BOSTON, MA - APRIL 7: Jaylen Brown #7 and Baylor Scheierman #55 of the Boston Celtics high five during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on April 7, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
If you caught Boston’s 54th win of the season on TV or at TD Garden, you would have thought it was a playoff game. The scrappy Hornets have been one of the best second half of the season teams and could knock off a contender in the first round. But after leading by as many as 11 points in the first half, they could not withstand a strong offensive showing from Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum and the Celtics suffocating D that allowed a dismal 3-of-18 from behind the arc in the second half.
After beating the Hornets, one win or a Knicks loss clinches the #2 seed for the Celtics; the two teams meet at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. Boston’s championship odds have remained steady all month with our friends at FanDuel and are +600 to raise Banner 19 and the favorite to rep the Eastern Conference in the 2026 NBA Finals.
Jaylen Brown
43 minutes, 26 points (3-10 from 3, 6-7 from the free throw line, 13-29 from the field), 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 turnovers, one steal, one block +9
We can quibble about what MVP means. Is it the most important player on each team and how much he means to their success or is it the best player in the league regardless of his team’s standing? Is offense more important than defense or vice versa?
Regardless of the debate, what Jaylen Brown did on Tuesday night against the Hornets was the stuff of an MVP candidate.
We’ve noted that over the past few weeks since Tatum’s return, Brown has made it a priority to drive and often force the officials to make a call. Just as they did against Toronto on Sunday, the Jays carried the scoring burden with JB scoring 17 of his 35 points in the second half. He had his issues with five turnovers, but probably deserved more than seven trips to the line.
39 minutes, 23 points (3-7 from 3, 4-5 from the free throw line, 8-15 from the field), 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 turnovers, one steal, +12
At Game #15 for Tatum, it feels like he’s good for 20+ points, five rebounds, and five assists every night. That’s the floor. He didn’t get close to recording a triple-double, but the bigger number of the night might be JT playing all twelve minutes of the fourth quarter along with Brown, DWhite, and Payton Pritchard.
Oh, and he got tangled up in a scrap with Moussa Diabate and didn’t flinch.
Grade: A-
Neemias Queta
25 minutes, 12 points (6-7 from the field), 5 rebounds, 3 assists, one block, +10
We’re now at 36-of-48 for Queta over the last five games with all five of his offensive rebounds resulting in his own putbacks.
Grade: A
Sam Hauser
16 minutes, 5 points (1-5 from 3, 2-7 from the field), 5 rebounds, 3 assists, +4
It was another one of those nights where Hauser wasn’t hitting the simple catch-and-shoot corner threes, but he was active on the glass and made the right reads when he couldn’t get his shot off.
Grade: B
Derrick White
37 minutes, 12 points (4-5 from 3, 4—5 from the field), 2 rebounds, 3 assists, one turnover, one steal, +18
It’s hard to fault White for an ultra-efficient scoring night, making four of his five three-point attempts. He’s still making all the right plays on both sides of the ball, but I’d love to see one breakout game before the playoffs.
30 minutes, 12 points (4-7 from 3, 4-8 from the field), 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 turnovers, +5
Like White, Pritchard took most of his shots from behind the arc. He played his regular shifts through the first three quarters, but as aforementioned, he was in there in the clutch and played the entire final frame.
Grade: B+
Nikola Vucevic
23 minutes, 2 points (0-5 from 3, 1-10 from the field) 7 rebounds, 2 assists, one turnover, 2 steals, +1
That 1-10 is going to stick out like a sore thumb, but let’s remember that he’s not only coming back from a long layoff with the fractured finger — he’d also only played twelve games in green. We know what we’re going to get from the 14-year pro. Expect more trial by fire over the final three contests.
Grade: C
Baylor Scheierman
9 minutes, 3 points (1—2 from 3, 1-2 from the field), 2 rebounds, one assist, -1
My guess is that with Tatum, Brown, White, Pritchard, and even Vucevic playing nearly the entire fourth — Queta mopped up the final 90 seconds — not all of them will travel to New York.
18 minutes, 9 points (1-1 from 3, 4-4 from the field), 6 rebounds, one steal, one turnover -3
Of all the backup wings, Walsh might be the best equipped to take advantage of all the seams that open up when you’re playing with so many talented players. Against Charlotte, he found space catching the ball in the short roll, hiding in the dunker spot, and leaking out into transition. That x-factor could be huge in the playoffs.
Grade: A
DNP-CDs: Luka Garza, Hugo Gonzalez, Ron Harper Jr., Max Shulga, John Tonje, Amari Williams
Tampa Bay Lightning (48-24-6, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Montreal Canadiens (46-22-10, in the Atlantic Division)
Montreal, Quebec; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Montreal Canadiens after the Canadiens defeated the Florida Panthers 4-3 in a shootout.
Montreal is 15-9-1 against the Atlantic Division and 46-22-10 overall. The Canadiens have gone 19-5-1 in games they convert at least one power play.
Tampa Bay is 48-24-6 overall and 14-8-1 against the Atlantic Division. The Lightning have allowed 219 goals while scoring 277 for a +58 scoring differential.
Thursday's game is the fourth meeting between these teams this season. The Canadiens won 4-1 in the previous meeting.
TOP PERFORMERS: Lane Hutson has 12 goals and 63 assists for the Canadiens. Cole Caufield has nine goals and eight assists over the past 10 games.
Nikita Kucherov has 43 goals and 84 assists for the Lightning. Jake Guentzel has six goals and eight assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Canadiens: 9-1-0, averaging 3.4 goals, 5.5 assists, 4.3 penalties and 10.7 penalty minutes while giving up 1.9 goals per game.
Lightning: 5-3-2, averaging 3.3 goals, 5.5 assists, 5.4 penalties and 12.5 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.
INJURIES: Canadiens: Alexandre Carrier: out (upper body), Patrik Laine: out (abdomen), Joseph Veleno: day to day (illness).
Lightning: Brandon Hagel: day to day (lower-body), Max Crozier: out (abdomen), Anthony Cirelli: day to day (undisclosed), Dominic James: out (leg), Declan Carlile: out (undisclosed), Victor Hedman: out (personal), Pontus Holmberg: day to day (upper-body).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 07: Ajay Mitchell #25 of the Oklahoma City Thunder controls the ball against Jake LaRavia #12 and Drew Timme #17 of the Los Angeles Lakers in the first half at Crypto.com Arena on April 07, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LOS ANGELES – The last time the Lakers played at home, they were on cloud nine.
It meant Lakers head coach JJ Redick had to try things he’s never done before in the final week of the regular season.
He rolled out a new starting unit, one that featured two-way big Drew Timme, who is ineligible for postseason play. Dalton Knecht made an appearance. Adou Thiero saw the most playing time in his career.
Led by that youth and inexperience, the Lakers didn’t stand a chance against the Thunder, losing 123-87 for their third straight loss.
“We’re undermanned right now,” Redick said postgame. “It’s important that everybody is trying to play the right way and play for the team. I think certainly there were several guys that did some good things tonight.”
There’s nothing wrong with seeing good efforts from players like Timme and Thiero, but it’s hard to watch them take on the defending champions when a week ago, Dončić and James were in that position.
Last week, confetti was falling on fans inside Crypto.com Arena in celebration. On Tuesday, those same fans were exiting the building before the fourth quarter even began.
Injuries are no one’s fault, but it’s jarring to watch the Lakers go from superstar guards like Luka to now relying on Luke Kennard and Bronny James to win them games.
As unfair as the path has become for the Lakers, Redick’s goal now is to find players who can help this team win games so they can extend this season long enough to potentially get back Dončić and Reaves.
“We’ve got to find nine guys that are all in on us fighting,” Redick said. “Whatever you got to do to go out and fight and be all in on the team, we’ll find the nine guys. It’s a great opportunity for us over the next three games to find those guys.”
A week ago, the Lakers had those nine players and then some. Now, they’ll likely have to play the rest of the way without the players who got them into this position to begin with.
The good news for Redick and the Lakers is that some of the guys who can help them win likely will be returning. LeBron should be back for at least one of these upcoming contests on Thursday and Friday and Redick mentioned pregame that Smart is trending towards playing this week.
Still, the reality is that the Lakers are not the team they were in March. And now the April schedule is filled with losses and the odds of a postseason run are shrinking by the day.
None of this feels like a reality anyone would have expected a week ago.
Philadelphia 76ers (43-36, seventh in the Eastern Conference) vs. Houston Rockets (50-29, fifth in the Western Conference)
Houston; Thursday, 8 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Houston hosts Philadelphia looking to prolong its five-game home winning streak.
The Rockets have gone 28-10 in home games. Houston is 22-16 against opponents with a winning record.
The 76ers have gone 21-18 away from home. Philadelphia has a 6-8 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.
The Rockets score 114.8 points per game, 1.7 fewer points than the 116.5 the 76ers give up. The 76ers average 12.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.1 more makes per game than the Rockets allow.
The teams meet for the second time this season. The 76ers won 128-122 in overtime in the last matchup on Jan. 23.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kevin Durant is averaging 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists for the Rockets. Alperen Sengun is averaging 21.3 points over the last 10 games.
Tyrese Maxey is scoring 28.4 points per game with 4.1 rebounds and 6.7 assists for the 76ers. VJ Edgecombe is averaging 20.7 points and 5.7 rebounds while shooting 51.9% over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Rockets: 8-2, averaging 121.4 points, 47.4 rebounds, 30.0 assists, 7.0 steals and 6.0 blocks per game while shooting 49.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.9 points per game.
76ers: 6-4, averaging 121.5 points, 45.2 rebounds, 26.5 assists, 7.2 steals and 5.9 blocks per game while shooting 48.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.2 points.
INJURIES: Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle).
76ers: Johni Broome: out (knee), Cameron Payne: out (hamstring).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Lakers coach JJ Redick said the verbal exchange with reserve forward Jarred Vanderbilt during the second quarter of Tuesday’s 123-87 blowout loss to the Thunder was “nothing personal” and a “normal interaction” for Redick.
Redick called timeout following the Lakers’ first possession of the second 16 seconds into the quarter after a Kobe Bufkin missed floater that last touched Alex Caruso and flew out of bounds.
As the Lakers were going back to the bench, Vanderbilt walked into the coaches’ huddle and animatedly appeared to try to talk to Redick, who was using the white board with assistant coach Greg St. Jean.
Star guard Austin Reaves, who is sidelined with an oblique injury, stepped between Vanderbilt and Redick and assistant coach Nate McMillan held Vanderbilt’s back before Redick walked to the team’s bench, with McMillan and Reaves staying back with Vanderbilt.
Once back near the bench, Vanderbilt continued talking to Redick, who at one point during the exchange shrugged and waved Vanderbilt off.
McMillan gestured to Vanderbilt to stay back before stepping between Redick and Vanderbilt as Redick talked to Vanderbilt as he was getting up from the bench.
“A confluence of things,” Redick responded when asked what led to the exchange with Vanderbilt. “Again, it’s nothing personal with him. Normal stuff from my end. I think for all of us, being undermanned, we’ve got to scrap and claw, we’ve got to all be on the same page, We got to be great teammates, we got to all play hard. Called a timeout to get him out of the game. And he reacted, but again, normal interaction for me.”
Vanderbilt didn’t play again after being subbed out.
Lakers’ Jarred Vanderbilt walked into the coaches’ huddle and animatedly appeared to try to talk to JJ Redick, who was using the white board with assistant coach Greg St. Jean. @khobi_price / X
The exchange with Vanderbilt was the second time Redick quickly called a timeout early in the quarter to pull a veteran player.
Redick called timeout 2 ½ minutes into the game before taking out Rui Hachimura, who later returned and ended up finishing with a team-high 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting to go with five assists in 26 minutes.
“I called the early timeout because Rui didn’t do his job, so took him out of the game,” Redick explained. “We’ve got to find nine guys that are all in on us fighting and willing to go out on whatever metaphor you want to use — I don’t want to use a war metaphor in this time — but whatever you got to do to go out and fight and be all in on the team, we’ll find the nine guys. It’s a great opportunity for us, over the next three games to find those guys.”
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 10: Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns attempts to steal the ball from Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 10, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’re so close to the end of a dreadful 2025-26 season of Dallas Mavericks basketball that we can taste it.
Wednesday’s game between the Mavericks (25-54) and the Phoenix Suns (43-35) at Mortgage Matchup Center wraps up the final back-to-back set for Dallas with three games remaining on the schedule. The Mavs are coming into the game on the heels of Tuesday’s 116-103 loss at the Los Angeles Clippers, while the Suns come in on one night’s rest after dropping a game to the Houston Rockets, 119-105.
Star-spangled Cooper
Cooper Flagg’s brilliance in the two games before Tuesday’s loss has kept the flailing Mavericks in the wider NBA conversation, as opinions fly in every direction concerning the NBA Rookie of the Year race. His 25 points on 9-of-25 shooting against the Clippers isn’t quite as strong an argument for his candidacy, but he’s still filling up the stat sheet on a nightly basis as the season winds down.
The implications
The Suns will be motivated to win Wednesday’s game, as the Clippers sit just two games back of Phoenix for the seventh seed in the Western Conference, with the playoff picture coming into focus. The Mavericks’ motivation, as is well documented, is only for better draft lottery odds at this point.
This should be a fairly straightforward handshake deal between two erstwhile rivals.
Can-do attitude
The Mavericks’ try-hard tendency is admirable. The guys on the court are competitors, and it’s resulted in a 16-27 record in clutch games this season.
But the unspoken objective is clear: obtain the best odds to get as high a pick as possible in the upcoming NBA Draft. Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd needs to examine the end of the roster as closely as possible in the last three games of the season in order to give this team its best chance to find some upward trajectory next season.
How to watch
The Mavericks and the Suns tip off from Mortgage Matchup Center at 9 p.m. CDT. The game will be televised locally on KFAA Channel 29 and on sister stations throughout the Mavericks’ regional viewership area. You can catch the stream on MavsTV and on NBA League Pass where available.
“What’s the furthest a team has gone in Europe while being relegated in the same season?” wonders Matt Reilly.
This question was probably asked in reference to Tottenham, who were still in the Champions League at the time, but it’s still relevant to some of this year’s quarter-finalists. Nottingham Forest are three points above the relegation places in the Premier League; Fiorentina only have a five-point cushion in Serie A.
Real Zaragoza 2001-02, first round; 2007-08, first round
Alaves 2002-03, second round
Celta Vigo 2006-07, last 16
Real Zaragoza 2007-08, first round
Real Betis 2013-14, last 16
Espanyol 2019-20, last 32
Blackburn Rovers 1998-99, Uefa Cup first round
Bradford City 2000-01, Intertoto semi-final
Ipswich Town 2001-02, Uefa Cup third round
Ruda HvezdaBrno 1960-61, Cup Winners’ Cup
Dynamo Zilina 1961-62, Cup Winners’ Cup
Espanyol 1961-62. Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
Napoli 1962-63, Cup Winners’ Cup
Bayern Munich 1962-63, Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
1. FC Magdeburg 1965-66, Cup Winners’ Cup
Lyn 1968-69, Cup Winners’ Cup
Beroe Stara Zagora 1973-74, Cup Winners’ Cup
Real Betis 1977-78, Cup Winners’ Cup
Bologna 1990-91, Uefa Cup
First round Artmedia Bratislavia (2-2 away, 3-1 home)
Group stage Sparta Prague (2-0 away), Zulte Waregem (6-2 home), Ajax (2-0 away), Austria Wien (1-0 home)
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JANUARY 03: Deni Avdija #8 of the Portland Trailblazers drives over Luke Kornet #7 of the San Antonio Spurs in the second half at Frost Bank Center on January 3, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Victor Wembanyama may miss some time after a rib injury scare in the San Antonio Spurs 115-102 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Reports indicate Wembanyama’s injury isn’t serious, and he will likely suit up for the one required game he has to play to qualify for end-of-season awards. However, he will likely miss the Spurs’ final matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers this season, as he is listed as doubtful. Stephon Castle joins him on the injury report with the same designation.
This will be the rubber match between Portland and San Antonio, as the series is tied 1-1. The Blazers defeated the Spurs in their last matchup, 115-110, a game in which Wembanyama also sat out, and Luke Kornet led the team with 23 points. Portland is fighting hard for its playoff positioning, as they sit just a half-game back of the Los Angeles Clippers for 8th in the Western Conference. This game could impact who the Spurs play in the first round and could be a preview of a potential playoff series.
Spurs Injuries: Stephon Castle – Doubtful (knee), Victor Wembanyama – Doubtful (rib), Harrison Ingram – Questionable (G League), David Jones-Garcia – Out (ankle), Emanuel Miller – Questionable (G League)
Trail Blazers Injuries: Jerami Grant – Out (calf), Vit Krejci – Doubtful (calf), Damian Lillard – Out (achilles), Shaedon Sharpe – Doubtful (fibula)
What to watch for:
Grabbing defensive rebounds
The Blazers are awesome offensive rebounders. If Wembanyama is a Godzilla-type figure, then Donovan Clingan is his King Kong (or Cling Kong) counterpart. The Portland big man leads the league in offensive rebounds with 4.5 a game. Without Wembanyama, Kornet will be counted on to keep Clingan off the glass. It’ll have to be a team effort on the boards, though. The Blazers are 2nd in the NBA with 14.1 offensive rebounds per game. Allowing second-chance points will crush the Spurs’ chances of winning.
Small ball advantage?
The Spurs often go to a small-ball second unit when Wembanyama sits. Carter Bryant has surprisingly been the team’s best third center on the roster this year. Against bigger teams, that lack of size can sometimes come back to bite San Antonio. Against Portland, however, it could work to their advantage. Robert Williams III is a stout, athletic defender, but not much of an offensive threat. Bryant should be able to handle him on the defensive end. On offense, the Spurs will have more ball-handlers and floor spacers to take advantage of a Portland defense that already allows 116.1 points per game. This may be the one game the Spurs’ small-ball lineup could end up a net-positive.
Dylan Harper starting
With Castle potentially resting this game, Harper should get a shot in the starting unit. In his two games as a starter, Harper averaged 17 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. He’s been playing some excellent basketball lately, shooting the ball effectively, scoring around the rim, and playing tough defense on the perimeter. He’ll have his work cut out for him against tough perimeter defenders like Toumani Camara and Jrue Holiday, but a big game in the starting five could be exactly what Harper needs to hit the ground running into the playoffs.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander top-scored for the Thunder against the Lakers [Getty Images]
The Oklahoma City Thunder are within reach of clinching the NBA's Western Conference top spot for the third season running after thrashing the Los Angeles Lakers for the second time in six days.
A 123-87 victory on Tuesday means the Thunder are one win - or one San Antonio Spurs loss - from ensuring they finish top.
The Lakers had lost 139-96 to the defending NBA champions on Thursday - one of their heaviest defeats in their history.
This time, despite being without Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James, they stayed with the Thunder into the second quarter before their opponents scored 23 points - conceding just five - in the final seven minutes and 16 seconds of the half to take control.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 points in 28 minutes - extending to 139 his record for most consecutive games with 20 or more points - as his side secured their sixth consecutive win and their 18th in 19 games.
The defeat for the Lakers was their third in a row - they fall behind the Denver Nuggets in the chase for third spot in the Conference.
Rui Hachimura led the home side with 15 points with no other Lakers player scoring more than 11.
Elsewhere, the Phoenix Suns missed out on an automatic play-off spot after losing 119-105 to the Houston Rockets.
Kevin Durant who was traded from Phoenix to Houston last year, scored 24 points against his former team with sections of the Suns home crowd subjecting him to boos throughout the game.
The defeat for the Suns means the Minnesota Timberwolves have secured the final play-off spot in the Conference after their comprehensive 124-104 success over the struggling Indiana Pacers.
The Boston Celtics closed in on securing second seed in the Eastern Conference after holding off the in-form Charlotte Hornets 113-102 while the Toronto Raptors kept their automatic play-off hopes on track with a 121-95 win over the Miami Heat, who will now be involved in next week's play-in tournament, along with the Suns.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 07: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball against Aaron Holiday #0 of the Houston Rockets during the second half of the NBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 07, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
What is with the Suns dominating the first quarter and then struggling throughout? I could have sworn that in the last game I covered against the Charlotte Hornets, the Suns did the same thing they did tonight. This time, though, it definitely stung more for multiple reasons. One was that the Suns had a 24-0 run in the first quarter, giving them 37 first-quarter points. This would set the stage for an explosive game throughout, but sadly, it missed the mark.
This was also a big one for both teams, with Kevin Durant’s return to the Valley after he missed their first meeting due to injury. For the Suns, they also had Jalen Green, who missed their first matchup, and was looking to provide a showcase as well. Sadly for the Suns, Durant won that battle, even if he had a rough start, finishing with 24 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists.
For the Suns, Booker got off to a hot start and found himself at the line 16 times, which was incredible to see. He finished with 31 points, 4 rebounds, and 8 assists, but it was just not enough for Phoenix. The Rockets continued to attack the glass, outrebounding the Suns 55-34 (24-10 on the offensive glass). This was a big reason for the Rockets’ ability to generate second-chance points and keep them in a fighting chance throughout. Eventually, it just pushed over the limit because of Phoenix’s shooting struggles. A 7-of-31 shooting night from three is not going to cut it, and Phoenix looks clear it’s in for a tough couple of weeks ahead.
Game Flow
First Half
In a game, the Suns wanted to come out of the gates swinging; they did, and man, was it a beauty to witness. Right from the jump, Devin Booker started heating up, making his first three shots and getting a quick eight points. Some great hustle and three-pointers accompanied this, from Jordan Goodwin, sparking a huge run for the Suns. One that continued and snowballed into a 24-0 run here in the first quarter, with Mark Williams at the forefront.
His dominance on the glass made Alpren Sengun struggle to get any rebounds, and his ability to score on the other end gave the crowd the excitement they craved. Phoenix was locked in, as they needed to be, for the postseason, and it could not have come at a better time.
Williams impacting both ends early. Active hands disrupting, creating second chances, and holding Sengun in check defensively
That being said, Houston did stop the run with a Kevin Durant mid-range and did start to climb back into this one. They started to find their groove with Reed Shepperd and Amen Thompson finding some offensive flow. At the end of one, Phoenix was in the lead 37-21 and looked to be in control of this one if they kept the momentum up.
The second quarter was not much of an offensive explosion to start, but it still had its moments. The Suns continued to see that value from Goodwin come to play, as he was once again active on both ends and made a nice three. The Suns have also done a great job of limiting their front court from doing anything, while their bigs have 16 points combined.
Then the quarter started to get interesting, after Brooks and Durant were arguing with each other. Durant started to feel his rhythm and made Brooks fall with a nice crossover move. The refs also started to get involved, handing out a tech to each team in just 90 seconds. First was given to Booker after complaining about a foul he deserved; the other was given to Jae’Sean Tate, who stepped on Dillon Brooks.
The Suns, who were now struggling behind the arc, changed their game plan. They began attacking the basket and scoring on the Suns’ bigs, forcing multiple trips to the line. Booker led this charge and did it with no fear to keep the Suns in the lead. Booker leads the team with 21 points and a fantastic first half as the Suns are up 57-54. A very physical match is set up for a be wild finish here.
Devin Booker in the first half:
21 points 4 assists 3/4 on 2's 2/5 on 3's 9/10 at the line
The third was a rough start for Phoenix as they could not find a basket outside the free throw line. Their first six points came at eight shots at the charity stripe, until Brooks found some heat. He made back-to-back shots, including a nice three to help him after a tough shooting night. Green also had this acrobatic finish doing a 360 spin move for the layup. This spark from the two seeking revenge against the Rockets kept the Suns in the lead.
Yet the Rockets did take some control back in this one as they had Josh Okogie replace Reed Shepperd in the starting lineup. This move allowed them to be more physical and create some mismatches on the defensive end. His impact alongside Durant, making winning plays, allowed the Rockets to shrink the lead and keep it within arm’s reach.
The Suns cannot catch a break on the offensive glass as Houston just grabs every rebound and turns it into second-chance points. With their shooting struggles as well, the one thing keeping them in this game is their ability to get to the free-throw line. At the end of the third, the Suns were blessed to see a Royce O’Neale three-pointer finally fall and to have a three-point lead, 84-81.
Unfortunately for Phoenix, this was their worst start to a quarter, and it came at a terrible time. With Durant on the bench, the Rockets went on an 8-0 run and took the lead right form undenrath Phoenix’s grasp. They also continued to dominate the glass with Sengun now finding his shots at the rim. The Suns just do not have the size to match and need to see a change, implementing a wing like Ryan Dunn or Rasheer Fleming to match Houston.
The onslaught continued from the Rockets as their runs seemed to multiply in the fourth. Jabari Smith Jr. hit some big-time threes, and Amen Thompson had some crazy finishes late to make you realize how lethal Houston is. Even with the 24-0 run, this Houston team can bounce back, yet the Suns found no answer offensively after the first.
Sadly for Phoenix, it was just not enough, even with the hot start. They fell ot the Rockets in a heartbreaking collapse after such a great start. This loss will sting the Suns, as they are still in seventh in the West but have now fallen a game behind the Clippers, who beat the Mavericks tonight.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 7: Robbie Ray #38 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies in the first inning at Oracle Park on April 7, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brandon Vallance/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Monday, the San Francisco Giants lost to the Philadelphia Phillies 6-4, and I crafted an entire maybe-I’m-thinking-about-this-too-much narrative to go with it. In my recap, I mentioned the sloppiness and (in)attention to detail that has plagued the Giants through this cold, hard, long two-week season, and how they appeared to rid themselves of it on Monday, only to have it boomerang back and smack them in the face.
On Tuesday, the Giants beat the Phillies 6-0. This time there would be no boomerang. There would be no fakeout. There would be no false hope and ensuing punishment for emptying your retirement savings to throw money at the salesman selling the false hope at your doorstep.
There were mistakes, however. We’ll cover those. And then we’ll circle back to them at the end of this article, for the grand aha! moment. Not unlike a boomerang. Just not a rude boomerang that sends you to bed miserable and leads your therapist to ask you why you let a group of adults who have never met you dictate your mood for nearly seven months of the year.
It was an ominous beginning, as one of those aforementioned mistakes arrived early, like the monster in the opening credits of a horror film that then disappears, and you’re not sure whether it’s going to come back as a key part of the plot, or if it was just a silly little juke. Robbie Ray got Trea Turner to ground out on the second pitch of the game, before ceding a first-pitch single to Kyle Schwarber. It then took Ray all of one pitch against two-time MVP — and one of Monday’s heroes — Bryce Harper to get the lefty slugger to chop a tailor made double play ball to second base.
Ray had taken the opening part of Philly’s lineup — a trio of hitters with a combined 14 All-Star appearances, currently on contracts that will pay them a combined $780 million — and retired them on all of four pitches.
Or so you thought at the crack of the bat. Unfortunately, even with plenty of time to make a good throw and a fine feed from Luis Arráez, Willy Adames missed first base badly, allowing Harper to reach on a fielder’s choice.
It had the potential to be a painful mistake, robbing Ray of not just a quick inning, but possibly a scoreless one, given that lefty masher Adolis García was stepping to the plate.
But Ray struck him out. Sure, it meant throwing an extra six pitches, but so what. He picked his teammate up.
In the bottom half of the inning, Adames’ picked himself up. Facing a star pitcher in Christopher Sánchez, Adames immediately made the fans at Oracle Park forget about his gaffe with a deep drive to right field that crashed off the bricks.
According to Statcast, it was a home run in 17 parks. At Oracle, it was just a feel-good double.
Matt Chapman followed by turning an 0-2 sinker inside-out for an opposite-field single, and third base coach Hector Borg wisely put on the stop sign for Adames at third.
It was a smart move. García, the right fielder, has a NASA-inspired rocket ship in his throwing arm, there were no outs, and the best contact hitter in baseball, Arráez, was about to step to the plate.
You can score in any manner of ways in baseball, and on this particular occasion, Arráez opted for a 56.7-mph grounder that bounced two feet in front of the plate, ultimately resulting in his own out, but also a run scored.
But this game was the very essence of a devil on one shoulder, angel on the other affair. There were multiple instances where the baseballing seemed to repeat itself, only to offer an opportunity to choose a different, more dangerous path.
And so it was that Adames led off in the third inning, too, and once again hit a double. And so it was that Chapman once again followed up with a single, which once again was hit to right field. And Borg was once again faced with the reality that García has a cannon, there were no outs, and the best contact hitter on the planet was about to step into the box.
Sometimes you do things just to feel something, and so Borg, perhaps unwilling to go to bed tonight without knowing what would have happened had he sent Adames to challenge García, gave him the wave around.
Perhaps it would have been the right call had Heliot Ramos, who hit 0-4 with three strikeouts, been up next. But no: it was contact maven Arráez, who never got the chance for the RBI, because García threw out Adames at home.
Borg chose the angel in the first inning and the devil in the third, and the Giants had made another mistake.
Another such situation occurred, though it was less an angel on one shoulder, and more a second devil that offered a free pass before getting back to his devilish ways.
In the second inning, with one out and a runner on base, Daniel Susac bopped a single, bringing up Jared Oliva for his first plate appearance of the year. He chopped a grounder to the left side, where Edmundo Sosa fielded it and kicked off an inning-ending double play.
In the fifth inning, Susac led off with a single, making him a perfect 5-5 (with a walk!) in his young MLB career (he would be retired for the first time in his next at-bat). Oliva again came up to bat, and again chopped an easy double play ball to the left side of the infield.
This time it went to Turner, who looked up to check on the runners, and consequently forgot to catch the ball. He would make no throw, and neither runner would be out. But, as if to atone for the fact that he had failed to hit the double play he was supposed to, Oliva was then promptly back-picked at first base.
In all, it was a rough first start of the year for Oliva, whose night ended when he awkwardly went to the batter’s box for a third plate appearance without realizing that he was being pinch-hit for.
But that seemingly-costly mistake (the out at first, not the pinch-hitting blunder, which presumably was the fault of someone in the dugout) did not haunt the Giants, as they unveiled something we haven’t seen much of this year: two-out magic. After Adames popped out for the second out of the inning, Chapman (who is heating up in a big way) blasted his third hit of the day, a 111.7-mph double to score Susac.
Arráez, eager to have so many opportunities with runners in scoring position, showed off his two-strike prowess with a 1-2 single into center, scoring Chapman. Suddenly the Giants led 3-0.
They weren’t done. Perhaps the most important bit of turning a mistake into a positive came an inning later, when Rafael Devers led off with a single. That brought up Casey Schmitt, who returned to the lineup as the DH after a few days out with an injury.
Sánchez had gotten the best of Schmitt to that point. He struck him out in the second, and then struck him out on three pitches in the fourth. He had so much ownage on Schmitt to that point, that Schmitt started off the at-bat by attempting a bunt. A bunt! In this economy!
He did not succeed, and soon he was down in the count 1-2, with no choice but to swing. And swing he did, lifting a ball deep into triple’s alley, though it hopped over the fence, costing him a third bag and an RBI. Instead, that work would fall to Jung Hoo Lee, who entered the game as a pinch-hitter and easily brought the run home with a sacrifice fly.
All of this, however, was made possible by Ray, who thoroughly outclassed the Phillies. Ray didn’t always make it easy for himself, but he did always escape. Following that one-out single to set the table for Harper, Ray gave up a leadoff double to Sosa to open up the second. He followed that up with a leadoff walk to Harper in the fourth.
But he got out of those situations each time. And while he wasn’t exactly operating with peak efficiency, he was getting the job done as well as anyone.
Despite a rising pinch count, Ray was permitted to take his shutout all the way to the seventh inning, which was very understandable given the way the bullpen has behaved lately. It was there where, for the first and last time, Ray got himself into a pickle he couldn’t quite remove himself from.
It started, once again, with a leadoff runner reaching base, this time a Sosa walk. He recovered to get the next two outs, before losing a long battle to Dylan Moore, and issuing the second walk of the inning.
With that, Ray had not only started to show some wavering command, but had reached 109 pitches, and his night came to an end.
Which brings us back to Monday. During that game, Tony Vitello let Adrian Houser start the seventh, before pulling him with two runners on, and bringing in Ryan Borucki, who let both inherited runners score to bloat Houser’s ERA.
On Tuesday, and admittedly with two more outs, Vitello turned to his don’t-call-him-a-closer-just-call-him-when-you-need-him reliever, Ryan Walker, who inherited the two-on, two-out situation.
Walker, as he does, scared the [MadLibs: noun] out of you, turning an 0-2 count into a 3-2 count, while throwing a wild pitch that advanced the runners. But finally he got Crawford to ground out, ending the biggest threat of the night, and preserving the 4-0 lead.
That put a cap on a stellar Ray line: 6.2 innings, three hits, three walks, seven strikeouts, and no runs. When a team is struggling, they need a veteran with star potential to take over a game sometimes, and make life easier for everyone else.
From there, it was all about having a little fun, giving you another little scare, and scoring a few extra runs, just for the hell of it. Walker stayed in to pitch the eighth and, despite having a few issues locating the strike zone, and giving up a leadoff infield single to Turner and a one-out walk to Harper, got out of the inning unscathed.
The offense, meanwhile, tacked on some insurance with a delightful eighth inning rally, which began when Ramos reached base on a leadoff error (which probably should have been an infield hit), and continued when Schmitt drew a one-out walk.
And then, with two outs, came the big hit: Susac, the feel-good story of the year, tripled down the first-base line, scoring both runners, and securing his second three-hit game in as many Major League starts. He now has twice as many three-hit games in the Majors as his brother, and somewhere the A’s are wondering what in the world they’ve done.
Which brings us back to the moral of the story: teams make mistakes. All teams make mistakes. All teams make mistakes in all their games. For most of this season, the Giants have not had the talent or ability to overcome their own mistakes, so it has felt like those mistakes are out to get them. But then games like this happen, and you get to the end and barely remember Adames’ errant throw, or Oliva’s baserunning blunder, or Borg’s decision, or Ray’s leadoff hitters. Because when you play well, the mistakes are just speed bumps, instead of boulders dropped on your car like a freaky Mario Kart level.
The Giants worked around them. They should do that more often. I hear it’s what the good teams do, not that I’d know anything about that.
INGLEWOOD, CA - APRIL 7: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks drives to the basket during the game against the LA Clippers on April 7, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. 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 Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks were out west Tuesday night to take on the Los Angeles Clippers in what ended in a 116-103 loss. This one started very ugly, got better to the tune of the Mavs impossibly taking a lead, and then trended back to ugly. Here are a few stats to know from a rough night.
17 straight: Clippers scoring run to begin the game
The Clippers absolutely blitzed the Mavs from the opening tip. Their 17-0 scoring run took place over the first three minutes and 22 seconds of the game, putting the Mavs in a large hole almost instantly. The scoring outburst wasn’t so much a haymaker as it was a high-speed food processor that calmly obliterated whatever it touched. The Clippers shot over 70% from the floor during (and beyond) their run, ripping through the Mavs with precision. Meanwhile, all Mavs not named Cooper Flagg couldn’t quite find the touch until the latter half of the quarter when Marvin Bagley checked in to help Flagg chip away at the lead just a bit.
35%: The Mavericks overall shooting percentage
The Clippers 17-0 run to start the game was due in part to the Mavs missing makable shots, a trend that continued throughout the night. The Mavs managed to hoist up 100 total shots, but only made 35 of them. Missing 65 shots in 48 minutes is a remarkable feat for all the wrong reasons. Amazingly, players such as Marvin Bagley (8-for-11) and Ryan Nembhard (6-for-12) were very efficient, which really goes to show you just how bad the shooting was from everyone else.
18.2%: The Mavericks three-point shooting percentage
If you thought the prior stat was bad, this one really takes the cake. Dallas converted at a 6-for-33 clip from deep on Tuesday night. For perspective, Kawhi Leonard matched the entire output of the Mavs’ team from downtown. Klay Thompson was the biggest culprit for Dallas, going 1-for-10 from beyond the arc, though Max Christie’s 0-for-5 was nothing to write home about either. Dallas has not been a good three-point shooting team all year, but this was shockingly bad to witness.
27/28: Dallas’ free throw attempts and makes
The only thing the Mavs could hit against Los Angeles was free throws, of which they got many. Dallas was an exceptional 27-for-28 from the free throw line. Despite it not helping the outcome, it at least made the final score look a tad more presentable. The starters who attempted a free throw (Flagg, Christie and Dwight Powell) were a perfect 20-for-20 from the stripe
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BOTTOM LINE: Oklahoma City aims to keep its six-game win streak intact when the Thunder take on Los Angeles.
The Clippers are 24-25 against Western Conference opponents. Los Angeles ranks fifth in the Western Conference in team defense, allowing only 112.4 points while holding opponents to 46.8% shooting.
The Thunder have gone 40-9 against Western Conference opponents. Oklahoma City is 5-6 in games decided by less than 4 points.
The 114.0 points per game the Clippers score are 6.7 more points than the Thunder allow (107.3). The Thunder average 13.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.5 more makes per game than the Clippers allow.
The teams play for the third time this season. The Thunder won the last meeting 122-101 on Dec. 19. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points to help lead the Thunder to the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: John Collins is shooting 55.6% and averaging 13.7 points for the Clippers. Kawhi Leonard is averaging 23.5 points over the last 10 games.
Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.4 points and 6.5 assists for the Thunder. Chet Holmgren is averaging 11.3 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Clippers: 7-3, averaging 118.3 points, 40.8 rebounds, 24.6 assists, 10.2 steals and 6.0 blocks per game while shooting 50.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.6 points per game.
Thunder: 9-1, averaging 124.9 points, 46.4 rebounds, 27.5 assists, 9.8 steals and 5.4 blocks per game while shooting 51.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 104.2 points.
INJURIES: Clippers: Isaiah Jackson: out (ankle), Yanic Konan Niederhauser: out for season (foot), Bradley Beal: out for season (hip).
Thunder: Jalen Williams: out (hamstring), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks visit Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday.
The Suns are 27-22 in conference play. Phoenix is at the bottom of the Western Conference scoring 43.0 points per game in the paint.
The Mavericks are 14-35 against conference opponents. Dallas is fourth in the Western Conference with 44.7 rebounds per game led by P.J. Washington averaging 7.0.
The Suns are shooting 45.5% from the field this season, 2.2 percentage points lower than the 47.7% the Mavericks allow to opponents. The Mavericks average 10.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.4 fewer made shots on average than the 12.1 per game the Suns give up.
The teams meet for the third time this season. The Suns won 120-111 in the last matchup on Feb. 11.
TOP PERFORMERS: Royce O'Neale is scoring 9.8 points per game and averaging 4.8 rebounds for the Suns. Booker is averaging 26.5 points and 3.2 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Max Christie is scoring 12.2 points per game and averaging 3.3 rebounds for the Mavericks. Flagg is averaging 26.5 points and 6.6 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Suns: 4-5, averaging 115.6 points, 42.3 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 8.8 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.7 points per game.
Mavericks: 2-8, averaging 117.4 points, 43.1 rebounds, 25.2 assists, 8.8 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 127.4 points.
INJURIES: Suns: Haywood Highsmith: out (knee).
Mavericks: P.J. Washington: out (elbow), Dereck Lively II: out for season (foot), Daniel Gafford: out (shoulder), Caleb Martin: out (heel), Brandon Williams: out (illness), Kyrie Irving: out for season (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
At the end of the first quarter of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 123–87 dismantling of the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena, the UCLA Bruins women’s basketball team walked into the spotlight carrying something heavier than gold — their place in history.
Just two nights removed from a 79–51 title-clinching win over the South Carolina Gamecocks in the NCAA national championship in Phoenix, the Bruins were introduced at halfcourt.
Head coach Cori Close stood off to the left, with stars Lauren Betts, Sienna Betts, Gabriela Jaquez, Kiki Rice, and the rest of the team holding up their national championship trophy and waving at fans.
UCLA women’s basketball team is honored at halfcourt during the Thunder’s 123-87 blowout win over the Lakers on April 7, 2026 in Los Angeles. NBAE via Getty Images
The women of Westwood got the loudest ovation by far, especially considering it was another blowout for the purple and gold at the hands of OKC.
Even some of the celebrities sitting courtside took notice. Academy Award nominee for best actress, Kate Hudson, sat courtside and greeted the players, giving them her congratulations on their impressive performance.
The champs are here! The Lakers honor UCLA Women’s basketball team after winning the 2026 NCAA tournament pic.twitter.com/ullOVNxdM7
The same could not be said for the Lakers. Playing without LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves the team didn’t put up much of a fight against the reigning NBA champions.
