota’s perimeter protection proved particularly disruptive.
Suns star Devin Booker scored 18 factors on 16 photographs and completed 1-for-7 when Timberwolves ahead Jaden McDaniels was the first defender. McDaniels appeared to be all over the place — difficult photographs, disrupting passing lanes, chopping by screens meant to unlock Suns guards for open seems.
“Jaden simply fights by the whole lot,” Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch stated.
Added Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards: “Jaden, to me, it is him and Rudy for [NBA] Defensive Participant of the 12 months.”
Nickeil Alexander-Walker was one other disrupter, recording 4 steals off the bench for Minnesota. Ahead Naz Reid was particularly lively — at plus-22 off the bench. And it wasn’t solely Booker who struggled.
Sharpshooting Suns guard Grayson Allen completed with simply 4 factors on 0-for-3 taking pictures from 3-point vary. Suns guard Bradley Beal scored 15 factors however tried solely 10 photographs. The general physicality that the Timberwolves displayed was evident, and the Suns’ dynamic backcourt appeared bothered by it. It is going to be an fascinating facet to observe transferring ahead.
— Baxter Holmes
Embiid returns, however Sixers cannot rebound
When Joel Embiid threw the ball off the backboard, caught it in his proper hand and smashed it by the ring late within the second quarter of Saturday’s sequence opener towards the New York Knicks at Madison Sq. Backyard, it was a reminder of how absurdly proficient Embiid is. When Embiid crumpled to the bottom in a heap moments later, grabbing at his troublesome left knee, it was a reminder of how precarious Philadelphia’s hopes of a protracted playoff run are.
Sure, the league’s reigning Most Invaluable Participant was capable of return to the sport, simply as he did every week in the past after the same second towards the Orlando Magic. However Philadelphia can solely final in these playoffs so long as Embiid is on the courtroom. Simply take a look at Recreation 1, when Philadelphia outscored New York by 14 when Embiid was on the courtroom and was outscored by 21 factors within the 11 minutes Embiid was on the bench — a recurring downside from prior Sixers playoff runs.
Nevertheless, that does not imply the Sixers have been good when Embiid was on the market. Coming into the sequence, a key battleground was going to be New York’s offensive rebounding. The Knicks are the NBA’s finest offensive rebounding group; the 76ers have been a bottom-10 defensive rebounding group. And whereas that’s partly due to Embiid’s accidents, he additionally hasn’t aggressively attacked the glass since he has returned. In the meantime, Mitchell Robinson and the Knicks relentlessly hit the offensive boards.
In Recreation 1, that resulted in 23 offensive rebounds for the Knicks, seven coming from Robinson alone. These boards helped create an additional 10 photographs for the Knicks in a sport they gained by seven factors. Because the sequence strikes ahead, each variables — Embiid’s availability and the regularity with which New York can succeed on the offensive glass — will possible inform the story of how this slugfest goes to play out.
— Tim Bontemps
Lakers confirmed they must be higher on the little issues
Halfway by the second quarter on Saturday, a Recreation 1 upset appeared ripe for the choosing for the visiting Lakers, who managed the motion from the tip and led by eight after the primary quarter. Los Angeles prolonged its result in 12 with back-to-back layups by Anthony Davis and LeBron James, main 49-37 with 6:05 left within the second quarter.
The Nuggets known as timeout and used a 14-2 run to tie the sport with 2:53 to go till halftime. With lower than three minutes to go within the third quarter, the Nuggets have been the group up by double digits.
The Lakers had 4 days of preparation after the play-in match to prepare for the group that knocked them out of the Western Convention finals a 12 months in the past. Gamers and coaches alike paid lip service to Denver’s capacity to interrupt the sport open at a second’s discover and the necessity to restrict self-inflicted wounds.
Then it was as if the whole lot they’d talked about stopping was taking part in out proper in entrance of them. The Nuggets beat the Lakers once they did not field out, scoring 18 factors off second-chance alternatives. And so they beat the Lakers once they did not deal with the ball, scoring 14 factors off their turnovers.
The win put the Nuggets up 1-0 within the sequence and prolonged their report to 9-0 of their previous 9 video games towards L.A.
Nevertheless, LeBron James, who’s pursuing ring No. 5 in his twenty first season, refused to categorize Saturday’s loss as something multiple loss.
“I do not ever get right into a ‘Right here we go once more’ mindset,” James stated after ending with practically as many turnovers (4) as shot makes an attempt (six) within the second half. “It is one sport. They protected their residence courtroom. We’ve got one other alternative on Monday to come back again and be higher. We all know how difficult it is going to be. We all know how tough this opponent is and the way nice they’re.”
It was an acknowledgement of the opponent, however not an acceptance of an inevitability.
“I do not get into the doubt mindset,” James stated. “That is not me. I am the improper man to ask.”
— Dave McMenamin
The Celtics’ 3s is perhaps an excessive amount of for Miami
Through the quarter during which they primarily put the sport away Sunday, the Celtics turned up the quantity on the factor that already stands out as maybe their most amplified trait: their bombs-away offense.
Boston, which took a league-high 47% of its photographs from distance through the common season, launched nearly 62% of its shot makes an attempt from the arc within the third quarter towards Miami on Sunday. And, as these tries repeatedly discovered the underside of the web, it grew to become clearer that the Warmth may need a math downside — 3 > 2 — it is not able to fixing.

Get entry to unique unique sequence, premium articles from our NBA insiders, the total 30 for 30 library and extra. Sign up now to unlock everything ESPN+ has to offer.
Erik Spoelstra’s group typically struggles to create offense at full power, not to mention when key playmakers like Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier are out because of harm. With out them, the duty of getting exterior seems, in rhythm, turns into much more difficult. For the season, 39% of Miami’s photographs got here from 3, proper round league common. They took 46% of their photographs from past the arc in Recreation 1, however made solely 32% of these.
On the opposite finish, Miami typically discovered its top-five protection stretched too skinny to get well after bringing over a second defender to restrict Jayson Tatum. The Celtics famous person, in flip, sprayed the ball round and tallied 10 assists to notch the primary triple-double of his playoff profession. With every swing cross Tatum made, he despatched Warmth gamers scrambling alongside the arc in an effort to maintain up.
The outcome was 22 3s — tying a Celtics playoff franchise report — on 49 tries.
“I assumed Jayson’s poise and talent to make performs got here due to our spacing, and due to Sam [Hauser] and Payton [Pritchard’s] shot-making,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla stated. “Due to that, we have been capable of deal with [Miami’s] zone a bit of bit in another way. We have been compelled into some 2-on-1s, however we made the best play. It simply reveals how each participant has an affect on the following man.”
— Chris Herring
Historical past won’t repeat itself with massive Ivica Zubac
The most important adjustment LA Clippers coach Ty Lue made within the playoff sequence towards the Dallas Mavericks a number of years in the past was benching massive man Ivica Zubac.
Zubac had been mercilessly hunted by Luka Doncic because the Mavs jumped out to a 2-0 sequence edge and a big lead in Recreation 3. The sequence, ultimately gained by the Clippers in seven video games, shifted when Lue opted to play small-ball frequently.
However Zubac made his presence felt in LA’s series-opening 109-97 victory Sunday afternoon. He was the one doing the looking, bullying the Mavs within the paint for a playoff career-high 20 factors and 15 rebounds. The tone was set early within the first quarter when Zubac muscled Mavs heart Daniel Gafford on post-ups for a few buckets on consecutive possessions.
“I will attempt to punish them within the put up,” Zubac stated. “I will attempt to be massive on the boards, defend the rim, doing my job, massive, bodily and the whole lot else.”
Gafford had made a significant affect since becoming a member of the Mavs in a commerce deadline deal, serving as an outstanding finisher, rim-protector and supply of relentless vitality. None of that was evident in Recreation 1, when Gafford was a nonfactor after Zubac’s aggression helped get him in early foul hassle.
“He threw the primary punch tonight and there was no adjustment that was made,” stated Gafford, who had three factors and nil rebounds in 14 minutes. “On the finish of the day, I acquired to be higher with regards to guarding him within the put up, guarding him transition, in any space, in all honesty. I’ve acquired to be higher.”
— Tim MacMahon
Lillard’s efficiency eases the stress on Bucks, Giannis
That is what the Milwaukee Bucks envisioned once they made the commerce for Damian Lillard.
Lillard’s 35-point outburst, all coming within the first half of Recreation 1 towards the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, helped Milwaukee put the sport away by halftime and take a 1-0 sequence lead with out Giannis Antetokounmpo. It was the type of win, as Doc Rivers stated Sunday that “helps all people breathe.”
“When you’ve got one famous person out, you are simply getting a a lot greater dose of the opposite famous person,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle stated Sunday. “It isn’t that massive a cut price.”
The Bucks noticed how life within the playoffs with out their two-time MVP performed out final season. Antetokounmpo injured his again in Recreation 1 towards the Miami Warmth within the 2023 playoffs and Milwaukee went down 1-0. Antetokounmpo missed two video games, and the Bucks ultimately misplaced in 5 video games because the No. 1 seed.
“It was vital [to win Sunday],” Bobby Portis stated. “Final 12 months, we dropped the primary one at residence after which it simply felt just like the stress was actually on.”
Within the first sport of the postseason, the transfer to amass Lillard final summer season performed out to perfection. With him on the ground, the Bucks have one other famous person nonetheless able to carrying a group and giving them some respiration room till Antetokounmpo will get again wholesome.
“Anytime you come out and also you’re capable of get that first one off the board, you acquire a bit of little bit of confidence from it,” Lillard stated.
— Jamal Collier
Pelicans-Thunder will not be a typical 1-8 sequence
The Pelicans entered Recreation 1 with the perfect highway report within the NBA at 28-14. They went 10-1 of their last 11 video games away from New Orleans — the one loss was at Orlando when Brandon Ingram suffered an harm and left the sport. In fact, Oklahoma Metropolis went 33-8 at residence this season, which was tied for the perfect residence report within the West.
It was obvious early on it could be a troublesome surroundings for New Orleans to get settled in. The Thunder let followers in early and had half-off concessions for the 18,203 in attendance to be prepared for the 8:40 native tip-off.
However the top-seeded Thunder hadn’t been within the playoffs within the final three seasons, and their inexperience confirmed up within the fourth quarter. Oklahoma Metropolis had six turnovers within the last 12 minutes together with three from MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The saving grace for the Thunder was that New Orleans additionally performed sloppy basketball down the stretch with seven turnovers. The groups mixed for 14 turnovers collectively by the primary three quarters earlier than the 13 within the fourth.
The 2023-24 common season is full, which suggests some groups are already in offseason mode. We have the whole lot you’ll want to put together for a busy summer season within the NBA.
• Marks: Guides for eliminated teams
• Key dates, deadlines and contract details
• Team-by-team free agent lists
• Examining LeBron’s contract options
Each groups struggled from the sector — Oklahoma Metropolis shot 43.5% total and 10 of 32 from 3 whereas the Pelicans shot 38.5% total and have been 11-of-39 from 3. The sport featured 20 lead modifications — yet one more than the 19 mixed lead modifications within the first seven playoff video games of the weekend. However the Pelicans wanted yet one more lead change.
With Zion Williamson out, New Orleans will want stronger performances from McCollum and Ingram transferring ahead. Ingram had 12 factors on 5-of-17 taking pictures. McCollum completed with 20 factors however was 9 of twenty-two total. Nonetheless, the Pelicans discovered one thing with Jonas Valanciunas’ rebounding. He had 20 boards together with 9 on the offensive finish. The Pelicans managed the boards (52-44) and the second-chance factors (24-11).
However for New Orleans to remain within the sequence and do extra than simply make video games aggressive, the offense should get up. McCollum’s basket with 26.5 seconds left accounted for New Orleans’ solely factors within the last 3:33 of the sport. The Pelicans went simply 1-7 with three turnovers over the ultimate 3:09 of the sport.
— Andrew Lopez

source