For their first win since Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were ruled out for the remainder of the NBA’s regular season.
For the right formula that they can depend on with their star guards sidelined.
Lakers star Luka Doncic has been ruled out for the remainder of the NBA’s regular season. NBAE via Getty Images
For a traditional nine-man rotation that they can take into their first-round playoff series, with the hopes Doncic or Reaves will return at some point during the postseason.
To see the Lakers (50-29) get blown out by the league-leading Thunder, 123-87, for the second time in five days wasn’t a surprise, especially considering they were also without LeBron James, Marcus Smart and Jaxson Hayes in addition to Doncic and Reaves.
Coach JJ Redick called a timeout 2 ½ minutes into the game, quickly yanking Rui Hachimura from the game after Hachimura “didn’t do his job,” Redick said.
“We’ve got to find nine guys that are all in on us fighting and willing to go out on whatever metaphor you want to use — I don’t want to use a war metaphor in this time — but whatever you got to do to go out and fight and be all in on the team,” Redick said. “We’ll find the nine guys. It’s a great opportunity for us over the next three games to find those guys.”
And if the Lakers’ last two games were any indication, there’s a lot of playing time up for grabs.
“Those sort of spots are — they’re open,” Redick said. “Similar to what we’ve done when we’ve been healthy at [center], we’ll play the [center] that is all in that day, and we’ll figure out who that is.”
Realistically, the Lakers have most of their Doncic-, Reaves-less rotation figured out.
James, Smart, Hayes, Hachimura, Deandre Ayton, Luke Kennard and Jake LaRavia have played and been in the main rotation every game they’ve been available for the Lakers this season.
The Lakers have seven rotation players without Austin Reaves (15) and Luka Doncic. NBAE via Getty Images
That’s unlikely to change, putting the Lakers at seven rotation players without Doncic and Reaves.
But what about the final two spots?
Up for grabs between Vanderbilt, Adou Thiero, Bronny James, Kobe Bufkin, Maxi Kleber and Dalton Knecht.
Two-way players Drew Timme, Chris Manon and Nick Smith Jr. can be in the regular-season rotation but aren’t eligible to play during the postseason unless they’re converted to standard NBA deals.
Bufkin and Knecht can likely be ruled out of the rotation; neither has gotten regular playing time even when the team has dealt with multiple injuries.
That leaves Vanderbilt and Kleber as the players who’ll most likely fill out the rotation, with Thiero and Bronny James having an outside shot.
The Lakers’ Adou Thiero has an outside chance to earn a rotation spot. NBAE via Getty Images
Even though Vanderbilt has gone through significant stretches of not receiving regular playing time, and Tuesday’s altercation between him and Redick stemmed from a “confluence of things,” he’s still a veteran player whom the Lakers have leaned on more than most of their less experienced players.
The same applies for Kleber, who unlocks some of the team’s bigger lineups when he slots next to Ayton or Hayes.
There are three regular-season games left: The Lakers play the Warriors in San Francisco on Thursday before hosting the Suns on Friday and the Jazz on Sunday.
Plenty of time for the team’s younger players, including Thiero, who had 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal against the Thunder, to make their case.
“Just trying to go out there and keep building my own confidence and building the coaches’ confidence to put more trust in me,” Thiero said. “And show what I can do in those situations.”
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PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 08: Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns high fives Devin Booker #1 after scoring against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half of the NBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 08, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t clean. It wasn’t pretty. And yeah, the Dallas Mavericks did their part. Pulling Cooper Flagg late, the five-second violation down five, no real push to extend the game. You saw it. But a win is a win for the Phoenix Suns, and this one mattered. Because with it, they lock up the seventh seed as the Los Angeles Clippers fall. Opponent still unknown, but that piece is secured. Two games left, and you know where you stand. There is value in that. There is comfort in that. Even if the path to get there felt a little clunky.
The Suns clinch the 7th seed in the Western Conference as they (narrowly) defeat the Mavericks, and the Clippers are losing big to OKC.
Who their opponent is remains to be seen. It will be the Clippers or the Blazers, who play each other on Friday.
And honestly, I’ll say it, I’m happy. Because I got what I wanted. It came in an unexpected way, with Jalen Green going down early, and you never root for that. But it opened the door. It created minutes, and those minutes went to the young guys. We saw Rasheer Fleming again. Ryan Dunn got some run. As the season approaches its twilight, and considering how putrid the team has been guarding the perimeter, it was nice to see them again.
Jordan Ott rolled out Khaman Maluach for his first start, and you saw the good and the bad. Late rotations, inconsistent box outs, all of that. But he was out there and he was playing. He was learning in real time. And yeah, blocking his former teammate Flagg? That was a moment.
Now, did the influx of youth solve everything? No. Dallas pushed consistently as rust was evident. Every Suns’ run had an answer. It got tight, some would say too tight. Phoenix flirted with letting it slip, and you could feel that tension creeping in. But they held on. And more importantly, they learned.
That is what this is about right now. Yes, locking in the seventh seed matters. But development has been the thread all season, and in Game 80, you saw it again. Not perfect. Not polished. But progress. And we’ve been looking for signs of progress for the past month. So I’ll take it.
Bright Side Baller Season Standings
Mark Williams’ effectiveness — and his size — helped him earn his 7th BSB of the year.
DALLAS, TEXAS - JANUARY 29: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks and Kon Knueppel #7 of the Charlotte Hornets talk after the game at American Airlines Center on January 29, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2025 NBA Draft always had more to offer than just the grand prize at the top of the class in Cooper Flagg. Flagg was the runaway No. 1 pick throughout his one-and-done season at Duke, but a strong group of prospects emerged behind him led by college teammate Kon Knueppel, Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe, and Rutgers star Dylan Harper.
This year’s rookie class didn’t just live up to the hype, it exceeded it. There were impact first-year players all over the league, and while Flagg was spectacular for the Dallas Mavericks, he may not even win NBA Rookie of the Year.
Another talented NBA Draft class is coming down the pipe right now, and the success of the current rookie class should only make teams more desperate for lottery luck. Remember: a lot can change in a year. My rookie rankings from last season would look completely different now if I re-ranked the 2024 class. Let’s rank the NBA’s best rookies for the 2025-26 season based on their first-year impact.
12. Hugo Gonzalez, F, Boston Celtics
Gonzalez wasn’t expected to be an immediate contributor after barely playing at Real Madrid when the Celtics took him with the No. 28 overall pick. Instead, he looks like another hidden gem for Brad Stevens. Gonzalez has the potential to become one of the best wing defenders in the league with a strong 225-pound frame and 6’11 wingspan, and he’s already graded out in the 91st percentile of defensive EPM in his rookie year. The Celtics outscored teams by nearly 14 points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor, good for a monstrous +7.2 net-rating. There could be some noise in the plus/minus stats, but Gonzalez’s physical tools, motor, and high-IQ gives him a strong defensive floor while his offense continues to develop.
11. Collin Murray-Boyles, F, Toronto Raptors
Murray-Boyles had the traits of a future All-Defensive team selection entering the draft, and he already made a big impact on that end for a winning team in his rookie year. CMB racked up deflections, steals, and blocks for the Raptors this year, and showed his sharp instincts as a help defender who consistently knew how to plug a leak in the team structure. His three-point shot looked better than expected in a small sample at 34 percent, but significantly increasing his volume from deep is the next step. Even if Murray-Boyles never becomes a plus shooter, he still adds offensive value with his playmaking in the middle of the floor and his offensive rebounding. Finishing with a +3.1% rTS (true shooting relative to league average) is an encouraging sign not just for his scoring efficiency, but also for his overall feel. Toronto found a keeper with the No. 9 overall pick.
10. Jeremiah Fears, G, New Orleans Pelicans
Fears graded out poorly in the impact stats with a -4 net-rating dragging him down. That shouldn’t surprise anyone for one of the youngest rookies in the class, and it shouldn’t be too discouraging yet either. Fears’ blend of speed and elite ball handling ability is what future stars are made of, and hex put it on display with a few 20+ point scoring outbursts every month. He’s not yet an efficient scorer with -5.4 rTS% and still struggles with his turnovers, but the flashes of star-level guard production were there in spurts. He finished in the 100th percentile of rim attempts league-wide, burning defenders to the cup even if he couldn’t always finish. Adding more strength and gaining more experience will help Fears learn how to harvest all of his gifts. He won’t turn 20 years old until the start of next season, and there’s on reason to rush his development just yet. If Fears can keep improving from the baseline he established this year, New Orleans should have its point guard of the future.
9. Derik Queen, F, New Orleans Pelicans
Queen was a divisive prospect coming out of Maryland because his elite strengths also came with some alarming weaknesses, and both were on display during an up-and-down rookie year with New Orleans. Let’s focus on the positives first: Queen’s jumbo creation looked fantastic at times in creating scoring chances for himself and his teammates. His handle and footwork are both impressive for his size, and he showed an ability to both get to the free throw line and make his foul shots. Defenders bounce off Queen on his drives to the rim, and he’s at his best when he’s diming up teammates with rim assists or kick outs to three. The other side of the floor is more of an issue. New Orleans allowed a 121.6 defensive rating with Queen on the floor, and a 115.5 defensive rating with him on the bench, which is the difference between No. 30 and No. 20 in the league. That’s not all Queen’s fault, of course, and the Pelicans’ context didn’t exactly set him up for success. Still, improving as a shooter and defender would go a long way to making Queen more of an impactful player in the long run.
8. Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Charlotte Hornets
Kalkbrenner has been an instant contributor for a winning team as a rookie, which is a big success for any second-round pick. The Hornets knew they were getting a stout defensive big man after he won four Big East Defensive Player of the Year awards in college, and the 7’1 center has indeed been able to provide quality rim protection in drop coverage all season. Would you believe that he also finished second in the entire league in field goal percentage among players who played at least 500 minutes? Kalkbrenner shot nearly 75 percent, which is impressive even if almost every shot was assisted. His upside is more limited than many of his peers, but he knows his role and executes it well. That’s solid for the No. 34 overall pick.
7. Maxime Raynaud, C, Sacramento Kings
Raynaud immediately looks like a steal for the Kings with the No. 42 overall pick. After a four-year career at Stanford, the 7’1 big man has been a productive scorer from day one whose offensive value should only continue to climb as his playmaking and outside shooting develops with better team context and more experience. Raynaud put up 22.5 points per 100 possessions by finishing well at the rim (73.4 percent) and being one of the league’s most effective players from the short mid-range area, which shows his touch on floaters. He only shot 28 percent from three after being much better than that in college, and I’d expect him to be a better outside shooter going forward as he adjusts to the NBA line. His 7.5 percent assist rate undersells his passing ability, too, and that should also pop going forward when he gets some better teammates. Defense is a big issue for Raynaud and certainly undercuts his overall value, but his offensive skill is worth celebrating, especially for a mid-second round pick.
6. Ace Bailey, F, Utah Jazz
Bailey did exactly what any team would want out of their 19-year-old rookie by continuing to look more comfortable as his minutes increased throughout the season. He’s had some huge scoring games in the second half of the season by stressing opposing defenses as an off-ball gunner with the size and touch to splash shots all over the floor. Bailey’s three-point volume was encouraging by taking 45 percent of his field goal attempts from deep, and his touch (35 percent three-point percentage) should only improve in time. His physical tools as a bouncy 6’9 wing allow him to add an element of shot-blocking and offensive rebounding from the perimeter, too. His passing is still pretty minimal and his scoring efficiency fell 4.2 points below league average, but the outline of a deadly off-ball scorer has been there, and that’s an encouraging sign for year two.
5. Cedric Coward, F, Memphis Grizzlies
Coward was close to playing for Duke this season before getting strong intel back at the combine and eventually turning into a lottery pick. His rise from D3 Willamette to an instant impact rookie is one of the most inspiring stories in basketball. The 6’7 wing immediately showed he could be a plus defensively and on the glass, gobbling up boards and contesting shots with his ridiculous 7’2 wingspan. His length and strength were always a good bet to translate, but his scoring punch (24.5 points per 100 possessions) and connective passing both exceeded expectations. His rim finishing is already super impressive, and his outside shooting will only get better over time. He looks like a long-term starter on the wing for Memphis.
4. Dylan Harper, G, San Antonio Spurs
Harper is the rare No. 2 overall pick to land on a legitimate championship contender, and he’s found ways to contribute off the bench during San Antonio’s rise around Victor Wembanyama. He’s a demon going to the rim and already has a lot of finishing craft when he gets in close. He’s a good facilitator too who ranks in the 96th percentile of potential assists (15.3 per 100 possessions) while also doing a great job limiting live-ball turnovers. Harper is going to be a good defender in time too as a big guard who hustles for loose balls, hits the glass, and uses his size to overwhelm smaller ball handlers. He’s in a perfect position to thrive next to Wembanyama long-term even if he does feel a little redundant on the current roster. Harper will slowly grow into Wemby’s top sidekick, and they’re going to be a brilliant pairing for years to come.
3. VJ Edgecombe, G, Philadelphia 76ers
Edgecombe’s athleticism, motor, and willingness to get up threes has made him a staple in Philly’s lineups since opening night. The 6’4 guard leverages his top-tier explosiveness on both ends. Defensively, Edgecombe has been stockpiling steals and blocks all year, and he also hits the defensive glass well for a guard while flying in for loose balls whenever he gets a chance. His open court scoring has already been excellent with 67.6 percent true shooting in transition, and his three ball is already at a respectable 35.7 percent. The rim finishing woes Edgecombe showed in college have stuck with him into the NBA, but he has the tools to get better there once he learns more craft. There are plenty of different outcomes for him from here, but it’s fantastic that he can already play a winning role for a solid playoff team.
2. Cooper Flagg, F, Dallas Mavericks
Flagg lived up to the hype in his rookie year and continued to affirm that he’ll become a superstar eventually. As the youngest player in the NBA this season, Flagg took on point guard duties early in the season and still acquitted himself well despite a heavy creation burden. He’s going to be a phenomenal scorer in time, and putting up 29.8 points per 100 possessions as a super young rookie proves that even if he was slightly below league average in his scoring efficiency. His playmaking is going to be one of his strongest skills, and his ability to avoid live ball turnovers is proof that he’s cut out for the point-forward role. Flagg’s shooting will be better than his 29 percent three-point stroke in time. He also has way more upside defensively than he showed this year, where he looked solid but not spectacular while handling a huge offensive load. I’d like to see the Mavs get more ball handling around Flagg and allow him to use more of his energy on the defensive end, where he once looked elite. He’s still going No. 1 in any redraft, but an incredible year from his college teammates means he shouldn’t win Rookie of the Year.
1. Kon Knueppel, G, Charlotte Hornets
Kon Knueppel has been the best rookie in the NBA this season, and he deserves to win the 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year award. The No. 4 overall pick has been a deadly offensive weapon, and it has fueled Charlotte’s rise into becoming the Eastern Conference’s team of the future. Knueppel leads the NBA in three-point makes this season while knocking down 43 percent of his looks from behind the arc. He’s already one of the most dangerous screeners in the game, using his big body to free up ball handlers, then darting behind the line for quick pick-and-pop jumpers. Knueppel is more than just a shooter: he’s a smart ball mover, an active participant on the glass, and a smart team defender who knows where to be. Posting +6 rTS% and being a key part of the NBA’s best five-man lineup is almost unthinkable for a rookie. It was going to take a historic season to keep Flagg away from the Rookie of the Year award, and Knueppel delivered it.
LANDOVER, MD - CIRCA 1978: Paul Westphal #44 of the Phoenix Suns looks on against the Washington Bullets during an NBA basketball game circa 1978 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. Westphal played for the Suns from 1975-80. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Duke great JJ Redick stirred things up a while back when he said guys like Boston Celtic Bob Cousy were “plumbers and firemen” in the off-season and couldn’t play in today’s NBA.
He had a point to an extent: although Cousy had phenomenal court vision, he was small by today’s standards, and if you watch any video at all, you’ll realize quickly that, like just about everyone else in his era, Cousy’s off-hand was very weak when it came to ball handling.
Cousy retired in 1963. In 1972, just 10 years later, the Celtics drafted Paul Westphal out of Southern Cal, and his skill set was entirely different.
Cousy said he learned to pass like a prodigy out of necessity, but he never developed his off-hand. In fairness, in the 1950s and ‘60s, he didn’t really need to.
Westphal, by contrast, was probably the greatest ambidextrous talent at that point in basketball history, and remains one of the finest to this day.
In 1975, the Celtics traded him to Phoenix, and he led the Suns to the NBA Finals against his old team, losing 4-2. Game 5, however, was extraordinary, going to triple overtime before the Celtics prevailed, 128-126.
Westphal had many career highlights, as you’ll see, but his greatest play ever may have been this stunner from the third overtime in that triple OT classic loss to Boston. It’s hard to believe anyone could take a shot like that, under that kind of pressure, much less hit it.
At midnight, less than an hour after the Wolverines finished off their victory, another began.
The day after the title game, the transfer portal opened, sending the more than 360 Division I teams into a rush to start assembling their rosters for next season — whether it’s trying to hold onto their own players or trying to nab difference-makers from other teams.
For players outside of the sport’s power conferences, the portal is an opportunity to earn a bigger payday from a bigger program while getting to showcase your game on the sport’s biggest stages. This time a year ago, Yaxel Lendeborg was an all-conference standout at UAB before entering the portal, signing with Michigan and becoming the centerpiece of a Wolverines team that won the program’s first national championship in 37 years.
While having that kind of impact isn’t a realistic bar for any mid- or low-major star, there are dozens of players available from the sport’s smaller leagues who can be all-conference performers at the Power conference level and lift their new programs to the NCAA tournament.
Who are some of the players poised to help some of the country’s best teams next season? Here’s a look at the best mid- and low-major players available in the transfer portal:
Note: Players from the Mountain West and Atlantic 10 were not considered for this article
Paulius Murauskas, Saint Mary’s
Murauskas is the No. 7 player available in USA TODAY’s transfer portal rankings for a reason: The 6-foot-8 Lithuanian averaged 18.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game for a 27-win Saint Mary’s team last season. It’s possible the first-team All-West Coast Conference honoree follows former Gaels coach Randy Bennett to Arizona State, where he was hired last month to replace Bobby Hurley, but he’ll be sought after by virtually any deep-pocketed program searching for a skilled big man.
Alex Wilkins, Furman
This time a year ago, Wilkins was a zero-star prospect coming out of high school in Massachusetts. Quite a bit has changed since then. As a freshman, the 6-foot-5 guard averaged a team-high 17.8 points and 4.7 assists per game for a Furman squad that won the Southern Conference. In the NCAA tournament, the No. 24 player in USA TODAY’s portal rankings showed he could compete against elite competition, scoring 21 points and making eight of his 15 shots in a competitive game against eventual national runner-up UConn. He’ll be more than just a quick rental, too, with three years of eligibility remaining.
Christian Hammond, Santa Clara
Another first-team All-WCC selection, Hammond was the leading scorer on a Santa Clara team that was a miracle heave against Kentucky away from advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament. The 6-foot-4 guard, the No. 34 player in USA TODAY’s portal rankings, averaged 15.6 points per game while shooting an efficient 48.4% from the field and 39.3% from 3. He’s a sophomore, too, giving him two more years of eligibility.
Tyler Lundblade, Belmont
The reigning Missouri Valley Conference player of the year was one of the top shooters available in the portal. The former walk-on made 40.6% of his 3-pointers despite having a high shooting volume, with 8.8 attempts per game from beyond the arc. As a graduate transfer, the 6-foot-5 Texas native didn’t even have to wait for the portal to open before deciding on his next stop, signing with Rick Barnes and Tennessee on April 2.
Jaquan Johnson, Bradley
Johnson took an enormous leap from his freshman to his sophomore season, improving his scoring average from 6.6 to 16.9 points per game to help him earn first-team All-MVC honors. He is only 5-foot-11, which could cause some problems against bigger, more athletic competition in a major conference, but his all-around production is impressive, with 3.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.6 steals per game. He was named the MVC most improved player and made the league’s all-defensive team.
Drew Scharnowski, Belmont
The 6-foot-9 Scharnowski, the No. 50 player in USA TODAY’s portal rankings, was a first-team all-MVC selection after averaging 10.7 points, six rebounds and 2.6 assists per game as a sophomore for a Bruins team that went 26-6. He was a strong presence down low, too, with 1.3 blocks per game. It’s possible he follows former Belmont coach Casey Alexander to Kansas State, but the Wildcats won’t be alone in vying for his services.
A former standout at Division II powerhouse Lincoln Memorial and the son of former Penn State and NFL running back Curtis Enis, Enis made the most of his first season at the Division I level. He averaged a team-high 16.2 points per game for a South Florida team that made its first NCAA tournament appearance in 14 years.
Though his season ended on a dour note, with him missing 13 of his 15 shots and all 11 of his 3-pointers in an NCAA tournament loss to Louisville, the No. 47 player in USA TODAY’s portal rankings is among the most talented offensive players available. Enis is reportedly entering the portal with a “do not contact” tag, heightening the expectation he’ll join former South Florida coach Bryan Hodgson at Providence.
Larry Johnson, McNeese
Coming out of high school, Johnson was sought after by some of the same kinds of programs who are now chasing after him. He was a top-60 recruit in the 2024 class who signed with Creighton, but did not play for the Bluejays during the 2024-25 season. He ended up at McNeese, where the 6-foot-4 guard averaged 17.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game as a freshman while shooting 49.2% overall and making the All-Southland Conference first team.
Gavin Doty, Siena
Doty did just about everything he could for Siena to try to pull off a stunning 16-over-1 upset over Duke in the NCAA tournament, scoring a team-high 21 points in a 71-65 first-round loss. The 6-foot-5 sophomore led the Saints in scoring at 18 points per game and was an excellent rebounder for someone his size, pulling down a team-high 6.9 boards per game. He didn’t waste much time in the portal, committing to follow former Siena coach Gerry McNamara to Syracuse on April 7, the first day the portal was open.
Leroy Blyden Jr., Toledo
Blyden was a big get for a Mid-American Conference program as a three-star recruit out of Detroit. He more than lived up to that promise as a freshman, averaging 16.4 points, 4.5 assists, four steals and 1.8 steals per game. The 6-foot-1 Blyden very nearly led the Rockets to their first NCAA tournament since 1980, scoring 21 points in the MAC championship game before losing on a buzzer-beater against Akron.
Apr 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrates in the third quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t really have anything to really play for. Home court in the first round is secured, and they’re better off not moving up from the fourth seed to the third. Additionally, they’re facing the Atlanta Hawks for two of their final three games — their likely first-round opponent.
Those facts didn’t stop them from going all out and winning a back-and-forth game 122-116 on Wednesday.
This group with James Harden is still new. They need these reps.
“As talented as the guys that came in are, you still have to be able to have that chemistry and have that bond,” Donovan Mitchell said after pouring in 31 points. “That takes time.”
They also need experience in high-leverage games together. Even though there wasn’t much on the line for Cleveland, knowing how close the playoffs are and how well the Hawks are playing made this the perfect opportunity for a dress rehearsal.
Before the game, Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson was asked if he would go with a vanilla game plan against a potential first-round opponent. His answer was no. And the game showed that he meant it.
The Cavs pulled out several wrinkles that you usually only see in the playoffs. They decided to have Harden guard opposing center Onyeka Okongwu. They also drastically cheated off of Dyson Daniels and Jonathan Kuminga defensively in an effort to clog the paint. These are things that you’d expect to see in Game 1 of a playoff series.
Harden guarding Okongwumade sense and is worth revisiting in the playoffs.
Harden has enough strength to handle bigs in the post. He’s not going to get bullied for easy baskets. And hunting him out for post-ups gets you away from what you normally do, which is what happened here.
Okongwu put up 18 points on 7-10 shooting. Those are good numbers. However, the Hawks lost the 33 minutes he played by as many points. The offense wasn’t able to establish the same rhythm as they had an 83.6 offensive rating with Okongwu on the floor. That’s an absolute win for the Cavs.
The idea of using Harden to defend a big didn’t happen overnight. Atkinson has been looking at this for some time now. He mentioned last week that he’s been watching tape of Harden defensively, seeing how he’s guarded fours and fives in the past. That, presumably, inspired him to break that out here. This test run will likely encourage him to keep doing so.
The issue comes with figuring out the other matchups in front of Harden.
The Cavs tried a couple of variations before finding something that worked. Putting Evan Mobley on Jalen Johnson and Dean Wade on CJ McCollum slowed Atlanta down at the start of the third quarter, allowing the Cavs to get back into the game.
For as good of defenders as Mobley, Wade, and Jarrett Allen are, entirely flipping where everyone is on the court at the start of the possession does present some issues. Particularly regarding staying in front of Atlanta’s best scorers: Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
To the Cavs credit, they did a decent job with both, but more so with Johnson. Alexander-Walker did put up a team-high 25 points.
The Cavs’ game plan for Johnson was simple: make him a jump shooter and force him to finish around the basket. Cleveland mostly gave Johnson — who came into this game shooting 35.4% from three — clean looks from the outside. He didn’t make them pay, going 0-5 beyond the arc.
Around the rim is where the Cavs made it difficult. Johnson went just 2-6 on shots in the restricted area and 3-8 on attempts in the paint overall. This was due to how many defenders came over to help on his drives, and from making a team-wide effort to not let the Hawks attack in the open court.
Look at how well the defense — particularly Mobley — was able to help on these.
Hawks head coach Quin Snyder spoke pregame about how he wants his team to continue playing fast in the playoffs. They still played their style; the Cavs just did it better.
Cleveland — who’s been a much more half-court oriented since the Harden trade — was in the 84th percentile in points added in transition this game. They did this by running off steals and defensive rebounds.
Allen still doesn’t look quite right. He mentioned when he returned to the lineup after his knee injury that he still wasn’t 100%. That was clear again as he didn’t appear to have the same burst we’ve come to expect from him.
Atkinson didn’t want to speculate postgame about Allen’s health, but he acknowledged it’s something the team is monitoring down the stretch. Even if the Cavs don’t rest their starters in the last two games, Allen might be the one exception to that.
Mitchell’s 31 points lifted the Cavs. He did this by relentlessly attacking inside as he went 8-11 on shots in the paint and generated six attempts at the free-throw line.
Earlier in the season, Mitchell mentioned that he was trying to keep from attacking the rim as much — instead opting to use the floater more. His goal was to be efficient with his scoring, but also with how he moved on the court, opting to use his athleticism only when needed.
The governor is off now.
“It’s that time,” Mitchell said. “If you play like that for 82 games, y’all probably won’t see me in a week or two weeks. It’s hard to do, especially at my size. So you gotta find ways to adapt.”
Mitchell has found ways to adapt and is a more complete scorer because of it. He’s completed a career-high 54% of his looks between four and 14 feet of the hoop. That’s good enough for the 97th percentile in the league. For comparison, he connected on just 39% of those shots two seasons ago. Most of that improvement comes from his floater.
Teams in the playoffs can often take away what you do best. Even though the Indiana Pacers didn’t keep Mitchell from scoring last postseason, they made him pay for every drive to the rim by continually knocking him down. This wore on him to the point that Mitchell didn’t have much left at the end of Game 2, when his team collapsed and essentially lost the series.
We don’t know how this will look in the postseason, but the changes he’s made to his game all season should allow him more counters when teams load up to stop him at the rim.
The Hawks didn’t have an answer for Mobley. He punished their wings as he put up 22 points on 8-15 shooting while going 6-10 at the free-throw line. This included converting 8-12 in the paint.
“The one thing I loved tonight was his post-ups,” Mitchell said. “He was trying to still get down to the rim as opposed to the fade that we’ve talked about for years. He’s being assertive.”
That assertiveness showed up most on the glass, where Mobley tied a career high with 19 rebounds.
“That was huge,” Atkinson said. “It’s usually a mentality change when these jumps happen. I think he switched it on.”
Atkinson still believes in Mobley’s upside.
Before the season, there was some discussion about Mobley leaping into the periphery of the MVP conversation after making the All-NBA second team last season. That didn’t happen. He struggled to adjust offensively to an increased role at the beginning of the year. He’s righted the ship and is playing much more similarly to last season now.
Even though this year hasn’t exactly gone as planned, there’s still reason to buy into Mobley reaching that tier.
“I believe desperately in Evan Mobley,” Atkinson said. “I think he’s got everything. He’s got all the tools and does it on both ends. I love [how] Koby [Altman] always says he’s a winning player. He’s coming into the NBA, and he’s won right off the bat. Not a lot of guys can say that.”
This was a statement win that showed what this team is capable of in the playoffs. They blitzed the second-best defense in the league since the All-Star break to the tune of 44 points in the third quarter. Even though they weren’t able to keep that pace going, it shows how immensely talented this group is, even if the consistency isn’t there yet.
“We’ve never wavered, right? Mitchell said. “I think, no offense to y’all, I think y’all have wavered on us a few times.”
We have wavered, and who could blame us?
Injuries, franchise-changing trades, and overall uneven effort have produced some drastic swings. But in the end, the Cavs have still found a way to grab 51 wins, and have an opportunity to get two more. They believe in this team and what they can accomplish in the postseason.
“I’ve always said, I’m very confident in this group,” Mitchell said.
In just over a week, we’ll start to find out whether that confidence is justified.
Lakers start LeBron James, left, and Austin Reeves chat on the bench while sitting out the blowout loss to the Thunder on Tuesday because of injuries. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Barely a week ago, a charmed Lakers season screamed three words.
Deep playoff run.
Today, a jinxed Lakers season soberly whispers three very different words.
Shut it down.
With less than a month of games remaining, the Lakers season is done, finished, kaput.
Twisted and torn by the sudden same-day injuries to their two best players, the Lakers are broken beyond repair.
They can’t win without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, and neither is coming back at full strength in time to save them.
They were wholly embarrassed in their first two shorthanded games and will wind up falling to a fourth or fifth seed with a first-round matchup looming against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets.
They can’t beat the Rockets, they won’t beat the Rockets, and the season will officially and quickly and sadly end. It might end in something more palatable than a sweep — maybe they win a game? — but it’s going to end, and soon, and the Lakers need to reinforce their priorities before it does.
Shut it down.
Tell Doncic to stay in Spain for as long as it takes for that magic medicine to cure his strained hamstring. Tell Doncic his MVP-worthy season is DOA. Tell Doncic to begin getting ready for September.
The Lakers don’t need him showing up in three weeks trying to save this season on a limp and a prayer. They don’t need him risking a reinjuring of the hamstring that could affect his summer workouts and bleed into next season.
Lakers star Luka Doncic reacts to a play during a blowout loss to the Thunder in Oklahoma City last week. (Cooper Neill / Getty Images)
Most experts agree it would be a miracle if Doncic would return at 100% in time to carry them through the first round of the playoffs, which start April 18. The Lakers don’t need him to be a miracle. They need him to be the cornerstone of a franchise that is being rebuilt in his image.
They don’t need him now, when he’s not going to save them anyway. They need him six months from now, to be healthy and in shape to lead them into their next era.
Shut it down.
The Lakers need to say the same thing to Reaves, who they’re going to give a boatload of money this summer to be their No. 2 star for the indefinite future.
They don’t need him to try to play with an injured oblique and make things worse. They don’t need him to gut it out. They need him to sit it out.
The fans aren’t going to like reading this. And the players aren’t going to like hearing it.
Just listen to Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks star who has been shut down since March 15 because the Bucks didn’t want his nagging injuries to worsen and affect either his trade value or his 2026-27 season.
“Like a slap in my face,” he told reporters recently. "I'm available to play today. Right now. I'm available. Do I look like I'm not available? … I don't know what game is being played right here, I just don't wanna be a part of it."
There is no game with the Lakers. Their new Dodger ownership group doesn’t play games. Their goal is to build a franchise that has sustainable success. Pushing all their chips into the middle for a team that doesn’t have a chance in hell is not building sustainable success.
You’ve seen how the Dodgers rest their players for six months to prepare themselves for the postseason, right. Shutting down the Lakers now is sort of this, in reverse. They’re punting in the playoffs to prepare themselves for next season.
Certainly, Doncic would take the news of a shutdown about as well as Antetokounmpo.
“I think he's, in my conversations with him, he's motivated to do everything possible,” said coach JJ Redick to reporters. “And I know for him, it's hard for him not to be on a basketball court. That's his happy place. And he's one of the handful of guys that really plays year round. And it's not just international competition. But he likes to be in the gym. He likes to be working on his craft. And I think it's hard for him. He wants to get back on the court."
Lakers forward LeBron James reacts to a play during a win over the Kings last month at Crypto.com Arena. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
And no, LeBron James is not going to be happy either, trying to carry a team that seemingly isn’t trying. So what? Do you really believe he is going to take remarkably less money to stay on the Lakers next season? Do you really believe the Lakers want him back when they will have the cap space to trade for a player like, um, Antetokounmpo?
To leave James alone on a first-round island might be unfair, but the Lakers have kowtowed to him plenty in his eight years here. He’s just going to have to take one for the team, however briefly that team may be playing.
“It was a shot to the heart and the chest and the mainframe with Luka,” James told reporters. “I woke up from my nap and saw that [Reaves] news and was like, 'S—.'”
You know who else wouldn’t easily accept the news of a shutdown? That would be Redick, who, barely one week after being lauded as the first Laker coach since Phil Jackson to manage consecutive 50-win seasons, now finds himself again fighting for credibility.
Remember last year when Redick took heat for playing his starters the entire second half of a playoff loss to Minnesota?
He’s taking heat again this spring for playing both Doncic and Reaves in the second half of a blowout loss to Oklahoma City that sent both players to the injured list.
Lakers coach JJ Redick directs players during a blowout loss to the Thunder on Tuesday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
When Doncic was hurt the Lakers trailed by 32 and he had already looked injured after grabbing his leg in the second quarter. Reaves, meanwhile, spent much of the first quarter grabbing at his back.
Redick said both players were medically cleared and that they both insisted on challenging the league-leading Thunder in the second half.
“The group wanted to go for it in the second half,” Redick told reporters. “There was nothing leading into that game that would suggest either those guys were 'running hot.'’’
This was just the beginning of Redick’s bad week.
Jarred Vanderbilt was certainly running hot Tuesday night in a rematch against Oklahoma City after he was benched in the first moments of the second quarter. Vanderbilt accosted Redick on the court and had to be restrained. Redick ultimately responded by benching Vanderbilt the rest of the game and then not-so-subtly ripping him afterward.
“I think for all of us, you know, being undermanned, we’ve got to scrap and claw, we’ve got to all be on the same page, we got to be great teammates, we got to all play hard,” Redick told reporters. “Called a timeout to get him out of the game. And he reacted.”
One has to wonder about Redick’s connectivity with his players if one of them is unafraid to confront him on the court during the middle of a game.
One has to also wonder, again, about Redick’s big-game management style if he would allow his two best players to risk their health during a blowout.
Redick, who signed an extension in September that will keep him under contract until 2030, is not on the hot seat, not yet. But another spring meltdown will not endear himself to new owners who expect their coaches to be the calm face of the organization.
Then again, for everyone involved, there must be some grace granted in the wake of the incredible tension surrounding a team whose dream season just became a nightmare.
End the nightmare now. For the sake of the future of the franchise, shut it down.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 05: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics steps on to the court during introductions prior to a game against the Toronto Raptors at TD Garden on April 05, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In a tightly contested game, Jaylen Brown led the Boston Celtics to a victory over the surging Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night. Charlotte led for most of the game, but Boston finally managed to break through at the end of the third quarter, and they didn’t look back from there, securing a 113-102 win. The win marked the Celtics’ 17th double-digit comeback win of the season, tied for 2nd-most in the NBA.
Brown ended the night leading the team in points and rebounds at 35 and 9 respectively, tacking on 3 assists as well. He was a big force in Boston’s third quarter surge, scoring or assisting on 13 of the team’s 22 points in the final 7 minutes of the quarter. The other 9 points came from a flurry of threes by Baylor Scheierman and Payton Pritchard, capped off by Jaylen scoring 4 points in 34 seconds to give send the Celtics into the fourth quarter with a 3-point lead.
Just a few days ago, Bill Chisholm, owner of the Celtics, had some high praise for Jaylen in an interview with The Boston Globe which felt very applicable to Boston’s win over the Hornets. “He’s always been incredible… The leadership stuff has really been impressive,” he said, adding, “when we’re struggling in a game, you can just see it. He’s like ‘OK, this is enough. Enough of this screwing around.’ And he puts his head down and gets to the rim and gets a really high-quality shot.”
Chisholm also mentioned seeing little interactions between Jaylen and the other guys on the team, with Brown supporting and encouraging them. Those interactions extend beyond the court as well. As many fans know, JB has started to stream on Twitch, and often times he breaks down game film, giving insight into different plays and reads.
After the Celtics took down the Toronto Raptors, Jaylen invited Jordan Walsh onto his stream. Brown looked like a man coaching up his little brother, seeing Walsh’s potential, and trying to instill confidence in him while still poking fun and joking around.
“[You] had a great year… Celtics legends are born during the playoffs… are you ready for the smoke?” Brown asked Walsh.
“For sure, I’ve been waiting for this one,” Walsh replied. “This time I get a chance to impact the game.”
Jaylen Brown got Jordan Walsh pumped for the playoffs:
“(You) had a great year…Celtics legends are born during the playoffs…are you ready for the smoke?”
“For sure, I’ve been waiting for this one,” Walsh said. “This time I get a chance to impact the game”
People have criticized Brown for streaming after games, saying that it shows a lack of focus, and that he’s not “locked in.” The results show something very different, though. Jaylen is playing some of his best basketball lately and has been lifting his teammates up with him. He’s shown off a greater attention to detail, and we get to hear more of what goes on in his mind as he approaches the games.
Just a month ago, JB was ejected in the first half of a matchup with the San Antonio Spurs after voicing his displeasure with the lack of foul calls. He didn’t let it go after the ejection either, taking to Twitter and Twitch to get it off his chest. Prior to that ejection, Jaylen was averaging 7 FTA per game. Since that point, he’s gotten his average up to 10.4 FTA per game, the fourth highest rate in the league. He increased his efficiency too, raising his freethrow percentage from 78% to 84.8%.
Brown knew he was going to have extra responsibility on his shoulders this year, and at every stage of the season, he’s adjusted his game to put the team in the best possible position to succeed. That’s including supporting his teammates on and off the court. He always has praise for his guys, and even opposing teams. He takes the time to understand and appreciate the game around him to better understand how to approach it.
JB compared the Hornets to a younger version of the Celtics, praising their ability to shoot the ball, along with their “fearlessness.” He knows that Charlotte could be a potential first-round playoff matchup, and took note of their intensity in the game. “Give credit to Charlotte,” Brown said. “They came out trying to blow up screens. They came out playing with a different intensity level than we did to start the game.”
Even in a complimentary response like this, you get insight into what he sees and feels over the course of a game. JB recognized that the Hornets were playing at a higher level, and the team adjusted to match their energy. Walsh, who was coming off of some high praise in his appearance on Jaylen’s stream, was probably the biggest catalyst for Boston’s shift, no doubt empowered by JB’s words of encouragement.
Small gestures go a long way, and it’s been clear since the beginning of the season that Jaylen has been locked in, and making every effort to lead the Celtics in the right direction. In an MVP-caliber season of career-highs in points, rebounds, and assists, this leadership is maybe Brown’s biggest edge in the MVP race. While he’s certainly deserving, and surely wants the recognition, there’s nothing that he and the team want more than another deep playoff run, hopefully capped off with another Larry O’Brien to bring back to Boston.
Draymond Green isn’t champing at the bit about the NBA Play-In Tournament.
Still, it’s a slim chance of keeping the Warriors’ playoff hopes alive.
“It’s not exciting. It’s not,” Green told reporters after Golden State’s win over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday. “But you know, I’m a competitor. Going into the game, I’m going to do all I can to win. But it’s not that exciting.”
The Warriors, locked in as the Western Conference’s No. 10 seed, will face either the Trail Blazers in Portland or the Clippers in Los Angeles on Wednesday in a do-or-die game between the ninth and 10th seeds.
If they win, the play-in experience doesn’t end there.
Should Golden State defeat either Portland or Los Angeles, it will go on to face the loser of the play-in game between the seventh and eighth seeds — which will be on the road against either the Trail Blazers, Clippers or Phoenix Suns.
“You go on the road in a game that you need to win, as a competitor, you’re going to rise to the challenge,” Green said. “But I’m not going to sleep tomorrow night like, ‘Man, we got this play-in next week. Got to get my rest.’ It ain’t that exciting.”
The winner of that second play-in game will advance to a first-round best-of-seven playoff series against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
The play-in officially was adopted as a full-time part of the NBA playoff picture in 2022, but with the recent rise in tanking across the league, Green believes the tournament has lost its purpose.
“I think it worked initially. And now, to have a team stuck in 10th, it ain’t working. We could’ve lost our last 15 games and been stuck at 10th, it ain’t working. But it works for a little bit. If you could be stuck in 10th and lose the last 15 games of your season, it ain’t working. I think the play-in was made for teams to not tank. I think that’s the part that everyone forgets.
“The play-in came about to make teams maybe through 12 or 13 [seed] keep going. They ain’t keep going. They slowed down. Then they hit the brakes. I saw a team tonight foul Seth Curry with three minutes to go in the game for no reason — in the penalty. It ain’t working.”
This will be the third consecutive play-in appearance for Golden State. In the 2023-24 season, the Warriors were eliminated in a win-or-go-home game against the Kings. The following year, they made it out of the play-in to advance to the Western Conference semifinals where they lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Third time’s a charm? We’ll have to wait and see.
But perhaps Green’s frustration with the tournament will prompt the team to avoid it altogether moving forward.
Feb. 24, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Tiago Splitter (22) , center Boris Diaw (33) and guard Manu Ginobili (20) congratulate each other as they walk off the court in the second half against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center. The Spurs defeated the Suns 97-87. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images
Last Monday, the Spurs showcased 2014 Spurs NBA Champion Boris Diaw at the Frost Bank Center during their matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers. He treated the crowd to a reenactment of his now iconic photo.
On Wednesday night, the Portland Trail Blazers came to town, bringing back former players Sidy Cissoko, Blake Wesley, and head coach Tiago Splitter, another member of the Spurs 2014 NBA Championship.
The night before, both Diaw and Splitter met up with 4x NBA Champion and Spurs legend Manu Ginobili for dinner at a local restaurant.
🇺🇸Loved catching up last night with my good friends coach @tiagosplitter and the one and only @theborisdiaw. Missed them!! Hope to see you guys soon again! 🇦🇷Visita a SA de mis amigotes Boris y Tiago! Los extrañaba! Gran cena gran anoche! 🫶 pic.twitter.com/b5ZuV5OOUe
During Splitter’s pregame presser, Splitter shared about the reunion.
“It was great. Seeing my friends and talk a little bit about life, and basketball, get an update on what they are doing. You know, we’re good friends. Of course — many, many battles together.”
Splitter added that Boris picked up the check “because I took the one before that…and it was a French restaurant.”
The three have been great friends for many years. At the time the Spurs won that 2014 title, they were often a quartet with Patty Mills. The response to the post was such that Ginobili added a comment, “For those asking @Patty_Mills didn’t join us since the guy is hooping in Spain. Too far! #NoMoreFrogging”
With so many teammates coming over the years, it is special to see how these guys have continued to seek one another out.
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SAN FRANCISCO – Roughly an hour before tipoff Tuesday night, the Warriors realized they would be deprived of watching a performance that in the final week of this unsatisfying NBA season matters more than winning.
They will be deprived of it again Thursday night.
The two-man game between Stephen Curry and Kristaps Porziņģis, the team’s highest on-court priority, was unavailable against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday will not face the Lakers on Thursday.
Porziņģis was listed as questionable Tuesday afternoon and later declared out with right knee soreness. He was back on the injury report Wednesday afternoon, this time listed as out with an illness. On that same report, Curry was listed as questionable.
Injuries, aches and illnesses continue to undermine Golden State’s season.
After hoping to evaluate the Curry-Porziņģis synergy for at least four games, the Warriors now will have no more than two, assuming both are available Friday at the Sacramento Kings. The short runway limits evaluation to imagination rather than reality.
This matters because Curry and Porziņģis, together, project to have the most influence on Golden State’s offense in the NBA play-in tournament and, perhaps, the playoffs. The mind’s eye sees fantastic basketball, but nothing would confirm the truth better than seeing these two together against a defense.
Curry and Porziņģis have talked about the importance of sharing minutes, as has coach Steve Kerr, who late Tuesday night remained hopeful.
“I don’t think it’s anything serious,” Kerr said of Porziņģis’ being scratched. “We’ll know in the next day or two.”
Kerr and the Warriors were bitten once again by the KP Experience. He is questionable until he steps onto the court, so it is wise to always brace for the possibility.
The Warriors, 10th in the Western Conference, will open the play-in tournament on the road next Tuesday or Wednesday to face either the Portland Trail Blazers or the Los Angeles Clippers. They’ve lost three of four to the Trail Blazers this season and two of three to the Clippers. A fourth game against LA comes Sunday in the regular-season finale.
Golden State’s next two games are the home finale Thursday night, followed by a late-night bus trip to Sacramento to confront the Kings on Friday before a late-night flight to LA.
The Warriors hope to see Curry and Porziņģis on Friday and Sunday. Two late-season games build some level of chemistry rarely is sufficient.
Curry and Porziņģis shared the court for the first time on Sunday, posting a plus-2 in two three-minute stints in a loss to Houston. They almost certainly would have spent more time together down the stretch, but Porziņģis fouled out early in the fourth quarter.
Those six minutes didn’t offer much to assess. Porziņģis seemed out of sorts throughout, perhaps affected by his foul trouble.
Aside from Curry, all the key healthy players on the roster have shared the floor with Porziņģis. Al Horford, who is expected to return this week, doesn’t need additional minutes with KP. Neither does Draymond Green, De’Anthony Melton, Brandon Podziemski, Gary Payton II or Gui Santos.
It’s Curry who matters most. He and Porziņģis are the two guys most likely to bedevil an opposing defense with Curry’s movement and KP using his 7-foot-3 height to scan the floor and create out of the post. This could in some ways mimic the Curry-Butler dynamic – with the bonus of Porziņģis’ ability to space the floor.
Or so one would think.
Seeing it, however, is the only way to know how they would impact each other. It’s a given that Curry lifts the offensive potential of every teammate. That much was on display Tuesday with De’Anthony Melton.
After a miserable March, shooting 39 percent from the field, including 25 percent from deep, while Curry was sidelined, Melton’s offensive efficiency soared. He scored a team-high 21 points, shooting 7-of-12 from the field, including 4-of-6 beyond the arc. Yes, this was the Kings, but this was a reminder that Melton still is a weapon.
“I don’t think it’s any coincidence that he’s broken out here the last couple games,” Kerr said. “With Steph’s return there’s so much more focus on Steph, and that opens up the floor.”
Curry and Porziņģis understand this would apply to them. Theoretically. They’ve heard about the virtues of them playing off each other and would like to experience the rhythm.
Didn’t have a chance Tuesday night. Won’t have a chance Thursday night. Maybe Friday night. Anything but another postponement.
“We just prioritize health,” Kerr said. “The rhythm comes after that. We’ll do whatever we have to do to be healthy, and we’ll hope to find some rhythm from there.”
Health issues have torn the delicate fabric of Golden State’s season. There is no sign of it going away. Until it does, this team is but an abstract concept.
Oklahoma City Thunder have won at least 60 games in consecutive seasons for the first time in their history [Getty Images]
Defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder clinched top spot in the Western Conference and home court advantage through the NBA play-offs with a 128-110 win against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The comfortable victory ensured the Thunder held off the San Antonio Spurs to secure the NBA's best regular-season record of 64-16 and claim the Western Conference's number one seed for the third consecutive season.
Thunder's Chet Holmgren led the way with 30 points and 14 rebounds while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contributed 20 points and 11 assists to extend his record for the most consecutive games with 20 or more points to 140.
The Clippers, who had won eight of their past nine matches, face a key trip to Portland Trail Blazers on Friday with the two sides battling for eighth place in the Western Conference.
The team that finishes in eighth will only require one win in the play-in tournament to advance to the play-offs, while the team finishing ninth will have to beat 10th seeds the Golden State Warriors and the loser of the seventh against eighth match to keep their season alive.
Elsewhere, the San Antonio Spurs beat the Trail Blazers 112-101 to extend their record in their past 20 games to 18-2. Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox starred with 25 points, five rebounds, and seven assists.
The Denver Nuggets won their 10th consecutive match to tighten their grip on third place in the Western Conference. Jamal Murray scored a team-high 26 points in the 136-119 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Atlanta Hawks failed to guarantee a play-off spot after losing 122-116 to the Cleveland Cavaliers but can still secure a top-six finish in the Eastern Conference with victory in one of their final two regular-season matches.
Eastern Conference top seeds Detroit Pistons demolished the Milwaukee Bucks 137-111 while the Orlando Magic beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 132-120.
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker scored 37 points in 37 minutes to lead his side to a 112-107 win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Cleveland Cavaliers (51-29, fourth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Atlanta Hawks (45-35, fifth in the Eastern Conference)
Atlanta; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Cleveland looks to keep its four-game win streak intact when the Cavaliers take on Atlanta.
The Hawks have gone 26-24 against Eastern Conference teams. Atlanta scores 118.4 points while outscoring opponents by 2.5 points per game.
The Cavaliers have gone 32-18 against Eastern Conference opponents. Cleveland ranks sixth in the Eastern Conference shooting 36.0% from 3-point range.
The Hawks average 118.4 points per game, 3.1 more points than the 115.3 the Cavaliers give up. The Cavaliers average 14.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.5 more made shots on average than the 12.9 per game the Hawks give up.
The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The Cavaliers won 122-116 in the last meeting on April 8. Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 31 points, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the Hawks with 25 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jalen Johnson is averaging 22.6 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists for the Hawks. Alexander-Walker is averaging 24.2 points over the last 10 games.
Mitchell is averaging 27.9 points, 5.7 assists and 1.5 steals for the Cavaliers. James Harden is averaging 17.9 points and 7.1 assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hawks: 7-3, averaging 123.1 points, 43.8 rebounds, 29.0 assists, 9.4 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 48.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.8 points per game.
Cavaliers: 8-2, averaging 123.3 points, 44.5 rebounds, 28.5 assists, 7.3 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 51.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.6 points.
INJURIES: Hawks: Jock Landale: out (ankle).
Cavaliers: Jaylon Tyson: out (toe), Thomas Bryant: out (calf).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Oklahoma City Thunder (64-16, first in the Western Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (52-28, third in the Western Conference)
Denver; Friday, 9 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Oklahoma City seeks to keep its seven-game win streak alive when the Thunder take on Denver.
The Nuggets are 10-5 in division matchups. Denver is 23-20 against opponents with a winning record.
The Thunder are 41-9 in Western Conference play. Oklahoma City ranks third in the NBA with 34.7 defensive rebounds per game led by Chet Holmgren averaging 7.0.
The Nuggets' 14.1 made 3-pointers per game this season are just 0.1 fewer made shots on average than the 14.2 per game the Thunder give up. The Thunder average 13.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.2 more makes per game than the Nuggets allow.
The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The Thunder won 129-126 in the last meeting on March 9. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 35 points, and Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 32 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jokic is averaging 27.8 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.9 assists for the Nuggets. Jamal Murray is averaging 27.6 points over the last 10 games.
Cason Wallace is scoring 8.6 points per game and averaging 3.1 rebounds for the Thunder. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 29.0 points and 3.3 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 10-0, averaging 130.6 points, 45.9 rebounds, 33.1 assists, 6.0 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 52.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.9 points per game.
Thunder: 9-1, averaging 125.6 points, 46.3 rebounds, 27.9 assists, 9.1 steals and 5.6 blocks per game while shooting 51.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.0 points.
INJURIES: Nuggets: Peyton Watson: out (hamstring), Spencer Jones: out (hamstring).
Thunder: Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Dallas Mavericks (25-55, 13th in the Western Conference) vs. San Antonio Spurs (61-19, second in the Western Conference)
San Antonio; Friday, 8 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: San Antonio hosts Dallas trying to prolong its six-game home winning streak.
The Spurs are 35-15 in Western Conference games. San Antonio ranks sixth in the NBA allowing only 111.2 points per game while holding opponents to 45.0% shooting.
The Mavericks are 4-11 against opponents in the Southwest Division. Dallas ranks fifth in the league scoring 52.9 points per game in the paint led by Cooper Flagg averaging 11.3.
The Spurs average 119.6 points per game, 0.3 more points than the 119.3 the Mavericks allow. The Mavericks are shooting 46.5% from the field, 1.5% higher than the 45.0% the Spurs' opponents have shot this season.
The teams play for the fourth time this season. The Spurs won the last matchup 138-125 on Feb. 7, with Stephon Castle scoring 40 points in the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: De'Aaron Fox is scoring 18.5 points per game with 3.8 rebounds and 6.1 assists for the Spurs. Keldon Johnson is averaging 15.8 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 48.4% over the last 10 games.
Max Christie is scoring 12.2 points per game and averaging 3.3 rebounds for the Mavericks. John Poulakidas is averaging 1.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Spurs: 9-1, averaging 125.5 points, 50.4 rebounds, 32.0 assists, 8.1 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 50.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.8 points per game.
Mavericks: 2-8, averaging 116.1 points, 43.1 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 8.4 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 44.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 125.1 points.
INJURIES: Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle), Stephon Castle: out (knee), Victor Wembanyama: out (rib).
Mavericks: P.J. Washington: out (elbow), Dereck Lively II: out for season (foot), Daniel Gafford: out (shoulder), Caleb Martin: out (foot), Brandon Williams: out (illness), Kyrie Irving: out for season (knee), Naji Marshall: out (hip), Klay Thompson: out (rest).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
