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Deadspin | Nikola Jokic, Nuggets overtake Grizzlies for 10th straight win  Apr 8, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) dribbles the ball up court as Memphis Grizzlies forward Toby Okani (5) guards in the second quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images   Jamal Murray scored 26 points, Nikola Jokic finished with 14 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for his 34th triple-double of the season, and the host Denver Nuggets won their 10th in a row, 136-119, over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.  Denver (52-28) has its first double-digit winning streak since the 2012-13 season and moved 1 1/2 games ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.  The Nuggets finish their regular season with two games against the top seeds in the Western Conference — home against Oklahoma City on Friday and Sunday night at San Antonio.  Los Angeles (50-29) holds the tiebreaker over Denver.  Cameron Johnson had 18 points and Jonas Valanciunas scored 14 in his 1,000th career game, Christian Braun also had 14 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown contributed 13 each and Julian Strawther added 10.  Valanciunas, who was recognized for his milestone game, picked up four fouls in less than four minutes in the second quarter but came alive in the fourth when he scored 10 points.   Cedric Coward finished with 27 points for Memphis (25-55). The Grizzlies have lost six in a row and 18 of their last 20.  Taylor Hendricks and Lucas Williamson scored 16 apiece, Walter Clayton Jr. and Toby Okani had 15 points each and Adama Bal added 12 points for Memphis.  The Grizzlies, despite being without several top players, went on a 23-6 run in the second quarter to lead by eight. Denver clawed back to take a two-point lead late but Williamson was fouled on a 3-pointer and hit the free throw, then added a short hook shot to give Memphis a 72-68 halftime lead.  The Grizzlies opened an eight-point lead early in the third but the Nuggets went on a 14-3 run to go ahead 84-81 midway through the period. Jokic got his 10th assist during the spurt to secure his 198th career triple-double.  Denver extended the lead to 107-94 heading to the fourth and went ahead 121-100 with 6:32 left in the fourth.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Nikola #Jokic #Nuggets #overtake #Grizzlies #10th #straight #win

Deadspin | Nikola Jokic, Nuggets overtake Grizzlies for 10th straight win
Deadspin | Nikola Jokic, Nuggets overtake Grizzlies for 10th straight win  Apr 8, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) dribbles the ball up court as Memphis Grizzlies forward Toby Okani (5) guards in the second quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images   Jamal Murray scored 26 points, Nikola Jokic finished with 14 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for his 34th triple-double of the season, and the host Denver Nuggets won their 10th in a row, 136-119, over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.  Denver (52-28) has its first double-digit winning streak since the 2012-13 season and moved 1 1/2 games ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.  The Nuggets finish their regular season with two games against the top seeds in the Western Conference — home against Oklahoma City on Friday and Sunday night at San Antonio.  Los Angeles (50-29) holds the tiebreaker over Denver.  Cameron Johnson had 18 points and Jonas Valanciunas scored 14 in his 1,000th career game, Christian Braun also had 14 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown contributed 13 each and Julian Strawther added 10.  Valanciunas, who was recognized for his milestone game, picked up four fouls in less than four minutes in the second quarter but came alive in the fourth when he scored 10 points.   Cedric Coward finished with 27 points for Memphis (25-55). The Grizzlies have lost six in a row and 18 of their last 20.  Taylor Hendricks and Lucas Williamson scored 16 apiece, Walter Clayton Jr. and Toby Okani had 15 points each and Adama Bal added 12 points for Memphis.  The Grizzlies, despite being without several top players, went on a 23-6 run in the second quarter to lead by eight. Denver clawed back to take a two-point lead late but Williamson was fouled on a 3-pointer and hit the free throw, then added a short hook shot to give Memphis a 72-68 halftime lead.  The Grizzlies opened an eight-point lead early in the third but the Nuggets went on a 14-3 run to go ahead 84-81 midway through the period. Jokic got his 10th assist during the spurt to secure his 198th career triple-double.  Denver extended the lead to 107-94 heading to the fourth and went ahead 121-100 with 6:32 left in the fourth.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Nikola #Jokic #Nuggets #overtake #Grizzlies #10th #straight #winApr 8, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) dribbles the ball up court as Memphis Grizzlies forward Toby Okani (5) guards in the second quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Jamal Murray scored 26 points, Nikola Jokic finished with 14 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for his 34th triple-double of the season, and the host Denver Nuggets won their 10th in a row, 136-119, over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.

Denver (52-28) has its first double-digit winning streak since the 2012-13 season and moved 1 1/2 games ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.

The Nuggets finish their regular season with two games against the top seeds in the Western Conference — home against Oklahoma City on Friday and Sunday night at San Antonio.

Los Angeles (50-29) holds the tiebreaker over Denver.

Cameron Johnson had 18 points and Jonas Valanciunas scored 14 in his 1,000th career game, Christian Braun also had 14 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown contributed 13 each and Julian Strawther added 10.


Valanciunas, who was recognized for his milestone game, picked up four fouls in less than four minutes in the second quarter but came alive in the fourth when he scored 10 points.

Cedric Coward finished with 27 points for Memphis (25-55). The Grizzlies have lost six in a row and 18 of their last 20.

Taylor Hendricks and Lucas Williamson scored 16 apiece, Walter Clayton Jr. and Toby Okani had 15 points each and Adama Bal added 12 points for Memphis.

The Grizzlies, despite being without several top players, went on a 23-6 run in the second quarter to lead by eight. Denver clawed back to take a two-point lead late but Williamson was fouled on a 3-pointer and hit the free throw, then added a short hook shot to give Memphis a 72-68 halftime lead.

The Grizzlies opened an eight-point lead early in the third but the Nuggets went on a 14-3 run to go ahead 84-81 midway through the period. Jokic got his 10th assist during the spurt to secure his 198th career triple-double.

Denver extended the lead to 107-94 heading to the fourth and went ahead 121-100 with 6:32 left in the fourth.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Nikola #Jokic #Nuggets #overtake #Grizzlies #10th #straight #win

Apr 8, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) dribbles the ball up court as Memphis Grizzlies forward Toby Okani (5) guards in the second quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Jamal Murray scored 26 points, Nikola Jokic finished with 14 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for his 34th triple-double of the season, and the host Denver Nuggets won their 10th in a row, 136-119, over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.

Denver (52-28) has its first double-digit winning streak since the 2012-13 season and moved 1 1/2 games ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.

The Nuggets finish their regular season with two games against the top seeds in the Western Conference — home against Oklahoma City on Friday and Sunday night at San Antonio.

Los Angeles (50-29) holds the tiebreaker over Denver.

Cameron Johnson had 18 points and Jonas Valanciunas scored 14 in his 1,000th career game, Christian Braun also had 14 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown contributed 13 each and Julian Strawther added 10.

Valanciunas, who was recognized for his milestone game, picked up four fouls in less than four minutes in the second quarter but came alive in the fourth when he scored 10 points.

Cedric Coward finished with 27 points for Memphis (25-55). The Grizzlies have lost six in a row and 18 of their last 20.

Taylor Hendricks and Lucas Williamson scored 16 apiece, Walter Clayton Jr. and Toby Okani had 15 points each and Adama Bal added 12 points for Memphis.

The Grizzlies, despite being without several top players, went on a 23-6 run in the second quarter to lead by eight. Denver clawed back to take a two-point lead late but Williamson was fouled on a 3-pointer and hit the free throw, then added a short hook shot to give Memphis a 72-68 halftime lead.

The Grizzlies opened an eight-point lead early in the third but the Nuggets went on a 14-3 run to go ahead 84-81 midway through the period. Jokic got his 10th assist during the spurt to secure his 198th career triple-double.

Denver extended the lead to 107-94 heading to the fourth and went ahead 121-100 with 6:32 left in the fourth.

–Field Level Media

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KKR vs LSG Live Streaming Info: When, where to watch IPL 2026 match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants <div id="content-body-70838002" itemprop="articleBody"><p>Kolkata Knight Riders will take on Lucknow Super Giants at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on April 9.</p><p>KKR finally earned a point after a much-anticipated clash against Punjab Kings ended with no result due to rain. Meanwhile, LSG emerged victorious in a tightly contested match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.</p><p>Lucknow sits sixth in the points table with one win from three matches whereas Kolkata will hope to climb the ladder having earned only a solitary point in three games due to a no result.</p><p>Lucknow won this fixture in 2025 in a high scoring game by four runs.</p><p><b>Here are the live streaming and telecast details for the match</b></p><h4 class="sub_head">Where will the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants match be played?</h4><p>The IPL 2026 match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants will be played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.</p><h4 class="sub_head">When will the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants match be played?</h4><p>The IPL 2026 match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants will be played on April 9, 2026.</p><h4 class="sub_head">What time will the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants match start?</h4><p>The IPL 2026 match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants is scheduled to start at 7:30 PM IST.</p><h4 class="sub_head">What time will the toss between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants happen?</h4><p>The toss of the IPL 2026 match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants is scheduled to take place at 7:00 PM IST.</p><h4 class="sub_head">Which TV channel will broadcast the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants match?</h4><p>The IPL 2026 match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants will be televised on the  <b><i>Star Sports Network</i></b> in India.</p><h4 class="sub_head">How can one watch the live streaming of the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants match online?</h4><p>The IPL 2026 match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants will be streamed live on the  <b><i>Jio Hotstar</i></b> app and website.</p><div class="fact-box"><h5 class="main-title"> SQUADS </h5><h5 class="sub-title">KKR</h5><p> Ajinkya Rahane (C), Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Rovman Powell, Rahul Tripathi, Finn Allen, Tejasvi Singh, Tim Seifert, Sunil Narine, Anukul Roy, Ramandeep Singh, Cameron Green, Sarthak Ranjan, Daksh Kamra, Rachin Ravindra, Navdeep Saini, Vaibhav Arora, Umran Malik, Matheesha Pathirana, Kartik Tyagi, Akash Deep, Varun Chakaravarthy, Prashant Solanki. </p><h5 class="sub-title">LSG</h5><p> Rishabh Pant (C), Aiden Markram, Himmat Singh, Matthew Breetzke, Mukul Choudhary, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahamad, Arshin Kulkarni, Wanindu Hasaranga, Ayush Badoni, Mohammad Shami, Avesh Khan, M. Siddharth, Digvesh Singh, Akash Singh, Prince Yadav, Arjun Tendulkar, Anrich Nortje, Naman Tiwari, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan. </p></div><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 09, 2026</p></div> #KKR #LSG #Live #Streaming #Info #watch #IPL #match #Kolkata #Knight #Riders #Lucknow #Super #Giants

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Champions League — PSG rues missed chances despite beating Liverpool 2-0 in quarterfinals <div id="content-body-70841274" itemprop="articleBody"><p>Paris ​Saint-Germain was left ruing missed chances that kept Liverpool in contention in its Champions League quarterfinal ‌despite a convincing 2-0 home win in Wednesday’s first leg, with the visiting side ​admitting it had been in survival mode for long spells.</p><p>The defending champion prevailed ⁠thanks to goals by Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but Ousmane Dembele and Nuno Mendes missed golden chances in the second half that would have virtually sent it into the semifinals.</p><p>“We had clear chances to ‌score more goals. We kept Liverpool alive, but we’re happy with the performance. We want to stick to the same approach — it’s what we’ve been doing ‌for a long time,” fullback Achraf Hakimi said.</p><p>Teammate Warren Zaire Emery, who with Joao Neves ‌and ⁠Vitinha bossed the midfield, also regretted the missed opportunities.</p><p>“We could have scored more ⁠goals, which is a shame. 2-0 is already good, but nothing is done. We’ll go there with the same intentions, looking to win the match,” he said.</p><p>“We’ll need to stay focused and do what we did here. We ​always try to prepare games the same ‌way, playing as high up the pitch as possible. We had plenty of chances and should have put them away.”</p><p>Coach Luis Enrique echoed the sentiment.</p><p>“It’s a shame, clearly. We put in a performance worthy of our supporters. We played very well and deserved more ‌goals. But this is the Champions League. We’re happy, and there’s still the second ​leg to come,” he said.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 09, 2026</p></div> #Champions #League #PSG #rues #missed #chances #beating #Liverpool #quarterfinals

David Miller’s decision on the penultimate ball became the defining moment in Delhi Capitals’ one-run loss to Gujarat Titans on Wednesday, a game that swung wildly until the very end.

Chasing 211, DC stayed alive through Miller’s late assault despite a mid-innings injury that forced him to briefly retire hurt. Returning when the equation had steepened, he tore into Mohammed Siraj in the 19th over, bringing the target down to 12 off the final over.

Prasidh Krishna, under pressure and with fielding restrictions due to a slow over rate, nearly lost control when Miller smashed a 106-metre six, leaving DC needing two off two balls. At that point, the obvious option was to take a single and force a Super Over.

Instead, Miller declined it, trusting himself to finish. He missed the final ball, and a sharp run-out sealed a one-run defeat, turning a calculated gamble into a moment of intense scrutiny.

Here’s how the cricket world reacted to Miller’s call.

Reactions

Here’s what Mohammed Kaif had to say

Perplexed!

Wasim Jaffer, like everyone else, was simply baffled.

Bonkers!

Ravichandran Ashwin did not hold back in his assessment.

“I am thinking what could have happened to Kuldeep and David Miller. If I was Kuldeep, I would have pushed him to the other end. I can’t understand. I can’t fathom it. It is just beyond me. It is bonkers,” Ashwin said in a video on his YouTube channel.

He further broke down the situation, pointing out that the match context made the decision even harder to justify.

“Because if you want 4 runs or 6 runs, it was right. You need 2 runs. And what are the odds? You can take 1 run. Kuldeep will at least get into the bat. Or if he doesn’t, you can run away. Even if Kuldeep gets bowled, in a 210 game, if you reach the Super Over, you have done well. I am not able to wrap my head around it,” Ashwin further said.

Published on Apr 09, 2026

#fathom #Experts #react #David #Millers #nosingle #decision">“Can’t fathom it”: Experts react to David Miller’s no-single decision vs GT  David Miller’s decision on the penultimate ball became the defining moment in Delhi Capitals’ one-run loss to Gujarat Titans on Wednesday, a game that swung wildly until the very end.Chasing 211, DC stayed alive through Miller’s late assault despite a mid-innings injury that forced him to briefly retire hurt. Returning when the equation had steepened, he tore into Mohammed Siraj in the 19th over, bringing the target down to 12 off the final over.Prasidh Krishna, under pressure and with fielding restrictions due to a slow over rate, nearly lost control when Miller smashed a 106-metre six, leaving DC needing two off two balls. At that point, the obvious option was to take a single and force a Super Over.Instead, Miller declined it, trusting himself to finish. He missed the final ball, and a sharp run-out sealed a one-run defeat, turning a calculated gamble into a moment of intense scrutiny.Here’s how the cricket world reacted to Miller’s call.ReactionsHere’s what Mohammed Kaif had to sayMiller should have taken the single. pic.twitter.com/BXxIih2KSv— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) April 8, 2026Perplexed!Wasim Jaffer, like everyone else, was simply baffled.Why Miller didn’t take a single on 19.5??!! #DCvGT#IPL2026— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) April 8, 2026Bonkers!Ravichandran Ashwin did not hold back in his assessment.“I am thinking what could have happened to Kuldeep and David Miller. If I was Kuldeep, I would have pushed him to the other end. I can’t understand. I can’t fathom it. It is just beyond me. It is bonkers,” Ashwin said in a video on his YouTube channel.He further broke down the situation, pointing out that the match context made the decision even harder to justify.“Because if you want 4 runs or 6 runs, it was right. You need 2 runs. And what are the odds? You can take 1 run. Kuldeep will at least get into the bat. Or if he doesn’t, you can run away. Even if Kuldeep gets bowled, in a 210 game, if you reach the Super Over, you have done well. I am not able to wrap my head around it,” Ashwin further said.Published on Apr 09, 2026  #fathom #Experts #react #David #Millers #nosingle #decision

Perplexed!

Wasim Jaffer, like everyone else, was simply baffled.

Bonkers!

Ravichandran Ashwin did not hold back in his assessment.

“I am thinking what could have happened to Kuldeep and David Miller. If I was Kuldeep, I would have pushed him to the other end. I can’t understand. I can’t fathom it. It is just beyond me. It is bonkers,” Ashwin said in a video on his YouTube channel.

He further broke down the situation, pointing out that the match context made the decision even harder to justify.

“Because if you want 4 runs or 6 runs, it was right. You need 2 runs. And what are the odds? You can take 1 run. Kuldeep will at least get into the bat. Or if he doesn’t, you can run away. Even if Kuldeep gets bowled, in a 210 game, if you reach the Super Over, you have done well. I am not able to wrap my head around it,” Ashwin further said.

Published on Apr 09, 2026

#fathom #Experts #react #David #Millers #nosingle #decision">“Can’t fathom it”: Experts react to David Miller’s no-single decision vs GT

David Miller’s decision on the penultimate ball became the defining moment in Delhi Capitals’ one-run loss to Gujarat Titans on Wednesday, a game that swung wildly until the very end.

Chasing 211, DC stayed alive through Miller’s late assault despite a mid-innings injury that forced him to briefly retire hurt. Returning when the equation had steepened, he tore into Mohammed Siraj in the 19th over, bringing the target down to 12 off the final over.

Prasidh Krishna, under pressure and with fielding restrictions due to a slow over rate, nearly lost control when Miller smashed a 106-metre six, leaving DC needing two off two balls. At that point, the obvious option was to take a single and force a Super Over.

Instead, Miller declined it, trusting himself to finish. He missed the final ball, and a sharp run-out sealed a one-run defeat, turning a calculated gamble into a moment of intense scrutiny.

Here’s how the cricket world reacted to Miller’s call.

Reactions

Here’s what Mohammed Kaif had to say

Perplexed!

Wasim Jaffer, like everyone else, was simply baffled.

Bonkers!

Ravichandran Ashwin did not hold back in his assessment.

“I am thinking what could have happened to Kuldeep and David Miller. If I was Kuldeep, I would have pushed him to the other end. I can’t understand. I can’t fathom it. It is just beyond me. It is bonkers,” Ashwin said in a video on his YouTube channel.

He further broke down the situation, pointing out that the match context made the decision even harder to justify.

“Because if you want 4 runs or 6 runs, it was right. You need 2 runs. And what are the odds? You can take 1 run. Kuldeep will at least get into the bat. Or if he doesn’t, you can run away. Even if Kuldeep gets bowled, in a 210 game, if you reach the Super Over, you have done well. I am not able to wrap my head around it,” Ashwin further said.

Published on Apr 09, 2026

#fathom #Experts #react #David #Millers #nosingle #decision
Deadspin | Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers keep Hawks from clinching playoff bid  Apr 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) dribbles between Cleveland Cavaliers guard Keon Ellis (14) and guard Max Strus (2) in the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images   Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points and Evan Mobley had 22 points and a career-high-tying 19 rebounds, powering the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 122-116 win over the visiting Atlanta Hawks in a potential Eastern Conference playoff preview Wednesday night.  James Harden put up 21 points on 6-of-23 field-goal shooting and Jarrett Allen netted 16 points for Cleveland (51-29), which is assured of finishing no lower than fourth in the East. The Cavaliers moved within one-half game of the third-place New York Knicks.  Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 25 points and Jonathan Kuminga added 24 points off the bench for the fifth-place Hawks (45-35), who failed in a bid to clinch a playoff berth. All-Star forward Jalen Johnson had 12 points, 11 rebounds and six assists before fouling out.  Atlanta is one-half game ahead of the Toronto Raptors, but both teams could fall out of the top six and into the play-in tournament.  The Cavaliers have won four straight and six of the past seven, while the Hawks have lost two in a row.  Alexander-Walker produced 10 points in a frantic fourth quarter that saw the Hawks fall behind 105-87, then pull within two three times. On the last occasion, Kuminga hit two free throws to cut Cleveland’s advantage to 118-116 with 2:15 left, but Mitchell answered with four makes from the foul line.  Mitchell had 13 points and Harden added nine in the third when the Cavaliers outscored the Hawks 44-20 to take a commanding 104-87 edge. Cleveland used a 17-3 run spanning halftime, featuring 10 points from Mitchell, to go in front.   Atlanta went ahead for the initial time at 34-33 on Kuminga’s layup early in the second, then extended the gap to 67-60 at the break. Kuminga made 7 of 9 field-goal attempts and scored 14 in the first half.  Mitchell totaled 14 first-half points, including buzzer-beaters in the first and second periods, and Mobley had 16 points and nine rebounds before the break.  Mobley was aggressive from the start, posting 10 points and five rebounds in the first quarter as Cleveland led 33-29. Johnson and Kuminga had six points apiece for the Hawks.  Cavaliers forward Jaylon Tyson (left great toe bone bruise) missed his 10th consecutive game, but coach Kenny Atkinson hasn’t ruled him out for the final two regular-season contests.  Atlanta will be without backup center Jock Landale (right high ankle sprain) until at least late April. He was hurt when Goga Bitadze of the Orlando Magic committed a flagrant foul on April 1.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Donovan #Mitchell #Cavaliers #Hawks #clinching #playoff #bidApr 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) dribbles between Cleveland Cavaliers guard Keon Ellis (14) and guard Max Strus (2) in the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images

Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points and Evan Mobley had 22 points and a career-high-tying 19 rebounds, powering the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 122-116 win over the visiting Atlanta Hawks in a potential Eastern Conference playoff preview Wednesday night.

James Harden put up 21 points on 6-of-23 field-goal shooting and Jarrett Allen netted 16 points for Cleveland (51-29), which is assured of finishing no lower than fourth in the East. The Cavaliers moved within one-half game of the third-place New York Knicks.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 25 points and Jonathan Kuminga added 24 points off the bench for the fifth-place Hawks (45-35), who failed in a bid to clinch a playoff berth. All-Star forward Jalen Johnson had 12 points, 11 rebounds and six assists before fouling out.

Atlanta is one-half game ahead of the Toronto Raptors, but both teams could fall out of the top six and into the play-in tournament.

The Cavaliers have won four straight and six of the past seven, while the Hawks have lost two in a row.

Alexander-Walker produced 10 points in a frantic fourth quarter that saw the Hawks fall behind 105-87, then pull within two three times. On the last occasion, Kuminga hit two free throws to cut Cleveland’s advantage to 118-116 with 2:15 left, but Mitchell answered with four makes from the foul line.


Mitchell had 13 points and Harden added nine in the third when the Cavaliers outscored the Hawks 44-20 to take a commanding 104-87 edge. Cleveland used a 17-3 run spanning halftime, featuring 10 points from Mitchell, to go in front.

Atlanta went ahead for the initial time at 34-33 on Kuminga’s layup early in the second, then extended the gap to 67-60 at the break. Kuminga made 7 of 9 field-goal attempts and scored 14 in the first half.

Mitchell totaled 14 first-half points, including buzzer-beaters in the first and second periods, and Mobley had 16 points and nine rebounds before the break.

Mobley was aggressive from the start, posting 10 points and five rebounds in the first quarter as Cleveland led 33-29. Johnson and Kuminga had six points apiece for the Hawks.

Cavaliers forward Jaylon Tyson (left great toe bone bruise) missed his 10th consecutive game, but coach Kenny Atkinson hasn’t ruled him out for the final two regular-season contests.

Atlanta will be without backup center Jock Landale (right high ankle sprain) until at least late April. He was hurt when Goga Bitadze of the Orlando Magic committed a flagrant foul on April 1.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Donovan #Mitchell #Cavaliers #Hawks #clinching #playoff #bid">Deadspin | Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers keep Hawks from clinching playoff bid  Apr 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) dribbles between Cleveland Cavaliers guard Keon Ellis (14) and guard Max Strus (2) in the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images   Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points and Evan Mobley had 22 points and a career-high-tying 19 rebounds, powering the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 122-116 win over the visiting Atlanta Hawks in a potential Eastern Conference playoff preview Wednesday night.  James Harden put up 21 points on 6-of-23 field-goal shooting and Jarrett Allen netted 16 points for Cleveland (51-29), which is assured of finishing no lower than fourth in the East. The Cavaliers moved within one-half game of the third-place New York Knicks.  Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 25 points and Jonathan Kuminga added 24 points off the bench for the fifth-place Hawks (45-35), who failed in a bid to clinch a playoff berth. All-Star forward Jalen Johnson had 12 points, 11 rebounds and six assists before fouling out.  Atlanta is one-half game ahead of the Toronto Raptors, but both teams could fall out of the top six and into the play-in tournament.  The Cavaliers have won four straight and six of the past seven, while the Hawks have lost two in a row.  Alexander-Walker produced 10 points in a frantic fourth quarter that saw the Hawks fall behind 105-87, then pull within two three times. On the last occasion, Kuminga hit two free throws to cut Cleveland’s advantage to 118-116 with 2:15 left, but Mitchell answered with four makes from the foul line.  Mitchell had 13 points and Harden added nine in the third when the Cavaliers outscored the Hawks 44-20 to take a commanding 104-87 edge. Cleveland used a 17-3 run spanning halftime, featuring 10 points from Mitchell, to go in front.   Atlanta went ahead for the initial time at 34-33 on Kuminga’s layup early in the second, then extended the gap to 67-60 at the break. Kuminga made 7 of 9 field-goal attempts and scored 14 in the first half.  Mitchell totaled 14 first-half points, including buzzer-beaters in the first and second periods, and Mobley had 16 points and nine rebounds before the break.  Mobley was aggressive from the start, posting 10 points and five rebounds in the first quarter as Cleveland led 33-29. Johnson and Kuminga had six points apiece for the Hawks.  Cavaliers forward Jaylon Tyson (left great toe bone bruise) missed his 10th consecutive game, but coach Kenny Atkinson hasn’t ruled him out for the final two regular-season contests.  Atlanta will be without backup center Jock Landale (right high ankle sprain) until at least late April. He was hurt when Goga Bitadze of the Orlando Magic committed a flagrant foul on April 1.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Donovan #Mitchell #Cavaliers #Hawks #clinching #playoff #bid

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