A first quarter flurry from Jalen Brunson and a fourth quarter burst from Karl-Anthony Towns bookended the Knicks’ 113-102 Saturday win over the Atlanta Hawks. The victory gave the Knicks an early 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven first round series.
The two teams will see each other again at Madison Square Garden on Monday night for Game Two. As the Knicks look to build a 2-0 series lead, let’s dive into keys for the game.
Adjustment to the adjustment
It took about three-and-a-half quarters for the Hawks to target New York’s weakness, which is the club’s offense when a wing defends Towns and a center checks Josh Hart.
With a win slipping from their grasp, Hawks head coach Quin Syder went to the tried and true strategy. He put Dyson Daniels on Towns, and had center Onyeka Okongwu guard Hart. After the Knicks took a 106-89 lead with four minutes and 36 seconds remaining, Atlanta went on a 9-0 run. Though the Hawks never got closer than eight points the rest of the way, Atlanta will likely go back to the strategy in the next game.
One look the Hawks leaned on towards the end of the game was Daniels on Towns and Nickeil Alexander-Walker assigned to Brunson. The Hawks can switch the pick-and-roll with Daniels and Alexander-Walker. It can potentially take New York’s offense out of flow and disrupt the potent Brunson and Towns pick-and-roll. New York’s two All-Stars combined for 53 points on Saturday.
The Knicks will need to be ready for the adjustment on Monday night for Game Two. Maybe they post Towns up more, or use Hart as a screener to a greater degree.
Towns still has a physical advantage regardless of any defender Atlanta throws at him. And he dominated the fourth quarter, scoring 11 of his 25 points in the final frame. How the Knicks respond to the defensive wrinkle will be a central storyline for Game Two.
Fastbreak delayed
The Hawks are known for their high octane attack, but it was the Knicks who picked up the pace in Game One. The Knicks won the fastbreak battle, outscoring Atlanta 22-13 in the category.
Part of slowing down Atlanta’s frenetic pace was lowering turnovers. The Hawks thrive on chaos and scoring off opponent miscues: 17.4 percent of the Hawks’ points came off turnovers according to NBA Stats, the fourth-highest figure in the NBA.
New York turned the ball over seven times during the first half. The Knicks had just four turnovers in the second half, but all of them were all of dead ball nature. Atlanta (12 turnovers) ended up with more errors than the Knicks (11).
If New York can win the possession battle both by limiting turnovers and hitting the offensive glass, they will have a massive advantage in this series.
Bench advantage
New York’s bench was good but not great in Game 1. Defense was where the quartet of Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride, Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson had a positive effect on the game.
Offense was much harder to come by for New York’s reserves. Clarkson led the way with eight points. Shamet shot just 1-5 from three. Outside of a quick three-point burst in the fourth quarter, McBride was quiet with just six points in 21 minutes. Still, New York’s bench outscored Atlanta’s backups 20-13.
The Knicks should maintain the depth advantage the rest of the series. The only real Hawk reserve capable of a big night is Jonathan Kuminga. The Hawks forward had eight points and four rebounds in 27 minutes on Saturday. Mouhamed Gueye and Gabe Vincent combined for just five points. Former number one overall pick Zaccharie Risacher saw just two minutes in the first half.
As the series wears on, both teams are going to need a reserve to swing a game with a big performance. Based on the series opener, it’s more likely someone from the Knicks has a momentous night.
Allen rallies from 5-3 down to win 10-6 in first round
Hawkins, Williams and Xiao Guodong also advance
Mark Allen revealed how “bad food” and a few drinks fuelled his surge into the second round of the World Snooker Championship after he swallowed up a two-frame overnight deficit to crush Zhang Anda 10-6 at the Crucible.
The 40-year-old was so disillusioned with his display on Saturday, when he failed to rustle up a break over 50, that he set about drowning his sorrows in Sheffield. Allen then returned on Sunday to rifle three centuries in a six-frame streak and advance to the second round.
ANAHEIM, CA - APRIL 04: Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jo Adell (7) falls into the stands after he robbed his third home run of the game in the 9th inning of the MLB game between the Seattle Mariners and the Los Angeles Angels on April 4, 2026 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Mariners are in a hole.
The Mariners have played 22 games this year, or about 13.5% of the 2026 season. They are 9-13 and in fourth place in the AL West. They’ve had losing streaks of four games and five games and haven’t looked particularly competent against anybody but the free-falling Astros. It’s been a less than ideal start for a team that was considered the favorites in the American League on Opening Day.
Where do things stand?
The Mariners are still the favorites to win the AL West, but they’ve lost about 14% from their division odds, according to FanGraphs. The Rangers, in turn, have added about 14% to their odds to win the division, after starting 11-10. Most of that movement comes from the Rangers three-game sweep of the Mariners in Arlington last week. The ongoing series this weekend is tied 1-1 ahead of Sunday’s rubber match. It’s suddenly a massive game for the Mariners, who need to start making up ground on the Rangers specifically in case they wind up tied 5 1/2 months from now.
The projections are still quite bullish on the Mariners overall. They hold the second best World Series odds in the American League and the fourth best odds in the majors. They haven’t really bottomed-out or experienced any major injuries to deter the projections. They also aren’t alone in their slow start: the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Phillies and Mets have each started several games below .500 despite strong projections. This is just kind of how it goes — even great teams tend to play poorly at some point each season.
But as Dan Szymborski recently pointed out for FanGraphs, teams can play themselves out of the postseason with a bad April. With fairly even competition in the American League this year, a few extra losses early puts pressure on an outsized win streak later in the year. To some extent, the Mariners have used up one of their allowable skids right out of the gate. I wouldn’t say they’re far behind, but they are indeed behind.
The good news? The Mariners aren’t necessarily playing too bad. They don’t need to right the ship so much as wait for it to level off. Their offense has been middle of the pack with a 96 wRC+, and their pitching has been elite, leading the league in FIP and WAR. This certainly isn’t their top gear, but Base Runs estimates the Mariners record at 12-10 — they’ve been “unlucky,” in other words.
What the heck are Base Runs? You’re likely familiar with run differential, which gives us a clue about a team’s quality by looking at how many more (or less) runs they score than their opponents. Base Runs takes this a step further and estimates a team’s quality based on their performance in individual at bats. Basically, it’s more nuanced way of looking at total bases — are you getting on base and advancing bases more than your opponent? One way to think about it is five doubles in an inning and five doubles scattered across a game provide the same amount of information on a team’s true talent, according to Base Runs.
It turns out this works quite well for predicting future success. Base Runs has become one of the essential metrics for, “Is my team playing as good (or bad) as I think they are?” Right now, the Mariners are playing OK. They’ve bested their opponents by Base Runs in most games this year, including a few they ultimately lost. They’re getting on base a decent amount, but they’ve been especially good at keeping their opponents from getting on base. Plus, Base Runs is agnostic on Jo Adell’s Big Night — there’s a very real world where the Mainers are 13-9 right now.
Of course, by “very real world,” I mean no such thing. The Mariners really did lose those games, and they really do have to make up that ground. And there are legitimate reasons for concern. The lineup has struggled, though it’s more complicated than that. The Mariners leadoff and 5-9 hitters have posted a 122 wRC+ — third best in the majors. But their 2-4 hitters have posted a a league-worst 53 wRC+. That’s pretty much been the difference between the Mariners and their potential so far. Those spots in the lineup have been occupied by Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez, and Josh Naylor, a trio that was projected among the best in the majors. You could look at this one of two ways: 1) these guys are pretty much locks to wind up well above average, and surely their best days are ahead of them, or 2) they’re wasting a narrow window where everything else has gone right.
The other notable hangup isn’t unexpected. The Mariners defense is just plain bad. I mean, it’s “too early to say anything definitive about 2026,” but they were quite bad last year, so I expect as much again. I am encouraged by Cole Young’s new range, to be fair, but that seems to be offset by Brendan Donovan playing out of position (and maybe hurt).
That’s all to say:
The Mariners were supposed to be good and they’re still supposed to be good
They have played OK and probably better than their record indicates
The pitching has been great, full stop
The hitting has been great, except for the players who were supposed to be great, who have been terrible
The Mariners haven’t bottomed out, but the pressure is on
I’ll check in on these figures again at the 40-game mark in three weeks.
The Kansas City Royals (7-14) will try to avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the New York Yankees (12-9). The Royals have lost six consecutive games, including a 13-4 decision to the Yankees on Saturday. Starting pitchers are Cole Ragans for Kansas Cityvand Ryan Weathers for New York.
How to watch Kansas City Royals vs. New York Yankees
LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry may all be close to the sunsets of their careers, but take a moment to appreciate the big-man play we should enjoy from the Western Conference for years to come.
Nikola Jokic, Chet Holmgren, and Victor Wembanyama are all space-bending athletes, while Jaren Jackson Jr., Alperen Sengun, and Donovan Clingan all operate more like traditional bigs.
The first-round matchup between the Portland Trail Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs can also be seen as a matchup between Clingan and Wembanyama.
Victor Wembanyama is a difficult matchup for everyone in the NBA. He may be particularly difficult for the Portland Trail Blazers. They need Donovan Clingan on the court, but Wembanyama is too quick for Clingan away from the rim.
Presumably by coincidence, Wembanyama never actually faced the Trail Blazers this season, but look at how he fared in the San Antonio Spurs’ matchups against them last year, Clingan’s rookie season.
Wembanyama scored just 12 points in that first game, but he then scored 28 and 30 points in the next two matchups, both in December.
Clingan was not yet at full speed as a rookie, but he was hardly a deterrent for Wembanyama.
The Frenchmen should win on the perimeter, should win on drives, and should win in transition. That is too many ways to score not to exact some joy in his playoff debut.
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The Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs open their first-round NBA playoff series. The Spurs won two of the teams’ three regular-season meetings. The Blazers landed the West’s No. 7 playoff seed by beating the Phoenix Suns in the play-in tournament. The Spurs are making their first playoff appearance since 2019.
How to watch Portland Trail Blazers vs. San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs: 62-20 (West’s No. 1 playoff seed)
Odds
Spread: San Antonio Spurs -10.5
Moneyline: San Antonio Spurs -625 (82.6%) / Portland Trail Blazers +450 (17.4%)
Over/Under: 220.5
Series schedule
Game 1:Portland at San Antonio on Sunday, April 19 (9 p.m., NBC) Game 2: Portland at San Antonio on Tuesday, April 21 (8 p.m., NBC) Game 3: San Antonio at Portland on Friday, April 24 (10:30 p.m., Prime Video) Game 4: San Antonio at Portland on Sunday, April 26 (3:30 p.m., ESPN) *Game 5: Portland at San Antonio on Tuesday, April 28 (time and network TBD) *Game 6: San Antonio at Portland on Thursday, April 30 (time and network TBD) *Game 7: Portland at San Antonio on Saturday, May 2 (time and network TBD)
Game 1 between the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons opens with Detroit laying a significant number — and for good reason.
But instead of just looking at the spread, prediction markets show how often each team is expected to win outright.
That gives a cleaner baseline for Magic vs Pistons predictions, and helps identify where those probabilities may differ from sportsbook odds and your overall NBA picks for Sunday, April 19.
The Detroit Pistons, led by Cade Cunningham, are given a 78% chance to win Game 1, while Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic sit at just 23% to pull off the road upset.
Our prediction:Pistons to win
Our NBA expert likes Detroit to get the job done: "When you pair Detroit’s 31-9 home record with Orlando’s draining week of play-in peril, it’s easy to make the case for Cade Cunningham and Co here. Though the Magic have the personnel for a physical series, they face an uphill task in Game 1, with the Pistons poised for a fast start at Little Caesars Arena."
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More Magic vs Pistons prediction markets
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You can buy either side of a market — for example, "Yes" on the Pistons -6.5 spread means the Pistons will cover, while "No" means the Magic will cover — with each side priced based on the implied probability (which can be converted to American, Decimal, or Fraction odds using theCovers odds converter).
Magic vs Pistons spread and total at prediction markets
Outcome
Yes
No
Pistons -6.5
60¢ (-150)
41¢ (+144)
Over 218.5 points
53¢ (-113)
48¢ (+108)
Our predictions:Pistons -6.5 — Yes and Over 218.5 points — Yes/No
Our projections back the Detroit Pistons to cover -6.5, with their edge on both ends creating separation in Game 1. On the total, 218.5 sits right on the number — making it more of a lean than a strong position depending on pace and shooting early.
Other Magic vs Pistons prediction markets available
Ausar Thompson 10+ points (Yes: 55¢)
Cade Cunningham 6+ rebounds (Yes: 56¢)
Paolo Bancher double-double (Yes: 35¢)
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The Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons open their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. The Magic landed the East’s No. 8 playoff seed by beating the Charlotte Hornets in the play-in tournament. The Pistons are the East’s top playoff seed.
Detroit Pistons: 60-22 (East’s No. 1 playoff seed)
Odds
Spread: Detroit Pistons -8.5
Moneyline: Detroit Pistons -375 (75.5%) / Orlando Magic +290 (24.5%)
Over/Under: 219.5
Series schedule
Game 1: Sun., April 19, at Detroit (6:30 p.m., NBC) Game 2: Wed., April 22, at Detroit (7 p.m., ESPN) Game 3: Sat., April 25, at Orlando (1 p.m., Peacock) Game 4: Mon. April 27, at Orlando (time and network TBD) *Game 5: Wed., April 29, at Detroit (time and network TBD) *Game 6: Fri., May 1, at Orlando (time and network TBD) *Game 7: Sun., May 3, at Detroit (time and network TBD)
It’s never too early for baseball panic meters to go into overdrive, and the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays lead the list of teams under the microscope heading into today’s action.
The Mets’ 10-game losing streak is especially alarming, but there are more encouraging signs elsewhere in the NL East, and my MLB player props include a wager on Ozzie Albies, who’s delivering for the division-leading Atlanta Braves.
Read on for more on Albies and my other favorite MLB picks for the April 19 slate.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Mike Trout
Over 1.5 total bases
+110
Kevin Gausman
Over 5.5 strikeouts
+104
Ozzie Albies
Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI
-115
Mike Trout Over 1.5 total bases (+110)
The Mike Trout hot streak continued last night with a double off San Diego Padres starter German Marquez, and he’s now mashed 10 hits across his past eight outings.
That stretch includes five homers, with Trout putting this L.A. Angels offense on his shoulders. He’s posted a .500 OBP and a 1.115 OPS in day games so far this season, and I like this price for 2+ bases today.
San Diego’s Michael King is in the firing line today at Angel Stadium and, despite his solid start to the year, he gave up a hit to Trout in their lone head-to-head career battle.
Time: 4:07 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Angels.TV, FDSN-West
Kevin Gausman Over 5.5 strikeouts (+104)
Injuries have derailed the Toronto Blue Jays’ opening month, and they desperately need Kevin Gausman to steady the ship today against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He’s been his usual reliable self through four starts this year, with a 2.42 ERA and 0.85 WHIP, and he’s already racked up 31 strikeouts.
Toronto has struggled to collect Ks in this series against Arizona, but Gausman can at least point to impressive numbers in his matchups with key Arizona hitters. Nolan Arenado and Ketel Marte are a combined 7-for-43 against him, with five strikeouts.
Look for the stumbling Jays to ride Gausman as long as possible after another disastrous Jeff Hoffman bullpen outing last night.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Sportsnet, Dbacks.TV
Ozzie Albies Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-115)
Ozzie Albies has been one of the engines for the Atlanta Braves’ eye-catching 14-7 start, and he’s picked up 11 hits in his last 10 contests, with six RBI in that span. I’m counting on that consistency here.
The Braves have scored 6+ runs in four of their past six outings, and Albies has nailed this Over in three of his last four games.
Today, he faces Philadelphia Phillies rookie Andrew Painter as Atlanta goes for the sweep, and Albies will be a danger man in the heart of the lineup on the heels of a double and a single yesterday off Cristopher Sanchez.
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FOX
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
SPRINGFIELD, MO - APRIL 09: Chris Newell #9 of the Tulsa Drillers celebrates with teammates at home plate after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning during the game between the Tulsa Drillers and the Springfield Cardinals at Hammons Field on Thursday, April 9, 2026 in Springfield, Missouri. (Photo by Shanna Stafford/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Dodgers affiliates managed one win in five games on Saturday.
Player of the day
Tulsa first baseman Joe Vetrano hit a two-run home run in the first game of a doubleheader, then added two more hits in the nightcap, scoring the walk-off winner on an error.
Jack Suwinski homered twice, but the Comets allowed five runs in the eighth inning in a loss to the Albuquerque Isotopes (Rockies).
Chayce McDermott, acquired by trade from the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday, made his organizational debut Saturday with a scoreless seventh inning, at the time protecting a three-run lead. But the right-hander also started the eighth inning with a hit batter and walk, ending his night. Both scored in the fateful five-run frame.
Jackson Ferris allowed three runs in four innings, and walked five, continuing a theme of his first three starts in Triple-A. Ferris for Oklahoma City has faced 50 batters and walked 10 of them, with six strikeouts and nine runs allowed in 13 1/3 innings.
Double-A Tulsa
Payton Martin struck out five in five innings, allowing only one run in the nightcap of the Drillers’ doubleheader split with the Arkansas Travelers (Mariners).
Wyatt Crowell walked three of his first 33 batters faced this season, but on Saturday the left-hander walked five batters in two-plus innings and allowed six runs, four of them earned in the first game of the doubleheader.
The opener got lopsided enough that catcher/infielder Yeiner Fernandez, he had a two-run double earlier, pitched the top of the seventh inning down seven runs. Naturally, he got all three batters he faced on 11 pitches, the only 1-2-3 inning of the game for Great Lakes. Not a bad professional pitching debut for the 23-year-old.
Roque Gutierrez pitched the final two innings of the nightcap to earn the win.
High-A Great Lakes
The Loons scored only one run, in the first inning in a loss to the Dayton Dragons (Reds).
Mike Sirota drove in said run with an RBI double, his third straight game with a double. Sirota also singled on Saturday, extending his hit streak to eight games.
Zach Root, the Dodgers’ top draft pick in 2025 out of Arkansas, had to leave his start with one out in the second inning after appearing to roll his right ankle in securing an out at first base to open the frame. After a long conversation with a trainer and manager Jair Fernandez, Root was pulled from the game, replaced on the mound by Dilan Figueredo.
It was a bad-luck start in general for Root, whose first batter in the first inning reached on an error and scored an unearned run. Figueredo allowed an unearned run of his own, then saw one of his bequeathed baserunners score in a wild pitch in the fifth inning. That’s the only earned run allowed this season by Figueredo, who pitched 3 1/3 innings on Saturday. He has seven strikeouts against only one walk in his four appearances and 9 2/3 innings.
Nicolas Cruz struck out four in three innings of relief, and allowed one run on hit and a walk. He has 13 strikeouts and two walks in nine innings this season.
Class-A Ontario
Tower Buzzers pitchers allowed runs in seven different innings in a blowout loss to the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies).
Starter Marlon Nieves, fresh off winning California League player of the week, allowed five runs, four earned, in two innings. Isaac Ayon followed with three innings with six more runs allowed.
Ontario tried to keep pace on offense, with Jose Hernandez hitting two home runs and catcher Conner O’Neal adding a grand slam. But they still lost by 10.
Tradition: Though minor leaguers are culinarily provided for these days while at work — gone are the days of maybe peanut butter and jelly plus a loaf of bread in the clubhouse — one longstanding unwritten code persists, that major league players while rehabbing in the minors take care of their temporary teammates with a postgame spread. Brock Stewart after his second appearance with Ontario on Friday night brought in Chipotle for the team.
True Blue 💙
Dodgers pitcher Brock Stewart provided his Tower Buzzers teammates with postgame Chipotle after rehab stint 🐝 pic.twitter.com/mjfpaSipPI
The Phoenix Suns and Oklahoma City Thunder begin their first-round NBA playoff series on Sunday. The Suns beat the Golden State Warriors in the play-in tournament to secure the Western Conference’s No. 8 seed. The defending champion Thunder again finished the regular season with the league’s best record.
How to watch Phoenix Suns vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Game 1: Sun., April 19 at Oklahoma City (3:30 p.m., ABC) Game 2: Wed., April 22 at Oklahoma City (9:30 p.m., ESPN) Game 3: Sat., April 25 at Phoenix (3:30 p.m., NBC) Game 4: Mon., April 27 at Phoenix (TBD) *Game 5: Wed., April 29 at Oklahoma City (TBD) *Game 6: Fri., May 1 at Phoenix (TBD) *Game 7: Sun., May 3 at Oklahoma City (TBD)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 18: Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres makes a catch and avoids a collision with Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 as he robs Yoán Moncada #10 of the Los Angeles Angels of a home run in the second inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 18, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Fernando Tatis Jr. still does not have a home run on the season and for San Diego Padres fans and the superstar right fielder, that is hard to comprehend. While the power has not shown up for Tatis Jr. after 20 games into the season, he has been an offensive contributor and proved that once again with a 2-for-4 night, with two RBI, a walk and a strikeout. That was enough to help the Padres score four runs over the eighth and ninth innings to beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-1 at Angel Stadium on Saturday night. German Marquez started on the mound for San Diego and seems to be improving each time he takes the ball. The former Colorado ace did not get the win, but he did complete 5.2 innings of shutout baseball, allowing two hits with five strikeouts and two walks. The Padres bullpen took over for the remainder of the game and saw Jason Adam surrender a run in the eighth, but he also worked out of trouble in what could have been a much bigger inning for the Angels. Mason Miller, who has been automatic to this point in the season, closed the game out to secure the win and set San Diego up with a chance to take the series in the rubber match on Sunday at 1:07 p.m.
Padres News:
Ramon Laureano has been the most consistent hitter for the Padres this season and that has resulted in him climbing the lineup to the leadoff spot. He attributes some of his success this season to new San Diego hitting coach Steven Souza Jr.
Not to be lost in the celebration about the win for the Padres and the late offense was the early defense from centerfielder Jackson Merrill. He and Tatis Jr. had a near miss collision in the outfield while each attempting to rob the same potential home run, which was actually brought back by Merrill to keep the game scoreless in the early innings.
Baseball News:
Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers has a 50-game on base streak, but his offensive dominance was not enough to keep the Colorado Rockies from winning 4-3.
The Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics begin their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. The teams split their four regular-season meetings. The 76ers will be missing starting center Joel Embiid, at least to begin the series.
How to watch Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics
Philadelphia 76ers: 45-37 (East’s No. 7 playoff seed)
Boston Celtics: 56-26 (East’s No. 2 playoff seed)
Odds
Spread: Boston Celtics -12.5
Moneyline: Boston Celtics -800 (85.2%) / Philadelphia 76ers +550 (14.8%)
Over/Under: 213.5
Series schedule
Game 1: Sun., April 19 at Boston (1 p.m., ABC) Game 2: Tue., April 21 at Boston (7 p.m., Peacock) Game 3: Fri., April 24 at Philadelphia (7 p.m., Prime) Game 4: Sun., April 26 at Philadelphia (7 p.m., NBC) *Game 5: Tue., April 28 at Boston (TBD) *Game 6: Thu., April 30 at Philadelphia (TBD) *Game 7: Sat., May 2 at Boston (TBD)if necessary
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 1: Neemias Queta #88 and Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics combine to knock the ball away from Quentin Grimes #5 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at TD Garden on March 1, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Philadelphia 76ers (0-0) at Boston Celtics (0-0) Sunday, April 19, 2026 1:00 PM ET First Round Game #1 Home Game #1 TV: ABC Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, 97.5 Fanatic, Sirius XM TD Garden Officials: Scott Foster, Pat Fraher, Tre Maddox
The Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers meet in the playoffs for the 23rd time, which includes Philly’s time as the Syracuse Nationals in the 50’s and early 60’s. This is the most for any 2 teams in the league. The Celtics lead all time with 15 wins to 7 for the 76ers and they have won the last 6 series against Philly. The last time the 76ers beat the Celtics in the playoffs was in the Eastern Conference Finals in 1982 when the Beat LA chant was born as Celtics fans urged the 76ers to beat the hated Lakers.
The Celtics have won all 3 series that have been played in the Brown/Tatum era, winning in 2018, 2020 and 2023. The Celtics are 212-199 overall, all time against the 76ers. They are 157-58 all time in games played in Boston. These two teams tied the series 2-2 this season. The 76ers won 117-116 on opening night, October 22 in Boston and they won again 102-100 in Philadelphia on November 11. The Celtics won 109-108 in Philadelphia on October 31 and again 114-98 in Boston on March 1.
Three of the games this season came before November 12 when the Celtics were just 5-7 and 11th in the league. They were just getting used to all the new players at that time while the 76ers brought back mostly the same team and were already used to playing together. The 76ers were 7-4 at that time. Philadelphia’s 2 wins were by a total of 3 points. The Celtics first win in October was by 1 point, but their March 1 win was by a total of 16 points.
Three of the 4 matches between the Celtics and 76ers this season were decided by 2 points or less. The Celtics need to avoid close games down the stretch in these playoffs if they can help it. The 76ers had the #1 clutch defense in the NBA this season. They had a 98.6 defensive rating during the last 5 minutes of games that were within 5 points. They were 23-18 in games that included clutch minutes. The Celtics were 16-17 in games that included clutch minutes and that includes going 1-2 against Philadelphia this season.
We can’t take a lot from those regular season games to predict how this game, or this series, will go. First, the Celtics did not have Jayson Tatum for any of the 4 games. Also, Philly didn’t have Paul George for any of the 4 games and they didn’t have Embiid for the November 11 and March 1 games. They will be missing Embiid for this game but Paul George will be a key player for them in this series and gives them a defender with size to put up against Tatum and Brown.
The Celtics come into this game with a clean injury report. After having 8 players sit out their final game of the season, the Celtics have no players listed on their injury report at this time. For the 76ers, Joel Embiid is the only player on their injury report. Embiid underwent an appendectomy on April 9. Recovery for an appendectomy is anywhere from 20 days to 5 weeks. We know that he will miss at least the first part of the series and the Celtics need to take advantage and win while he is out. I’m guessing that Adem Bona will start at center.
Probable Starting Matchups PG: Derrick White vs Tyrese Maxey
Derrick White | Getty ImagesTyrese Maxey | Getty Images
SG: Jaylen Brown vs VJ Edgecombe
Jaylen Brown | NBAE via Getty ImagesVJ Edgecombe | Getty Images
SF: Sam Hauser vs Kelly Oubre, Jr
Sam Hauser | Boston Globe via Getty ImagesKelly Oubre, Jr | Getty Images
PF: Jayson Tatum vs Paul George
Jayson Tatum | Getty ImagesPaul George | NBAE via Getty Images
C: Neemias Queta vs Adem Bona
Neemias Queta | Boston Globe via Getty ImagesAdem Bona | Getty Images
Celtics Reserves Payton Pritchard Hugo Gonzalez Luka Garza Amare Williams Baylor Scheierman Max Shulga Nikola Vucevic Ron Harper, Jr Delano Banton John Tonje
2-Way Players None Injuries/Out None
Head Coach Joe Mazzulla
76ers Reserves Andre Drummond Quentin Grimes Kyle Lowry Justin Edwards Trendon Watford Dalen Terry Dominick Barlow Jabari Walker
2-Way Players MarJon Beauchamp Tyrese Martin Injuries/Out Joel Embiid (Appendix) out
Head Coach Nick Nurse
Key Matchups Derrick White vs Tyrese Maxey In the regular season, Maxey averaged 28.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game while shooting 46.2% from the field and 36.7% from beyond the arc. In the 4 games against the Celtics this season, he averaged 30 points, 4.5 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks while shooting 41.8% from the field and 51.4% from beyond the arc. Maxey’s speed makes him hard to defend, but 4 Celtics have had success in guarding him this season. Against Pritchard, he scored 13 points in 55 possessions. Against White, he scored 19 points in 49 possessions. Against Scheierman, he scored 8 points in 44 possessions and against Walsh, he scored 4 points in 33 possessions. Among the 4, hopefully the Celtics can keep Maxey in check.
Jayson Tatum vs Paul George In the regular season, George averaged 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists while shooting 43.9% from the field and 39.2% from beyond the arc. Neither of these players were able to play in any of the 4 games between Boston and Philly this season. George gives the 76ers a 2-way player with the size and ability to guard Jayson Tatum. But that goes both ways because Tatum can also guard George and is a better rebounder.
Honorable Mention Jaylen Brown vs Vj Edgecomb Edgecombe will likely come in 3rd for Rookie of the Year. He averaged 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 43.8% from the field and 35.4% from beyond the arc. In the 4 games against the Celtics this season, he averaged 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting 43.5% from the field and 41.2% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to be ready for him and defend him both in the paint and on the perimeter.
Keys to the Game Defense – As always, defense is a key to winning this, and every, game. Defense wins championships. In the first 20 games of the season, the Celtics were 18th on defense. In the 2nd 20 games, they ranked 12th. In the next16 games, they had the 3rd best defense. Overall, they are 4th with a defensive rating of 111.7. The 76ers are 17th with a defensive rating of 114.4. The Celtics must play tough lock down defense in this game if they want to beat the 76ers.
Rebound – Rebounding is also one of the biggest keys to winning every game. As Pat Riley once said, “No rebounds, no rings. The Celtics are 3rd in the league with 46.4 rebounds per game. The 76ers are 17th with 43.6 rebounds per game. The Celtics are 43-12 in games that they tie or out-rebound opponents. They are just 11-13 in games tin which they are out-rebounded. They simply have to fight harder to grab rebounds than the 76ers. Every Celtic has got to crash the boards and fight for every rebound.
Move the Ball Carefully – The Celtics need to move the ball and find the open man. They play their best when they share the ball and keep it moving. They were 36-2 this season when they had more than 25 assists in a game. They were 35-0 this season when they had more assists than their opponent. Both the Celtics and 76ers average 24.6 assists per game. However, the Celtics need to make careful passes and limit turnovers. They also have to be aware while dribbling and not drive into a crowd or allow a defender to steal the ball since the 76ers average 19 points off turnovers per game.
Be Aggressive and Stay Focused – The Celtics need to be the more aggressive team. They have to play physical defense and they have to be more aggressive in going for rebounds and loose balls and getting to the basket, especially if their 3’s aren’t falling. Usually the more aggressive team gets the benefit of the calls and being more aggressive will help to fluster the 76ers. They also have to stay focused on on playing the right way. Move the ball, look for the open man, take good shots, play physical defense, and fight for rebounds. X-Factors Home Game – Teams play all season to secure home court in the playoffs. The Celtics need to feed off the energy of the crowd and hopefully, the 76ers will be distracted by travel and the hostile crowd. The Celtics should play harder to win on their home court. Losing Game 1 at home is a major setback, historically giving the home team only about a 58-61% chance to win the series. However, when they win Game 1 at home, they go on to win the series about 84.8% of the time. The Celtics need to protect home court and keep their home court advantage.
Coaching – Joe Mazzulla is in his 4th season as Celtics’ head coach. He won a title in 2024 with a very talented team that was packed with shooting stars. Now he has to win in a different way since his personnel has changed and he did a great job in the regular season. Nick Nurse is in his 8th season as a head coach overall and his 3rd as the 76ers head coach. He won a title with the Raptors in 2019. The 76ers returned their core this season and added a very talented lottery pick and so Nurse has a lot to prove with this team.
Officiating – Officiating is always an x-factor. Every crew calls the game differently. Some call it tight and call every bit of contact while others allow more physical play. Some favor the home team while others call both sides evenly. Refs usually allow a little more go in the playoffs but not always. The Celtics have to adjust to the way the refs are calling the game and not allow the no calls and bad calls to affect their focus on playing the game.
It’s a sad state of affairs when disappointment settles in, like a thick bank of fog, even before mid-April has rolled around. I don’t have constructive suggestions. I’m not even sure these thoughts rise to the level of complaints since I’m not worked up about it anymore. What I can offer are mere observations—no hot takes, no surprises.
Starting rotation falls short so far
After all the preseason talk about our world-class rotation, let’s just say that things are running counter to plan. Crochet’s catastrophe of an outing in Minneapolis has received the lion’s share of the headlines, of course, but he’s not alone. This is no deep dive, but take a glance and admit no one predicted this. Stats as of April 18.
Garrett Crochet: -0.6 WAR, 7.58 ERA
Ranger Suárez: until Friday’s game, his stats were a not-great -0.1 WAR and a pretty ugly 5.02 ERA. That stabilizing performance improved these numbers to 0.4 WAR and 3.22. He has reentered respectable territory.
Brayan Bello: these stats got worse with Saturday’s outing, dropping to -0.4 WAR and 6.75 ERA
Errors
And after I was looking forward to smooth defense, too! I talked it up, and this is the thanks I get.
Through April 13, the Red Sox were collecting errors at a slightly increased rate from 2025, when they led the league in errors for much of the season. It took four errorless games in a row to drive the rate down, if only slightly. This streak is the first of the season where the Sox have played more than two games in a row without an error. Along the way, they have also already logged four two-error games. So much for the Sox newfound defensive prowess.
And so it goes
Marcelo Mayer needing to step up, Roman Anthony shedding his cape and revealing that he is all too human, the stupid hit celebration…I won’t belabor these points again, so much as offer them as punctuation to my point that the Red Sox have been anything but fun to watch in 2026.
MLB Side Quest
As a matter of self-care, I turned to my local Mariners to seek relief from the torture of Red Sox fandom. Surprise, surprise, I ran up against a wall there too.
An almost equally slow start to the season (9-13, compared to the Sox 8-12 as of April 18) has them falling far behind all expectations.
Old friend Rob Refsnyder is hitless (0-18) as of April 18.
Ferry fries have been MIA at T-Mobile Park due to some unfathomable oversight and it’s simply wrong. What does a fan have to do to have fun in 2026? I arrived incredibly early for a game last week JUST TO BOOST MY SPIRITS BY TAKING A SELFIE WITH THE FERRY FRIES only to find that they were completely out, indefinitely. As in, needing to source a new supplier or whatever. You know it’s bad when even comfort food lets you down.
It has to get better, right?
[Author’s note: at least the ferry fries returned, though with an unexpected rebrand. I will hope the same for the Red Sox.]
Mike Trout
Kevin Gausman
Ozzie Albies
