Category: Sports News

#1 – A great start

The first minutes of Game 2 looked a lot like Game 1, as the Celtics exposed the Sixers’ defense with smart ball movement and a fierce offense. As always, they targeted the weakest defender and used the strengths of the Jays to get to the rim and break the defensive shell.

Out of the 11 made field goals in the first quarter, 8 were assisted. As the Celtics kept looking for mismatches, the Sixers sent help, and Jayson Tatum exposed it with his court vision. Note also on this play the smart screen from Neemias Queta, which makes the closeout on Sam Hauser almost impossible.

What really stood out in the first quarter was the Celtics’ willingness to play fast and not give the Sixers time to set their defense. But that is way easier when the Sixers are missing a lot of their threes—which, as we’ll see, wasn’t the case for the rest of the game.

#2 – A late collapse

The difference compared to the start of the game was obvious, and the play-by-play showed it well. Boston weren’t able to force misses from the Sixers, and the rebounding wasn’t as elite as it was in the first minutes. Then, the offense slowed down, and the Sixers were able to take away the paint from Boston.

In the last quarter, the Celtics took only three shots in the paint. They made all of them, but the problem came from outside shooting. In the last 12 minutes, their jump-shot efficiency dropped, with only two makes on 19 attempts.

But the Celtics not only didn’t shoot in the paint, they also weren’t able to generate paint touches that could create good looks. On this miss from Derrick White, it is pretty clear that the Celtics are trying to create a mismatch, but PG understands that this is bait to give space to White, and he closes out pretty well.

The offense being static and slow in the last quarter is also due to the inability to make stops on defense. The Sixers went crazy from three and reminded us of previous Game 2s…

#3 – The Game 2 old demons

Back in 2024, the Celtics dominated the Heat in a five-game series. But, like last night, the first round was tied after two games, as the Miami shooters went crazy from deep while Boston struggled offensively against the zone.

The Sixers didn’t use the same zone defense approach as the Heat last night, but the shooting definitely helped them steal this game from the Celtics. Could this be a sign? If the Celtics end up beating the Sixers 4–1, this might resonate even louder, suggesting that this 2026 team could be following the path of the 2024 team.

#4 – Couldn’t capitalize on rebounding

Entering the series, the Celtics knew they could rely on offensive rebounding when shots weren’t falling. With awful scoring efficiency last night (below 40% FG), the Celtics were aggressive on the offensive boards and collected 18 offensive rebounds.

But they couldn’t make the most of it.

Per cleaningtheglass.com, the Celtics scored only 0.8 points per possession on putback situations, far below their season average (1.16). On 18 offensive rebounds, this gap creates a big difference. The Celtics scored around 14 points on putbacks when it should have been more than 20.

In close games like this, especially when shots don’t fall, you must be more efficient on second chances.

#5 – Sixers better hedge defense

So what changed between the two games? It was more about execution than tactical changes from the Sixers. They kept playing that hedge coverage on the pick-and-roll to apply pressure and force the ball out of the ball handler’s hands, but they were more disciplined.

The third defender was much more active in the passing lanes to disrupt actions, and there was more presence in the paint. Overall, the Celtics had more problems getting inside against this improved execution.

Nonetheless, this coverage also creates a lot of open shots that the Celtics weren’t able to convert last night. If the Sixers keep going with that defensive principle, the Celtics still have a good chance to take the next game just by making the shots they usually make.

#6 – Boston drop coverage

On the other end, the Sixers punished the Celtics’ drop coverage with smart empty pick-and-rolls to remove potential help and find good spots for their ball handlers. The quickness and touch of both Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe were hard to deal with.

Drop coverage is a great approach to take away the rim, but the Sixers’ pull-up ability might be too strong to rely on it repeatedly. On top of that, they did a good job placing shooters one pass away from the action to punish the Celtics’ stunts.

However, it is worth noting that the drop coverage was still very efficient at protecting the rim, with one of the lowest rim frequencies and efficiencies of the season for the Sixers. However, rim pressure wasn’t the biggest issue.

#7 – Couldn’t deal with Maxey pull-ups

The Celtics were able to cut it to a two-point game, but this is when Maxey really raised his level and put the game away for the Sixers. As we saw, the drop coverage gives him space for pull-ups.

The young guard is used to these situations, with more than five attempts per game at 34% efficiency—and it showed last night. Here, he tricked White into the screen, rejected it, and found space to pull up in rhythm.

Then, on the next play, Maxey uses his speed to get into the action quickly before the defense is set. Because of that, White is too far to contest the pull-up, and Maxey creates a pocket to shoot.

Then, Maxey showed his improvements as a playmaker. He tricked Derrick White and Nikola Vucevic into thinking he was going right for another pull-up. But this time, he rejected the screen again and drove into a completely open paint.

In the clutch, Maxey did what the Celtics couldn’t: get into the paint and make threes.

#8 – How to defend PG?

The Sixers also used PG as a creator, and this could be another problem for the Celtics to solve. To start the game, he got a couple of post-up opportunities to get going from mid-range.

Once Payton Pritchard entered the game, he became a clear target in the post, as the Celtics guard can’t hold his ground against such a big wing. This forces rotations and creates space for the Sixers.

It will be interesting to see how the defensive approach evolves and who gets more minutes over the next few games—especially Baylor Scheierman.

#9 – More Baylor?

It is quite surprising to see only 11 minutes for Scheierman, considering what he can bring. He struggled a bit against VJ Edgecombe navigating screens, but so did Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard. Unlike them, however, he is less likely to be targeted as a mismatch while still providing spacing and connectivity.

With the quick guards and big wings the Sixers have, I would like to see more of him on the floor, both for what he brings offensively and defensively.

#10 – Beat on the turnovers

We mentioned before the series that this Sixers team was one of the best in the league at limiting turnovers while also being among the elite in defensive playmaking. We saw it last night, as they forced four more turnovers, and these extra possessions helped extend the gap over the course of the game.

The Celtics will have to be more disciplined offensively so the Sixers cannot turn defense into offense and generate easy baskets.

In the playoffs, one play can chance the outlook of an entire series. For the San Antonio Spurs, that play was Victor Wembanyama smacking his face against the hardwood after tripping over Jrue Holiday. Wembanyama would play just 12 minutes in Game Two, and is now in concussion protocols, meaning he could miss more games.

The Spurs didn’t get blown away without Wembanyama. In fact, they built a 14-point fourth-quarter lead without him. However, a breakdown of late-game offense led to a 106-103 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 2. With the series tied at 1-1, the Spurs will head to Portland looking to reclaim home court advantage. The margins without Wembanyama are slim. FanDuel has the Spurs as a -120 favorite in Game Three. The Spurs will need the supporting cast to play even better in Portland if they don’t want to go down 2-1.

It was a mixed bag from San Antonio’s supporting cast on Tuesday. They’ll be the main focus for Game Two’s player grades. As a quick reminder, these grades are based on each player’s on-court performance, going beyond just the stat sheet. A “B” grade represents the average performance for an individual. If a player logs fewer than 5 minutes or plays only in garbage time, their grade will be incomplete.

Victor Wembanyama

12 minutes, 5 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 1-for-3 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, -7

Wembanyama has to be graded on his 12 minutes of play, and not the impact his injury had on the team. The Blazers were doing a lot to deny him from getting the ball in the first half. They sniffed out the Spurs usual flex screens and dribble handoffs to get him the ball. When Wembanyama is back, San Antonio needs to get creative with how they get him the ball. The Spurs desperately need him if they want to win this series.

Grade: B

De’Aaron Fox

34 minutes, 17 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 turnovers, 2 steals, 4 fouls, 6-for-16 shooting, 1-for-3 threes, -14

Fox looked good for the majority of the game. He disappeared late in the game when San Antonio needed him most. The Spurs insisted on spamming dribble handoffs at the top of the key with Fox and Vassell, which the Blazers obviously knew was coming. They jumped everything and blew up the action, causing the Spurs offense to completely break down. Part of the blame for the bad late-game offense is on the coaching staff for a lack of creative offensive sets, and the other part falls on the Spurs guards for failing to create separation like they had earlier in the game.

A large part of the offensive load now falls on Fox’s shoulders. He has proven in the past that he can rise to the occasion. Whether or not he can do it against Portland could decide the series.

Grade: B-

Stephon Castle

38 minutes, 18 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 turnovers, 2 steals, 1 block, 2 fouls, 7-for-20 shooting, 2-for-6 threes, –1

Castle missed some key shots late, including an air-balled mid-range jumper that would have tied the game. He still seems to be forcing it a bit offensively. Castle is at his best when he’s able to get downhill and either score with power around the rim or get fouled. He got to the free throw line five times in Game Two, but only converted two free throws. It’s become clear that Portland’s strategy for guarding him with a big is working, as it’s keeping him out of the paint fairly consistently. The Spurs have to find a counter.

He’s doing a lot of work defensively trying to stay in front of Deni Advija, and held him to just 14 points in Game Two. Without Wembanyama roaming the paint, his role on the defensive end becomes even more important.

Grade: B–

Julian Champagnie

27 minutes, 9 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 1 turnover, 5 fouls, 3-for-4 shooting, 2-for-3 threes, -14

Champagnie once again hit some big shots. He attacked the rim for a contested layup and hit some big threes. He was in foul trouble for most of the game, finishing with 5 fouls. Champagnie has bene playing decent defense, but the Blazers are definitely hunting him on that end. They brought him into the action late trying to attack him in the half court.

Grade: B

Devin Vassell

34 minutes, 16 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 6-for-16 shooting, 0-for-5 threes, -1

Vassell continues to be one of the Spurs’ best offensive players in the series. He maynnot have hit a three on Tuesday, but he is getting to his spots in the mid-range and hitting some tough shots. He was a major reason the team was able to build that big fourth-quarter lead. Vassell grabbed a ton of tough boards but missed the most important one, letting Jrue Holiday get around him for the go ahead put-back late in the game. Vassell was a few inches away from an A+ grade. His game-tying three-point attempt was oh-so-close to going down.

Grade: B

Dylan Harper

23 minutes, 10 points, 2 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers, 2 fouls, 4-for-7 shooting, +4

Harper looked much more confident in Game Two. He and Scoot Henderson were going at each other all game long, and talking smack while doing it. He showed great poise knocking down paint jumpers over the top of the Blazers’ bigs. He still is making a few too many rookie mistakes, including an odd double dribble while switching hands on a floater late in the game. He’s going to have the Scoot assignment when he is in the game, and the Spurs need to pick up his defensive effort to slow him down.

Grade: B

Luke Kornet

28 minutes, 10 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 4-for-5 shooting, +11

Kornet now becomes a key player in this series. Without Wembanyama, he’s the Spurs’ only playable big man. He did exactly what San Antonio needed him to do on Tuesday. There wasn’t a huge drop-off when Wembanyama went out. In fact, the Spurs played better with Kornet on the floor. He stood his ground around the rim and was active on the glass, grabbing 5 offensive boards.

Strategically, Kornet’s starting changes a lot for Portland. They can’t just put a big man on Castle and have him sag into the paint, because Kornet will hurt him inside and on the offensive glass. The real question becomes what the Spurs do to back him up.

Grade: A

Harrison Barnes

15 minutes, 4 points, 1 rebound, 1-for-3 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, +13

Barnes also exited the game with an injury late. It’s been reported that he will be back for Game 3. The Spurs will need all of the big bodies they can get without Wembanyama. San Antonio looked more under control with Barnes in the game. He made some smart decisions, including following his own shot and getting fouled after an offensive board. Now the Spurs just need him to hit some outside shots.

Grade:B

Keldon Johnson

18 minutes, 7 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 turnover, 3 fouls, 3-for-7 shooting, 1-for-3 threes, +7

Johnson hasn’t made the same impact he did in the regular season. Where is the paint scoring we’ve seen all year? He’s getting to the rim, just struggling to finish. There seems to be a tentativeness from Johnson on both ends that didn’t exist earlier in the year. The Spurs need more aggression from KJ, especially now that they could be without their best offensive player.

Grade: C

Carter Bryant

12 minutes, 7 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 fouls, 3-for-5 shooting, 1-for-2 threes, -13

Bryant played well in his 12 minutes. His role is now crucial to the Spurs’ chances in this series. He is San Antonio’s de facto backup big man, since Mason Plumlee and Bismack Biyombo have not proven to be able to provide much value off the bench. Bryant spaces the floor and provides excellent energy as a small-ball 5. The problem is… he’s not a center. Especially not on a playoff team. Portland is going to go right at Bryant in small-ball lineups. It’s a tough position for Bryant to be in, but so far, he has risen to the challenge.

Grade: B+

Inactives: Harrison Ingram, David Jones-Garcia, Emanuel Miller

The Detroit Pistons will try to even their first-round playoff series in Game 2 against the Orlando Magic. Paolo Banchero scored 23 points as Orlando took Game 1 in Detroit. The over/under for Game 2 is set at 218.5, with Detroit favored by 8.5 points on the spread.

How to watch Orlando Magic vs. Detroit Pistons

• Date: Wednesday, April 22

• Time: 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT

• Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan

• TV Channels: ESPN

• Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Odds

• Spread: Detroit Pistons -8.5

• Moneyline: Detroit Pistons -400 (76.6%) / Orlando Magic +310 (23.4%)

• Over/Under: 218.5

Series schedule

Game 1:Magic 112, Pistons 101
Game 2: Wed., April 22, at Detroit (7 p.m., ESPN)
Game 3: Sat., April 25, at Orlando (1 p.m., Peacock)
Game 4: Mon. April 27, at Orlando (time and network TBD)
*Game 5: Wed., April 29, at Detroit (time and network TBD)
*Game 6: Fri., May 1, at Orlando (time and network TBD)
*Game 7: Sun., May 3, at Detroit (time and network TBD)

*if necessary

A playoff series is never easy for the Knicks. The team hasn’t played in a series that went fewer than six games since the 2023 first round against the Cleveland Cavaliers. After blowing a 12-point fourth quarter lead in a 107-106 Game 2 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, that streak has a good chance of continuing. And the Knicks have a variety of issues to address.

With the series tied, 1-1, New York will be in Atlanta for Game 3 on Thursday night. 

Here are the keys to the game...

Stagger-less

Head coach Mike Brown’s decision to not stagger Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson has proven to be a fatal mistake through two games. Units with four bench players and starter OG Anunoby were passable during the first game, but Monday night’s loss was a different story.

In Game 2, lineups without Towns and Brunson played 11 minutes and 22 seconds together. That’s too long in a playoff game to not have an offensive initiator or a player capable of bending the defense. The Knicks have been outscored by 13.5 points per 100 possessions in 20 minutes with both of their All-Stars on the bench, according to PBP Stats.

Though it didn’t seem like Brown felt the decision to not stagger the minutes of his two stars greatly affected New York’s loss, continuing this strategy would be a critical mistake. The Knicks were already burned once with the decision. Trotting out lineups at this point without either Towns or Brunson would be borderline malpractice. 

Less involved 

In two years with the Knicks, the number one storyline for Towns has been the inability of the offense to function when the All-Star center is defended by a wing. Towns scored 18 points on just 12 shots in Game 2. He was limited to just two shot attempts in the fourth quarter.  

There were several times Towns wasn’t involved in the offense, as wings like Dyson Daniels and Jonathan Kuminga guarded him throughout the game. When Towns isn’t involved, New York’s offense bogs down and leans too much on Brunson. On nights when Brunson is flourishing, it can work, but the Knicks’ All-Star guard was 10-for-26 from the field on Monday night.

As mentioned before, this was supposed to be the series for Towns to thrive. The Hawks are extremely small, playing just one traditional center in Onyeka Okongwu. New York should allow Towns to initiate more of the offense at the top of the key, where he can excel as a passer in off-ball split cut actions.

Vintage performer

New York has largely done a good defensive job in the first two games on the Hawks. Atlanta’s top two regular season scorers -- Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker -- were held to a combined 26 points on 9-for-24 shooting.

But 13-year veteran CJ McCollum picked up the slack, torching the Knicks for 32 points in Game 2. 

The 34-year old guard has been defended by Brunson for much of the series. Even when the Knicks have moved Brunson to another player, Atlanta has worked to get the Knicks point guard switched on him over and over again. The Knicks waited too late to throw a trap McCollum’s way in Game 2, and by the middle of the second half, he caught fire.

McCollum also scored 26 points in Game 1. His tight handle and ability to pull up in the midrange makes him a tough player to defend.

How the Knicks guard McCollum the rest of the series will be interesting. Will they trap? Will they blitz? Can they avoid switching?

The offense is the bigger issue, but New York has to try to limit McCollum going forward.

Marcus Smart’s assignment in Game 2 of the Lakers’ first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets was as challenging as it gets. 

Guard Kevin Durant, the greatest scorer of all-time.

What was going through his mind?

“Oh s–t,” Smart told the California Post, chuckling. “Literally, oh s–t.”

Smart responded by transforming into a gnat that Durant couldn’t swat. He pestered him. He swarmed him. He made his life miserable. 

He held Durant to 23 points, including just three points on 1-for-5 shooting in the second half of the Lakers’ 101-94 win over the Rockets. Durant, who was returning from a right knee injury, committed nine turnovers. 

“Oh s–t worked out,” Smart told the California Post. “…He just makes me better as a defender. He tests me as a defender.”

Smart didn’t just get an “A” on that assignment. He was the best version of himself. He was a ball of energy. He was a sharpshooter. He was a paint attacker. He was a leader. 

He had the second-most points of anyone on the court behind LeBron James (28), finishing with 25 points on 8-for-13 shooting from the field, including going 5-for-7 from beyond the arc. He also had seven assists, five steals and one blocked shot. 

“Smart, he just had a killer game today,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.

Funny enough, when the Lakers’ season was swirling the drain after Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) suffered injuries that could sideline them 4-6 weeks, Redick turned to Smart. 

“We had a conversation in San Francisco,” Redick said. “I’m not going to share with you the details, but the biggest thing was just, because he has the voice he has, he can help create the belief and the confidence in our group.”

Redick tasked Smart with the impossible: Convince a disheartened team that they had a shot in the playoffs without their top two scorers. 

Smart took that responsibility seriously. 

Ever since the Lakers acquired him in July on a two-year, $11 million deal following a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards, he was hellbent on resuscitating his career. 

The former Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 had atrophied into irrelevance amid two injury-riddled seasons with the Grizzlies and Wizards.

This was his chance to turn things around. 

“Coming into this season, with all the doubts that everybody had about me, then our two best players go down and everyone’s looking around, like, ‘What are we going to do?” Smart told the California Post. “For JJ to say, ‘We have a guy over here that can make plays for us, that can take up some of that slack and we’re going to use him,’ that speaks volumes about the work that I’ve been putting in, the trust that they have in me and the trust that this team built.”

Smart convinced his teammates they could win. And on Tuesday, he demonstrated what unbridled effort looks like on both ends of the court. 

He boxed up Durant. And he unleashed himself.

Smart’s journey to this moment was winding. 

Back in January 2018, he nearly lost use of his right hand after punching a picture frame following missing a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the Celtics in a 108-107 loss to the Lakers. 

Then, after helping carry the Celtics to the playoffs in all nine of his seasons with the team, including the 2022 Finals, he was dealt to Memphis in 2023 as part of a three-team deal for Kristaps Porzingis. 

That sent his career into a tailspin alongside floundering franchises. 

When he was at his nadir, the Lakers came calling. Doncic wanted to team up with him. Redick was also intrigued by the 32-year-old after playing against him in the playoffs and then closely studying his impact during the 2022 Finals when the now-coach served as a television analyst.

“It’s easy to write somebody off as being older or not being as good,” Redick said. “But all of the analytics defensively, the analytics as a secondary playmaker, they were all really favorable. So, we felt really comfortable bringing him on board.”

It was a smart gamble.

He has thrived in Los Angeles. He’s the cornerstone of the team’s defense. He was a finalist for the Teammate of the Year Award. 

And with the Lakers’ backs seemingly against the wall in the first round of the playoffs, he has shined.

“I mean, he’s battle-tested,” James said. “The guy’s been to the Finals, been in multiple playoff games, big games in his career. So, obviously, he’s not afraid of the moment. He’s always been assigned some of the best players that ever played this game in his career. So, to have someone like that, you know, it just brings a lot [of] composure to our team as well.”

Things have turned around for Smart.

He’s showing what he can do. He’s reminding everyone he’s an elite defender. And he’s savoring every moment of it.

When asked what this opportunity means to him, he flashed a wide grin.

“Everything,” he told the California Post. “I thank God everyday for it. This is a dream. This is my dream. This is how I take care of my family. This is something that I love to do. It’s my safe space when things are going haywire for me in my regular life.

“And to be able to say, I have another chance to go out here and redeem myself is the best feeling you can have.”