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

The ball is back in LeBron James' hands, and he is thriving in his “new” role as the Lakers’ primary caretaker.

James is in this position in the wake of injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. He had been the third option behind Doncic and Reaves, and he shifted back to a role he has been accustomed to playing over his 23-year career.

James has been a force over the last three games, with his latest standout performance coming Friday night in the Lakers’ 101-73 win over the Phoenix Suns at Crypto.com Arena.

Read more:Plaschke: Broken Lakers need to shut down the season

James finished with 28 points, 12 assists and six rebounds to help the Lakers secure at least the No. 4 seed in the uber-tough Western Conference.

The Lakers (52-29) still have a shot at the third seed if they beat the Utah Jazz at home on Sunday and if the third-place Denver Nuggets lose at San Antonio on Sunday, the final day of the regular season. Because the Lakers won the tiebreaker over the Nuggets, they would get the higher seed over Denver if the two teams finish with identical records.

“Obviously we are going to be able to feed off our crowd. That’s going to be great,” James said. “We’re going to have home court. That’s great for our fans. But the game is played in between the four lines. So, looking forward to that.”

James was 10 for 16 from the field against the Suns and two for two from three-point range.

Over his last three games in this new role, James has averaged 24.6 points, 12.6 assists and 7.6 rebounds, shooting 60% from the field and 46% from three-point range.

He was on point from the beginning against the Suns.

James quickly went by a defender on a back-door cut, took a pass from Luke Kennard and threw down a two-handed, rim-rattling dunk. James flexed in front of his teammates on the bench, who stood to give their approval. The Suns called time out with four minutes and 53 seconds left in the first quarter, giving the fans more time to appreciate what James was still able to do at 41 years old.

“I’m just trying to make plays,” James said. “I had to tap back into a role that I’ve been accustomed to in the past, but obviously it wasn’t what it was this year. But circumstances have put me back in and I’m just trying to figure out my teammates and my teammates feeding off me and just trying to make things happen for us to continue to stay afloat.”

Whoever the Lakers face in the playoffs, coach JJ Redick believes teams want to face his group because of their injuries. Doncic and Reaves are not expected back for the first-round of the postseason.

“I'm sure everybody wants to play us. Let's get that out there, like, everybody wants to play us,” Redick said before the game. “Probably teams that are in a position where they can start looking forward to potential second-round matchups as well. ... Again, I'll say what I told the team yesterday, what I told you guys after the game, we have to figure out the formula and the belief for this group to be successful. And so that's our focus for tonight and that's going to be our focus on Sunday.”

For Kennard, who had 19 points and three assists in his new role as the lead point guard, the Lakers face a big challenge in the playoffs without Doncic and Reaves.

“You’re missing 60 points a game, and yeah, it’s definitely out there and I’m sure people are thinking about that and what we’re missing,” Kennard said. “But we also have [James] and the way he’s been playing and leading us has been incredible, and obviously, we’re going to need him to continue to do that. But I think these last few games everybody’s starting to get a rhythm.

"We’re starting to figure out what playoffs are going to look like for us, rotations and all of that," Kennard continued. "Guys are getting more comfortable with it and they’re playing well together and it’s been fun. So, yeah, I think no matter who we play, we’re going to be ready to fight from Day 1, Game 1. And they gotta come here first, no matter who it is, and I think we’re going to look forward to it.”

Notes: Lakers backup center Jaxson Hayes missed his third straight game with left foot soreness, but he has been making progress. “Hope to have him back Sunday,” Redick said. “But yeah, he's still day to day.” ... The Lakers waived guard Kobe Bufkin. It means the Lakers have a roster spot available to sign another player for the playoffs. “We're evaluating all the options we have,” Redick said. ... Marcus Smart, who had missed nine straight games with a right ankle contusion, had six points in 18 minutes.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Coach JJ Redick reemphasized on Friday night that the Lakers can’t be worried about their playoff seeding considering the circumstances they’re in.

And that the seeding considerations for the end of their season “probably went out the window” after the loss to the Thunder on April 2, in which star guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves both suffered regular season-ending injuries. 

But their 101-73 win over the Suns at Crypto.com Arena not only secured homecourt advantage for the Lakers in their first-round playoff series, but also maintained the possibility of them achieving their ultimate goal of being the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. 

LeBron James once again led the Lakers, this time with 28 points, 12 assists, 6 rebounds and 4 steals in 32 minutes. 

James has 28 points (60% shooting, 46.2% on 3-pointers), 12.7 assists, 7.7 rebounds and 2.3 steals in the three games he’s played since the injuries to Doncic and Reaves.

“I had to tap back into a role that I’ve been accustomed to in the past, but obviously it wasn’t what it was this year,” James said. “But circumstances have put me back in there and I’m just trying to feed off my teammates, teammates are feeding off of me and just trying to make things happen for us to continue to stay afloat.”

Luke Kennard added 19 points and 3 assists, while Rui Hachimura had 13 points and Deandre Ayton finished with 10 points and 5 rebounds. 

Marcus Smart had 6 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals in his first game since March 21. 

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What it means

The Lakers, who improved to a 52-29 record, can’t finish worse than No. 4 in the West after Friday’s win and the loss from the Rockets (51-30) to the Timberwolves on Friday. 

The Rockets’ loss locked them in as the fifth seed. 

If the Nuggets (53-28) beat the Spurs on Sunday, they would secure the No. 3 seed. If the Nuggets lose and the Lakers beat the Jazz on Sunday, the Lakers would finish as the third seed.

The Lakers will either host the No. 6 Timberwolves or No. 5 Rockets. 

Turning point 

When Marcus Smart, who played in his first game after three-week absence because of a right ankle contusion, made a pair of floaters to put the Lakers up 73-58 midday through the third quarter. 

MVP: LeBron James

The 41-year-old star wasn’t kidding when he was caught on camera in Dallas telling fans at American Airlines Center that he can “still do this s–t” last weekend.

James recorded his third straight points-assists double-double since the injuries to Doncic and Reaves. 

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His 22 points in the first half did not only set a tone, but were tied for the most points he scored in a half this season. 

He also scored 22 first-half points in the loss to the Mavericks on April 5. 

Stat of the game: 18

That’s how many offensive rebounds the Suns grabbed on Friday night. 

The Suns scored 27 second-chance points, one of their more significant sources of offense during a night they were without star guard Devin Booker.

The Lakers held the Suns to just five offensive boards in the second half, which helped the Lakers outscore the Suns 44-25 in the final two quarters.

Grayson Allen and Collin Gillespie didn’t play in the second half.

Up next

The Lakers will play their final regular season game on Sunday when they host the Jazz.

The Golden State Warriors played their penultimate game of the season on Friday night, and it both went according to plan and not very well at all. In a self-professed dress rehearsal for next week’s play-in tournament, the Warriors prepped themselves for higher-leverage games … but still lost to the lowly Sacramento Kings 124-118.

For the first time since returning from injury, Steph Curry started the game, and that seemed to portend good things. Curry made a three on the very first possession of the game, and Kristaps Porziņģis made one two possessions later, giving the Dubs a 6-0 lead less than a minute into the game. But after that hot start, the Warriors started to show some rust, which was understandable given that the unfamiliarity of the lineup.

Bad turned to worse when, trailing 12-9, Curry hunched over in pain and walked very gingerly, prompting a Steve Kerr timeout. But thankfully it appeared to just be a knocked knee, as Curry stayed in the game after the timeout, and everyone exhaled.

It felt like the Warriors were playing fairly well for a while, and they certainly had all sorts of energy, yet the Kings somehow just kept scoring and kept scoring, and kept scoring, with old foe Malik Monk catching fire. Curry played most of the first quarter — a clear tune-up for the postseason — but, following a quarter-ending three by Dylan Cardwell, the Kings still led 32-27 after the first frame.

The Warriors came out of the second-quarter gates with a very eager defense, but the Kings were committed to defending Curry, and they were doing a very good job of it. The game was getting a little ugly, until Sacramento broke out with some rhythm.

While the Kings are not a good shooting team, and were missing the bulk of their best players, they couldn’t miss for a while in the second quarter. Rhythm begat more rhythm, as the Kings shooters just seemed completely in sync (Devin Carter, for instance, shot 6-for-11, despite shooting 24.0% on threes this year, and 26.1% in his career). Sacramento pushed the lead and pushed the lead and pushed the lead, until suddenly it was a 15-point game.

De’Anthony Melton was having a fine time scoring for the Warriors, with 13 in the frame. But no one else could find rhythm, separation, or the bottom of the bucket (his teammates combined for just 11 points in the quarter). At halftime, the Kings — who are 29th in the NBA in three-point percentage, and 30th in threes made per game — had shot 10-for-19 from distance, and held a 63-51 lead.

But if the Warriors have something to hang their hat on from the loss — and if you want something to give you a little confidence heading into game No. 83 — it came in the third quarter, which seemed to be when the Warriors most pretended like the outcome of this game mattered. And while it was ultimately a meaningless game for both teams, the quarter was one of the most entertaining ones that the Dubs have had this year.

It was ugly, but in a fun way. Carter committed a flagrant foul on Draymond Green just 85 seconds into the half, which resulted in a five-point possession for the Dubs, as Green sank both free throws, and Brandin Podziemski followed it up with a three-point play. That was part of a 12-0 Warriors run following a Sacramento bucket on the opening possession, and during the run we were treated to the veteran Green getting into it with Kings rookie Maxime Raynaud.

Things were heating up, and it was a lot of fun to watch. It settled into a back-and-forth affair for the middle portion of the quarter, and the execution was a lot of fun to watch. Eventually it turned into a slugfest, and not just in the trading buckets way, but in the physical sense of the word. Extra hard screens were being set, with elbows and shoulders being thrown into players. Fouls had a little something extra on them. Gary Payton II picked up a technical. The Warriors tied it and the Kings went on a 6-0 run, then the Warriors responded with a 7-0 run, which included Curry drawing a technical for celebrating from the sideline after Al Horford drained a three.

The whole team was playing with energy and aggression, but perhaps no one more so than Podziemski, who was in full-on attack mode. Suddenly everything was going the Warriors way, and they employed an ultra-scrappy closing lineup — Podziemski, Pat Spencer, Gui Santos, Malevy Leons, and Charles Bassey — which gave them an 89-82 lead after the third quarter.

Steve Kerr opted for a double-big lineup to start the fourth, with Horford and Porziņģis sharing the court with Curry in one final blast of tuning up. It worked well, as the Warriors pushed the lead to 11 points.

But then they got sloppy. It felt like the Warriors had accomplished what they set out to accomplish, and ran out of interest. Suddenly they were turning the ball over and taking bad shots, as the Kings scored eight straight points to cut the lead to three. Carter was killing them from beyond the arc as the Kings tied the game with seven minutes remaining … and then took the lead when Payton picked up a second technical foul (and subsequent ejection).

The Warriors trailed by six points just past the halfway mark, and with the outcome not mattering, Kerr let the subs run out the contest. They kept it close, but never close enough to take the lead, en route to a 124-118 defeat.

Podziemski was magnificent, and led the Warriors with 30 points on 9-for-15 shooting, while earning 10 free throws. Melton had 17 off the bench, while Curry (11), Porziņģis (11), Payton (10), and Horford (10) also scored in double figures. Curry wasn’t at his best, but it really did feel like he was just going through the warmups.

The Kings, meanwhile, had four different players hit the 20-point mark: Carter led the way with 29, followed by Raynaud with 23. Daeqwon Plowden and Nique Clifford each had 20. Carter, Raynaud, and Plowed each grabbed nine rebounds as well, as the Kings out-boarded the Dubs 58-43 … both a sign of their advantage inside, and the fact that Golden State missed more shots.

Perhaps the most notable thing to come from the night was the Portland Trail Blazers beating the LA Clippers. That means that the most likely scenario is that the Warriors face the Clippers in the first round of the play-in tournament.

And speaking of the Clippers, that’s also who the Dubs play in their season finale on Sunday, at 5:30 p.m. PT in Inglewood. We’ll see if the Warriors try to tune things up further in that game, or if they rest their key players so as not to give Ty Lue any additional intel.

The Phoenix Suns played their fifth game against the Lakers this season on Friday night, and it wasn’t much of a contest. Sure, the Suns were down 57-48 at the half, but the youth movement received its chance in the second half, and it wasn’t pretty. The team scored a grand total of 25 points in the second half.

You tip your hat to LeBron James. He played 32 minutes and went 10-of-16 from the field, including 2-of-2 from beyond the arc. He finished with 28 points and 12 assists, added six rebounds and four steals, and posted a +27 on the night. In a game the Lakers needed to help secure the fourth seed in the Western Conference, he delivered.

On the other side, the Suns leaned into youth and opportunity, and the returns were not great. Dillon Brooks led the team with 12 points on 5-of-14 shooting. Royce O’Neale added 11. Some of the numbers were rough. Ryan Dunn played 28 minutes and was a -39. Jamaree Bouyea logged 27 minutes, went 1-of-7 from the field, and finished at -33.

The loss does not impact the standings for Phoenix, but Portland’s win over the Clippers moves them into the eighth seed, which would line them up as the Suns’ Play-In opponent on Tuesday if things hold through Sunday. The Suns now sit at 44–37 on the season.

Game Flow

First Half

The Suns opened with a lineup of Collin Gillespie, Grayson Allen, Ryan Dunn, Dillon Brooks, and Mark Williams, with Devin Booker and Jalen Green both out as they get rest before the postseason. It was the man in his 23rd season at 41 years old who set the tone early for the Lakers. LeBron James scored 9 of their first 13 points as Los Angeles jumped out to an early first quarter lead.

Phoenix found some life on the glass. 9 of their first 14 points came off second-chance opportunities, turning four offensive rebounds into valuable buckets.

With 6:15 left in the first, Dillon Brooks picked up his second foul of the quarter on a Luke Kennard three-point attempt. Kennard hit the shot, and the play went under review for a reckless closeout. It was ruled a common foul, but Kennard still knocked down the free throw to complete the four-point play and push the Lakers ahead 21 to 14.

He stayed in the game, and the first players into the rotation were Jamaree Bouyea and Royce O’Neale, who checked in for Collin Gillespie and Grayson Allen. Brooks came out on the next Lakers possession after picking up his third foul, and Rasheer Fleming entered as a result.

3 fouls by Dillon in Q1

— John Voita, III (@DarthVoita) April 11, 2026

The Suns soon found themselves down 15 in the first quarter, managing only 14 points of their own. It turned into a 13-0 run for the Lakers before rookie Rasheer Fleming stepped in and knocked down a three to stop the bleeding.

The offensive glass kept Phoenix afloat. They piled up 14 second-chance points on eight offensive rebounds, though that came with the reality that they were missing plenty of shots to create those opportunities. The Suns went 4-of-14 from beyond the arc in the first, while the Lakers caught fire, shooting 57.1% from the field.

After one, Los Angeles led 35-24.

The Lakers opened the second quarter a bit rusty, and the shots were not falling. The Suns kept chipping away, leaning on offensive rebounds and second-chance points to stay within reach.

With seven minutes left in the second, Phoenix had worked all the way back from a 16-point deficit to take a 36-35 lead after a three from Royce O’Neale. It was his second make from deep, and he sat at 4-of-8 from the field at that point.

Around that midpoint of the quarter, Dillon Brooks returned with three fouls to his name. He wasted little time, knocking down his first jumper after checking back in. And his offense kept rolling. Unfortunately, as the comeback was occurring, Grayson Allen left the bench for the locker room.

Grayson Allen heads to the locker room after an apparent hamstring injury. pic.twitter.com/YaKVCbtO6W

— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) April 11, 2026

With 4:17 left in the second, Brooks picked up his fourth personal foul. Head coach Jordan Ott kept him on the floor. On the very next possession, the Suns were whistled for another foul, their 10th of the game. It went to Amir Coffey, who then picked up a technical after reacting to what felt like a ticky-tack call.

Old man LeBron helped close the quarter for the Lakers. He had eight in the second on 4-of-6 shooting and finished the half with 22. Luke Kennard added some support with 17 of his own.

For the Suns, Dillon Brooks and Royce O’Neale each had 10 points, and Oso Ighodaro pulled down seven rebounds off the bench. Phoenix controlled the glass, leading the rebounding battle 28-13, and they dominated second-chance points 21-6. The problem was everything else. The Suns turned it over 10 times, while the Lakers had only two. Both teams scored 24 in the second, and at the half, Los Angeles led 57-48.

Second Half

The third quarter opened, and a little over a minute in, Jordan Ott used his first challenge. It was successful, overturning an out-of-bounds call. The Suns turned the ball over on the inbounds as a result. Sigh.

It was still a choppy start for the Suns. Shots were not falling, and the rhythm was not there. They were putting pressure on the Lakers and getting to the free throw line, but those trips only went so far. Before long, they were back down 15 as the Lakers opened on a 10-4 run through the first 6 minutes of the quarter.

Bouyea and Dunn were out there, but the offense felt passive. Too much dribbling into defenders, then looking for outlets. The flow was not sharp, and it showed.

Dunn and Bouyea should be less passive. This is a "fuck it" game. So, fuck it. Shoot the ball

— John Voita, III (@DarthVoita) April 11, 2026

The scoring drought stretched nearly seven minutes into the third quarter, with the Suns unable to hit a field goal. They finally broke through on an Amir Coffey layup with 4:30 left in the period. At that point, it was only their seventh point of the quarter and their second made field goal. They sat at 2-of-8 from the field and 0-of-4 from beyond the arc.

This was the quarter where it started to slip away from the Suns. Young players were on the floor, and the confidence was not there. Rasheer Fleming backed down a defender, had a chance to go up and score with his physicality, but kicked it out instead. It turned into a fast break the other way for the Lakers. That theme kept showing up. The young guys were looking to pass instead of looking to score, and it allowed Los Angeles to stretch the lead.

The third quarter belonged to the Lakers, who outscored the Suns 24-16. Giving up 24 is manageable, but the offense for Phoenix went quiet. They shot 4-of-14 from the field and 1-of-8 from beyond the arc. The turnovers kept piling up as well, eight in the quarter, leading to nine points for the Lakers. Los Angeles also found success in the paint, scoring 18 of their 24 points inside.

After three, the Lakers led 81-64.

There was not much to take away from the Suns in the fourth quarter as the offense completely stalled. No one could generate anything, and the youth movement looked rough on that end. There was little structure, a lot of one and done possessions, and Koby Brea firing from deep without much success.

The numbers tell the story. The Suns scored nine points in the quarter, shooting 4-of-21 from the field and 1-of-12 from beyond the arc.

Up Next

One more for the books, my friends. The Suns play the Thunder in the regular season finale on Sunday. We’ll see you then, Bright Side.

The Lakers took down the Suns 101-73 on Friday night. They clinched home court in the first round of the playoffs thanks to the Rockets losing to the Wolves.

Rui Hachimura started things off for LA with an impressive reverse layup. LeBron James was cooking early for Los Angeles with three 3-pointers and three free throws after he was fouled from behind the arc. He was up to nine points. Mark Williams was leading Phoenix with four points.

At the 7:13 mark, the Lakers were up by three. 

Dillon Brooks got into early foul trouble with three. LeBron continued his aggressive play, pushing his point total to 14, and he had three assists, putting him in the 12,000-career-assists club. Luke Kennard connected with LeBron for an emphatic dunk that rocked the rim. 

A powerful LeBron slam 😤

He's got 14 PTS after 1Q! pic.twitter.com/yWS6BjRTCq

— NBA (@NBA) April 11, 2026

LA was on a 13-0 scoring run. 

The Suns gained some life with two consecutive 3-pointers. Kennard responded with a 3-pointer for Los Angeles. At the end of the first, the purple and gold were up by 10. 

The Lakers lead the Suns 33-23 after one quarter. LeBron James has 14 points and five assists and is a team-high +16 in his nine minutes of play.

— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) April 11, 2026

Royce O’Neale opened up the second period with a layup. The Lakers lost the high energy they had in the first quarter, allowing Phoenix to cut LA’s lead to four. Grayson Allen was now leading the Suns with eight points. 

Phoenix was beating Los Angeles on the offensive boards 11 to one.

Phoenix has used the offensive glass to get back into the game, with an 11-1 margin, helping them turn a 16-point deficit into a lead before two Marcus Smart FT's made it 39-38 LA.

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 11, 2026

O’Neale scored a quick four points that put the Suns up by one. Kennard stopped some of the bleeding with a midrange jumper. The Lakers picked up their energy, and their offense clicked again, leading to a 9-2 scoring run.

At the four-minute mark, LA was up by six. 

Dillon Brooks and O’Neale had a combined 20 points for the Suns. Brooks was up to four fouls. Los Angeles ended the half strong, thanks to six points from LeBron. He had 22 points in the half. At halftime, LA was up by nine. 

LeBron with a pair of tough turnaround jumpers…

From almost identical spots 🔥

He's got 22 PTS at the break! pic.twitter.com/e2UCJL9Vkp

— NBA (@NBA) April 11, 2026

Jamaree Bouyea started the third period with a layup for Phoenix. Deandre Ayton responded on the other end with a dunk. Phoenix announced that Allen, who went to the locker room in the first half, was ruled out for the rest of the game with a left hamstring injury.

Both teams went on three-minute scoring droughts, but Hachimura ended LA’s with a 3-pointer. 

O’Neale converted on a free throw to give the Suns a point, but their scoring drought had hit six minutes. Amir Coffey stopped what ended up being a seven-minute scoring drought for Phoenix with a layup. 

A dunk by Oso Ighodaro forced a timeout by Los Angeles as their lead was now 11. Out of the break, Maxi Kleber was fouled and missed both free throws. On the other end, the Suns missed their shot attempt. 

Marcus Smart then scored four in a row. LeBron turned his jets on once more to give the Lakers their biggest lead of the night. 

Marcus Smart with back-to-back baskets. He's also had a steal and a rebound sandwiched in between these offensive plays. The Lakers really missed him.

— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) April 11, 2026

Going into the fourth, LA was up by 17.

The final frame began with a dunk by Jarred Vanderbilt on an assist from LeBron. James also assisted on a baseline cutting dunk by Kleber. At the 6:19 mark, LeBron was subbed out, and the rest of the game was garbage time as Los Angeles cruised to victory.

Key Player Stats

LeBron finished with 28 points, six rebounds, 12 assists and four steals. Kennard ended with 19 points, three assists and three steals. Hachimura pitched in with 13 points, two rebounds and three assists. 

Ayton had 10 points with five rebounds. Smart notched six points with five rebounds, seven assists and two steals. Vanderbilt logged six points with seven rebounds.

The Lakers’ last game of the season will be Sunday against the Utah Jazz at 5:30 PM PT.

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.

Defense was optional in the Rockets’ Friday night matchup against the shorthanded Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite shooting 60.9 percent from the field and a career high 41 points from Amen Thompson, the Rockets were outscored by 33 points from the three-point line, only making 4-of-18 from distance, while allowing the Timberwolves to shoot 15-of-30. The Rockets dominated inside, posting a +22 points in the paint differential.

The Rockets also dominated the boards 49-38 and were a +6 in fast break points. The cliche of “win by the three, die by the three” came to fruition. The Rockets held a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter before the Wolves went on a 17-4 run. The Wolves made five threes in the final quarter to the Rockets one, and that was really the difference. For a Rockets team that was looking to take good habits into the playoffs and had everything to play for with the opportunity to move as high as the #3 seed in the West, the defensive effort was disappointing.

The loss dampens the shine on brilliant offensive performances from Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson. KD scored 33 points on 13-of-18 shooting from the field, and he added 7 rebounds and 7 assists. He became the oldest player in NBA history to score 2,000 points in one season, at 37 years and 193 days old. Amen Thompson’s career high 41 points in 41 minutes to go along with 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals was just enough to make him a whopping +1 on the floor. That’s how bad the defense was in this game. The Timberwolves defense was not cause for the game film to be sent to Springfield in its own right. Many of the Rockets’ missed threes were wide open shots. Conversely, the Timberwolves seemed to make whether they were contested or not.

Wanting to find an eloquent and sophisticated way to describe what we all just witnessed, the best I can come up with is… this game was weird. When you look at the stats both individual and team, you find it hard to believe that the Rockets let this one slip. What makes it harder to swallow is the big picture, after the Denver Nuggets defeated the OKC Thunder, and the Lakers appear to be on their way to beating the Suns, it’s all but certain that the Rockets will finish the season in the 5th seed of the Western Conference.

Sunday night at 7:30 PM CST the Rockets will be looking to match their win total from last season at 52, against the Memphis Grizzlies, who are actively trying to lose games. Should the Rockets be locked into the five sees, coach Ime Udoka when asked stated that he will be resting players in that game. That being said its possible we just watched the last meaningful regular season game of the season. We will still be here at TDS covering the season finale with Game Preview, In-game discussion, and Game Recap.

It was Fan Appreciation Night in Salt Lake and boy, did the home team give the fans something to appreciate, as the Jazz beat down the shorthanded Grizzlies by 46. Two Jazz bench players recorded triple doubles, a feat unparalleled in living memory.

Kennedy Chandler – A-

Kennedy’s speed is reminiscent of Isaiah Collier, but what really impressed me tonight was his ball-handling. There were moments when his crossover moves left defenders in the dust. He recorded a double-double with 26 points and 10 assists, shooting an impressive 4-7 from 3. The only blot on his report card was at the free throw line, where he was a surprising 0-4.

Ace Bailey – A-

Ace also had a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds, a lot of his scoring coming in the second half. He was active defensively, recording 3 steals and a block and had a number of hustle plays, with John Konchar being the primary beneficiary.

Cody Williams – C

Cody’s shot was off tonight, going 6-16 from the field and 2-6 from 3. There were also periods of the game when he seemed to disappear, something he cannot afford to do next season when he’ll be likely coming off the bench and will need to make an impact in limited minutes.

Blake Hinson – A

Blake did most of his damage tonight from inside the arc, scoring 18 of his team high 30 points driving to the basket. He shot 44% from 3 and also contributed in other ways with 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.

Oscar Tshiebwe – A

Oscar had a monster game on the boards tonight with 22 rebounds. His push shot from the key has really come along and he looks to create opportunities for his teammates, dishing out 3 assists. If he doesn’t make the team next season, it won’t be because of lack of effort. He played hard to the final whistle tonight, blocking the Grizzles’ last shot of the game.

Bez Mbeng – A

Bez was the first one off the bench tonight and took full advantage of the opportunity, notching a triple-double with 27 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. His defensive skills have been well reported, but tonight really showcased his playmaking ability and his activity around the basket. One of the plays of the night was Bez saving a ball from going out of bounds in the corner and then lobbing a perfect cross court pass to Cody for a 3.

John Konchar – A

Not to be outdone, John recorded his second triple-double in a row, with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, to go along with his 5 steals and 2 blocks. To say that John was all over the court is an understatement. He blocked passing lanes, leaked out on fast breaks and seemed to battle for every loose ball, all while negotiating his way through 3 early fouls. He did have the play of the game, with an over the shoulder pass to Blake for 3.

The Fans – A

On the last home game, on Fan Appreciation Night, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the energy the fans brought to the game. The last two ugly seasons would test the mettle of any fan, but they keep coming, keep giving their all, keep cheering on whichever Jazz players are on the court.

SACRAMENTO — There’s a reason why the Warriors dubbed this a dress rehearsal.

Rolling out the lineup they hope to use to escape from the play-in, nothing came easy for a group about as close to full strength as the Warriors hope to get heading into the postseason.

Steph Curry survived an early injury scare but was largely kept quiet for his second consecutive game, Kristaps Porzingis turned in one of his poorest shooting efforts of the season and Al Horford made little impact in limited minutes.

In theory, the debut of the three together should have guided Golden State to an easy win over one of the NBA’s worst teams, but it proved to be a struggle to put away the Kings in a 124-118 loss.

It was Kings guard Devin Carter who played a starring role with six 3-pointers for 29 points. The Warriors were led by two guards not named Curry: Brandin Podziemski with a career-best 30 points and De’Anthony Melton with 17 off the bench.

Curry was held to 11 points in 27 minutes and didn’t re-emerge after going into the tunnel midway through the fourth quarter. Porzingis connected on only four of 12 attempts from the field for 11 points and Horford failed to grab one rebound while scoring 10 points in 17 minutes.

What it means

The game provided coach Steve Kerr his first look at the team with Curry, Porzingis and Horford all healthy. Without the latter two on Tuesday, the Warriors struggled to put the Kings away at home, and despite possessing most of their missing puzzle pieces ran into trouble again.

Turning point

Whatever hopes the Warriors have for this postseason flashed before their eyes only minutes into the game when Carter blitzed Curry at halfcourt. He swiped the ball clean and sent Curry spinning to the ground, visibly shaken up.

All it amounted to, however, was a scare. 

Curry appeared to tweak the same leg that has kept him out of all but three games since Jan. 30. But after a timeout and some attention from Rick Celebrini, the head of their medical staff, Curry remained in the game. He confirmed afterward that it was his ankle, not his knee, that was affected.

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Carter converted a reverse layup on the opening possession of the second half to extend the Kings’ lead to 65-51, their second-largest of the game, but the Warriors went on to score the following 12 points and took an 89-82 advantage into the final period.

Sacramento mounted a 14-2 run to flip a 98-92 Golden State lead into a 106-100 advantage with 5:16 to play, and the Warriors played from behind the rest of the way.

MVP: Brandin Podziemski

For the anticipation behind the debut of Curry, Horford and Porzingis together, the Warriors’ best player was the only one to play all of their 81 games so far.

Podziemski sank a free throw in the final seconds to reach 30 points for the first time in his career.

Stat of the game: 42

In their 81st game of the season, the Warriors used their 42nd different starting lineup.

With Curry, Porzingis and Horford all healthy at the same time for the first time all year, Kerr said before tipoff, “We’ve been looking forward to this.” He brought Horford off the bench and started Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos and Draymond Green alongside Curry and Porzingis.

They will only have one more dress rehearsal before the play-in, and the first didn’t go so well.

Still, there’s a reason why Kerr said the grouping is so “enticing” to Golden State.

“Lot of versatility, ball handling, shooting,” Kerr said. “Obviously Steph negates a lot of spacing issues, but with the spacing that we will have with Kristaps, there’s the potential that it could open things up for Steph, for BP, for Gui and his driving.”

Up next

Golden State gets one more tuneup Sunday against the Clippers, with tipoff set for 5:30 p.m. PT inside the Intuit Dome. After Los Angeles fell to the Blazers in Portland on Friday, the Clippers would be in line to host Golden State in the 9/10 play-in game if the Blazers beat the Kings on Sunday.

Game Story

On paper, this was a Friday evening prime time matchup, literally broadcasted on Prime.

When the two teams met two weeks ago, the Minnesota Timberwolves made the most dramatic overtime comeback in NBA history. Anthony Edwards wasn’t even active for that game, but he suited up today for the first time after missing 10 of the last 12 games. The Wolves may have been locked into the sixth seed in the Western Conference standings, but the Houston Rockets sat just above them at the fifth seed still with an opportunity to move up before the end of the season.

But then came the injury report.

Minnesota smartly opted to rest Naz Reid for the first time, while keeping Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, and Bones Hyland in street clothes as well. Wolves fans hoping to avoid a postseason date with the Denver Nuggets were liking shadow-rooting for a Minnesota loss, as it would keep the dream alive for a different first round matchup*.

_{(*The Nuggets ultimately won their game midway through this Wolves game, eliminating the Rockets chances at the three seed.)}

Back to the actual game at hand.

Kyle Anderson and Joan Beringer got the nod in the starting lineup and immediately made their presence known. The 32-year-old veteran, Anderson, dinked and dunked in seven first quarter points. Meanwhile, the 19-year-old rookie impressed with two big slams early, including snatching away a Rockets sidelines inbounds pass before traveling throwing in two of his six first quarter points.

Edwards was understandably rusty on both ends of the court early, going zero for three in his opening shift. However, one teammate who wasn’t cold was Terrence Shannon Jr. Fresh off a career-high 33-point performance, Shannon continued on this heater by swishing all three of his treys. The Wolves were laying waste to the Rockets defense, converting on 57% of their first half field goal attempts.

Unfortunately, Houston scored on 68% of their own looks.

Kevin Durant was doing what Kevin Durant does. The two-time Finals MVP was just having shooting practice, knocking in shots over Jaden McDaniels over and over. His 17-point first quarter was only outshined by Amen Thompson, who could’ve been mistaken as DeMar DeRozan tonight based on the amount of mid-range jumpers he was making. Thompson led the Rockets with 24 first half points of his own, on his way to a career-high 41 points on 17 of 22 shots.

The lack of defense from both clubs made for some riveting back-and-forth action. Neither team got more than two possessions ahead of the other in the first half. In the second half, Houston looked like were going to be the first team to seize control of the game. They built up a 10-point lead midway through the third quarter thanks to Minnesota’s soft interior defense and typical foul issues.

Enter: Anthony Edwards.

Outside of a springy dunk over Jabari Smith in the first half, Edwards only had seven points on two for six shooting. He missed his first two attempts in the third quarter, but then uncorked a flurry of jumpers and letting any Rockets defender know about it. Things were getting spicy, as Edwards notched a 12-point quarter to match Durant’s scoring efforts.

Edwards was still on a minutes restrictions, so it looked like Houston were in prime position to pump their lead back up against Minnesota’s second line. Unfortunately for the home team, as they have all season, they had a complete meltdown to start the fourth. They immediately committed three straight non-shooting fouls in the first minute, muting their defensive intensity.

Donte DiVincenzo took advantage, attacking Alperen Şengün and chipping in points in a row for Minnesota. Mike Conley also canned his third triple in as many attempts. McDaniels painted a defensive masterpiece all in one possession, stripping Reed Sheppard, blocking Jabari Smith, then corralling the rebound. But the player who stood out the most was Shannon, who contributing nine of his team-high 23 points in the quarter as well.

You already know that a poster dunk was part of it.

This was all just a setup for the final clutch time minutes of the game. Edwards returned to the game with 4:02 remaining and his team sporting a nine-point lead. Şengün, Durant, and Thompson led a swift 8-2 run to pull within just five points with still over two minutes remaining. Edwards stared down one of his favorite teammates of all-time, Josh Okogie, and went one-on-one against him. After bobbling the ball, he was called for an offensive push-off foul. Durant split a pair of free throws on the other end, giving Edwards another shot at Okogie.

This time, Edwards reminded us all who he was.

When you zoom out and look at this game, consider the following:

• Minnesota was without several key starters and rotation players
• Edwards was on a minutes restrictions
• Minnesota had nothing to play for (standings wise).
• Houston had something to play for (standings wise).
• Houston was playing at home
• Houston was at full-strength (minus Fred VanVleet)
• Houston was winners of eight in a row, with their last lost an all-time blunder against Minnesota
• Houston shot 60.9% from the field thanks to 86 paint points
• Houston shot and made more free throws than Minnesota

Yet the Timberwolves won by multiple possessions. It’s just one game, but it might be fair to ponder if the Wolves are indeed back.

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Box Score

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Comment of the Night

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Up Next

Minnesota packs their bags and heads back home for the final game of the season. They play host to the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, April 12, at 5:30 PM CT, but more importantly, this is the game that Kevin Garnett returns to Target Center. If you haven’t gotten your tickets yet, they’re likely going to be hard to find. Will we get the return of the “KG Cam?“

This specific game will have no impact on the standings and playoff seedings. The Pelicans just got crushed by the Celtics while the Wolves will likely want no more than one half of action for their regular rotation players. This game will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network.

Highlights

For 24 minutes, it didn’t look like a blowout. Inside the Frost Bank Center, the San Antonio Spurs found themselves in a game that felt tighter than expected. The Dallas Mavericks weren’t backing down, trading shots, matching energy, and riding a red-hot first half from Cooper Flagg that kept the crowd uneasy.

San Antonio hadn’t separated—not yet. But Victor Wembanyama was determined to make sure his team would not go down, not on this night. Wembanyama was doing what he always does, gliding through defenders, scoring with ease, impacting every inch of the floor. Still, Dallas lingered. Every Spurs push met with a Mavericks answer. Every hint of a run dissolved into another close stretch.

At halftime, the message wasn’t about urgency. It was about control. And when the Spurs came back out, everything changed.

The third quarter didn’t begin with a roar—it built into one. De’Aaron Fox took command first, slowing the game just enough to speed it up where it mattered. He dissected Dallas’ defense possession by possession, threading passes, collapsing the lane, and making the right read every time. The offense started to breathe.

“He’s by far the most capable on our team of understanding the pulse of the game,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said of Fox. “I think we’ve seen that from him time and time again and that’s exactly what we need as the playoffs arrive.”

Then it started to sprint. Wembanyama followed, turning control into chaos—for Dallas. He scored inside, stretched the floor, cleaned the glass, and erased any thought of resistance. What had been a game suddenly felt like a showcase.

And the Mavericks? They cracked.

Shots stopped falling. Possessions grew frantic. A team that couldn’t miss in the first half suddenly couldn’t buy a basket. Meanwhile, the Spurs kept coming: wave after wave, bucket after bucket. By the time the fourth quarter arrived, the tension was gone. So was the doubt. San Antonio didn’t just pull away—they buried the game.

The final score, 139-120, told part of the story. But it didn’t capture the shift—the moment when a competitive night turned into a statement. Wembanyama finished with 40 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists, another effortless display of dominance that somehow continues to feel routine. Fox added 18 points and 10 assists, quietly orchestrating the turning point that broke the game open.

“It feels good,” Wembanyama said of meeting the 65-game requirements for post season awards. “It feels like a box that’s checked. It was a season where a lot of things happened and this is a good conclusion for it.”

Around them, the Spurs played like a team that knows exactly who it is. Shots fell. The ball moved. The pace never dipped. What looked ordinary in the first half became overwhelming in the second.

Dallas had its moments, despite the loss. Cooper Flagg’s 33 points made sure of that. But moments weren’t enough. Not against a team that can shift gears like this.

Because that’s what this game became. A reminder.

The Spurs don’t need four quarters to beat you. Sometimes, all it takes is one. And when they find it, there’s not much anyone can do to stop what comes next.

Game Notes

• Mitch Johnson said Wembanayama may miss Sunday’s game against Denver due to rest, but conversations will happen before. Meanwhile, Wemby says he would not be surprised if that’s the case.
• Carter Bryant is playing with such confidence as the regular season closes and the postseason set to begin. That makes a much more dangerous Spurs team going into the first round. The rookie finished with 12 points off the bench, connecting on all three of his attempts from beyond the arc.

The Knicks are the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. 

Who are they playing? We won’t find out until Sunday night. 

The No. 6 seed is still up for grabs entering game No. 82. The Knicks can face either the Hawks, Raptors, Magic or Sixers in the first round of the playoffs. 

Here’s a look at the scenarios at play*...

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KNICKS FACE HAWKS IF 

• Hawks lose to Miami, Toronto beats Brooklyn and Orlando loses to Boston 

KNICKS FACE RAPTORS IF 

• Hawks beat Miami, Toronto beats Brooklyn 
• Hawks lose to Miami, Toronto beats Brooklyn and Orlando beats Boston

*All scenarios above assume that the Raptors will beat the Nets on Sunday. The Nets will presumably want to lose the game to improve/maintain their lottery seeding. If the Raptors lose to the Nets, here are the possible scenarios: 

KNICKS FACE ORLANDO IF

• Hawks lose to the Heat, Raptors lose to Nets and Orlando beats Boston
• Hawks beat the Heat, Raptors lose to the Nets and Orlando beats Boston

KNICKS FACE SIXERS IF

• Toronto loses to Brooklyn, Orlando loses to Boston and Sixers beat Milwaukee

The Dallas Mavericks (25-56) took on the San Antonio Spurs (62-19) for the last time in the 2025-2026 season. Saturday night’s matchup ended with Dallas on the wrong side of a 139-120 final score, with the loss dropping Dallas’ record to 25-56 with one game remaining. The Mavs had eight players listed as “out” so some unusual suspects got to showcase their talents.

Let’s get to the grades!

Ryan Nembhard: B-

13 PTS / 1 REB / 7 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 31 MIN

Nembhard had a relatively solid game with nothing remarkable. He chipped in a few points, he led the team in assists nearly from the opening tip and didn’t do much to get upset about.

Max Christie: A-

16 PTS / 1 REB / 2 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 31 MIN

This is the kind of game Christie is capable of at really any given time. I still don’t love the high frequency of three-point attempts for a guy who can drive and shoot the mid-range, not to mention hit free throws at a high clip. That said, when he shoots the three this well, it’s nice to see and gives the Mavs a different dimension.

Cooper Flagg: A

33 PTS / 6 REB / 5 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 32 MIN

Flagg got himself back on track after a poor scoring night last game. His shooting was spot-on (13-for-25; 3-for-7 from deep) and he poured in the points by making good decisions for easy baskets, while connecting on a number of tough, well-defended shots. This was his eleventh game scoring 30 or more points.

Khris Middleton: B

14 PTS / 3 REB / 3 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 25 MIN

Middleton was efficient (5-for-8) yet quiet, in that his contributions didn’t really pop out while watching the game. He was solid and made the most of his chances.

Marvin Bagley III: N/A

2 PTS / 1 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 8 MIN

Bagley suffered a shoulder injury that took him out of action after only eight minutes, so qualifying for an actual grade isn’t possible. Hopefully he will be able to play in game 82 as opposed to ending his season here.

John Poulakidas: C+

12 PTS / 1 REB / 0 AST / 1 STL / 1 BLK – 30 MIN

Poulakidas couldn’t replicate what he did last time out, and it wasn’t even close. He hoisted a lot of three-pointers as would be expected, but almost none of them went through the net until late in the game when he caught fire a bit. Despite the late flurry, he was the worst Mav in terms of plus/minus (by a big margin) for most of the night. Perhaps the best part of his game is that he stayed within himself and didn’t stop shooting. He demonstrated confidence that not may two-way players would show after such a rough start.

AJ Johnson: B

13 PTS / 1 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 20 MIN

I joke around with other MMB staffers that Johnson is a legend in the making. While that isn’t necessarily likely, I do still think there is a good NBA player inside the rough edges of what he currently is. He shot decently well (4-for-9), buoyed by a bank-shot three-pointer, and nailed his free throws (4-for-4) while showing little flashes that have me rooting hard for him to develop more this offseason to see what he can bring to the team next year. This was his highest scoring game since coming to Dallas.

Tyler Smith: C+

6 PTS / 2 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 19 MIN

Smith displayed his athleticism and some decently quick hands on a so-so shooting night (3-for-7 but 0-for-4 from beyond the arc).

Final Thoughts

At this point, Mavs’ losses are far more valuable than Mavs’ wins. Without P.J. Washington, Naji Marshall and a host of others, this was a nice game to take the L while letting some younger guys get opportunities they otherwise would not have, all the while watching Cooper Flagg put on a show.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

Facing an Indiana Pacers team seeking as many lottery balls as possible and suiting up the sort of roster to prove it, the Philadelphia 76ers got an ugly “a win’s a win” by the final score of 105-94. With one game now remaining in the regular season, the Sixers can finish anywhere from sixth to eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Here are the possible scenarios:
– Finish 6th and avoid the Play-In: beat Milwaukee, see Toronto lose to Brooklyn and Orlando lose in Boston
– Finish 7th and host the 7-8 Play-In game: beat Milwaukee, one of Toronto or Orlando loses and the other wins
– Finish 8th and hit the road for the 7-8 Play-In: lose to Milwaukee or both Toronto and Orlando win
We’ll find out how that all shakes out on Monday. For now, let’s talk Bell Ringer.

Tyrese Maxey: 32 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover

It wasn’t a scoring masterclass by Tyrese Maxey on Friday night, but you can’t say he was passive again, and there’s a certain “willing his team to victory” virtue to scoring 32 points on 28 shots. The finger is still clearly an issue for him, as the 1-of-10 mark from behind the arc would attest, as well as his heading to the locker room to get it checked out at one point in the second half. But Tyrese kept attacking, earning 10 free throw attempts, and ultimately did enough for his team to get the W. Making sure his team avoids the 9-vs-10 Play-In game may not seem like a lofty goal, but the Sixers’ floor would be Earth’s core low without number 0 around.

.@TyreseMaxey leads all scorers with 2️⃣7️⃣ pic.twitter.com/0tnqDh8vXF

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 11, 2026

VJ Edgecombe: 16 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers

If nothing else, it’s still fun to watch VJ Edgecombe run around in Game 81 like he still has a rocket booster strapped to his back. The rookie guard was all over the place, taking the elevator to the penthouse to reject Taelon Peter early in the game, or having his steals lead to soaring dunks in transition on the other end. The quieter parts of his game are coming along nicely too, like when he recognized a double team and hit a cutting Kelly Oubre in the lane for a bucket. Throw that all together along with an efficient 7-of-14 night from the floor and more than anything, I want to see what Edgecombe can do in the bright lights of a playoff environment.

bucket denied. 🚫 pic.twitter.com/SkcQ8CkCvb

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 10, 2026

Paul George: 21 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover

Playing in the town where he spent the early part of his NBA career, George showed he can still get buckets with the best of them. PG hit a trio of triples of the contested catch-and-shoot variety, but also did a fair amount of his damage in the mid-range with four pull-up jumpers inside the arc. I’m all for analytics and getting the most efficient shots possible, but there’s no denying a certain artistry to having a guy playing perfect defense on you and still just rising up from 15 feet and hitting a shot right in his face. As the Sixers’ offense stagnated throughout the evening, it seemed like George was always there to make something from nothing with a timely bucket.

working the mid-range. 👏 pic.twitter.com/UN9plJ04DH

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 11, 2026

With the Brooklyn Nets season coming to an end, the focus remained where it’s been for weeks, months, maybe even years… the tank. And with some help from the Utah Jazz and Sacramento Kings, the Nets clinched the third seed in the May 10 Draft Lottery.

How it happened: In Milwaukee, Brooklyn lost 125-108 at the hands of the Bucks. then later, the early morning scoreboard showed the Jazz had blown out the Grizzlies and the Kings had beat the Warriors late.

With a game to go, neither Utah nor the Kings can catch the Nets. Despite a lot of panic earlier in the week when the Nets won two straight, the Brooklyn along with the Washington and Indiana will go into the May 10 lottery with a 14.0% shot at the overall No. 1 pick and a 52.1% at the top four. That was the plan in preseason and it worked.

Onto the game…

With a whopping ten players ruled out and Brooklyn’s draft positioning more important than ever, the Nets rolled out a starting lineup featuring a flurry of players who have spent much of the season in the G League, opening with Malachi Smith, Trevon Scott, E.J. Liddell, Tyson Etienne, and Ben Saraf.

For Etienne and Scott, Friday marked the second NBA start of their careers, while Smith made his third. Ultimately, the team went just seven players deep. Nolan Traoré and Jalen Wilson were the team’s lone bench players, and every starter logged over 30 minutes. Smith led the way with 43 minutes.

After scoring 19 points in each of his last two outings, Saraf stayed hot and finished with 15 points on 6-of-15 shooting from the field — 3-of-9 from three. Traoré poured in 14 points throughout just 16 minutes, though he did so on 5-of-14 shooting from the field (1-of-9 from three). Oof.

Milwaukee stormed out to an early 21-6 advantage, opening up the half by shooting 8-of-11 from the floor and 5-of-6 from beyond the arc. Brooklyn, meanwhile, stumbled out of the gate at just 2-of-10 shooting, showing similar bad habits as they did on Thursday night’s start against Indiana.

By the end of the first quarter, the Nets trailed 38-24. Tyson Etienne kept the game within reach with 15 points to go along with four rebounds and two assists.

Cormac Ryan led the way for Milwaukee with 18 points and three rebounds in the first half, en route to a career-high 28 points in the victory. He is, in theory, Brooklyn Nets fans’ biggest ally at the moment.

By halftime, the Nets cut a 21-point deficit to 12. They caught fire from deep in the second quarter, knocking down six of 10 attempts from beyond the arc. Then, the 12-point deficit only turned to 15 after the third… and no run followed in the fourth.

Just two minutes into the fourth quarter, E.J. Liddell was ejected after appearing to strike Jericho Sims in the face with his forearm during an altercation. Is it fitting? The Nets go down fighting. Just not on the scoreboard.

One game left!

📣 Milestone Watch: Tyson Etienne

Tyson Etienne logged 15 points in the first quarter tonight against Milwaukee, which is his most points in any career quarter or half. He has already tied his career high with four 3-pointers made (4-for-6). His career high in scoring was 18 points on 3/23/26 at Portland.

Tyson Etienne vs. the Bucks:

23 PTS
6 3PM

career-highs in both categories 👏 pic.twitter.com/DGYY1kDmYL

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) April 11, 2026

🏟️ Friday’s Fan Appreciation Night

Judging from the Nets social media page, it appears they continued the tradition of having players meeting with season ticket holders after the final regular season game.

🖤🖤🖤 https://t.co/9LyZw1rPZdpic.twitter.com/7zVV3u8vqY

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) April 10, 2026

➡️ Next Up: The End

Closing out the 2025-26 season, the Nets will face off against the 45-36 Raptors in Toronto. Tip-off is set for 6:00 PM ET on Sunday.

• Boxscore: Milwaukee Bucks 125, Brooklyn Nets 108 – NBA
• Game Highlights: Milwaukee Bucks 125, Brooklyn Nets 108 (Video) – NBA
• Green makes 11 3-pointers to set Bucks’ single-game record in 125-108 win over Nets – AP
• Nets help their lottery chances with loss on road to Bucks – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Tyson Etienne hits six 3s for career-high 23, but Nets fall in Milwaukee ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets lose at Bucks 125-108; Two-Way Tyson Etienne drops 23 points – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY

The Dallas Mavericks (25-56) went out with a whimper against San Antonio Spurs (62-19) at Frost Bank Center on Friday, dropping a 139-120 blowout loss to their once hated rivals. Cooper Flagg matched Victor Wembanyama step for step with 33 points and six rebounds in the loss, but no one rode shotgun alongside the rookie superstar. Eight Mavericks, including Naji Marshall, P.J. Washington and Klay Thompson were held out with injuries with just one game to play following Dallas’ 11th loss in the team’s last 13 games.

Wembanyama led all scorers with 40 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Spurs in the win.

Here are four stats that tell the tale of the Mavs’ latest trip to the ‘L’ column.

15-4: Spurs’ first-quarter rebounding advantage

With eight Mavericks listed as out on Friday’s injury report, Khris Middleton started at power forward, and Marvin Bagley III started at center. The Spurs feasted on the glass early on as a result. They missed 12 shots in the first quarter and grabbed five offensive boards in the frame. Victor Wembanyama, who needed to play in one of the Spurs’ final two games of the year to maintain his eligibility for postseason awards, and Julian Champagnie each recorded five rebounds in the first quarter as the Mavs’ smallish frontcourt struggled to start the game. San Antonio took a 37-26 lead after one, aided by their outsized advantage on the boards.

The Mavs made up some of the difference in the second quarter, when they out-rebounded the Spurs 15-9. San Antonio out-rebounded the Mavericks 58-42 on the night and bludgeoned the Mavs 72-42 in the paint.

25: First-half scoring by Cooper Flagg

With so many bodies on the sidelines, it was a foregone conclusion as to who would shoulder the scoring and playmaking burden for the Mavericks, who seem intent on campaigning for Flagg’s candidacy for NBA Rookie of the Year as the regular season comes to a crashing halt.

Flagg shot 10-of-16 from the field in the first half, including 3-of-6 shooting from 3-point range, to lead all scorers with 25 points at the break. It was the 14th 20-point half of his rookie season. Since the 1996-97 season, only Allen Iverson (16) has recorded more halves with 20 or more points scored than Flagg has this year.

13-2: Mavs’ late second-quarter run

With 4:32 left in the second quarter, Chapagnie hit a runner in the lane to put the Spurs up 60-50. Over the next 2:45, the Mavs went on a 13-2 run to take a 63-62 lead on Middleton’s 3-pointer from the right wing. The Mavericks hit three straight 3-pointers on the run, as Christie nailed one near the top of the key the possession before Middleton hit his, and Flagg banged one in with a hand in his face from the left wing as the shot clock showed just one second before that.

The Mavericks’ first lead of the game was short-lived, though, as Wembanyama scored the Spurs’ final six points of the first half to give San Antonio a 68-65 lead at halftime. The Mavs’ unlikely but timely shooting (8-of-20, 40%) from deep kept them afloat in the first half.

2-of-14: Mavs’ shooting to end third quarter

The Mavericks took back the lead with 7:55 left in the third quarter, 81-79, on Flagg’s driving score assisted by Dwight Powell. Dallas made just two field goals across the rest of the third, shooting an anemic 2-of-14 from the field.

All Mavericks not named Flagg went 0-of-14 from the floor in that span, as San Antonio outscored Dallas 29-12 the rest of the way in the third. And that was basically all she wrote. The Spurs led the Mavs 108-93 as the fourth quarter loomed.