The Charlotte Hornets were one of the hottest teams in the home stretch of the schedule and are one win away from securing the No. 8 seed in the East when they take on the Orlando Magic in the NBA Play-In Tournament.
If you’re cheering on Charlotte Friday night, I’ve got a pro-Hornets same game parlay to add a little buzz to your betting action.
Here are my best NBA SGP picks and predictions for Hornets vs. Magic on April 17.
Our best Hornets vs Magic SGP for April 17
The Charlotte Hornets were 18-9 SU in the second half of the season and showed grit in their Play-In win over Miami on Tuesday. Charlotte has been one of the best two-way teams since the All-Star break and boast a 13-3 SU mark as road favorites this season.
Rookie sensation Kon Knueppel would like to put his postseason debut in the past. While he couldn’t connect from deep Tuesday – and may not get much more versus the Magic’s defense – Knueppel’s playmaking is being undervalued. His projections flirt with four assists Friday.
Brandon Miller is a constant offensive engine for Charlotte. He dropped 25 and 20 points in his last two run-ins with Orlando and Friday’s forecasts call for as many as 22.5 points from the Hornets small forward.
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Luka Doncic (left) scored a game-high 32 points as the Los Angeles Lakers lost 113-110 to Cade Cunningham's (right) Detroit Pistons in March [Getty Images]
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic and Detroit Pistons' Cade Cunningham are eligible to win NBA end-of-season awards after successful appeals.
Traditionally, players must feature in a minimum of 65 regular season games to be eligible, but Cunningham played 63 and Doncic played 64.
Doncic, 27, and Cunningham, 24, both lodged challenges to the rule due to "extraordinary circumstances".
Cunningham missed 12 games with a collapsed lung, while Doncic missed two for the birth of his daughter in Slovenia - both reasons were cited by the NBA as part of the exemptions.
The ruling means that they are now in contention for awards including MVP and All-NBA teams.
Doncic has scored a league-high 2,143 points during the regular season to help the Lakers reach the play-offs and was recently named as the player to sell the most shirts across Europe and the Middle East.
Cunningham ranks second in the league for assists (634), with the Pistons also through to the play-offs as they sit top of the Eastern Conference.
Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves played 60 games but was denied his appeal to be given allowance.
Close your eyes and think about the kid you always matched up against growing up. Little League, Pee Wee hoops, doesn’t matter. Just picture that little stinker and that matchup.
Physical. Annoying. A little chippy. Probably would give you wet willies when you weren’t looking.
And no matter how many times you played them, it never really got less personal.
That’s Celtics vs. Sixers.
Not in the “classic rivalry” sense — in Joel Embiid’s words, “this is not a rivalry, they always kick our ass.” But in the sense that these two teams just keep running into each other. Over and over again. More than any other matchup in playoff history, in fact.
Celtics have history on their side in their upcoming playoff matchup with the 76ers 🍿
🏀 Boston leads the all-time playoff series 15-7. 🏀 The Celtics have won six straight playoff series versus the 76ers. 🏀 Boston has a 4-0 series record in the first round under Joe Mazzulla.… pic.twitter.com/hHrUFe8C2n
For the 23rd time in NBA history, it’ll be Boston vs. Philadelphia in the playoffs. It’s familiar. It’s layered. And even when one team is clearly better, the games don’t always cooperate with that reality.
Which brings us to the question that might actually decide this series: what happens if these games are still tight late?
The Sixers need to keep things close
The Philadelphia 76ers had the #1 clutch-time defense in the NBA this season. Not top five. The best. They held teams to a 98.6 defensive rating in 174 total minutes of clutch situations. In the NBA, a clutch situation is officially defined as any time during the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime, where the score differential between the two teams is five points or less.
They’ve already shown what that clutch-time defense looks like against Boston.
Both of their wins over the Celtics this season came down to the final possessions. If you rule out the Celtics 114-98 blowout win versus Philly on March 1st, the other three games were decided by a total of four points. Four! Two of those resulted in losses for Boston, falling in the regular-season opener 117-116, and losing again in Philadelphia on November 11, 102-100. Those two losses were the exact kind of games where everything slows down and every decision gets magnified.
That’s where this series can drift into something it probably shouldn’t be.
The Celtics don’t need to be perfect.
Here’s the thing with this Celtics team. When they look like themselves, the game usually ends before it ever becomes a “clutch” game.
Ball moves. Shots fall. Defense travels. You look up midway through the fourth and it’s a 15-point game that never really felt in doubt.
That’s the version of Boston that wins this series in five and we all get to start thinking about Round 2.
But for Boston, every now and then, the game tilts a little. And if it tilts long enough in this series, it could be closer than we’re hoping for.
We’ve seen the version of Boston that gets a little too comfortable with isolation play, whether it’s Brown or Tatum holding on to the ball until the shot clock hits nine before they decide to start the action. This shows up most in games where Boston builds a big early lead. Complacency and standing still are the demons of this team. When they get away from playing their game, the threes stop falling. The offense gets a little sticky. Possessions start ending in tougher shots than they probably should. Nothing catastrophic — just enough to keep the other team hanging around.
BOSTON, MA – MARCH 1: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 1, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
You look at the scoreboard, now it’s eight. Then six. Then four.
And suddenly you’re playing the Sixers’ game.
For a team that was pretty average for most of the season, the math changes for Philly when games get tight late. And for whoever they’re playing, the focus shifts from who generated better shots over 40 minutes to who executes over the next eight.
A big part of this series will be determined by whether the Celtics can still get clean looks when everything tightens.
For the Sixers, it’ll be determined by whether they can turn the game into a half-court grind, where their guards can pressure the ball, switch across actions, and force Boston into late-clock decisions. And if guys like Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe can create just enough offense while the defense does its elite thing, look out.
Lastly, if Joel Embiid somehow appears at any point in this series — even in a limited role — that dynamic gets even more pronounced. Slower pace, more physicality, more chances to drag things into the mud.
That’s not where Boston wants to live.
The stat just tells the story
Yes, the clutch defensive rating matters. It tells you Philly is elite in those moments. But the real takeaway is simpler than that.
The Sixers need these games to stay close. The Celtics don’t.
If Boston does what it’s done all season — moves the ball, avoids self-inflicted mistakes, and builds real separation — this matchup probably ends without much drama. If they don’t, and they keep letting Philly hang around late, then all of a sudden you’re playing a different kind of series.
The kind where one bounce, one possession, one weird stretch decides things.
The kind of game you remember from growing up.
The one against that kid.
Let’s not get it twisted, the Celtics are the better team in this series. But being the better team doesn’t always equate to advancing to the next round. Don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten the ‘06-’07 We Believe Warriors, or the ‘10-’11 Mavericks taking down the first version of the Heatles? I can still hear The Jet flying overhead.
Again, playoff series don’t always reward the better team in a straight line. They reward the team that controls what the game (and the series) becomes.
Right now, there are two versions of this series sitting right in front of us. One where Boston plays its game and moves on, and one where things get just uncomfortable enough, just often enough, that Philly gets exactly what it wants.
That’s the margin. And it might come down to whether the Celtics can stay far enough away from the exact kind of game the Sixers have already proven they’re built to win.
If you never got the best of that rival twerp of yours growing up, you should feel pretty good about this matchup. The Sixers aren’t bringing their usual firepower to the table, and if Boston handles its business, they should be the ones handing out the wet willies all series long.
Whether you’re saddling up at the urinal, putting on a one-man show, or making your NBA postseason debut, stage fright can get the best of us.
Just ask Charlotte Hornets rookie sensation Kon Knueppel, who suddenly forgot how to shoot in Tuesday’s Play-In Tournament win after a record-setting first season in the pros.
Knueppel came out ice cold from beyond the arc and couldn’t find his way in the offense, eventually getting the hook late in the game.
Our Hornets vs. Magic predictions won’t discount the Duke product too much in Friday’s Play-In finale but my NBA picks take a different way to wager on Knueppel’s contributions.
UPDATE: Added prediction for who will win.
Hornets vs Magic prediction
Who will win Hornets vs Magic?
Hornets: Oddsmakers call for a close contest but how much more can the Magic endure? Orlando botched the season finale to fall to No. 8, have locker room rumors swirling about its head coach, and watched its star player shit the bed in the Play-In.
The Hornets, on the other hand, continue to play at a high level and have been one of the best two-way teams since the break. Plus, Charlotte has won three of four matchups with the Magic this season.
Hornets vs Magic best bet: Kon Knueppel Over 2.5 Assists (-115)
The Charlotte Hornets’ star rookie had a rotten postseason debut, finishing 2-for-12 from the field, including a goose egg on six attempts beyond the arc.
What’s more disappointing is that Kon Knueppel couldn’t find other ways to contribute and found himself on the bench in crunch time. He logged just six minutes in the fourth quarter — and an extra frame — on Tuesday.
While all eyes go to his chilly shooting performance, Knueppel also recorded just one assist in the OT win over the Miami Heat and generated only two potential assists over his 34 minutes.
On the season, Knueppel has averaged almost 3.5 assists on 6.3 potential dimes per game. Before the Play-In, he had dished out three or more assists in four of the final five games of the schedule, including two five-dime showings.
The Hornets need more from Knueppel than long-range chucks if they’re going to punch their ticket to the playoffs Friday. In the two most recent matchups with the Orlando Magic, Knueppel dished out four assists in each outing – both one-sided wins for Charlotte.
With the Magic boasting one of the tighter perimeter defenses (33.8% - third lowest since the break) and the fourth lowest 3-point attempts against, Knueppel will find himself making the extra pass rather than letting it fly from deep.
His player projections for Friday’s win-and-in contest sit north of three assists, and this total of 2.5 O/U is just the fourth time in the past 11 games that his assist prop has been this low.
Hornets vs Magic same-game parlay
The Hornets are on the road but have the rest and prep edge due to the East Play-In schedule getting flipped in Philadelphia. Charlotte showed an ability to adapt to off-games from its stars and never stopped fighting in the win over Miami.
If Knueppel isn’t getting his looks from long range, Brandon Miller picks up the slack. He’s been electric for the Hornets and is forecasted for as many as 22.5 points on Friday. Miller has scored 25 and 20 in his last two matchups with the Magic.
Hornets vs Magic SGP
Hornets moneyline
Kon Knueppel Over 2.5 assists
Brandon Miller Over 19.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Wrath of Kon
The rookie has something to prove after laying an egg in his first taste of tournament action and must find other ways to impact the game beyond 3-pointers.
Knueppel’s projections call for as many as six rebounds and four assists in the Play-In finale, which could turn into a low-scoring slog. A slower pace of play and a lack of perimeter points will keep this final below the total.
Hornets vs Magic SGP
Hornets -3.5
Under 218.5
Kon Knueppel Over 2.5 assists
Kon Knueppel Over 5.5 rebounds
Hornets vs Magic odds
Spread: Charlotte -3.5 | Orlando +3.5
Moneyline: Charlotte -170 | Orlando +145
Over/Under: Over 218.5 | Under 218.5
Hornets vs Magic betting trend to know
The Hornets are 13-3 SU and 9-7 ATS as road favorites this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Hornets vs. Magic.
How to watch Hornets vs Magic
Location
Kia Center, Orlando, FL
Date
Friday, April 17, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Hornets vs Magic latest injuries
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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 15: Vj Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers goes in for a layup during the first half of an NBA play-in tournament game against the Orlando Magic at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 15, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
VJ Edgecombe never truly hit the proverbial rookie wall. Sure, he had ups and downs like any first-year player, but it was less peaks and valleys and more open road with a few speed bumps.
But his most important test came Wednesday night as the seventh-seeded Sixers hosted the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic in the NBA’s Play-In Tournament. He was up for it, stuffing the stat sheet and flying around the floor in the Sixers’ 109-97 win at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
In case you couldn’t tell, Edgecombe was a bit excited for his first taste of postseason basketball.
“I was tweaking a little bit tonight,” he said postgame. “But I was able to settle in a little bit, calm down.”
Generally, a young player will either not be aggressive enough and need a push or be overaggressive and need to be reined in. Most coaches will tell you they prefer the latter.
“I thought he made some … a little bit off-the-script decisions tonight with the ball,” Nick Nurse said postgame, “but didn’t matter the rest of the game. He was flying for rebounds, he was guarding really hard.”
Edgecombe chuckled when asked about his head coach’s analysis.
“I guess it happens when you let a kid play in such a high-intensity game, but I was out there having fun,” he said. “If I gotta play wild for us to win, I’ll play wild.”
It wasn’t the most efficient night as Edgecombe went 7-of-16 from the field and 1-of-5 from three. He also had four turnovers, perhaps the excitement leading to overzealousness.
But it’s impossible to deny the impact he made. He scored 19 points, but maybe his most important stat of the night was his 11 rebounds, all on the defensive end. The Magic finished 12th in the NBA in offensive rebounding percentage during the regular season. You will not be surprised to learn, dear reader, that the Sixers were 26th in the NBA in defensive rebounding percentage.
Much was made about Orlando’s size and physicality entering this game, but it felt like the Sixers were the aggressors all night.
Early on, Kelly Oubre Jr. delivered an obvious illegal screen to Franz Wagner. Oubre then proceeded to get into a verbal fracas with Paolo Banchero, resulting in double technicals. The message seemed clear: the Sixers were not going to be bullied.
Edgecombe was right in the thick of it all.
The Sixers were on Banchero’s hip all night, forcing six turnovers on him alone. In the middle of the third, Paul George, who was excellent defensively, picked Banchero’s pocket. He then flipped a pass ahead to Edgcombe with just the feisty Jalen Suggs in his path. Edgecombe went right at him, with All-Defensive Team pick just sort of helplessly retreating. It was a pretty finish for the rookie and the bucket extended the lead to 11.
But Edgecombe again got a little wild, getting right in Suggs’ face on the landing. The officials, who really officiated the hell out of this one (derogatory), reviewed the play and hit Edgecombe with a technical for taunting.
“It got a little chippy early,” he said. “We’re out there hooping, I just thought my momentum took me all the way there. … That’s what I was telling (crew chief) Tony (Brothers), but he wasn’t buying it. … I don’t know, man. I wasn’t a fan of it, but it’s cool.”
With the Sixers clinging to a five-point lead late in the fourth, they really needed a good possession. They got one as Andre Drummond, who was fantastic Wednesday, hit Edgecombe with a nice pass on a cut. Edgecombe met Wendell Carter Jr. at the rim and completed a tough, physical finish.
In his excitement, the 20-year-old flexed his muscles.
“You like that?” Edgecombe asked the reporter with a laugh. “I just tried to muscle my way through and finish. And obviously, they have a good rim protector, so just try to go through his chest, make a good finish and then flex on them a little bit, ya know?”
Tyrese Maxey, who led the Sixers with 31 points, wasn’t amused in the moment, but could laugh postgame at his rook’s exuberance.
“He made a layup today and he was screaming and I was like, ‘please, get back.’” Maxey said. “But VJ is great. He’s gonna be perfectly fine. His demeanor is great. His work ethic is great. … The winning basketball plays he makes, that’s what’s special about him.”
Edgecombe spoke to reporters with the energy of a child recapping all the cool gifts he got for Christmas. His desire to compete is so obvious.
Coming out of the draft, Edgecombe got some Jimmy Butler comparisons. You could sort of see it with Edgecombe’s athleticism, frame and two-way play.
But the biggest takeaway about Edgecombe Wednesday is that, like Butler, he is a dog.
“He always just seems to make winning basketball plays,” said George. “He just has so many intangibles that contributes to winning. He’s built for the playoffs. The teams that succeed are full of those kind of guys. Once everything else starts to click, man — he’s continuing to prove that he’s special.”
As the Sixers embark on a series with the Boston Celtics, a team chock full of winning players, Edgecombe’s value only becomes more apparent. He had to contend with jumbo-sized playmakers in Banchero and Wagner. The job doesn’t get any easier with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum looming in the first round.
Edgecombe knows what to expect.
“They’re just going to try and bully. That’s all,” he said. “They’re going to put their head down, so I just try to beat them to the spot. The ball gotta touch the floor, so as soon as the ball touch the floor, I try to poke at it. … Obviously, [Banchero and Wagner are] like 6-10, but I ain’t scared of nobody. … Regardless of who you is, I’m gonna try and I ain’t scared. I ain’t gonna back up if you’re running at me. You just gotta run me over.“
Who knows how Edgecombe will fare in his first NBA Playoff series, but, much like his performance in Boston on opening night, you know he’ll be ready.
“I love Philly fans,” he said. “They were loud. the intensity, the physicality — it was great. That’s the type of game I live for.”
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 5: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks looks on during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 5, 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On Monday, the NBA released the top-selling jerseys from the 2025-26 regular season. While the list of course features many mainstays, popular players like Steph Curry and LeBron James, Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg appeared on the list with the ninth-best-selling jersey.
This news came as a bit of a surprise to me, at least. Last year was a chaotic and challenging year for many Maverick fans, with some swearing off the franchise entirely. An injection of hope came in the form of the Mavericks moving up in the NBA Lottery for the first time in their history, where they later selected Cooper Flagg as the clear number one choice in the draft.
But the Mavericks got off to a slow start, with Flagg in an undefined role, trying to fit in with Anthony Davis and a cast of other veteran players. As the season rolled on, it quickly became clear Dallas had a future superstar on their hands; the game that sticks in my mind is a 116-114 loss to the Bucks where Flagg went off in clutch time. The NBA had Dallas in numerous national television slots in the first half of the season and fans were clearly exposed to his intense brand of basketball. That clearly translated to jersey sales, both in Dallas and around the league.
The list as a whole is pretty fun, given the range. Steph Curry is coming in at number one despite playing in the same place for 17 seasons. LeBron James, of course, still on the list after a million years in the NBA. Jayson Tatum’s still the man in Boston despite missing most of the season working on a return from an Achilles tear.
The question I have is how high can Cooper rise? He’s not passing a Luka Doncic or an Anthony Edwards, I don’t think at least. But Flagg being this popular this soon is very interesting!
CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 5: Keon Ellis #14 and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high five during the game against the Indiana Pacers on April 5, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The final weeks of the regular season are when the top teams visibly turn their attention to the postseason. They know who they are and what their identity will be in the playoffs. Unless the team is vying for a higher seeding, you will see a visible dip in play for the final weeks.
The Cleveland Cavaliers were one of those teams that could not adopt this mentality. The team underwent a constant need for change due to injuries, transactions, and troubleshooting.
Now, this in itself isn’t the reason to discount this team from true championship contention. It takes a deeper look, looking past just wins and losses, and more so, the manner in which this team wins its games. Is there something that is a viable blueprint for the intensive style that the playoffs demand?
I know the comment section is going to be riddled with “the team won 50+ games despite all hurdles in their way.” I think this line of thinking is setting fans up to believe that there is another gear left in this team. The Cavaliers have shown us who they are, even without all personnel being healthy. I don’t think this team’s faults are going to be all fixed with a healthy roster.
The Cavaliers’ biggest issue is that their effort hasn’t been there all season. Now, in the regular season, they can coast by due to their massive talent advantage on most nights. Look closely at wins and how those came to be for the Cavaliers. Very rarely, if ever, did the Cavaliers rise to the challenge and shut off the opponent’s water. Instead, this team lives and dies by outscoring opponents, even as those opponents move the ball and score with relative ease.
How many times have we had the players, coaches, or even the media call out the effort, or lack thereof, from this team? More than any supposed championship caliber team should. The lack of meeting the call to action is another problem.
For all of the great work head coach Kenny Atkinson has done this year with putting together a puzzle with different pieces night after night, the one problem he hasn’t been able to solve is the Cavaliers’ willingness to compete on the defensive end.
Defense in the NBA is inseparable from effort because it requires constant physical and mental engagement on every possession. This is dialed up to an eleven in the postseason. Each possession feels almost like a game within itself. Unlike offense, where players can rely on skill or pick their moments, defense demands sustained intensity whether its staying in front of opponents, fighting through screens, rotating on time, and contesting shots all hinge on how hard a player is willing to work.
Since the beginning of March, the Cavaliers have gone 15-6. While that would lead one to the inclination that the team found some level of consistency on the defensive end. It becomes less reassuring that, in that stretch, only four of those teams were top-six playoff seeds (Celtics, Lakers, Hawks twice, and Pistons). Not only can you question the caliber of the opponent, but also whether defense was played at all. In those games, the Cavs surrendered 110 points or more regularly to the likes of the Memphis Grizzlies (126), Miami Heat (128 and 120), Orlando Magic (131 and 128), and the Dallas Mavericks (130).
Due to the areas in which the Toronto Raptors excel, fastbreaks and driving to the basket, it feels like the team will be a good stress test for the Cavaliers. The Raptors, if they were to give the Cavaliers a hard time, would be winning games from the extra effort they exert on every possession. The Cavaliers will have to match that energy with the pace of play the Raptors will try to instill. While the talent gap may be able to cover some effort deficiencies in round 1, the Pistons, Knicks, or Celtics will not grant those same luxuries. You would rather they buy into sustained effort early so they don’t get sucker punched in round 2 and onward.
This feels far from a flip-the-switch scenario. Effort isn’t something you can turn on and off; it’s a standard you establish, and the Cavaliers haven’t consistently shown that standard on defense. Their defensive inconsistencies aren’t just schematic; they stem from a recurring lack of effort, which has shown up too often to ignore.
When a team spends the regular season coasting defensively and relying on talent to outscore opponents, it’s difficult to suddenly manufacture the discipline, urgency, and cohesion required in a playoff environment. If the mentalities nurtured and ingrained from playing the Wizards and Grizzlies of the world seep into their postseason play, the Cavaliers’ season will be over sooner rather than later.
Luka Doncic and Cade Cunningham are about to be All-NBA players and land on a lot of MVP ballots.
The NBA and NBPA (the players' union) together agreed that "taking into account the totality of the circumstances for Cunningham and Dončić, each player qualified for awards under the extraordinary circumstances provision in the CBA." While both men were set to file an extraordinary circumstance challenge, neither had to because the league and union agreed they met the criteria.
That means both men will be postseason award-eligible despite falling short of the league's 65-game threshold to qualify for awards.
Doncic played in 64 games before an untimely hamstring injury prematurely ended his season (and likely has him out for the first round of the playoffs). His challenge was based on the fact that he missed two games in December for the birth of his daughter, and that qualified as an "extraordinary circumstance." The league and union agreed. Cunningham played in 63 qualifying games this season (64 total), but missed a dozen games near the end of the season due to a collapsed lung (which happened on a flukey play diving for a loose ball). Again, the league agreed that this qualified as an extraordinary circumstance.
Minnesota's Anthony Edwards did file an extraordinary circumstances challenge, but an arbitrator denied it. Edwards played in 60 games this season, averaging 28.8 points, 5 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.
Cunningham, the focal point of the No. 1-seed Pistons' offense, averaged 23.9 points, 9.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game and is the primary reason they are the No. 1 seed in the East. Doncic led the NBA in scoring at 33.5 points a game, adding 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds a night for the No. 4 seed Lakers.
So much for a “gap year.” The Boston Celtics are back in the NBA playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them back in the Finals this June.
The Celtics’ playoff run begins Sunday with Game 1 of the first round against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden. Boston is heavily favored to win the series, but if it does advance, it won’t be an easy road to Banner 19.
Last year, the C’s quest for a repeat ended with a loss to the New York Knicks in the conference semifinals. The archrivals would meet for a rematch if the No. 3 seed Knicks take care of business against the No. 6 Atlanta Hawks.
Will the C’s get over the hump this time, or should we expect another early exit? Our friends at Strat-O-Matic simulated the entire 2025-26 NBA playoff bracket.
First Round: No. 2 Celtics defeat No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers, 4-2
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The Sixers stun the C’s with back-to-back wins to start the series at TD Garden. Boston rebounds with a dominant Game 3 win in Philly, followed by three more victories to close out the first-round clash in six games.
East Semifinals: No. 2 Celtics defeat No. 3 New York Knicks, 4-3
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Strat-O-Matic’s simulation predicts a rematch between the longtime archrivals. It takes all seven games, but the Celtics close out the thrilling series with a nail-biter victory at TD Garden. Five of the seven games are decided by five points or fewer.
East Finals: No. 1 Detroit Pistons defeat No. 2 Celtics, 4-2
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The Celtics steal the first two games on the road to take a commanding 2-0 series lead back to TD Garden, but the Pistons respond by taking both games in Boston to even the series. Detroit stays hot with a win back home and again at TD Garden to win the series in six and advance to the NBA Finals.
Celtics’ top playoff performers
Jaylen Brown continued to lead the Celtics after a spectacular regular season, averaging 26.8 points per game over the three playoff series. Jayson Tatum averaged 22.6 points per game.
Western Conference Playoffs
First Round
No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder defeat No. 8 Golden State Warriors, 4-2
No. 5 Houston Rockets defeat No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers, 4-0
The NBA’s best rivalry is the Boston Celtics versus the Los Angeles Lakers. Those two teams have met in the NBA Finals an astounding 12 times.
But second place on the league’s rivalry rankings is probably the Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers.
These long-time Eastern Conference foes have produced so many amazing playoff moments, and a new chapter will be written over the next two weeks when the C’s and Sixers meet in the first round, beginning Sunday afternoon at TD Garden.
It will be the 23rd playoff series between the Celtics and 76ers. Boston has won 15 of the first 22, including six in a row. The last time the 76ers won a playoff series against the Celtics was the 1982 Eastern Conference Finals.
One of the early and most iconic playoff moments in league history came in Game 7 of the 1965 Eastern Conference Finals (known as the Division Finals at the time) when Celtics forward John Havlicek won the series vs. the 76ers with a steal on the final play. Johnny Most’s legendary radio call of “Havlicek stole the ball” only added to the mystique.
Celtics center and Hall of Famer Bill Russell went 7-1 against the 76ers in his playoff career, with the only defeat coming in the 1967 Eastern Conference Finals. Russell and the C’s got their revenge the following year by overcoming a 3-1 series deficit to beat the Sixers in the conference finals.
The 1981 Eastern Conference Finals was another all-time classic.
The C’s overcame a 3-1 series deficit and won Game 7 at the old Boston Garden. Larry Bird scored 23 points with 11 rebounds, including a go-ahead bank shot with just over a minute remaining, to help the C’s win 91-90. Boston won the final three games of the series by a combined five points. The C’s would go on to beat the Houston Rockets in the 1981 NBA Finals for the first of three titles with Bird.
Few people would have predicted after the Celtics beat the 76ers in the 1985 Eastern Conference Finals that these teams wouldn’t meet again in the playoffs until 2002. In fact, the 1990s is the only decade in which Boston and Philly didn’t square off in the postseason.
Both teams were not contenders for much of the 1990s, but by the early 2000s, each team had once again become a playoff-caliber group. The 76ers lost the 2001 NBA Finals to the Lakers, and their Eastern Conference title defense the following season started against the Celtics in Round 1. The C’s were making their first playoff appearance in seven years, and they took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-5 series. The 76ers stormed back to tie the series and force a deciding Game 5 in Boston, where Paul Pierce scored 46 points (8-for-10 on 3-pointers) in a 33-point Celtics win.
The new Big 3 of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen made five playoff appearances together but only once played against the 76ers. It was a 2012 Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup, and Boston prevailed with a Game 7 win.
The Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum era of Celtics basketball has seen three series against the 76ers. The last one featured a Game 7 in the 2023 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Tatum set a Game 7 record with 51 points in a 112-88 victory (highlights in the video below). He was the star in Game 6 on the road, too. The Celtics were facing elimination and trailed with four minutes left, and then Tatum dominated with 16 points in the quarter as the C’s forced a Game 7.
The Celtics are heavy favorites in the upcoming series as the No. 2 seed.
Brown has played at an MVP level this season, and Tatum is starting to look like his old self about a month-and-a-half into his return from an Achilles injury. The Sixers also could be without star center Joel Embiid for some of this series after he underwent an emergency appendectomy last week.
But you never know how these rivalry series will play out.
The Celtics were underdogs against the 76ers in the 2018 Eastern Conference Semifinals with Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward both out due to injury. But led by a second-year Brown and rookie Tatum, the C’s won the series in just five games.
Here’s a look at every playoff series between the Celtics and 76ers. Note: The Sixers were the Syracuse Nationals from 1946 to 1963.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic celebrates a dunk on a fast break against the Cleveland Cavaliers during a game on March 31. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers guard Luka Doncic will be eligible for postseason awards after the NBA and NBA Players Assn. announced Thursday they ruled in his favor on his extraordinary circumstances appeal of the 65-game rule.
Doncic, a leading candidate for most valuable player and a lock for his sixth All-NBA team, played in only 64 games before he suffered a regular-season ending left hamstring injury on April 2. The league's latest collective bargaining agreement requires players to appear in at least 65 games to be eligible for postseason awards, but Doncic and Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham both won appeals under the CBA’s extraordinary circumstances provision.
Doncic missed two games in December to attend the birth of his daughter in Slovenia and Cunningham, whose career season led the Pistons to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, missed 12 games because of a collapsed lung suffered on March 17.
“I am grateful to the NBPA for advocating on my behalf and to the NBA for their fair decision,” Doncic wrote in a statement on social media. “It was so important to me to be present for the birth of my daughter in December and I appreciate Mark [Walter], Jeanie [Buss], Rob [Pelinka], JJ [Redick], and the entire Lakers organization for fully supporting me and allowing me to travel to be there."
Doncic earned his second league scoring title this season with 33.5 points per game. He surged back into the most valuable player race with a magical March when he was just the second player to score 600 points in March, joining Michael Jordan. He had four consecutive games of 40 or more points and 12 of 30 or more before injuring his hamstring on April 2. He and guard Austin Reaves (oblique) are out indefinitely as the Lakers begin the playoffs Saturday against the Houston Rockets.
The end for an NBA coach can be brutal and sudden, even for teams that make the playoffs. Last year, twoplayoff teams even got rid of their coach right before the postseason began. It's not the profession for those seeking job security.
No such turmoil occurred to close the 2025-26 NBA regular season, but there is nonetheless a group of coaches still coaching as of Thursday, April 16 that could be fired soon if the high-stakes games of the 2026 NBA playoffs don't go their way.
A team's playoff ledger relative to expectations often supersedes the number of wins accrued over the months-long slog preceding the postseason. Those that fall short under these bright lights are eventually discarded, and NBA coaches have traditionally been among the most dispensable.
Here are five coaches currently in the NBA's postseason who are on the hot seat, especially if their team were to suffer an early exit from the playoffs:
The fifth-year coach could be coaching for his job when the Magic face the Charlotte Hornets to close out the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. Even a first-round exit to the top-seeded Detroit Pistons might lead to Mosley's firing after a disjointed season in which the trio of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane struggled to gel together offensively. Orlando spent four first-round draft picks on Bane last offseason to be a contender, not relegated to play-in fodder, and Mosley might pay the price in the days ahead.
The interim Blazers coach isn't on this list because of his performance. He just led Portland to its first playoff appearance since 2021 after starting the season with coach Chauncey Billups arrested following the first game as part of federal indictments related to illegal gambling. But new owner Tom Dundon has not committed to hiring Splitter, nor officially parted ways with Billups, and it will make for a complicated situation whenever the Blazers' season ends.
Among NBA teams to qualify for the postseason, only the Charlotte Hornets had a worse crunch time NET rating during the regular season than the Rockets. Despite the addition of Kevin Durant last offseason, their halfcourt offense has devolved at key moments and Udoka has thus far not adjusted well to the flaws or the absence of injured point guard Fred Van Vleet. Losing in the first round to the injury-riddled Los Angeles Lakers would mean Houston dropped a series in which it almost certainly got out-coached given the personnel discrepancies.
Brown is only in his first season with the Knicks and the team finished with two more regular-season wins than it did a year ago under former coach Tom Thibodeau. But the expectations are high in New York. A first-round exit against the Atlanta Hawks, combined with the reality that Brown was not the top choice for Knicks' brass to begin with last offseason, could lead to a quick change on the bench.
Nurse hasn't succeeded with the Sixers like he once did with the Toronto Raptors, in large part because of injuries and roster construction. Getting out of the play-in tournament after a bounce-back regular season might be enough to give Nurse another year, particularly since Paul George and Joel Embiid again missed large chunks of the season. But Nurse would probably be wise to not get swept by the Celtics in the first round, just to be safe.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 15: VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket during the game against the Orlando Magic during the SoFi Play-In Tournament on April 15, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Down in South Philadelphia last night, the crowd filled in slowly for the Sixers’ Play-In Tournament matchup with the Magic. Blame traffic concerns if you’d like given that the Phillies were hosting a game across the street too and the simple fact that it was a weeknight. Sitting at Xfinity Mobile Arena before tipoff, both levels of the stands were fairly dead. Would the fan base lay an egg for this one? I couldn’t blame them much if that was the case.
The Sixers were playing for the right to be the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference and likely lose to the Celtics in the postseason for the sixth time this century. Joel Embiid was sidelined as he recovers from surgery for appendicitis while his timetable for returning to the court remains unclear. The promises of the Process and those first handful of playoff runs in the Embiid era have evaporated. Most people in this city are bitter about the team, or, even worse, apathetic.
Things, however, shifted as the game progressed. The arena filled up. People were decked out in jerseys from across the decades for the franchise, from Julius Erving to Allen Iverson to even a lingering Dario Šarić that I saw. Fans fed off the energy of the Sixers’ dynamic backcourt duo of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. By the time Andre Drummond, the unsung hero of the evening, nailed a three-pointer with under a minute to go in the first half, the crowd popped. It was as if the clock turned back to a time where anything was possible for the direction of the Sixers as unlimited possibilities were staring at us for the next decade.
I remember being there for the Sixers’ first post-Process playoff game against the Heat in 2018. It may have only been six years since the last time the Sixers were in the postseason, but it felt closer to 60. The Sixers torched Miami in the 27-point victory as vets Marco Belinelli and Ersan İlyasova went supernova off the bench and rookie sensation Ben Simmons dished out 14 assists. It was everything I had dreamed of playing out in front of my own eyes.
I’m a Sixers pessimist. That has been abundantly clear for a while, likely dating back to the team’s 2021 collapse against Atlanta that I’ve never fully recovered from in terms of my fandom. Still, it’s nice to get wrapped up in something bigger than ourselves, right? That’s how it felt watching this team pull out that win. Roaring after yet another improbable Drummond three near the end of the fourth quarter that padded the Sixers’ lead with 20,000 people is what it’s all about.
This all may be fleeting. I am not entertaining a miraculous upset of the Celtics in the coming days. I also imagine quite a few Boston fans, both those from the New England area and the disgusting locals who root for them, will be present and diminish the Sixers’ home court energy. At the very least, this win over Orlando was a call back to what makes playoff basketball so special for the fans in attendance and, maybe, just maybe, a harbinger of brighter days for the franchise in the future (maybe the distant future…).
ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Hawks center Jock Landale will miss at least the first two weeks of the NBA playoffs because of his sprained right ankle.
Landale averaged 9.1 points and 4.1 rebounds in 23 regular-season games with Atlanta. He sustained a high ankle sprain on April 1 at Orlando. The Hawks say he “is progressing in his rehabilitation” and “will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks.” An update is expected after his re-evaluation.
Atlanta is the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and opens its first-round series at the third-seeded New York Knicks on Saturday.
The Hawks addressed a lack of depth at center — Kristaps Porzingis has been unavailable much of the season and N’Faly Dante is out for the year — by acquiring Landale from Utah for cash considerations in early February. He never played for the Jazz and was with them less than a day after being part of an eight-player trade involving Memphis.
The 30-year-old Landale averaged 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds in 45 games for Memphis.
The Australian is in his fifth NBA season. He made his NBA debut with San Antonio in the 2021-22 season and also has played for Phoenix and Houston.
