Category: NBA

Towering superstar Victor Wembanyama toppled onto his face Tuesday night — timberrr!!! — and the NBA playoff scenario immediately became as scrambled as the San Antonio Spurs' 7-foot-4 center's thoughts must have been moments after he suffered a concussion.

Without Wembanyama for nearly three quarters, the Spurs fell to the underdog Portland Trail Blazers, 106-103, with the first-round series tied 1-1 and headed to Portland for Game 3 on Friday.

Meanwhile, without superstar guard Luka Doncic, the Lakers powered past the Houston Rockets, 101-94, to take a 2-0 series lead. Guard tandem Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard combined with the ageless LeBron James to make up for the absence of injuries to Doncic as well as fellow starting guard Austin Reaves.

Peering forward, an extended absence by Wembanyama would seem to place the Spurs in serious jeopardy of a first-round exit. After all, "Wemby" is the league's defensive player of the year in addition to averaging 25 points and 11.5 rebounds a game. He is a two-way force of unprecedented magnitude.

Meanwhile, the Lakers have responded to the loss of Doncic so well that Times columnist Bill Plaschke declared "believe it, this series is already over" after their Game 2 victory Tuesday night. The absence of Doncic and his 33.3 points, 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds a game was masked by the exceptional play of teammates.

Read more:Plaschke: It’s over! Lakers prove they’re better than the overmatched Rockets

Does that make Wembanyana more valuable than Doncic? Does it raise Wembanyana's NBA Most Valuable Player credentials to the level of fellow finalists Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic?

That's a topic worth debating on another day. For now, the pertinent questions are how severely Wembanyana is injured and how long will he be sidelined. The Spurs and Trail Blazers play Game 3 on Friday night, Game 4 on Sunday and Game 5 on Tuesday night. The median time lost to concussion in the NBA is seven days.

“He has a concussion and he is in the protocol,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said afterward. “We’ll obviously take the proper and appropriate steps.”

A player in concussion protocol must have at least 48 hours of inactivity and undergo neurological testing while meeting certain criteria without symptoms before being cleared to play. A decision on clearance will come from the NBA concussion protocol director Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher in consultation with the Spurs' team doctor.

The injury occurred early in the second quarter. After backing into the paint with the ball, Wembanyama turned to explode toward the basket. Portland defender Jrue Holiday executed a maneuver termed “pulling the chair” — moving completely away from the Spurs center, who clearly was expecting contact.

Wembanyama lurched forward, toppled and slammed the right side of his face on the floor. He stayed down for several seconds before sitting up and putting his hands on his face. Television analyst Reggie Miller exclaimed, "He is dazed." Wembanyama finally stood and jogged directly to the locker room. He did not return.

Read more:Luka Doncic providing Lakers a big playoff boost, even from the bench

Meanwhile at Crypto.com Arena, Doncic and Reaves cheered from the bench throughout the Lakers' inspired dismantling of the Rockets. Smart scored 25 points and Kennard added 23.

“I know we just kind of flipped the switch,” Kennard said. “We told each other, this is what we got right now. We’ve got to believe in what we have.”

Added Smart: “The word is, ‘elevate’ for us, and that’s all we’ve been trying to do, is elevate our play on both ends."

Wembanyana's backup is Luke Kornet, who has played for six teams since going undrafted out of Vanderbilt in 2017. He was effective during a 14-minute stint in the Spurs' Game 1 victory over Portland and had 10 points and nine rebounds in Game 2 after Wembanyana exited. He'll need to step up the way Smart and Kennard have for the Lakers.

Injuries are inevitable. How teammates respond when a superstar is sidelined provides insight on multiple levels. So far, the loss of Doncic — and Reaves — has been overcome by the Lakers while the loss of Wembanyama could cripple the Spurs.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Can the Toronto Raptors slow down the Cleveland Cavaliers?

That’s the million-dollar question as this Round 1 series swings north of the border, which is more like $1.4 million CAD when you do the currency exchange.

Cleveland has a 2-0 chokehold on Toronto, which is trying desperately to solve the Cavaliers’ constant carousel of scoring threats.

Donovan Mitchell is the biggest thorn in the Raptors’ paw... errr claw. 

He’s combined for 62 points in the first two games of the series, but my Cavaliers vs. Raptors predictions for Game 3 see Mitchell as more of a playmaker.

My NBA picks like “Spida” to set up his teammates and top his assist prop on Thursday, April 23.

Cavaliers vs Raptors prediction

Who will win Cavaliers vs Raptors Game 3?

Cavaliers: Cleveland has been one of the better two-way teams in the postseason so far.

The Cavs' scoring depth has been on full display, but they have also topped up their defensive intensity, giving Toronto's offense little to work with. 

Immanuel Quickley’s absence is felt at point guard, and his status for Game 3 should be monitored closely.

Cavaliers vs Raptors best bet: Donovan Mitchell Over 4.5 assists (+125)

Donovan Mitchell was the tip of the spear for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the opening two games, attempting 43 shots for a total of 62 points.

The scary thing is that, unlike in past postseasons, Cleveland doesn’t need Mitchell to shoulder that much of the load.

With James Harden joining him in the backcourt, the pressure is off Mitchell to get good looks every time down the floor. He can allow the offense to move through him rather than to him. 

And with the Toronto Raptors opting to run a small-ball lineup at Cleveland’s heavy screen schemes in the second half of Game 2, Mitchell is now seeing more pressure above the arc.

Mitchell, who averages just shy of six dimes per game, uses his gravity as a scorer to manufacture space for others. The Raps will have to pick their poison, hedging hard to take away Mitchell’s outside threat, but, in the process, making him more of a distributor.

Although Mitchell had just nine potential assists in Game 1, that metric spiked to 13.0 in Game 2, manifesting in five actual assists (three in the 2H).

This Game 3 prop opened with the Over 4.5 assists heavily juiced at many sportsbooks, but early action has been backing the Under. Most shops are now dealing this result between -105 and +108, and bet365 is offering strong value to buy back the adjustment at +125.

Mitchell has handed out five or more assists in 10 of his last 17 games overall, and game projections give Mitchell between 4.7 and 5.4 dimes in Game 3.

Cavaliers vs Raptors same-game parlay

After two games, it really looks like the Raptors are chasing their tails on defense. There’s no easy solution to Cleveland’s inside-out offense. Toronto can’t keep pace beyond the arc and has too many starters going MIA. 

Jarrett Allen scored just 10 points in Game 2, but if the Cavs counter like I believe they will, Mitchell will find Allen for easy dump-downs and dunks inside. Allen is projected for 13+ points on Thursday.

Cavaliers vs Raptors SGP

• Cavaliers moneyline
• Donovan Mitchell Over 4.5 assists
• Jarrett Allen Over 12.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Along Came a Spida

Mitchell has powered this 2-0 series lead with his scoring, but with Toronto trying to take him out of the equation, “Spida” will find other ways to lead the Cavaliers to victory. His assist and rebounding projections sit as high as 5+ each.

Toronto desperately needs better offense, and a trip home should help the Raptors’ cold shooting, pushing this total Over on Thursday.

Cavaliers vs Raptors SGP

• Cavaliers -3
• Over 219.5
• Donovan Mitchell Over 4.5 assists
• Donovan Mitchell Over 4.5 rebounds

Cavaliers vs Raptors odds for Game 3

• Spread: Cavaliers -3 (-110) | Raptors +3 (-110)
• Moneyline: Cavaliers -155 | Raptors +130
• Over/Under: Over 219.5 (-110) | Under 219.5 (-110)

Cavaliers vs Raptors betting trend to know

Toronto has only been a home underdog a dozen times this season (4-8 SU), with those rare spots going 7-5 Over/Under. Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Raptors.

How to watch Cavaliers vs Raptors Game 3

Cavaliers vs Raptors latest injuries

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.

The news of Billy Donovan and the Chicago Bulls parting ways recently made some headlines, but the bigger question was: Where is Donovan heading next?

Well, many have speculated that Donovan is very interested in the Orlando Magic. That should bring back some nostalgia for basketball fans, as Donovan was hired as the coach of the Orlando Magic in 2007 after back-to-back titles at Florida, while the Kentucky Wildcats also made a push.

Donovan’s time with the Magic lasted less than a week before he changed his mind and returned to Gainesville.

Donovan could ultimately end up with the Magic this time around, although it is an interesting scenario as the Magic are currently in the NBA Playoffs and pulled off an upset in Game 1 against the 1-seed Detroit Pistons.

Also important to note: Jamahl Mosley remains the head coach of the Magic, although there has been speculation for much of the season that Mosley may not return as coach of the Magic next season.

So, where does Kentucky play into this? Well, Colin Cowherd – who lives in Chicago – mentioned Kentucky as a possible landing spot for Donovan.

Take a listen: The Kentucky mention happens at around the 2:00 mark.

“Now, if Orlando beats Detroit in that series, I kind of got a feeling the Pistons are going to come back, blowout win, or keep your eye on Kentucky Basketball,” he said.

It was an interesting statement by Cowherd about Kentucky in that regard. Obviously, Kentucky still has a coach in Mark Pope, but many believe Pope is headed into a critical Year 3 after a disappointing season.

Maybe Donovan could come be the Kentucky GM? Lord knows they could use one right about now.

Where do you think Billy Donovan lands?

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If even the Portland Trail Blazers are going to upset the San Antonio Spurs early this week, then why can’t the Phoenix Suns shock the Oklahoma City Thunder?

Perhaps that is a bold thought, but there is still value to be found in these player props and NBA picks on Wednesday, April 22.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Daniss Jenkins	Under 7.5 points	-112
Dillon Brooks	20+ points	+140
Devin Booker	Over 5.5 assists	+120

Prop #1: Daniss Jenkins Under 7.5 points

-112 at bet365

Where was this Orlando Magic defense all season? Well, to put it simply, it was injured.

But in the final two weeks of the regular season, Orlando had the best defensive rating in the NBA. There is very much a sample size worry to that compliment, but it was the best indicator we had of what could be coming from the Magic in the postseason.

And that has certainly delivered in Orlando’s last two games, eviscerations of the Charlotte Hornets and the Detroit Pistons. I mean, really, how often do you get to use the plural form of “evisceration”?

Only Cade Cunningham produced for Detroit in Game 1, scoring 39 points in 40 minutes, shooting 13-of-27 from the field. His conditioning while coming back from a collapsed lung was astounding.

When Cunningham was sidelined, Daniss Jenkins proved a shockingly steady piece for the Pistons, but with Cunningham now back, Jenkins’ playing time should plummet further than Sunday’s 22 minutes. Even with that elevated playing time, he scored just six points.

Cunningham is all Detroit has. He might need to play 44 minutes against this defense. Every Cunningham minute lessens the chances of Jenkins seeing added time or added responsibilities.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ESPN

Prop #2: Dillon Brooks 20+ points

+140 at bet365

Dillon Brooks scored 18 points in Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. But the more pertinent stat is that the Phoenix Suns’ agitator took 22 shots, most on the team by five attempts.

The Thunder know to focus on Devin Booker. With the ball forced out of his hands, who is never going to shy from a shot? The one and only Dillon Brooks.

Phoenix is not going to discourage Brooks, not that it would have any effect. The Suns need some combination of Booker, Brooks and Jalen Green to get hot to have any hope of keeping up with the Thunder.

It will be inefficient. It might be a net-negative. But expect Brooks to chuck plenty again tonight, and that likelihood creates clear value in this milestone prop.

• Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ESPN

Prop #3: Devin Booker Over 5.5 assists

+120 at bet365

If Oklahoma City is going to force the ball out of Devin Booker’s hands, then that thought immediately creates value in his assists prop, particularly at this plus-money.

Booker had only two assists in Game 1, but that was more a reflection of his teammates’ shooting than anything else. Outside of Booker (8-of-17, 47.1% from the field), Phoenix shot just 31.8% from the field.

By no means are the Suns about to find offensive rhythm. The Thunder are too good defensively. But 31.8% from the field was particularly wretched.

Expect that to climb past 40% tonight, some of that improvement coming from Booker’s passes simply because Oklahoma City will refuse to risk the Phoenix superstar getting hot.

• Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ESPN

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

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An unexpected first round in the NBA playoffs has forced oddsmakers to adjust on the fly, with the Los Angeles Lakers being named new series favorites, albeit narrowly, and the San Antonio Spurs’ title dreams dwindling in light of Victor Wembanyama’s head injury.

Key Takeaways

• The Lakers were the most-bet team to win their first-round series.
  
  
• Oddsmakers moved L.A. up from +10,000 to +3,500 to win the NBA Finals.
  
  
• Top books dropped the Spurs from +550 to +700 to win the championship after Wembanyama’s concussion.

The Lakers were supposed to be an afterthought for the Houston Rockets, who opened as -750 favorites (88.2% implied chance) to win the series. The Rockets have fallen a considerable distance to their current line of +115, although that still gives them a 46.5% implied chance to win four of the next five games. 

Conversely, the Lakers are up to to -135 after opening at +550. LeBron James has never lost a series after taking a 2-0 lead, going 32-0.

LeBron James' playoff series record when:

Winning Game 1: 29-2
When up 2 games: 32-0

LeBron has won 20 straight series when he wins Game 1. pic.twitter.com/TdY5iH1lBl

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) April 21, 2026

That’s positive news for the betting public, as Los Angeles was the most-bet team to win a first-round series in the entire playoff bracket.

The purple and gold finished the season 53-29, one game ahead of the Rockets and in fourth in the Western Conference. They also won two of their three regular-season matchups, including both meetings in 2026. 

However, the injury absences of leading scorers Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves prompted the oddsmakers to mark the 5-seed Rockets as the team to beat.

The Lakers have also made up substantial ground in the NBA championship odds picture. DraftKings has them eighth at +3,500 after they began the playoffs at +10,000 and were as long as +12,000.

DraftKings still has the Rockets as -9.5 favorites in Game 3. Reaves has a chance to return from an oblique injury before the end of the series, while Doncic is presumed to be unavailable until the second round.

Spurs' odds slide

Heads turned away from screens and hands covered eyes Tuesday night when Wembanyama went clattering to the hardwood while trying to grab a loose ball.

The 7-foot-4 Frenchman, who set franchise records for points scored and threes made in a playoff debut the game before, appeared to lose consciousness on the court and was later confirmed to have suffered a concussion. He did not return to the game, finishing with five points, four rebounds, one assist, and one block in 12 minutes.

SCARY SIGHT IN SAN ANTONIO 😳

Victor Wembanyama fell and slammed his face off the court while driving to the basket and had to be taken to the locker room 🤕pic.twitter.com/JIpub8b56z

— Covers (@Covers) April 22, 2026

The Portland Trail Blazers took advantage of Wembanyama’s absence, finishing the game on a 16-4 run to win 106-103 and knot the series at one game apiece. The teams will take the floor for Game 3 in Portland on Friday night. 

The Spurs went from +500 to +550 in odds to win the NBA Finals at major online sportsbooks prior to Wemby’s fall and resultant injury. BetMGM has them at the shortest odds of all leading operators at +550, while FanDuel now lists them at +700.

The NBA has a 48-hour minimum before players can return from concussions. Wembanyama could still be back in time for Game 3 if he doesn’t need any extended recovery time.

The earliest that a player has ever returned from a concussion in the playoffs was four days, which would be the rest day between Games 3 and 4. Following a typical recovery timeline would put the Spurs’ star back sometime between Games 5 and 7.

Wemby's concussion return timeline: pic.twitter.com/RCDv1M38WA

— WembyMuse (@Wemby_Muse) April 22, 2026

DraftKings still has the Spurs as -550 favorites to win their series matchup with the +400 Blazers.

NBA title odds picture

The Oklahoma City Thunder still lead DraftKings' NBA title odds at -120. The Spurs and Boston Celtics (+650) are the only other teams below +1,000.

The Denver Nuggets (+1,100) and Cleveland Cavaliers (+1,400) lead the second tier of contenders before the odds lengthen to +2,200 for the sixth-place New York Knicks.

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.

The horn sounded about 30 seconds ago and I’m just typing. Just trying to get it out of my system. Vent the air. The poison. The fury. Whatever it is that’s coursing through my veins at the moment, I want it out and I want it out now.

That was horrible. Man, that was horrible. I’m just so mad about every single turn of the screw that brought game 2 crashing down around us tonight.

I hate that it happened. You know, that thing we were all worried about? The axe swinging so delicately over our heads all season dropped in maybe the least dramatic way possible. Jrue Holiday simply stepping aside and Victor crashing to the floor unceremoniously. I don’t know what the prognosis is. I don’t know when he’ll be back. I just know that he was there and then he was gone and it felt like all the air was sucked out of my lungs.

I hate the refs, who were obviously biased and conspiring against us. I hate every non-Tiago Splitter member of the Blazers organization, who are all obviously bad actors with ill intentions. I hate fouling up three. I hate injuries. I hate the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are probably sitting up there laughing at this cute little crash out we’re all having during our first foray back into the playoffs. They’re probably smugly thinking that after a whole season of people talking up the Spurs, it’s the highest of comedy to see us fall on our faces now that we’re here.

I hate that they’re probably right.

I hate that the crowd never got their payoff. Victor went down and every single person in that building took a deep breath and just kept rocking. They stayed loud. They kept chanting. They refused to fold. I saw them rise as one in the fourth, right after Portland retook the lead, putting every ounce of their power into willing the Spurs back out in front. I stood up too. I freaked out my dogs. I was ready to believe.

I hate that we turned it over on that possession.

I hate that the boys didn’t pull this off. Unlike me, they never got scared. They never shrank from the moment. They didn’t sit on their couch after Wemby went down, nurse a warm Miller Lite, and hyperventilate. No, they continued to grind out there. They traded punches. They battled. They put in the work to distract us from that gaping 7’4″ wound in our side and they damn near pulled it off. It was amazing to watch. My heart bleeds for them. I want to sing songs about this performance. I want to burn the Frost Bank Center in effigy. I want to rename both of my daughters after Luke Kornet.

I hate that it simply wasn’t enough. They fought and they scrapped and they clawed and it wasn’t enough. It just wasn’t enough. It was right there.

I hate it.

I’m sitting here at 9:53 P.M. on Tuesday night, my hands are shaking. My head is buzzing. I feel this one deep in my chest.

I just hate it.

So, I’m fine. You’re fine. We’re all fine.

In the cold light of the morning, we’re all….fine.

The opening game of this series felt less like a playoff game and more like a homecoming. The basketball was real, but it almost played second fiddle to everything surrounding it. The color, the noise, the pure relief of being back. We came, we saw, we partied. I felt like I was glowing for two straight days in the aftermath.

Game 2 was a different animal from the very beginning. The crowd wore black. The Spurs were back in their plain white jerseys. Whatever spell the Fiesta colors had cast two nights earlier had worn off and now we were all clocking back in for our Tuesday night shift at the Playoff factory. Stripped of that pomp and circumstance, all that was left was the basketball. Cold, serious, necessary basketball.

To make matters worse, the basketball was bad. Everyone came out flat and disjointed. The Blazers were physical and up for the fight and the Spurs just seemed distracted. Almost annoyed their opponents were even putting up a fight in the first place. Even as they wrestled the lead back by the end of the quarter, something just felt off.

Now, I’m not going to say that Victor getting hurt was a good thing because, you know, even thinking about the ramifications of his injury right now makes me a little queasy. That said, it did serve as a fascinating pivot point for everyone in the building. Basically, it was a bucket of cold water to the face.

All of a sudden, every single one of us was awake. We were no longer tapdancing through some fairytale. Things had gotten very real and you could feel the crowd lock back in. We were invincible, but now we were bleeding. This was a real fight and, more than that, it was a fight we might actually lose.

There was every reason for this team to fall apart and try to pick up the pieces later. I was waiting for it. Looking for signs that this tight-knit group, this lovable band of young guys facing their first real test, might finally blink at a challenge. I came up empty.

Before Game 1, they showed a video of Keldon Johnson bouncing through the halls of the arena with a boombox over his shoulder, loudly proclaiming “It’s ok to be nervous, but it ain’t ok to be scared.” Watching this team play the final three quarters without their best player, I kept coming back to that. Nobody got scared. Not once. They came up short last night, but they never stopped fighting.

I’m sure we all had some version of the story written in our head about how this team would sweep into the playoffs on the heels of Victor’s otherworldly powers and effortlessly ascend to the top of the mountain. This team was blessed with divine purpose and, surely, nothing would stand in our way.

So, yea. That’s out the window now, isn’t it?

Before anything bad happened on Tuesday night, Wembanyama was asked if he felt the weight of the moment the Spurs find themselves in. He mused, “I wouldn’t say weight. I would say it feels safe. It feels like if you trip, there’s a lot of hands that are ready to catch you. From Day 1, it’s felt that way.”

I love this quote. It’s an all timer.It somehow tugs at every little thing that feels special about being a Spurs fan. We’re all lucky enough to be a part of this legacy, this community, this culture. This is our home. This is por vida.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from our decade out in the wilderness, it’s that por vida doesn’t mean you just show up for the party. You show up when it’s hard. You go until you can’t go, and then you go some more.

Our boys have been well and truly knocked off the easy path. They’ve tripped.

Are you ready to catch them?

Takeaways

• I think the Spurs will be better prepared to play without Wembanyama on Friday than they were Tuesday night. Watch that 13-0 run to open the fourth quarter and tell me this team can’t function without him. They clearly can. The, ahem, little detail where they blew the 14 point lead never really felt like a talent problem, it felt like an energy problem. A giant hole got blown in the boat and everyone had spent the rest of the night frantically bailing water while simultaneously insisting everything was fine. It was valiant and necessary, but unsustainable. Castle’s 7-of-20 shooting night and Fox going 1-of-6 in the fourth weren’t indictments of their ability, they were symptoms of an offense that had lost its anchor and never quite found its footing again. A few days to collect their thoughts, draw up some sets, and actually prepare for a game without Wemby should go a long way.
• A thing I totally forgot about playoff basketball is that weird feeling where you never give the Portland Trail Blazers more than two seconds of thought during the regular season, and then, all of a sudden, after about two quarters of playoff basketball, these guys are your mortal enemies. I hate them. They’re bad guys and they should feel bad for being so bad. Deni Avdija? Bad guy. Jrue Holiday? Villain. Donovan Clingan? If you lay hands on my sweet boy Luke Kornet one more time, the next thing you’ll be seeing is me in the octagon.
• Scoot Henderson going off like that was, truly, something you hate to see. Not on a personal level. I’m sure Scoot’s fine. But you hate to see an opponent who has spent his first few years not quite living up to his potential suddenly start living up to it while you’re fighting for your life. He punished every drop coverage the Spurs threw at him, drained step-back threes like he’d been doing it all season, and finished with 31 points on 11-of-17 shooting. Hey bud? Go do that somewhere else.
• If I could somehow manage to ethereally float outside my body and think about this game objectively, which I can’t, I’d be sitting here raving about Dylan Harper going toe to toe with Scoot all night. Two extraordinarily physically gifted guards battling it out, draining shots, mean mugging each other. That was electric. What a blessing that would be to watch if I wasn’t having a panic attack at the same time.

WWL Post Game Press Conference

Well, it was your first time writing about a Spurs playoff game. How’d it go? Was it everything you dreamed of?

That was a nightmare. How are you supposed to eloquently channel your emotions about a game into the written word while your house is on fire?

Yeah, that’s kind of the challenge there, isn’t it?

I’m exhausted. I’m drained. I feel like my head got caved in and now I’m supposed to just go about my day like nothing’s wrong? People at my day job are already asking me stuff like “how are you?” and “what’s up, man?” How am I? How AM I? What’s UP? The nerve of these people.

Is it good to be back though?

It’s the absolute best.

I love April basketball. It simply hits different. It is better when the Phoenix Suns are part of it (and more stressful), sure, but this stretch of the season always delivers. Every night for a fortnight, you get multiple First Round games, numerous options to choose from, and countless narratives to observe. Something is always on to entertain, analyze, and enjoy. It makes it easy to turn on, tune in, zone out.

Last night, after watching Philly and Portland win, I had the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers on. It’s one of those series you kind of hate watch. It’s impossible for both to fail, but that’s where I default. I don’t want the Lakers’ success. Why would I? They’re a franchise built upon a foundation of luck, more so than the Spurs, and their fanbase still thinks Kobe is a top 3 player of all-time. He’s not a top 3 Laker of all time. But that’s a conversation for a different day (Kareem, Magic, Shaq). It’s hard to talk to people who lack logic. And the Rockets? Let’s just say that the Suns’ fan in me wants to believe we won the KD trade, so having them lose fortifies that narrative, despite it being a non-productive and pointless one.

It was a competitive game. Despite no Luka and no Austin Reaves, a 41-year-old LeBron James delivered. Along with new sidekick Luke Kennard, he handled business and pushed the series to 2-0.

Kevin Durant (you have heard of the guy) did not have a clean night. The Lakers swarmed him. Marcus Smart was in his jersey from the opening tip, and KD coughed it regularly. By the fourth, the pressure only increased. He finished close to a double-double, but not the one you want. 23 points. 9 turnovers.

I could not help but flash back to those moments when Kevin Durant wore a Phoenix Suns jersey. Not the playoffs — they never got there last season — but those tight regular season games where things would slow down and suddenly the ball would bounce off his foot. It happened more than you want to remember. For all the brilliance, for all the shot making, there were possessions that ended before they ever had a chance because of a turnover that felt avoidable.

Seeing it once again sent my mind wandering a bit. Where Phoenix was a year ago. Where the Houston Rockets are now. Where both franchises sit, and where they might be headed. They are forever tied together now. Houston pushed in chips to win now, bringing in Durant, following a path the Suns had already walked. Phoenix did it in 2022, moving assets, reshaping the roster, and betting on a player to tilt the ceiling of the franchise. Houston followed that blueprint. They gave up less than Phoenix did, but the idea was the same: change the trajectory, chase a title, see if it all comes together.

And now you look up, and there is a chance both teams are staring at the same kind of outcome, sitting in the same room, asking the same questions about what comes next.

Because think about it. The Houston Rockets were the two seed in the Western Conference last season. They lost a hard-fought seven-game series to the Golden State Warriors, and you could point to youth as the reason. That pushed them to chase something more. Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns did not make the playoffs. Now both teams could be staring at a similar outcome. Houston dropped from the two seed to the five after acquiring Kevin Durant. Phoenix climbed from the 11th to the seventh, then earned the eighth through the Play-In. The Suns head into Oklahoma City with a chance to even the series tonight, and if they do not, they become the only Western Conference team down 0-2 in the first round. Well, almost. Houston is right there, too.

Of course, this is reactionary. The postseason always is. You lose, it feels like you will never win again. You win, it feels like you will never lose again. That is the swing. I still expect Houston to push back in their series. They may not mirror what is happening to Phoenix in Games 1 and 2, but a first round exit is very much in play. And that brings the thought back to where we are now versus where we were then.

At the end of last season, it felt hopeless. The highest payroll in NBA history produced zero postseason wins. Zero postseason games. Bradley Beal had that silly no-trade clause, the draft cupboard was bare, and it felt like the only path forward ran through a complete and total reset. We talked about it all summer, how to fix it, and how to move on. And the Suns did. They moved on from Durant, moved on from Beal, wiped the board clean, and leaned into a cultural reset.

This season, they overachieved. It is not a perfect roster. Far from it. That is what makes the upcoming offseason so important. Step one was the culture rest. It was about identifying players who fit their desired style and identity. That box was checked. Now comes the harder part. Continue building with limited flexibility and rising competition in the West, while managing expectations.

That word matters. Expectation. It weighed down the previous era with Durant, Beal, and Devin Booker. Now it returns. The expectation is growth. Improvement. Tough decisions made with incomplete information. That is what made this season fun. It came without expectation. That is also what separates Phoenix from Houston right now. If the Suns lose in the first round, even in a sweep, the reaction stays measured. If that happens in Houston, the noise gets loud. Coaching questions. Roster moves. Big swings.

Next season will not come with that same cushion. The expectations are coming back, and this summer matters. You cannot keep cycling through experiments during Booker’s prime. If that is the path, then you have to ask bigger questions about direction. There are real decisions ahead. Jalen Green and his value. Mark Williams is entering restricted free agency, and what number makes sense? Royce O’Neale and how to maximize that asset. Grayson Allen and the balance between shooting and overall impact.

Those conversations are coming. They have to. Until then, we watch. We study. We see what works for others, what breaks down, and where there might be opportunity. And when you hear Houston fans vent about late-game turnovers from Durant, you cannot help but nod a little. You have seen that story before.

And maybe that is what April basketball really does best. It blurs the lines between present and past, between what feels new and what you know you have already seen. One game turns into a mirror, one possession into a reminder that team-building in the NBA is rarely linear and never guaranteed. The Suns and Rockets sit on different timelines but share the same lesson: bold swings can raise your ceiling, but they also sharpen your margin for error.

So as the games keep stacking up and the stakes keep rising, you watch not just for the outcome, but for the patterns. For the hints of what lasts and what doesn’t. Because in the end, that is the pull of this stretch of the season. It is not just about who wins or loses tonight. It is about understanding what it all means for tomorrow.

LOS ANGELES — As news broke on Tuesday night that Kevin Durant’s status had been upgraded to available, the collective tension in Crypto.com Arena rose. The tone of seriousness, implications, and magnitude of the game completely changed.  

Durant was an inferno in the first quarter, hitting every pull-up jump shot, but the purple and gold quickly countered. A back-and-forth rock fight ensued, both teams throwing haymakers in front of an electric crowd in the Crypto Arena.

Rockets head coach Ime Udoka, understanding the severity of the situation, shortened Reed Sheppard’s minutes from 36 in Game 1 to just 11 in Game 2, leaving All-Star big man Alperen Şengün as the main mismatch left to exploit.

The Lakers and LeBron James attacked him mercilessly to take Game 2 and grab an early stranglehold on the series.

​LA blew a 15-point lead in the second quarter to close the half, with Houston going in front early in the third quarter. The Rockets’ physical ball pressure defense started to sink its teeth in, forcing turnovers, late-clock shots and stagnant offense.

​What followed in the second half was a surgical breakdown courtesy of vintage LeBron and ruthless mismatch hunting. LA scrapped every other action and put him at the top of the key with Deandre Ayton to repeatedly attack Şengün’s.

Houston under no circumstances wants to switch and leave Şengün stranded on an island with LeBron. They had him either “shock” the ball screen — meet at the level and attempt to return to the rolling big — or sit in traditional drop coverage.

Understanding this, head coach JJ Redick put sharpshooters Rui Hachimura and Luke Kennard in the corners and dared the Rockets to send help off one of them.

Watch below as LeBron runs the action with Ayton in the middle of the floor. Şengün meets him at the level of the second screen, no one tags Ayton as he rolls to the rim and he gets an easy finish off the pocket pass.

A few possessions later, they ran it again. Watch below as Şengün is in a traditional drop coverage defense, allowing LeBron to get downhill and easily find Ayton over the top with the lob.

​He continued to dissect the defense, even getting a monstrous reverse dunk in the half-court on an easy blow-by and miscommunication.

​Houston eventually surrendered to put two on the ball and blitz the screen to get the ball out of LeBron’s hand before he created an advantage. The instant LeBron sees the double coming towards him, he rifles a pass to the opposite corner to Hachimura for the 3-pointer.

The Lakers never trailed again after the brief third-quarter deficit, keeping Houston at bay the rest of the game. LeBron had five of his seven assists in the second half, constantly picking at the Şengün matchup.

The 41-year-old finished the game with 28 points and seven assists, masterfully controlling every possession whenever the Rockets threatened.

He’s not the only one to get loose and benefit from going at Şengün. Luke Kennard had back-to-back 20-point games, getting to his spots off of screens to finish an efficient 8-13 from the field. Marcus Smart joined in with an 8-13 night himself along with seven assists after tallying eight in Game 1.

The Lakers have a chance to go up 3-0 on Friday in Houston, a series lead that has never been lost. They’ve played a deliberate, mismatch-hunting offense in both wins, continuing to dare Houston to solve it. So far, they haven’t, and the Lakers will send them home embarrassingly early if they can’t.

You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu

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The New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks are locked at 1-1 as their opening round NBA Playoffs series heads south for Game 3 on Thursday.

My same-game parlay for this pivotal matchup is in a “New York state of mind”, banking on the Knicks to overcome a crushing loss in Game 2 and get solid work from two of its grittiest postseason performers in Game 3.

Here are my best NBA picks & Knicks vs. Hawks predictions on Thursday, April 23.

Our best Knicks vs Hawks SGP for Game 3

The New York Knicks had a 2-0 series lead in their hands, but poor foul shooting and careless turnovers opened the door for an advantageous Atlanta Hawks squad. New York has looked strong for seven of the first eight quarters in this series and feels the pressure not to let the Hawks get a whiff of hope as they head home.

OG Anunoby’s points total should be higher in Game 3. But the Knicks forward left points on the table with a 4-for-8 night from the charity stripe in Game 2. He dropped 18 in the series opener, doesn’t shrink on the road, and is projected for as many as 17+ points in Game 3.

Josh Hart finds another gear in the postseason and has been extremely active on the glass, averaging 19.0 rebounding chances in the opening two games. That nose for the ball has resulted in 13 and 14 boards in those outings. His Game 3 forecast once again sits around double figures on the glass from Hart.

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The Sixers beat the Celtics at TD Garden on opening night — a game which took place in October, though it feels like a lifetime ago.

On that night, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe were magnificent. The veteran guard dropped 40 while the rookie poured in 34. With Joel Embiid struggling mightily and Paul George shelved, the backcourt of the future made its presence felt in the present. The Sixers’ season was a roller coaster the rest of the way.

So after they were blown out by Boston in Game 1 Sunday, it was only fitting for the VJ-Maxx backcourt to lead them to a stunning upset in Game 2. Like they’ve done all season, Maxey and Edgecombe flushed what happened and willed their team to a win.

That win in the opener was part of a 4-0 start. Then the Sixers struggled as Embiid and George weren’t consistently in the lineup and had not returned to form when available. As the veterans began looking like themselves, the team was showing real signs of life — until George was slapped with a 25-game suspension. Then Embiid battled a stress reaction in his right leg, followed by a right oblique strain. Then Maxey hurt his pinky.

That felt like the end. Even if everyone could get back, there’s no way they could make it work. A win over the then-surging Charlotte Hornets with a full squad had folks giddy. One appendectomy later, it felt like all hope was lost. Salvaging a home play-in game — a win over the Orlando Magic — provided a brief moment of joy, followed quickly by the grim reality of facing the hated Celtics.

And Game 1 felt like an inevitability.

Embiid isn’t coming back. Sweep incoming. Fire Daryl Morey. Fire Nick Nurse. Salary dump PG.

OK, there are likely many of you who still agree with a couple of those, but there will be no sweep.

And maybe, just maybe, Embiid can make a heroic return. That would sure make things interesting.

But we’re not even having this conversation if not for the dynamic play of Maxey and Edgecombe.

Edgecombe looked a bit like a rookie in Game 1. It’s understandable. The Sixers have asked so much of the 20-year-old, it’s only fair to allow him a few growing pains. He got over those — and some physical pains after a nasty fall in the first quarter — rather quickly.

In Game 2, Edgecombe was arguably the best player on the court. Think about how remarkable that is for a second when the court featured Maxey, George, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown (who was also quite brilliant for Boston Tuesday). He dropped 30 points, the first Sixers rookie to do so since Andrew Toney (against the Celtics, of course) back in 1981. He also had 10 rebounds, making him the youngest player in NBA postseason history to go for 30 points and 10 rebounds and the first rookie to do it since Tim Duncan in 1998.

The moment is never too big for this kid.

Much like opening night, Edgecombe’s historical performance overshadowed Maxey’s work. It wasn’t the most efficient evening for the All-Star guard, but he came alive when it mattered most, scoring 12 of his 29 points in the fourth. Boston was able to whittle the Sixers’ lead down to two with under six minutes to go. Maxey, sensing the game slipping away from his team, pulled up and knocked down a three. After a stop on the other end, he buried another.

That quickly, the Celtics went from being down a bucket to trailing by three possessions. After another big three from Edgecombe to push the lead to 13, Maxey got downhill and finished off a beautiful up-and-under layup. Tatum fouled him for an and-one. The TD Garden crowd was silenced, but you could hear Maxey giving the Celtics’ bench and crowd the business.

These dogs bark and bite.

The Sixers tied the series up 1-1 heading back to South Philly for Game 3 Friday night. It’s what Maxey and Edgecombe have done all season long. Even if Boston rips off the next three games, this was just another example of the grit this team has shown all season, led by its electric backcourt.

And though it seems like they’ve been playing together forever, their partnership is only just beginning.

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The New York Knicks should have taken a 2-0 series south to face the Atlanta Hawks in Game 3 tonight, but it’s the Knicks we’re talking about here.

Blowing a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter of Game 2 wasn’t the only bad beat for New York fans. Anyone who had OG Anunoby to top his point prop had salt thrown in the wound.

My Knicks vs. Hawks predictions and NBA picks for Thursday, April 23 will bank on a bounce-back performance for Anunoby in Game 3, with tip-off set for 7:00 on Amazon Prime.

Knicks vs Hawks prediction

Who will win Knicks vs Hawks Game 3?

Knicks: After watching the Knicks piss away a would-be win in Game 2, it’s tough to trust this team as the series swings south. Using the term “must win” in the playoffs is dumb, but if there ever was a game New York must win, it’s this one. You can’t afford to give this plucky Hawks team momentum.

Knicks vs Hawks best bet: OG Anunoby Over 15.5 points (-112)

Peace and love to anyone who bet on OG Anunoby to top his scoring prop of 16.5 points in Game 2.

The New York Knicks’ forward finished 4-for-8 from the free-throw line Monday and scored only 14 points in the loss to the Atlanta Hawks. Rough stuff.

Anunoby did enter Game 2 with a bum wheel after injuring his ankle in the series opener. He shot 4-for-9 from the floor after connecting on 6-of-9 FGAs along with all four of his free throws for 18 points in Game 1. However, he was still aggressively going after the Hawks defense in Game 2 and made two triples for the second straight outing.

Anunoby is putting in work, with 38 minutes in each of the first two games, but his usage has dropped to open this series. He’s normally shooting around 12 shots per outing but is taking a step back with defensive assignments a priority.

Considering how poorly Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges shot in Game 2 (a collective 13 for 36), OG needs to pull double duty as the series swings to Atlanta Thursday night. And while some of his teammates struggle outside of MSG, Anunoby actually averages almost two points more in the role of visitor.

He’s put up more than 16 points in three of five meetings with Atlanta overall, including 22 points in his most recent trip to State Farm Arena. Player projections sit between 16.4 and 17.1 points in Game 3.

Knicks vs Hawks same-game parlay

New York let Game 2 get away with turnovers and missed free throws sparking Atlanta’s rally from 12 points down entering the fourth quarter. The Knicks can’t give the Hawks hope. They’ve done a good job checking Atlanta’s top scorers and clean up their mess in Game 3.

Josh Hart is built for postseason play. He’s averaged 19.0 rebounding chances through the first two games of this series, hauling in 13 and 14 boards in those outings. His projections call for another double-digit night on the glass in Game 3.

Knicks vs Hawks SGP

• Knicks moneyline 
• OG Anunoby Over 15.5 points
• Josh Hart Over 7.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: Original Gangster

Anunoby’s two-way play is vital to the Knicks stealing a win in Atlanta. His projections sit as high as 17+ points and he’s snatched eight boards in each of the first two games. As for defense, the athletic forward swatted a shot in Game 2 and averages around a block per outing on the season.

Knicks vs Hawks SGP

• Knicks moneyline
• OG Anunoby Over 15.5 points
• OG Anunoby Over 5.5 rebounds
• OG Anunoby Over 0.5 blocks

Knicks vs Hawks odds for Game 3

• Spread: New York -1.5 (-105) | Atlanta +1.5 (-115)
• Moneyline: New York -120 | Atlanta +100
• Over/Under: Over 214.5 (-110) | Under 214.5 (-110)

Knicks vs Hawks betting trend to know

The Knicks have stayed Under the total in 30 of their last 45 games (+13.50 Units / 27% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Knicks vs. Hawks.

How to watch Knicks vs Hawks Game 3

Knicks vs Hawks latest injuries

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Florida basketball coach Todd Golden is shooting down the possibility of him leaving the Gators for an NBA job with the Golden State Warriors.

Golden's name was linked to the Warriors on Monday, April 20 by Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor, who reported that if Steve Kerr decides to leave the NBA franchise after 13 seasons, the Warriors would pursue Golden. However, based on Golden's response in a media availability on Wednesday, it appears that he has his eyes set on the sidelines in Gainesville and the SEC for the 2026-27 season.

"I’m definitely planning on coaching the Gators," Golden said on Wednesday during a media availability.

Todd Golden: “definitely planning on coaching the Gators” pic.twitter.com/2OSeutmFk6

— Caden Alvis (@CadenAlvis05) April 22, 2026

More: Inside Todd Golden's remarkable rise to top of college basketball

Kerr spoke at length about his future with the Warriors following the team's loss in the NBA play-in tournament, including an embrace with Draymond Green and Steph Curry on the court, where he acknowledged it could be his final game as the Warriors' coach.

O’Connor also mentioned that Golden's relationship with the Lacob family — who are the majority owners of the Warriors — was a reason he was being linked to Golden State.

"If Steve Kerr leaves, the Warriors will pursue Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden, according to my league sources," said O’Connor on his podcast on Monday. "Golden is the coach that they’re targeting, that’s in part because the Lacob family has a relationship with him.

"Golden was the head coach of the San Francisco Dons for three years before he went to Florida and won a national title there. They’ve been together, they’ve had lunches together, those guys know each other and Golden is a very, very talented young head coach. And so I think for the Warriors, Golden would be near the top of their list, if not at the top of the list."

Should Golden change his stance and consider a job in the NBA this cycle, his buyout for an NBA job would be $2 million, according to his contract with Florida, which was obtained by the USA TODAY Sports network.

Golden, 40, has quickly risen to being one of the top college basketball coaches in the country after just four seasons at Florida. He's returned the program to its national prominence, highlighted by its national championship run in 2025 that featured the No. 2 adjusted offensive efficiency and No. 6 adjusted defensive efficiency on KenPom.

Florida is 103-41 combined under Golden, who spent the first three years of his head coaching career in the West Coast Conference at San Francisco.

The Gators, who saw a first-weekend exit from the Men's NCAA Tournament this year after earning a No. 1 seed, are expected to have one of the top rosters in the country next season. Thomas Haugh announced his return to the Gators on Tuesday and picked up Denzel Aberdeen in the transfer portal to go along with returnees Alex Condon and Boogie Fland.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Florida basketball coach Todd Golden shuts down NBA, Warriors rumors