Not bad for their postseason debuts
Morris, Monroe play up to moment
Washington Wizards forward Markieff Morris’ playoff debut went in one direction. He had 21 points and seven rebounds in the Wizards’ Game 1 victory against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.
Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert’s first playoff game went in another. He suffered a hyperextended left knee and a bruised bone vs. the Los Angeles Clippers and was ruled out for Game 2.
Some playoff debuts were better than others as the NBA postseason tipped off.
Wizards point guard John Wall tried to prepare Morris, but words can’t replicate what transpires in a playoff game, with the stakes much higher and each possession much more important than during the regular season.
“The intensity was high the whole game. John told me before the game that it was going to be like that,” Morris said. “So we had to play as hard as possible every play. … I jumped in headfirst. I was tired, I know that much.”
Morris and others were ready for their playoff debuts:
Milwaukee Bucks forwardcenter Greg Monroe is in his seventh NBA season and played in 538 regular-season games before appearing in his first playoff game. The reserve — an off-theradar candidate for sixth man of the year — had 14 points and 15 rebounds in the Bucks’ Game 1 victory against the Toronto Raptors.
Bucks point guard Malcolm Brogdon reached the playoffs in his first NBA season, and the rookie of the year candidate delivered with 16 points and six rebounds.
Chicago Bulls forward Bob- by Portis, whose minutes increased after the club sent Taj Gibson to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the trade deadline, had 19 points, nine rebounds and three assists in a Game 1 victory against the Boston Celtics.
“He was one of our new, young guys that hasn’t had any playoff experience that I wasn’t worried about,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters. “Because he’s going to go out there and play with unbelievable confidence, he’s going to play with swagger. He’s just a kid that’s going to go out there and lay it on the line. He plays with such effort and tenacity.”
Hawks rookie Taurean Prince scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds against the Wizards.
“In a very general sense, he just played basketball,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “That’s what we’ve liked about Taurean as he’s emerged over the last month or two. He’s just a good basketball player. Even though everything ’s heightened in the playoffs, it’s still basketball for Taurean.”
The Jazz’s Rodney Hood had eight points and only shot 28.6% from the field. But he was 2-for-5 on three-pointers. Teammate Joe Ingles was 2-for-7 from the field in his first playoff game with eight points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals. The Jazz beat the Clippers in Game 1.
Boston rookie Jaylen Brown got a taste of the playoffs but learned that matchups and shortened benches can limit minutes. He received 11 minutes, six less than his season average.
But at least he has experienced the playoffs.
DeMarcus Cousins (487 career games) and Omri Casspi (499 career games) have been in the league seven and eight seasons, respectively without a playoff appearance.