If NBA fans outside of Pennsylvania didn’t know the name Tyrese Maxey, they sure do now.

While the Toronto Raptors were keying in on superstars Joel Embiid and James Harden, the Philadelphia 76ers‘ second-year guard was showcasing why he is such an important player in their success with 38 points in a Game 1 win.

If the 76ers were to make a deep playoff run, “The Maxey Game” would be the performance that sparked it all.

That got us thinking: What other X factors are hiding in the first round of the playoffs? Which under-the-radar players could swing a game — or even a series — by themselves?

Our NBA experts are breaking down one player from all 16 playoff teams who could get hot from long range, provide a defensive spark or come out of nowhere to lead his team to a victory.

MORE: Takeaways from Day 2 of the playoffs | Intel on all 16 teams

Johnson just had the finest season of his young career, putting up personal bests across the board. He became one of the top Sixth Man of the Year contenders by averaging 12.5 points in just 26.2 minutes per game while shooting a sizzling 42.5% from 3.

Case in point: March 4 vs. Knicks

In a game without Chris Paul and Devin Booker, Johnson poured in a career-high 38 points in 28 minutes off the bench, including 9-of-12 from deep and the game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Johnson also hit at least two 3s in 12 of the 21 playoff games he appeared in last year, offering a glimpse of what he can do on the brightest stage. His worst game out of the Suns’ entire run, however, might have been in the Bucks’ NBA Finals-clinching win in Game 6, when Johnson scored just three points on 1-for-5 shooting, surely giving him motivation for a bounce back this postseason.

— Dave McMenamin

Herro can get hot in a hurry and will be crucial to any major success the Heat have in the postseason. His ability to space the floor will create even more opportunities for Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and other teammates. Herro already has proved he isn’t afraid of the biggest stage, as he showed during the 2020 playoffs when he repeatedly hit important shots during the Heat’s run to the Finals.

Case in point: Jan. 8 vs. Suns

With the Heat playing without Butler and Adebayo, it was Herro who dropped 33 and went 12-for-20 from the field in a 123-100 rout of the league-leading Suns. The difference in Herro’s game this season is his consistency. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra knew what he was getting from the Kentucky product on most nights, and that is what should help propel Herro during this postseason run.

— Nick Friedell

After logging only nine minutes in last year’s playoffs, Clarke will need to play a major role in this series with Minnesota if the Grizzlies want Jaren Jackson Jr. to spend a lot of time as the primary defender on All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns. Clarke thrives as a roll threat offensively and can guard forwards.

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Case in point: Nov. 8 and Jan. 13 vs. Timberwolves

Clarke was a critical contributor in both of Memphis’ wins over Minnesota this season. He averaged 17 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 66.7% from the floor in those two games, as the Grizzlies outscored the Timberwolves by 25 points with Clarke on the floor. Memphis was plus-20 in 23 minutes against the Minnesota this season when Clarke joined Ja Morant and Jackson on the floor.

— Tim MacMahon

When White arrived in Boston at the trade deadline, he was precisely the player the Celtics needed: one of the league’s better perimeter defenders who also is a quick decision-maker offensively. What could make or break Boston’s hopes of a deep playoff run is White’s 3-point shooting. He shot under 31% with the Celtics after being at around 35% the previous two seasons.

Case in point: April 7 vs. Bucks

While Boston lost to Milwaukee late in the regular season, White’s performance — 19 points and seven rebounds, plus 4-for-8 in 3-point shooting — is exactly the kind of showing the Celtics will want to see on a regular basis during the playoffs.

— Tim Bontemps

The Warriors played 10 players by halftime in their Game 1 win against the Nuggets. And the wild thing is, they probably could have played 11.

Kuminga didn’t see rotational minutes, but Warriors coach Steve Kerr has made it clear he is the next man up off the bench. The Warriors see Kuminga as a guy who can be a game-changer. If someone on the court isn’t having a good night or they just need an extra dose of energy, the Warriors will go to the 19-year-old rookie.

Case in point: March 23 vs. Heat

As Kuminga saw an increased minute load through February and March, he showed the value he can add to Golden State. Against the Heat, Kuminga was the best player on the floor for the Warriors. He not only displayed his physicality but showed off his improved ballhandling and his almost signature hesitation and spin move, and Kuminga did it against one of the league’s top defenders in Bam Adebayo.

Kuminga has been able to stay ready, even when he isn’t playing consistent minutes. And in a situation such as the playoffs, during which lineups and rotations can change night to night, Kuminga needs to be prepared to make his impact — and possibly shift a game or series.

— Kendra Andrews

The NBA75 celebration continues with the NBA playoffs, which began Saturday and run through June, when the league will crown a champion for its milestone season.

o Biggest takeaways from Day 2 | Day 1
o NBA world goes wild over Celtics-Nets
o What to know about all 16 playoff teams
o Playoff predictions: Picks for every series
oPhoenix is better than you think

Opposing teams have spent so much attention defending the paint in an attempt to slow down Giannis Antetokounmpo that it often has left Allen with a ton of space to shoot from 3. And Allen entered the postseason on a heater, shooting 47.9% from beyond the arc since the All-Star break. Allen already has been at the center of controversy during Bulls-Bucks matchups this season, so it would be ironic if he could swing a game with his performance.

Case in point: April 5 vs. Bulls

Allen hasn’t shot well from 3 against the Bulls this season, but he has found success scoring against Chicago. In their final regular-season matchup, Allen registered 12 points in the first half — tied for the team high — to help deflate the Bulls’ chances of an upset.

— Jamal Collier

Finney-Smith would have been a coveted free agent if Dallas didn’t sign him to a four-year, $55 million contract extension immediately after the trade deadline. He is predominantly known as a defender — and is taking on Donovan Mitchell as his primary assignment in the first round. But Finney-Smith also has developed into a major 3-point threat, converting 45.2% of his six attempts per game over the past two months.

Case in point: March 7 vs. Jazz

The Mavs hope Finney-Smith’s performance in a late-season win over the Jazz is a sign of the impact he will make in this series. He had 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting (4-of-10 from 3-point range) in that game. More importantly, he made Mitchell work for every look, as the Jazz’s All-Star guard finished with 17 points on 5-of-19 shooting.

— MacMahon

With Matisse Thybulle sidelined for the games in Toronto because he isn’t fully vaccinated, Green has been thrust into the starting lineup. And while the three-time NBA champion isn’t quite as spry as he used to be at age 34, he is the only two-way wing Philadelphia has on its roster — and he’ll be leaned on throughout the playoffs as a result.

Sunday, April 17
Nets at Celtics, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)

Friday, April 22
Heat at Hawks, Game 3, 7 p.m.
Bucks at Bulls, Game 3, 8:30 p.m. (ABC)
Suns at Pelicans, Game 3, 9:30 p.m.

All times Eastern

Case in point: April 7 vs. Raptors

During Philadelphia’s loss in Toronto without Thybulle late in the regular season, Green finished with 18 points, five rebounds, four assists, one steal and a block in 39 minutes, including going 6-for-7 from 3-point range. That’s the kind of performance Philadelphia would love to get a few times in these playoffs.

— Bontemps

Clarkson’s production and efficiency dipped this season on the heels of his 2021 Sixth Man of the Year campaign, but his scoring off the bench continues to be a critical ingredient of the Jazz’s success. Utah went 16-6 when Clarkson posted at least 20 points this season. The Jazz are 5-1 when Clarkson has scored 20 or more in playoff games.

Case in point: April 5 vs. Grizzlies

Mitchell struggled in a late-season meeting with Memphis, going 6-of-24 from a floor. The Jazz still managed to beat the Grizzlies in overtime in large part due to Clarkson delivering an efficient 22-point performance off the bench by shooting 7-of-13 from the floor. Clarkson also had five assists that night, matching his fourth-highest total of the season.

— MacMahon

Trent averaged a career-high 18.3 points and shot 38.3% from 3-point range this season, giving the Raptors a third consistent offensive weapon alongside Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam — all while being a solid defender and playing 35 minutes a night.

Case in point: April 7 vs. 76ers

In Toronto’s final meeting with Philadelphia during the regular season, Trent poured in 30 points and helped the Raptors secure a win. For a team that is offensively challenged at times, a performance like that could swing a game in what is expected to be a very competitive series.

— Bontemps

While Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. were out this season, the Nuggets were in desperate need of an offensive spark whenever reigning MVP Nikola Jokic rested. They got it from their first-round pick out of VCU. Hyland averaged 10.1 points and 36.6% shooting from behind the arc, but he came on in March by averaging 14.3 points, 4.3 assists and 47.6% 3-point shooting.

Case in point: March 14 vs. 76ers

What could be bigger than Jokic vs. Joel Embiid? Look no further than when the Nuggets won at Philadelphia to see how much of an X factor Hyland can be. Hyland scored 21 points off the bench, but he was so good in the fourth quarter that he managed to overshadow the MVP showdown between Jokic and Embiid. Hyland hit four 3-pointers — three straight in the middle of the fourth — to help the Nuggets beat the Sixers. Already a fan favorite in Denver, Hyland’s inspired game in Philadelphia came in front of Delaware firefighters and first responders who helped save him from a house fire in 2018. —

— Ohm Youngmisuk

Milwaukee has allowed the most 3-pointers per game in three of the past four seasons, including 2021-22, and if there’s one Bulls player most poised to take advantage, it’s Coby White coming off the bench. White shot a career-best 38.5% from beyond the arc this season, but he has proved to be a streaky shooter in his first three NBA seasons. If he gets hot from 3, he could go on a run to swing a game in this series.

Case in point: Feb. 11 vs. Timberwolves

White was in the midst of one of the best shooting stretches of his career in February, when he shot 48.7% from 3 on seven attempts per game. He helped spark the Bulls to victory against the Timberwolves, finishing with 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting (6-of-10 from 3), including hitting all four of his 3-point attempts in the fourth quarter.

— Collier

Compete for $40,000 throughout the NBA postseason! Make Your Picks

Beasley quietly finished fifth in the NBA in 3-pointers this season, shattering the Timberwolves’ franchise record with 240 treys. Like many players who live behind the arc (75% of his shot attempts were 3s), Beasley ran hot and cold. He shot 40% in Minnesota wins and 35% in losses.

Case in point: Nov. 24 vs. Heat

When Patrick Beverley left with an adductor strain in the first quarter, Beasley stepped up. In a season-high 38 minutes, Beasley scored 29 points on 9-of-19 shooting. Minnesota was plus-12 with Beasley on the court in an impressive double-digit win over Miami.

— Kevin Pelton

Brown was consistent over the last two months of the season on both ends of the floor, while averaging close to 15 points a contest in March and April. Brown has proved he can knock down 3-pointers on a regular basis, providing Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving some help when teams try to load up on them. Brown shot 41.9% from beyond the arc in March, and he has been open about how defenses still aren’t respecting his shot.

Case in point: Tuesday vs. Cavaliers

Brown racked up 18 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 steals in 40 minutes during the play-in win over Cleveland. He believes he can put up those kind of numbers each night, and Brown was a defensive spark for a Nets team that faded on that end of the floor down the stretch.

— Friedell

Murphy’s shooting is what made him attractive as a prospect when selected with the No. 17 pick in last year’s draft. He has been a mainstay in the Pelicans’ rotation since March 7, and during that time, he has made 43.8% of his 3s on 4.3 attempts per game. Murphy can come in and score in bunches to give the Pelicans a big lift, if needed.

Case in point: Friday vs. Clippers

Look no further than the contest that sent the Pelicans to the playoffs to see what kind of game-changing ability Murphy can have. He played the final 16 minutes against the Clippers in the elimination game of the play-in tournament and knocked down four 3-pointers, including one to put the Pels up seven late and help complete their comeback.

— Andrew Lopez

Okongwu will be called on to play a bigger role for Atlanta because of the knee injury to starting center Clint Capela. John Collins (finger, foot injuries) returned from a monthlong absence on Sunday against the Heat, but Okongwu will shoulder starting responsibilities. In six games as a starter this season, Okongwu averaged 10.5 points and 7.3 rebounds.

Case in point: March 31 vs. Cavaliers

Okongwu put up 17 points and 12 rebounds in 25 minutes against Cleveland. As a rim runner, he fits perfectly into what Atlanta wants to do with Trae Young running the offense. Okongwu also can provide a boost on the defensive end, averaging 2.2 blocks per 36 minutes during the regular season.

— Lopez

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In Game 1 of the first round, the Chicago Bulls had to take on their bitter division rival. The reigning champs hosted the Bulls, and these Milwaukee Bucks appeared beatable — until they didn’t.

The first half can be summed up by an overzealous Nikola Vucevic and a hesitant Zach LaVine.

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PHOENIX — First Chris Paul heard his former teammate and coach Willie Green instruct his New Orleans Pelicans players to dare him to shoot. Then, after Paul eviscerated the strategy, he let his old friend know it.

Paul, who will turn 37 in three weeks, became the oldest player to record 30 points and 10 assists in a playoff game as put up exactly those numbers in leading the top-seeded Phoenix Suns to a 110-99 victory in Game 1 of their first-round series on Sunday.

He passed Steve Nash, who did the same as a member of the Suns at age 36 in 2010. Paul is now one of just five players in history to have 10 playoff games with 30 points and 10 assists. LeBron James has the most with 22 such games, followed by Michael Jordan with 15.

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Much of it came in a furious fourth-quarter rally as Paul scored 17 points in a five-minute stretch to crush a Pelicans comeback attempt. Green’s choice to have his defenders give Paul space by going under pick-and-rolls backfired when Paul made three 3-pointers in a row as he attacked a switching defense that repeatedly left him up against the slower Larry Nance Jr.

“That’s like inviting me [to] shoot,” said Paul, who looked over at Green several times after splashing shots. “I know Willie, that’s my man. It’s all a part of the game.”

Green, who was an assistant with the Suns last season and played with Paul on the LA Clippers and then-New Orleans Hornets, used a bench-heavy lineup that cut a 23-point Phoenix lead down to just six by early in the fourth quarter.

But Paul broke the strategy as he repeatedly called for center Deandre Ayton to set a screen and force Nance into a switch. Eventually, Green had to pull Nance, who had been very effective with Paul on the bench, from the game.

“We went under a couple screens and he just stood behind and shot the 3-ball,” Green said. “The mix-ups were on our part, my part as a coach. I have to do better with that coverage. Chris, this is just what he does.”

PlayerAgeTeamSun.Chris Paul36(y)-346(d)PHX2010Steve Nash36(y)-85(d)PHX2020LeBron James35(y)-271(d)LAL– ESPN Stats & Information

Paul scored or assisted on 23 of the Suns’ 31 points in the fourth quarter. His 19 points in the frame were the second-most in the final quarter in his career.

“That man is a true competitor and a true winner,” said Suns star Devin Booker, who had 25 points. “When he wants it that bad, you can see it in his demeanor and see it in his walk, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone. He’s built for these moments.”

The Suns held the Pelicans to 22% shooting in the first half as Mikal Bridges, who was named a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year, smothered Pelicans guard CJ McCollum. The Pelicans shot just 2-of-16 for the game when Bridges was the primary defender, according to ESPN Stats & Information tracking. McCollum finished with 25 points but missed 16 shots and was 0-for-9 with Bridges on him.

Paul also played excellent defense, coming up with three steals.

“It’s just his ability to understand he needs to take over a game,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “I don’t think I’ve been around anybody like Chris who has that innate feel for that time.”

ESPN’s Andrew Lopez contributed to this report.

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MILWAUKEE — On the way to winning their first NBA championship, the Milwaukee Bucks transformed into a defensive juggernaut during the postseason, finishing No. 1 among playoff teams in defensive efficiency after placing near the bottom of the top 10 during the regular season.

The Bucks dipped to the No.14 in defense during the 2021-22 regular season. But they once again turned up the intensity for the start of the postseason on Sunday, smothering the Chicago Bulls offense en route to a 93-86 Game 1 victory in Milwaukee.

“Sometimes you got to win ugly,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “It’s not always going to be pretty or perfect.”

Milwaukee began the game hot, jumping out to a 9-0 lead and building a 16-point first quarter advantage over its division rival after sweeping them in all four games in their regular-season series. But the Bulls stormed back to make the game competitive and even took a lead in the third quarter before the Bucks recovered in the fourth.

“They made a couple more winning plays than we did,” said Bulls guard Zach LaVine.

Entering Sunday, the Bucks had lost five of their past six Game 1s during their last two playoff runs with their lone win coming against the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the opening round last year. But they came away with a victory on Sunday despite 21 turnovers, an uncharacteristic poor performance from Khris Middleton, who shot 4 of 13 (1-for-7 from 3) for 11 points with seven turnovers, and zero points from Giannis Antetokounmpo in the fourth quarter.

“So many reasons why the game was ugly,” said Antetokounmpo, who finished with 27 points and 16 rebounds. “Wasn’t able to make open shots, wasn’t able to get to our spots. Not just for us, both teams. I think not playing the game for a couple days, gets you out of rhythm. But at the end of the day a win is a win. We really didn’t want to be down 0-1.”

Milwaukee got defensive contributions from all over the floor on Sunday.

Antetokounmpo battled foul trouble that limited his minutes during the fourth quarter, but he continued to be a disruptor defensively whenever the Bulls came near him. Chicago went 3 for 11 with Antetokounmpo as the closest defender, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

On the perimeter, Jrue Holiday and Wesley Matthews combined to slow down DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, who together shot 6 of 25 whenever one of those two players were the primary defender. Chicago’s Big 3 of DeRozan, LaVine and Nikola Vucevic combined to shoot 21-for-71 (29.6%) from the field and 4 of 22 from 3.

“I don’t know what the hell was going on,” DeRozan said. “It just wasn’t me. All of us. I guarantee, me, Zach and Vooch are not going to miss that many shots again. We just got to keep what we did defensively up and try to take that to another level.”

DeRozan, who finished with 18 points in 43 minutes, said he was happy with most of the shots he took.

“I’ll live with them again,” he said. “No way in hell I’ll shoot 6 of 25 again.”

Overall, the Bulls shot 32.3% from the field and 18.9% from 3.

And in the fourth quarter with both Antetokounmpo and LaVine managing foul trouble, it was Holiday’s defense that helped make the difference.

The Bulls went 0-for-7 in the fourth quarter with Holiday as the primary defender, according to ESPN Stats & Information, and Holiday contested all seven shot attempts.

“Guys like Wes, Jrue and Khris and they just take such great pride in playing good defense,” Bucks center Brook Lopez said. “They stepped it up even more at the end of the game. They knew we needed the stops, so they were totally 100% locked in and we got the job done.”

Chicago has had its issues competing against the top teams in the East this season (1-14 against the top 4 seeds during the regular season) and putting together a competitive game against Milwaukee represents a step forward compared to their last two regular season matchups.

But considering the Bulls had a chance to win Game 1 down the stretch, Sunday’s game felt like a missed opportunity to DeRozan.

“Yeah, I mean, it is what it is now. They did what they were supposed to at home,” DeRozan said. “We’ve got another opportunity to steal home court and that’s our goal now. We’ve got a lot to dissect from this game, to be able to come in and look over a lot of stuff tomorrow, try to clean up and be better at it. It definitely sucks, the missed opportunity, but we got one more opportunity here in Milwaukee before we go back to Chicago.”

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MILWAUKEE — On the way to winning their first NBA championship, the Milwaukee Bucks transformed into a defensive juggernaut during the postseason, finishing No. 1 among playoff teams in defensive efficiency after placing near the bottom of the top 10 during the regular season.

The Bucks dipped to the No.14 in defense during the 2021-22 regular season. But they once again turned up the intensity for the start of the postseason on Sunday, smothering the Chicago Bulls offense en route to a 93-86 Game 1 victory in Milwaukee.

“Sometimes you got to win ugly,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “It’s not always going to be pretty or perfect.”

Milwaukee began the game hot, jumping out to a 9-0 lead and building a 16-point first quarter advantage over its division rival after sweeping them in all four games in their regular-season series. But the Bulls stormed back to make the game competitive and even took a lead in the third quarter before the Bucks recovered in the fourth.

“They made a couple more winning plays than we did,” said Bulls guard Zach LaVine.

Entering Sunday, the Bucks had lost five of their past six Game 1s during their last two playoff runs with their lone win coming against the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the opening round last year. But they came away with a victory on Sunday despite 21 turnovers, an uncharacteristic poor performance from Khris Middleton, who shot 4 of 13 (1-for-7 from 3) for 11 points with seven turnovers, and zero points from Giannis Antetokounmpo in the fourth quarter.

“So many reasons why the game was ugly,” said Antetokounmpo, who finished with 27 points and 16 rebounds. “Wasn’t able to make open shots, wasn’t able to get to our spots. Not just for us, both teams. I think not playing the game for a couple days, gets you out of rhythm. But at the end of the day a win is a win. We really didn’t want to be down 0-1.”

Milwaukee got defensive contributions from all over the floor on Sunday.

Antetokounmpo battled foul trouble that limited his minutes during the fourth quarter, but he continued to be a disruptor defensively whenever the Bulls came near him. Chicago went 3 for 11 with Antetokounmpo as the closest defender, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

On the perimeter, Jrue Holiday and Wesley Matthews combined to slow down DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, who together shot 6 of 25 whenever one of those two players were the primary defender. Chicago’s Big 3 of DeRozan, LaVine and Nikola Vucevic combined to shoot 21-for-71 (29.6%) from the field and 4 of 22 from 3.

“I don’t know what the hell was going on,” DeRozan said. “It just wasn’t me. All of us. I guarantee, me, Zach and Vooch are not going to miss that many shots again. We just got to keep what we did defensively up and try to take that to another level.”

DeRozan, who finished with 18 points in 43 minutes, said he was happy with most of the shots he took.

“I’ll live with them again,” he said. “No way in hell I’ll shoot 6 of 25 again.”

Overall, the Bulls shot 32.3% from the field and 18.9% from 3.

And in the fourth quarter with both Antetokounmpo and LaVine managing foul trouble, it was Holiday’s defense that helped make the difference.

The Bulls went 0-for-7 in the fourth quarter with Holiday as the primary defender, according to ESPN Stats & Information, and Holiday contested all seven shot attempts.

“Guys like Wes, Jrue and Khris and they just take such great pride in playing good defense,” Bucks center Brook Lopez said. “They stepped it up even more at the end of the game. They knew we needed the stops, so they were totally 100% locked in and we got the job done.”

Chicago has had its issues competing against the top teams in the East this season (1-14 against the top 4 seeds during the regular season) and putting together a competitive game against Milwaukee represents a step forward compared to their last two regular season matchups.

But considering the Bulls had a chance to win Game 1 down the stretch, Sunday’s game felt like a missed opportunity to DeRozan.

“Yeah, I mean, it is what it is now. They did what they were supposed to at home,” DeRozan said. “We’ve got another opportunity to steal home court and that’s our goal now. We’ve got a lot to dissect from this game, to be able to come in and look over a lot of stuff tomorrow, try to clean up and be better at it. It definitely sucks, the missed opportunity, but we got one more opportunity here in Milwaukee before we go back to Chicago.”

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Welcome to Day 2 of the 2022 NBA playoffs!

Saturday saw a flurry of impressive postseason debuts, including those from Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards and Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole.

Sunday, meanwhile, got started with a blowout along Biscayne Bay. The No. 1-seeded Miami Heat stifled Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks en route to an easy 115-91 Game 1 win.

The day’s action continued with the most anticipated matchup of the first round, as Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets faced Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics. And Game 1 delivered, as Tatum’s last-second layup lifted Boston in a thriller.

The Milwaukee Bucks then began their title defense with a close Game 1 victory over the Chicago Bulls, while Sunday’s finale features the NBA-best Phoenix Suns hosting the New Orleans Pelicans, who are fresh off their play-in tournament run for the Western Conference’s No. 8 seed.

Our NBA experts have eyes on every Game 1 showdown. Here are the most important takeaways from Day 2 of playoff action.

MORE: Intel on all 16 teams | Phoenix is better than you think

The Celtics-Nets premiere felt much more like Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals than it did Game 1 of the first round. The showdown lived up to the hype that surrounded the series all week.

Tatum won the game with a layup at the buzzer that sent fans at TD Garden into a frenzy. They also loudly booed Irving, who flipped off a few of them in the third quarter and then proceeded to get rolling down the stretch while pouring in a game-high 39 points.

“It was a scramble play,” Nets star Kevin Durant said of the contest’s final possession. “They made a couple passes. They were able to find a little crease there at the end. A quick play.”

Not only did Tatum hit the winner, he provided the extra defensive push Boston needs without Robert Williams III stabilizing the defense. Tatum dropped 31 points but also had two blocks, and he teamed up with Marcus Smart to limit Durant to a 9 for 23 performance from the field.

Despite Durant’s struggles, the Nets remain confident he will get it going again in Game 2.

“Kevin’s Kevin Durant for a reason,” Nets coach Steve Nash said. “He figures things out on his own very, very well, and we’ll definitely look at it collectively and we’ll improve.”

The feeling around the league prior to this series was that it was two evenly matched teams, which through a confluence of different events during the season found themselves forced to play each other much earlier than anticipated. If Sunday’s thriller was any indication, basketball fans are in for a treat the rest of the way — because this game didn’t just live up to the hype, it unquestionably exceeded it.

— Nick Friedell

Bucks 93, Bulls 86: Chicago’s woes against the East elite continue

On the video board above the Fiserv Forum court before the start of Game 1, the Bucks aired a segment to welcome the Bulls back to the playoffs — and inform their rivals down I-94 of all the things that have changed since Chicago last made the postseason in 2017.

With Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone” providing the soundtrack, the Bucks’ flashback offered a reminder that the iPhone 8 had yet to be released and several trends had yet to begin, punctuated by the fact that Milwaukee was now the defending NBA champions.

And the Bucks looked every bit the part to start the game, blitzing the Bulls with a 9-0 run after the opening tip and building a 16-point lead in the first quarter. However, Chicago showed some fight, responding to briefly take the lead in the third quarter and give themselves a chance to win the game in the fourth.

The Bulls have struggled mightily against the top teams in the East — they went 1-14 against the top-four seeds in the conference this season — but they were much more competitive in Game 1 than many of their matchups against the East’s elite.

But Chicago shot just 7 of 37 (18.9%) from 3 in the game and had no answer for Giannis Antetokounmpo, who finished with 27 points and 16 rebounds.

— Jamal Collier

Heat 115, Hawks 91: Miami completely shuts down Trae and the league’s No. 2 offense

On the Hawks’ opening possession of Sunday’s Game 1, no fewer than three Heat defenders switched onto Trae Young, with Kyle Lowry, then P.J. Tucker, then finally Max Strus forcing the All-Star guard into retreat mode and subverting his attack. The sequence ended with Young, with the shot clock ticking under two seconds, trying to thread the needle on a Hail Mary alley-oop to Onyeka Okongwu that the big man couldn’t corral.

And so it went for Atlanta, which couldn’t recreate the Game 1 magic it had in last year’s improbable run to the conference finals, as the Hawks’ high-flying offense was stifled all day in the Heat’s win.

“It’s all hands on deck,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Whatever is required.”

Miami’s defense, which ranked fourth in defensive rating and third in points allowed during the regular season, harassed the Hawks’ second-ranked offense all over the floor. The Heat bottled them up early, holding Atlanta to just 3-for-17 shooting in the first quarter with Young’s only field goal — an and-1 fastbreak layup — needing more English than an Ivy League college’s curriculum to go down.

The nightmare only continued for Young, who was unable to break out like he did in the second half in the Hawks’ play-in win in Cleveland. He finished with just eight points on 1-for-12 shooting (0-for-7 from 3). Coach Nate McMillan pulled him with 2:34 remaining in the third quarter and kept him on the bench the rest of the way.

“Miami played at another level,” McMillan said. “We have to get to another level.”

Offensively, Miami was disciplined. The Heat facilitated through Lowry (nine assists), but all of their personnel committed to making the extra pass to find guys like Tucker, Gabe Vincent and Lowry open for corner 3s. Duncan Robinson, who had a down year, exploded for 27 points on 9-for-10 shooting (8-for-9 from 3) off the bench, nearly tripling the boost the Hawks got from John Collins (10 points) in his first game action since March 11 because of finger and foot injuries.

The Heat looked like a rested, serious team that is the No. 1 seed in the East for a reason. Atlanta, which deserves credit for its play-in performance to snag No. 8, looked as gassed as Young.

“We’ll enjoy this win and then when midnight hits, forget about this one and then we get ready for the next one,” Jimmy Butler said. “We know our goal.”

— Dave McMenamin

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Welcome to Day 2 of the 2022 NBA playoffs!

Saturday saw a flurry of impressive postseason debuts, including Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards and Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole.

Sunday, meanwhile, got started with a blowout along Biscayne Bay. The No. 1-seeded Miami Heat stifled Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks en route to an easy 115-91 Game 1 win.

Today’s action continues with the most anticipated matchup of the first round, as Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets face Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics. Then, the Milwaukee Bucks begin their title defense against the Chicago Bulls. Sunday’s finale features the NBA-best Phoenix Suns hosting the New Orleans Pelicans, fresh off their play-in tournament run for the Western Conference’s No. 8 seed.

Our NBA experts have eyes on every Game 1 showdown. Here are the most important takeaways from Day 2 of playoff action.

MORE: Intel on all 16 teams | Phoenix is better than you think

On the Hawks’ opening possession of Sunday’s Game 1, no fewer than three Heat defenders switched onto Trae Young, with Kyle Lowry, then P.J. Tucker, then finally Max Strus forcing the All-Star guard into retreat mode and subverting his attack. The sequence ended with Young, with the shot clock ticking under two seconds, trying to thread the needle on a Hail Mary alley-oop to Onyeka Okongwu that the big man couldn’t corral.

And so it went for Atlanta, which couldn’t recreate the Game 1 magic it had in last year’s improbable run to the conference finals, as the Hawks’ high-flying offense was stifled all day in the Heat’s win.

Miami’s defense, which ranked fourth in defensive rating and third in points allowed during the regular season, harassed the Hawks’ second-ranked offense all over the floor. They bottled them up early, holding Atlanta to just 3-for-17 shooting in the first quarter with Young’s only field goal — an and-1 fastbreak layup — needing more English than an Ivy League college’s curriculum to go down.

The nightmare only continued for Young, who was unable to break out like he did in the second half in the Hawks’ play-in win in Cleveland. He finished with just eight points on 1-for-12 shooting (0-for-7 from 3). Coach Nate McMillan pulled him with 2:34 remaining in the third quarter and kept him on the bench the rest of the way.

Offensively, Miami was disciplined. The Heat facilitated through Kyle Lowry (nine assists), but all of their personnel committed to making the extra pass to find guys like Tucker, Gabe Vincent and Lowry open for corner 3s. Duncan Robinson, who had a down year, exploded for 27 points on 9-for-10 shooting (8-for-9 from 3) off the bench, nearly tripling the boost the Hawks got from John Collins (10 points) in his first game action since March 11 because of finger and foot injuries.

The Heat looked like a rested, serious team that is the No. 1 seed in the East for a reason. Atlanta, which deserves credit for its play-in performance to snag No. 8, looked as gassed as its star in Young.

— Dave McMenamin

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