Knicks, Nuggets Win Road Thrillers in Conference Semifinal Game 1s; Timberwolves-Warriors Preview

Cover photo credit: Brad Rempel.

Mikal Bridges came through in the Knick of time on Monday night in the New York Knicks’ 108-105 overtime win over the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series. Out west, Aaron Gordon splashed a three with time ticking off as the Denver Nuggets shocked the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-119 in Game 1 of their Western Conference series.  

Bridges, in 51 minutes, scored only 8 points and missed 10-of-13 field-goals but had 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks, with two of his three steals and one of his blocks coming in the overtime period. 

Gordon produced 22 points, 14 rebounds on 7-for-15 from the field - one which was a electric one-handed dunk over Chet Holmgren - and was 5-for-5 from the line.

Leading the Knicks were Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby with 29 points each - Brunson 9-for-23 and 5-for-9 from deep while Anunoby was 10-for-20 and 6-for-11 from downtown. Karl-Anthony Towns was 6-for-13 shooting for 14 points and 13 rebounds, and Josh Hart was 5-for-9 for 14 points and 11 rebounds. Miles McBride off the bench in 19 minutes was 3-for-6 from downtown for 11 points. 

The Celtics shot 60 triples and missed 45 of them, breaking the previous record (40) of missed threes in a playoff game. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each scored 23 points, but Tatum was 7-for-23 shooting and 4-for-15 from deep, and Brown shot 7-for-20 and made one triple out of 10 attempts. Tatum was particularly poor in the fourth and in overtime, scoring only 4 points on 1-for-9 from the field and 0-of-5 from 3-point range. 

Derrick White had 19 points and 11 rebounds but was 6-for-18 including 5-for-16 from downtown. Jrue Holiday shot 7-of-14 for 16 points and 6 rebounds. Kristaps Porzingis left the game after 13 minutes due to illness. Off the bench, Payton Pritchard was 3-for-6 for 13 points. 

Heavy minutes were clocked on both sides, as Bridges played 51, Onunoby 46, Hart 45, and Brunson 44, while Brown played 45 and Tatum and White played 44. Al Horford put up 7 points and 7 rebounds in 34 minutes off the bench, mostly spelling Porzingis. 

The Knicks shot 42.5% from the field to the Celtics’ 35.1%, and their 17 made triples were converted at a far higher efficiency (37 attempts) than the Celtics’ 15. The Celtics did leave Game 1 with a 59-49 rebounding advantage. 

The mental toughness of the Knicks to go on the road against a juggernaut and win Game 1 was admirable. They played fearless and physical, and will need more of that going forward, especially if Porzingis is ready to go for Game 2. 

In Game 1 in Oklahoma City, the Nuggets went on a 16-7 run in the final minutes before a thrilling final sequence that ended in them winning in stunning fashion by a two-point margin.  

With 1:51 remaining and the Nuggets down 115-109, Nikola Jokic backed down Alex Caruso and hit a jump hook. Gilgeous-Alexander missed a pull-up jump shot from the left side on the next possession, and Gordon hustled for a loose ball rebound and alertly called timeout. Jokic then gave Hartenstein a couple of jab steps before lacing a triple to cut the deficit to one at 115-114 with 1:06 to go. On the ensuing Thunder possession, Gilgeous-Alexander found Jalen Williams on the side, who drove baseline but was met at the rim by Gordon, who impacted the attempt. After securing the rebound, Jokic found Russell Westbrook on the wing who missed a 3-point attempt. Gordon got the rebound but was blocked by the Thunder’s Williams. Caruso retrieved the loose ball and found Gilgeous-Alexander, who was fouled by Westbrook and made two free-throws. With a foul to give, Jokic was fouled with 12.9 seconds remaining and made both free-throws. 

As the Thunder inbounded, the Nuggets left Gilgeous-Alexander with a clear path to the basket, and he dunked the ball off of the inbound pass from Caruso. 119-116. With no timeouts, the Nuggets inbounded to Gordon who was fouled with 10.7 seconds on the clock. Gordon made both free-throws, and Holmgren was fouled on the next inbound. After Holmgren missed both free-throws, Christian Braun rebounded and got the ball ahead to Westbrook, who drove and found Gordon on the left wing. Calmly, Gordon drilled the triple. With no timeouts, the Thunder inbounded to Williams, who missed a long heave as the buzzer went off. 

One runs out of superlatives to describe Jokic, who put up his first career 40/20 playoff game, with 42 points, 22 rebounds, and 6 assists (15-for-29 from the field, 10-for-13 from the line). Braun was 4-for-8 from the field and grabbed 13 rebounds to go along with his 11 points, and Jamal Murray put up 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists, though he was only 6-for-16 shooting the ball. Westbrook off the bench was spectacular with 18 points on 7-for-13 shooting. As a whole, the Nuggets shot 44.2% (42.0% for the Thunder) and made 10 of their 32 attempts from deep (the Thunder made 15 of their 43 attempts from 3-point range). The Nuggets dominated on the boards 63-43, and were 27-for-33 from the line while the Thunder made 20 of their 28 attempts from the line. 

Leading the Thunder was Gilgeous-Alexander with 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists (12-for-26, 2-for-6, 7-for-9 from the line) and Caruso, who was a star off the bench with 20 points, 6 assists, 5 steals, and 2 blocks (5-for-9 from deep). Williams missed 15 of his 20 shots and finished with 16 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks, Isaiah Hartenstein scored 12 points with 9 rebounds, and Holmgren was 5-for-11 (0-for-3 from downtown) for 12 points with 6 rebounds and 4 blocks. 

One would be correct in saying that the Thunder gave the game away, not rebounding or making free-throws when it mattered the most. They left the door open for an experienced group who stayed calm in the pressure situation. The strategy of Diagneault to foul when up three instead of making the Nuggets scramble in transition against your defense (which is one of the best in the league on the wings especially) is mystifying.

The rebounding factor was huge, and the Thunder needed more from both Holmgren and Hartenstein in that department (especially with Holmgren grabbing only six). The team will also need to be better than the 71% that they shot collectively in Game 1, an uncharacteristic total for a team that led the NBA in free-throw shooting (81.9%) during the regular season. It is also safe to assume that Williams will not shoot 5-for-20 once again.

In Game 2, the Thunder will need more from Williams and Holmgren, but will also need Gilgeous-Alexander to play a more efficient game. After holding the Nuggets to 50 in the first half, the Thunder allowed 35 and 36 points in the third and fourth quarters. 

Game 2 of both series’ go Wednesday, again at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. 

WCSF Preview: (6) MIN vs. (7) GSW

The second Western Conference Semifinal series tips at 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday from the Target Center in Minneapolis. 

The Warriors, 48-34 in the regular season, took three out of four from the Timberwolves (49-33) during the regular season, with wins 114-106, 113-103 and 116-115. All of those matchups occurred prior to the Warriors acquiring Jimmy Butler, which renders the results essentially null, giving an inaccurate representation of each team at its current state. 

The Timberwolves impressively disposed of the Los Angeles Lakers in round one with wins 117-95, 116-104, 116-113 and 103-96. The Warriors are coming in on an emotional high off of a seven-game triumph over the Houston Rockets, a 103-89 win in Game 7 to advance in which Buddy Hield tied a playoff record with nine 3-pointers. 

In the regular season, the Warriors were eighth in points allowed (110.5), 11th in opponent field-goal percentage (46.5), fifth in rebounding (45.4) and seventh in defensive rating (111.0). They also finished third in 3-pointers made (15.4) and second in threes attempted (42.4).

The Timberwolves ranked in the top 10 in nine different categories - offensive rating (115.7, 8th), defensive rating (110.8, 6th), opponent field-goal percentage (46.0, 7th), 3-point percentage (37.7, 4th), makes (15.0, 4th), and attempts (39.9, 5th), free-throws made (17.2, 8th), and free-throw percentage (78.9, 9th). The other category that they finished top 10 in was opponent points per game (109.3, 5th).

The series has similarities to the Warriors’ first round series - a veteran team going against a youthful group. 

Unlike the Rockets though, the Timberwolves boast one of the best scorers in the league in Anthony Edwards. Where Jalen Green still needs some shine, Edwards is already polished. The Wolves defend well on the wings, with Edwards, Mike Conley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Jaden McDaniels, all of whom can also shoot from downtown, which is something the Rockets’ lacked. Julius Randle can go off the dribble and attack well going to the basket, a difference between he and Alperen Sengun. Unlike Sengun though, Randle isn’t an uber-skilled post player. Draymond Green will likely do a good job in nullifying Rudy Gobert, using his strength and positioning. The ‘wolves’ Naz Reid off the bench is a tough cover. Jonathan Kuminga, if he receives minutes for the Warriors, is a good match athletically for the Wolves’ wings. 

The Timberwolves with the likes of McDaniels, Edwards, Conley, and Alexander-Walker will look to make things difficult for Stephen Curry - crowding, doubling, trapping - as well as Brandon Podziemski who can shoot it from downtown, and Hield. Moses Moody is a threat from deep as well. 

Edwards and Butler is the match-up to watch, a buy-in-advance worthy viewing attraction. Edwards plays with emotion. Butler plays with emotion. Edwards is the new era. Butler belongs to the former. Butler and Curry are both primetime players. Onus will be on Julius Randle to deliver in the same clutch fashion that he did in round one. This could be the best series of the playoffs. Timberwolves in 7.