BROOKLYN, NY - FEBRUARY 24: Kyrie Irving #11 and Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks look on during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on February 24, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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 David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Like Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving is a one-and-done Blue Devil and, like Flagg, a Dallas Maverick.
Irving sat out this season while recovering from an ACL injury, but he has sort of taken Flagg under his wing because he recognizes his massive talent and wants to help him reach his potential.
Irving told SI.com this: “Cooper is just an amazing player, and that’s not even just gassing it. At 19 years old, doing the things that he’s doing within our league is very special… He’s doing things that some of the greats, even before him, didn’t do. He’s chasing history.”
He also said this: “Listen, I understand. I’ve kind of been through this before. I don’t think there’s a lot of people around you right now that can tell you they’ve been through somewhat of a similar thing.”
Next year, for the first time, we’ll get to see them both on the court at the same time. After Flagg won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award on Monday, the Mavericks put out this video.
Narrated by Irving, the video features him talking about Flagg’s spectacular season and how he silenced doubters, which Flagg has done comprehensively.
And in a nice touch (or dig), Jamal Mashburn and Gilbert Arenas both went on the record early to express doubts about Flagg.
Those comments are included, and, in retrospect, they look like idiots.
PORTLAND, OREGON - APRIL 26: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs blocks a shot attempt by Donovan Clingan #23 of the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half of Game Four of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Moda Center on April 26, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The vibes weren’t great when the Spurs last left San Antonio. With the series tied 1-1 and Victor Wembanyama in concussion protocol, things looked bleak for the Silver and Black. Now, heading back home, the Spurs find themselves up 3-1 in their first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers, with Wembanyama fully healthy.
San Antonio is coming off two straight, gutsy comeback victories in Portland. Now they’ll have a chance to close out the series in front of their home crowd. It would be the Spurs’ first playoff series win since 2017.
The Spurs will need to protect the paint and take care of the ball against a desperate Trail Blazers squad. With their backs against the wall, expect Portland to come out playing physical, going right at the rim, and looking to force turnovers defensively. San Antonio has stepped up to the physical challenge so far in the playoffs. They’ll need to fend off one more effort from the Blazers to move on to the Western Conference Semifinals.
Trail Blazers Injuries: Damian Lillard – Out (achilles)
What to watch for:
Pace of play
San Antonio has been at its best when it plays fast. Both of their big second-half runs in Portland were defined by pushing the ball down the floor and attacking the Blazers, who struggled with transition defense. Whether it was finding Wembanyama for lobs, hitting Devin Vassell early for threes, or one of Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle, or De’Aaron Fox getting downhill, San Antonio’s prettiest offense has come with speed.
With Wembanyama locking down the paint, the Spurs’ guards have been able to take more chances on the perimeter. Portland had the worst ball security in the NBA this season, averaging 17.3 per game. They turned the ball over 18 times in Game Four. San Antonio will look to force giveaways and score easy buckets on the other end.
Stephon Castle’s offense
From Game One, the Blazers have been content with putting a big man on Castle and letting him shoot. Castle has responded by hitting 42.9% of his threes in the series. He is averaging 21 points and 6.3 assists in the series. In Game Four, the Spurs seemed to figure out the defensive scheme by setting more screens for Castle lower on the court, around the free-throw line, freeing him up or forcing a switch, leading to a Wembanyama lob. When he’s off the ball, he’s been hurting the Blazers by hitting open threes.
It’ll be interesting to see whether Portland will continue to guard him with a big man or go away from the strategy in Game Five. Either way, if Castle is scoring the ball as he has in the last two games, the Spurs will be tough to beat.
Wembanyama’s shot selection
The difference between Wembanyama’s offensive impact in the first and second halves of Game Four was night and day. In the first half, he was settling for jumpers. That essentially bailed out Portland for having a smaller defender on him. In the second half, he started to get to the basket, feasting on lobs and shots around the basket. The Spurs have to get creative with how they get Wemby the ball around the basket. Elbow post-ups against smaller wings are not going to get it done. Look for more flex screens and pin-downs to get Wembanyama the ball around the basket with space to operate. Then once he establishes a rhythm inside, he can expand things out beyond the three-point arc.
Boston, MA - March 1: Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla and center Neemias Queta talk in the second quarter. The Celtics played the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden on March 1, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
One of the biggest reasons people didn’t believe in the Celtics coming into the season was because of their centers and how little they had proven entering the season. As the season went on, it became clear that Neemias Queta is a quality starting center and that Luka Garza and trade deadline addition Nikola Vucevic were good enough depth.
However, as the playoffs started, we knew the center position was where the Celtics were going to be tested the most.
Yet through Boston’s first four playoff games, we don’t really know how Joe Mazzulla and the rest of the Celtics coaches want to deploy their centers.
So far in the postseason, Neemias Queta has started all 4 games and played 73 minutes, Nikola Vucevic has played the most minutes with 85 and Luka Garza has played the least with 31 minutes played.
It is clear that Garza is the third big and although he’s the third option, he has already played a lot more than I thought he would early in the series.
A lot of Garza’s minutes have to do with the fact that Neemias Queta just cannot stay out of foul trouble. In 3 of 4 games, Queta has picked up two quick fouls and needed to hit the bench quickly.
The Celtics need Neemias Queta to stay out of foul trouble, which has been a problem for much of the first round. Queta picked up 5 fouls in Game 1 and 4 fouls in both games in Philadelphia.
It is the fouls 94 feet away from the basket that Queta cannot pick up.
That has lead to an increase in the use of Nikola Vucevic, who gives the Celtics a different look than Queta does.
I have been pleased with the way Big Vooch has played in this series. The Celtics really needed him to pull out the Game 3 win with his 11 points and 6 rebounds off of the bench.
His defense leaves a lot to be desired. Late in Game 3, the Sixers ran the Paul George-Andre Drummond pick and roll a lot to get Vucevic in the action and it led to good results for the Sixers.
That is a concern, which will led to the Luka Garza playing time. While I like Garza and think he has been solid in this series, his pick and roll defense also leaves a lot to be desired.
Vucevic being the backup center makes sense — he is a more skilled offensive player than Garza is and neither guy is going to guard a ton.
I do think that Queta is Boston’s best option at center and as the rounds go on, he will be the guy that the Celtics close games with. His rim protection, ability to move his feet enough on the perimeter, offensive rebounding and the threat of the lob are all so valuable to what the Celtics want to do.
With apologies to 4th string center Amari Williams, Queta as the starter (and closer), Vucevic as the backup and Garza filling in when needed is how I would divvy up the minutes.
It is notable that Mazzulla went with Vucevic at the end of a close Game 3. In the 4th quarter of that game, Vucevic played 11:35 while Queta (and Garza) didn’t play at all. I don’t think that will be the case as the playoffs go on but the precedent is there so we will see if that happens again as the playoffs wear on.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 26: Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla talks to Jayson Tatum #0 and Jaylen Brown #7 during the second half of game four of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 26, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Eighty-one seconds into the fourth quarter of Game 4, Jayson Tatum dribbled passed midcourt and with the help of a Neemias Queta screen, walked into a three-pointer. Kelly Oubre walked into his landing space for an and-1.
With that, the lead ballooned to 30 points and statistically, it was proof positive of Boston’s priorities this season: limiting turnovers, attacking the offensive glass for additional possessions, and generating good shoots, preferably threes.
“It comes down to controlling the game, having an understanding of what’s going on. We did a good job managing the game even though our shots weren’t going down,” Joe Mazzulla said after the Celtics took a 3-1 lead with their second win in Philadelphia.
“Our offensive rebounds and our turnovers. Obviously, they’re going to make a run, but we were able to manage that with getting to the free throw line, being disciplined defensively, and some good offensive execution. We just gotta manage the game, being disciplined.”
With the game out of hand and Gino dancing somewhere near North Station, the scoreboard was obvious bottom line, but dig deeper into the box score and it was a game won in the margins.
Despite the return of big man Joel Embiid, Boston held Philly without an offensive rebound until midway through the third quarter. Andre Drummond, who once admitted that he intentionally missed shots to pad his rebounding numbers, didn’t grab any in Game 4.
After allowing a Game 2 blip — the 76ers hit 19-of-39 from behind the arc — the Celtics have absolutely used the three to bury Philadelphia. In a tightly contested Game 3, they were a +24 from 3 and with 10:39 left in the 4th of Game 4, they were already a +27 after hitting 17 of 38.
The turnover differential has not exactly been the edge they held in the regular season. With the Sixers packing the paint, Brown and Tatum have been drawing pesky double teams as soon as they get anywhere near the paint and that’s generated several loose balls and points on the other end. However, Boston leads the East in assists-to-turnovers ratio at 1.96. Comparatively speaking, the conference has been an absolutely slugfest; the Magic took a 3-1 lead over the one-seed Pistons shooting 32.6% from the field; the Raptors made just 32% of their shots to knot up their series with the Cavaliers. The Celtics, on the other hand, having been moving the ball well and so far, been making shots.
The postseason is all about making adjustments, but for the most part, Boston has stuck to their core principles and are on the brink of winning their first round series tonight for the same reasons they finished with 56 wins in a gap year.
Through the first four games of this series, Rudy Gobert was the best player on the floor. Not for his stats — 8.3 points per game is not exactly world beating — but for his defense on Nikola Jokic. Left on an island, Gobert was making the three-time MVP work for every inch of ground, every shot, which allowed Jaden McDaniels and the other Timberwolves defenders to stay one on their man.
Monday night, Nikola Jokic was the best player on the floor.
Jokic came out more aggressively from the start, which sparked other Nuggets such as Cam Johnson and Spencer Jones. In the end, Jokic had a 27-point, 12-rebound, 16-assist triple-double.
Nikola Jokic was back to his best tonight, to help stave off elimination!
Behind him, the Nuggets led this game almost the entire way, pulling away in the fourth quarter for what became a 125-113 victory at home.
Denver's win staves off elimination and sets up a massive Game 6 in Minnesota on Thursday night. The Timberwolves still lead the series 3-2.
"They're a championship team. They have championship DNA," said Minnesota's Julius Randle, via the Associated Press. "They're going to come out and have a sense of pride on their home court. They did that tonight. So, credit to them. We get to go back to Minnesota and have a chance to close it out." Minnesota will be without All-Star Anthony Edwards (hamstring) and Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles), as they were in this game after the duo's injuries a couple of days prior. While Minnesota had a resilient and impressive win in Game 4, they didn't consistently play with that same energy in Denver. It showed on both the defensive end and in the 25 turnovers the team had.
Julius Randle had a strong game with 27 points and nine rebounds, and Ayo Dosunmu, starting now at guard, added 18. However, it was the Timberwolves bench that had the best night for the team, scoring 48 as a group.
It's that bench play and the fact that the Timberwolves still shot 50% as a team that should give them hope heading home — if Minnesota brings that urgency and cuts down on turnovers, it has a real chance to close the series in Game 6. The Timberwolves need that win, they do not want to go back to Denver for a Game 7.
"We just ended up losing the day," Jaden McDaniels said, "but we're going to win the next one."
The last team to come back from 3-1 down to win a playoff series? The Denver Nuggets, in the 2020 bubble playoffs — where they did it twice.
Nikola Jokic won the NBA Championship with the Denver Nuggets in 2023 [Getty Images]
Nikola Jokic scored a triple-double to keep the Denver Nuggets' play-off hopes alive with a 125-113 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Serbia's Jokic, 31, was the joint top scorer with 27 points but also chipped in with 12 rebounds and 16 assists.
The Nuggets trailed 3-1 as they welcomed Minnesota to Ball Arena, Colorado, and defeat would have seen them eliminated.
Jamal Murray scored a game-high 24 points to help Denver get back on track after three successive defeats.
"We had to play like we was down 3-1," Murray said.
"I think we did a good job of bringing energy into the game and playing for 48 minutes, not letting up off the gas. That was a great team win."
Game six of the best-of-seven series takes place on Thursday in Minneapolis.
Elsewhere, Cade Cunningham scored a game-high 25 points as his Detroit Pistons lost 94-88 against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center, Florida.
Top seeds Detroit trail 3-1 in the series and are on the brink of elimination from the play-offs.
The Magic, who finished eighth in the Eastern Conference, have not reached the second round of the play-offs since 2010 - losing six times in the first round and failing to qualify for the post-season on nine occasions.
Western Conference top seeds Oklahoma City Thunder booked their place in the second round courtesy of a 131-122 win against the Phoenix Suns.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points to seal Thunder's 4-0 series shutout at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix.
"We just came in ready," said Gilgeous-Alexander.
"We do it for each other. None of us are selfish. We all want the next man to succeed and when you have those three things and put them together you get success."
Oklahoma will face either the Los Angeles Lakers or the Houston Rockets in the second round, with the Lakers leading that series 3-1.
Flagg claims Rookie of the Year award
Cooper Flagg won the National college Player of the Year award in 2025 [Getty Images]
Teenager Cooper Flagg was named the NBA Rookie of the Year, narrowly beating former Duke University room-mate Kon Knueppel to the award.
The 19-year-old is the second youngest player to win the award behind LeBron James.
"I think you talk about pressure and things like that, this season was a lot different going into it and what I was expecting and how the season ended up turning out," Flagg said.
"I think dealing with that and adjusting and kind of getting thrown in on the fly right away like that helped me long-term and throughout the season, just getting really comfortable. I think I grew in a lot of different areas."
Flagg was selected as the number one pick in last year's draft by the Dallas Mavericks and has repaid their faith.
The American averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists - joining Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Luka Doncic as the only rookies to average at least 20 points, six rebounds and four assists in the 50 seasons since the NBA-ABA merger.
Flagg beat Knueppel by just 26 points in the voting - the second smallest gap between the top-two finishers for the rookie awards since the current format began in 2002-03.
MINNEAPOLIS , MN - APRIL 25: Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets and Rudy Gobert (27) of the Minnesota Timberwolves stand side by side on the court during the third quarter of the Timberwolves' 112-96 win in game four of their NBA Playoffs series at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Saturday, April 25, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) | Denver Post via Getty Images
The question of this game was bound to come down to one thing and one thing only: could the Minnesota Timberwolves survive the loss of not just their starting point guard but also the superstar leader of their team? The answer: a resounding no.
Unfortunately for Wolves fans, it got even worse. There are now even more questions that have been hammered into bright red Xs, screaming unfortunate nos.
Can Julius Randle lead the Wolves to one singular playoff win as the team’s leading offensive option? Doesn’t look like it. Can Jaden McDaniels upscale his scoring load with far fewer mouths to feed, especially after the amount of trash he has talked? Early returns are not conclusive, but also not encouraging.
What makes it even worse is a potential injury to Naz Reid, who collapsed at center court halfway through the third quarter after what seemed to be an inadvertent collision with Tim Hardaway Jr. We still don’t have any information on the injury, but I’m sure that update will hurt.
UPDATE: He came back out in the fourth quarter and continued to play with some clearly belabored movements, but nothing as bad as initial prognoses.
As if all of that wasn’t enough, there’s so much more to obsess about.
Let’s rapid-fire this:
The Wolves were defeated by a Spencer Jones run straight out of the half, in which they bled threes and lacked any real playable options to challenge an opposing team’s run. Bones Hyland had moments, but there is clearly no option for explosive runs.
Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokić played up to their regular standards. As noted by assistant coach Micah Nori, the Nuggets pushed Jokić to roll more often, leading to foul trouble for McDaniels as a helpside blocker, which in turn opened up Murray.
Minnesota failed to find any easy shots for quick offense. They got outrun in transition, largely due to their nearly doubled number of turnovers.
The forwards continued to struggle with foul trouble, just as they did in Game Two. This time it came in the form of Jaden McDaniels and Julius Randle. Additionally, Ayo Dosumnu had a technical after trying to support Jaden after another scrum with Jonas Valančiūnas.
An avalanche occurred in the third quarter, and everyone on the Wolves just kind of broke. Emotionally, competitively, basketball-y. They just fell apart. This does not look like a team that could even conceive of winning a fourth and final game this series.
Spencer Jones outplaying Julius Randle tells the story of the game.
Very difficult for the Wolves to win given that reality
Nuggets role players have risen to the occasion at home. Wolves have struggled to get over screens and it's broken their defense
It was certainly bleak. Truly, nothing seemed to fall into place. As I write this, there are still technically ten whole minutes remaining in this game, but that clearly does not matter. Even when the game was stuck teetering on close, the Wolves could not find a way to shrink the lead beyond a non-threatening five points.
There’s no real way to detail it. It was a simple answer. The Wolves did not have the juice tonight. The question is whether that continues to last for the rest of the series.
There was no hero tonight. Ayo Dosumnu was decent, but clearly not his 40-point self. TJ Shannon and Jaylen Clark were injected into the rotation with hopes of adding any energy, a call to action they failed to respond to. Bones Hyland made some shots but failed to mitigate the problems he was causing as a defender.
Unfortunately, no one played well. No one inspired enough confidence to bring some positivity to this conversation.
The most disappointing Wolf, however, has to be Julius Randle. While the question of him as the quote-unquote “best player” is disingenuous, the supposed number two was outplayed by Spencer Jones, had some less-than-ideal defensive effort, and had five turnovers.
When the Wolves managed to pull the deficit back down to single digits with just around four minutes left in the fourth quarter, it was a Randle live-ball turnover that led Denver back to a 15-point cushion.
The most infuriating losses are often like this. The second you start feeling hopeless, hope finds a way. Whenever that whispering voice of hope returns, the game finds a way to crush it to dust once again.
Excited that the game is close at intermission? Have fun with the aforementioned Spencer Jones. Getting fired up at a series of Julius Randle bully ball? Here’s a Christian Braun 3-pointer and a series of bad turnovers to put the game back out of reach.
Tonight was, in that way, a combination of bad luck, bad situation, and bad performance.
The national narrative is going to be something like the Nuggets are gritty and their backs are against the wall when it really should be “the nuggets were -11.5 point favorites tonight and they cashed in because Anthony Edwards is out”
For Minnesota to avoid an embarrassing but understandable collapse, they need to do a lot of simple things better. Before garbage time, the Wolves had a baffling 24 turnovers. That is, apparently, the highest rate of giveaways the Wolves have had all season.
To follow that up, there needs to be a better emphasis on attacking the rim the way they did all series. Nikola Jokić is not a decent enough defender to prevent that level of targeting. As part of that, the more uncomfortable Jokič is on defense, the less flow the entire team has on offense.
Lastly, someone needs to step up. This is the least substantive of the thoughts. It’s just gotta be someone. Something has to happen.
Asking anything of this team feels like a lot, though. So much of the last two deep playoff runs have been defined by the magic of Anthony Edwards. Even before Minnesota had won a playoff series for the first time since Kevin Garnett, it was Ant that put that fear into these same Nuggets in the playoffs.
This time, it can’t be him. The last time there was a huge playoff hero that wasn’t Ant was Karl-Anthony Towns taking down — guess who — the Denver Nuggets in Game 7. It clearly won’t be him either.
If you’re wondering who can step up for the Wolves, the options really come down to Ayo Dosumnu and Julius Randle. It will likely have to be both of them to give the Wolves a puncher’s chance on a night like tonight.
Goodnight Wolves fans. I wish I had better news.
Up Next
The series heads back to Target Center for a pivotal Game 6 on Thursday. With a win, the Timberwolves will secure a first-round playoff series victory in their third consecutive season. If they lose, a dreaded Game 7 back in Denver.
The time and TV network for the game will depend on the outcome of Tuesday’s game between the Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs. If the Spurs win and finish out the series, the Wolves-Nuggets game will begin at 8:30 PM CT. If the Trail Blazers force a Game 6, then the game will be at 8:00 PM CT.
Houston Rockets (52-30, fifth in the Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (53-29, fourth in the Western Conference)
Los Angeles; Wednesday, 10 p.m. EDT
LINE: Lakers -2.5; over/under is 208.5
WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Lakers lead series 3-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Lakers look to clinch the Western Conference first round over the Houston Rockets in game five. The Rockets defeated the Lakers 115-96 in the last meeting on Monday. Amen Thompson led the Rockets with 23 points, and Deandre Ayton led the Lakers with 19.
The Lakers are 33-19 against Western Conference opponents. Los Angeles averages 116.3 points while outscoring opponents by 1.7 points per game.
The Rockets are 29-23 in Western Conference play. Houston ranks second in the Western Conference scoring 53.0 points per game in the paint led by Alperen Sengun averaging 17.5.
The Lakers' 11.8 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.6 fewer made shots on average than the 12.4 per game the Rockets give up. The Rockets are shooting 47.9% from the field, 0.4% lower than the 48.3% the Lakers' opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: LeBron James is shooting 51.5% and averaging 20.9 points for the Lakers. Rui Hachimura is averaging 2.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Kevin Durant is averaging 26 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists for the Rockets. Jabari Smith Jr. is averaging 3.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Lakers: 6-4, averaging 107.8 points, 39.6 rebounds, 28.4 assists, 10.0 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 51.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.4 points per game.
Rockets: 6-4, averaging 116.8 points, 46.5 rebounds, 24.6 assists, 9.9 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.2 points.
INJURIES: Lakers: Austin Reaves: day to day (oblique), Luka Doncic: out (hamstring).
Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle), Kevin Durant: day to day (ankle).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The Orlando Magic are one win away from knocking off a No. 1 seed and winning their first playoff series in 16 years.
They’re not celebrating yet.
Desmond Bane scored 22 points, Franz Wagner had 19 in three quarters and the Magic beat the Detroit Pistons 94-88 Monday night to take a 3-1 series lead, putting the East’s No. 1 seed on the brink of elimination.
Game 5 is Wednesday night in Detroit.
“We put our ourselves in position to try to get four, but right now it means nothing,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. “We have the advantage and now we have to try and make sure we keep that advantage.”
Orlando, which had to win an elimination game at home in the play-in tournament, is on the verge of becoming just the seventh No. 8 seed to defeat a No. 1 in a series in league history. It’s happened only four times since the playoffs were expanded to a best-of-seven series for all rounds in 2003.
THUNDER 131, SUNS 122
PHOENIX (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points, Chet Holmgren added 24 and Oklahoma City beat Phoenix Suns, capping a four-game sweep in the first-round series.
The Thunder — who have a 12-0 record in the first round over the last three seasons — will face the winner of the Los Angeles Lakers-Houston Rockets series in the Western Conference semifinals. The Lakers have a 3-1 lead, though the Rockets won Game 4.
Phoenix has a 10-game losing streak in the playoffs, dating to 2023.
The Thunder closed the series with an overwhelming offensive performance — making 17 of 34 (50%) 3-pointers — and their big men played particularly well. The 7-foot-1 Holmgren shot 9 of 16 from the field and grabbed 12 rebounds, while the 7-foot Isaiah Hartenstein added 18 points and 12 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end.
NUGGETS 125, TIMBERWOLVES 113
DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic snapped out of his prolonged funk with a triple-double, Spencer Jones provided a key spark and Denver staved off elimination with a chippy win over injury-riddled Minnesota in Game 5 of their playoff series.
Jokic had 27 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds for Denver, which trimmed its deficit to 3-2 in the best-of-seven series. Jamal Murray scored 24 points and Jones added 20.
Jokic posted his 23rd playoff triple-double, third on the career list, as the Nuggets stopped a three-game skid and played the way they did most of the regular season in securing the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.
The Minnesota Timberwolves raced out to a 3-1 lead, but it might have cost them everything.
Yes, Game 5 on Monday, April 27, when the Denver Nuggets outpaced Minnesota, 125-113, in the first round of the NBA playoffs, was just one game. But it also served as an indicator of just how much Minnesota is missing without Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo.
Denver outscored Minnesota by a margin of 37-24 in a third quarter avalanche, as the Nuggets are trying to become just the 14th team in NBA history to win a playoff series after trailing 3-1.
All of this prompts one question: can the Timberwolves make a run without Edwards and DiVincenzo? Can they even get out of this round?
The Nuggets are now playing with significantly more confidence and momentum than they did earlier in the series. Denver’s bench had scored just 16 points in the crushing Game 4 loss; on Monday night, the reserves scored 27. Cameron Johnson and Spencer Jones, the pair of key Denver forwards, combined to drop 38 points in Game 5 just two nights after they scored just 9.
The Nuggets harassed Minnesota’s ball-handlers, forcing them into 25 turnovers Monday night, which was three more than Minnesota’s combined total in Games 3 and 4.
But, more than anything, the Timberwolves played tight and pressed, seemingly hyper-aware of the players they were missing.
“I thought we started the game wanting to make all of the home run plays, instead of wanting to make the plays that help us get into the ball game and make the rhythm plays,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said.
This is where Edwards’ absence hurts the Timberwolves. He’s a stabilizing presence and one of the dynamic scoring threats in the NBA. He averaged 28.8 points per game during the regular season, which ranked third in the league. He can handle the ball, his shooting range helps space the floor and he’s the preferred option in the clutch.
And while backup guard Ayo Dosunmu emerged as a breakout player in Game 4 with his historic 43-point masterpiece, it’s clear the Timberwolves won’t be able to count on that kind of production every night from here on out.
Dosunmu scored 18 points in a solid performance, and the Timberwolves did shrink a 27-point deficit to 10 midway through the fourth, but that run came when Denver eased its pressure and intensity.
So, what’s the path forward for Minnesota?
For one, the Timberwolves should hope that Edwards heals quickly. Because even if they get past the Nuggets, their likely opponent in the second round would be the No. 2 San Antonio Spurs, who are a legitimate threat to win the West. But, practically speaking, the Timberwolves will essentially need to play pristine defense like it did during its three-game winning streak in the series, especially in the paint.
In Games 2, 3 and 4, the Timberwolves limited Denver to an average of just 38.7 points in the paint per game. In Game 5, that figure ballooned to 62.
Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert was masterful against Nikola Jokić. Forward Jaden McDaniels irritated Jamal Murray and Denver’s other ball-handlers. More of that will be required.
Because without Edwards, the short-handed Timberwolves are not only suddenly vulnerable, they might be marching toward a historic exit.
“I think we were all just trying to press and make plays a little bit too much,” Timberwolves forward Julius Randle said after the game. “The formula was still the same, so we don’t have to change that. We’ll be better next game.”
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: AJ Dybantsa #3 of the BYU Cougars looks on against the Texas Longhorns during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA Draft class of 2026 appears to be absolutely nothing like the 2024 draft class, and for that, we give thanks to the basketball gods. Tangible star power that bleeds beyond the top pick has forced nearly a third of the good citizens of the league to sabotage this year’s crop for the prospects of a more plentiful harvest in the future.
Simply put, there ain’t no scrubs at the top of this year’s NBA Draft. Players who project as perennial All-Stars are up for grabs at the top, and “eh” inspiring consolation prizes are in very short supply.
The Utah Jazz tanked for good reason. As did the Indiana Pacers. As did the Washington Wizards. As did Dallas, Memphis, and Sacramento (does it count as tanking if you’re actually that bad by default?). That reason is simple: just as the Nintendo Switch has games, the class of ‘26 has hoopers. Teams want those hoopers, and since the NBA is not very pro-sharing in that regard, many teams had to wake up early and tank for a chance to be first in line for, well, the future.
Leave it to the Jazz, the NBA’s poster child of the tanking epidemic, to spend the whole regular season dreaming of the NBA Draft. As an organization that has never moved up since the introduction of the lottery, Utah has plenty to dream about.
Not all players are created equal, and not every location will bring out the same level of production or development in any given player. Considering the fact that Utah doesn’t plan to dilly-dally at the bottom of the standings next season — playoffs, ho! — it’s important that the Jazz come away with a player who can both contribute to winning basketball on day one and potentially blossom into a franchise-defining centerpiece. Keeping this in mind, here are the players who I believe will fit best in Utah, ordered by who I believe will make me throw the fewest fits.
Utah Jazz 2026 NBA Draft Wish List
5 – Brayden Burries | G, Arizona
Yeah, maybe I’m higher on Burries than most, but if the Jazz intend on building a well-rounded competitive team, they need a defensive presence in the backcourt. And after a very impressive freshman season that saw him post 1.8 steals per night (not to mention 19.4 points, nearly 3 assists, and 6 rebounds). Utah needs a defensive cushion for Keyonte’s — *ahem* — shortcomings on that end, and Burries is a solid pickup if Utah drops from their 4th spot.
4 – Cameron Boozer
Father Carlos has probably been preaching the gospel of his National Player of the Year offspring since joining the Utah Jazz as a scout, but as a power forward on a team stuffed with bigs, Cameron would almost certainly come off the bench behind the three-headed (and very, very tall) dragon of Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler.
A stabilizing presence off the bench, Boozer brings underrated shooting and playmaking ability — both of which could be very appealing for Will Hardy’s ball-movement-heavy offensive game plan — but other players would fit more seamlessly onto the current roster still on the board, so the family reunion may have to wait.
3 – Caleb Wilson | F, North Carolina
Wilson has been building buzz since the end of the college basketball season, and for good reason. There is a lot to love about his game, and he could project to be one of the best two-way players in this class. I mean, you must be joking with season averages of 1.6 blocks and 1.7 steals as a forward, right? As UNC’s primary offensive option, to boot.
He’s improving as a ball handler, and I feel sincere terror considering how great he may become if the Jazz choose to pass on him.
As a natural power forward, though, Utah is far too dense at that range to freely let Wilson stretch out and get the in-game experience a player of his talents deserves. I’ll send you away White Fang-style if I have to. Now go on, get out of here! Go!
FOMO aside, there are still two players that I like just a touch more as a fit with the Jazz.
2 – Darryn Peterson
Probably the most polarizing figure in the draft, Peterson is also the most natural addition to Utah’s lineup, slotting next to Keyonte George in the backcourt effortlessly. No, he doesn’t really pass the ball, and no, I’m not entirely confident that his selective play time was just a “we all tried things in college” type of phase for the Kansas guard. Peterson’s role on Bill Self’s team became more and more secondary as the season progressed, and that’s concerning for any team that hopes to build its future on his back.
Injury concerns and a questionable competitive motor are cause for pause, but if you get his best career timeline, you may just be drafting an MVP.
If you want buttery scoring, a silky one-motion jump shot, delicious dribble combos, and perhaps the most obviously talented guard prospect we’ve seen since Kyrie Irving (another eccentric with a tendency to miss playing time and make bad PR moves), you have that in Peterson. He’s a strong defender, a nonchalant assassin. If he lands in Utah, the Jazz are in business.
1 – AJ Dybantsa | F, BYU
It’s no secret that Utah wants Dybantsa. Owner Ryan Smith has been instrumental in keeping the collegiate superstar and consensus All-American in the Beehive State with his commitment to BYU (arriving along with a notable NIL package). Still, Dybantsa is on record saying he’s loved his time in Utah, prefers quieter settings, and probably has mutual feelings about the Utah Jazz picking him on draft night, given the chance.
Face it, Utah. I know you. You know you. And I know that you know that I know you. If the Jazz land the number-one overall pick, they’ll be buzzing Adam Silver’s cell phone with their submission nonstop from midnight until the commissioner finally announces their selection from the podium.
Still, understanding that Utah’s current lineup probably has no wiggle room for demoting Markkanen, JJJ, or Kessler to the second unit, if Dybantsa stays in Utah, it’ll probably be Ace Bailey who slips to sixth man. Is AJ equipped to defend NBA-quality 2-guards? That’s yet to be determined, but he has the physical tools and the drive to figure it out if he’s not quite there right away. Bailey’s development may decelerate a tad if Dybantsa starts taking his reps, but if that becomes a problem, you don’t pass up on a potential MVP and perennial All-Star for a player with a lower ceiling — you trade the lesser prospect and build your roster around Dybantsa.
Calvin Barrett is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. He has covered the NBA and College Sports since 2024.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 23: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets reacts in the first half against the Utah Jazz at Toyota Center on February 23, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
According to Michael Pina, the Utah Jazz would be one of many teams that would have a varying degree of interest in Kevin Durant if he becomes available.
Nothing is off the table in Houston. Giannis? Kawhi? Another KD trade? The only thing the Rockets should rule out is running this back.@MichaelVPina: https://t.co/czHvEWH4rx
The Rockets thought that KD was their missing piece, and instead, there’s a chance they’ll turn him into a stepping stone this summer. It turns out that your best player shouldn’t also be a mercenary. But despite that, the Heat, Timberwolves, Blazers, Mavericks, Pistons, Knicks, Raptors, Hawks, Magic, Lakers, Nuggets, Hornets, Bulls, Wizards, Warriors, Pacers, Jazz, Sixers, Celtics, Cavaliers, Bucks, and Clippers would all have varying degrees of interest—pending how the rest of these playoffs go.
So basically, the entire league would have interest then? That sounds about right. Pina mentions it and it bears mentioning that the last handful of seasons for Kevin Durant have not been great. With a mix of burner accounts, trade demands, and persistent passive-aggressiveness, Durant has not been worth it to his former teams.
That said….
At the risk of sounding like Tobias Funke, “But it might work for us!”
If the Jazz were able to get Durant without giving up one of their own picks, or perhaps figure out how to keep their core of players, it could be a fascinating gamble. Durant is still playing at a high level and on a team like the Jazz, who have depth, talent, and youth on their side, could it be the final piece for a surprise title run? It’s easy to imagine Durant being able to pick his spots with the Jazz. He could play off all the different players on the team and dominate matchups as needed. He also wouldn’t have to be playing 36+ minutes per game with the Jazz. For Utah, he could play something like 24-28 minutes and could be fresh for a playoff run. It makes a lot of sense, but it does depend on what the Rockets would ask for in a trade. It could be interesting this offseason if the Jazz go for a big-time move.
PHOENIX (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points, Chet Holmgren added 24 and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Phoenix Suns 131-122 on Monday night, capping a four-game sweep in the first-round series.
The Thunder — who have a 12-0 record in the first round over the last three seasons — will face the winner of the Los Angeles Lakers-Houston Rockets series in the Western Conference semifinals. The Lakers have a 3-1 lead, though the Rockets won Game 4.
Phoenix has a 10-game losing streak in the playoffs, dating to 2023.
The Thunder closed the series with an overwhelming offensive performance — making 17 of 34 (50%) 3-pointers — and their big men played particularly well. The 7-foot-1 Holmgren shot 9 of 16 from the field and grabbed 12 rebounds, while the 7-foot Isaiah Hartenstein added 18 points and 12 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end.
Ajay Mitchell added 22 points and made four 3-pointers. Alex Caruso finished with 14 points and hit three 3-pointers in the first quarter.
Gilgeous-Alexander was reliable as usual. Two days after scoring 42 points in Game 3, he had another efficient performance, shooting 10 of 17 from the field.
The Suns showed some fight in the second half, cutting a 15-point deficit to 106-98 entering the fourth. Devin Booker scored 12 points in the third quarter on 5-of-8 shooting.
But every time the Suns got within a few possessions, the Thunder responded. Cason Wallace hit a corner 3 with 5:54 left to extend the Oklahoma City lead to 120-106. Gilgeous-Alexander followed with a spectacular layup, somehow getting the shot to fall over three defenders.
Booker led the Suns with 24 points while Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green added 23. Collin Gillespie added 20 points while making six 3-pointers.
The Thunder pushed to a 75-67 lead by halftime after shooting 61.4% from the floor and 60% from 3-point range, hitting 12 of 20 behind the arc. Gilgeous-Alexander had 17 before the break, making a wide-open 3-pointer just before halftime.
That offset a hot shooting start for the Suns, who made 11 of 20 3-pointers. Gillespie scored 17 before the break, making all six of his shots, including five 3s.
The Thunder were without starter Jalen Williams, who missed his second straight game because of a left hamstring strain. Suns center Mark Williams (foot) and guard Jordan Goodwin (calf) were also out.
PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 27: Chet Holmgren #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder dribbles the ball during the game against the Phoenix Suns during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA on April 27, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The first-round series between the Phoenix Suns and the Oklahoma City Thunder is finally over. Oklahoma City is a machine that barely broke a sweat to take care of business against one of the better “feel-good” stories of the year in the Suns.
The Suns fought hard and shot the ball well, but their defense and inability to rebound and take care of the basketball cost them again. It was the same old story.
It was a quiet first half for Devin Booker, with the Thunder defense draped on him again; he struggled to get anything going. Dort and Caruso had him in jail in the opening half, holding him to just 2 points. He poured in 22 in the second half, but it was too little too late. Booker, Green, Brooks, and Gillespie all had 20+ points in a balanced scoring attack for the Suns, but the defense just couldn’t get enough stops to make it a game.
Shai had 31 points, and the Thunder had 6 players in double figures and shot 53% from the field.
Game Flow
First Half
The teams traded buckets early on, with Phoenix showing signs of life on offense. The ball movement was crisp, and they were generating several clean looks.
Then a pair of threes from Collin Gillespie and Dillon Brooks gave them a four-point lead, 17-13. That led to an OKC timeout to regroup. As one would expect, the Thunder responded, and the game quickly tied back up.
A 7-0 run after a Cason Wallace three led to a Suns timeout as OKC took a 3-point lead. An Alex Caruso three made it a 10-0 run to push the Thunder’s lead to six, 27-21.
Collin Gillespie continued to hunt for his shot offensively, pouring in 11 points in the first 9 minutes and 15 seconds. Alex Caruso was killing the Suns with a steal, deflection, and three triples in the quarter, making an impact off the bench.
Phoenix trailed 37-33 after the opening quarter. They closed out the quarter on a 7-0 push, capped off by a deep Grasyon Allen three right before the clock expired.
Despite the Thunder getting plenty of production from Caruso and Chet, Phoenix’s shooting kept them in it. Grayson Allen was providing an offensive punch off the bench, getting to the cup and knocking down threes, starting the game a perfect 4-of-4 from the field with 12 points in his first 8 minutes of action.
Phoenix’s defense was locking in, and the ball was zipping. A Jalen Green triple forced a Thunder timeout as they extended their lead to seven, 55-48, with 5:32 left in the half. Devin Booker (at the time of this score) had just 2 points on 0-3 shooting with 4 turnovers.
A 5-0 run by Shai made it a two-point game out of the timeout quickly. Every punch Phoenix threw was responded to by the Thunder.
Despite Phoenix shooting 60% from the field and drilling 11 threes on 55% shooting, the Suns trailed 75-67 thanks to 61/60/100 shooting splits from the Thunder. Collin Gillespie led all Suns with 17 points, Brooks had 14, and Grayson Allen chipped in with 12. Devin Booker had just 2 points on 0-4 shooting with 5 turnovers to just 3 assists.
Second Half
The second half was more of the same early on. Phoenix would knock down an impossible shot, then OKC would immediately respond.
Booker’s struggles continued, and the Thunder continued to get whatever they wanted offensively. OKC jumped out to a 15-9 edge in the 3rd to push their lead to 14, 90-76.
They were just once again simply… better. In every facet. Quite literally every time Phoenix looked to make a run, they were matched. And whenever they put together a great defensive possession, the rebound seemed to go straight to the Thunder for an extra possession and resulted in a bucket.
Rasheer Fleming FINALLY got some burn, checking in with 3:30 in the 3rd and got a block right off the bat. And what do you know, after a sarcastic round of applause from the very aware Suns fans, they went on a 5-0 run immediately.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Desmond Bane scored 22 points, Franz Wagner had 19 in three quarters and the Orlando Magic beat the Detroit Pistons 94-88 Monday night to take a 3-1 series lead, putting the East’s No. 1 seed on the brink of elimination.
Game 5 is Wednesday night in Detroit.
Orlando, which had to win an elimination game at home in the play-in tournament, is on the verge of becoming just the seventh No. 8 seed to defeat a No. 1 in a series in league history. It’s happened only four times since the playoffs were expanded to a best-of-seven series for all rounds in 2003.
Desmond Bane celebrates during the Magic’s Game 4 win over the Pistons on April 27. AP
Paolo Banchero scored 18 points for the Magic on 4-of-18 shooting. Orlando shot just 32.6%, with Jalen Suggs going 1 for 13, including 1 for 11 from 3-point range.
The Magic overcame their shooting woes by protecting the ball. They had only 12 turnovers to 20 for Detroit.
Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 25 points and Tobias Harris had 20.
Wagner left with 1:34 left in the third quarter due to right calf soreness.
Jamal Cain replaced Wagner and electrified the crowd with a driving dunk over Caris LeVert early in the fourth quarter. He also had a one-handed tip-in dunk that made it 87-85 with 4:55 to go.
Suggs missed his first eight shots before nailing a 3-pointer from the corner for an 85-80 lead. But Ausar Thompson’s layup tied it before Cain’s putback.
With former Grizzlies teammates Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. cheering him on courtside, Bane banked in a 3-pointer to extend Orlando’s lead to 92-86 with 1:16 remaining.
Jama Cain dunks the ball during the Magic’s April 27 win over the Pistons. NBAE via Getty Images
The 45-win Magic haven’t won a playoff series since 2010, when they lost in the Eastern Conference finals. The 37-year-old franchise has never won an NBA title.
The Pistons, who won 60 games in the regular season, have an even longer series drought. They haven’t advanced to the second round since losing in the East finals in 2008
The teams traded double-digit leads in the first half and the Magic led 54-52 going into the third quarter.
Cade Cunningham reacts during the Pistons’ loss to the Magic on April 27. Imagn Images
Riding a wave of energy from a frenzied, blue-clad crowd, the Magic scored the first eight points and led 19-7 before missing 13 straight shots during a 20-5 run by Detroit.
The Pistons had a 40-30 lead midway through the second.
The Magic improved to 8-1 at home in the playoffs over the past three seasons.
