Category: Basketball

After dropping a heartbreaking Game 2 to the Atlanta Hawks, the Knicks hit the road for a pivotal Game 3 in Atlanta on Thursday night. 

Before leaving town, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges met with reporters on Wednesday, looking back on exactly what went wrong in Game 2.

The Knicks, of course, led by double digits entering the fourth quarter, but were outscored 28-15 in the final 12 minutes, falling 107-106 as a buzzer-beater attempt by Bridges came up short.

While a 2-0 lead would feel a lot more comfortable for the Knicks than having the series tied heading into Atlanta, Bridges explained that there’s still plenty to take away from the disappointment of the last game.

“You always want to get better in a win, but sometimes you need a loss to dive in on the things that you’re not doing well,” Bridges said. “That’s a good team, too, so it’s not like it’s going to be easy. Just gotta learn from it and bring that fire to the next game.”

So what exactly did go wrong for the Knicks in that second half? According to Hart, the team didn’t play with the same physical edge as they brought in the first six quarters of the first-round series.

“I feel like we didn’t have that physicality that we did Game 1 and in the first half. I think that was the biggest thing,” said Hart, who finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds. “When you lose that physicality, then you allow them to kind of move at their own pace and dictate their offense, instead of you dictating it. We just have to make sure we’re physical and pay attention to detail and focused for a full 48 [minutes].”

“That’s a game we should have won,” Hart added. “Watching the film, obviously it reenforces that. You see just a small area that you had a little bit of slippage on, and that affects the outcome of the game. Obviously, we’ve got to make sure we’re locked in and focused for a full 48. It’s the playoffs. Basketball is a game of runs. You can go up 12, 14, and this team, they’re going to battle and they can go on a run and cut it to four. Now you just have to make sure you’re focused and locked in to punch back.”

The series now heads to Atlanta for the next two games, with the Hawks stealing homecourt advantage in the best-of-seven by splitting the two games at The Garden. 

And while the Knicks won’t be playing in front of their home fans, Hart explained that sometimes going on the road can help bring a team together even more, especially in the playoffs.

“I think we have a really good group of guy, who especially during this time, we don’t care about anything else but winning,” Hart said. “We don’t care about point, touches, minutes, anything like that. We’re focused on winning the game, and when you have a collective group of guys who are willing to sacrifice for the betterment of the team, that’s where special things happen. And I think we have that kind of character in the locker room. 

“When you go on the road, it’s just those guys in the locker room and no one else. So sometimes being on the road kind of helps you band together.”

Hart, Bridges and the rest of the Knicks tip off Game 3 with the Hawks in Atlanta on Thursday night at 7 p.m.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are making teams nervous in the Eastern Conference.

Cleveland has looked like the best two-way team in the East and takes a 2-0 series lead into Game 3 of its opening-round matchup with the Toronto Raptors.

My Cavaliers vs. Raptors predictions won’t get in the way of the road team, backing them to win again while getting strong production from their stars.

Here are my best NBA picks for Thursday, April 23.

Our best Cavaliers vs Raptors SGP for Game 3

The Cleveland Cavaliers have looked great on both ends of the floor in two strong wins over the Toronto Raptors. While Toronto will be more competitive back in Canada, there’s just too much firepower for Cleveland, and the Raps haven't been getting the best from their starters.

Donovan Mitchell has amassed 62 points through the first two games, which means Toronto will try to take him out of the equation in Game 3. That added pressure makes “Spida” more of a passer, and he’s been excellent at trusting his teammates this season.

Cleveland center Jarrett Allen boasts a massive edge in size against Toronto, especially if the Raptors roll out a small-ball lineup again. Allen can dominate inside and is projected for 13+ points in Game 3.

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.

After being all the way out, Sixers fans are all the way back in after their Game 2 stunner in Boston. Tying the series up 1-1 against the Celtics, I’m soaking it up. Before Game 3 rolls around, here are some choice thoughts I have about the Sixers…

Tyrese Maxey took charge when the Sixers needed it most

I’ll be honest. I was a tad disappointed with Tyrese Maxey for a good chunk of Game 2. His raw shooting stats (11-28) weren’t up to par and, in the second half, he was repeatedly indecisive when he should’ve been the one playing hero for the team.

When Boston cut the Sixers lead to merely two points in the fourth quarter, I was terrified. I had watched this all unfold more times than I’ve seen Seinfeld reruns. Maxey, however, flipped the narrative of his evening after that. On consecutive possessions, Maxey drilled three-pointers, padding the Sixers’ lead to eight as the team never looked back.

VJ Edgecombe is rightfully stealing the headlines with his 30-point performance as a 20-year-old rookie in just his second-ever playoff game, but Maxey had the guts to get the job done when everyone in the Delaware Valley was counting on him.

The Sixers found their three-point shot in Game 2

Speaking of three-pointers, the Sixers had a laughable effort on that front in Game 1. They shot just 17 percent from deep, making only four of their 23 long-range attempts. No team in the postseason in 2026 is winning while making just four triples, but the volume is what annoyed me the most. They needed to hoist those bad boys up in the hopes of having some wild shooting variance that could have them steal a game or two.

That’s exactly what happened on Tuesday. The Sixers attempted 39 threes and made 49 percent of them. That was the game! Sure, they’re not going to be making nearly half their three-pointers for the remainder of this series, but let it fly in an attempt to have some luck fall their way, not unlike a mid-major program keeping a blue blood school on their toes during March Madness.

The wild adventures of Adem Bona continue on

I guess head coach Nick Nurse will continue trotting out Adem Bona as the nominal starting center even if Andre Drummond is playing more minutes than him nightly in the postseason, but, sheesh, he is a frustrating player to watch. I’m aware Bona is just a 23-year-old former second-round pick in his sophomore NBA campaign, but this is the playoffs against the Celtics! All those qualifiers go out the window when you’re fighting for your postseason livelihood on the road in Boston!

There have been multiple occasions already in this series where Bona was dribbling in transition and disaster happened to the surprise of literally no one. I’m intrigued by the possibility of Bona being an energetic backup big man down the line, but the time is not now for that.

I get that Nurse, who I can’t say I’m a huge fan of from the jump, is limited on what he can do while Joel Embiid is out and the other options are a 32-year-old Drummond or a small-ball look with Dominick Barlow, but it’s beyond frustrating to watch Bona’s gaffes when the stakes are this high.

Can Embiid return this weekend in South Philadelphia? It would be a remarkable turnaround as he recovers from an emergency appendectomy, but his presence is certainly missed to say the least.

The Wink Seen ‘Round the World

Edgecombe delivered an instantly iconic moment in Sixers lore, drilling a late three to continue putting the Celtics in a hole and then proceeded to wink in a way that was perfectly captured on television:

The kid has aura!

Is he a superstar “in the making” or one already? Let’s see how the next few games play out…

Will it be a Boston takeover this weekend?

While they were no sarcastic “We Want Boston!” chants from Celtics fans on Tuesday night given that the Sixers were in control for most of the game, Sixers fans will likely be seeing more of those folks sooner than they’d like. I fear that there will be an irritating amount of Celtics fans in the building for Games 3 and 4 in South Philly.

It will be the weekend, so it’ll be easier for them to make the trip down here, to say nothing of the bandwagon fans who exist in the region. Add in the fact that Sixers fans are fairly burnt out on the team, Game 2 victory aside, and that Boston has championship aspirations with their squad and we could be in store for a little too much green in the Xfinity Mobile Arena crowd.

I hope that’s not the case, but, naturally, I’m always fearing the worst!

The path to seeing Luka Dončić back on the floor with the Lakers is long and unknown.

Ever since he went down with a hamstring strain against the Thunder back in early April, he’s done everything possible to return, including traveling to Spain to get treatment on his injury.

Luka remains out indefinitely and isn’t expected to return during the first round of the playoffs. Still, head coach JJ Redick did provide a morsel of good news on his superstar player before Game 2 against the Rockets.

“No update on the timeline for either of those guys,” Redick said. “Austin has started a return to play [process], but we don’t have any timeline update for him. Then Luka, I think, is going to start some court work here soon, but again, no update on a timeline for him.”

Things might be moving slowly for both Dončić and Austin Reaves, but slow motion is better than no motion.

Both players have been seen at the Lakers’ practice facility, and if the Lakers keep winning, they’ll have a chance to make a postseason appearance for the purple and gold this season.

Redick has mentioned that the Lakers need to extend the season long enough for Dončić to return, and so far, both parties are doing their part.

The Lakers are up 2-0 in their series against the Rockets and Dončić continues to make strides towards returning.

The value of Luka to this Lakers team cannot be overstated. He is the NBA’s scoring champion and was presented with his trophy along with the Western Conference Player of the Month Award for March during Game 2 against the Rockets.

Despite the eagerness to see Luka playing in the playoffs with the Lakers, this patient approach is necessary. Luka already dealt with a hamstring strain earlier this season, and this one is even more serious. He is the franchise player, and until he is 100%, he can’t play in competitive basketball games.

Still, the hope is that he can come back if the Lakers can advance past this opening round, and so far, that’s looking possible.

Hopefully, the next update we get is even more positive, and a timeline will emerge then.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

Towering superstar Victor Wembanyama toppled onto his face Tuesday night — timberrr!!! — and the NBA playoff scenario immediately became as scrambled as the San Antonio Spurs' 7-foot-4 center's thoughts must have been moments after he suffered a concussion.

Without Wembanyama for nearly three quarters, the Spurs fell to the underdog Portland Trail Blazers, 106-103, with the first-round series tied 1-1 and headed to Portland for Game 3 on Friday.

Meanwhile, without superstar guard Luka Doncic, the Lakers powered past the Houston Rockets, 101-94, to take a 2-0 series lead. Guard tandem Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard combined with the ageless LeBron James to make up for the absence of injuries to Doncic as well as fellow starting guard Austin Reaves.

Peering forward, an extended absence by Wembanyama would seem to place the Spurs in serious jeopardy of a first-round exit. After all, "Wemby" is the league's defensive player of the year in addition to averaging 25 points and 11.5 rebounds a game. He is a two-way force of unprecedented magnitude.

Meanwhile, the Lakers have responded to the loss of Doncic so well that Times columnist Bill Plaschke declared "believe it, this series is already over" after their Game 2 victory Tuesday night. The absence of Doncic and his 33.3 points, 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds a game was masked by the exceptional play of teammates.

Read more:Plaschke: It’s over! Lakers prove they’re better than the overmatched Rockets

Does that make Wembanyana more valuable than Doncic? Does it raise Wembanyana's NBA Most Valuable Player credentials to the level of fellow finalists Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic?

That's a topic worth debating on another day. For now, the pertinent questions are how severely Wembanyana is injured and how long will he be sidelined. The Spurs and Trail Blazers play Game 3 on Friday night, Game 4 on Sunday and Game 5 on Tuesday night. The median time lost to concussion in the NBA is seven days.

“He has a concussion and he is in the protocol,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said afterward. “We’ll obviously take the proper and appropriate steps.”

A player in concussion protocol must have at least 48 hours of inactivity and undergo neurological testing while meeting certain criteria without symptoms before being cleared to play. A decision on clearance will come from the NBA concussion protocol director Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher in consultation with the Spurs' team doctor.

The injury occurred early in the second quarter. After backing into the paint with the ball, Wembanyama turned to explode toward the basket. Portland defender Jrue Holiday executed a maneuver termed “pulling the chair” — moving completely away from the Spurs center, who clearly was expecting contact.

Wembanyama lurched forward, toppled and slammed the right side of his face on the floor. He stayed down for several seconds before sitting up and putting his hands on his face. Television analyst Reggie Miller exclaimed, "He is dazed." Wembanyama finally stood and jogged directly to the locker room. He did not return.

Read more:Luka Doncic providing Lakers a big playoff boost, even from the bench

Meanwhile at Crypto.com Arena, Doncic and Reaves cheered from the bench throughout the Lakers' inspired dismantling of the Rockets. Smart scored 25 points and Kennard added 23.

“I know we just kind of flipped the switch,” Kennard said. “We told each other, this is what we got right now. We’ve got to believe in what we have.”

Added Smart: “The word is, ‘elevate’ for us, and that’s all we’ve been trying to do, is elevate our play on both ends."

Wembanyana's backup is Luke Kornet, who has played for six teams since going undrafted out of Vanderbilt in 2017. He was effective during a 14-minute stint in the Spurs' Game 1 victory over Portland and had 10 points and nine rebounds in Game 2 after Wembanyana exited. He'll need to step up the way Smart and Kennard have for the Lakers.

Injuries are inevitable. How teammates respond when a superstar is sidelined provides insight on multiple levels. So far, the loss of Doncic — and Reaves — has been overcome by the Lakers while the loss of Wembanyama could cripple the Spurs.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

Can the Toronto Raptors slow down the Cleveland Cavaliers?

That’s the million-dollar question as this Round 1 series swings north of the border, which is more like $1.4 million CAD when you do the currency exchange.

Cleveland has a 2-0 chokehold on Toronto, which is trying desperately to solve the Cavaliers’ constant carousel of scoring threats.

Donovan Mitchell is the biggest thorn in the Raptors’ paw... errr claw. 

He’s combined for 62 points in the first two games of the series, but my Cavaliers vs. Raptors predictions for Game 3 see Mitchell as more of a playmaker.

My NBA picks like “Spida” to set up his teammates and top his assist prop on Thursday, April 23.

Cavaliers vs Raptors prediction

Cavaliers vs Raptors best bet: Donovan Mitchell Over 4.5 assists (+125)

Donovan Mitchell was the tip of the spear for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the opening two games, attempting 43 shots for a total of 62 points.

The scary thing is that, unlike in past postseasons, Cleveland doesn’t need Mitchell to shoulder that much of the load.

With James Harden joining him in the backcourt, the pressure is off Mitchell to get good looks every time down the floor. He can allow the offense to move through him rather than to him. 

And with the Toronto Raptors opting to run a small-ball lineup at Cleveland’s heavy screen schemes in the second half of Game 2, Mitchell is now seeing more pressure above the arc.

Mitchell, who averages just shy of six dimes per game, uses his gravity as a scorer to manufacture space for others. The Raps will have to pick their poison, hedging hard to take away Mitchell’s outside threat, but, in the process, making him more of a distributor.

Although Mitchell had just nine potential assists in Game 1, that metric spiked to 13.0 in Game 2, manifesting in five actual assists (three in the 2H).

This Game 3 prop opened with the Over 4.5 assists heavily juiced at many sportsbooks, but early action has been backing the Under. Most shops are now dealing this result between -105 and +108, and bet365 is offering strong value to buy back the adjustment at +125.

Mitchell has handed out five or more assists in 10 of his last 17 games overall, and game projections give Mitchell between 4.7 and 5.4 dimes in Game 3.

Cavaliers vs Raptors same-game parlay

After two games, it really looks like the Raptors are chasing their tails on defense. There’s no easy solution to Cleveland’s inside-out offense. Toronto can’t keep pace beyond the arc and has too many starters going MIA. 

Jarrett Allen scored just 10 points in Game 2, but if the Cavs counter like I believe they will, Mitchell will find Allen for easy dump-downs and dunks inside. Allen is projected for 13+ points on Thursday.

Cavaliers vs Raptors SGP

• Cavaliers moneyline
• Donovan Mitchell Over 4.5 assists
• Jarrett Allen Over 12.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Along Came a Spida

Mitchell has powered this 2-0 series lead with his scoring, but with Toronto trying to take him out of the equation, “Spida” will find other ways to lead the Cavaliers to victory. His assist and rebounding projections sit as high as 5+ each.

Toronto desperately needs better offense, and a trip home should help the Raptors’ cold shooting, pushing this total Over on Thursday.

Cavaliers vs Raptors SGP

• Cavaliers -3
• Over 219.5
• Donovan Mitchell Over 4.5 assists
• Donovan Mitchell Over 4.5 rebounds

Cavaliers vs Raptors odds for Game 3

• Spread: Cavaliers -3 (-110) | Raptors +3 (-110)
• Moneyline: Cavaliers -155 | Raptors +130
• Over/Under: Over 219.5 (-110) | Under 219.5 (-110)

Cavaliers vs Raptors betting trend to know

Toronto has only been a home underdog a dozen times this season (4-8 SU), with those rare spots going 7-5 Over/Under. Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Raptors.

How to watch Cavaliers vs Raptors Game 3

Cavaliers vs Raptors latest injuries

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.

The news of Billy Donovan and the Chicago Bulls parting ways recently made some headlines, but the bigger question was: Where is Donovan heading next?

Well, many have speculated that Donovan is very interested in the Orlando Magic. That should bring back some nostalgia for basketball fans, as Donovan was hired as the coach of the Orlando Magic in 2007 after back-to-back titles at Florida, while the Kentucky Wildcats also made a push.

Donovan’s time with the Magic lasted less than a week before he changed his mind and returned to Gainesville.

Donovan could ultimately end up with the Magic this time around, although it is an interesting scenario as the Magic are currently in the NBA Playoffs and pulled off an upset in Game 1 against the 1-seed Detroit Pistons.

Also important to note: Jamahl Mosley remains the head coach of the Magic, although there has been speculation for much of the season that Mosley may not return as coach of the Magic next season.

So, where does Kentucky play into this? Well, Colin Cowherd – who lives in Chicago – mentioned Kentucky as a possible landing spot for Donovan.

Take a listen: The Kentucky mention happens at around the 2:00 mark.

“Now, if Orlando beats Detroit in that series, I kind of got a feeling the Pistons are going to come back, blowout win, or keep your eye on Kentucky Basketball,” he said.

It was an interesting statement by Cowherd about Kentucky in that regard. Obviously, Kentucky still has a coach in Mark Pope, but many believe Pope is headed into a critical Year 3 after a disappointing season.

Maybe Donovan could come be the Kentucky GM? Lord knows they could use one right about now.

Where do you think Billy Donovan lands?

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

If even the Portland Trail Blazers are going to upset the San Antonio Spurs early this week, then why can’t the Phoenix Suns shock the Oklahoma City Thunder?

Perhaps that is a bold thought, but there is still value to be found in these player props and NBA picks on Wednesday, April 22.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Daniss Jenkins	Under 7.5 points	-112
Dillon Brooks	20+ points	+140
Devin Booker	Over 5.5 assists	+120

Prop #1: Daniss Jenkins Under 7.5 points

-112 at bet365

Where was this Orlando Magic defense all season? Well, to put it simply, it was injured.

But in the final two weeks of the regular season, Orlando had the best defensive rating in the NBA. There is very much a sample size worry to that compliment, but it was the best indicator we had of what could be coming from the Magic in the postseason.

And that has certainly delivered in Orlando’s last two games, eviscerations of the Charlotte Hornets and the Detroit Pistons. I mean, really, how often do you get to use the plural form of “evisceration”?

Only Cade Cunningham produced for Detroit in Game 1, scoring 39 points in 40 minutes, shooting 13-of-27 from the field. His conditioning while coming back from a collapsed lung was astounding.

When Cunningham was sidelined, Daniss Jenkins proved a shockingly steady piece for the Pistons, but with Cunningham now back, Jenkins’ playing time should plummet further than Sunday’s 22 minutes. Even with that elevated playing time, he scored just six points.

Cunningham is all Detroit has. He might need to play 44 minutes against this defense. Every Cunningham minute lessens the chances of Jenkins seeing added time or added responsibilities.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ESPN

Prop #2: Dillon Brooks 20+ points

+140 at bet365

Dillon Brooks scored 18 points in Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. But the more pertinent stat is that the Phoenix Suns’ agitator took 22 shots, most on the team by five attempts.

The Thunder know to focus on Devin Booker. With the ball forced out of his hands, who is never going to shy from a shot? The one and only Dillon Brooks.

Phoenix is not going to discourage Brooks, not that it would have any effect. The Suns need some combination of Booker, Brooks and Jalen Green to get hot to have any hope of keeping up with the Thunder.

It will be inefficient. It might be a net-negative. But expect Brooks to chuck plenty again tonight, and that likelihood creates clear value in this milestone prop.

• Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ESPN

Prop #3: Devin Booker Over 5.5 assists

+120 at bet365

If Oklahoma City is going to force the ball out of Devin Booker’s hands, then that thought immediately creates value in his assists prop, particularly at this plus-money.

Booker had only two assists in Game 1, but that was more a reflection of his teammates’ shooting than anything else. Outside of Booker (8-of-17, 47.1% from the field), Phoenix shot just 31.8% from the field.

By no means are the Suns about to find offensive rhythm. The Thunder are too good defensively. But 31.8% from the field was particularly wretched.

Expect that to climb past 40% tonight, some of that improvement coming from Booker’s passes simply because Oklahoma City will refuse to risk the Phoenix superstar getting hot.

• Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ESPN

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.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

An unexpected first round in the NBA playoffs has forced oddsmakers to adjust on the fly, with the Los Angeles Lakers being named new series favorites, albeit narrowly, and the San Antonio Spurs’ title dreams dwindling in light of Victor Wembanyama’s head injury.

Key Takeaways

• The Lakers were the most-bet team to win their first-round series.
  
  
• Oddsmakers moved L.A. up from +10,000 to +3,500 to win the NBA Finals.
  
  
• Top books dropped the Spurs from +550 to +700 to win the championship after Wembanyama’s concussion.

The Lakers were supposed to be an afterthought for the Houston Rockets, who opened as -750 favorites (88.2% implied chance) to win the series. The Rockets have fallen a considerable distance to their current line of +115, although that still gives them a 46.5% implied chance to win four of the next five games. 

Conversely, the Lakers are up to to -135 after opening at +550. LeBron James has never lost a series after taking a 2-0 lead, going 32-0.

LeBron James' playoff series record when:

Winning Game 1: 29-2
When up 2 games: 32-0

LeBron has won 20 straight series when he wins Game 1. pic.twitter.com/TdY5iH1lBl

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) April 21, 2026

That’s positive news for the betting public, as Los Angeles was the most-bet team to win a first-round series in the entire playoff bracket.

The purple and gold finished the season 53-29, one game ahead of the Rockets and in fourth in the Western Conference. They also won two of their three regular-season matchups, including both meetings in 2026. 

However, the injury absences of leading scorers Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves prompted the oddsmakers to mark the 5-seed Rockets as the team to beat.

The Lakers have also made up substantial ground in the NBA championship odds picture. DraftKings has them eighth at +3,500 after they began the playoffs at +10,000 and were as long as +12,000.

DraftKings still has the Rockets as -9.5 favorites in Game 3. Reaves has a chance to return from an oblique injury before the end of the series, while Doncic is presumed to be unavailable until the second round.

Spurs' odds slide

Heads turned away from screens and hands covered eyes Tuesday night when Wembanyama went clattering to the hardwood while trying to grab a loose ball.

The 7-foot-4 Frenchman, who set franchise records for points scored and threes made in a playoff debut the game before, appeared to lose consciousness on the court and was later confirmed to have suffered a concussion. He did not return to the game, finishing with five points, four rebounds, one assist, and one block in 12 minutes.

SCARY SIGHT IN SAN ANTONIO 😳

Victor Wembanyama fell and slammed his face off the court while driving to the basket and had to be taken to the locker room 🤕pic.twitter.com/JIpub8b56z

— Covers (@Covers) April 22, 2026

The Portland Trail Blazers took advantage of Wembanyama’s absence, finishing the game on a 16-4 run to win 106-103 and knot the series at one game apiece. The teams will take the floor for Game 3 in Portland on Friday night. 

The Spurs went from +500 to +550 in odds to win the NBA Finals at major online sportsbooks prior to Wemby’s fall and resultant injury. BetMGM has them at the shortest odds of all leading operators at +550, while FanDuel now lists them at +700.

The NBA has a 48-hour minimum before players can return from concussions. Wembanyama could still be back in time for Game 3 if he doesn’t need any extended recovery time.

The earliest that a player has ever returned from a concussion in the playoffs was four days, which would be the rest day between Games 3 and 4. Following a typical recovery timeline would put the Spurs’ star back sometime between Games 5 and 7.

Wemby's concussion return timeline: pic.twitter.com/RCDv1M38WA

— WembyMuse (@Wemby_Muse) April 22, 2026

DraftKings still has the Spurs as -550 favorites to win their series matchup with the +400 Blazers.

NBA title odds picture

The Oklahoma City Thunder still lead DraftKings' NBA title odds at -120. The Spurs and Boston Celtics (+650) are the only other teams below +1,000.

The Denver Nuggets (+1,100) and Cleveland Cavaliers (+1,400) lead the second tier of contenders before the odds lengthen to +2,200 for the sixth-place New York Knicks.

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.

The horn sounded about 30 seconds ago and I’m just typing. Just trying to get it out of my system. Vent the air. The poison. The fury. Whatever it is that’s coursing through my veins at the moment, I want it out and I want it out now.

That was horrible. Man, that was horrible. I’m just so mad about every single turn of the screw that brought game 2 crashing down around us tonight.

I hate that it happened. You know, that thing we were all worried about? The axe swinging so delicately over our heads all season dropped in maybe the least dramatic way possible. Jrue Holiday simply stepping aside and Victor crashing to the floor unceremoniously. I don’t know what the prognosis is. I don’t know when he’ll be back. I just know that he was there and then he was gone and it felt like all the air was sucked out of my lungs.

I hate the refs, who were obviously biased and conspiring against us. I hate every non-Tiago Splitter member of the Blazers organization, who are all obviously bad actors with ill intentions. I hate fouling up three. I hate injuries. I hate the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are probably sitting up there laughing at this cute little crash out we’re all having during our first foray back into the playoffs. They’re probably smugly thinking that after a whole season of people talking up the Spurs, it’s the highest of comedy to see us fall on our faces now that we’re here.

I hate that they’re probably right.

I hate that the crowd never got their payoff. Victor went down and every single person in that building took a deep breath and just kept rocking. They stayed loud. They kept chanting. They refused to fold. I saw them rise as one in the fourth, right after Portland retook the lead, putting every ounce of their power into willing the Spurs back out in front. I stood up too. I freaked out my dogs. I was ready to believe.

I hate that we turned it over on that possession.

I hate that the boys didn’t pull this off. Unlike me, they never got scared. They never shrank from the moment. They didn’t sit on their couch after Wemby went down, nurse a warm Miller Lite, and hyperventilate. No, they continued to grind out there. They traded punches. They battled. They put in the work to distract us from that gaping 7’4″ wound in our side and they damn near pulled it off. It was amazing to watch. My heart bleeds for them. I want to sing songs about this performance. I want to burn the Frost Bank Center in effigy. I want to rename both of my daughters after Luke Kornet.

I hate that it simply wasn’t enough. They fought and they scrapped and they clawed and it wasn’t enough. It just wasn’t enough. It was right there.

I hate it.

I’m sitting here at 9:53 P.M. on Tuesday night, my hands are shaking. My head is buzzing. I feel this one deep in my chest.

I just hate it.

So, I’m fine. You’re fine. We’re all fine.

In the cold light of the morning, we’re all….fine.

The opening game of this series felt less like a playoff game and more like a homecoming. The basketball was real, but it almost played second fiddle to everything surrounding it. The color, the noise, the pure relief of being back. We came, we saw, we partied. I felt like I was glowing for two straight days in the aftermath.

Game 2 was a different animal from the very beginning. The crowd wore black. The Spurs were back in their plain white jerseys. Whatever spell the Fiesta colors had cast two nights earlier had worn off and now we were all clocking back in for our Tuesday night shift at the Playoff factory. Stripped of that pomp and circumstance, all that was left was the basketball. Cold, serious, necessary basketball.

To make matters worse, the basketball was bad. Everyone came out flat and disjointed. The Blazers were physical and up for the fight and the Spurs just seemed distracted. Almost annoyed their opponents were even putting up a fight in the first place. Even as they wrestled the lead back by the end of the quarter, something just felt off.

Now, I’m not going to say that Victor getting hurt was a good thing because, you know, even thinking about the ramifications of his injury right now makes me a little queasy. That said, it did serve as a fascinating pivot point for everyone in the building. Basically, it was a bucket of cold water to the face.

All of a sudden, every single one of us was awake. We were no longer tapdancing through some fairytale. Things had gotten very real and you could feel the crowd lock back in. We were invincible, but now we were bleeding. This was a real fight and, more than that, it was a fight we might actually lose.

There was every reason for this team to fall apart and try to pick up the pieces later. I was waiting for it. Looking for signs that this tight-knit group, this lovable band of young guys facing their first real test, might finally blink at a challenge. I came up empty.

Before Game 1, they showed a video of Keldon Johnson bouncing through the halls of the arena with a boombox over his shoulder, loudly proclaiming “It’s ok to be nervous, but it ain’t ok to be scared.” Watching this team play the final three quarters without their best player, I kept coming back to that. Nobody got scared. Not once. They came up short last night, but they never stopped fighting.

I’m sure we all had some version of the story written in our head about how this team would sweep into the playoffs on the heels of Victor’s otherworldly powers and effortlessly ascend to the top of the mountain. This team was blessed with divine purpose and, surely, nothing would stand in our way.

So, yea. That’s out the window now, isn’t it?

Before anything bad happened on Tuesday night, Wembanyama was asked if he felt the weight of the moment the Spurs find themselves in. He mused, “I wouldn’t say weight. I would say it feels safe. It feels like if you trip, there’s a lot of hands that are ready to catch you. From Day 1, it’s felt that way.”

I love this quote. It’s an all timer.It somehow tugs at every little thing that feels special about being a Spurs fan. We’re all lucky enough to be a part of this legacy, this community, this culture. This is our home. This is por vida.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from our decade out in the wilderness, it’s that por vida doesn’t mean you just show up for the party. You show up when it’s hard. You go until you can’t go, and then you go some more.

Our boys have been well and truly knocked off the easy path. They’ve tripped.

Are you ready to catch them?

Takeaways

• I think the Spurs will be better prepared to play without Wembanyama on Friday than they were Tuesday night. Watch that 13-0 run to open the fourth quarter and tell me this team can’t function without him. They clearly can. The, ahem, little detail where they blew the 14 point lead never really felt like a talent problem, it felt like an energy problem. A giant hole got blown in the boat and everyone had spent the rest of the night frantically bailing water while simultaneously insisting everything was fine. It was valiant and necessary, but unsustainable. Castle’s 7-of-20 shooting night and Fox going 1-of-6 in the fourth weren’t indictments of their ability, they were symptoms of an offense that had lost its anchor and never quite found its footing again. A few days to collect their thoughts, draw up some sets, and actually prepare for a game without Wemby should go a long way.
• A thing I totally forgot about playoff basketball is that weird feeling where you never give the Portland Trail Blazers more than two seconds of thought during the regular season, and then, all of a sudden, after about two quarters of playoff basketball, these guys are your mortal enemies. I hate them. They’re bad guys and they should feel bad for being so bad. Deni Avdija? Bad guy. Jrue Holiday? Villain. Donovan Clingan? If you lay hands on my sweet boy Luke Kornet one more time, the next thing you’ll be seeing is me in the octagon.
• Scoot Henderson going off like that was, truly, something you hate to see. Not on a personal level. I’m sure Scoot’s fine. But you hate to see an opponent who has spent his first few years not quite living up to his potential suddenly start living up to it while you’re fighting for your life. He punished every drop coverage the Spurs threw at him, drained step-back threes like he’d been doing it all season, and finished with 31 points on 11-of-17 shooting. Hey bud? Go do that somewhere else.
• If I could somehow manage to ethereally float outside my body and think about this game objectively, which I can’t, I’d be sitting here raving about Dylan Harper going toe to toe with Scoot all night. Two extraordinarily physically gifted guards battling it out, draining shots, mean mugging each other. That was electric. What a blessing that would be to watch if I wasn’t having a panic attack at the same time.

WWL Post Game Press Conference

Well, it was your first time writing about a Spurs playoff game. How’d it go? Was it everything you dreamed of?

That was a nightmare. How are you supposed to eloquently channel your emotions about a game into the written word while your house is on fire?

Yeah, that’s kind of the challenge there, isn’t it?

I’m exhausted. I’m drained. I feel like my head got caved in and now I’m supposed to just go about my day like nothing’s wrong? People at my day job are already asking me stuff like “how are you?” and “what’s up, man?” How am I? How AM I? What’s UP? The nerve of these people.

Is it good to be back though?

It’s the absolute best.