Category: Basketball

Not a whole lot has changed for the Philadelphia 76ers since their last meeting with the San Antonio Spurs. With 4 games left in the regular season, the 76ers are currently 7th in the East with a chance to still move up or down in the standings. They’re just a half game back of the Toronto Raptors for the 6th seed, a position which would bypass the play-in tournament and guarantee them a spot in the first round of the playoffs. Luckily for them, both Paul George and Joel Embiid made their return to play on March 25th in a win over the Chicago Bulls after prolonged absences. Neither of those guys makes Philadelphia a title contender, but it does make them a potentially tough 1st round opponent for anyone, especially if Embiid manages to stay healthy. That’s a pretty big, “if,” considering what Embiid has been through, though.

San Antonio is still in a chase of their own as far as seeding goes, but they’re running out of games to gain on the Oklahoma City Thunder. Now 2.5 back and with 4 home games to finish out the regular season, the math is starting to become too tight for the Silver and Black. Regardless of the standings, expect head coach Mitch Johnson to play his guys down this final stretch of the regular season in an effort to fine-tune everyone as the playoffs approach.

---

San Antonio Spurs (54-18) at Philadelphia 76ers (43-35)
April 6 2026 | 7:00 PM CT
Watch: FDSS | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)

Spurs Injuries: David Jones-Garcia, OUT

76ers Injuries: Joel Embiid, oblique (day to day), Cameron Payne, hamstring (day to day), Johni Broome, knee (OUT)

---

What to watch for

• Paul George has played in 6 games since returning from a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug program. The soon-to-be 36 year old George signed a lucrative deal with Philadelphia two summers ago, but has appeared in just 74 total contests for the 76ers, hampered by a knee injury and the aforementioned suspension. He’s put up 25.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4 assists since coming back from the suspension on 50/44/79 from the field, a glimpse of the player the 76er faithful thought they were getting when George signed his deal. George scored 39 points in a win over the Washington Wizards last week, the most he’s scored since joining the 76ers.
• While he probably isn’t anywhere near to the Rookie of the Year trophy, VJ Edgecombe has still had a phenomenal rookie season. Averaging 16 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4 assists per game in his first season, the 20 year old Edgecombe’s breakout gives Philadelphia a tantalizing young prospect to pair in the backcourt with Tyrese Maxey as they begin to navigate what appear to be the lean years of Joel Embiid’s career. He’s shown the ability all season long to be able to put the ball on the floor and make things happen, whether it be secondary playmaking or creating a look for himself. Edgecombe scored a career-high 38 points during mid-March in a road win victory Sacremento.

• In year’s past, the Victor Wembanyama-Joel Embiid match-up would have been the #1 talking point when discussing this match-up. Alas, Embiid’s injury history has only grown, as the former MVP has played in just 56 games between this year and last. Embiid is still more than talented enough to put up big numbers when he’s actually on the court, averaging 27 points a game in 37 contests this season, but overall he’s not close to the same dominant player people have come to expect him to be. This is especially apparent on the defensive end, where years of lower body injuries are beginning to take their toll. His 7.6 rebounds per game are a career-low.

---

If you’d like to, you may follow along with the game on our Twitter profile (@poundingtherock) or visit our Game Thread!

For the first time in nearly three months, the Dallas Mavericks finally won a game at the American Airlines Center against a depleted Lakers squad.

The Mavericks offense was clicking all night, with the paint scoring being especially impressive. While the defensive effort was lackluster, it’s hard to ask anymore of this Mavericks team.

Without further ado, let’s get to the grade.

Cooper Flagg: Off The Charts

45 PTS / 8 REB / 9 AST / 2 STL / 1 BLK – 39 MIN

Since 1968, no rookie has scored more points over a two game span than Cooper Flagg.

Flagg was simply unstoppable Sunday night, as the Lakers had no answers for his constant downhill pressure. This game was also very different than Friday night’s 51 point explosion, as Flagg dominated the paint and free-throw line.

It is simply hard to put into words how good Flagg already is, because how is the youngest player in the league this good?

And for any Mavericks fans who might have tuned out after the trade, Flagg might be better than anyone who came before him.

Daniel Gafford: B+

7 PTS / 7 REB / 0 AST / 2 STL / 2 BLK – 20 MIN

Daniel Gafford played another good game, but left with another injury.

In my opinion, Gafford should be shut down until next season to let him heal from his various ailments.

Max Christie: C

8 PTS / 1 REB / 2 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 25 MIN

Max Christie continues to feel invisible in almost every game he plays, as Sunday night was another meaningless performance.

Unless Christie can shoot with more volume he doesn’t really add that much positive impact.

I still believe in the 23-year-old shooting-guard, but he needs to play better.

P.J. Washington: B

15 PTS / 5 REB / 0 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 30 MIN

P.J. Washington is simply not an important player to this team going forward.

While Washington can be a great role-player, I think his fit in Dallas simply doesn’t work anymore.

Naji Marshall: B

13 PTS / 7 REB / 7 AST / 2 STL / 0 – 32 MIN

If Naji Marshall could make threes, he would be a star, but he can’t

If the Mavericks elect to keep Marshall this offseason, his minutes should be heavily staggered with Flagg.

But past the on-court fit, Marshall’s locker room presence might be too important to trade.

Brandon Williams: A

13 PTS / 2 REB / 5 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 25 MIN

Everyone knows that the Mavericks need to reshape their guard room, but Brandon Williams may be worth keeping around.

Specifically he would thrive in a third guard role where his speed and change of pace could surprise defenses.

Now, if he could add a three-point shot, his ceiling could be limitless.

Klay Thompson: B+

11 PTS / 0 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 18 MIN

It’s still incredible to see how much gravity Klay Thompson possesses, even at 36 years old.

While I may be in the minority, the Mavericks should bring back Thompson next year unless they receive real assets in a trade.

Thompson is very old, but can still shoot threes with the best of the best.

This one will actually be fairly brief, as it’s very late for me. It almost got very late for the Rockets, too. Despite having a double digit lead in the 4th quarter, the Rockets almost (but didn’t!) lost it late. If you’ve ever seen most games where the Rockets play Golden State in San Francisco, with Steph Curry playing, you can be forgiven in the fourth quarter for thinking that you knew how this one would end.

Steph Curry would shoot a bunch of difficult three pointers late, make them, and the Rockets would be unable to match it. There would be gushing announcers, if a national game. (Check!) There would be some iffy calls. (Check!) There would be Draymond and his special, personal, set of rules. (Check!) There would be a Curry dagger to give the Warriors an improbable win. (Nope!)

I signed up for this recap with a healthy amount of trepidation, but no one can say that I am not a glutton for punishment. I wouldn’t have done that, though, if I realized that

A. Steph Curry would be returning from a long absence.

In retrospect, of course he would. He would definitely return at home, against the Rockets, if such a thing was even remotely possible.

B. It was Easter Sunday.

I did know it was Easter of course, but I hadn’t put the two together. That Rockets fans were being set up to endure some sort of “He Is Risen! The Holy Gnawer Himself! The Bay Area’s Lord and Savior!” story line. It was very close, but fortunately this reverse miracle didn’t quite occur.

What happened? Well, the Rockets had a fairly solid lead. Then they put in some weird lineups, and lost most of that lead to Warriors Randos. The the Warriors put in Steph Curry, the Rockets answered with still odder lineups, with even less shooting, but in theory (but not practice, as it didn’t get stops) more defense. Yeah, you’ve seen this movie before, right?

Well, not quite. The the Warriors took a 116-115 lead at 19.6 seconds remaining on a goaltend call on Amen Thompson that looked like it might not withstand a challenge. The Rockets didn’t have a challenge, so we will never know. The Rockets called a timeout.

You can be forgiven for dreading this sort of out of timeout situation, late, with the game on the line. You might have been expecting that the Rockets would force a dangerous inbounds pass to Kevin Durant in the center of the court, somewhere near mid court. You might foresee that he’d be immediately swarmed, and either throw a dangerous pass to a player who couldn’t get a shot off, and would then lob a grenade to someone else. That person would miss. That would be lost fourth quarter lead #18.

Friends, it didn’t happen. The Rockets ran a play. That’s the Easter Basketball Miracle. They ran a play. Durant did get the ball, but not on the inbounds, and not at midcourt. He dribbled along the sideline, while Alperen Sengun rambled down the lane towards the basket. Golden State, having lost Kristaps Porzingis to fouls, was playing very small by necessity. It had been working well for foiling the aforementioned strange lineups (a lot more Aaron Holiday and JaeSean Tate than seemed wise.) The 7ft Durant made an easy pass to the 6’11” Alperen Sengun over the Golden State defenders, for an easy finish. 117-116.

Sill there were a few seconds left, but Golden State was out of timeouts. If you’ve watched enough of these games, you have a healthy fear of what might come next. Curry makes a miracle heave, also falls down, just in case, and then does a little dance on the ground. Reggie Miller squeals in delight. Etc.

But no. It wasn’t a good look, there was no possible foul, and Curry just missed from 30ft. The game was over. The Narrative was defeated, somehow. The Rockets won.

There’s more to talk about on this one, but not at 2am for me. That was the defining moment of this game, despite an excellent game from Kevin Durant overall (late, painful turnovers aside), Jabari Smith, and very good games from Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun.

Let’s take this win and be happy. It’s not what I expected, but it’s definitely what I hoped for when I signed up to write up this game.

PS – Jabari Smith had a very fine game, and was the player interview at the half. He wasn’t asked about his game, or his team. Nope. Jabari was asked to talk about what Steph Curry returning meant to him. I’m not kidding.This happened.

Sacramento Kings (21-58, 14th in the Western Conference) vs. Golden State Warriors (36-42, 10th in the Western Conference)

San Francisco; Tuesday, 10 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Golden State enters the matchup against Sacramento after losing four straight games.

The Warriors are 6-6 in division games. Golden State is eighth in the Western Conference scoring 114.8 points while shooting 46.1% from the field.

The Kings are 3-11 against opponents in the Pacific Division. Sacramento is 13-26 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponents and averages 13.7 turnovers per game.

The Warriors score 114.8 points per game, 6.4 fewer points than the 121.2 the Kings give up. The Kings are shooting 46.7% from the field, 1.2% lower than the 47.9% the Warriors' opponents have shot this season.

The teams square off for the third time this season. The Warriors won the last matchup 137-103 on Jan. 10. Stephen Curry scored 27 points to help lead the Warriors to the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Draymond Green is scoring 8.6 points per game and averaging 5.5 rebounds for the Warriors. Brandin Podziemski is averaging 17.4 points and 5.5 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Maxime Raynaud is averaging 12.1 points and 7.5 rebounds for the Kings. DeMar DeRozan is averaging 13.8 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Warriors: 3-7, averaging 112.0 points, 39.8 rebounds, 28.1 assists, 9.2 steals and 3.4 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.2 points per game.

Kings: 3-7, averaging 111.6 points, 42.4 rebounds, 27.1 assists, 5.9 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 125.3 points.

INJURIES: Warriors: Quinten Post: out (foot), Jimmy Butler III: out for season (knee), Al Horford: out (calf), Moses Moody: out for season (knee), LJ Cryer: out (illness).

Kings: Domantas Sabonis: out for season (back), Russell Westbrook: out (foot), De'Andre Hunter: out for season (eye), Zach LaVine: out for season (finger), Drew Eubanks: out for season (thumb), Malik Monk: day to day (shoulder), Keegan Murray: out (ankle).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Chicago Bulls (29-49, 12th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Washington Wizards (17-61, 15th in the Eastern Conference)

Washington; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Chicago is looking to break its seven-game losing streak with a victory against Washington.

The Wizards have gone 11-37 against Eastern Conference teams. Washington has a 4-40 record against opponents over .500.

The Bulls are 17-31 in conference games. Chicago is fourth in the Eastern Conference scoring 52.4 points per game in the paint led by Tre Jones averaging 8.7.

The Wizards are shooting 46.3% from the field this season, 1.6 percentage points lower than the 47.9% the Bulls allow to opponents. The Bulls are shooting 46.9% from the field, 1.8% lower than the 48.7% the Wizards' opponents have shot this season.

The teams play for the second time this season. The Bulls won the last matchup 121-120 on Nov. 23, with Josh Giddey scoring 18 points in the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Bub Carrington is averaging 10.3 points and 4.6 assists for the Wizards. Jaden Hardy is averaging 3.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Matas Buzelis is averaging 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks for the Bulls. Collin Sexton is averaging 18.7 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Wizards: 1-9, averaging 114.9 points, 38.0 rebounds, 25.0 assists, 8.3 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 130.4 points per game.

Bulls: 1-9, averaging 117.1 points, 43.9 rebounds, 26.0 assists, 7.4 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 132.1 points.

INJURIES: Wizards: Anthony Davis: out (finger), Tristan Vukcevic: day to day (knee), Justin Champagnie: day to day (knee), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), Tre Johnson: day to day (foot), Alex Sarr: day to day (toe), Kyshawn George: out for season (elbow), D'Angelo Russell: out (not injury related), Trae Young: out (quad), Bilal Coulibaly: day to day (heel).

Bulls: Anfernee Simons: out (wrist), Jalen Smith: out for season (calf), Matas Buzelis: day to day (illness), Noa Essengue: out for season (shoulder), Josh Giddey: day to day (hamstring), Nick Richards: day to day (elbow), Zach Collins: out for season (toe).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Oklahoma City Thunder (62-16, first in the Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (50-28, third in the Western Conference)

Los Angeles; Tuesday, 10:30 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Thunder -13; over/under is 226.5

BOTTOM LINE: Los Angeles will try to keep its 10-game home win streak alive when the Lakers take on Oklahoma City.

The Lakers are 30-18 in conference matchups. Los Angeles ranks ninth in the Western Conference with 31.6 defensive rebounds per game led by Luka Doncic averaging 7.1.

The Thunder are 39-9 in Western Conference play. Oklahoma City averages 12.0 turnovers per game and is 50-10 when winning the turnover battle.

The Lakers make 50.1% of their shots from the field this season, which is 6.7 percentage points higher than the Thunder have allowed to their opponents (43.4%). The Thunder average 119.2 points per game, 3.9 more than the 115.3 the Lakers allow to opponents.

The two teams match up for the fourth time this season. The Thunder defeated the Lakers 139-96 in their last matchup on April 3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 28 points, and Austin Reaves led the Lakers with 15 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: LeBron James is scoring 20.8 points per game with 6.1 rebounds and 7.1 assists for the Lakers. Jaxson Hayes is averaging 11.5 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 79.2% over the past 10 games.

Chet Holmgren is scoring 17.0 points per game and averaging 8.8 rebounds for the Thunder. Isaiah Joe is averaging 2.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Lakers: 7-3, averaging 119.7 points, 42.2 rebounds, 25.8 assists, 8.5 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 52.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.5 points per game.

Thunder: 9-1, averaging 123.9 points, 47.1 rebounds, 26.5 assists, 9.1 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 50.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.3 points.

INJURIES: Lakers: Austin Reaves: out (rib), Marcus Smart: out (ankle), Luka Doncic: out (hamstring).

Thunder: Alex Caruso: day to day (illness), Luguentz Dort: day to day (undisclosed), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Milwaukee Bucks (31-47, 11th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Brooklyn Nets (19-59, 13th in the Eastern Conference)

New York; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Milwaukee visits Brooklyn looking to stop its three-game road losing streak.

The Nets are 13-34 in Eastern Conference games. Brooklyn is 2-4 in games decided by less than 4 points.

The Bucks are 20-28 against Eastern Conference opponents. Milwaukee is 18-31 in games decided by 10 points or more.

The Nets score 106.2 points per game, 10.6 fewer points than the 116.8 the Bucks give up. The Bucks are shooting 47.8% from the field, 1.8% lower than the 49.6% the Nets' opponents have shot this season.

The teams square off for the third time this season. The Nets won 127-82 in the last matchup on Dec. 14. Egor Demin led the Nets with 17 points, and Gary Trent Jr. led the Bucks with 20 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Nic Claxton is averaging 11.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists for the Nets. Nolan Traore is averaging 11.3 points over the last 10 games.

Myles Turner is scoring 11.9 points per game and averaging 5.3 rebounds for the Bucks. Ryan Rollins is averaging 15.0 points and 3.3 rebounds over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Nets: 2-8, averaging 104.0 points, 34.2 rebounds, 24.2 assists, 10.0 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 44.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.1 points per game.

Bucks: 3-7, averaging 107.5 points, 39.1 rebounds, 23.9 assists, 8.1 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.2 points.

INJURIES: Nets: Ziaire Williams: day to day (foot), Noah Clowney: day to day (ankle), Nic Claxton: day to day (hand), Danny Wolf: out for season (ankle), Egor Demin: out for season (foot), Day'Ron Sharpe: out for season (thumb), Michael Porter Jr.: out for season (hamstring), Terance Mann: day to day (achilles), Ben Saraf: day to day (back).

Bucks: Kevin Porter Jr.: out for season (knee), Giannis Antetokounmpo: day to day (ankle), Bobby Portis: day to day (wrist), Gary Trent Jr.: day to day (hip).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Minnesota Timberwolves (46-32, sixth in the Western Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (18-60, 14th in the Eastern Conference)

Indianapolis; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Minnesota comes into the matchup against Indiana after losing three games in a row.

The Pacers are 11-27 on their home court. Indiana averages 13.7 turnovers per game and is 13-25 when it wins the turnover battle.

The Timberwolves are 21-17 on the road. Minnesota ranks eighth in the Western Conference scoring 49.9 points per game in the paint led by Julius Randle averaging 10.3.

The Pacers average 112.5 points per game, 1.7 fewer points than the 114.2 the Timberwolves give up. The Timberwolves average 117.5 points per game, 3.2 fewer than the 120.7 the Pacers give up.

The teams square off for the second time this season. The Timberwolves won 114-110 in the last meeting on Oct. 26. Randle led the Timberwolves with 31 points, and Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 33 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Siakam is averaging 24 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists for the Pacers. Obi Toppin is averaging 11.9 points over the last 10 games.

Rudy Gobert is scoring 11.0 points per game and averaging 11.5 rebounds for the Timberwolves. Donte DiVincenzo is averaging 2.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 3-7, averaging 121.5 points, 38.6 rebounds, 34.4 assists, 6.8 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 51.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 126.4 points per game.

Timberwolves: 5-5, averaging 110.9 points, 45.4 rebounds, 25.7 assists, 9.2 steals and 6.6 blocks per game while shooting 44.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.6 points.

INJURIES: Pacers: T.J. McConnell: day to day (hamstring), Johnny Furphy: out for season (knee), Andrew Nembhard: day to day (back), Ben Sheppard: day to day (hip), Ivica Zubac: out for season (rib), Pascal Siakam: day to day (back), Jarace Walker: day to day (back), Aaron Nesmith: day to day (neck), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles).

Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards: out (knee), Jaden McDaniels: out (knee).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Miami Heat (41-37, 10th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Toronto Raptors (43-35, seventh in the Eastern Conference)

Toronto; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Raptors -2.5; over/under is 238.5

BOTTOM LINE: Miami plays Toronto in Eastern Conference action Tuesday.

The Raptors are 30-18 in Eastern Conference games. Toronto ranks second in the Eastern Conference with 29.5 assists per game led by Immanuel Quickley averaging 6.0.

The Heat are 25-23 in Eastern Conference play. Miami has a 6-4 record in one-possession games.

The Raptors average 11.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.7 fewer makes per game than the Heat allow (14.0). The Heat average 13.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.0 more made shot on average than the 12.6 per game the Raptors give up.

The two teams play for the third time this season. The Raptors defeated the Heat 112-91 in their last matchup on Dec. 24. Scottie Barnes led the Raptors with 27 points, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. led the Heat with 21 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Barnes is scoring 18.1 points per game with 7.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists for the Raptors. RJ Barrett is averaging 19.6 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 47.7% over the last 10 games.

Bam Adebayo is averaging 20.2 points and 10 rebounds for the Heat. Tyler Herro is averaging 2.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Raptors: 4-6, averaging 116.8 points, 39.0 rebounds, 34.2 assists, 10.3 steals and 5.6 blocks per game while shooting 51.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.1 points per game.

Heat: 3-7, averaging 123.1 points, 43.3 rebounds, 29.5 assists, 6.3 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 130.8 points.

INJURIES: Raptors: Immanuel Quickley: out (foot).

Heat: Norman Powell: day to day (illness), Tyler Herro: day to day (personal).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Houston Rockets (49-29, fifth in the Western Conference) vs. Phoenix Suns (43-35, seventh in the Western Conference)

Phoenix; Tuesday, 11 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Rockets -2; over/under is 220.5

BOTTOM LINE: Houston will look for its 50th victory of the season when the Rockets visit the Phoenix Suns.

The Suns are 27-21 in Western Conference games. Phoenix has an 18-27 record against teams over .500.

The Rockets are 27-22 against Western Conference opponents. Houston is 21-16 against opponents with a winning record.

The Suns are shooting 45.5% from the field this season, 0.5 percentage points lower than the 46.0% the Rockets allow to opponents. The Rockets average 11.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.6 fewer makes per game than the Suns allow.

The teams meet for the fourth time this season. In the last matchup on Jan. 6 the Rockets won 100-97 led by 26 points from Kevin Durant, while Devin Booker scored 27 points for the Suns.

TOP PERFORMERS: Collin Gillespie is averaging 12.9 points and 4.8 assists for the Suns. Booker is averaging 26.5 points over the last 10 games.

Durant is averaging 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists for the Rockets. Alperen Sengun is averaging 22.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Suns: 4-6, averaging 115.5 points, 42.9 rebounds, 26.3 assists, 9.1 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 45.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.4 points per game.

Rockets: 8-2, averaging 121.2 points, 47.0 rebounds, 30.7 assists, 7.3 steals and 6.2 blocks per game while shooting 50.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.9 points.

INJURIES: Suns: Haywood Highsmith: day to day (knee).

Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Good news awaited the Golden State Warriors on Sunday: at long last, the return of Steph Curry, who finally rejoined the team after 27 games on the sidelines. And it almost propelled the team to a stunning comeback victory against the Houston Rockets.

Almost.

Instead, the Warriors lost their fourth consecutive game, falling 117-116 after a Curry game-winning three-point attempt was off line at the buzzer.

It was clear from the opening tip that something was different with the Warriors, in a good way. They were clearly energized by Curry’s return, even though he wasn’t in the starting lineup (Steve Kerr opted for a starting five of Brandin Podziemski, De’Anthony Melton, Gui Santos, Draymond Green, and Kristaps Porziņģis because of Curry’s minutes restriction).

That energy and life led the Dubs to a 7-0 lead in the blink of an eye, and they maintained that lead to take a 13-6 advantage even when Houston settled down and started executing well. When that happened, the Rockets were able to start scoring at ease, with some exceptional ball movement and pick and roll action. Finally, with 4:54 left in the quarter, Curry made his return.

It took a few minutes for Curry to get into rhythm, which is understandable. Charles Bassey, who was just signed, made his Warriors debut at the same moment and Curry’s return, and it was Bassey who was making the bigger impact, as he was everywhere on the court and protected the rime.

Finally, Curry made his first bucket, bailing the team out with a desperation three to beat the shot clock buzzer to kick off a two-for-one, helping the Warriors take a 31-26 lead into the second quarter.

Ime Udoka’s defense was unreal to start the second quarter, though, and it took its toll on the Dubs. Spanning the final possession of the first quarter and the opening few minutes of the second, the Rockets scored 13 straight points to turn a seven-point deficit into a six-point lead, prompting Kerr to call a timeout before the Warriors had even scored in the quarter.

But near the halfway mark of the quarter, the Warriors came roaring back, as their defense — which featured spirited efforts by Green and Gary Payton II, among others — started putting on the clamps, and creating opportunities for their offense. It was around then that we also got a special moment: Steph and Seth Curry sharing a court together for the first time.

That seemed to spark Steph, as he began finding a rhythm in his second stint on the court, as the Warriors were going toe to toe with the Rockets. But Houston surged ahead late in the quarter, regaining control thanks to some outrageous displays of individual offense from Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson, and some exceptional passing. The Warriors were able to end the half with a lot of momentum, though, after Green stripped Durant and found Podziemski for a transition dunk in the closing seconds, and then the Warriors forced another Rockets turnover. With Curry scoring 10 points, the Dubs trailed just 55-53 at the half.

Things did not go well to start in the third quarter. The Warriors were struggling, as their offense couldn’t find rhythm or buckets, and the Rockets were starting to figure things out. Curry’s first stint of the half came much earlier than it did in the first, perhaps due to Kerr sensing a sinking ship. Either way, the Dubs were down 11 points after just four minutes, and the deficit would grow to 15. It felt like they were in danger of completely falling apart, but, thanks to some utterly absurd buckets by Curry — who started to take over in the frame — they found what they needed, and got right back in the game. But they couldn’t maintain it through the finish line of the quarter, as the Rockets ended on a surge to take a 92-82 advantage into the fourth quarter.

Golden State, however, was unfazed. They started the fourth quarter with the same energy they brought to the first, and rattled off a 5-0 run. But the Rockets, who are fighting with the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets in the standings, with a chance to move into the fourth or third seed, punched right back, with seven straight points of their own.

As we got to the halfway mark of the final quarter, it began to feel like the Warriors were out of it.

And then came a final, heroic run. Down 14, the Warriors blitzed the Rockets to score seven straight points. It turned into a 12-3 run, and they pulled within five points, with four minutes remaining. Then Melton sank a three to bring the house to their feet, capping a 15-3 run that made it a two-point game at the 2:30 mark.

After the teams exchanged buckets, Curry cut to the rim off ball, grabbed a slick Green pass, and laid it in with 1:27 remaining. Suddenly the Warriors were down just a single point.

Houston fired back, with a three-point play from Alperen Şengün, who was huge down the stretch. But Curry, playing the heroic role the Warriors have so desperately needed for months, responded with a three. The Warriors were back within one point with just under a minute remaining.

After holding Durant to a miss, the Warriors had a chance to take the lead, and take the lead they did. With Curry acting as a decoy to pull Houston’s defense away from the rim, Payton cut through the paint, and Green whipped a pass to him. GPII’s layup was destined for the bottom of the net before it was goaltended.

With 20 seconds left, the Warriors had their first lead since the second quarter.

But the Rockets executed a perfect play on the other end, with Durant finding a cutting Şengün for a go-ahead layup with 11 seconds left. The Warriors opted not to call timeout, choosing instead to try to score against a defense that wasn’t set.

Curry danced on multiple defenders, and was able to hoist a deep three from straightaway, but it just didn’t fall.

In his return, Curry finished with a team-high 29 points, while shooting 11-for-21 from the field and 5-for-10 on threes. The Warriors outscored the Rockets by 12 points in the 26 minutes he played, and were outscored by 13 points in the 22 minutes when he was on the bench.

Podziemski (18), Santos (15), and Payton (14) also finished with double figures, while Green dished out 12 assists, with the team having 34 on the night. Durant led the Rockets with 31 points and nearly had a triple-double, while Şengün had 24 and Jabari Smith Jr. 23.

With the loss, the Warriors fell to 36-42 and clinched a losing regular season. They have just four games left before the play-in tournament, starting on Tuesday when they host the Sacramento Kings at 7:00 p.m. PT.

Jalen Brunson is, for the most part, a known quantity.

A good way to view the Knicks offense is that Brunson is the floor, and his supporting cast is the ceiling. A big part of that is OG Anunoby. When he is aggressive and involved offensively, it is usually a good sign for overall success.

When Anunoby scores 20 or more points this year, the Knicks are 22-4. In their past two wins, over the Grizzlies and Bulls, he scored 25 and then 31 points.

That’s the version of Anunoby the Knicks will need in the playoffs.

“I think he’s starting to fully understand his areas where he can be aggressive within the offense, within the flow of the game,” Josh Hart said after practice Sunday. “That’s one thing about Mike [Brown], Mike never tells us not to do something. He always wants us to be aggressive, he wants us to shoot shots. … He doesn’t really put limits on us, and I think OG is really starting to really understand ‘where can I be aggressive? Where can I find my spots to go score?’ He’s an efficient scorer, physical, athletic, so he’s starting to understand that.”

Anunoby’s primary role in Brown’s offense is to stay in the corners and wait for drive-and-kick 3-pointers. At times, it can limit his contributions. And Brown has vocally set the hierarchy as Brunson first, Karl-Anthony Towns second, and everyone else after that.

But having four strong scoring threats in Brunson, Towns, Anunoby and Mikal Bridges is what is supposed to make the Knicks offense dynamic. Finding a balance between accepting his role as a catch-and-shooter and actively looking to drive and get to the rim is something Anunoby and the Knicks are still, this late into the year, working on.

---

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NBA STANDINGS AND KNICKS STATS

---

“When OG is aggressive, he’s hard to deal with,” Landry Shamet said Sunday. “The beauty of our team is that we have so many different options. Sometimes the ball’s just finding you. There’s a certain rhythm about things. Right now, OG is the recipient of a lot of that. When he’s in that situation and when it’s finding him, he’s being really aggressive, really decisive. He’s hard to contain when he puts his head down and drives.”

---

Giannis Antetokounmpo confirmed, as part of his larger comments going at Bucks management, to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Milwaukee and the Knicks engaged in talks before the season.

The Post’s Stefan Bondy reported before the season that the two teams talked about an Antetokounmpo trade, but that discussions did not go far because the Knicks believed the Bucks lacked motivation to make a deal.

---

The Knicks have a clean injury report for Monday’s game against the Hawks in Atlanta. Towns, after missing Friday’s game due to a right elbow impingement, is not listed.

So unless something changes, he should be good to go. 

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic was ruled out for the final five games of the NBA regular season on April 3.

Despite the news, Doncic and the Lakers are hopeful that he can be ready in time for a postseason run.

Doncic suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain in the Lakers' loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2.

The point guard has since consulted with Lakers doctors and his own medical team about seeking specialized treatment in Europe for his hamstring, Doncic's agent Bill Duffy told ESPN.

MORE: Luka Doncic injury could cost him MVP shot. His agent plans to fight.

What is a Grade 2 hamstring strain?

A Grade 2 hamstring strain is a “moderate injury that is typically a partial tear in the muscle; patients are likely to limp when walking and will have occasional twinges of pain during activity,” according to Mercy Health.

The injury could take close to a month to heal, but “returning to sports before the injury is fully healed can cause more severe injuries.”

Injury-riddled Lakers lose to Mavericks

Playing without Doncic and Austin Reaves — who has an oblique injury — the Lakers were defeated by the Dallas Mavericks, 134-128, on April 5.

LeBron James finished with a team-high 30 points as the Lakers continue to march toward the postseason without the services of two of their key contributors.

The Mavericks were led by rookie Cooper Flagg, who scored 45 points in Dallas' victory.

Reaves' injury is expected to keep him sidelined for four to six weeks.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lakers' Luka Doncic going to Europe for specialized medical treatment

Landry Shamet finds himself in a place that most wouldn’t have expected to start the season.

Healthy again after missing a few games with a knee issue, he is pretty much a lock to be in the Knicks playoff rotation.

“I don’t take these moments for granted, man,” Shamet said after practice Sunday. “This thing’s delicate, I know that. It’s a special team, special market, special opportunity and just to wear the jersey even. I’m grateful and happy to be a part of this group and have Mike’s [Brown] trust and my teammates’ trust. I trust in them as well. Super grateful for it.”

He hardly had a role under Tom Thibodeau last year.

And before the year, having signed just a nonguaranteed, veteran minimum contract, he was one of the last players to make Brown’s roster — and likely only did so due to Malcolm Brogdon’s sudden retirement.

Then after 15 promising games to start the year, he dislocated his shoulder — the same one he dislocated last year. The Knicks, given Shamet’s deal wasn’t guaranteed, could have cut him and looked to get help elsewhere.

But they afforded Shamet time to rehab. And it’s paid tremendous dividends. He has emerged as a key shooter off the bench, averaging 9.6 points per game — which would be a career high for a full season — and shooting 39.4 percent from 3-point range. He has also been one of the team’s best point-of-attack defenders.

There is certainly a case to be made that the Knicks have gotten more out of Shamet than any player on a minimum deal in the league.

One area in which he’s contributed, though, has gone under the radar — his ability to be a backup point guard. Brown has praised Shamet’s ability to handle that role, despite him being much more of a shooting guard most of his NBA career. Though neither are naturals at the position, Brown feels comfortable with both Shamet and Miles McBride there.

And now with both healthy, that doesn’t leave much room for Jose Alvarado in the rotation.

“He’s a good enough ball handler, he has a good enough feel/IQ to initiate the offense,” Brown said of Shamet on Sunday. “And then conceptually, because of his feel and the other guys’ feel, we’re able to generate some things offensively. We’re not relying on him to be a traditional point guard. He and Deuce [McBride] are more than capable of doing the things that we’re asking in terms of initiating the offense. And then at the end of the day, can they play pick-and-roll, can they play the [dribble handoff] game, get downhill and spray the ball or throw the lob to a guy like Mitch [Robinson]? I think he can.”

Shamet fills multiple vital roles for the Knicks. There was a time it didn’t seem like he’d even have any.

SAN FRANCISCO — Steph Curry was triumphant in his long-awaited return to the court and, against all odds, nearly were the Warriors.

There was a renewed energy inside Chase Center on Sunday night, a buzz that had mostly been absent since Curry went out more than two months ago, that reached an apex in the final minute of 117-116 loss to Kevin Durant and the Rockets.

The defeat could have dealt a cold dose of reality on Curry’s big day, but instead it only emphasized what hadn’t been possible in the Warriors’ 27 games without him since Jan. 30.

Golden State trailed by as many as 15 points in the second half and was still behind by double digits with as little as 4:51 remaining. Curry scored eight of his team-best 29 points from then on.

Curry converted a driving layup to cut the Rockets’ lead to a 112-111 with 87 seconds to play, then one-upped himself by pulling up from 32 feet and draining an answer to Houston’s 3-point play on the other end. With 11 seconds left, Curry had the ball in his hands, down one.

He crossed over and pulled up from the top of the key. It wasn’t to be.

But the performance was an encouraging sign for the Warriors’ prospects, given that Curry’s scoring total in 26 minutes off the bench trailed only Durant’s 31 that required 37 minutes.

The supporting cast that had gone 9-18 without Curry over the past two months didn’t do enough to pull out their first game with their north star back on the floor.

Kristaps Porzingis fouled out with more than 10 minutes left in the game, Brandin Podziemski scored only three of his 18 points in the second half, and the Warriors’ next-leading scorer, Gui Santos, was completely shut out after putting up 15 in the first half.

What it means

Curry looked like himself and finished the game in good health. For a Warriors team locked into the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference, that’s all that really mattered.

Turning point

It was a two-point game at halftime, but Durant completed a four-point play on the Rockets’ first possession of the third quarter, and the Warriors spent the rest of the second half trying to get it back to that margin.

The foul on Durant came courtesy of Kristaps Porzingis, who went on to pick up three more within the first four minutes of the second half and fouled out for good with 10:13 to play.

Not only did Porzingis’ foul trouble keep the Warriors’ second-best player off the floor for most of the second half, it robbed coach Steve Kerr of valuable time to assess his pairing with Curry.

The duo’s limited action Sunday was their first time ever sharing the court, including in practice.

MVP: Kevin Durant

Durant finished with eight rebounds and eight assists to go with a game-high 31 points. He drained his third 3-pointer of the night immediately after De’Anthony Melton sank a 3 that cut the Rockets’ lead to 109-107.

Stat of the game: 55/44.8/84.2

The return of Curry wasn’t enough to overcome the Warriors’ defensive deficiencies.

Golden State provided little resistance to the Rockets, who were only prevented from a vaunted 50/40/90 shooting split by missing one too many of their 19 free-throw attempts.

Up next

With four games left on the Warriors’ schedule, all that’s left to be determined is how much Curry will play leading into their No. 9/10 play-in matchup. Golden State hosts the Kings on Tuesday before LeBron James and the Lakers pay a visit Thursday for its final home contest of the regular season.

---

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters