Tag: NBA

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?

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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

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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)

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1. HOLLYWOOD NIGHT: LEBRON & LUKE SHOW TAKES GAME 1 FOR L.A.

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

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).

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

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).

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

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.”

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4. TODAY ON ABC: 76ERS-CELTICS RIVALRY, CHAMPS START TITLE DEFENSE

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

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

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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)

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

 

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

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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)

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1. HOLLYWOOD NIGHT: LEBRON & LUKE SHOW TAKES GAME 1 FOR L.A.

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

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).

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

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).

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

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.”

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4. TODAY ON ABC: 76ERS-CELTICS RIVALRY, CHAMPS START TITLE DEFENSE

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

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

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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)

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

 

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?

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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.

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

 

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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)

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

 

16 teams.

One goal.

With the field of 16 now locked in, one of the greatest journeys in sports starts today.

The NBA Playoffs are here.

Here’s what you gotta know.

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5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

Rockets-Lakers: Leading Playoff squads, KD & LeBron add to their head-to-head history

Wolves-Nuggets: The next chapter in Ant & Joker’s thrilling rivalry

In The East: Brunson, Towns and Knicks host Hawks, Raptors face Harden & Mitchell for first time

Suns Secure 8-Seed: Jalen Green goes off to sink Steph and Warriors’ season

Magic Make Playoffs: Paolo leads Orlando to big win over Charlotte

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BUT FIRST … ⏰

The road to the NBA Finals starts now…

The 2026 NBA Playoffs begin today with four First-Round Game 1’s:

• On Prime: The No. 5 Raptors and No. 4 Cavaliers get the action started (1 ET), followed by the No. 6 Wolves visiting the No. 3 Nuggets (3:30 ET), and the No. 3 Knicks hosting the No. 6 Hawks (6 ET)
• On ABC: Day 1 concludes with the No. 5 Rockets taking on the No. 4 Lakers (8:30 ET)

Four more Game 1’s arrive Sunday on ABC & NBC/Peacock:

• No. 7 Sixers at No. 2 Celtics (1 ET, ABC)
• No. 8 Suns at No. 1 Thunder (3:30 ET, ABC)
• No. 8 Magic at No. 1 Pistons (6:30 ET, NBC)
• No. 7 Blazers at No. 2 Spurs (9 ET, NBC)

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1. SERIES PREVIEW: ROCKETS-LAKERS AND A PLAYOFF-FIRST FOR LEBRON AND KD

46 career head-to-head matchups.

2,607 points scored against each other’s teams.

Three championships decided between them.

Kevin Durant and LeBron James have a rivalry rich with history and consequence.

And today, for the first time in that history, they’ll meet in the Playoffs outside of the Finals.

Durant leads the No. 5 Rockets into Los Angeles (8:30 ET, ABC), where the No. 4 Lakers look to James, beginning his 19th Playoff campaign, without top scorers Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.

• Head-To-Head: While LeBron owns the advantage in 32 regular-season matchups (22-11), KD has claimed nine of 14 Playoff showdowns, all in the Finals
• Classic Callback: The legendary pair hasn’t met in the Playoffs since the last of four straight Cavs-Warriors Finals, in 2017-18
• Ring Count: KD earned his two rings in that rivalry, for a 2-1 head-to-head championship edge over LeBron. James’ first career title came against Durant’s Thunder
• Lots More Hardware: The two have combined to claim five MVPs, six Finals MVPs, seven Gold Medals, five scoring titles and 38 All-Star selections
• And Points: Their series now will mark the highest combined career point total between two opponents in NBA Playoff history, at over 60,000

And after all that, both are still being asked to play significant roles for their playoff teams when it matters most.

• “We’re gonna need him to facilitate… score… defend and rebound,” JJ Redick said of LeBron, who had a string of four straight 20+ point, 10+ assist games before the regular-season finale. “He recognizes the task at hand.”
• KD The Closer: For a young Houston squad looking to take the next step, Durant has been the answer in winning time, sinking the 4th-most clutch points this season (146)
• “That’s part of the reason we got him, for the efficiency he brings and the closing,” Ime Udoka said of KD. “One of the best to do it and ultimate closers in the game.”
• X-Factors Elsewhere: Without Luka and Reaves, Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson are the other duo to watch, each coming off career-best scoring seasons for their second Playoff run

For more on this matchup, check out John Schuhmann’s series preview.

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2. SERIES PREVIEW: ANT & JOKER’S RIVALRY RENEWS IN WOLVES-NUGGETS

The 2025-26 regular season saw a few rivalries rise, hinting at the NBA’s next wave of great ones.

Now the 2026 Playoffs lead in with the next installment of a current classic: Anthony Edwards’ Wolves and Nikola Jokić’s Nuggets.

In 28 matchups over the last four regular seasons and Playoffs – tying the Pacers and Bucks for most meetings in that span – these familiar foes have given us some of the league’s highest highs:

And if Ant and Joker’s achievements this regular season are any indication, expect this rivalry, and series, to keep building on past thrills.

• Mr. Triple-Double, Again: Jokić (27.7 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 10.7 apg) is now just the second player ever to average a triple-double in back-to-back seasons
• Escalating Edwards: Still only 25, Ant has increased his scoring by more than 1.0 ppg in each of his six seasons, reaching 28.8 ppg this season, 3rd-best in the league
• Offensive Opposites: While Edwards looks to score his way to a third straight West Finals, Jokić is the first player since 1969-70 to lead the league in both rebounds and assists per game
• Joker gets others going, as the Nuggets’ league-leading offense (122.1 ppg) had seven players average double figures this season
• Top Target: That includes Denver’s own top-12 scorer with a career-year in Jamal Murray, who logged highs in points per game (25.4) and 3-point shooting (43.5%)

“Nobody’s going to work harder than me this summer. I’ll tell you that much.” – That was Ant’s promise last offseason following a season-ending loss to OKC.

Now it’s time to see if that hard work will pay off on the path back to the West Finals and beyond.

Escalation can be contagious though, and Ant’s nemesis Nuggets rose up to be the highest scoring offense (122.1 ppg) in the league this season.

For more on this matchup, check out Jeff Zillgitt’s series preview.

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3. IN THE EAST: KNICKS HOST HAWKS, RAPTORS FACE HARDEN’S CAVS

April 6. 5:28 left to play. Scored tied at 90-90.

New York was about to end Atlanta’s longest home win streak since 1996-97 (13) to take the season series 2-1.

But as James L. Edwards III for The Athletic and NBA.com writes, those five-plus minutes could also hold the keys to this next series, with more at stake:

“One of two things was going to happen:

The Knicks starters were either going to bring home a much-needed victory and end a monthlong winless drought against teams with winning records, or they were going to give doubters more ammo…

New York battled adversity in those final minutes, including a 5-point deficit. Conversely, it showed a resilience that has become a staple of this team since it was put together…

“…The final 5:28 in Atlanta may be a moment we look back at down the line if the Knicks are on the cusp of achieving their postseason aspirations.” | Read More

No. 6 Hawks at No. 3 Knicks (6 ET, Prime): Under head coach Mike Brown, New York is back to begin a Playoff push toward an elusive goal – its first Finals appearance since 1999. In its way first is an Atlanta team with one of the biggest turnarounds of the year.

• KAT Stands Out: Both Edwards III and Steve Aschburner, who wrote NBA.com’s preview for this series, note that no Hawks defender has had an answer for Karl-Anthony Towns this season (28.5 ppg, 63.0 FG%, 13.5 rpg in 2 gm)
• Clutch Co-Stars: Towns got 12 of his 21 points in the 4th quarter of that most recent meeting, following Jalen Brunson’s lead (30 pts), who poured in 17 in that 4th
• Atlanta’s Duo: Nickeil Alexander-Walker rose up as a key offensive option during that Hawks win streak that fed the 18-2 turnaround, averaging a career-high 20.8 ppg and complimenting triple-double threat Jalen Johnson

No. 5 Raptors at No. 4 Cavaliers (1 ET, Prime): The 2026 Playoffs tip off in Cleveland, where the Cavs closed with the league’s 6th-best record after adding former MVP James Harden, a wrinkle Toronto hasn’t faced yet.

• Instant Chemistry: In a career-year, Donovan Mitchell (27.9 ppg) excelled alongside Harden, leading the league in total 4th-quarter points (513)
• Still In His Bag: Harden didn’t regress in the relationship either, ranking second in the league in total isolation points (443), behind only SGA (522)
• Drive & Dish: Cleveland climbed to 8th in assists per game with Harden, who’s also helped the Cavs capitalize with assists on 11% of drives, the 4th-best rate in the NBA
• Dial Up Defense: Both teams call on defensive cornerstones, drafted back-to-back in 2022, in reigning DPOY Evan Mobley and Scottie Barnes, the only player in the top-10 for both blocks (116) and steals (114) this season

For more on this matchup, check out Shaun Powell’s series preview.

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4. SUNS SNAG 8-SEED: JALEN GREEN GOES OFF AGAIN TO ELIMINATE DUBS

Eight made 3s to tie a Play-In game record.

A 7-0 personal 4th-quarter flurry to seal the win.

A second consecutive 35+ point performance to join Steph Curry alone in Play-In history.

With the West’s No. 8 seed on the line, Curry-like numbers won the night – but they all belonged to Jalen Green, as the Suns stifled the Warriors.

Suns 111, Warriors 96: Green (36 pts, 6 reb, 3 blk) caught fire again and Devin Booker (6 reb, 8 ast) added 20 points to help clinch the 8-seed for Phoenix and send them on to face the defending champs in OKC in a best-of-seven series starting Sunday (3:30 ET, ABC).

Brandin Podziemski (23 pts, 10 reb) led Golden State’s efforts, with 17 points from Curry in a season-ending loss. | Recap

• Jumping out to a 13-2 start, Phoenix’s defense settled in, limiting Golden State to 1-of-9 shooting from distance in a 33-15 1st-quarter
• Jordan Goodwin (19 pts, 9 reb, 4 3s) hounded Curry and the Dubs for a Play-In record six steals, as Steph was held to 4-of-16 from the field
• Curry got loose early in the 4th with two of three Warriors 3s in the first 2:30, cutting the lead to 85-78. That’s when Green closed the contest
• Jalen rattled off a layup, a trey and a running floater, unanswered, in under two minutes to push the lead back to 14 and keep Phoenix ahead by double digits for good

“I believe in my squad. I think we can do anything we put our minds to,” Green said postgame. “We lock in, we come out and play hard, trust each other, the sky’s the limit for us.”

• Green and Curry (2021) are the only players in Play-In Tournament history to log back-to-back 35+ point games
• The Suns guard’s 71 total points are the 2nd-most in any Play-In Tournament run, behind Steph’s 76 from that 2021 hot streak
• “He was just telling me ‘Go handle business in OKC,’” Green said of Curry’s message to him postgame. “Coming from Steph, it means a lot.”
• Steph also shared a moment with Draymond Green and Steve Kerr, as the Warriors turned their attention to next season

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5. MAGIC MOVE ON: EARLY ERUPTION ENDS HORNETS’ RUN

Midway through the 1st quarter, 4-point game.

A loose rebound off a Charlotte miss bounced out between Brandon Miller’s legs.

It rolled to Jalen Suggs, alone at midcourt.

Suggs swished a transition long-ball (foot on the line), unknowingly igniting Orlando’s final run to the East’s 8-seed.

Magic 121, Hornets 90: Surging on to take that opening period 38-16, Orlando led by double-digits the rest of the way to punch its ticket to a third straight Playoff appearance and a First-Round date with No. 1 Detroit. Paolo Banchero (25 pts) led all scorers.

LaMelo Ball’s 23 points paced the Hornets, who are now eliminated from postseason contention, last making the Playoffs in 2016. | Recap

• Fast Fire: Suggs’ (12 pts, 6 ast) transition make was followed by back-to-back Wendell Carter Jr. triples, and then five consecutive Banchero points, in a 13-0 burst
• Decisive Quarter: It spurred Orlando to close the final 6:07 of the 1st on a 24-6 run, for its 4th-highest scoring opening quarter (38 pts) of the season
• Carter Jr. finished the frame with 10 of his 16 points, connecting with Paolo on his second triple, who powered his way to 12 points in the period
• While shooting 61% in the 1st half, the Magic’s defense leveled up to hold the Hornets to their 2nd-lowest 1st-quarter (16 pts) and 1st-half (37 pts) totals this season

Orlando’s 31-point halftime lead was its largest in any game this season, and the largest in Play-In Tournament history.

• The Magic protected their 1st-half work with physical play, allowing only 12 points in the paint before halftime while blocking five shots and doubling Charlotte on the boards
• “If we were gonna be able to win the game, it was gonna have to be by being extra physical and setting the tone with the physicality,” Banchero said
• Bane Dives, Cain Flies: When LaMelo’s 21 3rd-quarter points started chipping away at the gap, Bane dived to save a loose ball, setting up a game-sealing Jamal Cain oop
• “Gamechanger,” coach Jamahl Mosley said of Bane’s physicality. “He’s just finding ways to win… He sets the tone in a lot of ways for us.”

Orlando will look to match that physicality with No. 1 Detroit as their series begins Sunday (6:30 ET, NBC/Peacock). The Magic split four games with the East leaders this season.

“We know that’s gonna be a dog fight,” Banchero said of Detroit. “We’ve seen them plenty of times, so we know what’s on the way.”