Category: Basketball

Welcome to Inside the Suns, your weekly deep down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team. Each week the Fantable – a round table of Bright Siders – give their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.

Fantable Questions of the Week

Q1: Jordan Ott’s continuing reliance on “small-ball” lineups isn’t popular among many fans. What’s your opinion of them and your best guess as to why he continues to use them?

GuarGuar: I think there’s a is a time and place for small ball lineups, however, we have been running them way too much vs teams where it’s not so beneficial. I like Ott’s willingness to try unconventional things, but we can’t run small ball for 20 minutes in a game where our season is on the line. I think he really likes what the small ball does offensively and is willing to concede on defense.

Diamondhacks: Based on the record, I respect Ott’s judgment and unconventional lineups more than his actual roster. If you’d told his internet critics beforehand that our four primary expected drivers of success (Booker, Brooks, Green, MW) would miss 109 combined games, I suspect most of them would’ve penciled us in for twenty-something wins.

Instead, this clueless rookie coach (who probably doesn’t even WATCH the games or CARE!!!) has cobbled together a surprising WC play-in berth from a roster of castoffs that is – when healthy – ostensibly “led” by three of the NBA’s more polarizing, overrated “stars”, apparently competing for the league’s highest USG%, most techs…and likely not much else.

In “short”, no coach is infallible, but based on everyone’s respective track records, this coach looks to me demonstrably less flawed than his top players or most fan expectations.

Ashton: Coach Ott is screwing up. Multiple articles and poster comments have pointed out the fact that he is trying to shrink the roster to the best 8 players. And they are all small (6’ 5” – larger than me). This is not a working formula.

He really should zag when others zig, or whatever. Play the bench and set up for next season.

But this is why you wait until the last minute to write something up. KM looked good against tanking Dallas last night. And congrats to the Suns for getting home court advantage.

OldAz: I have been pretty vocal lately about my distaste for the recent lineups and the freezing out of the younger players. I think Ott truly believes that to win in the playoffs, you have to shorten rotations. This is not about playing fewer players as much as the starters playing more minutes, leaving less to go around, so you shorten the bench to keep them in rhythm. This is why I think Ott has been going down that path and keeps talking about shortening the bench.

However, if players like GA, RO, and Gillespie are just going to be the 4th and 5th players on the floor and not be involved on either end, then what does it matter what type of rhythm they are in? I also reject the premise that the starters should, by default, increase their minutes in the playoffs. How often have we seen worn-out starters falter down the stretch, or the same exact players playing every minute of multiple OTs?

It seems to me that playing 10-11 deep keeps your starters fresher in those late game situations and can help wear out the other teams starters (who are playing more minutes) when you do what the Suns have done all year by playing deep and putting youth and energy on the floor when the other teams starters are starting to get heavy legs and need a rest. Early in the season, this was players like Livers, Dunn, Gillespie, and Goodwin were eating minutes. Now KM and Fleming are available in place of Livers and Richards. Playing deep also allows the starters to expend more energy when playing because they know they don’t have to pace themselves to play 40 minutes. This is especially true of the center rotation. I just have never liked the idea of changing what works for your team, just because that’s the way everyone else has always done it.

Rod: I would like to see him move away from playing so much small-ball but, to me, how he structures his lineups and player rotation are signs of who he places the most trust in. Trust is certainly important, but sometimes you also need to take a leap of faith to progress past a certain point and I think it’s already gotten past that point for Ott.

But, better late than never, as they say, so running out bigger lineups at this point is doubtful to have a significant negative effect and may just give the team the boost it needs in the postseason. Seriously, for the Suns to do anything significant in the post-season playing small-ball, it’s going to take everyone playing a near-perfect game, every night…and that’s something that I have trust in. I’ve seen it happen in stretches but it’s always been inconsistent and not something we can count on.

With the 7th spot already locked up, why not at least give some bigger lineups some significant playing time in at least the last two regular-season games? It’s not like running out the same-old, same-old in the last two is really going to significantly improve how well they’ve been playing before the post-season begins.

Q2: The Suns have definitely outperformed expectations this year. Do you think they could continue to improve next season without making any major changes this offseason?

GuarGuar: I definitely think we can improve if we keep things the same next season. We were not healthy for the majority of this season. Positive regression there and then development from our young guys, and I can see us getting close to surpassing 50 wins. This is a talented core.

Diamondhacks: Further improvements possible, but I think it’ll be nearly impossible to ambush the nba the way Ott’s crew did this fall. Every opponent understands who Goodwin and Gillespie are now. Plus, it’s harder to improve on 43 wins than on 36.

Oso’s made wonderful strides and needs to continue his positive trajectory. Fleming and Maluach are coming along just fine. Dunn has improved. Green (who’s barely played) and Williams (who’s played more than he has in his life) are big talents with even bigger question marks. Everyone else is on the wrong side of the aging curve, however, so assuming an identical roster, I’d probably take the under on 43 wins.

Ashton: Ah, the halcyon days of looking at a potential 50-win Suns team this season. It is not even summer, and I am souring on this team quicker than yogurt on hot pavement. Don’t eat it. It appears that my positive expectations are now in that yogurt. But if you all want to eat a yogurt tide pod and TikTok it, have at it. I will take you to the emergency room.

So, I think all options need to be considered. I really do not want Giannis, and the cost will be high. But he wants a place that appreciates him. Is that place Phoenix? KD stated he liked living there while blowing shade the entire time.

And that would require a major change. JV put out a great article on the actual cost of doing this for Giannis. But I would float everyone, including untouchable Booker, for returns. The last two months have been abysmal for the Suns. I have been in the slow rebuilding domain philosophy for a while. And I am disgusted with how the season will end. And there will be no continuity in rotation as rest minutes await over the next two games. And injury minutes.

OldAz: Depending on your definition of “major changes”, certainly they can improve. With the late-season emergence of KM and Fleming, this is not hard to envision. The Suns could offload RO, trade GA or at least relegate him to a backup guard role and play a whole lot more balanced lineups for a lot more minutes. Brooks with Dunn and Williams, followed by Fleming, KM, and Oso keep size on the court across the entire front line and allow them to mix and match 4-5 guards in the 2 remaining spots (Book, Green, Gillespie, Goodwin, and possibly Allen).

The key is letting the young players develop and grow into those minutes and figuring out how to play Oso as a PF on defense but as a facilitator on offense. I would love to see them try Green with Oso surrounded by GA/Goody, Fleming, and KM as a bench unit. The size is crazy, as is the athleticism, and there is enough scoring around Oso (assuming good ball movement) to keep him on the floor. It is fun to think about continued improvement when there are a few young players on the roster who could be part of the core, and both Williams and Green are still young, in addition to KM, Dunn, and Fleming.

Rod: I’m not saying that they shouldn’t make any major changes (like trading Book, Green, Brooks, etc.), but rather that I don’t think that they need to do so to actually continue to improve. Sure, it’s possible that making a big trade might turn into a home run, but it’s just as likely to be a step or two backward, which won’t really help, as the Suns don’t control their own draft picks over the next few years.

All in all, I think this team has the potential to be much better next season with only moderate modifications. Change will come this offseason. I don’t think it’s really in the team’s best interest to try and run it back with all the same players but there should some good opportunities to take a step or two forward without resorting to doing anything drastic.

Q3: The Suns will have just one 2nd round pick in this year’s draft (currently 48th). As they’ve been successful in trading up in previous drafts, do you believe they should attempt to do so in this year’s draft or just draft the best player available at 48?

GuarGuar: I definitely would do what we’ve been doing with our 2nd round picks these past couple years because they’ve been big successes. It’s very rare to hit on 2nd rounders the way we have these past couple of years. Take the best player available and keep going.

Diamondhacks: I don’t follow the draft or think about trades much. However, current staff appear to develop youngsters well, and previous Ishbia-era fears of squandering Booker’s prime ultimately set back the franchise. So, I might target a younger ‘project’ type who could make an impact in 2-4 years. Let the pros identify who and where that is.

Ashton: Hah, Rod has put out a question to the Fantable that requires following college basketball teams and mock draft boards. Those mock draft boards are about as fluid as they get, other than the top three picks. I think they are idiotic And I think the top three are idiotic as well.

But the Suns do not have a chance at a top-five pick outside of some gangbusters trade. So, what to do with the 48th pick? Or in that range…

With the 48th pick, the Suns select Size. John Smith Size, an unknown out of DIII school. Okay, I am just having fun now. JJ is not around anymore. Also, check out Brynne’s articles. Another shout-out to JV for linking.

The reality is that a loaded 2026 draft will contain a lot of seniors who ran out of eligibility. I really do not care what the Suns do with the 48th pick, but they need BPA at any position, and there are plenty of upperclassmen to compensate.

I say they keep the pick and see which players falls into the undrafted prospects. That is where FO needs their heads on a swivel.

OldAz: I’m never good at draft questions, but Gregory has earned my trust after the last 2 seasons. I know a lot of folks are mixed on Oso and Dunn, but considering the crapshoot that is the NBA draft, getting 4 players the last 2 drafts who can contribute minutes and still have growth potential is fairly impressive, especially considering where some of those were drafted. Whatever BG wants to do in the draft is fine by me.

Rod: This is certainly one of those “it depends…” questions to me. If they can use the pick in a trade that actually helps the team out now, I wouldn’t mind them completely trading out of this year’s draft. Of course, if there’s a player that Gregory likes that could be available at that spot, they could do nothing and just draft that guy when the time comes. My main hope is that the front office remains flexible and explores all of their options before deciding on which path to take.

As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!

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Quotes of the Week

“The defense is the main thing. Getting stops and being able to get out and run is deflating to the other team. That’s what keeps growing the lead through those four quarters.” – Jalen Green

“I mean, it always feels good to get a block, especially on a dunk. I mean, but it felt extra good because it was him (Cooper Flagg). Before the game, he was like, ‘I’m going to dunk on you,’ and I was like, ‘I’ll try to block it.’” – Khaman Maluach

“I’m super proud of him (Maluach). I think this is a starting point for him that we’ll look down years down the line and be like we knew that kid had it from the beginning.” – Devin Booker

“We’re excited for Tuesday night (the play-in game) because we know our group will show up.” – Jordan Ott

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Suns Trivia/History

On April 10, 2018, in a meaningless end of the season game against Dallas, little used Suns rookie Alec Peters (54th pick in the draft) scored a career high 36 points and pulled down 9 rebounds to lead all scorers in a 124-97 Suns win over the Mavericks. Peters played in only 20 games that season which was to be both his first and last in the NBA. Although his NBA career was short, Peters went overseas to play the following season and is still playing today as a member of Olympiacos in Greece where he led the league in 3-point percentage in 2023-24 and 2024-25.

On April 15, 1989, Phoenix retired the No. 44 jersey of Paul Westphal, who averaged 20.6 points, 5.2 assists, and 1.6 steals in his six seasons with the Suns. Westphal was one of the Suns’ key players in their “Sunderella Season” run to their first NBA Finals appearance in 1976. After retiring from playing in 1984, he turned to coaching and eventually became the team’s head coach for the 1992-93 season. That year, he led the team to their 2nd NBA Finals appearance, this time against the Chicago Bulls. In 2019, he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

On April 17, 1989, the Suns defeated the Sacramento Kings 140-85 in Phoenix. The 55-point margin of victory is the largest in team history. The Suns jumped out to a 35-17 lead at the end of the 1st quarter, which they stretched to 78-38 at halftime. Eddie Johnson led the Suns in scoring with 24 points off the bench, and five other Suns scored in double figures. 32 of the Suns’ points were scored at the free throw line, where they were 32 of 41.

On April 19, 2016, despite only a 9-24 run as interim head coach following the firing of Jeff Hornacek, GM Ryan McDonough inexplicably took the interim tag off 36-year-old Earl Watson (making him the NBA’s youngest HC) and gave him the full-time position for 2016-17 by signing him to a 3-year contract extension.

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This Week’s Game Schedule

Friday April 10 – Suns @ LA Lakers (7:30 pm)
Sunday, April 12 – Suns @ OKC Thunder (5:30 pm)
Tuesday, April 14 – Suns vs TBD (7:00 pm) Prime Video

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Important Future Dates

April 12 – Regular season ends (All 30 teams play)
April 13 – Rosters set for NBA Playoffs (3 pm ET)
April 14-17 – SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament
April 18 – NBA Playoffs begin

The Raptors have one more road game, and one more home contest before the season is over, both against the two New York teams. The bad news: they’ve got to play the 52-win Knicks in Madison Square Garden, a must-win game to keep any type of breathing room between them at the Play-In. The good news? Their last game is against a Nets squad that’s near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, having lost 7 of their last 10 games. But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

The Knicks have dominated the Toronto Raptors in an embarrassing fashion this season. And the season before that. And the season before that. It’s been since 2023 that the Raptors have picked up a win against the Knicks, and the Raptors will be hard pressed to snap that streak to end this season. New York is playing with essentially their entire roster intact, and are cruising after a win against the Celtics last night where both Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart at more than 25 points.

Both the Raptors and Knicks are playing back-to-backs, so there’ll be no fresh legs for anyone on the court today. While New York has clinched a playoff spot, the Cavaliers are right behind them, nipping at their heels, and the Celtics, should they drop these next two games, could theoretically fall in the standings and give the Knicks the second seed in the Conference. Culturally, the Knicks seem likely to put the pedal to the metal to preserve their spot, so a high energy game is likely here.

The Knicks’ depth is something that the Raptors need to be able to manage. Toronto has been able to contain New York’s twin stars in Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, but expending too much energy on those two leaves the Raptors open to big scoring games from OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, or Josh Hart. The Raptors can put out excellent defensive lineups, but the Knicks are a team where anyone can be a hero and ruin an opponent’s night.

The magic of point-Scottie seems to be over with for now, as Barnes hasn’t hit 10 assists in his last four games after a magical playmaking run, all-the-while taking a step back from scoring. Barnes has been middling this season against New York, posting below season-average statlines against the Knicks. Brandon Ingram, coming off a big game against the Heat, needs to do his best to continue his streak against New York’s stifling defence. Ingram has hit more than thirty points against the Knicks twice this season, and completing a trifecta might be the best chance the Raptors have to take down New York this late in the season. With Immanuel Quickley still shaking off the cobwebs as he returns back from an injury, the Raptors can use every point they can muster against a New York team that’s held them under 100 points in three out of four contests this season.

The best thing for the Raptors to do is to do what they do best: play smothering defence from the 1 to the 5, force an off-night for Knicks stars while not giving up open shots to the rest of the squad, and allow Barnes to get involved as a primary facilitator while trusting Brandon Ingram to put the ball through the hoop.

Game Information and Details

Game Time: 7:30 EDT

Watch On: TSN

Injury Report

Raptors: Trayce Jackson-Davis (Day-to-day – illness)

Knicks: Tyler Kolek (Day-to-day – right oblique)

Projected Lineups

Raptors: Immanuel Quickley, Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, Jakob Poeltl

Knicks: Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Karl-Anthony Towns

Jordan McLaughlin came to the Spurs as part of the trade that put De’Aaron Fox in a Spurs jersey. The Silver & Black lost Tre Jones, Zach Collins, and Sidy Cissoko, but gained a clutch starting point guard to pair with Victor Wembanyama while offering a veteran presence to the young squad.

While the inclusion of McLaughlin may have had the appearance of balancing salaries or rosters, the Spiurs saw something in McLaughlin that led to signing him for an additional year over the past summer.

After the summer acquisition of Dylan Harper, it looked as though minutes for Jordan McLaughlin may never materialize, but the guard who turned 30 yesterday has shown what being ready is all about.

Any time J-Mac (as he is affectionately known by his teammates) is called into action, he is ready.

As Jacob Douglas pointed out regarding McLaughlin’s contributions to Wednesday night’s game:

“McLaughlin is just solid. He came in and did his job for 9 minutes, playing pesky perimeter defense, taking care of the ball, and playing within the flow of the offense. He’s about all the Spurs could ask for in a fourth guard.”

He may not get many minutes, but what he does with them keeps the Spurs machine grinding away. Without Stephon Castle on Wednesday. Dylan Harper got his third start of the season. And this left room to rotate McLaughlin in off the bench.

Afterward, Carter Bryant, who shined in his 25 minutes, gave credit to his teammates and a special shout to McLaughlin.

“J-Mac has been a big part of that for me. He’s been like, ‘Just trust your work, understand your time is going to come. Keep being confident in yourself’…We have a lot of guys that when their name is called upon, they do a great job. Like J-Mac does a lot of stuff. Every time he gets an opportunity to play, I admire J-Mac so much because he doesn’t get the opportunity to play too much. But every time he goes in he’s steady. He’s constant…he’s very detailed…you never see him get high or low whether he’s have a great game or a terrible game, by his body language you can never tell. So I respect him a lot and I look up to him for sure. ”

As the Spurs go into the playoffs, minutes can become even more scarce at the end of the bench. While staying healthy is paramount for the marquee players, staying ready is the key to McLaughlin’s role.

Happy belated birthday, J-Mac. Thanks for all you do and here’s to staying ready and willing when your number is called. May there be many opportunities.

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NEW YORK CITY — Jayson Tatum made the choice to not bite his tongue a long time ago.

At the Celtics’ shootaround on Thursday morning, when he was asked about the emotions of playing at Madison Square Garden for the very first time since his injury, the Celtics star opted to be completely candid.

“Nervousness, anxiousness,” he said. “All the things you’d probably expect.”

On paper, Thursday’s game was just another regular season game between two Eastern Conference foes. Entering the match-up, the Celtics had won four straight games, and held a three-game lead over the New York Knicks for second place in the Eastern Conference.

But, in reality, Thursday night held extra weight, marking a return to the place where Tatum’s long, lonely rehab journey began. Inside the walls of MSG was a moment in time in which everything changed: the night Tatum ruptured his Achilles tendon almost eleven months ago.

“The lowest point of my life was here,” Tatum said.

Tatum remembers hearing a pop. He remembers his career — and the Celtics’ future — flashing before his eyes. And, he remembers thinking that it all could be over, that he might never be the same again.

“One day I felt like Superman, and then the next day I felt like the smallest man on Earth,” Tatum said on the Pivot Podcast in January. “It’s been a struggle.”

Since that fateful day, Tatum has cleared plenty of milestones. He returned to 5-on-5 action in January, and practiced with the Maine Celtics for the first time in February. He made his national stage, NBA debut on March 6th, and was named the Eastern Conference’s Player of the Week just a few weeks after that.

To an observer, it appeared Tatum’s greatest challenges were in the rearview mirror. He was not only back, but he was playing some elite basketball.

Still, another major hurdle loomed: a return to Madison Square Garden. While he could have delayed that eventual emotional confrontation, he didn’t want to kick the can down the road and opted to lace up while his co-star, Jaylen Brown, sat.

Earlier in the week, Brown admitted he hadn’t considered Thursday’s game could carry extra emotion, but offered his support: “Mentally, it could possibly be something — but that’s what your teammates are there for. We got his back.”

For Tatum, it was very heavy. Moments before tip-off, he made his way over to the exact spot on the court where his leg gave out on him and took a deep breath.

“It was a lot,” Tatum said. “Especially in the beginning. It took me a while to calm down.”

But, in this return to New York City, he had the support of more than just his teammates.

Pregame, Knicks head coach Mike Brown expressed how happy he was to see Tatum back in action.

“Seeing him back on the court should bring joy to anybody,” Brown said.

When Tatum’s name was announced as part of the Celtics starting lineup introductions, the MSG crowd — which had been rauceoulsy booing every Celtics player — erupted in cheers.

“That means a lot, obviously,” Tatum said. “I appreciated that.”

Jayson Tatum got applause when he was introduced here at MSG

A notable shift from the boos the rest of the roster got

He makes his return to MSG 11 months after rupturing his Achilles here pic.twitter.com/NO4X7oI4ZX

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) April 9, 2026

Tatum wanted to play a great game and for the Celtics to walk away with a win. Neither of those things happened; the Celtics fell to the Knicks 112-106, and Tatum shot just 7-22 from the field and turned the ball over 6 times (though he did also finish with 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists).

But even the most fiery competitor in him could admit that the final score and stat line were not the most important thing in the world.

“I just kind of wanted to walk off the floor on my own two feet,” he said.

That he did. After the final buzzer sounded, Tatum hugged nearly every player and coach on the Knicks, a moment that was representative of what the last couple of weeks of action have looked like.

“Since I’ve returned, the reception that I’ve gotten from players, coaches I’ve never even spoken to, GMs has been great,” Tatum said.

Tatum could have minimized the significance of Thursday’s game and chosen not to share with the public the emotions he was battling. He could have simply brushed aside the questions, calling Thursday night just another game.

But, he opted not to do that.

Surrounded by reporters in the visiting locker room after the loss, Tatum was completely honest.

“It was a big moment, a big hurdle for me,” he said. “I was nervous and anxious to come back here.”

Why choose to do that?

From the beginning, he made the choice to be completely authentic about his struggles, about the doubts he faced, about the mental aspect of the recovery.

“The nature of this business is [that] there’s millions of eyes on us all the time. And when I went down, millions of people were watching,” he said. “And so, it’s a lot of people that have paid attention to this journey. I’ve been candid about it from the beginning, that, hopefully, my experience and the way I approached and attacked this has inspired somebody out there that is not necessarily going through an injury, but maybe a tough time. And hopefully, they can witness or see what I’ve tried to accomplish — and appreciate and be inspired by that.”

Asked Jayson Tatum why he’s chosen to be so vulnerable throughout this process (i.e sharing how difficult it was for him to play at MSG today) when he could have brushed it off:

“The nature of this business is there's millions of eyes on us all the time. And when I went down,… pic.twitter.com/Cisk6GI7Iw

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) April 10, 2026

That approach has earned the praise of his head coach, Joe Mazzulla.

“I think one of his greatest strengths is just his vulnerability and openness and his understanding,” Mazzulla said pregame, acknowledging that he knew the game would bring about a ton of emotion.

“But I think once the game started, he kind of got into a game flow,” said the Celtics head coach as he reflected on the loss.

Tatum never looks for moral victories. He’s rarely cheerful after losses.

But, the circumstances surrounding Thursday’s contest were unique.

“Today was important for me, especially when I made the decision to come back and then made the decision to play today,” he said. “I’m glad I did. I feel a lot better today, even after the loss.”

Baylor Scheierman’s sixth 3-pointer against the New York Knicks on Thursday night brought the entire Boston Celtics bench to its feet. Jordan Walsh did the sharpshooter’s signature thumbs-up celebration, and Luka Garza bunny-hopped with excitement, watching him conquer Madison Square Garden.

Scheierman’s step-back three over Karl-Anthony Towns gave the Celtics a 104-103 lead with 2:19 remaining in the fourth quarter. To re-energize his team, he decided to bring back the celebration he debuted nearly six weeks ago against the Philadelphia 76ers. It sparked a thrilling final few minutes of regulation, but Boston ultimately fell 112-106, losing the regular-season series to New York (1-3).

The ability to remain prepared to deliver an impact at any moment is something Scheierman takes pride in.

“For me, every time my name’s called, I try to go out there and just play to the best of my ability,” Scheierman told reporters, per CLNS Media. “And that’s really all I can control. Obviously, I’d like to be out there, but at the end of the day, it’s not my decision. So every chance I get, I just try to make the most of it.”

Boston ruled Jaylen Brown out with left Achilles tendinitis hours before tip-off, adding weight on everyone’s shoulders to produce in his absence. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla bumped Walsh up into the starting lineup, while Scheierman played alongside Payton Pritchard and Nikola Vučević in the second rotation. Unconcerned with his role and focused on contributing, Scheierman scored a season-high 20 points — matching a career high he set last season against the Brooklyn Nets.

YEAHHH B 🔥🚨 pic.twitter.com/E9xi5Vxp5m

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 10, 2026

Scheierman shot a nearly-perfect 6-for-7 from beyond the arc and grabbed four rebounds. Four of those makes were to either go ahead or extend Boston’s lead over New York. Teammates spotted Scheierman’s high motor and eagerness to shoot, so they kept feeding him.

Derrick White assisted Scheierman to break an 83-83 tie in the fourth quarter, and Pritchard found him again more than seven minutes later to give the Celtics a 101-99 lead. Whenever a teammate attacked the basket, they knew once they looked up, Scheierman would be right there on the perimeter, hands ready, waiting to fire.

Scheierman’s six made 3-pointers also tied a career-high.

“I just have a lot of confidence in myself that I belong on the court, and my teammates trust me,” Scheierman said. “When I’m open, they find me, and I just knock it down.”

Scheierman is among a group of backups unaware when their number will be called. Walsh, Luka Garza, Hugo González, and Ron Harper Jr. are in that same boat. Before games, they’re the first out of the locker room and on the floor, working with the coaching staff by running drills and examining film. Last year, Scheierman logged 23 minutes over four appearances in the playoffs. He didn’t get a chance to do much, going scoreless twice and attempting 10 shots the entire postseason, but that uncertainty doesn’t rattle Scheierman.

Even though rotations typically shrink once the playoffs begin, Scheierman isn’t concerned about his role. He’s averaged 18 minutes per game, the most among the Walsh, Garza, González, and Harper group, and Mazzulla has followed through on his promise to shake up the rotations when the team needs a jolt. At Madison Square Garden on Thursday night, Scheierman didn’t start, but still delivered his most impactful performance of the season.

It’s hard to imagine Scheierman’s 3-point barrage goes overlooked, especially since the Knicks could cross paths with the Celtics in Round 2. Losing three times in the regular-season series should bolster the confidence in New York’s locker room and motivate Boston.

“I wish we could’ve won at the end of the day,” he said. “Obviously, it was a lot of fun to do that, but we lost, so it kind of just is what it is.”

The Celtics need a win on Friday night over the New Orleans Pelicans to lock in the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. New York delayed that, but if both teams advance out of the first round, a second-round series would send Boston back to Madison Square Garden for a best-of-seven. Scheierman is ready to embrace that challenge.

“Obviously, every time we face each other, it’s a great environment, a great atmosphere,” Scheierman said, thinking about a possible Celtics-Knicks playoff rematch. “That’s something you grow up wanting to be a part of. So if it happens, I’m sure it’ll be a great series.”

The Cleveland Cavaliers are all but locked into the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference with the New York Knicks win over the Boston Celtics on Thursday evening. For the Cavs to move up, they’d have to win both of their last two games, while New York would have to lose their final two games. As it stands, it seems like the Cavs will be in the fourth seed, which would likely give them an easier path through the Eastern Conference.

Because they’re basically locked into their preferred spot, there’s little downside in trying to keep momentum going with what they hope is another positive showing against the Atlanta Hawks — a possible first-round opponent.

This game means something for the Hawks. They’ve fallen to the sixth spot in the standings and could drop further if they were to lose this one as well.

The Cavs deployed several matchup-specific schemes against the Hawks on Wednesday. This included aggressively cheating off of Atlanta’s average to below-average three-point shooters and using James Harden to guard their opposing center. It’ll be interesting to see how both teams adjust to Wednesday’s game.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (51-29) vs. Atlanta Hawks (45-35)

Where: State Farm Arena – Atlanta, GA

When: Fri. April 10 at 7 PM

TV: Prime Video

Point spread: Not yet set

Cavs injury report: Donovan Mitchell – OUT (ankle), Jarrett Allen – OUT (knee), Sam Merrill – OUT (hamstring), Jaylon Tyson – QUESTIONABLE (toe), Thomas Bryant – OUT (calf)

Hawks injury report: RayJ Dennis – QUESTIONABLE (G League), Keshon Gilbert – QUESTIONABLE (G League), Jock Landale – OUT (ankle)

Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Hawks expected starting lineup: CJ McCollum, Nikeil Alexander-Walker, Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu

Previous matchup: The Cavs defeated the Hawks on Wednesday 122-116

Here’s a look at both teams’ impact stats via Cleaning the Glass.

	Offensive Rating	Defensive Rating	Net Rating
Cavs	119.1 (7th)	114.8 (14th)	+4.3 (9th)
Hawks	116.2 (15th)	113.7 (8th)	+2.5 (13th)

Hot green tea at the desk tonight, which either means I’m being responsible or the Coffee Almond Toffee finally caught up with me. Either way, the Dallas Mavericks (25-55) close out their last road game of the season Friday against the San Antonio Spurs (61-19), a team that has locked into the two-seed and is preparing for a deep playoff run. This is the fourth and final meeting between these clubs, and the previous three weren’t close — San Antonio won all of them by double digits. Meanwhile, Wednesday night in Phoenix, Jason Kidd pulled his starters with 4:37 left in a five-point game and closed with a lineup of Poulakidas, Tyler Smith, Cisse, Dwight Powell, and AJ Johnson. The tank, long an open secret, is now officially on the record.

Let’s scan the lines in search of value.

🏀 Fixture: Dallas Mavericks (25-55) @ San Antonio Spurs (61-19) 📍 Frost Bank Center — San Antonio, TX 🕖 7:00 PM CST, Friday, April 10, 2026 📺 KFAA Channel 29 / MavsTV / NBA League Pass

📊 DraftKings Snapshot (as of 12:15 AM CST) Spread: SAS -17.5 (-110) | DAL +17.5 (-110) Total: 236.5 (O -110 / U -110) Moneyline: SAS -1600 | DAL +900

📉 Game Side Lean: San Antonio -17.5

Kidd showed his hand Wednesday. With the lottery standings razor-thin — Dallas tied with Memphis for sixth-best odds, one game behind New Orleans — every loss matters, and Kidd has stopped pretending otherwise. The Spurs, even without Wembanyama (questionable with a rib contusion), are 61-19 and playing with playoff intensity. Stephon Castle is also questionable with a left foot issue, but San Antonio has depth to absorb that. Dallas is showing up with a depleted roster, a coaching staff that just publicly waved the white flag, and approximately zero motivation to cover a number. Lay the points.

🔮 Total Lean: Under 236.5

When a team is actively not trying to win, they tend to not score very much either. Dallas has already demonstrated a willingness to deploy lineups that couldn’t beat a good G League squad, and San Antonio — even in playoff prep mode — isn’t going to go out of its way to run up the score. The Spurs will control pace, manage their rotation with one eye on the postseason, and this game settles into something quiet and ugly. Under is the play.

🎯 Player Props We Like

De’Aaron Fox Over 14.5 Points (-122) If Castle sits with the foot soreness, Fox becomes San Antonio’s unquestioned offensive engine without a secondary playmaker to share the load. Even with Castle available, Fox has been the heartbeat of this Spurs offense all season — and Dallas’s backcourt defense, never a strength, has been further gutted by attrition. Against a team that just benched its starters in a close game to chase lottery odds, Fox should be operating in cruise control by the third quarter. The number is modest for a player of his caliber in this spot.

Cooper Flagg Over 24.5 Points (-113) Flagg is playing for something real right now — the Rookie of the Year award, a closing argument after a 51-point performance against Orlando that should have settled the debate but apparently hasn’t. He’s in that mode where every game feels like a statement, and statement games against bad defenses tend to produce numbers. San Antonio will be focused on their own playoff preparation, not on stopping a rookie on a bad team. Flagg gets his. This is his season to put an exclamation point on.

💡 Summary: San Antonio -17.5 against a team that stopped trying Wednesday night. Under 236.5 for a game that figures to be controlled and quiet. Fox feasting with Castle potentially out, Flagg closing his ROY case one bucket at a time. Four picks, one cup of green tea. Go Lottery Odds Go.

By Adam King, RotoWire.com

With only two days of action remaining, and with all 30 teams playing twice, streaming, while plentiful, could be hard to project. Both good and bad teams are shutting guys down for various reasons. While there are a handful of teams with something to play for, the majority of streaming candidates are likely taken. So, we shift our attention to the remaining teams trying to nail down who could play in both games.

As we move through what is commonly viewed as silly season, the waiver wire is the place to be, providing managers with bargain players who could be about to ascend in the NBA fantasy rankings. And remember, never assume a player is rostered. It always pays to double-check, just in case they have been overlooked.

Identifying players who are benefiting from expanded roles — whether it's an offensive threat delivering points and threes or a defensive-minded player boosting your blocks and steals — is vital as you navigate the season.

Let's dive into nine key NBA sleepers whose current stats suggest they are poised for significant value and are currently rostered in fewer than 40% of Yahoo leagues.

Yahoo High Score Leagues

Jeremiah Fears, New Orleans Pelicans (24% rostered)

Although the Pelicans have no chance of making the playoffs, the fact is that the team is at least still trying to win basketball games. While that hasn't been the case recently, having lost eight of its past nine games, Fears has seen an uptick in his playing time and associated production. Over his past three games, Fears has averaged 53 fantasy points per game, logging at least 37 minutes in all three appearances. All signs point to him closing the season, and apparently, he has a green light on offense. Managers should feel relatively comfortable adding him, despite two high-volume nights to end the campaign.

Julian Reese, Washington Wizards (9% rostered)

It appears as though Reese will close the season as the starting center for Washington, a role that has yielded some encouraging performances. In his past three games, Reese has averaged a double-double, putting up 44.7 fantasy points per game. Perhaps more important is the fact that in each of the three games, he has seen at least 36 minutes. Every season, there are a couple of silly-season centers who rack up big numbers down the stretch. It seems as though Reese is one of those names.

Luke Kennard, Los Angeles Lakers (6% rostered)

With the Lakers very short on troops right now, Kennard has stepped into a sizeable role, flashing his upside on both ends of the floor. In his past three appearances, Kennard has averaged 44.3 fantasy points per game, including what was his first triple-double of the season. Despite the injuries, Los Angeles is still in the hunt for a top-four seed in the Western Conference, which would ensure home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Look for Kennard to continue playing a key role as the team enters two must-win games against the Suns and Jazz.

Standard 9-Category Leagues

Jalen Slawson, Indiana Pacers (1% rostered)

Slawson is another player who has quietly put himself in the frame as a must-roster player. Despite his strong defensive production over the past month, contract limitations meant that he was no certainty to suit up on any given night. However, he is now free to play in both remaining games, continuing a strong three-game run over the past week. During that time, he has flirted with top-75 value, averaging 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 2.3 3-pointers. With scope for him to increase his production on the defensive end, Slawson should be picked up in most leagues, given his ability to impact low-volume categories such as steals and blocks.

Leonard Miller, Chicago Bulls (6% rostered)

Miller continues to be one of the few shining lights in Chicago, having finally carved out a meaningful role, albeit for a team with low expectations. While he has been firmly on the radar for quite some time, Thursday delivered arguably the best performance of his career, recording 26 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block and two 3-pointers. Chicago has seemingly shut down a number of key players, meaning Miller should see out the season as a key piece. At this point, he really is a no-brainer across all formats.

Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs (23% rostered)

Harper has quietly put himself on the radar, having seen a slight uptick in his playing time, with San Antonio starting to ease off on some of its bigger names. Harper has now scored double digits in 10 straight games, playing at least 25 minutes in three of the past four games. He has been a top-85 player in 14 appearances over the past month, averaging 14.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.6 3-pointers, numbers that are likely sustainable given the fact his role should hold steady moving forward. 

Standard Points Leagues

Scoot Henderson, Portland Trail Blazers (18% rostered)

Although he has yet to realize any sort of potential, Henderson has found some rhythm in recent times, amassing at least 33 fantasy points in three of his past five games. He has scored double digits in nine of the past 10 games, while also logging at least 24 minutes on a regular basis. Given he missed so much of the early part of the season, it makes sense for the Trail Blazers to get him out on the floor as much as possible, especially if the team can squeeze into the playoffs. As another player likely to close the season with two games played, Henderson makes for a viable starting option in both points and category formats.

Bub Carrington, Washington Wizards (17% rostered)

Carrington has yet to miss a game this season, meaning there is definite incentive to get him out there for the remaining two games. Although his production hasn't been anything spectacular, Carrington is a good example of quantity over quality, which at this time of the year, can be key to success. If you are looking for a low-upside, but safe play, look no further than Carrington.

Ousmane Dieng, Milwaukee Bucks (21% rostered)

Despite all the disruption in Milwaukee, Dieng has managed to make the most of a bad situation. While his percentages have been a major issue, that matters not when it comes to his value in points formats. He continues to play a sizeable role for a team that has basically hit rock bottom, recording at least 29 fantasy points in five of the past six games, including a 66-point explosion during a loss to Houston. In terms of being available for both remaining games, Dieng is as close to a lock as you will find, making him a relatively risk-free addition, should he be available in your league.

A lot has to happen to get a bucket in the NBA. The right screen creates just enough space to free up the ball. A pass has to be on the money for a player to get a shot off. And even if everything goes right, it’s still a make-or-miss league where a 50% success rate would be great.

So many things hurt the Celtics on Thursday night. Jayson Tatum would surely love to get those six turnovers back. Allowing the Knicks to hit 15-of-35 from behind the arc is tough to swallow. But in the end, it was two triples from Josh Hart on broken plays that did the Celtics in in the final two minutes.

The Celtics’ magic number to clinch the #2 seed remains at one with two games at TD Garden against the visiting Pelicans tomorrow and the Magic on Sunday. The Knicks host playoff hungry Toronto and Charlotte.

Boston’s championship odds have remained steady all month with our friends at FanDuel and are +550 to raise Banner 19 and the favorite to rep the Eastern Conference in the 2026 NBA Finals.

Jayson Tatum

40 minutes, 24 points (2-10 from 3, 8-10 from the free throw line, 7-22 from the field), 13 rebounds, 8 assists, 6 turnovers, one steal, one block -16

Against the Hornets on March 29th, Tatum put up arguably the highest scoring game of his comeback with 32 points, five rebounds, and eight assists with Brown sidelined. It was an often visceral reminder of his scoring prowess and just home much his size and speed is difficult to defend.

Even alongside Jaylen, Jayson has become more of an all-around contributor, nearly averaging a triple-double at 24-12-8 over the last four games. He was close again with 24-13-8, but six turnovers and an inefficient 2-or-10 from 3 contributed to his -16 plus/minus on the night.

Grade: B

Jordan Walsh

17 minutes, 5 points (1-2 from 3, 2-4 from the field), 2 rebounds, one assist, 5 turnovers, -9

After re-entering the rotation two weeks ago — including starting for the Jays like he did last night for Brown — Walsh has shown a knack for generating momentum-shifting plays with his rangy defense and ability to find offense in the nooks and crannies of opposing teams’ defenses.

Hang time 🤙 pic.twitter.com/yE3zjPbc61

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 10, 2026

Instead of Tommy Points and stocks, we need a new metric/nickname for plays that shouldn’t happen, but Walsh finds a way. Jordan Jolts? Celtics Sparks?

Grade: A-

Neemias Queta

24 minutes, 10 points (2-2 from the free throw line, 4-6 from the field), 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, -7

Queta is the living embodiment of “let the star player get his and shut down everybody else.” Over his last five games, he’s averaged 16.4 points on 75% shooting from the field.

Special delivery 📦💪 pic.twitter.com/PW1NONXN4o

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 9, 2026

With Tatum struggling a bit, Neemy didn’t get a lot of those easy buckets. Instead, he hit the offensive glass for two of his putback buckets and pulled down six total for the game.

Grade: B+

Sam Hauser

31 minutes, 6 points (2-6 from 3, 2-7 from the field), 2 rebounds, 3 assists, +1

With Scheierman dominating in the 4th quarter, Hauser didn’t get his usual run to close the game. When he was in the game, he used his shooting gravity to find teammates for three assists.

Grade: B

Have to applaud the extra pass 👏 pic.twitter.com/DwkcYuvm9E

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 10, 2026

Derrick White

38 minutes, 8 points (0-6 from 3, 4-4 from the free throw line, 2-10 from the field), 3 rebounds, one assist, one steal, -3

So many unofficial end-of-season ballots have Derrick White as an All-Defense First Teamer — I’ve seen him on a few All-NBA lists, too.

Unfortunately, he’s having a Celtics career-worst shooting season and that’s really hurt his box scores. He’s still doing everything else on the floor, but the efficiency is way down in 2025-2026.

Grade: B-

Payton Pritchard

36 minutes, 23 points (3-8 from 3, 10-20 from the field), 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 turnovers, +4

We joked in our CelticsBlog Slack that if Pritchard incorporated Jalen Brunson’s grift game, he’d probably get 4-8 points more from the free throw line. No matter, he carried Boston in the first half with fifteen points with many of his buckets coming at the rim and played more the playmaker after halftime with five assists.

P coming in with the instant offense 🔥 pic.twitter.com/fKBz2fp9tk

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 10, 2026

Grade: B+

Nikola Vucevic

24 minutes, 10 points (2-4 from 3, 4-7 from the field) 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 turnover, +1

Talk about a crash course. After missing fourteen games and virtually all of Tatum’s return, the prize of Boston’s trade deadline has had three games to generate chemistry and get his sea legs back before the playoffs start next week. His first two were duds relative to what we know Vooch can provide on a night-to-night basis. Against the Knicks, the learning curve is still on the upswing.

He hit some big threes in the third quarter and seemed to get into the flow of the read-and-react offense in the fourth. It’s starting to click for the big man.

Grade: B+

Baylor Scheierman

30 minutes, 20 points (6-7 from 3, 7-8 from the field), 4 rebounds, -1

The 38% three-point shooter caught fire at MSG, hitting 6-of-7 from 3. Along with some solid defense on Brunson, it was a clutch 20-point performance for the Celtics highest riser on the bench.

YEAHHH B 🔥🚨 pic.twitter.com/E9xi5Vxp5m

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 10, 2026

Grade: A+

DNP-CDs: Luka Garza, Hugo Gonzalez, Ron Harper Jr., Max Shulga, John Tonje, Amari Williams

Inactives: Jaylen Brown

After a season of such misery for the Warriors, any postseason exit is merciful originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – At the risk of being accused of suggesting public euthanasia, here goes.

As it trends, the Warriors and their skeletal roster will plunge into the offseason in a few days, perhaps as soon as Wednesday. Barring the miraculous, surely sometime in April.

Would a brief postseason be such a horrible conclusion?

Would that not be a merciful way to close a profoundly unsatisfying season punctuated by a merciless second half?

Yes, I know athletes train to do their best, give their all, and never abandon the goal. Winning is good for any soul, and for some, nothing matters more.

This is not about surrender. This is about an aggressive futility that sank its teeth into the Warriors and shows no sign of letting go.

With Jimmy Butler III sidelined for the season and Stephen Curry out for nine weeks, the Warriors steadily spoke of building good habits and playing as a team, being “on a string” defensively on one end while making defenses work on the other. They knew they were hampered, yet they had difficulty giving themselves a chance.

The most recent example came Thursday night at Chase Center, where Golden State ended its home schedule with a 119-103 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Such a score was rationally predictable with Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Curry in street clothes.

The Warriors’ principles were a mess. They bobbled and flung their way to 19 turnovers, gifting the Lakers 28 points. Through three quarters, Golden State had more turnovers (16) than assists (15), literally helping LA more than each other. The Warriors are 80 games into the season, without Curry for 28 of the last 30, and still have too many possessions dying on the dribble, sprinkled with maybe one late-clock pass. Zero-pass possessions are a sin in coach Steve Kerr’s system, yet there are times when the ball never leaves the original dribbler.

The Warriors have endured such unrelenting misery over the last 37 games that they surely are bracing for what lies ahead Friday night when they face the Kings in Sacramento, or Sunday when they close the regular season against the Clippers in Los Angeles or next Wednesday when they land in the NBA play-in tournament.

“We’ve been through the wringer here over the last six, eight weeks,” Kerr said Thursday night. “But we’re in a position where we have a chance to get into the playoffs. Got some guys who are getting healthy. Have a chance to hopefully put together a game tomorrow where we have what our roster would look like for the play-in games. 

“So tomorrow and Sunday to develop a little rhythm and get a swing at it. We got some hope.”

That hope must be tempered by uncertainty. That’s the way of the Warriors for the last 80 days. The Warriors do not know who will be available for any of those games because each day begins with multiple availability mysteries. Golden State’s injury reports since Jan. 19 have been depressing on sight and epic in length.

Yet Kerr continues to insist there can be internal growth.

“For the next two games, just intensity and connection defensively,” Kerr said of his desires for the team. “Talking, communicating and really being loud and being aggressive. Draymond (Green) will take care of that. And then, on offense, we’ve got to be a little cleaner; we had 19 turnovers tonight. We put a lot of guys in some tough spots.

“But getting some guys back, we should be able to do a better job of taking care of the ball and executing.”

Getting some guys back has been the rallying hope of Kerr and the healthy guys on the roster for two months. Losing Butler for the season punched a gaping hole through the Warriors’ lofty ambitions. When Curry went down 11 days later and during the nine weeks he missed, that hole expanded and hope began fading. The entire operation went from sagging slowly to sinking like a stone.

Moses Moody, a key reserve and occasional starter, sustained a season-ending injury last month. Though Kerr hopes Horford can return Friday night or Sunday, his season will end with him missing more games than he plays.

The paper-logical trade on Feb. 5, an attempt to rescue this season and perhaps bolster those to come, brought them the zigs and zags that innately come with teams buying a ticket to The Porzingis Experience.

The Warriors spent weeks yearning for Curry’s return, largely to witness his court collaboration with Porzingis. As they waited, they dropped from eighth place in the Western Conference to ninth and, finally, to 10th, which reserves the last seat on the last bus to playoff possibilities.

“We’re back in the fight with Steph,” Kerr said after Curry’s encouraging return last Sunday.

“We got Steph,” Brandin Podziemski said Thursday night, citing the source of his optimism. “That solves a lot of it. But we got a lot of winners. KP’s won a championship. Al’s won a championship. Steph and Dray. We got vets that have won championships, Gary (Payton II).

“So, I like our chances when it comes to a one-game situation.”

Despite a season during which so many elements the Warriors could least afford to go wrong went catastrophically wrong, there remain at least three games. Coaches and players already are prepping to face either the Clippers or the Trail Blazers next Wednesday.

Golden State would like a fourth game, in which a victory would mean a trip to Oklahoma City to open a first-round series against the defending champion Thunder. The Warriors would like to go out, if they must, on their feet. It’s the noblest kind of exit.

Deep down, however, they could not be blamed, after all they’ve been through, for feeling that if ever a season deserved to be put out of its misery, it is this one.

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Philadelphia 76ers (43-37, eighth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (19-61, 14th in the Eastern Conference)

Indianapolis; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: 76ers -15; over/under is 234.5

BOTTOM LINE: Philadelphia heads into the matchup with Indiana as losers of three straight games.

The Pacers are 15-35 in conference matchups. Indiana is 9-41 against opponents with a winning record.

The 76ers have gone 25-25 against Eastern Conference opponents. Philadelphia ranks eighth in the league scoring 17.0 fast break points per game. Tyrese Maxey leads the 76ers averaging 5.5.

The Pacers' 13.3 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.1 fewer made shots on average than the 13.4 per game the 76ers give up. The 76ers' 46.2% shooting percentage from the field this season is 2.7 percentage points lower than the Pacers have given up to their opponents (48.9%).

The teams play for the fourth time this season. In the last meeting on Feb. 25 the 76ers won 135-114 led by 32 points from Maxey, while Andrew Nembhard scored 23 points for the Pacers.

TOP PERFORMERS: Nembhard is averaging 16.9 points and 7.7 assists for the Pacers. Micah Potter is averaging 1.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Maxey is scoring 28.3 points per game and averaging 4.1 rebounds for the 76ers. Paul George is averaging 3.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 4-6, averaging 121.3 points, 41.1 rebounds, 34.8 assists, 6.7 steals and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 51.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.9 points per game.

76ers: 5-5, averaging 117.8 points, 45.0 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 7.4 steals and 5.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.7 points.

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

76ers: Johni Broome: out (knee), Joel Embiid: out (illness), Cameron Payne: out (hamstring).

___

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

Toronto Raptors (45-35, fifth in the Eastern Conference) vs. New York Knicks (52-28, third in the Eastern Conference)

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

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Knicks -6.5; over/under is 219.5

BOTTOM LINE: New York hosts Toronto aiming to prolong its six-game home winning streak.

The Knicks are 34-16 in Eastern Conference games. New York is 22-22 against opponents with a winning record.

The Raptors are 4-11 against opponents in the Atlantic Division. Toronto has a 21-26 record against opponents over .500.

The Knicks score 116.8 points per game, 4.9 more points than the 111.9 the Raptors give up. The Raptors average 114.6 points per game, 4.3 more than the 110.3 the Knicks allow.

The teams meet for the fifth time this season. The Knicks won 111-95 in the last matchup on March 4.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jalen Brunson is averaging 26 points and 6.9 assists for the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 18 points, 10.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists over the past 10 games.

Scottie Barnes is scoring 18.1 points per game with 7.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists for the Raptors. RJ Barrett is averaging 20.3 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 46.2% over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 7-3, averaging 114.2 points, 42.7 rebounds, 27.4 assists, 7.8 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 50.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.3 points per game.

Raptors: 6-4, averaging 120.4 points, 41.6 rebounds, 34.0 assists, 10.4 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 51.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.9 points.

INJURIES: Knicks: Tyler Kolek: out (oblique).

Raptors: Chucky Hepburn: out (knee), Trayce Jackson-Davis: out (illness).

___

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

New Orleans Pelicans (26-54, 11th in the Western Conference) vs. Boston Celtics (54-26, second in the Eastern Conference)

Boston; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Celtics -16.5; over/under is 224.5

BOTTOM LINE: New Orleans visits the Boston Celtics after Jeremiah Fears scored 40 points in the Pelicans' 156-137 win over the Utah Jazz.

The Celtics have gone 28-11 in home games. Boston ranks seventh in the league with 12.6 offensive rebounds per game led by Neemias Queta averaging 3.0 offensive boards.

The Pelicans are 9-30 on the road. New Orleans has an 8-41 record against teams over .500.

The Celtics score 114.5 points per game, 5.1 fewer points than the 119.6 the Pelicans give up. The Pelicans average 11.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.8 fewer made shots on average than the 14.1 per game the Celtics allow.

The teams play for the second time this season. In the last matchup on Oct. 28 the Celtics won 122-90 led by 18 points from Payton Pritchard, while Jordan Poole scored 22 points for the Pelicans.

TOP PERFORMERS: Derrick White is averaging 16.6 points and 5.4 assists for the Celtics. Jayson Tatum is averaging 21.1 points, 10 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.5 steals over the last 10 games.

Saddiq Bey is averaging 17.7 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Pelicans. Fears is averaging 17.9 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Celtics: 7-3, averaging 115.0 points, 46.2 rebounds, 24.6 assists, 5.8 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.9 points per game.

Pelicans: 2-8, averaging 112.6 points, 41.0 rebounds, 24.9 assists, 9.2 steals and 5.7 blocks per game while shooting 46.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.7 points.

INJURIES: Celtics: Jaylen Brown: out (achilles).

Pelicans: Trey Murphy III: out (ankle), Zion Williamson: out (knee), Yves Missi: out (hand), Karlo Matkovic: day to day (back), Herbert Jones: day to day (rest), Saddiq Bey: day to day (rest), Dejounte Murray: out (hand), Bryce McGowens: out (toe).

___

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

Aside from Victor Wembanyama’s NBA Awards eligibility and Cooper Flagg’s ROY case, the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks both come into their 4th and final match-up this season with little to play for. The Spurs, locked into the #2 seed, are just waiting for the playoffs to get here, while Dallas has both eyes set on the NBA Draft Lottery after struggling mightily in the franchise’s first full season without Luka Doncic. Regardless of the reason, these two Texas franchises are both looking forward to the end of the 2025-2026 NBA regular season, but that doesn’t mean there can’t be some fun left to be had.

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San Antonio Spurs (61-19) vs Dallas Mavericks (25-55)
April 10 2026 | 7:00 PM CT
Watch: KENS | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)

Spurs Injuries: Victor Wembanyama, ribs (questionable), Stephon Castle, foot (questionable)

Mavericks Injuries: Caleb Martin, heel (OUT), Daniel Gafford, shoulder (OUT), Kyrie Irving, knee (OUT), Dereck Lively II, foot (OUT, Naji Marshall, hip (day to day), Klay Thompson (day to day), PJ Washington, elbow (day to day), Brandon Williams (day to day)

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What to watch for

• Coming into the season, the consensus was that Cooper Flagg would be the 2026 Rookie of the Year. The 6’9 forward has flashed real two-way dominance in his first season in the league, setting a few NBA records along the way, but there’s been plenty of chatter recently about Flagg’s former Duke teammate guard Kon Knueppel, who’s made a huge difference his first season with the Charlotte Hornets. Flagg became the first teenager in the history of the NBA to score at least 50 points when he dropped 51 points on 19/30 from the field one week ago today in a loss to the Orlando Magic. Flagg won’t be 20 years old until December 21, 2027.

• Head coach Mitch Johnson’s key focus these last couple games is almost certainly on being completely healthy heading into Game 1 of San Antonio’s first round match-up, whoever they may be. It’s a pretty safe bet then that Johnson is going to play Victor Wembanyama no more than the 20 minutes that Wembanyama needs to meet the hotly debated 65-game award minimum in either game Wemby makes his return. Don’t be surprised if the rest of the starters as well as Keldon Johnson are kept on a short leash minutes-wise as well with the Spurs locked into the 2-seed.
• Dylan Haprper could be the exception to that rule. Harper, who has had a great rookie season in his own right, has been shooting the ball incredibly well since the beginning of March. He’s proven himself all year long and will be a big part of any postseason success San Antonio has, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t still soak up valuable minutes in the final couple of games of his rookie season.

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Bronny James passed to parent LeBron for the first son-to-father assist in NBA history as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Golden State Warriors 119-103.

Bronny, 19, stole possession and passed to LeBron, who ran the length of the court for an uncontested dunk that was part of a 26-point contribution from the 41-year-old.

The pair recorded the first father-to-son assist in a match against the Brooklyn Nets last month.

LeBron also added 11 assists while Bronny scored 10 points with three assists as the Lakers saw off their state rivals.

The Lakers sit fourth in the Western Conference while the Warriors are in 10th, with both having already qualified for the post-season play-offs that begin on 18 April.

Elsewhere, the New York Knicks won 112-106 against the Boston Celtics, with Josh Hart scoring 26 points, to put pressure on their opponents in the Eastern Conference.

The sides are third and second respectively in the standings, with two matches left to play in the regular season.

The Toronto Raptors triumphed 128-114 against the Miami Heat while the Houston Rockets won 113-102 against Philadelphia 76ers to solidify their chances of a play-off place.

In matches between sides already out of post-season contention, the Chicago Bulls won 119-108 against the Washington Wizards while the Indiana Pacers beat the Brooklyn Nets 123-94.

WNBA approves three-team expansion

The WNBA has approved expansion teams in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia and will become an 18-team league by 2030.

The Cleveland franchise will be the first to make their debut in the competition - they will appear in 2028 - while Detroit and Philadelphia will follow in 2029 and 2030 respectively.

The WNBA has gone through a period of expansion in recent years with the Golden State Valkyries joining in 2025 while the Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire are set to follow this year.

The new season starts on 8 May and its regular season will run to 24 September.