The life of a UK-based NBA fan means often having to make a choice: watch the games live and deal with the lack of sleep, or enjoy the games at a more agreeable time the next day but with the risk of already knowing who won.
Monday night’s NBA play-off games came at the end of a long weekend in the UK (Monday being a Bank – Public – Holiday) so, with a busy day at work ahead, I opted for the latter approach.
Knicks stun the Celtics
Game One of the series between the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics made me question my memory. I felt sure I had briefly seen that the Knicks had won, but midway through the Third Quarter I convinced myself that I had read the news incorrectly.
The Lead Tracker graphic from the game on NBA’s official site tells the tale as the visiting team staged a stunning comeback to win in Overtime 108-105.
To a large extent, the Celtics were burned by what has been one of their biggest strengths. Their fondness for the three-pointer, a vital characteristic of “Mazzulla Ball”, powered Boston to their 18th NBA championship last season. They continued that approach in the 2024-25 regular season, leading the league with 1,457 three-pointers and 154 ahead of the next-best Cleveland Cavaliers.
On Monday night, their aim was off from behind the line. Boston missed 45 of 60 attempts, the highest amount of missed three-point shots in a single play-off game ever.
Head Coach Joe Mazzulla was untroubled by this fact after the game and his team’s track record suggests it was just a one-off blip. Yet as the Knicks slowly started to nibble away at their lead from the middle of the Third Quarter, the Celtics might have been wise to rein it in for a bit, to mix in some two-pointers and keep the scoreboard ticking over rather than giving New York the opportunity to gain momentum.
The credit has to go to the Knicks for taking advantage. It sets up an intriguing Game Two on Wednesday night with Boston desperate to avoid heading to MSG down 0-2.
Nuggets win in Oklahoma
As for Game One between the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder, the most oft-used word in the final seven minutes was “foul”.
Nikola Jokić picked up his fifth personal foul of the game and was walking a tightrope from then on. Despite the Thunder’s understandable attempts to draw the reigning MVP into fouling out, Jokić managed to avoid it.
OKC’s blatant fouls to stifle the Nuggets in the final 20 seconds or so also had some logic behind them; however it ultimately came back to bite them. Denver were able to keep within striking distance as a result and, for the second time in these play-offs, Aaron Gordon won it for the Nuggets with the final play of the game.
The Thunder were well-rested heading into Game One after sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies in the First Round. There is always a question as to whether a lengthy lay-off may be a bad thing for a team and Oklahoma were able to show that this was not a problem for them, starting out strong and leading the game by 11 points with just over four minutes remaining.
Unfortunately for them, the Nuggets refused to give up and took the game by a score of 121-119.
Up Next
Tuesday night’s games see Golden State and Minnesota beginning their series, whilst Cleveland look to recover from a Game One loss to level their series against the Indiana Pacers.
From Deep UK 
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