Shai Gilgeous-Alexander showcased his scoring prowess, dropping 28 points to guide the Oklahoma City Thunder to a thrilling 94-92 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series. In a tightly contested matchup, Gilgeous-Alexander stepped up in crunch time, hitting crucial shots to secure the win for the Thunder.
Despite a challenging stretch in the fourth quarter where Oklahoma City struggled to find the basket, Gilgeous-Alexander’s clutch plays turned the tide in favor of the Thunder. His pull-up jumper and acrobatic floater, coupled with a crucial free throw, gave Oklahoma City the edge in the closing minutes of the game. Additionally, strong defensive efforts, particularly from Cason Wallace, helped the Thunder thwart the Pelicans’ attempts to tie or take the lead in the final seconds.
Meanwhile, in other playoff action, the Milwaukee Bucks secured a convincing 109-94 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference playoff series. Damian Lillard led the charge for the Bucks with a dominant first-half performance, scoring all 35 of his points before halftime. Khris Middleton also contributed significantly with 23 points to propel the Bucks to victory.
In another Eastern Conference matchup, the Boston Celtics cruised to a 114-94 win over the Miami Heat in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. Jayson Tatum delivered an impressive all-around performance, recording a triple-double with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists to lead the Celtics to victory. Derrick White added 20 points to bolster Boston’s offense, while Bam Adebayo led the way for the Heat with 24 points.
In the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Clippers made a statement with a 109-97 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of their playoff series. Despite missing star Kawhi Leonard due to injury, the Clippers displayed a balanced scoring attack, with James Harden leading the way with 28 points. Ivica Zubac also stepped up with a strong performance, recording a double-double with 20 points and 15 rebounds to propel the Clippers to victory. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving led the scoring for the Mavericks, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Clippers’ stifling defense.
