James Harden scored 28 points and Ivica Zubac set his playoff career high with 20 while adding 15 rebounds as the Los Angeles Clippers made a statement in Game 1 of a first-round Western Conference series with a 109-97 victory over the visiting Dallas Mavericks. The No. 4-seed Clippers were playing without star Kawhi Leonard because of knee inflammation, but they had plenty to get past the Mavericks with 22 points from Paul George, while

The Boston Celtics received 23 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists from Jayson Tatum and breezed to a 114-94 victory over the visiting Miami Heat on Sunday in Game 1 of a first-round Eastern Conference playoff series. The top-seeded Celtics made 22 of 49 attempts from 3-point range (44.9 percent). All eight Celtics who saw playing time made a 3-point attempt. Eighth-seeded Miami was 12 of 37 (32.4 percent) from 3-point range. Derrick White (20

Nikola Jokic had 32 points and 12 rebounds and the host Denver Nuggets opened their NBA title defense with a 114-103 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series on Saturday night. Jamal Murray finished with 22 points and 10 assists to help Denver to its ninth straight win over Los Angeles, with five of those victories coming in the postseason. Michael Porter Jr. added 19 points

Anthony Edwards shook off first-half foul trouble to score a game-high 33 points as the host Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Phoenix Suns 120-95 on Saturday in Game 1 of a Western Conference first-round playoff series. With 3:18 left until intermission, Edwards was forced to go to the bench after picking up his third foul. But he quickly made up for the missed time by erupting for 18 points in the third quarter, helping Minnesota turn

Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points, Jarrett Allen posted a 16-point, 18-rebound double-double, and the No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers led wire-to-wire to take Game 1 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series at home against the Orlando Magic, 97-83, on Saturday. Cleveland scored Game 1’s first six points and jumped to an 11-point lead early, with Evan Mobley scoring eight of his 16 points on the day less than six minutes in. The Cavaliers never

Brandon Ingram recorded 24 points, six rebounds and six assists and the New Orleans Pelicans clinched the Western Conference’s final playoff berth with a solid 105-98 victory over the visiting Sacramento Kings on Friday night. Jonas Valanciunas had 19 points and 12 rebounds and Trey Murphy III added 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists as New Orleans cruised despite the absence of Zion Williamson (left hamstring strain). Larry Nance Jr. (13 points), Naji Marshall

Coby White poured in 42 points — the most he has scored in an NBA game — and the Chicago Bulls remained in the hunt for a playoff spot with a solid 131-116 victory over the visiting Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. White made 15 of 21 field-goal attempts and also had nine rebounds and six assists for the ninth-place Bulls, who will visit the Miami Heat on Friday with the winner claiming the No. 8

Keegan Murray sank eight 3-pointers and finished with 32 points and nine rebounds as the Sacramento Kings remained alive with a convincing 118-94 victory over the visiting Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night. De’Aaron Fox added 24 points for ninth-place Sacramento, which controlled the 9 vs. 10 play-in game. The Pelicans will visit the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, with the winner receiving the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs and a matchup

De’Aaron Fox scored 24 points in three quarters as the host Sacramento Kings cruised to a 121-82 rout of the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday afternoon in the regular-season finale for both teams. After finishing with the third seed in the Western Conference last season — when they made the playoffs for the first time since 2006 — the Kings (46-36) will be the No. 9 seed this time around. Sacramento will host the Warriors