Minnesota Dominates, New York Clutch: Pistons & Lakers Face Hill to Climb
In the opening games of the NBA playoffs, two highly anticipated series saw jaw-dropping performances and surprising outcomes. The Minnesota Timberwolves dominated the Los Angeles Lakers, while the New York Knicks overcame aigent Detroit Pistons with a late 21-0 run.
Minnesota Timberwolves Stun Los Angeles Lakers 117-95
Appearing to have little chance against the Lebron-Doncic duo, the Minnesota Timberwolves surprised everyone.
The Timberwolves’ disciplined defense and precise ball movement were on full display, with the team earning a resounding 22-point victory (117-95). Jaden McDaniels led Minnesota with 25 points, shooting an outstanding 11/13 from the field. Anthony Edwards added 22 points and 9 assists, while Reid and Clark chipped in 23 and 14 points off the bench.
“We’ve been preparing for this moment all season,” said McDaniels. “We knew coming into this series that we had to bring our best, and that’s what we did.”
Luka Doncic scored 37 points and added 8 rebounds and 5 assists for the Lakers, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Minnesota’s balanced attack.
New York Knicks Clutch 21-0 Run to Beat Pistons 123-112
The Madison Square Garden crowd was silenced early but erupted as the Knicks closed the game on a 21-0 run.
The New York Knicks found themselves down 8 points with 9 minutes left in the game but stormed back with a game-ending 21-0 run to secure a 123-112 victory over the Detroit Pistons. Tom Thibodeau’s crew was led by rookie of the year favorite R.J. Barrett, who scored 34 points.
ague closer to Simone Fontecchio, who remains on the bench due to illness, the Knicks got solid production from their bench, with Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin combining for 26 points.
“We’ve been in this situation before,” said Barrett. “We stayed focused, trusted each other, and came out with a big victory.”
Looking Ahead
- Race-2 between the Knicks and Pistons is set for Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
- The Timberwolves and Lakers will face off again on Tuesday night in Los Angeles.
This concludes our coverage of today’s NBA playoff games. Be sure to check back for more updates and analysis on 247sports.news!
FAQ
- Who won their division in the Eastern Conference?
- The Milwaukee Bucks won the Central Division, while the Boston Celtics took home the Atlantic Division title.
- What are the minimum and maximum player salaries in the NBA?
- The minimum salary for a rookie is $898,310, while the maximum salary for a supermax player is $47.03 million.
Pro Tip
Did you know? The Oklahoma City Thunder have the longest active playoff drought in the NBA, last making the playoffs in the 2019-20 season.
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