Twenty-two times, the Celtics and 76ers have tipped off a playoff series with Boston owning a 15-7 lead. Their 23rd meeting started with a 123-91 blowout in Game 1 of this year’s first round series with the Jays combining for 51 points and 10 assists.

If there was any doubt that Jayson Tatum wasn’t ready for the postseason after a 16-game regular season runway, his performance in the series opener silenced any doubters. Just a year shy of his Achilles tear, Tatum finished with another near triple-double of 25-11-7. He looked springy on defense and like a charging bull on his drives.

And as for this year’s MVP candidate, Jaylen Brown fulfilled his role as lead scorer with 26 on 11-of-21 shooting. He started off slow before halftime, hitting just 4-of-12, but when the 76ers threatened a comeback to open the third, Brown scored on 7-of-9 from the field for 26 points to put Philadelphia away.

The Celtics have been littered with x-factors all season. This afternoon, with a healthy roster and no one on the injury report, it was the entire team that had their moments in the blowout win. Mazzulla had trimmed the rotation to eight towards the end of the season, but with the bigs in foul trouble in the first half and the game in hand by the start of the fourth, Boston went twelve deep and everybody had their moments: a floater and block from Baylor Scheierman; Luka Garza with a putback and triple; Jordan Walsh contributed a Maxey shift and a leak out dunk; Sam Hauser hit 4-of-6 from 3.

Ultimately, the Celtics bench outscored Philly’s 37-27, led by Payton Pritchard’s 12 and six assists.

As we previewed here at CelticsBlog, containing Tyrese Maxey was going to be a priority for Boston and for the most part, they kept the All-Star point guard in check. Maxey managed to lead the 76ers in scoring with 21 points, but on an inefficient 8-of-20 with just five trips to the free throw line and three turnovers.

Creating turnovers hasn’t been a strength for the Celtics, but in Game 1, they forced fourteen that generated 22 points. Conversely, Boston had just eight givewaways from 3.

Game 2 is on Tuesday at TD Garden with a 7 pm tip-off.

Yeah, I don’t know what I expected.

The Sixers got crushed 123-91 in Game 1 by the Boston Celtics Sunday afternoon, falling down 1-0 in the series.

Tyrese Maxey was unable to pull a rabbit out of the hat, leading the Sixers with 21 points shooting 8-of-20 from the floor along with eight assists. Paul George put up 17 points on 4-of-8 shooting along with four rebounds, one assist and two turnovers.

VJ Edgecombe had his moments in his first playoff game, going for 13 points shooting 6-of-16 from the floor with three rebounds and three assists. Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 26.

Joel Embiid (appendectomy surgery recovery) was the only player unable to suit up due to injury.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

• The Sixers came out chucking — their first three shots of the game were all from behind the arc, but only one of those fell and it was banked off the glass. Adem Bona got the start at center but got a very quick hook after picking up two fouls with a turnover in the process. The Sixers were also able to draw two quick fouls on Neemias Queta though once Maxey and George were able to find space to drive.
• It would take just about flawless basketball to get a win and that’s not how the Sixers came out. George had two rough turnovers while Andre Drummond committed a bad loose ball foul after a rare stop. The Celtics ripped off a 14-2 run to get out to a comfortable lead. Nick Nurse opted to go small with Dominick Barlow at the five when Drummond picked up his second, the only positive being the moving screen wasn’t absurdly upgraded to a flagrant.
• All of this was secondary though to the Sixers inability to score. Maxey did as good of a job as he could being asked to make something magical happen off the dribble every possession. It took nine minutes of game time for someone other than Maxey or George score, and 10 minutes for a different Sixer to make a field goal. Jayson Tatum made a couple of baskets then found Jordan Walsh in transition to give the Celtics a 15-point lead after one.

Second Quarter

• George made a quick four free throws out of five. Justin Edwards ended the three-point drought and followed that up with an and-1. He couldn’t convert that free throw and the Sixers still couldn’t make much progress. Drummond checked back in, but with Luka Garza drawing him out to the perimeter, the Sixers had no interior presence.
• The frustration for Philly culminated in Drummond getting T’d up as the Celtics pushed their lead to 20. The struggles at center continued as Bona missed two putback bunnies in a row at point-blank range. Not only could they not buy a jumper to fall but they kept leaving points on the table at the line with Kelly Oubre Jr. becoming the latest Sixer unable to convert an and-1. The Sixers shot 12-of-18 from the line in the half.
• Forget flawless play, the Sixers just weren’t able to get out of their own way. Edgecombe converted a rare and-1 then the Sixers retained possession their next trip down the floor with the ball going off the Celtics. They immediately turned the ball over trying to throw an inbounds pass from the baseline to half court. A small positive is that Edgecombe got a couple floaters to go in the quarter after a very quiet start. He nailed a turnaround to pull the Sixers within 18 at the half.

Third Quarter

• The Sixers finally got a couple bounces to go their way with a couple of baskets followed by an unsuccessful Celtics challenge. A missed layup from Oubre led to Boston being able to respond, but the Sixers were able to get those points back and prevent another run.

• Another poorly-timed turnover helped the Celtics snatch momentum right back. They had gotten a stop down 15 and Maxey was leaking out ahead of the defense. Drummond’s outlet pass didn’t have enough on it and Brown intercepted it. Two Boston threes later and the reeling Sixers called a timeout. They missed two midrange looks coming out of the timeout while Brown and Tatum each got an easy basket at the rim to cap off a 10-0 run.
• A good example of execution being the difference was the offensive rebounding numbers vs. second-chance points. The Sixers pulled more down through three quarters, having 11 offensive rebounds to just four for Boston, but second-chance points were in Boston’s favor 12-10. Each one of those points felt back breaking with the Sixers fighting tooth and nail for every basket. They trailed by 24 going into the fourth.

Fourth Quarter

• Quentin Grimes taking and making his first two shots of the game didn’t stop the Celtics from taking their first 30-point lead of the night. The amount of wide open layups the Sixers missed was staggering as Barlow became the latest to do so. To this point in the game they were shooting 55% at the rim, which Cleaning the Glass puts in the 12th percentile across the league.
• It didn’t take very long into the quarter for the white flag to be raised. Both teams shut down their stars, with Trendon Watford and Dalen Terry checking in for the first time. Edwards made the best case for minutes in this series as the only bench player to hit shots, and even he finished this game 3-of-9 from the field. The Celtics fans mocked the “We want Boston” chants towards the end of the game to put the cherry on this crap sundae.

One of the biggest questions entering the Lakers-Rockets first-round playoff series was how the Luka Doncic- and Austin Reaves-less Lakers would generate quality offense against the Rockets’ defense that ranked sixth during the regular season.

But for at least one night, the Lakers flipped the script on the Kevin Durant-less Rockets with suffocating defense en route to a 107-98 victory in Game 1 on Saturday to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. 

The Lakers limited the Rockets to 37.6% shooting from the field, the worst opponent shooting percentage against the Lakers in the playoffs since April 28, 2023, when the Grizzlies shot 30.2% in Game 6 of the 2023 first-round series. 

The Rockets shot 40% on 2-pointers in Game 1, which was just the third time this season between the regular season and playoffs that Houston shot 40% or worse on 2s.

“We did a good job of contesting those 6- to 8-foot shots without fouling,” coach JJ Redick said. “Using our length. [Deandre Ayton] Jaxson [Hayes], [LeBron James], Rui [Hachimura], [Jarred Vanderbilt], all those guys, Jake [LaRavia].”

The Lakers’ defensive success started with limiting Alperen Sengun, the Rockets’ All-Star center and second-leading scorer behind Durant, who became the focal point after Durant’s absence due to injury was announced 90 minutes before tipoff.

“I don’t think it affected our mentality,” Redick said. “This is all we’ve talked about for two months: Our playoff mentality; you can’t worry about who’s in or out of the lineup. It’s our game plan, it’s our standards, it’s how we play. And we’ve built toward that. Our guys just responded well and met the moment.”

Sengun, who averaged 20.4 points on 51.9% shooting and a career-high 6.2 assists during the regular season, had 19 points and six assists in Game 1. He shot 31.6% (6 of 19) from the field against the Lakers.

At the center of the off night from Sengun, and the Lakers’ defensive success, was Ayton, their starting big man who not only had a 19-point, 11-rebound double-double but was also the primary defender on Sengun.

Ayton matched Sengun’s physicality, contributing to Sengun shooting 4 of 11 from the field when he was Sengun’s primary defender. 

pic.twitter.com/KHDN8eBqmw

— Khobi (@kapbball) April 19, 2026

He consistently beat Sengun to his spots, absorbed contact and contested Sengun’s attempts inside the 2-point arc.  

“Just getting a contest is super important,” Redick said. 

Ayton also had strong moments as a defender in drop coverage, using his 7-foot, 252-pound frame to make passing lanes or shot opportunities more challenging to take advantage of, and as a switch defender, especially in the second half against Reed Sheppard.

Sheppard, who had 17 points on 6-of-20 shooting to go with eight assists in Game 1, shot 0-for-3 from the field when Ayton was his primary defender.

pic.twitter.com/IvWeK1p3OX

— Khobi (@kapbball) April 19, 2026

And with Ayton on the floor, the Lakers closed out defensive possessions better, which was especially important against a Rockets team that led the league in offensive rebounding the previous two regular seasons and grabbed 21 offensive boards for 23 second-chance points Saturday. 

The Lakers had a 67.4% defensive rebounding rate with Ayton on the floor, which was still a poor mark, compared with a 36.8% defensive rebounding percentage when Ayton wasn’t on the court — meaning the Rockets grabbed an offensive rebound on two-thirds of their misses when Ayton was on the bench.

“He was great on both ends,” Redick said of Ayton. “Again, we’re at our best when he’s playing at a high level.”

But defending Sengun wasn’t a one-player job.

Hayes also limited Sengun to 1-of-6 shooting when he was the primary defender.

The Lakers had success with their greens against Sengun — overloading the strong side of the floor to deter a post-up. Two of his three turnovers came after the Lakers deployed the defensive coverage on Sengun’s post-ups. 

pic.twitter.com/ayazdo5ymv

— Khobi (@kapbball) April 19, 2026

“They [did] the same thing they did during the season: They flooded, forcing me baseline and bring help from the baseline,” Sengun said. “I just got to find the open shot. I got to be more aggressive and attack quicker.”

Sengun added: “I didn’t want to play much post-up because they were flooding. I like the elbow actions. They can’t do that from there. I just got to make those shots. If I make those shots, nothing would’ve worked.”

Sengun had success against the Lakers’ greens as the game progressed, and he was more patient with his decision-making on post-ups. 

“He understands, and we understand, they’re going to flood,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “And we need to be a little more patient with that. Two of his three early turnovers were kind of rushing it. Just gotta invite that, face up and survey. Don’t go away from being a facilitator in the post.

“At times, guys get discouraged if they take away a certain thing, and that can be beneficial for us. We don’t want as much isolation on the perimeter, where they’re loaded up. Invite the doubles like we have all year. What we drill behind it, we should get decent shots out of it as long as we don’t turn it over.” 

The Lakers’ frontcourt wasn’t alone in its high-level defensive performance. 

Four of the Rockets’ top-four scorers (Sengun, Sheppard, Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr.) shot worse than 40% from the floor. 

 “We had a thing out there with togetherness,” Ayton said. “And we just stayed as a unit on the defensive end.”

LOS ANGELES – Saturday’s Game 1 between the Lakers and Rockets saw the Crypto.com Arena crowd will the purple and gold to victory behind the unlikeliest of leading men.

​Midway through the fourth with LA leading by 12, the Lakers ran an action to get their lead guard his fifth three of the night and put the nail in Houston’s coffin.

No, it wasn’t Luka Dončić or Austin Reaves, the high-scoring duo originally expected to lead LA in postseason scoring. ​With both stars still out, Luke Kennard stepped up huge, putting up a playoff career high of 27 points on 5-5 shooting from the 3-point line.

​It started early for the Duke product playing in the 29th playoff game of his career. A sign of utmost respect, the Rockets attached arguably their best perimeter defender, Amen Thompson, to Kennard.

LA used multiple screens and actions to shake him free from the first-team All-Defense opponent. Watch below as he comes off an ATO, curling around a Deandre Ayton screen with Thompson in chase mode.

Known for his 3-point shooting, the 59% mid range shooter collects his first two points. A couple possessions later, he curls off another screen in the middle of the floor and drives with a pretty off-hand hook shot that softly banks in. He finished the first quarter with 12 points on 5-6 shooting.

A major question entering the series was how the Lakers’ guards would handle the on-ball pressure Houston presents, especially in lineups without LeBron James.

Even while committing three turnovers, Kennard provided much-needed shot creation and showed off his underrated handle. Watch below as he snake dribbles off the screen and hits a pull-up over Alperen Şengün in drop coverage.

He stayed aggressive, not only taking threes but seeking them, including one over Thompson’s contest shown below.

“I just liked that he was aggressive shooting threes,” head coach J.J. Redick said postgame. “He played a fantastic basketball game…he just played really aggressive tonight.”

​While the Lakers can’t expect 27 points every night, they will need this level of assertiveness every game of the series to contend. He’s become a primary option and the gravity of his movement is a vital cog in the Lakers’ opening up shots for others.

​It’s not a large sample size, but once Luka and Reaves went down, LA quickly moved Kennard up the hierarchy. The two-man game with LeBron has blossomed all season and continued Saturday as they surgically hunted mismatches of big man Şengün and young guard Reed Shepherd.

Kennard’s usage on the Lakers before the injuries was just 12.8%. In the final five games of the season, it jumped to 19%. On Saturday, it was a steady 20.2% as one of the main go-to scorers and facilitators.

The Rockets will likely make adjustments going forward, adding more aggressive coverages and mixing up defensive rotations. The Lakers reps have been building towards this moment, and he took full advantage of the opportunity, looking prepared to continue doing so.

“Honestly, I feel like those games leading up to right now, I developed a rhythm kind of playing in that role,” Kennard said post-game. “It gave me confidence going into the playoffs of doing more and being controlled, poised, and looking for my shot when I can. So tonight, there was no difference. Shots went in.

“Again, it’s just having that mentality of getting everybody organized when I can and then looking for the best shot available and just being aggressive.”

You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu

Steph Curry tells touching story of surprising Jimmy Butler by wearing his shoes originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jimmy Butler usually is the one doing the surprising.

Remember when the six-time NBA All-Star broke out “Emo Jimmy” for the Miami Heat’s Media Day in 2023 or launched his own coffee brand in the “bubble” in 2020?

Well, it was his Warriors teammate, the one and only Steph Curry, who got Butler this time. Back when the sharpshooter entered his own sneaker free agency and had the entire league wondering what kicks he’d be rocking on any given night, Curry stunned Butler when wearing a pair from his signature line with Li-Ning during a game.

“I think the first time I wore, you know, a shoe other than my own in an actual game, which was the [Li-Ning Jimmy Butler JB4 “Dark Knight”],” Curry said on his YouTube channel when asked about which pair of sneakers he wore that surprised people the most. “Those, even my own teammates, nobody knew I was actually going to wear another shoe outside of mine until literally right when we went to the starting lineups, and we were in the circle.”

“We do like this little dance, and everybody’s getting hype, and then (ex-Golden State fan favorite Buddy Hield) pointed down and is like, ‘Oh, look at–,’ and then Jimmy looked down; he lost his mind because he didn’t even know, because everybody’s kind of in their own mode, getting ready for the game. I’ll remember that moment for the rest of my life, just because it was kind of from a teammate-to-teammate perspective of being able to show love.

Butler had no idea that Curry was rocking his very own kicks during an actual 2025-26 NBA regular-season game for the world to see.

And, while Curry might be partnering with Sotheby’s to admirably auction off his sneaker free agency collection for his own EAT. LEARN. PLAY. Foundation, the four-time NBA champion will be able to cherish the memories from his past season’s shoe game for the rest of time.

“The fact that I made it all the way to tip off and he had no clue I was rocking his shoes,” Curry said, “those types of moments are always fun because you create a memory out of nothing.”

Jimmy Buckets truly had no clue — and Curry will keep the moment with him forever.

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Game 1.

2025-26 NBA award finalists: See the full list of MVP, DPOY, more originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

With the NBA playoffs in full swing, next up is who will win the key awards for the season.

For Defensive Player of the Year, San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is viewed as the favorite, while Most Improved Player, among other awards, are tougher to call.

Wembanyama will also be in the running for MVP, alongside previous winners in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic.

Rookie of the Year involves No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, but there’s another strong candidate who may rival him for it.

Here’s the full list of each performance award and the respective finalists, which were revealed on NBC and Peacock:

CLUTCH PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Anthony Edwards, G, Minnesota Timberwolves
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G, Oklahoma City Thunder
• Jamal Murray, G, Denver Nuggets

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

• Nickeil Alexander-Walker, G, Atlanta Hawks
• Deni Avdija, F, Portland Trail Blazers
• Jalen Duren, C, Detroit Pistons

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Chet Holmgren, C, Oklahoma City Thunder
• Ausar Thompson, G/F, Detroit Pistons
• Victor Wembanyama, C, San Antonio Spurs

SIXTHMAN OF THE YEAR

• Tim Hardaway Jr., G, Denver Nuggets
• Keldon Johnson, G/F, San Antonio Spurs
• Jaime Jaquez Jr., G/F, Miami Heat

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G, Oklahoma City Thunder
• Nikola Jokic, C, Denver Nuggets
• Victor Wembanyama, C, San Antonio Spurs

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

• VJ Edgecombe, G, Philadelphia 76ers
• Cooper Flagg, F, Dallas Mavericks
• Kon Knueppel, F, Charlotte Hornets

COACH OF THE YEAR

• J.B. Bickerstaff, Detroit Pistons
• Mitch Johnson, San Antonio Spurs
• Joe Mazzulla, Boston Celtics

2025-26 NBA award finalists: See the full list of MVP, DPOY, more originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

With the NBA playoffs in full swing, next up is who will win the key awards for the season.

For Defensive Player of the Year, San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is viewed as the favorite, while Most Improved Player, among other awards, are tougher to call.

Wembanyama will also be in the running for MVP, alongside previous winners in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic.

Rookie of the Year involves No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, but there’s another strong candidate who may rival him for it.

Here’s the full list of each performance award and the respective finalists, which were revealed on NBC and Peacock:

CLUTCH PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Anthony Edwards, G, Minnesota Timberwolves
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G, Oklahoma City Thunder
• Jamal Murray, G, Denver Nuggets

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

• Nickeil Alexander-Walker, G, Atlanta Hawks
• Deni Avdija, F, Portland Trail Blazers
• Jalen Duren, C, Detroit Pistons

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Chet Holmgren, C, Oklahoma City Thunder
• Ausar Thompson, G/F, Detroit Pistons
• Victor Wembanyama, C, San Antonio Spurs

SIXTHMAN OF THE YEAR

• Tim Hardaway Jr., G, Denver Nuggets
• Keldon Johnson, G/F, San Antonio Spurs
• Jaime Jaquez Jr., G/F, Miami Heat

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G, Oklahoma City Thunder
• Nikola Jokic, C, Denver Nuggets
• Victor Wembanyama, C, San Antonio Spurs

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

• VJ Edgecombe, G, Philadelphia 76ers
• Cooper Flagg, F, Dallas Mavericks
• Kon Knueppel, F, Charlotte Hornets

COACH OF THE YEAR

• J.B. Bickerstaff, Detroit Pistons
• Mitch Johnson, San Antonio Spurs
• Joe Mazzulla, Boston Celtics

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Sunday brings another slate of playoff openers in the NBA, with some of the biggest young stars in the league seeing action tonight.

That includes both Paolo Banchero and Victor Wembanyama, both of whom I’m picking to have big games for their teams in my NBA player prop picks for tonight.

Keep reading to see my favorite NBA picks from Sunday, April 19.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Paolo Banchero	Over 33.5 points + rebounds + assists	-115
Victor Wembanyama	Over 11.5 rebounds	-130
De'Aaron Fox	Over 1.5 made threes	-120

Prop #1: Paolo Banchero Over 33.5 points + rebounds + assists

-115 at bet365

The Orlando Magic needed to win on Friday to finally clinch their playoff spot, doing so in style with a 121-90 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. Paolo Banchero was at the heart of that victory, scoring 25 points and putting up 36 total PRA.

That’s nothing unusual for the Magic star, who averaged 35.8 PRA for the season and surpassed his total for tonight’s game in four of his last five regular-season games, including a 31-point, 37 PRA performance against the Detroit Pistons earlier this month.

Orlando will need more performances like that to have a chance in this series. I expect the Magic to lean heavily on Banchero, making him an excellent choice to hit his PRA total tonight and throughout the series.

• Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBC

Prop #2: Victor Wembanyama Over 11.5 rebounds

-130 at bet365

Victor Wembanyama put together perhaps his most complete season this year, playing 71 games and continuing to dominate defensively. Wembanyama averaged career highs of 25 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, all while the San Antonio Spurs have carefully limited his minutes, letting him play just under 30 per night.

We won’t see those kinds of restrictions or careful usage in the playoffs. Wemby finished the regular season strong on the boards, collecting 13+ rebounds in seven of his last eight.

There’s no reason to expect anything less from the 22-year-old now that the Spurs are pushing to make a deep playoff run, and I love Wembanyama’s rebounding Over tonight.

• Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBC

Prop #3: De'Aaron Fox Over 1.5 made threes

-120 at bet365

De’Aaron Fox has been an important complementary piece for the Spurs this year, averaging 18.6 PPG on 48.6% shooting. That includes solid shooting from deep, hitting 33.2% of his threes for the season.

We saw Fox shoot more freely from deep in the final few games of the season, hitting 2+ from beyond the arc in each of his last three games.

And with the Portland Trail Blazers certain to focus on preventing Wembanyama from singlehandedly beating them, that should make it easier for Fox to get open and to fire away from deep. With his made threes total at a modest 1.5, I like the Over.

• Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBC

These props are available now at bet365, one of our best betting sites.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Ranking the eight NBA first-round playoff matchups: Celtics-76ers highlight originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

It’s the best time of the NBA season.

After 82 long games, it’s time for the even more grueling grind of the postseason. Sixteen more wins are required to hoist the championship.

The cream will rise to the top, while others may get exposed in a setting where every weakness and every margin matter.

So, which of the eight battles in the first round will be the one to relish the most? Let’s rank them from least to most entertaining:

8. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns

Oklahoma City is the No. 1 seed after winning the championship last season. Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder should easily handle a Phoenix team with Devin Booker running the show. Booker’s main supporting cast is Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green. Not good enough. They could steal one game with hot shooting, but the Thunder should cruise to the second round, health willing.

7. New York Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks

This postseason is a significant part of the Knicks‘ current timeline. Jalen Brunson needs to lead the team to at least the conference finals, but Karl-Anthony Towns has to quell his previous defensive miscues if New York is to take the next step. Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart will need to have the odd hot game every now and then, too. Combine all of that and they should also get past Atlanta with little worries, as the Hawks really only have Jalen Johnson and C.J. McCollum as their main on-the-ball threats. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is also facing a defining run amid a career year, while Jonathan Kuminga will need to offer more consistency if an unlikely upset transpires.

6. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors

Neither of these teams are expected to win the championship, but it’ll be interesting to see if James Harden can add more that Darius Garland couldn’t, especially if the top ranking on the list spices things up. Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have been here before, but the latter two and their relatively inexperienced supporting cast will need to step up. Toronto is led by the trio of Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes, but that’s not the right balance to move the needle in the postseason.

5. Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

This matchup and Cleveland-Toronto could be swapped, but ultimately the star quality of Nikola Jokic and Anthony Edwards provided the edge. Jokic and Jamal Murray have to do a lot of heavy lifting to win the championship, but they should be enough to take down Edwards, who likely will struggle alongside Julius Randle as his main scoring threat.

4. San Antonio Spurs vs. Portland Trail Blazers

Here it gets a little more intriguing. San Antonio is back in the playoff setting where it thrived under Gregg Popovich, and this time Victor Wembanyama is involved. With De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell and more balanced profiles, the Spurs are rightfully in the contending mix. The playoff inexperience might be a hurdle, but the conference finals should be the minimum. If they get OKC, anything can happen. Portland is also new blood after a while, with Deni Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe, Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday the key figures. The Blazers need this experience for their trajectory, so it’ll be interesting to see how they fare.

3. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets

Injuries are the main concern in this matchup, but if players come back in time then the intensity and quality will increase. Kevin Durant missed Game 1 for Houston in its loss to Los Angeles, while LeBron James turned back the clock without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Whoever triumphs may just come down to health, but Houston looked rough on offense without Durant. That bodes well for point guard LeBron, who received major help from Luke Kennard. Regardless, Durant vs. LeBron in 2026 can still attract hype.

2. Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers

Joel Embiid has previously said this matchup isn’t a rivalry. To paraphrase safely, the Celtics tend to rout the 76ers. That was the case in Game 1, but adding Embiid back into the frame could swing a few games for Philly. Boston will still be favored overall given Jayson Tatum’s return and the Eastern Conference being weaker, but Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe and Paul George can supply key help that Embiid hasn’t always had. Plus, who doesn’t love when these two cities face off?

1. Detroit Pistons vs. Orlando Magic

But the top spot goes to Detroit and Orlando. In a matchup that should be a throwback to the league’s past, the Pistons have soared to the top seed with Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren leading the way. However, with Tobias and Duncan Robinson being the next two key scorers, there is a risk of Detroit being upset here. Orlando will need to be at its best, which hasn’t always been the case as it hung on to the No. 8 seed. Still, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, Anthony Black and Co. won’t get a better chance to raise their trajectory than here. Let the battle commence.

Ranking the eight NBA first-round playoff matchups: Celtics-76ers highlight originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

It’s the best time of the NBA season.

After 82 long games, it’s time for the even more grueling grind of the postseason. Sixteen more wins are required to hoist the championship.

The cream will rise to the top, while others may get exposed in a setting where every weakness and every margin matter.

So, which of the eight battles in the first round will be the one to relish the most? Let’s rank them from least to most entertaining:

8. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns

Oklahoma City is the No. 1 seed after winning the championship last season. Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder should easily handle a Phoenix team with Devin Booker running the show. Booker’s main supporting cast is Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green. Not good enough. They could steal one game with hot shooting, but the Thunder should cruise to the second round, health willing.

7. New York Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks

This postseason is a significant part of the Knicks‘ current timeline. Jalen Brunson needs to lead the team to at least the conference finals, but Karl-Anthony Towns has to quell his previous defensive miscues if New York is to take the next step. Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart will need to have the odd hot game every now and then, too. Combine all of that and they should also get past Atlanta with little worries, as the Hawks really only have Jalen Johnson and C.J. McCollum as their main on-the-ball threats. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is also facing a defining run amid a career year, while Jonathan Kuminga will need to offer more consistency if an unlikely upset transpires.

6. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors

Neither of these teams are expected to win the championship, but it’ll be interesting to see if James Harden can add more that Darius Garland couldn’t, especially if the top ranking on the list spices things up. Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have been here before, but the latter two and their relatively inexperienced supporting cast will need to step up. Toronto is led by the trio of Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes, but that’s not the right balance to move the needle in the postseason.

5. Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

This matchup and Cleveland-Toronto could be swapped, but ultimately the star quality of Nikola Jokic and Anthony Edwards provided the edge. Jokic and Jamal Murray have to do a lot of heavy lifting to win the championship, but they should be enough to take down Edwards, who likely will struggle alongside Julius Randle as his main scoring threat.

4. San Antonio Spurs vs. Portland Trail Blazers

Here it gets a little more intriguing. San Antonio is back in the playoff setting where it thrived under Gregg Popovich, and this time Victor Wembanyama is involved. With De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell and more balanced profiles, the Spurs are rightfully in the contending mix. The playoff inexperience might be a hurdle, but the conference finals should be the minimum. If they get OKC, anything can happen. Portland is also new blood after a while, with Deni Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe, Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday the key figures. The Blazers need this experience for their trajectory, so it’ll be interesting to see how they fare.

3. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets

Injuries are the main concern in this matchup, but if players come back in time then the intensity and quality will increase. Kevin Durant missed Game 1 for Houston in its loss to Los Angeles, while LeBron James turned back the clock without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Whoever triumphs may just come down to health, but Houston looked rough on offense without Durant. That bodes well for point guard LeBron, who received major help from Luke Kennard. Regardless, Durant vs. LeBron in 2026 can still attract hype.

2. Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers

Joel Embiid has previously said this matchup isn’t a rivalry. To paraphrase safely, the Celtics tend to rout the 76ers. That was the case in Game 1, but adding Embiid back into the frame could swing a few games for Philly. Boston will still be favored overall given Jayson Tatum’s return and the Eastern Conference being weaker, but Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe and Paul George can supply key help that Embiid hasn’t always had. Plus, who doesn’t love when these two cities face off?

1. Detroit Pistons vs. Orlando Magic

But the top spot goes to Detroit and Orlando. In a matchup that should be a throwback to the league’s past, the Pistons have soared to the top seed with Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren leading the way. However, with Tobias and Duncan Robinson being the next two key scorers, there is a risk of Detroit being upset here. Orlando will need to be at its best, which hasn’t always been the case as it hung on to the No. 8 seed. Still, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, Anthony Black and Co. won’t get a better chance to raise their trajectory than here. Let the battle commence.

If you ever doubted the Knicks…

…you better get outta here.

Only three first-round postgame Bulletins coming after this one. You know the reason. Knicks in four.

Mike Brown

On the team’s sacrifice and depth:
“We feel like the team is deep and anybody can get going at any time. For us, it’s about sacrificing and not worrying about shots, minutes or anything like that. Just try to go do what you can to help the team win.”

On Brunson’s Game 1 start:
“It’s big. He stepped up to the plate like he should have done, and he hit some big shots for us early to help us get out front.”

On cleaning up transition defense:
“Transition — they shook free in the first half and the way we chart it, they had 18 fast break points. We talked about it at halftime and we did a little better job in the second half.”

On defending Atlanta’s small-small pick-and-roll:
“We did a nice job in the second half with our transition defense. Their small-small pick and roll also is a problem, and our guys did a pretty good job of defending that the right way in the second half.”

On handling Atlanta’s Hack-A-Mitch:
“We’ll see how the game goes, and we’ll leave him in until we think we need to make a sub. And whenever we feel like we need to make a sub, we will. But we’re gonna give him a chance.”

On using the bonus to counter fouling:
“If they wanna start fouling, then that would get us closer to the bonus. So it’s a time for us to go back to him.”

On OG Anunoby’s impact:
“OG hit some big shots.”

On preaching sacrifice and Brunson’s command:
“We have capable guys. We feel like this team is deep, and anybody can get going at any time. For us, it’s about sacrifice and not worrying about shots or minutes or anything. [Jalen] was good defensively; he was good commanding a double-team. It’s something we’re going to face the entire playoff, and we have to make sure we continue to be on point about it.”

On Towns’ second-half surge:
“The ball went in for him in the second half.”

On playing through Towns early:
“In the first half, he facilitated a lot. We played through him. He made some great passes for some easy buckets, and so we’re just trying to mix it up for him.”

Jordan Clarkson

On Mike Brown’s coaching:
“Intense, smart, challenges us as players. Makes some really good adjustments. His communication throughout the year has been really good with us. From meetings, talking to us, finding out what we see, doing different things (based on player feedback). He’s done an amazing job.”

On Brunson’s breakout in Utah:
“It wasn’t like he wasn’t on the scouting report, but I don’t think us as a team thought he was going to perform the way that he did. It was like his coming-out party. He was just busting our ass, for real.”

On OG Anunoby’s ankle and spiritual healing:
“We need OG out here, so we’re gonna make it happen. He came over to the bench and asked me if I could do (the spiritual healing) for his ankle; then he sat over there for a second, came back in the game and finished the game. Like I said, we need him on the floor so whatever I gotta do to keep it going… sprinkle a little magic on him.”

Karl-Anthony Towns

On facilitating early in Game 1:
“I wanted to make sure get them going early and facilitate.”

On reading Atlanta’s game plan:
“I wanted to know — they had a week of practice — to see what their game plan was. Seeing the pressure, when you’ve got someone like [Brunson] and the amazing teammates we’ve got, I wanted to make sure to get them going early.”

On team trust:
“We’ve got an amazing team that, not only our starting five, but everyone on the team could impact winning and can go out there and do an amazing job. So, just us continuing to trust each other and us going out there as a team and winning as a team is the most important thing.”

On his father returning to the Garden:
“To have someone who I would say is the most important person in my life, it’s really awesome to be able to have him back in Madison Square Garden supporting me. I feel like any son out there who plays basketball or plays any sport, you get to see your father there at your competition, you always have a sense of pride, and you want to make him proud.”

Jalen Brunson

On the Game 1 win:
“It was a hard-fought win. It was physical. It was a grind-it-out game.”

On fighting through highs and lows:
“It’s really important, you never know what’s going to happen. There’s going to be highs and lows of a season, highs and lows of a game, and to be able to fight through and still find a way to impact, is very important for us, especially this point of the season.”

On growing chemistry with Towns:
“The longer we’re on the court together, our chemistry’s better. I think we’ve grown as teammates, grown as friends.”

On moving past the McCollum incident:
“It wasn’t purposeful, so we move forward.”

Miles McBride

On the second-half defense:
“I feel like they were getting out and they were winning a space battle (in the first half), getting open, getting to their spots and I feel like in the second half, we really cut that off. We made catches difficult, and we got to loose balls.”

On the need for steady defensive consistency:
“Every single night. It’s nonnegotiable; we have to bring it every single night and be locked in.”

OG Anunoby

On his ankle:
“It’s OK. I just rolled it; it just happened.”

On his performance:
“I think I played good. I could always be better.”

On improving for Game 2:
“Everything.”

Quin Snyder

On the Towns matchup:
“That’s a challenge for us right now. It’s a little bit of pick your poison, you know? How do you handle him on the post with a mismatch? Do you just guard him? How do you handle pick and roll? How do you handle him and Brunson on pick a roll? I think for us to be prepared for all those situations, you can adjust every time down the court. Obviously, we will be doing that. That’s no secret. That’s what, you know, great offensive players demand.”

On Atlanta’s center depth:
“We picked up Tony Bradley [who was on] our G-league team last year. Mo Gueye has been playing the five, which hasn’t been his primary position this year and then obviously spent time guarding [KAT]. So hopefully we can do a better job guarding him than we have. There’s times where it’s good defense, better offense. One of the biggest things is we’ve got to keep him off the foul line. There’s some ways that he scored against us I think are real. Trying to focus on that and make him do something different. I say that he can do a lot of things that are different, so we’ll just lock in, try to make it work.”

On Towns’ rebounding and pick-and-roll:
“He’s always just been a gifted scorer. I think the thing that maybe gets overlooked a little bit at times is his rebounding. That’s another layer to it, because even when you feel like you’ve impacted him and he doesn’t score, he’s on the glass. The situations that he’s in [in New York] are a little different, especially the pick and roll with Brunson. That’s a layer that it’s hard to deal with when you have two players that are that gifted individually and then, when they’re connected as well, it presents more problems.”

On guarding Towns on the perimeter:
“Like any player in the league, they get better as they’re in the league, but I think having him in trail as much as he is and the range that he has, those closeout situations — if they’re long, you think you’re on them and then you realize they’re seven feet tall, you’re not. Then you think you’ve done a good job at that, and he makes a quick read and jabs, shot fakes and goes around you. So do your best. But I think he’s gotten better.”

On not manipulating playoff seeding to face the Knicks:
“That was completely bogus — our focus was totally on us coming into [the season finale]. If we were fortunate enough to be playing in the playoffs, I think that was the goal for us, and then to be healthy. We had lost Jock a short time prior to that, too. The focus for us was on our health. There was no easy matchup, and we weren’t concerned about that as much as we were ourselves.”

CJ McCollum

On the technical and Brunson’s reaction:
“I shot a jumper, and Jalen thought we were at a Broadway show. He acted it out until they reviewed it. It’s a normal jump shot. Nothing there. Unnecessary, and I look forward to getting my $2,500 [fine] back.”

Danny Green

On the Knicks’ late-season form dooming them:
“Simply because the fact that the Knicks this year, especially late in the season, they looked very up-and-down. They looked like they were disconnected. The chemistry wasn’t there.”

On rumblings of a players-Brown clash:
“There are rumblings about some guys don’t like Mike Brown or work with the coaches. There are rumblings that some guys are feeling they’re not getting touches or there’s over usage of Jalen Brunson. That seems to me like a team that could self-implode.”

On giving Boston the edge:
“Originally at the beginning of the year, I had the Knicks. The Knicks probably had the highest expectation, the most pressure on them. They made it to the Eastern Conference finals last year. Indiana dropped out with injuries. Boston had dropped down with injuries but came back, and they’ve been playing well even without Jayson Tatum for most of the year. Detroit is good. They’re just young and inexperienced. That’s why I couldn’t give the edge to Detroit. Boston and New York have to face each other in that second round at some point. The winner of that matchup is the one that’s going to get to the Finals. Right now, I’m giving the edge to Boston, even though the Knicks have played well against Boston.”

LeBron James, during his illustrious NBA career, has played in more than 1,900 games. He’s said the craziest thing probably happened in his latest one – in which the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets, 107-98, in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series Saturday, April 18.

In the second quarter, James shared the court with his son Bronny for four minutes. It’s the first time a father and son have played together in an NBA playoff game.

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Victor Wembanyama can build upon his already impressive legacy, but the San Antonio Spurs must first come through against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Game 1 goes tonight, and we're looking at how prediction markets like Kalshi expect this clash to go.

It's a complement to our Trail Blazers vs. Spurs predictions, offering you more data as you finalize your NBA picks on Sunday, April 19.

Who will win Trail Blazers vs Spurs Game 1?

Trail Blazers win probability:17% (+488)
Spurs win probability:84% (-525)

Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs are major favorites to win both the series and Game 1 at home. It would be a major upset if the Portland Trail Blazers pulled off a win tonight.

Our prediction:Spurs to win

Not only does our NBA expert expect the Spurs to follow through on their favorite status in Game 1, but he doesn't think San Antonio loses any in the series. "The San Antonio Spurs should focus on wrapping up this series quickly if they dream of a long postseason run. The specter of the Denver Nuggets in the second round, or even the Minnesota Timberwolves, should worry the Spurs enough to emphasize rest and recovery before the second round."

Read more in Douglas Farmer's full Trail Blazers vs. Spurs predictions.

More Trail Blazers vs Spurs prediction markets

You're certainly not limited to the main game outcome for Trail Blazers vs. Spurs at Kalshi; you also have options to trade on the spread, total, and more, among other NBA odds markets.

You can buy either side of a market — for example, "Yes" on the Spurs -11.5 spread means the Spurs will cover, while "No" means the Trail Blazers will cover — with each side priced based on the implied probability (which can be converted to American, Decimal, or Fraction odds using the Covers odds converter).

Trail Blazers vs Spurs spread and total at prediction markets

Our predictions:Trail Blazers +11.5 — Yes and Over 221.5 points — No

The Trail Blazers can slow the pace in this matchup to remain at least somewhat competitive. Assuming they're successful, that will help keep the overall score suppressed.

Other Trail Blazers vs Spurs prediction markets available

• Dylan Harper 10+ points (Yes: 46¢)
• De'Aaron Fox 20+ points (Yes: 41¢)
• Victor Wembanyama 30+ points (Yes: 45¢)

What is Kalshi and how does it work?

Kalshi is a federally regulated U.S. exchange where you trade directly on the outcome of real-world future events. Instead of traditional bets, you trade "Event Contracts" which are simple Yes/No questions like "Will the Spurs win tonight?" These events are priced between $0.01 and $0.99, and the prices reflect the market’s estimated probability of that event occurring. For instance, $0.55 equals a 55% chance. If your prediction is correct, the contract pays out exactly $1.00; if not, it settles at $0. Kalshi is essentially a stock market for reality.

How does Kalshi differ from sportsbooks?

In a sportsbook, you bet against the bookmaker, who sets fixed odds and takes a "vig," which is a kind of commission. On Kalshi, you trade against other users. This peer-to-peer model means prices are driven by supply and demand, often resulting in fairer odds. Additionally, because these are financial derivatives, you can exit your position early. If your team takes a 14-point lead, the contract price will rise, allowing you to sell your "Yes" shares for a profit before the final whistle even blows.

Why should I wager on Trail Blazers vs Spurs at Kalshi?

Kalshi offers four unique advantages over traditional sportsbooks:

1. Flexibility: Unlike a "locked-in" bet, you can sell your contract at any time.
   
   
2. Transparency: You trade against other users, which can allow you to find better value.
   
   
3. Federal regulation: As a CFTC-regulated exchange, your funds are held in a secure, transparent environment.
   
   
4. Availability: Kalshi is available in 49 states (excluding Nevada) and D.C., including many regions where traditional sportsbooks aren't yet legal.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.