NBA Playoffs Wrap: Irving scores 30 points in Cavaliers win over Boston, Clippers down defending champs

A BIG effort from Kyrie Irving and LeBron James helped the Cavaliers and Aussie Matthew Dellavedova see off Boston. All the playoffs action is in the wrap.

CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 19: Avery Bradley #0 of the Boston Celtics fights for a loose ball with LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first half during Game One in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2015 NBA Playoffs 2015 at Quicken Loans Arena on April 19, 2015 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Jason Miller/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

A BIG effort from Kyrie Irving and LeBron James helped the Cavaliers and Aussie Matthew Dellavedova see off Boston. All the playoffs action is in the NBA wrap.

AUSSIES IN ACTION

Cleveland’s resident Aussie Matthew Dellavedova had a brief, but positive impact for his team, going +10 in nine minutes off the bench in the win over the Celtics. He had three assists including a nicely timed pass to James Jones who drained a three-pointer right on the third quarter buzzer. Though Dellavedova only produced two points, he sure did it in style.

Future HOF Matthew Dellavedova puts Jae Crowder in a blender https://t.co/dyWc9OWtBH

— Cleveland Talk (@_clevelandtalk) April 19, 2015

His incredible spin move bamboozled Boston’s Jae Crowder and earned the Victorian a few new fans along the way. Even if a little bit in jest.

Let's be real. The Cavs aren't Lebron's team. They're not David Blatt's team. This is Matthew Dellavedova's team #goat

— Sam Kelly (@sam_woop_) April 19, 2015

THAT WAS MATTHEW DELLAVEDOVA AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHATS HAPPENING ANYMORE

— Cavs Pulse (@CavsPulse) April 19, 2015

You can't spell Matt Dellavedova without M-V-P

— CLE Info Minister (@CLEInfoMinister) April 19, 2015

In LA, San Antonio duo Patty Mills and Aron Baynes were in a fiesty contest with the Clippers. In the loss Mills was the best of the Aussies with nine points, one assist and a rebound, but Baynes was the one making headlines.

The back-up big man seemed to be in everything in his twenty minutes off the bench. Baynes started strong enough, with a nice assist in traffic to Tim Duncan, five rebounds and five points, but from there it was all downhill. He was thrown out of bounds in a tussle for the ball with the much smaller Matt Barnes and viciously dunked on by Blake Griffin — three times. Baynes’ nightmare outing cruelly led to the re-writing of the Cairns native’s Wikipedia page.

CAVALIERS 113 — CELTICS 100

Kyrie Irving scored 30 points in his playoff debut and LeBron James added 20 in his first postseason game with Cleveland in five years as the Cavaliers opened a run toward an NBA title with a 113-100 victory over the Boston Celtics on Sunday.

Irving made five 3-pointers and Kevin Love, another postseason rookie, had 19 points and 12 rebounds.

It was Cleveland’s first home playoff game since May 11, 2010, when the Celtics won Game 5 and James left the floor to some boos from Cavaliers fans. He departed for Miami two months later, but he’s home now, all is forgiven and Cleveland is aiming to end a championship drought dating to 1964.

Isaiah Thomas scored 22 points to lead the seventh-seeded Celtics. They will try to even the best-of-7 series in Game 2 on Tuesday night.

The Cavs built a 20-point lead in the third quarter, let the Celtics get as close as six and then finished the quarter with a 9-0 run — capped by a 3-pointer by James Jones — to take a 15-point lead. Boston climbed within 10, but Love made a crucial 3-pointer with 3:32 left to slow Boston.

Kyrie Irving #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots over Kelly Olynyk #41 of the Boston Celtics.

HAWKS 99 — NETS 92

Kyle Korver scored 21 points, including five 3-pointers, as the top-seeded Atlanta Hawks held off the Brooklyn Nets 99-92 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference playoff series.

The Hawks led nearly the entire game and pushed the margin as high as 16 points, but the Nets kept coming back. Finally, Jeff Teague dropped in a floater coming off the left wing, giving Atlanta a 95-89 lead. Joe Johnson missed a 3-pointer from the corner for Brooklyn, and Teague made a pair of free throws with just under a minute remaining to essentially seal it.

Alan Anderson #6 of the Brooklyn Nets drives against Kyle Korver #26 of the Atlanta Hawks.

Teague and DeMarre Carroll scored 17 points apiece.

Eighth-seeded Brooklyn finished 22 games behind the Hawks and slipped into the playoffs on the final day. But, with Johnson and Brook Lopez each scoring 17 points, they didn’t look overmatched by a team that won the season series 4-0 and earned a No. 1 seed for the first time since 1994. Game 2 is Wednesday night in Atlanta.

CLIPPERS 107 — SPURS 92

Chris Paul scored 32 points, and Blake Griffin added 26 points and 12 rebounds, as Los Angeles surged in the second half to beat San Antonio in their first-round playoff series opener.

Jamal Crawford added 17 points for the Clippers, who met the defending NBA champions’ challenge in a difficult postseason-opening matchup for two powers. Griffin threw down his usual array of roof-raising dunks, while Paul quarterbacked Los Angeles to an 18-point lead in the third quarter.

Kawhi Leonard scored 18 points for the Spurs, who had won the opening game in their previous 11 playoff series. Tim Duncan had 11 points and 11 rebounds, but the Spurs couldn’t rally from their hefty second-half deficit. Game 2 is Wednesday night.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin shoots over San Antonio Spurs center Boris Diaw.

GRIZZLIES 100 — TRAIL BLAZERS 86

Reserve Beno Udrih scored 20 points and Memphis never trailed in routing Portland in Game 1 of the Western Conference first-round series.

Zach Randolph had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Marc Gasol added 15 points and 11 rebounds. Mike Conley finished with 16 points and didn’t play the fourth quarter. Jeff Green had 11.

LaMarcus Aldridge led Portland with 32 points while taking more shots than anyone had ever taken against Memphis in the postseason, going 13 of 34. Damian Lillard added 14 points, shooting 5 of 21 overall and 0 of 6 beyond the arc. Nicolas Batum had 15 points. The Trail Blazers have lost five straight overall.

The Grizzlies swept Portland during the regular season and have won 10 of the last 11, including the first playoff game between the teams.

Meyers Leonard #11 of the Portland Trailblazers blocks a shot by Marc Gasol #33 of the Memphis Grizzlies.

Originally published as NBA Playoffs Wrap: Irving scores 30 points in Cavaliers win over Boston, Clippers down defending champs