Category: Basketball

The Cleveland Cavaliers gagged away a chance to take a commanding 3-1 lead. Their offense let them down as they dropped Game 4 to the Toronto Raptors93-89.

The stats in the table below are taken from Cleaning the Glass. As a note, the percentiles are in comparison to other playoff games, which influences the sample size.

Now, let’s dive into the numbers.

• The Raptors had the lowest field-goal percentage (32%) from a postseason game winner since 1970, credit to Justin Russo. Toronto went just 31-97 from the field.
• If you go before the three-point era, this was the fourth-lowest field-goal percentage from a team that won a playoff game, credit to Justin Thomas.
• Jakob Poeltl is the only Raptor who had more makes than misses, going 4-7 from the field.
• Toronto went just 4-30 from three (13.3%). Unsustainably hot outside shooting carried the Raptors to the Game 3 victory. Their regression to the mean was harsh as they couldn’t buy a basket from deep.
• The Raptors had 10 more shot attempts than the Cavs. This is due to Cleveland losing the turnover and offensive rebounding battle. In a game where neither team could establish an offensive rhythm, the one that had more chances wound up the winner.
• Toronto had 21 offensive rebounds, grabbing 40% of their misses (92nd percentile). This led to the Raptors outscoring Cleveland 19-7 on second-chance points.
• Cleveland turned it over 18 times compared to Toronto’s 12. The Raptors won the points-off-turnovers battle 17-7.
• The Cavs shot an abysmal 15-23 from the line (65.2%). On a day they couldn’t generate any offense, they also couldn’t convert the freebies that they got. Jarrett Allen struggled most, going 1-4.
• James Harden turned it over seven times. This was the second time in as many games he’s had more turnovers than field goals (six).
• Donovan Mitchell scored 20 or fewer points for the second game in a row. He finished with 20 points on 6-24 shooting (25%). In the regular season, the Cavs were 7-11 when he played and scored 21 or fewer points and 25-9 when he scored 30 or more. In the playoffs, the Cavs won both games he’s scored at least 30 and have lost both games he’s registered fewer than 21.
• Mitchell went 0-4 in shots at the rim and 2-10 in shots in the paint overall.
• Only 28% of the Cavs’ shots came at the rim (33rd percentile). Getting to the basket is still the most efficient way to score. The Raptors have kept Cleveland from getting there. The Cavs went just 13-22 (59%) on shots in the restricted area.
• Cleveland registered just an 80 half-court offensive rating (9th percentile). The Cavs were outstanding in the half-court since the Harden trade in the regular season. That didn’t carry over to Game 4 as they couldn’t generate any consistent offense with their stagnant sets.
• The Cavs were outscored 17-11 in the final five minutes. The Cavs went just 2-10 from the field with a turnover in that span. Sam Merrill accounted for both field goals.
• Collin Murray-Boyles outscored Cleveland’s front-court 15 to 11, credit to NBACentral. The Cavs are paying $66.3 million for their starting front-court duo. Murray-Boyles is making 10% of that.
• Allen, with five points, failed to register double-digit points for the seventh time in 22 playoff games with the Cavs. Allen’s aggression and activity have consistently fallen off in the postseason. He came into this game averaging 12.8 points per playoff game with the Cavs after averaging 14.8 across six regular seasons with the team.
• Evan Mobley, with eight points, failed to register double-digit scoring in a playoff game for the fifth time in his career.
• The Cavs won the 28 minutes Dean Wade was on the court by 11 and lost the 20 he sat by 16. Wade wasn’t great offensively in this game, but he was still a net positive because of his defense on Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram. The fact that the Cavs have struggled in the minutes without him isn’t surprising because they have no one capable of guarding Toronto’s wings. The lack of playable wings continues to hurt the Cavs in the playoffs.
• The Cavs’ bench outscored the Raptors’ 32-19. Cleveland’s role players weren’t necessarily great, but they weren’t the reason the Cavs lost this one. The blame falls on the stars. Merrill (14 points), Jaylon Tyson (nine points), and Dennis Schroder (eight points) provided some scoring for that group.
• The Cavs are now 3-10 on the road in the playoffs in the Mitchell era. Two of those wins came against the Miami Heat in the first round last season. They’re now 1-10 on the road against playoff teams that finished the regular season over .500.

TORONTO (AP) — Scottie Barnes hit the go-ahead free throws in the final minute and scored 23 points, Brandon Ingram also added 23 points and the Toronto Raptors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 93-89 on Sunday, tying the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series at two games apiece.

The best-of-seven series shifts to Cleveland for Game 5 on Wednesday.

RJ Barrett scored 18 points and Collin Murray-Boyles had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors, who won despite shooting 4 for 30 from 3-point range.

Barnes added nine rebounds and six assists.

Donovan Mitchell scored 12 of his 20 in the fourth quarter and James Harden added 19, but the Cavaliers couldn’t overcome an 18-turnover performance.

Mitchell missed two shots in the final 25 seconds, including a 3-pointer that would have tied the game. He finished 6 for 24 overall and made 4 of 12 shots from long range.

Sam Merrill scored 14 points and Jarrett Allen had 15 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who were outscored 10-2 in the final 1:54 of the fourth.

With NBA commissioner Adam Silver in attendance, both teams struggled from 3-point range. Cleveland finished 10 for 40 from distance, including 5 of 10 in the fourth.

SPURS 114, TRAIL BLAZERS 03

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 27 points, 11 rebounds and seven blocks in his return from a concussion, and San Antonio took a 3-1 lead in their first-round series against Portland Trail with a victory.

De’Aaron Fox added 28 points for the Spurs, who will return home to San Antonio for Game 5 on Tuesday night.

The Spurs announced about an hour before the game that Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 Defensive Player of the Year, would play after clearing the league’s concussion protocol.

The Spurs trailed the Blazers by 17 points at the half, but the game was knotted at 74 going into the fourth quarter. Fox and Keldon Johnson hit back-to-back 3-pointer to put the Spurs up 90-77 with 7:14 left.

Johnson’s dunk with 4:31 left made it 101-81 for San Antonio and all but sealed the win.

Deni Avdija led the Trail Blazers with 26 points. There was tense moment with 2:13 left when Avdija and Stephon Castle exchanged shoves. They were given offsetting technical fouls.

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Some first-round series are better for being shorter.

No one needs to watch more games of the Oklahoma City Thunder walloping the Phoenix Suns.

My Thunder vs. Suns predictions have no faith in Phoenix, a doubt that is best encapsulated by ironically betting on one of its guards.

Read more in my NBA picks for Monday, April 27.

Thunder vs Suns prediction

Thunder vs Suns best bet: Dillon Brooks Over 18.5 points (-105)

While the Oklahoma City Thunder can probably start crafting their game plan for the Los Angeles Lakers, the Phoenix Suns should at least go down swinging.

Consider that a compliment.

Phoenix has been a delightful surprise this season. There is no shame in the No. 8 seed getting swept by the defending champions. 

However, there would be shame in not playing through the whistle.

If anyone can promise that effort until the final whistle — something the Denver Nuggets could clearly learn from — it is Dillon Brooks. The Brooks-related headline has been that he has scored 30+ points in each of his last two games, averaging 27 points per game in this series.

The actual stat to note is that he has taken at least 21 shots in each game of the series. Meanwhile, Devin Booker has not taken more than 17 shots in a game. Brooks has taken a total of 19 more shots than the Suns’ cornerstone has, a reality created intentionally by the Thunder.

No matter how much he might want to chuck, Booker simply doesn’t have those openings. Oklahoma City is quite content to let him heave.

Brooks’s volume has a competitive ceiling, while a fully-engaged Booker could tilt any game against any opponent. Expect that defensive blueprint to indulge Brooks one more time before his offseason commences.

Thunder vs Suns same-game parlay

Booker dished out seven assists in Game 3 while taking only 16 shots. When one of the best pure scorers in the NBA goes just 6-for-16 from the field, it’s a clear reflection of the opposing defensive intention.

The five-time All-Star should lean even further into his playmaking; it may be frustrating to acquiesce to Oklahoma City’s defensive approach, but generating better looks for the Phoenix offense as a whole should take priority.

Doing so should give the Suns one last gasp before the beach nears.

Thunder vs Suns SGP

• Dillon Brooks Over 18.5 points
• Devin Booker Over 5.5 assists
• Suns 1H +6

Our "from downtown" SGP: 1, 2, 3, Cancun!

Consider this to be the tune of, “1, 2, 3 — slight pause — Cancun!”

In front of a home crowd with three shooters in the backcourt, the Suns should start Game 3 competitively... but when reality becomes inevitable, Phoenix’s focus and drive will wander.

Margaritas await.

Thunder vs Suns SGP

• Dillon Brooks Over 18.5 points
• Suns 1H +6
• Thunder -10.5

Thunder vs Suns odds for Game 4

• Spread: Thunder -10.5 (-110) | Suns +10.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Thunder -500 | Suns +375
• Over/Under: Over 213.5 (-110) | Under 213.5 (-110)

Thunder vs Suns betting trend to know

Across the last three years, Oklahoma City is 7-4 ATS in the first round. Find more NBA betting trends for Thunder vs. Suns.

How to watch Thunder vs Suns Game 4

Thunder vs Suns 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 Cleveland Cavaliers dropped their second straight game to the Toronto Raptors. The series is now tied 2-2, heading back to Cleveland.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell

20 points, 3 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 turnovers

We’ve seen the worst of Mitchell across the last two games. An overliance on jumpers. Not having the size to break free from Scottie Barnes in the halfcourt. And, most of all, being an option for the Raptors to attack offensively.

Mitchell finished the game shooting 6-24.

The Cavs won’t win another game this series if Mitchell doesn’t adjust. He’s been at the core of all their problems, failing to score efficiently or handle the ball with care.

Grade: F

James Harden

19 points, 8 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 7 turnovers

Harden had 6 turnovers in his first 14 minutes tonight. That’s what throwing a behind-the-back pass when you’re being double-teamed in the corner will do.

The decision-making on display was alarming. For a player who previously solved every problem thrown at him, it felt like Harden was blindfolded and throwing darts at a board in Toronto.

He eventually stabilized himself and had a strong second half. But I think more than enough damage was done in the first half to justify this grade.

Grade: D-

Evan Mobley

8 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

We’ve all agreed that Mobley will not lead this team in scoring, nor will he be the focal point of the offense. Yet, we all understand that if the Cavs want to go deep into the postseason — Mobely at least has to be capable of raising their floor on nights where the backcourt is struggling.

The grade speaks for itself.

Grade: F

Jarrett Allen

3 points, 15 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks

Allen is the only member of the core four who showed enough effort to fight defensively. His 15 rebounds and team-high plus/minus of +15 are a product of that.

Still, this was far from a good game. Allen went 1-5 from the floor and 1-4 from the free-throw line. The Cavs needed someone to elevate their offense by beating mismatches and finding easy opportunities. Allen didn’t come through.

Grade: D-

Dean Wade

7 points, 5 rebounds

Wade’s defensive impact is starting to be severely blunted by his role on offense. He doesn’t care to shoot the ball, so Toronto doesn’t care to defend him. This has made it easier for the Raptors to swarm the guards and pack the paint. The biggest problem is that the Cavs don’t have enough size on the wing to take Wade out of the rotation.

Grade: D

Max Strus

1 point, 7 rebounds

The Cavs sorely needed an offensive punch from Strus. He went 0-5 from the floor. A few three-pointers would have gone a long way to unsticking the offense.

Grade: D-

Keon Ellis

0 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist

Ellis has still only made one field goal in this series. He played just 4 minutes tonight.

Grade: F

Jaylon Tyson

9 points, 5 rebounds, 2 turnovers

It felt like Tyson was making the wrong reads tonight. He drove a few closeouts that probably should have been catch-and-shoot three-point attempts. He also turned it over in the short-roll, throwing a predictable pass to the dunker’s spot that was picked off.

All that said, the Cavs shouldn’t be needing Tyson to produce at this level to keep the offense running.

Grade: C-

Sam Merrill

14 points

Merrill hasn’t performed great so far in the postseason. But he did help to unjam the Cavaliers’ offense in the second half.

His frenetic off-ball movement and complete lack of fear with the ball in his hands go a long way. The Raptors can’t ignore him the same way they ignored Wade, and that put Toronto into motion defensively. That led to Merrill being arguably the most impactful offensive player for Cleveland.

Grade: C+

Dennis Schroder

8 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers

Schroder played the best two minutes of anyone on the roster tonight. So, there’s that.

He scored 8 points in rapid succession, taking Jakob Poeltl off the dribble and looking like the only player who cared about running a proper offense. That didn’t last for too long.

Grade: C-

Observations after Sixers suffer blowout Game 4 loss to Celtics in Embiid's return originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Joel Embiid’s presence alone did not pull the Sixers even in their first-round playoff series with the Celtics.

The Sixers suffered a blowout Game 4 loss Sunday night in Embiid’s first action since undergoing an appendectomy on April 9. They fell to a 128-96 defeat at Xfinity Mobile Arena and now trail 3-1 in the best-of-seven series.

Embiid had 26 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in 34 minutes.

Tyrese Maxey posted 22 points and six assists. Paul George scored 16 points.

Payton Pritchard torched the Sixers, scoring a playoff career-high 32 points. Jayson Tatum had 30 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Jaylen Brown added 20 points and seven rebounds.

Game 5 will be Tuesday night in Boston. Here are observations on the Sixers’ 32-point Game 4 loss:

Embiid not a million miles from his norm  

Embiid drew two quick fouls on Neemias Queta. The Boston big man was whistled for his second personal on a swift Embiid drive from the right wing.

Embiid knocked down all four of his free throws off of Queta’s fouls. He also scored early on a fast-break dunk and a powerful post-up layup against Nikola Vucevic. Embiid didn’t look reluctant to invite contact, run the floor or do anything that’s normally part of his game. While he missed mid-range jumpers that he’s accustomed to hitting and showed other signs of rust here and there, he was relatively sharp out of the gates.

Until a VJ Edgecombe mid-range jumper with 5:24 left in the first quarter, no Sixer scored besides Embiid. Both sides had cold jump shooting starts. The Sixers and Celtics each missed their first four three-point tries.

Embiid subbed out and Andre Drummond replaced him with 5:11 to go in the first. However, Embiid was back in soon. He re-entered with 2:49 left after a subpar Drummond stint that included two fouls. 

Drummond exited early in the second quarter after appearing to hurt his right hip, but he was able to return in the third. 

Boston’s bench dominant in first half 

The Celtics made an unsurprising run in the night’s first Embiid-less minutes. Pritchard nailed two three-pointers. Drummond fouled Tatum on a shot beyond the arc.  

Pritchard had a massive first quarter, tallying 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting. In Game 3, the Celtics’ bench outscored the Sixers’ by 21 points. Boston had the first 27 second-unit points Sunday. 

Pritchard ended the quarter with an exclamation point, sinking a long-range, one-legged runner to put the Celtics up 34-18. 

Offensive rebounds remained another giant problem in the first quarter for the Sixers, who struggled to close out good defensive possessions and were caught ball watching on several occasions. The Celtics grabbed six offensive boards in the first quarter and the Sixers had zero.

The start of a new quarter didn’t snap the Sixers into a higher gear. Pritchard swished a three over Quentin Grimes and Sixers head coach Nick Nurse called timeout with his team trailing by 21 points. 

Maxey was quiet in the first half, scoring seven points on 2-for-3 shooting. He’s faced strong defense in this series from Derrick White, Jordan Walsh and the Celtics, but Maxey was too deferential to teammates at times in the first half. His backcourt mate dealt with early foul trouble and Edgecombe posted just two points over the first two quarters. 

As for the Celtics’ stars, Tatum and Brown combined to shoot 4 for 17 from the field in the first half and were defended effectively by Kelly Oubre Jr. and George. The Celtics still held an 18-point lead at halftime. 

Celtics leave no doubt  

Maxey canned a three to open the scoring in the third quarter.

The Celtics kept snuffing out any hints of a Sixers push, though. Edgecombe stole the ball and threw it ahead to Maxey, but White sprinted back and blocked his layup. Brown drained a fadeaway, and-one jumper on George. Tatum hit a three to extend Boston’s lead to 69-43. 

Embiid eventually settled into a nice shooting rhythm starting around the midpoint of the third quarter. He wound up going 9 for 21 from the floor and 1 for 6 from three-point territory.

Boston tossed up threes all night, including during a brief third-quarter stretch when the Sixers turned to zone defense. The Celtics attempted 23 more threes than the Sixers (53-30) and made 15 more (24-9).

The Sixers could never contain Pritchard, who did even more damage late in the third quarter. Edgecombe fouled him with 0.9 seconds left in the third and the 2024-25 Sixth Man of the Year made both his foul shots. Before Sunday, Pritchard had played in 72 career postseason games and his scoring high was 23 points.

The Sixers were a thoroughly deflated, defeated team in the fourth quarter. A Tatum four-point play stretched the Celtics’ advantage to 30 points.

That’s two blowout losses now for the Sixers in the series. They were great in Game 2 and close in Game 3, but there’s no question the Celtics have been the better, deeper squad and deserve to be up 3-1. As they did in Game 2, the Sixers will need a serious bounce-back performance to keep their season ticking.

HOUSTON — To Lakers coach JJ Redick, what mattered most about Bronny James’ first career NBA playoff points, a pull-up 3-pointer to give the Lakers a 50-40 lead midway through the second quarter of their Game 3 victory over the Rockets, wasn’t that James made the shot. 

It was the fact that after all the nerves James experienced entering the first-round playoff series, he had the confidence to take the shot in the first place.

“Without Luka [Doncic and Austin Reaves], we don’t have the luxury of turning down shots created and advantages created,” Redick said. “He did a nice job offensively in that first stretch. Certainly making shots gives you confidence, but I thought he was great defensively as well in that stretch and really has just improved a lot even in this season from when he was getting some rotation minutes earlier in the year to when he’s gotten rotation minutes late in the season.”

James, the younger son of Lakers star LeBron James who was the No. 55 pick in the 2024 draft, got an up-close view of the playoffs last season.

But having played just four minutes across two games during the Lakers’ five-game first-round playoff loss to the Timberwolves last spring, he didn’t get a true sense of what playing in the playoffs feels like. 

That changed this season, with the younger James being in the Lakers’ rotation during the postseason entering Sunday’s Game 4 at Toyota Center.

“It’s the best feeling in the world,” Bronny said. “I mean, in college I didn’t get to play in March, so that’s something that’s gonna irk me for the rest of my life. And got to do it in the playoffs, and that’s just the best feeling.”

Bronny admitted to being nervous before his first playoff game.

“I definitely think I’ve gained a little more confidence and relaxed myself … Looking forward to down the road, me getting more minutes and stuff like that. I feel like just me getting playoff time, second stints and stuff like that is just gonna help more and more.” 

James’ first playing stint resulted not only in his first playoff points but also his second. 

LeBron threw an alley-oop to Bronny for a reverse layup on the Lakers’ next possession in the second quarter of Game 3, which was the first father-to-son assist in NBA playoffs history. 

“I’m not sure when was the last time I got an oop from him,” Bronny said. “Probably in training camp last year, maybe this year. But it was just one of those things; he saw me and saw that I was making eye contact with him, so he threw it up and I can always go get it.”

Bronny’s first stint impressed the Lakers’ coaching staff so much that he played a second stint for the first time during the playoffs against the Rockets in Game 3 after being limited to one stint in Game 1 and Game 2. 

“It just says a lot about me and JJ’s relationship, the other coaches in the coaching staff,” Bronny said. “They believe in me. And I appreciate that. And I’m going to take advantage of every minute I get.”

Bronny got regular playing time to close the regular season while Marcus Smart was sidelined for nine games because of an ankle injury before being cemented in the rotation when Doncic (hamstring) and Reaves (oblique) were sidelined to close the regular season.

“He has just gotten a lot better defensively,” Redick said. “His physicality’s been really good. His execution’s been really good and excited for him and just we got to continue to build him up. He’s obviously really important right now.”

After the electric atmosphere of the Toronto Raptors game three win, hopes were high going into Sunday’s game four that the Raptors could even out their series against the Cavaliers. While Thursday’s game was a must-win to keep Toronto alive in this series, Sunday was their last chance to get a win in a non-elimination game scenario, and just as important to their longevity in this series.

After truly one of the weirdest games of basketball, the Raptors were able to edge out the Cavaliers in the final minutes to bring the series to 2-2. With a final score of 93-89, it was a gritty, gruelling rock fight that often got physical and relied heavily on defense, rebounding, and taking advantage of every single possession.

The 1 pm start made this game a slog to start for both teams. A low-scoring first quarter led to a defensive battle from both teams, and the Raptors’ being active on the glass helped mitigate their lack of shot-making. They started to warm up as the second quarter dwindled, and Ingram’s buzzer-beater at halftime was the momentum they needed to go into the break up two points over the Cavs.

The real action came in the fourth quarter, though. In a game that kept flipping leads, every posession counted for both teams. Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles came up huge for the Raptors on most posessions — getting deflections, rebounds, and disrupting the Cavaliers offence enough that they started making messy decisions and fouls.

It also helped that the crowd at Scotiabank Arena was absolutely electric, despite the early start time. That noise and energy from the fans helped the Raptors find it in them to get this win.

One play in particular had Jamal Shead diving for the basketball to cause an 8 second violation on James Harden, a huge turning point for the game. In the final minutes, the Raptors ability to get stops and ensure that Cleveland couldn’t get ahead of them at the last second showed incredible poise in the moment. Barnes’s six clutch free throws were the deciding factor as Cleveland started fouling late in the game, and thr crowd propelled them to the end.

Ingram had a better game as well, and despite shooting 6-for-23 scored 23 points on the night. To be fair, everyone had a terrible shooting night — the Raptors shot 32% from the field while the Cavaliers shot 36.8% from the field. It was his defence that impacted the game the most, and he looked less discombobulated on the court than he has all series long. Hopefully the shot selection and accuracy improves more in the next game, but he showed up enough to help them get the win.

With the series now tied at 2 games per piece, we head back to Cleveland for game 5 on Wednesday. It will not be an elimination game, which relieves the pressure a bit for the Raptors, but it will still be tough. The first two games in Cleveland were hard, and the crowd will only be more intense as the series gets more competitive. Regardless of the result of Wednesday’s game, the series will return to Toronto for game 6 on Friday night.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are just one win away from punching their ticket to the second round of the NBA Playoffs.

The Lakers took a commanding 3-0 series lead with a with a 112–108 overtime victory over the Houston Rockets in Friday’s Game 3.

After the Lakers controlled the first half of the game, the Rockets came back in the second half and held a four-point lead in the final minute of regulation, but a game-tying three-pointer from LeBron James with under 10 seconds left forced overtime.

The Lakers have been without Austin Reeves this series, but the injured guard is officially listed as a game-time decision today, upgraded from questionable on Friday, and could make his playoff debut.

If the Rockets win tonight, the series will go back to Los Angeles for Wednesday’s Game 5.

Lakers vs. Rockets start time:

Tonight’s (April 26) Lakers vs. Rockets playoff game is scheduled to tip off at 6:30 p.m. PT / 9:30 p.m. ET.

How to watch Lakers vs. Rockets for free:

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the game for free.

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes NBC (plus every other channel you’ll need for the NBA playoffs including local channels). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $49.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.

Sling TV is another affordable way to stream NBA games; its Select plan includes NBC and starts at $19.99/month.

Lakers vs. Rockets first round playoff schedule

• Game 1:Lakers 107, Rockets 98
• Game 2: Lakers 101, Rockets 94
• Game 3: Lakers tk, Rockets tk
• Game 4: April 26, 9:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
• Game 5: April 29*
• Game 6: May 1*
• Game 7: May 3*

* if necessary

NBA Playoffs key dates:

• April 18: NBA Playoffs First Round begins
• June 3: Game 1 of the NBA Finals

Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.

Kevin Durant will again be unavailable to help his Rockets team.

Durant has been out for two of the three games during the bewildering series between the Lakers and Rockets, as he will also miss Game 4 due to an ankle injury, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported.

Durant has a bone bruise that would typically sideline him for two to three weeks during the regular season, Charania reports, and the 19-year veteran will not be cleared in time for the Rockets’ possible final game of the season.

Durant, 37, has only been limited to one appearance during the playoffs, missing Game 1 due to a knee injury, and he was declared out of Game 3 with an ankle injury.

The Lakers are up 3-0 in the series, bordering a sweep behind the efforts of 41-year-old LeBron James as Luka Doncic continues to nurse a hamstring injury suffered late in the regular season, and Austin Reaves — who missed Game 3 despite being upgraded to questionable — has been dealing with an oblique strain.

Reaves is questionable to play in Game 4.

The Lakers have won Games 1-3 by a combined 20 points, notably stealing what looked to be a Rockets win in Game 3, forcing overtime, where they won 112-108 in Houston.

James is averaging 25.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists in the series while shooting over 47 percent from the field and hitting close to 44 percent of his threes.

In Durant’s only game played in the series, he managed to log 41 minutes, pouring in 23 points with six rebounds and four assists, though he did commit nine turnovers and four personal fouls.

The winner of the series, which will likely be the Lakers, will move on to face the NBA title favorite Thunder, assuming they don’t blow their 3-0 lead over the Suns.

On the verge of elimination, the Houston Rockets may once again be without their best player.

All-Star forward Kevin Durant, who missed Houston’s Game 3 loss with a sprained ankle, had been listed as questionable on the team’s injury reports leading up to tip-off, which is scheduled for Sunday, April 26 at 9:30 p.m. ET.

Durant missed Houston’s 112-108 loss Friday, April 26 that dropped the Rockets to a 3-0 hole in their first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Durant sustained the sprained ankle in the second half of Game 2 on Tuesday, April 21. In that game, Durant scored 20 points in the first half on 6-of-7 shooting. After intermission, however, Lakers coach JJ Redick threw double-teams at Durant, forcing the ball out of his hands. In the second half, Durant scored just 3 points on 1-of-5 shooting.

But all eyes turn to Sunday’s game as the Rockets are trying to avoid a sweep.

Here’s everything you need to know about Kevin Durant’s status Sunday vs. the Lakers:

The first round of the NBA playoffs has produced a spate of injuries, and the San Antonio Spurs are facing one more.

On the day that Victor Wembanyama returned from a concussion, guard Stephon Castle, the 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year, suffered an injured left hand during a drive to the basket Sunday, April 26 in Game 4 of the team’s first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers.

On the play, which came midway through the second quarter, Castle was driving against Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant, who tried to draw a charge. When Castle crashed into Grant, however, the two fell to the court, and Castle landed on his left hand.

He initially remained in the game, but repeatedly favored it, especially when it grazed against other players. Eventually Castle asked to be subbed out, and he headed into the locker room.

🚨Spurs rushed Stephon Castle to get X Rays on an injured hand. He was in pain after this play and asked to be subbed out so he could go to the locker room right away.

He has returned to the bench. pic.twitter.com/vTLzZJo2p4

— SpursRΞPORTΞR (@SpursReporter) April 26, 2026

REPORT: Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards expected to miss multiple weeks

According to the ESPN broadcast, Castle received X-rays, though he eventually returned to the bench. Once seated, he continued to be in apparent discomfort, shaking his left hand.

Castle did have more tape on the hand, and he returned to the game briefly before being subbed out with 1:57 left in the first half.

Through two quarters, Castle played 11:48 and went 4-of-8 from the field for 10 points, adding 2 assists.

The Spurs struggled in the second quarter, as Portland has opened a 58-41 lead at the half.

The good news for San Antonio was that Castle was on the floor to start the third quarter, which coincided with a 13-0 Spurs run to start the period.

The rivalry between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets gained another chapter Saturday night at Target Center.

Despite losing both Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards to injuries for the rest of the series, the Timberwolves won Game 4 112-96 to take a 3-1 series lead with a performance that spoke volumes about each of the two teams.

In the final seconds of the game, and the Timberwolves up by 14 points, Mike Conley threw a pass up ahead to Jaden McDaniels, who, instead of running out the clock, layed the ball in the basket. Nikola Jokić took exception.

It is an awful look for the 3-time MVP, who seemed more concerned with guarding the unwritten rules of the game than anyone on the opposing team, to start a fight as his team falls down 3-1 to a team missing two of their best players.

If Jokić wanted to avoid getting punked or embarrassed, he should have done so after Game 2 when McDaniels called out Jokić and the entire Nuggets roster as bad defenders. Instead, McDaniels and the Wolves hung 68 points in the paint on the Nuggets’ defense in Game 3 en route to a 113-96 blowout victory.

When asked why he was so upset about the McDaniels layup, Jokić said, “Because he scored and everybody stopped playing.” Jokić was understandably not very interested in breaking down the play further, but he did say he has no regrets.

By his lofty standards, Jokić has had an awful series. His defensive limitations have been on full display, while his offensive game has been completely disrupted by Rudy Gobert. In the last three games, each of which the Nuggets lost, Jokić has shot 23-68 from the floor (33.8 percent). In the fourth quarter, Jokić has made just two of his 16 shot attempts.

As the shooting percentages have gone down, the flopping and gamesmanship with the officials have gone up. Rather than attempting to match the Timberwolves’ level of play or competitiveness, Jokić has far too often focused his attention elsewhere.

“I thought we were very competitive tonight,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said about his team’s performance. “The competitive spirit question bothers me because I thought we were extremely competitive tonight at the start of the game. I thought we got into them. It was a game I thought we had control of, and in the third quarter, we just could not make a run.”

While the Nuggets may have been competitive to begin the game, the rest of the contest tells a different story. The Nuggets got outscored 62-42 in the second half with two of the Wolves’ offensive engines, DiVicenzo and Edwards, out of the game.

The Nuggets’ two best players, Jokić and Jamal Murray, shot a combined 6-24 from the field, including nine straight misses from Jokić to close the game as Gobert and Murray locked them down for the third consecutive game.

Adelman, like Jokić, took exception to the layup by McDaniels at the end of the game.

One thing Adelman is correct about: Game 4 and this entire series is precisely who Jaden McDaniels is.

McDaniels knew exactly what he was doing by putting the ball in the basket at the end of the game, just like he knew what he was saying after Game 2. He knew the reaction both would likely generate and was unafraid the Nuggets would do anything about it. When confronted, McDaniels, with a smile on his face, grabbed the jersey of Jokić and pushed him out of the way.

McDaniels does not care if he gives another team bulletin board material. He does not care about any unwritten rules, and he certainly does not care about what anyone thinks of him or his teammates. He just wants to play basketball.

“I said what I said,” McDaniels explained. “And then after that, just come to hoop every night.” When asked if Jokić said anything to him, McDaniels replied, “I don’t know what he said to be honest. I just seen someone that was big as hell.”

The only surprise was that McDaniels took it easy on the Nuggets by laying the ball in instead of breaking out his signature dunk, which has come to be known as the Slim McNasty, as he did in Game 7 of the 2024 series between these two teams.

For much of the night, Target Center felt like a balloon that someone had let all the air out of. They lost, in many ways, their heart and soul, DiVincenzo to a catastrophic Achilles injury, and the franchise superstar Edwards to a hyperextended knee.

The Timberwolves could have let their emotions get the best of them. They could have let the game go before halftime and tried to regroup before Game 5 with the series still tied.

Instead, they decided to battle back.

“That might be the most proud of our team I’ve been all season,” Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch said after the game. “Losing those two guys was really tough, tough emotionally for the guys. We regrouped well. I thought the key was just hanging in there until we get to halftime, kind of reset things, figure out what we have and who we have going forward.”

“Really proud of the guys,” Gobert stated. “You know, we lose two of our main guys early in the game, kept competing, had a lot of adversity, a lot of things didn’t go our way, kept competing no matter what, kept playing together. Every single guy that came in the game brought something and able to close out at the end, so really proud of the guys.”

The biggest bright spot on the night was the 43-point performance from Ayo Dosunmu, who saw an increased role with DiVincenzo and Edwards both out. The scoring total was a career-high for Dosunmu and a Timberwolves playoff record for scoring off the bench, a mark Dosunmu set just a game earlier with 25 points in Game 3.

“I didn’t know he was that damn good, I ain’t gonna lie to you.” Julius Randle said of Dosunmu’s Game 4 performance. “But, damn, I’m glad we got him.”

Dosunmu said the key to his performance was “just being aggressive.” He continued. “Just staying true to my technique and my routine. I think that’s very important having a very strict routine off the court. I think that plays a huge part into your performance on the court. Then just entering flow state.”

At every turn in Game 4, the Timberwolves and Nuggets told everyone watching exactly who they are as a team.

The Timberwolves, without their starting backcourt, kept their composure. The Nuggets, on the other hand, had no response for the Wolves on either end of the court while their best playing starting a brawl because of an extra two points in garbage time.

The Wolves, every step of the way, overcame the adversity that was thrown their way, while the Nuggets seemed to succumb to the pressure.

The Timberwolves will hope to bottle up that feeling one more time to close out this first-round series. The Nuggets, meanwhile, will need some soul-searching if they’re even willing to do so.

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Down 2-1 in the first-round series, the Detroit Pistons will look to avoid falling into a two-game deficit when they face the Orlando Magic at the Kia Center.

Wendell Carter Jr. has been highly productive thus far, and my Pistons vs Magic predictions expect him to keep up his high-scoring ways at home.

Here are my best free NBA picks for Game 4 on Monday, April 27.

Pistons vs Magic prediction

Pistons vs Magic best bet: Wendell Carter Jr. Over 10.5 points (-115)

Wendell Carter Jr. has provided excellent numbers through the first three games of the series against the Detroit Pistons, averaging 11.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per contest. Carter scored 11+ points in 45 of 78 regular-season matchups, and he’s reached that total in two of three playoff games.

The Orlando Magic big man is an effective floor-spacer who can spread out Jalen Duren with his 3-point shooting ability. Carter has gone just 1-for-7 from deep in this series, but he’s due for positive regression in that department.

WCJ has hit the Over on this scoring line in three of his last four matchups against the Pistons, and he’s got a strong advantage on the glass that he can parlay into second-chance scoring opportunities.

Among players with 25+ playoff minutes per game, Carter is tops in offensive rebound percentage (10.7%). Detroit was also vulnerable on the glass during the regular season, surrendering the seventh-most boards and fourth-most offensive rebounds per match.

Carter presents a complete matchup nightmare for the Pistons, and his shooting and rebounding abilities will lead to another 11+ point performance at home.

Pistons vs Magic same-game parlay

The Magic are finally healthy and rolling against a Pistons team that doesn’t have any answers for their size and shot-making abilities. I’ll take Orlando to cover as a small home dog.

Two of three games have gone Under in this series, and it's thanks to strong defensive efforts on both sides. The Magic and Pistons each rank in the Top 3 in defensive rating in the postseason.

Detroit finished second in that category in the regular season, while Orlando was 13th.

Pistons vs Magic SGP

• Wendell Carter Jr. Over 10.5 points
• Magic +2.5
• Under 214

Our "from downtown" SGP: Duke Double-Doubles

A couple of 6-foot-10 Duke big men delivered double-doubles in Game 3, and I’m rolling with the pair of former Blue Devils to reach that statistical milestone once again. 

Carter Jr. finished with a season-high 17 rebounds to go with 14 points in Game 3, and he’s feasted on the glass this series.

Meanwhile, Paolo Banchero has averaged 24.2 points and nine rebounds in six games against the Pistons, recording three double-doubles in the process.

Pistons vs Magic SGP

• Magic moneyline
• Wendell Carter Jr. to record a double-double
• Paolo Banchero to record a double-double

Pistons vs Magic odds for Game 4

• Spread: Pistons -2.5 (-115) | Magic +2.5 (-105)
• Moneyline: Pistons -150 | Magic +125
• Over/Under: Over 214 (-110) | Under 214 (-110)

Pistons vs Magic betting trend to know

Orlando has hit the 1Q moneyline in 12 of its last 16 games (+10.25 Units / 39% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Pistons vs. Magic.

How to watch Pistons vs Magic Game 4

Pistons vs Magic latest injuries

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This Lakers-Rockets series hasn’t featured pretty basketball. The Lakers have played without Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, and the Rockets have had two games without Kevin Durant. With so many key stars out, scoring has been ugly and each contest has been a grind.

In that muck, the Lakers have been the better team. They’ve won all three games by simply outhustling the Rockets with Game 3 being a prime example.

With LA down by six with less than a minute to go, they were the ones forcing turnovers, making their free throws and hitting 3-pointers. They forced overtime and had more grit-and-grind plays in the extra session.

Deandre Ayton and LeBron James won jump balls, Marcus Smart was grabbing defensive rebounds and the Lakers snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat.

After the win, Lakers head coach JJ Redick praised his team’s efforts.

“Everything we needed to do, even when it wasn’t pretty, we just kind of found a way to do it,” Redick said. “We’re playing hard. You have to do that to put yourself in a position to win. There’s some things we can execute better but I thought, from the beginning of the game, we played with a sense of desperation and we played like a team that was down. As did they. They played a great game as well. A hard-fought game and I thought we matched that.”

Teams that go up 3-0 in the NBA playoffs are 159-0, so Houston was well aware that a loss essentially ended their season. They brought the appropriate fight to this game to ensure they wouldn’t lose. Alperen Şengün had 33 points and 16 rebounds, Jabari Smith Jr. hit six 3-pointers and the Rockets had twice as many offensive rebounds as the Lakers.

However, when push came to shove, Houston crumbled. LeBron forced a turnover on Reed Sheppard. Jaxson Hayes played great defense on Şengün on his game-winning attempt in the fourth. And in overtime, the Lakers were the sharper team.

Given that they were trailing on the road and shorthanded, it took a gutsy performance from everyone in a purple and gold uniform to flip the result in LA’s favor.

The fact that they were able to do so is a testament to their never-say-die attitude and team unity. This is the direct opposite of what the Rockets have.

They don’t seem like a team playing together and for one another. Kevin Durant can’t be found on the bench and their head coach, Ime Udoka, is calling out his players postgame.

Now the Lakers know they are better than the Rockets, and even if the odds are against them, they are never out of the game. If they stay focused, they can finish this series off this weekend and earn their first playoff sweep since 2010.

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