NBA Playoffs: Sacramento-Golden State 126-123, Cleveland-New York 97-101

New York wins with defense, Sacramento with offense. During the Italian night, two series in the first round of the playoffs opened with games decided in the sprint and won by the Knicks and Kings, over the Cavaliers and Warriors, thanks to “the house specialty”: Coach Thibodeau’s team kept the opponents under 100 points, by Coach Brown climbs up to 126 to beat the reigning champions.

In the first half Randle takes care of it, in the second Brunson. The Knicks win Game 1 in Ohio “riding” the two best players. First of all, they recover the big man, who had missed the last 5 games of the regular season due to a problem with his left ankle and who scores 16 points in the first 24′. Then in the second half the playmaker from Villanova University, initially limited by fouls, scores 21 points shooting 9/18 and stretches the Cavaliers, who are not satisfied with Mitchell’s 38 points, 14 in the last period, making their playoff debut with the new sweater. For the Knicks it is the first victory in Game 1 away in the playoffs of the last 24 years: they had lost the previous 6 challenges.

THE MATCH

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30-24 Knicks after the first quarter. Then guests ahead by 12 points, but Brunson’s third foul with 9′ to play in the second quarter compromises the escape attempt. Mitchell keeps the Cavs in the game by scoring 12 straight points for him and finishing in the third row, in the crowd, to recover a ball. Baskets and example: as a leader. 50-45 for the Knicks at the half. Randle with 16 points, Mitchell 18. Both teams under 40% shooting. It’s a defensive battle, just as expected. And as expected then we arrive in the final sprint, point by point. Cleveland thanks to a 9-0 run puts his head ahead, 93-92, with 2′ left on the clock. But the Knicks don’t break down, and reply. Immediately with a triple from Hart, superb off the bench in his playoff debut. Then Brunson takes care of it, marked by Osman, a direct confrontation too comfortable for the Knicks, to close the accounts to the delight of Spike Lee, on the sideline. Even when Brunson makes a mistake, New York knows how to fix it: Randle captures a crucial offensive rebound and Grimes closes the game from the line by scoring the two free throws that make Mitchell’s three-pointer at the end, wrong, however irrelevant. 1-0 Knicks.

Cleveland: Mitchell 38 (8/14, 6/16, 4/6 tl), Garland 17, Allen 14. Rebounds: Allen 14. Assists: Mitchell 8.

New York: Brunson 27 (10/20, 1/4, 4/4 tl), Randle 19, Hart 17. Rebounds: Randle/Hart 10. Assists: Barrett 6.

They waited 17 years, but it was worth it. Kings fans find a home game in the playoffs, the first ever at the Golden 1 Center, where they celebrate a thrilling victory against the 2022 champions. In the sign of Fox, the most decisive player in the sprint of the season, who does not deny himself: he scores 15 points in the last quarter of the game and even 38 overall in his post season debut. Only Doncic was able to do better than him, with 42. Just that Doncic “passed” to the Draft by the Kings so as not to overshadow Fox… The Warriors confirm the away problems that saw them lose 30 times in the regular season against just 11 away hits. They can’t stop the opponent’s attack, the best in the league, with the match hanging in the balance. Not enough stops arrive to win, despite the Splash Brothers on the most beautiful 3-point target. At the end of the match, Kerr takes it upon himself for the offensive rebounds allowed, as many as 17. Some of intensity. The Kings wanted the win “more” than that.

THE MATCH

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The Dubs find Andrew Wiggins again after two months of absence due to a family problem, his father’s health. He starts from the bench, after 657 games played as a starter, but plays well 28′, regularly on the parquet when the match is decided, in the final seconds. Golden State initially seems to be able to exploit the understandable nervousness of the Kings, the performance anxiety of the hosts who miss the first 7 3-point attempts and shoot with just 39% in the first half, closed down 55-61. The Dubs also went up +10 in the third quarter, but a 15-4 run at the end of the period by the Kings puts them ahead 91-90 after 36′ of play. Everything is decided in the sprint. Thompson’s triple is worth the 108-107 wide, then a 7-0 Kings in just 59” culminated by Sabonis’ thunder dunk, seems to close the accounts. But the pride of champions should never be underestimated. Curry keeps his hands in the game and at -1 Wiggins, very lonely, has the triple of overtaking on his fingertips. He gets it wrong. Fox and Monk, infallible from the line under pressure, are unstoppable and Curry’s 3-point shot to force overtime misses the retina. 1-0 Kings.

Sacramento: Fox 38 (9/19, 4/8, 8/12 tl), Monk 32, Lyles 16. Rebounds: Sabonis 16. Assists: Fox 5.

Golden State: Curry 30 (5/6, 6/14, 2/2 tl), Thompson 21, Wiggins/Poole 17. Rebounds: Green/Looney 9. Assists: Green 11.