Donovan Mitchell scored 57 points for Joe Ingles' Utah Jazz but it was not enough to prevent the Denver Nuggets from striking the first blow in their NBA playoff series on Monday.
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The Nuggets won game one 135-125, with Jamal Murray scoring 10 of his 36 points in overtime while Nikola Jokic had 29 points and 10 rebounds.
Mitchell set a franchise post-season scoring record but had just six in overtime when Denver outscored Utah 20-10.
Ingles was next best for the Jazz with 19 points, while Jordan Clarkson chipped in with 18 off the bench.
Game two of the best-of-seven series is on Wednesday.
Murray showed up for his postgame Zoom call wearing a shirt featuring the image of boxing great Muhammad Ali.
Almost fitting, given the Nuggets withstood blow after blow from Mitchell before landing the knockout punch.
"It was just lights, camera, action and come on we're trying to get this win," Murray said.
Mitchell was 19 of 33 from the floor and 13 of 13 from the free-throw line. He hit six three-pointers in 43 minutes, 14 seconds of work. He also had seven assists and nine rebounds.
"The biggest thing was just to try to make the right plays," the 23-year-old said.
Mitchell's offensive explosion was the third-most points scored in an NBA playoff game, trailing only Michael Jordan (63) and Elgin Baylor (61).
Meanwhile Jayson Tatum had career-playoff highs of 32 points and 13 rebounds as the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 109-101, in game one of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.
Jaylen Brown scored 15 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter and Kemba Walker added 19 points for the Celtics.
Joel Embiid had 26 points and 16 rebounds and Josh Richardson and Alec Burks each added 18 points as Philadelphia nearly pulled off the win without All-Star guard Ben Simmons, who is out indefinitely after left knee surgery.
Kawhi Leonard registered 29 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and three steals to help the Los Angeles Clippers produce a 118-110 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the opening game of their Western Conference series.
The Mavericks led by five points early in the third quarter before big man Kristaps Porzingis was ejected following his second technical foul of the game.
Paul George scored 27 points and Marcus Morris Sr. had 19 points and four steals for the second-seeded Clippers.
Luka Doncic recorded 42 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and three steals, setting an NBA record for the highest point total in a player's postseason debut.
The Toronto Raptors beat the Brooklyn Nets 134-110.
Australian Associated Press
