The Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder, who were both top-seeded teams, secured dominant wins in the first round of the NBA playoffs on Tuesday.
In Oklahoma City, the Thunder and the Mavericks engaged in a closely contested matchup that saw the No.1 seeds surging in the fourth quarter to secure a decisive victory.
The Boston Celtics, the top seeds in the Eastern Conference, made a strong statement with a dominant 120-95 victory over the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers at the TD Garden. Led by Jaylen Brown’s 32 points and Derrick White’s impressive shooting from beyond the arc, the Celtics showcased their offensive firepower.
Despite a slightly off-night shooting-wise for Jayson Tatum, who contributed 18 points, Boston maintained control throughout the game. The Celtics’ defense played a crucial role in setting the tone and limiting Cleveland to under 100 points.
Boston’s strong start allowed them to establish an early lead, and they never relinquished it, thwarting any attempts by the Cavaliers to take control. With a comfortable win in the bag, the Celtics are now focused on game two of the series, which will take place in Boston on Thursday.
At halftime, Dallas was trailing by nine points but managed to close the gap in the third quarter, coming within one point at 66-65.
The Thunder’s young lineup started to hit their stride, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contributing 10 points in the third quarter, helping OKC establish a 10-point lead going into the final quarter.
Oklahoma City’s offensive firepower carried over into the fourth quarter, with Jalen Williams scoring 10 points as the Thunder outscored the Mavericks 28-16, ultimately clinching a victory by a comfortable 22-point margin.
Gilgeous-Alexander led the scoring for OKC with 29 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, while Chet Holmgren added 19 points and Williams chipped in 18.
For Dallas, Kyrie Irving led the team with 20 points, and Luka Doncic, despite struggling with a knee injury, finished with 19 points on six-of-19 shooting.
The Thunder, with an average age just over 23, became the youngest team to win a second-round playoff game and were also the youngest team to win a postseason series after sweeping the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round.
Following the win, Gilgeous-Alexander emphasized the team’s focus on winning games at a high level rather than getting caught up in statistics.
With game two set to take place in Oklahoma City, Doncic acknowledged the Mavericks’ need for significant improvement and emphasized the challenge of facing a formidable opponent like the Thunder.
Doncic dismissed concerns about his shooting performance, emphasizing the team’s collective need to elevate their game for the upcoming matchups.