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Make a statement, Minnesota.
Day 1 of the NBA playoffs had a headline: The Timberwolves didn’t just go into Los Angeles and beat LeBron James, Luka Doncic and the Lakers, but they did so by 22 points — matching the biggest victory margin by a road team in any Game 1 in the last six years.
Also on Saturday, the opening day of the playoffs, there was a trio of home wins: New York used a 21-0 run in the fourth quarter to rally past Detroit, Denver came from 15 points down to top the Los Angeles Clippers in overtime, and Indiana led by as many as 28 in its easy win over Milwaukee.
Sunday brings four more Game 1s, with the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds on both sides of the bracket holding the home-court edge: In the East it’s Orlando at Boston and Miami at Cleveland, while in the West it’s Memphis at Oklahoma City and Golden State at Houston.
Sunday’s national TV schedule
All times Eastern
1 p.m. — Memphis at Oklahoma City (ABC)
3:30 p.m. — Orlando at Boston (ABC)
7 p.m. — Miami at Cleveland (TNT/truTV)
9:30 p.m. — Golden State at Houston (TNT/truTV)
Monday’s national TV schedule
All times Eastern
7:30 p.m. — Detroit at New York (TNT/truTV)
10 p.m. — L.A. Clippers at Denver (TNT/truTV)
Tuesday’s national TV schedule
All times Eastern
7 p.m. — Milwaukee at Indiana (NBA TV)
7:30 p.m. — Memphis at Oklahoma City (TNT/truTV)
10 p.m. — Minnesota at L.A. Lakers (TNT/truTV)
Betting odds
Oklahoma City (+185) is favored to win the NBA title, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, followed closely by Boston (+200). After that, it’s Cleveland (+600), Golden State (+1500), the Los Angeles Lakers (+1700), Denver (+2500), New York (+2800) and the Los Angeles Clippers (+3500).
Minnesota’s win led to a huge move in its odds, with the Timberwolves going from +6600 to +3500 on Saturday.
From there, it’s some real long shots: Indiana and Houston (+6600), Milwaukee (+12500), Memphis (+30000), Detroit (+50000), Miami (+75000) and Orlando (+100000).
Yes, this does mean the oddsmakers expect a big upset. Golden State, the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference, is favored to win its series against No. 2 seed Houston.
Key upcoming events
Sunday — The finalists for seven awards (MVP, rookie of the year, coach of the year, clutch player of the year, defensive player of the year, most improved player and sixth man of the year) are announced at 6:30 p.m. Eastern on TNT.
Monday — Draft lottery tiebreaker is held at 3 p.m. Eastern.
April 26 — NBA early entry deadline.
May 3 — Earliest possible start date for Round 2 of the playoffs. Series could also start on May 4, May 5 or May 6.
Stories of note
— The playoffs could be wide-open. Again.
— A look inside the numbers of this season, headed into the playoffs.
—Previews for series starting on Sunday: Thunder-Grizzlies, Cavaliers-Heat, Rockets-Warriors and Celtics-Magic.
— Cleveland’s Kenny Atikinson wins NBCA coach of the year award.
Stats of the day
—Saturday was LeBron James’ 55th Game 1 of a playoff series. It was only the fourth time his team lost a Game 1 by 22 or more points, and the first time it happened in a home game.
— Detroit has now dropped 15 consecutive playoff games going back to 2008, extending the longest such streak in NBA history.
—Milwaukee and the Clippers were the only unbeaten teams in April entering the playoffs. Both lost on Saturday.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba
