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The Sixers’ history against the Celtics in the playoffs

BOSTON - APRIL 29: Julius Erving #6 of the Philadelphia 76ers defends against Larry Bird #33 of the Boston Celtics in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 1981 NBA Playoffs at the Boston Garden on April 29, 1981 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Celtics defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 111-109 and won the series 4-3. 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 1981 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Could the Sixers upset the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs? It feels highly unlikely, but it would be revenge over four decades in the making.

This spring will be the NBA-record 23rd time the two franchises have met in the postseason. It’s a rivalry that favors Boston historically, and, really, in 2026 as well. Still, the Sixers have had some high points sprinkled through the years, too.

For my fellow basketball nerds, I’m going to take you a little trip through the past with a look at all of these matchups, dating back to 1953…

1953 Eastern Division Semifinals: Celtics win series 2-0

This is when the Sixers were still the Syracuse Nationals. I’ll be honest. As a prideful Philadelphian, I don’t care much about that aspect of the franchise’s history. I think it’s outrageous that the team counts Syracuse’s 1955 championship as one of their own. Ultimately, I don’t write the NBA’s history books though, so I’ll be touching upon these.

In the best-of-three series, Boston’s Bob Cousy was fully in control, dropping 20 points in Game 1 and then a whopping 50 points in Game 2, which went to four overtimes, to advance. Cousy played 66 minutes in that one, going 30-of-32 from the free throw line. The Celtics would lose, however, to the Knicks in the Eastern Division Finals.

1954 Eastern Division Finals: Nationals win 2-0

This was very much an outlier year in the league’s history. They had a round-robin format to begin the playoffs for the only time ever. When Syracuse faced Boston in those games, the Nationals won them both with Hall of Famer Dolph Schayes averaging 24.5 points, 14.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists.

They then faced off again in the Eastern Division Finals with the Nationals prevailing in a two-games sweep. Schayes carried the Nationals with a 27-21-5 effort in a Game 1 home victory before closing things out in Boston in Game 2 two days later.

The Nationals would then advance to the NBA Finals before falling to the Minneapolis Lakers in seven games.

1955 Eastern Division Finals: Nationals win 3-1

In a best-of-five format, the Nationals had six scorers average double-figures in the series win: Schayes, Red Kerr, Earl Lloyd, Paul Seymour, George King and Red Rocha.

Cruising to the NBA Finals, the Nationals would win the franchise’s first championship, beating the Fort Wayne Pistons in seven games. Syracuse went from being up 2-0 in the Finals to down 3-2 before righting the ship at home in Game 6 and Game 7 wins.

1956 Eastern Division Semifinals: Nationals win 2-1

After dropping Game 1 in Boston, Syracuse rebounded and took the next two contests. It would be the final time the franchise beats Boston in the playoffs while still playing in Syracuse. The Nationals would go on to lose to the Philadelphia Warriors in six games in the next round.

1957 Eastern Division Finals: Celtics win 3-0

With first-year center Bill Russell now suiting up for Boston, the Celtics would go on a decade of dominance over this franchise. The rookie averaged 15.3 points and 28.0 rebounds per game in the sweep on the way to Boston’s first championship.

1959 Eastern Division Finals: Celtics win 4-3

In a seven-game slugfest, the teams alternated victories before Boston won Game 7 130-125, putting them on a path to another championship. Given Russell’s presence, Boston out-rebounded Syracuse 525-431 in the series.

1961 Eastern Division Finals: Celtics win 4-1

The final specific Nationals-Celtics playoff matchup, Boston took care of things once more. Russell averaged an outrageous 20.6 points, 31.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists in the series. The Celtics would go on to win their third-straight title.

1965 Eastern Division Finals: Celtics win 4-3

The first Sixers-Celtics postseason series, this would put into place a five-year run where the teams would meet in the playoffs annually. The Celtics would have a one-point win in a decisive Game 7, which featured the legendary, “Havlicek stole the ball!” radio broadcast call. Boston’s John Havlicek’s steal off a Sixers inbound pass in the final seconds of the game preserved the Celtics’ lead and sent them to the Finals, where they’d win their seventh-straight title.

1966 Eastern Division Finals: Celtics win 4-1

Far less climactic than their matchup the previous year, Boston just controlled things so much that a 46-point, 34-rebound performance from Wilt Chamberlain in Game 5 didn’t matter. The Celtics would win the NBA title for the eighth year in a row, but the tide would turn the next spring…

1967 Eastern Division Finals: Sixers win 4-1

Revenge! Chamberlain averaged a triple-double with 21.6 points, 32.0 rebounds and 10.0 assists per game. Fellow Hall of Famers Hall Greer (29.2 PPG) and Chet Walker (20.6 PPG) also averaged more than 20 points per night. A closeout 24-point home win would send the Sixers to the Finals. They’d beat the Warriors, now out in San Francisco, to capture the franchise’s first Philadelphia-based championship.

1968 Eastern Division Finals: Celtics win 4-3

Well, the revenge was short lived! The Sixers became the first team to blow a 3-1 series lead in the NBA postseason in this one, falling in Game 7 at the Spectrum in South Philly. Chamberlain did not attempt a shot from the field in the entire second half. It would be his final game as a Sixer before being traded to the Lakers that summer.

Boston, naturally, would go on to win the title after moving past the Sixers.

1969 Eastern Division Semifinals: Celtics win 4-1

With Chamberlain no longer a threat, Boston made quick work of the Sixers. In what was Russell’s final playoff run in his final season as a player (though he served as player-coach for the time being), the Celtics would eventually win yet another championship.

1977 Eastern Conference Semifinals: Sixers win 4-3

In the first year following the NBA-ABA merger, both teams looked much different than the last time they met in the postseason. Julius Erving, now a Sixer, and Doug Collins, a fourth-year All-Star guard, would both average 23.7 points per game in the series victory. In Game 7, World B. Free would score a game-high 27 points off the bench to give the Sixers a six-point win.

The Sixers would reach the NBA Finals, taking a 2-0 series lead over Portland before embarrassingly losing the next four games by a combined 62 points.

1980 Eastern Conference Finals: Sixers win 4-1

Despite a valiant effort from a rookie Larry Bird, the Sixers once more took down Boston in this era on their way to the NBA Finals. Erving, who finished second in MVP voting that regular season, stuffed the stat sheet this series. Erving averaged 25.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.6 steals and 1.4 blocks per game.

The NBA Finals would see the Sixers face Magic Johnson, yet another superstar rookie, and the Lakers, who beat the Sixers in six games.

1981 Eastern Conference Finals: Celtics win 4-3

An iconic matchup in NBA lore, the Sixers, just as they did in 1968, would blow a 3-1 series lead to Boston. Those losses in Games 5, 6 and 7 came by a combined five points. Brutality.

The Celtics would win the NBA Finals over Houston in six games after their comeback against the Sixers.

1982 Eastern Conference Finals: Sixers win 4-3

The legend of Andrew Toney was born here. Toney, in just his second NBA season, earned the “Boston Strangler” nickname with his clutch performances against the Celtics.

The Sixers bounced back from a 40-point Game 1 loss that could’ve been otherwise completely demoralizing. Toney would be the leading scorer in Sixers wins in Game 2 and 4 with 30 points and 39 points, respectively. In a winner-takes-all Game 7 at the Boston Garden with a Finals trip on the line, Toney totaled 34 points while shooting more than 60 percent from the field.

Facing Los Angeles in the NBA Finals for the second consecutive year, the Sixers would fall in six games again. Sweeping the Lakers in the championship round the following season, after Moses Malone arrived in Philly, would make up for it though.

This remains the most recent time that the Sixers have beaten the Celtics in a playoff series.

1985 Eastern Conference Finals: Celtics win 4-1

The Sixers’ 1983 championship core was on the downslide and starting to display signs of age. The star trio of Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish had plenty of firepower for Boston and two-way guard Dennis Johnson, who joined the Celtics the year prior, made life difficult on the Sixers’ backcourt.

Boston would face the Lakers in the NBA Finals, but fell in six games.

This Sixers-Celtics series was really the end of an era. The two teams wouldn’t face each other in the postseason for another 17 years.

2002 Eastern Conference First Round: Celtics win 3-2

Hey, the first Sixers-Celtics postseason series I was alive to witness!

The Sixers were Eastern Conference Champions the year prior, but their regular season win total dropped from 56 in 2001 to 43. They just weren’t the same quality of team.

The home team won every game in this best-of-five set.

After two losses in Boston, Allen Iverson caught fire in a five-point Game 3 win with 42 points. In Game 4, Iverson provided late-game heroics, scoring eight points in the game’s final 72 seconds to give the Sixers a two-point victory.

The stage was set for a decisive Game 5 in Boston!

The Celtics won 120-87. As wild as it sounds even 24 years later, that game was actually a lot closer than the score would indicate. Boston out-scored the Sixers 43-20 in the fourth quarter due to a barrage of threes after it being a somewhat tightly contested game before that.

Paul Pierce finished with 46 points on the night for Boston while making eight of his 10 three-point attempts.

2012 Eastern Conference Semifinals: Celtics win 4-3

The Sixers weren’t supposed to be there, but they were. The eighth seed in the East during that lockout-shortened season, they upset Chicago in the first round after a career-altering injury to the Bulls’ Derrick Rose in Game 1. They then faced off with a Celtics team that was running on fumes a bit with an older group of stars that had won a title in 2008 and had made the NBA Finals in 2010.

I give these scrappy Sixers credit. They played over their heads against a Celtics team filled with future Hall of Famers and the rings to boot. The two teams split the first two games of the series in Boston with each game being decided by just a single point. The series ebbed back and forth, while also featuring approximately 400 moving screens from Kevin Garnett, before the Sixers improbably forced a Game 7.

In that matchup in Boston during Memorial Day Weekend, the Sixers fought hard, but talent inevitably won out as the Celtics advanced. Rajon Rondo had a triple-double. Jrue Holiday shot 5-17 from the field. Spencer Hawes got eaten up every second he was on the court. Evan Turner was a game-worst -23. It is what it is.

The series, strangely enough, has since been immortalized in the film Uncut Gems.

2018 Eastern Conference Semifinals: Celtics win 4-1

There’s no getting around it. This series loss sucked badly.

Ben Simmons had his first of several postseason disappearing acts. Al Horford had Joel Embiid playing the most inefficient basketball of his young career. Sixers role players who were key cogs during the stretch run to the playoffs, like Robert Covington, Marco Belinelli and Ersan İlyasova, all went cold.

After losing the first two games of the series on the road, the Sixers returned home. Could they even things up in South Philly?

Game 3 had the most infamous moment of the series. Belinelli hit a shot at the end of regulation that looked like it might have been a three-pointer, which would’ve given the Sixers the win, but was only a two-pointer, merely tying the game. Confetti erroneously went off in the arena, celebrating a win that was not meant to be. The Sixers would then lose in overtime, giving the Celtics an insurmountable 3-0 series lead that they would wrap up in five games.

The pure feel-good vibes of that season and that playoff push still have not returned for the Sixers.

2020 Eastern Conference First Round: Celtics win 4-0

This series was in the bubble. Simmons was out due to injury. Horford was awful in his one year as a Sixer after briefly leaving Boston. It was awful to watch.

We can just flush this one away, right?

2023 Eastern Conference Semifinals: Celtics win 4-3

The Sixers let this one slip away. It still sinks. I’m angry just thinking about it.

With Embiid sidelined, James Harden went off in Game 1 with 45 points for the upset road win. The Celtics crushed the Sixers in Game 2 121-87, but you could leave with that because they already stole one!

Game 3 saw the Sixers fall at home, but they evened up the series in Game 4 thanks to 42 points from Harden and 34 points from Embiid.

Headed back to Boston for Game 5, I assumed the Sixers would lose because that’s just what they do. I was wrong though! Embiid had 33. 22-year-old Tyrese Maxey had a star-in-the-making performance with 30 points. The Sixers won! They were up 3-2! They could close this bad boy out in South Philly and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 22 years!

Well, that didn’t come to fruition.

Game 6 saw Harden shoot 25 percent from the field while going 0-of-6 from deep. Tobias Harris pathetically shot 1-of-7. The Sixers actually held a two-point lead entering the fourth quarter. They couldn’t finish. It was crushing to watch it all unfold in real time.

Game 7 was a formality as the Celtics destroyed the Sixers 112-88. Everyone no-showed that one.

Those final two losses sum this entire era of Sixers basketball.

Well, I hope that all wasn’t too depressing. I imagine most Sixers fans are just numb to it now!

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What’s the definition of a broken record?: Braves 3, Phillies 1

Apr 18, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale (51) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

When I was growing up, the term “broken record” never really made sense to me. If a record was broken, to my young and impressionable mind, how would it actually work in the first place? I knew that the general meaning was that if something sounded like a broken record, you’d hear it over and over and over again, but it remained one of those things that I just didn’t comprehend.

I’m reminded of this as the Phillies post another loss at home, one marred by sloppy play that put their starting pitching in a hole and an offense that continues to spin its wheels. It’s the same things that have been at the forefront of their slow start, the plagues and blights on their season.

It’s a broken record.

A marquee pitching matchup was billed between Cristopher Sanchez and Chris Sale and it largely lived up to it. One might have thought that a first at bat home run robbery by Brandon Marsh would be a portend of things to come, but no sir.

Outside of one pitch, Sale shut down a Phillies offense that tried to load up on right handed hitting to try and counter the southpaw. The lone highlight of the evening was Felix Reyes, in his major league debut, taking Sale deep to the opposite field in his first at bat.

However, more just uncalled for errors by the Phillies gave the lead right back. Sanchez got the first two outs via strikeout before Drake Baldwin singled with two outs. Ozzie Albies grounded a ball to Edmundo Sosa, who bobbled the ball and couldn’t record a third out, a crucial error that came right back to haunt them when Matt Olson walked to load the bases. Austin Riley hit a dribbler that Sanchez couldn’t field and the game was tied. Mauricio Dubon hit a duckfart to center and the lead was two.

From there, the game settled into a pitching clinic. The way the Phillies have “hit”, this one was over.

The cold bats are going to happen. Players go through slumps at the plate all the time, even a bunch of them at once. That is something that can be at least understood. Balls finding the Bermuda Triangles seems to be happening to the Phillies a lot lately, the BABIP gods frowning down on pitcher after pitcher on the team’s staff. It’s the sloppy play by the defense that is just baffling, particularly when it’s by normally good defenders. It’s inexcusable for them to play in this manner and cost themselves extra pitches, extra runs and extra losses.

It’s just another broken record in a season full of them so far.

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Tobias Myers to start Mets’ series finale in Chicago on Sunday

Tobias Myers throws a pitch in a road grey Mets jersey.
Tobias Myers | (Photo: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images)

The Mets have announced that Tobias Myers, the 27-year-old who came to the Mets with Freddy Peralta in the team’s trade with the Brewers ahead of this season, will start the team’s series finale against the Cubs on Sunday afternoon. David Peterson had been slated to start the game, and according to Mike Puma, Peterson is not injured.

Peterson has been struggling lately, though. After a good outing in his first start of the season, he has an 8.79 ERA over his past three starts. For what it’s worth, he has a 3.43 FIP and a 5.87 xERA over those three starts, and while those two metrics are pretty far apart, both suggest that Peterson hasn’t been nearly as bad as his ERA would suggest.

As for Myers, he’s thrown 13.0 innings so far this season with all of them coming out of the Mets’ bullpen. He has a 3.46 ERA and a 4.00 FIP in that limited sample. And in his time with the Brewers, Myers made 31 starts and had success in both his relief and starting roles.

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Mets' Tobias Myers to start series finale vs. Cubs instead of David Peterson

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. 

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Cubs Minor League Wrap: Pelicans blast past Cannon Ballers

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.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs scuttled the Columbus Clippers (Guardians), 7-6.

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.

Bethancourt’s home run.

The Triantos double.

Pedro Ramirez’s game-ending and game-saving snag.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies got pulled into the ocean by the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Marlins), 13-4.

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.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs shot down the Beloit Sky Carp (Marlins), 12-5.

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.

Sisneros’ two-run double.

Ayers’ home run. Ayers six home runs this year already ties him for a season-high in his career.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans defused the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (White Sox) 6-0.

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.

Hartshorn’s blast.

The Valdez home run.

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.

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Andre Pallante’s Strong Effort, Cardinals 3 Home Runs Beat Astros 7-5

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.

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Chris Sale leads the way in 3-1 victory over Philadelphia

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.

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Suns/Thunder is new on paper but not without history

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.

1993

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.

1997

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.

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.

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.

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Suns vs. Thunder – NBA Playoffs – Game 1 predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 19

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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Karl-Anthony Towns, Jalen Brunson combine for 53 points to lift Knicks past Hawks in Game 1

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).

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.

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Kremer throws one bad pitch, offense goes silent in a 4-2 loss to Cleveland

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.

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Heroes, zeros from Knicks’ Game 1 win over Hawks: Jalen Brunson gets it started

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows 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

Heroes and zeros from the Knicks’ 113-102 Game 1 win over the Hawks on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden:  

Hero

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.

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OG Anunoby’s ankle doesn’t slow him down in emphatic return to Knicks lineup

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Knicks player Og Anunoby #8 reacts after a three-point shot in a game against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden, Image 2 shows New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby #8 dunks the ball during a game against the Atlanta Hawks

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.”

This was classic Anunoby, making an impact at both ends of the floor, as the Knicks topped the Hawks 113-102 at the Garden.

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.

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13 Takeaways from Cavs 132-126 win over Raptors: James Harden changes everything

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.

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And if they gave Harden an alley, he was able to float it in for a basket over the top.

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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.”

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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.”

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NBA First Round Best Bets, Odds, Predictions: Celtics vs 76ers, Thunder vs Suns, Spurs vs Trail Blazers

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)

Follow my plays for the season on X @VmoneySports, Instagram @VmoneySports_ and Action App @vaughndalzell.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & team props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!

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