Portland Trail Blazers (42-40, eighth in the Western Conference) vs. San Antonio Spurs (62-20, second in the Western Conference)
San Antonio; Tuesday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Spurs -12.5; over/under is 215.5
WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Spurs lead series 3-1
BOTTOM LINE: The San Antonio Spurs look to clinch the Western Conference first round over the Portland Trail Blazers in game five. The Spurs defeated the Trail Blazers 114-93 in the last meeting on Sunday. De'Aaron Fox led the Spurs with 28 points, and Deni Avdija led the Trail Blazers with 26.
The Spurs are 36-16 in Western Conference games. San Antonio is third in the league averaging 119.8 points and is shooting 48.3% from the field.
The Trail Blazers are 29-23 against Western Conference opponents. Portland has a 23-18 record in games decided by 10 or more points.
The Spurs are shooting 48.3% from the field this season, 1.2 percentage points higher than the 47.1% the Trail Blazers allow to opponents. The Trail Blazers average 115.5 points per game, 4.0 more than the 111.5 the Spurs allow to opponents.
TOP PERFORMERS: Victor Wembanyama is averaging 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.1 blocks for the Spurs. Fox is averaging 19.6 points over the last 10 games.
Avdija is averaging 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists for the Trail Blazers. Jrue Holiday is averaging 19.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Spurs: 7-3, averaging 118.4 points, 46.3 rebounds, 27.1 assists, 7.9 steals and 5.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.1 points per game.
Trail Blazers: 5-5, averaging 110.8 points, 43.2 rebounds, 23.8 assists, 8.7 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 44.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.4 points.
INJURIES: Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle).
Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Apr 26, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Poehling (25) in a face off during the first period against the Edmonton Oilers in game four of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images
Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Ryan Poehling scored 2:29 into overtime, and the Anaheim Ducks pushed Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers to the brink of first-round elimination with a 4-3 victory in Game 4 on Sunday night.
Jeffrey Viel tied it with 6:29 left in regulation for the Ducks, who rallied from an early two-goal deficit and another third-period hole before taking a 3-1 series lead with their third consecutive victory over the back-to-back Western Conference champion Oilers.
The Ducks completed their NHL-best 10th multi-goal comeback of the season when Poehling’s sharp-angled shot hit an Edmonton skate in front and reluctantly trickled under goalie Tristan Jarry, who had played well in his first playoff start for his new team. Poehling celebrated immediately, even though he wasn't totally sure the game was over.
“I thought I saw some white (between the puck and the goal line) when I was behind the net,” Poehling said. “Then everyone was celebrating. Did it go in? I'm like, ‘I think so?’ But yeah, I thought so right away."
An extensive video review revealed no reason to overturn the judgment on the ice that the puck had barely crossed the goal line underneath Jarry’s skate. Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch was unconvinced.
“I can’t see it going in,” Knoblauch said. “I can’t see the line. ... The (initial) goal call on the ice was probably about 60 to 90 seconds after (the shot), maybe even more. They huddled when they got to center ice and then they made the (initial) call that it was a good goal. I don’t know. Wasn’t very definitive.”
Game 5 is Tuesday night in Edmonton.
Cutter Gauthier and Mikael Granlund scored power-play goals in the second period for the Ducks, who have scored 20 goals in four games to begin their team's first Stanley Cup playoff series in eight years. Lukas Dostal stopped 24 shots and made a pair of spectacular saves on McDavid in the final minutes.
“We're just playing so connected right now, and we're doing a good job of doing the right things,” said Anaheim defenseman Jackson LaCombe, who leads the NHL in postseason scoring with eight points after recording two assists in Game 4. “We're all just feeling great, and I think we're all competing to the best of our ability, and it's just paying off right now.”
Evan Bouchard scored a tiebreaking goal early in the third period and Jarry made 34 saves for the Oilers. Kasperi Kapanen and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored first-period goals.
Edmonton nearly won it late in regulation, but Dostal made a sprawling pad save to deny McDavid on a late breakaway — and Dostal added another big stuff of McDavid in the final minute. The Oilers’ superstar center, who is suspected to be dealing with an injury, had two assists in Game 4.
Jarry struggled for Edmonton right after arriving in a midseason trade with Pittsburgh, losing his job to Connor Ingram. But with the Oilers struggling mightily to stop the fast, exciting Ducks, Knoblauch made the switch and got a solid effort from Jarry, who hadn’t played since April 8.
The Oilers also improved their defensive structure after a shambolic Game 3 – and yet the energetic, hungry Ducks still pumped in four more goals despite never leading.
Kapanen silenced the raucous sellout crowd at Honda Center 38 seconds after the opening faceoff with his fourth goal in four games. Nugent-Hopkins then scored just Edmonton’s second power-play goal of the series.
The Ducks began yet another comeback with vicious wrist shot from Gauthier, their 22-year-old top scorer. Anaheim’s once-awful power play has scored in eight consecutive games.
Granlund and Leo Carlsson then teamed up for a fluid give-and-go to tie it.
Bouchard ripped a wrist shot for a tiebreaking goal just 4 seconds into an Oilers power play, but the Ducks’ fourth line tied it again, with Viel punching home a rebound of John Carlson’s shot for his second career playoff goal.
HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 26: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Houston Rockets during Round One Game Four on April 26, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There was lots to dislike about the Lakers’ performance in Game 4.
The offense looked stuck in mud. There was an alarming amount of turnovers and nearly all of them were live ball, which ruined any chance of a win. That will be discussed in the coming days on this site.
But I’d like to mention that god awful officiating. And not even in a sense of play-to-play calls or one player getting superstar calls or baiting officials. It was the big things that were just very dumb and bad.
First, Deandre Ayton being ejected was one of the crazier refereeing decisions I’ve seen this year. It was pretty clear what happened in that play with Ayton trying to brace himself and his arm slipped up Alperen Şengün’s back and into his head. It looked bad, but in the modern NBA, basically everyone agreed that it was a Flagrant 1.
Except James Williams, who threw Ayton out of the game for a Flagrant 2 foul. It was a decision that includes ignoring a large amount of context of the situation to come to that conclusion.
Then, he watched Marcus Smart get Draymond Green-ed and determined the kick was actually more to his thigh, so it’s fine? I’m sure if he had talked to Marcus, his high-pitched voice would have told him it wasn’t to his thigh.
He capped off his wonderful night by throwing out Adou Thiero and Aaron Holiday in the final minutes because he needed to make sure everyone knew he was the star of the show. Thiero and Holiday were getting a little chippy under the basket, but it was Holiday entirely being the aggressor. It was a textbook away-from-the-play foul. In no scenario did that warrant an ejection.
The NBA has an officiating problem that badly needs addressed.
Anyway, let’s dive into the loss. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
This is up there with one of the worst games LeBron’s played as a Laker. The context of him being 41 years old coming up against a young, desperate Rockets side trying to avoid a sweep should be taken into account, but he was really, really bad.
Rui had a pretty decent night offensively, but Houston and Amen Thompson were able to exploit his lack of foot speed defensively. Amen is in a good rhythm the last two games and the Lakers will need to adapt.
Ayton is the only one who can really come away from this one with his head held high. He had a pretty egregious turnover to end the first quarter but he also looked like the only way who gave a damn before his ejection.
While Smart had some ugly turnovers — including replicating his early-season faux pas by not stepping out of bounds to inbound the ball — and a couple of plays that made it look like the minutes from Friday were catching up with him, he was also racing around the court as well. You can’t fault the effort. You can fault the execution.
While Luke had a couple of nice moments early in the game, overall, he came back down to Earth in the two games in Houston. He’s in an outsized role and being asked to do a lot, in his defense. Hopefully a return home will help him bounce back.
I get that LaRavia is another player in an outsized role, but, man, this has been a really brutal postseason for him. And this was his best game of the playoffs, too. His length and defense is keeping him in the rotation, but it’s getting hard to justify him getting many minutes.
We went back to the version of Hayes that was jumping at pump fakes and committing some really bad fouls. This was a rough game. Again, role players tend to play better at home, so hopefully there’s a bounce back game coming.
Vando’s stat line is a little bit of fool’s gold because most of his scoring came in garbage time. Seeing him moving around the baseline and in the paint was interesting, but it’s hard to use him that way with an actual center on the court.
This was easily the most comfortable Bronny looked this season. He did a great job being a connecting piece offensively in the first half. He attacked closeouts, found the open player and chased down loose balls. His second stint was warranted, even if it bled into garbage time.
Grade: B+
Adou Thiero, Dalton Knecht, Nick Smith Jr., Maxi Kleber
Nothing much from this group. Adou had a nice alley-oop finish and Knecht hit a three. But it all came in garbage time.
JJ Redick
Well, JJ, the ball is now in your court. After three wins, the Lakers are now the team that will have to make adjustments. The offense hasn’t looked good for six quarters now and that’s to speak nothing of the rampant turnover issues.
After scheming their way into big games for Kennard and Smart, the pair have been held in check the last couple of contests. The Lakers need them, so can JJ get them going again?
They’ll need to in order to finish off this series. Also, for the love of everything holy, stop having LaRavia bring the ball up the court.
HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 26: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers plays defense during the game against the Houston Rockets during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
You can’t fake desperation. The Rockets fought hard in Game 3, but lost and were down 3-0 entering Game 4. With their season on the line, Houston decided they’d rather head back to LA instead of clearing out their lockers as they demolished the Lakers, 115-96.
The Rockets got offensive contributions from their top players with Alperen Şengün finishing with 19 points and Amen Thompson with 23. What made this performance even more gutsy for Houston was that they won despite Kevin Durant not playing, as he remains out with a sprained ankle.
They showed some fight, earned a win with the kind of ease many expected from them before this series began.
Here are the biggest takeaways from the blowout loss…
Smoke and mirrors aren’t enough
So far, the Lakers have gotten unusual performances, and it’s led to wins. Luke Kennard scored 27 points in Game 1 and Marcus Smart had 25 in Game 2. In Game 3, the Rockets collapsed, and the Lakers won in overtime.
All of this was unexpected, admirable and inspiring. It’s also unsustainable.
I said after Game 3 that the second-half struggles felt like the Lakers' offense hitting the limit of their functionality w/o Luka & Austin. Ditto tonight. It's obviously not an argument for rushing either back, but rather indicative of a margin for error that keeps shrinking. AK
On Sunday, a hard dose of reality hit the Lakers. Los Angeles couldn’t get any threes off and when they took them, they bricked. They ended the night going 5-22 from deep.
LeBron James showed his age. He looked exhausted and sleptwalked through the game, ending the night with just 10 points on 2-9 shooting.
With few other options, the Lakers’ offense had no one else who could step up and produce, and the game essentially ended early in the second half.
This was an elimination game for Houston, and LA has shown it responds well to adversity and adjusts.
However, this offensive display was concerning, and even before this, they hadn’t exactly been elite in that department. Through three games, LA has an offensive rating of 110.3, which is middle of the pack in the playoffs. It hasn’t cost them a result until now. Hopefully, it’s not a precursor of what’s to come.
Lakers will get good center play in the postseason
One player who did have a good game until his night ended prematurely was Deandre Ayton. He was doing a great job in the pick-and-roll and had 10 rebounds and went 9-12 from the field, scoring 19 points.
BRONNY JAMES WITH THE PERFECTLY PLACED ALLEY-OOP TO DEANDRE AYTON FROM THE BASELINE! 💪
Throughout this series, there have been times when Lakers head coach JJ Redick has gone with Jaxson Hayes and pulled Ayton when he isn’t playing well. He did this in Game 2 when Hayes caught a nice groove in the fourth quarter and did it again late in the fourth in Game 3.
Redick also closed with Ayton in Game 1 and Game 3 in overtime, so it’s not like he isn’t using his starting big during big moments.
Ayton seemed frustrated with his role earlier this season, but he’s responded well afterward. In this series, he’s bounced back well from mediocre performances, and he did that again here in Game 4.
If the Lakers are going to win this series and make any kind of extended run, they’ll need Ayton. He is more skilled than Hayes and LA needs his size on the floor. Game 4 provided a template he can build on.
Unfortunately, his night ended early after his elbow to Şengün was deemed a flagrant 2, resulting in his ejection from the game. The good news is that he played well and Lakers fans know that even if Ayton has an off game, Redick can go to Hayes and can also trust that Ayton can handle it well and stay ready when his next opportunity comes.
So, no matter how things are going, Redick will have a viable option at the five spot in every game.
This wasn’t the case last year, and it was one of the many reasons they played only five playoff games. This year, they might once again play five games in the first round, but only because they can win this series on Wednesday.
Sharpen the saw before you chop wood
Phil Jackson liked a Zen saying that goes, “Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” This means that one must stay focused on the task at hand rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.
Well, I want to add to that and say that before you chop the wood, one must sharpen the sword. After three quarters of play, the Lakers trailed the Rockets 90-65. It was clear the game was over. Well, for everyone minus Redick.
As an ardent JJ defender, there's genuinely no reason for LeBron to be on the floor to start the fourth, let alone any of the other starters
Despite the clear blowout and loss in hand, he decided to still play his starters for one more shift in the fourth. I understand the desire to fight and the struggle to concede a game when 25% of the contest remains to be played.
However, this is a long battle and it’s not just about one game. LA was up 3-0 and clearly didn’t have it going to make it a sweep.
It would’ve been better and wiser to rest the guys and fight another day. Entering Game 4, LeBron, Kennard, and Rui Hachimura all averaged 41-plus minutes per game. This trio is in the top five for most minutes played in the playoffs.
If rest is available for them, Redick should’ve given it to them. Luckily, this loss didn’t also feature injury. If it did, Redick would’ve gotten torn to shreds, and it would’ve been justified.
Hopefully, the Lakers aren’t in another waive the white flag scenario this postseason, but if they are, it’d be nice if Redick gives the guys who’ve earned it a moment to get a breather.
HOUSTON — Amen Thompson scored 23 points, Tari Eason added 20 and the Houston Rockets avoided elimination with a 115-96 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference playoff series Sunday night.
Game 5 is Wednesday night in Los Angeles.
The Rockets got their first win in the series after falling into an 0-3 hole despite missing Kevin Durant for a third game thanks to a balanced scoring attack. Durant sat out a second straight game with a sprained left ankle after missing Game 1 with a bruised right knee.
Houston’s entire starting lineup scored at least 16 points with Alperen Sengun adding 19, Reed Sheppard 17 and Jabari Smith Jr. 16.
The Lakers were led by Deandre Ayton, who had 19 points and 10 rebounds before being ejected with about 5½ minutes left in the third quarter for a flagrant foul 2 on a hit to Sengun’s head. His output wasn’t nearly enough to allow the Lakers to close the series out on a night when LeBron James didn’t have his best game.
He had 10 points on 2-of-9 shooting with nine assists and eight turnovers before sitting with about 7½ minutes to go after scoring 19, 28 and 29 points in the first three games. But he wasn’t the only Laker who struggled. Los Angeles made just five 3-pointers after combining for 35 through the first three games.
James was 0 for 3 from long range, Marcus Smart missed both of his attempts and Luke Kennard was 0 for 3.
Houston looked good from the start in this one after squandering a six-point lead in the final 26 seconds of regulation in a devastating 112-108 overtime loss Friday night.
The Rockets led by nine at halftime and used a 12-4 run to start the third and make it 68-51 with about 8½ minutes to go in the quarter.
Sheppard had two 3-pointers in that stretch and Thompson added four points.
The Rockets led by 19 later in the quarter before going on a 9-3 run to end the quarter and push the lead to 90-65 entering the fourth.
Houston led by 23 with about 7½ minutes remaining when coach JJ Redick cleared the Lakers’ bench.
Ayton was ejected with about 5½ minutes left in the third quarter after receiving a flagrant foul 2 for hitting Sengun in the face with his elbow and forearm. The referee announcing the foul called the contact “unnecessary and excessive.”
Durant was on the bench Sunday night to support his team after he was absent Friday night because coach Ime Udoka said he was receiving treatment on his injured ankle.
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura and Houston guard Amen Thompson chase after the ball during the Lakers' loss in Game 4 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs Sunday. (Karen Warren / Associated Press)
The Lakers still have control of this first-round series, even after the blow they took from the Houston Rockets on Sunday night.
As ugly as their 115-96 loss was, the Lakers still hold a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference series.
All the Lakers have to do is win Game 5 on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena and they will advance to the second round.
But they will have to play better than they did in Game 4.
LeBron James, who played a stellar 45 minutes during the Lakers’ overtime win Friday night, wasn’t as spry. He had just 10 points, reaching double figures on a floater with 8:37 left and the Lakers down 26.
He was just two for nine from the field and he had eight turnovers. James also had nine assists and became the first player in NBA history to record 3,000 field goals in the playoffs.
Luke Kennard was quiet with seven points, and Marcus Smart had nine, both on three-for-eight shooting. Rui Hachimura had 13 points on six-for-10 shooting.
As James iced his knees in the locker room after the game, he said the Lakers can't afford to underestimate the Rockets.
“Hell naw, there is no such thing as being comfortable until a series is done,” James said. “Naw, none of us are.”
The bigger concern was the Lakers' inability to take care of the ball. They turned it over 24 times, their most in the series, and they've had 20 or more in three of the four games.
All of Houston's starters scored in double figures. Amen Thompson had 23 points and seven assists, and Alperen Sengun finished with 19 points and six rebounds.
But it was the Lakers' miscues that stood out the most.
“Obviously we know coming into the series we have to protect the ball and not have too many pick-sixes, which we did all night,” James said. “It started with me. Obviously my turnovers are unacceptable. But we’ll do a better job with that on Wednesday. We understand that offensive rebounds for them and pick-sixes is not going to be good for our ballclub. You give credit where credit is due. They won the game tonight.”
When the Lakers went down by 17 points in the third quarter on a Thompson basket that was part of Houston’s 12-4 run to open the frame, Lakers coach JJ Redick called a timeout to allow his players to collect themselves.
Lakers star LeBron James drives to the basket over Houston's Reed Sheppard, left, and Alperen Sengun during the first half Sunday. (Karen Warren / Associated Press)
It didn't help, as the Lakers' deficit swelled to 26 points.
It got harderfor the Lakers when Deandre Ayton was ejected midway through the quarter because of a flagrant foul for his left elbow striking Sengun on the side of the head.
Ayton was having one of his best games in the playoffs, bouncing back from two quiet efforts to post 19 points and 10 rebounds before he was ejected with 5:41 left in the third quarter.
“I was really just trying to brace for the contact with Sengun and we both are sweaty guys,” Ayton said. “I just slipped off his shoulder. My elbow hit him right there above the shoulder. It looked crazy on camera, but I’m not no guy who is a dirty player or who plays like that.”
Austin Reaves shot before the game in an attempt to play for the first time since being injured April 2 at Oklahoma City, and again he was downgraded from questionable to out because of a left oblique muscle strain.
In the end, the Lakers saw no need to rush Reaves back considering how they had dominated the series. Two days off before Game 5 will give Reaves more time to get healthy.
“It's fair to consider everything,” Redick said. “Austin and I had a conversation yesterday for a long time, and I think ultimately the athlete has to feel confidence, and that's always the final hurdle coming back from an injury, is the psychological component of it.”
For the Rockets, Kevin Durant missed his third game of the series because of a bone bruise in his sprained left ankle.
Lakers point guard Luka Doncic (Grade 2 left hamstring strain) continues to work out on the court, but there's no timetable for his return.
"[He] was able to move a little bit today on the court, which, you know, most of the stuff had been stand-still," Redick said. "So he's progressing, but no update on any timeline or anything like that.”
It seems like watching Rays baseball is all sunshine and rainbows when Tampa Bay isn’t playing an NL Central opponent, right?
The Rays are 11-1 against teams not hailing from the Senior Circuit, and are 5-10 against teams that do. In fact, the Rays went 1-2 against the Reds, Cubs, Pirates, Cardinals, and Brewers.
Now, on to the fun stuff.
Griffin Jax opened today, going 2.1 IP while striking out two and walking one. He allowed one hit.
Jesse Scholtens collected the win, with Cole Sulser grabbing a hold and save, respectively.
On the offensive front, Yandy Diaz continued his torrid April with another homer, Chandler Simpson swiped his ninth bag of the season, and Jake Fraley and Taylor walls both had doubles.
Jonathan Aranda also had a two-RBI single.
We do it again on Monday from the corner of Carnegie and Ontario (shoutout Guardians radio and Ford C. Frick award winner Tom Hamilton) where the Rays begin a quick three game road trip against Cleveland, with southpaws Steven Matz and Parker Messick toeing the slab.
Apr 26, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton (5) grabs a rebound during the first quarter against the Houston Rockets during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
On the heels of a grueling Game 3 win, the Lakers came out flat and were subsequently routed by the Rockets, 115-96.
From the jump, it was pretty clear the Lakers didn’t have the right level of effort and played as such throughout. LA turned the ball over a staggering 23 times with the Rockets tallying 17 steals and 30 points off turnovers.
On the possession where they didn’t turn it over, they weren’t connecting on outside shots, going only 5-22, including some garbage time makes. Across the board, it was a lackluster showing for the Lakers, who looked like a team eager to get back to LA and finish the series in Game 5.
Rui Hachimura and Reed Sheppard exchanged midrange jumpers to open the game. LA built a lead of five early, with Luke Kennard leading the team with three points. Three other starters had two points each. Houston had four players with two points.
At the 6:28 mark, Los Angeles was up by three.
LeBron James was now leading LA with six points with Kennard close behind with five. There were a lot of foul calls between the teams, with Los Angeles making seven of their nine free-throw attempts and Houston making three of four.
The purple and gold were up by three at the 3:53 mark.
After a quick four-point surge, the Rockets jumped ahead by one. A layup by Jake LaRavia put the Lakers back in the lead. Jaxson Hayes had rough minutes, picking up two fouls.
Houston retook the lead by five at the end of the first.
The Rockets lead the Lakers 26-21 after one quarter of play. LA's offense is nonexistent. They went 7-18 from the field and haven't made a three.
Jabari Smith Jr. further extended the Rockets’ lead by draining a triple to start the second period. The Lakers already had eight turnovers with Houston playing defense. The Rockets continued their desperate, strong play, extending their lead to 10.
LA was struggling from behind the arc, shooting 17%.
A sudden 10-3 scoring run found Los Angeles down by three, after Houston had built a lead as big as 10. Jake LaRavia, who had been having a tough series, had a much-needed six points off the bench.
Deandre Ayton had a strong quarter, scoring 12 points, trying to keep the Lakers close enough. At halftime, the Rockets had a nine-point lead.
The Rockets lead 57-46 at the half. Deandre Ayton is the only Laker who has it going. He went 7-9 from the field and has 15 points.
Amen Thompson started the third period with a layup for Houston. Sheppard then knocked down a triple to make it a quick 14-point lead.
LA missed all three of its shot attempts. Marcus Smart then stole the ball, and it led to a layup by Kennard. Sheppard then drained yet another triple in response.
The Rockets continued to play with serious desperation, overwhelming Los Angeles, who now found themselves down by 17. Ayton was the only saving grace for the Lakers as he was now up to 19 points after scoring another four points.
In a ridiculous turn of events, Ayton was ejected with 5:41 left after making contact with the back of Alperen Şengün’s head, which was deemed a Flagrant 2 foul.
Everything spiraled from there as the Lakers continued to turn the ball over and the Rockets kept making them pay, building their lead to 25 points at the end of the third.
LA did start the final frame a little better offensively with Jarred Vanderbilt notching four points, but the deficit was too large.
With 7:25 left, the Lakers waved the white flag. With 1:11 left, the ejections continued with Adou Thiero and Aaron Holiday getting tossed because it was important for everyone to remember the refs were the important part of this game.
Key Player Stats
LeBron finished with 10 points, four rebounds and nine assists but shot just 2-9 from the field and had eight turnovers. Ayton was the Lakers’ best player prior to his ejection, finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Hachimura pitched in with 13 points and three rebounds. Kennard ended with seven points and three rebounds. LaRavia scored six points off the bench.
Marcus Smart logged nine points with two rebounds, five assists, three steals and three blocks. Vanderbilt put up eight points largely in garbage time.
Game 4 will be on Sunday against the Houston Rockets at 6:30 PM PT.
Even with things looking bleak for the Mets after dropping both games of Sunday's doubleheader and getting swept by the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field, the team is still fighting for one another and will continue to do so until the very end.
Make no mistake, it's not good for New York who dropped to 10 games below .500 and whose offense continues to reel. However, instead of pointing fingers the players on the team say they're all on the same page and are pulling on the same rope while acknowledging they must be better.
"It’s not great. We gotta be better," said Brett Baty who went 0-for-7 on the day, including three strikeouts in Game 1. "We’re putting in the work, all the guys are working really hard. Personally, I’ve been taking a bunch of swings and trying to get going. At the end of the day we just gotta be better."
Everyone from the manager to the batboy knows the Mets have to be better. How they plan on doing that and turning their season around before things truly get out of hand is the real question.
The good news is New York does still have time.
Thanks to their abysmal stretch coming at the beginning of the season as opposed to the middle or the end of the season, the Mets have all summer to right the ship. They may never, but they're at least afforded the chance to try.
"I was just raised like you gotta put your head down and keep working hard," Baty said. "A lot of ball left to play. Our goal remains the same so put our head down and keep working hard."
It won't always be pretty, but the hope for New York is the players on the roster eventually play up to their capabilities -- some even up to their potential.
Sooner or later, perhaps when the weather gets warmer as its been an unseasonably cold spring in Queens, results will come.
"They’re good hitters," manager Carlos Mendoza said. "They’ve done it for a long time."
As for if the Mets, who saw a few long-time players leave town during the offseason, need a new voice in the clubhouse for guidance or leadership, Baty doesn't think so and believes the team has everything it needs to be successful right here already.
"I think we all have each other’s backs here and I think we all understand that we’re gonna keep working hard and we’re gonna have each other’s backs til the last day," he said.
With 1.3 seconds left in a decided game, Minnesota's Jaden McDaniels made a layup. That was well within the rules and nobody was going to get injured, but it violated an unwritten rule in the NBA — and Nikola Jokic took exception. Jokic sprinted down court (maybe the fastest he ran all game) to get in McDaniels' face, and there was a minor altercation. Jokic, as well as Minnesota's Julius Randle, were ejected.
Tensions were high at the end of Game 4 between the Nuggets and Timberwolves
Both Nikola Jokic and Julius Randle were ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct. pic.twitter.com/U7Pg8ULO1J
On Sunday, the league came down and fined Jokic $50,000 for instigating the incident and Randle for escalating it. From the league's release announcing the fines:
"Jokic initiated the incident by confronting and shoving Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels. Randle escalated the incident by forcefully inserting himself into the scrum and shoving Nuggets guard-forward Bruce Brown."
Neither player was suspended, and both will play in Game 5 on Monday in Denver. The league also chose not to fine several players who left their bench area during the altercation, a group that included Aaron Gordon and Jonas Valančiūnas.
The Timberwolves lead the series 3-1, and it may be frustration over that — and the fact that Rudy Gobert has played fantastic defense on Jokic and made him work for everything — that led Jokic to confront McDaniels that way. Denver needs to win three straight to advance, a tall task, but Minnesota lost starters Anthony Edwards (knee bone bruise) and Donte DiVincenzo (torn Achilles) in Game 4.
While the Pittsburgh Penguins are in the midst of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at the NHL level, both of the team's affiliates are beginning their own post-season runs.
And for the Penguins' ECHL affiliate, things have gotten off to a great start.
On Friday, the Wheeling Nailers began their first-round semifinal series in the Kelly Cup Playoffs at home against the Reading Royals - ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh's first-round opponent - and they won Games 1 and 2 on back-to- back days to go ahead in the series, 2-0. They won by a score of 4-0 on Friday - with Taylor Gauthier earning the shutout - and a score of 5-1 on Saturday.
According to THN - ECHL editor Samantha Wismer, Game 1 was a very physical affair, with several misconducts handed out at the end of the game. The scoring didn't begin until the second period, when forward Zach Urdahl took a pass from defenseman Emil Pieniniemi and put it home to give the Nailers a 1-0 lead - with Gauthier registering the secondary assist. Later in the period, Urdahl struck shorthanded as well, putting his team up, 2-0.
Forward Max Graham added a tally in the third period, and captain Matthew Quercia tacked on the empty-netter to give Wheeling the 4-0 win before the extracurriculars at the end, which involved six misconduct penalties split between the two teams. Gauthier stopped all 20 Reading shots he faced, and Quercia finished with two points.
As for Game 2, Reading dominated early on, as they outshot Wheeling 14-5 in the first period. But the Nailers came away with the only goal in the first, as Quercia scored early in the opening frame to give Wheeling the 1-0 lead.
Things opened up for the Nailers in the second period, however. Ryan McAllister was the first to tack on, and Matty St. Phalle followed suit later on in the middle frame. Reading's Alec Butcher scored the team's lone goal late in the period to cut the Wheeling lead to 3-1, but that was the closest they would come to tying things up.
Blake Bennett tallied one in the third period for the Nailers before a Craig Armstrong empty-net goal to seal the 5-1 victory. Gauthier stopped 32 of 33 Royals' shots, giving him a staggering .981 save percentage through the first two games.
NEW YORK — Denver’s Nikola Jokic was fined $50,000 and Minnesota’s Julius Randle was fined $35,000 for their roles in an altercation near the end of Game 4 of the teams’ playoff series, the NBA announced Sunday.
Both will be eligible to play when the series resumes Monday with Game 5 in Denver.
The incident was evidently sparked when Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels took an uncontested layup with 2.1 seconds left and the Timberwolves already leading by 14 — a play the Nuggets took exception to, given how the game had been decided.
Jokic, the NBA said, “initiated the incident by confronting and shoving” McDaniels in reaction to that play. Randle, the league said, “escalated the incident by forcefully inserting himself into the scrum and shoving Nuggets guard-forward Bruce Brown.”
Jokic and Randle were assessed technical fouls and ejected from the game.
“He scored when we’d stopped playing,” Jokic said. “You guys saw what happened.”
The teams are meeting in the postseason for the third time in the last four years. Minnesota leads the series 3-1, but will be without guard Donte DiVincenzo for the rest of the season because of a torn Achilles and will be without fellow guard Anthony Edwards indefinitely because of a knee injury. DiVincenzo and Edwards both got hurt on Saturday.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 26: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots a three point basket during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer season standings: Tyrese Maxey – 23.5 VJ Edgecombe – 16 Joel Embiid – 11.5 Paul George – 8 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 5 Justin Edwards – 4 Andre Drummond – 3 Quentin Grimes – 3 Jared McCain :’( – 3 Dominick Barlow – 2 MarJon Beauchamp – 2 Adem Bona – 1 Porter Martone – 1 Cam Payne – 1 Jabari Walker – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
The Celtics put the Sixers on the brink of elimination with a 128-96 victory on Sunday, claiming a 3-1 series lead as the teams head back to Boston for Game 5.
The Celtics three-point barrage was firing on all cylinders and their defensive gameplan all but suffocated the Sixers in the first half. By the time the Sixers found an offensive rhythm, the Celtics were hitting threes consistently, with most of the damage coming off the bench. Payton Pritchard notched a game-high six threes and 32 points.
There was not much to sort through for Bell Ringer-worthy performances.
The big fella is the Bell Ringer tonight with a clear case over everyone else. The Celtics came out with a defensive intensity for which most of the Sixers were not ready. It just so happens the man just a little over two weeks removed from an appendectomy was able to withstand Boston’s energy and produce on the offensive end.
He opened the game immediately attacking Neemias Queta and drawing two early fouls to force him to the bench. He notched the team’s first field goal converting a transition dunk following a Paul Goerge steal and continued playing forcefully against Nikola Vucevic tallying the first eight points for the Sixers in his return.
Unfortunately, everywhere Embiid looked for help on offense, he got none. That is, at least for the first half, as Tyrese Maxey did spring to life offensively in the second half after only taking three shots by halftime. Paul George went 2-for-7 from the field in the first half, and VJ Edgecombe continued to struggle from deep. Embiid’s ability to draw fouls and his gravity were the only sources of offense for long stretches. By halftime, the Sixers had only 38 points.
In the third, the Sixers began hitting shots but were unable to get stops on the other end. Embiid found his touch from the midrange and even hit a straight ahead three-pointer. He went 6-for-11 from the field in the second half and theoretically shook off the rust. Despite the poor shooting night from the team, Embiid corralled only two offensive rebounds, and did not provide enough of a barrier to the Celtics’ persistent offensive rebounding.
Given it was his first game back, and that he played 34 minutes, it was a commendable outing for Embiid. However, a more polished performance may be the only thing to keep the Sixers from elimination.
Slater, 33, owned a .460 OPS in 11 games with the Marlins this season before his release.
Pham, 38, was 0-for-13 at the plate in a part-time role after arriving on a minor league deal.
As the starting left fielder in Game 1 of Sunday’s doubleheader, he went 0-for-2 and did not appear in the nightcap. The Mets lost 3-1 and 3-0 to the Rockies.
Nolan McLean was “pretty happy” with his start Sunday, but it was hardly his cleanest outing of the season.
The Mets rookie worked into the sixth inning in Game 1 of Sunday’s doubleheader but never recorded an out before he was removed with the bases loaded in the team’s 3-1 loss to the Rockies.
The Rockies also produced traffic in the fourth, driving up McLean’s pitch count. Overall, he allowed two runs, one unearned, on five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. He threw 91 pitches.
Tommy Pham returns to the dugout after striking out during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Chicago. AP
“I thought my stuff was in a good spot,” McLean said. “I am pretty happy with the outing. There was some traffic there in a couple of innings, but I felt I did a good job.”
It was the team’s fourth straight loss in a game started by McLean, who has yet to surrender more than three earned runs in an outing this season. The right-hander owns a 2.55 ERA in his six starts.
Is there added pressure knowing the room for error might be minuscule given this struggling lineup?
“The way we see it in the clubhouse, it’s just any minute now,” McLean said. “We look at the lineup going out there each day and we know how hard they are working. It’s just a matter of time. We know how good these players are.”
Jorge Polanco has begun running and hitting off a tee in his rehab from a right wrist contusion. Polanco is also dealing with right Achilles bursitis that has been an ongoing issue since the opening weekend of the season. Polanco is under evaluation on a week-to-week basis, according to manager Carlos Mendoza.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With runners on second and third, Lane Thomas delivered a three-run homer in the 10th inning to lift the Kansas City Royals over the Los Angeles Angels 11-9 and sweep the series.
It was Thomas’ first home run of the season and the first walk-off RBI of his career.
Joey Lucchesi (0-1) took the loss, facing four batters in the final frame. Lucas Erceg (2-1) earned the win.
The Angels held a 7-4 lead when the game was delayed in the bottom of the seventh for severe weather. The Royals had two on and no outs with Bobby Witt Jr. at bat. It resumed after one hour and 29 minutes, and the Royals tacked on one run with a sacrifice fly to center by Vinnie Pasquantino.
Salvador Perez pushed another run across in the top of the ninth, and Jac Caglianone, who entered the game as a reserve in the eighth inning, tied the score with a two-out, two-run homer that landed just inside the right-field foul pole.
Angels shortstop Zach Neto led off the game with a single and scored on a two-run homer by Mike Trout. The home run moved Trout into first place in franchise history with his 797th career extra-base hit.
Neto struck again in the second with an RBI double, and Adam Frazier added another in the four-run inning.
The Royals got on the board in the fifth with an RBI single from Isaac Collins and Witt’s two-run homer in the sixth. Angels starter Reid Detmers was replaced after walking the next batter. He allowed five hits and three runs in five-plus innings.
Royals starter Seth Lugo allowed 14 hits and seven runs in 6 1/3 innings.
Up next
The Angels head to Chicago, where RHP José Soriano (5-0, 0.24 ERA) will face RHP Davis Martin (3-1, 2.01) of the White Sox on Tuesday.
The Royals open a three-game series in Sacramento, where LHP Kris Bubic (2-1, 4.08) will face RHP Aaron Civale (2-1, 3.86) on Tuesday.
