Windhorst: The five biggest lessons from the first weekend of the NBA playoffs

In their Game 1 victory against the Toronto Raptors, though, the Cavs unveiled a disciplined and sound game plan that targeted the Raptors' leading scorer, Brandon Ingram.

During the regular season, Ingram averaged 20 shots per game against the Cavs, his third most against any East team, as he was clearly the Raptors' preferred option when they played Cleveland.

On Saturday, the Cavs, starting with his primary defender Dean Wade, shadowed Ingram from the start of possessions. He finished with just nine shots and one in the second half. He got to the free throw line 10 times, but the Cavaliers not only prevented him from scoring, but they made it tough for him to even get it.

It didn't help Toronto that starting point guard Immanuel Quickley was out because of a right hamstring injury, and the Cavs lightly covered replacement Jamal Shead, who made five 3s. But the Cavs were delighted that he took two more shots than Ingram.

"They tried to deny me the ball every time that I went down the floor," Ingram said. "Obviously, they knew most of the stuff that we've been running all year. ... We got to figure out how to make the adjustment next game, and let that not be too effective."

The Cavs also slowed the tempo, something that will be part of their game plan throughout their playoff run. Cleveland is already one of the slowest teams in the league -- James Harden is a big factor -- and Toronto managed just three fast-break points.

Lose the turnover game in OKC, and it's over

The Thunder had to win two Game 7s last year on their way to the title, but that obscures just how dominant they were at home last spring.

Their average home margin of victory during the Western Conference playoffs last year was 29 points. Including the playoffs and NBA Cup, they are 149-40 over the past two seasons, despite significant injuries.

And after beating the Suns by 35 points in Sunday's Game 1, the Thunder's average margin of victory in first-round home games over the past two years is ... 35 points.

Oklahoma City was scary Sunday. The Suns were fatigued after playing a third game in three cities in six days against the rested Thunder, but the efficiency of their performance illustrated what it will take to beat them four times in a series.

The most important under-the-radar stat of the weekend might've been the Thunder outscoring the Suns 34-2 in points off turnovers. That might seem like a byproduct of a routine blowout, but it is a measuring stick of the Thunder's level of play.

They're built around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his half-court dominance. But their philosophy is packaged in those points off turnovers. The Thunder are constructed and programmed to win the possession game. That is why they jump passing lanes, obsessively try to take care of the ball and recruit athletes with long arms.

Get the ball. Whether it's a rebound, a steal, a loose ball, or a deflection, it does not matter.

Watching the Thunder cycle through 11 players in the first half, all of them falling into mostly perfect defensive rotations, generating eight steals and a handful more deflections, and scoring 21 points off turnovers in just 24 minutes was sobering -- for the Suns and for anyone who dared to check out the competition.

The Pistons' weaknesses were revealed

Throughout the regular season the Pistons kept hearing qualified praise.

They are so tough, both physically and mentally, but they are limited in their ability to generate offense. Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren should be all over the NBA Awards ballot after their spectacular two-way play throughout the season, but it's hard to win big with lackluster 3-point shooting.

Detroit was the only one of eight home teams in their Game 1s over the weekend to lose, the Magic carrying over their impressive play-in victory momentum into Sunday's victory. Cunningham looked every bit the first team All-NBA player he's likely to be named as he put up 39 points and valiantly tried to carry his team to a win.

Cunningham took 27 shots and only one of his teammates even got into double digit attempts -- Tobais Harris, who was an underwhelming 5-of-15. Duren, who had been an offensive force down the stretch of the season, managed just four shots and was outplayed by Magic center Wendell Carter.

The Pistons shot just 4-of-16 off Cunningham passes, and their bench also shot a combined 4-of-16. The Pistons went just 10-of-32 on 3-pointers, which was even one below their season average of 11 per game, which ranked 28th in the league.

A 60-win team, the Pistons are good enough to adjust for Game 2, but on a day when the Thunder, Spurs and Celtics all looked their seeds, the traits that made them look vulnerable for months were glaring.

Victor Wembanyama is not afraid of this moment -- or any other

The 22-year-old blasted out of the gates with 12 points in the first quarter of his first playoff game and had 21 of his 35 points in the first half of the Spurs' Game 1 win over the Blazers. His overall stat line was more pedestrian than his ridiculous standard; he had just five rebounds, one assist and two blocks.

How does this compare with some of the recent greats' first playoff games? In short: quite well.

James' first playoff game was very impressive, too, with a 32-point, 11-rebound, 11-assist triple double in an 11-point win. But that type of output, and leading his team to a victory, is not the norm.

Kevin Durant scored 24 points in his debut, but shot just 7-of-24 in a loss. Stephen Curry scored 19 with 9 assists also in a loss. Luka Doncic was exceptional in his first playoff game in Dallas, scoring 42 points with 7 rebounds and nine assists, but the Mavs lost too. Kobe Bryant only played 46 seconds in his first playoff game as a lightly used rookie. In Bryant's first playoff start, in his third season like Wembanyama, he had 17 points and made the game-winning free throws.

Shaquille O'Neal, to whom some have compared Wembanyama for his early dominance at the center position, had 24 points and 19 rebounds in his first playoff game. Also a loss.