Category: Basketball

HOUSTON — One team played like its season was on the line.

The other team was the Lakers, who were on the losing end of Sunday’s Game 4 at Toyota Center for their first loss of their first round playoff series against the Rockets. 

After falling behind in the series by three games, the Kevin Durant-less Rockets were the more urgent and aggressive team in their 115-96 blowout victory over the Lakers, who consistently struggled to generate offense the entire game. 

The Lakers shot 50% from the field (37 of 74), but only made 5 of their 22 3-point attempts, with three of their 3s coming after coach JJ Redick subbed out the rotation players with 7:25 left in the game.

It was their fewest made 3s in a playoff game since making four 3s on April 26, 2013 (Game 3 of 2013 first round series against Spurs).

“[The Rocket had] a top-10 defense the entire season,” Redick said postgame. “It’s obviously very challenging without your two leading scores to generate offense. We’ll take a look at the process again on that end as well. And I know our points per shot and our expected points per shot were slightly below our season average. So to me, again, it goes back to the two keys: Take care of the ball. And we’ll look at that and how we can be better there.”

Deandre Ayton (19 points and 10 rebounds) and Rui Hachimura (13 points) were the only Lakers who found any sort of offensive rhythm in Game 4 – and Ayton was ejected in the third quarter after being assessed a Flagrant 2 foul after elbowing Rockets All-Star center Alperen Sengun in the head. 

Ayton and Hachimura combined to shoot 15 of 22 from the field. 

LeBron James finished with 10 points on 2-of-9 shooting to go with 9 assists and 4 rebounds, but was one of many Lakers who struggled with taking care of the ball, having a team-worst 8 turnovers/

Marcus Smart (9 points, 5 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocked shots), had 4 of the Lakers’ turnovers. 

What it means

The series will head back to Los Angeles for Game 5 with the Lakers leading 3-1.

Turning point

When the Lakers committed three turnovers on four possessions early in the first quarter. 

They were still leading at the time, but it set a poor tone for the remainder of the game, with the Rockets ramping up their defensive pressure from there.

“Just a little bit of lackadaisical from us,” Smart said. “We’ve been playing our asses off these past three, four games, right? They came out, they did their job.”

MVP: Amen Thompson

Thompson has been the Rockets’ best player in the series and was their most important on Sunday.

He finished with team-highs of 23 points and 7 assists, with all five Rockets starters scoring in double figures.

Tari Eason added 20 points, 8 rebounds and 5 steals. Sengun has 19 points and 6 rebounds. 

Stat of the game: 24

That’s how many turnovers the Lakers committed on Sunday, their most in a playoff game since having 24 turnovers on Sept. 20, 2020, which was their win over the Nuggets in Game 2 of the 2020 Western Conference Finals.

The Rockets scored 30 points off the Lakers’ giveaways. 

“We knew coming into the series, we have to protect the ball versus them and not have not have too many pick-sixes, which we did all night,” James said. “It started with me, obviously. My turnovers were unacceptable

Up next

Game 5 of the Lakers’ playoff series against the Rockets is scheduled for Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena with a 7 p.m. tipoff.

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On the heels of a grueling Game 3 win, the Lakers came out flat and were subsequently routed by the Rockets, 115-96.

From the jump, it was pretty clear the Lakers didn’t have the right level of effort and played as such throughout. LA turned the ball over a staggering 23 times with the Rockets tallying 17 steals and 30 points off turnovers.

On the possession where they didn’t turn it over, they weren’t connecting on outside shots, going only 5-22, including some garbage time makes. Across the board, it was a lackluster showing for the Lakers, who looked like a team eager to get back to LA and finish the series in Game 5.

Rui Hachimura and Reed Sheppard exchanged midrange jumpers to open the game. LA built a lead of five early, with Luke Kennard leading the team with three points. Three other starters had two points each. Houston had four players with two points. 

At the 6:28 mark, Los Angeles was up by three.

LeBron James was now leading LA with six points with Kennard close behind with five. There were a lot of foul calls between the teams, with Los Angeles making seven of their nine free-throw attempts and Houston making three of four. 

The purple and gold were up by three at the 3:53 mark.

After a quick four-point surge, the Rockets jumped ahead by one. A layup by Jake LaRavia put the Lakers back in the lead. Jaxson Hayes had rough minutes, picking up two fouls. 

Houston retook the lead by five at the end of the first. 

The Rockets lead the Lakers 26-21 after one quarter of play. LA's offense is nonexistent. They went 7-18 from the field and haven't made a three.

— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) April 27, 2026

Jabari Smith Jr. further extended the Rockets’ lead by draining a triple to start the second period. The Lakers already had eight turnovers with Houston playing defense. The Rockets continued their desperate, strong play, extending their lead to 10. 

LA was struggling from behind the arc, shooting 17%.

A sudden 10-3 scoring run found Los Angeles down by three, after Houston had built a lead as big as 10. Jake LaRavia, who had been having a tough series, had a much-needed six points off the bench. 

Deandre Ayton had a strong quarter, scoring 12 points, trying to keep the Lakers close enough. At halftime, the Rockets had a nine-point lead. 

The Rockets lead 57-46 at the half. Deandre Ayton is the only Laker who has it going. He went 7-9 from the field and has 15 points.

— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) April 27, 2026

Amen Thompson started the third period with a layup for Houston. Sheppard then knocked down a triple to make it a quick 14-point lead.

LA missed all three of its shot attempts. Marcus Smart then stole the ball, and it led to a layup by Kennard. Sheppard then drained yet another triple in response. 

The Rockets continued to play with serious desperation, overwhelming Los Angeles, who now found themselves down by 17. Ayton was the only saving grace for the Lakers as he was now up to 19 points after scoring another four points. 

In a ridiculous turn of events, Ayton was ejected with 5:41 left after making contact with the back of Alperen Şengün’s head, which was deemed a Flagrant 2 foul.

Everything spiraled from there as the Lakers continued to turn the ball over and the Rockets kept making them pay, building their lead to 25 points at the end of the third.

*sim to end*

— Jacob Rude (@JacobRude) April 27, 2026

LA did start the final frame a little better offensively with Jarred Vanderbilt notching four points, but the deficit was too large. 

With 7:25 left, the Lakers waved the white flag. With 1:11 left, the ejections continued with Adou Thiero and Aaron Holiday getting tossed because it was important for everyone to remember the refs were the important part of this game. 

Key Player Stats

LeBron finished with 10 points, four rebounds and nine assists but shot just 2-9 from the field and had eight turnovers. Ayton was the Lakers’ best player prior to his ejection, finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

Hachimura pitched in with 13 points and three rebounds. Kennard ended with seven points and three rebounds. LaRavia scored six points off the bench.

Marcus Smart logged nine points with two rebounds, five assists, three steals and three blocks. Vanderbilt put up eight points largely in garbage time. 

Game 4 will be on Sunday against the Houston Rockets at 6:30 PM PT. 

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.

After an underwhelming presence in Game 3, Knicks fans turned State Farm Arena into Madison Square Garden South in Game 4.

They were not as raucous or as strong in numbers during the Knicks loss in Game 3. In Game 4, however, it was a different story.

They certainly were loud.

“It’s one of the coolest things that I will always remember when I’m done playing, is how crazy these Knicks fans travel,” Jalen Brunson said. “Whether they live here now or whatever, they know how to attack an away stadium. And it’s a really cool sight to see.”

There were noticeable crowd pops when the Knicks scored and went on runs. You could hear them chanting “de-fense” when the Knicks were on that end of the court. They even booed CJ McCollum, who was playing in what was supposed to be his home arena.

Hawks fans tried to drown them out. But given the one-sided nature of Game 4, that proved difficult.

“Knicks fans travel all around the world,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. “It’s even more special — I already knew how special the Knicks fans were from last year, but to be going to Abu Dhabi in preseason and see the stadium packed with Knicks fans is crazy. So, they travel around the world. They bring us so much love and energy and just passion that you can just feel that kind of passion in the building and it helps us feel like every game we play, no matter if it’s away or in Abu Dhabi, around the world, it’s a home game.”

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After their Game 4 win, the Knicks had wings from Magic City Strip Club, a staple in Atlanta, in the locker room.

Later, Magic City posted on Instagram: “We don’t wanna take credit for the win…. But …”

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Ex-Knick Carmelo Anthony, a studio analyst for NBC, has been critical of Towns this year.

But after his Game 4 triple-double, Anthony gave Towns his flowers.

“We talk about KAT, about what we always want to see from KAT,” Anthony said on the network. “From him today to lead the team by his passing, by his aggressiveness and then took advantage of the defense when he could. He just played a complete game.”

Deandre Ayton has left the building. 

Midway through the third quarter of Game 4 between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets inside the Toyota Center, Ayton hit Alperen Sengun flush across the face with a left elbow.

A foul was called and the officials went to check the replay. At first glance, it felt like a sure-fire flagrant one foul. It was hard, and a little reckless. But after a few minutes, the officials determined it did reach the criteria of a flagrant two foul and Ayton was immediately ejected from the game. 

https://t.co/8NoglBpAOYpic.twitter.com/5Iu1wBTelI

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) April 27, 2026

The officials determined that the elbow contact rose to the level of intent, not just careless, but punitive. Ayton and several Lakers players were shocked by the decision, even pleading to the officials that it was not intentional. 

Ayton was escorted off the court and headed back to the Lakers locker room. Rockets’ forward Kevin Durant, who has missed the last two games for Houston, waived goodbye as he left.

KD waving bye to Ayton pic.twitter.com/G5QbweQvij

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 27, 2026

The Lakers were already unraveling in Game 3, trailing by as many as 26 points. Ironically, Ayton was the lone bright spot for the Lakers offense. He had 19 points and 10 rebounds in 25 minutes before he was ejected. 

Now, instead of building off the momentum of their Game 3 surge, the Lakers look ready to head back home to Los Angeles for a Game 5 at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday night.

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2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer season standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 23.5
VJ Edgecombe – 16
Joel Embiid – 11.5
Paul George – 8
Kelly Oubre Jr. – 5
Justin Edwards – 4
Andre Drummond – 3
Quentin Grimes – 3
Jared McCain :’( – 3
Dominick Barlow – 2
MarJon Beauchamp – 2
Adem Bona – 1
Porter Martone – 1
Cam Payne – 1
Jabari Walker – 1
Trendon Watford – 1
15th roster spot – 1

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The Celtics put the Sixers on the brink of elimination with a 128-96 victory on Sunday, claiming a 3-1 series lead as the teams head back to Boston for Game 5.

The Celtics three-point barrage was firing on all cylinders and their defensive gameplan all but suffocated the Sixers in the first half. By the time the Sixers found an offensive rhythm, the Celtics were hitting threes consistently, with most of the damage coming off the bench. Payton Pritchard notched a game-high six threes and 32 points.

There was not much to sort through for Bell Ringer-worthy performances.

Joel Embiid: 26 points, 9-of-21 FG, 1-of-6 3PT, 7-of-9 FT, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

The big fella is the Bell Ringer tonight with a clear case over everyone else. The Celtics came out with a defensive intensity for which most of the Sixers were not ready. It just so happens the man just a little over two weeks removed from an appendectomy was able to withstand Boston’s energy and produce on the offensive end.

He opened the game immediately attacking Neemias Queta and drawing two early fouls to force him to the bench. He notched the team’s first field goal converting a transition dunk following a Paul Goerge steal and continued playing forcefully against Nikola Vucevic tallying the first eight points for the Sixers in his return.

No appendix? No problem.

Joel Embiid has scored all of the Sixers' first 8 points. pic.twitter.com/vHKharMeDx

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) April 26, 2026

Unfortunately, everywhere Embiid looked for help on offense, he got none. That is, at least for the first half, as Tyrese Maxey did spring to life offensively in the second half after only taking three shots by halftime. Paul George went 2-for-7 from the field in the first half, and VJ Edgecombe continued to struggle from deep. Embiid’s ability to draw fouls and his gravity were the only sources of offense for long stretches. By halftime, the Sixers had only 38 points.

In the third, the Sixers began hitting shots but were unable to get stops on the other end. Embiid found his touch from the midrange and even hit a straight ahead three-pointer. He went 6-for-11 from the field in the second half and theoretically shook off the rust. Despite the poor shooting night from the team, Embiid corralled only two offensive rebounds, and did not provide enough of a barrier to the Celtics’ persistent offensive rebounding.

Given it was his first game back, and that he played 34 minutes, it was a commendable outing for Embiid. However, a more polished performance may be the only thing to keep the Sixers from elimination.

The aftermath of the Nikola Jokic and Jaden McDaniels moment at the end of Game 4 between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets has settled, but it is still worth unpacking. If you missed it, McDaniels broke one of basketball’s quiet codes. When the game is decided and the clock is bleeding out, you do not go hunting for an easy bucket.

That is exactly what he did.

After a dominant showing at the Target Center that pushed Minnesota to a 3-1 series lead, McDaniels finished a late layup to make it 112-96. Nikola Jokic did not appreciate it. He sprinted down the floor and let McDaniels hear about it, and that is when things escalated.

Jaden McDaniels scores the layup instead of running out the clock, Nikola Jokic runs all the way from the other side of the court to face him, bumps him, as McDaniels grabs Jokic's jersey, a kerfuffle ensues.

Nikola Jokic and Julius Randle get ejected from the game

I haven't… pic.twitter.com/uxgjQdGAHp

— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) April 26, 2026

No punches. Nothing out of control. Still, it crossed the line enough for Jokic and Julius Randle to get tossed with 1.2 seconds left. Why did Jokic take exception to this? “Because he scored when everybody stopped playing,” he said in his post-game presser.

Today, the fines came out following the altercation. $50,000 for Jokic, $35,000 for Randle. But no suspensions, despite players coming off of the bench.

NBA discipline for Denver-Minnesota scuffle in Game 4:

Nikola Jokic fined $50,000
Julius Randle fined $35,000

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 26, 2026

So why no suspensions? Why does everyone suit up for Game 5?

You know where this goes. The precedent is there. Go back to the 2007 Western Conference Semifinals when Robert Horry hip checked Steve Nash into the boards late in Game 4. The league suspended Amar’e Stoudemire and Boris Diaw. They were not in the altercation. They simply stepped over the white line, which was enough for then-commissioner David Stern to enforce accountability for “leaving the bench” and ensure that this game, which is ever so sacred, was not violated by the abhorrent act of stepping over a line after one of your players gets unnecessarily thrown into the boards at the end of the game.

Here’s the video, which is extremely hard to find on the ‘ole internet despite it being a precedent-defining moment.

That is the history.

But hey, perhaps I’m just a scornful Suns fan. Maybe the national conversation has no appetite for hearing it again after this series with Oklahoma City and the noise around officiating. Maybe every fan base feels this when they are on the wrong end of enforcement. It can start to feel personal.

The rules are the rules. Or at least they are supposed to be. I am not pounding the table, asking for suspensions here. I am filing it away. Noting how some things get applied in one moment and not in another.

Game 5 between the Timberwolves and Nuggets is tomorrow at 7:30pm. Tune in. And watch all the players play.

Payton Pritchard’s 32 points led the Boston Celtics to a dominant 128-96 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night despite Joel Embiid’s return from an appendectomy.

The win gives the Celtics a commanding 3-1 lead as the series heads back to Boston for Game 5, when the C’s will have a chance to clinch an Eastern Conference Semifinals berth.

Boston had a clean bill of health for Game 4 and started Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, Jayson Tatum and Neemias Queta.

On the other side, Joel Embiid returned to the court for the first time since April 6 and Kelly Oubre Jr., who was listed as questionable with right adductor soreness, suited up, too. They both started the game alongside Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe and Paul George.

At the start, the game was all about the centers. Neemias Queta scored the Celtics’ first 5 points on a couple dunks and a 1 of 2 trip to the free throw line. When Nikola Vučević subbed in early for him about 3 minutes into the game, Vooch scored Boston’s next 4 points.

At the same time, Embiid looked like he always does. He immediately drew a couple fouls and hit all four free throws during his first 7-minute stretch on the court. He had 8 out of the Sixers’ 10 points when he sat, as the Celtics were up by 1.

While the centers were going off, the game was clunky and nobody else could hit anything. Maxey didn’t even have a shot attempt until there were about 3 minutes left in the first quarter.

When George hit a three-pointer to put the Sixers up 13-12, the Payton Pritchard show began, as he immediately answered it with a 3 of his own, then hit another after Andre Drummond (finally!) missed a corner attempt.

Late in the first quarter, the bench went on an 8-0 run of its own. Baylor Scheierman and Jordan Walsh kept a play alive with 3 offensive rebounds off of missed shots and each hit a three-pointer. By the end of the quarter, the C’s bench had 24 points — more than the Sixers’ total 18.

Part of that bench scoring total was a ridiculous one-legged on-the-run three-pointer from Pritchard to beat the buzzer and put Boston up 34-18.

Jaylen Brown started the second quarter clearly trying to get more involved and, despite missing a pair of free throws early, he hit a corner 3 for his first made shot of the game.

Nevertheless, it wasn’t long before it was the Pritchard show again. He hit his fourth three-pointer a few minutes into the quarter, then drove into Adem Bona for a midrange score to get to 18 points — 13 more than any other Celtic at that point.

After Hauser hit a three-pointer of his own, the Celtics were up 45-24 and Xfinity Mobile Arena started getting quiet. While the Sixers started hitting shots and built up some momentum, a Luka Garza three-pointer and a Brown step back 3 over George helped maintain a solid lead.

By the end of the half, Boston was up 56-38, with Pritchard’s 18 points leading the way. No other Celtic finished with double-digit points, with Brown coming closest with 8.

Both Jays struggled shooting in the first half, with Tatum only hitting 1 of 8 shots and Brown going 3 of 9 from the field. The starters as a whole only had 24 of Boston’s 56 points.

On the other side of the court, Embiid led the Sixers with 12 points, but nobody else had more than 7 — Maxey, on only 3 field goal attempts — and the team looked far less potent than they were over the first three games of the series.

As the second half began with Pritchard on the bench, the Jays got a chance to build some rhythm and both capitalized, as Brown and Tatum quickly scored 7 points and 6 points, respectively.

While the Sixers made an effort to get Maxey more involved — an effort that resulted in a three-point make on Philly’s first possession of the third quarter — the Celtics did a good job of making his life difficult. When Maxey got a breakaway in transition, White turned on the boosters and blocked him from behind to erase an easy basket.

The rest of the Sixers offense struggled to start the half as well, especially Edgecombe, who seemed to have lost all the confidence he displayed in Game 2 after starting the night shooting 1 of 7 from the field.

With about 7 minutes to go in the third quarter, the Celtics were up by 24 points, 71-47. The Sixers started hitting some shots, but could not get stops, so the lead hovered around 20 points for the rest of the quarter.

By the end of the quarter, Brown and Tatum had 18 and 20 points, respectively, but the Pritchard show wasn’t over. He hit two more three-pointers, a tough fadeaway, a pair of late buckets and a couple free throws to finish the third with 32 points — 10 more than anyone else in the game.

By the time the fourth quarter began, the Celtics were up by 21 points and the game was all but over. Then, less than 2 minutes in, a Tatum 4-point play extended the lead to 30 and put it even further out of reach.

Another Tatum three-pointer sealed the deal with about 6 minutes left to go, and less than a minute later the Sixers called it quits and emptied the bench.

Pritchard, Boston’s undisputed MVP of the night, finished with 32 points on 57.1% shooting from the field, 6 three-pointers, 5 assists, 4 rebounds and a steal.

Tatum finished with 30 points on 50% shooting, 7 rebounds and 11 assists. Notably, after shooting 1 of 8 from the field in the first half, he shot 7 of 8 in the second half.

Brown finished with 20 points on 40% shooting, 7 rebounds and a pair of stocks.

In his return, Embiid played 34 minutes and racked up 26 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists. His playoff record against the Celtics is now 3-13.

Maxey and George put up 22 and 16 points, respectively. Edgecombe finished with only 6 points on 22.2% shooting.

Overall, the Celtics shot 48.3% from the field and 45.3% from three-point range, with 24 three-point makes, while the Sixers shot 41.3% from the field and 30% on threes.

The C’s also won the rebounding battle 51-30 and put up more shots than Philadelphia, 87-80, but finished the game with more turnovers, 12-8.

Game 5 will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 28, at TD Garden in Boston. It will be broadcast on ESPN.

As we saw in Game 1, playing poorly while missing every shot possible is a bad combination.

The Sixers got blown out again 128-96 by the Boston Celtics in Game 4 Sunday night, falling to a 3-1 series deficit.

In his first game back since appendectomy surgery, Joel Embiid looked like the only Sixer ready for this game. He finished with 26 points shooting 9-of-21 from the floor with 10 rebounds and six assists.

Tyrese Maxey was just way too passive to start the game, going for 22 points on 7-of-14 shooting with six assists. Paul George had 16 points and four rebounds going 6-of-13 from the floor.

VJ Edgecombe again didn’t have it, finishing with six points on 2-of-9 shooting. Payton Pritchard led all scorers with 32.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

• The Celtics scored their first two baskets of the game with the ball handler getting Embiid into space and finding a wide open Neemias Queta near the rim. On the other end, it took the Sixers nearly four minutes to hit their first field goal of the game, but Embiid had already forced the Celtics to go to Nik Vucevic, drawing a quick two fouls on Queta.
• The Sixers really couldn’t buy a jumper to fall out of the gate. That first made field goal was a transition dunk. Embiid made their first basket in the half court as well taking Vucevic down to the post. Edgecombe was the first Sixer not named Embiid to score and that came at the 5:24 mark.

No appendix? No problem.

Joel Embiid has scored all of the Sixers' first 8 points. pic.twitter.com/vHKharMeDx

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) April 26, 2026

• Embiid only sat for a couple minutes and yet the Sixers couldn’t survive a second of them (insert the “first time?” meme). Pritchard got lost for a couple of wide open threes before Jayson Tatum steamrolled down the lane for an open layup. Andre Drummond fouling Tatum on a three-point shot was the last straw for his shift.
• It’s not like Embiid was a cure all for their problems. The Sixers surrendered four straight offensive rebounds on a single possession. This was also in the middle of a stretch where Embiid was responsible for two turnovers and an offensive foul. The Celtics ended the quarter on a 11-2 run to storm out to a 16-point lead.

Second Quarter

• The Sixers continued to generate good looks that continued to clank off the rim. They kicked to Edgecombe for a wide open corner three that didn’t fall, George missed a driving floater, and Embiid missed two open midrange jumpers. There were other problems but none of them really mattered if the Sixers couldn’t put the ball in the hoop.
• Nick Nurse was forced into trying both options at backup center when Drummond went down with a leg injury. He was just passing out of the post when he went down grabbing his hamstring area without much seemingly happening which is not a great sign.
• Quentin Grimes following up a three with a steal and a fastbreak dunk was the first sign of life the Sixers had shown in about 10 minutes of game time. They strung together some baskets and stops to get the lead under 20 but again killed their momentum with bad mistakes. Edgecombe threw a pocket pass way over Embiid’s head, then Grimes and Embiid botched a fast break, one that Nurse challenged for some reason and lost.

Quentin Grimes with an excellent behind-the-back pass to Adem Bona who finishes at the rim over Queta pic.twitter.com/2l7I4sEqqb

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) April 26, 2026

• After Luka Garza hit a three coming out of the challenge the Sixers closed the half well defensively. They had dug themselves such a hole though that Jaylen Brown hitting a contested stepback three felt backbreaking. The same goes for Embiid missing two of his four latest free throws and having another open midrange jumper rim out. Brown hit another tough turnaround, this time in the midrange, to keep the Celtics’ lead at 18.

Third Quarter

• Another concerning part about the first half is that the Sixers got smoked with both of the Jays shooting very poor. They combined to go 4-of-16. Tatum started the second half with a midrange that became an and-1. Brown knocked down a three before doing the same. Meanwhile, the Sixers continued to shoot themselves in the foot on the other end — Maxey appeared to slow up on a fast break, giving Derrick White time to block his layup attempt.
• It’s not surprising they looked like they let go of the rope with how poorly they shot. It was still jarring to see the only player show any life all night was the guy who had to have an emergency appendectomy less than three weeks ago. This stat tweeted by ESPN’s Tim Bontempts was sent out less than halfway through the third quarter.

The Sixers have missed 32 shots and don't have a single offensive rebound tonight.

— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) April 27, 2026

• Ironically, the Sixers finally had a stretch where their three-point shots were falling. Maxey had a couple fall earlier in the quarter before George and Embiid found something of a groove. The Sixers couldn’t make any progress though because of another flaw getting them in trouble — their overhelping. Pritchard was the leading scorer in the first half, and yet the Sixers continued to help off of him one pass away. The Celtics were more than happy to kick it to him and let him convert the open shots. The Sixers went into the fourth trailing by 21.

Fourth Quarter

• As if things hadn’t gotten embarrassing enough, the Celtics quickly pushed their lead to 30 for the first time of the game. As Tatum was at the line finishing off a four-point play, the Celtics fans who had made the trip loudly mocked Sixers fans with “We want Boston” chants. 
• It seemed like the only battle left was whatever the arena could do to drown out the Celtics fans. There were two karaoke sing-a-longs during timeouts, which is two more than I remember happening at all during the regular season. The renditions of “Baby” and “A Thousand Miles” were quite loud, but not as loud as the Boston fans once the Celtics got back on the court and started draining threes again. The “We want Boston” chants rung out again as Embiid checked out for the final time.

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The Phoenix Suns should be satisfied with their season.

After effectively resetting the franchise in the offseason, they still found their way into the playoffs... and being swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder is nothing to be ashamed about.

My Thunder vs. Suns predictions expect a sweep, one that featured Dillon Brooks because Oklahoma City has wanted it that way.

Read more in our NBA picks for Monday, April 27. 

Our best Thunder vs Suns SGP for Game 4

The Oklahoma City Thunder identified their biggest worry before this series. As long as Devin Booker doesn't beat them, the Phoenix Suns can't win. 

Let Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green shoot. Don't let Booker get going.

Thus, the Suns’ franchise cornerstone hasn't taken more than 17 shots in a game, while Brooks has attempted at least 21 in each, totaling 19 more shots than Booker.

The Thunder’s defensive plan has worked. Brooks has averaged 27 points while Oklahoma City has cruised in each game

Booker found some playmaking in Game 3, with his seven assists keeping things nominally close for a while. Those assists again, along with Phoenix’s last gasp, should keep this tight into halftime.

However, let’s all acknowledge what is coming for the Suns: time in the sun.

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.

HOUSTON — Lakers star guard Austin Reaves was downgraded from questionable to out for Sunday’s Game 4 against the Rockets at Toyota Center.

Reaves has been sidelined since suffering a Grade 2 left oblique strain, an injury that typically comes with a four- to six-week recovery timeline.

The fifth-year guard, along with fellow star guard Luka Doncic (Grade 2 left hamstring strain), suffered the regular-season-ending injuries during the April 2 loss to the Thunder.

He and Doncic missed the final five games of the regular season with their respective injuries.

Reaves was listed as questionable for Friday’s Game 3 before being downgraded to out.

“Austin and I had a conversation yesterday for a long time, and I think ultimately the athlete has to feel confidence,” Coach JJ Redick said on Sunday. “And that’s always the final hurdle coming back from an injury, is the psychological component of it.”

Doncic also was ruled out of Game 4.

He averaged a career-high 23.3 points to go with 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals in a career-low 51 regular-season games after also missing significant time in December and January because of a calf strain. 

Reaves has a $14.9 million player option for 2026-27 that he’s expected to decline, making him an unrestricted free agent this offseason with the expectation of a significant pay raise.

The Lakers entered Sunday up 3-0 in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Rockets.

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Is this the best rivalry in the NBA?

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets have now played each other 32 times over the last four seasons, splitting two previous playoff series.

Tonight's Timberwolves vs. Nuggets predictions and NBA picks expect the greatest antagonist in this rivalry to rise once more in Game 5 on Monday, April 27.

Timberwolves vs Nuggets prediction

Who will win Timberwolves vs Nuggets Game 5?

Timberwolves: While the Nuggets are 11-point favorites and should be desperate with their backs up against the wall, anyone who has watched the last few games of this series can very clearly see the body language throughout Denver’s roster.

Frustration, anger, and wounded pride are no way to mount a comeback from a 3-1 series, and they may cost the Nuggets quicker than anyone expects.

Timberwolves vs Nuggets best bet: Jaden McDaniels Over 16.5 points (-115)

Despite leading this series 3-1, the Minnesota Timberwolves are only listed at -150 to win it at bet365.

Surely, they have a much better chance than 60%, right? They just won three straight games, snapping the Denver Nuggets’ 13-game winning streak.

Nope, these are the worries when your franchise cornerstone goes down with an injury to his good knee. Without Anthony Edwards — and Donte DiVincenzo — Minnesota suddenly has much to still worry about.

Enter Jaden McDaniels. The Timberwolves’ wing has angered and humiliated the Nuggets in every way.

First, McDaniels pointed out how poor they are defensively after Game 2. Then he backed it up by scoring 20 points on just 13 shots in Game 3.

To outdo himself, McDaniels capped Game 4 with a last-second layup that drew all of Denver’s remaining ire, which had somehow been absent for about 24 minutes in the second half.

McDaniels’s deep shooting has been a liability of late — 1-for-11 from beyond the arc in this series and 2-for-19 in his last six games — but when Edwards is sidelined, the sixth-year wing tends to dial up his offense.

McDaniels averaged 18.7 points in 16 games without Edwards this season, compared to 13.8 in 57 games alongside Edwards. He takes 3.6 more shots per game with Edwards sidelined, including an average of one additional 3-pointer.

These are the reasons McDaniels has topped this prop in 10 of those 16 games without Edwards, with two of those exceptions falling short by only the hook.

McDaniels should emphasize his mid-range game to once again expose the Nuggets’ defensive weaknesses.

Timberwolves vs Nuggets same-game parlay

The Timberwolves should run in Edwards’s absence. McDaniels, Bones Hyland, and Ayo Dosunmu will have much of the duty getting the ball up the court, and they will never turn down a chance to push the pace.

Those transition opportunities will help McDaniels score without living beyond the arc, where he has scuffled to a 10.5% showing in his last six games. Those opportunities will also create easy assist chances, and he already averages 3.2 assists without Edwards compared to 2.6 with the shooting guard in the lineup.

Timberwolves vs Nuggets SGP

• Jaden McDaniels Over 16.5 points
• Jaden McDaniels Under 1.5 threes
• Jaden McDaniels Over 2.5 assists

Our "from downtown" SGP: Wearing Out Jokic

Know who will despise the Timberwolves’ escalated pace without Anthony Edwards? Nuggets’ star Nikola Jokic.

He already looks exhausted. One might wonder if his temper tantrum at the end of Game 4 was in part the result of shoddy judgment thanks to fatigue.

Jokic will struggle to get up and down the court with Hyland, Dosunmu, and McDaniels — and their pace will only further sap his legs.

Timberwolves vs Nuggets SGP

• Jaden McDaniels Over 16.5 points
• Jaden McDaniels Under 1.5 threes
• Jaden McDaniels Over 2.5 assists
• Nikola Jokic Under 30.5 points

Timberwolves vs Nuggets odds for Game 5

• Spread: Timberwolves +11 (-110) | Nuggets -11 (-110)
• Moneyline: Timberwolves +375 | Nuggets -500
• Over/Under: Over 222 (-110) | Under 222 (-110)

Timberwolves vs Nuggets betting trend to know

Denver has fallen short of its team total in every game of this series. Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs. Nuggets.

How to watch Timberwolves vs Nuggets Game 5

Timberwolves vs Nuggets latest injuries

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Joel Embiid made his return to the Philadelphia 76ers Sunday, April 26, after recovering from appendix surgery that kept him out of the first three games of the NBA playoffs and the Sixers' lone game in the play-in tournament.

Embiid started for the 76ers in Game 4 vs. the Boston Celtics and played 34 minutes. He led Philadelphia in scoring and rebounds, shots takend and shots made while posting a double-double. But Boston absolutely dominated the contest, notching a 128-96 victory. The Celtics got a huge game from reserve Payton Pritchard, who scored a game-high 32 points and made 6-of-12 3-pointers.

Embiid was initially ruled out indefinitely due to appendicitis, leaving a postseason appearance in doubt. The 7-time All-Star and the 2023 NBA MVP had not been on the court since the 76ers' loss to the San Antonio Spurs on April 6 during the regular season.

He scored his first points Sunday less than four minutes into the game with a monster dunk off an assist from forward Kelly Oubre Jr. on a fast break.

Joel Embiid SLAMS one home for his first FG in his return to action!

📺 NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/p3STOmB5tl

— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) April 26, 2026

The 76ers trail the Celtics 3-1 in the Eastern Conference first-round series. The Celtics have been responsible for eliminating the 76ers three times since 2018.

Philadelphia has not made it past the second round since 2001. Embiid and the 76ers are looking to advance past the first round for the first time since 2023, Embiid's MVP season.

Joel Embiid stats

(Stats after tw o quarters of play)

• Minutes: 34
• Points: 26
• Rebounds: 10
• Assists: 6
• FG: 9-for-21
• 3FG: 1-for-6
• FT: 7-for-9
• Blocks: 1
• Turnovers: 3

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joel Embiid 76ers stats vs Celtics in Game 4 after appendix surgery