'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The first round of the NBA 2018-19 playoffs has begun and is going on in full swing. The matchups were decided on the last day of the regular season and there are loads of interesting series that have been decided.
The Portland Trail Blazers drew home court advantage and the series against Oklahoma City Thunder, which the Blazers lead, as of now, 2-0. The league leaders in wins, the Milwaukee Bucks, drew the 8th seed Detroit Pistons and will look to sweep them in the series, currently leading 2-0.
The Orlando Magic play the The Toronto Raptors in another interesting clash which the Raptors should win easily but right now, is poised at 1-1. The Boston Celtics play the Indiana Pacers in a game with not much offense on display and the Celtics lead 2-0.
With these games in mind and the matches that took place yesterday, let us look at the 3 biggest talking points from the NBA playoffs on April 18th.
#3 The Philadelphia 76ers are getting into a groove
The Philadelphia 76ers have been a team in top form all throughout the regular season and that landed them the 3rd spot in the Eastern Conference. They finished with a 51-31 record in the regular season.
They landed the series against the 6th seed Brooklyn Nets, which was going to be one of the most entertaining series in the first round of playoff matchups. The Sixers surprisingly lost the first game at home, but then roared back in Game 2 to take the series to an even 1-1.
In Game 3 yesterday, at the Barclays Center, The Nets had home court advantage and were looking to take the game to the 76ers. But the Sixers, who were missing Joel Embiid due to a knee injury, came out blazing and won the game in solid fashion, 131-115.
The 76ers now hold a 2-1 lead in the series, thanks to an amazing performance by Ben Simmons, who scored a solid 31 points, along with 9 assists and 4 rebounds. He also had a superb defensive night, getting 2 steals and 3 blocks as well. Tobias Harris too produced a solid performance, scoring 29 points and grabbing 16 rebounds.
Harris and Reddick were the only 2 players who hit the 3 pointers for the Philadelphia 76ers. The Brooklyn Nets, on the other hand, were unable to get anything going, coming close in the 3rd quarter before falling apart.
Caris LeVert and D'Angelo Russell led the charge for the Nets, scoring 26 points each, but in vain. Even without Joel Embiid, they were unable to really take advantage of his absence. The Nets weren't upto it defensively and with Embiid's status up in the air for Game 4, expect the Nets to buck up and take advantage of it.
#2 The Golden State Warriors shut the Clippers down
The Golden State Warriors have been the best team in the NBA for quite some time and took the #1 seed again in the Western Conference with a solid 57-25 record. Though this season was closer than most others, nobody doubts their credential as the title favourites.
They drew the Los Angeles Clippers as their opponents in the playoff series this season and nobody thought the Clippers could take them on, except the Clippers, who came back from a record breaking 31 points and won the game to tie the series 1-1.
The Warriors were out looking for revenge in Game 3 and they managed to get it too, decimating the Clippers, winning 132-105. Kevin Durant had a huge night, scoring 38 points, along with 7 assists and 4 rebounds in just 30 minutes of action.
Curry was limited to just 20 minutes due to foul trouble, but was still huge, scoring 21 points in just 20 minutes. The Clippers never led throughout the whole game and had no answer to the offensive game of the Warriors.
Ivica Zubac led the Clippers with 18 points and 15 rebounds in just 17 minutes, Lou Williams had 16 points off the bench while Montrezl Harrell and JaMychal Green had 15 each in a night which most Clippers fans would like to forget.
They need to find their groove again if the Clippers want any shot at taking another game from the dominant Golden State Warriors, something which looks really unlikely at this point of time in the series.
#1 San Antonio Spurs look like the new 'Grind n Grit', only better
The San Antonio Spurs had a very tough regular season this year and ended up finishing 7th in regular season with a 48-34 record. They drew the 2nd placed Denver Nuggets in an interesting playoff series against the new kids on the block, who had a 54-28 record.
The Spurs had managed to take Game 1 at Denver before the Nuggets tied the series at 1-1, to make this a really interesting series. The San Antonio roster has been one of the strongest teams at home this season as well, making this a difficult place for the Nuggets to win at.
Last night's game was a testament to the Spurs' home court play and they ended up winning the game in a solid 118-108 win against the Nuggets. Derrick White led the Spurs' charge with a career-high 36 points, which helped them get back into the game.
DeRozan and Aldridge chipped in with 25 points and 18 points respectively, making this a good night for the Spurs. The Nuggets were dismal on the other end, surging due to superb production from the bench, led by 20 points by Michael Beasley.
Nikola Jokic led the team with 22 points, a night which most of the Nuggets players and staff would like to forget. The Nuggets really need something from their other solid starters like Jamal Murray, Gary Harris among others, if they want to even the series back at 2-2.
Guess the Lakers players!
