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Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans dunks the ball in Game 1 of their best-of-seven first round series against the Portland Trailblazers in the NBA Playoffs. ap
Anthony Davis stole the show and the New Orleans Pelicans stole home-court advantage from the Portland Trail Blazers.
Davis had 35 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks, Jrue Holiday and Rajon Rondo won the backcourt battle, and the Pelicans held on for a 97-95 victory on Sunday night (Philippine time) in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series.
Holiday added 21 points, outplaying both Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, and had a big blocked shot in the closing seconds as New Orleans escaped after Portland erased almost all of a 19-point deficit.
Warriors, Toronto, Philly also win
In other games on opening day of the playoffs, the defending champion Golden State Warriors defeated the San Antonio Spurs, 113-102, while the East’s top-ssed Toronto Raptors trounced the Washington Wizards, 114-106.
Philadelphia also chalked up a 130-103 rout of Miami in the day’s fourth game.