Category: Basketball

Three keys to Warriors defeating Suns in win-or-go-home NBA play-in game originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

PHOENIX – Passing their first test, the Warriors’ season again comes down to one game. But this time, a win gets them into the NBA playoffs for a first-round series against the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Warriors’ epic comeback road win Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA play-in tournament pushed them to Phoenix, where they will face the Suns on Friday night. The winner moves on, and the loser starts their offseason early. 

Unlike their regular-season struggles against the Clippers, the Warriors didn’t have many problems with the Suns. They went 3-1, and their only loss to them was by one point on a controversial foul call that gave the Suns free throws with 0.4 seconds left. But as the Warriors preached before their first game in the play-in tournament, the past is the past in single elimination.

How the Warriors beat the Clippers brought back memories of the good old days, telling everyone their time isn’t up quite yet. That was probably the most excited they’ve been since the last game the Warriors were in Phoenix and celebrated a crazy comeback like a Game 7 win. Two-plus months have passed, and each team is ready for another shot at one another. 

Here are three keys to the Warriors’ play-in game against the Suns.

Let It Fly 

The 3-point line played a key role in both Western Conference play-in games thus far. The Portland Trail Blazers came back to beat the Suns in a game they had a 24-point advantage from three. Both teams shot 36 percent from three, but it was the Blazers who took 22 more threes than the Suns (47 to 25) and made eight more than them (17 to nine). 

In LA, the Warriors set a record of 19 threes in a play-in game. The Warriors had five players who made multiple threes, led by Steph Curry’s seven, and the Clippers only had two players make more than one three. Golden State should be able to use the 3-ball to its advantage this game, too. 

From an accuracy standpoint, the Warriors didn’t light up the 3-point line this season against the Suns. They shot 36.2 percent, yet they also made 18 more threes than the Suns. The Warriors won the 3-point battle in all four games, and the one that was closest happened to be their one-point loss. 

The Suns’ defense was as good as it gets guarding 3-point shooters this season. Not against the Warriors, though. Let’s see what happens with the playoffs looming.

The Other Three

Warriors coach Steve Kerr kept saying going into Wednesday’s game that he was comfortable playing 10 or 11 guys. He played eight. When you wonder why the Warriors had the secret sauce to overcome the Clippers, remember that five of the eight players Kerr used have won a championship. 

The other three are Gui Santos, Brandin Podziemski and De’Anthony Melton. Each contributed against the Clippers, and the Warriors will need that again. 

Who would have guessed Santos would score 20 points and lead the Warriors as a plus-16? The only playoff game he played real minutes in last season was a blowout loss to the Houston Rockets. The leap Santos has made now has him starting in do-or-die games as a trusted scorer. 

Podziemski also started against the Clippers. He led the Warriors in rebounds (seven), was second in plus/minus (plus-10) and third in points (17). When the Warriors last played the Suns, they held Podziemski scoreless in 12 minutes off the bench, but that isn’t the player he has been the last month and a half.

Between the three, Melton’s numbers jump out the least from last game. He’ll still be equally as needed. Melton’s defense on buckets like Devin Booker and Jalen Green can push the outcome one way or another. Nobody was better than Melton in the Warriors’ celebratory win in their most recent game in Phoenix. 

Dillon Brooks Vs. Everybody 

Specifically, Curry, Draymond Green and Kerr. 

“Steph and Draymond,” Brooks responded Thursday when asked why he wanted to play the Warriors next instead of the Clippers. “That’s it. And Steve Kerr.”

Brooks has so much beef with the Warriors that he’s been loathed by them on three different teams. That isn’t easy to do. After taking him down as a member of the Memphis Grizzlies and then the Rockets, the Warriors now get a postseason crack at him on the Suns. It starts with Curry, Green and Kerr, but the Warriors’ feelings on Brooks extend much deeper. 

It’s not like Gary Payton II will ever forget the dirty play by Brooks that broke his elbow in the 2022 playoffs. Brooks has a reputation and he doesn’t shy away from it. The Warriors will protect Curry from Brooks’ physical shenanigans, and Green will be right in the middle of the action. 

Don’t look away. Some kind of chicanery is coming to the desert. It’s up to the Warriors to let the head games fuel them into keeping their season alive.

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Warriors must deodorize stinky habit if they want to beat Suns in play-in game originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Walking out of Intuit Dome late Wednesday night after a play-in tournament victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, the Warriors felt such jubilation that not a soul among them would consider examining the musty underside of their triumph.

“Look, we finished 10th. We’re lucky to even be here,” coach Steve Kerr told reporters in Inglewood after extending their season with a 121-116 win over the Clippers. “If this were seven or eight years ago, we would be on vacation already.”

The glow of success was not the time for the Warriors to peek at their sloppy work. They overcame it, earning the right to smell the roses. Their most reliably prevalent flaw was highly visible but not fatal.

With an opportunity to extend their impaired season, the Warriors instead made a spirited effort to end it, failing only because of their overall resilience and the brilliance of veterans Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis.

After ceding numerous potential regular-season victories due to an astonishing number of turnovers, the Warriors reminded everyone that even as the stakes rise, the habit nags.

“We haven’t had our group together for a long enough time where you know how it’s going to go,” Curry said after the game. “In years past, you know kind of what to expect just based on the body of work that a team puts together. With this team, we don’t have that. So, we’re trying to piece it together on the fly.”

Golden State’s 20 turnovers fed numerous LA possessions, with the Clippers scoring a whopping 35 points – almost 30 percent of their total of 121 – with found money. The Warriors survived their most self-destructive habit largely because they stole more possessions than LA during the pivotal fourth quarter.

Los Angeles, through the first three quarters, scored 28 points off Golden State’s 17 turnovers. Seven of the eight Warriors who played had committed at least one giveaway, with Gui Santos (four) and Brandin Podziemski (three), Curry (three) and Green (three) leading the way. Their risky game didn’t so much keep the Clippers in the game as keep them ahead.

Then came a fourth quarter that the Warriors might not be able to replicate Friday night in Phoenix, where they face the Suns in the final NBA play-in tournament game. They got serious about winning, ringing up 43 points, shooting 75 percent from the field, including a preposterous 72.7 percent from deep. In a related issue, they committed three turnovers to give the Clippers seven points while scoring 11 points off six LA turnovers.

The Warriors won the fourth quarter by 11 points.

“We turned the ball over 18 times for 26 points,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said of his team’s game totals. “We talked about how we can’t do that, and then give up 43 points in the fourth quarter.”

Turnovers, in Lue’s mind, undid his team and ended its season.

Turnovers, in Kerr’s mind, have been the correctible shortcoming most responsible for Golden State being a sub-.500 team in the regular season. Couldn’t prevent injuries, but could prevent silly passes to the opponent.

The Warriors during the regular season studied hours upon hours of incriminating video, watching the damage they caused to themselves. They practiced incessantly in an honest effort to break a habit so consistently maddening that Kerr at one point decided he no longer would say the word “turnovers.”

The coach wasn’t asked about it Wednesday night, and neither he nor any of those who engineered the victory volunteered a comment. Golden State’s stinky corner closet was deodorized by the comeback victory.

The Warriors took their W and moved on, their season continuing in Phoenix, with the winner advancing to the first round of the playoffs, where they will be ticketed for Oklahoma City to face the No. 1 seed and defending champion Thunder.

“We’ve had coaches preparing for both Portland and Phoenix over the last week, so our game plan is all set,” Kerr said 45 hours before the scheduled tipoff at Mortgage Matchup Center. “We just have to present it to the players probably (Thursday) evening. We won’t have a practice, but we’ll go through the game plan and then shootaround Friday to walk through some things.

“We’ll be ready.”

The loser of Warriors vs. Suns immediately sinks into the offseason. The exploits of the four ringleaders — Curry, Green, Horford and Porzingis — on Wednesday were enough to indicate this is a very winnable game for Golden State.

Assuming, that is, the Warriors curtail their habit of inviting defeat and avoiding testing the law of averages.

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18 thoughts and tidbits on Sixers vs. Celtics 1st-round series originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Though there’s nothing unfamiliar about the Sixers’ first-round playoff opponent, the team’s upcoming series vs. the Celtics is still full of storylines.

Before Game 1 Sunday afternoon in Boston, here are 18 thoughts and tidbits on the series: 

1. Boston isn’t invincible, but the Celtics are very strong and just about everyone will reasonably pick them to win this series.

Since starting 5-7, Boston has gone 51-19. According to Cleaning the Glass, the Celtics rank second in offensive rating outside of garbage time and fourth in defensive rating over those 70 games. 

Counting their play-in tournament win over the Magic, the Sixers are 46-37. They won’t need to force the underdog role whatsoever.

2. As has been the case in plenty of prior postseasons, the great unknown is Joel Embiid. 

The Sixers’ star center underwent an appendectomy last week and is out indefinitely. Embiid’s instinct has always been to rush back from injury in the playoffs, although appendicitis is obviously not a traditional basketball ailment.

For now, the Sixers haven’t given any indications that Embiid has a targeted return date. They were happy to have him in attendance for Wednesday night’s victory. Embiid stopped by the Sixers’ locker room pregame and cheered from the bench.

“I’d talked to him via phone and I was surprised to see him there,” Tyrese Maxey said. “I gave him a big hug. I’m glad to see him and his spirits are high. We’re happy for him.” 

3. Embiid’s on-court presence remains invaluable to the Sixers and he played at an All-Star level in many of his 38 games this season. The Sixers were 24-14 when he was available. Excluding the play-in, they went 21-23 without him. 

4. The Sixers aren’t satisfied just to have cracked the playoffs again. However, a year after enduring nonstop injuries and finishing 24-58, returning to the postseason is certainly meaningful. 

“I told the guys I’m proud of them,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said Wednesday. “There’s many times this season I’ve told them I’m proud of them for how they kind of picked themselves up and kept playing. This was another example tonight with some stakes and some pressures. We played extremely hard. I thought we made a lot of winning plays.

“And to go back to the opening press conference of the year, I said, ‘We’ve got a really, really big hole to dig out of and we want to get into the tournament somehow.’ It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t pretty, but we’re here and now we’ve got to see what we can do with it.”

5. The Celtics and Sixers split their four-game series in the regular season. The first three games were all ultra-close and entertaining. On opening night, Maxey and VJ Edgecombe totaled 74 points and the Sixers stormed back to win in Boston. The Sixers’ speedy, tireless backcourt would love to rekindle that magic in Game 1. 

6. Watching the tape of the season series, it’s remarkable that the Celtics had such an excellent year amid a rather high volume of roster and rotation changes. Xavier Tillman, Anfernee Simons, Josh Minott and Chris Boucher were all in the Celtics’ rotation for the opener and they’re no longer on the team. 

7. By far the most notable in-season Celtics addition was Jayson Tatum. He’s played 16 games since returning from a ruptured Achilles tendon and averaged 21.8 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists. Even if he’s a bit worse than his norm as a shooter and isn’t incredibly explosive in the playoffs, Tatum should clearly make the Celtics harder to beat. 

8. Paul George also played zero of the four Sixers-Celtics regular-season games. He appeared in the Sixers’ final 10 games of the season after serving a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy and posted 21.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.2 steals per contest.

To upset the Celtics, we imagine the Sixers will need George to score in isolation, easing the offensive burden on Maxey; launch catch-and-shoot three-pointers and make a fair number; play high-quality defense on Boston’s stars while avoiding foul trouble; and provide veteran steadiness to a Sixers rotation without much playoff experience. 

That’s asking a lot, but George has shown signs post-suspension that he’s much healthier and capable of playing like a star. 

9. In sizing up the Celtics, George nicely captured the stiff test ahead. 

“We’re playing against winners,” he said. “We’re playing against champions. This is where they play their best basketball. We respect that. We’re going to have to challenge that. They’ve been great for a couple years now. They’re a well-oiled machine. 

“Great coach, great roster. Two studs, two superstars over there and just a ton of guys that know how to play the right way. It’s going to be a challenge. We’ve just got to be ready for it.”

Jaylen Brown’s a five-time All-Star and Tatum’s a six-time All-Star. Other important pieces from the Celtics’ 2023-24 championship-winning team are still in Boston, among them Derrick White and Payton Pritchard. Joe Mazzulla has a 238-90 record (72.6 winning percentage) in four years as head coach. 

10. The Celtics have a well-earned reputation as a team that bombs away from long range. They were third in the NBA in three-point frequency.

Boston can also hurt the Sixers inside the arc, though. Both Brown and Pritchard torched the Sixers in the mid-range to propel the Celtics to a big first-half lead back on Halloween.

If the Sixers get caught on screens, make small mistakes defending drivers, or fail to fully stop the ball in transition, the Celtics will take and make comfortable two-point looks. 

11. The fact that Boston relied on its half-court offense more than any other team this season may be a small silver lining for the Sixers. 

The Celtics had the NBA’s slowest pace. They also ranked last in transition frequency, per Cleaning the Glass. Mazzulla may very well encourage his team to play faster than usual and target the Sixers’ transition defense, which has often struggled. But at their core, the Celtics lean heavily on their half-court offense. 

12. As would be the case against almost any opponent, the Sixers’ defensive rebounding is a serious concern.

They were 27th in the NBA in defensive rebounding rate. The Celtics were fifth in offensive rebounding rate. Neemias Queta was dominant on the glass against Andre Drummond and the Sixers in Boston’s March 1 win. He posted a career-high 27 points, 17 rebounds (10 offensive) and three blocks. 

Queta’s a true 7-footer and an outstanding athlete. Assuming Embiid stays out to start the series, the Sixers’ center pair of Drummond and Adem Bona must be better against him, especially in the rebounding department. 

13. Maxey’s lingering right pinky finger injury shouldn’t be an afterthought. 

As he acknowledged after the play-in win, that taped-up finger has been impacting his jumper. Although he wasn’t his most efficient vs. Orlando — 31 points on 11-for-25 shooting (3 for 9 from three-point range) — Maxey wasn’t reluctant to fire. 

“It’s just a comfort thing,” Maxey said postgame. “Sometimes the ball feels a little different … but I’m not going to make any excuse. The Indiana game, I was trying to get up more threes just so I could see OK, where do I feel comfortable at? I’ve got to shoot ‘em and I’ve got to make ‘em for this team. 

“That’s how we win games and that’s just my game. It helps me with everything else. … That’s the biggest thing for me, comfort level. But I’m comfortable. It is what it is. It’s the playoffs and everybody’s probably banged up.”

14. The Sixers only used a three-man bench vs. the Magic. That surely won’t be sustainable (or optimal) for an entire best-of-seven series. Justin Edwards would be a logical addition to the rotation for this matchup.

At his best, Edwards is a competitive wing defender with a knack for finding and sinking open jumpers. He’s unafraid to take important shots, too. The 22-year-old lefty had a memorable night vs. the Celtics on Nov. 11, making his first eight field goals. He finally was off on a late go-ahead jumper attempt, but Kelly Oubre Jr. snagged the rebound and made a put-back lay-in. 

“Game-winning miss,” Edwards said. 

15. Some of the defensive assignments are easy to predict. For instance, as he did in the regular season, Oubre will spend a ton of possessions guarding Brown.

We’ll also highlight Jordan Walsh’s defense on Maxey as a significant, intriguing option for Boston. According to NBA.com, Maxey shot 1 for 9 with Walsh defending him in that Nov. 11 game. Walsh has a tenacious approach and a 7-2 wingspan. 

16. During the Embiid era, the Sixers have lost series to the Celtics in 2018 (4-1), 2020 (4-0) and 2023 (4-3). Their last series win over Boston was 44 years ago. 

17. There was a lot for the Sixers to like from that 2023 second-round series until they got blown out in Game 7. 

James Harden was magnificent on multiple occasions, including a 45-point performance in an Embiid-less Game 1 win and a 42-point outing in the Sixers’ overtime Game 4 victory. Embiid raised the MVP trophy at home before Game 3. Role players like De’Anthony Melton, Georges Niang and Danuel House Jr. had bright moments. 

Of course, it didn’t quite add up to enough. The Sixers failed to finish off the Celtics in Game 6 and played a terrible third quarter in Game 7. They were left to wonder what would’ve happened against the eighth-seeded Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. 

18. The one player in the series who’s been both a Sixer and a Celtic is 35-year-old Boston big man Nikola Vucevic. 

On the executive side, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey started his NBA career with the Celtics. Assistant general manager Jameer Nelson had a six-game playing stint as a Celtic during the 2014-15 season. 

Sixers assistant coach Mike Longabardi won a title with the 2007-08 Celtics. Mazzulla has several former Sixers coaches on his staff in Sam Cassell, DJ MacLeay and Tyler Lashbrook. Cassell grew close with Maxey during his Sixers years and played a major part in him developing into a superstar.

Golden State Warriors (37-45, 10th in the Western Conference) vs. Phoenix Suns (45-37, seventh in the Western Conference)

Phoenix; Friday, 10 p.m. EDT

LINE: Suns -3.5; over/under is 219.5

PLAY-IN GAME: The Suns and Warriors square off to decide the eighth seed in the Western Conference.

BOTTOM LINE: The Phoenix Suns host the Golden State Warriors for the NBA Playoffs Play-In Tournament. The winner earns the eighth seed in the Western Conference Playoffs.

The Suns are 10-7 against division opponents. Phoenix averages 112.6 points while outscoring opponents by 1.5 points per game.

The Warriors are 7-9 against Pacific Division teams. Golden State is eighth in the Western Conference giving up only 115.2 points while holding opponents to 48.0% shooting.

The Suns score 112.6 points per game, 2.6 fewer points than the 115.2 the Warriors give up. The Warriors average 15.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.5 more made shots on average than the 12.2 per game the Suns give up.

TOP PERFORMERS: Devin Booker is shooting 45.6% and averaging 26.1 points for the Suns. Royce O'Neale is averaging 2.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Brandin Podziemski is scoring 13.8 points per game with 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists for the Warriors. Gui Santos is averaging 12.1 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 51.2% over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Suns: 5-5, averaging 115.1 points, 44.2 rebounds, 24.0 assists, 7.8 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.1 points per game.

Warriors: 3-7, averaging 111.4 points, 40.3 rebounds, 27.5 assists, 8.2 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.3 points.

INJURIES: Suns: Mark Williams: day to day (foot), Grayson Allen: day to day (hamstring).

Warriors: Quinten Post: out (foot), Jimmy Butler III: out for season (knee), Moses Moody: out for season (knee), Kristaps Porzingis: unknown (ankle).

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

Charlotte Hornets (44-38, ninth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Orlando Magic (45-37, eighth in the Eastern Conference)

Orlando, Florida; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

LINE: Hornets -3.5; over/under is 218

PLAY-IN GAME: The Magic and Hornets square off to decide the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.

BOTTOM LINE: The Orlando Magic and the Charlotte Hornets take the court for the NBA Playoffs Play-In Tournament. The winner claims the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

The Magic are 26-26 against Eastern Conference opponents. Orlando is 20-26 against opponents with a winning record.

The Hornets are 11-5 against the rest of their division. Charlotte is seventh in the Eastern Conference scoring 116.0 points per game and is shooting 46.0%.

The Magic are shooting 46.4% from the field this season, 0.3 percentage points lower than the 46.7% the Hornets allow to opponents. The Hornets are shooting 46.0% from the field, 1.6% lower than the 47.6% the Magic's opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Paolo Banchero is averaging 22.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists for the Magic. Jalen Suggs is averaging 2.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LaMelo Ball is averaging 20.1 points and 7.1 assists for the Hornets. Brandon Miller is averaging 19.5 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Magic: 7-3, averaging 116.4 points, 43.5 rebounds, 27.3 assists, 8.1 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.5 points per game.

Hornets: 6-4, averaging 113.4 points, 44.8 rebounds, 24.9 assists, 6.3 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 45.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.1 points.

INJURIES: Magic: Jonathan Isaac: day to day (knee).

Hornets: Moussa Diabate: day to day (hip), PJ Hall: out for season (ankle).

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

Atlanta Hawks (46-36, sixth in the Eastern Conference) vs. New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference)

New York; Saturday, 6 p.m. EDT

LINE: Knicks -5.5; over/under is 216.5

EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Knicks host first series matchup

BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks host the Atlanta Hawks to open the Eastern Conference first round. New York went 2-1 against Atlanta during the regular season. The Knicks won the last regular season meeting 108-105 on Monday, April 6 led by 30 points from Jalen Brunson, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 36 points for the Hawks.

The Knicks are 35-17 against conference opponents. New York averages 116.5 points while outscoring opponents by 6.4 points per game.

The Hawks are 27-25 in conference play. Atlanta is 7-8 in one-possession games.

The Knicks average 116.5 points per game, 0.5 more points than the 116.0 the Hawks give up. The Hawks are shooting 47.4% from the field, 1.4% higher than the 46.0% the Knicks' opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Mikal Bridges is scoring 14.4 points per game and averaging 3.8 rebounds for the Knicks. Brunson is averaging 20.3 points and 2.2 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Jalen Johnson is scoring 22.5 points per game and averaging 10.3 rebounds for the Hawks. Alexander-Walker is averaging 3.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 6-4, averaging 111.2 points, 40.3 rebounds, 26.9 assists, 8.2 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 49.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.3 points per game.

Hawks: 6-4, averaging 120.0 points, 44.5 rebounds, 28.3 assists, 8.7 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.6 points.

INJURIES: Knicks: Tyler Kolek: day to day (oblique), OG Anunoby: day to day (ankle), Josh Hart: day to day (ankle), Mitchell Robinson: day to day (ankle), Karl-Anthony Towns: day to day (elbow), Jalen Brunson: day to day (ankle).

Hawks: Onyeka Okongwu: day to day (finger), Nickeil Alexander-Walker: day to day (toe), Jalen Johnson: day to day (rest), CJ McCollum: day to day (rest), Jonathan Kuminga: day to day (knee), Dyson Daniels: day to day (toe), Jock Landale: out (ankle).

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

Houston Rockets (52-30, fifth in the Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (53-29, fourth in the Western Conference)

Los Angeles; Saturday, 8:30 p.m. EDT

LINE: Rockets -5.5; over/under is 207.5

WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Lakers host first series matchup

BOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Lakers host the Houston Rockets to open the Western Conference first round. Los Angeles went 2-1 against Houston during the regular season. The Lakers won the last regular season matchup 124-116 on Thursday, March 19 led by 40 points from Luka Doncic, while Alperen Sengun scored 27 points for the Rockets.

The Lakers are 33-19 in Western Conference games. Los Angeles has an 8-3 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.

The Rockets are 29-23 against Western Conference opponents. Houston has a 5-9 record in games decided by less than 4 points.

The Lakers make 50.2% of their shots from the field this season, which is 4.2 percentage points higher than the Rockets have allowed to their opponents (46.0%). The Rockets average 11.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.3 fewer made shots on average than the 12.8 per game the Lakers allow.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jake LaRavia is scoring 8.2 points per game and averaging 4.0 rebounds for the Lakers. LeBron James is averaging 18.7 points and 6.3 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Kevin Durant is averaging 26 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists for the Rockets. Reed Sheppard is averaging 3.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Lakers: 7-3, averaging 116.2 points, 41.4 rebounds, 28.6 assists, 10.4 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 52.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.2 points per game.

Rockets: 9-1, averaging 123.6 points, 49.1 rebounds, 28.7 assists, 7.7 steals and 5.7 blocks per game while shooting 49.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.4 points.

INJURIES: Lakers: Austin Reaves: out (rib), Jaxson Hayes: day to day (foot), Luka Doncic: out (hamstring).

Rockets: Kevin Durant: day to day (rest), Amen Thompson: day to day (rest), Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle), Jabari Smith Jr.: day to day (rest), Alperen Sengun: day to day (rest).

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

Toronto Raptors (46-36, fifth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30, fourth in the Eastern Conference)

Cleveland; Saturday, 1 p.m. EDT

LINE: Cavaliers -8.5; over/under is 219.5

EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Cavaliers host first series matchup

BOTTOM LINE: The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Toronto Raptors to open the Eastern Conference first round. Toronto went 3-0 against Cleveland during the regular season. The Raptors won the last regular season matchup 110-99 on Tuesday, Nov. 25 led by 37 points from Brandon Ingram, while Donovan Mitchell scored 17 points for the Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers have gone 33-19 against Eastern Conference teams. Cleveland is seventh in the Eastern Conference in rebounding averaging 44.4 rebounds. Evan Mobley paces the Cavaliers with 9.0 boards.

The Raptors have gone 33-19 against Eastern Conference opponents. Toronto has a 21-27 record against teams above .500.

The Cavaliers are shooting 48.2% from the field this season, 1.5 percentage points higher than the 46.7% the Raptors allow to opponents. The Raptors are shooting 48.2% from the field, 1.8% higher than the 46.4% the Cavaliers' opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Mitchell is averaging 27.9 points, 5.7 assists and 1.5 steals for the Cavaliers. James Harden is averaging 15.3 points and 5.9 assists over the last 10 games.

Scottie Barnes is averaging 18.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.5 blocks for the Raptors. Ja'Kobe Walter is averaging 2.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Cavaliers: 7-3, averaging 121.8 points, 45.0 rebounds, 29.1 assists, 7.6 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 50.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.0 points per game.

Raptors: 6-4, averaging 119.8 points, 41.0 rebounds, 32.3 assists, 10.0 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 52.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.6 points.

INJURIES: Cavaliers: James Harden: day to day (rest), Dean Wade: day to day (ankle), Dennis Schroder: day to day (rest), Evan Mobley: day to day (calf), Keon Ellis: day to day (knee), Jarrett Allen: day to day (injury management), Thomas Bryant: day to day (calf), Sam Merrill: day to day (hamstring), Donovan Mitchell: day to day (ankle).

Raptors: Chucky Hepburn: day to day (knee), Immanuel Quickley: day to day (hamstring).

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

Send in your questions now for this week’s episode of The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast to discuss everything Pistons. Submit your question to the comments section here or on X/Twitter to @TheRealWesD3 and/or @blakesilverman.

Join us live on Saturday afternoon for the show where we’ll preview the Pistons’ postseason. We’ll know who the Pistons play in the first round by the time we record, so how are you feeling about the matchup? What’s your prediction for the series? And how does Cade Cunningham’s successful grievance for NBA postseason honors impact Jalen Duren’s potential All-NBA hopes?

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The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast Vitals:

When: Saturday April 18 at 3 p.m. ET

Where: Detroit Bad Boys YouTube Channel

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Latvian big man Kristaps Porziņģis had arguably his best game with the Golden State Warriors last night against the Los Angeles Clippers, notching 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists on 8-of-12 shooting from the field (3-of-6 on threes). However, his availability is up in the air for tomorrow’s tilt against the Phoenix Suns.

Kristaps Porzingis listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game at Phoenix with right ankle soreness. He was limping around with it taped up after last night’s win in LA.

— Danny Emerman (@DannyEmerman) April 17, 2026

Should Porziņģis be unavailable tomorrow, it is assumed that Al Horford will start in his place. However, that would also meant that the Warriors’ center depth will take a massive hit, which could see Draymond Green at the five for spurts, should Steve Kerr deem it necessary. Green was at his best against the Clippers with either Porziņģis or Horford behind him as a backline rim protector; without either of them in certain configurations, Green might find it difficult to plug holes and erase mistakes despite his history of being a capable roamer and help-side defender.

I had to crack up laughing when I saw the Gil’s Arena crew post a video about Draymond Green’s lockdown defense on Kawhi Leonard entitled, “How A Podcaster ENDED Kawhi’s Dream Season”. Green is arguably the greatest defender of his generation, so him playfully being referred to by his side gig dropping hot pods on YouTube is a nod to just how versatile Green is as a human being.

In a season where he’s had to endure swirling trade rumors, a wounded roster, and the looming shadow of Father Time creeping over his shoulder, this was the game he had to have.

He was the primary defender on the legendary Kawhi Leonard, a guy with rings and NBA Finals MVP in his trophy case, and put on a performance that was absolutely phenomenal.

You know how some guys like Steph Curry are trusted in late game situations offensively to deliver the killshot? We call ‘em closers, guys who carry that Jordanesque swagger to deliver with the game in the balance. Green is the epitome of that on the defensive end, the equivalent of a brick wall at the end of a one way street. You don’t wanna go his way to try to score for game. But don’t take my word for it, ask Mr. Leonard!

Green was fighting through pain from a stiff leg, consistently smothering Leonard like a wet blanket. When he stole the inbound pass to Leonard with 49 seconds left and the Warriors up 120-117, it felt like the Dubs might be able to exhale. That brilliant move by Green to force Leonard out of position for the pass along the sideline led to the high IQ reflex to knock the stolen ball to his streaking teammate Brandin Podziemski who scored on his layup attempt and drew the foul.

To salt the game and the Clippers’ season away, Green then ripped Leonard’s dribble move, a fantastic and perhaps even stunning sight. We don’t often see the Klaw get his cookies taken in the clutch. Don’t let that closing sequence distract you from the fact that Green was also practically unscreenable when navigating the floor covering Leonard.

The awareness, the feel, the competitive dog inside of Green just stifled Leonard’s plans when the Clippers needed him most. Leonard’s final statline: 21 points on 17 shots in 40 minutes, with 5 turnovers and only 4 free throws. Per NBA.com, Leonard shot 3-for-7 from the field when Green was guarding him, with two turnovers. It doesn’t get any better than what Green and the Warriors did to keep Leonard from finding scoring momentum that can sometimes feel inevitable.

This is why you don’t trade Green; even though he’s an OG now, he is still absolutely invaluable on the floor to keep the other team from being their best selves. You remember how he shut the door on Alperen Sengun and the Rockets last year? It’s what he does.

We haven’t even mentioned how he led the Dubs in assists last night with nine dimes, continually directing the offense like a QB and then setting the tough screens that got his guys open. Enjoy this guy while he’s here, Dub Nation!

Tony Bradley hadn’t played much for the Pacers in the postseason at that point last year, and he wouldn’t play in the Eastern Conference finals until the second game, but he still watched as Tyrese Haliburton’s last-second heave stunned the Knicks by forcing overtime in Game 1.

And Bradley saw how that draining result — the Knicks’ double-digit lead late in regulation evaporated completely — carried over into the next game that Indiana won, too.

That’s why Bradley, now a backup center for the Hawks facing the possibility of an expanded role this series, knows the importance of stealing that first game to “set the tone,” which Atlanta will have the chance to do at the Garden when the first-round series opens Saturday.

“I think it’s very important to hit them in the mouth first,” Bradley told reporters in Atlanta on Thursday, while adding that the Knicks were “for sure” demoralized by Haliburton’s shot.

Bradley, a first-round pick by the Lakers in 2017, was waived by the Pacers in January before his contract became guaranteed, and after a pair of 10-day deals with Indiana that followed, he remained unsigned until the Hawks picked him up earlier this month after an injury to backup center Jock Landale.

With Landale now sidelined for at least the start of the series — the Hawks said Thursday that he’ll be re-evaluated in 1-2 weeks — with a right ankle sprain, it’s unclear just how sizable of a role Bradley could have against the Knicks.

In three regular-season games with Atlanta, Bradley averaged 11.3 minutes, 3.7 points and three rebounds per game.

For the season, he’s averaging 4.0 points and 2.8 rebounds across 10.9 minutes per game.

But Bradley has experienced what it takes to topple the Knicks. And he knows the impact that a devastating blow at the Garden, especially at the start of a series, can have.

“Their crowd is, it can be intimidating,” Bradley said. “But it’s fun at the same time.”

Josh Hart didn’t hesitate. Asked what the Knicks can take from their three regular-season matchups with the Hawks, he said, “None.” They didn’t have Karl-Anthony Towns for one of the games. Hart didn’t play in two of them, either.

“The regular season honestly doesn’t really matter when you look at it in terms of a scope like this,” Hart said, “because you never know — regular season, there’s a lot of things that you have. I don’t know if they were back-to-backs, you know, who’s in, who’s out, whatever it is.

“So, you know, you throw those out the window and you just focus on the team and the personnel that they have right now.”

Knicks head coach Mike Brown, tasked with navigating against the Hawks’ Quin Snyder — who was on Brown’s staff with the Lakers in 2011-12 — over the next two weeks in a coaching chess match, opted to not look too far ahead with how he’ll approach the challenge.

“Just one day at a time,” Brown said. “More than anything else, it’s my job to make sure we as a group, starting with me, stay present, and, you know, you go through the hypotheticals, but you can’t dwell on them because if you do, you’ll lose focus at what your strengths are.”

Zohran Mamdani tried to dunk over the Knicks’ longtime arch-nemesis.

But Trae Young wasn’t going to sit idly by and not at least contest the jam.

The New York mayor was asked on Thursday about the high ticket prices at Madison Square Garden for the Knicks’ first-round series against the Hawks compared to the get-in price at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena.

Before getting into his more extended answer, the democratic socialist wanted to place the blame on Young, a former member of the Hawks.

Zohran Mamdani, when asked about the high cost of Knicks playoff tickets vs Atlanta: "I would say that I blame Trae Young… and I think it's always important to blame Trae Young"

Via: https://t.co/E7EN07I2QXpic.twitter.com/4YG37kvdD1

— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) April 16, 2026

“First, I would say that I blame Trae Young,” Mamdani said jokingly, leading to some laughs. “And I think it’s always important to blame Trae Young.”

Hizzoner then gave a more extended answer about how he believes sports are now more of a “luxury commodity” and wished tickets were “far more affordably priced.” As of Thursday night, the cheapest ticket — on Tickmaster — to get into MSG for Saturday’s Game 1 is $353; Game 3 prices for next Thursday in Atlanta are $84.

The Post’s request for comment from the Knicks and Madison Square Garden was not immediately returned.

All the while, Young, the former Hawk who was traded in the middle of the season to the Wizards, clapped back at New York for what went down in 2021 — and how then-Mayor Bill de Blasio joined the fray.

“Remember what happened the last time the Mayor of that City had my name in his mouth during a time like this…. #DontBlameMeWhenItHappensAgain,” Young wrote in response on X.

During those playoffs, Young became a thorn in the side of Knicks — and their passionate fans — when he dropped 32 points, including the final-second game-winner, in the opening contest.

De Blasio, during a press briefing shortly after Game 1, specifically called out Young.

“This is very serious, want to get this message to Trae Young on behalf of the people for New York City and anybody that cares about playing basketball the right way: Stop hunting for fouls, Trae,” de Blasio said.

The message really didn’t work, as Young finished the series by averaging 29.2 points and 9.8 assists as the Knicks were eliminated in five games. Memorably, though, Knicks fans continually chanted “F–k Trae Young,” something that still continues to this day.

During the 2024-25 season, Young further entrenched himself as a villain when he helped close out the Knicks in the NBA Cup quarterfinals before stepping on New York’s logo at midcourt before mimicking rolling a dice, meaning his team advanced to Las Vegas and the Knicks had not.

The Wizards did not qualify for the playoffs, so Young’s next chance to play the Knicks will come next season, whether he remains with the Wizards (he has a player option for 2026-27) or not.

The Knicks’ regular season was good, but irrelevant. Their own team owner set the bar as championship or bust, so the measuring starts now.

Josh Hart admits as much.

“I had no expectations [coming in]. We made the playoffs, we had 50 wins, so that was good. You know, we know we’re going to be judged by what we do starting now,” Hart said. “So we didn’t really have expectations going into it. Just wanted to make sure we get to the playoffs.”

But now that the Knicks are in the playoffs, they’ll be facing the white-hot Hawks in an Eastern Conference first-round series that tips off with Saturday’s Game 1 at the Garden. It’s a home-court advantage Hart expects to be electric.

“Man, the energy is great in the regular season, but if you’re able to get to a playoff game, the energy is unreal,” Hart said. “They show up for us every single game. You have fans outside, [the] weather is good. So everyone’s outside wanting to have fun, wanting to see the Knicks play. So we need them, obviously now more than ever, and we want to show them love.”

The Knicks will have to contend with one of the league’s hottest teams, and Hart may find himself guarding one of its biggest breakout players.

While Atlanta is seeded just sixth, they’re rolling into this series having gone 19-5 down the stretch.

And Jalen Johnson averaged 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists this season. While OG Anunoby is the Knicks’ wing stopper, Hart shouldered most of the burden on Johnson in their last matchup, and helped the Knicks come away with an April 6 win in Atlanta.

“Jalen is a really, really good player, a great player. And shoot, he’s won a lot of awards this year. He’s led the charge,” coach Mike Brown said. “Him and Nickeil [Alexander-Walker] have led the charge in their resurgence here at the end of season, so a lot of respect there. In our last game, Josh matched up with him a little bit more than OG. So it’s more a team thing than anything else.”

Hart held Johnson to 2-for-7 shooting in the time he was guarding Johnson, and the latter finished 8-for-19 with five turnovers in that game.

It’s unclear how much of that duty he’ll draw in Saturday’s Game 1. What’s clear is he’s prioritized the dirty work on that end of the floor.

“The thing I’m most proud of myself on [this season] is I feel like I’m doing a better job of moving on to the next plays. If I’m not making shots, what else can I do to help this team be successful?” Hart said. “How can I bring energy? What kind of plays can I make to help guys get in position to be successful?

“I’m doing that and being able to turn the page on a bad play, bad quarter, bad half, a little better than I did before. So that’s been good. But the season, it was solid.”

But unfinished.