Raptors coast through another Game 1 loss
TORONTO Another Game 1, another shocking playoff defeat for the Toronto Raptors.
And now, in a black-cloud scenario they’ve faced an incredible 10 times before, the Raptors find themselves having to claw their way back.
DeMar DeRozan scored 27 points, but it wasn’t nearly enough to lift the Raptors over a young and inspired Milwaukee Bucks team that roared to a 97-83 victory to take Game 1 of the opening round of the playoffs on Saturday.
Game 1 curse? DeRozan could only shrug his shoulders moments after the perplexing loss.
“I have no clue,” DeRozan said. “If I had the answer, maybe we would have pulled it out tonight, but it’s something now that we’re not unfamiliar with, being at this point. It’s never ideal. But we’ve got to bounce back and understand we make it hard on ourselves. . . to come back and fight back even harder.”
The Raptors had no answer for the Bucks’ young star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who held a postseason coming-out party with 28 points and eight rebounds.
JAZZ 97, CLIPPERS 95
LOS ANGELES — Joe Johnson drove the lane and lifted in a shot at the buzzer, and the Utah Jazz overcame the loss of Rudy Gobert 17 seconds into the game to beat the Los Angeles Clippers Saturday.
SPURS 111, GRIZZLIES 82
SAN ANTONIO — Kawhi Leonard matched his postseason high with 32 points and the San Antonio Spurs rolled to a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night in Game 1 of the first-round playoff series.
CAVALIERS 109, PACERS 108
CLEVELAND — LeBron James scored 32 points and the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers, looking to flip the switch after a shaky regular season, began the NBA playoffs by escaping with a win over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday in Game 1.
WARRIORS 121, TRAIL BLAZERS 109
OAKLAND, Calif. — Kevin Durant had 32 points and 10 rebounds in his Golden State playoff debut, Stephen Curry scored 29 points, and the Warriors withstood a sensational day by Portland duo CJ McCollum (41 points) and Damian Lillard (34) to beat the Trail Blazers Sunday.
WIZARDS 114, HAWKS 107
WASHINGTON — John Wall scored a playoff careerhigh 32 points and Washington beat Atlanta Sunday.
BULLS 106, CELTICS 102
BOSTON — Jimmy Butler had 30 points and nine rebounds and the Chicago Bulls outlasted Boston Sunday on an emotional night for grieving Celtics star Isaiah Thomas.
Playing a day after 22-year-old sister Chyna Thomas was killed in a car accident in their home state of Washington, Thomas led the topseeded Celtics with 33 points.