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The first round of the playoffs can be somewhat of a formality, regardless of the sport. The NBA Playoffs, however, have provided a little spice early on in recent postseasons.

We’ve recently watched lower-seeded squads burn their opening round opponents and make a deep run, like Miami in 2023, Dallas in 2024, and Minnesota last year.

The 2026 NBA Playoff bracket is top-heavy, with the Top 2 seeds in the East and West boasting a significant gap between them and the rest of the field. But that doesn’t mean everything will go according to plan, as my NBA Playoff upset predictions and underdog rankings explain.

With the Play-In Tournament tipping off his week, my NBA picks size up the teams seeded No. 5 through No. 10 in each conference and their “spice” level based on a potential first-round upset possibility.

No. 5 Seeds

Toronto Raptors: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

The Toronto Raptors (+425 series price) draw the Cleveland Cavaliers in the opening round. Toronto did beat Cleveland in all three matchups, but those came before the calendar flipped to 2026.

The Raptors have a solid defense, but may not have the scoring punch to keep pace with the Cavs’ superstars and size. 

The health of PG Immanuel Quickley is a biggest question. Without him, it makes Scottie Barnes a ball-handler and dulls his scoring punch.

Toronto needs all the points it can produce if this series turns into a shootout.

Houston Rockets (via L.A. Lakers): 🌶️

Tough to call the No. 5 Houston Rockets a “spicy” upset pick when they’re -750 series favorites against the fourth-seeded L.A. Lakers. Houston faces an injury-gutted Los Angeles squad and whatever is left of LeBron James.

Instead, I measure the Lakers’ chances of advancing without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Maybe L.A. gets one game. Maybe. And that’s giving LeBron a lot of credit.

No. 6 Seeds

Atlanta Hawks: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

If the NBA postseason was an episode of “Hot Ones,” the Atlanta Hawks would be Da Bomb Beyond Insanity sauce, an almost chemical aroma that floods the senses with pain and confusion. 

The Hawks’ “Three and D” style has a similar effect and is made for postseason upsets, especially when that opponent is the inconsistent New York Knicks.

Atlanta went 1-2 versus New York, but those losses were both decided by three points. There’s a reason the Hawks are the shortest Round 1 underdog at +230 to win the series.

Minnesota Timberwolves: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Not that Anthony Edwards lacked confidence, but an underdog with hope is a dangerous one.

The Minnesota Timberwolves (+270) aren’t afraid of the Denver Nuggets, not after knocking out Denver in 2024 and advancing to the West finals in back-to-back years.

The T-Wolves are healthy, and if the Nuggets can’t tighten the bolts defensively, every game is a coin-flip in a shootout series.

No. 7 Seeds

Philadelphia 76ers: 🌶️🌶️

The Philadelphia 76ers will start the postseason without Joel Embiid after an appendectomy last week. Two to four weeks is the normal recovery time.

The Sixers play Orlando in the Play-In and would take on either Detroit or Boston in the opening round.

With Embiid healthy, spicy Philly would require a glass of milk. Without him, it barely burns the lips.

Phoenix Suns: 🌶️

The Phoenix Suns play the Portland Trail Blazers in the Play-In Tournament, which is a tough draw considering how well Portland is playing. Should it survive the Play-In, Phoenix will face either OKC or San Antonio.

The Suns have a combined 4-5 SU record versus the best in the West, but don’t have the size to counter those foes through seven games.

No. 8 Seeds

Orlando Magic: 🌶️🌶️

The Orlando Magic left a bad taste in our mouths by botching the season finale against Boston’s skeleton squad, dropping to the No. 8 spot in the East. That means Orlando travels to Philadelphia in the Play-In opener.

The Magic aren’t particularly great at one area, and mental toughness as well as coaching is a major blemish.

Portland Trail Blazers: 🌶️🌶️

Do I think Portland can knock off OKC or San Antonio? No. Are they a pain in the ass to play? For sure.

The Trail Blazers bring momentum (10-5 SU last 15 games) and a pesky defense (No. 1 defensive rating in that span) into the postseason, facing Phoenix in the Play-In opener. 

No. 9 Seeds

Charlotte Hornets: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

The Charlotte Hornets need two wins to get to the playoffs, opening versus Miami at home in the Play-In.

The Hornets were 18-9 SU after the break, have a solid record versus .500+ teams, and are just young and dumb enough to give Detroit a scare. 

Charlotte owned the No. 2 offensive rating in the second half of the season.

Los Angeles Clippers: 🌶️

The Los Angeles Clippers went 19-30 against teams with records of .500 or above, including losing all three meetings with Oklahoma City. 

Los Angeles earned the No. 9 seed by feasting on mild opponents down the stretch and hasn’t scored a win worth a damn in a month.

No. 10 Seeds

Miami Heat: 🌶️

Regardless of the nickname, the Miami Heat are about as mild as “Taco Tuesday” at the Old Folks Home.

Miami has five wins in its last 15 games and two of those came against Washington. The Heat have hemorrhaged 127.5 points per game in that span.

Golden State Warriors: 🌶️

The Golden State Warriors’ motivation level sits somewhere between “trip to the dentist” and “attending your co-workers improv show.” 

Draymond Green doesn’t want to be here, and Steve Kerr’s biggest concern is keeping Stephen Curry healthy for a final 48 minutes.

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Time has run out for NBA players hoping to bolster their cases to win MVP, Rookie of the Year, and a variety of other awards now that the regular season has concluded.

While reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is expected to win the league’s highest individual honor for a second time, the Rookie of the Year race has become one of the most-followed stories in sports.

Key Takeaways

• Gilgeous-Alexander is favored to win his second straight MVP after his team took the #1 seed in the West for the second consecutive season.
  
  
• Victor Wembanyama for Defensive Player of the Year is the largest favorite in any market.
  
  
• NBA players are not eligible for regular-season awards if they didn’t meet the 65-minimum game requirement (barring extreme circumstances).

Gilgeous-Alexander won the MVP last year while averaging 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, and 5.0 rebounds for the 68-14 Oklahoma City Thunder en route to a seven-game victory in the NBA Finals. He followed that up with 31.1 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.3 rebounds on a remarkable 55.3% shooting as his team finished atop the Western Conference for the second year running.

The 27-year-old’s excellence has given him a 95% chance to win the NBA MVP, according to users at the top prediction app Kalshi.

Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) and Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs) are both listed with 3% chances despite having remarkable seasons of their own.

While Wembanyama does not appear to be much of a threat to take Derrick Rose’s title as the youngest NBA MVP in history, he is a near shoo-in to win the Defensive Player of the Year. Kalshi lists him at 99% and everyone else at less than 1% to win the award.

The Rookie of the Year leaves the most intrigue for fans and voters. First-overall pick Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks) sits at a 53% chance, and his former roommate at Duke, Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets), is at 42%. 

Flagg appeared to have lost his grip on the race when he was sidelined by an injury for nearly a month from early February into March. However, 51 and 45-point scoring nights at the start of April made him the favorite again. He finished the year averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. 

Knueppel, the fourth pick in the draft, was the favorite as recently as April 5. He finished the season with the most made threes in the NBA and a stat line of 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. He also missed just one game and was a driving force in the revitalization of the Hornets franchise.

While no other player received more than 1% chance to win the award, Kalshi believes there is a 6% chance that the vote will end in a tie. That hasn’t happened since 1999-00 and only occurred three times in NBA history, and it would result in Flagg and Knueppel being declared co-winners.

More NBA awards battles

The NBA attempts to highlight players who showed the most growth during the season by offering them the Most Improved Player award. Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker soared in the market over the last month, moving from a 3% chance on March 14 to his current mark of 86%. Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren is second at 13%, and Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija is third at 2%.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Alexander-Walker’s cousin, is favored to win Clutch Player of the Year along with the MVP. He does not currently have an opponent with even a 1% chance.

The Spurs are shaping up to be the only team to have different players win individual regular-season awards, as Keldon Johnson is the frontrunner for the Sixth Man of the Year at Kalshi. Like Alexander-Walker, his 90% chance to claim the honor represents an enormous growth from the 15.4% chance he was given exactly one month ago. Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Miami Heat) is his only real competition at 6%.

Boston Celtics boss Joe Mazzulla is making a late surge to win Coach of the Year, climbing from 24% just one week ago to his current mark of 77%. Meanwhile, the Detroit Pistons’ J.B. Bickerstaff is at 26% despite leading the market at 61% two days ago.

All-league team chances

The All-NBA and All-Defensive teams are difficult to parse since there is overlap between the possible teams, whereas individual awards only yield one winner and a field of losers.

At the time of writing, these are the players and probabilities for the All-NBA and All-Defensive teams:

All-NBA First Team

• Nikola Jokic - 99%
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - 99%
• Victor Wembanyama - 99%
• Jaylen Brown - 94%
• Luka Doncic - 70%

All-NBA Second Team

• Jalen Brunson - 96%
• Jalen Johnson - 87%
• Kawhi Leonard - 87%
• Donovan Mitchell - 82%
• Kevin Durant - 71%

All-NBA Third Team

• Tyrese Maxey - 68%
• Karl-Anthony Towns - 67%
• Jalen Duren - 51%
• Stephon Castle - 16%
• Alperen Sengun - 15%

All-Defensive First Team

• Victor Wembanyama - 99%
• Chet Holmgren - 96%
• Ausar Thompson - 76%
• Rudy Gobert - 66%
• Scottie Barnes - 66%

All-Defensive Second Team

• Derrick White - 58%
• Bam Adebayo - 42%
• Dyson Daniels - 39%
• OG Anunoby - 26%
• Donovan Clingan/Evan Mobley - 20%

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The cruelness of social media knows no bounds, so when the Pacers posted a photo of Tyrese Haliburton on Friday night seemingly everyone was there to make jokes about his weight.

Tyrese Haliburton fit check 👀 pic.twitter.com/Gq1cPaMseh

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) April 11, 2026

From Nutty Professor jokes, to quips about how he had been “eating good,” there was no shortage of people noticing that Haliburton bulked up while being sidelined with the ruptured achilles that took the Pacers’ point guard of Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, and has kept him from playing this entire season.

Haliburton revealed on Monday why he’s gained weight, and it’s a lesson in why you shouldn’t get Twitter fingers too quickly and blast someone without knowing the whole story.

#Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton “lost part my eyebrow” due to face shingles:

“I’ve been taking unbelievable amounts of medication to try to get rid of it. It hasn’t worked. It’s obviously caused me to gain weight … That’s been a topic of conversation through social media …” pic.twitter.com/nRSpgnzjm6

— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) April 13, 2026

Shingles is a ludicrously painful illness caused by a reactivation of the dormant chickenpox virus. It leads to incredibly painful rashes, complete with blisters. Shingles which appear on the face are considered to be both the most serious, and the most painful due to the amount of facial nerves which are affected.

The best treatment is to receive the shingles vaccine, but if that is not possible, a regimen of antiviral medications is often prescribed, as is corticosteroid therapy. These topical steroids are designed to reduce inflammation, but can also cause swelling. As for why he lost part of his eyebrow, that could be caused due to the rashes and blistering.

Here’s hoping Tyrese feels better soon, because this is an awful.

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Adam Silver has gotten two things right in his tenure as NBA commissioner. He pointed out Donald Sterling was a racist, and he created the Play-In Tournament.

This week’s six games are an absolute joy, though if you ask Portland Trail Blazers fans or Phoenix Suns fans on Tuesday, they may say this is pure agony.

My Trail Blazers vs. Suns predictions and NBA picks bet on one of the NBA’s most irrationally confident players on Tuesday, April 14.

Trail Blazers vs Suns prediction

Trail Blazers vs Suns best bet: Dillon Brooks Over 19.5 points (+102)

Kevin Durant was right. His worst year is better than Dillon Brooks’s best year, but that does not mean the Phoenix Suns’ biggest acquisition for trading away Durant is going to shy away from this moment. Frankly, Dillon Brooks’s delusional confidence is his most redeeming trait, though also and obviously his most infuriating one.

The Portland Trail Blazers should devote Jrue Holiday to slowing Devin Booker as much as possible. That will move the ball into Brooks’s hands more often.

Phoenix needs either Brooks or Jalen Green to complement Booker to pull off this upset and avoid the Oklahoma City Thunder. Portland is more likely to let Brooks get an advantage than Green.

That is to effectively say, betting on Phoenix’s third option is both the best bet and the Suns’ best approach to winning this game.

In a few respects, the greatest concern with Brooks may be foul trouble. And if Phoenix advances, Brooks’s worst habit will undoubtedly rear its ugly head, but that usually comes once well into a series, as tensions run highest. A one-game format lessens that concern.

Trail Blazers vs Suns same-game parlay

Devin Booker is too pure a scorer not to pour in some buckets in a game of this import, hence Portland presumably needing to devote Jrue Holiday to the Suns’ franchise cornerstone. And that is part of why Brooks should score, though partly at Green’s expense. In a very real way, every leg of this one-sided same-game parlay is correlated.

Trail Blazers vs Suns SGP

• Dillon Brooks Over 19.5 points
• Jalen Green Under 18.5 points
• Devin Booker Over 26.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Suns don't set

To put this simply, if the Suns’ point distribution breaks down like this, then Phoenix is in a great position to win this Play-In game with ease. Adding the -4 to this same-game parlay should not raise it 73%.

This is what makes the Suns just dangerous enough. They may be devoid of stars aside from Booker, a year after having too many stars to function, but Phoenix still has an array of backcourt scoring to worry just about anybody in the NBA, particularly for one game.

Trail Blazers vs Suns SGP

• Dillon Brooks Over 19.5 points
• Jalen Green Under 18.5 points
• Devin Booker Over 26.5 points
• Suns -4

Trail Blazers vs Suns odds

• Spread: Trail Blazers +4 | Suns -4
• Moneyline: Trail Blazers +145 | Suns -170
• Over/Under: Over 218 | Under 218

Trail Blazers vs Suns betting trend to know

Phoenix went 23-17-1 against the spread at home this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Trail Blazers vs. Suns.

How to watch Trail Blazers vs Suns

Trail Blazers vs Suns latest injuries

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The Lakers got a taste of a playoff atmosphere against the Houston Rockets only a month ago. They can recreate the moment again, this time with real postseason stakes, but the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference will be missing a key component from those thrilling wins.

Luka Doncic, still getting specialized treatment in Europe for his Grade 2 left hamstring strain, is a long shot to return during the first round of the playoffs, which begin Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at Crypto.com Arena.

Between Doncic and Austin Reaves, who is out with a Grade 2 left oblique strain, the Lakers have lost their two leading scorers and an average of 56.8 points per game. They lost the No. 3 seed. But by finishing the season with three consecutive wins to maintain home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, they haven’t lost their fight.

Read more:Lakers beat Jazz in finale, will host play-in game against Timberwolves

They'll need it against the Rockets.

“The playoffs, to me, are all about resiliency,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “... You're playing one opponent in the playoffs and there's a bunch of things that are gonna happen, some good, some bad. You may get down in a series. You may get down in the game, you may get down in the game on the road. And just, you have to play with resiliency.”

Here’s how the teams match up:

Key team stats

Lakers

Record: 53-29

Offensive rating (OFF RTG): 117.0 (10th)

Defensive rating (DEF RTG):115.5 (20th)

Net Rating (NET RTG)*: 1.5 (14th)

Rockets

Record: 52-30

Offensive Rating (OFF RTG): 117.5 (8th)

Defensive Rating (DEF RTG): 112.1 (6th)

Net Rating (NET RTG)*: 5.4 (6th)

(*Net rating subtracts defensive rating from offensive rating for a projected margin of victory.)

Players to watch

Lakers

LeBron James: 20.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 7.2 apg, 51.5 fg%/31.7 3-pt. fg%/73.7 ft%

Deandre Ayton: 12.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1 bpg, 67 fg%/64.5% ft%

Marcus Smart: 9.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.0 apg, 39.5 fg%/33.1 3-pt. fg%/82.2 ft%

Rockets

Kevin Durant: 26 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 4.8 apg, 52 fg%/41.3 3-pt. fg%/87.4 ft%

Alperen Sengun: 20.4 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 6.2 bpg, 51.9 fg%/30.5 3-pt. fg%/69.1 ft%

Amen Thompson: 18.3 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 5.3 apg, 53.4 fg%/77.9 ft%

How the Lakers fared

Season Series: 2-1

Dec. 25, 2025, in Los Angeles

Rockets 119, Lakers 96

The Rockets looked like a championship-contending team early in the season behind the generational rebounding force of Sengun and Steven Adams. They bullied the Lakers in a nationally televised, Christmas Day showcase, and to add injury to insult, Reaves re-aggravated a calf injury that kept him out for six weeks.

Read more:'Mr. 82.' How Jake LaRavia became the injury-plagued Lakers' iron man

March 16, in Houston

Lakers 100, Rockets 92

Part of their season-long nine-game winning streak, the Lakers came back from a 10-point third-quarter deficit behind 36 points, six rebounds and four assists from Doncic. The Rockets committed 24 turnovers, a season-high for a Lakers opponent, including seven turnovers from Durant. The Rockets were without Sengun, who missed the game with low back pain.

March 18, in Houston

Lakers 124, Rockets 116

Doncic and James combined for 70 points to lead the Lakers to their seventh consecutive win. Doncic scored 40 with 10 assists and nine rebounds while James was 13 for 14 from the field, including an alley-oop dunk from Doncic with 1:22 remaining that contributed to a 13-2 Lakers run that put the game away. While the Lakers were one of the league’s best in clutch time — going 22-8 in games within five points in the last five minutes — the Rockets were 16th with a 22-23 clutch time record.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Toronto Raptors might look like one of the worst matchups for the Cleveland Cavaliers based on the sweep they conducted, but there are a lot of asterisks at play.

For one, the starting lineups they used in those games aren’t exactly the ones we’ll be seeing when the series starts next week.

#Cavs starting lineups in their matchups vs. TOR
Oct. 31 – Evan Mobley, De'Andre Hunter, Dean Wade, Jaylon Tyson & Lonzo Ball
Nov. 13 – Donovan Mitchell, Sam Merill, Hunter, Mobley & Jarrett Allen (5th game in 7 nights)
Nov. 24 – Mitchell, Ball, Tyson, Mobley & Larry Nance Jr.

— Danny Cunningham (@RealDCunningham) April 13, 2026

The main talking point is that the Cavaliers were sending out makeshift lineups against Toronto. However, something that is not attached to this sentiment, as far as I have seen, is that this was going to be brought up no matter who Cleveland’s first-round opponent was.

The Cavaliers have donned 41 unique lineups in 82 games this season. These changes weren’t inspired by testing out different methodology. The Cavaliers have been snake bitten by the injury bug for the entirety of the regular season. Even on the opening tip in October, they started the season without Darius Garland and Max Strus.

The wave of injuries continued throughout the whole season. Mitchell is the Cavaliers’ so-called “iron man” with 70 games played. The fluctuation has impacted this roster from top to bottom.

The greater point is less about the Cavaliers against the Raptors individually as there is no basis to go off of, and more so how that the Cavaliers are arguably the biggest question mark of any team in the postseason.

It is hard to figure out what a fully healthy version of the Cavaliers looks like. Especially one that has undergone the personnel changes the Cavaliers did at the deadline. Whether it’s swapping James Harden in for Garland, Dennis Schroeder and Keon Ellis for Lonzo Ball and De’Andre Hunter, or even Jaylon Tyson or Max Strus at the three, the Cavaliers have a ton of open-ended questions that were never cemented in certainty.

The postseason is usually when a team commits to what has worked and sticks true to this identity made over 82 games. The Cavs don’t have that luxury.

The Cavaliers had just two five-man lineups that played at least 80 minutes together. One of them involves two players not currently with the team. Even the most used lineup isn’t available for the playoffs.

It makes the Cavaliers a blank canvas, unlike anything we’ve seen in recent years. Usually, it is that a team is hampered by injuries by the time the postseason rolls around. Look at the Lakers, they are starting a series possibly without two of their best three players on the team in Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. The Cavaliers are actually at their healthiest at the most optimal time; we just don’t know how good they can be.

We’ll soon find out whether they can reach their ceiling as title contenders or if their lack of continuity will cause them to falter.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

With Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves out to start their postseason run, the Lakers won’t have many believers.

The team has relied on LeBron James, who has had some remarkable games and helped LA earn a top-four seed in the West. Still, those victories were against play-in teams like the Warriors and Suns, who were resting players as their postseason positions in the West were solidified.

Now that the Lakers are playing a legitimate team trying to win, stacking victories won’t be easy.

In our national SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we asked fans which top-four seed had the best chance to be knocked out of the first round and the Lakers were the clear winner.

No other team is dealing with injuries as severe as the Lakers. With their top two players out, generating enough offense to keep up with the best in the West will be an uphill battle for the purple and gold.

The good news is that Reaves and Dončić are not ruled out for the playoffs. In fact, Luka has spent time in Spain working to accelerate the recovery of his hamstring strain. While Dončić is doing everything possible to get better and his attempt to return is commendable, it can also be concerning.

He’s dealt with hamstring injuries throughout his career, including earlier this season. The last thing anyone wants is for him to return too soon and make his injury worse.

So, we also asked Lakers fans if they were worried or excited about Dončić potentially returning this postseason.

The Lakers were in a similar situation with Anthony Davis back in 2021. He got hurt in the middle of their first round matchup against the Suns with a groin strain. AD pushed himself and came back for Game 6. However, he was very hobbled and couldn’t even complete the first quarter, ending his night early as the Lakers were eliminated.

A scenario where the Lakers not only lose in the first round but Luka gets even more injured would be awful.

The Lakers’ medical staff will have to be 100% certain Luka’s good to go and not be influenced by what the first round series win total looks like. If Luka can play great, but there’s no need to push like a title is on the line. Dončić is the future of this franchise, and his health shouldn’t be jeopardized for minimal benefit in the present.

For now, it’s all about recovery for Luka as the postseason begins and we see if he’ll get a chance to play.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

Almost as soon as the 2025-26 NBA regular season officially ended, Kendrick Perkins made sure everybody knew he kept the receipts for Bill Simmons.

The former NBA player who's now a prominent commentator in ESPN's coverage of the league sent out a reminder via social media at 2:10 a.m. on Monday, April 13, that he was right about the Toronto Raptors and Simmons – the former ESPN personality who founded The Ringer website and podcast network, hosts "The Bill Simmons Podcast," and wrote "The Book of Basketball," – was wrong.

This particular feud between Perkins and Simmons dates back to June 2025 when Perkins posted a video in which he called Simmons a "fool," among other things, after apparent criticism Simmons had levied against Perkins for predicting the Raptors would be a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference during the 2025-26 season. Simmons, at the time, offered to put a "wager" on Perkins' take.

GIANNIS: Opens up about frustrations, future with Bucks

Well, the Raptors will be the No. 5 seed and face the No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers when the Eastern Conference playoffs begin this weekend.

Perkins didn't forget about Simmons' proposition for a bet. It's unclear if either side actually agreed to terms prior to Perkins resurfacing their original back-and-forth on Monday.

"Somebody tell @BillSimmons he can just make a donation to my non profit that’s for the youth in our communities that are less fortunate," Perkins wrote on his X account over the original tweet exchange with Simmons.

Somebody tell @BillSimmons he can just make a donation to my non profit that’s for the youth in our communities that are less fortunate https://t.co/wTpp9b7Mod

— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) April 13, 2026

Perkins, 41, played 14 seasons in the NBA, including the first eight years of his career with the Boston Celtics. Simmons, 56, is an unabashed Boston sports fan who came to national prominence as a columnist at ESPN beginning in the early 2000s, including a two-year stint as an analyst on ESPN's NBA Countdown show.

"I don't know who anointed you the preacher or king or the head honcho of basketball, of the way things need to be. What have you done? Have you ever played?" Perkins said to Simmons in his initial video posted to social media on June 26, 2025. "... You feel like you're sitting on this throne. You got in your feelings because I feel like the Toronto Raptors are going to be a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference this upcoming season? So? That wasn't a crazy take or anything to that nature. It's a real thing, fool."

Simmons wrote back to Perkins in June he was, "honored that you sat in a car for 2+ minutes to scold me on your iPhone like this, even though we are a combined age of like 92. If you actually think Toronto will be top-6 in the East in anything other than 'most fun place to visit' – let’s wager on it ASAP."

Perkins was ready to collect just as soon as the NBA regular season concluded.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kendrick Perkins revives Bill Simmons feud over NBA, Raptors 'wager'

The 2026 NBA playoffs are upon us.

As of this moment, 20 teams are still alive for a shot at the Larry O’Brien trophy. However, eight of those teams still have some work to do before their playoff journeys can begin in earnest. Things kick off on Tuesday with the Play-In Tournament, as four teams in the Eastern Conference, and four teams in the Western Conference, vie for the final two spots in each conference.

Here is the schedule for the Play-In Tournament as well as the First Round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs. And be warned, if you want to watch all the games, you better have Prime Video.

Here’s the final bracket for the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Remember, the NBA does not reseed.

Eastern Conference Play-In

The Eastern Conference Play-In tournament gets things going on Tuesday, April 15. The Miami Heat and the Charlotte Hornets square off in the first game, with the loser eliminated from postseason contention. The winner will take on the loser of Wednesday’s game between No. 8 Orlando and No. 7 Philadelphia, with the winner of that game securing the No. 7 seed in the East.

The loser of that second game will drop to the No. 8 spot.

All times Eastern.

No. 10 Miami Heat at No. 9 Charlotte Hornets: Tuesday, April 14 (7:30 p.m., Prime Video)
Loser eliminated

No. 8 Orlando Magic at No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers: Wednesday, April 15 (7:30 p.m., Prime Video)
Winner secures No. 7 seed in East

No. 7/No. 8 loser vs. No. 9/No. 10 winner: Friday, April 17 (7:30 p.m., Prime Video)
Winner secures No. 8 seed in East, loser eliminated

Western Conference Play-In

Over in the Western Conference, the Play-In Tournament begins with the Phoenix Suns hosting the Portland Trail Blazers, with the winner of that game on Tuesday securing the No. 7 seed. The loser will take on the winner of Wednesday’s game between No. 10 Golden State and No. 9 Los Angeles.

All times Eastern.

No. 8 Portland Trail Blazers at No. 7 Phoenix Suns, Tuesday, April 14 ( 10:00 p.m., Prime Video)
Winner secures No. 7 seed in West

No. 10 Golden State Warriors at No. 9 Los Angeles Clippers: Wednesday, April 15 ( 10:00 p.m., Prime Video)
Loser eliminated

No. 7/No. 8 loser vs. No. 9/No. 10 winner: Friday, April 17 ( 10:00 p.m., Prime Video)
Winner secures No. 8 seed in West, loser eliminated

Eastern Conference Playoffs

Six teams are waiting in the Eastern Conference, led by the top-seeded Detroit Pistons. They’ll take on the No. 8 seed in the first round, while the Boston Celtics — who check in as the No. 2 seed in the East — will take on the No. 7 seed.

The other two first-round matchups are set: No. 3 New York vs. No. 6 Atlanta, and No. 4 Cleveland vs. No. 5 Toronto.

First Round

No. 1 Detroit Pistons vs. No. 8 (TBD)

Game 1: TBD at Detroit: Sunday, April 19 (6:30 p.m., NBC)
Game 2: TBD at Detroit: TBD
Game 3: Detroit at TBD: TBD
Game 4: Detroit at TBD: TBD
Game 5: TBD at Detroit: TBD*
Game 6: Detroit at TBD: TBD*
Game 7: TBD at Detroit: TBD*

No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 (TBD)

Game 1: TBD at Boston: Sunday, April 19 (1:00 p.m., ABC)
Game 2: TBD at Boston: TBD
Game 3: Boston at TBD: TBD
Game 4: Boston at TBD: TBD
Game 5: TBD at Boston: TBD*
Game 6: Boston at TBD: TBD*
Game 7: TBD at Boston: TBD*

No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 6 Atlanta Hawks

Game 1: Atlanta at New York: Saturday, April 18 (6:00 p.m., Prime Video)
Game 2: Atlanta at New York: TBD
Game 3: New York at Atlanta: TBD
Game 4: New York at Atlanta: TBD
Game 5: Atlanta at New York: TBD*
Game 6: New York at Atlanta: TBD*
Game 7: Atlanta at New York: TBD*

No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Toronto Raptors

Game 1: Toronto at Cleveland: Saturday, April 18 (1:00 p.m., Prime Video)
Game 2: Toronto at Cleveland: TBD
Game 3: Cleveland at Toronto: TBD
Game 4: Cleveland at Toronto: TBD
Game 5: Toronto at Cleveland: TBD*
Game 6: Cleveland at Toronto: TBD*
Game 7: Toronto at Cleveland: TBD*

*If necessary

Western Conference Playoffs

Over in the Western Conference, the defending champions are waiting on the results of the Play-In Tournament, as the Thunder will have home-court in the First Round against the No. 8 seed. Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs secured the No. 2 seed, and will take on the No. 7 seed.

The other two matchups in the Western Conference are set. In the first, No. 3 Denver will take on No. 6 Minnesota, while in the second, No. 4 Los Angeles matches up against No. 5 Houston.

First Round

No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 (TBD)

Game 1: TBD at Oklahoma City: Sunday, April 19 (3:30 p.m., ABC)
Game 2: TBD at Oklahoma City: TBD
Game 3: Oklahoma City at TBD: TBD
Game 4: Oklahoma City at TBD: TBD
Game 5: TBD at Oklahoma City: TBD*
Game 6: Oklahoma City at TBD: TBD*
Game 7: TBD at Oklahoma City: TBD*

No. 2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 7 (TBD)

Game 1: TBD at San Antonio: Sunday, April 19 (9:00 p.m., NBC)
Game 2: TBD at San Antonio: TBD
Game 3: San Antonio at TBD: TBD
Game 4: San Antonio at TBD: TBD
Game 5: TBD at San Antonio: TBD*
Game 6: San Antonio at TBD: TBD*
Game 7: TBD at San Antonio: TBD*

No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves

Game 1: Minnesota at Denver: Saturday, April 18 (3:30 p.m., Prime Video)
Game 2: Minnesota at Denver: TBD
Game 3: Denver at Minnesota: TBD
Game 4: Denver at Minnesota: TBD
Game 5: Minnesota at Denver: TBD*
Game 6: Denver at Minnesota: TBD*
Game 7: Minnesota at Denver: TBD*

No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 5 Houston Rockets

Game 1: Houston at Los Angeles: Saturday, April 18 (8:30 p.m., ABC)
Game 2: Houston at Los Angeles: TBD
Game 3: Los Angeles at Houston: TBD
Game 4: Los Angeles at Houston: TBD
Game 5: Houston at Los Angeles: TBD*
Game 6: Los Angeles at Houston: TBD*
Game 7: Houston at Los Angeles: TBD*

*If necessary

With the Sixers taking care of business against the Milwaukee Bucks (so long, Doc Rivers) and the Orlando Magic losing to the Hospital Celtics, we’ll have meaningful basketball in South Philly this week.

The Sixers will host the Magic in the 7-8 play-in game Wednesday at Xfinity Mobile Arena. It’s simple: win and the Sixers will take on the second-seeded Boston Celtics in the first round. Lose and they get another shot to make the playoffs and take on the top-seeded Detroit Pistons with a win over the loser of the 9-10 play-in game. Lose both games and that’s all she wrote.

Any questions or thoughts about the matchup? Hit me up in the comments.

In the most pivotal season of Leon Rose’s Knicks tenure, it’s a rematch with the Atlanta Hawks, the winners of a 2021 first-round matchup with New York, setting the stage for this potential championship run. 

Trae Young is no longer here to rekindle that rivalry, but Atlanta is still every bit as dangerous, if not more. But New York isn’t the same team, either, and has lofty expectations for their June plans.

Let’s dive into previewing the series, and predicting who comes out on top...

Atlanta’s strength is on the defensive side of the ball, where they ranked third in the league since the trade deadline. They’re connective with a ton of athletic size -- qualities that have given the Knicks fits in the past.

When you’re game-planning shutting down New York’s offense, the first bullet point will be Jalen Brunson, and Atlanta has the pieces to ensure he’s constantly hounded. Dyson Daniels (6-foot-7) has been their lead option, and guards Brunson well despite a number of strong performances. 

They’ll also lean on Nickeil Alexander-Walker (6-foot-5) to take some reps, though he has a lot of the offensive creation on his plate. Expect stretches from big bench wings Jonathan Kuminga (6-foot-7) and Zaccharie Risacher (6-foot-8) as well. 

With all that size, the Hawks may be content not sending much help early one-on-one, and blitz him in pick-and-rolls. They have the speed to quickly rotate on the backside if they’re caught 4-on-3, so Brunson will have to make quick decisions to make them pay.

Getting him off the ball, like in last year’s Pistons series, can help wear out their primary defenders and get Brunson easier opportunities. He usually takes a couple games to get going and adjust to the postseason, so that’s when the Knicks will be at their most vulnerable and need others to step up.

Mike Brown’s motion offense will get to prove its worth in a playoff setting, and they can use it to find favorable matchups in most lineups. The Hawks have used a lot of CJ McCollum plus Gabe Vincent off the bench, two smaller guards the Knicks should be able to attack at will. 

They can just keep having Brunson call for the right screen and switch. It will be on Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges to identify and expose mismatches. The Knicks will need a big Towns series, as this matchup may be won in the restricted area.

Both teams are strong on the boards, so whoever shows up there may end up with the edge in a given game. Expect Mitchell Robinson to be an X-factor here once again.

Off the bench, New York will need a ton from Jordan Clarkson in a defensive series, as one of the best penetrators on the team. It’s possible we see Mohamed Diawara back in the swing of things to combat Atlanta’s size.

Finally, the Knicks will have to limit their turnovers. The Hawks feed off mistakes to bolster their defense and create opportunities on the other end.

Atlanta’s offense, while solid, is definitely the weaker point in their game, especially in the halfcourt. They also boast motion schemes, but with less of the talent to break down defenses and score.

Their shot diet is relatively balanced, with more mid-range shots than your average team, but they still get a healthy amount of threes and rim attempts. They don’t shoot a lot of free throws, so the Knicks can make life easier on themselves by controlling the flow of whistles from the outset.

McCollum and Alexander-Walker are their primary guard creators. The Knicks are likely to hide Brunson on Daniels, a 19 percent three-point shooter who will get called into lots of screening actions and asked to convert to not let Brunson off easy.

Bridges and Josh Hart likely cover the other two guards to provide some point-of-attack capability. Expect a pick-and-roll defense that gets more switch-heavy as the series rolls on and the Knicks force talented but not elite scorers to make one-on-one plays in big moments.

The big matchup will be All-Star Jalen Johnson, who likely sees the Anunoby assignment off rip. He’s a bit quick for Towns and towers over the other starters, so the Knicks have some limited optionality here.

Johnson scores more efficiently in the flow of the offense than isolated, so any hampering Anunoby can do to make catches tougher, get him in the wrong position, and make life physical will be huge. Getting Johnson to fall into the 2021 Julius Randle hole of getting trapped and struggling to find flow in a debut postseason is the ideal scenario.

Atlanta will have some hot performances from non-headlining names, too. Kuminga has been a solid addition and Corey Kispert/Buddy Hield could see some minutes thanks to their knockdown shooting.

The Knicks can and should win this series defensively, but it will take a full effort, all-around performances, and a strong coaching job out of Brown, who’s going up against the formidable Quin Snyder. 

Some other things to watch out for: going under Alexander-Walker screens to make him beat you with pull-up threes (33 percent clip this season), putting Towns on Daniels, and going to the Towns-Robinson lineup much more to dominate the paint and glass.

It’s no doubt going to be a grueling and challenging march through the playoffs for the Knicks, and this first round matchup offers no warmup. Still, the Hawks are at a talent and experience deficit that will be tough to overcome.

Knicks in 6.

The season is over, fellas.

Ah, sorry, I only meant the regular thing.

We still have the playoffs and the parade coming up next. Bring it on!

Mike Breen: "1st time ever…entire playoffs exclusive to national TV…poor decision…fans want to hear their home team announcers, at least 1st round…part of the family. I get networks pay a fortune…but fans deserve to be thrown a bone…This is our final telecast of the season" pic.twitter.com/knsUysK261

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) April 12, 2026

Mike Breen

On the greedy NBA:

“This is the first time ever that no longer can the home team announcers and broadcasters televise the first round. The entire playoffs exclusive to the national TV partners. … I personally think it’s a poor decision. Fans want to hear their team’s announce team, at least 1st round, because for so many of us, … the home team announcers become part of the family. … I get it. The networks pay a fortune for exclusivity … But I just think the fans deserve to be thrown a bone once in a while. This is our final telecast of the season.”

honoring knicks fam to end the regular season 🫶 pic.twitter.com/8yTARPfeBe

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) April 13, 2026

Mike Brown

On OG Anunoby’s ankle injury:

“I didn’t ask that question because we’re not in that position, but they say he’s day-to-day, which to me means he’s fine. I would assume he’s fine, but we [didn’t] even need to think about it so I didn’t check on it.”

On evaluating the regular season:

“I wish I could have figured some things out a little sooner than what I did. But we’ve had some — more ups than downs. You want to win your conference, you want to end up with the best record. So those two areas are disappointing. You’re out there trying to compete every night, no matter who you play. And so winning the [NBA Cup In-Season Tournament] was nice because our guys competed at a level when things were manufactured to mean more with those games. And then, going into the playoffs, we feel pretty good where we are offensively and defensively as a group. Feel connected.”

On waiting to learn the playoff opponent:

“Just wait until it’s over. At the end of the day, I’m sure somehow, some way, I might be told it. But at the end of the day, I’m a firm believer that trying to ask for this opponent or that opponent is not good for you, when you mess with the basketball gods. So whatever happens, happens.”

On scouting potential opponents:

“Our staff has been fantastic all year. We’ve had guys assigned to that stuff already, on both sides of the ball. Our two advanced scouts have been doing a good job taking care of it, too.”

On team standards and accountability:

“The things that you set as your standard are the things that I brought to the table. While I’m trying to hold people accountable, people are holding me accountable, too.”

On playing Mikal Bridges to preserve his streak:

“The streak that he has going is amazing and I definitely don’t want to be the one to screw that up. It’s crazy because load management is a real thing. And that’s something that’s thought of by everybody. Not just the medical performance group — by coaches, by individual players, by agents, by family members — people push to take time off for whatever reason. So for a guy like that to be at the number that he’s at in consecutive games played speaks volumes.”

On managing Bridges’ streak carefully:

“I’m sure he’s probably cool with [playing a few seconds to keep the streak alive] but at the end of the day, that’s definitely led by me. It’s a streak that he has going on, and I want it to continue, but in the same breath, I also don’t want him to get hurt or anything like that, so we’re gonna try to be as smart about it as best we can.”

On the Hawks as a playoff opponent and the overall playoff field:

“Atlanta’s a good team. They’re a good team. Everybody’s good. Everyone is going to pose challenges. I don’t know who we’re gonna play, but we’re gonna face different challenges from everybody because everybody is special at this time.”

On team belief entering the postseason:

“Going into the playoffs, we feel pretty good where we are offensively and defensively as a group. We feel connected. I feel like everybody on the team has sacrificed in one way, shape or form. You need that from your group in order to have some success. Our guys compete, and like I said, at this point in the season, I feel like the guys really believe, not just in what we’re trying to do, but in each other.”

On Miles McBride’s performance:

“He looked good. It was good to see him just go play free and take any shot he wanted and be aggressive … It was good to see the ball go in a few times.”

On the season’s resilience:

“Like most teams, you go through a lot of ups and you go through and it can get tough. And there can be plenty of opportunities for individuals which can turn into a collective group of guys to quit, throw in the towel any time. Any time we face a little bit of adversity our guys try to handle it the right way. I really like their resiliency and I like their openness to trying different things or new things. Because we’ve done some things differently here than what they’re probably used to when they had a successful run doing the things that they were doing in the past.”

"Last time I missed a game you did not exist" pic.twitter.com/s5xXjixWsi

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) April 13, 2026

Mikal Bridges

On playing 23 seconds on Sunday:

“It was nice, man.”

On playing every game:

“For the people that’s paying attention, I just want to try and play everyday. It’s who I am. It’s who I’ve always been. I don’t really look at [the all-time list] but I guess it’d be cool one day. Hopefully, I have kids one day and maybe brag about that.”

On the Hawks matchup:

“They play very hard and very fast and have a lot of good basketball players.”

love our knicks fam 💙🧡 pic.twitter.com/mJWvZTxIh7

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) April 13, 2026

Miles McBride

On the Hawks series:

“They’re a great team. I’m looking forward to the matchup. They are a team that defends really well. They’ve got guys who can go get a bucket on the offensive end, but their team defense is really something challenging. So, it’s going to be an exciting playoff series.”

On his return performance:

“Just being back out there healthy, playing with the guys, it was a great team win – I just wanted to go out and give it my all, really ramp my intensity up and get ready for this run.”

On his health:

“I’m solid. Being out for some long, just getting my wind back. Dealing with the residual pain of the surgery isn’t fun but it’s part of the journey – just trying to do everything I can to help the team win.”

"Yo I got blood. I'm bleeding somewhere"

Hornets attend to Brandon Miller

Referee attends to the ball

LaMelo attends to LaMelo pic.twitter.com/aRYbHZ9NPv

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) April 13, 2026

Jordan Clarkson

On not focusing on Atlanta’s approach:

“We didn’t pay any attention to that. It’s just what they wanted to do.”

On the Hawks roster:

“Just a really good team. They’re led by Nickeil. He’s been playing great all year. They made some trades at the deadline and got CJ McCollum [for Young]. Down the line they are a really good team. So it’s going to be an exciting series.”

Thank you Clyde

Wish you could take us the rest of the way pic.twitter.com/Bu0eXTE48Q

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) April 13, 2026

Quin Snyder (ATL Hawks Coach)

On the uncertainty of matchups and prioritizing health in the regular-season finale:

“Right now, I think we’re excited to be in this situation. Whoever we play is gonna be really good. It’s hard to even try to figure that out. It’s possible that certain teams wanna play us. The primary thing is for us to be healthy going into the postseason. That’s been the one thing that has been consistent the last few weeks and months — you don’t know what’s gonna happen. It’s hard to predict all these games, they’re all going on. Wherever it falls is where it falls, and we’ll prepare for the playoffs, regardless of who that is.”

Knicks-Hawks

Game One

Saturday

6pm pic.twitter.com/TyXSTly0Vs

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) April 13, 2026

In a final tuneup before the playoffs, the Spurs took to the court and walked away relatively healthy (I’m looking at you, Dylan Harper’s thumb), which is all that matters. De’Aaron Fox led the team with 24 points along with 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Keldon Johnson contributed 18 points with 6 rebounds in the loss to the Denver Nuggets.

Stephon Castle seems ready for the playoffs to begin, but judging from this half court pass to Carter Bryant, he’s ready for the NFL draft as well.

Steph threw this from half court 🎯

📺 @FanDuelSN_SW, ESPN pic.twitter.com/UxlLwDfAOK

— San Antonio Spurs – x (@spurs) April 13, 2026

Here’s a different angle of that pass: the recipient, Carter Bryant, put on an absolute aerial display on Sunday. This flying rookie made the most of his impactful minutes, scoring 13 points and recording 5 boards, 5 assists, and 3 blocks (more on that later).

GOODNESS GRACIOUS, CB

📺 @FanDuelSN_SW, ESPN pic.twitter.com/Z1y7wpQCQR

— San Antonio Spurs – x (@spurs) April 13, 2026

This version of the Spurs’ inaugural playoff debut will be a memorable one for players like Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper, but it will also be extra special for longtime Spurs like Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell who trudged through some dry years.

BIG BODY BUCKET 👏

📺 @FanDuelSN_SW, ESPN pic.twitter.com/ZeEaA0zwrz

— San Antonio Spurs – x (@spurs) April 13, 2026

If at first you don’t succeed, follow through on your shot and slam it home.

💪💪💪

📺 @FanDuelSN_SW, ESPN pic.twitter.com/30ucD7ynas

— San Antonio Spurs – x (@spurs) April 13, 2026

Devin Vassell, here, was reaping what the Spurs’ defense sowed. As mentioned before along with Keldon Johnson, Spurs fans could not be happier for the two longest tenured Spurs about to embark on their first playoff series.

Fox with the steal
Vassell with the SLAM 🔥

📺 @FanDuelSN_SW, ESPN pic.twitter.com/bSPZkEBLve

— San Antonio Spurs – x (@spurs) April 13, 2026

As cool as the other side of the pillow (RIP Stuart Scott) . . . De’Aaron Fox smoothly and (just) casually drains this long-range bomb all the way from the west side of SA.

FOX AT THE BUZZER‼️

📺 @FanDuelSN_SW, ESPN pic.twitter.com/iIevDrxT2y

— San Antonio Spurs – x (@spurs) April 13, 2026

I promised you more Carter Bryant, and by golly gillicky willickers, you’re going to get more Carter Bryant. In this frame, the best basketball player in the world was channeling his best Dante from “Clerks,” thinking to himself, “I wasn’t even supposed to be here today! Stupid 65-game rule” while trying to block the energetic rookie barrelling down the lane.

If both the Spurs and Nuggets advance out of the first round, they will meet in the second round so personally I hope the 3-time MVP has a short memory or will conveniently be busy thinking of his prized horses rather than having an ax to grind with CB.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Well folks, we made it. This chapter of the regular season finally closed, and after a brief drought, our favorite basketball team is headed back to the playoffs. I wanted to thank J.R. Wilco for giving me another year to wax on about the San Antonio Spurs. I first started writing for Pounding the Rock in the fall of 2018, which means that was also the last time the Spurs made the playoffs. It’s been some lean years, but all worth it to see this team rebuilt from the ground up, brick by brick—or rather, rock by rock. Go Spurs Go!

If you missed the game because you were too busy getting “Memorial Day Miracle” tattooed across your back next to Sean Elliott’s face also inked across your back, here are the full-game highlights:

Next up, the Spurs host the first round of the playoffs against the (to be determined) at the Frost Bank Center on Sunday, April 18, 2026!