The Los Angeles Lakers will try to sweep the Houston Rockets in their first-round playoff series. The Lakers will advance to the second round with one more victory. Kevin Durant will be sidelined in Game 4 for the Rockets — the third game he has missed in the series.
How to watch Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 26: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during the game against the Toronto Raptors during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 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 Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The stats in the table below are taken from Cleaning the Glass. As a note, the percentiles are in comparison to other playoff games, which influences the sample size.
Offensive Rating
Effective Field Goal Percentage
Offensive Turnover Percentage
Offensive Rebounding Percentage
Free Throw Rate
Cavs
91.8 offensive rating, 3rd percentile
42.5%, 4th percentile
18.6%, 16th percentile
30.5%, 59th percentile
17.2, 33rd percentile
Raptors
95.9, 5th percentile
34%, 0th percentile
12.4%, 70th percentile
40%, 92nd percentile
27.8, 82nd percentile
Now, let’s dive into the numbers.
The Raptors had the lowest field-goal percentage (32%) from a postseason game winner since 1970, credit to Justin Russo. Toronto went just 31-97 from the field.
If you go before the three-point era, this was the fourth-lowest field-goal percentage from a team that won a playoff game, credit to Justin Thomas.
Jakob Poeltl is the only Raptor who had more makes than misses, going 4-7 from the field.
Toronto went just 4-30 from three (13.3%). Unsustainably hot outside shooting carried the Raptors to the Game 3 victory. Their regression to the mean was harsh as they couldn’t buy a basket from deep.
The Raptors had 10 more shot attempts than the Cavs. This is due to Cleveland losing the turnover and offensive rebounding battle. In a game where neither team could establish an offensive rhythm, the one that had more chances wound up the winner.
Toronto had 21 offensive rebounds, grabbing 40% of their misses (92nd percentile). This led to the Raptors outscoring Cleveland 19-7 on second-chance points.
Cleveland turned it over 18 times compared to Toronto’s 12. The Raptors won the points-off-turnovers battle 17-7.
The Cavs shot an abysmal 15-23 from the line (65.2%). On a day they couldn’t generate any offense, they also couldn’t convert the freebies that they got. Jarrett Allen struggled most, going 1-4.
James Harden turned it over seven times. This was the second time in as many games he’s had more turnovers than field goals (six).
Donovan Mitchell scored 20 or fewer points for the second game in a row. He finished with 20 points on 6-24 shooting (25%). In the regular season, the Cavs were 7-11 when he played and scored 21 or fewer points and 25-9 when he scored 30 or more. In the playoffs, the Cavs won both games he’s scored at least 30 and have lost both games he’s registered fewer than 21.
Mitchell went 0-4 in shots at the rim and 2-10 in shots in the paint overall.
Only 28% of the Cavs’ shots came at the rim (33rd percentile). Getting to the basket is still the most efficient way to score. The Raptors have kept Cleveland from getting there. The Cavs went just 13-22 (59%) on shots in the restricted area.
Cleveland registered just an 80 half-court offensive rating (9th percentile). The Cavs were outstanding in the half-court since the Harden trade in the regular season. That didn’t carry over to Game 4 as they couldn’t generate any consistent offense with their stagnant sets.
The Cavs were outscored 17-11 in the final five minutes. The Cavs went just 2-10 from the field with a turnover in that span. Sam Merrill accounted for both field goals.
Collin Murray-Boyles outscored Cleveland’s front-court 15 to 11, credit to NBACentral. The Cavs are paying $66.3 million for their starting front-court duo. Murray-Boyles is making 10% of that.
Allen, with five points, failed to register double-digit points for the seventh time in 22 playoff games with the Cavs. Allen’s aggression and activity have consistently fallen off in the postseason. He came into this game averaging 12.8 points per playoff game with the Cavs after averaging 14.8 across six regular seasons with the team.
Evan Mobley, with eight points, failed to register double-digit scoring in a playoff game for the fifth time in his career.
The Cavs won the 28 minutes Dean Wade was on the court by 11 and lost the 20 he sat by 16. Wade wasn’t great offensively in this game, but he was still a net positive because of his defense on Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram. The fact that the Cavs have struggled in the minutes without him isn’t surprising because they have no one capable of guarding Toronto’s wings. The lack of playable wings continues to hurt the Cavs in the playoffs.
The Cavs’ bench outscored the Raptors’ 32-19. Cleveland’s role players weren’t necessarily great, but they weren’t the reason the Cavs lost this one. The blame falls on the stars. Merrill (14 points), Jaylon Tyson (nine points), and Dennis Schroder (eight points) provided some scoring for that group.
The Cavs are now 3-10 on the road in the playoffs in the Mitchell era. Two of those wins came against the Miami Heat in the first round last season. They’re now 1-10 on the road against playoff teams that finished the regular season over .500.
TORONTO (AP) — Scottie Barnes hit the go-ahead free throws in the final minute and scored 23 points, Brandon Ingram also added 23 points and the Toronto Raptors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 93-89 on Sunday, tying the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series at two games apiece.
The best-of-seven series shifts to Cleveland for Game 5 on Wednesday.
RJ Barrett scored 18 points and Collin Murray-Boyles had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors, who won despite shooting 4 for 30 from 3-point range.
Barnes added nine rebounds and six assists.
Donovan Mitchell scored 12 of his 20 in the fourth quarter and James Harden added 19, but the Cavaliers couldn’t overcome an 18-turnover performance.
Mitchell missed two shots in the final 25 seconds, including a 3-pointer that would have tied the game. He finished 6 for 24 overall and made 4 of 12 shots from long range.
Sam Merrill scored 14 points and Jarrett Allen had 15 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who were outscored 10-2 in the final 1:54 of the fourth.
With NBA commissioner Adam Silver in attendance, both teams struggled from 3-point range. Cleveland finished 10 for 40 from distance, including 5 of 10 in the fourth.
SPURS 114, TRAIL BLAZERS 03
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 27 points, 11 rebounds and seven blocks in his return from a concussion, and San Antonio took a 3-1 lead in their first-round series against Portland Trail with a victory.
De’Aaron Fox added 28 points for the Spurs, who will return home to San Antonio for Game 5 on Tuesday night.
The Spurs trailed the Blazers by 17 points at the half, but the game was knotted at 74 going into the fourth quarter. Fox and Keldon Johnson hit back-to-back 3-pointer to put the Spurs up 90-77 with 7:14 left.
Johnson’s dunk with 4:31 left made it 101-81 for San Antonio and all but sealed the win.
Deni Avdija led the Trail Blazers with 26 points. There was tense moment with 2:13 left when Avdija and Stephon Castle exchanged shoves. They were given offsetting technical fouls.
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 26: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dribbles the ball during the game against the Toronto Raptors on April 26, 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
The Cleveland Cavaliers dropped their second straight game to the Toronto Raptors. The series is now tied 2-2, heading back to Cleveland.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Donovan Mitchell
20 points, 3 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 turnovers
We’ve seen the worst of Mitchell across the last two games. An overliance on jumpers. Not having the size to break free from Scottie Barnes in the halfcourt. And, most of all, being an option for the Raptors to attack offensively.
Mitchell finished the game shooting 6-24.
The Cavs won’t win another game this series if Mitchell doesn’t adjust. He’s been at the core of all their problems, failing to score efficiently or handle the ball with care.
Harden had 6 turnovers in his first 14 minutes tonight. That’s what throwing a behind-the-back pass when you’re being double-teamed in the corner will do.
The decision-making on display was alarming. For a player who previously solved every problem thrown at him, it felt like Harden was blindfolded and throwing darts at a board in Toronto.
He eventually stabilized himself and had a strong second half. But I think more than enough damage was done in the first half to justify this grade.
Grade: D-
Evan Mobley
8 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
We’ve all agreed that Mobley will not lead this team in scoring, nor will he be the focal point of the offense. Yet, we all understand that if the Cavs want to go deep into the postseason — Mobely at least has to be capable of raising their floor on nights where the backcourt is struggling.
The grade speaks for itself.
Grade: F
Jarrett Allen
3 points, 15 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks
Allen is the only member of the core four who showed enough effort to fight defensively. His 15 rebounds and team-high plus/minus of +15 are a product of that.
Still, this was far from a good game. Allen went 1-5 from the floor and 1-4 from the free-throw line. The Cavs needed someone to elevate their offense by beating mismatches and finding easy opportunities. Allen didn’t come through.
Grade: D-
Dean Wade
7 points, 5 rebounds
Wade’s defensive impact is starting to be severely blunted by his role on offense. He doesn’t care to shoot the ball, so Toronto doesn’t care to defend him. This has made it easier for the Raptors to swarm the guards and pack the paint. The biggest problem is that the Cavs don’t have enough size on the wing to take Wade out of the rotation.
Grade: D
Max Strus
1 point, 7 rebounds
The Cavs sorely needed an offensive punch from Strus. He went 0-5 from the floor. A few three-pointers would have gone a long way to unsticking the offense.
Grade: D-
Keon Ellis
0 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist
Ellis has still only made one field goal in this series. He played just 4 minutes tonight.
Grade: F
Jaylon Tyson
9 points, 5 rebounds, 2 turnovers
It felt like Tyson was making the wrong reads tonight. He drove a few closeouts that probably should have been catch-and-shoot three-point attempts. He also turned it over in the short-roll, throwing a predictable pass to the dunker’s spot that was picked off.
All that said, the Cavs shouldn’t be needing Tyson to produce at this level to keep the offense running.
Grade: C-
Sam Merrill
14 points
Merrill hasn’t performed great so far in the postseason. But he did help to unjam the Cavaliers’ offense in the second half.
His frenetic off-ball movement and complete lack of fear with the ball in his hands go a long way. The Raptors can’t ignore him the same way they ignored Wade, and that put Toronto into motion defensively. That led to Merrill being arguably the most impactful offensive player for Cleveland.
Schroder played the best two minutes of anyone on the roster tonight. So, there’s that.
He scored 8 points in rapid succession, taking Jakob Poeltl off the dribble and looking like the only player who cared about running a proper offense. That didn’t last for too long.
On the verge of elimination, the Houston Rockets may once again be without their best player.
All-Star forward Kevin Durant, who missed Houston’s Game 3 loss with a sprained ankle, had been listed as questionable on the team’s injury reports leading up to tip-off, which is scheduled for Sunday, April 26 at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Durant missed Houston’s 112-108 loss Friday, April 26 that dropped the Rockets to a 3-0 hole in their first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Durant sustained the sprained ankle in the second half of Game 2 on Tuesday, April 21. In that game, Durant scored 20 points in the first half on 6-of-7 shooting. After intermission, however, Lakers coach JJ Redick threw double-teams at Durant, forcing the ball out of his hands. In the second half, Durant scored just 3 points on 1-of-5 shooting.
But all eyes turn to Sunday’s game as the Rockets are trying to avoid a sweep.
Here’s everything you need to know about Kevin Durant’s status Sunday vs. the Lakers:
Is Kevin Durant playing tonight vs. Lakers?
Although Houston had been listing Durant as questionable on early injury reports ahead of Game 4, the team downgraded him to out in the 4:30 p.m. ET injury report.
Per the report, further testing revealed that Durant has also been diagnosed with a bone bruise in the sprained left ankle, prompting him to seek continued treatment ahead of Game 4. In fact, Durant wasn’t present on Houston’s bench during Game 3, with coach Ime Udoka saying that his absence was because he was getting treatment on the ankle.
“He was getting treatment regardless before (the game) and working on some things,” Udoka said after Game 3. “He was getting in the pool and trying to get some running in and do all those things to prepare. He was back there getting treatment, getting the ice and doing things you can’t do on the bench.”
Durant faced some criticism online for his absence from the bench.
Kevin Durant stats
In 78 games this season, Durant averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.
On the play, which came midway through the second quarter, Castle was driving against Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant, who tried to draw a charge. When Castle crashed into Grant, however, the two fell to the court, and Castle landed on his left hand.
He initially remained in the game, but repeatedly favored it, especially when it grazed against other players. Eventually Castle asked to be subbed out, and he headed into the locker room.
🚨Spurs rushed Stephon Castle to get X Rays on an injured hand. He was in pain after this play and asked to be subbed out so he could go to the locker room right away.
According to the ESPN broadcast, Castle received X-rays, though he eventually returned to the bench. Once seated, he continued to be in apparent discomfort, shaking his left hand.
Castle did have more tape on the hand, and he returned to the game briefly before being subbed out with 1:57 left in the first half.
Through two quarters, Castle played 11:48 and went 4-of-8 from the field for 10 points, adding 2 assists.
The Spurs struggled in the second quarter, as Portland has opened a 58-41 lead at the half.
The good news for San Antonio was that Castle was on the floor to start the third quarter, which coincided with a 13-0 Spurs run to start the period.
Down 2-1 in the first-round series, the Detroit Pistons will look to avoid falling into a two-game deficit when they face the Orlando Magic at the Kia Center.
Wendell Carter Jr. has been highly productive thus far, and my Pistons vs Magic predictions expect him to keep up his high-scoring ways at home.
Here are my best free NBA picks for Game 4 on Monday, April 27.
Pistons vs Magic prediction
Pistons vs Magic best bet: Wendell Carter Jr. Over 10.5 points (-115)
Wendell Carter Jr. has provided excellent numbers through the first three games of the series against the Detroit Pistons, averaging 11.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per contest. Carter scored 11+ points in 45 of 78 regular-season matchups, and he’s reached that total in two of three playoff games.
The Orlando Magic big man is an effective floor-spacer who can spread out Jalen Duren with his 3-point shooting ability. Carter has gone just 1-for-7 from deep in this series, but he’s due for positive regression in that department.
WCJ has hit the Over on this scoring line in three of his last four matchups against the Pistons, and he’s got a strong advantage on the glass that he can parlay into second-chance scoring opportunities.
Among players with 25+ playoff minutes per game, Carter is tops in offensive rebound percentage (10.7%). Detroit was also vulnerable on the glass during the regular season, surrendering the seventh-most boards and fourth-most offensive rebounds per match.
Carter presents a complete matchup nightmare for the Pistons, and his shooting and rebounding abilities will lead to another 11+ point performance at home.
Pistons vs Magic same-game parlay
The Magic are finally healthy and rolling against a Pistons team that doesn’t have any answers for their size and shot-making abilities. I’ll take Orlando to cover as a small home dog.
Two of three games have gone Under in this series, and it's thanks to strong defensive efforts on both sides. The Magic and Pistons each rank in the Top 3 in defensive rating in the postseason.
Detroit finished second in that category in the regular season, while Orlando was 13th.
Pistons vs Magic SGP
Wendell Carter Jr. Over 10.5 points
Magic +2.5
Under 214
Our "from downtown" SGP: Duke Double-Doubles
A couple of 6-foot-10 Duke big men delivered double-doubles in Game 3, and I’m rolling with the pair of former Blue Devils to reach that statistical milestone once again.
Carter Jr. finished with a season-high 17 rebounds to go with 14 points in Game 3, and he’s feasted on the glass this series.
Meanwhile, Paolo Banchero has averaged 24.2 points and nine rebounds in six games against the Pistons, recording three double-doubles in the process.
Pistons vs Magic SGP
Magic moneyline
Wendell Carter Jr. to record a double-double
Paolo Banchero to record a double-double
Pistons vs Magic odds for Game 4
Spread: Pistons -2.5 (-115) | Magic +2.5 (-105)
Moneyline: Pistons -150 | Magic +125
Over/Under: Over 214 (-110) | Under 214 (-110)
Pistons vs Magic betting trend to know
Orlando has hit the 1Q moneyline in 12 of its last 16 games (+10.25 Units / 39% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Pistons vs. Magic.
How to watch Pistons vs Magic Game 4
Location
Kia Center, Orlando, FL
Date
Monday, April 27, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBC
Pistons vs Magic latest injuries
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TORONTO — Scottie Barnes hit the go-ahead free throws in the final minute and scored 23 points, Brandon Ingram also added 23 points and the Toronto Raptors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 93-89 on Sunday, tying the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series at two games apiece.
The best-of-seven series shifts to Cleveland for Game 5 on Wednesday.
RJ Barrett scored 18 points and Collin Murray-Boyles had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors, who won despite shooting 4 for 30 from 3-point range.
Barnes added nine rebounds and six assists.
Donovan Mitchell scored 12 of his 20 in the fourth quarter and James Harden added 19, but the Cavaliers couldn’t overcome an 18-turnover performance.
Mitchell missed two shots in the final 25 seconds, including a 3-pointer that would have tied the game. He finished 6 for 24 overall and made 4 of 12 shots from long range.
Sam Merrill scored 14 points and Jarrett Allen had 15 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who were outscored 10-2 in the final 1:54 of the fourth.
After Barrett’s driving shot cut the deficit to 87-86 with 49 seconds left in the fourth, Mitchell couldn’t get the ball across half court in time, giving possession to Toronto.
Barnes was fouled as he drove to the basket and made both, giving the Raptors an 88-87 lead with 34 seconds left.
With NBA commissioner Adam Silver in attendance, both teams struggled from 3-point range. Cleveland finished 10 for 40 from distance, including 5 of 10 in the fourth.
The Raptors missed 14 consecutive 3-point attempts to open the game before Barrett connected with 8:31 left in the first half.
Ingram missed nine of his first 10 attempts, but finished the half by making three straight, including a buzzer-beating 3 that gave Toronto a narrow 38-36 lead at the intermission.
Harden had more turnovers (six) than made baskets (four) in the opening half, while Mitchell shot 3 for 15 through three quarters.
Facing a must-win Game 4 at home, down 0-3 in the series to the Lakers, the Rockets will be without Kevin Durant once again due to a bone bruise in his left ankle, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
Officially, Durant is still questionable for Game 4 and the Rockets have made no official announcement. However, according to Charania, Durant went through rehab this morning and was with the team for its film session, but said that the "bone bruise has created swelling, stiffness and lack of mobility in the ankle, sources said."
Durant has played in just one game in this series, scoring 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting with six rebounds in Game 2, but the Lakers won that game on their home court. The 16-time All-Star raised eyebrows in Game 3 when he was not on the bench (in street clothes) with his teammates, adding to the questions about the lack of cohesion in the Rockets' locker room. Coach Ime Udoka said after the game that Durant was getting treatment in the locker room during the game.
That lack of cohesion has shown on the court, where the Rockets have struggled to score consistently against the Lakers' pressure defense in this series. Houston has a 105.6 offensive rating in this series, 13 points below their season average (which was top-10 in the league). The Rockets also have struggled defensively to slow down LeBron James and the Lakers' attack, despite Los Angeles being without Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves.
The Rockets will need to find that cohesion on Sunday night, and do it without Durant, the team's leading scorer during the regular season at 26 points per game. If they don't, their season ends much earlier than expected, leading to a lot of offseason questions.
Apr 26, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (19) reaches to block a shot from Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been consistently criticized for being soft and unable to rise to the pressure of a playoff environment. They’ve publicly pushed back against that notion, but actions speak louder than words.
The Cavs played scared offensively. Their highest-paid players didn’t just have a bad shooting performance — that could be explained. No, they shied away from the moment entirely. This allowed a Toronto Raptors team that would’ve struggled to hit water from a boat in the middle of Lake Erie to come away with a 93-89 victory to tie the series at 2-2.
To say it wasn’t pretty was an understatement. Neither team was able to generate any kind of offense through the first three quarters.
The Raptors took a narrow 60-58 lead into the fourth quarter despite shooting 26.7% from the field (26.7%) and 3-27 (11.1%) from three. Cleveland was slightly better in both categories, but their 16 turnovers and allowing 16 offensive rebounds allowed Toronto to close that gap.
The Cavs’ backcourt wasn’t able to generate anything through the first 36 minutes. Donovan Mitchell had just eight points on 3-15 shooting, with only two of those attempts coming in the restricted area and no free-throw attempts. James Harden wasn’t doing much to bail his backcourt mate out. He had 16 points on 5-10 shooting, but his six turnovers were a big reason why Cleveland’s offense was stuck in a rut.
Momentarily, it seemed like that was all going to change.
Mitchell briefly broke out of the funk he was in for the previous seven quarters in the fourth. He kick-started Cleveland’s offense with a driving layup to trim the lead to three. The Cavs then scored on their ensuing six possessions, which was highlighted by a step-back three from Mitchell.
The Cavs had an eight-point advantage before the Raptors responded.
A flagrant foul by Sam Merrill helped Toronto to regain momentum. A 6-0 run made it a two-point game, punctuated by a rare Brandon Ingram three to make it a two-point margin.
Merrill countered with a triple on the following possession to make it a five-point advantage with 2:30 left in the fourth. Things fell apart from there.
Ingram registered two points at the free-throw line, then RJ Barrett made a layup after a Raptors offensive rebound to make it a one-point game with 48 seconds remaining.
In a play that is emblematic of this era of Cavs basketball, they committed an eight-second violation to give the Raptors the ball back. This wasn’t because of anything Toronto did. Mitchell was just lazy in walking the ball up the court. Toronto applied pressure at the midcourt line, and because of the lack of urgency, it resulted in a turnover.
The Raptors iced the game away at the line.
Scottie Barnes was fouled on a drive to the basket. He made both free throws to give the Raptors a one-point lead.
Mitchell missed a layup on the other end. Barnes made two free throws after the Cavs were forced to foul. Mitchell then missed what would’ve been a game-tying three, ending any chance Cleveland had to realistically get back into this game.
Scottie Barnes was once again Toronto’s best player. He was active defensively with three blocks and a steal while contributing 23 points, nine rebounds, and six assists on 6-15 shooting.
The Raptors have continually made an effort to get Brandon Ingram involved offensively. That continued again in Game 4, but once again led to middling results. He had 23 points, but it took him 23 shots to get there.
Mitchell led the Cavs with 20 points on 6-24 shooting with four fouls.
Harden had 19 points on 6-14 shooting with eight assists and seven turnovers.
The Cavs have been criticized for being soft and not responding to adversity well. They once again showed why.
This group spent the lead up of this game talking about needing to be the aggressors, and they flat-out weren’t. The guards didn’t make the effort to get downhill, and they weren’t able to get the bigs involved.
Mitchell and Harden were both rattled by Toronto’s physicality. They had no answers, committed careless turnovers, and couldn’t close out a game they had firmly in hand.
Meanwhile, Cleveland’s oversized front court couldn’t physically match a smaller Toronto front line. Jarrett Allen was a non-factor offensively. He had just three points on 1-5 shooting. Evan Mobley wasn’t much better, supplying eight points on just 4-11 shooting.
Additionally, the Cavs as a whole were bullied on the glass. They surrendered 21 offensive rebounds, which led to 19 second-chance points. The Raptors were able to retrieve 40% of their missed shots (92nd percentile) to keep their abysmal offense alive.
This all led to yet another loss to a team that is considerably less talented in a playoff setting.
No matter how many iterations of this group we’ve seen, they still bump up against the same problems.
The Cavs had a chance to take a decisive 3-1 lead and make this a short series. They blew two golden opportunities on the road to do that. Now, they’re in for a dogfight to save their season.
The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers meet in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series. The Celtics took a 2-1 lead in the series after winning Game 3 108-100. Boston is 7.5-point favorites for Game 4. The over/under for the matchup is set at 213.5.
How to watch Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Date: Sunday, April 26
Time: 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Moneyline: Philadelphia 76ers +240 (28.2%) / Boston Celtics -300 (71.8%)
Over/Under: 213.5
Series schedule
Game 1:Celtics 123, 76ers 91 Game 2:76ers 111, Celtics 97 Game 3:Celtics 108, 76ers 100 Game 4: Sun., April 26 at Philadelphia (7 p.m., NBC) Game 5: Tue., April 28 at Boston (TBD) *Game 6: Thu., April 30 at Philadelphia (TBD) *Game 7: Sat., May 2 at Boston (TBD)if necessary
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 24: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics controls the ball against Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers in the first quarter during game three of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 24, 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 Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Boston Celtics (2-1) at Philadelphia 76ers (1-2) Sunday, April 26, 2026 7:00 PM ET Round 1 Game #4 Road Game #2 TV: Peacock/NBC Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub, 97.5 The Fanatic, Sirius XM Xfinity Mobile Arena Officials: Josh Tiven, Ed Malloy, Mark Lindsay
After splitting the games in Boston, the Celtics wrestled back home court advantage by winning Game 3 108-100 in Philadelphia.. The Celtics dominated Game 1 with a 123-91 win over the 76ers. The 76ers topped the Celtics 111-97 in Game 2 to tie the game at 1 game each. The Celtics have a 68-51 record against the 76ers overall in the playoffs. In the regular season, the Celtics are 272-199 overall, all time against the 76ers. They are 93-129 all time in Philly.
The 76ers had the #1 clutch defense in the NBA in the regular season They had a 98.6 defensive rating during the last 5 minutes of games that were within 5 points. They were 23-18 in games that included clutch minutes. The Celtics were 16-17 in games that included clutch minutes and that includes going 1-2 against Philadelphia this season. With 5 minutes left in Game 3, the Celtics led 92-88. With 2 minutes left, the Celtics led 97-96. The Celtics out-scored the 76ers 11-4 the rest of the way to get the win with Pritchard, Tatum, White and Scheierman all coming up big for the Celtics over the final 2 minutes.
Teams that win Game 3 of a series that is tied 1-1 goes on to win the series 74% of the time. When a series is tied 2-2, the team with the higher seed, and thus home court advantage, will win the series 73.1% of the time, which is a good percentage. However, if a team wins Game 4 to go up 3 games to 1, the odds of them winning the series jumps to 95.4%. The Celtics can’t become complacent because they got home court back with their Game 3 win.
One of the advantages that the Celtics have is their depth. In Game 1, the Celtics got 37 points from their bench while the 76ers got 27 points from theirs. Of course, there were about 6 minutes of garbage time in that game. In Game 2, the 76ers got 21 points from their bench while the Celtics got 20 from theirs. In Game 3, the Celtics’ bench put up 35 points while the 76ers got just 14 points from theirs. It would seem that as the reserves go, so goes the game.
If the Celtics had one flaw this season, it was becoming complacent and allowing lesser teams to play harder than them. They can’t afford to do that in the playoffs. They got a very dominant win in Game 1 but they slacked off and allowed the 76ers to play harder in Game 2 and they lost. The Celtics have to play even harder in this game and they will need to be ready for the 76ers’ adjustments. They can’t get complacent and have to come out and fight even harder in this game than they have so far in the series.
The Celtics come into this game with a clean injury report. once again. Derrick White injured his neck in the opening minutes of Game 3 but stayed in the game and played almost 34 minutes. He is not listed on the injury report so should be good to go for Game 4. Jaylen Brown turned his ankle in the fourth quarter of Game 3 but, like White, stayed in the game and is not on the injury report for Game 4.
For the 76ers, Joel Embiid is once on their injury report. Embiid underwent an appendectomy on April 9. Recovery for an appendectomy is anywhere from 20 days to 5 weeks. After missing the first 3 games, he remains listed as doubtful for this game. Kelly Oubre joins Embiid on the injury report as questionable due to right adductor soreness. I’m guessing that Adem Bona will once again start for Embiid and if Oubre is out, Dominick Barlow may get the start in his place.
Probable Starting Matchups PG: Derrick White vs Tyrese Maxey
Derrick White | Getty ImagesTyrese Maxey | NBAE via Getty Images
SG: Jaylen Brown vs VJ Edgecombe
Jaylen Brown | NBAE via Getty ImagesVJ Edgecombe | Getty Images
SF: Sam Hauser vs Kelly Oubre, Jr
Sam Hauser | Boston Globe via Getty ImagesKelly Oubre, Jr | NBAE via Getty Images
PF: Jayson Tatum vs Paul George
Jayson Tatum | NBAE via Getty ImagesPaul George | NBAE via Getty Images
C: Neemias Queta vs Adem Bona
Neemias Queta | Boston Globe via Getty ImagesAdem Bona | Getty Images
Celtics Reserves Payton Pritchard Hugo Gonzalez Luka Garza Amare Williams Baylor Scheierman Max Shulga Nikola Vucevic Ron Harper, Jr Jordan Walsh Delano Banton John Tonje
2-Way Players None Injuries/Out None
Head Coach Joe Mazzulla
76ers Reserves Andre Drummond Quentin Grimes Kyle Lowry Justin Edwards Trendon Watford Dalen Terry Dominick Barlow Jabari Walker
2-Way Players MarJon Beauchamp Tyrese Martin Injuries/Out Joel Embiid (Appendix) doubtful Kelly Oubre (groin) questionable
Head Coach Nick Nurse
Key Matchups Derrick White vs Tyrese Maxey In Game1, the Celtics were able to hold him to 21 points on 20 shots along with 1 rebound and 8 assists while shooting 40% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc. He pretty much had his way in Game 2 with 29 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 steals while shooting 39.3% from the field and 41.7% from beyond the arc. In Game 3, he scored 31 points but took 31 shots to get them. He finished with 31 points, 6 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks while shooting 38.7% from the field and 38.5% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to defend him well and not allow him to have an efficient game
Jaylen Brown vs VJ Edgecombe In Game 1, he finished with 13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals while shooting 37.5% from the field and going 0-5 from beyond the arc. In Game 2, he finished with 30 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals while shooting 60% from the field and 60% from beyond the arc. The Celtics defended him better in Game 3 where he finished with 10 points, l0 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block and 1 steal while shooting 24.9% from the field and shooting 0-7 from three. The Celtics need keep him from having a big game in this one as well. Honorable Mention Jayson Tatum vs Paul George Neither of these players were able to play in any of the 4 games between Boston and Philly this season. In Game 1, George finished with 17 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist while shooting 50% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc, but he only took 8 shots. In game 2, he finished with 19 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block while shooting 53.8% from the field and 40.3% from beyond the arc. In Game 3, he finished with 18 points, no rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals while shooting 50% from the field and 57.1% from beyond the arc. T
Keys to the Game Defense – As always, defense is absolutely the key to winning this, and every, game. Defense becomes even more important in the playoffs. It is very true that defense wins championships. In Game 1, the Celtics held the 76ers to 38.9% from the field and 17.4% from beyond the arc. In game 2, the Celtics defense faltered as the 76ers shot 47.8% from the field and 48.7% from beyond the arc. In Game 3, the 76ers shot 43.7% from the field and 34.3% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to make defense their priority and they need to play physical, lock down defense from the opening tip until the final buzzer.
Rebound – Rebounding is also one of the biggest keys to winning every game. As Pat Riley once said, “No rebounds, no rings. In the regular season, the Celtics were 43-12 in games that they tied or out-rebounded opponents and just 11-13 in games in which they were out-rebounded. In Game 1, the Celtics out-rebounded the 76ers 43-40. In Game 2, they out-rebounded the 76ers 50-42, but they were unable to capitalize on them since they shot so poorly. In Game 3, the Celtics once again out-rebounded the 76ers 45-37. They have to continue to fight harder to grab rebounds than the 76ers if they want to win this game. Every Celtic has got to crash the boards and fight for every rebound.
Move the Ball – The Celtics need to move the ball and trust their teammates. They are at their best when they keep the ball moving and find the open man. When they lapse into hero ball and dribble too much, they tend to struggle, as they did in Game 2. They are 37-2 when they have 25 or more assists and 20-0 when they have 29 or more assists. In Game 1, the Celtics kept the ball moving and they had 31 assists. In Game 2, the ball tended to stick more and they finished with 24 assists. In Game 3, they finished with 21 assists. The Celtics have to keep the ball moving to set up the best shots.
Stay Focused – In Game 1, the Celtics turned the ball over just 8 times. But, since then, they have lost some focus and they have gotten sloppy with the ball. In Game 2, they turned the ball over 13 times for 15 points for the 76ers. In Game 3, it got even worse as they turned the ball over 17 times for 21 points. The Celtics were the best team at taking care of the ball in the regular season. They have to get that focus back and avoid careless passes and not drive into a crowd of defenders. They also have to stay focused on taking good shots and making them.
X-Factors On the Road – The Celtics will be on the road for the second straight game and they will be facing a very hostile crowd. Philly fans hate the Celtics because they have pretty much owned them in recent years. They hate Jayson Tatum because the Celtics took him with Philly’s pick after the 76ers traded up to take Markelle Fultz. There will likely be a lot of boos and the Celtics need to play through them. They have to shake off the distractions of playing on the road game and stay focused on playing good basketball.
Coaching – Joe Mazzulla is in his 4th season as Celtics’ head coach. He won a title in 2024 with a very talented team that was packed with shooting stars. Now he has to win in a different way since his personnel has changed and he did a great job in the regular season. Nick Nurse is in his 8th season as a head coach overall and his 3rd as the 76ers head coach. He won a title with the Raptors in 2019. In the playoffs, coaching becomes more important as it becomes a game of adjustments as they play the same team game after game. The coaching chess game will continue in Game 4.
Officiating – Officiating is always an x-factor. Every crew calls the game differently. Some call it tight and call every bit of contact while others allow more physical play. Some favor the home team while others call both sides evenly. The Celtics have to adjust to the way the refs are calling the game and not allow the no calls and bad calls to affect their focus on playing the game.
Official Report Crew Chief: Josh Tiven The Celtics record with Tiven this year is 3-0 and last year it was 5-1. The 76ers record with Tiven this year is 3-0 and was 3-3 last year. His home won/loss record is 35/32. He calls 19.4 fouls on the home team vs 19.8 fouls on the road team.
Referee: Ed Malloy The Celtics record with Malloy this year is 2-0 and last year was 3-4. Malloy didn’t call any 76ers games this season and they were 1-5 last season with him. His home won/loss record is 29/12. He calls 19.3 fouls on the home team vs 20.2 fouls on the road team.
Umpire: Mark Lindsay The Celtics were 3-1 with Linday this season and 7-1 last season with him. The 76ers were 4-1 this season with Lindsay and 2-3 last season. His home win/loss record is 38-26. He calls 20.0 fouls on the home team vs 20.1 fouls against the road team.
Boston, MA - April 12: Boston Celtics center Luka Garza celebrates after hitting a late 3-pointer in the fourth quarter. The Celtics and Orlando Magic played at TD Garden on April 12, 2026. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
PHILADELPHIA — At Celtics shootaround on Sunday, Luka Garza has ice on his knees, his usual post-workout regimen.
In his head, he is prepared to play heavy minutes in Sunday’s Game 4 against 76ers, just as he did in the Celtics’ final regular season game, when he exploded for 27 points in a season-high 38 minutes of action.
More likely, he’ll play just a few minutes.
But, just as he has all year, he’ll be ready for any outcome.
“I expect to play,” Garza said. “If I do, or I don’t — it doesn’t matter. It’s just I got to have that mindset to be ready and go out there and try to make some plays.”
In Friday’s Game 3 Celtics win, Garza played 4 minutes, all of which came in the second quarter. In that span, he secured an offensive board that led to a Baylor Scheierman three-pointer, hit a top-of-the-key three of his own, and again found Scheierman for his second triple.
His mindset in these playoffs has been the same it’s been all year.
“I just stick to what’s worked for me in the past — obviously, just trying to screen, make energy plays, offensive rebound, do what I can to kind of help the offensive flow,” Garza said. “And try to not make any game plan mistakes and stuff like that.”
Asked Luka Garza how he approaches a 4-min stint like the one he got in Game 3:
“I just stick to what's worked for me in the past — obviously, just trying to screen, make energy plays, offensive rebound, do what I can to kind of help the offensive flow. And try to not make any… pic.twitter.com/QXHvVfgJYb
After a career season, Garza is mostly out of the playoff rotation, but he’s staying ready for those spurts when his number is called.
Joe Mazzulla turned to Garza for rotation stints in Games 1 and 3, with the Celtics two primary bigs in foul travel; Queta has averaged 4 fouls in 19 minutes per game, and Nikola Vucevic has averaged 3.7 fouls in 22 minutes per game this series.
“When I see someone getting foul trouble a little bit, I know it’s probably coming,” Garza said. “I just prepare my mind for every single game.”
Jaylen Brown referred to Friday’s Game 3 as a Game 7.
Garza said the team will need to dig deep and embrace that mindset again.
“If you want to win a championship, it’s not hard,” Garza said. “So, you got to have that mindset every single night in the playoffs. You know how important it is. It’s mandatory.”
History would suggest the Celtics are in a pretty good spot. Of the 600 NBA teams that have taken a 2-1 series lead, 480 have gone on to win the series.
But for Celtics aren’t worried about that history.
For them, the only past that is on their mind is their 111-97 loss in Game 2.
“There’s obviously a heightened sense of urgency knowing what happened in Game 2,” Garza said. “So we know we got to have a certain humility about us, knowing that we got two more games to win. We got to approach it that way. And obviously, it’s a huge one.”
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 21: Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) dribbles the ball during the West First Round Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers game on April 21, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Kevin Durant may have played his last game against the Lakers these playoffs.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Kevin Durant will not play in Game 4 with a bone bruise in his sprained ankle, an injury that will sideline him for weeks.
Houston's Kevin Durant is expected to miss Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN. Durant has a bone bruise in his sprained ankle, which would sideline him 2 to 3 weeks in season. He's had around-the-clock treatment to play but has not been cleared by doctors. pic.twitter.com/DpOdclPEAw
Shams went on to report that Durant was at the team’s facility on Sunday and took part in a film session, but that the injury will prevent him from playing for some time.
Even if the Rockets force a Game 7, that would be next Sunday, May 3, or only a week away. It would require some incredible healing for Durant to be back that quickly.
Game 4 will be the third game KD’s missed this series. He opened the series by missing Game 1 with a knee contusion before playing in Game 2. Late in that contest, he sprained his ankle, leading to him missing Game 3 and 4 and, potentially, the rest of the series.
Notably in Game 3, he did not appear on the bench, leading to much discussion. It didn’t sound like he had been particularly involved with the team over recent days, either.
Dave McMenamin says Amen Thompson has no idea how Kevin Durant is feeling:
"Amen Thompson was asked how KD was feeling and he said 'To be honest with you, I don't know.' Whether that means KD has been doing all of his rehab away from the team or the team hasn't been checking in… pic.twitter.com/EnfRl1VIF3
The Lakers will still need to execute to win one more game and finish off the series. Fortunately, their mindset appears to be the appropriate one in that the job is not finished.
But they are firmly in the driver’s seat and reinforcements don’t seem to be coming for Houston.
After missing one game with a concussion, Victor Wembanyama is listed as active and will return to the court on Sunday for San Antonio as it takes on Portland in Game 4 of their first-round series.
Wembanyama exited Game 2 last Tuesday after a nasty face-first fall to the hardwood, and he was later diagnosed with a concussion and entered the NBA's concussion protocol. That process requires Wembanyama to be symptom-free after increasing levels of exertion, all monitored by a league-approved neurologist.
A return after five days is as quick as could reasonably have been expected.
Wembanyama, the 2026 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, scored 35 points, with five rebounds and a couple of blocks in the opener in this series, a San Antonio win. However, the Trail Blazers came back to win Game 2 after Wembanyama exited following his concussion. The Spurs have a 2-1 series lead after rookie Dylan Harper scored 28 points off the bench and Stephon Castle scored 33 in Game 3 in Portland — a game that was a blown chance for the Trail Blazers to get a win against a shorthanded Spurs team.
Wembanyama is one of the finalists for MVP this season after averaging 25 points and 11.5 rebounds a game this season, while shooting 34.9% from 3-point range, and lifting the Spurs to 62 wins. His return puts the Spurs in the driver's seat in their first-round series.
