LeBron’s Streak Ends, Davis First Playoff Win, Cousins On Plane To Coachella, Crawford Big Baller, Celtics/Bucks Exciting Finish, Harden’s 44 Pts
BASKETBALL
Here are a few stories from the first round of the NBA Playoffs. For more highlights, click here.
For the first time since 2012, LeBron James lost a first-round playoff game. The Indiana Pacers cruised to victory and upset LeBron’s streak of 21 straight 1st round wins. Pacers 98, Cavs 80.
The New Orleans Pelicans also had a meaningful first in their 97-95 victory over the Portland Trailblazers. The win marked the first time since 2011 the Pelicans won in the postseason, and it was the first playoff victory for their star Anthony Davis.
In other Pelicans news, DeMarcus Cousins is rehabbing an Achilles injury, and according to coach Alvin Gentry, he didn’t accompany the team to the playoff game because he wasn’t cleared for travel. His manager, however, posted a photo of the two of them traveling on a private plane to Coachella. Not exactly the smartest PR move.
And, in one more piece of Pelicans news, Guard Jordan Crawford appears to be near signing a deal with Big Baller Brand. He will be the first player (other than Lonzo Ball) to wear the merchandise and potentially represent the brand.
In other playoff news, the most exciting few seconds of the weekend featured the Boston Celtics vs the Milwaukee Bucks tied at the end of regulation. First, the Celtics Terry Rozier made a 3 pointer with 1 second left and put his team ahead. Miraculously, with 1/2 a second left, Khris Middleton shot an impossible looking hail mary to sink a 3 and send the game to overtime, where the Celtics hung on to win.  Celtics 113, Bucks 108
The Houston Rockets looked solid in game 1 with James Harden scoring 44 points to help the team outlast the Minnesota Timberwolves 104-101.
