The 2019 postseason got underway on Saturday with a four-game slate leading off the first day. The action started with the No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers taking on the No. 6 Brooklyn Nets in the first game and it wasn't exactly what many expected.
Even with Joel Embiid being in the starting lineup, the Sixers weren't able to get the job done as the Nets came away with a 111-102 win. D'Angelo Russell led the way for Brooklyn with 26 points on 10-of-25 shooting while Caris LeVert added 23 points off the bench. The Nets were aided by the fact that they connected on 11 of their 26 attempts from beyond the arc.
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Also in the East, the Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic played an incredible game that stands as the leader in the clubhouse for best game of the postseason. After trading haymakers in the final minutes, D.J. Augustin hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key in the closing seconds to give the Magic a shocking upset win.
Meanwhile, the Western Conference will see the top-ranked Golden State Warriors begin their title defense against the eighth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers, who snuck into the playoffs despite trading Tobias Harris at the trade deadline.
Finally, the night is capped off with the No. 2 Denver Nuggets hosting the No. 7 San Antonio Spurs, which could end up being one of the more entertaining series of the opening round.
NBA schedule for Saturday, April 13
*All times Eastern
Brooklyn Nets 111, Philadelphia 76ers 102 (Box Score)Orlando Magic 104, Toronto Raptors 101 (Box Score)Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors, 8 p.m. (GameTracker) | TV: ABCSan Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets, 10:30 p.m. (GameTracker) | TV: ESPNLou Will shows off his skills
Lou Williams is one of the craftiest scorers in the league, and he broke out all his tricks in the second quarter to get a bucket. First, he used some fancy dribbling skills to get into the lane, then he flipped up a high-arcing floater to beat the defense.
Warriors get hot early
The Warriors got off to a tremendous start in the first quarter of Game 1, sinking seven 3-pointers in the first 12 minutes alone.
Augustin wins it for the Magic
Two games, two upsets. After the Nets took down the Sixers, the Magic took down the Raptors thanks to some late-game heroics from D.J. Augustin. The veteran point guard drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give the Magic a 104-101 win in Game 1.
Raptors and Magic duel down the stretch
The closing minutes of the fourth quarter in Toronto were just fantastic, with the two teams going back and forth, making big shot after big shot. Of course, we know how it ended with Augustin's 3-pointer, but the highlights are well worth re-watching.
Siakam goes strong to the rack
Pascal Siakam showed off his improved offensive game with a nifty little dribble move that got him free for a powerful slam through traffic.
LeVert powers Nets off the bench
Caris LeVert has one of the best stories of the season after coming back from a devastating leg injury, and he continued to write the tale in Game 1 against the Sixers. The Nets guard came off the bench to put in 23 points and help his squad pull the upset.
Butler's playoff career-high not enough
Jimmy Butler came to play on Saturday afternoon. He poured in a playoff career-high 36 points on 11-of-22 shooting from the field and grabbed nine rebounds. Unfortunately, he was just about the only Sixer who played well, as Philly lost Game 1 to the Nets.
Dinwiddie blows by Marjanovic on baseline slam
Spencer Dinwiddie has really been a remarkable find for the Nets and continues to show why. With Boban Marjanovic guarding him in the corner, Dinwiddie decided to exploit the mismatch and threw down a baseline slam dunk as he blew by the Sixers big man.
Allen denies Harris at the rim
Nets center Jarrett Allen has had a knack for blocking several high-profile players throughout the season. In the opening quarter, Allen was able to block a layup attempt from Tobias Harris as Harris cut to the basket.
How to watch Game 1's on opening day
Golden State Warriors (1) vs. L.A. Clippers (8) (Series breakdown)
Date: Saturday, April 13Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Oracle Arena -- Oakland, CaliforniaTV channel: ABCOnline streaming: WatchESPNOdds: Warriors -12.5
The West's top-seeded Golden State Warriors will face off against the No. 8 seed Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the playoffs. The defending champs will be looking to get through the Clippers and ultimately win their third consecutive title. Meanwhile, L.A.'s presence in the playoffs is somewhat of a surprise, especially after the team traded away Tobias Harris prior to the deadline. Thanks to some solid play from Danilo Gallinari, Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams and others, however, the Clippers remain a formidable foe.
The Warriors took the regular-season series 3-1 over the Clippers, and will be looking to continue to have similar success against them in the playoffs.
Denver Nuggets (2) vs. San Antonio Spurs (7) (Series breakdown)
Date: Saturday, April 13Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
Location: Pepsi Center -- Denver, ColoradoTV channel: ESPNOnline streaming: WatchESPNOdds: Nuggets -6
The No. 2 seeded Denver Nuggets (54-28) take on the No. 7 seeded San Antonio Spurs (48-34) in a first-round playoff series that could easily go either way.
While the idea of a No. 7 seed upsetting a No. 2 seed is quite rare, this is a different case -- both of these teams split their regular-season series, and while one has the far superior overall record, the other has the clear advantage in experience.
This series can be summed it up as simply as this -- will the Nuggets' superior talent and depth along with their home-court advantage prove to be the difference? Or will the Spurs' experience and the role of Gregg Popovich prove to be pivotal in a potential opening-round playoff upset?
