PHILADELPHIA — D’Angleo Russell flashed some postseason magic, playing like the All-Star leader Brooklyn needed with 26 points, and Caris LeVert scored 23 to lead the Nets to an impressive 111-102 win Saturday over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.
The sixth-seeded Nets turned Philadelphia into a city of 20,000 boos – and that’s just counting the ones echoing throughout the Wells Fargo Center – as they smoked a Sixers team that resembled one straight out of the early Process era.
Jimmy Butler scored 36 points and saved the Sixers, widely considered a favorite to at least reach the East semis, from losing by 25. Joel Embiid slogged his way through 24 forgettable minutes on his bum left knee. Ben Simmons was a postseason dud against Russell, his high school teammate.
Russell, LeVert and Spencer Dinwiddie gave the Sixers fits off the dribble, buried open looks from 3-point range, and suddenly a team that got hot late just to make the playoffs has the upper hand.
MAGIC 104, RAPTORS 101: D.J. Augustin scored 25 points, including the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 3.5 seconds left, and Orlando won at Toronto in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.
WARRIORS 121, CLIPPERS 104: Stephen Curry scored 38 points and made eight 3-pointers to give him the most in postseason history, and top-seeded Golden State began its quest for a three-peat by running away to a victory at Oakland, California.
NOTES
KINGS: A person with direct knowledge of the agreement said Luke Walton will become the Sacramento coach, just a day after parting ways with the Los Angeles Lakers following three losing seasons.
Walton, 39, was dismissed Friday by the Lakers on Friday after Los Angeles went 37-45.
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