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Tether CEO Issues Bullish Bitcoin Post as Price Stabilizes at $75,000

Paolo Ardoino, the CEO of Tether, the world’s largest stablecoin firm, has reaffirmed his bullish stance on Bitcoin, sparking reactions as all eyes appear to be on Bitcoin following the recent market rally.

In his post, Ardoino declared that Bitcoin is resistant after a viral artwork shared by Satoshigallery sparked the attention of the crypto community.

The image features a striking human-form statue forged from steel, and the sculpture was shared with a caption that says, “You can bend the steel but not its meaning.”

Although the statement was not extremely clear, Ardoino has related it to Bitcoin’s nature, interpreting the image as a representation of Bitcoin’s resistant nature.

Ardoino stirs debate

Ardoino’s interpretation of the image has received mixed reactions across the crypto community as some commentators agreed that the image is significant in representing Bitcoin’s true nature as being resistant.

However, others have criticized the leading cryptocurrency as some named it as a scam even as Bitcoin continues to show signs of a major recovery.

Nonetheless, the criticism was outweighed by more supportive remarks from other commentators as one user described the piece as one of the most concept-connecting sculptures they had ever seen.

Also, another commentator further stressed that everything else eventually bends, suggesting that Bitcoin endures even in the face of pressure.

Bitcoin stabilizes at $75,000

Ardoino’s bullish comment about Bitcoin has come following a recent price rally that has seen the asset surpass the long-lost $75,000 level.

While this has reignited market optimism, investor confidence is growing stronger, and experts are reaffirming their bullish stance on the asset.

While the rally has cooled and cryptocurrencies are currently showing mixed price action, Bitcoin remains stable around the $75,000 mark.

April 19, 2026
Justin Sun Makes an Unusual Offer to the Hacker Involved in the $290 Million Hack

While the turmoil caused by the KelpDAO-related security vulnerability crisis in the DeFi ecosystem continues, a notable statement came from Justin Sun, a leading figure in the cryptocurrency world.

Sun, in a statement on social media, directly challenged the perpetrator, offering to negotiate. “KelpDAO hacker, how much do you want? Let’s talk. Of course, with the help of KelpDAO,” Sun said, arguing that the situation needed to be resolved before it escalated further.

In his statement, Sun pointed out that the attack could have serious consequences for both Aave and KelpDAO, saying, “It’s not worth risking both Aave and KelpDAO because of this hack.” He also alluded to the alleged theft of approximately $300 million in assets, adding, “You can’t spend $300 million anyway,” sending an indirect message to the attacker.

Related News A Bullish Signal Seen in XRP for the First Time in Three Months

Sun’s move has brought back into focus the “white-hat consensus” method seen in previous major DeFi attacks. As you may recall, the exploit on KelpDAO’s rsETH bridge resulted in billions of dollars worth of ETH being withdrawn from Aave, creating significant liquidity pressure on the protocol.

*This is not investment advice.

April 19, 2026
Satellite images reveal Israel expanding Gaza military sites

Images show Israel building permanent military bases in Gaza as US-backed reconstruction plans stall.

The United States has proposed plans to rebuild Rafah, a city in southern Gaza that was flattened by two years of Israeli bombardment. It has been touted as the centrepiece of a US-Israeli vision for a post-war Gaza, but satellite images suggest the project has stalled before even breaking ground.

An Al Jazeera Digital Investigations Unit examination of Planet Labs and Sentinel Hub satellite imagery revealed that Israeli military fortifications are expanding at a relentless pace across Gaza, particularly in Rafah.

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Analysis of imagery from February 25 to March 15 confirmed that while rubble removal has essentially ceased in Beit Hanoon in the north and Rafah, Israeli forces are systematically entrenching a permanent military reality across the devastated enclave.

While civilian reconstruction has slowed, Israeli military construction has accelerated. Satellite imagery from March 10 shows extensive clearing and fortification at the strategic al-Muntar hilltop in Shujayea, a neighbourhood in Gaza City, and outposts in Khan Younis in Gaza’s south.

In central Gaza, Sentinel imagery from March 15 revealed ongoing work on a trench and dirt berm reaching as far as the Maghazi camp near Deir el-Balah. In Juhor ad-Dik, new roads now link established military sites to newly levelled areas, suggesting the creation of permanent outposts.

These findings align with a late 2025 investigation by Forensic Architecture that identified 48 Israeli military sites within Gaza – 13 of which were built after an October “ceasefire”. These sites have evolved into permanent bases with paved roads, watchtowers and constant communication links to Israel’s domestic military network.

Satellite images captured from February 20 to March 10, 2026, reveal significant engineering and expansion work at an Israeli military outpost in eastern Gaza City [Planet Labs]

The ‘New Rafah’ illusion

At the World Economic Forum in the Swiss city of Davos in January, Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, showcased AI-generated visions of a “New Rafah” featuring skyscrapers and luxury resorts. Trump further promoted this “Middle East Riviera” through a 20-point plan, promising $10bn in funding via the Board of Peace, which he has established as a potential rival of the United Nations.

However, the Geneva-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has warned that the “New Rafah” plan is a mechanism for demographic re-engineering and forced displacement.

The plan involves dividing Gaza into population blocks and closed military zones. Palestinians would be confined to “cities” of residential caravans, each packing roughly 25,000 people into a single square kilometre (0.4sq miles). These “cities” are to be surrounded by fences and checkpoints, and access to essential services would be contingent upon passing Israeli-US security screenings – a model Euro-Med likened to ghettos.

Satellite images of an Israeli military site in Khan Younis show continuous development, paving and construction of fortifications in March 2026 [File: Planet Labs]

A new, permanent border

Gaza’s “yellow line” “ceasefire” boundary is being transformed into a permanent frontier. In Beit Lahiya in the north, satellite images from March 4 show the construction of a dirt berm along the “yellow line” and another running parallel to it and constructed more than 580 metres (634 yards) into what the “ceasefire” designates as land where Palestinians are supposed to live – a significant encroachment beyond the designated line.

In December, Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir defined the line as a “new border”. Defence Minister Israel Katz later declared Israel would “never leave Gaza”, promising to establish military-agricultural settlements.

Al Jazeera’s investigation further documented that Israel has secretly moved concrete boundary markers hundreds of metres deeper into areas designated for Palestinians.

Traces of Israeli military vehicles operating beyond a dirt berm on the ‘yellow line’ in northern Gaza are seen on March 10, 2026, in clear violation of ‘ceasefire’ demarcations [File: Sentinel Hub]

A bloody ‘ceasefire’

Despite the October “ceasefire”, violence persists. Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported 750 deaths and more than 2,090 injuries since the “ceasefire” began, bringing the total death toll since the October 2023 start of Israel’s genocidal war to more than 72,300. An independent study in The Lancet medical journal suggested the actual death toll could be significantly higher. It estimated more than 75,000 deaths from “direct violence” by early 2025 alone.

An Al Jazeera analysis found that Israel has launched attacks on 160 out of the 182 days of the “ceasefire”. These attacks often involve incursions aimed at levelling areas designated for Palestinian habitation.

Efforts to document these developments are facing unprecedented hurdles. This month, Planet Labs announced an “indefinite” ban on images from conflict zones after a US government request. Other providers, like Vantor, have imposed similar restrictions, severely limiting the ability of media and human rights groups to monitor the situation in Gaza.

As of this month, humanitarian assessments by aid groups, including Oxfam and Save the Children, have given the Trump reconstruction plan a failing grade, saying it has failed to “demonstrate a clear impact on conditions inside Gaza”.

(Al Jazeera)

April 19, 2026
Tesla is rolling out its Robotaxi service to Dallas and Houston

Tesla is expanding its Robotaxi footprint across Texas by introducing availability in both Dallas and Houston. As announced in a post on X, the EV maker is rolling out its Robotaxis to small sections of the Texas cities, as detailed by two maps of its new service areas.

The first Robotaxi rides started in Austin, Texas where Tesla is headquartered, but the service’s launch was paired with a “Tesla Safety Monitor,” or a supervising human in the passenger seat. Earlier this year, Tesla began to transition away from including safety monitors, leaving its Robotaxis to operate unsupervised and fully autonomous. In the latest announcement on X, Tesla also showed off a 360-degree panning shot with no safety monitor, but the company hasn’t stated if its Dallas and Houston service will have in-car human supervision. It’s worth nothing that Tesla previously admitted that some of its Robotaxis are sometimes driven remotely by human operators.

With the Robotaxi expansion into Dallas and Houston, Tesla is encroaching on Waymo’s autonomous ride-hailing service that entered the same markets in February of this year. Looking ahead, Tesla is also targeting the Bay Area market in California for its Robotaxi expansion. While the company has received approvals to operate a ride-hailing service in California, it still doesn’t have authorization for autonomous taxis in the state yet.

April 19, 2026
Elizabeth Warren Accuses SEC Chair Paul Atkins of Potentially Lying to Congress
In brief

Elizabeth Warren accused Paul Atkins of potentially misleading Congress about the SEC’s falling enforcement activity.

New data showed the SEC brought far fewer cases under the Trump administration than historical averages.

Warren says the decline raises concerns about investor protection and political favoritism.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), the highest-ranking Democrat on the powerful Senate Banking Committee, formally accused the head of the SEC this week of potentially lying to Congress—an illegal act punishable with imprisonment.

In a letter sent Wednesday, Warren told SEC Chair Paul Atkins she believes the regulator may have intentionally misled the Banking Committee during a February 12 hearing, when Atkins was pressed about the SEC’s plummeting number of new enforcement actions under the second Trump administration.

Atkins responded to Warren’s question at the time by saying he disagreed “with the premise” of her inquiry. When Warren followed up on the matter at a later point in the hearing, Atkins said he wasn’t sure what data the senator was referencing.

Last week, however, the SEC released its enforcement data for 2025, which showed the regulator only brought 456 new enforcement actions last year—200 of which were filed by the outgoing Biden administration. The 256 cases brought by the Trump SEC pale in comparison to the 765 enforcement actions brought on average by the SEC every year over the last decade.

“The data showing a sharp decline in enforcement actions under your watch, significant reduction in staff and the sudden leadership changes all raise serious questions about the Commission’s willingness and capacity to protect investors and the markets,” Warren said.

The SEC declined comment when reached by Decrypt.

The crime of making a materially false statement to a congressional committee is punishable by a fine and up to five years in prison. Such a charge would need to be brought by the Department of Justice, however, and it is very unlikely the Trump DOJ would pursue such a case against a member of the Trump administration.

Should Democrats retake Congress in November’s midterms, however, Warren could end up well-positioned to make Atkins’ life much more difficult in the medium-term. The crypto-skeptical lawmaker is likely to become the next chair of the Banking Committee should Democrats win back the Senate, an outcome currently standing at 55% odds on Polymarket.

The SEC’s enforcement statistics are currently a hot-button issue for Democrats, given how they play into a larger narrative about the Trump administration’s appetite to pursue potential bad actors in financial markets—even those who may have ties to the president’s family and inner circle.

The SEC under Trump has proudly touted its decrease in enforcement actions, tying the trend to a de-emphasis on crypto cases. Atkins has repeatedly argued the Biden-era SEC overzealously pursued cases against companies in the novel sector, a trend he has aggressively reversed.

But the SEC’s enforcement rates have also dwindled across other sectors, including the traditional securities market. Further, the regulator has come under scrutiny for its treatment of entrepreneurs in the Trump family’s orbit. In Wednesday’s letter, Warren referenced a Reuters report detailing how the SEC’s head of enforcement resigned last month in part due to frustrations over the agency’s handling of fraud cases touching on President Trump’s inner circle.

Atkins personally resisted pushes to pursue such cases, according to the report.

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April 19, 2026
Pesticides in Healthy Foods Linked to Higher Lung Cancer Risk in People Under 50
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A new study highlights an environmental risk factor that could be driving early onset lung cancer rates. Natalia Mishina/Stocksy
A small study found that young non-smokers who eat more fruit, vegetables, and whole grains are more likely to develop lung cancer than the general population.

The researchers speculate that this could be due to pesticides used on crops.

The study is small in sample size and does not prove causation, so experts caution against reducing fruits and vegetable intake.
Younger nonsmokers who eat a higher quantity of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are more likely to develop lung cancer than the general population.

The research has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, but the authors speculate that their findings may be linked to pesticide use in crops.

“Our research shows that younger non-smokers who eat a higher quantity of healthy foods than the general population are more likely to develop lung cancer,” said Jorge Nieva, MD, a medical oncologist and lung cancer specialist with USC Norris and lead investigator of the study, in a statement.

“These counter-intuitive findings raise important questions about an unknown environmental risk factor for lung cancer related to otherwise beneficial food that needs to be addressed,” Nieva continued.

The researchers note that non-organic fruits, vegetables, and whole grains produced commercially typically have higher levels of pesticides than many processed foods, as well as meat and dairy.

Existing research that found agricultural workers who are exposed to pesticides have higher rates of lung cancer may support this theory.

Rates of lung cancer in the United States have been falling since the 1980s, along with rates of smoking. However, this has not been true among non-smokers ages 50 and younger, particularly females. Women in this group are now more likely than men to develop lung cancer.

“This trend is quite concerning. I think it is important for us to better understand through research why non-smokers are getting lung cancer,” Jimmy Johannes, MD, a pulmonologist and critical care medicine specialist at MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center in Long Beach, California, who was not involved in the research, told Healthline.
In undertaking their study, the researchers surveyed 187 patients who received a diagnosis of lung cancer by the time they were 50.

The participants were asked to give details of their smoking history, diet, and demographics.

The majority of those studied reported that they had never smoked and also were diagnosed with a type of lung cancer that is biologically different than the type of lung cancer that is caused by smoking.

The researchers then used the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) to compare the diets of those surveyed with the general U.S. population. The Healthy Eating Index ranks Americans’ diets on a scale of 1-100.

Young, non-smoking patients who had lung cancer had an HEI score of 65 out of 100, compared with the average U.S. score of 57.

The researchers found that women scored higher than men.

On average, those with lung cancer ate more fruit, vegetables, and whole grains than the average U.S. population.

The study authors note that further research is needed to examine the link between pesticides and lung cancer among young people, especially in females.

The study authors say the next step in the research would be to confirm the association between pesticides and lung cancer in young people by measuring pesticide levels in blood and urine samples from lung cancer patients.

“This work represents a critical step toward identifying modifiable environmental factors that may contribute to lung cancer in young adults,” Nivea said in a statement. “Our hope is that these insights can guide both public health recommendations and future investigation into lung cancer prevention.”

Experts who spoke with Healthline caution that people shouldn’t reduce their intake of fruits and vegetables based on the results of the study, which is small in sample size and doesn’t prove causation.

“This study raises an important question, but doesn’t directly measure pesticide exposure in participants. Decades of evidence still show that diets rich in fruits and vegetables help lower cancer risk. People should not reduce their intake of plant foods based on this study alone,” Melissa Mroz-Planells, a registered dietitian nutritionist in private practice, told Healthline.

Pesticides are known to be carcinogenic, but experts say reducing or eliminating them from agricultural production would require a significant overhaul of food supply systems.

“The fact is, pesticides and herbicides are poison. They’re meant to kill pests and bugs. They were developed during wartime… and now are sprayed on almost everything and contaminate much of the food supply,” Dana Hunnes, PhD, a senior dietitian supervisor at UCLA Health, told Healthline. Hunnes wasn’t involved in the research.

“They should be included/discussed in dietary guidelines, which is more a downstream approach, but ought to be regulated or eliminated if we want a more comprehensive upstream/public health approach. However, that requires political will, money to change how farmers and ranchers grow food, and a complete overhaul of food systems.”

The reason for lung cancer rates among young non-smokers remains unknown, and the USC study offers just one theory yet to be confirmed.

George Chaux, MD, a board certified interventional pulmonologist and medical director of Interventional Pulmonology at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, said it could be a number of factors contributing to the trend. Chaux wasn’t involved in the study.

“The rising trend of lung cancer amongst younger non-smoking individuals is concerning but remains relatively rare and is mostly tied to ethnicity, such as Asian descent. There is likely to be some strong genetic predisposition together with an environmental exposure driving this,” he told Healthline.

“Pesticides are known to be carcinogens, and there is a higher risk of lung cancer associated with heavy exposure, such as in agriculture workers, as cited in this study,” he said.

“This is why washing your fruits and vegetables before eating raw foods is very important. I would not conclude from this data nor recommend that people stay away from a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables, which has been conclusively shown to improve overall health, including risk of colon cancer and heart disease. I would also not necessarily recommend organic foods, which tend to be more expensive; the best approach is to wash your fruits and vegetables well before you eat them,” Chaux continued.

Amy Bragagnini is a clinical oncology dietitian at Trinity Health Lacks Cancer Center. She wasn’t involved in the study but said that, regardless of whether produce is organic, rinsing before eating is a good idea.

“When eating fresh produce, I first encourage my patients to thoroughly wash all produce that they consume, regardless of the produce being organic or conventional. Rinsing under cold water and using a light friction can reduce bacteria, dirt, chemicals, and pesticides,” she told Healthline.

“In addition, I encourage my patients to frequent local farmers’ markets if they have one close to them and to grow their own produce if they are able. There is nothing more satisfying than picking ingredients for your family’s salad right out of your backyard,” Bragagnini said.
April 19, 2026
Stablecoins can help businesses turn costs into revenue, Paxos Labs cofounder says

Stablecoins, the $300 billion class of digital dollars, may have started as a faster way to move money across the globe, but companies are now asking a different question: what can they actually do with them?

That shift is driving a new phase of adoption, according to Chunda McCain, co-founder of Paxos Labs, who says the industry is moving beyond basic infrastructure toward real business use cases.

“The first step was getting a stablecoin,” McCain said in an interview with CoinDesk. “The next question is: what now?”

Last week, Paxos Labs underscored that direction by raising $12 million in a strategic funding round led by Blockchain Capital, with participation from Robot Ventures, Maelstrom and Uniswap. The lab unit was incubated under Paxos, the New York-based digital asset firm behind popular stablecoins such as PayPal’s $PYUSD ($PYUSD) and the Global Dollar (USDG). Paxos itself builds stablecoins and the immediate underlying infrastructure, while Paxos Labs intends to build tooling for further use of those stablecoins.

With the fresh funds, Paxos Labs is building what it calls a “financial utility stack” that lets companies turn digital assets into products through a single integration.

Its newly launched Amplify Suite bundles three core tools: Earn, which offers yield on digital assets; Borrow, which enables lending against them; and Mint, which supports branded stablecoin issuance. The idea behind that is to let firms integrate tokens into a business, then layer on capabilities over time.

Turning cost into revenue

For years, enterprise crypto adoption focused on “first-touch” capabilities like trading, custody or issuing a stablecoin. Those steps opened the door but rarely generated returns on their own, according to McCain

“Stablecoins [have been] loss leaders for years,” he said.

The opportunity lies in how those assets are used. Payments are a clear example: merchants typically give up 2% to 3% in fees, while stablecoin rails can reduce those costs and even generate yield on balances held onchain.

“You turn what has always been a cost into revenue,” he said.

Some of the more novel use cases sit at the intersection of payments and credit. Payment providers already track merchant revenues and cash flow, which puts them in a position to underwrite loans, McCain argued.

That could allow merchants to access financing based on real-time performance, while earning yield on incoming payments and settling instantly across borders. These models are still early, but the building blocks are starting to come together, he said.

Not every firm needs its own token

To capture these benefits, not every firm needs its own stablecoin.

While companies like PayPal have launched branded tokens to control payments and margins, issuing one requires significant investment in liquidity, compliance and distribution.

“If you just need the economics, you don’t need to build your own,” McCain said.

Many firms can instead integrate existing stablecoins and still benefit from lower costs and added yield.

The shift may lack the hype when big firms like Western Union announce their own token, but it carries tangible impact on how businesses operate.

Stablecoins are starting to reshape margins, unlock credit and change how money moves globally, especially where traditional systems remain costly or slow.

“It might sound boring, but this is the math,” McCain said.

April 19, 2026
Box Office: ‘Super Mario’ and ‘Hail Mary’ Easily Scare Off ‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and Project Hail Mary continue to rule the box office, while new horror pic Lee Cronin’s The Mummy opened in third place domestically with an estimated $13.5 million. The Blumhouse and Atomic Monster production made up ground overseas with $17.5 million in ticket sales for a worldwide start of $34 million.

From Universal and Illumination, Super Mario stayed atop the North American chart in its third weekend with a better-than-expected $35 million as it cleared the $350 million mark domestically. Overseas, it pulled in another $83.2 million to finish Sunday with a foreign tally of $392.2 million and $747.5 million globally. (In Israel, it became the first Hollywood pic to open there since the ceasefire was declared and did decent business, according to Universal insiders.)

The Mario franchise has now earned a combined $2 billion globally to put it at No. 10 on the list of the top-grossing animated franchises of all time after already becoming the top Hollywood animated film of the year so far.

The landscape will change dramatically next weekend when Michael, Lionsgate’s Michael Jackson biopic, opens, followed a week later by The Devil Wears Prada 2, which marks the official start of the summer box office (Prada also stars Anne Hathaway).

Amazon MGM Studios’ Hail Mary continues its remarkable journey, falling only 15 percent in its fifth weekend to an estimated $20.4 million for a domestic cume of $285 million and a staggering $573.1 million globally. The sleeper hit returned to Imax and other premium large format screens this weekend, several days after star/producer Ryan Gosling and directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller showed up at CinemaCon to thank theater owners and announce that Amazon MGM is extending the film’s exclusive run in cinemas.

Produced by Jason Blum, James Wan and John Kevillle alongside Cronin, The Mummy is the filmmaker’s R-rated reimagining of Universal’s all-audience franchise. The film has divided critics, as well as audiences. Plus, it had to share Imax screens with Hail Mary.

Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Natalie Grace and Veronica Falcón star in the pic, which Cronin wrote and directed. The story centers on a family that has been grieving the disappearance of their daughter eight years earlier in Cairo. Suddenly, they get a call from Egyptian officials revealing she has been found after spending the past eight years in a 3,000-year-old sarcophagus and has been transformed into a living mummy-like creature.

Cronin is celebrated for reviving the Evil Dead franchise with Evil Dead Rise, which grossed $147 million globally in 2023. He came on the scene with the 2019 feature The Hole in the Ground, which bowed at Sundance.

New openers at the specialty box office included what A24 calls its wildly original, Hathaway-led music industry drama Mother Mary, and Morgan Neville’s Lorne Michaels biopic Lorne, from Focus Features.

Mother Mary, playing in only five locations, earned $168,363 for a promising per-location average of $33,613 before expanding into additional cinemas next weekend. David Lowery’s original and haunting pop drama follows the iconic Mother Mary (Hathaway) as she reunites with her estranged best friend (Michaela Coel) on the eve of her comeback concert. Hathaway performs several of the original songs written by Jack Antonoff, Charli XCX and FKA Twigs.

Lorne grossed $270,000 from roughly 450 cinemas.

More to come.

April 19, 7:45 a.m.: Update with revised figures.

This story was originally published on April 18.

April 19, 2026
Starting 5: LeBron’s dimes lead Lakers, Joker & Murray take control, Knicks & Cavs take Playoff Game 1 wins
LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers took Game 1 over the Rockets, as The King handed out 13 assists.

Not in our house.

Saturday was for the home teams, as higher seeds opened the 2026 Playoffs 4-0.

With four more Game 1s on the way — two on ABC, two on NBC & Peacock — what does today have in store?

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

April 19, 2026

LeBron & Luke: James, Kennard lead Lakers over Rockets with Durant out

Denver’s D: Joker & Murray boost scoring while Nuggets shut down Wolves to win Game 1

East Winners: Spida’s 32 lead Saturday’s scorers, Brunson opens & KAT closes as Knicks, Cavs take Game 1’s

ABC Doubleheader: Sixers, Celtics meet for record 116th Playoff game, Thunder’s road to repeat begins

NBC Sunday Night Basketball: No. 1 Pistons clash with No. 8 Magic, Wemby makes Playoff debut

BUT FIRST … ⏰

Reloaded with four more Game 1’s…

Sunday brings four more Game 1’s to get all first-round series underway.
- ABC Doubleheader: No. 2 Celtics meet No. 7 Sixers (1 ET) and No. 1 Thunder start title defense vs. No. 8 Suns (3:30 ET)
- SNB On NBC & Peacock: No. 1 Pistons clash with No. 8 Magic (6:30 ET) before Wemby makes his Playoff debut vs. No. 2 Blazers (9 ET)
1. HOLLYWOOD NIGHT: LEBRON & LUKE SHOW TAKES GAME 1 FOR L.A.

Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images

Houston and L.A. began their First Round series Saturday without the matchup’s top-3 scorers.

In response, the game’s all-time leading scorer came out with seemingly one thing on his mind:

Make something happen.

Lakers 107, Rockets 98: James (19 pts, 8 reb) dished out eight 1st-quarter dimes, on his way to 13 total, and Luke Kennard netted Playoff career-highs of 27 points and 5 3s (100 3P%) to help the Lakers take a 1-0 lead.

L.A. was without top scorers Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, while Houston missed Kevin Durant (knee contusion) after a practice collision. | Recap
- “For me, I gotta do a little bit of everything,” LeBron said postgame. “That’s what the job requires. So that’s being a triple-threat: being able to rebound, being able to pass, being able to shoot. Also defend.”
- James’ 5th assist – to Kennard – put him at the 2,100 mark for his Playoff career, joining only Magic Johnson as the only players to log that many
- Getting to 8 in that 1st frame, LeBron set a career Playoff high for any quarter, and a Lakers record for most in any Playoff quarter in the play-by-play era
- Finishing with 13, James became the first player age 41 or older with both double-digit assists and a points/assists double-double in a Playoff game
Sean M. Haffey/NBAE via Getty Images

The passing game wasn’t the only area where LeBron made history, as he and Bronny became the NBA’s first father-son duo to win a Playoff game together.
- “That’s probably the craziest thing that’s ever happened to me in my career,” LeBron said of playing in the Playoffs with Bronny. “That’s just insane.”
- Kennard’s Turn: The sharpshooter’s 27 points equal the 2nd-highest total ever for a player in his Lakers postseason debut, trailing Nick Van Exel by a bucket
- Houston filled in for Durant with five 15+ point scorers, including Alperen Sengun (19), Amen Thompson (17), Reed Sheppard (17), Tari Eason (16) and Jabari Smith Jr. (16)
Durant gets an extra day to heal his bruised knee, as the series picks up on Tuesday with Game 2 from L.A. (10:30 ET, NBC/Peacock).

2. NUGGETS WIN GAME 1: 2ND-HALF SHUTDOWN COOLS RIVAL WOLVES

Matthew Stockman/NBAE via Getty Images

Nikola Jokić had 6 points at halftime. He finished with a 25-point triple-double.

Jamal Murray went 0-for-8 from 3. He logged a game-high 30 points.

Denver started 6-for-22 (27.3 FG%) from the field. They won by double-digits.

Showing no panic, the 3-seed Nuggets let their game find its own way in time, and that paid off for a 1-0 First Round lead.

Nuggets 116, Wolves 105: Denver shook off a quiet start to catch the Wolves by halftime and lead the rest of the way, with Joker (25 pts, 13 reb, 11 ast) and Murray guiding the group past Anthony Edwards (22 pts, 9 reb, 7 ast) and their rival Wolves.

Not to be lost in Saturday’s Playoffs excitement, Denver has now won 13 straight games, dating back a full month to its last loss on March 18. | Recap
- Cold Open: The Nuggets’ 6-for-22 start had them facing their largest deficit of the game (12 pts), and still trailing by double-digits going into the 2nd quarter
- Tale Of Two Lines: With 3s not falling, Murray started driving, getting to the foul line eight times in his 14-point, 2nd-quarter rally. He finished 16-for-16 from the stripe
- “We just had to keep shooting,” Murray said. “Myself included. I didn’t make a 3 today. But I didn’t stop shooting. And I was able to find guys and keep the defense on their toes.”
- A Breakthrough: Then early in the 3rd, a 17-2 Denver run built a double-digit lead, with Jokić going on the attack for 12 of his 25 points in that quarter
- Joker credited homecourt advantage: “Whenever we needed a little spark, [the fans] were behind our back, and I love to play in front of our crowds. I think they’re great.”
From there, the Nuggets held the Wolves to just four made 3s and 43 points in the 2nd half. Minnesota had only seven halves all season of 43 points or fewer.
- AE & KG: Edwards passed Kevin Garnett twice with his 237th career Playoff assist, in his 32nd career 20+ point playoff game, taking the franchise lead in both categories
- Murray Joins Jokić: Murray reached his 20th career 30+ point Playoff game, joining Joker (35) as the only Nuggets ever with 20 or more such games
- Jokić Tops MPJ: Joker passed former Nugget Michael Porter Jr. (166) for 2nd-most Playoff triples made in franchise history
Game 2 from Mile High comes our way Monday night (10:30 ET, NBC/Peacock).

3. EAST WINS: BRUNSON OPENS, KAT CLOSES, SPIDA LEADS ALL SCORERS

Elsa/NBAE via Getty Images

Floater in the lane: ✅

Contested wing 3-ball: ✅

Fadeaway bank shot: ✅

Transition triple: ✅

Face-up fadeaway J: ✅

Pull-up from long-range: ✅

Jalen Brunson started Saturday 6-for-6 for 15 points in under 6 minutes.

All that, and the Knicks were up just six, as both New York and Atlanta shot over 85% in the opening 4 minutes of their First Round series opener.

Knicks 113, Hawks 102: Brunson scored 19 of his game-high 28 points in that 1st quarter, and Karl-Anthony Towns (25 pts, 8 reb) took control down the stretch, as New York outlasted CJ McCollum (26 pts, 4 3s) and Atlanta for a 1-0 series lead. | Recap
- 2nd-Half KAT: After a 1-for-6 1st half, Towns took the baton from Brunson, scoring 19 of his 25 points in the 2nd half
- “I was just rusty,” Towns said of his 1st half. “12 days, 13 days without playing… It takes a toll. So just trying to knock the rust off early in the game.”
- It was Towns who sealed the win in the 4th, sinking a triple followed by an and-1 take for back-to-back 3-point plays, capping a 10-0 Knicks run and stretching their lead to 19
- “I knew I was gonna get a chance to show what I could do in a pivotal moment,” said Towns. “I felt good about the 4th quarter and I’m glad I was able to make those shots for my teammates.”
- JB Ties Clyde: Brunson recorded his 29th Playoff game of 25+ points as a Knick, tying Walt Frazier for the 2nd-most in franchise history. Only Patrick Ewing (43) has more
New York and Atlanta tip off Game 2 at The Garden Monday night (8 ET, NBC/Peacock)

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With 2:01 remaining, the Cleveland crowd rose to its feet.

The Cavs’ first unit subbed out to a standing ovation, up 16.

Playoff basketball was back in The Land, celebrating a First-Round, Game 1 win for the third consecutive year.

Cavaliers 126, Raptors 113: Donovan Mitchell poured in a game-high 32 points, setting an NBA record with his ninth straight 30+ point performance in a series opener, as the Cavs rolled to a 1-0 lead over RJ Barrett (24 pts), Scottie Barnes (21 pts, 7 ast) and the Raptors. | Recap
- Applause-Worthy: Backing up Mitchell, Max Strus went for a Playoff career-high 24 pts, James Harden (22 pts) dished out 10 assists, and Evan Mobley (17 pts, 7 reb) controlled the paint
- Go Time: In a 4-point game with 1:11 to play before halftime, Cleveland exploded into the 2nd half with a 27-9 carryover run, leading the rest of the way. Strus had 11 points (3 3s) in that decisive stretch
- “Coming out in the 3rd quarter, we upped our intensity defensively,” Mitchell said of the getaway run. “And then obviously, offensively, we did what we do.”
Mitchell’s record-setting nine-game, 30+ point streak in Game 1s has helped him to a 33.1 ppg average across 12 career Game 1s.

This was his 32nd-career 30+ point Playoff game, and 13th for Cleveland, passing Kyrie Irving for 2nd-most in Cavs history.
- “32 is 32, but I’m happy I got a steal…” Mitchell said. “I’m finding ways to get rebounds… Those are the little details that carry over to wins.”
- Harden’s History: The Beard passed Larry Bird (3,897 pts) for 13th place on the NBA’s all-time postseason scoring list
- “It’s tough for defenses to try to figure out which ways to guard both of us,” Mitchell said of his first Playoff pairing with Harden. “We gotta keep it up for the series.”
4. TODAY ON ABC: 76ERS-CELTICS RIVALRY, CHAMPS START TITLE DEFENSE

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The reunited 2024 champs and the Divisional rival who played them closer than anyone this season.

The well-rested defending champions and the red-hot shooting squad who won the West Play-In Finale.

ABC’s Playoff matineé doubleheader delivers on drama and deep storylines. Here’s what to watch for:

(7) Sixers at (2) Celtics (1 ET): NBA Playoff Sunday tips off with the 116th postseason meeting of Philly and Boston, the most in NBA history. The Celtics lead this series all-time, 66-50.

The last time these two franchises met in the Playoffs, the 2023 East Semis went a full seven games, with Jayson Tatum delivering an iconic 50-ball to end it.
- Jay & Jay: Scoring 20+ points in each of his last seven games, Tatum (21.8 ppg in 16 gm) is reunited with Jaylen Brown, who set career-highs (28.7 ppg) while leading the C’s all year
- Before Tatum’s return, these two teams lived up to their thrilling history with three early season matchups, each decided by the final possession (2-1 PHI)
- Philly’s Answer: The Sixers will look to attack with the duo of top-5 scorer Tyrese Maxey (28.3) and two-way talent VJ Edgecombe, the first rookie in 7+ years with 1100 points and 100 steals — not to mention Paul George, who’s averaged 21.2 ppg in his Playoff career
Christian Petersen/NBAE via Getty Images

Following Philly and Boston, OKC takes off on its road to two in a row.

(8) Suns at (1) Thunder (3:30 ET): The reigning champs begin their quest to repeat, taking on Devin Booker, Jalen Green and the hot-shooting Suns.

No NBA team has repeated since the Warriors in 2017-18, with seven straight unique champions since.
- The Thunder are the NBA’s youngest champion in 50 years, and boast the league’s best defensive rating (106.5) since the 2019-20 Bucks, holding opponents 3.5 FG percentage points below the league average
- Phoenix joins OKC with a top-10 defensive rating (112.9, 9th), while both teams rank top-5 in steals per game (9.5+)
- The Reigning MVP: SGA is the first guard in NBA history to average 30+ ppg on 55% shooting. He also ranks 2nd in ppg (31.1), 2nd in iso ppg (8.3), 2nd in 30-pt games (43), and 1st in total clutch points (175)
- Suns all-time leading scorer Devin Booker has the help of a hot hand in Jalen Green, who enters off the 2nd-ever back-to-back 35+ point performances in Play-In history
5. SNB: NO. 1 PISTONS, NO. 8 MAGIC COLLIDE BEFORE WEMBY’S PLAYOFF DEBUT

NBC & Peacock’s Sunday doubleheader features two of this Playoff field’s strongest contenders, in East 1-seed Detroit and West 2-seed San Antonio.

But their respective First Round opponents are uniquely qualified to make this matchup tougher than seedings might suggest.

(8) Magic at (1) Pistons (6:30 ET): Detroit begins its Playoff after its first 60-win season since 2006-07.

The league leader in both steals (10.4) and blocks (6.4) per game, the Pistons operate with the identity of defensive physicality – something Orlando just utilized to overpower the Hornets in its Play-In win to get here.

The Pistons are led by the rising All-Star duo of Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren.
- Cade is back from his collapsed lung, and Detroit’s offensive engine was missed: The Pistons have a 120.4 OffRtg with Cade on-floor, and a 111.1 with him off; a 9.3-point swing
- First-time All-Star Duren dominates the paint with the league’s 3rd-most PITP, while Ausar Thompson logged the most steals in a season (146) by a Piston since Ben Wallace in 06-07
The Magic enter the series coming off a Play-In game statement, making their third straight Playoffs. The team split its four-game series with Detroit this season.
- Paolo Banchero has 336 points through his first 12 career Playoff games (28.0 ppg), and led the way for Orlando in its Play-In win, with 12 first quarter points and a game-high 25 overall
- Acquired last offseason, Desmond Bane has delivered offensively, leading the team in total points (1647) and total 3s (167), and ranking 2nd in assists (338)
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After a year of bending physics on the court — and transforming the Spurs into one of the league’s toughest teams — third-year superstar Victor Wembanyama’s about to make his debut on the league’s biggest stage: The Playoffs.

(7) Blazers at (2) Spurs (9 ET): Wemby is set to make his first Playoff appearance against a Portland team that beat San Antonio once in three tries this season.
- The Spurs return to the Playoffs for the first time since 2018–19, with their first 60-win season since 2016–17. They flipped from 60 losses to 60 wins in just two years
- February March: Half those wins came in the final 2.5 months of this season, losing just four games after the start of February (30–4 record)
- With Wemby on the floor, opposing teams shot 5.7% worse – the largest on/off difference of the decade – and the Spurs posted a 103.6 defensive rating, which would rank as the best in the league over a full season
But it’s not just Wemby. He’s backed by a dynamic trio of guards.
- Stephon Castle, the reigning Rookie of the Year, took a leap this season, increasing his points, rebounds, assists, and steals.
- De’Aaron Fox, a two-time All-Star, finished second on the team in scoring and led the team in total clutch points.
- Dylan Harper, the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, provides a spark off the bench for this Spurs squad.
Portland features the league’s third-best defense since the All-Star break, and an international All-Star on the rise, who’s coming off a huge performance.
- Deni Avdija became the first player to record 40 points and 10 assists in a Play-In game, capping off a breakout year in which he joined Joker and Luka as the only players to average 24/6/6
April 19, 2026
Box Office: ‘Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ Easily Tops Charts With $35 Million, ‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’ Debuts to $13.5 Million

“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” easily retained its box office crown in its third weekend of release, topping the charts with $35 million. The Universal and Illumination release is already the year’s highest-grossing film, having earned $355.2 million domestically and $747.5 million globally, and seems destined to eclipse the $1 billion mark worldwide. At the rate, expect the studios to get more Mario into production as fast as they can level up and Nintendo will allow it.

Amazon MGM Studios’ “Project Hail Mary” also shone brightly in its fifth weekend of release, picking up $20.5 million for a second place finish. That brings the sci-fi adventure’s domestic gross to a stellar $285.1 million. However, the continued success of “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and “Project Hail Mary” made it difficult for newcomers to gain much traction.

“Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” had to settle for third in its debut weekend, earning a so-so $13.5 million. The Warner Bros. and New Line release didn’t cost much to make, carrying a budget of $22 million, but its final tally will be a far cry from the nearly $150 million that Cronin’s 2023 film “Evil Dead Rise” collected. Horror maestros James Wan and Jason Blum produced “The Mummy” through their production banners, Atomic Monster and Blumhouse Productions, and it continues their run of monster movies, falling somewhere between 2020’s well-received “The Invisible Man” ($144.5 million globally) and 2025’s lamentable “Wolf Man” ($35.2 million globally).

The weekend’s other new wide release, Magnolia’s “Normal,” took seventh place, earning $2.5 million. The action film stars Bob Odenkirk as a small town sheriff who stumbles on a larger conspiracy following a local bank robbery. Ben Wheatley, who has developed a reputation for boundary pushing ultra-violence with the likes of “Free Fire” and “High Rise,” directs.

In its third weekend of release, A24’s buzzy relationship comedy “The Drama” took fourth place, earning $4.8 million. The indie film, which stars Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, has earned an impressive $39.7 million. That’s good news, because Zendaya and Pattinson will appear together in three films this year, popping up in “Dune: Part Three” and “The Odyssey,” not that those blockbuster films will rise or fall on their chemistry alone.

Rounding out the top five, Universal’s rom-com “You, Me & Tuscany” picked up $3.8 million to bring its haul to $14.4 million after two weeks in theaters. In limited release, Focus Features’ “Lorne,” a documentary about “SNL” creator Lorne Michaels, debuted to $270,000 from 415 theaters, while A24’s “Mother Mary, earned $168,063 from just five locations.

April 19, 2026