BBNBA: Jamal Murray's double-double lifts Nuggets past Lakers in Game 1
Saturday marked the first official day of the NBA Playoffs and, unsurprisingly, Kentucky alumni’s presence was abundant. Five players saw action across four games and that number would have been seven if not for Julius Randle and Jarred Vanderbilt being sidelined with injuries.
Of all the BBNBA teams who came out victorious in Game 1, Jamal Murray had the best game. His 22 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds helped lift the defending champion Denver Nuggets over the Los Angeles Lakers, despite a monster game from Anthony Davis. The Brow had 32 points, 14 rebounds, and four blocks, but it wasn’t enough to upend the Nuggets, whose two-man game between Murray and Nikola Jokic is lethal.
The dynamic duo of Murray and the Jokercombined for roughly half of their team’s points, rebounds, and assists as they opened their campaign to repeat as champions in convincing fashion.
If you don’t want to watch the real highlights, this reenactment of Murray and Jokic’s two-man game is the most accurate reflection of how they operate I’ve ever seen.
Karl-Anthony Towns and the Timberwolves take care of business in Game 1
Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker go way back. A decade ago, these three were the darlings of the 2014 recruiting class getting their pictures taken for magazine covers. Now, they are battling each other in the NBA playoffs.
The 3-seed Minnesota Timberwolves took care of business on their home court Saturday, winning Game 1 120-95 just a few days after the Suns beat them to secure a spot in the playoffs. Towns, who is still working his way back from a knee injury, had an efficient 19 points and seven boards for the Wolves as he did a bulk of his damage from the free throw line where he finished 8-8.
Devin Booker had 18 points, but he would be the first to tell you it was not his best night. Book connected on just five of his 16 field goal attempts, a number that will have to improve if the Suns want to advance past the first round. They are the most top-heavy team in the NBA and if that is their strategy, their Big 3 cannot afford too many off nights.
76ers fall to Knicks despite Tyrese Maxey’s 32 points
Tyrese Maxey continued his impressive scoring prowess in Game 1 of the playoffs, but his 33 points were not enough to get by the New York Knicks, despite the fact they were without Julius Randle.
Maxey led all of BBNBA in scoring Saturday, but the 7-seed Sixers will need that and more to upset the Knicks and advance in the playoffs. Joel Embiid, who is essentially the Jokic to Maxey’s Murray, scored 29 but the Sixer’s bench finished with just seven points, showing it will take more than a two-man game.
BBNBA Statistics for 4/20/2024
| Player | Score | PTS | FG (3PT) | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | P/M | MIN |
| Tyrese Maxey (PHI) | 104-111 L vs. NYK | 33 | 14-26 (3-9) | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | -4 | 44 |
| Anthony Davis (LAL) | 103-114 L vs. DEN | 32 | 12-23 (0-4) | 14 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 2 | -12 | 45 |
| Jamal Murray (DEN) | 114-103 W vs. LAL | 22 | 9-24 (4-9) | 6 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +9 | 39 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN) | 120-95 W vs. PHX | 19 | 5-9 (1-2) | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 27 |
| Devin Booker (PHX) | 95-120 L vs. MIN | 18 | 5-16 (2-6) | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -15 | 38 |
| Julius Randle (NYK) | 111-104 W vs. PHI | DNP-Shoulder | ||||||||
| Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL) | 103-114 L vs. DEN | DNP-Foot |
Today in the NBA Playoffs
Round 1
Game 1 – Series tied 0-0
1:00 (ABC): [8] Heat (Adebayo, Herro) @ [1] Celtics
Game 1 – Series tied 0-0
3:30 (ABC): [5] Mavericks (PJ Washington) @ [4] Clippers (Boston)
Game 1 – Series tied 0-0
7:00 (TNT): [6] Pacers (Jackson, Tshiebwe) @ [3] Bucks (Livingston, T. Washington)
Game 1 – Series tied 0-0
9:30 (TNT): [8] Pelicans @ [1] Thunder (Gilgeous-Alexander, Wallace, Sarr)
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