PJ Haggerty is heading to Texas A&M and Isaiah Johnson is joining Texas as the Lone Star state’s two Southeastern Conference programs have landed former Big 12 stars in the transfer portal.
Each player announced his decision in an Instagram post.
Haggerty scored 23.4 points per game for Kansas State this season to rank fourth among all Division I players. Johnson is coming off a freshman season in which he averaged 16.9 points for Colorado.
Haggerty will be playing for his fifth different school. The 6-foot-4 guard was at TCU in 2022-23, Tulsa in 2023-24 and Memphis in 2024-25.
Haggerty has averaged at least 21.2 points each of his last three seasons. He was an Associated Press All-America second-team pick with Memphis last season and received honorable mention on this year’s AP All-America team. Haggerty also was an AP second-team all-Big 12 selection this season.
Johnson is a 6-1 guard who had three assists and 2.9 rebounds per game this season to go along with his 16.9 points per game.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 25: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics and Jaylen Brown #7 shake hands during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at TD Garden on March 25, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics defeat the Thunder 119-109. 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 Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
BOSTON — The Celtics could be without most of their rotation when they face the Orlando Magic on Sunday.
Jayson Tatum (right Achilles repair management), Jaylen Brown (left Achilles tendonitis), Derrick White (right knee contusion), and Neemias Queta (right toe sprain) are all out. Sam Hauser (low back spasm), Payton Pritchard (left foot plantar fasciitis), and Nikola Vučević (right ring finger fracture management) are all doubtful.
The lengthy injury report comes as no surprise, because the Celtics have already locked up the No. 2 seed with one game left to play in the regular season. None of the injuries appears to be cause for concern, and everyone except for Tatum laced up on Friday night, when the Celtics blew out the New Orleans Pelicans and solidified their standings in the Eastern Conference.
The Orlando Magic are still vying for playoff positioning
The Orlando Magic, meanwhile, will be at mostly full strength and are still playing for playoff positioning. Only Jonathan Isaac (left knee sprain) and Jett Howard (left ankle sprain) are questionable.
The Magic currently have the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference, but are tied with the Toronto Raptors for a 45-26 record. The Raptors are facing the Brooklyn Nets in their last regular-season game, and could lock up that sixth seed with a victory.
The Celtics and Magic could face off in the first round of the playoffs; the Celtics will face the winner of the Play-In game between the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds. (The Philadelphia 76ers currently have the 8th seed). The two teams faced off in the first round of the playoffs last year, with the Celtics winning the best-of-seven series in five games.
The Celtics and Magic have faced off three times this season — all in November — with Boston winning two of the three matchups.
Celtics-Magic will tip off at 6pm ET at TD Garden.
Five-time NBA All-Star point guard and current Amazon Prime Video NBA analyst John Wall takes a shot at some playoffs Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby.
Q: What is the key for the Knicks to reach the NBA Finals?
A: To me the key has always been all year: Can Mikal Bridges and [OG] Anunoby play well at the same time? … Outside of what you know you’ll get from [Jalen] Brunson and KAT [Karl-Anthony Towns], I think that takes their team to another level. I kind of go back to the game when they beat the Spurs pretty badly, everybody was clicking. I know you can’t get that every night, but I feel like those two guys are the key to their team going far.
A: I don’t think it’s no pressure, because last year they feel like they should have went to the Finals, if they don’t give that Game 1 away or Game 2 away against the Pacers, and then you come back this year when everybody thought it was a down year in the East with the Celtics dealing with injuries, the Pacers not having [Tyrese] Haliburton, and everybody, including James Dolan, thought the Knicks would be the No. 1 seed in the East. And you have Boston is still ahead of them, they just got Jayson Tatum back, which is scary for the league, but nobody expected the Celtics to be where they are.
Retired NBA player John Wall speaks on a pregame show prior the game between the Washington Wizards and the Milwaukee Bucks at Capital One Arena on January 29, 2026 in Washington, DC. Getty Images
Q: So you don’t think there’s pressure on the Knicks?
A: Yeah, they have pressure, but it shouldn’t really be no pressure. … They show us a run here, then they go on a losing streak. And then it’s like they kind of had a favorable schedule probably after that bad month of February that got them back on track because they were almost close to not being a top-three team in the East, and that woulda put a lot of pressure on them.
Q: If the Knicks meet the Celtics in the second round, how do you see that series?
A: I’m taking the Celtics on that one. … I feel like the Celtics are a more complete team. Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown, one of them is gonna be on the floor at all times, and they also have Derrick White, [Payton] Pritchard’s playing great off the bench, you got [Baylor] Scheierman, that’s another guy that knocks down shots. … I just feel like they’re a more complete team than what the Knicks are.
The Knicks beat Jayson Tatum and the Celtics on Friday night. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Q: So who do you see in the Eastern Conference finals?
A: Right now I have the Celtics and it’s up in the air. I feel like if the Knicks don’t have to see the Celtics, I would take them there. I like Detroit a lot, I just don’t know if Detroit has another guy that can create off the dribble outside of Cade Cunningham in the playoffs, ’cause the coverages that they’re gonna do with him, he hasn’t seen in the regular season. I’m not giving him my best coverages now when I know I might have to see him in the playoffs.
Q: So you would like the Knicks over the Pistons if they met?
A: Yes.
Q: Your thoughts on Mike Brown?
A: I like Mike Brown. We all talked about Jalen Brunson, we know how dominant he is, how much he scores the ball, but he’s ball dominant, and I think a lot of times all those other guys don’t get implemented into the offense and they kind of get lost. I feel like we were gonna get more ball movement, and we don’t get too many of those, it’s kind of like the same offense we had before. Only difference is he goes deeper into his bench than what Thibs [Tom Thibodeau] used to.
Q: Were you surprised when Thibs was fired?
A: Yeah, for a guy to get to the Eastern Conference finals, you don’t do that. I get you probably wanting to play more guys off the bench, but this has been Thibs’ motto his whole career, play probably seven guys at best, sometimes eight, but I play my main guys a lot of minutes. It’s kind of like you look at Cleveland’s situation, when LeBron [James] and them went to the Finals, the next year David Blatt’s fired. He got to the Finals, didn’t have Kevin Love and lost Kyrie Irving Game 1, he still was able to make it a competitive series as best he could.
Mike Brown calls out a play. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
Q: Correct me if I’m wrong, you don’t sound sold on Mike Brown.
A: Mike Brown’s not the problem. I feel like it’s the players in figuring out how to play well with each other at a high level. It’s about how can you get Jalen Brunson to still be efficient and be the way he is ’cause he’s so gifted, but he’s at his best when the ball is in his hands. I feel like anybody that coaches him is how can you get him to still be that killer guy he’s been for them and the clutch guy he has been for the Knicks and this city, and the fans love him, to get everybody else to also get going also? I’m not blaming Mike Brown for anything.
Q: What do the Knicks need from KAT in these playoffs?
A: KAT has to be KAT. KAT has to be dominant. KAT has to be a guy that can stay on the floor and block shots, defend for them at a high level. He has to be a guy that can knock down a 3 like he’s been doing, but also KAT has to take advantage of when teams put smaller guys on him. Let’s say if they meet Boston in the playoffs, Boston is gonna put Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown on him. And that’s a matchup he has to dominate in the post. If he’s dominating there, now you have to double-team and you have other guys have to do that. … I was talking to one of my Knicks friends that’s a fan, and he’s, “Oh yeah, we’re going to the Finals,” and I’m like, “Bro, you have to understand, you all had no Jaylen Brown yesterday, and you went to the wire with the Celtics.” And Josh Hart had to score 26 points. They shoulda won that game by 15 points, at best.
Q: What is the difference between the Brunson we see now and the Brunson who was in Dallas?
A: He wasn’t a franchise guy, he was trying to figure out his way. The series when Luka [Doncic] was hurt, and what he did against the Utah Jazz gave him an unbelievable confidence to understand, “Well, I might can be a No. 1 option in this league.” What he brings to the table is impeccable to do at his size and be efficient and be as clutch as he is. I just think he has to find a way to get other guys going and not just make him have to make jump shots all night for seven games. To me he’s not a true point guard, he’s more of a combo-type of guard. He’s gonna get the ball whenever he wants, he has the creativity to do whatever he wants when he feels, I feel like early on you have to get guys shots. First minute, minute-30 of the [Celtics] game, Mikal Bridges had seven points. He got it going. He goes missing for the rest of the game.
Q: How big of an impact does Mitchell Robinson have to be?
A: He’s a big key to them because what he brings off the bench, outside of free-throw shooting. A guy that can block shots, a guy that can switch out and really guard other people. And his offensive rebounding ability is very key for them. They really want to play him down the stretch, he just don’t shoot well from the free-throw line.
Q: What do you think of a possible Knicks-Hawks first-round matchup?
A: I think it goes six [games]. They have two guys that can guard, you have Nickeil Alexander-Walker who’s to me Most Improved Player this year, and then you got Jalen Johnson, that’s a guy that’s an All-Star, should be on the All-NBA team. So they can make it interesting because Onyeka Okongwu can guard KAT, he can space the floor and knock down 3s also.
New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is greeted by New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby during the second quarter on Friday night. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Q: What other teams could be a threat to the Celtics?
A: If we get the James Harden and Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley that we expect to get, that’s another team that could be a threat. For me, I feel like it’s three teams that can give the Celtics a threat: the Knicks, the Cavs and the Pistons. But I just feel like the Celtics have been there before. And you know they got revenge on last year, they felt like they gave that series away to the Knicks, being up almost 20 every game, living by the 3, dying by the 3, not making ’em. So that was a saucy taste in their mouth. The Pistons also got a saucy taste, they feel like they coulda beat the Knicks.
Q: The Cavs?
A: Can James Harden knock off the curse of everybody saying he keeps missing in the playoffs? That’s the key for him. I think he unlocked Spida [Mitchell] to another level where Spida don’t have to worry about creating as much, just let him be a bona fide scorer. But I think Evan Mobley has to be the Evan Mobley that we saw last year making All-NBA and being a Defensive Player of the Year. It helps their team go over the hump.
Q: The Raptors?
A: Nah, they’re just not there. I think they have their closer when they went and got Brandon Ingram. We also gotta see how [Immanuel] Quickley can get back in there. I just don’t think they have enough to put any threat to the top teams.
Q: Joel Embiid, who just had appendicitis surgery, and the 76ers?
A: With Embiid, it’s a team that you probably don’t want to see if they’re all healthy, him, Paul George and [Tyrese] Maxey. But I think also it changes their dynamic of what they do offensively, they try to feed the ball to Embiid more, it takes away from Maxey being the guy he was early on in being aggressive and being able to attack. … He helps them offensively, it’s just Embiid can’t move defensively and that kind of might hurt him against certain matchups.
Q: Is there a sleeper team that can make some noise?
A: A sleeper team I want to talk about is the Magic. But I don’t think they ever gonna get it right. They got all the pieces, I just don’t know if Franz [Wagner] can get into a rhythm and help them out before the playoffs start. I want Paolo [Banchero] to be a guy that just gets downhill, you’re a guy that has the physical tools and ability, athleticism to get by anybody and the strength to dominate anybody in the paint.
Q: Who wins the Western Conference?
A: There’s three teams, nobody else in my opinion. [Oklahoma City], Spurs and Denver.
Q: Describe defending NBA champion OKC.
A: They have the same team as last year. They had to go through a lot of adversity this year with guys being out, and I love the guy Ajay Mitchell, he gives them another boost off the bench. You got the MVP from last year, SGA [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander] when games are close. They know who their go-to guy is and everybody just knows their role. Everybody just plays defense at a high level, they’d be ready to make open shots when they have to, and you have a guy like SGA that’s shooting almost 60 percent from the field, makes clutch shots and he’s a go-to guy.
Q: Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs.
A: I love them a lot just because they play so enthusiastic, everybody can defend for them, they all can create shots off the dribble. Only thing that scares me is, who’s gonna be their closer? We have never seen a player like Wemby. The closest thing you’ve seen was Kevin Durant, but then you have what Wemby does on the defensive end, it cancels all that out.
Q: Thoughts on Stephon Castle?
A: I love him. Dawg. Would love to have him on my team. Being with Dan Hurley at UConn they kind of taught him coming in. He’s not trying to go out there and get 30 every night, he has certain nights when he does that. But I think him being a true point guard for them has allowed De’Aaron Fox to get back to the scoring ability that we have seen before the All-Star break.
Stephon Castle of the San Antonio Spurs shoots the ball during the game against the LA Clippers. NBAE via Getty Images
Q: OKC versus San Antonio in the conference finals?
A: I can’t forget Denver. [Nikola] Jokic is another guy that can get to whatever he wants. And you got guys like Cam Johnson that’s finally figured out how to make shots and understands that he’s wide open.
Q: Is Jokic’s wrist a problem?
A: Health and some luck is all key to it.
Q: The Warriors with Steph Curry back?
A: That team you don’t want to see in the Play-In. If they get OKC first round, they don’t really go too far. You don’t know how long Steph can stay healthy with the injury he’s dealing with.
Q: The Lakers?
A: If Austin Reaves and Luka don’t come back in the first round, that can be bad for them, because if I’m the Rockets, I want to match up with them without Luka and Austin Reaves. Luka and Austin Reaves and Bron being the third option changes their team to a different dynamic.
Q: The Rockets?
A: I feel like if they get the Lakers they can get by there, but I don’t think they go far. We’re still dealing with the problem of them having a true point guard and trying to figure out what they can do. With the Lakers, when they play K.D. they double-team him and they force somebody else to beat ’em, and other guys gotta be able to shoot the ball at a high clip. I would live with that in a playoff series.
Q: K.D.?
A: I think teams are gonna frustrate him because they’re gonna double-team him or sit in those gaps and force somebody else to beat them for a whole series, and they just don’t have enough knockdown shooters to help ’cause their knockdown shooters don’t play defense at a high level, so it hurts ’em. So they got a good thing on one end and a bad thing on the other end.
Q: The T’wolves with Anthony Edwards?
A: Ant gotta get healthy. … Ant’s a bona fide killer, he has the old-school mentality. They’re trying to force Ant to be a point guard. … If he comes out and shoots 12, 14 shots in the first quarter, other teams are happy because nobody else has touched the ball and found a rhythm. But if he comes out and pass and get other guys shots and get them a little rhythm, he’s gonna be able to get 25 shots whenever he wants to. … We also forget, no credit away from them, but the last two years they got kind of lucky. Last year Steph Curry got hurt, I don’t think they beat the Warriors in that series if he doesn’t get hurt to get to the Western Conference finals.
Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves reacts against the Houston Rockets during the second half at Toyota Center on April 10, 2026. Getty Images
Q: The Suns?
A: They’re playing at a good level but not there yet.
Q: Who were your favorite point guards growing up?
A: Jason Kidd, Stephon Marbury, Steve Francis, Baron Davis. When I got closer to the league, it was too many. It was a point guard era where you had tough matchups maybe seven nights in a row. Steve Nash, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, [Rajon] Rondo, Russ [Westbrook], D. [Derrick] Rose. It was never a night off.
Q: Who are point guards you like now?
A: They’re more combo guards now. … If you go point guard, it’d be like Luka for sure, James Harden, SGA, you have Kyrie Irving when he’s healthy. … Jamal Murray’s a guy I like. Jalen Brunson’s a guy that’s very crafty that I like. Cade Cunningham’s for sure on that list.
Q: Your former Kentucky coach John Calipari?
A: The GOAT.
Q: What would be your message to Knicks fans about the upcoming playoffs?
A: Y’all better make it to the [NBA] Finals or y’all might have a new team next year.
"He will be the leader of this basketball team for many years to come," Manuel said, prompting a standing ovation from the fans in attendance at the event.
After inheriting a program that went 8-24 in 2023-24, May has gone 64-13 in two seasons at the school. His 2025-26 team went 37-3 and won the Big Ten regular-season title before a dominant run through the 2026 NCAA Tournament that was capped off by a 69-63 victory against UConn in the national title game last Monday. The 37 wins were a program single-season record.
May’s success in rapidly turning around the Wolverines has transformed him into one of the brightest coaching stars in the sport and has attracted interest from other programs. The 49-year-old Indiana native was widely linked to the vacant North Carolina position before May informed the university he wasn’t pursuing other college jobs.
"I'm very grateful, and during the (NCAA) tournament, I just told Warde I'm not leaving,” May said Saturday during an appearance on Big Ten Network, which was airing the championship celebration. “And I probably ruined any leverage I could have had. It's an honor to coach at this great institution, and I just look forward to what's next."
May had previously been the head coach at Florida Atlantic, where he led the Owls to an improbable appearance in the 2023 Final Four.
In February 2025, while guiding Michigan to a 19-win improvement and a run to the Sweet 16 in his first season, May received a one-year contract extension that ran through 2030 that raised his average annual salary from $3.825 million to $5.1 million.
Manuel told reporters that May’s new deal will run through 2031, though the financial details of the contract are still being finalized.
“I’m very relieved, but we knew it was done a few days before the final game,” Manuel said Saturday. “You want to have a coach that other people want, and I'm happy to keep him. Dusty and I have a great relationship and trust in one another. For me, it feels awesome to know that he's going to continue to lead this program and continue to be the head coach here at Michigan.”
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 16: The sneakers worn by Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics before the game against the Phoenix Suns on March 16, 2026 at TD Garden 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 9: The Los Angeles Lakers huddle up before the game against the Golden State Warriors on April 9, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After an exciting four-team battle for seeding in the Western Conference throughout the second half of the season, all but two teams are locked into their spot playoff spots heading into the final day.
Results on Friday, namely Minnesota beating Houston, means that all that is up for grabs on Sunday is the No. 3 seed between the Lakers and Nuggets.
The Wolves will be the No. 6 seed and the Rockets will be the No. 5 seed, the latter only being able to tie LA’s record on the final day with the purple and gold holding the tiebreaker. At the top, OKC and San Antonio will be the No. 1 and No. 2 seed, respectively.
That leaves the No. 3 seed Denver (53-28) and the No. 4 seed Los Angeles (52-29) as the only sides that can end the day in a different spot than where they started. That also makes it pretty simple to lay out the scenarios for where the two teams can finish.
Let’s dive into them.
Lakers win, Nuggets win
If both teams win, then it’s simple math. The Lakers would finish one game behind the Nuggets and in the No. 4 seed.
LA plays the Jazz, who are tied for the fourth-best in the draft lottery. That means they certainly are going to end the season as they navigated it: by tanking.
On the flip side, the Nuggets play the Spurs, who are likely to rest their starters and key rotation players, with nothing at stake for either team. That being said, Denver has already done some weird things this weekend, resting all of its starters against the Thunder on Friday with far more uncertainty in the playoff seeding.
If this scenario plays out, the Lakers would play the Rockets and the Nuggets would play the Wolves.
Lakers win, Nuggets lose
If Denver loses to what will likely be the skeleton Spurs while the Lakers beat the tanking Jazz, that means LA jumps to the No. 3 seed and Denver falls to No. 4.
Outside of being able to laugh at the Nuggets for still finishing above them in the standings, it would set up a familiar, if not difficult, playoff match-up with the Wolves. While Minnesota has limped to the finish, figuratively and literally, they still will likely have Anthony Edwards and much of the same team that smacked around a healthier version of LA last year.
Denver, meanwhile, would face the Rockets in the first round with a second-round series against the Thunder looming for the winner.
Lakers lose
If the Lakers lose, it matters not what the Nuggets do as LA would finish in the fourth seed and face the Rockets. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the purple and gold opt to rest many of it’s own key players to avoid any more injuries this season and settle into the fourth seed.
In that case, they would face a Houston team that has had a rocky season, even though it’s ending strong. The Rockets had their eight-game win streak snapped on Friday by Minnesota. It’s not been smooth sailing in Kevin Durant’s first season with the Rockets and the team has looked on the brink of a meltdown multiple times, setting up an intriguing potential upset bid for the Lakers in the first round.
BROOKLYN, NY - SEPTEMBER 9: Shakira Austin #0 of the Washington Mystics is introduced before the game against the New York Liberty on September 9, 2025 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On Saturday, Washington Mystics center Shakira Austin signed a 3-year maximum level contract with the Toronto Tempo, according to Sabreena Merchant of The Athletic. The maximum level contract starts at $1.19 million in the 2026 season.
The Mystics have until Monday to decide whether to keep Austin by matching the offer sheet or let her go. I may be wrong, but I think Washington matches this offer. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
TORONTO, CANADA - JANUARY 11: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket during the game against the Toronto Raptors on January 11, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The final week of the regular season hasn’t exactly been the momentum builder heading into the playoffs the Sixers had hoped. Bad losses to the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets knocked them firmly into Play-In tournament positioning.
Through all of this, the Sixers sit at 44-37 in the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. They are one game behind the Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic, who are currently sixth and seventh, respectively.
They are a game ahead of the Charlotte Hornets and, thanks to holding the season series tiebreaker, can’t finish worse than them in the standings. At worst case scenario, the Sixers will make the 7/8 play-in game and will have two cracks at qualifying for the playoffs.
The tiebreakers against Toronto and Orlando are a little more complicated since the Sixers went 2-2 this year against both teams. Thanks to a superior division record, the Sixers own both the tiebreakers over those two teams individually and the three-team tiebreaker should they all finish with the same record.
That gives the Sixers a chance, a very slim one, albeit, at nabbing a top-6 seed on the last day of the regular season and avoiding the Play-In. To do so will require a Sixers win over the Milwaukee Bucks and losses from both the Magic and Raptors.
Orlando could very well fall to the Celtics in Boston, but the Raptors will be hosting a 20-win Brooklyn Nets team. Given how the Nets have looked as of late, it feels unlikely the Sixers will get that lucky. The Celtics are also locked into the second seed no matter what, so it’s very possible they’re taking it easy for the regular season finale.
That still leaves the seven seed on the table as well, should the Sixers and Raptors win but the Magic fall. The Sixers are so banged up they’ll take any advantage they can get right now, even homecourt throughout the Play-In.
Three teams are contending for one automatic playoff spot (top six) in the East. Here’s how each can clinch:
▪️Toronto: with a win OR losses by Orlando AND Philadelphia.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - APRIL 02: Koby Brea #14 of the Phoenix Suns shoots the ball /C during their game at Spectrum Center on April 02, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There I was, watching the fourth quarter of the Phoenix Suns’ loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. It wasn’t a pretty sight. The youthful movement that so many have been clamoring for — myself included — was on full display, and boy, did they look youthful. Koby Brea launching bomb after bomb, Rasheer Fleming tossing the ball to the other team, no semblance of organized offense to be found. They finished with 9 points in the quarter. 73 points for the game, their lowest total since St. Patrick’s Day of 2016. Ten years since we’ve seen a Suns team score 73 or less.
But hey, that gives us a chance to look back at the Suns’ history, right? And when we do, we are reminded of darker times. Much darker times.
The last time the Suns scored 73 points or less? March 17, 2016. They scored 69 against the Jazz that night, led by Brandon Knight's 17 points pic.twitter.com/FhbMiWmmAi
And as I sat there watching it unfold, I felt a little sadness creep in. Maybe it was the margaritas on a Friday night after a long week. Maybe it was something deeper. The NBA is a cycle, and the regular season is closing in on its final turn.
The back end of the season has been frustrating. When I look back at what I’ve written and the observations I’ve made, I can see where the negativity has crept into my own lens. But I also want to put something out there that reminds me, and anyone reading, of the positive things that have happened. Because even with frustrations around the rotations from head coach Jordan Ott or the issues defending the paint over the past two months, I’m not ungrateful. I’m grateful. This season could have gone sideways. We could have experienced no identity, no opportunity, and nothing to build on. Instead, an identity showed up. It faded some, but it exists. And the organization followed through on what it talked about last summer.
The cycle keeps moving, and I don’t expect a deep postseason run. Part of me is uneasy about the Play-In, about the potential Blazers or Clippers matchups, about facing teams that are trending up while the Suns are still searching this late in the year. Call it Post-Traumatic Suns Disorder. It’s an annual April tradition. And that’s fine.
Because when I look back on this season once it concludes, I’ll write about how thankful I am that it happened. This was an inflection point, and it was handled the right way. At worst, this team finishes with 44 wins. I had them at 35. There’s no version of this where I walk away disappointed.
The cycle tells you what comes next, and what comes next doesn’t carry the same rhythm as the season. I love the in-season rhythm. I’m guessing you do too. You’re here every day, reading, absorbing, reacting, and throwing your thoughts into the mix. I enjoy the thought exercises, the graphics, the podcasts, the matchups, and the injury reports. The regular season gives you a cadence that fits. And in that fourth quarter, while things were unraveling, I felt it. That quiet realization that this is almost over.
I’m looking forward to the break. Everyone needs it. The players need the mental and physical reset, and I’ll take one too. I’ll settle into it, pick a video game to play to get me through the Arizona summer, and take advantage of some rest. I always do. But I also know what’s coming. The offseason conversations, the scenarios, and the debates. They can wear on you. This offseason will be interesting. Last offseason was about laying the foundation. This one is about what you do with it, how you build on it, and how you make the next set of decisions. That part isn’t easy.
I’m looking forward to those conversations. At the same time, I’m going to miss this. The day-to-day. The random Friday night against the Lakers where everything goes sideways and you’re sitting there taking it in anyway, albeit with a little help from a reposado-based adult beverage. I’ll miss the grind. I’m thankful for it.
Last season felt like a finish line I couldn’t wait to reach. This one feels different. I don’t want it to end. It’s something to hold onto, something to appreciate. We want it to keep going as long as it can. But like every season, it ends. The question now becomes when. And we’ll learn that in the days (and hopefully weeks) to come.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 14: Jonas Valanciunas #17 of the Denver Nuggets looks to pass as LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers defends during the first half of a game at Crypto.com Arena on March 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The final weeks and, specifically, days of the NBA season always brings with it a team or two messing with the basketball Gods by trying to tank their way to a preferred match-up.
On Friday, it came from a very unexpected place. The Nuggets, who have been one of the hottest teams in the league recently, sat their entire starting lineup against the Thunder. This came after OKC listed all of Alex Caruso, Isaiah Hartenstein, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams as out for the game.
While the Thunder have the top seed locked up, it was a far more puzzling decision from Denver, who entered the night just one game above the Lakers for the No. 3 seed and they did not have the tiebreaker.
Genuinely, it’s hard to figure out their rationalization. Perhaps they thought the Lakers would keep losing and they could work their way into a 4-5 match-up with LA? If they win their first round series, they’ll have to meet one of OKC or San Antonio in the second round, so maybe their focus was on that match-up and not the first round one.
Nuggets head coach David Adelman was asked pregame about the decision to sit all the starters and gave a very unconvincing argument as to them not tanking.
Whatever plans they had, though, probably didn’t include them actually winning the game on Saturday, which may have thrown a wrench in their plans if a 4-5 match-up with the Lakers was the end goal. With Houston losing to Minnesota and the Lakers throttling the Suns, neither the Nuggets or the Lakers can finish below the Rockets as both sides own the tiebreaker in that series.
So, there’s no Lakers-Nuggets playoff series coming in the first round, which is great for those fans with PTSD.
Overall, it was an odd decision for Denver with unclear intentions, but the end result is the standings looking like this heading into Sunday:
The scenario is very simple for the Lakers on Sunday. If they win and Denver loses, they jump to the No. 3 seed. If they win and Denver wins or they lose, they remain the No. 4 seed.
Against a Utah team that has been tanking since about November, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where they don’t win. Denver, meanwhile, plays the Spurs, who almost certainly rest a host of their players with their spot in the standings locked in as well.
It’s setting up a pretty drama-free ending to the season.
It's all about the drama. A few years back, the NBA borrowed an idea from European soccer leagues and had all its teams play at the same time — or at least within the same conference — so there was no advantage to knowing what was needed. It sets up a situation in which two games are ending nearly simultaneously, with major playoff implications.
This year, nine of the 15 games on Sunday have some level of postseason implications. Here is everything you need to know.
Eastern Conference
The top four seeds in the East are locked in: 1) Detroit; 2) Boston; 3) New York; 4) Cleveland.
Atlanta Hawks at Miami Heat, 6 p.m. ET, League Pass
Brooklyn Nets at Toronto Raptors, 6 p.m. ET, League Pass
Atlanta can lock up the No. 5 seed with a win in Miami, setting up a first-round matchup with Cleveland. However, an Atlanta loss combined with a Toronto win would move the Raptors up to fifth and drop the Hawks to sixth (and a first-round meeting with New York). A Toronto loss also secures Atlanta the No. 6 seed.
If Toronto loses, it could fall to seventh if Orlando wins, which brings us to the next games that matter.
Orlando Magic at Boston Celtics, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN
Milwaukee Bucks at Philadelphia 76ers, 6 p.m. ET, League Pass
If Orlando can win on the road, it locks into the No. 7 seed, with an outside chance of jumping past Toronto to No. 6 and avoiding the play-in if the Raptors lose at home to the Nets (unlikely but not impossible). However, if Orlando loses in Boston, Philadelphia would jump up to No. 7 it can win at home over the tanking Bucks.
Orlando and Philadelphia will likely face each other in the first round of the play-in, but the No. 7 seed will host that game.
Charlotte Hornets at New York Knicks, 6 p.m. ET, League Pass
Atlanta Hawks at Miami Heat, 6 p.m. ET, League Pass
Charlotte had an impressive end to the season, but needs one more win to secure the No. 9 seed and be at home for the first of two play-in games it must win to make the playoffs. If Charlotte loses and Miami wins, the Heat jump up to ninth and host the play-in game.
Western Conference
The top two seeds are locked in: 1)Oklahoma City; 2) San Antonio. That doesn't mean the Spurs don't have something to play for on Sunday.
Denver Nuggets at San Antonio Spurs, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Lakers, 8:30 p.m. ET, League Pass
The Nuggets at Spurs is the juiciest game of the day.
San Antonio can give itself a likely much easier path to the Western Conference Finals if it shows up on the final day of the season and beats Denver. If the Nuggets lose and the shorthanded Lakers can beat tanking Utah at home, then the Lakers jump the Nuggets to be the No. 3 seed (Los Angeles and Denver would be tied, but the Lakers have the tiebreaker thanks to that wild game a few weeks back where Austin Reaves' intentionally-missed free throw rebound and bucket forced overtime, then Luka Doncic won it in OT with an amazing baseline jumper). Neither Oklahoma City nor San Antonio wants to see Nikola Jokic and Denver in the second round. Denver is — for my money — one of the three best teams in the NBA and a true title contender. If the Nuggets fall to the No. 4 seed, they would line up to face the Thunder in the second round in a titanic battle (assuming both win their first-round series). Also in that scenario, if the Spurs win their series against a play-in team, they would face the winner of the Rockets vs. Lakers first-round series — two good teams, but neither as threatening as the Nuggets.
Sacramento Kings at Portland Trail Blazers, 8:30 p.m. ET, League Pass
Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers, 8:30 p.m. ET, League Pass
The Trail Blazers beat the Clippers on Friday night and, with that, control their own destiny — beat the Kings on Sunday and Portland finishes No. 8 in the West and will travel to Phoenix for a win-and-you're-in play-in game (and the Trail Blazers would just need to win one of two games to make the playoffs). However, if the Trail Blazers stumble and the Clippers beat the Warriors, the Clippers would move up to No. 8 and travel to Phoenix, while Portland would fall to ninth and host the Warriors in the first of two play-in games it would have to win to advance.
The Warriors at Clippers game is a little odd because those two teams are very likely to turn around and face each other a few days later in a win-or-go-home game, so we could see some unusual lineups and two coaches trying not to tip their hands.
The NBA Playoffs return to NBC — and make their debut on Peacock — on Sunday, April 19. To celebrate that return home, NBC Sports has partnered with Ludacris — the three-time GRAMMY Award-winning recording artist, actor, and philanthropist — for an NBA playoffs promotional spot called "It's Time."
The song is Ludacris' reinterpretation of the legendary "Time Has Come Today" by The Chambers Brothers. It is at the heart of a cinematic spot that weaves together the larger‑than‑life moments we have come to expect as part of the NBA Playoffs.
"When the clock's ticking and everything's on the line, that's what playoff basketball is all about," Ludacris said. "Being part of this spot and the NBA Playoffs' return to NBC and debut on Peacock feels like the positive adrenaline rush we all want & need!"
"The NBA Playoffs are where time becomes everything -- every possession, every decision, every second," said Lyndsay Signor, Senior Vice President of Sports Marketing, Universal and Television Entertainment Group. "Reimagining 'Time Has Come Today' with Ludacris allows us to honor the history of the game while delivering a modern, cinematic expression of what makes playoff basketball so compelling. As the NBA returns to NBC and debuts on Peacock, this spot sets the tone for the urgency, spectacle, and iconic moments that define the postseason."
Chris "Ludacris" Bridges incredible success is due to a combination of hit tracks — such as "Stand Up," "Get Back," "Southern Hospitality,' "Number One Spot," "Money Maker," and "My Chick Bad" — and eye-catching videos that accompany them. Together, that made for a perfect partner for NBC Sports and the NBA. Of course, many fans know Ludacris better as "Tej" from the Fast & Furious franchise.
The NBA playoffs return to NBC on Sunday, April 19, with more details on times and matchups to come.
"It's Time" will debut during Sunday Night Baseball's Cleveland Guardians at Atlanta Braves game, April 12, on NBC and Peacock. NBC Sports' coverage of the NBA Playoffs on NBC, Peacock, and NBCSN tips off one week later.
Apr 10, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) drives to the basket against Dallas Mavericks forward Marvin Bagley, Jr. (35) during the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Coming off a victory against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Spurs battled the Dallas Mavericks for the final time this season. Stephon Castle was ruled out, but Victor Wembanyama returned from his rib contusion. The Spurs started the game hot, outscoring the Mavs 37-26 in the first quarter. However, the Mavs fought back and outscored the Spurs 39-31 in the second. Wemby and Cooper Flagg were exchanging buckets, and the second half looked to be a shootout. Wemby and the Spurs had other plans. They outscored the Mavs 40-28 in the third, and carried a 15-point lead into the fourth. Wemby scored his 30th point in 20 minutes and came out of the game. However, he checked back in for six more minutes to finish the job. He finished with 40 points in 26 minutes, and the Spurs’ supporting cast handled the Mavs for the rest of the fourth. The Spurs ultimately won 139-120.
Victor Wembanyama dropped 40 points (14-23 FG, 10-11 FT), 13 rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and a steal in just 26 minutes. With this game being his 65th, Wemby has officially secured eligibility for awards. He could have played lazily and sat in the corner for 20 minutes, but that is not who Wemby is. He made it a mission to put up an MVP-type stat line, knowing he would only get limited minutes. The Mavs could not guard him. How poetic is it to start the season by dropping 40 on the Mavs, and possibly end the regular season by dropping 40 on them again? Wemby is now likely to be awarded Defensive Player of the Year, All-NBA First Team, and All-Defensive First Team. Not bad for his third season in the league.
POWER THROUGH! Wemby drives through both Ryan Nembhard and Marvin Bagley III for the slam!
De’Aaron Fox dropped a double-double: 18 points and 10 assists to go along with one rebound. Fox started off slow, dropping only four points in the first half. However, in the third quarter, he caught fire and dropped 14 points. When Fox drains at least two shots in a row, look out. The one constant for him throughout the game was his assists. He threw lobs, tossed dimes to shooters, and was a playmaker on the fastbreak. Like the Blazers game, this is a Fox performance the Spurs are looking forward to come playoff time.
Timing is key! Fox lobs a pass into Wemby deep in the paint, then Wemby catches it and throws it down!
Keldon Johnson dropped 17 points, six rebounds, and two assists. KJ feasted on the Mavs’ bench players. He fought his way into the paint and threw up his usual share of hook shots. His infectious energy has helped this team’s chemistry since the start of the season, and it will only grow louder come playoff time. Look for him to have a big performance this Sunday to solidify his case for Sixth Man of the Year.
This game could have gotten interesting in the third. The Mavs’ scoring pace was high, and while the Spurs were matching buckets, it was in the team’s best interest to put them away as early as possible. Wemby solidified his case for DPOY and MVP, and six other players finished in double figures. With one game remaining, it remains to be seen if the Spurs will rest players to get ready for the playoffs next weekend, or to try to defeat the Nuggets so that the Lakers could move up to the 3rd seed (if the Lakers beat the Jazz). Regardless, Spurs fans cannot wait for the team’s first playoffs in seven seasons.
The Spurs close out the regular season against the Denver Nuggets this Sunday at 7:30 P.M. (CST) on ESPN/FDSN-SW. Thank you to all who have been reading these articles during the season!
Even Steph was anxiously waiting for Brandin Podziemski to drop his first 30 ball 😂
"I told him we were gonna treat him like Devin Booker when he scored 70 in Boston and they lost… I know he's been searching for it. Everybody knew it too." https://t.co/giIAqXLAgcpic.twitter.com/FZxSPIov0I
“I told him we were going treat him like Devin Booker,” Curry said. When he scored 70 in Boston, they lost. Give him the sign and all that.”
Podziemski had his first 30-point game in a loss, which makes it harder to celebrate the moment properly. Curry was still able to have some fun talking about it, given the fact that the Warriors are locked into the 10 seed in the wild Western Conference.
“I know he’s been searching for it, Curry continued. “Everybody knew it, too, so it was fun to see him get it. And the way he got it.”
Podziemski scored 25-plus points eight times this season before getting over the hump. Even if it doesn’t seem like a huge deal, it silences the critics who have been ruthless toward the 23-year-old as of late.
With the Warriors slated for some meaningful basketball next week, it could be timely for another Podziemski 30-piece.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Luke Kennard #10 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers defend against the dribble of Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns during the first half of a game at Crypto.com Arena on April 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Defense wins championships, as the old adage goes. While this team is unlikely to reach championship heights, it has secured the Lakers no lower than a fourth seed in the playoffs. This guarantees them home court in the first round, regardless of what happens on the final day of the regular season.
LA has had a real defensive turnaround post-All-Star break, jumping from 23rd to 14th in defensive rating. They showed their teeth on the second night of a back-to-back against the Phoenix Suns on Friday.
The Lakers’ stingy defense held Phoenix to only 25 second half points as they led by as many as 29 en route to a comfortable victory. Phoenix mustered up just 73 total points, a season low for any opponent by a mile. This also follows up allowing just 103 points to the Warriors the night before.
The Suns came in heavily shorthanded on Friday. They were without many backcourt players, including their star guard Devin Booker. It pushed Dillon Brooks, a 20-point-per-game scorer this year, up into the No. 1 option.
After a turnover on the play below, all Lakers sprint back in transition. LA switches the first screen, so LeBron ends up guarding Brooks. Then the opposing center, Mark Williams, sets a second screen. Ayton responds by dropping into the Lakers “no roller behind” coverage, which stops any lob pass and discourages drives. This forces Brooks to settle for a contested pull-up shot over LeBron.
All five Lakers on the floor are clearly in sync with the game plan.
The same result occurs a few possessions later. The purple and gold switch all screen actions in the clip below, negating any potential advantage, while in lockstep on their help responsibilities to shut down all baseline drive attempts.
It’s kicked out to Brooks once again for a side step shot as the shot clock dwindles to zero. Brooks fished just 5-14 from the field with three turnovers.
“I thought the whole game, our defense was really physical outside of a couple mishaps,” head coach J.J. Redick said postgame. “I thought we talked pregame a lot about just being able to execute our coverages because they do so many different things. Whether it’s stack, the backside action, all the off-ball stuff, I think our guys did a great job of that and they did it with physicality.”
A major part of the Lakers’ defensive execution, physicality and overall identity all season is Marcus Smart, who returned off the bench for the first time since missing nine straight games. LA certainly missed his intensity and consistent motor, represented in the clip below.
Watch him knock the ball away to steal the rebound and whip the pass over to Jarred Vanderbilt for the finish.
Smart collected two steals in just 18 minutes to go along with five rebounds and seven assists. LA as a team forced 17 steals and 23 total turnovers against the Suns. Not a single Laker finished with a negative plus-minus with all five starters being a double-digit positive.
Without the services of Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, the Lakers not only miss their starting backcourt but also the league’s highest-scoring duo, with 67 combined points per game. It’s too much production to make up for, and it makes the offense a tough thing to lean on.
Where they can consistently hang their hat is in their effort and execution on defense. It’s not what the team was originally built on, but circumstances have changed. If they want to survive in the playoffs, their team defense will have to carry them.
