The Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers made a perfect start in the first round of the NBA playoffs, as they all won at home in a seven-game series determined by the advantage.
In Denver, Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic led their team to a 116-105 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The match witnessed many fluctuations, as the Nuggets were able to compensate after falling behind in the beginning to settle the result. Murray scored 30 points, while Jokic achieved a triple-double with 25 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists.
On the other hand, Anthony Edwards’ performance was not sufficient despite scoring 22 points for the Timberwolves. Rudy Gobert performed well defensively, but decisive errors negatively affected his team’s result.
In another confrontation in the Western Conference, LeBron James led the Los Angeles Lakers to victory over the Houston Rockets with a score of 107-98, in a match that Luka Doncic and Austin Reeves missed due to injury. Luke Kennard was the leading scorer with 27 points, while James excelled in playmaking with 13 assists.
The match also witnessed the participation of “Bronnie James” alongside his father, in a historic event within the “Playoff”, while “Kevin Durant” was absent from the Rockets ranks due to injury.
In the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks achieved a comfortable victory over the Atlanta Hawks with a score of 113-102, thanks to the brilliance of Jaylen Brunson, who scored 28 points, in addition to the contribution of Karl-Anthony Towns with 25 points.
In turn, the Cleveland Cavaliers began their campaign with a clear victory over the Toronto Raptors with a score of 126-113, led by Donovan Mitchell, who scored 32 points, while James Harden played a prominent role by achieving a double-double, and Max Strus added 24 points from the bench.
Thus, the four teams sent a strong message at the beginning of the “playoff”, confirming their readiness to compete for the title with the start of the series of decisive confrontations.
