Wolves thump Lakers, Nuggets edge Clippers as play-offs start
LOS ANGELES, United States: The Minnesota Timberwolves, fuelled by 25 points from Jaden McDaniels, cruised past LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers 117-95 on Saturday in game one of their NBA Western Conference play-off series.
Luka Doncic, playing his first post-season game with the Lakers after arriving in a stunning February trade, scored 37 points, and James, chasing a fifth title in his 22nd NBA season added 19 after shaking off a slow start that saw him go scoreless in the first quarter.
But the Lakers were no match for the T'Wolves, who trailed by seven after the first quarter, took control in the second and never let up to score the first blow in the best-of-seven series.
Naz Reid scored 23 points off the bench — drilling six of Minnesota's franchise play-off-record 21 three-pointers.
Anthony Edwards added 22 points, eight rebounds and nine assists for Minnesota, who led by as many as 27.
A 10-0 Lakers run cut the deficit to 88-71 in the third quarter, but the Timberwolves had an answer for every Lakers run.
"I think we just came out ready to play," said Edwards, who had advised his team-mates before the game to come out "ready to fight".
"Everybody's got to trust their work, trust themselves, and they did that tonight," he said.
Lakers coach JJ Redick said his team was "mentally ready" but didn't respond to Minnesota's physicality.
"I thought our spirit was right," Redick said. "I thought even when they made runs our huddles were great, the communication was great.
"(But) when they started playing with a lot of thrust and physicality, we just didn't respond immediately to that," he added.
The Lakers were the only home team to lose on the opening day of first-round action.
Nikola Jokic scored 29 points and Aaron Gordon added 25 as the Nuggets edged the Los Angeles Clippers 112-110 in an overtime thriller in Denver.
The New York Knicks put together a 21-0 scoring run in their 40-point fourth quarter to pull away for a 123-112 victory over the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden.
The Indiana Pacers romped to a 117-98 victory over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic added nine rebounds, 12 assists and three steals for the Nuggets, who erased an early 15-point deficit to grab the win in game one of their Western Conference series.
Russell Westbrook came up big on both ends of the floor, his basket with 3:37 left in the fourth quarter giving the Nuggets their first lead since the first period.
Westbrook drilled a three-pointer that put Denver up 98-96 with 24.1 seconds left in regulation.
James Harden tied it as the Clippers forced the extra session, which Gordon opened with a dunk.
Denver wouldn't trail again. They were up by three when Westbrook broke up a Clippers inbounds attempt, and Jokic sealed it at the free-throw line. — AFP
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