Apr 1, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) speak after the game at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
An Achilles injury is one ofAn Achilles injury is one of the most devastating injuries an athlete can suffer. Knee injuries used to be nearly as bad, but arthroscopic surgery has really changed that. ACL injuries still require major rehab, but it’s become fairly manageable. Achilles injuries are still a very difficult thing to overcome, one of the most devastating injuries an athlete can suffer. Knee injuries used to be nearly as bad, but arthroscopic surgery has really changed that. ACL injuries still require major rehab, but it’s become fairly manageable. Achilles injuries are still a very difficult thing to overcome.
So when former Blue Devil Jayson Tatum collapsed in a heap last year during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks, his future was at best cloudy. He was expected to miss all of this season and come back next year, if things go well.
For that matter, the Boston Celtics were also expected to suffer this season. However, both have exceeded expectations.
The Celtics are currently 51-25, good for second place in the East, behind only Trajan Langdon’s Detroit Pistons (the Pistons are 4.5 games ahead at 56-21). Most of that was without Tatum, who returned to action on March 6th, less than 10 months after his injury. That’s almost miraculous.
Although it feels like a two-man battle at this point, with no team having more than six games left in the 2025-26 NBA regular season, these players are quickly running out of chances to elevate their arguments for Most Valuable Player.
Thursday, April 2 was an interesting night, too, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Luka Dončić of the Los Angeles Lakers facing off, while phenom big Victor Wembanyama's San Antonio Spurs played the Los Angeles Clippers.
He has simply not let up. He dropped 43 in a rout Wednesday, April 1 against the Heat and has scored at least 29 points in his last seven games, and is averaging 33.6 over that stretch. More importantly, he has been the biggest reason for the Celtics to be a real threat in the East, despite missing Jayson Tatum (Achilles rehab) for most of the season. Brown has led Boston to a decently comfortable hold on the No. 2 seed in the East, and, even though Tatum is returning to form, Brown is looking poised to have a massive postseason.
He has notched triple-doubles in five of his last six games, as the Nuggets are peaking at the right time. Denver has won seven consecutive games and 10 of its last 12, and Jokić has been as consistent and dependable as always. He leads the NBA in rebounding (13.0) and is the only player averaging a triple-double (adding 27.7 points and 10.8 assists). He’s having a monster season, so it’s kind of absurd to rank him fourth. It’s just a testament to the players above him on this list, and the seasons they are having.
In 17 games in March, Dončić scored 600 points, becoming just the 10th player in NBA history to put down that output in any single month. The Lakers, crucially, went 15-2 over that stretch and have been impressive, with recent victories over the Timberwolves, Nuggets, Rockets (twice) and Cavaliers. Thursday’s blowout loss against the Thunder was a letdown, as Dončić struggled from deep, going just 1-of-7 from 3-point range. But the bigger problem was a left hamstring injury that sidelined him and may jeopardize his eligibility for individual awards. Thursday night was his 64th game, leaving him one shy of the minimum.
This has actually gotten really close. Wembanyama missed Thursday night’s game against the Clippers with a right ankle injury management designation, but his play as of late has closed the lead the top player on this list has held for much of the back half of the regular season. No player impacts the game on both sides more than Wembanyama, who has dropped 41 points in each of his last two games. As if that wasn’t enough, he swatted away 3 shots in each and collected 10 rebounds Monday, March 30 in a win over the Bulls and hauled in 18 Wednesday against the Warriors. San Antonio has won the last 15 games that Wembanyama has played in.
He remains the most consistent force in the NBA and Thursday’s beatdown of the Lakers was proof of how dangerous he can be. Gilgeous-Alexander had scored a smooth 21 points by halftime, as Oklahoma City had opened a massive, 31-point lead on the Lakers. Before that, SGA dopped 47 points in an overtime victory against the Pistons, and he has extended his consecutive 20-point streak to a ridiculous 137 games. Still, he’ll need to close strong because Wembanyama is making a late charge.
Apr 2, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) and forward/guard Max Strus (2) after a play against the Golden State Warriors during the fourth quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
Max Strus’s timely shotmaking saved the Cavs. He poured in 24 points on 6-10 shooting from deep. That included scoring eight in the fourth quarter and burying two threes in the closing minutes to put the game away.
The Cavs have so much offensive firepower in the starting five of Strus, James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. Strus can get lost in the shuffle with his off-ball movement and the attention the dynamic guards demand. The Cavs were able to find Strus enough late and ultimately secured the victory because of it.
This is a much more well-rounded offensive attack when they’re able to get this level of contributions from a proven playoff performer like Strus. He’s rounding into form at the right time as he’s combined to go 17-28 (60.7%) from three over his last three outings.
Overall, the late-game offensive execution since the Harden trade has been impressive. It was again here as the Cavs generated quality looks seemingly every time down the court.
The Cavaliers are doing this without any one player dominating the ball. Harden was orchestrating the offense late once again, but he wasn’t controlling possessions. Every member of the starting five scored four or more points in the final frame, with each scoring critical baskets to help put the game away.
More importantly, this five-man group has good playmakers for their position at every spot. When they create advantages — as Harden is known for doing — everyone on the court can capitalize on it by finding the open man.
This pass from Mobley is a great example of that. The Warriors showed help defense on Harden at the top of the arc. He found the open man in Mobley. And when the defense rotated over to prevent a shot at the rim, Mobley located Strus alone in the corner.
The ball is always faster than the man. Even if the defense does make the right play initially, if you’re moving the ball as efficiently as the Cavs have been in the clutch, you’re eventually going to find a crack in the armor.
The best offenses are often the most well-rounded and diverse. The Cavs have shown over the last several weeks that they can dissect opposing defense in a variety of ways, and did so again here.
Free-throw shooting is a concern for the bigs. Mobley’s struggles at the line have been well documented over the last month. He didn’t get many chances to prove himself at the charity stripe here, but he missed both opportunities he had.
Allen did a good job of aggressively attacking the defense, which led to him taking 12 free throws. The only problem was that he made just six of them.
There’s not much to really dive into with missed free throws. They aren’t fun to talk about, and there typically isn’t an easy fix for them. If they were, LeBron James would’ve figured it out a decade and a half ago.
That said, the margins in the playoffs will be incredibly thin. The Cavs don’t have the luxury of leaving points at the line, and they also can’t have their bigs hesitant to attack because they don’t want to take free throws.
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Injuries have held the Cavs back all season, and still are.
Even though Cleveland had their four best players on the court together — which has been a rare sighting this season — you can still see that they aren’t close to being whole considering who’s still out of the lineup.
The Cavs were without Dean Wade (ankle) and Jaylon Tyson (toe). And while neither would be considered among the best five players on the team, the lineups that head coach Kenny Atkinson has been forced to use without those two forwards have been rough.
The four guard lineups simply don’t work. Point of attack defense is an issue when the team is fully healthy. Combine that with two players being asked to guard up a position as well, and there are too many holes to clean up for whichever lone big is on the floor.
Additionally, your defense is always just one switch away from a terrible mismatch. The Warriors used this to their advantage as they consistently forced smaller guards onto Kristaps Porzingis and then allowed him to work from there in the high post.
These groupings with four players that are 6’5” or under need to be potent offensively to make up for their shortcomings on the other end. And to their credit, they have been solid. But there’s a difference between spreading the floor out because you have wings and bigs who can create space and doing so with guards.
For one, these four guard lineups don’t have the multiple big screen setters you need to make Atkinson’s motion offense work. And while the Cavs do a lot of guard screening actions already, that is more of a changeup than a fastball.
Despite how much the NBA has changed over the last decade, positions still matter. Or at the very least, having size and a variety of skills does.
Right now, the Cavs don’t have any better options than to continue running these small lineups.
Nae’Qwan Tomlin hasn’t been able to replicate his early-season success much over the past several weeks. Teams know that he isn’t a threat to beat them with his outside shot, which makes it more difficult for him to get to the basket, and in turn cramps the spacing.
Thomas Bryant is the other forward who has shown that he deserves minutes, but he’s a center. That makes it difficult to play him alongside Jarrett Allen.
Atkinson hasn’t been willing to look outside of those options for minutes. Larry Nance Jr. hasn’t played consistent rotation minutes since the beginning of the season. There’s an argument that one of the three two-way players who are forwards should get an opportunity, but since none are eligible for the playoffs on their current deals, it’s not worth seriously exploring.
Getting Wade and/or Tyson back will help. These lineups will have much more size and versatility on both sides of the floor. That will drastically improve how this all looks.
At the same time, how incoherent these lineups are underscores the fragility of the current roster construction.
There are no perfect teams in this new parity era (except the Oklahoma City Thunder). Everyone has holes (again, except OKC). And with the speed of the game, you can’t just play six or seven guys in the playoffs and expect to get by. True contenders need to and can comfortably trot out nine at a minimum.
Health will play a significant role in determining the eventual champion. Not being able to cover up for multiple rotation players isn’t necessarily alarming on its own. At the same time, nothing about what we’ve seen this past week would make you believe the Cavs can compensate for missing either or both Wade and Tyson. That’s a scary place to be and isn’t ideal for the most expensive roster in the league.
North Carolina needed a basketball coach, and it set its sights on one in the Final Four.
Its top target had a good job. A darn good one, and one newspaper columnist felt adamant Roy Williams wouldn’t leave Kansas, even if his alma mater tried to call him home to Carolina. Williams already turned down UNC once before, a few years previously.
No way Roy’s going to Carolina.
So read the headline of Joe Posnanski’s column in the Kansas City Star on April 2, 2003. Two weeks later, Posnanski wrote another column about how he got it all wrong. He trusted a coach to have loyalty. Whoops, rookie mistake.
If we’ve learned one thing in the more than two decades since then, it’s to never say never when it comes to these situations, and that a coach’s loyalty is the underdog when matched up against his ego.
This time, nobody’s writing there’s “no way” Tommy Lloyd would leave Arizona for UNC. That doesn’t mean Lloyd will definitely bolt, but even he’s not saying he won’t. Lloyd himself fed into speculation he’s a prime option for UNC when he said, “Arizona’s going to have another good coach after me, I promise you.” And, when will Arizona need to hire its next coach? Will that be next week? Next year? Ten years from now?
No telling. At least, Lloyd’s not telling, other than to say he’s “present in the moment” and that neither he nor his players are distracted by UNC speculation.
He’s probably right about his players, anyway.
Arizona’s Brayden Burries, Koa Peat and Motiejus Krivas are projected first-round NBA Draft picks. Wildcats point guard Jaden Bradley is a senior. They’re out the door after this Final Four, regardless of Lloyd’s decision. A fifth starter, Ivan Kharchenkov, might return for another college season, but thanks to the transfer portal, he could follow his coach if Lloyd decided to leave. No stress. No fuss. No distraction.
Twenty-three years ago, KU star Wayne Simien expressed open frustration when Williams jilted the Jayhawks for North Carolina. Now, athletes better understand it’s not personal, it’s just business, because players field interest from other high-paying suitors, too, and face business decisions of their own.
Is Dusty May more of a 'Michigan man' than Bill Frieder?
While we’re on the subject of déjà vu, here’s Michigan with a team that can win it all, but will coach Dusty May prove himself a “Michigan man” or a renegade?
If UNC would like to have Lloyd, then it should love to have May. He’s now a veteran of Final Fours, having led Florida Atlantic there in 2023.
Perhaps, Michigan can breathe slightly easier than Arizona's administration, because at least May isn’t talking about how great Michigan’s next coach is going to be.
Even if May wouldn’t leave Michigan for UNC, the Tar Heels could cause a domino effect that results in May leaving Michigan. Just as the Wolverines lost John Beilein to the Cleveland Cavaliers, May has the goods of a future NBA coach. And if UNC hires Billy Donovan, well, then the Chicago Bulls will need a coach, won’t they?
Michigan knows what it’s like for a coach to spurn it. When Bill Frieder accepted the Arizona State job ahead of the 1989 NCAA Tournament, Bo Schembechler promptly booted Frieder and promoted Steve Fisher, explaining his decision with the now-famous line that, “A Michigan man is going to coach Michigan.”
The lesson Frieder provided: If you’re leaving for another job, maybe don’t tell anyone until the NCAA Tournament is finished.
Worked out great for Michigan. Fisher led the Wolverines to a national championship.
Never mind a Michigan man. The Wolverines would do well to keep their Indiana man. May got his start as a student manager under Bob Knight, but Frieder proved a coach’s alma mater doesn’t mean everything to everyone, even if Mama lured Williams home in 2003.
“I was a Tar Heel born. When I die, I'll be a Tar Heel dead,” Williams said after he took the UNC job.
In between, he became a turncoat at Kansas.
We learned then that when North Carolina wants to hire a Final Four coach, it’s naïve to think, “no way.”
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 02: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers controls the ball against Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs at Intuit Dome on April 02, 2026 in Inglewood, California. 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 Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
No Wemby, no problem. The Spurs won their third game in four nights and 11th straight Thursday night in an up and down game against the Clippers, keeping the #1 seed within reach while giving the Alien a night off.
It was a high-scoring game from the tip. Kawhi continued his magnificent season and scored a handful of baskets from all over the court. John Collins got in the action too, using his athleticism to drive and finish around the rim without having to worry about Wemby. Still, Luke Kornet was his usual reliable self, providing solid rim protection on the back line.
Offensively, the Spurs capitalized on lazy defensive efforts from the home team. San Antonio had two uncontested transition baskets early, swinging the momentum their way. They then caught fire from deep, making four in quick succession to build a double-digit lead. De’Aaron Fox, in particular, got on a heater, hitting a handful of mid-ranges and getting to the rim at will. That run coincided with the Clippers going ice cold, and it didn’t help that Darius Garland had to go to the locker room after taking a rough fall. Overall, the Spurs led 68-44 heading into halftime, showing no signs of fatigue or of Wemby’s absence.
LA showed signs of life early in the third. Kawhi regained his rhythm and made back-to-back buckets, forcing Mitch Johnson to call a timeout. The Spurs began trapping him soon after, but the Clippers started generating efficient offense even with the ball out of his hands. In a turn of events, LA capitalized on a number of sloppy Spurs possessions in a quick 3-minute stretch, going on a 14-5 run to cut the lead down to 12. Bennedict Mathurin led the charge, hitting a circus shot and helping force turnovers to bring his team back in the game. Following another sloppy Spurs possession, the Clippers made it just a 9-point game before both teams traded wild possessions that resulted in no basket scored for the remainder of the quarter.
LA’s momentum carried over to start the fourth. San Antonio continued to fumble the ball, resulting in the Clippers cutting the lead down to just seven. Fortunately, a technical call against LA helped the Spurs regain control, and a few key baskets from Stephon Castle put the good guys back up by double digits. The Clippers seemed to deflate afterwards, and a few more buckets from Dylan Harper and Keldon Johnson sealed the game for the visiting side. With minutes left in the fourth, Ty Lue finally waved the white flag and brought in his reserves, prompting Mitch Johnson to do the same. The Spurs walked away with a 118-99 victory, but the scoreline doesn’t do justice to the crazy back-and-forth game.
Game notes
Fox had a really unusual game. 18 of his 22 points came in the first half, and he only made one bucket in both the third and fourth quarters. This wasn’t due to his shot abandoning him, either: Fox only took 13 field goals and made 9, so both he and the Spurs chose to rely on other players who were more in rhythm.
Harper ended his night with 19 points, 2 rebounds, and 5 assists on 8-12 shooting and 2-3 from deep. He did all that in 25 minutes, and I can not be any higher on the kid. I think he’s already a starting-calibre guard and could be the second-best player on the team as soon as next season, and I’ve never been more comfortable with the ball being in the hands of a rookie guard ever.
The diciest part of the game was during a 3-minute stretch in the middle of the third quarter, when the Spurs kept on losing the ball. Even in the moment, I wondered why Mitch didn’t call a timeout to regroup the guys, and I’m still confused about it after. Maybe he had faith that they’d figure it out? He was finally forced to call one but it was almost too little too late, and the team was definitely tempting fate during that brief stretch.
Play of the game
Harper shot over 50% from three in March and is now hitting half-court heaves. Is he the next Steph Curry?
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 02: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks for an opening against Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at the Paycom Center on April 2, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Prior to Luka going down, Austin Reaves was the one who made a trip to the locker room. Reaves was holding his back for much of the first quarter before checking out and getting checked.
While he did return, he was still holding his back at times during the rest of the game, though it never seemed to slow him down. After the game, head coach JJ Redick provided an explanation of how the injury occurred.
“He was in a weird position stretching for a basketball, loose ball,” Redick said. “He just felt like like intercostal, somewhere in his back in between the ribs. He was able to play through it and battled back. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”
Austin said he got treatment at halftime that allowed him to play in the second half. He also said that he felt better postgame, too.
“I went back to get a rebound, overextended a little bit and felt something,” Reaves said. “I feel decent now. We’ll see.”
The extra day off between games for the Lakers could be beneficial for Reaves. While it seems unlikely Luka’s injury will be measured in days, this one feels like that extra day could be beneficial.
The Lakers won’t play again until Sunday in Dallas. Having an extra day to rehab and get treatment could be the difference in him playing or not. The fact that he was able to play after the injury and play well, relatively speaking, is also encouraging for him being available against the Mavs.
It goes without saying that, with Luka sidelined, Austin’s availability will be even more crucial. He has flourished when Luka has been out this year, so there’s at least some room for optimism there. But only if he’s healthy.
In just about every way, Thursday’s loss was a gut punch. At least with Reaves’ injury, there’s a silver lining of hope that he won’t also be missing time.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander became the third Thunder player to win the MVP award since 2014 last year [Getty Images]
The Oklahoma City Thunder condemned the Los Angeles Lakers to one of the heaviest defeats in their history - one made more painful by an injury to star Luka Doncic.
Reigning NBA champions Thunder claimed a commanding 139-96 victory, helped by 28 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, as they improved their league-best record to 61-16.
The Lakers have only been beaten by a greater margin on six occasions, with this 43-point loss just six points short of their worst margin of defeat against the Dallas Mavericks in 2017.
It was a first defeat in five for the Lakers, who must now wait to learn the severity of Doncic's left hamstring injury after the Slovenian appeared emotional as he exited the court during the third quarter.
Doncic, who had scored 40 or more points in each of his previous three games and five of his past seven, will have an MRI scan on Friday, Lakers coach JJ Redick confirmed.
The Lakers had won 13 of their previous 14 games as they seek to hold on to the third seeding in the Western Conference, behind Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs, before the play-offs begin on 18 April.
Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning Most Valuable Player, finished with 28 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, while Isaiah Joe added 20 points for the Thunder.
Austin Reaves led the Lakers with 15 points despite struggling with back pain, and LeBron James added 13 in 26 minutes.
Thunder's 139 points were the most conceded by the Lakers this season and the 43-point defeat was the team's heaviest since a 44-point loss to Philadelphia in November 2023.
Washington Wizards (17-59, 15th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Miami Heat (40-37, 10th in the Eastern Conference)
Miami; Saturday, 3 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Washington will try to stop its three-game road slide when the Wizards face Miami.
The Heat are 24-23 in Eastern Conference games. Miami is fifth in the Eastern Conference with 12.0 offensive rebounds per game led by Kel'el Ware averaging 2.9.
The Wizards are 11-35 in conference matchups. Washington is 2-2 in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Heat score 120.4 points per game, 3.9 fewer points than the 124.3 the Wizards give up. The Heat average 112.7 points per game, 5.5 fewer points than the 118.2 the Heat allow to opponents.
The teams square off for the third time this season. The Heat won the last matchup 150-129 on March 10, with Bam Adebayo scoring 83 points in the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Adebayo is scoring 20.3 points per game with 10.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists for the Heat. Tyler Herro is averaging 20.2 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 44.4% over the past 10 games.
Bub Carrington is averaging 10.2 points and 4.6 assists for the Wizards. Will Riley is averaging 17.0 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Heat: 2-8, averaging 119.6 points, 41.6 rebounds, 27.8 assists, 7.0 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 46.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 129.3 points per game.
Wizards: 1-9, averaging 113.2 points, 36.6 rebounds, 24.6 assists, 7.6 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 128.6 points.
INJURIES: Heat: Norman Powell: day to day (illness).
Wizards: Anthony Davis: out (finger), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), Alex Sarr: day to day (toe), Kyshawn George: out for season (elbow), D'Angelo Russell: out (not injury related), Trae Young: out (quad).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
San Antonio Spurs (58-18, second in the Western Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (49-28, fourth in the Western Conference)
Denver; Saturday, 3 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: San Antonio plays the Denver Nuggets after Victor Wembanyama scored 41 points in the Spurs' 127-113 victory over the Golden State Warriors.
The Nuggets are 31-16 in Western Conference games. Denver leads the Western Conference with 121.4 points and is shooting 49.5%.
The Spurs are 33-14 in conference matchups. San Antonio averages 119.6 points and has outscored opponents by 8.3 points per game.
The Nuggets average 14.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.0 more made shot on average than the 13.1 per game the Spurs give up. The Spurs average 13.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.3 more makes per game than the Nuggets allow.
The teams square off for the third time this season. The Nuggets won 136-131 in the last meeting on March 13. Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 39 points, and Stephon Castle led the Spurs with 30 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Nikola Jokic is averaging 27.7 points, 13 rebounds and 10.8 assists for the Nuggets. Murray is averaging 25.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 7.1 assists over the last 10 games.
De'Aaron Fox is averaging 18.5 points and 6.2 assists for the Spurs. Julian Champagnie is averaging 2.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 8-2, averaging 126.4 points, 45.8 rebounds, 33.1 assists, 6.3 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 50.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.2 points per game.
Spurs: 10-0, averaging 124.3 points, 51.2 rebounds, 32.0 assists, 7.1 steals and 5.9 blocks per game while shooting 49.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.1 points.
INJURIES: Nuggets: Zeke Nnaji: day to day (hip), Peyton Watson: day to day (hamstring), Tim Hardaway Jr.: day to day (knee), Spencer Jones: day to day (hamstring).
Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle), Victor Wembanyama: out (injury management).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Indiana faces Charlotte in Eastern Conference action Friday.
The Hornets are 24-24 against Eastern Conference opponents. Charlotte is fourth in the Eastern Conference at limiting opponent scoring, giving up just 111.4 points while holding opponents to 46.7% shooting.
The Pacers are 14-33 against conference opponents. Indiana is 6-34 in games decided by at least 10 points.
The Hornets average 116.2 points per game, 4.5 fewer points than the 120.7 the Pacers allow. The Pacers average 13.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.5 more makes per game than the Hornets allow.
The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The Hornets won 133-109 in the last matchup on Feb. 27.
TOP PERFORMERS: LaMelo Ball is averaging 19.6 points and 7.1 assists for the Hornets. Coby White is averaging 18.7 points over the last 10 games.
Jay Huff is averaging 9.4 points and 1.8 blocks for the Pacers. Pascal Siakam is averaging 13.7 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hornets: 7-3, averaging 119.7 points, 46.1 rebounds, 25.5 assists, 6.6 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 47.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.1 points per game.
Pacers: 3-7, averaging 121.4 points, 38.4 rebounds, 34.2 assists, 6.7 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 52.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 125.3 points.
INJURIES: Hornets: PJ Hall: out (ankle).
Pacers: T.J. McConnell: out (hamstring), Obi Toppin: day to day (foot), Johnny Furphy: out for season (knee), Andrew Nembhard: out (back), Ivica Zubac: out for season (rib), Jarace Walker: out (back), Pascal Siakam: day to day (knee), Aaron Nesmith: out (neck), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 31: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 31, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. 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 Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers overcame a heavy turnover game to win on the road against the Golden State Warriors.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Yet, as much as I want to bemoan the quality of attempts like this, I can’t deny that Mitchell was scoring efficiently. I can’t say I love the process. But for tonight, I’ll live with the results.
Turnovers were an issue for Mitchell. Though each unforced error seemed to fuel his frustrations and make him more engaged defensively. As I said, this was a contradictory game.
Grade: B-
James Harden
19 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 4 turnovers
Harden’s defense has been as bad as advertised. It’s not fun watching him get backdoor cuts for easy layups. It is, however, fun to watch him throw lobs. The duality of man.
The Cavs closed this game behind two plays from Harden. First, he drew a double team and dished to Max Strus for a huge three-pointer. Then, he danced one-on-one for a tough floater in the lane to extend the lead to six with 21 seconds remaining. That will help your grade.
Grade: B
Evan Mobley
12 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal
Mobley has historically struggled against Kristaps Porzingis. With this in mind, he certainly handled that individual matchup better than in the past. Mobley didn’t appear as bothered by KP’s length and was able to help contain him on the other end.
Zooming out, Mobley lost this matchup in the non-Porzingis minutes. That was his opportunity to make his presence felt. Instead, Mobley lacked the aggression he had in March. Let’s hope he finds that again soon.
Grade: C+
Jarrett Allen
16 points, 13 rebounds, 1 steal
Allen is still clearly working through some pain in his knee. He hasn’t been as explosive with the ball. Though, he’s still converting most of his looks at the rim and playing a key role as Cleveland’s defensive anchor.
Gotta hit more than half of your free throws, Fro. He shot 6-12 from the line tonight.
Grade: B+
Sam Merrill
13 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals
We’ve seen a few games like this from Sam recently. He couldn’t find his rhythm from downtown, but he made up for it by getting downhill and creating plays off his gravity. Still, we’d like to see Sam get free for a big scoring night. He’s not out there to pass the ball.
Grade: C–
Max Strus
24 points, 2 assists, 5 rebounds
The Cavs lose this game without Strus Point, blank, period.
It wasn’t just his pair of triples in the clutch, but also his activity away from the ball. Strus helped the Cavs secure numerous rebounds with timely box outs — and he even forced a tough turnover on the Warriors by pressuring the ball on a defensive board.
Grade: A+
Keon Ellis
4 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
I’m sobering up to the Ellis experience on defense. He isn’t as sound a defender as the blocks and steals would make you think. His game has some rough edges in terms of suppressing shot attempts and making the correct rotations.
That said, he’s given me the exact opposite impression on offense. Ellis has broken out of a box and become more than a traditional catch-and-shoot player. I’ve enjoyed watching him cut to the basket and play from the middle of the floor. He had two nice dunks tonight off of cuts.
Schroder nearly threw this game off the rails in the fourth quarter with a flagrant foul followed by a tech for complaining to the officials. Yes, he was being grabbed — but that was a bad time to get on the referee’s bad side.
He saves his grade by scoring efficiently tonight. Schroder shot 4-7 from the floor and 3-3 from the free throw line. That’s a big boost in a game where the Cavs struggled to score consistently.
Grade: B-
Thomas Bryant
3 points, 3 rebounds
The last few games haven’t been kind to Bryant. His impact is slipping as the season goes on. This wasn’t his best effort.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — De'Aaron Fox scored 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting, and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Los Angeles Clippers 118-99 on Thursday night without Victor Wembanyama in the lineup to win their 11th in a row.
Wembanyama was rested on the second night of a back-to-back. He had 41 points and 18 rebounds in a 127-113 win at the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.
The Spurs had six players in double figures, including Stephon Castle with 20 points and Dylan Harper with 19 off the bench.
San Antonio kept alive its hopes of catching Oklahoma City for the top spot in the West. The Spurs improved to 27-2 since Feb. 1 and 11-5 when Wembanyama doesn't play.
Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points to lead the Clippers with his 53rd consecutive game of 20 or more points. Bennedict Mathurin added 18 points off the bench and John Collins had 15. The loss dropped them to the ninth spot for the play-in tournament with their second straight loss after winning five in a row. Portland moved into eighth after a 118-106 win.
The Spurs led by 26 points in the first half. They shot 72% from the floor early in the second quarter, opening with an 11-2 run and hitting 20 of their first 28 shots.
The Clippers rallied in the third when they outscored the Spurs 34-19. Mathurin had 10 points and Leonard eight as the Clippers closed with a 14-4 run to trail 87-78 going into the fourth.
But the Spurs quickly regained the momentum. Castle scored eight of their 10 points in extending the lead to 99-84.
Up next
Spurs: Visit Denver on Saturday in final road game of regular season.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 02: Max Strus #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers makes a three-point shot in the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on April 02, 2026 in San Francisco, California. 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 Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers pulled out a win against the Golden State Warriors. Let’s go over today’s winners and losers.
WINNER AND LOSER – Defense
On one hand, the Cavs played to their strengths by packing the paint and daring Golden State to shoot from downtown. The math worked in Cleveland’s favor as the Warriors shot just 12-44 from downtown. That’s a win for the Cavs.
Nonetheless, am I greedy for thinking the Cavs’ defense could have been even better? They blew a handful of possessions by simply falling asleep at the wheel.
Let’s take a look at a few examples.
This first clip is a prime example of ball watching. If any of Cleveland’s guards made an active effort to attack the glass, they might have secured this defensive stop.
Don’t get me wrong, I understand why you’d leave a non-shooting threat open. But, is it really smart to not even make the Dubs work for it? I’m not sure it’s wise to leave anyone this available on an inbounds play. Payton misses the shot, but my point remains.
Finally, here’s a clip of James Harden being backdoor cut for a layup. This happened a handful of times tonight.
The Cavs didn’t need to have razor-sharp focus to beat the Warriors in April. But they will need to be more dialed in later this month. This was another missed opportunity to build healthier habits defensively — even if the result was a win.
(Honorable WINNER mention for RealCavsFans. Thanks for the clips.)
LOSER – Turnovers
Unforced errors were the name of the game. The Cavs let a few mental lapses stop them from having a truly dominant night on defense. The same can be said for their sputtering offense.
Cleveland had double-digit turnovers going into halftime. But it wasn’t just the frequency at which they turned it over; it was how they threw the ball away.
There’s nothing more damaging than carelessly throwing the ball to your opponent. Granting the enemy a full head of steam going the other way with a numbers advantage is how you lose control of games. The Cavs flirted with this outcome throughout the first half, dangerously giving the Warriors plenty of opportunities to score in transition.
Golden State outscored the Cavs 23-8 in points off turnovers. A 15-point swing in one category is big in a game that came down to the wire.
The Dubs deserve some credit. Draymond Green, in particular, did a fantastic job guarding the pick-and-roll and was responsible for blowing up numerous actions. The Cavs’ ball-handlers had a difficult time getting comfortable against a pesky Warriors backcourt, too.
Things eventually normalized as Cleveland regained control in the second half. Still, it was a bit frustrating to see the Cavs spin their wheels for minutes at a time. This offense is too potent to get stuck in the mud. A single Cavalanche would have made this game feel much more digestible.
LOSER – That near collapse
The Cavs picked up a flagrant foul and two technicals in a span of 30 seconds. Toss in a few turnovers, and I can only describe this moment with one gif:
Thankfully, things didn’t go as badly as they could have. The Cavs pulled themselves back together just in time for a great finish.
WINNER – Max Strus
This was shaping up to be a bummer of a game. Turnovers and defensive errors were going to result in a frustrating loss.
Then Max Strus happened.
Strus poured on 24 points on 6-10 three-point shooting, multiple coming in the crunch time of the fourth quarter. His off-ball activity made it so the Cavs always had a release valve — and his pairing with James Harden is seamless. Any time the Warriors overloaded on Harden, Strus made them pay.
On defense, he ramped up the intensity by being aggressive on box-outs and getting into his opponent’s chest. All of the tone-setting things you’d expect from a winner like Max.
“Big Shot Max,” said Kenny Atkinson after the game. “It’s just certain guys whose DNA is made, make or miss, it’s either a big shot or a big offensive rebound. That’s why, now that I know him better, it’s like we need him at the end of the game.”
The Cavs know what they have in Strus. That’s why he’s already back in the starting lineup and playing 28 minutes just a few games after returning from injury. This is a guy who can help you win on the margins, as he did tonight.
INGLEWOOD, CA - APRIL 2: De'Aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket during the game against the LA Clippers on April 2, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. 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 Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Stephon Castle’s heady leadership and playmaking, interspersed with highlight plays from De’Aaron Fox, Keldon Johnson, and Dylan Harper, turbocharged a decisive 21-5 ambush in the fourth quarter to thwart a Clippers comeback. Without the services of MVP and DPOY candidate Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio (59-18) weathered a good first half by Kawhi Leonard to hold the rest of the Clippers to a total of 31 points, and clinched their fifth winningest regular season – tied with the 2004-2005 edition.
San Antonio’s Fox (22 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists) saw to it that Wembanyama would not be missed tonight in the road win. Stephon Castle (20 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds), Devin Vassell (14 points and 10 rebounds[!]), and Julian Champagnie (13 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists) ensured perimeter domination, while Harper (19 points and 5 assists) and Johnson (13 points and 6 rebounds) excelled yet again off the bench. The only pockmark on an otherwise excellent effort for the Spurs was giving up a handful of careless turnovers, by their standards, which resulted in over a dozen LA points at the other end.
Leonard (24 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists), as he has since the James Harden trade, single-handedly kept the Clippers in the game for most of the first three quarters. John Collins (15 points and 6 rebounds) and Darius Garland (11 points) supplied secondary offense, while Benedict Mathurin (18 points and 6 rebounds) came on strong in the second half.
A brisk and evenly-played first quarter featured San Antonio’s Castle and Vassell scoring fluidly while the Clippers’ Leonard built quickly on his first make to amass 11 early points. The referees allowed a good amount of physical contact as a handful of no-calls occurred for both sides. Harper and Fox carried the production later in the period to help San Antonio catch and surpass LA, and Harrison Barnes 100% rewarded Fox’s kickout with a quarter-ending three to make it 33-25.
San Antonio continued its recent trend of building 20-point leads through Fox’s supreme quickness and their defense locking down any Clippers attempts around the paint. The Spurs assisted on most of their second period baskets, and after a soaring tip finish from Carter Bryant, led by 22. More importantly, San Antonio was able to keep Leonard from going further off. Harper’s desperation heave put the Spurs up 24.
San Antonio was stung by an older foe than the Clippers – the third quarter bug – as Leonard kickstarted an LA run to slice the large lead in half. LA put forth a far tougher defensive effort to halt the Spurs’ momentum. Coach Johnson ran out an undersized lineup late in the frame featuring Harrison Barnes at the 5, and a Leonard Miller lay-up brought the Clippers concerningly within 12. Mathurin’s and-1 shaved the deficit to single digits. Two pairs of Kornet free throws spanning the third and fourth periods – amidst a sea of Spurs’ missed outside shots – prevented further calamity from happening and they were fortunate to go to the fourth up nine.
Observations
‘Stop Hacking Me!’ Sequence of the Game: After drawing a foul on Kris Dunn late in the third period, Harper backed Dunn down deep into the paint and toss a feather over his head and earned an and-1 to make it 83-64.
Unofficially, this might be the best all-time Spurs roster ever at shooting from all points straightaway from the basket… Castle, Fox, Harper, Wembanyama…
In the event of a first-round match-up with the Clippers, the best on-ball defenders for Leonard: 1) Castle, 2) Champagnie, and 3) Bryant and Barnes (12 fouls baby!).
Castle keeps on getting unfairly hacked in the act of shooting, but denied free throw attempts that would typically go to more seasoned wingmen like Kyrie Irving or Steph Curry.
Fun with numbers: Halftime score last night against GSW 70-49 / Score with 10:00 left in the third against LAC 70-49.
OKC 127 Lakers 82 *statementgame
Sequence of the Game #1: Early in the second period, Fox lived up to his nickname and ‘swipa’-ed it from an unsuspecting Dunn to get himself a transition slam.
Sequence of the Game #2: Partway through the second quarter, ‘Beautiful Ball’ ensued one possession after Vassesll swished a catch-and-shoot three. The ball ping-ponged in a triangle formation from Castle (left wing) to Kornet (center) to Vassell (straightaway) for a triple.
Sequence of the Game #3: Take it away Jacob Tobey: “Dylan Harper puts it up… AND HE PUT IT DOWN AT THE HALFTIME BUZZER! THE YOUNG KID CAN DO ANYTHING!” Harper’s 41-foot buzzer beater caused Wembanyama to put his hands over his head incredulously.
Game Rundown
From the tip, Lopez swished a Pop-a-shot from 16 feet and followed it with another from the baseline. Castle patiently ran the Chris Paul high-pick-and-roll perfectly for a jumper, and fed Kornet for a Passenger 57 lob. Leonard’s first two midrange jumpers kept LA right at San Antonio’s heels; Castle went right back at him to do a Kawhi-like fadeaway. The Clippers followed Leonard’s lead to grab a 3-point advantage. Harper was at his slithery best as he willed his way to the rim and guided balls funkily into teammate’s hands. Fox’s kickout to Barnes for a wing triple helped the Spurs exit the quarter up eight.
Harper guided Lopez deep into the paint and hit a smooth stepback jumper, and Champagnie followed with a triple. Then Fox’s steal and score off Dunn and subsequent floater over the same guy ended a 9-0 run to start the second. Lopez’s awkward flailing tip started the scoring again for LA. Kornet stoutly defended the interior in those opening four minutes. San Antonio glided past the 50 point mark with over seven minutes left. The Spurs defended so well that Leonard tried to bait the officials into a call on Fox by throwing his arms out Harden-style (no call!). The Spurs soared into the half ahead 68-44.
Leonard continued his stellar shooting – outscoring the Spurs 8-5 to the start the third. Champagnie impressively muscled home a banker and followed it with a putback to keep the lead safely in double digits. San Antonio threw a few traps at Leonard to force it out of his hands. Johnson drew Lopez’s fourth foul halfway through the frame, and then bullied his way deep in the paint to score over both Lopez and Leonard. From there the well went completely dry for the Spurs, and the Clippers pieced together an impressive 34-19 third quarter.
For the Clippers fan’s perspective, please visit Clips Nation.
San Antonio takes on Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets Saturday afternoon at 2:00 PM CDT on Amazon Prime Video.
Feb 23, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) dribbles against Utah Jazz forward Kevin Love (42) in the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
Instead of talking solely about tonight’s opponent the Utah Jazz, I’m going to use this opportunity to talk about the teams in the lottery and discuss which team would win if the NBA rigged it and had their way.
We’ll go in reverse order of standings from the day this is written (April 2).
13. Miami Heat: I think the NBA would love to give a top 4 pick to Heat. It’s a big market and they’re kind of stuck right now. They’ve got some good pieces and adding Cam Boozer or AJ Dybansta (Darryn Peterson is not a “Heat Culture” guy) would make them quite the marquee team going into next season in the East. Still, their odds are too low and it would be too obvious if Adam Silver gave Pat Riley a top pick. Could they jump into the top 4? Maybe.
12. Portland Trail Blazers: Look, this is a good team. However, they’re still missing a superstar (apologies to Deni Avdija). Damian Lillard is coming back next year and that’s the story. And they’ve already tried the “Give the Blazers a top point guard and let Dame mentor him” thing and it didn’t work. I will say that giving them the top pick could allow the franchise to move on from the Chauncey Billups saga and get that player on television often since the Blazers could be considered contenders to finish in the top 6 in the West next season with a big addition in the draft.
11. Golden State Warriors: I think the Warriors will make the playoffs so they won’t have a shot here, but if they did, this is a tasty one for the league. They gave them a shot at LaMelo Ball and they took James Wiseman isntead, so they’ve failed at this before like the Blazers. But Steph, Jimmy, Draymond, and Boozer? Scary.
10. Milwaukee Bucks: If the Bucks win, we’ll know that Giannis is getting traded soon. This could be the NBA’s “Please trade him to a contender and we’ll give you the lottery” move. Milwaukee doesn’t own it’s own picks until like 2040 so this is their best chance for a while.
9. Chicago Bulls: Remember when the Bulls were 6-0 and actually looked like a good team? Yeah. Putting another star in Chicago would have the league drooling, but the Bulls have proven their ineptitude over and over since the Derrick Rose days.
8. Memphis Grizzlies: The Grizzlies also own Orlando’s pick at 14 if that turns into anything. The Grizzlies are clearly in rebuild mode after trading away Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. Both netted great returns and the Grizz have a chance to really good in five years. The top pick could kickstart that window. Dybansta or Peterson here would be great, but would suck as a fun of a Southwest Division team. I think they move into the top 4. This team and fanbase need something because the relocation whispers are going to get louder if they don’t show glimpses quickly.
7. Atlanta Hawks (via New Orleans Pelicans): The Hawks are good, and they have their franchise player in Jalen Johnson. They won the lottery recently and Risacher has been okay but averaged under 20 minutes a night in March. Does the league want to reward a team that just tried to pull of “Magic City Night?” I think not.
6. Dallas Mavericks: If the Mavs win the lottery again, we’ll know that Nico Harrison had assurances that they would when he traded Luka Doncic. Remember the “Now you see the vision” comments after they won the lottery last year? And suddenly, that trade would look slightly better (still awful, but less so). Pairing Duke boys Boozer and Cooper Flagg would be terrifying for a decade. Dybansta and Flagg would also be scary since it would give them two initiators and ball-handlers. It would also solve Dallas’s immediate need for a point guard, but so would Kingston Flemings, Darius Acuff Jr., or Keaton Wagler.
5. Utah Jazz: The league does not want to see the Jazz get the top pick this year after their blatant tank job. This would be the NBA’s worst nightmare and next season we would see teams at the bottom go even harder than Utah did this year. It would set a terrible precedent. No chance.
4. Sacramento Kings: Speaking of fanbases that deserve some hope, the Kings had one magic season after two decades of futility just to lose to the Warriors. The “Light the Beam” stuff was fun, but the Kings have proven that they’ll probably just surround their top pick with current members of the Chicago Bulls. Cam Boozer and Josh Giddey, anyone?
3. Indiana Pacers: Now we’re getting somewhere. The Pacers are already ready to be contenders next season with Tyrese Haliburton’s return. Team him and Pascal Siakam with Boozer or Peterson? That’s a contender in the East. But the Pacers were also fined for unethical tanking like the Jazz, so I think the league wouldn’t mind them slotting somewhere in the 3-6 range (and getting a really good player in this loaded draft).
2. Brooklyn Nets: I was tempted to write the Nets off after they drafted five players in the first round last year and none have produced. Egor Demin has shown flashes, but their best rookie in terms of analytics has been Malachi Smith, who has played nine games and wasn’t drafted and is on his second 10-day contract. Still, it’s tantalizing to put the top pick in New York and get some buzz back in the Big Apple’s lesser team.
And finally, at 1. Washington Wizards. The Wiz are bad, BUT there are some fun ideas to go with giving them the top pick. Alex Sarr is a good NBA player, and Kyshawn George has shown signs of being good. Next year, they’ll add Anthony Davis and a full year of Trae Young. They could draft any of the potential top picks and have clear minutes for them on day 1. Dybansta is probably the flashiest addition, but Peterson works here too in certain situations.
This a draft unlike several others recently where there’s been one star at the top and then some question marks afterwards. In this draft, there’s a clear top 3, then there’s a solid 3 or 4 after that that could be really good. So half of these teams are going to get a player with a lot of upside to excite their fanbases, but I think if the league is rigging this, it goes like this:
Dallas (if it was already agreed upon)
Washington
Milwaukee
Golden State
Brooklyn
Obivously, that’s not a draft order but you get it.
