Author: NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

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Rockets vs. Lakers Best bets: Odds, predictions, recent stats, trends for April 11

Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers Preview 

The Houston Rockets (52-28) and Los Angeles Lakers (49-31) are all set to square off from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

The Rockets are locked into the No. 2 seed and had the chance to rest many of their starters last game.

The Lakers need to win one of their two remaining games to lock in the No. 3 seed.
The Rockets are currently 23-16 on the road with a point differential of 5, while the Lakers have a 7-3 record in their last ten games at home. 

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.

Game details & how to watch Rockets vs. Lakers live today

  • Date: Friday, April 11, 2025
  • Time: 10:30PM EST
  • Site: Crypto.com Arena
  • City: Los Angeles, CA

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Rockets vs. Lakers
The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Odds: Rockets (+380), Lakers (-505)
  • Spread:  Lakers -10
  • Over/Under: 225 points

That gives the Rockets an implied team point total of 111.46, and the Lakers 116.67.
 
Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Friday's Rockets vs. Lakers game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas) is leaning towards Luca Doncic under 46.5 points, rebounds, and assists…

Thomas: “This will likely be a popular bet tonight given the circumstances. Doncic is coming off a crazy emotional game against his former team in Dallas. He cried on the sidelines before the game. He put up an insane stat line. He had 45 points, six assists, and eight rebounds.

There should be some regression in this game against a top defensive unit in the Rockets.”

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Rockets & Lakers game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Houston Rockets on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Houston Rockets at +10.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 225.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Rockets vs. Lakers on Friday

  • The Lakers have won 4 of their last 5 home games against Western Conference teams
  • The Lakers' last 3 games at home versus the Rockets have stayed under the Total
  • The Rockets have covered in 22 of their 40 road games this season

The Lakers have won 4 of their last 5 games at home against Western Conference teams
 
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
 
Bet the Edge is your source for all things sports betting. Get all of Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick’s insight weekdays at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your favorite podcasts. 
 
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: 
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) 
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) 
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

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Grizzlies vs. Nuggets Predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for April 11

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Denver Nuggets Preview 

The Memphis Grizzlies (47-33) and Denver Nuggets (48-32) are all set to square off from Ball Arena in Denver.

After the Grizzlies lost at home to the Minnesota Timberwolves, they are now seventh in the Western Conference. They can still finish as high as the No. 3 seed, while the lowest is the No. 8 seed.

The Nuggets have the same fate. However, they have an easier path. They win their next two games, regardless of what happens, they will finish inside the top six and avoid a play-in game.

The Grizzlies are currently 22-18 on the road with a point differential of 5, while the Nuggets have a 4-6 record in their last ten games at home. 

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.

Game details & how to watch Grizzlies vs. Nuggets live today

  • Date: Friday, April 11, 2025
  • Time: 9:00PM EST
  • Site: Ball Arena
  • City: Denver, CO

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Grizzlies vs. Nuggets

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Odds: Grizzlies (+239), Nuggets (-299)
  • Spread:  Nuggets -7
  • Over/Under: 239 points

That gives the Grizzlies an implied team point total of 118.47, and the Nuggets 122.12.
 
Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Friday's Grizzlies vs. Nuggets game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas) is betting on Denver Nuggets -6.5…

Thomas: “Ideally, the Grizzlies go up early, and I can play the Nuggets live at a better price. However, I’m not exactly sure we get that. The Grizzlies haven’t been great and are coming off a loss last night.

Denver is one of the more difficult places to play on short rest. The Nuggets should take advantage of this.”

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Grizzlies & Nuggets game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Denver Nuggets on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Memphis Grizzlies at +7.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 239.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Grizzlies vs. Nuggets on Friday

  • The Grizzlies has an average winning margin of +15 in its 1 wins against the Nuggets this season
  • The Over is 45-35 in Grizzlies' games this season
  • The Nuggets have failed to cover in 44 of their 80 games this season

The Nuggets have won 5 straight home games against the Grizzlies
 
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
 
Bet the Edge is your source for all things sports betting. Get all of Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick’s insight weekdays at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your favorite podcasts. 
 
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: 
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) 
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) 
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

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Warriors surviving non-Steph minutes requires more than just Butler

Warriors surviving non-Steph minutes requires more than just Butler originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

There is a first time for everything, and the Warriors experienced one this week that they never wish to go through again.

They lost a game in which Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler III combined for 58 points.

The Warriors were 8-0 when Curry and Butler totaled at least 50 points until San Antonio’s Harrison Barnes struck them down with a game-winning 3-pointer Thursday night at Chase Center. Fifty points always had been enough, and it should be a successful offensive formula.

The offensive stall against the Spurs was elsewhere. A repeat might not be difficult to overcome Friday night against the depleted Trail Blazers in Portland, but surely would put the Warriors in jeopardy Sunday against the Clippers – and any postseason game.

Curry and Butler carrying their respective scoring loads only can take the offense so far. Butler doesn’t beat teams with buckets. His stated goal is finding buckets for his team, particularly when Curry is off the floor.

Consider that Golden State’s best quarter against the Spurs was its 37-21 advantage in the third. The defense was tight, the offense flowing. It was a 10-assist quarter, and Butler had five. His last two dimes, finding Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga in the paint, provided an 88-76 lead.

That problem was that Butler’s playmaking efforts too often went unexploited.

Podziemski, whose hot streak of games ended with seven points on 3-of-11 shooting from the field, including 1 of 5 from deep. Moses Moody, whose scoring efficiency has regressed over the past month, finishing with seven points on 3-of-11 shooting, including 1 of 7 from distance.

It wasn’t just the low efficiency from those two starters that doomed the Warriors against the Spurs. It was the number of misses on open looks – generally set up by passes from Butler. His role on offense is to generate a high-percentage shot for a teammate and, failing that, look to score himself. Same as it was in Miami.

Butler’s 28 points – his highest total as a Warrior – against San Antonio came not out of desire but out of necessity. By the fourth quarter, he realized Podziemski and Moody were struggling to score, so he put in 13 points. Butler’s two assists in the fourth went to, yes, Curry.

The external pleas for Butler to be more aggressive with his shot is short-sighted and too simple a solution to the non-Steph minutes. Butler is an opportunistic scorer who makes the game easier for his other four teammates.
Butler led two Heat teams to the NBA Finals, not because he turned into Curry or some high-volume scoring machine. In 64 playoff games with Miami, Playoff Jimmy averaged 24.7 points. Averaged 17.6 field-goal attempts per game. He had the occasional outburst but mostly lifted the games of such teammates as Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Gabe Vincent, Max Strus, Caleb Martin, Kendrick Nunn and Haywood Highsmith.

Butler’s best attribute might be getting teammates paid by maximizing the attributes.

Butler going into “takeover mode” is best limited to emergency situations. He can have such moments during a game, but Golden State’s fortunes during the non-Steph minutes are not predicated on his scoring.

When Podziemski and Moody are making shots, usually off Butler’s playmaking, the Warriors can survive and sometimes thrive during the non-Steph minutes. They must know by now that their patience generally will be rewarded with open looks. If Moody can’t reverse his offensive slippage – 38 percent from the field, 29.7 from deep over the last 13 games – the offense will suffer.

When Buddy Hield and Kuminga are at their best – always a crapshoot – they can bring welcome smoke to action when Curry gets a few minutes to rest his 37-year-old bones.

Whether the Warriors land in the play-in tournament or the playoffs, they’re going to need those 50 points per game from Curry and Butler. They will on some occasions get more.

But it’s up to the others to fill the void, or else the Warriors will be prey for teams much better than the San Antonio Spurs.

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Nike Hoop Summit women's rosters 2025: Aaliyah Chavez, Madison Francis headline high school basketball event

PORTLAND — The women's game of the Nike Hoops Summit was added only four years ago, and already it is drawing the biggest names in the game. That includes JuJu Watkins of USC and 2025 SEC Player of the Year Madison Booker of Texas in recent years.

To see the NCAA and WNBA stars of the future, tune in Saturday at 7 p.m. on the USA Network, or stream on Peacock. It's a USA vs. the World game featuring the best high school players from around the globe.

Here are the women's rosters for the Nike Hoops Summit this year.

WOMEN’S TEAMS

USA ROSTER

• Darriana 'Dee' Alexander, 6'1" forward. She is the 3-time Ohio Ms. Basketball (the only other players to win that honor three times are the Las Vegas Aces' Kierstan Bell and the Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James). Alexander won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2023 FIBA U16 Championships and will attend Cincinnati in the fall.

• Sienna Betts, 6’4” center. The younger sister of UCLA All-American Lauren Betts, she will play with her sister next fall in Westwood. She was the 2025 McDonald's All-American game MVP, scoring 16 pts with 7 rebounds.

• Aaliyah Chavez, 5’11” guard. The 2025 Naismith Girls High School Player of the Year is the top-ranked recruit in the nation and is headed to Oklahoma in the fall. She averaged 34.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 3.7 steals per game as a senior.

• Aaliyah Crump, 6’1” wing. Ranked as the No. 5 player in this class, she was a 2025 McDonald's All-American, won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2023 FIBA Americas U16 Championship, and is committed to Texas in the fall.

• Jasmine 'Jazzy' Davidson, 6'1" guard. The third-ranked player in this class, her hometown of Clackamas, Oregon, is less than 15 miles from the Moda Center, where the Nike Hoop Summit is taking place. She is committed to USC in the fall.

• Alexandra Eschmeyer, 6’5” forward. Both her parents were hoopers who played at Northwestern. Father Evan was a 3-time All-Big Ten honoree who played four seasons in the NBA (two with the Nets and two with the Mavericks). Her mother, Kristina Divjak, led the Big Ten in scoring with 22.1 points a game in the 1997-98 season. Eschmeyer is committed to Stanford in the fall.

• Madison Francis, 6’1” forward. The top-ranked player in New York last year, you may know her from social media where she went viral after dunking the ball during her senior night game this past season. She will attend Mississippi State in the fall.

• ZaKiyah Johnson, 6’0” guard. She was the 2025 Kentucky Ms. Basketball, who led Sacred Heart Academy to four straight state titles. She will attend LSU next season.

• Grace Knox, 6’2” forward. Named the defensive MVP of Nike EYBL Session III, averaging 14.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.8 steals and one block per game. She is committed to LSU in the fall.

• Emilee Skinner, 6’0” guard. Rated as the top player in Utah last year, she won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup. She will attend Duke in the fall.

• Jordan Speise, 6’1” wing. She will head to Kansas State in the fall. Speise played for the All Iowa Attack, the same AAU program that Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark played for.

• Hailee Swain, 5’10” guard. She has won two gold medals with Team USA: the 2023 FIBA U16 Americas Championship and the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup. She will attend Stanford in the fall.

WORLD TEAM

• Daria “Dasha” Biriuk, 6’1” guard (Ukraine). She and her family fled Ukraine in 2022 to get away from the Russian invasion and war, which eventually led to her coming to the USA. This is her second Nike Hoops Summit, and next fall she will play at Ohio State.

• Sarah Cisse, 6'3" center (France). She leads the Centre Federal in Paris, France, averaging 11.1 points and 8.3 rebounds a game. She has extensive experience with the French Youth National Team as well.

• Bella Hines, 5'9" guard (Mexico). After committing to LSU, she signed an NIL deal with the Jordan Brand — she is the only active high school basketball player to have an NIL deal with Jordan.

• Agot Makeer 6'1" guard (Canada/South Sudan). The top-rated combo guard in this class, she won a silver with Team Canada at the 2024 U17 World Cup, leading Canada in scoring at 17.7 points a game. She is committed to South Carolina.

• Ayla McDowell, 6'2" forward (Brazil). The South Carolina commit averaged 14.8 points a game for Brazil at the 2024 FIBA U18 Women's AmeriCup.

• Jovana Popovic, 5’8” guard (Serbia). She plays professionally for ZKK Mega Basket in Serbia, where she leads the team in scoring at 21.5 points per game. She led Serbia in scoring (16.3) and assists (4.3) at the 2024 FIBA U18 EuroBasket.

• Deniya Prawl, 6'1" forward (Canada). The Tennessee commit has starred at the IMG Academy in Florida, was named to the McDonald's All-American team, and has played in multiple tournaments for the Canadian U16 and U17 teams.

• Ainhoa Risacher, 6’1” guard (France). The younger sister of Zaccharie Risacher, the No. 1 overall pick of the Atlanta Hawks in the 2024 NBA Draft. Risacher plays professionally for Lyon ASVEL and was named MVP of the 2023 U16 European Championship after leading France to a title, averaging 11.7 points per game.

• Saffron Shiels, 6'2" center (Australia). She plays professionally in the Women's National Basketball League in Australia for the Townsville Fire. She led Australia to the title at the 2024 FIBA U18 Asia Cup.

• Lara Somfai, 6'4" forward (Australia). The Stanford commit played her high school ball at the IMG Academy in Florida. At the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup, Somfai led Australia in scoring at 14.4 points per game.

• Olivia Vukosa, 6'4" center (Croatia). She is playing in her second Nike Hoops Summit. She has been a dominant player for Christ the King High School in New York as well as for the Croatia Youth National Team, where she has averaged 21 points and 16.4 rebounds a game across 14 games in multiple tournaments.

• Nyadieng Yiech, 6’2” forward (Canada). The Florida commit was second on the U18 Canadian team in scoring at the 2024 FIBA U18 AmeriCup in Colombia, averaging 12.5 points per game.

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What to know for Round 1 of the NBA playoffs: Bracket, schedule and more

What to know for Round 1 of the NBA playoffs: Bracket, schedule and more originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The 2025 NBA playoffs are ready to tip off.

The last two playoff berths were awarded on Friday night as the play-in tournament wrapped up.

The 10th-place Miami Heat first made play-in history with a wild overtime win against the eighth-place Atlanta Hawks. Tyler Herro and Co. clinched the Eastern Conference’s eighth and final playoff spot with the road victory, becoming the first 10th-place team to advance to the playoffs since the play-in was introduced in 2021. The Heat previously crushed the Bulls in Chicago in the 9-10 game.

But the Western Conference’s 10th-place team, the Dallas Mavericks, failed to match Miami’s feat. The eighth-place Memphis Grizzlies cruised past Dallas to grab the No. 8 playoff seed out West.

With the 16-team bracket locked in, here’s a look at the first-round matchups, schedule, and more to know:

When do the NBA playoffs start?

The playoffs begin Saturday, April 19.

How do the NBA playoffs work?

First-round matchups in each conference are No. 1 vs. No. 8, No. 2 vs. No. 7, No. 3 vs. No. 6, and No. 4 vs. No. 5. All postseason series are best of seven where the higher seed has home-court advantage in Games 1, 2, 5 and 7.

Do the NBA playoffs reseed teams?

The playoffs follow a bracket format and don’t reseed teams after the first round. That means, for instance, the winner of a 1-8 matchup will meet the winner of a 4-5 matchup in Round 2, regardless of the other first-round results.

What teams are in the NBA playoffs?

The six automatic playoff berths in the East were claimed by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons. The Orlando Magic and the Heat then joined the field via the play-in.

Out West, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves secured top-six spots before the Golden State Warriors and the Grizzlies advanced through the play-in.

What are the NBA playoff matchups?

Here’s a look at the bracket:

Eastern Conference

1. Cavaliers
8. Heat

4.Pacers
5. Bucks

3. Knicks
6. Pistons

2. Celtics
7. Magic

Western Conference

1. Thunder
8. Grizzlies

4. Nuggets
5. Clippers

3. Lakers
6. Timberwolves

2. Rockets
7. Warriors

What’s the schedule for the first round of the NBA playoffs?

Here are the schedule details for each first-round series ( * = if necessary):

Eastern Conference

No. 1 Cavaliers vs. No. 8 Heat

  • Game 1: Heat at Cavaliers — Sunday, April 20, 7 p.m. ET, TNT
  • Game 2: Heat at Cavaliers — Wednesday, April 23, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
  • Game 3: Cavaliers at Heat — Saturday, April 26, 1 p.m. ET, TNT
  • Game 4: Cavaliers at Heat — Monday, April 28, time TBD, TV channel TBD
  • Game 5*: Heat at Cavaliers — Wednesday, April 30, time TBD, TV channel TBD
  • Game 6*: Cavaliers at Heat — Friday, May 2, time TBD, TV channel TBD
  • Game 7*: Heat at Cavaliers — Sunday, May 4, time TBD, TV channel TBD

No. 2 Celtics vs. No. 7 Magic

  • Game 1: Magic at Celtics — Sunday, April 20, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
  • Game 2: Magic at Celtics — Wednesday, April 23, 7 p.m. ET, TNT
  • Game 3: Celtics at Magic — Friday, April 25, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
  • Game 4: Celtics at Magic — Sunday, April 27, 7 p.m. ET, TNT
  • Game 5*: Magic at Celtics — Tuesday, April 29, time TBD, TV channel TBD
  • Game 6*: Celtics at Magic — Thursday, May 1, time TBD, TV channel TBD
  • Game 7*: Magic at Celtics — Saturday, May 3, time TBD, TV channel TBD

No. 3 Knicks vs. No. 6 Pistons

  • Game 1: Pistons at Knicks — Saturday, April 19, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN
  • Game 2: Pistons at Knicks — Monday, April 21, 7:30 p.m. ET, TNT
  • Game 3: Knicks at Pistons — Thursday, April 24, time TBD, TNT
  • Game 4: Knicks at Pistons — Sunday, April 27, 1 p.m. ET, ABC
  • Game 5*: Pistons at Knicks — Tuesday, April 29, time TBD, TV channel TBD
  • Game 6*: Knicks at Pistons — Thursday, May 1, time TBD, TV channel TBD
  • Game 7*: Pistons at Knicks — Saturday, May 3, time TBD, TV channel TBD

No. 4 Pacers vs. No. 5 Bucks

  • Game 1: Bucks at Pacers — Saturday, April 19, 1 p.m. ET, ESPN
  • Game 2: Bucks at Pacers — Tuesday, April 22, 7 p.m. ET, NBA TV
  • Game 3: Pacers at Bucks — Friday, April 25, 8 p.m. ET, NBA TV/ESPNU
  • Game 4: Pacers at Bucks — Sunday, April 27, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
  • Game 5*: Bucks at Pacers — Tuesday, April 29, time TBD, TV channel TBD
  • Game 6*: Pacers at Bucks — Friday, May 2, time TBD, TV channel TBD
  • Game 7*: Bucks at Pacers — Sunday, May 4, time TBD, TV channel TBD

Western Conference

No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 8 Grizzlies

  • Game 1: Grizzlies at Thunder — Sunday, April 20, 1 p.m. ET, ABC
  • Game 2: Grizzlies at Thunder — Tuesday, April 22, 7:30 p.m. ET, TNT
  • Game 3: Thunder at Grizzlies — Thursday, April 24, time TBD, TNT
  • Game 4: Thunder at Grizzlies — Saturday, April 26, 3:30 p.m. ET, TNT
  • Game 5*: Grizzlies at Thunder — Monday, April 28, time TBD, TV channel TBD
  • Game 6*: Thunder at Grizzlies — Thursday, May 1, time TBD, TV channel TBD
  • Game 7*: Grizzlies at Thunder — Saturday, May 3, time TBD, TV channel TBD

No. 2 Rockets vs. No. 7 Warriors

  • Game 1: Warriors at Rockets — Sunday, April 20, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
  • Game 2: Warriors at Rockets — Wednesday, April 23, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
  • Game 3: Rockets at Warriors — Saturday, April 26, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC
  • Game 4: Rockets at Warriors — Monday, April 28, 10 p.m. ET, TNT
  • Game 5*: Warriors at Rockets — Wednesday, April 30, time TBD, TV channel TBD
  • Game 6*: Rockets at Warriors — Friday, May 2, time TBD, TV channel TBD
  • Game 7*: Warriors at Rockets — Sunday, May 4, time TBD, TV channel TBD

No. 3 Lakers vs. No. 6 Timberwolves

  • Game 1: Timberwolves at Lakers — Saturday, April 19, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC
  • Game 2: Timberwolves at Lakers — Tuesday, April 22, 10 p.m. ET, TNT
  • Game 3: Lakers at Timberwolves — Friday, April 25, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
  • Game 4: Lakers at Timberwolves — Sunday, April 27, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
  • Game 5*: Timberwolves at Lakers — Wednesday, April 30, time TBD, TV channel TBD
  • Game 6*: Lakers at Timberwolves — Friday, May 2, time TBD, TV channel TBD
  • Game 7*: Timberwolves at Lakers — Sunday, May 4, time TBD, TV channel TBD

No. 4 Nuggets vs. No. 5 Clippers

  • Game 1: Clippers at Nuggets — Saturday, April 19, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
  • Game 2: Clippers at Nuggets — Monday, April 21, 10 p.m. ET, TNT
  • Game 3: Nuggets at Clippers — Thursday, April 24, time TBD, NBA TV
  • Game 4: Nuggets at Clippers — Saturday, April 26, 6 p.m. ET, TNT
  • Game 5*: Clippers at Nuggets — Tuesday, April 29, time TBD, TV channel TBD
  • Game 6*: Nuggets at Clippers — Thursday, May 1, time TBD, TV channel TBD
  • Game 7*: Clippers at Nuggets — Saturday, May 3, time TBD, TV channel TBD

Where to watch and stream games in the 2025 NBA playoffs

First-round games will air nationally across ESPN, ABC, TNT and NBA TV.

ESPN and ABC broadcasts can be streamed on ESPN.com and the ESPN app.

TNT broadcasts can be streamed on TNTDrama.com, the TNT app and Max.

NBA TV broadcasts are available to stream on NBA.com and the NBA app.

What are the 2025 NBA playoff dates?

The second round is slated to get underway May 5-6, though those start dates could be moved up to May 3-4. The conference finals will start as early as May 18-19 and as late as May 20-21.

When are the 2025 NBA Finals?

The Finals are scheduled to start Thursday, June 5, with a potential Game 7 slated for Sunday, June 22.

Editor’s note: The original version of this story was published on April 11.

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How Steph served as model for Florida guard Clayton's game

How Steph served as model for Florida guard Clayton's game originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. isn’t shy about admitting Steph Curry’s impact on his playing style.

Fresh off a stellar performance in the NCAA Tournament, the 22-year-old gave his thoughts on being compared to the Warriors guard and Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard.

“It’s a little crazy to me just to hear that for me personally,” Clayton Jr. said Friday on ESPN’s “First Take.” “Those are two of the greats, and I’ve got a long way to go before I even get close to that. I’m just thankful for the recognition.”

Clayton Jr. then was asked if there was someone in particular that he modeled his game after.

“You obviously hear Steph Curry, Jamal Murray, multiple guys,” Clayton Jr. explained. “I just try to take bits and pieces of other players’ games.”

The young guard got hot at just the right time, helping Florida win its third NCAA championship in men’s basketball and winning Most Outstanding Player in the tournament. Between his elite shot-making ability and sound defense, Clayton Jr. now is expected to be a high pick in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft.

Based on his recent heroics, Curry comparisons are expected to continue as the 22-year-old starts to make a name for himself in the NBA.

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High-Priced Suns Need Massive Changes After Missing Playoffs

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns sealed the fate of their miserable 2024-25 season with lopsided home losses to Golden State and Oklahoma City this week, eliminating them from playoff contention with two games left to play. 

Despite Spotrac ranking the Suns at No. 1 in the NBA with a season-ending payroll and tax bill of a whopping $366.6 million, they failed to even qualify for the play-in round in the Western Conference. Considering their big three of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal earn $150.6 million, the team is one of the most disappointing in recent NBA history.

“Just no winning habits,” Booker said Tuesday night after his team lost by 38 points to the Warriors on national TV. A 13-point loss to the Thunder the next night brought their losing streak to eight, with all the defeats coming by double-digits.

“I don’t feel good about any of it,” Booker said.

Tuesday’s loss wasn’t their worst of the season. The Houston Rockets beat them by 39 at home on March 30.

Embarrassed?

“Oh, for sure,” Beal said. “Losing by 30 or 40? We might as well not show up.”

The question is what to do about a downturn without a single fix. Suns owner Mat Ishbia’s problems go beyond his lineup; they also include his head coach, Mike Budenholzer, who took over a club that won 49 games last season under Frank Vogel and is currently at 35-45.

Budenholzer said after the debacle was complete Wednesday night that he hasn’t spoken yet to the owner about his future. “It’s raw,” he said. “We just lost. It’s been a tough season. There’s been no conversations.”

Pragmatically, Budenholzer has four years to go on his $50 million contract, and Ishbia is already paying off the final four years of Vogel’s five-year, $31 million deal after his firing last year. He also jettisoned Monty Williams two years ago.

In this era of multibillionaire NBA owners, eating the contract of a coach is not intolerable, said Golden State’s Steve Kerr, who, with San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich sitting out to tend to his health this season, is the de facto longest-tenured active coach in the league.

“We are more expendable,” Kerr said. “There’s so much money in the business now. I don’t think a lot of owners are that concerned with firing a guy and paying him off to go away. This is a business that we chose, and we all love it, but it’s not the most stable profession, that’s for sure.”

Budenholzer’s communication with some players—or lack thereof—became an episodic soap opera throughout the season. He went the month of January without talking to two of them: Beal and Jusuf Nurkić. He openly battled on the court with Booker and Durant, who once slapped the coach’s hand away during a time out.

“We’re competitive individuals,” Durant said at the time. “We both want to see things done the right way.”

There were plenty of ominous signs that a collapse was coming, including a lack of on-court leadership that “goes back to last season,” Beal said in an interview.

Because of NBA salary cap rules, the Suns are above the second apron and can’t easily move any of the big three without receiving players earning similar money in return. The contracts for the trio all go up next season.

The often-injured Beal, who has played in only 105 games in his two Suns seasons because of injury, is almost unmovable. He has two seasons remaining on his contract at $53.7 million and a player option of $57.1 million. Plus, he has a blanket no-trade clause he refused to wave at the last deadline. Beyond that, Beal’s agent is Mark Bartelstein, the father of Suns chief executive Josh Bartelstein. 

Durant, who will turn 37 before next season begins, has one year to go on his contract at $54.7 million. He’s missed 20 games this season, the last five with a left ankle sprain. Considering the circumstances, he’s done for the season and was in street clothes during Wednesday’s game, when the Suns blew a 15-point lead to the Thunder, who demolished their opponents, 43-26, during the third quarter.

Booker has made it clear he’s not going anywhere. He’s the face of the franchise, wants to finish his career here, and has three seasons to go on his max contract worth $171.2 million, $53.1 million for next season.

Considering all of that, the Suns already have $218.7 million committed to players for next season, $30.8 million above the cap. They need a complete restructuring, Beal agreed.

“I think we let things bother us in games,” he said. “When we hit adversity, instead of working our way out of it, we dug a bigger hole and got into a funk. It’s tough because we’d show signs of getting out of it. There are moments where we compete, but there are moments when we don’t compete, too.”

That inconsistency harkens back to an apparent coaching problem that manifested itself before the trade deadline.

Beal, despite the no-trade clause, was the constant focus of rumors in January, when Budenholzer dropped him from the starting rotation to the bench. At the same time, the coach stopped playing big man Nurkić. In hockey parlance he was a healthy scratch for a month and didn’t play a minute in 15 consecutive games.

Nurkić said at the time he had no relationship with Budenholzer and hadn’t talked to him in two months.

Beal said it would have been nice if Budenholzer had explained his benching to him. “He still hasn’t explained it to me,” Beal said back then. “He just told me I was coming off the bench.” 

Nurkić was traded to Charlotte, and Beal was never asked to wave his no-trade clause. Durant sat out the three key games through the Feb. 6 trade deadline for no announced reason. Beal missed four.

Near the deadline, rumors of a Durant return to Golden State also surfaced. When Durant nixed that, the Suns were forced to stand pat.

The damage, it seems, was done. The Suns were 25-25 at the deadline and are 10-20 since then with virtually the same roster, give or take a few fringe players.

Budenholzer scrambled his rotations as hope faded down the stretch: less court time for veteran point guard Tyus Jones, more for undrafted second-year pro Collin Gillespie; a return to favor for Ryan Dunn; an ill-fated gambit to start fan-favorite Bol Bol. Now Bol is back on the end of the bench.

Regardless of who took the floor, the Suns played from night to night with inconsistent energy levels, even from quarter to quarter within the same game, until flaming out completely the past few weeks.

In a postgame media session on Wednesday night, Booker blamed himself, but the team around him quit.

“I don’t think I shot the ball well this year,” said Booker, whose scoring dipped despite a shooting percentage roughly within career norms. “I needed to figure out ways how to win games at all costs and try to power my will on the other team and my team at the same time. Being a leader, using my voice more.

“Pretty much everything has just fallen short.”

The results speak for themselves.

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NBA playoff scenarios: How Warriors can punch ticket Friday

NBA playoff scenarios: How Warriors can punch ticket Friday originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

After an up-and-down 2024-25 NBA season with many twists and turns, the Warriors officially can punch their ticket to the playoffs on Friday.

However, they will need plenty of help.

If Golden State (47-33) wins its game against the Portland Trail Blazers (35-45) on Friday at Moda Center, and both the Memphis Grizzlies (47-33) and Minnesota Timberwolves (47-33) lose their respective games to the Denver Nuggets (48-32) and Brooklyn Nets (26-54), the Warriors will secure one of the Western Conference’s six playoff seeds.

The Warriors heavily are favored (-14.5 points) to beat the Blazers, and while Memphis has a tough game against Denver at 6 p.m. PT at Ball Arena, Minnesota is a whopping -20.5-point favorite over Brooklyn at 6 p.m. PT at Target Center.

This means even if Golden State takes care of business against Portland and Memphis loses to Denver, the Warriors would need the NBA Draft lottery-bound Nets to upset the Timberwolves at home.

That outcome is unlikely, but certainly not impossible …

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Why Young believes Daniels, not Draymond, is most deserving of DPOY

Why Young believes Daniels, not Draymond, is most deserving of DPOY originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young believes his teammate Dyson Daniels should win the 2024-2025 NBA Defensive Player of the Year over Warriors forward Draymond Green.

Young shared his thoughts on why Daniels is more deserving of the annual award given to the league’s best defensive player.

“Obviously, Dyson for Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved too, he should get those two awards,” Young told NBA insider Chris Haynes. “He’s been playing great this year. I think Draymond is in the running right now. I love Dray to death, but he’s not Dyson this year as far as what he’s been doing on defense. On the ball every game, he’s getting three, four, five steals. Just picking them by himself, no help.

“He’s doing stuff that no guard, no defender has ever done before.”

Daniels emerged as a revelation on defense, with 226 steals this season, the most since Gary Payton had 231 in 1995-96. His stalwart play is one of the main reasons the Hawks are in contention for a postseason spot.

Green has powered the Warriors’ defense this season, with plenty of lockdown performances in arguably his best year since 2017, when he won his first DPOY award. Still, he has struggled with consistency throughout the season, particularly when he’s forced to guard larger players around the rim.

With Golden State and Atlanta still in the hunt for playoff positioning over the final two regular-season games, expect both Green and Daniels to put forth their best defensive efforts.

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Celtics make smart decision with Jaylen despite NBA award implications

Celtics make smart decision with Jaylen despite NBA award implications originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

With the Boston Celtics already locked into the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, there aren’t many intriguing storylines as the regular season winds down.

But Jaylen Brown and his nagging knee injury is one of them.

The Celtics ruled Brown out for Friday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday afternoon, more than 24 hours before tip-off. The decision ensures that Brown, who has appeared in 63 games so far this season, won’t reach 65 games played, as Boston has just one regular-season game remaining after Friday (Sunday afternoon vs. Charlotte).

That’s notable because 65 games is the minimum threshold for players to be eligible for end-of-season NBA awards like the All-NBA and All-Defense teams, Defensive Player of the Year and more. After Friday night, Brown will be officially disqualified from those awards.

Whether Brown realistically would have made All-NBA is a separate discussion, but for a few days, it looked like the Celtics were attempting to give him a chance.

The league requires requires players to log at least 20 minutes those 65 games to be award-eligible, and Brown played 21 minutes in Boston’s rout of the Washington Wizards last Sunday despite looking slightly hobbled. He then labored through 21 minutes of Tuesday’s matchup with the New York Knicks before sitting out the entire fourth quarter and overtime of a close game.

Even when Brown didn’t play on the second night of a back-to-back in Orlando on Wednesday, it was worth wondering if he’d suit up Friday and Sunday to hit his minutes minimum before heading to the bench.

“Even though my team visibly can see maybe I’m in a bit of pain,” Brown said after the Celtics’ April 2 game against the Heat, “they trust me to go out there and I can control my body and still be able to make plays and mentally, be able to push through it.”

While there’s some value in learning how to manage pain, there’s more value in rest, and it appears Brown and the Celtics have made that calculation with two games left in the regular season. Assuming Brown doesn’t play in Sunday’s season finale, he’ll have had at least nine days of recovery time before Boston begins its first-round playoff series next Saturday (April 19) or Sunday (April 20).

How close the All-Star wing is to 100 percent by Game 1 remains to be seen, and it sounds like he’ll still have to manage the injury throughout the postseason. But the team’s decision leaves no doubt that he and the Celtics are prioritizing the playoffs over the opportunity to earn individual recognition.

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Nike Hoop Summit men’s rosters 2025: Kiyan Anthony, Cameron Boozer headline high school basketball event

There is one place in April where fans can see the NBA stars of tomorrow today — and it's not the NCAA Tournament.

It's the Nike Hoops Summit, which takes place this Saturday. It can be seen starting at 7 p.m. on the USA Network and streamed on Peacock. It's a USA vs. the World game featuring the best high school players from around the globe. The list of alums from the summit includes 15 former No. 1 picks and 94 top-10 picks, featuring such names such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jayson Tatum, Kyrie Irving, Nikola Jokic, Derrick Rose, Anthony Davis, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Durant and Kevin Garnett — and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Who are this year's participants? Here are this year's rosters for the Nike Hoops Summit men's teams.

MEN’S TEAM

USA roster

• Darius Acuff Jr., 6’2” guard. The Arkansas commit was the top-ranked point guard in this class. He was tournament MVP when the USA won gold at the 2024 FIBA Men's U18 AmeriCup, averaging 17.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4 assists a game.

• Nate Ament, 6’7” forward. He led his high school squad to the Virginia state championship three times, averaging 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game this past season.

• Cameron Boozer, 6’9” forward. The son of two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer (and the twin brother of Cayden Boozer), Cameron is the early projected top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Duke commit won two gold medals and was named MVP for USA Basketball at the 2023 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup.

• Cayden Boozer, 6’3” guard. The other son of former NBA player Carlos Boozer and the fraternal twin of Cameron Boozer, like his brother and father he is committed to Duke. He has won two gold medals with Team USA: the 2023 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup.

• Mikel Brown Jr., 6’2” guard. The man can shoot the rock, he won the 2025 McDonald's All-American 3-point contest. Brown has committed to Louisville.

• Chris Cenac Jr., 6’10” center. The Houston commit was the MVP at the 2024 NBPA Top 100 Camp, averaging 18.6 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks a game.

• AJ Dybantsa, 6’8” guard. He has been on this stage before: Dybantsa had a game-high 21 points in the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit playing for the World Team (his parents are from the Republic of Congo and Jamaica. He has committed to BYU for college.

• Jalen Haralson, 6’8” forward. He averaged 21.2 points per game last spring in the Nike EYBL circuit and was part of the gold medal-winning Team USA in the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup. He has committed to college at Notre Dame.

• Jasper Johnson, 6’4” guard. The bucket getter and sharp-shooting guard was always destined for Kentucky for college, his father, Dennis, and his uncle, Derrick, both played football at Kentucky (Dennis also played three seasons in the NFL). He and big man Malachi Moreno, also playing for the USA in Portland, will form an impressive freshman tandem for the Wildcats.

• Nikolas Khamenia, 6’8” forward. The Duke commit starred at Harvard-Westlake High School in Los Angeles, the school that produced former NBA players Jarron and Jason Collins, as well as current NBA player Johnny Juzang (not to mention actors Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal).

• Trey McKenney, 6’4” guard. The big-bodied combo guard with a soft shot has committed to play for the Michigan Wolverines next season.

• Malachi Moreno, 6’11” center. Kentucky's Mr. Basketball for 2024-25, he is staying home and will play for Mark Pope and the Wildcats. He has shown some chemistry in Nike Hoops Summit practices with the other Kentucky commit here, Jasper Johnson.

WORLD ROSTER

• Shon Abaev (Israel), 6'7" forward. He recently led Calvary Christian Academy to a Florida Class 3A state championship, and he is committed to the University of Cincinnati for next season.

• Ikenna Alozie (Nigeria), 6’2” combo guard. He was the MVP of the 2025 Basketball Without Borders Global Camp at NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco.

• Kiyan Anthony (Puerto Rico), 6’5” guard. The son of Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony, he was a standout at Long Island Lutheran high school in New York and, following in his father's footsteps, is committed to Syracuse. He has Puerto Rican ties through his mother, Alani "La La" Vazquez, a well-known actress and producer.

• Tajh Ariza (Japan), 6'7" forward. He is the son of Trevor Ariza, who played 18 years in the NBA and won an NBA title in 2009 with the Lakers. He recently led Westchester High School in Los Angeles to its 16th City Section championship.

• Bogoljub Marković (Serbia), 6'11" forward. He has played professionally in the very physical and intense Serbian league for the past two seasons. He plays for KK Mega Basket, the team that produced Nikola Jokic, Ivica Zubac, Nikola Jovic and Goga Bitadze.

• David Mirkovic (Montenegro), 6'9" forward. He is playing professionally for SC Derby Podgorica in Montenegro but reportedly is interested in playing collegiately in the USA next season.

• Omer Mayer (Israel), 6'4" guard. Mayer currently plays professionally for Israeli powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv. At the 2024 FIBA U18 EuroBasket, he led Israel, averaging 18.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.1 assists a game.

• Jaion Pitt (Canada), 6'10" forward. Originally from Norwood, Ontario, he moved with his family to play his high school ball in Arizona, and now is committed to playing for Arizona State next season.

• Eric Reibe (Germany), 7'0" center. He was the top-ranked player in Maryland this last season and is committed to UConn for next season.

• Dame Sarr, (Italy) 6'5" guard. He is currently playing for FC Barcelona's top team (but has been linked to Illinois if he comes stateside for college). He was a member of the Italian national team for the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers.

• Tounde Yessoufou (Benin), 6'6" forward. He moved from the West African nation to California at age 15 but adjusted well on the court — he became California's all-time leading scorer in February, breaking DeMarcus Nelson's record.

• Boyuan Zhang (China), 6'8" forward. He plays professionally in China for Shanxi Fenju and has represented China in a number of international basketball events.

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Watch Anthony Edwards score 44, Timberwolves put up 52 in third quarter, beat Grizzlies

NBA: Minnesota Timberwolves at Memphis Grizzlies

Apr 10, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) reacts during the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves were hot, resulting in a still-tight Western Conference with two games to play.

Edwards poured in 44 points Thursday night, including 18 in the third to spark a 52-point quarter by Minnesota against Memphis.

The result was a 141-125 Minnesota win between two teams hoping to avoid the Play-In Tournament, but if the playoffs started today these two teams would face each other in the 7/8 game.

The West sees the Warriors, Timberwolves and Grizzlies all tied at 47-33, sitting as the 6/7/8 seeds. The trio is just one game back of the Clippers and Nuggets, who are the 4/5 seeds, and every team has two games left to play.

This was Minnesota's sixth win in its last seven games, and was also sparked by Julius Randle, who added 31 points and 10 rebounds.

Ja Morant led Memphis with 36 points, although what will make headlines is his new 3-point celebration: Pretending to throw a grenade into the crowd. Desmond Bane scored 28 and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 23 points.

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Knicks on pursuit of No. 3 seed: 'You want to be playing well and be the highest seed possible'

Thursday night was a potential clinching game for the Knicks, as they took on the Pistons in Detroit.

New York needed to win just one game to capture the No. 3 seed but the Pistons turned up the defensive intensity in the second half and dominated the fourth quarter to beat the Knicks for the third time in four games this season.

Granted, the Knicks were without OG Anunoby and Josh Hart -- two starters -- and a key bench player in Mitchell Robinson but New York still held a lead as large as 13 points and led for most of the game.

“First half played pretty good,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said after the game. “Third quarter got up 13. And then I thought our turnovers really hurt us. Tight score with probably six, seven minutes left in the game. But, again, turnovers really hurt us.”

The Knicks gave up an uncharacteristic 14 turnovers in the game, seven coming from Karl-Anthony Towns.

Towns, who was held down by foul trouble for most of the game, broke out in the fourth quarter. He scored 15 of his team-high 25 points in the final frame but also turned the ball over four times in the fourth.

“We said we gotta play 40, 48 minutes Including myself,” Towns said of the game. “Just got to be better and finish the game out, play all 48 minutes. We had a good first half just didn’t play the second half the way we needed to.”

The Knicks won’t have much time to dwell on Thursday’s loss, they are back in action Friday against the Cavaliers at MSG. The loss coupled with the Pacers' win means the No. 3 seed is still up in the air with two games remaining in the regular season.

One more win -- or one Pacers loss -- clinches the three-seed for the Knicks. Towns said they aren’t thinking about that, just worried about getting the next win, echoing his coach.

“We talked about it, we don't want to change our approach for anything,” Thibodeau said about the team’s pursuit of the No. 3 seed. “I'd say just take it step by step, and you go into the game to prepare to win and play as hard as you can. Fight to win every possession.

“And then you want to check as many boxes as you can. You want to be playing well and be the highest seed possible going into the playoffs.”

If the Knicks do take the No. 3 seed, a collision course with the upstart Pistons may be in New York's future. Detroit is close to keeping the No. 6 seed, which means both will meet in the first round.

This year’s Pistons team has become known for being a physical group, and it showed in Thursday’s game. Drives to the basket from Jalen Brunson or Towns were met with force, the Pistons crashed the boards with their myriad of bigs -- they outrebounded the Knicks 35-34 -- and forced those costly turnovers with their active hands

That physicality is something the Knicks will have to combat if they meet in the playoffs. But Towns is unbothered by the style of play and felt the game was still the Knicks’ to be had.

“That's Detroit basketball. They play physical basketball,” he said. “They upped their physicality in the second half, just didn't do enough to win the game, including myself. Take responsibility and move on to the next one, and get ready for that.”

The playoff seedings still need to be sorted out over the regular season’s final two games, but barring some very specific scenarios playing out, the Knicks and Pistons will meet in the first round, and New York will need to be ready.

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Jalen Wilson led the Nets with 20 points in 133-109 loss to Hawks

NEW YORK (AP) — Zaccharie Risacher scored a season-high 38 points as the Atlanta Hawks routed the Brooklyn Nets 133-109 on Thursday night.

The No. 1 pick in the draft shot 15 for 20 from the field, including 6 for 11 from 3-point range.

Trae Young added 24 points and 12 assists for the Hawks, who shot 57 percent. Dyson Daniels had 10 points, nine assists, nine rebounds and three steals to raise his NBA-leading total to 226.

Jalen Wilson finished with 20 points for the Nets. Tosan Evbuomwan added 18 points and six rebounds.

The Hawks never trailed and led 69-45 at halftime behind 23 points from Risacher.

Takeaways

Hawks: Atlanta is touting Risacher for Rookie of the Year and Daniels for Defensive Player of the Year. A good case could be made for both.

Nets: Brooklyn had won the season series every season since 2017-18, but the loss Thursday allowed Atlanta to win 2-1 this season.

Key moment

The Hawks made their first 12 shots in the second quarter, the first time they made that many consecutive field goals since hitting 15 in a row against Cleveland on Feb. 24, 2023.

Key stat

Risacher has scored 30 or more in four games, most among this season's rookies. He made at least five 3-pointers in each of them.

Up next

The Hawks visit Philadelphia on Friday.

The Nets are in Minnesota on Friday.

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Shorthanded Knicks crumble in second-half, fall 115-106 to Pistons

The Knicks held a 13-point third-quarter lead, but a poor-shooting second half and a turnover-filled fourth quarter sentenced the shorthanded side to a 115-106 defeat at the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night.

Playing without Josh Hart (knee), OG Anunoby (thumb), and Mitchell Robinson (injury management), New York didn’t have enough from Karl-Anthony Towns or Jalen Brunson to overcome the missing pieces and succumbed to a hot-shooting Detroit side that could be a tough matchup come playoff time.

The Knicks led for most of the game, leading by double-digits for long stretches, but the Pistons' physical play saw them by nine with two minutes to play. Brunson had a good look from three to cut the lead to two with 38 seconds to play, but he drew iron. The Knicks guard had just three second-half points as he went 1-for-8 from the floor and 0-for-2 from the free-throw line. Brunson missed a portion of the third quarter after rolling his left ankle.

Here are the takeaways...

- “Yup, two!” Brunson said before adding an emphatic toss of his thumb after Cade Cunningham picked up his second foul just five minutes into the game. But the foul trouble did not halt the Pistons’ leading scorer, who remained in the game and scored eight in the first.  Instead, it was Towns who was forced to the bench with three personals after he committed offensive fouls on back-to-back possessions early in the second quarter, which limited him to just 11 minutes of first-half action with six points, four rebounds, and three assists.

Cunningham, who picked up his third foul before the half, was able to thrive despite the fouls. The Detroit guard poured in 30 points (13-for-19 from the field) through three quarters and helped the home side with a 20-7 run to close the gap and tie the score entering the fourth. 

Towns appeared to come alive in the fourth, scoring six straight Knicks points. But he committed four turnovers in the quarter, and the Pistons soon led by six. He finished with 25 points (10-for-19) with 10 rebounds and five assists, but seven turnovers meant he was a minus-5 in 29 minutes.

Cunningham finished with 36 points (connecting on 9-for-13 in the second half alone) and was a plus-9 in 35 minutes.

- Brunson and Miles McBride each had 12 points in the first half, and that was it for their impact as they combined to go 1-for-18 from the floor in the second half. Brunson (5-for-15 for the game, 3-for-9 from deep) finished a minus-11 in 29 minutes. McBride (5-for-18, 2-for-10 from deep) was a minus-15 in 39 minutes.

- Precious Achiuwa, in the starting lineup, poured in 13 first-half points (10 in the opening quarter) with a few emphatic dunks. Achiuwa continued to shine in the third, including a special sequence blocking a Cunningham three, running the floor for a skip pass leading to an and-1 slam to give him 18 points (8-for-13) in the game.

But he didn't attempt a shot in the fourth. He had 10 rebounds, three assists, three blocks, two steals, and was a minus-7 in 39 minutes.

- With the Knicks shorthanded, it was P.J. Tucker, the first man off the bench. The second unit to close the first quarter was Tucker, Achiuwa, Landry Shamet, Cam Payne, and Delon Wright and that group helped give the Knicks a six-point lead after 12 minutes of play.

- The Knicks connected on 67 percent (16-for-24) from the floor in the first quarter and 50 percent (9-for-18) in the second for a 62-56 lead at the interveal. But Detroit hit 55 percent in the first half (23-for-42) to keep pace and limit the pace of the game, as well.

The home team kept the pace in the third (58 percent, 11-for-19), and the visitors did not connect on just 32 percent (9-for-28, including 2-for-11 from deep). That continued in the fourth, New York shot 40 percent (8-for-20) in the fourth as Detroit connected on 62 percent (13-for-21).

What's next

The Knicks return to New York for their final two games of the regular season, first playing the home finale Friday at 7:30 p.m. against the Cleveland Cavaliers before heading across the East River for Sunday's 1 p.m. tip at the Nets.