Thunder, Pacers and Timberwolves look to remain centered after lopsided playoff-opening wins

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, Indiana Pacers and Minnesota Timberwolves will attempt to keep away from complacency after they return to motion on Tuesday after dominating their first-round playoff sequence openers.

The Thunder, the highest seed within the Western Convention, rolled previous the Memphis Grizzlies 131-80 on Sunday. It was the fifth-largest postseason victory margin in NBA historical past and a file for a Sport 1.

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Thunder coach Mark Daigneault stated the objective for Monday’s follow was to carry all the things down a number of notches.

“An excellent impartial day,” Daigneault stated. “That’s what you need to have the day after the sport. Video games are emotional come what may, and also you need to are available and get to impartial fairly rapidly and simply dig into the the info of the sport, dig into the performs, dig into the basics.”

Memphis is also attempting to not make too massive a deal in regards to the first recreation.

“The end result shouldn’t play any half in our preparation for the subsequent recreation,” interim Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo stated. “It’s all the time, you’re taking the the hours you might be afforded and also you make one of the best out of these. So our objective is to win this one right here (on Tuesday). I feel there’s the previous saying that the playoff sequence doesn’t begin earlier than there’s a street win. You’re anticipated to defend your house courtroom. We might be higher within the subsequent recreation.”

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Minnesota defeated the Lakers 117-95 on Saturday and seized homecourt benefit of their Western Convention sequence. Although Luka Doncic scored 37 factors for third-seeded Los Angeles, the Timberwolves slowed LeBron James and Austin Reaves.

Indiana, the No. 4 seed within the Jap Convention, rolled previous No. 5 seed Milwaukee 117-98 on Saturday. The Pacers led 69-43 at halftime and cruised from there.

Issues might be a lot totally different if Bucks star Damian Lillard returns after lacking Sport 1. The nine-time All-Star hasn’t performed since March 18 as he recovered from deep vein thrombosis in his proper calf. He was on the bench within the opener and even obtained a technical foul for jawing with Indiana’s Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton. He’s listed as questionable for the sport.

Bucks coach Doc Rivers would not say Monday if Lillard would return. Haliburton stated the Pacers are prepared if he does.

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“It might probably occur at any time — I wouldn’t be shocked if it occurred tomorrow,” Haliburton stated. “So we’ve obtained to be ready for no matter that’s, understanding that within the playoffs, it ain’t about particular person performances, it’s about successful.”

Milwaukee Bucks at Indiana Pacers

When/The place to Watch: Sport 2, 7 p.m. EDT (NBA TV)

Sequence: Pacers lead, 1-0

BetMGM Sportsbook says: Pacers by 4.5.

What to Know: Although Lillard is prone to be restricted if he performs, it might be price watching whether or not his presence would assist Milwaukee flip issues round after the embarrassing 19-point loss in Sport 1. Lillard’s presence is required for a crew that went 9-for-37 from 3-point vary within the opener. He averaged 31.3 factors per recreation in final 12 months’s first-round playoff sequence in opposition to Indiana. Maybe that’s why Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, who’s planning for Lillard’s return, acknowledged Saturday that Sport 2 might be “monumentally” harder than Sport 1. Nonetheless, the Pacers are an ideal 7-0 in postseason residence video games when All-Star Tyrese Haliburton performs, and Indiana has gained 4 of its final 5 playoff video games in opposition to Milwaukee.

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Memphis Grizzlies at Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder

When/The place to Watch: Sport 2, 7:30 p.m. EDT (TNT)

Sequence: Thunder lead, 1-0

BetMGM Sportsbook says: Thunder by 14.5.

What to Know: Together with the common season, Oklahoma Metropolis has gained all 5 video games in opposition to the Grizzlies by double figures this season. Oklahoma Metropolis dominated Sport 1, regardless of NBA scoring champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scoring solely 15 factors. Aaron Wiggins scored 21 factors to steer the Thunder in Sport 1 and he did not even play within the first quarter. He was the eleventh participant to enter the sport for Oklahoma Metropolis. Thunder gamers are upset that their main defensive stopper, Lu Dort, was not a finalist for Defensive Participant of the 12 months, and the perceived slight appears to have motivated them. Memphis will want extra out of its high scorers. Ja Morant scored 17 factors on simply 6-for-17 taking pictures within the opener and Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 4 factors on 2-for-13 taking pictures.

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Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers

When/The place to Watch: Sport 2, 10 p.m. EDT (TNT)

Sequence: Wolves lead, 1-0.

BetMGM Sportsbook says: Lakers by 5.5

What to Know: After a tumultuous common season that surprisingly ended with 50 wins and a Pacific Division title, the Lakers might be in massive hassle if LeBron James and Luka Doncic can’t reply Minnesota’s spectacular efficiency within the sequence opener. The Wolves hit a franchise playoff-record 21 3-pointers whereas carving up the Los Angeles protection in and out, and Doncic’s 37 factors weren’t sufficient to beat a passive 19-point effort by James and a poor all-around recreation from Austin Reaves. JJ Redick’s high job is perhaps discovering a approach to sluggish Jaden McDaniels, who took benefit of Minnesota’s dimension mismatches throughout the entrance line to attain 25 factors on 11-of-13 taking pictures.

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AP Sports activities Writers Greg Beacham, Mike Marot and Steve Megargee contributed to this report.

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