Five storylines from opening weekend of the NBA Playoffs

Dillon Brooks (YouTube)

The opening weekend of the 2021 NBA Playoffs is now in the books. Let us take a look at the five most interesting storylines.

5) Washington Wizards still struggling defensively. We all know the Washington Wizards can score. It is preventing their opponents from scoring that is their problem. On Saturday, Tobias Harris had 37 points and Joel Embiid had 30 points as the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Wizards 125-118. Meanwhile, Australian Ben Simmons had a double-double as he had 15 rebounds and 15 assists.

4) The Brooklyn Nets’ core group is healthy. In the regular season, James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving only played eight games together, and had a record of six wins and two losses in those contests. All three were in the lineup for Brooklyn on Saturday, in a 104-93 Brooklyn win over the Boston Celtics. Durant had a double-double, with 32 points and 12 rebounds, while Irving had 29 points, and Harden had 21 points.

3) Luka Doncic records third career playoff triple-double. Luka Doncic is the only Dallas Maverick player to have a triple-double in the playoffs, and he now has three. On Sunday, Doncic had 31 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds in a 113-103 Mavericks win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

2) Trae Young and Khris Middleton deliver with last-second shots. In the final second of their respective games, Trae Young and Khris Middleton recorded game-winning baskets. Young had a game-winning seven-foot floating jump shot to give the Atlanta Hawks a 107-105 win over the New York Knicks, and Middleton had a game-winning fadeaway jumper in the last second of overtime in a 109-107 Milwaukee Bucks win over the Miami Heat.

1)Memphis Grizzlies pull off the upset. Despite being the number eight seed, and having to beat the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors in the play-in round just to get to the postseason, the Grizzlies upset the well-rested Utah Jazz 112-109 on Sunday night thanks to a marvelous game by Canadian Dillon Brooks of Mississauga, Ontario, who had 31 points. There is no doubt that the Jazz are missing their star player, Donovan Mitchell, who is out with an ankle injury.

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