For most of the regular season, Landry Shamet was one of the best minimum contracts in the league.
Recently, though, he’s playing … well, like a player on a minimum contract.
His rough end of the regular season has now bled into the start of the playoffs. In the first two games of this first-round series against the Hawks — which is tied 1-1 heading to Atlanta — he shot 1-for-6 from 3-point range and 1-for-7 overall.
Knicks guard Landry Shamet’s end-of-season struggles have carried over into the playoffs NBAE via Getty Images
It got so bad that coach Mike Brown opted to give Jose Alvarado — who appeared to be out of the playoff rotation — some playing time over Shamet in the second and fourth quarters.
Shamet’s shooting slump has endured. In the 16 games he played from the start of March to the end of the regular season, he shot just 30.4 percent from deep, while also missing five games due to a knee injury.
In the 35 regular-season games he played prior to March, he shot 42.9 percent from 3-point range.
One thing that has been noticeable so far in these playoffs is the Knicks’ lack of a backup point guard behind Jalen Brunson. Brown has said he is comfortable with Shamet and Miles McBride there, but neither is a natural point guard, and both have struggled.
They acquired Alvarado ahead of the deadline, but despite a hot start to his Knicks tenure, he has largely not looked capable of owning that role.
There was a brief period in the middle of the season when it seemed like Tyler Kolek was cementing himself in the role, but he subsequently fell out of the rotation.
McBride and Shamet have shared the court for 23 minutes across the two games.
The Knicks have a minus-1.9 net rating in that time.
If their struggles continue or worsen, the Knicks bench suddenly looks thin.
CJ McCollum said he doesn’t view himself as a villain, even though the MSG crowd treated him like one with obscenities and boos.
But his teammate thinks he’s embracing it. They all are, too.
“CJ, that got him going,” Jonathan Kuminga said after Game 2. “I think he enjoyed that. The crowd shouldn’t really do that or say that. I think that really got him going and got all of us going — just the energy.”
The Lakers courtside seats felt more like a Hollywood red carpet.
Here’s the list of actors, musicians, and athletes in attendance for the showdown between Kevin Durant and LeBron James:
AJ Dybantsa, Su’a Cravens, Jake Shane, Will Ferrell, Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua, Quentin Lake, Scott Speedman, Byron Allen, Trevor Ariza, Will Anderson Jr., Sebastian Maniscalco, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Iman Shumpert, Jay Mohr, John David Washington, Ray Nicholson, Diane Cannon, Max Kellerman, Micah Parsons, Finneas, Tinashe, Shannon Sharpe and more!
Some of the celebrities spotted courtside for Rockets vs. Lakers Game 2:
AJ Dybantsa, Su'a Cravens, Jake Shane, Will Ferrell, Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua, Scott Speedman, Byron Allen, Trevor Ariza, Will Anderson Jr., Sebastian Maniscalco, Iman Shumpert, Jay Mohr, John David… pic.twitter.com/99CLPvKfGI
NBAE via Getty ImagesNBAE via Getty ImagesNBAE via Getty ImagesNBAE via Getty ImagesNBAE via Getty ImagesNBAE via Getty ImagesNBAE via Getty ImagesNBAE via Getty ImagesMichael J. DuarteMichael J. Duarte
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Sean Marks may have been the GM of the Brooklyn Nets for a decade, but his roots lie elsewhere.
The native of Auckland, New Zealand, is part of the first generation of international NBA players, as he said among the first 40 or 50. He became the first player from his home country to play in the NBA, staying for 11 seasons, nine teams. For a year, he played in the Polish league and won a championship before joining the international basketball corps that became the San Antonio Spurs with Tim Duncan (U.S. Virgin Islands), Manu Ginobili (Argentina), Tony Parker (France), Rasho Nesterović (Slovenia), etc., etc., winning two championships, one as a player, one as an assistant.
Now he works in Brooklyn for a Chinese owner, his second international boss, something no other GM has done. He’s hired the first Spanish (and Catalan) head coach in the league, and he’s drafted four players with foreign passports last June, another first. He regularly goes on international scouting trips.
So his international basketball cred is active and this week he went on Fullcourt Passport, a podcast focused on the NBA’s wider world, taking questions from Boki Nachbar, the former Net and Euroleague player, and veteran NBA writer Ric Bucher. His big take: the globalization of NBA has dramatically changed the sport from scouting to ownership.
“You and I were playing, there were 40, 50 maybe foreign players. And now you look around and I think a quarter of the league is foreign,” he told Nachbar.“ (It’s actually more, about a third.) Of course, it’s not just about percentages. The league, Marks said, is changing in a lot of ways, particularly in places like teams’ scouting departments. coaching offices and development systems.
“The NBA has completely embraced that,” Marks said, noting that the league cannot ignore any possibility, not when four international players have won the last seven MVP Awards. “The game has become so global and worldly. It is a copycat league, right? We are all trying to copy off who is doing something different and who has got the next greatest thing.”
Among the changes Marks has seen among the current crop of international players is their skill and confidence levels.
“Initially, it was hard to potentially find a foreign player who could come in and contribute right away. Maybe they were lacking a little bit of physicality, athleticism, what have you, but now, these guys are more than ready to step right in. We’ve seen that.”
That, he noted, has changed NBA scouting. No one wants to miss a diamond in the rough.
“I think scouting departments have grown exponentially, You have scouts all over the world. You have scouting services all over the world” said Marks explaining that there’s no escaping the international culture of basketball. “I go into Jordi’s office, speaking of foreign staff and more often than not, I don’t find a Nets game on. I find a game he’s watching — Barcelona or a second division in Spain! He’s thirsty for the knowledge, picking up traits and things from his counterparts in Europe. The game has completely changed.”
There are other more subtle changes like teams bringing in “guest coaches” from Euroleague teams and even the Basketball Africa League to serve as Summer League assistants in Las Vegas. The exchange, he said, is not one-way. NBA coaches like Fernandez get insights as well.
The Nets GM also agreed with Nachbar on the changing mentality of international players now that there are so many of them in the league. Players are more confident and are less likely to be affected by the cultural clash on arriving in North America.
“It’s not that big of a step,” said Marks, noting the international aspect of the league has given younger prospects their own heroes from their home countries. “They’re so much more locked in and closer to their own counterparts that are now playing in Europe. They’ve got their own role models whether they’re in Croatia or Spain or France.”
Marks was also asked about working for two owners — Mikhail Prokhorov and Joe Tsai — who have world views. (He also hinted on who has the final say.)
“Having two different owners in my time in Brooklyn, obviously from my current owner, Joe Tsai, to our previous Russian owner (Mikhail Prokhorov),” said Marks. “I always ask those guys their advice, their help. I mean these guys are doing multi-billion dollars deals and I’m doing trades with guys who will a half million bucks or three million dollars or five million dollars.
“It’s still their baby and I want to make sure … how they can influence me in my negotiating skills or what have you. I’d be a fool not to involve them. They’ve come from a completely different backgrounds but also to empower them to understand why we’re doing to these deals and what it means down the road. I’m very fortunate in that regard.”
Marks did not discuss current prospects in his talk, but back in January, he flew 11,000 miles to Perth, Australia, to scout Karim Lopez, perhaps the top international in this year’s draft, and Dash Daniels, a defensive-oriented wing. His international scouting director, Simone Casali, has a rep as one of the top overseas scouts.
In addition to the changes brought on by the game’s growing globalization, Marks talked with Nachbar and Bucher about the effect of NILs on evaluating players in an environment where college players hop from school to school, seeking more NIL money.
“It is a little bit of the wild wild west,” he said. “These guys are coming in ready,” but he also argued that increased money and movement can alter early career decisions for younger players.
He said that environment is reshaping how teams evaluate prospects. “We want players that want to win,” Marks said. “So you sit there and go, why did you move? Did you just move purely for the money or was it a role or was it the coach?”
BOSTON (AP) — V.J. Edgecombe had 30 points and 10 rebounds while playing through pain after taking a hard fall early in the game, Tyrese Maxey scored 29 points and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Boston Celtics 111-97 on Tuesday night to tie their playoff series at one game apiece.
Edgecombe connected on six of the 76ers’ 19 3-pointers. Maxey also had nine assists as Philadelphia bounced back after getting blown out 123-91 in Game 1.
The series shifts to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Friday.
The Celtics cut a seven-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter to 91-89 before an 11-0 run put the 76ers back in front 102-89 with just over four minutes to play. The Celtics pulled their starters with a little more than a minute remaining.
Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 36 points. Jayson Tatum added 19 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists.
TRAIL BLAZERS 106, SPURS 102
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Scoot Henderson scored 31 points and Portland took advantage of an injury to Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, rallying for a victory over San Antonio to even their Western Conference playoff series at one game apiece.
Wembanyama tumbled face-first when he was fouled by Jrue Holiday in the second quarter and his jaw slammed into the floor. He entered the NBA’s concussion protocol, which raises the possibility the versatile 7-foot-4 center could miss multiple games.
The second-seeded Spurs looked like they could win without Wemby, building a 14-point lead early in the fourth quarter before their offense stagnated.
Portland held San Antonio without a field goal for the final 3:37 as they closed the game on an 11-2 run. Robert Williams III converted an alley-oop dunk with 12 seconds left for a 104-101 lead after Deni Avdija muscled through the paint and fed him the ball.
Holiday had 16 points and nine assists, Avdija scored 14 and Williams finished with 11.
Stephon Castle led the Spurs with 18 points, De’Aaron Fox scored 17 and Devin Vassell had 16 points and 12 rebounds.
SAN ANTONIO — Scoot Henderson scored 31 points and the Portland Trail Blazers took advantage of an injury to Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, rallying for a 106-103 victory over San Antonio on Tuesday night to even their Western Conference playoff series at one game apiece.
Wembanyama tumbled face-first when he was fouled by Jrue Holiday in the second quarter and his jaw slammed into the floor. He entered the NBA’s concussion protocol, which raises the possibility the versatile 7-foot-4 center could miss multiple games.
The second-seeded Spurs looked like they could win without Wemby, building a 14-point lead early in the fourth quarter before their offense stagnated.
Portland held San Antonio without a field goal for the final 3:37 as they closed the game on an 11-2 run. Robert Williams III converted an alley-oop dunk with 12 seconds left for a 104-101 lead after Deni Avdija muscled through the paint and fed him the ball.
Holiday had 16 points and nine assists, Avdija scored 14 and Williams finished with 11.
Stephon Castle led the Spurs with 18 points, De’Aaron Fox scored 17 and Devin Vassell had 16 points and 12 rebounds.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 21: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts during the game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on April 21, 2026 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. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer season standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 22.5 VJ Edgecombe – 15 Joel Embiid – 11.5 Paul George – 8 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 5 Justin Edwards – 4 Andre Drummond – 3 Quentin Grimes – 3 Jared McCain :’( – 3 Dominick Barlow – 2 MarJon Beauchamp – 2 Adem Bona – 1 Porter Martone – 1 Cam Payne – 1 Jabari Walker – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
TD Garden might have been rocking for Game 1, but it was as silent as a library to close Game 2.
The first-round playoff series between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics is tied 1-1 after the Sixers pulled off a massive 111-97 victory over the hosting Celtics Tuesday night.
Though, for a moment, it looked like this one might have been over as quickly as Game 1 was, with the Sixers going on a scoring drought of over four and a half minutes in the first frame, allowing Boston a 16-0 run. To make matters worse, they were without Edgecombe briefly after the rookie took a hard fall onto his back going for a defensive rebound early in the game.
He returned to the game, thankfully, and went on an absolute tear in the second quarter. That’s where this one changed. The rookie poured in 16 points on stellar 6-for-9 field goal and 4-for-5 long range shooting in the second, leading the Sixers back within reaching grasp of the Celtics and even helping his squad to an eight-point halftime lead, their largest of the game.
The Sixers would never trail again in this one, though it did come close a few times. After an up and down third period within which Boston nearly pulled back even, Philadelphia tightened up a bit towards the end of the frame to carry a seven-point lead into the fourth. After what had been a bit of a quiet Tyrese Maxey performance through three quarters became all about the guard in the final period when he burst for 12 points, including timely triples to pull away from the Celtics for good.
This wasn’t just a win. This was a great win. The Sixers looked strategic and in control, not reactive and desperate the way they did in Game 1. Even when Philly would hit a cold spurt or would let Boston claw back in a bit, they simply rode the waves, tried to minimize the damage and punched back again. That’s how this is going to have to be if the Sixers want to keep battling this tough Celtics squad.
The Sixers bring a 1-1 series tie back home to South Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4, with Game 3 coming up at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Friday evening.
<p>(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
It was looking like VJ Edgecombe’s night might be cut very short when he headed to the locker room briefly in the first period after taking a hard fall going up for a defensive board. Thankfully, he was able to return to the game towards the end of that opening frame. And I mean thankfully, because the rookie went red hot from there.
After a two-bucket, four-point first from Edgecombe, he poured in 16 points in the second period. These weren’t gimmie plays, either. The rookie was using his active defense, rebounding, speed, footwork and smooth jumpers to help the Sixers claw back in to this one after they let Boston on a 16-0 run in the first. Edgecombe shot 6-for-9 from the floor and 4-for-5 from long range in a damn-near heroic second that saw the Sixers take an eight-point lead into the break.
After another brief exit to the locker room and some time on the stationary bike in the third frame, Edgecombe got right back to business again, battling for boards and sinking a timely triple just as the Celtics were back within three points. He ended up tacking on 10 points towards his total in the second half.
This kid is an absolute star in the making — maybe even a bit of a star already. Perhaps his regular season wasn’t always as flashy as Cooper Flagg’s or Kon Knueppel’s, but Edgecombe has proven time and time again that you can count on him in the clutch and that he’s ready to perform in some of the biggest moments this game has to offer. I’ll take that from a 20-year-old rookie any day of the week.
He finished the game with 30 points on 12-for-20 field goal and 6-for-10 long range shooting along with 10 rebounds (four offensive), two assists and two steals. He is the youngest player in NBA history to reach a 30-point, 10-rebound double-double in a playoff game.
Gotta shout out VJ Edgecombe tonight, who looked nothing like a rookie in his second ever playoff game. He's the youngest player in NBA playoff history with a 30-PT, 10-REB game.
<p>(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
It was an up and down night for Tyrese Maxey, with the peaks coming fortunately exactly when they were needed. It felt like the guard was deferring way too much, forcing passes that weren’t always there instead of just taking the shots he should have himself. It led to a quieter (by his standards) first three quarters of basketball, with Maxey putting up 17 points on 7-for-19 field goal shooting in that time.
Things changed quickly when Maxey had an extremely timely scoring burst in the fourth, sinking back-to-back triples. Those six points could not have come at a better time, with the Celtics clawing their way back within just two points of the Sixers with time winding down. The threes were the beginning of the end for Boston, with the Philly lead then expanding to nine points before surging into an insurmountable double-digit deficit they couldn’t come back from.
Maxey ended up with 12 points in a pivotal fourth quarter, including three triples. And he was feeling damn good about how he was closing this one out. Just look at this move, finish and reaction from him.
Maxey finished the game with 29 points, shooting 5-for-12 from long range, with four rebounds, nine assists and two steals. It could be game-changing to have Maxey bring the aggression and attitude he closed Game 2 with back home to South Philadelphia for Game 3.
After a bit of an up-and-down game, Tyrese Maxey absolutely came alive in Q4 to put the Celtics away. 12 massive points from some truly insane buckets from the All-Star.
<p>(Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)</p><br> | Getty Images
Paul George put forth quite a lackluster effort overall in Sunday’s Game 1, but tonight started off much smoother. George went to work in isolation early and hit two quick jumpers in the first few minutes of Game 2. From there, he looked damn solid on both ends of the floor all night minus one little stumble for a few possessions in the third.
This wasn’t a constant domination from PG, but he was ready to fill in the gaps when the Sixers really needed him to. It was a lot of smaller bursts, and they were extremely timely ones. Just when Philadelphia would go a little bit cold or the Celtics would go on a run, it seemed to frequently be George who would bury a bucket to calm the Boston crowd and get Philadelphia back on track. When he wasn’t doing that, he was commanding the offense and setting up other Sixers with solid shot opportunities, waiting for the Celtics’ defense to collapse in on him before kicking out to teammates.
All of that offensive contribution on top of his usual defensive talents went a long way in Game 2, even if it was seemingly in spurts spread throughout.
George finished the night with 19 points on 7-for-13 field goal and 2-for-5 long range shooting. He also had four rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block.
Another video from Sixers-Celtics Game 2, looking at Paul George. In addition to his typical solid defense, PG hit some timely buckets + had a few great assists, taking advantage of the C's def collapsing in on him.
<p>(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
This is more of a shoutout than a true Bell Ringer contender, as the other guys’ contributions were just undoubtedly more impactful, but Kelly Oubre Jr. deserves some kudos for Game 2. It wasn’t perfect, but he helped when called upon.
After a quiet first half scoring just two points, Oubre had a little burst of scoring along with some solid defensive pressures that helped keep the Sixers going while Edgecombe was on the sideline and Maxey was still a bit too passive. Like George, Oubre’s contributions were incredibly timely, coming just when Philadelphia needed someone to fill the gap the most. He put up seven points in quick succession in that third period stint, possibly his most crucial buckets as they helped maintain and build on a lead the Celtics were desperately chipping away at. He added one more big bucket in the fourth, a triple with just four minutes remaining that extended the Sixers lead from 10 points to 13, completing an 11-0 run for Philly and pushing Boston to use a timeout to try to stop the bleeding. It didn’t work.
Oubre finished this one with 12 points on 5-for-10 field goal shooting (two triples) with five rebounds.
Victor Wembanyama hit his head hard on the floor after tripping during a drive in the second quarter of the San Antonio Spurs’ Game 2 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Wembanyama exited the game, and it not return. The Spurs superstar is in concussion protocol, and his status for the upcoming games of the series will be in question. Wembanyama was diagnosed with a concussion after the game.
The Trail Blazers beat the Spurs, 106-103, to even the series at 1-1. Wembanyama only played 12 minutes and scored five points before the injury.
Wembanyama suffered the injury while he was driving hard to the rim against Portland’s Jrue Holiday. It looked like Holiday “pulled the chair” — a long-time NBA move where the defender steps back and causes an out-of-control ball handler to fall. Wembanyama has a long way to fall at 7’5 in shoes, and he unfortunately took an awkward tumble that resulted in a major blow to the head. Watch the play here:
Victor Wembanyama hits his head hard on the floor, after the drive and spin move on Jrue Holiday.
He looks dazed and confused, the Spurs take a timeout and he heads to the locker room. With replays. pic.twitter.com/hrEAKkEDMb
A concussion typically keeps an NBA player out for at least 7-10 days, and we know some can last much longer. Head trauma isn’t something anyone should rush back from.
Wembanyama will have to be in recovery for 48 hours. Then, he’ll have to be symptom free, and cleared for a return to play by both team and league doctors, per Shams Charania.
Wembanyama was incredible in his playoff debut in Game 1, popping off for 35 points in 33 minutes while dominating defensively like always. He’s playing as well as anyone in the world right now, and losing him for an extended period would throw a wrench in the Western Conference Playoffs.
The series returns to Portland for Game 3 on Friday. Game 4 will be Sunday in Portland. The series returns to San Antonio for Game 5 the following Tuesday, and then Game 6 is on two nights later, and Game 7 is two nights after that.
This is just awful timing for the Spurs. It’s not the type of injuries that team doctors should allow him to play through. With the series tied 1-1, there will be pressure to get back onto the court, but Wembanyama needs to remember to protect his health.
Apr 21, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson (0) shoots over San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) during the first half of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Everything was well coming into this game, with the Spurs up 1-0 in the first round against the Portland Trail Blazers and Victor Wembanyama receiving his Defensive Player of the Year trophy. Then, there was the game. After a rough start, the Spurs fought back from a double-digit deficit only to lose Wemby to a possible concussion early in the second quarter. They still fought and gutted it out, and everything seemed to open up in the fourth quarter as they got out to a 14-point lead with under nine minutes to go. Unfortunately, the Blazers got hot from three, and poor free-throw shooting came back to bite the Spurs as they lost 103-106.
De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Caslte and Devin Vassell combined for 51 inefficient points, while Luke Kornet did an admirable job filling in for Wemby with 10 points and 9 rebounds and was very much a case if “box score plus-minus don’t lie”, as he was at +29 before the game-ending Portland run. They were able to hold Deni Avdija relatively in check with 14 points on 5-13 shooting, but Scoot Henderson exploded for 31 points on 11-17 shooting, 5-9 from three.
Observations
Random question: have the Spurs ever had two playoff games in a row in which it was cool outside? For those who haven’t been here, South Texas has very short, mild winters and long, hot summers, with spring and fall being fleeting. While it isn’t typically hot yet in April, it is warm with highs typically in the 80’s (Fahrenheit, of course). Cool fronts do occur, but needing anything beyond short sleeves across two Spurs playoff games is new to me.
The Blazers’ goal coming into this game was to get more players involved on offense, and they did just that with four players scoring as they went on a 13-0 run after the Spurs took an early 4-2, while the Spurs struggled with turnovers and deflections against Portland’s feisty defense. Also, unlike Game 1, the Spurs couldn’t keep Donovan Clingan off the offensive glass, with no one boxing him out when Wemby went for blocks. Fortunately, Castle briefly got going, scoring 7 straight points to cut into what had been a 13-point lead, and the Spurs took advantage of Portland’s starters resting to retake the lead 28-27 with an 18-5 run to close the quarter.
I’ll be honest, I kind of forgot about Scoot Henderson before the last couple of weeks. After all the hype coming into the 2023 Draft that had some (including himself) claiming he had a higher ceiling than Wemby, he had a rough rookie season and has dealt with injuries much of the last two. However, he showed what the hype was about with 13 points on 4-5 shooting in the first quarter, and he stayed hot all night.
Like many teams, Portland’s new plan with Wemby was to put a smaller, stronger player on him, in this case Jrue Holiday. As a result, he was not as loose and free to move around like he did in Game 1. Early in the second quarter, Holiday pulled the chair on him and he fell, stayed down and appeared dazed. Replay showed he smacked his chin the court and may have briefly lost consciousness. He ran back to the locker room and did not return after entering concussion protocol.
After his exit, the Spurs got down by five a few times but regained their composure, and in ways played much looser on offense since Portland’s defensive plan no longer applied. Kornet stepped up well in Wemby’s absence, and it was a little harder for the Blazers to get offensive rebounds since he was staying down and boxing out Clingan. The game was tied at 57 at the half despite the drama.
I had to watch some on mute in the third quarter. All night it felt like Reggie Miller and Mike Tirico were rooting for Portland, and outside of one instance in the second quarter when Reggie laughing at a weak foul called on Julian Champagnie, asking what happened to playoff basketball, it felt like they were reviewing and critiquing every questionable call against the Blazers but not the Spurs. It was eventually too distracting.
So far, in both games it feels like Portland is getting the benefit of the doubt on loose ball fouls, offensive fouls, and of course Avdija doing his best SGA impression. Mitch Johnson finally had enough and challenged a call that would have been Champagnie’s fifth foul in the third quarter. Shaedon Sharpe had pushed him into Henderson, but they called the foul on Champagnie. It was a successful challenge. (Oh, and I did un-mute for this part, and Reggie somehow didn’t think it would be successful.)
Another spate of injuries hit in the fourth quarter, with Harrison Barnes exiting after hurting his wrist in a collision with Avdija, and a play later, Dylan Harper and Clingan both existed with with thumb injures after getting tangled up (in Harper’s case, the same thumb that was already hurt). Fortunately, Harper soon returned.
The offense opened up for the Spurs in the fourth, and they got the lead up to 14 on a Kornet reverse dunk and-1. Unfortunately, what could have been a run that put things away did not because the Spurs struggled at the line all night. They were 15-22 at that point and finished 2o-28, which gave the Blazers room to come back, and they did on a Holiday put-back with 2 minutes left. The Spurs had several chances to retake the lead after that, but the offense bogged down and they never got another good shot off. Robert Williams stretched the lead to three with 12 sec left on a putback dunk, and Vassell couldn’t hit a desperation three at the buzzer after a round of the foul game to force overtime.
LOS ANGELES — When asked pregame about his team's defensive struggles in Game 1 against the Lakers, Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka brought the topic back around to his team's offensive struggles and how that set up the defense for failure. Houston scored just 98 points on 37.6% shooting, falling 0-1 to the Lakers in this first-round series.
Kevin Durant should help with that. He has been cleared to play in Game 2 after missing Game 1 with a knee contusion. He will start, and Udoka said there was no minutes restriction.
All season long, Durant's shooting and his gravity have opened up what can be a clunky Rockets offense at times. Durant averaged 26 points a game this season, shooting 41.3% from 3-point range, plus dishing out 4.3 assists a night. He's a challenge for any defense.
"Well, he's the fifth leading scorer of all time," Lakers coach JJ Redick said of Durant. "He's done it at a high level for so long. He's one of the greatest players ever, he's one of the most gifted scorers you've ever seen, and really just a fantastic basketball player. If he shoots, you feel like it's going every time."
Durant was frustrated to be out for a fluky thing — he bumped knees with a teammate in practice last week — especially coming off a season when he missed just four games, Udoka said. How his knee is feeling and how it impacts his shots and movement remain to be seen, but just having him out there makes the Rockets that much more dangerous in a Game 2 they really need.
Victor Wembanyama took a hard fall and ended up suffering a concussion that ended his night early in the Spurs’ Game 2 loss to the Trail Blazers.
Wembanyama had been placed in concussion protocol, ruling him out for the rest of Game 2 and was later diagnosed with the head injury.
Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson confirmed the concussion when he addressed reporters after the game.
“We’ll obviously take the proper and appropriate steps,” he said.
The Spurs’ big man and the NBA’s first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year attempted a move to the basket during the second quarter when he seemed to lose his footing while in the paint.
Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs holds his head after falling to the court against the Portland Trailblazers. Getty Images
Wembanyama fell forward and appeared to hit his head, chin first, hard onto the court,
The former No. 1 overall pick lay on the court for several seconds and was clearly in pain, and when he attempted to get up, Wembanyama was clearly dazed, leading him to have to sit back down.
San Antonio called a timeout and the Spurs’ star was eventually able to get up from the court on his own before heading to the locker room to be looked at further.
Victor Wembanyama hits his head hard on the floor, after the drive and spin move on Jrue Holiday.
He looks dazed and confused, the Spurs take a timeout and he heads to the locker room. With replays. pic.twitter.com/hrEAKkEDMb
The team later announced that Wembanyama had entered concussion protocol and would miss the rest of the game.
Wembanyama has been a force for the Spurs all season and any absence would be a tough break for them.
Before Wembanyama exited, he played 12 minutes and recorded five points on 1-of-3 shooting.
Picture 126133009 04/21/2026 at 21:27
Apr 21, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) drives to the basket against Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
He had put on an impressive performance in Game 1 of the series when he put up 35 points in the Spurs’ 111-98 win.
Since Wembanyama has been diagnosed with a concussion, he will not be able to play for 48 hours and then will have to go through a league-mandated protocol in order to be able to get back on the court.
He would be allowed to resume gradual activity after 24 hours if Wembanyama’s symptoms don’t get worse.
The Spurs and Blazers play their next game on Friday in Portland.
The Spurs have not played in the first round of the playoffs since 2019 and the Trail Blazers have not made the postseason since 2021.
BOSTON — V.J. Edgecombe had 30 points and 10 rebounds while playing through pain after taking a hard fall early in the game, Tyrese Maxey scored 29 points and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Boston Celtics 111-97 on Tuesday night to tie their playoff series at one game apiece.
Edgecombe connected on six of the 76ers’ 19 3-pointers. Maxey also had nine assists as Philadelphia bounced back after getting blown out 123-91 in Game 1.
The series shifts to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Friday.
The Celtics cut a seven-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter to 91-89 before an 11-0 run put the 76ers back in front 102-89 with just over four minutes to play. The Celtics pulled their starters with a little more than a minute remaining.
Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 36 points. Jayson Tatum added 19 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists.
After struggling from the field in Game 1, the 76ers needed much more from Maxey and Edgecombe. They got it, with the pair carrying the load for a team that shot 47.8% from the field, including 19 of 39 from the 3-point line.
Boston was only 13 of 47 from the 3-point line and shot 39.3% from the field overall, while committing 13 turnovers leading to 16 points by the 76ers.
Philadelphia, which was again without center Joel Embiid for Game 2 as he continues to go through a strength and conditioning program following an appendectomy on April 9, was twice without Edgecombe for brief stretches Tuesday.
Edgecombe limped off in noticeable pain and went straight to the locker room for treatment in both the first and third quarters.
He returned each time and kept scoring to help the 76ers build as much as a 13-point lead in the third.
The intensity was high throughout the game.
It hit a high point in the opening minutes when Brown was assessed a technical foul after his emphatic one-handed dunk over Adem Bona that sent the 76ers big man to the floor.
Replays appeared to show that Brown’s momentum after the jam carried him into contact with Bona, who fell to the floor and left Brown in a hovering position over him.
But referee Marc Davis didn’t see it that way and called Brown for the tech.
Apr 21, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) and Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) dive for the ball in the first half of a game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
After an impressive 32-point win in game one on Sunday, Boston would face a more stout Philadelphia opponent in Game 2. The 76ers came out to play in game 2, ratcheting up the defensive intensity and shooting the ball with confidence all game. Philly would snatch a big road win, 97-111 to level the series. Jaylen Brown had 36 points, and Jayson Tatum 19 points in the home loss.
Boston started the gmae with the regular lineup of Derrick White, Sam Hauser, Neemias Queta, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Tatum nailed the game’s first shot of the night, a triple form the top of the key, a good early sign as JT was just 1/7 from downtown in game one. Sam Hauser’s relocation three-pointer was Boston’s second score of the game. Paul George hit a pair of two-point makes for Philly to make it 6-4 early.
Maxey was challenging Brown at half court, and JB drove past him and converted a nasty one handed dunk over Adem Bona. Brown whistled for a weak taunting technical foul after the play. Tatum was whistled for an offensive foul on a play as Oubre Jr. was clearly out of position, boos and chants raining down for the Refs at TD Garden early in the first quarter.
Jaylen Brown fed Derrick White for an open three-pointer as Boston tied the scores at 13 points. A play later Tatum drove all the way to cup to score with Bona trailing on the play as C’s fans found their voice once more. White drove and dumped it off to Queta, who hit a sweet floater over Andre Drummond who just checked into the game, Boston up 17-13 at the six-minute mark.
Hauser’s second triple gave the C’s a seven point lead, as rookie VJ Edgecombe limped back to the change rooms, after hitting the parquet hard on a rebounding miss. Payton Pritchard and Nikola Vučević were the first players off the bench for Boston and Pritchard had a sweet dime immediately to Brown for a left handed lay up. Vučević nailed his first three-pointer of the game, Boston up by 13 points, 26-13.
Philly went on a quick 10-0 run to cut the Boston lead back to just 3 points with Tatum on the bench. Paul George had a tip in for the visiting 76ers at the buzzer, Boston up by 3 points after one quarter, 28-25.
Derrick White and Jaylen Brown took a seat to start the second quarter, as Jayson Tatum and Hauser returning to the lineup. Baylor Scheierman hit his first triple of the game to open the second quarter, with Vučević on the assist. Boston had 4 early turnovers to start the game, handing the 76ers a pair of easy transition layups. Paul George drilled a corner triple to cut it back to a one point game, Boston up 35-34 at the 9-minute mark.
Veteran big man Andre Drummond fueled the Sixers back into the lead, 40-41, he scored 5 straight points for Philly in a decent stretch of minutes. Brown and White returned to the game and JB immediately got to his spot at the free throw line with Maxey on his hip, he was fouled and hit both free throws to retake the lead.
Philly was shooting the ball well to start game 2, they were shooting at a blistering 52% clip from three, going 10-19 to start the game. VJ Edgecombe dunked it home on the break for his fourteenth point of the night, Philly up 51-54. Edgecombe was outstanding for Philadelphia all half, he led all scorers with 20 points on 61% shooting from the field. Boston trailing 54-62 after the first half of play.
Apr 21, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) passes the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first half of a game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
Boston would need to make adjustments in the second half, as they left the Sixers with too many wide open looks from downtown. Boston had 7 turnovers in the half and shot just 1 from 8 from three in the second quarter.
Unfortunately, the Celtics came out flat to start the third quarter with more of the same, Jaylen Brown had a horrible cross court pass picked off, for Boston’s eighth turnover of the night. Paul George hit a triple and the 76ers up by 11 points, 56-67.
Jaylen Brown drove on Drummond to convert on a tough layup, his 17th point of the game. Tatum hit a pair of shots in the lane for Boston but they would need to get defensive stops to get back in the game as Philly kept the scoreboard ticking as Oubre Jr hit a pair of shots.
Jaylen Brown rattled a big time arching three-pointer over Andre Drummond as the Celtics cut it back to 6 points, 68-74 with plenty of time to go in the third quarter. Payton Pritchard finally got on the scoreboard for Boston with 5 minutes to go in the third.
The bench provided a spark for the home team in the third, Vooch, Walsh and Pritchard had good minutes in this mid-quarter stretch, Boston down by just 3 points. Edgecombe had five straight points for Philly to give the road team a buffer. Brown rattled in his 28th point of the night to keep the Celtics within striking distance, Philly by 7 points after three quarters, 77-84.
Derrick White hit a triple to open the scoring for Boston in the fourth. Pritchard’s step back jumper a play later got the score back to just 4 points. Paul George reeled off 5 straight points as Philly extended it’s lead back to 7 points. Tatum’s second three-pointer was timely for Boston, after going 2-13 in the series. Brown matched him with his own triple to cut the lead to 2 points.
Maxey nailed a pair of threes off the dribble for Philly as Boston continued to play drop coverage. It was a ten-point lead 89-99 with four to play. The 76ers were the more tougher team all game, hitting the big shots in a timely manner. Boston’s dismal three point shooting was the story of the night, as they had just 13 makes from 50 attempts.
The series now switches to Philadelphia for Game 3, as the Boston Celtics look to get things back on track on Friday 24th of April at 7pm EST.
This looked bad when it happened, and it could mean the Spurs will be without their Mr. Everything for a few games.
San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama had to exit Game 2 of its playoff series against Portland and is now out for the night and in the league's concussion protocol following a nasty fall in the second quarter, one in which he landed face-first on the court.
The injury occurred on a play with 8:57 left in the second, where Wembanyama tried a spin move in the paint and was fouled by Jrue Holiday. As he went to the ground, Wembanyama tried to pass the ball, and with that, was unable to protect his head as he hit the court. Warning: The video is hard to watch (and not for the squeamish).
Victor Wembanyama takes a hard fall & hits his head on the court.
After the fall, Wembanyama remained on the ground for about 30 seconds, then sat up and talked to teammates and Spurs staff for another minute before getting up and jogging back to the locker room. He did not return.
The NBA's concussion protocol says he cannot engage in any physical exertion for the next 24-48 hours, followed by a detailed, multi-step return-to-play protocol that includes him not showing symptoms through several steps of increased physical exertion (from a stationary bike to jogging to on-court work). All of this is monitored and approved by a league-appointed physician who specializes in neurological issues.
An extended absence could be trouble for the Spurs, who are the No. 2 seed in the West and have a number of high-level young players, but everything was built on a foundation of what Wembanyama can do on both ends of the court. Pregame he was handed his first Defensive Player of the Year award — the youngest player ever to win it, and also the first to do so unanimously — plus he averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game this season.
Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) sits on the court after a hard fall during the first half in Game 2 of San Antonio’s first-round playoff series with Portland.Photograph: Eric Gay/AP
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol after tumbling face-first to the court during Tuesday night’s playoff loss to Portland.
“He has a concussion. He’s in the protocol,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said after San Antonio fell 106-103 to even the Western Conference first-round series at one game apiece. “We’ll take the proper and appropriate steps.”
Any extended absence by Wembanyama would be a massive blow to San Antonio, which finished with the league’s second-best record behind their 7ft 4in center, who won this year’s NBA defensive player of the year.
Under league guidelines, a player in the concussion protocol must have at least 48 hours of inactivity and recovery and then hit several benchmarks without symptoms before being cleared to play. A player must undergo neurological testing and receive a final clearance from a team doctor in consultation with the league’s concussion protocol director.
Game 3 is Friday in Portland. It seems improbable that Wembanyama would be cleared by then, but Johnson wouldn’t speculate about his status.
“The protocol is the protocol,” Johnson said. “We’ll just follow it as everyone else does and plan accordingly.”
The Spurs went 12-6 during the regular season without Wembanyama.
“We’ve all got to step up,” Spurs guard Devin Vassell said. “We know what Vic brings to the table. We’ve played without him for a couple games this year. It’s going to be next man up. Everybody’s going to have to step up. That’s a huge void to fill. We can’t get bogged down by it.”
Wembanyama was fouled by Jrue Holiday after he spun around the Trail Blazers point guard in the paint. He was not able to brace himself on the fall, and his jaw hit the court with 8:57 remaining in the second quarter.
Wembanyama remained on the court for about 30 seconds before sitting up for about a minute and speaking to teammate Stephon Castle. Johnson called a timeout to check on Wembanyama, who immediately ran through the tunnel after getting to his feet.
Veteran Luke Kornet replaced Wembanyama and started the second half at center, finishing with 10 points and nine rebounds in 28 minutes.
“It was scary. I saw the images. It was not good,” Trail Blazers coach Tiago Splitter said of the play where Wembanyama got hurt. “With him out, Kornet, I think he did a tremendous job. We still have to figure out how to play better when Kornet is on the court.”
San Antonio are in the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and beat Portland in Game 1 of the Western Conference first-round series behind 35 points from Wembanyama. Without him, the Spurs blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead in the playoffs for the first time since 2003, a span of 76 games.
Vassell said he didn’t have a chance to talk with Wembanyama immediately after the game.
“We’ll definitely check in on him. Our prayers are with him,” Vassell said. “We just want him to be good.”
In Tuesday’s other games, VJ Edgecombe had 30 points and 10 rebounds while playing through pain after taking a hard fall early in the game, Tyrese Maxey scored 29 points and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Boston Celtics 111-97 to tie their playoff series at 1-1. Meanwhile, LeBron James had 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and short-handed Los Angeles outlasted Houston for a victory and a stunning 2-0 lead in their playoff series.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 21: Vj Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers and Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers react in the second quarter of a game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on April 21, 2026 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. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Playoff. VJ. Edgecombe.
The Sixers shocked the Boston Celtics with a 111-97 win in Game 2 Tuesday night, tying the series at 1-1.
Tyrese Maxey had a much easier go of it, putting up 29 points and nine assists shooting 11-of-28 from the floor. Edgecombe had his playoff coming out party, having a team-high 30 points, shooting 12-of-20 from the floor along with 10 rebounds.
Paul George importantly got off to a great start, going for 19 on 7-of-13 shooting. Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 36.
Joel Embiid (appendectomy surgery recovery) remained the only player unable to suit up due to injury.
Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.
First Quarter
The process of these teams was on display early, with the Celtics knocking down two quick threes while PG slowly backed down his defender for a midrange pull-up on the Sixers’ first two possessions. There were plenty of fireworks early as Brown was called for a technical foul for how hard he dunked on Adem Bona. Even with that, the Sixers started the game as well as possible, making six of their first eight field goal attempts.
Making a three-pointer was the only thing the Sixers didn’t do in their good start. The Celtics made five early as they ripped off a 16-0 run in response. During this stretch, Edgecombe landed hard on his lower back and legs. He gingerly limped back for a brief trip to the locker room before returning to the game in the second.
The run was finally ended with a Maxey pull-up three. The Sixers would surrender an offensive rebound on the ensuing possession, but Maxey had the best box out by a Sixer in years to secure the rebound on the second attempt. Andre Drummond was able to putback a miss, Quentin Grimes made his first three of the night, and a Maxey pick-six made it a 10-0 Sixers run in response. George was able to put back a missed Grimes’ floater to pull the Sixers within three after the first.
Personnel is a big reason for their rebounding struggles, but it’s astonishing how unprepared the Sixers look for long rebounds. Payton Pritchard pulled down the Celtics’ sixth offensive board of the night just two possessions into the quarter. The minutes with Maxey on the bench got off to a rough start, but Drummond poking away a steal turned that around as they followed up with back-to-back threes from Grimes and George. Grimes blocking a Pritchard three from behind was a big stop in this stretch.
The Sixers kept this play going out of Boston’s timeout as well. A three and another putback from Drummond briefly put them back in front. Edgecombe returned to the game and hit a pull-up, then grabbed an offensive board. A negative worth monitoring though was Jayson Tatum being able to bait George into his third foul of the night.
Despite turning it over immediately after pulling down an impressive offensive rebound, Edgecombe continued to look really good coming back from the fall. He was finally able to knock down some threes, hitting four in the half, and threw down a transition dunk in a crowd of defenders. As a team the Sixers were rewarded for their hustle. Kelly Oubre Jr. missed the free throw to convert an and-1, but Dominick Barlow fought to grab the offensive rebound that led to another Edgecombe three.
The Sixers still struggled to keep the Celtics off the offensive glass, but they were able to hold the Celtics without a field goal for the final 2:05 of the half. Barlow took an inadvertent elbow to the face on Brown’s last shot, but replay upheld that no foul occurred and the Sixers took an eight-point lead into the break.
Third Quarter
George drilling a pull-up three was a great start to the second half, as was Boston’s field goal drought continuing. It took the Celtics two and a half minutes into the third to snap the drought. The bad news for Philly was Edgecombe re-aggravating his injury and going back to the locker room two minutes into the half.
Brown getting to the rim did get both of the Jays going. Brown easily drove to the basket again, as did Tatum, before Brown hit a pair of threes. Oubre finally hit his first three of the series, then drove for a couple of layups himself to keep the Celtics at arms’ length.
Regression to the mean hit George the hardest. He airballed a couple of threes and threw a bad turnover as the Celtics slowly nibbled away. Thanks to Maxey and Oubre flying around the perimeter the Sixers were able to force a big shot clock violation, especially since Edgecombe came right down the floor and nailed a three (A result of the Sixers finally putting Nik Vucevic in an action in space, no less). Edgecombe got to the basket two more times coming out of a timeout to keep the Sixers’ lead at seven going into the fourth.
White drilling a three off the catch and Pritchard beating Adem Bona off the dribble for a bucket made things hairy quick. Justin Edwards responding with a three is just what the Sixers needed. PG chipped in with a midrange and a trip to the line. Edwards’ night had felt more quiet than his Game 1 performance, but his four rebounds and swat on a Brown jumper were huge.
Open misses continued to haunt the Sixers. Two open threes clanked off, then Bona missed a layup before five points from the Jays made it a one-score game again. Maxey had really cooled off but picked a good time to nail a pair of threes to force a Celtics timeout. Edgecombe made a great read to pick off a pass coming out of the timeout and Maxey drew an offensive foul, helping the Sixers respond with five points of their own.
Brown pulled up trying to draw a foul on a three. While he didn’t get the call, the three falling was a big shot for Boston. Edgecombe was able to respond with another one of his own, then Maxey wove his way to the basket for an acrobatic layup that turned into an and-1. Brown was able to hit another tough three a few possessions later, but Joe Mazzulla had already sent the end of his bench to the scorer’s table to call it for the night. The conclusive victory the Sixers pulled off prompted a tweet from their most online player.
