In his first playoff game with the Warriors, Jimmy Butler delivered 25 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals Sunday night to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead over the Rockets in their first-round playoff series.
Rockets' defense 'good enough,' but offense lags
Rockets coach Ime Udoka said his team “guarded well enough to win” Sunday night’s playoff opener against the Warriors but struggled offensively, as Houston was held to its fewest points of the season (85).
Warriors' Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler have officially become the NBA's best duo
The two veterans combined for 66 points in Golden State’s Game 1 win over Houston
Sign-and-trade scenario emerging for Jonathan Kuminga?
The Nets, at present, are projected to be the only team with $40 million in salary cap space this summer, theoretically positioning them to mount a firm Kuminga pursuit if they wish. That lack of abundant cap space has led various team strategists this week to suggest that a sign-and-trade could be the ultimate mechanism that delivers the former No. 7 pick out of the Bay Area come July.
Source: marcstein.substack.com More on this storyline
Source: marcstein.substack.com More on this storyline
Anthony Slater: Expectation is that Jonathan Kuminga will be out of the Warriors’ initial Game 1 rotation entering this Rockets series. He looms as an in-game or in-series adjustment. -via Twitter @anthonyVslater / April 20, 2025 Tim Kawakami: Kerr is getting more & more terse when asked questions about Kuminga’s diminished role in the rotation.
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Portsmouth Invitational Tournament Notebook: Who are the best prospects?
Historically, the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (PIT) has been a springboard for under-the-radar grinders, with past alumni including Jimmy Butler, Derrick White, and a long list of diamonds in the rough like Craig Porter Jr., Hunter Tyson, Toumani Camara, and Enrique Freeman.
Typically, around 10 PIT participants earn invites to the G League Elite Camp in Chicago, just days before the NBA Draft Combine. Strong performances there can propel players onto the main stage—the Combine itself—and into draft conversations.
The 71st annual Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (PIT) had no shortage of talented players. Former NBA player Raymond Felton’s cousin, RJ Felton out of East Carolina emerged as one of the tournament’s most dynamic guards, playing with a relentless edge and elite athleticism. His late addition (replacing an injured Augustas Marčiulionis) became a major storyline, as his athleticism, three-point shooting, rim attacks and transition playmaking made him a nightmare for defenders. On the
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NBA playoffs Game 1 winners and losers: Lakers get wake-up call, Curry cooks Houston, Knicks go on awesome run
All eight Game 1s are in the books, with some faring better than others
Golden State's clutch win and OKC's big statement put the West on notice
Here’s what has stood out from the first playoff games of the Western Conference first round.
Redick: Wolves' 'physicality' caught us off guard
The Lakers acknowledged after Saturday’s 117-95 loss in Game 1 that they were wholly unready for the raw, bruising physicality of the Wolves.
OKC sixth team to win playoff game by 50 points
Oklahoma City opened a 35-point lead in the first half of Game 1 vs. Memphis, the biggest first-half lead in any playoff Game 1 since at least 1996-97.
Social media reacts to Dubs Game 1 win in Houston: Steph Curry has been cooking them for a decade
The Warriors overcame 22 offensive rebounds from Houston and stole Game 1 of the series with a hard-fought 95-85 win.
Stephen Curry put on a show with 31 points and five three-pointers, and Jimmy Butler added 25 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and five steals. Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 26 points and nine rebounds, but both Jalen Green and Fred VanVleet had terrible nights, combining 17 points on 7-of-34 shooting from the field.
See the reactions from social media below:
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