Los Angeles Lakers (53-29, fourth in the Western Conference) vs. Houston Rockets (52-30, fifth in the Western Conference)
Houston; Friday, 8 p.m. EDT
LINE: Rockets -9.5; over/under is 205.5
WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Lakers lead series 2-0
BOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Lakers visit the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference first round with a 2-0 lead in the series. The Lakers won the last matchup 101-94 on Wednesday, led by 28 points from LeBron James. Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 23.
The Rockets have gone 29-23 against Western Conference opponents. Houston is 23-8 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponents and averages 14.4 turnovers per game.
The Lakers are 33-19 against Western Conference opponents. Los Angeles is 8-3 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.
The Rockets are shooting 47.9% from the field this season, 0.4 percentage points lower than the 48.3% the Lakers allow to opponents. The Lakers are shooting 50.2% from the field, 4.2% higher than the 46.0% the Rockets' opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Durant is scoring 26.0 points per game with 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists for the Rockets. Amen Thompson is averaging 18.9 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 59.5% over the past 10 games.
James is averaging 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists for the Lakers. Rui Hachimura is averaging 1.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Rockets: 7-3, averaging 117.5 points, 46.1 rebounds, 27.1 assists, 8.0 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.1 points per game.
Lakers: 7-3, averaging 111.7 points, 39.9 rebounds, 28.8 assists, 9.8 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 52.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.5 points.
INJURIES: Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle).
Lakers: Austin Reaves: out (oblique), Jake LaRavia: day to day (leg), Luka Doncic: out (hamstring).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Boston Celtics (56-26, second in the Eastern Conference) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (45-37, seventh in the Eastern Conference)
Philadelphia; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT
LINE: Celtics -7.5; over/under is 215.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Series tied 1-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics are in a 1-1 series tie in the Eastern Conference first round. The 76ers defeated the Celtics 111-97 in the last matchup on Tuesday. VJ Edgecombe led the 76ers with 30 points, and Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 36.
The 76ers are 9-7 against the rest of their division. Philadelphia ranks eighth in the Eastern Conference with 50.1 points per game in the paint led by Tyrese Maxey averaging 14.0.
The Celtics are 10-6 against the rest of the division. Boston ranks third in the league averaging 15.5 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 36.7% from deep. Derrick White leads the team averaging 2.7 makes while shooting 32.7% from 3-point range.
The 76ers make 46.2% of their shots from the field this season, which is 2.0 percentage points higher than the Celtics have allowed to their opponents (44.2%). The Celtics are shooting 46.7% from the field, which equals what the 76ers' opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Maxey is scoring 28.3 points per game with 4.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists for the 76ers. Paul George is averaging 19.2 points and 4.6 rebounds while shooting 47.5% over the past 10 games.
Brown is averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Celtics. Sam Hauser is averaging 2.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: 76ers: 5-5, averaging 110.7 points, 44.9 rebounds, 22.8 assists, 7.9 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 46.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.7 points per game.
Celtics: 7-3, averaging 119.3 points, 45.8 rebounds, 26.9 assists, 6.7 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.5 points.
INJURIES: 76ers: Joel Embiid: day to day (abdomen).
Celtics: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 37 points and nine assists, and the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Phoenix Suns 120-107 on Wednesday night to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference playoff series.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 points in the series-opening win on Sunday, going 5 for 18 from the field. He bounced back in Game 2 with 13-for-25 shooting after being presented the NBA Clutch Player of the Year trophy before the game.
Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams each added 19 points for Oklahoma City, though Williams left the game in the third quarter with a left hamstring injury and did not return. Williams, an All-Star in 2024-25, missed 30 games this season with a right hamstring injury after missing the first 19 games of the season following surgery on his right wrist.
Five higher-seeded teams had lost home games in the first week of the playoffs before Wednesday, including the top three seeds in the Eastern Conference, Detroit, Boston and New York, and the No. 2 and 3 seeds in the West, San Antonio and Denver. Oklahoma City avoided that fate by shooting 47.3% from the field and forcing 21 turnovers.
Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 30 points before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Devin Booker scored 22 points and Jalen Green added 21 for Phoenix, which will host Game 3 on Saturday.
The Thunder led 65-57 at halftime. Williams made his first six field goals and had 19 points at the break, while Gilgeous-Alexander had 17 points on 7-for-13 shooting.
The action picked up early in the second half as Brooks and Oklahoma City’s Lu Dort — both members of Canada’s national team — got double technical fouls after a brief skirmish following a made free throw.
Holmgren started the second half hot. He scored eight points in just over four minutes to help the Thunder go up 77-63 and force a Phoenix timeout. Oklahoma City extended the lead to 100-77 at the end of the third quarter.
Oklahoma City pushed the lead to 26 points early in the fourth quarter before Phoenix made a final push. Booker made a pull-up jumper and was fouled. He missed the free throw, but he rebounded and made a mid-range jumper to cut Oklahoma City’s lead to 110-97 with five minutes to play. The Suns got no closer than 10 points.
DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 27 points, 11 assists and six rebounds to lead the top-seeded Detroit Pistons to a 98-83 win over the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic on Wednesday night, evening their first-round series and ending the longest home losing streak in NBA playoff history.
The Pistons had lost 11 straight home postseason games, a drought that started in 2008.
Game 3 is Saturday in Orlando.
Detroit dominated the third quarter, turning a tie game into a rout by outscoring the Magic 38-16 in the period with six players scoring at least five points.
After Cunningham scored a career playoff-high 39 points in Game 1 and didn’t get much help, the All-Star guard had plenty of support, with five teammates scoring in double figures.
Jalen Suggs scored 19 points and Paolo Banchero had 18 for the Magic. They combined to miss 14 of 25 shots as the team shot 33% and was held to a season low in points.
Detroit’s Tobias Harris scored 16 points, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson had 11 each, and Duncan Robertson and Isaiah Stewart each scored 10. Robinson made three much-needed 3-pointers for a team that struggles with outside shooting.
Orlando’s Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane had 12 points apiece and Wendell Carter Jr. was limited to three points on 1-of-6 shooting after he scored 17 in the opener.
THUNDER 120, PHOENIX 107
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 37 points and nine assists, and Oklahoma City defeated Phoenix to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference playoff series.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 points in the series-opening win on Sunday, going 5 for 18 from the field. He bounced back in Game 2 with 13-for-25 shooting after being presented the NBA Clutch Player of the Year trophy before the game.
Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams each added 19 points for Oklahoma City, though Williams left the game in the third quarter with a left hamstring injury and did not return. Williams, an All-Star in 2024-25, missed 30 games this season with a right hamstring injury after missing the first 19 games of the season following surgery on his right wrist.
Five higher-seeded teams had lost home games in the first week of the playoffs before Wednesday, including the top three seeds in the Eastern Conference, Detroit, Boston and New York, and the No. 2 and 3 seeds in the West, San Antonio and Denver. Oklahoma City avoided that fate by shooting 47.3% from the field and forcing 21 turnovers.
Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 30 points before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Devin Booker scored 22 points and Jalen Green added 21 for Phoenix, which will host Game 3 on Saturday.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - APRIL 22: Jalen Green #4 of the Phoenix Suns drives to the basket during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Round 1 Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 22, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Phoenix Suns lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night, 120-107. The team put together a much more balanced offensive approach, but just like Game 1, the team committed too many turnovers and allowed the Thunder’s big three of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Wiliams and Chet Holmgren to have efficient offensive games. Gilgeous-Alexander led the game in scoring with 37. Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green and Devin Booker combined for 73.
The game was a single digit contest at half, but as the second half went on, Oklahoma City started to run away with the game. Nothing looked easy for the Suns. Even baskets were going in. It felt like the Thunder were on the verge of blowing the game open and they did exactly that, except for a little run that the Suns made late.
Phoenix is now down two games to zero in the series before it shifts to Phoenix for Game 3. Undermanned and undersized, the Suns continue to get outmatched as elimination creeps closer and closer in on them.
The Suns were once again without Mark Williams and Grayson Allen, and Jordan Goodwin missed the game with a calf injury. In Williams and Goodwin’s places, Collin Gillespie and Oso Ighodaro started.
Game Flow
First Half
Just like in Game 1, the Suns kept pace with the Thunder early on, taking a 12-10 lead. Phoenix hit six of their first nine shots with Dillon Brooks leading the way with a quick seven points. When the first timeout was called midway through the first, Oklahoma City led 17-14. Phoenix was doing a better job on the offensive glass, which didn’t allow the Thunder to get second chance opportunities. What prevented the Suns from taking a lead was turnovers. Oklahoma City pressured Phoenix’s ball handlers into tough decisions and errant passes.
At the end of one, the Thunder led the Suns 30-29.
A Royce O’Neale three gave the Suns their first triple gave Phoenix their first lead outside of the first quarter in the series. Right after, Phoenix had a costly offensive turnover and the Thunder went on a 8-0 run to force the Suns into a timeout, which helped the Suns settle down. Oklahoma City’s lead hovered between 2-7 points because the Suns were hitting tough shots and capitalizing on second chance points, but the Thunder were matching them. Jalen Green started to get it going, he had 12 in the quarter.
What continued to hurt the Suns was turnovers. The Suns got down double digits for the first time when they started turning the ball over, and the Thunder were capitalizing. The Suns had 11 turnovers in the first half.
After two, Oklahoma City led Phoenix 65-57.
Second Half
The Thunder started the second hot out of the gate with a 12-6 run that got Jordan Ott to call a timeout. Oklahoma had its largest lead of the night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander started to get it going, and the Thunder were having a block party inside.
As the quarter went on, the Thunder’s lead only expanded thanks to turnovers and not capitalizing on second-chance opportunities. Jalen Williams exited the game for Oklahoma City midway through the third, but it didn’t impact their lead; they kept on strolling without him, picking up their first 20+ point lead of the game.
OKC got their lead up to 26 to start the fourth, but Phoenix went on a 20-4 run to get the deficit cut to 10 with 3:46 left. The rest of the game, the Thunder cruised away with minimal disruption.
Up Next
The Suns will head home for Game 3, likely as heavy underdogs for the matchup. No NBA team has ever come back from down 3-0, so for the Suns to want to make a comeback, it’s going to have to start with a Game 3 victory.
Apr 18, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) rebounds in front of guard Josh Hart (3) during the second half of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
The Knicks head to State Farm Arena tonight for Game Three against the Hawks, tied 1-1 in their first-round playoff series. New York needs to reclaim momentum after blowing a 12-point fourth-quarter lead in Game Two and giving the series a queasy, slippery feeling. The Knicks entered Game Two with a 40-1 record when leading by 12 or more points entering the final period, the sole blemish being Reggie Miller’s infamous 1994 choke-sign game. Monday’s loss made it 40-2.
In Game Two, Atlanta’s 107–106 victory resulted from a fourth-quarter surge that seemed to catch the Knicks by surprise. CJ McCollum took over late, finishing with 32 points, while Jalen Brunson’s 29 weren’t enough to hold off the run. For the second straight game, Karl-Anthony Towns was iced out of the offense in the first half. And plenty of blame lies at the feet of Knicks coach Mike Brown, who made some curious lineup and timeout choices.
The keys to victory remain the same, and our heroes know what to do. In fact, aside from one 15-point fourth quarter, the Knicks have executed a winning game plan so far and led for 91% of both Games One and Two.
They must control the tempo, continue to dominate the glass (they’re +14 on the boards in the series), limit turnovers, and hang their wings on Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Making free throws would help: ten points were squandered at the charity stripe.
Another smart move, or so it would seem from the cheap seats, would be to integrate Towns earlier into the offense and make hay where the Hawks are most vulnerable (namely, the frontcourt). This series should belong to Towns; let Brunson take the next one.
On the subject of New York’s All-Stars: for the rest of the series, Mike Brown must keep at least one of them on the floor at all times. The postseason is not the time to roll out untested lineups that never played together during the regular season. Keep that up, Mike, and Leon Rose will be interviewing Billy Donovan this summer.
On the injury front, the Knicks are largely intact, with Anunoby playing through a minor ankle issue. The Hawks remain without Jock Landale, and Okongwu has been dealing with knee inflammation, though he’s expected to go.
Atlanta’s core group—McCollum, Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu—is talented and versatile but outclassed by the Knicks when the ‘Bockers play their best. They stole one on Monday. It won’t happen again tonight. Expect another close finish, but New York has learned their lesson about letting go of the rope. If they haven’t, then their postseason train will run out of steam in a hurry. Prediction: Knicks by six.
Game Details
Who: New York Knicks (1-1) vs Atlanta Hawks (1-1) Date: Thursday, April 23, 2026 Time: 7 PM ET Place: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA TV: Amazon Prime Video Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky
Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams may have hit another speed bump in what has been an injury-plagued year.
The 2025 All-Star exited during the third quarter of the defending champions' April 22 game against the Phoenix Suns with an apparent hamstring injury. He grabbed at his left hamstring immediately following a layup attempt with 6:28 to go and was subbed out a short time later, at 5:53, for Cason Wallace.
He didn't return to the game.
Williams, who played just 33 games this season, had scored 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting in 23 minutes when he exited the game.
The Thunder lead the series 2-0 now after defeating the Suns 120-107 at Paycom Center.
"We think he aggravated his left hamstring," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "We'll take a look at him here over the next couple days and we'll update you guys appropriately."
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Jalen Williams left in the third quarter of Wednesday night's playoff game against the Phoenix Suns with a left hamstring injury.
Williams held his leg as he left the court. He missed 30 games with a right hamstring injury this season. He also missed 19 games at the beginning of the season as he recovered from offseason surgery on his right wrist.
Williams, an All-Star in 2024-25, had 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting from the field when he left the game.
Apr 22, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) shoots in the second half against the Orlando Magic during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
That’s more like it. The Detroit Pistons used a dominant 30-3 third-quarter run to turn a knotted-up slugfest into a 98-83 win over the Orlando Magic that ties the first-round series at one apiece. The Pistons were led by Cade Cunningham’s game-high 27 points. Really, though, they were led by a ferocious team defense that led to Orlando’s lowest point total of the season.
In doing so, they broke the longest home playoff losing streak in the NBA at 11 games. Perhaps even better news? There is still a lot the Pistons can improve on as they move to Orlando for a pivotal game three.
Entering the game, everyone was saying the same thing — Jalen Duren had to play a lot better in Game 1 if Detroit was going to take this series. Duren did play better than his truly dreadful performance in Game 1. But he still hasn’t played a typical Duren game. He scored 11 points and nine rebounds with four assists and three turnovers. He can still play a lot better than he’s shown.
The rest of Detroit’s starters helped pick up that slack, with all five starters scoring in double figures. Tobias Harris chipped in a 16-point, 11-rebound night, Ausar Thompson added 11 and 8, and Duncan Robinson had 10 points, including three three-pointers.
The Pistons also turned the ball over 22 times against the Magic. Look, Detroit is always a high-turnover team, but 22 is way too high. They can and should cut that down as the series goes on. They also missed 10 free throws. They hit those and a comfortable win turns into a true blowout.
The lead got as high as 27 points late in the third, and there was certainly some highlights to go around. I’ll point to two as Pistons fans bask in the win — one on offense and one on defense.
The first is an absolutely filthy hesi from Cade at the top of the key that flummoxed poor Paolo Banchero.
The Pistons defense had highlight plays against Banchero, but they stifled just about every Magic player. Orlando shot 32% from the field, including a combined 7-for-28 from the trio of Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, and Wendell Carter Jr.
Banchero scored 18 points, but he needed 17 shots to do it and one game after hitting plenty of tough long twos and some threes, tonight, he did almost all his damage near the rim.
"When we play defense at the level we're capable of, it triggers everything for us," said Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff.
In the third quarter, the Pistons put it all together and looked like a No. 1 seed. Detroit went on a 30-3 run to blow open what had been a tie game at the half. It wasn't just one guy taking over, it was a full team effort: Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren, Duncan Robinson and Isaiah Stewart each had six points during the run, while Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson had five apiece. Those six players combined to shoot 13-of-18 during that stretch.
From there, the Pistons went on to get the 98-83 win, tying their first-round series with the Magic at 1-1. Game 3 takes place Saturday in Orlando.
This home win for the Pistons snapped their record 11-game home playoff losing streak, dating back to 2008.
Cunningham was in peak form with 27 points, 11 assists and six rebounds to lead Detroit, and he showed off some nasty moves.
Harris added 16 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit.
However, what was most important for Detroit was that its elite defense showed up, holding the Magic to just 32.5% shooting. Franz Wagner was 4-of-11 shooting, Desmond Bane 2-of-11, Wendell Carter Jr. and Anthony Black were both 1-of-6.
Jalen Suggs led the Magic with 19 points on 7-of-18 shooting, and Paolo Banchero added 18.
Los Angeles, CA - April 21: Marcus Smart #36 of the Los Angeles Lakers scrambles for the loose ball against Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets in the first half of game 2 of a Western Conference first-round NBA playoff basketball game at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
When a team is shorthanded like the Lakers are, the only way to not only survive but thrive is for everyone who is available to step up.
The Lakers have gotten that during this postseason from Marcus Smart.
One of the ways he’s stepped up is as a vocal leader. As a 12-year veteran and the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, Smart is well-respected not just in the Lakers’ locker room but across the NBA. Whenever Smart talks, players listen.
Smart has helped fill the void they’ve left and is now an even more prominent floor general for the purple and gold. And it’s a big reason why the Lakers have been able to protect home court in this first-round matchup.
This elevation in leadership from Smart this postseason is a combination of him understanding the situation and Lakers head coach JJ Redick speaking with him before this series even began.
After LA’s Game 2 win over Houston, Redick didn’t delve into the details of his talk with Smart, but he did stress how important he is to the Lakers’ success.
“Him and I had a conversation coming off those three losses…in San Francisco,” Redick said. “I’m not going to share the details, but the biggest thing was just he, because he has the voice he has, he can help create the belief and the confidence in our group. I think he’s done that.”
Smart’s already a starter when the team is fully healthy, so his adding more of his voice while key players are out has been crucial. This is the playoffs, and even with a less-than-full roster, it is an opportunity to go after the ultimate goal: the NBA title.
Smart knows better than most how rare these chances are. Injuries disrupted his career, and he went from playoff-contending teams in Boston to a struggling franchise in Memphis and a tanking one in Washington.
“Me and JJ, we talk all the time, right,” Smart said. “Constantly talking to the staff to see what I can do to help. The coaches aren’t out there and I try to be that quarterback out there for the coaches, relaying messages, getting everybody together.
“That talk was just, to sum it up, was really just, ‘Hey, go play basketball, be you.’ To be able to have him trust me and then not only that, to have this team and these guys trust me to be able to do that, it’s something that I’m grateful for. It shows a lot. It shows the camaraderie. It shows the long way that we came and we’re going to continue to trust them.”
Beyond being a vocal leader, Smart has continued to do the things that make him an impactful player. He’s been diving for loose balls, putting his body on the line, taking charges and embracing all defensive assignments.
Smart’s also added some offensive potency to his repertoire. In LA’s Game 2 win over Houston, Smart scored 25 points, knocking down five 3-pointers, which was only two fewer than the entire Rockets team had in this contest.
The majority of the credit for Smart stepping up goes to him, but a tip of the cap also goes to Redick. Having a conversation with Smart and asking for more of him so the team can win is part of the game within the game. Redick’s job is to optimize what he has, and he is excelling in that during this playoff run.
It would’ve been easy to just give up and justify a lack of focus or effort as a result of LA losing Dončić and Reaves.
Instead of backing down, the Lakers have stepped up. Smart has spearheaded that mentality, LeBron James has also contributed and the rest of the team has followed. It’s why, after two games, the Lakers are in front 2-0 against the Rockets.
The man who is the heart and soul of the Spurs is also now the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year.
San Antonio's Keldon Johnson — who came off the bench in all 82 games this season and set a Spurs franchise record with 1,081 bench points — was honored as the NBA Sixth Man of the Year.
Johnson talked about his journey in an ESPN interview when the award was announced.
"I started for a long time. Now, it's my time to come off the bench," Johnson said. "I just continue to analyze the game, come off the bench, go in there and just do my thing."
Johnson's thing was to average 13.2 points and 5.4 rebounds a game for the Spurs, but that sells short what he means to this team. He's the longest-tenured Spur and a leader in the locker room, the guy who keeps the mood light but can get serious when the time is called for.
Johnson got 63 first-place votes from the panel of 100 media voters, besting Miami's Jaime Jaquez (34 first-place votes). Denver's Tim Hardaway Jr. finished third in the voting, with Minnesota's Naz Reid finishing fourth and the Thunder's Ajay Mitchell fifth.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 17: Head coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors reacts during the first half of an NBA play-in tournament game against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 17, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Just before the end of the season, Steve Kerr told ESPN it was “50-50” that he’d be back as head coach of the Golden State Warriors next season. Now, Warriors insider Monte Poole thinks it’s 20-80, or even 15-85.
"If I had to put odds on Steve coming back, I'd say the chance of him coming back are like 15%, 20%. I think the likelihood is that he leaves. At this stage, I would say 'If the door is over there, he's looking at that door and he's… pic.twitter.com/S0YuXc7Bzl
In a conversation with Bonta Hill on the Dubs Talk podcast, Poole summarized how he saw Kerr’s uncertain coaching future:
“The likelihood is that he leaves,” Poole said. “At this stage, I would say ‘If the door is over there, he’s looking at that door and he’s walking toward it’ . . . Can he turn around and turn back? Yeah, but the odds of that are slim.”
Poole explained that people were already speculating this could be Kerr’s final season during the summer, with he and Hill publicly discussing it in December. Assistant coach Chris DeMarco left during the season to become head coach of the New York Liberty, while other assistant coaches were exploring their options, with at least a strong suspicion that their head coach might not be back.
Hill and Poole agreed that the idea that the Warriors would “run it back” with this season’s disappointing roster wouldn’t be acceptable to Kerr or to team management. If the Warriors make big changes to their roster, which is badly lacking in size, youth and athleticism when it comes to other playoff teams, they very well might change their head coach.
There’s another reason to think Kerr himself might be done, and that’s the nature of his comments during the season. It’s not the first time that Kerr has lobbied for a shorter NBA season, but he was more vocal this year. A coach who is talking to reporters about how he wishes the season was shorter is not a coach who is thrilled about coaching more basketball games.
Poole also noted that Kerr spoke about the limitations of the roster, a part of the team he does not control. Kerr handles rotations and doling out minutes, but he may have been sending a message that he did not agree with management’s personnel decisions. Plus, the capped-out Warriors may not have the same options for veterans on minimum deals when the team can’t promise they’ll
Overall, the Warriors future is not bright. Steve Kerr is not happy. Don’t be surprised if the odds of him staying drop to 0-100 very soon.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - FEBRUARY 06: General Manager Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics watches warmups before a game against the Dallas Mavericks at the TD Garden on February 06, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Tuesday, during his pre-draft availability, Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen indicated that he picked the brain of Boston Celtics’ NBA Champion President of Basketball Operations (and former Butler University Men’s Basketball coach) Brad Stevens.
Only, it wasn’t really about basketball.
Rather, Steichen sought out any guidance that Stevens may be able to share regarding Achilles post-surgery recovery, after Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum previously underwent Achilles surgery by the same surgeon who recently performed Colts starting quarterback Daniel Jones’ procedure a few months ago (via The Athletic’s James Boyd).
#Colts HC Shane Steichen spoke to #Celtics president Brad Stevens about Jayson Tatum’s Achilles recovery. Tatum and Daniel Jones both got surgery from Dr. Martin O’Malley.
It’s not the first time that Stevens has offered his insight he has firsthand experienced with his star player’s recovery from a torn Achilles with an Indianapolis professional sports head coach.
It is good to know that Jones, who’s already throwing and performing drop-backs on his road to regaining his prior breakout career year form, isn’t alone in his recovery.
Rather, there have been a number of star professional athletes who have suffered the same injury and underwent the same surgery, and there’s an established protocol for rehabilitation and recovery. There are likely some helpful tips that Stevens can share regarding what worked well and what didn’t—and what to reasonably expect.
The early signs regarding Jones recovery are encouraging, and he’s arguably ahead of schedule—with a hopeful and still realistic return by Colts training camp in mid-to-late July.
The number was staggering. It hasn’t been talked about enough, Mike Brown said. And given the Knicks’ success at defending the paint during the regular season, it made what transpired in the second half of Game 2 — when the Hawks erupted for 42 points in the paint — even more stunning.
It was the worst half of Knicks paint defense all year by six points.
During the regular season, they allowed the third-fewest points in that area per game (43.4), and they had nine instances during the regular season when they only surrendered 42 points in the paint across the entire game. Monday’s lapse stemmed from a lack of execution, Brown said. From a lack of physicality, Josh Hart added.
The Knicks had a new weakness exposed, and starting with Game 3 on Thursday, Atlanta will almost certainly try to replicate that blueprint. It’ll fall on the Knicks, and all of their possible options, to figure out a response.
Dyson Daniels attacks the paint and goes up for a layup over Josh Hart during the Knicks’ Game 2 loss to the Hawks. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“I feel like we didn’t have that physicality that we did Game 1 and in the first half [of Game 2],” Hart said Wednesday in Tarrytown before the team flew to Atlanta. “I think that was the biggest thing. When you lose that physicality, then you allow them to kinda move at their own pace, kinda dictate their offense instead of you dictating it. Just gotta make sure we’re physical, have attention to detail and focus for a full 48.”
It could just be an anomaly. A one-off. The Knicks, in addition to being a strong unit at defending the paint and among the NBA’s best defenses over the final two-plus months of the regular season, were also the best fourth-quarter team in terms of net rating during the regular season. That made their collapse Monday an uncharacteristic one. But theoretically, Hart said, the Hawks will try to attack the paint again.
The simplest decision to combat the woes could involve playing Mitchell Robinson — the best Knicks interior defender — more, but that would come with inherent risks.
His minutes jumped from 14:30 to 18:09 in the opening two games of the series, but could Brown keep Robinson on the court more and risk a hack-a-Mitch strategy? And if he does give Robinson more time off the bench, whose minutes would dip?
Jonathan Kuminga makes a strong drive to the basket during the Knicks’ Game 2 loss to the Hawks. NBAE via Getty Images
These are the decisions and considerations that arise over the course of a seven-game series.
In the opening half of Game 2, the Knicks allowed just 16 points in the paint, but CJ McCollum, who shredded Jalen Brunson, finished with 16 points in the paint alone, including 10 in the second half.
Twelve of Jalen Johnson’s second-half points occurred in that area by the basket, too, and he set the tone with Atlanta’s first layup of the third quarter — pump-faking on the left wing after the Knicks went up 13, driving around Hart and finishing his shot before Karl-Anthony Towns’ help defense made an impact.
Mitchell Robinson (center) battles Dyson Daniels for a rebound as Karl-Anthony Towns looks on during the Knicks’ Game 2 loss to the Hawks. Getty Images
And when the fourth quarter arrived, that paint-scoring edge became especially noticeable, with the Hawks outscoring the Knicks 22-4. Jonathan Kuminga rolled off a screen and dunked to pull the Hawks within 93-85. He sent a lob pass over all the Knicks defenders to Onyeka Okongwu for another dunk on the next possession, too. Ball movement kept opening up lanes, and the Knicks kept failing to plug any gaps in time.
“You gotta give Atlanta credit,” Brown said. “We didn’t execute our defense the way that we could have. Or the way we should have, or the way that we have been doing throughout the first six quarters [of the series].”
Now comes the counter, though. Now comes Atlanta’s chance to turn this into a series-defining weakness. Now comes the chance for the Knicks to “keep the physicality going,” as Mikal Bridges said. To help in transition. To “show bodies.” To give a boost to whoever’s guarding the ball.
Now comes the playoff chess match.
“That’s why being focused and having attention to detail is so big in the playoffs,” Hart said, “because sometimes, it goes away from plays — and it just goes into schemes, it goes into personnel. You gotta be able to react on the fly. When you’re locked in, you have that attention to detail, you’re able to do that pretty seamlessly.”
