In the most pivotal season of Leon Rose’s Knicks tenure, it’s a rematch with the Atlanta Hawks, the winners of a 2021 first-round matchup with New York, setting the stage for this potential championship run. 

Trae Young is no longer here to rekindle that rivalry, but Atlanta is still every bit as dangerous, if not more. But New York isn’t the same team, either, and has lofty expectations for their June plans.

Let’s dive into previewing the series, and predicting who comes out on top...

Atlanta’s strength is on the defensive side of the ball, where they ranked third in the league since the trade deadline. They’re connective with a ton of athletic size -- qualities that have given the Knicks fits in the past.

When you’re game-planning shutting down New York’s offense, the first bullet point will be Jalen Brunson, and Atlanta has the pieces to ensure he’s constantly hounded. Dyson Daniels (6-foot-7) has been their lead option, and guards Brunson well despite a number of strong performances. 

They’ll also lean on Nickeil Alexander-Walker (6-foot-5) to take some reps, though he has a lot of the offensive creation on his plate. Expect stretches from big bench wings Jonathan Kuminga (6-foot-7) and Zaccharie Risacher (6-foot-8) as well. 

With all that size, the Hawks may be content not sending much help early one-on-one, and blitz him in pick-and-rolls. They have the speed to quickly rotate on the backside if they’re caught 4-on-3, so Brunson will have to make quick decisions to make them pay.

Getting him off the ball, like in last year’s Pistons series, can help wear out their primary defenders and get Brunson easier opportunities. He usually takes a couple games to get going and adjust to the postseason, so that’s when the Knicks will be at their most vulnerable and need others to step up.

Mike Brown’s motion offense will get to prove its worth in a playoff setting, and they can use it to find favorable matchups in most lineups. The Hawks have used a lot of CJ McCollum plus Gabe Vincent off the bench, two smaller guards the Knicks should be able to attack at will. 

They can just keep having Brunson call for the right screen and switch. It will be on Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges to identify and expose mismatches. The Knicks will need a big Towns series, as this matchup may be won in the restricted area.

Both teams are strong on the boards, so whoever shows up there may end up with the edge in a given game. Expect Mitchell Robinson to be an X-factor here once again.

Off the bench, New York will need a ton from Jordan Clarkson in a defensive series, as one of the best penetrators on the team. It’s possible we see Mohamed Diawara back in the swing of things to combat Atlanta’s size.

Finally, the Knicks will have to limit their turnovers. The Hawks feed off mistakes to bolster their defense and create opportunities on the other end.

Atlanta’s offense, while solid, is definitely the weaker point in their game, especially in the halfcourt. They also boast motion schemes, but with less of the talent to break down defenses and score.

Their shot diet is relatively balanced, with more mid-range shots than your average team, but they still get a healthy amount of threes and rim attempts. They don’t shoot a lot of free throws, so the Knicks can make life easier on themselves by controlling the flow of whistles from the outset.

McCollum and Alexander-Walker are their primary guard creators. The Knicks are likely to hide Brunson on Daniels, a 19 percent three-point shooter who will get called into lots of screening actions and asked to convert to not let Brunson off easy.

Bridges and Josh Hart likely cover the other two guards to provide some point-of-attack capability. Expect a pick-and-roll defense that gets more switch-heavy as the series rolls on and the Knicks force talented but not elite scorers to make one-on-one plays in big moments.

The big matchup will be All-Star Jalen Johnson, who likely sees the Anunoby assignment off rip. He’s a bit quick for Towns and towers over the other starters, so the Knicks have some limited optionality here.

Johnson scores more efficiently in the flow of the offense than isolated, so any hampering Anunoby can do to make catches tougher, get him in the wrong position, and make life physical will be huge. Getting Johnson to fall into the 2021 Julius Randle hole of getting trapped and struggling to find flow in a debut postseason is the ideal scenario.

Atlanta will have some hot performances from non-headlining names, too. Kuminga has been a solid addition and Corey Kispert/Buddy Hield could see some minutes thanks to their knockdown shooting.

The Knicks can and should win this series defensively, but it will take a full effort, all-around performances, and a strong coaching job out of Brown, who’s going up against the formidable Quin Snyder. 

Some other things to watch out for: going under Alexander-Walker screens to make him beat you with pull-up threes (33 percent clip this season), putting Towns on Daniels, and going to the Towns-Robinson lineup much more to dominate the paint and glass.

It’s no doubt going to be a grueling and challenging march through the playoffs for the Knicks, and this first round matchup offers no warmup. Still, the Hawks are at a talent and experience deficit that will be tough to overcome.

Knicks in 6.

The season is over, fellas.

Ah, sorry, I only meant the regular thing.

We still have the playoffs and the parade coming up next. Bring it on!

Mike Breen

On the greedy NBA:

“This is the first time ever that no longer can the home team announcers and broadcasters televise the first round. The entire playoffs exclusive to the national TV partners. … I personally think it’s a poor decision. Fans want to hear their team’s announce team, at least 1st round, because for so many of us, … the home team announcers become part of the family. … I get it. The networks pay a fortune for exclusivity … But I just think the fans deserve to be thrown a bone once in a while. This is our final telecast of the season.”

Mike Brown

On OG Anunoby’s ankle injury:

“I didn’t ask that question because we’re not in that position, but they say he’s day-to-day, which to me means he’s fine. I would assume he’s fine, but we [didn’t] even need to think about it so I didn’t check on it.”

On evaluating the regular season:

“I wish I could have figured some things out a little sooner than what I did. But we’ve had some — more ups than downs. You want to win your conference, you want to end up with the best record. So those two areas are disappointing. You’re out there trying to compete every night, no matter who you play. And so winning the [NBA Cup In-Season Tournament] was nice because our guys competed at a level when things were manufactured to mean more with those games. And then, going into the playoffs, we feel pretty good where we are offensively and defensively as a group. Feel connected.”

On waiting to learn the playoff opponent:

“Just wait until it’s over. At the end of the day, I’m sure somehow, some way, I might be told it. But at the end of the day, I’m a firm believer that trying to ask for this opponent or that opponent is not good for you, when you mess with the basketball gods. So whatever happens, happens.”

On scouting potential opponents:

“Our staff has been fantastic all year. We’ve had guys assigned to that stuff already, on both sides of the ball. Our two advanced scouts have been doing a good job taking care of it, too.”

On team standards and accountability:

“The things that you set as your standard are the things that I brought to the table. While I’m trying to hold people accountable, people are holding me accountable, too.”

On playing Mikal Bridges to preserve his streak:

“The streak that he has going is amazing and I definitely don’t want to be the one to screw that up. It’s crazy because load management is a real thing. And that’s something that’s thought of by everybody. Not just the medical performance group — by coaches, by individual players, by agents, by family members — people push to take time off for whatever reason. So for a guy like that to be at the number that he’s at in consecutive games played speaks volumes.”

On managing Bridges’ streak carefully:

“I’m sure he’s probably cool with [playing a few seconds to keep the streak alive] but at the end of the day, that’s definitely led by me. It’s a streak that he has going on, and I want it to continue, but in the same breath, I also don’t want him to get hurt or anything like that, so we’re gonna try to be as smart about it as best we can.”

On the Hawks as a playoff opponent and the overall playoff field:

“Atlanta’s a good team. They’re a good team. Everybody’s good. Everyone is going to pose challenges. I don’t know who we’re gonna play, but we’re gonna face different challenges from everybody because everybody is special at this time.”

On team belief entering the postseason:

“Going into the playoffs, we feel pretty good where we are offensively and defensively as a group. We feel connected. I feel like everybody on the team has sacrificed in one way, shape or form. You need that from your group in order to have some success. Our guys compete, and like I said, at this point in the season, I feel like the guys really believe, not just in what we’re trying to do, but in each other.”

On Miles McBride’s performance:

“He looked good. It was good to see him just go play free and take any shot he wanted and be aggressive … It was good to see the ball go in a few times.”

On the season’s resilience:

“Like most teams, you go through a lot of ups and you go through and it can get tough. And there can be plenty of opportunities for individuals which can turn into a collective group of guys to quit, throw in the towel any time. Any time we face a little bit of adversity our guys try to handle it the right way. I really like their resiliency and I like their openness to trying different things or new things. Because we’ve done some things differently here than what they’re probably used to when they had a successful run doing the things that they were doing in the past.”

Mikal Bridges

On playing 23 seconds on Sunday:

“It was nice, man.”

On playing every game:

“For the people that’s paying attention, I just want to try and play everyday. It’s who I am. It’s who I’ve always been. I don’t really look at [the all-time list] but I guess it’d be cool one day. Hopefully, I have kids one day and maybe brag about that.”

On the Hawks matchup:

“They play very hard and very fast and have a lot of good basketball players.”

Miles McBride

On the Hawks series:

“They’re a great team. I’m looking forward to the matchup. They are a team that defends really well. They’ve got guys who can go get a bucket on the offensive end, but their team defense is really something challenging. So, it’s going to be an exciting playoff series.”

On his return performance:

“Just being back out there healthy, playing with the guys, it was a great team win – I just wanted to go out and give it my all, really ramp my intensity up and get ready for this run.”

On his health:

“I’m solid. Being out for some long, just getting my wind back. Dealing with the residual pain of the surgery isn’t fun but it’s part of the journey – just trying to do everything I can to help the team win.”

Jordan Clarkson

On not focusing on Atlanta’s approach:

“We didn’t pay any attention to that. It’s just what they wanted to do.”

On the Hawks roster:

“Just a really good team. They’re led by Nickeil. He’s been playing great all year. They made some trades at the deadline and got CJ McCollum [for Young]. Down the line they are a really good team. So it’s going to be an exciting series.”

Quin Snyder (ATL Hawks Coach)

On the uncertainty of matchups and prioritizing health in the regular-season finale:

“Right now, I think we’re excited to be in this situation. Whoever we play is gonna be really good. It’s hard to even try to figure that out. It’s possible that certain teams wanna play us. The primary thing is for us to be healthy going into the postseason. That’s been the one thing that has been consistent the last few weeks and months — you don’t know what’s gonna happen. It’s hard to predict all these games, they’re all going on. Wherever it falls is where it falls, and we’ll prepare for the playoffs, regardless of who that is.”

In a final tuneup before the playoffs, the Spurs took to the court and walked away relatively healthy (I’m looking at you, Dylan Harper’s thumb), which is all that matters. De’Aaron Fox led the team with 24 points along with 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Keldon Johnson contributed 18 points with 6 rebounds in the loss to the Denver Nuggets.

Stephon Castle seems ready for the playoffs to begin, but judging from this half court pass to Carter Bryant, he’s ready for the NFL draft as well.

Here’s a different angle of that pass: the recipient, Carter Bryant, put on an absolute aerial display on Sunday. This flying rookie made the most of his impactful minutes, scoring 13 points and recording 5 boards, 5 assists, and 3 blocks (more on that later).

This version of the Spurs’ inaugural playoff debut will be a memorable one for players like Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper, but it will also be extra special for longtime Spurs like Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell who trudged through some dry years.

If at first you don’t succeed, follow through on your shot and slam it home.

Devin Vassell, here, was reaping what the Spurs’ defense sowed. As mentioned before along with Keldon Johnson, Spurs fans could not be happier for the two longest tenured Spurs about to embark on their first playoff series.

As cool as the other side of the pillow (RIP Stuart Scott) . . . De’Aaron Fox smoothly and (just) casually drains this long-range bomb all the way from the west side of SA.

I promised you more Carter Bryant, and by golly gillicky willickers, you’re going to get more Carter Bryant. In this frame, the best basketball player in the world was channeling his best Dante from “Clerks,” thinking to himself, “I wasn’t even supposed to be here today! Stupid 65-game rule” while trying to block the energetic rookie barrelling down the lane.

If both the Spurs and Nuggets advance out of the first round, they will meet in the second round so personally I hope the 3-time MVP has a short memory or will conveniently be busy thinking of his prized horses rather than having an ax to grind with CB.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Well folks, we made it. This chapter of the regular season finally closed, and after a brief drought, our favorite basketball team is headed back to the playoffs. I wanted to thank J.R. Wilco for giving me another year to wax on about the San Antonio Spurs. I first started writing for Pounding the Rock in the fall of 2018, which means that was also the last time the Spurs made the playoffs. It’s been some lean years, but all worth it to see this team rebuilt from the ground up, brick by brick—or rather, rock by rock. Go Spurs Go!

If you missed the game because you were too busy getting “Memorial Day Miracle” tattooed across your back next to Sean Elliott’s face also inked across your back, here are the full-game highlights:

Next up, the Spurs host the first round of the playoffs against the (to be determined) at the Frost Bank Center on Sunday, April 18, 2026!

How this year's Celtics compare to 2024-25 squad in key stat categories originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Is the whole “gap year” narrative surrounding the Boston Celtics a bit overblown? Perhaps. But there’s a reason why national and local media alike predicted a steep drop-off for the C’s this season.

Boston lost a total of 8,749 minutes and 4,415 points — 46 percent of its total scoring output — from its 2024-25 squad over the offseason. Its best player, Jayson Tatum, was sidelined due to a ruptured Achilles, while four core contributors — Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford and Luke Kornet — departed via trade or free agency, replaced by the likes of Anfernee Simons, Luka Garza, Josh Minott and rookie Hugo Gonzalez.

And yet… Joe Mazzulla’s squad hardly missed a step. The 2025-26 Celtics enter the postseason as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference — the same seed as last year — and their 56-26 regular-season record was just five wins off last season’s pace of 61-21.

That’s a remarkable achievement, especially when you consider Tatum played in just 16 games after making his season debut on March 6. President of basketball operations Brad Stevens also traded away four players ahead of the NBA trade deadline in February — Anfernee Simons, Josh Minott, Chris Boucher and Xavier Tillman Sr. — leaving the Celtics to lean more heavily on Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser while giving expanded roles to young players such as Baylor Scheierman and Jordan Walsh.

Despite all that turnover, the results were impressively similar. Here’s a look at where the 2025-26 Celtics finished in multiple team stat categories, and how they compared to the 2024-25 squad:

This year’s Celtics maintained the same elite scoring defense — 107.2 points per game allowed — despite losing four excellent defenders in Porzingis, Holiday, Horford and Kornet. They increased their rebounding output from last season, shot better from the floor and posted a better offensive rating than the 2024-25 team.

Interestingly, the most notable difference between the two squads is the drop-off in 3-point attempts — the C’s attempted 6.1 fewer 3-pointers this season than last season, as Brown led the league in 2-point attempts per game (23.6) while making a concerted effort to get to the basket.

Brown was instrumental in keeping the Celtics humming this season despite the talent drain. He averaged career highs in points (28.7), rebounds (6.9) and assists (5.1) per game while posting a 35.1 percent usage rate that ranked second in the NBA behind only Luka Doncic (minimum 50 games played).

But make no mistake: The success of the 2025-26 C’s was a full team effort.

Case in point: Eight different players averaged career highs in at least four major stat categories. The full list: Jaylen Brown, Neemias Queta, Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Sam Hauser, Luka Garza, Baylor Scheierman and Jordan Walsh.

You could argue career highs are expected for regulars like Brown, Pritchard and White, who saw upticks in usage to fill the void of lost talent. But few could have predictedthe majority of the roster rising to the challenge — especially Queta, who doubled his scoring and rebounding outputs from last season while making a legitimate case for the NBA’s Most Improved Player.

Of course, the Celtics aren’t chasing regular-season stat improvements. Their goal is to have a different playoff outcome than last spring, when they fell to the New York Knicks in the second round after Tatum’s devastating injury.

With Tatum now back in the fold and several players operating at the highest level of their careers, the 2025-26 Celtics have a golden opportunity to one-up last season’s squad in the only stat category that matters: playoff wins.

This was one of the most memorable Illinois seasons in recent memory. But with the offseason already in full swing, what’s next?

Scholarship-wise, each team is allowed up to 15 scholarships. Three scholarships will become available following the departure of graduating seniors Kylan Boswell, Ben Humrichous, and AJ Redd.

Keaton Wagler’s exit to the NBA adds another. Wagler, after a slow start, became a key part of Illinois’ success. He led the Illini in scoring with 17.9 points per game and 4.2 assists. Those numbers will be hard to replace. And when you add Kylan and Ben’s numbers, you get 36.0 PPG (44%) and 8 APG (57%). That is a lot of stats to replace offensively and defensively. Kylan was a shutdown defender, and Ben was much improved over last season. Wagler was improving defensively every game.

With Mihailo Petrovic and midseason signee Toni Bilic entering the transfer portal, it’s pretty clear where Brad Underwood & Co. need to build.

So what is left?

From the starters, Jake Davis, Tomislav Ivišić, and David Mirković are expected back. Off the bench, Zvonimir Ivišić, Andrej Stojaković, Brandon Lee, and Blake Fagbemi return, with Ty Rodgers and Jason Jakstys coming off injury-plagued seasons. That’s a solid core—assuming all remain in Champaign.

One intriguing possibility is Naz Rankin, the 5-foot-10, 161‑pound Morgan Park standout who averaged 23.2 points, 3.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.6 steals. Rankin signed with Illinois football as a wide receiver but has expressed interest in playing basketball as well.

Incoming help

Recruits

The Illini have four high school signees for the 2026-27 season. Let’s start with a pair of 4-star prospects.

Quintin Coleman, 4-star, 6-foot-4, 180 pounds, from the Principle High School in St. Louis. He is ranked between 34th and 38th nationally. The Illini recruited Coleman earlier, but he committed to Wake Forest. He recently de-committed from the Demon Deacons and signed with Illinois. Coleman possesses a very smooth, effortless jumper from any range (shooting 39% in his EYBL league). He also has good ball skills and is a strong perimeter rebounder.

Lucas Morillo, 4-star, 6-foot-7, 180 pounds, Shooting Guard from the Newman School, Boston. Ranked 59th nationally and No. 2 in the state of Massachusetts. 15.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.1 assists as a junior last season (2024-25). He is more of a scoring guard than a shooting guard. Like our current backcourt group, Morillo can drive and slash with the best of them. But his jump shot is suspect and needs improvement in range. He is an excellent defender and perimeter rebounder.

3-Star Recruits

Eathan Brown 3-star 6-foot-4 185 pounds, Combo Guard from Rolla Sr. High School, Rolla, MO. Ranked as 117th nationally and 8th in the state of Missouri, a two-time all-state selection. As a junior, he became the all-time leading scorer in Rolla Sr. High history. He averaged 22.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 3.8 steals last season. He played for the Gateway Knights in the New Balance P32 League. He averaged 17 points, 4.7 rebounds, three assists, and 2.2 steals. For that effort, he earned the 17U MVP. Like Keaton Wagler, some say he could be underrated. He has, as Underwood likes to say, great positional size and could see rotation at the guard spot.

Landon Davis 2-star 6-foot-8, 210 pounds, Power Forward from Waukee Northwest, Waukee, IA. Ranked 227 nationally, 247 Sports has him as the 38th-best power forward in the country. He averaged 10.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 blocks, and 2.9 assists. He could use a little time with “Body by Fletch,” but he has the skills and basketball IQ to excel at the next level.

And they may not be done.

The Illini is said to still be pursuing Zavier Zens, a 6-foot-7, 210-pound power forward from Wisconsin Lutheran in Milwaukee. He was named 2026 Mr. Basketball in Wisconsin. Zens has offers from Wisconsin and Utah State. Zen averaged 23.6 PPG and 5.4 RPG and recently de-committed from Northern Iowa.

So that still leaves 4 open scholarships (for now).

Transfers

Underwood has secured one transfer so far: Stefan Vaaks from Providence. He is a 6-foo-7, 200-pound shooting guard. Vaaks averaged 15.8 PPG, shooting 40.3% from the floor and 35% from 3-point range, 3.2 APG, and 2.5 RPG. Vaaks is from Tabasalu, Estonia, and played in the Latvia-Estonia pro league before going to Providence.

Other targets of interest are:

John Blackwell from Wisconsin. Blackwell is the son of former Illini Glynn Blackwell. Blackwell averaged 19.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 2.3 APG, and earned All-Big Ten honors.

Another option could be Kylan Boswell’s former Arizona teammate, KJ Lewis. Offense isn’t the draw here; although his offensive numbers are not bad, 14.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 2.3 APG. It is his defense, averaging 2.1 steals per game and 3.5 defensive box score, playing for Georgetown this past season. Boswell’s defensive numbers are 0.7 seals and a 3.1 defensive box score.

As for any further defections, if the Illini land another point guard, I think very real possibility that Brandon Lee could look for another team. Right now, the Illini still have room to add, so anything can happen.

Knicks fans will be missing Mike Breen and Clyde Frazier in their opening-round playoff series against the Hawks.

For the first time ever, the NBA is pushing all local network broadcasts out of the playoffs in favor of the national television networks, which paid a hefty price for the rights to air the playoff product.

In past years, the first round of the playoffs would air on the local channels with the home broadcast team locally, while also offering a national broadcast to out-of-market fans.

Mike Breen, who is the Knicks’ play-by-play voice and also the lead commentator for ESPN, crushed the decision on the final day of the Knicks’ regular season.

Mike Breen: "1st time ever…entire playoffs exclusive to national TV…poor decision…fans want to hear their home team announcers, at least 1st round…part of the family. I get networks pay a fortune…but fans deserve to be thrown a bone…This is our final telecast of the season" pic.twitter.com/knsUysK261

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) April 12, 2026

“First time ever that no longer can the home team announcers and broadcasters televise the first round,” Breen said on the MSG broadcast during the Knicks’ 110-96 loss to the Hornets in which they sat most of their starters.

“The entire playoffs are exclusive to national TV broadcasters. I mentioned this earlier this season. I think personally, Clyde, it’s a poor decision. Fans want to hear their home team announcers, at least in the first round. For so many of us, they become part of the family. I get it. The networks pay a fortune for exclusivity, and I work for one of the networks, but fans deserve to be thrown a bone once in a while in terms of letting the home team have a little bit of the first round.”

The NBA’s new TV deal started this season, where they agreed to a $76 billion broadcast rights deal, which separated the product across multiple platforms to broadcast the league over the next 11 seasons.

Breen thought “throwing the fans a bone” should have been a priority even after commissioner Adam Silver and the league were able to successfully negotiate massive rights deals with Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon.

Breen would like the league and its streaming partners to work out a deal to let the local broadcasters step back in, but recognized that it’s unlikely.

“Somehow, if there’s any way they can work out some kind of compromise, I’m not hopeful for that, but it would be wonderful to have it because this is our final telecast of the season,” Breen said.

Breen has talked about this a few times while on MSG airwaves, as the Knicks hope for a lengthy playoff run after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals last season.

The league has found itself in a difficult place on a number of issues recently.

Between tanking concerns and the season being too long, some pundits have been clamoring for a shorter season.

However, broadcast partners would surely be furious about losing inventory.

The regular season ended for the NBA on Sunday night, and for Duke rookies, it marked the end of a remarkable season.

Phoenix Sun Khaman Maluach finished on a high note, with 18 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocks.

Cleveland Cavalier Tyrese Proctor was close to a triple-double, with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists.

In New York, Sion James wrapped up the regular season with 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists, while Kon Knueppel finished with 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. He also finished the season with 273 three-pointers, the first time a rookie has ever led the NBA, but just barely: Charlotte teammate LaMelo Ball finished with 272.

Meanwhile, for Dallas, Cooper Flagg’s spectacular first season came to a premature end. He played just 10 minutes before he sprained an ankle. However, he left the game with 10 points, 4 rebounds, and an assist.

Which brings us back to perhaps the most interesting story of the NBA season: the riveting battle for Rookie of the Year between Flagg and Knueppel.

It’s really too close to call, isn’t it? In this video, Doc Rivers argues that if you go by the numbers, Flagg should get it, but if you go by the impact on his team, Knueppel should.

Rivers says something amazing about Knueppel: “He’s changed the culture of an organization which has had cultural problems.”

We’ve suggested this too. His impact on the Hornets has been amazing.

So how do you resolve this? We don’t know, but we do know this: Flagg would give Knueppel the trophy in a heartbeat if the Mavericks were still playing like the Hornets will be.

There’s only one way for this to end: Co-Rookies of the Year. Nothing else would be fair.

• Can Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel please share the NBA Rookie of the Year 
• Hornets’ LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel pull off ultra-rare Splash Brothers feat
• Hornets’ Kon Knueppel sets NBA rookie record for 3-pointers made
• Cooper Flagg suffers ankle injury Sunday
• NBA Fans Hail Kon Knueppel and LaMelo Ball Replicating Steph Curry and Klay Thompson’s Prime With Season 3-Point Title Race
• “He was not allowed to jack up 3s” – Ex-Hornets Takes Sharp Swipe at Kon Knueppel’s 3-pt Record Involving Ray Allen
• Johnson non-committal on whether Flagg or Knueppel should win top rookie award
• Cooper Flagg’s season ends as the rookie No. 1 pick of the Mavs exits finale with ankle injury
• Kon Knueppel just made NBA history, and now the Rookie of the Year race feels wide open
• Hornets Rookie Kon Knueppel Called ‘No Brainer’ for Postseason Honor
• Cooper Flagg is on the wrong side of an inexcusable Rookie of the Year bias

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BOSTON — Technically, John Tonje has played in many a high-profile game at TD Garden. In a way, he’s actually been doing so for years.

That’s because since he was a little kid in Nebraska, Tonje has set nearly all of his NBA 2K games at TD Garden, his favorite arena in the arena.

“I always play here [on 2k],“ Tonje told CelticsBlog on Sunday. ”I love playing here. Growing up, my favorite arena was always TD Garden. I just love it.”

Tonje made his official (non-video game) TD Garden debut in late February, playing five fourth-quarter minutes in a blowout Celtics win.

But after the Celtics secured the No. 2 seed on Friday, Tonje knew he might have a chance to live out that dream in full, to play rotation minutes, to make an NBA basket. The Celtics ruled out 8 players ahead of Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Orlando Magic. And, Tonje knew that he very well could have the chance to play in front of a crowd that had almost become mythical.

“I woke up today knowing that I’m gonna have an opportunity to come out here and play and do what I love to do,” Tonje said, “and play in an arena like this.”

That he did.

The 24-year-old played a whopping 30 minutes in the arena of his dreams, and tallied 13 points — and his first NBA bucket — en route to an improbable 113-108 win over the Orlando Magic. And, he did it with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Sam Hauser, Neemias Queta, Nikola Vucevic, Payton Pritchard, and Hugo Gonzalez all sidelined.

“Hitting my first field goal, that was huge,” Tonje said, noting that his only two NBA career points came at the free throw line. “To see that actual field goal go down, which was a three in the corner, it was great to see. And I was, like, ‘Okay, this is real.’”

Tonje was one of only eight Celtics available to play on Sunday. Of them, three (Amari Williams, Max Shulga, and Tonje) were late 2025 second-round draft picks. Three (Jordan Walsh, Dalano Banton, and Luka Garza) were second-round draft picks from years before. One (Ron Harper Jr.) was undrafted. Baylor Scheierman, the No. 30 pick in 2024, was the only former first-rounder available to play.

That didn’t stop the Celtics from pulling off what, on the outside, appeared to be one of the improbable wins of the NBA season.

“We expected to go out there and compete and win the game,” Scheierman said. “I know going into the game, that was our expectation.”

Here’s how they did it.

Luka Garza, Baylor Scheierman set the tone for Game 82

Luka Garza was the head of the snake when the Celtics took the parquet on Sunday evening, running onto the court first for warm-ups, with Scheierman, Walsh, Harper Jr, Shulga, Williams, and Banton all trailing behind him.

Garza had been awaiting this opportunity, too. The 27-year-old had plenty more NBA experience than a rookie like Tonje, but he did not take for granted the chance to have more extended minutes than he’s had all year. And, he took advantage, setting a career-high in scoring (27 points) and grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds in a season-high 38 minutes.

And, before tip-off, Garza made a point of instilling confidence in his teammates.

“Luka said it before the game, huddled up, ‘This is for all the times that we’re on the bench, all the times we want an opportunity, we have a chance to go out there and show it,’” said Harper Jr.

The message resonated. During layup lines, the available Celtics laughed as they realized just how short-handed they appeared.

“There was probably, on the outside, a lot of unknowns about what was going to happen looking at the lineup,” Scheierman said. “And we were even joking in the locker room, coming out in layup lines and looking at each other, like, ‘We got seven people out here?’”

But, the grittiness that has been on display all season was evident from the opening jump.

A mere eight seconds into the game, Scheierman drew an offensive foul. On the next possession, Garza hit his first three-pointer of the night. By the end of the first quarter, the Celtics trailed by 9 points — but it was clear they came ready for battle. Harper Jr., who poured in 12 of the team’s 20 first-quarter points, was particularly aggressive from the jump.

“We definitely didn’t go into this game thinking this is like David vs. Goliath, thinking we’re like ultimate underdogs,” Harper Jr. said. “We came into the game expecting to compete, and expecting to win.”

And, to onlookers, nothing on the Celtics’ side seemed to indicate they were overwhelmed or intimidated by the lineup on the other side, a group of proven Magic players that included Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, and Jalen Suggs. To make things all the more wild, the Magic were vying for Play-In positioning, hoping to secure home-court advantage in Wednesday’s Play-In game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

But if someone were to turn on the game, they’d never guess that the Celtics were the ones with nothing substantive on the line.

“We said it all year, 1 to 15, whoever steps on the floor, there’s an expectation to put us in position with the opportunity to win,” said Joe Mazzulla. “Stick to the process of winning; today is no different than the other 81 games.”

The tides drastically turned in the third quarter, when the Celtics outscored the Magic 42-20 and built a double-digit lead. Scheierman hit stepback threes like he was James Harden en route to a 30-point, 7-assist, 7-rebound career night.

After each bucket, the TD Garden crowd exploded as though it were a playoff game.

“I thought the crowd was tremendous for us tonight,” Mazzulla said. “I think they helped us get our third-quarter run, and I think they kept us in it. The great thing about our fans is, 1) they’re smart – they know good basketball, 2) they care about winning. They care about playing the right way. That’s what they want to see.”

The game was tied with 35 seconds to go when Garza hit the go-ahead three-pointer with a hand in his face.

“I was like, ‘Yeet,’” Scheierman said, laughing. “We wanted to get him a three. That’s not necessarily how we had it drawn up to get there. But yeah, chicken.”

That improbable shot capped off an improbable night that capped off an improbable season.

“It was so awesome,” Garza said. “Seeing it go in, just feeling the crowd too. It was definitely a top moment for me.”

Nearly everyone on the Celtics’ bench jumped to their feet, rejoicing the clutch basket. Tonje said the presence of the sidelined Celtics was particularly energizing.

“It meant everything to see D-White, JT, all the older guys come up, and meet us at half court and dap us up and just give us energy,” he said. “It was so, so great.”

In the background was the reality that Sunday also doubled as the Celtics’ Fan Appreciation Day. Before the game, Jordan Walsh thanked Celtics fans for being the best fans in all of sports.

Aftewards, Scheierman emphasized Walsh’s pregame message.

“That’s what makes Boston, in general, just super special — the support we get,” he said. “You could have seen the injury report last night that said a bunch of people were going to be out, and people could have just not shown up, knowing people weren’t going to play. But the Garden was packed, and it was rocking like it was a must-win game for us. And so I think that’s super special, and we got to give a lot of credit to our fans for coming through and creating that type of atmosphere.”

On Sunday night, Ron Harper Jr’s dreams were validated

Ron Harper Jr, who began the year with a training camp contract and not even the promise of a two-way, reflected on his journey after a 27-point, 4-rebound, 3-assist, and 3-steals night that just so happened to coincide with his 26th birthday.

Harper Jr. had been through it all.

He went undrafted in 2021.

He bounced around the league on four different two-way contracts.

He tore his labrum in 2023.

He was waived after the Celtics’ training camp in 2024.

But he opted to return to Boston for a second chance at Celtics training camp in 2025, a decision he hoped would pay off, and one he made in large part due to just how much he took away from his first training camp in Boston.

“It was a little bit of a gamble,” Harper Jr said. “But even last year, when I got waived off of the Exhibit-10, and I was in the G League, it was never any hard feelings. I felt like I learned a lot that training camp, being around a team that had just won a championship, those experiences, it’s unmatched. You see how those guys grind, see how they play the game. You see how they work out. You see how they approach the day-to-day. It’s just something I try to take with me throughout my journey.” 

“The whole year has been rewarding,” Harper Jr. “I had a great stay in Maine when I was there, won Player of the Month, me and my teammates were able to compete in the showcase tournament in Orlando. That was a great experience.“

In February, Harper Jr. started his first-ever NBA game, and the Celtics blew out the Houston Rockets on the second night of a back-to-back. He was tasked with guarding Kevin Durant, and he, somehow, outplayed the Hall of Famer. It was that moment that reiterated to him that a second training camp with Boston was the right call.

“The most rewarding moment was probably when I started the first game,” he said. “That’s something that I dreamed of for a while. Thinking about where I came from and how the year was looking, I definitely didn’t think this would be the year where I start a game.”

Since that first start, Harper Jr. has had several standout moments. There was a 22-point outburrst against his brother, Dylan, in a game vs San Antonio. There was a big first quarter against the Charlotte Hornets last month.

And, there was Sunday’s career-night, a 27 point outing in which Harper Jr. was the guy spearheading the offense.

His two-way contract was converted to a standard deal earlier in April. It was a moment that was special for Joe Mazzulla, too.

“It really starts with him,” Mazzulla said. “He’s done a lot for us, especially this season — playing in Maine, playing in the Stay Ready games, playing in NBA games, being ready. He’s a competitive guy. It’s a testament to who he is, so I’m really happy for him.”

“I’m just really grateful to be in the situation,” Harper Jr said.

For John Tonje, the quiet work came to fruition

Before Sunday, Tonje had played a total of 12 NBA minutes in his rookie season. Joe Mazzulla said the behind-the-scenes work with the team’s player development staff is what prepared him.

“He hasn’t played in an NBA game — he’s played in Stay Ready games. He’s played in optional shoots,” Mazzulla said. “He’s gone through reads – it’s the exact same thing. All those things are just as important.”

“The coaching staff does an amazing job just trying to get us better, put us in situations that we’ll see in the games,” Tonje said. “And I think those Stay Ready games are there to prepare us for moments like this, and just – hats off to the coaching staff.”

Tonje especially credited his player development coach, Nana Foulland, for preparing him mentally.

“He’s been great,” he said. “He’s tough on me, which is what I need. And, he doesn’t always have the sweetest things to say, which is great. He’s helping me get better.”

Still, there’s no way to truly emulate the environment of playing at a packed TD Garden.

“I’d be lying if I said it and didn’t feel different,” he said with a smile.

TD Garden was as loud as it’s been all year — as loud as it was in Tonje’s video games growing up.

“I know that a lot of those guys who haven’t got a lot of opportunity, they’re super grateful for that, that they got an opportunity to play in that type of environment,” Baylor Scheierman said.

Garza, Harper, and Scheierman led the way, but they didn’t do it alone. Dalano Banton, who was on a Ten-Day contract with the Celtics in February, was signed to the Celtics’ 15th roster spot on Saturday, and laced up a day later. He tallied 7 assists and 4 blocks in 36 minutes in the win.

Jordan Walsh posted 9 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, a block, and a steal. Max Shulga earned his first career NBA start, finishing with 3 points and 3 rebounds in 18 minutes. And, Amari Williams played 9 minutes off the bench.

None of it surprised Mazzulla, who has stressed all year that every single player on the roster could impact winning.

“It’s a validation of what we’ve been talking about,” Mazzulla said, crediting the team’s player development staff for putting players in this position. “And the most important thing is our guys, it’s very easy if you’re constantly in an optional shoot or playing in a Stay Ready game, you can see as if your job is meaningless, but they have to stay ready, because any moment, as soon as they step on the floor, you’re held to the same standard. And I think that’s what guys who are on the court today are looking for. And so it’s more of a validation to the staff, but really to the locker room. And they care about winning. They care about playing great.”

As the final buzzer sounded, the veterans rejoiced, dapping up nearly every player on the roster.

Jaylen Brown walked through the tunnel in disbelief, and almost immediately turned to social to media to Tweet: “I love this team.”

Players signed as many autographs as they could. A John Tonje signature had never held more weight at TD Garden.

The page will now turn. The Celtics will begin a week of practice ahead of Sunday’s playoff game, where the stakes will be higher than they’ve been all year. Players like Tonje, Williams, Shulga and Banton might not lace up for meaningful minutes all spring.

Regardless of what happens next, one thing is certain: Game 82 captured the magic of the 2025-2026 Celtics — a team that came into the year with minimal external expectations and turned into a championship contender.