Category: NBA

Sorry for the late post. But chat about today’s NBA playoff games here!

Starting and finishing the second half to reach the 30-minute mark for the first time as a Celtic, the 35-year-old Nikola Vučević found himself in unfamiliar territory.

Vooch was part of a clutch time win in the playoffs.  

“It’s what you want to do as a professional athlete: Be in these moments, be in big games, be able to deliver for your teammates,” he said. “So, it was a good win, but now we’re on to the next one.”

One more win in this series would match Vučević’s postseason wins for his career before joining the Celtics, but his last win to technically reach the clutch time 5-under-5 threshold came in 2022, when the Bulls led by five with 18 seconds to go against the Milwaukee Bucks. Prior to that, he played in a true back-and-forth clutch game in 2019, when Orlando upset the Toronto Raptors in Game 1 of the first round before losing four straight to the eventual champions. 

The unfamiliarity isn’t in the fact that he reached those clutch opportunities; it’s that, for the first time in his NBA career, it’s with a team that’s expected to win those games. And since he was acquired at the trade deadline, he’s been expected to play a part in reaching those expectations.

With Neemias Queta starting the game in early foul trouble and finishing the night with four fouls in 13 minutes, it opened the door for Vučević to handle the bulk of the big man work load, finishing the night with a well-rounded statline of 11 points (4/10 shooting), 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks. 

“I thought Vooch stepped up for us big time tonight on both ends of the floor,” Joe Mazzulla said after the game. “Anybody we put in has a chance to help us win, so we’ve got to keep that going.”

In the fourth quarter, a corner three less than 90 seconds in and a drive and kick pass to an open Jayson Tatum for his first of two clutch threes played their part in the Game 3 victory. 

Out of the gate in the third quarter, Boston ran a unique action to get Vooch involved in what would become a game he’d feature heavily in. With Maxey matched up on Sam Hauser, the Celtics worked him into an off-ball action, running an inverted pindown with Hauser setting a screen for Vooch to curl around. With Maxey left alone on the 6’9” big man, it forced Adem Bona to help, leaving an open kickout to Hauser for a tone-setting three out of the break. 

It’s not an action you see often for the big man. What you will see is a heavy dose of pick-and-pop basketball, particularly with Andre Drummond as his matchup. In this game, Vučević was the shooter Philly often decided to play off of, leaving him unmanned on his pop outs, instead opting to keep Drummond closer to the paint, or outright committing to cutting off Tatum or Brown’s drives. 

This first quarter three from Vooch is a good indication of the way Philly sold out to protect the paint. As Brown drives, he sees strong-side help from Maxey and from Drummond. It’s a smart kickout from JB, and the 76ers lived with these kinds of attempts all night. 

Vooch made an impact offensively, but surprisingly, it was his defense that was the highlight of the night. While not a high bar to clear, it was by far Vooch’s best defensive outing in a Celtics uniform. 

After a heavy dose of drop pick-and-roll coverage in Game 2 that dared the Sixers to beat them from the outside, the Celtics didn’t go completely away from the drop, but they mixed in more up-to-touch coverage, more off-ball stunts when they went with a drop, and an added wrinkle of more of ice coverage to push the ball away from the middle of the floor. With Vooch playing off the ice coverage, he handled his own, keeping the ball in front of him even with the risk of an open paint. 

By funneling the ball to the side and forcing it away from the middle of the floor, it makes things easier on the off-ball defenders keeping track of where the ball goes next, and forces more baseline shot attempts or ball relocations. 

Maxey had a few instances where his ability to pass and relocate gave Philadelphia a fresh look to reset and find better scoring avenues, but compared to Game 2, the Celtics did a better job making them work for the shots they wanted. 

Credit should go to Vooch for his foot work and hands filling passing lanes during these iced screens, but it’s important to note the way Derrick White, Jordan Walsh and Brown all adjust their positioning and ride the back of the ballhandler to provide pressure from behind and in front of the ball. 

In crunchtime, Vooch did have a few defensive possessions where his screen defense was a little too high on the ball, with one instance putting him out of position as Drummond rolled into an easy dunk to cut the Celtics lead to one with 2:19 to play. In another late-game possession when Paul George broke containment and got into the paint, Vooch committed hard to contest the drive, leaving Drummond open again for a layoff opportunity. 

If we’re putting a grade on his overall defensive performance, something like a solid B feels accurate. Some familiar miscues, but otherwise good screen defense and better-than-usual rim protection.

This wasn’t the heroic, immortalizing performance that Vučević’s 15-year career has been missing, but it was a well-rounded effort at a crucial time. 

To call Friday’s Game 3 win for the Lakers over the Rockets improbable would be quite the understatement. Down six without the ball and just 30 seconds left, LA somehow forced overtime before coming away with a win that puts them firmly in the driver’s seat in the series.

It’s a win that required a lot of resilience. Even before the final seconds, the Lakers had to withstand a Rockets run throughout the second half to even be within touching distance late.

Then, in the final seconds, they needed a bit of magic from Marcus Smart before coming up with another late steal to shock Houston. It was all a bit wild and required a lot of belief…

….belief that only existed because it was the playoffs, if you ask a maybe-too-honest Rui.

Look, Rui’s not wrong necessarily, but this is one of those things you don’t admit publicly. I’m pretty sure if head coach JJ Redick saw this clip, it might give him an aneurysm.

In Rui’s defense, there was basically no chance of them winning the game when LeBron missed his 3-pointer with 36.4 seconds left. At that moment, according to ESPN’s win probability chart, the Lakers had a 2.7% chance of winning, which still seems high.

Fortunately, Smart didn’t have quite the same mentality as Rui in that moment.

Jokes aside, the Lakers have been a remarkably resilient bunch this season, both in the big picture and small picture. They’ve battled through injuries all season to even be at this point in the series.

It’s not one of the best teams Lakers fans have seen, but it is one of the most memorable because of that trail alone.

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The Los Angeles Lakers came through with a clutch victory in Game 3 to take a commanding 3-0 lead, and the Houston Rockets will look to stave off elimination when they host Game 4 at the Toyota Center tonight.

Marcus Smart has been excellent this postseason, and my Lakers vs. Rockets predictions call for him to keep the momentum going as LA advances to the Western Conference semifinals.

Here are my best free NBA picks for Game 4 on Sunday, April 26. 

Lakers vs Rockets prediction

Who will win Lakers vs Rockets Game 4?

Lakers: The Houston Rockets dropped Game 1 without Kevin Durant, but Houston couldn’t get back on track with their superstar forward on the court. Durant sat out Game 3, and the Rockets came within 30 seconds of getting in the win column.

Two careless turnovers from Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard led to six quick points from Marcus Smart and LeBron James in the final seconds of the contest, and Houston is facing an insurmountable 0-3 deficit. Any fight that Houston had left is gone, and the Lakers will take the series. 

Lakers vs Rockets best bet: Marcus Smart Over 16.5 points + assists (-110)

Marcus Smart has played tremendously well since returning from a nine-game absence. He logged 18 minutes off the bench in his return, and he’s started four straight games dating back to the season finale.

Smart has been instrumental in the Los Angeles Lakers’ postseason success, and I expect that to continue in Game 4.

Through the first three games of the series, Smart has averaged 28.6 points+assists while logging 36 minutes per game. His usage has increased from 15.1 in the regular season to 23.5 in the postseason.

He finished with 23 points + assists in Game 1 and followed it up with 32 and 31 in Games 2 and 3, respectively.

Smart was instrumental in the Game 3 come-from-behind victory, stealing the ball and knocking down three free throws to cut the lead to three, eventually leading to a LeBron James game-tying triple in the final seconds of regulation.

The Houston Rockets' defense has been poor and undisciplined in the postseason. The Rockets have surrendered the third-most free-throw attempts (28.7), third-most assists (26), and the highest three-point percentage (46.1).

Houston’s 110.3 defensive rating ranks 10th, and the team has allowed the eighth-most points (106.7).

Smart has averaged 8.3 assists and knocked down 8-of-16 triples through the first three games of the series, and the matchup with Houston sets him up favorably to have another successful performance as a scorer and facilitator.

Lakers vs Rockets same-game parlay

The Rockets are in total disarray after squandering a late lead in Friday’s Game 3. The Lakers could take their foot off the gas and wrap up the series at home in Game 5, but getting James some rest would be ideal. 

I expect the Lakers to put the final nail in the coffin of a highly dysfunctional Rockets season.

The Under has hit in four of six head-to-head matchups between these two teams, but I fully expect the Lakers to take care of business in this one and put up more than enough points to push this one to the Over.

After Friday’s 220-point total, the number has moved up just two points to 207.5, making it a value selection.

Lakers vs Rockets SGP

• Marcus Smart Over 16.5 points + assists
• Lakers +5.5
• Over 207.5

Our "from downtown" SGP: Team Effort!

It’s time to put the Rockets out of their misery and wrap up the series early. The Lakers will surely value rest for the players who fought through the series while they anxiously anticipate the return of Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic.

Father Time's undefeated record is certainly in question, as LeBron James’ fingerprints are all over this series. King James has hit the Over on this line in three straight, and he ended the regular season with 40+ PRA in three of four contests.

James knows what it takes to close the series out, and I expect another big game.

Rui Hachimura finished Friday’s win with 22 points, and he’ll look to build on that performance in Game 4. Hachimura has started eight straight games, averaging 16.5 points along the way. He’s scored 15+ in four of those eight.

Like Rui, Luke Kennard has started eight straight games. In that span, he’s averaged 15.6 points and scored 13+ six times. Kennard has really come alive in the playoffs, averaging 21.3 points across the first three games of the series.

Lakers vs Rockets SGP

• Lakers moneyline
• LeBron James Over 39.5 points + rebounds + assists
• Marcus Smart Over 16.5 points + assists
• Rui Hachimura Over 14.5 points
• Luke Kennard Over 12.5 points

Lakers vs Rockets odds for Game 4

• Spread: Lakers +5.5 (-115) | Rockets -5.5 (-105)
• Moneyline: Lakers +160 | Rockets -190
• Over/Under: Over 207.5 | Under 207.5

Lakers vs Rockets betting trend to know

Los Angeles has hit the moneyline in 32 of its last 45 games (+19.60 Units / 17% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Rockets.

How to watch Lakers vs Rockets Game 4

Lakers vs Rockets latest injuries

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The New York Knicks are in a must-win situation tonight when they visit State Farm Arena and the Atlanta Hawks in Game 4 of their first-round Eastern Conference NBA matchup with the Atlanta Hawks. 

Our Knicks vs. Hawks predictions and NBA picks are high on the Knicks beating the Hawks on Saturday, April 25.

Who will win Knicks vs Hawks Game 4?

Knicks win probability:54% (-113)
Hawks win probability:47% (+113)

The New York Knicks are in a must-win situation, and they'll need to find a way to beat the Atlanta Hawks on the road. The Knicks beat the Hawks in Atlanta twice during the regular season, and they are short favorites tonight with a 53% chance of victory. 

Our prediction:Knicks to win

A win for New York makes this a best-of-three series with home court advantage, but a loss means the Knicks will need to win three straight. After coming up just shy in Games 2 and 3, I expect the Knicks to play with urgency and get the job done on the road before coming back to the Garden.

Read more in Zak Hanshew's full Knicks vs. Hawks predictions.

More Knicks vs Hawks prediction markets

You're certainly not limited to the main game outcome for Knicks vs. Hawks at Kalshi; you also have options to trade on the spread, total, and more, among other NBA odds markets.

You can buy either side of a market — for example, "Yes" on the Knicks -2.5 spread means the Knicks will cover, while "No" means the Hawks will cover — with each side priced based on the implied probability (which can be converted to American, Decimal, or Fraction odds using the Covers odds converter).

Knicks vs Hawks spread and total at prediction markets

Our predictions:Knicks -2.5 — Yes and Over 214.5 points — Yes

This hasn’t been a high-scoring series, but the point totals keep creeping down, and we can find value in the Over. Three of six games between these teams have gone for at least 215 points, and two more went for 213.

Game 3 totaled 217 points despite two of New York’s starters combining for just two points. I’ll bet the Over as New York gets back on track offensively.

Other Knicks vs Hawks prediction markets available

• Dyson Daniels 10+ points (Yes: 50¢)
• Jalen Brunson 25+ points (Yes: 65¢)
• Mikal Bridges 10+ (Yes: 59¢)

What is Kalshi and how does it work?

Kalshi is a federally regulated U.S. exchange where you trade directly on the outcome of real-world future events. Instead of traditional bets, you trade "Event Contracts" which are simple Yes/No questions like "Will the Hawks win tonight?" These events are priced between $0.01 and $0.99, and the prices reflect the market’s estimated probability of that event occurring. For instance, $0.55 equals a 55% chance. If your prediction is correct, the contract pays out exactly $1.00; if not, it settles at $0. Kalshi is essentially a stock market for reality.

How does Kalshi differ from sportsbooks?

In a sportsbook, you bet against the bookmaker, who sets fixed odds and takes a "vig," which is a kind of commission. On Kalshi, you trade against other users. This peer-to-peer model means prices are driven by supply and demand, often resulting in fairer odds. Additionally, because these are financial derivatives, you can exit your position early. If your team takes a 14-point lead, the contract price will rise, allowing you to sell your "Yes" shares for a profit before the final whistle even blows.

Why should I wager on Knicks vs Hawks at Kalshi?

Kalshi offers four unique advantages over traditional sportsbooks:

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When Jamison Battle scored his first two points nearly one minute into the fourth quarter, the Toronto Raptors caught a glimpse of something intriguing. 

Over the course of the final frame, the Raptors continued to slow-drip Battle into more actions, before eventually unlocking a new page of the offensive playbook. By the final buzzer, Battle proved that he was worth investing possession equity in.

If the Raptors can build on what Battle provides – and afford to keep him on the court – then it’s not an exaggeration to believe that the Cleveland Cavaliers have a problem. 

Here’s a closer look at what Battle does to warp the defence and what he can do to stay in games.

Let’s begin with what the endgame looks like. The frame below shows what the Raptors might view as their most ideal ‘10’ on the court. The ten on the floor didn’t materialize by accident. It’s a byproduct of a series of actions that the Cavaliers struggled with.

Ultimately, Cleveland can’t hide Donovan Mitchell. Even if the Cavaliers go with Dean Wade instead of Max Strus, Toronto can attempt to drag Mitchell into a screening action with any of Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett or Battle.

We’ll come back to this, but let’s break down how we got here.

Here’s the aforementioned possession that led to Battle’s first bucket. Toronto tries to get Mitchell involved twice, with an on-ball and an off-ball screen. The Raptors eventually decide to force the issue and set up a right-wing pick-and-roll (PnR) with Scottie Barnes and Battle.

Mitchell traps the ball, Battle slips to the basket for a push shot.

The Raptors go back to it again, this time seemingly by chance because of Barnes’ offensive rebound. Setting up in the left corner, they force Mitchell to deal with a Battle screen again. This time, Mitchell switches onto Barnes and fouls him on the drive.

The next sequence that involves Battle and Barnes is also the play that convinced the Cavaliers to try other defenders. This is a baseline-out-of-bounds action that also incorporates the brick wall that is Collin Murray-Boyles. By the end of the movement, Battle knocks down his first three-pointer.

Cleveland subsequently goes with Harden as the primary defender for a handful of possessions.

With Battle heating up, the Cavaliers immediately attempt to put out the fire by attacking him on the other end (more on that later). But with Harden spending an exorbitant amount of energy isolating on offence, he isn’t able to get back in semi-transition, resulting in Battle’s second triple.

This forces Cleveland’s hand again, and this time, the coaching staff call on Keon Ellis.

Even with Ellis on Battle, Toronto is intent on keeping the sharpshooter involved. In this sequence, he’s responsible for freeing up Barnes, possibly with the intent of attacking Mitchell again. Instead, Jamal Shead goes to Murray-Boyles, who then bullies Evan Mobley. This is significant because it’s the Raptors’ response to the Cavaliers going small. Barrett ducks past Harden and gets two points.

Moments later, the Cavaliers make a few personnel changes and opt to go with Strus on Battle. As long as Barrett is on the floor, it’s an easy decision to put him in a PnR with Barnes to bring Harden into the play. The Raptors score here.

On the very next possession, Cleveland hedges its bet on Shead being less destructive. The Cavaliers move Harden off Barrett and onto Shead. Due to an auto-switch, Barnes gets an easy post-up, which results in two more points.

And that brings everything back to the original frame. With the Cavaliers having trouble with Barnes and Murray-Boyles’ physicality, they deploy both Jarrett Allen and Mobley late. That means Mitchell has to defend Battle or Barrett. For some reason, Mitchell traps Barnes up top after the screen, which results in an open three for Battle.

It’s beneficial to also highlight how the Raptors can keep Battle on the court. Despite his tendency to go nuclear anytime he sees a Cavaliers jersey, there has to be a reason why Battle struggled to find minutes during the regular-season. The film – and assumption – leads the analysis towards his defence.

After Battle hit his first three-pointer, Cleveland attacked him six times on the opposite end and scored nine points on 80 per cent shooting. The lone miss came on a wide-open Jaylon Tyson three-point attempt from the right corner. All six possessions involved Battle guarding Ellis.

With Harden generating quality offence, the Raptors leaned on an assortment of point-of-attack defenders in Barrett, Shead, Barnes and Murray-Boyles. Cleveland also leveraged this advantage off-ball when the Raptors tried to top-lock Mitchell. How Battle fares on the defensive side – particularly in on-ball sequences – over the course of four quarters will have a major impact on game four.

It’s also fascinating that when all three of Harden, Mitchell and Strus were on the court, they didn’t attack Battle. At least for the end of game three, it seemed like the Cavaliers valued Strus as a corner shooter, weren’t thrilled with the idea of having Mitchell or Harden turn into a spot-up shooter from the wing, or chose to keep things hidden with the game nearly out-of-reach.

The Raptors’ hot-shooting could regress to the mean. That’s a likely outcome. But assuming that doesn’t swing too violently the other way, how the Cavaliers scheme their way out of this new Battle plot twist will be one of the key storylines headed into game four.

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For the second game in a row, the Knicks were down by one when the final buzzer went off, and now face a series deficit heading into tonight’s Game 4.

Atlanta came on strong early in Thursday’s Game 3, which they ended up winning 109-108. Jalen Johnson finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks and Jonathan Kuminga scored a huge 21 points off the bench.

The Knicks took a 108–105 lead following a clutch three-point play by Jalen Brunson with just over a minute remaining, but with 12.5 seconds left, Atlanta’s CJ McCollum scored the game-winner.

Now, the Knicks are down 1-2 in the best-of-seven series heading into tonight’s Game 4.

The Knicks and Hawks head back to New York for Game 5 on Tuesday, April 28.

Knicks vs. Hawks start time:

Knicks vs. Hawks Game 3 is scheduled to begin tonight, April 25, at 6 p.m. ET.

How to watch Knicks vs. Hawks for free:

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the game for free.

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes NBC (plus every other channel you’ll need for the NBA season, including local channels). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $44.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.

You can also tune in to tonight’s Knicks game with fubo’s Pro or Sports and News plans. Live TV plans from fubo start at $44.99 and also include a five-day free trial.

Knicks-Hawks first-round playoff schedule

• Game 1:Knicks 113, Hawks 102
• Game 2: Knicks 106, Hawks 107
• Game 3: Knicks 108, Hawks 109
• Game 4: April 25, 6 p.m. ET (NBC)
• Game 5: April 28, 8 p.m. ET (NBC)
• Game 6: April 30*
• Game 7: May 2*

* if necessary

NBA Playoffs key dates:

• April 18: NBA Playoffs First Round begins
• June 3: Game 1 of the NBA Finals

Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

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.

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The Toronto Raptors are alive and kicking in this first-round series, and they’ll try to pull level with the Cleveland Cavaliers in Sunday’s Game 4.

Toronto found a winning formula down the stretch of Thursday’s win, and my Cavaliers vs. Raptors predictions and NBA picks point to Scottie Barnes being a thorn in Cleveland’s side again as the hosts’ best scoring threat.

Cavaliers vs Raptors prediction

Who will win Cavaliers vs Raptors Game 4?

Cleveland: It would have been hard to imagine the Raptors winning back-to-back games in this series after the way they played in Games 1 and 2. Donovan Mitchell will be much better, and Cleveland will put Toronto back on the ropes.

Cavaliers vs Raptors best bet: Scottie Barnes Over 20.5 points (+100)

The Toronto Raptors have been on the back foot in this series with Brandon Ingram’s slump and Immanuel Quickley’s hamstring injury, but Scottie Barnes is doing his part to wrestle back control from the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Barnes was everywhere in Game 3, with 33 points, 11 assists, and relentless defense to slow down Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, and he’s gone past this points prop number in all three contests so far.

After two off days to recharge, look for Scottie to lead the charge again on Sunday, and one of the advantages of taking assignments on the Cleveland backcourt is that Mitchell or Harden can get stuck guarding him at the other end of the floor.

Though Barnes is most comfortable as a playmaker, the Toronto game plan has shoved him into a bigger scoring role. He’s averaging 26.7 PPG in the series on 54% shooting, and I expect Darko Rajakovic to squeeze another 40-minute shift out of the Raptors’ main man.

The Cavs defense has made stopping Ingram its No.1 focus, and that’s put Barnes in positions to attack one-on-one matchups. He was a +23 in 35 minutes on Thursday, and I’m penciling him in for more scoring spurts in a battle the Raptors can’t afford to lose.

Cavaliers vs Raptors same-game parlay

Coming off a Game 3 performance well below his usual high standards, Donovan Mitchell is a prime bounce-back candidate here. Spida had poured in 30+ points in four straight outings before a quiet night on Thursday, and his 3-point shooting is a natural spark for his stat lines.

Though Barnes has given Toronto a lifeline in this series, the Cavs can lean on more playoff experience and a larger pool of counters, so I’ll lay the small spread and trust in the visitors’ 7-2 SU mark in their last nine contests. Cleveland has also put together a healthy 25-17 record on the road this season.

Cavaliers vs Raptors SGP

• Cavaliers -3.5
• Donovan Mitchell Over 26.5 points
• Donovan Mitchell Over 2.5 threes

Our "from downtown" SGP: Mobley Magic!

Evan Mobley feasted in the paint in the opening two games of this series, and he’s an X-factor for Sunday. You can’t argue with the recent stats – he’s ended up with 17+ points in four of his last six outings, and he averaged 20 PPG in March.

Sharing the floor with Jarrett Allen can sometimes pull Mobley further from the rim, but there are still ample opportunities to pad his rebounding tally when he’s the lone big man on the floor for Cleveland.

Mobley was ninth in the NBA with 9.0 RPG during the regular season.

Cavaliers vs Raptors SGP

• Evan Mobley Over 16.5 points
• Evan Mobley Over 8.5 rebounds
• Donovan Mitchell Over 2.5 threes
• Cavaliers -3.5

Cavaliers vs Raptors odds for Game 4

• Spread: Cavaliers -3.5 | Raptors +3.5
• Moneyline: Cavaliers -165 | Raptors +140
• Over/Under: Over 220.5 | Under 220.5

Cavaliers vs Raptors betting trend to know

The Under is 50-32 for the Raptors this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Raptors.

How to watch Cavaliers vs Raptors Game 4

Cavaliers vs Raptors latest injuries

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Sixers list Embiid as doubtful, Oubre as questionable for Game 4 vs. Celtics  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers added Kelly Oubre Jr. to their injury report Saturday night going into Game 4 of their first-round playoff series vs. the Celtics.

Along with Joel Embiid (appendectomy recovery), who was again officially classified as doubtful, the Sixers listed Oubre as questionable with “right adductor soreness.”

Oubre’s carried a large load in the series, including a 40-minute outing Friday night as the Sixers lost to the Celtics and fell into a 2-1 series deficit. He’s guarded both Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum and averaged 13.0 points and 6.0 rebounds. Following a career-best three-point shooting season, Oubre’s gone just 3 for 15 (20 percent) beyond the arc through three games.

“I’m just trying to be steady and solid,” he said after the Sixers’ film session Saturday. “And when my opportunity presents itself, I’m fully confident in what I can do. I’m going to continue to keep a positive mindset and just go out there and be myself. I have a pretty heavy load on defense but at the end of the day, I’m a two-way player. … I just want to bring myself to the game and help my team win.”

In the event Oubre is unable to play or can’t handle the same volume of minutes, Justin Edwards and Dominick Barlow would appear in line for increased playing time. Barlow was out of the Sixers’ Game 3 rotation. 

Embiid’s status is certainly subject to change ahead of Sunday night’s Game 4.

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse suggested that Sunday morning’s shootaround might be a significant step. Embiid participated in parts of the Sixers’ practice Thursday and has clearly been trending up in recent days. He underwent his appendectomy on April 9. 

“He’s on court right now doing individual work,” Nurse said of Embiid. “Like I said before, he’s working as hard as he can to get back. We just need to see how it goes today and tomorrow morning, and then maybe we’ll know more toward the end of shootaround tomorrow.”

Though both Adem Bona and Andre Drummond have had good moments in the series, they haven’t come close to replicating Embiid’s presence. On top of Embiid’s diverse offensive game, the Sixers have missed his rim protection defensively. 

“It’s a different ball game, having someone like that back in the series,” Bona said Friday. “It’s a huge advantage for us. I’m just excited to see him back on the floor again.”

The Detroit Pistons have dominated one quarter, won two others, and been on the wrong side of five quarters. That has allowed the Pistons to even up the series with the Orlando Magic at one game apiece, but by no means should the Pistons be happy with their performance so far. Cade Cunningham has been brilliant, the defense has mostly been good, but Detroit is leaving a lot on the table. Jalen Duren has noticeably struggled, the team has committed way too many turnovers, and secondary scorers aren’t doing enough scoring. The Pistons are looking to rectify that in hostile territory tonight in Orlando. Detroit has been playing tough on the road all year, so there is no reason they can’t submit a dominating performance and truly turn this series around. But we can’t just hand wave this team’s struggles. They are just as capable of surrendering a bunch of threes, not slowing down Paolo Banchero, and getting blown out in front of a raucous crowd. Which Detroit Pistons team is going to show up tonight? We’re about to find out.

Game Vitals 

When: 1 p.m. ET
Where: Kia Center, Orlando, Florida
Watch: NBC/Peacock
Odds: Pistons -2.5

Projected Lineups

Detroit Pistons (1-1)

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Orlando Magic (1-1)

Jalen Suggs, Desmond Bane, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr.

Coming off a heartbreaking Game 2 loss this past Tuesday, the Spurs traveled to Portland to take on the Trail Blazers for Game 3. Victor Wembanyama was ruled out due to concussion protocol. After a back-and-forth first half, the Spurs found themselves down by six going into the third quarter. The Blazers looked to be in control and built a 17-point lead. However, Dylan Harper helped kickstart a 21-5 run to end the quarter, only down by one. In the fourth, Harper and Stephon Castle took over. Behind key stops from Carter Bryant and others, the Spurs began putting the pressure on Portland. Castle and Harper each traded buckets every time the Blazers failed to capitalize on offense. They were both simply unguardable. To close the game, Devin Vassell, Luke Kornet, and De’Aaron Fox sprinkled the finishing touches on a 120-108 victory to go up 2-1 in the series.

Stephon Castle led the way with 33 points (10-18 FG, 3-4 3PT, 10-11 FT), five assists, two rebounds, and a steal. Steph delivered one of the quieter 30+ point playoff games of all time. 19 of his 33 came in the first half, and he complemented Dylan’s scoring in the second half. He was efficient from the field, from three-point land, and from the free-throw line. Steph continues to slash his way no matter who steps in front of him, and he is not afraid to attempt tough contested midrange jumpers. A performance like this is a great sign for the Spurs for not only for this series, but for the foreseeable future.

ALLEY-LUKE! Steph fights his way into the paint and finds a cutting Luke on the lob connection!

CASH. Steph knocks down his first of three three-pointers in the game!

Flying to the cup! After the CB block, Steph takes the pass from Keldon Johnson and sprints up the floor for the finish between two Blazers!

TOUGH BUCKET. Steph gets fouled while shooting a midrange jumper, and it swishes through the net for the and-one!

DAGGER! Steph finds Luke for another alley-oop late in the fourth!

Dylan Harper dropped 27 points (9-12 FG, 4-5 3PT, 5-6 FT), 10 rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a block. Here are a few records that Dylan broke with his performance: Dylan (age 20) is the second-youngest player to score 20+ points off the bench in a playoff game (youngest – Kobe Bryant, age 18). He is also the youngest player in NBA history to score 25+ points in a playoff game. Dylan was having himself a decent game until the third quarter, when a switch flipped. After Scoot Henderson scored on Dylan, Henderson talked trash to Dylan, which resulted in a technical foul. Dylan took that energy and fueled his team. He exploded in the fourth quarter and emerged as the young star this team drafted him to be. He was uber-efficient from the field with a true shooting percentage of 92%. While Spurs fans are excited about Steph, they should be even more excited about Dylan’s potential.

Smooth as silk. Dyl spins off of Jerami Grant and finishes with a scoop layup!

Don’t jump! Dyl fakes out Donovan Clingan with a pump fake and drives in with a layup by switching his hands in midair!

HARP3R! Dyl drains his fourth three by catching the pass from Fox in the corner while in front of the Blazers’ bench!

UNGUARDABLE! Dyl leads the charge by spinning off of Jrue Holiday and finishing off glass in front of Henderson!

POSTER ALERT! Dyl drives past Henderson and yams all over Robert Williams III!

Bonus highlight: Luke drained his first three of the season at the end of the first quarter! Luke finished with a double-double: 14 points and 10 rebounds to go along with two assists and two blocks.

All in all, this was a hard-fought and gutty victory for the Spurs. Fox pitched in 18, Dev pitched in 11, Julian pitched in 9, and CB made hustle plays on both ends with three blocks. The emergence of both Steph and Dylan powered this team to a victory, and the series outlook has shifted to a less stressful time for Spurs fans. Wemby will be questionable for Sunday, but even if he does not play, look for the young guards to continue putting the rest of the playoff field on notice. Oh, but if Wemby plays, the outlook becomes even less stressful for the silver and black.

Finally, here are the full game highlights.

Game 4 is this Sunday at 2:30 P.M. (CST) on ESPN.

It’s widely regarded that a series doesn’t begin until a team loses at home. In that sense, the Lakers got the series started on Friday.

The purple and gold secured a win inside what looked to be a half-filled stadium for Houston’s playoff opener, taking advantage of late blunders from the Rockets to end regulation to grab a commanding 3-0 series lead.

​Both Kevin Durant and Austin Reaves, game-time decisions, were ruled out before tip-off. It set the stage for both teams to rely on “the others” to fill in for them.

LA, as they’ve done in recent weeks, leaned on the veteran Marcus Smart. He once again stepped right in to contribute everywhere on the floor and has entered legendary Lakers’ role player status in an improbably short time.

It’s no secret that without Reaves and Luka Dončić, the Lakers are in need of a massive uptick in on-ball creation. Smart has shouldered much of the burden and thrived, making all sorts of passes with timely shots in this series.

The playoffs consist of finding and exploiting matchups. Following just 11 minutes in Game 2, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka went back to young guard Reed Sheppard in a desperate search for offense. His reluctance to play the third overall pick in 2024 stems from defensive trust, where LA hunted him to no end, just as they did in Game 1.

​No matter where Houston tried to hide him, Smart made sure to call his man over to involve him in the action.

​In the first quarter, they tried to place him on Rui Hachimura. Watch below as Smart runs the action with Sheppard looking to “show” or “hedge”— disrupt the ball handler’s attack while recovering back to his man — but Smart cleverly drives forcing two to pick him up, leaving Hachimura wide open for a 3-pointer.

Smart connected on three different alley-oops. He’s become a force downhill, engaging the opposing big man before throwing it up to his teammate.

In an adjustment from Game 1, the Rockets had defenders go under his screen roll, looking to bait him into jump shots. But Smart ate up the space with his straight-line drives and found his bigs, as shown in the clip below.

After two excellent scoring games, the Rockets paid extra resources to slow down guard Luke Kennard. The Lakers simply shifted their offense to Smart and LeBron James, the players with the most playoff experience on the roster, for the majority of the second half.

Smart found LeBron on a pick-and-pop 3-pointer and a clutch lob late to pull the Lakers back within two points with under two minutes left.

At the end of the day, legacies and legends are made in crunch time.

A LeBron miss keeps LA down six with just under 30 seconds remaining. Smart, who seemingly was the only Laker still playing, stunts at Jabari Smith in the clip below and forces a game-changing steal. He immediately gets fouled on a 3-point attempt, knocking down all three free throws.

“Just make a play,” Smart said postgame. “My instincts, right? We knew that they were going to try to ice the game, right, and we needed to make a play. Just using my instincts. Jabari Smith, I think it was him who made the pass, I just kind of stunted to see what he does. Now, he’s in no man’s land and he threw a lofted pass for me to recover and I got it.

“As I looked up at the clock, I saw Tate running really fast and I’m like, ‘He’s probably not going to be able to stop in time.’ So I just pulled up right away and he ran right under me. It was a smart play. That’s part of being a vet and my vet savvy. Being in my league for 12 years, I picked up some tricks from some guys.”

That vet savvyness reared its head in overtime. He picked up the first points of the extra period with a corner 3-pointer. With just under a minute remaining and nursing a two-point lead, nobody boxes him out, as he crashes in and gets fouled on an offensive rebound.

He finished with 21 points, 10 assists, five steals, two blocks, and 2-4 from the 3-point line. Smart is no stranger to the playoffs as Game 3 on Friday was his 111th playoff game. His postseason legacy was not born here, but with all his previous games in Celtics green, it might as well be for Laker fans.

With the circumstances of the series, he’s quickly put himself in rarified air, leading the Lakers to their first potential sweep since 2010.

“When you’re sitting at home on your couch as a kid growing up, you’re watching the playoffs, this is what you dream of being involved in,” Smart said. “One of those games. Then, to not be in the playoffs the last 2-3 years for me, it just sucks. I got to watch some good basketball and it’s like, ‘Damn. I’m a competitor. I want to be out there playing, too.’ So, to be back out there, it’s a great feeling.”

You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu

The Oklahoma City Thunder are looking to take a 3-0 lead in their first-round series against the Phoenix Suns. The Thunder won the first two games in OKC. The series shifts to Phoenix for Games 3 and 4. The Thunder are 9.5-point favorites with an over/under of 214.5.

How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns

• Date: Saturday, April 25

• Time: 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT

• Where: Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, Arizona

• TV Channels: NBC, Peacock

• Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Odds

• Spread: Phoenix Suns +9.5

• Moneyline: Phoenix Suns +325 (22.5%) / Oklahoma City Thunder -425 (77.5%)

• Over/Under: 214.5

Series schedule

Game 1:Thunder 119, Suns 94
Game 2: Thunder 120, Suns 107
Game 3: Sat., April 25 at Phoenix (3:30 p.m., NBC)
Game 4: Mon., April 27 at Phoenix (TBD)
*Game 5: Wed., April 29 at Oklahoma City (TBD)
*Game 6: Fri., May 1 at Phoenix (TBD)
*Game 7: Sun., May 3 at Oklahoma City (TBD)

*if necessary