NBA Playoffs winners and losers from 2024 opening weekend: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Celtics shine; Lakers in trouble

Playoff basketball was back this weekend. All eight series kicked off their Game 1s on Saturday or Sunday, and we have a little better idea of what to expect out of these teams.

There were some great games, headlined by the last one of the night — a down-to-the-wire 94-92 win by the Thunder on Sunday. That Thunder win was far from the only interesting thing that happened over a weekend.

Here are the winners and losers from a jam-packed slate of series openers.

MORE: Expert playoff predictions for every series in 2024 NBA Playoffs

2024 NBA Playoffs Game 1 winners

Winner: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

The young Thunder came out a little shaky to start Game 1. Their opener against the eighth-seeded Pelicans was an up-and-down affair, including 20 lead changes and a thrilling final two minutes.

Gilgeous-Alexander came through in the clutch, though, leading OKC with 28 points and hitting what ended up as the biggest basket of the game.

The Pelicans crowded SGA all game, throwing multiple bodies at him to close off driving lanes and forcing the rest of the Thunder to beat them. He still found ways to score, including acting as the screen-setter toward the end of the game to create mismatches for himself.

The Pelicans were playing without Zion Williamson, and Brandon Ingram still does not look quite right (credit to Lu Dort as well for incredible defense). This probably shouldn’t have been as close as it was, but the Thunder’s MVP carried it home for them at the end.

MORE: Is Zion Williamson playing in the 2024 NBA Playoffs?

Winner: Celtics

Remember those “WE WANT BOSTON!” chants from Heat Fans on Friday? The Celtics must have. They blew the doors off the Heat, jumping out to a 14-0 lead to start the game. They led for the entire game, growing it to 34 by the fourth quarter.

The Celtics reminded everyone why they were the best team in the regular season, raining down 3s at a 44.9 percent clip and playing suffocating defense. Four of their five starters scored between 17 and 23 points.

Boston has too many weapons to shut off and five good-to-great defenders on the floor most of the time. These guys are going to cruise through the first round.

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Winner: J. B. Bickerstaff and Donovan Mitchell

Bickerstaff was badly outcoached by Tom Thibodeau in last year’s disastrous first-round exit for the Cavs. He’s had to thread a tough needle with the non-shooting duo of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen as co-starters.

The Cavaliers found a way to create enough offense to get past a great defensive team in the Magic, beating them handily 97-83. It helps when you have one of the best guards in the league in Mitchell, who poured in 30 points. The Magic tried everyone on him, starting with Gary Harris and cycling through All-Defensive lock Jalen Suggs, Jonathan Isaac and Franz Wagner. Nobody was slowing him down.

Winner: Miles “Deuce” McBride

Jalen Brunson had a rare off game for the Knicks, shooting just 8-of-26. The Knicks still beat the 76ers by a score of 111-104.

When asked in the postgame interview what it took to get it done in the fourth, Brunson gave a two-word answer.

“Deuce McBride.”

Casual fans might not be familiar with Deuce, but he’s quickly gained Thibodeau’s trust this season, and the world saw why on Saturday. McBride is a gritty defender who can hit the 3 ball — he canned 5-of-7 from deep en route to 21 points off the bench.

McBride is on one of the best deals in the league, signed for just $13.0 million over the next three years. The unheralded third-year guard has blown up to end the season, solidifying an already-deep Knicks bench.

MORE: Why is Miles McBride called Deuce? The story behind the nickname

Winner: Ivica Zubac

Zubac has to have nightmares about playing the Mavericks. He had gotten absolutely cooked in that matchup in the past, particularly when he has had to switch onto Luka Doncic.

The last time these two teams met in the playoffs, back in 2021, Zubac averaged just 14.0 minutes per game in that seven-game series. He broke out in Game 1 of this year’s meeting, scoring 20 points and grabbing 15 rebounds in 33 minutes of play.

Kawhi Leonard sat in the opener, but Zubac helped lead the Clippers to a 109-97 win that was not nearly as close as that final score indicated. He was way too big for the Mavs, posting up, sealing defenders inside, and hitting sweet hooks and layups. Instead of being a liability, he was one of the best guys on the floor.

MORE: How long will Kawhi Leonard be out for the Clippers?

Anthony Edwards, Kevin Durant 04202024

(NBA Getty Images)

2024 NBA Playoffs Game 1 losers

Loser: Lakers

Game 1 had to be a disheartening loss for the Lakers. They looked like they might have a chance to do the impossible, controlling the first half and building a 12-point lead midway through the second quarter. Then the Nuggets turned it on, running away with the game and winning comfortably 114-103.

This matchup has been a nightmare in particular for D’Angelo Russell, who was so bad in last year’s playoffs that he was removed from the starting lineup. The Lakers absolutely needed him to get going. Instead, he put up a 6-of-20 stinker.

Los Angeles still had zero answer for the Nikola Jokic-Jamal Murray two-man game. And putting Aaron Gordon in there as a lob threat was unfair.

This looks like it’s gonna be a repeat of last year. The Lakers might steal a game or two, but the Nuggets have their number.

MORE: Why did Nikola Jokic dress up as Gru before Game 1 against the Lakers?

Loser: Popular upset picks (Suns, Pacers) 

The Suns had dominated the Timberwolves during the regular season, winning all three matchups comfortably. That didn’t matter at all in the opener. The Wolves blew the Suns out 120-95, shutting down everyone not named Kevin Durant.

For the Wolves, Anthony Edwards did his thing, scoring 33 and trash-talking to Durant. Nickeil Alexander-Walker was the unheralded star of the game, playing incredible defense and chipping in 18 points on only 12 shots.

The No. 3 Bucks were similar underdogs against the No. 6 Pacers to start this series. Somebody forgot to tell Damian Lillard, who dropped 35 in the first half to lead the Bucks to a 109-94 win. He was held scoreless in the second half due to the Pacers changing up their game plan and putting intense pressure on him.

Pascal Siakam had a great game himself, scoring 36 points, but Tyrese Haliburton continued his late-season struggles and nobody else on the Pacers showed up.

Loser: Josh Giddey

Giddey had played a lot better to close the season, but he still looks like the odd man out in the Thunder’s starting five. His shaky jumper and below-average defense are the weak point for the team.

Giddey played 20 ineffective minutes in the opener, scoring just two points on 1-of-6 shooting and turning it over twice. He’s way too dependent on his floater rather than trying to draw contact, and he missed both his 3-point attempts.

The Thunder may have to go to another option if this continues. Cason Wallace played excellent defense down the stretch and has been a terrific 3-point shooter this season. Aaron Wiggins is another good two-way player with low usage.

MORE: The Thunder have a Josh Giddey problem

Loser: Daniel Gafford

The Mavs’ big men duo of Gafford and Dereck Lively II was completely ineffective in their Game 1 loss. They combined for 2-of-7 from the field.

“In all honesty, there were guys that came out that was ready to play and then guys like me that was out there on the floor just running back and forth,” Gafford told Dallas Morning News’ Mike Curtis. “I just felt like I wasn’t able to commit to anything, give anything to the team at the time.”

The Mavs were previously 18-3 with Gafford in the starting lineup. Gafford was invisible, Doncic did most of his damage after the game was well in hand and the Mavs will have to go to the drawing board to figure out how to stay competitive for the rest of the series.