OKC came out swinging with a balanced attack, proving why they finished the regular season with the league’s best record at 68-14. Aaron Wiggins led the team with 21 points, Jalen Williams followed with 20, and rookie big man Chet Holmgren added an impressive 19 points and 10 rebounds. Surprisingly, scoring leader Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a quieter night with just 15 points—but it didn’t matter.

“We stuck to our identity,” Gilgeous-Alexander said postgame. “That’s what got us here, and that’s what we’ll keep doing.”

Oklahoma City overwhelmed Memphis early, using a dominant 20-0 run to take a 33-point lead in the second quarter. By halftime, the Thunder were up by 35, and the Grizzlies never recovered. The Thunder shot over 50% from the field, while Memphis struggled all night, managing just 34.4% overall.

Ja Morant scored 17 points for the Grizzlies but was inefficient, hitting only six of his 17 shots. Jaren Jackson Jr., typically a key contributor, had just four points on a rough 2-for-13 shooting night.

This marked the Grizzlies’ first playoff appearance under interim head coach Tuomas Iisalo, who acknowledged the team has adjustments to make.

“It’s just one game,” Iisalo said. “We’ll analyze, learn, and come back stronger.”

Game 2 tips off Tuesday, and while the Thunder hold momentum, head coach Mark Daigneault isn’t underestimating the Grizzlies.

“We don’t expect the same kind of game,” Daigneault said. “They’re going to respond.”

If Game 1 was any indication, this OKC squad looks ready to make a serious run—and they’re doing it as a team.

Luka Doncic’s playoff debut with the Lakers started with fireworks — but ended with frustration.

The Minnesota Timberwolves spoiled the moment with a blistering second quarter and never looked back, cruising to a 117-95 Game 1 win Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena.

Jaden McDaniels led the way with 25 points, Naz Reid drilled six threes on his way to 23, and Anthony Edwards flirted with a triple-double, tallying 22 points, nine assists, and eight boards.

The Timberwolves, winners of 18 of their last 22, buried the Lakers with a 38-20 run in the second quarter. From that point on, it was all Minnesota — they made a franchise-record 21 threes on 42 attempts, punishing L.A.’s sluggish defense.

“I knew we had something special since training camp,” said Edwards. “We just needed time to click.”

Doncic dropped 37 points, including 16 in the opening quarter, but couldn’t carry the Lakers alone. LeBron James added 19 in his 18th postseason, but the Wolves’ chemistry and poise stole the show.

“This is a physical team,” LeBron said. “We’ve got to match that energy from the jump next time.”

Minnesota head coach Chris Finch praised his squad but kept things grounded: “It’s just one game. We expect a battle in Game 2.”

That next clash is set for Tuesday night, right back in L.A. — and the Lakers will be desperate to respond.

The Knicks flipped the switch — and the script — at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.

Down by eight points with just over nine minutes to play, New York unleashed a wild 21-0 run, stunning the Detroit Pistons 123-112 in Game 1 of their first-round Eastern Conference series.

Jalen Brunson shook off a rough shooting night — and what looked like an ankle scare — to drop 34 points, powering a comeback that sent the Garden into a frenzy.

“He must’ve grabbed his cape,” joked head coach Tom Thibodeau, referring to Brunson’s mid-game shoe change that seemed to spark a heroic fourth quarter.

Cam Payne added 14 points off the bench, with 11 coming during the Knicks’ massive rally. Karl-Anthony Towns posted 23 points and 11 rebounds in his playoff debut with New York, and OG Anunoby also scored 23.

Detroit, playing in its first playoff game since 2019, led 98-90 early in the fourth. But their offense stalled at the worst possible time. They didn’t score for nearly five minutes, and by the time they did, the Knicks had surged ahead by double digits.

Cade Cunningham had 21 points and 12 assists for Detroit, but shot just 8-for-21 in his playoff debut. Tobias Harris led the Pistons with 25 points, but managed only three in the second half.

“They made a run, and we couldn’t stop the bleeding,” Harris admitted postgame. “It’s about how we bounce back now.”

With the win, the Knicks maintain home-court advantage and will host Game 2 on Monday night. But with both teams playing at high intensity, this series is far from over.

Russell Westbrook showed up when it mattered most.

The veteran guard made key plays on both ends of the floor late in the game, helping the Denver Nuggets pull off a dramatic 112-110 overtime win against the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

With Denver trailing in the fourth, Westbrook buried a clutch corner three to give the Nuggets a late lead, then sealed the deal in OT by deflecting an inbound pass off former teammate James Harden with under 10 seconds left.

“I knew that play,” said Westbrook, who spent two seasons with the Clippers before joining Denver. “I just reacted.”

Westbrook’s aggressive defense was a difference-maker all night. He helped force several of L.A.’s 20 turnovers, including seven from Kawhi Leonard. Despite a rough shooting night (just 5-for-17), his impact was undeniable.

Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 29 points and was just one rebound shy of a triple-double. Aaron Gordon added 25 points, and Jamal Murray chipped in 21 as Denver erased a 15-point first-half deficit.

Interim coach David Adelman improved to 4-0 since taking over and credited Westbrook’s instincts and intensity. “He was playing like a free safety out there,” Adelman said. “He made huge plays when it counted.”

Harden scored 32 to lead the Clippers, who came into the playoffs riding an 8-game win streak and having won 18 of their last 21. Leonard added 22, and Ivica Zubac had 21 points and a strong presence in the paint.

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue was blunt after the loss: “You can’t turn the ball over 20 times against the best transition team in the league and expect to win.”

Game 2 is set for Monday night at Ball Arena, where Denver will look to build on the momentum — and the fire lit by Westbrook’s fearless playoff presence.

The Indiana Pacers made a loud playoff statement in Game 1 — and Pascal Siakam was at the center of it.

The veteran forward delivered a composed, efficient performance, scoring 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting and adding seven rebounds to lead Indiana to a convincing 117-98 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. With the win, the Pacers take a 1-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.

“It’s just about playing the right way,” Siakam said. “No overthinking — just hoop.”

Tyrese Haliburton ran the show from the point, recording a double-double with 10 points and 12 assists, keeping the offense fluid and the Bucks’ defense guessing all night.

The energy at Gainbridge Fieldhouse was electric, as Indiana hosted its first playoff opener in over a decade. Fans in matching gold T-shirts brought the noise, heckling Giannis Antetokounmpo during his trademark slow free throws and showing love to WNBA star Caitlin Clark when she appeared on the jumbotron.

Milwaukee, still adjusting without Khris Middleton and managing Giannis’ minutes, struggled to find rhythm. Despite the presence of the two-time MVP, the Bucks never truly threatened in the second half as Indiana’s ball movement and pace wore them down.

Game 2 is set for Monday night in Indy, and if the Pacers keep this momentum, the Bucks could be in serious trouble.

The Memphis Grizzlies are officially heading to the playoffs — and they’ve got Ja Morant to thank for it.

Despite nursing a sprained right ankle, Morant returned to action and powered Memphis to a 120-106 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night. The win secured the eighth and final seed in the Western Conference, setting up a first-round clash with the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.

Morant wasn’t cleared to play until just before tipoff, but the All-Star guard made his presence felt with 22 points and nine assists, sparking Memphis with energy and leadership.

“I had to be out there with my team,” Morant said postgame. “This game mattered too much.”

Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with 24 points, and Desmond Bane matched Morant with 22. Rookie big man Zach Edey added a solid 15-point, 11-rebound double-double off the bench.

Dallas, playing its second play-in game in three nights, struggled to find momentum. Anthony Davis carried the load with 40 points and nine rebounds but exited briefly in the fourth quarter with a leg injury and didn’t return. Klay Thompson added 18 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a Memphis team that came out firing early.

The Grizzlies jumped to a massive 25-point lead in the first half. Dallas fought back in the third quarter, cutting the gap to single digits with a 27-12 run. But Memphis answered with a late push, taking a 16-point lead into the final frame and keeping Dallas at bay the rest of the way.

Now, Memphis turns its attention to Oklahoma City. The Thunder swept the Grizzlies 4-0 in the regular season, but Memphis is looking at the playoffs as a fresh start.

“It’s a whole new series,” said Jackson. “We’ve just got to stay locked in.”

The first-round series tips off Sunday in OKC.

The Miami Heat have officially punched their ticket to the NBA playoffs — and they did it the hard way.

Led by Tyler Herro’s explosive 30-point performance, including clutch threes in overtime, the Heat outlasted the Atlanta Hawks 123-114 in a high-stakes play-in matchup. This victory secures Miami the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, where they’ll now face the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in Round 1.

The Heat become the first 10th seed ever to reach the playoffs under the current play-in format, introduced in 2021. Even more impressively, they achieved this feat with back-to-back road wins — a first in NBA play-in history.

“We’re battle-tested,” said forward Haywood Highsmith, who contributed a solid double-double with 12 points and 10 boards. “Now that we’re in, we’re not backing down.”

Miami came out firing, jumping to an early 17-point lead in the second quarter. But Atlanta clawed back, eventually taking the lead in the fourth thanks to big shots from Trae Young and Onyeka Okongwu. Young, who dropped 29 points and 11 assists, forced overtime with a last-second layup.

In OT, it was all Heat. Backup guard Davion Mitchell, quiet during regulation, came alive with three big triples, helping Miami pull away for good.

“I’m proud of this group,” said coach Erik Spoelstra. “We didn’t take the easy path, but we made it.”

The Heat now head to Cleveland for Game 1 of the playoffs on Sunday night, confident and ready to keep making noise.

Exactly one year after going scoreless in a bitter Sacramento loss, Thompson bounced back with 23 points — 16 of them in a fiery second quarter — as the Dallas Mavericks cruised to a 120-106 win over the Kings in the Play-In Tournament on Wednesday night.

Dallas now advances to face the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, with the winner claiming the final playoff spot in the West and a first-round matchup against top-seeded Oklahoma City.

Thompson drilled four 3-pointers during a second-quarter barrage where Dallas outscored Sacramento 44-24. His early long-range flurry sparked a 20-6 run that quickly put the game out of reach.

“It was personal,” Thompson said postgame. “I’ve been waiting on this one.”

Anthony Davis led the Mavs with 27 points, while the team’s defense clamped down hard, holding Sacramento to just 42% shooting.

The Mavericks’ playoff hopes seemed shaky after dealing Luka Doncic to the Lakers in exchange for Davis — a blockbuster move that split the fan base. Their troubles deepened when Kyrie Irving went down with a season-ending knee injury.

But with Thompson finding rhythm and Davis delivering in the paint, Dallas lives to fight another day.

Sacramento, meanwhile, ends another disappointing season. DeMar DeRozan scored 33, and Zach LaVine added 20, but the Kings couldn’t keep up. Having missed the playoffs in 18 of the last 19 seasons, the franchise faces an offseason full of tough questions — starting with whether interim coach Doug Christie will return.

For Dallas, though, redemption is real — and the playoffs are one win away.

Herro dropped 38 points in a commanding 109-90 win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night, keeping Miami’s playoff hopes alive and eliminating Chicago from the Play-In Tournament for the third straight year.

The Heat stormed to a 71-47 halftime lead behind Herro’s red-hot shooting — he hit his first eight attempts and finished 13-of-19 from the field. Miami now heads to Atlanta for a Friday showdown with the Hawks. The winner will face top-seeded Cleveland in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

“We’re not there yet,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said. “But we’re trending at the right time.”

It’s been a wild ride for Miami, who dealt with a midseason trade involving Jimmy Butler and a brutal 10-game skid in March. But they’ve rallied late, winning eight of their last 12 to close out the regular season at 37-45.

Against the Bulls, Andrew Wiggins tallied 20 points and nine rebounds, while Bam Adebayo contributed 15 points and 12 boards. Davion Mitchell added 15 points and nine assists in a balanced team effort that also featured 10 steals and seven blocks.

Chicago had few answers. Josh Giddey led with 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Coby White struggled, scoring 17 on 5-of-20 shooting. Nikola Vucevic added 16 points and 12 rebounds.

“They came ready,” White admitted. “They’ve got experience, a great coach, and they just outplayed us.”

Despite a brief Bulls push in the fourth, the Heat slammed the door shut, showing poise and playoff pedigree down the stretch.

Butler poured in 38 points, grabbed seven boards, and handed out six assists in his most dominant game since joining the Warriors midseason. Curry added 37 points, hitting clutch threes and sealing the win at the free-throw line.

With the victory, Golden State locks in the seventh seed in the Western Conference and now prepares for a first-round series against the Houston Rockets, starting Sunday in Houston.

“It took all season, but now we’ve got our shot,” said head coach Steve Kerr. “We’re back where we belong — the playoffs.”

The Warriors had to battle through a determined Memphis squad led by Desmond Bane’s 30 points and Ja Morant’s 22, despite Morant briefly limping after tweaking his ankle in the third quarter.

Butler swung the momentum midway through the third with a steal and slam, energizing his squad and quieting a Grizzlies run. He shot 12-of-20 from the field and made regular trips to the free-throw line, going 12-of-18.

Golden State led for most of the night but had to fend off a late Grizzlies push. Curry stepped up once again, draining two key triples and four clutch free throws in the final minute. Memphis’s last chance evaporated on a five-second inbound violation with 5.4 seconds to play.

Draymond Green summed it up simply: “Jimmy’s different.”

Now, the Warriors look ahead to a tough series against Houston — but with Butler and Curry locked in, they’ve got every reason to believe.