Sunday delivered the first game of four key matchups in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. We had top seeds from the Eastern and Western Conferences in action with both the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder tipping off their postseason. But that’s not all.
We say some excellent performances, like Damian Lillard’s 35-point half, plus a few ugly ones. So, who were the biggest winners and losers from Sunday’s first-round NBA Playoffs?
Winner: Jayson Tatum
With no Jimmy Butler available due to injury, the Boston Celtics were expected to smoke the Miami Heat. Yet, if Jayson Tatum hadn’t put up a triple-double, there’s no guarantee Boston would have found the same success. Tatum contributed 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in the 20-point victory while leading all players with 41 minutes. He earned his place in the winner column.
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Loser: Tyler Herro
With Butler out of the lineup, the Heat desperately needed another scorer to step up and fill the void left by Miami’s best player. But Tyler Herro wasn’t up to the challenge on Sunday, where he made just 4-of-13 shots for 11 points despite playing 34 minutes. He’s not exactly known for his defense either, so Herro was essentially a non-factor who really only hurt his team by taking the floor and bricking shots all night long.
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Winner: Kristaps Porzingis
Tatum may have been Boston’s leading scorer, but Kristaps Porzingis was the Celtics’ best shooter. ‘The Unicorn’ scored 20 points while shooting very efficiently, hitting 7-of-13 shots and 4-of-8 3s on the night. Porzingis also added two blocks and a steal to make sure Miami could never get hot offensively.
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Loser: Luka Doncic
A look at the box score will tell you Luka Doncic had a phenomenal game, but the win-loss column tells a much different story. The Dallas Mavericks may be the slightly lower seed, but the Clippers didn’t have Kawhi Leonard for this one, meaning Doncic and Co. should have had no trouble taking Game 1, even on the road. Instead, we saw Doncic and Kyrie Irving do what they could, but the rest of the Mavs couldn’t match the intensity. Doncic is a loser here because if the Mavericks can’t win when he’s playing lights out, do they really stand a chance if he has a true off night? Plus, shooting 42% isn’t exactly an efficient game.
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Winner: James Harden
With Kawhi Leonard ruled out of Game 1 due to injury, the Clippers were already at a large disadvantage. But James Harden did his best to help us forget about Leonard’s absence for at least one night. Harden turned back the clock and put forth a dominant performance, led by his 28 points and eight assists to pace the Clippers to victory.
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Loser: Tyrese Haliburton
During the regular season, Tyrese Haliburton was one of the best point guards in the NBA, leading the league with 10.9 assists per game. But we didn’t see Haliburton’s best form in Game 1, where he finished with just nine points. He did shoot well, making 4-of-7 shots, and hauled in seven rebounds while dishing eight assists. But the top-scoring offense didn’t even reach 100 points and as the starting point guard, their shortcomings fall on Haliburton’s shoulders.
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Winner: Damian Lillard
Knowing the Bucks were short-handed without Giannis Antetokounmpo available, Damian Lillard made sure the Pacers stood no chance. Lillard dropped 35 points in the first half alone, which pretty much broke his opponent’s will. He didn’t even score in the second half, but as mentioned, he didn’t need to.
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Loser: Myles Turner
Pascal Siakam came to play, leading the Pacers-Bucks game with 36 points. However, Myles Turner, did not bring the goods. He struggled in a big way, shooting 29% (5-of-17). Yet, Turner’s 17 points still ranked second among all Pacers, which shows how badly this typically explosive offense performed in their NBA Playoffs debut.
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Winner: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Chet Holmgren deserves recognition for his 15-point, 11 rebound, and five-block night, but as expected, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the real star of the night. SGA recorded a game-high 28 points while chipping in six rebounds, four assists to help squeak out a two-point victory.
Loser: Brandon Ingram
Dealing with a bone bruise, Brandon Ingram had a night to forget, shooting just 29% (5-of-17) from the floor while chipping in 12 points. On a day when Zion Williamson couldn’t go, the Pelicans needed a big night from Ingram, but he couldn’t deliver, and for that, he’s a loser.
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