NEW YORK — Denver’s Nikola Jokic was fined $50,000 and Minnesota’s Julius Randle was fined $35,000 for their roles in an altercation near the end of Game 4 of the teams’ playoff series, the NBA announced Sunday.
Both will be eligible to play when the series resumes Monday with Game 5 in Denver.
The incident was evidently sparked when Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels took an uncontested layup with 2.1 seconds left and the Timberwolves already leading by 14 — a play the Nuggets took exception to, given how the game had been decided.
Jokic, the NBA said, “initiated the incident by confronting and shoving” McDaniels in reaction to that play. Randle, the league said, “escalated the incident by forcefully inserting himself into the scrum and shoving Nuggets guard-forward Bruce Brown.”
Jokic and Randle were assessed technical fouls and ejected from the game.
“He scored when we’d stopped playing,” Jokic said. “You guys saw what happened.”
The teams are meeting in the postseason for the third time in the last four years. Minnesota leads the series 3-1, but will be without guard Donte DiVincenzo for the rest of the season because of a torn Achilles and will be without fellow guard Anthony Edwards indefinitely because of a knee injury. DiVincenzo and Edwards both got hurt on Saturday.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 26: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots a three point basket during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer season standings: Tyrese Maxey – 23.5 VJ Edgecombe – 16 Joel Embiid – 11.5 Paul George – 8 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 5 Justin Edwards – 4 Andre Drummond – 3 Quentin Grimes – 3 Jared McCain :’( – 3 Dominick Barlow – 2 MarJon Beauchamp – 2 Adem Bona – 1 Porter Martone – 1 Cam Payne – 1 Jabari Walker – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
The Celtics put the Sixers on the brink of elimination with a 128-96 victory on Sunday, claiming a 3-1 series lead as the teams head back to Boston for Game 5.
The Celtics three-point barrage was firing on all cylinders and their defensive gameplan all but suffocated the Sixers in the first half. By the time the Sixers found an offensive rhythm, the Celtics were hitting threes consistently, with most of the damage coming off the bench. Payton Pritchard notched a game-high six threes and 32 points.
There was not much to sort through for Bell Ringer-worthy performances.
The big fella is the Bell Ringer tonight with a clear case over everyone else. The Celtics came out with a defensive intensity for which most of the Sixers were not ready. It just so happens the man just a little over two weeks removed from an appendectomy was able to withstand Boston’s energy and produce on the offensive end.
He opened the game immediately attacking Neemias Queta and drawing two early fouls to force him to the bench. He notched the team’s first field goal converting a transition dunk following a Paul Goerge steal and continued playing forcefully against Nikola Vucevic tallying the first eight points for the Sixers in his return.
Unfortunately, everywhere Embiid looked for help on offense, he got none. That is, at least for the first half, as Tyrese Maxey did spring to life offensively in the second half after only taking three shots by halftime. Paul George went 2-for-7 from the field in the first half, and VJ Edgecombe continued to struggle from deep. Embiid’s ability to draw fouls and his gravity were the only sources of offense for long stretches. By halftime, the Sixers had only 38 points.
In the third, the Sixers began hitting shots but were unable to get stops on the other end. Embiid found his touch from the midrange and even hit a straight ahead three-pointer. He went 6-for-11 from the field in the second half and theoretically shook off the rust. Despite the poor shooting night from the team, Embiid corralled only two offensive rebounds, and did not provide enough of a barrier to the Celtics’ persistent offensive rebounding.
Given it was his first game back, and that he played 34 minutes, it was a commendable outing for Embiid. However, a more polished performance may be the only thing to keep the Sixers from elimination.
The aftermath of the Nikola Jokic and Jaden McDaniels moment at the end of Game 4 between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets has settled, but it is still worth unpacking. If you missed it, McDaniels broke one of basketball’s quiet codes. When the game is decided and the clock is bleeding out, you do not go hunting for an easy bucket.
That is exactly what he did.
After a dominant showing at the Target Center that pushed Minnesota to a 3-1 series lead, McDaniels finished a late layup to make it 112-96. Nikola Jokic did not appreciate it. He sprinted down the floor and let McDaniels hear about it, and that is when things escalated.
Jaden McDaniels scores the layup instead of running out the clock, Nikola Jokic runs all the way from the other side of the court to face him, bumps him, as McDaniels grabs Jokic's jersey, a kerfuffle ensues.
Nikola Jokic and Julius Randle get ejected from the game
No punches. Nothing out of control. Still, it crossed the line enough for Jokic and Julius Randle to get tossed with 1.2 seconds left. Why did Jokic take exception to this? “Because he scored when everybody stopped playing,” he said in his post-game presser.
Today, the fines came out following the altercation. $50,000 for Jokic, $35,000 for Randle. But no suspensions, despite players coming off of the bench.
NBA discipline for Denver-Minnesota scuffle in Game 4:
Nikola Jokic fined $50,000 Julius Randle fined $35,000
So why no suspensions? Why does everyone suit up for Game 5?
You know where this goes. The precedent is there. Go back to the 2007 Western Conference Semifinals when Robert Horry hip checked Steve Nash into the boards late in Game 4. The league suspended Amar’e Stoudemire and Boris Diaw. They were not in the altercation. They simply stepped over the white line, which was enough for then-commissioner David Stern to enforce accountability for “leaving the bench” and ensure that this game, which is ever so sacred, was not violated by the abhorrent act of stepping over a line after one of your players gets unnecessarily thrown into the boards at the end of the game.
Here’s the video, which is extremely hard to find on the ‘ole internet despite it being a precedent-defining moment.
But hey, perhaps I’m just a scornful Suns fan. Maybe the national conversation has no appetite for hearing it again after this series with Oklahoma City and the noise around officiating. Maybe every fan base feels this when they are on the wrong end of enforcement. It can start to feel personal.
The rules are the rules. Or at least they are supposed to be. I am not pounding the table, asking for suspensions here. I am filing it away. Noting how some things get applied in one moment and not in another.
Game 5 between the Timberwolves and Nuggets is tomorrow at 7:30pm. Tune in. And watch all the players play.
Joel Embiid was back on the court for Philadelphia, returning from an appendectomy less than three weeks ago to give the 76ers a needed bump in a critical first-round game against Boston.
Except there was no bump. Kind of the opposite.
Philadelphia's other stars, like Tyrese Maxey, had to adjust to the big man in the paint and seemed to defer to him early on. The result was an offense that just did not work and missed a lot of shots.
Meanwhile, Boston just kept doing what they do. Pritchard scored 32 off the bench and knocked down six 3-pointers, while Jayson Tatum scored 30 with five from beyond the arc, plus he had 11 assists.
Boston led by 16 after one quarter, and its lead never touched single digits again as the Celtics cruised to a 129-96 win on the road.
The Celtics have a commanding 3-1 series lead as the series shifts back to Boston for Game 5 on Tuesday.
The 76ers are unquestionably better when Embiid is on the court, on both ends, but putting a superstar back in the lineup can mean an adjustment period. In this case, the combination of Embiid and the Celtics' defense meant Tyrese Maxey had just three shot attempts in the first half, as he seemed to defer to the big man, who had 10 (and Paul George had seven).
The 76ers also just could not buy a bucket in the first half. As a team, Philadelphia shot 12-of-36 (33.3%) and 3-of-12 from beyond the arc in the first 24 minutes, and if that wasn't enough, also gave up nine offensive rebounds to the Celtics.
The result was Boston racing out to a 21-point first-half lead and seemingly hitting every key shot.
PAYTON PRITCHARD THREE OFF ONE LEG BEFORE THE HORN AND THE CELTICS BENCH IS LOVING IT! pic.twitter.com/ArprVIFa9u
Boston was up by 18, 56-38, at halftime, led by Pritchard with 18 off the bench. The Celtics were rolling, and it proved to be too much to ask the 76ers to overcome that, especially for a 76ers defense that struggled to get a stop much of the night (Boston had a ridiculous 139.1 offensive rating through the non-garbage time part of this game, according to Cleaning the Glass).
In addition to Pritchard and Tatum, Jaylen Brown added 20 points and seven rebounds.
Embiid finished with 26 points on 9-of-21 shooting with 10 rebounds. Maxey was more assertive in the second half and finished with 22 points, and Paul George had 16.
Nick Nurse has some work to do to see if he can get these 76ers on the same page — on both ends of the court — by Tuesday, or Philadelphia's season is going to come to an end much earlier than they hoped.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 26: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics shoots a three point basket during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Payton Pritchard’s 32 points led the Boston Celtics to a dominant 128-96 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night despite Joel Embiid’s return from an appendectomy.
The win gives the Celtics a commanding 3-1 lead as the series heads back to Boston for Game 5, when the C’s will have a chance to clinch an Eastern Conference Semifinals berth.
Boston had a clean bill of health for Game 4 and started Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, Jayson Tatum and Neemias Queta.
On the other side, Joel Embiid returned to the court for the first time since April 6 and Kelly Oubre Jr., who was listed as questionable with right adductor soreness, suited up, too. They both started the game alongside Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe and Paul George.
At the start, the game was all about the centers. Neemias Queta scored the Celtics’ first 5 points on a couple dunks and a 1 of 2 trip to the free throw line. When Nikola Vučević subbed in early for him about 3 minutes into the game, Vooch scored Boston’s next 4 points.
At the same time, Embiid looked like he always does. He immediately drew a couple fouls and hit all four free throws during his first 7-minute stretch on the court. He had 8 out of the Sixers’ 10 points when he sat, as the Celtics were up by 1.
While the centers were going off, the game was clunky and nobody else could hit anything. Maxey didn’t even have a shot attempt until there were about 3 minutes left in the first quarter.
When George hit a three-pointer to put the Sixers up 13-12, the Payton Pritchard show began, as he immediately answered it with a 3 of his own, then hit another after Andre Drummond (finally!) missed a corner attempt.
Late in the first quarter, the bench went on an 8-0 run of its own. Baylor Scheierman and Jordan Walsh kept a play alive with 3 offensive rebounds off of missed shots and each hit a three-pointer. By the end of the quarter, the C’s bench had 24 points — more than the Sixers’ total 18.
Part of that bench scoring total was a ridiculous one-legged on-the-run three-pointer from Pritchard to beat the buzzer and put Boston up 34-18.
Jaylen Brown started the second quarter clearly trying to get more involved and, despite missing a pair of free throws early, he hit a corner 3 for his first made shot of the game.
Nevertheless, it wasn’t long before it was the Pritchard show again. He hit his fourth three-pointer a few minutes into the quarter, then drove into Adem Bona for a midrange score to get to 18 points — 13 more than any other Celtic at that point.
After Hauser hit a three-pointer of his own, the Celtics were up 45-24 and Xfinity Mobile Arena started getting quiet. While the Sixers started hitting shots and built up some momentum, a Luka Garza three-pointer and a Brown step back 3 over George helped maintain a solid lead.
By the end of the half, Boston was up 56-38, with Pritchard’s 18 points leading the way. No other Celtic finished with double-digit points, with Brown coming closest with 8.
Both Jays struggled shooting in the first half, with Tatum only hitting 1 of 8 shots and Brown going 3 of 9 from the field. The starters as a whole only had 24 of Boston’s 56 points.
On the other side of the court, Embiid led the Sixers with 12 points, but nobody else had more than 7 — Maxey, on only 3 field goal attempts — and the team looked far less potent than they were over the first three games of the series.
As the second half began with Pritchard on the bench, the Jays got a chance to build some rhythm and both capitalized, as Brown and Tatum quickly scored 7 points and 6 points, respectively.
While the Sixers made an effort to get Maxey more involved — an effort that resulted in a three-point make on Philly’s first possession of the third quarter — the Celtics did a good job of making his life difficult. When Maxey got a breakaway in transition, White turned on the boosters and blocked him from behind to erase an easy basket.
The rest of the Sixers offense struggled to start the half as well, especially Edgecombe, who seemed to have lost all the confidence he displayed in Game 2 after starting the night shooting 1 of 7 from the field.
With about 7 minutes to go in the third quarter, the Celtics were up by 24 points, 71-47. The Sixers started hitting some shots, but could not get stops, so the lead hovered around 20 points for the rest of the quarter.
By the end of the quarter, Brown and Tatum had 18 and 20 points, respectively, but the Pritchard show wasn’t over. He hit two more three-pointers, a tough fadeaway, a pair of late buckets and a couple free throws to finish the third with 32 points — 10 more than anyone else in the game.
By the time the fourth quarter began, the Celtics were up by 21 points and the game was all but over. Then, less than 2 minutes in, a Tatum 4-point play extended the lead to 30 and put it even further out of reach.
Another Tatum three-pointer sealed the deal with about 6 minutes left to go, and less than a minute later the Sixers called it quits and emptied the bench.
Pritchard, Boston’s undisputed MVP of the night, finished with 32 points on 57.1% shooting from the field, 6 three-pointers, 5 assists, 4 rebounds and a steal.
Tatum finished with 30 points on 50% shooting, 7 rebounds and 11 assists. Notably, after shooting 1 of 8 from the field in the first half, he shot 7 of 8 in the second half.
Brown finished with 20 points on 40% shooting, 7 rebounds and a pair of stocks.
In his return, Embiid played 34 minutes and racked up 26 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists. His playoff record against the Celtics is now 3-13.
Maxey and George put up 22 and 16 points, respectively. Edgecombe finished with only 6 points on 22.2% shooting.
Overall, the Celtics shot 48.3% from the field and 45.3% from three-point range, with 24 three-point makes, while the Sixers shot 41.3% from the field and 30% on threes.
The C’s also won the rebounding battle 51-30 and put up more shots than Philadelphia, 87-80, but finished the game with more turnovers, 12-8.
Game 5 will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 28, at TD Garden in Boston. It will be broadcast on ESPN.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 26: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics handles the ball while defended by Paul George #8 and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the game during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As we saw in Game 1, playing poorly while missing every shot possible is a bad combination.
The Sixers got blown out again 128-96 by the Boston Celtics in Game 4 Sunday night, falling to a 3-1 series deficit.
In his first game back since appendectomy surgery, Joel Embiid looked like the only Sixer ready for this game. He finished with 26 points shooting 9-of-21 from the floor with 10 rebounds and six assists.
Tyrese Maxey was just way too passive to start the game, going for 22 points on 7-of-14 shooting with six assists. Paul George had 16 points and four rebounds going 6-of-13 from the floor.
VJ Edgecombe again didn’t have it, finishing with six points on 2-of-9 shooting. Payton Pritchard led all scorers with 32.
Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.
First Quarter
The Celtics scored their first two baskets of the game with the ball handler getting Embiid into space and finding a wide open Neemias Queta near the rim. On the other end, it took the Sixers nearly four minutes to hit their first field goal of the game, but Embiid had already forced the Celtics to go to Nik Vucevic, drawing a quick two fouls on Queta.
The Sixers really couldn’t buy a jumper to fall out of the gate. That first made field goal was a transition dunk. Embiid made their first basket in the half court as well taking Vucevic down to the post. Edgecombe was the first Sixer not named Embiid to score and that came at the 5:24 mark.
Embiid only sat for a couple minutes and yet the Sixers couldn’t survive a second of them (insert the “first time?” meme). Pritchard got lost for a couple of wide open threes before Jayson Tatum steamrolled down the lane for an open layup. Andre Drummond fouling Tatum on a three-point shot was the last straw for his shift.
It’s not like Embiid was a cure all for their problems. The Sixers surrendered four straight offensive rebounds on a single possession. This was also in the middle of a stretch where Embiid was responsible for two turnovers and an offensive foul. The Celtics ended the quarter on a 11-2 run to storm out to a 16-point lead.
Second Quarter
The Sixers continued to generate good looks that continued to clank off the rim. They kicked to Edgecombe for a wide open corner three that didn’t fall, George missed a driving floater, and Embiid missed two open midrange jumpers. There were other problems but none of them really mattered if the Sixers couldn’t put the ball in the hoop.
Nick Nurse was forced into trying both options at backup center when Drummond went down with a leg injury. He was just passing out of the post when he went down grabbing his hamstring area without much seemingly happening which is not a great sign.
Quentin Grimes following up a three with a steal and a fastbreak dunk was the first sign of life the Sixers had shown in about 10 minutes of game time. They strung together some baskets and stops to get the lead under 20 but again killed their momentum with bad mistakes. Edgecombe threw a pocket pass way over Embiid’s head, then Grimes and Embiid botched a fast break, one that Nurse challenged for some reason and lost.
Quentin Grimes with an excellent behind-the-back pass to Adem Bona who finishes at the rim over Queta pic.twitter.com/2l7I4sEqqb
After Luka Garza hit a three coming out of the challenge the Sixers closed the half well defensively. They had dug themselves such a hole though that Jaylen Brown hitting a contested stepback three felt backbreaking. The same goes for Embiid missing two of his four latest free throws and having another open midrange jumper rim out. Brown hit another tough turnaround, this time in the midrange, to keep the Celtics’ lead at 18.
Third Quarter
Another concerning part about the first half is that the Sixers got smoked with both of the Jays shooting very poor. They combined to go 4-of-16. Tatum started the second half with a midrange that became an and-1. Brown knocked down a three before doing the same. Meanwhile, the Sixers continued to shoot themselves in the foot on the other end — Maxey appeared to slow up on a fast break, giving Derrick White time to block his layup attempt.
It’s not surprising they looked like they let go of the rope with how poorly they shot. It was still jarring to see the only player show any life all night was the guy who had to have an emergency appendectomy less than three weeks ago. This stat tweeted by ESPN’s Tim Bontempts was sent out less than halfway through the third quarter.
The Sixers have missed 32 shots and don't have a single offensive rebound tonight.
Ironically, the Sixers finally had a stretch where their three-point shots were falling. Maxey had a couple fall earlier in the quarter before George and Embiid found something of a groove. The Sixers couldn’t make any progress though because of another flaw getting them in trouble — their overhelping. Pritchard was the leading scorer in the first half, and yet the Sixers continued to help off of him one pass away. The Celtics were more than happy to kick it to him and let him convert the open shots. The Sixers went into the fourth trailing by 21.
Fourth Quarter
As if things hadn’t gotten embarrassing enough, the Celtics quickly pushed their lead to 30 for the first time of the game. As Tatum was at the line finishing off a four-point play, the Celtics fans who had made the trip loudly mocked Sixers fans with “We want Boston” chants.
It seemed like the only battle left was whatever the arena could do to drown out the Celtics fans. There were two karaoke sing-a-longs during timeouts, which is two more than I remember happening at all during the regular season. The renditions of “Baby” and “A Thousand Miles” were quite loud, but not as loud as the Boston fans once the Celtics got back on the court and started draining threes again. The “We want Boston” chants rung out again as Embiid checked out for the final time.
The Phoenix Suns should be satisfied with their season.
After effectively resetting the franchise in the offseason, they still found their way into the playoffs... and being swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder is nothing to be ashamed about.
My Thunder vs. Suns predictions expect a sweep, one that featured Dillon Brooks because Oklahoma City has wanted it that way.
Thus, the Suns’ franchise cornerstone hasn't taken more than 17 shots in a game, while Brooks has attempted at least 21 in each, totaling 19 more shots than Booker.
The Thunder’s defensive plan has worked. Brooks has averaged 27 points while Oklahoma City has cruised in each game
Booker found some playmaking in Game 3, with his seven assists keeping things nominally close for a while. Those assists again, along with Phoenix’s last gasp, should keep this tight into halftime.
However, let’s all acknowledge what is coming for the Suns: time in the sun.
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HOUSTON — Lakers star guard Austin Reaves was downgraded from questionable to out for Sunday’s Game 4 against the Rockets at Toyota Center.
Reaves has been sidelined since suffering a Grade 2 left oblique strain, an injury that typically comes with a four- to six-week recovery timeline.
The Lakers’ Austin Reaves won’t play Sunday against the Rockets. NBAE via Getty Images
The fifth-year guard, along with fellow star guard Luka Doncic (Grade 2 left hamstring strain), suffered the regular-season-ending injuries during the April 2 loss to the Thunder.
He and Doncic missed the final five games of the regular season with their respective injuries.
Reaves was listed as questionable for Friday’s Game 3 before being downgraded to out. Doncic also was ruled out of Game 4. NBAE via Getty Images
Reaves was listed as questionable for Friday’s Game 3 before being downgraded to out.
“Austin and I had a conversation yesterday for a long time, and I think ultimately the athlete has to feel confidence,” Coach JJ Redick said on Sunday. “And that’s always the final hurdle coming back from an injury, is the psychological component of it.”
Doncic also was ruled out of Game 4.
He averaged a career-high 23.3 points to go with 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals in a career-low 51 regular-season games after also missing significant time in December and January because of a calf strain.
Reaves has a $14.9 million player option for 2026-27 that he’s expected to decline, making him an unrestricted free agent this offseason with the expectation of a significant pay raise.
The Lakers entered Sunday up 3-0 in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Rockets.
The Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets have now played each other 32 times over the last four seasons, splitting two previous playoff series.
Tonight's Timberwolves vs. Nuggets predictions and NBA picks expect the greatest antagonist in this rivalry to rise once more in Game 5 on Monday, April 27.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
Timberwolves vs Nuggets prediction
Who will win Timberwolves vs Nuggets Game 5?
Timberwolves: While the Nuggets are 11-point favorites and should be desperate with their backs up against the wall, anyone who has watched the last few games of this series can very clearly see the body language throughout Denver’s roster.
Frustration, anger, and wounded pride are no way to mount a comeback from a 3-1 series, and they may cost the Nuggets quicker than anyone expects.
Timberwolves vs Nuggets best bet: Jaden McDaniels Over 16.5 points (-115)
Despite leading this series 3-1, the Minnesota Timberwolves are only listed at -150 to win it at bet365.
Surely, they have a much better chance than 60%, right? They just won three straight games, snapping the Denver Nuggets’ 13-game winning streak.
Nope, these are the worries when your franchise cornerstone goes down with an injury to his good knee. Without Anthony Edwards — and Donte DiVincenzo — Minnesota suddenly has much to still worry about.
Enter Jaden McDaniels. The Timberwolves’ wing has angered and humiliated the Nuggets in every way.
First, McDaniels pointed out how poor they are defensively after Game 2. Then he backed it up by scoring 20 points on just 13 shots in Game 3.
To outdo himself, McDaniels capped Game 4 with a last-second layup that drew all of Denver’s remaining ire, which had somehow been absent for about 24 minutes in the second half.
McDaniels’s deep shooting has been a liability of late — 1-for-11 from beyond the arc in this series and 2-for-19 in his last six games — but when Edwards is sidelined, the sixth-year wing tends to dial up his offense.
McDaniels averaged 18.7 points in 16 games without Edwards this season, compared to 13.8 in 57 games alongside Edwards. He takes 3.6 more shots per game with Edwards sidelined, including an average of one additional 3-pointer.
These are the reasons McDaniels has topped this prop in 10 of those 16 games without Edwards, with two of those exceptions falling short by only the hook.
McDaniels should emphasize his mid-range game to once again expose the Nuggets’ defensive weaknesses.
Timberwolves vs Nuggets same-game parlay
The Timberwolves should run in Edwards’s absence. McDaniels, Bones Hyland, and Ayo Dosunmu will have much of the duty getting the ball up the court, and they will never turn down a chance to push the pace.
Those transition opportunities will help McDaniels score without living beyond the arc, where he has scuffled to a 10.5% showing in his last six games. Those opportunities will also create easy assist chances, and he already averages 3.2 assists without Edwards compared to 2.6 with the shooting guard in the lineup.
Timberwolves vs Nuggets SGP
Jaden McDaniels Over 16.5 points
Jaden McDaniels Under 1.5 threes
Jaden McDaniels Over 2.5 assists
Our "from downtown" SGP: Wearing Out Jokic
Know who will despise the Timberwolves’ escalated pace without Anthony Edwards? Nuggets’ star Nikola Jokic.
He already looks exhausted. One might wonder if his temper tantrum at the end of Game 4 was in part the result of shoddy judgment thanks to fatigue.
Jokic will struggle to get up and down the court with Hyland, Dosunmu, and McDaniels — and their pace will only further sap his legs.
Denver has fallen short of its team total in every game of this series. Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs. Nuggets.
How to watch Timberwolves vs Nuggets Game 5
Location
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Date
Monday, April 27, 2026
Tip-off
10:30 p.m. ET
TV
NBC
Timberwolves vs Nuggets latest injuries
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Joel Embiid made his return to the Philadelphia 76ers Sunday, April 26, after recovering from appendix surgery that kept him out of the first three games of the NBA playoffs and the Sixers' lone game in the play-in tournament.
Embiid started for the 76ers in Game 4 vs. the Boston Celtics and played 34 minutes. He led Philadelphia in scoring and rebounds, shots takend and shots made while posting a double-double. But Boston absolutely dominated the contest, notching a 128-96 victory. The Celtics got a huge game from reserve Payton Pritchard, who scored a game-high 32 points and made 6-of-12 3-pointers.
Embiid was initially ruled out indefinitely due to appendicitis, leaving a postseason appearance in doubt. The 7-time All-Star and the 2023 NBA MVP had not been on the court since the 76ers' loss to the San Antonio Spurs on April 6 during the regular season.
He scored his first points Sunday less than four minutes into the game with a monster dunk off an assist from forward Kelly Oubre Jr. on a fast break.
Joel Embiid SLAMS one home for his first FG in his return to action!
The 76ers trail the Celtics 3-1 in the Eastern Conference first-round series. The Celtics have been responsible for eliminating the 76ers three times since 2018.
Philadelphia has not made it past the second round since 2001. Embiid and the 76ers are looking to advance past the first round for the first time since 2023, Embiid's MVP season.
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 23: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dribbles the ball during the game against the Toronto Raptors during Round One Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers looked ugly once again as the Toronto Raptors tied their series 2-2.
Let’s go over today’s losers.
LOSER – The Core Four
Yep, all of ‘em.
Winning in the playoffs can often come down to having the best player on the floor. In the case of the Cavs, they have an argument for four of the five best players in the series. Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen should all be capable of dominating a game against the Raptors.
So, when none of them show up to play, that’s a concern. There’s really no excuse for some of the poor performances we saw in both Games 3 and 4.
Harden and Mitchell were totally disrupted by Toronto’s defense. The backcourt combined for 11 turnovers in Game 4 as their team scored just 89 points. The decision-making was highly questionable, and they didn’t make up for any of it with their defense.
Mitchell was especially bad. He didn’t have any positive impact on either game played in Toronto. He’s been far too content watching the ball. And when he does fight to get open, he’s settling for jumpers more often than not. There needs to be a greater focus on applying rim pressure. Right now, that extra effort just isn’t there.
The bigs are, of course, impacted negatively by the backcourt’s playmaking. It’s harder to get Allen and Mobley rolling offensively when… well, you aren’t getting them the ball.
That said, the bigs didn’t do enough to assert themselves or create advantages through their screening. A more dominant presence on defense could have swung things. Mobley can not get by with scoring only 8 points in a pivotal playoff game. Not when the backcourt is being hounded as heavily as they are. There has to be a release valve, and Mobley is supposed to be the guy.
Allen wasn’t much better. Though I think he deserves credit for grabbing 15 rebounds and anchoring Cleveland’s defense. He was largely responsible for all of their best contests at the rim. That’s his job, obviously, but it’s worth noting that he did it.
Offense was the issue. Allen was unable to punish Toronto for going small. Whether it’s failing to get a deep seal in the post, rolling hard to the rim, or crashing the offensive glass for a putback opportunity. As is the theme, the Cavs needed more from their best players.
To call a spade a spade, this series will end with four straight losses if the core four continues to play the way they just did. It’s time to meet the moment, or be defined by another early playoff exit.
Lakers: Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart, Jake Laravia, Lebron James, Deandre Ayton
Austin Reaves is a game time decision for the Lakers, with his oblique injury. Kevin Durant is out. Will he be, no doubt coincidentally, be receiving treatment for his ankle during the game, at 830PM CST? We will find out.
The NBA announced Sunday, April 26 that Nuggets All-Star center and Most Valuable Player finalist Nikola Jokić has been fined $50,000, and Timberwolves forward Julius Randle has been fined $35,000, following a review of the incident.
NBA executive vice president and head of basketball operations James Jones oversaw the league investigation and levied the fines.
Jokić’s fine was for initiating the altercation and shoving Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels, and Randle’s is for escalating the event by “forcefully inserting himself into the scrum” and shoving Nuggets guard Bruce Brown.
The NBA conducts its investigations by reviewing footage from inside the arena and speaking to parties involved.
Although the NBA has rules for players drawing automatic suspensions for leaving the bench area during altercations, the league weighs the role those individuals play in any fight. That allowed players like Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, who clearly left the bench area despite not being checked into the game, to avoid a suspension.
The fight started with just 1.3 seconds left in Game 4, an eventual 112-96 Timberwolves victory Saturday, April 25, when the outcome was already decided. But the Timberwolves, looking to burn the clock, tossed the ball up to forward Jaden McDaniels. Rather than dribble it out for the end of the game, McDaniels put up an uncontested layup to push Minnesota’s lead to 16 points.
Jokić took exception to the layup and rushed over from half court to confront McDaniels, eventually getting in McDaniels’ face and shoving him.
McDaniels grabbed Jokić by the jersey as the two got tangled up, leading to teammates and assistants getting in between the pair to break it up. The incident took place right in front of the Timberwolves’ bench.
The altercation, though, somewhat marred what was a physical, hard-fought game, one in which backup Timberwolves guard Ayo Dosunmu dropped a career-high 43 points.
“Obviously, I didn’t like what McDaniels did,” Nuggets coach David Adelman told reporters after the game. “The game was over. The game was conceded both ways. In 2026 that stuff just doesn’t happen anymore. That stuff happened in the ‘80s, where teams would continue to score. But that’s who he is. And so if that’s what they want to do, that’s what they want to do. It has nothing to do with the win or the loss.”
Heading into a critical Game 4 at home against Boston, Philadelphia star center Joel Embiid returned to the lineup.
Embiid had been out since before the end of the season following an emergency appendectomy. The former MVP returned 17 days after the injury was announced, sooner than is usual for this injury. He slid right into the starting lineup.
The 76ers have been carried in this series by their backcourt of Tyrese Maxey (27 points, 7.7 assists a game) and VJ Edgecombe (17.1 points, 7.7 rebounds), with Paul George adding 18 a night.
On paper, the foursome of Maxey, Edgecombe, George and Embiid should be a force, but they barely played together this season due to injuries. Embiid played in just 38 games this season due to a variety of injuries. When he did get on the court, he didn't look like he had lost a step, averaging 26.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. The 76ers have a +5.1 net rating this season when he is on the court.
NEW YORK (AP) — Denver's Nikola Jokic was fined $50,000 and Minnesota's Julius Randle was fined $35,000 for their roles in an altercation near the end of Game 4 of the teams' playoff series, the NBA announced Sunday.
Both will be eligible to play when the series resumes Monday with Game 5 in Denver.
The incident was evidently sparked when Minnesota's Jaden McDaniels took an uncontested layup with 2.1 seconds left and the Timberwolves already leading by 14 — a play the Nuggets took exception to, given how the game had been decided.
Jokic, the NBA said, “initiated the incident by confronting and shoving” McDaniels in reaction to that play. Randle, the league said, “escalated the incident by forcefully inserting himself into the scrum and shoving Nuggets guard-forward Bruce Brown.”
Jokic and Randle were assessed technical fouls and ejected from the game.
“He scored when we’d stopped playing,” Jokic said. “You guys saw what happened.”
The teams are meeting in the postseason for the third time in the last four years. Minnesota leads the series 3-1, but will be without guard Donte DiVincenzo for the rest of the season because of a torn Achilles and will be without fellow guard Anthony Edwards indefinitely because of a knee injury. DiVincenzo and Edwards both got hurt on Saturday.
