HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 26: Tari Eason #17 of the Houston Rockets defends a shot from Luke Kennard #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second quarter of a game in Game Four of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Toyota Center on April 26, 2026 in Houston, 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. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Despite being up 3-1 in the series, there have been very few moments where it’s felt like the Lakers have taken that message to heart. With 80 turnovers in the four contests, no team has given the ball away more than LA this postseason.
While it was an underlying issue in the victories, it moved into the forefront after Sunday’s Game 4 defeat. The Lakers turned the ball over 23 times, leading to 30 points for the Rockets. While every game is more complex than a single aspect determining the outcome, it’s hard not to point to the giveaways as a big reason LA was unable to complete the sweep.
“We’ll spend a lot of time over the next couple of days just figuring out ways to try to prevent some of those turnovers,” head coach JJ Redick said postgame.
It’s unclear how much relief should come with the Lakers vowing to find a solution when they made it a point of emphasis from the jump and it’s remained an issue. It’s also unclear how much they can realistically change.
At the end of the day, the Lakers personnel is what it is. Their two lead ballhandlers are out and the two guards replacing them are not natural point guards. LeBron James has shown, even dating back to last year, that his handle is not what it used to be either.
That being said, there were also plenty of turnovers the Lakers had on Sunday that weren’t related to ballhandling but a lack of focus.
“Majority of them was mental,” Marcus Smart said of the turnovers. “We were dropping passes, myself included. I was throwing passes to guys’ legs. Normal passes that we make on a regular basis, right? It’s something we have to clean up. We know it. We understand it.
“It’s not going to get easier. We understand that. But we’ve played this team for four games now and the first three, we did very well. We understand it. We just have to continue to stay poised and get through it.”
Perhaps the Lakers winning the early games despite the turnovers led to them turning a blind eye to the problem. I certainly wouldn’t say the Lakers did “very well” about turnovers prior to Game 4. They just did enough in other areas that those didn’t cost them.
This team, as constructed, has a much smaller margin for error due to injuries. When they turn the ball over to the degree they did in Game 4, it takes near-perfection in every other aspect of the game to win. It’s not a viable path to victory.
The return of Austin Reaves could help alleviate some of the woes. At the very least, it gives the Lakers a player who is more comfortable handling the ball than someone like Jake LaRavia or even Smart and Luke Kennard.
But at the end of the day, the Lakers simply just have to be better at taking care of the ball if they want any chance of closing out this series.
All eyes are on Madison Square Garden for a crucial Game 5 between the Hawks and Knicks.
NBA teams that win Game 5 of a tied best-of-seven series go on to win the series 81.5% of the time (194-44). The team that exits Manhattan with a victory Tuesday night has a great chance of advancing to the second round.
New York was heavily favored entering the series and won Game 1 113-102, but Atlanta has shown why they are one of the stingiest and hottest teams in basketball.
In Game 2, the Hawks rallied from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit, holding the Knicks to a season-low 15 fourth-quarter points and winning 107-106. CJ McCollum scored a game-high 32 points, including a go-ahead basket with 33 seconds left.
Two nights later, Atlanta fended off a New York rally to earn another one-point victory (109-108). McCollum's go-ahead jumper with 12.7 seconds remaining gave the Hawks a stunning 2-1 series lead.
Five years after Trae Young led the Hawks to a stunning five-game first-round series victory over the Knicks, a player Atlanta got when they traded Young to the Wizards in January is taking center stage.
McCollum, the first player since enhanced data tracking in 1997-98 with go-ahead-for-good shots in the final minute of back-to-back playoff games in the same series, is leading Atlanta in the series with 24.5 points per game. Without him, the series might be over.
The 34-year-old guard only scored 17 points in Game 4, and the Knicks comfortably tied the series after getting Karl-Anthony Towns more involved in the offense. He recorded a triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Six of his assists came on baskets scored by OG Anunoby.
"He's a special talent. He can do it all. I know if I get open, he'll find me," Anunoby said after Game 4. "It's amazing playing with a player like him."
Keep reading to learn more about Game 5 between the Hawks and the Knicks and how to watch the NBA playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
The New York Knicks bounced back in a big way after consecutive losses to the Hawks, stifling Atlanta on defense to even their first-round series.
How to watch Game 5 between Hawks and Knicks
When: Tuesday, April 28
Where: Madison Square Garden in New York, New York
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Announcing team: Mike Tirico, Reggie Miller, Zora Stephenson
TV: NBC
Live stream: Peacock
Series status: Series tied 2-2
New York Knicks Game 5 preview
Running the offense through Towns worked for the Knicks in Game 4.
He thrived as a passer, unleashing his inner-Nikola Jokic and racking up the assists while only turning the ball over twice. If the Knicks can continue to utilize Towns as a facilitator, they have a better shot of winning Game 5.
Anunoby will also play a major role. The most consistent player for the Knicks this postseason, he is averaging 20.8 points and 8.8 rebounds, shooting 56% from the field. He has been New York's top scorer in the past two games, tying his playoff career high with 29 points in Game 3 and scoring 22, while being a game-high +19 in Game 4.
And of course, there is Brunson. He left Game 4 in the third quarter with an ankle injury but returned, ending the game with 19 points. While he is on pace for his second-lowest scoring playoff series (25.5 points per game) among the eight he has played with the Knicks, he also is struggling defensively.
"At the end of the day, that’s why it’s a team game," head coach Mike Brown said after Game 4.
Atlanta is attacking the star guard, and if New York wants to be leading this series 3-2, Brunson likely will have to step up his defensive game — or score enough to make it not matter.
Another storyline to watch in Game 5 is Mikal Bridges. The 29-year-old played just five minutes in the second half of Game 3, failing to record a point all night. Miles McBride has stepped up amid Bridges' struggles, but Brown kept Bridges in the starting lineup in Game 4 and likely will do the same Tuesday night.
"We've won a lot of games with the starting group. I didn't want to panic and just change anything. Obviously, we changed some stuff strategy-wise, but I didn’t want to change anything with the starting group because I didn’t feel a need to," Brown said.
For Karl-Anthony Towns, the New York Knicks have to exceed the moment, and coming into Game 4 understanding the magnitude of it delivered a big win to even their series with the Hawks.
Atlanta Hawks Game 5 preview
The Hawks could use some McCollum magic in Manhattan.
But they also could use a Nickeil Alexander-Walker wake-up game. The NBA's most improved player has struggled from the floor in this series, shooting just 5-22 (22.7%) on two-pointers, lower than half his regular season efficiency (career-high 52.5%).
Atlanta likely will try to play a little faster and have more energy in Game 5. The Hawks had zero fast-break points through three quarters of Game 4, ending the game with just seven. They had 20 fast-break points in their Game 2 and 3 wins over the Knicks. And they averaged 18.1 fast-break points in the regular season, third in the NBA behind only the Raptors and the Heat.
“I think they just punked us. We didn’t match their intensity from the jump," Jalen Johnson said after Game 4.
A player who has brought the intensity all series is Jonathan Kuminga. He has emerged as one of Atlanta's X-factors since a midseason trade from the Warriors. Coming off the bench all four games this series, he scored 19 points in Game 2 and 21 in Game 3, both wins. He only scored 10 points in Game 1 and eight in Game 4, both losses.
"Jonathan's just been all in. Whatever that looks like on a given night, and it's something we've talked about as a team," head coach Quinn Snyder said after Game 3. "Are you prepared to sacrifice what needs to be sacrificed on a given night in a playoff game?"
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PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 25: Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder in action during the first half in Game Three of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 25, 2026 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
ORLANDO, FL - APRIL 25: Jalen Duren #0 and Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons talk during the game against the Orlando Magic during Round One Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 25 2026 at Kia Center in Orlando, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Well, here we are. I’m not worried, are you? Who cares anyway? Just because the Detroit Pistons had one of the winningest seasons in franchise history. And Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren entered All-NBA conversation. The No. 1 seed? Big deal. Why should that mean your team can be the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic? The Pistons face a 2-1 deficit on the road. They are still waiting for Duren to show his face in this playoff series. Trying to keep its turnovers down before the two dozen threshold. Daniss Jenkins has pumpkined in the playoffs, and the fan base is in existential crisis. Let’s have some fun watching playoff basketball.
Game Vitals
When: 8 p.m. ET Where: Kia Center, Orlando, Florida Watch: Peacock/NBC Odds: Pistons -3.5
It’s a mindset that the Knicks believe helped them change course in the series. But it’s also a mindset that can be difficult to recreate when the circumstances don’t match it.
After their Game 4 rout of the Hawks on Saturday — which evened the series at 2-2 — multiple Knicks pointed to a level of “desperation” and “urgency” that they played with, having entered the game trailing 2-1 in the series. Beforehand, Miles McBride said they felt like they were “playing for our lives.”
And it was noticeable, as the Knicks came out with a tenacity that had gone missing earlier in the series. But returning home to Madison Square Garden with the series tied, it could be difficult to manufacture that mindset without the weight of a deficit.
“No, this is what we work all year for, what you work all summer for, for an opportunity to play in the playoffs,” Jalen Brunson said after practice Monday. “There’s not a lot of motivation left that’s needed, really. It’s just, this is the opportunity for teams to go and put their names in history if they want it. So, that’s the only motivation.”
This Knicks core has been a group that constantly seems to need a bit of a wake-up call before they get their act together. During the regular season, there were the constant slow starts to games, which often didn’t end up hurting them due to their status as the best fourth-quarter team in the league. They had to endure a stretch in which they lost nine of 11 before they got back to looking like how a contender is supposed to look. In this series, they had to fall behind 2-1 before delivering their best performance of the season.
It’s like they need to face a bit of adversity to play their best.
“I believe they’re ready,” coach Mike Brown said Monday. “This group’s a relentless group. They’re an experienced group. They perform best, it seems, when their backs are against the wall. So I believe our guys are ready.”
Josh Hart of the Knicks drives to the basket during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during Round One Game Four on April 25, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NBAE via Getty Images
Playing well when their backs are against the wall is an admirable trait, but the repeated need for a wake-up call is something that can certainly come back to bite them. In the regular season, when teams are more so going through the motions, they found it easier to overcome early deficits and step on the gas when needed.
In the playoffs, where intensity is higher and opposition is better, a lack of intensity from the jump is much harder to overcome — as proven by their failed comeback attempt in Game 3.
Maintaining the right mindset throughout an entire game is something that has largely eluded this core going on two seasons now.
Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during Round 1 Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 25, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
“It has to be even higher, honestly. … We just have to have a higher level of desperation because we know they’re not gonna come in and try to ease into this game,” McBride said Monday.
“This is the playoffs. Nobody’s just gonna hand you a win, hand you a game. Obviously, our two losses were very close games. But you don’t lose the games always at the end of games. It’s a possession here in the first half, or you missed a box-out or somebody did a run to the lane and there wasn’t anybody to kick it out to. It was the little things like that that we’re more focused on and have to be focused on going forward.”
The experience advantage is one area the Knicks do have an edge over the Hawks. Younger teams — particularly underdogs like the Hawks — can find it hard to keep their emotions in check and instead play out of control. That the Knicks have been there, done that is supposed to give them a leg up.
So, balancing that sense of desperation with poise is important.
“Experience teaches you a lot,” Karl-Anthony Towns said after Game 4. “Just because we won one game, the playoffs is always, you win a game, you’re the best team in the world; the highs are high. And when you lose, you’re the low of lows and the worst team ever. So, just staying on the way and being in the middle ground and just consistently trying to find ways to get better and improve as the series moves along. Next game is gonna be the most important game, the most desperation we need to present to the fans and to ourselves.”
DALLAS, TEXAS - JANUARY 29: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks and Kon Knueppel #7 of the Charlotte Hornets talk after the game at American Airlines Center on January 29, 2026 in Dallas, 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. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Monday was a great day for Duke Basketball and the Brotherhood, as Cooper Flagg won the NBA Rookie of the Year award over former Blue Devil teammate Kon Knueppel.
Flagg won 412-386. VJ Edgecombe came in third, with 96 points.
It was crazy to watch Flagg dominate players who, in some cases, were 10-15 years older than he was. His future seems limitless, and that’s true for Knueppel as well. The conversation around that guy has changed dramatically. Remember when he was seen as a stretch at the #4 pick? Not so much anymore.
Congratulations to both guys. They’re great representatives of Duke.
Entering the season, Cooper Flagg was projected to run away with Rookie of the Year. He was the No. 1 pick and on a team that entered the season expecting to be playing in postseason games right now.
"This season turned out a lot different than I expected..." Flagg said on NBA Showtime on Peacock on Monday. "Being thrown into the fire like that, I think, will help me in the long term."
During his up-and-down season, it looked for long stretches like Flagg's college roommate at Duke — Charlotte's Kon Knueppel — would take the award. Voeters were clearly divided to the end, but a late slide by Knueppel and a monster final few weeks of the season by Flagg swung the vote back to him.
Flagg was named NBA Rookie of the Year on Monday in the second-closest race since the league started tracking the voting (2003).
Knueppel came in second in the voting, with Philadelphia's VJ Edgecombe — who would have won it a lot of years — coming in a distant third.
Flagg had 56 first-place votes and 44 second-place votes, and Knueppel essentially flipped that, with 44 first-place votes and 55 second-place votes (one voter had Edgecombe second).
This was the second-closest ROY vote ever, the only closer one was in 2022 when Scottie Barnes just edged Evan Mobley (with Cade Cunningham third).
Edgecombe had 93 third-place votes. The Spurs' Dylan Harper had five third-place votes and the Grizzlies' Cedric Coward had one.
Flagg made history with the win — he stands with guys in the GOAT debate for his rookie season. Flagg joined Michael Jordan as the only rookies to lead their team in total points, rebounds, assists and steals. Flagg also is the second-youngest NBA Rookie of the Year winner, behind only LeBron James.
Flagg averaged 21 points a game, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists a game. He set an NBA record with a 51-point game in April against Orlando, and Flagg had three other games with 40+ points.
DALLAS, TX - JANUARY 29: Kon Knueppel #7 of the Charlotte Hornets and Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks waits for the rebound on January 29, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, 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 (Photo by Cooper Neill/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The NBA announced on Monday night that Dallas Mavericks do-everything forward Rookie of the Year for the 2025-26 season. Flagg averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.9 blocks, and 33.5 minutes per game in 70 games in 2025-26. He started every single game in his rookie campaign.
Flagg joins former Maverick Luka Doncic and current head coach Jason Kidd as award winners, with Doncic winning the 2018-19 season and Kidd splitting the award with Grant Hill during the 1994-95 season.
He became the third rookie of the last 45 years to average at least 20 points, six rebounds, and four assists, joining Michael Jordan and Luka Doncic. Flagg joins Michael Jordan as the only rookies to lead their teams in points, rebounds, assists, and steals since steals were added to the record book in 1973-74. He led all rookies in 25-point games, 30-point games, 35-point games, 40-point games, and had the first 50-point game for a rookie since Brandon Jennings.
It was a tightly contested race between Flagg and his former Duke roommate Kon Knueppel. Flagg finished with 55 first-place votes and 44 second-place votes. This narrowly edged out Knueppel in one of the more debated about Rookie of the Year races in several years.
A global media panel of 100 voters selected the 2025-26 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year.
The 26-point gap between the top two finishers is the second smallest since the current voting format began in 2002-03, behind only a 15-point gap in 2021-22.
Oddly, many in the national media, namely those who value advanced metrics, insisted that Knueppel was the Rookie of the Year and that the race was not remotely close. Of course, the final tally of votes says otherwise, but Knueppel did have a wildly efficient season, leading the league in made three pointers and helping lift a Charlotte Hornets team out of the league’s basement.
The argument for Kon boiled down to team success and efficiency. The argument for Flagg relied more on traditional counting stats paired with role; Flagg was the best Dallas player, thrust into that role after Anthony Davis went down and Kyrie Irving out for the season. What Mavericks fans were treated to was a rookie season that may well be better than Luka Doncic’s. Flagg scored 51 in a game!
In the end, the Rookie of the Year race was a bright spot for the hardcore Mavericks fans who stuck with the team despite many losses and occasional bad basketball. Hopefully, this award is the first of many at the NBA level for a player who seems on the path to superstardom.
The Minnesota Timberwolves will try to close out the Denver Nuggets in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series. The Timberwolves have won the past three games to take a 3-1 lead series. Minnesota lost starting guards Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards for the remainder of the series to injuries in Game 4.
How to watch Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg was voted as the NBA Rookie of the Year for the 2025-26 season on Monday, April 27, 2026.
Flagg finished ahead of the Charlotte Hornets' Kon Knueppel in a close race for the award. Flagg earned 56 first-place votes and totaled 412 points, while Knueppel had 44 first-place votes and 386 total points. The 26-point gap between them is the second smallest between the top-two finishers since the current voting format began in 2002-03, behind only a 15-point gap in 2021-22 when Scottie Barnes edged Evan Mobley for the award.
The Philadelphia 76ers' VJ Edgecombe finished third with 96 total points and one second-place vote.
Flagg joined two NBA icons by winning Rookie of the Year.
He became the second-youngest winner (19 years, 112 days as of April 12, the final day of the regular season), behind only LeBron James (19 years, 106 days in 2003-04). And, he joined Michael Jordan as the only rookies to lead their team in total points (1,473), rebounds (466), assists (316) and steals (84) since steals were first recorded in 1973-74.
This is a truly great honor,” Flagg said. “I’m grateful to receive this award and thankful to everyone in the Dallas Mavericks organization who believed in me from day one. None of this happens without my teammates, coaches and the people around me pushing me every day. I came here to compete and help this team win. This is just one step forward in what we’re building."
He had to show versatility early in the season, playing point guard before eventually moving to forward after Anthony Davis was traded.
Cooper Flagg stats
Flagg finished out the regular season averaging 21 points (leading all rookies), 6.7 rebounds (fourth among rookies) and 4.5 assists per game (second among rookies) in 70 games played. He shot 46.8% from the field and 29.5% from the 3-point line.
He scored a career-high 51 points on April 3 against the Orlando Magic, becoming the youngest player in the league's history to score 50+ in a game at 19 years, 103 days old. Flagg was also the first rookie to have four or more games with at least 40 points since Allen Iverson in 1996-97.
PORTLAND, OREGON - APRIL 26: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs attempts a dunk against Kris Murray #24 of the Portland Trail Blazers during the second half of Game Four of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Moda Center on April 26, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. 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 Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs took a 3-1 lead against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday. Despite trailing by 19 points in the first half, the Spurs came back with a vengeance, outscoring the Blazers 73-35 in the second half to win Game Four 114-93.
Victor Wembanyama returned from concussion protocols in Game Four and dominated as he did in Game One. Wembanyama owned the defensive end of the floor and gave the Spurs just enough offense to pull ahead. He was aided by his All-Star running mate, De’Aaron Fox, who led all scorers with 28 points. The Spurs are now -650 favorites on FanDuel to win Game Five in San Antonio to advance to the Western Conference Semis.
Wembanyama and Fox will lead our Game Four player grades. As a quick reminder, these grades are based on each player’s on-court performance, going beyond just the stat sheet. A “B” grade represents the average performance for an individual. If a player logs fewer than 5 minutes or plays only in garbage time, their grade will be incomplete.
Portland is at its best when it can get to the rim. They could not do that against Wembanyama. Seven blocks and four steals speak for themselves, but as we all know with Wemby, it’s more about the shots that don’t go up or the passes that don’t get made that define his impact. The Blazers only scored 38 points in the paint. Wembanyama effectively shut down their most potent offensive weapon: paint scoring.
Wembanyama settled a lot offensively in the first half. He put up some fairly baffling threes and mid-range jumpers as he tried to get back in a rhythm. Once he started to feast on lobs around the rim, the Spurs settled in offensively and blew out the Blazers. His shot selection keeps this from being an A+ game, but he was pretty darn close.
This may have been Fox’s best performance as a Spur. He has certainly had bigger scoring nights, but in terms of impact and stakes, this takes the cake. Fox was the offensive engine that got them back into the game and helped them extend the lead. He was smart about when he needed to get into the paint, and made some momentum-shattering shots from deep.
I have really liked what I’ve seen from Fox in this series, too. When he’s been matched up with Deni Advija, he’s gone chest to chest with him and done an admirable job shutting down his drives. With Wembanyama in the game, he’s been aggressive at the point of attack, creating turnovers. On Sunday, he had an incredible blocked three-point shot in the first quarter. That two-way impact is exactly what San Antonio needs from Fox for the rest of the playoffs.
Castle’s defensive effort has been incredible. He was left in for the third quarter despite playing with four fouls because of how impactful he has been. It felt like he was everywhere defensively as the Spurs started to storm back against Portland. Offensively, it was an up-and-down game, but his ability to hit spot-up threes has changed how the Blazers have to guard him. It’s to the point now where I don’t think they can continue to put a big on him and leave him completely alone.
It’s almost getting boring to write the Champagnie blurb in this series. He’s just doing his job. He hits open threes when they come his way, and he plays good enough defense not to get burned. He has worked in a few more drives, attacking the aggressive Portland closeouts. He seems to be gaining confidence as the series progresses, which is a good sign for the Spurs’ playoff chances.
Vassell’s shot selection was much better in Game Four. He made some clutch shots in the third quarter to help the Spurs get back into the game. He was a part of the defensive unit that locked down the Blazers in the second half. It wasn’t an explosive offensive game, but he helped the team in a major way.
San Antonio’s bench struggled overall. The Blazers’ bench outscored the Spurs’ bench 34-24. Harper was quiet in Game Four after his coming-out party in Game Three. It wasn’t a great game from Harper, but it’s hard to call it a bad one either. He has 0 turnovers, so he didn’t hurt them with the ball in his hands. When Castle was in foul trouble, Harper gave them a solid ball-handler to keep the momentum going.
This was not Kornet’s best game. He was still impactful on the offensive boards, but his inability to finish inside hurt San Antonio in the first half. With Wembanyama back, Kornet returns to a smaller bench role where he will be relied on to keep the defense in a decent spot while the starters rest.
Barnes had his most impactful play of the series so far when he made a big offensive rebound and then slammed it to give the Spurs the lead in the 3rd. He was a steady veteran presence in his 11 minutes. It was an inspired choice by Mitch Johnson to go to him over Carter Bryant when things got close in the third quarter.
Johnson needed a comeback game in a bad way. It wasn’t as loud as Harper’s in Game Three, but it felt like KJ had the type of performance that would build the confidence he needs going into the rest of the playoffs. He finally scored around the rim a bit more and was on the floor during the Spurs’ big run. It would be great to see him build off this performance in Game Five.
Mitch went with the vets in this key game. Bryant only meets the minute requirement by playing in garbage time. It was great to see him knock down open three-pointers. He looked much more confident letting it fly.
Apr 25, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Oso Ighodaro (11) drives on Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) in the second half during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Here are the NBA playoff games for Monday, April 27, 2026:
Detroit Pistons at Orlando Magic — 8 p.m. ET (NBC)
Oklahoma City Thunder at Phoenix Suns — 9:30 p.m. ET (Peacock)
Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves — 10:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
With Steve Kerr’s future with the Warriors still up in the air, could the outspoken coach finally make the long speculated move from the basketball gymnasium to the political arena?
Despite his frequent use of his platform to weigh in on current events and a personal connection to gun reform, Kerr, 60, has said in the past that he had no interest in running for elected office.
However, that was at the height of the Warriors’ dynasty, when things were more stable.
Kerr’s contract expired after the season and was upfront that he wasn’t sure what his future held. In a wide-ranging Q&A with The New Yorker’s Charles Bethea shortly after the Warriors were eliminated, Kerr made it clear that his unsettled situation hadn’t changed his thoughts on getting into politics.
“I don’t have any desire to go into politics,” Kerr said. “I love basketball. This is my world. All of my friends and my people are in this world. And whether I keep coaching the Warriors or not, I imagine I’ll be involved in basketball.”
Steve Kerr expressed regret for calling President Trump a “buffoon.’ Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
While Kerr may not view politics in his future, he did walk back certain comments he made regarding President Trump.
When asked about his infamous “buffoon” comment, Kerr expressed regret in his conversation with Bethea.
“But calling the President a buffoon, I kind of regret that, even though I felt it in my heart. It’s better to point out policy decisions, but also American values. What’s wrong with the things that he does.”
President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., on Saturday. REUTERS
Kerr is expected to meet with general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. and owner Joe Lacob in the near future to decide whether he returns for a 13th season to coach Steph Curry and continue their pursuit for a fifth championship together.
Curry said that he wants to play for “multiple” more years, and the Warriors would like Kerr to commit to a multiyear deal and some philosophical changes should he decide to come back, according to ESPN.
As for what his future holds, Kerr didn’t offer many clues. He has had a week to ponder now since he gave the two-hour interview last Monday in his office inside the Warriors’ arena.
Bethea, the interviewer, noted that Kerr “sound[ed] like a guy who wants to come back.”
“I don’t want to abandon those guys,” he said. “If Steph and Draymond were retiring this year, I think this would be an easy decision: we all go out together and the organization takes their new path. But it’s not that easy because I think Steph’s going to play another couple of years and I think we can still do some good things together.
“But these are all conversations that will happen in the next week or two and we’ll figure it out. And whatever happens, it’s going to end well. I know that, because it’s too important not to.”
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The Oklahoma City Thunder will try to complete a sweep of the Phoenix Suns in Game 4 of their opening-round playoff series. The Thunder won the first three games by an average of 16.7 points. Phoenix’s season will end with another loss in the series. If the Thunder close out the Suns, they will face the winner of the Houston Rockets-Los Angeles Lakers series.
How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns
Game 1:Thunder 119, Suns 94 Game 2: Thunder 120, Suns 107 Game 3:Thunder 121, Suns 109 Game 4: Mon., April 27 at Phoenix (9:30 p.m., NBC/Peacock) *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)
