HOUSTON, TX – APRIL 24: Bronny James #9 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Houston Rockets during Round 1 Game...
History was made in Houston on Friday night at the Toyota Center when LeBron James tossed an alley-oop to his son Bronny James Jr. for a reverse layup in the second quarter of Game 3 of their first-round playoff series.
The play, which occurred with 7:14 remaining in the second quarter was the first ever father-to-son assist in NBA Playoff history.
Bronny made the most of his six-minute burst in the second quarter, scoring five points, including a stepback three that ignited the crowd, turning the Toyota Center into a home game for the Los Angeles Lakers. The arena was half-empty for arguably the most important game of the season for the Rockets.
LeBron recently called playing with his son in the NBA Playoffs in front of his mother, Florida, and his wife, Savannah, and daughter Zhuri, surreal.
“I was on the floor with my son in a playoff game. That’s probably the craziest thing that’s ever happened to me in my career,” said James after Game 1 in Los Angeles last Saturday. “My mom got to watch her son and her grandson during the playoffs. That’s crazy.”
The Lakers lead the best-of-seven series 2-0, and currently lead at halftime of Game 3, 63-52.
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"Nickeil's dedication, continual work on his craft, and the ensuing results this season make him incredibly deserving of this award," said Hawks coach Quin Snyder. "He has a tireless work ethic and a focus on improving in every aspect of his game. His game continues to evolve, and his commitment and unselfish attitude as a teammate have also positively impacted the success of the team."
Alexander-Walker won the award because he grew and thrived in a role that was radically different from any one he had been in before. For the previous two seasons with the Timberwolves, Alexander-Walker came off the bench and was asked to be a defensive stopper and score a little, but it was more of a 3&D role, where he averaged 9.4 points a game. This season, especially as Atlanta moved on from the Trae Young era, Alexander-Walker became a starter with the ball in his hand — and he had the best year of his career in his seventh season in the league, at age 27.
Walker Sset career highs in scoring (20.8 ppg), rebounding (3.4 rpg), assists (3.7 apg), steals (1.31 spg), minutes (33.4 mpg), field goal percentage (45.9%), three-point field goal percentage (39.9%) and free throw percentage (90.2%). Plus, he, along with Daniels, gave Atlanta arguably the best defensive backcourt in the league.
Walker got 66 first-place votes from the panel of 100 media members who voted for the award. Jalen Duren from Detroit was a clear second, with Deni Avdija from Portland third. After those three, there was a pretty steep drop off to Boston's Neemias Queta at four and Milwaukee's Ryan Rollins at five.
After the second loss in the series, and with all the noise surrounding the officiating, it’s not something that interests me or feels worth diving into right now. I understand and expect that it’s what everyone is talking about. Personally, I want to talk about the team’s fourth quarter in Game 2 (which the Suns won 30–20) and what worked tactically. Let’s break all of that down together.
You know the routine: a quick statistical checkpoint is needed to have plenty of numbers in mind while reading! As mentioned above, the Suns won that last part of the game 30-20. The difference came from efficiency and physical presence on the boards: Phoenix shot 55% and 43% from 3, while Oklahoma was held to 30% and 20%. Then, on the glass, the Suns won 13–9 (Maluach’s impact?).
OKC attempted 46.5% of their shots in the paint during the first three quarters of Game 2 and made 67.7% of them (21-of-31). In the fourth quarter, that number fell to 35% of their attempts and 50% (3-of-6)
Khaman Maluach played all 12 minutes of the fourth.
After a pretty tight first half and a third quarter completely dominated by OKC to close out the game, you could’ve thought Phoenix was going to keep collapsing like in Game 1…but that was without counting on the pride and courage that have defined this team for the past 6 to 7 months. In fact (even if we know the Thunder did relax a bit), the Suns even went on a 20–4 run to erase the 10‑point lead.
There was good stuff in those 12 minutes, especially the total presence of Maluach, a strong and ambitious tactical choice from Jordan Ott to respond to the Thunder’s physicality, with Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Jaylin Williams rotating in. Khaman had an immediate deterrent effect: OKC scored 48 points in the paint, but only 4 of them came in the final quarter.
An impact you notice right away on this sequence (and it bodes well for the future): the moment SGA blows by Booker, you can see Khaman sliding toward the middle to help and stop the drive. The Thunder guard anticipates it and passes to Mitchell, who is pretty poorly positioned (luckily) to take the shot, so he pump fakes, takes Brooks off balance, and drives to the rim. Except Maluach read the play perfectly and comes to shut the door and contest.
This sequence happens late in the game, but it sums up everything Khaman Maluach represents: deterrence, rim protection, and defensive intelligence. He was even placed on Alex Caruso to maximize his strengths and avoid having him chase Chet, who stays a lot on the perimeter. Whether in Game 1 or Game 2, I found that the Suns had a pretty good way of cutting off driving lanes (packing the paint, rotating with help, and having a second line that doesn’t hesitate to attack instead of reacting).
Again, here with Shai: he drops Brooks with his first step, but Maluach and O’Neal are there in help to stop him from going up, so he’s forced to pass to a perimeter player. Result: you go from an almost guaranteed two points to a three‑pointer that has half the chance of going in.
Then let’s talk about our good old Dillon. If there’s one player who deserves credit during this run, it’s him: 13 points and 5 rebounds in this quarter. He was the dynamo, the bulldozer of the team, and the play below perfectly represents his mindset and the way you need to play against this Thunder team: with pace, power, and boldness. You have to play their game without turning it into a caricature.
Finally, I want to show you the sequence that, for me, kick‑starts this run: it begins with Royce O’Neal in full guard‑dog mode, completely limiting Mitchell’s progress and forcing him into a tough layup — Maluach then wins his battle inside against Hart, allowing O’Neal to intercept the pass and run in transition. Dillon finishes this perfect sequence with a running three‑pointer.
The Suns are still far from where they need to be, but they’re slowly getting closer to the key to competing even more with them. They’re clearly not invincible (a pretty close first half and a last quarter dominated by Phoenix); the big issue remains the turnovers — they’re Christmas gifts for the Thunder — and the impact of Booker and Green, who I don’t find at the postseason level yet. To be continued in Game 3.
Immanuel Quickley #5 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles the ball during the game against the Detroit Pistons on March 15, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The Raptors will still be without their starting point guard for their first-round matchup against the Cavaliers.
Immanuel Quickley aggravated his already strained right hamstring while working his way back from injury and will be unavailable for the remainder of the series, the Raptors announced Friday.
Quickley, 26, has already missed the first three games of the playoffs due to the injury, which he suffered during Toronto’s regular season finale against the Nets after missing multiple games because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot.
Immanuel Quickley of the Toronto Raptors dribbles the ball during the game against the Detroit Pistons on March 15, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NBAE via Getty Images
After injuries plagued Quickley’s 2024-25 season with the Raptors, he established himself as Toronto’s starting point guard this season, averaging 16.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.9 assists while shooting 44.3 percent in 70 games.
Second-year NBA guard Jamal Shead is starting in Quickley’s place against Cleveland, averaging 7.3 points and 2.3 steals in the series thus far.
“We missed Quickley big time with the way he gets us organized and his shooting helps our team out,” Toronto head coach Darko Rajakovic told reporters following the Raptors’ 126-113 Game 1 loss to Cleveland, according to the Associated Press. “I like Jamal’s defense and what we need on the court.
“We wanted to have multiple ball handlers on the floor with Jamal.”
Immanuel Quickley of the Toronto Raptors drives to the basket during the game against the Miami Heat on April 9, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NBAE via Getty Images
Toronto’s 126-104 victory over the Cavaliers on Thursday snapped a 12-game playoff losing streak against the club — which dates back to LeBron James’ tenure with Cleveland — and cut the series deficit to 2-1.
Two-time All-Star forward Scottie Barnes led the way for Toronto on Thursday, setting career playoff highs in both points (33) and assists (11), while shooting 11-of-17 from the field.
“We knew we needed everybody for this win and you’ve seen some big performances from everybody,” Barnes told reporters following the game. “It just goes to show how resilient, how bad we wanted it. We went out there and tried to do whatever it took.”
Rajakovic lauded Barnes’ Game 3 performance, saying that he “did everything for us tonight.”
HOUSTON — There’s a moment in every great player’s career when the noise around them gets loud enough and the world decides it knows what the ending should be before the final chapter has been written.
For LeBron James, that moment came in early March.
The Lakers’ LeBron James has shown he is comfortable filling any role the team needs. NBAE via Getty Images
James missed three games between March 6-10, and the Lakers were 3-0 without him. In their dominant victories over the Pacers, Timberwolves and Knicks, the team appeared to play freer without him. They looked younger, faster and even better on defense.
Fans and analysts alike pointed to James’ absence and said the Lakers would be better without him. Some even suggested he come off the bench. The audacity. The lazy analysis. James heard it all.
“But it sells papers a lot easier … if you say their team is better off without LeBron,” he said. “They’re absolutely wrong.”
So, LeBron didn’t just go out and say it. He proved it on the court.
Before we explain further, let’s rewind to the beginning of the NBA season.
James missed training camp and the first month of the season with sciatica. The Lakers went 10-4 without him, powered by Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
When James returned, he was rusty and still not in game shape. Still, they went 6-1 in his first seven games back. Then injuries stalled things. Reaves went down with a calf strain and missed the next two months. The team drifted without him, 10-10 over a 20-game stretch that felt a lot longer than it actually was.
James missed training camp and the first month of the season with sciatica. The Lakers went 10-4 without him, powered by Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. NBAE via Getty Images
All three were healthy after the All-Star break, but the fit wasn’t seamless. They went 4-4 over their next eight games before James missed those three consecutive in early March.
Most superstars would push back on the narrative that the team is better off without them.
Instead, James leaned in.
He watched. Studied. Adjusted. And then, quietly, he stepped aside.
He told Doncic and Reaves to keep playing free. To not worry about feeding him the ball on offense. He was happy playing the third fiddle if that meant the team would continue winning. That’s not a small concession for a player who has spent over two decades being the system instead of learning to play inside of one.
But its credit to James and his evolution. His decision to be the third scoring option behind Doncic and Reaves changed everything.
James has been the engine that drives the Lakers since injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers ripped through March with a 16-2 record in an 18-game span. Not because James was dominating the ball but because he was dominating in other areas of the game. Defense. Rebounding. Pace of play. He became the connective tissue of the Lakers’ new identity instead of its centerpiece.
But then came April 2. Doncic and Reaves went down with injuries. With just five games left in the regular season, the Lakers were on the brink.
This is typically where the fairytale ends. Everyone wrote off the Lakers.
He went back to being the engine that drives the Lakers. The primary scorer, ball handler and playmaker. Not out of ego but out of necessity. And now, the Lakers have a lead in their first-round playoff series against the Rockets, who were heavy favorites before the series began.
“LeBron is making it very known to not get too comfortable,” Lakers center Deandre Ayton told reporters at practice Thursday. “This is the playoffs. Anything can happen.”
Even at 41 years old, James is averaging 39 minutes, 24 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds per game in the playoffs. NBAE via Getty Images
Even at 41 years old, James is averaging 39 minutes, 24 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds per game in the playoffs. Those numbers would be impressive for a player in his prime, let alone someone who has already lapped the league’s timeline twice over.
LeBron’s production in this series forces the only question that now matters for the Lakers: How can you walk away from this after the season inevitably ends?
Yes, the future of the Lakers’ franchise belongs to Doncic. Yes, Reaves will become a free agent and deserves to get paid. Yes, the cap sheet is tight, and the CBA is unforgiving. Every dollar matters.
But so does context.
James has already shown he can adjust his role. He has already taken less to help the roster. And now he’s shown — again — that when everything breaks, he can still carry the weight of the world on his shoulders.
That’s not a luxury. That’s a safety net you don’t discard and do everything in your power to keep it in Los Angeles.
If LeBron wants to play a 24th season, then the Lakers can’t get cute. They can’t overthink it. They don’t chase financial flexibility over tangible greatness.
Bring him back.
For James, that likely requires a pay cut. But that’s the reality regardless of which team he signs with if he wants to compete for a championship. The market will correct that conversation quickly.
So if the dollars flatten out across the league, why leave?
His son, Bronny, is under contract with the Lakers next season. His life and family are rooted in Los Angeles. His legacy is already intertwined with the franchise’s history. And more importantly, basketball is still being played at a high level.
The blueprint of this season can be the blueprint for next season.
The Lakers don’t need LeBron to be who he was.
They just need him to be exactly who he’s become.
And over the past two months, including the playoffs, he’s reminded everyone that version might be just as valuable.
Lakers guard Marcus Smart reacts after making a basket during overtime of the win over the Rockets on Friday night in Houston. (Kenneth Richmond / Getty Images)
Marcus Smart had not been in the playoffs since 2023, having languished with Memphis and Washington, two teams unlike a Lakers franchise that views the playoffs as a birthright.
Now that Smart is back in the postseason with the Lakers, he has made up for that lost time, playing with zest, smarts and energy.
Smart’s eight points in overtime was part of his overall game of 21 points, 10 assists, five steals and two blocked shots plus his usual outstanding defense that helped the Lakers pull out a 112-108 win in overtime over the Houston Rockets Friday night at Toyota Center.
Along with LeBron James collecting 29 points, 13 rebounds and six assists and Rui Hachimura scoring 22 points, the Lakers have a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
The Lakers can close out the first-round Western Conference series by winning Game 4 here Sunday night.
Smart drilled a three-pointer in the overtime for a 104-101 Lakers lead. After a missed shot, Smart crashed the boards and was fouled.
Rockets guard Amen Thompson protects the ball as he dribbles while Lakers guard Marcus Smart reaches for a steal. (Michael Wyke / Associated Press)
He made two free throws for a 109-105 lead and then made three of his next four free throws for what turned out to be the final points of the game.
The Lakers opened a 15-point lead in the first half, but saw the Rockets crawl back to tie the score at 87-87 with six minutes and 22 seconds left.
It was game-on now.
When Reed Sheppard drilled a three-pointer with 4:49 left, it gave the Rockets a 92-91 lead, their first since the first quarter.
The Lakers called a timeout to regroup.
But Jaxson Hayes missed twice, one of his shots getting blocked by Alperen Sengun.
Amen Thompson made one of two free throws and Sengun scored for a 95-91 Rockets lead that made the Lakers play catch-up from that point on.
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes dunks the ball over Rockets center Clint Capela during the first half in Game 3 on Friday night. (Michael Wyke / Associated Press)
After Sengun stole a pass from James and dunked for a 101-95 Rockets lead with 40.6 seconds left, the Lakers looked completely done.
But Smart stole the ball and got fouled shooting a three-pointer. He made all three of his free throws to pull the Lakers to within 101-98 with 25.4 seconds left.
The Lakers needed a stop on defense.
They got it when James tipped the ball away from Sheppard from behind. Smart got the ball. It eventually ended up back in the hands of James, who drilled a three-pointer to tie the score at 101-101 with 13.1 seconds left.
The Lakers got another impressive defensive stop when Hayes forced Sengun into a bad shot that missed. James got the rebound and called a timeout with 1.2 seconds left.
James took the last shot for the Lakers, the ball rimming out as time expired in the fourth quarter, the score tied at 101-101, sending the game into overtime.
The night began with Austin Reaves being listed as questionable for the game, then with him warming up and eventually being downgraded to out because of his left oblique muscle strain. Reaves has missed all three playoff games and the last five regular-season games, the same as teammate Luka Doncic (Grade 2 left hamstring strain).
The night began for the Rockets with Kevin Durant working out in an attempt to play in the game, but he too was ruled out with a left ankle sprain suffered in Game 2 in Los Angeles. Durant was already dealing with a right knee contusion that forced him to miss Game 1.
This essentially meant both teams had to play on, to find a way even if they were missing key parts.
For the Lakers, the door opened for Hachimura, who stepped through it with aplomb in the first quarter. He didn’t miss any of his field goals, shooting six for six from the field and three for three from three-point range, scoring 16 points. He played all 12 minutes in helping the Lakers open a 39-32 lead at the end of the first quarter. It was a career-high for points in a quarter for Hachimura, regular season or playoffs.
Even Bronny James showed he was ready for the moment when the Lakers called on the second-year guard. He drilled a three-pointer in the second quarter and then scored on a reverse layup off a lob pass from his father. Both plays drew cheers from the fans inside the arena.
Along with a defense that held the Rockets to 37.2% shooting in the first half, the Lakers lead 63-52 at the half.
But, just like the first two games of the series, McCollum toyed with him.
Josh Hart was the only Knick to slow down CJ McCollum in the Knicks’ Game 3 loss, but head coach Mike Brown did not put him on McCollum in the Hawks’ final possession, and it proved costly. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Miles McBride and Jose Alvarado each got stints trying to slow McCollum down in the second quarter, but the results were the same.
It wasn’t until the Knicks had Josh Hart guard McCollum in the second half that anything changed. McCollum was just 2-for-5 when guarded by Hart, per the league’s official tracking stats.
Needing just one stop to all but secure their comeback, though, the Knicks went back to McBride. And it backfired.
With 16.4 seconds left, the Knicks led by one and the Hawks had a side out-of-bounds in the frontcourt. Coach Mike Brown went with a small lineup, without Karl-Anthony Towns or Mitchell Robinson on the floor.
That meant OG Anunoby guarded Onyeka Okongwu, Mikal Bridges guarded Nickeil-Alexander-Walker and Landry Shamet guarded Jonathan Kuminga. As a result, Hart was on the inbounds passer — Jalen Johnson — and McBride was on McCollum.
McBride quickly fell a step behind McCollum, who curled as he caught the inbounds pass.
McBride eventually caught up, but it was too late — McCollum comfortably pulled up for a midrange jumper. McBride got a hand up, but his lack of size compared to Hart meant it didn’t affect McCollum, who easily buried the shot that ended up being the game-winner.
“I knew they had to go quick,” McBride said Friday. “Main thing is, he’s a really good player. I’m not happy with my contest. He made the shot. I feel like if I maybe had bumped him earlier, but trying to get a feel for how the game was being called. I don’t want to put him at the free throw line in a sense like that.
“Maybe just be more aggressive and make it tougher.”
The Knicks have made McCollum — who has never been an All-Star — look like a superstar this series. Their inability to contain him has been among the biggest problems this series.
Hart stopped the bleeding for a period of time. “Just tried to make it tough for him,” is how he described it.
But he didn’t get a chance to finish the job.
When it mattered most, McCollum again had the last laugh. And, as McBride said on Friday, the Knicks are now “playing for our lives.”
With their lives on the line, who Brown has guarding McCollum is at the top of his most critical decisions.
ATLANTA — The biggest hole on the Knicks roster has become more and more noticeable.
It’s allowed the Hawks to stymie Jalen Brunson.
One of coach Mike Brown’s biggest goals this season was to have Brunson play off the ball and allow others to more often facilitate the offense. The idea was to take some of that burden away from Brunson and create easier shots for him, while also keeping his supporting cast more involved.
But in the first three games of this first-round series, which the Knicks trail 2-1 and are “playing for our lives,” as Miles McBride said, that element of the offense has largely been absent.
“We called it a few times, you gotta give Atlanta credit,” Brown said Friday. “They did a nice job of defending it the few times we called it. But we gotta keep trying to implement it, whether it’s play call or within the flow of what we’re trying to do conceptually on the offensive end of the floor.”
The problem is that outside of Brunson, they lack ball handlers who are capable of creating and orchestrating the offense. Josh Hart can, but it’s not his ideal role. OG Anunoby is best as a spot-up shooter. Karl-Anthony Towns is a good passer, but he’s not someone who can break down a defense by himself. Mikal Bridges, despite Brown saying before the year he’d be the top candidate for the role, has floundered as a ball handler, particularly in Game 3 when he had four turnovers and was benched for the majority of the second half.
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) goes up for a shot as Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) gives chase during the fourth quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
There are no true backup point guards in the rotation either. McBride and Landry Shamet play there at times, but neither is a natural. Jose Alvarado is, but his limited offensive ability has meant he’s on the fringe of the rotation. Tyler Kolek is completely out of the rotation.
So it’s all falling on Brunson again. And that means less movement on offense as a whole. As the four other players on the court stand and wait for Brunson to create everything, it makes it easier for the Hawks to blitz him, send double-teams and make it difficult for him to take high-quality shots. Usually, it’s Dyson Daniels or Nickeil Alexander-Walker guarding him, with help from a second defender.
In Game 3, Brunson shot 3-for-11 — and 0-for-3 from 3-point range — when guarded by Daniels or Alexander-Walker, per the league’s official tracking stats.
“They both are great defenders,” Brunson said. “You have to be smart, you have to be kind of tactical in what you do. Just being able to not really focus on what they’re doing but focus on your shot and doing the things that I need to do to make sure I’m comfortable shooting the shots I want to shoot and be in positions I want to be in. But you gotta give them credit. They make things very difficult.”
Jalen Brunson (11) goes up for a shot as Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (7) fouls during the fourth quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Nobody has had the ball in his hands more than Brunson during these playoffs across the league. He’s having to work incredibly hard for his shots — almost none of which are open.
The Knicks barely have anyone who can even bring the ball up the court, which would allow Brunson to collect it in the halfcourt and remove some wear and tear on him. Daniels and Alexander-Walker are picking him up full court, so by the time Brunson finally gets the ball into the halfcourt, he’s expended significant energy.
It was a little better when McBride was on the floor with Brunson in place of Bridges. There were a few possessions in the third quarter — during an 11-0 Knicks run — when McBride was able to bring the ball up the floor. When Bridges tried that, it was an utter failure.
“We all have to be aggressive, not just to shoot the ball, but be aggressive to touch the paint [on drives],” Brown said. “And if you don’t have anything in the paint, you gotta spray it. We haven’t gone anywhere near our sprays that we’ve wanted to in these first three games.”
Brunson is also getting pummeled on the other end trying to guard CJ McCollum, who has torched him this series. So much so that the Knicks have been forced to change their coverage and have Hart guard him.
Overreliance on offense and getting bullied on defense equals a player who is getting worn out.
The San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers meet in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series. The teams split the first two games with Portland rallying from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win Game 2. Victor Wembanyama left Game 2 in the second quarter with a concussion and is questionable to play in Game 3.
How to watch San Antonio Spurs vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Moneyline: Portland Trail Blazers +118 (43.7%) / San Antonio Spurs -145 (56.3%)
Over/Under: 220.5
Series schedule
Game 1:Spurs 111, Trail Blazers 98 Game 2:Trail Blazers 106, Spurs 103 Game 3: San Antonio at Portland on Friday, April 24 (10:30 p.m., Prime Video) Game 4: San Antonio at Portland on Sunday, April 26 (3:30 p.m., ESPN) *Game 5: Portland at San Antonio on Tuesday, April 28 (time and network TBD) *Game 6: San Antonio at Portland on Thursday, April 30 (time and network TBD) *Game 7: Portland at San Antonio on Saturday, May 2 (time and network TBD)
The Lakers’ Austin Reaves won’t play Friday against the host Rockets in Game 3. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Reaves has been sidelined since suffering a Grade 2 left oblique strain, an injury that typically comes with a four-to-six-week recovery timeline.
Coach JJ Redick said pregame, before Reaves was ruled out, that Reaves had progressed “well” and had played in stay-ready games ahead of Friday.
The fifth-year guard, along with fellow star guard Luka Doncic (Grade 2 left hamstring strain), suffered the regular-season-ending injury during the April 2 loss to the Thunder.
He and Doncic missed the final five games of the regular season with their respective injuries.
Reaves had been seen shooting after practices over the last week, including after Thursday’s practice at the team’s practice facility before the team left for Houston.
Doncic was also seen going through shooting drills Thursday, with no timetable for his return.
Reaves averaged a career-high 23.3 points to go with 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals in a career-low 51 regular-season games after also missing significant time in December and January because of a calf strain.
He has a $14.9 million player option for 2026-27 that he’s expected to decline, making him an unrestricted free agent this offseason with the expectation of a significant pay raise.
The Lakers entered Friday up 2-0 in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Rockets.
Alexander-Walker had a career year, starting in 71 of the 78 games he played in this season. The 27-year-old guard averaged 20.8 points, 3.7 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game – all personal career highs. Walker also set the Hawks record for most 3-pointers in a season, draining 251 in the 2025-26 season while shooting 39.9% from 3-point range.
Alexander-Walker was traded to Atlanta on July 6, 2025 after spending two seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Hawks have become the first team to have back-to-back Most Improved Award winners. Guard Dyson Daniels won the award as a member of the Hawks last season.
Alexander-Walker and the Hawks are currently playing in the postseason, leading the New York Knicks 2-1 in an Eastern Conference first-round series.
Kevin Durant is out with a left ankle sprain on Friday night, missing a must-win Game 3 for the Houston Rockets.
This is a massive setback for a team that has struggled to generate offense through the first two games against the Lakers. Durant suffered the sprain during Game 2. Durant's status for Game 3 was moved to "questionable" on Thursday, but the widespread expectation was that he would play. Before the game, Rockets coach Ime Udoka said Durant was a game-time decision based on how his pregame workout went, but according to reporters in the building, Durant never went out for warmups.
Durant missed the first game of this first-round series with a knee contusion, and the Rockets scored only 98 points in that game. KD played in the second game, but the Lakers doubled him nearly every time he touched the ball, and while he still scored 23 points, he also had nine turnovers and had to pass out of the double a lot, and his teammates were not stepping up.
With Durant out, and looking to shake things up, Udoka said he would move Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason into the starting lineup.
The Rockets have a 106.1 offensive rating through two games in this series, 12.5 points per 100 possessions worse than their regular-season number. The Rockets need to find a way to generate offense on their home court Friday night, or they could find themselves in a 0-3 hole, something no NBA team has ever climbed out of.
Here's a look at our top 10 uncommitted players in the college basketball transfer portal, with the latest intel on each player, many of whom will go through the NBA draft process before making a decision.
In the first two games against the Cavaliers, it was evident how much the Toronto Raptors missed Immanuel Quickley (it didn't matter as much in the third game when Toronto couldn't miss a shot down the stretch). The good news was that Quickley was ramping up to return from a right hamstring injury.
Which makes Friday's news that Quickley is out for the remainder of Toronto's first-round series against Cleveland such a gut punch. From the Raptors official release:
As Quickley was going through the rehabilitation process for a return to the court, he reinjured his right hamstring.
Quickley averaged 16.4 points and 5.9 assists a game this season.
Toronto has struggled to generate consistent offense against Cleveland in this series, and Quickley would have been an immense help. Without him, the Raptors are going to need more games from Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett like they had in Game 3, when they each scored 33 points. If Jamison Battle wants to have another 4-of-4 from deep in the fourth quarter game again, that would help too. Also, expect to see more of rookie Collin Murray-Boyles, who scored 22 points and, more importantly, played great defense along with Barnes to give the Raptors a chance in Game 3.
Wherever it comes from, Toronto is going to have to generate more offense with the guys they have because Quickley is not walking through that door.
BRONNY REVERSE. pic.twitter.com/OHEWmQuw1O
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