Category: Basketball

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The Los Angeles Lakers have a chance to make quick work of the Houston Rockets with a win in Game 4 tonight.

We break down Kalshi’s win probability markets and deliver some Lakers vs. Rockets predictions to help guide your NBA picks for Sunday, April 26.

Who will win Lakers vs Rockets Game 4?

Lakers win probability:62% (-163)
Rockets win probability:40% (+150)

Even at a 3–0 deficit, Houston is once again the favorite, trading at 62¢ to stay alive against Los Angeles.

Our prediction:Lakers to win

It’s time to put the Rockets out of their misery and wrap up the series early.

The Lakers will surely value rest for the players who fought through the series while they anxiously anticipate the return of Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic.

Expect the Lakers to put the final nail in the coffin of a highly dysfunctional Rockets season.

Read more in Zak Hanshew's full Lakers vs. Rockets predictions.

More Lakers vs Rockets prediction markets

You're certainly not limited to the main game outcome for Lakers vs. Rockets at Kalshi; you also have options to trade on the spread, total, and more, among other NBA odds markets.

You can buy either side of a market — for example, "Yes" on the Rockets -5.5 spread means the Rockets will cover, while "No" means the Lakers will cover — with each side priced based on the implied probability (which can be converted to American, Decimal, or Fraction odds using the Covers odds converter).

Lakers vs Rockets spread and total at prediction markets

Our predictions: Over 206.5 points — Yes

After Friday’s 220-point total, the number has moved up just one point to 206.5, making it a value selection.

Other Lakers vs Rockets prediction markets available

• LeBron James 25+ points (Yes: 45¢)
• Alperen Sengun 6+ assists (Yes: 48¢)
• Deandre Ayton 8+ rebounds (Yes: 57¢)

What is Kalshi and how does it work?

Kalshi is a federally regulated U.S. exchange where you trade directly on the outcome of real-world future events. Instead of traditional bets, you trade "Event Contracts," which are simple Yes/No questions like "Will the Rockets win tonight?" These events are priced between $0.01 and $0.99, and the prices reflect the market’s estimated probability of that event occurring. For instance, $0.55 equals a 55% chance. If your prediction is correct, the contract pays out exactly $1.00; if not, it settles at $0. Kalshi is essentially a stock market for reality.

How does Kalshi differ from sportsbooks?

In a sportsbook, you bet against the bookmaker, who sets fixed odds and takes a "vig," which is a kind of commission. On Kalshi, you trade against other users. This peer-to-peer model means prices are driven by supply and demand, often resulting in fairer odds. Additionally, because these are financial derivatives, you can exit your position early. If your team takes a 14-point lead, the contract price will rise, allowing you to sell your "Yes" shares for a profit before the final whistle even blows.

Why should I wager on Lakers vs Rockets at Kalshi?

Kalshi offers four unique advantages over traditional sportsbooks:

1. Flexibility: Unlike a "locked-in" bet, you can sell your contract at any time.
   
   
2. Transparency: You trade against other users, which can allow you to find better value.
   
   
3. Federal regulation: As a CFTC-regulated exchange, your funds are held in a secure, transparent environment.
   
   
4. Availability: Kalshi is available in 49 states (excluding Nevada) and D.C., including many regions where traditional sportsbooks aren't yet legal.

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.

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Victor Wembanyama's availability has been the story of this Round 1 series between the Spurs and Trail Blazers.

With him trending towards playing this afternoon, our Spurs vs. Trail Blazers predictions and SGP picks expect San Antonio to take full control of this series with a win.

Our best Spurs vs Trail Blazers SGP for Game 4

The San Antonio Spurs are 24-17-1 ATS on the road and 14-12-1 ATS as the road favorite. The visiting team covered the spread in 25 of 45 games when favored by at least 5.5 points, including a 10-7 mark when favored by that many on the road.

The Spurs were one of the best two-way teams in the Association this season. San Antonio boasted the second-best net rating (8.4), the third-best offensive rating (118.7), and the third-best defensive rating (110.4).

Five of six head-to-head matchups between the Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers have gone Under the total, and with tonight's number sitting at 219, I expect that trend to continue in Game 4.

With Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama back in action, the Spurs can lock down Portland’s offense and keep this matchup low-scoring.

Wembanyama delivered 35 points in Game 1 before getting concussed in Game 2 and missing most of the contest. Including that shortened stint on the court, Wemby has averaged 29.7 points over his last 18 games, scoring 28+ 10 times.

He’s cashed the Over on this scoring line in five of his last six healthy games.

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 San Antonio Spurs face the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 4 of their first-round NBA playoff series. The Spurs rallied from a 15-point second-half deficit to win Game 3. San Antonio star center Victor Wembanyama has not played since suffering a concussion in the second quarter of Game 2.

How to watch San Antonio Spurs vs. Portland Trail Blazers

• Date: Sunday, April 26

• Time: 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT

• Where: Moda Center, Portland, Oregon

• TV Channels: ESPN

• Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Odds

• Spread: Portland Trail Blazers +5.5

• Moneyline: Portland Trail Blazers +180 (34.2%) / San Antonio Spurs -220 (65.8%)

• Over/Under: 218.5

Series results. schedule (all times Eastern)

Game 1:Spurs 111, Trail Blazers 98
Game 2:Trail Blazers 106, Spurs 103
Game 3:Spurs 120, Trail Blazers 108
Game 4: San Antonio at Portland on Sunday, April 26 (3:30 p.m., ESPN)
Game 5: Portland at San Antonio on Tuesday, April 28 (9:30 p.m. ESPN)
*Game 6: San Antonio at Portland on Thursday, April 30 (time and network TBD)
*Game 7: Portland at San Antonio on Saturday, May 2 (time and network TBD)

*if necessary

Wolves' Anthony Edwards likely to miss weeks with knee injury, AP source says originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The left knee of Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards remained structurally intact when he was injured during Game 4 of his team’s Western Conference first-round playoff series, but he is likely to miss multiple weeks, a person with knowledge of the situation said Sunday.

Edwards has a bone bruise and also hyperextended the knee, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced details or a return-to-play timeline.

ESPN and The Athletic first reported the diagnosis on Edwards.

Edwards was hurt in the first half of Minnesota’s 112-96 win over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night, a victory that gave the Timberwolves a 3-1 lead in that series. But the Wolves also lost fellow starting guard Donte DiVincenzo in that game with a torn Achilles tendon, meaning his season is over and his 2026-27 season is likely in great jeopardy as well.

Game 5 of the series is Monday night in Denver.

DiVincenzo was having surgery to repair the Achilles on Sunday in New York, the Timberwolves announced. That timeframe — surgery one day after the injury — follows what Boston’s Jayson Tatum did after he sufferend the same injury in last season’s playoffs. Tatum started rehab quickly and missed about 10 months, returning for the final stretch of this season. If DiVincenzo follows the same timeline, he could be back before the end of next season.

Edwards is one of the NBA’s most dynamic players, someone who — if he had met the league’s eligibility criteria by playing in a few more games — would have been a lock to make the All-NBA team for a third consecutive season.

He averaged 28.8 points in the regular season, third best in the NBA behind Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Edwards also averaged five rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

Edwards was fourth in scoring for the U.S. Olympic team that won a gold medal at the Paris Games in 2024. He missed 21 games this season, by far the most of his career.

This injury happened with him on the defensive end, while he was contesting a layup attempt by Denver’s Cam Johnson. Edwards leaped in an effort to block the shot, and when he landed his left leg appeared to be at an unusual angle. His knee buckled, and when he hobbled off the floor he seemed unable to put much if any weight on that leg.

Timberwolves forward Julius Randle said he didn’t see DiVincenzo before leaving the arena, and he had a quiet exchange with Edwards when he saw him in the locker room.

“I just dapped him up,” Randle said. “There’s not much to say in those moments. … Somebody who’s going through those situations is processing a lot.”

Wolves' Anthony Edwards likely to miss weeks with knee injury, AP source says originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The left knee of Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards remained structurally intact when he was injured during Game 4 of his team’s Western Conference first-round playoff series, but he is likely to miss multiple weeks, a person with knowledge of the situation said Sunday.

Edwards has a bone bruise and also hyperextended the knee, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced details or a return-to-play timeline.

ESPN and The Athletic first reported the diagnosis on Edwards.

Edwards was hurt in the first half of Minnesota’s 112-96 win over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night, a victory that gave the Timberwolves a 3-1 lead in that series. But the Wolves also lost fellow starting guard Donte DiVincenzo in that game with a torn Achilles tendon, meaning his season is over and his 2026-27 season is likely in great jeopardy as well.

Game 5 of the series is Monday night in Denver.

DiVincenzo was having surgery to repair the Achilles on Sunday in New York, the Timberwolves announced. That timeframe — surgery one day after the injury — follows what Boston’s Jayson Tatum did after he sufferend the same injury in last season’s playoffs. Tatum started rehab quickly and missed about 10 months, returning for the final stretch of this season. If DiVincenzo follows the same timeline, he could be back before the end of next season.

Edwards is one of the NBA’s most dynamic players, someone who — if he had met the league’s eligibility criteria by playing in a few more games — would have been a lock to make the All-NBA team for a third consecutive season.

He averaged 28.8 points in the regular season, third best in the NBA behind Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Edwards also averaged five rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

Edwards was fourth in scoring for the U.S. Olympic team that won a gold medal at the Paris Games in 2024. He missed 21 games this season, by far the most of his career.

This injury happened with him on the defensive end, while he was contesting a layup attempt by Denver’s Cam Johnson. Edwards leaped in an effort to block the shot, and when he landed his left leg appeared to be at an unusual angle. His knee buckled, and when he hobbled off the floor he seemed unable to put much if any weight on that leg.

Timberwolves forward Julius Randle said he didn’t see DiVincenzo before leaving the arena, and he had a quiet exchange with Edwards when he saw him in the locker room.

“I just dapped him up,” Randle said. “There’s not much to say in those moments. … Somebody who’s going through those situations is processing a lot.”

The Minnesota Timberwolves have dodged a serious blow to star guard Anthony Edwards, but his status for the rest of the NBA playoffs remains in question..

Medical imaging tests revealed that Edwards, the NBA’s third-leading scorer this season, suffered a bone bruise and hyperextension in his left knee on Saturday, April 25, in Game 4 of Minnesota’s first-round playoff series against the Nuggets.

The results were first reported by ESPN.

Although sources tell the network Edwards is expected to be sidelined multiple weeks, he did avoid a more serious ligament injury that would’ve ended his postseason.

The Minnesota Timberwolves took a commanding 3-1 lead over the Denver Nuggets in their first-round matchup of the Western Conference playoffs. However, the Wolves lost two key players to injuries during the game that will make it harder to close out the series. Former Golden State Warriors guard Donte DiVincenzo was removed from Game 4 less than a minute into regulation after taking a three-pointer and reaching for the back of his right calf. A non-contact injury, it had the telltale signs of a dreaded Achilles’ tear. By Saturday evening, it was confirmed that DiVincenzo had torn his right Achilles. He is now undeniably out for the postseason and given the timing, will likely miss all of the 2026-27 season as well. The Wolves now anxiously await the diagnosis of star Anthony Edwards’ injury, who left the game later with a knee issue of his own after a scary collision with Cam Johnson.

DiVincenzo has been a key rotation player in Minnesota since he was acquired alongside Julius Randle in the Karl-Anthony Towns trade back in 2024. After serving as the team’s sixth man last season, DiVincenzo started all of the Timberwolves 82 games this year, averaging 12.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.3 steals in 30.4 minutes per game on 40.6%/37.9%/74.3% shooting. So far this postseason, DiVincenzo had been off to a scorching hot start, shooting 47.8% from three-point range.

DiVincenzo’s injury could very likely bring his tenure in Minnesota to a close. The Wolves acquired guard Ayo Dosunmo at the trade deadline, and he has fit in admirably. Slated to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, though, Dosunmo is in position to ask for a significant payday. With the Wolves hoping to remain contenders next season, DiVincenzo’s $12.535 million salary next year becomes an obvious tradeable expiring contract. Minnesota could potentially attach draft capital with DiVincenzo to clear salary, giving them more flexibility to pay Dosunmo, or could use DiVincenzo as matching salary for a longer-term contract with a player ready to play by the start of next season.

The Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Toronto Raptors in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series. The Cavs won the series’ first two games before the Raptors took Game 3 on Thursday. Cleveland is favored by 3.5 points in Game 4. Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley is out for the entire first-round series due to a hamstring injury.

How to watch Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors

• Date: Sunday, April 26

• Time: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT

• Where: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario

• TV Channels: ESPN

• Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Odds

• Spread: Toronto Raptors +3.5

• Moneyline: Toronto Raptors +145 (39.1%) / Cleveland Cavaliers -175 (60.9%)

• Over/Under: 220.5

Series results, schedule

Game 1:Cavaliers 126, Raptors 113
Game 2:Cavaliers 115, Raptors 105
Game 3:Raptors 126, Cavaliers 104
Game 4: Sun., April 26 at Toronto (1 p.m., ESPN)
Game 5: Wed., April 29 at Cleveland (TBD)
*Game 6: Fri., May 1 at Toronto (TBD)
*Game 7: Sun., May 3 at Cleveland (TBD)

*if necessary

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Sunday’s four-game slate is certainly not lacking in excitement. The Los Angeles Lakers can complete the sweep of the Houston Rockets on the road and head to the Western Conference semifinals with a victory. 

The other three matchups all feature home teams down 2-1, looking to even up their respective series. Today’s best NBA player props and NBA picks focus on those games, keying in on young players enjoying breakout postseason success.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
RJ Barrett	Over 20.5 points	-120
Scoot Henderson	Over 14.5 points	-130
VJ Edgecombe	Over 6.5 rebounds	+115

Prop #1: RJ Barrett Over 20.5 points

-120 at bet365

The Toronto Raptors wouldn’t have won Game 3 without RJ Barrett... plain and simple. He scored 16 points in the decisive fourth quarter, going off for 13 points in a blistering three-minute stretch to put Cleveland out of striking distance once and for all.

Over his last 14 games, dating back to the regular season, Barrett has averaged 22 points, reaching 21+ nine times. He’s hit that mark in four of his last seven at home and scored exactly 20 one more time.

Immanuel Quickley is out again, and Barrett’s scoring average increased from 19 points per game to 20.6 in eight games with Quickley on the sideline. Barrett scored 21+ in four of eight regular-season games without IQ this season.

Barrett has averaged a healthy 26.3 points per game while shooting 64.4% from the floor in this series. His efficiency is bound to drop off, but I don’t expect it to crater, and I’m counting on another strong offensive showing.

• Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ESPN

Prop #2: Scoot Henderson Over 14.5 points

-130 at bet365

Scoot Henderson missed most of the regular season due to a left hamstring injury, but he averaged a career-high 14.2 points across 30 games to close out his third NBA campaign.

Dating back to the regular season, he's started 11 straight games, and he’s averaged 17.4 points in that span. Henderson recorded at least 15 points in eight of his last 11, going for exactly 14 once more.

Scoot has been phenomenal in his first-ever playoff series. He ranks third on the team in field goal attempts and minutes per game, and he leads Portland in points (23.3) and triples (4.0).

The 22-year-old microwave scorer is making the most of his opportunities, and his season-high 31 points propelled the Portland Trail Blazers to victory in Game 2.

They'll need all the scoring they can get against a stout San Antonio Spurs defense, and Henderson’s outside shooting will be key to spacing the floor and countering the daunting interior presence of Victor Wembanyama.

• Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ESPN

Prop #3: VJ Edgecombe Over 6.5 rebounds

+115 at bet365

Like Barrett and Henderson, VJ Edgecombe is another hungry, young player having a productive playoff run. With Joel Embiid expected to sit out Game 4, Edgecombe should continue to see increased rebounding opportunities.

Edgecombe recorded 10 rebounds in Games 2 and 3, and he’s finished with 7+ boards in three of seven total matchups with the Boston Celtics this season. In those seven games, the rookie averaged 6.1 boards.

Edgecombe averaged 5.6 rebounds per game on the season, but he’s taken his rebounding to a new level over his last eight appearances. In that span, Edgecombe has averaged eight boards and corralled at least seven in six of them. 

Playing at home and in desperate need of a win, I expect Edgecombe to continue his stellar inaugural playoff run and cash this plus-money player prop.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBC/Peacock

These props are available now at bet365, one of our best betting sites.

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Our NBA player prop projections have been providing winners all season long, and now they have six NBA picks for today's Game 4 matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors.

We've also got you covered with in-depth analysis in our complete Cavaliers vs. Raptors predictions for April 26.

Cavaliers vs Raptors computer picks for Game 4

Cavaliers	Raptors
Mitchell u26.5 points -112	Walter o7.5 points -125
Mobley o0.5 threes  -135	Barrett o19.5 points -120
Harden o19.5 points  -112	Ingram u19.5 points -110

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Cavaliers Game 4 computer picks

Donovan Mitchell Under 26.5 points (-112)

Projection: 24.38 points

After two strong games at home to start the series, Donovan Mitchell put up just 15 points in this 6ix. The Toronto Raptors did a much better job of keeping him at bay, and our model expects them to have similar success.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet mitchell Now at bet365!/span

Evan Mobley Over 0.5 threes (-135)

Projection: 0.92 threes

Evan Mobley is by no means a sharpshooter, but he has a reliable stroke from deep when the Cleveland Cavaliers need him to. Mobley hit threes in two of the first three games, and his volume will be high enough that he'll knock at least one long ball down.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet mobley Now at bet365!/span

James Harden Over 19.5 points (-112)

Projection: 21.49 points

Similar to Mitchell, James Harden had a quieter Game 3 in Toronto. Still, 20 points is a lot more obtainable than 27, and our model believes "The Beard" will have enough volume to go Over this number.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet harden Now at bet365!/span

---

Raptors Game 4 computer picks

Ja'Kobe Walter Over 7.5 points (-125)

Projection: 10.07 points

This is the top model play according to our projections. Ja'Kobe Walter delivered a stinker in Game 3, but he finished with 14 points in Game 2 and seven in Game 1.

He won't go 0-fer again, and he'll be able to knock down enough shots to hit this number.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet walter Now at bet365!/span

RJ Barrett Over 19.5 points (-120)

Projection: 21.90 points

RJ Barrett has played like a man possessed vs. the Cavs, going 3-for-3 on his points line. With Brandon Ingram struggling, Barrett has stepped up in a big way and will do so again in Game 3.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet barrett Now at bet365!/span

Brandon Ingram Under 20.5 points (-110)

Projection: 19.12 points

As mentioned, BI has been brutal through the first three games. The slick wing has 19 points combined in his last two outings, and our model expects those shooting woes to continue this afternoon.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet ingram Now at bet365!/span

How to watch Cavaliers vs Raptors Game 4

Location	Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
Date	Sunday, April 26, 2026
Tip-off	1:00 p.m. ET
TV	TSN, ESPN

Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

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The Toronto Raptors needed a response in Game 3 and they got it, and they'll need another one against the Cleveland Cavaliers in tonight's Game 4 if they want to head back to Cleveland all tied up.

However, our Cavaliers vs. Raptors predictions suggest Cleveland should be eager to play much better tonight, and our SGP picks expect Donovan Mitchell to be at his best.

Our best Cavaliers vs Raptors SGP for Game 4

Coming off a Game 3 where he scored just 15 points and shot 1-for-7 from beyond the arc, Donovan Mitchell is a prime bounce-back candidate tonight.

Spida had poured in 30+ points in four straight outings before a quiet night on Thursday, and his 3-point shooting is a natural spark for his stat lines.

This is a guy who shot nearly 56% from the floor and 47% from beyond the arc through the first two games of this series. That shooting touch will return tonight.

Though Scottie Barnes has given Toronto a lifeline in this series, the Cleveland Cavaliers can lean on more playoff experience and a larger pool of counters, so I’ll lay the small spread and trust in the visitors’ 7-2 SU mark in their last nine contests.

Cleveland has also put together a healthy 25-17 record on the road this season.

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 Philadelphia 76ers will get a chance at home to even their first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics on Sunday in Game 4.

The Celtics were able to reclaim the series lead on Friday, going up 2-1 after defeating the hosting Sixers in Game 3. It was a much closer affair though than Boston’s first win in this series — a 32-point victory in Game 1 — with Philadelphia putting up another valiant effort until simply faltering a bit too much at the end of the 108-100 contest.

Sunday is a new day however, and the Sixers will be back on their home court in front of their fans at Xfinity Mobile Arena with a chance to re-tie the series before things head back to Boston.

The main variable for Philadelphia coming into Game 4 is the status of Joel Embiid, who is currently listed as doubtful for the contest as he continues to work toward medical clearance following an appendectomy just over two weeks ago. If he is ultimately able to play, everything changes quite a bit. We all know how the Sixers’ strategy shifts when they are able to utilize Embiid on the floor, and his presence would certainly put some extra work on the Celtics’ defense and increase spacing for everyone else. That being said, right now, all we can do is wait and see. One can imagine Embiid is probably pushing pretty hard to get out on the floor, and now it’s just up to the medical staff to be satisfied enough with his recovery to clear him to play.

Another injury-related variable coming into Sunday is Kelly Oubre Jr., who is listed questionable as of Sunday morning with right adductor soreness. Oubre has been making some solid contributions throughout the series and is coming off arguably his best performance of these playoffs so far, posting 17 points on 6-for-12 field goal shooting in Game 3. His status, for now, is another situation we just have to wait and see about.

Something that could definitely make a difference in Game 4 for the Sixers would be a bounce-back performance from VJ Edgecombe. The rookie struggled quite a bit in the Game 3 loss, putting up just 10 points in over 41 minutes played shooting 5-for-17 (29.4%) from the floor and going 0-for-7 from long range. He continued to contribute in other ways, posting 10 rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block, but he simply couldn’t get going offensively.

The good news is that Edgecombe had a similar experience back in the Sixers’ crushing Game 1 defeat and was able to bounce back in a huge way. The rookie had just 13 points in that series opener, shooting 37.5% from the floor and 0-for-5 from long range. Just two days later, though, was a much different story. Rather than getting down on himself about the struggles of Game 1, Edgecombe looked like a star in Game 2. The rookie led the Sixers to victory with 30 points on 12-for-20 (60.0%) field goal shooting and 6-for-10 (60.0%) three-point shooting in that second contest. It was also his first career playoff double-double, grabbing 10 boards.

The Sixers in general actually had bounced back really well in Game 2. From game strategy adjustments down to individual performances, the two contests were night and day for Philadelphia. The fortunate thing coming into Game 4 is that they don’t even need that large of a turnaround again. The Sixers actually hung in there really well with the Celtics in Game 3 throughout the majority of the contest, even with Edgecombe struggling and minimal impact from bench players not named Andre Drummond. There are certainly adjustments to be made, but the situation is not nearly as dire and desperate as after Game 1.

The question is simply are they able to make those adjustments again and tighten up in the areas they so obviously have room for improvement in, such as limiting offensive rebounding and second-chance points for Boston, and to have the guys they need to step up to do so.

I’ll be honest, I personally have been extremely impressed with the level of fight this Sixers’ squad — especially without Embiid — has been able to put up against this Celtics team. Especially after Game 1, it looked like Boston had sincere potential for a 4-0 sweep with +20-point wins. Don’t get me wrong, there are no moral victories in the playoffs, that’s not what I’m saying at all. I simply mean that I now have a lot stronger of a “they could steal a win here” coming into these games post-Game 2 than I anticipated ever having in this series coming into it — whether they are with or without Embiid by the time tipoff comes around.

But… having Embiid certainly wouldn’t hurt.

Game 4 tips off at 7 p.m. ET.

Game Details

When: Sunday, April 26, 7 p.m. ET
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Watch: Peacock
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers