The opening weekend of the NBA playoffs is always one of the most exciting times on the league calendar, and the 2022 postseason got underway Saturday in typical fashion.
The four series openers began with a pair of lower-seeded teams stealing home-court advantage with Game 1 upsets, as the Jazz topped the Mavericks in Dallas and the Timberwolves stunned the Grizzlies in Memphis.
Then a couple championship hopefuls got breakout performances from young guards as Tyrese Maxey scored 38 points to lead the Sixers past the Raptors and Jordan Poole had 30 points to lift the Warriors over the Nuggets.
Home teams held serve Sunday, but there was plenty of drama – especially in Boston, where the Celtics defeated the Nets on a buzzer-beater.
SATURDAY RECAP:Warriors and Sixers roll, Jazz and Wolves steal home-court
TITLE KEYS:How each NBA playoff team can win the 2022 championship
FEEL THE HEAT:Nine stars facing the most pressure in the NBA playoffs
Check out USA TODAY Sports’ analysis from all of Sunday’s action:
Suns beat Pelicans; Deandre Ayton ‘fine’ after taking shot to the head
The Suns held off the surging Pelicans, taking Game 1 at home 110-99 on Sunday. The Pelicans cut the Suns’ lead to seven points heading into the fourth quarter before Chris Paul took over, scoring 19 of his 30 points in the frame. Devin Booker scored 25 and Deandre Ayton added 21 points.
Things took a scary turn when Ayton took a shoulder from Herb Jones to the jaw late in the fourth quarter. The…
