Category: Basketball

Change. That’s what Game 2 was meant to bring after Saturday’s rough showing against Cleveland. That might have looked like a bigger role for Brandon Ingram, more responsibility for CMB, or any number of defensive changes to better contain James Harden and Donovan Mitchell. Yet, as the Raptors began the game that would end in a bitter 115-105 loss, I could not help but be overwhelmed with a sense of deja-vu.

Game 2 emerged the same way as Game 1 from the start. Cleveland’s passing was on point, Scottie began the game on the perimeter, and James Harden looked incredible as Brandon Ingram was shut out of the game, double-teamed. Poeltl looked active in this quarter, as the Raptors pulled starters to use an interesting lineup focused on individual scoring and defence, running Collin Murray-Boyles and Sandro Mamukelashvili, along with Ingram, RJ Barrett, and Ja’Kobe Walter. A Max Struss three pushed the lead to ten points as the quarter came to a close.

Mounting a comeback beginning of second quarer, off Ja’Kobe threes and Scottie jumpers, every call to push ahead was answered by Donovan Mitchell splashing threes. He would finish the half with 15 points shooting 50% from three. A beautiful Mamu jam brought the game to within six points – the story of the half. The Raptors weren’t getting blown out, but couldn’t cross the two-possession threshold to develop a lead. The Raptors were settling for jumpshots a lot of the time, and were making only 42% of their field goals in this half.

Adding insult to injury was a James Harden possession where he ran into Scottie at the top of the key, knocked him to the floor, and shot over a lunging Brandon Ingram. As the ball bounced high, I got flashbacks to Kawhi in 2019, and Harden in Houston, mashed together in some otherworldly combination of Raptors-based cosmic horror, as the ball rattled off the rim into the hoop for three.

JAMES HARDEN WITH THE ANKLE BREAKER OF THE YEAR 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/D6nvCpxt33

— NBACentel (@TheNBACentel) April 21, 2026

The half ended, 54-48 Cleveland. Brandon Ingram’s stats in the half: 0 points, 1 assist, 3 turnovers.

As the third began, the Raptors let the game get away from them. Harden makes a three, Scottie on the fast break passes out to Shead, who misses a wide open three. Donovan Mitchell makes a three. Two minutes in, Ingram makes his first basket of the night, a midrange field goal, immediately followed by a three pointer from the left wing. But of course, it was answered by an Evan Mobley three. Trends repeated themselves. Scottie had a great block on Jarrett Allen. CMB, block on Mobley. Offensive rebound Cavs, James Harden floater for 2. From there, the game proceeded along the same lines: Raptors pick up a few points, Cavaliers kill from three or in the paint.

With 2 minutes left in the game, a Ja’Kobe Walter three fell as if from heaven, getting the lead below 10, and while a beautiful Scottie dime to RJ brought the game to within two possessions, Cleveland pushed back to widen the gulf again. The quarter ended 84-77 Cavs.

The first bucket of the fourth was a Sam Merrill three pointer, which was followed immediately by a brief confrontation between Scottie, RJ, and Jaylon Tyson, who made his own three to counteract Barnes’ and-one layup. The two teams traded blows all quarter, with Toronto unable to pull ahead, and as as the last minute of the game saw a Donovan Mitchell bank shot, the writing – already on the wall – was highlighted. This game was over. Toronto played aggressive defence until the bitter end of the game, not pulling their starters down 12 with seconds to go.

With grit and discontent, the Raptors went down 0-2 in the series, shooting 27% from three with 22 turnovers. Scottie Barnes led the Raptors in scoring with 26, while CMB had a bench-high 17 points. The Cavaliers had Harden, Mitchell, and Mobley combine for 83 points, scoring 25 or more buckets-a-piece. Jakob Poeltl played only 9 minutes, as Murray-Boyles emerged as a diamond in the rough at the centre position. Toronto will return home to play the Cavaliers in Toronto for Game Three on April 23rd.

CLEVELAND — It wasn’t pretty, but the Cleveland Cavaliers did enough to grab a 2-0 series lead in what became a somewhat physical game. They defeated the Toronto Raptors 115-105 and are firmly in the driver’s seat as the series shifts north of the border.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson was concerned about his team’s intensity level to start Game 2 after a one-sided win two nights earlier. Those fears proved to be misplaced. The Cavs opened up with an eight-point advantage before the first timeout.

Defense, not offense, was the cause of the Cavs’ early lead. Dean Wade, James Harden, Sam Merrill, and whoever else ended up guarding Brandon Ingram did a good job of physically meeting him at the point of attack, making it difficult for him to get going.

The Raptors tried to get Ingram involved early after he was used more as a screener in Game 1 (much to his dissatisfaction). But Ingram wasn’t able to get to his spots easily, and he certainly wasn’t able to get into a rhythm. This led to him going 0-4 from the field for no points in the opening quarter. This, in turn, short-circuited Toronto’s offense, resulting in them scoring just 19 in the first.

The Cavs’ seven-point advantage after one shrank to six by the end of the second quarter. Both offenses got going, with Harden providing 10 points in that frame to fuel Cleveland’s.

Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković made his first substantial adjustments of the series to start the third quarter. He decided to start 6’7” forward Collin Murray-Boyles at center to open the second half in an attempt to go small and get back into the game. This neutralized some of the advantage the Cavs were able to create with the pick-and-roll because they could switch everything defensively. That strategy made sense, but it also created new problems.

Toronto’s going smaller made it easier for Mitchell and Harden to attack in isolation. The lack of a center meant there was no rim protection coming to help at the rim. And, the size mismatch meant that Toronto’s wings couldn’t afford to leave either Evan Mobley or Jarrett Allen alone. Instead of clogging things up for the Cavs’ offense, it actually created more space.

The Cavs took advantage of this. They extended their six-point advantage to 16 by the time backup big Sandro Mamukelashvili entered the game midway through the third quarter. The Raptors turned it around to close the third with just a seven-point deficit.

Cleveland did what it’s done best since the trade deadline: they out-executed their opponent down the stretch in the half-court to grind out the victory.

The superstar backcourt once again led the Cavs. The Raptors don’t have an answer for either through two games. Whether or not they can find one over the next two games will determine how long this series lasts.

Mitchell made timely baskets every time the Cavs needed one. This included hitting several tough shots throughout the second and fourth quarters to keep the momentum in Cleveland’s favor. He had 30 points, five assists, and seven rebounds on 13-23 shooting in the win.

Meanwhile, Harden once again kept the offense on schedule — making sure they got a phenomenal shot every time down the court. He had 28 points, four assists, and five steals on 9-14 shooting.

The Raptors are at a size advantage inside — especially when they go small. Mobley made them pay both when they went small and used their more traditional lineups.

Atkinson likes to talk about Mobley playing forcefully going to the basket. This game showed why. Toronto really didn’t have an answer for him when he got a head of steam. Mobley was able to get whatever he wanted in the paint, pouring in 25 points on 11-13 shooting to go along with eight rebounds and two assists.

The Raptors were led by 26 points from Scottie Barnes on 11-19 shooting. RJ Barrett supplied 22 points on 10-13 shooting with nine rebounds and five assists.

Ingram was held to just seven points on 3-15 shooting. A lot of that success can be attributed to Dean Wade, who was once again phenomenal defensively.

The series moves to Canada for Game 3 on Thursday. Tip-off is at 8 PM.

NEW YORK (AP) — Backup Mouhamed Gueye bruised his right hip early in Game 2 of the playoffs Monday night, but was able to return to the game late in the first half for an Atlanta Hawks team in need of healthy big bodies against the New York Knicks.

Gueye had just come into the game in the first quarter and tried to throw down a dunk to finish a fast break. He came up short and then landed hard behind the baseline, where he remained as play continued until the Hawks called timeout. Gueye was eventually helped up and went directly toward the locker room.

The Hawks announced in the second quarter that the native of Senegal was questionable to return. He came back into the game with 1:03 remaining in the half after starter Onyeka Okongwu picked up his third foul.

The Hawks were already playing without center Jock Landale because of a sprained right ankle, and Okongwu was questionable coming into the day with right knee inflammation before being cleared to play after Atlanta's morning workout.

Atlanta eventually gave Tony Bradley, who was added to the roster late in the season, his first playing time of the series late in the first quarter.

___

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

History was made in the NBA on Monday, when it was announced that San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama had been named the first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year winner in league history. Golden State Warriors fans, of course, know a thing or two about unanimous award winners, as Steph Curry became the first unanimous MVP in NBA history in 2015-16.

They also know a thing or two about the Defensive Player of the Year award, as Draymond Green hoisted the trophy following the 2016-17 season, and has four other top-three finishes.

Green’s days of winning that award are behind him, but he’s still collecting some recognition from voters. The announcement of Wemby as the winner was accompanied by the full voting results, and Green collected one point, the result of a third-place vote on one person’s ballot. That put him in a tie for 11th place in Defensive Player of the Year voting, alongside Jalen Duren of the Detroit Pistons and Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat.

The top 10 is, in order: Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Ausar Thompson, Rudy Gobert, Scottie Barnes, Derrick White, Cason Wallace, Amen Thompson, Dyson Daniels, and OG Anunoby. Voting for Defensive Player of the Year is handled by 100 media members who each get to add three names to a ballot.

For Green, this is his 10th time earning vote shares for the award, but he’s hoping that something bigger is around the bend. The future Hall of Famer has been open about his desire to make the All-Defense team this year. If that wish comes true, Green will become just the sixth player in NBA history to make 10 All-Defense teams, joining Tim Duncan (15), Kevin Garnett (12), Kobe Bryant (12), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (11), and Scottie Pippen (10). He’s one of eight players stuck on nine All-Defense selections, but the other seven are all retired: Michael Jordan, Gary Payton, Chris Paul, Bobby Jones, Dennis Johnson, Jason Kidd, and Hakeem Olajuwon.

With or without that, a share of Defensive Player of the Year voting — even if it’s just one third-place vote — is an impressive achievement, especially for someone in their 14th NBA season. And it’s just another accolade in a career full of them.

While the 2025–26 NBA regular season standings were finalized after last weekend, as I mentioned a week ago, that didn’t mean the lottery odds were completely set. Since multiple teams in the lottery finished with identical records, the NBA needed to conduct random tiebreakers between those teams to determine who got an extra ball in May 10th’s drawing, potentially getting a better shot at a top-four pick. Or in the case of the Pelicans and Mavericks, who both finished tied for the seventh-worst record in the league, who would have a chance to pick seventh and who wouldn’t. Those tiebreakers happened today.

Why does this matter to the Bucks, who were locked into the 10th position after losing their final game to the Sixers? As you likely know, it’s because New Orleans owned swap rights on Milwaukee’s 2026 first-round pick, traded as part of 2020’s Jrue Holiday deal. Now, the Pels shipped those rights to the Hawks last summer, so they won’t have the chance to switch places with the Bucks in this year’s draft, and the Hawks do. Milwaukee and Atlanta had to be watching this closely because whichever of New Orleans’ or Milwaukee’s picks ends up earlier on lottery night, Atlanta will own. The lesser of the two goes to the Bucks.

Just after 4 p.m. Central, the league communicated the results of this and other tiebreakers: to Milwaukee’s (and Atlanta’s) benefit, New Orleans won their coin flip with Dallas and garnered the lottery’s seventh-best odds. That pick now has a 29.3% chance of being in the top four as opposed to 28.9%; not a huge jump, but one the Hawks likely loved to see, since if that pick and/or the Bucks’—which has a 13.9% of landing in the top four—jumps up, they’ll receive the best one. But this was good news for the Bucks too, as I’ll explain.

First the bad news: Milwaukee’s chances at moving into the top four aren’t good, and are even worse as a result of the pick swap. By virtue of the swap, they have 0% chance of actually drafting first overall (if they win the lottery, that pick goes to Atlanta by default, and they’d pick wherever New Orleans ends up, which could be as low as 11th) and their chances at 2–4 decreased too. Instead of the listed odds for 10th, seen on the left, here are the Bucks’ actual chances at any of those picks, factoring in the swap:

Pick	Listed	Actual
1	3.0%	0.0%
2	3.3%	0.5%
3	3.6%	1.1%
4	4.0%	2.1%

That’s a huge drop: had they not traded these swap rights back in 2020, they’d have a 13.9% chance of jumping into the top four, with a shot at number one overall. It turns out the likelihood of that happening is 3.7%. For what it’s worth, had the Bucks lost a few more games and finished with the league’s ninth-best record, they’d have only slightly better odds of moving into the top four: 5.3%, still with no chance of getting number one.

Now we come to today’s tiebreaker results, and the modicum of extra lottery luck they garnered for Milwaukee. Since the Pelicans finished seventh, the Bucks did see their chances of moving up improve slightly. While the overwhelming likelihood is that they end up picking 10th, the tiebreaker gave them a small shot at picking eighth, which wouldn’t have been possible if the Pelicans lost the tiebreaker. That’s because the NBA’s lottery odds don’t allow the team that receives the eighth position (which went to Dallas) to receive picks 5–7: they can only rise into the top four or draft between eight and 12.

The seventh position (New Orleans’) has a much better chance of picking eighth (34.1% if tiebreakers aren’t involved) than seventh (19.7%). But because the Bucks’ pick could land in the top four pre-swap, the Pelicans’ pick would thus have a higher likelihood of coming seventh through ninth, since they couldn’t move up to whichever spot the Bucks win. In this scenario, Milwaukee’s pick would go to Atlanta, and New Orleans’ to Milwaukee. While yes, it would stink to not receive that top-four selection, they would technically still be moving up.

In the table below, you’ll see the Bucks’ chances to end up with any given spot in June’s draft on the right, with the swap again factored in. Compare those with their chances had New Orleans lost today’s tiebreaker and received the eighth-best lottery odds, rather than seventh:

Bucks’ pick	Pelicans in 7th	Pelicans in 8th
1	0.0%	0.0%
2	0.5%	0.5%
3	1.1%	1.1%
4	2.1%	2.1%
5	0.0%	0.0%
6	0.0%	0.0%
7	0.0%	0.0%
8	5.4%	0.0%
9	5.6%	7.8%
10	61.7%	64.7%
11	21.5%	21.8%
12	1.7%	1.7%
13	< o.1%	< o.1%
14	< o.1%	< o.1%
Average pick	9.8	9.9

The figures are rounded, but as you can see, their shot at getting a top-four pick didn’t appreciably improve. It’s only half a percent better with the Pelicans in seventh as opposed to eighth. However, we can look at this another way: now the Bucks have a 14.7% chance of moving up from 10th to any spot, as opposed to 11.4% had the Pelicans lost. They also go from a 7.8% chance at ending up with the ninth choice to an 11% chance of receiving eighth or ninth after the swap. Again, if either of those two outcomes occurred, it would mean they ended up in the top four pre-swap and ended up taking New Orleans’ pick while theirs went to Atlanta. Nevertheless, they moved up, so all’s well that ends well?

I’ll be at the lottery on Sunday, May 10th, to see how the ping pong balls actually fall. Like I’ve written before, don’t get your hopes up about drafting second: you have a better chance of dying from accidental poisoning. But until then, Bucks fans can take some solace in a positive lottery outcome, even if it’s a small one.

Victor Wembanyama made a bit of NBA history on Monday, becoming the first ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year. 

The Spurs big man earned all 100 first-place votes from the group of media members tasked with voting for this year’s league awards, beating out Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren and Detroit’s Ausar Thompson. 

Wembanyama became the youngest player to win the award since it was first handed out following the 1982-83 season. 

It didn’t come as a surprise that Wembanyama was given the Defensive Player of the Year award, considering his impact on that side of the ball for San Antonio during the regular season. 

Wembanyama averaged a league-leading 3.1 blocks per game in 64 games and opposing teams shot 40.7 percent from the field against the 7-foot-4 Spurs star. 

He also had 66 steals and had the NBA’s second-best defensive rating at 110.4. 

“Everything that [he’s] achieved so far has been earned and never given,” teammate Keldon Johnson said, per ESPN. “He’s one of the hardest workers I’ve ever been around. He takes his craft very seriously and I feel like this is just a small token of what’s to come for Victor. He’s a special player on the court and an even more special person off the court.”

Wembanyama is the first Spurs player to win Defensive Player of the Year since Kawhi Leonard won the honors in back-to-back seasons in 2014-15 and 2015-16. 

Wembanyama is also a finalist for the MVP award, along with fellow finalists Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic.

The Spurs are in the middle of a first-round playoff series with the Trail Blazers and are holding a 1-0 series lead after defeating Portland 111-98 in Game 1. 

Game 2 is slated to take place on Tuesday in San Antonio.

The Dallas Mavericks didn’t end up here by accident. This wasn’t just bad luck or one bad stretch. This was a season defined by hesitation. They didn’t fully commit to competing, but they also didn’t fully commit to losing until it was too late. The result was a middle ground that, in the NBA, is the worst place you can be. Dallas picked up just enough late-season wins to avoid the very bottom of the standings, but not enough to matter in the playoff picture. That’s how you end up tied with New Orleans at 26-56, not bad enough to lock in stronger odds, but not good enough to control your own fate.

And that’s where this whole “coin flip” situation comes in.

Except it’s not actually a coin flip.

The NBA doesn’t literally flip a coin. Instead, random drawings conducted by the league and Ernst & Young in Secaucus, New Jersey, are used to break ties in the standings for lottery positioning. It’s still pure luck, just with ping-pong balls instead of heads or tails. The outcome serves the same purpose. It determines who gets the better odds and who gets pushed into the more dangerous range. It’s just dressed up in a more official process.

And for Dallas, that drawing didn’t go their way.

The Mavericks officially lost the tiebreaker with New Orleans, which means they enter the lottery with the 8th-best odds instead of 7th. On paper, the difference between those two spots looks small. The odds of landing the No. 1 pick barely change. The top-four odds dip slightly, but nothing drastic. If you’re only looking at the upside, it doesn’t feel like a big deal.

But that’s not where the real impact is.

The real impact is the floor.

Looking at the odds chart, this is exactly where things start to shift. At 7, you’re relatively protected from a major drop. At 8, you’re not. The probability of falling into the 9–11 range increases significantly, especially with the lottery format allowing teams behind you to jump into the top four. That’s the part that changes everything. It’s not just about missing out on moving up. It’s about being far more vulnerable to sliding back.

And that’s why this outcome matters so much.

Odds are what they are but anyone that tells you it doesn’t matter probably isn’t very good at math pic.twitter.com/XrTYHSWlRA

— Kirk Henderson (@KirkSeriousFace) April 20, 2026

Because the Mavericks have already seen how something this small can change everything.

Last year, they were in this exact position, tied in the standings and needing a tiebreaker. They won that drawing against Chicago, secured the slightly better odds, and that marginal advantage turned into the biggest moment in franchise history. They jumped in the lottery and landed Cooper Flagg at No. 1 overall, completely altering the direction of the team.

That’s the margin. That’s how thin it is.

This time, they’re on the wrong side of it.

And it makes the way they got here even more frustrating. Because this wasn’t unavoidable. Dallas had chances to fully lean into the tank earlier in the season, to secure a better slot cleanly, and they didn’t. They hovered in that in-between space, picked up a few extra wins late, and ultimately left something this important up to randomness.

Now, the path forward is still there, but it’s way more difficult to land on the best path forward, and way easier to land on a lesser path forward.

Dallas can still jump. They still have a chance at the top four. But they’re now more exposed than they would have been just one spot higher. In a draft that is critical to building around Cooper Flagg, that difference matters.

And that’s the brutal reality of all of this.

An entire season, all the decisions, all the losses, all the frustration… and the Mavericks still could find a way to have the eight best odds at the number 1 pick and could lose out on one of the better players in this draft by falling.

The tiebreakers are out of the way, and the Phoenix Suns hold one pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

They are set to make the 47th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Brian Gregory and company had one of the most active draft nights in recent memory last year. What’s in store for this one?

The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/xwSJfpkaf5

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 20, 2026

Suns Draft Picks in 2026 NBA Draft:

Try to follow along without getting lost.

• Pick number 16 (owed to Memphis Grizzlies via Orlando from Phoenix)
• Pick no. 47 (from Philadelphia 76ers via Houston and Oklahoma City)
• Pick no. 48 (owed to Dallas Mavericks)

Entering the 2026 NBA Draft, Phoenix’s only pick is the 47th overall pick. It would not be surprising to see them attempt to trade up for an NBA-ready talent that they like, especially with the new format, as we saw them target Rasheer Fleming, who fell to the 2nd round. They also targeted Brea in another deal, so expect them to be aggressive if any of their “guys” are there.

Phoenix’s last two drafts have landed them quality talents in the 2nd round in Oso Ighodaro (4oth pick), Rasheer Fleming (31st pick), and Koby Brea (41st pick).

There’s this great moment in the (vastly superior) 1971 version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory where, immediately after purchasing some chocolate next door, Charlie Bucket overhears from the hubbub of a crowd surrounding a newsstand that one of the claimed golden tickets has been proven a fraud.

Musically, it’s perfection. The moment of revelation is met with a marvelously-timed reverberating bell-like tone that hangs in the air as Charlie turns to walk away, which turns into the mischievous trilling of woodwinds (that some part of my subconscious swears John Williams repurposed in the Harry Potter score) and sharp, heart-pumping piccolo-esque runs that pick up just as Charlie opens his final Wonka bar, before being replaced by the building of triumphant horns and strings as he discovers the last golden ticket.

It’s the first real sense of magic in the downtrodden opening of a film that still manages more wonder than a series of successors made with unquestionably superior technology, and it conveys it primarily through sound.

It sets the tone, so to speak, for the rest of the film.

I must confess that the usage of that phrase in the context of sport baffled me as a child. For whatever reason, my introduction to that word was initially musical, melodic, symphonic. It didn’t make sense to me in the context of the Spurs, which I expressed to my grandmother as we watched David Robinson run amok on the last iteration of the Charles Barkley Suns (the first time I can recall sitting down and watching an entire playoff series with her).

“Well, you must not be listening very well,” she said matter-of-factly. “Every sport has its sounds. Listen closely the next time he (The Admiral) scores.”

Not even a full thirty seconds later, Robinson was able to establish position against Barkley, and with a nifty change of direction, went right over him and off the glass for his final (and 40th) points of the night.

And even through the speakers of the television set my grandparents had purchased in the early-80s, the eruption from the crowd was cacophonous.

“You see? Sometimes they make music with the basketball. And sometimes they play the crowd.”

“Like an instrument?”

“Mhmm, if it’s a good crowd.”

Well, last night featured a very, very good crowd. And Victor Wembanyama played them like an orchestral conductor while he and his teammates set the tone of the series.

Not that San Antonio playoff crowds haven’t always been good, but the extended absence seemed to make it take on a life of its own. The years of feeling like Charlie Bucket, after decades of taking the postseason for granted, added to the fever pitch of pseudo-hallucinogenic pinks, and oranges, and blues.

Seemingly every fan was Fiesta-clad, determined to make the most of the moment, mirroring the spirited young team on the court. For the first time in a long time, Spurs fans and players were just happy to be there.

Not that that interfered with their sense of determination at all. As play began, the Trail Blazers immediately announced their intention to kick the Spurs in the teeth (figuratively, and somewhat literally).

Benefiting from a friendly whistle in the first quarter (and most of the first half) Portland players immediately got physical while staging some impressive melodramas of their own. It felt a bit like watching a younger sibling punch an older sibling in the face and then run to a parent before the offense could be repaid in full.

Whatever the intended effect, it resulted in the exact opposite, as the Spurs woke up and Victor Wembanyama began to attack the Blazers defense with vengeance, raining three-pointers and dunks down on the opposition like a Titan awoken from a thousand-year slumber.

At one point in the second half he missed a dunk with such force that it felt like he was attempting to tear at the very fabric of the universe, as if trying to silence all Portland crowds both present and future in perpetuity.

Wemby took the predictable shots to the still-healing ribs, refused to be pulled, and when the dust had settled, had unseated the most fundamental Spur who ever lived from his long-standing perch atop the San Antonio playoff debut leader-board.

All the while, his teammates took advantage of every inch of space that he gave them, setting the franchise record for most threes made in a half and finally capitalizing on all of Portland’s contact as the officials abandoned their Mr. Magoo act and rewarded them for their perseverance at the free-throw line.

All the while the crowd made themselves known, ooing and aahing and chanting and booing in equal measure with the unity and harmony of a Gregorian cantorum. It was Beethoven for the sporting obsessed. Bach for the San Antonio faithful. Vivaldi for a long silver-and-black winter that had finally turned to spring.

One of the reasons I consider the 1971 version of Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s tale to be superior to the versions that followed, is that it earns its joy. There’s a darkness in the book that lends itself to black comedy of the highest order, but that film leans away from the comedy and into the bleakness of the situation.

Very much of film its time, it almost effortlessly evokes the financial difficulties of the 1970’s — the stagflation, the loss of faith in institutions and in people. It juxtaposes the enthusiasms of a child against the knowing fear of the grown-ups in his life.

The mother who has lost optimism for her own life, but lives for the joy of her son. The grandfather desperately trying to preserve the miraculous idealism of childhood in his only grandchild. The very adult hope that exists in the atrophy of faith permeates the landscape of both the bodily able and the bedridden.

All the music of the moment that Charlie finds his golden ticket means less without all of these things first.

I’ve got another confession to make (insert Foo Fighters joke here): I’ve never written about a playoff game.

San Antonio’s series against Denver took place during my rookie year at PTR, and I was (understandably) pretty far down the line of writers with seniority. My only postseason-adjacent bit of writing was back in 2022, when the Spurs made (and immediately flamed out of) the Play-in.

I’ve been waiting for this moment for a while now, like the rest of you. And after years writing in the postseason-less trenches, I can see that even I took it for granted. I am not old enough to remember the times before David Robinson arrived. I understand now, more than ever, what that 1999 title meant to Spurs fans.

I felt like one of those bedridden grandparents the year the Wemby was on the table, unwilling to engage with hope for fear of the alternative.

And then I felt like Grandpa Joe climbing out of bed when the lottery went San Antonio’s way.

Last night I felt like Charlie Bucket entering the factory. I’ve got a golden ticket. We all have a golden ticket. His name is Victor Wembanyama.

And I don’t know what’s going to happen in the factory, but I’m prepared to see wonder after wonder.

I can hear the music, and the melody is euphoric. I think we’ve all earned that.

Takeaways

• I have to admit, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper looked a little shaky in the first half. They combined for five turnovers, and the penetration and long-distance shooting just was not there. They picked it up in the 2nd half, but boy am I glad that none of us run San Antonio’s front office, because it was largely De’Aaron Fox steadying the ship, and he spent most of the game picking his spots carefully (yet aggressively), finding the open man, and feeding the rampaging monster that was Victor Wembanyama. I’m gonna go out on a limb here and recommend that we keep that guy around for a little while longer. He seems good at basketball.
• Having been one of those who covered the 2022 play-in game, I was 0% surprised to see Devin Vassell completely unshaken and rising to the moment from the onset of the game. It’s a detail that’s been a bit neglected since, but it was Vassell (not Dejounte Murray) who led the team in scoring (and pretty much every other way) in that contest, and he came in clutch on several occasions as the Trail Blazers did their level best to close the gap. The Spurs were able to keep them at arm’s length for most of the contest, but it would have been a very different game without Vassell doing yeoman’s work on both ends.
• Julian Champagnie continued his Danny Green impersonation so convincingly, that I’m starting to suspect a body-swapping scenario. The box score isn’t going to do justice to how often he helped keep the perimeter from collapsing against a Portland team that refused to give up the ghost and were looking to take advantage of any and every opening. Both of his threes were well-timed, but it’s always amusing to see teams really do their best to scheme him out of San Antonio’s offense because of how much they (justifiably) fear giving him an open shot. I don’t know how well they’re going to be able to keep that up, though, because he is just incredibly slippery off-ball, to the point that they lost track of him on a number of occasions. If Castle had been in a less jittery headspace, I’m reasonably certain he would have capitalized more on those lapses.
• Boy howdy did Luke Kornet look *healthy* last night. I recognize that Portland’s big-man rotation is less than stellar, but Kornet was almost as much trouble as Wemby on the defensive end, and he kept finding space to throw it down on the other end. With all of the collected youth, it’s easy to forget that San Antonio does have vets with title-winning experience, and Kornet did exactly what he was brought here to do against the Trail Blazers. If they get more of that version of Kornet, this is going to be a quick series.

Playing You Out – The Theme Song of the Evening:

Best of You by Foo Fighters

Bucks GM Jon Horst, along with team owners Wes Edens and Jimmy Haslam, met with former Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins in Memphis early last week to discuss Milwaukee’s head coach opening, registering “serious interest,” per Eric Nehm and Sam Amick of The Athletic. This follows former coach Doc Rivers’ resignation from the Bucks post just hours after their regular-season finale, and early indications that Jenkins was a top candidate for the job. Nehm and Amick contend that Jenkins is also currently the top candidate in the coaching market.

Neither side discussed contract figures, but the two parties discussed the team’s future, which hangs in the balance as the Bucks navigate a tricky offseason and figure out what to do with a valuable lottery pick, with Jenkins at the helm. Jenkins was linked to the Wizards (who stated last week they would keep Brian Keefe next season) and the Magic (who don’t have a vacancy yet) previously, so the Bucks have been the most aggressive in wooing him. But Nehm and Amick said, “it remains unclear whether he will prioritize the Bucks’ opening or remain patient as other vacancies emerge.” The two sides are expected to convene again and continue talks.

Jenkins, who boasts a 250-214 record across six seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, made the playoffs four times and advanced as far as the conference semifinals in 2022, where they lost to the eventual champions, the Golden State Warriors. He was abruptly fired towards the end of the 2024–25 season despite locking up a playoff berth and leading the Grizzlies to 44 wins with just nine games left in the regular season. That tenure came directly after spending the 2018–19 season with Milwaukee as one of Mike Budenholzer’s assistants.

Jenkins’ fit with the Bucks makes sense. His teams are known for high-paced offenses with deep rotations. This playstyle could mesh with guards like Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. He’s young for a coach (41 years old), but he has sufficient playoff experience contending with Memphis. He focused extensively on player development while with the Grizzlies, and the results are there: under his guidance, Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Santi Aldama, GG Jackson, and more became key pieces of Memphis’ rotation. He could do the same for a youthful, growing Bucks core.

However, it’s unlikely Jenkins will be the only coach pursued by Bucks brass. Darvin Ham is familiar with the Bucks’ culture, and some think he could be promoted, though the Pelicans (and possibly Magic) could pursue him. New Orleans’ interim coach, James Borrego, remains in consideration for their permanent job and has been linked to Milwaukee. Speculative candidate Tom Thibodeau, fired by the Knicks last spring after pushing them to their first Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years, is still on the market and has the most impressive resume. Another speculative name—and beloved former Buck—is Sam Cassell, an assistant under Joe Mazzulla’s Celtics, who may want to make the jump to a head coaching role.

The Knicks (1-0) will be back in action when they host the Hawks (0-1) in Game Two of the Eastern Conference first-round series. Thanks to a strong start by Jalen Brunson, a stronger finish by Karl-Anthony Towns, and dominating the glass, the Knicks (mostly) cruised to victory on Saturday, 113-102. Tonight, we’ll see how coach Quin Snyder and the speedy, sharp-shooting Hawks adjust in their second try.

Tip-off is 8:00 pm EST on NBC. This is your game thread. This is Peachtree Hoops. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Keep the vibes positive. And go Knicks!

The Golden State Warriors are staring face-to-face with arguably their most fascinating offseason in over a decade. Fresh off just their second losing season in the last 14 years — which ended with an uncompetitive play-in tournament loss at the hands of the Phoenix Suns — the Warriors have a lot of questions entering the summer.

They still have the face of the franchise in Steph Curry, but one of his Hall of Fame running mates (Jimmy Butler III) will miss the first half of the upcoming season with an ACL injury, while the other (Draymond Green) has a player option for the upcoming season. They have a roster that needs, at best, some retooling, and at worst, some rebuilding.

And they have an all-time great coach who may or may not be returning.

The Warriors are waiting to learn what Steve Kerr’s future will be, but that’s where the leadership questions mostly end. According to a report from ESPN’s Anthony Slater and Ramona Shelburne, general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. signed an extension a few months ago, and is now under contract for multiple years. So in a summer of uncertainty, the Dubs know who is going to be calling the shots, and making the decisions.

According to Slater and Shelburne, “There’s an internal belief that Dunleavy has drafted well, and despite a no-nonsense and at times harsher approach than his predecessor, Bob Myers, he has gained the trust and ear of the figures that matter,” while adding that Curry, Kerr, Green, Butler, and owner Joe Lacob have all spoken well of the former Duke star, who spent 15 years playing in the NBA, including parts of his first five seasons with the Warriors. Dunleavy has not commented on the extension, as he stated he would postpone his exit interview until Kerr makes a decision about his coaching future.

Dunleavy joined the Warriors before the 2018-19 season as a scout and, less than a year later, was promoted to assistant general manager. He became vice president of basketball operations preceding the 2021-22 season, and in June 2023 was promoted to general manager after Bob Myers stepped away. During his time, Dunleavy has overseen, among other things, trades for Butler, Chris Paul, and Kristaps Porziņģis, a contract extension for Kerr, and the drafting of Brandin Podziemski, Quinten Post, and Will Richard.

It’s no surprise that the Warriors extended Dunleavy. Despite the disappointing seasons, he’s done well with what he’s had to work with. And critically, he works well with others in the building.

The roster remains in flux. The coach’s status is up in the air. But the top of the front office, at least, is secure.

When the doors opened after Lakers practice on Monday, injured stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were nearby as their teammates took some final shots after the session.

Doncic, who is back with the team after traveling to Spain to receive treatment for his Grade 2 left hamstring strain, sat out the Lakers' Game 1 win over the Houston Rockets. He also won't play in Game 2 on Tuesday, but he remained his usual joyful and playoff self after practice, his infectious personality providing a good vibe during a tense time for the team.

But even without Doncic and Reaves, the Lakers still had an “elevated” two days of practice as they prepared to face the Rockets with or without All-Star Kevin Durant at Crypto.com Arena.

Read more:Luke Kennard provides a jolt of Luka magic, helping the Lakers beat the Rockets

Doncic, who sustained his injury against Oklahoma City on April 2, hadn't been with the Lakers during their final five games of the regular season. Having him back around the team provided the Lakers with a big boost ahead of Game 1.

“It’s amazing. I think people don’t know how much impact Luka has, not only on the court, but off the court,” Rui Hachimura said. “He’s a guy that always wants to be around. ... We love him just being around, just hanging out, talking. So, yeah, we’re happy that he’s back finally and he’s doing funny things always. ... We missed him for sure.”

Hachimura was asked about the funny things Doncic did during practice.

“Just messing around with the coaches and the players and just the normal things you guys see on the camera, probably,” Hachimura said. “It’s just a normal thing for him.”

The Lakers weren’t messing around during the film sessions or practices.

They were focused on the task ahead, knowing the Rockets don’t want to go down 0-2 in the series.

"Well, every day requires something different,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “Yesterday required an elevated recovery day. Today required an elevated focus. It was a longer film session. A decent amount of teach [and] talk on the court beyond just the practice session. Tomorrow is going to require an elevated sense of desperation on our part because they're going to come in with that."

Durant didn’t play in the first game because of a right knee injury and has been called a game-time decision, Rockets coach Ime Udoka told reporters after practice.

Whatever the case is, the Lakers are expecting a tough game against the Rockets.

“Yeah, I mean, it's the playoffs. Every team's got to play desperate,” Jaxson Hayes said. “I mean, if you lose, you go home. So, if you're not playing desperate, then why are you here at the end of the day? But, yeah, I mean, we played against teams like this all year. I mean, obviously, they're a very aggressive, very fast-playing, big, long team, and so we just got to make sure we take care of the ball like we didn't do in Game 1 and just get rebounds and just stay locked in.”

With Doncic and Reaves (Grade 2 left oblique muscle strain) out, the Lakers needed other players to fill that void.

Read more:Plaschke: Can Lakers steal series? Anything is possible after Game 1 win

Hachimura did his part in Game 1, and it went beyond his 14 points. He was efficient from the field, going six for 10. He was good on defense, collecting three steals and two blocked shots in 42 minutes.

“It’s the playoffs. You have to make every play matter,” he said. “Every position matters. So, I was trying to make plays and not only offense, but on the defensive side. And rebound, and all that. So, that’s what I was doing.”

During Game 1, Doncic offered advice and encouragement to his teammates from the bench.

But his recent conversations with Hayes have been focused, in part, on what comes after the season.

Doncic has talked to Hayes about playing for the Slovenian national team and the big center has interest.

“Um, we got my Slovenian passport. That's all he's been telling me,” Hayes said. “Now he's been saying, ‘My Slovenian brother,’ every time.”

Hayes laughed, and then was asked if he really did receive a Slovenian passport.

“Yeah,” he said, “it really came through.”

There was a moment during Game 1 when Doncic was playing around with Hachimura, hitting him on the head. But Hachimura didn’t recall it happening.

“Hmm? I don’t remember,” Hachimura said. “He always does that stuff. I probably don’t even think about it. I’m used to it, probably. I don’t remember that.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Your Atlanta Hawks (0-1) look to bounce back and take control of the series against the Knicks tonight.

Jock Landale (ankle sprain) has been ruled out.

Starting lineup:

• G CJ McCollum
• G Nickeil Alexander-Walker
• F Dyson Daniels
• F Jalen Johnson
• C Onyeka Okongwu

Please join in the comments below as you follow along.

Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen

Location: Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, New York, NY

Start Time: 8:00 PM EDT

TV: N/A

Radio: Sports Radio 92.9 the Game (WZGC-FM)

Streaming: Peacock, Sling TV

Multi-year Connecticut starter Solo Ball Jr. will miss the entirety of the 2026-27 season to recover from a wrist injury he played through in 2025-26, the school announced Monday, April 19. He'll take a medical redshirt to return to action in 2027-28.

"Solo is a true husky and a champion that would do anything to be out on the court," UConn coach Dan Hurley said in the announcement. "This guy has shown throughout his career what a warrior he is. Solo is going to use the season the get his wrist fully healthy and then come back next year as one of the best guards in America while cementing his legacy as an all-time great at UConn."

The 6-foot-4 junior averaged 12.8 points per game last season while starting all 39 games he appeared in, although his shooting numbers took a hit, likely due to the injury. He shot 41.4% from 3-point range as a sophomore on 6.8 attempts per game, but that measure dropped to 30% on 6.6 attempts per game last season.

The rising senior has 84 starts in his career, and scored in double figures in UConn's final four NCAA Tournament games despite the injury. While he played in UConn's national championship loss to Michigan, his status for the game was in doubt due to "some type of foot sprain," Hurley said.

Thankfully for the Huskies, they return a pair of backcourt starters in Braylon Mullins and Silas Demary Jr., and added a pair of likely starters via the transfer portal in former Duke forward Nikolas Khamenia and former Seton Hall center Najai Hines. Ball, however, would've been the longest-tenured Huskie in the rotation next season with Alex Karaban out of eligibility.

Ball was a second-team All-Big East selection in 2024-25 after leading the team averaging 14.4 points per game. He scored a career-high 26 points against Butler last season.

Solo Ball Jr. stats

Here are Ball's season-by-season per-game averages in college:

• 2023-24 (freshman): 3.3 points with one rebound and 0.3 assists per game (38.5% shooting)
• 2024-25 (sophomore): 14.4 points with 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game (43.9% shooting)
• 2025-26 (junior): 12.8 points with three rebounds and 1.5 assists per game (39.2% shooting)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Solo Ball to miss 2026-27 season for UConn basketball with wrist injury