The Warriors escaped the NBA play-in tournament and will face the Houston Rockets in a best-of-seven first-round Western Conference playoff series beginning Sunday night.
Game 1: Sunday, April 20 — Golden State at Houston — 6:30 p.m. PT — NBC Sports Bay Area Game 2: Wednesday, April 23 — Golden State at Houston — 6:30 p.m. PT — NBC Sports Bay Area Game 3: Saturday, April 26 — Houston at Golden State — 5:30 p.m. PT — ABC Game 4: Monday, April 28 — Houston at Golden State — 7:00 p.m. PT — NBC Sports Bay Area Game 5*: Wednesday, April 30 — Golden State at Houston — Time TBD — TV TBD Game 6*: Friday, May 2 — Houston at Golden State — Time TBD — TV TBD Game 7*: Sunday, May 4 — Golden State at Houston — Time TBD — TV TBD
The Warriors won three of the five regular-season matchups against the Rockets.
Konnor Smith becomes the latest Ducks draft pick to officially join the organization after signing his entry-level contract (ELC) on Tuesday. He will report to the AHL and play with the San Diego Gulls on an amateur tryout (ATO) for the rest of the 2024-25 season, with his ELC beginning at the start of the 2025-26 season.
At six-foot-six and 216 pounds, Smith is a big boy. Naturally, he uses his size and strength to his advantage and is a very physical player. Smith played parts of three seasons with the OHL's Peterborough Petes and had a crucial role in the Petes' playoff run as a shutdown defenseman en route to an OHL championship. In 2023-24, he was traded mid-season to the Owen Sound Attack and appeared in four playoff games that season before finishing the year with the Gulls on an ATO. He appeared in six games and scored in his AHL debut.
After being named captain of the Attack for the 2024-25 season, Smith played in just eight games before being traded to the Brampton Steelheads. He had 18 points in 32 games, setting a new career-high. Smith and the Steelheads faced off against fellow Ducks draft pick Beckett Sennecke and the Oshawa Generals in the first round of the OHL Playoffs. Sennecke missed part of the series due to injury, but the Generals still came out on top in six games.
Smith could play a large role for the Gulls next season. Behind Stian Solberg and Tyson Hinds, there are currently few left-handed options. It's uncertain if Rodwin Dionicio will return from Biel in Switzerland and Dillion Heatherington's AHL contract is up at the end of this season. On the right side are Noah Warren and AHL veteran Roland McKeown, and recently-signed Ian Moore will likely spend most of next season in the AHL as well.
To elevate his game, Smith must continue to improve his discipline. He tends to toe the line between being physical and outright destructive at times. While physicality is his killing card, it will do him no good if he's spending more time in the penalty box than on the ice. Continuing to improve his puck skills and skating is also a necessity as the game continues to trend toward mobile, puck movers versus prototypical stay-at-home defensemen.
The Colorado Avalanche are set to take on the Dallas Stars in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. But on Tuesday, the Avalanche made big news when they recalled veteran star Gabriel Landeskog -- and Landeskog's return to action after nearly three calendar years on the sidelines with a catastrophic knee injury could be the best story of the post-season.
Landeskog returned to on-ice action this week when he played two games with the American League's Colorado Eagles. Landeskog posted a goal and two points in his second game, a performance that had to infuse him with confidence that he could do great things after more than 1,000 days between NHL games. And certainly, Landeskog's teammates fully believe Landeskog still can contribute in hockey's top league.
"It was awesome," Avs superstar Nathan MacKinnon told NHL.com in regard to Landeskog's two AHL games. "I [didn't] know what to expect, obviously, but I thought every shift he looked better. I thought Game Two, he looked a lot better as well...He's Gabe Landeskog at the end of the day, and, obviously, there's going to be some rust. Three years is a crazy amount of time off, and he hasn't really been practicing that much either...But I think he looks great, and in game situations, you can still see those instincts are there. He's still got it, for sure."
Hockey fans always enjoy a great comeback story, and Landeskog's fight to overcome adversity is one of the NHL's best human interest stories in recent memory. The 32-year-old Swede has played 738 regular-season NHL games and 69 playoff games, but if and when he suits up for the Avs in the current post-season, he's going to give his teammates a huge inspirational boost.
Landeskog was a key factor in the Avalanche's most recent Cup victory, and now, he has a chance to help push them to another Cup win. We shouldn't expect him to be a difference-maker -- at least, not right away -- but it's hard not to root for someone who probably felt at some point like his on-ice career was at an end.
Landeskog will have scores of Avs fans cheering him on, and just getting back to the NHL is a massive achievement for him. We'll all be watching him and hoping for the best -- and if he does deliver a memorable performance, Landeskog will carve out a particularly special place in hockey history.
The only Phillie who needed a productive night more than Alec Bohm on Tuesday was the hitter behind him, his lockermate and best friend on the team, Brandon Marsh.
Bohm entered the night riding a 5-for-45 slump. Marsh was hitless in his last 26 at-bats. Bohm was dropped from fourth to eighth in the Phillies’ lineup last week, and Marsh was benched on Monday night against a right-handed pitcher because manager Rob Thomson felt the centerfielder needed a night to clear his head.
Both were instrumental in Tuesday’s win over the Giants, driving in a run apiece in a game that was decided by two. Marsh drove in the Phillies’ second run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second, and Bohm overcame an earlier failure with one out and runners on the corners to hit the go-ahead RBI single in a 6-4 win.
“That’s the game right there,” Bohm said of rebounding two innings after grounding into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play. “You think, ‘Oh, there goes my chance.’ You can either let that go one way and ruin the rest of the day or just keep playing the game and the game gives you another opportunity.”
Bohm and Marsh were introspective in the Phillies’ clubhouse postgame.
“It’s a very humbling game and I’m feeling very humble right now,” Bohm said.
“The game’s very tough. It’ll knock you down and bring you back up when you least expect it,” Marsh added.
Bryce Harper was even more philosophical.
“I just want them to enjoy the game,” he said of Bohm and Marsh. “Life can be a lot harder, life can be a lot tougher, we get to play this beautiful game every day. I was standing in the on-deck circle in the third inning thinking about it — it’s a great game we get to play. Obviously, you’re going to go through ups and downs in life and in the season and it’s a hard thing to do. But at the end of the day, we’re all healthy, we’re all strong.
“Just go out there and enjoy it because it’ll go quick and you’ll start thinking to yourself why did I take it so serious and it’s gone now.”
Bohm and Marsh have taken their slumps seriously because they care. They care that they’ve been unable to produce or help the Phillies win for most of April. They’re not the primary reasons why the Phillies lost five of seven before Tuesday but were pieces of it.
“Me and Brandon, if we’re playing up to three-quarters of what we’re capable of and we’re hitting eighth and ninth, we have a really good lineup because we’re not eight- and nine-hitters. It’s just that simple,” Bohm said. “I think lately, we’ve kind of just been outs. That’s why we’re so frustrated about it, because we know we’re way better than we’ve been. I think when this thing all comes together, you’re gonna see a pretty deep lineup.”
It was uncertain whether or not Marsh would be in Tuesday’s lineup. Thomson on Monday sounded like he wanted to give the centerfielder multiple days to reset. But Marsh had a good day of work on Monday in the cage. The Phillies faced another righty on Tuesday in Justin Verlander and knew they’d see a lefty Wednesday in Robbie Ray, so Marsh got the nod over Johan Rojas.
“It just felt like I was me again, just feel like dancing into the box,” Marsh said. “Just smooth and in rhythm. Yesterday was a good day, today was a good day, just got to keep going.
“We’re scuffling a little bit, Bohmer and I, but we’ll be just fine. A lot of other guys are carrying the weight of this team right now which is great, but when the tide turns me and Bohmer are gonna be there.”
They’ve been there in past. Marsh hit .276 with an OPS well over .800 vs. right-handed pitching in 2023 and 2024. Bohm has hit .277 the last two years, driving in 97 runs each time. It’s been a wretched start to 2025 but it’s also barely even mid-April.
The win over the Giants was a step in the right direction for Bohm, for Marsh and for a Phillies offense that was 3-for-44 with runners in scoring position from Thursday through the sixth inning Tuesday night.
“We’re all in this together,” Bohm said. “Everybody knows that over the course of 162 games, we’re all gonna have our moments, we’re all gonna have our struggles. It’s a rollercoaster. It feels good to have 26 guys behind me and the rest of the staff and the whole stadium.
“… Whether it’s tomorrow or a week from now or a month from now, I’m gonna be a different player for sure. Just having faith in that, knowing that, trusting everything I’ve done.”
Aaron Judge, glancing up at the approaching horde of reporters on Tuesday afternoon, did not know at first what we wanted. He wondered aloud if he had missed something.
Yes, in fact, he had.
Judge had missed it when a former teammate,Juan Soto,answered a fair question with honesty and intelligence. He had then missed it when the least rational corners of New York sports fandom became loud online and on the radio, acting as if Soto had no right to be human.
This stupid fake controversy started on Monday afternoon when veteran Mets reporter Mike Puma of the New York Post quoted Soto about no longer hitting in front of Judge.
“It’s definitely different,” Soto told Puma. “I had the best hitter in baseball hitting behind me. I was getting more attacked and more pitches in the strike zone, less intentional walks and things like that. I was pitched differently last year.”
No problem with Puma’s question or execution. Unfortunately for Soto, those words spent the better part of a day bouncing around online and ultimately landed in the Yankees clubhouse.
“I’m not really going to go back and forth with this,” Judge said as he prepared to face the Kansas City Royals. “He’s got probably one of the best hitters in the game behind him right now in what [Pete] Alonso is doing. It has been fun to watch. He’s hitting close to .400. He’s driving the ball all over the field, driving guys in. So they’re gonna be good.”
Judge then referenced his own slow start last season and said that Soto’s production during that stretch showed that he didn’t need Judge. The captain batted .207 in March and April of 2024, while Soto batted .325.
“You can look at what I did last April as an example of how he just needs to keep being himself and he’ll be good,” Judge said.
Soto’s words banged around Yankeeland a bit on Tuesday. Other folks with the team recalled Soto as extremely well-liked and felt it a shame that a loud segment of the public discourse couldn’t handle the complexity of several facts:
1) Soto’s time with the Yankees was deeply meaningful to him; 2) he made a difficult decision to sign elsewhere; 3) it takes people time to fully adjust to new circumstances; 4) he is fitting in nicely with the Mets and is already popular with his new team.
This does not have to be binary. Soto can treasure his time with Judge and the Yankees and commit with his whole heart to this new chapter in Queens. Any fan who does not accept this dehumanizes Soto by expecting him not to feel.
Soto critics also forget that he personally lobbied owner Steve Cohen to sign Alonso as lineup protection for him. This meant a great deal to the Polar Bear and informed how he feels about his new teammate.
Around the Yankees, people who care about Soto note that he is playing a much different role for the Mets than he did here. After the Yanks traded for Soto, Judge told him privately that he didn’t have to be the guy, that the roster was loaded with talent and that Juan just had to be Juan. The pair rode that perfect balance all the way to the World Series.
The Mets then made Soto the richest athlete in the history of North American professional sports, shining a brighter spotlight in his face and perhaps placing a $765 million target on his back.
Soto is a big boy, and scrutiny is part of his job. But money can’t change a person’s basic character. Soto is a brilliant baseball player and fun teammate. He is fortunate to have Francisco Lindor just as he was fortunate to have Judge; those two are more interested than he is in vocal leadership. Today in the Yankees clubhouse, Soto’s adjustment to the expectation of being “the guy” in a personality sense was viewed as more relevant than his ability to perform in a lineup without Judge.
Fortunately, the Mets have a strong support system. In addition to Lindor in the clubhouse, Carlos Beltran is a member of the front office; he knows a thing or two about being dehumanized during his early days as a high-profile Met. Owner Alex Cohen is authentically interested in fostering an atmosphere that makes Citi Field feel like a home and the Mets like a family.
Good things are coming for Soto and the Mets. It’s just a shame that New York had to run the young man through the wringer today for the sin of offering a thoughtful answer.
SAN FRANCISCO – Jumping on the backs of Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler, the Warriors are headed to the NBA playoffs as the Western Conference’s No. 7 seed to face the Houston Rockets.
Once ahead by 20 points, the Warriors were outscored by nine points in the third quarter and lost their lead early in the fourth. But behind a Curry flurry in the final few minutes, the Warriors broke their NBA play-in tournament losing streak and took down the Memphis Grizzlies in epic fashion Tuesday night at Chase Center, 121-116.
Curry’s clutch gene was on full display, scoring 15 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter. He splashed two threes in the final two minutes, and also made four free throws in the final five seconds left to close out the win. Curry was just 9 of 22 from the field, but went 6 of 13 on threes, 13 of 13 on free throws, and also had eight rebounds, four assists and a steal.
This was yet another night showcasing how Butler completely changed the Warriors’ season. Butler scored a season-high 38 points on 12-of-20 shooting. The do-it-all veteran was a man on a mission, also providing seven rebounds, six assists and three steals to go with a season-high 18 free-throw attempts and 12 makes.
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ play-in win over the Grizzlies.
Play-In Jimmy
When Butler found himself in the play-in tournament as a member of the Miami Heat last season, he scored 19 points and added four rebounds, five assists and five steals, but sustained a sprained right MCL that kept him out for the remainder of the postseason. While the Warriors didn’t have any play-in tournament success coming into the night, Butler sure did.
That same success followed him to the Bay Area, too.
It was as if Butler saw every inch of the 7-foot-4 Zach Edey and made it his personal mission to show the rookie what big games are all about. Edey dared Butler to shoot behind the 3-point line, and he drained both his treys in the first quarter. He went at him, too. Butler in the first quarter alone had 10 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal.
Butler was the leading scorer in the first half with 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting. His only miscues were missing three free throws. His first 30-point game with the Warriors came in the last game of the regular season. Through three quarters Tuesday, Butler was up to 34 points on 11-of-18 shooting. Whether it’s the play-in tournament or the playoffs, the Warriors know Butler also will be ready for the big stage.
Winning The Battles
In the final regular-season game, the Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers needed five more minutes of basketball to decide which team would advance straight to the playoffs or need at least one play-in tournament game before moving on. After their loss, the Warriors didn’t point to huge performances from Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, as well as Ivica Zubac. The game was decided by the small details.
Always at a size disadvantage, the Warriors weren’t just crushed on the glass but they were late to loose balls. That’s an aspect of the game Golden State typically thrives in. So does Memphis.
Both teams averaged 5.4 loose balls per game during the regular season, ranking second in the NBA. The Warriors grabbed a grand total of 440 loose balls, and the Grizzlies grabbed 441.
While the Warriors were outrebounded 50-39 on Tuesday, Golden State swiped nine more steals than Memphis – 13-4. The Warriors also had three blocks, and the much bigger Grizzlies only had one. Each team had 11 fastbreak points, and the Grizzlies scored 48 points in the paint compared to the Warriors’ 42.
The activity and effort by the Warriors can’t be questioned.
The Other Guys
The stars always were going to garner the headlines and spotlight, and likely determine the outcome. But neither team could rely on one, two or even five players. The Warriors’ bench ranked third in points per game in the regular season, and the Grizzlies were second. To earn a trip to Houston, Golden State’s reserves were downright better.
What first made the night flip in the Warriors’ favor was Gary Payton II and Quinten Post entering the game. Payton and Post accounted for the Warriors’ first eight points upon coming off the bench. Payton’s quickness proved to be an asset offensively and defensively, and Post, a 25-year-old rookie, wasn’t afraid of the bright lights.
Post made three first-half 3-pointers and was a game-high plus-16 through the first two quarters. In one sequence, he defended an Edey dunk attempt and then nailed a three at the other end to the delight of Dub Nation.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr went with a nine-man rotation Sunday in the regular-season finale. On Tuesday, he turned to 10 players, adding Gui Santos to the mix. Almost immediately, Santos grabbed an offensive rebound, got the crowd fired up and converted a three-point play.
The Warriors wound up with 30 points off the bench, seven more than the Grizzlies’ 23. However, the Warriors will need much better shooting performances out of Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski moving forward. As Curry and Butler scored a combined 75 points, Moody (nine) and Podziemski (three) had 12, and were 2 of 9 from deep.
Spinner Yuzvendra Chahal returned figures of 4-28 as Punjab Kings defended IPL’s lowest ever total of 111 to down holders Kolkata Knight Riders by 16 runs in a thriller on Tuesday.
For the first time in 15 years, the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic will meet in the NBA playoffs.
The previous postseason matchup was the 2010 Eastern Conference Finals, when the Celtics’ “Big Three” of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen defeated Dwight Howard’s Magic in six games to advance to the NBA Finals.
Now the Celtics and Magic are meeting in the first round. The C’s are the defending champions, and the Magic are a young team hoping to secure their first signature playoff triumph as a group.
The Celtics earned the No. 2 seed with a 61-21 record, while the Magic secured the No. 7 seed with a 41-41 record and a win over the Atlanta Hawks in the No. 7 vs. No. 8 play-in tournament matchup on Tuesday night.
These teams played three times in the regular season, and the Magic won twice. However, Jayson Tatum didn’t play for the Celtics in their two losses, and one of those defeats happened last week when Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White all were sidelined.
In the only head-to-head matchup that Boston did have its full starting lineup, the C’s won by 26 points.
Four of the Celtics’ last five first-round series were won in a sweep or just five games. Do the Magic have any chance of making this a long series?
Here’s a breakdown of Boston and Orlando’s season stats and NBA rankings from the 2024-25 season. The Magic boast the NBA’s No. 1 scoring defense but rank near the bottom of the league in several offensive categories.
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The Celtics will win the series if…
They continue to hit a high percentage of 3-point shots.
The Magic ranked No. 1 in defensive rating and have a lot of size and length on that end of the floor. However, their opponents shot 36.5 percent from 3-point range in the regular season, which ranked 23rd in the league.
It’s hard to envision a scenario where the Celtics lose the series if they shoot 36.5 percent or better from 3-point range, especially when the Magic have struggled offensively all season.
In fact, the C’s shot 36.5 percent or better from beyond the arc in 43 games this season and won 37 of them.
In the one game that Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown both played against the Magic this season, the C’s shot 45.9 percent (17-for-37) from 3-point range in a 26-point victory.
Boston set many 3-point records this season, including the most 3-pointers made and attempted by a team in a single season. Orlando has to guard the 3-point line at an elite level or it will have no chance to pull off the upset.
Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Jayson Tatum led the Celtics in total points, assists, rebounds and steals this season.
The Magic will win the series if…
They improve in the clutch.
The Magic were not a good team in the clutch this season. The league defines clutch situations as the last five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime and the score within five points.
In those situations, the Magic ranked 28th in points per game, 24th in field goal percentage and 30th in 3-point percentage. The Magic are a young, inexperienced team. The Celtics are the opposite — their players know what it’s like to compete in high-pressure playoff moments.
If the Magic want a chance to win the series, they’ll probably have to win a few close games. They haven’t shown an ability to win those nailbiters at this stage of their development.
Odds
The Celtics are huge favorites to beat the Magic.
Celtics to win the series: -6000
Magic to win the series: +1600
Prediction
Celtics in four.
Boston has too much firepower and experience for the young Magic. Injuries and poor 3-point shooting are the only factors that could push this series to six or seven games.
The Celtics have been waiting for the playoffs all season. These players are eager to prove they are still the best team in the league and capable of repeating as champs. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Celtics make quick work of the Magic and send a message that the road to the Larry O’Brien Trophy still runs through Boston.
The 2024–25 season will be remembered in these parts as the year the Ottawa Senators finally returned to the playoffs. By doing so, the Senators are about to remove themselves from an NHL Top 10 List they wanted no part of.
Heading into this season, the Senators had missed seven straight playoffs, the third-longest playoff drought among active NHL teams. At the moment, they are the only team in the top 10 in this category that's guaranteed to drop off this list, having clinched the first wild card spot in the East.
The winner of Wild Card 2 in the East, Montreal or Columbus, is the only other team that can join the Sens in being stricken from the record.
The Buffalo Sabres are not only the active leaders—now at 14 straight seasons without a playoff appearance—but they also continue to build on the NHL's all-time record in this ugly category.
The Detroit Red Wings used to bill themselves as "Hockeytown" during their glory years. That feels like a long time ago now, especially with the Wings about to mark the ninth anniversary of their last playoff berth.
The Anaheim Ducks have taken the bronze medal position, bumping the Senators off the podium. As it did for the Sens, the Ducks hope their hunt ends at 7.
Ottawa's return to the playoffs will be a baptism by fire for many of their young players—especially since it looks like their first-round opponent will be the Toronto Maple Leafs. The hype for the first playoff Battle of Ontario in 21 years will be off the charts, though much of it will be powered early on by fan and media-driven nostalgia. Most of the players on both sides were babies or little kids when this playoff battle last occurred.
But it won't be long before old beefs are replaced by new ones.
That matchup could officially become reality as early as Tuesday night. Unless Toronto loses in regulation in Buffalo and Tampa Bay wins versus Florida, the first-round Battle of Ontario will be locked in.
As for Columbus and Montreal potentially joining Ottawa in excusing themselves from the playoff futility table, the Blue Jackets are making a remarkable late-season push. If they win in regulation in Philadelphia on Tuesday night, they would be able to grab the final Eastern playoff spot with a regulation win over the New York Islanders on Thursday—and a Canadiens regulation loss to Carolina on Wednesday.
Ottawa’s last playoff appearance was in 2017, a Game 7 double overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Final. After coming that close to winning it all, no one would ever have dreamed their return to the postseason would take this long.
After 16 seasons and 933 games in the NHL, San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture announced on Wednesday that he’s stepping away from professional hockey.
“My career of playing hockey has come to an end – I’m not physically able to play anymore,” Couture said at a Sharkspress conference. “I loved and cherished every single moment I got to play in this league.”
The 36-year-old revealed he’s been dealing with symptoms from Osteitis Pubis over the past two seasons. Osteitis Pubis is joint inflammation between both pelvic bones, which causes pain in the lower abdominal and hip and groin area.
Couture will remain under contract with the Sharks through the 2026-27 season. He signed an eight-year deal that became active in 2019, earning $8 million per season.
Couture said he had an idea that he was coming to the end of his career after his last game against the Anaheim Ducks on Jan. 31, 2024.
“I was in a ton of pain,” he said. “I guess it’s been in my mind that there was a chance that could’ve been it, since that game.”
Couture reminisced on all the great hockey memories throughout his NHL career and his time with the Sharks. He recalled the experience of his first NHL game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 25, 2009.
“I could’ve (retired) after that one game and been happy,” he said.
He highlighted all the deep playoff runs that San Jose had throughout the 2010s. In its heyday, San Jose had several deep playoff campaigns, despite being unable to get its hands on the Stanley Cup.
Between 2010 and 2019, the Sharks advanced to the Western Conference finals four times. On one of those occasions, they made it to the Stanley Cup final in 2016 but lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.
After discussing the glory days of his career, Couture began to thank those who helped him get to where he is today.
“This will be the tough part,” he said.
The Guelph, Ont. native went on to thank all the members of the Sharks organization, his teammates along the way, agents and more.
He also expressed his gratitude to his family and became visibly emotional talking about his parents.
“You guys sacrificed so much for me to live my dream,” Couture said. “I love you guys, and I know I’ll do that for my kids.”
After his words, Sharks GM Mike Grier took over the mic, and following that was a video of special messages from old teammates, coaches and more.
All the messages had one thing in common: they all commended and remembered how much of a clutch performer he was in the playoffs.
“I always admired you from afar,” Grier said while facing Couture at the podium.
He received a video message from Doug Wilson, Todd McLellan, Pete DeBoer, Dan Boyle, Rob Blake, Brent Burns, Joe Pavelski and Tomas Hertl.
At the end of the press conference, Couture hinted at potentially taking a management position later on.
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, talking with coach Tyronn Lue, is again healthy and playing well heading into the playoffs. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Tyronn Lue glided into the Clippers’ postgame interview room on Sunday afternoon and clapped and clapped and clapped and clapped and clapped again. He beamed as his head bobbed up and down.
His Clippers squad had just qualified for the Western Conference playoffs, doing so in the last regular-season game with a win over the Golden State Warriors, who were also seeking a playoff berth while playing at home in the Chase Center.
The Clippers had defied the preseason odds of being a playoff participant. Lue refused during the season to let his group think otherwise and now they will face the Denver Nuggets in the first round starting Saturday at Ball Arena.
“They counted me out. They counted us out,” Lue said. “I know they did. I know it. But we are here.”
In that moment, there was a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction from Lue and the Clippers because they had exceeded expectations and finished in the fifth spot in the NBA's competitive Western Conference.
At best, the Clippers were viewed by the critics when the season started as a possible play-in team and even then likely fighting for a nine or 10 spot.
They were not going to have Kawhi Leonard to start the season because he was recovering from a right knee injury that eventually led the former All-Star forward to miss the first 34 games.
They were not going to have former All-Star forward Paul George anymore because he took the money from the 76ers and bolted to Philadelphia.
They were the Clippers' best players, and with Leonard injured and George gone, many were skeptical about this team.
But the Clippers finished tied with the Lakers and Nuggets at 50-32, a record few could have predicted.
“I think our group has been playing with a chip on its shoulders all year because of that,” Lue said. “We just found ways to win. We just found ways to win. No matter whose night it was, we just kind of featured that guy, played hard defensively and competed and we played together. … Being counted out and staying the course and playing with that chip on your shoulder all year long.”
Inside the Clippers' locker room after the win in San Francisco, Leonard and All-Star guard James Harden were two of the last players to leave the shower. The team’s two stars and leaders stood side-by-side talking, smiling and looking at their teammates knowingly.
On one side of the locker room, center Ivica Zubac and guard Bogdan Bogdanovic sat next to each other watching the Masters golf tournament on TV while drinking a beer.
On another side, guard Norman Powell and defensive ace Kris Dunn talked about the Clippers reaching this point and what it took.
Norman Powell, stealing the ball from Grizzlies guard Luke Kennard, was the Clippers' second-leading scorer with a career-high average of 21.8 points a game this season. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
But of them all, Leonard had come the farthest.
He played in just 37 games and just one set of back-to-back games. But as the season progressed, Leonard got stronger and stronger.
It all culminated over the weekend, when Leonard played 42 minutes against the Kings in Sacramento on Friday night and then a season-high 47 minutes against the Warriors on Sunday. He tied his season high in points with 33 against the Warriors.
His knee injury no longer is a subject.
“I’m happy that I have a great organization behind me to allow me to get healthy and know exactly what I need to do,” Leonard said. “Them letting me reach out to outside sources and combining them together and collaborating. Like I said, it’s not over yet. We still got a playoff series to try to win and just want to keep going from there. Like I said, have a good playoffs and a healthy offseason and just keep going.”
Even Lue missed games because of back pain, but the Clippers went 4-1 during his absence, the coaching staff led by assistant coach Brian Shaw keeping the train moving.
The Clippers saw Harden shine by averaging 22.8 points and 8.7 assists, the latter statistic fifth best in the NBA.
Powell averaged a career-best 21.8 points per game while Zubac averaged career highs in points (16.8), rebounds (12.6) and assists (2.7).
So the Clippers have found solace in proving their doubters wrong.
“We’re human. We know what’s being said about us, what’s being put out there,” Powell said. “TLue, he’s been through it, the ups and downs. People not wanting him here. People upset with what he was doing. Not being able to have a full healthy roster the previous seasons and not having big aspirations of winning a championship.
"Especially this year, nobody had us having 50 wins, being top five right now going to the playoffs. So, to knock that off and have people kind of backtrack and figure out what this team is all about now, it’s a lot of fun. We’re super-competitive. It’s happening. Fifty wins is big-time.”
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)
In a recent episode of the Yahoo Fantasy Forecast, Matt Harmon and ESPN's Jordan Reid discussed the potential of SMU running back Brashard Smith and how he could end being the "ultimate weapon," tossing out a comparison that is sure to have fantasy football players excited.
Is Smith this year's Tyrone Tracy Jr.?
Both Smith and Tracy share a unique journey and skill set. Just like Tracy, Smith made a significant position shift that showcased his versatility. Initially a wide receiver at Miami, Smith transitioned to running back in his first year at SMU. This change was reminiscent of Tracy’s own journey from receiver to running back, a move that paid dividends in their collegiate careers — and for those who rostered Tracy during his rookie NFL season.
What makes Smith stand out is his ability to adapt and excel in his new position. According to Reid, Smith looked "completely natural" as a running back. His proficiency in the backfield was complemented by his experience and skill as a receiver, which allows him to be employed in dynamic offensive schemes. This blend of attributes aligns almost perfectly with the playing style that made Tracy such a compelling prospect. From Week 5 through the end of the season, Tracy had seven double-digit fantasy scoring performances, including a high of 22 points in Week 8.
Smith's athletic prowess was further underscored by his standout performance at the combine, where he clocked in remarkable speed, running the 40 in 4.39 seconds. This elite speed, coupled with his versatility, makes him a potent asset. Just as Tracy was an under-the-radar pick, selected in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Smith also carries the potential to be a Day 3 steal.
In a draft class noted for its depth at the running back position, Smith might not get the same hype but his dual-threat capability is sure to be attractive to teams looking to add a multifaceted backfield presence. With the right fit, Smith could very well follow in Tracy’s footsteps, proving that late-round prospects can be difference-makers in fantasy and reality.
Golden State held off the Memphis Grizzlies 121-116 in a thriller on Tuesday at Chase Center, advancing out of the Western Conference play-in tournament.
Game 1 between the Warriors and Rockets will occur at 6:30 p.m. PT on Sunday at Toyota Center.
Here’s the full schedule for the Warriors-Rockets series:
Jimmy Butler led the way with 38 points for the Warriors, who won their first play-in game in the event’s brief six-year history.
Steph Curry finished with 37 points, while Gary Payton II finished with 12 and Moses Moody scored nine. Draymond Green had four points, 10 assists and six rebounds.
Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, who sprained his right ankle midway through the third quarter and returned early in the fourth quarter, scored 22 points, while forward Desmond Bane led Memphis with 30 points.
The Warriors won’t be intimidated by the No. 2-seeded Rockets, as Golden State won three of the five regular-season matchups.
Eric Canha-Imagn Images
