TORONTO — Scottie Barnes hit the go-ahead free throws in the final minute and scored 23 points, Brandon Ingram also added 23 points and the Toronto Raptors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 93-89 on Sunday, tying the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series at two games apiece.
The best-of-seven series shifts to Cleveland for Game 5 on Wednesday.
RJ Barrett scored 18 points and Collin Murray-Boyles had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors, who won despite shooting 4 for 30 from 3-point range.
Barnes added nine rebounds and six assists.
Donovan Mitchell scored 12 of his 20 in the fourth quarter and James Harden added 19, but the Cavaliers couldn’t overcome an 18-turnover performance.
Mitchell missed two shots in the final 25 seconds, including a 3-pointer that would have tied the game. He finished 6 for 24 overall and made 4 of 12 shots from long range.
Sam Merrill scored 14 points and Jarrett Allen had 15 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who were outscored 10-2 in the final 1:54 of the fourth.
After Barrett’s driving shot cut the deficit to 87-86 with 49 seconds left in the fourth, Mitchell couldn’t get the ball across half court in time, giving possession to Toronto.
Barnes was fouled as he drove to the basket and made both, giving the Raptors an 88-87 lead with 34 seconds left.
With NBA commissioner Adam Silver in attendance, both teams struggled from 3-point range. Cleveland finished 10 for 40 from distance, including 5 of 10 in the fourth.
The Raptors missed 14 consecutive 3-point attempts to open the game before Barrett connected with 8:31 left in the first half.
Ingram missed nine of his first 10 attempts, but finished the half by making three straight, including a buzzer-beating 3 that gave Toronto a narrow 38-36 lead at the intermission.
Harden had more turnovers (six) than made baskets (four) in the opening half, while Mitchell shot 3 for 15 through three quarters.
Andrew Friedman became the latest member of the Dodgers organization to defend an MLB rule that allows Shohei Ohtani to effectively be an extra pitcher on the team’s roster.
In an interview with AM 570 that aired Sunday morning, the club’s president of baseball operations acknowledged that Ohtani’s two-way status –– which prevents him from being counted as one of the 13 pitchers the Dodgers are allowed to carry on their roster –– is “certainly an advantage” for the team.
“But it should be an advantage,” Friedman argued. “What Shohei does and what he is capable of is so unique, it should be rewarded. It should be celebrated.”
Andrew Friedman: “It felt very random and strange he felt the need to bring it up.” @THEREAL_DV talks with Andrew Friedman about the Ohtani rule and Craig Counsell’s comments. pic.twitter.com/q9LS7W5tix
Friedman’s comments came in the wake of recent discourse around the baseball industry over MLB’s 13-pitcher-maximum rule and how Ohtani’s two-way status effectively allows the Dodgers to carry an extra arm.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell has been the most vocal critic. Last week, he called Ohtani’s exception to the rule “bizarre.” On Friday, ahead of the opening game of this weekend’s Dodgers-Cubs series at Dodger Stadium, he doubled down by saying “it is a bad rule.”
“Look, this is not a Dodger thing, it’s not an Ohtani thing,” Counsell said. Yet, he later added, “There’s not another player like that, but one team gets different rules for that player.”
Friedman pushed back on that narrative in his radio interview, noting how “it felt very random and strange to me [that Counsell] felt the need to bring it up.”
When MLB instituted its rule that limits teams to having only 13 pitchers on their 26-man active rosters in 2022, Ohtani was still a member of the Angels. At that time, Friedman said, MLB officials surveyed executives from other clubs –– the Dodgers included –– to solicit feedback on the way Ohtani would factor into that roster restriction as a two-way player.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman defended an MLB rule that allows Shohei Ohtani Getty Images
“I said, ‘Look, from a competitive standpoint, as the Dodgers, I don’t love it,’” Friedman recounted. “But wearing my industry hat, what’s best for Major League Baseball? It is to do everything we can for Shohei Ohtani to be in, and stay in, games. And obviously with the 13-pitcher rule, that’s a part of him being able to stay in the game when he pitches.”
Now, of course, the Dodgers are beneficiaries of the Ohtani carve-out, having signed the four-time MVP to a 10-year, $700 million free agent contract before the 2024 campaign.
This year, they are the only team in MLB capable of using a six-man starting rotation (including Ohtani) without having to sacrifice a full complement of eight relievers in the bullpen.
“Everyone knew the Shohei rules and had an equal opportunity to sign him two years ago,” Friedman said. “So not sure where the Cubs were in that process, or what Counsell’s thoughts were on it then. But that seemed like more of the relevant time to voice it than now.”
The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani is a unique two-way MLB player, and some teams think LA is getting special treatment. Getty Images
Granted, part of the reason for the renewed conversation about the rule is because Ohtani is back to being a full-time two-way player again this year.
He missed all of 2024 as a pitcher while recovering from a second career Tommy John surgery and was limited on the mound last year while completing his recovery process. But this season, he has made normal turns through the Dodgers’ rotation as a fully built-up starter, allowing the team’s other starters to get an extra day of rest between outings.
If Ohtani counted against the club’s 13-pitcher maximum, it could complicate the team’s ability to maximize his two-way talents.
“I was able to look at what is best for the industry, and Shohei playing, and playing more often, and staying in games is what is best for the fans and everything else,” Friedman said. “We don’t have nine relievers. We have eight relievers, just like everyone else. We have five starters, just like everyone else. It’s just when Shohei is able, and the rest makes sense, Shohei pitches also. It is not that we are carrying an extra reliever relative to others.”
While Ohtani has gotten off to a slow start at the plate this season, he has reemerged as one of the best pitchers in the game, posting a 0.38 ERA through his first four pitching starts with 25 strikeouts in 24 innings.
He will next take the mound on Tuesday against the Marlins.
Don’t expect consternation over his special rules to die down before then.
Facing a must-win Game 4 at home, down 0-3 in the series to the Lakers, the Rockets will be without Kevin Durant once again due to a bone bruise in his left ankle, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
Officially, Durant is still questionable for Game 4 and the Rockets have made no official announcement. However, according to Charania, Durant went through rehab this morning and was with the team for its film session, but said that the "bone bruise has created swelling, stiffness and lack of mobility in the ankle, sources said."
Durant has played in just one game in this series, scoring 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting with six rebounds in Game 2, but the Lakers won that game on their home court. The 16-time All-Star raised eyebrows in Game 3 when he was not on the bench (in street clothes) with his teammates, adding to the questions about the lack of cohesion in the Rockets' locker room. Coach Ime Udoka said after the game that Durant was getting treatment in the locker room during the game.
That lack of cohesion has shown on the court, where the Rockets have struggled to score consistently against the Lakers' pressure defense in this series. Houston has a 105.6 offensive rating in this series, 13 points below their season average (which was top-10 in the league). The Rockets also have struggled defensively to slow down LeBron James and the Lakers' attack, despite Los Angeles being without Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves.
The Rockets will need to find that cohesion on Sunday night, and do it without Durant, the team's leading scorer during the regular season at 26 points per game. If they don't, their season ends much earlier than expected, leading to a lot of offseason questions.
Apr 26, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (19) reaches to block a shot from Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been consistently criticized for being soft and unable to rise to the pressure of a playoff environment. They’ve publicly pushed back against that notion, but actions speak louder than words.
The Cavs played scared offensively. Their highest-paid players didn’t just have a bad shooting performance — that could be explained. No, they shied away from the moment entirely. This allowed a Toronto Raptors team that would’ve struggled to hit water from a boat in the middle of Lake Erie to come away with a 93-89 victory to tie the series at 2-2.
To say it wasn’t pretty was an understatement. Neither team was able to generate any kind of offense through the first three quarters.
The Raptors took a narrow 60-58 lead into the fourth quarter despite shooting 26.7% from the field (26.7%) and 3-27 (11.1%) from three. Cleveland was slightly better in both categories, but their 16 turnovers and allowing 16 offensive rebounds allowed Toronto to close that gap.
The Cavs’ backcourt wasn’t able to generate anything through the first 36 minutes. Donovan Mitchell had just eight points on 3-15 shooting, with only two of those attempts coming in the restricted area and no free-throw attempts. James Harden wasn’t doing much to bail his backcourt mate out. He had 16 points on 5-10 shooting, but his six turnovers were a big reason why Cleveland’s offense was stuck in a rut.
Momentarily, it seemed like that was all going to change.
Mitchell briefly broke out of the funk he was in for the previous seven quarters in the fourth. He kick-started Cleveland’s offense with a driving layup to trim the lead to three. The Cavs then scored on their ensuing six possessions, which was highlighted by a step-back three from Mitchell.
The Cavs had an eight-point advantage before the Raptors responded.
A flagrant foul by Sam Merrill helped Toronto to regain momentum. A 6-0 run made it a two-point game, punctuated by a rare Brandon Ingram three to make it a two-point margin.
Merrill countered with a triple on the following possession to make it a five-point advantage with 2:30 left in the fourth. Things fell apart from there.
Ingram registered two points at the free-throw line, then RJ Barrett made a layup after a Raptors offensive rebound to make it a one-point game with 48 seconds remaining.
In a play that is emblematic of this era of Cavs basketball, they committed an eight-second violation to give the Raptors the ball back. This wasn’t because of anything Toronto did. Mitchell was just lazy in walking the ball up the court. Toronto applied pressure at the midcourt line, and because of the lack of urgency, it resulted in a turnover.
The Raptors iced the game away at the line.
Scottie Barnes was fouled on a drive to the basket. He made both free throws to give the Raptors a one-point lead.
Mitchell missed a layup on the other end. Barnes made two free throws after the Cavs were forced to foul. Mitchell then missed what would’ve been a game-tying three, ending any chance Cleveland had to realistically get back into this game.
Scottie Barnes was once again Toronto’s best player. He was active defensively with three blocks and a steal while contributing 23 points, nine rebounds, and six assists on 6-15 shooting.
The Raptors have continually made an effort to get Brandon Ingram involved offensively. That continued again in Game 4, but once again led to middling results. He had 23 points, but it took him 23 shots to get there.
Mitchell led the Cavs with 20 points on 6-24 shooting with four fouls.
Harden had 19 points on 6-14 shooting with eight assists and seven turnovers.
The Cavs have been criticized for being soft and not responding to adversity well. They once again showed why.
This group spent the lead up of this game talking about needing to be the aggressors, and they flat-out weren’t. The guards didn’t make the effort to get downhill, and they weren’t able to get the bigs involved.
Mitchell and Harden were both rattled by Toronto’s physicality. They had no answers, committed careless turnovers, and couldn’t close out a game they had firmly in hand.
Meanwhile, Cleveland’s oversized front court couldn’t physically match a smaller Toronto front line. Jarrett Allen was a non-factor offensively. He had just three points on 1-5 shooting. Evan Mobley wasn’t much better, supplying eight points on just 4-11 shooting.
Additionally, the Cavs as a whole were bullied on the glass. They surrendered 21 offensive rebounds, which led to 19 second-chance points. The Raptors were able to retrieve 40% of their missed shots (92nd percentile) to keep their abysmal offense alive.
This all led to yet another loss to a team that is considerably less talented in a playoff setting.
No matter how many iterations of this group we’ve seen, they still bump up against the same problems.
The Cavs had a chance to take a decisive 3-1 lead and make this a short series. They blew two golden opportunities on the road to do that. Now, they’re in for a dogfight to save their season.
The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers meet in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series. The Celtics took a 2-1 lead in the series after winning Game 3 108-100. Boston is 7.5-point favorites for Game 4. The over/under for the matchup is set at 213.5.
How to watch Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Date: Sunday, April 26
Time: 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Moneyline: Philadelphia 76ers +240 (28.2%) / Boston Celtics -300 (71.8%)
Over/Under: 213.5
Series schedule
Game 1:Celtics 123, 76ers 91 Game 2:76ers 111, Celtics 97 Game 3:Celtics 108, 76ers 100 Game 4: Sun., April 26 at Philadelphia (7 p.m., NBC) Game 5: Tue., April 28 at Boston (TBD) *Game 6: Thu., April 30 at Philadelphia (TBD) *Game 7: Sat., May 2 at Boston (TBD)if necessary
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 24: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics controls the ball against Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers in the first quarter during game three of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 24, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Boston Celtics (2-1) at Philadelphia 76ers (1-2) Sunday, April 26, 2026 7:00 PM ET Round 1 Game #4 Road Game #2 TV: Peacock/NBC Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub, 97.5 The Fanatic, Sirius XM Xfinity Mobile Arena Officials: Josh Tiven, Ed Malloy, Mark Lindsay
After splitting the games in Boston, the Celtics wrestled back home court advantage by winning Game 3 108-100 in Philadelphia.. The Celtics dominated Game 1 with a 123-91 win over the 76ers. The 76ers topped the Celtics 111-97 in Game 2 to tie the game at 1 game each. The Celtics have a 68-51 record against the 76ers overall in the playoffs. In the regular season, the Celtics are 272-199 overall, all time against the 76ers. They are 93-129 all time in Philly.
The 76ers had the #1 clutch defense in the NBA in the regular season They had a 98.6 defensive rating during the last 5 minutes of games that were within 5 points. They were 23-18 in games that included clutch minutes. The Celtics were 16-17 in games that included clutch minutes and that includes going 1-2 against Philadelphia this season. With 5 minutes left in Game 3, the Celtics led 92-88. With 2 minutes left, the Celtics led 97-96. The Celtics out-scored the 76ers 11-4 the rest of the way to get the win with Pritchard, Tatum, White and Scheierman all coming up big for the Celtics over the final 2 minutes.
Teams that win Game 3 of a series that is tied 1-1 goes on to win the series 74% of the time. When a series is tied 2-2, the team with the higher seed, and thus home court advantage, will win the series 73.1% of the time, which is a good percentage. However, if a team wins Game 4 to go up 3 games to 1, the odds of them winning the series jumps to 95.4%. The Celtics can’t become complacent because they got home court back with their Game 3 win.
One of the advantages that the Celtics have is their depth. In Game 1, the Celtics got 37 points from their bench while the 76ers got 27 points from theirs. Of course, there were about 6 minutes of garbage time in that game. In Game 2, the 76ers got 21 points from their bench while the Celtics got 20 from theirs. In Game 3, the Celtics’ bench put up 35 points while the 76ers got just 14 points from theirs. It would seem that as the reserves go, so goes the game.
If the Celtics had one flaw this season, it was becoming complacent and allowing lesser teams to play harder than them. They can’t afford to do that in the playoffs. They got a very dominant win in Game 1 but they slacked off and allowed the 76ers to play harder in Game 2 and they lost. The Celtics have to play even harder in this game and they will need to be ready for the 76ers’ adjustments. They can’t get complacent and have to come out and fight even harder in this game than they have so far in the series.
The Celtics come into this game with a clean injury report. once again. Derrick White injured his neck in the opening minutes of Game 3 but stayed in the game and played almost 34 minutes. He is not listed on the injury report so should be good to go for Game 4. Jaylen Brown turned his ankle in the fourth quarter of Game 3 but, like White, stayed in the game and is not on the injury report for Game 4.
For the 76ers, Joel Embiid is once on their injury report. Embiid underwent an appendectomy on April 9. Recovery for an appendectomy is anywhere from 20 days to 5 weeks. After missing the first 3 games, he remains listed as doubtful for this game. Kelly Oubre joins Embiid on the injury report as questionable due to right adductor soreness. I’m guessing that Adem Bona will once again start for Embiid and if Oubre is out, Dominick Barlow may get the start in his place.
Probable Starting Matchups PG: Derrick White vs Tyrese Maxey
Derrick White | Getty ImagesTyrese Maxey | NBAE via Getty Images
SG: Jaylen Brown vs VJ Edgecombe
Jaylen Brown | NBAE via Getty ImagesVJ Edgecombe | Getty Images
SF: Sam Hauser vs Kelly Oubre, Jr
Sam Hauser | Boston Globe via Getty ImagesKelly Oubre, Jr | NBAE via Getty Images
PF: Jayson Tatum vs Paul George
Jayson Tatum | NBAE via Getty ImagesPaul George | NBAE via Getty Images
C: Neemias Queta vs Adem Bona
Neemias Queta | Boston Globe via Getty ImagesAdem Bona | Getty Images
Celtics Reserves Payton Pritchard Hugo Gonzalez Luka Garza Amare Williams Baylor Scheierman Max Shulga Nikola Vucevic Ron Harper, Jr Jordan Walsh Delano Banton John Tonje
2-Way Players None Injuries/Out None
Head Coach Joe Mazzulla
76ers Reserves Andre Drummond Quentin Grimes Kyle Lowry Justin Edwards Trendon Watford Dalen Terry Dominick Barlow Jabari Walker
2-Way Players MarJon Beauchamp Tyrese Martin Injuries/Out Joel Embiid (Appendix) doubtful Kelly Oubre (groin) questionable
Head Coach Nick Nurse
Key Matchups Derrick White vs Tyrese Maxey In Game1, the Celtics were able to hold him to 21 points on 20 shots along with 1 rebound and 8 assists while shooting 40% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc. He pretty much had his way in Game 2 with 29 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 steals while shooting 39.3% from the field and 41.7% from beyond the arc. In Game 3, he scored 31 points but took 31 shots to get them. He finished with 31 points, 6 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks while shooting 38.7% from the field and 38.5% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to defend him well and not allow him to have an efficient game
Jaylen Brown vs VJ Edgecombe In Game 1, he finished with 13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals while shooting 37.5% from the field and going 0-5 from beyond the arc. In Game 2, he finished with 30 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals while shooting 60% from the field and 60% from beyond the arc. The Celtics defended him better in Game 3 where he finished with 10 points, l0 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block and 1 steal while shooting 24.9% from the field and shooting 0-7 from three. The Celtics need keep him from having a big game in this one as well. Honorable Mention Jayson Tatum vs Paul George Neither of these players were able to play in any of the 4 games between Boston and Philly this season. In Game 1, George finished with 17 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist while shooting 50% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc, but he only took 8 shots. In game 2, he finished with 19 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block while shooting 53.8% from the field and 40.3% from beyond the arc. In Game 3, he finished with 18 points, no rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals while shooting 50% from the field and 57.1% from beyond the arc. T
Keys to the Game Defense – As always, defense is absolutely the key to winning this, and every, game. Defense becomes even more important in the playoffs. It is very true that defense wins championships. In Game 1, the Celtics held the 76ers to 38.9% from the field and 17.4% from beyond the arc. In game 2, the Celtics defense faltered as the 76ers shot 47.8% from the field and 48.7% from beyond the arc. In Game 3, the 76ers shot 43.7% from the field and 34.3% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to make defense their priority and they need to play physical, lock down defense from the opening tip until the final buzzer.
Rebound – Rebounding is also one of the biggest keys to winning every game. As Pat Riley once said, “No rebounds, no rings. In the regular season, the Celtics were 43-12 in games that they tied or out-rebounded opponents and just 11-13 in games in which they were out-rebounded. In Game 1, the Celtics out-rebounded the 76ers 43-40. In Game 2, they out-rebounded the 76ers 50-42, but they were unable to capitalize on them since they shot so poorly. In Game 3, the Celtics once again out-rebounded the 76ers 45-37. They have to continue to fight harder to grab rebounds than the 76ers if they want to win this game. Every Celtic has got to crash the boards and fight for every rebound.
Move the Ball – The Celtics need to move the ball and trust their teammates. They are at their best when they keep the ball moving and find the open man. When they lapse into hero ball and dribble too much, they tend to struggle, as they did in Game 2. They are 37-2 when they have 25 or more assists and 20-0 when they have 29 or more assists. In Game 1, the Celtics kept the ball moving and they had 31 assists. In Game 2, the ball tended to stick more and they finished with 24 assists. In Game 3, they finished with 21 assists. The Celtics have to keep the ball moving to set up the best shots.
Stay Focused – In Game 1, the Celtics turned the ball over just 8 times. But, since then, they have lost some focus and they have gotten sloppy with the ball. In Game 2, they turned the ball over 13 times for 15 points for the 76ers. In Game 3, it got even worse as they turned the ball over 17 times for 21 points. The Celtics were the best team at taking care of the ball in the regular season. They have to get that focus back and avoid careless passes and not drive into a crowd of defenders. They also have to stay focused on taking good shots and making them.
X-Factors On the Road – The Celtics will be on the road for the second straight game and they will be facing a very hostile crowd. Philly fans hate the Celtics because they have pretty much owned them in recent years. They hate Jayson Tatum because the Celtics took him with Philly’s pick after the 76ers traded up to take Markelle Fultz. There will likely be a lot of boos and the Celtics need to play through them. They have to shake off the distractions of playing on the road game and stay focused on playing good basketball.
Coaching – Joe Mazzulla is in his 4th season as Celtics’ head coach. He won a title in 2024 with a very talented team that was packed with shooting stars. Now he has to win in a different way since his personnel has changed and he did a great job in the regular season. Nick Nurse is in his 8th season as a head coach overall and his 3rd as the 76ers head coach. He won a title with the Raptors in 2019. In the playoffs, coaching becomes more important as it becomes a game of adjustments as they play the same team game after game. The coaching chess game will continue in Game 4.
Officiating – Officiating is always an x-factor. Every crew calls the game differently. Some call it tight and call every bit of contact while others allow more physical play. Some favor the home team while others call both sides evenly. The Celtics have to adjust to the way the refs are calling the game and not allow the no calls and bad calls to affect their focus on playing the game.
Official Report Crew Chief: Josh Tiven The Celtics record with Tiven this year is 3-0 and last year it was 5-1. The 76ers record with Tiven this year is 3-0 and was 3-3 last year. His home won/loss record is 35/32. He calls 19.4 fouls on the home team vs 19.8 fouls on the road team.
Referee: Ed Malloy The Celtics record with Malloy this year is 2-0 and last year was 3-4. Malloy didn’t call any 76ers games this season and they were 1-5 last season with him. His home won/loss record is 29/12. He calls 19.3 fouls on the home team vs 20.2 fouls on the road team.
Umpire: Mark Lindsay The Celtics were 3-1 with Linday this season and 7-1 last season with him. The 76ers were 4-1 this season with Lindsay and 2-3 last season. His home win/loss record is 38-26. He calls 20.0 fouls on the home team vs 20.1 fouls against the road team.
Los Angeles, CA - April 25: Freddie Freeman #5 high-fives teammate Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers after scoring on a Teoscar Hernández (not pictured) single against the Chicago Cubs in the fourth inning of a baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 25, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Looking to take two of three, the Dodgers host the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. Justin Wrobleski faces Shota Imanaga.
Boston, MA - April 12: Boston Celtics center Luka Garza celebrates after hitting a late 3-pointer in the fourth quarter. The Celtics and Orlando Magic played at TD Garden on April 12, 2026. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
PHILADELPHIA — At Celtics shootaround on Sunday, Luka Garza has ice on his knees, his usual post-workout regimen.
In his head, he is prepared to play heavy minutes in Sunday’s Game 4 against 76ers, just as he did in the Celtics’ final regular season game, when he exploded for 27 points in a season-high 38 minutes of action.
More likely, he’ll play just a few minutes.
But, just as he has all year, he’ll be ready for any outcome.
“I expect to play,” Garza said. “If I do, or I don’t — it doesn’t matter. It’s just I got to have that mindset to be ready and go out there and try to make some plays.”
In Friday’s Game 3 Celtics win, Garza played 4 minutes, all of which came in the second quarter. In that span, he secured an offensive board that led to a Baylor Scheierman three-pointer, hit a top-of-the-key three of his own, and again found Scheierman for his second triple.
His mindset in these playoffs has been the same it’s been all year.
“I just stick to what’s worked for me in the past — obviously, just trying to screen, make energy plays, offensive rebound, do what I can to kind of help the offensive flow,” Garza said. “And try to not make any game plan mistakes and stuff like that.”
Asked Luka Garza how he approaches a 4-min stint like the one he got in Game 3:
“I just stick to what's worked for me in the past — obviously, just trying to screen, make energy plays, offensive rebound, do what I can to kind of help the offensive flow. And try to not make any… pic.twitter.com/QXHvVfgJYb
After a career season, Garza is mostly out of the playoff rotation, but he’s staying ready for those spurts when his number is called.
Joe Mazzulla turned to Garza for rotation stints in Games 1 and 3, with the Celtics two primary bigs in foul travel; Queta has averaged 4 fouls in 19 minutes per game, and Nikola Vucevic has averaged 3.7 fouls in 22 minutes per game this series.
“When I see someone getting foul trouble a little bit, I know it’s probably coming,” Garza said. “I just prepare my mind for every single game.”
Jaylen Brown referred to Friday’s Game 3 as a Game 7.
Garza said the team will need to dig deep and embrace that mindset again.
“If you want to win a championship, it’s not hard,” Garza said. “So, you got to have that mindset every single night in the playoffs. You know how important it is. It’s mandatory.”
History would suggest the Celtics are in a pretty good spot. Of the 600 NBA teams that have taken a 2-1 series lead, 480 have gone on to win the series.
But for Celtics aren’t worried about that history.
For them, the only past that is on their mind is their 111-97 loss in Game 2.
“There’s obviously a heightened sense of urgency knowing what happened in Game 2,” Garza said. “So we know we got to have a certain humility about us, knowing that we got two more games to win. We got to approach it that way. And obviously, it’s a huge one.”
Victor Wembanyama has been cleared from concussion protocol.
Victor Wembanyama will play in Game 4 on Sunday against the Trail Blazers after clearing concussion protocol.
The all-world San Antonio Spur took a scary, knockout-like fall in Game 2 of the Western Conference first-round series against Portland, which took him out of the game and forced him to miss Game 3.
Now, five days after suffering the concussion, he has been cleared to take the floor as the Spurs maintain a 2-1 lead in the series.
Victor Wembanyama (concussion protocol) is OUT for the remainder of the game after hitting his head on the court. pic.twitter.com/qP8tAf6osN
San Antonio took Game 3, 120-108, behind the breakout performance of rookie guard and No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper, who exploded for 27 points on 75 percent shooting and 10 rebounds off the bench.
Stephon Castle led the way for San Antonio with a game-high 33 points on 10-for-18 shooting, along with five assists.
Wembanyama led the Spurs to a Game 1, 111-98 victory at home against the Blazers, where he scored 35 points and drained 5 of 6 from deep in 33 minutes of play.
Victor Wembanyama has been cleared from concussion protocol. Getty Images
In Game 2, the Spurs fell apart down the stretch after initially holding a lead in Wemby’s absence, eventually losing 106-103.
Wembanyama, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft, earned the honor of the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year for 2025-26, and was the first to win the award unanimously.
This past season, the French phenom averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and a league-leading 3.1 blocks per game while leading San Antonio to a 62-20 record and the No. 2 seed out west behind only the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Apr 25, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson (20) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Cincinnati Reds in the fourth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
After a slow start to the 2026 season, Detroit Tigers’ first baseman Spencer Torkelson is suddenly scorching hot. His approach has remained strong throughout some early struggles, with a consistently low chase rate and plenty of walks. He just wasn’t swinging at enough strikes. Problem solved. On Sunday, Torkelson homered for the fifth straight game, tying Marcus Thames most recently, along with four other Tigers including the legendary Hank Greenberg, Willie Horton, Rudy York, and Vic Wertz for the franchise record last accomplished in 2008.
Torkelson didn’t get his first home run of the season until Wednesday, when he took Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Chad Patrick deep in the fourth inning of a Tigers victory. On Thursday he upped his game, walking off the Brewers with a blast to left field off of Abner Uribe. On Friday in Great American Ballpark, Torkelson took Tony Santilan deep though the Tigers crumbled late with a loss. On Saturday, Torkelson’s victim was Brady Singer, with another fourth inning shot.
On Sunday, the Tigers were down 3-2 after a solid start from Keider Montero, but one that featured a pair of Great American Park specials from the Reds. In the seventh inning, Gleyber Torres reached on a Ke’Bryan Hayes error, and rookie Hao-Yu Lee mashed the first home run of his major league career to give the Tigers a 4-3 lead. Riley Greene struck out, and Reds manager Terry Francona pulled his lefty in favor of right-hander Pierce Johnson to face Torkelson. It went…poorly for them.
Really good to see the big bat heating up.
Spencer Torkelson has tied a franchise record by homering in five consecutive games.
He's the 6th Tigers player to accomplish the feat, joining: Marcus Thames (2008), Willie Horton (1969), Vic Wertz (1950), Hank Greenberg (1940), and Rudy York (1937).#DNMWpic.twitter.com/Jd8Kh1yA45
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 21: Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) dribbles the ball during the West First Round Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers game on April 21, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Kevin Durant may have played his last game against the Lakers these playoffs.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Kevin Durant will not play in Game 4 with a bone bruise in his sprained ankle, an injury that will sideline him for weeks.
Houston's Kevin Durant is expected to miss Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN. Durant has a bone bruise in his sprained ankle, which would sideline him 2 to 3 weeks in season. He's had around-the-clock treatment to play but has not been cleared by doctors. pic.twitter.com/DpOdclPEAw
Shams went on to report that Durant was at the team’s facility on Sunday and took part in a film session, but that the injury will prevent him from playing for some time.
Even if the Rockets force a Game 7, that would be next Sunday, May 3, or only a week away. It would require some incredible healing for Durant to be back that quickly.
Game 4 will be the third game KD’s missed this series. He opened the series by missing Game 1 with a knee contusion before playing in Game 2. Late in that contest, he sprained his ankle, leading to him missing Game 3 and 4 and, potentially, the rest of the series.
Notably in Game 3, he did not appear on the bench, leading to much discussion. It didn’t sound like he had been particularly involved with the team over recent days, either.
Dave McMenamin says Amen Thompson has no idea how Kevin Durant is feeling:
"Amen Thompson was asked how KD was feeling and he said 'To be honest with you, I don't know.' Whether that means KD has been doing all of his rehab away from the team or the team hasn't been checking in… pic.twitter.com/EnfRl1VIF3
The Lakers will still need to execute to win one more game and finish off the series. Fortunately, their mindset appears to be the appropriate one in that the job is not finished.
But they are firmly in the driver’s seat and reinforcements don’t seem to be coming for Houston.
The Red Sox’s shock firing of Alex Cora was “necessary” in the eyes of team president Sam Kennedy, but the move is seemingly not sitting well with players.
Cora and five members of his coaching staff were dismissed on Saturday amid the team’s 10-17 start and last place standing in the AL East.
However, Trevor Story told reporters on Sunday that the higher-ups’ explanation of the move was insufficient.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora was fired from his post on Saturday. Getty Images
“Some of the best coaches in the world didn’t get a fair shot,” he said.
Garrett Whitlock added: “They made it very clear that we get paid to play baseball, and we need to just focus on playing baseball.”
As reported by the Boston Globe’s Tim Healey, players were not invited to ask higher-ups any questions about the changes during a meeting on Sunday morning.
“It’s up in the air what the true direction of the franchise is,” Story said.
Hitting coach Peter Fatse, bench coach Ramon Vazquez, third-base coach Kyle Hudson and assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson were all part of the wholesale changes as well, while game-planning coach Jason Varitek will be reassigned elsewhere in the organization.
Chad Tracy, who had been managing Boston’s Triple-A affiliate in Worcester, was named interim manager.
During a press conference on Sunday, Kennedy revealed the move was the “bold decision” of general manager Craig Breslow, with the latter explaining the timing of the move.
Trevor Story seemed none too pleased by Cora’s dismissal. AP
“By acting today, it gives us 135 games ahead of us, so we’ve got almost a full season’s worth of run to take advantage of this fresh start and ultimately to compete for a division and deep postseason run in the way that we talked about it and envisioned and believed heading into spring training,” Breslow said.
“We believe in the group of players that we have in the clubhouse, down the hallway, and we believe that a new direction is warranted, new voices, and something that enables us to take a fresh start.”
Despite their 17-1 win on Saturday in Baltimore, the Red Sox have gotten off to a slow start this season.
Boston’s offense has struggled mightily, with the team’s OPS of .667 ranking 27th in MLB. The Red Sox have also struggled on the mound, with their team ERA of 4.44 tied for 20th in the league.
The move to fire Cora and four other coaches was described as the “bold decision” of general manager Craig Breslow Getty Images
“Yesterday was definitely painful, but we felt it was a necessary move, and we felt it necessary to take decisive action to achieve the goal of a fresh start for the 2026 season,” Kennedy said.
“We have full confidence in the players in that room to perform at the very highest level and get us back to playing baseball in October, which is the goal. Ultimately, what matters is the performance on the field at the major league level, and a new beginning starts today.”
Breslow, meanwhile, added that he also has “full confidence” in Tracy.
Apr 25, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals right fielder Jac Caglianone (14) reacts after scoring during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
ALERT! Game time is now 3:10 p.m. CT, because of the impending weather tonight.
First pitch for tonight's game vs. the Los Angeles Angels has been moved up to 3:10 p.m. CT. pic.twitter.com/hgYajmB44k
The Royals are going for just their second sweep on the season, after winning just their second series this year. They lost to the Twins in the initial homestand this season, losing the finale 5-1.
The Royals have dominated the first two games, winning 6-3 and 12-1. Seth Lugo gets the start tonight for the Royals. Lugo has been nearly untouchable in his first five starts. Despite the 1-1 record, due to lack of run support, Lugo has a 1.15 ERA, striking out 28 batters in 31.1 innings. In his last start, Lugo threw 7 scoreless innings of one hit ball against Baltimore.
The Royals have scored 5 or more runs in all 5 games on the homestand so far. So, the offense has seemingly turned the corner, hopefully that continues for Lugo today. Here is the starting lineup behind Seth Lugo.
The Los Angeles Angles are now 12-16 on the season, after a decent start to the season, they have now lost 6 of their last 7 games. Lefty Reid Detmers will start for the visitors today. Detmers threw out of the bullpen last season after being a starter the first four seasons in the MLB. This year, the Angels have decided he is a starter again. So far, he has a 4.08 ERA in his 5 starts this year. In his last outing, He gave up 4 runs to the Blue Jays over 6 innings of work, walking 2 and striking out 5.
Here are the starters behind Detmers.
Angels 4/26
Neto SS Trout CF Moncada 3B Soler DH Schanuel 1B Adell RF Lowe LF d'Arnaud C Frazier 2B
The game has been moved up three hours due to the impending weather for tonight in the Kansas City area. First pitch is now set for 3:10 p.m. CT. The game can still be watched on NBCSN or Peacock.
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 23: Scott Wedgewood #41 of the Colorado Avalanche, Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings and Nathan MacKinnon #29 of the Colorado Avalanche battle for position during the first period in Game Three of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on April 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Colorado Avalanche have battled through three tightly contested games thus far in their first-round series, emerging victorious despite, among other things, the stifling defensive tactics employed by the Los Angeles Kings.
With a victory today, the Avalanche can be the first team in the Western Conference to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Colorado Avalanche (3-0)
The Opponent: Los Angeles Kings (0-3)
Time: 2:30 P.M. MDT/4:30 P.M. EDT
Watch: ALT, ALT + (Avalanche Broadcast Area), FDSNSC (Kings Broadcast Area), HBO Max, TNT, truTV (US National Broadcast), SN360, SNP, SNW, SN+, TVAS2, TVAS+ (Canadian National Broadcast)
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio KKSE-FM 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche
Scoring had been hard to come by for the Avalanche in the first two games against Los Angeles, with their first goals not coming until the second and third periods, respectively. Game Three was a different story, as a shot from Gabe Landeskog ricocheted off the end boards before bouncing off the skate of goaltender Anton Forsberg early in the first period to give the Avs the lead. Los Angeles would tie the game with a bounce of their own off Trevor Moore in the second period, but Cale Makar’s first goal of the playoffs restored the lead. A shorthanded goal from Artturi Lehkonen would give the Avs some breathing room in the third, but a power-play goal for Los Angeles would make things interesting late. Brock Nelson would cap off the night with an empty net goal to secure a 3-0 series lead to wrap up a game that featured more end-to-end action for both teams. Scott Wedgewood stopped twenty-four of twenty-six shots for his third consecutive playoff win.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Nečas Parker Kelly – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin Gabe Landeskog – Nazem Kadri – Nicolas Roy Ross Colton – Jack Drury – Logan O’Connor
Defense: Cale Makar – Devon Toews Brett Kulak – Sam Malinksi Nick Blankenburg – Brent Burns
Between the Pipes: Scott Wedgewood Mackenzie Blackwood
Los Angeles Kings
What do you do if you’re the Los Angeles Kings coming into today’s game? The League’s most potent offense, featuring the current Rocket Richard winner in Nathan MacKinnon—who hasn’t scored a goal during this postseason—has been held to eight total goals. The power play has found success in three straight games. The penalty kill has been flawless. Anton Forsberg has been solid. Artemi Panarin has been the primary driver on offense, which is what General Manager Ken Holland was banking on when he made the trade for him.
The ingredients for playoff success are there, and what’s been the end result? An elimination game scenario on your own ice after three consecutive losses to start the postseason.
The Stanley Cup Playoffs giveth, and the Stanley Cup Playoffs taketh away.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Artemi Panarin – Anže Kopitar – Adrian Kempe Trevor Moore – Quinton Byfield – Alex Laferriere Joel Armia – Scott Laughton – Jared Wright Mathieu Joseph – Samuel Helenius – Jeff Malott
Defense: Mikey Anderson – Drew Doughty Joel Edmundson – Brandt Clarke Brian Dumoulin – Cody Ceci
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 13: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers (L) walks on the field with Tyler Glasnow #31 during spring training workouts at Camelback Ranch on February 13, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers plan to start Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, and Tyler Glasnow in that order for their three-game series against the Miami Marlins beginning Monday night at Dodger Stadium.
That really isn’t news, except that they could have pushed Ohtani to Wednesday’s series finale, which would line up him to start two consecutive pitching outings the day before team off days on April 30 and May 7, as a way to minimize his fatigue. With Ohtani back to full-time status for the first time since 2023, how the Dodgers manage his time is one of the keys to the season.
Ohtani this season has batted 125 times and faced 92 batters as a pitcher, involved in 217 total plate appearances through the first 31 days of the season, his largest monthly workload since being involved in 252 PA in June 2023 with the Angels. Finding avenues for extra rest will be something to watch, but now is not one of those times.
“We don’t have to be beholden to the off day,” manager Dave Roberts said Sunday. “We talked to Shohei Ohtani, and he feels good about going on Tuesday.”
Had the Dodgers decided to move Ohtani to Wednesday against the Marlins, that would have meant Glasnow on Tuesday on four days rest, something no Dodgers starting pitcher has done yet this season. They aren’t averse to it, and have talked about Glasnow and Blake Snell in particular preferring to pitch more often whenever possible.
But after Glasnow pitched eight scoreless innings with nine strikeouts to beat the San Francisco Giants, they decided to keep him in line to start Wednesday against Miami on five days rest.
Dodgers vs. Marlins pitching probables
Monday, 7:10 p.m.: Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. Chris Paddack
Tuesday, 7:10 p.m.: Shohei Ohtani vs. Janson Junk
Wednesday, 12:10 p.m.: Tyler Glasnow vs. Sandy Alcantara
