NBA PLAYOFFS ROUNDUP
Trail Blazers 104, Thunder 99
Damian Lillard scored 30 points and third-seeded Portland opened its playoff series against No. 6 Oklahoma City witha victory on Sunday. Enes Kanter added 20 points and a career playoff-high 18 rebounds for the Blazers, who were making their sixth straight postseason appearance. CJ McCollum added 24 points. Russell Westbrook had 24 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds for his ninth career postseason triple-double. Paul George, who was a game-time decision because of a sore shoulder, added 26 points and 10 rebounds after a slow start. Portland led by as many as 19 points in the first half, but the Thunder pulled within 80-77 early in the fourth quarter. Oklahoma City couldn't get closer and Lillard hit a 30-footer to extend the Blazers' lead to 89-81 with 6:38 left. Westbrook appeared to hurt his right knee or ankle and grimaced while trying to walk it off. Trainers attended to him on the bench at the next timeout but he returned and his layup closed the gap to 91-87 with just under 4 minutes left. Oklahoma City got within 93-92 on George's 3-pointer, but Lillard answered with another long 3 to keep the Blazers ahead. Al-Farouq Aminu made free throws with 2:09 left to extend Portland's lead to 98-92. George made a 3-pointer with 8.2 seconds remaining to get the Thunder within 100-97 but Portland hung on. It was the first postseason meeting between the teams since the Thunder moved from Seattle to Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City beat the Blazers in all four meetings this season, including a heated 129-121 overtime victory on March 7. The Thunder have been to the playoffs every season since moving from Seattle in 2008, but they haven't gotten past the opening round for the past two seasons.
Late Saturday 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 from frustrated Los Angeles in their playoff opener on a night tempers flared. Kevin Durant and Patrick Beverley were ejected with 4:41 to go, just 19 seconds after they received double-technicals when Durant stripped Beverley and the Clippers guard fell into the scorer's table. They both became enraged again and official Ed Malloy immediately sent them both to the locker room. Durant high-fived fans as he exited and the home crowd went into chants of "Beat L.A.!"
Curry shot 8 for 12 from deep to pass Ray Allen (385) for career postseason 3s with 386, had a postseason career-high 15 rebounds, seven assists and the 31st 30-point postseason performance of his career.
Spurs 101, Nuggets 96
DeMar DeRozan scored 18 points and Derrick White had a key steal in the closing seconds in San Antonio's victory over Denver in Game 1 of their playoff series.
White stole the ball at midcourt from Jamal Murray with 1.3 seconds left after LaMarcus Aldridge sank a pair of free throws following his key defensive rebound of Murray's errant shot that would have given the Nuggets a 98-97 lead with seven seconds left.