The future of the NBA is in good hands.
Fans got a glimpse of what’s to come for the league during Sunday’s slate of playoff games, as a handful of young stars came up big in their postseason debuts to lead their teams to wins in their first-round series openers.
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker, who toiled under .500 for the first five seasons of his career, closed out the defending-champion Los Angeles Lakers with his backcourt mate Chris Paul compromised by a shoulder injury. Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young finished off the New York Knicks with a beautiful game-winner despite the world’s most famous arena raining down profane boos.
And in the biggest upset from the first weekend of the playoffs, Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks showed no fear in leading the Memphis Grizzlies, the youngest playoff team in a decade, past the top-seeded Utah Jazz.
Devin Booker went toe-to-toe with the defending champs in his playoff debut and showed he is more than ready for the challenge. Booker scored a game-high 34 points to lead the Suns to the big win in their first playoff game in 11 years.
