Category: Basketball

The Play-In game against the Portland Trail Blazers was a tough loss, but was it unexpected? All of us Suns fans were optimistic going into the game and the Suns definitely could have won. It wasn’t a blowout and came down to the final possession. But the Suns didn’t pull it out in the end, and along the way, they gave up 41 points to Deni Avdija, just two points shy of his career high.

Deni spent the most time in the game being guarded by Jordan Goodwin. In the six minutes that Goodwin, the shortest player in the Suns’ starting lineup, was guarding Deni Avdija, the Trail Blazers’ star was held to just 1-of-3 from the field. Portland as a whole scored 25 total points in those minutes.

The tallest non-center in the starting lineup, Dillon Brooks, guarded Avdija for the second most amount of time. In the three minutes Brooks was guarding him, Avdija scored 14 points on 75% shooting from the field. Portland also scored 25 total points in those minutes.

Jordan Goodwin was the best defensive forward on the court against Deni Avdija last night, and Goodie is almost half a foot shorter than him.

The Phoenix Suns are just too small and every Suns fan knows it. The guys who are almost tall enough to compete with the elite forwards of the NBA just aren’t good enough to compensate for the size disadvantage. There has not been a reliable power forward option on this team all season, and Phoenix is paying the price.

Even before the season began, the power forward weakness was known. On October 9th, 2025, thirteen days before the Suns tipped off the season, Bright Side Managing Editor John Voita wrote this: 

“Among the biggest question marks is the power forward position.

No matter how you view it, the Suns appear either undersized or underskilled at that spot. Ryan Dunn lacks the size to battle with the league’s elite forwards. Royce O’Neale, Nigel Hayes-Davis, and Dillon Brooks fit the same mold. Oso Ighodaro brings energy and intelligence, but his offensive game remains raw. If you are identifying a weak link in the lineup, power forward stands out before any other position.”

If I had to write an assessment of the current state of the power forward position at the end of the season, I would write almost the exact same thing.

We knew coming into the year that this team had a profound weakness. Against Portland, Jordan Ott started a guard that plays like a wing, three actual wings, and a center. Why did he do this? Because he is working with a roster where somewhere between six and nine of his fourteen players would probably best fit into the “wing” category.

Here is Tuesday night’s starting lineup and their listed heights on basketball reference:

Guard 1: Jordan Goodwin – 6’ 3”

Wing 1: Devin Booker – 6’ 5”

Wing 2: Jalen Green – 6’ 4”

Wing 3: Dillon Brooks – 6’ 7”

Center: Mark Williams – 7’ 1”

And here is Portland’s starting lineup from the same game:

Guard 1: Scoot Henderson – 6’ 3”

Guard 2: Jrue Holiday – 6’ 4”

Forward 1: Toumani Camara – 6’ 7”

Forward 2: Deni Avdija – 6’ 8”

Center: Donovan Clingan – 7’ 2”

Portland came into the Play-In with balance. They have guards, they have forwards, they have bigs. They have defensive-oriented players and offensive-oriented players. They have jump-out-of-the-gym athletes (I thought Shaedon Sharpe was going to hit his head on the rim on that alley-oop over Royce O’Neale), and they have shooters.

The Suns have one of the worst rosters in the NBA among teams that made it to the postseason. Phoenix has leaned into the wing-heavy roster construction that was popular 8-10 years ago, but they have done so in the era of ultra-talented bigs and forwards. Whether that was by choice or because the players they have are the best players they could get during each individual transaction, the point remains true.

The Suns’ shooting guard cast is the best example of the profound roster imbalance. Devin Booker, Jalen Green, and Grayson Allen are all starting-quality shooting guards in the NBA, but holding on to all three past the deadline did not put the Suns in a position to succeed. Trading Allen, for example, for a fringe starting caliber power forward at the deadline may have been an overall reduction in talent, but it probably would have resulted in an overall better team.

What the Suns needed to find at the deadline was their PJ Washington. Washington was a very important trade acquisition that the Mavericks made during the season en route to their 2024 NBA Finals appearance against the Celtics.

Would the Suns be favorites to make the Finals this year if they had traded for Jalen Smith, Santi Aldama, or Jonathan Kuminga? No, definitely not. But the roster balance and the lack of a reliable power forward are holding this team back.

Maybe that power forward is already on the roster. Maybe next year, we’ll see Rasheer Fleming or Ryan Dunn make the leap that solidifies them in that spot. Maybe Oso Ighodaro becomes a reliable three-point weapon, and the Suns can run a double-big lineup. Or maybe the Suns finally go out and get the power forward they so desperately need.

But they aren’t going to make it far next year without a serious upgrade.

The Golden State Warriors play the Los Angeles Clippers tonight in a win-or-go-home play-in game, and Anthony Slater just told us Steve Kerr’s coaching future won’t get resolved in the immediate aftermath of the season. He’s taking time for “bigger picture conversations” before any ultimate choice gets made.

So let’s be clear about what we’re watching tonight: This might be Steve Kerr’s final game coaching the Golden State Warriors.

The timing almost feels scripted. The man who pushed this franchise from feisty underdogs into a dynasty that redefined basketball is coaching on the last year of his contract, leading a banged-up 37-45 squad into Los Angeles for a game that ends their season if they lose. And we just found out there’s no fast resolution coming, no matter what happens.

Think about the position everyone’s in right now. Kerr’s been here for over a decade, winning four championships and the magical rollercoaster of the 73-win season. His deadly motion offense became the league standard. The way he maximized Steph Curry’s gravitational pull while creating space for everyone else built something that felt permanent even though nothing in sports ever is.

Now he’s coaching a team that wheezed out of the regular season missing Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody to season-ending injuries. This entire season rests on tonight’s contest. And Kerr knows what win-or-go-home basketball feels like. He hit the series-clinching shot for the Bulls in the ’97 Finals. He won five championships as a player before coaching four more. He’s been in elimination scenarios his entire life, but this one carries different weight because it’s wrapped up in organizational uncertainty that won’t resolve quickly.

What makes this complicated is that Kerr wants to be here. He said it himself after the initial contract report that he’d love to continue with the Warriors beyond this year. But he also acknowledged it’s fluid, that the organization might look at where things stand and decide to move in a different direction.

So tonight becomes more than just Warriors versus Clippers for the right to advance. It becomes Steve Kerr coaching a team he built, possibly for the last time, in a game that could end their season before any of those bigger picture conversations happen. Watching Kerr navigate a win-or-go-home scenario while his own future remains unresolved adds another layer to what’s already the highest-stakes game of this season.

Championship pedigree doesn’t guarantee job security and Kerr knows this better than anyone. Tonight we find out if that pedigree can deliver one more time when everything’s on the line.

The last time Deandre Ayton appeared in the playoffs was in 2023, when he was a member of the Phoenix Suns and viewed in NBA circles as having the potential to be a force as a center in the league.

A lot has changed since then.

He’s on his second team since those days in Phoenix, playing two years for the Portland Trail Blazers and now the Lakers. He has been viewed by many as an inconsistent player who hasn’t reached his full potential.

Ayton has a chance to prove his worth, to show his critics he has the ability to be elite in the postseason when the Lakers open the first-round of the Western Conference playoffs Saturday against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena.

“I love playing this game and I take great passion of playing on both ends of the floor,,” Ayton said after practice Wednesday. "I still believe just being a two-way player in this league, that's truly my second nature, and that's how I want to be noted as in this league. It's just being an all-around, two-way superstar. Just taking passion on both ends of the floor.

"I can play hard on offense. I can play hard on defense. So, that's just really my goal — running the floor always and closing out possessions with rebounds and protecting the rim. So, just trying to enhance everything I can coming into the playoffs.”

Read more:Lakers prepare for Rockets playoff series with emphasis on rebounding

Ayton averaged career lows in points (12.5), rebounds (8.0) and minutes (27.2) this season. But he did play a career-high 72 games and shot a career-best 67.1% from the field.

In the three seasons Ayton reached the playoffs with the Suns, he was a double-double machine, averaging 15.9 points and 10.5 rebounds in 45 postseason games.

The Lakers will need that version of Ayton, especially with star guards Luka Doncic (hamstring strain) and Austin Reaves (oblique strain) out indefinitely.

“I've shown it,” Ayton said. “So, it's just me accepting the role I'm in and playing hard as hell in that role. That's about it. Every night.”

In seven seasons before he arrived in Los Angeles, Ayton averaged a double-double. When the Lakers signed him to a two-year, $16-million deal with a player option, they hoped to get that Ayton.

“The whole season for him has been about finding consistency,” coach JJ Redick said. “When he's at his best, we're an elite basketball team. That's just the reality. He raises our ceiling so much — and it's on both sides of the ball. It's not him being able to score 24 points, although when he scores and shoots, we typically win. ... He's just a really good basketball player and we're very happy with where he's at."

Ayton was asked to evaluate his season.

“I was challenged a lot this season and I feel like I embraced everything that was thrown at me,” he said. “It took some time, but I eventually got control of everything. And I think I got a hang of it and I like it. I got the guys on the team that helped me embrace everything that's going on.

"And just things we have going, with the dilemmas and the injuries, I feel like we've been through this the whole year. Just guys going out and guys having big games. And we're the team where you don't know who's gonna have the 30 points, or this or that. We're just going to play hard and just play together.”

Ayton will have his hands full with Rockets All-Star center Alperen Sengun, who averages 20.4 points and 8.9 rebounds.

“It's the postseason, you know?” Ayton said. “It's called mano y mano and it's not always Xs, and O's. You got to stop the man and guard your yard.”

Read more:LeBron James takes the reins for Lakers entering playoffs

When the Suns reached the 2021 Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks, there were times when Ayton was considered the second-best player on his team. Over six games he averaged 14.7 points and 12 rebounds and shot 53.1% from the field.

Game 1 of the best-of-seven series for the Lakers is on the horizon, and Ayton is excited to show what he has to offer now that he’s back in the playoffs.

“Almost speechless, especially being on this side of town now, you know, playing in L.A. when I was on the other side,” he said. “This place can get pretty loud. And I'm still trying to just go home and embrace everything. I know we haven't ramped up yet, but coming out of these practices, JJ gives you so much. And you have to dissect it sometimes, and you're thinking about the environment, you think about the fans, thinking about the first game as a Laker in the playoffs.

"So, I just try to find some time to catch myself and gather and just just relax. I've been here before, but I am truly excited. I want to do backflips. I'm in the purple and gold, and I just want to really just play hard as hell to contribute to wins.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

With the NBA Draft Lottery about three weeks away, fans are talking about two big mysteries: where the team will pick on May 10 and who will rep Brooklyn on the dias in Chicago that night. Last year, when the Nets dropped from the sixth seed to the eighth, it was Jordi Fernandez, the head coach, looking ashen as the bad news was delivered.

Who will be sitting proudly in front of the Nets logo this season? The possibilities include Fernandez; the owners Joe or Clara Wu Tsai: last year’s lottery pick, Egor Demin: or a former star. Julius Erving for example. The 50th anniversary of the New York Nets final ABA championship is that week.

How about a fan, like Bruce Reznick, aka Mr. Whammy, the Nets 90-year-old superfan and grand master of the hex. It’s been true for a while that said hexes work. Opposing teams shoot worse at Barclays with the distraction of Mr. Whammy and the spirit of his late wife. There’s already a petition circulating to get Bruce to Chicago, although he notes that since he doesn’t fly anymore, he’d had to get their by train. The petition already has nearly 500 signatures as of 6:00 p.m. ET Wednesday.

Doug Bearak of the Brooklyn Brigade, a superfan in his own right, interviewed the retired Brooklyn lawyer this week about the petition. Bruce won’t deny interest, not at all. He in fact repeatedly noted how grateful he’d be if chosen, and when asked if he hex other team reps at the event, his response was simple, “Of course!” (Now there’s an image!)

He spoke as well about how his late wife, Judy, would join him on the dias in spirit if chosen, adding she still sends messages to him about the team.

There’s no public deadline for teams to select their representation for either the dias or the back room where the actual drawing takes place. Nets capologist Makar Gevorkian had that honor last year. Indeed, the choice may or may not be decided yet. Fernandez told the media back on April 25 of last year that he’d be in Chicago for the lottery which was no surprise since the NBA Draft Combine is the same week. But his role as team rep on the dias wasn’t revealed until three days before the ping pong balls began to rattle through the hopper at NBA Studios.

Here’s the transcript of the interview, edited for length and clarity.

Doug Bearak:

So, first off, how does it feel that fans wanted to have a petition created to have you be the representative for the NBA lottery in Chicago? How do you feel about fans wanting you to be the representative for the NBA lottery.

Bruce S. Reznick

I’m deeply full gratitude for all our friends, whether they get involved with this or not … the NBA fans are wonderful, and they treat Mr .and Mrs. Whammy, a wonderful, regardless of the jersey that they’re wearing, and the color of the jersey. A fan recognizes another fan. And he doesn’t have to have the same jersey.

DB:

So if you were at the Lottery, on the stand representing the stand that represents the team out of Chicago, what would be your, you know, your method behind the madness to ensure that the nets get a high pick in this lottery? If you were in the room with all the draftees?

BR:

I’d be very grateful, proud, I’d be very, I’d be very proud, if we got a, a, a, a great pick or pick. I will, I will do whatever I can. Just try to make that happen.

DB:

Well, as of now, we only own one lottery pick, meaning we have the possibility of just one slot within, I believe the top, seven, is our floor. But our goal, you know, we have flattened odds where we can get as high as No. 1, even though the Wizards, you know, landed ahead of us. So what would be your tactic to kind of bring that opportunity to fans to bring that, you know, potential franchise changing player to Brooklyn by giving us the opportunity to pick first, second, third, fourth, whatever it may be?

BR:

We would have somebody working for us. Two hands. Mrs. Whammy. We have Mrs. Whammy up in heaven, and she watches over the Nets families, all the players, all the fans, and her family and Mr. Whammy, so let’s see, what Mrs. Whammy can pull off.

DB:

So you won’t be hexing your peers on stage? The representatives of the other teams?!?

BR:

Oh, I’ll be. Of course, I only know to hex.

DB:

Okay, so while duty brings in the gold, You’ll be bringing in the hexing.

BR:

I just use my [powers] — and just to refresh everybody’s memory — when it was last year in Brooklyn. I had my wife and my picture hanging. I went to hit the number. The picture fell off the wall. So my wife spoke from heaven last year, and hopefully she’ll do the same this year, and bring more greatness to the beloved Nets. And whatever I should do. My pleasure, and I hope we’re successful.

DB:

Well, if you got to pitch this idea to anyone, what would be your pitch be? What would be your pitch to the people above us (ownership and the front office) to have that opportunity. Well, I’m talking about getting you on stage getting you to the draft lottery. What would be your message to them to make these fans’ dreams come true of having you be the representative this year?

BR:

If I could be of any help … That it would be my blessing.

DB:

Well, first, you know, hope to see you there. If not, hope to see you in Brooklyn with the other fans. Appreciate you taking the time. Hope to, you know, hope to celebrate with you soon.

BR:

Hey. Anything I should do to help my next, our next, I should say, our next. It’s, it’s, it’s my pleasure. To be there. I support. The commissioner, everybody involved with the NBA and all the players. Every time I need a player, I say to him. I wish a good luck and no injuries. And that’s a blessing that I get from upstairs, and hopefully, it works.

BR:

Oh, I don’t fly, so if I’m invited. I’m taking the train.

So, we wait the word.

Observations after Sixers earn tough play-in win, advance to series vs. Celtics  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers pulled out a tough play-in tournament victory Wednesday night and earned a trip back to the postseason in the process.

They notched a 109-97 victory over the Magic at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Next up for the Sixers is a first-round playoff series against the No. 2 seed Celtics. Game 1 is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET in Boston.

The Sixers had five double-figure scorers. Tyrese Maxey posted 31 points and six assists. VJ Edgecombe had a double-double in his first career postseason game with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Desmond Bane starred for the Magic, scoring 34 points on 10-for-16 shooting. Paolo Banchero had 18 points.

Joel Embiid (appendectomy recovery) watched Wednesday’s game from the Sixers’ bench. He remains out indefinitely. 

Here are observations on the Sixers’ playoff-clinching win:

Oubre fires away in first 

Adem Bona got the start for the Sixers at center and knocked down a pair of free throws to kick off the scoring.

Kelly Oubre Jr. was in the middle of much of the early action. He drained two three-pointers in under two and a half minutes.

Oubre was also active defensively in his opening stint against Franz Wagner. He brought the necessary off-ball physicality and didn’t let the 6-foot-10 Wagner capitalize on his height advantage. 

With 8:30 left in the first quarter, Oubre committed an obvious offensive foul when his screen knocked Wagner to the floor. The teams exchanged some unfriendly words after the whistle and both Oubre and Banchero were assessed technicals.

Oubre capped the first quarter in sweet fashion for the Sixers, swishing a corner three with 1.8 seconds left to give his team a 28-24 edge. 

This season Oubre shot a career-best 36 percent beyond the arc, an improvement he credited largely to gaining flexibility in his left wrist and hand through offseason therapy following years of issues. He carried over that confidence in his jumper to the postseason. Oubre shot 5 for 10 from three-point Wednesday in his 19-point performance.

Maxey takes balanced approach 

Maxey made a concerted effort in the first quarter to drive hard, reach the paint regularly and invite contact. 

He drew the second foul on Banchero with 7:06 left in the first. Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley let Banchero play through his foul trouble and Orlando’s star forward avoided any more problems on that front.

Paul George was scoreless in the first quarter, but he hit a couple of jumpers in Maxey-less minutes to begin the second period. Quentin Grimes’ and-one layup put the Sixers up 39-33. 

Grimes, Andre Drummond and Dominick Barlow were the only three bench players in the Sixers’ rotation. Drummond had a strong first half. He registered a highlight assist when he short rolled, took Maxey’s pocket pass and fired the ball to a cutting Barlow for a dunk. Drummond’s first quarter also included a put-back slam and two blocks. 

While Maxey mostly kept his foot on the gas offensively, he also recognized when he’d attracted extra defenders and could find open teammates.

With the second quarter winding down, Maxey tossed a one-handed skip pass to Drummond in the corner. The veteran big man drilled his jumper and the Sixers entered halftime with a four-point lead. 

Sixers strong in the clutch

Bane converted a mid-range, and-one jumper on Edgecombe 18 seconds into the third quarter. He made his free throw, which was already his 10th attempt of the game. 

The Magic had a hard time building any serious momentum because of their poor outside shooting. 

Orlando was fourth-worst in the NBA this season in three-point percentage (34.3 percent) and did not transform into a sharpshooting squad Wednesday. The team finished 7 for 27 (25.9 percent) from three-point range. 

Bona stepped up for the Sixers in the third quarter, swatting three shots and providing ample energy. Edgecombe also picked up steam in the third. His fast-break layup extended the Sixers’ lead to 73-62.

There was an altercation under the basket after Edgecombe’s hoop. The home crowd enjoyed the chaotic scene and Oubre spurred them on, asking for more noise. However, the fans were not happy with the conclusion of the officials’ review. Edgecombe got a taunting technical foul for his dust-up with Jalen Suggs. 

Maxey missed several open jumpers in the third quarter and the Sixers couldn’t grow their advantage. The Magic hung around and Orlando cut its deficit to 87-86 on an Anthony Black three early in the fourth quarter.

Maxey had a superstar’s stretch with the game up for grabs. He first made a driving layup. Edgecombe then ripped the ball from Banchero, leading to a Maxey triple on the other end. A Maxey floater built the Sixers’ lead back to eight points.

The game was destined to come down to the final few minutes.

The Sixers had a good night overall on the glass, but Wagner got a put-back layup to trim the Sixers’ lead to 99-95 with 3:25 left, prompting head coach Nick Nurse to call timeout.

Just as he did in the regular season, Edgecombe looked very comfortable in the clutch. He made a difficult layup and hit two foul shots to restore a seven-point lead.

Soon, “We want Boston!” chants rang out from the stands and a Drummond corner three was a joyous way for the Sixers to truly ice the game.

The Celtics series won’t be easy at all, but the Sixers deserve their chance to face the East’s No. 2 seed and try to spring an upset.

Celtics vs. 76ers first-round playoff preview, odds and prediction originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

For the 24th time in NBA history and the sixth time this century, the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers will meet in the playoffs.

The storied rivals will face off in the first round, marking the first Boston-Philly playoff matchup since the 2023 Eastern Conference semifinals when the C’s defeated the Sixers in seven games. This year, the Celtics earned the No. 2 seed with a 56-26 record, while the Sixers secured the No. 7 seed with a 45-37 record and a win over the Orlando Magic in the No. 7 vs. No. 8 play-in tournament matchup on Wednesday night.

Boston and Philadelphia played four times in the regular season, splitting their series 2-2. The C’s were without Jayson Tatum for all four matchups due to his Achilles injury, but the superstar is healthy and looking like himself just in time for the postseason.

As for the Sixers, star big man Joel Embiid’s status remains up in the air after he underwent an emergency appendectomy. If he’s out, Philly will lean heavily on Tyrese Maxey and Paul George to carry the load.

The Celtics have won five of their last six first-round series in a sweep or just five games. The 76ers have their work cut out for them as they look to ruin that trend.

Check out our full Celtics-76ers preview below:

Series schedule

• Game 1: 76ers vs. Celtics; Sunday, April 19 (1 p.m. ET, ABC)
• Game 2: 76ers vs. Celtics; Tuesday, April 21 (7 p.m. ET, Peacock)
• Game 3: Celtics at 76ers; Friday, April 24 (7 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime)
• Game 4: Celtics at 76ers; Sunday, April 26 (7 p.m. ET, NBC)
• Game 5: 76ers vs. Celtics; Tuesday, April 28 (TBD)*
• Game 6: Celtics at 76ers; Thursday, April 30 (TBD)*
• Game 7: 76ers vs. Celtics; Saturday, May 2 (TBD)*

*If necessary

Regular season head-to-head

Oct. 22 at Boston: 76ers 117, Celtics 116

Oct. 31 at Philadelphia: Celtics 109, 76ers 108

Nov. 11 at Philadelphia: 76ers 102, Celtics 100

March 1 at Boston: Celtics 114, 76ers 98

Celtics vs. 76ers stats comparison

Here’s a breakdown of Boston and Philadelphia’s season stats and NBA rankings from the 2025-26 season. The Celtics have the advantage in every category except points per game.

The Celtics will win the series if…

The Jays are the Jays.

It’s simple: If Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are themselves, the Celtics win this series handily.

As good as Tyrese Maxey is, the Sixers don’t have the firepower to keep up when the Jays are on their game. Philly’s two wins against Boston came by one and two points, and Tatum missed both matchups. With him back in the lineup and looking like his superstar self, the Sixers will need Maxey, Paul George and rookie V.J. Edgecombe to play to their ceilings to have a chance (assuming Embiid misses most or all of the series).

Maxey could take over a game or two and make things interesting, but vintage performances from Brown and Tatum will be almost impossible to overcome for a team that’s middle-of-the-road on both ends of the floor.

The 76ers will win the series if…

They keep it close.

The Celtics should dominate this series. They’re superior in virtually every category (except points per game, oddly enough), and they’ll have Jayson Tatum back after missing him for all four matchups against the Sixers during the regular season.

But if their usually stout defense allows the Maxey/George/Edgecombe trio to get hot and Philadelphia finds a way to keep it close in the fourth quarter, they could be in trouble.

As our Chris Forsberg noted, the Sixers owned the best clutch-time defense in the NBA, holding opponents to a defensive rating of 98.6 in 174 minutes of clutch play. Both of their regular-season wins against the Celtics were clutch-time wins decided by one or two points.

The C’s must keep their foot on the gas and prevent the 76ers from hanging around late in games. If they can accomplish that, they should cruise into the East semifinals.

Odds

The Celtics are heavy favorites vs. the 76ers and have opened as 10.5-point favorites to win Game 1 on Sunday. Here are the full series odds (via DraftKings).

• Celtics to win the series: -900
• 76ers to win the series: +600

Prediction

Celtics in five.

We’ll give the Sixers one game in Philly, because Tyrese Maxey or Paul George will take over on an off night for Boston, or perhaps Edgecombe will catch fire like when he dropped 30 against the Celtics on Opening Night. Otherwise, it’ll be another thorough first-round beatdown by the C’s.

We mentioned the Jays as an obvious advantage for Boston, but big man Neemias Queta is a sneaky X-factor. He has been a revelation all season, and he could give the Celtics another advantage at the rim, especially if Embiid is out. Even if Embiid is active, Queta has shown in previous matchups that he can hang with the seven-time All-Star.

There’s no need to complicate this. The Celtics are the better team in almost every metric, and that will be evident in this first-round clash.

The Golden State Warriors will play with their season on the line Wednesday night in a first-round Play-In Tournament matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers. Tip-off is set for 7:00 PM PT in Los Angeles and can be watched on Prime Video.

Previously with the Warriors:

The Warriors closed out the regular season with a 115-110 loss to the Clippers on Sunday night. With Golden State locked into the No. 10 seed and Los Angeles essentially secured as the No. 9 seed, both teams entered knowing a Play-In Tournament rematch was likely. As a result, neither side showed much strategically as the Warriors held out Draymond Green, while the Clippers opted to rest All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard.

Steph Curry, however, did play as he continues to ramp up for the postseason. He led all scorers with 24 points in 29 minutes, and more importantly, said afterward that he’s in a decent spot physically ahead of Wednesday’s matchup.

What to watch for tonight:

The Warriors are expected to have a full roster available after dealing with a wave of injuries to end the regular season, although, head coach Steve Kerr did mention multiple players could still be on a minutes restriction. That includes Curry, who Kerr indicated will likely not exceed 40 minutes in this win-or-go-home matchup.

Entering tonight’s game in Los Angeles, the Warriors have lost nine of their last 10 against the Clippers, including a 1-3 record against them this season. That said, tonight’s game will likely come down to two key matchups: Golden State’s defense on Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers’ defense on Stephen Curry.

Leonard remains one of the most dangerous postseason scorers in the league, so Golden State will likely lean on Green as the primary defender on him. In their March 2nd matchup, Green was able to hold Leonard to 23 points — slightly below his season average of 27.9, which was the sixth-highest in the NBA.

On the other end, the Warriors’ offense will inevitably run through Curry. Clippers head coach Ty Lue has a long history of throwing different defensive looks at him, and in Sunday’s matchup, they used Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. as the primary defenders. Expect a similar approach on Wednesday with potential double teams to force the ball out of Curry’s hands.

One thing is for certain: Getting to the playoffs won’t be easy. To keep their season alive, the Warriors must win this game and then defeat the Phoenix Suns just to secure the No. 8 seed and a first-round matchup with the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. It’s a challenging path, but one that is led by a superstar like Curry, a roster with playoff-tested veterans, and a plethora of championship experience.

Enjoy the game Dub Nation. GO WARRIORS!!! 

Projected Starters

Warriors: Steph Curry, Brandin Podziemski, De’Anthony Melton, Draymond Green, Kristaps Porzingis

Clippers: Darius Garland, Kris Dunn, Kawhi Leonard, Derrick Jones Jr., Brook Lopez

How to watch Play-In Tournament Round 1

Who: Golden State Warriors (37 – 45) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (42 – 40)

When: Wednesday, April 15th, at 7:00 p.m. PT

Where: Intuit Dome — Los Angeles, California

TV and Streaming: Prime Video (available on fuboTV)

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The second day of the NBA Play-In Tournament wraps up with an all-California matchup.

The No. 9 Los Angeles Clippers and No. 10 Golden State Warriors will face off in a win-or-go-home game that will eventually determine the Western Conference’s No. 8 seed.

Whichever team wins tonight still has one hurdle to clear before officially punching its playoff ticket — the final play-in game on Friday against Phoenix — while the losing team’s season ends tonight.

This season, the Clippers won three of four total matchups with the Warriors; the most recent was a 115-110 victory just three days ago on the final day of the regular season.

Warriors vs. Clippers start time:

The Warriors vs. Clippers play-in game tips off at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET tonight, April 15.

How to watch Warriors vs. Clippers for free:

The NBA Play-In Tournament, including tonight’s Warriors vs. Clippers matchup, is streaming exclusively on Prime Video, so you’ll need an Amazon Prime subscription to watch the game.

If you aren’t a Prime Video subscriber yet, you can get started with a 30-day Amazon Prime free trial, including Prime perks like the Prime Video streaming service, free two-day shipping, exclusive deals, and more. After the free trial, Amazon Prime costs $14.99/month or $139/year.

All 18- to 24-year-olds, regardless of student status, are eligible for a discounted Prime for Young Adults membership as well, with age verification. After a six-month free trial, you’ll pay 50% off the standard Prime monthly price of $14.99/month — just $7.49/month — for up to six yearsand get all the perks.

NBA Playoffs key dates:

• April 14-17: NBA Play-In Tournament
• April 18: NBA Playoffs First Round begins
• June 3: Game 1 of the NBA Finals

Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.

The Lakers have a tough task ahead of them. 

Without Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique), they’re going to face Kevin Durant and the Rockets. 

Here’s what you need to know about LA’s first-round NBA Playoffs opponent:

Current status

The Rockets struggled with injuries and chemistry throughout the season, but they found their groove during the stretch run, winning eight straight games and nine of their last 10 to close the season. 

The Lakers similarly found themselves at the end of the season, going on a 15-2 run in March. But then they lost Doncic and Reaves against the Thunder on April 2. Without the 60 points that those stars provide, the team has been turned upside down.

The Rockets are surely going to try to take advantage of the Lakers’ chaos. They’ve had a lot of time to work out their kinks after losing point guard Fred VanVleet to a torn ACL in September and center Steven Adams to a left ankle surgery in January. 

Without VanVleet, turnovers were a huge issue for the Rockets — as well as blown leads and inefficiency. But lately, they’ve tightened things up. Durant has been playing MVP-caliber basketball. Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson have made leaps this season. And when Tari Eason shines, he helps open the court for everyone else. 

The Rockets are organized, deliberate and have the size and skill to dominate this series. The Lakers are best when they’re moving the ball and running, but without their top two stars, they’re going to have to play a completely different brand of basketball. 

What makes this matchup interesting

There are two reasons this will be fun: LeBron James and Durant. 

James, in Season 23, and Durant, in Season 18, are two of the top players of this generation, and they’re still superstars at ages 41 and 37, respectively. They’re both tasked with carrying their teams’ offenses. 

They’ve met three times in the NBA Finals. James and the Heat won their first battle in 2012. Durant led the Warriors to win their other two matchups in 2017 and 2018. 

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James is arguably the greatest player of all time. Durant is arguably the greatest scorer ever. 

While the league’s young stars are taking over (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama and Doncic), this matchup will pit two of the vintage greats against each other. It could be the last time they meet in the postseason. James is going to try to keep the Lakers alive until help returns. Durant is going to try to reach the second round of the playoffs after missing the postseason the last two years with the Suns. 

It’s The King versus the Scoring Maestro. 

Should be thrilling. 

The questions

The Rockets have had their share of drama this season. In February, Durant was accused of using a burner account to take shots at his teammates over X. When questioned about the allegations, Durant told reporters, “I’m not here to get into Twitter nonsense.” It wasn’t a denial, and it led to speculation that there was dissension in the locker room. 

But over the last month, a lot of that noise quieted. The Rockets have shown discipline on defense, and their offense has been running much more smoothly. 

As for the Lakers, their main question now is whether Doncic and Reaves will return. Players are typically sidelined four to six weeks with their injuries, and Lakers coach JJ Redick said there’s no timeline for their return. But it helps that the Lakers’ first-round series is spread out, with two off days in between Games 1 and 2, as well as between Games 2 and 3 and Games 4 and 5. 

My prediction: Rockets in 5

The Lakers ran over the Rockets in their last two matchups in March, when Doncic was at the peak of his scoring explosion. But without Doncic and Reaves, James just doesn’t have enough help to carry the Lakers past the Rockets, who are deeper, bigger and more physical. Now, if Doncic and Reaves return, everything changes. 

But as things stand, my guess is James is going to prove that he’s still a superstar at age 41, shattering all narratives that Father Time has even taken a swing at him over the last two decades. But ultimately, Durant and Co. will advance to the second round. 

Steph Curry erupts late as Warriors stun Clippers in NBA play-in, will face Suns originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

The Warriors’ 2025-26 season somehow still is alive.

Steph Curry erupted in the second half as Golden State rallied to stun the Los Angeles Clippers 126-121 in the NBA play-in game on Wednesday night at Intuit Dome.

The Warriors will travel to Phoenix to take on the Suns in a do-or-die 8th-seed game, with the winner advancing to take on the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Curry, on a minutes restriction as he ramps back up after returning from a right knee injury, struggled in the first half but turned it on in the second half and finished with 35 points on 12-of-23 shooting from the field.

Curry scored just eight first-half points, but poured in 27 second-half points to fuel the comeback win.

Curry’s 3-pointer with 50.4 seconds remaining gave the Warriors a late lead they didn’t relinquish.

Kristaps Porziņģis had a spring in his step and finished with 20 points, while Gui Santos scored 20 points and Brandin Podziemski added 17 points. Al Horford added 14 off the bench.

The Warriors trailed for most of the second half until Horford drained a 3-pointer with just over two minutes left in regulation.

Now the Warriors turn their attention to the Suns. Golden State won three of the four regular-season matchups, including the final matchup in Phoenix on Feb. 5.

One more win on Friday night and the Warriors will achieve their goal of getting into the playoffs.

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA confirmed Wednesday it is exploring a move to an age-based eligibility model that would give athletes a window of five years to compete in Division I starting immediately after their high school graduation or 19th birthday, whichever comes first.

The Division I Cabinet discussed the possibility at meetings that concluded Wednesday but did not take a formal position. The Cabinet supports having NCAA staff continue to discuss the idea with other stakeholders to gather feedback.

The Cabinet said the new model would include possible exceptions for circumstances such as pregnancy, military service and religious missions.

The age-based model is similar to an idea included in an executive order issued by President Donald Trump on April 3.

Currently, athletes generally are allowed four seasons of competition over five years with no age restrictions.

The possibility of an age-based model comes after numerous athletes have challenged NCAA eligibility rules in lawsuits with the hope of extending their college careers and ability to earn money through revenue sharing and name, image and likeness deals.

During its meetings, the Cabinet approved changes to preenrollment eligibility rules, including one that would bar athletes who have entered and remained in a professional sports draft from competing in college.

One of the rules requires prospects to withdraw from opt-in professional league drafts, including the NBA draft, to bring precollege enrollment draft rules in line with postcollege enrollment draft rules. Men’s ice hockey and baseball would not be affected because athletes don’t opt in to those sports’ drafts.

The change came after two basketball players, Alabama’s Charles Bediako and Baylor’s James Nnaji, played in college this season after entering the 2023 NBA draft.

Bediako played two seasons at Alabama and entered the draft. He wasn’t selected but played three years in the G League, the NBA’s minor league. He played in five games this past season before the Alabama Supreme Court upheld a ruling that made him ineligible.

Nnaji was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the second round. He played professionally overseas before he enrolled as a freshman at Baylor in December. He was granted eligibility because he had never signed an NBA contract or played in the G League. He would be ineligible in 2026-27 under the new rules.

In other changes, athletes are allowed to sign with agents prior to enrolling for purposes other than name, image and likeness and are allowed to accept prize money in their respective sports without impacting eligibility.

___

AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports

The 2025-26 NBA regular season is officially in the books and it was one that was well-watched.

NBC Sports' NBA coverage began with a record-setting night with "NBA Tip-Off" on Oct. 21, marking the return of the nostalgic broadcast partner.

The season started with the first opening night double-overtime game in 20 years, a matchup between the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder, who kicked things off with their championship ring ceremony.

It was the largest "NBA Tip-Off" doubleheader audience since 2010, not including 2011 opening games on Christmas holiday. The doubleheader maintained an average of 5.6 million viewers across NBC and Peacock.

Here's a look at the season highlights for viewership, attendance, digital and social numbers during the 2025-26 NBA season:

In honor of the merciful conclusion to the Utah Jazz’s tanking era, let’s take a look back at some of the players who were instrumental in securing better draft odds and the hope of a playoff appearance next season. Referring to these players as tank commanders is not derogatory nor is it meant to degrade the skill-sets they possess, rather, these players are crucial for ensuring teams get as high a draft pick as they can, while also getting the opportunity to showcase their skills to the rest of the league in hopes of getting more opportunities. It truly is thankless work, and most are forgotten once their contracts expire, but today they get their flowers. 

Luka Šamanić (17-33) 

Šamanić was taken 19th overall by the San Antonio Spurs in 2019, where he would only appear in 3 games his rookie year. He would only last two seasons in San Antonio before he would be released and the Jazz would scoop him up. During the 2023-2024 season Šamanić appeared in 43 games for the Jazz averaging a modest 4 points and 2 rebounds per game. He was also instrumental in securing a 31-51 record, and the 9th overall pick. Currently he is playing in the Russian VTB United League where he is averaging 13 points, 5 rebounds and 1 assist per game. 

Darius Blazley (2-4) 

Blazley was originally drafted by the Jazz, but his draft rights were given to the Memphis Grizzlies, only to be snatched up by the Thunder. He would get consistent playing time in OKC for four seasons before being traded to the Suns where he would only last 7 games before going to the 76ers, and finally making his way to Utah. He would play 6 games for us, 4 of which we lost. These losses again helped Utah to acquire a top 10 pick in the draft. His basketball career has not gone as planned, especially as of late. Most recently he shoved a teammate out of frustration, and was subsequently cut from the Ningbo Rockets of the Chinese Basketball Association. At 25 years old there is still time for Blazely to turn his career around, all of Jazz nation is rooting for him. 

Talen Horton-Tucker (44-72) 

THT is my personal favorite of all the players listed. He spent two seasons with us and was equal parts extremely exciting and extremely frustrating to watch. At times he would forget he had four other teammates out there with him, but that’s what made him so fascinating. During my junior year of high school my friends and I would talk about THT like he was an All-Star, and that he would have a long future on the Jazz if he could just learn to pass. Scary times. (Continuous tanking can do horrible things to the mind of a fanbase.) THT’s best moment as a Jazz man came against the Spurs, where he dropped 41 points. His acrobatic layups, and thunderous dunks will be greatly missed, his tunnel vision and unwillingness to pass, will not. Today he plays in the Euroleague for Fenerbaçhe. Like Blazley, Talen is also 25 years old, and has time for an NBA comeback. 

Juan Toscano-Anderson (7-15)

NBA champion Juan Toscano-Anderson played 22 games for the Jazz and averaged 3.4 points in 15 minutes per game. One of the plays featured on his highlight reel is an assist to Udoka Azubuike and seeing that nearly gave me a heart attack. Toscano-Anderson is the only player in team history to wear #95. In 2025 he signed a one year deal with Pallacanestro Trieste in the Italian basketball league. In his most recent game he put up 4 points, and 4 assists in 17 minutes of action.

Kenneth Lofton Jr. (2-2)

Lofton may have only played in 4 games for the Jazz, going 2-2, but he was certainly memorable. He isn’t built like your typical NBA player,  but he played very well in his few games in Utah. His most impressive outing came when he dropped 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists in a win over the Clippers. Lofton last played for the Shanghai Sharks, but of all the players on this list I believe in him to make an NBA comeback the most. He’s still just 23 and averaged an impressive 25 points and 12.6 rebounds in the Chinese Basketball Association.  

KJ Martin (2-17) 

Go ahead and pat yourself on the back if you remember KJ Martin. He is, by far, the best tank commander on this list. He played in 19 games for the Jazz and went 2-17. Without Martin the Jazz may not have secured their worst record in franchise history (17-65) and the best odds in the lottery. While Utah did drop to the fifth spot, they still came away with a blue-chip player in Ace Bailey. Going back and watching his highlights from the ‘24-’25 season the one thing that really stood out was his athleticism. He had some really nice dunks off of lobs, but that was about it. Most recently he played for the Ningbo Rockets where he averaged 7.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. 

Now for this season’s batch of tank commanders! This was a special group that included some very memorable performances, and may have even yielded a diamond in the rough. 

Kennedy Chandler (1-10)

Chandler stands at 5’11, but what he lacks in height he makes up for in his effort on the floor. Unfortunately for him however the Jazz chose to let his 10-day contract expire. Chandler did save his best performances for last; dropping 26 and 31 in his final two games with the team. During his 11 game stint in Utah he averaged a solid 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 6.7 assists. His best game came in a loss to the Pelicans where he had 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists. Seven rebounds for a guy who is 5’11 is perhaps his greatest achievement. His speed, and finishing ability should be enough to stick around in the G-League, but finding a consistent shot from deep is probably his only path to make an NBA roster.

Bez Mbeng (2-13)

The 3-time Ivy League defensive player of the year had some very impressive moments this season with the Jazz. He averaged 2.3 steals per game and even threw in a triple double for fun against the Grizzlies in the Tank Bowl. Mbeng will forever be immortalized in both Jazz, and NBA history as he was the first Jazz rookie to record a triple double since Mark Eaton did it in 1978. He cemented his spot in NBA history on the same night when he and John Konchar became the first teammates to record  triple doubles off the same bench. The Jazz signed Mbeng to a two year deal, and I cannot wait to see him play in Summer League. He could be a very similar type of player as Elijah Harkless, with higher upside on offense. 

Andersson Garcia (1-4)

They could never make me hate you Garcia. Sadly his most notable moment on the Jazz was when he elbowed Ace, and gave him a concussion. What I’ll remember him for however was his tap outs on rebounds. He smacked the air out of the ball to try and get it to his teammates. He played extremely hard during his limited time here. It was probably foolish from the beginning to get so attached to a 25 year old rookie, but I couldn’t help it. Garcia made a believer out of me. I don’t care that he shot 7.7% from deep, or that he shot 31% from the field, he will always have a fan in me. I hope he can find a home elsewhere in the NBA or, more likely, somewhere overseas.

Hayden Gray (0-1)

Gray only played in the season finale against the Lakers where he dropped 6 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal, and 1 block. He has since been signed to a two-year deal and should play as a member of the Jazz’s Summer League roster. 

For the first time in four years the Jazz will be playing to win games and compete for a playoff spot. (With some luck in the lottery they may even be competing for much more than that.) Gone are the days of watching the Jazz field a G-League level team. In a way I’ll miss it… but not that much. What obscure tanking era players did I miss, and which players do you still irrationally believe in? 

The Cleveland Cavaliers will take on the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the playoffs starting on Saturday. The Cavs lost all three of their regular-season games to the Raptors, but each came before December. Let’s take a look at what the numbers say about this Raptors team.

Overall team efficiency

Offensive rating: 116.8, 13th

Defensive rating: 113.2, 7th

Net rating: +3.6, 11th

The Raptors have simply been a solid team on both sides of the ball, although they’re better defensively. What they do on that end heavily influences their offensive attack. So let’s dive into the defensive numbers first.

Key defensive metrics

Defensive turnover percentage: 16%, 4th

Points allowed in transition: 1.8, 4th

Half-court defensive rating: 96.7, 11th

Toronto is excellent at two things defensively. They force turnovers, and they keep teams from getting out in transition.

The Raptors induce turnovers on 16% of defensive possessions. This translates to 8.8 steals per 100 possessions.

Scottie Barnes (1.4 steals per game) and Immanuel Quickly (1.3 steals per game) have excelled in this area. Both are physical at the point of attack and have active hands in passing lanes.

The Raptors are also committed to getting back in transition and are good at stopping the ball on the break. This has led to them giving up transition opportunities to their opponent on just 13.3% of their defensive possessions, which is the second-fewest in the league.

NBA offenses are built and conditioned to score in transition. There are few teams better at keeping opposing offenses from doing so than the Raptors.

Scoring in the half-court is considerably more difficult than doing so in transition. Toronto has a 96.7 defensive rating in the half-court that ranks 11th in the league. That isn’t outstanding, but their ability to force teams into consistently going up against their set defense is a win on its own.

Key offensive metrics

Transition offense frequency: 17.8%, 3rd

Transition offense efficiency: 126.5, 15th

Points off turnovers per 100 possessions: 20, 5th

Turnover percentage: 13.6%, 7th

Halfcourt offensive rating: 116.8, 13th

Toronto’s defense kickstarts its offense. Their focus on one end is mirrored on the other.

It’s difficult to be a team that runs in transition, while also not getting burned on that end yourself. The Raptors have done that as they’re third in offensive transition frequency and second in points added in transition per 100 possessions.

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Your offense is going to be better in transition than it is in the half-court. Being able to generate shots in the open court is almost always better than the alternative. That’s worth highlighting because the Raptors aren’t elite at capitalizing on all of their transition looks.

They’re 15th in points added per 100 transition possessions. That means that they’re middle of the road in transition efficiency, but being able to get in the open court so often helps offset that. Ideally, you’d like to be great at both — as the Indiana Pacers were last season — but running this much does completely change how you guard them, as the Cavs saw in their three meetings this season.

The Raptors do this while limiting giveaways. They’re seventh in the league in turnover percentage and are fifth-best in opponent points off turnovers. Being able to protect the ball is imperative when playing fast, and it helps keep their opponent from getting fastbreak looks against them.

Where do the Raptors struggle?

Three-point percentage: 35.4%, 21st

Free-throw rate: 20.2, 17th

Midrange shot frequency: 33.5%, 6th

Defensive free-throw rate: 22.2, 25th

Defensive rim-shooting frequency: 32.9%, 21st

Defensive three-point shooting frequency: 38.4%, 17th

The Cavs’ three-point defense has been an issue all season. The Raptors aren’t a team that can really exploit that. Toronto doesn’t shoot threes at volume — 25th — and they don’t shoot it particularly well when they do generate looks.

The most efficient ways to score are the rim, the free-throw line, and from beyond the arc. The Raptors only excel in one of those areas. They take the ninth-most shots at the rim and have the eighth-best percentage (68.5%). However, that doesn’t translate to getting to the line.

If they aren’t getting to the rim, they mostly settle for in-between shots. They’re taking a higher percentage of shots in the midrange than they are from three. You don’t see that often.

Toronto is only one of four teams that take more midrange shots than threes. The other three in that group aren’t known for having great offensive processes: the Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, and Dallas Mavericks.

Defensively, they don’t do a great job of keeping teams from getting to the basket and are prone to fouling them. This is partially due to a roster construction that is built more around wings than strong interior defenders.

The best three-point defense is limiting outside attempts. The Raptors don’t do that at a high level.

How to beat the Raptors

The Cavs need to keep the Raptors’ offense from running on them. This means they must limit turnovers and emphasize getting back defensively.

Since James Harden’s debut, the Cavs have done a good job of protecting the ball. They’ve been seventh in the league in offensive turnover percentage (13.1%) in that time. However, they’ve struggled with keeping opponents from getting out and running against them. They allow their opposition to attack in transition on 16.1% of their possessions since Harden’s debut, which ranks 20th in the league. Keeping the Raptors in the half-court is a must, considering that’s where a high percentage of their points come from.

Offensively, the Cavs need to keep focusing on their strengths since the Harden trade. They’ve done a better job of getting to the rim, drawing fouls, and generating three-point looks since the beginning of February. All of which are things the Raptors have struggled with.

Additionally, the Harden trade has boosted the Cavs’ half-court offense. They’ve attacked in transition the third fewest in the league since Harden’s debut. Instead, they’ve opted to operate in the half-court and have been exceptional at doing so. Since the beginning of February, the Cavs have registered a 104.7 offensive rating in the half-court, which is good for third in the league since that time.

If the Cavs can keep Toronto from getting out in transition and continue to execute at a high level with their half-court offense, they should win this series.

Stats taken from stats.nba.com and cleaningtheglass.com.

While a seven-game series is all about the first to four, not the first to one, there is added pressure on the Lakers to come out victorious in Game 1.

Not only are they trying to protect home court, but they are undermanned, playing without Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić for the immediate future.

Many NBA experts don’t give them a chance to win this series. Game 1 will be a great opportunity not only to prove those critics wrong but also to start the series against Houston up 1-0.

“Tremendously important for us,” Smart said after Tuesday’s practice. “We know we got a team that’s going to come in and try to set the rules, right. Especially first game, you want to set the tone for the whole series, let them know this is how it’s going to be.

“Not only that, it just sets the tone in general so the refs can understand, ‘This is how we’re going to play. This is how we’re going to do it. Let us play.’ It’s very important for us because they are very aggressive and they do a really good job of setting the tone and we’re going to have to do a good job matching that energy if not going above it.”

In the NBA, the team that wins Game 1 wins the series 77.8% of the time. So, yes, winning the first game as the home team would be ideal for Los Angeles. It would not only get them started on the right track, but also give them the confidence that they can win despite the guards they are missing.

“I think it’s important that we have the right spirit and we have a belief,” Redick said. “Certainly winning Game 1 can help with that, but I’m confident. Our group is in this to fight until we win the series.”

During this week of practice, Redick has stressed that the right spirit is rebounding the ball and limiting turnovers. LA has struggled to keep Houston off the glass even in wins this year, and if they can beat them on the boards on Saturday night, the odds of a victory will be good.

After Wednesday’s practice, Rui Hachimura echoed the sentiments of Redick and Smart on how much winning Game 1 matters.

“We got home court advantage and we gotta get the first one,” Hachimura said. I’ve been to a couple of playoffs, and the first game is really important.”

The Lakers seem to all be on the same page regarding the importance of Game 1.

They’ll have a few more days to work on their game plan before attempting to execute it on Saturday. Hopefully, a week of rest and practice gives them the energy and preparedness to accomplish their first task. Because it may be the first to four that wins, but that path begins with earning the first victory.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.