Nuggets hold off T'Wolves, Knicks and Cavs win NBA playoff openers

TL;DR

The Denver Nuggets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-105 in their playoff opener, led by Nikola Jokic's triple-double and Jamal Murray's 30 points. The Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks also secured victories in their first-round games against the Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks, respectively.

Key points

Nuggets won 116-105 against Timberwolves in playoff opener
Jokic had a triple-double; Murray scored 30 points
Cavaliers defeated Raptors 126-113 with Mitchell's 32 points
Knicks beat Hawks 113-102 with Brunson's 28 points
Durant out for Rockets; Lakers missing Doncic and Reaves

Denver NuggetsMinnesota TimberwolvesCleveland CavaliersToronto Raptors

Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell powered the Cavaliers in a game-one victory over the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the NBA playoffs (Jason Miller) (Jason Miller/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images via AFP) Nikola Jokic's 25-point triple-double and 30 points from Jamal Murray propelled the Denver Nuggets to a 116-105 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in their NBA playoff opener on Saturday. Three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic added 13 rebounds and 11 assists, shaking off a slow start that saw him score just six points in the first half to help the Nuggets pull away in a game tied 62-62 at halftime. Murray scored 17 of his 30 in the first half to keep the Nuggets close, finishing a perfect 16 of 16 from the free-throw line. The third playoff series in four seasons between the teams got off to a physical start at Denver's Ball Arena, with more than 40 fouls called, a flagrant foul called on Minnesota's Jaden McDaniels and a technical on Denver coach David Adelman. The Nuggets trailed by as many as 12 in the first quarter before bearing down in the second period and pulling away after the break. Adelman was pleased with the way his team responded after the early punch from the visitors. "Winning a grimy game, it's good," Adelman said. "Both teams are experienced and used to winning these games. They know what it means to play in a physical match-up. There's a respect on both sides. There's also a want to win. led the Timberwolves with 22 points and added a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds, but ultimately they couldn't find an answer for Jokic. "(Jokic) is such a patient player," Adelman said. "Early it was a lot of our guys making plays for each other and as they changed their coverages then he went to work." The Nuggets, who beat Minnesota in the 2023 playoffs on the way to the NBA title, then lost to them the following year, host game two of the best-of-seven Western Conference series on Monday. In the Eastern Conference, the third-seeded and fourth-seeded opened with comfortable victories. scored 28 points and added 25 for the Knicks in a 113-102 victory over the at Madison Square Garden. Brunson scored 19 points in the first quarter to help the Knicks emerge from the back-and-forth period with a 30-24 lead they wouldn't relinquish. Towns stepped it up in the second half, scoring 19 points in the second half to keep things rolling for a Knicks team aiming to improve on their trip to last year's Eastern Conference finals. scored 26 points to lead the Hawks. In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points to fuel the Cavaliers in a 126-113 win over the Toronto Raptors. added a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds and scored 24 points off the bench for the Cavs, who host game two. scored 24 points for the Raptors, who never led after the opening minutes and trailed by as many as 24. Mitchell has now scored at least 30 points in an NBA record nine straight playoff series openers. "You see the focus," Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said of Mitchell. "How he just gets more locked-in than ever."

Q&A

What were the key performances in the Nuggets vs Timberwolves playoff game?

Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double with 25 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists, while Jamal Murray scored 30 points to lead the Nuggets to victory.

How did Donovan Mitchell perform in the Cavaliers' playoff opener?

Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points, helping the Cavaliers secure a 126-113 win over the Toronto Raptors.

What was the outcome of the Knicks vs Hawks playoff game?

The New York Knicks won 113-102 against the Atlanta Hawks, with Jalen Brunson scoring 28 points and Karl-Anthony Towns adding 25.

What injuries affected the Lakers in their playoff game against the Rockets?

Kevin Durant was ruled out for the Rockets due to a bruised knee, while the Lakers were missing Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves due to late-season injuries.