The NBA defines clutch time as the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime in close games, with the award starting in 2022-23. The 27-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander led the NBA with 175 total clutch points and 6.5 points per game in that period this season.
He also made an NBA-leading 16 go-ahead field goals in clutch time.
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray and Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards were the other two finalists for the honor.
Ninety-six first-place votes went Gilgeous-Alexander’s way, good for 484 total points. Murray finished second in the running, one total point above Edwards. Neither received a first-place vote, though.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the fourth different Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year winner in the award’s four seasons.
A global media panel of 100 voters made the selection.
New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson, who won the award last season, received two first-place votes.
Gilgeous-Alexander was at the heart of Oklahoma City’s 64-18 regular-season record, which landed the team the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed as it seeks a repeat championship.
The Toronto, Canada native won league MVP, Finals MVP and the scoring champion award last season. He’s also a four-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA First Team recipient.
Gilgeous-Alexander is back in the mix for league MVP again this season, along with Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, who unanimously won Defensive Player of the Year on Monday.
CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 5: Head Coach Billy Donovan of the Chicago Bulls looks on during the game against the Phoenix Suns on April 5, 2026 at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On Tuesday, it was announced by Shams Charania of ESPN that Billy Donovan would be stepping down as head coach of the Chicago Bulls after six seasons. The decision was surprising, as Bulls management reportedly wanted Donovan to return.
Before his time in Chicago, Donovan became the head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder after spending 19 years leading the Florida Gators. In his final college season (2014–15), Florida went 16–17 before Donovan made the jump to the NBA.
Since 2024, Donovan has been mentioned as a candidate to return to the college ranks. After John Calipari left to become the head coach at Arkansas, there were rumors that Donovan could leave the Bulls to take over at Kentucky.
That did not happen, as Kentucky wasn’t willing to wait and hired Mark Pope instead.
More recently, after Hubert Davis was let go by North Carolina, the Tar Heels made a run at Donovan before settling on Mike Malone.
Now, after a disappointing season, Kentucky is entering a pivotal stretch under Pope. If things do not improve, the program could consider a change after his third season. Should Donovan remain available, he could once again emerge as a potential candidate to finally take over in Lexington after previous opportunities did not materialize.
Our NBA player prop projections are locked in for tonight’s Game 2 showdown between the Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs, with the model highlighting several high-value spots across the board.
By breaking down the data and comparing it to current market lines, we’ve pinpointed where the strongest edges appear.
If you’re building out your card, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Tuesday, April 21.
Trail Blazers vs Spurs computer picks for Game 2
Trail Blazers
Spurs
Avdija u23.5 points -105
Wembanyama u28.5 points -105
Holiday o5.5 assists -140
Wembanyama o11.5 rebounds -115
Henderson o1.5 3-pointers +115
Fox o5.5 assists -120
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Trail Blazers Game 2 computer picks
Deni Avdija Under 23.5 points (-105)
Projection: 22.4 points
The Portland Trail Blazers have struggled offensively on the road, ranking as the fourth-lowest scoring team in the league over their last 25 away games.
Over their last five road contests, opposing starting power forwards have managed just 13.0 points per game against the San Antonio Spurs—the fourth-lowest mark in the NBA. That sets up as a difficult spot for Deni Avdija to replicate the offensive output he delivered in Game 1.
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Jrue Holiday Over 5.5 assists (-140)
Projection: 6.4 assists
Jrue Holiday has cleared the 5.5 assist line in five of his last ten games, and the path to doing it again in Game 2 against the Spurs is firmly in place.
A key factor is lineup synergy. Playing alongside high-efficiency scorers and floor spacers means Holiday doesn’t need high volume to rack up assists, just clean looks created within the flow of the offense. If those shots are falling at a reasonable rate, 6+ assists becomes a very reachable threshold.
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Scoot Henderson Over 1.5 3-pointers (+115)
Projection: 1.64 3-pointers
This season, opposing starting point guards have knocked down 40.4% of their 3-point attempts against the Spurs, the fifth-highest mark allowed in the league, setting up a favorable matchup for Scoot Henderson, who has cashed the Over in seven of his last 10 games on a 1.5 made threes line.
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Spurs Game 2 computer picks
Victor Wembanyama Under 28.5 points (-120)
Projection: 28.4 points
The Spurs are likely to see fewer scoring opportunities tonight, as they match up with the Trail Blazers, who have played at the sixth-slowest pace in the league over their last five games. That slower tempo could make it tougher for Victor Wembanyama to clear his points prop in Game 2.
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Victor Wembanyama Over 11.5 rebounds (-115)
Projection: 12.01 rebounds
The Spurs have been one of the stronger offensive rebounding teams in the league, ranking sixth over their last 15 games, and Wemby has been a major contributor on the glass, clearing the Over in seven of his last 10 games on an 11.5 rebound line.
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De'Aaron Fox Over 5.5 assists (-120)
Projection: 6.4 assists
De'Aaron Fox has gone over the 5.5 assist mark in five of his last 10 games, and there’s a strong case for that trend continuing against the Trail Blazers.
Fox’s playmaking often scales with defensive attention, and Portland tends to collapse on dribble penetration, especially against high-speed guards. That’s where Fox thrives.
His ability to get downhill forces help defenders to rotate, creating clean passing lanes to shooters and bigs in favorable positions. Even if he’s aggressive as a scorer early, that pressure typically opens up assist opportunities as the game progresses.
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How to watch Trail Blazers vs Spurs Game 2
Location
Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
Date
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBC/Peacock
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A fun exercise in the aftermath of a fantasy basketball season is to look back on the preseason rankings and figure out which players lived up to the expectations and which ones did not. While some of the "misses" may not affect how a player is viewed for the next season, that isn't the case across the board. Below are some of our misses based on the preseason Top-200 rankings that we released in October.
Even with Davis coming off a 2024-25 season in which he appeared in 51 games, the belief that he could flourish in Dallas led to him being placed within the top-10 of our preseason rankings. To say that things didn't go to plan would be a severe understatement. Injuries limited Davis to 20 games, all of which were played before the Mavericks traded him to the Wizards.
And it would not be until the final week of the regular season that Washington dropped the charade and announced that Davis would not play. Between the injury history and not knowing how he'll fit into a rotation that includes Trae Young, Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George, there's no way that Davis can be ranked this high in the 2026-27 preseason rankings.
F Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Preseason rank: 5
After appearing in 61 games or more in each of his first 12 seasons, Antetokounmpo played 36 for the Bucks this season. Thanks to two separate calf strains and a knee injury that was the source of much controversy late in the season, he was unable to make good on the first-round expectations. Also, when Giannis was on the floor, his production took a noticeable hit. While averages of 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.7 blocks certainly aren't bad, Antetokounmpo's numbers decreased in four of those categories compared to the 2024-25 season.
Also, the trade rumors never subsided, and that will be one of the NBA's major offseason storylines. He and the Bucks can't agree to an extension until October 1; does Milwaukee look to move Giannis before then? Or do they hold out hope that something can be done? How the front office approaches this situation will undoubtedly affect how Antetokounmpo is valued in fantasy basketball.
F/C Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers
Preseason rank: 23
With no Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles), we expected Siakam's usage to see a significant boost, leading to increased production. Siakam's scoring average did increase by nearly four points per game, but his other averages remained about the same compared to his 2024-25 production. And that was with a career-high usage percentage of 30.1. Add in Siakam being limited to 62 games, and the result was the veteran forward finishing outside of the top-100. However, this may set up Spicy P to be undervalued in drafts for the 2026-27 season, especially with Haliburton expected to be back in the fold.
F Cameron Johnson, Denver Nuggets
Preseason rank: 69
Even though his usage was expected to decrease with the move from Brooklyn to Denver, there was an expectation that Johnson's category league value would remain fine due to the opportunity to play alongside better talent. Unfortunately, he struggled with his shot early on and saw significant declines in points (12.2 ppg, down from 18.8 in 2024-25) and three-point attempts (4.7 per game, down from 7.2 in 2024-25).
Johnson missing over a month with a hyperextended right knee didn't help either, even though he had some productive nights in the final month of the regular season. While the per-game value wasn't terrible, Johnson's points league value took a significant hit with the move to Denver, even though he was able to join a championship contender.
G Cam Thomas, Free Agent
Preseason rank: 80
With Thomas heading into a contract year, the feeling was that he would be able to put up big numbers for the rebuilding Nets. That didn't happen. Another hamstring injury sidelined him for over six weeks, and the Nets managed his minutes closely upon the guard's return. The fit was poor, ultimately leading to Thomas being waived right after the trade deadline.
Milwaukee decided to kick the proverbial tires, and while there were a few positive performances early on, the Bucks would eventually waive Thomas in late March. By this point, many fantasy managers had already moved on, but the top-100 preseason ranking not materializing stung. And at this point, it's unknown what kind of deal or role Thomas will be able to find in free agency this summer.
G/F Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets
Preseason rank: 199
Regarding Knueppel's preseason ranking, we may have put too much in his Summer League performance. The rookie wing struggled some in Las Vegas, but had no such issues once the games truly counted. A finalist for Rookie of the Year, Knueppel averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.7 steals and 3.4 three-pointers per game, providing top-100 value in points and category leagues. Those who were able to wait until the later rounds to draft Knueppel wound up with an absolute steal, and he has the skill set to offer excellent fantasy value for years to come.
G Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta Hawks
Preseason rank: Not ranked
At the time of his signing with the Hawks, Alexander-Walker appeared poised to fill a bench role slightly bigger than the one he held in Minnesota. He would move into the starting lineup within the first week of the regular season, and Trae Young's knee injury before his move to Washington opened the door for Alexander-Walker to remain there. In 78 games, NAW averaged 20.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 3.2 three-pointers while shooting 45.9 percent from the field and 90.2 percent from the foul line. Not ranking Alexander-Walker may have been the biggest "miss," especially considering his production.
G Ryan Rollins, Milwaukee Bucks
Preseason rank: Not ranked
Rollins was another player who did not make the cut for the preseason top-200, even with the Bucks needing perimeter production in the aftermath of Damian Lillard's exit. Appearing in 74 games, he recorded career-high averages in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and three-pointers. Rollins made 67 starts and had the look of a player who can be valuable to fantasy managers in 2026-27, regardless of what happens with Antetokounmpo. He won't be unranked when the preseason rankings for next season drop, that's for sure.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 18: Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets chases a loose ball as Jarred Vanderbilt #2 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the second half of Game One of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on April 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Following the first matchup of any playoff series, both teams, win or lose, return to the drawing board and strategize what they can take forward in future contests.
For the Lakers, missing their star shot creators in Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves means the offense will be a journey every night. The regular season numbers and what created success are completely thrown out the window in their absence.
What the team can lean on is its defense and it showed why its improvement in the second half of the season was no fluke in Game 1 against the Houston Rockets, even it came against a Rockets side missing a superstar of its own in Kevin Durant.
LA jumped from 23rd to 14th in defensive rating post All-Star break. They headed into the playoffs with real synergy and cohesion on that end while following specific game plans specifically tethered to different superstars.
The purple and gold held their opponent under 100 points for just the eighth time this season on Saturday. Without Durant, LA’s defensive focus shifted and keyed in on first-time All-Star Alperen Şengün.
As with other star bigs across the league, LA switched and fronted the post while maintaining a high level of physicality throughout the game.
It started early in the first quarter. Watch below as Deandre Ayton begins on Şengün. A screen comes from Amen Thompson with the Lakers switching the action. LeBron fronts the post while Marcus Smart gives textbook backside help.
The ball swings out to the perimeter while the Lakers close out and run them off the 3-point line. The play ends with a Houston turnover due to an offensive three-second violation.
As with most offensive bigs, the only player the Lakers allowed Şengün to get single coverage against was Ayton. Finishing with 19 points, 11 rebounds and one block does not do justice to the defensive night LA’s starting big man had, clearly winning his head-to-head matchup.
He collected the Şengün body bumps, moving his feet without going for fakes and contesting high, as shown in the clip below
Sengun missed eight straight shots at one point, finishing just 6-19 from the floor with three turnovers.
“We did a good job of contesting those six-to-eight-foot shots without fouling using our length,” head coach J.J. Redick said postgame. “I thought [Ayton], Jaxson, Bron, Rui, Vando, all those guys, Jake, just getting a contest is super important.”
The other player LA knew they needed to slow down was Thompson. A supreme athlete that can get to the paint at will, the First Team All-Defense guard shot up the scouting report without Durant.
LA made sure to create a wall anytime he drove, contesting his shots at the basket on his straight-line drives, picking him up early in transition and attempting to bait him into jump shots.
Watch below as Thompson runs a screen with Tari Eason, this time switching LeBron on to him. He drives to the basket and is met by 41-year-old LeBron recovering to pin it off the backboard with Hachimura right there to offer extra help at the rim.
Thompson missed all three of his shots outside the paint and finished just 3-8 in the restricted area over LA’s rim protection. LA ended up holding Houston to just 37.6% overall, 33% from the 3-point line and just 43% in the restricted area, per NBA stats.
“I felt like the second efforts on the defensive end, it really got us moving a little bit,” Ayton said. “We are taking pride with this new team having our superstars out creating on the defensive end to start our offense and get us moving and just get us an offensive rhythm and get the crowd in it a little bit.”
While everything hinges on Durant’s availability on Tuesday, the Rockets and head coach Ime Udoka will make adjustments to what the Lakers offered on defense. They will look to continue on their massive offensive rebound advantage and leverage Sengun as more of a ball handler in different spots on the floor.
Game 1’s are feel-outs, but Game 2 is where the tension of a series begins. The Lakers look to take a commanding 2-0 series lead and will have to do so by leading the way with their defense.
"Go after Jokic, Jamal, all the bad defenders," McDaniels said, via the Associated Press. "Tim Hardaway (Jr.), Cam Johnson, Aaron Gordon, the whole team, just go at them."
The whole team is bad defenders?
"Yeah, they're all bad defenders," McDaniels said, doubling down.
For the record, the Nuggets had the 21st-ranked defense in the NBA during the regular season, although that defense looked much better in Game 1 of the series, a Nuggets win.
In Game 2, McDaniels had 14 points on 7-of-15 shooting, on a night where Anthony Edwards had 30 points and 10 rebounds, and Julius Randle had 24 points, leading the way. Minnesota had a 116.8 offensive rating in Game 2, which is right at the team's regular-season average. What won the Timberwolves the game was its defense, which wore down Jokic and Murray and kept the Nuggets to a 111 offensive rating, more than six points per 100 possessions below their season average.
McDaniels will be celebrated at home, with the series shifting back to Minnesota for games three and four. However, when the series shifts back to Denver for Game 5 next week, he can expect a very special welcome from the Nuggets faithful.
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 20: Miles McBride #2 of the New York Knicks handles the ball during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during Round One Game Two of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 20, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There’s been a lot of emotion pouring out of the Knicks-verse after the startling fourth-quarter collapse in Game 2 that turned the series from a Knicks stranglehold to anyone’s series. While not quite as jaw-dropping as the collapse against Indiana last year, this one was more methodical. In a way, though, it’s worse because it gave the Knicks countless opportunities to lock in, and it never happened, while there was this drowning sensation in that infamous Game 1 last May.
There are loads of reasons the game went the way it did. The timeout fiasco (Mike Brown did NOT have a timeout at the end of the game, but puzzling usage put them in that spot), the 10 missed free throws, Jalen Brunson’s off-kilter performance disrupting the offense, and a puzzling disappearance by Karl-Anthony Towns.
A reason that a lot of people are blaming is the rotations, which I don’t necessarily agree with for two reasons. For one, the Jose Alvarado-led lineup played effectively even in a 4-5 minute stretch in the second half, and two, the starters had a nine-point lead and the ball multiple times, and the offense shut off. For a lineup that’s been exceptional in fourth quarters and a team that’s historically good in these situations, that’s more to blame for me.
But you can argue that the lack of an optimized rotation allowed the Hawks to hang around in two stretches when they were struggling and to come back. As this series shifts to Atlanta in a suddenly even series, you might not have the margin for error that you had last night.
According to PBP Stats, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson are a slight negative when on the court together, but I believe that’s skewed by the late-game charge in Game 1 and whatever the hell that was in Game 2. For six of the eight quarters, they’ve played well together. That’s because the Hawks are mostly using Onyeka Okongwu to guard Towns, but are switching to using Jonathan Kuminga on him in clutch time.
The reason behind that is pretty obvious: the Knicks go into an iso-centric offense around Brunson in these situations, and Towns is a non-factor, so you’re effectively able to take him out of the play and blitz Brunson while having his co-star two passes away. In fact, the only possession in the final five minutes where Okongwu guarded Towns last night was executed quite well, but resulted in a miss:
If Brunson makes this elbow jumper (or kicks to an open Anunoby in the corner), they probably win. Alas, that’s not what we’re here for.
The more startling number is that Mike Brown has now played lineups without Towns or Brunson for 20 minutes through two games, and those lineups are being crushed to the tune of a -13.5 net rating. Most of that is in the truly terrible stretch to start the second quarter, but it’s notable nonetheless.
The three lineups with both on the bench that we mostly saw last night were:
All of these lineups are a negative, albeit in a small sample. The first lineup, in particular, is the team’s second-most common lineup (11 minutes) in the series and is the worst-performing. That’s flat-out bad, especially when you’re playing a team that is as scrappy as the Hawks.
There are real issues with these lineups on offense. While the third lineup is theoretically playable with multiple shooters and ballhandlers, it lacks the alpha that is needed on the court in the playoffs.
There’s also a stylistic problem with how players are being used. Deuce McBride has been a non-factor so far and, for a guy with a reputation of being a plus-minus machine, is involved in all of these negative lineups.
Of the 35 minutes that McBride has played this series, 18 of them are coming without Brunson or Towns. In fact, 15 of them have come without a true point guard (which includes Alvarado). This forces the young guard to take on more on-ball responsibilities, which has never been his forte, especially against an aggressive defense.
In these possessions, you’re seeing either McBride sharing ball-handling duties with Landry Shamet or running in circles to try and create something to no avail. The 18 minutes that McBride has played without Brunson or Towns have a -18.4 net rating, while the brief stints he’s played with either Brunson or Towns have been much stronger.
You go back to the regular season, and these numbers are equally apparent.
McBride with Towns: +7.9 (323 min) McBride with Brunson: +12.7 (273 min) McBride with both: +11.8 (263 min) McBride with neither: +3.5 (121 min)
Deuce thrives on his teammates’ gravity. When Brunson sucks in the defense on a drive, he has open shooters to spray to. When the defense collapses on Towns in the post, he has open shooters to kick it out to. The same can be said for Anunoby and even Mitchell Robinson off an offensive rebound, but these two are the keys. McBride has to play with one of them. He’s inarguably a top-seven player on your roster and needs to make an impact.
In the regular season, lineups without Brunson and Towns didn’t even play well, so choosing to go to them often in this postseason is baffling. It’s one thing when both have four fouls in the third; that’s understandable, but it isn’t in the second quarter. Mike Brown needs to stagger his stars better because complacency in the midst of trying things out is going to make this series a lot longer and more nerve-wracking than it should be.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 20: Head Coach Mike Brown of the New York Knicks speaks to Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during game two of the Eastern Conference first round NBA playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 20, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Game two’s loss on Monday night was a messy amalgamation of inexplicable coaching decisions, selfish play, bad and bad shot-making from both the three-point line and the free-throw line, and it led to one of the most frustrating losses of the season. So what are the biggest takeaways from a loss that I’m sure everybody will want to forget about? Hint, you’re going to see that a lot of guys just need to be better.
Jalen Brunson has to be better.
Jalen Brunson has meant more to this franchise than almost anyone who has ever been a Knick. He is the best player on the team, the steady captain of a team, and an organization that has longed for said steadiness. And without him, New York does not experience its first taste of sustained success in two decades. That being said, Brunson, like any other player to ever don a jersey, has his flaws. Among those flaws is his tendency to take matchups personally.
It can, at times, work in his and the Knicks’ favor. But when it doesn’t, it leads to a self-serving, heliocentric, stagnant offense, leaving teammates and fans watching and wondering what’s going on. Last night, and you can argue the last 7 quarters, have been a prime example of that. For a very large portion of this series, Brunson’s offensive process has been subpar, bordering on awful. There’s been a lot of isolation, forced shots, and open-court turnovers, and many of them have come at critical junctures of the game.
When his second option was a hobbled Julius Randle or Donte DiVincenzo, it was understandable for Brunson to play hero ball. But with an All-NBA player in Karl-Anthony Towns right beside him, it’s inexplicable. Towns has been feasting on the Hawks’ defense for much of the series, but only when he is given the ability to do so. Despite the big man toeing the line between patience and decisiveness incredibly well over the first two games, Brunson insisted on doing it by himself.
"We were a little stagnant. Obv I can control what I can control; poor decisionmaking on my part…couple possessions great D…Gotta play better with the lead; that's twice in the 4th we've done that"
What Brunson has yet to understand is that not only does playing with Towns work very well, it also makes everyone’s life, including his very own, much easier. When Brunson either involves Towns in a pick-and-roll or plays off of Towns being the offensive hub, he can then conserve energy, while also often getting much better looks.
"One ball…lotta great players…on me to make sure I set the table…I’ll go back, figure out what I need to do…we’ll come back better for Game 3”
– Jalen Brunson as KAT gets 3 shots 2d half, 0 in 4th & Knicks lose Game 2 at home
I expect Brunson to improve moving forward. During his almost two full seasons playing with Towns, he’s often backed up games like last night’s with very good playmaking games. But that doesn’t make up for last night’s loss, and it doesn’t make it any less frustrating. The two have been playing way too long for Brunson to still have games like this. And if he and the Knicks want to get as far as they’d like, Brunson will want to think real hard about whether personal matchups or winning matters more.
Deuce McBride and/or Landry Shamet have to be better.
I spoke very openly after game one about how much better the Knicks’ bench was compared to the Hawks’. Last night, the results were a bit different. New York’s bench has gotten a lot of flak in the last 12 hours, but I think it’s overstated a bit. Mitchell Robinson and Jordan Clarkson were still both effective and provided some great minutes. As did Jose Alvarado, who, despite only logging nine minutes, was tied for the second-highest plus-minus in the game.
What hasn’t been overstated is the ineffectiveness of Deuce McBride and Landry Shamet, two players who have been pivotal to the Knicks’ regular-season success, in Game 2. McBride made two key threes in Saturday night’s win, but went 0-3 from the field, just 0-1 from three, had two turnovers, and overall looked outmatched when met with perimeter pressure. Shamet attempted just one shot in 10 minutes, and missed it, making him just 1-7 from the field, and 1-6 from three this series.
Meanwhile, the Hawks’ bench was a big reason they won. Corey Kispert, thanks in large part to the Knicks ’ bench ineptitude, was a +10 in nine minutes, while Tony Bradley repeated some of his successes as a Pacer, giving them a very solid 12 minutes. And Jonathan Kuminga scored 19 crucial points off the bench as well.
With Robinson and Clarkson playing the way they have been, the Knicks don’t need a lot from McBride and Shamet. But with the Hawks now having homecourt advantage and the momentum, they can ill afford both of these players being as quiet as they have been.
Mike Brown has to be better.
While both players can and should be playing better, it is on the coach to put their best players in the best position to succeed, something Mike Brown failed to do last night. Brown, rightfully so, has caught a lot of flak for his lineup decisions last night. And while many have pointed out that the starters came back in with a nine-point lead, it’s still hard to justify Brown’s choices.
The Knicks scored 1.23 points per possession in the halfcourt tonight when either Brunson, KAT, or both were on offense.
They scored 0.77 points per possession in the halfcourt tonight on the possessions where both Brunson and KAT sat
It is true that the starters had a chance to close out the game. It is true that Brunson can, should, and needs to be better. It is true that OG Anunoby cannot miss two free throws like he did last night. And it is true that if Mikal Bridges makes the final shot, the Knicks still escape with a victory.
The Knicks were outscored by 7 points tonight when Jalen Brunson and Karl Anthony Towns were not in the game
It was for 11.4 minutes
For a quarter of the game the Knicks did not have at least 1 of their best players on the floor
But even the greatest players of all-time have missed shots and made bad decisions. One thing you can control is rotations and lineup choices. If Brown doesn’t go to a Brunson, and Towns-less lineup in the second and fourth quarters, chances are, the starters have more than a nine-point cushion. Instead of using lineups that he has gone to for the vast majority of the season, he went with lineups that either had very little success or no experience playing together, and that is just flat out not okay.
And it’s not just about having one of your two best players on the court at all times. It’s the fact that they make the jobs of the bench players easier. And, quite frankly, those bench players also make the stars’ jobs easier. For as long as McBride has been a rotational player, he has played extremely well with Brunson, and or Towns. It’s because McBride amplifies both of them with his shooting and perimeter defense, while they both make McBride’s job easier. The same, albeit to a lesser extent, can be said about Shamet.
Mike Brown about non-Brunson and KAT lineups: "I don't (think) the game got away there. We've played that lineup at end of regular season and it was pretty good." pic.twitter.com/Fl3KRF1vNH
Again, yes, those two can play better. But instead of putting his bench players in a position to succeed, he made their jobs more difficult, and that, regardless of how well the starters closed out the game, is a problem Brown needs to address going forward.
McBride/Shamet/Clarkson played 23 mins the ENTIRE season w/o Brunson or KAT on the floor
McBride/Shamet played 46 mins the ENTIRE season w/o Brunson or KAT on the floor
Mike Brown didn't attempt this all yr but has randomly decided to try this out now for no apparent reason lol
— ShwinnyPooh, Diawara playing time advocate (@shwinnypooh) April 21, 2026
Offense against the bigs on Hart has to be better.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. As I touched on after game one, the Hawks went back to the Knicks’ biggest kryptonite-putting a big on Josh Hart-and it worked to perfection. As it so often has, the Knicks’ offense, which had already gotten stagnant, ran into even more problems when the Hawks went to this defensive alignment. And you can bet the Hawks are only going to rely on it more and more as the series goes on.
Knicks ORTG w/ a big as KAT's primary matchup in G1: 134 Knicks ORTG w/ a wing on KAT in G1: 66
Knicks ORTG w/ a big on KAT G2: 139 Knicks ORTG w/ a wing on KAT G2: 66
the Knicks have scored just 12 points in the 18 total possessions Atlanta has put a wing on KAT
While the Knicks should still have the upper hand and should still out-talent the Hawks, this should, and likely will, be a key thing to keep an eye on the rest of the playoffs.
New York Knicks fans warned Mayor Zohran Mamdani to steer clear of Madison Square Garden during the team’s playoff run – to block the Curse of the Mambino from spreading to the World’s Most Famous Arena.
The message from fans on Tuesday came one day after the Knicks choked away a Game 2, first round playoff matchup against the rival Atlanta Hawks and as baseball fans blamed Mamdani for an epically bad New York Mets losing streak.
Mamdani’s art display went up the day the Knicks lost to the Atlanta Hawks. Paul Martinka for NY Post
“Mr. Mayor, you and your curse, bad luck, whatever you want to call it, stay away from my team,” said diehard supporter David Stento, who was visiting the city from Binghamton.
“I’ve been waiting for this win for a long time. Get out of the way.”
“The way [Jalen] Brunson and [Karl-Anthony] Towns and the other guys are playing, I believe they are going to win it all but to be on the safe side, he should not go to any of the games,” the 68-year-old retiree added outside the NBA Store in Midtown Manhattan.
The Mets 11-game losing streak through Tuesday including an 0-10 record since April 9, when Mamdani visited Citi Field and hugged mascots Mr. and Mrs. Mets.
The Post spoke to Knicks fans and posted a “Mambino Keep Out” sign outside MSG Tuesday with the hope no similar sorcery would affect the team as they try to rebound after Monday’s loss that allowed the Hawks to tie the series 1-1.
The Knicks are coming off a 53-29 regular season and an exciting 2025 postseason run that saw them reach the Eastern Conference Finals.
AP
Queens resident Ely Frank, who was at the Knicks’ Game 1 win, believes the hometown squad can top the Hawks, but “we don’t want the mayor jinxing this.”
“Just stay away,” the 34-year-old retail worker pleaded with the mayor while sporting a Knicks hat. “There is still hope so just keep your distance.”
Tomasz Racinowski also said he didn’t want any Mamdani “curse” lingering over the Knicks.
“We have been cursed for too long,” 42-year-old Long Islander said in reference to the franchise that hasn’t won a championship since 1973.
The democratic socialist was already facing flack for prematurely celebrating the team – and possibly jinxing their chances – by placing life-size cartoon cutouts of top Knicks players around City Hall just hours before New York’s stinging one-point loss to the Hawks in Game 2.
The art display from Tom Sanford included former Knicks greats like Patrick Ewing, Carmelo Anthony, Larry Johnson, John Starks and, as well as current superstar Jalen Brunson.
Did the curse of the Mambino hit the New York Knicks as well?
This went up yesterday, hours before the Knickerbockers lost by one point to the Atlanta Hawks. pic.twitter.com/1jT7C3q0u0
“I am still confident and hopeful of a championship this year, I do wish, however, all of these tickets were far more affordably priced,” he said at a press event.
The next showdown between Knicks and Hawks is set for Thursday from State Farm Arena in the southern city.
Former Mayor Eric Adams also faced scorn from sports fans last year when he temporarily renamed more than a dozen Big Apple streets after team members as the Knickerbockers advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals..
The team ultimately lost the series to the Indiana Pacers in six games.
Meanwhile Mets fans hoped the“Curse of the Mambino” didn’t linger as long as the “Curse of the Bambino,” which myths said blocked the Boston Red Sox from winning a championship after they sold Babe Ruth to the rival Yankees. The Red Sox went 86 years without a championship after the deal.
The league officially decided several crucial tiebreakers between teams on Monday, April 20 before the NBA draft lottery is held on May 10 in Chicago.
While the process is often referred to as a coin flip between teams that finished with the exact same record to determine the draft order, it is actually random number drawings conducted by the league. The tiebreakers between picks 15 through 60 are the official draft order. There were six total tiebreakers in the 2026 NBA Draft.
However, tiebreakers between teams picking in the lottery will not become set in stone until the draft lottery is concluded next month. Here were the most interesting results.
Biggest winner from the draft order tiebreakers
The Utah Jazz walked away as the team that benefited the most from this process.
They won the tiebreaker over the Sacramento Kings and will now have the fourth-best odds at the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
With the fourth-best odds, the lowest the Jazz can pick in this class is now No. 8 overall. However, if they lost the tiebreaker and had the fifth-best odds, they would have had a 0.6 percent chance of falling to No. 9 overall.
That is significant because they traded a top-8 protected pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of a Derrick Favors salary dump.
Now, it went from unlikely to impossible that Oklahoma City can get this pick from Utah. The Jazz now owe the Thunder a second-round pick in the 2027 NBA Draft.
What other lottery teams benefited from the tiebreaking process?
While the Jazz were the most impactful winners, others benefited from the tiebreakers as well.
The New Orleans Pelicans (who owe the better pick between their own and the Milwaukee Bucks pick to the Atlanta Hawks due to the Derik Queen trade) won the tiebreaker for the seventh-best odds over the Dallas Mavericks.
This means the Hawks improved their chances at a top-four pick via the Pelicans from 28.9 percent to 29.3 percent.
Which non-lottery teams benefited from the tiebreaking process?
The following picks were also determined via the NBA's tiebreakers:
The 16th pick goes to the Memphis Grizzlies, via Phoenix Suns
The 17th pick goes to the Oklahoma City Thunder, via Philadelphia 76ers
The 18th pick goes to the Charlotte Hornets, via Orlando Magic
The 19th pick goes to the Toronto Raptors
The 20th pick goes to the San Antonio Spurs, via Atlanta Hawks
The 22nd pick goes to the Philadelphia 76ers, via Houston Rockets
The 23rd pick goes to the Atlanta Hawks, via Cleveland Cavaliers
The 24th pick goes to the New York Knicks
The 25th pick goes to the Los Angeles Lakers
The 2026 NBA Draft is held in Brooklyn, New York on June 23 and June 24 at the Barclays Center.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are catching strays from the Toronto Raptors' media.
On Monday night, in Game 2 of the Raptors' first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Scottie Barnes was taken down by Jaylon Tyson. Toronto's RJ Barrett stepped in and gave Tyson a shove, which then created a commotion on the court.
Several players from both teams stepped in to help diffuse the situation.
While that was happening, TSN's NBA colour analyst, Jack Armstrong, said, "Auston Matthews wishes he had (Barrett) as a teammate. That's how you stand up for your guys."
They followed it up in the third period with physical play and several goals, defeating the Ducks 6-4. But it wasn't a good look for a hockey club whose core has been together for quite some time.
The collision ended Matthews' season. He had surgery to repair a grade 3 MCL tear in his left leg seven days after the incident, but he will be ready for training camp next fall.
"Yeah, (rehab is) going good. Really good," Matthews added. "I'll be ready by next season and have a pretty normal summer, for the most part. I'm about a month down now, so a couple more months before I can kind of start to turn it up a little bit."
Matthews finished the season with 27 goals and 53 points in 60 games. Despite missing 22 games, Toronto's captain still finished fourth in team scoring, only behind Matthew Knies, John Tavares, and William Nylander.
The Raptors are two games into their series against the Cavs and have lost both games. They return to Toronto to play Game 3 of the series on Thursday night inside Scotiabank Arena.
Draymond Green has never had a filter, and he said in his exit interview what many people around the Warriors seemed to think about the future of coach Steve Kerr in the wake of the Warriors' elimination by the Suns in the play-in.
"I hope he's our coach next year. You want my opinion? I think not," Green said. "Just because it just feels like that. It felt like that was it. I also hope I'm on this team next year, we also don't know that. And man, if it was, what a run it's been. So lucky to have had for 12 years Steve as my coach."
Kerr is not going to be back as coach next year, barring a significant change of heart and a renewed faith in the direction things are heading, reports Monte Poole at NBC Sports Bay Area.
The general belief among the Warriors – openly expressed by Draymond Green – and around the league since the weekend is that Kerr will be comfortably jobless after meeting with [co-owner Joe] Lacob and [GM Mike] Dunleavy. Most expect a decision in a matter of days, not weeks...
Two sources insist that any change of heart would require, among other factors, Kerr having renewed faith in his role as the franchise shifts toward the future.
The Warriors' front office does want to see a shift in how the team plays — the freewheeling days when the Warriors did not concern themselves as much with turnovers or offensive rebounds, because they could just overwhelm teams, are gone. Here is how ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Anthony Slater put it.
If Kerr returns, they will discuss staffing and what management believes is a need for philosophy tweaks, team sources said, focusing on diversifying the offensive attack and winning the analytically friendly possession battle more often. There has been a feeling internally that they were too reliant this season on 3-point variance.
"For one night, we're us. We're champions again," Kerr said after the emotional win.
However, Golden State could never sustain those runs, as evidenced by their loss to the Suns in the next play-in contest. A lot of that had to do with an older team facing injuries. Jimmy Butler was out for the season, starting in mid-January, with a torn ACL. Curry missed 27 straight games, from January through nearly the end of the season, due to a runner's knee injury. Al Horford, brought in on a one-year deal to add depth, missed 37 games. And the list goes on and on.
The Warriors under Kerr were at their peak a decade ago with a "death star" small-ball lineup that worked because Green could defend centers. Then Golden State added peak Kevin Durant to that mix and was one of the best teams the league had ever seen for a couple of years.
Those days are gone — teams have gotten bigger but maintained their athleticism and shooting (as epitomized by Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren). The league has gotten younger and more athletic, while the Warriors' core is closer to 40 than 30.
Kerr may see all that and decide now is the time to step away, to let the franchise choose its next path. It sounds like that's where things are heading.
What choices do the Philadelphia 76ers have? If Joel Embiid were available, perhaps this series would be interesting.
But with "The Process" sidelined by an appendectomy, Philadelphia is simply out-gunned against the Boston Celtics. It needs to lean fully on its dynamic backcourt and wings, led by Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
The rookie has held off any proverbial wall, though his 0-for-5 showing from beyond the arc in Game 1 was a bit worrying. Yet, Edgecombe still scored 13 points in just 34 minutes.
Expect both increased minutes and at least one 3-pointer — Edgecombe shot 35.4% from deep on 5.6 attempts per game in the regular season. Either ingredient should be enough to push him past this points prop.
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Peacock/NBC
Prop #2: Victor Wembanyama 30+ points
+115 at bet365
Logic says the San Antonio Spurs superstar will not go 5-for-6 from beyond the arc in Game 2 after doing so on Sunday.
But if Victor Wembanyama misses a few more 3-pointers, then this game is likely to be closer than Game 1, and suddenly the towering Frenchman may need to play more than 33 minutes.
In other words, either game state should set up Wembanyama to reach 30+ points for the sixth time in his last seven games, including the 35 he hung in his playoff debut.
The Portland Trail Blazers have no way to guard Wembanyama, and Donovan Clingan cannot keep up with him — the one clear weakness in the second-year center’s defense.
It is, unfortunately for Portland, a weakness Wembanyama gladly exploits.
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Peacock/NBC
Prop #3: Luke Kennard 5+ assists
+150 at bet365
Point guard Luke Kennard remains a comical concept. Playoff point guard Luke Kennard is almost mind-boggling.
To quote a so-so commercial we have all already seen too many times this week, “Anything really is possible in the playoffs.”
Kennard has handed out at least five assists in three of his six games as the Lakers’ starting point guard since both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were sidelined. Those were the first three games he started, falling to just 2.3 per game in the three games since.
Then why bet on him now? Because Kennard’s 27 points in Game 1 should demand more defensive attention from Houston in Game 2, creating more assist opportunities.
The climb from three to five assists is also not a steep one, particularly when the ball is going to be regularly in your hands.
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76ers Game 2 computer picks
Andre Drummond Over 6.5 points (+100)
Projection: 7.2 points
Joel Embiid is set to miss another game in this series, which will open up more minutes for Andre Drummond. The Boston Celtics will have their hands full with Philly's perimeter scorers, and they'll gladly let Drummond try to beat them.
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Tyrese Maxey Over 3.5 rebounds (+105)
Projection: 3.99 rebounds
Tyrese Maxey puts his 6-foot-2 frame to use, averaging 4.1 rebounds per game. When Drummond is off the floor, that'll open up more board opportunities for Philly's starting PG.
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VJ Edgecombe Over 14.5 points (-115)
Projection: 15.79 points
VJ Edgecombe can do some damage from beyond the arc tonight, with the C's allowing the fourth-most 3-point attempts to SGs at home this season. In four games against Boston, VJ shot 41.2% from three. Those long balls will help the rookie eclipse his points total.
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Celtics Game 2 computer picks
Jaylen Brown Over 6.5 rebounds (+110)
Projection: 7.8 rebounds
At +110, this prop has the highest +EV for this game according to our prop projections. Jaylen Brown has eclipsed this line in four of his last 10 outings, and with Philly shallow down low, Brown can gobble up the boards.
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Payton Pritchard Over 13.5 points (-112)
Projection: 16.0 points
Payton Pritchard is playing like a man possessed, eclipsing this total in eight of his last 10 outings. Pritchard has full control over Boston's bench unit, which should see plenty of time in what's expected to be another blowout.
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Derrick White Over 4.5 assists (-105)
Projection: 5.38 assists
Playing as the starting point guard of the C's has its perks, especially when you're passing to the likes of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Derrick White can focus more on playmaking with Boston at full strength, just like he did in Game 1 where he racked up six dimes.
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How to watch 76ers vs Celtics Game 2
Location
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Date
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
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DETROIT, MICHIGAN - APRIL 19: Jalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons plays against the Orlando Magic during game one of the first round of the eastern conference playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on April 19, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic are getting set to face-off in Game 2 of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Given Orlando’s status as an eighth seed, their inconsistent regular season, and Detroit’s dominant campaign, most people (myself included) thought this would be a cakewalk for the Pistons.
However, the Magic shocked us all in a Game 1 victory that proved that they are finally clicking and that they can exploit the Pistons’ lack of true two-way players. Oddsmakers still believe that the Pistons are in the driver’s seat to win this series, as they are a nine-point favorite in Game 2 (right around the spread from Game 1), and have -220 odds (an implied probability of -68.8%) to win the series.
To make this come to fruition, the Pistons either need Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland to find ways to exist on offense, Daniss Jenkins and Duncan Robinson to stop getting hunted on defense, or Kevin Huerter and Caris LeVert to step into larger roles. But more than anything, they need their All-Star big man to live up to his reputation.
Jalen Duren Needs A Big Game 2
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few days, you are likely aware of Jalen Duren’s unspectacular Game 1 performance.
The Pistons can’t win this series without Duren. This season, they led the entire NBA in points in the paint per game (per NBA.com). A big reason why is Duren’s merciless pursuit of shots at the basket. Outside of Giannis Antetokounmpo, no one attempted rim field goal attempts at a higher clip than Duren (he and Zion Williamson were tied for second-place in this category, per Dunks & Threes).
In Game 1, Duren only attempted four field goals. A big reason for this was Detroit’s lack of spacing making it easy for Orlando to pack the paint on him. But the thing is, the Pistons’ spacing concerns are nothing new (29th in 3-point rate during the regular season). I hate to sound like a fake tough guy here, but Duren needs to be the human adonis that he is and fight through the extra physicality and be the biggest man in the room.
On defense, Duren has always struggled with defending in space (particularly in the pick-and-roll) and lapses in threat detection around the rim. Those weaknesses were magnified in the first match (see the tweet above). Some of this is on head coach J.B. Bickerstaff to put him in better spots, but again, Duren needs to make the classic “play better” adjustment in Game 2 if the Pistons are going to avoid the dreaded 0-2 hole.
How to watch Pistons vs. Magic Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Playoffs
Trail Blazers
Spurs
Raphielle Johnson
VJ Edgecombe
Luke Kennard
Celtics