NBA Playoffs: Celtics remain relentless, too little too late for Mavericks against Clippers

The eight home teams in the first round of games of the NBA Playoffs all stood their ground. The victories achieved by the Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Cleveland Cavaliers on the first day were followed by wins by the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Clippers on day two.

Celtics defeat Heat, 114-94

The Celtics, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and one of the big favorites to win the Larry O'Brien Trophy, beat the Miami Heat 114-94 at TD Garden. The team picked up where they left off in terms of the dominance they demonstrated during the regular season.

As usual, Jayson Tatum was the star for Boston. The Celtics forward, with 23 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds, recorded the first triple-double of his career in a playoff game. Jaylen Brown (17 points), Kristaps Porzingis (18) and Derrick White (20) also had notable scoring contributions. Al Horford (10 points) and Sam Hauser (12) exceeded double digits in scoring from the bench.

The Heat received the bad news of Jimmy Butler's injury, and his presence on the court is clearly missed. Despite this, it should be noted that five of the team's players reached 10 points: Bam Adebayo (24 points), Delon Wright (17), Jaime Jaquez Jr. (16), Tyler Herro (11) and Nikola Jovic (10).

Thunder defeat Pelicans, 94-92

Four points scored by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the final moments of the game were decisive for the Thunder to earn their first victory of the playoffs. The team defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 94-92 at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, which was the closest result of these playoffs so far.

With 28 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, Gilgeous-Alexander was the most outstanding player of the game. Chet Holmgren put up a double-double in his playoff debut (15 points and 11 rebounds), and Jalen Williams added 19 points of his own. On the Pelicans' side, Jonas Valanciunas put up 13 points and 20 rebounds.

Bucks defeat Pacers, 109-94

Last year, the Bucks began the playoffs as one of the favorites to win the NBA title and failed. In the first round, they fell. This year, they face a new opportunity, and they did not disappoint, defeating the upstart Indiana Pacers 109-94.

Without Giannis Antetokounmpo on the floor due to a calf strain, Damian Lillard, with 35 points, took the reins to put the franchise ahead in the series. Also notable were Khris Middleton (23 points and 10 rebounds) and Bobby Portis Jr. (15 points and 11 rebounds), with a double-double apiece. Pacers big man Pascal Siakam (36 points and 13 rebounds) showed his playoff experience despite the loss.

Clippers defeat Mavericks, 109-97

Despite their strong finish to the regular season, the Dallas Mavericks could carry over this success to the first game of their series against the Clippers, who won at Crypto.com Arena by a score of 109-97. After getting down big early, the Mavs responded in the second half but were unable to make the comeback.

Three Clippers scored more than 20 points in the game: James Harden (28 points), Paul George (22 points) and Ivica Zubac, who, apart from the 20 points he scored, grabbed 15 rebounds. Luka Doncic's double-double (33 points and 13 rebounds) and Kyrie Irving's 31 points were insufficient for the Mavericks, who must improve if they look to win the series.