Minnesota superstar Anthony Edwards enjoyed a bit of smack talk with Kevin Durant as the Timberwolves took a 1-0 series lead over the Suns thanks to a 120-95 victory.
Edwards topped the scoring charts for Minnesota with 33 points along with nine rebounds and six assists, while Rudy Gobert also starred with a double-double thanks to 14 points and 16 rebounds.
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But Edwards was undeniably the star of the show for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference and he lapped up every bit of the atmosphere.
There was perhaps no better standout moment from the 22-year-old when he drained a three-pointer with less than a minute remaining in the third quarter.
Edwards made his way around Phoenix’s double team before draining a three pointer over the top of a lunging Durant.
As he backed up into his own court, Edwards was seen talking plenty of trash to Durant in what could be a sign of a special rivalry brewing in this playoff series.
Durant was the Suns’ most lethal with 31 points while Devin Booker chipped in with 18 points.
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CAVS COME OUT FLYING
Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers roared out of the gates in the NBA playoffs on Saturday, leading wire to wire in a 97-83 victory over Orlando in game one of their Eastern Conference series.
Jarrett Allen added 16 points and 18 rebounds as the Cavs won the rebounding battle 54-40 in a victory that Allen hoped would set the tone for the best-of-seven series.
“We keep saying ‘throw the first punch,’” Allen said in an on-court postgame interview. “I think it was the perfect example tonight.” Evan Mobley also scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Darius Garlanded added 14 points with eight assists for the Cavs, who are still smarting from a first-round loss to the New York Knicks last season.
Mitchell, who missed Cleveland’s regular-season finale with a nagging knee injury, appeared unhindered in a dominant offensive display.
Orlando’s Paolo Banchero scored 24 points but had nine of the Magic’s 12 turnovers.
Cleveland coughed up 18 turnovers and went cold in the third quarter as the Magic cut a 12-point halftime deficit to four points.
A pair of baskets from Mitchell sparked an 18-2 scoring run that saw the Cavs push the lead to 20 early in the fourth quarter.
“I think we did good,” Allen said.
“We wanted to bring the physicality.”
Things got testy in the second quarter, with Cleveland reserves Georges Niang and Isaac Okoro both assessed technical fouls — Niang for crowding into Markelle Fultz after Fultz fouled him on a drive to the basket.
“I loved it,” Allen said of the Cavs’ take-no-prisoners mentality. “That’s what we’re all about.”
NBA PLAYOFF RESULTS
Cavaliers 97-83 Magic (Cavs lead 1-0)
Timberwolves 120-95 Suns (Timberwolves lead 1-0)
Knicks v Sixers
Nuggets v Lakers