Category: NBA

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets

When: 5:30 p.m. PT, Apr. 18

Where: Crypto.com Arena

Watch: ABC

---

After months of grinding through the rigorous challenge that is the NBA regular season, the playoffs have arrived and the state of the Lakers has been more uncertain than ever.

With Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves officially ruled out for at least the beginning of the postseason, the Lakers are officially starting the best-of-seven series against the Houston Rockets with an incomplete roster.

That’s unfortunately art of the game and now LA will be in survival mode at least for Game 1. Before we preview that, let’s quickly recap how these teams performed during the regular season.

The overview

The Lakers started the season pretty well by winning eight out of their first 10 games. They had their best month in March, when they won 15 out of 17 games. Additionally, they’ve had a top 10 offense throughout the season, led by this year’s scoring champion in Dončić, who averaged 33.5 points per game.

Similar to LA, Houston started the season winning eight out of their first 10 games.

What stood out right off the bat was their defense, which was consistently top 10 throughout the season. That’s not a surprise given their overall size and athleticism, and on top of that, they got a really productive and healthy season from Kevin Durant, who led the team in scoring with 26 points per game.

They also dealt with a few slumps during the season but managed to consistently win games to finish in fifth place.

These teams met three times in the regular season, and the Lakers won the series 2-1. The purple and gold won twice on Houston’s home floor during their superb run in March, while the latter nabbed the victory on Christmas Day.

The matchup

Considering the Lakers will be without two of their best players, the Rockets are massive favorites in this one.

There’s just no way Los Angeles can fill in the void that Dončić and Reaves left. We saw how they looked without them at the end of the season and it wasn’t the prettiest sight. The Lakers have no choice but to depend on 41-year-old LeBron James to carry the team.

This means the role players will need to step up now more than ever. Luke Kennard will take on more ball-handling duties, Jake LaRavia has to be an elite defender and Rui Hachimura has to knock down his open looks.

This group can play with enough energy and focus, but the question is whether they have the talent to keep up with the Rockets.

Fans should expect the Rockets to double down on how they’ve tried to beat the Lakers this season, which is by owning the paint.

In their three games this year, Houston has won the rebounding battle, which is why it’s not a coincidence that JJ Redick said that rebounds will be one of the biggest keys in this series.

The Rockets also ranked second in the league in paint touches this season, which is why they don’t take many 3-pointers. Look for Kevin Durant, Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard and co. to keep attacking inside.

The Lakers’ chances

It’s easy to chalk Game 1 or even this entire series already as a sure loss for the Lakers, like most NBA reporters have already done. But that’s not doing the team justice, especially after what they’ve accomplished this year.

Let’s see if the Lakers can shock the world in Game 1 on Saturday.

Notes and Updates

• For the Lakers’ injury report, Luka Dončić (left hamstring strain) and Austin Reaves (left oblique muscle strain) are out.
• As for the Rockets, Steven Adams (left ankle surgery) and Fred VanVleet (ACL surgery) are out.
• Meanwhile, Kevin Durant (right knee contusion) is questionable.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.

Game 84.

Steve Kerr, Steph Curry, Draymond Green face unknown as Warriors' season ends originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

PHOENIX – Steph Curry sat at the podium in a tiny room Friday night at Mortgage Matchup Center 45 minutes after the Warriors’ 2025-26 NBA season ended at the hands of the Phoenix Suns from a 111-96 loss in their second game of the play-in tournament. He wore a backwards Trophy Hunting Warriors hat, a white t-shirt and a red jacket that Draymond Green complimented with a laugh when it was his turn to hand over the microphone.

Curry also wore a look of confusion here and there. 

“Was he in here going crazy? Y’all are giving me some lines,” Curry said, interrupting a question about Steve Kerr’s coaching future with the Warriors, eight minutes into his press conference. 

The tone after the Warriors’ season ended completely turned to the great unknown. The unknown of how long Curry wants to keep playing and what it will take to get his right knee as healthy as possible this offseason after playing 43 regular-season games but still showing his superpowers two nights prior, extending his season for one more game. Draymond Green addressed his future, too, after such an up-and-down season that had his name in rumors ahead of the trade deadline. The spotlight shone most on their coach. 

That’s the last thing Kerr ever wants, always crediting his players, especially Curry and Green. They’ve spent 12 years together, winning four championships and making the NBA Finals six times. They’ve gone through everything players can with one coach, packing their bags to climb the mountain top over and over again, and feeling every experience along the way. 

From start to finish, Kerr expressed he’d revisit his future after the season. The day has come, and Kerr understandably and deservedly needs some time. He came into the season without a contract extension, and now even he can’t say what’s next.

He plans to use some time away to gather his thoughts, but not too long. Kerr says he’ll take a week or two and eventually sit down with Warrior owner Joe Lacob and general manager to see where they are and express where he’s at with his life and his feelings on the future of the franchise. 

“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Kerr said. “I still love coaching, but I get it. These jobs all have an expiration date. There’s a run that happens and when the run ends sometimes it’s new blood and new ideas and all that. If that’s the case, then I will be nothing but grateful for the most amazing opportunity any person could have to coach this franchise in front of our fans in the Bay. 

“To coach Steph Curry and to coach [Draymond Green], the whole group. It may still go on. It may not. I don’t know at this point. But we all need to step away a little bit and reconvene.” 

The same question anybody would ask themselves is one Kerr will have to face: Who could ever walk away from Curry, even with him now being 38 years old? 

Kerr can’t. He won’t, as long as the rest of the equation is right. 

“I don’t want to walk away from Steph,” Kerr said. “I’m definitely not going and coaching somewhere else next year in the NBA. I would never walk away from  Steph. But all this stuff has to be aligned and right.” 

Curry’s first five years in the NBA were spent being coached by Don Nelson, Keith Smart and Mark Jackson. Then came Kerr, turning a good team into a great one. Without having to say the words out loud again, Curry has made his feelings clear: he wants Kerr to remain his coach. 

He also cares much more about Steve the person than Coach Kerr being on the Warriors’ sidelines. 

“I want coach to be happy,” Curry said. “I want him to be excited about the job. I want him to believe he’s the right guy for the job. I want him to have an opportunity to enjoy what he does, whatever that means for him. Everybody’s plan is their own. I’m not going to try to tell anybody what to do.

“He knows how I feel about him. That shouldn’t even need to be said.” 

For the first two years of Green’s career, Jackson was at the helm. Now 12 years later, Green can’t imagine playing for any other coach aside from Kerr.

“No, I couldn’t,” Green said. “… I’m not really someone who likes things to change. I like pretty vanilla, status quo, keep things the same. So to have the situation I’ve had has been incredible for me, because I just don’t deal with change well. I don’t love it.

“I don’t want to think about that. I hope that’s not the case, but we’ll see.” 

As the final seconds ticked off the clock, an uncertain Kerr was certain he had something to say to his two longest tenured players. A message of love and appreciation before diving into the great unknown, knowing an answer sooner than later must be made. 

The three of them stood in a circle with Kerr’s right hand on Green’s left shoulder and his left hand placed on Curry’s right shoulder. He spoke with emotion, sure of the meaning behind the few words that needed to be said. 

“I don’t know what’s going to happen next,” Kerr began, “but I love you guys to death. Thank you.” 

Those words startled Curry. Still, a smirk cracked across his face as the special moment was remembered and asked about. 

“He left the door open,” Curry said. 

His coach has earned the right to swing it wide open or shut it completely. Change is inevitable in sports and even more so in life. Change is a fact not a feeling. 

And if Kerr’s overriding feelings are that he wants to keep coaching, Lacob needs to listen. So does Dunleavy.

Change is coming. How much is the bigger question. If this was it, let the memories win. They’ll be there forever, long after Kerr is the Warriors’ coach.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Tracy McGrady sits down with The Post’s Steve Serby for some Q&A ahead of the Knicks-Hawks playoff series:

Q: What is the key for the Knicks to reach the NBA Finals?

A: It starts on the defensive end. When they’re locked in and talking, they’re a different team. I’ve seen them have stretches where they look like a top five defense in the league, and that’s what it’s going to take. Good defense turns into better offense for this team. Offensively, they’ve got enough. It’s really just about balance. When Mikal [Bridges] gets going, it opens everything up because now you’ve got a few guys that can give you 20 any night. I like when they’ve got size on the floor too. [Karl-Anthony] Towns can space it, Mitch [Robinson] handles the paint, that’s tough to deal with.

Q: What would give you the most concern about the Knicks?

A: Consistency. Can the core five earn their minutes? You can’t come out slow in the playoffs. You get down early, now you’re chasing the game, and good teams don’t let you climb back. And defensively, teams are going to test you — they’re going to go at you and see where you’re vulnerable. If you’re not locked in, that’s where you can get exposed.

Q: What do the Knicks need from KAT to reach the Finals?

A: They need discipline and presence from him in every possession. He’s too skilled to fade in and out of games. I want to see him be aggressive, not just shooting 3s, but putting pressure on the rim, making defenses react. And defensively, just be solid. Contest, rebound, and don’t put your team in tough spots with fouls.

---

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NBA STANDINGS AND KNICKS STATS

---

Q: What would your advice to him be? Where is his confidence at?

A: For me, it’s about composure. The playoffs test your focus more than anything. Don’t force the game, don’t get caught up in emotions. Just stay locked in possession by possession. If he does that, his talent is going to show.

Q: What did you think of Mike Brown replacing Tom Thibodeau and Brown’s coaching influence this season on the Knicks?

A: It’s tough replacing a coach like Thibs, he’s established, and players respect him. I think Mike has done a solid job. He’s defensive-minded, and I like that he wasn’t afraid to use his bench and find pieces during the season. But the real evaluation is now. In the playoffs, it’s about adjustments, rotations, and how your team responds when things get tough. This is the real test.

Q: Who can be an X Factor for the Knicks?

A: Mitchell Robinson stands out. When he’s healthy and active, he impacts the game in ways you can’t teach: rim protection, offensive boards, extra possessions. But I also look at OG [Anunoby] and Bridges. OG can guard anybody on the floor, and if he’s making shots, he can get dangerous. Mikal, same thing, when he’s aggressive, he raises their ceiling.

Q: What do the Knicks need from Jalen Brunson to get to the finals?

A: They need him to control the game and be their leader. He’s proven he can deliver in big moments. Late in games, there’s going to be possessions where it’s on him to go get a bucket. But what takes them to another level is his playmaking. If he’s scoring AND getting others involved, now you’re dealing with a complete offense. If Brunson is dictating tempo and making the right reads, they’ve got a real shot.

Phoenix Suns starting center is out for tonight’s elimination game against the Golden State Warriors with left foot soreness, Phoenix Suns Insider Duane Rankin reports. According to Rankin, Williams’ left foot “flared up” in the second half of Tuesday’s 114-110 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers and contributed to why he didn’t play in the fourth quarter.

Williams missed nearly a month this season, dealing with a left foot injury after remaining mostly healthy throughout the year, averaging 12 points, eight rebounds on 64% shooting from the field. Expect Oso Ighodaro to start in his place tonight at the five, as the Suns face elimination with a loss. Grayson Allen is also listed as questionable. The guard and forward missed Tuesday’s game with a left hamstring strain.

Suns injury update: Mark Williams (left foot soreness) OUT.

Grayson Allen (left hamstring strain) QUESTIONABLE.

Game-time decision for Allen. #Suns#DubNation

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) April 18, 2026

If the Suns win, they’ll be the Western Conference’s eighth seed and face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs with game one on Sunday. Tonight’s game tips off at 7:00 local time and will be the fifth time the two teams play each other this season. Golden State won three of the four matchups.

Steve Kerr addresses plan for decision on Warriors future as contract expires originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

With their season-ending loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday night at Mortgage Matchup Center, the Warriors now shift their focus to an offseason full of questions.

Perhaps the biggest of them is the potential return of coach Steve Kerr, whose contract has now expired.

Kerr, who has won four titles as Golden State’s coach, has offered little insight into whether or not he would like to remain in his current role.

His postgame comments Friday didn’t provide much more of a hint, but it appears a decision should come fairly soon.

“My plan is to take a little time, I don’t know,” Kerr told reporters. “Take a week or two and eventually sit down and talk with [owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy]. We’ve always had a great partnership and collaboration and just see where they are and I’ll tell them where I am, and we’ll talk about what’s next for the Warriors, what the plan is this offseason. And we will come to a collaborative decision on what’s next.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen. I still love coaching, but I get it. These jobs all have an expiration date. There’s a run that happens. When the run ends, it’s sometimes it’s time for new blood and new ideas and all that. If that’s the case, then I will be just nothing but grateful for the most amazing opportunity any person could have to coach this franchise, in front of our fans in the Bay and to coach Steph Curry and coach [Draymond Green] and the whole group. So, it may still go on. It may not. I don’t know at this point. But we all need to step away a little bit and reconvene.”

Steve Kerr shares his plans for the future with his contract set to expire at the end of the season pic.twitter.com/IXM0NnKunl

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 18, 2026

It sounds as though it will be a collaborative decision as to whether or not Kerr returns, based on his words. Kerr, who will be 61 by the start of the 2026-27 NBA season, has been Golden State’s coach since 2014.

He did rule out one thing, though, when asked about walking away from Curry: coaching another NBA team.

“That’s part of the equation, right? I mean, I don’t want to walk away from Steph,” Kerr said. “I’m definitely not going and coaching somewhere else next year in the NBA. I would never walk away from Steph, but all the stuff has to be aligned and right. So, those are all discussions that we’ll have.

“That’s what I said from the beginning of the season. I felt great coming into this year. I thought we had a real chance. With Jimmy [Butler] and Moses [Moody] going down, obviously it took us off track. But we have to account for all that stuff. This is just a pheromonal organization, and Joe is a great owner, and Mike is a wonderful GM, and I’m lucky to work with them. Like I said, we’ll all put our heads together in the next couple weeks.”

Near the end of Friday’s loss in the play-in tournament, Kerr shared an emotional moment with Curry and Green, when he stated he’s unsure “what’s going to happen next.” It was a vivid image that indicated Warriors fans already might have seen the last of that historic trio together in action.

"I don't know what's going to happen next, but I love you guys to death." 🥹pic.twitter.com/xFPazOjSOn

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 18, 2026

And now, it seems as though Dub Nation only can wait and see as a resolution to this saga is determined.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers are set to meet for the 23rd time in the NBA playoffs on Sunday, reigniting one of the league’s most historic rivalries. To coach Joe Mazzulla, this Sixers team in particular presents a challenge for the C’s.

“Philly’s a great team, as you saw throughout the season, and to get to this point with all the injuries that they’ve had and to be where they are now, it’s gonna be a tough test for us,” Mazzulla told reporters at Friday’s practice, per CLNS Media. “We gotta be ready for it.”

To secure a playoff spot, the Sixers overcame the challenge of turning a shorthanded roster into a contender. Both Joel Embiid and Paul George played less than half of the regular season, forcing coach Nick Nurse to adapt. Guard Tyrese Maxey inherited the No. 1 role, averaging a career-high 28.3 points across 70 starts, while rookie V.J. Edgecombe averaged 16 points on 43.8 percent shooting in 75 starts.

Obviously, playing without two of your top three players isn’t ideal. However, as Mazzulla explained, the Sixers managed to find a silver lining in what many would consider a throwaway season.

“With those guys out throughout the season, their role players have been able to develop into big-time roles,” Mazzulla said. “With the way (Kelly) Oubre’s playing, (Andre) Drummond has been playing, (Adem) Bona has gotten better and better, (Quentin) Grimes off the bench — so I think they’re a very, very well-balanced team. I think they’re playing some of their best basketball as they get healthier and healthier, and obviously they’re a well-coached team.”

Philadelphia snuck into the play-in tournament and defeated the Orlando Magic on Wednesday without Embiid, who underwent emergency surgery last week after being diagnosed with appendicitis.

For the time being, there isn’t a definitive timetable for Embiid’s return. Nurse announced Friday that Embiid is officially ruled out for Game 1 against the Celtics and didn’t address whether a return at any point throughout the series is still in play.

Drummond, in his 14th season, came off the bench and notched a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double in 31 minutes during Philadelphia’s play-in victory. He and Bona combined for six blocks against Orlando, helping fill the void of Embiid’s absence in a way the Celtics will have to account for in Round 1.

“Those other guys have developed to impact winning, and they’re a well-balanced team because of that,“ Mazulla added.

It’s a similar situation to what Boston dealt with, playing its first 62 games without Jayson Tatum. The Sixers went 21–23 without Embiid, but the ups and downs allowed others to figure out what Nurse would need from them in order to succeed. Nurse admitted after their win over the Magic that the process “wasn’t pretty,” but it was still enough to get the Sixers to this point and give themselves a chance.

Twice in the regular season, Nurse’s Sixers beat Mazzulla’s Celtics across four meetings. Philadelphia was without Embiid in two of those games and did not have George in any of them.

The Celtics have the upper hand in having not played since their regular-season finale this past Sunday. Their starters, all of whom sat out, haven’t played since last Friday. With plenty of time to rest and prepare, Mazzulla is focused on making sure Boston begins its postseason run the right way.

“Game 1s of any series are always important,” Mazzulla said. “You want to get off to a great start. You want to have your game plan right. You want to have your sub-pattern right. You want to be able to execute. You want to make sure all the things you’ve been working on all week are there.

“At the same time, every series takes on a life of its own. So we want to be at our best by Game 1, but we also want to be in the mind frame of however long it takes, we’re gonna sit in this. We’re playing against a great team, so whatever we have to do, we have to be ready to do it.”

What Steve Kerr told Steph, Draymond during emotional hug late in Warriors' loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

With just over a minute left in the Warriors’ season-ending loss Friday to the Phoenix Suns in the NBA play-in tournament, Steve Kerr gathered stars Steph Curry and Draymond Green.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen next, but I love you guys to death. Thank you,” Kerr told them, as he put his arms around the two players with whom he won four NBA championships over 12 seasons.

"I don't know what's going to happen next, but I love you guys to death." 🥹pic.twitter.com/xFPazOjSOn

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 18, 2026

Could this be the last time we see these three together? pic.twitter.com/qshwHpphFz

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 18, 2026

“I appreciate you,” Green responded, shortly before he was ejected due to a verbal spat with Suns star Devin Booker.

Friday night could be the last time we see Kerr, Green and Curry together for an NBA game in their current roles.

Kerr, 60, just finished up the last season of his contract as Golden State’s coach, and his future is yet to be decided.

In his postgame presser, Kerr offered little more clarity, saying he’ll spend the next week or two reflecting before meeting with the Warriors’ ownership and front office to make a decision.

Steve Kerr on his coaching future with the Warriors: “I don’t know what’s going to happen. I still love coaching. But I get it. These jobs all have an expiration date.”

Kerr says he’ll take a week or two to reflect pic.twitter.com/8CToBNcS9m

— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) April 18, 2026

Meanwhile, Green has a player option for the 2026-27 NBA season, and Curry has one more year left on his contract.

If this is the last of this trio, it certainly wasn’t a storybook ending to their partnership. But it definitely is a union that will go down as one of the most influential in NBA history.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

The Lakers have a tall task in front of them, trying to beat the Rockets with their biggest stars, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, out indefinitely. With Luka dealing with a hamstring strain and Reaves out with a Grade 2 oblique strain, the team doesn’t expect either to be available for the first round.

However, beyond that, nothing is certain. So, Lakers head coach JJ Redick stressed at Friday’s practice before Game 1 that the goal remains the same: extend the season so that Luka and Austin have something to come back to.

“The mindset for our team, and for those two guys, we’re going to try to make this season as long as possible, so that we can get those guys back at some point,” Redick said. “We don’t know when that is. That’s our job, and their job is to do everything they can to be in a position to come back at some point. It may not work. But that’s what we’re trying to do.”

To win playoff games shorthanded, it’s going to take a total effort from the purple and gold. Some keys the team has identified have been outrebounding Houston, limiting turnovers and establishing physicality from the jump.

Players like Rui Hachimura and Marcus Smart have also stressed the importance of winning Game 1 and protecting their home-court advantage.

The Lakers worked all season to be a higher seed, and even with Reaves and Dončić out, they can’t be crestfallen. The ultimate goal of winning a title is still on the table, and until it’s off, there is a chance.

LA doesn’t have many experts who believe they can overcome the odds, and they’ll be underdogs in this series. However, the rewards of extending their season are massive. Luka and Austin don’t have serious injuries, relatively speaking.

So, if the Lakers can buy them some time, they can still return and pick up right where they left off. It feels like ancient history, but when the Lakers were healthy in March, they went 15-2 and were one of the hottest teams in the NBA.

There’s still a chance that we see that team again this postseason.

The biggest question is whether LA can win enough to bring back that iteration of the Lakers. We’re going to begin finding out this Saturday when their series against Houston begins.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

The elephant in the room for the Lakers as they enter the playoffs has been, and will continue to be, the status of their starting backcourt, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

Both are out because of injuries — Doncic with a grade 2 left hamstring strain and Reaves with a grade 2 left oblique strain — and neither is expected to play in the best-of-seven, first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets that begins Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at Crypto.com Arena.

After practice Friday, coach JJ Redick was quick to say “there’s not” when asked about an update on Doncic and Reaves.

After Doncic and Reaves were injured on April 2 at Oklahoma City, the Lakers said both would be out until the end of the regular season. According to people not authorized to speak on the matter, both are expected to be out four to six weeks.

Doncic went to Spain to get treatment, and Reaves has been working diligently in L.A., with the hope that they can return sooner.

The Lakers miss their combined output of 56.8 points, 13.8 assists and 12.4 rebounds per game. Doncic led the NBA in scoring (33.5) and was third in assists (8.3); he was second on the Lakers in rebounding (7.7).

Read more:Swanson: Can LeBron James pull off his second-greatest playoff feat?

During the week of practice, Reaves was around his teammates and seen shooting after a few practices. He appeared to be in good spirits. Doncic was supposed to be back by Friday.

"We love having Austin here and we're glad he is in a position to do his return-to-play [work], however long it takes with us,” Redick said. “Excited to get Luka back and be around the group. Austin and I talk just about every day about different things. So he's … just being a part of this. …

"The mindset for our team and for those two guys, like we're gonna try to make this season as long as possible so that we can get those guys back at some point. We don't know what that is, and that's just our job. And their job is to do everything they can to be in a position to come back at some point. It may not work, but that's what we're trying to do.”

The theme of the Lakers' week at practice was to “elevate” their work.

Yes, they won’t have Doncic and Reaves, but that didn’t mean the Lakers couldn’t work harder.

When they worked on box-out drills in preparation for the way the Rockets attack the offensive boards, the Lakers went hard. When they watched film and had practice sessions, the Lakers worked with a purpose.

"The word we've used all week is 'elevate.' I think that's what it is,” Redick said. “We all know the playoffs are different. They're harder. There's no easy matchups, and you have to be able to elevate your play. But beyond that, it's elevating your recovery, your attention to detail, your preparation.

Read more:'He knows the most': How LeBron James sets the tone for Lakers entering playoffs

"I talked about that with my coaches as we started this week on Monday morning. It was an off day for the guys, but we were in there for six hours and we've all collectively gotta elevate. And particularly when you're missing two of your top guys, part of elevating is elevating each other and the belief that the group as a whole can be great.”

The Rockets are a tough and rugged team that is good on defense and at rebounding.

They ranked fourth in the NBA in points given up (110.0) and tied for fifth in opponents' field-goal percentage (46.0). They were tops in rebounding (48.1) and offensive rebounds (15.0).

That has the Lakers’ attention and is why they worked so hard during practice.

“It’s been great. The level of focus and attention to detail, the communication, everything has been elevated,” forward Jarred Vanderbilt said. “We’ve got a lot of guys that’s been to the playoffs and know what it takes.

"Like you said, everything elevates around this time and having a veteran group that’s kind of been there and had a taste of the playoffs, we all know what it takes to win games in the playoffs. It’s everybody going out and doing their job and paying attention to the game plan.”

Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Post’s experts give their Knicks-Hawks predications:

Stefan Bondy

The Hawks have playoff unknowns in Jalen Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu and Dyson Daniels, so their reaction to the pressure — and to the intense atmosphere of Game 1 at MSG — is a wild card. They could rise to the occasion. They could shrink. Either way, the Knicks are more talented and that will carry them to victory.

Prediction: Knicks in 6

Zach Braziller

This won’t be easy. Like the Pistons in the first round a year ago, the on-the-rise Hawks will give the Knicks problems, stealing Game 2 at MSG and forcing a winner-take-all Game 7. In the end, Jalen Brunson and Co. do just enough to advance.

Prediction: Knicks in 7

Jared Schwartz

The Knicks almost certainly got a harder matchup with the surging, upstart Hawks than they would’ve with the Raptors. The Hawks are athletic, long, fast and full of belief. But much of their rise came against lowly opposition. And the Knicks should be far more talented with far more experience. The Hawks can hang around, but the Knicks should put them away with relative ease.

Prediction: Knicks in 5

Mike Vaccaro

Maybe I’ll be proven wrong but I don’t buy the Hawks’ late-season surge as anything much more than the byproduct of fortunate scheduling. I try to find an area that I’d give the Hawks the advantage. I don’t see one.

Prediction: Knicks in 5

One by one, Knicks player after Knicks player echoed the same sentiment — they will be judged on what comes next, not on the regular season. 

That rings true for Mikal Bridges as much as anyone. 

Last year, his largely underwhelming regular season was mostly forgotten when he made some of the biggest plays during the Knicks’ playoff run.

There was the steal on Jaylen Brown in the final seconds of overtime to seal Game 1 of the second round against the Celtics.

There was the steal on Jayson Tatum in the final seconds to seal Game 2 of that series.

There was his game-tying tip-in with 35.1 seconds left in Game 6 of the first round against the Pistons, a game in which he scored 25 points. 

“Playoffs are fun and real amped up and a lot of aggression, a lot of thinking,” Bridges told The Post earlier this month. “It’s just fun being in those games. The crowd and everything just goes up another level. So it’s always fun playing playoff games. Just trying to do whatever it takes to win.” 

Does he feel like he raises his game in the postseason? 

“I would want to,” Bridges said. “I feel like every player would want to. I just try to be the best I can be and try to do whatever it takes to help the team win.” 

Bridges is on the receiving end of more criticism than anyone on the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns is probably a close second, but Bridges tops the list, given the five first-round picks the Knicks traded to get him. 

His regular-season output — offensively, at least — has not matched that trade haul. But he’s been vocal about sacrificing offensively for the betterment of the team.

It’s something that Josh Hart voiced support for to The Post, claiming that Bridges could score more if he got more shots, but that’s not what he’s been asked to do. 

Coach Mike Brown has been clear in the offensive hierarchy — Jalen Brunson first, Karl-Anthony Towns second, everybody else after that. And usually it’s OG Anunoby coming in third, so that makes Bridges the fourth option.

If that’s what you compare him to — the different fourth options around the league — rather than his trade compensation, his output looks much stronger. 

“Sacrifice for your brothers,” Bridges said after practice Friday. “… Putting your body on the line, doing whatever it takes to make the play to help your teammates out.” 

Fourth option or not, Bridges has shown the ability to make game-changing plays regardless of how he performs beforehand. On a veteran Knicks team, he has as much playoff experience as anyone. 

“That’s kind of what I’ve known,” Bridges said. “It’s kind of my DNA.” 

Draymond Green, Devin Booker ejected in final moments of Warriors' play-in loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green wasn’t on the floor for the Warriors’ season-ending loss in the NBA play-in tournament to the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.

That’s because Green, along with Suns star Devin Booker, was ejected after the two exchanged heated words in the game’s closing moments.

The Warriors forward already had fouled out of Friday’s game at the 1:06 mark in the fourth quarter. During the ensuing dead ball, Green and Booker earned a double technical, but that didn’t appear to put an end to their jawing. Just after the ball was inbounded — only two seconds of game time later — referee Scott Foster tossed them both.

Once Foster directed him to the showers, Green immediately responded by imitating his ejection, before egging on the antagonistic Phoenix crowd as he walked to the locker room:

Draymond Green and Devin Booker were both ejected at the end of the game 😳 pic.twitter.com/KJ1NYdvvyR

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 18, 2026

It was a frustrating night for Green, who finished with as many points as turnovers (five), in addition to his six personal fouls and a minus-13 rating.

Shortly before his exit, Green shared an intimate moment on the court with coach Steve Kerr and teammate Steph Curry, the three longtime tenets of the Golden State dynasty over the last 12 seasons.

Could this be the last time we see these three together? pic.twitter.com/qshwHpphFz

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 18, 2026

In some ways, it’s a fitting end to the Warriors’ 2025-26 season, one that had some hope, but also was filled with injuries and plenty of other maddening moments.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast