April 21, 2025, 12:12am
2024-25 The NBA playoffs are underway. NBA Insider covers all the games of the final march.
All four West Playoff series have played one game and already have some lessons from the results over the weekend. In Sunday’s Western Conference matchup, the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder, who scored 51 points for the eight-seeded Memphis Grizzlies, scored 51 points on the fifth-largest victory margin in NBA postseason history. The 7th seed Golden State Warriors leaned against the postseason experience to convene a low-score game against the 2nd seeded Houston Warriors.
Saturday’s action included the fourth-seeded Denver Nuggets, who will gather in an overtime game one victory over the fifth-seeded LA Clippers thanks to a late-game hero by Russell Westbrook. Later that night, the sixth seeded Minnesota Timberwolves raided the third seeded Los Angeles Lakers as Anthony Edwards scored the best of LeBron James and Luka Donsic.
There are things that stood out from each game one, and what to expect when all teams return to action.
Jump to the series:
Thunder Grizzly | Rockets Warriors
Lakers-Timberwolves | Nuggets Clipper
Other coverage:
Eastern 1st round takeout
Schedule and Results | Offseason Guide
Game 1: Thunder 131, Grizzlies 80
What we learned:
This was not a fair fight. The Grizzlies have their hands full against lightning. This is a fresh team that set a record for the best point differential in the regular season, regardless of circumstances. But with Travel Inthove’s 36-hour turnover from Play-in Finale? Good luck, Grizzlies. Oklahoma City’s suffocating defense overwhelmed Memphis, promoting a 17-0 advantage with fast points in the first half.
The game took place midway through the second quarter despite MVP’s top runner, Shay Gilgauss Alexander, descending on a slow start (two shots in the first half) and finishing with his lowest point (15) in the game of the season. Certainly he was primed for the rest of the game in the third quarter with just under five minutes left.
play
1:52
OKC crushes Memphis with a 51-point blow
Oklahoma City set a franchise record with their biggest playoff victory, defeating the Grizzlies 131-80.
Game 2: The Thunder’s Grizzlies (Tuesday, 7:30pm, TNT)
What to see:
If the grizzlies can’t generate a transition violation, they will soon take a quick break for Cancun. Oklahoma City’s top-ranked defense is too difficult so that it has to crush all of the half-court possessions. The Thunder had two premier perimeter stoppers (Luguentz Dort and Cason Wallace) spinning Ja Morant, with Desmond Bane or Jaren Jackson Jr. Oh and two others (Jalen Williams and Alex Caruso) to take advantage of Tandem of Tandem of Desmond Bane or Jaren Jackson Jr. If the Grizzlies can’t run, their chances of victory are slim and nothing.
– Tim McMahon
Game 1: Warriors 95, Rockets 85
What we learned:
The Warriors can also defend. The Rockets didn’t score 50 points until the 4:36 mark in the third quarter, but it was the lowest of 85 points this season. The Rockets got off to a fierce start, highlighted by Draymond Green’s Alperencengun’s monster dunk, but the Warriors continued to stroll. Stephen Curry began scoring inside on a drive against an offensive defender and found time to hit an outrageous three-point shot. Jimmy Butler III also began to pick his spot, finishing with 25 points, 7 rebounds and six assists.
In defense, the Warriors appeared in content with Senggun’s score, while the All-Star forward only had four of the 26 points in the fourth quarter. The Rockets were difficult to score, shooting 6-29 from 3 and missed some attempts on the rim. They followed 23 in the third quarter, but returned to the game by dominating Glass with 22 second chance points and 22 offensive boards (nearly eight above regular season average).
Houston arrived within three mid-4th as Armentompson made some big baskets, but Butler hit two big shots at the end, showing exactly why no one wanted a championship experience with them in the first round. -Ohm Youngmisuk
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Alperen Sengun Postoots Draymond with a vicious slam
Alperen Sengun rocks the edges with a vicious one-handed poster over Draymond Green.
Game 2: Rockets Warriors (Wednesday, 9:30pm, TNT)
What to see: Golden State swipes through Houston’s identity in the first half and appears to outperform Rocket in transition 14-2. Even if they lose in the area, the younger, more athletic rockets virtually don’t shot the series, especially considering the seasonal struggles that produce semi-court offenses. An offensive, physical start helped Houston seize a 13-point first half lead that vaporized when the veteran warrior settled down.
Look for Houston to continue to assert his physicality to wear the Golden State, relying more on half-court Sengan. Sengun blistered Green as Houston’s most reliable scorer, but he can’t do all his work alone in attack. – Michael C. Wright
Game 1: Timberwolves 117, Lakers 95
What we learned:
The Lakers organization has prepared for Game 1 by distributing hype videos with its postseason motto “Freedom Joy.” The video was intended to chip off the “2025 playoff run” in the words of the Lakers. Considering how well LA played after LA traded with Luka Doncic and then secured the third seed in the West, we understood the expectations for a deep playoff push.
And Saturday’s start was like that story was about to plan, as Don Sic personally surpassed Minnesota 14 points as Los Angeles rose to 20-12 early in the first place. However, no one in LA’s marketing division thought that the wolf, who lost to Donsic in the conference final a year ago, would become the main character.
“We know that not a lot of people choose us,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said before the game. “I think our guys leaned a bit on that.”
After Donsic’s first prosperity, the Wolves took control in the second and third quarters and have the board owned (44-38), so they spread the Lakers’ defense by creating additional passes to open shooters (hitting a franchise postseason record of 21-42 from 3). Preparation for this series focused on Don Sic, LeBron James and Austin on one side, while Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle on the other. However, Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid combined 48 points in a 19-25 shooting to completely outperform the LA’s role, putting the wolves in the driver’s seat.
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Stephen A: LeBron was “lethal,” and Luka was defensive responsibility.
Stephen A. Smith breaks down the Lakers’ Game 1 loss into the Timberwolves, calling out both LeBron James and Luka Donsic.
Game 2: Lakers Timberwolve (Tuesday, 10pm, TNT)
What to see:
The Lakers only played eight minutes for center start center Jackson Hayes. Coach JJ Reddick would choose Jarred Vanderbilt at 5am and would like to use his activities (and some of his extracurricular activities to try to create dents in the lack of monsters) and decide whether he wants to decide whether he wants to win a 12. His first chess moves in the series became smaller from the start, giving away a flaw in size.
– Dave McMenamin
Game 1: Nuggets 112, Clippers 110 (OT)
What we learned:
Denver can literally take the punch. Nicola Jokic hit the face by the false forearm of Derrick Jones Jr., picking up a technical foul to discuss the non-call, and somehow managed to get the nugget back from a 15-point deficit to work overtime in the game. Russell Westbrook couldn’t believe it on the glass, with his aggressive rebounds, putbacks, and even the crucial three-pointers of stretching. His first career was 30 seconds in the final 30 seconds of the fourth quarter or 30 seconds in overtime during his playoff career. Jamal Murray rocked the poor first half to finish with two huge three-pointers in the fourth quarter, and Aaron Gordon worked overtime for six of the Nuggets’ 14 points to seal the victory.
The Clippers will wonder what would happen if James Harden hadn’t been in foul trouble for the majority of the game. He was great for the team, but the Nuggets may have survived with Grit and just rediscovered the Championship Swagger after the turbulent final week of the regular season.
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Russell Westbrook’s clutch defensive play helps the nuggets stick in Game 1
Russell Westbrook breaks up an inbound pass that will leave James Harden and go out for Clippers’ sales later in overtime.
Game 2: The Nuggets Clippers (Monday, 10pm, TNT)
What to see:
Both teams appear to be in gas by the end of this Slugfest, only one day to recover before Game 2 on Monday. The Clippers probably would have easily won this if they were tighter on the ball. They gave up 29 points from 20 turnovers on Saturday. The only clippers who should get credit for holding the ball were probably associate head coach Jeff Van Gundy and trainer Jacen Powell, who worked together to win a wrestling match with Jokic later in the fourth quarter. On the Denver side, the Nuggets need more from Michael Porter Jr. to get a chance in this series. He scored the first point of the Denver game, finishing with just three points in 26 minutes, not the remaining factor.
– Ramona Shelburn
