A Recap of the NBA first round

By: Taryn Kelly

Western Conference First Round

The first seeded Oklahoma City Thunder played the eighth seeded Memphis Grizzlies, where the Thunder took the series 4-0. This makes the Thunder one of four teams to move onto the Western Conference semifinals. The top players in this series are Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (27.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 6.0 apg) and Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. (18.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.5 apg).

The second seeded Houston Rockets played the seventh seeded Warriors, where the Warriors won this tight series 4-3. This advances the Warriors to the Western Conference semifinals. The series leaders are Rockets center Alperen Sengun (20.9 ppg, 11.9 rpg, 5.3 apg) and Warriors guard Stephen Curry (24.0 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 5.7 apg).

The third seeded Los Angeles Lakers faced the sixth seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, where the Timberwolves upset the Lakers by 4-1. The Timberwolves will advance to the Western Conference semifinals, along with the Thunder and the Warriors. The key players from this series are Lakers guard Luka Doncic (averaged 30.2 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 5.8 apg) and Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (26.8 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 6.2 apg).

The fourth seeded Denver Nuggets faced the fifth seeded Los Angeles Clippers, where the Nuggets won another tight series by 4-3. The Nuggets are one of four teams to advance to the Western Conference semifinals. The series leaders are Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (24 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 10.1 apg) and Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (25.0 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 4.7 apg).

With all four Western Conference first round series complete, the conference semifinals will have the Nuggets facing the Thunder, and the Warriors playing the Timberwolves.

Eastern Conference First Round

The first seeded Cleveland Cavaliers played the eighth seeded Miami Heat, with the Cavaliers sweeping the series 4-0. The Cavaliers will be one of four teams to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals. The key players from this series are Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (23.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4.0 apg) and Heat forward Bam Adebayo (17.5 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 4.3 apg).

The second seeded Boston Celtics faced the seventh seeded Orlando Magic, where the Celtics won the series 4-1. This advances the Celtics to the Eastern Conference semifinals. The top players from this series are Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (31.3 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 5.3 apg) and Magic forward Paolo Banchero (29.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 4.2 apg).

The third seeded New York Knicks faced the sixth seeded Detroit Pistons, with the Knicks winning the series 4-2, advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals. The key players from this series are Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (31.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 8.2 apg) and Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (25.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 8.7 apg).

The fourth seeded Indiana Pacers played the fifth seeded Milwaukee Bucks, where the Pacers took the series by 4-1. The Pacers advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals, alongside the Cavaliers, the Celtics and the Knicks. The series leaders Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (17.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 11.6 apg) and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (33.0 ppg, 15.4 rpg, 6.6 apg).

Now that the winners of the Eastern Conference first round series have been decided, the conference semifinals will have the Pacers playing the Cavaliers, and the Knicksf acing the Celtics.