Jonathan Kuminga didn’t have the greatest ending to his time in Golden State, but he did pick up some valuable lessons along the way.
The Hawks and the Knicks are facing off in the first round of the NBA playoffs, and Kuminga had a pivotal play on the defensive end down the stretch in Atlanta’s Game 2 win in New York. When asked about having the presence of mind to nudge his teammate into a better position, he credited his old teammate, Draymond Green.
Jonathan Kuminga on nudging NAW into position to stop Jalen Brunson:
“I’m gonna give my praise to Draymond. Growing up around him, watching him.. I’d seen him do that so many times… And he’s one of the best at doing things like that.”
“I’m going to give my praise to Draymond,” Kuminga claimed. “Growing up around him, watching him … I’d seen him do that so many times. He’s one of the best at doing things like that.”
The heads-up play propelled the Hawks to a 107-106 victory against New York, tying the series at 1-1.
Since joining Atlanta, Kuminga has become a valuable role player, averaging 12.7 points and five rebounds per game. His basketball IQ has improved tremendously as well.
“It’s just instinct,” Kuminga said, per The Athletic’s John Hollinger. “I watched Draymond do it; it’s little things that don’t go on the [stat] sheet that help you.”
Kuminga struggled to find playing time with the Warriors towards the end of his five-year run. Head coach Steve Kerr credited his questionable rotation choices to a lack of spacing when the 23-year-old would enter the game. Since joining the Hawks, Kuminga is only shooting 30.9 percent from beyond the arc, but he continues to impact the game in other ways.
Averaging above 25 minutes per game, Kuminga is growing into a player the Hawks can count on in his fifth year. The sky is the limit for Kuminga. His athleticism and length make him an asset whenever he’s out on the floor.
If he can continue to develop his jump shot, Kuminga has the potential to become an All-Star caliber player. He possesses all the intangibles, including the defensive instincts that were instilled in him during his time with the Warriors.
The former Warrior gives credit where credit is due; Green is one of the best teachers when it comes to defense. Kuminga wasn’t always in the rotation with Golden State, but he was always paying attention to the defensive clinic Draymond displayed on a nightly basis.
UNITED STATES - MAY 26: Basketball: NBA Finals, Philadelphia 76ers Julius Dr, J Erving (6) in action, making dunk vs Portland Trail Blazers, Game 2, Philadelphia, PA 5/26/1977 (Photo by James Drake/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (SetNumber: X21496 TK1)
The ABA and the NBA merged in 1976, and one of the big reasons was Julius Erving.
The ABA never really had any national television exposure, but everyone knew who Dr. J was. The afro, the kneepads, the dunks…everyone understood that he was a phenomenon, and that, once the 1976-77 season started, fans would get to see a lot of the Doctor.
He was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers after the merger, and that team was insane.
Aside from Erving, it had George McGinnis, a ball-dominant power forward, World B. Free, and Darryl Dawkins. They also had Doug Collins, Henry Bibby, Caldwell Jones, and Kobe Bryant’s dad, Joe, but the first four players really were the ones who drew the most attention, although at 6-6, Collins was an unusually tall guard for the day.
Philly got to the NBA Finals, where they met Bill Walton and the Portland Trail Blazers.
That series would be framed as a traditional NBA team vs. one that was more ABA-ish.
Portland ultimately won the championship 4-2, thanks largely to Walton’s exceptional brilliance, but before the series turned, the Sixers were up 2-0, and America got to see Erving’s brilliance up close and personal.
Fresh off of humiliating losses, they’ve shown the ability to respond with dramatic improvement. It was natural for Sixers head coach Nick Nurse to highlight that recent history with his team one game from first-round playoff elimination following a 128-96 home Game 4 defeat Sunday night to the Celtics.
“We’re going to have to dig into the film,” Nurse said. “Same as Game 1. I just told them again, way out of character. Played another about as bad as we can play game. That’s two out of four in this series. Played very well in the other two and we’ve got to go back to playing very well quickly. Got to go get one.”
Nurse’s point is valid, but the 2025-26 Sixers now have 87 games that count under their belt, including a play-in tournament win over the Magic. They’ve had stable themes in many of their losses.
The Sixers have flashed alluring defensive potential late in close games but otherwise been mediocre on that end. The team’s offense has relied heavily on Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid’s individual shotmaking. Opponents regularly take and make more three-pointers. The Sixers concede heaps of demoralizing offensive rebounds. Their bench is often badly outscored by the other second unit.
All those flaws have popped up vs. the Celtics. And, beyond the details, nights with unsatisfactory effort and focus haven’t been rare this year.
“It just didn’t seem like any matchup could guard anybody 1-on-1 tonight,” Nurse said. “We had them pushed out, bottled up, physical and really off rhythm for a couple of games and there was none of that tonight. I’m just not sure. I don’t know why we couldn’t block out better or rebound better or move better on defense. We just seemed a half-step behind energy-wise.
“Whatever it was, we were a half-step behind on everything. … It felt a little bit like Game 1. All of a sudden, we’d jump out of character really (quickly). That’s hard to watch and hard to explain, too.”
Embiid played Sunday, willing his way back on the court after undergoing an appendectomy on April 9. He was the Sixers’ most productive player, posting 26 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. The Celtics still might have won if Embiid scored 50.
Maxey ended up with 22 points and six assists, but he only attempted three field goals in the first half and was oddly peripheral for much of the night.
“That can’t happen,” Maxey said. “That’s on me. That absolutely can’t happen. That’s unacceptable by me. I was playing within the flow of the game and it kind of just happened that way. It wasn’t meant to happen that way, but that’s on me. … We can’t win basketball games with that happening and I take full responsibility on that one.”
Embiid certainly agreed with Maxey’s sentiment, saying the Sixers need their All-Star guard to be aggressive from the start of the game. VJ Edgecombe also acknowledged he “definitely turned some down I should’ve shot” after scoring six points on 2-for-9 shooting.
Perhaps the most uncharacteristic aspect of the Sixers’ performance was just how extreme their problems were with Embiid.
Over the years, the seven-time All-Star big man has tended to cover up the Sixers’ issues simply by being on the court. The Sixers went 24-14 with Embiid available this regular season.
Of course, the Embiid who played in Game 4 had protective wrapping under his jersey and around his abdomen. Outside of anything related to basketball, Embiid had a worrisome health ordeal.
“It started in San Antonio,” he said. “Stomach started hurting. I’ve never had stomach pain before, but I thought I ate something bad. … I thought it was a stomach virus or something. I started feeling it during the game and that night. And then the next day, we had practice. … I was going to take it easy during practice because it was pretty bad, but we had a good conversation with the team about what we needed to do. I kind of wanted to send a message, go out there and practice really hard.
“By the time I got back to the hotel, it just kept getting worse and worse and worse. That night before the (Rockets) game, I didn’t want to bother these guys because they were sleeping. But it got to the point where I couldn’t sleep. I was up until 4 in the morning.
“I was like, ‘Yeah, I need help.’ … You can’t even walk. So that’s why I had to tell them, ‘Something is very wrong here.’ I don’t like the hospital and all those MRIs and CT scans, but it got to a point where it was really bad. … That’s when we had to go to the hospital and found out what was going on.”
Even though he sat for the final 5 minutes and 31 seconds of garbage time, Embiid logged 34 minutes.
The Sixers’ play was dismal for the majority of that time.
“They just moved us around, pushed us around offensively and defensively,” Maxey said. “Guys got to whatever spot they wanted to get to, no resistance, and that’s absolutely unacceptable. That’s not our brand of basketball that we play. … I think they kind of just walked to their spots and got whatever they wanted.
“Then we got put in a position where we thought we should over-help. This is not a team you can really over-help on, so you really have to guard your yard.”
Game 5 will be here soon enough.
“I hate to say it, but we’ve got to wash it,” Maxey said. “We’ve got to let it go right now because it happened. We’re down 3-1 and we’ve got a game on Tuesday. Our season’s on the line, so we’ve got to play (desperately). If that doesn’t make you desperate …”
In some ways, the Sixers would love to stay true to character in Game 5. Their season is also in a dire spot because they’ve played a characteristic first four games against the Celtics.
Why did the Brooklyn Nets select Egor Dëmin at #8 in the 2025 NBA Draft?
“I think the first and foremost was the IQ. We loved how he played the game, how he moved the ball, involved his teammates. He saw one, two plays ahead. Obviously the size for position, you know, is great, when you’ve got a 6’8” combo guard, point guard. He can play off the ball too, it’s really good. I think we enjoyed watching him at BYU, and then we had multiple opportunities to see him in Brooklyn up close and personal, getting to meet him. I think his defense is great, how he guards pick and roll. So, there’s a lot of attributes there.”
Sean Marks, speaking to reporters just after the first round concluded, gave us the laundry list of attributes that made the Russian guard their target at #8. He did not mention outside shooting.
Alas, a few minutes later, Marks was asked directly about Dëmin’s 3-point shot: “I think we saw flashes of what he can do over the course of the year, specifically the shooting. And I think shooting would be the easy thing to say, ‘hey, they can improve in shooting.’ I think that’s a skill that you can improve over time, you know, being diligent on that. I think there was a lot of other attributes in respect to Egor and why we wanted him … You know, I never want to pencil him into ‘hey, you’re going to fit in this little box.’ To me, it’s exciting to see what he does. I suspect the shooting is going to continue to improve, but he showed us out here at HSS that he can absolutely shoot the basketball.”
Dëmin started his BYU career on a hot streak, hurt his knee in mid-December, and never regained his form. Per Synergy Sports, he scored 0.78 points per jumper in his lone NCAA season, a 24th percentile mark across Division I basketball. He finished the year 27.3% from deep. Dëmin was more efficient than that in his pre-NCAA career — mostly with Real Madrid — and the Nets weren’t the only ones impressed by his pre-draft workouts…
Big audience of NBA executives courtside in Chicago to watch Egor Demin's pro day. 6'9 Russian guard showed his talent in a major way with scorching shooting and impressive confidence. pic.twitter.com/NBc1X7iHus
Well, Dëmin shot 38.5% from deep in his rookie year on over 12 attempts per 100, unprecedented volume and efficiency for a teenager in the NBA. In fact, only nine teenagers have ever taken at least ten treys per 100 possessions, and nobody has made more than Dëmin…
Dëmin turned 20 years old on March 3, but by then, he was already ruled out for the remainder of the season with plantar fasciitis. Sure, he’s only taken 322 total threes in his career and didn’t shoot well on the few middies he took, but his jumper is off to a flying start at the NBA level. They all feel like they’re going in, he’s not afraid to take big ones, and those numbers don’t lie. Dëmin’s shooting is the biggest positive any Nets rookie displayed in 2025-26.
It seems unfair to Brooklyn’s scouting department to term their belief in Dëmin’s shooting a “leap of faith,” but it’s jarring just how important it’s become. Nearly 72% of Dëmin’s shots this season were threes. Per Synergy, nearly 60% of his shots were catch-and-shoot looks. Given his play at BYU, where he led a top-5 offense in Division I basketball on heavy pick-and-roll usage, I understand why Marks initially mentioned so many of Dëmin’s other attributes. But we’re still waiting for those to pop.
My favorite Dëmin plays are passes like this…
The Nets suddenly have a 5-on-4 advantage thanks to a gamble that didn’t go NOLA’s way, Egor feels Zion Williamson rotating toward the rim, and boom, a fastball to the opposite corner. Williamson doesn’t have much interest in closing out on Powell, but this is an encouraging example of Brooklyn’s belief that high-level passing will play all over the court, even if Egor never becomes much of a primary ball-handler.
To that end, it was interesting to hear the #8 overall pick admit that he felt his role changed once he started sharing the backcourt with Nolan Traore.
In the midst of answer about his adjustment to the NBA during his exit interview, Dëmin said: “Being a rookie who has an opportunity to start as a starting point guard — which is even probably more responsibility than later on when Nolan would get on the court and I started playing more of a wing — I think that’s something that gave me a lot.”
Dëmin’s usage did dip slightly after the calendar flipped to 2026, around the time the two rookies were consistently starting in the backcourt together. I thought that was more due to Egor’s own limitations as a ball-handler, particularly compared to his catch-and-shoot ability, and/or him growing fatigued during a long NBA season, especially with plantar fasciitis.
Again, he just turned 20 years old. He will improve. Dëmin even limited these types of turnovers as the season progressed…
…but high hips and a lack of wiggle limit his effectiveness inside the arc.
One obvious goal is to live in the weight room; Dëmin has talked about packing on muscle since last summer. It may not solve all his problems on offense, but it should help him bring the ball up court and say, hold defenders in “jail” in the pick-and-roll. The question is how much some extra muscle will help his drives to the rim.
On these plays, Cade Cunningham (an extreme example) doesn’t bowl over his defender with a shove or shoulder, but crucially, he can dribble through contact…
Dëmin takes long, sweeping strides at 6’9”, but he can’t extend his dribble right now. That explains, in part, the lack of rim-finishing and ties into the most fascinating area of his game: the playmaking.
Egor Dëmin averaged 3.3 assists and 1.7 turnovers per game this season, nothing too crazy. He rarely tried to finish through multiple defenders, occasionally a bit conservative (and frustrating for fans) with his scoring, but he did create a ton of catch-and-shoot opportunities for teammates. Who knows how many assists Dëmin would have had if Noah Clowney and Nolan Traore and Terance Mann were league-average 3-point shooters?
That being said, in 52 games, Dëmin had just 57 assists that led to buckets at the rim. And after skimming through all of these assists on Synergy, there weren’t a ton of high-level reads to create these layups. I thought he missed a few of these admittedly tough plays this season…
Was Dëmin’s playmaking hampered by his plantar fasciitis? By a general lack of opportunity to drive downhill, which should be mitigated by muscle gain? How valuable is his kick-out passing for an offense that wants to shoot plenty of 3-pointers? Is his playmaking graded on an unfair curve based on the scouting reports coming out of BYU? Were his passing numbers at BYU juiced by regimented pick-and-roll reads?
These are all valid questions without easy answers. I don’t believe Dëmin’s lack of driving was entirely responsible for a lack of playmaking flashes, but there’s a balance somewhere. I’m excited to watch Dëmin up the aggression next season, and hopefully make some more complex reads.
His frame should help him see over defenders; likewise, he met expectations defensively in 2025-26 season, largely due to his positional size. Sean Marks emphasized this when Dëmin was drafted, and watching him post decent deflection/steal rates despite a lack of athleticism was encouraging. Of course, Dëmin occasionally got bodied down low and struggled to change direction, particularly on closeouts…
Collin Murray-Boyles was drafted one spot after Egor Dëmin, at #9 overall by the Toronto Raptors last June. This April, CMB has burst onto the scene by playing a tremendous playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers…
Egor Dëmin did not have a bad season. His 3-point shooting was utterly remarkable, and he had a real chance to make Second Team All-Rookie had he not been sidelined with plantar fasciitis in late February. While I’ve questioned just how talented of a playmaker he really is, the flashes were there as a teenager, and Dëmin’s size, feel, work ethic, and shooting will likely combine to make him a positive regular-season player moving forward, particularly on offense.
But watching these NBA Playoffs, I can’t help but worry about Dëmin’s ultimate ceiling while seeing a player like CMB, who has tremendous feel but also unteachable strength, thrive. Pardon the cliché, but the postseason, as disparate from regular-season ball as it has ever been, demands extreme physicality and explosion. It demands ball-handlers who can create offense from thin air and navigate traffic. This may not be a Dëmin complaint as much as it is a Nets front office complaint, a group that, under Sean Marks, has often faded physicality and explosion.
Dëmin can shoot the rock, and for that, the Nets deserve credit. He will be but 20 years old in his sophomore season, with ample opportunity to improve under an ideal head coach in Jordi Fernández. In any case, it appears Brooklyn selected a functional rotation player with the #8 overall pick, no small feat. But next season, we’ll have to see more besides impressive outside shooting.
That being said, Egor Dëmin has more charisma than he knows what to do with. For any flaws he night have, it’s tough not to believe in him.
“It feels safe,” said Dëmin of his current situation. “I would say. I just — I know exactly where I’m going to be. I know exactly what I’m going to be doing, and I know exactly what type of timing throughout the summer I’m going to have, right? So it kind of gives me confidence in my development, and that’s why I think this summer is probably one of the most important summers in my life.”
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 26 : Jamal Shead (23) of Toronto Raptors steals the ball away from Donovan Mitchell (45) of Cleveland Cavaliers during the Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs between Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors at the Scotiabank Arena on April 26, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu via Getty Images) | Anadolu via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t get the reputation of being playoff failures overnight. They’ve earned it through years of falling short in the biggest moments.
Although their first-round series with the Toronto Raptors isn’t over by any stretch, Game 4 showed all the telltale signs of what has plagued this team in previous postseason runs: lack of toughness, poor rebounding, the offense falling apart, and an inability to close out tight games.
Cleveland was up eight with just under five minutes to play, but once again couldn’t seal the deal. The offense got stagnant, Donovan Mitchell couldn’t make the one play he needed to, and the defense didn’t stay in front of a Raptors team that was having a historically bad shooting day.
This all culminated in a 93-89 loss. The series now shifts back to Cleveland tied at two.
One basket might’ve put the game away, but they couldn’t get the ball over the timeline.
Mitchell didn’t show any urgency at first. He tried to walk the ball up before Scottie Barnes applied token pressure in the backcourt. This wasn’t a trap or anything. James Harden wasn’t being covered; he was leisurely taking his time up the court as well.
Then, Mitchell saw that time was an issue, but he made the mistake of running to the sideline and right into where Harden was aimlessly standing. He had to double back, although at that point, he only had one second to get it over the line.
Toronto pounced.
Jamal Shead sensed the moment. He dove over the half-court line, forced Mitchell back, and poked the ball free. It was a heads-up play from a guy willing to do whatever it took to get the job done.
Shead’s effort isn’t what made this play possible. Instead, it was Cleveland’s lack of focus in the biggest moments — the thing that has come to define this era of basketball.
When we think of this core group, we don’t remember the big playoff wins — because outside of Game 7 against the Orlando Magic (a series the Cavs should’ve won in five) and the Game 2 victory over a sleepwalking Boston Celtics team in ‘24 — there haven’t been any. Just a steady stream of fourth-quarter collapses against teams they’re more talented than on paper.
Same story. Different year. Same result.
The Cavs are 4-10 in road playoff games in the Mitchell era. And if you take out two victories over a 37-45 Miami Heat team last season, they’ve only defeated two road playoff opponent that were over .500 despite being in their fourth year together. Just two.
This was Cleveland’s best chance to steal a road game. The Raptors were shooting as if they had Raptor-proportioned arms, going 4-30 (13.3%) from three. This wasn’t the case of the Cavs making incredible contests on these shots. Instead, it was just one of the worst shooting performances you’ll see from an NBA team.
The Cavs — who have been an elite offense since trading for James Harden — couldn’t get anything going. Their star guards couldn’t shake free of Toronto’s bigger wings, and Cleveland’s bigs couldn’t capitalize on the size advantage they did have. This led to a stagnant offense, the same one we’ve seen in the previous three postseason runs for this core.
Mitchell’s teams have consistently lost in the playoffs, but he’s generally scored well in the biggest defeats.
He hasn’t advanced to the conference finals, yet he’s also one of the best playoff scorers in league history. Those two facts would lead you to believe that Mitchell has just been stuck on teams that aren’t talented enough to win or that he’s run into bad luck. There’s been instances of both things being true, but there’s something much bigger at play as well.
The best playoff players can beat teams in a wide variety of ways. No matter how good you are, your opponent will inevitably figure out how to take away what you do best. The ones who can adjust to those adjustments and still impact winning are the most successful. This is why well-rounded players are rewarded more in the playoffs.
Mitchell is well-rounded, but only as a scorer. He’s not a plus defender, isn’t a good playmaker for others considering how much he has the ball, and isn’t disruptive away from the play. This leaves a one-note player whose effectiveness is tied completely and solely to his scoring.
When the scoring isn’t there, as it wasn’t in Game 4 when he went 6-24 from the field, there aren’t many ways he can impact winning outside of just being a decoy for others. But again, that isn’t as impactful as it could be since Mitchell doesn’t do much off-ball.
Can you win with someone like that as your best player? So far in Mitchell’s career, the answer has been no. And if that answer doesn’t change this postseason, is an undersized scoring guard that will be on the wrong side of 30 by the start of next season worth a super-max extension? That’s something the Cavs will have to decide in the summer.
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Harden continues to struggle with the Raptors’ length. After carving them up through the first two games of the series, he’s registered more turnovers than field goals in both contests in Toronto. This included coughing it up seven times on a day the Cavs couldn’t get anything going toward the basket.
The Cavs have become a one-dimensional jump shooting team during their worst playoff failures in the last four years. Harden was supposed to help that by getting downhill and force-feeding Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. That hasn’t happened.
The pick-and-roll game has completely dried up. Toronto simply switching that action has kept the Cavs from even trying to get downhill. Instead, they’re using guards to screen to create open three-point looks. That’s fine as a counter, but it can’t be used as a substitute altogether.
The Raptors’ defense looks impenetrable because they’ve never had to collapse. Rotating out to a shooter on the perimeter isn’t the same as scrambling inside. The Cavs should have talented enough offensive weapons to create and exploit mismatches. At the very least, they did in the first two games of the series.
Jarrett Allen needs to be better.
I asked head coach Kenny Atkinson if they need to do a better job of getting Allen involved when he has RJ Barrett matched up with him before Game 3. Atkinson said they did, but he also pointed to there being other ways to be impactful against a mismatch. This includes being used in the dunker’s spot to clean up misses or finish lobs.
Theoretically, those would be a good way to use Allen. It just hasn’t happened in a meaningful way.
In the last two games, the Raptors haven’t been punished in any meaningful way by putting a smaller player on Allen. The Cavs generated second-chance opportunities, and Allen did record six offensive rebounds in Game 4, but that hasn’t moved the needle.
In February, Allen was aggressive in punishing smaller defenders whenever he got an opportunity to do so. That simply isn’t happening anymore, even when he gets a 6’1” guard matched up against him.
Rooted out by 6-5 Ja'Kobe Walter and then stood behind 6-1 Jamal Shead. Has to be better than this. pic.twitter.com/vnE8sG2K2N
You can’t take away everything from your opponent in the postseason. You have to make concessions and dare certain players to beat you if it means you can better defend something else. The Raptors are conceding mismatches to Allen whenever he wants them. However, neither the Cavs nor Allen has any interest in taking advantage of it.
With seemingly every button the Raptors have pressed, they’re both having their cake and eating it too.
Scottie Barnes is running circles around Evan Mobley.
There’s no doubt as to who the best player in the series has been on both sides of the ball — let alone in this rivalry from the 2022 Rookie of the Year race.
Barnes has showcased a versatility as a scorer, defender, rebounder, and passer that has made him far and away the most valuable player on either team. Having an incredibly high motor helps as well. That all stands in stark contrast with Mobley, who still needs the perfect environment to be his most impactful self.
Mobley was phenomenal in Game 2. He was punishing mismatches and doing a great job of being a distributor whenever the defense rotated over to help. That effectiveness has waned. The Raptors have been better at sending late help at Mobley and walling him off before getting too deep into the post. This has thrown off Mobley’s timing and made him only effective at really going after Jakob Poeltl.
As is a theme with the Cavs, the lack of versatility from Mobley has limited his effectiveness. When his best skill is taken away by his opponent, he doesn’t have enough counters to turn to.
Barnes, on the other hand, can seemingly do whatever he wants. No matter who the Cavs put on him, he’s getting to his spot on the floor. And once there, he has the skills to hurt them with the shot, pass, or getting to the rim.
That versatility shows up on the defensive end as well. Barnes’s ability to shut down actions from both guards and bigs has disrupted Cleveland’s entire flow.
Cleveland isn’t matching Toronto’s toughness either physically or mentally.
Physically, Toronto pushed Cleveland’s bigs and guards off their spots. They forced Mitchell and Harden into being outside shooters and limited Allen and Mobley to a combined 11 points on 16 shots. This allowed them to control the glass, the paint, and more importantly, the tempo of the game.
Mentally, the Raptors never let up. They were focused throughout the full 48 minutes on what they needed to do. Mental errors didn’t happen. And when things got tough, they dug down even deeper.
Basketball isn’t always won in the trenches, but it can certainly be lost there, as the Cavs have shown in previous postseason runs and did again in Game 4.
They’ve provided no reasons to believe in this team. The Cavs may still win the series and could be expected to do so with two of the possible three games at home. But we’ve seen this movie too many times before to believe that’s guaranteed.
They don’t deserve the benefit of the doubt now, or frankly, any time in the future as long as this core group is together. They’ve continually shrunk in the biggest moments, with their best players failing to rise to the occasion when they need them to.
Game 4 was just another entry in a long line of disappointments.
It’s on the Cavs to change the narrative. And if Sunday afternoon was any indication of things, they don’t seem willing enough to put in the effort to actually do so.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 10: Bilal Coulibaly #0 of the Washington Wizards goes to the basket against Simone Fontecchio #0 of the Miami Heat during the second half at Capital One Arena on April 10, 2026 in Washington, DC. 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 Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I was watching Game Three of the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets series. My wife — who’s usually more interested in the National Anthem and the arena timeout entertainment — watched two possessions and said, “Do these guys understand this isn’t football?”
In other words, someone who pays more attention to what Britt Waters is wearing instantly noticed the difference between Wizards basketball and playoffs basketball.
Washington Wizards big man Anthony Davis is a proven postseason performer. | Getty Images
Nate Duncan and John Hollinger recently dedicated a podcast episode to assessing which players were likely to get “crucibled” — dropped from the rotation because of flaws that would get exposed by the intensity of postseason basketball. The assessment, of course, is not strictly about the athleticism, physicality, and mental focus (though it does include those factors) but the strategic as well.
In other words, if the opposing coaching staff looks at your guy and sees a target, your guy is going to get played off the floor.
As expected, former Wizards wing Corey Kispert has fallen victim to the postseason effect. Through his career in Washington, Kispert got significant playing time — 23+ minutes in every season except this one when he got 19.6. When he got traded to the Atlanta Hawks, he still got 18+. In the playoffs — 8.3 per game. His poor point-of-attack defense and lack of dimension to his game make it impossible to keep him out there much longer in a game with stakes.
So, with a hat tip to Duncan, Hollinger, and my wife, here’s a look at the Wizards and their likelihood of getting chased from the rotation if the team plays in truly competitive games next season.
Sure Things
These are guys I’m confident will be able to hold up to postseason rigors:
Wizards big man Alex Sarr was an excellent defender last season — something that should translate to postseason action. | Getty Images
Anthony Davis — Assuming he’s healthy enough to take the court, Davis has been one of the game’s best defenders for more than a decade. He’s an elite finisher around the basket who’s already been the second best player on a championship team.
Alex Sarr — A busy and effective rim protector who can also defend switches with competence. Sarr’s offense was a bit hit or miss (his overall efficiency was below average), but he has post-up skills, acceptable finishing around the rim, and can step out and hit the long ball enough to make him a threat. He needs to get stronger (normal for a 21-year-old), but there’s no reason to think he wouldn’t hold up in a playoffs series.
Probably
These are guys I’m pretty confident are able to compete in the postseason, but I have some doubts.
Can Trae Young become a good enough defender to remain a viable postseason player? | NBAE via Getty Images
Trae Young — First in line to disagree with me on this would likely be Will Dawkins and the Wizards’ front office. On the offensive end, Young would be fine — even though the league literally made rules to put an end to his specific style of foul grifting. On defense, he’s been one of the absolute least effective defenders, ever. This makes him a target and a potentially big strategic problem for the Wizards.
Kyshawn George — With George, I’m confident he’d hold up athletically. He won’t back down from physical play, and I think he has the skills to be good enough on offense. Why is he in the “probably” category? Excessive fouling and turnovers. Basically, the frequency of his mistakes is a potential problem that may render him unplayable in the postseason.
Bilal Coulibaly — I have no doubt about Coulibaly on defense. His poor three-point shooting and tendency to disappear on offense could grind Washington’s offense to a halt, especially when opposing coaches elect to dare him to shoot.
Justin Champagnie — I think I’m higher on Champagnie’s abilities than is the team’s coaching staff. I suspect they’re right — they see him in many more situations than I do. I still think he’s probably a player who’d be effective in a playoffs setting, though I do wonder about his relative lack of size.
Probably Not
Bub Carrington — Good shooter with a solid mid-range game. He also doesn’t generate paint touches — even against regular season defense. And he coughs up the ball when pressured. Worse: Carrington is a woeful defender who plays much smaller than his measured 6-4 height. He’s someone the opposition would view as a target, which means he’s a prime candidate for getting played out of the rotation.
Maybe, Maybe, Maybe
Will Riley — I liked some of what I saw from Riley last season, but I’d be lying if what he did down the stretch of games the team actively wanted to lose made me think he’s remotely close to being ready for the playoffs. Riley has height and potential, but he had trouble with regular season physicality. He’ll be a major target unless he gets much stronger. Force me to make a decision, and I’d put him in the “Probably Not” bucket for next season, with an eye towards bumping him into the “Probably” group in year three of his career.
Cam Whitmore — This is based on two things: 1) athletic tools, and 2) he suffered a health problem and missed most of the season, so I just don’t know. IF Whitmore’s head is right. IF he accepts coaching, buys into the team’s system (on both ends) and gets the message that it’s okay to pass the ball sometimes, I could see him being a valuable player someday. If forced to make a call, I’d put him in the group that follows.
Nope
These are guys most likely to get chased by the NBA postseason crucible.
Tre Johnson — Rookie who hopefully will improve. I think Johnson is a legit shooter. As a player type, he’s a lot more like Kispert than other elite shooters, which is to say he’s a major defensive target and he lacks dimension in his game.
Jamir Watkins — A worse version of Coulibaly, which is to say — good defender who doesn’t shoot well enough or contribute enough offensively to get anything other than emergency minutes in the playoffs.
Anthony Gill — Included here because he’s on the roster and was 10th in total minutes last season.
Tristan Vukcevic — Good shooter with leaden feet and glacial reaction times on defense.
Players like Leaky Black, JuJu Reese, Jaden Hardy, and Kadary Richmond are more likely to end up training camp cuts or playing overseas and are not going to be part of a postseason rotation.
If you want to get super-optimistic, I can see a reasonable case to bump Young and George into “Sure Things.” I think Young has the better case than George, by the way. I don’t see an argument for moving up Coulibaly until he proves he can be enough of an offensive threat that he has to be defended.
I’d also listen to arguments about making Riley a “Probably” instead of a maybe. I’m not there yet myself, but reasonable minds can differ. I’d also listen on Johnson moving into “Probably Not” with Carrington for next because he’s so young and there’s a strong likelihood he’ll get better if he puts in the work on his body and his game. He could follow a trajectory similar to what I envision for Riley, though I suspect it could take him a bit longer because he’s smaller and there’s a bit less to his game than Riley’s.
Next up: Wizards performance ekgs. Performance ekgs are essentially season-long production trackers that help visualize how an individual’s performance trended throughout the season. Let me know in the comments who you want me to run first.
But he was cleared to play on Sunday and scored 27 points as the Spurs won 114-93 in Portland to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
The NBA's defensive player of the year added 11 rebounds, seven blocks and four steals on returning and later admitted to being "very disappointed" with aspects of the NBA's concussion protocol.
"I won't get into the details," he said. "Ask me again at the end of the season."
The 22-year-old added: "I had lots of emotions before the game - excitement, frustration. I let it all out tonight."
The concussion protocol requires 48 hours of rest followed by a gradual return to physical activity and daily neurological tests.
A player must then be cleared by his team and the NBA's concussion programme director in order to resume playing.
De'Aaron Fox scored a game-high 28 points for the Spurs, who are second seeds in the Western Conference and can clinch the series back in San Antonio on Tuesday.
The Los Angeles Lakers can do the same as they return home on Tuesday, with the Houston Rockets having won 115-96 to prevent the Lakers sweeping the series.
Kevin Durant (ankle) missed his third game of the series for Houston but all five of their starters reached double figures, with Amen Thompson scoring a game-high 23 points.
Joel Embiid made his first appearance of the series for Philadelphia but could not prevent the 76ers losing 128-96 at home to the Boston Celtics.
Boston's Payton Pritchard scored 32 points off the bench - a career high for the play-offs - while Jayson Tatum claimed 30 points and 11 assists.
The Celtics, the Eastern Conference's second seed, now lead 3-1 and can clinch the series in Boston on Tuesday.
Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes each scored 23 points as the Toronto Raptors held on for a 93-89 win at home to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Eastern Conference rivals are now level at 2-2, with game five taking place in Cleveland on Wednesday.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 26: Deandre Ayton #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers is ejected during the third quarter of a game against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Toyota Center on April 26, 2026 in Houston, 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 Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ejections for Flagrant 2 fouls typically are pretty egregious and easy to understand. By definition, they involve excessive force, which rarely leaves doubt about an ejection.
Şengün and Ayton were battling in the post when the latter’s arm slipped up the former’s back and caught him in the back of the head. It was a pretty clear Flagrant 1 foul, even if it was also a bit of bad fortune for Ayton, who clearly was bracing himself for contact.
However, James Williams had other ideas and, after review, ejected him from the game.
After the game, literally nobody understood why Ayton was ejected. First, his teammates — led by Marcus Smart calling it “some BS” — and coaches defended him, as you’d expect.
“On the [Ayton] thing, [Ayton] has got such a sweet, just like kind soul,” head coach JJ Redick said postgame. “[I] know that wasn’t dirty or intentional. It looked, from our vantage point, like he was trying to brace himself with that off arm, I think it was his left arm, but trying to brace himself against Şengün’s body.
It looked like his arm just kind of slipped and, obviously, hit him in the head. I don’t know that a [Flagrant] 2 was warranted. I don’t think that [Ayton] would ever do anything malicious.”
“I think he was bracing for Şengün on the post-up,” LeBron added. “Then, obviously, you see that his arm slipped going up and then hit him in the head. The refs said they didn’t see it that way and made the call. You have to be pretty damn good at it to elbow someone like that on purpose.”
To his credit, Ayton was apologetic about the play, though he was also adamant it was an accident after his arm slipped.
“I really was trying to brace for contact with Şengün,” Ayton said. “We’re both sweaty guys. I just slipped off his shoulder. Literally, my elbow hit him right there above his shoulders. It looked crazy on camera. I’m not no guy who’s a dirty player or plays like that. If anything, me trying to play dirty, I’ll damn near hurt myself.
“I just hope he’s alright and didn’t think it was intentional…The outcome of what the results were, I accept it. But definitely wasn’t intentional. I don’t play like that.”
To make matters worse, even the Rockets didn’t understand or agree with the ejection.
Not even Ime Udoka agreed that Deandre Ayton should have received a Flagrant 2 foul.
"It looked intentional but I was surprised at a Flagrant 2. But that's the NBA nowadays and they call it a little softer than they used to."
Alperen Sengün said he also didn’t expect Deandre Ayton to be ejected for the elbow he threw. “I don’t want to make the officials crazy but I didn’t expect him to be ejected. I thought it was a little bit soft.” pic.twitter.com/pQG7Wi890O
For some reason, there was no pool report after the game, so there is no official comment from the officials or Williams.
A Flagrant 2 foul does not carry an automatic suspension, though a suspension can be added later if it’s a particularly bad foul. While the league will review the play, there’s a far greater chance it’s downgraded to a Flagrant 1 than Ayton being suspended.
But this speaks to a great issue the league has with officiating right now, as recently called out by Devin Booker. And do you know who the official was that Booker called out by name? James Williams.
This is now back-to-back games with officiating controversy from him. It’s unacceptable to keep putting him in playoff games.
Lakers center Deandre Ayton walks off the court after being ejected in the third quarter of the Lakers' 115-96 loss to the Houston Rockets in Game 4 on Sunday night. (Karen Warren / Associated Press)
Deandre Ayton has a simple explanation for his first career ejection.
“We’re both sweaty guys,” the Lakers center said after his accidental elbow to the back of Alperen Sengun's head resulted in his ejection from Sunday’s loss to the Houston Rockets.
The Lakers center was assessed a flagrant foul 2 with 5:41 remaining in the third quarter of the 115-96 Game 4 loss. It “looked crazy on camera,” Ayton acknowledged, but it was not malicious.
Ayton said he was bracing for contact against the 6-foot-11, 243-pound Sengun and Ayton’s arm simply slipped off Sengun’s shoulder and hit his head. It didn’t affect Sengun at all: he finished with 19 points and six rebounds on six-of-12 shooting as the Rockets forced a Game 5 on Wednesday at 7 p.m. PDT at Crypto.com Arena.
“I’m not no guy who is a dirty player or plays like that,” Ayton said. “If anything, me trying to play dirty, I’ll damn near hurt myself. I just hope he’s all right and they don’t think it was intentional.”
Sengun and Rockets coach Ime Udoka both said the flagrant 2 call — which characterizes an act as “unnecessary and excessive” — was “soft.” Sengun said he didn’t expect Ayton to be ejected for the play. When crew chief James Williams declared that Ayton would be sent off, the Lakers center simply dropped his head and walked to the locker room. Injured Rockets star Kevin Durant, who missed the game with a bone bruise in his sprained left ankle, waved goodbye from the Rockets bench.
"We’re proud of the way he handled it, and I think that just speaks volume about who he is and his progression," Lakers guard Marcus Smart said. "He’s learning, he’s continuing — it probably would have been justifiable if he went off, right? But to keep his composure and stay positive, I think that’s only going to help him and this team.”
Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt (2) and Deandre Ayton (5) go up for a rebound against Houston forward Tari Eason during the first half Sunday. (Karen Warren / Associated Press)
It was the first time Ayton was ejected in his eight-year NBA career. The center, to the chagrin of many in the NBA, has long been known more for his finesse touch shots than physical play. Lakers coach JJ Redick called Ayton, “a sweet, just, like, kind soul.”
Lakers coaches and teammates have tried to encourage him to increase his intensity and aggressiveness. General manager Rob Pelinka even made a custom shirt with half of Ayton’s face next to the face of a lion.
Ayton answered the call Sunday with 19 points and 10 rebounds. He was one of the Lakers’ only forms of consistent offense in the blowout loss. Outside of Ayton and Rui Hachimura, who shot six for 10 with 13 points, the Lakers were shooting 31.3% from the field in the first three quarters. They trailed by as many as 26 points as Smart and LeBron James, veterans who led the team to a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, looked worn down with Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) still sidelined.
“It’s been tough for DA,” said Smart, who had nine points, five assists and four turnovers. “We’ve been hard on him. He’s been hard on himself. You guys have been hard on him. ... He’s been taking it, embracing it and trying to get better and better. Today he showed that. He came out, we relied on him a little bit more. He made plays for us.”
Ayton soon had company in the Lakers locker room after teammate Adou Thiero and Rockets guard Aaron Holiday were both ejected after receiving two technical fouls with 1:11 remaining in the fourth quarter. They got tangled up under the basket and exchanged words briefly.
Thiero, who entered the game midway through the fourth quarter when the Lakers cleared their bench, made a memorable playoff debut by scoring his first postseason basket with an emphatic alley-oop dunk over Dorian Finney-Smith. But the premature ending to his first postseason appearance was “uncalled for,” James said.
“It made no sense,” said James, who had 10 points and nine assists but eight turnovers. “... I don't think that was warranted. Give him two technicals? The kid just got in the game.”
At the end of the physical game, players from both teams jawed back and forth at midcourt after the final buzzer. Much of the Lakers bench and some coaches approached to help diffuse the situation. Redick said he was simply poking his head into the situation the way people might turn their heads to gawk at commotion in a bar. When he determined nothing was happening, he left.
“Hilarious,” Smart said with a smirk of the postgame skirmish. “Very hilarious.”
Philadelphia 76ers (45-37, seventh in the Eastern Conference) vs. Boston Celtics (56-26, second in the Eastern Conference)
Boston; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT
LINE: Celtics -11.5; over/under is 215.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Celtics lead series 3-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Boston Celtics look to clinch the Eastern Conference first round over the Philadelphia 76ers in game five. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 128-96 in the last meeting on Sunday. Payton Pritchard led the Celtics with 32 points, and Joel Embiid led the 76ers with 26.
The Celtics are 36-16 against conference opponents. Boston leads the Eastern Conference in rebounding, averaging 46.4 boards. Nikola Vucevic leads the Celtics with 8.4 rebounds.
The 76ers are 27-25 in conference play. Philadelphia ranks ninth in the NBA scoring 16.9 fast break points per game. VJ Edgecombe leads the 76ers averaging 8.0.
The Celtics are shooting 46.7% from the field this season, the same percentage the 76ers allow to opponents. The 76ers average 8.7 more points per game (115.9) than the Celtics give up to opponents (107.2).
TOP PERFORMERS: Jaylen Brown is averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Celtics. Jayson Tatum is averaging 19.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists over the past 10 games.
Tyrese Maxey is averaging 28.3 points, 6.6 assists and 1.9 steals for the 76ers. Paul George is averaging 16.8 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Celtics: 8-2, averaging 118.0 points, 45.8 rebounds, 26.6 assists, 6.7 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 104.0 points per game.
76ers: 4-6, averaging 104.1 points, 43.3 rebounds, 20.8 assists, 7.9 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 44.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.3 points.
INJURIES: Celtics: None listed.
76ers: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Atlanta Hawks (46-36, sixth in the Eastern Conference) vs. New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference)
New York; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EDT
LINE: Knicks -6.5; over/under is 213.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Series tied 2-2
BOTTOM LINE: The Atlanta Hawks visit the New York Knicks for game five of the Eastern Conference first round with the series tied 2-2. The Knicks defeated the Hawks 114-98 in the last meeting on Saturday. OG Anunoby led the Knicks with 22 points, and CJ McCollum led the Hawks with 17.
The Knicks are 35-17 in Eastern Conference games. New York averages 116.5 points and has outscored opponents by 6.4 points per game.
The Hawks are 27-25 against Eastern Conference opponents. Atlanta is 7-8 in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Knicks average 14.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.3 more made shots on average than the 12.9 per game the Hawks allow. The Hawks score 8.4 more points per game (118.5) than the Knicks allow (110.1).
TOP PERFORMERS: Jalen Brunson is shooting 46.7% and averaging 26.0 points for the Knicks. Anunoby is averaging 2.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Jalen Johnson is averaging 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists for the Hawks. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is averaging 3.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 7-3, averaging 113.5 points, 43.7 rebounds, 25.9 assists, 8.7 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 49.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 104.7 points per game.
Hawks: 5-5, averaging 114.9 points, 43.4 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 8.8 steals and 5.4 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.4 points.
INJURIES: Knicks: None listed.
Hawks: Jock Landale: out (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Portland Trail Blazers (42-40, eighth in the Western Conference) vs. San Antonio Spurs (62-20, second in the Western Conference)
San Antonio; Tuesday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Spurs -12.5; over/under is 215.5
WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Spurs lead series 3-1
BOTTOM LINE: The San Antonio Spurs look to clinch the Western Conference first round over the Portland Trail Blazers in game five. The Spurs defeated the Trail Blazers 114-93 in the last meeting on Sunday. De'Aaron Fox led the Spurs with 28 points, and Deni Avdija led the Trail Blazers with 26.
The Spurs are 36-16 in Western Conference games. San Antonio is third in the league averaging 119.8 points and is shooting 48.3% from the field.
The Trail Blazers are 29-23 against Western Conference opponents. Portland has a 23-18 record in games decided by 10 or more points.
The Spurs are shooting 48.3% from the field this season, 1.2 percentage points higher than the 47.1% the Trail Blazers allow to opponents. The Trail Blazers average 115.5 points per game, 4.0 more than the 111.5 the Spurs allow to opponents.
TOP PERFORMERS: Victor Wembanyama is averaging 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.1 blocks for the Spurs. Fox is averaging 19.6 points over the last 10 games.
Avdija is averaging 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists for the Trail Blazers. Jrue Holiday is averaging 19.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Spurs: 7-3, averaging 118.4 points, 46.3 rebounds, 27.1 assists, 7.9 steals and 5.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.1 points per game.
Trail Blazers: 5-5, averaging 110.8 points, 43.2 rebounds, 23.8 assists, 8.7 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 44.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.4 points.
INJURIES: Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle).
Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Marcus Smart #36 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket against Tari Eason #17 of the Houston Rockets during the game at Toyota Center on March 18, 2026 in Houston, 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 Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the second year running, the Lakers will enter the playoffs with home court advantage. Unfortunately, the odds of this series playing out better than the last remain low.
The Rockets await the Lakers this postseason, but the LA side they will meet is a much different one than the one they played during the regular season. Gone are Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, leaving a gaping hole for the purple and gold to fill.
It’ll create an interesting challenge for head coach JJ Redick and LeBron James, which they’ll hopefully have seven games to solve…unless the solutions come sooner and the series only goes four games.
But however long the first round match-up goes, we have everything you need. Here is the schedule released so far, all times Pacific.
Game 1
Date and Time: Saturday, April 18, 5:30 p.m.
TV Channel(s): ABC
Location: Los Angeles
Game 2
Date and Time: Tuesday, April 21, 7:30 p.m.
TV Channel(s): NBC
Location: Los Angeles
Game 3
Date and Time: Friday, April 24, 5:00 p.m.
TV Channel(s): Prime
Location: Houston
Game 4
Date and Time: Sunday, April 26, 6:30 p.m.
TV Channel(s): NBC
Location: Houston
Game 5
Date and Time: Wednesday, April 29, 7 p.m.
TV Channel(s): ESPN
Location: Los Angeles
Game 6
Date and Time: Friday, May 1, 9:30 p.m.
TV Channel(s): Prime
Location: Houston
Game 7 (if necessary)
Date and Time: Sunday, May 3, TBD
TV Channel(s): TBD
Location: Los Angeles
This will be continually updated as the NBA announces TV information and game start times, if necessary, so bookmark this page and stay tuned to Silver Screen & Roll for the latest!
HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 26: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Houston Rockets during Round One Game Four on April 26, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There was lots to dislike about the Lakers’ performance in Game 4.
The offense looked stuck in mud. There was an alarming amount of turnovers and nearly all of them were live ball, which ruined any chance of a win. That will be discussed in the coming days on this site.
But I’d like to mention that god awful officiating. And not even in a sense of play-to-play calls or one player getting superstar calls or baiting officials. It was the big things that were just very dumb and bad.
First, Deandre Ayton being ejected was one of the crazier refereeing decisions I’ve seen this year. It was pretty clear what happened in that play with Ayton trying to brace himself and his arm slipped up Alperen Şengün’s back and into his head. It looked bad, but in the modern NBA, basically everyone agreed that it was a Flagrant 1.
Except James Williams, who threw Ayton out of the game for a Flagrant 2 foul. It was a decision that includes ignoring a large amount of context of the situation to come to that conclusion.
Then, he watched Marcus Smart get Draymond Green-ed and determined the kick was actually more to his thigh, so it’s fine? I’m sure if he had talked to Marcus, his high-pitched voice would have told him it wasn’t to his thigh.
He capped off his wonderful night by throwing out Adou Thiero and Aaron Holiday in the final minutes because he needed to make sure everyone knew he was the star of the show. Thiero and Holiday were getting a little chippy under the basket, but it was Holiday entirely being the aggressor. It was a textbook away-from-the-play foul. In no scenario did that warrant an ejection.
The NBA has an officiating problem that badly needs addressed.
Anyway, let’s dive into the loss. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
This is up there with one of the worst games LeBron’s played as a Laker. The context of him being 41 years old coming up against a young, desperate Rockets side trying to avoid a sweep should be taken into account, but he was really, really bad.
Rui had a pretty decent night offensively, but Houston and Amen Thompson were able to exploit his lack of foot speed defensively. Amen is in a good rhythm the last two games and the Lakers will need to adapt.
Ayton is the only one who can really come away from this one with his head held high. He had a pretty egregious turnover to end the first quarter but he also looked like the only way who gave a damn before his ejection.
While Smart had some ugly turnovers — including replicating his early-season faux pas by not stepping out of bounds to inbound the ball — and a couple of plays that made it look like the minutes from Friday were catching up with him, he was also racing around the court as well. You can’t fault the effort. You can fault the execution.
While Luke had a couple of nice moments early in the game, overall, he came back down to Earth in the two games in Houston. He’s in an outsized role and being asked to do a lot, in his defense. Hopefully a return home will help him bounce back.
I get that LaRavia is another player in an outsized role, but, man, this has been a really brutal postseason for him. And this was his best game of the playoffs, too. His length and defense is keeping him in the rotation, but it’s getting hard to justify him getting many minutes.
We went back to the version of Hayes that was jumping at pump fakes and committing some really bad fouls. This was a rough game. Again, role players tend to play better at home, so hopefully there’s a bounce back game coming.
Vando’s stat line is a little bit of fool’s gold because most of his scoring came in garbage time. Seeing him moving around the baseline and in the paint was interesting, but it’s hard to use him that way with an actual center on the court.
This was easily the most comfortable Bronny looked this season. He did a great job being a connecting piece offensively in the first half. He attacked closeouts, found the open player and chased down loose balls. His second stint was warranted, even if it bled into garbage time.
Grade: B+
Adou Thiero, Dalton Knecht, Nick Smith Jr., Maxi Kleber
Nothing much from this group. Adou had a nice alley-oop finish and Knecht hit a three. But it all came in garbage time.
JJ Redick
Well, JJ, the ball is now in your court. After three wins, the Lakers are now the team that will have to make adjustments. The offense hasn’t looked good for six quarters now and that’s to speak nothing of the rampant turnover issues.
After scheming their way into big games for Kennard and Smart, the pair have been held in check the last couple of contests. The Lakers need them, so can JJ get them going again?
They’ll need to in order to finish off this series. Also, for the love of everything holy, stop having LaRavia bring the ball up the court.
HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 26: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers plays defense during the game against the Houston Rockets during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
You can’t fake desperation. The Rockets fought hard in Game 3, but lost and were down 3-0 entering Game 4. With their season on the line, Houston decided they’d rather head back to LA instead of clearing out their lockers as they demolished the Lakers, 115-96.
The Rockets got offensive contributions from their top players with Alperen Şengün finishing with 19 points and Amen Thompson with 23. What made this performance even more gutsy for Houston was that they won despite Kevin Durant not playing, as he remains out with a sprained ankle.
They showed some fight, earned a win with the kind of ease many expected from them before this series began.
Here are the biggest takeaways from the blowout loss…
Smoke and mirrors aren’t enough
So far, the Lakers have gotten unusual performances, and it’s led to wins. Luke Kennard scored 27 points in Game 1 and Marcus Smart had 25 in Game 2. In Game 3, the Rockets collapsed, and the Lakers won in overtime.
All of this was unexpected, admirable and inspiring. It’s also unsustainable.
I said after Game 3 that the second-half struggles felt like the Lakers' offense hitting the limit of their functionality w/o Luka & Austin. Ditto tonight. It's obviously not an argument for rushing either back, but rather indicative of a margin for error that keeps shrinking. AK
On Sunday, a hard dose of reality hit the Lakers. Los Angeles couldn’t get any threes off and when they took them, they bricked. They ended the night going 5-22 from deep.
LeBron James showed his age. He looked exhausted and sleptwalked through the game, ending the night with just 10 points on 2-9 shooting.
With few other options, the Lakers’ offense had no one else who could step up and produce, and the game essentially ended early in the second half.
This was an elimination game for Houston, and LA has shown it responds well to adversity and adjusts.
However, this offensive display was concerning, and even before this, they hadn’t exactly been elite in that department. Through three games, LA has an offensive rating of 110.3, which is middle of the pack in the playoffs. It hasn’t cost them a result until now. Hopefully, it’s not a precursor of what’s to come.
Lakers will get good center play in the postseason
One player who did have a good game until his night ended prematurely was Deandre Ayton. He was doing a great job in the pick-and-roll and had 10 rebounds and went 9-12 from the field, scoring 19 points.
BRONNY JAMES WITH THE PERFECTLY PLACED ALLEY-OOP TO DEANDRE AYTON FROM THE BASELINE! 💪
Throughout this series, there have been times when Lakers head coach JJ Redick has gone with Jaxson Hayes and pulled Ayton when he isn’t playing well. He did this in Game 2 when Hayes caught a nice groove in the fourth quarter and did it again late in the fourth in Game 3.
Redick also closed with Ayton in Game 1 and Game 3 in overtime, so it’s not like he isn’t using his starting big during big moments.
Ayton seemed frustrated with his role earlier this season, but he’s responded well afterward. In this series, he’s bounced back well from mediocre performances, and he did that again here in Game 4.
If the Lakers are going to win this series and make any kind of extended run, they’ll need Ayton. He is more skilled than Hayes and LA needs his size on the floor. Game 4 provided a template he can build on.
Unfortunately, his night ended early after his elbow to Şengün was deemed a flagrant 2, resulting in his ejection from the game. The good news is that he played well and Lakers fans know that even if Ayton has an off game, Redick can go to Hayes and can also trust that Ayton can handle it well and stay ready when his next opportunity comes.
So, no matter how things are going, Redick will have a viable option at the five spot in every game.
This wasn’t the case last year, and it was one of the many reasons they played only five playoff games. This year, they might once again play five games in the first round, but only because they can win this series on Wednesday.
Sharpen the saw before you chop wood
Phil Jackson liked a Zen saying that goes, “Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” This means that one must stay focused on the task at hand rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.
Well, I want to add to that and say that before you chop the wood, one must sharpen the sword. After three quarters of play, the Lakers trailed the Rockets 90-65. It was clear the game was over. Well, for everyone minus Redick.
As an ardent JJ defender, there's genuinely no reason for LeBron to be on the floor to start the fourth, let alone any of the other starters
Despite the clear blowout and loss in hand, he decided to still play his starters for one more shift in the fourth. I understand the desire to fight and the struggle to concede a game when 25% of the contest remains to be played.
However, this is a long battle and it’s not just about one game. LA was up 3-0 and clearly didn’t have it going to make it a sweep.
It would’ve been better and wiser to rest the guys and fight another day. Entering Game 4, LeBron, Kennard, and Rui Hachimura all averaged 41-plus minutes per game. This trio is in the top five for most minutes played in the playoffs.
If rest is available for them, Redick should’ve given it to them. Luckily, this loss didn’t also feature injury. If it did, Redick would’ve gotten torn to shreds, and it would’ve been justified.
Hopefully, the Lakers aren’t in another waive the white flag scenario this postseason, but if they are, it’d be nice if Redick gives the guys who’ve earned it a moment to get a breather.
