BOSTON — V.J. Edgecombe had 30 points and 10 rebounds while playing through pain after taking a hard fall early in the game, Tyrese Maxey scored 29 points and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Boston Celtics 111-97 on Tuesday night to tie their playoff series at one game apiece.
Edgecombe connected on six of the 76ers’ 19 3-pointers. Maxey also had nine assists as Philadelphia bounced back after getting blown out 123-91 in Game 1.
The series shifts to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Friday.
The Celtics cut a seven-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter to 91-89 before an 11-0 run put the 76ers back in front 102-89 with just over four minutes to play. The Celtics pulled their starters with a little more than a minute remaining.
Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 36 points. Jayson Tatum added 19 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists.
After struggling from the field in Game 1, the 76ers needed much more from Maxey and Edgecombe. They got it, with the pair carrying the load for a team that shot 47.8% from the field, including 19 of 39 from the 3-point line.
Boston was only 13 of 47 from the 3-point line and shot 39.3% from the field overall, while committing 13 turnovers leading to 16 points by the 76ers.
Philadelphia, which was again without center Joel Embiid for Game 2 as he continues to go through a strength and conditioning program following an appendectomy on April 9, was twice without Edgecombe for brief stretches Tuesday.
Edgecombe limped off in noticeable pain and went straight to the locker room for treatment in both the first and third quarters.
He returned each time and kept scoring to help the 76ers build as much as a 13-point lead in the third.
The intensity was high throughout the game.
It hit a high point in the opening minutes when Brown was assessed a technical foul after his emphatic one-handed dunk over Adem Bona that sent the 76ers big man to the floor.
Replays appeared to show that Brown’s momentum after the jam carried him into contact with Bona, who fell to the floor and left Brown in a hovering position over him.
But referee Marc Davis didn’t see it that way and called Brown for the tech.
Apr 21, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) and Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) dive for the ball in the first half of a game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
After an impressive 32-point win in game one on Sunday, Boston would face a more stout Philadelphia opponent in Game 2. The 76ers came out to play in game 2, ratcheting up the defensive intensity and shooting the ball with confidence all game. Philly would snatch a big road win, 97-111 to level the series. Jaylen Brown had 36 points, and Jayson Tatum 19 points in the home loss.
Boston started the gmae with the regular lineup of Derrick White, Sam Hauser, Neemias Queta, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Tatum nailed the game’s first shot of the night, a triple form the top of the key, a good early sign as JT was just 1/7 from downtown in game one. Sam Hauser’s relocation three-pointer was Boston’s second score of the game. Paul George hit a pair of two-point makes for Philly to make it 6-4 early.
Maxey was challenging Brown at half court, and JB drove past him and converted a nasty one handed dunk over Adem Bona. Brown whistled for a weak taunting technical foul after the play. Tatum was whistled for an offensive foul on a play as Oubre Jr. was clearly out of position, boos and chants raining down for the Refs at TD Garden early in the first quarter.
Jaylen Brown fed Derrick White for an open three-pointer as Boston tied the scores at 13 points. A play later Tatum drove all the way to cup to score with Bona trailing on the play as C’s fans found their voice once more. White drove and dumped it off to Queta, who hit a sweet floater over Andre Drummond who just checked into the game, Boston up 17-13 at the six-minute mark.
Hauser’s second triple gave the C’s a seven point lead, as rookie VJ Edgecombe limped back to the change rooms, after hitting the parquet hard on a rebounding miss. Payton Pritchard and Nikola Vučević were the first players off the bench for Boston and Pritchard had a sweet dime immediately to Brown for a left handed lay up. Vučević nailed his first three-pointer of the game, Boston up by 13 points, 26-13.
Philly went on a quick 10-0 run to cut the Boston lead back to just 3 points with Tatum on the bench. Paul George had a tip in for the visiting 76ers at the buzzer, Boston up by 3 points after one quarter, 28-25.
Derrick White and Jaylen Brown took a seat to start the second quarter, as Jayson Tatum and Hauser returning to the lineup. Baylor Scheierman hit his first triple of the game to open the second quarter, with Vučević on the assist. Boston had 4 early turnovers to start the game, handing the 76ers a pair of easy transition layups. Paul George drilled a corner triple to cut it back to a one point game, Boston up 35-34 at the 9-minute mark.
Veteran big man Andre Drummond fueled the Sixers back into the lead, 40-41, he scored 5 straight points for Philly in a decent stretch of minutes. Brown and White returned to the game and JB immediately got to his spot at the free throw line with Maxey on his hip, he was fouled and hit both free throws to retake the lead.
Philly was shooting the ball well to start game 2, they were shooting at a blistering 52% clip from three, going 10-19 to start the game. VJ Edgecombe dunked it home on the break for his fourteenth point of the night, Philly up 51-54. Edgecombe was outstanding for Philadelphia all half, he led all scorers with 20 points on 61% shooting from the field. Boston trailing 54-62 after the first half of play.
Apr 21, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) passes the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first half of a game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
Boston would need to make adjustments in the second half, as they left the Sixers with too many wide open looks from downtown. Boston had 7 turnovers in the half and shot just 1 from 8 from three in the second quarter.
Unfortunately, the Celtics came out flat to start the third quarter with more of the same, Jaylen Brown had a horrible cross court pass picked off, for Boston’s eighth turnover of the night. Paul George hit a triple and the 76ers up by 11 points, 56-67.
Jaylen Brown drove on Drummond to convert on a tough layup, his 17th point of the game. Tatum hit a pair of shots in the lane for Boston but they would need to get defensive stops to get back in the game as Philly kept the scoreboard ticking as Oubre Jr hit a pair of shots.
Jaylen Brown rattled a big time arching three-pointer over Andre Drummond as the Celtics cut it back to 6 points, 68-74 with plenty of time to go in the third quarter. Payton Pritchard finally got on the scoreboard for Boston with 5 minutes to go in the third.
The bench provided a spark for the home team in the third, Vooch, Walsh and Pritchard had good minutes in this mid-quarter stretch, Boston down by just 3 points. Edgecombe had five straight points for Philly to give the road team a buffer. Brown rattled in his 28th point of the night to keep the Celtics within striking distance, Philly by 7 points after three quarters, 77-84.
Derrick White hit a triple to open the scoring for Boston in the fourth. Pritchard’s step back jumper a play later got the score back to just 4 points. Paul George reeled off 5 straight points as Philly extended it’s lead back to 7 points. Tatum’s second three-pointer was timely for Boston, after going 2-13 in the series. Brown matched him with his own triple to cut the lead to 2 points.
Maxey nailed a pair of threes off the dribble for Philly as Boston continued to play drop coverage. It was a ten-point lead 89-99 with four to play. The 76ers were the more tougher team all game, hitting the big shots in a timely manner. Boston’s dismal three point shooting was the story of the night, as they had just 13 makes from 50 attempts.
The series now switches to Philadelphia for Game 3, as the Boston Celtics look to get things back on track on Friday 24th of April at 7pm EST.
This looked bad when it happened, and it could mean the Spurs will be without their Mr. Everything for a few games.
San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama had to exit Game 2 of its playoff series against Portland and is now out for the night and in the league's concussion protocol following a nasty fall in the second quarter, one in which he landed face-first on the court.
The injury occurred on a play with 8:57 left in the second, where Wembanyama tried a spin move in the paint and was fouled by Jrue Holiday. As he went to the ground, Wembanyama tried to pass the ball, and with that, was unable to protect his head as he hit the court. Warning: The video is hard to watch (and not for the squeamish).
Victor Wembanyama takes a hard fall & hits his head on the court.
After the fall, Wembanyama remained on the ground for about 30 seconds, then sat up and talked to teammates and Spurs staff for another minute before getting up and jogging back to the locker room. He did not return.
The NBA's concussion protocol says he cannot engage in any physical exertion for the next 24-48 hours, followed by a detailed, multi-step return-to-play protocol that includes him not showing symptoms through several steps of increased physical exertion (from a stationary bike to jogging to on-court work). All of this is monitored and approved by a league-appointed physician who specializes in neurological issues.
An extended absence could be trouble for the Spurs, who are the No. 2 seed in the West and have a number of high-level young players, but everything was built on a foundation of what Wembanyama can do on both ends of the court. Pregame he was handed his first Defensive Player of the Year award — the youngest player ever to win it, and also the first to do so unanimously — plus he averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game this season.
Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) sits on the court after a hard fall during the first half in Game 2 of San Antonio’s first-round playoff series with Portland.Photograph: Eric Gay/AP
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol after tumbling face-first to the court during Tuesday night’s playoff loss to Portland.
“He has a concussion. He’s in the protocol,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said after San Antonio fell 106-103 to even the Western Conference first-round series at one game apiece. “We’ll take the proper and appropriate steps.”
Any extended absence by Wembanyama would be a massive blow to San Antonio, which finished with the league’s second-best record behind their 7ft 4in center, who won this year’s NBA defensive player of the year.
Under league guidelines, a player in the concussion protocol must have at least 48 hours of inactivity and recovery and then hit several benchmarks without symptoms before being cleared to play. A player must undergo neurological testing and receive a final clearance from a team doctor in consultation with the league’s concussion protocol director.
Game 3 is Friday in Portland. It seems improbable that Wembanyama would be cleared by then, but Johnson wouldn’t speculate about his status.
“The protocol is the protocol,” Johnson said. “We’ll just follow it as everyone else does and plan accordingly.”
The Spurs went 12-6 during the regular season without Wembanyama.
“We’ve all got to step up,” Spurs guard Devin Vassell said. “We know what Vic brings to the table. We’ve played without him for a couple games this year. It’s going to be next man up. Everybody’s going to have to step up. That’s a huge void to fill. We can’t get bogged down by it.”
Wembanyama was fouled by Jrue Holiday after he spun around the Trail Blazers point guard in the paint. He was not able to brace himself on the fall, and his jaw hit the court with 8:57 remaining in the second quarter.
Wembanyama remained on the court for about 30 seconds before sitting up for about a minute and speaking to teammate Stephon Castle. Johnson called a timeout to check on Wembanyama, who immediately ran through the tunnel after getting to his feet.
Veteran Luke Kornet replaced Wembanyama and started the second half at center, finishing with 10 points and nine rebounds in 28 minutes.
“It was scary. I saw the images. It was not good,” Trail Blazers coach Tiago Splitter said of the play where Wembanyama got hurt. “With him out, Kornet, I think he did a tremendous job. We still have to figure out how to play better when Kornet is on the court.”
San Antonio are in the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and beat Portland in Game 1 of the Western Conference first-round series behind 35 points from Wembanyama. Without him, the Spurs blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead in the playoffs for the first time since 2003, a span of 76 games.
Vassell said he didn’t have a chance to talk with Wembanyama immediately after the game.
“We’ll definitely check in on him. Our prayers are with him,” Vassell said. “We just want him to be good.”
In Tuesday’s other games, VJ Edgecombe had 30 points and 10 rebounds while playing through pain after taking a hard fall early in the game, Tyrese Maxey scored 29 points and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Boston Celtics 111-97 to tie their playoff series at 1-1. Meanwhile, LeBron James had 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and short-handed Los Angeles outlasted Houston for a victory and a stunning 2-0 lead in their playoff series.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 21: Vj Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers and Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers react in the second quarter of a game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on April 21, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Playoff. VJ. Edgecombe.
The Sixers shocked the Boston Celtics with a 111-97 win in Game 2 Tuesday night, tying the series at 1-1.
Tyrese Maxey had a much easier go of it, putting up 29 points and nine assists shooting 11-of-28 from the floor. Edgecombe had his playoff coming out party, having a team-high 30 points, shooting 12-of-20 from the floor along with 10 rebounds.
Paul George importantly got off to a great start, going for 19 on 7-of-13 shooting. Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 36.
Joel Embiid (appendectomy surgery recovery) remained the only player unable to suit up due to injury.
Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.
First Quarter
The process of these teams was on display early, with the Celtics knocking down two quick threes while PG slowly backed down his defender for a midrange pull-up on the Sixers’ first two possessions. There were plenty of fireworks early as Brown was called for a technical foul for how hard he dunked on Adem Bona. Even with that, the Sixers started the game as well as possible, making six of their first eight field goal attempts.
Making a three-pointer was the only thing the Sixers didn’t do in their good start. The Celtics made five early as they ripped off a 16-0 run in response. During this stretch, Edgecombe landed hard on his lower back and legs. He gingerly limped back for a brief trip to the locker room before returning to the game in the second.
The run was finally ended with a Maxey pull-up three. The Sixers would surrender an offensive rebound on the ensuing possession, but Maxey had the best box out by a Sixer in years to secure the rebound on the second attempt. Andre Drummond was able to putback a miss, Quentin Grimes made his first three of the night, and a Maxey pick-six made it a 10-0 Sixers run in response. George was able to put back a missed Grimes’ floater to pull the Sixers within three after the first.
Personnel is a big reason for their rebounding struggles, but it’s astonishing how unprepared the Sixers look for long rebounds. Payton Pritchard pulled down the Celtics’ sixth offensive board of the night just two possessions into the quarter. The minutes with Maxey on the bench got off to a rough start, but Drummond poking away a steal turned that around as they followed up with back-to-back threes from Grimes and George. Grimes blocking a Pritchard three from behind was a big stop in this stretch.
The Sixers kept this play going out of Boston’s timeout as well. A three and another putback from Drummond briefly put them back in front. Edgecombe returned to the game and hit a pull-up, then grabbed an offensive board. A negative worth monitoring though was Jayson Tatum being able to bait George into his third foul of the night.
Despite turning it over immediately after pulling down an impressive offensive rebound, Edgecombe continued to look really good coming back from the fall. He was finally able to knock down some threes, hitting four in the half, and threw down a transition dunk in a crowd of defenders. As a team the Sixers were rewarded for their hustle. Kelly Oubre Jr. missed the free throw to convert an and-1, but Dominick Barlow fought to grab the offensive rebound that led to another Edgecombe three.
The Sixers still struggled to keep the Celtics off the offensive glass, but they were able to hold the Celtics without a field goal for the final 2:05 of the half. Barlow took an inadvertent elbow to the face on Brown’s last shot, but replay upheld that no foul occurred and the Sixers took an eight-point lead into the break.
Third Quarter
George drilling a pull-up three was a great start to the second half, as was Boston’s field goal drought continuing. It took the Celtics two and a half minutes into the third to snap the drought. The bad news for Philly was Edgecombe re-aggravating his injury and going back to the locker room two minutes into the half.
Brown getting to the rim did get both of the Jays going. Brown easily drove to the basket again, as did Tatum, before Brown hit a pair of threes. Oubre finally hit his first three of the series, then drove for a couple of layups himself to keep the Celtics at arms’ length.
Regression to the mean hit George the hardest. He airballed a couple of threes and threw a bad turnover as the Celtics slowly nibbled away. Thanks to Maxey and Oubre flying around the perimeter the Sixers were able to force a big shot clock violation, especially since Edgecombe came right down the floor and nailed a three (A result of the Sixers finally putting Nik Vucevic in an action in space, no less). Edgecombe got to the basket two more times coming out of a timeout to keep the Sixers’ lead at seven going into the fourth.
White drilling a three off the catch and Pritchard beating Adem Bona off the dribble for a bucket made things hairy quick. Justin Edwards responding with a three is just what the Sixers needed. PG chipped in with a midrange and a trip to the line. Edwards’ night had felt more quiet than his Game 1 performance, but his four rebounds and swat on a Brown jumper were huge.
Open misses continued to haunt the Sixers. Two open threes clanked off, then Bona missed a layup before five points from the Jays made it a one-score game again. Maxey had really cooled off but picked a good time to nail a pair of threes to force a Celtics timeout. Edgecombe made a great read to pick off a pass coming out of the timeout and Maxey drew an offensive foul, helping the Sixers respond with five points of their own.
Brown pulled up trying to draw a foul on a three. While he didn’t get the call, the three falling was a big shot for Boston. Edgecombe was able to respond with another one of his own, then Maxey wove his way to the basket for an acrobatic layup that turned into an and-1. Brown was able to hit another tough three a few possessions later, but Joe Mazzulla had already sent the end of his bench to the scorer’s table to call it for the night. The conclusive victory the Sixers pulled off prompted a tweet from their most online player.
Rockets star Kevin Durant will make his return to the court in Game 2 of the first round playoff series against the Lakers on Tuesday night. Getty Images
Durant was the Rockets’ leading scorer for the 2025-26 season, averaging 26 points in 78 games.
Among the four regular season games he missed, two was because of personal reasons, one was because of sprained left ankle and one was because of the team resting their main players in the final game of the season.
“He was great all year,” Udoka said pregame. “To your point, he only missed one game due to a tweaked ankle. It’s really one game that he honestly could have played through if it was a playoffs. So, durable, plays high minutes, competitive, wants to be out there and not come out of game and all those things. So obviously very frustrated, as we were, kind of fluky thing that happened. Two guys bump knees and to have that happen when you rest the guy the last game of the season and you’re going into the playoffs and preparation, frustration was from all sides, let alone him who’s a very competitive guy. So understand that, but being smart, looking at big picture, you want him to be out there 100% and not with limited movement, thinking about it.”
Durant sat out of Game 1 on Saturday because of a right knee contusion he suffered during a practice on April 15 in Houston. NBAE via Getty Images
The Rockets started Durant alongside Amen Thompson, Josh Okogie, Jabari Smith and Alperen Sengun.
The Lakers had everyone who was available in Game 1 available for Game 2, starting the same lineup of Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton.
Tuesday was the first time Durant and James played against each other in the playoffs since the 2018 NBA Finals.
Apr 21, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) talks with guard Stephon Castle (5) after falling to the ground during the first half of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Victor Wembanyama left Game 2 of the Spurs vs. Portland Trail Blazers after falling and smacking his head on the court with 8:57 left in the second quarter. He was driving when Jrue Holiday pulled the chair, and he fell face first. He slammed his chin on the court and appeared to lose consciousness for a split second. As he tried to get up, he appeared dazed and sat back down before heading to the locker room. He did not return after being entered into concussion protocol.
While there is no set timeline for return from a concussion, a player who enters protocol must pass certain tests and by symptom free for at least 24 hours before being cleared to return. The average return time is usually between 5-7 days, which means it could be at least Game 5 before he returns. If there is a silver lining, it’s that the Spurs played all their regular season games against Portland without him and still went 2-1, but the playoffs are a different animal.
Wemby had played in 12 minutes with 5 points and 4 rebounds before exiting. The Spurs were down 32-34 when he left and tied 57-57 at halftime.
Wembanyama left Game 2 against the Portland Trail Blazers Tuesday, April 21, following a fall in which he hit his head on the floor.
“He has a concussion and he’s in the protocol, and we’ll obviously take the proper and appropriate steps,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said after the game.
Johnson added that Wembanyama was not being examined for anything beyond his assessment in concussion protocol. Johnson did not have any information for a possible timeline for Wembanyama to return to the court.
“You know, it’s tough,” Johnson added. “The protocol is the protocol, so we’ll just follow it as everyone else does and plan accordingly.”
The Blazers eventually would come back from a 14-point deficit with a little more than eight minutes to play to win the game, 106-103, tying the series at one game apiece.
Wembenyama was being guarded by Blazers guard Jrue Holiday, who played solid defense on the 7-foot-4 MVP candidate, at the time of injury. Wembanyama made a series of moves against Holiday as he attempted to drive to the lane. He opted for a spin move when Holiday read the move and retreated, "pulling the chair" from Wembanyama, who lost his balance.
The Spurs center twisted and turned before falling to the hardwood and smacking his head on the ground.
Wembanyama sat on the court under the basket for several moments, first holding his face and then putting his head in his knees as teammates came over to check on him. When the Spurs training staff came out, Wembanyama got to his feet and went to the locker room. He would not return.
The Spurs took a timeout following the injury.
Victor Wembanyama hits his head hard on the floor, after the drive and spin move on Jrue Holiday.
He looks dazed and confused, the Spurs take a timeout and he heads to the locker room. With replays. pic.twitter.com/hrEAKkEDMb
The Golden State Warriors have a number of decisions to make this offseason, including whether or not to part ways with head coach Steve Kerr after 12 seasons and four NBA championships.
Questions loom about Kerr's future with the Warriors. His contract expires this summer. Even he was uncertain on what would transpire in the next days, weeks or months.
"I don't know what's going to happen. I still love coaching, but I get it. These jobs all have an expiration date," Kerr told reporters after the Warriors ended their season with a 111-96 loss to the Phoenix Suns on April 18 in the NBA Play-In Tournament.
"There's a run that happens, and when the run ends, sometimes it's time for new blood and new ideas and all that. And if that's the case, I will be just nothing but grateful for the most amazing opportunity any person could have to coach this franchise, in front of our fans in The Bay, and to coach Steph Curry, to coach Dray, the whole group. So it might still go on. May not, I don't know at this point, but we all need to step away a little bit and then reconvene."
However, it seems that signs are pointing towards Kerr not working out a deal to return to the Warriors, according to NBC Sports Bay Area's Monte Poole. Poole reported that the Warriors' coach would not be brought back unless Kerr had a "renewed faith in his role as the franchise shifts toward the future."
Warriors leaders on Kerr's future
Kerr's future remains up in the air. Warriors star Stephen Curry just wants his coach to be happy in whatever his next step is going to be, but he is hoping that it's another year in The Bay.
"I want coach to be happy, I want him to be excited about the job. I want him to believe he's the right guy for the job. I want him to have an opportunity to again enjoy what he does, so whatever that means for him," Curry said. "However it goes, you're thankful for what we've been able to accomplish over this run, thankful for an opportunity, hopefully, to put it together, do something again next year."
In their NBA Play-In loss, potentially their final game together, Kerr embraced Curry and Draymond Green moments before the conclusion of the game and said, "I don't know what's going to happen next, but I love you guys to death. Thank you. I appreciate you."
Green, too, is hopeful that Kerr, and himself, will be back with the Warriors next season. However, Green said he doesn't believe that his coach since 2014 is coming back.
On an episode of The Draymond Green Show, the Warriors forward gave his honest opinion about Kerr's future based on conversations he's heard and the energy around the topic.
"If you ask me, I don't know that he's coming back," Green said about Kerr's future with Golden State. "If you want my opinion, just all the talk that's been going around... I think not. It just feels like that I don't know. I hope he's our coach next year."
He added: "I don't know man, it felt like that was it. Is it? I don't know. Like I said, I hope not. But for some reason it just felt like that was it and if it was man what a run it’s been. I’m so lucky to have had for 12 years Steve as my coach.
Steve Kerr coaching resume
The Warriors are Kerr's first-and-only coaching experience, which began in the 2014-15 season. He has a 604-353 (.631) coaching record in regular-season games. His postseason record is 104-48 (.684).
Kerr was named the 2016 NBA Coach of the Year. He coached Golden State to a NBA-record, 73 wins, which was a record previously held by the 1996 Chicago Bulls who won 72 games. Kerr was a backup point guard on that Bulls team.
Kerr coached the Warriors to four NBA titles in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022. He was named one of the Top 15 Coaches in NBA History in 2021.
Warriors' rumors for Steve Kerr replacement
If Kerr isn't back with the Warriors, there would be a handful of suitors for him and ideal replacements to succeed the coach as the mastermind of Golden State basketball.
Golden coached at the University of San Francisco for three seasons before leaving for Florida and reportedly has a relationship with Warriors owner Joe Lacob and his family.
The Suns took a heavy loss on Sunday against a very strong Thunder team (which makes sense, they’re the champions…), and even though Phoenix got outclassed in many areas (again, nothing surprising…), I felt there were some good things throughout the game. And before that, I thought the staff actually prepared the matchup correctly, especially with the intention of limiting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s scoring impact as much as possible. So I’m proposing we analyze a few sequences together to better understand all of this.
Already, a quick statistical note: Shai finishes with a nice line: 25 points, 7 assists, and 0 turnovers. But behind that, you’ll find a rough 5-for-18 shooting night (including 0-for-4 from three) and a 96.2 PSA. Numerically, both in terms of volume and efficiency (you have to go back to Game 7 of the NBA Finals to find another SGA game under 30% shooting), this is his 5th-worst scoring performance of the season. Sure, he didn’t need to force anything, sure he got the win, but for the Suns, that’s respectable.
I think the best way to understand a tactical approach is to look at what happens during the first 4–5 minutes of a game. Before any adjustments are made or fatigue/pace come into play. And the game plan on Shai during this Game 1 was clear: the guards are placed on him one by one with the objective of being aggressive and forcing him into tough midrange shots. But they’re also asked to help and fill the paint as much as possible to contain him.
On this play, for example, Shai gets by Goodwin with his first step, but he has no driving lane because all five Suns players have a foot or more in the paint: Booker and Goodwin pressure him together, Ighodaro is in second-layer help, Brooks and Green are in the third layer. SGA is forced to pass to Lu Dort in the corner.
Unfortunately, despite a very good closeout from Brooks, the three still goes in.
Another situation, this time it’s Brooks who’s on him, very high, it almost looks like a (1-2-2) zone defense set up by the Suns. Dillon fights through the screen and you’ll notice that Oso prioritizes Shai over Hartenstein, the Thunder guard draws four Suns players: Booker is watching, waiting and ready to act (as we see at the end); Oso is still there as the low man; and Green comes to help to stop the drive, Brooks (even if a bit late) manages to bother the shot.
Basically, this same defensive pattern was repeated several times in this first quarter: high defensive activity to force him to drive left, then help to stop the drive and force a contested midrange shot. SGA goes back to the bench with 8 points on 2-for-6 shooting — the plan to limit his scoring worked, maybe even too well, because the team forgot that the Thunder are overflowing with offensive talent, starting with the lack of response to Chet Holmgren’s performance (13 points).
Then, the defensive trend was completely different in the second quarter: Jordan Ott left Ryan Dunn on him during the last four minutes of SGA’s time on the floor. And I understand it, and I found the choice interesting — Dunn is bigger, stronger, less quick than a guard, but mobile and long enough not to fall too far behind.
In reality, it’s just a variation of what was done in Q1: Dunn pressures high, Shai obviously beats him with speed, but Brooks is there to help and force him to stop his dribble, Oso is also there to provide support and contest if SGA gets through. Dunn is positioned well enough to contest this midrange shot once again.
In Q3 the team continued with the same game plan but Shai played differently, more intelligently: by forcing less on the tough midrange shots that didn’t seem to fall during this game (1-for-7), by drawing a few fouls, by playing with the aggressiveness imposed by the Suns. But also by playing more collectively — he understood it, and it was surely studied at halftime, but Shai took advantage of the excessive help to be more of a distributor (4 assists in Q3). He finishes the game with catastrophic percentages, but with offensive rhythm control worthy of a future two-time MVP.
This brings us back to what I said earlier: by focusing too much on one thing, you often end up forgetting the rest. It wasn’t the big three’s points that created the gap, but the baskets from players like Wallace (6 points), Mitchell and Joe (9 points each), or even Dort (8points). In itself, this tactical setup was good, but it was too focused on a single player. So, for the next games, why not let him finish a bit more at the rim instead of feeding his teammates? I think a middle ground can be found before the end of this series to limit the Thunder’s entire offense.
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol after tumbling face-first to the court in the second quarter of Tuesday night’s playoff loss to Portland.
“He has a concussion. He’s in the protocol,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said after San Antonio fell 106-103 to even the Western Conference first-round series at one game apiece. “We’ll take the proper and appropriate steps.”
Any extended absence by Wembanyama would be a massive blow to San Antonio, which finished with the league’s second-best record behind the versatile 7-foot-4 center from France.
Under league guidelines, a player in the concussion protocol must have at least 48 hours of inactivity and recovery and then hit several benchmarks without symptoms before being cleared to play. A player must undergo neurological testing and receive a final clearance from a team doctor in consultation with the league’s concussion protocol director.
Game 3 is Friday in Portland. It seems improbable that Wembanyama would be cleared by then, but Johnson wouldn’t speculate about his status.
“The protocol is the protocol,” Johnson said. “We’ll just follow it as everyone else does and plan accordingly.”
The Spurs went 12-6 during the regular season without Wembanyama.
“We’ve all got to step up,” Spurs guard Devin Vassell said. “We know what Vic brings to the table. We’ve played without him for a couple games this year. It’s going to be next man up. Everybody’s going to have to step up. That’s a huge void to fill. We can’t get bogged down by it.”
Wembanyama was fouled by Jrue Holiday after he spun around the Trail Blazers point guard in the paint. He was not able to brace himself on the fall, and his jaw hit the court with 8:57 remaining in the second quarter.
Wembanyama remained on the court for about 30 seconds before rising to a seated position for about a minute and speaking to teammate Stephon Castle. Johnson called timeout to check on Wembanyama, who immediately ran through the tunnel after getting to his feet.
Wembanyama had five points, four rebounds, one blocked shot and one assist in 12 minutes. Veteran Luke Kornet replaced Wembanyama and started the second half at center, finishing with 10 points and nine rebounds in 28 minutes.
“It was scary. I saw the images. It was not good,” Trail Blazers coach Tiago Splitter said of the play where Wembanyama got hurt. “With him out, Kornet, I think he did a tremendous job. We still have to figure out how to play better when Kornet is on the court.”
San Antonio is in the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and beat Portland in Game 1 of the Western Conference first-round series behind 35 points from Wembanyama. Without him, the Spurs blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead in the playoffs for the first time since 2003, a span of 76 games.
On Monday, Wembanyama became the unanimous winner of the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award. He averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and a league-best 3.1 blocks this season.
Vassell said he didn’t have a chance to talk with Wembanyama immediately after the game.
“We’ll definitely check in on him. Our prayers are with him,” Vassell said. “We just want him to be good.”
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol after tumbling face-first to the court in the second quarter of Tuesday night’s playoff loss to Portland.
“He has a concussion. He’s in the protocol,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said after San Antonio fell 106-103 to even the Western Conference first-round series at one game apiece. “We’ll take the proper and appropriate steps.”
Any extended absence by Wembanyama would be a massive blow to San Antonio, which finished with the league’s second-best record behind the versatile 7-foot-4 center from France.
Under league guidelines, a player in the concussion protocol must have at least 48 hours of inactivity and recovery and then hit several benchmarks without symptoms before being cleared to play. A player must undergo neurological testing and receive a final clearance from a team doctor in consultation with the league’s concussion protocol director.
Game 3 is Friday in Portland. It seems improbable that Wembanyama would be cleared by then, but Johnson wouldn’t speculate about his status.
“The protocol is the protocol,” Johnson said. “We’ll just follow it as everyone else does and plan accordingly.”
The Spurs went 12-6 during the regular season without Wembanyama.
“We’ve all got to step up,” Spurs guard Devin Vassell said. “We know what Vic brings to the table. We’ve played without him for a couple games this year. It’s going to be next man up. Everybody’s going to have to step up. That’s a huge void to fill. We can’t get bogged down by it.”
Wembanyama was fouled by Jrue Holiday after he spun around the Trail Blazers point guard in the paint. He was not able to brace himself on the fall, and his jaw hit the court with 8:57 remaining in the second quarter.
Wembanyama remained on the court for about 30 seconds before rising to a seated position for about a minute and speaking to teammate Stephon Castle. Johnson called timeout to check on Wembanyama, who immediately ran through the tunnel after getting to his feet.
Wembanyama had five points, four rebounds, one blocked shot and one assist in 12 minutes. Veteran Luke Kornet replaced Wembanyama and started the second half at center, finishing with 10 points and nine rebounds in 28 minutes.
“It was scary. I saw the images. It was not good,” Trail Blazers coach Tiago Splitter said of the play where Wembanyama got hurt. “With him out, Kornet, I think he did a tremendous job. We still have to figure out how to play better when Kornet is on the court.”
San Antonio is in the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and beat Portland in Game 1 of the Western Conference first-round series behind 35 points from Wembanyama. Without him, the Spurs blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead in the playoffs for the first time since 2003, a span of 76 games.
On Monday, Wembanyama became the unanimous winner of the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award. He averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and a league-best 3.1 blocks this season.
Vassell said he didn’t have a chance to talk with Wembanyama immediately after the game.
“We’ll definitely check in on him. Our prayers are with him,” Vassell said. “We just want him to be good.”
SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 19: Toumani Camara #33 and Jrue Holiday #5 of the Portland Trail Blazers box out Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs during the game during Round One Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 19, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much.
The Spurs are now 15 wins away from their sixth championship, and the first order of business is taking care of home court in Game 2 against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Silver and Black won the first game by double digits, but the Blazers were competitive throughout—and with two road teams taking upset victories last night, a victory for the home team is not a foregone conclusion. The Nuggets are looking at a long series against the Timberwolves, and either team could be the Spurs second round opponent if the Spurs advance. It would be optimal for Alamo City hoopers to take care of business and make it to the second round with a rest advantage, and that would start with a victory tonight.
Deni Avdija was impressive for Rip City on Sunday night, as he used his strength to get to the hoop and scored 30 taking the ball right at Wembanyama and Spurs defenders. Toumani Camara did a good job defending against Spurs drives to the hoop, at least until halfway through the third quarter, when the Spurs fought off a Blazers surge to create a comfortable margin after the lead had been cut to a single point.
Both teams were a little tentative at the beginning of Game 1, but they quickly embraced playoff intensity as the game progressed and it was a fun game to watch. Victor Wemanyama had a historic playoff debut with 35 points, with a balanced effort from the rest of the cast, with Devin Vassell making key baskets, and Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox doing work. The bench was relatively quiet, except for Luke Kornet, who scored 10 and made key defensive plays. As good as the first game was for the Spurs, you get the feeling that they could play much better, and hopefully they will tonight.
I’m looking for a good game tonight from Keldon Johnson, in his second career playoff game. The Blazers could try to play a more physical game tonight than they did in Game 1, and if the game is called fairly, that should result in foul trouble for the visitors. The Spurs need to adjust to the intensity, weather the storm, and take care of business. If they do, it’ll be another fun night for the Frost Bank Center crowd as they cheer their team to a 2-0 series lead. GO SPURS GO!
Game Prediction:
The Trail Blazers have to wear the dirty uniforms from Game 1 as the Portland owner refuses to pay for laundry services.
San Antonio Spurs vs Portland Trail Blazers, First Round, Game 2 April 21, 2026 | 7:00 PM CT Streaming: Peacock TV: Peacock, NBC Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
There’s a difference between being snubbed…and inconvenience.
The fact that Lakers superstar Luka Doncic missed out on being named an NBA MVP finalist falls into that category. He was the inconvenience that voters didn’t quite know how to handle. Because his historic season doesn’t fit neatly into the box they’ve spent years building.
So instead, they chose to close the lid.
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers knocked down the game winning shot during the game against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets on March 14, 2026. (NBAE via Getty Images) NBAE via Getty Images
Was that the right decision? We can make the argument either way, but perhaps there’s a solution at the end of all this that can appease everyone.
Let’s start with the finalists: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, and Nikola Jokic.
All three are deserving. They all play on the No. 1, No, 2, and No. 3 seeds in the Western Conference. They are all the best players on their own team with elite level production on both ends of the floor. They check all the boxes.
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But MVP isn’t supposed to be an exercise performed with a Sharpie and a checklist. There’s more gravitas to it. There’s the eye test. There’s the feeling in your gut when you know you’re seeing one of the best players in the world do what they do best. There’s how opposing defenses throw the kitchen sink at one player just to try and slow him down only to discover they can’t.
And nobody made us feel that way this season quite like Doncic.
“I’m disappointed. I think he deserved to be there,” said Lakers’ head coach J.J. Redick. “All three guys that did end up being finalists all have a strong case. A lot of this is media momentum, unfortunately.”
Let’s start with the obvious.
He led the league in scoring at 33.5 points per game. More than 2.4 points more than SGA. Pair that with 8.3 assists, 7.7 rebounds and over 100 steals. Night after night, Doncic wasn’t just producing. He was dominating. No player in NBA history has ever averaged 30+ points, 7+ assists, and 7 + rebounds on a team that won 50 games or more and not won the MVP. Doncic will have now done it twice (2024).
And let’s not forget that he had to carry the Lakers on his back for most of the season.
The Lakers takeoff this season did not come with a clean runway. There was turbulence on the tarmac. An early sciatica injury to LeBron James saw him miss the first 14 games of the season. Doncic led them to a 10-4 record. Midway through the season their second leading scorer Austin Reaves went down with an injury. So did other role players. The Lakers roster felt like it was constantly being rearranged mid-flight. But through it all, Doncic was the pilot that guided them through the turbulence.
So when his teammates that were on this journey with him were asked their thoughts on Doncic not being an MVP finalist they didn’t hesitate with their answers.
“You can see he’s the MVP,” said Lakers’ forward Rui Hachimura. “I can see he’s the MVP of this league. What he does, what he brings to the game every game.”
That’s not analytics. That’s lived experience.
But unfortunately, analytics and advanced metrics is where the divide and the case against Doncic begins.
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 8, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images)
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The anti-Doncic crowd will point to his plus-4 net rating. They’ll stack that next to Jokic’s plus-10.4, SGA’s plus-14.8, and Wemby’s gaudy plus-17.3 and call it decisive. They’ll bring up the defensive metrics as well, where admittedly, Doncic lags behind. They’ll remind you, correctly, that the other finalists are all two-way players, including Wemby who at 22 years old just became the youngest and first ever unanimous player ever to win the Defensive Player of the Year award.
All fair points.
But when did the MVP award become less about overall value to a team and more about the completeness of an individual player?
Not since Russell Westbrook in the 2014-15 season has a player ever led the league in scoring and not finished as a top three MVP finalist.
Doncic’s MVP campaign is messy. He’s ball-dominant. He’s emotional and racks up technical fouls like dishes. He’s defensively inconsistent. He doesn’t check every box.
And yet, in the month of March, Doncic dominated the entire league. The Lakers went 16-2 over an 18-game stretch. Doncic was the undisputed Player of the Month, breaking Kobe Bryant’s franchise record, and finishing second only to Michael Jordan with 600 points. His MVP odds surged. He went from out of the race, to second behind SGA by March 31.
“If we continue to finish the season the way we’re playing right now, and he continues to play that way — to me, he is the MVP,” said Lakers’ head coach J.J. Redick at the time.
Even Doncic was asked about his MVP case.
“The better I play, the more I go down in ratings,” he said in Spanish, half-joking, fully aware of the dialogue going on in the sports talk world.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder dribbles the ball during the game against the Phoenix Suns during Round One Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 19, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) NBAE via Getty Images
Then came April.
In a head-to-head matchup against SGA and the Oklahoma City Thunder, Doncic had a golden opportunity to put a final exclamation point on his MVP campaign. Instead, he suffered a grade 2 hamstring strain and the Lakers lost to OKC by 43. The timing couldn’t have been worse. Doncic would miss the final five games of the season, just as voters were getting ready to make their final selections.
And there’s the rub. Sometimes MVP races aren’t just decided by numbers. They’re decided by moments. And in that moment in OKC, Doncic’s MVP slipped away.
Because the truth is, had he stayed healthy, had the Lakers lit up OKC in those two late-season matchups, had the Lakers surged to the three-seed, then we’re having a very different conversation right now. Not only would Doncic be the finalist, but maybe he’s the favorite.
So was he snubbed?
Not exactly.
But he was minimized.
Voters didn’t ignore him entirely, but they did find reasons to prioritize players who fit the evolving definition of MVP: efficient, elite on both ends of the floor, and attached to team success from start to finish.
Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets is guarded by Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs during the game on April 4, 2026 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) NBAE via Getty Images
Still, the omission exposes something bigger. And that’s that the league needs to make some changes.
Changes not just to the 65-minimum games played threshold, that’s obvious. But other changes as well.
How about an NBA Offensive Player of the Year award like the NFL has?
If that award existed, then there wouldn’t even be a debate. Doncic would be holding the trophy.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the clear frontrunner to repeat as MVP, and his case for that is intertwined with his play in the clutch this season. Oklahoma City won 64 games not just because SGA was the best player in the first 43 minutes of a game, but also because of how dominant he was in the last five.
Which is why Gilgeous-Alexander was voted NBA Clutch Player of the Year, garnering 96 of the 100 first-place votes (cast by a select group of media). Hall of Famer Reggie Miller made the announcement on Peacock.
Denver's Jamal Murray finished second in the voting, just one point ahead of the Timberwolves Anthony Edwards, who was third (the 65-game rule does not apply to this award). Murray had 33 second-place votes (worth three points each) and 18 third-place votes (worth one point), while Edwards had one fewer second-place vote with 32 and two more third-place votes (20).
Gilgeous-Alexander led the league in the clutch, averaging 6.5 points per clutch game, as well as with 175 total clutch points this season, leading the Thunder to a league-best +92 in clutch minutes and a 20-7 record. What's more, he had to do a lot of that on his own — Murray was second in total clutch points with 166 but he had a lot of help in the form of Nikola Jokic (155).
The other four first-place votes that didn't go to SGA went to players who did not finish in the top three. Cade Cunningham got one and finished fourth in the voting, Jalen Brunson (who won the award last year) had two first-place votes but finished fifth, and the Nuggets' Jokic got one first-place vote but finished sixth.
