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Cavs outlast shorthanded Warriors 118-111 for ugly win

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 2: Max Strus #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers handles the ball during the game against the Golden State Warriors on April 2, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

It wasn’t pretty, but the Cleveland Cavaliers were able to execute well enough late to defeat an undermanned Golden State Warriors team 118-111 to cap off their three-game road trip.

This was a messy game for both sides. The Warriors were playing without several star players, including Steph Curry, and were also on the second night of a back-to-back.

The Cavs have struggled with their lack of size this road trip, with the injuries to Dean Wade (ankle) and Jaylon Tyson (toe). That, combined with an inability to take care of the ball — the Cavs turned it over 15 times, leading to 23 points off turnovers for Golden State — made for an uneven performance.

Cleveland controlled the game throughout most of the first three quarters. They pushed their lead to 13 late in the second quarter and had a 12-point advantage midway through the third.

Any momentum the Cavs had stalled out in the fourth quarter. The defense struggled to get stops in the final quarter and was also on the wrong end of a few calls. In one defensive possession, the Cavs were assessed a flagrant foul and two technicals. They were also on the wrong end of a made triple that same trip down the court.

The Warriors used that sequence to take the lead midway through the fourth quarter, but they weren’t able to create much separation. They could only push their advantage to four.

To the Cavs’ credit, they were able to fight through what was a frustrating game. Their late-game offensive execution was once again good, thanks in part to Max Strus. He knocked down two crucial threes late; his last made it a two-possession game with under a minute left in the fourth. Those triples, combined with some timely points from Jarrett Allen and James Harden, were enough to secure the victory.

As was mentioned earlier, turnovers were an issue. Harden and Donovan Mitchell combined to give it away nine times. Many of these were due to simply lacking focus.

Additionally, the defense struggled, even though the Warriors weren’t able to take advantage of it as they should’ve. The Cavs are missing size on the wing and have been forced into more four-guard lineups than head coach Kenny Atkinson would likely prefer to play. That, predictably, led to uneven results defensively.

Mitchell led the Cavs with 25 points on 7-14 shooting to go along with six rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block.

Strus poured in 24 points on 6-10 shooting from deep. The Cavs played their best basketball with him on the court as he led the team in plus/minus by being a +17.

Harden had 19 points on 7-11 shooting with five assists in the victory.

The free-throw issues for the bigs continued. Evan Mobley and Allen accounted for all of Cleveland’s eight missed foul shots. Mobley missed both of his attempts at the charity stripe. He finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Allen went 6-12 from the line. He provided 16 points and 13 rebounds.

The Warriors were led by 25 points from both Gui Santos and Brandon Podziemski. Kristaps Porzingis added in 16 points and seven rebounds in the loss. Draymond Green had eight points on 3-11 shooting with nine rebounds and nine assists.

The win secured the Cavs a top-six spot in the playoffs for the fourth season in a row.

The Cavaliers will return home to take on the Indiana Pacers on Easter. Tip-off is at 6 PM.

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David Peterson roughed up, Mets bats remain quiet in 7-2 loss to Giants

The Mets offense continued to struggle, recording just five hits in a 7-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night.

It's New York's third straight loss as they fell to 3-4 on the season.

Here are the key takeaways…

-- Bo Bichette got the Mets going in the first inning against LHP Robbie Ray, driving in Juan Soto from first base with an RBI double to make it 1-0. It's Bichette's first extra-base hit with New York after having 63 last season with Toronto.

However, the lead didn't last long, as David Peterson had a first inning he'd like to forget. The lefty let up a one-out single to Rafael Devers, a two-out RBI triple to Luis Arraez, and a go-ahead, RBI double to Matt Chapman. Looking to get out of the inning, Peterson forced a grounder to first, but dropped the ball covering the base, allowing Chapman to score from second and push the Giants' lead to 3-1.

-- Mark Vientos, in the starting lineup for the third straight game, blasted his first home run of the season to lead off the second inning. The solo HR cut San Fran's lead to 3-2 and traveled an estimated 406 feet (108.6 mph exit velocity).

In the bottom of the second, Marcus Semien was unable to make a catch in shallow center field, calling off Luis Robert Jr., giving the Giants two on with no outs. Luckily, Peterson forced a 6-4-3 double play and struck out Devers to prevent further damage. Despite throwing just 24 pitches, Peterson had already faced 11 batters through two frames.

-- Peterson found himself in a bases-loaded jam in the third inning after allowing three straight singles. The Giants capitalized, tacking on two more runs on two sacrifice flies to make it a 5-2 game. The left-hander escaped with runners on second and third base, striking out Willy Adames on his 47th pitch of the night.

He finally had a quick inning in the fourth, sending the Giants down in order with two strikeouts. Peterson got Chapman to ground out in the fifth inning and then walked Jung Hoo Lee, ending his day after 4.1 IP. The LHP allowed five earned runs on nine hits with five strikeouts and two walks over 68 pitches.

-- Sean Manaea entered in the bottom of the fifth inning with Lee on first base and couldn't keep the score intact. He let up a walk and an RBI single to Casey Schmitt that put SF up 6-2 before striking out Adames to end the frame. Manaea then allowed a solo homer to Devers in the sixth as the Giants went up 7-2.

Manaea got two quick outs to open the seventh inning before back-to-back singles and a walk loaded the bases. The lefty avoided trouble thanks to an inning-ending groundout. He stayed in to pitch a 1-2-3 eighth inning, ending the night after 74 pitches in 3.2 innings of relief.

-- Ray held New York to just three hits through 5.1 IP. He retired the last five Mets hitters he faced after allowing a Francisco Alvarez single in the third inning. 

Semien broke the team's hitless streak in the seventh with a single, but Alvarez grounded into a double play and Tyrone Taylor grounded out to end any scoring chance. New York recorded just one more hit, a Soto single in the eighth, ending the night with five total. They went 0-for-3 with RISP and left four on base.

-- Former Met Blade Tidwell made his Giants debut in the seventh, recording two strikeouts and getting the three-inning save.

GAME MVP

Ray, who was locked in after allowing two runs through two innings. He struck out seven with just three walks over 96 pitches.

Highlights

Upcoming Schedule

The Mets continue their series against the San Francisco Giants on Friday night at 10:15 p.m.

Nolan McLean will make his second start of the year and face RHP Tyler Mahle.

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Oilers win season-high 5th straight, beating Chicago 3-1 to end Blackhawks' playoff hopes

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Connor McDavid set up Matt Savoie's power-play goal to pad his NHL-leading points total and help the Edmonton Oilers win their season-high fifth straight game, 3-1 over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night.

Chicago lost its fifth straight to drop out of playoff contention, extending its postseason drought to six seasons. Edmonton matched Pacific Division-leading Anaheim with 87 points, but has played one more game than the Ducks.

Adam Henrique and Vasily Podkolzin also scored for the Oilers, and Tristan Jarry made 17 saves. They have won seven of their last nine, surging with star forward Leon Draisaitl out for the rest of the regular season because of a lower-body injury.

Nick Lardis scored for Chicago. Spencer Knight stopped 31 shots for Chicago, and Arvid Soderblom made four saves and allowed a goal while Knight dealt with an equipment issue.

McDavid's goals streak ended at five games. He has 43 goals and 83 assists for 126 points, two more than Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov for the NHL lead.

Up next

Blackhawks: At Seattle on Saturday night.

Oilers: Host Vegas on Saturday night.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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Luka Dončić exits Thunder game with hamstring strain, will undergo MRI on Friday

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - APRIL 2: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

On a night where everything that could go wrong did for the Lakers, the biggest blow did not come on the scoreboard.

In the third quarter of Thursday’s demoralizing loss to the Thunder, Luka Dončić came to a stop for a jumper and immediately grabbed the back of his left leg. He lost the ball and hobbled to the baseline before lying down on the ground.

According to multiple reports, Luka will undergo an MRI on Friday to determine the severity of his hamstring strain.

The broadcast showed Luka walking off on his own power, but clearly upset. He went straight to the Lakers’ locker room.

Luka was ruled out for the rest of the game after the third quarter, which was not a shock given the score as the Thunder led by 45 going into the fourth. Not long after Luka suffered his injury, the rest of the Lakers’ starters were pulled from the game.

It was the capper on a brutal night for the Lakers, who were throttled by the Thunder from the opening tip. Luka grabbed at his left hamstring multiple times throughout the night, but did not seem hobbled by the injury until the moment in the second half.

After the game, head coach JJ Redick said that Luka received treatment at halftime for a hamstring injury and was cleared to play by the training staff.

Of note, Thursday was Luka’s 64th game of the season, leaving him one game short of the 65-game minimum to be eligible for postseason awards. While he’s a long shot for MVP, he’s a shoo-in for First Team All-NBA if he can play one more game this season.

This live story will be updated as more information becomes available.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

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Blackhawks Eliminated From Playoff Contention With 3-1 Loss To Oilers

The Chicago Blackhawks traveled up to Alberta, Canada, to take on the Edmonton Oilers. With under two weeks remaining in the regular season, Jeff Blashill’s team is about developing habits that they can bring with them to training camp in September. 

This is also a chance for roster bubble players to prove their worth heading into the summer. As the two-time defending Western Conference champions, the Oilers are playing meaningful hockey as they attempt to win the Pacific Division late in the year. 

The last stretch of games has not been good for the Blackhawks. It continued with a 3-1 loss to the Oilers on Thursday night. They are now 2-5-3 in their last 10 games, and are officially eliminated from postseason contention. 

The Blackhawks were outshot 38-18 in the game and were severely dominated in puck possession metrics throughout. Spencer Knight (and Arvid Soderblom) kept the score much closer than it should have been. 

Soderblom had to come into the game because of Knight's equipment malfunction. During that time, he played well, but he did allow a breakaway goal to Adam Henrique, who buried his own rebound.

That goal was more of a fault on the team rather than Soderblom, as the defense failed him on the play. He also made a breakaway save on Connor McDavid during his stint in the game. 

Knight came back in once the trainers got his gear right, and he only allowed 1 goal on 32 total shots faced. Overall, goaltending was more positive than negative. 

Chicago's one goal was scored by Nick Lardis, who had a bounce go his way as he hit it into the net after Connor Bedard sent one on net. That is the 9th goal of the season for Lardis, who is slowly racking up goals to prove his abilities at the NHL level. 

Late in the game, Lardis took a puck off his left hand. Clearly in pain, he left and didn't return. Jeff Blashill did not have an update, but it seems like he is going to be okay. 

Whenever you play the Oilers, the top challenge is slowing down Connor McDavid. You don't stop him; you can only hope to contain him. In this game, the Hawks kept him to one assist, despite him having tons of grade-A chances. 

This was the first time that the Blackhawks faced Jason Dickinson and Connor Murphy since the trade. They each assisted on Vasily Podkolzin's empty net goal, and they look extremely happy to be on a team with Stanley Cup aspirations going into the postseason. 

For Chicago, no matter how the remaining six games of the season go, they are going to be focused on certain players playing well. They are a lock for top-five draft lottery odds, so it is more of a worry for them to have a strong finish on the ice. 

Watch Every Chicago Goal

What’s Next For The Blackhawks?

The Chicago Blackhawks will be back in action again on Saturday night when they will be in Washington state to take on the Seattle Kraken. 

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Lakers blown out by Thunder with uncertainty around Luka Doncic’s status

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Luka Doncic dribbles the basketball while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, Image 2 shows Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shoots a jump shot in front of a Lakers player, Image 3 shows LeBron James in his Los Angeles Lakers jersey with hands on hips during a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder

OKLAHOMA CITY — Lakers coach JJ Redick said his team knew what time it was ahead of Thursday’s marquee matchup against the Thunder.

But they didn’t play like it.

Not even close.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander brings the ball up court against the Lakers. NBAE via Getty Images

The Lakers’ 139-96 blowout loss to the Thunder was troubling in a variety of ways.

They struggled with the signature defensive pressure and tenacity of the defending champions, leading to a turnover-filled first quarter.

Their energy and urgency dipped once it was clear their shotmaking wasn’t going to be there for them – the first time in a while that’s been the case.

They were defeated well before the final buzzer sounded.

“They beat the s— out of us,” Austin Reaves said. “They’re the defending champs. We’ve got to be better. Losing always sucks. It don’t matter if you lose by 1 or 50. A loss is a loss. That’s kind of how I look at it.”

But before the night ended, the final result didn’t feel relevant, with star guard Luka Doncic leaving the game during the third quarter because of a left hamstring injury.

Luka Doncic drives the ball against the Thunder. NBAE via Getty Images

Doncic will get imaging down on Friday to determine the severity of his injury. He, along with all of the Lakers, were having a rough night before he left the game.

Doncic had 12 points (3-of-10 shooting, 1 of 7 on 3s), 7 assists and 4 rebounds in 26 minutes before his exit. 

Austin Reaves led the Lakers with 15 points and 4 assists, but was grabbing at his left side throughout the night. 

LeBron James finished with 13 points and 6 rebounds. 

What it means

The Lakers fell to 50-27 for just their third loss in their last 19 games, dropping the regular-season series to the Thunder.

But most importantly, they left Paycom Center without knowing the status of their best player moving forward. 

LeBron James brings the ball up court against the Thunder. NBAE via Getty Images

Turning point 

When Reaves turned the ball over on the Lakers’ third possession. 

It was the first of back-to-back possessions that ended with a turnover for the Lakers, with the Thunder taking advantage and scoring off both giveaways, leading to Redick calling an early timeout.

“I did a poor job starting the game,” Reaves said. “A couple turnovers back-to-back. I had four in that first quarter. I just gotta do better. Give ourselves a better opportunity to get to a better start.”

The Thunder had full control of the game from there.

MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

The league’s reigning MVP didn’t have the most efficient scoring night by his standards, shooting 12 of 25 from the field (1 of 4 on 3-pointers), finishing with 28 points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds in 30 minutes.  

But he controlled the game early with his passing when his shots weren’t falling.

And when Gilgeous-Alexander did get it going, the Lakers didn’t have an answer.

Gilgeous-Alexander likely cemented himself with another league MVP honors with Thursday’s performance.

LeBron James drives to the hoop against the Thunder. Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Stat of the game: 8

That’s how many turnovers the Lakers had in the first 7 ½ minutes of the game, directly leading to 14 points for the Thunder, who had a 25-9 lead midway through the first.

The Lakers finished with 18 giveaways against the Thunder’s stingy defense. 

But the lack of ball security early took them out of the game before they were even able to get in it. 

“We frankly had unforced turnovers,” Redick said. “They had a lot more shots on goal to start the game. The eight turnovers in the first quarter really hurt us.” 

Up next

The Lakers will play the Mavericks in Dallas on Sunday to end the two-game trip.

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LeBron James unloads on Memphis, Grizzlies in Bob Does Sports video

While much focus has been on NBA expansion to Seattle and Las Vegas, several players have expressed a desire to have another team relocated.

The latest is Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, who voiced his opinion that the NBA should move out of Memphis.

While golfing in a Bob Does Sports video, host Robby Berger asked the 41-year-old James whether travel for NBA games wears on him more as he ages.

"Yeah, a random (expletive) Tuesday in Milwaukee staying at the (expletive) Hyatt at 41 years old, you think I want to do that (expletive)," James responded. "Being in Memphis on a (expletive) random (expletive) Thursday."

He then went on a tirade about the Grizzlies needing to pack their bags and relocate.

"I'm not like the first guy to even talk about it in the NBA," James said. "Like, we're all like 'you guys have to move.' Just go over to Nashville. You got Vanderbilt over there. You got the (expletive) NASCAR. You got a stadium. Don't they have a hockey team, too? Like they got everything."

Nashville has a population of more than 700,000 and its a thriving sports town that houses NASCAR races, the NHL's Nashville Predators, NFL's Tennessee Titans, the University of Vanderbilt and Tennessee State University, a historically Black College and University.

Nashville is a nice city. Downtown Nashville is lively. As for Memphis, James maybe just has a vendetta against it.

James and the No. 7-seed Lakers bounced a No. 2-seeded Grizzlies team in the first round of the 2023 playoffs, 4-2. The series was talked up because a young Grizzlies team led by Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane and Dillon Brooks trash talked the Lakers, with their fans quoting "Whoop That Trick" from the Memphis-based movie "Hustle & Flow."

So, maybe James really doesn't like Memphis. He even joked that he'd never play for Memphis.

"Yeah, they know," James said. "Their only chance would have been 2003 if they would have won the lottery and I might have pulled an Eli Manning and not showed up."

NBA community chimes in on Memphis

Memphis hasn't been on the best end of things of late. In a episode of "Sundae Conversation with Caleb Pressley" uploaded Feb. 22, Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was asked how often he thought about the hotel being used when he traveled to different cities.

Edwards said he always thinks about that, especially in Memphis.

"I be like, damn, my hotels ain't nothing in Memphis," Edwards said. "My (expletive) be dirty. I walked in a Memphis hotel one time, it had stains and (expletive) on the bed."

Warriors forward Draymond Green recalled his experiences in Memphis, as well, on an episode of his podcast, "The Draymond Green Show." Spoiler alert, they weren't good memories.

"I've spent a lot of time in Memphis. And the hotels aren't the best. They aren't quite the hotels when you're in LA or Houston or Miami or Atlanta or Detroit or Portland or (Oklahoma City) or Indianapolis or Toronto or New York or Philly or Boston or DC or Charlotte or Orlando or San Antonio or Dallas or Phoenix," Green said. "You get the gist. Memphis definitely has the worst hotels in the league, no question."

He claimed Memphis does not have some of the bigger hotel companies, like other NBA cities. He also said Memphis hotels didn't have room service or spas. He recalled a situation where the Warriors had to switch hotels.

"We had an issue there, where we used to stay at one hotel in Memphis, and this (was) days back, we stopped staying there because their sprinklers just went off for no reason in the room and drenched all of Andrew Bogut's stuff," Green said. "The sprinkler system, like it was a fire, just went off, drenched all Bogut's stuff. And they didn't want to do anything about it, so we switched hotels. So it's been an issue. It's gotten a little better, I must say, but it's not ... it's still not the other cities."

Green, like James, believes the solution would be to move the team to Nashville. On a March 18 episode of his podcast, Green commented on NBA expansion, repositioning conferences and the teams that make them up.

He offered his two cents to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

"Just do everybody a favor and move that team to Nashville. There's no great hotels in Memphis. I love the people of Memphis. They are incredible. Shout out to the people of Memphis. I love them. But just from an NBA standpoint," Green said. "Get Memphis the hell out of Memphis and send them to Nashville. Do the right thing, people. It's a reason the Tennessee Titans are in Nashville, do the right thing. Just go on to Nashville. Don't charge them a relocation fee. They just going up the street and doing all us a favor."

He added: "Let's not charge them a relocation fee. Please. Let them just do us all a favor and take the team to Nashville. No problem, no harm, no foul. It's a swap. You ain't got to pay the relocation fee. Go to Nashville. Do us all a favor, Adam, nobody will be upset. Not one person will be upset."

Former NBA players give takes on Memphis

Retired NBA player and "All The Smoke" podcast host Matt Barnes said he had a similar perception until he played for Memphis. Barnes played 17 NBA seasons for the Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns, Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers and Grizzlies.

"When I went out there, I actually enjoyed it. It was everything I needed in my life at the time, coming fresh off a divorce and coming off a dysfunctional Lob City (Clippers) team, I was kind of able to reset and center," Barnes said. "They had great food. The women were very nice to me out there. It was a really hospitable city. Everyone was super cool. But it is one of those cities, outside looking in, if you don't spend a ton of time there."

Barnes and frequent "All The Smoke" podcast co-host, former NBA player Vernon Maxwell, rattled off some of their least favorite cities to be in. They included Milwaukee, Utah, Cleveland and Sacramento, although Barnes went on to say that Sacramento was a hidden gem.

Former players Channing Frye, Richard Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins all expressed their opinions of Memphis during a February episode of their 'Road Trippin' podcast. Frye vehemently agreed that Memphis wasn't a favorable stay.

"Memphis is easily the worst," Frye said.

When Jefferson was asked, he screamed, "Memphis" as his answer.

Perkins agreed that Memphis was the worst city when it came to hotels.

Jefferson went on to explain that NBA players stay at five-star hotels, or the best the city has to offer. When players go to Memphis, it is seen as a downgrade.

"You stay in the nicest hotels and then you go to Memphis and you stay in a Westin," Jefferson said. "Now, imagine if you got traded to Memphis. There's a probability that you might have to stay in that hotel for two weeks, the level of depression you would go to just from staying in that hotel when you literally are staying in Ritz-Carltons, Four Seasons, like the nicest five-star hotels all around the country, and then you go to Memphis and you're staying in this Westin, and every team stays in The Westin or the Peabody. It's not great, bro."

He added: "This is a beautiful city. I've got no issues with Memphis, but let's have a business conversation. Memphis is the only NBA franchise that, once they (built) the arena, they didn't build up the infrastructure around it. It is the only one. Every other one has built up restaurants, a nicer hotel. They've built up something around the arena. Memphis has not in their entire time there."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LeBron James unloads on Memphis, Grizzlies to Bob Does Sports crew

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Rookie catcher Carter Jensen gets scratched from Royals’ starting lineup after oversleeping

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City catcher Carter Jensen was removed from the Royals’ starting lineup for Thursday game with the Minnesota Twins after he overslept.

“I didn’t wake up to my alarm. Slept through it,” Jensen told The Kansas City Star and other outlets. “Don’t really have an excuse — nor should I. It sucks. It happens. I feel like I let teammates down, coaches down. Just learn from it and just know it won’t happen again.”

Jensen eventually arrived, but not early enough to prepare adequately to start the game. He did end up coming in as Kansas City’s catcher in the ninth inning of the Royals’ 5-1 loss.

Salvador Perez, who was expecting to be Kansas City’s designated hitter Thursday, ended up catching the first eight innings.

“First and foremost, I’m glad Carter’s OK,” Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino told reporters. “I mean, that was kind of the initial thought when you’re trying to get a hold of his parents and everything like that — just make sure he’s OK.”

Pasquantino said Jensen, a 22-year-old rookie, needs to learn from this experience.

“There are some things that cannot happen, and that’s one of them,” Pasquantino said. “So he’s going to have to wear it on the chin — same way anybody would have to. It can’t happen, and hopefully it doesn’t happen again. But it’s one of those things that you just can’t afford mistakes like that in this game. Just got to move forward the best that he can. I know he feels really bad.

“I know it was not his favorite drive to the field this morning, but it wasn’t our favorite morning either, trying to figure out what was going on. He’ll learn from it, grow a little bit. We’re here for him, though. It’s not like anybody’s mad at him. Things happen. But you’ve got to learn from mistakes like that — and maybe get another alarm clock or something.”

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Bobrovsky Backstops Panthers In 2-1 Victory Over Boston

The Florida Panthers completed a sweep of their two-game homestand on Thursday night in Sunrise.

Fresh off defeating the Ottawa Senators, Florida took down another team fighting for their playoff lives, earning a gritty 2-1 victory over the Boston Bruins at Amerant Bank Arena.

Interestingly, all the goals in this game would come during the opening period.

Getting the party started just 4:20 into the game was Panthers youngster Mackie Samoskevich.

First, he picked off a pass from Bruins defenseman Henri Jokiharju deep in Boston’s zone before cutting to the middle of the ice and wiring a shot past Jeremy Swayman to set up Florida with a 1-0 lead.

For Samoskevich, it was his third consecutive game with a goal, the longest such streak of his NHL career.

Just 3:39 later, Sam Bennett was in the right place at the right time when A.J. Greer’s long wrist shot was blocked by Jokiharji.

The puck came right to Bennett’s stick as he skated through the slot, and the quick-thinking forward put the puck past Swayman before the goaltender could react, doubling the Cats’ lead.

Ultimately, the goal would end up being the game-winner After Fraser Minter picked up his 17th goal of the season during the final minute of the opening frame.

From there, Sergei Bobrovsky stood tall for the Cats, stopping all 20 shots Boston put on him the rest of the way, including 15 that came during the third period.

He also stopped 10 of the Bruins’ high-danger shots on a night Bob’s expected goals against was 4.59.

Next up for the Panthers is their final road trip of the season, a five-gamer that begins with back-to-back games in Pittsburgh on Saturday and Sunday.

Off to see the Penguins.

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Photo caption: Apr 2, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes a save against Boston Bruins left wing Viktor Arvidsson (71) during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

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Kon Knueppel sets Hornets’ season 3-point record in a 127-107 win over the Suns

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Miles Bridges scored 25 points, rookie Kon Knueppel set a franchise record for 3-pointers in a season and finished with 20 points as the Charlotte Hornets rolled past the Phoenix Suns 127-107 on Thursday night.

Coby White added 19 points and LaMelo Ball had 15 points and 11 assists for the Hornets, who have won seven of nine. Brandon Miller added 17 points.

Knueppel, the No. 4 overall pick from Duke, made four 3s to give him 261, breaking the previous record of 260 set by Kemba Walker in the 2018-19 season. Knueppel broke the record with a corner 3 after missing two open looks earlier in the fourth quarter.

Earlier in the game, Phoenix’s Collin Gillespie set the Suns’ franchise record for 3s in a season, eclipsing the mark of 226 held by Quentin Richardson in the 2004-05 season. Gillespie finished with two 3s and six points.

Jalen Green had 25 points and Devin Booker added 22 for the Suns, who have lost six of their past seven road games.

PISTONS 113, TIMBERWOLVES 108

DETROIT (AP) — Jalen Duren had 22 points and 14 rebounds, Daniss Jenkins scored 26 points and Detroit beat Minnesota as both teams were without a superstar.

Minnesota ruled out All-Star guard Anthony Edwards, listing his right knee injury and an illness, about 90 minutes before tipoff. The Pistons announced earlier in the day that Cade Cunningham would be out at least another week to recover from a collapsed left lung.

Edwards and Cunningham will be ineligible for NBA postseason awards because they can’t reach the 65-game minimum.

The Pistons went on an 11-0 run midway through the fourth quarter to take control and improved to 7-2 without Cunningham since March 17.

Minnesota’s Julius Randle finished with 27 points, Ayo Dosunmu and Naz Reid scored 19 points each and Mike Conley scored all 14 of his points in the first half.

Detroit’s Ausar Thompson, the Eastern Conference defensive player of the month, had a career-high nine assists to go along with nine rebounds and seven points.

THUNDER 139, LAKERS 96

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 28 points, and Oklahoma City routed Los Angeles in a game in which NBA leading scorer Luka Doncic left due to injury.

Only six times in their storied history have the Lakers been defeated by more points. They fell six points short of their worst margin of defeat ever — a 49-point loss to the Dallas Mavericks in 2017.

Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning league MVP, got the best of his matchup with Doncic — one of Gilgeous-Alexander’s top competitors for this season’s award. Doncic had scored at least 40 points in five of his previous seven games, but he finished with 12 points on 3-for-10 shooting from the field and 1-for-7 shooting from 3-point range against the Thunder’s suffocating defense.

Doncic left the game with a left hamstring injury in the middle of the third quarter. Lakers coach JJ Redick said he will have an MRI on Friday.

Austin Reaves scored 15 points and LeBron James added 13 for the Lakers.

CAVALIERS 118, WARRIORS 111

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Donovan Mitchell had 25 points and six rebounds, Max Strus’ 3-pointer with 54 seconds left helped seal it as he scored 24, and Cleveland beat Golden State.

James Harden contributed 19 points and five assists as the Cavs won for the seventh time in nine games during a stretch playing five times in eight nights.

Gui Santos and Brandin Podziemski scored 25 points apiece for the Warriors, who were missing Stephen Curry for the 27th straight game but his return could come as soon as Sunday. He scrimmaged 5-on-5 for the third time in as many days to test his injured right knee that has sidelined him since Jan. 30.

Coach Steve Kerr said Curry and Vice President of Player Health and Performance Rick Celebrini might decide as soon as Friday based on how Curry feels a day later whether he can return to face the Rockets.

With 9:28 left, Cleveland’s Dennis Schroder made a hard foul from behind on a driving LJ Cryer and it was reviewed and ruled a Flagrant 1 for his leap and kick into the Warriors guard. Draymond Green was called for a technical on the play after he shoved Schroder while helping Cryer up from the floor.

TRAIL BLAZIERS 118, PELICANS 106

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Jrue Holiday had 27 points, including seven 3-pointers, and Portland downed New Orleans.

Deni Avdija added 26 points for the Blazers, who have won three straight and eight of their last 10 games. Toumani Camara finished with 23 points.

Jeremiah Fears had 21 points off the bench for the Pelicans, who have lost 11 of their last 12 games.

After trailing at the half, the Blazers went up 106-96 on Holiday’s deep 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter. His 3 with 1:21 left made it 116-105 and all but sealed it for Portland. Holiday finished with nine assists.

The Blazers have already clinched a play-in game. The team sits a half-game back of the eighth-place Clippers. If the Blazers can move into eighth, they’d have to win one game to advance to the playoffs, whereas in ninth, they’d have to win two.

SPURS 118, CLIPPERS 99

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — De’Aaron Fox scored 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting, and San Antonio beat Los Angeles without Victor Wembanyama in the lineup to win their 11th in a row.

Wembanyama was rested on the second night of a back-to-back. He had 41 points and 18 rebounds in a 127-113 win at the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.

The Spurs had six players in double figures, including Stephon Castle with 20 points and Dylan Harper with 19 off the bench.

San Antonio kept alive its hopes of catching Oklahoma City for the top spot in the West. The Spurs improved to 27-2 since Feb. 1 and 11-5 when Wembanyama doesn’t play.

Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points to lead the Clippers with his 53rd consecutive game of 20 or more points. Bennedict Mathurin added 18 points off the bench and John Collins had 15. The loss dropped them to the ninth spot for the play-in tournament with their second straight loss after winning five in a row. Portland moved into eighth after a 118-106 win.

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Lightning beat the Penguins 6-3 to move into 1st place in the Atlantic Division

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Anthony Cirelli registered his second career hat trick, Nikita Kucherov had a goal and three points, and the Tampa Bay Lightning moved into first place in the Atlantic Division after a 6-3 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night.

Zemgus Girgensons scored his 100th career goal and Brayden Point scored his second in 14 games for Tampa Bay, which improved to 7-1-2 in the past 10 games. Jake Guentzel and Gage Goncalves both had two assists while Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 21 saves.

Egor Chinakov scored twice and Rickard Rackell also scored for Pittsburgh. Sam Girard and Kris Letang both had two assists and Stuart Skinner finished with 27 saves.

The Penguins remain in second place in the Metropolitan Division, three points ahead of the New York Islanders.

Cirelli scored Tampa Bay’s first two goals and he added an empty-netter for his first hat trick since Jan. 17, 2020.

CANANDIENS 3, RANGERS 2

NEW YORK (AP) — Cole Caufield scored his 48th and 49th goals of the season, and Montreal won its seventh game in a row to move closer to making the playoffs by defeating New York.

Caufield’s second was his NHL-best 12th winning goal, putting the Canadiens ahead 47 seconds after Will Cuylle tied it. He moved one back of Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon for the league lead in goals and in the process extended his career high with 83 points.

This winning streak is the storied organization’s longest in nearly a decade, dating to an eight-game unbeaten run from Oct. 18-Nov. 2, 2016. Montreal has separated itself from the pack in the Eastern Conference and kept pace with Buffalo and Tampa Bay in a hot Atlantic Division race.

Alex Newhook scored the Canadiens’ first goal 4 1/2 minutes into the second period on their 12th shot against Igor Shesterkin, who was the only reason they hadn’t taken a lead earlier.

Jakub Fowler made 21 saves, the biggest on a penalty kill late in the second when he turned aside Alexis Lafrenière at the side of the net.

SENATORS 4, SABRES 1

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Lars Eller broke a third-period tie and Ottawa beat Buffalo, preventing it from wrapping up a drought-breaking playoff spot.

Buffalo will have to wait to end its NHL-record 14-season postseason skid, the second-longest active futility run in North America’s four major sports behind the New York Jets and their 15-season slide.

Eller deflected defenseman Artem Zub’s shot from the point past goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen at 5:55 of the third.

Buffalo defenseman Mattias Samuelsson opened the scoring at 8:49 of the second with a long wrist shot. Dylan Cozens tied it with 4:42 left in the second on a tip-in. He has 26 goals this season.

Ridly Greig and Shane Pinto added empty-net goals.

Linus Ullmark made 21 saves for Ottawa. The Senators — in the second wild-card spot in the East — opened a five-game homestand.

Luukkonen stopped 20 shots for Buffalo.

HURRICANES 5, BLUE JACKETS 1

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Logan Stankoven scored two goals in the first nine minutes, and Carolina clinched a playoff berth for the eighth season in a row by beating Columbus.

Alexander Nikishin added a first-period short-handed goal and Jordan Martinook and Andrei Svechnikov also scored as the Metropolitan Division-leading Hurricanes were on the way to winning for the third time in their last four games. Taylor Hall and Sebastian Aho each had two assists and Frederik Andersen made nine saves.

For Carolina, the 10 shots allowed matched the fewest shots against in franchise history.

The Hurricanes have qualified for the playoffs in each season under coach Rod Brind’Amour, a former team captain.

Denton Mateychuk scored for the Blue Jackets, who are winless in their last five games (0-4-1). Elvis Merzlikins stopped 16 shots.

RED WINGS 4, FLYERS 2

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Patrick Kane scored a pivotal goal in the same building where he scored a Stanley Cup Final winner, Alex DeBrincat scored two goals and Lucas Raymond had one to lead Detroit past Philadelphia.

The Red Wings snapped a points tie in the chase for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Detroit has 88 points to 86 for the Flyers through 75 games. The Red Wings are now tied in points with Ottawa, but the Senators have more regulation wins if it comes to a tiebreaker.

Kane’s Game 6 overtime goal helped Chicago beat the Flyers in 2010 for the Stanley Cup. The Flyers never recovered, winning only three playoff series since and lost a swing matchup in a game that could decide if they return to the postseason.

Travis Konecny scored his 25th goal in the third to make it 3-2 and give the Flyers some needed hope at a comeback.

It just wasn’t enough.

The Flyers beat Detroit 5-3 last weekend in a game where Red Wings goalie John Gibson was pulled. Gibson was back in net for this one — his 13th straight start - and rebounded with 32 saves.

PANTHERS 2, BRUINS 1

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 15 saves in the third period and 28 overall as the Panthers defeated Boston.

The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers avoided elimination from the playoffs with the win.

Florida got first-period goals from Mackie Samoskevich and Sam Bennett in their second straight win.

Boston, which had won four straight, got a goal from Fraser Minten. Jeremy Swayman made 22 saves in the loss.

DEVILS 7, CAPITALS 3

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Jack Hughes had two goals and three assists and Dawson Mercer scored twice as New Jersey beat Washington.

Hughes scored his first goal for the Devils 9:10 into the second period on a wrist shot, assisted by Jesper Bratt and Johnathan Kovacevic. He tacked on a wrist shot 8:10 into the third, assisted by Bratt and Connor Brown. Hughes has 24 goals and 44 assists this season.

Bratt, Dougie Hamilton and Cody Glass also scored for the Devils.

Tom Wilson, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Cole Hutson scored for the Capitals.

Jake Allen made 29 saves in the win for the Devils. Logan Thompson had 23 saves for the Capitals.

WILD 5, CANUCKS 2

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Matt Boldy scored his 39th and 40th goals, Kirill Kaprizov added his 40th and Minnesota wrapped up a playoff spot with a victory over Vancouver.

Third in the Western Conference and the NHL’s stacked Central Division, Minnesota secured the postseason spot in 75 games after getting in last season in the 82nd and final game before falling to Vegas in the first round.

Ryan Hartmman scored twice in the third to reach 20 goals, and Filip Gustavsson made 29 saves to help the Wild rebound from a 6-3 loss at Boston on Saturday.

Former Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes had his 67th assist. He joined the Wild in a blockbuster trade in December that sent Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Liam Ohgren and a first-round pick in 2026 to Vancouver.

Tom Willander and Jake DeBrusk scored for NHL-worst Vancouver, and Nikita Tolopilo stopped 32 shots. The Canucks were coming off an 8-6 victory at NHL-leading Colorado on Wednesday night.

STARS 3, JETS 0

DALLAS (AP) — Jake Oettinger made 22 saves for his third shutout of the season in a matchup of Team USA Olympic goaltenders and rookie Arttu Hyry had a goal in his first multipoint NHL game as Dallas beat Winnipeg.

Adam Erne also had a goal and an assist and Matt Duchene also scored for the Stars, who opened a five-game homestand that will close their home season. They are second in both the Central Division and the overall league standings, coming off a 1-2-1 road trip with only one regulation win in their previous 10 games.

Oettinger was an Olympic backup while Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck backstopped Team USA to the gold medal.

Oettinger has 31 wins, third in the NHL, with his first shutout since Dec. 3. In his previous five starts, he was 1-2-1 plus a no-decision when he was pulled after allowing four first-period goals.

Hellebuyck, who stopped 18 shots, is 20-21-11 after posting a career-high 47 wins last season while winning his third Vezina Trophy.

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Lakers throttled by Thunder in demoralizing loss

Apr 2, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after a call against hindering a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Lakers were bludgeoned from the opening tip of Thursday’s showdown with the Thunder, falling behind by double digits minutes into the game and trailing by as many as 45 en route to a 139-96 loss.

Turnovers plagued the Lakers from the jump, allowing OKC to jump ahead early. The Thunder shooting an incredible 53.9% from the field and 45.2% from three with 17 makes certainly only made matters worse.

An injury to Luka Dončić in the third quarter only made matters worse as he left the game with a left hamstring injury and did not return.

Luka got his shot attempt blocked to start the game and on the other end,  Isaiah Hartenstein converted on an alley-oop. The Thunder went up by seven early, led by their defense. They had back-to-back steals that led to four quick points for Lu Dort. 

Luka knocked down a pair of free throws, which were the only points LA had scored so far. Dort was cooking for Oklahoma with 14 points.

Offense continued to be a massive struggle for Los Angeles as they shot an abysmal 14% from the field, while OKC shot 61%. 

Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander ended the quarter with eight points. Luka ended with five points. At the end of the first, LA was down by 23. 

The Thunder turned the ball over to start the second period, but Los Angeles missed its shot attempt. On the other end, Jared McCain converted on a layup. Things kept getting worse and worse for the Lakers, who just couldn’t find any offense or put together any kind of decent defense. 

At the 8:14 mark, LA was down by 32.

Reaves and Luka were the only two players on the Lakers in double figures with 12 and 10, respectively. LeBron James was 0-2 from the field, but did have six points from free throws. Despite the teeniest of tiny signs of life with eight points scored as the quarter wound down, Los Angeles was down by 31 at halftime. 

Oklahoma City continued its thrashing of the Lakers well into the third period. Luka still hadn’t reached 20 points, while SGA had 26 points. 

At the 7:39 mark, Luka went to the locker room with his injury, taking things from bad to worse. 

The Lakers did look livelier in this quarter, but Isaiah Joe came in and launched two straight triples that basically put the absolute finishing touches on a disastrous game for the purple and gold as OKC went into the final frame up 45 points.

The fourth quarter happened.

Key Player Stats

Luka finished with 12 points, four rebounds and seven assists before exiting the game. LeBron ended with 13 points, six rebounds and two assists. Reaves had 15 points with four rebounds. Deandre Ayton logged eight points.

The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the Mavericks on Sunday at 4:30 PM PT.

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.

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Lakers' Luka Doncic leaves game after apparent hamstring injury, does not return to court

Lakers fans are hoping this is not as bad as it first looked.

In the third quarter of the Thunder blowing out the Lakers by more than 30, Luka Doncic tried to drive on Jalen Williams, pulled up sharply for what looked to be a jumper, but then instantly dropped the ball, grabbing his hamstring in pain. After being on the ground for a minute, he limped directly to the locker room under his own power, but was very emotional about the injury.

The Lakers soon confirmed Doncic would not return to the game. He will get an MRI on Friday, according to the team.

Doncic has played at an MVP-level this season — he scored 600 points in March alone and turned the Lakers into a threat in the West — but he has played in 64 games this season. If this is a hamstring strain that sidelines him until the playoffs, he would not be eligible for any postseason awards under the NBA's 65-game rule (which has already knocked Anthony Edwards out of award eligibility and will do the same to Cade Cunningham).

The NBA playoffs are 16 days away. Whether Doncic would be out that long depends on the severity of the strain, but it's not uncommon for players to be out three weeks or more with a serious strain.

Doncic has felt hamstring soreness going back to before the All-Star Game, and in February he had an MRI on his left hamstring, which did not show anything that sidelined him.

This season Doncic has averaged 33.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game. The Lakers have a -1.3 net rating when he is off the court this season.

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Lakers star Luka Doncic suffers hamstring injury in reality-check loss to Thunder

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 02: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Lakers star Luka Doncic reacts after sustaining a left hamstring injury in the third quarter of a 139-96 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night. (Cooper Neill / Getty Images)

The score wasn't the only thing that made this the Lakers’ worst loss of the season.

Even more concerning than the Lakers’ 139-96 blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday was watching superstar guard Luka Doncic hobble off the court with a left hamstring injury in the third quarter.

The 27-year-old guard was held to just 12 points and seven assists, and he committed six turnovers before he pulled up on a drive with 7:39 left in the third quarter. He grabbed at the back of his left leg and limped to the baseline, where he lowered himself to the court, rolled onto his back and covered his face. Concerned teammates surrounded him. Coach JJ Redick offered one hand to pull him to his feet.

Read more:Luka Doncic matches Michael Jordan for the most magical March in NBA history

Doncic will undergo an MRI scan Friday, Redick said, before the Lakers (50-27) play Doncic’s former team, the Dallas Mavericks, on Sunday. In a subdued locker room, the Lakers were left to wrestle with their largest margin of defeat since Nov. 27, 2023 amid the possibility of having to finish the regular season without the NBA’s leading scorer.

“At this juncture of the season, it's the last thing you want to see,” said LeBron James, who had 13 points, six rebounds and two assists. “Especially — anybody on our team — but when you have an MVP candidate on your team, the last thing you want to see is somebody go down with a hamstring injury. ... I don't know obviously what the case may be, so pray for the best for sure and a speedy recovery.”

Guard Austin Reaves shook off his own injury scare to finish with 15 points, one assist and four turnovers after grabbing at his left lower back for most of the first quarter. He said he overextended himself chasing a loose ball. He turned the ball over trying to connect with Deandre Ayton on the next possession, reaching immediately for his lower back after the pass went awry.

The Lakers had averaged just 12.6 turnovers per game since the All-Star break — the third-fewest in the NBA during that span — but committed 18 against the aggressive Thunder (61-16), who had 12 steals. The Lakers had eight turnovers in the first quarter, gifting the defending NBA champions 14 easy points and a 23-point first-quarter lead.

“That’s the game right there,” James said.

Doncic had just five points in the first quarter. He was one for six from the field. With 1:06 remaining in the second quarter, Doncic drove into the paint to fire a two-handed overhead pass to Luke Kennard for a corner three. As Kennard’s shot circled the rim and bounced out, Doncic grabbed at his left hamstring.

Doncic and Reaves were examined and treated at halftime and cleared to play, Redick said. Reaves returned with 9:40 remaining in the third quarter and grabbed his back after his first touch, but said after the game he felt “decent.”

With the Lakers (50-27) down 31 points at halftime, Redick said the plan was to give the banged-up stars about six minutes to see if they could cut into the lead.

Doncic was injured 4:21 into the third quarter. The Lakers were down 32.

“We're not going to put a player at risk,” Redick said. “Those things happen.”

Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, center, drives past Lakers star Luka Doncic during the first half Thursday.
Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, center, drives past Lakers star Luka Doncic during the first half Thursday. (Cooper Neill / Getty Images)

Doncic missed four games because of a left hamstring injury in February and played through hamstring soreness against the Brooklyn Nets on March 27 as the Lakers put together a 15-2 record in March.

One of the only teams hotter than the Lakers entering Thursday was the Thunder, who had won 15 of their last 16 games. Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dominated in the much-anticipated matchup of most valuable player contenders with 28 points on efficient 12-for-25 shooting in less than 30 minutes, with seven assists and seven rebounds.

Doncic recently surged into the MVP conversation after scoring 600 points last month, joining Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to achieve the feat in March. He was named Western Conference player of the month Thursday, adding another line to his MVP application.

But after limping off the court, Doncic is at risk of not being eligible for the coveted award. He played in his 64th game Thursday, needing one more appearance in the Lakers’ final five games, to reach the 65-game eligibility threshold.

Read more:Lamar Odom's past is a 'cesspool of trauma,' he says: 'I don't know what made me relevant now'

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Luka Doncic leaves Lakers-Thunder with left hamstring injury

OKLAHOMA CITY — Thursday night at Paycom Center went from bad to worse for the Lakers.

Star guard Luka Doncic left during the third quarter of the blowout road loss to the Thunder because of a left hamstring injury.

Star guard Luka Doncic left what was turning into a blowout loss during the third quarter because of a left hamstring injury. NBAE via Getty Images

Doncic was hobbling after a drive attempt against Thunder wing Jalen Williams midway through the third, limping to stay off his left leg before laying down underneath the basket by the Thunders’ bench, with coach JJ Redick calling timeout to sub Doncic out of the game.

Redick said Doncic will get an MRI on Friday to determine the severity of the injury.

“At this point, at this juncture of the season, it’s the last thing you want to see,” LeBron James said. “Especially, anybody on our team, but when you have an MVP candidate on your team, the last thing you want to see is somebody go down with a hamstring injury. I don’t know how severe it is. I don’t know obviously what the case may be, so pray for the best for sure and a speedy recovery.” 

Doncic was on the injury report because of left hamstring soreness before the March 27 home win over the Nets, but played after being listed as questionable, scoring 41 points in 39 minutes to lead the Lakers to a victory.

He sat out of Monday’s win over the Wizards, serving his one-game suspension because of an accumulation of technical fouls after picking up his 16th of the season against the Nets, before having 42 points in Tuesday’s home win over the Cavaliers.

Doncic sat out of the Lakers’ last four games leading into the All-Star break because of a left hamstring strain.

He appeared to injure the left hamstring ailment that he was dealing with in the first half but tried to play through.

“We checked him out,” Redick said. “He got work done. He was cleared. I mean, again, we’re not going to put a player at risk. Those things happen.”

He appeared to aggravate a left hamstring ailment that he was dealing with in the first half but tried to play through. NBAE via Getty Images

Doncic walked off the court under his own power before going back to the locker room.

“You wish for the best,” Austin Reaves said. “Obviously, you don’t want to see anybody get hurt. But you hold on to some faith for the best news possible. I’ve gotten to know him the last year and a half. He’s a competitor, so he’ll do all he can do to put himself in a position to come back when he can.”

Reaves also was dealing with a lower back/side ailment that he played through after overextending for a rebound earlier in the game.

“I felt something,” he said postgame. “But I feel decent right now, so we’ll see.”