San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol after tumbling face-first to the court in the second quarter of Tuesday night’s playoff loss to Portland.
“He has a concussion. He’s in the protocol,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said after San Antonio fell 106-103 to even the Western Conference first-round series at one game apiece. “We’ll take the proper and appropriate steps.”
Any extended absence by Wembanyama would be a massive blow to San Antonio, which finished with the league’s second-best record behind the versatile 7-foot-4 center from France.
Under league guidelines, a player in the concussion protocol must have at least 48 hours of inactivity and recovery and then hit several benchmarks without symptoms before being cleared to play. A player must undergo neurological testing and receive a final clearance from a team doctor in consultation with the league’s concussion protocol director.
Game 3 is Friday in Portland. It seems improbable that Wembanyama would be cleared by then, but Johnson wouldn’t speculate about his status.
“The protocol is the protocol,” Johnson said. “We’ll just follow it as everyone else does and plan accordingly.”
The Spurs went 12-6 during the regular season without Wembanyama.
“We’ve all got to step up,” Spurs guard Devin Vassell said. “We know what Vic brings to the table. We’ve played without him for a couple games this year. It’s going to be next man up. Everybody’s going to have to step up. That’s a huge void to fill. We can’t get bogged down by it.”
Wembanyama was fouled by Jrue Holiday after he spun around the Trail Blazers point guard in the paint. He was not able to brace himself on the fall, and his jaw hit the court with 8:57 remaining in the second quarter.
Wembanyama remained on the court for about 30 seconds before rising to a seated position for about a minute and speaking to teammate Stephon Castle. Johnson called timeout to check on Wembanyama, who immediately ran through the tunnel after getting to his feet.
Wembanyama had five points, four rebounds, one blocked shot and one assist in 12 minutes. Veteran Luke Kornet replaced Wembanyama and started the second half at center, finishing with 10 points and nine rebounds in 28 minutes.
“It was scary. I saw the images. It was not good,” Trail Blazers coach Tiago Splitter said of the play where Wembanyama got hurt. “With him out, Kornet, I think he did a tremendous job. We still have to figure out how to play better when Kornet is on the court.”
San Antonio is in the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and beat Portland in Game 1 of the Western Conference first-round series behind 35 points from Wembanyama. Without him, the Spurs blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead in the playoffs for the first time since 2003, a span of 76 games.
On Monday, Wembanyama became the unanimous winner of the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award. He averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and a league-best 3.1 blocks this season.
Vassell said he didn’t have a chance to talk with Wembanyama immediately after the game.
“We’ll definitely check in on him. Our prayers are with him,” Vassell said. “We just want him to be good.”
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 18: Freddy Fermin #54 of the San Diego Padres is congratulated in the dugout after scoring a run on a single by Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 18, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Diego Padres (15-7) at Colorado Rockies (9-14), April 21, 2026, 5:40 p.m. PST
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SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 09: Jimmy Herget #44 of the Colorado Rockies pitches against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Petco Park on April 09, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tonight, the Colorado Rockies (9-14) welcome the San Diego Padres (15-7) to Coors Field for the first of a three-game stand.
As a reminder, the Padres swept the Rockies in four games at Petco Park just over a week ago.
Starting for the Padres is Randy Vásquez. This will be his fourth start in 2025.
The righty has a 2.49 ERA in 21.0 IP. He’s struck out 25, walked eight, and given up one home run. Vásquez has a 1.29 WHIP.
Taking the mound for the Rockies will be RHP Jimmy Herget, who will open the game and turn it over to Chase Dollander. This will be his third stint as an opener in 2026.
Currently, Herget has an ERA of 1.64 in 11.0 IP. He’s struck out eight while giving up two walks and no home runs with a 0.91 WHIP.
As for Dollander, this will be his sixth appearance of 2026. In 19.0 IP, he’s earned an ERA of 3.32, including 23 strikeouts and six walks. In addition, Dollander has allowed three home runs.
Veteran Australian bowler Peter Siddle has reportedly been banned from playing in this season’s T20 Blast due to his participation in the World Legends Pro League earlier this year.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 19: Toumani Camara #33 and Jrue Holiday #5 of the Portland Trail Blazers box out Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs during the game during Round One Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 19, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
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The Spurs are now 15 wins away from their sixth championship, and the first order of business is taking care of home court in Game 2 against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Silver and Black won the first game by double digits, but the Blazers were competitive throughout—and with two road teams taking upset victories last night, a victory for the home team is not a foregone conclusion. The Nuggets are looking at a long series against the Timberwolves, and either team could be the Spurs second round opponent if the Spurs advance. It would be optimal for Alamo City hoopers to take care of business and make it to the second round with a rest advantage, and that would start with a victory tonight.
Deni Avdija was impressive for Rip City on Sunday night, as he used his strength to get to the hoop and scored 30 taking the ball right at Wembanyama and Spurs defenders. Toumani Camara did a good job defending against Spurs drives to the hoop, at least until halfway through the third quarter, when the Spurs fought off a Blazers surge to create a comfortable margin after the lead had been cut to a single point.
Both teams were a little tentative at the beginning of Game 1, but they quickly embraced playoff intensity as the game progressed and it was a fun game to watch. Victor Wemanyama had a historic playoff debut with 35 points, with a balanced effort from the rest of the cast, with Devin Vassell making key baskets, and Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox doing work. The bench was relatively quiet, except for Luke Kornet, who scored 10 and made key defensive plays. As good as the first game was for the Spurs, you get the feeling that they could play much better, and hopefully they will tonight.
I’m looking for a good game tonight from Keldon Johnson, in his second career playoff game. The Blazers could try to play a more physical game tonight than they did in Game 1, and if the game is called fairly, that should result in foul trouble for the visitors. The Spurs need to adjust to the intensity, weather the storm, and take care of business. If they do, it’ll be another fun night for the Frost Bank Center crowd as they cheer their team to a 2-0 series lead. GO SPURS GO!
Game Prediction:
The Trail Blazers have to wear the dirty uniforms from Game 1 as the Portland owner refuses to pay for laundry services.
San Antonio Spurs vs Portland Trail Blazers, First Round, Game 2 April 21, 2026 | 7:00 PM CT Streaming: Peacock TV: Peacock, NBC Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 4: Adley Rutschman #35 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring on an RBI single by Leody Taveras #30 (not pictured) in the fourth inning during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on April 4, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Adley Rutschman is back in the Orioles lineup. His stay on the IL was the minimum of 10 days, dating back to April 10, when he began dealing with left ankle inflammation. It sounds like his recovery was quite smooth, and he stayed in shape. So no rehab games were needed, and instead he is right back in the mix.
In order to make room for Rutschman on the big league roster, Sam Huff was designated for assignment. Huff had gone 2-for-9 at the plate, with a double, one RBI, zero walks, and five strikeouts during Rutschman’s absence. One would imagine that the O’s will hope to keep Huff in the organization since they clearly preferred him over Maverick Handley in the first place. We shall see. The Orioles 40-man roster is now at 39. Mike Elias is surely scouring the waiver wire today.
Shane Baz will be on the bump. His last time out was his longest as an Oriole. He lasted six innings and allowed four runs on six hits, three walks, and six strikeouts. To this point, the righty has been…fine. But the Orioles probably expect a bit more from him. Specifically, he needs to get more whiffs. Pair that with what has been a better walk rate for him so far and he will be cooking. This Royals team, which has scored the third-fewest runs in MLB to this point, is a good opportunity to show what he can do.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - APRIL 04: Kumar Rocker #80 of the Texas Rangers walks to the dugout at the end of the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Globe Life Field on April 04, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pitching Matchup: Carmen Mlodzinski (1-0, 1.77 ERA) vs. Kumar Rocker (0-1, 4.30 ERA)
The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the road today in the Lone Star State against the Texas Rangers looking to grab a win.
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KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - APRIL 10: Kris Bubic #50 of the Kansas City Royals pitches during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium on April 10, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Kansas City Royals loss last night to Baltimore Orioles was as insane and heart wrenching as we have witnessed in awhile. I chose to laugh instead of weep when Lane Thomas got thrown out at third base in the top of the tenth inning, and there was still more insanity to go after that. That game felt like it was the 2006 Royals, not the 2026 team that I had such high hopes for.
Still, there is a lot of baseball left this season and I want to believe that the team has another 16-2 run in them like they did last year after starting slowly. Kris Bubic, who takes the mound for the Royals today, did not have his best outing last time against the Detroit Tigers. He looked like an ace the start before against the Chicago White Sox, and hopefully has the ace’s mentality to end the losing streak. Of course, the Royals will need to score some run to end the losing streak as well.
I’m sure all the Royals officials and Missouri politicians who will be attending the stadium announcement tomorrow would really appreciate it if the Boys in Blue could find it within themselves to win the game tonight.
The Detroit Red Wings entered the 1999 Stanley Cup Playoffs as the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, and matched up against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for the second time in the last three seasons.
The Red Wings had suffered through inconsistency for much of the 1998-99 NHL campaign, but loaded up at the 1999 Trade Deadline thanks to the acquisitions of multiple high-profile veterans, including Chris Chelios, Bill Ranford, Wendel Clark, and Ulf Samuelsson.
After accumulating 93 points, the Red Wings earned the top spot in the Central Division and home ice advantage over the Ducks, whom they'd defeated two years prior in a four-game sweep.
Ultimately, the 1999 Western Conference Quarterfinal would prove no contest, as the Red Wings once again advanced with a four-game sweep of the Ducks.
On April 21, Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman registered the fourth playoff hat trick of his career as part of Detroit's 5-3 win at Joe Louis Arena.
Detroit followed that win with a 5-1 triumph in Game 2 thanks to a pair of goals from Brendan Shanahan.
As the series shifted to Southern California, the Red Wings maintained their dominance over the Ducks with 4-2 and 3-0 wins in Games 3 and 4, completing the sweep.
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There’s a difference between being snubbed…and inconvenience.
The fact that Lakers superstar Luka Doncic missed out on being named an NBA MVP finalist falls into that category. He was the inconvenience that voters didn’t quite know how to handle. Because his historic season doesn’t fit neatly into the box they’ve spent years building.
So instead, they chose to close the lid.
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers knocked down the game winning shot during the game against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets on March 14, 2026. (NBAE via Getty Images) NBAE via Getty Images
Was that the right decision? We can make the argument either way, but perhaps there’s a solution at the end of all this that can appease everyone.
Let’s start with the finalists: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, and Nikola Jokic.
All three are deserving. They all play on the No. 1, No, 2, and No. 3 seeds in the Western Conference. They are all the best players on their own team with elite level production on both ends of the floor. They check all the boxes.
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But MVP isn’t supposed to be an exercise performed with a Sharpie and a checklist. There’s more gravitas to it. There’s the eye test. There’s the feeling in your gut when you know you’re seeing one of the best players in the world do what they do best. There’s how opposing defenses throw the kitchen sink at one player just to try and slow him down only to discover they can’t.
And nobody made us feel that way this season quite like Doncic.
“I’m disappointed. I think he deserved to be there,” said Lakers’ head coach J.J. Redick. “All three guys that did end up being finalists all have a strong case. A lot of this is media momentum, unfortunately.”
Let’s start with the obvious.
He led the league in scoring at 33.5 points per game. More than 2.4 points more than SGA. Pair that with 8.3 assists, 7.7 rebounds and over 100 steals. Night after night, Doncic wasn’t just producing. He was dominating. No player in NBA history has ever averaged 30+ points, 7+ assists, and 7 + rebounds on a team that won 50 games or more and not won the MVP. Doncic will have now done it twice (2024).
And let’s not forget that he had to carry the Lakers on his back for most of the season.
The Lakers takeoff this season did not come with a clean runway. There was turbulence on the tarmac. An early sciatica injury to LeBron James saw him miss the first 14 games of the season. Doncic led them to a 10-4 record. Midway through the season their second leading scorer Austin Reaves went down with an injury. So did other role players. The Lakers roster felt like it was constantly being rearranged mid-flight. But through it all, Doncic was the pilot that guided them through the turbulence.
So when his teammates that were on this journey with him were asked their thoughts on Doncic not being an MVP finalist they didn’t hesitate with their answers.
“You can see he’s the MVP,” said Lakers’ forward Rui Hachimura. “I can see he’s the MVP of this league. What he does, what he brings to the game every game.”
That’s not analytics. That’s lived experience.
But unfortunately, analytics and advanced metrics is where the divide and the case against Doncic begins.
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 8, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images)
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The anti-Doncic crowd will point to his plus-4 net rating. They’ll stack that next to Jokic’s plus-10.4, SGA’s plus-14.8, and Wemby’s gaudy plus-17.3 and call it decisive. They’ll bring up the defensive metrics as well, where admittedly, Doncic lags behind. They’ll remind you, correctly, that the other finalists are all two-way players, including Wemby who at 22 years old just became the youngest and first ever unanimous player ever to win the Defensive Player of the Year award.
All fair points.
But when did the MVP award become less about overall value to a team and more about the completeness of an individual player?
Not since Russell Westbrook in the 2014-15 season has a player ever led the league in scoring and not finished as a top three MVP finalist.
Doncic’s MVP campaign is messy. He’s ball-dominant. He’s emotional and racks up technical fouls like dishes. He’s defensively inconsistent. He doesn’t check every box.
And yet, in the month of March, Doncic dominated the entire league. The Lakers went 16-2 over an 18-game stretch. Doncic was the undisputed Player of the Month, breaking Kobe Bryant’s franchise record, and finishing second only to Michael Jordan with 600 points. His MVP odds surged. He went from out of the race, to second behind SGA by March 31.
“If we continue to finish the season the way we’re playing right now, and he continues to play that way — to me, he is the MVP,” said Lakers’ head coach J.J. Redick at the time.
Even Doncic was asked about his MVP case.
“The better I play, the more I go down in ratings,” he said in Spanish, half-joking, fully aware of the dialogue going on in the sports talk world.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder dribbles the ball during the game against the Phoenix Suns during Round One Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 19, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) NBAE via Getty Images
Then came April.
In a head-to-head matchup against SGA and the Oklahoma City Thunder, Doncic had a golden opportunity to put a final exclamation point on his MVP campaign. Instead, he suffered a grade 2 hamstring strain and the Lakers lost to OKC by 43. The timing couldn’t have been worse. Doncic would miss the final five games of the season, just as voters were getting ready to make their final selections.
And there’s the rub. Sometimes MVP races aren’t just decided by numbers. They’re decided by moments. And in that moment in OKC, Doncic’s MVP slipped away.
Because the truth is, had he stayed healthy, had the Lakers lit up OKC in those two late-season matchups, had the Lakers surged to the three-seed, then we’re having a very different conversation right now. Not only would Doncic be the finalist, but maybe he’s the favorite.
So was he snubbed?
Not exactly.
But he was minimized.
Voters didn’t ignore him entirely, but they did find reasons to prioritize players who fit the evolving definition of MVP: efficient, elite on both ends of the floor, and attached to team success from start to finish.
Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets is guarded by Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs during the game on April 4, 2026 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) NBAE via Getty Images
Still, the omission exposes something bigger. And that’s that the league needs to make some changes.
Changes not just to the 65-minimum games played threshold, that’s obvious. But other changes as well.
How about an NBA Offensive Player of the Year award like the NFL has?
If that award existed, then there wouldn’t even be a debate. Doncic would be holding the trophy.
Apr 19, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Raisel Iglesias (26) reacts against the Philadelphia Phillies after the ninth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Braves got what is hopefully good news related to closer Raisel Iglesias as it was conveyed to reporters prior to tonight’s game that an MRI showed only inflammation with no structural damage to his shoulder.
Raisel Iglesias returned to Atlanta for a MRI that showed no structural damage. The Braves are hopeful his stay on the IL will be a short one. They debated about just resting him for 4-5 days, but didn’t want to go short in the bullpen
As MLB.com’s Mark Bowman relayed, the team hopes Iglesias will only stay on the IL for a limited amount of time. He last pitched on April 19 in Philadelphia. For the season, he’s pitched in eight games, tossing 8.2 shut-out innnings while striking out 11 batters and collecting five saves.
Free agent singee Robert Suarez, who led the National League in saves with the San Diego Padres last season, will likely serve as closer while Iglesias is out of action.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the clear frontrunner to repeat as MVP, and his case for that is intertwined with his play in the clutch this season. Oklahoma City won 64 games not just because SGA was the best player in the first 43 minutes of a game, but also because of how dominant he was in the last five.
Which is why Gilgeous-Alexander was voted NBA Clutch Player of the Year, garnering 96 of the 100 first-place votes (cast by a select group of media). Hall of Famer Reggie Miller made the announcement on Peacock.
Denver's Jamal Murray finished second in the voting, just one point ahead of the Timberwolves Anthony Edwards, who was third (the 65-game rule does not apply to this award). Murray had 33 second-place votes (worth three points each) and 18 third-place votes (worth one point), while Edwards had one fewer second-place vote with 32 and two more third-place votes (20).
Gilgeous-Alexander led the league in the clutch, averaging 6.5 points per clutch game, as well as with 175 total clutch points this season, leading the Thunder to a league-best +92 in clutch minutes and a 20-7 record. What's more, he had to do a lot of that on his own — Murray was second in total clutch points with 166 but he had a lot of help in the form of Nikola Jokic (155).
The other four first-place votes that didn't go to SGA went to players who did not finish in the top three. Cade Cunningham got one and finished fourth in the voting, Jalen Brunson (who won the award last year) had two first-place votes but finished fifth, and the Nuggets' Jokic got one first-place vote but finished sixth.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 18: Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets dribbles into Luke Kennard #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half of Game One of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on April 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers
Game 2 – April 21, 2026
Location: Crypto.com arena, Los Angeles, CA
TV: NBC/Peacock
Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790 / KLTN 102.9 (en español)
Lakers: Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart, Jake Laravia, Lebron James, Deandre Ayton
The playoffs continue tonight for the Rockets. The biggest question is the status of Forward Kevin Durant, as he is listed as a game time decision with his knee bruise. Honestly, even without Kevin Durant, this Houston team should win over a depleted Lakers team, but then again, Houston could put up another stinker offensively.
Hopefully Sengun, Jabari, and Amen Thompson all bounce back from their lackluster Game 1 performances. ( I am excluding Reed because to give him grace since it was his first real NBA playoff game). If not, the Rockets could be in trouble, and facing an 0-2 deficit before the series shifts to Houston this Friday.
