Top guns outgunned in openers

ORLANDO • Home-court advantage has been wiped out during this season's National Basketball Association (NBA) play-offs, but for one team, there may yet be home comforts.

Playing just 40km away from their Amway Centre, the Orlando Magic stunned the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks 122-110 on Tuesday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round.

Nikola Vucevic scored a play-off career-high 35 points to propel the eighth seeds, who entered the best-of-seven series at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida as heavy underdogs.

"My mindset was to be aggressive," said the centre, an All-Star last year. He added 14 rebounds and four assists. "When I'm aggressive, whether it is shooting the ball or trying to make plays, a lot of good things happen for our team."

Orlando got off to a fast start, taking an 18-point lead in the first half before holding off the Bucks' runs.

The Bucks got within six at 99-93 on a spinning Brook Lopez finish with 8min 13sec to play. But Orlando answered with Terrence Ross' driving dunk and D.J. Augustin's three-pointer pushed their advantage back to double digits.

The Magic shot 49.4 per cent and made 16 three-pointers against a Milwaukee defence that was rated the NBA's best during the regular season.

Orlando hit those marks despite second-leading scorer Evan Fournier held scoreless until he sank three shots from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter.

The victory was even more shocking given that the Magic were without starting forward Aaron Gordon, who was out with a hamstring injury.

They were also missing Jonathan Isaac, Al-Farouq Aminu, and Michael Carter-Williams.

Without Gordon and Isaac, the 1.98m forward Gary Clark was the primary defender on 2.21m Giannis Antetokounmpo, who finished with 31 points, 17 rebounds and seven assists. But the front runner to repeat as the NBA's Most Valuable Player did not make a field goal in the last 11 minutes. Clark totalled 15 points and six rebounds.

"Play harder," Antetokounmpo told ESPN when asked about his plans for Game 2 today. "Be more vocal. Lead by example... what I do... is that I get on the court and do whatever it takes to win."

The Bucks, who have "home-court advantage" throughout their post-season for finishing top of the league (56-17), have not found their feet in the bubble. They were 3-5 in the seeding games since the league restarted last month and veteran guard George Hill said they will have to do some "soul searching".

Orlando's Ross finished with 18 points and six rebounds, while Augustin added 11 points and 11 assists. But the Magic are mindful that they have accomplished nothing yet.

"We came out with a huge victory," Vucevic said. "Again, it's just one game. We've got to move on."

REUTERS

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James' heroics in Lakers' play-off return not enough to prevent loss to red-hot Blazers

ORLANDO • After playing their first National Basketball Association (NBA) play-off game in over seven years, the Los Angeles Lakers will have to wait until at least Thursday for their first post-season return win.

LeBron James, himself absent from the play-offs since moving to the Lakers in 2018, had 23 points, 17 rebounds and a post-season-high 16 assists against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday.

Yet, becoming the first player ever to go over 20-15-15 in the play-offs was not enough as the top seeds lost 100-93 in Game 1 of their Western Conference opener in the NBA bubble near Orlando.

Portland led by as many as 16 in the first quarter and star point guard Damian Lillard finished with a game-high 34 points.

C.J. McCollum had 21 points while Jusuf Nurkic contributed 16 points and 15 rebounds. Carmelo Anthony added 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Hassan Whiteside collected five blocks, including one on James with the score tied at 89-89 in the fourth quarter, to go with seven points and eight rebounds.

Portland, who had to win their play-in game to secure the West's final play-off spot, have now won eight of their last 10 matches.

"Every game since we've been here has been a play-off game. So that prepared us for a game like this," Lillard, named the bubble's Most Valuable Player for his performances in Portland's eight seeding games, told ESPN.

In the Lakers' eight previous games, they made just 30.3 per cent of their shots beyond the arc, the worst of the 22 teams invited to Orlando. And their shooting woes did not improve against the league's third-worst defence in the bubble.

Los Angeles made just five of 32 three-pointers - compared to 13 of 34 for Portland - and shot 35.1 per cent overall.

"Remain patient," said Lakers coach Frank Vogel of their plans to turn things around. "Trust the percentages, law of averages and continue to work with our guys on identifying the right shots and remaining calm."

Lakers forward Anthony Davis had 28 points and 11 boards while Kyle Kuzma chipped in with 14 points.

"No frustration, because the game is the game, and we came here with a mindset to win," James said. "We didn't take care of business, but we got another opportunity on Thursday to even the series and that's my only mindset.

"I'm gonna go back to the hotel, watch some film tonight, lock in with the team tomorrow, prepare before the game on Thursday and get ready to play."

Earlier on Tuesday, top overall seeds Milwaukee Bucks also lost to the Orlando Magic.

This is just the second time in NBA history that both the Western and Eastern Conference top seeds dropped Game 1 against the eighth seeds after 2003, when the Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs fell to Orlando and Phoenix Suns respectively.

REUTERS