PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 24, 1981: Larry Bird #33 of the Boston Celtics drives against Julius Erving #6 of the Philadelphia 76ers during Game Three of the Eastern Conference Finals at The Spectrum in April 24, 1981 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by James Drake/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The answer is yes, he could still run the league, and for a few reasons.
First, Bird was, as Joe Dumar once said, a basketball savant. Do you think Charles Barkley could play today? Magic Johnson? Michael Jordan? Isaiah Thomas? James Worthy?
Of course they could – and they all said Bird was the one whom they feared most, who gave them sleepless nights.
The main criticism of Bird is that he was slow and couldn’t jump. Well, neither can Nikola Jokić or Luka Dončić, and both of those guys will be in the Hall of Fame, because they, like Bird, can force the game to adapt to them, rather than vice-versa.
If nothing else, Bird’s passing ability was off the charts, and his hand-eye coordination was superb. So was his ability to keep track of everything happening on the court: he didn’t have to see his teammates to know where they were.
What also really works in Bird’s favor is this: in his heyday, the NBA was far, far more physical than it is today. Go look at some Bill Laimbeer highlights.
The NBA in the 1980s could be brutal. Consider the courage Thomas had to go into the lane the way he did at his size, and consider also the Jordan Rules the Pistons had for #23. They all knew they were going to get a beating every game.
It’s not like that now. The game is far more open, and Bird would either drive, pass, or hit jumpers at will.
Finally, there are some other factors that would work in his favor. The first is personal. Bird’s desire to dominate would propel him in today’s game, too. His mindset is far different from anyone in today’s NBA. He would sneer at 90 percent of the players in the league now.
And second, the advances in training, nutrition, equipment, and medical care would have really helped him. Just for one thing, a back problem ended Bird’s career. The treatment options today are far better.
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While today's sports fans may not be able to imagine an American sports scene without basketball, more than 115 years passed between the signing of the "Declaration of Independence" and the first game of hoops in Springfield, Massachusetts.
James Naismith's invention began its spread across the nation in 1891. One year later, colleges began playing. The NBA was founded in 1949, and George Mikan quickly became the first professional basketball superstar. Now, as we near our nation's 250th birthday, we look back at the best U.S. athletes to play this uniquely American sport.
About USA TODAY's '250 for 250' series
Now through July 4, USA TODAY Sports is releasing our "250 for 250" list of America's top homegrown athletes of all time. Each week we'll bring you all-time standouts from across the sports world, and give readers a chance to vote on who should be featured.
Now, on to the list of our nation's top homegrown men's basketball players:
Michael Jordan, Laney High School (NC)
Jordan first became a national star when he hit the game-winning shot for North Carolina in the 1982 national championship game. He then took the NBA to new global heights as a six-time champion with the Chicago Bulls and member of the original Dream Team. Jordan won five NBA MVP awards and his "Air Jordan" shoe line and Jordan brand transformed Nike and the basketball apparel industry.
LeBron James, St. Vincent-St. Mary High School (OH)
James was a high school sensation who lived up to all the hype to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and the most influential player of his generation. The Akron, Ohio native has won four NBA titles with three different teams, three MVP awards and three Olympic gold medals. He ushered in the league's player empowerment era when he made "The Decision" to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat in 2010 and became the first NBA player to earn more than $1 billion in salary during his active career.
Kobe Bryant, Lower Merion High School (PA)
The 5-time NBA champion spent his entire 20-year NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers, initially starring alongside Shaquille O'Neal en route to three-straight titles (2000-02) under coach Phil Jackson. Bryant then won two more NBA championships without O'Neal and earned league MVP honors in 2008. He died tragically in a helicopter crash in Southern California in January 2020.
Stephen Curry, Charlotte Christian School (NC)
The greatest 3-point shooter in NBA history burst onto the scene as a March Madness star who led the country in scoring and set NCAA records for 3-point shooting at Davidson. Curry then led the Golden State Warriors to four NBA championships and his infectious style of play, with the ability to hit shots from anywhere inside the halfcourt line, helped change the way the game is played by relying on the 3-point shot to historic levels.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Power Memorial Academy (NY)
Abdul-Jabbar, under the name Lew Alcindor, led Power Memorial Academy to a national record 71-straight wins and won three-straight NCAA championships at UCLA (1967-69) while being named Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament in all three appearances. Abdul-Jabbar won an NBA record six MVP awards and six NBA titles with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers. The skyhook became his signature move.
Earvin 'Magic' Johnson, Everett High School (MI)
Johnson's rivalry with Larry Bird, beginning when Johnson won an NCAA championship with Michigan State over Bird's Indiana State team in 1979, jumpstarted the NBA's growth during the 1980s. Johnson won five NBA titles and three MVP awards, revolutionizing the point guard position and turning the "Showtime" Lakers into a national sensation with his combination of size, court vision and sublime passing skills.
Larry Bird, Springs Valley High School (IN)
Bird became a household name after leading Indiana State to the 1979 national championship game and began a career-long rivalry with Magic Johnson that helped define an entire generation of NBA basketball. "The Hick From French Lick" won three NBA championships and three-straight MVP awards (1984-86) with the Boston Celtics. He is also the only person in NBA history to be named rookie of the year, MVP, NBA Finals MVP, NBA All-Star Game MVP, coach of the Year, and executive of the Year.
Bill Russell, McClymonds High School (CA)
Russell led San Francisco to back-to-back NCAA titles (1955-56) and served as captain of the U.S. Olympic men's basketball team that won a gold medal at the 1956 Melbourne Games before becoming the most important figure of the NBA's greatest dynasty. Russell won 11 NBA championships in 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics as a dominating defensive force, including eight titles in a row at one point. He also served as a player-coach for the Celtics later in his career, becoming the first Black coach in a major U.S. sport and the first to win an NBA championship in 1969.
Wilt Chamberlain, Overbrook High School (PA)
Chamberlain's prodigious ability on offense using his 7-foot-1 frame allowed him to lead the NBA in scoring, rebounding and assists at various points in his legendary career. He is the only player in NBA history to score 100 points in a game and the only player to average more than 30 points and 20 rebounds for a season. He won two NBA championships and four MVP awards, with his matchups against Bill Russell's Celtics turning into the league's biggest attraction for years.
Shaquille O'Neal, Cole High School (TX)
O'Neal's combination of size, power, footwork and personality made him a dominating figure on and off the court during his NBA career, initially when he was drafted No. 1 overall by the Orlando Magic in 1992 and later when he won NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat. He is one of only three players in NBA history to win the regular-season MVP award, All-Star Game MVP award and NBA Finals MVP award in the same year (2000). He remains a ubiquitous presence with his role on "Inside the NBA" and a plethora of endorsement deals.
Tim Duncan, St. Dunstan's Episcopal High School (U.S. Virgin Islands)
Duncan won five NBA titles and three MVP awards over 19 years with the San Antonio Spurs, emerging as arguably the greatest power forward of all-time thanks to his remarkable consistency. He is the only player in NBA history to earn all-NBA and all-defense honors in each of his first 13 seasons.
Kevin Durant, Montrose Christian School (MD)
"The Slim Reaper" is viewed as one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, with four Olympic gold medals, two NBA championships, one NBA Finals MVP and a regular-season MVP to his credit. He remains one of the league's stars after finishing his 18th NBA regular season with the Houston Rockets this year.
Allen Iverson, Bethel High School (VA)
Iverson was one of the most influential players of his time because of his fearless athleticism as a 6-foot guard, his signature crossover move, his embrace of hip-hop culture and even his hairstyle (cornrows). Iverson was a four-time NBA scoring champion who won MVP in 2011 when he led the Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA Finals.
Oscar Robertson, Crispus Attucks High School (IN)
Robertson, or "The Big O," is one of the NBA's greatest point guards and the first player in league history to average a triple-double over an entire season. The 1964 MVP and 11-time all-NBA selection also forced the NBA to become the first major American professional sports league to establish free agency when he filed class-action antitrust lawsuit that led to the "Oscar Robertson Rule" in 1976.
Elgin Baylor, Spingarn High School (DC)
Little-recruited out of Washington, D.C. due to segregation laws, Baylor led Seattle University to the 1958 national championship game and became a significant NBA star over 14 years with the Lakers. Baylor earned first team all-NBA honors 10 times and is credited with bringing a more athletic and creative style to the game, using superior hang time and an array of mid-air moves to become one of the most emulated players of his generation.
Jerry West, East Bank High School (WV)
West led West Virginia to the 1959 national championship game and served as co-captain of the gold-medal winning 1960 U.S. Olympic men's basketball team. Nicknamed "The Logo" because his silhouette became part of the league's logo, he was named all-NBA in 12 of his 14 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and remains the only player to be voted NBA Finals MVP from the losing team. He also won six NBA championships as the Lakers' general manager and was twice named NBA executive of the year, with the Lakers (1995) and Memphis Grizzlies (2004).
Julius Erving, Roosevelt High School (NY)
Known as "Dr. J," Erving was the best player in the ABA when it merged with the NBA in 1976 and earned four MVP awards between the two leagues. He won two ABA titles with the Nets before winning an NBA championship in 1983 as part of the Philadelphia 76ers. Erving is also considered one of basketball's greatest dunkers, both in games and during Slam Dunk contests.
Moses Malone, Petersburg High School (VA)
Malone is one of the greatest rebounders of all-time who starred in the ABA and NBA over 21 seasons after becoming the first player in modern basketball to go directly from high school to the professional ranks. Malone was named NBA MVP three times and won an NBA title with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1983.
Kevin Garnett, Farragut Career Academy (IL)/Mauldin High School (SC)
Garnett starred for the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics, and "The Big Ticket" remains one of five players in league history to have been named the NBA's MVP award and its defensive player of the year at various points of his 21-year career. Garnett was a 15-time All-Star who won an NBA championship with the Celtics in 2008.
Charles Barkley, Leeds High School (AL)
Barkley is arguably the NBA's best undersized power forward and the 1993 MVP winner remains one of the league's most influential voices through his role on "Inside the NBA." Barkley, a member of the original Dream Team, was a 10-time all-NBA selection during his NBA career with the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets.
Karl Malone, Summerfield High School (LA)
Malone, nicknamed the "Mailman," ranks third all-time on the NBA's scoring list and won two MVP awards teaming with point guard John Stockton on the Utah Jazz. He was a first team all-NBA selection for 11-straight seasons (1989-99).
David Robinson, Osbourn Park High School (VA)
Nicknamed "The Admiral" for his standout college career at Navy, in which he experienced a massive growth spurt, Robinson became a perennial NBA All-Star with the San Antonio Spurs upon fulfilling a two-year military commitment. He was the 1995 NBA MVP and won two NBA titles, while leading the league in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots at various points.
Isiah Thomas, St. Joseph High School (IL)
Thomas, one of the league's greatest point guards, was the leader of the 1981 Indiana men's basketball team that won a national championship and the "Bad Boy" Pistons teams that won NBA championships in 1988 and 1989. He ranked third in assists in NBA history when he retired.
John Havlicek, Bridgeport High School (OH)
Havlicek, known as "Hondo," won eight NBA championships with the Boston Celtics and retired in 1978 as the NBA's all-time leader in games played and third on the league's all-time scoring list.
George Mikan, Joliet Catholic (IL)
Mikan led the nation in scoring and won an NIT title at DePaul and then helped define the sport in its formative years because of his size. Mikan's dominance inside as a scorer, rebounder and shot blocker led to the creation of the goaltending rule and the "Mikan Rule" that widened the lane under the basket. He won seven NBA/NBL championships in an eight-year span (1947-54) with the Minneapolis Lakers. Mikan was one of the founders of the ABA and served as the league's first commissioner after his playing career.
Bob Cousy, Andrew Jackson High School (NY)
"The Houdini of the Hardwood" helped transform the point guard position for the modern era with his fast-paced dribbling and fantastic passing skills. He led the NBA in assists eight times, won six NBA championships and earned league MVP honors in 1957. Cousy also helped establish the NBA Players Association as the first trade union among the major U.S. professional sports leagues and served as its first president.
Pete Maravich, Daniel High School (SC)
"Pistol Pete" Maravich is the all-time leading scorer in NCAA history at LSU (1967-70) and averaged more than 44 points per game before the introduction of the 3-point line and shot clock. He was also a four-time all-NBA selection with the Atlanta Hawks and New Orleans/Utah Jazz.
Chris Paul, West Forsyth High School (NC)
Paul ranks second on the NBA's all-time assists lists after his 21st and final NBA season this year. The 6-foot point guard is an 11-time all-NBA selection and one of three players in league history to record 20,000 points, 10,000 assists and 2,000 steals for his career.
Meadowlark Lemon, Wiliston High School (NC)
Lemon had a legendary 24-year run with the Harlem Globetrotters thanks to halfcourt hook shots, dribbling tricks and charisma that earned him the "Clown Prince" nickname.
Dwyane Wade, Harold L. Richards High School (IL)
Wade won three NBA championships with the Miami Heat during a 16-year NBA career in which he became one of the sport's best shooting guards. He was named to eight all-NBA teams and 13 All-Star teams.
CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 20: Donovan Mitchell #45 and James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers hugs after the game against the Toronto Raptors during round one Game two of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 20, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes /NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
“Cleveland is playing with a lot of physicality,” Rajaković said. “They’re very prideful of their physicality, and their whole team was very, very physical with Brandon.”
These comments were mostly directed at how the Cavs defended Ingram, but it also speaks to how this Cavaliers team has evolved on both ends of the floor.
Donovan Mitchell had one more thing to say to the media after his postgame press conference ended in the wake of his 30-point performance.
“As much as y’all talk about us three: me, him (James Harden), and Ev (Evan Mobley)… Dean Wade deserves a ton of credit for tonight,” Mitchell said. “I know he only had three points, but his impact is extremely high outside of just scoring. Y’all need to give him his credit. He’s playing at a high level right now for us.”
Playoff basketball often comes down to whether you can take away one of the things your opponent does best. The Cavs have made a concerted effort to make Ingram work — Toronto’s leading scorer — to impact the series with his jump shot. They’ve been physical with him at the point of attack, forcing him to work to get to his patented midrange jumper.
And the one making it difficult for Ingram was Wade, due to his strength advantage.
It’s hard to contest a tough shotmaker like Ingram. At 6’8”, he can usually rise above his defender in the midrange for a clean look. And even if the defender does get a contest, he’s skilled enough to make them anyway.
The best defense for someone like that doesn’t necessarily come from contesting the shot, but by making it challenging for him to get to his spots. This is what Wade did.
Wade was physical and aggressive in denying Ingram the ball wherever he was on the court. The play below is an example of that.
The Raptors had to run a screen for Ingram just to get him the ball. Even though Ingram gets a good look after the screen, the physicality from the denial, combined with the impending threat of Wade trailing the play without fouling, contributes to the missed shot.
Wade’s ability to stay connected with his combination of strength and footspeed means he doesn’t have to sell out to put a good contest on a shot, including one as difficult to do so on as a high-post fadeaway.
Even though Wade deserves a majority of the credit, he wasn’t the only one who was physical with Ingram. Both Harden and Sam Merrill also had instances of forcefully pushing Ingram off his spots when they were switched onto him. It was truly a team effort.
Ingram vowed after Game 1 that he needed to take more than just nine shots. He did so here, but wasn’t efficient, going 3-15 for just seven points.
Cleveland’s physicality on offense showed up in two main ways. First, the Cavs’ star guards weren’t able to be taken out of the game.
Both Harden and Mitchell did a good job of dealing with Toronto’s ball pressure and the extra contact the referees were allowing. They were still able to get to their spots and keep the offense on track. This has been an issue in the past, as Cleveland’s previously undersized guards were susceptible to double teams and pressure in the backcourt.
Second, Mobley punished mismatches. The Raptors played much smaller this game, opting to switch screens as much as possible. Mobley made them pay for doing so as he forcefully attacked his smaller defender whenever getting an opportunity to do so, even off of offensive rebounds. This led to a 25-point outing on 11-13 shooting.
That aggression was much needed on a night the Raptors decided to shift their strategy and play small. Toronto started 6’7” forward Collin Murray-Boyles at center in place of their usual big Jakob Poeltl, to open the second half. Afterward, Rajaković said he wanted to do this so that they could easily switch the pick-and-roll and shut that down.
To Toronto’s credit, the switch shut down the pick-and-roll. The issue is that it made them susceptible to drives to the basket.
The lack of rim protection more or less left every individual defender on an island. The defenders guarding Cleveland’s bigs weren’t in a position to really help off, given the size disadvantage they already had. This resulted in more lanes for Mitchell and Harden to get to the basket. They took full advantage of that as they combined for 58 points.
Jarrett Allen wasn’t able to make the most of Toronto playing small. They were able to hide RJ Barrett on him for long stretches without Allen becoming much of a factor as a scorer or as an offensive rebounder. This led to head coach Kenny Atkinson choosing to leave him out of the closing lineup.
The bench was an issue for the Cavs.
They only provided 19 points, with none of the five reserves tallying more than six. This gave way to the Raptors’ reserves outscoring Cleveland’s by 26.
Max Strus and Merrill seem locked into the rotation. The same might not be said for the other three bench players who received minutes.
Dennis Schroder once again couldn’t find his shot, as he went 1-5 from the field with five points.
There are concerns about Keon Ellis’s defensive impact on this team. He’s likely best used guarding ones and twos, but he won’t often have the luxury to do so given Cleveland’s backcourt. This leaves him defending some of Toronto’s bigger and stronger wings. He’s struggled in that setting, which makes it difficult for him to get minutes when he isn’t providing much offensively.
Jaylon Tyson had some good moments as he seemed to calm down after a difficult playoff debut on Saturday. He handled Toronto’s bigger wings well defensively, but hasn’t found a rhythm yet on the other end.
The Cavs’ offense will go as their core four takes it. That said, the others need to provide much more on that end than they are. The current scoring balance isn’t sustainable over what could be a long postseason run.
The chemistry between Mitchell and Harden looks like it’s been forged over multiple playoff runs. It hasn’t. This was the duo’s 24th game together. That speaks to how well their games fit and how much they’ve invested in making this work.
Harden admitted that because they haven’t had much time together, they needed to find other ways to get on the same page. “I think what speeds that process up is communication and talking,” Harden said.
That includes pointing out when you see something the other could’ve done better, as was the case on at least one occasion on Monday.
“We always communicate what we see,” Mitchell said. “He was telling me what he saw, even though I scored on that possession…there was an easier read that I didn’t see.”
The Cavs made a daring and aggressive move when they traded for Harden as late as they did in the year. Adding someone that important into the mix when they did doesn’t have much of a precedent for resulting in a title or overall playoff success. That just isn’t how basketball is typically played.
But if it ever were to work, it’d be in a setting like this. One that is open to listening to and implementing feedback. Right now, it seems like the Cavs’ top two stars are trying to approach this the right way.
“We’re behind,” Harden said. “I don’t even know how many games we’ve had together, so I think our communication during games, practice days is very, very important. That can get us over the hump. So anytime I gotta say something, or Don say something, we communicate it. We let it be known to the team just so we can all be on the same page.”
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 24: Head coach Ime Udoka of the Houston Rockets speaks with Alperen Sengun #28 following the game against the Detroit Pistons at Toyota Center on October 24, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The tale of the tape in the Houston Rockets’ opening round postseason matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers was one that hinged on health. Especially heading into the series.
The Los Angeles Lakers were seemingly at their weakest, as the team was forced to play without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves seemingly for the entirety of the matchup. Granted, the Rockets have also not been at full strength at any point of the regular season, having been without Fred VanVleet all season and Steven Adams for the last three months of the season.
Neither of those two are at the level of Doncic or Reaves on the star scale. Not even close.
The assumption was that the Rockets would easily take care of a ragtag bunch centered around 41-year-old LeBron James and role players. And right so.
They should’ve been able to. They should be able to. However, when Kevin Durant went down, the narrative shifted.
People began to give the Rockets sympathy since they were without Durant. Sure, Durant is a surefire All-NBA player this season who turned in one of the greatest individual scoring seasons in Rockets history, especially when factoring in efficiency (26 points on 52 percent from the field, 41.3 percent from deep, 87.4 percent from the foul line, 64.2 percent true shooting and 58.8 percent effective shooting).
But again, the Lakers were playing without their top two leading scorers, and the league’s leading scorer. The Rockets should be able to beat this iteration of the Lakers without Durant.
They tanked for three seasons and amassed four years of top-five draft picks. Alperen Sengun is a two-time All-Star.
And Amen Thompson is one of the best two-way players in the league. Jabari Smith Jr. was viewed as the best player in his draft class.
Two of the aforementioned three have landed pay days. And Houston boasts much more youth and athleticism than the Lakers.
The Rockets also have more of their key players than the Lakers. The Lakers are much more compromised than the Rockets, even without Durant.
So they shouldn’t get any sympathy for losing to this iteration of the Lakers. They got gashed by Luke Kennard, after all, who was the game’s leading scorer.
And nothing against Kennard, who is a very good shooter, but he shouldn’t be outplaying Sengun, Smith, Thompson or Reed Sheppard.
Which is why the Rockets can’t use the injury excuse, as it pertains to Durant. Well, they can, but they shouldn’t get sympathy.
Because the Lakers managed to win in spite of much more significant injury-related absences.
GAH! Where am I? Whose laptop is this? CelticsBlog? “Grant Burfeind, Staff Writer?” That can’t be right. The last thing I remember I was Googling whether my appendix would be compatible with Joel Embiid’s body and what his address is so I could mail it his way. Now…well, now I’m somewhere else entirely.
I catch a glimpse in the reflection of this laptop screen. Dear god, I’m gorgeous. But it’s not me. My stress lines are completely gone. That soreness in my lower back, no more. Whose body is this, and why does it feel completely devoid of the stress that I’ve been so used to carrying my entire life?
I think back to last night. After I gave up on removing my own appendix, I opened up Twitter for some therapeutic trolling of Celtics fans. The storm was angry last night…is it possible a bolt of lightning careened into my room, striking me at the same moment this “Grant Burfeind” person was reading my awesome burn? And somehow, we’ve Freaky Friday’d with one another?
I can’t believe it, but I also can’t deny it. I’m a Sixers fan, and I’ve ended up in a Celtics fan’s body.
I push back from the desk I’m sitting at and take stock of the room I’m in. Celtics paraphernalia adorn the walls. A 2024 NBA Champions replica banner. A poster of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown holding the Larry O’ Brien trophy and the Finals MVP trophy, respectively. I think I’m going to be sick. I need to get out of here.
I race out of the room, practically jump down the entire flight of stairs I find in front of me, and burst out the front door. It’s a beautiful day, and the charm of the apartment buildings to my left and right is undeniable. Across the street, a man in a #11 Celtics jersey and a devastating sunburn catches my gaze, looks up from his phone, and says, “Hell of a game last night! The Celtics are the balllllls! You think the Sixers even show up for Game 2?”
I ignore him, still not fully processing this new reality I’m in. A “ring, ring” snaps me out of my stupor. I step back as a young child on a green bicycle whizzes by, two shamrocks painted on either cheek. “Can’t wait for your next article, Grant! I’ve got an idea for you – should any future playoff matchup between the 76ers and Celtics count as an automatic win for Boston to spare the Sixers fans the grief? Could be good!”
She doesn’t wait for me to respond, and lets out another “ring, ring” as she pedals away.
I watch her disappear down the street, that stupid little bike rattling over the pavement. I’m still stuck where she left me, trying to square what I’m experiencing with anything I’ve felt before.
I take a deep breath. Close my eyes. Open them again, accepting that this is really happening. Then, I take stock of what I’m seeing. Everyone here looks…happy. Like they’re not waiting for something to go wrong.
And not fake happy or “we’ll see what happens” happy. Actual, out-in-the-open, no-guard-up happy. There’s a couple walking a dog across the street, both in Celtics gear, debating whether they should buy playoff tickets for this opening round or wait until the next. A guy on his porch is smoking a cigar, coughing after every puff, but smiling all the same. Nobody looks tense or like they’re bracing for the other shoe to drop.
Even the sun feels different. Warmer, almost alive. I swear I can hear it whispering, “Who hurt you?” How does it know?
Back home, after that awful game 1 versus Boston on Sunday, I know the energy is the complete opposite. I bet this Grant fella is experiencing it for himself. My neighbor, Vinny, is probably yelling about VJ Edgecombe’s ceiling and comparing him to AI. Joey, our landlord, is likely lamenting that the Process died in 2019. I know Bobby has our favorite call-in show blasting through his open window. Right this second, they’re probably debating whether Tyrese Maxey is allowed to smile after a loss.
If Grant is standing outside my apartment right now, there’s a very real chance he’s watching my two roommates arguing in a pile of trash bags, one of them holding a half-eaten Wawa hoagie like it’s evidence in a court case.
That’s just April in Philadelphia.
I take a few steps down the street, not really thinking about where I’m going. I just need to move.
This is ridiculous. I’m PROUD of where I’m from. Philly made me tough, not like these Boston softies. You don’t grow up a Sixers fan and come out soft. You take your hits, build up a tolerance for things going sideways. It’s part of our identity, and we wouldn’t have it any other way…right?
I’m not one of these people. I’m not. I keep walking. The street opens up a little and then I see it.
TD Garden.
I’ve seen it before, obviously. On TV, in clips, in all the places I don’t like to look for too long. But standing here, actually looking at it, is different. It’s bigger than I expected. Goosebumps tingle across my forearms. It has this weird calmness to it, like it wants to wrap you up in a big hug after a long day. Almost like an old friend that you know will always be there when you need them.
I stop for a second. This is where they walk in expecting to win.
Expecting.
That’s the part that sticks.
Back where I’m from, nothing is ever that simple. Even when things feel good, there’s always something attached to it. A condition. A “yeah, but.” You learn to live in that space. You almost get comfortable with it.
Here, it’s just…confidence.
And I hate how much sense that’s starting to make.
I tell myself this isn’t real. That I just need to figure out how to get back, how to get myself struck by lightning and ensure this Grant guy gets struck at the same time. I should be panicking, maybe someone at Massachusetts General Hospital can help me reverse this?
Instead, I turn around and start heading back toward the apartment I woke up in.
By the time I get back inside, the panic I felt earlier is gone, or at least quieter.
I sit back down at the laptop, and read through the game recap on the CelticsBlog page that’s still up on my screen. “Celtics, Jays look sharp in Game 1, blowout 76ers 123-91.” I read about how the Celtics kept the ball moving, generated clean looks, and stayed connected from start to finish. The words are so unfamiliar that a sense of vertigo starts to wash over me.
For the first time, I’m not rage-reading about the Celtics from the outside. I’m part of it. I’m really here, in this body, in this life, starting to get a sense of what this must feel like every night, every season, every decade.
I think to myself, Celtics fans have no clue how good they have it.
These people wake up expecting things to work. Even when something goes wrong, there’s this baseline belief that it’ll sort itself out eventually. Even when they switch ownership groups, coaches, whatever. This aura and legacy of “Celtics basketball” seems to persist. What even is “76ers basketball”? The word “process” enters my brain for a second and I physically flinch.
This isn’t how it works where I’m from.
Back in Philly, you don’t assume anything. You hope, negotiate, and convince yourself it might be different this time, even when the writing is on the wall.
And now that I’m here…I don’t know why I’d want to go back.
I sit there for a while, staring at the screen.
I know I should probably try to undo this whole thing. No way Grant will know jack shit about making a Philly cheesesteak. He’s going to ask if we have gluten-free bread and I’ll be finished. Well…not me. Him. That sorry, down-trodden, pessimistic man who’s never seen the inside of a Conference Finals in his lifetime.
I guess there’s no reason to rush. After all, this might be the only time I get to experience this euphoria of supporting a quality basketball franchise.
This is a better situation. I’d never admit it in my old body, but here? Now? I can scream it from the hilltops without the fear of Joey or Vinny or god forbid Mr. McLaughlin pummeling me into oblivion.
Grant, wherever you are — whether you’re in my apartment trying to explain to my roommates that you’ve been Freaky Friday’d, or trying to figure out how to relieve your lower back (you never will, believe me) — I wish you nothing but happiness and good fortune.
I really do. You’ll need it as a 76ers fan.
Take care of my fish. Water the plants, or don’t, screw ‘em.
Because I think I’m going to stay in this new life for as long as I can.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 19: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket during the gam against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 19, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Celtics’ Game 1 blowout was surgical. Limiting their turnovers to eight and Philly to 4-of-23 from behind the arc certainly helped, but offensively, Boston stuck to their core offensive principles en route to a 123-91 win over the 76ers.
There are 2,350 square feet from midline to baseline and head coach Joe Mazzulla maximizes every inch of it. On most offensive sets, the Celtics want to turn their halfcourt sets into 3-on-3 battles with shooters spaced out in the corners.
Conceptionally, Boston wants to force defenses to pick their poison between 1) a scoring ball-handler, 2) a scorer coming off a screen, or 3) a big man who can either pick-and-pop or roll to the rim. It sounds simple, but done with focus and precision, it has resulted in this year’s Celtics ranking amongst the most efficient offenses in league history.
Denver and San Antonio are still playing so this list isn't complete, but the GYC will finish with the 5th best offense in NBA history.
Sometimes, it’s this easy. Derrick White, Jayson Tatum, and Nikola Vucevic are walking up the ball and preparing to run an action to either free up White or Tatum. Payton Pritchard and Jaylen Brown are flattened out to the corners. And without a single screen, the spacing does most of the work.
Sure, Vooch does get shoulder into Kelly Oubre and is ready to receive the ball from White for a possible dribble hand off or another screen. Paul George sees none of that — all his attention is on Brown.
But because of all the space leveraged by everybody’s ability to shoot the three, Brown has so much space to play in. A simple back cut and a perfectly placed bounce pass from White has JB rocking the rim to extend the lead to 25.
However, it’s not always that easy and that’s where Mazzulla & Co. have employed a series of DHOs, back screens, etc. to put teams in a predicament. One of the Celtics’ most used actions is the Spain pick-and-roll. Here’s CelticsBlog’s resident Xs and Os expert, Nik Land, on the action: “Spain or ‘Stack’ Pick and roll is an on-ball screen followed by a back screen on the on-ball screeners man.”
Again, we’ve got Tatum — Boston’s best player on the floor — and Baylor Scheierman, in the corners. Pritchard, Neemias Queta, and Sam Hauser creating an almost football-esque I formation, and in a way, it’s set up to run the ball.
Queta sets and flips a screen for Pritchard and as soon as he sees Dominick Barlow’s attention switch to Payton, he knows that he’s got him beat. Hauser sets a back screen with solid contact, Tyrese Maxey makes zero contact with Neemy, and Queta is free for the alley-oop.
Queta is met by Quentin Grimes on the rim run, but the damage is already done. Mazzulla stresses the importance of creating 3-on-2s and 2-on-1s, but this is a 3-on-1 with Tatum drawing so much attention above the break.
Pritchard has three options here: hit the cutting Queta again, kick out to the now wide open Hauser, or eventually, take the easy layup himself. This is laser eye surgery for the Celtics.
Later in fourth and with the game in hand, it’s another Spain PnR with different personnel, but same result.
Jabari Walker does a good job positioning himself to defend Pritchard’s drive and Luka Garza running to the restricted area. Unfortunately, that leaves Jordan Walsh, a 38% corner three-ball shooter, alone for an open jumper.
The 76ers can certainly make adjustments in Game 2. The playoffs are all about moves and counter moves and counter moves to the counter moves. They could switch on the screens more or blitz and hedge the ball handler to blow up the movement. The chess match continues tonight at 7 pm.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 18: Deandre Ayton #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers battles for position aainst Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets during the second half of Game One of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on April 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The injuries to Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves mean the asks of the Lakers’ role players have increased, both in terms of responsibilities and expected production.
For a player like Deandre Ayton, who has been under a microscope for most of the season, it puts even more pressure on him, which can lead to a wide variance of outcomes. But through one game, it could hardly have been better.
Ayton went toe-to-toe with the Rockets frontcourt, finishing with 19 points and 11 rebounds. That also doesn’t capture his impact defensively, where he helped the purple and gold force Houston into just 37.6% shooting. All of that helped add up to a win for LA in Game 1 on Saturday.
In a year full of ups and downs, Ayton is riding high into the postseason, a result of positive reinforcement and belief from the coaching staff.
“I could feel the trust JJ had me all practice this week,” Ayton said. “It does a lot giving an NBA player confidence, especially in this league. I really tried my best to show him that I’m here, I’m ready throughout those practices, just being super and extremely consistent. I couldn’t wait to beat up on somebody else.”
The Lakers have spent much of the season trying to get the most out of Ayton by any means possible. At times, it’s been in the way of wearing silly shirts. Other times, it’s been giving him crunk juice. But if the end result is play like this in the postseason, the absurd things they’ve done will be worth it.
Any chance of the Lakers advancing in the playoffs requires Ayton being at his best. Because when he is at his best, the Lakers are at their best.
“He was great,” Redick said of Ayton’s Game 1 performance. “I think he was great on both ends. Again, we’re at our best when he’s playing at a high level.”
Relying on him comes with lots of risks. But the Lakers aren’t in a position where they have other options. So long as Luka and Austin are out, they need Ayton to step up.
Through one game, he held up his end of the bargain. If he keeps doing so, then the purple and gold could really be in business.
Victor Wembanyama scored a game-high 35 points in his play-off debut as San Antonio beat Portland on Sunday [Getty Images]
San Antonio Spurs centre Victor Wembanyama has been named the NBA's defensive player of the year.
The 7ft 4in France international is the first unanimous winner in the award's 43-year history having secured all 100 of the first-place votes.
At 22, he is the youngest player to win the award and the second to win it within their first three seasons, after Spurs legend David Robinson (1991-92).
Wembanyama was the first overall draft pick in 2023 and has led the league in blocks (3.1 per game) for the third straight season.
The two-time All-Star also averaged career highs in points (25.0) and rebounds (11.5), and claimed a steal per game.
"I'm super, super happy to win this award and actually super proud to be the first ever unanimous [winner]," he told NBC.
Oklahoma City Thunder's Chet Holmgren finished second with 239 points (76 second-place votes), while Ausar Thompson of the Detroit Pistons was third with 60 points (nine second-place votes).
Wembanyama, who is also a Most Valuable Player contender, helped San Antonio post the second-best record in the regular season (62-20) and their defence was ranked third overall.
German NBA legend Dirk Nowitzki told AFP: "I've never seen anything like it.
"His defence is so good that he changes the game just by being on the court and taking away some of the lay-ups and twos that other teams would usually take."
Wembanyama starred during his play-off debut on Sunday and the first round of the post-season continued on Monday, with the Cleveland Cavaliers taking charge against the Toronto Raptors.
Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points for Cleveland while James Harden added 28 as the Cavs claimed a 115-105 home win to go 2-0 up in the seven-game series.
"They're one of the greatest (back-courts)," said team-mate Evan Mobley. "It's hard to stop them because of their offensive prowess. They can make any shot."
Toronto's shooting guard RJ Barrett added: "They're a problem and we've got to figure out how to fix that."
Anthony Edwards claimed 30 points and 10 rebounds as the Minnesota Timberwolves fought back from 19 points down to win 119-114 at the Denver Nuggets and level their series at 1-1.
The Atlanta Hawks also claimed a comeback win on the road, beating the New York Knicks 107-106 to make it 1-1, with CJ McCollum scoring a game-high 32 points.
If it feels like we've seen this movie before, it's because we kind of have. Two years ago, Minnesota trailed Denver by 20 in Game 7 of their series, only to stage one of the greatest comebacks in playoff history and win to advance.
This time was only 19 points, and it's just Game 2, but you get the idea.
Anthony Edwards scored 30 with 10 rebounds (and two blocks), Julius Randle added 24 points, and the Timberwolves came from behind to win 119-114 to take Game 2 of their first-round series. That series is tied 1-1, headed to Minnesota. Of all the good things for the Timberwolves in this game, the most important was how Edwards looked. In Game 1, he'd appeared slowed and bothered by his ailing knee. Monday night, he was back to his explosive self again and able to get to the rim, scoring six of his 10 buckets inside the restricted area.
"He was awesome. It was unbelievable," Minnesota coach Chris Finch said, via the Associated Press. "Also in that (first) period when we were down, he was great on the bench. Great leadership, positive. He recognized he needed to get into attack mode and get downhill a little bit more. He did that."
Denver had their chances, but it's hard to overcome Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic shooting 2-of-12 in the fourth quarter.
Denver's best chance came when it was down just two with 30.6 seconds left in the game. An Edwards traveling turnover gave the Nuggets the ball and a chance. On the ensuing play, Minnesota blew the Murray/Jokic pick-and-roll coverage, and Jokic had the ball in the lane and a wide-open 8-foot floater to tie it, but instead, he tried a difficult pass to Christian Braun under the basket, who fumbled the ball, got up a shot, but was fouled. Braun made one of two free throws, and Denver never got closer (two Randle free throws and a Donte DiVincenzo breakaway dunk sealed the Timberwolves' win).
"I definitely should've took that floater," Jokic said.
"I trust C.B. to make free throws," Denver coach David Adelman said. "It rimmed out. That happens in the NBA. You're going to have moments that you don't want to remember. That's a tough moment for C.B. after playing such a good game."
Murray finished with 30 points, while Jokic had 24 with 15 rebounds and eight assists.
The first half of this game was a tale of two quarters. Denver outscored Minnesota 39-25 in the first quarter with the lead reaching 19 early in the second. Then, behind strong play from Julius Randle on both ends of the court, the Timberwolves stormed back and outscored the Nuggets 39-25 in the second. Minnesota would have gone to the half up three if Jamal Murray had not done this.
JAMAL MURRAY FROM BEYOND HALF COURT TO BEAT THE BUZZER!
SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 19: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs dunks against the Portland Trailblazers in the first half of Game One of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center on April 19, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A playoff series can turn at any time. The San Antonio Spurs handled the Portland Trail Blazers at home in Game One on the back of a historic playoff debut from Victor Wembanyama. There were moments, however, where it looked like the Blazers could make it an interesting game, including big runs in the third and fourth quarters, that cut into the Spurs’ lead. Despite the convincing Game One victory, San Antonio has to come out with the same sense of urgency to take care of business on their home floor.
In order to take care of business, they’ll have to find a way to slow down Deni Advija. The Blazers’ star was one of the only Portland players who could get into a real rhythm in Game One, scoring 30 points on 12 of 21 shooting. San Antonio did a solid job defending the rim on Sunday, allowing just 42 points in the paint, but Advija was the one Blazer they couldn’t keep away from the rim. The Spurs will have to make some adjustments to decrease Advija’s impact.
The Spurs will look to leave some first-playoff-game jitters in the rearview, cut down on some turnovers, and make more easy shots in game two. If they can do that while continuing to play good defense, they will likely be heading to Portland with a 2-0 lead.
Trail Blazers Injuries: Damian Lillard – Out (achilles)
What to watch for:
Taking advantage of bigs guarding Castle
Portland used an interesting defensive approach to guarding Wembanyama and Stephon Castle on Sunday. They put Donovan Clingan on Castle, and Toumani Camara on Wemby. It makes sense from the Blazers’ perspective. Camara is their best defender, and teams have found some success using wings to guard Wembanyama. Given Castle’s inconsistent jump shot, they can have the big man guarding him sag way off to provide more interior defense. Unfortunately for the Blazers, that strategy didn’t work on Wembanyama, who had a monster 35-point game. It did, however, throw Castle out of rhythm. Castle had 17 points on 4-13 shooting.
These matchups are crucial in this series. If Castle can make the Blazers pay for not guarding him from outside, the strategy fails for Portland. But if he continues to score easy buckets, it slows down a key cog in the Spurs’ offense. It will be interesting to see how Mitch Johnson and the Spurs staff counter this defense in Game Two.
Three-point variance
The Blazers are not a good three-point shooting team. They’ve shot just 34.3% from deep this season, and hit only 26% of their 38 attempts in Game One. The Spurs seemed fine with players like Clingan, Robert Williams III, and Matisse Thybulle firing up shots from deep. The Blazers’ missing open shots were one of the reasons the Spurs’ defense looked so effective. However, as we saw in the play-in game against the Phoenix Suns, Portland can hit a three-point shooting hot streak. If Portland’s shaky shooters start to hit shots, Game Two could get interesting in a hurry.
Guard play
It didn’t feel like the Blazers sent a lot of double-teams at Wembanyama in Game One. For most of the game, he was able to operate independently in the pick-and-roll, on the block, or behind the three-point line. After his dominant game on Sunday, it’s likely he starts to see multiple defenders when he catches the ball. That means it will be on De’Aaron Fox, Castle, Dylan Harper, and Devin Vassell to take the pressure off. Fox and Vassell were excellent in Game One, coming up with big plays, especially in the second half. San Antonio will need its guards to come up big to maintain homecourt advantage in this series.
DENVER , CO - APRIL 20: Donte DiVincenzo (0) of the Minnesota Timberwolves talks to Rudy Gobert (27) during the fourth quarter of the Timberwolves' 119-114 win over the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Monday, April 20, 2026. Minnesota tied the best-of-seven series 1-1. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) | Denver Post via Getty Images
Game Story
21-2.
Twenty-One to Two.
That is the run that was set to this entire game. Unfortunately for the Minnesota Timberwolves, it did not come in their favor. While so much can change after the first 12 minutes of game-time, there is no worse way to start a game off.
Worst of all, it came without MVP finalist Nikola Jokić dominating, instead coming largely at the hands of Tim Hardaway. Jokić took only two shots in that quarter, but the Denver Nuggets led it with 14 point advantage.
Tim Hardaway Jr. just had the sequence of the season on defense.
Saves the ball and spills head first into the crowd, then takes a charge on Bones Hyland on a 3-on-1 fast break.
Still, that lead probably understates how truly porous the Wolves’ defense was in that first quarter. 39 points allowed in a quarter left their opposition on track for over 150 points is never a good sign. Worst of all, it looked just as bad.
Most devastating was the foul trouble, especially amongst the guards who should probably be safest from getting involved with the refs, immediately made the rotation weird. Within those first 12 minutes, Donte DiVincenzo had two fouls, Ayo Dosumnu had two of his own, and Bones Hyland led the pack with three, including a momentum defining charge against Hardaway. Denver enjoyed four four-point plays in the first half.
To that end, the Wolves committed 13 fouls within a quarter and a half. You will not win a game with that type of foul trouble.
There is no complaint that is hyperbole here. It was truly that bad. Many will be quick to blame the officials, and I won’t disagree with that. There were far too many light fouls that are atypical from playoff environments, most of which were going against Minnesota.
And yet, by the time Rudy Gobert got his third foul of the second quarter (Yes, it was that bad), the Wolves had pulled themselves back within 10. They had created an 11-0 run of their own, which became a 21-4 run of its own.
21-4.
Twenty-One to Four.
Everyone says that basketball is sport that is always on a pendulum swing, and that playoff basketball takes that concept to an extreme, but that does not put enough extreme to this. Within the first eight minutes, this game felt out of reach, only for a sudden momentum shift to see the Wolves completely take over, to leave us with a competitive battle filled with the rivalry between these two teams.
That’s what April is for.
It’s so weird to watch a team simultaneously find and lose their identity the way this Wolves team does. We saw hints of that in that first half. When Minnesota is attacking the rim, forcing Jokić to come out to the arc and then chase into the restricted area, they were scoring at will and opening up shots from distance off the drive and kick game.
When they were settling for shots, even when they were making them, the lack of rim pressure meant losing the pace game and fouling to catch up. It’s a pretty obvious difference.
That difference became even more obvious when a dominant second quarter ended with yet another run for Denver, capped off by a deep heave from Jamal Murray to tie the game at 64. Murray had 23 in the first half. Hardaway had 14. Edwards had 20 of his on to top the Wolves.
“It’s a game of runs,” said Hardaway, just before running into the locker room.
He was understating just how insane it had been.
If the first half was of opposite extremes, the third quarter was an even affair. The fourth quarter began with only three points separating the two teams. Clearly, this was a duel between Anthony Edwards and Jamal Murray, but in these moments, there is usually an unsuspected hero that rises to the occasion.
For the Nuggets, it seemed that it would be Bruce Brown, who hit two triples to start the fourth quarter. Maybe it was Cam Johnson, with his timely threes or rebounds. For the Wolves, well, that remained to be seen.
Naz Reid looked like the first to vie for that title. He had a few drives that resulted in short finishes or free throws. Instead, he seemed to fade until he was subbed out in favor of the Wolves go-to starting and closing lineup. Like so many iterations of Chris Finch’s Timberwolves era, this team would either win or go down by doing the same thing they had done all year.
Maybe it would be Jaden McDaniels. The crushing defense was complimented with a few dunks, some especially, notably more filled with hate. But, a bad foul call — blamed on marginal contact to the hip, and changed to “foot to knee contact” — left him at five, and that clearly affected the calculus of his play.
The Wolves were 0-8 all-time after going down in a series 0-2. The Nuggets were 8-0 all-time when up 2-0 in a series. This one felt like it would be an early decider of whether Minnesota had any chance in this series, or if they had simply made the playoffs to continue a streak that felt impossible only five years ago.
With just two minutes left, it was 112-111 Minnesota. That became 115-113 with 30.8 seconds left after an Anthony Edwards travel gave the Nuggets back the ball. When Christian Braun missed one of two free throws, it seems like the question was answered.
The Wolves hero tonight, at least for the fourth quarter, was not any of their own players. Instead, it was the mistakes of the Denver players that kept Minnesota ahead in a grimey cage fight of a game. Still, that does not matter much. What does matter is the Wolves have stolen home court advantage from the Nuggets.
minnesota always gives you just enough to keep you from turning the game off and going to sleep but never enough to make you feel like they’re gonna actually win
it’s a wildly frustrating space to occupy as a viewer
The series sits at 1-1 going back to Denver. Who cares how it happened?
Sleep well, Wolves fans. What a fun game it was. What a confusing one as well.
Up Next
This playoff series has officially “begun” as the road team won. Minnesota heads back home and gets 48 hours of rest before playing host to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday, April 23rd at 8:30pm CT on Prime Video. Get to Target Center if you can. It’s gonna be rockin’.
Normally, players get up and head home after their postgame interviews, but Hart stared straight ahead with a look of frustration and bewilderment that reflected the magnitude of what just happened on the court.
The No. 3 seeded Knicks -- a team with a mandate to reach the NBA Finals -- coughed up a winnable game at MSG.
Questionable lineups, poor fourth-quarter offense and an inability to stop CJ McCollum left the Knicks searching for answers late Monday night.
They now head to Atlanta with their first-round series tied, 1-1.
The odds tell you they’ll probably make it through this series and advance to play the Celtics in the second round, but by coughing up a double-digit fourth quarter lead on Monday, the Knicks made life much harder than it had to be.
WHAT WENT WRONG?
Mike Brown sat both Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns at the same time for stretches in both halves on Monday. The Knicks were outscored by seven points when Brunson and Towns were off the floor.
As Knicks Film School’s Ben Ritholtz pointed out, the Knicks’ net rating in the regular season when Towns and Brunson were off the floor wasn’t pretty.
Brown didn’t think that the lineups without Brunson and Towns led to the Knicks’ downfall.
“I don’t think so. We’ve played that lineup quite a bit since the end of the season, that lineup’s been pretty good,” Brown said. “We weren’t good tonight and we turned the ball over a few too many times during that period. We had opportunities with our starters where we were up eight to 10 and Atlanta closed it so I wouldn’t just say that specific lineup caused it.”
To Brown’s point, the Knicks led by nine in the fourth quarter when Brunson and Towns returned to the court. There were eight minutes left in regulation. This is a game the Knicks should have won.
WHAT ABOUT THE TIMEOUTS?
Brown called a timeout with 2:43 remaining in the game and Brunson dribbling to the basket. Brunson didn’t have a clean look so you can’t say that Brown’s timeout directly prevented the Knicks from scoring, but it was strange to see Brunson stopped mid-dribble by the timeout.
“We had a couple of possessions weren’t fluid so I wanted to make sure that we had something that we wanted to get to or set something up offensively because we had whiffed on the last couple of possessions,” Brown said. “They just didn’t look right or didn’t feel right.”
At that point, the Knicks led by just one and had been outscored, 10-4, over the past five minutes.
Brown did not have a timeout to use on the Knicks’ final possession, which ended with a Mikal Bridges miss.
WHAT ABOUT BRUNSON?
Brunson finished the game 10-for-26 and went 3-for-8 in the last eight minutes of the fourth quarter.
In that same span, Towns took just two shots.
“The opportunity just didn’t come around to shoot it,” Towns said when asked about the fourth quarter. “But at the end of the day I trust everyone in this locker room to shoot it. The opportunity wasn’t there for me in the fourth. And that’s fine. These guys, they work on their games, I know they can shoot it.”
When Hart was asked about Towns in the fourth quarter, he made it clear that it would be one of several things the Knicks would look at ahead of Game 3.
“We have to make sure he’s more involved, find him on mismatches. Put him in action and make sure we use his skill and his gravity to our advantage,” he said. “That’s something we will look at film and be better with.”
Phoenix Suns (45-37, seventh in the Western Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (64-18, first in the Western Conference)
Oklahoma City; Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Thunder -17.5; over/under is 214.5
WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Thunder lead series 1-0
BOTTOM LINE: The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference first round with a 1-0 lead in the series. The Thunder won the last matchup 119-84 on Sunday, led by 25 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Devin Booker led the Suns with 23.
The Thunder have gone 41-11 against Western Conference opponents. Oklahoma City ranks fifth in the Western Conference in rebounding with 44.1 rebounds. Chet Holmgren leads the Thunder with 8.9 boards.
The Suns are 29-23 against Western Conference opponents. Phoenix is 7-10 in games decided by less than 4 points.
The 119.0 points per game the Thunder score are 7.9 more points than the Suns give up (111.1). The Suns are shooting 45.5% from the field, 1.8% higher than the 43.7% the Thunder's opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Gilgeous-Alexander is scoring 31.1 points per game with 4.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists for the Thunder. Holmgren is averaging 11.8 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 59.7% over the last 10 games.
Royce O'Neale is shooting 42.0% and averaging 9.8 points for the Suns. Booker is averaging 1.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Thunder: 8-2, averaging 122.1 points, 46.1 rebounds, 28.3 assists, 10.5 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 49.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.3 points per game.
Suns: 5-5, averaging 111.2 points, 44.6 rebounds, 23.2 assists, 7.5 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 45.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.5 points.
INJURIES: Thunder: Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).
Suns: Mark Williams: day to day (foot), Jordan Goodwin: day to day (calf).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Orlando Magic (45-37, eighth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Detroit Pistons (60-22, first in the Eastern Conference)
Detroit; Wednesday, 7 p.m. EDT
LINE: Pistons -9.5; over/under is 218.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Magic lead series 1-0
BOTTOM LINE: The Orlando Magic visit the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference first round with a 1-0 lead in the series. The Magic won the last matchup 112-101 on Sunday, led by 23 points from Paolo Banchero. Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 39.
The Pistons are 39-13 in Eastern Conference games. Detroit leads the Eastern Conference with 57.9 points in the paint led by Jalen Duren averaging 14.6.
The Magic have gone 26-26 against Eastern Conference opponents. Orlando is ninth in the Eastern Conference scoring 115.7 points per game and is shooting 46.4%.
The Pistons average 117.8 points per game, 2.7 more points than the 115.1 the Magic give up. The Magic average 11.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.0 fewer made shot on average than the 12.7 per game the Pistons give up.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cunningham is scoring 23.9 points per game with 5.5 rebounds and 9.9 assists for the Pistons. Duren is averaging 14.6 points and 7.7 rebounds while shooting 72.4% over the past 10 games.
Wendell Carter Jr. is shooting 51.2% and averaging 11.8 points for the Magic. Jalen Suggs is averaging 2.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Pistons: 7-3, averaging 117.1 points, 44.2 rebounds, 30.6 assists, 10.2 steals and 7.0 blocks per game while shooting 50.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.5 points per game.
Magic: 7-3, averaging 115.5 points, 44.4 rebounds, 27.7 assists, 9.0 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 46.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.9 points.
INJURIES: Pistons: Jalen Duren: day to day (knee).
Magic: Jonathan Isaac: day to day (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points, James Harden added 28 and the Cleveland Cavaliers held on for a 115-105 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Monday night for a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series.
Evan Mobley had 25 points and eight rebounds for the Cavaliers, who had at least three players score at least 25 points in a postseason game for the second straight season and fourth time overall.
Cleveland — which never trailed — has won 12 straight playoff games against Toronto, tying the NBA postseason record for consecutive wins against an opponent. The streak began in the 2016 Eastern Conference finals, when the Cavaliers took the final three games. Cleveland swept Toronto in four games in the second round in 2017 and ’18.
The Cavaliers also have 12-game winning streaks against Detroit and Atlanta, while the Los Angeles Lakers had a 12-game run against Seattle from 1980 through ’89.
Scottie Barnes led Toronto with a playoff career-high 26 points. RJ Barrett had 22 points and nine rebounds.
The series shifts to Toronto for Game 3 on Thursday night.
HAWKS 107, KNICKS 106
NEW YORK (AP) — CJ McCollum scored 32 points and Atlanta rallied to stun New York, tying their first-round playoff series at one game apiece.
McCollum led a late surge that was almost for naught when he missed two free throws with 5.6 seconds remaining. The Knicks rushed the ball up the court without any timeouts left, but Mikal Bridges missed a jumper as time expired.
The Hawks had trailed the whole second half and were down 12 after three quarters. Atlanta chipped away and a basket by McCollum gave the Hawks a 101-100 lead — their first of the series in the second half — with 2:09 to play. He made another for a three-point lead, and after Jalen Brunson tied it with a 3-pointer, McCollum answered with another jumper to make it 105-103 with 33 seconds to play.
Jonathan Kuminga added 19 points off the bench and Jalen Johnson scored 17, including a basket with 10 seconds left for a four-point lead for the No. 6 seeds, who host Game 3 on Thursday.
Brunson had 29 points for the Knicks and Karl-Anthony Towns added 18.
TIMBERWOLVES 119, NUGGETS 114
DENVER (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 30 points, Julius Randle added 24 and Minnesota rallied past Denver to tie their Western Conference playoff series at one game apiece.
Denver had won 13 straight since losing on March 18.
Edwards turned the ball over with 31 seconds left and Christian Braun got fouled at the other end, but he missed one of two free throws, leaving Denver trailing 115-114 with 19 seconds remaining.
After a Minnesota timeout, Randle sank two free throws and Donte DiVincenzo added a breakaway dunk to cap the comeback from a 19-point first-quarter deficit.
Jamal Murray scored 30 points and Nikola Jokic had 24 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists. But the Nuggets’ All-Star duo shot a combined 2 for 12 in the fourth quarter, managing a measly four points as the Wolves evened a best-of-seven series that shifts to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Thursday night.
