Wembanyama stars for Spurs as Thunder & Celtics win

Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Nikola Jokic have been shortlisted for the NBA’s MVP award. The French center made an immediate impact during his playoff debut, leading the San Antonio Spurs to a 111-98 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. Wembanyama tallied 35 points, with 21 coming in the first half, as the Spurs secured the first game of their best-of-seven series. “It’s good to get this one out of the way,” he remarked. “We just tried to do the things we’ve been doing all year and stay solid. The pressure wasn’t overwhelming if we stuck to our plan.”

Thunder and Celtics dominate early series

Oklahoma City Thunder, the Western Conference’s top seed, delivered a commanding performance against the Phoenix Suns, winning 119-84. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, last year’s Finals MVP, was instrumental, scoring 25 points alongside seven assists and four rebounds. Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics, seeded second in the East, defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 123-91. Jayson Tatum contributed 25 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, while Jaylen Brown added 26 points to bolster the Celtics’ strong start.

Orlando Magic upend top-seeded Pistons

The Orlando Magic, an eighth-seeded team that advanced through the play-in tournament, stunned the Eastern Conference’s top seed Detroit Pistons with an 112-101 win. This victory extended the Pistons’ home loss streak to 11 games since 2008. Paolo Banchero was pivotal, recording 23 points, nine rebounds, and four assists. His efforts overshadowed Cade Cunningham’s playoff-high 39 points. “We didn’t come out with the right energy, gave them life early on,” Cunningham admitted. “Then we had to deal with that for the rest of the game. There’s no confidence drop from us. It’s going to be a long, fun series.”