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Foul should have been called against Knicks at end of win vs. Pistons, NBA says

Foul should have been called against Knicks at end of win vs. Pistons, NBA says originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Detroit’s Tim Hardaway Jr. said he got fouled on the game’s final play. The NBA agreed with him.

It didn’t matter.

Referees missed Hardaway getting fouled while shooting a 3-pointer on the final play of Detroit’s 94-93 loss to the Knicks in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference first-round series on Sunday. The NBA acknowledged the mistake shortly after the game, saying a foul should have been called on the Knicks’ Josh Hart.

Had the foul been called, Hardaway would have been awarded three free throws with about 0.3 seconds left. Instead, the game ended on that play and Detroit left fuming.

“You guys saw it,” Hardaway said after the game, speaking to reporters. “Blatant.”

The Knicks took a 3-1 lead in the series, with Game 5 in New York on Tuesday.

“During live play, it was judged that Josh Hart made a legal defensive play,” crew chief David Guthrie told a pool reporter after the game. “After postgame review, we observed that Hart makes body contact that is more than marginal to Hardaway Jr. and a foul should have been called.”

Hart didn’t dispute that he made contact with Hardaway.

“Did I make contact with him? Yeah, I made contact with him,” Hart said. “Was it legal? I don’t know. We’ll let the two-minute report say that.”

The NBA puts out a review of all calls in the final two minutes of games decided by three points or fewer, with those reports released the day after the game. But in this case, with a pool report requested, the NBA had Guthrie speak to a reporter and explain what happened.

Detroit argued to no avail after time expired. Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff was clearly angered and approached the officiating crew on the floor shortly after the final shot, but he had no mechanism to challenge the call. One, the Pistons had used their challenge earlier in the game and two, even if Bickerstaff still had the challenge it wouldn’t have mattered — technically, no call was made, so he couldn’t have challenged anyway.

“There’s contact on Tim Hardaway’s jump shot,” Bickerstaff said. “I don’t know any other way around it. There’s contact on his jump shot. The guy leaves his feet, he’s at Timmy’s mercy. I repeat, there’s contact on his jump shot.”

The Pistons had the ball with 11.1 seconds left, down by one. Cade Cunningham missed a jump shot with 7.4 seconds remaining and, after a scramble, the ball ended up in Hardaway’s hands in the left corner.

Hardaway ball-faked to get Hart into the air, and Hart clearly made contact with the right side of Hardaway’s body as he was in the act of shooting.

Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns was asked for his view of the play after the game.

“What do you want me to say? View of what?” Towns said, smiling. “Going back to Madison Square Garden. Happy we got a win. You like that answer? Is that good?”

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Did Warriors solve Rockets' defense? Kerr urges appropriate caution

Did Warriors solve Rockets' defense? Kerr urges appropriate caution originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Deep into the third game of their first-round NBA playoff series against the Houston Rockets, the Warriors couldn’t find their trademark offense. The passing, cutting and dazzling ball movement that defines them at their best was being stifled by Houston’s rangy, rugged defense.

One of the ways the Warriors measure their offense is assist totals per game. If they record 30 or more, it’s working. If they’re between 25 and 29, it’s less than ideal but workable.

They had 20 in Game 1, 22 in Game 2 and eight through the first half of Game 3 on Saturday. Five assists per quarter is, for this offense, a sign of abject failure. The Warriors were averaging 47 points per half.

The second half of Game 3 brought the first glimpse of success, as the Warriors recorded 16 assists, scoring 58 points, to close out a 104-93 victory. They found a solution.

Maybe.

“I never liked the word solve, just because I think every game is different, and you have to adapt to whatever’s happening,” coach Steve Kerr said Sunday. “I think we found some things in the fourth quarter, but that doesn’t mean they will translate to tomorrow.”

Consider this a caution sign for Game 4. It might reek of “coach speak,” but it’s a reasonable approach in the middle of a postseason series. Coaches and players find adjustments along the way, sometimes between games, sometimes at halftime. Sometimes, even, between possessions.

Yet that second half was instructive insofar as Stephen Curry found impeccable balance between scoring and using his gravity to make plays for others. His two-man game with Gary Payton II torched the Rockets, particularly in the pull-away fourth quarter.

With 10 assists and only two turnovers, Golden State rang up 35 points in the fourth on 57.1-percent shooting from the field. With the Rockets up 84-83, the Curry-Payton connection got busy. Curry to a cutting GP2 for a layup. Curry to a cutting GP2 for another layup. Curry to GP2 for a corner 3-ball that gave Golden State its first four-point lead, 90-86, with 4:29 left.

The Rockets never got any closer.

“There were some good combinations out there,” Kerr said. “And again, tomorrow could be totally different. You could throw the exact same combination out there and not have success.

“Really, it’s about figuring out each game and what’s happening and trying to find combinations that click. And some night shots go in, other nights they don’t. You often ride the hot hand, so it’s really hard to sort of come to a conclusion and say, ‘We’ve solved this or that,’ and then just do that again, because it doesn’t necessarily happen so easily.”

The combinations surely will change if Jimmy Butler III is available for Game 4. He brings contrast in style, generally trying to pick apart a defense with more deliberate passing to maximize any cutting.

But the Steph-GP2 combo is tried and true. Has been for years.

“He knows how to find his spots and how to use Steph to get things for himself,” Draymond Green, speaking after Game 3, said of Payton. “That’s big. Any time … you learn how to play off Steph, it makes the game a lot easier for you. Any time you can pick up on those things and play great off Steph, he just has so much gravity. His gravity on the court is incredible.

“So, if you learn how to play off that, it kind of puts you as an advantage, and G has been great at that for years now.”

A win in Game 4 would give the No. 7 seed Warriors a 3-1 series lead and put them in prime position to oust the second-seeded Rockets from the Western Conference playoffs. But Kerr’s caution is rooted in his years of experience as a player and coach.

An adjustment is coming from Houston. It shouldn’t take long to discover if it will be enough to send Golden State’s offense back to the edge of futility, scrambling for buckets as it did in the first 10 quarters of this series.

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2025 NBA Playoffs results, highlights, recap April 26 including Aaron Gordon’s dunk saving Nuggets

INGLEWOOD, Calif —It was a wild Saturday across the NBA, but the two biggest games of the day were in California.

NUGGETS 101, LA CLIPPERS 99 (series tied 2-2)

Denver would have lost if this game had gone to overtime. Their starters had all played at least 42 minutes of regulation basketball, and you could see how tired they were, particularly in their suddenly slow (and sometimes non-existent) defensive rotations. The Clippers had the momentum.

However, the Nuggets had Aaron Gordon saving the game — and perhaps their season.

That theme about depth — the Clippers have it, the Nuggets do not — is going to be a main one the rest of this series.

In Game 4, the Clippers' bench played 59:45 minutes, more than double the Nuggets' 25:33 (to be fair, the Nuggets were without Russell Westbrook due to an ankle injury). The Clippers' closing lineup featured a bench player (Bogdan Bogdanovic in for Kris Dunn). All of that is why the Clippers were the fresher team down the stretch.

That matters, but the Clippers need better production from their bench and role players, or it won't matter. Dunn, Nicolas Batum and Derrick Jones Jr. shot 2-of-13 from 3 in Game 4. The Nuggets are just ignoring Dunn when the Clippers have the ball — doubling off him and daring him to shoot — and if he and the rest of the Clippers' bench/role players can’t make the Nuggets pay, then Denver will get the win.

It’s cliche to say Game 5 Wednesday is huge, but for the Nuggets it is especially so: This series goes to every other day starting with that game Tuesday, which means less time to recover for the Nuggets starters. It will wear them down even more. They can’t go down 3-2 and expect to come back against the deeper team.

WARRIORS 104, ROCKETS 93 (Golden State leads series 2-1)

Stephen Curry was mesmerizing, doing Stephen Curry things in the Warriors' win.

That, however, is not the big takeaway from this game or why the Rockets are really in trouble.

It’s that they can’t score in the halfcourt.

It was a concern coming into the playoffs, when the games tend to slow down. During the regular season, the Rockets ranked 22nd in the league in halfcourt offensive rating, positioned between Utah and Philadelphia (stats via Cleaning the Glass). In the playoffs, they have been worse — and on Saturday night they had an 81 offensive rating in the halfcourt. And that against a Warriors team without Jimmy Butler, who was out with a pelvic contusion (he may well return for Game 4).

Credit to Rockets GM Rafael Stone and ownership management, they were patient at the February trade deadline and didn’t make a rash move — get this core to the playoffs, see what happens, then adjust.

The adjustment is becoming clear: The Rockets need a high-level offensive creator and bucket getter to spark them in the half court, a player who fits with the timeline of their young core (so not Kevin Durant, who will be 37 next season). Jalen Green filled that role for a night scoring 38 in Game 2, but the Warriors loaded up the defense on him in Game 3 and things fell apart. Alperen Sengun is a high-level passing and scoring big man, but he's not a creator in the way the Rockets need. Amen Thompson might develop into that guy, but he's not there yet.

Which player the Rockets chase is a matter of speculation, but the Rockets have the picks and young players to put together an enticing trade package for whichever team is selling. Expect an aggressive Rockets front office this summer.

For now, Houston needs to come out with some real desperation and win Game 4 on the road, or this series is all but over.

THUNDER 117, GRIZZLIES 115 (OKC sweeps series 4-0)

Give the shorthanded Grizzlies (no Ja Morant) credit for putting up a fight. However, that does not change the big end-of-season question:

Where does Memphis go from here?

We know where Oklahoma City goes, it has looked dominant in dispatching the Grizzlies in a sweep and now awaits the winner of the Clippers/Nuggets bloodbath. OKC appears on a path to the NBA Finals.

Memphis' path forward is shrouded in mist. It is largely locked into the core of Ja Morant (three more seasons on his max contract), Desmond Bane (four more years) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (extension eligible this offseason and the one player the Grizzlies do not want to walk).

Should Memphis take a swing at a big-time trade? (Don’t say Kevin Durant, he does not want to go there.) Or, should it work around the edges and try to add shooting, athleticism and depth around the Morant/Jackson/Bane core and continue to ride this out to the end of the line? While some fans might suggest trading Ja Morant, the market for his services would not be very strong (unless the Grizzlies want to talk swapping one flawed player for another, such as Trae Young or LaMelo Ball), and the offers in return would be lowball. However, it's something to consider.

Also, who is coaching this team next season?

CAVALIERS 124, HEAT 87 (Cleveland leads series 3-0)

No Darius Garland for Cleveland, he aggravated a big toe injury that sidelined him a couple of games at the end of the season. It was evident how much the Cavaliers missed him at the very start of the game when the Heat raced out to a lead, although part of that was shooting variance (Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware hit some open 3s, while the Cavs started 0-of-5 from beyond the arc).

Things normalized soon after, the Cavaliers were up by 13 after one quarter and from there cruised to a win.

There is another game, maybe two, to play, but this series is over. The Cavaliers would love to end it in four, get Garland (and everyone else) more rest, and wait for the winner of the Bucks/Pacers series. Miami faces some hard questions heading into this offseason. With all due respect to the step forward Tyler Herro took this season, the Heat need another high-level offensive creator to make this all work, and you can expect them to be aggressive going after one. This is not a franchise that looks to tear things down and rebuild.

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Pacers vs. Bucks Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 27

It’s Sunday, April 27, and the Indiana Pacers (50-32) and Milwaukee Bucks (48-34) are all set to square off from Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee for Game 4 of the first round.

The Bucks earned a monumental Game 3 win at home over the Pacers, 117-101. Pascal Siakam led the way for the Pacers with 28 points, but that wasn't enough against Giannis Antetokounmpo and Gary Trent's 37 points apiece. Damian Lillard only scored seven points on 2-for-11 from the field, so his efficiency will be something to watch in Game 4.

The Pacers are currently 20-20 on the road with a point differential of 2, while the Bucks have a 6-4 record in their last ten games at home. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.

Game details & how to watch Pacers vs. Bucks live today

  • Date: Sunday, April 27, 2025
  • Time: 9:30 PM EST
  • Site: Fiserv Forum
  • City: Milwaukee, WI
  • Network/Streaming: TNT

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Pacers vs. Bucks

The latest odds as of Sunday:

  • Odds: Pacers (+158), Bucks (-190)
  • Spread:  Bucks -4.5
  • Over/Under: 226 points

That gives the Pacers an implied team point total of 112.13, and the Bucks 114.47.

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Sunday’s Pacers vs. Bucks game

Rotoworld Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans Brook Lopez Under 9.5 Points + Rebounds:

"In the first three games of this series, Brook Lopez hasn't played more than 21 minutes and is coming off his worst performance in the Bucks' only win. That's not a good sign for his minutes moving forward. Bobby Portis played almost twice as many minutes in Game 3 as Lopez and is a much better offensive threat and matchup for Myles Turner rather than Lopez. Lopez has a low 9.5 prop for his points and rebounds, but I could only look at his Unders."

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Pacers & Bucks game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Milwaukee Bucks on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Indiana Pacers at +4.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 226.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions pagefrom NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Pacers vs. Bucks on Sunday

  • The Bucks have won 4 of their last 5 games at home against divisional opponents
  • The Over is 32-23 in the Bucks' matchups against Eastern Conference teams this season
  • The Pacers have won 4 straight matchups against Eastern Conference Central Division teams

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

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Celtics vs. Magic Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends, and best bets for April 27

It’s Sunday, April 27, and the Boston Celtics (61-21) and Orlando Magic (41-41) are all set to square off from Kia Center in Orlando.

Orlando won Game 3, 95-93, in a last-second thriller holding off Boston. Paolo Banchero (29) and Franz Wagner (32) combined for 61 of the Magic's 95 points, while Jayson Tatum scored a game-high 36 points in his return after missing Game 2.

The Celtics are currently 33-8 on the road with a point differential of 9, while the Magic have a 4-6 record in their last ten games at home. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.

Game details & how to watch Celtics vs. Magic live today

  • Date: Sunday, April 27, 2025
  • Time: 7:00 PM EST
  • Site: Kia Center
  • City: Orlando, FL
  • Network/Streaming: TNT

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Celtics vs. Magic

The latest odds as of Sunday:

  • Odds: Celtics (-275), Magic (+223)
  • Spread:  Celtics -6.5
  • Over/Under: 197 points

That gives the Celtics an implied team point total of 100.88, and the Magic 97.49.

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Sunday’s Celtics vs. Magic game

Rotoworld Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the Celtics to cover the first-half spread of -3.5:

"This has been a grind-it-out series where both teams haven't been that efficient from the field. However, one of my favorite angles on the Celtics is backing them off a loss. In the first half, Boston has led at half once (by 3) and trailed twice, so a good start is crucial to taking Game 4 and going back to Boston with a chance to close it out. Jayson Tatum looked good in his return (36 points on 10-of-22) and if Jrue Holiday is back in the lineup (missed Game 3), Boston's defense will improve."

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Celtics & Magic game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Boston Celtics on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Orlando Magic at +6.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 197.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions pagefrom NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Celtics vs. Magic on Sunday

  • The Celtics have won 4 of their last 5 matchups against Eastern Conference Southeast Division teams
  • Each of the Celtics' last 5 road games with the Magic have stayed under the Total
  • The Magic have covered the Spread in 6 of their last 8 games at home
  • The Celtics' record in their last 10 road games stands at 9-1

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

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'Game too far' for Glasgow & Edinburgh 'abject' in draw

your views graphic
[BBC]

We asked for your views on as Glasgow Warriors suffered defeat and Edinburgh drew in their weekend of URC action.

Here's what some of you said:

Glasgow Warriors 19-26 Bulls

Ben: After Glasgow's trip to South Africa last year, I felt very deflated and went into the play-offs feeling hopeful more than anything. I probably feel a bit worse this year. The only reason to be hopeful is that our missing players come back strong, but we will likely need to go away to South Africa in a semi-final, then away to Leinster in a final - tough ask!

Alistair: Warriors didn't have a plan B to counter Bulls' impressive defence. Tactical field kicking was poor as it simply returned the advantage to Bulls. I wouldn't criticise Tom Jordan for kicking the penalty dead but I would for the decision not to take the three points. Three on the board would have kept them in the game and have had the ball returned to them. Warriors looked the fitter of the two teams but just need to make better on-field decisions. The return of Huw Jones and Sione Tuipulotu can't come soon enough.

Anthony: It looked like a game too far for the injury-depleted Warriors squad. They struggled to break the gain line against a ferocious Bulls defence. Bulls coaching staff deserve credit for getting their tactics spot on and not allowing Warriors to play their normal, expansive attacking game. Bulls also had Johan Goosen as a very good goal kicker, while Jordan had a night to forget. Full credit to Warriors to show the heart and desire to claim an important bonus point right at the end. Worrying injuries to Kyle Rowe and Gregor Brown, but is was good to see Scott Cummings back on the field. This match was a brilliant learning curve for many of the younger squad members against a very good, physical Bulls team. Warriors have earned their two-week break before the Benetton match, which is a must win.

Bert: The Bulls scrum dominance was a major issue for Warriors. No matter how good your backs are they are going to struggle behind that weakness. While Warriors' penalty dogma of always going to the corner can be seen as positive, it surely has to be flexible for games like this where it was all about the win. The risks were fully evident when Jordan's second-half kick flew dead, scrum penalty again, and try scored from the lineout to effectively cost us nine points.

Zebre 25-25 Edinburgh

Steve: To put some perspective on Edinburgh's fairly abject draw with Zebre, there was one very depleted looking 23 versus a pretty well-stacked Italian outfit. Zebre are a different team this year but the feeling is that's another four or five points gone abegging. I have to question the nature of the squad rotation and perhaps it's a case that Europe is indeed being prioritised. We'll have to be very, very good to beat Bath, so I hope it's worth it. It has to be because the URC is effectively over unless three or four teams all do us a massive favour. Another frustrating season so far, but in our hearts we knew it was going to be.

Domenic: Edinburgh are a basket case. Inconsistent and at times appalling to watch. Quite simply successful teams beat those below them, unsuccessful ones don't. So, when do the SRU say enough is enough and clear out the hierarchy of Edinburgh Rugby from chief executive to coaching team? A £6m budget for this? Too many years of failing to reach potential, in any other walk of life you'd be shown the door.

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Report: Warriors have ‘belief' Butler will return for Game 4

Report: Warriors have ‘belief' Butler will return for Game 4 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Despite star forward Jimmy Butler missing Game 3 due to a left pelvic contusion, the Warriors still found a way to grab a pivotal 104-93 win on Saturday night and take a 2-1 series lead over the Houston Rockets.

Now, Golden State believes that their marquee midseason addition will return to action in Monday’s Game 4, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater reported after Saturday’s game.

Butler suffered his injury in the first quarter of the Warriors’ Game 2 loss to the Rockets on Wednesday night. He initially was listed as questionable for Game 3 after two off days to rest, but Butler eventually was ruled out around an hour before tip-off.

The six-time NBA All-Star sustained “significant swelling” and had limited mobility, according to a report by ESPN’s Shams Charania, so an extra 48 hours of rest could be the difference in Butler’s recovery.

“Playoff Jimmy” tallied an impressive statline of 25 points, seven rebounds, six assists and five steals in the Warriors’ Game 1 win, so Butler’s return would be welcomed amid a tense, hard-fought series.

Tip-off for Game 4 is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday night at Chase Center, with “Warriors Pregame Live” airing from Thrive City starting at 6 p.m on NBC Sports Bay Area.

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How bottling up Rockets' Green was difference in Warriors' Game 3 win

How bottling up Rockets' Green was difference in Warriors' Game 3 win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Steph Curry’s longevity is on full display in the Warriors’ first-round NBA playoff series against the Rockets, as two of Houston’s top players were elite high school prospects at his own camp. 

Jalen Green showed out in the summer of 2018 before his one season at Prolific Prep, the basketball academy in Napa. The same ridiculous athleticism Amen Thompson plays with today in the NBA was seen at Curry’s camp in 2022. 

Thompson was talked up as the next ‘Steph Stopper’ entering the playoffs after how he helped blanket Curry in a regular-season game just two weeks before the postseason began. Curry had three points in that Warriors loss and went 1-of-10 shooting, just to drop 31 on 12-of-19 shooting with five 3-pointers in Game 1. Myth debunked, again. 

When Curry broke down the Warriors’ Game 2 loss Wednesday in Houston, nothing brought out his frustration more at the podium than looking down at the box score and bringing up Green’s game. A game where Green punished Golden State with 38 points, and eight big ones in the fourth quarter. 

“We just let Jalen get going a little bit, and he got free to space,” Curry said. “There’s no reason he should get up 18 threes. We gotta figure out a way to control where he is on the floor. Those are all momentum threes that kind of kept the separation. … We let him get loose.”

They didn’t Saturday night in the Warriors’ 104-93 Game 3 win, when Green scored just nine points. Curry said the Warriors had to control where Green is on the court. Message received. He was kept in check, and that usually tells the story for the Rockets. 

There were a lot of known factors going into this series of what could determine the outcome. Curry always could flip a game on his own with his scoring outbursts, and how those around him shoot is ever important knowing how the Rockets guard him. The Warriors knew they needed to take care of the ball against the Rockets’ defense, and they only had 10 turnovers in Game 3, which led to 11 points for Houston. The Rockets outrebounded them again — but not by a wide margin — and the Warriors won the hustle and transition stats.

How they went after Green also made all the difference for Golden State. 

He isn’t Curry or Butler, but he can swing the pendulum of how this series can go nearly as much in his own regard. 

“They did what they did, went after Jalen quite a bit and everybody was making him pay from there,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. 

A handful of Warriors held Green to nine points on 4-of-11 shooting, one game after he shot 13 of 25 overall. Green made eight of his 18 3-point attempts in Game 2, but took just five in Game 3 and made one. That’s how it has gone for him throughout the season, and especially against the Warriors. 

His first shot of the night was a three from the top of the arc that was blocked by Draymond Green, leading to a Jonathan Kuminga dunk. The Warriors bottled his athleticism and didn’t let him get downhill consistently. He wasn’t able to create separation, taking away his outside shot essentially all night long. 

Green’s four made shots came from two layups, one dunk and one three at the end of the first quarter. No fourth-quarter explosion, no heater at any point. 

“We just played with more force,” Draymond said. “He kind of roamed free in Houston the other day. So we just made sure to play with more force. Not just with Jalen, though, with everybody. Just made sure they felt us a little more on the defensive end.”

In the Rockets’ 52 wins this season, Green was one of the better young players in the NBA, averaging 22.5 points on 44.6-percent shooting with a 37.1 3-point percentage. Green in those games had a 57.2 true shooting percentage, 114 offensive rating, 108 defensive rating and an average plus/minus of plus-12.7. But those numbers took a significant dip in losses. 

In the 30 games the No. 2-seeded Rockets lost, Green averaged 18.4 points on 38.1-percent shooting with a 32.3 3-point percentage. When the Rockets lost, he had a 49.2 true shooting percentage, 103 offensive rating, 122 defensive rating and his average plus/minus was a minus-14.8. 

The Warriors and Rockets played each other five times in the regular season, with the Warriors taking three of those games. Green in the Rockets’ two wins averaged 16.5 points, and only 10 in their three losses. The Rockets needed 38 points and eight threes from him to win Game 2, and Green has averaged 9.0 points on 26.9-percent shooting in the two games the Warriors have won. 

It’s no secret how much the Rockets lack half-court scoring. NBA All-Star center Alperen Şengün, who was limited to 15 points and 11 rebounds Saturday, is going to put up numbers off his size and skills combination. Green is the one outside threat who really can get the Rockets ready for liftoff. 

When Green’s stuck on the launching pad, the Warriors know the Rockets’ offense is a shell of itself, and they’ll keep throwing everything at him to keep swinging the pendulum in their favor.

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Stephen Curry drops 36 on Rockets, Warriors win game without Butler to take 2-1 series lead

NBA: Playoffs-Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors

Apr 26, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after defeating the Houston Rockets during game three of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

This was the game the Rockets needed to win on the road. Jimmy Butler was sitting on the bench in a brown sweat suit, out with a pelvic contusion after his fall in Game 2. The Warriors are not the same team without him.

Instead, it was the Stephen Curry show. He took over in the second half and dropped 36 on Houston’s long, athletic defense.

With that win, the Warriors are up 2-1 in the series with Game 4 in the Bay Area Monday night. Jimmy Butler could return for that game, and if the Warriors win with him, it will seem the Rockets missed their window.

The Rockets were ahead for much of the first half, with that lead growing to 13 at one point.

The spark the Warriors needed to turn things around came from Buddy Hield. He started draining 3s in the first half and cutting the Rockets’ lead down to size.

It was a rough game for Houston. This is a team built on defense, but they seemed to lose Curry and give him too much space too often. Additionally, their half-court offense stagnated much of the night.

The Warriors learned their lesson from Game 2, when Jalen Green went off for 38. They made him play in a crowd. For the game, the Rockets were led by Fred VanVleet with 17 points (13 of those in the first quarter), while Alperen Sengun added 15 points and 11 rebounds. Nobody could score enough for Houston.

Still, the Rockets fought back and even led 84-83 with 5:47 to go, but then the Warriors went on a 21-9 run to close out the game. A run fueled by Curry.

The Rockets need to find their own offensive fuel by Monday or they will find themselves on the edge of elimination.

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Aaron Gordon's buzzer-beating putback dunk saves Nuggets, ties series with Clippers 2-2

LA Clippers host the Denver Nuggets of game 4 of the first round playoffs

Inglewood, CA - April 26: Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (32) dunks the final basket to beat the Clippers. LA Clippers hosted the Denver Nuggets of game 3 of the first round playoffs at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood Saturday, April 26, 2025. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Nikola Jokic had the ball in his hands with the chance to even up the series against the Clippers: Eight seconds left, score tied 99-99, and he was isolated on Ivica Zubac. Jokic spun for position, put up a shot, and admitted his thought as he released the ball was, "This is going to be bad."

Then Aaron Gordon came flying in.

Gordon tried to sprint off the court as he was mobbed by his teammates, then everyone stood around for a couple of minutes while the review was conducted. Eventually, referee Zach Zarba said it counted.

What had been on the cusp of being a disastrous loss for the Nuggets — blowing a 22-point fourth quarter lead and going down 3-1 in the series — became the most dramatic win of these playoffs, in what has been the best series of the postseason.

The Nuggets escaped with the win and tied the series 2-2 heading back to Denver on Wednesday night.

It looked like a game Denver was going to win comfortably for at least 42 minutes on Saturday night, they came out playing with the desperation of a championship team with its back against the wall.

"I hate that stupid word of physicality, but they were more aggressive to start the game," Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. "I thought they picked their pressure up defensively, it kind of sped us up."

Nuggets defenders Christian Braun and Gordon started picking up James Harden and Kawhi Leonard out much higher on the court. In the face of that, Harden was relatively quiet much of the night (he finished with 15 points and 11 assists). It put pressure on the Clippers' role players to step up and hit shots, but unlike Game 3, that did not happen: Kris Dunn, Nicolas Batum, and Derrick Jones Jr. combined to shoot 1-of-13 from 3-point range. Denver never pulled away in the first half, but they led most of it.

Los Angeles grew frustrated, emotions built up, and then just before halftime — when Braun fouled Harden— everything bubbled over. Harden turned and got in Braun's face. Then Jokic, Gordon and Ivica Zubac all got in the mix. There was a mini-fracas, but referee Zach Zarba handled it well: Six offsetting technicals (Harden, Zubac, Norman Powell, Braun, Jokic and Gordon) so no free throws. Just play on.

For three quarters this looked like another classic Jokic game, as the three-time MVP dominated, particularly in the third quarter, when he scored or assisted on 26 of Denver's 35 points and the Nuggets got the lead above 20. Jokic finished the night with 36 points and 21 rebounds.

"Throughout the game, and he did a great job finding the soft spots in their defense," Nuggets coach David Adelman said of Jokic.

Los Angeles trailed by 22 in the fourth but a combination of an offense-heavy lineup from Lue (leaning on Bogdan Bogdanovic), a zone defense from Los Angeles that threw Denver off, and the tired legs of the Nuggets' starters — every one of them played at least 42 minutes — opened the door for a dramatic comeback. Denver just looked exhausted.

A James Harden driving layup tied the game with eight seconds left. The Nuggets had one more shot and everyone in the building knew where it was going to go, including Gordon.

That putback saved the Nuggets' season — in this tight a series, they were not coming back from 3-1 down. Now, it's just a best-of-three that feels like a toss-up.

"[It's] 2-2. They're great team, won a championship a couple years ago, they're not going to give in, we got to beat them, and that's okay," Lue said.

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Nuggets beat Clippers in Game 4 with a buzzer-beating tip-in dunk

Inglewood, CA - April 26: Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (32) is called for a technical foul during the first half of the LA Clippers Denver Nuggets of game 3 of the first round playoffs at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood Saturday, April 26, 2025. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon stares down the Clippers after a flurry of pushes and shoves between players during Game 4 of the playoff series Saturday at Intuit Dome. Gordon was one of several players to receive technical fouls. There were no ejections. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The goal for the Clippers was to not give the Denver Nuggets any hope in Game 4 and in the process take complete control of the seven-game playoff series.

For any of this to happen, both teams had to maintain their composure, which both sides lost late in the second quarter, resulting in technical fouls being called on six players but no ejections.

The Clippers found a calmness amidst it all, even when they got down 22 points in the fourth quarter, keeping their emotions in check until Aaron Gordon dunked in a missed three-pointer by Nikola Jokic as time expired to give the Nuggets a thrilling 101-99 win.

The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2.

Game 5 is Tuesday night in Denver.

The Clippers went on a 32-9 run to take a 97-96 lead after Bogdan Bogdanovic got an offensive rebound and scored.

Clippers center Ivica Zubac, right, blocks a layup by Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, right, during Game 4 on Saturday.
Clippers center Ivica Zubac blocks a layup by Nuggets guard Jamal Murray during the first half of Game 4 on Saturday at Intuit Dome. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

But Jokic (36 points, 21 rebounds, eight assists) made a free throw to tie the score with 58.6 seconds left. After Kawhi Leonard (24 points) missed a shot, Jokic scored to give the Nuggets a 99-97 lead.

James Harden (15 points, 11 assists) missed on a drive, but Ivica Zubac (19 points, 12 rebounds) tipped the ball in to tie the score at 99-99 with 8.0 seconds left.

Jokic shot a three-pointer that missed, but Gordon (14 points) dunked it for a game Denver thought it had won.

But the officials had to review the play, eventually deciding that the basket was good.

The ruckus began after Christian Braun fouled Harden with 6.6 seconds left in the second quarter, causing a lot of pushing and shoving.

Harden took exception with the foul and pushed Braun, then Jokic came over and pushed Harden followed by Gordon pushing Harden, who then pushed the Nuggets' forward back. Zubac grabbed and pulled Gordon away. But Norman Powell ran over and pushed Gordon and Braun, and Kris Dunn then ran in and pushed Gordon.

The officials finally got things settled down and issued technical fouls on Harden, Powell and Dunn as well as Gordon, Braun and Jokic.

And then when both teams came out to start the second half, both having been given a chance to calm down in their locker rooms and resume playing a tense basketball game, the Nuggets were the aggressors and the Clippers were not.

The Clippers fell behind 85-65 at the end of the third quarter, their offense struggling and their defense unable to control the Nuggets in the early going of the second half.

Denver scored 35 points in the third quarter by shooting 56% from the field and 50% (five for 10) from three-point range.

Meanwhile, the Clippers scored just 17 points in the third quarter, shooting 27.8% from the field.

Before the game, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue talked about his team’s approach to the game.

“We got to be locked in to start defensively,” he said. “They’ve come out really aggressive, really scoring the basketball in that first quarter. So we just got to come out with a defensive mindset to start the game and not give them any life to start the game because they are a really good team. Their starting five is amazing and like I said, they won a championship two years ago so we got to be locked in.”

The Clippers were mostly locked into the game at the outset, their defense forcing the Nuggets into two 24-second violations in the first quarter and that allowed L.A. to trim a Denver lead from nine to two points.

But the Clippers ended the first with a turnover when Harden’s long pass to Zubac sailed out of bounds with 1.9 seconds remaining.

That left the door open for the Nuggets, and they stepped into it when Jokic drilled a 28-foot three-pointer as the buzzer sounded to end the first half that put the Clippers down five points.

The Nuggets were without reserve guard Russell Westbrook (left foot).

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Jimmy Butler officially ruled out for Warriors in Game 3

Golden State looked vulnerable this season before Jimmy Butler arrived, but it's going to need to find a way to win a game without him Saturday.

After going through warmups, Butler has been ruled out of Game 3 against the Rockets at the Chase Center on Saturday.

Butler suffered a deep glute muscle contusion from a fall in Game 2, and his status for Game 3 was always in question. The important news is that there is no structural damage, but the injury was enough to sideline him Saturday night.

Quinten Post will get the start for Golden State with Butler out.

Butler's solid defense and role as another shot creator alongside Stephen Curry, someone opponents must respect, has turned the Golden State season around. In the playoffs, the Warriors have outscored the Rockets by 6.4 points per 100 possessions when he is on the court, but have been outscored by 8.6 points per 100 without him. With Butler out for much of Game 2, the Rockets loaded up their defense on Curry and with that dragged down the Warriors' offense and got the win.

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Thunder beat Grizzlies to reach Conference semis

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket against the Memphis Grizzlies
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points per game in the regular season [Getty Images]

The Oklahoma City Thunder became the first side to advance from the first round of the NBA play-offs as they completed a 4-0 sweep over the Memphis Grizzlies in their best-of-seven series.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander starred again, scoring a play-off career-high 38 points in a 117-115 victory to help send the Thunder into the Western Conference play-off semi-finals.

Gilgeous-Alexander averaged more than 32 points per game in the regular season, in which the Thunder won 68 games.

Jalen Williams added 23 points as the Thunder led for almost the entire second half, despite Scotty Pippen Jr equalling his career-high score with 30 points for the Grizzlies, who were missing injured star guard Ja Morant.

The top seeds in the West will next face the Denver Nuggets or the Los Angeles Clippers.

Earlier, Eastern Conference top seeds the Cleveland Cavaliers demolished the Miami Heat to take a 3-0 lead in their series.

The Heat's 124-87 defeat was their worst play-off loss in franchise history.

Jarrett Allen scored 22 points and D'Andre Hunter added 21 as six Cavs players reached double figures.

Game four takes place on Monday.

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Thunder complete sweep of Grizzlies, reach Western Conference semifinals with 117-115 victory

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 38 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder advanced to the Western Conference semifinals by beating the Memphis Grizzlies 117-115 on Saturday to complete a four-game sweep.

Jalen Williams added 23 points for the top-seeded Thunder, who led the NBA with a 68-14 record this season and became the first team to reach the second round. They will await the fourth-seeded Denver Nuggets or No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers in the next round.

The Grizzlies played without star guard Ja Morant, who bruised his left hip in a hard fall in Game 3. The Thunder erased a 29-point deficit after he left, the second-biggest comeback in a postseason game since detailed play-by-play began being kept in 1996-97.

Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Isaiah Joe had 11 points apiece for the Thunder, with Hartenstein adding 12 rebounds.

Scotty Pippen Jr. matched his career high with 30 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Desmond Bane and Santi Aldama had 23 points apiece.

The game was close through three quarters with neither team building a significant advantage. Oklahoma City led 88-85 entering the fourth. At that point, the Thunder were 4 of 29 from 3-point range.

Williams’ 3-pointer with 5:41 left in the game gave the Thunder a 102-92 lead, the first time either team reached a double-digit advantage. Memphis rallied and a 3-pointer from Bane with 7.1 seconds left cut it to 116-114.

Williams split a pair of free throws with 6 seconds left and the Thunder fouled Bane intentionally. He made the first but Memphis could not rebound his intentional miss of the second.

After six lead changes and five ties in the half, Oklahoma City led 60-59 at the break