Basketball

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics successfully responded to the challenge an inspired Atlanta Hawks team posed over six games during the opening round of the playoffs.

NEW YORK (AP) — Grizzlies sparkplug Dillon Brooks did all kinds of talking on and off the court during Memphis' first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers.

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Knicks All-Star forward Julius Randle missed Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Miami Heat on Sunday because of a sprained left ankle.

Philadelphia 76ers (54-28, third in the Eastern Conference) vs. Boston Celtics (57-25, second in the Eastern Conference) Boston; Monday, 7:30 p.m. EDT FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK NBA LINE : Celtics -9; over/under is 213.

Phoenix Suns (45-37, fourth in the Western Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (53-29, first in the Western Conference) Denver; Monday, 10 p.m. EDT FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK NBA LINE : Nuggets -4.5; over/under is 227.

DENVER (AP) — Jamal Murray kept imploring the crowd to get louder and louder with each trip down the floor. As if the Nuggets point guard even needed to. His play was already rocking the arena.

The Memphis Grizzlies must prove the NBA's second-youngest team can learn the league's toughest lesson that the playoffs are nothing like the regular season. It's also time these young Grizzlies grow up.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James didn't respond at first after Dillon Brooks called him old and questioned his abilities early in the Lakers' first-round playoff series with Memphis.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — His team huddled up before taking the floor, Harrison Barnes hollered a message to the Kings with their special season on the line: “Leave it all on the floor and take this series back to Sac!” With spectacular performances on bo

NEW YORK (AP) — Back when the New York Knicks and Miami Heat were meeting every year in the postseason, nobody had the kind of series Jimmy Butler just did . Get as hot as he was against Milwaukee and a player was going to get clobbered.