It’s time to check LeBron James’ birth certificate. Is he really 41?
James, the NBA's oldest player – unless we discover otherwise – is the first component of the Los Angeles Lakers’ secret code. The code they’ve used while taking a 2-0 lead over the Houston Rockets in their first-round, best-of-seven playoff series, with Game 3 set for Friday, April 24 in Houston.
You did see LeBron’s reverse windmill jam in Game 2, right? He’s flying high, all right. In Game 1, he turned in a double-double (19 points and 13 assists), and in Game 2 he scored a game-high 28 points.
The Lakers are getting big-time performances from one-time role players while Luka Dončić and Austin Reeves remain sidelined with injuries. In fact, without their two leading scorers, the Lakers seemed more likely to be trailing the Rockets 2-0 than leading them 2-0.
Bottom line: the Lakers would not be thriving without James excelling.
Weeks ago, he agreed to play a supporting role that allowed Dončić and Reaves to get the shots they need for the Lakers to be at their most potent. But at least through two playoff games, James has proven he still has what it takes to lead a team in the postseason.
Stifling defense
The second component of the secret code is impressive defense.
Credit Lakers coach JJ Redick for devising the plan. It called for double teams, triple teams and traps on Kevin Durant in the second half of Game 2 that helped hold the Rockets star to three points. Not to mention his nine turnovers.
Heading into the playoffs, the Rockets were averaging 115.2 points per game. In Game 1, they managed 98 points. Yes, Durant was out with a knee injury. But in Game 2, with Durant on the floor, the Rockets produced only 94 points. The Rockets shooting percentages also have dipped below their regular-season levels.
Redick and his assistants are responsible for the X's and O's. But part of the Lakers' defensive success has from the hustle and grit exemplified by Smart.
New sources of offense
The third component of the secret code is finding new sources of offense.
During the regular season, Dončić and Reaves averaged a combined 56.8 points. With those two sidelined indefinitely, Luke Kennard and Marcus Smart have emerged.
They combined for 42 points in Game 1 and 48 points in Game 2. Not Dončić-Reaves levels, but the kind of production the Lakers needed to survive.
Kennard ranks second on the NBA’s list for career 3-point field goal percentage at 44.2%. The numbers don't lie. In Game 1, he made all five of his 3-point attempts and finished with 27 points, a career playoff high. In Game 2, he was 3-for-6 from 3-point range and finished with 23 points.
Meanwhile, Smart is channeling the best days of his nine-year stint with the Boston Celtics. He had 15 points in Game 1 and 25 points in Game 2.
Experts fueled Lakers
The fourth component of the secret code is responding to external doubt.
The NBA experts made themselves clear: The Lakers had virtually no shot against the Rockets. After their victory in Game 1, the easy explanation was, duh, Durant was out. The Rockets were return to form in Game 2.
Think again.
Now the experts are having to rethink their predictions with the Lakers off to this unimagiably hot star to the playoffs.
The Lakers are only too happy to thank those experts. The dire predictions appear to have strengthened their determinatioiin to overcome adversity and prove the doubters wrong,
The Los Angeles Lakers have a 2-0 lead against the Houston Rockets without top scorers Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves as they enter Game 3 on April 24 (8 p.m. ET, Prime Video).
LeBron James has led the Lakers alongside inspired efforts from Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton. They hope to maintain their level of play as their leading scorers work their way back from injury.
Los Angeles has got to feel good about where it is currently, especially given the latest news on its stars.
Doncic, ruled out of the first round with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, was able to get some shots up during the Lakers' practice on Thursday. He was seen completing controlled, light movement and shooting with assistant coach Greg St. Jean.
Doncic first injured his hamstring with days remaining in the regular season, during a blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2. He was ruled out for the rest of the regular season following an MRI. \
Luka Doncic doing some controlled, light movement shooting after practice under the watchful eye of Lakers assistant coach Greg St. Jean pic.twitter.com/dofhMZaUdx
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 19: Carlos Santana #41 of the Cleveland Indians celebrates with his teammates in the locker room after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays with a score of 3 to 0 in game five to win the American League Championship Series at Rogers Centre on October 19, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Some Guardians players were at the Cavs-Raptors game in Toronto ahead of their series vs. the Blue Jays last night.
The Philadelphia 76ers are preparing for a crucial first-round Game 3 in their NBA playoffs matchup against the Boston Celtics, but uncertainty looms over the availability of their star center, Joel Embiid.
Embiid has been upgraded to doubtful ahead of Friday’s pivotal Game 3 at home against the Celtics. The star center underwent an emergency appendectomy two weeks ago while in Houston, and he has not played since the procedure. His status remains uncertain, as the 76ers hope for his return to bolster their chances in this tightly contested series.
The Eastern Conference first-round matchup stands tied at 1-1. After suffering a lopsided 123-91 defeat in Game 1, the 76ers responded with a strong performance in Game 2, securing a convincing 111-97 victory to even the series.
The Philadelphia 76ers' star Joel Embiid is currently considered doubtful to play in the first-round playoff Game 3 against the Boston Celtics on Friday, April 24.
How to watch Game 3: Philadelphia 76ers vs Boston Celtics on Friday
In Wednesday’s Brotherhood Playoff Action, Quin Snyder’s Atlanta Hawks went up 2-1 on the New York Knicks with a 109-108 thriller. RJ Barrett and Brandon Ingram helped the Toronto Raptors to a 126-104 blowout over Tyrese Proctor and the Cleveland Cavaliers. And finally, the Minnesota Timberwolves took out Tyus Jones and the Denver Nuggets, 113-96.
Jalen Johnson was very close to a triple-double with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists vs. the Knicks as CJ McCollum put the game away with a dramatic fadeaway, with 12.5 seconds left on the clock.
Meanwhile, RJ Barrett had a great game against Cleveland, racking up 33 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Brandon Ingram had 12 points and broke out of his recent shooting slump, hitting 5-9/1-2.
Tyrese Proctor had 2 points in 3 minutes.
Finally, Tyus Jones had 2 points in 4 minutes against the T-Wolves.
On Friday, we’ll get Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics against the Philadelphia 76ers. Luke Kennard will help lead JJ Redick’s Los Angeles Lakers vs. the Rockets. And in the nightcap, Mason Plumlee and the San Antonio Spurs take on the Portland Trail Blazers.
Coach JJ Redick has guided the Lakers to a 2-0 series lead over the Houston Rockets despite injuries that have sidelined the team's starting backcourt of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The only thing that would make the job JJ Redick is doing better is if he were wearing a suit.
The part of a lawyer, walking down his opposition in the open court. He delivered an airtight opening argument that was stunning for how much stronger it was than opposing coach Ime Udoka’s. And evidence of how far Redick has come.
Now, look, your honor: The short-on-star-power Lakers winning both games at home to take a 2-0 series lead over the heavily favored Houston Rockets in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs? That’s a compelling start.
But Redick, James and Associates are only halfway there; they’re still proving their case.
They still need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that their top role players can perform as persuasively on the road as they have at home.
And they’ll probably have to prove they can effectively rebut the Rockets’ adjustments, though those are merely conceptual at this point, they’re so overdue.
Two games into this series it looks to us, the members of the jury, as though Redick has taken this allegedly open-and-shut case, this slam dunk of a trial — and thrown down a reverse.
The Lakers look like the better team. Like the better-constructed team, even. And that’s without injured stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, who are hustling back as fast as their bodies will let them from hamstring and oblique injuries, respectively.
They look like the better-coached team.
It’s the opposing counsel who looks dressed for the part, Udoka in a sweatsuit like a dad at a Saturday morning youth league trying to get his players to get along, with just one play in his pocket: Give the ball to Kevin.
Meanwhile, the legal team minding the game in the Lakers’ huddle is running laps around the guys on the other bench.
Coach JJ Redick and forward LeBron James have helped the Lakers earn a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven playoff series agains the favored Rockets without injured guards Luke Doncic and Austin Reaves. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Exhibit A: One of the game’s greatest scorers, Kevin Durant, has been forced by his own team to do a lot of ballhandling chores too. So the Lakers have been double-teaming and blitzing Durant all over the court, compelling him into nine turnovers in Tuesday’s 101-94 Game 2 victory at Crypto.com Arena. Using the same strategy, they’ve turned him over 20 times in his last three meetings with the Lakers, going back to the regular season.
Exhibit B: By playing drop, hedge, man and mixing zone defenses, the Lakers also have been, according to Marcus Smart’s postgame testimony, “throwing different packages” at the Rockets. It’s working: Houston has failed to score 100 points in either game of the series.
Exhibit C: The Lakers are putting the ball in Smart’s hands, using him in a way that forces the Rockets to defend honestly, instead of sagging off him. They’ve also been intentional with how they leverage Luke Kennard, running actions that overrule his reluctance to shoot. It should please the court to see the man shooting 65.4% (17 for 26) from the field in the first two games!
With these tactics and others, the Lakers seem almost to be creating new precedent for the laws of basketball, because what do you mean the Rockets have taken 44 more shots but have been outscored by 16 points?
What makes it so wildly impressive is that before the Lakers brought this thing to trial, it looked as though it would be thrown out on the grounds of insufficient star power.
With just 41-year-old LeBron James to carry them without Doncic and Reaves, Houston seemed so much stronger. Physically, on the boards, in just about every way — except in terms of chemistry, camaraderie and communication.
Even Udoka's record seemed superior. In 2021-22, his first (and only) season as the Boston Celtics’ coach, he led them to the NBA Finals.
Redick, in his first playoffs as a coach last year, showed such contempt for his own team and made an absolute mockery of the game plan that got the Lakers to the postseason in the first place. Remember how he panicked, refusing even to approach the bench to give his preferred five a breather for a full losing half in Game 4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves? The little tantrum he threw when asked about it before the Game 5 finale?
The Duke graduate and self-proclaimed “basketball sicko” has appeared much more prepared this time, much more composed.
He seems to be in his element, problem-solving alongside his former podcast host, James, who has stepped right up with 47 points, 20 assists and 16 rebounds — including some highlight-reel dunks and passes — through the first two games. We are all witnesses.
Still, this thing is going to last at least two more games, and possibly more, before we get a verdict.
And if it goes the Lakers’ way?
Congratulations, JJ, you will have earned the reputation as a coach who can take on the toughest cases and win them. And do we have an impossible challenge for you next on the docket.
The top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder are young, deep, and up 2-0 in their first-round series against the Phoenix Suns. The defending-champion Thunder have run the Lakers out of court in every meeting this season, beating them by an average of 29 points. And they’re clever too; referees — those judges on the court — always seem so sympathetic to OKC.
Would the Lakers have any chance? Redick is proving he might be able to make a case.
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 23: Evan Mobley #4 and James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers play defense against Jakob Poeltl #19 of the Toronto Raptors during Round One Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
If you were to draw up the worst-case scenario for the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 — that didn’t involve injuries — it’d look pretty similar to what we saw. The Cavs couldn’t keep control of the ball, had awful games from their star backcourt, missed clean looks, and weren’t putting up good contests on three-point shots.
This all came to a head in the fourth quarter when the Toronto Raptors ran them off the floor. They outscored Cleveland 43-23 in the final frame to cruise to a lopsided 126-104 victory to trim their deficit in the series to 2-1.
Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson has consistently talked about wanting to win the possession battle. To do that, you need to take care of the basketball. The Cavs simply didn’t do that.
James Harden was the worst offender. He coughed it up eight times, which included six in the second half when the game was getting away.
The Cavs have gone as Harden has offensively. He’s been at the center of their resurgence on that end to close the season. And when things go wrong — as they did on Thursday — he deserves the blame.
The Raptors made cutting off lanes to the basket a priority — especially when Harden drove. They completely sucked into the paint to close avenues for Harden to score or pass inside. Given how switchable and how much length Toronto has at the wing, this led to turnovers.
Just look at how crowded the lane is on some of these drives.
Atkinson mentioned that the spacing wasn’t great, which led to some of the miscues. Part of that is due to the clunkiness of playing two non-shooting bigs. Part of that is due to not having a good offensive process.
A situation like the one below, where everyone is below the free-throw line, and four are either in the paint or one step removed, is only going to end one way.
Collapsing this hard made it difficult for the guards to score inside.
None of Harden’s 13 shots came in the restricted area, while only three were in the paint. Meanwhile, Donovan Mitchell took just three of his 16 shots at the rim and only seven in the paint in total. That all led to no free-throw attempts for Mitchell and six for Harden.
It’s difficult to keep Cleveland’s guards from getting to the basket, even when you’re making a concerted effort to do so. The Raptors deserve a ton of credit for this. All five defenders were competing hard, communicating, and executing the game plan at a high level. This included Scottie Barnes, who was hands down the best player on both sides of the ball.
Additionally, the Raptors did a good job of making Harden and Mitchell work when they didn’t have the ball. They weren’t allowing easy catches above the arc, and denied them the ball whenever they could.
At the same time, playing this way is incredibly risky. Toronto’s entire game plan was predicated on the hope that the Cavs, particularly their guards, would miss wide-open threes, and that’s exactly what they did.
Mitchell went 1-7 for deep. Many of those were clean looks that he got through pull-ups or from spotting up.
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Harden went 3-10, and it was much the same story. Toronto went under on screens to cut off the drives to the hoop that were so effective in the first two games of the series.
Collapsing the paint this aggressively lends itself to open catch-and-shoot threes as well. Some made the most of those opportunities, like Max Strus (4-8) and Jaylon Tyson (3-6). Others couldn’t, such as Dean Wade (1-4) and Evan Mobley (0-4).
As a team, the Cavs went 14-45 from three (31.1%). Those looks accounted for 50% of their shots (94th percentile).
While it’s easy to say the Cavs should’ve gone inside more, they’re a good three-point shooting team. If you’re going to get that many open looks for your best players, you simply need to knock them down.
It’s a make-or-miss league, and the Cavs missed.
The Raptors were the opposite.
They didn’t generate many threes, but they knocked down the ones they took. They also hit 14 triples, but needed 21 fewer attempts to hit that number as they converted 61% of their looks. This included RJ Barrett going 6-8 and Jamison Battle connecting all four of his looks.
One of Toronto’s biggest disadvantages is the fact that their offense comes from much less efficient places on the floor. The three best spots to score from are at the rim, the free-throw line, and from three.
The Raptors were an efficient offense in Game 3, but in a somewhat roundabout way.
Toronto converted just 50% of their looks at the rim (5th percentile), had a free-throw rate in the 17th percentile, and took less than a quarter of their shots from three (2nd percentile). However, that didn’t matter because of how well they shot from three, and the fact that they connected on 62.5% of their midrange shots (96th percentile).
Once again, the Cavs kept the Raptors from really hurting them in transition, despite how many turnovers they committed. Toronto was in the second percentile for points added in transition and had just nine fast-break points. That’s impressive given how much the Raptors emphasize playing fast.
The Cavs’ defense wasn’t perfect. The looks they gave up from deep were clean, and they overall didn’t play with the sense of urgency you’d like to see. At the same time, the Raptors executed a very difficult game plan to absolute perfection.
Cleveland’s rotations should be shrunk.
The minutes distribution feels off. Tyson played well and provided exactly what the Cavs needed physically in this matchup, but was limited to less than 16 minutes. There’s no excuse for that happening, especially given how this hasn’t been a favorable matchup for either Dennis Schroder or Keon Ellis.
It’s time for Atkinson to go away from the 10-man rotation.
The Cavs’ lack of fight in the fourth quarter was a problem.
Letting go of the rope while up 2-0 in the first road game of a series isn’t exactly something new. Teams that we consider good and mentally tough can do so. We even saw the Indiana Pacers — a team that never let go of the rope last season — do so at home when they had a 2-0 lead on the Cavs last spring.
At the same time, the Cavs haven’t earned the benefit of the doubt. They’ve consistently shown a lack of fight when things get difficult in the playoffs. That cropped up again as they completely folded in the fourth quarter after continually battling back through the first three quarters to make it a two-point game heading into the final frame.
That said, there isn’t a reason to panic for the Cavs, at least not yet.
Any playoff loss is a cause for concern to some degree. The Cavs have been upset too many times in the Mitchell era to take anything for granted. But there’s not a lot from this game that feels repeatable from Toronto’s perspective.
The margin for error is considerably smaller for a team that plays the way Toronto does. Where they get their offense from puts them at a disadvantage. If they can’t get out in transition — like the Cavs have kept them from doing — they need to rely on hitting inefficient midrange shots and canning a good portion of the limited threes they take.
As an example, Toronto scored 18 more points from three than they would have if they shot their season-long average from three. That was more than the margin of victory (which speaks to how poorly things went in the fourth quarter), but also shows how much of an outlier this performance was. Can you reasonably rely on making that many jumpers in three of the next four games?
On the other end, Toronto had the right game plan defensively. You can’t let the Cavs have their cake and eat it too. Preventing Mitchell and Harden from wreaking havoc inside is a win, and it speaks to how well Toronto’s defense was.
That said, you can’t take everything away. The Cavs missed so many open three-point looks and turned it over an uncharacteristic amount. It feels like at least one of those things would need to continue if the Raptors are going to steal this.
Anything can happen in a short series. Trends that wouldn’t last over 82 games can produce unexpected results in a seven-game sample. So yes, maybe this is a formula that Toronto can use to win three of the next four games. But I’ll need to see it work out again before putting my faith in it.
SAN ANTONIO, TX -APRIL 21: Carter Bryant #11 of the San Antonio Spurs dunks against the Portland Trailblazers in the first half of Game Two of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center on April 21, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Game Two of the San Antonio Spurs’ first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers went about as poorly as it could go. Not only did the team lose at home, surrendering home-court advantage, but they also lost their superstar big man, Victor Wembanyama, to a concussion. Now, Wembanyama’s status becomes the big question for Game Three.
Wembanyama traveled with the team to Portland and is listed as questionable for Game Three. There is a chance he can play, but being just 72 hours removed from the initial incident, it will be a long shot for him to pass the league’s concussion protocols and suit up on Friday night.
If Wembanyama is out, the Spurs will rely on Luke Kornet as their starting center. They’ll look to the rest of the supporting cast to replace Wemby’s scoring in most of the team’s first playoff experience in hostile territory. San Antonio won its only game in Portland this season, 115-102. De’Aaron Fox scored 37 points in that game, and Kornet held down the paint with 3 blocks. That game could be the perfect blueprint for stealing a game on the road and re-taking a 2-1 lead in the series.
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Spurs Injuries: Jordan McLaughlin – Out (ankle), Victor Wembanyama – Questionable (concussion protocol)
Trail Blazers Injuries: Damian Lillard – Out (achilles)
What to watch for:
Backup center minutes
Congratulations, Carter Bryant! You are the Spurs’ de facto backup big man! When Wembanyama went down, Mitch Johnson went to Bryant as the backup center when Kornet needed a spell. The results were mixed. Bryant plays with excellent energy and made some winning plays on the offensive end. However, the Blazers attacked the basket with even more force when Bryant was playing the five. He was -14 in his 12 minutes. He simply lacks the size to play big minutes at center. Assuming Wembanyama is out, Bryant will probably need to play backup center again. The Spurs will need to hope the advantages he creates offensively outweigh the problems his lack of size makes defensively.
Or, Johnson may need to go to his big man depth for at least a few minutes while Kornet sits. Mason Plumlee seems like the most likely candidate to get spot minutes. He was largely ineffective in the regular season, but at this point, the Spurs may need another big body. All Plumlee needs to do is grab rebounds and hold his own against Robert Williams III and Donovan Clingan in short spurts to help San Antonio withstand the non-Kornet minutes.
Can the guards step up?
It has not been the best start to the series for the Spurs’ guards. Fox has played the best out of the three, but went ice-cold in the fourth quarter of Game Two when San Antonio needed him the most. Stephon Castle has been wildly inefficient, going 11-33 from the field in the first two games. Things seemed to click for Dylan Harper in Game Two, but he has made some rookie mistakes as well. San Antonio will need all three of them to play at the top of their games to beat Portland on the road.
Fox should have the ball in his hands frequently. He’s been great when Wembanyama doesn’t suit up this season. There is no reason to doubt his ability to rise to the occasion on Friday. Castle is needed in a major way on both ends. Whether it’s slowing down Scoot Henderson and Deni Avdija on defense or scoring efficiently around the rim, San Antonio needs Castle to get back on track. Harper can be a spark plug for a Spurs’ bench unit that has lacked some punch in the series so far. Either he or Keldon Johnson needs to add some scoring off the bench.
Three-point shooting
One of the biggest differences from Game One to Game Two was the Spurs’ three-point shooting. San Antonio shot 15-33 (45%) in Game One, and 7-24 (29%) in Game Two. Portland has shot below 35% in both games and was 28th in three-point percentage in the regular season. If San Antonio continues to play tough perimeter defense, they can hold Portland at bay from deep. They need to hit their threes, especially while the Blazers have been so effective at protecting the paint.
San Antonio could use some hot shooting from its best shooters. Julian Champagnie has been efficient on low volume, hitting 4 of his 6 attempts from three in two games. Devin Vassell went 0-5 from deep in Game Two’s loss. Harrison Barnes has yet to hit a three-pointer in the series. One or multiple of these three will need to be a threat from outside in what will most likely be a very tough Game Three.
ATLANTA - Mikal Bridges has been a Knick for two years. So he understands what’s going to be said/written about him over the next two days.
“I’ve got to take it on the chin, handle it how I’m supposed to and be ready for the next one. You know, it’s going to suck. It is what it is. I’ve just got to be better to help my team out there.”
The Knick wing missed all three of his shot attempts and had four turnovers in Game 3. New York was outscored by 26 in Bridges’ 20 minutes on the floor. Bridges was benched for nearly all of the second half as Mike Brown replaced him with Miles McBride.
McBride delivered in all the ways Bridges fell short: he hit five threes, had two steals and helped stabilize the Knicks defense. It obviously wasn’t enough in the end. But McBride’s performance leaves Brown and the coaching staff with an interesting decision ahead of a must-win Game 4.
Should Brown shake up his starting lineup and replace Bridges with McBride?
The Knicks got off to a terrible start on Thursday, falling behind by as many as 13 in the first quarter. So maybe Brown and his staff believe McBride can help them avoid another start. Maybe they think Bridges can get going off the bench.
Whatever decision Brown comes to will be crucial.
The Knicks can’t afford to get off to another slow start in Game 4. A loss on Saturday would put the Knicks on the brink of a disaster.
As you know, this is a team that is supposed to reach the NBA Finals, not fall out in the first round.
A loss to the Hawks would almost certainly lead to major changes – whether they be to the roster, coaching staff or front office.
It would also lead to heavy criticism of the decisions to trade for Bridges and Towns and fire Tom Thibodeau.
The Knicks gave up five first-round picks to acquire Bridges. Team president Leon Rose & Co. saw him as the perfect complement to their core.
They certainly didn’t see him being a non-factor in a pivotal playoff game.
But that’s what happened on Thursday. If you go back to the second half of Game 2, Bridges is 0-for-7 with four turnovers and a -37 net rating against the Hawks.
He acknowledged that it was tough to be on the bench in the fourth quarter of a close game.
“But I’ve just gotta be better so I can be out there,” Bridges said.
In his news conference after Game 3, Brown said he believes Bridges will bounce back.
“I’m not concerned. Mikal is a pro. He’s been there,” Brown said. “He’s played hundreds of basketball games, so he’ll be fine.”
Maybe Brown is right. But the more important question is whether Bridges will be in the starting lineup on Saturday.
The answer to that may define the rest of this series – and the rest of this season – for the Knicks
Denver Nuggets (54-28, third in the Western Conference) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33, sixth in the Western Conference)
Minneapolis; Saturday, 8:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Nuggets -1.5; over/under is 229.5
WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Timberwolves lead series 2-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Minnesota Timberwolves host the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference first round with a 2-1 lead in the series. The Timberwolves won the last meeting 113-96 on Friday, led by 25 points from Ayo Dosunmu. Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 27.
The Timberwolves are 9-7 in division matchups. Minnesota is seventh in the league with 118.0 points and is shooting 48.1% from the field.
The Nuggets are 11-5 against the rest of their division. Denver is seventh in the Western Conference with 44.0 rebounds per game led by Jokic averaging 12.9.
The Timberwolves average 118.0 points per game, 1.1 more points than the 116.9 the Nuggets allow. The Nuggets are shooting 49.6% from the field, 3.4% higher than the 46.2% the Timberwolves' opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Julius Randle is averaging 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and five assists for the Timberwolves. Dosunmu is averaging 13.7 points over the last 10 games.
Jamal Murray is averaging 25.4 points and 7.1 assists for the Nuggets. Jokic is averaging 22.8 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Timberwolves: 5-5, averaging 116.8 points, 41.1 rebounds, 25.7 assists, 8.1 steals and 5.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.0 points per game.
Nuggets: 8-2, averaging 123.6 points, 47.1 rebounds, 28.8 assists, 7.2 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 48.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.7 points.
INJURIES: Timberwolves: Terrence Shannon Jr.: out (illness), Jaylen Clark: out (illness).
Nuggets: Aaron Gordon: out (calf), Peyton Watson: out (hamstring).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Oklahoma City Thunder (64-18, first in the Western Conference) vs. Phoenix Suns (45-37, seventh in the Western Conference)
Phoenix; Saturday, 3:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Thunder -9.5; over/under is 214.5
WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Thunder lead series 2-0
BOTTOM LINE: The Oklahoma City Thunder visit the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference first round with a 2-0 lead in the series. The Thunder won the last meeting 120-107 on Thursday, led by 37 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 30.
The Suns have gone 29-23 against Western Conference opponents. Phoenix has a 7-10 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.
The Thunder are 41-11 in conference play. Oklahoma City leads the Western Conference giving up just 107.9 points per game while holding opponents to 43.7% shooting.
The Suns average 112.6 points per game, 4.7 more points than the 107.9 the Thunder allow. The Thunder score 7.9 more points per game (119.0) than the Suns allow their opponents to score (111.1).
TOP PERFORMERS: Collin Gillespie is averaging 12.7 points and 4.6 assists for the Suns. Devin Booker is averaging 23.5 points over the last 10 games.
Gilgeous-Alexander is scoring 31.1 points per game and averaging 4.3 rebounds for the Thunder. Isaiah Joe is averaging 2.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Suns: 4-6, averaging 108.5 points, 43.0 rebounds, 22.6 assists, 7.4 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.6 points per game.
Thunder: 8-2, averaging 121.0 points, 44.3 rebounds, 27.8 assists, 11.0 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 49.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.7 points.
INJURIES: Suns: Mark Williams: day to day (foot), Jordan Goodwin: day to day (calf).
Thunder: Jalen Williams: out (hamstring), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Detroit Pistons (60-22, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Orlando Magic (45-37, eighth in the Eastern Conference)
Orlando, Florida; Saturday, 1 p.m. EDT
LINE: Pistons -2.5; over/under is 214.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Series tied 1-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Orlando Magic host the Detroit Pistons in game three of the Eastern Conference first round with the series tied 1-1. The Pistons defeated the Magic 98-83 in the last meeting on Wednesday. Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 27 points, and Jalen Suggs led the Magic with 19.
The Magic are 26-26 in Eastern Conference games. Orlando has a 19-19 record in games decided by at least 10 points.
The Pistons are 39-13 against conference opponents. Detroit has a 10-6 record in games decided by less than 4 points.
The 115.7 points per game the Magic average are 6.1 more points than the Pistons give up (109.6). The Pistons average 11.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.1 fewer made shots on average than the 12.1 per game the Magic allow.
TOP PERFORMERS: Paolo Banchero is averaging 22.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists for the Magic. Desmond Bane is averaging 17.1 points over the last 10 games.
Cunningham is averaging 23.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 9.9 assists for the Pistons. Duncan Robinson is averaging 2.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Magic: 7-3, averaging 115.1 points, 45.0 rebounds, 27.4 assists, 10.2 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.8 points per game.
Pistons: 7-3, averaging 116.0 points, 44.7 rebounds, 30.0 assists, 10.0 steals and 7.2 blocks per game while shooting 49.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.1 points.
INJURIES: Magic: Jonathan Isaac: day to day (knee).
Pistons: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference) vs. Atlanta Hawks (46-36, sixth in the Eastern Conference)
Atlanta; Saturday, 6 p.m. EDT
LINE: Knicks -1.5; over/under is 214.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Hawks lead series 2-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Atlanta Hawks host the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference first round with a 2-1 lead in the series. The Hawks won the last meeting 109-108 on Thursday, led by 24 points from Jalen Johnson. OG Anunoby led the Knicks with 29.
The Hawks have gone 27-25 against Eastern Conference teams. Atlanta has a 7-8 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.
The Knicks are 35-17 in Eastern Conference play. New York ranks fifth in the NBA giving up only 110.1 points while holding opponents to 46.0% shooting.
The 118.5 points per game the Hawks score are 8.4 more points than the Knicks allow (110.1). The Knicks are shooting 47.8% from the field, 0.4% higher than the 47.4% the Hawks' opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Johnson is averaging 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists for the Hawks. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is averaging 18.9 points over the last 10 games.
Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds for the Knicks. Jalen Brunson is averaging 19.6 points and 2.4 rebounds while shooting 46.0% over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hawks: 6-4, averaging 116.3 points, 44.1 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 8.7 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 47.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.2 points per game.
Knicks: 6-4, averaging 111.5 points, 43.5 rebounds, 25.8 assists, 8.3 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.0 points.
INJURIES: Hawks: Jock Landale: out (ankle).
Knicks: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
ATLANTA — On his long list of things he believed went wrong, Mike Brown included the officiating.
When asked about the Hawks’ ability to close out on 3-point shooters after the Knicks’ 109-108 Game 3 loss at State Farm Arena, Brown explained how he wanted his players to drive past them and get into the paint.
But, when they got to the paint, Brown believes they weren’t getting deserved fouls.
Mike Brown talks to reporters after the Knicks’ 109-108 Game 3 loss to the Hawks on April 23, 2026 in Atlanta. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“They’re closing out hard,” Brown said. “And when they close out hard, we gotta drive the basketball. I do think it’s a tough game for the officials to officiate. But I know we got fouled on a few of the drives that didn’t get called. It’s tough to see 20-26 [free-throw discrepancy] in a one-possession game when you know for sure there were a couple of fouls that should’ve been called.”
The lineup Brown used for most of the fourth quarter as the Knicks mounted their comeback — Jalen Brunson, Miles McBride, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns, with Mikal Bridges benched — was plus-24 in 14 minutes across the whole game.
“They did a good job of taking care of the basketball,” Brown said. “They were pretty aggressive. Atlanta, they’re trying to get up in us, they’re trying to speed us up, they’re playing physical, and when you face that type of defense, you can’t play on your heels. You can’t be passive at all. You got to be able to rip that ball through and get to the rim. Or if they close out hard, you gotta be able to snap drive and get to the rim.
“That group did a pretty good job of it. They did a pretty good job of trying to get out in transition, too. And then they did a pretty good job of trying to get stops defensively. That’s something that we all have to recognize and embrace.”
Would Brown consider inserting McBride into the starting lineup?
BREAKING NEWS!!! To absolutely nobody, while I’m sure many BYU fans out there were crossing their fingers, holding out hope AJ Dybantsa would run it back for one more year, that stuff simply doesn’t happen. Cooper Flagg played with the same gimmick last year as well. These top prospects need to give their fans a break and stop acting like there’s even a one percent chance they skip out on the NBA Draft.
Dybantsa will continue to take his classes at BYU online, although something tells me he won’t need that degree too badly.
The projected No. 1 NBA draft pick, @AJ_Dybantsa, just dropped a bombshell on “Deseret Voices.” What’s behind him weighing a return to Provo for another season?
Dybantsa, clearly regarded as one of the biggest prizes in this historic 2026 class, with some even thinking he’s the clear choice to be selected number one. I would personally argue with you on Dybantsa vs. someone like Darryn Peterson, but there’s no doubt Dybantsa is an incredible prospect, and there is no limit to how far he can go in the NBA.
Honestly speaking, Dybantsa would be a perfect fit on almost any team that had the opportunity to draft him, but let’s be honest, he would fit especially well on the Jazz. Obviously, you have the BYU connection with Ryan Smith, Danny Ainge, and of course Austin Ainge. It’s not just college in which Dybantsa spent his time in Utah—he also spent his last year of high school at Utah Prep in Hurricane, Utah.
Dybantsa would slide right into this Jazz lineup, and honestly, he’d instantly make them one of the contenders in the Western Conference. Dybantsa and Ace Bailey on the wing would be like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown reincarnated! Thank you, Danny Ainge!!
There’s no doubt that if the Jazz do end up selecting Dybantsa, and he pans out how we all expect him to, he could go down as the greatest athlete in the state of Utah’s history. Obviously, we’re still a long ways from that—only about two weeks from now the draft lottery will take place, and we’ll all find out where the Jazz will be picking. If they do get the number one pick, there’s a very strong case for the Jazz to select AJ Dybantsa.
The Jazz have never moved up a single spot in the NBA Draft Lottery’s history.
Utah has also never selected at No. 1 overall.
If you’re looking for a team historically overdue for lottery luck, Utah stands out.
We’ll see what happens, but it’s now official—Dybantsa will be playing NBA basketball next season, and only a few months from now in Summer League. Let’s cross our fingers for lottery night, Jazz fans!
