After a busy weekend of Game 1s, with four games on each day, the 2019 NBA playoffs slowed down a bit on Monday night. There were just two games on the schedule, one in the Eastern Conference and one in the Western Conference.
Starting things out, the Philadelphia 76ers made a statement by blowing out the Brooklyn Nets in Game 2. After leading by just one point entering halftime, the Sixers tied an NBA record by scoring 51 points in the third quarter. They eventually defeated the Nets 145-123 to tie the series at one-all.
In the second game of the doubleheader, the Golden State Warriors suffered what could be a major loss when DeMarcus Cousins exited Game 2 early due to a quad injury. The former All-Star center will undergo an MRI examination on Tuesday.
Here's everything you need to know about Monday night's playoff games:
NBA schedule for Monday, April 15
*All times Eastern
Philadelphia 76ers 145, Brooklyn Nets 123 (Box Score)Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors, 10:30 p.m. (GameTracker) -- TV: TNT | Streaming: fuboTV (try it free)
Cousins leaves Game 2 early due to quad injury
DeMarcus Cousins just can't catch a break. After struggling in his NBA postseason debut in Game 1 vs. the Clippers, the former All-Star big man exited Game 2 early due to a quad injury while diving for a loose ball.
The Warriors announced Cousins will undergo an MRI on Tuesday.
Simmons posts triple-double in Sixers' win
The Sixers are all tied up with the Nets after their 145-123 win in Game 2. Ben Simmons posted a triple-double (18 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds) as Philadelphia rested their starters for most of the fourth quarter.
Simmons, Embiid get Sixers out to great start in second half
Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid helped the Sixers get out to a 21-2 start in the second half, and connected for this nice and-one on the fastbreak.
Dinwiddie goes up top to Allen
Spencer Dinwiddie and Jarrett Allen combined for an impressive alley-oop toward the end of the first half. The Nets guard tossed it way up to his big man, who threw it down hard.
Nets sink two and-one 3s in a row
The Nets love launching 3-pointers, and their long-range attack led to a rare sequence in the first quarter where they hit two and-one 3s in a span of 90 seconds.
Embiid to play in Game 2
Joel Embiid ended up playing in Game 1 of the Sixers' first-round series with the Nets, and he'll be back in the lineup again on Monday night for Game 2. It doesn't appear that his knee problems have gone away, but at least for now it's manageable enough for Embiid to still get out there. He finished with 22 points and 15 rebounds in Game 1, but shot just 5-of-15 from the field, including 0-of-5 from 3. The Sixers will need a more efficient performance from their star if they want to avoid a disastrous start in this series.
