National Basketball Association

Seeds of Doubt?

Updated Aug. 19, 2020 1:57 p.m. ET

Tuesday's NBA playoff action saw both No. 1 seeds – the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks – lose their playoff-openers.

That hasn't happened in the NBA playoffs since 2003, when the Orlando Magic defeated the Detroit Pistons and the Phoenix Suns edged the San Antonio Spurs.

Damian Lillard continued his hot streak in a 100-93 win for the Portland Trail Blazers over the Lakers, and the Orlando Magic shocked Giannis Antetokounmpo's Bucks, 122-110.

All the talk Wednesday morning revolved around if the two top seeds should be feeling the heat, or, if their losses were just a blip on the radar.

Well, if you're Shannon Sharpe, there's a little cause for concern on the Western side of things.

"(The Lakers) scored 93 points. Let that sink in! A team that's giving up 123 in the bubble, they hold you 30 below that, with AD and LeBron on that team ... AD and LeBron have to play better. They need to be around 60 (combined points). That's at the bare minimum in order for them to win."

As for the Bucks, veteran NBA writer Jackie MacMullan believes that the stoppage in play robbed Mike Budenholzer of a key advantage that his Bucks team would have greatly benefitted from.

"Mike Budenholzer masterfully had kept all of his starters, including his MVP and possible Defensive MVP this year, Giannis, to under 31 minutes a game ... That's all moot now, and you lose your home-court advantage."

FS1's Nick Wright agreed that the Bucks' upset loss was "shocking," maintaining that there are two areas that Milwaukee must rectify if it is to get back on track.

"One is, the reason they were so dominant in the regular season, as great as Giannis was on offense, was because how great they were defensively ... The other point of minor concern is usually in a game like this, when the underdog jumps out to a huge lead, if the overwhelming favorite gets back in it, the underdog folds. ... Orlando didn't roll over."

If there is one area in which Lakers and Bucks fans can find peace, it's that back in 2003, despite opening their postseasons with a loss, the Pistons and Spurs both went on to at least the Conference Finals, with the San Antonio winning the title.

On to Game 2.