Thunder crush Grizzlies as Celtics, Cavs and Warriors win

Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder responds in the Thunder’s 51-point success over the Memphis Grizzlies in their NBA Western Conference playoff opener (William Purnell) Oklahoma City Thunder ruined the Memphis Grizzlies 131-80 in the most lopsided game-one win in

NBA playoff history

on Sunday as reigning champions Boston, Cleveland and Golden State opened the post-season with victories.Advertisement The Celtics, sustained by 30 points from Derrick White, defeated Orlando Magic 103-86. The Cavaliers, who vanquished the Celtics for front runner in the Eastern Conference, downed Miami Heat 121-100 and the Warriors, with 31 points from Stephen Curry, warded off a late Houston surge to beat the Firecrackers 95-85.

Oklahoma City, who became front runners in the Western Conference with the best overall record in the league, seized a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven first-round series in emphatic style.The Thunder’s 51-point margin of triumph was much more exceptional considered that Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had his statistically worst performance of the season– managing just 15 points, 5 assists and three rebounds.Advertisement However all of Oklahoma City’s starters scored in double figures with Jalen Williams offering

20 points along with six assists and Aaron Wiggins contributing 21 points off the bench.The win was the fifth largest ever in NBA playoff history and also a franchise record.”We played to our identity,”Gilgeous-Alexander said.”It’s going to be the key to our success– simply be the real who we are.”Grizzlies star Ja

Morant finished with 17 points and vowed Memphis– who battled through the play-in tournament– would recuperate.”

We’ll never play that bad again,”Morant said.Advertisement Things were more tense in the day’s other Western Conference fight in Houston, where the Firecrackers sliced a 23-point deficit to 3 midway through the 4th quarter before the Warriors pulled away again to win.Curry got rid of a slow start to connect on 12 of 19 shots from the floor, consisting of five three-pointers. Jimmy Butler included 25 points, 7 rebounds, six assists and five takes for the Warriors.”Remained in it,”Butler

stated. “Gave up a little run, however in the end we won.” In Boston, star forward Jayson Tatum scored a modest 17 points and completed the game despite a frightening fall under the basket in the 4th quarter that left him nursing an aching right wrist.Advertisement Tatum increased for a dunk and crashed to the court after he was hit by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope– who was evaluated an ostentatious foul upon review.The Celtics faithful at TD Garden were happy to see Tatum make his very first three-pointer of the night not long after, and Tatum stated after the game his wrist was great.-‘Great reaction’ -Jaylen Brown, back for the post-season after fighting knee trouble, scored 16 points and Payton Pritchard added 19 off the bench for Boston

, who tracked by one after a nip-and-tuck first half however pulled away non-stop after the break.”Simply an excellent action there in the 2nd half,”said White, who had

seven of the Celtics ‘

16 three-pointers. Ad Paolo Banchero scored 36 points and got 11 rebounds for the Magic. Franz Wagner included 23 points but no other Orlando player scored in double figures.In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points and Ty Jerome included 16 of his 28 in the fourth quarter as the Cavaliers finally put away the figured out Heat.Miami, who advanced from the play-in competition on Friday, tracked by 16 in the second quarter, however kept cracking away and were down by simply 8 midway through the 4th quarter.Jerome, in his first championship game, caught fire, making six of his 7 shots in the last duration to help Cleveland retreat for good.Advertisement”The thing that makes us unique– it can be any person any night, “Mitchell stated, but included that a lot of work remains.” We didn’t accomplish anything, “Mitchell stated.”We just took care of our first task in the house. “bb/dh