Category: NBA

Disgraced ex-NBA star Damon Jones dressed like he was going to a funeral in Brooklyn court Tuesday as he pleaded guilty to participating in two alleged mob-linked gambling schemes.

Jones, 49, wore all black as he glumly fessed up to his part in the illicit scheme, admitting to the judge that he used “insider information that I obtained as a result of my relationships as a former player’’ to feed to bettors.

Some of the information he leaked was about whether Los Angeles Lakers stars such as LeBron James and Anthony Davis were injured or would be playing during certain games, prosecutors said. Jones was unofficially helping to coach the team at the time.

Gamblers would then take those tips and use them to inform their bets.

“I would like to sincerely apologize to the court, my family, my peers and also the National Basketball Association,” Jones said in a statement he read in court while making his plea.

“I knowingly and intentionally agreed with others to join in this conspiracy to defraud sports betting platforms based on inside information I obtained as a result of my relationships from my playing career in the NBA.”

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Follow The Post’s latest on the gambling scandal rocking the NBA:

• Terry Rozier could face new federal bribery charges in alleged gambling scheme
• Ex-NBA player Damon Jones expected to plead guilty in mob-tied gambling sweep
• Heat planning to cut Terry Rozier while on leave for NBA gambling investigation
• All 31 suspects in bombshell NBA poker case hauled into court as feds say plea negotiations ‘have already begun’

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The former baller looked despondent as he left the courthouse, only saying, “God be the glory,” when asked for comment by reporters.

Jones played for 10 NBA teams from 1999 to 2009, raking in more than $20 million, and was an unofficial coach for the Lakers from 2022 to 2023.

He confessed to participating in the gambling scheme from 2022 to 2024.

Jones pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud — charges that could land him up to 27 months behind bars when sentenced in September.

He also confessed to his participation in a related poker scheme, where he would use his NBA fame to lure victims into high-stakes poker games – which were rigged with elaborate cheating devices to ensure windfalls for the conspirators.

About $7 million was netted from victims in the poker scheme, which used tools such tampered card shufflers, x-ray poker tables and an elaborate network of handlers communicating with insiders in the game.

Jones explained to the court that he was known as a celebrity “face card” among his conspirators.

“As a face card, my presence as a former NBA player would attract bettors,” he said. “I knew the games were being rigged and players were being cheated.”

He is expected to be sentenced to between 63 and 78 months for the poker con – upwards of 6.5 years.

It remains unclear if his sentences would run concurrently or consecutively.

More than 30 people were arrested in the schemes in October, with other former NBA players and alleged mobsters among those charged.

Former Miami Heat player Terry Rozier was charged, along with Basketball Hall of Famer and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billips.

Jones is the first person to plead guilty in the sensational case – and he initially pleaded not guilty after his arrest.

With Post wires

Though only one first-round series is complete and none of top championship contenders are eliminated, the 2026 NBA playoffs have already been jarred by unexpected drama.

The Oklahoma City Thunder swept the Phoenix Suns but did so after losing Jalen Williams to a hamstring injury. The Minnesota Timberwolves are also adjusting to a knee injury that will sideline Anthony Edwards for at least the rest of their first-round series against the Denver Nuggets. The top seed in the Eastern Conference, meanwhile, sits on the brink of elimination after the Orlando Magic took a 3-1 series lead on the Detroit Pistons and the preseason favorite in the East (New York Knicks) is locked in a tied series.

Through all this during the opening 10 days of the NBA playoffs, some of the league's biggest stars and a few unexpected names have emerged to produce compelling and clutch performances. Here's a look at the 10 best players in the 2026 NBA playoffs through games played on Monday, April 27:

NBA DRAFT: Early entry dwindles as some NCAA stars choose NIL

Rankings 10 best players in playoffs so far

Honorable mention: Jaylen Brown, Chet Holmgren, Alperen Sengun, Tyrese Maxey, Jalen Williams, Cade Cunningham, Marcus Smart, OG Anunoby, Desmond Bane, Deni Avdija, Evan Mobley, Stephon Castle

10. CJ McCollum, Atlanta Hawks

McCollum's timely shot-making down the stretch in Games 2 and 3 gave the Hawks a series lead over the Knicks before New York evened the matchup with a dominant Game 4 win. The 34-year-old is averaging better than 24 points per game on 51% shooting, harkening back to the numbers he put up during the Trail Blazers' 2019 run to the Western Conference Finals.

9. Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic

Banchero's outside shooting remains inconsistent and a potential issue in these playoffs, but he and Desmond Bane have the Orlando Magic on the cusp of knocking off the Eastern Conference's top seed. Only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is getting to the free throw line more times per game than Banchero so far this postseason.

8. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets

This hasn't been Jokic's best postseason series by any stretch, with his defensive flaws magnified because the Timberwolves' Rudy Gobert-led defense has been effective at slowing him down at times. But Jokic is still averaging almost a triple-double in five games against Minnesota (25.4 points, 14 rebounds, 9.4 assists) after his second triple-double of the series in Game 5.

7. Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks

Towns has been a stabilizing force against the Atlanta Hawks and the Knicks used him to facilitate the offense to even their first-round series in Game 4. Towns registered his first-career playoff triple-double (20 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) after a 21-point, 17-rebound double-double in Game 3.

6. Ayo Dosunmu, Minnesota Timberwolves

Minnesota's trade-deadline acquisition of Dosunmu looks like a steal after back-to-back huge performances, including a 43-point explosion in Game 4, moved the Timberwolves one win from ousting the Denver Nuggets despite injuries to Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo. Dosunmu is averaging 22.8 points and four assists on 64% shooting coming off the bench.

5. Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors

Barnes has been the best player through four games of the Raptors' tightly-contested first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, with his two-way versatility allowing Toronto to go small featuring Collin Murray-Boyles. Barnes is averaging 25.8 points and 7.3 assists while also connecting on 7 of his 15 3-point attempts through four games.

4. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers

James turned back the clock to lead the Lakers to three wins to start their first-round series against the Rockets, averaging 25.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists while sparking the likes of Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves sidelined by injury.

3. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

Tatum's return from injury was the NBA's most remarkable late-season storyline and he appears to be rounding into form during this first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers. Tatum's points (24.8) and and shooting percentage are up through four games and he's among the league's leaders in assists (8.5) this postseason while leading the Celtics' offense.

2. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

Wemby might be even higher on this list if not for missing most of Game 2 and Game 3 of the Spurs' first-round series while in the NBA's concussion protocol. But he's otherwise been dominant in the two full playoff games he's played in against the Portland Trail Blazers, with 35 points in his postseason debut in Game 1 and 27 points, 12 rebounds, 7 blocks and 4 steals in his return from injury in Game 4.

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

The defending NBA champions didn't really flinch when Jalen Williams went down with an injury because Gilgeous-Alexander wouldn't allow it. The reigning NBA MVP (and the favorite to be the back-to-back winner this year) shot 55.1% from the field and averaged 33.8 points and 8 assists per game during the Thunder's sweep of the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ranking 10 best players in NBA playoffs so far: SGA or Wemby on top?

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If you bet on the last meeting between the Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers, you likely still have a sour taste in your mouth regardless of if you won any wagers or not.

The great thing about Game 5 is there’s really nowhere to go but up after a historically bad shooting night from both teams. My same-game parlay for Toronto vs. Cleveland calls for another close contest, circling two of Toronto’s top stars to shine.

Here are my best NBA picks and predictions for Raptors vs. Cavaliers on April 29.

Our best Raptors vs Cavaliers SGP for Game 5

SGP leg #1: Raptors +8.5

The Toronto Raptors won ugly and knotted this Round 1 series at 2-2, heading back to Cleveland for Game 5. The Raptors made some defensive tweaks to take away the Cleveland Cavaliers’ off-ball action, and their length has started to slow down Cleveland’s outside threats. This isn’t the same team that got knocked around in the first two games in Cleveland, and I like Toronto to cover as sizable road dogs on Wednesday.

SGP leg #2: RJ Barrett Over 19.5 points

RJ Barrett shot the ball 22 times with a spike in usage in Game 4. Unfortunately, he was among the many throwing up bricks. He finished with 18 points — in part to a 1-for-4 night from the stripe — but was Toronto’s most consistent threat in the three games prior. He opened the series shooting better than 64% and topped 20 points in each of the first three outings. He’s projected for as many as 22 points in Game 5.

SGP leg #3: Scottie Barnes Over 7.5 assists

With point guard Immanuel Quickley sidelined for the series, Scottie Barnes is Toronto’s primary ball handler. His assist production spiked when the PG was out at the end of the season, and he’s primed for another big passing performance, as the Cavs' defense tries to take the ball out of his hands. Bad shooting spoiled 16.0 potential assists in Game 4, but Toronto won’t stay cold, and Barnes will dish out eight or more dimes in Game 5.

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See our full Raptors vs Cavaliers Game 5 preview

Get Jason Logan's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Raptors vs Cavaliers predictions for Game 5.

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Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones pleaded guilty in a Brooklyn federal court on Tuesday, April 28, admitting he took part in a widespread illegal gambling probe in which inside information was shared about players' injuries, and also that he took part in rigged poker games.

Jones pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud during the first of his plea change hearings. According to sentencing guidelines, Jones is expected to receive a sentence of 21 to 27 months and is scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 6. Jones is prohibited from gambling or being involved with members of organized crime.

The 49-year-old Jones, who played 11 seasons in the NBA, earning nearly $22 million in salary, remained free on bail after his arrest in October, and is the first of the 30 people to enter a plea in the case. He originally pleaded not guilty on Nov. 6 to wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering, which carry a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison.

"I would like to sincerely apologize to the court, my family, my peers, and also the National Basketball Association," Jones said in a prepared statement during his court appearance.

According to prosecutors, Jones gave NBA lineup decisions and pre-released medical information to his co-conspirators, who then placed significant wagers based on the tips. The medical information allegedly involved LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who were playing for the Los Angeles Lakers at the time.

Before a Lakers game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 9, 2023, authorities say Jones texted a co-conspirator, alerting them to bet on the Bucks before the injury statuses of both teams were released. James ended up not playing in the game because of a lower-body injury, and Los Angeles went on to lose the game 115-105.

Jones and James were teammates with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2005 to 2008, and he was an assistant with the team from 2016 to 2018.

Jones was also accused of using his notoriety to get people to poker games rigged by organized crime figures in order to steal money from them, sometimes using technology, including poker chip trays with hidden cameras, and rigged shuffling machines with the ability to read the cards in the deck.

During one game, prosecutors said, Jones was paid $2,500 for his participation in a game in Hamptons, a swanky New York resort on Long Island.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Damon Jones, ex-NBA player, pleads guilty in federal gambling probe

NEW YORK (AP) — Ex-NBA player Damon Jones becomes first defendant to plead guilty in a gambling sweep that netted more than 30 arrests.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers were laying more bricks than a construction site in Game 4, but that will change tonight.

Our Raptors vs. Cavaliers predictions expect more shots to fall tonight, especially for RJ Barrett.

Find out why in my NBA picks for April 29.

Raptors vs Cavaliers prediction

Who will win Raptors vs Cavaliers Game 5?

Cavaliers: The Cavaliers held an 8-point edge late in Game 4 and somehow let that lead slip away with careless play. The Raptors walked away a winner despite an historically bad shooting game. The point spread for Game 5 gives Cleveland the nod at home and there’s nowhere to go but up for the Cavs. This one could be tighter than bookies projected but Cleveland comes out on top.

Raptors vs Cavaliers best bet: RJ Barrett Over 19.5 points (-105)

Before the depressing display of shooting from both sides in Game 4, RJ Barrett was the Toronto Raptors’ most efficient scorer.

Barrett was shooting a collective 64.4% through the first three games while posting outputs of 22, 24, and 33 points — all playing Over his respective points prop totals. Then came Sunday.

The Canadian guard finished with 18 points on 8-for-22 shooting, but it was ultimately a 1-for-4 finish at the foul line that doomed anyone taking Barrett Over 20.5 points.

With the Cleveland Cavaliers mixing up their defensive matchups and throwing more attention at Scottie Barnes (drawing Dean Wade and Evan Mobley), Barrett’s 22 field goal attempts marked his second-largest shot total of the entire season.

Barnes' usage dropped from 29.4 in the open three games to 23.0, while Barrett’s usage spiked from 25.6 to start the series to 28.0 in Game 4.

Needless to say, a chilly shooting day left plenty of points on the table for Barrett, who draws a shorter scoring O/U for Game 5 despite that increase in offensive activity.
 
The shooting of both teams will come back toward the norm on Wednesday (god help us if it doesn’t), and with the Cavs putting the crunch on Barnes and Brandon Ingram still encased in ice (34% for the playoffs), Barrett will keep the reins offensively. 

Game projections for RJ range from 20.9 to more than 22 points in Game 5. Prior to Game 4’s black hole of basketball sorrow, Barrett had scored at least 20 points in nine of his last 11 games overall.

Raptors vs Cavaliers same-game parlay

The Cavs are on their heels heading into Game 5, having let a chance to close out this series at home slip away in Game 4. Cleveland can still win, but Toronto’s toughness and defensive adjustments will keep things closer than oddsmakers expect on Wednesday. I'm taking the points with the Raptors.

With Immanuel Quickley sidelined, Scottie Barnes becomes the Raptors’ primary ball handler. His assists spiked when the PG was out at the end of the year, and Toronto’s poor shooting wasted 16.0 potential assists in Game 4, with Barnes registering only six dimes.

Cleveland is clamping down on him as a scorer, so Barnes finds other ways to influence the offense.

Raptors vs Cavaliers SGP

• Raptors +8.5
• R.J. Barrett Over 19.5 points
• Scottie Barnes Over 7.5 assists

Our "from downtown" SGP: Nowhere to go but up

After both teams shot a collective 14-for-70 from beyond the arc in Game 4, the lid comes off the rim in Game 5. Barrett has made more than two triples in two of the first three games, while Donovan Mitchell still knocked down four 3-pointers Sunday — the third time he’s hit four threes in the first four games of this Round 1 set.

Raptors vs Cavaliers SGP

• Raptors +8.5
• Over 216
• RJ Barrett Over 1.5 threes
• Donovan Mitchell Over 2.5 threes

Raptors vs Cavaliers odds for Game 5

• Spread: Raptors +8.5 | Cavaliers -8.5
• Moneyline: Raptors +320 | Cavaliers -400
• Over/Under: Over 216 | Under 216

Raptors vs Cavaliers betting trend to know

The Cleveland Cavaliers have cashed in on the second-half moneyline in 30 of their last 40 games at home (+16.75 Units/19% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Raptors vs. Cavaliers.

How to watch Raptors vs Cavaliers Game 5

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Celtics in five was probably the most commonly predicted outcome of this first-round series between Boston and Philadelphia. As the series returns to Beantown for the fifth game on Tuesday night, it’s certainly looking like that outcome will come to fruition after the Sixers laid another egg, this time on their home floor, in the fourth game.

But if you’re a Sixers fan, don’t you care about how it goes down? You should. Despite being a heavy underdog in this series, the opportunity to play the Celtics provided the Sixers with a good measuring stick for where they are. For as much as Philly got clowned for repeatedly losing in the second round under Brett Brown and Doc Rivers, it’s looking like we’re about to go three straight seasons without the Sixers even winning one round in the postseason. Most fans view this as an expected sign for a franchise whose title contention window has already closed.

However, there is something to be said for the effort Philadelphia played with in Games 2 and 3. The Sixers won Game 2 convincingly on the road and fought tooth and nail with the Celtics in Game 3 and ultimately Boston just made too many shots down the stretch and proved to be the deeper and more talented team — which we all knew. If the Sixers can give a similar effort on Tuesday night, they can at least walk away with a sliver of optimism heading into the offseason, or perhaps back to Philly for a Game 6.

Now, you might be saying, what’s the point of a sliver of optimism here? Surely they’re not going to do the unthinkable and win three straight games and stun the Celtics, right? No, they’re not. The season is going to end for the Sixers sometime this week. But when you think about next season, you have to understand that the top-end talent on Philadelphia’s roster likely isn’t going anywhere. Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe will certainly be back for 2026-27 and it’s probably too early to get off of either Joel Embiid or Paul George’s contracts. Perhaps there’s an ounce of hope that George could be moved since he has one less year remaining of a hefty salary than Embiid does, but don’t hold your breath.

The two-timeline theory has been floated around in discussions about the Sixers in recent years as a result. One timeline urges Daryl Morey to do everything he can to assemble a contender for one last ride with Embiid on the roster. The other timeline suggests Morey focuses on what kind of team can be built around Maxey and Edgecombe with Embiid and George simply being expensive distractions from that goal. Even if you’re a firm subscriber in following the second timeline, Embiid and George are likely still around for next season as we said. So, wouldn’t you feel at least mildly encouraged if the Sixers at least competed with the best the East had to offer for three games out of five if it does end on Tuesday night?

While there is a whole offseason to play out across the NBA this summer, when you look at the current state of the rest of the Eastern Conference, does anyone appear to be on Boston’s level from a talent perspective? Top-seed Detroit is down 3-1 in its first-round series against Orlando. New York is in a battle with Atlanta that’s now been reduced to a best-of-three. Ditto for Cleveland against a Toronto team that was also in the lottery with the Sixers in 2025. It’s very possible — if not probable — that if the Sixers had drawn literally any other opponent other than the Celtics, we’re not already eulogizing the season heading into Game 5.

Think about where the Sixers were one year ago. They won 24 games in 2024-25, everyone was injured at various points of the season, and things certainly looked even more bleak than they do right now regarding the future of the franchise. Not that this season has been anything remarkable, but the 45 wins is still a shrewd improvement and it wouldn’t take a ton to feel like 50+ wins is on the table next season.

However, the only way that vibe even becomes somewhat mainstream amongst its fanbase is if Philly can at least prove it belongs on the same court as Boston for a third time in this series. Why are we trying so hard to extract a moral victory here? Well, there’s really no other choice. Surely, some of the role players will be different next season. But instead of comparing and contrasting two different timelines, could the timelines simply be merged into a decent 2026-27? It’s not impossible.

Tuesday night also poses a good test for how much belief the team still has in its head coach. Not that Nick Nurse was dealt the best hand, but as the saying goes, you dance with the girl you brought. I think most fans would feel that in the only other playoff series Nurse coached the Sixers in, their effort was adequate. Philly lost a hard-fought six-game series to New York in which the Knicks closed the series out with a one-point win in Game Six. The Sixers were very close to forcing a deciding seventh game at Madison Square Garden.

Remember what happened after that series ended? Morey went out and signed George to the four-year max contract that he’s still playing on now. Not that we’re rationalizing the George contract, but the Sixers weren’t waving the white flag after a competitive series against one of the East’s other top teams two years ago, so why would they now? But, of course, the question is just how competitive has this series been? After all, in the first and fourth games of this series, the Sixers didn’t even belong on the same floor as the Celtics. Tuesday night can offer a little bit more clarity on just how much talent is currently on this Philadelphia roster.

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Federal prosecutors plan to bring a new bribery charge against NBA player Terry Rozier in the wide-reaching gambling scheme case. 

Key Takeaways

• Rozier is alleged to have solicited and accepted a bribe. 
  
  
• The former Miami Heat guard pleaded not guilty to his original fraud charges. 
  
  
• Prosecutors plan to file the new charges in the coming weeks. 

Rozier is already facing fraud charges from last October’s federal indictment. In court on Monday, a lawyer for the U.S. Eastern District of New York said there is new evidence that alleges Rozier solicited and accepted a bribe, according to a report from The New York Times.  

The former Miami Heat guard is accused of depriving “the NBA and the Charlotte Hornets of Mr. Rozier’s honest services,” a prosecutor said. 

The announcement to seek bribery charges came after Rozier’s attorney asked a federal judge to dismiss the case. The new charges will be filed in mid-May and brought to a grand jury. 

Rozier is scheduled to appear in court on June 10 for an update on his case. 

Original charges

Rozier was arrested just after the NBA season started for wire fraud and money laundering. He was released on a $3-million bond and pleaded not guilty in December. 

According to the initial federal indictment, Rozier tipped off a friend, Deniro Laster, that he would exit a game early in March 2023, claiming an injury, when Rozier played for the Charlotte Hornets. 

Laster informed a group of bettors who are linked to the Jontay Porter and NCAA basketball gambling scandals. Using that information, the group placed more than $200,000 in wagers on the unders for Rozier’s player props. 

Rozier and Laster received a portion of the winnings and allegedly counted the cash at Rozier’s home. Rozier was placed on unpaid leave by the NBA following his arrest, and the Heat released the guard earlier this month. 

Another case

Damon Jones, a former player and assistant coach in the NBA, was also named and charged in the October 2025 indictment. He’s expected to plead guilty on Tuesday to charges of providing bettors with injury information for profit.  

Jones initially pleaded not guilty, but requested a change-of-plea hearing earlier this month. He’s also charged, along with suspended Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, with rigging a poker game with the mob. Jones has pleaded not guilty to that charge. 

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The New York Knicks host the Atlanta Hawks tonight at Madison Square Garden in Game Five of their first-round playoff series, tied 2–2. The winner takes command, while the loser will return to Atlanta pondering an elimination game.

Need it be said? The Knicks are the better team. They have led for 92% of the series, not counting their stumbling in Game Three. And even in that troubled tilt, they still rallied to take a lead in the final minute and lose by a single point. If not for two one-point losses, the series would have been yesterday’s news by now.

The book on Atlanta says they play fast, distribute the ball well, generate a lot of turnovers, and make a healthy percentage of three-pointers. Our heroes handled Atlanta easily in Game Four by disrupting their perimeter shooting, limiting it to 24% (10-of-41), while making 45% of their own longballs. The Knicks kept their giveaways to 15 while forcing 19, plus outrebounded (43-38) and out-dimed (23-20 assists). Big surprise, New York had their greatest success yet when they incorporated Karl-Anthony Towns most completely. The big fella chewed up the paint, made the most of his physical advantage over Atlanta’s diminished frontcourt, and finished with a 20-10-10 triple-double (a postseason first for him). More of that, please, Coach Brown.

The longer the series goes on, the more Atlanta’s deficiencies are exposed.

CJ McCollum has averaged 24.5 points in the series while shooting 51% from the field and 33% from deep. He also has made 58% of his free throws (and we give Mitch a hard time about it? This guy’s a guard). The 34-year-old vet is a fine player and delivered some great highlights in the series. His talent is insufficient to carry his team to the promised land—and the league knows it. Remember, he was traded to the Washington Wizards (yes, throwing some shade here) last off-season.

Meanwhile, “Mr. Triple-Double” (13 this season) Jalen Johnson has averaged 19.5 points, seven boards, and 4.8 dimes this series while shooting 29% from deep. He’s totaled a -34 plus-minus. New York’s wings, especially Josh Hart and OG Anunoby, have done an excellent job guarding him. Nickeil Alexander-Walker has averaged 13.8 points across the four games, making just 18 of his 52 field goal attempts.

Atlanta’s 6’10” center Onyeka Okongwu has averaged 13.8 points and 7.3 rebounds through the series, totaling a -27 plus-minus. Off the bench, Jonathan Kuminga has averaged 14.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and almost 29 minutes. Continuing a narrative of inconsistency, the former Warrior helped his squad in Games Two and Three, but fizzled in One and Four. When he’s focused and playing well, he can be impactful. You just never know which version you’ll get. Can you imagine what it must have been like to have both this guy and Jordan Poole on the same team? Yikes.

There’s a fair amount of hand-wringing going on about Jalen Brunson’s performance in the series. To a degree, it’s warranted. Captain Clutch has markedly looked less clutch at times against the handsy Hawks defense. Nonetheless, he’s averaged 25.5 points and 5.3 assists in the four contests and has had a positive plus-minus in each game. He’s shooting 39% from deep this postseason, which is actually two ticks higher than his season average. So, maybe a little slack is warranted? Whattayasay?

And I’d be remiss not to highlight Anunoby, averaging 20.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals this postseason. He’s been a cold-blooded beast against the Birds. Meanwhile, Mikal Bridges—who’s deserved much of the ire he’s received for a poor series (7.3 points, 1.5 assists)—might have turned a corner in Game Four with better shooting and more focus in his 32 minutes. We hope he’s on the upswing. New York will need solid contributions from all its starters to make it to the Finals.

But first, they have to get past the Hawks. ESPN gives the Knicks a 73% win probability tonight. That tracks. Prediction: New York enjoys a bellyful of home cooking, slaps the Peaches silly in Game Five, and wins by eight.

Game Details

Who: New York Knicks (2-2) vs Atlanta Hawks (2-2) 
Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Time: 8:00 PM ET
Place: Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, NY
TV: Peacock / NBC
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky