Game 1 showed why this was the most anticipated first-round series. It was physical. It was intense. And these teams do not like each other, meeting in the playoffs for the third time in four years.
Minnesota showed resilience — a 21-8 run in the fourth quarter, capped off by an Ayo Dosunmu 3-pointer, made it a two-point game with 6:23 remaining.
Then Denver showed a closing kick — exactly what you expect of a former champion looking to add to its ring collection.
After that Dosunmu 3, Jokic scored 7 of his 25 on the night — to go with 13 rebounds and 11 assists — and he got some help from teammates.
Denver pulled away for the 116-105 win at home to take a 1-0 lead in the most anticipated series of the first round. Game 2 is Monday night at 10:30 ET on NBC and Peacock.
Jamal Murray led all scorers with 30 points, going 16-of-16 from the free throw line and carrying the offensive load in the first half. It is exactly what makes the Nuggets a title contender, the Jokic/Murray combination. Denver also got 17 points and eight rebounds from Aaron Gordon, who reminded anyone who forgot how critical he is to this team on both ends of the court.
The Nuggets' defense, which was an unimpressive 21st in the league in the regular season, showed up on Saturday and held the Timberwolves to a 104 offensive rating (12 below its season average).
Anthony Edwards, coming off a knee issue that sidelined him at the end of the season, was clearly limited. He finished with 22 points on 7-of-19 shooting, with nine rebounds and seven assists, but he started the game 4-of-12 and was not moving well. At the same time, Julius Randle was off his game. Julius Randle started the game 3-of-11 and could not find his rhythm, finishing with 16 points (on 16 shot attempts). The best Minnesota player of the night was Rudy Gobert, who finished with 17 points on 8-of-9 shooting, and he did a respectable job on Jokic when the big men were matched up.
It was a fittingly even first half in a series that is expected to be close. Minnesota took the first quarter by 10 behind a strong first 12 minutes from Jaden McDaniels (10 points). Denver took the second quarter by 10 behind a big quarter from Jamal Murray, who scored 14 in the frame. It was a largely even half with Minnesota getting buckets in the paint (28 in the first 24 minutes) and Denver getting to the line 21 times, led by
Denver pulled away in the middle of the third with a 17-2 run, in part due to a four-minute drought by the Timberwolves. The Timberwolves were getting frustrated, as evidenced by Jaden McDaniels shoving Jokic in the back and picking up a technical for no good reason. By the end of a quarter in which the Timberwolves shot 6-of-24, they were lucky to be down only a dozen, 91-79, entering the fourth.
Minnesota instantly responded with a 17-6 run, and Rudy Gobert's return was key. It was a game.
Until the Nuggets looked like champs again down the stretch.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets looks on during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Toyota Center on March 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After two brutal injury blows to end the season, the Lakers are on the other end of the pendulum this time.
Prior to Saturday’s Game 1 against the Rockets, Houston head coach Ime Udoka said Kevin Durant would be out for the contest. KD had been listed as questionable with a right knee contusion, an injury he suffered after bumping knees with a teammate in practice on Wednesday.
For now, it’s unclear how serious an injury this is for Durant. Considering KD played in 78 games this season, it has to be a pretty serious injury to keep him out for this contest. Udoka said the hope is that he’s only out for a single contest.
Ime Udoka said the hope is Kevin Durant is only out for one game.
In his absence, Reed Sheppard will start for the Rockets. That changes the dynamic of the starting lineups, but also gives the Lakers a clear player to target on the other end, a LeBron James specialty.
Ime Udoka said Reed Sheppard will enter the starting lineup in the absence of Durant, alongside Josh Okogie, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith and Alperen Sengun.
The Lakers will still have an uphill battle for the Lakers, but the steepness of that hill has come down significantly. Houston was 4-0 without Durant this season, but the wins were against Phoenix, Golden State, Indiana and Memphis.
Without Durant, the Rockets lose the centerpiece of their offense and a lot more pressure and attention shifts to players like Alperen Şengün and Amen Thompson. On the season, KD averaged 26 points on 52% shooting from the field and 41.3% from three. His usage rate of 27.1% was highest on the team among rotation players.
LA still has a job to do and still needs to execute at a high level to come away with a win on Saturday. But, again, this allows them more avenues and pathways to success.
If they’re able to grab Game 1 of this series and turn the pressure up on the Rockets, a team seemingly looking for reasons to quit on one another, then things could suddenly change and the vibe of this series might change entirely.
Apr 14, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (4) celebrates a three pointer against the Portland Trail Blazers in the second half during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
In the biggest game of the season, Jalen Green gave you the version you dream on, the one that makes all the volatility feel worth riding out.
It has been a ride this year, hasn’t it? He arrived with the Phoenix Suns in the Kevin Durant deal with a reputation that felt equal parts promise and chaos, durable, inconsistent, and explosive. He’s the kind of player who can swing a game in either direction depending on the night. On Friday against the Golden State Warriors, it all tilted in the right direction. 36 points, 14-of-20 from the field, 8-of-14 from deep, in a performance that felt like it kept climbing every time you looked up.
JALEN GREEN CARRIES THE SUNS TO THE PLAYOFFS‼️
• Back-to-back 35+ point games 🔥 • 36 PTS and 8 threes to eliminate the Warriors 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/yy5cY9lDxu
This is the blueprint. Teams load up on Devin Booker, they send bodies at him and crowd his space, and they dare someone else to step into the moment. The Warriors did it. The Portland Trail Blazers did it. Against the Oklahoma City Thunder, you can already see it coming. Make Jalen Green beat you.
On Friday night, he looked at that challenge and leaned into it. Four Loko went loco, launching those off-balance, leaning, fading threes that make you wince on release and laugh when they splash. And for the second straight game, they dropped. That is the Jalen Green experience. He is going to take those shots. Every time. Some nights it looks like superstardom unfolding in real time. Other nights it can get sideways quick, with possessions drifting, rhythm disappearing, and frustration creeping in.
Right now, it is the good version. The one you want and the one the Suns needed. His play-in run was absurd, averaging 35.5 points per game on 57/48/83 splits. The question now shifts to what this looks like against the Oklahoma City Thunder, because the airspace he enjoyed in the Play-In is about to disappear.
He was living comfortably against the Golden State Warriors and the Portland Trail Blazers, and the numbers back it up. On 49 shot attempts, 21 came with the nearest defender 4+ feet away. That’s 43% of his shots coming in what feels like a gym workout. That led to rhythm shooting. That is catch, rise, fire, and jog back on defense while the crowd is still reacting.
That geometry is about to change.
Against Oklahoma City, every dribble is crowded, every catch has a body attached to it, and every move is met with length and intent. Devin Booker and Jalen Green are walking into a defense that takes pride in suffocating the point of attack, one that forces you into decisions you do not want to make and then punishes you for making them. You look up and it is Lu Dort, then Cason Wallace, then Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sliding into help, then Alex Caruso lurking like a problem you did not account for. It keeps coming. It does not let up.
Clean looks will be rare. Easy rhythm will be rare. Space will feel like a luxury. If Booker and Green find a way to produce anyway, it is going to say a lot, because not many teams crack that code, especially on the perimeter where Oklahoma City builds its identity.
And yet, the takeaway from the Play-In does not change. Green is ready and willing to take the shot. He does not shrink from the moment; he leans into it, even when it veers into chaos. There are times it can work against him, the shot selection can drift, the balance can disappear, and you are left riding the result possession by possession. But he keeps stepping into it. He keeps asking for it.
Over these last two games, it has been the version you want. Confident. Aggressive. Unbothered by the noise. And it adds something real to the Phoenix Suns’ offense. He brings a layer that nobody else on the roster replicates. It’s a kind of pressure that bends a defense in a different way, into a different rhythm, with a different kind of threat. You saw flashes of it all season through the injuries, through the inconsistency, through the uneven stretches.
This was the full version. A stellar performance, a strong Play-In run, and now a much tougher test waiting on the other side.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 10: Jordan Walsh #27 of the Boston Celtics handles the ball during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on April 10, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
BOSTON — This could be Jordan Walsh’s moment, the moment that Brad Stevens envisioned when he drafted a 19-year-old propspet out of Arkansas in 2023. Back then, Walsh was long, athletic defender that the Celtics hoped could eventually mold into someone who could lock down some of the NBA’s best offensive talents.
Walsh never really had a chance to crack the rotation in his the first two years as a Celtic. But, when the Celtics face the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the playoffs on Sunday, he very well could be a critical part of the defensive gameplan, and be given the chance to guard star Tyrese Maxey, one of the league’s most unstoppable scorers.
For the Celtics, the first round of the playoffs marks the beginning of a postseason run they hope will result in a title.
For Walsh, it’s also the first time ever that he’ll be presented with the opportunit to play real postseason minutes, on the heels of the best season of his career.
“I knew he had no prayer on the first team,” Stevens said in Deecember, reflecting on the overflow of talent that the 2023-2024 Celtics title team had. “The team was really good, and last year’s team was basically the first team. And so it was going to be hard to crack that one, too.”
But, the 2025-2026 team was different: Jayson Tatum was sidelined to begin the year, and veteran players like Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis were no longer ont he roster.
What that created was an opportunity — one that all of the younger guys on the roster would go after.
This could be a chance for Jordan Walsh to show what he was capable of, for the very first time.
But, from the jump, it appeared that his season was headed in the wrong direction. Walsh was out of the rotation entirely to begin the year, already behind 19-year-old rookie Hugo Gonzalez and other young wings on the roster.
Still, he continued to work behind the scenes, and broke through in November, ultimately starting 20 straight games for the Celtics.
In that span, Walsh not only showcased that he was an elite defender — earning high praise from opposing team’s stars like Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves — but he also broke through offensively, averaged a career-best 9.5 points on 69.6% shooting in December.
And, that stretch very well may have revived his career. That’s what Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla told him, at least.
“I got a comment from Joe one time: ‘Your career, you were dead in the water. And now you’re back alive.’”
At the time, Walsh didn’t know what to make of that: “I just went and asked a bunch of people – what does he mean by this? You don’t know how to take this, but it was kind of funny.”
Joe Mazzulla told Jordan Walsh early this season 'your career, you were dead in the water and now you're back alive.'
What he did know, is that he was alive. The team went 15-5 with Walsh as a starter, and he earned national acclaim for his defense. The very same player that seemed to be at the bottom of the pecking order was now impacting winning on a nightly basis.
“I proved that I can play at a high level,” Walsh told me months later, reflecting on that November through December run.
But, the on-court success didn’t last forever. In January, Walsh moved back to the bench and began to fall out of the rotation. Sam Hauser and Baylor Scheierman both earned more minutes at the wing position.
By March, with Jayson Tatum back in the lineup, Walsh began racking up DNPs.
“It’s kind of tough. The thing a lot of people don’t really know about the NBA, or don’t really pay attention to, is navigating those highs and lows,” he said Saturday. “It’s so hard; one day, you have your name going crazy and everywhere, everybody’s talking about it and how good you’re doing, and the next day, it’d be silent and [you] have nothing, and you’re just kind of on the bench.”
But, Jordan Walsh pushed through inconsistent minutes
During his stretch of DNPs, Walsh kept his head up, though he didn’t know if he’d ever re-enter the mix this season. He sought out advice from Jaylen Brown, one of his biggest mentors and closest friends on the team. And, he made sure not to change his work behind the scenes — ensuring he was the last to leave practice, and someone who worked tirelessly to improve his game.
I caught up with Walsh on March 24th, and he emphasized that his approach hadn’t changed despite his on-court opportunities wavering.
“It’s kind of just doing my best in the role that I am in now, and that’s just supporting the guys, showing up to practice, being the last one to leave,” Walsh said. “Like, all that stuff is so cool to me.”
A week later, Walsh re-entered the rotation, and he never looked back. Over his last 10 games, he has averaged 21.4 minutes per night.
Walsh very well could play a pivotal role in the Celtics series against the 76ers, because he, more than any of the Celtics’ slew of defensive specialists, had success guarding Maxey this season. Walsh managed to effectively guard Maxey — who averaged 28.3 points and 6.6 assists — in Boston’s regular-season match-ups against Philadelphia.
Across two contests, Walsh held Maxey to 1 of 10 shooting in 7 minutes, according to NBA tracking data.
“Just taking away tendencies and then knowing the small things that get under his skin,” Walsh said of his defensive approach. “But I think the biggest thing is, like I’ve been saying all year, not letting the guy do what they want to do. Make them go to their second option, their third option, their second move, stuff like that. Like, if he wants to go right and do a step-back, just don’t let him do that — make him do something else. And then usually we’ll live with the end result.”
Walsh will continue to do everything he can to make Maxey uncomfortable in the match-up; he said he’s been discussing with Jaylen Brown ways to get under Maxey’s skin.
“There’s a couple things that I learned with talking to [Brown],” Walsh said. “He’s kind of taken point in that and showing me the film behind the film that we don’t see.”
It’ll technically be Walsh’s third playoff run, but it’s the first one in which he has a legitimate chance to impact the rotation. It hit him on Friday, when some of the younger players on the roster began discussing their plans for offseason workouts.
“We were just working out , and we were talking about people going to summer lifts and doing scrimmages before games and practices and stuff like that,” Walsh said. “[And it was like] ‘Jordan, that’s not you. You’re not doing that this year.’ I was like, ‘Dang, time’s flying. But it’s cool to see because now, Hugo [Gonzalez] and John [Tonje] and Max [Shulga] are all doing the things that we were doing my rookie year.”
On Sunday afternoon, when the Celtics host the 76ers for Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs, Jordan Walsh will get his much-awaited chance.
“It’s cool to see time fly, and see me kind of progress to where it is now,” Walsh said, “to where it’s, like, I got to be prepared to play.”
Dec 21, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) blocks a shot by Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
With the Spurs facing the Portland Trail Blazers for the next week or two, I felt it was time to dust off one of my favorite running series, Fraternizing with the Enemy. So I reached out to Dave Deckard, head honcho of the excellent site Blazers Edge, to catch up and prepare for the upcoming series with some good-natured banter and analysis.
J.R.
My friend! It’s been too long, and I take all of the blame. Not because I’m being magnanimous, but because I know it’s all my fault. But how shall I begin? I guess it would be better to ask how we should recommence? After all, it’s been since January of 2021 that we’ve done one of these. Makes me feel a more than a little bit nostalgic. Perhaps the simplest way forward is to dispense with the pleasantries, but I really do enjoy being pleasant. It’s been one of the hallmarks of our 15 years of conversing with each other.
I saw a stat that in three of the four previous times our two teams have met in the playoffs, the winner went on to The Finals. In 1990, your team won and then went down to the Bad Boy Pistons, and in 1999 and 2014, the Spurs went on to win it all after surviving your team. It makes this series feel consequential, or at least less like a first round matchup.
I’ll admit that when I watch Deni Avdija play, I see shades of my favorite player from the Big Three era, Manu Ginobili: a versatile wing with size who can score as well as create, is impossible to keep out of the paint, and who draw fouls as if by magic. I was watching the play-in game against Phoenix and one of the Suns had the misfortune to graze Avdija’s hair with his hand and Deni shivered his body in a way that communicated “serious contact has occurred” in ref-speak at a speed that was practically preternatural. Highly impressive.
So, how do you see Avdija attacking San Antonio?
Dave
Well, well! If it isn’t the Spurs Guy! Long time! How was your day? Did you trip over a curb and fall into a pile of gold doubloons? Are you blowing your nose with the winning Powerball ticket? Did you hire a drunk monkey to smash a computer keyboard only to watch him accidentally hack the Bitcoin blockchain? How IS life as a San Antonio fan?
J.R.
I guess if Wemby is doubloons and Castle is a Powerball ticket then Harper is the blockchain hack. It’s not exactly trading a generational superstar in his prime to L.A. and getting the top pick to draft Flagg, but I could see how it could be frustrating to some outside of San Antonio. How is life as a Portland fan?
Dave
Middling. I mean, making the playoffs is nice, but the team is still directionless and waiting to see the priorities of a new owner we know nothing about. We’re at the point where two wins versus the Spurs would be seen as success. That’s better than trolling the lottery (since nobody walks and balks us to third-and-a-half base courtesy of repeated ping pong ball fortunes) but it’s not a great spot in absolute terms.
So here’s the thing. Say what you want about and during the series. Call San Antonio a better team. That’s obvious. I agree wholeheartedly. But I don’t ever want to hear anything about Spurs Exceptionalism again. We are clearly not facing a 60-win, second seeded team because you made better decisions, hired the right coach, or have some mystical culture. When you weren’t getting high picks you struggled just like everyone else. We are going to get mown under by you because you drafted Wemby and Harper in succession…something I suggested the NBA enact rules against YEARS ago
I don’t mind that you have Wembanyama! Enjoy! But Dylan broke me. Do not expect me to applaud anything that happens to you, including championships, from here on out. This is prefabricated success, right out of a jar. Anything else is watching a huge thunderstorm roll through, then turning on your sprinkler and claiming YOU watered the lawn. And then saying you’re way better gardeners than those desert dwellers.
Don’t worry, in four years everyone will have forgotten this and calling you brilliant AGAIN. But I’m going to Cassandra of Troy this into the ground. You’re literally an example of one of the ways this league is broken. I don’t begrudge you the celebrations you’ll have because of it. I’d celebrate too! But as an onlooker normally and an opponent for the next two weeks, I have very mixed feelings about this whole thing.
That said, Deni Avdija loves to drive the middle with his right hand. He’s quick as anything and has succeeded all season, scoring and drawing fouls, but everybody knows what he does. Do you suppose the over/under on Wemby blocks in this series is one million or two million?
J.R.
I would expect you to have to hunt far and wide to be able to find any reasonable Spurs fans who would argue for the inherent rightness of the San Antonio Way after the team has tanked to the extent they tanked for as long as they tanked. In my mind, the good ship Spurs Exceptionalism has not only sailed, it hit a series of icebergs, plummeted to the bottom of the sea and punched a hole through the crust.
You could make the case, and I know I’ve heard it made pretty convincingly, that up until Leonard forced his way out of town, the Spurs were the one franchise who had done the team building thing the right way all along. The bumper sticker was “Built Not Bought” and I’m pretty sure there are a number of tattoos out there as well. But there’s no argument remaining in that direction now that the team has reloaded the way that they have.
No, there wasn’t anything inspirational about how this Spurs team came together, but that doesn’t mean you won’t hear people getting on their soap boxes to crow about how the team plays. There’s the subject of Ethical Basketball that’s been bandied about and harped upon to call out teams and players who hunt foul calls. So that might end up chafing some people a bit, but I think that kind of thing is more of a spectrum than anything like a binary, black and white kind of deal. Everybody sells contact to some extent. The only question is how much it’s done and whether it’s justified, which is just the kind of subjective topic that exists solely in the eye of the beholder.
As to Wemby’s blocks, I know Portland likes to take a ton of shots around the basket, and I know that the Spurs defense is at its best when Victor can stay in the paint by switching to “guarding” whichever opponent is the closest to lane. So unless the Blazers can develop an extreme tactic that regularly tempts him away from protecting the rim, Wemby will camp out by the basket as much as he can. Whether that means he’s able to get a bunch of blocks is an open question though, because oftentimes he finds it difficult to swat any shots because guys just decide not to test him.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to stretch the Spurs on defense. The postseason is where regular season trends can vanish as fouls become hard to come by. Coaches can bring some serious heat when they see the same team over and over again, and Tiago Splitter lived in the Spurs system long enough to know it inside and out. Where do you see Portland trying to create an advantage against this young San Antonio team?
Dave
Portland will probably shoot a metric ton of threes. That’s in their portfolio already (the attempts, not the makes). Three-pointers are game-benders. The Blazers need these games to be bent because San Antonio wins if they go straight as planned.
Let’s get real. There are no advantages to be created. Everything Portland relies on, the Spurs have a counter for. What the Spurs don’t do well on defense the Blazers aren’t built to take advantage of. There’s literally no edge for Portland. There’s only keep it close, within a couple possessions, and go for the hot ending. The Blazers are usually good at that, unless in the process they have to inbounds the ball in a crucial situation. Then they suck like a giant, rabid squid with a pacifier.
One area of contrast is that the Spurs commit and force few turnovers, the frantic Blazers many. If they can get San Antonio playing messy, that’s to their advantage even if they lose as many TO’s as they force.
Offensive rebounding could be another important battleground stat. The Spurs are very good at it, the Blazers great. Portland can’t let San Antonio take away their offensive boards or even match them rebound for rebound. San Antonio’s great defensive rebounding could be the factor that makes this series easy for them.
What’s your read?
J.R.
If I have a concern, it’s about the lineup Portland hardly used in the regular season because of injuries, but went to at the end of the play-in game in Phoenix: Avdija, Holiday, Sharpe, Grant and Camara. (h/t to Jason Timpf for the heads up.) This lineup is the essence of small sample size theatre because it only logged 96 minutes total during the season, but they absolutely had Phoenix for lunch down the stretch, and they tallied a 149 offensive rating this season.
It’s a stout, smallball unit (with shades of the Warriors Hamptons five) with lots of physicality and tons of defensive range. When San Antonio has the ball, they’d switch everything and try to turn the Spurs into a iso-only attack, which is what the teams that succeed against San Antonio have been able to do. On offense, they’d spread the floor and try to scheme Wemby into guarding someone like Camara above the break to make it difficult for him to recover to the basket to deny drivers.
It might be a longshot, and it would require Portland to keep it close for this unit to me in a position to close the game, but these five on the court together have a shot at doing to the Spurs what they did to the Suns and forcing San Antonio to do what they’d prefer not to have to: make Wemby, Fox or Castle to go 1×1 against excellent defenders in order to secure the win.
We’ll see what it looks like for real on Sunday evening. Can’t wait to watch and then discuss with you afterwards.
Fresh off a blowout win over the Charlotte Hornets, the Orlando Magic find themselves in a 1 vs. 8 matchup with the Detroit Pistons.
Unfortunately for Orlando, what’s been a breakout year for the Pistons will have Little Caesars Arena rocking on Sunday, and I expect Detroit to defend home court following a lengthy postseason drought.
Finishing the regular season with averages of 9.9 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game, and 3.1 assists per game, Ausar Thompson is already on pace to hit this combo Over as one of the Detroit Pistons’ key engines.
He’s gone past this number in five of his past eight contests — and, if anything, Thompson's minutes should climb in more meaningful games, with Detroit relying on his grit to combat an Orlando Magic team that can do damage on the glass.
With Thompson making an impact all over the box score, I expect the Pistons to have a clear edge. The Magic’s 19-21 road record doesn’t inspire much confidence in halting Detroit’s four-game home winning streak.
Cade Cunningham has looked steady since returning from a collapsed lung, and a double-double is my favorite Cade prop on the board. He’s had 10+ assists in eight of his last 12 contests, and I’m not worried about his scoring after a season where he averaged 23.9 ppg.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Orlando Magic survived the play-in gauntlet, but there are bigger battles ahead as they start their first-round series against the relentless Detroit Pistons.
Orlando is back in action less than 48 hours after clinching the No. 8 seed, and my Magic vs. Pistons predictions favor a fresher Detroit squad, led by Ausar Thompson, who’s built for do-it-all playoff performances.
Take a closer look at this series opener with my free NBA picks for Sunday, April 19.
Magic vs Pistons prediction
Magic vs Pistons best bet: Ausar Thompson Over 17.5 points + rebounds + assists (-105)
Ausar Thompson’s stock went up in the 2025 postseason after a feisty effort guarding Jalen Brunson, and he could hit new heights in these playoffs, especially in an opening matchup that plays to his strengths.
With averages of 9.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 3.1 APG this year, Thompson is already on pace to hit this combo Over as one of the Detroit Pistons’ key engines. He’s gone past this number in five of his past eight contests – and, if anything, his minutes should climb in more meaningful games, with Detroit relying on his grit to combat a Magic team that can do damage on the glass.
Thompson is capable of the occasional scoring outburst — he poured in 39 points across the last two games of last year’s series against the Knicks — and he finished this regular season with 10+ points in three of his final five games.
We’ve also seen more of the third-year wing in a playmaking role lately, and he’s dished 5+ dimes in five of his last eight outings. That could be a secret weapon for the hosts here if the Orlando Magic throw extra defenders at Cade Cunningham on the perimeter.
Thompson posted a 9-11-3 line against Orlando in March, and that feels repeatable in this clash. Don’t be surprised if he has his fingerprints all over Game 1.
Magic vs Pistons same-game parlay
With Thompson making an impact all over the box score, I expect the Pistons to have a clear edge. The Magic’s 19-21 road record doesn’t inspire much confidence that they can halt Detroit’s four-game home winning streak.
Cade Cunningham has looked steady since returning from a collapsed lung, and a double-double is my favorite Cade prop on the board. He’s had 10+ assists in eight of his last 12 contests, and I’m not worried about his scoring after a season where he averaged 23.9 PPG.
Magic vs Pistons SGP
Ausar Thompson Over 17.5 PRA
Pistons moneyline
Cade Cunningham double-double
Our "from downtown" SGP: Rock Fight!
Although this series could be a rock fight at times, that won’t bother defense-first ballplayers like Thompson and Jalen Suggs.
This SGP taps into their contributions at that end of the floor, with Suggs grabbing 17 boards across his last three games and Thompson recording 1+ blocks in six straight contests.
Magic vs Pistons SGP
Ausar Thompson Over 5.5 rebounds
Jalen Suggs Over 3.5 rebounds
Ausar Thompson Over 0.5 blocks
Pistons -8.5
Magic vs Pistons odds for Game 1
Spread: Magic +8.5 (-110) | Pistons -8.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Magic +300 | Pistons -380
Over/Under: Over 219.5 (-110) | Under 219.5 (-110)
Magic vs Pistons betting trend to know
The Magic were 7-14 SU as road underdogs during the regular season. Find more NBA betting trends for Magic vs. Pistons.
How to watch Magic vs Pistons Game 1
Location
Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Date
Sunday, April 19, 2026
Tip-off
6:30 p.m. ET
TV
NBC
Magic vs Pistons latest injuries
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The best NBA players showcase their skills and talent through an 82-game regular season, but the playoffs are where legacies are made – or tainted. The postseason is where performance determines who is the star of stars; who will rise to the occasion and who shrinks when the lights are brightest.
With 16 teams left competing for the coveted Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy to be crowned NBA champion, someone will ascend themselves above the rest during the biggest moments with everything on the line.
Here are the top 10 best players competing during the NBA Playoffs.
10. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
The Suns guard plays both sides of the ball, can score with the best of them, and don't sleep on his playmaking ability and willing to defer to the hot hand. You saw that in the Suns' play-in game for the No. 8 seed against the Golden State Warriors.
Booker averaged 26.1 points on 45.6% field-goal shooting, 33% from 3-point distance and 87% free throw shooting. He pulled in 3.9 rebounds and 6 assists per game.
9. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
Brunson has been the franchise leader the Knicks have been searching for. Brunson averaged 26 points on 46.7%/36.9%/84.1% shooting splits during the 2025-26 regular season.
He's deadly in the midrange and crafty at getting to the basket, but he will torch defenses with a step-back 3. Brunson led the Knicks to the No. 3 seed in the NBA playoffs as New York aims for its first NBA championship since 1973.
8. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
Donovan Mitchell hasn't been past the second round during his career, but after the addition of James Harden there's hope that could change this season.
Mitchell is a dynamic scorer that score at three levels: inside, midrange and from deep. He's a slasher that will finish an acrobatic layup but also he might punch one on your big man's head. Mitchell scored 32 points in a Game 1 win against the Toronto Raptors, and the Cavs will go as far as he leads them.
Mitchell averaged 27.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.5 steals. His shooting splits are 48.3% field goals, 36.4 3-point shooting and 86.5% from the charity stripe.
Brown has carried the Celtics for much of the regular season, leading them to the No. 2 seed in the playoffs with co-star Jayson Tatum sidelined for most of the year due to an Achilles injury he suffered in the 2025 NBA playoffs.
Brown led Boston to a 56-26 record, which is one of the reasons he's been considered a 2026 MVP candidate. He averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists, while shooting 47.7% on field goals. He also added a steal per game.
6. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Edwards is one of the best players in the league, and his star-like aura is reminiscent of the greatest the game's seen. But it's his game that backs up that nostalgia.
During the 2025-26 season, Edwards posted 28.8 points, five rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.8 blocks per game. His efficiency wasn't too shabby either, connecting on 48.9% field goals including 39.9% 3-pointers and 79.6% free throws. Edwards will look to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Denver Nuggets. Edwards led the Wolves to defeat the Nuggets in seven games during the 2024 playoffs. They hope to emulate that outcome.
Kevin Durant, although listed questionable for Game 1 against the Los Angeles Lakers, is expected to have a major impact in the Rockets first-round matchup. After 17 seasons, Durant is still one of the premier players in the postseason and his team will depend on him to be the player he's been since 2007.
Durant has averaged an efficient 26 points on 52% field goals, 41% 3-pointers and 87% free throws. He's added 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists. Defensively, he's just under a block and steal per game, at 0.9 and 0.8, respectively.
4. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
Yes, LeBron at 41 years old, and now the focal point of the offense with injuries to Doncic and Reaves keeping them out of the first round indefinitely, is still one of the best players in the NBA postseason. We have never seen a player be this good for this long. You have to honor and respect that aspect when making these lists. Not only that, James' numbers have showcased that when he's locked in, he remains one of the best players.
James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.6 blocks. Shooting-wise, he was 51.5% from the field, 31.7% from 3-point and 73.7% free throws. But don't focus so much on the 2025-26 season stats, as he had to share the floor, and ball, with Doncic and Reaves. James was relegated to the third scoring option to preserve these latter years of his career. Now he's back to the No. 1 option, it can be assumed the James of old – dominating the playoffs – is here again.
3. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Jokic averaged a triple-double during the 2025-26 season, posting 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game. Not only did he stuff that stat sheet, he did it in an efficient manner. Jokic's shooting splits were 56.9%/38%/83.1% during the regular season.
The reality is Jokic's supporting cast will have to show up in order for him to truly be a threat. The Joker is at his best when his passing is a threat, leaving players to forget that he can score with the best of them.
Wemby being so high is based on his dominant regular season. He controls the game on both sides of the ball, which makes him one of the best players in this postseason.
The Alien averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists. Defensively, he averaged a steal and three blocks per game. He gave a taste of his inside game and shooting capability by making 51.2% of his field goals, 34.9% of his 3-pointer and 82.7% of his free throws.
This is Wembanyama's first taste of the playoff experience in the NBA, but he will be just fine if plays anything like he did during the regular season, which garnered MVP whispers.
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Giving respect where its due is why SGA is the top player coming into the playoffs. The reigning league MVP, NBA champion and Finals MVP has led OKC to the best record in the league for a second consecutive season.
During the 2025-26 season, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists on 55.3% field goal shooting, 38.6% 3-pointers and 87.9% free throws. Although not recognized as a lockdown defender, Gilgeous-Alexander grabbed 1.4 steals and 0.8 blocks per game.
Honorable mentions
There's so much talent in the postseason, it wasn't easy to choose only 10 players. Some player rankings can be mixed-and-swapped for other players, while others are more concrete belonging in the top 10 recognition.
Here are honorable mentioned players that could be considered a top-10 player in the postseason:
James Harden, Cleveland Cavaliers
Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
De'Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
X-factors
In most cases, these players are one of the top three on their team, or just a huge spark and difference maker for their club. Don't sleep on these dudes. They can fill it up with the best of them and contend with any of the best players in the league. Consistency can be questioned, but the talent is a no-brainer. These players are the X-factors for their teams during the postseason.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 6: Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks drives to the basket during the game against the New York Knicks on April 6, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The New York Knicks enter the playoffs off a strong season that saw them finish as a top-five offense and top-ten defense. Now, with a championship in their sights, our heroes open their first-round series against a retooled Atlanta Hawks team that has benefited from breakout seasons by Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, veteran scoring from CJ McCollum, and a balanced, defensive-minded rotation. While Atlanta brings pace, shooting, and opportunism, New York’s edge lies in its physicality, rebounding, and late-game shot creation—especially in the hands of Captain Clutch.
Tip-off is 6:00 pm EST on Amazon Prime Video. This is your game thread. This is Peachtree Hoops. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Be cool and enjoy the ride. And go Knicks!
The thought of being back on this stage had Deandre Ayton’s blood boiling.
He quipped that he was ready to do backflips out of excitement because of what was ahead for him and the Lakers.
That’s how much Ayton is relishing the opportunity to be a part of the NBA playoffs again, with the Lakers playing the Rockets in a first-round series.
The Lakers’ Deandre Ayton (5) is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2023. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“Personally, I’m very excited,” Ayton said recently. “I haven’t played playoff basketball in quite some time.”
It had been nearly three years since Ayton last played postseason basketball.
Before Saturday, his last playoff game was 35 months ago while he was with the Suns. He had 14 points and nine rebounds in a loss to the eventual NBA champion Nuggets in Game 5 of the second-round series on May 9, 2023, sitting out the Nuggets’ series-clinching Game 6 victory two days later.
Ayton was traded to the Trail Blazers 4 ½ months later, missing the playoffs during both of his seasons in Portland before joining the Lakers last summer.
The Lakers’ Marcus Smart, who enjoyed deep postseason runs early in his career with the Celtics, is eager to play in the postseason again. NBAE via Getty Images
“I love playing this game, and I take great passion [for] playing on both ends of the floor,” Ayton said of what he wants to prove during the playoffs. “I still believe just being a two-way player in this league, that’s truly my second nature, and that’s how I want to be noted as in this league. I can play hard on offense; I can play hard on the defense. So that’s just really my goal, running the floor always, and closing out [possessions] with rebounds and protecting the rim. Just trying to enhance everything I can coming into the playoffs.”
Ayton isn’t the only Laker making their return to postseason play after having to watch from home the last couple of years.
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Marcus Smart, who was consistently in the playoffs to start his career, hadn’t played postseason basketball since his Eastern Conference run with the Celtics in 2023.
Smart appeared in the postseason in each of the first nine years of his career, playing in 108 playoff games for the Celtics, which included five conference finals appearances and the 2022 NBA Finals.
NBAE via Getty Images
He’s back in a familiar setting after not playing in postseason basketball with the Grizzlies and Wizards the previous two seasons.
“It means everything,” Smart said. “It has been a minute, but for me this is where things tend to start going up for me, and my play starts to turn up. I’m very excited to be back in the playoffs. I’m very excited to be on this team and help them do what we can, win some games and go as far as we can go. We don’t know how far that is, but we’re going to go out there and fight until we can’t fight no more, and that’s what I’m very excited about.”
Ayton and Smart played important roles for the Lakers en route to a 53-win season that secured the fourth seed in the West.
Smart was the Lakers’ best defender, playing in 62 games (54 starts), his most since 2022-23.
Ayton played in a career-high 72 games, the second most on the Lakers, and shot a career-high 67.1% from the field.
He got a taste of what Lakers playoff basketball is like as a visitor when his Suns beat the Lakers in six games in the first round of the 2021 playoffs.
“Especially being on this side of town now, playing in LA when I was on the other side, this place can get pretty loud,” Ayton said.
“Coming out of these practices, [coach] JJ [Redick] gives you so much. And you have to dissect it sometimes, and you’re thinking about the environment, you think about the fans, thinking about the first game as a Laker in the playoffs. So I just try to find some time to catch myself, gather and just relax. I’ve been here before, but I am truly excited. I’m in the purple and gold, and I just want to really just play hard as hell to contribute to wins.”
Apr 4, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
The Spurs will return to the playoffs after a six-year drought as the second seed, following a surprising and fantastic season. They have looked like a contender, exceeding expectations and eliciting praise from the entire league. Now it’s time to prove that the success from the regular season is sustainable in the playoffs.
The Trail Blazers will be there in the first round to try to play the spoiler after winning their play-in game against the Suns. Portland has proved to be a deep, scrappy team that found a centerpiece in their breakout star, Deni Avdija. They are a massive underdog heading into Game 1, but they are not to be taken lightly despite their flaws.
Let’s take a closer look at what should be a fun series between two teams with vastly different goals and expectations.
San Antonio Spurs
Record: 62-20
Offensive rating: 118.7 (3rd)
Defensive rating: 110.4 (3rd)
Net rating: 8.4 (tied 2nd)
Portland Trail Blazers
Record: 42-40
Offensive rating: 113.1 (21st)
Defensive rating: 113.5 (12th)
Net rating: -0.4 (19th)
The Spurs’ offense will be tested
Portland has built its identity around defense. Despite dealing with multiple absences at different times in the season, they finished in the top half of the league in efficiency on that end and are arguably better than their numbers suggest. Their biggest asset is size. Even their smaller guards, Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday, have impressive wingspans and strength. Their collection of defensive-minded wings is vast. and they are anchored by Donovan Clingan inside, with Robert Williams backing him up. They thrive when they can cause turnovers, which they often achieve by playing a long rotation and pressuring opponents into mistakes.
Unfortunately for the Trail Blazers, they are facing a Spurs team that seems designed to counter their strengths. The Silver and Black have one of the lowest turnover percentages in the league and have several ball handlers they can turn to to relieve the pressure of any specific matchup. They play fast, trying to attack before the defense is established, and normally counter size with speed even in the halfcourt. Their offense is not the most sophisticated, but it doesn’t have to be. Drive-and-kicks and any play involving Wembanyama are normally enough to get them a good look. And they are even feisty on the offensive glass, punishing defenses that overcommit to contesting everything or try to be too aggressive.
There will be key matchups to monitor. In all three regular-season games, the Blazers used Toumani Camara on De’Aaron Fox, even when they had Henderson and Holiday available. Fox got to the paint at will, so they might adjust and try to match his speed with a smaller but quicker defender. Even if they do contain Fox, who torched them this year, the Spurs can turn to Castle to run the show or try to get Deni Avdija, a solid but not outstanding defender, on switches to trigger rotations. The midrange shot and floaters could be deadly against an opponent that often plays drop defense to wall off the rim but doesn’t have switchable bigs.
Speaking of bigs, Victor Wembanyama missed all three games against the Blazers in the regular season, but should thrive in this matchup. Clingan, in particular, should not be able to deal with his agility, and he can draw him out with his range, leaving the back line exposed and the Blazers susceptible to offensive rebounding. Portland has hidden Clingan on non-shooters against stretch bigs, but it might be hard to find somewhere to do so against the Spurs. Castle seems like the better option on paper, but he’s been shooting better and can use his athleticism to attack him. We might see a lot of zone from Tiago Splitter’s team.
Ultimately, it will come down to execution. The Blazers have a lot of long-armed defenders to throw the Spurs’ ball handlers’ way and to punish any distraction or laziness on offense. They have no answer to Wembanyama, but could force others to beat him, so the shooters should be ready to fire away if left open, and San Antonio’s superstar might need to be patient if the entire game plan is geared towards stopping him. The Silver and Black should be able to score, but will need to be under control on every possession against an opponent that only has a chance to make the series competitive if they can rattle them.
Defensively, discipline will be key
While the Blazers can be tricky to deal with on defense, their offense is simply not good enough. Their outside shooting is among the worst in the league, and since they don’t have a true stretch five despite Clingan’s improving range, the paint can be crowded at times. They have some talented shot makers, a star in Avdija, and some momentum after closing the season with several role players shooting better, but it’s incredibly hard to see them scoring consistently against an elite defense like San Antonio’s, provided the Spurs are locked in.
It will be important for the Silver and Black to not fall back into bad habits. The Blazers know their limitations in the half-court and will look to run, even after makes. If the Spurs can limit easy points on the break and force Portland to play against a set defense, they should cruise to the second round. It’s easier said than done, since the Blazers have multiple ball handlers who can push the ball up the floor, including Avdija, who is lethal in space, but San Antonio has been great at preventing fastbreak points this year.
Another area where focus will be required on every possession is the defensive glass. The Spurs led the league in defensive rebounding percentage, but could struggle against an opponent that puts a big emphasis on getting extra possessions. Luke Kornet is not a great defensive rebounder, and Victor Wembanyama can be moved out of the way, so it will take a team effort to limit second-chance opportunities, a key factor for Portland, which finished the season with the fourth-highest offensive rebound percentage in the league and led all teams in second-chance points. Clingan is a specialist and will recover some misses, but San Antonio has to fight for every board.
The engine of the Blazers’ half-court offense is Deni Avdija. He led the league in drives per game and was efficient in those forays to the paint in part because opponents couldn’t stop fouling him, something that Castle, likely his main defender, will have to avoid. Avdija’s combination of size and vision makes him a handful, but he hasn’t faced Wembanyama yet this season, and it will be interesting to see how much challenging the best rim protector in the league affects him. It might push him to do what he seems to prefer on drives: passing. The problem for Portland is that Wemby will likely make lobs impossible, forcing Avdija to spray to the perimeter to questionable shooters.
Beyond the transition buckets, second chance opportunities, and Avdija-generated points, Portland has viable but not consistent weapons. Veterans Jrue Holiday and Jerami Grant can still fill it up occasionally, but neither can act as a first option. Scoot Henderson is progressing as a shooter, defender, and shot creator, but at this point, he’s more of a role player than the star many thought he would immediately be. Shaedon Sharpe might drop 30 or take bad shot after bad shot. The Camara-Murray-Thybulle trio will hit some threes, but it doesn’t inspire fear from beyond the arc. The lack of firepower is real.
Prediction: Spurs in 4
The Trail Blazers are likely better than the numbers suggest, but this is a terrible matchup for them. San Antonio is good at preventing what Portland does well on offense, namely getting transition points and offensive rebounds. Avdija, who can shoot but is at his best when he touches the paint, will face a challenge because the Spurs will live with some threes from Clingan if it means Wembanyama gets to shut down the paint. They are deep, but so is San Antonio. Their defense is stout, but Wembanyama presents a riddle they might not be able to solve. They have no significant edge in any area.
A safer bet than a sweep would be to give Portland at least one game, based on the Spurs’ inexperience, Avdija’s brilliance, and the Trail Blazers’ ability to make teams uncomfortable with their defense. The games should likely be close, but in the end, if San Antonio is locked in, they should come out on top in every single one.
Apr 18, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) during the second half of game one in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The Cavaliers protected home court this afternoon, handily defeating the Raptors 126-113 on the strength of Donovan Mitchell’s and James Harden’s combined 54 points.
The Raptors have been branded as optimistic underdogs in this series. While sweeping Cleveland in the season series 3-0, those losses came early in the season before their acquisition of James Harden, a presence Toronto would feel heavily in today’s game on the road. Going into Rocket Arena, the Raptors had the weight of the country on their shoulders as they sought to steal a first game on the road.
The game was close in the first quarter, with Scottie Barnes looking like every bit of the superstar that he is, knocking down threes and facilitating his teammates, leading the Raptors to an early lead that was quickly caught up to by the Cavs. The connection between James Harden and Jarrett Allen activated early on, scoring with pick and rolls, layups, and three pointers, with Harden showing off his scoring chops and ability to run an offence. Max Struss, off assists, dropped in four points at close range to break a tie and put the Cavaliers up 4, 35-31 at the end of the first quarter.
Toronto and Cleveland traded blows throughout the beginning of the second, with RJ Barrett activating to get thoroughly involved in the offence. Harden continued his onslaught of scoring and assisting, and with a pass to an Evan Mobley dunk, got the lead to seven points, that after a three-pointer from Struss, would be extended to double digits near the end of the quarter.
Things began to unravel for the Raptors in the third quarter, as the Cavaliers continued to push their lead into the teens with unrelenting force at the rim and on the perimeter. Up 14, Max Struss hit two threes in a row to push the Cavaliers’ lead to 20, 80-60, as RJ Barrett pushed back, getting to the line, and assisting on a Jamal Shead three. Scottie had a picture-perfect assist to Jakob Poeltl, threading the needle past two defenders to drop the rock off to the big man for an easy bucket at the rim. As the Raptors began to claw their way back into the game, the Cavaliers refused to relinquish their lead, as Donovan Mitchell hit jump shots and free throws to keep the Raptors buried under the 20 point deficit.
The writing was on the wall by the beginning of the fourth, though Jamal Shead and Scottie Barnes did what they could to put up points on the board. Barnes was everywhere, hitting free throws, facilitating, or scoring at the rim. But halfway through the last quarter, the Cavs still led 115-95, with James Harden assisting or scoring to patch up any hole the Raptors made in the Cavaliers’ lead. With two minutes left, the Cavaliers pulled their starters, the death knell on the hardwood, as Trayce Jackson-Davis hit two free throws in garbage time to end the game.
Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 32 points and James Harden all facilitators with 1o assists, Cleveland’s guard combo operating at its maximum efficiency. The Raptors spread minutes across their big men, with Jakob Poeltl, Collin Murray-Boyles, and Sandro Mamukelashvili all playing around 20. The rookie played well in his first postseason game, dropping in 14 points with 4 boards and assists and piece. Brandon Ingram underperformed with 17 points, 7 of them from the charity stripe, however, as RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes shined. Ultimately, the Raptors were out-rebounded and outscored, with the Cavaliers’ backcourt looking unstoppable. The Raptors will play the Cavaliers next on Sunday for their second matchup for this first round series, before heading back home to Scotiabank Arena.
Dec 27, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) boxes out New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The 6-seeded Atlanta Hawks (0-0) try to steal Game 1 just like they did five years ago tonight in the Garden.
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
April 7, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
If any college basketball recruit in the transfer portal is considering the Gonzaga Bulldogs, take a look at the amount of professional talent on basketball’s biggest stage right now. Six Zags who were trained and prepared for the next level within the walls of the McCarthey Athletic Center are now gearing up for the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
Los Angeles Lakers’ Drew Timme isn’t available for the playoff roster as he’s under a two-way contract, splitting his time with the G League’s South Bay Lakers during the 2025-26 season.
As for the reigning NBA champion, Holmgren is coming off an NBA All-Star appearance for the first time in his young career. Most importantly, the 7-1, 23-year-old freak has been healthy and active defensively with that 7-6 wingspan of his.
Through 69 starts, Holmgren averaged 17.1 points on a shooting split of 55.7 percent from the field, 36.2 percent on three-pointers, and 79.2 percent at the charity stripe. His 8.9 rebounds per game rank tied for No. 11 in the NBA, while his 1.9 blocks per game are tied for No. 2.
The 2026 NBA Finals officially start on June 23 on ESPN/ABC.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
He was active. He was everywhere. He helped space the court for Steph Curry’s scoring flurries. He was in the trenches alongside Draymond Green on defense.
A few days before the Warriors were eliminated Friday from the play-in tournament, Porzingis had 20 points (8-for-12 shooting from the field, 3-for-6 from beyond the arc), five rebounds, five assists, one steal and two blocked shots in an elimination game against the Clippers on Wednesday,
Kristaps Porzingis had an up-and-down season, but he still might fit in the Warriors’ plans. NBAE via Getty Images
He was everything the Warriors hoped he’d be when they acquired him from Atlanta for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield ahead of the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline.
But that version of him came in spurts this season.
Porzingis only played in 15 of a possible 31 games with the Warriors because of health issues at least partially related to POTS. He hardly shared the court with Curry, who missed 27 straight games because of runner’s knee.
The 7-foot-2 center will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Warriors hope to re-sign him, though he’d have to take a significant salary cut from the two-year, $60 million extension he signed in Boston in 2023.
How does he feel about returning to Golden State?
“That’s a good question,” Porzingis told The California Post in an exclusive interview. “I do love my time here, honestly. Not one bad thing I can say about the organization, the team, the teammates. I really love it here, I really do.
“As I said before, I haven’t had a good year. If I had a good year, I think I’d have a more clear picture of what I want to do. Because I’ve had an up-and-down year like this, this is an offseason in my career that I think I’m just going to take a step back, look at the whole picture and then see what’s the best direction for me.”
The Warriors’ Kristaps Porzingis is an All-Star-caliber player when he is at his best. AP
Things didn’t go as planned for the Warriors this season, either.
After losing Jimmy Butler to an ACL tear in January, Golden State went all in on trying to pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo ahead of the trade deadline. When it became clear that the Bucks weren’t going to part with their superstar, the Warriors pivoted to Porzingis to try to salvage their season.
When Porzingis is at his best, he’s an All-Star-caliber player who can dominate on both ends of the court with his silky shot and rim protection. But an elongated illness has prevented him from consistently playing to his potential.
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Porzingis began struggling with illness in his final season with the Celtics in 2024-25. It sapped him of his energy. It depleted his wind. It prevented him from being the dominant player who had averaged 20 points, seven rebounds and nearly two blocks per game as he helped lead the Celtics to a championship in 2024.
Since then, Porzingis has had to play around his symptoms. He’ll stack a few good games and then be sidelined for a cluster of contests. Rinse and repeat. The constant starting and stopping is an enormous challenge considering the paramount importance of rhythm in basketball.
“It’s been a little bit of the story of my career,” Porzingis told The Post. “A lot of my career, I felt like this is bothering me or that. I’m not able to play at 100%. But honestly, as a basketball player, you rarely do. There’s always something for everybody.
“But I’ve definitely had this feeling a lot of times. How do I get into a good rhythm because I’ve been out? Because of that, I’m pretty good at jumping right back in and getting into a decent rhythm right away. And also, just staying mentally in the game. Once I get the opportunity to play again, I’m ready to go. I’ve gotten so good at it that it’s very natural for me to just jump back in and be in a rhythm.”
It’s a skill he had to hone.
Porzingis only played 17 games for the Hawks this season before being traded to Golden State. Last season, he only played 42 games for the Celtics.
Porzingis began struggling with illness in his final season with the Celtics in 2024-25. It sapped him of his energy. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
During his introductory news conference with the Warriors on Feb. 7, Porzingis was optimistic he’d be able to remain on the floor. “I’m confident that I will,” he said at the time. But he played in about half of the team’s contests, averaging 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 blocks in a career-low 23.7 minutes per game.
Still, the Warriors liked what they saw.
“Kristaps was fantastic,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Friday after the Warriors lost their second play-in game to the Suns, 111-96, as Porzingis struggled with ankle soreness. “He changed our team. The dynamic of having that floor spacing and shot-blocking.”
Porzingis knows he’s capable of so much more.
“Honestly, I’m still working my way back into being in great, great shape,” he said.
Kristaps Porzingis helped lead the Celtics to an NBA championship in 2024.
He was excellent in flashes, such as when he had 30 points on 8-for-13 shooting, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and three blocks against the Wizards on March 16. But his illness and Curry’s injury prevented the team from developing any momentum as Golden State fell to 10th in the West without Butler.
Now, the Warriors have a lot of questions. Will Kerr return as head coach? WIll Curry sign a contract extension this offseason? Will Green or Butler be traded? Will they land a superstar this summer? Is this the end of the dynasty?
Amid that dizzying set of queries is another: What will Porzingis do?
At this moment, he’s clearly not sure.
But at least for one game, he was reminded of what he’s capable of doing and who the Warriors could be with him on the court.
On Wednesday, Porzingis shined alongside Curry’s 35 points and Green’s lockdown defense on Kawhi Leonard. The three of them were in sync. They were stars. The Warriors looked like champions for one night, a thrilling moment of joy for a team that suffered an endless series of blows this season.
For Porzingis, it was a huge relief.
He knows what he can do. And he made sure everyone else saw it, too.
“[Wednesday] honestly was a big step forward for me,” Porzingis told The Post. “To have a game like this, it means a lot. To pull it out of somewhere, and it was there. Definitely a big step in the right direction.”
