The market is heavily backing the Houston Rockets here, giving them over an 80% chance to win. That’s a big number, which tells you how much respect the Rockets are getting right now.
Our prediction:Lakers to win
The Rockets are Game 1 road chalk, but if the Los Angeles Lakers are going to win at least one game in this series, it’ll be the opener.
LeBron James is fresh with a home-court edge, while the Rockets’ youngsters could shrink a little on the postseason stage. It wouldn’t shock me if L.A. comes out swinging Saturday.
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More Rockets vs Lakers prediction markets
You're certainly not limited to the main game outcome for Rockets vs. Lakers at Kalshi; you also have options to trade on the spread, total, and more, among other NBA odds markets.
You can buy either side of a market — for example, "Yes" on the Lakers +5.5 spread means the Lakers will cover, while "No" means the Rockets will cover — with each side priced based on the implied probability (which can be converted to American, Decimal, or Fraction odds using theCovers odds converter).
Rockets vs Lakers spread and total at prediction markets
Outcome
Yes
No
Lakers +5.5
48¢ (+100)
53¢ (-113)
Over 207.5 points
53¢ (-113)
48¢ (+100)
Our predictions:Lakers +5.5 — Yes and Over 207.5 points — Yes
The Lakers should cover because their half-court efficiency and ability to get to the free-throw line put constant pressure on a young Rockets defense that still struggles with discipline late in games.
The total should go Over 207.5 because both teams push pace more than people realize, and Houston’s improving offense combined with the Lakers’ transition scoring creates enough possessions to clear a modest number.
Other Rockets vs Lakers prediction markets available
LeBron James 25+ points (Yes: 57¢)
Alperen Sengun 6+ assists (Yes: 46¢)
Deandre Ayton 8+ rebounds (Yes: 56¢)
What is Kalshi and how does it work?
Kalshi is a federally regulated U.S. exchange where you trade directly on the outcome of real-world future events. Instead of traditional bets, you trade "Event Contracts" which are simple Yes/No questions like "Will the Lakers win tonight?" These events are priced between $0.01 and $0.99, and the prices reflect the market’s estimated probability of that event occurring. For instance, $0.55 equals a 55% chance. If your prediction is correct, the contract pays out exactly $1.00; if not, it settles at $0. Kalshi is essentially a stock market for reality.
How does Kalshi differ from sportsbooks?
In a sportsbook, you bet against the bookmaker, who sets fixed odds and takes a "vig," which is a kind of commission. On Kalshi, you trade against other users. This peer-to-peer model means prices are driven by supply and demand, often resulting in fairer odds. Additionally, because these are financial derivatives, you can exit your position early. If your team takes a 14-point lead, the contract price will rise, allowing you to sell your "Yes" shares for a profit before the final whistle even blows.
Why should I wager on Rockets vs Lakers at Kalshi?
Kalshi offers four unique advantages over traditional sportsbooks:
Flexibility: Unlike a "locked-in" bet, you can sell your contract at any time.
Transparency: You trade against other users, which can allow you to find better value.
Federal regulation: As a CFTC-regulated exchange, your funds are held in a secure, transparent environment.
Availability: Kalshi is available in 49 states (excluding Nevada) and D.C., including many regions where traditional sportsbooks aren't yet legal.
The Los Angeles Lakers open the 2026 NBA Playoffs on Saturday night against the Houston Rockets, but the series comes with an uphill battle for Los Angeles. The Lakers will have to navigate it without NBA scoring champion Luka Doncic, who is sidelined with an injury.
The injury occurred on April 2 in a regular-season loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Doncic exited the game in the third quarter in visible pain. An MRI the following day confirmed a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, which ruled him out for the rest of the regular season. Before going down, Doncic was playing some of the best basketball of his career, leading the league with 33.5 points per game while averaging 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game.
Head coach JJ Redick confirmed on April 14 that both Doncic and Reaves are out indefinitely, offering no timeline on their return.
“They’re out indefinitely,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “I’m not going to have an update for you this week.”
The team has said they have no expectation of either player being back at any point in the first round, though they have not completely ruled out the possibility if the series stretches to six or seven games.
Doncic is officially out for Game 1 (hamstring). Head coach JJ Redick addressed the injury earlier in the week but did not give too much information, merely stating on Doncic and Austin Reaves (oblique), "They’re out indefinitely,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “I’m not going to have an update for you this week.”
How to watch Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets Game 1
Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan weren’t just two of the biggest stars in the NBA in the 1990s, they were also teammates on the Dream Team in the 1992 Olympics and close friends who happened to love golf.
But Barkley’s criticism over a decade ago of Jordan’s then-role as owner and head of basketball operations of the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets) damaged that relationship.
Now, they appear to have mended fences — and golf will once again be involved.
Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan had once fallen out over criticism’s the broadcaster made of the Chicago Bulls legend. Getty Images
The problems started in 2012, when Barkley said on ESPN Chicago’s Waddle & Silvy show that “the biggest problem has been I don’t know if [Jordan] has hired enough people around him who he will listen to. One thing about being famous is the people around you, you pay all their bills, so they very rarely disagree with you because they want you to pick up the check… I don’t think Michael has hired enough people around him who will disagree.”
Barkley added at the time: “I love Michael, but he has not done a good job.”
Jordan, not surprisingly, did not appreciate those comments and in 2020, Barkley noted their relationship hadn’t recovered.
“The guy was like a brother to me for, shoot, 20-something years,” Barkley said six years ago. “And I do… I feel sadness. But to me, he’s still the greatest basketball player ever. I wish him nothing but the best. But there’s nothing I can do about it, brother.”
Until now, apparently.
Speaking on Chris Russo’s Mad Dog Unleashed on SiriusXM on Friday, Barkley said the two have started talking again and will hit the links after the NBA season is over.
“We had a conversation,” Barkley said. “We’re going to get together and play golf as soon as basketball is over.”
As Russo said to Barkley, “Charles, that’s a big story because he was mad at you!”
“We’re not like Prince William and Prince Harry.”
The long feud is over. Charles Barkley tells @MadDogUnleashed that him and Michael Jordan are speaking again and they are playing golf when the NBA season ends. pic.twitter.com/YnAxcM5CYl
Jordan and Barkley will soon get together for a game of golf. AP
But Barkley insisted the issues weren’t that deep.
“We’re not like Prince William and Prince Harry,” said Barkley, who is on “Inside the NBA” on ESPN, while Jordan is a minority owner with the Hornets, whose season ended Friday night in a play-in loss to the Orlando Magic. “We always had a lot of love for each other. But we talked, actually, in the last probably 72 hours. We decided to get together and play golf as soon as basketball is over.”
The New York Knicks begin their playoff run tonight at Madison Square Garden as the Atlanta Hawks visit the Big Apple for Game 1 of their first-round series.
We break down Kalshi’s win probability markets and deliver some Hawksvs. Knicks predictions to help guide your NBA picks for Saturday, April 18.
Although Atlanta prevailed 111-99 in the last head-to-head meeting at MSG, oddsmakers are trading the Knicks at 68% (-212) to prevail this time around.
Our prediction:Atlanta to win
The Hawks have been hot since the break, and their lethal combination of strong defense and a barrage of three-pointers gives them a puncher’s chance to emerge victorious and complete the upset at Madison Square Garden.
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More Hawks vs Knicks prediction markets
You're certainly not limited to the main game outcome for Hawks vs. Knicks at Kalshi; you also have options to trade on the spread, total, and more, among other NBA odds markets.
You can buy either side of a market — for example, "Yes" on the Knicks -6.5 spread means the Knicks will cover, while "No" means the Hawks will cover — with each side priced based on the implied probability (which can be converted to American, Decimal, or Fraction odds using theCovers odds converter).
Hawks vs Knicks spread and total at prediction markets
Outcome
Yes
No
Knicks -6.5
48¢ (+108)
53¢ (-113)
Over 216.5 points
54¢ (-117)
47¢ (+113)
Our predictions:Knicks -6.5 — No
After the All-Star break, Atlanta owned the seventh-best offensive rating (119.8), second-best defensive rating (109.5), and third-best net rating (10.3).
Given the team’s recent success and advantage from the perimeter, take the Hawks to cover a modest spread on the road.
Other Hawks vs Knicks prediction markets available
Jalen Brunson 25+ points (Yes: 65¢)
CJ McCollum 4+ assists (Yes: 54¢)
Jalen Johnson 11+ rebounds (Yes: 49¢)
What is Kalshi and how does it work?
Kalshi is a federally regulated U.S. exchange where you trade directly on the outcome of real-world future events. Instead of traditional bets, you trade "Event Contracts," which are simple Yes/No questions like "Will the Knicks win today?" These events are priced between $0.01 and $0.99, and the prices reflect the market’s estimated probability of that event occurring. For instance, $0.55 equals a 55% chance. If your prediction is correct, the contract pays out exactly $1.00; if not, it settles at $0. Kalshi is essentially a stock market for reality.
How does Kalshi differ from sportsbooks?
In a sportsbook, you bet against the bookmaker, who sets fixed odds and takes a "vig," which is a kind of commission. On Kalshi, you trade against other users. This peer-to-peer model means prices are driven by supply and demand, often resulting in fairer odds. Additionally, because these are financial derivatives, you can exit your position early. If your team takes a 14-point lead, the contract price will rise, allowing you to sell your "Yes" shares for a profit before the final whistle even blows.
Why should I wager on Hawks vs Knicks at Kalshi?
Kalshi offers four unique advantages over traditional sportsbooks:
Flexibility: Unlike a "locked-in" bet, you can sell your contract at any time.
Transparency: You trade against other users, which can allow you to find better value.
Federal regulation: As a CFTC-regulated exchange, your funds are held in a secure, transparent environment.
Availability: Kalshi is available in 49 states (excluding Nevada) and D.C., including many regions where traditional sportsbooks aren't yet legal.
The defending NBA champions open as the top seed in the Western Conference for the third straight year when the Oklahoma City Thunder hosts the Phoenix Suns in the opening game of the first round of the playoffs today.
With a quirky offense and thorn-in-the-side defenders like Dillon Brooks, Phoenix could cause headaches for the defending champs.
However, my Suns vs. Thunder predictions and NBA picks call for OKC to solve the puzzle and roll to a solid cover.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
Suns vs Thunder prediction
Who will win Suns vs Thunder Game 1?
Thunder: The Oklahoma City Thunder has played four first-round games against the 8-seed at home over the last two postseasons. They've never allowed 100 points and have won by an average margin of 116.8-90.8.
Suns vs Thunder best bet: Thunder -13 (-110)
The Oklahoma City Thunder had the best defensive rating in the NBA and allowed the second-fewest points, despite not playing at an exceedingly slow pace. The Thunder essentially took the last week of the regular season off, benching 10 rotation players.
That means a team that struggled with injury all year has had 11 days of rest.
Prior to the season-ending shutdown, OKC was clicking. The Thunder had won seven straight, going 5-2 ATS before their skeleton crew dropped the last two regular-season contests.
The Phoenix Suns were the last team to make the field, beating Golden State on Friday in the play-in tournament. Phoenix won two of five against OKC this season, going 3-2 ATS, including going 2-1 ATS in Oklahoma City.
However, one of those games was the regular-season finale, where both teams rested their starters and key bench players. There's a good chance some of the players who participated in that Suns win will even suit up for this series.
The Suns' fluid, pass-intensive offense is something the Thunder didn't see every day, and Phoenix had a top-10 defense. OKC has done well against the Suns' D this season, however, averaging 125 points in the four games where starters played.
That's six points above their season average and 14 more than Phoenix allowed. They also held the Suns to 106 points, more than a half-dozen below Phoenix's average.
Suns vs Thunder same-game parlay
OKC ranked 16th in the NBA in pace this season. Phoenix won't be trying to speed things up—it ranked 24th in pace. Last season, the Thunder turned up the defensive pressure in the postseason.
Scoring dropped by eight combined points per game in the first-round series and seven points per game in the Thunder's entire playoff run.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been an MVP performer against the Suns this season. He averaged 30 points per game and hit half of his three-point attempts. He also hit 51% of his two-point shots, an area where the Suns were weak this season, allowing opponents to shoot .556 on the inside.
Suns vs Thunder SGP
Thunder -13
Under 215.5 points
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 29.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Dishing and Swishing!
SGA has also dished out 7.3 assists per game against the Suns this season. He had 33 assists in four April games. Getting plus odds on a 6.5 assist cutoff seems like a gift.
Jalen Green was blazing hot during the play-in games, scoring 35 and 36 and hitting eight treys against the Warriors. Getting plus odds on him also seems out of whack.
Isaiah Hartenstein averaged 9.2 rebounds this season and averaged 10.3 in games when he played at least 20 minutes.
Suns vs Thunder SGP
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 29.5 points
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 6.5 assists
Jalen Green Over 2.5 made threes
Isaiah Hartenstein Over 8.5 rebounds
Suns vs Thunder odds for Game 1
Spread: Suns +13 | Thunder -13
Moneyline: Suns +561 | Thunder -800
Over/Under: Over 215.5 | Under 215.5
Suns vs Thunder betting trend to know
The Oklahoma City Thunder have hit the Team Total Under in 17 of their last 24 games at home (+9.05 Units / 33% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Suns vs. Thunder.
How to watch Suns vs Thunder Game 1
Location
Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Date
Sunday, April 19, 2026
Tip-off
3:30 p.m. ET
TV
ABC
Suns vs Thunder latest injuries
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The best-of-seven series could come down to who isn't going to be on the floor, instead of who is actually playing.
The Lakers are expected to be without Luka Doncic, who suffered a hamstring injury late in the season, and Austin Reaves (oblique) at least for Game 1, set to tip off April 18 in Los Angeles.
The Rockets have their own injury concerns, as forward Kevin Durant showed up on the injury report this week, with a knee injury.
Durant, who played the second-most minutes in the NBA regular season, and is only 15 points short of 5,000 for his playoff career, sustained the injury in practice.
Kevin Durant injury status
The Rockets say that the 37-year-old Durant is officially questionable after sustaining a right knee contusion this week in practice.
Houston reportedly isn't concerned about the injury, and Durant (26 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game), who played in 78 games this season.
After a third consecutive NBA play-in tournament appearance ended in elimination on Friday night, what went wrong for the Warriors?
Following Golden State’s 111-96 loss to the Phoenix Suns, coach Steve Kerr pinpointed the moment this season that the Warriors went from hopeful NBA title contenders to fighting just to clinch the Western Conference’s No. 10 seed.
“I felt like we didn’t find it early in the season; we were blowing some games that we should have closed out, and I could have done a better job,” Kerr told reporters at Mortgage Matchup Center. “But when Jimmy [Butler] got hurt, it felt like we were finding it. And so I think that injury just derailed us.
“When you look at the rest of the West, you look at the league, teams are loaded. There’s so much talent and so much skill, and to lose one of the best players in the in the game in Jimmy, it can’t do anything but take you off course.”
The Warriors entered the 2025-26 NBA season eager to enjoy a full season of Butler after acquiring the forward before the trade deadline in February 2025. After a slow start this season, Golden State began to click and put together a three-game win streak before playing Butler’s former team, the Miami Heat, on Jan. 19.
The Warriors went on to win the game and improved to 25-19. But missing Butler, coupled with Steph Curry’s extended injury absence, was too much for Golden State to overcome as they finished the campaign 37-45 with another play-in berth.
Butler’s injury not only impacts this season, but next season, too — as does Moses Moody’s season-ending patellar tendon tear. Both injuries require extensive, grueling rehabilitation, and both players are beloved by their Warriors teammates.
“Moses, he’s developed so well, and he’s such a great young guy, and it was heartbreaking to see him go down,” Kerr continued. “So two injuries that not only affect this year, but next year. That’s pretty rough.”
After years as an NBA dynasty, the Warriors have had to develop an attitude of resiliency during a roller-coaster season. For now, they’ll regroup in the offseason and look forward to the day they’re whole again.
Editor’s note: part 1 of this Knicks series preview can be found here.
The key matchups: Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Let’s look on the Hawks’ side of things, starting with Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who averaged 28 points per game on 51% from the field, 45% from three on 11 attempts, and 84% from the line on over four attempts per game in the three-game season series. The incredible three-point shooting from Alexander-Walker was key to his success in the matchup, hitting five threes a game. These came in a variety of manners; all instrumental for Alexander-Walker’s success, and the Hawks need him to repeat his regular season numbers if they’re to have a chance to win this series.
Some of these threes I don’t anticipate repeating; there were a number of threes where the Knicks lose track of Alexander-Walker and allow him open shots that you have to imagine won’t be allowed to repeat in the playoffs. This three-pointer is one such example:
Alexander-Walker — and the Hawks — excel at creating turnovers and pushing in transition, with Alexander-Walker’s threes coming as he bursts to get to his spot on the perimeter.
A New York miss is pulled down by Jalen Johnson, and Alexander-Walker is already busting a gut to sprint ahead of the play. Johnson delivers the outlet to him, and despite the contest of OG Anunoby, Alexander-Walker hits the three:
Off of another miss at the rim, Alexander-Walker is the furthest Hawk forward, and after initially stepping inside, Alexander-Walker backs out and hits a tough corner three with the defense draped all over him:
Following a Knicks turnover, the Hawks are in less of a hurry to bring the ball up, but when Johnson draws a crowd, Alexander-Walker is in the corner and he hits another tough three:
Alexander-Walker is also unafraid to push the ball toward the rim in these fastbreak situations, as he does late in the game as he procures a crucial steal on Brunson and scores at the rim following the goaltend to give the Hawks a late lead:
Off of a bad pass resulting in a Knick turnover, Alexander-Walker is again the first player forward, bursting ahead and when he receives the ball he finishes at the rim with the dunk:
Looking at some of Alexander-Walker’s offense in the half-court against the Knicks, who made some great drives and finishes at the rim, such as this drive off the Okongwu screen and lifting the layup high off of glass with his left-hand:
Another fun new elements from the last game of the regular season matchup saw a bit of Dyson Daniels/Alexander-Walker screening action, with Josh Hart punished for his momentary lapse as Daniels delivers the ball and screen for Alexander-Walker to rise into the three:
When the Hawks run the same play in the second half, Brunson is undone by the Daniels screen, and Towns isn’t able to step up high enough to contest Alexander-Walker, who hits another three:
This play will likely be one the Hawks try to go to more, but the issues on the New York side I think speak to the other aspect I expect the Knicks to change from the regular season to the playoffs: Jalen Brunson guarding Alexander-Walker.
Often, Alexander-Walker’s height advantage meant he could just shoot over Brunson, who did well to contest some of these shots:
Starting off the ball, if Brunson ends up behind the play, Alexander-Walker is going to have no hesitation to rise into the shot, and if Brunson isn’t immediately there to contest, Alexander-Walker is just shooting over him:
On both ends of the ball, Alexander-Walker is an extremely important player, and since Johnson’s declining interest in defense, Alexander-Walker is the team’s best two-way player — there is a huge amount riding on his shoulders on both ends of the floor, and he was brilliant this season and the season series. However, I worry he may not be able to replicate his regular season success against the Knicks in the postseason than he did in the three regular season games.
I’d be surprised if Brunson is guarding Alexander-Walker again given his success, I suspect Hart or Bridges may be used to guard him, with Brunson/Hart guarding CJ McCollum/Daniels, and Anunoby guarding Jalen Johnson. Whoever the Knicks elect to guard him, I think that’s immediately going to make Alexander-Walker’s life more difficult. Additionally, teams tend to take care of the ball more, and I worry for the Hawks and Alexander-Walker that if the Knicks limit their turnovers — or the Hawks are unable to create steals/turnovers as they did — that a vital supply of offense may be cut off.
Another concern would be that Alexander-Walker hit some really tough shots ,and while it’s entirely possible he could carry that into the postseason series, I would be hugely impressed if he can repeat 45% shooting from three on 11 attempts per game.
The offensive success of Alexander-Walker is crucial if the Hawks are going to have a chance to advance: he has to, essentially, average what he did in the three-game regular season series against the Knicks — that is a lot of pressure, and pressure for a player who this is his first postseason appearance with this much offensive responsibility. If Alexander-Walker has a difficult series, there’s no chance for the Hawks to win this series — it’s as simple as that.
The key matchups: Jalen Johnson
Now the leading figure for the Atlanta Hawks, this series marks the first postseason appearance for Jalen Johnson as such a figure with the team. However, he didn’t have a standout season-series against the Knicks in terms of his scoring, averaging 19.7 points per game on 45% shooting from the field, 45% from three on 3.7 attempts, 10 rebounds, and 9.3 assists per game. Good counting stats, and while the Hawks absolutely need Johnson to rack up similar assist numbers, they need an increase in his scoring output if the Hawks are to advance: he’s got to average closer to 25 points or above.
What Johnson did well in the season series was finish in the paint/at the rim, both in full court and halfcourt scenarios.
Using the screen from Daniels, Johnson drives into the lane, rises, and hits the runner in traffic:
As Johnson brings the ball up the floor, Daniels comes to set a screen and slips back inside; the confusion between Brunson and Anunoby allows Johnson to drive inside and finish at the rim with authority:
Above the break, Johnson sees options for screens from both Daniels and Alexander-Walker, and off of the Alexander-Walker screen, Johnson drives on Anunoby, steps through the lane and gets his defender off his feet for an easier basket deep in the lane:
In transition, Johnson receives the ball and immediately knows he can attack the backpedalling defense, on which he has a physical advantage, one which he uses to finish at the rim:
When Johnson receives the ball, he’s quick to immediately pounce into action, seeking the gap between the defense, absorbing contact, and finishes over Anunoby:
Johnson did a good job exploiting mismatches, of which he was able to find multiple during this season-series, and he does so on Hart here on the drive, and absorbs the additional contact to finish at the rim:
Just as Brunson and Towns excelled in the paint for the Knicks in their respective matchups, so too does Johnson, and the Hawks will absolutely need his ability to put pressure on the rim, finish in the halfcourt and transition, and what it opens for himself and his teammates.
On that note, we should look at how Johnson finds his teammates in this matchup. We’ve actually already looked at many Johnson assists already when looking at Alexander-Walker, both in the open court off of misses and in half-court scenarios. What interesting when looking at the footage was how much cutting/slipping action would happen and how Johnson would find those cutters/pick-and-roll slips.
On the sideline action with Zaccharie Risacher, Johnson finds Risacher slipping to the basket, and he finishes with the dunk:
After Daniels sets the screen for Johnson, he drifts towards the rim and with Johnson drawing the double, he does a great job finding Daniels for the finish at the rim:
This time, Daniels is on the weakside corner as Johnson and Okongwu run a slip screen on the strong-side. Daniels cuts, and as Johnson swings around he spots and finds Daniels for the basket at the rim:
As Johnson draws a second body on the drive, Alexander-Walker makes a cut off the ball, and Johnson delivers the pass for the assist as Alexander-Walker finishes at the rim:
This last clip isn’t necessarily a cut, but I just wanted to include it. Johnson is harassed on the perimeter, and he still find some way to drive inside and find Daniels with the shovel pass at the rim:
If Johnson is able to find an uptick in his made threes, it’d be a huge boost for the Hawks in this series and Johnson’s production. He shot very efficiently in this series when he did shoot but just didn’t hit many threes. Johnson’s offensive contribution will be heavy, even if he doesn’t lead the team in scoring. What he offers the Hawks in terms of his rebounding, his ability to put pressure on the rim on drives, and his ability to find his teammates either off of drives, cuts, or the extra body the Knicks throw at him asks, arguably, more of him than any other Hawk in this series.
This series would also be a great time for Johnson to re-engage defensively and harken back to his defense before his offensive emergence. He has to show better defensive effort, and he may be an important piece in the help defense on Towns behind Okongwu.
The key matchups: Onyeka Okongwu
While we’re on the subject of Okongwu, his role in this series is — while not at the forefront compared to Alexander-Walker and Johnson — immensely important.
Okongwu enjoyed a great regular season series, averaging 22 points per game on 51% shooting from the field, 47.8% from three on over seven attempts, 10 rebounds, three offensive rebounds, 1.3 steals, and a block per game. These averages are very high compared to his regular season stats, and if the Hawks are to make an upset happen in this spot, they’ll need Okongwu to produce similar numbers. So, how did he do it?
The three-point success is the most important aspect for Okongwu in this series — it opens up everything for him. Okongwu got a lot of looks at open threes, especially in trailing situations.
As Johnson brings up the ball, Okongwu follows his path, and when Johnson offloads the ball to Okongwu, he pulls up and hits the three above the break:
Okongwu may also be found in pick-and-pop scenarios, and while it’s the departed Trae Young delivering Okongwu the assist on a pick-and-pop three, this drive and assist could come from anyone (Johnson, Daniels, McCollum, or Alexander-Walker):
The matchup with Mitchell Robinson could be interesting for Okongwu on the offensive end, as Robinson may be more reluctant to chase Okongwu out to the three-point line, leading to an easier opportunity from three here:
This last clip may be especially pertinent in this series, and it’s related to offensive rebounding. Dyson Daniels misses an open corner three, but Okongwu is on hand to collect the offensive rebound and score:
What Okongwu gave the Hawks in the regular season series was hugely impressive for the Hawks, great production and great efficiency. While I’m unsure if Okongwu will replicate his 45% shooting from three on seven attempts per game, I think he’s certainly going to see the opportunities to do so. The Knicks will have to focus on Alexander-Walker, Johnson, and probably even CJ McCollum and Dyson Daniels before focusing on Okongwu — I think he’s the player the Knicks will probably live with having big offensive nights at the expense of allowing those nights from Johnson or Alexander-Walker (Dyson Daniels would be the other player in this bracket). However, as Okongwu showed, he can absolutely take advantage of open opportunities and could work himself into opportunities near the rim — that hook shot is one the Hawks need Okongwu to be hitting inside.
However, as desirable as it is for Okongwu to have those scoring performances, it’ll have to be all hands on deck on the defensive end. We’ve discussed at length already how much of a task he has guarding Towns, and the mammoth task he has to be the main player to limit the Knicks offensive rebounding — especially in the absence of Jock Landale — and that threat comes in both Towns and Mitchell Robinson (where Landale’s absence is really felt). Okongwu’s performance on both sides of the ball will be one of the determining factors in this series, and I feel that warrants him as a focus in key matchups as opposed to just an ‘x-factor.’
X-factors: Atlanta
This next section will look at x-factors in this series: players who have important roles to play in this series but perhaps less so than those already mentioned.
Dyson Daniels
Daniels’ main contribution will be on the defensive end, and he has a very difficult prospect in that regard — as we’ve looked at — with Jalen Brunson. Despite Brunson’s averages, Daniels did a good job contesting shots and preventing penetration as much as possible — at some point, the Hawks will hope that those tough shots Brunson has made in this season series will begin to rattle out. Daniels will also be crucial in creating extra possessions for the Hawks, especially in a postseason setting, with any steals he can produce.
Offensively, Daniels is likely to be the player the Knicks will try and hide their worst defender, or to simply leave him open from behind the arc. This will undoubtedly happen at some stage, and how Daniels fares either shooting the three or attacking the space afforded to him will be important.
The stats suggest that Daniels has turned a corner of sorts shooting the three, shooting 40% on 1.9 attempts in his last 13 games of the regular season. A low sample, but an enormous improvement from what had transpired before from behind the arc. Daniels hitting those open threes wouldn’t swing the series but would be an enormous help to the Hawks. It would also allow Daniels to do what he does best offensively: drive, spin, and either get to his floater or create for his teammates. Daniels cutting off the ball could be a good source of points on a few possessions.
Daniels averaged 11 points per game on 51% shooting from the field, 20% from three, 8.7 rebounds, over three offensive, rebounds, 6.7 assists, and two steals — these seem like very replicable stats across the board in this series from Daniels, with potential for improvement in scoring and three-point shooting (even if marginally).
Daniels being a player the Knicks can’t just leave wide open would be a big help in this series, and he is an x-factor in this series for all the reasons outlined above.
CJ McCollum
An in-season addition, McCollum only featured in one game in this series, scoring 17 points on 19 shots, shooting 37.5% from three, along with six assists. McCollum showed his quality in shot-making and clutch plays at various stages with the Hawks down the stretch. When it comes down to any close game in this series, the ball is very likely to be in his hands. McCollum has shown that this can be a good thing, but the reliance on McCollum in these situations is concerning, especially when considering that Brunson will be the Knicks’ counterpart handling the ball down the stretch.
Let’s call a stone a stone: McCollum has been good, and he’s fit in well, but there’s a gap in quality between McCollum and Brunson in both shot making, ball-handling, and clutch shot-making. It concerns me that the Hawks have to rely as much as they do on McCollum for offensive initiation — McCollum needs to have a really good series in this regard, making his closer shots, and his perimeter shots. A good series from McCollum wouldn’t define the series but would be one aspect that could help tip the scales.
The Atlanta bench, led by Jonathan Kuminga
One of the biggest concerns for me in this series is the Hawks’ bench production. As a note, there is less reliance in the playoffs on bench depth in terms of number of personnel who play; this makes those who do play extremely important. From the Hawks’ side of things, they’re already missing Jock Landale’s size — this is a big blow. Whether it’s Tony Bradley or Mo Gueye, there is a lot of pressure to attempt to help with the defensive rebounding. Both would play small roles offensively, but Gueye’s ability to run the floor, and perhaps make some cuts from the weakside could help for a couple of possessions.
Outside of the bigs, the playoffs are a venture into the unknown for Corey Kispert, while Gabe Vincent has some prior experience of the postseason — both will be needed in short bursts to hit the shots that they find themselves with. Neither Kispert or Vincent, nor Gueye or Bradley, are likely to provide big offensive numbers off the bench. This is where Jonathan Kuminga becomes an extremely important player for the Hawks.
Kuminga will, surely, be the sixth man coming off the bench and he absolutely has to be the one who leads the scoring effort for the bench. If Kuminga struggles to make an impact off the bench, the Hawks are unlikely to see a ton of bench points come their way. This reliance on Kuminga’s scoring production off the bench is enough to concern me in a playoff series. Yes, Kuminga can come in and contribute to the scoring, but he’s just as likely to produce a dud off the bench and take bad shots in the process; this is something the Hawks cannot afford. It’s a worry that, in the face of this unpredictability, the Hawks are so reliant on those minutes Kuminga plays to score efficiently.
X-factors: New York
Mitchell Robinson
We won’t’ spend long here as much has been said about Mitchell already. Robinson’s biggest contribution to this series will be his offensive rebounding. It feels like a certainty that he’s going to have a big impact in this series and he’s going to provide the Hawks with a lot of headaches on the offensive glass. The question is just how many headaches is he going to give the Hawks?
Possessions become so much more valuable in the playoffs, and offensive rebounds can suck the life out of the opposing team — Robinson can provide so much life to the Knicks through these offensive rebounds. With Okongwu likely to be tied up with Towns, which means the Hawks are going to have to help Okongwu when it comes to fighting for rebounds. Such is the force of Robinson, even if Towns is off the floor and Okongwu is still on and guarding Robinson, help would still be required.
Limiting Robinson and the Knicks’ offensive rebounding is absolutely key to the Hawks having any chance to win this series.
Mikal Bridges
Mikal Bridges is an odd case. He has been the player that the Hawks would assign Trae Young to guard, and the Knicks never looked to exploit this obviously exploitable matchup. Bridges can be such a bystander offensively for the Knicks, and I wonder how the Knicks will deploy him offensively in this series. When Bridges scores 20 or more points, the Knicks are 8-8, so if he does have a good night offensively it doesn’t necessarily mean the Knicks are more likely to win, but with Towns and Brunson likely to excel in this series it certainly won’t help the Hawks to have that consistent third scorer.
Getting Bridges going offensively would certainly help them in the series but is not required for the Knicks to advance. To add, Bridges averaged just 26% shooting the three in the season series, a far shout from his season average of 37%. It speaks to what we discussed earlier that the Knicks are more than likely to shoot better from three in the postseason against the Hawks than they did in the regular season series.
Defensively, I expect Bridges to have an impact in this series, and I expect that the Knicks will look to see how he fares defensively with Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
OG Anunoby
Anunoby has a tough task defensively with Jalen Johnson, who he struggled to contain on drives at times during the season series. Anunoby averaged 18.7 points per game against the Hawks this season, and his scoring output would absolutely help the Knicks, especially if Bridges isn’t hitting his shots. Make no mistake though, Anunoby’s priority will be his defensive duties, arguably the Knicks’ strongest defender and will be kept very busy between Johnson, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him switched onto Alexander-Walker at times, too.
In closing: choosing a winner
I’m going to borrow somewhat from my contribution to the Peachtree Hoops’ roundtable when asking this question. When looking at all these factors, when looking at the results of the regular season matchup and what swung the season series, I ask this question: What is likely to carry over to the playoffs? When I look at this from both sides, I just see so much more from the Knicks’ side which is more likely to carry over.
Let me try lay it out from both sides what I think is/isn’t likely to carry over — and what would concern me in general — starting with the Hawks.
I like the Hawks’ ability to limit their turnovers to translate to the playoffs, but I worry about their ability to create turnovers in the playoffs compared to the regular season. This may limit the Hawks’ ability to get out in transition off of turnovers, though, they can still do this off of missed shots. Jalen Johnson is excellent at finding players in these scenarios, as is Nickeil Alexander-Walker in bursting ahead to provide an option for Johnson, or Daniels, too.
I’m not concerned about Johnson’s ability to score inside nor his ability to draw the defense and make the right pass to his cutting teammates. I’m more concerned about Alexander-Walker sustaining his regular-season average of 28 points per game and 45% from three on 11 attempts. The Knicks could certainly do a much better job defending and guarding Alexander-Walker, and I think they’ll go in a different direction than Brunson in a playoff series. If Alexander-Walker is limited in this series, the Hawks’ chance to win is greatly diminished.
I think Okongwu is going to see some of those open looks that we looked at from three, but I’m not sure if he’s going to shoot nearly 48% from three in this series. In short, there’s a number of Hawks who averaged 45% or more from three in the regular season series that I’m not sure will carry over.
The Hawks’ reliance on McCollum as an initiator of clutch offense down the stretch, and general reliance on Jonathan Kuminga to efficiently score as the sixth man concerns me, and while the Knicks don’t have a super bench themselves, Josh Hart is likely to be a much more effective bench player than anyone else in this series. If Dyson Daniels has regained a touch, of sorts, from three it would be very helpful, but this is not something that can be confidently relied on. If Daniels becomes a non-factor on offense, that’s another concern for the Hawks.
Elsewhere, the Hawks don’t have homecourt advantage in this spot and while no members of the team that defeated the Knicks in 2021 are with the team anymore, the Knicks’ crowd has absolutely not forgotten that loss and this series will be personal for them, even now that Young is gone. The atmosphere at Madison Square Garden will be electric, and this Hawks group has no playoff experience together; how much that matters or doesn’t matter’ will be a huge test for this squad.
“We can’t let the crowd dictate the game too much for us,” said Okongwu of the ‘MSG’ crowd.
From the Knicks’ side, Towns’ superiority in the regular season matchup is absolutely something that can be replicated in the playoffs — there is no good counter for his combination of size, strength (despite his tendency to fall over a lot), speed, and shooting ability. If he gets into foul trouble, the Hawks may have a window in the game, but relying on this to happen four times in the series may not be realistic. So, I think his production is extremely likely to carry over.
The same I think applies to Brunson. While he could miss some of those contested shots he hit over Dyson Daniels, his ability to get by his man and get into the lane and get to his floater or pull-up is almost unstoppable — the Hawks had no answer for it.
And the fact Brunson can penetrate so easily without the aid of a screen is really concerning — a lot of pressure on Daniels to stay in front, and Brunson is able to create space with spins and step-backs. If anything, Brunson could eclipse what he averaged in regular season — his three-point shooting is better than his displays against the Hawks this season, and that would be reason to worry if those threes begin to fall. The same could be said of the Knicks as a whole, who are likely to shoot higher than 29.7% from three, and that’s another aspect to be concerned with.
Then, there’s the offensive rebounding. The Hawks have no good answer for this, either, and I don’t know how the Hawks keep Towns and Robinson off the offensive glass. Those second chance points were something the Knicks were wasteful with in the regular season; the Hawks did very well at times to defend the second action — can that carry through over a seven-game series? I’m not sure, I think the Knicks are likely to perform better than they did in the regular season series against Atlanta.
In 2021, the Knicks swept the regular-season series 3-0 and most of the national media chose the Knicks to advance. Upon looking at the season-series in more detail, I felt confident that the Hawks could absolutely win that series because I was sure several aspects from the regular season would not repeat in the postseason. This time, however, I think there’s too much to overlook when looking at this matchup, and I think most of it points to New York advancing.
The Hawks themselves believe they can advance against any side, so long as they play to their strengths
“We believe we can go toe-to-toe with anybody in the NBA when we play at our best,” said Onyeka Okongwu. “It showed last week, and we’re ready for another test now.”
“We’ll grow to be favorites at some point,” added CJ McCollum. “Whether that’s this playoffs or in years to come.”
It’s easy to say the first two games of this series ‘shouldn’t count’ given the roster differences, but that’s not how the Hawks entirely feel about it.
“I think both teams will watch, as part of your preparation, try to find things that happened in that games, some of them less applicable than others,” said Quin Snyder. “As much as anything, we have tremendous respect for their team and what they’ve done in the course of the season. For us, we’re much a different team the third time we played them than previously, but we can’t discount the other games because we’ve got a few guys on that team too.”
“They’re a really sound team, I think that’s where they hang their hat” added Nickeil Alexander-Walker when asked what they can take from the regular season series. “Everyone plays to their strengths. They’ve been together for so long, that ties in with their chemistry, building that rapport, the physicality they play with. They have guys who take pride in changing the game. It’s imperative that they we pay attention to the details of the series. They got their stars, they got their guys who are gritty and play in the mud, so to speak. We’re not the team that’s feeding into the game they want to play. In the two games we played them, both times, especially at State Farm — and that one time they had guys out at Madison Square Garden — so it’s harder to compare…”
The series begins in New York on Saturday, and no matter what happens, in a few weeks the series will be over. When the dust settles, whatever the result is — whether the Hawks are eliminated or advance — the pertinent question remains: should they have allowed themselves to fall to the six-seed and into this situation in the first place?
If the Hawks fall to the Knicks, that decision will be obviously questioned. If the Hawks win, they’re likely to face the Celtics in the second round — the Eastern Conference favorites — and that will be questioned, too, when the Hawks could have potentially been facing a similarly untested Detroit Pistons, against whom you have to wonder if the Hawks may fancy their chances more against than the Celtics? No matter the outcome of this series, it will all lead back to their decision when facing the Miami Heat on the final day of the 2025-26 regular season.
Many, many questions linger but, very soon, the Atlanta Hawks will begin to discover the answers as they make their return to the NBA Playoffs.
The 2026 NBA Playoffs are finally set, and they won’t include the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors won their first game in the play-in tournament, but they failed in their bid to grab the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference on Friday night in a defeat to the Phoenix Suns. Golden State now has to pray for lottery luck after finishing 37-45 overall. The organization enters the lottery in 11th place with a 9.4 percent chance at a top-4 pick and a two percent chance at the No. 1 pick.
The Warriors’ loss forces a lot of uncomfortable questions on the franchise. Will Steve Kerr be the coach next season? Can they actually build a good team around Stephen Curry at age-38? Every player on the roster will have to be evaluated, and you can bet the Warriors will at least be mentioned as a possible trade suitor for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
As some things about the Warriors may start to change, at least Golden State has a constant in Draymond Green. The play-in tournament showed everything Green has always been made of: he locked down Kawhi Leonard in a virtuoso defensive performance in game one, then crashed out and a caused a ruckus at the end of game two with an unhinged on-court action and animated exit after an ejection.
With about a minute left in the game and the Suns’ win already decided, Green sprinted at Devin Booker and punched him in the chest really hard for no reason. Watch the play here:
Green fouled out on this play, but he kept barking at Booker from the bench. Eventually, referee Scott Foster had enough and ejected both players. Draymond definitely deserved his ejection. Did Booker?
Draymond is literally a professional wrestler who moonlights on the side as one of the greatest defensive geniuses of al-time. This is incredible stuff.
This tweet put it perfectly:
if it was the end, at least draymond died doing what he loved (causing a scene and getting ejected) https://t.co/Hm8MbOxa0u
The Toronto Raptors are given just a 24% chance to win at Kalshi, while the Cleveland Cavaliers clock in with a 77% chance to protect home-court advantage.
Our prediction:Cavaliers to win
Our NBA expert is going with the home team in Game 1.
"Cleveland has great inside-out scoring and finished the season among the better offenses. Defense has been the biggest blemish for the Cavs. That said, the team seems to find another gear on that end of the floor against top-tier offenses and will be able to lock up a limited Raptors attack."
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Our predictions:Cavaliers -9.5 — No and Over 219.5 points — No
The Cavs were not a great bet ATS this season (33-48-1), and the Raptors won all three head-to-heads outright. Toronto was a terrific Under bet (33-49-0) all year and have gone south of the total in four of this last six.
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“Multiple, for sure,” he said. “That’s more than one?”
It was, perhaps, an obvious answer to a nevertheless worthwhile question after Curry slogged through one of the most injury-plagued of his 17 seasons in the NBA. Most troublesome being the bout of runner’s knee that he has said will require a “new normal” to manage while remaining on the court.
Curry worked his way back from a two-month absence to play 36 minutes in both of the Warriors’ play-in games. But after a 35-point explosion in their comeback against the Clippers, he suffered a bit of a letdown with 17 points on 4-of-16 shooting in their season-ending loss to the Suns.
Stephen Curry said he still has “multiple” seasons left in the NBA. AP
“For us to have that moment we did in LA, the highs of that and the lows of tonight, it’s just what basketball — what sports — is about,” Curry said. “For us to have had these last three, four days and the whole play-in situation, I’m proud of the way we finished it. Because it could’ve been very sleepy. Like I [don’t] come back and we get blown out in the first game and everybody kind of just goes into the summer with no real direction. It was a fun ride these last four days.”
In all, Curry appeared in only 43 games, the third fewest of his career. He could only watch as the Warriors went 9-18 over a 27-game stretch he missed with the knee issue in January and February.
The Warriors also lost Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody to season-ending knee injuries, shipped out Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield, and welcomed Kristaps Porzingis into the fold.
“It was a roller coaster ride, to say the least,” he said. “You see just momentum slipping away. But there was still this underlying belief that when it comes to the Warriors, you’re always talking about championships. That’s what we’ve established as a goal. But we had to reshape that, like can we just make something out of this year? Get a playoff experience and a playoff berth. That felt like the right goal and why I forced my way to try to get back.”
This NBA season saw Curry appear in only 43 games, the third fewest of his career. NBAE via Getty Images
Going forward, Curry said he didn’t expect the injury to be a long-term issue. However, it will have to be carefully managed. Runner’s knee is an overuse injury, and Curry runs more miles per game than anybody in the NBA.
“Steph’s still got it. It’s just harder for him to be healthy and out there game after game,” coach Steve Kerr said. “He’s gonna be 39 next year. This is just how it works.”
Curry said he wasn’t considering surgical options over the offseason. The No. 1 treatment is rest. And, Curry joked, “they say a lot of golf helps my knee.”
“I think big picture, you have to be mindful of how it showed itself this year, knowing there was a clear [difference] how I prepared pre-injury and post-injury,” Curry said. “It is kind of touch and go, just knowing hopefully rest will get me right, go into training camp feeling good and be able to manage it early in the year and kind of see where I’m at. That’s kind of the idea. But I don’t feel there’s going to be any kind of real long-term symptoms or anything.”
The uncertainty and potential finality of the situation had been bubbling under the surface ever since Kerr made the decision to coach this season on an expiring contract. It left open the door that it could be his last with the only team he’s coached, where he won four championships.
And where he still has Steph Curry.
“It’s part of the equation,” Kerr said. “I don’t want to walk away from Steph.”
Steve Kerr doesn’t know if he’ll return for a 13th season as head coach of the Warriors. NBAE via Getty Images
Yet, Kerr seemed at least at ease with the concept of his coaching mortality as their season came to a close Friday night. He did his best to keep the team’s focus on the court all year. In the waning moments, Kerr huddled with the two players there with him from the beginning and said the quiet part out loud.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but if it is the last time, I just want to share this moment,” Curry recalled Kerr telling him and Draymond Green. “That was kind of a jolt of a message.”
“Just appreciating this year, all years we’ve been together,” Green said. “Maybe the last time.”
“But,” Curry added, “he left the door open.”
Speaking to reporters shortly after sharing the moment with Curry and Green, Kerr didn’t commit one way or another but seemed open to the idea of it being their last one together.
“I still love coaching. But I get it: These jobs have an expiration date,” Kerr said. “There’s a run that happens, and when the run ends, sometimes it’s time for new blood and new ideas and all that.”
Steph Curry recalled a moment with Kerr before the game where the coach said: “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but if it is the last time, I just want to share this moment.” NBAE via Getty Images
Kerr, 60, offered no definitive answer in the immediate aftermath of the loss. He said he planned to take “a week or two” to think things over, then sit down with general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. and owner Joe Lacob and come to a “collaborative decision.”
“We’ve always had a great partnership and collaboration,” Kerr said. “Just see where they are. And I’ll tell them where I am. And we’ll talk about what’s next for the Warriors. What the plan is this offseason. … If [they part ways], I will be 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.”
In 12 seasons, Kerr has coached the Warriors to a 604-353 regular-season record, overseeing a dynasty that made six trips to the NBA Finals and hung four banners.
Green, who was still coming off the bench entering his third season when Kerr was hired, was asked if he could imagine playing for anybody besides him.
“No,” he said. “I couldn’t.”
“Just appreciating this year, all years we’ve been together,” Draymond Green said. “Maybe the last time.” NBAE via Getty Images
Green said he “didn’t make much” out of Kerr not signing an extension before the season. It reflected “his comfort level in who he is and what he is and what he has to offer.” At the same time, he couldn’t help but worry that the unresolved situation could lead to Kerr’s departure.
“I think it’d be pretty crazy not to think that’s a possibility,” he said. “I hope not.”
Curry seemed to be taken by surprise by Kerr’s frank acknowledgment in private and to reporters shortly thereafter. He said he hadn’t talked to Kerr about his future, “but it sounds like he’s put a lot of thought into it.” He hopes the Warriors “approach it differently” next season, but he believes Kerr is the man for the job.
“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,” Curry said. “I want him to have an opportunity to enjoy what he does. Whatever that means for him, everybody’s plan is their own, and I’m not gonna tell anybody what to do. He knows how I feel about him. That shouldn’t even need to be said.”
The Warriors’ 37-45 record was their second-worst season and only the second time they have finished with a losing record under Kerr. Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody suffered knee injuries that will bleed into next season, Curry missed a chunk of time and the team had to readjust from its expectations from competing for a championship to competing in the play-in.
If this was it, that at least won’t be the reason.
“I enjoyed it, believe it or not,” Kerr said. “Because I love coaching. I love being with all the staff and the players. I love being in the fight. … So despite the injuries, despite the adversity, despite the struggles, I still enjoyed it. I enjoyed it every day. Things didn’t go our way, obviously. That’s part of it, too. Some years go your way. Some years don’t. This year didn’t.”
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CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 31: Jamal Shead #23, Collin Murray-Boyles #12 and Sandro Mamukelashvili #54 of the Toronto Raptors celebrate during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2025-26 Emirates Cup game on October 31, 2025 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Toronto Raptors kick off the 2025-2026 NBA Playoffs, drawing the matinee matchup in their best-of-seven series against the four-seed Cleveland Cavaliers. This will be Toronto’s first postseason appearance since 2022.
In regular season games, Toronto swept Cleveland 3-0. While this is promising, all of those matchups were in a four week span in late October/early November making this the first time they’ve seen each other in almost five months. Both teams have changed since then.
Cleveland has had a rough couple of years in the playoffs. A gentleman’s sweep in each of the last three years was not the outcome they were looking for, especially since last year they were the top seed in the East. Now, they have retooled their roster to try and address their weaknesses and finally make the final push. This could really be a make or break year for them.
All season the Cavs have had their strengths, being a top-four scoring team at a rate of 120 points per game. Mobley and Allen are big and physical and help protect the paint on the defensive end. They are also both lob threats who can draw defenders when they dive into the paint to open up the rest of the floor for kickouts. Merrill, Harden, and Mitchell all excel as shooters, spacing the floor for bigs but also knocking down shots when open. This is a tough recipe to stop. Of course, both Mitchell and Harden will have to overcome the years of frustration they’ve both experienced in the playoffs throughout their careers.
Despite Cleveland’s strength, Toronto has already proven that not only are they capable of beating the Cavaliers, but they might be the best team for it. Let’s take a look at why:
1. Matching size
Mamu and Poeltl both have the height to take care of Allen defensively. Paired with CMB, Barnes, and Ingram to guard Mobley, the Raptors have the size advantage in most matchups across the board, even guards. There won’t be bully ball or a size advantage that Cleveland will be able to exploit, something they did frequently throughout the season.
2. Top-5 Defence
Even better than a good offence is a good defence. Finishing the season with the fifth-best defence in the league, the best way to slow down Cleveland is to stifle their offence. The Cavs won games through their opponent’s inability to keep up with their offence. Toronto has shown throughout the season that when they want to, their help defence and strong performances from Scottie, CMB, and Shead proved they can be really difficult to score on. Additionally, their defence forces a lot of turnovers that allow Toronto to get ahead. Scoring 20 points per game on turnovers (fourth in the league) and almost 19 points per game on fast breaks (first in the league), their defence generates a ton of offence for them. Their defence-to-offence strategy has been successful before
3. Ball Movement
There’s no shortage of highlights from this season of guys making the extra pass to find a better shot. A good shot becomes a great shot, and keeps their offence flowing. Their unselfishness on the court makes them challenging to guard, as help defence is scrambling, mismatches form, and then Ingram or Barnes can take advantage. Even passes under the basket lead to higher percentage shots, limiting the times they’re blocked as well. The potential is their for them, if they can tap back into that energy they’ve had at times this year.
4. The Bench
It should be no surprise to anyone that Toronto has the arguably better bench in this matchup. CMB has had a season that should earn him a spot on an all-rookie team, Mamu has made a case for sixth-man, Ja’Kobe has blossomed into a multi-level scorer that doesn’t shy away from big moments, and Shead’s defence looks unbelievably frustrating to play against. Gradey and Jamison have made good shots in the past, and if they can also contribute in this series, this is almost a second coming of the bench mob. Toronto should be able to win the bench minutes, which could be another difference maker in this series.
Ultimately, Toronto has all the tools they need to be successful against Cleveland, as long as the right version of them shows up. At times, frustrations over calls, injuries, and stooping to their opponent have all led to losses by the Raptors in very winnable games. If they can keep their composure and execute in tight situations as well, sticking to all of the things they do well, they have the ability to overcome the cavs and move on to the next round.
Where to Watch
Tune in at 1pm ET on Sportsnet
Probable Starters
Toronto: Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, Jakob Poeltl, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley
Cleveland: Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Dean Wade
Injury Report
Toronto: Immanuel Quickley (Questionable: Hamstring strain)
The NBA playoffs are never short on surprises, and this year’s bracket is setting up to be an entertaining one so here are five bold predictions for the Knicks and contenders at large.
Minnesota upsets Denver
This lowkey postseason rivalry finds these two teams at a crossroads: Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets trying to maintain the vestiges of their 2023 championship mettle, Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves facing potential big changes if this core fails to build on its previous successes.
Denver is favored heavily, with about a 70 percent implied win probability, despite a mixed year and tough foe.
There are more questions facing the favorites than the underdogs, though.
Cameron Johnson has been an underwhelming addition, their rotation beyond the starting five is shaky, and they've lost to this team in a series before. Minnesota has a rising young star and the tougher supporting cast while the biggest knock on them has been their lack of effort at times -- not an issue likely to resurface in the playoffs.
They’re pulling off the big first-round upset out of the West.
Philadelphia upsets Boston
Remember Tyrese Maxey’s last postseason appearance? It was against the Knicks, and he averaged 30 points, five rebounds and seven assists on 53 percent shooting from two and 40 percent shooting from three.
They’ll likely be without Joel Embiid this series, but with Maxey, the 76ers have a real shot at upsetting the Celtics.
Much like the Knicks last season, they have their unstoppable lead scoring guard, the wing defenders to handle Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and are a bothersome offensive rebounding team. Boston’s had less than a month to integrate a post-Achilles Tatum and is relying on a bunch of young, unproven guys in their rotation.
Maxey is ready to solidify his stardom in primetime, and can do so against a susceptible Celtics team.
Jalen Brunson shines in the playoffs again
Maybe this isn’t so bold, but it’s now four consecutive postseasons of Brunson turning into Michael Jordan incarnate, and five straight of bloviators questioning his ability to lead a team on this stage. Spoiler alert: he has and can.
For those that need reminding of his resume: 72 points in two games taking over for Luka Doncic in 2022, 79 points in two elimination games trying to come back against the Finals-bound Heat in 2023, 42 points and 10 assists a game for four straight to beat the Sixers in 2024, and 29 points per game in New York's Conference Finals run last season.
He’ll now have the benefit of a familiar roster, diversified offense and the best spacing of his Knicks career.
It may take a couple games to get going like in postseasons past, but expect more of the same once he turns it on.
San Antonio makes the Finals
Oklahoma City has been the league’s unimpeded juggernaut for close to two full seasons, but we may have found their kryptonite. It’s a 7-foot-4 Frenchman from outer space and his band of talented guards and heady role players.
In fact, the Spurs are 4-1 in their season series against the Thunder, including their massive matchup in the NBA Cup. Inexperienced teams don’t often jump right into the playoffs and make a run, but this one is built to break that trend.
Knicks make the Finals
The oddsmakers, national media and fans are not banking on this outcome, but that locker room sure is. They’ve been preparing for this run since the early days of training camp, and all that work comes to fruition now.
It won’t be an easy path, and they’ll provide plenty of opportunities for doubt. But the advanced stats rate them as one of the best teams in the league, and the eye test follows suit.
They’ve been great outside of a bad 2-9 stretch coming off the Cup Championship, have beaten every contender between them and their goals, and are the hungriest team in the East.
This is the Knicks' time, and they’re going to take advantage.
The Atlanta Hawks (46-36) takes on the New York Knicks (53-29) during the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Atlanta went 20-6 over the second half of the season and won the division by 1.5 games. The Hawks enter the postseason as one of the hottest teams in the NBA. Before the final four games of the regular season, the Hawks were on a 18-2 run.
New York is 2-1 versus Atlanta this season with wins of three points each and a 12-point loss. The Knicks closed the regular season on a 12-4 run over the last 16 games and 5-1 over the previous six contests.
Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch Live: Hawks vs. Knicks
Date: Saturday, April 18, 2026
Time: 6:10 PM EST
Site: Madison Square Garden
City: New York, NY
Network/Streaming: Prime Video
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Game Odds: Hawks vs. Knicks
The latest odds as of Saturday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Atlanta Hawks (+185), New York Knicks (-225)
Spread: Knicks -5.5
Total: 216.5 points
This game opened Knicks -5 with the Total set at 216.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Hawks vs. Knicks
Atlanta Hawks
PG CJ McCollum
SG Nickeil Walker-Alexander
SF Dyson Daniels
PF Jalen Johnson
SF Onyeka Okoungwu
New York Knicks
PG Jalen Brunson
SG Josh Hart
SF Mikal Bridges
PF OG Anunoby
C Karl-Anthony Towns
Injury Report: Hawks vs. Knicks
New York Knicks
None
Atlanta Hawks
None
Important stats, trends and insights: Hawks vs. Knicks
Atlanta is 44-38 ATS and 23-19 ATS on the road
Atlanta is 41-41 to the Over
Atlanta is 24-17 to the Over as the road team, ranking third-best
New York is 44-39 ATS and an NBA-best 27-13 ATS at home
New York is 45-38 to the Under
New York is 21-19 to the Under as the home team
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s Hawks and Knicks’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Knicks' Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Knicks -5.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 216.5
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