Category: Basketball

Philadelphia 76ers (43-37, eighth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (19-61, 14th in the Eastern Conference)

Indianapolis; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: 76ers -15; over/under is 234.5

BOTTOM LINE: Philadelphia heads into the matchup with Indiana as losers of three straight games.

The Pacers are 15-35 in conference matchups. Indiana is 9-41 against opponents with a winning record.

The 76ers have gone 25-25 against Eastern Conference opponents. Philadelphia ranks eighth in the league scoring 17.0 fast break points per game. Tyrese Maxey leads the 76ers averaging 5.5.

The Pacers' 13.3 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.1 fewer made shots on average than the 13.4 per game the 76ers give up. The 76ers' 46.2% shooting percentage from the field this season is 2.7 percentage points lower than the Pacers have given up to their opponents (48.9%).

The teams play for the fourth time this season. In the last meeting on Feb. 25 the 76ers won 135-114 led by 32 points from Maxey, while Andrew Nembhard scored 23 points for the Pacers.

TOP PERFORMERS: Nembhard is averaging 16.9 points and 7.7 assists for the Pacers. Micah Potter is averaging 1.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Maxey is scoring 28.3 points per game and averaging 4.1 rebounds for the 76ers. Paul George is averaging 3.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 4-6, averaging 121.3 points, 41.1 rebounds, 34.8 assists, 6.7 steals and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 51.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.9 points per game.

76ers: 5-5, averaging 117.8 points, 45.0 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 7.4 steals and 5.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.7 points.

INJURIES: Pacers: T.J. McConnell: out (hamstring), Kobe Brown: out (back), Johnny Furphy: out for season (knee), Andrew Nembhard: day to day (back), Ben Sheppard: out (hip), Ivica Zubac: out for season (rib), Pascal Siakam: out (back), Aaron Nesmith: day to day (neck), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles).

76ers: Johni Broome: out (knee), Joel Embiid: out (illness), Cameron Payne: out (hamstring).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Toronto Raptors (45-35, fifth in the Eastern Conference) vs. New York Knicks (52-28, third in the Eastern Conference)

New York; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Knicks -6.5; over/under is 219.5

BOTTOM LINE: New York hosts Toronto aiming to prolong its six-game home winning streak.

The Knicks are 34-16 in Eastern Conference games. New York is 22-22 against opponents with a winning record.

The Raptors are 4-11 against opponents in the Atlantic Division. Toronto has a 21-26 record against opponents over .500.

The Knicks score 116.8 points per game, 4.9 more points than the 111.9 the Raptors give up. The Raptors average 114.6 points per game, 4.3 more than the 110.3 the Knicks allow.

The teams meet for the fifth time this season. The Knicks won 111-95 in the last matchup on March 4.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jalen Brunson is averaging 26 points and 6.9 assists for the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 18 points, 10.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists over the past 10 games.

Scottie Barnes is scoring 18.1 points per game with 7.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists for the Raptors. RJ Barrett is averaging 20.3 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 46.2% over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 7-3, averaging 114.2 points, 42.7 rebounds, 27.4 assists, 7.8 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 50.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.3 points per game.

Raptors: 6-4, averaging 120.4 points, 41.6 rebounds, 34.0 assists, 10.4 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 51.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.9 points.

INJURIES: Knicks: Tyler Kolek: out (oblique).

Raptors: Chucky Hepburn: out (knee), Trayce Jackson-Davis: out (illness).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

New Orleans Pelicans (26-54, 11th in the Western Conference) vs. Boston Celtics (54-26, second in the Eastern Conference)

Boston; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Celtics -16.5; over/under is 224.5

BOTTOM LINE: New Orleans visits the Boston Celtics after Jeremiah Fears scored 40 points in the Pelicans' 156-137 win over the Utah Jazz.

The Celtics have gone 28-11 in home games. Boston ranks seventh in the league with 12.6 offensive rebounds per game led by Neemias Queta averaging 3.0 offensive boards.

The Pelicans are 9-30 on the road. New Orleans has an 8-41 record against teams over .500.

The Celtics score 114.5 points per game, 5.1 fewer points than the 119.6 the Pelicans give up. The Pelicans average 11.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.8 fewer made shots on average than the 14.1 per game the Celtics allow.

The teams play for the second time this season. In the last matchup on Oct. 28 the Celtics won 122-90 led by 18 points from Payton Pritchard, while Jordan Poole scored 22 points for the Pelicans.

TOP PERFORMERS: Derrick White is averaging 16.6 points and 5.4 assists for the Celtics. Jayson Tatum is averaging 21.1 points, 10 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.5 steals over the last 10 games.

Saddiq Bey is averaging 17.7 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Pelicans. Fears is averaging 17.9 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Celtics: 7-3, averaging 115.0 points, 46.2 rebounds, 24.6 assists, 5.8 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.9 points per game.

Pelicans: 2-8, averaging 112.6 points, 41.0 rebounds, 24.9 assists, 9.2 steals and 5.7 blocks per game while shooting 46.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.7 points.

INJURIES: Celtics: Jaylen Brown: out (achilles).

Pelicans: Trey Murphy III: out (ankle), Zion Williamson: out (knee), Yves Missi: out (hand), Karlo Matkovic: day to day (back), Herbert Jones: day to day (rest), Saddiq Bey: day to day (rest), Dejounte Murray: out (hand), Bryce McGowens: out (toe).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Bronny James passed to parent LeBron for the first son-to-father assist in NBA history as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Golden State Warriors 119-103.

Bronny, 19, stole possession and passed to LeBron, who ran the length of the court for an uncontested dunk that was part of a 26-point contribution from the 41-year-old.

The pair recorded the first father-to-son assist in a match against the Brooklyn Nets last month.

LeBron also added 11 assists while Bronny scored 10 points with three assists as the Lakers saw off their state rivals.

The Lakers sit fourth in the Eastern Conference while the Warriors are in 10th, with both having already qualified for the post-season play-offs that begin on 18 April.

Elsewhere, the New York Knicks won 112-106 against the Boston Celtics, with Josh Hart scoring 26 points, to put pressure on their opponents in the Western Conference.

The sides are third and second respectively in the standings, with two matches left to play in the regular season.

The Toronto Raptors triumphed 128-114 against the Miami Heat while the Houston Rockets won 113-102 against Philadelphia 76ers to solidify their chances of a play-off place.

In matches between sides already out of post-season contention, the Chicago Bulls won 119-108 against the Washington Wizards while the Indiana Pacers beat the Brooklyn Nets 123-94.

WNBA approves three-team expansion

The WNBA has approved expansion teams in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia and will become an 18-team league by 2030.

The Cleveland franchise will be the first to make their debut in the competition - they will appear in 2028 - while Detroit and Philadelphia will follow in 2029 and 2030 respectively.

The WNBA has gone through a period of expansion in recent years with the Golden State Valkyries joining in 2025 while the Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire are set to follow this year.

The new season starts on 8 May and its regular season will run to 24 September.

Phoenix Suns (44-36, seventh in the Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (51-29, fourth in the Western Conference)

Los Angeles; Friday, 10:30 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Collin Gillespie and the Phoenix Suns take on LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in Western Conference play.

The Lakers have gone 9-7 against division opponents. Los Angeles scores 116.4 points and has outscored opponents by 1.2 points per game.

The Suns are 10-6 against the rest of their division. Phoenix scores 112.8 points while outscoring opponents by 1.4 points per game.

The Lakers' 11.8 made 3-pointers per game this season are just 0.4 fewer made shots on average than the 12.2 per game the Suns allow. The Suns' 45.5% shooting percentage from the field this season is 3.0 percentage points lower than the Lakers have given up to their opponents (48.5%).

The teams meet for the fifth time this season. The Suns won 113-110 in the last matchup on Feb. 27.

TOP PERFORMERS: Deandre Ayton is averaging 12.4 points and eight rebounds for the Lakers. James is averaging 16.5 points over the last 10 games.

Royce O'Neale is scoring 9.8 points per game and averaging 4.7 rebounds for the Suns. Gillespie is averaging 2.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Lakers: 6-4, averaging 114.5 points, 41.2 rebounds, 26.8 assists, 9.2 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 51.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.9 points per game.

Suns: 5-5, averaging 116.8 points, 42.2 rebounds, 24.6 assists, 8.4 steals and 5.6 blocks per game while shooting 46.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.3 points.

INJURIES: Lakers: Austin Reaves: out (rib), Marcus Smart: out (ankle), Jaxson Hayes: out (foot), Luka Doncic: out (hamstring).

Suns: Devin Booker: out (ankle), Haywood Highsmith: out (knee), Jalen Green: day to day (knee), Jordan Goodwin: out (ankle).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Miami Heat (41-39, 10th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Washington Wizards (17-63, 15th in the Eastern Conference)

Washington; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Heat -18.5; over/under is 249.5

BOTTOM LINE: Washington aims to break its eight-game skid when the Wizards play Miami.

The Wizards are 2-13 in division play. Washington is 8-49 in games decided by at least 10 points.

The Heat are 25-25 against Eastern Conference opponents. Miami is 6-4 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.

The Wizards' 13.0 made 3-pointers per game this season are just 0.9 fewer made shots on average than the 13.9 per game the Heat give up. The Heat average 120.4 points per game, 4.2 fewer than the 124.6 the Wizards allow to opponents.

The teams square off for the fourth time this season. The Heat won 152-136 in the last meeting on April 4. Jaime Jaquez Jr. led the Heat with 32 points, and Will Riley led the Wizards with 31 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Bub Carrington is shooting 41.8% and averaging 10.4 points for the Wizards. Riley is averaging 1.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Bam Adebayo is scoring 20.0 points per game with 10.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists for the Heat. Tyler Herro is averaging 18.0 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 47.8% over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Wizards: 1-9, averaging 114.9 points, 40.9 rebounds, 24.8 assists, 9.2 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 47.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 130.3 points per game.

Heat: 3-7, averaging 120.8 points, 42.7 rebounds, 29.9 assists, 5.9 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 128.7 points.

INJURIES: Wizards: Anthony Davis: out for season (finger), Tristan Vukcevic: out (knee), Jaden Hardy: out (back), Bilal Coulibaly: out (heel), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), Tre Johnson: out (foot), Alex Sarr: out (toe), Kyshawn George: out for season (elbow), D'Angelo Russell: out (not injury related), Trae Young: out for season (quad).

Heat: Nikola Jovic: out (ankle), Dru Smith: out (foot).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Orlando Magic (44-36, seventh in the Eastern Conference) vs. Chicago Bulls (31-49, 12th in the Eastern Conference)

Chicago; Friday, 8 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Magic -14.5; over/under is 242.5

BOTTOM LINE: Orlando will try to continue its four-game win streak with a victory against Chicago.

The Bulls have gone 19-31 against Eastern Conference opponents. Chicago ranks fifth in the Eastern Conference with 17.4 fast break points per game led by Tre Jones averaging 2.8.

The Magic have gone 25-25 against Eastern Conference opponents. Orlando is eighth in the Eastern Conference with 32.4 defensive rebounds per game led by Paolo Banchero averaging 7.2.

The Bulls are shooting 46.9% from the field this season, 0.8 percentage points lower than the 47.7% the Magic allow to opponents. The Magic are shooting 46.4% from the field, 1.3% lower than the 47.7% the Bulls' opponents have shot this season.

The teams play for the fourth time this season. The Bulls won the last matchup 121-114 on Jan. 3. Matas Buzelis scored 21 points to help lead the Bulls to the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Collin Sexton is shooting 48.5% and averaging 15.4 points for the Bulls. Jones is averaging 20.1 points over the last 10 games.

Desmond Bane is averaging 20.5 points and 4.2 assists for the Magic. Banchero is averaging 22.8 points and 7.7 rebounds while shooting 47.4% over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Bulls: 3-7, averaging 120.0 points, 45.9 rebounds, 27.0 assists, 7.6 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 127.3 points per game.

Magic: 6-4, averaging 118.6 points, 41.3 rebounds, 27.4 assists, 7.4 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 122.3 points.

INJURIES: Bulls: Anfernee Simons: out (wrist), Isaac Okoro: out (quad), Jalen Smith: out for season (calf), Matas Buzelis: out (illness), Noa Essengue: out for season (shoulder), Josh Giddey: out (hamstring), Guerschon Yabusele: day to day (shoulder), Nick Richards: day to day (elbow), Zach Collins: out for season (toe).

Magic: Jett Howard: out (ankle), Jonathan Isaac: out (knee).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Golden State Warriors (37-43, 10th in the Western Conference) vs. Sacramento Kings (21-59, 14th in the Western Conference)

Sacramento, California; Friday, 10 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Warriors -10.5; over/under is 229.5

BOTTOM LINE: Maxime Raynaud and the Sacramento Kings host Brandin Podziemski and the Golden State Warriors in Western Conference action.

The Kings are 3-12 in division games. Sacramento has a 6-39 record in games decided by 10 points or more.

The Warriors are 7-7 in division play. Golden State ranks seventh in the Western Conference giving up just 115.1 points while holding opponents to 48.0% shooting.

The Kings are shooting 46.7% from the field this season, 1.3 percentage points lower than the 48.0% the Warriors allow to opponents. The Warriors' 46.1% shooting percentage from the field this season is 3.4 percentage points lower than the Kings have given up to their opponents (49.5%).

The teams square off for the fourth time this season. The Warriors won the last matchup 110-105 on April 8. De'Anthony Melton scored 21 points to help lead the Warriors to the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Nique Clifford is scoring 8.2 points per game and averaging 3.7 rebounds for the Kings. Raynaud is averaging 17.1 points and 8.5 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Podziemski is averaging 13.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists for the Warriors. Pat Spencer is averaging 10.3 points and 4.1 assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Kings: 3-7, averaging 111.7 points, 42.4 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 6.4 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 48.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 123.1 points per game.

Warriors: 4-6, averaging 113.3 points, 39.8 rebounds, 28.3 assists, 9.2 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.1 points.

INJURIES: Kings: Domantas Sabonis: out for season (back), Russell Westbrook: out (foot), De'Andre Hunter: out for season (eye), Zach LaVine: out for season (finger), Drew Eubanks: out for season (thumb), DeMar DeRozan: out (hamstring), Keegan Murray: out (ankle).

Warriors: Quinten Post: out (foot), Stephen Curry: out (knee), Jimmy Butler III: out for season (knee), Al Horford: out (calf), Kristaps Porzingis: out (illness), Moses Moody: out for season (knee), Will Richard: out (back), Gui Santos: out (pelvis).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

NEW YORK — As a rash of shameless tanking is rotting within the NBA, the New York Knicks could’ve done the same.

They could’ve rolled over Thursday, April 9 to let the Boston Celtics clinch the No. 2 seed. They could’ve rested their stars compromised their competitive spirit to gear up instead for the playoffs, which begin April 18.

Let me explain.

In the days leading up to this game, a faction of social media basketball strategists pondered whether New York, the current three-seed in the East, would be better served to target the No. 4 slot. The thinking was that it would avoid an eventual matchup against the surging Celtics, who have won 25 of their last 33 games, in the conference semifinals.

Instead, Knicks forward Josh Hart drained all five of his 3s in the second half — including a pair inside the final 43 seconds that put the game away — to help New York narrowly outlast Boston, 112-106, in a game that had 13 ties and 16 lead changes.

Despite the victory, the Knicks, however, could still feasibly throw their final two games to tank into the four-seed to avoid Boston.

Should they?

I’ll concede that it does make some practical sense for teams at the bottom of the standings to tank. Those attempts to manipulate draft positioning, particularly in a draft class as loaded as this one, can theoretically be the difference between an elite, franchise-altering player and a good-to-very-good one.

Taking this approach, however, as you’re trying to win it all, would be a tell for loser behavior. Indirectly, the message would be that a team is scared of another, or at least giving it far too much respect.

“We’re heading in the direction of where we need to be at,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said after the game. “I like the climb that we’ve made the last week or so, the last three or four games. We’ve got a couple more games to get there.

“For us, we’ll take it one game at a time, but we’ve got these two left, and we’d like to win both of them. What does that mean? I don’t know; we’ll see. But when we lace them up, we’re playing to win.”

Let’s very quickly run through the scenarios.

The Celtics (54-26) will almost certainly clinch the No. 2 seed. All they need to do is win one of their two remaining games, both of which are at home: against the Pelicans (Friday, April 10) and Magic (Sunday, April 12).

Because the Knicks (52-28) hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers (51-29), New York would clinch the three-seed with a victory in either of its remaining games, which are also both at home: against the Raptors (Friday) and Hornets (Sunday).

And, assuming both Boston and New York handle their first-round playoff series, that would set up, once again, a rematch in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

If the Knicks fell to the fourth-seed, their semifinal opponent would likely be the No. 1 Pistons, who only just got All-Star Cade Cunningham back Wednesday, April 8 from a collapsed lung.

Making the prospect of a Knicks-Celtics rematch more enticing is that Boston’s players seemingly want it.

“It felt like death,” Jaylen Brown said of last year’s playoff loss during a recent Twitch stream. “The Knicks — good team — but to blow two 20-point leads, like, how does that happen? Just, the energy was off, and we lost, but shout out to the Knicks. They won. They moved on. We lost. We did it to ourselves. Can’t be mad at it.

“But this (year is a different story). We might match up with the Knicks again, and we’ve got to be ready to slide. … Sometimes, you’ve got to spin the block. You’ve got to run it back.”

By beating the Celtics Thursday night, New York can now say that it went 3-1 against Boston in the regular season. The Knicks sharpened their late-game actions in the clutch. They blitzed Celtics star Jayson Tatum — who was playing his first game here in Madison Square Garden since he tore his Achilles in last year’s Eastern Conference semifinals — showing they have a recipe to defend him in the postseason.

Most of all, New York can use this momentum to galvanize its group into a rallying point as it tries to win its first NBA Finals since 1973.

Granted, none of New York’s victories over Boston this season were with both Tatum and Brown, who missed Thursday’s game with left Achilles tendinitis, on the floor.

Either way, all of this is setting up for what should be a fascinating rematch.

“That’s fool’s gold, trying to pick and choose your spots in the standings and who you play,” Knicks All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns told reporters after the game. “That’s fool’s gold (thinking) you have to lose to win.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Should New York Knicks tank way out of No. 3 seed in NBA playoffs?

For at least one game, there is a glimmer of hope in Los Angeles.

The Lakers actually beat the Warriors. Now, Steph Curry was out for the contest, so it was the corpse of Golden State against the ghost of LA, but in the win-loss column, the victory counts the same.

So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.

LeBron James

32 minutes, 26 points, 8 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 4 turnovers, 1 foul, 11-17 FG, 3-5 3PT, 1-2 FT, +19

LeBron was superb in this contest. He was aggressively attacking the basket, racking up points. James was a positive defender and led the team in assists. He also had another incredible dunk to add to his infinite highlight reel of jams.

LEBRON TAKES FLIGHT FOR THE SLAM 👑 pic.twitter.com/xRPU5FO3Zk

— NBA (@NBA) April 10, 2026

There was a scary moment where he blocked a shot and appeared to hurt his hand, but he remained in the game. That’s great news because the last thing this team needs is another injury.

Grade: A

Rui Hachimura

30 minutes, 12 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 2 fouls, 5-12 FG, 2-4 3PT, 0-1 FT, +20

Hachimura had a relatively positive performance. He shot well and was a good floor spacer during the competitive parts of this contest.

Grade: B

Jake LaRavia

31 minutes, 16 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers, 5 fouls, 6-7 FG, 4-5 3PT, +29

This was one of the best LaRavia games in weeks. He finally had a good shooting night and was a threat from deep. Hopefully, this is the start of a good stretch of shooting for LaRavia as we enter the postseason.

Grade: B+

Deandre Ayton

31 minutes, 21 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 2 fouls, 9-11 FG, 3-4 FT, +19

Ayton brought the appropriate energy and efficiency to this game. He dominated inside and scored some of his patented high-post buckets. If Ayton can play like this the rest of the way, LA will have a shot at winning

Grade: A

Luke Kennard

32 minutes, 14 points, 2 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 6-11 FG, 1-2 3PT, 1-1 FT, +20

Kennard had some really rough possessions with the ball. In the third quarter, he had one play where he rushed to the rim and looked like he had no idea how to attempt a layup.

Kennard is being asked to do more than he normally is, and this game is a reminder of why he is best just shooting from deep and setting screens.

Grade: C

Jarred Vanderbilt

26 minutes, 2 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 turnovers, 1-3 FG, 0-2 3PT, +15

Vando’s offensive possessions were an adventure in this game. He’s clearly only playing because the team is shorthanded, but his time on the floor was tough to watch in this one.

Grade: D

Bronny James

21 minutes, 10 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 2 steals, 3 turnovers, 1 foul, 4-7 FG, 2-4 3PT, -5

Bronny becoming a legit rotation player has been a joy to watch. He is progressing so much during his sophomore season. He still struggles with ball pressure, but he’s improved a lot. Now, when he comes in, it’s not just during wins in garage time. Bronny can help the Lakers win.

Grade: B

Nick Smith Jr.

11 minutes, 12 points, 4-5 FG, 4-5 3PT, +9

Smith Jr. just broke the 10 minutes required for a grade. He is a player unafraid to shoot the ball, and in this game he was hot from deep, going 4-5. If Redick needs some offense during one of these games, Smith Jr. isn’t a bad option to go to.

Grade: B

Maxi Kleber, Drew Timme, Adou Thiero, Dalton Knecht

These four players didn’t play 10 or more minutes, so they will not be receiving a grade.

JJ Redick

Redick pushed the right buttons in this game. He ran a tight rotation, and it resulted in the Lakers playing a better game overall. Redick called timeouts when the Warriors went on a run, and the Lakers responded each time.

Grade: B

Thursday’s DNPs: Chris Mañon

Thursday’s inactives: Marcus Smart, Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Jaxson Hayes

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

The Lakers (51-29) will complete their final back-to-back of the season on Friday against the Phoenix Suns (44-36).

A win would greatly help them secure the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference. With just a couple of games left, this playoff race will come down to the wire.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns

When: 7:30 p.m. PT, Apr 10

Where: Crypto.com Arena

Watch: Spectrum Sportsnet

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LA hasn’t had much luck against Phoenix this season. They have lost three of their four matchups against them, with Devin Booker and longtime Lakers foe Dillon Brooks doing most of the damage in those contests.

At this point in the season, the Suns are cemented as the No. 7 seed, so they don’t have the same urgency to win as the Lakers do. That could work in the Lakers’ favor.

For LA to win, it’s going to take a coalition of the willing. That means LeBron James, if he’s active, has to carry a large load once again. As the team’s best available ball handler, he has to score and set up the players on the court for good looks at the basket.

For those looks to be converted, his teammates have to knock down shots. Rui Hachimura is one of LA’s best shooters, converting on 43.6% of his 3-point attempts. Luke Kennard is another laser who can get hot from deep. Kennard’s also shown the ability to handle the ball now that Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves are out.

Also, can LA get a big performance from Deandre Ayton? He’s coming off a good performance in LA’s win over Golden State, and that level of play is something he can regularly do.

If he replicates that on Friday night, the Lakers can end the game with possession of the fourth seed with just one contest remaining.

The Lakers need this game and the Suns don’t. That, along with the playoffs approaching, should be motivation enough to push through the exhaustion of the back-to-back and secure the result.

Notes and Updates

• There is no injury report available for the Laker at this time, as they are playing on the second night of a back-to-back. Luka Dončić (left hamstring strain) and Austin Reaves (left oblique muscle strain) will remain out. Hopefully, Jaxson Hayes (left foot soreness) and Marcus Smart (right ankle contusion) can return.
• As for the Suns, Devin Booker (right ankle injury management), Haywood Highsmith (right knee injury management) and Jordan Goodwin (left ankle sprain) are out. Jalen Green (right knee soreness) is questionable.

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

Fans from New Zealand and Australia held signs toward the camera proclaiming they had traveled thousands of miles to watch Warriors star Stephen Curry play.

On one sign, “play” was crossed out and replaced with a frowning face.

LeBron James instead gave fans a glimpse at a generational star, leading the Lakers to a 119-103 win over the Warriors on Thursday with 26 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds.

After missing the Lakers’ last game, the 21-time All-NBA player returned as the guiding force amid a season threatening to fall off the rails. The Lakers (51-29) ended a three-game losing streak and kept pace with the Houston Rockets in a tight race for home-court advantage in the Western Conference.

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

“We just had a sour taste in our mouths, obviously, for last week,” James said, referencing injuries to stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves and the recent skid. “... And just none of us wants to continue to lose, and then we hurt for our two main guns. So, just a mindset of just trying to figure out how we can be great as a team, how we can figure out how to play well on the road and try to get a win.”

Trying to avoid their longest losing streak of the season, the Lakers relied on James to steady the ship. After the Lakers gave up a 9-0 run to start the second quarter, he hit a contested three out of a timeout to get them back on track. He fed the ball to Deandre Ayton, keeping the big man engaged for 21 points on nine-of-11 shooting with five rebounds.

Luke Kennard had 14 points and eight assists. The sharp-shooting guard has 28 assists in the last three games, adapting into the team’s emergency point guard to compensate for the loss of Doncic and Reaves.

“Talking as a group this morning like this is what we have right now, and we gotta figure it out,” Kennard said. “We're trying to win games. Worked this hard to get where we are, to be in the position that we're in right now, and we don't want to just throw it away.”

Losing James to a lingering left foot injury before Tuesday’s loss to the Thunder added to an emotional week for the Lakers. They lost Doncic and Reaves in a blowout loss in Oklahoma City on April 2 and had to face the NBA's best team without their Big 3. Jaxson Hayes also didn't play Tuesday and remains day-to-day after missing Thursday’s game as well.

Lakers coach JJ Redick admitted the Lakers were not prepared to compete Tuesday. He later recognized that an effort to inject some energy into his players by calling early timeouts and subbing out veterans such as Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt didn’t help, especially after a heated exchange with Vanderbilt was caught on camera.

“What I told the team today — I think this is important — is we have had a very disjointed season because of all the injuries and throughout the year, we — collectively, staff, players — we've had to figure out the best path forward with whatever group is available,” Redick said. “And that's no different right now. We have to figure out over these next three games and over next week, the best path for this team to play winning basketball.”

Read more:Inside Luka Doncic's high-stakes medical treatment and recovery plan

Through the emotional ups-and-downs, Redick checks in with Reaves and Doncic daily. Doncic, receiving treatment on his injured left hamstring in Spain, is in “relatively — relatively good spirits,” Redick said. Doncic is “attacking” his rehab, Redick said, but being away from the team has taken a toll on his psyche. Reaves, who is out with a Grade 2 left oblique strain that is expected to take four to six weeks to heal, has benefited from staying with the team.

“I think for both of those guys, there is, like, a carrot,” Redick said. “If we can get this season extended, they can come back and they can play. Those guys love playing basketball.”

Houston won its eighth straight game Thursday to stay tied with the Lakers for the No. 4 seed. Both teams have two games remaining, and the Lakers have the head-to-head tiebreaker.

The difference between finishing fourth and fifth is home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, but James wouldn’t entertain any talk about planning for the playoffs.

“What the future holds, we have no idea,” James said, “and obviously the past is the past. So what we can focus on is how we continue to get better and better each and every day.”

James gave his teammates a scare in the third quarter when he hurt his right hand on a chase-down block. It appeared swollen as he went to the bench. Kennard also walked away from the play holding his left hand after attempting to slap the ball away from the Warriors’ Pat Spencer. Redick joked that the scene made him turn off his Amazon Prime broadcast microphone for several seconds.

But James returned with three minutes left in the third quarter. He wouldn’t give his team yet another reason to worry.

“His leadership all day long, in the meeting, in the walkthrough this morning, just the way he carried himself,” Redick said, “just he really set the tone for the team.”

Battling a chronic knee injury in the latter stages of the season, Curry watched from the bench. His absence in the Warriors’ last home game of the season also put a damper on what could have been another enthralling matchup of two of the NBA's biggest stars.

Between the artistry of Curry and the physicality of James, they’ve been faces of the league, Redick said. But with the 41-year-old James not under contract after this season, the generational stars may never compete against each other on an NBA court again.

Redick called the idea “dark.”

“It's been fun to watch as a fan,” Redick said of the rivalry between Curry and James, “and it's been fun to be a part of it the last couple years.”

Curry greeted James before the game. Now a sneaker free agent after his high-profile departure from longtime sponsor Under Armour, Curry honored his contemporary with a blue and yellow version of the LeBron X iD sneakers.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

After a slow start, the Lakers finally snapped their losing streak on Thursday with a blowout win in San Francisco over the Warriors, 119-103.

LA led throughout the first quarter, but only by single digits. Golden State, who were without Steph Curry, pulled ahead early in the second before the visitors took the lead and didn’t look back.

The Lakers turned 19 Warriors turnovers into 28 points, the main catalyst behind them blowing the game open in the second half. All five starters scored in double figures for LA.

It was a solid offensive start for LA with an early seven-point lead. Deandre Ayton had five points and LeBron James was close behind him with four points. Pat Spencer was the leading scorer for the Warriors with four points. 

Hoooooop & the harm 👑 pic.twitter.com/TADPozd4xb

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 10, 2026

Golden State missed all four of its attempts from behind the arc.

Meanwhile, LeBron knocked down the first triple for the Lakers. LJ Cryer drained two 3-pointers in a row that helped give the Warriors a burst of life. At the 2:11 mark, Los Angeles was only up by three. 

A quick five-point surge from LeBron, including a dunk on the assist by Bronny James, gave the purple and gold a five-point lead at the end of the first. 

BRONNY TO LEBRON 👏 pic.twitter.com/InQLZbP37c

— NBA (@NBA) April 10, 2026

Seth Curry and Gary Payton II started the second period and helped give Golden State the lead with a 9-0 scoring run. Los Angeles suddenly played sloppily, turning the ball over three times, which helped fuel the Warriors’ surge. 

LeBron drained a triple to stop the bleeding for the Lakers.

A 7-0 scoring run put LA back in the lead. Rui Hachimura knocked down his first 3-pointer of the half. He had eight points in this quarter, a major reason why Los Angeles had regained the momentum. 

The Lakers were up by five at the 4:16 mark. 

Bronny had a productive showing, scoring four points. LA had built a big lead of nine, but the Warriors chipped away at the deficit to make it a four-point lead for Los Angeles at halftime. 

A series of runs in the 2nd Q saw LA initially relinquish its lead, but grab it back behind Rui Hachimura, enough for a 53-49 edge at the half.

LeBron has 18 points to lead all scorers.

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 10, 2026

LeBron and Jake LaRavia combined for a quick five points to open the second half. Golden State turned the ball over twice, which helped the Lakers mount that sudden early surge. The Warriors were forced to call a timeout as they were now down by nine. 

Out of the break, Brandin Podziemski scored on a layup.

Ayton was now at 15 points for the night with 10 points in the quarter. Four of LA’s five starters were in double figures; Kennard had seven points. At the three-minute mark, Los Angeles was up by 14. Bronny had a productive seven points off the bench. 

LEBRON TO BRONNY FOR 3 🎯 pic.twitter.com/pHBGfFn9mh

— NBA (@NBA) April 10, 2026

A 6-0 Malevy Leons scoring run to end the third made it a nine-point game. 

The Lakers opened the final frame with their own 6-0 run of their own, led by LeBron with four points and LaRavia with a dunk. LeBron then threw down a thunderous dunk, piling on the onslaught of offense. 

Nick Smith Jr. drained a triple, his first shot attempt. 

Kennard then scored five in a row, which put him at 14 points. That officially marked all five starters for LA scoring in double figures. At the 6:05 mark, LeBron checked out with 26 points. 

The lead continued to balloon for Los Angeles, leading to the rest of the game being cardio. 

Key Player Stats

LeBron finished with 26 points, seven rebounds, 11 assists and two steals. Ayton ended with 21 points and five rebounds. Hachimura pitched in with 15 points , two rebounds, two assists and three steals. 

Kennard had 14 points, two rebounds, eight assists and four steals. LaRavia notched 16 points with seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. Bronny logged 10 points in 21 minutes. Jarred Vanderbilt grabbed six rebounds and dished five dimes. 

Smith Jr. scored nine points in garbage time. 

The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the Phoenix Suns on Friday at 7:30 PM PT.

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.

NEW YORK (AP) — Josh Hart scored 15 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, Jalen Brunson had 25 points and 10 assists, and the New York Knicks stayed alive in the race for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 112-106 victory over Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics on Thursday night.

Tatum finished with 24 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists in his first game back on the Madison Square Garden court where he ruptured his Achilles tendon in last season’s playoffs.

The Knicks (52-28) pulled within two games of the Celtics (54-26) for second place with two games to play for both teams. New York owns the tiebreaker after winning the season series 3-1 and would take the No. 2 seed with two wins and two Boston losses.

Hart made two 3-pointers in the final 42 seconds to give New York more wins this season under Mike Brown than in its 51-31 finish last season in Tom Thibodeau’s final season.

RAPTORS 128, HEAT 114

TORONTO (AP) — Brandon Ingram scored a season-high 38 points, RJ Barrett had 22 and the Toronto Raptors moved closer to clinching their first playoff berth since 2022 by beating the slumping Miami Heat 128-114 on Thursday night.

Collin Murray-Boyles scored 17 points, Scottie Barnes had 13 and Immanuel Quickley 11 as Toronto moved past Atlanta into fifth place in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors and Hawks are both 45-35, but Toronto swept the season series.

Bam Adebayo had 24 points and 11 rebounds as the Heat lost for the 10th time in 13 games. Already destined for the play-in tournament, Miami’s hopes of improving its seeding took another hit.

Miami’s Davion Mitchell finished with 15 points and 11 assists. Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. each scored 15 points.

With their second home win over the Heat in three days, the Raptors swept the season series against the Heat for the third time. They also did it in 2007-08 and 2018-19.

BULLS 119, WIZARDS 108

WASHINGTON (AP) — Leonard Miller scored a career-high 26 points and matched his career best with 11 rebounds as Chicago eased to a victory over Washington to sweep a two-game set.

Tre Jones scored 31 points and Collin Sexton added 27 for the Bulls, who won 129-98 at Washington on Tuesday night to snap a seven-game skid.

Miller, Jones and Sexton combined to shoot 65.3% (32 of 49) as Chicago (31-49) pulled even with Milwaukee for 11th place in the Eastern Conference and the best record among teams eliminated from postseason contention.

Bulls center Guerschon Yabusele departed early in the third quarter with a sprained left shoulder.

Will Riley scored 23 points to lead Washington, which had 10 players sidelined by injuries.

PACERS 123, NETS 94

NEW YORK (AP) — Obi Toppin had 26 points and nine rebounds and seven Indiana players scored in double figures as it snapped a three-game skid with a win over Brooklyn.

The Pacers (19-61) won for the fifth time in 27 games. Indiana was without head coach Rick Carlisle, who missed the first of two games to attend his daughter’s spring formal. Lloyd Pierce handled the coaching duties.

Micah Potter had 18 points and 14 rebounds, Ethan Thompson added 15 points and Jarace Walker and Jay Huff each added 14. Jalen Slawson and Quenton Jackson finished with 12 points apiece.

E.J. Liddell led the Nets (20-59) with 26 points and 10 rebounds. Ben Saraf scored 19 point and Tyson Etienne added 14 for Brooklyn, which shot 37 for 96 (37%) from the field and had its two-game winning streak halted.

ROCKETS 113, 76ERS 102

HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 29 points and Houston extended its winning streak to eight games with a win over Philadelphia, who were missing Joel Embiid after he had an appendectomy.

The 76ers, who are fighting for a playoff spot, will be without Embiid indefinitely. He had surgery in Houston on Thursday after being stricken with appendicitis overnight.

Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson added 19 points each for the Rockets, who have clinched a postseason berth but are contending with Denver and the Lakers for playoff seeding in the West.

Tyrese Maxey scored 23 points for Philadelphia and VJ Edgecombe added 21. The Sixers lost their third straight and dropped into a tie with Charlotte for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

Houston led by 23 after three quarters, but Philadelphia used a 16-0 run to get within 101-94 with about five minutes to play. Durant made a 3-pointer after that to end a scoring drought of almost five minutes for the Rockets and Aaron Holiday made a 3 on the next possession to push the lead to 107-94 with four minutes remaining.

Philadelphia scored the next eight points, with the last five from Edgecombe, to get within five. But another 3-pointer by Durant put Houston ahead 110-102 with just over a minute left.

LeBron James and Bronny James continue to share more time on the court together as the Los Angeles Lakers’ regular season comes to a close.

The James family set another unique milestone for the league as Bronny was credited with an assist to LeBron on Thursday, April 9, during the Lakers' game against the Golden State Warriors.

Bronny stole the ball with 51 seconds left in the first quarter and bounced the ball toward LeBron, who then crossed halfcourt and finished the play in transition with an uncontested dunk. It's the first son-to-father assist in NBA history.

The Lakers led the Warriors 53-49 at halftime in San Francisco.

BRONNY TO LEBRON 👏 pic.twitter.com/InQLZbP37c

— NBA (@NBA) April 10, 2026

The father-and-son duo completed a similar milestone on March 27, recording the first father-to-son assist the league has seen.

Bronny passed the ball to LeBron with 7:54 left in the second quarter of a game against the Brooklyn Nets before the veteran drew a double team and immediately passed the ball back to his son, who made a wide-open 3-pointer.

In the third quarter of Thursday night's game, LeBron got an assist on a Bronny 3-pointer.

LEBRON WITH THE ASSIST TO BRONNY pic.twitter.com/ZXHRMoGm8f

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 10, 2026

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LeBron, Bronny James record first son-to-father assist in NBA history