INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 01: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers takes a selfie with fans after the game against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on December 01, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers will look to sweep the season series against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday evening.
The Pacers have one of the worst records in the league, and given the convoluted protections on their first-round pick in the upcoming draft, they could benefit from being at the bottom of the standings.
Even though Indiana has an incentive to lose games, they’re still capable of winning. In the last week and a half, they’ve beaten the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat, while coming close to taking down the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers.
Considering how the Cavs haven’t exactly handled their business against other teams they’re more talented than in recent weeks, this one could be closer than we anticipate at the onset.
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TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports App, NBA League Pass
Point spread: Cavs -17.5
Cavs injury report: Evan Mobley – OUT (left calf injury management), Jarret Allen – OUT (knee injury management), Sam Merrill – OUT – (hamstring injury management), Jaylon Tyson – OUT (toe), Dean Wade – OUT (ankle)
Pacers injury report: Tyrese Haliburton – OUT (Achilles), Pascal Siakam – OUT (ankle), Johnny Furphy – OUT (ACL), T.J. McConnell – OUT (hamstring), Andrew Nembhard – OUT (back), Aaron Nesmith – OUT (neck), Ben Sheppard – QUESTIONABLE (hip), Obi Toppin – PROBABLE (foot), Jarace Walker – QUESTIONABLE (tailbone), Ivica Zubac – OUT (rib)
Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Keon Ellis, Max Strus, Thomas Bryant
Pacers expected starting lineup: Ben Sheppard, Quenton Jackson, Kobe Brown, Obi Toppin, Jay Huff
Instead of sitting in his office in the Michigan basketball locker room to prepare for the Wolverines' Final Four game vs Arizona at 8:49 p.m. ET, May was instead courtside scouting the Illinois-UConn semifinal.
Dusty May here courtside scouting the first half of this game.
The Wolverines would play the winner of the first semifinal if they prevail in the second semifinal on Saturday, April 6, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
May told TBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson that with the quick turnaround, he "wanted to see things live, especially because he's not that familiar with UConn." He added he wanted a fresh perspective on the Huskies, and that this was "much better than sitting in the back."
DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 40 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds, Christian Braun added 21 points and the Denver Nuggets beat San Antonio 136-134 in overtime Saturday to snap the Spurs’ 11-game winning streak.
Cameron Johnson scored 17, Jamal Murray finished with 15 points and 10 assists and Aaron Gordon scored 15 for the Nuggets.
Gordon scored with 6.2 seconds left in regulation to tie the game, then forced Victor Wembanyama into a miss on the final shot of regulation.
Wembanyama finished with 34 points, 18 rebounds, seven assists and five blocked shots for the Spurs, who lost for only the third time in their last 30 games.
Stephon Castle scored 20 points for San Antonio, while Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie each scored 18 for the Spurs.
Castle’s three-point play midway through the second quarter put the Spurs up 57-44, that 13-point margin the biggest that they would hold all afternoon.
Wembanyama scored with 9:08 remaining to put San Antonio up 107-96. The Spurs were 48-2 this season in games where they held double-digit leads in the fourth quarter.
They’re 48-3 now — with two of those losses against the Nuggets, who rallied from a 13-point deficit in the fourth to beat San Antonio on March 12.
Denver held San Antonio to 33% shooting the rest of the way, outscoring the Spurs 40-27 in the final 14 minutes of the game including overtime.
Jokic had 16 of his points in those final 14 minutes, while Denver held Wembanyama to 1 for 4 shooting in that span.
When asked after the team’s Saturday practice at Southern Methodist University if he wanted to clarify comments he made about Memphis during an appearance on the “Bob Does Sports” show, in which he suggested the Grizzlies should be relocated to Nashville, James pointed out that Memphis wasn’t the only city he was critical of.
“I said Milwaukee as well,” James said. “I’m 41 years old, there’s two cities I do not like playing in right now: that’s Milwaukee and that’s Memphis. I don’t like going home either, s–t, and I’m from there. People are ridiculous. They also get mad at my son being on the team, too.”
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James reacts during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
While appearing on the YouTube show, James was asked about whether in-season travel wears on him, with the Lakers star acknowledging it does.
“A random f—ing Tuesday in Milwaukee, staying at the f—ing Hyatt at 41 years old; you think I want to do that s–t?,” James said on the show. “Being in Memphis on a f—ing random ass Thursday? I’m not even, like, the first guy to talk about it in the NBA. We’re all, like, ‘You guys have to move.’ Just go over to Nashville. You’ve got Vanderbilt over there. You’ve got the f—king NASCAR. You’ve got a stadium. Don’t they got a hockey team, too? They’ve got everything.”
"Did I say I don't like Black people?…I'm 41 years old. There's two cities I do not like playing in. That's Milwaukee and that's Memphis. I don't like going home, either. S–t, and I'm from here." – LeBron James when asked if he wanted to clarify the comments he made on Bob… pic.twitter.com/St9X9ebyTM
James’ comments were widely criticized, especially from those in Memphis, citing Memphis being one of the more densely-populated cities of Black people (by percentage of population) compared to other NBA cities.
“Did I say I don’t like Black people? No,” James said.
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He added: “I’m not talking about the city, like the people in Memphis. I don’t like staying at the Hyatt Centric. What’s wrong with that? Nothing. What are we talking about? What are we talking about? People need to chill the hell out.”
Memphis Mayor Paul Young responded to James’ original comments by inviting him to his city.
“I would welcome the chance to turn your criticism into action in one of the most important cities in the world,” Young wrote in Facebook post, which included ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith and Kendrick Perkins complimenting Memphis. “Come to Memphis and roll around with me for a bit and I will show you some of the culture and powerful investment opportunities in our City. Let’s do something epic in one of the largest majority Black cities in the nation!”
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid, who will not play the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night, said Friday night he was angry at Philadelphia 76ers management for not allowing him to play in Washington on Wednesday.
He was out for Saturday’s game with “right oblique; injury management; (and) illness.” He has not played in both games of a back to back all season.
Embiid was ruled out Wednesday due to an illness. He replied to a reporter’s post on social media that listed him as out by saying that he planned to play. He later posted, “I guess they won’t let me play basketball.”
“I was pissed off. I wanted to play basketball,” Embiid said. “I wasn’t allowed to play basketball, so I think this is more of a question of Daryl Morey or whoever makes the decisions.”
Embiid scored 26 points in 34 minutes in a 76ers loss Monday in Miami. He was not listed on the injury report but told reporters that he was ill. “Physically, I just was not in it."
He said he had a short night’s sleep before Wednesday’s 153-131 win over the Wizards and wasn't at a morning film session, after which he was ruled out.
“I found out online that I wasn’t playing that night,” Embiid said. “That kind of caught me off guard.”
Embiid was listed as doubtful on Thursday’s injury report for Minnesota, but played 34 minutes, totaling 19 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.
Sixers coach Nick Nurse said he wasn’t concerned with the situation, praising Embiid for his play Friday.
“We handle it by keeping things basketball-related,” Nurse said Saturday before facing the Pistons. “He was at shootaround yesterday; he was excellent in the game yesterday, was really a great teammate and focused and all that stuff yesterday. So we just try to keep it all basketball-focused.”
Embiid has played 37 games this season, sidelined primarily by injury management in his knees. He’s averaged 26.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.
The 32-year-old center missed 13 games after straining his right oblique on Feb. 26 against Miami.
SAN FRANCISCO — Steph Curry swapped out a green-and-gold snapback for a navy blue Red Sox hat, changed from his baggy gray cargo pants into sweats and walked across the Warriors’ locker room to Kristaps Porzingis and dapped up the Latvian big man.
Then, he left the building.
Steph’s newest sidekick has yet to share the floor with him, but those handshakes should soon be taking place on the hardwood. The next time Curry enters Chase Center on gameday, the hope is that his street clothes aren’t the main attraction.
“Even from afar, I was always amazed. It was a nightmare to play him,” Porzingis said. “But he was one of those players, you can’t get mad because you look at it, and it’s like, ‘Wow. What can you do?’ Now, to actually be his teammate? That’s going to be pretty cool.”
Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors celebrates a basket shot by Jimmy Butler III Getty Images
Golden State’s 118-111 loss to the Cavaliers on Thursday is expected to be the last of a 27-game absence with a knee injury that has kept Curry sidelined since Jan. 30.
In that time, the Warriors have gone 9-18 and more or less locked themselves into the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference. They also acquired Porzingis, the kind of partner with the ideal combination of size and spacing to pair with the all-time 3-point king.
The 7-foot-3 center pulls from 30 feet as casually as Curry and provides a potentially lethal pick-and-roll partner. In two months since being acquired from the Hawks, Porzingis has gotten his own health problems under control, but he’s still only gotten to know Curry off the court.
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Considering the prospect of finally sharing the floor together, Porzingis could hardly contain his excitement in a brief interview at his locker with The California Post, shortly after his exchange with Curry.
“He draws so much attention. And not only does he draw the attention, with the attention already on him, he’s so effective and so good,” Porzingis raved. ”Like, he’s so good. One of the best players, like, ever. It’s unreal, the things he has done on a basketball court.”
Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis attempts a shot over Denver Nuggets guard Julian Strawther. Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Curry, 38, participated in his second 5-on-5 scrimmage in three days before Thursday’s game, and coach Steve Kerr said, “He looks like Steph Curry.” He will be reevaluated this weekend, and the Warriors have not set anything in stone, but word that Curry was targeting Sunday’s home game against the Rockets for his return had clearly made it around the locker room.
There’s been a noticeable shift in the mood around the team from the doldrums that dominated following the losses of Curry and Jimmy Butler. They can see light on the horizon.
“He brings hope to a tough situation,” Kerr said. “When Steph’s around, the vibe tends to be better, and it’s definitely better right now.”
While the Warriors have five games remaining starting Sunday, Kerr will likely have four at most to determine how best to deploy Curry, Porzingis and potentially Al Horford, too, before attempting to make a playoff run from the bottom seed in the play-in.
Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors celebrates after a three point shot. Getty Images
In addition to an expected minutes restriction as he returns to game action, Curry will likely sit one half of their last remaining back-to-back, next week against the Lakers and Kings.
“Hopefully we can develop a semblance of a rotation and figure out exactly who we want to play with whom and that sort of thing,” Kerr said Wednesday. “We do have a season full of information that will help us with that, but with Kristaps’ arrival, Steph hasn’t played with him. So we would have to decide, are we starting Kristaps? Are we starting Al? How much can we play Kristaps and Al together? Where does Draymond fit in that group? Which one is he better with? Those are the type of things that we’re thinking about, along with the backcourt rotation.”
Horford, 39, is still recovering from a calf strain that has cost him the past 11 games. Porzingis, for his part, told the Post that he is “getting there, but I still have a good ways to go” in regards to his health and conditioning and has “levels” he hasn’t reached yet.
Health troubles have prevented Curry from sharing the court with another teammate: His brother. Seth Curry is also trending in the right direction after a bout with sciatica.
“I know that’s one of his motivating factors for getting out there, to get us out there on the court together,” Seth Curry said. “I want to get out there with him at least one time and experience that.”
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry reacts after getting fouled while scoring. Robert Sabo for NY Post
The only person yearning for Curry’s return more than his teammates is probably Steph himself. Despite no structural damage, the absence has drawn on longer than all but two others in his 17-year career. The “unpredictable” nature of the injury — runner’s knee, which can flare up if not given the proper rest — has resulted in a few false starts.
But his knee reacted positively enough to his return to practice earlier this week that Curry wanted to go public. Fans were treated to his famous pregame warm-up, in full, before the Warriors hosted the Spurs on Wednesday.
Kerr said he believed the decision was “purposeful.”
“Instead of shooting downstairs, I think he wants to feel the crowd. And show the crowd that he wants to come back,” Kerr said. “So that’s the hope.”
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 09: Jalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons celebrates a dunk by Cade Cunningham #2 (not pictured) against Andre Drummond #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Xfinity Mobile Arena on November 09, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Detroit Pistons return to action tonight against a Philadelphia 76ers team that was kind enough to dispatch the Minnesota Timberwolves in their previous game, and with the added benefit of that game being Friday, and thus facing the East’s top team on the second half of a back-to-back. That means the Sixers will be playing without Joel Embiid, who has played pretty well in his four games since a long absence to injury. The Sixers will have both Paul George and Tyrese Maxey, however.
None of those players was available the last time these two teams faced off, a 131-109 Pistons blowout in which the Sixers were so bereft of big men that they trotted out Dominick Barlow as a starting center. Jalen Duren played only 14 minutes in that game but scored 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds. The Sixers have a bit more size suiting up tonight, including former Piston Andre Drummond, but Duren’s game also seems to have hit another gear lately. We will see what Duren, who played high school ball in Philly and grew up 45 minutes away in New Castle, Delaware, has in store for his return to his “hometown” team.
Game Vitals
When: 7 p.m. ET Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Watch: Detroit TV20, FanDuel Sports Network Detroit Odds: Pistons -3.5
Apr 2, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) falls to the court during a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the third quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Luka’s injury alone was going to cause widespread ripple effects for the Lakers. Add Austin to the mix and everything is disrupted.
Austin is set to miss 4-6 weeks, which covers the whole first round and part of a second round series, if somehow that happens. The typical recovery time for a Grade 2 hamstring strain would rule Luka out for the first round and, similarly, jeopardize his availability for a second round series.
Those timelines feel like a formality now, though. Austin and Luka are out for the first round of the playoffs and, barring a miracle, the Lakers will be, too.
Where does that leave the purple and gold, then, moving forward, both in the short and long term?
Playoff seeding
The Lakers have five games remaining in the regular season and are not locked into a playoff seed yet. While it went under the radar last week, LA did clinch a playoff spot, meaning the play-in is out of the question.
The standings are still tight, however, with LA one game up on Denver and two games up on Houston in the fourth and fifth spots, respectively. Minnesota has taken a nosedive and is four games back of the Lakers in the sixth seed, so there is a floor for LA to fall.
The Lakers also don’t have a particularly daunting schedule, sans another meeting with Oklahoma City on Tuesday. They will play at Dallas on Sunday, the Thunder on Tuesday, at Golden State on Thursday, at home against Phoenix on Friday and at home against Utah to wrap up the season.
Having said all that, making matters worse on Saturday was Denver beating the Spurs at home, pulling them closer to the Lakers. They will still play San Antonio and Oklahoma City one more time each in its final four games.
As for Houston, they play at Golden State and Phoenix before hosting the Sixers, Wolves and Grizzlies to end the season. While they’ve won five games in a row, the only win against a non-tanking team in that span was the Knicks.
It feels likely that the floor for the Lakers will be the fifth seed, though there is a worst-case scenario of LA going winless and Minnesota going undefeated, dropping them all the way to sixth.
MIAMI, FLORIDA – MARCH 19: Austin Reaves #15 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers speak during the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on March 19, 2026 in Miami, Florida. 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 Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Postseason match-up
Remember the 2013 playoffs? I wouldn’t blame you if you memory-holed that series against the Spurs in which the Lakers lost player after player after player.
In the fourth and final game of that matchup, LA started Darius Morris and Andrew Goudelock in the backcourt with Earl Clark at small forward. Chris Duhon played 43 minutes off the bench.
The playoffs this year are going to resemble that a little too closely.
LA still has talented players available, but this team is going to be so drastically different from the one in the regular season that it’s going to be hard to win a game. LeBron is going to have to go from third fiddle to carrying the offense again, something he may not even be able to do at 41.
A whole lot of role players who had spent months learning how to play alongside Luka now are going to have drastically different roles. Players who probably shouldn’t be relied upon for offense are going to need to score to even be competitive.
In that sense, it feels irrelevant who they play in the first round now because of how outmatched they’re going to be. Success for this team is going to look more like being competitive and maybe stealing a win, which is a damn shame considering where this team was even at the start of the week.
Offseason plans
The summer is going to be full of decisions for the Lakers and they’re now going to have to make them without seeing the best version of this team in the playoffs.
In fact, with the injuries they dealt with during the season, the sample size of the recent, idealized version of the Lakers is about a dozen games. It was a really good dozen games, but it was also a dozen games that ended in a dismantling by the Thunder.
The playoffs were supposed to serve as the big stress test for the team to learn if this really worked, particularly against the top teams, and where they needed changes. We’re not even going to get a glimpse of that now with so many players likely being slotted into unfamiliar roles in the postseason.
Instead, the front office will have to make decisions this summer with an incomplete data set.
Is it worth bringing LeBron back this summer or is it time to rip off the band-aid? Do they need another center this summer? Two new centers? How do some of the Lakers’ role players set for free agency hold up in the playoffs alongside Luka like Rui Hachimura or Luke Kennard?
These are all questions this front office won’t have fully satisfactory answers on, which is what makes this injury such a gut punch.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MARCH 30: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the Chicago Bulls on March 30, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs came up short in one of their final tests of the regular season, ending their win streak at 11. The Nuggets are battle-tested, deploying the top offense in the NBA, and they were the better team in the crucible.
Nikola Jokić feasted in the lane, but the Spurs couldn’t be stopped from getting there, either. It also helped that they kept their groove going in most of the non-Victor Wembanyama minutes, and the Nuggets weren’t as strong with Jokić resting. Still, it was a close game that required overtime, and the difference was the Spurs losing control and going cold after Jokić checked in for the last time.
Observations
This is as good as it gets to a playoff appetizer. Thirteen 3-pointers came in the first quarter as both teams showed high-level horsepower and the level of physicality increased as the game went on. The stakes were high for both teams as the Spurs had a chance of catching the first seed, and the Nuggets are trying to maintain home-court advantage in round one of the playoffs.
The Nuggets had the Spurs on the ropes in the third quarter, and they survived thanks to Julian Champagnie, Wembanyama and Stephon Castle putting the offense on their shoulders. The three of them combined for seven baskets in that span, yet the Nuggets went on a big run late in the period with them on the bench, cutting the Spurs’ lead to four going into the fourth quarter. The Spurs took advantage of the non-Jokić minutes, but the script flipped, and they were put in too many scrambles.
Nikola Jokić is the best player in the world, and making him work on defense is a necessity because he doesn’t want to guard anybody. The Nuggets tried to hide him on the smaller players, but the Spurs did a good job of going at him.
Wembanyama and Castle each had two fouls in the first quarter, but they didn’t let that affect their aggression and they continued charging into the paint. Wembanyama’s activity generated 11 of his 17 free throw attempts in the first half. On top of that, his presence was a big reason why the Nuggets struggled to score in the lane. Still, Jokić outplayed him in crunch time.
Christian Braun was the guy the Spurs left open to clog the lane, and he made five 3-pointers. Despite the production, he was the right player for the Spurs to try that against because he’s been awful on open and wide-open attempts this year.
Jokić took an accidental smack to the face by Wembanyama in the first quarter, and then took a shot to the upper chest by Keldon Johnson late in the second. He usually comes out like a madman after getting battered and bruised, and he finished with 40 points on 52 percent shooting.
The Spurs have been almost unbeatable when they score at least 70 points in the first half. After this loss, their record drops to 15-3.
De’Aaron Fox had five baskets in the fourth quarter, but he made a huge mistake, causing a four-point play by lunging at a shooter, which cut the team’s lead to two points late in the game. He also missed some critical shots in overtime.
Michigan basketball has been an indomitable force in the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament, marching its way to the Final Four with four victories that were decided by an average of 22.5 points per game.
While their triumphs have been the product of hard, diligent work from players and coaches, one figure has loomed particularly large in the Wolverines’ path to a 35-3 record.
Yaxel Lendeborg has been an overwhelming driver for Michigan in his first season with the program. After averaging a double-double in each of the previous two years at UAB, the 6-foot-9 forward was the prize of last year’s transfer portal haul, choosing Dusty May and the Wolverines over a number of other extremely interested suitors.
Lendeborg has more than lived up to the hopes that greeted him in Ann Arbor, earning first-team All-American and Big Ten player of the year honors for a Michigan team that’s two wins away from its first national title since 1989.
Lendeborg’s do-everything success on the floor has made him a figure of intense interest not only for college basketball fans, but NBA front offices who will be vying for his services during the 2026 NBA Draft.
As his team prepares to play fellow No. 1 seed Arizona in the Final Four on Saturday, April 4, here’s a closer look at Lendeborg:
Yaxel Lendeborg age
Lendeborg is one of the older players in this year’s Final Four. The Michigan standout is 23 years old and will turn 24 in September, ahead of what will be his rookie season in the NBA.
Yaxel Lendeborg draft
Lendeborg is widely regarded as a lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Here’s a look at where various mock drafts have the Wolverines star going:
This season, Lendeborg is averaging 15.2 points, seven rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Since the first round of the NCAA tournament, he’s been even better, averaging 25 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while shooting 61.4% overall, including 52.6% from 3-point range in Michigan’s past three games.
Here’s a look at his stats from this season:
2023-24 (UAB): 13.8 points per game, 10.6 rebounds per game, 2.1 assists per game, 2.1 blocks per game, 0.7 steals per game, 51.3% on field goals, 33.3% on 3s
2024-25 (UAB): 17.7 points per game, 11.4 rebounds per game, 4.2 assists per game, 1.8 blocks per game, 1.7 steals per game, 52.2% on field goals, 35.7% on 3s
2025-26 (Michigan): 15.2 points per game, 7 rebounds per game, 3.3 assists per game, 1.3 blocks per game, 1.2 steals per game, 52% on field goals, 37% on 3s
At halftime of the Lakers' loss to the Thunder on Thursday, both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were checked out by the Lakers' medical staff. Doncic appeared to tweak his hamstring in the first half, Reaves had been grabbing his back and left side, clearly bothered by something. Both were cleared to play and return.
Less than six minutes into the second half, Doncic suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain and is out not only for the start of the regular season but also very likely for the start of the playoffs. Now comes this:
Austin Reaves has suffered a Grade 2 oblique strain and is out for the remainder of the regular season, the Lakers announced Saturday. Like Doncic, Reaves will likely be out for the start of the playoffs — Reaves is expected to be out 4-6 weeks, reports Shams Charania of ESPN, which would have him out not only for the first round of the playoffs but potentially the second round as well.
Oblique strains are more common in the MLB where the avg time lost is ~46 days.
In the NBA, the avg time lost for nondescript oblique strains is ~16.7 days. High grade oblique tears have an avg time lost ~9 weeks. Look for Reaves' possible return to fall somewhere in-between.
Reaves is the Lakers' second-leading scorer and a key shot creator for the team, averaging 23.3 points and 5.5 assists per game.
Reaves is an unrestricted free agent after this season but is widely expected to re-sign with the Lakers. The only question is how much, but it's likely going to be close to a $35 million-per-season average.
Without Doncic or Reaves, 41-year-old LeBron James becomes the primary scorer and shot creator for Los Angeles, something the future Hall of Famer can handle, but not with the consistency he once did. With Doncic and Reaves thriving during the recent Lakers run — they had gone 13-1 in the games prior to facing OKC — LeBron had settled comfortably into a role as the third option. Now, all that changes.
The Lakers sit as the No. 3 seed in the West, just half a game in front of the Nuggets and two games up on fifth-seed Houston. If the Lakers struggle through the final week of the season they could slide down the standings and into a tougher matchup (maybe even starting the playoffs on the road).
MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 04: Bub Carrington #7 of the Washington Wizards dribbles the ball against Pelle Larsson #9 of the Miami Heat during the second quarter at Kaseya Center on April 04, 2026 in Miami, Florida. 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 Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Once again, the Wizards offered little resistance on defense.
A couple nights ago the Philadelphia 76ers scored 153 in regulation over the little defense the Wizards offered. As the game today evolved the only interesting question seemed to be whether the Heat will break that threshold or not. At halftime, the Miami Heat were right on pace: scoring 77 points. If they could match that in the second half, they would arrive at 154!
Alas, the Wizards did not come out of the locker room after half-time with any more determination, as they ceded 45 points in the 3rd quarter alone. But maybe one of those patented “comebacks from behind” in the 4th quarter?
Nah, with 6 minutes left in the 4th, the scoreboard showed 118-140 for the hosts, as they were on pace to break the 153 threshold!
But, at last, the Wizards were able to keep the Heat to only 30 points in that final frame, and as the game ended the scoreboard proclaimed 136-152 in favor the Heat.
Some bright spots for the Wizards were:
Will Riley was the best starter in terms of plus/minus, with only -3. Actually, he played well. Made 12 of his 17 field goals, and scored 31 points in 37 minutes! It’s probably much thanks to him that the loss was only by 16 points.
Also, Sharife Cooper and Jamir Watkins were great in garbage time, with 20 (3-for-5 from deep) and 14 (2-for-4 from deep) points each.
For the Heat, Jaquez Jr. had 32 points in 32 minutes, off the bench! Did we already say candidate for 6th man of the year?
The Wizards now head to Brooklyn for another matinee game, tomorrow.
This week’s Dallas Mavericks centeric poll centered around the NCAA Men’s Final Four. Yes there’s still plenty of NBA basketball on (and perhaps you could and should go make a wager on NBA Rookie of the Year, now that Cooper Flagg has potentially recaptured momentum), but I think most of our fans are thinking ahead to the NBA Draft lottery and the draft itself.
Which means you’re considering prospects. And if the lottery goes chalk, there are a lot of guys playing this weekend that Dallas might consider. The first question asked about guards and who you were going to follow on Saturday and/or Monday.
This is within line of what I expected Keaton Wagler is a late riser and some that’s easy to get excited about when you watch his game. Brayden Burries is probably a safer pick given his skillset, but hes very exciting. I assume we have some UConn fans taking the poll as Braylon Mullens doesn’t do it for me.
The next question was about Final Four Big men. There were others I could’ve chosen, but these three seeemed to be the most well known.
I have to hope Mavs fans are watching Yaxel Lendeborg because he’s on a good team. I would be very upset if Dallas drafted a guy that’s four years and two months older than Cooper Flagg. Koa Peat is an interesting player, I’m not sure what he’s good at. Krivas is a wishlist guy for me, with that second first-round pick or a trade-up.
Then we get to these questions from the national poll, which you can also sign up for.
The first poll centered around the East’s Play-In teams. It seems that fans do not believe in any of them. A reasonable take.
This second question was asked before Luka Doncic got hurt. I think it’s too low. The awards are going to end up with weird ballots that don’t tell the story of the year. It’s silly.
This one’s also weird. Not sure why 6 in 10 fans think the NBA can incentivze differently than what’s already been done. Teams that want to lose will find a way to do so.
Reaves has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury and he will miss the Lakers' five remaining regular-season games, according to ESPN. The combo guard is expected to be out for four to six weeks, ESPN's Shams Charania reported.
Reaves has had his best season with the Lakers after joining the team as an undrafted rookie signing in 2021. In his fifth season in Los Angeles, Reaves averaged a career-high 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.1 steals. His shooting splits are 49% on field goals, 36% from three and 87% on free throws.
Reaves appeared in their most recent game, a 139-96 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2. Reaves scored 15 points on 5-of-9 shots and 3-for-3 on free throws in 27 minutes in the loss. Los Angeles also lost their star guard, Luka Doncic, when he left the game and was later ruled out with a strained hamstring.
The Lakers' five remaining games of the 2025-26 regular season are against the Dallas Mavericks, Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz.
Los Angeles has a 50-27 record and is currently at the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference standings to determine the playoff matchups. They are a game ahead of the Denver Nuggets. The NBA postseason begins April 14 with the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament.
Reaves is expected to become an unrestricted free agent in July 2026.
Austin Reaves injury timeline
Reaves was having a career season before his injury. It wasn't the first time he was kept out of the action due to bodily limitations.
Reaves missed 19 consecutive games earlier in the season with a Grade 2 left calf strain that he injured on Christmas Day against the Houston Rockets. Prior to his calf injury, Reaves was averaging 26.1 points, 6.0 assists and 5.2 rebounds.
That was his second calf injury. Reaves had just returned, having missed three straight games for the Lakers, from Dec. 14-20, due to a calf strain.
Lakers remining schedule
Here is who the Lakers face in their remaining five games in the 2025-26 regular season.
Sunday, April 5: Dallas Mavericks
Tuesday, April 7: Oklahoma City Thunder
Thursday, April 9: Golden State Warriors
Friday, April 10: Phoenix Suns
Sunday, April 12: Utah Jazz
Lakers playoff matchups
If the NBA playoffs began today, the Lakers would be the No. 3-seed going against the Minnesota Timberwolves, who would be the No. 6-seed.
Last year, the Lakers faced Anthony Edwards and the T'Wolves in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Minnesota bounced them winning the series in five games, 4-1. This year would seem to have a similar outcome, especially if Los Angeles is without its stars, Doncic and Reaves.
The Lakers only have a game lead over the Nuggets and a two-game lead over the No. 5-seed Rockets. Los Angeles doesn't have the No. 3-seed locked in just yet. They can still slide down within the next five games.
If they slide down one spot, they could face the Rockets in the first round with home-court advantage. However, if the Rockets climb up and the Lakers move down, it's Houston that would have home-court advantage. Either way, it would set up possibly one last postseason matchup between LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
The Lakers and Nuggets could face each other in the postseason for the fourth time since 2020. It's unlikely the Lakers drop to a No. 6 seed, so this matchup would be in the event Houston bolts to third, while Los Angeles and Denver jockey for home-court advantage at the No. 4- and 5-seed matchup.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves, left, passes the ball over Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell in the second half at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The Lakers will be without their starting backcourt for the rest of the regular season — five more games — after Austin Reaves was diagnosed with a Grade 2 left oblique strain on Saturday.
Lakers coach JJ Redick said Reaves underwent an MRI exam on his left olbique/rib area.
The team learned earlier this week that Luka Doncic has a Grade 2 left hamstring strain and will be out for the remainder of the regular season — and perhaps beyond. Grade 2 strains often take four to six weeks to heal.
The Lakers are also dealing with an injury to guard Marcus Smart, who has missed the last six games because of a right ankle contusion and will be sidelined for the game Sunday at Dallas.
“It's it's lingering soreness in the ankle,” Redick said.
Even with all of this, Redick said the Lakers’ “mission hasn’t changed.”
“We want to get the third seed and we want to win a first-round series,” Redick said.
The Lakers are the third in the Western Conference, but Denver, Houston and Minnesota are within striking distance. The Lakers hold the tiebreaker over all three.
They'll try to hold on to the No. 3 seed over the final five games of the regular season without Doncic, who leads the NBA in scoring (33.5 points per game) and is fourth in assists (8.3), and Reaves, who is averaging 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds.
Each player was injured in the first half of a blowout loss on Thursday to Oklahoma City but returned to play in the second half.
“I know Luka's gonna do everything he can to get back on the court,” Redick said. “We don't know what this recovery timetable looks like."
The Lakers likely will have to lean more on LeBron James, a role the 41-year-old is more than willing to take on. James has been designated the third option behind Doncic and Reaves yet has still averaged 20.6 points per game, 6.9 assists and 6.0 rebounds in his 23rd season.
“It probably is going to look a little bit differently with Luka being out,” James said after practice. “I'll figure that out and then, obviously, the coaches will figure it out as well.”
The Lakers are making the mental adjustment of playing without Doncic. After the Mavericks, they'll have tough games against Oklahoma City, Golden State and Phoenix before finishing against lowly Utah on April 12.
“I mean, it’s a challenge for us,” James said. “It’s always got to be a next-man-up [mentality]. But there’s no way you can replace that type of impact. So, it's going to be a collective group. We all have to figure out a way to do a little bit more. But even now, you got to be even more tightened up on the things that we do. When you lose a special player like that, you can't have as many mistakes. So, we got to figure that out.”
For Redick, speaking for the first time since news of Doncic’s injury, he had to check on the temperature of his team to make sure his group was in the right space.
The practice Saturday on the campus of Southern Methodist helped.
“I think making sure that everybody's in the right frame of mind, first of all, and then you know we worked on just offensive stuff, just cleaning up some stuff and being really explicit with what we want to run,” Redick said. “Did some offensive breakdown. It was definitely more of an offensive day.
"We did work on defense to start the practice, but that's again that's the primary sort of focus. How do we score, how do we score efficiently, and our defense again is, it's we're interchangeable. We've been interchangeable now for two-and-a half-months.”
James controversy
James created a bit of controversy when he said on “Bob Does Sports” YouTube video that Memphis should relocate to Nashville.
“I’m not like the first guy to even talk about it in the NBA. We all like, ‘You guys have to move. Just go over to Nashville," James said.
James, when asked if he wanted to clarify his remarks, then mentioned Milwaukee also as one of his least favorite cities.
“I said Milwaukee as well,” James said. “I’m 41 years old (and) there's two cities I do not like playing in right now — and that's Milwaukee and that's Memphis. What is your problem with it? I don't like going home [to Cleveland,] either. … And I'm from there. People are ridiculous. They also get mad at my son [Bronny James] being on the [Lakers] team, too.
"So, what are we talking about? People need to figure out other ways to put their energy to other things that's important. Like, seriously? I'm not talking about the city, like the people in Memphis. I don't like staying at the Hyatt Centric [hotel]. What's wrong with that? Nothing. What are we talking about? What are we talking about? People need to chill the hell out.”
