Irving shines for Cavs
CLEVELAND — Kyrie Irving scored 31 points in his first playoff game since being injured last year in the NBA Finals and Kevin Love added 28, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 106-101 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.
LeBron James added 22 points and 11 assists for the top-seeded Cavs. They are favored to win the Eastern Conference again but got all they could handle from the Pistons.
Love, knocked out of the playoffs with a shoulder injury in the first round a year ago, made two critical 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.
Spurs 106, Grizzlies 74
SAN ANTONIO — Kawhi Leonard had 20 points and San Antonio beat Memphis in Game 1 of their Western Conference series, handing the Grizzlies their worst postseason loss.
LaMarcus Aldridge added 17 points, and Tony Parker had 15 points and six assists for San Antonio. The Spurs sat their starters in the fourth quarter to rest them for Game 2 on Tuesday night in San Antonio.
Heat 123, Hornets 91
MIAMI — Luol Deng scored 31 points on 11-for-13 shooting, Hassan Whiteside added 21 points and 11 rebounds in his postseason debut, and Miami routed Charlotte in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference series.
Dwyane Wade scored 16 points in 26 minutes, Joe Johnson and Amare Stoudemire each had 11 points.
Clippers 115, ‘Blazers 95
LOS ANGELES — Chris Paul had 28 points and 11 assists as one of three Clippers with a double-double, leading Los Angeles over the Portland Trail Blazers in the opener of their first-round playoff series.
Blake Griffin had 19 points and 12 rebounds, DeAndre Jordan 18 points.
