NBA Scores: Recapping Game 1 across the 2023 NBA Playoffs’ first round – SB Nation

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Between upsets and sure-thing blowouts, the 2023 postseason has yet to disappoint.
Back in 2006, the Sacramento Kings fell in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, losing to the San Antonio Spurs in six games. In 2011, and for many years to follow, it was rumored that the Kings might be on the move out of Sacramento — perhaps to Southern California, or even to Seattle.
Seventeen years after their last postseason action, and 12 since those rumors first swirled, the Kings topped the defending champs to take a 1-0 lead in their first round series. Sure, it’s just one game. But the atmosphere made it seem like so much more than that. And to Sacramento fans, it is.
“LIGHT THE BEAM”

De’Aaron Fox lights the beam pic.twitter.com/bVuQDs2Jw9
De’Aaron Fox, the 25-year-old franchise player who has been with the team through every up and down since it selected him fifth overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, led the way with 38 points in his playoff debut. That was good enough to tie for the second highest playoff debut in NBA history. 29 of those points came in the second half, and three of them put the Kings ahead for good during the game’s final moments.
Malik Monk finished with 32 points off the bench, while Domantas Sabonis had 12 points and 16 rebounds to help bolster the Kings’ offensive attack. Steph Curry (30 points), Klay Thompson (21), Andrew Wiggins (18), and Jordan Poole (18) all led the way for the Warriors, who head into Monday’s Game 2 in an early hole. Action tips at 10 p.m. ET on TNT.
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Speaking of holes, I’m not sure the Knicks will ever find themselves in one so deep that Jalen Brunson can’t at least attempt to get them out of it. He poured in 27 points — 21 of which came in the second-half — to lead the Knicks over the Cavs despite Donovan Mitchell’s 38-point outing. Julius Randle returned from an ankle injury to add 19 and 10 rebounds for New York.
The Knicks have dominated the Cavs in the postseason, winning all three previous playoff series. But the Cavaliers are hungry — they haven’t made the playoffs without LeBron James since 1998. To bet on them rolling over in their first series is a bad bet.
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A thought for the Nets to ponder in Game 2: Maybe don’t give up 21 triples, a postseason team-record for the Sixers. That was the story on Saturday, when Philly dominated Brooklyn behind great performances — and greater shooting — from the usual suspects. James Harden hit seven threes and had 23 points and 13 assists, while Joel Embiid scored 26 points, and Tobias Harris added 21.
Mikal Bridges scored 30 points to lead all scorers, but the Nets seemed lost when it came to defending Philadelphia’s offensive onslaught. Game 2 tips off tonight in Philly at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT.
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CelticsBlog’s Andrew Doxy said it best in his recap: “The game was over after the first four minutes, even if it did get spicy for a few moments in the second half.” Boston jumped out to a lead that got as high as 32-points in a mostly-dominant win over the Hawks in Game 1, and though the Hawks clawed their way back to within 12 in the second half with a 32-12 run, the Celtics were the better team from the jump.
Jaylen Brown had 29 points and 12 rebounds, while Jayson Tatum (25 points, 21 in the first half) and Derrick White (25 points and 11 rebounds) as Boston held off Dejounte Murray (24 points, eight rebounds, and six assists) and a woeful shooting night from Trae Young (16 points on five-of-18 shooting).
Boston hosts Game 2 on Tuesday, looking to expand their lead in the series before things shift to Atlanta later in the week.
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The Lakers might be a threat for real. They dominated on Sunday to steal homecourt advantage away from the Grizzlies, led by a quartet of epic performances. LeBron James (21 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists) and Anthony Davis (22 points, 12 rebounds, and seven blocks) did what they do best, but the real stars on the day were Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura. Reaves finished with 23 points and one electric “I’M HIM” moment, while Hachimura scored 29 points off the bench, becoming the first Laker since Magic Johnson in 1996 with 25 points off the bench in a playoff game.
In other news, as if the injury bug hadn’t done enough to the Memphis Grizzlies already, it may have taken yet another rotation staple just as the postseason is beginning. Not just any rotation staple, either: Star player Ja Morant, who scored 18 points in 30 minutes of play before exiting with a hand injury.
Ja Morant headed to the locker room with an apparent injury after this play. pic.twitter.com/MZOrSN9Tmz
After the game, Morant called the pain level a “10”, noted that he wasn’t able to use his hand at the time, and said it “feels like it’s one thing after another” for this Grizzlies team, who entered the playoffs without big men Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke, both of whom will miss the entire postseason with knee and achilles injuries, respectively. Morant’s status for Game 2 on Wednesday is in doubt.
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It’s tough to take much away from the opening game of this series given that Giannis Antetokounmpo missed much of it with a lower back contusion. But the Heat also lost Tyler Herro to a broken hand for the entire second half (and the next four to six weeks). Not that Antetokounmpo and Herro are necessarily of equal impact, but still — two primary contributors for either team exited this one before it really ever got to flow. Who knows what we can expect from Game 2.
But it’s noteworthy that the Heat refused to die yet again, stealing Game 1 in Milwaukee despite it all. Jimmy Butler was the best player on the court all day: He had 35 points and 11 assists to lead the Heat (and all scorers). Miami set a franchise scoring record for a playoff game and shot 59.5% from the floor. One might call that a winning recipe, don’t you think? Bam Adebayo had 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Heat, while Khris Middleton scored 33 points and Bobby Portis had 21 for the Bucks.
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Jamal Murray had 24 points and eight assists; Michael Porter Jr. scored 18; and Nikola Jokic added 13 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists.
The Timberwolves didn’t have a single player score 20-plus points. (Anthony Edwards finished with 18, while Karl-Anthony Towns had 11 on five-of-15 shooting.)
Here’s my analysis: I think the Nuggets are going to be fine.
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Russell Westbrook is one of the most fascinating players in NBA history. He has the ability to shoot three-for-19 from the field and still be the most impactful player for his team down the stretch. That’s too much power. It simultaneously makes no sense and all the sense in the world.
And yet that’s what happened on Sunday as the Clippers stole Game 1 in Phoenix. Kawhi Leonard was L.A.’s leading scorer and best player, as he erupted for 38 points to lead all scorers, but it was Westbrook that made the game’s most impactful play. With the Clippers leading by three, Westbrook blocked Devin Booker’s layup attempt and subsequently threw the ball off of Booker to give the Clippers the ball with 10.1 seconds to go, ultimately sealing the win.
WESTBROOK!!https://t.co/3XdtUIKkbf pic.twitter.com/huJI85R7gb
Westbrook ended up with nine points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, three blocks, and two steals, a stat-stuffed outing that should arguably be studied with the same attention to detail as the Zapruder Film. For the Suns, meanwhile, Kevin Durant scored 27 points and lost for the first time since joining the team earlier this season; Devin Booker added 26 points.
This series already has all the makings. Seven games, please and thank you.
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