“This is truly a sad day for me,” Smith posted on X on Tuesday morning after he was unable to make it to the show. “Bad enough I had to miss @FirstTake because of this damn dental procedure, but to miss the show when BOTH my boys — @KendrickPerkins AND @RealMikeWilbon — are IN-STUDIO…..on a day I was scheduled to be IN-STUDIO…..I almost cried! Love my boys. You, too, @shaepeppler. Damn this sucks. See y’all tomorrow! “
Stephen A. Smith wasn’t present for his usual spot on ESPN First Take. Getty Images
It seems that a toothache has become the latest source of pain for Smith, though the Knicks certainly contributed as well after leading by 12 points to start the fourth quarter before their offense went stale and they blew it at the Garden.
The loss evened the first-round series with the Hawks at 1-1, as blown leads have become the story for the team over the past two playoff runs despite changing coaches between seasons.
Smith, whenever he does return to the air, will surely be calling for head coach Mike Brown to figure out how to break the offense’s stagnation and knock down open looks.
He may also point out that Brown called a timeout with 2:43 left in the fourth quarter, which eventually left the team without a timeout on the game’s final possession.
Mike Brown and the Knicks collapsed on Monday night. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Knicks fired coach Tom Thibodeau last offseason, citing his inability to get this team over the hump to a title contender.
The Knicks and Hawks play next on Thursday in Atlanta, with Smith likely having figured out to key to victory well before tip-off.
The Houston Rockets will try to even their first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2. The Lakers won the opener 107-98 with LeBron James totaling 19 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds. Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves will again be sidelined for the Lakers while the Rockets’ Kevin Durant is questionable. Houston is favored by 5.5 points. The over/under for the matchup is set at 207.5.
How to watch Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Moneyline: Los Angeles Lakers +170 (35.3%) / Houston Rockets -210 (64.7%)
Over/Under: 207.5
Series schedule
Game 1:Lakers 107, Rockets 98 Game 2: Tue., April 21 at Los Angeles (10:30 p.m., NBC) Game 3: Fri., April 24 at Houston (8 p.m., Prime) Game 4: Sun., April 26 at Houston (9:30 p.m., NBC) Game 5: Wed., April 29 at Los Angeles (TBD) Game 6: Fri., May 1 at Houston (TBD) *Game 7: Sun., May 3 at Los Angeles (TBD)
Ephron Mason-Clark scored a brace as Coventry clinched the Championship title with a convincing 5-1 victory over Portsmouth.
Haji Wright opened the scoring before Mason-Clark pounced on an error from Nicolas Schmid just 90 seconds after the break, which was compounded by Regan Poole’s own goal three minutes later.
DENVER , CO - APRIL 20: Anthony Edwards (5) of the Minnesota Timberwolves reacts to being called for a traveling violation during the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Monday, April 20, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) | Denver Post via Getty Images
DENVER – On Monday night at Ball Arena, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets added another thrilling chapter to one of the best rivalries in the NBA.
Game 2 started incredibly rough for the Timberwolves. Their defense got picked apart from beyond the arc, including an incredible four and-1 fouls on 3-pointers in just the first quarter. The offense was equally lifeless, with little to no purpose to their actions on the court.
“We came into the game trying to shoot dumb shots,” Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch explained. “They were a step ahead of us in everything. We were a little slow defensively, and things settled down. We just chipped into the lead slowly. I was particularly pleased with the way that we kind of just didn’t try to get it all back in one or two possessions. Sometimes we have a habit of doing that, but guys did a really good job.”
The Timberwolves fell down by as many as 19 points early in the second quarter. The series and the Timberwolves season seemed to be teetering on the brink of collapse as the weight of a long NBA schedule and a recent stretch of injuries to Anthony Edwards and Naz Reid, among others, appeared to be dragging them down.
The Wolves had a choice in that moment. They could have let go of the rope, played out the string the rest of the series, booked their flights to Cancun, and let go of a season that has largely been a disappointment.
A lesser group would have made that choice. Instead, the Wolves fought back.
“Just coming together, staying poised within those moments,” Edwards said. “I think they was up like, what, 15, 16 [points], just trying to make runs, get defensive stops. We was on one cord, I feel like on the defensive end tonight, especially once they went on those runs.”
The run started in the second quarter when Edwards, pushing through his nagging knee injury, scored 13 points in the frame, including a pair of 3-pointers and multiple drives to the rim for layups and free throws.
It was the first time in the series that the real Anthony Edwards showed up. With his right knee still hampering him, Edwards pushed through and led the Wolves on a 39-12 run that completely changed the tone of the game.
“Definitely uplifts me,” Julius Randle said with Edwards sitting next to him at the podium. “I feel like I can’t let him down. If he’s out there battling, then there’s no excuse why I can’t get my best and make the extra effort plays and just go out there and compete at the highest level. So it definitely energizes me. It makes me want to be on my best game.”
Randle himself, after an especially poor Game 1, gave the Wolves exactly what they needed in Game 2, giving Minnesota the proper mix of playmaking bully-ball game in the paint. He finished the game with 24 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and only a single turnover.
It wasn’t just Minnesota’s offense that rose to the occasion after a horrendous first quarter; it was the defense, too. Rudy Gobert was forced to sit much of the second and third quarters with foul trouble, but when he returned to the court in the fourth quarter, he dominated.
In the fourth quarter, Gobert held Nikola Jokić to just one make on seven shot attempts. Gobert took the one-on-one defensive assignment and shut down a three-time MVP.
The praise for Gobert poured in after the game, “He was phenomenal,” Finch said. “Surviving the foul trouble, just playing his defense before the catch, after the catch. Challenging everything. It’s hard as heck to guard those guys.”
Randle also spoke about Gobert’s impact on Game 2.
Julius Rande on Rudy Gobert:
“I want to give a shoutout to Big Ru man. What he did tonight is not gonna show up in the boxscore but what he did in that fourth quarter, Ant challenged him. At the beginning of the fourth he said, ‘I need you to stop fouling.’ And he came in there,… pic.twitter.com/PsCDh1BoUe
Gobert this week was not selected as a top-three finalist for Defensive Player of the Year, finishing in fourth place for the award. Gobert, with a smirk, referenced his DPOY when answering a question about shutting down Jokić; “I was lucky. A top-three defender cannot do that. So I was lucky.”
The dagger for the Timberwolves came from Donte DiVincenzo. With the Wolves up by one with just over a minute left, the Nuggets double-teamed Edwards, who found DiVincenzo just one pass away for the 3-pointer to put Minnesota up by four.
“I love Dante,” Edwards remarked. “I told him after the game he got gorilla nuts. He’s willing to take any kind of shot at any moment of the game, no matter how far it is.” DiVincenzo finished with 16 points, including four 3-pointers, while sporting a team high +20.
Donte explained what allowed him to be successful in his Game 2 minutes: “Kinda just focusing on the little things. Loose balls. Getting my hands on stuff. Disrupting their rhythm of plays. That half a second where you’re disrupting the play, Jaden gets back in front, Rudy gets back in front. And then they make or miss.”
Following a Jokić dunk and a split pair of free throws from Christian Braun, Randle knocked down a two free throws to put Minnesota up by three with 18 seconds left. Jamal Murray subsequently took a head-scratching long two that rimmed out, which led to a leak out dunk by DiVicenzo to salt the game away.
Jaden McDaniels, like Gobert with Jokić, did a fantastic job guarding Murray down the stretch of the game. Murray went 1-5 from the field in the fourth quarter. Combined, the usually deadly combo of Jokić and Murray shot 2-12 in the final frame.
The comments from McDaniels after the game were not focused on the Denver offense, but their defense, or the lack thereof.
Jaden McDaniels, deadpan delivery, on what worked for the Timberwolves offensively.
Jaden: Go at Jokic, Jamal, all the bad defenders. Tim Hardaway, Cam Johnson, Aaron Gordon, their whole team.”
Most NBA players would never say publicly what McDaniels did. They would care too much about what other people thought and not have the confidence to back it up when the opponent inevitably responds.
Not Jaden. He so clearly does not care what other people think of him or his team. He is willing to say when he thinks a defender is trash because he, in fact, believes it.
McDaniels scored 14 points in Game 2, all of which came in or around the paint. McDaniels clearly feels he has an advantage offensively near the rim and attacked that Monday night.
Game 2 was a perfect encapsulation of this era of Timberwolves basketball. Just when it feels like they are teetering on the edge of disaster, they play their best basketball. There could not have been many people who believed they could pull that game out, and just minutes later, they had taken the lead.
The unfortunate aspect of the Wolves is that the opposite is just as often true. Just when it feels like they are ready to get on a roll, they let go of the rope and go into a slump. Trying to predict when these ebbs and flows will take place has been impossible during this up-and-down but ultimately disappointing 49-win regular season.
The Wolves saved their season Monday night in Denver. There’s no doubt they are capable of that type of performance again, but now, it’s up to them to repeat that level of play at least three more times and potentially beyond.
We’ll see if they can do it Thursday night at Target Center for Game 3, where the crowd is sure to be rocking.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 20: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks reacts after being knocked to the floor against the Atlanta Hawks during game two of the Eastern Conference first round NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 20, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jalen Brunson: C-
The 29 points and seven assists will be what people see, and the box score-watchers will say he had a solid game. But anybody watching the game can tell you that he did not. Not only did he shoot just 10-26 from the field and 5-7 from the free-throw line, he took his matchup against Dyson Daniels and the back-and-forth against CJ McCollum too personally and sabotaged the offense by trying to play hero ball. That led to most of his 26 shot attempts being contested and forced, which in turn took his teammates out of rhythm. And when he wasn’t overly focused on trying to get up another shot attempt, he also committed two live-ball turnovers down the stretch.
That alone might not have cost the game, but it came close. And he compounded those mistakes by getting absolutely torched by CJ McCollum on the other end. The veteran guard was very intentional in seeking Brunson out, and the Knicks captain put up little to no resistance. The game was still a team loss at the end of the day, but Brunson deserves the most individual blame for blowing what should’ve been a relatively easy win.
Josh Hart: B+
Josh Hart shot 1-5 from three, and that’s less than ideal. If he makes even one of those, the feelings around this series might be completely different. That being said, Hart was everywhere in that dominant first quarter. He continues to do a very commendable job defending a bigger and more athletic Jalen Johnson while also going right at him in transition. He also led the team in rebounds for the second straight game with 13. Hart could’ve played better, but as the team leader in plus-minus, he was far from the reason they lost.
Mikal Bridges: B-
Mikal Bridges came out of the gates aggressive, which is usually a very good sign for him and the Knicks. But the problem remains his ability, or lack thereof, to remain aggressive and engaged. Part of that is on the coaching staff and Brunson, but part of it also falls on him. Bridges faded into obscurity on the offensive end as the game went on and had a very tough stretch, going 0-3 in the final period. He missed two open threes that would’ve swung the momentum of the game and missed the game-winner.
The only thing saving Bridges from a lower grade is the defense he has played thus far. For the second straight game, Bridges has shut down Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who is now averaging just 13 PPG and shooting just 9-29 from the field.
OG Anunoby: B+
This was a difficult one to grade. OG Anunoby started out the game playing very well. He was aggressive going to the basket when he needed to be, made two out of the four threes he took, and was great on the boards once again, all while playing his usual standout defense. But it’s hard not to penalize Anunoby’s grade for the free throws he missed in crunch time and for going four for eight on the night.
Karl-Anthony Towns: B+
18 points and eight rebounds doesn’t sound like an amazing game. And one can argue that he could’ve been more aggressive in demanding the ball in the fourth quarter. But I, as have others, have loved the way Karl-Anthony Towns is playing right now. He’s looked incredibly confident and comfortable when featured in the offense, doing a great job of being both decisive and patient. The three turnovers aren’t ideal, but him taking 14 fewer shots than Brunson is much more on the point guard and Mike Brown than it is on him.
On top of that, the big man is also playing some of the best defense we’ve seen him play. He followed up his three-block, one-steal Game One performance with another two blocks.
Mitchell Robinson: A-
Is there anything more we can say about Mitchell Robinson at this point? His plus-minus looks at a team-worst -10, but that is partly a product of him playing with some very questionable lineups. For most of the 18 minutes he was on the court, he looked great, grabbing seven rebounds and scoring 13 points on 6-6 from the field while also making one of his two free-throw attempts.
Deuce McBride: F
Not all of McBride’s F grade is on him. He seems to still be partially bothered by his sports hernia injury, and Brown did him no favors by inserting him as the point guard and the lone ball-handler and creator in some of the 13 minutes he played. But boy, did Deuce McBride look bad last night. It was maybe the worst he has looked since being a rotation mainstay. His shot, when he can even find one, looked off, and he did not handle the perimeter ball pressure well whatsoever. Regardless of the reason, he simply needs to be better if the Knicks want to get to the Finals, let alone beat this Hawks team.
Jordan Clarkson: B+
Jordan Clarkson continues his career-reinvention tour with another good game. I can’t say I remember any other bench microwave scorer turning himself into a player whose game is centered around hustle, ball pressure, and offensive rebounding. It’s safe to say Clarkson has gained the trust of Brown (rightfully so) and has also bought his career more time as well. Good on Clarkson. If the Knicks want to win this series, they’ll likely need him to continue being who he has become.
Landry Shamet: F
Landry Shamet may still be dealing with knee soreness, and Brown misused Shamet, like he did with McBride. But that doesn’t excuse Shamet either. Through two games, the veteran guard has looked like a shell of his regular season self. Maybe the veteran’s regular season performance tempered the fanbase’s expectations, but they can’t keep playing him this much if he can’t make, let alone find, shots out there. It’s hard to confidently say he should be benched without seeing him play with Brunson and/or Towns more, but I also can’t say his leash should be very long. The Knicks need at least one of him or McBride to show up. On Monday night, neither did.
Jose Alvarado: B
Jose Alvarado didn’t play in Game One, and nobody was questioning the decision. Such is the case when you win. Had they lost, that might’ve been a different scenario. But after the bench unit struggled with ball handling in the second quarter, the New York native got his first playoff minutes, and he did not disappoint. While his stats leave a lot to be desired, he was tied for the second-highest plus-minus with a plus five in just nine minutes. He provided the Knicks with some much-needed playmaking and energy. I’m still not certain just how much playing time he should get, but with Shamet and McBride struggling the way they have, there’s a case for him to play a little more.
Mike Brown: F
If grades could go below Fs, I think Mike Brown would deserve it. Players have a larger impact on the game than coaches do, and if they had made more shots, turned the ball over less, and defended better, they would’ve won the game. But some of those things aren’t always controllable. Do you know what is, though? Coaching decisions. Despite the starters coming into the game with the lead, Brown’s decision to go without his two best players for such a long stint was inexplicable. One, he hasn’t even used those lineups much, and two, they haven’t statistically been great. To experiment in what is the most important game up to this point in the season just makes no sense.
Brunson’s lackluster play, the missed free throws, and CJ McCollum’s heroics played a part in the loss, but Brown shot himself and the team in the foot and arguably coached his worst game of the season in the process.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are not worried about this first-round series. Nor should they be.
Frankly, the Phoenix Suns might not be worried, either. They can see the writing on the wall.
My Suns vs. Thunder predictions and NBA picks expect at least one piece of Phoenix’s rotation to go down swinging, hopefully more figuratively than literally, in Game 2 on Wednesday, April 22.
Tip-off is set for 9:30 p.m. ET from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, with the game airing on ESPN.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
Suns vs Thunder prediction
Who will win Suns vs Thunder Game 2?
Thunder: Oklahoma City is poised to notch its third straight sweep in the first round of the playoffs.
This series may be only 1-0 right now, but anyone who watched Game 1 knows what more to expect: a one-sided rout that loses your attention at halftime if you're not sweating a player prop.
Suns vs Thunder best bet: Dillon Brooks Over 17.5 points (-110)
Losing Game 1 by 35 should make the Suns’ plight rather clear. A similar beatdown in Game 2 would create an absolutely deflated atmosphere in Phoenix for Game 3 on Saturday.
No one will embody that desperation more openly than Dillon Brooks. He has never been known for concealing his emotions.
Brooks already chucked plenty in Game 1, partly out of necessity. Phoenix knows it is out-gunned. It needs its backcourt of Brooks, Devin Booker, and Jalen Green to get hot and stay out, and even then, the Suns may not have enough.
Thus, Brooks went 6-for-22 from the field for 18 points. As inefficient as that may be, it is simply what Phoenix needs.
Counting Game 1, Brooks has cleared this modest prop in three of his last five games, averaging 18.2 points. Perhaps more pertinently, he has taken 14.8 shots per game. That latter number should stay elevated in this series, for better or for worse, thus elevating Brooks’s scoring output.
Suns vs Thunder same-game parlay
Oklahoma City knows the only way it loses this series is if Booker goes thermo-nuclear for four games. Getting the ball out of his hands should always be the Thunder’s priority, creating logic to back Brooks while fading Booker.
And if Oklahoma City can dictate those terms, it will stifle Phoenix’s offense to such an extent that this game cannot come near its total.
Suns vs Thunder SGP
Dillon Brooks Over 17.5 points
Devin Booker Under 23.5 points
Under 215
Our "from downtown" SGP: SGA's Easy Living
Why should Shai Gilgeous-Alexander play extended minutes when Oklahoma City is likely to be up by two dozen points early in the third quarter? The Thunder led by 21 at halftime in Game 1 and by 31 after the third quarter, part of why the presumptive MVP played only 29 minutes and scored only 25 points.
Sure, his postseason free-throw shooting could push his points tallies higher. Gilgeous-Alexander took 18 field goals in Game 1 and 17 free throws. Judge that as you should. But even with that foul-baiting, SGA still came more than a bucket short of this prop, simply because he did not need to pour it on.
Suns vs Thunder SGP
Thunder 1H -10
Thunder -17
Under 215
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Under 29.5 points
Suns vs Thunder odds for Game 2
Spread: Suns +17 (-110) | Thunder -17 (-110)
Moneyline: Suns +1100 | Thunder -2200
Over/Under: Over 215 (-110) | Under 215 (-110)
Suns vs Thunder betting trend to know
Oklahoma City has gone 4-1 against the spread at home in the first round across the last three postseasons. Find more NBA betting trends for Suns vs. Thunder.
How to watch Suns vs Thunder Game 2
Location
Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Date
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Tip-off
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Suns vs Thunder latest injuries
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In a lot of ways, the American Hockey League's Springfield Thunderbirds are a lot like their NHL big brother, the St. Louis Blues.
The only difference, at least this season, is that one was able to overcome a slow start and the other didn't.
When the Thunderbirds (32-32-6-2) open their first-round series in the Calder Cup Playoffs against the Charlotte Checkers on Wednesday in a best-of-3 series in Charlotte (6 p.m. CT), nobody would could have foreseen in October that the T-birds would be in this position.
Not after starting the season 2-10-4-2 and sinking to the bottom of the Atlantic Division at the time. But here they are, the Blues' AHL affiliate stocked with the team's prospects are in the tournament, and although they have to play all three games (if necessary) away from home, they're glad to be in the position that they're in all things considered.
"Things transitioned really quick for this group and I'm really proud of this group," said Springfield coach Steve Ott, who started this season as an associate coach to Jim Montgomery in St. Louis and brought up to Springfield to replace the fired Steve Konowalchuk on Jan. 19. "They believed from the get-go of the process of how we're going to play, and we kind of took it day by day. The practice habits and details continued to get better and you could see it transitioned into our game. We picked up a lot of valuable points along the way and kind of grew into a team to kind of get into this situation."
Springfield was starting to dig itself out of the doldrums of a really poor start and were 14-18-4-2 at the time of Ott's arrival and finished 18-14-2-0 under him. But the change seemed to reinvigorate what was starting out as a long season and finished off as an entrant into the tournament, which is where Springfield felt it belonged all along.
"It wasn't what I saw, it was more the things I believed in as a coach and used some past experience that I thought could really help this group out," Ott said. "Getting the buy-in from the leaders early, helping develop all our young guys, to see them play a pro game in which I really believe in I thought really helped them and instrumental into their own success, but it also led to team success, which was even better. You add all those elements together, I thought the guys were very hungry for information early. We pushed from practice and kind of started building it from there. Very excited to be in this opportunity for this group.
"I think we got great leadership down here with (captain) Chris Wagner, [Hugh] McGing, you've got Calle Rosen who we are obviously familiar with the Blues and Dillon Dube."
A number of Blues prospects have made major contributions, but perhaps none other than Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, a third-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft who ended the season with 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in 15 games.
Kaskimaki had a five-game stint with the Blues earlier in the season (zero points) and was basically told by Blues general manager Doug Armstrong to go back down and to find his scoring; he finished with 44 points (20 goals, 24 assists) in 64 games.
"Finding your scoring comes with different opportunity, I would say," Ott said. "Being set up for success to be put in that and using his God-given ability. He's been put on a top line with Dube and Wagner and they've had great chemistry. All three of them play the game the right way and they're getting rewarded offensively by not only being offensive but from checking, and when they're checking their offense back, 'Kasky's been able to use his skill level to really take the next step. Power play situations where you really start to learn that he's a real deceptive passer and he continues to put up numbers by going to the harder areas, driving the net off the rush where he got rewarded in the Lehigh (Valley) game (a 7-1 win last Wednesday that clinched a playoff berth).
"There's areas of his game that just continue to develop and for a young player to be put in those opportunities, he's been one of them to really grab it."
The uniqueness of the series is that all three games will be played in Charlotte, with Game 2 slated for Friday, and a Game 3 (if necessary) set for Saturday. All three game times are 6 p.m. (CT). The Thunderbirds lost six of the eight matchups against the Checkers, the affiliate of the Florida Panthers but the last two games (a 5-1 Springfield win on Feb. 28 and 3-2 overtime loss on Feb. 27) resemble more of what Springfield has been playing like.
"We're up against it. There's no other way of putting it in any other terms," Ott said. "... Coaching staff and I have been preparing our game plan. They have a more of a veteran-based team, a lot of high-end players that are kind of players in between NHL age and AHL. For us, we've been playing meaningful hockey and playoff-type hockey for weeks on end now, maybe even months to be in this situation. i really like where our game is at. I think we have a very competitive group and we want to make some noise. We're going to push as hard as we can here, continue to play the way that we've identified our team, our team identity, and we're going to see what we can match up against. ... We're hoping for a great matchup and hopefully bring some home games back to Springfield."
A Springfield series win would put it into the Atlantic Division semifinal series against top-seeded Providence. Springfield enters the postseason as the sixth seed, Charlotte as the third seed.
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The Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs meet in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series. The Spurs won the opener 111-98 thanks to 35 points from Victor Wembanyama. San Antonio enters as 11.5-point favorites in Game 2 with the total set at 220.5.
How to watch Portland Trail Blazers vs. San Antonio Spurs
Moneyline: San Antonio Spurs -650 (83.3%) / Portland Trail Blazers +475 (16.7%)
Over/Under: 220.5Series schedule
Game 1:Spurs 111, Trail Blazers 98 Game 2: Portland at San Antonio on Tuesday, April 21 (8 p.m., NBC) Game 3: San Antonio at Portland on Friday, April 24 (10:30 p.m., Prime Video) Game 4: San Antonio at Portland on Sunday, April 26 (3:30 p.m., ESPN) *Game 5: Portland at San Antonio on Tuesday, April 28 (time and network TBD) *Game 6: San Antonio at Portland on Thursday, April 30 (time and network TBD) *Game 7: Portland at San Antonio on Saturday, May 2 (time and network TBD)
The NBA defines clutch time as the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime in close games, with the award starting in 2022-23. The 27-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander led the NBA with 175 total clutch points and 6.5 points per game in that period this season.
He also made an NBA-leading 16 go-ahead field goals in clutch time.
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray and Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards were the other two finalists for the honor.
Ninety-six first-place votes went Gilgeous-Alexander’s way, good for 484 total points. Murray finished second in the running, one total point above Edwards. Neither received a first-place vote, though.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the fourth different Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year winner in the award’s four seasons.
A global media panel of 100 voters made the selection.
New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson, who won the award last season, received two first-place votes.
Gilgeous-Alexander was at the heart of Oklahoma City’s 64-18 regular-season record, which landed the team the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed as it seeks a repeat championship.
The Toronto, Canada native won league MVP, Finals MVP and the scoring champion award last season. He’s also a four-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA First Team recipient.
Gilgeous-Alexander is back in the mix for league MVP again this season, along with Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, who unanimously won Defensive Player of the Year on Monday.
The NBA defines clutch time as the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime in close games, with the award starting in 2022-23. The 27-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander led the NBA with 175 total clutch points and 6.5 points per game in that period this season.
He also made an NBA-leading 16 go-ahead field goals in clutch time.
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray and Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards were the other two finalists for the honor.
Ninety-six first-place votes went Gilgeous-Alexander’s way, good for 484 total points. Murray finished second in the running, one total point above Edwards. Neither received a first-place vote, though.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the fourth different Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year winner in the award’s four seasons.
A global media panel of 100 voters made the selection.
New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson, who won the award last season, received two first-place votes.
Gilgeous-Alexander was at the heart of Oklahoma City’s 64-18 regular-season record, which landed the team the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed as it seeks a repeat championship.
The Toronto, Canada native won league MVP, Finals MVP and the scoring champion award last season. He’s also a four-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA First Team recipient.
Gilgeous-Alexander is back in the mix for league MVP again this season, along with Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, who unanimously won Defensive Player of the Year on Monday.
CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 5: Head Coach Billy Donovan of the Chicago Bulls looks on during the game against the Phoenix Suns on April 5, 2026 at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On Tuesday, it was announced by Shams Charania of ESPN that Billy Donovan would be stepping down as head coach of the Chicago Bulls after six seasons. The decision was surprising, as Bulls management reportedly wanted Donovan to return.
Before his time in Chicago, Donovan became the head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder after spending 19 years leading the Florida Gators. In his final college season (2014–15), Florida went 16–17 before Donovan made the jump to the NBA.
Since 2024, Donovan has been mentioned as a candidate to return to the college ranks. After John Calipari left to become the head coach at Arkansas, there were rumors that Donovan could leave the Bulls to take over at Kentucky.
That did not happen, as Kentucky wasn’t willing to wait and hired Mark Pope instead.
More recently, after Hubert Davis was let go by North Carolina, the Tar Heels made a run at Donovan before settling on Mike Malone.
Now, after a disappointing season, Kentucky is entering a pivotal stretch under Pope. If things do not improve, the program could consider a change after his third season. Should Donovan remain available, he could once again emerge as a potential candidate to finally take over in Lexington after previous opportunities did not materialize.
Apr 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Porter Martone (94) celebrates win against the Montral Canadiens at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Eric Hartline/Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Porter Martone was playing college hockey last month. Now he’s making a difference in the NHL playoffs.
Youth is being served early in the first round, along with some relative newcomers contributing. Anaheim’s Troy Terry scored in his postseason debut nearly a decade into his professional career, Montreal’s Juraj Slafkovsky had a hat trick in just his sixth playoff game and Utah’s Logan Cooley will go down in history as the first Mammoth player with a playoff goal.
At the forefront of the success is Martone, who has two goals to put the Flyers up 2-0 in their first-round series against archrival Pittsburgh. Game 3 of the Battle of Pennsylvania is set for Philadelphia.
“He’s figuring it all out,” coach Rick Tocchet said on a video call with reporters. ”Where it might take a young guy a week or a bunch of games, it only took him a period and a half to figure out playoff hockey: where he’d have to be and what he had to do. A lot of maturity for a 19-year-old.”
Martone has 12 points in 11 games since leaving Michigan State to turn pro. He credited his teammates and said he “hopped on a moving train, and it’s been good since.”
“There’s not a lot of guys that can come in and make the impact that he has,” said Flyers forward Travis Konecny, who also has two goals. “Especially in the games leading up to the playoffs, how important those were, for him being able to jump in, I think it speaks not to his hockey ability but how he wants to learn.”
Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers
When/Where to Watch: Game 3, Wednesday, 7 p.m. EDT (TNT)
Series: Flyers lead 2-0.
The first chance for Flyers mascot Gritty to attend a home playoff game comes with the chance for his team to move to the verge of sweeping the Penguins. The last time they made it was the 2020 pandemic bubble, and the most recent game in Philly was in 2018, so the intensity in a sports-crazed city is expected to be through the roof.
“The fans, when they’re into it, this fanbase and this city embraces their team,” said Tocchet, who skated in 95 playoff games during two stints with the Flyers. “That’s what I felt as a player. It’s an extra boost when you walk around this city and have these people behind you.”
On the ice, it’s up to rookie Pittsburgh coach Dan Muse and his staff to figure out a way to crack the trap Tocchet has set for Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and the rest of the playoff-tested Penguins. No one has lit up the Flyers more than Crosby, who has 36 points in 25 playoff games against them and isn’t likely to be held off the scoresheet like he was the first two this year.
“It’s playoff hockey,” said Crosby, who also has 139 points in 93 regular-season games against Philadelphia. “It’s tight checking. We’ve got to find a way or produce, whatever you want to call it.”
Minnesota Wild at Dallas Stars
When/Where to Watch: Game 3, Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. EDT (TNT)
Series: Tied 1-1.
The back-and-forth, edge-of-your-seat action of Game 2 was much more what everyone expected from these Central Division rivals than the series opener, when the Wild rolled 6-1. Dallas evened things up with a better performance in net from Jake Oettinger and two goals from Wyatt Johnston.
Play now shifts to Minnesota, where the State of Hockey is hoping to will its team to its first postseason series victory since 2015. The winner faces Colorado or Los Angeles, but envisioning who that will be at this stage is anyone’s guess.
“It’s going to be a battle of a series, and we knew that coming in,” said Wild defenseman Brock Faber, who scored in Game 2. “I think we’re the tougher team. I think we have to be tougher mentally. And that’ll only be good for us.”
A parade to the penalty box on either side Monday night led to more than 15 of 60 minutes being played at something other than 5 on 5. Adjustments are coming as a result.
“That’s what usually happens and keep tweaking a little bit,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. “But at the end of the day, what’s going to happen is it’s going to become a players’ series. By the time you get to the end, they’re going to have to decide what it’s going to do. … That’s what makes these series great.”
Anaheim Ducks at Edmonton Oilers
When/Where to Watch: Game 2, Wednesday, 10 p.m. EDT (TBS)
Series: Oilers lead 1-0.
Edmonton lost all 14 regular-season games in which Connor McDavid did not register a point. The Oilers broke that streak by winning their playoff opener against Anaheim, blowing a lead and then rallying to beat the Ducks thanks to unlikely heroes Jason Dickinson and Kasperi Kapanen.
“The mood was calm — that’s one of the benefits of a veteran team that’s been through it,” said Dickinson, who was acquired at the trade deadline from Chicago. “Nobody is overreacting, nobody is getting frustrated. The message was simple: go out and attack. If it takes the entire period, then it takes the entire period, but we’re not going to let up.”
The Ducks are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2018, led by three-time Stanley Cup-winning coach Joel Quenneville and fueled by their young core. First-line center Leo Carlsson just is 21, and he and his teammates are not daunted by this deficit.
“We knew it was going to be a tight series,” Carlson said. “We knew it was going to be hard, but we’re a great team also.”
A fun exercise in the aftermath of a fantasy basketball season is to look back on the preseason rankings and figure out which players lived up to the expectations and which ones did not. While some of the "misses" may not affect how a player is viewed for the next season, that isn't the case across the board. Below are some of our misses based on the preseason Top-200 rankings that we released in October.
Even with Davis coming off a 2024-25 season in which he appeared in 51 games, the belief that he could flourish in Dallas led to him being placed within the top-10 of our preseason rankings. To say that things didn't go to plan would be a severe understatement. Injuries limited Davis to 20 games, all of which were played before the Mavericks traded him to the Wizards.
And it would not be until the final week of the regular season that Washington dropped the charade and announced that Davis would not play. Between the injury history and not knowing how he'll fit into a rotation that includes Trae Young, Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George, there's no way that Davis can be ranked this high in the 2026-27 preseason rankings.
F Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Preseason rank: 5
After appearing in 61 games or more in each of his first 12 seasons, Antetokounmpo played 36 for the Bucks this season. Thanks to two separate calf strains and a knee injury that was the source of much controversy late in the season, he was unable to make good on the first-round expectations. Also, when Giannis was on the floor, his production took a noticeable hit. While averages of 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.7 blocks certainly aren't bad, Antetokounmpo's numbers decreased in four of those categories compared to the 2024-25 season.
Also, the trade rumors never subsided, and that will be one of the NBA's major offseason storylines. He and the Bucks can't agree to an extension until October 1; does Milwaukee look to move Giannis before then? Or do they hold out hope that something can be done? How the front office approaches this situation will undoubtedly affect how Antetokounmpo is valued in fantasy basketball.
F/C Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers
Preseason rank: 23
With no Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles), we expected Siakam's usage to see a significant boost, leading to increased production. Siakam's scoring average did increase by nearly four points per game, but his other averages remained about the same compared to his 2024-25 production. And that was with a career-high usage percentage of 30.1. Add in Siakam being limited to 62 games, and the result was the veteran forward finishing outside of the top-100. However, this may set up Spicy P to be undervalued in drafts for the 2026-27 season, especially with Haliburton expected to be back in the fold.
F Cameron Johnson, Denver Nuggets
Preseason rank: 69
Even though his usage was expected to decrease with the move from Brooklyn to Denver, there was an expectation that Johnson's category league value would remain fine due to the opportunity to play alongside better talent. Unfortunately, he struggled with his shot early on and saw significant declines in points (12.2 ppg, down from 18.8 in 2024-25) and three-point attempts (4.7 per game, down from 7.2 in 2024-25).
Johnson missing over a month with a hyperextended right knee didn't help either, even though he had some productive nights in the final month of the regular season. While the per-game value wasn't terrible, Johnson's points league value took a significant hit with the move to Denver, even though he was able to join a championship contender.
G Cam Thomas, Free Agent
Preseason rank: 80
With Thomas heading into a contract year, the feeling was that he would be able to put up big numbers for the rebuilding Nets. That didn't happen. Another hamstring injury sidelined him for over six weeks, and the Nets managed his minutes closely upon the guard's return. The fit was poor, ultimately leading to Thomas being waived right after the trade deadline.
Milwaukee decided to kick the proverbial tires, and while there were a few positive performances early on, the Bucks would eventually waive Thomas in late March. By this point, many fantasy managers had already moved on, but the top-100 preseason ranking not materializing stung. And at this point, it's unknown what kind of deal or role Thomas will be able to find in free agency this summer.
G/F Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets
Preseason rank: 199
Regarding Knueppel's preseason ranking, we may have put too much in his Summer League performance. The rookie wing struggled some in Las Vegas, but had no such issues once the games truly counted. A finalist for Rookie of the Year, Knueppel averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.7 steals and 3.4 three-pointers per game, providing top-100 value in points and category leagues. Those who were able to wait until the later rounds to draft Knueppel wound up with an absolute steal, and he has the skill set to offer excellent fantasy value for years to come.
G Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta Hawks
Preseason rank: Not ranked
At the time of his signing with the Hawks, Alexander-Walker appeared poised to fill a bench role slightly bigger than the one he held in Minnesota. He would move into the starting lineup within the first week of the regular season, and Trae Young's knee injury before his move to Washington opened the door for Alexander-Walker to remain there. In 78 games, NAW averaged 20.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 3.2 three-pointers while shooting 45.9 percent from the field and 90.2 percent from the foul line. Not ranking Alexander-Walker may have been the biggest "miss," especially considering his production.
G Ryan Rollins, Milwaukee Bucks
Preseason rank: Not ranked
Rollins was another player who did not make the cut for the preseason top-200, even with the Bucks needing perimeter production in the aftermath of Damian Lillard's exit. Appearing in 74 games, he recorded career-high averages in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and three-pointers. Rollins made 67 starts and had the look of a player who can be valuable to fantasy managers in 2026-27, regardless of what happens with Antetokounmpo. He won't be unranked when the preseason rankings for next season drop, that's for sure.
Our NBA player prop projections are locked in for tonight’s Game 2 showdown between the Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs, with the model highlighting several high-value spots across the board.
By breaking down the data and comparing it to current market lines, we’ve pinpointed where the strongest edges appear.
If you’re building out your card, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Tuesday, April 21.
Trail Blazers vs Spurs computer picks for Game 2
Trail Blazers
Spurs
Avdija u23.5 points -105
Wembanyama u28.5 points -105
Holiday o5.5 assists -140
Wembanyama o11.5 rebounds -115
Henderson o1.5 3-pointers +115
Fox o5.5 assists -120
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Trail Blazers Game 2 computer picks
Deni Avdija Under 23.5 points (-105)
Projection: 22.4 points
The Portland Trail Blazers have struggled offensively on the road, ranking as the fourth-lowest scoring team in the league over their last 25 away games.
Over their last five road contests, opposing starting power forwards have managed just 13.0 points per game against the San Antonio Spurs—the fourth-lowest mark in the NBA. That sets up as a difficult spot for Deni Avdija to replicate the offensive output he delivered in Game 1.
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Jrue Holiday Over 5.5 assists (-140)
Projection: 6.4 assists
Jrue Holiday has cleared the 5.5 assist line in five of his last ten games, and the path to doing it again in Game 2 against the Spurs is firmly in place.
A key factor is lineup synergy. Playing alongside high-efficiency scorers and floor spacers means Holiday doesn’t need high volume to rack up assists, just clean looks created within the flow of the offense. If those shots are falling at a reasonable rate, 6+ assists becomes a very reachable threshold.
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Scoot Henderson Over 1.5 3-pointers (+115)
Projection: 1.64 3-pointers
This season, opposing starting point guards have knocked down 40.4% of their 3-point attempts against the Spurs, the fifth-highest mark allowed in the league, setting up a favorable matchup for Scoot Henderson, who has cashed the Over in seven of his last 10 games on a 1.5 made threes line.
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Spurs Game 2 computer picks
Victor Wembanyama Under 28.5 points (-120)
Projection: 28.4 points
The Spurs are likely to see fewer scoring opportunities tonight, as they match up with the Trail Blazers, who have played at the sixth-slowest pace in the league over their last five games. That slower tempo could make it tougher for Victor Wembanyama to clear his points prop in Game 2.
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Victor Wembanyama Over 11.5 rebounds (-115)
Projection: 12.01 rebounds
The Spurs have been one of the stronger offensive rebounding teams in the league, ranking sixth over their last 15 games, and Wemby has been a major contributor on the glass, clearing the Over in seven of his last 10 games on an 11.5 rebound line.
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De'Aaron Fox Over 5.5 assists (-120)
Projection: 6.4 assists
De'Aaron Fox has gone over the 5.5 assist mark in five of his last 10 games, and there’s a strong case for that trend continuing against the Trail Blazers.
Fox’s playmaking often scales with defensive attention, and Portland tends to collapse on dribble penetration, especially against high-speed guards. That’s where Fox thrives.
His ability to get downhill forces help defenders to rotate, creating clean passing lanes to shooters and bigs in favorable positions. Even if he’s aggressive as a scorer early, that pressure typically opens up assist opportunities as the game progresses.
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How to watch Trail Blazers vs Spurs Game 2
Location
Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
Date
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBC/Peacock
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 18: Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets chases a loose ball as Jarred Vanderbilt #2 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on 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
Following the first matchup of any playoff series, both teams, win or lose, return to the drawing board and strategize what they can take forward in future contests.
For the Lakers, missing their star shot creators in Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves means the offense will be a journey every night. The regular season numbers and what created success are completely thrown out the window in their absence.
What the team can lean on is its defense and it showed why its improvement in the second half of the season was no fluke in Game 1 against the Houston Rockets, even it came against a Rockets side missing a superstar of its own in Kevin Durant.
LA jumped from 23rd to 14th in defensive rating post All-Star break. They headed into the playoffs with real synergy and cohesion on that end while following specific game plans specifically tethered to different superstars.
The purple and gold held their opponent under 100 points for just the eighth time this season on Saturday. Without Durant, LA’s defensive focus shifted and keyed in on first-time All-Star Alperen Şengün.
As with other star bigs across the league, LA switched and fronted the post while maintaining a high level of physicality throughout the game.
It started early in the first quarter. Watch below as Deandre Ayton begins on Şengün. A screen comes from Amen Thompson with the Lakers switching the action. LeBron fronts the post while Marcus Smart gives textbook backside help.
The ball swings out to the perimeter while the Lakers close out and run them off the 3-point line. The play ends with a Houston turnover due to an offensive three-second violation.
As with most offensive bigs, the only player the Lakers allowed Şengün to get single coverage against was Ayton. Finishing with 19 points, 11 rebounds and one block does not do justice to the defensive night LA’s starting big man had, clearly winning his head-to-head matchup.
He collected the Şengün body bumps, moving his feet without going for fakes and contesting high, as shown in the clip below
Sengun missed eight straight shots at one point, finishing just 6-19 from the floor with three turnovers.
“We did a good job of contesting those six-to-eight-foot shots without fouling using our length,” head coach J.J. Redick said postgame. “I thought [Ayton], Jaxson, Bron, Rui, Vando, all those guys, Jake, just getting a contest is super important.”
The other player LA knew they needed to slow down was Thompson. A supreme athlete that can get to the paint at will, the First Team All-Defense guard shot up the scouting report without Durant.
LA made sure to create a wall anytime he drove, contesting his shots at the basket on his straight-line drives, picking him up early in transition and attempting to bait him into jump shots.
Watch below as Thompson runs a screen with Tari Eason, this time switching LeBron on to him. He drives to the basket and is met by 41-year-old LeBron recovering to pin it off the backboard with Hachimura right there to offer extra help at the rim.
Thompson missed all three of his shots outside the paint and finished just 3-8 in the restricted area over LA’s rim protection. LA ended up holding Houston to just 37.6% overall, 33% from the 3-point line and just 43% in the restricted area, per NBA stats.
“I felt like the second efforts on the defensive end, it really got us moving a little bit,” Ayton said. “We are taking pride with this new team having our superstars out creating on the defensive end to start our offense and get us moving and just get us an offensive rhythm and get the crowd in it a little bit.”
While everything hinges on Durant’s availability on Tuesday, the Rockets and head coach Ime Udoka will make adjustments to what the Lakers offered on defense. They will look to continue on their massive offensive rebound advantage and leverage Sengun as more of a ball handler in different spots on the floor.
Game 1’s are feel-outs, but Game 2 is where the tension of a series begins. The Lakers look to take a commanding 2-0 series lead and will have to do so by leading the way with their defense.
Raphielle Johnson
Trail Blazers
Spurs
