The New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers meet in the Eastern Conference semifinals for a chance at the conference finals. New York beat Atlanta in six games, while Philadelphia came back from a 3-1 deficit to beat Boston in seven games.
Both New York and Philadelphia are on three-game winning streaks entering this series. The Knicks trailed 2-1 in the series before ripping off three straight wins, while the 76ers trailed 3-1 and won three consecutive.
All four of the Knicks' wins have come by double digits in the playoffs, while there two losses came by a combined two points. The Knicks average the second-most points per game in the playoffs as a team (117.8) and have the third-best three-point percentage (38%). New York is led by Jalen Brunson (26.3) and Karl-Anthony Towns (18.7) averaging 45 points per game.
Joel Embiid returned in Game 4 of the first round and the 76ers are 3-1 since then. Embiid changed the course of the series versus Boston and his appearance adds a wrinkle or two to New York's game plan. Embiid averages 28.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists over 36.5 minutes per game in four playoff games.
Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch Live: 76ers vs. Knicks
Date: Tuesday, May 2, 2026
Time: 8:10 PM EST
Site: Madison Square Garden
City: New York, NY
Network/Streaming: NBC Sports / Peacock
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Game Odds: 76ers vs. Celtics
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Philadelphia 76ers (+240), New York Knicks (-298)
Spread: Knicks -7.5
Total: 212.5 points
This game opened Knicks -8.5 with the Total set at 213.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Celtics vs. 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
PG Tyrese Maxey
SG VJ Edgecombe
SF Kelly Oubre Jr
PF Paul George
C Joel Embiid
New York Knicks
PG Jalen Brunson
SG Josh Hart
SF Mikal Bridges
PF OG Anunoby
C Karl-Anthony Towns
Injury Report: Knicks vs. 76ers
New York Knicks
None
Philadelphia 76ers
None
Important stats, trends and insights: 76ers vs. Knicks
New York is 48-41 ATS and 48-41 to the Under this season
New York is 29-14 ATS at home, ranking first
New York is 23-20 to the Under at home
Philadelphia is 27-18 ATS as the road team
Philadelphia is 14-13 ATS and 11-16 on the ML as a road underdog
Philadelphia is 49-41 ATS
Philadelphia is 48-42 to the Under and 24-21 to the Under as the road team
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday’s Knicks and 76ers’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Knicks’ Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the 76ers +7.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 212.5
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Magic Game 7 computer picks
Jamal Cain Over 5.5 points (-130)
Projection: 7.96 points
Jamal Cain made a name for himself after putting Duren on a poster, and he's played 20+ minutes in three straight for the Orlando Magic.
A total of 5.5 is very obtainable, especially when playing that many minutes.
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Anthony Black Over 10.5 points (+100)
Projection: 13.35 points
Anthony Black has had a rough series against the Pistons, but Orlando will need him to score with Detroit putting all the pressure on Banchero.
Black posted 9 points in Game 5, and our model sees a similar game from Black this afternoon.
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Jalen Suggs Over 12.5 points (+100)
Projection: 14.69 points
Jalen Suggs cleared this line in three of the first five games of this series, but he — along with everyone else — has failed to score often since.
Our projections expect the guard to return to form in this do-or-die game.
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Pistons Game 7 computer picks
Jalen Duren Over 12.5 points (-105)
Projection: 16.27 points
Our player prop projections indicate Jalen Duren will go Over today's point line with relative ease. The big man hasn't been himself this series, but he'll step up when the Detroit Pistons need him most.
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Ausar Thompson Over 9.5 points (-105)
Projection: 11.62 points
Ausar Thompson has played heavy minutes for the Pistons over the last three games, resulting in positive outcomes for the team. His rebounding ability makes him a necessity, and he'll get plenty of floor time to pass this number.
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Harris Under 18.5 points (+105)
Projection: 16.51 points
Tobias Harris has been a stud for the Pistons this series, but our model calls for regression. The vet only averaged 13.3 points per game in the regular season, and he's playing over his head.
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How to watch Magic vs Pistons Game 7
Location
Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Date
Sunday, May 3, 2026
Tip-off
3:30 p.m. ET
TV
ABC
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Cade Cunningham has played beyond his regular-season numbers in this series, averaging 32.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game on 44.9% shooting.
Cunningham has mostly acted as a primary scorer but has also served as a primary playmaker when he’s needed to, as he’s put up nine or more dimes twice in the series. Overall, Cunningham is putting up 45.3 PRA per game in this series.
And while that might seem unsustainable given his regular season output (39.4 PRA), we have to consider he’s logging serious minutes, being on the court for 40.5 minutes per game in this series compared to 33.9 during the season.
The Detroit Pistons aren’t going away from Cunningham in Game 7.
The 23-year-old forward had an inconsistent season — which led to some discourse about how good he really is — and that has shown up again in this series, where a 45-point explosion in Game 5 was followed by a 4-for-20 shooting performance in Game 6.
One area where Banchero has remained relatively consistent is his ability to get the ball to his teammates. He’s averaging 6.3 assists per game in this series and has dished out six or more assists in four of the past five games.
Whether or not Banchero gets his shooting touch back in Game 7 (and maybe especially if he doesn’t), he should be able to distribute the ball to his teammates the same way he has throughout this series, which makes the Over on his assists total a smart play.
But with the odds available, I’m being drawn to his rebounding total, which is offering plus money at a reasonably low number.
Mitchell has averaged 5.2 rebounds in this series after grabbing 4.5 boards per game in the regular season. In each of the last five games, he’s picked up at least five rebounds.
That continues a trend that started late in the regular season, as he finished strong with 6.3 rebounds per game in April.
Toronto isn’t a particularly effective team on the boards — ranking 16th in the NBA in rebounding rate this year at 49.5% — and Mitchell has had a big edge on the defensive glass when battling with the less physical Ja’Kobe Walter.
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The Orlando Magic will try to rebound from their historic Game 6 collapse when they take on the Detroit Pistons in a Game 7 that will decide the series. The Pistons have won the past two games, including a 93-79 victory on Friday in which they limited the Magic to just 19 points in the second half. The winner of Sunday’s game will advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals to face the winner of the Toronto Raptors-Cleveland Cavaliers series. The Pistons are favored by 8.5 points.
The Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers meet in a winner-take-all Game 7 in their first-round playoff series. The winner will face the winner of the Orlando Magic-Detroit Pistons series in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The home team has won all previous six games in the series. Cleveland is favored by 8.5 points.
How to watch Toronto Raptors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
The two best words in sports are “Game 7.” When the Cleveland Cavaliers went up 2-0 in this series, there was little thought that the Toronto Raptors could rally. After all, both wins came by double digits.
But when the home team wins every game of a series, Game 7 is assured. These Raptors vs. Cavaliers predictions and NBA picks quietly bet on the role players on Sunday, May 3.
Best Raptors vs Cavaliers props for Game 7
Player
Pick
James Harden
Under 20.5 points
-120
Collin Murray-Boyles
Over 12.5 points
-135
Donovan Mitchell
Over 4.5 assists
+125
Game 7 Prop #1: James Harden Under 20.5 points
-120 at bet365
This is not intended as mere fodder, though there is nothing wrong with laughing at James Harden in a Game 7. There is further thought here, mainly that Harden has not shot well enough inside the arc in this series to make up for not getting enough looks from deep.
Harden is 17-for-43 (39.5%) from beyond the arc through these six games, but his attempts have fallen to just 18 in the last three games. Taking six 3-pointers per game, while then presumably making two to three of those, is not a recipe for a scoring outburst.
Thus, Harden has fallen short of this modest points prop in three of the last four games, all three being Cleveland Cavaliers losses.
The Toronto Raptors have emphasized getting the ball out of Harden’s hands, correctly recognizing that doing so lowers the Cavaliers’ offensive ceiling.
Game 7 Prop #2: Collin Murray-Boyles Over 12.5 points
-135 at bet365
The recipe for the Raptors has been simple: When Collin Murray-Boyles plays well, the Raptors win. One might even argue that when Murray-Boyles plays much, the Raptors win.
When the rookie forward has played at least 27 minutes, Toronto is 3-0 in this series. Of course, nothing in life is that simple.
But the fact remains, the Raptors should lean into Murray-Boyles. The Cavaliers have not found an adequate counter to him through six games, so he's cleared this prop five times in six games. Just as pertinently, Murray-Boyles is shooting 66.1% in this series.
He may be a rookie. He may be an afterthought in this rookie class. And he may be behind Jakob Poeltl more often than not. But in this series, Collin Murray-Boyles has been a reliable piece of offense for Toronto.
Game 7 Prop #3: Donovan Mitchell Over 4.5 assists
+125 at bet365
If and when the ball is forced out of James Harden’s hands, it is time for Donovan Mitchell to shoulder more of the playmaking load. That worked to start the series, with Mitchell totaling nine assists in the first two games as the Cavaliers went up 2-0.
In the four games since, Mitchell has not managed more than three assists in a game. But three of those four games were on the road, where role players are always more likely to struggle.
No, Mitchell is not a role player. No no. But his passes are usually to role players. If they make their shots, he notches more assists. At home, there is value in betting on that process.
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Edwards has been diagnosed with a bone bruise and hyperextension in his left knee. As a result, he is expected to miss multiple weeks, leaving a major gap in the Timberwolves' lineup as they look to advance in the playoffs.
Is Anthony Edwards playing Monday night vs. Spurs?
It's highly unlikely. The Timberwolves have listed Anthony Edwards as week-to-week due to his injury. The team will continue to monitor his recovery and is expected to provide further updates on his status as new information becomes available.
However, he was spotted shooting free throws during Saturday's practice session.
A little bit of Anthony Edwards standing still, putting up free throws at the end of Timberwolves practice. Chris Finch said Edwards is still considered “week to week.” pic.twitter.com/10QHxwGshl
We’re in the thick of the playoffs now and without our Jazzmen to root for it has me thinking about our very bright future. Assuming that everyone comes back, we have:
An elite rim protector and walking double double threat in Walker Kessler
Another elite rim protector, versatile defender, and former Defensive Player of the Year in Jaren Jackson Jr.
An under-talked about Ace Bailey who really found his footing in the last 20 games (nearly 19 PPG, 1.2 blocks per game, and shot 36% from deep)
A former All-Star that’s been basically put on ice for the last 3 years in Lauri Markkanen
Really solid role players in Blake Hinson, Isaiah Collier, Brice Sensabaugh, Elijah Harkless, and Cody Williams
Hopefully (fingers crossed) a top 3 pick in this year’s NBA Draft
And of course our pride and joy Keyonte George
There are a lot of reasons to be excited for next season, and while I would love to sit here and pretend like we have everything we need to go on a championship run, I am able to recognize that we must take our baby steps. Our first step? Win more than 35 games. Second step? Allow Keyonte to be the guy he’s destined to be.
You could compare his playstyle and usage to a lot of NBA players throughout the course of history but the one that I always get drawn back to is Tyler Herro, specifically the 2021-2022 season that Herro had. Now the teams were in VERY different situations at the time but Herro and George are a lot more similar than you might imagine.
If you can remember that season for the Miami Heat is was a very similar season to every season Jimmy Butler was in town: Jimmy moseys through the regular season (still managing to get an All-Star selection), Bam Adebayo had an incredible effort defensively and finished 4th in DPOY voting and earning 2nd Team All-Defensive honors, and then Tyler Herro had his breakout year averaging 20.7 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists a game, with 44.7/39.9/86.8 shooting splits and also won the 6th Man of the Year Award.
Overall it was a very solid performance by the Heat trio and it was good enough to get them all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals after securing the #1 Seed in the East. While I’d certainly be okay with having that kind of team success this year, it has been so incredibly difficult for me to not see that version of Tyler Herro in Keyonte George. Not the 6th Man of the Year mind you (although I think if we did ask him to play that role he’d win it by a country mile), but the microwave scoring, volume (but efficient) shooting, very solid facilitator who could give this team the edge that it desperately needs. When you compare Herro’s 2021-2022 season to Keyonte George last year, the stats don’t lie.
When comparing George directly to Herro’s 2021-2022 season you’ll see that he’s a better scorer, he’s more efficient at all three levels, he’s more impactful while he’s on the court, and even though it still isn’t as great as I would like it to be he’s a better defender as well. The only metric that Herro outperformed George in was the rebounding department, and while that is obviously very important in the game of basketball, having Lauri and Walker will more than make up for it.
It’s very difficult to compare eras of basketball even when they’re that close in range. Herro was an on-ball creator 29% of the time which was in the 92nd percentile in the league, while Keyonte was an on-ball creator 36% of the time but it was only in the 78th percentile. Even in four years the game has changed so much but the fact remains the same: Keyonte George has All-Star written all over him.
You can’t sit there and tell me that had we won a couple more games this year that 23.6/3.7/6.1 a night wouldn’t have been enough to sway some votes our way. Unfortunately, the way the All-Star voting is set up currently, we were kind of behind the 8-Ball. As far as the voting is concerned 50% of the vote comes from the fans and 25% of the vote comes from the media. Being a small market doesn’t exactly help us in that case. Most of the NBA fans would be considered causals; someone who doesn’t tune in until the Christmas Day games, only watches the weekly ESPN games, and is really only familiar with the biggest stars of the game. The media, on the other hand, have proven time and time again to be casuals because Stephen A. Smith has a vote and I don’t think he could name more than 4 Jazz players.
There isn’t really anything we can do about being a smaller market, but we can be at the forefront of people’s minds when it comes to the NBA and that’s by taking the leap that we all expect, and that starts with Keyonte and Co. I will maintain until the day I die that Keyonte was good enough to be an All-Star this year, but with a healthy team next year I think that he could be even more impactful and more efficient. Assuming that everyone is at full strength it’s going to be very difficult for the defense to chose between George, Markkanen, and JJJ. George will have more offensive weapons at his disposal so his playmaking numbers will only go up. With that extra offensive firepower on the court he won’t be asked to create everything for the team and he won’t suffer the FG% drop. With the added defensive presence of Jaren Jackson Jr. and the (again hopefully) returning Walker Kessler he won’t be viewed as a traffic cone, for the most part. As long as we win more games and George can capitalize on last season I think that he’ll become undeniable to the NBA fandom at large and we’ll finally have an All-Star again.
Is it lofty? Yes. Is it attainable? Also yes. I’m not a guy who just wishes for things without any real parameters, so here are my official hopes and predictions for Keyonte George and the team next year:
Keyonte averages 26 points and 7 assists a night with a 62%+ TS%
The Jazz win 37-39 games
Jazz compete for a Play-In spot
Steal the 8th seed
Sweep the Thunder in the First Round
Dominate the Timberwolves in the Second Round
Beat the Spurs so bad in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals that they forfeit Games 2-4
Dismantle the Knicks in the 2027 NBA Finals
Hoist the Larry O’Brien for the first time ever
I think I might have gotten carried away at the end there, but what do you think Keyonte can accomplish next year? Do you think that he AND Lauri could be All-Stars? Sound off in the comments!
The Knicks are playing some of their best basketball at the right time. After a decisive 140-89 win that closed out a first round series win against the Atlanta Hawks, New York is in the second round for the fourth consecutive year. The Knicks’ Semifinals opponent, the Philadelphia 76ers, just completed a stunning comeback from a 3-1 first round series deficit against the Boston Celtics on Saturday night.
With the series opener on Monday at Madison Square Garden, let’s dive into keys to the game.
Containing Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid
The 76ers have one of the better tandems in the NBA in Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. Both players are more formidable than any of the Atlanta Hawks players New York defended in the first round.
Maxey has continued to grow as an undeniable offensive talent. He was phenomenal in the first round, averaging 26.9 points on 47 percent from the field in seven games. In the closeout game, Maxey knifed into the lane a couple of times late to seal the series for Philadelphia.
Mikal Bridges will likely get the primary assignment on Philadelphia’s All-Star point guard at the beginning of the series. OG Anunoby and Josh Hart should be in the mix as well. Also, expect Miles McBride and Jose Alvarado to see time defending Maxey. Covering the 6-2 guard will be difficult, because of his blur-like quickness both in the halfcourt and in transition. He’s also a quality three-point shooter, knocking down 41.8 percent of his 55 long distance attempts against the Celtics.
Though Embiid missed the start of the playoffs because he was recovering from an emergency appendectomy, he quickly found his groove mid-series. Embiid is a skilled big with a near automatic midrange jumper. One of Embiid’s best skills is his ability to get to the free-throw line.
In his four playoff games against Boston, Embiid attempted 37 freebies in 146 minutes. New York likely will rely on Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson to guard Embiid throughout the series. It will be imperative for both big men to avoid picking up silly fouls. The Knicks need both Towns and Robinson on the floor as much as possible for this series.
Both 76ers stars are hard to stop, but New York proved in the first round that its defense can hit another gear with improved defense from Towns and wings Anunoby, Hart, and Bridges caused chaos with a frantic style of defense.
Dominating the glass
One area that Philadelphia has struggled with over the past few years has been defensive rebounding. This season, the 76ers ranked just 26th in defensive rebound rate (67.8 percent) according to NBA Stats. Over the last three years, the 76ers have never ranked higher than 25th. It was a big factor in New York’s first round series win against Philadelphia two years ago.
New York has been a good offensive rebounding team mainly because of Robinson, who is a force to reckon with on the offensive glass. The Knicks big man is second in offensive rebound rate during the playoffs among players that have been on the floor for at least 60 minutes according to NBA Stats.
However, the 76ers did a solid job in the first round, preventing the Boston Celtics from overwhelming them with extra possessions. The Celtics finished top-five in the category this season but Philadelphia held them to just 12th out of 16 teams during the first round.
Extra possessions will help the Knicks limit transition scoring opportunities, and could exhaust a 76ers team that should be weary after expending significant energy in the opening round.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) takes a shot against Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) during the third quarter of game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden / Brad Penner - Imagn Images
Getting Brunson going early
One of the top priorities for the Knicks will be getting Jalen Brunson in a rhythm.
The first round was a tale of two cities for Brunson, who averaged 26.3 points and 6.2 assists. After the Knicks offense bogged down in the first three games, there was a concerted effort to have Brunson play off the ball more, which worked tremendously. Brunson’s average seconds per touch dropped from 6.21 in the first three games to 5.38 from Game 4 to Game 6, according to NBA Stats.
The Knicks need to keep that focus for the second round to keep Philadelphia’s defense on its toes. The 76ers have a variety of defenders to throw at Brunson. Forward Kelly Oubre gave the Knicks point guard problems in the 2024 playoffs. Rookie VJ Edgecombe and former Knick Quentin Grimes also will surely have time defending Brunson.
A good start on Monday night from Brunson will help the Knicks build some early momentum.
May 1, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Detroit Pistons guard-forward Ausar Thompson (9) dribbles the ball against Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) in the fourth quarter during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images | Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images
It’s do or die time.
Game Vitals
Where: Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI When: Sunday, May 3 at 3:30 PM EST Watch: ABC Odds: Pistons (-8.5)
BOSTON, MA - MAY 2: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers and Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics talk after the game during Round One Game Seven of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 2, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
1. Celtics Infamy
For the first time in the history of the franchise, the Boston Celtics blew a 3-1 lead in a series, losing Game 7 to the Philadelphia 76ers, 109-100. This is the 14th time in NBA History that a team has come back down 3-1 in a series and the first time since the 2020 NBA Bubble Playoffs when the Denver Nuggets did it against the Los Angeles Clippers. Although not for a lack of effort in this game, Boston not being able to close the series out in Games 5 or 6 was really their downfall. Jayson Tatum was ruled out prior to this game with left leg stiffness that he suffered in Game 6 and despite their best efforts, the Celtics couldn’t overcome it.
Boston's Jayson Tatum is OUT for Game 7 tonight against the Philadelphia 76ers with a left leg injury.
For Philadelphia, this is the first time that they have beaten Boston in a playoff series since 1982. There are 76ers fans that were born, graduated college, had a career, and probably have tenure right now that hasn’t seen them beat the Celtics since the Reagan administration. LeBron James, who is the oldest player in the NBA this season, wasn’t even alive the last time the Celtics lost a playoff series to the 76ers.
Game 7 really had me conflicted, because on one hand the Celtics felt like the underdogs trying to take down the mighty 76ers at full strength but then you also remember that this series should have already been over by now. As much as Boston overachieved this season, it will always be looked at as the first 3-1 series choke in Boston Celtics history.
PHILLY HAS FINALLY DONE IT 🔥
The 76ers win Game 7 for their first playoff series win over Boston since 1982 🔔 pic.twitter.com/aSO9dtr27X
The Celtics were down 88-75 going into the fourth quarter of Game 7 and there was a feeling that this game was all but over. However, Boston didn’t role over and die, starting the fourth quarter on a 9-2 run and cutting the deficit to one point with 5:02 left in the game. The Celtics would then proceed to miss 10 straight shots and kill all momentum they gained to potentially make a comeback in a deflating way while Tyrese Maxey finished Boston off with blow by layups. Boston did something similar in Game 5 when they missed 14 straight shots to lose that game, showcasing the Celtics awful lack of execution in clutch situations.
In the final five minutes of the game, the Celtics couldn't buy a bucket 😬
The final five minutes were a big issue but it was masked just an awful shooting performance by the Celtics in the second half. For the game Boston shot 13-49 (26%) from three, in the second half they shot 6-30 (20%) from beyond the arc including a brutal 2-13 (15%) in the fourth quarter. In a way I wish it ended as a blowout, instead of a slow, agonizing, painful death that it ended up being. Sadly it showcased the problems the Celtics had in the final 3 games of this series.
3. Mazzulla Threw Everything at the Wall, Nothing Stuck
It looked like Joe Mazzulla theoretically threw darts at the dart board for the starting lineup in this game, giving Ron Harper Jr, Baylor Scheierman, and Luka Garza the start in place of Jayson Tatum, Sam Hauser, and Neemias Queta. This idea didn’t make a whole a lot of sense in the moment since this lineup had never played together but it looked like Mazzulla was rewarding those guys for the effort that they played with at the end of Game 6 in garbage time.
This stretch of the starting lineup only lasted about 4 minutes but in a way it kind of cost them the game. Philadelphia started the game on a 9-0 run in a game the Celtics lost by 9 points. Although the Celtics took the lead one time in this game, it felt like Boston was constantly playing from behind from the start. Joe also ended up playing 10 different players in this game which is pretty unusual for a playoff game.
We saw Mazzulla also run out a lineup in the third quarter where Jaylen Brown was playing the small ball center and guarding Joel Embiid when Neemias Queta was in foul trouble. A good idea in theory, but when it came to execution it looked like Embiid was playing over a bunch of little kids, constantly being able to shoot over Brown and anyone else they threw at at him during this time. This also feels like an idea that would have worked better if Tatum was playing, given the fact the Celtics have had success with him at the five a lot more in the past.
It definitely felt like Mazzulla was trying everything he could when it came to putting out different looks but in a way it felt irritating at the same. I was constantly wondering why we didn’t see any of these different coverages earlier in the season? Why didn’t Hugo Gonzalez play rotation minutes at all in these playoffs? Why are we just now trying a small ball five? I don’t think Joe Mazzulla should be at risk of losing his job or anything but this is now the second postseason in a row with a disappointing exit as the favorites in the Eastern Conference to some and the third in four years.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 02: Head coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics looks on during the fourth quarter of a game against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game Seven of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at TD Garden on May 02, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
4. Brown Tried to Lead the Way
With Jays0n Tatum being ruled out for Game 7, Jaylen Brown was then given the task of leading Boston into battle for this game that could define his career. Sadly, Brown did not get the victory but that wasn’t for a lack of effort. In 40 minutes he finished with 33 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks on 12-27 shooting from the field and 3-9 shooting from three.
Despite a slow start, Brown found his groove midway through the first quarter and did a great job making tough shots. He had 13 points in the third quarter where he dominated Philadelphia primarily in the midrange but Boston was down big. Brown didn’t give up and looked like he was going to lead Boston back in this game with 7 points in the fourth quarter, but he missed 4 shots in the final four minutes, being part of the reason the Celtics fell short.
Despite finishing as a -16 in the game I really feel like Brown played better than the box score indicated. Outside of the disappointing ending, this was an incredible season for Jaylen Brown and he said said this year “is probably my most fun years playing basketball.” I’m not sure what the future holds for Brown but I do know he made his mark as the number one guy for the Celtics this season.
Jaylen Brown said this year “is probably my most fun years playing basketball.” pic.twitter.com/qt2iyh7ei5
Derrick White was a topic of discussion through the first six games of this series for his three-point shooting being a real problem. He shot 26% from beyond the arc and Boston really needed a big time performance from him shorthanded in Game 7. In the first half it looked like we were going to get another Kelly Olynyk or Grant Williams Game 7 performance from White as he finished with 19 points on 4-7 from three point range.
He was carrying the Celtics offense but it wasn’t sustainable because he shot 1-9 from three in the second half, missing some big shots down the stretch that could have given Boston a chance. This was by far the worst playoff series Derrick White has ever had for Boston in the worst offensive season of White’s career with the Celtics. It sucks to see because he had such a great season in every other department and he is a fan favorite. I wonder what his future holds as well.
6. Queta Great Performance
Neemias Queta is another guy who had a rough playoffs when it came to getting into foul trouble. He was making bad mistakes through the first six games of this series and it was really hurting the Celtics without him on the floor. Game 7 showed what could have been in this series if Queta was able to be on the court more, despite finishing with 5 fouls, he had 17 points and 12 rebounds in 33 minutes while having the highest +/- on the team at +9.
Queta was a dominant force inside and showed some incredible bag work that we haven’t seen since he was playing for Portugal in Eurobasket. He showed so much touch and finesse when it came to blowing by Andre Drummond and Joel Embiid that showed how much of an offensive X-factor he could be. It makes me happy to see Queta finally be able to put together a good game in these playoffs with his future also up in the air with a club option coming up this season on his contract.
7. Hugo Provided Energy
Hugo Gonzalez did not play a minute of meaningful basketball through the first six games of the series but Joe Mazzulla trusted him to provide energy in Game 7 when he started the second quarter for Boston. He was able to draw a big offensive foul on Paul George and play some really great defense to allow the Celtics to go on an 8-2 to open up the quarter and eventually take their only lead of the game at the 6:52 mark of the second.
Offensively he was 0-3 shooting from three and 0-2 at the free throw line but for playing in his first real playoff game as a rookie, Gonzalez held up really well and it makes me excited to see what he can provide in the future. It also makes me wish we saw more of him in this series but that is just hindsight.
Hugo Gonzalez has changed the entire energy of this game. His defense is lighting up the crowd.
Neemias Queta makes a layup to give Boston an 8-2 run and a Philadelphia timeout. pic.twitter.com/aRHDtxX454
After averaging only 6.2 points, 4.3 rebounds on 38% shooting from the field and 29% shooting from three, Joe Mazzulla benched Nikola Vucevic for the entirety of Game 7 in what feels like the end for his time in Boston. I can’t say I necessarily disagree with the decision given the fact he was so much of a defensive liability in the minutes he got in this series but it was a little surprising.
This was the big trade deadline acquisition that the Celtics made this year and to start it looked like he was going to be a perfect fit. But once Tatum came back and he got injured it just felt like Vucevic could never find a rhythm with the team. In this game he might have been able to come in at some point in the third quarter but they chose to run Jaylen Brown at the small ball center instead. I don’t know if it would have been a big difference but it feels telling of Joe’s mindset in this game. It might be safe to say this was the first really bad move of the Brad Stevens GM Era.
9. Embiid Masterclass
Ever since Joel Embiid was profiled in the ESPN article “Joel Embiid sees you” by Dotun Akintoye where he talked pretty openly about his personal life and his career up to this point I found myself becoming more of a fan of him. I wasn’t a die hard fan of his but I definitely appreciated his game a little bit more despite how unethical it can be at times. He has a MVP for a reason and the fact that he came back off appendicitis surgery and became the big reason the 76ers beat the Celtics in this series is just something to respect.
Embiid finished with 34 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists on 12-26 shooting in Game 7 and was once again a puzzle the Celtics had no answer to. He really feasted when the Celtics ran the small ball lineups and went directly at Jaylen Brown every chance he got, not backing down in the slightest. I would say this is his first real signature playoff moment in a victory in his career and although it disgusts me, it also feels fitting.
After he came out with the infamous “This is not a rivalry they always kick out ass” quote in 2018 it felt like the Celtics were his boggy man. Embiid lost to Boston three times before in the playoffs in 2018, 2020, and 2023. I guess it was about time he got his time in the sun.
ROUND 1 ✅ Boston, please be classy my friends! I still love and respect you!! pic.twitter.com/PxuPR4kfR7
Watching Boston miss shot after shot in the fourth quarter was an awful feeling but afterwords I couldn’t help but be in a feeling of shock. This is the first time since the 2021 season that the Celtics were bounced in the first round but it feels so much longer ago. I was used to watching this team make deep playoffs runs that take up most of my time in the month of May and June that I don’t know what I am going to do now. I guess it’s time to watch the Red Sox? Surly they are having a good season.
Back to the Celtics, this season really was just an incredible surprise all year long. From the beginning when they started 0-3 and it felt like they were going to tank for AJ Dybantsa, to Jaylen Brown taking an incredible leap as the number one option, to Jayson Tatum eventually returning early, and to this team finishing as the second seed in the Eastern Conference with 56 wins in a “Gap Year.” I can say it does feel a little ironic that the season ended the same way it started, a loss to the 76ers at home without Jayson Tatum.
This season will always end in heartbreak but the process of getting here really was a wild ride and I can say I am happy to have been able to experience it. Big change is due to happen in the offseason I’m sure but what should the 2025-26 Boston Celtics be remembered for? In my mind, it was them showing up and working for everything they had despite the talent gap.
BOSTON, MA - MAY 2: Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Seven of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 2, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
BOSTON — The Boston Celtics began their season with three straight losses. Six months later, against the same Philadelphia 76ers they faced on Opening Night, their season ended with three straight losses in a historic fall from grace at TD Garden.
“We knew it was going to be a fight, and we didn’t expect nothing less,” Jaylen Brown said.
Until Saturday night’s 109-100 Game 7 loss, the Celtics had never lost a playoff series after leading 3-1. They had never failed to advance after multiple 30-point victories in a series, nor had they been eliminated by the Sixers in 44 years. For the first time — in both franchise and NBA history — the Celtics had three starters finish scoreless in a playoff game, since starters were first tracked in the 1970–71 season.
Operating in the absence of Jayson Tatum, who was ruled out by the team’s medical staff less than two hours before opening tip, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla was forced to get creative. So, he inserted Baylor Scheierman, Luka Garza, and Ron Harper Jr. into the starting lineup alongside Brown and Derrick White, allowing the trio to make their first-career postseason starts on short notice.
None of them scored.
The Sixers began the do-or-die battle on a 9-0 run, magnifying the importance of scoring production. Scheierman had two wide-open looks from the corner, Garza misfired twice from the top of the key, and Harper came up empty on his lone attempt as the trio combined to go 0-for-7 from the field. It was clear early on that rolling the dice on a lineup featuring five players who hadn’t played together during the regular season was a gamble unlikely to pay off.
During the final seconds of regulation, as the Celtics hurled desperation shots, fans turned their backs and raced for the nearest exit. To Mazzulla, the feeling was no different than any other he’s experienced this time of year since becoming Boston’s coach four years ago.
“There’s a duality to everything,” Mazzulla said. “The year we won, I felt just as empty as we did when we lost.”
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 02: The Boston Celtics bench reacts during the fourth quarter of a game against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game Seven of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at TD Garden on May 02, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Celtics spent the final five minutes of their season shooting an abysmal 1-of-12 from the field, including a stretch in which they missed 10 consecutive shot attempts. In the last 2:22, they had their best chance to take their first lead since midway through the second quarter. Trailing the Sixers, 99-98, Brown found Payton Pritchard wide open in the corner, but he missed. Instantly, the thousands of hands raised in anticipation came back down with an elongated sigh.
It was at that moment that everyone in the building accepted reality.
Boston caved, and it wasn’t as simple as Philadelphia being the superior team. Everything that went wrong could be traced back to the Celtics and their failures. They had three chances to close out the Sixers, and instead delivered their most uncharacteristic three-game tumble at the most important point of their season. They weren’t just bad — they lacked energy, urgency, and discipline, the very traits they spent 82 regular-season games building for moments like this, only to crumble in humiliating fashion.
They desecrated the last 79 years of Celtics basketball and the standards set by generations of legends who paved the way for them. It wasn’t a learning lesson. It was a painful look in the mirror. The consequence of taking your foot off the gas and expecting everything to somehow work out is an undeserved arrogance that caught up to Boston in the most brutal way.
It’s a feeling of embarrassment nobody in a Celtics uniform has ever experienced before.
Those who stuck around to watch Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey embrace the final moments of their historic comeback were left in utter disbelief. Even after the final buzzer sounded and Embiid and Maxey remained on the court for their walk-off interview, silence overtook the building. You could hear the sound of a pin drop from the rafters, no matter where you stood, as Boston’s greatest nightmare — briefly dismissed in Game 5 — came to life.
“It’s disappointing,” Pritchard said. “Very disappointing to be up 3-1 and then end up losing the series, but definitely motivation going into the offseason to get better and to come back stronger.”
That same feeling that spread across TD Garden’s concourse and poured onto Causeway Street also disseminated to the Celtics locker room.
“It’s emotional,” Pritchard said of the locker room’s mood. “You know, you pour your heart out into this, and to lose like that is tough. But everybody in here is your brother; you love them, and everybody did what they were supposed to do.”
Boston shot 39.8 percent from the field and 26.5 percent from three, knocking down only 13 of 49 attempts. They didn’t deserve to advance. The instances in which the Celtics showed life — or any resemblance to the group that won 56 games in the regular season, became the league’s third team to clinch a playoff berth, and shifted their narrative from underdogs to an Eastern Conference threat — were few and far between.
BOSTON, MA – MAY 2: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Seven of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 2, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Quickly, as the series progressed, the Celtics became unrecognizable. Their lack of depth meant that aside from Tatum and Brown, Philadelphia didn’t need to account for anybody else. Pritchard scored 32 points in Game 4, and White sparked a brief revival with 26 points in Game 7, but that was about it. Neither of them produced consistently, much less enough to give the Sixers the same problems Maxey and Edgecombe were causing the Celtics throughout the series.
White shot 15-of-55 from three, becoming a liability and doing more harm than good. Mazzulla and the Celtics stuck with him, hoping he’d turn a corner after he scored six points on 2-of-5 shooting in Game 4. He instead totaled 17 points across Games 5 and 6 while struggling on the other end of the floor when guarding Maxey.
Whether wide open from three or with space six feet from the rim (twice) in the first quarter of Game 6, White couldn’t get going.
“Obviously, there’s a lot to be proud of,” White said, reflecting on the year. “I’ll definitely remember a lot of the great times that we had, but we also remember the bad times and this moment right here. It’s gonna be a long summer, and I gotta get better.”
He owned up to his shortcomings and vowed to do his part this upcoming offseason.
“I gotta go to the gym this summer and come back better,” White emphasized.
The Celtics had every opportunity to avoid this fate. They’ve made those slow walks back to the locker room while the opposing team celebrated behind them on the court. They’ve stood at the podium, reflecting on what could have been done differently while digesting the weight of elimination. But this one feels different. In the past, they could point to inexperience or roster flaws. This time, they had experience of winning a title, the hunger, and a roster prepared for the postseason — one instilled with principles that made Boston the harder team to beat most nights throughout its campaign.
It can be said that the Celtics overachieved, but that doesn’t exonerate a first-round exit — certainly not after taking a 3-1 lead.
Falling to the Sixers in seven after taking three of the first four adds a stain to Boston’s history that will linger and force the front office into action. The Celtics exposed themselves in more ways than one, warranting a return to the drawing board for president of basketball operations Brad Stevens.
While Mazzulla frequently praised the work this group put in throughout the season, it wasn’t enough — not for a franchise that measures itself against championship standards and the pride embedded in its uniform and history.
The demand is what it’s always been, and that isn’t going to change.
“When you don’t win a championship for the Celtics, there’s always going to be a level of ‘We have to do better,’” Mazzulla said. “But at the same time, regardless of what was going on, we came in with that type of mentality. I thought that we came in with a championship mentality from the beginning of the year, and I thought the guys just put their head down and went to work. And I’m grateful that I got to coach them.”
Enduring the franchise’s greatest collapse may ultimately fuel the next step in repairing that standard.
RJ Barrett finished with 24 points in Game 6, and he’s averaging 24.3 points per game overall in this series on 51% shooting. Including the final game of the regular season, Barrett has gone past this points prop number infive of his last seven outings.
With Immanuel Quickley sidelined, Barrett has attempted 19+ shots in each of his past four contests, and he can continue to hunt James Harden and Donovan Mitchell and bully his way into the paint.
SGP leg #2: Collin Murray-Boyles Over 6.5 rebounds
While Barrett is one of the keys for the Toronto Raptors offensively, Collin Murray-Boyles’ two-way impact is another big X-factor for the visitors.
CMB has grabbed at least seven rebounds in four of his last five outings, and he logged 40 minutes in Game 6 as the Raptors leaned into smaller lineups down the stretch.
He'll see a similar workload in another do-or-die scenario, which will give him enough time to clear this line.
SGP leg #3: Raptors +8
Given the Cavs’ struggles to create good looks and Harden’s history in elimination games, this line is surprisingly high.
Toronto has covered the spread in the last four games of this series, and I expect Darko Rajakovic’s young core to bounce back faster following Friday’s slugfest.
Cleveland may have the best player in this series, but Toronto's two-way play is good enough to keep it in just about every game with the Cavs. They can force Harden and Mitchell into bad shots, which will burn possessions for the home side.
Get Tom Oldfield's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Raptors vs Cavaliers predictions for Game 7.
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 06: Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks is defended by Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during the first quarter at State Farm Arena on April 06, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After an eventful first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks wrapped up with a historic beatdown on Thursday, the Knicks got to kick their feet up and enjoy an exciting Game 7 at TD Garden in Boston, where the underdog shocked the powerhouse Celtics (without Jayson Tatum) to set up an unlikely second-round clash.
It’s the No. 3 seed New York Knicks (53-29) against the No. 7 seed Philadelphia 76ers (45-37) for a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals, kicking off on Monday night at the World’s Most Famous Arena.
Here’s everything you need to know about this matchup.
Season Recap
You know how the Knicks’ season has gone. After all, you’re reading this on a Knicks site, but just to sum it up.
After firing Tom Thibodeau, engaging in a long coaching search, and keying in on Mike Brown, the Knicks mostly ran back the same team, albeit with new faces Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele, while drafting Mo Diawara. It was supposed to be a deeper, offensive powerhouse, and, for the most part, it was. The Knicks started 23-9 and even got some hardware along the way, beating the Spurs in the NBA Cup Final in December. Everything was coming up New York as 2025 turned into 2026.
And then everything fell apart. Starting with a New Year’s Eve collapse in San Antonio, the Knicks lost nine of their next 11 games, capped off by a terrible effort on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at MSG against the tanking Mavs. The sky was falling, we had podcasters saying he couldn’t wait to blow up this core, we had loud calls for Mike Brown’s job, the defense was abhorrently bad, and the season was in a tailspin.
Then, they mollywhopped the Nets by 54 and everything calmed down. After going from 23-9 to 25-18, the Knicks won 28 of their final 39 games, powered by the NBA’s second-best defense over the final 2.5 months of the season. They swapped the disappointing Yabusele for Jose Alvarado and finished the season strong. After struggling through three games with the feisty Hawks, they made the last three games look like varsity playing JV.
The Sixers season has been defined by the status of Joel Embiid. After a lost season in 2024-25 and a slow start, his constantly nagging knee injuries knocked him out for much of November, where the Sixers predictably struggled. The emergence of Tyrese Maxey as the franchise’s face and the tremendous rookie campaign of VJ Edgecombe could only do so much to weather the storm.
But Philly started to find their stride after Embiid seemed rejuvenated once returning in December, getting up to 30-22 in early February before shin and oblique issues, on top of load managing his knee, caused them to stumble back into the play-in as his availability waned in the second half. It didn’t help that Paul George got a 25-game suspension for PEDs.
A three-game losing streak in early April solidified their play-in fates in a tough Eastern Conference, but a pitiful Game 82 performance by the Magic allowed them to obtain home-court advantage in the 7-8 game and won them a date with Boston.
With Embiid sidelined with an appendectomy, the Sixers stole Game 2 in Boston before going home and losing Game 3. With Embiid back, the Celtics blitzed the Sixers in Game 4 to take a commanding 3-1 lead, only for the proverbial East favorites to continue to struggle at home and lose Tatum to a knee injury in Game 7, sealing their fate in the first round to a rejuvenated Sixers team.
The first meeting between the two teams, just before Christmas, saw the Sixers snap a six-game winning streak as the Knicks were coming down from the high of winning the NBA Cup a week prior. It was the second game of a back-to-back after a shorthanded Knicks team survived the undermanned Pacers in Indiana the night before.
The two teams were even through three quarters, but Philly pulled away thanks to a fantastic game by the backcourt duo of Edgecombe and Maxey, who combined for 53 points on 50% shooting and nine threes with Embiid sidelined. The mostly-healthy Knicks got 20 apiece from Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Mikal Bridges, as well as a 21-16 masterpiece from Mitchell Robinson, but they struggled late defensively.
The next meeting was also the second game of a back-to-back during the three weeks of hell that the Knicks experienced in January. A healthy Sixers squad outmatched a Josh Hart-less Knicks team that was playing as bad defense as humanly possible, spending much of the second half down by 15+ points. After a rough first matchup, Brunson scored 31, but it didn’t matter with Embiid, Maxey, and Edgecombe all scoring at least 26 points on a combined 62.2% from the field.
After losing both games at MSG, the Knicks went on the road to Philadelphia for the third meeting after that bludgeoning of the Nets, and it marked the first game against a real team that sparked a turnaround. A 23-point turnaround in the second half had the Knicks rolling and up by 17 in the fourth quarter, but the offense completely shut down at the eight-minute mark of the fourth, allowing the Sixers to claw back.
While the Knicks hit a number of timely shots (particularly from OG Anunoby and Landry Shamet) to go up eight with 42 seconds left, an epic meltdown ensued that gave the Sixers two different chances to tie in the final ten seconds that went awry. Brunson scored 32, Anunoby scored 23, and Towns was limited to just 16 minutes as he struggled with foul trouble.
Embiid put up an efficient 38-11-5, but Maxey and Edgecombe were relatively muted as the Sixers shot just 9-for-29 from three.
The final meeting of the year was on par with the Hawks and Nets blowouts. The Knicks were without Anunoby, while the Sixers didn’t have Embiid or Paul George as the team readied for the All-Star break. It seemed like Philly left early, as the Knicks completely demolished them from buzzer-to-buzzer. This was the game in which Alvarado made eight threes in his first week as a Knick and was one of the biggest wins in franchise history.
Playoff History
(Note: Prior to 1963, the Sixers were known as the Syracuse Nationals)
Trends: Knicks since 1/20: 118.5 ORtg (6th), 108.2 DRtg (2nd), +10.3 net rating (3rd) Sixers with Joel Embiid: 27-16, 121 ORtg, 115.8 DRtg, +5.2 net rating, +7.7 On-Off
Coaching Breakdown
Mike Brown (NYK): Season with team: 1st Season as head coach: 12th Career teams coached: CLE, LAL, SAC, NYK Career record: 507-333 (.604) Career playoff record: 54-42 (.563) Best finish: 2007 Cavaliers (Finals appearance)
Mike Brown is entering the postseason as the head coach of a third different team. He’s never won a game past the Eastern Conference Finals, but he’s certainly experienced deep playoff runs as an assistant under Gregg Popovich from 2001-03 and an assistant under Steve Kerr from 2017-22, winning four championships as an assistant coach.
Brown’s philosophy is a stylistic change from former head coach Tom Thibodeau, in that he prioritizes ball movement, spacing, and a drive-and-kick to open shooters (which he calls “sprays”). He was mostly unsuccessful in increasing the Knicks’ pace, showing that the team’s slow play is rooted in the way their captain operates in the offense, rather than the scheme. His biggest success has been increasing three-point attempts, but those have slowly decreased as the season has gone on.
Defensively, Brown has been flexible in his scheme. While Thibodeau always required a true rim protector on the floor, Brown has been more willing to mix up lineups in certain areas. After starting the season with a scheme that funneled the ball towards the middle of the floor into the help, Brown switched the scheme to look to send the ball towards the sidelines after the Knicks endured a month-plus stretch of abhorrent defense, powered by other teams driving and kicking to open shooters.
Nick Nurse (PHI): Season with team: 3rd Season as head coach: 8th Career teams coached: TOR, PHI Career record: 343-293 (.539) Career playoff record: 30-23 (.566) Best finish: 2019 Raptors (NBA Champions)
Nurse served as an assistant under Dwane Casey for several years and took over after the Raptors canned the one-time Coach of the Year in 2018. In his first year as a head coach, Nurse lifted a Larry O’Brien Trophy as Kawhi Leonard’s memorable one year in Toronto. Even after losing him, he led the Raptors to a 53-19 record in the COVID-shortened 2019-20 season, but that would prove to be a one-off. Aside from a 48-win season in 2021-22, Nurse’s final three years in Toronto were mediocre and he was out the door in 2023.
He’s spent the last three years as the head honcho in Philly, previously coaching against the Knicks in the playoffs two years ago before surviving a lost year in 2024-25. He’s back this time playing a very thin rotation that is heavily reliant on his stars, which he’ll look to deploy over and over again. There are no stylistic oddities with Nurse, who will most frequently be seen in his spats with the referees.
Projected Rotations
Knicks: Jalen Brunson Mikal Bridges Josh Hart OG Anunoby Karl-Anthony Towns – Jose Alvarado Deuce McBride Jordan Clarkson Mitchell Robinson
Situational: Mo Diawara, Landry Shamet, Ariel Hukporti, Jeremy Sochan
Sixers: Tyrese Maxey VJ Edgecombe Kelly Oubre Jr. Paul George Joel Embiid – Justin Edwards Quentin Grimes (OAKAAK Alert) Dominick Barlow Andre Drummond
Situational: Adem Bona
Injury Report
For the Knicks, they had a few players get nicked up in their six-game series with the Hawks, but Jalen Brunson (ankle), Mitchell Robinson (ankle), and Josh Hart (back) all seemed to be in good shape by the end of Game 6 and should be good to go.
For the Sixers, it all revolves around Joel Embiid. The appendix surgery is in the past, but that knee continues to be a major issue. He banged his knee repeatedly and came up hobbled over and over again in Game 7, including a scary hyperextension in the final minute. I assume he’ll be good to go, but he’ll be one to watch all series long.
Broadcast Schedule
(The full schedule has yet to be released, this will be updated)
Game 1: Mon, May 4, 8 pm (NBC) Game 2: Wed, May 6, 7 pm (ESPN) Game 3: Fri, May 8, 7 pm (Prime Video) Game 4: Sun, May 10, 3:30 pm (ABC) Game 5*: Tues, May 12, TBD (TBD) Game 6*: Thu, May 14, TBD (TBD) Game 7*: Sun, May 17, TBD (TBD)
In a Game 7 to decide their first-round playoff series, the Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers will meet Sunday night on NBC and Peacock at Rocket Arena.
History favors the home team, which has won the first six game games of the series. Toronto has never won a playoff game in Cleveland (0-10).
It's been a tight series with the Cavaliers and the Raptors notching identical scoring totals (669 points) thorugh six games. They have similar field goal and 3-point shooting percentages, and their margins are scant in rebounding (Cleveland leads 253-249) and steals (Toronto leads 54-50).
Cleveland is 6-2 in Game 7s, including 4-0 at home, and have won their past four appearances in Game 7s. This will be the second Game 7 on the road for Toronto, which is 3-3 in series finales. In their last Game 7 as the visiting team, the Raptors fell 88-87 to the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2001 Eastern Semifinals.
The Cavaliers are seeking to advance from the first round for the third consecutive season, and the Raptors are tying to reach the Eastern Semifinals for the first time since 2020. Cleveland eliminated Toronto from the playoffs in three consecutive seasons from 2016-18.
Sunday's winner of the series will face the winner of Game 7 between the Orlando Magic and the Detroit Pistons. The other Eastern Conference semifinal will be played between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers, who beat the Boston Celtics 109-100 in Game 7 on Saturday.
This is the first time since the first round was expanded to best of seven in 2003 that three series in the East have gone to seven games. It's only the second time since the 2002-03 season that at least three series have gone seven games (there were five Game 7s in 2014).
See below for additional information on the Celtics-76ers game and how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
Toronto Raptors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers game preview:
Hometown hero RJ Barrett made the game-winning 3-pointer Friday in a 112-110 overtime victory over Cleveland. The Canadian's shot hit the back of the rim, bounced above the backboard and then dropped through — conjuring memories of Kawhi Leonard's game-winning shot hat bounced four times on the rim in a Game 7 victory over Philadelphia in 2019 (Toronto would win the championship).
“Kawhi bounce. Kawhi bounce… I make nothing the whole fourth quarter, whole overtime," said Barrett, who had 24 points but made only 3 of 13 shots in the second half. "So for that shot to drop. Yeah.”
Scottie Barnes had a game-high 25 points and 14 assists (his playoff career high tied a Toronto playoff record). Toronto leads all playoff teams in assists per game (26.5) and was ranked third in the regular season (29.5 apg).
Toronto will be trying to overcame the inexperience of a roster with only 180 playoff games and two Game 7s (vs. 597 and 18 Game 7s for Cleveland). The Raptors might have to do it without forward Brandon Ingram. Their leading scorer during the regular season at 21.5 ppg, Ingram left Game 5 with a right heel injury and missed Game 6. His Game 7 status is uncertain.
“Forget everything that's happened so far," Barrett said. "We've got one game to decide it all. This group has been tough and resilient, and we've fought through the toughest of tasks all year long. Going to Cleveland, Game 7, is going to be a tough task, but that's what we're built for."
Cleveland's hopes largely rest on twin superstars Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, who was acquired in February from the Los Angeles Clippers (for Darius Garland and a 2026 second-round pick.
This is Harden's 17th playoff appearances, and he ranks 13th all time in postseason scoring (4,021 points). His 179 playoff games is the third most without a championship behind Karl Malone (193) and John Stockton (182).
Harden, who averaging 25 points and 7 assists in the first two games of the series but has slipped to 19 ppg and 6.5 apg, is playing in his eighth Game 7 and enters with a 3-4 record.
In his ninth season, Mitchell is in the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season since joining the Cavaliers but has yet to advance beyond the semifinals. He ranks seventh all time in playoff scoring average at 27.9 points per game. At home in this series, Mitchell is averaging 27 points and four assists while shooting 51.7% from the field (and 50% on 3-pointers).
"There's nothing to be deflated about," said Mitchell, who scored 39 points to lead Cleveland past Orlando in a Game 7 over Orlando in 2024. "Just got to protect home court. Now, if this was Game 7 and that happened, then (you feel) a little different. But we had an opportunity. Didn't happen. We've got to protect home court. Doesn't matter if we lost by 30. Two. Protect home court. That's all you can do.”
Said Harden: "There's no frustrations. I was frustrated for five minutes [after the game]. There's one more game, can't let it live too long. It's the playoffs, great things happen. That's why I tell the guys to never get too high or low. Focus on your job and go out there and win."
NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the First Round and 11 games in the Conference Semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock.
Which playoff rounds will be available on Peacock?
Peacock’s NBA Playoffs coverage spans multiple rounds, including Round 1, the Conference Semifinals, and the Western Conference Finals, with coverage evolving as the postseason progresses.
Will Peacock show both Eastern and Western Conference playoff games?
Yes. During earlier rounds such as Round 1 and the Conference Semifinals, Peacock will carry a mix of Eastern and Western Conference playoff games.
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