BASKETTBALL

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The Los Angeles Clippers bounced back from a game-one defeat, beating the Nuggets 105-102 in Denver behind a brilliant 39-point performance from Kawhi Leonard. Leonard made 15 of his 19 shot attempts and the Clippers withstood NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic's triple-double of 26 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists to level their Western Conference series at 1-1.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves, fuelled by 25 points from Jaden McDaniels, cruised past LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers 117-95 on Saturday in game one of their NBA Western Conference playoff series.

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Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has been listed as "doubtful" for game two of defending champion Boston's NBA playoff first-round series against the Orlando Magic with a bone bruise in his right wrist. Tatum was injured late in the Celtics' game-one victory, coming down hard under the basket after he was fouled in the air by Orlando guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

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Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia (45) spoke to reporters on Thursday after the team's season in which he described as a 'failure.' The Suns failed to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-2020 season after going 36-46 this year.  "Embarrassing season, right?" said Ishbia. "Disappointing. Awful. I watch every game like all you guys do and no one's proud of it, no one's happy with it, from me, to the front office, to the coaches and players, to the marketing executives to the security guards. It was a failure."

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Nikola Jokic (30) scored 29 points and Aaron Gordon (29) added 25 as the Denver Nuggets edged the Los Angeles Clippers 112-110 in an overtime thriller to open their NBA playoff series on Saturday - but Russell Westbrook (36) 'stole' the show towards the end of the game.

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Tyler Herro scored 30 points as the Miami Heat reached the NBA playoffs with a thrilling 123-114 overtime win at the Atlanta Hawks in their Eastern Conference play-in clash on Friday. The Heat, who recovered from a ten-game losing streak in March to reach the play-in, will now face the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the opening round of the playoffs.

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The Indiana Pacers seized control early and powered to a convincing 117-98 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday as the NBA playoffs first round got underway. Pascal Siakam scored 25 points to lead six Pacers players to score in double figures as Indiana took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series.

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Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson combined for 50 points as the Dallas Mavericks brought the Sacramento Kings' season to a juddering halt with a 120-106 blowout on the road in California.