NBA playoffs – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the Thunder to a dominant Game 1 win, while Jayson Tatum returns as the Celtics rout the 76ers. Plus, Wembanyama shines in San Antonio’s opener.
The NBA playoffs delivered the kind of statement opening weekend fans crave—sharp starts, lopsided finishes, and stars picking up right where the regular season left off.
Thunder begin title defence with a statement rout
Oklahoma City opened its Western Conference first-round series by overwhelming the Phoenix Suns 119-84 in Game 1. laying down a tone of control early and keeping it there for four quarters.. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. the reigning league MVP and the face of the Thunder’s offence. finished with 25 points—even if his shot chart looked uneven at first glance.. He was far more efficient at the free-throw line. going 15-for-17. a detail that matters when a team is trying to flip playoff tension into repeatable scoring.
The Thunder didn’t need flawless perimeter shooting to bury Phoenix.. They began cold after a week off. falling behind 5-0. but once the intensity and pace matched playoff expectations. Oklahoma City flipped the script quickly.. Dillon Brooks was even called for a flagrant-one foul in the first quarter after contact with Chet Holmgren. and that moment triggered a surge that turned the game into a runaway.. From there, Oklahoma City built a 24-14 lead, eventually pushing it to 35-20 at the end of the first.
One of the most telling sequences came late in the opening period: Jaylin Williams launched a cross-court pass that Holmgren handled with his back to the basket. then turned and hit a three as time expired.. Those are the plays that tend to swing playoff belief—when a team already has momentum. execution like that feels inevitable rather than lucky.. By halftime, the Thunder were up 65-44, with Holmgren already at 16 points and Gilgeous-Alexander at 15.. A three-point play late in the third pushed the margin further. and Oklahoma City carried a 97-66 lead into the fourth.
For a title defence. it wasn’t just the scoreline—it was the message: Oklahoma City can punish you in multiple ways. from physical pressure and foul drawing to big-game shots that arrive right when the opponent starts to lose defensive rhythm.. The Thunder will host Game 2. and the immediate challenge is maintaining that intensity without letting Phoenix settle into a more readable defensive plan.
Celtics return, Tatum’s timing too much for 76ers
Across the Eastern Conference. the Boston Celtics delivered a different kind of warning: they were dominant from the opening minutes and never allowed Philadelphia to build a contest.. Jayson Tatum led the way with 25 points. 11 rebounds and seven assists in his first playoff game since rupturing his right Achilles tendon last season. as Boston routed the 76ers 123-91.
Tatum’s return carries a storyline weight that goes beyond box score.. He played only his 17th game this season after surgery last May. yet he looked integrated—productive. aggressive. and clearly comfortable in the Celtics’ system.. Boston never trailed. building a 35-point lead and giving minutes to a deep rotation of 12 players. a sign of confidence rather than risk.
The Celtics’ spacing and pace were especially difficult for Philadelphia to manage.. Boston connected on 16 three-pointers, and the offensive output felt sustained rather than streaky.. Jaylen Brown added 26 points and Neemias Queta contributed 13.. Meanwhile, the 76ers arrived without Joel Embiid, who continues recovering after an appendectomy on April 9; his return timeline remains unclear.. That absence matters. but so does how the Celtics played the matchup—Tyrese Maxey was pressured into tough looks. with Boston contesting 12 of his 14 shot attempts in the first half and limiting him to 8-of-20 overall.
Defensively. the Celtics created a pattern: they didn’t just contain the ball—they made it hard to get good rhythm.. Maxey finished with 21 points and eight assists. yet the team score told the real story: Philadelphia trailed 64-46 at halftime. its largest playoff half-time deficit against Boston since 1982.. Game 2 is set for Tuesday night in Boston. and Boston’s biggest question won’t be whether they can score—it’ll be whether they can keep their intensity while protecting their own health and rotations.
Spurs’ Wembanyama writes his own playoff chapter
There was also a smaller but no-less-electric moment in the Western bracket: Victor Wembanyama scored 35 points in his playoff debut as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Portland Trail Blazers 111-98 in Game 1.. For a player whose reputation already carried gravity. the performance was delivered with historic flair—his 21 first-half points set an NBA record for most in the opening half of a playoff debut since the league’s play-by-play era began in 1997.. His 35 points also became a Spurs franchise record for a playoff opener, surpassing Tim Duncan’s 32 from 1998.
The Spurs didn’t rely on Wembanyama alone.. De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle added 17 points each. and together they contributed 15 assists—proof that San Antonio’s offence can organize around its centerpiece without becoming one-dimensional.. Portland, led by Deni Avdija’s 30 points and 10 rebounds, had answers in certain stretches, with Scoot Henderson adding 18.. Still. the sell-out atmosphere and the franchise’s first playoff appearance since 2019 provided context that sat right next to the basketball: this wasn’t just a win. it was the start of a new chapter.
For Portland. Game 2 in San Antonio will be a chance to tighten defensive assignments around a player who can score in multiple ways and still create spillover opportunities for teammates.. For San Antonio, the next step is harder: turning a playoff debut highlight reel into consistent postseason performance.
Across these series, the theme is clear—playoff basketball isn’t waiting for opponents to find their comfort.. Whether it’s Oklahoma City shutting down rhythm. Boston turning defence into repeated clean looks. or San Antonio using Wembanyama’s gravity to expand the floor. the first games are showing the same thing: teams that start decisive often keep control. because confidence becomes part of the game plan.