CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - APRIL 02: Mark Williams #15 of the Phoenix Suns looks on against the Charlotte Hornets during their game at Spectrum Center on April 02, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Phoenix Suns starting center is out for tonight’s elimination game against the Golden State Warriors with left foot soreness, Phoenix Suns Insider Duane Rankin reports. According to Rankin, Williams’ left foot “flared up” in the second half of Tuesday’s 114-110 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers and contributed to why he didn’t play in the fourth quarter.
Williams missed nearly a month this season, dealing with a left foot injury after remaining mostly healthy throughout the year, averaging 12 points, eight rebounds on 64% shooting from the field. Expect Oso Ighodaro to start in his place tonight at the five, as the Suns face elimination with a loss. Grayson Allen is also listed as questionable. The guard and forward missed Tuesday’s game with a left hamstring strain.
Suns injury update: Mark Williams (left foot soreness) OUT.
Grayson Allen (left hamstring strain) QUESTIONABLE.
If the Suns win, they’ll be the Western Conference’s eighth seed and face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs with game one on Sunday. Tonight’s game tips off at 7:00 local time and will be the fifth time the two teams play each other this season. Golden State won three of the four matchups.
With their season-ending loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday night at Mortgage Matchup Center, the Warriors now shift their focus to an offseason full of questions.
Perhaps the biggest of them is the potential return of coach Steve Kerr, whose contract has now expired.
Kerr, who has won four titles as Golden State’s coach, has offered little insight into whether or not he would like to remain in his current role.
His postgame comments Friday didn’t provide much more of a hint, but it appears a decision should come fairly soon.
“My plan is to take a little time, I don’t know,” Kerr told reporters. “Take a week or two and eventually sit down and talk with [owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy]. We’ve always had a great partnership and collaboration and just see where they are and I’ll tell them where I am, and we’ll talk about what’s next for the Warriors, what the plan is this offseason. And we will come to a collaborative decision on what’s next.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen. I still love coaching, but I get it. These jobs all have an expiration date. There’s a run that happens. When the run ends, it’s sometimes it’s time for new blood and new ideas and all that. If that’s the case, then I will be just nothing but grateful for the most amazing opportunity any person could have to coach this franchise, in front of our fans in the Bay and to coach Steph Curry and coach [Draymond Green] and the whole group. So, it may still go on. It may not. I don’t know at this point. But we all need to step away a little bit and reconvene.”
Steve Kerr shares his plans for the future with his contract set to expire at the end of the season pic.twitter.com/IXM0NnKunl
It sounds as though it will be a collaborative decision as to whether or not Kerr returns, based on his words. Kerr, who will be 61 by the start of the 2026-27 NBA season, has been Golden State’s coach since 2014.
He did rule out one thing, though, when asked about walking away from Curry: coaching another NBA team.
“That’s part of the equation, right? I mean, I don’t want to walk away from Steph,” Kerr said. “I’m definitely not going and coaching somewhere else next year in the NBA. I would never walk away from Steph, but all the stuff has to be aligned and right. So, those are all discussions that we’ll have.
“That’s what I said from the beginning of the season. I felt great coming into this year. I thought we had a real chance. With Jimmy [Butler] and Moses [Moody] going down, obviously it took us off track. But we have to account for all that stuff. This is just a pheromonal organization, and Joe is a great owner, and Mike is a wonderful GM, and I’m lucky to work with them. Like I said, we’ll all put our heads together in the next couple weeks.”
Near the end of Friday’s loss in the play-in tournament, Kerr shared an emotional moment with Curry and Green, when he stated he’s unsure “what’s going to happen next.” It was a vivid image that indicated Warriors fans already might have seen the last of that historic trio together in action.
J.B. Bickerstaff, who orchestrated a dramatic turnaround in Detroit from a 14-win team a couple of seasons ago to the No. 1 seed in the East this past season, has been voted Coach of the Year by his peers.
Bickerstaff won the Michael H. Goldberg Coach of the Year for 2025-26 from the National Basketball Coaches Association.
"I'm extremely honored to receive this recognition from my coaching peers," Bickerstaff said in a statement accepting the awards. "None of this is possible without the many people I've been blessed with along my journey, beginning with my dad, who has always been my inspiration for wanting to get into this profession, and my family for their love and support. I also owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to all the coaches I've worked with and learned from throughout my career."
Detroit went 60-22 this season to grab the No. 1 seed in the East, despite Cade Cunningham missing 11 games late in the season with a collapsed lung. The Pistons got there thanks to the second-best defense in the league this season.
It should be noted that this award is different than the NBA's official Coach of the Year award (voted on by select members of the media), but because this one comes from other coaches, it is maybe more meaningful for the winners. This coach's award is also a bellwether for the NBA's official award, with seven of the last nine winners picking up both COY honors.
Boston, MA - April 10: Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, Payton Pritchard, Nikola Vuevi and Jaylen Brown head to the bench for a timeout in the first quarter. The Celtics played the New Orleans Pelicans at TD Garden on April 10, 2026. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers are set to meet for the 23rd time in the NBA playoffs on Sunday, reigniting one of the league’s most historic rivalries. To coach Joe Mazzulla, this Sixers team in particular presents a challenge for the C’s.
“Philly’s a great team, as you saw throughout the season, and to get to this point with all the injuries that they’ve had and to be where they are now, it’s gonna be a tough test for us,” Mazzulla told reporters at Friday’s practice, per CLNS Media. “We gotta be ready for it.”
To secure a playoff spot, the Sixers overcame the challenge of turning a shorthanded roster into a contender. Both Joel Embiid and Paul George played less than half of the regular season, forcing coach Nick Nurse to adapt. Guard Tyrese Maxey inherited the No. 1 role, averaging a career-high 28.3 points across 70 starts, while rookie V.J. Edgecombe averaged 16 points on 43.8 percent shooting in 75 starts.
Obviously, playing without two of your top three players isn’t ideal. However, as Mazzulla explained, the Sixers managed to find a silver lining in what many would consider a throwaway season.
“With those guys out throughout the season, their role players have been able to develop into big-time roles,” Mazzulla said. “With the way (Kelly) Oubre’s playing, (Andre) Drummond has been playing, (Adem) Bona has gotten better and better, (Quentin) Grimes off the bench — so I think they’re a very, very well-balanced team. I think they’re playing some of their best basketball as they get healthier and healthier, and obviously they’re a well-coached team.”
BOSTON, MA – MARCH 1: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 1, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Philadelphia snuck into the play-in tournament and defeated the Orlando Magic on Wednesday without Embiid, who underwent emergency surgery last week after being diagnosed with appendicitis.
For the time being, there isn’t a definitive timetable for Embiid’s return. Nurse announced Friday that Embiid is officially ruled out for Game 1 against the Celtics and didn’t address whether a return at any point throughout the series is still in play.
Drummond, in his 14th season, came off the bench and notched a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double in 31 minutes during Philadelphia’s play-in victory. He and Bona combined for six blocks against Orlando, helping fill the void of Embiid’s absence in a way the Celtics will have to account for in Round 1.
“Those other guys have developed to impact winning, and they’re a well-balanced team because of that,“ Mazulla added.
It’s a similar situation to what Boston dealt with, playing its first 62 games without Jayson Tatum. The Sixers went 21–23 without Embiid, but the ups and downs allowed others to figure out what Nurse would need from them in order to succeed. Nurse admitted after their win over the Magic that the process “wasn’t pretty,” but it was still enough to get the Sixers to this point and give themselves a chance.
Twice in the regular season, Nurse’s Sixers beat Mazzulla’s Celtics across four meetings. Philadelphia was without Embiid in two of those games and did not have George in any of them.
The Celtics have the upper hand in having not played since their regular-season finale this past Sunday. Their starters, all of whom sat out, haven’t played since last Friday. With plenty of time to rest and prepare, Mazzulla is focused on making sure Boston begins its postseason run the right way.
“Game 1s of any series are always important,” Mazzulla said. “You want to get off to a great start. You want to have your game plan right. You want to have your sub-pattern right. You want to be able to execute. You want to make sure all the things you’ve been working on all week are there.
“At the same time, every series takes on a life of its own. So we want to be at our best by Game 1, but we also want to be in the mind frame of however long it takes, we’re gonna sit in this. We’re playing against a great team, so whatever we have to do, we have to be ready to do it.”
“I don’t know what’s going to happen next, but I love you guys to death. Thank you,” Kerr told them, as he put his arms around the two players with whom he won four NBA championships over 12 seasons.
“I appreciate you,” Green responded, shortly before he was ejected due to a verbal spat with Suns star Devin Booker.
Friday night could be the last time we see Kerr, Green and Curry together for an NBA game in their current roles.
Kerr, 60, just finished up the last season of his contract as Golden State’s coach, and his future is yet to be decided.
In his postgame presser, Kerr offered little more clarity, saying he’ll spend the next week or two reflecting before meeting with the Warriors’ ownership and front office to make a decision.
Steve Kerr on his coaching future with the Warriors: “I don’t know what’s going to happen. I still love coaching. But I get it. These jobs all have an expiration date.”
Meanwhile, Green has a player option for the 2026-27 NBA season, and Curry has one more year left on his contract.
If this is the last of this trio, it certainly wasn’t a storybook ending to their partnership. But it definitely is a union that will go down as one of the most influential in NBA history.
Los Angeles, CA - April 12:Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick meditates on the bench before a game against the Utah Jazz at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, CA on Sunday, April 12, 2026.(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
However, beyond that, nothing is certain. So, Lakers head coach JJ Redick stressed at Friday’s practice before Game 1 that the goal remains the same: extend the season so that Luka and Austin have something to come back to.
“The mindset for our team, and for those two guys, we’re going to try to make this season as long as possible, so that we can get those guys back at some point,” Redick said. “We don’t know when that is. That’s our job, and their job is to do everything they can to be in a position to come back at some point. It may not work. But that’s what we’re trying to do.”
To win playoff games shorthanded, it’s going to take a total effort from the purple and gold. Some keys the team has identified have been outrebounding Houston, limiting turnovers and establishing physicality from the jump.
Players like Rui Hachimura and Marcus Smart have also stressed the importance of winning Game 1 and protecting their home-court advantage.
The Lakers worked all season to be a higher seed, and even with Reaves and Dončić out, they can’t be crestfallen. The ultimate goal of winning a title is still on the table, and until it’s off, there is a chance.
LA doesn’t have many experts who believe they can overcome the odds, and they’ll be underdogs in this series. However, the rewards of extending their season are massive. Luka and Austin don’t have serious injuries, relatively speaking.
So, if the Lakers can buy them some time, they can still return and pick up right where they left off. It feels like ancient history, but when the Lakers were healthy in March, they went 15-2 and were one of the hottest teams in the NBA.
There’s still a chance that we see that team again this postseason.
The biggest question is whether LA can win enough to bring back that iteration of the Lakers. We’re going to begin finding out this Saturday when their series against Houston begins.
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves high-five after a Doncic three-pointer against the Nuggets. The injured guards are hopeful of returning to the lineup during the first round of the playoffs against the Rockets. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The elephant in the room for the Lakers as they enter the playoffs has been, and will continue to be, the status of their starting backcourt, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Both are out because of injuries — Doncic with a grade 2 left hamstring strain and Reaves with a grade 2 left oblique strain — and neither is expected to play in the best-of-seven, first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets that begins Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at Crypto.com Arena.
After practice Friday, coach JJ Redick was quick to say “there’s not” when asked about an update on Doncic and Reaves.
After Doncic and Reaves were injured on April 2 at Oklahoma City, the Lakers said both would be out until the end of the regular season. According to people not authorized to speak on the matter, both are expected to be out four to six weeks.
Doncic went to Spain to get treatment, and Reaves has been working diligently in L.A., with the hope that they can return sooner.
The Lakers miss their combined output of 56.8 points, 13.8 assists and 12.4 rebounds per game. Doncic led the NBA in scoring (33.5) and was third in assists (8.3); he was second on the Lakers in rebounding (7.7).
During the week of practice, Reaves was around his teammates and seen shooting after a few practices. He appeared to be in good spirits. Doncic was supposed to be back by Friday.
"We love having Austin here and we're glad he is in a position to do his return-to-play [work], however long it takes with us,” Redick said. “Excited to get Luka back and be around the group. Austin and I talk just about every day about different things. So he's … just being a part of this. …
"The mindset for our team and for those two guys, like we're gonna try to make this season as long as possible so that we can get those guys back at some point. We don't know what that is, and that's just our job. And their job is to do everything they can to be in a position to come back at some point. It may not work, but that's what we're trying to do.”
The theme of the Lakers' week at practice was to “elevate” their work.
Yes, they won’t have Doncic and Reaves, but that didn’t mean the Lakers couldn’t work harder.
When they worked on box-out drills in preparation for the way the Rockets attack the offensive boards, the Lakers went hard. When they watched film and had practice sessions, the Lakers worked with a purpose.
"The word we've used all week is 'elevate.' I think that's what it is,” Redick said. “We all know the playoffs are different. They're harder. There's no easy matchups, and you have to be able to elevate your play. But beyond that, it's elevating your recovery, your attention to detail, your preparation.
"I talked about that with my coaches as we started this week on Monday morning. It was an off day for the guys, but we were in there for six hours and we've all collectively gotta elevate. And particularly when you're missing two of your top guys, part of elevating is elevating each other and the belief that the group as a whole can be great.”
The Rockets are a tough and rugged team that is good on defense and at rebounding.
They ranked fourth in the NBA in points given up (110.0) and tied for fifth in opponents' field-goal percentage (46.0). They were tops in rebounding (48.1) and offensive rebounds (15.0).
That has the Lakers’ attention and is why they worked so hard during practice.
“It’s been great. The level of focus and attention to detail, the communication, everything has been elevated,” forward Jarred Vanderbilt said. “We’ve got a lot of guys that’s been to the playoffs and know what it takes.
"Like you said, everything elevates around this time and having a veteran group that’s kind of been there and had a taste of the playoffs, we all know what it takes to win games in the playoffs. It’s everybody going out and doing their job and paying attention to the game plan.”
Brazilian Oscar Schmidt, a Basketball Hall of Famer and the Olympic basketball scoring king (1,093 points), has died at age 68.
In a statement reported by Brazilian media, Schmidt's family noted that he battled a brain tumor the last 15 years "with courage, dignity, and resilience, remaining an example of determination, generosity, and love for life. Recognized for his brilliant career on the court and his remarkable personality off it, Oscar leaves a legacy that transcends sports and inspires generations of athletes and admirers in Brazil and around the world."
In five Olympics from 1980 through 1996, Schmidt averaged 28.8 points per game over 38 total games played.
That included a 42.3-point-per-game showing at the 1988 Seoul Games and a 24-point performance against the Dream Team in 1992 (a 127-83 defeat).
"There was not a shot that I don't like," he said.
Brazil's best Olympic finish in that span was fifth.
“I was the top scorer in the Barcelona Olympics even with the Dream Team there," Schmidt, nicknamed "Mão Santa" (Holy Hand), was quoted as saying.
Schmidt tallied 304 more points than the Olympics' second all-time leading scorer — Australian Andrew Gaze — and more than twice as many points as the U.S.' all-time leading scorer, Kevin Durant (518).
In the 1987 Pan American Games final, Schmidt scored 46 points — 35 in the second half — as Brazil rallied from a 20-point deficit to upset a U.S. team of college stars in Indianapolis. He called it his greatest achievement.
"The Brazilian sport, unfortunately, is saying goodbye to a great name, but I'm sure that his story will never be forgotten," Brazil Olympic Committee Marco Antonio La Porta said, according to a translation. "More than results and medals, Oscar represented values that define the Olympic spirit: dedication, overcoming, respect for the opponent. In each competition, he took with him not only talent, but also inspiration for all who believe in the transformative power of sport and the Brazilian flag in their hearts. His legacy lives on on the courts and hearts he touched along his journey. May your memory continue to motivate new generations to dream big and compete with honor. Your story, immortalized in the COB (Brazil Olympic) Hall of Fame, will remain in our hearts. Rest in peace Holy Hand. Your legacy will never be forgotten."
The 6-foot-9 Schmidt is largely considered the best player never to play in the NBA. He was drafted in the sixth round by the New Jersey Nets in 1984 but never joined the league.
"I say thank you very much (to the Nets), but if I play one game here, I will never play with my national team never more," Schmidt said in his 2013 Basketball Hall of Fame induction speech, noting international rules at the time when NBA players were not allowed in the Olympics.
A young Kobe Bryant, growing up in Italy, was awed by watching Schmidt play in that league on TV. In 2016, Bryant compared Schmidt to Dirk Nowitzki, "but he can do things that Dirk Nowitzki can't," Bryant said.
"He's out there scoring 45 points, 47 points and, as a kid, I was just extremely curious on how the hell that's possible," Bryant said. "He could just do it all. He was a great shooter, but he could handle the ball. He could get to the spots on the floor and play with a lot of passion, too."
The Post’s experts give their Knicks-Hawks predications:
Stefan Bondy
The Hawks have playoff unknowns in Jalen Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu and Dyson Daniels, so their reaction to the pressure — and to the intense atmosphere of Game 1 at MSG — is a wild card. They could rise to the occasion. They could shrink. Either way, the Knicks are more talented and that will carry them to victory.
Prediction: Knicks in 6
Zach Braziller
This won’t be easy. Like the Pistons in the first round a year ago, the on-the-rise Hawks will give the Knicks problems, stealing Game 2 at MSG and forcing a winner-take-all Game 7. In the end, Jalen Brunson and Co. do just enough to advance.
Prediction: Knicks in 7
Nickeil Alexander-Walker of the Atlanta Hawks and Josh Hart of the New York Knicks go after a loose ball during the game on April 6, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NBAE via Getty Images
Jared Schwartz
The Knicks almost certainly got a harder matchup with the surging, upstart Hawks than they would’ve with the Raptors. The Hawks are athletic, long, fast and full of belief. But much of their rise came against lowly opposition. And the Knicks should be far more talented with far more experience. The Hawks can hang around, but the Knicks should put them away with relative ease.
Prediction: Knicks in 5
Mike Vaccaro
Maybe I’ll be proven wrong but I don’t buy the Hawks’ late-season surge as anything much more than the byproduct of fortunate scheduling. I try to find an area that I’d give the Hawks the advantage. I don’t see one.
There was the steal on Jayson Tatum in the final seconds to seal Game 2 of that series.
New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) reacts after scoring during the fourth quarter when the New York Knicks played the Indiana Pacers Tuesday, February 10, 2026 at Madison Square Garden. Robert Sabo for NY Post
There was his game-tying tip-in with 35.1 seconds left in Game 6 of the first round against the Pistons, a game in which he scored 25 points.
“Playoffs are fun and real amped up and a lot of aggression, a lot of thinking,” Bridges told The Post earlier this month. “It’s just fun being in those games. The crowd and everything just goes up another level. So it’s always fun playing playoff games. Just trying to do whatever it takes to win.”
Does he feel like he raises his game in the postseason?
“I would want to,” Bridges said. “I feel like every player would want to. I just try to be the best I can be and try to do whatever it takes to help the team win.”
Bridges is on the receiving end of more criticism than anyone on the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns is probably a close second, but Bridges tops the list, given the five first-round picks the Knicks traded to get him.
His regular-season output — offensively, at least — has not matched that trade haul. But he’s been vocal about sacrificing offensively for the betterment of the team.
New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) when the New York Knicks practiced Friday, April 17, 2026 at Madison Square Garden Training Center in Greenburgh, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post
It’s something that Josh Hart voiced support for to The Post, claiming that Bridges could score more if he got more shots, but that’s not what he’s been asked to do.
Coach Mike Brown has been clear in the offensive hierarchy — Jalen Brunson first, Karl-Anthony Towns second, everybody else after that. And usually it’s OG Anunoby coming in third, so that makes Bridges the fourth option.
If that’s what you compare him to — the different fourth options around the league — rather than his trade compensation, his output looks much stronger.
“Sacrifice for your brothers,” Bridges said after practice Friday. “… Putting your body on the line, doing whatever it takes to make the play to help your teammates out.”
Fourth option or not, Bridges has shown the ability to make game-changing plays regardless of how he performs beforehand. On a veteran Knicks team, he has as much playoff experience as anyone.
“That’s kind of what I’ve known,” Bridges said. “It’s kind of my DNA.”
That’s because Green, along with Suns star Devin Booker, was ejected after the two exchanged heated words in the game’s closing moments.
The Warriors forward already had fouled out of Friday’s game at the 1:06 mark in the fourth quarter. During the ensuing dead ball, Green and Booker earned a double technical, but that didn’t appear to put an end to their jawing. Just after the ball was inbounded — only two seconds of game time later — referee Scott Foster tossed them both.
Once Foster directed him to the showers, Green immediately responded by imitating his ejection, before egging on the antagonistic Phoenix crowd as he walked to the locker room:
It was a frustrating night for Green, who finished with as many points as turnovers (five), in addition to his six personal fouls and a minus-13 rating.
Shortly before his exit, Green shared an intimate moment on the court with coach Steve Kerr and teammate Steph Curry, the three longtime tenets of the Golden State dynasty over the last 12 seasons.
In some ways, it’s a fitting end to the Warriors’ 2025-26 season, one that had some hope, but also was filled with injuries and plenty of other maddening moments.
The epilogue of this agonizing Warriors’ season came Friday night and, appropriately, was a microcosm of their regular season, with a hail of turnovers and several players displaying visible signs of discomfort.
Stephen Curry gritted his teeth long enough to play 36 minutes, scoring 17 points, with Brandin Podziemski producing a team-high 23. Kristaps Porzingis, questionable with right ankle soreness until an hour before tipoff, limped through 15 minutes to score 11 points before retiring for the night.
The Warriors head into the offseason while the Suns advance to play a first-round playoff series against the defending champion and top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.
Here are three takeaways from a night that spins the Warriors into an offseason rife with questions in search of solutions:
Warriors lose the battle of No. 2s
With Curry and Suns star Devin Booker, the featured performers for their teams, basically offsetting each other, the outcome rested on which team would get the most production from its No. 2 scorer.
The Suns won that contest in a runaway. Jalen Green blistered the Warriors for a game-high 36 points on 14-of-20 shooting from the field, including 8 of 14 from beyond the arc. Playing 39 minutes, he posted a plus-21.
Green’s eight triples nearly equaled Golden State’s total of 11 and made him the central figure in the Suns posting a decisive advantage in 3-point makes (18-11).
No one on the Warriors came close. The three players, aside from Curry, to score in double figures were Podziemski, Porzingis and De’Anthony Melton (16 points).
Curry’s 17 points came on 4-of-16 shooting from the field, including 3 of 10 from distance, and Booker finished with 19 points on 5-of-12 shooting from the field, including 0 of 4 from deep.
The Warriors this season put forth countless sour first quarters, but they might have bottomed themselves in this game.
The first five minutes alone featured six Golden State turnovers, including three by Podziemski; Gui Santos losing his dribble without pressure, Porzingis missing a dunk and Curry dribble-driving out of bounds.
By the time the buzzer sounded to end the quarter, the Warriors had committed nine turnovers, giving Phoenix 13 free points; shot 30 percent from the field, including 11.1 percent from distance; been outscored 8-0 in transition, and were trailing by 18 (33-15).
With a symphony of poor shooting, botched possessions, curious decision-making and charitable donations, Golden State dug itself a massive hole and spent the next 36 minutes playing from behind and never catching up.
When it was all said and done, the Warriors committed 20 turnovers and the Suns scored a staggering 30 points off those giveaways.
The two Podziemskis
No player on the Warriors gets more public love and hate from the fan base than Podziemski, who, in this game, exhibited a masterclass demonstration of things to love and hate.
It’s easy for Dub Nation to be pleased by the Podziemski, who delivered a terrific second quarter that was crucial in keeping the Warriors within distance of the Suns. He contributed 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field, including a 3-pointer, and three rebounds. He was plus-14 over 11 minutes.
It’s not so easy for the fan base to enjoy the Podziemski, who committed two turnovers in a 13-second span immediately after and impetuously tried a solo fast break against three defenders and failing in what the Golden State coaches consider a “shot turnover.” He did not record an assist.
In addition to his 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the field, including 3 of 5 from deep, Podziemski grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.
The final game of the 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament is here with a “win to get in” matchup between the No. 10 Golden State Warriors and the No. 7 Phoenix Suns for the Western Conference’s No. 8 seed.
Despite creating an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter against Portland, the Suns let their lead, the win and the No. 7 seed slip away. A Suns loss today could lead to a first for the Play-In tournament — since this format was introduced in 2021, a No. 7 seed has never dropped two consecutive games to fall out of the bracket entirely.
The Warriors advanced into today’s game with a 126-121 win over the Los Angeles Clippers in which they erased a 13-point fourth quarter deficit and didn’t lead at all in the second half until an Al Horford 3-pointer with 2:12 left in the game.
Warriors vs. Suns: what to know
What: NBA Play-In Tournament
When: April 17, 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET
Where: Mortgage Matchup Center (Phoenix, Arizona)
Streaming: Prime Video (try it free)
The winner of tonight’s matchup officially becomes the Western Conference’s No. 8 seed and will face the No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs, tipping off Sunday, April 19.
Warriors vs. Suns start time:
Tonight’s (April 17) Warriors vs. Suns play-in game tips off at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET on Prime Video.
How to watch Warriors vs. Suns for free:
The NBA Play-In Tournament, including tonight’s Warriors vs. Suns matchup, is streaming exclusively on Prime Video, so you’ll need an Amazon Prime subscription to watch the game.
If you aren’t a Prime Video subscriber yet, you can get started with a 30-day Amazon Prime free trial, including Prime perks like the Prime Video streaming service, free two-day shipping, exclusive deals, and more. After the free trial, Amazon Prime costs $14.99/month or $139/year.
PRIME VIDEO
PRIME FOR YOUNG ADULTS
All 18- to 24-year-olds, regardless of student status, are eligible for a discounted Prime for Young Adults membership as well, with age verification. After a six-month free trial, you’ll pay 50% off the standard Prime monthly price of $14.99/month — just $7.49/month — for up to six yearsand get all the perks.
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 18: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors reacts to a three-point shot against Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns during the first half of the NBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center on December 18, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors will determine the fate of their season Friday night as they face the Phoenix Suns in the second round of the Play-In Tournament. Tip-off is set for 7:00 PM PT in Phoenix and can be watched on Prime Video.
The Warriors kept their season alive on Wednesday night with a 126-121 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. Los Angeles led for most of the game, but Golden State never let it get out of reach as they responded to every run to stay within striking distance.
Trailing by six entering the fourth quarter, the Warriors flipped the game behind a huge stretch from Al Horford, who knocked down four straight threes to swing the momentum in Golden State’s favor.
When it mattered most, the Warriors turned to their stars to close it out. Steph Curry delivered with a clutch three-pointer as part of his 35-point night to give Golden State the lead. Draymond Green, meanwhile, came up with several key defensive stops, including two big steals in the game’s final moments to seal the victory.
The Warriors’ season hangs in the balance Friday night, and the biggest question for them will be health. Kristaps Porzingis is the primary concern after scoring 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting against the Clippers, as he’s now listed as questionable with ankle soreness.
Expectation as of this hour from the Warriors is that Kristaps Porzingis should be able to play tonight despite the ankle soreness that has him questionable pic.twitter.com/6YGvuxHyAM
Another storyline to monitor is the matchup with Suns forward Dillon Brooks. Golden State has plenty of history with Brooks, and he’s already made it clear he’s looking forward to the matchup against the Warriors’ stars.
"I think it matters to some people like myself. I would like to see the Warriors."
Dillon Brooks on prepping for Warriors and Clippers as they played last night.
With both teams fighting to keep their seasons alive, tonight’s game is expected to be physical. For the Warriors, the key will be maintaining their composure and avoiding any emotional letdown after Wednesday’s win. Golden State went 3-1 against Phoenix during the regular season, so if they can match the urgency and focus they showed against the Clippers, they should be able to punch their ticket to the postseason.
Playoff basketball is back at the Garden on Saturday as the New York Knicks open their first-round series against the surging Atlanta Hawks.
With each team looking to land the first punch, my Hawks vs. Knicks predictions expect Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Atlanta to turn Game 1 into a thriller.
Following the All-Star break, the Atlanta Hawks boasted the seventh-best offensive rating (119.8), second-best defensive rating (109.5), and third-best net rating (10.3). Given the team’s recent success and advantage from the perimeter, I’ll take the Hawks to cover a modest spread on the road.
The New York Knicks closed out the final 10 games of the regular season with the slowest pace in the Association, while Atlanta ranked 15th. Both teams finished with Top-12 defensive ratings and didn’t give up many points down the stretch. This one could get chippy, so I’ll bet on defense and pace dictating the final score.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker has reached 21+ points in 10 of his last 14 games, and he also lit up the Knicks for 28 points per game across his last three matchups against them, scoring 21+ in each. Don’t expect Alexander-Walker to regress in the playoffs.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
