Thunder Crush Grizzlies, Celtics Comeback vs. Magic, Cavaliers Defeat Heat, Warriors Beat Rockets on Road

Four more Game 1’s were decided on Sunday as the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Golden State Warriors all picked up wins to lead their respective series’ 1-0. 

To say that the Thunder dominated their opening round game against the Grizzlies on Sunday would be an understatement. The league’s top seed at 68 wins, Oklahoma City was on autopilot in their 131-80 win. 

The margin was the fifth-largest in league history and the biggest Game 1 margin. The Thunder shot 50.5% from the field, 2.3% higher than their season average of 48.2%. Jalen Williams registered 20 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block, while Chet Holmgren (7 points, 7 rebounds in the opening quarter) was 5-for-11, 3-for-4 from downtown, and 6-6 from the free-throw line for 19 points and 10 rebounds. 

Making the Thunder’s win more impressive was that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shot 4-for-13 and made only one 3-point attempt out of seven. He did however go 6-for-7 from the line. Lu Dort went 4-for-8 from downtown for 12 points, and Isaiah Hartenstein was a major presence in the middle with 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists on 7-for-8.  

For the Grizzlies, former No. 2 overall pick Marvin Bagley scored 17 points with 5 rebounds in 16 minutes on a perfect 8-for-8 from the field with one made triple in one attempt. Out of the starting unit, Ja Morant scored 17 points but shot 6-for-17, including 1-for-6 from downtown and 4-for-5 from the line with 4 assists. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 4 points on 2-for-13 shooting (0-for-4 from downtown). He needs to play better. 

As a team, the Grizzlies shot 34.4% and made six of 34 from the stripe, while getting out-rebounded 54-43 and turning the ball over 22 times to the Thunder’s 15. 

In Boston, the Celtics found themselves down 49-48 after 24 minutes but quickly regrouped in the third quarter outscoring the Magic 30-18. 

Paolo Banchero scored 36 points in defeat and grabbed 11 rebounds (14-for-27, 4-for-7, 4-for-6)with Franz Wagner going 10-for-24 (1-for-6 from deep) for 23 points and 5 assists. The Magic shot 42% from the field and made 10-of-27 triples, while the Celtics shot 45.1% and made 16 out of 37 three-point attempts. 

Payton Pritchard (6-for-8, 4-for-6) sparked the second unit with 19 points, while Derrick White led the starters with 30 points (10-for-18, 7-for-12 from deep). 

Jayson Tatum shot poorly (8-for-22), a product of the Magic being the best in the league in regular season in points allowed, but did produce 14 rebounds, one better than the Magic’s Wendell Carter Jr. The 2023 NBA Finals MVP was just 1-for-8 from downtown and scored 17 points. Jaylen Brown was 6-for-14 for 18 points, while Kristaps Porzingis made just one of his eight shots for 5 points. 

Going into Game 2, the Magic will need the same defensive effort and need hold on to any lead they get, although that is a task when going against a team with as much firepower as the Celtics. 

 At home at Rocket Arena, the East top seed Cleveland Cavaliers were victorious over the Miami Heat 121-100, using a big fourth quarter to widen the gap. 

The Cavaliers, led by Donovan Mitchell’s 30 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals (11-for-19, 6-for-7 from downtown) and Ty Jerome’s 28 points off the bench (10-for-15, 5-for-8 from deep), outscored the Heat 34-21 in the final quarter to secure the victory. Darius Garland shot 10-for-17 (5-for-9 from 3-point range) for 27 points and Jarrett Allen managed 11 rebounds to go along with 12 points. Not playing up to standard was Evan Mobley, who was just 4-for-10 for 9 points and 7 rebounds. The Cavaliers shot the three well (18-for-43) and committed only seven turnovers to the Heat’s 14. 

For the Heat, Bam Adebayo (10-for-22) scored 22 points with 9 rebounds, but Tyler Herro shot 7-for-18 for 21 points, a drop in production from the Heat’s two play-in games where he scored 38 and 30 points. Andrew Wiggins finished 5-for-11 for 14 points, and Davion Mitchell played well off the bench with 18 points and 9 assists on 8-for-12 shooting. 

Ke’el Ware was just 1-for-2 for 2 points in 20 minutes, though he did block two shots. 

In Game 2, the Heat will need to protect the ball and guard from distance. 

In Houston, the Rockets battled back from a 66-43 deficit to make the game close down the stretch, though Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler proved too much in the Warriors’ 95-85 win. 

Curry’s 31 points (12-for-19, 5-for-9 from 3-point range) provided for his 59th career 30+ point playoff game, and Butler was all over the court with his 25 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals (10-for-19, 4-for-6 from the free-throw line). Brandin Podziemski hit on only five of his 13 attempts but had 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals in addition to his 14 points. 

The Rockets will simply have to shoot better, as they shot just 39.1% as a group. Alperen Sengun played outstanding with 26 points and 9 rebounds, going 11-for-18 from the field. The others though, particularly Jalen Green and Fred VanVleet, did not perform - Green 3-for-15 for 7 points and VanVleet 4-for-19 (2-for-13 3PT) for 10 points. 

Steven Adams registered 12 rebounds, with a lot of them coming in the key stretch where the Rockets made their comeback. They out-rebounded the Warriors 52-36 (as they should, being the league’s best rebounding team), but they could not convert on their second chances. 

Amen Thompson put forth a solid game with 8 points, 9 assists, and 6 rebounds on 4-for-9 shooting, but he missed on four free-throws as the Rockets as a group shot a lowly 11-for-20 from the stripe. 

The Rockets play hard and rebound to a high degree, but in Game 2 and going forward they will need to convert on their second chances and their guards VanVleet and Green will need to produce more than they did on Sunday. The onus will be on the back-court moving forward. 

The Warriors, meanwhile, leaned on their experience and received the type of performance from Butler that they brought him to San Francisco for - a total game where he impacted all areas. 

On Monday, the Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Clippers will look to even their respective series' at one game apiece.

---