Auston Matthews helped drive Toronto to a win after scoring the first goal of this year’s playoffs while Ilya Samsonov’s stellar play put a stop to Boston’s attempt to carry Game 1 momentum into Monday’s match. Despite Boston holding a 2-1 first-period lead, Toronto’s goalie saved 19 shots and Matthews scored with just eight minutes left in the game, bringing the score up to a 3-2 Toronto lead. The teams are set to face off again in Toronto for Game 3 on Wednesday.
Despite an impressive All-Star season, Jalen Brunson has struggled to find success against the Philadelphia 76ers’ stingy defense. In the first game of their playoff series, Brunson shot just 8-of-26 from the field, contributing to the Knicks’ victory despite his subpar performance. Sixers head coach Nick Nurse attributes their success against Brunson to their ability to field a variety of defenders, including the likes of Kelly Oubre Jr., Nicolas Batum, Kyle Lowry, and Tyrese Maxey, who use their length to pose a challenge for the 6-foot-2 Brunson. Brunson’s regular season matchups against the Sixers also revealed similar difficulties, as he shot just 40% from the field and 30% from three-point range in their four encounters.
Despite missing the final three quarters of an important game against the Minnesota Timberwolves due to a head injury, Anthony Davis (AD) was determined to play in a crucial matchup against the Golden State Warriors. However, severe headaches and nausea forced him to leave the arena before tipoff. The Lakers’ defense struggled without AD, allowing the Warriors to shoot a league-record 63.4% from three-point range. Despite his absence, AD’s individual defense remains elite. He has the ability to guard any position effectively and is ranked among the league’s best in help defense, post defense, isolation defense, and rim protection. His defensive prowess will be crucial as the Lakers face the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs, particularly against two-time MVP Nikola Jokic.
