SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 21: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers during Round One Game Two of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 21, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Last Tuesday, Victor Wembanyama went out of Game 2 early in the second quarter with a concussion. He has since been in the NBA concussion protocols. The Spurs have been working with the NBA to monitor Victor’s progress toward recovery. They are also in the process of evaluations to detemin when and if Wemby should return during this timeline of this series.
On Thursday, he flew with the team. On Friday, he worked out, participated in shoot arounds, and yet did not play once the time came.
Per league protocol, 24 hours after a player sustains a concussion, he can begin the process of returning to play. If symptom-free, he can be cleared to return by team doctors in consultation with a league policy director after 48 hours without full participation.
Thirty minutes before tipoff for Game 3, the forward warmed up at Moda Center.
“He’s progressing every day,” Harper said. “All we can really do is pray for him and hope the trajectory he’s (on) keeps happening.”
Expect a game time decision to Wembanyama’s availability.
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Between the roughly 520 miles of driving, and the two hours sitting on the upper deck press row of Xfinity Mobile Arena, around 95% of my Friday night was spent sitting down while the Celtics battled in a down-to-the-wire thriller against the 76ers.
The decision to drive from my apartment in Richmond, Virginia to South Philadelphia, and immediately head right back within a 24-hour period was ill-advised, and I kind of knew it.
But this is the postseason — it’s the perfect time to make rash decisions. If I’m losing sleep over playoff basketball, I might as well do it because I’m there. From a 11:30 a.m. departure and an arrival back home at 3:30 a.m. Saturday, the entire day was spent in a sort of dream-like haze. You walk through the tunnel, and there Derrick White stands, signing autographs.
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum breeze by the media for their postgame pressers, an hour after combining for 11 of the team’s 16 clutch points in front of a raucous Philadelphia crowd. There you are, witnessing a new chapter to one of the NBA’s greatest rivalries. That is why I made the drive.
The nighttime drive from Philadelphia to Richmond was a little over four hours on the road. Not terrible, especially with the Trail Blazers/Spurs radio broadcast to keep you company, but the drive from Richmond to Philadelphia was a slightly worse six and a half hours, featuring hours of stop-and-go traffic and a brief excursion into the heart of Baltimore that Google Maps deemed a “time-saving” maneuver.
During that drive, half of the time was spent on series-adjacent thoughts: how do the Celtics defend the Maxey pick-and-roll? How do the rotations change from Game 2? Can Jayson Tatum find his touch from beyond the arc?
The other half of the drive, spent on things like music and podcasts, ultimately evolved/devolved into basketball, in some way or another. I had spent a good chunk listening to Icelandic artist Björk for the first time (Her album Debut is incredible), which later turned into a bit where I tried my best to do an impression of Björk on the call with Mike Breen and Doris Burke (whether or not it was a good impression, I’ll leave to the imagination).
I also got to thinking about playoff hype videos. We all love them, we all need them. It’s the perfect way to usher in a playoff run, and luckily we’ve got tons of talented content creators out there that have perfected the craft. But what is the best one from this year for the Celtics?
For my money, it comes from @derekwkim (who I see on this blog pretty frequently!). This video, if you haven’t seen it, is absolutely Dy-no-mite. If this doesn’t get you absolutely locked in, check your pulse. It’s too good.
When I finally parked at Xfinity Mobile, I was in a hectic state. On one hand, the traffic was so bad, I only had about an hour to get acclimated with my surroundings. That meant no opportunity to watch shootarounds, take additional notes, or listen to Nick Nurse and Joe Mazzulla’s pre-game pressers.
On the other hand, for every 10 steps you walk, you’re hearing Celtics and Sixers fans just jaw at each other. A glorious rivalry, a tied up series, everyone is confident. This is what it’s all about. The atmosphere of a playoff game is unlike anything I’ve ever witnessed.
This was my first live Celtics playoff game in any capacity, though it’s actually the second playoff game I’ve ever been to.
In 2024, a friend and I drove over 1,200 miles to Dallas, Texas for a spur of the moment road trip to see Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals between the Mavericks and the Timberwolves. It was a great game, and an even greater atmosphere, just for the fact that Dallas was a game away from their first Finals appearance since 2011.
It was during that trip that I watched the Celtics clinch their second Finals appearance of the Jays era in possibly the seediest motel I’ve ever been in, so that gives me an interesting “where were you when the Celtics swept the Pacers?” experience for that championship season.
If anyone else answers “fearing for bedbugs in Dallas, Texas” that’s a pretty crazy coincidence.
In Philly, I was taking notes on a range of topics: pick-and-roll coverages, Maxey defenders, Jaylen Brown paint touches, to name a few.
I really didn’t interact too much with anyone near me during the game, although I was given a rare, naturally-occurring jumpscare from the older Philadelphia writer that sat beside me, who had a second screen on with the Phillies game and slammed his fist hard on the table after what I assume to be a costly error or game-losing play. Here I am locked in on a Tatum pick-and-roll only to be absolutely shaken by the absolute rage of this man. He, too, was locked in, just on something completely different from the other 19,016 people in attendance.
After watching an electric clutch performance from the Jays and hearing them speak in front of the media, I was off on the road back to Richmond. Now with a shorter, smoother ride, I spent the time thinking over what I just watched.
If you’re reading this, that probably means you’ve also read the many wonderfully-written articles from the blog’s staff about the finer details of this win. I don’t want to harp on too many more details with another game on Sunday, but consider this a 10 Takeaways microdose. We’ll call it 3 Takeaways.
1) Baylor Scheierman has made the most of his opportunities
There’s a clear need for Jordan Walsh to also have an established role in this series, and I understand playoff minutes are hard to come by with Jaylen and Jayson both averaging over 36 minutes, but Scheierman has been so good in his time on the floor this series. If there’s room to expand his minutes, I’d like to see it.
His 12 minutes on the floor felt like a sample of all the things he’s provided in the rotation this season. He hit a pair of threes, grabbed three boards, and hounded the ball on defense, coming away with two steals.
The versatility Scheierman presents, it just feels like it’s going to save the day at some point. He is simply built for the moment.
2) This was the clutch execution we needed to see
There was just something not quite right with how the Celtics offense ran in Game 2, even as they drew as close as two points from the Sixers in the fourth quarter. Too many stalled possessions down to the final seconds, too much overdribbling to make something happen, and of course, not enough shooting execution when they did get a good look.
Game 3 was not the case.
Not to say it was all perfect, after all Pritchard’s late three barely beat the shot clock on a well-defended possession, and the Sixers stuck around by attacking the basket, but through the pressure and the chaos, the Celtics were composed when it mattered.
While it’s not the most important shot of the fourth quarter, Tatum’s 3-pointer with two minutes left shows that composure completely. The Sixers sell out on taking away his drive, so much so that they dare Vooch to pull it from deep. He doesn’t force it, he doesn’t push the ball to the first option he sees, he takes a dribble inside the arc, forces a reaction to collapse onto him, then makes the best read possible by getting it back to Tatum.
And when Tatum took that extra dribble, you just knew that shot was going down. A smart play rewarded.
Clutch execution is an understandable concern with this group, but we saw that the team can shine when it gets down to those final, intense moments of a game. We absolutely needed to see a closeout like this.
3) We saw this core’s playoff experience at work
Joe Mazzulla had a quote that resonated with me when he was asked if the way the team closed out the win was a testament to Tatum and Brown’s playoff experience and leadership. To him, it shows up in other areas even before you reach the clutch stages of this game.
“I think it shows up in how you handle playoff losses, how you handle a bad game, how you handle winning,” he said. “I think the experience just kind of shows up in their poise on a day-to-day basis. Not getting too high, not getting too low, having a clear understanding of what’s at stake and what’s needed on a consistent basis. I thought you saw that tonight.”
It’s a realization that, to those who have followed this team since the very beginning of this era, before we even considered it an era of this duo, we have seen so many battles, so many postseason journeys, so many lessons learned. They’ve reached the top of the mountain, they suffered devastating defeat, and everything in between.
They’ve literally seen it all.
Game 3 was a nailbiter, but it’s not new to this duo. That experience matters.
It’s 3:30 a.m., and I’m finally back home. Face meets pillow, end of journey. Maybe next time I’ll book a flight.
During the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ 114-98 Game 4 win over the Hawks on Saturday night at State Farm Arena, Jalen Brunson and his father, Knicks assistant Rick Brunson, were animated with each other on the sideline despite the game largely having been settled.
They yelled at each other and waved their arms a bit before the younger Brunson walked away.
Jalen Brunson got into a brief yelling match with his dad, Rick, who is a Knicks’ assistant coach, during their 114-98 Game 4 win over the Hawks on April 25, 2026 in Atlanta. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
When asked what the debate was about, Jalen Brunson said “there’s no debate there.”
So what was it about?
“That was two competitors,” he said.
Brunson struggled with his shot, as he has for most of this series.
He finished with 19 points on 7-for-18 shooting from the field and 3-for-7 shooting from 3-point range and also committed six turnovers.
He also exited and went back to the locker room during the third quarter after Dyson Daniels fell on his ankle while fighting for a loose ball.
Maxime Raynaud, however, experienced his “welcome to the NBA” moment against a center from the Denver Nuggets — not Nikola Jokić, but rather his backup, Jonas Valančiūnas. The Kings’ 23-year-old shared his story in the latest edition of “The Old Man and The Three” with Sacramento teammates Precious Achiuwa and Nique Clifford.
“Jonas Valančiūnas; it was so bad,” Raynaud said. “It was so bad. Before the game … one of our video guys showed me a clip and was like, ‘Look, as soon as JV comes into the game, they’re going to run this ATO play — it’s like a cross-screen, he’s going to catch the ball, he’s going to post up — like, you know it’s coming. ‘Yes.’ He comes into the game, I see the cross-screen coming, I’m like, ‘All right, I got it,’ push him out, push him out.
“He catches the ball at the 3-point break — one dribble, chest, two dribbles, chest. He took me — just pushed me — out of the way. Did not even care to dunk the ball. Just laid it up over me; I felt like a baby. I was just like, I cannot do anything against this. He genuinely just walked me to the rim, took me, pushed me and just laid it up.”
“Then, after the game, our assistant GM [B.J. Armstrong] comes up to me, he’s like, ‘Max, you got to stand your ground.’ I’m like, ‘There’s no ground to stand on … I can’t do nothing,’” Raynaud hilariously added. “I couldn’t do anything.
“And then, the craziest thing is that he didn’t even have a crazy game … those eight points (were) loud.”
Raynaud and the Kings, at least, won the game, 128-123, on Nov. 22 at Ball Arena.
But the rookie will have to live with the lighthearted nightmare forever.
“He picked you up … this man picked him up,” Clifford said. “Max was two feet in the air.”
Despite the lowlight, Raynaud did keep Valančiūnas to eight points, as he remembered. Jokić, meanwhile, finished with 44.
There is a difference, though.
“It didn’t physically hurt you as much,” Raynaud said of Jokić’s buckets. “It sucks because you look up, and he’s probably the best player in the world at that moment. But …
“[Jokić] goes about his day, goes about his business. Like, he doesn’t talk too much to you or anything. After JV did ‘that,’ he started chuckling and running back kind of sideways; that’s what upset me the most.”
Valančiūnas, a former King, gave the rookie the business. Raynaud and Sacramento, though, ultimately left the Mile High City with the aforementioned dub — and that’s all that matters.
“You should feel good,” Achiuwa said. “We won that game.”
Boston, MA - April 23: Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard holds up the Sixth Man Award before Game 2 of the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs against the Orlando Magic at TD Garden. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Annually, the International Association of Structure Movers holds a convention with an awards banquet. Some awards are based purely on the numbers (e.g. “Heaviest Structure Moved on Rubber Tires”), but others are based on the opinions of judges (e.g. “Most Innovative Move”).
I love to use these awards as an example of a typical trade association’s annual recognition banquet because these are incredibly niche undertakings. These ain’t the Oscars—or the NBA’s awards for that matter.
Yet, they kind of are.
The NBA’s regular season awards recognize an array of achievements, but in the end, this is just the league and its media associates patting itself on the back. Call the MVP award the Oscar for Best Actor, or the “Most Innovative Move” and you’ve got the general idea figured out. Of course, an added complication in the NBA is that actual money in terms of max contract values is involved in some NBA awards, but the principle is the same.
When the NBA announced finalists for various individual performance awards last week, no Celtics players were listed. Jaylen Brown was not a finalist for the MVP and Neemias Queta was not a finalist for Most Improved Player. Jayson Tatum is a finalist for Teammate of the Year, which is surprising given the amount of on-the-court time he missed, and Joe Mazzulla is a finalist for an award that he has said he doesn’t really want.
Overall, though, how have the Celtics fared when it comes to these annual awards?
Looking back at the league’s most inclusive award, the All-NBA teams, Boston has nabbed 86 of 930 possible slots since the award was first given in the good old BAA days. This is second to the Lakers, who have filled 101 slots (Kobe, Kareem, and Magic account for 36 of those slots), but well ahead of the Sixers/Nationals, who have 67 All-NBA awards to their credit.
In terms of All-Defense, the Celtics lead the league in selections, with 49 of 570 slots. The Spurs are second with 44.
MVP selections are an interesting story. The Celtics have had 10 MVP awards. This is the most in league history. However, Larry Bird was the last Celtic to win an MVP award, and that was in the ’85-86 season. It’s been 40 years since a Boston player won an MVP award. At one point in time, one out of every four MVP awards had gone to a Celtic. Nowadays, it’s down to one out of eight. The Lakers and Sixers are tied for second place with seven MVP awards apiece.
For the Defensive Player of the Year award, Boston has two winners—Kevin Garnett and Marcus Smart. They are far from the most decorated franchise in league history here. The top awarded teams are, perhaps unsurprisingly, the Detroit Pistons (Ben Wallace was a four-time winner) and the San Antonio Spurs.
Rookie recognition is, as one would suspect, pretty thin on the ground for the Celtics. A team as consistently good as they have been doesn’t tend to give rookies a lot of opportunity to shine. Thus, the C’s have only landed 19 players on the 485 slots available on the All-Rookie team (the Bulls are, somewhat surprisingly, the league leaders, with 25 All-Rookie nominees). The Celtics have had three Rookies of the Year: Tom Heinsohn, Dave Cowens and Larry Bird. The Warriors lead all teams with six winners.
Boston players have won the Sixth Man of the Year award five times, which is tied with the Clippers, surprisingly, for most in league history, and no Celtic has ever been named Most Improved Player.
Overall, the C’s position as the winningest franchise in league history both in terms of games won and in terms of championships is pretty well reflected in player honors. To be sure, there seems to have been some neglect on the All-NBA teams, but from a big picture standpoint, there’s not a whole lot to gripe about here.
This is especially the case when you consider that the league has named seven awards after Celtic figures, the most of any team (Sam Jones, Bob Cousy, Larry Bird, Chuck Cooper, Red Auerbach, John Havlicek, and Bill Russell).
Where things make no sense at all is when it comes to the Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year awards.
The Atlanta Hawks have had the league’s Coach of the Year on six different occasions.
The league began giving this award out in 1963 and Harry Gallatin won the first award as coach of the then St. Louis Hawks. Since then the Hawks have accumulated a record of 2585-2581. I mean, that’s technically a better than .500 record, but c’mon. How thin can you slice that piece of pie?
The last time a Celtic coach won the award? Bill Fitch—in Larry Bird’s rookie year. The following year, the year the C’s won the title, the award went to Jack McKinney, whose Pacer team went 44-38. The Celtics have won five championships since Fitch’s award in 1980. Mind you, as I’ve said elsewhere, I think it’s good that coaches of other teams receive a little bronze statue of Red Auerbach to remind them of the league’s pecking order. But still, there’s very little about this award that makes sense.
Even more mind boggling is the Executive of the Year award. Here, Jerry Colangelo managed to land the award four times during a period in which his Suns finished first in their division exactly twice. During the period that Colangelo was collecting all that hardware, Red Auerbach won the award in 1980, presumably in recognition of his foresight in drafting Larry Bird the year before, and that’s it. No more awards for Red.
Red got zero recognition for moves like acquiring Parish and McHale in one trade, or Dennis Johnson, or Bill Walton. These were all brilliant deals that paid dividends the year that they were made, all were moves one would expect the league’s best executive to make, but none of them were good enough to secure another Executive of the Year award. On the opposite coast, neither Bill Sharman nor Jerry West got the award for building the Showtime Lakers, but hey, Atlanta’s Stan Kasten won it in ’85-86 and ’86-87, years in which two of the greatest teams in NBA history were fielded, neither of which were the Atlanta Hawks.
But what, ultimately, do these awards say about the quality of play on the court or talent on the bench or in the front office?
Not much.
To be sure, bad players don’t make it onto the All-NBA teams, and winning the MVP is basically a guarantee that you’ll end up in Springfield, but these awards are just a side show. They’re not the main event, and they’re not the final measure of the value of players, coaches and executives.
At best, awards are the detritus of a successful season. They’re side effects, secondary symptoms that indicate you’ve done a good job.
Sure, it’s always nice to get an award, to get recognition for doing your job well, whether it’s at an annual rubber chicken dinner hosted by the International Association of Structure Movers or in an NBA press release, but those awards aren’t where it’s at.
My brother-in-law Trent has been in the structure moving business for over thirty years. Despite participating in what was, at the time, the Heaviest Rubber Tire Structure Move in history, as well as a number of other award-winning projects and transport inventions, he says, “I don’t care whether we get an award. I don’t need that kind of recognition to motivate me.”
Joe Mazzulla couldn’t have said it better himself.
ATLANTA — Mike Brown began the game the same way, keeping his starting unit intact.
But notably, he also ended the game the same way to continue the growing concern around Mikal Bridges.
After acknowledging ahead of Game 4 that the Knicks were considering shaking up the starting unit, Brown stuck with his guns and kept Bridges in the starting lineup.
Bridges recorded eight points in 19 minutes in the Knicks’ 114-98 win over the Hawks on Saturday night at State Farm Arena to even the series at 2-2.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker steals the ball from Mikal Bridgets during the Knicks’ 114-98 Game 4 win over the Hawks on April 25, 2026 in Atlanta. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“We’ve won a lot of games with the starting group,” Brown said. “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.”
If those 19 minutes seem odd for a starter, there is a reason for that. After Bridges checked out with 7:34 left in the third quarter, he was benched the rest of the way. Miles McBride was on the floor in his place.
It mirrored the end of the Knicks’ Game 3 loss, when Bridges was benched — similarly for McBride — for the vast majority of the second half.
“At the end of the day, I just felt that [McBride] had it rolling,” Brown said. “They were gonna double Jalen [Brunson]. When they did, [McBride] hit some big 3s. So if a guy has it rolling, he may have a chance to stay out on the floor, that’s all it was.”
To begin the playoffs, it seemed like Jose Alvarado was out of the playoff rotation. But he’s crept back in — and is making an impact.
Jose Alvarado is held back by Mike Brown after he got into a bit of a dustup with Mouhamed Gueye in the first quarter of the Knicks’ 114-98 Game 4 win over the Hawks, forcing the Atlanta forward into a technical foul. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
He recorded six points in 14 minutes Saturday.
He also brought a bit of his trademark snarl — soon after checking in for the first time at the end of the first quarter, he got into a bit of a dustup with Mouhamed Gueye and forced Gueye into a technical foul.
His rise has come at the expense of Landry Shamet, whose struggles at the end of the regular season bled into the beginning of the playoffs.
Shamet, who only played in garbage time Saturday, seems to now be out of the rotation.
“He was huge,” Brown said of Alvarado. “He hit two big 3s. He was a guy that they were gonna leave open. He works very hard on his 3-point shooting. He took the right shots tonight. And then defensively, he tried to be a pest. What he did out on the floor for us gave us a huge lift, especially when Jalen was out.”
Brunson surpassed John Starks for the fourth-most total points in the playoffs in franchise history.
Karl-Anthony Towns recorded the first playoff triple-double of his career with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
He took over in the third quarter, when Jalen Brunson was in the locker room and the Knicks began to pull away.
Zero
Jalen Johnson, primarily guarded by OG Anunoby, finished with 14 points on rough 4-for-12 shooting from
OG Anunoby blocks Jalen Johnson’s shot during the third quarter of the Knicks’ 114-98 Game 4 win over the Hawks on April 25 2026 in Atlanta. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
the field. He was a game-worst minus-19.
Unsung hero
Josh Hart set the tone early, and his teammates fed off his energy as they so often do.
He finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Key stat
24.4 — The Hawks’ shooting percentage from 3-point range. They jacked up 41 of them, a plethora of low-quality looks.
Quote
“I thought we did a great job coming out with more tenacity. More desperation I think is the proper word.”
He recorded a game-high 22 points on 9-for-16 shooting from the field — and 3-for-6 shooting from 3-point range — along with 10 rebounds. He was a game-best plus-19.
OG Anunoby backs down Gabe Vincent during the Knicks 114-98 Game 4 win over the Hawks on April 25, 2026 in Atlanta. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Anunoby’s strong effort in Game 3 went a bit under the radar given the Knicks lost. But across these past two games, Anunoby shot a combined 7-for-14 from 3-point range.
“Just shooting no matter if I’m contested or not contested,” Anunoby said. “I work very hard on my game, so I always think it’s going in.”
Anunoby drilled back-to-back 3s in the second quarter Saturday as the Knicks extended their lead to double digits. His scoring was a steady presence the whole game — he scored six points in each of the first three quarters before finishing with four in the fourth quarter.
It’s been much more than just his shooting, though.
He spent the majority of Saturday matched up with Jalen Johnson and completely neutralized him. Johnson shot just 1-for-5 when Anunoby was guarding him, per the league’s official tracking stats.
In total, the Hawks on offense shot a combined 5-for-15 with Anunoby as the primary defender.
And he was key to the Knicks owning the glass. His rebounding numbers have been up the past two games — he had nine in Game 3.
Has that been a concerted effort?
“It’s a team effort, for sure,” Anunoby said. “We want to control the boards. And then just depending on who I’m guarding. When I’m on the perimeter, sometimes it’s harder to get rebounds. But making an emphasis on coming in, crashing the boards, helping the team finish possessions.”
With Jalen Brunson again not at his best, the Knicks needed others to step up and help carry the scoring load.
PORTLAND, OREGON - APRIL 24: Luke Kornet #7 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts after a dunk during the second half of Game Three of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on April 24, 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
Amid the uncertainty surrounding Victor Wembanyama’s return date, the Spurs headed to Portland for a crucial Game 3. A loss would have upped the pressure considerably on a young San Antonio team that still doesn’t know when it will get its superstar back. Fortunately, the Silver and Black prevailed thanks to fantastic performances from their young guards and a gutsy, physical team effort on both ends.
The urgency to get a win is now squarely on the Trail Blazers’ shoulders. Whether Wembanyama, listed as questionable, plays or not, they need to come out on top on Sunday or face elimination in San Antonio in Game 5. Desperation can be good, as the Spurs showed on Friday with a strong second half, but it can also lead to disarray. It will be on San Antonio to continue to play hard and try to get their opponent to make mistakes and exploit them.
A potential Wembanyama return could completely change the dynamic of the game, making the Spurs clear favorites. Even without him, the Silver and Black have proved they can get tough wins, so it should be a good matchup either way. Heading to San Antonio with a tied series wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, considering the circumstances, but this team clearly wants to continue exceeding expectations, even in the playoffs.
Spurs Injuries: Victor Wembanyama — Questionable (Concussion), Jordan McLaughlin – Questionable (Ankle)
Trail Blazers Injuries: Damian Lillard – Out (Achilles)
What to watch for:
Can Carter Bryant bring the energy again?
While Stephon Castle’s and Dylan Harper’s production understandably got the most attention for the win, there were plenty of others who were essential in Game 3. One of them was Carter Bryant, the rookie who was tasked with playing center in small-ball lineups. Bryant had his moments in the first half but really made his mark in the second, flying around the court on defense but also walking the ball up on offense to help avoid the full-court press the Blazers were using on the guards and keeping the offense moving when he got the ball in the half-court.
The challenge, if Wembanyama misses the game, will be to do it all again. The Blazers were leaving Bryant open, and at times, he was not even looking at the rim. In part, he was just trying to get others involved with handoffs and change the angle of attack, but if they continue to dare him, he’ll have to fire away. Bryant also defended Deni Avdija well when he got the chance, showing discipline against a tough opponent to guard. In general, his length and athleticism make him a good fit for this matchup against a Blazers team that has those traits in spades, so with or more likely without Wemby available, the Spurs could use another good Bryant game.
Gang rebounding will be key
One of the biggest concerns heading into the series was rebounding. The Trail Blazers have great offensive rebounding big men and like to attack the paint, drawing help defense. The Spurs were the best defensive rebounding team in the league, but it was still something they’d have to focus on to limit their opponent’s second-chance opportunities. They did a good job in the first two games, but going into Game 3 without Wemby, it seemed like it was going to be a problem.
Fortunately, the team found another level of energy and physicality on the boards, with the perimeter players, especially the young guys, helping out Luke Kornet, who dutifully boxed out when he was out there. In the end, offensive rebounding became a strength for the Spurs instead of the Blazers, as the visitors finished with 22 second-chance points to 12 for the home team. The Silver and Black will need that level of commitment to both clean the defensive glass and attack offensive boards in Game 4, especially if Wembanyama is out.
Can Keldon Johnson have a big game?
Keldon Johnson, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, is averaging five points on 28 percent shooting so far this series. He’s been a big help on the boards, averaging five a game, and has guarded centers at times, but he has massively struggled to provide any kind of offensive punch for the Spurs, especially inside. In Game 3, he went 1-for-7 from the floor, and his only make was a three-pointer. He’s not scored in double digits yet. The Blazers’ length at the forward spots and their interior defense have been giving Keldon fits so far.
Some of his misses, however, have been uncharacteristic, as he normally successfully uses his hook to get his shot past rim protectors, and he has good body control on drives. Johnson will need to continue being aggressive, especially when he’s guarded by Deni Avdija, to make the Blazers’ star spend energy on the defensive end. If Johnson can also do a better job when he has to guard a perimeter scorer, which he has struggled to do, it would help the Spurs massively. Portland is not a great matchup for Keldon, but he needs to find ways to contribute, and if the past is any indication, he will.
Oklahoma City Thunder (64-18, first in the Western Conference) vs. Phoenix Suns (45-37, seventh in the Western Conference)
Phoenix; Monday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Thunder -10.5; over/under is 213.5
WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Thunder lead series 3-0
BOTTOM LINE: The Oklahoma City Thunder look to clinch the series over the Phoenix Suns in game four of the Western Conference first round. The Thunder defeated the Suns 121-109 in the last meeting on Saturday. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 42 points, and Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 33.
The Suns are 29-23 against Western Conference opponents. Phoenix has a 19-29 record against teams above .500.
The Thunder are 41-11 in Western Conference play. Oklahoma City is second in the league giving up only 107.9 points while holding opponents to 43.7% shooting.
The Suns score 112.6 points per game, 4.7 more points than the 107.9 the Thunder allow. The Thunder average 7.9 more points per game (119.0) than the Suns allow their opponents to score (111.1).
TOP PERFORMERS: Devin Booker is averaging 26.1 points and six assists for the Suns. Brooks is averaging 2.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Cason Wallace is shooting 43.2% and averaging 8.6 points for the Thunder. Isaiah Joe is averaging 2.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Suns: 3-7, averaging 106.3 points, 42.2 rebounds, 21.2 assists, 6.3 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 44.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.2 points per game.
Thunder: 8-2, averaging 122.0 points, 44.7 rebounds, 28.0 assists, 10.6 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 49.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.6 points.
INJURIES: Suns: Mark Williams: day to day (foot), Jordan Goodwin: day to day (calf).
Thunder: Isaiah Joe: day to day (personal), Jalen Williams: out (hamstring), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33, sixth in the Western Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (54-28, third in the Western Conference)
Denver; Monday, 10:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Nuggets -10.5; over/under is 223.5
WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Timberwolves lead series 3-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Minnesota Timberwolves look to clinch the series over the Denver Nuggets in game five of the Western Conference first round. The Timberwolves defeated the Nuggets 112-96 in the last meeting on Sunday. Ayo Dosunmu led the Timberwolves with 43 points, and Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 30.
The Nuggets have gone 11-5 against division opponents. Denver is fourth in the NBA with 29.0 assists per game. Nikola Jokic leads the Nuggets averaging 10.7.
The Timberwolves are 9-7 against opponents from the Northwest Division. Minnesota is eighth in the Western Conference scoring 50.3 points per game in the paint led by Dosunmu averaging 11.5.
The Nuggets average 14.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.1 more made shots on average than the 12.1 per game the Timberwolves allow. The Timberwolves average 118.0 points per game, 1.1 more than the 116.9 the Nuggets allow to opponents.
TOP PERFORMERS: Murray is averaging 25.4 points and 7.1 assists for the Nuggets. Jokic is averaging 22.7 points over the last 10 games.
Julius Randle is averaging 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and five assists for the Timberwolves. Bones Hyland is averaging 2.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 7-3, averaging 121.6 points, 46.9 rebounds, 27.8 assists, 6.8 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.6 points per game.
Timberwolves: 6-4, averaging 117.2 points, 42.1 rebounds, 25.7 assists, 7.9 steals and 5.4 blocks per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.3 points.
INJURIES: Nuggets: Peyton Watson: out (hamstring).
Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards: day to day (undisclosed), Donte DiVincenzo: out for season (leg).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Detroit Pistons (60-22, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Orlando Magic (45-37, eighth in the Eastern Conference)
Orlando, Florida; Monday, 8 p.m. EDT
LINE: Pistons -2.5; over/under is 214.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Magic lead series 2-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Orlando Magic host the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference first round with a 2-1 lead in the series. The Magic won the last meeting 113-105 on Saturday, led by 25 points from Paolo Banchero. Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 27.
The Magic have gone 26-26 against Eastern Conference teams. Orlando is ninth in the Eastern Conference scoring 115.7 points while shooting 46.4% from the field.
The Pistons are 39-13 against Eastern Conference opponents. Detroit is fourth in the league scoring 18.0 fast break points per game. Tobias Harris leads the Pistons averaging 3.7.
The 115.7 points per game the Magic score are 6.1 more points than the Pistons give up (109.6). The Pistons average 117.8 points per game, 2.7 more than the 115.1 the Magic give up.
TOP PERFORMERS: Banchero is averaging 22.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists for the Magic. Desmond Bane is averaging 17.5 points over the last 10 games.
Cunningham is averaging 23.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 9.9 assists for the Pistons. Duncan Robinson is averaging 2.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Magic: 7-3, averaging 114.9 points, 45.2 rebounds, 27.2 assists, 9.7 steals and 5.6 blocks per game while shooting 45.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.2 points per game.
Pistons: 7-3, averaging 115.5 points, 44.3 rebounds, 29.4 assists, 9.4 steals and 7.6 blocks per game while shooting 50.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.0 points.
INJURIES: Magic: Jonathan Isaac: day to day (knee).
Pistons: Kevin Huerter: day to day (hip).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
ATLANTA -- A few notes on the Knicks’ performance in a do-or-die Game 4 win.
HART OF THE MATTER
The Knicks put Josh Hart on CJ McCollum to start the most important game of their season and Hart delivered. With Hart as the lead defender on McCollum, the Knicks limited him to eight points and three turnovers in the first 20-plus minutes of the game. That allowed New York to build an early 15-point lead.
“Yeah Josh was really good on the ball," head coach Mike Brown said. "Josh is a guy with quick feet, he’s strong and when he gets locked in he’s locked in."
The Knicks also used Hart on Jalen Johnson in Game 4. Johnson had been Hart’s primary assignment earlier in the season.
It will be interesting to see how the Knicks handle MJ – I mean CJ McCollum early in Game 5.
TOO MUCH TOWNS
With Jalen Brunson playing below his standard, the Knicks needed to get production from other sources. Brown said New York changed its early offense during Game 4 and that resulted in the ball landing in Karl-Anthony Towns’ hands.
Towns did the rest. He had 10 points and four assists in the Knicks’ tone-setting first quarter. He continued to make plays throughout the game – whether it was at the elbow or in the post.
“He really put us in a position to win,” Brunson said of Towns, who had his first career playoff triple-double.
The number of touches/shots for Towns has been a hot button around the Knicks all year. On Saturday, they got him the ball and he certainly delivered.
After the game, Hart reiterated that the Knicks need to be deliberate in finding Towns on offense.
“He’s a hub," Hart said. "He’s a guy that can score the ball, but also pass the ball and find guys when they’re open. We have to continue to do that."
OH MY OG
Towns wasn’t the only Knick to pick up the scoring for Brunson. OG Anunoby was again strong on both ends for New York. He led the team with 12 first-half points and made life difficult on the other end for Atlanta. He also rebounded the ball well, helping the Knicks take a 14-point lead into halftime.
Anunoby has arguably been the best Knick through four postseason games. In the first three games, he averaged 20 points on 56 percent shooting (8-for-15 from beyond the arc). On Saturday, he finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds. He’s averaging nearly nine rebounds per game, which is roughly four more than his per-game average in the regular season.
Whether it was Anunoby, Towns, Hart or strong bench play from Jose Alvarado, the Knicks found a way to dominate without relying on Brunson.
“No matter who it is – if KAT is struggling, he’s gotta find other ways to help us win. If Jalen’s struggling to shoot it, he’s gotta find other ways to help us win. If OG is struggling to shoot it or not getting enough touches, or Mikal [Bridges], whoever it is, they just gotta keep trying to find different ways to help us win,” Brown said. “[Jalen] created double-teams, [Miles McBride] got some some wide open looks. If they’re gonna keep doubling him, we gotta make sure we knock the shot down. He’s setting great screens. We gotta keep doing those little things when we’re not shooting the ball at the highest level. Jalen did that [in Game 4].”
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Denver-Minnesota rivalry took another dramatic turn in the closing seconds of Game 4 on Saturday, when Nuggets star Nikola Jokic confronted Jaden McDaniels after he took an uncontested layup with the Timberwolves on the way to victory and a 3-1 lead in the first-round NBA playoff series.
After McDaniels made the unsportsmanlike basket with 2.1 seconds left with the Nuggets having conceded the 112-96 decision, Jokic ran from one end of the court to the other to shove him. Players from both teams converged around them to broaden the scuffle before order was restored. Timberwolves forward Julius Randle, who was livid with Jokic, was ejected along with Denver's center.
“He scored when we'd stopped playing,” Jokic said. “You guys saw what happened.”
McDaniels, who spiced up the series after Game 2 by declaring Denver's team was full of “ bad defenders,” said afterward he didn't know what Jokic said to him during the confrontation.
“I just seen someone who was big as hell,” McDaniels said.
So why did he take the meaningless two points?
“The clock still be running, so I might as well go score,” McDaniels said.
As teams in the same division playing four times each regular season, and facing each other in the playoffs for the third time in four years, the Nuggets and Timberwolves have become quite the archrivals.
“Obviously I didn't like what McDaniels did,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said. “The game was over. The game was conceded both ways. In 2026, that stuff just doesn't happen anymore. That's something that happened in the ‘80s, where teams would continue to score. But that’s who he is, you know? And so if that's what they want to do, that's what they want to do.”
Nikola Jokic and Julius Randle were ejected from the Timberwolves' win against the Nuggets on Saturday.
MINNEAPOLIS — When the Minnesota Timberwolves acquired Ayo Dosunmu from Chicago in February, they expected to get a strong defender and savvy offensive player. If he wants to be an elite scorer, they’ll take that, too.
Dosunmu scored a career-high 43 points, stepping up after leg injuries to Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo with the highest-scoring playoff performance by a reserve in 50 years, and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Denver Nuggets 112-96 on Saturday night to take a 3-1 series lead.
“Ayo was just out of this world, man,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “Just play after play after play.”
Nikola Jokic was ejected during the Nuggets’ 112-96 Game loss to the Timberwolves on April 25, 2026 in Minneapolis. Getty Images
The game ended with the ejections of Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Minnesota’s Julius Randle after Jokic became angry when Jaden McDaniels made a meaningless layup with 2.1 seconds remaining and confronted the Wolves’ swingman near his bench.
Jamal Murray led Denver with 30 points. Jokic added 24 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists. The Nuggets were just 6 for 27 from 3-point range.
The Wolves have won the last three games and can end the series in Game 5 on Monday night in Denver.
“I expect us to have a great effort in Game 5,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said. “I really trust our two best players will find a rhythm, and they have to find that at home.”
Jokic and Murray were 6 of 24 from the field in the second half.
“We had the opportunity to score easier, get open looks, and we didn’t,” Jokic said. “And in the fourth quarter the momentum is on their side. They were making shots, they were playing with some energy and we didn’t have that.”
Julius Randle is pictured during the Timberwolves’ win over the Nuggets on April 25. Imagn Images
Dosunmu made 13 of 17 shots, going 5 of 5 from 3-point range, and all 12 of his free throws in a season-high 42 minutes.
“He goes places quick. He’s an unbelievable finisher. He makes big shots,” Finch said. “He’s not afraid. Just was going to ride him until he collapsed, really.”
It was the best performance by a sub since Fred Brown scored 45 off the bench for Seattle in a 116-111 loss to Phoenix on April 15, 1976.
Nikola Jokic reacts after being ejected during the Nuggets’ April 25 loss to the Timberwolves. Imagn Images
“I know it sounds cliche, but I can’t and won’t take this moment for granted,” Dosunmu said, “because I understand how long and how hard it is to get here.”
The Nuggets led by seven in the third quarter before the Timberwolves used a disruptive defense to get back into the game. Bones Hyland and Dosunmu scored breakaway layups on consecutive possessions after Minnesota forced the Nuggets to turn it over near halfcourt — two of nine second-half turnovers for the Nuggets.
Randle added a steal and fast-break dunk to put the Wolves up by four after three quarters.
Dosunmu had another steal and layup as part of a 9-0 run early in the fourth quarter that gave Minnesota a 95-82 lead. The basket that pushed the lead into double digits was a 3-pointer by 38-year-old Mike Conley, who played 20 minutes while filling in for DiVincenzo and Edwards.
