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The New York Knicks are in a must-win situation tonight when they visit State Farm Arena and the Atlanta Hawks in Game 4 of their first-round Eastern Conference NBA matchup with the Atlanta Hawks. 

Our Knicks vs. Hawks predictions and NBA picks are high on the Knicks beating the Hawks on Saturday, April 25.

Who will win Knicks vs Hawks Game 4?

Knicks win probability:54% (-113)
Hawks win probability:47% (+113)

The New York Knicks are in a must-win situation, and they'll need to find a way to beat the Atlanta Hawks on the road. The Knicks beat the Hawks in Atlanta twice during the regular season, and they are short favorites tonight with a 53% chance of victory. 

Our prediction:Knicks to win

A win for New York makes this a best-of-three series with home court advantage, but a loss means the Knicks will need to win three straight. After coming up just shy in Games 2 and 3, I expect the Knicks to play with urgency and get the job done on the road before coming back to the Garden.

Read more in Zak Hanshew's full Knicks vs. Hawks predictions.

More Knicks vs Hawks prediction markets

You're certainly not limited to the main game outcome for Knicks vs. Hawks at Kalshi; you also have options to trade on the spread, total, and more, among other NBA odds markets.

You can buy either side of a market — for example, "Yes" on the Knicks -2.5 spread means the Knicks will cover, while "No" means the Hawks will cover — with each side priced based on the implied probability (which can be converted to American, Decimal, or Fraction odds using the Covers odds converter).

Knicks vs Hawks spread and total at prediction markets

Our predictions:Knicks -2.5 — Yes and Over 214.5 points — Yes

This hasn’t been a high-scoring series, but the point totals keep creeping down, and we can find value in the Over. Three of six games between these teams have gone for at least 215 points, and two more went for 213.

Game 3 totaled 217 points despite two of New York’s starters combining for just two points. I’ll bet the Over as New York gets back on track offensively.

Other Knicks vs Hawks prediction markets available

• Dyson Daniels 10+ points (Yes: 50¢)
• Jalen Brunson 25+ points (Yes: 65¢)
• Mikal Bridges 10+ (Yes: 59¢)

What is Kalshi and how does it work?

Kalshi is a federally regulated U.S. exchange where you trade directly on the outcome of real-world future events. Instead of traditional bets, you trade "Event Contracts" which are simple Yes/No questions like "Will the Hawks win tonight?" These events are priced between $0.01 and $0.99, and the prices reflect the market’s estimated probability of that event occurring. For instance, $0.55 equals a 55% chance. If your prediction is correct, the contract pays out exactly $1.00; if not, it settles at $0. Kalshi is essentially a stock market for reality.

How does Kalshi differ from sportsbooks?

In a sportsbook, you bet against the bookmaker, who sets fixed odds and takes a "vig," which is a kind of commission. On Kalshi, you trade against other users. This peer-to-peer model means prices are driven by supply and demand, often resulting in fairer odds. Additionally, because these are financial derivatives, you can exit your position early. If your team takes a 14-point lead, the contract price will rise, allowing you to sell your "Yes" shares for a profit before the final whistle even blows.

Why should I wager on Knicks vs Hawks at Kalshi?

Kalshi offers four unique advantages over traditional sportsbooks:

1. Flexibility: Unlike a "locked-in" bet, you can sell your contract at any time.
   
   
2. Transparency: You trade against other users, which can allow you to find better value.
   
   
3. Federal regulation: As a CFTC-regulated exchange, your funds are held in a secure, transparent environment.
   
   
4. Availability: Kalshi is available in 49 states (excluding Nevada) and D.C., including many regions where traditional sportsbooks aren't yet legal.

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When Jamison Battle scored his first two points nearly one minute into the fourth quarter, the Toronto Raptors caught a glimpse of something intriguing. 

Over the course of the final frame, the Raptors continued to slow-drip Battle into more actions, before eventually unlocking a new page of the offensive playbook. By the final buzzer, Battle proved that he was worth investing possession equity in.

If the Raptors can build on what Battle provides – and afford to keep him on the court – then it’s not an exaggeration to believe that the Cleveland Cavaliers have a problem. 

Here’s a closer look at what Battle does to warp the defence and what he can do to stay in games.

Let’s begin with what the endgame looks like. The frame below shows what the Raptors might view as their most ideal ‘10’ on the court. The ten on the floor didn’t materialize by accident. It’s a byproduct of a series of actions that the Cavaliers struggled with.

Ultimately, Cleveland can’t hide Donovan Mitchell. Even if the Cavaliers go with Dean Wade instead of Max Strus, Toronto can attempt to drag Mitchell into a screening action with any of Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett or Battle.

We’ll come back to this, but let’s break down how we got here.

Here’s the aforementioned possession that led to Battle’s first bucket. Toronto tries to get Mitchell involved twice, with an on-ball and an off-ball screen. The Raptors eventually decide to force the issue and set up a right-wing pick-and-roll (PnR) with Scottie Barnes and Battle.

Mitchell traps the ball, Battle slips to the basket for a push shot.

The Raptors go back to it again, this time seemingly by chance because of Barnes’ offensive rebound. Setting up in the left corner, they force Mitchell to deal with a Battle screen again. This time, Mitchell switches onto Barnes and fouls him on the drive.

The next sequence that involves Battle and Barnes is also the play that convinced the Cavaliers to try other defenders. This is a baseline-out-of-bounds action that also incorporates the brick wall that is Collin Murray-Boyles. By the end of the movement, Battle knocks down his first three-pointer.

Cleveland subsequently goes with Harden as the primary defender for a handful of possessions.

With Battle heating up, the Cavaliers immediately attempt to put out the fire by attacking him on the other end (more on that later). But with Harden spending an exorbitant amount of energy isolating on offence, he isn’t able to get back in semi-transition, resulting in Battle’s second triple.

This forces Cleveland’s hand again, and this time, the coaching staff call on Keon Ellis.

Even with Ellis on Battle, Toronto is intent on keeping the sharpshooter involved. In this sequence, he’s responsible for freeing up Barnes, possibly with the intent of attacking Mitchell again. Instead, Jamal Shead goes to Murray-Boyles, who then bullies Evan Mobley. This is significant because it’s the Raptors’ response to the Cavaliers going small. Barrett ducks past Harden and gets two points.

Moments later, the Cavaliers make a few personnel changes and opt to go with Strus on Battle. As long as Barrett is on the floor, it’s an easy decision to put him in a PnR with Barnes to bring Harden into the play. The Raptors score here.

On the very next possession, Cleveland hedges its bet on Shead being less destructive. The Cavaliers move Harden off Barrett and onto Shead. Due to an auto-switch, Barnes gets an easy post-up, which results in two more points.

And that brings everything back to the original frame. With the Cavaliers having trouble with Barnes and Murray-Boyles’ physicality, they deploy both Jarrett Allen and Mobley late. That means Mitchell has to defend Battle or Barrett. For some reason, Mitchell traps Barnes up top after the screen, which results in an open three for Battle.

It’s beneficial to also highlight how the Raptors can keep Battle on the court. Despite his tendency to go nuclear anytime he sees a Cavaliers jersey, there has to be a reason why Battle struggled to find minutes during the regular-season. The film – and assumption – leads the analysis towards his defence.

After Battle hit his first three-pointer, Cleveland attacked him six times on the opposite end and scored nine points on 80 per cent shooting. The lone miss came on a wide-open Jaylon Tyson three-point attempt from the right corner. All six possessions involved Battle guarding Ellis.

With Harden generating quality offence, the Raptors leaned on an assortment of point-of-attack defenders in Barrett, Shead, Barnes and Murray-Boyles. Cleveland also leveraged this advantage off-ball when the Raptors tried to top-lock Mitchell. How Battle fares on the defensive side – particularly in on-ball sequences – over the course of four quarters will have a major impact on game four.

It’s also fascinating that when all three of Harden, Mitchell and Strus were on the court, they didn’t attack Battle. At least for the end of game three, it seemed like the Cavaliers valued Strus as a corner shooter, weren’t thrilled with the idea of having Mitchell or Harden turn into a spot-up shooter from the wing, or chose to keep things hidden with the game nearly out-of-reach.

The Raptors’ hot-shooting could regress to the mean. That’s a likely outcome. But assuming that doesn’t swing too violently the other way, how the Cavaliers scheme their way out of this new Battle plot twist will be one of the key storylines headed into game four.

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For the second game in a row, the Knicks were down by one when the final buzzer went off, and now face a series deficit heading into tonight’s Game 4.

Atlanta came on strong early in Thursday’s Game 3, which they ended up winning 109-108. Jalen Johnson finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks and Jonathan Kuminga scored a huge 21 points off the bench.

The Knicks took a 108–105 lead following a clutch three-point play by Jalen Brunson with just over a minute remaining, but with 12.5 seconds left, Atlanta’s CJ McCollum scored the game-winner.

Now, the Knicks are down 1-2 in the best-of-seven series heading into tonight’s Game 4.

The Knicks and Hawks head back to New York for Game 5 on Tuesday, April 28.

Knicks vs. Hawks start time:

Knicks vs. Hawks Game 3 is scheduled to begin tonight, April 25, at 6 p.m. ET.

How to watch Knicks vs. Hawks for free:

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the game for free.

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes NBC (plus every other channel you’ll need for the NBA season, including local channels). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $44.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.

You can also tune in to tonight’s Knicks game with fubo’s Pro or Sports and News plans. Live TV plans from fubo start at $44.99 and also include a five-day free trial.

Knicks-Hawks first-round playoff schedule

• Game 1:Knicks 113, Hawks 102
• Game 2: Knicks 106, Hawks 107
• Game 3: Knicks 108, Hawks 109
• Game 4: April 25, 6 p.m. ET (NBC)
• Game 5: April 28, 8 p.m. ET (NBC)
• Game 6: April 30*
• Game 7: May 2*

* if necessary

NBA Playoffs key dates:

• April 18: NBA Playoffs First Round begins
• June 3: Game 1 of the NBA Finals

Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.

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The Toronto Raptors are alive and kicking in this first-round series, and they’ll try to pull level with the Cleveland Cavaliers in Sunday’s Game 4.

Toronto found a winning formula down the stretch of Thursday’s win, and my Cavaliers vs. Raptors predictions and NBA picks point to Scottie Barnes being a thorn in Cleveland’s side again as the hosts’ best scoring threat.

Cavaliers vs Raptors prediction

Who will win Cavaliers vs Raptors Game 4?

Cleveland: It would have been hard to imagine the Raptors winning back-to-back games in this series after the way they played in Games 1 and 2. Donovan Mitchell will be much better, and Cleveland will put Toronto back on the ropes.

Cavaliers vs Raptors best bet: Scottie Barnes Over 20.5 points (+100)

The Toronto Raptors have been on the back foot in this series with Brandon Ingram’s slump and Immanuel Quickley’s hamstring injury, but Scottie Barnes is doing his part to wrestle back control from the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Barnes was everywhere in Game 3, with 33 points, 11 assists, and relentless defense to slow down Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, and he’s gone past this points prop number in all three contests so far.

After two off days to recharge, look for Scottie to lead the charge again on Sunday, and one of the advantages of taking assignments on the Cleveland backcourt is that Mitchell or Harden can get stuck guarding him at the other end of the floor.

Though Barnes is most comfortable as a playmaker, the Toronto game plan has shoved him into a bigger scoring role. He’s averaging 26.7 PPG in the series on 54% shooting, and I expect Darko Rajakovic to squeeze another 40-minute shift out of the Raptors’ main man.

The Cavs defense has made stopping Ingram its No.1 focus, and that’s put Barnes in positions to attack one-on-one matchups. He was a +23 in 35 minutes on Thursday, and I’m penciling him in for more scoring spurts in a battle the Raptors can’t afford to lose.

Cavaliers vs Raptors same-game parlay

Coming off a Game 3 performance well below his usual high standards, Donovan Mitchell is a prime bounce-back candidate here. Spida had poured in 30+ points in four straight outings before a quiet night on Thursday, and his 3-point shooting is a natural spark for his stat lines.

Though Barnes has given Toronto a lifeline in this series, the Cavs can lean on more playoff experience and a larger pool of counters, so I’ll lay the small spread and trust in the visitors’ 7-2 SU mark in their last nine contests. Cleveland has also put together a healthy 25-17 record on the road this season.

Cavaliers vs Raptors SGP

• Cavaliers -3.5
• Donovan Mitchell Over 26.5 points
• Donovan Mitchell Over 2.5 threes

Our "from downtown" SGP: Mobley Magic!

Evan Mobley feasted in the paint in the opening two games of this series, and he’s an X-factor for Sunday. You can’t argue with the recent stats – he’s ended up with 17+ points in four of his last six outings, and he averaged 20 PPG in March.

Sharing the floor with Jarrett Allen can sometimes pull Mobley further from the rim, but there are still ample opportunities to pad his rebounding tally when he’s the lone big man on the floor for Cleveland.

Mobley was ninth in the NBA with 9.0 RPG during the regular season.

Cavaliers vs Raptors SGP

• Evan Mobley Over 16.5 points
• Evan Mobley Over 8.5 rebounds
• Donovan Mitchell Over 2.5 threes
• Cavaliers -3.5

Cavaliers vs Raptors odds for Game 4

• Spread: Cavaliers -3.5 | Raptors +3.5
• Moneyline: Cavaliers -165 | Raptors +140
• Over/Under: Over 220.5 | Under 220.5

Cavaliers vs Raptors betting trend to know

The Under is 50-32 for the Raptors this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Raptors.

How to watch Cavaliers vs Raptors Game 4

Cavaliers vs Raptors latest injuries

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Sixers list Embiid as doubtful, Oubre as questionable for Game 4 vs. Celtics  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers added Kelly Oubre Jr. to their injury report Saturday night going into Game 4 of their first-round playoff series vs. the Celtics.

Along with Joel Embiid (appendectomy recovery), who was again officially classified as doubtful, the Sixers listed Oubre as questionable with “right adductor soreness.”

Oubre’s carried a large load in the series, including a 40-minute outing Friday night as the Sixers lost to the Celtics and fell into a 2-1 series deficit. He’s guarded both Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum and averaged 13.0 points and 6.0 rebounds. Following a career-best three-point shooting season, Oubre’s gone just 3 for 15 (20 percent) beyond the arc through three games.

“I’m just trying to be steady and solid,” he said after the Sixers’ film session Saturday. “And when my opportunity presents itself, I’m fully confident in what I can do. I’m going to continue to keep a positive mindset and just go out there and be myself. I have a pretty heavy load on defense but at the end of the day, I’m a two-way player. … I just want to bring myself to the game and help my team win.”

In the event Oubre is unable to play or can’t handle the same volume of minutes, Justin Edwards and Dominick Barlow would appear in line for increased playing time. Barlow was out of the Sixers’ Game 3 rotation. 

Embiid’s status is certainly subject to change ahead of Sunday night’s Game 4.

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse suggested that Sunday morning’s shootaround might be a significant step. Embiid participated in parts of the Sixers’ practice Thursday and has clearly been trending up in recent days. He underwent his appendectomy on April 9. 

“He’s on court right now doing individual work,” Nurse said of Embiid. “Like I said before, he’s working as hard as he can to get back. We just need to see how it goes today and tomorrow morning, and then maybe we’ll know more toward the end of shootaround tomorrow.”

Though both Adem Bona and Andre Drummond have had good moments in the series, they haven’t come close to replicating Embiid’s presence. On top of Embiid’s diverse offensive game, the Sixers have missed his rim protection defensively. 

“It’s a different ball game, having someone like that back in the series,” Bona said Friday. “It’s a huge advantage for us. I’m just excited to see him back on the floor again.”

The Detroit Pistons have dominated one quarter, won two others, and been on the wrong side of five quarters. That has allowed the Pistons to even up the series with the Orlando Magic at one game apiece, but by no means should the Pistons be happy with their performance so far. Cade Cunningham has been brilliant, the defense has mostly been good, but Detroit is leaving a lot on the table. Jalen Duren has noticeably struggled, the team has committed way too many turnovers, and secondary scorers aren’t doing enough scoring. The Pistons are looking to rectify that in hostile territory tonight in Orlando. Detroit has been playing tough on the road all year, so there is no reason they can’t submit a dominating performance and truly turn this series around. But we can’t just hand wave this team’s struggles. They are just as capable of surrendering a bunch of threes, not slowing down Paolo Banchero, and getting blown out in front of a raucous crowd. Which Detroit Pistons team is going to show up tonight? We’re about to find out.

Game Vitals 

When: 1 p.m. ET
Where: Kia Center, Orlando, Florida
Watch: NBC/Peacock
Odds: Pistons -2.5

Projected Lineups

Detroit Pistons (1-1)

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Orlando Magic (1-1)

Jalen Suggs, Desmond Bane, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr.

Coming off a heartbreaking Game 2 loss this past Tuesday, the Spurs traveled to Portland to take on the Trail Blazers for Game 3. Victor Wembanyama was ruled out due to concussion protocol. After a back-and-forth first half, the Spurs found themselves down by six going into the third quarter. The Blazers looked to be in control and built a 17-point lead. However, Dylan Harper helped kickstart a 21-5 run to end the quarter, only down by one. In the fourth, Harper and Stephon Castle took over. Behind key stops from Carter Bryant and others, the Spurs began putting the pressure on Portland. Castle and Harper each traded buckets every time the Blazers failed to capitalize on offense. They were both simply unguardable. To close the game, Devin Vassell, Luke Kornet, and De’Aaron Fox sprinkled the finishing touches on a 120-108 victory to go up 2-1 in the series.

Stephon Castle led the way with 33 points (10-18 FG, 3-4 3PT, 10-11 FT), five assists, two rebounds, and a steal. Steph delivered one of the quieter 30+ point playoff games of all time. 19 of his 33 came in the first half, and he complemented Dylan’s scoring in the second half. He was efficient from the field, from three-point land, and from the free-throw line. Steph continues to slash his way no matter who steps in front of him, and he is not afraid to attempt tough contested midrange jumpers. A performance like this is a great sign for the Spurs for not only for this series, but for the foreseeable future.

ALLEY-LUKE! Steph fights his way into the paint and finds a cutting Luke on the lob connection!

CASH. Steph knocks down his first of three three-pointers in the game!

Flying to the cup! After the CB block, Steph takes the pass from Keldon Johnson and sprints up the floor for the finish between two Blazers!

TOUGH BUCKET. Steph gets fouled while shooting a midrange jumper, and it swishes through the net for the and-one!

DAGGER! Steph finds Luke for another alley-oop late in the fourth!

Dylan Harper dropped 27 points (9-12 FG, 4-5 3PT, 5-6 FT), 10 rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a block. Here are a few records that Dylan broke with his performance: Dylan (age 20) is the second-youngest player to score 20+ points off the bench in a playoff game (youngest – Kobe Bryant, age 18). He is also the youngest player in NBA history to score 25+ points in a playoff game. Dylan was having himself a decent game until the third quarter, when a switch flipped. After Scoot Henderson scored on Dylan, Henderson talked trash to Dylan, which resulted in a technical foul. Dylan took that energy and fueled his team. He exploded in the fourth quarter and emerged as the young star this team drafted him to be. He was uber-efficient from the field with a true shooting percentage of 92%. While Spurs fans are excited about Steph, they should be even more excited about Dylan’s potential.

Smooth as silk. Dyl spins off of Jerami Grant and finishes with a scoop layup!

Don’t jump! Dyl fakes out Donovan Clingan with a pump fake and drives in with a layup by switching his hands in midair!

HARP3R! Dyl drains his fourth three by catching the pass from Fox in the corner while in front of the Blazers’ bench!

UNGUARDABLE! Dyl leads the charge by spinning off of Jrue Holiday and finishing off glass in front of Henderson!

POSTER ALERT! Dyl drives past Henderson and yams all over Robert Williams III!

Bonus highlight: Luke drained his first three of the season at the end of the first quarter! Luke finished with a double-double: 14 points and 10 rebounds to go along with two assists and two blocks.

All in all, this was a hard-fought and gutty victory for the Spurs. Fox pitched in 18, Dev pitched in 11, Julian pitched in 9, and CB made hustle plays on both ends with three blocks. The emergence of both Steph and Dylan powered this team to a victory, and the series outlook has shifted to a less stressful time for Spurs fans. Wemby will be questionable for Sunday, but even if he does not play, look for the young guards to continue putting the rest of the playoff field on notice. Oh, but if Wemby plays, the outlook becomes even less stressful for the silver and black.

Finally, here are the full game highlights.

Game 4 is this Sunday at 2:30 P.M. (CST) on ESPN.

It’s widely regarded that a series doesn’t begin until a team loses at home. In that sense, the Lakers got the series started on Friday.

The purple and gold secured a win inside what looked to be a half-filled stadium for Houston’s playoff opener, taking advantage of late blunders from the Rockets to end regulation to grab a commanding 3-0 series lead.

​Both Kevin Durant and Austin Reaves, game-time decisions, were ruled out before tip-off. It set the stage for both teams to rely on “the others” to fill in for them.

LA, as they’ve done in recent weeks, leaned on the veteran Marcus Smart. He once again stepped right in to contribute everywhere on the floor and has entered legendary Lakers’ role player status in an improbably short time.

It’s no secret that without Reaves and Luka Dončić, the Lakers are in need of a massive uptick in on-ball creation. Smart has shouldered much of the burden and thrived, making all sorts of passes with timely shots in this series.

The playoffs consist of finding and exploiting matchups. Following just 11 minutes in Game 2, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka went back to young guard Reed Sheppard in a desperate search for offense. His reluctance to play the third overall pick in 2024 stems from defensive trust, where LA hunted him to no end, just as they did in Game 1.

​No matter where Houston tried to hide him, Smart made sure to call his man over to involve him in the action.

​In the first quarter, they tried to place him on Rui Hachimura. Watch below as Smart runs the action with Sheppard looking to “show” or “hedge”— disrupt the ball handler’s attack while recovering back to his man — but Smart cleverly drives forcing two to pick him up, leaving Hachimura wide open for a 3-pointer.

Smart connected on three different alley-oops. He’s become a force downhill, engaging the opposing big man before throwing it up to his teammate.

In an adjustment from Game 1, the Rockets had defenders go under his screen roll, looking to bait him into jump shots. But Smart ate up the space with his straight-line drives and found his bigs, as shown in the clip below.

After two excellent scoring games, the Rockets paid extra resources to slow down guard Luke Kennard. The Lakers simply shifted their offense to Smart and LeBron James, the players with the most playoff experience on the roster, for the majority of the second half.

Smart found LeBron on a pick-and-pop 3-pointer and a clutch lob late to pull the Lakers back within two points with under two minutes left.

At the end of the day, legacies and legends are made in crunch time.

A LeBron miss keeps LA down six with just under 30 seconds remaining. Smart, who seemingly was the only Laker still playing, stunts at Jabari Smith in the clip below and forces a game-changing steal. He immediately gets fouled on a 3-point attempt, knocking down all three free throws.

“Just make a play,” Smart said postgame. “My instincts, right? We knew that they were going to try to ice the game, right, and we needed to make a play. Just using my instincts. Jabari Smith, I think it was him who made the pass, I just kind of stunted to see what he does. Now, he’s in no man’s land and he threw a lofted pass for me to recover and I got it.

“As I looked up at the clock, I saw Tate running really fast and I’m like, ‘He’s probably not going to be able to stop in time.’ So I just pulled up right away and he ran right under me. It was a smart play. That’s part of being a vet and my vet savvy. Being in my league for 12 years, I picked up some tricks from some guys.”

That vet savvyness reared its head in overtime. He picked up the first points of the extra period with a corner 3-pointer. With just under a minute remaining and nursing a two-point lead, nobody boxes him out, as he crashes in and gets fouled on an offensive rebound.

He finished with 21 points, 10 assists, five steals, two blocks, and 2-4 from the 3-point line. Smart is no stranger to the playoffs as Game 3 on Friday was his 111th playoff game. His postseason legacy was not born here, but with all his previous games in Celtics green, it might as well be for Laker fans.

With the circumstances of the series, he’s quickly put himself in rarified air, leading the Lakers to their first potential sweep since 2010.

“When you’re sitting at home on your couch as a kid growing up, you’re watching the playoffs, this is what you dream of being involved in,” Smart said. “One of those games. Then, to not be in the playoffs the last 2-3 years for me, it just sucks. I got to watch some good basketball and it’s like, ‘Damn. I’m a competitor. I want to be out there playing, too.’ So, to be back out there, it’s a great feeling.”

You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu

The Oklahoma City Thunder are looking to take a 3-0 lead in their first-round series against the Phoenix Suns. The Thunder won the first two games in OKC. The series shifts to Phoenix for Games 3 and 4. The Thunder are 9.5-point favorites with an over/under of 214.5.

How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns

• Date: Saturday, April 25

• Time: 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT

• Where: Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, Arizona

• TV Channels: NBC, Peacock

• Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Odds

• Spread: Phoenix Suns +9.5

• Moneyline: Phoenix Suns +325 (22.5%) / Oklahoma City Thunder -425 (77.5%)

• Over/Under: 214.5

Series schedule

Game 1:Thunder 119, Suns 94
Game 2: Thunder 120, Suns 107
Game 3: Sat., April 25 at Phoenix (3:30 p.m., NBC)
Game 4: Mon., April 27 at Phoenix (TBD)
*Game 5: Wed., April 29 at Oklahoma City (TBD)
*Game 6: Fri., May 1 at Phoenix (TBD)
*Game 7: Sun., May 3 at Oklahoma City (TBD)

*if necessary

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There are some critical games on tap in the NBA Playoffs tonight, and some of the league’s biggest stars will need to perform at their best if they want to help their teams get back in their respective series.

That includes both Jalen Brunson and Nikola Jokic, who I expect will help their teams climb out of their respective 2-1 deficits.

Let’s take a closer look at these and other spots basketball bettors might want to target today in my NBA player props and NBA picks for Saturday, April 25.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Chet Holmgren	Over 1.5 made threes	+115
Jalen Brunson	Over 27.5 points	-110
Nikola Jokic	Record a Triple-Double	+100

Prop #1: Chet Holmgren Over 1.5 made threes

+115 at bet365

While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been as advertised so far, the Thunder continue to benefit from their depth of outstanding players to overwhelm opponents.

That includes center Chet Holmgren, who is averaging 17.5 points and 7.5 rebounds against the Suns so far.

Holmgren has fired away from 3-point range in this series, hitting twice from beyond the arc in Game 1 and three times in Game 2. That continues a late season trend in which the former Gonzaga standout shot 56.3% from deep during April and hit 3+ 3-pointers in two of his final three regular season contests.

The Suns are one of the better teams in the league at chasing teams off the 3-point line, allowing only 12.3 made threes per game. But that hasn’t helped much against Oklahoma City, likely due to the way the Thunder can deploy threats all over the floor.

I’m expecting Holmgren to continue his barrage from deep and hit the Over.

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

Prop #2: Jalen Brunson Over 27.5 points

-110 at bet365

The New York Knicks desperately need someone to step up in Game 4 of their series against the Atlanta Hawks, and it's logical to assume that will be Jalen Brunson. 

Brunson led the Knicks with 26.0 ppg in the regular season, and has averaged 27.7 ppg so far in the first three games of this series. He’s been remarkably consistent both in usage — shooting between 22 and 26 times per game — and output, scoring between 26 and 29 points in each contest.

Atlanta has played excellent defense throughout the series, punctuated by forcing Brunson into a turnover at the end of Game 3. But that hasn’t prevented Brunson from being productive, and New York is far too strong offensively to not break out, as it ranked second in offensive efficiency in the NBA this year.

I can’t see the Knicks going down 3-1 in this series without a fight, so I’m backing Brunson to hit his scoring total tonight.

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

Prop #3: Nikola Jokic to record a Triple-Double

+100 at bet365

It’s hardly a reach to bet on Nikola Jokic to put up a triple-double in any given game. He accomplished the feat a league-leading 34 times this season, averaged a triple-double in the regular season, and even recorded one in Game 1 of this series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

Jokic hasn’t been quite as effective in the last two games of the series, with Rudy Gobert doing a fairly good job of locking down the center, holding Jokic to 32.6% shooting from the floor and 3-for-17 from 3-point range over the last two games.

That's led to a lot of "think pieces" about how Gobert has solved Jokic. But the Denver Nuggets star has still averaged 25.5 points and 15 rebounds over the past two games, and it’s hard to imagine Jokic won’t come up with a response — perhaps even moving the ball around more if he can’t be as efficient as he’d like to be in his scoring.

At even money, I like Jokic to get back to his all-around excellence by recording a triple-double tonight.

• 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.

Wings made of feathers and wax. Flew too high, intoxicated by pride. Sent down crashing by the sun, drowning in hubris inside a dark sea.

Will the Knicks bend, or break?

Here’s the latest before the biggest game since the bounce that changed the Knicks’—now present—future.

Mike Brown

On a possible starting lineup change for Game 4:
“That’ll be a game-time decision. Like I said (Thursday) night, at this point in the year, anything is on the table — what we do offensively, what we do defensively, what our rotations are, who starts, what we come out with. Everything is on the table. My job is to keep searching, and that’s what we had to do (in Game 3). We found the right combinations. We got a chance to go up three. Couldn’t ask for anything better than that with a minute left in the game, a chance to go up by three, especially with the way we played.”

On not using KAT-Mitch due to matchup concerns:
“Because things are matchup-based. If you hypothetically have them both out there, let’s just take their starting five, you put Mitch on Okongwu, put Jalen hypothetically on Dyson Daniels and then you put KAT on Jalen Johnson. And then OG on Alexander-Walker and Josh on CJ McCollum and that’s probably not a good matchup at the end of the day. To play those guys together, it has to fit offensively and it has to fit defensively for it to happen throughout the course of the ball game. At times, it’s a little difficult matchup-wise.”

On paying attention to all details before making a lineup change:
“The reality is — any (lineup) decision that I make, I try to think of all the pros and cons. And to back that up, the Charlotte game, I knew he had that streak going on. I threw him out there for five seconds. So everything that I do, I’ll take into consideration for everybody as best I can. And will I whiff sometimes? Yeah. Or will I forget sometimes? Yeah. Or will I say, I know this is going on, but I’m still going to do this or that? Yeah. So anything and everything is on the table. But I try to list the pros and cons for that individual and the repercussions it has throughout the team, whenever I make decisions.”

On the urgency of the playoffs:
“The reality of it is, come playoff time, we should be feeling that all the time. There should be a sense of urgency every single possession you’re on the floor. It doesn’t matter who is in front of you or what the score is. You have to play with a level of sense of urgency/desperation, however you want to call it, throughout the course of a ballgame. Even if you’re up 3-0, because I’ve been up 3-0 and when you’re up 3-0 on somebody, they’re playing with a level of desperation, similar to them being a wounded animal, that makes it difficult to close out. That’s definitely something that we want our guys to feel, is that sense of urgency, so that it can be translated to every single possession on the floor when we’re playing in the game.”

On implementing off-ball actions for Brunson:
“We called it a few times, you gotta give Atlanta credit. They did a nice job of defending it the few times we called it. But we gotta keep trying to implement it, whether it’s play call or within the flow of what we’re trying to do conceptually on the offensive end of the floor.”

On the need for more paint touches and sprays:
“We all have to be aggressive, not just to shoot the ball, but be aggressive to touch the paint on drives. And if you don’t have anything in the paint, you gotta spray it. We haven’t gone anywhere near our sprays that we’ve wanted to in these first three games.”

Josh Hart

On the plus-24 Hart-Brunson-McBride-OG-Towns lineup:
“I feel like we were getting stops. Getting some good shots. OG had a couple big threes at the end of the shot clock. Deuce shot the ball well. But I feel like we really played off of our defense.”

Jalen Brunson

On dealing with the defense of Daniels and Alexander Walker:
“They both are great defenders. You have to be smart, you have to be kind of tactical in what you do. Just being able to not really focus on what they’re doing but focus on your shot and doing the things that I need to do to make sure I’m comfortable shooting the shots I want to shoot and be in positions I want to be in. But you gotta give them credit. They make things very difficult.”

Miles McBride

On the Knicks’ mindset entering Game 4:
“We’re playing for our lives.”

On the first-round series urgency:
“I would say we’re playing for our lives. I mean, it is a seven-game series and it’s the first to four, but it’s ticking away. We don’t want to leave it up to chance. We don’t want to say we wish we could have or we wish we would have done this different. We want to take every opportunity, every chance we can, and take advantage of it, be together as a team and figure it out.”

On his role coming off the pine:
“My job is to come in and play defense and come in and make shots. I want to be at the best ability I can to do it. If I can instill more confidence in my guys for me to let it fly with no hesitancy, I want to do it.”

On playing through pain:
“I try not to listen to how I’m feeling day to day. Because at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. If I’m supposed to get a stop, I gotta get a stop. If I’m supposed to make a shot, I gotta make a shot. So I try not to think about it. Reality is, I’ve gotta go out there and perform.”

On defending McCollum in the last defensive play:
“I knew they had to go quick. Main thing is, he’s a really good player. I’m not happy with my contest. He made the shot. I feel like if I maybe had bumped him earlier, but trying to get a feel for how the game was being called. I don’t want to put him at the free throw line in a sense like that. Maybe just be more aggressive and make it tougher.”

Stephen A. Smith

On the potential fallout if the Knicks crash out in Atlanta:
“There’s gonna be another head coach in New York City if they lose this series. Several players are going to be gone from New York City. I’m so sick of what I’m seeing right now. I love Mike Brown, but I’m very unhappy right now. The New York Knicks are stinking up the joint. Leon Rose, the honeymoon is over. Right now, you’re on the verge of going home. You can’t lose Game 4. You can’t go down 3-1 to the Atlanta Hawks.”

On the Knicks’ struggles against the Hawks:
“One minute you’re up 14, you’re losing a game. Another minute you’re down 18, you come back and still lose the game. You’re inventing new ways to lose. This is unacceptable. If the New York Knicks lose this series, heads need to roll.”

Marcell Scott (Mitchell Robinson’s Trainer)

On Mitch’s usage:
“Knicks Coach Mike Brown is SCARED to get mad!!! He’s to nice of a guy to coach the New York Knicks!!! He would rather play OG at the 5, instead of KAT and Mitch at the 4 and 5. Nice guys finish last Coach!”

All hope seemed to be lost for the San Antonio Spurs in Game Three. With 7:30 left in the quarter, the team was down 15 points on the road, with no offensive rhythm, no defensive resistance, and no Victor Wembanyama. That was until a rookie of all people put the team on his back and, in the blink of an eye (or for half a quarter), turned around the game and perhaps the entire first-round series. Dylan Harper scored 12 points in the third quarter, dominating the Portland Trail Blazers on the way to a 120-108 victory.

He and the rest of the Spurs’ young core flipped the switch in the second half. He, Stephon Castle, and Carter Bryant played huge roles in the win despite all being 21 or younger. It was exactly the type of game the Spurs needed to flip the vibe of the entire series. After the win, San Antonio is a -190 favorite to take Game Four on FanDuel.

San Antonio’s young core will lead Game Three’s player grades. As a quick reminder, these grades are based on each player’s on-court performance, going beyond just the stat sheet. A “B” grade represents the average performance for an individual. If a player logs fewer than 5 minutes or plays only in garbage time, their grade will be incomplete.

Dylan Harper

30 minutes, 27 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, 9-for-12 shooting, 4-for-5 threes, +25

This was a coming-out party for Harper, who had been relatively quiet in the first two games. The rookie talked the talk and walked the walk in Game Three. There was no fear, as he jawed at the Blazers while shooting free throws or held up three fingers at their bench after making a three-pointer. When Scoot Henderson scored on him, he talked smack right back to Harper before getting a technical (a masterclass in trolling by the rookie). Then Harper went down to the other end and put Scoot and Robert Williams III on a poster.

Harper’s confidence seemed to infect the rest of the team. All of a sudden, they were attacking Portland rather than getting attacked as they had for most of the game. The team started playing with more pace, rushing Portland into bad shots while they got to the basket or created easy shots in early offense. If the Spurs end up winning this series, we’ll likely be talking about Harper’s performance as the pivotal turning point that got them there.

Grade: A+

De’Aaron Fox

36 minutes, 18 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 turnovers, 4 fouls, 7-for-16 shooting, 1-for-6 threes, +8

Fox has been under a lot of scrutiny in this series, but I thought he was masterful in Game Three. He did exactly what a veteran guard should do in the playoffs. He pushed all of the right buttons and didn’t do too much to interrupt the Spurs’ offensive flow. When the team’s ball movement got stagnant, Fox tried to get others involved. Late in the fourth quarter, when San Antonio was starting to take their foot off the gas, and Portland went on a 6-0 run, Fox began to take over, sensing the urgency of the moment.

Toumani Camara, the Blazers’ best perimeter defender, has been stuck on Fox since Wembanyama went out. That has actively taken pressure off the Spurs’ other guards. Fox has handled it well by not trying to do too much.

Grade: B+

Stephon Castle

34 minutes, 33 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 4 turnovers, 2 fouls, 10-for-18 shooting, 3-for-4 threes, -9

If it weren’t for Harper exploding offensively, we would likely be talking about Castle as the player of the game. He kept the Spurs afloat in the first half while Portland was shooting the lights out. Castle attacked relentlessly, getting to the free-throw line 11 times, knocking down 10 of those free shots. He was efficient from three, knocking down a trio of triples. Castle helped close this one out, hitting some huge shots in the fourth quarter to extend the lead.

Castle has been most impressive on the defensive end. He and Bryant (more on him later) took Deni Avdija out of the game. The Blazers’ best player went 3-15 from the field for 19 points. Avdija is a bowling ball in the paint, going into his defender’s chest over and over again. Castle has held his ground, without fouling for the most part, and went right back at him on the other end. Friday night was a true two-way performance.

Grade: A

Julian Champagnie

27 minutes, 9 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 3-for-7 shooting, 2-for-4 threes, +7

Champagnie was far more aggressive in Game Three, and San Antonio needed him to be. He took some movement threes off screens and attempted to attack the basket when Portland overplayed him. Champagnie can’t afford to be one-dimensional offensively, so it’s good to see him attempting to do more, even if the results have been mixed. Ultimately, if Champagnie continues to knock down threes and battle on the boards, he is doing his job.

Grade: B

Devin Vassell

33 minutes, 11 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, 4-for-12 shooting, 3-for-7 threes, +6

Vassell hit some big threes on Friday, including one during their fourth-quarter run to extend the lead. That said, his shot selection was a bit mixed in Game Three. He’s taking some tough mid-range jumpers because Portland is guarding him so hard. Vassell is drawing a ton of defensive attention when he is running off screens, and the Spurs’ guards missed him a few times for what would have been open jumpers.

The Spurs’ wing should get a lot of credit for his defensive effort. He’s been locked in on that end, loading up on stocks (steals + blocks) in this series. He’s been a difference maker even when his shot isn’t falling.

Grade: B

Luke Kornet

30 minutes, 14 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 1 turnover, 5 fouls, 6-for-9 shooting, 1-for-1 threes +4

My jaw dropped when Kornet hit a corner three-pointer. It was his first made three-pointer since the 2023-2024 season. That highlight aside, Kornet was awesome on both ends. He battled on the boards, grabbing 5 offensive rebounds, including a put-back dunk where he literally snatched the ball from Williams III’s hands. Defensively, he has been positionally sound and protected the paint with two blocks. Kornet is establishing himself as one of, if not the best, backup centers in the league.

Grade: A

Harrison Barnes

6 minutes, 0 points, 1 rebound, 0-for-1 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, -2

Barnes is essentially out of the rotation at this point. He’s not making an impact offensively, and Bryant has been leagues better defensively. I still think there will be a game when the Spurs get a spark from him offensively, but it did not happen in Game Three.

Grade: C

Keldon Johnson

21 minutes, 5 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, 1-for-7 shooting, 1-for-1 threes, +4

Johnson continues to fight on both ends, but hasn’t had any luck putting the ball in the basket. The Blazers are a tough matchup for KJ. Their bigs are great at protecting the rim, and their wings are big and physical, keeping him from barreling his way to the rim like he normally does. His poor performances are not due to a lack of effort. He’s still battling on the glass and giving it all defensively, even if Portland is trying to target him on that end.

Grade: C+

Carter Bryant

23 minutes, 3 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, 4 fouls, 1-for-5 shooting, 1-for-4 threes, +17

The rookie whom many thought would barely be in the rotation has taken on one of the most important roles in the playoffs. Bryant has been tasked with playing out of position at center. He’s risen to that challenge. Bryant’s effort is a joy to watch. He grabbed 4 offensive rebounds, blocked 3 shots, and played some of his best defense of the season on Advija. Bryant is usually known for being overly aggressive on defense, but in the second half, he did an incredible job of defending Portland’s best player without fouling.

He could afford to be a bit more confident on the offensive end. There are times when he catches the ball and doesn’t really know what to do with it. He’s proven he can hit open jumpers, and needs to be taking them so the Spurs can take advantage of the perks that come with a small-ball lineup. What he has lacked in shot-making, he has made up for in shot creation. Bryant has made a lot of good decisions with the ball in his hands, and he racked up 4 assists in Game Three’s win.

Grade: A-

Inactives: Victory Wembanyama, Harrison Ingram, David Jones-Garcia, Emanuel Miller

HOUSTON — The most telling moment of Friday’s Game 3 between the Lakers and Rockets didn’t come in overtime. It came before the ball even went up. 

The Toyota Center in downtown Houston sat half-full at tipoff, a quiet indictment of a Rockets team already down 0-2 in the series and playing without superstar Kevin Durant. 

The Rockets arena is EMPTY pic.twitter.com/zoDZuJ427K

— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) April 25, 2026

Lakers players wondered out loud in the visiting locker room how the arena could be so empty for a playoff game. Maybe some fans chose to watch baseball down the street, where the Yankees were in town. Others simply chose not to believe in their team. 

But by the end of the night, belief wasn’t the problem. Loyalty was. 

Because what unfolded inside that building wasn’t just a shocking Lakers win in overtime, 112-108, to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. It was a full-scale takeover of an opposing arena.

Purple and gold colors bled through the lower bowl from the opening quarter. LeBron James and Luka Doncic jerseys were scattered like confetti across the crowd. And when Bronny James finished off the first father-to-son alley-oop in NBA playoff history, even the Rockets fans stood and cheered. That’s how undeniable greatness works. 

“You could definitely hear all the Lakers fans in here tonight,” Lakers center Jaxson Hayes said afterward. “You could see all the purple and gold jerseys … they drowned out the Houston fans.”

It only got louder.

Hayes detonated a one-handed lob from Luke Kennard. The crowd erupted — not for the home team but for the show. By the fourth quarter, the lines had blurred. By the final minute, they were gone.

Jaxson Hayes catches the Kennard lob and finishes with FEROCITY pic.twitter.com/gxUsf3CliF

— NBA on Prime (@NBAonPrime) April 25, 2026

Up six with 25 seconds left, Houston had the ball and control of the outcome. Hold the ball and the game would take care of itself. Instead, the Rockets threw an ill-advised pass that turned into three free throws from Marcus Smart. Panic. And then the defining sequence of the game: LeBron stalking rookie Reed Sheppard in the backcourt. He knocked the ball loose, eventually reclaimed possession, and buried the game-tying 3 that sucked the oxygen out of Rockets fans and sent Lakers fans into a frenzy. 

LEBRON JAMES TIES THE GAME AT 101

13.1 SECONDS TO GO ON PRIME. pic.twitter.com/V5LqcXlt7I

— NBA (@NBA) April 25, 2026

In that moment, the Rockets didn’t just lose the game. They lost the room. 

By the time overtime came, the outcome felt inevitable. The Lakers closed out Game 3 with authority, but the damage had already been done. Houston’s crowd had flipped and they all stood in awe of the 41-year-old James, still bending the game to his will in his 23rd season. 

The Lakers didn’t just steal a game on the road. It was a full-on heist.

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