Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams may have hit another speed bump in what has been an injury-plagued year.
The 2025 All-Star exited during the third quarter of the defending champions' April 22 game against the Phoenix Suns with an apparent hamstring injury. He grabbed at his left hamstring immediately following a layup attempt with 6:28 to go and was subbed out a short time later, at 5:53, for Cason Wallace.
He didn't return to the game.
Williams, who played just 33 games this season, had scored 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting in 23 minutes when he exited the game.
The Thunder lead the series 2-0 now after defeating the Suns 120-107 at Paycom Center.
"We think he aggravated his left hamstring," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "We'll take a look at him here over the next couple days and we'll update you guys appropriately."
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Jalen Williams left in the third quarter of Wednesday night's playoff game against the Phoenix Suns with a left hamstring injury.
Williams held his leg as he left the court. He missed 30 games with a right hamstring injury this season. He also missed 19 games at the beginning of the season as he recovered from offseason surgery on his right wrist.
Williams, an All-Star in 2024-25, had 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting from the field when he left the game.
Apr 22, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) shoots in the second half against the Orlando Magic during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
That’s more like it. The Detroit Pistons used a dominant 30-3 third-quarter run to turn a knotted-up slugfest into a 98-83 win over the Orlando Magic that ties the first-round series at one apiece. The Pistons were led by Cade Cunningham’s game-high 27 points. Really, though, they were led by a ferocious team defense that led to Orlando’s lowest point total of the season.
In doing so, they broke the longest home playoff losing streak in the NBA at 11 games. Perhaps even better news? There is still a lot the Pistons can improve on as they move to Orlando for a pivotal game three.
Entering the game, everyone was saying the same thing — Jalen Duren had to play a lot better in Game 1 if Detroit was going to take this series. Duren did play better than his truly dreadful performance in Game 1. But he still hasn’t played a typical Duren game. He scored 11 points and nine rebounds with four assists and three turnovers. He can still play a lot better than he’s shown.
The rest of Detroit’s starters helped pick up that slack, with all five starters scoring in double figures. Tobias Harris chipped in a 16-point, 11-rebound night, Ausar Thompson added 11 and 8, and Duncan Robinson had 10 points, including three three-pointers.
The Pistons also turned the ball over 22 times against the Magic. Look, Detroit is always a high-turnover team, but 22 is way too high. They can and should cut that down as the series goes on. They also missed 10 free throws. They hit those and a comfortable win turns into a true blowout.
The lead got as high as 27 points late in the third, and there was certainly some highlights to go around. I’ll point to two as Pistons fans bask in the win — one on offense and one on defense.
The first is an absolutely filthy hesi from Cade at the top of the key that flummoxed poor Paolo Banchero.
The Pistons defense had highlight plays against Banchero, but they stifled just about every Magic player. Orlando shot 32% from the field, including a combined 7-for-28 from the trio of Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, and Wendell Carter Jr.
Banchero scored 18 points, but he needed 17 shots to do it and one game after hitting plenty of tough long twos and some threes, tonight, he did almost all his damage near the rim.
"When we play defense at the level we're capable of, it triggers everything for us," said Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff.
In the third quarter, the Pistons put it all together and looked like a No. 1 seed. Detroit went on a 30-3 run to blow open what had been a tie game at the half. It wasn't just one guy taking over, it was a full team effort: Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren, Duncan Robinson and Isaiah Stewart each had six points during the run, while Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson had five apiece. Those six players combined to shoot 13-of-18 during that stretch.
From there, the Pistons went on to get the 98-83 win, tying their first-round series with the Magic at 1-1. Game 3 takes place Saturday in Orlando.
This home win for the Pistons snapped their record 11-game home playoff losing streak, dating back to 2008.
Cunningham was in peak form with 27 points, 11 assists and six rebounds to lead Detroit, and he showed off some nasty moves.
Harris added 16 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit.
However, what was most important for Detroit was that its elite defense showed up, holding the Magic to just 32.5% shooting. Franz Wagner was 4-of-11 shooting, Desmond Bane 2-of-11, Wendell Carter Jr. and Anthony Black were both 1-of-6.
Jalen Suggs led the Magic with 19 points on 7-of-18 shooting, and Paolo Banchero added 18.
Los Angeles, CA - April 21: Marcus Smart #36 of the Los Angeles Lakers scrambles for the loose ball against Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets in the first half of game 2 of a Western Conference first-round NBA playoff basketball game at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
When a team is shorthanded like the Lakers are, the only way to not only survive but thrive is for everyone who is available to step up.
The Lakers have gotten that during this postseason from Marcus Smart.
One of the ways he’s stepped up is as a vocal leader. As a 12-year veteran and the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, Smart is well-respected not just in the Lakers’ locker room but across the NBA. Whenever Smart talks, players listen.
Smart has helped fill the void they’ve left and is now an even more prominent floor general for the purple and gold. And it’s a big reason why the Lakers have been able to protect home court in this first-round matchup.
This elevation in leadership from Smart this postseason is a combination of him understanding the situation and Lakers head coach JJ Redick speaking with him before this series even began.
After LA’s Game 2 win over Houston, Redick didn’t delve into the details of his talk with Smart, but he did stress how important he is to the Lakers’ success.
“Him and I had a conversation coming off those three losses…in San Francisco,” Redick said. “I’m not going to share the details, but the biggest thing was just he, because he has the voice he has, he can help create the belief and the confidence in our group. I think he’s done that.”
Smart’s already a starter when the team is fully healthy, so his adding more of his voice while key players are out has been crucial. This is the playoffs, and even with a less-than-full roster, it is an opportunity to go after the ultimate goal: the NBA title.
Smart knows better than most how rare these chances are. Injuries disrupted his career, and he went from playoff-contending teams in Boston to a struggling franchise in Memphis and a tanking one in Washington.
“Me and JJ, we talk all the time, right,” Smart said. “Constantly talking to the staff to see what I can do to help. The coaches aren’t out there and I try to be that quarterback out there for the coaches, relaying messages, getting everybody together.
“That talk was just, to sum it up, was really just, ‘Hey, go play basketball, be you.’ To be able to have him trust me and then not only that, to have this team and these guys trust me to be able to do that, it’s something that I’m grateful for. It shows a lot. It shows the camaraderie. It shows the long way that we came and we’re going to continue to trust them.”
Beyond being a vocal leader, Smart has continued to do the things that make him an impactful player. He’s been diving for loose balls, putting his body on the line, taking charges and embracing all defensive assignments.
Smart’s also added some offensive potency to his repertoire. In LA’s Game 2 win over Houston, Smart scored 25 points, knocking down five 3-pointers, which was only two fewer than the entire Rockets team had in this contest.
The majority of the credit for Smart stepping up goes to him, but a tip of the cap also goes to Redick. Having a conversation with Smart and asking for more of him so the team can win is part of the game within the game. Redick’s job is to optimize what he has, and he is excelling in that during this playoff run.
It would’ve been easy to just give up and justify a lack of focus or effort as a result of LA losing Dončić and Reaves.
Instead of backing down, the Lakers have stepped up. Smart has spearheaded that mentality, LeBron James has also contributed and the rest of the team has followed. It’s why, after two games, the Lakers are in front 2-0 against the Rockets.
The man who is the heart and soul of the Spurs is also now the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year.
San Antonio's Keldon Johnson — who came off the bench in all 82 games this season and set a Spurs franchise record with 1,081 bench points — was honored as the NBA Sixth Man of the Year.
Johnson talked about his journey in an ESPN interview when the award was announced.
"I started for a long time. Now, it's my time to come off the bench," Johnson said. "I just continue to analyze the game, come off the bench, go in there and just do my thing."
Johnson's thing was to average 13.2 points and 5.4 rebounds a game for the Spurs, but that sells short what he means to this team. He's the longest-tenured Spur and a leader in the locker room, the guy who keeps the mood light but can get serious when the time is called for.
Johnson got 63 first-place votes from the panel of 100 media voters, besting Miami's Jaime Jaquez (34 first-place votes). Denver's Tim Hardaway Jr. finished third in the voting, with Minnesota's Naz Reid finishing fourth and the Thunder's Ajay Mitchell fifth.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 17: Head coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors reacts during the first half of an NBA play-in tournament game against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 17, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Just before the end of the season, Steve Kerr told ESPN it was “50-50” that he’d be back as head coach of the Golden State Warriors next season. Now, Warriors insider Monte Poole thinks it’s 20-80, or even 15-85.
"If I had to put odds on Steve coming back, I'd say the chance of him coming back are like 15%, 20%. I think the likelihood is that he leaves. At this stage, I would say 'If the door is over there, he's looking at that door and he's… pic.twitter.com/S0YuXc7Bzl
In a conversation with Bonta Hill on the Dubs Talk podcast, Poole summarized how he saw Kerr’s uncertain coaching future:
“The likelihood is that he leaves,” Poole said. “At this stage, I would say ‘If the door is over there, he’s looking at that door and he’s walking toward it’ . . . Can he turn around and turn back? Yeah, but the odds of that are slim.”
Poole explained that people were already speculating this could be Kerr’s final season during the summer, with he and Hill publicly discussing it in December. Assistant coach Chris DeMarco left during the season to become head coach of the New York Liberty, while other assistant coaches were exploring their options, with at least a strong suspicion that their head coach might not be back.
Hill and Poole agreed that the idea that the Warriors would “run it back” with this season’s disappointing roster wouldn’t be acceptable to Kerr or to team management. If the Warriors make big changes to their roster, which is badly lacking in size, youth and athleticism when it comes to other playoff teams, they very well might change their head coach.
There’s another reason to think Kerr himself might be done, and that’s the nature of his comments during the season. It’s not the first time that Kerr has lobbied for a shorter NBA season, but he was more vocal this year. A coach who is talking to reporters about how he wishes the season was shorter is not a coach who is thrilled about coaching more basketball games.
Poole also noted that Kerr spoke about the limitations of the roster, a part of the team he does not control. Kerr handles rotations and doling out minutes, but he may have been sending a message that he did not agree with management’s personnel decisions. Plus, the capped-out Warriors may not have the same options for veterans on minimum deals when the team can’t promise they’ll
Overall, the Warriors future is not bright. Steve Kerr is not happy. Don’t be surprised if the odds of him staying drop to 0-100 very soon.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - FEBRUARY 06: General Manager Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics watches warmups before a game against the Dallas Mavericks at the TD Garden on February 06, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Tuesday, during his pre-draft availability, Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen indicated that he picked the brain of Boston Celtics’ NBA Champion President of Basketball Operations (and former Butler University Men’s Basketball coach) Brad Stevens.
Only, it wasn’t really about basketball.
Rather, Steichen sought out any guidance that Stevens may be able to share regarding Achilles post-surgery recovery, after Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum previously underwent Achilles surgery by the same surgeon who recently performed Colts starting quarterback Daniel Jones’ procedure a few months ago (via The Athletic’s James Boyd).
#Colts HC Shane Steichen spoke to #Celtics president Brad Stevens about Jayson Tatum’s Achilles recovery. Tatum and Daniel Jones both got surgery from Dr. Martin O’Malley.
It’s not the first time that Stevens has offered his insight he has firsthand experienced with his star player’s recovery from a torn Achilles with an Indianapolis professional sports head coach.
It is good to know that Jones, who’s already throwing and performing drop-backs on his road to regaining his prior breakout career year form, isn’t alone in his recovery.
Rather, there have been a number of star professional athletes who have suffered the same injury and underwent the same surgery, and there’s an established protocol for rehabilitation and recovery. There are likely some helpful tips that Stevens can share regarding what worked well and what didn’t—and what to reasonably expect.
The early signs regarding Jones recovery are encouraging, and he’s arguably ahead of schedule—with a hopeful and still realistic return by Colts training camp in mid-to-late July.
The number was staggering. It hasn’t been talked about enough, Mike Brown said. And given the Knicks’ success at defending the paint during the regular season, it made what transpired in the second half of Game 2 — when the Hawks erupted for 42 points in the paint — even more stunning.
It was the worst half of Knicks paint defense all year by six points.
During the regular season, they allowed the third-fewest points in that area per game (43.4), and they had nine instances during the regular season when they only surrendered 42 points in the paint across the entire game. Monday’s lapse stemmed from a lack of execution, Brown said. From a lack of physicality, Josh Hart added.
The Knicks had a new weakness exposed, and starting with Game 3 on Thursday, Atlanta will almost certainly try to replicate that blueprint. It’ll fall on the Knicks, and all of their possible options, to figure out a response.
Dyson Daniels attacks the paint and goes up for a layup over Josh Hart during the Knicks’ Game 2 loss to the Hawks. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“I feel like we didn’t have that physicality that we did Game 1 and in the first half [of Game 2],” Hart said Wednesday in Tarrytown before the team flew to Atlanta. “I think that was the biggest thing. When you lose that physicality, then you allow them to kinda move at their own pace, kinda dictate their offense instead of you dictating it. Just gotta make sure we’re physical, have attention to detail and focus for a full 48.”
It could just be an anomaly. A one-off. The Knicks, in addition to being a strong unit at defending the paint and among the NBA’s best defenses over the final two-plus months of the regular season, were also the best fourth-quarter team in terms of net rating during the regular season. That made their collapse Monday an uncharacteristic one. But theoretically, Hart said, the Hawks will try to attack the paint again.
The simplest decision to combat the woes could involve playing Mitchell Robinson — the best Knicks interior defender — more, but that would come with inherent risks.
His minutes jumped from 14:30 to 18:09 in the opening two games of the series, but could Brown keep Robinson on the court more and risk a hack-a-Mitch strategy? And if he does give Robinson more time off the bench, whose minutes would dip?
Jonathan Kuminga makes a strong drive to the basket during the Knicks’ Game 2 loss to the Hawks. NBAE via Getty Images
These are the decisions and considerations that arise over the course of a seven-game series.
In the opening half of Game 2, the Knicks allowed just 16 points in the paint, but CJ McCollum, who shredded Jalen Brunson, finished with 16 points in the paint alone, including 10 in the second half.
Twelve of Jalen Johnson’s second-half points occurred in that area by the basket, too, and he set the tone with Atlanta’s first layup of the third quarter — pump-faking on the left wing after the Knicks went up 13, driving around Hart and finishing his shot before Karl-Anthony Towns’ help defense made an impact.
Mitchell Robinson (center) battles Dyson Daniels for a rebound as Karl-Anthony Towns looks on during the Knicks’ Game 2 loss to the Hawks. Getty Images
And when the fourth quarter arrived, that paint-scoring edge became especially noticeable, with the Hawks outscoring the Knicks 22-4. Jonathan Kuminga rolled off a screen and dunked to pull the Hawks within 93-85. He sent a lob pass over all the Knicks defenders to Onyeka Okongwu for another dunk on the next possession, too. Ball movement kept opening up lanes, and the Knicks kept failing to plug any gaps in time.
“You gotta give Atlanta credit,” Brown said. “We didn’t execute our defense the way that we could have. Or the way we should have, or the way that we have been doing throughout the first six quarters [of the series].”
Now comes the counter, though. Now comes Atlanta’s chance to turn this into a series-defining weakness. Now comes the chance for the Knicks to “keep the physicality going,” as Mikal Bridges said. To help in transition. To “show bodies.” To give a boost to whoever’s guarding the ball.
Now comes the playoff chess match.
“That’s why being focused and having attention to detail is so big in the playoffs,” Hart said, “because sometimes, it goes away from plays — and it just goes into schemes, it goes into personnel. You gotta be able to react on the fly. When you’re locked in, you have that attention to detail, you’re able to do that pretty seamlessly.”
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson #11 call s a play during the fourth quarter.
ATLANTA — This wasn’t supposed to be part of the script.
Karl-Anthony Towns’ usage was expected to be a question mark. Mike Brown’s rotations were bound to cause a bit of a stir. It’s not a shock that the Knicks defense has been inconsistent.
But Jalen Brunson was supposed to be a known quantity. Brunson was supposed to be the bona fide best player on the floor.
Brunson was supposed to be … well, the Brunson everyone has come to expect.
But through two games of this first-round series against the Hawks — which is tied 1-1 with Games 3 and 4 in Atlanta — the best player on the floor hasn’t been Brunson. It has been CJ McCollum.
Brunson shot a combined 19-for-48 (39.6 percent) through the first two games. And that includes his 8-for-11 start in Game 1. Since then, Brunson has shot 11-for-37 — a woeful 29.7 percent — from the field across the past seven quarters.
“We just gotta keep trying to move him around,” coach Mike Brown said of Brunson after practice Wednesday. “And give him different looks throughout the course of the game.”
Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker have been Brunson’s primary defenders for the Hawks through two games. Lengthy, athletic perimeter defenders like those two have been the physical profile that has revealed itself to be the one thing that can potentially throw Brunson off his game.
They have not shied away from being physical with Brunson. And Brown believes they’re getting away with a little too much.
“I’m still trying to figure out what’s a bump and what’s not a bump,” Brown said after Game 2. “You see a guy like CJ, he gets a drive and if you chest him, it’s a foul. And I even asked the officials about it — Jalen’s driving and he’s getting the same bump. Now, he’s not as light or as quick as CJ, so the speed might not be the same, but when he’s going, he’s getting hit and he’s getting knocked away from the bucket. So, trying to figure that out a little bit better is something I need to do.
Jalen Brunson call s a play during the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ Game 2 loss to the Hawks. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“But I thought Jalen got to his spots. I thought he could have gotten to the free-throw line a couple more times that sometimes [he didn’t] throughout the course of the game, especially with how aggressive he is. But it is what it is.”
It’s not just his shooting, either. Brunson has turned the ball over in a few key spots.
The Knicks trailed by two with under 20 seconds left of their 107-106 Game 2 loss Monday — with a chance to tie the game or take the lead. Brunson tried to take a turnaround jumper against Alexander-Walker. But Alexander-Walker read it perfectly, stripped Brunson, led a fast break down the other end and perfectly assisted a Jalen Johnson dunk, which extended the Hawks lead to four points with just over 10 seconds left.
“Obviously, I can control what I can control,” Brunson said. “Poor decision-making on my part. A couple possessions, they played great defense and knocked the ball out of my hands.”
Dyson Daniels collides with Jalen Brunson during the first quarter of the Knicks’ Game 2 loss to the Hawks. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
What has been noticeable is that the Knicks offense has reverted to Brunson isolation ball in the playoffs — not the harmonious two-man game that he and Karl-Anthony Towns revealed at the end of the regular season.
Brunson’s ball dominance has suddenly made the Knicks offense stagnant. And his shooting struggles mean the Knicks offense has been inefficient. It’s also a self-fulfilling prophecy — his shot quality is worse when he is so isolation-heavy, rather than allowing his teammates to create openings for him. It’s not necessarily that he is taking too many shots, but rather how he is getting those shots.
Brunson had the ball in his hands an average of 10.3 seconds per possession the first two games — by far the most of any player in the postseason entering Wednesday’s games, per the league’s official tracking stats.
It has limited the production of his supporting cast, particularly Towns. Flash back to last year, when the Knicks were tied 1-1 in the first round with the Pistons, heading to Detroit, after Towns was uninvolved in a Game 2 loss. Here is what Brunson said at the time:
“There’s one ball and we have a lot of great players on this team,” Brunson said. “Definitely, it’s on my shoulders. I’m not gonna point the finger and say some people need to do that and this. It’s on me to try to set the table.”
One year later, Brunson and the Knicks offense seem to be in the exact same spot.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 19: Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns loses the ball while being defended by Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half in Game One of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center on April 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Joshua Gateley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Spurs forward Keldon Johnson was a breath of fresh air coming off the bench for San Antonio and it's being recognized and rewarded.
Johnson, 26, was named the 2025-26 NBA Sixth Man of the Year after his seventh NBA season.
Johnson appeared in all 82 games for the Spurs and didn't start any of them. He set a franchise record with 1,081 bench points this season, a record previously held by Hall of Famer Manu Ginobili.
Johnson has started 232 career games with the Spurs, but hasn't started any games the last two seasons.
For someone who had been a starter his entire life, Johnson told ESPN's "Inside the NBA" that he's embraced his new role to be a part of "something special" in San Antonio.
"Honestly, you know, it just came down to wanting to be a part of something special here in San Antonio. I knew that in order (to) really be the best for the team, that coming off the bench was probably my best possibility," Johnson said. "At first it was tough. I had to really remove my ego, put the team first. And you know, after that, the sky was the limit. I feel like my teammates, my coaches, really allow me to be myself. Really allowed me to bring that energy, you know. So my hat goes off to them to allow me to do that and be in the position I am today."
During the 2025-26 campaign, Johnson averaged 13.2 points on 51.9%/36.3%/79.4% shooting splits. He averaged 23.3 minutes per game.
He was selected out of Kentucky with the 29th overall pick in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft by the Spurs.
"It's a little emotional," Johnson said as he celebrated amongst his mom, dad, little sister and best friends. "It's a big accomplishment. It's a lot of hard work that goes into an award like this, especially, you know, through everything I've been through."
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 21: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets plays defense during the game against LeBron James #23 Los Angeles Lakers on April 21, 2026 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. 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 Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Playoff basketball demands a higher level of intensity. The stakes are raised, which means every possession matters more, every game can swing a series and the focus on physicality has to be elevated.
If there’s a player on the Lakers who knows this and is capable of it better than most, it’s LeBron James.
At 41 years old, LeBron might not be the fastest player on the floor, but he is certainly one of the strongest. In this series against the Rockets, he has dominated Houston physically.
Offensively, he’s been targeting Alperen Şengün relentlessly. He’s constantly putting Şengün into actions, then either driving into the paint, putting pressure on the rim resulting in easy buckets for James, or open looks for his teammates.
Other Rockets have tried to test James, only to fail miserably. When Jae’Sean Tate tried his best Dillon Brooks impersonation, attempting to agitate LeBron, he pushed him away, got the ball at the top of the key and drilled a three over Şengün.
Thanks to LeBron embracing this physicality and being the one who bullies instead of the one getting picked on, the Lakers are now up 2-0 in this series.
After LA’s Game 2 win, head coach JJ Redick praised LeBron for his physical toughness.
“I thought he brought a level of physicality and he’s done it throughout his career that he’s just really comfortable playing that way and you see that whether it’s him on a back down or getting to the basket or drawing fouls that he forces you to match his physicality,” Redick said.
Throughout this series, LeBron has demonstrated he’s willing to do all the little things that impact winning and physicality is part of that.
He’s still out here making his rotations, crashing the defensive glass and initiating contact in the paint to generate calls.
With Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves out, everyone has to step up, and LeBron’s comfortable in that situation. After all, he’s been dragging teams to playoff success since he was in his 20s.
Now, two decades later, he’s still doing it. The Lakers haven’t lost this postseason, and LeBron’s physicality is dominating a Rockets team that is younger, faster and more athletic.
Nothing LeBron does anymore should shock us, but somehow, he is doing it again. After a pair of games, it’s gone from a conversation about how the Lakers might extend their season and turned into the Rockets looking for a path to victory, with none to be found.
That’s the power of LeBron. He’s an unstoppable force that’s yet to meet an immovable object.
Two days after Mike Brown spent part of his postgame news conference standing by his rotation decision-making, with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns on the bench at the same time during two stretches of Game 2, the Knicks head coach reiterated his trust in any player on the court.
But he also acknowledged before the Knicks left Tarrytown for Atlanta on Wednesday that anything can change in the playoffs.
“First of all, anything’s open to discussion offensively, defensively,” Brown said when asked if he’d be comfortable making that same lineup decision again or if he’d like to limit it. “Maybe changing this defensively. Maybe changing that offensively. I’m comfortable with all of our guys playing, no matter who the five is out there.
“But at the end of the day, just like offensively and defensively, I mean we changed both of those things halfway through the year. Anything can happen, and when you’re in the playoffs, everything should be on the table. But I do feel comfortable with what we’ve had.”
The first instance of Brunson and Towns on the bench at the same time occurred after Jordan Clarkson subbed in for Brunson between the first and second quarter, with Towns already on the bench from when he checked out with 2:48 left in the opening frame.
When the stretch with both out began, the Knicks led 32-23. By the time they entered again midway through the second quarter, that initial advantage had already been erased. The Knicks, at one point, had even trailed before rebuilding a five-point edge as the pair checked back in.
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown reacts on the baseline during the first quarter of Game 2. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Then, Brown kept the pair off the court again for the final 1:50 of the third quarter and the opening 4:04 of the fourth. And while the Knicks still had a nine-point lead when Brunson and Towns checked back in with just under eight minutes remaining in the game, it had originally been a 12-point advantage.
The Knicks bench, outside of Mitchell Robinson, has struggled to produce for the opening two games of the series. That was only amplified when Brunson and Towns were on the bench together. But Brown’s trust still hasn’t wavered — at least for now.
Jordan Clarkson in action during Game 2. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
After dropping 32 points Monday and fielding “F–k you, CJ” chants from fans inside the Garden, McCollum downplayed it as a “hostile” environment after his performance that, as Hawks teammate Onyeka Okongwu said, “shut that Knicks crowd up.”
“It’s just fans booing you or cheering you on,” McCollum said Wednesday in Atlanta. “It’s really not that serious. I think when you look at it that way, it’s just a game. It’s fun to compete at the highest level. It’s fun to be recognized by people, but I don’t play for Spike Lee’s approval. I don’t play for Knicks fans’ approval. I don’t play for anybody’s approval. I play for my family, myself and God, so it’s just a game, at the end of the day.”
Thursday will mark the Hawks’ first home postseason game since 2023, and Okongwu expected it to be “very, very loud” at State Farm Arena.
“Obviously, you know, Knicks fans are gonna be there as well, but I know ATL faithful will be there as well,” Okongwu said. “Excited for [Thursday] night.”
Backup Atlanta center Jock Landale was again ruled out with a right high ankle sprain.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 20: Jarrett Allen #31 celebrates with Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers before Game Two of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Toronto Raptors at Rocket Arena on April 20, 2026 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. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been in complete control of their first-round series against the Toronto Raptors so far. They’ve cruised to stress-free wins in the first two games of this series, but anything can happen when the series shifts to a different venue.
“The series hasn’t even started yet until you go on the road,” Max Strus said after practice on Wednesday. “So we got to come in with an aggressive mindset, just like we treated games one and two, and play our best basketball.”
We’ll see what adjustments either team makes for Game 3. The Raptors decided to bench normal starting center Jakob Poeltl for the entirety of the second half of Game 2, opting to go small with the 6’7” Collin Murray-Boyles at center. At this point, it’d be surprising if they went back to Poeltl.
No matter who the Raptors decide to go with at center, the Cavs hope to get the version of Evan Mobley they did through the first two games of this series. He put up 25 points and eight assists in the win on Monday.
“He’s in a great, great, spot,” Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson said on Wednesday. “Physically, this is probably the best I’ve seen him move in two years, just moving really well, and then just confidence…he’s kind of in a flow state right now, which equals super [aggressiveness]. I’m watching him go to the offensive board. It’s another level than it was in the regular season. He’s definitely turned it up.”
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