Pacers, Nuggets, Knicks, Timberwolves Notch Game 1 Victories

The 2025 NBA Playoffs opened Saturday with four games, three teams winning at home, while the Minnesota Timberwolves were the lone team to get a road win. 

Behind 25 points and 7 rebounds (10-for-15, 3-for-5) from Pascal Siakam and a 10 point and 12 assist double-double from Tyrese Haliburton, the Indiana Pacers dominated the Milwaukee Bucks 117-98. 

The Pacers shot 52% (38% from downtown) and also received 19 points and 5 rebounds from Myles Turner (7-for-12, 4-for-6) and 17 points and 5 assists from Andrew Nembhard (8-for-13). 

Giannis Antetokounmpo was on brand in 38 minutes with 36 points and 12 rebounds (14-for-23) but the rest of the Milwaukee starters turned in putrid efforts - Kyle Kuzma was 0-for-5 with 2 fouls, Brook Lopez was 3-for-6 for 9 points, and Ryan Rollins was 2-for-8. AJ Green, Gary Trent Jr. and Kevin Porter Jr. played well off the bench with 15 points, 14 points, and 12 points, respectively. 

The Bucks as a group shot 42% while making just nine of 37 attempts from beyond. They also turned the ball over 10 times to the Pacers’ five. 

The game of the day was from Ball Arena in Denver, the Nuggets and Clippers battling to an overtime finish, a 112-110 Nugget victory. 

With 9:11 remaining in the second quarter, the Clippers held a 45-31 lead, but the Nuggets recovered to make the count 53-49 at halftime. 

At the end of regulation, Russell Westbrook made a triple to give the Nuggets a 98-96 lead with 24 seconds remaining. James Harden responded with a floater to tie the game at 98. On the final possession, the Clippers locked in to prevent the Nuggets from getting an attempt. 

Overtime was also back and forth, with Christian Braun (11 points) hitting his only triple of the game, with 59 seconds left to give the Nuggets a 108-104 lead. Harden responded with a three with 27 seconds remaining to cut the deficit to one, but a Nicolas Batum turnover led to two Nikola Jokic free-throws that essentially ended the game. 

Jokic was spectacular with 29 points, 12 assists, and 9 rebounds (12-for-24) with Aaron Gordon (8-for-14) scoring 25 points with 8 rebounds. Jamal Murray was just 7-for-20 but totaled 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. Westbrook was 5-for-17 off the bench but rebounded well (8) with 15 points. 

The Clippers shot 50% to the Nuggets 43.6%, led by Harden’s 32 points, 11 assists, and 6 rebounds (11-for-22, 4-for-9), while Kawhi Leonard was 9-for-15 for 22 points. Ivica Zubac countered Jokic with 21 points and 13 rebounds on 10-for-15. 

The Nuggets edged the Clippers by slimmest of rebounding margins, 45-44, in what was a highly competitive game. If Game 1 was an indication of what the rest of the series will be, fans are in for a treat. 

The New York Knicks went on a 21-0 run in the fourth quarter to distance themselves from the Detroit Pistons in a 123-112 win, scoring 40 points in the final quarter. 

Jalen Brunson scored 34 points (8 assists) on 12-for-27 shooting (2-for-5 from downtown), while Karl Anthony-Towns and OG Anunoby each scored 23 points - Towns with 11 rebounds and 5 assists and Anunoby with 7 rebounds. Josh Hart played his usual complete game with 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists on 6-for-10 shooting. Cam Payne was 5-for-7 off the bench (3-for-4 from downtown) for 14 points. 

In his first ever postseason game, Cade Cunningham was just 8-for-21 but did post 21 points, 12 assists, and 6 rebounds. The Pistons were led by veteran Tobias Harris, who scored 25 points with 6 rebounds on 8-for-13 (4-for-5 from downtown). Tim Hardaway Jr. was 7-for-13 for 19 points while Malik Beasley scored 20 points off the bench, making six out of 12 attempts from downtown. 

The Knicks shot 52.7% to the Pistons’ 47.7, while both teams shot well from beyond - New York 10-for-26 and Detroit 15-for-32. Neither team rebounded well, with the Pistons getting a 37-36 edge. Jalen Duren (6 rebounds) will need to rebound better going forward. 

The Minnesota Timberwolves went into Los Angeles and turned in a complete performance in their 117-95 Game 1 victory. 

Jaden McDaniels (11-for-13, 3-for-3) led with 25 points and 9 rebounds while Naz Reid was 8-for-12 and 6-for-9 from downtown off the bench for 23 points and 5 rebounds. Anthony Edwards was just 8-for-22 but finished with 22 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds, and Julius Randle chipped in with 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists (6-for-11, 4-for-6 from deep). 

The Wolves shot 51.2% from the field and made 21-of-42 downtown attempts, while the Lakers shot just 38.9% from the field. The Lakers were also outrebounded 44-38. 

Luka Doncic led with 37 points and 8 rebounds (12-for-22, 5-for-10 from deep) and LeBron James was 8-for-18 (1-for-5 from downtown) for 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. 

Austin Reaves was 5-for-13 for 16 points, and Rui Hachimura made three of nine attempts for 9 points. 

Apart from obviously needing to shoot the ball better, the Lakers need to guard the three with more effort, against a team that was the fourth-best long range depositors in the league during the regular season (37.7%).