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The Los Angeles Lakers are just one win away from punching their ticket to the second round of the NBA Playoffs.
The Lakers took a commanding 3-0 series lead with a with a 112–108 overtime victory over the Houston Rockets in Friday’s Game 3.
After the Lakers controlled the first half of the game, the Rockets came back in the second half and held a four-point lead in the final minute of regulation, but a game-tying three-pointer from LeBron James with under 10 seconds left forced overtime.
The Lakers have been without Austin Reeves this series, but the injured guard is officially listed as a game-time decision today, upgraded from questionable on Friday, and could make his playoff debut.
Lakers vs. Rockets: what to know
What: NBA Playoffs First Round, Game 4
When: April 26, 6:30 p.m. PT / 9:30 p.m. ET
Where: Toyota Center (Houston, Texas)
Channel: NBC
Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)
If the Rockets win tonight, the series will go back to Los Angeles for Wednesday’s Game 5.
Lakers vs. Rockets start time:
Tonight’s (April 26) Lakers vs. Rockets playoff game is scheduled to tip off at 6:30 p.m. PT / 9:30 p.m. ET.
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 playoffs including local channels). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $49.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.
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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.
Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) reacts during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Friday, April 10, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/ Karen Warren)
Kevin Durant will again be unavailable to help his Rockets team.
Durant has been out for two of the three games during the bewildering series between the Lakers and Rockets, as he will also miss Game 4 due to an ankle injury, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported.
Durant has a bone bruise that would typically sideline him for two to three weeks during the regular season, Charania reports, and the 19-year veteran will not be cleared in time for the Rockets’ possible final game of the season.
Durant, 37, has only been limited to one appearance during the playoffs, missing Game 1 due to a knee injury, and he was declared out of Game 3 with an ankle injury.
Kevin Durant will miss Game 4 of the Rockets-Lakers first-round series in the NBA’s Western Conference playoffs. AP
The Lakers are up 3-0 in the series, bordering a sweep behind the efforts of 41-year-old LeBron James as Luka Doncic continues to nurse a hamstring injury suffered late in the regular season, and Austin Reaves — who missed Game 3 despite being upgraded to questionable — has been dealing with an oblique strain.
Reaves is questionable to play in Game 4.
The Lakers have won Games 1-3 by a combined 20 points, notably stealing what looked to be a Rockets win in Game 3, forcing overtime, where they won 112-108 in Houston.
James is averaging 25.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists in the series while shooting over 47 percent from the field and hitting close to 44 percent of his threes.
Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) is defended by Los Angeles Lakers center DeAndre Ayton (5) as he drives to the basket during the second half of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
In Durant’s only game played in the series, he managed to log 41 minutes, pouring in 23 points with six rebounds and four assists, though he did commit nine turnovers and four personal fouls.
The winner of the series, which will likely be the Lakers, will move on to face the NBA title favorite Thunder, assuming they don’t blow their 3-0 lead over the Suns.
On the verge of elimination, the Houston Rockets may once again be without their best player.
All-Star forward Kevin Durant, who missed Houston’s Game 3 loss with a sprained ankle, had been listed as questionable on the team’s injury reports leading up to tip-off, which is scheduled for Sunday, April 26 at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Durant missed Houston’s 112-108 loss Friday, April 26 that dropped the Rockets to a 3-0 hole in their first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Durant sustained the sprained ankle in the second half of Game 2 on Tuesday, April 21. In that game, Durant scored 20 points in the first half on 6-of-7 shooting. After intermission, however, Lakers coach JJ Redick threw double-teams at Durant, forcing the ball out of his hands. In the second half, Durant scored just 3 points on 1-of-5 shooting.
But all eyes turn to Sunday’s game as the Rockets are trying to avoid a sweep.
Here’s everything you need to know about Kevin Durant’s status Sunday vs. the Lakers:
Is Kevin Durant playing tonight vs. Lakers?
Although Houston had been listing Durant as questionable on early injury reports ahead of Game 4, the team downgraded him to out in the 4:30 p.m. ET injury report.
Per the report, further testing revealed that Durant has also been diagnosed with a bone bruise in the sprained left ankle, prompting him to seek continued treatment ahead of Game 4. In fact, Durant wasn’t present on Houston’s bench during Game 3, with coach Ime Udoka saying that his absence was because he was getting treatment on the ankle.
“He was getting treatment regardless before (the game) and working on some things,” Udoka said after Game 3. “He was getting in the pool and trying to get some running in and do all those things to prepare. He was back there getting treatment, getting the ice and doing things you can’t do on the bench.”
Durant faced some criticism online for his absence from the bench.
Kevin Durant stats
In 78 games this season, Durant averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.
On the play, which came midway through the second quarter, Castle was driving against Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant, who tried to draw a charge. When Castle crashed into Grant, however, the two fell to the court, and Castle landed on his left hand.
He initially remained in the game, but repeatedly favored it, especially when it grazed against other players. Eventually Castle asked to be subbed out, and he headed into the locker room.
🚨Spurs rushed Stephon Castle to get X Rays on an injured hand. He was in pain after this play and asked to be subbed out so he could go to the locker room right away.
According to the ESPN broadcast, Castle received X-rays, though he eventually returned to the bench. Once seated, he continued to be in apparent discomfort, shaking his left hand.
Castle did have more tape on the hand, and he returned to the game briefly before being subbed out with 1:57 left in the first half.
Through two quarters, Castle played 11:48 and went 4-of-8 from the field for 10 points, adding 2 assists.
The Spurs struggled in the second quarter, as Portland has opened a 58-41 lead at the half.
The good news for San Antonio was that Castle was on the floor to start the third quarter, which coincided with a 13-0 Spurs run to start the period.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 25: Ayo Dosunmu #13 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrates against the Denver Nuggets in the third quarter of Game Four of the First Round of the 2026 NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Target Center on April 25, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Nuggets 112-96. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The rivalry between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets gained another chapter Saturday night at Target Center.
Despite losing both Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards to injuries for the rest of the series, the Timberwolves won Game 4 112-96 to take a 3-1 series lead with a performance that spoke volumes about each of the two teams.
In the final seconds of the game, and the Timberwolves up by 14 points, Mike Conley threw a pass up ahead to Jaden McDaniels, who, instead of running out the clock, layed the ball in the basket. Nikola Jokić took exception.
It is an awful look for the 3-time MVP, who seemed more concerned with guarding the unwritten rules of the game than anyone on the opposing team, to start a fight as his team falls down 3-1 to a team missing two of their best players.
If Jokić wanted to avoid getting punked or embarrassed, he should have done so after Game 2 when McDaniels called out Jokić and the entire Nuggets roster as bad defenders. Instead, McDaniels and the Wolves hung 68 points in the paint on the Nuggets’ defense in Game 3 en route to a 113-96 blowout victory.
When asked why he was so upset about the McDaniels layup, Jokić said, “Because he scored and everybody stopped playing.” Jokić was understandably not very interested in breaking down the play further, but he did say he has no regrets.
By his lofty standards, Jokić has had an awful series. His defensive limitations have been on full display, while his offensive game has been completely disrupted by Rudy Gobert. In the last three games, each of which the Nuggets lost, Jokić has shot 23-68 from the floor (33.8 percent). In the fourth quarter, Jokić has made just two of his 16 shot attempts.
As the shooting percentages have gone down, the flopping and gamesmanship with the officials have gone up. Rather than attempting to match the Timberwolves’ level of play or competitiveness, Jokić has far too often focused his attention elsewhere.
“I thought we were very competitive tonight,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said about his team’s performance. “The competitive spirit question bothers me because I thought we were extremely competitive tonight at the start of the game. I thought we got into them. It was a game I thought we had control of, and in the third quarter, we just could not make a run.”
While the Nuggets may have been competitive to begin the game, the rest of the contest tells a different story. The Nuggets got outscored 62-42 in the second half with two of the Wolves’ offensive engines, DiVicenzo and Edwards, out of the game.
The Nuggets’ two best players, Jokić and Jamal Murray, shot a combined 6-24 from the field, including nine straight misses from Jokić to close the game as Gobert and Murray locked them down for the third consecutive game.
Adelman, like Jokić, took exception to the layup by McDaniels at the end of the game.
"I didn't like what McDaniels did. The game was over…in 2026 that stuff just doesn't happen anymore that's something that happens in the 80s where teams would continue to score, but that's who he is.”
One thing Adelman is correct about: Game 4 and this entire series is precisely who Jaden McDaniels is.
McDaniels knew exactly what he was doing by putting the ball in the basket at the end of the game, just like he knew what he was saying after Game 2. He knew the reaction both would likely generate and was unafraid the Nuggets would do anything about it. When confronted, McDaniels, with a smile on his face, grabbed the jersey of Jokić and pushed him out of the way.
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) April 26, 2026
McDaniels does not care if he gives another team bulletin board material. He does not care about any unwritten rules, and he certainly does not care about what anyone thinks of him or his teammates. He just wants to play basketball.
“I said what I said,” McDaniels explained. “And then after that, just come to hoop every night.” When asked if Jokić said anything to him, McDaniels replied, “I don’t know what he said to be honest. I just seen someone that was big as hell.”
The only surprise was that McDaniels took it easy on the Nuggets by laying the ball in instead of breaking out his signature dunk, which has come to be known as the Slim McNasty, as he did in Game 7 of the 2024 series between these two teams.
I'm honestly far more surprised that Jaden didn't pull out the Slim McNasty than I am that he put in the layup pic.twitter.com/nTIJOoAAMw
For much of the night, Target Center felt like a balloon that someone had let all the air out of. They lost, in many ways, their heart and soul, DiVincenzo to a catastrophic Achilles injury, and the franchise superstar Edwards to a hyperextended knee.
The Timberwolves could have let their emotions get the best of them. They could have let the game go before halftime and tried to regroup before Game 5 with the series still tied.
Instead, they decided to battle back.
“That might be the most proud of our team I’ve been all season,” Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch said after the game. “Losing those two guys was really tough, tough emotionally for the guys. We regrouped well. I thought the key was just hanging in there until we get to halftime, kind of reset things, figure out what we have and who we have going forward.”
“Really proud of the guys,” Gobert stated. “You know, we lose two of our main guys early in the game, kept competing, had a lot of adversity, a lot of things didn’t go our way, kept competing no matter what, kept playing together. Every single guy that came in the game brought something and able to close out at the end, so really proud of the guys.”
The biggest bright spot on the night was the 43-point performance from Ayo Dosunmu, who saw an increased role with DiVincenzo and Edwards both out. The scoring total was a career-high for Dosunmu and a Timberwolves playoff record for scoring off the bench, a mark Dosunmu set just a game earlier with 25 points in Game 3.
“I didn’t know he was that damn good, I ain’t gonna lie to you.” Julius Randle said of Dosunmu’s Game 4 performance. “But, damn, I’m glad we got him.”
Dosunmu said the key to his performance was “just being aggressive.” He continued. “Just staying true to my technique and my routine. I think that’s very important having a very strict routine off the court. I think that plays a huge part into your performance on the court. Then just entering flow state.”
At every turn in Game 4, the Timberwolves and Nuggets told everyone watching exactly who they are as a team.
The Timberwolves, without their starting backcourt, kept their composure. The Nuggets, on the other hand, had no response for the Wolves on either end of the court while their best playing starting a brawl because of an extra two points in garbage time.
The Wolves, every step of the way, overcame the adversity that was thrown their way, while the Nuggets seemed to succumb to the pressure.
The Timberwolves will hope to bottle up that feeling one more time to close out this first-round series. The Nuggets, meanwhile, will need some soul-searching if they’re even willing to do so.
The Detroit Pistons will try to knot this series with the Orlando Magic at 2-2 at Kia Center tonight, but my Pistons vs. Magic predictions for Game 4 see Wendell Carter Jr. doing everything in his power to prevent that from happening.
Here are my best free NBA picks for Game 4 on Monday, April 27, with tip-off scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET on NBC.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
Pistons vs Magic prediction
Who will win Pistons vs Magic Game 4?
Magic: For as well as Detroit played during the regular season, they are one of the most vulnerable top seeds we’ve seen in a while. Recurring injuries drove Orlando’s win total down and forced them to navigate the Play-In Tournament, but a healthy Magic team is dangerous, and I’ll take them to win this one outright.
Pistons vs Magic best bet: Wendell Carter Jr. Over 10.5 points (-115)
Wendell Carter Jr. has provided excellent numbers through the first three games of the series against the Detroit Pistons, averaging 11.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per contest. Carter scored 11+ points in 45 of 78 regular-season matchups, and he’s reached that total in two of three playoff games.
The Orlando Magic big man is an effective floor-spacer who can spread out Jalen Duren with his 3-point shooting ability. Carter has gone just 1-for-7 from deep in this series, but he’s due for positive regression in that department.
WCJ has hit the Over on this scoring line in three of his last four matchups against the Pistons, and he’s got a strong advantage on the glass that he can parlay into second-chance scoring opportunities.
Among players with 25+ playoff minutes per game, Carter is tops in offensive rebound percentage (10.7%). Detroit was also vulnerable on the glass during the regular season, surrendering the seventh-most boards and fourth-most offensive rebounds per match.
Carter presents a complete matchup nightmare for the Pistons, and his shooting and rebounding abilities will lead to another 11+ point performance at home.
Pistons vs Magic same-game parlay
The Magic are finally healthy and rolling against a Pistons team that doesn’t have any answers for their size and shot-making abilities. I’ll take Orlando to cover as a small home dog.
Two of three games have gone Under in this series, and it's thanks to strong defensive efforts on both sides. The Magic and Pistons each rank in the Top 3 in defensive rating in the postseason.
Detroit finished second in that category in the regular season, while Orlando was 13th.
Pistons vs Magic SGP
Wendell Carter Jr. Over 10.5 points
Magic +2.5
Under 214
Our "from downtown" SGP: Duke Double-Doubles
A couple of 6-foot-10 Duke big men delivered double-doubles in Game 3, and I’m rolling with the pair of former Blue Devils to reach that statistical milestone once again.
Carter Jr. finished with a season-high 17 rebounds to go with 14 points in Game 3, and he’s feasted on the glass this series.
Meanwhile, Paolo Banchero has averaged 24.2 points and nine rebounds in six games against the Pistons, recording three double-doubles in the process.
Pistons vs Magic SGP
Magic moneyline
Wendell Carter Jr. to record a double-double
Paolo Banchero to record a double-double
Pistons vs Magic odds for Game 4
Spread: Pistons -3.5 (-110) | Magic +3.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Pistons -160 | Magic +135
Over/Under: Over 215 (-110) | Under 215 (-110)
Pistons vs Magic betting trend to know
Orlando has hit the 1Q moneyline in 12 of its last 16 games (+10.25 Units / 39% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Pistons vs. Magic.
How to watch Pistons vs Magic Game 4
Location
Kia Center, Orlando, FL
Date
Monday, April 27, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBC
Pistons vs Magic latest injuries
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HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 24: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball during the game against the Houston Rockets during Round 1 Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 24, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
This Lakers-Rockets series hasn’t featured pretty basketball. The Lakers have played without Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, and the Rockets have had two games without Kevin Durant. With so many key stars out, scoring has been ugly and each contest has been a grind.
In that muck, the Lakers have been the better team. They’ve won all three games by simply outhustling the Rockets with Game 3 being a prime example.
With LA down by six with less than a minute to go, they were the ones forcing turnovers, making their free throws and hitting 3-pointers. They forced overtime and had more grit-and-grind plays in the extra session.
After the win, Lakers head coach JJ Redick praised his team’s efforts.
“Everything we needed to do, even when it wasn’t pretty, we just kind of found a way to do it,” Redick said. “We’re playing hard. You have to do that to put yourself in a position to win. There’s some things we can execute better but I thought, from the beginning of the game, we played with a sense of desperation and we played like a team that was down. As did they. They played a great game as well. A hard-fought game and I thought we matched that.”
Teams that go up 3-0 in the NBA playoffs are 159-0, so Houston was well aware that a loss essentially ended their season. They brought the appropriate fight to this game to ensure they wouldn’t lose. Alperen Şengün had 33 points and 16 rebounds, Jabari Smith Jr. hit six 3-pointers and the Rockets had twice as many offensive rebounds as the Lakers.
However, when push came to shove, Houston crumbled. LeBron forced a turnover on Reed Sheppard. Jaxson Hayes played great defense on Şengün on his game-winning attempt in the fourth. And in overtime, the Lakers were the sharper team.
Given that they were trailing on the road and shorthanded, it took a gutsy performance from everyone in a purple and gold uniform to flip the result in LA’s favor.
The fact that they were able to do so is a testament to their never-say-die attitude and team unity. This is the direct opposite of what the Rockets have.
They don’t seem like a team playing together and for one another. Kevin Durant can’t be found on the bench and their head coach, Ime Udoka, is calling out his players postgame.
Now the Lakers know they are better than the Rockets, and even if the odds are against them, they are never out of the game. If they stay focused, they can finish this series off this weekend and earn their first playoff sweep since 2010.
TORONTO — Scottie Barnes hit the go-ahead free throws in the final minute and scored 23 points, Brandon Ingram also added 23 points and the Toronto Raptors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 93-89 on Sunday, tying the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series at two games apiece.
The best-of-seven series shifts to Cleveland for Game 5 on Wednesday.
RJ Barrett scored 18 points and Collin Murray-Boyles had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors, who won despite shooting 4 for 30 from 3-point range.
Barnes added nine rebounds and six assists.
Donovan Mitchell scored 12 of his 20 in the fourth quarter and James Harden added 19, but the Cavaliers couldn’t overcome an 18-turnover performance.
Mitchell missed two shots in the final 25 seconds, including a 3-pointer that would have tied the game. He finished 6 for 24 overall and made 4 of 12 shots from long range.
Sam Merrill scored 14 points and Jarrett Allen had 15 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who were outscored 10-2 in the final 1:54 of the fourth.
After Barrett’s driving shot cut the deficit to 87-86 with 49 seconds left in the fourth, Mitchell couldn’t get the ball across half court in time, giving possession to Toronto.
Barnes was fouled as he drove to the basket and made both, giving the Raptors an 88-87 lead with 34 seconds left.
With NBA commissioner Adam Silver in attendance, both teams struggled from 3-point range. Cleveland finished 10 for 40 from distance, including 5 of 10 in the fourth.
The Raptors missed 14 consecutive 3-point attempts to open the game before Barrett connected with 8:31 left in the first half.
Ingram missed nine of his first 10 attempts, but finished the half by making three straight, including a buzzer-beating 3 that gave Toronto a narrow 38-36 lead at the intermission.
Harden had more turnovers (six) than made baskets (four) in the opening half, while Mitchell shot 3 for 15 through three quarters.
Facing a must-win Game 4 at home, down 0-3 in the series to the Lakers, the Rockets will be without Kevin Durant once again due to a bone bruise in his left ankle, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
Officially, Durant is still questionable for Game 4 and the Rockets have made no official announcement. However, according to Charania, Durant went through rehab this morning and was with the team for its film session, but said that the "bone bruise has created swelling, stiffness and lack of mobility in the ankle, sources said."
Durant has played in just one game in this series, scoring 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting with six rebounds in Game 2, but the Lakers won that game on their home court. The 16-time All-Star raised eyebrows in Game 3 when he was not on the bench (in street clothes) with his teammates, adding to the questions about the lack of cohesion in the Rockets' locker room. Coach Ime Udoka said after the game that Durant was getting treatment in the locker room during the game.
That lack of cohesion has shown on the court, where the Rockets have struggled to score consistently against the Lakers' pressure defense in this series. Houston has a 105.6 offensive rating in this series, 13 points below their season average (which was top-10 in the league). The Rockets also have struggled defensively to slow down LeBron James and the Lakers' attack, despite Los Angeles being without Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves.
The Rockets will need to find that cohesion on Sunday night, and do it without Durant, the team's leading scorer during the regular season at 26 points per game. If they don't, their season ends much earlier than expected, leading to a lot of offseason questions.
Apr 26, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (19) reaches to block a shot from Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been consistently criticized for being soft and unable to rise to the pressure of a playoff environment. They’ve publicly pushed back against that notion, but actions speak louder than words.
The Cavs played scared offensively. Their highest-paid players didn’t just have a bad shooting performance — that could be explained. No, they shied away from the moment entirely. This allowed a Toronto Raptors team that would’ve struggled to hit water from a boat in the middle of Lake Erie to come away with a 93-89 victory to tie the series at 2-2.
To say it wasn’t pretty was an understatement. Neither team was able to generate any kind of offense through the first three quarters.
The Raptors took a narrow 60-58 lead into the fourth quarter despite shooting 26.7% from the field (26.7%) and 3-27 (11.1%) from three. Cleveland was slightly better in both categories, but their 16 turnovers and allowing 16 offensive rebounds allowed Toronto to close that gap.
The Cavs’ backcourt wasn’t able to generate anything through the first 36 minutes. Donovan Mitchell had just eight points on 3-15 shooting, with only two of those attempts coming in the restricted area and no free-throw attempts. James Harden wasn’t doing much to bail his backcourt mate out. He had 16 points on 5-10 shooting, but his six turnovers were a big reason why Cleveland’s offense was stuck in a rut.
Momentarily, it seemed like that was all going to change.
Mitchell briefly broke out of the funk he was in for the previous seven quarters in the fourth. He kick-started Cleveland’s offense with a driving layup to trim the lead to three. The Cavs then scored on their ensuing six possessions, which was highlighted by a step-back three from Mitchell.
The Cavs had an eight-point advantage before the Raptors responded.
A flagrant foul by Sam Merrill helped Toronto to regain momentum. A 6-0 run made it a two-point game, punctuated by a rare Brandon Ingram three to make it a two-point margin.
Merrill countered with a triple on the following possession to make it a five-point advantage with 2:30 left in the fourth. Things fell apart from there.
Ingram registered two points at the free-throw line, then RJ Barrett made a layup after a Raptors offensive rebound to make it a one-point game with 48 seconds remaining.
In a play that is emblematic of this era of Cavs basketball, they committed an eight-second violation to give the Raptors the ball back. This wasn’t because of anything Toronto did. Mitchell was just lazy in walking the ball up the court. Toronto applied pressure at the midcourt line, and because of the lack of urgency, it resulted in a turnover.
The Raptors iced the game away at the line.
Scottie Barnes was fouled on a drive to the basket. He made both free throws to give the Raptors a one-point lead.
Mitchell missed a layup on the other end. Barnes made two free throws after the Cavs were forced to foul. Mitchell then missed what would’ve been a game-tying three, ending any chance Cleveland had to realistically get back into this game.
Scottie Barnes was once again Toronto’s best player. He was active defensively with three blocks and a steal while contributing 23 points, nine rebounds, and six assists on 6-15 shooting.
The Raptors have continually made an effort to get Brandon Ingram involved offensively. That continued again in Game 4, but once again led to middling results. He had 23 points, but it took him 23 shots to get there.
Mitchell led the Cavs with 20 points on 6-24 shooting with four fouls.
Harden had 19 points on 6-14 shooting with eight assists and seven turnovers.
The Cavs have been criticized for being soft and not responding to adversity well. They once again showed why.
This group spent the lead up of this game talking about needing to be the aggressors, and they flat-out weren’t. The guards didn’t make the effort to get downhill, and they weren’t able to get the bigs involved.
Mitchell and Harden were both rattled by Toronto’s physicality. They had no answers, committed careless turnovers, and couldn’t close out a game they had firmly in hand.
Meanwhile, Cleveland’s oversized front court couldn’t physically match a smaller Toronto front line. Jarrett Allen was a non-factor offensively. He had just three points on 1-5 shooting. Evan Mobley wasn’t much better, supplying eight points on just 4-11 shooting.
Additionally, the Cavs as a whole were bullied on the glass. They surrendered 21 offensive rebounds, which led to 19 second-chance points. The Raptors were able to retrieve 40% of their missed shots (92nd percentile) to keep their abysmal offense alive.
This all led to yet another loss to a team that is considerably less talented in a playoff setting.
No matter how many iterations of this group we’ve seen, they still bump up against the same problems.
The Cavs had a chance to take a decisive 3-1 lead and make this a short series. They blew two golden opportunities on the road to do that. Now, they’re in for a dogfight to save their season.
The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers meet in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series. The Celtics took a 2-1 lead in the series after winning Game 3 108-100. Boston is 7.5-point favorites for Game 4. The over/under for the matchup is set at 213.5.
How to watch Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Date: Sunday, April 26
Time: 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Moneyline: Philadelphia 76ers +240 (28.2%) / Boston Celtics -300 (71.8%)
Over/Under: 213.5
Series schedule
Game 1:Celtics 123, 76ers 91 Game 2:76ers 111, Celtics 97 Game 3:Celtics 108, 76ers 100 Game 4: Sun., April 26 at Philadelphia (7 p.m., NBC) Game 5: Tue., April 28 at Boston (TBD) *Game 6: Thu., April 30 at Philadelphia (TBD) *Game 7: Sat., May 2 at Boston (TBD)if necessary
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 24: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics controls the ball against Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers in the first quarter during game three of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 24, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Boston Celtics (2-1) at Philadelphia 76ers (1-2) Sunday, April 26, 2026 7:00 PM ET Round 1 Game #4 Road Game #2 TV: Peacock/NBC Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub, 97.5 The Fanatic, Sirius XM Xfinity Mobile Arena Officials: Josh Tiven, Ed Malloy, Mark Lindsay
After splitting the games in Boston, the Celtics wrestled back home court advantage by winning Game 3 108-100 in Philadelphia.. The Celtics dominated Game 1 with a 123-91 win over the 76ers. The 76ers topped the Celtics 111-97 in Game 2 to tie the game at 1 game each. The Celtics have a 68-51 record against the 76ers overall in the playoffs. In the regular season, the Celtics are 272-199 overall, all time against the 76ers. They are 93-129 all time in Philly.
The 76ers had the #1 clutch defense in the NBA in the regular season They had a 98.6 defensive rating during the last 5 minutes of games that were within 5 points. They were 23-18 in games that included clutch minutes. The Celtics were 16-17 in games that included clutch minutes and that includes going 1-2 against Philadelphia this season. With 5 minutes left in Game 3, the Celtics led 92-88. With 2 minutes left, the Celtics led 97-96. The Celtics out-scored the 76ers 11-4 the rest of the way to get the win with Pritchard, Tatum, White and Scheierman all coming up big for the Celtics over the final 2 minutes.
Teams that win Game 3 of a series that is tied 1-1 goes on to win the series 74% of the time. When a series is tied 2-2, the team with the higher seed, and thus home court advantage, will win the series 73.1% of the time, which is a good percentage. However, if a team wins Game 4 to go up 3 games to 1, the odds of them winning the series jumps to 95.4%. The Celtics can’t become complacent because they got home court back with their Game 3 win.
One of the advantages that the Celtics have is their depth. In Game 1, the Celtics got 37 points from their bench while the 76ers got 27 points from theirs. Of course, there were about 6 minutes of garbage time in that game. In Game 2, the 76ers got 21 points from their bench while the Celtics got 20 from theirs. In Game 3, the Celtics’ bench put up 35 points while the 76ers got just 14 points from theirs. It would seem that as the reserves go, so goes the game.
If the Celtics had one flaw this season, it was becoming complacent and allowing lesser teams to play harder than them. They can’t afford to do that in the playoffs. They got a very dominant win in Game 1 but they slacked off and allowed the 76ers to play harder in Game 2 and they lost. The Celtics have to play even harder in this game and they will need to be ready for the 76ers’ adjustments. They can’t get complacent and have to come out and fight even harder in this game than they have so far in the series.
The Celtics come into this game with a clean injury report. once again. Derrick White injured his neck in the opening minutes of Game 3 but stayed in the game and played almost 34 minutes. He is not listed on the injury report so should be good to go for Game 4. Jaylen Brown turned his ankle in the fourth quarter of Game 3 but, like White, stayed in the game and is not on the injury report for Game 4.
For the 76ers, Joel Embiid is once on their injury report. Embiid underwent an appendectomy on April 9. Recovery for an appendectomy is anywhere from 20 days to 5 weeks. After missing the first 3 games, he remains listed as doubtful for this game. Kelly Oubre joins Embiid on the injury report as questionable due to right adductor soreness. I’m guessing that Adem Bona will once again start for Embiid and if Oubre is out, Dominick Barlow may get the start in his place.
Probable Starting Matchups PG: Derrick White vs Tyrese Maxey
Derrick White | Getty ImagesTyrese Maxey | NBAE via Getty Images
SG: Jaylen Brown vs VJ Edgecombe
Jaylen Brown | NBAE via Getty ImagesVJ Edgecombe | Getty Images
SF: Sam Hauser vs Kelly Oubre, Jr
Sam Hauser | Boston Globe via Getty ImagesKelly Oubre, Jr | NBAE via Getty Images
PF: Jayson Tatum vs Paul George
Jayson Tatum | NBAE via Getty ImagesPaul George | NBAE via Getty Images
C: Neemias Queta vs Adem Bona
Neemias Queta | Boston Globe via Getty ImagesAdem Bona | Getty Images
Celtics Reserves Payton Pritchard Hugo Gonzalez Luka Garza Amare Williams Baylor Scheierman Max Shulga Nikola Vucevic Ron Harper, Jr Jordan Walsh Delano Banton John Tonje
2-Way Players None Injuries/Out None
Head Coach Joe Mazzulla
76ers Reserves Andre Drummond Quentin Grimes Kyle Lowry Justin Edwards Trendon Watford Dalen Terry Dominick Barlow Jabari Walker
2-Way Players MarJon Beauchamp Tyrese Martin Injuries/Out Joel Embiid (Appendix) doubtful Kelly Oubre (groin) questionable
Head Coach Nick Nurse
Key Matchups Derrick White vs Tyrese Maxey In Game1, the Celtics were able to hold him to 21 points on 20 shots along with 1 rebound and 8 assists while shooting 40% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc. He pretty much had his way in Game 2 with 29 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 steals while shooting 39.3% from the field and 41.7% from beyond the arc. In Game 3, he scored 31 points but took 31 shots to get them. He finished with 31 points, 6 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks while shooting 38.7% from the field and 38.5% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to defend him well and not allow him to have an efficient game
Jaylen Brown vs VJ Edgecombe In Game 1, he finished with 13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals while shooting 37.5% from the field and going 0-5 from beyond the arc. In Game 2, he finished with 30 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals while shooting 60% from the field and 60% from beyond the arc. The Celtics defended him better in Game 3 where he finished with 10 points, l0 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block and 1 steal while shooting 24.9% from the field and shooting 0-7 from three. The Celtics need keep him from having a big game in this one as well. Honorable Mention Jayson Tatum vs Paul George Neither of these players were able to play in any of the 4 games between Boston and Philly this season. In Game 1, George finished with 17 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist while shooting 50% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc, but he only took 8 shots. In game 2, he finished with 19 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block while shooting 53.8% from the field and 40.3% from beyond the arc. In Game 3, he finished with 18 points, no rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals while shooting 50% from the field and 57.1% from beyond the arc. T
Keys to the Game Defense – As always, defense is absolutely the key to winning this, and every, game. Defense becomes even more important in the playoffs. It is very true that defense wins championships. In Game 1, the Celtics held the 76ers to 38.9% from the field and 17.4% from beyond the arc. In game 2, the Celtics defense faltered as the 76ers shot 47.8% from the field and 48.7% from beyond the arc. In Game 3, the 76ers shot 43.7% from the field and 34.3% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to make defense their priority and they need to play physical, lock down defense from the opening tip until the final buzzer.
Rebound – Rebounding is also one of the biggest keys to winning every game. As Pat Riley once said, “No rebounds, no rings. In the regular season, the Celtics were 43-12 in games that they tied or out-rebounded opponents and just 11-13 in games in which they were out-rebounded. In Game 1, the Celtics out-rebounded the 76ers 43-40. In Game 2, they out-rebounded the 76ers 50-42, but they were unable to capitalize on them since they shot so poorly. In Game 3, the Celtics once again out-rebounded the 76ers 45-37. They have to continue to fight harder to grab rebounds than the 76ers if they want to win this game. Every Celtic has got to crash the boards and fight for every rebound.
Move the Ball – The Celtics need to move the ball and trust their teammates. They are at their best when they keep the ball moving and find the open man. When they lapse into hero ball and dribble too much, they tend to struggle, as they did in Game 2. They are 37-2 when they have 25 or more assists and 20-0 when they have 29 or more assists. In Game 1, the Celtics kept the ball moving and they had 31 assists. In Game 2, the ball tended to stick more and they finished with 24 assists. In Game 3, they finished with 21 assists. The Celtics have to keep the ball moving to set up the best shots.
Stay Focused – In Game 1, the Celtics turned the ball over just 8 times. But, since then, they have lost some focus and they have gotten sloppy with the ball. In Game 2, they turned the ball over 13 times for 15 points for the 76ers. In Game 3, it got even worse as they turned the ball over 17 times for 21 points. The Celtics were the best team at taking care of the ball in the regular season. They have to get that focus back and avoid careless passes and not drive into a crowd of defenders. They also have to stay focused on taking good shots and making them.
X-Factors On the Road – The Celtics will be on the road for the second straight game and they will be facing a very hostile crowd. Philly fans hate the Celtics because they have pretty much owned them in recent years. They hate Jayson Tatum because the Celtics took him with Philly’s pick after the 76ers traded up to take Markelle Fultz. There will likely be a lot of boos and the Celtics need to play through them. They have to shake off the distractions of playing on the road game and stay focused on playing good basketball.
Coaching – Joe Mazzulla is in his 4th season as Celtics’ head coach. He won a title in 2024 with a very talented team that was packed with shooting stars. Now he has to win in a different way since his personnel has changed and he did a great job in the regular season. Nick Nurse is in his 8th season as a head coach overall and his 3rd as the 76ers head coach. He won a title with the Raptors in 2019. In the playoffs, coaching becomes more important as it becomes a game of adjustments as they play the same team game after game. The coaching chess game will continue in Game 4.
Officiating – Officiating is always an x-factor. Every crew calls the game differently. Some call it tight and call every bit of contact while others allow more physical play. Some favor the home team while others call both sides evenly. The Celtics have to adjust to the way the refs are calling the game and not allow the no calls and bad calls to affect their focus on playing the game.
Official Report Crew Chief: Josh Tiven The Celtics record with Tiven this year is 3-0 and last year it was 5-1. The 76ers record with Tiven this year is 3-0 and was 3-3 last year. His home won/loss record is 35/32. He calls 19.4 fouls on the home team vs 19.8 fouls on the road team.
Referee: Ed Malloy The Celtics record with Malloy this year is 2-0 and last year was 3-4. Malloy didn’t call any 76ers games this season and they were 1-5 last season with him. His home won/loss record is 29/12. He calls 19.3 fouls on the home team vs 20.2 fouls on the road team.
Umpire: Mark Lindsay The Celtics were 3-1 with Linday this season and 7-1 last season with him. The 76ers were 4-1 this season with Lindsay and 2-3 last season. His home win/loss record is 38-26. He calls 20.0 fouls on the home team vs 20.1 fouls against the road team.
Boston, MA - April 12: Boston Celtics center Luka Garza celebrates after hitting a late 3-pointer in the fourth quarter. The Celtics and Orlando Magic played at TD Garden on April 12, 2026. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
PHILADELPHIA — At Celtics shootaround on Sunday, Luka Garza has ice on his knees, his usual post-workout regimen.
In his head, he is prepared to play heavy minutes in Sunday’s Game 4 against 76ers, just as he did in the Celtics’ final regular season game, when he exploded for 27 points in a season-high 38 minutes of action.
More likely, he’ll play just a few minutes.
But, just as he has all year, he’ll be ready for any outcome.
“I expect to play,” Garza said. “If I do, or I don’t — it doesn’t matter. It’s just I got to have that mindset to be ready and go out there and try to make some plays.”
In Friday’s Game 3 Celtics win, Garza played 4 minutes, all of which came in the second quarter. In that span, he secured an offensive board that led to a Baylor Scheierman three-pointer, hit a top-of-the-key three of his own, and again found Scheierman for his second triple.
His mindset in these playoffs has been the same it’s been all year.
“I just stick to what’s worked for me in the past — obviously, just trying to screen, make energy plays, offensive rebound, do what I can to kind of help the offensive flow,” Garza said. “And try to not make any game plan mistakes and stuff like that.”
Asked Luka Garza how he approaches a 4-min stint like the one he got in Game 3:
“I just stick to what's worked for me in the past — obviously, just trying to screen, make energy plays, offensive rebound, do what I can to kind of help the offensive flow. And try to not make any… pic.twitter.com/QXHvVfgJYb
After a career season, Garza is mostly out of the playoff rotation, but he’s staying ready for those spurts when his number is called.
Joe Mazzulla turned to Garza for rotation stints in Games 1 and 3, with the Celtics two primary bigs in foul travel; Queta has averaged 4 fouls in 19 minutes per game, and Nikola Vucevic has averaged 3.7 fouls in 22 minutes per game this series.
“When I see someone getting foul trouble a little bit, I know it’s probably coming,” Garza said. “I just prepare my mind for every single game.”
Jaylen Brown referred to Friday’s Game 3 as a Game 7.
Garza said the team will need to dig deep and embrace that mindset again.
“If you want to win a championship, it’s not hard,” Garza said. “So, you got to have that mindset every single night in the playoffs. You know how important it is. It’s mandatory.”
History would suggest the Celtics are in a pretty good spot. Of the 600 NBA teams that have taken a 2-1 series lead, 480 have gone on to win the series.
But for Celtics aren’t worried about that history.
For them, the only past that is on their mind is their 111-97 loss in Game 2.
“There’s obviously a heightened sense of urgency knowing what happened in Game 2,” Garza said. “So we know we got to have a certain humility about us, knowing that we got two more games to win. We got to approach it that way. And obviously, it’s a huge one.”
Victor Wembanyama has been cleared from concussion protocol.
Victor Wembanyama will play in Game 4 on Sunday against the Trail Blazers after clearing concussion protocol.
The all-world San Antonio Spur took a scary, knockout-like fall in Game 2 of the Western Conference first-round series against Portland, which took him out of the game and forced him to miss Game 3.
Now, five days after suffering the concussion, he has been cleared to take the floor as the Spurs maintain a 2-1 lead in the series.
Victor Wembanyama (concussion protocol) is OUT for the remainder of the game after hitting his head on the court. pic.twitter.com/qP8tAf6osN
San Antonio took Game 3, 120-108, behind the breakout performance of rookie guard and No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper, who exploded for 27 points on 75 percent shooting and 10 rebounds off the bench.
Stephon Castle led the way for San Antonio with a game-high 33 points on 10-for-18 shooting, along with five assists.
Wembanyama led the Spurs to a Game 1, 111-98 victory at home against the Blazers, where he scored 35 points and drained 5 of 6 from deep in 33 minutes of play.
Victor Wembanyama has been cleared from concussion protocol. Getty Images
In Game 2, the Spurs fell apart down the stretch after initially holding a lead in Wemby’s absence, eventually losing 106-103.
Wembanyama, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft, earned the honor of the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year for 2025-26, and was the first to win the award unanimously.
This past season, the French phenom averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and a league-leading 3.1 blocks per game while leading San Antonio to a 62-20 record and the No. 2 seed out west behind only the Oklahoma City Thunder.
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 21: Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) dribbles the ball during the West First Round Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers game on April 21, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Kevin Durant may have played his last game against the Lakers these playoffs.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Kevin Durant will not play in Game 4 with a bone bruise in his sprained ankle, an injury that will sideline him for weeks.
Houston's Kevin Durant is expected to miss Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN. Durant has a bone bruise in his sprained ankle, which would sideline him 2 to 3 weeks in season. He's had around-the-clock treatment to play but has not been cleared by doctors. pic.twitter.com/DpOdclPEAw
Shams went on to report that Durant was at the team’s facility on Sunday and took part in a film session, but that the injury will prevent him from playing for some time.
Even if the Rockets force a Game 7, that would be next Sunday, May 3, or only a week away. It would require some incredible healing for Durant to be back that quickly.
Game 4 will be the third game KD’s missed this series. He opened the series by missing Game 1 with a knee contusion before playing in Game 2. Late in that contest, he sprained his ankle, leading to him missing Game 3 and 4 and, potentially, the rest of the series.
Notably in Game 3, he did not appear on the bench, leading to much discussion. It didn’t sound like he had been particularly involved with the team over recent days, either.
Dave McMenamin says Amen Thompson has no idea how Kevin Durant is feeling:
"Amen Thompson was asked how KD was feeling and he said 'To be honest with you, I don't know.' Whether that means KD has been doing all of his rehab away from the team or the team hasn't been checking in… pic.twitter.com/EnfRl1VIF3
The Lakers will still need to execute to win one more game and finish off the series. Fortunately, their mindset appears to be the appropriate one in that the job is not finished.
But they are firmly in the driver’s seat and reinforcements don’t seem to be coming for Houston.
