Category: NBA

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

Let the NBA playoffs begin!

It's an exciting time for NBA fans and bettors alike, as we have four NBA playoff games on Saturday’s schedule.

I’ve scoured the NBA odds and have found three solid NBA player props that should keep you interested throughout the day.

Read on for my NBA picks for Saturday, April 18. 

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Nikola Jokic	Triple-double	+105
Nickeil Alexander-Walker	Over 3.5 made threes	+110
Kevin Durant	Over 24.5 points	-110

Prop #1: Nikola Jokic triple-double 

+105 at bet365

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double in three of four games against the Minnesota Timberwolves this season, including a 56-16-15 Christmas Day masterpiece. 

His "quiet" November game against the Wolves was still 27-12-11, which is all that’s needed this afternoon. Jokic leads the NBA with 34 triple-doubles this season and has averaged 35-15-11 against this exact opponent this season. 

Like most NBA defenses, Minnesota has no answer for Jokic, and getting plus-money for something he does nearly every other game feels like a good play this afternoon.

• Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Prime Video

Prop #2: Nickeil Alexander-Walker Over 3.5 made threes 

+110 at bet365

Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker buried at least three triples in all three regular-season matchups against the New York Knicks, hitting five or more twice. 

The Hawks guard averaged 3.2 made threes per game this season and drained 4-plus in 29 of 78 games on nearly 40% shooting from downtown. 

The Knicks come into the playoffs allowing made threes at a 38.1% clip over their final 15 games. We’re getting plus money on what is essentially his floor, which is exceptional value. 

• Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Prime Video

Prop #3: Kevin Durant Over 24.5 points 

-110 at bet365

Houston Rockets legend Kevin Durant's two quiet games against the Los Angeles Lakers in March came with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves healthy, but both are out tonight, and it's all systems go for the Slim Reaper.

Instead of competent defenders, Durant will draw the likes of Jake LaRavia, Rui Hachimura, and Jarred Vanderbilt, which should make him smile. 

Durant has scored at least 25 points in four of his last five games and is fresh off a week's rest and fully motivated for his first playoff series with Houston. 

• Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ABC

These props are available now at bet365, one of our best betting sites.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The first Saturday of the NBA Playoffs kicks off with Raptors vs. Cavaliers, and our NBA player prop projections system has crunched the numbers to deliver the top Raptors vs. Cavaliers predictions you need for this 1:00 p.m. ET start.

Our Raptors vs. Cavaliers computer picks and NBA picks for April 18 are led by Immanuel Quickley.

Raptors vs Cavaliers computer picks for April 18

Raptors	Cavaliers
Quickley o11.5 points  -115	Merrill o9.5 points  -105
Quickley o4.5 assists  +122	Mitchell u27.5 points  -115
Ingram u21.5 points -120	Mobley o16.5 points  -115

Cash your ML bets quicker with bet365's early win payout!

Take advantage of the early win payout at bet365, where any pre-game NBA moneyline bet gets paid out as a winner if your team goes up by 20+ points!

Learn more about this feature, and all of bet365's offerings, with our comprehensive bet365 review!

Sign Up Now atimg src="https://img.covers.com/betting/sportsbooks/2/bet365.svg" alt="bet365" width="100" height="28" style="vertical-align: middle;"

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

Raptors computer picks

Immanuel Quickley Over 11.5 points (-115)

Projection: 14.7 points

Immanuel Quickley is projected to beat this line by over three full points, good for a +27% EV edge.

"The matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers is a strong one for 3-point shots; the opposition's starting PGs have compiled the 2nd-highest three percentage in the NBA this year (41.4%)."

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Quickley Now at bet365!/span

Immanuel Quickley Over 4.5 assists (+122)

Projection: 5.1 assists

With a nearly +21% EV edge, this Quickley prop is a four-star play.

"The Toronto Raptors will likely see a spike in opportunities today from squaring off against the 10th-most up-tempo tempo home team in the NBA over the last 5 games (the Cavaliers)."

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Quickley Now at bet365!/span

Brandon Ingram Under 21.5 points (-120)

Projection: 19.9 points

Our computer is bullish on Quickley but bearish on Brandon Ingram, expecting him to fall 1.6 points shy of today's betting line.

"This year, the other team's starting SFs have tallied 3.9 three attempts per game (3rd-fewest in the league) against the Cleveland Cavaliers, labeling this as a difficult matchup."

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Ingram Now at bet365!/span

---

Cavaliers computer picks

Sam Merrill Over 9.5 points (-105)

Projection: 10.8 points

Sam Merrill has cleared this line in seven of his last 10 games, and our system believes home court will help him reward Over bettors again.

"As it relates to scoring, the Cleveland Cavaliers's stellar 121.9 points per game with the home court advantage measures as the 2nd-strongest in the league over the last 25 games."

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Merrill Now at bet365!/span

Donovan Mitchell Under 27.5 points (-115)

Projection: 25.5 points

Our computer believes Donovan Mitchell won't have an easy time of things from 3-point land, which will lead to him falling short of his scoring prop today.

"The matchup vs. Toronto is a hard one for shots from behind the three-point arc; when the Raptors are the visiting team, opposing starting SGs have averaged the 2nd-least 3-point attempts per game in the league this year (4.3)."

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Mitchell Now at bet365!/span

Evan Mobley Over 16.5 points (-115)

Projection: 18 points

Evan Mobley has gone Over this line in 14 of his last 19. Our system is calling for 18 points from the Cleveland big man, good for a +14.1% EV edge.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Mobley Now at bet365!/span

How to watch Raptors vs Cavaliers tonight

Location	Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH
Date	Saturday, April 18, 2026
Tip-off	1:00 p.m. ET
TV	Prime Video

Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

MORE NBA PICKS

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Welcome to one of the larger and more preposterous playoff preview power poll projects I’ve ever attempted. We are ranking the Top 50 players in the NBA Playoffs, an utterly ridiculous effort that is, frankly, not possible to do responsibly. There is no methodology so sound that one person can rank 50 people; there is no theory so ironclad that it can avoid the rampant, harmful subjectivity of the recesses of my troubled mind. So, without meaningfully explaining my definition of “Top 50” or a philosophy of value or any kind of scientific method, I’m going to do it anyway. Also check out our rankings of every team in the field by their championship chances.

In an effort to not make this a million words, I have only given the Top 25 (spoiler alert: it’s actually 26, you’ll see why) players their own blurbs, and then grouped the back 25 (spoiler alert: it’s 24) together in some loose categories that I think capture the spirit of the exercise. In any case, lots about this will be demonstrably wrong, and I apologize that there is absolutely no way to avoid that. Onwards! 

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Made up award: The 2019 Carsen Edwards vs. Virginia “That shot is just going in” Award 

The best player in the world until someone else feels sufficiently inevitable with the ball in their hands. Shai has achieved peak scoring excellence in that you just think his shot is always going in, and he scores at a volume, efficiency and location (over 77 percent of his shots are twos and he shoots 55.3 percent from the field … he’s a guard!) that simply shouldn’t be possible. He has the belt. 

2. Nikola Jokic

Made up award: The Novak Djokovic Lifetime Achievement Award for Serbian Sports Excellence 

I debated whether Jokic or Victor Wembanyama would get the second spot, but their majestic head-to-head battle clinched it for the Joker. The San Antonio Spurs are contenders for a number of reasons, the biggest (and tallest) one being Wemby. The Denver Nuggets are contenders for one reason and one reason only: Jokic, who could enter some seriously hallowed all-time ground if he grabs a second ring in a stacked West. 

3. Victor Wembanyama

Made up award: Voted “Most likely to record a quadruple double in the playoffs”

Wemby and his precarious health have been treated carefully this year to maximize his impact and longevity, but the kid gloves are going to have to come off eventually. When they do, he’s such an outlier that I would believe any statistical achievement if he plays 43 minutes. There have only been four quadruple doubles in NBA history, and yet I’d somehow be surprised if he wasn’t the fifth.

4. Luka Doncic

Made up award: The Bitcoin Award for Player Who Can Swing the Market the Most

Luka’s availability after an unbelievably poorly timed hamstring injury is the great question mark of these playoffs. If he can return, and actually be Luka Doncic, before the Lakers are eliminated? It’s a whole new ballgame for everyone. 

5. Anthony Edwards

Made up award:The John Henry Award for Potentially Having to Dig a Tunnel through a Mountain

Edwards is everyone’s favorite young player who might be the next Michael Jordan — he’s electrifying and displays two-way brilliance that is rare for the modern scoring guard. But he has his work positively cut out for him in these playoffs, needing to shake off some late-season injuries and then probably beat Denver, San Antonio and OKC all in a row just to make the NBA Finals. Best of luck.

6. Donovan Mitchell

Made up award: The Ralph Fiennes “We need to get this guy an Oscar” Award

This is a guy who has made the playoffs every year of his career but never made the Conference Finals, so fans are crying out for him to please get some hardware this time around. I’ve always been bullish on Mitchell as an elite playoff guy, whose highs are high enough to beat literally anyone single-handedly. But he will need to do that consistently for once to get over the hump.

7. Cade Cunningham

Made up award: The Cade Cunningham “so likeable that his injury might kill the 65 game rule” Award 

Everyone was so in agreement that Cunningham deserved to be on the All-NBA First Team that we all collectively freaked out about the 65-game rule to try to salvage his candidacy before he was granted an exemption (which is probably the best reason to kill the rule). Cunningham was the twin-turbo V8 engine that drove the Pistons to the number one seed, but may be leaned on too heavily to create shots with Detroit lacking a second scorer. 

8. Jaylen Brown

Made up award: The Captain Phillips “I am the captain now” Award 

Brown has improved his game in ways I simply did not believe were possible at this point in his career. With Jayson Tatum out most of the year, he proved he could be the First Violin in a world-class orchestra that’s about to go on tour. Truly a spectacular season for one of my favorite players.

9. Jalen Brunson

Made up award: The Second Round Pick Award for second-best second-round pick of all time

Behind only Nikola Jokic in second round pick achievement, Brunson is of course an elite first option, an elite shot creator and an elite foul-sponge, a critical skill in the playoffs with tighter whistles across the board. It’s worth wondering, though, if the Knicks can actually win the East with Brunson at this kind of usage. I think they can, but the rest of the roster will need to take on part of the burden. 

10. Jayson Tatum

Made up award: The Patriots-Falcons 28-3 Super Bowl Award for Best Comeback

Almost an unfathomably great result for Tatum, who tore his Achilles less than a year ago and now stands poised for his 122nd career playoff game and counting. He and Brown are two of the most successful playoff guys in terms of number of games played to start their careers, and Tatum is a championship-winning first option when healthy. We shall see how much strain he’s ready to take.

11. Devin Booker

Made up award: The Damian Lillard “You might need to demand a trade at some point” Award 

Booker seems committed to Phoenix financially and competitively, and it’s impressive work that such a flawed team made the playoffs. But the Suns spent all their draft capital and young pieces to build a team, tear it down and now is staring down mediocrity for the foreseeable future. There are plenty of ways to pivot around such a great player, but there’s a chance this gets 2021ish Damian Lillard. Just a chance.

12. Tyrese Maxey

Made up award: The Lightning McQueen “Ka-Chow” Award for Being Fast

There is no correlation between average player speed and… being a good player, which is why Maxey is my pick for fastest NBA player in lieu of data. This is purely in terms of visually explosive burst in transition and on drives. The Celtics have struggled to contain Maxey for years, and he is Philly’s singular win condition.

13. Kevin Durant

Made up award: The Al Horford “should we talk about how old this guy is more?” Award

Durant is still putting ball in hoop like no other in year 19 which is, somehow, still not discussed nearly enough. LeBron James cornered the market on “wow he’s how old” discussions, but Durant is casually averaging 26 a game in 36 minutes in 78 games played. In the playoffs, you often need a bucket. For all the stuff that comes with the Durant experience, he is still the bucket.

14. Jamal Murray

Made up award: The Jaylen Brown Award for scoring leap I didn’t see coming

Did you know this was Murray’s first career All-Star season? Somehow, some way, Murray became a far more efficient shooter this season and ratcheted up his scoring to over 25 a game. He and Jokic have a premier partnership that we already know can win a title. Will they win another?

15. Jalen Johnson

Made up award: The Casual NBA Fan award for “WHO are you saying is three whole spots better than LeBron?” 

Many NBA fans may have missed this development, but Jalen Johnson has been soaring up the superstar boards all season, basically getting better and better for five straight years … all the way to somehow looking like an All-NBA first option. Trae Young’s departure took off the training wheels, and now we’re flying.

16. Chet Holmgren

Made up award: The Banana Boat Award for going from Third to Second Banana 

Holmgren is a first-time All-Star who made a serious leap over Jalen Williams, whose injury-laden season saw Chet take on a bigger role. He’s a cornerstone defensive force and exactly what the Thunder need to dynasty this thing up.

17. Scottie Barnes

Made up award: The Eye Test Award for being better than your stats

Barnes’ Basketball Reference page doesn’t really suggest he improved much as a scorer, but he shot the ball much better and was a major part of a pretty spicy Toronto team that is looking to spoil some fun in Round One.

18. LeBron James

Made up award: The “Lock In” Award for potentially most epic lock-in

If LeBron James can carry the Los Angeles Lakers out of the first round without their two best scorers — Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves — that would be one of the premier lock-ins of all time. I’m a Celtics fan, but I’m going to be rooting for this.

19. James Harden

Made up award: The Lucy Pulling the Football Award for most consistent playoff disappointment 

Not generally the most reliable guy in the playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers nonetheless traded Darius Garland for Harden in a last-ditch effort to salvage their meh season. It could work; Harden is a good player. But nothing historically suggests it will.

20. Jalen Duren

Made up award: The “Most Improved Player Award” Award for exemplifying what that award is supposed to mean

Duren almost doubled his scoring output this season and was the second-biggest reason the Pistons took the league by storm. He is a dominating force on the glass and a pretty solid interior scorer, given his complete lack of a jumpshot. I’m a big fan of Duren.

21. Deni Avdija

Made up award: The Zion Williamson “I’m going to the rim no matter what” Award

Deni isn’t Williamson, who actually does not shoot threes at all anymore by the way, but he is at his best when he is trying to get downhill on every possession. He was a one-man wrecking crew in the first Play-In game, but we will see if that works against Wembanyama, whose 872-foot wingspan might cause problems.

22. Karl-Anthony Towns

Made up award: The James Harden “not sure how reliable this guy is” Award

Towns’ playoff plus/minus stats are not what you want out of your supposed second option, but it has proved difficult for the Knicks to keep both he and Brunson on the court and survive defensively. To avoid becoming the next Harden, towns will need a moment.

23. Alperen Sengun

Made up award: The Kevin McHale Award for 2020s Post Bag

Sengun is a legitimately great post scorer in the year 2026, and it’s pretty fun to watch him eviscerate rim protectors who haven’t had to deal with that since 1987. Balancing his and Durant’s shot diets is the real challenge.

24. Stephon Castle 

Made up award: The Jayson Tatum “he’s HOW young?” award for only being 21

Castle is so far beyond what I could have ever expected out of him at his age, and looks like a potential future star. To quote myself when I was talking about Roman Anthony, I am two years older than Stephon Castle. I am not old. 

25. Evan Mobley

Made up award: The Not-Tim Duncan Award for player who is not Tim Duncan

One of my favorite niche NBA media moments of the last five years was this strange series of Bill Simmons podcasts circa 2022 where he and Ryen Russillo kept referring to Mobley as potentially the next Tim Duncan. I was also supremely in on Evan Mobley, and have not quite made back my investment either. He’s a really good player and a beast defensively, but he’s been too inconsistent, especially on offense, to go any higher.

26. Derrick White 

(Bonus solo blurb, it was going to be the Top 25 get their own blurbs but I literally forgot about Jalen Brunson when I wrote this the first time and refuse to bump DWhite)

Made up award: The Matisse Thybulle Award for Blocking Threes

Derrick White has blocked nine threes this year. That isn’t quite the most, but he’s consistently up there in three-blocking, a skill that I’m just not sure how you teach or learn. Stuff like that is what makes White so valuable, because he’s also a great scorer and creator. What a player.

The “How healthy will you be?” Group

27. Austin Reaves

28. Jalen Williams

29. Aaron Gordon

Three players who are critically important to their respective teams that either haven’t been healthy for much of the year or may not be healthy going forward. Gordon and Williams seem fine at the moment, with Gordon in particular coming back in force, but none of their respective lineups are the same without them. Only the Thunder could hope to survive an extended absence of any of these three.

The “We need offense, do you have offense?” Group 

30. Paolo Banchero

31. Julius Randle

32. De’Aaron Fox

33. Amen Thompson

Four guys that have had up and down offensive years and four guys who will have to be on the up part of the up and down for the playoffs if their team has any big-time goals. Specifically, I’m looking at Randle as a primo candidate to sink or swim his whole team. Edwards can’t be the only creator for Minnesota, since Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels are not reliable offensively. Thompson may get exposed for his poor shooting, but is capital R required for Houston with their relative lack of ball handlers. 

The “Actually, we’re good on offense, can you just play defense?” Group

34. Rudy Gobert

35. OG Anunoby

Perhaps the two most important defensive players in these playoffs because of their matchups. Anunoby is going to have to guard some of the best wings in the league throughout the Knicks’ run, and the Eastern Conference might as well be a Wingstop with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Scottie Barnes, Jalen Johnson, they’re everywhere. Gobert, meanwhile, has Wembanyama and Jokic coming at him like a train. He will have to go full Tobey Maguire Spider-Man to stop them.

The High Variance Group

36. Brandon Ingram

37. Franz Wagner

These guys could score in bunches and swing a series by themselves or completely disappear and … swing a series by themselves. Ingram is a player that I wasn’t particularly interested in anymore after his Pelicans tenure expired, but he had a really nice year in Toronto and got back to the All-Star game for the first time since 2020. Both these guys are important bucket-getters on teams without an embarrassment of creators, so lock in.

The Guy I Couldn’t Put in a Group 

38. Joel Embiid

Embiid is a player I continue to feel bad for, and having an appendectomy right before the postseason is the worst luck imaginable for a guy who has had a career of the worst luck imaginable. I’ve tried to make this list relatively injury-agnostic, but I didn’t want to speculate at all for Embiid, whose playoff impact I can’t really measure or project whatsoever. So here he is in his own group, presented essentially without comment. 

The Bucket of Wings

39. Nickeil Alexander-Walker

40. Mikal Bridges

41. Jaden McDaniels

It physically hurt me to put Alexander-Walker this low since he has more than doubled his scoring this season and is unironically shooting 50-40-90 Bridges and McDaniels are both critical players for their teams, but just feel like a lesser version of what they could be; especially Bridges, who was a legit first-option in Brooklyn for a minute there. But wings are king, and these guys will play a lot. 

Important Players on Important Teams

42. Ausar Thompson

43. Jarrett Allen

44. Alex Caruso

A bit of a grab bag here, but these are essential players on teams with championship aspirations. Ausar is definitely still a work in progress offensively but he is also one of the best defensive players in the league, an accolade you could also toss on Caruso, a peak pot-stirrer that somehow makes all of his opponents worse at basketball. Allen, meanwhile, is battling a knee injury but is a massive non-negotiable for the Cavs given how small the rest of their lineup is.

The X-Factors

45. Dyson Daniels

46. Jrue Holiday

47. Naz Reid

48. Payton Pritchard

49. Isaiah Hartenstein

Quite the collection of dudes here, all of whom could be described as “oh (insert name from this group), I really like that guy.” They all play pretty different games, but their teams would not be the same without them.

Flex Category

50. Dillon Brooks/Paul George/Peyton Watson/Cason Wallace/RJ Barrett/Donovan Clingan/Desmond Bane/whoever else you want

It’s pretty funny that in a Top 50 players list I had a pretty easy time coming up with the Top 49 but really couldn’t pick the last guy in. This is basically the free space in bingo; just put whoever you want here. I, for one, really wanted to put Baylor Scheierman or Neemias Queta here, but decided against it. Let me know in the comments who you’d put at 50, and what I messed up. If everyone just agrees with me, something went horribly wrong.

Flip on an NBA Finals game from the past decade, and you’re sure to see the Arizona men’s basketball program represented at the highest level of the sport.

For 11 straight years, a former Arizona player has coached or played in the NBA Finals. Whether that streak continues into 2026 will likely come down to whether the Western Conference Finals is won by the Oklahoma City Thunder or one of their competitors.

Five of the seven former Wildcats in this year’s NBA Playoffs are on Western Conference teams, with three of the top four seeds in the conference featuring an Arizona alum.

And while Arizona’s presence in the postseason isn’t as large as it could have been had the Warriors, Clippers or Heat advanced to out of the Play-In Tournament, the UA still has a respectable contingent.

Here are the former Arizona players in this year’s NBA Playoffs.

Aaron Gordon, Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets have been a mainstay near the top of the Western Conference over the last few years, in large part thanks to Gordon’s contributions. Denver didn’t quite as sharp for parts of this season, and one reason why is Gordon’s limited playing time due to a hamstring injury.

Fortunately for Denver, Gordon appears to be as healthy as he’s been all season. He played a season-high 41 minutes two weeks ago against the Spurs, a team that Denver could run into the Western Conference Semifinals.

Gordon is averaging 16.2 points and 5.8 rebounds this season.

The Nuggets begin their series against the Timberwolves on Saturday.

Deandre Ayton, Los Angeles Lakers

Ayton’s first season playing for the Lakers has been rocky at times, but as the playoffs begin Ayton appears fully locked in.

“I want to do backflips. I’m in the purple and gold, and I just want to really just play hard as hell to contribute to wins,” Ayton said this week.

Ayton, the Lakers’ starting center, has seen his scoring dip every month of the season. He’s averaging 12.5 points and 8 rebounds.

With the Lakers missing Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves to start the playoffs versus a gritty Rockets team, Ayton will need to be at his best for Los Angeles to have a shot at advancing.

The Lakers and Rockets begin their series on Saturday.

Carter Bryant, San Antonio Spurs

Bryant might be Arizona’s best chance of having a former player in the NBA Finals. San Antonio is the two seed in the Western Conference after fighting with OKC for supremacy the last several months.

Bryant has made solid contributions as a rookie reserve, averaging 4.2 points and 2.5 rebounds in 11 minutes per game.

Bryant got to see some extra playing time down the stretch of the regular season and made the most of it, scoring in double figures in three straight games.

The Spurs enter the playoffs with the second-best record in the NBA, only behind the Thunder.

The Spurs face the Trail Blazers beginning Sunday.

Zeke Nnaji, Denver Nuggets

Nnaji is competing in his sixth straight postseason with the Nuggets, and much like the last five trips it’s in a limited role.

Nnaji is averaging 3.7 points and 2.6 rebounds in 12 minutes per game. His playing time dropped precipitously in February, and a hip impingement injury in late March slowed him down even more.

While Nnaji did get a start in the Nuggets’ final game of the regular season, don’t expect to see him getting much run these playoffs.

Christian Koloko, Atlanta Hawks

Koloko bounced around multiple teams this season before settling with the Hawks. He has appeared in 13 games with Atlanta since late January.

Koloko, who is averaging 2.7 points and 3 rebounds, is unlikely to see meaningful minutes this postseason.

The Hawks take on the Knicks beginning Saturday.

Caleb Love, Portland Trail Blazers

Love made a big impact early in the year for Portland before getting sent down to the G League in February. Love is back with the Trail Blazers as they make their first playoff appearance since 2020-21.

Love has appeared in four games for Portland since late March, and it’s unlikely he’ll see much playing time in the playoffs.

For the season, he’s averaging 10.4 points and 2.5 assists across 49 games.

Dalen Terry, Philadelphia 76ers

If there’s a player on this list who is just happy to be here, it’s Terry. The reserve guard was sent from Chicago to Philadelphia at the trade deadline. Terry has made 11 appearances with the 76ers but last played significant minutes on March 23.

Terry is averaging 3.7 points and 1.4 assists.

The 76ers face the Celtics beginning Sunday.

This is the fourth and final of a series of roundtable questions I’m asking the staff here at Peachtree Hoops about the Hawks as we approach the postseason. Today’s two questions: who will be the X-factor in this series and who wins the Knicks-Hawks series?

Who will be the X-factor in this series and why?

Wes: CJ McCollum took a week or two to adapt to the screening-heavy and ball movement-heavy offense here in Atlanta, but his shot creation off the dribble has been key to unlocking a 20-6 record since the All-Star break. I suspect that — just as Jalen Brunson will have the ball in his hands during crunch time this series — the Hawks may give CJ McCollum ‘four flat’ sets late in games, and he’ll need to get to his spots for the Hawks to pull out close games.

Jackson: Dyson Daniels. In all likelihood, the Knicks will try to hide Brunson on defense by matching him up with Daniels, and it will be up to the Great Barrier Thief to make New York pay by attacking the basket and forcing Brunson to move his feet on that end of the floor. If he’s unable to do so, Daniels’ lack of perimeter shooting could become an easily exploitable vulnerability for the Hawks, especially in a playoff setting, where halfcourt offense comes more into the forefront.

Malik: Onyeka Okongwu. He’s probably going to have the task of guarding Karl-Anthony Towns, and when he and Jalen Brunson start getting into their two-man game, Okongwu will have to make the right decisions on defense. He’ll also play a big part if he’s on the court with Robinson, and his perimeter shooter could lure him out the paint, making it easier for the other Hawks to get to the rim.

Graham: Jonathan Kuminga. If Kuminga absolutely stinks off the bench, I really worry for the Hawks’ bench production in this series – unless Gabe Vincent catches fire and Zaccharie Risacher can be productive (if he even plays). If the Hawks can’t win that battle, I’m not sure they can win this series. Kuminga will have to play and be productive in order for the Hawks to have a chance to win that bench battle. 

Hassan: Mouhamed Gueye. With Jock Landale set to miss the majority of the first-round thanks to the ankle injury he suffered against Orlando on April 1st, Gueye will likely get the first shot as the backup ‘5’ against New York, stepping in to guard Karl Towns whenever Okongwu needs a breather or gets into foul trouble. More importantly, he’ll draw the unenviable task of keeping New York’s back up big man, Mitchell Robinson off the glass – which will be one of the most important swing factors in the series. 

On a per-possession basis, Robinson is the best offensive rebounder in the NBA, with New York grabbing the rebound on a whopping 40% (!) of their misses in the halfcourt with him on the floor this season per cleaningtheglass. Additionally, Gueye has typically operated at the ‘4’ this season, as – at 6’11”, 210 pounds – he’s struggled to match up against some of the more physically imposing bigs in the league. Lineups featuring Gueye at the ‘5’ ranked in just the 16th percentile in defensive rebounding rate during the regular season, and it’s clear that Gueye is going to have his work cut out for him going up against Robinson. 

That said, I’ve had a plot on ‘Mo Gueye island’ ever since his rookie season, and one thing that’s for certain is that he is not going to back down from any matchup – no matter the size difference. Gueye is a freak athlete who ranked in the 93rd percentile in defensive EPM last season and in the 89th percentile this season. He has the agility to guard at the level of the screen and switch out on the perimeter. He posted one of the highest steal rates on the team this season. Robinson is undoubtedly a tough matchup for him, but if Gueye can give the Hawks enough on offense (30.8% from three this season), while holding his own on the defensive end and on the boards, it will significantly boost Atlanta’s chances of pulling off the upset.

The injury to Landale has clearly put Atlanta’s bench unit in a precarious position, and to be perfectly honest, if they had someone better than Gueye or Tony Bradley to step into this role, I’d be all for it. However, given the options on the roster, Gueye is their best bet, and I’m holding out hope that he’ll be able to hold his own against a physical Knicks front line. The Hawks are going to need Gueye to be at his best in this first round series.

Who wins the Knicks-Hawks series and in how many games?

Wes: Five years ago, I said Hawks in six. As we all remember, they ended up winning in five. I trust the Hawks to get the better of the Dyson Daniels on Jalen Brunson matchup and gum up New York’s entire offense. This team is playing connected and inspired basketball once again.

This is purely a vibes call but run it back. Hawks in six.

Jackson: Knicks in seven. The Hawks have many ways they can make life hard for New York, including their stable of strong perimeter defenders to throw at Brunson, as well as the Knicks’ lack of a good defensive matchup for Johnson. However, experience and homecourt advantage count for a lot in the playoffs, as does having a clear go-to option down the stretch of close games — which Atlanta currently does not. Those factors, plus New York’s undeniable advantage around the basket in this matchup, might be too much to overcome for the Hawks, but not after they give the Knicks all they can handle.

Malik: Knicks in six. Not only do I think that Mitchell Robinson will be a problem for the Hawks if Jock Landale doesn’t return in time, but Jalen Brunson always knows how to turn it on when it matters. The Hawks have several players to throw at him, but he still finds a way to get his. I also think Karl-Anthony Towns will make things hard for the Hawks. They’ll definitely put up a fight, but I think the Knicks are the better team and will prevail.

Graham: I look at the season-series numbers and think ‘what is likely to repeat in the playoffs?’ I remember looking at the Knicks-Hawks 2021 series preview and felt confident that Julius Randle was not going to average 37 again in the playoffs, nor Immanuel Quickley likely to replicate his series production from the regular season-series. In short, I thought the Knicks overplayed to their potential in the regular season. Sure enough, neither could replicate those numbers and the Hawks advanced in five games.

But this time I look at the season series averages, and I don’t see the potential for the averages to significantly regress. I think it’s entirely reasonable ‘KAT’ could average nearly 30 points on high efficiency based on how this Hawks’ frontline may be exploited. Brunson could certainly average close to 30 points in this series as he did in the regular season, and possibly more because I he will average a better three-point shooting number than 29% in the season series. The same applies for the Knicks as a whole, who averaged 29% from three against the Hawks in the season series – they were fourth in the NBA with 37.3% per game. 

From the Hawks’ side of ‘what is likely to repeat’ in the postseason, Alexander-Walker averaged 28 points per game to lead the Hawks in scoring. That could persist, but the three-point shooting I fear may not – and that’s not exclusive to Alexander-Walker (who shot 45.5% from three on 11 attempts per game in the season series). Okongwu shot 47.8% from three on nearly eight attempts, and Johnson shot 45% from three – I’m just not convinced these averages can persist in the playoffs, and even with these percentages in the regular season the Hawks fell 1-2 in the season series.

Atlanta’s bench production concerns me, as does the potential reliance on CJ McCollum as the ball-handler down the stretch; I just think that’s a very one-sided matchup when you consider Brunson will be doing the same for the Knicks. McCollum has been good for the Hawks, but there is a gap in quality and reliability between those two players in two different stages of their careers. Elsewhere, the offensive rebounding/second chance scoring is obviously a huge worry.

This Hawks group is in completely new territory together in the postseason for the first time while this Knicks group have been battle-tested together — not to mention they also have homecourt. These are factors that can swing games on their own.

In short, there’s too many logical arguments in the Knicks’ favor this time around to overlook, and not many other variables go in the Hawks’ favor. I think the Knicks advance in five games.  

Hassan: Knicks in 7. My heart is telling me Atlanta, but my brain is saying New York. I think the lack of firepower off the Hawks bench, New York’s advantage on the glass, and Jalen Brunson’s abilities as a closer prove too much for Atlanta to overcome. 

The Knicks had the sixth best clutch record in the NBA this season (21-13) while the Hawks went just 17-18 in clutch games. I think these two teams are more evenly matched than a lot of people think, and Atlanta advancing to the second round isn’t out of the question, however New York’s experience and comfort in close games will put them over the edge. 

Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets
Date: April 18th, 2026
Time: 2:30 PM CDT
Location: Target Center
Television Coverage: Prime Video

Every great rivalry needs its trilogy.

Not the kind where two teams randomly bump into each other once every few years and call it history, but the kind where the games start to blur together, where every possession feels familiar, where the players know what’s coming and still can’t stop it. The kind where every matchup feels like a sequel, not a standalone episode.

That’s what this has become.

The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets are about to meet in the playoffs for the third time in four years. It’s a score that never quite feels settled. Denver struck first in 2023, brushing Minnesota aside in the first round on their way to a title. Minnesota answered in 2024 with one of the most defining wins in franchise history, a Game 7 comeback that flipped a twenty-point deficit into a Western Conference Finals berth and, more importantly, flipped the psychology of the matchup.

That game changed everything.

Because ever since then, these teams haven’t just played each other, they’ve tested each other. You can run through the list like a greatest hits album. The 10-point fourth-quarter comeback at Target Center in November 2024. The double-overtime war in April 2025 where Nikola Jokic emptied the clip and still somehow lost. The recent Christmas Day classic where Anthony Edwards hit a last-second dagger to send the game into overtime, only for Denver steal it right back.

Every game has been a battle. Every game has had stakes. Every game has ended with one fanbase walking away like they just survived something and the other wondering how it slipped away.

And now, after a one-year hiatus, we get the playoff version again.

The Uneasy Road That Led Here

Here’s the part that makes this whole thing a little more complicated than it should be.

The Wolves didn’t exactly cruise into this matchup.

They didn’t build momentum in March and April the way they did last year. They didn’t lock in a top seed and spend the final week sharpening their edge. Instead, they stumbled. They dealt with injuries. They rotated players in and out, ultimately settling into the six seed. It’s the exact same spot they occupied a year ago, but with a very different path waiting on the other side.

That’s the tension hanging over this series.

We’ve seen what this Wolves team can be. We’ve seen the version that overwhelms teams defensively, that moves the ball, that knocks down threes a ridiculous clip. But we’ve also seen the version that checks out for a quarter, that lets games slip, and that turns winnable nights into inexplicable losses.

Last year, Minnesota entered the playoffs looking like a team ascending. This year, they enter looking like a team still trying to remember exactly who they are.

The silver lining? They’re fresh.

Anthony Edwards. Julius Randle. Jaden McDaniels. Rudy Gobert. All of them have spent the last couple weeks on what is essentially a managed workload. They’re not peaking, but they’re not exhausted either. Against a Denver team that plays through the most physically demanding superstar in basketball, that might matter more than we think.

Game 1: The Swing Game Nobody Talks About Enough

Let’s zoom in on what actually matters right now: Game 1.

Stealing Game 1 on the road flips the entire structure of the series. Win Game 1 in Denver, and suddenly the pressure shifts. The Nuggets are the ones answering questions. The Wolves are the ones holding leverage. The math changes. The tone changes. Everything changes.

Lose it, and you’re immediately climbing uphill.

Let’s be honest. The expectation outside Minnesota is pretty clear. Denver is rolling into the playoffs on a heater. The narrative is that they’ve figured it out again. That they’re the more complete team. That they have the best player in the world.

Minnesota? They’re the wild card. The team that could win this series… or could just as easily lose in five if things go sideways.

The good news for Wolves fans: we’ve seen that script before.

And we’ve seen how it can end.

The Keys to Game 1

1. Make Nikola Jokic Work for Everything

This isn’t about stopping Jokic. That’s not a real strategy.

This is about cost.

Every possession has to cost him something. Every touch, every post-up, every rotation. You don’t let him play in rhythm. You don’t let him dictate pace. You don’t let him casually drift into a 38-point, 12-assist, 15-rebound night.

This is why this roster exists. Tim Connelly specifically constructed this team to defeat the monster he drafted.

Gobert. Randle. Reid. Three big men, same objective: wear Jokic down. Hit him. Lean on him. Make him defend. Turn the game into something physical, something draining, something that builds over time.

Because you’re not beating Jokic in one quarter. You’re trying to beat him in Game 5… Game 6… Game 7.

2. Recreate the 2024 Defensive Identity

This is where Minnesota won the series last time. They turned Denver into a grind. They made Jamal Murray uncomfortable. They closed out on shooters. They rotated with purpose. They made every possession feel like it was being played in a phone booth.

That version of this team has to show up again. Jaden McDaniels has to be a problem. Anthony Edwards has to bring that second-level intensity we saw in 2024. The guards have to fight over screens instead of dying on them. The rotations have to be sharp.

Because if Denver gets clean looks? If Murray is allowed to get comfortable? If the role players start feeling it?

It’s over.

3. No More Stagnant Offense

When things get tight, Minnesota has a tendency to default into isolation basketball. Edwards dribbling. Randle backing down. Everyone else watching.

That cannot be the Wolves’ approach to offense.

The Wolves’ offense works when it’s connected. When the ball moves. When Edwards collapses the defense and kicks. When Randle draws help and finds shooters. When the ball doesn’t stick.

Denver’s defense is vulnerable, but only if Minnesota makes them work.

4. Hitting Shots is Not Optional

This isn’t complicated.

The Wolves are going to get looks, but looks don’t matter if they don’t fall. Minnesota cannot afford one of those 8-for-38 from three nights. They cannot afford to go ice cold for six-minute stretches. They cannot afford to leave points at the free-throw line.

This team’s margin for error is too thin.

Shoot league average from three, and they’re in this game. Shoot well, and they can win it.

Shoot poorly, and they’ll be down 0-1 with even more pressure to perform in Game 2.

5. Be Who You’ve Been Hinting At All Year

This is the biggest one. All season long, this team has flirted with its ceiling. We’ve seen flashes. Moments. Quarters. Stretches where everything clicks.

And then it disappears.

This is the moment where it can’t disappear.

This is where Anthony Edwards has to be that guy for 40 minutes, not just the last five. This is where Julius Randle has to play like the version of himself that dominated playoff games, not the one that drifts. This is where Gobert anchors everything. Where McDaniels impacts both ends.

This is where the Wolves stop being theoretical.

82 games.

The bad losses. The injuries. The nights where they looked like contenders and the nights where they looked like they forgot how to play basketball.

It all leads here.

This is the round. This is the opponent. This is the standard.

If the Wolves want to be taken seriously as contenders, they have to go through this. They have to beat a team led by the best player in the world. They have to win in their building. They have to prove that 2024 wasn’t a one-off.

We’ve seen them go toe-to-toe with this exact team and come out on top. But that version of the Wolves, the one that defends like its life depends on it, that moves the ball, that hits shots, that plays with edge and purpose, has to show up.

Because this isn’t about potential anymore. This isn’t about what they could be.

This is about what they are… right now.

Game 1 in Denver.

They either take it… or spend the rest of the series trying to get it back.

The 2026 NBA playoffs are set. All first-round matchups are locked in after a dramatic Play-In Tournament, and, now, the hunt for the Larry O’Brien Trophy ramps up off Saturday, April 18 with four series-opening games.

The Play-In Tournament delivered plenty of excitemetn before a single first-round playoff game was played. The Portland Trail Blazers and Philadelphia 76ers locked up the No. 7 seeds in the West and East, respectively, earlier in the week before a doubleheader on Friday, April 17 determined the final two playoff berths in each conference.

The Orlando Magic knocked out the Charlotte Hornets early Friday night, building a 31-point halftime lead on their Southeast division rivals before cruising to a 121-90 victory. The Magic land the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference and will face the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in the first round.

The Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors seemed headed for a tight battle for the final playoff berth in the Western Conference, but the Suns pulled away down the stretch for a 111-96 win to send Steph Curry and the Warroirs packing. The Suns' prize for winning? A date with the No. 1 seed, defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

With the bracket now finalized, its' time to ask: could the Magic and Suns shock the world and knock out the No. 1 seeds? Here is a look at some of the biggest first-round upsets in NBA playoff history, a reminder that anything can happen in the postseason.

USA TODAY LAUNCHES '250 FOR 250': Who is the best athlete in U.S. history?

VOTE IN OUR '250 FOR 250' POLL: Who's the best American basketball player of all time?

Of the last 20 games of Boston’s regular season, 13 featured a starting lineup of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Sam Hauser and Neemias Queta. 

Despite Tatum’s late entry into the lineup, that 5-man combo is third in total minutes together this year, sporting a +7 net scoring advantage (per 100 possessions). It’s a lineup that figures to transition over into Boston’s first round series with the Philadelphia 76ers, which tips off Sunday afternoon and is the fourth postseason meeting between the two in the Jays era. 

We have a good read on who’s starting these games, but figuring out the overall rotation is a different story. All season, we’ve seen experimentation that’s led to a good problem: the Celtics have an abnormal amount of playoff-caliber talent waiting in the wings. 

In last year’s 11 postseason games, the Celtics had nine players average more than 10 minutes. The year prior, the title run featured the same: nine players. It was one player less in the 2022-23 postseason, with Grant Williams having the lowest of the eight rotation guys with 17.7 minutes per game. 

With the margin of error so thin, there’s no time to waste when it comes to playoff minutes. If struggles extend beyond a game, the hook is coming, and the chance to check back in may not be there waiting for you. 

In this regular season, Boston had 16 players average minutes in double figures. Three of those guys are no longer Celtics and another (Dalano Banton) had a four-game sample size, but when you take a step back, you see that the Celtics, really, have 12 players on this roster that are capable of leaving a positive impact in a postseason series, however big or small that impact ultimately is. 

I guess it’s fortunate that we don’t have to make the decision of who gets those bench opportunities or who rides the pine, but let’s assume each of their primary bench players had that opportunity. What would they do with it? What role or objective allows them to impact the game the greatest against the 76ers? Let’s take a crack at it, and find out. 

For the sake of time and grounded rotational possibilities, we’ll leave the deep bench guys (Amari Williams, Max Shulga, John Tonje, Delano Banton) out of this exercise. If you have to resort to playing one of three second round rookies or a guy just signed to a contract right before the end of the season, chances are the season’s probably going down sooner rather than later. 

Payton Pritchard  

A glorified starter and a shoe-in for major usage, there’s not much mystery of the role Payton Pritchard will have against Philly, and beyond. 

Since his move back to the Sixth Man spot, Pritchard has averaged roughly the same amount of minutes, shot attempts, points per game and assists as his overall season averages, finishing with 17 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds in 29 games that began as the first player off the bench. 

In four games against Philly, PP actually struggled in the scoring department. He was a combined 13-of-31 in the first two games in October, getting the last two looks in their close season-opening loss, and 2-of-13 in their last two games. From three, he shot just 12% for the series. 

Not exactly numbers you’d expect from Pritchard, and strangely enough, this is a matchup that particularly favors his scoring style. The 76ers boast a middle of the road defense (16th in defensive rating) and lineups that often feature two traditional guards. All four of their most-used 5-man lineups feature both Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. 

For Pritchard, that means opportunities in the mid-range. 

At 42% in the mid-range and 56% in the non-restricted area this year, Pritchard has been one of the league’s finest shot-creators inside and around the free throw line, utilizing his powerful build to initiate contact in order to create space. 

According to data from Basketball Index, he’s in the 100th percentile in mid-range openness rating, the 98th percentile in stable short mid-range field goal efficiency, and the 97th percentile in mid-range pull up shot-making efficiency. 

Boston will be searching for plenty of 2-on-1 advantages to set up rotations and open looks from deep, but Pritchard could really use this series to pack a serious punch in the heart of Philadelphia’s defense. 

Nikola Vučević 

Vooch or the Garzilla? That is the question on everybody’s minds.  

With Vučević sidelined mere moments after sharing the court with Jayson Tatum, his return has been the subject of scrutiny. Particularly in his first two games back in the lineup, Vooch just looked like a player out of sync with his new teammates. Understandable, considering he’s played just 16 games with the Celtics, but with limited time to find a groove before the playoffs, it’s impossible not to look at the constant energy and spark that Garza consistently provides. 

This is probably the toughest decision Joe Mazzulla has to make rotation-wise, and with a likely Embiid-less Philly now locked in as the matchup, the answer could really go either way.

By route of Vučević, I believe it comes down to matchups. The smaller Adem Bona makes more sense for Garza, and the rebound-engulfing Andre Drummond makes more sense for Vooch. 

With Drummond, Vooch can not only match up better on the defensive glass, but his passing and shooting from above the break would effectively pull Drummond out of the paint, or risk leaving open a shooter with an eye for finding cutters. 

Perhaps it’s a worthwhile gamble with Vooch shooting 31% from three in his four games back. He also ended 5-of-9 in his last two games though. The Sixers would likely be willing to take that gamble, if at least for a game or two. 

While Garza has made massive strides as a shooter, Vooch remains the closest thing Boston has to the pick-and-pop threat that breaks down zones and crushes soft switches. If he can find consistency in his outside game, it opens up a similar offensive wrinkle left behind by the departures of Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis. 

A huge question will be how Boston can help, or even hide, Vooch when it comes to defending the pick-and-roll. Vooch plays one of the deepest drops in the league, and with someone like Maxey getting downhill, that doesn’t bode well for Boston. There’s a lot at play for the backup big minutes when Queta’s off the floor. 

Ready or not, Vooch will more than likely get the first shot behind Queta, and flashes of his rebounding, pick-and-pop shooting, and ball movement will go a long way in cementing him as an every game contributor this postseason. 

Luka Garza

While we’re on the topic of the backup big, Boston couldn’t have lucked out more with the signing of Luka Garza last summer. He’s been a consummate professional, an outstanding offensive rebounder and screener (98th percentile in offensive rebounding talent, 99th percentile in screening talent), and an efficient 3-point shooter (43%) on respectable volume. 

I don’t think there’s any doubt that if Garza stepped foot on the floor in a playoff setting, he’d find a way to add extra possessions and open things up for others. Similar to Vooch, the problem lies in how he holds up defensively. While a fine mobile big that moves well in space, Garza does not scare drivers attacking the basket in the way someone like Queta, or even Tatum might. Mismatch hunting is all the rage in a Best-of-7 series, and like Vooch, I’d expect the Sixers to actively seek out Garza as much as possible. 

With the Bona matchup, you’re pitting two mobile bigs against each other, but Garza has the leg up as a rebounder and as a scorer, with his 3-point shot legit enough to force Bona in space. If there’s anything we can take away from either Vooch or Garza, it’s that both have the ability to shoot away from the basket or open up sets with a handoff. 

While Vooch would be better equipped to be surrounded by cutters and screen-navigators like Derrick White, Hugo Gonzalez and Jordan Walsh to make use of his hub playmaking and drop coverage defensive style, I like the idea of Garza working with the stars, particularly Tatum. With JT, Boston’s better equipped to defend the paint, while giving him and Brown that patented flair screen, floor-switching ability that Queta and Garza have both thrived in thanks to their elite screen-setting. 

Different contexts create different reasons to go with either big man off the bench. With Philly, there’s a good chance both will see an opportunity. 

Jordan Walsh 

I wrote about it back in November, and I’m sure you’ll see more of it this weekend, but to be succinct: Jordan Walsh has the makings of a Maxey stopper. 

Walsh probably would have found a role in the rotation even with Orlando “winning” the 7-seed (hey, Walsh has locked up Paolo Banchero too!) but this matchup between All-Star and breakout role player feels destined. 

To be clear, Walsh can do more for this team than stay glued to their best scorer. He’d get minutes because he’s a good shooter despite a fluctuating role (38%, 1.8 attempts per game), and a fantastic rebounder and putback threat. 

But for this series in particular, having someone off the bench that held Philly’s top scorer to 1-of-10 shooting between two games and 7:10 matchup minutes is a luxury I fully expect Mazzulla to utilize. Walsh has the length to disrupt around screens and the recovery speed to stay in front, while being a menacing contest threat thanks to his 7’3” wingspan. 

There’s a clear path to significant minutes for Walsh, and a lot of it has to do with making life hell for Philly’s best scorer.

Baylor Scheierman 

After a 3-minute appearance in the Halloween victory over the 76ers, Baylor Scheierman didn’t play Philly again until their very last meeting, one that started with a thumbs up and ended in a Celtics victory. 

Scheierman has firmly cemented himself as a key rotation player this year, turning the corner after some tough shooting in the Summer League and preseason to end Year 2 with splits of 45/40/90. 

What’s keeping Scheierman on the floor is more than his shooting though. He’s been a true jack of all trades, defending and rebounding at a high level while adding a connective tissue to the offense thanks to his ability to create off the dribble and open up the drive-and-kick game. 

As far as the ideal lineups featuring Scheierman, it’s likely the one we’re most familiar with. 

Among all 5-man lineup combos featuring Scheierman, the one that more than doubles every other combination in minutes on the floor includes White, Brown, Hauser and Queta. That lineup, which started seven games, was a +10.8 in scoring, featuring a balanced attack of top-option JB surrounded by three shooting options, two of which like to create off the dribble, and a rim-running big. 

For the non-Tatum minutes, this appears to be one of the better options to maintain a balanced offense. Adding in a wrinkle like Pritchard for White would also be an option that maintains scoring balance and ample ball movement (that lineup with Pritchard in for White played just 34 minutes together, but was a +40.3 in that time). 

Because Scheierman can do so many things well, it makes him a one-size-fits-all type of rotation piece that can work in a variety of different settings. 

Hugo González

With their wing depth as strong as it is, a path to minutes appears murky for the sensational Spaniard, but Hugo Gonzalez wouldn’t need all that much time to make a difference. 

Similar to Scheierman and Walsh, Hugo’s ability to contribute as a rebounder, cutter and defender makes him the rare 20-year-old that’s built for the bigger moments. Compound that with respectable 3-point shooting and you’d feel confident that, if left open, he can at least threaten to punish the Sixers for the lack of respect. 

I think the ideal scenario for Hugo to see time is in the moments where the momentum needs to shift. 

Offense bogged down by contested misses and turnovers? Defense struggling to stop the pick-and-roll? Momentum timeouts aren’t stopping the bleeding? 

May I suggest the controlled chaos that is Hugo Gonzalez? 

Even if for just a few minutes, I think Gonzalez injects the right level of high-effort defense to rally around and throw out there for short spurts. That way, Philly doesn’t get as much of an opportunity to dare the rookie to beat them as a shooter in the same way you’d see if he played a more substantial game-to-game role. 

There’s going to be a time very soon where Hugo will be very high on the playoff pecking order, but that time shouldn’t have to be today. Although if we’re being honest, he’s much closer than I think anyone could have expected on draft day. 

Ron Harper Jr. 

While it’s unlikely Ron Harper Jr. sees the floor this postseason, I’d honestly feel confident in his abilities if he did. 

And a lot of that has to do with his first impression: a debut start focused heavily on defending Kevin Durant. RHJ showcased his strength as a defender, his instincts as a rebounder, and his catch-and-shoot ability (I feel like I’ve been saying that with every wing, but it remains true all the same). 

If there were to be an opportunity for Harper, I’d consider it a look focused on the 3&D mold of his game. The threes would largely come off the catch, adding additional spacing while guys like Brown or Tatum ignite the drive-and-kick, while the D would be spent on another tough assignment: Paul George.

Is that a gamble? Or too much for Harper in his first playoff appearance? Possibly. But then again, wasn’t that also the case with KD in his debut?

It’s not like we’re dealing with the Paul George of old, though he’s certainly had a quietly solid season as he transitions into life as an overpaid, high-end role player. 

If that’s the path to opportunity, I don’t think we’d be hearing any complaints from Ron.

PHOENIX (AP) — Jalen Green was several feet behind the 3-point line as the shot clock wound down and didn’t have many options, so the Phoenix guard simply squared up and let if fly.

In most cases, the third-quarter heave wouldn’t have been a high-percentage shot.

On Friday night, pretty much everyone knew it was going in.

“It felt good all night,” Green said.

The 24-year-old Green scored 36 points to lead Phoenix to a 111-96 victory over the Golden State Warriors in the NBA’s play-in tournament. The Suns earned the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs and they’ll face the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in a road game Sunday in Game 1 of the first round.

Green shot 14 of 20 from the field against the Warriors, including 8 of 14 from 3-point range. The eight 3-pointers tied his career high.

“I thought he was incredibly efficient offensively,” Suns coach Jordan Ott said. “It’s really hard to stay in front of him.”

It was a big moment for Green, who endured plenty of frustration during an injury-filled year that limited him to just 32 games in the regular season. Green and Dillon Brooks came to the Suns from the Rockets as part of the package that sent 15-time All-Star Kevin Durant to Houston.

Green missed the first half of the season with a hamstring injury and then finally returned, sometimes struggling to adjust to his new role playing with Booker and Brooks. He averaged just 17.8 points, the lowest total since his rookie season.

But the trio appears to be jelling at the right time. Booker had the assist on four of Green’s 3-pointers on Friday.

“I’m very comfortable playing with Book,” Green said. “You kind of how to pick your poison, how you’re going to guard it.”

The game was a little vindication for Green after he struggled against the Warriors in last year’s playoffs when he was with the Rockets. He averaged just 13.3 points in the seven-game series, shooting 37% from the field.

Green was so good on Friday that Booker — a five-time All-Star — was more of a facilitator, finishing with 20 points and eight assists.

“He stepped up to the test,” Booker said. “The last playoffs might have stuck with him a little bit, so he’s prepared himself for these moments and capitalized on them.”

Ott said Green’s elite athleticism will be invaluable against Oklahoma City because of his ability to generate shots when it doesn’t look like there is one. Green’s 36 points came three nights after he scored 35 against the Trail Blazers in the first play-in game, which ended in a 114-110 loss.

“Both of these nights, he had it going offensively,” Ott said. “Those guys in playoff games, where the physicality ups, the court shrinks, the ability to give the ball to one guy and him create a shot is super helpful. We’re finding those pockets.”

Well, the season is over. After teasing us with a throwback performance for the ages on Wednesday, the Golden State Warriors completely and utterly ran out of fuel on Friday, losing to the Phoenix Suns 111-96 in a game that was a constant uphill battle.

And with that, the offseason begins. But not before we get to one final bit of in-season content: the last player grades of the year.

As always, grades are based on my expectations of each player, with a “B” grade representing the average performance for that player. If my grades seem overly lenient, well … that’s probably because they are. Grading the elimination game in a season feels a bit like handing out a grade for a boring requirement course to a senior that’s graduating in three days. Grading harshly is kind of missing the point. So we’ll be a little nice to everyone, because why dwell on the parts that need improvement when there’s no season left to improve?

Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metric that accounts for threes and free throws. League-average TS this season was 58.1%.

Gui Santos

30 minutes, 9 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 4 fouls, 4-for-8 shooting, 0-for-3 threes, 1-for-2 free throws, 50.7% TS, -8

Santos looked pretty overmatched in this game. There were a lot of poor decisions, and times where he was either doing too much or doing too little. I said this in Wednesday’s grades, but it’s easy to forget just how inexperienced he still is. This is all part of the learning process, and the mental fortitude he has to maintain his energy levels even when making mistakes is admirable. This was a great season for him, it just ended on a low note.

Grade: C

Draymond Green

36 minutes, 5 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 5 turnovers, 6 fouls, 2-for-4 shooting, 0-for-2 threes, 1-for-2 free throws, 51.2% TS, -13

Green provided the biggest highlight of the game for the Warriors. Unfortunately, it’s a sign of how the game went, that the highlight came during a dead ball situation, with outcome already decided.

After Green left the game in the final minutes as Steve Kerr waived the white flag, he started jawing with Devin Booker from the bench. Somewhere, Klay Thompson was surely smiling. After the teams started tussling a little bit, Scott Foster — the butt of many an NBA joke — tried to calm the waters by ejecting both Green and Booker. Ever the entertainer, Green mocked Foster by doing an over-the-top reenactment of Foster’s ejection, before walking off the court smiling, egging the crowd on.

What a Draymondian way to go. And what a memorable end to an otherwise forgettable season.

Grade: C
Post-game bonus: Led the team in assists.

Kristaps Porziņģis

15 minutes, 11 points, 1 rebound, 3 turnovers, 1 foul, 3-for-5 shooting, 2-for-3 threes, 3-for-4 free throws, 81.4% TS, -22

Porziņģis was listed as questionable up until the game started, and it was immediately clear that if it were a regular season game, he wouldn’t have been playing. He simply was not healthy, but he toughed it out to give the team some minutes.

It was a gutsy performance, and it featured a few highlight plays on offense. But he just didn’t have it, and all you can do is tip your cap that he left it on the floor.

Grade: A for toughness
Post-game bonus: Worst plus/minus on the team.

Brandin Podziemski

39 minutes, 23 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal, 4 turnovers, 2 fouls, 9-for-17 shooting, 3-for-5 threes, 2-for-3 free throws, 62.8% TS, -5

It was fitting that Podziemski, who finished the season having played all 84 games, ended the year by leading the team in minutes in the elimination game. It was just that season for him.

Podz started slow, but ended the game as one of the only bright spots on the floor for the Warriors. No one else could get anything going on offense, yet he continued to get buckets. He fought all night, and led both teams in rebounding. Tough until the very end. The Warriors needed some people to step up, and Podziemski did (he also should have had 25 points and only three turnovers, but got called for an erroneous traveling violation on a layup).

Grade: A
Post-game bonus: Led the team in points and rebounds.

Steph Curry

36 minutes, 17 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 4 turnovers, 1 foul, 4-for-16 shooting, 3-for-10 threes, 6-for-6 free throws, 45.6% TS, -13

Curry went over his minutes restriction on Wednesday, and carried the team. And he paid for it on Friday.

Credit the Suns for a great defensive plan and strong defensive execution. But this one was first and foremost about Curry running out of gas, as the Warriors ran out of gas. It was so clear that Steph wasn’t healthy in this game. He wasn’t moving as quickly or confidently as usual, and he abandoned so much of the off-ball movement that makes him so dangerous. He even was limping on a few possessions.

Again: credit to the Suns. Not trying to take anything away from them. But that wasn’t the Curry we know and love. That was a Curry who played through being 50% to give his team a chance to win.

Grade: Who cares, just rest up for a few months

Gary Payton II

26 minutes, 4 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 fouls, 2-for-4 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, 50.0% TS, -10

Payton had some tremendous passes in this game, and helped right the ship on a few occasions. He also had a lot of fouls. It was nothing special, but a pretty solid game for him.

Grade: B

De’Anthony Melton

28 minutes, 16 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 turnover, 5-for-10 shooting, 2-for-4 threes, 4-for-4 free throws, 68.0% TS, -9

As was the case so many times over the past few months, Curry wasn’t healthy and the Warriors needed a lot from Melton to make up for it. And he provided it. Melton kept the Warriors afloat with a monster game off the bench, scoring all over the court, directing the offense, and fighting like hell on defense and the glass. He gave everything he had to give, and the Warriors sure will miss him if he’s playing elsewhere next season.

Grade: A

Al Horford

26 minutes, 9 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 3-for-8 shooting, 1-for-4 threes, 2-for-2 free throws, 50.7% TS, -3

Horford couldn’t quite find the magic that he harnessed on Wednesday. But his, too, was a gutsy performance, as he played 26 minutes due to Porziņģis’ ailment. If Horford were being honest, I’m guessing he’d say that he’s not fully healthy, either. It was just that season. But he gave it everything he had, despite the circumstances. If he’s one-and-done with the Warriors, then we’ll always have Wednesday. But don’t be surprised if he’s back next year.

Grade: B+

Pat Spencer

1 minute, 2 points, 1-for-2 shooting, 50.0% TS, +2

A great season comes to a close with just a glimpse of garbage time for Spencer. He proved he’s an NBA player this year, and that’s exciting.

Post-game bonus: Tied for the best plus/minus on the team.

Charles Bassey/Will Richard/Seth Curry

1 minute, 0 points, +2

Just a touch of garbage time with no stats for this trio.

Post-game bonus: Tied for the best plus/minus on the team.

The trio

It was a touching moment, late in the game, when Green, Curry, and Kerr huddled in plain sight. With all their arms around each other, Kerr spoke words to each, then brought them in for a three-way hug, before exiting and letting the two Hall of Famers embrace.

The following days, weeks, and perhaps even months will result in a lot of speculation, rumors, reports, and opinions, as we have no idea what the future holds. Kerr said after the game that he’ll take “a week or two” to think about his future, but stressed that he still loves coaching. Green said he wants to continue his career with the Warriors. Curry stressed that he has a few more seasons left in him.

Hopefully we get a 13th year with this trio. But if not, it’s been an unforgettable journey.

Grade: A+

Friday’s inactives: Jimmy Butler III, Moses Moody, Quinten Post

Philadelphia 76ers (45-37, seventh in the Eastern Conference) vs. Boston Celtics (56-26, second in the Eastern Conference)

Boston; Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

LINE: Celtics -12.5; over/under is 213.5

EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Celtics host first series matchup

BOTTOM LINE: The Boston Celtics host the Philadelphia 76ers to start the Eastern Conference first round. Boston and Philadelphia tied the regular season series 2-2. The Celtics won the last regular season matchup 114-98 on Monday, March 2 led by 27 points from Jaylen Brown, while Tyrese Maxey scored 33 points for the 76ers.

The Celtics are 10-6 against the rest of their division. Boston leads the Eastern Conference in rebounding, averaging 46.4 boards. Nikola Vucevic leads the Celtics with 8.4 rebounds.

The 76ers are 9-7 against the rest of their division. Philadelphia ranks ninth in the NBA scoring 16.9 fast break points per game. VJ Edgecombe leads the 76ers averaging 8.0.

The Celtics average 114.9 points per game, 1.2 fewer points than the 116.1 the 76ers allow. The 76ers are shooting 46.2% from the field, 2.0% higher than the 44.2% the Celtics' opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Brown is scoring 28.7 points per game with 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Celtics. Payton Pritchard is averaging 18.3 points and 3.2 rebounds while shooting 53.1% over the last 10 games.

Quentin Grimes is shooting 45.0% and averaging 13.4 points for the 76ers. Paul George is averaging 3.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Celtics: 8-2, averaging 119.6 points, 45.6 rebounds, 26.3 assists, 6.3 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.4 points per game.

76ers: 6-4, averaging 118.0 points, 45.3 rebounds, 24.3 assists, 8.6 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.8 points.

INJURIES: Celtics: Nikola Vucevic: day to day (finger), Sam Hauser: day to day (back), Hugo Gonzalez: day to day (foot), Payton Pritchard: day to day (foot), Jayson Tatum: day to day (injury management), Derrick White: day to day (knee), Neemias Queta: day to day (toe), Jaylen Brown: day to day (achilles).

76ers: Johni Broome: out (knee), Joel Embiid: out (abdomen).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.