The Mets are shaking things up some more ahead of Sunday's series finale against the Cubs in Chicago.
New York announced that Tobias Myers will get the start instead of originally scheduled starter, David Peterson.
Myers has not made a start in his first season with the Mets after being acquired alongside Freddy Peralta in a deal with the Milwaukee Brewers. Myers has made six appearances this season, allowing five runs in 13.0 IP. He last took the mound on Wednesday in Los Angeles when he pitched two innings and allowed one run on three hits and struck out in the team's loss to the Dodgers.
The plan and hope on Sunday is for Myers to "make it through the batting order one time," per The Athletic's Will Sammon.
As for Peterson, Sammon notes that he is available out of the bullpen for Sunday. The Mets did not announce an injury-related reason for the move and could be a strategy to not only help the young southpaw but also to try and end the team's current 10-game losing streak. In this scenario, Myers could start as an opener and Peterson follows.
The Mets are searching for answers when it comes to Peterson. This season, the All-Star starter has struggled mightily. In four starts, his ERA sits at 6.41 (14 ER in 19.2 IP), including three straight starts of four runs allowed or more. Peterson's last start (April 13 vs. Dodgers) saw him allow four runs on five hits and four walks across five innings pitched.
Myers does have starting experience. He made six starts for the Brewers last season, but only pitched five innings once. In 2024, Myers made 25 starts, going 9-6 with a 3.00 ERA.
MESA, ARIZONA - MARCH 21, 2026: Cole Mathis #11 of the Chicago Cubs bats during the fourth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the San Diego Padres at Sloan Park on March 21, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Outfielder Dylan Carlson has re-signed with the Cubs and was assigned to Triple-A Iowa.
Jordan Wicks made a rehab start for Iowa today and got some good results. Wicks went three scoreless innings and gave up just one hit. Wicks struck out two and walked one. He threw 37 pitches and 24 were for strikes. That’s a very good first step back.
Ty Blach threw the next 3.2 innings and got the win in his Iowa debut after allowing two runs on four hits. He walked four more and struck out two.
Collin Snider had a rough outing, giving up a three-run home run in the eighth. Snider’s final line was three runs on one hit and no walks over one inning. How? Snider hit three batters and struck out none.
Gabe Klobosits pitched the ninth and got an ugly save, but it was a save. Klobosits gave up a one-out home run to Travis Bazzana and then put two more on with a walk and a single. But two hard hit line drives were caught by left fielder Carlson and third baseman Pedro Ramirez to end the game.
Shortstop Ben Cowles hit a two-run home run in the second inning, his second in three games. Cowles was 1 for 4.
Catcher Christian Bethancourt connected on a solo home run in the fourth inning and then hit a two-run double in the eighth. Bethancourt went 3 for 4 with the double and the home run.
Second baseman James Triantos was 2 for 5 with and RBI double in the seventh inning. He also stole a base.
Cowles’ two-run shot.
Benny Barrels! Ben Cowles' two-run blast makes it 2-0 I-Cubs in the second inning! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/Q3tXirlFp8
Starter Jake Knapp took the loss after getting knocked around for six runs on just four hits over 3.1 innings. Two of those four hits were home runs. Knapp walked three, hit one batter and struck out three.
Right fielder Andy Garriola hit a two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning and an RBI single in the seventh. Garriola went 2 for 4 with the three runs batted in.
Left fielder Jordan Nwogu was 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored.
Catcher Ariel Armas was 2 for 4.
First baseman Edgar Alvarez was 1 for 1 with three walks and a run scored.
Koen Moreno gave South Bend four strong innings to start the game. Moreno surrendered just one run and just one hit. He did walk three while striking out five.
Grayson Moore kept Beloit from scoring for 2.2 innings and was awarded the win. Moore allowed two hits and walked one. He did not strike anyone out.
Catcher Owen Ayers hit his sixth home run of the year already when he connected with the bases empty in the eighth inning. Ayers went 2 for 4 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch. Ayers had three total RBI and scored twice. He also stole a base.
Center fielder Kane Kepley was 2 for 3 with two walks and was also hit by a pitch. Kepley stole three bases, giving him ten already. Kepley drove in two with a single in the second inning. He scored once.
Right fielder Kade Snell went 2 for 5 with a walk and a steal. Snell scored once and had three RBI.
First baseman Cameron Sisneros hit a two-run double in the second inning to open the scoring. Sisneros went 3 for 5 with three total RBI. He also scored twice.
Third baseman Matt Halbach was 2 for 6 with a double and two runs scored.
Left fielder Leonel Espinoza went 0 for 0 with four walks and a steal. Unfortunately, he appeared to injure himself on the steal of second base and left the game for a pinch-runner. Espinoza scored one run.
DH Angel Cepeda also left this game with an apparent injury.
Three Pelicans pitchers combined on a five-hit shutout. Victor Zarraga tossed the first four innings and allowed just three hits. He struck out one, walked one and hit one batter.
Ben Johnson threw the middle three innings and was awarded the win because Zarraga didn’t go five innings. Johnson gave up just one hit. He walked two and struck out three.
Jackson Brockett pitched the final two innings in a non-save situation, giving up just one hit. He struck out one and walked no one.
The Birds took an early lead when right fielder Josiah Hartshorn hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning. It was the second of his pro career. Hartshorn was 3 for 4 with a double and the home run. He scored twice.
In the fourth inning, third baseman Derniche Valdez cranked a solo home run, which was also his second of the season and second in two games. Valdez went 2 for 4.
Finally, first baseman Cole Mathis refuses to cool off. In the fifth inning, he hit his seventh home run of the year and fourth this week. It came with a man on. Mathis went 2 for 4 with two runs scored.
Catcher Logan Poteet drove in the other Birds run with an RBI single in the fouth inning. Poteet went 1 for 2 with two walks.
— Myrtle Beach Pelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) April 19, 2026
Finally, some really easy power out of Mathis. Not only do his seven home runs lead the Carolina League, second place only has four. It also leads all of Low-A.
Apr 18, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Andre Pallante (53) delivers a pitch against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images
There was a lot to like Saturday night as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Houston Astros again thanks to a strong effort from Andre Pallante and three home runs. There were also some things not to like about the Cardinals bullpen, but more on that later.
The Cardinals jumped out to an early lead in the 1st inning when JJ Wetherholt and Ivan Herrera were hit by pitches. Nolan Gorman came through with a clutch 2-strike double down the right field line to give St. Louis a 2-0 lead.
Andre Pallante provided the Cardinals a very solid 5 inning effort giving up only 3 hits and 1 run, but that 1 run went a long way thanks to Alvarez in the bottom of the 1st inning cutting the Cardinals lead to 2-1.
The St. Louis Cardinals offense continues to be relentless as Masyn Winn turned on an inside pitch in the top of the 3rd inning slamming a 2-run homer into the Crawford Boxes making it 4-1 St. Louis.
In the 6th inning, José Fermín joined the Cardinals home run parade as he also sailed a ball into the Crawford Boxes in left field extending the St. Louis lead to 5-1.
Alec Burleson decided that the fans in right field deserved a souvenir as he launched a shot into the upper deck making it 6-1 St. Louis. Alec would almost homer twice as he banged a ball high off the left field wall for a double in the 9th.
The charitable Astros decided to gift the Cardinals a run in the top of the 8th inning when Gordon threw a wild pitch which scored Nathan Church who had reached on an 8th inning bunt making it 7-1 Cardinals. If it’s any consolation to Houston, it’s that Church would have scored anyway after JJ Wetherholt reached on an infield single down the 3rd base line on a ball that went off the end of his bat.
The St. Louis Cardinals bullpen had a solid start to their night as Gordon Graceffo held the Astros scoreless in the 6th and 7th innings. However, Matt Svanson entered the game in the 8th and promptly walked Altuve, Alvarez and Correa to load the bases with no outs for Christian Walker. Fortunately, Walker kindly hit into a double play which scored Altuve which made the score 7-2 Cardinals. Svanson did escape the inning only allowing 1 run which was borderline miraculous considering how wild he was. George Soriano came in to pitch the bottom of the 9th inning. He did a brief Matt Svanson impersonation by walking two batters and then giving up a 3-run blast to Whitcomb. That meant Riley O’Brien did not get the night off and came in to close out the Astros which he fortunately did.
The Cardinals will go for the sweep Sunday afternoon when Matthew Liberatore (0-1 with a 4.29 ERA) starts for St. Louis and Mike Burrows (1-3 with a 6.54 ERA) will be on the mound for the Astros. First pitch at 1:10pm.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 18: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves delivers a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park on April 18, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Heather Barry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was a battle of the lefty aces in Philly on Saturday, as Chris Sale led the Braves against Cristopher Sanchez and the Phillies, with Atlanta seeking to secure a series win.
Ronald Acuna led off the game with a 107 MPH, 404 foot fly ball that landed for an out due to a Brandon MArsh robbery and perhaps the 2026 ball design instead of a home run or an extra-base-hit that it very easily could have been. Notably, in the second, Austin Riley hit a ball at over 111 MPH that landed for a single, but wasn’t able to come around to score.
The scoring got kicked off in the bottom of the second, as Phillies’ rookie Felix Reyes hit a 348 foot home run off of Chris Sale. Fortunately, Atlanta’s offense got a spark with a two out single from Drake Baldwin with some help in the form of an error that they converted into three runs with a walk and two soft singles. There was a lot of fortune involved in this sequence for Atlanta. Sale worked around a Schwarber single to consolidate the lead in the home third, striking out Harper along the way. Ronald hit a 109 MPH single in the fourth, as he continues to hit the ball very hard, but the Braves were unable to bring him around. Ozzie managed a bloop single in the fifth after a clean inning from Sale, but the Braves were again unable to bring him around.
Sale attempted and nearly converted an incredible jump throw on a swinging bunt to lead off the fifth, but the runner was erased on a double-play from Marsh regardless on the way to another scoreless frame. Jonah Heim of all people created a threat with a one out double in the sixth out of the eight hole. Neither Mateo nor Acuna were able to get the hit to bring him home. Jose Alvarado replaced Sanchez in the seventh and Matt Olson managed a lefty-on-lefty double with two outs to give Austin Riley an opportunity to tack a run on. Alvarado struck out Austin to hold the lead to two runs. Sale finished his outing in the seventh, ending up with 7.0 innings of 1 run ball, 1 walk, and 7 strikeouts. Sale also passed Tom Glavine on the career strikeouts list in this outing, which is pretty cool.
The Braves put together another chance for some insurance runs in the eighth, as Jonah Heim poked an opposite-field single through and Michael Harris drew a walk (!!!) with two outs ahead of Acuna. Ronald drew a walk to load the bases, despite Philly challenging a pitch that was at least 3 inches above the zone to bring up Drake Baldwin. Baldwin grounded out, squandering another threat, as Atlanta turned to Dylan Lee to preserve the 2 run lead with 6 outs left in the game. Lee worked a 1-2-3 inning with an assist from a slick diving play by Ozzie. Suarez got the ninth instead of Iglesias in a save situation and was absolutely dominant in a 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts.
That’s another series win through seven series now this season and the Braves are 14-7 with a 5.0 game division lead. Join us tomorrow as Grant Holmes leads the attempt of a sweep in Philadelphia against Andrew Painter.
PHOENIX - APRIL 19: Charles Barkley #34 of the Phoenix Suns posts up on April 19, 1994 at America West Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1994 NBAE (Photo by Chris Covatta/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
I always find myself wandering through the history of the Phoenix Suns. There is always something tucked away waiting to be found, some random nugget that makes you pause for a second and think, “Huh, I didn’t know that.” At this point I’ve spent enough time digging, writing, and obsessing, including putting together the whole All Time Pyramid project, that I feel comfortable calling myself a Suns historian. It’s not born completely from lived experience, but from pure curiosity and the inability to leave things unexplored. So when a postseason matchup pops up, it is like an open invitation to go back and see what the past has to say.
And now here we are. The Suns are set to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in a best-of-seven first-round series that tips off tomorrow at 12:30pm. On the surface, you would think there is some kind of playoff history between these teams, something to pull from, and/or something to reference.
If we are talking Phoenix versus Oklahoma City, there isn’t.
Since the Thunder relocated from Seattle in 2008, these two franchises have never crossed paths in the postseason. Their timelines never quite lined up. Phoenix was rolling through the late 2000s and playing meaningful basketball while Oklahoma City was still finding its footing. Then the Thunder rose up with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden, and the Suns slipped into that long, dark stretch where April basketball became something you watched other teams play.
The last time both organizations were in the postseason at the same time was 2024, and even then, nothing materialized. Phoenix exited early, and the Thunder were off on their own path, facing the Dallas Mavericks. So if you keep it clean and modern, Suns versus Thunder playoff history does not exist. No box scores, no series, no shared moments.
But history has a way of stretching if you let it.
Because the Thunder carry the city of Seattle with them, and if you choose to include that chapter, then suddenly there is a story to tell. The Suns and the SuperSonics met four times in the postseason, a total of 25 playoff games, a series of four meetings that actually meant something. Three of those series ended with the winner going on to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals, which tells you everything about the weight those matchups carried.
So while this version of the matchup is new, the feeling around it is not entirely unfamiliar. There is history here, it is simply wearing a different jersey.
1976
The first time these two franchises crossed paths in the postseason takes you back to 1976, the season that put the Phoenix Suns on the Finals map for the first time and gave the franchise one of its defining early chapters.
Back then, the league looked different. Six teams made the postseason and the Seattle SuperSonics came in as the two seed at 43-39, coached by the legendary Bill Russell. The Suns slid in right behind them at 42-40 as the three seed.
The early round setup felt like a prototype of the modern Play-In, with a quick best of three for the lower seeds to survive and advance. That chaos did not touch Phoenix or Seattle. They were dropped straight into a best-of-seven against each other.
Seattle had firepower. Fred Brown dropped 28.5 a night, Tom Burleson added 20.8, enough offense to win most nights in that era. It did not matter. Phoenix had more answers, more contributors, more ways to tilt a game. The Suns took the series 4-2, riding the steady brilliance of Paul Westphal, who put up 24.3 points, 6.3 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. Gar Heard owned the glass with 9.3 rebounds, and six Suns averaged in double figures.
From there, the run kept rolling. The Suns took out the Golden State Warriors in a seven-game battle, punching their ticket to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.
1979
The next time these two franchises met in the postseason came three years later, in 1979. The NBA had expanded, and the playoff format shifted again. The top two seeds received a first-round bye, while the third seed played the sixth and the fourth played the fifth. The Phoenix Suns went 50-32 and landed as the three seed. It was a strange setup. Phoenix had the second-best record in the Western Conference, but the Seattle SuperSonics won the Pacific Division at 52-30. The Kansas City Kings, at 48-34, claimed the two seed by winning the Midwest Division. That left the Suns playing an extra series.
They handled their business. Phoenix beat the Portland Trail Blazers 2-1 in a best-of-three, then took down the Kings 4-1 to reach the Western Conference Finals. Waiting there, once again, was Seattle. The teams had met four times in the regular season, and the Suns went 1-3. Their lone win came in the 77th game of the year in an overtime victory.
What followed was a battle. The home team took each of the first four games. Phoenix broke that pattern in Game 5, winning 99-93 on the road and taking a 3-2 lead back home for Game 6. It’s a game not many mention when they talk about Arizona sports and the games the state has choked away, but this was one of them.
It was Mother’s Day 1979. The Suns had not lost at home in 10 weeks. Sixteen straight wins at Veterans Memorial Coliseum. They led by eight in the fourth quarter, still up six with a little over seven minutes to play. Then it slipped. Seattle took the lead on a Gus Williams jumper with 52 seconds left. Phoenix never got it back. Walter Davis missed an 18-footer that glanced off Jack Sikma, giving the Suns one final chance with one second remaining. They could not get it to Paul Westphal or Davis. The ball went to Gar Heard, and the shot did not fall.
Game 7 went back to Seattle. The Suns lost 114-110.
It is a game that rarely comes up, that Game 6 against the 1979 SuperSonics. Hold serve there, close it out at home, and the path to a first championship feels real. Seattle took that opportunity instead, moving on to beat the Washington Bullets 4 to 1 in the Finals.
May 17, 1979: Seattle’s Gus Williams with a clutch block on Paul Westphal during the final minute in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals.
Williams had 29 PTS and Jack Sikma had 33 PTS/11 REB in a 114-110 win over the Suns, as the Sonics advanced to a 2nd-straight NBA Finals. pic.twitter.com/28Ye4hDY5I
The next time these two franchises met came in 1993. The Phoenix Suns were the number one seed at 62-20, facing the third-seeded Seattle SuperSonics, who finished 55-27. Another Western Conference Finals. Another trip to the NBA Finals on the line.
Phoenix got it done this time. It was a back-and-forth series, both teams trading wins, each punch answered with another. Neither team won two consecutive games in the series. It built all the way to Game 7, with the Suns holding home court.
And then Charles Barkley took over.
44 points. 24 rebounds. A full takeover performance. Kevin Johnson added 22 points and nine assists, steady and in control. Danny Ainge chipped in 13 off the bench, knocking down 3-of-5 from deep.
This game carries a reputation. You look at the numbers and it jumps off the page. The Suns went 57-of-64 from the line. Shawn Kemp fouled out. Nate McMillan fouled out. Suns’ announcer Eddie Johnson, playing for Seattle at the time, fouled out agianst his former team. The Sonics were hit with 38 personal fouls. It was constant pressure, constant whistles, Phoenix living at the line and making it count.
The final was 123-110. The Suns moved on to their second NBA Finals appearance.
June 1, 1993: Charles Barkley's putback dunk & excessive rim hang/pullup in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.
The last time these two organizations met in the postseason was 29 years ago. The Seattle SuperSonics came in at 52-25, facing a Phoenix Suns group that finished 40-42 and still found its way into the bracket. Phoenix entered as the seven seed, and they pushed. This was a best-of-five, and it went the distance. The Suns grabbed a 2-1 series lead and had Game 4 at home with a chance to close it out.
That Game 4 is the one people remember.
Phoenix trailed by as many as 11 late in the fourth, then ripped off a 19-7 run to force overtime. It came on one of the most iconic shots in franchise history. Rex Chapman, 22 feet, falling out of bounds, three in the air, tying the game with 1:07 left and sending it to overtime.
May 1, 1997: Rex Chapman's shot (assisted by Jason Kidd) sends Game 4 of the Suns' first round series with the Sonics into OT.
Chapman had 22 PTS, Kidd had 23 PTS/14 AST and Kevin Johnson had 23 PTS/11 AST but Phoenix lost in OT, 122-115. Seattle's Gary Payton had 28 PTS/14 AST. pic.twitter.com/h30OvlB4fh
Seattle answered. They took control in the extra period, outscoring Phoenix 15-8 and evening the series at 2-2.
Game 5 went back to Seattle. The Sonics pulled away late, a 35-19 fourth quarter that put it out of reach, closing it out 116-92. Wesley Person led the Suns in scoring that night, a quiet end to a series that felt like it was right there for the taking.
Seattle would lose in the next round to the Houston Rockets, however, making it the only time that a series played between the Suns and Sonics did not produce a team that would represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals.
Interesting historical factoid about the postseason history between the Suns and the Thunder (Sonics):
Phoenix vs Seattle/OKC has met 4 times in the postseason (1976, 1979, 1993, 1997). In 3 of those series, the winner advanced to the NBA Finals. Only exception? 1997.
So there you go, a condensed playoff history between the Phoenix Suns and the Seattle SuperSonics, now known as the Oklahoma City Thunder. If you are keeping tabs, across 25 playoff games, the Suns hold a 13-12 edge. The four series are split, 2-2. This upcoming series is the proverbial rubber match.
A couple more numbers to round it out. Oklahoma City/Seattle lead the all-time postseason scoring by 28 points. They have 2,679 points. Phoenix sits at 2,651.
Now we shift to the present. Two very different teams, one in a different city, both stepping into a new series. The gap this time stands out. Phoenix finished 45-37. Oklahoma City went 64-18. Two of those losses came against the Suns, a small reminder that matchups still matter.
Another chapter is about to be written. More history is about to be made.
The NBA’s top overall seed, the Oklahoma City Thunder open the defense of their title Sunday at Paycom Center against a battle-tested but potentially fatigued Phoenix Suns squad. Less than 48 hours ago, the Suns eliminated the Golden State Warriors in the play-in tournament while OKC sat at home. Sure, the Suns arrive with momentum and a "nothing to lose" attitude, but the schedule and the Thunder roster see OKC favored by 13.5 at DraftKings. Oklahoma City started their march to the title last season with a first round sweep.
The Suns, led by rookie head coach Jordan Ott, were not expected to be a factor in the Western Conference this season after trading Kevin Durant last summer. However, they face a monumental task at both ends of the court. OKC’s defense finished the regular season with the best defensive rating in the league. Their offense is quarterbacked by league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Phoenix will need an MVP-level performance from Devin Booker and major contributions from the supporting cast.
Key to the matchup is the battle between reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Phoenix’s perimeter defenders, specifically Dillon Brooks, who will more than likely be tasked with slowing down SGA. If somehow the Suns succeed in containing the MVP, they then must slow down the supporting cast led by Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. The Suns do not have the depth the Thunder possess.
Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch Live: Thunder vs. Suns
Date: Sunday, April 19, 2026
Time: 3:30PM EST
Site: Paycom Center
City: Oklahoma City, OK
Network/Streaming: ABC
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Game Odds: Thunder vs. Suns
The latest odds as of Saturday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Oklahoma City Thunder (-1100), Phoenix Suns (+700)
Spread: Thunder -13.5
Total: 215.5 points
This game sits right where it opened with OKC favored by 13.5 and the Game Total set at 215.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Thunder vs. Suns
Oklahoma City Thunder
PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SG Luguentz Dort
C Isaiah Hartenstein
SF Jalen Williams
PF Chet Holmgren
Phoenix Suns
SG Devin Booker
PG Collin Gillespie
SF Jalen Green
PF Dillon Brooks
C Mark Williams
Injury Report: Thunder vs. Suns
OKC Thunder
Thomas Sorber (knee) has been declared OUT of Sunday’s game
Phoenix Suns
Mark Williams (foot) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game
Grayson Allen (hamstring) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game
Important stats, trends and insights: Thunder vs. Suns
The Thunder are 34-7 at home this season
The Suns are 20-21 on the road this season
The Suns are 47-34-3 ATS this season
OKC is 39-42-1 ATS this season
The OVER has cashed in 44 of the Thunder’s 82 games this season (44-38)
The OVER has cashed in 38 of the Suns’ 84 games this season (38-46)
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Sunday’s Thunder and Suns’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Thunder -13.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 215.5
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It was often an overlooked part of New York's playoff resume: The Knicks evolved into a good defensive team. Since the calendar flipped to Jan. 1, the Knicks have had the sixth-best defense in the NBA.
The Atlanta Hawks found out about that. For the first 19 minutes of the second half, the Hawks scored just 32 points (14 fewer than the Knicks) on 37.1% shooting and went 3-of-15 from 3-point range after New York cranked up the defensive pressure. Even Karl-Anthony Towns was making defensive plays (and hitting some 3-pointers).
KAT DOING IT ALL.
24 points, 8 boards, 3 blocks and this strip... he's HYPED as the Knicks look to seal Game 1 at home! pic.twitter.com/WEMcEpNo6n
Towns and Jalen Brunson combined for 53 points and lifted the Knicks past the Hawks 113-102 Saturday in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference playoff series.
Game 2 is set for Monday at Madison Square Garden.
For Knicks fans hoping their team can take the next step this season after making the conference finals for the first time in 25 years last season, this game was exactly what they wanted to see. OG Anunoby played elite defense and added 19 points, while Josh Hart had 10 points and 14 rebounds.
It was Brunson who got the Knicks off to a fast start, scoring 19 in the first quarter.
CJ McCollum led Atlanta with 26 points, while Jalen Johnson added 23. While the Hawks made some runs, their offense wasn't consistent against the Knicks defense.
New York, on the other hand, looked like the best version of themselves. The challenge now for Mike Brown's crew is to maintain that.
CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 18: Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio (4) hits a 3-run home run during the fifth inning of the Major League Baseball game between the Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Guardians on April 18, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
This was a short and unremarkable game. If you’re are a Guardians fan . . . well, what are you doing reading this blog? OK. If you’re a Guardians fan, there was much to celebrate in Gavin Williams’ seven-inning, three-hit, one-run, eleven-strikeout performance. The current MLB strikeout leader continued a fabulous streak where he’s allowed two ER in 24.2 innings, and now has a 2.12 ERA in 29.2 innings.
But without taking away anything from Williams, for the Orioles, the real story seems to be the bats, which remain missing in action after tonight’s 4-2 loss, a game where they managed just four hits total. The good news: Gunnar Henderson = still a stud. He finished 2-for-4 with a homer. Leody Taveras also went deep. He’s looked like a good signing thus far, doing it with the bat and the glove. Taylor Ward hit a double.
But that’s it, folks. Pete Alonso finished 0-for-4 with four K’s. Golden Sombrero territory is not where we want to be with the offseason’s biggest signing. Dylan Beavers, 0-for-4 with three punchouts. Colton Cowser, another Golden Sombrero. And these are the No. 3-5 hitters in the lineup. How is the team exactly to produce runs while going a combined 0-for-12 with 11 K’s from this chunk of the lineup?
Cleveland’s rotation may be on a red-hot streak, but there have been too many of these performances.
The Orioles made some noise early, but as usual of late, no runs. Taylor Ward doubled in the first, but Dylan Beavers swung through a fastball and couldn’t push him home. Gunnar singled and made it to third on a throwing error in the third inning, but two K’s in a row left him stranded. Cleveland’s Williams fed Pete Alonso and Dylan Beavers a bunch of breaking stuff that they swung through. It was frustrating.
In the top of the fourth, Leody Taveras opened the scoring by walloping a curveball into the right field seats. This is the way the few teams that have scored runs off Gavin Williams have done it—by long ball. It was a good idea, but to make a 1-0 lead stick, you need ace pitching on the other side. Instead, the O’s had Dean Kremer.
Maybe that’s too harsh. I continue to be happy to see Dean Kremer in the rotation. He threw six innings today and struck out seven. He allowed only two hits in that stretch. Regrettably, one of those was a home run with two on, courtesy of Brayan Rocchio. Dean Kremer has, in the past, had the tendency to go “boom” in the fifth inning. Today, he was nearly perfect through four, and then allowed three runs in the fifth. He walked Rhys Hopkins, hung a splitter that Daniel Schneeman roped into right, and then Bryan Rocchio made it 3-1 with that one swing, powering a fastball into the right field bleachers.
I’ll still take it, under the circumstances. He has a 6.12 career ERA in April. Considering, three runs on two hits and two walks in six innings from your No. 5 is fine, frankly.
No, I think we can safely say that the offense is the real problem here. They struck out 16 times and had just four hits, half of which belonged to Gunnar Henderson, who made it a manageable 3-2 game with an eighth-inning solo shot off Hunter Gattis, pitching for the third straight day and not maybe at his freshest. Down just one run, the O’s could smell another comeback.
But no comeback was forthcoming today. Bo Naylor took Albert Suárez deep off a low-and-inside changeup, and this was a 4-2 game. Then Cleveland’s Cade Smith struck out the side swinging in the ninth.
Maybe the bats will heat up as the weather does. But for now, the Birds are not doing it at the dish, and there are lots of questions to be asked and answered. Game Four of the series, a Trevor Rogers start versus Joey Cantillo, is at 1:40 ET tomorrow.
Jalen Brunson set the tone, scoring 19 first-quarter points en route to a somewhat comfortable Game 1 victory. Brunson finished with 28 points along with seven assists.
Hawks coach Quin Snyder had to be having flashbacks to the 2022 playoffs, when he was the Jazz coach and Brunson torched Utah as a member of the Mavericks.
Jalen Brunson, who scored 28 points, reacts during his 19-point first quarter in the Knicks’ 113-102 Game 1 win over the Hawks on April 18, 2026 at Madison Square Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Zero
Nickeil Alexander-Walker had the best season of his seven-year NBA career, but he struggled in Game 1.
He managed 17 points, but needed 16 shots and wasn’t nearly as impactful a defender as he can be.
Unsung hero
Karl-Anthony Towns was terrific in the regular season against the Hawks, and that continued in Game 1.
Towns was efficiency and productive, finishing with 25 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 33 solid minutes.
Key stat
28.5 — Hawks 3-point percentage in the second half, after shooting 50 percent from deep in the first half.
Quote
“It’s nonnegotiable; we have to bring it every single night and be locked in.”
— Miles McBride on the Knicks bringing their second-half defensive effort to every game of the playoffs.
OG Anunoby’s bothersome left ankle seems just fine.
The star Knicks wing injured the ankle in the second-to-last game of the regular season and sat out the finale, but didn’t slow him down in the Knicks playoff opener, even though he tweaked it Saturday.
“It’s OK,” he said. “I just rolled it; it just happened.”
Anunoby scored 19 points, added eight rebounds and helped shut down Atlanta after halftime as the Knicks broke open a close game with a dominant second half. The Hawks managed just 47 points over the final two quarters as they were outscored by nine.
Og Anunoby reacts after he puts up a three-point shot during the second quarter on April 18, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Anunoby enjoyed a solid second season as a Knick, averaging 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists, and shooting 38.6 percent from 3-point range. He appeared in 67 games. This time of year, however, is what’s most important. Keeping him healthy is essential for the Knicks if they want to return to the Eastern Conference final.
He’s one of their best all-around players, a critical cog on the defensive end. They went 45-22 during the regular season this year with him on the floor.
On Saturday, he was efficient, shooting 6-for-9 from the field and hitting two 3-pointers, while playing his usual lockdown defense. With Anunoby on the court, the Knicks outscored the Hawks by nine. The only Knick with a better rating was Miles McBride, who was a plus-12 in 21 minutes.
Og Anunoby slams the ball during the second quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“I think I played good. I could always be better,” Anunoby said.
Asked where he would like to improve for Game 2, Anunoby responded: “Everything.”
It was a very good start for the Knicks, who, aside from some brief slippage late in the fourth quarter, had their way with the Hawks in the first game of the series. Anunoby was a big part of that, as a scoring complement to Jalen Brunson and a defensive linchpin.
“OG hit some big shots,” coach Mike Brown said after picking up his first playoff win as Knicks coach.
Apr 18, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) is introduced before the game between the Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors in game one in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
CLEVELAND — White dress shirt, white sport jacket, white bowtie, white three-quarter-length dress shorts, white socks, and a pair of his own signature basketball shoes. Whether or not they were the same pair James Harden wore 45 minutes earlier during the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 126-113 Game 1 win over the Toronto Raptors is unknown.
What we do know is that it takes a certain kind of superstar to have the confidence to make an outfit like this work on an overcast and rainy Cleveland spring day. And Harden is exactly that kind of star. The kind that the Cavs have needed in their last few postseason runs.
Being able to dictate the terms of a series doesn’t mean that you’ll win it. It does, however, force the other team to beat you at your own game.
The Cavs were able to do that in Game 1. They kept the Raptors from running in the open court and forced them to outscore them in the half-court. And you have to be a well oiled machine in the half-court if you’re going to beat a Harden-led team that way. The Raptors are not.
Harden made the difference here.
There are All-Star caliber players, and then there’s ones who’s presence causes the entire defense to shift. Every time Harden had the ball, the defense needed to adjust to account for what he could do. Whether it was sending players his way in the pick-and-roll or simply shading over to hopefully cut off his pathways to the hoop, the Raptors were aware of where he was on the court at all times.
“It’s the thing that makes everything click,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said about Harden. “He gets us clicking. It’s like a quarterback that’s super accurate. He’s just kind of picking them apart with short passes.”
That opened everything up for his teammates. Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley didn’t have the gaudiest scoring totals, but they were incredibly efficient. Six of the duo’s 11 combined field goals were assisted by Harden.
The Raptors don’t have an easy way of stopping the Harden pick-and-roll.
Jakob Poeltl is more of a drop big in the pick-and-roll. Like most centers, he doesn’t have the footspeed to be at the level of the screen. Because of this, Cleveland decided to start these actions much higher than the top of the arc, just a few paces inside half court. This forced the defense to guard more space, and that meant there was more room for the offense to attack.
When the defense shifted over to contain the Harden drive, he was able to dump it off to one of the bigs.
Toronto’s best counter was to send extra help into the paint and force the ball to swing outside. But that invites a whole different problem with the Cavs’ shooters.
The extra attention Harden demands also created driving lanes for Donovan Mitchell.
Mitchell’s ability to get downhill is what makes him a star. In the past, we’ve seen teams load up inside to make it difficult for him to finish in the paint. This strategy doesn’t completely stop Mitchell, but it can begin to wear him down, as we saw late in the Game 2 loss to the Indiana Pacers last season.
The Raptors tried to make Mitchell finish through bodies inside, but that task is much more difficult to do when your attention is split elsewhere. Mitchell finished with 32 points, which included going 7-13 on shots in the paint and having seven attempts at the free-throw line. It was the ninth straight time Mitchell has opened a series with 30 or more points in Game 1.
“It’s his job,” Harden said. “That’s what he gets paid the big bucks for.”
Mitchell has changed his offensive philosophy for the regular season. Instead of trying to get to the basket as much as he can, he’s opted instead for floaters in the lane to save his body for the postseason. But getting to the rim like this was always the plan for the playoffs.
“[I’m just trying] to continue to put pressure on teams,” Mitchell said. “That’s where I feel like I thrive, and making the defense have to react to that.”
The pairing between Mitchell and Harden feels comfortable in the playoffs. It was only one game — and not a particularly close one at that — but the duo did a good job of playing off of each other. That’s made possible because of the willingness each has to cede control to the other.
“We understand that,” Harden said when asked about Mitchell’s scoring. “So our job is to just go out there and fulfill the roles and do other things to impact the game. If he got it going, he’s going to give you 40, 50 (points). I think for us it’s just finding other ways.”
Max Strus changed the game with his scoring. He helped cap off a first-quarter run that saw the Cavs turn a five-point deficit into a four-point advantage by scoring five points in the final 25 seconds. He then poured in eight points at the start of the third quarter to help the Cavs turn a seven-point advantage into a 22-point one.
Strus is a streaky shooter. He had it going on Saturday afternoon as he poured in 24 points on 8-10 shooting, which included going 4-6 from three.
As good as the shooting was, Strus brings much more than that. If he makes shots, it’s a “bonus” according to Harden. The leadership that Strus provides and his ability to do the little things that impact winning are what make him invaluable. And it wasn’t always a guarantee that he’d be able to provide it, given the injuries he was dealing with throughout the season.
“One thing I learned is to never doubt that man,” Mitchell said. “He’s put the time and put the work in. … There was no doubt he was going to come back and make an impact.”
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can buy the Donovan Mitchell and James Harden NBA Jam shirt HERE. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE.
The transition defense was excellent.
The Cavs spent the lead-up to the series talking about how they need to match the Raptors’ speed. Toronto came into this game taking the third-most shots in transition in the league. You wouldn’t have known that if you just watched them here.
The Cavs were able to do this by hustling back in transition, stopping the ball in the open court, occasionally attacking the offensive glass, limiting turnovers, and generating clean offense. This all led to Toronto finishing with just three fast-break points. That’s nearly 16 points less than their season-long average.
The Raptors don’t have the firepower or the shot profile to easily hang with the Cavs.
Before the game, Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković talked about wanting to have his team continue to stick to their identity going up against a group that shoots as well as the Cavs. “We cannot be changing, and we don’t want to be changing at this stage.”
That’s fair, and could be the correct game plan, but the Raptors don’t have the offensive weapons to stay in a game the Cavs are taking and making threes like this. That’s true even when the Raptors hit 48.1% of their own threes. The Raptors just aren’t taking enough looks from the outside.
The most efficient places to score on the court are the rim, free-throw line, and from beyond the arc. The Cavs did those things incredibly well. Cleveland took 42% of their shots at the rim (89th percentile) and 36% of their shots from three (36th percentile). Meanwhile, the Raptors split their shots evenly between the rim, midrange, and beyond the arc. That includes taking 13% of their shots between 14 feet and the three-point line (91st percentile).
The Cavs were hitting their threes — and that’s worth acknowledging — but it’s difficult to keep up with your opponent in most circumstances when the shots you’re forced into taking are simply much harder.
The pathway forward for the Raptors is more difficult than simply making more shots. They have to either change where they’re taking them or keep the Cavs from getting to their spots.
Despite how lopsided this game felt, the series isn’t over yet.
“We’ve got a long way to go,” Harden said. “Our job is to stay in the moment and take one game at a time. … Things happen fast. Our job is to focus on what we can do better, watch film tomorrow, and then come out in Game 2 and be ready to go.”
The NBA playoffs has begun and as expected, the favorites are winning Game 1 at home. Well, Sunday's action should be no different. The Celtics, Thunder, and Spurs are all in play for big wins and when looking at the series, I think there is value on all three to sweep and go Under 5.5 games played.
Thunder (-3000) vs Suns (+1300): O/U 5.5 Games
Oklahoma City has won the first round 4-0 each of the past two seasons and I don't see that changing this year. The Suns survived a terrible Warriors team in the play-in tournament after losing to the Trail Blazers. Phoenix has Dillon Brooks and Devin Booker back, but I don't think it will be enough against the best team in the NBA as the Thunder chase back-to-back titles.
At +125 odds, I will back the Thunder to earn its third consecutive first round sweep and parlay the Under 5.5 games in the series along with the Spurs Under 5.5 games at -115 odds and the Celtics Under 5.5 games at +100.
Pick: Thunder win series 4-0 (1 unit), Thunder and Celtics parlay of Under 5.5 games each series (1 unit), Spurs and Thunder parlay of Under 5.5 games each series (1 unit)
Spurs (-2000) vs Trail Blazers (+1000): O/U 5.5 Games
San Antonio has seven players averaging double digit points per game this season and that will be far too much for Portland. This is Portland’s first playoff appearance since 2020-21. Despite this likely being a quick series, the Trail Blazers will get excellent playoff experience taking on the Spurs.
Next year, Portland welcomes Damian Lillard back and will likely add a free agent or two as they have an appealing crew with youngsters Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan. I don’t think the Spurs play with their food in the first round and win this series 4-0, maybe 4-1, but watch out for the Trail Blazers next year.
The Spurs are one of two teams that rank top five in offensive and defensive net rating (Celtics). Portland is 21st and 12th in those two categories. Victor Wembanyama will be un-guardable in this series and with too many weapons, the worst case scenario is a 4-1 series win for the Spurs, but I think they get the sweep.
I played the Spurs to sweep 4-0 at +200 odds and parlayed their series Under 5.5 games with the Thunder's series to go Under 5.5 games at -115 odds.
Pick: Spurs win series 4-0 (1 unit), Spurs and Thunder parlay of Under 5.5 games each series (1 unit)
Celtics (-900) vs 76ers (+600): O/U 5.5 Games
Philly was a fun watch during its play-in win over Orlando, but I don’t see the upside in facing the Celtics over the Pistons. Joe Mazzula doesn’t get enough respect for his 50-33 playoff record, including a 12-4 first round record.
In three-straight first round series, Boston has won 4-2, 4-1, and 4-1. I have a hard time seeing the 76ers win more than one game in this series so Under 5.5 Games is the best bet next to Celtics in 4. I think Mazzulla finally gets first sweep in the first round.
Boston ranks fourth in defensive net rating and second in offense. Without Joel Embiid, the 76ers are relying on a 25-year-old Tyrese Maxey to lead them to victory without enough pieces. I grabbed the Celtics to sweep at +180 and the series to go Under 5.5 games parlayed with the Thunder series to go Under 5.5 games at +100 odds.
Pick: Celtics to win series 4-0 (1 unit), Thunder and Celtics parlay of Under 5.5 games each series (1 unit)
NBA Futures Card
2 units: Keldon Johnson to win Sixth Man of the Year (-195) 2 units: Nickeil Alexander-Walker to win Most Improved Player (+105) 2 units: Jalen Johnson to win Most Improved Player (-130) 2 units: JB Bickerstaff to win Coach of the Year (+130) 2 units: Oklahoma City Thunder to win NBA Finals (+125) 2 units: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to win MVP (+125) 2 units: Luka Doncic to win MVP (+400) 1 unit: Celtics to sweep 76ers 4-0 (+180) 1 unit: Thunder to sweep Suns 4-0 (+125)
1 unit: Spurs to sweep Trail Blazers (+200)
1 unit: Spurs and Thunder series to go Under 5.5 games (-115)
1 unit: Celtics and Thunder series to go Under 5.5 games (+100)
1 unit: Boston Celtics to win the East (+400) 0.5 unit: Boston Celtics to win NBA Finals (+2000) 0.5 unit: Victor Wembanyama to win MVP (+1200)
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & team props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
How to Watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
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NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule
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In one of many pivotal points of Saturday’s game, Lawrence Butler was nosed out of a triple by Miguel Vargas in the eighth inning. | Scott Marshall-Imagn Images
When the White Sox took a 5-0 lead in the second inning, the game had the makings of another laugher. Instead, 10 walks by Sox pitchers and eight to go with four hit batters by the A’s staff turned a runaway win into a groaner, with the Sox losing, 7-6, in extras..
The big Sox lead came on two bloops and two blasts. It started with a solo 106.5 mph, 397-foot blast by Colson Montgomery followed by lucky pop-ups (a double by Everson Pereira and RBI single by Reese McGuire) and a three-run shot by Andrew Benintendi. At that point, it sure looked like A’s starter Luis Severino, who came into the game with a 5.55 ERA, was done for.
Instead, Severino would last into the sixth, walking four but only giving up one single after the second. Meanwhile, Erick Fedde lost his sense of direction, himself walking four and surrendering solo runs in the second, third and fifth. Sean Newcomb managed not to walk anyone but gave up a triple to Max Muncy and a sac fly in the sixth, to close the Chicago lead to 5-4.
In the top of the seventh, though, Munetaka Murakami showed how amazingly strong he is by just sort of wrist-flicking the ball 415 feet over the center field wall. The blast gave the White Sox a 6-4 lead and made Murakami the fastest Japanese player to seven homers in history.
The lead lasted all of four pitches from Jordan Leasure, who reverted to his old ways and served up a single and 115.3 mph Nick Kurtz shot. Make it 6-6.
Now, with all the walks and hit batters and actual hits, the White Sox ended up leaving 14 on base and going 3-for-17 with runners in scoring position. Not to be outdone in causing fan angst, the A’s left 15 on and were 2-for-14 with RISP.
The A’s should have produced the winning run in the eighth when speedy Lawrence Butler led off by lacing a line shot down the right field line, but decided he was speedier than he actually is and created the no-no of trying for third with no outs.
The beautiful relay from Pereira to Chase Meidroth to Miguel Vargas saved the day for the moment, taking advantage of Butler trying to see if he could slide clear into the coach’s box.
There was actually really good defense by both teams, including a running grab at the wall in the gap by Sam Antonacci — but at the plate, he grounded out to end the ninth after the A’s walked the bases loaded. The A’s in turn got two walks from Seranthony Domínguez in the bottom half, but naturally stranded the runners.
To extra innings we go.
The Sox stranded the Manfred Man in the top of the 10th, and after Jordan Hicks failed to field a bunt and ended up putting men on first and third and none out. With the game on the line Will Venable played five infielders, which turned out to be a good idea, thanks to Tanner Murray.
In the 11th, the Sox went for really serious failure, loading the bases with no outs, only to have Montgomery and Pereira strike out and Antonacci pop-up. The A’s made death quick, going sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly for a 7-6 win, wrapping up the game in just 3:34.
One note of worth — cheap homers are legion in Sacramento, but all five in this game were shots, good enough to go out in at least 29 of 30 parks.
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 18: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks drives to the basket during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during Round One Game One of the NBA Playoffs on April 18, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Fun fact: Jesse Itzler, who wrote “Go New York Go” is both a Knicks fan and a minority co-owner of the Hawks. Mr. Itzler must have felt some conflicted feelings as he sat down to watch the Knickerbockers host Atlanta in Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round. And it must have been a special kind of sting to watch a raucous crowd chanting his most famous song as the home team closed out a 113-102 victory.
An electric Madison Square Garden looked sold-out from the cozy confines of this Binghamton abode. To our delight, Mikal Bridges drew first blood, leading the home team to a 7-4 lead.
From there, Atlanta crept into the lead thanks to buckets by veteran CJ McCollum (26 PTS). It wouldn’t last long. The Brunson Burner was lit from the jump, and Jalen scored 19 in the quarter while shooting 8-of-11 from the field. The captain set the Knicks franchise record for first-quarter points—beating the record that he and Towns set in the last playoffs. He and Bridges combined for New York’s first 22 points.
We knew it would be a game of runs. Answering with a 10-2 stretch, led by a stretch of perfect shooting by Jalen Brunson (28 PTS, 7 AST), New York leapfrogged ahead by six. Quoth LOB14: “We have the better Jalen.” Cap didn’t have a stellar shooting night (9-22 FG), but he made 75% of his longballs, had a 7:2 assist-to-turnover ratio, and set a winning tone from the start. The better Jalen, indeed.
Dyson Daniels (4 PTS, 11 AST, 9 RBS, 3 STL) picked Josh Hart’s (10 PTS, 14 RBS, 3 STL) pocket, which turned into a Jalen Johnson (23 PTS, 7 RBS) triple. Johnson scored eight in the quarter, including a perfect 2-of-2 from beyond the arc, to keep the Birds competitive. The visitors briefly regained a lead thanks to Onyeka Okongwu (19 PTS, 7 RBS) connecting from deep, but the ‘Bockers were laser-focused. By winning the boards and the paint, going 12-of-20 from the field, and holding their guests to 39% shooting, our heroes survived four turnovers and took a 30-24 advantage into the second quarter.
Whoever represents Blake Griffin deserves Agent of the Year honors. Not a single commercial break passed without at least one appearance by Blake’s narrow-eyed noggin. Good for the big fella, I say—he’s likable enough and deserves a Purple Heart for being groped by Donald Sterling.
To start the second quarter, Mitchell Robinson (3 PTS, 4 RBS, 2 BLK) was a blocking machine. With his team continuing to dominate the glass, they pushed out to an 11-point lead early in the period. When the Peaches played at their pace, though, the Knicks had trouble catching up. Steadily, the bad guys clawed their way back with balanced scoring, getting contributions from multiple guys. When McCollum hit a nine-foot floater with 3:43 on the clock, logging his 15th point of the contest, the score was knotted at 48 apiece.
After scoring zilch in the opening quarter (although he did run some nifty pick-and-rolls with J.B.), Karl-Anthony Towns (25 PTS, 8 RBS, 3 BLKS) began to score in the second. The All-Star center committed four turnovers in the first half, but redeemed himself with a block at the rim on Nickeil Alexander-Walker (17 PTS, 6-17 FG). Alexander-Walker was quiet through the first half, logging seven points and a team-worst -11 plus-minus.
KAT and Cap got to the charity stripe, the Knicks crashed the boards, and packed on a small lead again. With the clock running down, Johnson pressured New York’s defense and, at the last second, dished to Okongwu for a buzzer-beating three. Halftime score: Knicks 57, Hawks 55.
Through the first half, New York won the glass (27–18), owned the paint (26–20), and shot a touch more efficiently overall (49% to 45%). Despite Atlanta’s three-point shooting (50% on 16 attempts), our heroes led for 83% of the game thus far. Brunson led all scorers with 22. For the Hawks, McCollum had 17, and Daniels already had three steals.
The broadcast crew said something about Fat Joe performing at halftime. Once again, I was pleased to be watching from home. (No offense to the big guy.)
Twenty seconds into the third quarter, McCollum travelled while attempting a three-pointer. On the nullified shot, the veteran Hawk kicked his foot into the groin of Brunson, dropping Cap to the floor and earning himself a flagrant-one foul. McCollum and Okongwu comprised the Hawks’ offense for a while, while the Knicks went on a 10-2 run, capped by a Josh Hart pick-six steal.
What would a Knicks game be without anxiety? Around the 7:30 mark, OG Anunoby—who was having a quietly effective evening for the Knicks—turned his ankle on a drive and was relieved of his duties. To our surprise, he checked back into the game after a short break, and the tri-state area breathed a sigh of relief.
OG Anunoby twisted his ankle and asked to come out of the game.
Declined treatment from a trainer, re-tied his left shoe.
Here’s Jordan Clarkson and Jose Alvarado using ancient forgotten healing methods on him: pic.twitter.com/qSLGE50m9Z
As the Knicks built up a 10-point lead, capped by a dunk by Bridges, Atlanta’s skipper Quin Snyder tried to get Johnson into the action to mixed results. The team’s top scorer hit a couple of buckets for eight points in the quarter. Meanwhile, KAT continued to have a confusing game, scoring seven points in the period but also coughing up the ball again—before blocking another shot.
Despite getting a scant seven points from their bench through three quarters (Shamet 1-of-5 from deep; McBride 0-3 FG), the Knicks held the Hawks to just 19 points in the third and took an 83-74 lead into the fourth.
Jordan Clarkson added a jolt of electricity to start the final frame, connecting with Robinson for an alley-oop. And Deuce McBride finally hit a shot, swishing a triple to give New York its largest lead of the night at 12 points. The bench crew picked up the pace and gave the Hawks a taste of their own medicine. At the other end, Alexander-Walker connected from deep (just his second of the night), only for McBride to answer with another dinger from beyond the arc.
Neither team got many stops, content instead to trade buckets. The 34-year-old McCollum continued to impersonate a spring chicken, and off the bench, Gabe Vincent scored on a drive. For New York, Clarkson answered with a dynamic layup. And so on. When Towns stomped into the lane to score at the cup, though, his efforts goosed New York’s lead to 13 with half a quarter to go. When Clarkson scored on another thrilling contested layup, the lead reached 16. With five minutes left, the young Hawks (those other than McCollum) looked out of sync and rattled.
Out of a timeout, Towns cashed in from 25-feet, crowning a 13-2 run and putting our heroes in a 19-point catbird seat with under four minutes remaining. McCollum missed two free throws at the opposite end as nothing was going right for Snyder’s boys.
But not so fast. After that swish by Towns, the Hawks went on an 11-0 run that included deep balls from Okongwu, Johnson, and Alexander-Walker. With a huge lead slashed to eight in just two minutes, the Birds were knocking on the door with a minute and a half left.
After a timeout, Brunson missed on the next possession, but Hart corralled a defensive board on a Johnson miss. KAT came through with a pounding payup, and N.A.W. cancelled that with one on the other end. With 40 seconds left, Hart made two free throws that essentially sealed the game. Knicks go ahead, 1-0.
Up Next
Game Two will be played at MSG on Monday. Rest up, Knickerbockers.
Last Sunday night in Los Angeles, as the Lakers were closing out their regular season against the Jazz, the broadcast cameras landed on two guys courtside who looked like they didn’t belong — and somehow belonged more than anyone else in the building.
Their names are Brandon Taylor and Tom Biddle, and they are not celebrities. Not yet. They’re just two content creators from Indianapolis who showed up courtside to the game dressed as LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
Tom, better known online as “Popcorn with Tom,” does look uncannily like Doncic. The height, the facial hair, the haircut, if you see him from a distance you might do a double-take.
Brandon, who goes by the online name of “Young Mantis,”… well, let’s just say his LeBron impression relies a lot more on inner confidence than actual accuracy.
In addition to the broadcast cameras, the Lakers’ in-house camera crew spotlighted them. They included them in their “Fan of the Game” contest. They made it down to the final two. But they lost to a young Lakers fan instead.
This little kid beat out two guys in full Luka Doncic and LeBron James uniforms to win the Lakers fan of the game. pic.twitter.com/fqum5S8ZWk
“It stuck with me that we didn’t win the Fan of the Game,” Tom told The California Post in an exclusive interview Saturday. “So we decided to upgrade our seats to get more of an advantage tonight.”
Upgraded is one way to put it. The pair is sitting next to the Rockets’ bench for Game 1 of the NBA playoff series and even got up close and personal with LeBron and his son, Bronny, during pregame warmups.
The courtside seats in the playoffs cost north of $100,000, and if you believe them, they did it not for status or clout but for revenge.
“The Lakers are going to win tonight, but more importantly we’re going to win the game,” Brandon said. “We don’t know how much time LeBron has left. We have to witness greatness.”
James, at 41 years old, is definitely hoping to turn back the clock against the Rockets on Saturday. Without Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique), the undermanned Lakers are heavy underdogs against the younger, athletic and defensive-minded Rockets.
They’re baaaaack!
The LeBron James and Luka Doncic “impersonators” are back for Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs pic.twitter.com/QD8RIdbu61
So Brandon and Tom decided to lean into it. They stayed in Los Angeles, posted their viral clips and showed back up to Game 1 of the NBA playoff series.
