NBA Playoff Sunday Recap: Magic Pull off the Upset in Game 1

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The 2026 NBA Playoffs continued on Sunday with a high-stakes slate that saw top seeds flex their muscles and a generational talent make his postseason mark. While the home crowds in Boston, Oklahoma City, and San Antonio celebrated dominant wins, the fans in Detroit witnessed the day’s only major upset.

The Wemby Era Begins

In a historic postseason arrival, Victor Wembanyama led the San Antonio Spurs to a commanding 111–98 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at the Frost Bank Center. Making his highly anticipated playoff debut, Wembanyama exploded for 35 points, breaking Tim Duncan’s franchise record for the most points in a playoff debut and setting an NBA record for the most points in a first half of a debut (21) since 1997. The 7-foot-4 star was nearly perfect from deep, hitting 5-of-6 three-pointers and adding two blocks to anchor a Spurs defense that held Portland to just 10-of-38 shooting from beyond the arc. Despite a 30-point, 10-rebound effort from Portland’s Deni Avdija and an 18-point performance from Scoot Henderson, the Blazers were unable to sustain a third-quarter run that briefly cut the lead to two. Supported by 17 points each from De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, the Spurs controlled the pace to secure a 1-0 series lead in front of a sell-out crowd that included franchise icons, Tim Duncan and David Robinson.

Thunderous Statement in OKC

The top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder began their championship defense with a comprehensive 119–84 dismantling of the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center. Despite a sluggish start that saw them fall behind 5–0 early, the Thunder quickly asserted their dominance with a 12–2 run sparked by a flagrant foul on Phoenix’s Dillon Brooks. Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 25 points, despite shooting just 5-of-18 from the floor, by relentlessly attacking the basket and earning 17 free-throw attempts. Jalen Williams added 22 points, while Chet Holmgren contributed 16 points and a buzzer-beating three-pointer to end the first quarter. The Thunder’s suffocating defense forced 19 Suns turnovers, leading to a massive 34–2 advantage in points off turnovers. For Phoenix, Devin Booker tallied 23 points, but the team struggled to find any offensive flow against OKC’s length and athleticism, shooting just 34.9% from the field in the 35-point rout.

Magic Pull the Sunday Shocker

In a stunning series opener, the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic upset the top-seeded Detroit Pistons with a 112–101 victory at Little Caesars Arena. Orlando led wire-to-wire, never trailing once as they exploited a “rusty” Pistons squad that had been off for a week. Paolo Banchero spearheaded the Magic attack with 23 points and 9 rebounds, while Franz Wagner poured in 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter to fend off a late Detroit surge. Despite a heroic, playoff career-high 39-point performance from Cade Cunningham, the rest of the Pistons’ roster struggled to find a rhythm, shooting a collective 31-of-77 from the field. The loss extended Detroit’s agonizing NBA-record home playoff losing streak to 11 games, a drought stretching back to 2008, and gives Orlando an immediate 1-0 lead and a massive boost in momentum.

Celtics Steamroll Embiid-less Sixers

In an emphatic start to their championship quest, the Boston Celtics dismantled the Philadelphia 76ers with a 123–91 blowout win at TD Garden. The story of the night was the triumphant playoff return of Jayson Tatum, who—playing in his first postseason game since a devastating Achilles injury last year—tallied 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists. Tatum set the tone early with a 21-point first half, while Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 26 points to keep the pressure on a shorthanded Philadelphia squad. Playing without superstar center Joel Embiid (recovering from an appendectomy), the 76ers struggled to find any offensive rhythm, shooting a dismal 17% from beyond the arc and trailing by as many as 35 points. The wire-to-wire victory gives Boston a 1-0 series lead and serves as a loud warning to the rest of the Eastern Conference.