The Minnesota Timberwolves upset the Memphis Grizzlies 130-117 in Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference first-round playoffs at FedExForum in Memphis on Saturday, leading 1-0 in the series.

Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns combined 65 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists for the Timberwolves. Edwards shot 12-for-23 on the field to get 36 points in the first postseason game. It is the third-highest score in league history, following only Luka Doncic (42) and George Mikan (37).

Towns showed the Grizzlies why it's a huge mistake to have Steven Adams defend him with a double-double of 29 points and 13 rebounds. "The strongest man" in the NBA couldn't follow Towns at all either when he was dribbling to penetrate from the 3-point line or cutting in without the ball.

Adams became even more embarrassed when he faced screen plays between Edwards and Towns. He was too slow to catch up with either and rarely appeared in the right defensive position. Coach Taylor Jenkins may want to give clearer instructions on this front or cut his time on the floor.

During most time of the regular season, the Grizzlies were more aggressive and physical than their opponents in the games. However, they were contained in both areas at home by the Timberwolves on Saturday. The visiting team allowed only eight offensive rebounds and six steals. When the Grizzlies shot only 7-of-27 from downtown, they had no choice but to charge against the opponents' defensive jungle in the paint.

Despite that, Ja Morant still scored 32 points and eight assists for the Grizzlies after walking to the free throw line 20 times and making 16 shots there. Dillon Brooks began to find touch at the 3-point line from the second half and contributed 24 points for his team.

Jaren Jackson Jr. and Brandon Clarke may deserve longer time in the future games. Clarke is undersized as a big man, but his quickness is more proper to defending Towns. He was able to make all six shots under the hoop in such crowded space and grabbed four offensive rebounds. Jackson Jr. delivered seven blocks before he was fouled out. If he can better control his foul problem, he can offer better protection of the paint for the Grizzlies.

Game 2 will happen at the same arena on April 19.

Jordan Poole starts for the Warriors and they won

The Golden State Warriors beat the Denver Nuggets 123-107 in Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference first-round playoffs at Chase Center in San Francisco on Saturday to lead 1-0 in the series.

Stephen Curry, who has missed the Warriors' last 12 regular season games because of sprained ligament in his left foot, returned in Saturday's game but from the bench. Jordan Poole filled in his position in the starting lineup and drained five triples to score 30 points in his first playoff game.

Though Poole still has a lot to work on details of his isolation play, he poses similar threat to that of Curry facing big man like Nikola Jokic in mismatch. Poole shot to kill from outside on Saturday night and his big strides in penetration enabled him to beat Jokic and drive to the hoop as quickly as possible.

Klay Thompson made five 3-pointer as well to score 19 points for the Warriors. When the Warriors were so hot from perimeter, the Nuggets' defenders had to keep rotating to deflect the opponents' shooters outside instead of double-teaming the playmaker or cutting Draymond Green's dishing.

The Warriors didn't trap Jokic at all cost even though the Nuggets missed 24 of their 35 triples attempts. Green, Kevon Looney, Otto Porter Jr, and Nemanja Bjelica all had more than one possession to defend Jokic by himself. They did their best making the reigning NBA MVP work hard to make every shoot.

Jokic shot 12-for-25 in field goals (FGs) to get 25 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, but his team never found the right offensive pace. Both him and coach Michael Malone were unhappy about their deficit in free throw attempts (29-13). But that's only one of the team's problems in offense.

Game 2 will still take place at Chase Center on April 18.

Raptors contained Embiid, but they forgot about Maxey

The Philadelphia 76ers walked over the Toronto Raptors 131-111 in Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference first-round playoffs at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Saturday, leading 1-0 in the series.

The Raptors were considered as one of the most hopeful teams to knock out the higher-ranking opponents in the first round of the postseason. Their forward groups gave Joel Embiid a hard time in Saturday's game by limiting him to 5-of-15 in FGs. However, the cost of focusing defensive resources on one target was allowing too many open 3-pointers. The 76ers exploited these opportunities well by making 16 triples.

Though Embiid could score as easily as he did in the regular season, he didn't spare any effort in rebounding and charging the rim. Four of his 15 rebounds were on the offensive glass and he made nine of his 11 free throw attempts to get 19 points. His super star partner James Harden achieved little in the paint, but he made four triples while running the 76ers' offense smooth with 14 assists and only one turnover.

Maxey Tyrese benefited the most when Embiid and Harden drew most of the Raptors' defensive attention. In Saturday's game, Tyrese shot 14-of-21 to score 38 points. His 3-point shooting and penetration from the weak side both hit the opponents' defensive weakness. 38 points were the fourth-highest score for the first game of the playoffs in team history of the 76ers, following only Allen Iverson (55 and 40) and Wilt Chamberlain (41).

The Raptors failed to turn their aggressiveness into offensive productions in Saturday's game. They only had one steal, forced eight turnovers, had seven offensive rebounds and trailed in fast break points 29-10.

The team's first-year rookie Scottie Barnes scored 15 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in his postseason debut, but he had to exit the game in the fourth quarter with a sprained left ankle. Embiid came down on top of his foot after Barnes tried to deflect one of his shots. ESPN revealed that X-rays were negative.

Game 2 will happen at the same arena on April 18.

Mavericks did well enough with out Doncic, but Jazz won in the end

The Utah Jazz defeated the Dallas Mavericks 99-93 in Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference first-round playoffs at American Airlines Center in Dallas on Saturday to lead 1-0 in the series.

The Mavericks missed their ace Luka Doncic due to calf injury in this game. Jalen Brunson and Spencer Dinwiddie became the starting back-court pair for the team and the two combined 46 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists.

Since the Mavericks couldn't match the Jazz offensively without Doncic, they turned this game into a defensive battle. As the league's second-most productive team behind the arc, the Jazz shot only 7-for-22 in 3-pointers. Meanwhile, though Rudy Gobert grabbed 17 rebounds, only two were on the offensive glass. He only took one shot and missed it.

Nonetheless, what the Jazz had and the Mavericks didn't was the ability of star players to provide offensive solution via individual ability. Donovan Mitchell, who missed eight of his nine FG attempts in the first half, exploded to score 30 points in the second half.

While Mitchell made four free throws and assisted one 3-pointer in the last minute of the fourth quarter, Brunson, Reggie Bullock, Dorian Finney-Smith and Dinwiddie missed three of four jumpers to get only two points.

Game 2 will still happen at American Airlines Center on April 18. It's unclear if Doncic will return in that game.