LeBron James and the Lakers came out in front of this franchise’s first sellout playoff crowd in a decade and immediately produced one of the greatest first quarters in team history.

Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer expressed cautious optimism regarding the status of Giannis Antetokounmpo after the two-time MVP left Milwaukee’s Eastern Conference playoff opener with a bruised lower back.

The Memphis Grizzlies learned about an hour before tipoff they wouldn’t have their two-time All-Star point guard, with Ja Morant’s bruised right hand aching too much to take the court.

The Los Angeles Lakers signed center Tristan Thompson and guard Shaq Harrison on Sunday before their pivotal final game of the regular season.

The Lakers waived Davon Reed to make room on the roster before they faced the Utah Jazz.

Tyrese Maxey scored 33 points, Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris had 20 apiece, and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Brooklyn Nets 96-84 on Monday night to take a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference playoff series.

LeBron James hit eight 3-pointers while scoring 36 points, Anthony Davis had 16 points and 13 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers surged into the postseason as the seventh seed in the Western Conference with a 128-117 victory over the Utah Jazz on Sunday.

Rui Hachimura, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers made an early statement in the wide-open Western Conference playoffs.

While Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban says re-signing Kyrie Irving is the team’s top offseason priority, he doesn’t view it as a “Kyrie or bust” scenario.