NBA Playoffs: Lakers fall to Nuggets and Timberwolves leave Suns speechless

The NBA Playoffs began, and one of the most anticipated matchups for fans was in the Western Conference. The Denver Nuggets won their first game against the Los Angeles Lakers 114-103 at home in Ball Arena. It was a solid performance by the starting five of the reigning champions, now out to an early 1-0 lead in the series.

As usual, Nikola Jokic lived up to his label as the best center in the world. With 32 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists, the regular season MVP candidate led his team to victory. It is worth highlighting the performances of the other four players who started the game with Jokic: Michael Porter Jr., Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon. The last two each recorded a double-double (22 points and 10 assists, and 12 points and 11 rebounds, respectively).

On the Lakers side, Anthony Davis put up monster numbers (32 points and 14 rebounds), though it was not enough to secure victory for the purple and gold. The team's leader, LeBron James, recorded 27 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds in the 41 minutes he played in this opening game.

Timberwolves defeat Suns, 120-95

Few predicted at the beginning of the season that the Minnesota Timberwolves would play up to the level they did this year. In front of a rowdy crowd at the Target Center, the T-Wolves secured their first victory in the playoffs after defeating the Phoenix Suns 120-95.

The dominant win for Minnesota was headlined by Anthony Edwards. The guard overwhelmed his rivals with 33 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Frenchman Rudy Gobert contributed 14 points and 16 rebounds, and Karl-Anthony Towns added 19 points of his own. Despite the Suns' defeat, Kevin Durant managed to score 31 points.

Knicks defeat 76ers, 111-104

Madison Square Garden was electric as the New York Knicks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 111-104 in the first game of their series. The Knicks’ bench was key in the team’s back-and-forth victory.

Bojan Bogdanovic and Miles McBride, with 13 and 21 points, respectively, plus the intensity that Mitchell Robinson showed at the rim, with 12 rebounds, served as a boost for the Knicks. For the starters Jalen Brunson had 22 points, and Josh Hart recorded a double-double (22 points and 13 rebounds). 76ers fans trembled when they saw their star, Joel Embiid, go to the locker room for a few moments due to knee discomfort, but he was ultimately able to return. The Cameroonian center, who will represent the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics, scored 29 points. The 76ers’ leading score was Tyrese Maxey, who added 33 points.

Cavaliers defeat Magic, 97-83

The four home teams on the first day of the playoffs left no room for doubt and maintained their home-court advantage. Along with the Nuggets, Timberwolves and Knicks, the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Orlando Magic 97-83 at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.

The double-doubles recorded by Evan Mobley (16 points and 11 rebounds) and Jarrett Allen (16 points and 18 rebounds) plus Donovan Mitchell's 30 points led the Cavaliers to victory. Paolo Banchero, with 24 points, was the Magic's best player.