Rockets star Kevin Durant won’t be available for Game 5 of the Lakers-Rockets first round playoff series on Wednesday.
Durant was ruled out due to a left ankle sprain, the same injury that sidelined him for Games 3 and 4.
Kevin Durant will miss Wednesday’s Game 5 of the Lakers-Rockets first round series in the NBA’s Western Conference playoffs. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
He suffered the injury during the Lakers’ Game 2 win on April 21 in Los Angeles.
Durant also missed Game 1 of the best-of-seven series because of a right knee contusion.
He made his return in Game 2, but the Lakers beat the Rockets, 101-94, with Durant suffering the ankle injury late in the game before missing both matchups in Houston.
Houston star Kevin Durant, who led the Rockets in scoring at 26 ppg this season, will miss Game 5 vs. the Lakers Wednesday night recovering from a left ankle injury. NBAE via Getty Images
Durant was the Rockets’ leading scorer for the 2025-26 season, averaging 26 points in 78 games.
“Talking to him about it is tough when you play the amount of games he has this year, really one game due to the ankle injury, and playing the minutes that he did and competitor that he is and commitment that he’s made to the team with a lot of guys being in and out this year,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said ahead of Game 4. “And so unfortunate for us and him that he’s missing this time of year, but it’s hard, no doubt, for a guy that wants to play and plays as much as he does to be out at this point in the season, this is very tough. So feel bad for him and our team in general. But like I said, we’ve proven we can do it without him.”
Game 5 of Lakers-Rockets will tip off at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena.
Apr 28, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) and Philadelphia 76ers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. (9) work for the ball in the second quarter during game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images
The Boston Celtics returned home to TD Garden Tuesday night to try and close out their first round series against the Philadelphia 76ers. Boston led through three quarters, before the Philadelphia 76ers made a stunning comeback to take the lead at the start of the 4th quarter. Philly would go on to dominate play in the 4th quarter as the scoring dried up for the C’s, they lose another game at home in this series, 113-97.
With no injuries, both teams had a full compliment of players to start the clash. Philadelphia got out to an early 10-6 lead as both teams struggled to shoot the ball to start the contest. In the first 6 minutes of action, Boston was just 4-11 from the field, missing their first 5 three-point shot attempts. Jayson Tatum’s first score came seven minutes into the game, as the Celtics seemed very tentative in the close-out matchup.
Payton Pritchard was the first player off the bench for the home team, as Sam Hauser took an early seat, scoreless after 6 minutes of action. Boston took the lead with 3 minutes to go in the first quarter as Jaylen Brown muscled into the key to score and was fouled over rookie VJ Edgecombe.
Baylor Scheierman checked into the game late in the first quarter and hit the team’s first triple of the night off a Pritchard assist. Payton Pritchard scored his first points of the night with a mid-range fadeaway jumper. Jordan Walsh joined Vucevic, Pritchard, Brown, and Scheierman on the court to end the quarter as Tatum got a rest. A Nikola Vucevic dunk in a wide-open 76er lane gave the Celtics a 23-21 lead after one quarter. The C’s would take that all day after shooting a dismal 1-10 from downtown in 12 minutes of play. The 76ers weren’t much better, going just 3-13 as both teams were slogging it out in a low-scoring affair.
Tatum returned alongside White, Garza, Walsh, and Pritchard as Joe Mazzulla mixed up the rotations to start the second quarter. Embiid was called for an offensive foul, setting a pick on Jordan Walsh to start the quarter. Pritchard danced into the lane past two defenders and drew a second foul on Embiid. Pritchard drove once more on a broken play for Philly; he got a wide-open layup for his seventh point of the game.
Jayson Tatum stole the ball on the baseline and went coast to coast as Boston took a seven-point lead, 32-25. Jordan Walsh and Luka Garza took a seat as Vucevic and Scheierman returned for Boston. Vucevic immediately sunk a triple from the top of the key, his second field goal of the game, crediting Tatum with a behind-the-back assist to the big man. White got into the lane to score his fourth point of the game on a finger roll layup; Vucevic got the assist with a nifty pass on the play.
Boston took a 10-point lead with seven minutes to go in the half; Jaylen Brown had a block attempt on Embiid and was whistled for a foul at the nail. He would hit both free throws to cut it to eight. Tatum stepped into a pull-up triple for his eleventh point; Pritchard would register his fifth assist.
Brown drove and drew Embiid on a collapsing drop coverage play; JB pivoted and swung the ball to Vooch, who was wide open for another three-pointer. Philly was hanging around as Boston had some fumbles and turnovers in the middle of the quarter. Andre Drummond made a pair of free throws to cut Boston’s lead to just two points. Brown drove and dished to Queta for a loud two-handed dunk. A Jayson Tatum corner triple came on a broken play, which handed the C’s a seven-point lead. Nick Nurse came off the bench and was upset with the referees as they took a timeout.
Philly got the lead back to 2 points; Jaylen Brown had a sweet turnaround two-pointer over Paul George to answer. JB drilled his first triple of the game with 30 seconds left in the half; his heat check three was his eleventh point of the night. Queta had a third foul on Embiid to end the half, he would take a seat in foul trouble. Boston is up by seven, 57-50, at the half.
Jaylen Brown dunked it home on a cut through the lane to open up things in the third. Queta was whistled for another foul, his fourth of the night, as coach of the year Joe Mazzulla elected to get Vucevic back into the game. Jaylen Brown hit one of two from the line after an Oubre foul, Boston up 64-58. Jordan Walsh scrapped with Embiid down low on a loose ball retrieval, he provided a spark as a Jaylen Brown replacement. Embiid was dominating the paint for Philly; he had 23 of the team’s 65 points with 6 minutes to go in the third.
Tatum converted a big three on an offensive rebound for Boston; Maxey matched him with a deep triple of his own. Payton Pritchard’s first three of the game came on a corner look in front of the 76ers bench, the guard wasting no time to tell them about it. On the same play, Embiid was clutching his knee and went to the change rooms. Luka Garza got fouled on a trailing layup attempt as the Boston crowd found full voice after a predominantly quiet first half. The C’s are back up by 8 points as Garza converted both free throws.
Both teams hit triples, as Embiid returned to the game for Philly. Jaylen Brown attacked the paint and scored over Embiid with a layup. Tatum also took on Embiid and scored on a hook shot in the paint for Boston. The Celtics would lead by just one point, 86-85, after Maxey hit a desperate three-point jumper with the shot clock expiring.
Paul George gave the 76ers the lead on a three-pointer to open the fourth; JB whistled for an offensive foul on the next play down the court for Boston. The Celtics had back-to-back turnovers to start the 4th quarter as Scheierman passed it wide to Derrick White.
Sam Hauser swished home a corner triple as Brown drove and drew two defenders, Boston down one, 89-90. Hauser hit another three-pointer on a relocation play; he was the only player to score for Boston in the fourth. JB drove and passed it to Queta, who skied to tip it in on a roll to the bucket. Philly was still up 3 points with six minutes to go in the game.
An Embiid turnaround over Queta gave the 76ers an eight-point lead, as it looked like the series might shift back to Philadelphia. Boston had just eight points in 8 minutes as they couldn’t hit a shot. Jayson Tatum finally went to the line with two and a half minutes to go, but Boston was already down by 12 points.
The series now shifts back to Philadelphia as they host Game 6 on Thursday in another must win game.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 28: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Five of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 28, 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
We’re not going anywhere just yet.
The Sixers stole another one in Boston, winning Game 5 113-97 to send the series back to Philly at 3-2.
Joel Embiid found himself in the third quarter, leading all scorers with 33 points shooting 12-of-23 from the field along with four rebounds and eight assists. Tyrese Maxey was much more assertive, going for 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists on 10-of-18 shooting.
Paul George put up 16 with nine rebounds and seven assists shooting 6-of-13 from the floor. VJ Edgecombe could at least make a three this time. He finished with 10 points going 3-of-8 from the field. Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 24 while Quentin Grimes had 18 off the bench.
Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.
First Quarter
The Sixers opened the game slowly plodding their way to an Embiid midrange jumper that missed wide. Their possessions got better as Maxey was able to collapse the defense, leading to the ball swinging around the horn for a George three. Kelly Oubre Jr. got into the paint for a layup before George nailed a contested three.
Boston’s 1-of-7 start to the game wasn’t capitalized on because the Sixers followed it up with a 1-of-8 stretch of their own. The Sixers were generating open threes for Maxey and Embiid but as this series has gone, they couldn’t get them to fall. Only allowing one offensive rebound and 0 second-chance points on the Celtics’ first 10 misses though was a considerably better start on the glass.
That finally came to an end when they lost Neemias Queta getting back down the floor. He was able to scoop up and put back a botched lob attempt, potentially committing basket interference in the process. Embiid finally made his first field goal on a midrange Maxey set up with a pocket pass, but didn’t get in a groove as he missed a runner the next time down the floor.
For some reason, Andre Drummond remained Embiid’s backup to start, who just could not keep up closing out on the perimeter against Boston playing 5-out with Nik Vucevic on the floor. It was a better start than the previous game. The Sixers trailed by two after the Celtics shot just 1-of-10 from three in the first.
Second Quarter
Self-inflicted errors have also been a big theme of this series, and the Sixers opened the second with some pretty sloppy basketball. Embiid got whistled for a couple cheap fouls, one of which became a three-point play for Boston. Grimes threw the ball into two Celtics trying to kick out of a drive, and they missed two free throws on top of that.
The Sixers’ defense looked as nonexistent as it was in Game 4 to start the quarter with the Celtics easily making seven of their first nine shots. Derrick White fouling Grimes on a three stopped that flow just as things could have gotten really ugly for the Sixers. They got a couple more stops, including a steal leading to a fast break layup to stay within striking distance. The four-point play was the Sixers’ first bench points of the game.
Embiid took only a 90-second break and he was still struggling to find any sort of rhythm. Maxey again found him wide open near the restricted area but his shot rimmed out. He got one to fall coming out of a timeout, but nearly pump faked himself into a shotclock violation a few possessions later. He was able to end his half with a trip to the line that cut Boston’s lead to seven at the break.
Third Quarter
It took the Sixers a couple minutes to get going in the second half, minutes they were quickly running out of. Sam Hauser beat a scrambling defense to get to the rim, Jaylen Brown beat the Sixers getting back down the floor for an open cut, and White got to the line to give the Celtics their largest lead of the night. Embiid got rolling, posting up Vucevic, but the Sixers still had their moments shooting themselves in the foot. Right after an away-from-play foul gave Boston an extra free throw, they let Jordan Walsh grab an offensive rebound to bail out a shot clock violation.
As Embiid kept beating Vucevic in the post, he felt more comfortable with his jumpers as well. They continued to put together stops on the other end. Maxey was able to nab a bad Jayson Tatum pass, starting a fast break that led to an Edgecombe three that pulled them within one.
Right when Embiid was really rolling offensively, he came down favoring his left leg after rising up to contest a Brown layup. Not only did the rebound fall to the Celtics for another second chance three, but Embiid looked like he hyperextended his knee. He left the game for a quick trip to the locker room but not before the Celtics responded with a 7-0 run.
The rest of the Sixers did shoot it really well in the third as well though. Going 7-of-12 from behind the arc prevented the Celtics from going on an extended run that could have put the game away. Maxey became the latest, coming off a screen to pull the Sixers within one again entering the fourth.
Fourth Quarter
Things kept going the Sixers’ way as PG knocked down a three off the catch to give the Sixers their first lead since the first quarter. The Celtics proceeded to turn the ball over twice in a row, but the Sixers couldn’t capitalize. They only got one basket during a stretch where they forced five stops, a symptom that’s plagued them all series.
The Sixers were able to answer a couple of Boston threes with Maxey and Embiid getting baskets for themselves before Grimes drew a foul on a three. Somehow, they survived a possession where they gave up three straight offensive rebounds. Grimes’ impact in this one was massive. Right after knocking down another three he picked up Brown chasing down a loose ball and locked him up for the length of the shot clock.
Embiid continued to have a lot of success offensively in the post. He continued to look tired as the quarter dragged along having hardly sat in the second half. The Celtics, really struggling offensively, put Payton Pritchard back on the floor. He was able to get an open jumper but missed as the Celtics missed 11 straight field goal attempts.
Edgecombe had been the only Sixer on the floor really struggling from the field. Like he did so many times in the regular season, he still hit a big three in the fourth that pushed the Sixers lead to 15 with about two and a half minutes remaining. A few seconds later, both teams started emptying their benches.
PORTLAND, OREGON - APRIL 26: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs stands during the national anthem prior to Game Four of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on April 26, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much.
The Silver and Black have an opportunity to advance past the first round of the playoffs tonight for the first time since the 2016-2017 season, when they got all the way to the Western Conference finals against the Golden State Warriors. If they win tonight, they will face either the Minnesota Timberwolves or the Denver Nuggets, who are engaged in a close series where the Wolves lead 3-2 with a chance to close it out Thursday night in Minnesota. If the Nuggets win Game 6, there will be a game on Saturday in Denver with the winner advancing to the second round and the loser going fishing.
The Spurs can’t afford to look ahead to the second round, because the Trail Blazers have shown that they are a team that can play well enough for parts of a game to give the Spurs trouble. The Spurs have been able to win three of the four games by coming up with dominant stretches when they need them, but they have not yet had a game where the Alamo City team dominated from start to finish, and it would be great to see that kind of effort tonight. San Antonio played one of their worst halves of the season in the first half on Sunday afternoon to trail by 17 going into halftime, but exploded out of the locker room in the third quarter to immediately erase the deficit and win by 21 with Jordan McLaughlin scoring the final points for the good guys.
Victor Wembanyama has had a journey in his first playoff series, with a scary fall in the first half of Game 2 that kept him out for a game and a half in concussion protocol. The Spurs handled his absence with a comeback win led by Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper as the young guard duo took over the game when the Spurs needed them to. De’Aaron Fox has been up and down a bit in the series, but he definitely put his stamp on Game 4 with 28 points and key defensive plays. Tonight is the night for the Spurs to put it all together to close out the series and avoid another west coast trip and gain a rest advantage on their eventual second round opponent. LET’S GO SPURS!
Game Prediction:
The game is not close in the fourth quarter, and ESPN viewers end up finding out a lot about Dave Pasch and Doris Burke’s hobbies, which are just as boring as you might have imagined.
San Antonio Spurs vs Portland Trail Blazers, First Round, Game 5 April 28, 2026 | 8:30 PM CT Streaming: ESPN app TV: ESPN Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
The NBA teams with the worst records would no longer have the best chances of getting the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft as part of a potential, dramatic draft lottery reform, longtime NBA writer Mark Stein and others have reported.
In an apparent effort to discourage tanking, the teams with the fourth-worst through 10th-worst records each would have the best chances at the No. 1 pick – 8.1% – according to Stein. Those teams would get three lottery balls each, per ESPN.
By contrast, the NBA teams with the three worst records each would have a 5.4% chance at the top pick, according to Stein, who reported teams with the 11th-worst through 14th-worst records also would have a 5.4% chance at the top pick. Those teams would get two lottery balls.
This year the bottom three teams – the Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets – each will have a 14% chance at the No. 1 pick, and the odds drop among lottery teams with better records.
The "3-2-1 lottery" reform proposal, which would expand the lottery to 16 teams from 14 teams, could be approved May 28, according to Stein. The lottery for this year’s draft takes place May 10, when the order of selection among 14 teams will be determined by a lottery machine and the random draw of numbered ping-pong balls.
The additional lottery teams would be those that lose the No. 7 vs. No. 8 Play-In game, according to Stein, who reported that each of those two teams will have a 2.7% shot at the No. 1 pick. They would each have one lottery ball.
Of course, the team with the worst record in the NBA has not been assured of the top pick since 1984. Last year, for example, the Dallas Mavericks had just the 11th-best lottery odds yet won the top pick. They drafted Cooper Flagg, who was named Rookie of the Year.
Granted, every postseason game is paramount, but Game 5s in the NBA playoffs when both teams enter tied at two games apiece are particularly crucial. Historically, the winner of Game 5s when tied at 2-2 go on to win the series 82% of the time.
For New York, it will come down to the plan on offense, and how coach Mike Brown deploys All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, the latter of whom posted a 20-10-10 triple-double in Game 4 on Saturday, April 25.
The Hawks will need to play quickly and emphasize transition offense; through the first three quarters Saturday, Atlanta had failed to score a single fastbreak point.
From the time the game started to the time he was subbed out when the result was decided, Brunson took 31.5% of New York’s shot attempts. Normally, that’s a rough distribution, but Brunson shot it with efficiency, going 15-of-23 for a game-high 39 points.
Brunson was the only Knick to shoot more than 8 field goal attempts and carried the team’s offense. He also went 3-of-5 from 3-point range.
Since Game 4, the Knicks have found ways for Brunson to be off the ball more than he had earlier in the series, and that has paid dividends. Until the Hawks show they can slow him down, it’s something that’s likely to continue.
“Jalen was great,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said after the game. “His screening is great, his pace is great. We’re just trying to move him around as much as we can so that they can’t catch a rhythm on him.”
The Knicks made four of their first five shots and 8-of-12 to start the game. The Knicks were clearly intending on playing quickly and decisively, and that made a big difference. New York shot 58.5% in the first half.
So far, so good for Towns, who scored 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting in the first half. He has also added 8 rebounds and 4 assists. He finished the game with a double-double – 16 points, 14 rebounds – while also adding six assists, two steals and two blocks.
He has significantly improved his impact on the glass throughout the playoffs, and the first quarter was no different. Anunoby recorded a team-high 7 rebounds in the period. After three quarters, he cracked double-figures and posted 10 boards.
He also added 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting and impacted the game on defense and in hustle plays that do not necessarily show up on box scores.
“I work very hard,” Anunoby said after the game. “We have a great team, my teammates are finding me and I’m playing with a lot of force.”
The Knicks were extremely active on defense, jumping passing lanes and using active hands to cause deflections. That prevented Atlanta from getting easy shots, and led to 10 turnovers for the Hawks.
He hasn’t been as engaged on offense, and his shot selection has felt forced at times in the series, but the Hawks clearly wanted to get Daniels going early. He scored the first two Hawks buckets of the game. Because Daniels hasn’t been a threat, Atlanta’s offense has suffered at times. And because Brunson is guarding him, it’s a matchup the Hawks can exploit.
By the first media timeout, with 6:42 left to play, Daniels was already 3-of-3 with 6 of Atlanta’s 8 points. That matched his point totals from Games 2 and 4 and surpassed his total from Game 1 (4). By halftime, Daniels had 10 points, and he finished with 17 on 7-for-11 shooting, making it his highest-scoring game in the series.
As he does sometimes, he has made an instant impact off the bench. Robinson first swiped a ball on defense that went off of CJ McCollum’s knee for a Hawks turnover. Seconds later, he slammed down a putback jam. Robinson finished with seven points and six rebounds while going 3-for-3 from the floor.
Points in the paint and bench points were an issue for Atlanta. After the first half, New York had a 40-22 edge in the paint, and its bench had outscored Atlanta’s by 6 points. The Knicks continued that advantage in the second half, ending the game with a 60-42 points-in-the-paint edge. They also dominated the Hawks in second-chance points 20-6 and fastbreak points 13-4. New York's bench finished with 38 points, while the Hawks had just 24.
“We can get kind of caught up in individual performances — you always need those — but we need to look at it collectively,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder told reporters after the game. “Everybody needs to make plays for each other. When we’re playing well, that’s what it looks like.”
He was Atlanta’s hero in Games 2 and 3, but the Knicks have thrown extra bodies in their attempt to defend McCollum. Because of that increased ball pressure, McCollum has just 4 points on 2-of-9 shooting through three quarters. He has also missed all three of his free throw attempts. He finished with just six points on 3-of-10 shooting (0-for-2 on 3-pointers) and missed all three of his free throw attempts.
Jonathan Kuminga gets in early foul trouble
He was a massive spark off the bench in Atlanta’s two wins in the series, and the Knicks have looked to attack Kuminga on defense. He was called for a pair of early fouls. He did, however, have a massive alley-oop dunk midway through the period but finished the first quarter 2-of-7 for 4 points.
It’s true that the Knicks are outplaying Atlanta in most facets of this game, so add one more: free throws. The Knicks have been more aggressive about drawing contact when attacking in the paint. New York went 25-of-34 (73.5%) from the line, while the Hawks were a measly 10-of-17 (58.8%).
The Knicks have been at their best when Jalen Brunson (left) and Mile McBride are on the court together.
The numbers jump off the page.
When Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride play together, the Knicks often thrive.
Entering Tuesday’s Game 5 clash against the Hawks at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks had a net rating of 29.5 points when Brunson and McBride were on the floor together this postseason.
The Knicks have been at their best when Jalen Brunson (left) and Mile McBride are on the court together. Getty Images
That net rating was the highest among the top 12 two-man pairings with the most minutes played across the first four games of this first-round series.
The Knicks were excellent on both sides of the ball — with a 120.9 offensive rating and 91.5 defensive rating.
“Try to make his job as easy as possible, as well the rest of the teammates out there,” McBride said of playing with Brunson. “Anytime I’m on the floor, I try to make everybody’s lives easier, whether that’s on the defensive or offensive end. Just bringing whatever I have, whatever my talents are, whatever I see in the game, and do it.”
McBride had a rough start to the postseason, clearly still rusty after missing 28 games in the regular season following sports hernia surgery.
But he was much closer to his best in Games 3 and 4, recording 16 and 13 points, respectively, on a combined 8-for-16 shooting from 3-point range. His workload was also up, playing 31 and 23 minutes.
Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride, celebrating during the Knicks’ Game 4 2 win, entered Tuesday with a the Knicks had a net rating of 29.5 points when they were on the floor together this postseason. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
It’s notable because in both games, McBride was on the floor for most of the second half in place of the benched — and struggling — Mikal Bridges.
“He’s been playing great,” Brunson said of McBride. “To be able to use him in certain actions and play off-ball and obviously his shooting capability, the way he plays defense and everything, he does a lot for our team. So, I think regardless of who’s on the floor, he’s gonna do a lot of great things.”
McBride, as one of the quickest Knicks, has played a pivotal role in helping the team counter the Hawks’ pace.
And, more so than Bridges, he’s been able to take some of the creating burden off Brunson, who is facing constant double-teams and full-court pressure.
Though not a natural point guard, McBride — perhaps more than anyone else on the roster besides Brunson and Josh Hart — is capable of bringing the ball up the court, which allows Brunson to collect it in the half-court and avoid some wear and tear.
With Brunson and McBride on the floor, the Knicks are also having them set screens for each other in guard-guard actions, something the Hawks hurt the Knicks with earlier in the series.
“We’ve done it before and previous seasons, in the playoffs past,” McBride said. “It’s just whatever I see in the game, try to get in it and if it’s working, keep going back to it.”
Coach Mike Brown praised Brunson’s screen-setting ability to make that possible.
“The thing about him, he’s a great screen setter,” Brown said. “He has a really good change of pace where he slips and stuff like that which can cause confusion.”
Amid the constant chess match that goes on during a series, Brunson and McBride have been a winning move.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - APRIL 06: Yaxel Lendeborg #23 of the Michigan Wolverines looks on during the second half of a game against the UConn Huskies in the National Championship of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 06, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’re still nearly two months away from the 2026 NBA Draft when, presumably, the Golden State Warriors will add some more young talent. There is, of course, always the chance that the Warriors trade the draft pick in an effort to add a star to the roster, but the most likely outcome is that on June 23, the Dubs add a young player in the lottery.
The playoffs may be the big story in the NBA right now, but for the 14 teams that weren’t invited to the dance, all eyes are on the draft (except, if we’re being honest, for the Warriors, where all eyes are on Steve Kerr’s decision).
Things could get interesting in a hurry for the Warriors, as the lottery hasn’t yet occurred … and while the Warriors are unlikely to move up, they do have a 9.4% chance of earning a top-four pick in a draft that has, well … about four big names.
We’ll have to wait nearly two weeks to see if the Dubs get lucky, but for now we’ll assume that they stay in place, and get the No. 11 pick in the draft. So who might they pick?
ESPN’s Jeremy Woo released his latest mock draft on Tuesday, and has Golden State selecting New Zealand Breakers forward Karim Lopez, who averaged 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game a year ago, while shooting 32.6% from three-point range. Lopez just turned 19 years old, and Woo notes that “Selecting a younger player such as Lopez, who has the experience to potentially slot in early on his rookie deal, might help mesh the short and long-term goals.”
Over at The Ringer, they think the Warriors will take Alabama sophomore Labaron Philon Jr., a do-everything guard known for his winning style. Philon averaged 22.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game last year while being named an All-American, and also shot 39.9% from distance. The Ringer’s J. Kyle Mann describes Philon as a, “Gritty and wiry lead guard who, despite having a ‘right play’ mentality, is willing and able to call his own shot and cook at all three levels.“
SB Nation’s own Ricky O’Donnell just released his latest mock draft, and he sees Golden State going with a more experienced option, Michigan senior forward Yaxel Lendeborg. While old for a draftee (he’ll turn 24 before the 2026-27 season starts), Lendeborg is one of the most accomplished players in the draft. After three years in community college, Lendeborg spent three more years in the NCAA, including this most recent season at Michigan, where he won a national championship, was a consensus first-team All-American, and was the Big 10 Player of the Year, while averaging 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game, and shooting 37.2% from distance. Lendeborg is a tremendously versatile player, who will likely be able to play from Day 1 given his age and experience.
As for Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor, he also sees Lopez going to the Warriors at No. 11. O’Connor likes Lopez’s versatility on the Warriors, and notes that, “Draymond Green could actually be quite a good mentor for Lopez, given they’re both hard-nosed players who make a winning effort at all times on the court.”
Hopefully the Warriors strike gold in the lottery and don’t end up with any of these players. But as Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Green have proven, you don’t need to be at the top of the draft to land a franchise-altering talent.
The NBA Draft Lottery will likely see some significant changes next year.
The NBA’s new draft lottery proposal is here.
The league is pushing an expanded “3-2-1 lottery” that would increase the number of teams from 14 to 16, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The new system, which must be approved by NBA owners on May 28, is aimed at curbing tanking and would punish teams that finish with a bottom-five record.
Under the proposal, “teams that do not qualify for the playoffs or play-in tournament but stay out of the relegation zone (spots four through 10) would receive three lottery balls each,” per Charania.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addresses the media following the Board of Governors meetings on March 25, 2026 at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City. NBAE via Getty Images
The teams with the three worst records would go to the relegation zone, meaning they “would have just two lottery balls but have a floor of the 12th pick, while the rest of the 13 lottery teams could fall as far as the 16th pick.”
Teams that undergo long-term tanking efforts would be punished as well.
If approved, teams couldn’t win the lottery in back-to-back years or get three straight top-five picks.
As tanking chatter grows louder around the NBA, the commissioner’s office is exploring a new way to make losing less appealing.
“We should have a system where you should hate to lose,” commissioner Adam Silver reportedly said on a recent conference call. “It shouldn’t be a badge of honor. Losing should be uncomfortable.”
The NBA Draft Lottery will likely see some significant changes next year. Anadolu via Getty Images
The current system sends 14 non-playoff teams to the lottery, where the franchises with the worst three records each have a 14 percent chance of winning the No. 1 pick.
The odds of winning the No. 1 pick decrease gradually for the other 11 teams outside the top three, from 12.5 percent for the team with the fourth-worst record to 0.7 percent for the team with the 14th-worst record.
“Incentives need to be fixed,” Silver said last month. “We will fix them. I’m looking forward to that.”
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 26: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics reacts during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 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
Chat about tonight’s NBA playoff games here. Sorry I’ve been busy all day!
Forward Tyran Stokes committed to Kansas, he announced on "Inside the NBA" on Tuesday, April 28 in a major get for Bill Self and the Jayhawks.
It's been a major sweepstakes as programs awaited to see where Stokes would choose to play college ball, as he was the last major prospect yet to announce his decision. He is the consensus No. 1 recruit in the country per 247Sports and ESPN. The Seattle-native chose Kansas over other contenders in Kentucky, Oregon, Louisville and Southern California.
The newest Jayhawk is also a contender to be the top overall pick in the 2027 NBA Draft.
Breaking: Tyran Stokes, the No. 1 recruit in the SC Next 100 Class of 2026, has committed to Kansas, he announced on Inside the NBA. pic.twitter.com/tPjZWdLYPo
At 6-7 and 230 pounds, Stokes has displayed elite skills on both sides of the ball to make him one of the top high school players in the country. He has the ability to handle to ball on the perimeter while also dominating near the bucket, all while maintaining a stout defensive game with the ability to create steals.
In his senior season at Rainier Beach (Seattle), he averaged 31 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and four steals per game while leading his team to a state title. He also had one game where he scored 63 points.
What Tyran Stokes means for Kansas
By choosing the Jayhawks, Self also secures another talented recruiting class that includes two five-star prospects in Stokes and guard Taylen Kinney, and brings a major boost to Lawrence after concerns about the future.
There was speculation Self could retire after Kansas was eliminated in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, the fourth straight season the Jayhawks failed to advance to the Sweet 16. However, he decide to return for his 24th season, and he gets another top recruit in the process after last season's team featured Darryn Peterson, who declared for the NBA draft..
Peterson was one of several players that have left Kansas, which includes Flory Bidunga, Melvin Council Jr. and Bryson Tiller.
Stokes gives Kansas a chance to improve its March fortune, trying to compete for another national championship since winning it all in 2022. In addition to Stokes and Kinney, other recruits include four-star rated players in center Davion Adkins, forward Trent Perry and guard Luke Barnett. Kansas also got additions in the transfer portal in Keanu Dawes (Utah), Christian Reeves (Charleston) and Leroy Blyden Jr. (Toledo).
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 25: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks reacts after a collision to his knee against the Atlanta Hawks during the fourth quarter of game four of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at State Farm Arena on April 25, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Knicks (2-2) host the Atlanta Hawks tonight at Madison Square Garden in Game Five of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series. A win puts either team one victory away from advancing to the second round.
Tip-off is 8:00 pm EST on NBC and Peacock. This is your game thread. This is Peachtree Hoops. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Be shining ambassadors of Knicks fandom. And go Knickerbockers!
I hope you didn’t turn the TV off when the Celtics were up 13.
The Celtics went up 63-50 a couple minutes into the third quarter Tuesday night in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference First-Round series at TD Garden.
The rest of the game? Sixers 63-44.
It added up to an improbable 113-97 Sixers win, reducing the Celtics’ lead in the best-of-seven series to three games to two.
You want stats?
We got stats!
THEY SCORED 11 POINTS: The Celtics have played 400 home playoff games in franchise history, and their 11 points Tuesday night are the 4th-fewest they’ve ever scored in the fourth quarter of a home playoff game. They scored nine against the Bucks in 1983, 10 against the 76ers (Syracuse Nationals) in 1954 and 10 vs. the Pacers in 2005. It’s their 5th-fewest in any game in 754 all-time playoff games. It’s their fewest 4th-quarter points vs. the 76ers in any game – regular season or postseason – in 36 years, since they had nine in a 97-93 76ers win at Boston Garden in 1988. The 76ers’ 17-point 4th-quarter advantage – 28-11 – is the 5th-largest ever against the Celtics in a playoff game and it’s tied for the 76ers’ 2nd -largest ever. Their only larger 4th-quarter playoff margin was 18 points (32-14) in a win over the Heat in their 2018 Eastern Conference 1st-round game at American Airlines Arena.
BIGGEST LOST EVER: The Celtics led 86-85 going into the fourth quarter before losing by 16 points. That makes this the Celtics’ worst loss ever when they led going into the fourth quarter. Their previous biggest loss after leading going into the fourth quarter was 15 points when they led the Pistons 73-71 in Game 3 of their 1989 Eastern Conference First-Round series before losing 100-85 at Boston Garden. It was also the 76ers’ biggest postseason win after trailing going into the fourth quarter. They won three games by eight points after trailing after three quarters, most recently in 1982, when they trailed the Celtics 90-88 going into the fourth quarter of Game 2 of their 1982 Eastern Conference Finals series at Boston Garden before winning 121-113. The Celtics were 46-5 in their last 51 playoff games when they had the lead going into the fourth quarter and 60-5 all-time vs. the 76ers when leading in the playoffs going into the fourth quarter.
MAGIC FROM JOEL: Joel Embiid shot 0-for-5 from 3 but 12-for-23 overall from the field for 52 percent. He’s only the second player in NBA history to shoot over 50 percent from the field and score 33 points in a game where he took at least five 3’s and didn’t make any of them. In 2017, Kyrie Irving was 0-for-7 in the Cavs’ loss to the Golden State Warriors but shot 16-for-29 overall (55 percent). Before this series, only 12 Sixers had ever shot 0-for-5 in a playoff game. In this series, three 76ers have done it a total of four times – Kelly Oubre in Game 1, V.J. Edgecombe in Games 1 and 3 and Embiid in Game 5.
76ERS OWN TD GARDEN: After beating the Celtics 111-97 in Game 2 last Tuesday and again in Game 5 Tuesday night, the 76ers have won back-to-back games in a series in Boston for the first time in 58 years. In 1968, they beat the Celtics 115-106 in Game 2 of their Eastern Division Finals series at Boston Garden and four days later won 110-105 in Game 4. They wound up losing that series in seven games. Last time the 76ers won any two games in a row in Boston was in 1980 and 1981. They won Game 5 of their 1980 Eastern Conference Finals series 105-94 and a year later won Game 1 of their 1981 Eastern Conference Finals series 105-104. They won the 1980 series and lost the 1981 series.
HOW ABOUT THAT 4TH QUARTER? In the fourth quarter, the Celtics shot 3-for-22 from the field for 14 percent and 1-for-14 from 2-point range for 7 percent. They had 29 possessions and made three baskets. In the fourth quarter alone, Neemias Queta was minus-16, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White were both minus-14 and Jayson Tatum was minus-9. Tatum, Brown, White and Queta shot a combined 1-for-15 in the fourth quarter. For the 76ers, V.G. Edgecombe, Tyrese Maxey, Quentin Grimes and Paul George were all plus-16 an Embiid was plus-16. The 76ers shot 9-for-17 in the fourth quarter for 53 percent. And how about this: In the fourth quarter alone, Maxey and Edgecombe – two guards – combined for nine rebounds, five for Maxey, four for Edgecombe. Maxey and Embiid each had as many baskets in the fourth quarter as the Celtics.
HE’S ALMOST 36: George, who turns 36 on Thursday, had 16 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and two steals, becoming the 5th-oldest player in NBA history to reach those benchmarks in a playoff game. The only older players with 16, 9, 7 and 2 are LeBron James, Kareem Jabbar, Steph Curry and Scottie Pippen.
WHERE DID THIS COME FROM? Andre Drummond made his only 3-point attempt, and he’s now 4-for-6 from 3 in the series. That’s more 3’s than he had in five regular seasons from 2021 through 2025 combined (three).
GRIMES FROM ARDMORE! Grimes made four 3’s in just 24 minutes, the 2nd most 3-pointers in franchise history by a player in 24 or fewer minutes. Buddy Hield made six against the Knicks in 2024. Grimes’ four 3’s is also 3rd-most in 76ers history by a player off the bench. In addition to Hield in 2024, DeAndre Melton made five off the bench in Boston in 2023.
Adam Silver and the NBA's quixotic quest to end tanking reached a new level of complexity on Tuesday when the league unveiled a new plan to the 30 league GMs on a conference call.
This new "3-2-1" system — named after how many ping pong balls each team would get, depending upon their finish — would expand the lottery to 16 teams, according to reports by Shams Charania at ESPN and Sam Amick at The Athletic. Here is how the new system would break down:
• The teams with the three worst records in the league would fall into a "relegation zone" and be penalized by only getting two lottery balls, not three like other teams that missed the playoffs. Those three teams would have a 5.4% chance at the No. 1 pick, and in this system could fall no further than 12th. Meaning the team that was the worst the season before could well draft 10th, 11th or 12th.
• Teams that missed the playoffs but were not one of the worst three — teams four through 10 at the bottom of the standings — would get three lottery balls and an 8.1% chance at the No. 1 pick.
• Teams that finish as the No. 9 and 10 seeds in each conference will each get two lottery balls.
• Teams that lose the 7-8 play-in for each conference get one lottery ball (2.7% chance of landing the No. 1 pick).
• Teams cannot win the No. 1 pick in consecutive years or have three consecutive top-five picks.
• Going forward, teams could not protect picks in slots 12 through 15.
• The NBA would have expanded authority to regulate and discipline tanking teams and potentially remove some of their lottery balls.
• This system would expire in 2029, at which time it could be extended, modified or scrapped entirely.
This or any new system put in place would need to be approved by a vote of the NBA owners, which is scheduled for May 28 at the Board of Governors meeting. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, "the key points of the framework have a majority of the support from teams."
Is it a good plan?
The fact that it took me eight bullet points to try to explain the system says a lot.
Look at it this way: If this new proposed system were in place this season, the Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder (which controls the LA Clippers pick), Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets all would have the exact same lottery odds as the Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards and Sacramento Kings.
Is that the point of the draft?
The league's argument for its plan is a good one is that it incentivizes its worst teams to win and avoid the "relegation zone," so teams will not all-out tank. The league has been focused on that exact point (seemingly almost exclusively).
The problem with that theory is that these are not quality teams choosing to lose, they are bad teams — some certainly trying to be worse to improve lottery odds, but not good to start with — that need good players to turn things around. This proposal makes it harder for those struggling teams to get the best players.
All of this would change future lotteries for which picks were traded, assuming they would be under the old system or something close to it. This could dramatically mess with the value of picks.
This entire new plan is Silver and the league office reacting to a year when a lot of teams chose to focus on the draft because it is particularly deep. If the NBA did nothing, tanking would be far less of an issue next season because the draft class is not considered nearly as deep or as talented.
The NBA owners can tweak and modify any system put in front of them, but they will have to be pushed by their GMs to do so. It's going to be an interesting month to see how that plays out.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 23: Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks recovers a loose ball against Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks during the final seconds of the fourth quarter of game three of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at State Farm Arena on April 23, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Hawks (2-2) try to repeat their Game 2 win in Madison Square Garden tonight in Game 5.
Jock Landale (right high ankle sprain) has been ruled out.
Starting lineup:
G CJ McCollum
G Nickeil Alexander-Walker
F Dyson Daniels
F Jalen Johnson
C Onyeka Okongwu
Please join in the comments below as you follow along.
Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen
Location: Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, New York, NY
