CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 27: Max Strus #1, Sam Merrill #5 and Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the game against the Detroit Pistons on January 27, 2025 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers will be starting the first round of the playoffs in two weeks. There isn’t much left to prove in the regular season. Their number one focus is making sure they’re healthy for the playoffs. As a result, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they will be without multiple key players for their game against the Indiana Pacers on Easter.
Cleveland will be missing starting center Jarrett Allen for what the injury report labels as right knee injury management. Allen hurt his knee during the Cavs’ March 3 victory over the Detroit Pistons. This caused him to miss 10 games after the injury.
Allen has performed well after returning to the lineup for the team’s March 27 win over the Miami Heat. However, he is still paying through pain. Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor reported last week that Allen is still in pain and not quite 100%.
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can buy the Jarrett Allen Fro shirt HERE. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE.
Additionally, Evan Mobley will also be out due to left calf injury management. Being without both starting bigs will likely force Thomas Bryant into the lineup. It could also allow two-way forwards, Olivier Sarr and Riley Minix, some playing time with the team after the Cleveland Charge’s season concluded this past week.
The Cavaliers also won’t have the services of Sam Merrill. He’s been dealing with and playing through various injuries throughout the season. Merrill is being held out on Sunday with the designation of left hamstring injury management.
The Cavs will still be without Dean Wade (ankle) and Jaylon Tyson (toe). The team hasn’t released an update on those injuries since saying they both would be missing the team’s recent three-game road trip that wrapped up on Friday. We’ll likely get some sort of update from head coach Kenny Atkinson on their injuries before Sunday’s game.
The Pacers, meanwhile, will be down several key players. They will be without Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles), Pascal Siakam (ankle), Johnny Furphy (ACL), T.J. McConnell (hamstring), Andrew Nembhard (back), Aaron Nesmith (neck), and Ivica Zubac (rib).
INDIANAPOLIS — Tarris Reed Jr. posted his third double-double of the NCAA Tournament and Connecticut beat Illinois 71-62 in the Final Four to advance to Monday night’s national championship game.
The No. 3 Huskies will meet the winner of the second national semifinal between No. 1 seeds Arizona and Michigan.
Reed had 17 points and 11 rebounds. Guard Braylon Mullins had 15 points on 5 of 14 shooting and guard Silas Demary Jr. had 5 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists. Illinois guard Keaton Wagler posted a game-high 20 points with 8 rebounds. He was joined in double figures by Tomislav Ivicic’s 16 points.
The Huskies went into halftime leading 37-29 behind the two-man game of Reed and Mullins, who posted a combined 23 points on 9 of 16 shooting. After making his only 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left in the Elite Eight win against Duke, Mullins went 3 of 5 from deep in the first half.
Illinois was led by Wagler, who had 10 points and 6 rebounds at the break. Wagler also committed the only two turnovers of the opening half by either team. UConn and Illinois shot a combined 24 of 63 at the break and were 10 of 32 from 3-point range.
The Huskies’ lead would grow to 13 points at 49-36 on a pair of Alex Karaban free throws five minutes into the second half. The Illini would get back within single digits at 49-40 with 12:56 to play but UConn answered with an 8-3 run capped by a Jaylin Stewart corner 3 to go in front 57-43 with 9:24 left.
Illinois would have another response. With UConn in foul trouble after picking up its 10th team foul with 8:03 remaining, the Illini made it 57-51 a minute later on a pair of Ivicic free throws and then 57-53 on an Andrej Stojakovic layup with five minutes to play.
After Wagler scored on a driving layup with 1:39 left to make it 63-59, Mullins would make a crucial 3 from the wing to put the Huskies in from 66-59 with 52 seconds to play. They’d make five of six from the line in the final 37 seconds to seal the win.
UConn is chasing its seventh national championship and third in four years after going back-to-back in 2023-24. A seventh title would break a tie with Duke and bump the Huskies into third in NCAA history behind UCLA (11) and Kentucky (eight).
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 7: Jamir Watkins #5 of the Washington Wizards dunks the ball during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on February 7, 2026 at Barclays in New York City, New York. 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 David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
This Sunday matinee, the Washington Wizards visit the Big Apple and play the Brooklyn Nets on the second afternoon of a back-to-back East Coast road trip.
Game Info
When: Sunday, April 5 at 3:30 p.m.
Where: Barclays Center, New York City
How to watch: Monumental Sports Network
How to listen: The Team 980 AM, 106.7-2 FM.
Injury Report
Wizards: Tristan Vukcevic, Tre Johnson (Day-to-Day), Trae Young, Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Cam Whitmore (Out)
Nets: Terance Mann, Noah Clowney (Day-To-Day), Nic Claxton, Ziaire Williams, Michael Porter Jr., Danny Wolf, Egor Demin, Day’Ron Sharpe
Pregame notes
A lot of injuries — The Wizards and the Nets are tanking right now, and so the combined injured list is close to half of their rosters. So, for all intents and purposes, this game is essentially a G-League matchup.
Defense — The Wizards’ defense as of late has been lamentable. They allowed 153 against the Philadelphia 76ers a couple nights back, and just today conceded 152 to the Heat in Miami. Can they start keeping teams below 150? Probably doable against the very depleted Nets. But who knows?
Flashback: Wizards defeat Nets with Russell Westbrook’s clutch three!
The last time a first-ballot future Hall of Famer played for Washington was the lone season of Russell Westbrook in D.C.
A Vintage Russ highlight (with two spectacular threes by him and Beal):
ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 31: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns controls the ball during the second half of the game against the Orlando Magic at the Kia Center on March 31, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. The Magic defeated the Suns 115 to 111. 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 Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The clock is bleeding out, each second slipping through your fingers like sand you swore you had a grip on a moment ago. The arena hums with that low, anxious energy that lives somewhere between hope and dread. Under 30 seconds with the score tight, down by three points or less, and every possession suddenly feels like it carries the weight of a season. Maybe more.
You can feel it in your chest now. That tightening, that anticipation. The kind that makes every dribble echo a little louder, every pass hang in the air a fraction too long. This is where everything slows down and speeds up at the same time. Where the noise fades and somehow gets louder, where thousands of eyes lock onto one simple question that refuses to blink.
Who takes the shot?
Who do you hand the moment to, knowing it might define the night, the week, the narrative that follows this team around like a shadow? Who do you trust to step into that space? Who can absorb all of it — the pressure, the doubt, the expectations — and turn it into something clean, something decisive, something that snaps the net and silences everything for a heartbeat?
This is the currency of greatness. It’s the place where reputations are built possession by possession. It’s where stars start to feel different, heavier, and more permanent. Because anyone can play when the game is loose, and this is where it suffocates. This is where you find out who wants it, who demands it, who takes that final dribble, rises, and doesn’t flinch.
For the Phoenix Suns, it’s Devin Booker. That’s the reality. That’s the investment. That’s the expectation. You are paying him $53.1 million to be the guy in those moments. And for me, despite the noise and the recent misses, he is still the one I trust with the ball in his hands on this roster.
Because he has been there. Because he has delivered before. Because he understands the weight of those possessions.
When you zoom out and look at the numbers, it tells part of the story. In situations where Phoenix is trailing by three or fewer in the final 30 seconds this season, Booker has taken that shot nine times this season. He is 3-of-9 from the field, 1-of-5 from deep, and has not turned the ball over once.
It is not perfect. It is not dominant. But it is controlled and composed. It’s like Colonel Nathan R. Jessup says, “You want me on that wall. You need me on that wall”. Booker has no issue being on that wall for the Suns. When the game tightens, when the possession matters most, the Suns know exactly where they are going. And Book is willing to take shots that not everyone can or should.
Yeah, Devin Booker has struggled in the clutch over the past couple of months, and that mirrors what the Phoenix Suns have been as a whole. Devin Booker is the engine that drives everything they do. When it stalls, the whole thing feels it. So you look for answers, you run through the numbers, you try to make sense of what you’re seeing in real time.
And sometimes, you don’t like what you find.
Devin Booker in the clutch since February 1:
❄️1-8 record ❄️25 FG% ❄️-45 +/- ❄️0.6 AST:TO Ratio ❄️-53 Net Rating ❄️22.6 TO% 😲34.6 Usage % pic.twitter.com/gGQL3m5pi2
So it got me thinking about something I always come back to. ‘Price for value paid’. What are you paying for, and what are you getting in return when the moments matter most? That led me down a path with Devin Booker and how he stacks up against the top-paid players in the league in these exact situations. Not only this season, but across their careers. Because nobody earns $53.1 million based on one season. You earn it through years of production, through moments, through a body of work that tells you who a player is when the game tightens.
So I started digging. Looking at the top 15 players by salary this season and asking a simple question: What have they done in the final 30 seconds of games when their team is down three or fewer? Not in a vacuum, not based on a few recent misses, but across the entirety of their careers.
Because perspective matters.
We live inside the Phoenix Suns bubble. I know what it feels like when Booker takes that shot because I have seen it over and over again. But I do not watch every Kawhi Leonard game. I am not tracking every late-game possession for Jimmy Butler. I cannot sit here and tell you off the top of my head how Joel Embiid has performed in that exact scenario throughout his career.
So the question becomes, is what we are feeling in Phoenix unique? Or is it something that exists across the league, something that only feels different because we are living inside it every night?
That is what this exercise is about. Stepping outside the emotion, stepping outside the moment, and trying to find where Booker actually sits when you stack him up against his peers in the situations that define reputations.
Who takes those shots? How often? And how often do they actually come through?
#
PLAYER
SALARY
FG%
3PT%
1
Stephen Curry
$59,606,817
34.1%
26.5%
2
Joel Embiid
$55,224,526
23.9%
16.7%
3
Nikola Jokic
$55,224,526
41.6%
16.7%
4
Kevin Durant
$54,708,609
31.3%
31.6%
5
Giannis Antetokounmpo
$54,126,450
38.6%
20.0%
6
Jimmy Butler
$54,126,450
25.9%
16.7%
7
Anthony Davis
$54,126,450
47.8%
9.1%
8
Jayson Tatum
$54,126,450
42.1%
33.3%
9
Devin Booker
$53,142,264
30.4%
17.9%
10
Jaylen Brown
$53,142,264
42.9%
35.7%
11
Karl-Anthony Towns
$53,142,264
27.3%
21.4%
12
LeBron James
$52,627,153
33.4%
12.3%
13
Paul George
$51,666,090
21.9%
18.8%
14
Kawhi Leonard
$50,000,000
32.8%
11.1%
15
Zach LaVine
$47,499,660
30.5%
32.0%
A couple of things pop right away. Players like Anthony Davis and Nikola Jokic tend to thrive in these spots, and a lot of that comes down to how they get their looks. They live inside. They operate closer to the rim. Their shots are naturally at a higher percentage because of where they are coming from.
Davis is a perfect example. He is sitting at 47.8% from the field in these situations, which leads the group, but he is near the bottom in three-point percentage. Why? Because he is not living out there. Over the course of his career, he has taken very few threes in those moments. He’s 1-of-11 from deep, so when he does launch late three-balls, they are often late clock situations, broken plays, or end-of-possession heaves rather than something designed. That is the difference. It is not always about who is clutch and who is not. It is about where the shots come from, how they are created, and what kind of looks each player is able to generate when everything tightens.
But I know where your eyes went. They went straight to Devin Booker, the ninth-highest-paid player in the league, and what he has done in those moments across his career. Let’s expand the Booker numbers through his career, knowing that he did not have any experience in these situations during his rookie season.
Year
Age
GP
W
L
Min
PTS
FGM
FGA
FG%
3PM
3PA
3P%
FTM
FTA
FT%
OREB
DREB
REB
AST
TOV
STL
BLK
PF
+/-
2015-16
19
13
3
10
3.7
5
2
5
40
0
0
0
1
2
50
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
3
-10
2016-17
20
19
6
13
10.4
11
4
12
33.3
1
6
16.7
2
3
66.7
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
2
-1
2017-18
21
10
2
8
3.9
6
1
4
25
1
1
100
3
3
100
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
-6
2018-19
22
16
5
11
8
12
4
10
40
0
5
0
4
5
80
1
0
1
1
1
2
0
1
7
2019-20
23
13
3
10
5.3
7
2
6
33.3
1
4
25
2
2
100
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
-8
2020-21
24
15
6
9
7.4
10
2
11
18.2
1
6
16.7
5
5
100
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
3
-5
2021-22
25
5
1
4
2.7
5
2
6
33.3
1
4
25
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
-2
2022-23
26
9
2
7
4.7
2
1
7
14.3
0
2
0
0
1
0
2
0
2
0
1
0
0
1
-6
2023-24
27
14
5
9
5.7
7
2
5
40
1
4
25
2
2
100
1
1
2
1
0
0
0
2
-2
2024-25
28
11
4
7
4.6
5
1
4
25
0
2
0
3
4
75
1
0
1
2
0
0
0
1
1
2025-26
29
15
2
13
7
10
3
9
33.3
1
5
20
3
4
75
2
1
3
1
0
0
0
1
-12
TOTAL
140
39
101
63.4
80
24
79
0.304
7
39
0.179
25
31
746.7
8
3
11
7
4
2
0
18
-44
The numbers are what they are. 30.4% from the field, 19.7% from deep, 24-of-79 overall, 7-of-39 from three. That is not dominant. That is not elite efficiency. But there is context inside those numbers that matters. Over an 11-year career in those exact situations, he has only four turnovers. That tells you something. Despite recent narratives, in these specific situations, there is control and composure. He is getting shots up, not giving possessions away.
So, where does that place him? Around the middle of the pack relative to his peers. Not at the top, not at the bottom, right in that range where most players live when the pressure is at its highest.
And that is where the perspective shifts. Because these shots are hard. They are contested, predictable, and heavily scouted. Everyone in the building knows who is taking it. If you are converting around 30% of the time in those spots, you are not failing; you are operating within the reality of what those moments are.
Look at Dillon Brooks this season. Five attempts, one make, 20%, with two turnovers mixed in. That is the other side of it. That is what it can look like when you move away from your primary option.
And even when you expand it to this season across the league, Booker is still right there.
Book is tied for seventh in makes in those situations alongside Kevin Durant. Durant has three makes as well, but on 12 attempts, 25%, with a turnover. Go back to his time in Phoenix, and Durant was 7-of-18, 38.9%, 4-of-10 from three. Booker sat at 3-of-9, right where he is now.
So what does it all mean? It means the frustration is real, but the expectation might be off. These are not high percentage shots. They are not supposed to be. And when you stack Booker against the rest of the league in these moments, he does not stand out as a problem. He looks like most stars do when the game tightens and everything gets harder.
So what is the takeaway here? For me, it is an exercise in relativity.
Because we live inside the Phoenix Suns experience. We watch Devin Booker every night, we feel every miss, and we react to every outcome. When he does not deliver in those moments, the question immediately becomes whether the price matches the production. Based on what the numbers say, and more importantly, how they compare across the league, the answer is “yes”. He is properly compensated for what he is in this specific scenario. He is the guy you want taking that shot. And he is not alone in the reality that those shots do not always fall.
There are outliers. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been exceptional in those moments. Nikola Jokic sits in a different space entirely, a +82 in plus/minus in those situations across his career. That is what a true superstar looks like when the game tightens.
Booker is not that. He is not a superstar. He is a star. And that distinction matters, even if it is uncomfortable to say out loud. There is a ceiling there, both for him and potentially for what this team can ultimately become with him as the centerpiece. But being a star still places you among the top-tier players in the league. It still makes you the best option your team has when everything is on the line.
The frustration is real, and it likely comes from the belief that he can live in that superstar tier consistently, something he touched in 2022. The reality is that very few players sustain that level year after year. Five, maybe seven across the entire league. That means more than 20 teams are operating without one, and trying to figure it out the same way Phoenix is. That is not a Suns problem. That is an NBA reality.
So you take the data, you take the context, and you understand where things actually sit. Not where emotion tells you they are, but where they truly fall when you stack them against the rest of the league.
Sometimes it is worth diving into the numbers on a Saturday and letting them tell part of the story. That story is that in the moments that tighten everything, you are not chasing perfection. You are choosing who carries the weight. Devin Booker carries it. Not flawlessly, not always successfully, but willingly, repeatedly, and with control. That is the job. That is the value. And that is why the ball still finds him.
The 2026 NBA postseason is right around the corner as teams around the association have five or fewer games remaining in the 2025-26 regular season.
The Golden State Warriors look to get their team into form ahead of the postseason following an injury-riddled season that has seen season-ending setbacks to Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody, and nagging injuries to Al Horford and Quinten Post.
ESPN's Shams Charania and Anthony Slater reported that Curry is expected to play April 4 against the Houston Rockets. With five games remaining in the Warriors' schedule, Curry's return is just in the nick of time to get back into basketball shape for a post season run.
Here's what Golden State's playoff scenarios could look like:
Here is who the Warriors face in their five remaining games of the 2025-26 regular season.
Sunday, April 5: vs. Houston Rockets
Tuesday, April 7: vs. Sacramento Kings
Thursday, April 9: vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Friday, April 10: @ Sacramento Kings
Sunday, April 12: @ Los Angeles Clippers
How the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament format works
The SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament is practically the NBA's equivalent to MLB and NFL's wild card round. In this format, the Nos. 7-10 seeds are vying for a playoff berth. The higher seed plays at home throughout the tournament. The No. 7 and 8 seeds play each other, winner is the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. Loser still has a chance for the No. 8-seed.
The No. 9 and 10 seeds play each other in an elimination style game. The winner of the No. 9 vs. 10-seed game plays the loser of the No. 7 and 8 seeds game for the No. 8 and final spot in the playoffs.
Warriors' playoff scenarios
The Warriors will play in the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament since they won't be able to catch the Western Conference's No. 6 seed before the regular season ends.
The Warriors (36-41) are currently the No. 10 seed in the West and have five games remaining before the postseason begins Tuesday, April 14 with the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament.
Ahead of them, by three games, are the Los Angeles Clippers (39-38) at the No. 9 slot. The Portland Trail Blazers are 40-38, a half game above the Clippers at No. 8. Currently placed at No. 7 are the Phoenix Suns.
If the regular season ended today, the Warriors would go on the road to face the Clippers in an elimination game for a chance at the No. 8-seed.
If Golden State loses they are eliminated from postseason contention. If they win, they would face the the loser of the No. 7 vs. 8 seed game between the Suns and Blazers for the No. 8 spot.
If the Warriors were to win both play-in games, they would make their 2026 NBA Playoff appearance in the first round against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Golden State Warriors playoffs odds
Here are the Warriors' playoffs odds, as of Saturday, April 4, courtesy of BetMGM.
Warriors' playoff chances
Miss the playoffs: -450
Make the playoffs:+300
Advance to Western Conference second round (semifinals):+2800
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 01: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers takes a selfie with fans after the game against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on December 01, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers will look to sweep the season series against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday evening.
The Pacers have one of the worst records in the league, and given the convoluted protections on their first-round pick in the upcoming draft, they could benefit from being at the bottom of the standings.
Even though Indiana has an incentive to lose games, they’re still capable of winning. In the last week and a half, they’ve beaten the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat, while coming close to taking down the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers.
Considering how the Cavs haven’t exactly handled their business against other teams they’re more talented than in recent weeks, this one could be closer than we anticipate at the onset.
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE. The link to the 2016 championship shirt HERE.
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports App, NBA League Pass
Point spread: Cavs -17.5
Cavs injury report: Evan Mobley – OUT (left calf injury management), Jarret Allen – OUT (knee injury management), Sam Merrill – OUT – (hamstring injury management), Jaylon Tyson – OUT (toe), Dean Wade – OUT (ankle)
Pacers injury report: Tyrese Haliburton – OUT (Achilles), Pascal Siakam – OUT (ankle), Johnny Furphy – OUT (ACL), T.J. McConnell – OUT (hamstring), Andrew Nembhard – OUT (back), Aaron Nesmith – OUT (neck), Ben Sheppard – QUESTIONABLE (hip), Obi Toppin – PROBABLE (foot), Jarace Walker – QUESTIONABLE (tailbone), Ivica Zubac – OUT (rib)
Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Keon Ellis, Max Strus, Thomas Bryant
Pacers expected starting lineup: Ben Sheppard, Quenton Jackson, Kobe Brown, Obi Toppin, Jay Huff
Instead of sitting in his office in the Michigan basketball locker room to prepare for the Wolverines' Final Four game vs Arizona at 8:49 p.m. ET, May was instead courtside scouting the Illinois-UConn semifinal.
Dusty May here courtside scouting the first half of this game.
The Wolverines would play the winner of the first semifinal if they prevail in the second semifinal on Saturday, April 6, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
May told TBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson that with the quick turnaround, he "wanted to see things live, especially because he's not that familiar with UConn." He added he wanted a fresh perspective on the Huskies, and that this was "much better than sitting in the back."
DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 40 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds, Christian Braun added 21 points and the Denver Nuggets beat San Antonio 136-134 in overtime Saturday to snap the Spurs’ 11-game winning streak.
Cameron Johnson scored 17, Jamal Murray finished with 15 points and 10 assists and Aaron Gordon scored 15 for the Nuggets.
Gordon scored with 6.2 seconds left in regulation to tie the game, then forced Victor Wembanyama into a miss on the final shot of regulation.
Wembanyama finished with 34 points, 18 rebounds, seven assists and five blocked shots for the Spurs, who lost for only the third time in their last 30 games.
Stephon Castle scored 20 points for San Antonio, while Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie each scored 18 for the Spurs.
Castle’s three-point play midway through the second quarter put the Spurs up 57-44, that 13-point margin the biggest that they would hold all afternoon.
Wembanyama scored with 9:08 remaining to put San Antonio up 107-96. The Spurs were 48-2 this season in games where they held double-digit leads in the fourth quarter.
They’re 48-3 now — with two of those losses against the Nuggets, who rallied from a 13-point deficit in the fourth to beat San Antonio on March 12.
Denver held San Antonio to 33% shooting the rest of the way, outscoring the Spurs 40-27 in the final 14 minutes of the game including overtime.
Jokic had 16 of his points in those final 14 minutes, while Denver held Wembanyama to 1 for 4 shooting in that span.
When asked after the team’s Saturday practice at Southern Methodist University if he wanted to clarify comments he made about Memphis during an appearance on the “Bob Does Sports” show, in which he suggested the Grizzlies should be relocated to Nashville, James pointed out that Memphis wasn’t the only city he was critical of.
“I said Milwaukee as well,” James said. “I’m 41 years old, there’s two cities I do not like playing in right now: that’s Milwaukee and that’s Memphis. I don’t like going home either, s–t, and I’m from there. People are ridiculous. They also get mad at my son being on the team, too.”
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James reacts during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
While appearing on the YouTube show, James was asked about whether in-season travel wears on him, with the Lakers star acknowledging it does.
“A random f—ing Tuesday in Milwaukee, staying at the f—ing Hyatt at 41 years old; you think I want to do that s–t?,” James said on the show. “Being in Memphis on a f—ing random ass Thursday? I’m not even, like, the first guy to talk about it in the NBA. We’re all, like, ‘You guys have to move.’ Just go over to Nashville. You’ve got Vanderbilt over there. You’ve got the f—king NASCAR. You’ve got a stadium. Don’t they got a hockey team, too? They’ve got everything.”
"Did I say I don't like Black people?…I'm 41 years old. There's two cities I do not like playing in. That's Milwaukee and that's Memphis. I don't like going home, either. S–t, and I'm from here." – LeBron James when asked if he wanted to clarify the comments he made on Bob… pic.twitter.com/St9X9ebyTM
James’ comments were widely criticized, especially from those in Memphis, citing Memphis being one of the more densely-populated cities of Black people (by percentage of population) compared to other NBA cities.
“Did I say I don’t like Black people? No,” James said.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
He added: “I’m not talking about the city, like the people in Memphis. I don’t like staying at the Hyatt Centric. What’s wrong with that? Nothing. What are we talking about? What are we talking about? People need to chill the hell out.”
Memphis Mayor Paul Young responded to James’ original comments by inviting him to his city.
“I would welcome the chance to turn your criticism into action in one of the most important cities in the world,” Young wrote in Facebook post, which included ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith and Kendrick Perkins complimenting Memphis. “Come to Memphis and roll around with me for a bit and I will show you some of the culture and powerful investment opportunities in our City. Let’s do something epic in one of the largest majority Black cities in the nation!”
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid, who will not play the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night, said Friday night he was angry at Philadelphia 76ers management for not allowing him to play in Washington on Wednesday.
He was out for Saturday’s game with “right oblique; injury management; (and) illness.” He has not played in both games of a back to back all season.
Embiid was ruled out Wednesday due to an illness. He replied to a reporter’s post on social media that listed him as out by saying that he planned to play. He later posted, “I guess they won’t let me play basketball.”
“I was pissed off. I wanted to play basketball,” Embiid said. “I wasn’t allowed to play basketball, so I think this is more of a question of Daryl Morey or whoever makes the decisions.”
Embiid scored 26 points in 34 minutes in a 76ers loss Monday in Miami. He was not listed on the injury report but told reporters that he was ill. “Physically, I just was not in it."
He said he had a short night’s sleep before Wednesday’s 153-131 win over the Wizards and wasn't at a morning film session, after which he was ruled out.
“I found out online that I wasn’t playing that night,” Embiid said. “That kind of caught me off guard.”
Embiid was listed as doubtful on Thursday’s injury report for Minnesota, but played 34 minutes, totaling 19 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.
Sixers coach Nick Nurse said he wasn’t concerned with the situation, praising Embiid for his play Friday.
“We handle it by keeping things basketball-related,” Nurse said Saturday before facing the Pistons. “He was at shootaround yesterday; he was excellent in the game yesterday, was really a great teammate and focused and all that stuff yesterday. So we just try to keep it all basketball-focused.”
Embiid has played 37 games this season, sidelined primarily by injury management in his knees. He’s averaged 26.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.
The 32-year-old center missed 13 games after straining his right oblique on Feb. 26 against Miami.
SAN FRANCISCO — Steph Curry swapped out a green-and-gold snapback for a navy blue Red Sox hat, changed from his baggy gray cargo pants into sweats and walked across the Warriors’ locker room to Kristaps Porzingis and dapped up the Latvian big man.
Then, he left the building.
Steph’s newest sidekick has yet to share the floor with him, but those handshakes should soon be taking place on the hardwood. The next time Curry enters Chase Center on gameday, the hope is that his street clothes aren’t the main attraction.
“Even from afar, I was always amazed. It was a nightmare to play him,” Porzingis said. “But he was one of those players, you can’t get mad because you look at it, and it’s like, ‘Wow. What can you do?’ Now, to actually be his teammate? That’s going to be pretty cool.”
Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors celebrates a basket shot by Jimmy Butler III Getty Images
Golden State’s 118-111 loss to the Cavaliers on Thursday is expected to be the last of a 27-game absence with a knee injury that has kept Curry sidelined since Jan. 30.
In that time, the Warriors have gone 9-18 and more or less locked themselves into the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference. They also acquired Porzingis, the kind of partner with the ideal combination of size and spacing to pair with the all-time 3-point king.
The 7-foot-3 center pulls from 30 feet as casually as Curry and provides a potentially lethal pick-and-roll partner. In two months since being acquired from the Hawks, Porzingis has gotten his own health problems under control, but he’s still only gotten to know Curry off the court.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
Considering the prospect of finally sharing the floor together, Porzingis could hardly contain his excitement in a brief interview at his locker with The California Post, shortly after his exchange with Curry.
“He draws so much attention. And not only does he draw the attention, with the attention already on him, he’s so effective and so good,” Porzingis raved. ”Like, he’s so good. One of the best players, like, ever. It’s unreal, the things he has done on a basketball court.”
Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis attempts a shot over Denver Nuggets guard Julian Strawther. Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Curry, 38, participated in his second 5-on-5 scrimmage in three days before Thursday’s game, and coach Steve Kerr said, “He looks like Steph Curry.” He will be reevaluated this weekend, and the Warriors have not set anything in stone, but word that Curry was targeting Sunday’s home game against the Rockets for his return had clearly made it around the locker room.
There’s been a noticeable shift in the mood around the team from the doldrums that dominated following the losses of Curry and Jimmy Butler. They can see light on the horizon.
“He brings hope to a tough situation,” Kerr said. “When Steph’s around, the vibe tends to be better, and it’s definitely better right now.”
While the Warriors have five games remaining starting Sunday, Kerr will likely have four at most to determine how best to deploy Curry, Porzingis and potentially Al Horford, too, before attempting to make a playoff run from the bottom seed in the play-in.
Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors celebrates after a three point shot. Getty Images
In addition to an expected minutes restriction as he returns to game action, Curry will likely sit one half of their last remaining back-to-back, next week against the Lakers and Kings.
“Hopefully we can develop a semblance of a rotation and figure out exactly who we want to play with whom and that sort of thing,” Kerr said Wednesday. “We do have a season full of information that will help us with that, but with Kristaps’ arrival, Steph hasn’t played with him. So we would have to decide, are we starting Kristaps? Are we starting Al? How much can we play Kristaps and Al together? Where does Draymond fit in that group? Which one is he better with? Those are the type of things that we’re thinking about, along with the backcourt rotation.”
Horford, 39, is still recovering from a calf strain that has cost him the past 11 games. Porzingis, for his part, told the Post that he is “getting there, but I still have a good ways to go” in regards to his health and conditioning and has “levels” he hasn’t reached yet.
Health troubles have prevented Curry from sharing the court with another teammate: His brother. Seth Curry is also trending in the right direction after a bout with sciatica.
“I know that’s one of his motivating factors for getting out there, to get us out there on the court together,” Seth Curry said. “I want to get out there with him at least one time and experience that.”
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry reacts after getting fouled while scoring. Robert Sabo for NY Post
The only person yearning for Curry’s return more than his teammates is probably Steph himself. Despite no structural damage, the absence has drawn on longer than all but two others in his 17-year career. The “unpredictable” nature of the injury — runner’s knee, which can flare up if not given the proper rest — has resulted in a few false starts.
But his knee reacted positively enough to his return to practice earlier this week that Curry wanted to go public. Fans were treated to his famous pregame warm-up, in full, before the Warriors hosted the Spurs on Wednesday.
Kerr said he believed the decision was “purposeful.”
“Instead of shooting downstairs, I think he wants to feel the crowd. And show the crowd that he wants to come back,” Kerr said. “So that’s the hope.”
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 09: Jalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons celebrates a dunk by Cade Cunningham #2 (not pictured) against Andre Drummond #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Xfinity Mobile Arena on November 09, 2025 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 Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Detroit Pistons return to action tonight against a Philadelphia 76ers team that was kind enough to dispatch the Minnesota Timberwolves in their previous game, and with the added benefit of that game being Friday, and thus facing the East’s top team on the second half of a back-to-back. That means the Sixers will be playing without Joel Embiid, who has played pretty well in his four games since a long absence to injury. The Sixers will have both Paul George and Tyrese Maxey, however.
None of those players was available the last time these two teams faced off, a 131-109 Pistons blowout in which the Sixers were so bereft of big men that they trotted out Dominick Barlow as a starting center. Jalen Duren played only 14 minutes in that game but scored 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds. The Sixers have a bit more size suiting up tonight, including former Piston Andre Drummond, but Duren’s game also seems to have hit another gear lately. We will see what Duren, who played high school ball in Philly and grew up 45 minutes away in New Castle, Delaware, has in store for his return to his “hometown” team.
Game Vitals
When: 7 p.m. ET Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Watch: Detroit TV20, FanDuel Sports Network Detroit Odds: Pistons -3.5
Apr 2, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) falls to the court during a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the third quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Luka’s injury alone was going to cause widespread ripple effects for the Lakers. Add Austin to the mix and everything is disrupted.
Austin is set to miss 4-6 weeks, which covers the whole first round and part of a second round series, if somehow that happens. The typical recovery time for a Grade 2 hamstring strain would rule Luka out for the first round and, similarly, jeopardize his availability for a second round series.
Those timelines feel like a formality now, though. Austin and Luka are out for the first round of the playoffs and, barring a miracle, the Lakers will be, too.
Where does that leave the purple and gold, then, moving forward, both in the short and long term?
Playoff seeding
The Lakers have five games remaining in the regular season and are not locked into a playoff seed yet. While it went under the radar last week, LA did clinch a playoff spot, meaning the play-in is out of the question.
The standings are still tight, however, with LA one game up on Denver and two games up on Houston in the fourth and fifth spots, respectively. Minnesota has taken a nosedive and is four games back of the Lakers in the sixth seed, so there is a floor for LA to fall.
The Lakers also don’t have a particularly daunting schedule, sans another meeting with Oklahoma City on Tuesday. They will play at Dallas on Sunday, the Thunder on Tuesday, at Golden State on Thursday, at home against Phoenix on Friday and at home against Utah to wrap up the season.
Having said all that, making matters worse on Saturday was Denver beating the Spurs at home, pulling them closer to the Lakers. They will still play San Antonio and Oklahoma City one more time each in its final four games.
As for Houston, they play at Golden State and Phoenix before hosting the Sixers, Wolves and Grizzlies to end the season. While they’ve won five games in a row, the only win against a non-tanking team in that span was the Knicks.
It feels likely that the floor for the Lakers will be the fifth seed, though there is a worst-case scenario of LA going winless and Minnesota going undefeated, dropping them all the way to sixth.
MIAMI, FLORIDA – MARCH 19: Austin Reaves #15 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers speak during the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on March 19, 2026 in Miami, Florida. 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 Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Postseason match-up
Remember the 2013 playoffs? I wouldn’t blame you if you memory-holed that series against the Spurs in which the Lakers lost player after player after player.
In the fourth and final game of that matchup, LA started Darius Morris and Andrew Goudelock in the backcourt with Earl Clark at small forward. Chris Duhon played 43 minutes off the bench.
The playoffs this year are going to resemble that a little too closely.
LA still has talented players available, but this team is going to be so drastically different from the one in the regular season that it’s going to be hard to win a game. LeBron is going to have to go from third fiddle to carrying the offense again, something he may not even be able to do at 41.
A whole lot of role players who had spent months learning how to play alongside Luka now are going to have drastically different roles. Players who probably shouldn’t be relied upon for offense are going to need to score to even be competitive.
In that sense, it feels irrelevant who they play in the first round now because of how outmatched they’re going to be. Success for this team is going to look more like being competitive and maybe stealing a win, which is a damn shame considering where this team was even at the start of the week.
Offseason plans
The summer is going to be full of decisions for the Lakers and they’re now going to have to make them without seeing the best version of this team in the playoffs.
In fact, with the injuries they dealt with during the season, the sample size of the recent, idealized version of the Lakers is about a dozen games. It was a really good dozen games, but it was also a dozen games that ended in a dismantling by the Thunder.
The playoffs were supposed to serve as the big stress test for the team to learn if this really worked, particularly against the top teams, and where they needed changes. We’re not even going to get a glimpse of that now with so many players likely being slotted into unfamiliar roles in the postseason.
Instead, the front office will have to make decisions this summer with an incomplete data set.
Is it worth bringing LeBron back this summer or is it time to rip off the band-aid? Do they need another center this summer? Two new centers? How do some of the Lakers’ role players set for free agency hold up in the playoffs alongside Luka like Rui Hachimura or Luke Kennard?
These are all questions this front office won’t have fully satisfactory answers on, which is what makes this injury such a gut punch.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MARCH 30: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the Chicago Bulls on March 30, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, 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 (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs came up short in one of their final tests of the regular season, ending their win streak at 11. The Nuggets are battle-tested, deploying the top offense in the NBA, and they were the better team in the crucible.
Nikola Jokić feasted in the lane, but the Spurs couldn’t be stopped from getting there, either. It also helped that they kept their groove going in most of the non-Victor Wembanyama minutes, and the Nuggets weren’t as strong with Jokić resting. Still, it was a close game that required overtime, and the difference was the Spurs losing control and going cold after Jokić checked in for the last time.
Observations
This is as good as it gets to a playoff appetizer. Thirteen 3-pointers came in the first quarter as both teams showed high-level horsepower and the level of physicality increased as the game went on. The stakes were high for both teams as the Spurs had a chance of catching the first seed, and the Nuggets are trying to maintain home-court advantage in round one of the playoffs.
The Nuggets had the Spurs on the ropes in the third quarter, and they survived thanks to Julian Champagnie, Wembanyama and Stephon Castle putting the offense on their shoulders. The three of them combined for seven baskets in that span, yet the Nuggets went on a big run late in the period with them on the bench, cutting the Spurs’ lead to four going into the fourth quarter. The Spurs took advantage of the non-Jokić minutes, but the script flipped, and they were put in too many scrambles.
Nikola Jokić is the best player in the world, and making him work on defense is a necessity because he doesn’t want to guard anybody. The Nuggets tried to hide him on the smaller players, but the Spurs did a good job of going at him.
Wembanyama and Castle each had two fouls in the first quarter, but they didn’t let that affect their aggression and they continued charging into the paint. Wembanyama’s activity generated 11 of his 17 free throw attempts in the first half. On top of that, his presence was a big reason why the Nuggets struggled to score in the lane. Still, Jokić outplayed him in crunch time.
Christian Braun was the guy the Spurs left open to clog the lane, and he made five 3-pointers. Despite the production, he was the right player for the Spurs to try that against because he’s been awful on open and wide-open attempts this year.
Jokić took an accidental smack to the face by Wembanyama in the first quarter, and then took a shot to the upper chest by Keldon Johnson late in the second. He usually comes out like a madman after getting battered and bruised, and he finished with 40 points on 52 percent shooting.
The Spurs have been almost unbeatable when they score at least 70 points in the first half. After this loss, their record drops to 15-3.
De’Aaron Fox had five baskets in the fourth quarter, but he made a huge mistake, causing a four-point play by lunging at a shooter, which cut the team’s lead to two points late in the game. He also missed some critical shots in overtime.
Michigan basketball has been an indomitable force in the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament, marching its way to the Final Four with four victories that were decided by an average of 22.5 points per game.
While their triumphs have been the product of hard, diligent work from players and coaches, one figure has loomed particularly large in the Wolverines’ path to a 35-3 record.
Yaxel Lendeborg has been an overwhelming driver for Michigan in his first season with the program. After averaging a double-double in each of the previous two years at UAB, the 6-foot-9 forward was the prize of last year’s transfer portal haul, choosing Dusty May and the Wolverines over a number of other extremely interested suitors.
Lendeborg has more than lived up to the hopes that greeted him in Ann Arbor, earning first-team All-American and Big Ten player of the year honors for a Michigan team that’s two wins away from its first national title since 1989.
Lendeborg’s do-everything success on the floor has made him a figure of intense interest not only for college basketball fans, but NBA front offices who will be vying for his services during the 2026 NBA Draft.
As his team prepares to play fellow No. 1 seed Arizona in the Final Four on Saturday, April 4, here’s a closer look at Lendeborg:
Yaxel Lendeborg age
Lendeborg is one of the older players in this year’s Final Four. The Michigan standout is 23 years old and will turn 24 in September, ahead of what will be his rookie season in the NBA.
Yaxel Lendeborg draft
Lendeborg is widely regarded as a lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Here’s a look at where various mock drafts have the Wolverines star going:
This season, Lendeborg is averaging 15.2 points, seven rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Since the first round of the NCAA tournament, he’s been even better, averaging 25 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while shooting 61.4% overall, including 52.6% from 3-point range in Michigan’s past three games.
Here’s a look at his stats from this season:
2023-24 (UAB): 13.8 points per game, 10.6 rebounds per game, 2.1 assists per game, 2.1 blocks per game, 0.7 steals per game, 51.3% on field goals, 33.3% on 3s
2024-25 (UAB): 17.7 points per game, 11.4 rebounds per game, 4.2 assists per game, 1.8 blocks per game, 1.7 steals per game, 52.2% on field goals, 35.7% on 3s
2025-26 (Michigan): 15.2 points per game, 7 rebounds per game, 3.3 assists per game, 1.3 blocks per game, 1.2 steals per game, 52% on field goals, 37% on 3s
