BOSTON — The Celtics had a swell Sunday afternoon to open their 2026 postseason.
The Sixers … had a day.
Any explanation provided for the Sixers’ 123-91 Game 1 loss in Boston is likely to be true and also woefully incomplete. The team missed many jumpers and layups, played leaky defense and plunged into a deep deficit.
“A lot went wrong, that’s for sure,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said. “It kind of started right in the beginning with not getting off to a great start offensively, getting into some foul trouble with both bigs. The first quarter was obviously moving past us pretty (quickly) and we just didn’t do enough at either end to settle into the game.
“I thought from the second quarter until the middle of the third, we finally … played pretty good basketball. But the minutes around that were absolutely unacceptable.”
The Sixers were subpar in ways that popped up often during the regular season. Their three-point shooting troubles were extreme — 4 for 23 (17.4 percent)— and can be chalked up partly to bad luck on the day. However, it’s notable that the Sixers were a bottom-10 team this year in both three-point frequency and three-point accuracy, per Cleaning the Glass.
Other familiar flaws included transition defense and difficulty compensating for Tyrese Maxey being anything other than world-class. Maxey was the Sixers’ top offensive producer in Game 1 with 21 points on 8-for-20 shooting and eight assists. Joel Embiid (appendectomy recovery) was desperately missed.
With shot after shot clanging off the rim, the Sixers’ defensive energy and focus wilted.
“To be honest, we missed wide-open shots,” VJ Edgecombe said after posting 13 points and three assists in his first playoff game. “It’s deflating, especially against a good team that’s also shooting really well and with a postseason crowd.
“So my takeaway is they’ve got to win three more. It’s on to the next game. We’ve just got to get ready for that one and make it feel like more of a playoff game.”
Edgecombe later noted that the Sixers must “match (the Celtics’) intensity and bring the physicality” moving forward in the series.
Why didn’t that happen in Game 1?
“To be honest, I don’t know,” he said. “I feel like they were flowing into their sets and all their actions easily, untouched. I think we have to just get up and guard. Just play hard. Be ready to guard your yard; it’s really 1-on-1. If you keep your man in front of you, then we won’t be in rotation.”
Turnovers were also a sizable problem for the Sixers, which is a less common occurence. Points off of turnovers isn’t a perfect stat, but the disparity there Sunday was telling. The Celtics scored 22 points off of the Sixers’ turnovers and punished early-game sloppiness. The Sixers … scored three points off of Boston’s giveaways.
They can play much cleaner basketball.
“We certainly can’t give up that much in transition,” Nurse said when asked about specific, controllable areas of emphasis. “That’s a big one. We’ve got to take care of the ball better. Too many turnovers that were live-ball and led to some of that transition. And I think we’ve got to generate more threes against this team. We’ve got to generate ‘em, we’ve got to take ‘em, and obviously we’ve got to make some, which I’m sure we will.”
Defensively, the Sixers’ day was devoid of shining moments. Jaylen Brown (26 points) and Jayson Tatum (25 points) each enjoyed themselves. Sam Hauser shot 4 for 6 from beyond the arc. No Sixer made multiple threes.
The Sixers were second in the NBA this season in fourth-quarter defensive rating. They ranked in the league’s bottom half for the other three quarters. At the start of Sunday’s fourth quarter, the Celtics held a 24-point lead.
“If you see someone driving to the rim, no matter what the scenario, step in front of them — especially if it’s Jaylen or Jayson,” Maxey said. “Step in front of them, make them kick the ball out and then rotate after that. But they got a lot of wide-open, walk-down-the-lane layups, walk-down-the-lane dunks. … Those are the ones we can’t give up.
“It’s going to be tough regardless. We’re capable of doing it, but we can’t give those types of plays up.”
Game 2 is Tuesday night and the Sixers need dramatic upgrades to even the series.
“We’ve got to lock in for our film session tomorrow,” Nurse said. “We’ve got to lock in on our practice tomorrow. Lock in on our film session Tuesday, and then we’re going to have to come out and play a lot better.”
The college basketball offseason is well underway with the transfer portal in full swing. Here are a few important dates that the Kentucky Wildcats will follow throughout the spring and summer:
Tuesday, April 21: Transfer portal entry window closes
The transfer portal window has been shortened to 2 weeks, limiting the time players have to decide whether to enter the portal. This deadline only applies to players entering the portal. Players who are already in can still take visits and commit after this date.
Friday, April 24 (11:59 PM ET): NBA Draft Early Entry Deadline
This is when we’ll know who will keep testing the NBA Draft waters for several more weeks. Outside of Malachi Moreno and Jayden Quaintance, no other Wildcat appears likely to test the draft waters
Thursday, April 30: Recruiting period ends
This is the final day of the April recruiting period, both for high school prospects and transfer portal players. From April 10 through April 30, programs are allowed to host both on-and off-campus visits. A quiet period begins Friday, May 1, and runs through Saturday, May 9, during which no off-campus in-person recruiting contact is permitted.
May 8-10, Chicago, Illinois: NBA G-League Combine
This is when we could see Otega Oweh get a chance to boost his stock and hopefully earn an invite to the NBA Combine.
May 10, Chicago, Illinois: NBA Draft Lottery
May 10-17, Chicago, Illinois: NBA Draft Combine
May 27 (11:59 PM ET): NCAA Early Entry Withdrawal Deadline
This will be the deadline for Malachi Moreno and others to withdraw from the draft if they want to remain in college basketball.
June 13 (5:00 PM ET): NBA Early Withdrawal Deadline
This is the NBA’s deadline to withdraw or stay in the draft.
June 23, Brooklyn, New York (8:00 PM ET): 2026 NBA Draft First Round
Assuming Jayden Quaintance remains in the draft, expect this to be the night his name is called.
June 24, Brooklyn, New York (8:00 PM ET): 2026 NBA Draft- Second Round
This is when we’ll likely get a chance to see Otega Oweh and other former Cats look to show what they’re made of and hopefully earn a spot on an NBA roster.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 19: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics shows off his jersey before Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden on April 19, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Twenty-two times, the Celtics and 76ers have tipped off a playoff series with Boston owning a 15-7 lead. Their 23rd meeting started with a 123-91 blowout in Game 1 of this year’s first round series with the Jays combining for 51 points and 10 assists.
If there was any doubt that Jayson Tatum wasn’t ready for the postseason after a 16-game regular season runway, his performance in the series opener silenced any doubters. Just a year shy of his Achilles tear, Tatum finished with another near triple-double of 25-11-7. He looked springy on defense and like a charging bull on his drives.
And as for this year’s MVP candidate, Jaylen Brown fulfilled his role as lead scorer with 26 on 11-of-21 shooting. He started off slow before halftime, hitting just 4-of-12, but when the 76ers threatened a comeback to open the third, Brown scored on 7-of-9 from the field for 26 points to put Philadelphia away.
The Celtics have been littered with x-factors all season. This afternoon, with a healthy roster and no one on the injury report, it was the entire team that had their moments in the blowout win. Mazzulla had trimmed the rotation to eight towards the end of the season, but with the bigs in foul trouble in the first half and the game in hand by the start of the fourth, Boston went twelve deep and everybody had their moments: a floater and block from Baylor Scheierman; Luka Garza with a putback and triple; Jordan Walsh contributed a Maxey shift and a leak out dunk; Sam Hauser hit 4-of-6 from 3.
Ultimately, the Celtics bench outscored Philly’s 37-27, led by Payton Pritchard’s 12 and six assists.
As we previewed here at CelticsBlog, containing Tyrese Maxey was going to be a priority for Boston and for the most part, they kept the All-Star point guard in check. Maxey managed to lead the 76ers in scoring with 21 points, but on an inefficient 8-of-20 with just five trips to the free throw line and three turnovers.
Creating turnovers hasn’t been a strength for the Celtics, but in Game 1, they forced fourteen that generated 22 points. Conversely, Boston had just eight givewaways from 3.
Game 2 is on Tuesday at TD Garden with a 7 pm tip-off.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 19: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics grabs a rebound over Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers and Andre Drummond #1 during the first quarter of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on April 19, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Sixers got crushed 123-91 in Game 1 by the Boston Celtics Sunday afternoon, falling down 1-0 in the series.
Tyrese Maxey was unable to pull a rabbit out of the hat, leading the Sixers with 21 points shooting 8-of-20 from the floor along with eight assists. Paul George put up 17 points on 4-of-8 shooting along with four rebounds, one assist and two turnovers.
VJ Edgecombe had his moments in his first playoff game, going for 13 points shooting 6-of-16 from the floor with three rebounds and three assists. Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 26.
Joel Embiid (appendectomy surgery recovery) was the only player unable to suit up due to injury.
Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.
First Quarter
The Sixers came out chucking — their first three shots of the game were all from behind the arc, but only one of those fell and it was banked off the glass. Adem Bona got the start at center but got a very quick hook after picking up two fouls with a turnover in the process. The Sixers were also able to draw two quick fouls on Neemias Queta though once Maxey and George were able to find space to drive.
It would take just about flawless basketball to get a win and that’s not how the Sixers came out. George had two rough turnovers while Andre Drummond committed a bad loose ball foul after a rare stop. The Celtics ripped off a 14-2 run to get out to a comfortable lead. Nick Nurse opted to go small with Dominick Barlow at the five when Drummond picked up his second, the only positive being the moving screen wasn’t absurdly upgraded to a flagrant.
All of this was secondary though to the Sixers inability to score. Maxey did as good of a job as he could being asked to make something magical happen off the dribble every possession. It took nine minutes of game time for someone other than Maxey or George score, and 10 minutes for a different Sixer to make a field goal. Jayson Tatum made a couple of baskets then found Jordan Walsh in transition to give the Celtics a 15-point lead after one.
No idea how Maxey got this to go. Sixers need a whole lot more of it, down big early. pic.twitter.com/R6KEqMhSIc
George made a quick four free throws out of five. Justin Edwards ended the three-point drought and followed that up with an and-1. He couldn’t convert that free throw and the Sixers still couldn’t make much progress. Drummond checked back in, but with Luka Garza drawing him out to the perimeter, the Sixers had no interior presence.
The frustration for Philly culminated in Drummond getting T’d up as the Celtics pushed their lead to 20. The struggles at center continued as Bona missed two putback bunnies in a row at point-blank range. Not only could they not buy a jumper to fall but they kept leaving points on the table at the line with Kelly Oubre Jr. becoming the latest Sixer unable to convert an and-1. The Sixers shot 12-of-18 from the line in the half.
Forget flawless play, the Sixers just weren’t able to get out of their own way. Edgecombe converted a rare and-1 then the Sixers retained possession their next trip down the floor with the ball going off the Celtics. They immediately turned the ball over trying to throw an inbounds pass from the baseline to half court. A small positive is that Edgecombe got a couple floaters to go in the quarter after a very quiet start. He nailed a turnaround to pull the Sixers within 18 at the half.
VJ Edgecombe with a beautiful euro and floating finish around Jayson Tatum here. pic.twitter.com/EWKe6yiYeF
The Sixers finally got a couple bounces to go their way with a couple of baskets followed by an unsuccessful Celtics challenge. A missed layup from Oubre led to Boston being able to respond, but the Sixers were able to get those points back and prevent another run.
Another poorly-timed turnover helped the Celtics snatch momentum right back. They had gotten a stop down 15 and Maxey was leaking out ahead of the defense. Drummond’s outlet pass didn’t have enough on it and Brown intercepted it. Two Boston threes later and the reeling Sixers called a timeout. They missed two midrange looks coming out of the timeout while Brown and Tatum each got an easy basket at the rim to cap off a 10-0 run.
A good example of execution being the difference was the offensive rebounding numbers vs. second-chance points. The Sixers pulled more down through three quarters, having 11 offensive rebounds to just four for Boston, but second-chance points were in Boston’s favor 12-10. Each one of those points felt back breaking with the Sixers fighting tooth and nail for every basket. They trailed by 24 going into the fourth.
Fourth Quarter
Quentin Grimes taking and making his first two shots of the game didn’t stop the Celtics from taking their first 30-point lead of the night. The amount of wide open layups the Sixers missed was staggering as Barlow became the latest to do so. To this point in the game they were shooting 55% at the rim, which Cleaning the Glass puts in the 12th percentile across the league.
It didn’t take very long into the quarter for the white flag to be raised. Both teams shut down their stars, with Trendon Watford and Dalen Terry checking in for the first time. Edwards made the best case for minutes in this series as the only bench player to hit shots, and even he finished this game 3-of-9 from the field. The Celtics fans mocked the “We want Boston” chants towards the end of the game to put the cherry on this crap sundae.
The Lakers’ Deandre Ayton (right) defends against the Rockets’ Alperen Sengun in Game 1 on Saturday. AP
The Lakers limited the Rockets to 37.6% shooting from the field, the worst opponent shooting percentage against the Lakers in the playoffs since April 28, 2023, when the Grizzlies shot 30.2% in Game 6 of the 2023 first-round series.
The Rockets shot 40% on 2-pointers in Game 1, which was just the third time this season between the regular season and playoffs that Houston shot 40% or worse on 2s.
“We did a good job of contesting those 6- to 8-foot shots without fouling,” coach JJ Redick said. “Using our length. [Deandre Ayton] Jaxson [Hayes], [LeBron James], Rui [Hachimura], [Jarred Vanderbilt], all those guys, Jake [LaRavia].”
The Lakers’ defensive success started with limiting Alperen Sengun, the Rockets’ All-Star center and second-leading scorer behind Durant, who became the focal point after Durant’s absence due to injury was announced 90 minutes before tipoff.
“I don’t think it affected our mentality,” Redick said. “This is all we’ve talked about for two months: Our playoff mentality; you can’t worry about who’s in or out of the lineup. It’s our game plan, it’s our standards, it’s how we play. And we’ve built toward that. Our guys just responded well and met the moment.”
Sengun, who averaged 20.4 points on 51.9% shooting and a career-high 6.2 assists during the regular season, had 19 points and six assists in Game 1. He shot 31.6% (6 of 19) from the field against the Lakers.
At the center of the off night from Sengun, and the Lakers’ defensive success, was Ayton, their starting big man who not only had a 19-point, 11-rebound double-double but was also the primary defender on Sengun.
Ayton matched Sengun’s physicality, contributing to Sengun shooting 4 of 11 from the field when he was Sengun’s primary defender.
He consistently beat Sengun to his spots, absorbed contact and contested Sengun’s attempts inside the 2-point arc.
“Just getting a contest is super important,” Redick said.
The Lakers’ Deandre Ayton (5) drives against Rockets defenders Saturday. Ayton had 19 points and 11 rebounds in Game 1. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Ayton also had strong moments as a defender in drop coverage, using his 7-foot, 252-pound frame to make passing lanes or shot opportunities more challenging to take advantage of, and as a switch defender, especially in the second half against Reed Sheppard.
Sheppard, who had 17 points on 6-of-20 shooting to go with eight assists in Game 1, shot 0-for-3 from the field when Ayton was his primary defender.
And with Ayton on the floor, the Lakers closed out defensive possessions better, which was especially important against a Rockets team that led the league in offensive rebounding the previous two regular seasons and grabbed 21 offensive boards for 23 second-chance points Saturday.
The Lakers had a 67.4% defensive rebounding rate with Ayton on the floor, which was still a poor mark, compared with a 36.8% defensive rebounding percentage when Ayton wasn’t on the court — meaning the Rockets grabbed an offensive rebound on two-thirds of their misses when Ayton was on the bench.
“He was great on both ends,” Redick said of Ayton. “Again, we’re at our best when he’s playing at a high level.”
But defending Sengun wasn’t a one-player job.
Hayes also limited Sengun to 1-of-6 shooting when he was the primary defender.
The Lakers had success with their greens against Sengun — overloading the strong side of the floor to deter a post-up. Two of his three turnovers came after the Lakers deployed the defensive coverage on Sengun’s post-ups.
“They [did] the same thing they did during the season: They flooded, forcing me baseline and bring help from the baseline,” Sengun said. “I just got to find the open shot. I got to be more aggressive and attack quicker.”
Sengun added: “I didn’t want to play much post-up because they were flooding. I like the elbow actions. They can’t do that from there. I just got to make those shots. If I make those shots, nothing would’ve worked.”
Sengun had success against the Lakers’ greens as the game progressed, and he was more patient with his decision-making on post-ups.
“He understands, and we understand, they’re going to flood,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “And we need to be a little more patient with that. Two of his three early turnovers were kind of rushing it. Just gotta invite that, face up and survey. Don’t go away from being a facilitator in the post.
“At times, guys get discouraged if they take away a certain thing, and that can be beneficial for us. We don’t want as much isolation on the perimeter, where they’re loaded up. Invite the doubles like we have all year. What we drill behind it, we should get decent shots out of it as long as we don’t turn it over.”
The Lakers’ frontcourt wasn’t alone in its high-level defensive performance.
Four of the Rockets’ top-four scorers (Sengun, Sheppard, Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr.) shot worse than 40% from the floor.
“We had a thing out there with togetherness,” Ayton said. “And we just stayed as a unit on the defensive end.”
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 18: Luke Kennard #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Houston Rockets during Round One Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 18, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
LOS ANGELES – Saturday’s Game 1 between the Lakers and Rockets saw the Crypto.com Arena crowd will the purple and gold to victory behind the unlikeliest of leading men.
Midway through the fourth with LA leading by 12, the Lakers ran an action to get their lead guard his fifth three of the night and put the nail in Houston’s coffin.
No, it wasn’t Luka Dončić or Austin Reaves, the high-scoring duo originally expected to lead LA in postseason scoring. With both stars still out, Luke Kennard stepped up huge, putting up a playoff career high of 27 points on 5-5 shooting from the 3-point line.
It started early for the Duke product playing in the 29th playoff game of his career. A sign of utmost respect, the Rockets attached arguably their best perimeter defender, Amen Thompson, to Kennard.
LA used multiple screens and actions to shake him free from the first-team All-Defense opponent. Watch below as he comes off an ATO, curling around a Deandre Ayton screen with Thompson in chase mode.
Known for his 3-point shooting, the 59% mid range shooter collects his first two points. A couple possessions later, he curls off another screen in the middle of the floor and drives with a pretty off-hand hook shot that softly banks in. He finished the first quarter with 12 points on 5-6 shooting.
A major question entering the series was how the Lakers’ guards would handle the on-ball pressure Houston presents, especially in lineups without LeBron James.
Even while committing three turnovers, Kennard provided much-needed shot creation and showed off his underrated handle. Watch below as he snake dribbles off the screen and hits a pull-up over Alperen Şengün in drop coverage.
He stayed aggressive, not only taking threes but seeking them, including one over Thompson’s contest shown below.
“I just liked that he was aggressive shooting threes,” head coach J.J. Redick said postgame. “He played a fantastic basketball game…he just played really aggressive tonight.”
While the Lakers can’t expect 27 points every night, they will need this level of assertiveness every game of the series to contend. He’s become a primary option and the gravity of his movement is a vital cog in the Lakers’ opening up shots for others.
It’s not a large sample size, but once Luka and Reaves went down, LA quickly moved Kennard up the hierarchy. The two-man game with LeBron has blossomed all season and continued Saturday as they surgically hunted mismatches of big man Şengün and young guard Reed Shepherd.
Kennard’s usage on the Lakers before the injuries was just 12.8%. In the final five games of the season, it jumped to 19%. On Saturday, it was a steady 20.2% as one of the main go-to scorers and facilitators.
The Rockets will likely make adjustments going forward, adding more aggressive coverages and mixing up defensive rotations. The Lakers reps have been building towards this moment, and he took full advantage of the opportunity, looking prepared to continue doing so.
“Honestly, I feel like those games leading up to right now, I developed a rhythm kind of playing in that role,” Kennard said post-game. “It gave me confidence going into the playoffs of doing more and being controlled, poised, and looking for my shot when I can. So tonight, there was no difference. Shots went in.
“Again, it’s just having that mentality of getting everybody organized when I can and then looking for the best shot available and just being aggressive.”
Jimmy Butler usually is the one doing the surprising.
Remember when the six-time NBA All-Star broke out “Emo Jimmy” for the Miami Heat’s Media Day in 2023 or launched his own coffee brand in the “bubble” in 2020?
Well, it was his Warriors teammate, the one and only Steph Curry, who got Butler this time. Back when the sharpshooter entered his own sneaker free agency and had the entire league wondering what kicks he’d be rocking on any given night, Curry stunned Butler when wearing a pair from his signature line with Li-Ning during a game.
“I think the first time I wore, you know, a shoe other than my own in an actual game, which was the [Li-Ning Jimmy Butler JB4 “Dark Knight”],” Curry said on his YouTube channel when asked about which pair of sneakers he wore that surprised people the most. “Those, even my own teammates, nobody knew I was actually going to wear another shoe outside of mine until literally right when we went to the starting lineups, and we were in the circle.”
“We do like this little dance, and everybody’s getting hype, and then (ex-Golden State fan favorite Buddy Hield) pointed down and is like, ‘Oh, look at–,’ and then Jimmy looked down; he lost his mind because he didn’t even know, because everybody’s kind of in their own mode, getting ready for the game. I’ll remember that moment for the rest of my life, just because it was kind of from a teammate-to-teammate perspective of being able to show love.
Butler had no idea that Curry was rocking his very own kicks during an actual 2025-26 NBA regular-season game for the world to see.
And, while Curry might be partnering with Sotheby’s to admirably auction off his sneaker free agency collection for his own EAT. LEARN. PLAY. Foundation, the four-time NBA champion will be able to cherish the memories from his past season’s shoe game for the rest of time.
“The fact that I made it all the way to tip off and he had no clue I was rocking his shoes,” Curry said, “those types of moments are always fun because you create a memory out of nothing.”
Jimmy Buckets truly had no clue — and Curry will keep the moment with him forever.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 11: Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles the ball during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 11, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Thunder defeated the Suns 136-109. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the NBA playoffs in full swing, next up is who will win the key awards for the season.
For Defensive Player of the Year, San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is viewed as the favorite, while Most Improved Player, among other awards, are tougher to call.
Wembanyama will also be in the running for MVP, alongside previous winners in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic.
Rookie of the Year involves No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, but there’s another strong candidate who may rival him for it.
Here’s the full list of each performance award and the respective finalists, which were revealed on NBC and Peacock:
With the NBA playoffs in full swing, next up is who will win the key awards for the season.
For Defensive Player of the Year, San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is viewed as the favorite, while Most Improved Player, among other awards, are tougher to call.
Wembanyama will also be in the running for MVP, alongside previous winners in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic.
Rookie of the Year involves No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, but there’s another strong candidate who may rival him for it.
Here’s the full list of each performance award and the respective finalists, which were revealed on NBC and Peacock:
Sunday brings another slate of playoff openers in the NBA, with some of the biggest young stars in the league seeing action tonight.
That includes both Paolo Banchero and Victor Wembanyama, both of whom I’m picking to have big games for their teams in my NBA player prop picks for tonight.
Keep reading to see my favorite NBA picks from Sunday, April 19.
Prop #1: Paolo Banchero Over 33.5 points + rebounds + assists
-115 at bet365
The Orlando Magic needed to win on Friday to finally clinch their playoff spot, doing so in style with a 121-90 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. Paolo Banchero was at the heart of that victory, scoring 25 points and putting up 36 total PRA.
That’s nothing unusual for the Magic star, who averaged 35.8 PRA for the season and surpassed his total for tonight’s game in four of his last five regular-season games, including a 31-point, 37 PRA performance against the Detroit Pistons earlier this month.
Orlando will need more performances like that to have a chance in this series. I expect the Magic to lean heavily on Banchero, making him an excellent choice to hit his PRA total tonight and throughout the series.
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBC
Prop #2: Victor Wembanyama Over 11.5 rebounds
-130 at bet365
Victor Wembanyama put together perhaps his most complete season this year, playing 71 games and continuing to dominate defensively. Wembanyama averaged career highs of 25 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, all while the San Antonio Spurs have carefully limited his minutes, letting him play just under 30 per night.
We won’t see those kinds of restrictions or careful usage in the playoffs. Wemby finished the regular season strong on the boards, collecting 13+ rebounds in seven of his last eight.
There’s no reason to expect anything less from the 22-year-old now that the Spurs are pushing to make a deep playoff run, and I love Wembanyama’s rebounding Over tonight.
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBC
Prop #3: De'Aaron Fox Over 1.5 made threes
-120 at bet365
De’Aaron Fox has been an important complementary piece for the Spurs this year, averaging 18.6 PPG on 48.6% shooting. That includes solid shooting from deep, hitting 33.2% of his threes for the season.
We saw Fox shoot more freely from deep in the final few games of the season, hitting 2+ from beyond the arc in each of his last three games.
And with the Portland Trail Blazers certain to focus on preventing Wembanyama from singlehandedly beating them, that should make it easier for Fox to get open and to fire away from deep. With his made threes total at a modest 1.5, I like the Over.
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After 82 long games, it’s time for the even more grueling grind of the postseason. Sixteen more wins are required to hoist the championship.
The cream will rise to the top, while others may get exposed in a setting where every weakness and every margin matter.
So, which of the eight battles in the first round will be the one to relish the most? Let’s rank them from least to most entertaining:
8. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns
Oklahoma City is the No. 1 seed after winning the championship last season. Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder should easily handle a Phoenix team with Devin Booker running the show. Booker’s main supporting cast is Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green. Not good enough. They could steal one game with hot shooting, but the Thunder should cruise to the second round, health willing.
7. New York Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks
This postseason is a significant part of the Knicks‘ current timeline. Jalen Brunson needs to lead the team to at least the conference finals, but Karl-Anthony Towns has to quell his previous defensive miscues if New York is to take the next step. Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart will need to have the odd hot game every now and then, too. Combine all of that and they should also get past Atlanta with little worries, as the Hawks really only have Jalen Johnson and C.J. McCollum as their main on-the-ball threats. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is also facing a defining run amid a career year, while Jonathan Kuminga will need to offer more consistency if an unlikely upset transpires.
6. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors
Neither of these teams are expected to win the championship, but it’ll be interesting to see if James Harden can add more that Darius Garland couldn’t, especially if the top ranking on the list spices things up. Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have been here before, but the latter two and their relatively inexperienced supporting cast will need to step up. Toronto is led by the trio of Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes, but that’s not the right balance to move the needle in the postseason.
5. Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
This matchup and Cleveland-Toronto could be swapped, but ultimately the star quality of Nikola Jokic and Anthony Edwards provided the edge. Jokic and Jamal Murray have to do a lot of heavy lifting to win the championship, but they should be enough to take down Edwards, who likely will struggle alongside Julius Randle as his main scoring threat.
4. San Antonio Spurs vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Here it gets a little more intriguing. San Antonio is back in the playoff setting where it thrived under Gregg Popovich, and this time Victor Wembanyama is involved. With De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell and more balanced profiles, the Spurs are rightfully in the contending mix. The playoff inexperience might be a hurdle, but the conference finals should be the minimum. If they get OKC, anything can happen. Portland is also new blood after a while, with Deni Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe, Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday the key figures. The Blazers need this experience for their trajectory, so it’ll be interesting to see how they fare.
3. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets
Injuries are the main concern in this matchup, but if players come back in time then the intensity and quality will increase. Kevin Durant missed Game 1 for Houston in its loss to Los Angeles, while LeBron James turned back the clock without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Whoever triumphs may just come down to health, but Houston looked rough on offense without Durant. That bodes well for point guard LeBron, who received major help from Luke Kennard. Regardless, Durant vs. LeBron in 2026 can still attract hype.
2. Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Joel Embiid has previously said this matchup isn’t a rivalry. To paraphrase safely, the Celtics tend to rout the 76ers. That was the case in Game 1, but adding Embiid back into the frame could swing a few games for Philly. Boston will still be favored overall given Jayson Tatum’s return and the Eastern Conference being weaker, but Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe and Paul George can supply key help that Embiid hasn’t always had. Plus, who doesn’t love when these two cities face off?
1. Detroit Pistons vs. Orlando Magic
But the top spot goes to Detroit and Orlando. In a matchup that should be a throwback to the league’s past, the Pistons have soared to the top seed with Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren leading the way. However, with Tobias and Duncan Robinson being the next two key scorers, there is a risk of Detroit being upset here. Orlando will need to be at its best, which hasn’t always been the case as it hung on to the No. 8 seed. Still, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, Anthony Black and Co. won’t get a better chance to raise their trajectory than here. Let the battle commence.
After 82 long games, it’s time for the even more grueling grind of the postseason. Sixteen more wins are required to hoist the championship.
The cream will rise to the top, while others may get exposed in a setting where every weakness and every margin matter.
So, which of the eight battles in the first round will be the one to relish the most? Let’s rank them from least to most entertaining:
8. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns
Oklahoma City is the No. 1 seed after winning the championship last season. Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder should easily handle a Phoenix team with Devin Booker running the show. Booker’s main supporting cast is Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green. Not good enough. They could steal one game with hot shooting, but the Thunder should cruise to the second round, health willing.
7. New York Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks
This postseason is a significant part of the Knicks‘ current timeline. Jalen Brunson needs to lead the team to at least the conference finals, but Karl-Anthony Towns has to quell his previous defensive miscues if New York is to take the next step. Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart will need to have the odd hot game every now and then, too. Combine all of that and they should also get past Atlanta with little worries, as the Hawks really only have Jalen Johnson and C.J. McCollum as their main on-the-ball threats. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is also facing a defining run amid a career year, while Jonathan Kuminga will need to offer more consistency if an unlikely upset transpires.
6. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors
Neither of these teams are expected to win the championship, but it’ll be interesting to see if James Harden can add more that Darius Garland couldn’t, especially if the top ranking on the list spices things up. Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have been here before, but the latter two and their relatively inexperienced supporting cast will need to step up. Toronto is led by the trio of Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes, but that’s not the right balance to move the needle in the postseason.
5. Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
This matchup and Cleveland-Toronto could be swapped, but ultimately the star quality of Nikola Jokic and Anthony Edwards provided the edge. Jokic and Jamal Murray have to do a lot of heavy lifting to win the championship, but they should be enough to take down Edwards, who likely will struggle alongside Julius Randle as his main scoring threat.
4. San Antonio Spurs vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Here it gets a little more intriguing. San Antonio is back in the playoff setting where it thrived under Gregg Popovich, and this time Victor Wembanyama is involved. With De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell and more balanced profiles, the Spurs are rightfully in the contending mix. The playoff inexperience might be a hurdle, but the conference finals should be the minimum. If they get OKC, anything can happen. Portland is also new blood after a while, with Deni Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe, Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday the key figures. The Blazers need this experience for their trajectory, so it’ll be interesting to see how they fare.
3. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets
Injuries are the main concern in this matchup, but if players come back in time then the intensity and quality will increase. Kevin Durant missed Game 1 for Houston in its loss to Los Angeles, while LeBron James turned back the clock without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Whoever triumphs may just come down to health, but Houston looked rough on offense without Durant. That bodes well for point guard LeBron, who received major help from Luke Kennard. Regardless, Durant vs. LeBron in 2026 can still attract hype.
2. Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Joel Embiid has previously said this matchup isn’t a rivalry. To paraphrase safely, the Celtics tend to rout the 76ers. That was the case in Game 1, but adding Embiid back into the frame could swing a few games for Philly. Boston will still be favored overall given Jayson Tatum’s return and the Eastern Conference being weaker, but Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe and Paul George can supply key help that Embiid hasn’t always had. Plus, who doesn’t love when these two cities face off?
1. Detroit Pistons vs. Orlando Magic
But the top spot goes to Detroit and Orlando. In a matchup that should be a throwback to the league’s past, the Pistons have soared to the top seed with Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren leading the way. However, with Tobias and Duncan Robinson being the next two key scorers, there is a risk of Detroit being upset here. Orlando will need to be at its best, which hasn’t always been the case as it hung on to the No. 8 seed. Still, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, Anthony Black and Co. won’t get a better chance to raise their trajectory than here. Let the battle commence.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 18: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks reacts during the first half of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you ever doubted the Knicks…
…you better get outta here.
Only three first-round postgame Bulletins coming after this one. You know the reason. Knicks in four.
"Whosever phone this is…when you get a text it interrupts the press conference…" pic.twitter.com/ljJp2Ux4KL
On the team’s sacrifice and depth: “We feel like the team is deep and anybody can get going at any time. For us, it’s about sacrificing and not worrying about shots, minutes or anything like that. Just try to go do what you can to help the team win.”
On Brunson’s Game 1 start: “It’s big. He stepped up to the plate like he should have done, and he hit some big shots for us early to help us get out front.”
On cleaning up transition defense: “Transition — they shook free in the first half and the way we chart it, they had 18 fast break points. We talked about it at halftime and we did a little better job in the second half.”
On defending Atlanta’s small-small pick-and-roll: “We did a nice job in the second half with our transition defense. Their small-small pick and roll also is a problem, and our guys did a pretty good job of defending that the right way in the second half.”
On handling Atlanta’s Hack-A-Mitch: “We’ll see how the game goes, and we’ll leave him in until we think we need to make a sub. And whenever we feel like we need to make a sub, we will. But we’re gonna give him a chance.”
On using the bonus to counter fouling: “If they wanna start fouling, then that would get us closer to the bonus. So it’s a time for us to go back to him.”
On OG Anunoby’s impact: “OG hit some big shots.”
On preaching sacrifice and Brunson’s command: “We have capable guys. We feel like this team is deep, and anybody can get going at any time. For us, it’s about sacrifice and not worrying about shots or minutes or anything. [Jalen] was good defensively; he was good commanding a double-team. It’s something we’re going to face the entire playoff, and we have to make sure we continue to be on point about it.”
On Towns’ second-half surge: “The ball went in for him in the second half.”
On playing through Towns early: “In the first half, he facilitated a lot. We played through him. He made some great passes for some easy buckets, and so we’re just trying to mix it up for him.”
On Mike Brown’s coaching: “Intense, smart, challenges us as players. Makes some really good adjustments. His communication throughout the year has been really good with us. From meetings, talking to us, finding out what we see, doing different things (based on player feedback). He’s done an amazing job.”
On Brunson’s breakout in Utah: “It wasn’t like he wasn’t on the scouting report, but I don’t think us as a team thought he was going to perform the way that he did. It was like his coming-out party. He was just busting our ass, for real.”
On OG Anunoby’s ankle and spiritual healing: “We need OG out here, so we’re gonna make it happen. He came over to the bench and asked me if I could do (the spiritual healing) for his ankle; then he sat over there for a second, came back in the game and finished the game. Like I said, we need him on the floor so whatever I gotta do to keep it going… sprinkle a little magic on him.”
On facilitating early in Game 1: “I wanted to make sure get them going early and facilitate.”
On reading Atlanta’s game plan: “I wanted to know — they had a week of practice — to see what their game plan was. Seeing the pressure, when you’ve got someone like [Brunson] and the amazing teammates we’ve got, I wanted to make sure to get them going early.”
On team trust: “We’ve got an amazing team that, not only our starting five, but everyone on the team could impact winning and can go out there and do an amazing job. So, just us continuing to trust each other and us going out there as a team and winning as a team is the most important thing.”
On his father returning to the Garden: “To have someone who I would say is the most important person in my life, it’s really awesome to be able to have him back in Madison Square Garden supporting me. I feel like any son out there who plays basketball or plays any sport, you get to see your father there at your competition, you always have a sense of pride, and you want to make him proud.”
.@JLEdwardsIII "4 years ago today you scored 41 for Dallas vs Utah…Jordan Clarkson said he thought that was your coming-out party" … Jalen Brunson "Everyone sees that but 1st couple years…chipping away…every day…summer…[then] opportunity…stay ready…v thankful…my… pic.twitter.com/28H5kOUCqs
On the Game 1 win: “It was a hard-fought win. It was physical. It was a grind-it-out game.”
On fighting through highs and lows: “It’s really important, you never know what’s going to happen. There’s going to be highs and lows of a season, highs and lows of a game, and to be able to fight through and still find a way to impact, is very important for us, especially this point of the season.”
On growing chemistry with Towns: “The longer we’re on the court together, our chemistry’s better. I think we’ve grown as teammates, grown as friends.”
On moving past the McCollum incident: “It wasn’t purposeful, so we move forward.”
On the second-half defense: “I feel like they were getting out and they were winning a space battle (in the first half), getting open, getting to their spots and I feel like in the second half, we really cut that off. We made catches difficult, and we got to loose balls.”
On the need for steady defensive consistency: “Every single night. It’s nonnegotiable; we have to bring it every single night and be locked in.”
OG Anunoby twisted his ankle and asked to come out of the game.
Declined treatment from a trainer, re-tied his left shoe.
Here’s Jordan Clarkson and Jose Alvarado using ancient forgotten healing methods on him: pic.twitter.com/qSLGE50m9Z
On his ankle: “It’s OK. I just rolled it; it just happened.”
On his performance: “I think I played good. I could always be better.”
On improving for Game 2: “Everything.”
"He's going to have quarters where he gets going"
Quin Snyder talks about Jalen Brunson's big first quarter and the Hawks' defensive strategy against him moving forward in this series: pic.twitter.com/uqO14Igqdf
On the Towns matchup: “That’s a challenge for us right now. It’s a little bit of pick your poison, you know? How do you handle him on the post with a mismatch? Do you just guard him? How do you handle pick and roll? How do you handle him and Brunson on pick a roll? I think for us to be prepared for all those situations, you can adjust every time down the court. Obviously, we will be doing that. That’s no secret. That’s what, you know, great offensive players demand.”
On Atlanta’s center depth: “We picked up Tony Bradley [who was on] our G-league team last year. Mo Gueye has been playing the five, which hasn’t been his primary position this year and then obviously spent time guarding [KAT]. So hopefully we can do a better job guarding him than we have. There’s times where it’s good defense, better offense. One of the biggest things is we’ve got to keep him off the foul line. There’s some ways that he scored against us I think are real. Trying to focus on that and make him do something different. I say that he can do a lot of things that are different, so we’ll just lock in, try to make it work.”
On Towns’ rebounding and pick-and-roll: “He’s always just been a gifted scorer. I think the thing that maybe gets overlooked a little bit at times is his rebounding. That’s another layer to it, because even when you feel like you’ve impacted him and he doesn’t score, he’s on the glass. The situations that he’s in [in New York] are a little different, especially the pick and roll with Brunson. That’s a layer that it’s hard to deal with when you have two players that are that gifted individually and then, when they’re connected as well, it presents more problems.”
On guarding Towns on the perimeter: “Like any player in the league, they get better as they’re in the league, but I think having him in trail as much as he is and the range that he has, those closeout situations — if they’re long, you think you’re on them and then you realize they’re seven feet tall, you’re not. Then you think you’ve done a good job at that, and he makes a quick read and jabs, shot fakes and goes around you. So do your best. But I think he’s gotten better.”
On not manipulating playoff seeding to face the Knicks: “That was completely bogus — our focus was totally on us coming into [the season finale]. If we were fortunate enough to be playing in the playoffs, I think that was the goal for us, and then to be healthy. We had lost Jock a short time prior to that, too. The focus for us was on our health. There was no easy matchup, and we weren’t concerned about that as much as we were ourselves.”
CJ McCollum accuses Jalen Brunson of flopping
and the president of the players union would never make false accusations much less do anything dirt— pic.twitter.com/Qij4lF6x3w
On the technical and Brunson’s reaction: “I shot a jumper, and Jalen thought we were at a Broadway show. He acted it out until they reviewed it. It’s a normal jump shot. Nothing there. Unnecessary, and I look forward to getting my $2,500 [fine] back.”
Danny Green, a three-time NBA champ (who won a title with OG Anunoby), backed off his prediction of Knicks winning the East because of “rumblings” of a fractured team.
Here’s what Green said in media conference call yesterday with ESPN, where he works as an analyst:
On the Knicks’ late-season form dooming them: “Simply because the fact that the Knicks this year, especially late in the season, they looked very up-and-down. They looked like they were disconnected. The chemistry wasn’t there.”
On rumblings of a players-Brown clash: “There are rumblings about some guys don’t like Mike Brown or work with the coaches. There are rumblings that some guys are feeling they’re not getting touches or there’s over usage of Jalen Brunson. That seems to me like a team that could self-implode.”
On giving Boston the edge: “Originally at the beginning of the year, I had the Knicks. The Knicks probably had the highest expectation, the most pressure on them. They made it to the Eastern Conference finals last year. Indiana dropped out with injuries. Boston had dropped down with injuries but came back, and they’ve been playing well even without Jayson Tatum for most of the year. Detroit is good. They’re just young and inexperienced. That’s why I couldn’t give the edge to Detroit. Boston and New York have to face each other in that second round at some point. The winner of that matchup is the one that’s going to get to the Finals. Right now, I’m giving the edge to Boston, even though the Knicks have played well against Boston.”
LeBron James, during his illustrious NBA career, has played in more than 1,900 games. He’s said the craziest thing probably happened in his latest one – in which the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets, 107-98, in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series Saturday, April 18.
In the second quarter, James shared the court with his son Bronny for four minutes. It’s the first time a father and son have played together in an NBA playoff game.
"That’s probably the craziest thing that’s ever happened to me in my career," James, a four-time NBA champion, told reporters after the game. "It was just so cool to be out there with him, and his brother and his sister and his mom in the building. And his grandma.
"You know, like, that’s just insane. You know, like, my mom get to watch her son and grandson during the playoffs. Now that’s crazy,"
Statistically, it was not a memorable four-minute stretch for Bronny James. He had a turnover and two personal fouls and did not attempt a shot.
Now in his second NBA season, Bronny James scored double figures in three of the Lakers’ final six regular-season games. He averaged 2.9 points in 42 games during the regular season.
His father turned in a a scintillating playoff performance in the first game of the best-of-seven series against the Rockets. LeBron James had 19 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds while helping the Lakers overcome the absence of Luke Doncic and Austin Reaves, both who missed the game because of injuries.
Paolo Banchero
Victor Wembanyama