Man, it would have been nice to steal that one.

The Sixers fell to the San Antonio Spurs 115-102 Monday night.

They are now 43-36 and have again dropped a half game below the sixth seed in the East.

Joel Embiid, clearly with some extra juice for this matchup, led the Sixers with 34 points and 12 rebounds shooting 8-of-20 from the floor. Tyrese Maxey struggled mightily, finishing with 15 points and eight assists on six-of-16 shooting. Paul George opened the game on another heater and ended with 16 points going 5-of-15 from the floor.

VJ Edgecombe had 14 points and eight rebounds on 6-of-15 shooting. Victor Wembanyama had 17 points, five rebounds and three blocks before being ruled out after halftime with a rib contusion. Stephon Caslte led the Spurs with 19.

Cam Payne (hamstring) and Johni Broome (knee) were the Sixers out due to injury.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

• On the Spurs’ second possession of the game Embiid got up to block a Wembanyama layup attempt, but got rolled over in the process of landing. He played the opening minutes of the game but was really laboring through it. He was favoring his knee, but didn’t leave the bench at the first timeout called.

• Despite the looming existential threat, the Sixers were off to another excellent offensive start thanks to PG. He nailed all three of his threes on his way to an 11-point quarter, keeping the Sixers ahead as the Spurs got going. Embiid had still managed to hold them to a 1-of-6 start with two turnovers.

• Still looking rather hobbled, Embiid checked back in after four minutes of rest and got on the board with a jumper set up by a Maxey pocket pass. That initially put the Sixers up five, but replay would show that Kelly Oubre Jr.’s foot was on the sideline to negate the three-pointer he had made. That timeout put a half in the Sixers’ momentum — a turnover and a blocked shot giving the Spurs fast breaks. After shooting 54% from the field in the first, the Spurs led by one.

Second Quarter

• The physicality of this game only picked up when George and Wembanyama each tagged each other pretty hard. George took quite a bonk to the head and almost definitely should have drawn a foul on his layup that was blocked. He was whistled though for getting Wemby in the side pretty good, a hard foul that had him take a breather as well.
• Embiid’s early rest allowed him to play all of the second. He settled in offensively, putting up 16 in the quarter. He definitely felt more comfortable in the moment as his jumper continued to fall. He attempted the off the backboard lob to himself after beating Wemby on a pump fake. It wasn’t the cleanest lob off the glass and Wemby recovered enough to foul him. He capped off what was becoming quite a duel between the two with this stepback.

• Edgecombe had another reserved start, but he became one of the few Sixers other than Embiid to make a field goal in the quarter. Maxey on the other hand wasn’t able to do so. He did have seven assists to only two turnovers but went 0-of-5 in a scoreless first half. The Spurs led by seven at the half.

Third Quarter

• It turned out to be more than a breather for Wembanyama as the Spurs started the second half without him. He was ruled out with a rib contusion. If he misses another game he won’t be able to qualify for All-NBA or awards. If there’s one thing that will get the 65-game ruled tweaked or revoked it’ll be that guy being accolade-less in a couple of years.
• The Sixers took advantage of the momentum, starting the half on an 11-2 run. Maxey finally got on the board when by getting to the line before George and Embiid set each other up for threes. A quick three in response followed by a bad Maxey turnover helped the Spurs respond instantly with a 10-0 run of their own.

• Maxey finally hit a three for his first field goal of the night. That was his only shot attempt of his six-minute shift. The offense was stagnant in trying to compensate. Edgecombe had his midrange pull-up falling but was cold from deep — albeit a good chunk of his three-point attempts were grenades.
• Both offenses had gotten stuck in the mud. San Antonio went over four minutes without scoring. The Sixers could only incrementally eat into the lead, with a pair of Embiid free throws here and dunker find to Dominick Barlow there. Maxey looked a bit better checking back in, going 1-of-2 on a pair of floaters and hitting a difficult layup. Barlow faked a dribble hand-off to get an open dunk but missed it, and the Spurs ran out to get an open three off the miss. Barlow was able to get a prayer of a three up just before the buzzer, but it cruelly rimmed out, keeping the Sixers in a seven-point deficit.

Fourth Quarter

• Maxey got to the rim for a layup on the Sixers’ first possession of the quarter, but again, it didn’t unlock his level of aggression. It would be almost another four minutes before his next shot. Defensively, the Sixers’ opponent was taking an extraordinarily amount of attempts at the rim. Per Cleaning the Glass, the Spurs had taken 45% of their shots from that range to this point in the game. 
• After sitting the first four and a half minutes, Embiid checked back into a 12-point deficit. He got to the line of his first possession back, but the barrage of jumpers the Sixers had settled into were not falling enough to close the deficit.
• Embiid broke up a spell of three contested jumpers, driving to the paint and getting fouled. He was only able to split the pair at the line and that basically sealed the Sixers fate. After a quick layup, the Sixers won possession back when the ball went out of bounds via a challenge, but Maxey turned it over coming out of the review. Castle stripped Embiid and finished the fast break layup to make sure of it.

All Times EDT

Tuesday, April 7

MLB

Kansas City at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m.

San Diego at Pittsburgh, 6:40 p.m.

Cincinnati at Miami, 6:40 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Tampa Bay, 6:40 p.m.

St. Louis at Washington, 6:45 p.m.

Milwaukee at Boston, 6:45 p.m.

Athletics at N.Y. Yankees, 7:05 p.m.

L.A. Dodgers at Toronto, 7:07 p.m.

Arizona at N.Y. Mets, 7:10 p.m.

Baltimore at Chicago White Sox, 7:40 p.m.

Detroit at Minnesota, 7:40 p.m.

Seattle at Texas, 8:05 p.m.

Houston at Colorado, 8:40 p.m.

Atlanta at L.A. Angels, 9:38 p.m.

Philadelphia at San Francisco, 9:45 p.m.

NBA

Chicago at Washington, 7 p.m.

Minnesota at Indiana, 7 p.m.

Miami at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.

Milwaukee at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m.

Charlotte at Boston, 8 p.m.

Utah at New Orleans, 8 p.m.

Sacramento at Golden State, 10 p.m.

Dallas at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m.

Oklahoma City at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m.

Houston at Phoenix, 11 p.m.

NHL

Boston at Carolina, 7 p.m.

Columbus at Detroit, 7 p.m.

Florida at Montreal, 7 p.m.

Philadelphia at New Jersey, 7 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Ottawa, 7 p.m.

Calgary at Dallas, 8 p.m.

Colorado at St. Louis, 8 p.m.

Seattle at Minnesota, 8 p.m.

Edmonton at Utah, 9:30 p.m.

Nashville at Anaheim, 10 p.m.

Vegas at Vancouver, 10 p.m.

_____

ATLANTA — Captain Clutch was back.

After two consecutive dud performances from Jalen Brunson — and after he struggled for most of Monday’s game against the Hawks — the point guard emerged as he often does: when it matters most.

Brunson scored 17 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter of a 108-105 victory over the Hawks, including the biggest buckets of the evening — a go-ahead pull-up jumper with 30 seconds remaining, and then the final free throws with 1.2 seconds left.

“It wasn’t necessarily going his way the whole night. But he stayed with it and did what great players are supposed to do and carried us home down the stretch,” coach Mike Brown said.

Still, the victory was in doubt after the final buzzer, as the referees reviewed a banked-in half-court heave from Atlanta’s CJ McCollum — which would’ve sent the game into OT. But the attempt was determined invalid because it occurred after the buzzer, and the Knicks left here with their biggest win in more than a month.

It was also a lesson learned for Brown, who advised Brunson to hit his final free throw with 1.2 seconds left rather than miss on purpose and burn the clock. That almost came back to burn the Knicks. Almost.

“It’s tricky. If he misses it, obviously it’s a long heave. But if you foul him on the rebound or you foul him when he’s turning to heave it now they get three free throws,” Brown said. “It’s something we’ve talked about before — it’s still a toss-up situation. … The whole thing was at worst they’ll tie it and we’ll go to overtime. Lesson learned on a couple possessions down the stretch.”

Other than the pre-buzzer dramatics, the game served as a reminder of Brunson’s greatest strength come playoff time — the ability to create for himself in the most pressurized situations off the dribble — and that the Knicks, despite their flaws, have an equalizer for sticky situations.

Until that fourth quarter, Brunson was misfiring. He shot just 11-for-26 for the evening — albeit often in a facilitator role with 13 assists — hounded by Atlanta double-teams and All-Defensive selection Dyson Daniels.

But the Knicks deployed a two-man game with Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns in clutch time, allowing the point guard to shake off the double teams. And it unlocked a powerful offense down the stretch.

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NBA STANDINGS AND KNICKS STATS

“I thought we did a great job today of utilizing [the two-man game with myself and Brunson],” said Towns, who finished with 21 points, 12 boards and six assists. “When the game got dicey, the coaching staff and our teammates leaned on us to have that two-man game show up when we needed it the most. And it worked. We have a good rapport where I think that, what you saw at the end of the game with me and JB allows him not to have so much pressure on him and allows me to help him out and do what I do best, cause gravity which allows him to get a step on a defender and that’s all he needs to score.”

This result mattered to the Knicks. That was obvious. After five straight losses against teams with winning records — and with the playoffs around the corner — Brown used his likely playoff rotation with heavy minutes for his two top performers — Brunson (39 minutes) and OG Anunoby (37).

With Charles Oakley watching from the third row, the Knicks were stuck in the mud until about midway through the third quarter, when they used a 20-8 run to recover from a double-digit deficit.

Then it became Brunson time.

“The ball found a way to go in the hoop for me,” he said.

Both teams were motivated. It carried the look and feel of an important NBA game in April, a rarity. There were playoff implications.

The scorching-hot Hawks (45-34), winners of 18 of their last 20 games before Monday, are trying to clinch a playoff spot for the first time in three years. They’re trying to secure the fifth seed.

The Knicks (51-28) clinched a postseason berth but are still in the mix for seeds Nos. 2-4. The victory Monday meant greater emphasis on Thursday’s game at the Garden against the Celtics, with the No. 2 seed still very much in play.

Beyond the seeding implications, the Knicks need to build momentum heading into a postseason with the highest expectations since at least Jeff Van Gundy roamed the sideline.

As owner James Dolan made clear in January, it’s Finals or bust.

“We put the antennas up for the rest of the league as well,” Towns said. “They know what we can do.”

But even though everybody knows what New York’s closer can do, it’s hard to stop Brunson down the stretch. The Hawks became the latest victim — but also the first victim in a while for the point guard.

“It’s huge to know a guy like Jalen can shoot and score the way he does,” Brown said. “On top of that, he’s crafty.”

Crafty and clutch.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama suffered a bruised left rib and was ruled out of the second half of the San Antonio Spurs' game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night.

Wembanyama took an inadvertent elbow to the ribs from Paul George when the Philadelphia forward was attempting to deflect a pass as the 7-foot-4 center was sprinting up court on a fastbreak with 10:49 remaining in the first half. Wembanyama remained on the court for a minute while George patted him on the backside apologetically.

Wembanyama subbed out of the game 13 seconds later and immediately went into the tunnel leading to the locker room while keeping his arm pressed to his side.

Wembanyama returned with 5:33 remaining in the period, and asked San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson to take him out with 44 seconds remaining in the first half. He again went into the tunnel leading to the locker room while holding his arm to his side and was ruled out at the start the second half.

Wembanyama had 17 points, five rebounds and three blocks while playing 15:40 in the first half.

Wembanyama has made it clear that he wants to win the league's MVP award this season. The NBA allows a maximum of two games in which a player logs between 15 and 19.59 minutes to count toward the league-required minimum of 65 games played for award eligibility.

Wembanyama has played 63 games this season, including the NBA Cup Final.

San Antonio (59-19) is closing its regular season with a four-game homestand, starting with Philadelphia.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Another potentially massive injury is now looming over the NBA Playoffs — this one to San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama.

The 22 year old Most Valuable Player candidate left San Antonio’s game Monday, April 6 against the Philadelphia 76ers with a left rib contusion. Suddenly, his candidacy for individual awards is in jeopardy.

Wembanyama appeared to suffer the injury after drawing contact multiple times in the first half. Late in the second quarter, with 2:56 left to play in the half, Wembanyama made a layup and bumped into Spurs forward Keldon Johnson as he landed. Wembanyama immediately grimaced and labored through the free throw. Earlier in the game, he also collided with Sixers forward Paul George.

Wembanyama was not out on the floor at the start of the second half, and backup center Luke Kornet started in his place. The Spurs announced shortly afterward that he would miss the remainder of the game with the rib injury.

pic.twitter.com/RbgN1p7LqK

— Polo (@PoloTheHooper) April 7, 2026

NBA POWER RANKINGS: Where do Lakers go with Luka Dončić injury?

“I think it would be a positive that he felt he could play the last four-to-five minutes of the half,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson told reporters after the game. “That’s a positive from my perspective, but I have nothing (on his future status).”

In 15:40 minutes of action Monday night, Wembanyama scored 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting, adding 5 rebounds, 3 blocks and 1 assist.

“At halftime, I was told he wasn’t coming back, and honest to God, I haven’t heard anything else at this point,” Johnson added.

Because the NBA Cup Championship counts toward the 65-game rule for individual award eligibility, and because the league grants two exceptions for games in which a player recorded between 15 and 20 minutes, counting those as full games, Wembanyama’s time on the floor Monday night will count as his 64th game this season.

That means he will need to play in at least one of San Antonio’s remaining three games, and he’ll need to record at least 20 minutes on the floor to be eligible for individual awards.

Wembanyama’s first partial game exception came in a 119-94 victory over the Washington Wizards December 18, in which he played 17:18.

Wembanyama entered the night as the heavy favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year and was also a candidate for MVP. He was averaging 24.9 points, 11. 6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.1 blocks per game this season, while shooting 50.9% from the field, entering Monday night's game.

On Monday night, the Atlanta Hawks hit the floor at home for a game against the New York Knicks. Atlanta came into this one winners of four in a row, while New York was looking to push its own streak to three straight victories.

This contest was a back and forth affair throughout, with the Knicks ultimately winning by a score of 108-105 after a CJ McCollum potential game-tying miracle shot was ruled to have come after the buzzer.

The Hawks got off to a lethargic start to this one, at one point relinquishing an 11-point run in the first quarter to fall behind early. The Knicks started off hot from the field, but their scoring numbers weren’t too dramatic, namely thanks to 11 turnovers in the first half.

For the Hawks, Nickeil Alexander-Walker got the scoring party started, despite the Knicks making a clear effort to deny him the basketball, a strategy that head coach Mike Brown confirmed during his on-court interview.

Meanwhile, Hawks wing Dyson Daniels hit a three-pointer for the third straight game, taking advantage of New York daring him to shoot.

Atlanta ended up finding itself trailing by just one point despite a relatively clunker first quarter effort.

Things wouldn’t get better at the beginning of the second frame, as the Knicks made a surge to go up 43-36, their largest lead of the first half.

During this stretch, Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson dominated Atlanta, as has been the case in previous matchups between the Hawks and Knicks, playing elite defense and crashing the offensive glass on the other end of the floor.

Notably, the first half also saw the Hawks debut of big man Tony Bradley, who the team signed earlier this week to fill the void left by Jock Landale’s ankle injury. Bradley struggled in his first stint in Atlanta, throwing a bad pass that resulted in a turnover and also missing badly on an ill-advised midrange jumper. He didn’t make an appearance in the second half.

However, once Robinson went out of the game, the Hawks quickly responded with a 12-0 run of their own to take a five-point lead, and Alexander-Walker continued to torch an increasingly frustrated Knicks defense with a barrage of tough jumpers and Kyrie Irving-esque finishes around the basket.

The Hawks ended up taking a 57-53 lead into the locker room, holding the visitors to just 21 points in the second quarter thanks to some improved defensive communication, as well as the Knicks cooling off after a hot start from the perimeter.

OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges led the way for the Knicks with 13 points apiece in the first half, while Alexander-Walker led the scoring for Atlanta with 20, and Jalen Johnson added nine points to go along with five rebounds.

The Hawks would continue their momentum into the third quarter, eventually going ahead by as many as ten points.

They reached that lead courtesy of a monster slam from Johnson over multiple Knicks defenders.

New York began to chip into the lead later on in the period, thanks in large part to the play of Karl-Anthony Towns, who began by bullying the smaller Hawks around the basket, before stretching out the range to near half-court to knock down a deep three-pointer.

Mitchell Robinson continued his dominance when he reentered the game, altering and blocking many Hawks shots around the rim, and getting more clean-up opportunities on the offensive end for New York. Jalen Brunson’s three-pointer late in the period gave the Knicks a sudden four-point lead, although Atlanta would get the deficit back to two heading into the fourth and final frame.

Both teams went ice cold to open up the fourth quarter, with the Hawks crashing the offensive glass relentlessly to help offset some of Robinson’s heroics. Atlanta took a three-point lead at the 8:30 mark thanks to a three-pointer from Johnson.

Atlanta ended up taking a five-point advantage when Alexander-Walker knocked down yet another contested three around the midway point of the fourth quarter.

However, the Knicks would come back to tie things at 90 with under six minutes remaining thanks to another putback from Robinson under the basket.

After a couple more minutes of back and forth play, Alexander-Walker buried yet another triple from the wing to give Atlanta a five-point lead following a steal by Johnson.

After a Jalen Brunson and-one, Alexander-Walker stayed scorching hot with a fadeaway triple from the corner.

However, Brunson wasn’t finished, burying a triple after NAW fell down on a borderline illegal screen, and then taking advantage of a CJ McCollum turnover to score in transition and give the Knicks a two-point lead with two minutes remaining.

With the game tied under a minute to go, Brunson knocked down another clutch jumper over McCollum. Atlanta couldn’t answer on the other end, with Johnson missing a contested floater leaning to his left.

OG Anunoby and Brunson knocked down four free throws in the closing seconds, but the Hawks still had a chance, with McCollum launching a shot from three-quarters court. Miraculously, the shot banked in, but the officials ruled that it had come a tenth of a second after the buzzer, and Atlanta’s winning streak came to an end.

This was an ugly offensive game overall for the Hawks, who shot just 40 percent from the field. NAW led all scorers with 36 points on an efficient 12-19 from the field, while Brunson finished the game with 30 of his own, including 17 in the fourth quarter. Any concerns about the Hawks’ ability to contend with bruising centers like Robinson in the playoffs were not exactly alleviated, and Atlanta’s crunch time offense also needs some tuning up over the next week.

The Hawks will look to shake this one off and get back in the win column on Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Knicks stormed back in the fourth quarter to beat the Atlanta Hawks, 108-105, on Monday night for their third straight win.

New York is now 51-28 with three games left in the regular season, giving them a chance to top their 51-31 record last season.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Despite committing five turnovers in the first quarter, New York got out to a strong start and shot 59 percent from the field. Mikal Bridges led the way with 11 points, including a last-second tip-in to put the Knicks up 32-31 at the end of the first quarter. OG Anunoby added in eight points, while Karl-Anthony Towns had five points, three rebounds, and five assists. Atlanta kept up thanks to 10 first-quarter points from Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

-- Miles McBride drilled his second three-pointer of the night early in the second quarter to keep New York going. Mitchell Robinson began to make his mark on the game by blocking a three-pointer, forcing a turnover on defense, grabbing an offensive rebound, and scoring on the second chance to extend the lead to 43-36 with about eight minutes left in the quarter.

Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, and Jalen Johnson then took over, leading the Hawks on a 12-0 run to go up 48-43 and force a Mike Brown timeout with five minutes remaining in the first half.

-- The Knicks defense stepped up with clock winding down and blocked two shots before the buzzer, but they still trailed at the break, 57-53. Alexander-Walker led all scorers with 20 points on 7-for-9 shooting (3-for-4 from three), while Bridges and Anunoby continued to pace the Knicks with 13 points each.

Jalen Brunson had an uncharacteristic first half with just six points on 2-for-8 shooting (0-for-3 from three). New York also committed 11 turnovers and were outrebounded, 24-19.

-- Brunson made back-to-back shots in the third quarter to cut the Atlanta lead down to two points, but Alexander-Walker and CJ McCollum countered with two straight three-pointers to make it a 69-61 game. Johnson pushed the Hawks' lead to double-digits before Towns caught fire and scored 10 straight points, including his second three of the game.

Robinson made another clutch steal, leading to a Bridges layup to cut the lead to one point. The big man then scored inside to give New York a lead and Brunson hit his first three-pointer to make it a 78-74 game thanks to a 14-1 run. Anunoby drilled a three-pointer as time expired to put the Knicks up 81-79 at the end of the third quarter. They outscored Atlanta 28-22 in the third thanks to Towns' 14 points in the quarter.

-- Atlanta opened the fourth quarter on a 7-2 run to reclaim the lead. But New York fought back and tied the game at 90-90 on Robinson's multiple offensive rebounds and eventual tip-in midway through the quarter. Alexander-Walker's night continued as the wing made a step-back jumper and two straight acrobatic three-pointers to give him 36 points and the Hawks a 100-95 lead with three minutes left in the game.

As he's done so many times before, Brunson flipped the switch and scored 10 points in 90 seconds to give the Knicks a 102-100 lead. McCollum tied the game on a floater, but it was Brunson who had the last word -- rattling in a foul-line jumper over McCollum to go up two with about 30 seconds left on the clock.

-- McCollum nearly sent the game to OT, making a shot from beyond half court that would've tied the game, but replay showed he didn't get it off in time. Luckily, Anunoby and Brunson made all four of their free throws down the stretch to have the Knicks up three points. Brunson scored 17 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, finishing 11-for-26 from the field with 13 assists. Anunoby had 22 points and two blocks, while Bridges finished with 15 after his big first half.

Game MVP: Karl-Anthony Towns

Towns' 14-point third quarter propelled the Knicks while they were down 10 points. The All-Star finished with 21 points on 9-for-12 shooting with 12 rebounds, six assists, two steals, and a block.

Highlights

Jalen Brunson 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/VC9VJ2tnAa

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 6, 2026

DEUCE IN ATL pic.twitter.com/o59jPcBT7o

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 6, 2026

KAT runs the floor! pic.twitter.com/7hUQXbtYDg

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 6, 2026

Mitchell Robinson 😤 pic.twitter.com/5Sby4gGZZl

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 6, 2026

Jalen Brunson 💪 pic.twitter.com/Pff9BBPnXz

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 7, 2026

KAT 😤 pic.twitter.com/3PzoGZmmEk

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 7, 2026

Mitch gets it started with the defense! pic.twitter.com/8TDh9sJwML

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 7, 2026

OG! pic.twitter.com/6Lli5nY8fa

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 7, 2026

JALEN BRUNSON CLUTCH TIME pic.twitter.com/eMNZEmX0wJ

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 7, 2026

What's next

The Knicks return home for their final three games of the regular season, starting with the current No. 2 seed Boston Celtics on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

The Lakers (50-28) are back home where they will play three of their last four games of the season, starting with a rematch against the Oklahoma City Thunder (62-16) on Tuesday.

Realistically speaking, Los Angeles looks to make this one a, at the very least, respectable matchup against the best team in the league.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

When: 7:30 p.m. PT, Apr 7

Where: Crypto.com Arena

Watch: Spectrum Sportsnet

Like any team that just two of its two best players, the Lakers are currently in scramble mode, being left to figure out how to survive the tail end of the regular season. In their most recent frustrating loss to the Dallas Mavericks, the purple and gold gave a glimpse of how they’re handling their current situation and that involves requiring a handful of their role players to step up.

In doing so, Los Angeles’ successfully stayed afloat on offense. Luke Kennard had himself a triple-double, Rui Hachimura was efficient from all over the field while Jaxson Hayes and Deandre Ayton provided ample contributions across the board. All things considered, it was a commendable effort.

However, the team’s defense was putrid. And it’s likely that they’re not going to win any of their remaining games if that holds up.

While it’s fair to give the Lakers some grace in this tough time, what won’t is the NBA schedule that has them playing the OKC Thunder next. Yes, the same Thunder team that demolished them by 43 points only days ago.

What was supposed to be an opportunity for the Lakers to respond to their most embarrassing defeat of the season turned out to be the worst possible situation for them with two of their best players down while LeBron James is now listed as questionable.

But even if their big three were playing, the Lakers are considered heavy underdogs against the Thunder. That’s why it’s easy to say that this is pretty much a loss unless a miracle happens. The least the Lakers can do is attempt not to get blown out by 43 points or more again on their home floor.

For that to happen, they have to keep up with OKC from the get-go. The biggest reason why the Lakers lost against the Thunder was that they didn’t start strong. The Thunder are the type of opponent who will make you pay for your mistakes, and the fewer L.A. makes them in this rematch, the better.

Who knows? Maybe the Lakers pull off the impossible and defy all odds again like they’ve been doing all season. Let’s see if the purple and gold can pull off the most surprising victory of the season on Tuesday.

Notes and Updates

• For the Lakers’ injury report, Luka Dončić (left hamstring strain), Austin Reaves (left oblique muscle strain) and Marcus Smart (right ankle contusion) are out.
• LeBron James (left foot injury management) is questionable.
• As for the Thunder, only Thomas Sorber (ACL surgery) and Jalen Williams (right hamstring) are out.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.

The Washington Wizards are coming off a frustrating loss to the Brooklyn Nets, but one that essentially will guarantee them a top 4 pick in this year’s Draft Lottery.

They now play a double-header at home against the Chicago Bulls.

That’s right, two games against the same team in the same place.

Here’s the preview.

Game Info

When: Tuesday, April 7 at 7 p.m. ET

Where: Capital One Arena, Washington D.C.

How to watch: Monumental Sports Network

Injury Report

Wizards: Justin Champagnie, Tristan Vukcevic, Tre Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly, Trae Young, Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Cam Whitmore (Out)

Bulls: Nick Richards, Matas Buzelis, Josh Giddey, Anfernee Simons, Jalen Smith, Zach Collins, Noa Essengue (Out)

Pregame notes

Minutes for the youngsters — This is long the time of year where winning is secondary, and roster management and player development are primary. The Wizards have been on a historic losing run, with only a couple of wins in the stretch since the All-Star Break. Understandably, as they executed a number of trades that netted them injured players.

The Direction-Less Bulls — It’s almost comforting to play the Bulls, even twice in a row this week, as this is one of those teams that makes the Wizards not look too bad. The Bulls have been in that 30-40 win bracket for forever, and seem to never be able to properly rebuild or reposition. Let’s hope the Wizards soon start looking with a direction and a purpose after several years of a rebuild.

Draft Lottery — So the Wizards are 2 games back of the Nets. In the remaining 4 games the Wizards face Chicago (twice), Miami, and Cleveland. The Nets play Milwaukee (twice), Indiana, and Toronto. But that important loss to the Nets, means that the Nets also won the season series against the Wizards 3-1. Be it as it may, it is unlikely the Wizards will surpass the Nets in the standings.

Flashback: The Wizards beat the Bulls on a Beal game-winner (but not buzzer beater)

Just a few years back, Beal hit a rare game-winning shot (with about 8 seconds left in regulation) to give the Wizards the W against the Bulls. Since Beal did not do that too often I like to be reminded of it. Oh, and Kuzma was a Wizard not long ago too!

Luka Doncic dragged his hamstring through an entire half of basketball last Thursday against the Thunder, tugging at it repeatedly as if it was a loose thread on a championship dream, until he seriously injured it midway through the third quarter. 

By the time Doncic limped off the floor, the Lakers weren’t just down their best player, their season was teetering on the brink. 

After an MRI in Dallas the next day, Doncic was diagnosed with a Grade 2 hamstring strain that comes with a recovery timeline of four to six weeks.

Now he’s in Spain, and that should tell you everything you need to know about what Doncic is trying to do in order to return to the court as soon as possible to help the Lakers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. 

Doncic looked like the best player on the planet in the month of March.

He looked every bit like the NBA’s Most Valuable Player through that stretch of the season, scoring 600 points and leading the Lakers to a 15-2 overall record. Without him on the floor, the Lakers are in trouble — as evidenced by their 134-128 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Easter Sunday. 

That’s why Doncic is not rehabbing at home or at the Lakers’ training facility in El Segundo. You won’t see him sitting courtside in designer clothes for the final four games of the regular season. 

Instead, he’s chasing the kind of regenerative treatments that are not available in the United States, and could be the difference between watching Doncic on the court in the NBA Playoffs and missing them entirely. 

When a franchise cornerstone leaves the country for treatment on a hamstring injury, it raises the question: what does Spain or Europe have that the U.S. doesn’t?

Under the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, players and their respective teams have autonomy over their treatment, as long as they’re not utilizing a banned substance. Therefore, by seeking treatment for his injury in Spain, Doncic isn’t breaking rules; he’s utilizing a medical tool box that is much bigger than what we have available in the U.S. 

Platelet-rich plasma therapy. Stem cells. Exosomes. Regenerative therapies that live in the gray space between innovation and regulation.

In the United States, those options are restricted, filtered through the slow churn of FDA approval.

In Europe — particularly in countries like Spain, Germany, and Switzerland — there’s more flexibility and potentially more reward. 

And Doncic is not the first prominent athlete, NBA player, or even Lakers superstar to seek treatment for an injury outside of the U.S. 

Kobe Bryant boarded a plane to Germany in 2011 chasing platelet-rich plasma therapy when his knee was failing him. It worked. Years later, he went back again, this time for his Achilles. Anything to gain an edge in his recovery timeline. 

LeBron James did something similar in 2023, quietly consulting a specialist overseas when his foot injury threatened to end his season. He returned without surgery and pushed the Lakers to the Western Conference Finals.

Different bodies. Different injuries. Same idea.

The difference now? The stakes are sharper.

Doncic isn’t an aging veteran trying to extend his window. He is the window. He is the engine, identity, and gravitational force of the Lakers.

Without him — and without Austin Reaves, who is sidelined with his own 4–6 week injury — the Lakers aren’t just short-handed. They’re in full-on survival mode. 

Lakers’ head coach J.J. Redick told reporters before the loss to the Mavericks that the goal of both players is to return. But the Lakers might need to win a first-round playoff series against Minnesota or Houston without them for that to happen.

“It’s our job to extend the season so both those guys can get back,” said Redick. 

ESPN reported on Monday that Doncic was in Spain to undergo what was described as an “injection procedure,” meant to accelerate healing and recovery. 

According to Dr. Evan Jeffries, a certified physical therapist and co-host of the “The Hoops Rehab Show,” that injection and treatment plan likely is some combination of “stem cells, platelet-rich plasma, or more advanced regenerative techniques” that are not available in the U.S. the same way they are in Spain. 

“Stem cells can be more manipulated to increase their potency in Spain. Same with PRP,” Jeffries told The California Post. “Theoretically, he [Luka Doncic] could cut his timeline in half.”

Jeffries also added that Doncic would likely also undergo high-power laser therapy (HPLT), red-light therapy, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF), SoftWave therapy, hyperbaric oxygen chamber, and cupping during his treatment in Spain, these are also available in the U.S. 

All of this is indicative of Doncic’s desire to return to the court as fast as possible in order to help his team chase their championship dreams. His treatments will take hours upon hours of daily work to attack his hamstring injury from every conceivable angle. 

Doncic’s strategy for his treatment is certainly bold and aggressive. Hamstrings are notoriously fickle.

This is the fifth hamstring injury he’s dealt with in his career, after he was sidelined in February for four games for a hamstring injury as well. Soft-tissue injuries heal on their own time and come with a higher chance of reaggravation. They are also the protector of the ACL, increasing the risk of a knee injury when the hamstring is not fully healthy.

But if Doncic’s treatment in Spain works, and it cuts his timeline for recovery in half, then not only would he be able to help his team in the first-round of the playoffs, but also beyond should they be fortunate enough to advance. 

But if it doesn’t work, the Lakers are likely looking at a first-round exit without him.

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Dan Hurley is coaching in his third national championship game in the last four Men's NCAA Tournaments, something that hasn't been done since Mike Krzyzewski did it in the 1990s.

He'll do so with a suit that is on its last legs.

More: UConn vs Michigan national championship game prediction, how to watch, updates

The Connecticut basketball coach, known to be superstitious, will rock the same outfit he has for each of the Huskies' last five wins in March Madness vs. No. 1 Michigan on Monday in Lucas Oil Stadium, even though his suit jacket is in need of seeing a tailor.

"I'm going grimy," Hurley told CBS Sports' Matt Norlander after UConn's Final Four semifinal win over No. 3 Illinois on Saturday.

My interview last night with Dan Hurley outside the UConn locker room was interrupted by some unexpected passersby: The Fab Five.

He also told me his suit jacket is ripped but he won't be getting it fixed in the next 48 hours.

"I'm going grimy." pic.twitter.com/xmj05jUZKY

— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) April 5, 2026

Hurley rocking the same suit through the entire Men's NCAA Tournament isn't something new for the two-time national championship coach. He's been rather open about his superstitions over the years in March Madness. Remember the good luck dragon boxers? He's also thrown holy water along baselines for a sign of good luck.

Another superstition of Hurley's is wearing a holy beads bracelet that he has been wearing for every game that he has coached in, going back even as far as his days as a high school basketball coach in North Jersey. He almost didn't have the beads with him for the Illinois game, as his wife, Andrea Hurley, had to rush back to the team hotel to grab them.

Dan Hurley family tree: Explaining UConn coach's family basketball ties

"He got this bracelet years and years ago in church. They're holy beads from Jerusalem, so they said," Andrea Hurley told CBS Sports on Sunday during an interview. "I had to leave the arena last night, run in the rain, grab the beads ... and then I got a police escort."

Here's a look at Hurley coming off the court on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium, where he's talking about his jacket with UConn Sports Information Director Bobby Mullen, and even told Mullen to look at his jacket:

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NBA general managers and scouts are heading home from the 2026 men's NCAA Tournament with plenty to think about after three weeks of incredible action on the court. Now they have to figure out which March Madness performances are indicators of future greatness and which are more of a mirage.

The 2026 NBA draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft , Michigan's Morez Johnson Jr.  is expected to go in the first round. Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the Forward's draft night will play out.

Our draft order is based on ESPN's projected records and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.

Morez Johnson Jr. 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 26 overall, Los Angeles Lakers

Kalbrosky's Analysis:

Morez Johnson Jr. is one of the best two-way players in the NCAA. He is a crucial part of the Michigan identity this season, leading his team to an appearance in the NCAA mens basketball national championship game, and has thrived since transferring to the Wolverines from Illinois. Johnson's shooting form at the free throw line looks good, and he scores well near the rim, especially when cutting to the basket. The former FIBA U-19 Team USA standout and All-Big Ten big man is a trustworthy defensive playmaker, too, and should find minutes at the next level.

See USA TODAY's full mock draft 9.0 here

Morez Johnson Jr. player profile

(all stats as of March 15)

• Position: Forward
• Current Team: Michigan
• 13.1 points per game
• 7.2 rebounds per game
• 1.1 assists per game
• 62.8 field goal percentage
• 37.9 three-point field goal percentage

Los Angeles Lakers 2026 projected draft picks

• No. 25

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Morez Johnson Jr. NBA mock draft projection: Where Michigan star is expected to land after March Madness

NBA general managers and scouts are heading home from the 2026 men's NCAA Tournament with plenty to think about after three weeks of incredible action on the court. Now they have to figure out which March Madness performances are indicators of future greatness and which are more of a mirage.

The 2026 NBA draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft , Kansas's Darryn Peterson  is expected to go in the first round. Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the Guard's draft night will play out.

Our draft order is based on ESPN's projected records and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.

Darryn Peterson 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 3 overall, Brooklyn Nets

Kalbrosky's Analysis:

While he is no longer perceived as the near-certain No. 1 overall pick that he once was due to relative inconsistency and injury issues, many scouts and evaluators feel that Darryn Peterson is the most talented player in this class. The Nets have the worst offense in the NBA and could change the course of the franchise by selecting Peterson. It is incredibly rare to find a prospect who is able to score as efficiently as Peterson did while holding a usage rate as high as his was this season.

See USA TODAY's full mock draft 9.0 here

Darryn Peterson player profile

(all stats as of March 15)

• Position: Guard
• Current Team: Kansas
• 19.8 points per game
• 4.4 rebounds per game
• 1.7 assists per game
• 44.2 field goal percentage
• 38.4 three-point field goal percentage

Brooklyn Nets 2026 projected draft picks

• No. 4, No. 34 and No. 44 (via LAC)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Darryn Peterson NBA mock draft projection: Where Kansas star is expected to land after March Madness

NBA general managers and scouts are heading home from the 2026 men's NCAA Tournament with plenty to think about after three weeks of incredible action on the court. Now they have to figure out which March Madness performances are indicators of future greatness and which are more of a mirage.

The 2026 NBA draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg  is expected to go in the first round. Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the Forward's draft night will play out.

Our draft order is based on ESPN's projected records and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.

Yaxel Lendeborg 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 8 overall, Memphis Grizzlies

Kalbrosky's Analysis:

The Grizzlies could add to their rebuilding core after trading away Jaren Jackson Jr. by selecting Yaxel Lendeborg, who has shown on his way to the mens collegiate national championship game that he is perhaps the most NBA-ready player in this draft class. The Big Ten Player of the Year offers a bit of everything on both sides of the ball and has silenced skeptics who were unsure how his game would scale after transferring from mid-major UAB to high-major Michigan. The Grizzlies have drafted players with similar trajectories like Jaylen Wells and Cedric Coward.

See USA TODAY's full mock draft 9.0 here

Yaxel Lendeborg player profile

(all stats as of March 15)

• Position: Forward
• Current Team: Michigan
• 17.7 points per game
• 11.4 rebounds per game
• 4.2 assists per game
• 52.2 field goal percentage
• 35.7 three-point field goal percentage

Memphis Grizzlies 2026 projected draft picks

• No. 8, No. 19 (via ORL) and No. 31 (via IND)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Yaxel Lendeborg NBA mock draft projection: Where Michigan star is expected to land after March Madness