Category: Basketball

Observations after Sixers' big 4th-quarter comeback falls short in loss to Rockets  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers’ eventful Thursday did not brighten in the evening. 

After receiving the news that Joel Embiid is sidelined indefinitely by appendicitis, the Sixers fell to a 113-102 loss to the Rockets. 

Embiid underwent a successful appendectomy in Houston, the Sixers announced during the game. 

The Sixers made a serious comeback surge in the fourth quarter (more on that below), but ultimately dropped to 43-37. The Rockets improved to 51-29. 

In another relevant contest, the Raptors topped the Heat. The Sixers stayed eighth in the Eastern Conference standings and certainly look on track for the play-in tournament with two games left, although that outcome is not quite locked in yet.

The Sixers’ leading scorers were Tyrese Maxey (23 points) and VJ Edgecombe (21 points). Quentin Grimes added 20 points off the bench.

Rockets superstar Kevin Durant posted 29 points.

The Sixers will visit the Pacers on Friday night in their penultimate game of the season. They’ll host the Bucks on Sunday in their 82nd game.

Here are observations on their loss to the Rockets:

Tough assignment for Bona 

Adem Bona started in Embiid’s spot. He guarded Rockets All-Star center Alperen Sengun, his teammate with Turkey for international basketball.  

On the first play of the night, the Sixers turned a Paul George steal into a Kelly Oubre Jr. fast-break slam. Oubre also canned two three-pointers in the first quarter and scored 12 points on 5-for-6 shooting in the period. 

Houston soon built a lead. Sengun jammed in a dunk off of a pick-and-roll with Durant. Tari Eason buried a three to put the Rockets up 17-10. 

Bona had some good defensive possessions in isolation against Sengun, who posted just eight points on 4-for-14 shooting, 12 rebounds and four assists. Beyond the shot blocking, Bona’s a talented defender in terms of his ability to nimbly mirror opponents. 

Still, it’s obvious the Sixers would’ve preferred Embiid for the matchup with Sengun and missed a giant amount offensively. Bona posted two points and two rebounds in 15 minutes. Andre Drummond logged 30 minutes as his backup and had five points and 15 rebounds.

Maxey eventually finds scoring touch 

Last time out, Maxey went scoreless in the first half of the Sixers’ defeat to the Spurs.

He had similar struggles early in Houston. Maxey started 0 for 3 from the floor and had zero points in the first quarter. The Sixers’ star guard did get into a much better groove in the second quarter, tallying 15 points.

George never got rolling. For the game, he scored a mere seven points on 2-for-8 shooting.

Along with Maxey and George’s lack of scoring, turnovers were a major problem for the Sixers’ offense in the first half.

The Sixers committed 11 giveaways in the first half and the Rockets scored 20 points off those turnovers. Especially given that being a low-turnover team has been a key part of the Sixers’ identity under head coach Nick Nurse, they can’t afford possession-costing mistakes without Embiid.

Jabari Walker got his first action in the first half of a game since the Sixers’ win over the Jazz back on March 21. Adding Walker to the rotation made plenty of sense with Embiid out and the Sixers searching for anything positive. He played four second-quarter minutes and had a put-back layup.

Sixers show serious fight

After three straight Josh Okogie offensive rebounds, Amen Thompson threw down a wide-open dunk to give Houston an 81-57 advantage. Nurse called timeout.

Clearly, Nurse wants to see better energy and effort than that in important games. With that said, it’s exceedingly logical that the Sixers looked like a demoralized team. In addition to Embiid’s appendicitis making the Sixers a worse team on paper, it’s jarring news to handle at the tail end of a season.

“Just the timing seems difficult,” Nurse told reporters in Houston pregame. “We had an unbelievable day as a team yesterday. We had a great practice, a great film session, we were getting up and down the court. And he was a part of all that. So that’s what hits you a little bit in the stomach when you get that news, but it’s where we are. 

“We have our thoughts and prayers with him, that he gets through this surgery as healthy as possible and it goes (smoothly), no complications. And then you shift over to our job side of it. We’ve got to dig in and get to work.”

The Sixers trailed by as many as 28 points in the third quarter. To their credit, they played a tremendous fourth quarter and even made the Rockets sweat down the stretch.

The second unit’s scrappiness played a central part in the Sixers’ extended run. Dominick Barlow chipped in a put-back dunk. Barlow and Justin Edwards trapped Thompson at half court and forced a turnover. Edwards finished the ensuing fast break off with a second-chance lay-in that cut the Rockets’ lead to 101-94.

Edgecombe was great in the fourth quarter, too. He made a strong baseline drive and converted a layup through considerable contact. Edgecombe hit a mid-range jumper over Durant, slicing the Sixers’ deficit down to five points.

Durant replied with a timely three-ball and Houston had no further problems.

For the Sixers, the competitive spirit on display in the fourth quarter is something they’ll need to maintain moving forward without Embiid.

The Knicks may have clearer weaknesses than any other team that considers themselves a contender. Their best player is an undersized negative defender, the offense can be stagnant despite posting strong numbers, the outside shooting can abandon them at times, and the starting lineup often digs themselves into deep holes to start out games. But the Knicks also do a lot of things really well. Despite how the season started, their defense has statistically been amongst the best in 2026, they have two extremely talented offensive players with Jalen Brunson being one of the best postseason players in the league, and know how to win dirty.

One area of their game that doesn’t get talked about enough though, is just how dominant they have been in the fourth quarter. As of April 9th, the Knicks are seventh in fourth quarter offensive rating, first in fourth quarter defensive rating by a significant margin, and they are first in the league in fourth quarter net rating at a whopping 11.6. They are also fourth in the league in offensive rebounding percentage, second in the league in defensive rebounding percentage, and first in overall rebounding percentage during the final quarter.

And since the Knicks suffered an embarrassing home loss to the Mavericks on January 19th, they are seventh in the league in offensive rating during what NBA.com defines as clutch minutes, and are also sixth in clutch offensive rating, and fourth in clutch net rating while playing the sixth most clutch minutes. During those minutes, the Knicks posted the lowest turnover percentage (some of this can be attributed to the heliocentric, and stagnant offense they tend to run late in games), and were also fifth in the league in rebounding percentage.

We’ve seen this play out multiple times in varying ways. The strong fourth quarter against the Cavaliers on Christmas day, the big comeback against the Rockets, the back-to-back comebacks against the Celtics last year, and the close wins against the Pistons in the first-round last season, they’ve been there and done that when it comes to eking out wins with the exception of game one in the Eastern Conference Finals last year.

While not everything during the regular season translates the post season, fans can, and likely should feel confident about the fact that this battle-tested group performed exceptionally well when it mattered most. It would be nice to see the Knicks start off games better, and not have to rely on a fourth quarter run or a late-game surge. But this should be one of the core strengths of this team come playoff time.

SAN FRANCISCO — Throughout the last two seasons, JJ Redick has referenced a popular Jay-Z bar to illustrate the ups and downs of an NBA season. 

“It was all good just a week ago,” Redick has said a couple of times during his two seasons as Lakers coach, referencing Jay-Z’s “A Week Ago” from his six-time platinum-selling album, “Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life.”

Even though Redick hasn’t made the reference since April started, the sentiment applies now. 

A week ago, the Lakers were one of the league’s hottest teams entering a marquee road game against the Thunder. 

They had won 16 of their previous 18 games, clinching back-to-back 50-win seasons and a playoff berth March 31, and were in firm control of their postseason seeding fate. 

Funny what seven days can change.  

From there was the blowout loss to the Thunder at Paycom Center, with Luka Doncic (Grade 2 left hamstring strain) and Austin Reaves (Grade 2 left oblique strain) suffering regular-season-ending injuries. 

And then two more losses to the Mavericks and the Thunder, all while the teams closest to them in the standings soared, with the Nuggets on a 10-game winning streak and the Rockets winning seven straight entering Thursday. 

All of a sudden, the Lakers went from third place in the Western Conference standings, with a multiple-game cushion on the teams below them, to uncertainty about whether they’d host their first-round playoff series. 

When the Lakers found out about Doncic’s status for the remainder of the season April 3, Redick reassured that the team’s mission was to clinch the No. 3 seed and win a first-round playoff series. 

But when Reaves’ diagnosis was revealed and the losses piled up, the goal understandably changed and became more granular. 

“We’ve got to prepare our team, our group that we’re going to have available to play in the playoffs series,” Redick said. “Finding who’s gonna be able to play in the playoffs for us. The seeding part probably went out the window after the OKC game.”

If the Nuggets, who entered Thursday at No. 3 in the West, win their final two regular-season games against the Thunder and Spurs, they’ll clinch third regardless of how the Lakers finish. 

The Lakers would need the Nuggets, who won the regular-season series to secure the tiebreaker for postseason seeding, to drop at least one of their last two games to have a shot at reclaiming third place. And more realistically, the Nuggets would need to lose both of their final games for the Lakers to enter the playoffs as the third seed.

It’s why the Lakers are likely headed toward a No. 4 vs. No. 5 first-round playoff series against the Rockets.

It’s all just a matter of who’ll finish fourth and have homecourt advantage for the series. 

Neither the Lakers nor Rockets can fall below fifth, with the Timberwolves, whom the Rockets will host Friday, already locked in at No. 6. 

The Lakers have the tiebreaker over the Rockets, so if they finish with the same record, the Lakers would be the higher seed and host their first-round series. 

The Nuggets also hold the tiebreaker over the Rockets. 

The Lakers playing the Rockets or Timberwolves in the first round has been the likeliest outcome for weeks.

And with the Rockets being the likelier matchup, we’re on a collision course for the fourth playoff series between teams led by LeBron James and Kevin Durant, who last played each other in the playoffs during the 2018 NBA Finals when Durant’s Warriors swept James’ Cavaliers. 

But last week, with the Lakers falling and the Rockets soaring, changed the complexion of the expected series. 

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Tonight was supposed to mean something more.

We’re talking the Los Angeles Lakers vs the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. Stephen Curry and LeBron James, the two most important players in the last two decades of NBA basketball, sharing the same floor one more time. Except they won’t tonight, folks. Steph Curry is out tonight on the front side of a back-to-back, and just like that, the basketball gods closed the window on the one matchup that still moves the needle for casual fans and die-hards alike.

Zero Steph vs. LeBron games this season!

Steph Curry is now out tonight vs the Lakers on the front side of a back-to-back. Warriors are in Sacramento tomorrow night. That means zero Curry against LeBron James games this season.

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 9, 2026

Look at what we missed. During their long rivalry they’ve traded highlights and crazy box scores. Per Basketball Reference, in the regular season head-to-head data LeBron is averaging 30.2 points on 20.9 field goal attempts across 27 games. Steph is answering with 24.9 points and 6.5 assists across those same 27 matchups. That’s two legends still going to work every single time they see each other. And this season, we didn’t get one chapter of it.

The playoff numbers are even more absurd. LeBron at 31.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 8.5 assists per game across 28 playoff matchups between these two. Steph at 25.6 points and 6.5 assists. Four championships worth of pressure, four Finals between these franchises, and a Western Conference playoff battle too boot.

That history is the whole reason tonight stings.

The Warriors are sitting 10th in the West at 37-42, trying to survie their way into the Play-In. The Lakers are 4th at 50-29. But strip away the standings and what you really had scheduled for tonight was probably one of the last (if not the last) meetings between these two legends who carried the torch for their sport. LeBron is 41 and Steph turned 38 in March. The runway on seeing these two go head-to-head with genuine stakes attached is not getting longer.

Steph Curry is out tonight against the Lakers 💔

We won’t get a Steph vs LeBron matchup this season.

pic.twitter.com/6bx09SPrIihttps://t.co/FYeaQcerv4

— Guru (@DrGuru_) April 9, 2026

And the Warriors lost to the Lakers twice already this season, 105-99 in February and 129-101 in late February. Golden State took the first meeting back in October, 119-109, with Jimmy Butler dropping 31. That was the game where the season felt full of possibility before the injuries started stacking up like unpaid bills.

Now Steph is managing his workload on a back-to-back and we’re all sitting here doing the math on what’s left of this era.

The answer is not much. And tonight just reminded us how fast it’s actually going.

WNBA expansion in Philadelphia, Cleveland and Detroit officially approved originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Three new franchises are on the way in the WNBA.

The WNBA and NBA Board of Governors on Thursday formally approved new expansion teams coming to Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia.

The initial announcement of expanding to those cities, totaling to 18 teams, came on June 30, 2025. The movement was subject to the approval, which is now formal.

Cleveland will begin play first in the 2028 season, with Detroit following in 2029. Philadelphia will be last in 2030.

All three cities have NBA teams in the Cavaliers, Pistons and 76ers, respectively.

The league will have two expansion teams beginning in the upcoming 2026 season: the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo. Both cities also are home to NBA teams in the Trail Blazers and Raptors, and the new teams participated in an expansion draft to set up their respective rosters.

The NBA has also been exploring expansion moves for the future, with the most recent news involving Las Vegas and Seattle.

Those cities are awaiting formal approval, which would take the NBA to 32 teams. The league would likely realign the teams in the Western and Eastern Conferences, too, to fit two new cities out West.

More details on this trio of WNBA expansion franchises will come at later dates.

The Golden State Warriors play their final home game of the regular season in tonight’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. Tip-off is set for 7:00 PM PT in San Francisco and will be streamed on Prime Video.

Home finale

🏀 GSW vs LAL
🕖 7:00 pm PT
📺 @NBAonPrime
📻 @957thegame
📱 https://t.co/ZkjPJj14fy
🎟️ https://t.co/eAyVFXMMvs@Chase || Fan Night pic.twitter.com/frAnzqszOb

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 9, 2026

Previously with the Warriors:

Golden State snapped a four-game losing streak with Tuesday night’s 110–105 win over the Sacramento Kings. It marked the Warriors’ second game with Steph Curry back in the lineup, and they responded with noticeable energy — particularly in the second quarter, where they outscored Sacramento 41–27 to take a 13-point lead into halftime.

Steph Curry… TWO 4-point plays ‼️

The three-point king is feeling it from deep as GSW leads at the break! pic.twitter.com/7dUkON0fFB

— NBA (@NBA) April 8, 2026

Still, the Kings — despite their 21–59 record — made things interesting late. It took timely shot-making from Curry (17 points) and Brandin Podziemski (20 points) to close it out down the stretch.

STEPHEN CURRY FOR THREE

📺 @NBCSAuthenticpic.twitter.com/hugRdYQlj6

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 8, 2026

BP FOR THREE 👌 pic.twitter.com/OZFglzdIbQ

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 8, 2026

What to watch for tonight:

Tonight’s matchup against the Lakers was initially shaping up to be the first meeting between Curry and LeBron James this season. However, the Warriors announced Curry will sit out the front end of the back-to-back as he continues ramping up from the knee injury that sidelined him for 27 games.

Steph Curry is now OUT for tonight’s Warriors game against the Lakers @NBCSWarriors

No Steph, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford or Will Richard for the Warriors

— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) April 9, 2026

With both teams dealing with injuries to key players — including the Lakers being without leading scorers Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves for the remainder of the regular season — the focus shifts to role players on both sides.

For Los Angeles, head coach JJ Redick recently made headlines for publicly challenging his team’s supporting cast following a blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

JJ Redick CALLED OUT the entire roster 😭

On Rui: “He wasn’t doing his job so I took him out.”

On Vando: “It was a confluence of things he did wrong.”

On Ayton: “He can’t catch the ball.” pic.twitter.com/E3y4giP281

— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) April 8, 2026

Meanwhile, the Warriors may have found a spark in big man Charles Bassey. Signed as a late addition due to frontcourt injuries, Bassey recorded a 14-point, 12-rebound double-double against Sacramento. He provided energy as a rim runner and lob threat, and with Golden State still thin up front, his role could continue to grow as the regular season winds down.

Charles Bassey with a double-double last night 💪

14 PTS | 12 REB pic.twitter.com/MCP52eWh2n

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 8, 2026

Enjoy the game Dub Nation. GO WARRIORS!!! 

Projected Starters

Warriors: Brandin Podziemski, Pat Spencer, De’Anthony Melton, Gui Santos, Draymond Green

Lakers: Luke Kennard, Jake LaRavia, Rui Hachimura, LeBron James, Deandre Ayton

How to watch Regular Season Game 80

Who: Golden State Warriors (37 – 42) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (50 – 29)

When: Thursday, April 9th, at 7:00 p.m. PT

Where: Chase Center — San Francisco, California

TV and Streaming: Prime Video (available on fuboTV)

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The Los Angeles Lakers were baking one hell of a cake in the second half of the season, only to have injuries drop that sucker on the floor just before the party.

With no Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves, Los Angeles is left scooping crumbs, frosting, and championship hopes off the hardwood in these final days of the regular season. 

The Lakers are grasping for the No. 4 seed in the West and praying for the best when the postseason begins, leaning on veteran star LeBron James to keep them on track.

LeBron and L.A. are underdogs in the Bay Area tonight, and our Lakers vs. Warriors predictions see James jacking up his share of shots from beyond the arc.

My NBA picks take the King to top his 3-point prop on Thursday, April 9.

Lakers vs Warriors prediction

Lakers vs Warriors best bet: LeBron James Over 1.5 made threes (+110)

LeBron James is as adaptable as they come. When Luka Doncic is out of the lineup, he picks up his playmaking, and we see his assist tallies soar. And when Austin Reaves is sidelined, James’ activity from outside increases.

LeBron is learning to live without either of his Los Angeles Lakers co-stars in the home stretch. While we have a small sample of games without Doncic and Reaves, James did fire up six 3-point attempts in the loss to Dallas on Sunday.

Looking at his last 19 games without Reaves in action, James has averaged 4.6 shots from beyond the arc, connecting for two or more in nine of those. For comparison, when Luka and Reaves were both healthy during L.A.'s red-hot run in March, LeBron was taking only 2.4 triples and making less than one of those long-range looks an outing.

Tonight's game script has L.A. playing from behind versus the Golden State Warriors, and the rest of the Lakers lineup has provided spotty production, leaving head coach J.J. Redick to blast several players during this current stretch.

James was a one-man wrecking crew vs. Dallas and will have the green light against a Golden State defense that has slipped when it comes to protecting the perimeter. The Dubs have allowed foes to shoot 37% from distance since the All-Star break, and that’s blown up to 39% over the past 10.

LeBron has faced the Warriors twice this season, going 4-for-6 and 2-for-7 from downtown in those matchups. His projections for tonight range between 1.4 and 2.4 makes from 3-point land, with the bulk of those forecasts calling for two triples and his attempts as high as seven 3PAs.

Lakers vs Warriors same-game parlay

Los Angeles can at least keep it close against a Warriors roster that could protect players in this first game of back-to-back outings. The Lakers are desperate not to fall back in the West standings, as they’ll need all the help they can get in the postseason.

Deandre Ayton has been ripped by Redick for his recent efforts, but with the L.A. lineup hurting for offense, he’s capable of putting up points against a small Golden State frontcourt. His projections sit as high as 13 points.

Lakers vs Warriors SGP

• Lakers +4.5
• LeBron James Over 1.5 made threes
• Deandre Ayton Over 11.5 Points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Royal Flush

LeBron went nuclear on the Mavericks, scoring 30 points, dishing out 15 assists, and hauling in nine rebounds. He sat out Tuesday’s matchup with OKC, so the 41-year-old has fresh legs for this trip to Golden State.

Lakers vs Warriors SGP

• Lakers moneyline
• LeBron James Over 24.5 points
• LeBron James Over 9.5 assists
• LeBron James Over 7.5 rebounds

Lakers vs Warriors odds

• Spread: Lakers +4.5 (-110) | Warriors -4.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Lakers +160 | Warriors -190
• Over/Under: Over 225.5 (-110) | Under 225.5 (-110)

Lakers vs Warriors betting trend to know

The Over is 9-2 in the last 11 matchups between the Lakers and Warriors. Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Warriors.

How to watch Lakers vs Warriors

Lakers vs Warriors latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The Washington Wizards play the Chicago Bulls at 7 p.m. today. Watch the game on Monumental Sports Network.

SAN FRANCISCO — LeBron James and Steph Curry have a lot in common. 

They’re on the Mount Rushmore of basketball greats. They met in the Finals four straight seasons from 2015-2018. And they deeply admire each other’s games. 

But they share something less desirable, too. 

Both of them are aging superstars who have to transform into superheroes for their teams to have a chance in the NBA playoffs after their seasons were wildly derailed.

The 41-year-old James will head into the first round of the playoffs without Luka Doncic (strained hamstring) and Austin Reaves (strained oblique). 

And the 38-year-old Curry needs to lead the Warriors to two wins in the play-in tournament without Jimmy Butler (torn ACL) to make the playoffs. 

James and Curry, whose teams meet Thursday when the Warriors host the Lakers, need to put their teams on their creaky backs for them to survive.

That’s no easy task when guys a decade (or two!) younger than them are lying in wait, including the 22-year-old Victor Wembanyama and 27-year-old Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Warriors and Lakers entered this season with high expectations and the hope that their deep rosters would carry them past the gauntlet of Western Conference talent. But both rosters have been whittled down to the bones, exposing two of the top players in NBA history to loads they weren’t expected to bear on their own. 

For James, this was a shock. 

Just a week ago, the Lakers looked like championship contenders. They had gone on a 16-2 run. Doncic was playing MVP-caliber basketball, averaging an otherworldly 37.5 points in March. Reaves was playing at an All-Star level and averaging a career-high 23.3 points a game. 

That meant James could switch gears for the first time in his career, becoming the team’s third option. He was on cruise control until last Thursday, when Doncic and Reaves sustained their injuries in a dreadful 43-point loss to the Thunder. 

Now?

James has a 60.8-point hole he’s expected to fill for the fourth-seeded Lakers (50-29).

As for Curry, his challenge is similarly tricky. 

He entered this season with high hopes after the Warriors went 23-8 after they acquired Butler at the 2025 trade deadline. Golden State could’ve made some real noise last postseason. but Curry suffered a hamstring injury in Game 1 of their second-round series against the Timberwolves and they crumbled in five games. 

This season, things were supposed to be different. 

But Butler suffered a torn ACL in January. Making matters worse, Curry just returned Sunday after missing 27 games because of a knee injury. Now, the Warriors (37-42) are in 10th place, and their survival depends on the balky joint of a player who was sidelined the last two months.  

James and Curry have been through better times. 

Often against each other. 

James vs. Curry was one of the best rivalries in NBA history. James is arguably the greatest player of all time. And Curry is the top shooter the world has ever seen. When they collided, there were fireworks. 

Curry led the Warriors to three championships against James, who was at the peak of his powers. And James orchestrated the greatest comeback in NBA history against Curry, leading the Cavaliers to roar back from a 3-1 series deficit in the 2016 Finals en route to the franchise’s first championship. 

The NBA will be robbed of seeing the two stars play this season, which is a massive bummer considering James is pondering retirement. Curry will be sidelined Thursday because of his knee on the front side of a back-to-back. He also missed both of the teams’ meetings in February. James was out for their season opener because of sciatica.

It has been eight years since they cast an intoxicating spell over the NBA. 

And in its place now are two franchises that are clinging to postseason relevance with a pinky finger, led by megastars who have aged like fine wine.

It’s a shame they’re in this position. 

But it’s also another thrilling test for two superstars whose narratives keep overlapping.

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In today’s Dub Hub:

• Draymond Green admits he’s “not that excited” about the Play-In Tournament as Warriors are officially locked into the 10th seed.
• NBA reveals Play-In Tournament schedule, Warriors to play next Wednesday against the Clippers or Blazers.
• NBA determines Kings’ coach Doug Christie made ‘no intentional effort’ to lose the game vs. Warriors.

The Golden State Warriors are officially locked into the 10th seed in the Western Conference, meaning they’ll have to win two road games in the Play-In Tournament to secure a spot in the playoffs.

It’s not where the team expected to be entering the season, but injuries derailed those plans, and now, their playoff hopes come down to a win-or-go-home two-game stretch.

However, despite the stakes, Draymond Green isn’t exactly excited by the opportunity. While he embraces the challenge, Green made it clear after Tuesday’s win over the Sacramento Kings that the Play-In doesn’t carry the same intensity as a traditional playoff series.

Draymond Green is not looking forward to the Play-In tournament AT ALL 😅

"It's not exciting. I'm a competitor so going into the game I'm going to do all I can to win but it's not that exciting… I'm not going to sleep tomorrow night like 'man I got this Play-In next week.'" https://t.co/EghIt9WsWfpic.twitter.com/rIdI1sIBfd

— KNBR (@KNBR) April 8, 2026

Green expanded on this perspective, pointing to the original purpose of the Play-In which was to incentivize teams to keep competing late in the season. But in this year’s Western Conference, the top 10 in the standings have largely been locked in for weeks now, with little pressure from outside teams due to what he claims is tanking.

Draymond Green on if the Play-In Tournament is still good for the NBA:

"To have a team stuck in 10th, it ain't working. We could have lost our last 15 games and been stuck in 10th. It ain't working… we wanna make the playoffs so it works I guess." pic.twitter.com/qbpEmKtmWx

— KNBR (@KNBR) April 8, 2026

Regardless of how it feels, the stakes remain clear.

The Warriors will need to win twice on the road to advance and earn a first-round matchup against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, or else, their season comes to an early end once again.

🏆 PLAYOFF PICTURE 🏆

▪️ OKC wins 7th straight, clinches the #1 seed in the West, and secures the NBA's best overall record
▪️ ORL rises to #7 in East

The NBA Playoffs presented by @Google begin April 18th. pic.twitter.com/NhbUUKmXiD

— NBA (@NBA) April 9, 2026

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Thursday, April 9th:

Warriors News:

What NBA players, coaches and execs are saying about tanking | ESPN

In ESPN’s conversations with dozens of players, coaches and front office executives, a consistent theme emerged: Nobody likes it — “I hate it,” Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said — but not many deny it is often the most prudent team-building path when stuck near the bottom. Different seasons and different drafts will generate different forms, but everyone agrees it’ll continue until the NBA figures out either the proper rules or punishments to curb it.

“These teams are doing the whole gamut: sitting guys in the fourth, playing analytically bad lineups, drawing up plays for bad shots,” one Western Conference general manager said. “The creativity is impressive and I don’t blame them. It’s the best strategy to get better. Look at all the most promising teams in the league: Thunder, Spurs, Pistons, Rockets, Hornets. Years of being bad and building up on high picks. It’s painful but worthwhile.”

Steph Curry reveals secret to four-point play success in Warriors’ win vs. Kings | NBC Sports Bay Area

After the win, Curry broke down exactly how he’s able to convert those difficult, contact-heavy shots.

“You have to obviously focus in on the rim,” Curry said on NBC Sports Bay Area’s “Warriors Postgame Live.” “Sometimes there could be contact or whatnot — I do fall a lot — but those two were just timing, confidence, let it go, absorb the contact and have fun with it.”

That simple formula — focus, timing and confidence — has helped Curry turn chaotic moments into highlight plays throughout his career.

Warriors first Play-In game scheduled for next Wednesday

The schedule for the 2026 @SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament on @NBAonPrime ⬇️

More information will be provided as it is finalized. pic.twitter.com/X3PDwc1krm

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 9, 2026

NBA News:

Starting 5: OKC clinches No. 1 seed, Denver wins 10th straight, Cade returns | NBA

Top Dogs: With the win, the Thunder secure the West’s top seed and the league’s best record, a feat they’ve now pulled off in back-to-back seasons

“It’s extremely important,” said Holmgren on securing the No. 1 seed. “Just knowing that in the event of a Game 7, it’s always gonna be at home. You can’t underestimate how valuable that is … now, we got more to do.”

Seeking 65: At 64-16, OKC is one win shy of the franchise’s first-ever back-to-back 65+ win seasons

NBA determines Kings’ late foul was an error and not tanking

The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/Z50sOQkS8k

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 9, 2026

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

Warriors Reacts Survey: Do you want Steve Kerr to come back?

The Warriors coach is about to see his contract expire, and there haven’t been any reports of working on a new contract. Even though there’s occasionally been some tension between Kerr and owner Joe Lacob, the simple fact is that Kerr has an open invite to coach the Warriors for as long as Curry is on the roster. Curry very openly does not want to play for any other coach … but of course, it takes two to tango, and Kerr will have to make the decision.

So we’re asking Warriors fans: do you want to see Kerr return next year? Or would you prefer he call it quits, and the organization can bring in a new face?

Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.

For the majority of college basketball players, the final goal is to make it in the National Basketball Association. A very small minority have their dreams become a reality while most go on to do something other than sports. For a team like Michigan that just won the National Championship, the NBA is a realistic dream for a good portion of the roster.

Today, we will power rank the members of the 2025-26 Michigan roster by their pro potential. Keep in mind, we aren’t just ranking the players’ NBA potential next year — we’re talking the long-term trajectory of each players’ future career in the NBA.

Honorable Mention: Howard Eisley Jr., Harrison Hochberg, Charlie May

These players have no shot at the NBA. However any national champion deserves an honorable mention in my book.

13. G Ricky Liburd

Liburd redshirted this season, as he was a late addition to the class and wasn’t a highly sought after prospect. We’ll know significantly more about him next year, but for now, it’s impossible to assess his NBA potential.

12. C Malick Kordel

An international prospect from Germany, Kordel played during garbage time during his first season of college basketball. He was clearly very raw, but at 7-foot-2 and 275 pounds, he has the frame of an NBA center. His need for development prevents him from being any higher on this list.

11. F Will Tschetter

Don’t take Tschetter’s low placement on this list as any disrespect towards one of the pivotal pieces on the national title team. The heartbeat of the program, he embodied the Michigan mantra of “those who stay will be champions.” Unfortunately at this point in his career, we know exactly what his limitations are and so too do NBA scouts. Tschetter was an all-time college basketball character but will likely never see any NBA action.

10. F Oscar Goodman

Goodman was tough to place on this list. The young forward saw more minutes than anyone else on the bench mob and flashed some potential with high flying dunks and blocked shots in garbage time. Depending on Michigan’s activity in the portal, he may be a part of the rotation next year. Given his youth, he could still develop into a fringe NBA type player. Time will tell.

9. F Winters Grady

Like Goodman, this is entirely based off of projection. Grady played in just nine games this season and wasn’t entirely effective before being shut down due to an injury. However, his recruiting profile suggests that of a sharpshooter who could develop into a three-and-D type of player. He is obviously nowhere near draft boards now, but he’s got the right frame and archetype as that of a bench NBA player.

8. G Elliot Cadeau

I wanted to put Final Four Most Outstanding Player much higher on this list, but couldn’t quite pull the trigger. Elliot Cadeau played some of his best basketball during the NCAA Tournament and will be forever remembered for his performances in the Final Four. However, the NBA is beginning to value height and length more and more as time progresses. He is generously listed as 6-foot-1. Small point guards who aren’t elite three-point shooters are going out of style in the NBA unfortunately.

7. G Nimari Burnett

Like Grady, Burnett displays the archetype of a typical three-and-D type player. Burnett doesn’t thrive when asked to create his own shot, but he could thrive in a bench role in the NBA a la Caleb Houstan if he can become an elite three-point shooter. He was very good but not quite elite in his college career which will prevent him from being drafted. However, it wouldn’t surprise me one bit to see him invited to the NBA Summer League and try to make a name for himself this offseason.

6. G/F Roddy Gayle Jr.

April Roddy’s ascent from frustrating shooter to lock-down defender and the best dunker on the team will become the stuff of legend over time. In college, Gayle seemed to get more athletic the older he became, which is quite rare. Like Burnett, his lack of on-ball playmaking will hamper his draft status, but several players just like him have latched onto NBA rosters via Summer League invites over the years. It’s not impossible.

5. G L.J. Cason

As we’ve covered extensively, Cason suffered a season-ending injury, which fortunately didn’t derail Michigan’s season. Before the injury, he was playing arguably as well as anyone on the roster. Cason was explosive on the fast break, shot lights out from three, and provided instant offense whenever called upon. While still young and a bit raw, his weaknesses are the types of things that can be corrected over time as there are certainly no physical limitations to his game. Assuming he returns to full health with no lingering side effects, Cason has a very legitimate chance to be drafted to the NBA in the next few years.

4. G Trey McKenney

A former five-star, McKenney led his dream school to the National Championship as a true freshman. That’s the type of thing dreams are made of. Following Cason’s injury, his role exploded as he became the primary backup ball-handler. He also became Michigan’s most reliable shooter in the tournament as evidenced in the Final Four game against Arizona (6-of-9 from three). Next season will likely be his last in Ann Arbor before heading to the NBA, potentially as a lottery pick if things go right.

3. C Aday Mara

Now things start to get serious. Mara was the difference maker for Michigan basketball this season. His rim protection was the anchor of the No. 1 defense in all of college basketball. He’s projected to be a mid-first round pick, which leaves him with a stay-or-go decision. In the NBA’s eyes, he will need to bulk out his incredibly wiry frame. However, his passing is incredible for his size and he possesses a nice shooting stroke despite the limited attempts this year. He will likely be looked at as a top-end developmental pick should he decide to go pro.

2. F Morez Johnson Jr.

Morez Johnson Jr. proved to be much more than just a rim-runner in Ann Arbor this year. He is an incredibly versatile defender, able to stay in front of guards consistently despite being 6-foot-9. He also developed a post game on offense and was much more than just a dunker this season.

At the NBA level, Johnson could contribute right away in a reserve role. He’s got the size and strength to match up physically and is an excellent free throw shooter for the position. Should he declare this offseason, he could be a serviceable big man in the NBA for a decade or longer such as an Isaiah Stewart type player.

1. F Yaxel Lendeborg

No one helped their draft stock more in the NCAA Tournament than Yaxel Lendeborg. The constant knock on his draft stock will be his age — he’ll be 24 before the NBA season starts — but he proved time and again he can impact the game in every facet.

At 6-foot-9, Lendeborg can guard any position on the court. He is elite at finishing through contact, and shot 82 percent from the free throw line and 37 percent from three. Most importantly, he is patient and lets the game come to him. Lendeborg doesn’t need the ball in his hands to make a massive impact on the game, which makes him incredibly valuable. He proved to also be incredibly tough, as evidenced by his play during the National Championship essentially on one leg.

I would expect Lendeborg to be drafted either late in the lottery or just outside of it. Under the right circumstances, he could start in the NBA right away. His age may prevent him from becoming a star in the league, but he has every single tool necessary to become a very, very good NBA player. It will be fascinating to watch his career progression.

The Suns are currently sitting at 44-36 with just a couple of games left to play. Boy, has this season flown by.

The Suns have locked in the 7th seed and will host the Clippers or Blazers on April 14th at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Now, let’s take a quick look at how we got here in a more zoomed-out perspective, month by month.

• October — 2-4 (.333)
• November — 10-5 (.667)
• December — 7-5 (.583)
• January — 11-5 (.688)
• February — 4-7 (.364)
• March — 8-8 (.500)
• April — 2-2 (.500)

October was weird. A few close losses and some unfortunate endings had them off to a slow start. Then, the Suns had themselves a very strong winter, compiling a 28-15 record in November, December, and January. February was the only “ugly” month, and luckily, it was cut short due to the ASB. They entered the All-Star Break with a 32-23 record, and have since gone 12-13.

The injuries started to pile up in February (even more so than they already were), and things began to spiral a bit. Nothing dramatic, they still weathered the storm, but instead of making a push into the top 6 as we all hoped earlier in the season, they remained in the play-in. It just goes to show you that it truly is a marathon. That is still a massive win relative to expectations entering the season, after many experts had them finishing as one of the worst teams in the association.

And now, here we are in April. The madness and chaos of late-season basketball, where teams are gearing up for one last push for seeding or a tune-up for the playoffs.

For the Suns, it’s about entering the postseason healthy. Last night was not an ideal start to that goal, as Jalen Green and Jordan Goodwin both left the game with leg injuries. Their immediate status is to be determined.

It’s time to let the young guys shine in these final two games. Maluach, Fleming, Dunn, Oso, even Brea… let them loose.

The schedule for the 2026 @SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament on @NBAonPrime ⬇️

More information will be provided as it is finalized. pic.twitter.com/X3PDwc1krm

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 9, 2026

We now await the Clippers or Blazers, who are one game apart from each other in the final stretch, and their head-to-head game on Friday will likely determine who gets the 8th seed. It’s almost like a play-in for the play-in.

Clippers lose. Blazers lose.

LA is 41-39. Portland is 40-40.

Clippers lead the season series 2-1. But if the Blazers win on Friday, they get the tiebreaker due to conference record.

Very high chance this game will decide the 8th seed. pic.twitter.com/hDea1dp5mV

— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) April 9, 2026

The final two games of the regular season (for the Suns) before the play-in begins will come on the road in Los Angeles against the Lakers and in Oklahoma City against the Thunder. It’s unlikely any of those teams take these games too seriously. The Lakers have more to play for as they’re fighting for home-court advantage in the first round, but they, too, are limping into the finish line.

It will be interesting to monitor how the rotations look in these last two games, especially considering Jordan Ott’s quote last night, stating:

“We’ll continue to assess how our guys come out of this back-to-back and then we’ll plan accordingly the best we can. Balancing rhythm versus rest, especially with a group that doesn’t have a ton of reps on the floor together.”

Book hinted that one of the games could be a rest day for himself, which makes sense given they are locked into the 7th seed at this point.

"It's probably a conversation we'll have amongst the team, but I could see one of the games not playing."

Devin Booker as Suns have 2 games left in regular season: Friday at LAL, Sunday at OKC.

Suns 7th seed in West. Host 8th seed (Clippers or Blazers) in play-in Tuesday for… pic.twitter.com/HRl52Luq4Y

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) April 9, 2026

I’m in the camp that you just gotta get everyone as healthy as possible heading into that game next Tuesday, regardless of the lack of reps.

the Golden State Warriors are going to rest Stephen Curry in their Thursday evening game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Curry was listed out on the latest NBA injury report due to management of a right knee injury that has been described as runner's knee.

The 38-year-old returned against the Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings after missing 27 games from Feb. 3 to April 2. He scored 29 points against the Rockets on April 5 and 17 against the Kings on April 7.

Curry has averaged 27 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists appearing in 41 games for the Warriors this season. He has shot the ball at an efficient clip, a norm for the 12-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer.

Joel Embiid is undergoing surgery for appendicitis, the 76ers announced on Thursday. 

The Philadelphia center had been ruled out for Thursday’s crucial game against the Rockets in Houston hours earlier. 

Embiid last played Monday night against the Spurs, putting up 34 points with 12 rebounds. 

The timing could not be worse for the Sixers and Embiid.

With three games to go in the regular season, Philly sits one game back of the Raptors for the sixth seed in the East. 

They entered Thursday in eighth in the conference at 43-36, a half-game back of the Magic for the seventh seed. 

If the season ended before Thursday’s slate of games, the 76ers would head to Orlando for a play-in tournament matchup against the Magic for the seventh seed in the conference and a first-round series against the Celtics. 

The 76ers are also dangerously close to falling behind the Hornets, who are a half-game back and sitting in the ninth seed, in the standings. 

If they fall to the ninth or tenth seed, the Sixers would need to win two play-in tournament games just to make the postseason. 

The 7-8 game would take place on April 14 while the 9-10 game would be a day later, leaving Embiid little time to recover post-surgery for the Sixers’ likely play-in tournament run.

The first round of the NBA Playoffs kicks off on April 18. 

The latest setback adds to yet another season in which Embiid has had trouble staying on the court. 

The former NBA MVP has played in just 38 games this season, although he’s been effective when he’s in the lineup, averaging 26.9 points in just 31.6 minutes per game. 

Embiid hasn’t played more than 40 games in a season since 2022-23.