With all Game 1s of the opening round of the NBA playoffs taking place over the weekend, eight players finished with at least 30 points. Remarkably, the top three scoring outputs resulted in a loss. Here are the top Game 1 scorers in the opening round of the NBA playoffs.
Top Game 1 Scorers In The Opening Round Of The NBA Playoffs
Luka Doncic, Lakers (37)
Despite being the highest scorer over the weekend, Luka Doncic saw his team lose by 22 points. A lot of the 26-year-old’s damage came in the first quarter where he scored 16, and the Lakers took an early seven-point lead. Doncic had more than one-third of LA’s made field goals (12 of 33) and more than half of their made free throws (eight of 14).
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks (36)
Another top scorer in a losing effort came courtesy of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. The 30-year-old has had to shoulder even more of a workload while star point guard Damian Lillard has been out. For the game, Antetokounmpo shot 14-23 from the field (although just 8-15 from the charity stripe). The rest of Milwaukee’s starting lineup could only muster a combined 14 points including goose eggs from Kyle Kuzma and Taurean Prince.
Paolo Banchero, Magic (36)
It was the Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner offensive show for Orlando, and not really anybody else. The Magic only scored 86 points, and their two star players combined for 59 of them. The Magic’s next highest scorer was Jonathan Isaac, who had seven. The 22-year-old Banchero had nearly half of his team’s second half points in their Game 1 loss (17 of 37).
Jalen Brunson, Knicks (34)
In the first half of the Knicks Game 1 matchup with the Pistons, Jalen Brunson struggled putting the ball in the hoop. He shot just 4-15 from the field. The 28-year-old looked more like his normal self in the second half, making eight of his 12 attempts and scoring 23 of his 34 points. Brunson was the highest Game 1 scorer who won his game.
James Harden, Clippers (32)
The Clippers and Nuggets went to overtime, and James Harden had scored 25 at the end of regulation. The 2017-18 MVP added seven in the extra five minutes, but the rest of the team only had five as LA lost by two. The 35-year-old came out aggressive scoring 15 points in the opening stanza but became more of a facilitator, as he totaled eight of his 11 assists in the third and fourth quarters.
Stephen Curry, Warriors (31)
The last Game 1 of the weekend saw somewhat of a standard performance by the greatest shooter of all-time. Stephen Curry shot 12-19 from the field and 5-9 from beyond the arc, helping Golden State secure a 10-point victory. The Warriors outscored the Rockets 29-13 in the second quarter, one that saw the 37-year-old Curry make all four of his shot attempts (including two threes).
Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers (30)
While Donovan Mitchell wasn’t particularly accurate from three-point range (2-9), he went 9-10 inside of the arc. The 28-year-old guard also went 6-7 from the charity stripe. It’s the 26th time in 55 career playoff contests that Mitchell has dropped at least 30 points.
Derrick White, Celtics (30)
Their fourth-leading scorer in the regular season, Derrick White led the Celtics with his 30 points in their Game 1 victory. The 30-year-old guard proved to be a marksman connecting on seven of his 12 three-point tries. White consistently made an impact throughout the outing, scoring eight in three of the four quarters.
Photo credit: © Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
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