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Barcelona Open: Jack Draper retires hurt in first round  Briton Jack Draper was forced to retire from his first-round Barcelona Open match against Tomas Martin Etcheverry on Monday.The 24-year-old was suffering from what appeared to be a knee injury that flared up in the second set, and he eventually pulled out at 3-6, 6-3, 4-1 down against the Argentine.Draper returned from a six-month absence in February after suffering a left arm injury, which forced him to withdraw from the US Open in August 2025.This was his first match of the clay court season, having pulled out of the Monte Carlo Masters, and his fourth event since returning from the injury in his serving arm.ALSO READ | Monte Carlo Masters: Sinner’s win sends early clay-season warning to AlcarazThe Englishman is currently ranked 28th in the world but risks dropping significantly if he cannot compete at the Madrid Open next week.Last year Draper finished runner-up to Casper Ruud in the Spanish capital, leaving him with points to defend.World number two Carlos Alcaraz is the top seed in Barcelona and takes on Finland’s Otto Virtanen on Tuesday.Published on Apr 13, 2026  #Barcelona #Open #Jack #Draper #retires #hurt

Barcelona Open: Jack Draper retires hurt in first round

Briton Jack Draper was forced to retire from his first-round Barcelona Open match against Tomas Martin Etcheverry on Monday.

The 24-year-old was suffering from what appeared to be a knee injury that flared up in the second set, and he eventually pulled out at 3-6, 6-3, 4-1 down against the Argentine.

Draper returned from a six-month absence in February after suffering a left arm injury, which forced him to withdraw from the US Open in August 2025.

This was his first match of the clay court season, having pulled out of the Monte Carlo Masters, and his fourth event since returning from the injury in his serving arm.

ALSO READ | Monte Carlo Masters: Sinner’s win sends early clay-season warning to Alcaraz

The Englishman is currently ranked 28th in the world but risks dropping significantly if he cannot compete at the Madrid Open next week.

Last year Draper finished runner-up to Casper Ruud in the Spanish capital, leaving him with points to defend.

World number two Carlos Alcaraz is the top seed in Barcelona and takes on Finland’s Otto Virtanen on Tuesday.

Published on Apr 13, 2026

#Barcelona #Open #Jack #Draper #retires #hurt

Briton Jack Draper was forced to retire from his first-round Barcelona Open match against Tomas Martin Etcheverry on Monday.

The 24-year-old was suffering from what appeared to be a knee injury that flared up in the second set, and he eventually pulled out at 3-6, 6-3, 4-1 down against the Argentine.

Draper returned from a six-month absence in February after suffering a left arm injury, which forced him to withdraw from the US Open in August 2025.

This was his first match of the clay court season, having pulled out of the Monte Carlo Masters, and his fourth event since returning from the injury in his serving arm.

ALSO READ | Monte Carlo Masters: Sinner’s win sends early clay-season warning to Alcaraz

The Englishman is currently ranked 28th in the world but risks dropping significantly if he cannot compete at the Madrid Open next week.

Last year Draper finished runner-up to Casper Ruud in the Spanish capital, leaving him with points to defend.

World number two Carlos Alcaraz is the top seed in Barcelona and takes on Finland’s Otto Virtanen on Tuesday.

Published on Apr 13, 2026

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#Barcelona #Open #Jack #Draper #retires #hurt

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Deadspin | Jacob deGrom brushes off Shohei Ohtani shot, lifts Rangers past Dodgers <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28715593.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28715593.jpg" alt="MLB: Texas Rangers at Los Angeles Dodgers" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob Degrom (48) throws a pitch during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Jacob deGrom overcame allowing a leadoff homer to Shohei Ohtani by striking out nine batters, helping the visiting Texas Rangers record a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>deGrom (1-0) yielded one run on four hits in six innings before exiting after 93 pitches.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>Evan Carter homered to lead off the third and Josh Smith had an RBI single later in the inning for the Rangers, who notched their fourth win in six games.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>Brandon Nimmo drove in his second run of the day with an RBI single in the eighth, and Ezequiel Duran scored on a wild pitch later that inning.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>Josh Jung had two hits and reached base four times as Texas took advantage of 10 walks to salvage the finale of the three-game series.</p> </section><section id="section-6"> <p>For the second straight day, Ohtani homered to lead off Los Angeles’ half of the first inning. The homer was his fifth of the season and extended his on-base streak to 46 games.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-7"> <p>Kyle Tucker had an RBI single in the seventh inning to cut Texas’ lead to 3-2, but Cole Winn stranded runners on the corners by inducing Andy Pages to pop out to shallow left field.</p> </section> <section id="section-8"> <p>Winn threw a scoreless eighth inning and Jakob Junis did the same in the ninth to secure his third save of the season and hand the Dodgers just their second loss in their last nine games.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>Carter forged a 1-1 tie by sending a first-pitch fastball from Roki Sasaki (0-2) over the wall in right-center field for his second homer of the series.</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>Former Dodger Joc Pederson extended the third inning with a two-out single. He promptly advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on Smith’s single to right field to stake the Rangers to a 2-1 lead.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>Texas tacked on a run in the sixth inning. Jung worked a walk to lead off the inning, advanced to third on a throwing error by reliever Edgardo Henriquez and scored on Nimmo’s groundout.</p> </section><section id="section-12"> <p>Sasaki permitted two runs on five hits in four innings. He fanned six but drove up his pitch count with five walks and exited after 94 pitches.</p> </section><section id="section-13"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section></div> #Deadspin #Jacob #deGrom #brushes #Shohei #Ohtani #shot #lifts #Rangers #Dodgers

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Deadspin | Warriors’ Stephen Curry on minutes restriction for play-in game <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28706077.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28706077.jpg" alt="NBA: Golden State Warriors at Sacramento Kings" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 10, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) looks on from the bench during the third quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry will be on a minutes restriction for the Golden State Warriors’ play-in game against the host Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>The 12-time All-Star point guard has played no more than 29 minutes in any of his four games since returning from a 27-game absence with a right knee injury.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>Warriors coach Steve Kerr confirmed Sunday that Curry will remain under a restriction in the win-or-go-home contest at Inglewood, Calif. Insiders estimated his maximum court time would be about 32 minutes.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-4"> <p>Curry, 38, played 29 minutes in Sunday’s 115-110 road loss to the Clippers in the regular-season finale. He scored 24 points on 7-of-14 shooting with six rebounds and three assists. </p> </section> <section id="section-5"> <p>The 10th-seeded Warriors (37-45) are the only one of the eight play-in teams to finish the season with a losing record. They need to defeat the Clippers in the play-in tournament and then beat the winner between the Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers to secure the No. 8 seed for the NBA Playoffs.</p> </section><section id="section-6"> <p>Curry averaged 26.6 points, 4.7 assists and 3.6 rebounds in 43 games (41 starts) this season, the two-time league MVP’s 17th campaign with Golden State.</p> </section><section id="section-7"> <p>The league announced on Monday that Curry had the NBA’s top-selling jersey during the 2025-26 regular season, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic and the New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-8"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section> </div> #Deadspin #Warriors #Stephen #Curry #minutes #restriction #playin #game

The 2026 NBA playoffs are upon us.

As of this moment, 20 teams are still alive for a shot at the Larry O’Brien trophy. However, eight of those teams still have some work to do before their playoff journeys can begin in earnest. Things kick off on Tuesday with the Play-In Tournament, as four teams in the Eastern Conference, and four teams in the Western Conference, vie for the final two spots in each conference.

Here is the schedule for the Play-In Tournament as well as the First Round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs. And be warned, if you want to watch all the games, you better have Prime Video.

Here’s the final bracket for the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Remember, the NBA does not reseed.

Eastern Conference Play-In

The Eastern Conference Play-In tournament gets things going on Tuesday, April 15. The Miami Heat and the Charlotte Hornets square off in the first game, with the loser eliminated from postseason contention. The winner will take on the loser of Wednesday’s game between No. 8 Orlando and No. 7 Philadelphia, with the winner of that game securing the No. 7 seed in the East.

The loser of that second game will drop to the No. 8 spot.

No. 10 Miami Heat at No. 9 Charlotte Hornets: Tuesday, April 14 (7:30 p.m., Prime Video)
Loser eliminated

No. 8 Orlando Magic at No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers: Wednesday, April 15 (7:30 p.m., Prime Video)
Winner secures No. 7 seed in East

No. 7/No. 8 loser vs. No. 9/No. 10 winner: Friday, April 17 (7:30 p.m., Prime Video)
Winner secures No. 8 seed in East, loser eliminated

Western Conference Play-In

Over in the Western Conference, the Play-In Tournament begins with the Phoenix Suns hosting the Portland Trail Blazers, with the winner of that game on Tuesday securing the No. 7 seed. The loser will take on the winner of Wednesday’s game between No. 10 Golden State and No. 9 Los Angeles.

No. 8 Portland Trail Blazers at No. 7 Phoenix Suns, Tuesday, April 14 ( 10:00 p.m., Prime Video)
Winner secures No. 7 seed in West

No. 10 Golden State Warriors at No. 9 Los Angeles Clippers: Wednesday, April 15 ( 10:00 p.m., Prime Video)
Loser eliminated

No. 7/No. 8 loser vs. No. 9/No. 10 winner: Friday, April 17 ( 10:00 p.m., Prime Video)
Winner secures No. 8 seed in West, loser eliminated

Eastern Conference Playoffs

Six teams are waiting in the Eastern Conference, led by the top-seeded Detroit Pistons. They’ll take on the No. 8 seed in the first round, while the Boston Celtics — who check in as the No. 2 seed in the East — will take on the No. 7 seed.

The other two first-round matchups are set: No. 3 New York vs. No. 6 Atlanta, and No. 4 Cleveland vs. No. 5 Toronto.

No. 1 Detroit Pistons vs. No. 8 (TBD)

Game 1: TBD at Detroit: Sunday, April 19 (6:30 p.m., NBC)
Game 2: TBD at Detroit: TBD
Game 3: Detroit at TBD: TBD
Game 4: Detroit at TBD: TBD
Game 5: TBD at Detroit: TBD*
Game 6: Detroit at TBD: TBD*
Game 7: TBD at Detroit: TBD*

No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 (TBD)

Game 1: TBD at Boston: Sunday, April 19 (1:00 p.m., ABC)
Game 2: TBD at Boston: TBD
Game 3: Boston at TBD: TBD
Game 4: Boston at TBD: TBD
Game 5: TBD at Boston: TBD*
Game 6: Boston at TBD: TBD*
Game 7: TBD at Boston: TBD*

No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 6 Atlanta Hawks

Game 1: Atlanta at New York: Saturday, April 18 (6:00 p.m., Prime Video)
Game 2: Atlanta at New York: TBD
Game 3: New York at Atlanta: TBD
Game 4: New York at Atlanta: TBD
Game 5: Atlanta at New York: TBD*
Game 6: New York at Atlanta: TBD*
Game 7: Atlanta at New York: TBD*

No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Toronto Raptors

Game 1: Toronto at Cleveland: Saturday, April 18 (1:00 p.m., Prime Video)
Game 2: Toronto at Cleveland: TBD
Game 3: Cleveland at Toronto: TBD
Game 4: Cleveland at Toronto: TBD
Game 5: Toronto at Cleveland: TBD*
Game 6: Cleveland at Toronto: TBD*
Game 7: Toronto at Cleveland: TBD*

Western Conference Playoffs

Over in the Western Conference, the defending champions are waiting on the results of the Play-In Tournament, as the Thunder will have home-court in the First Round against the No. 8 seed. Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs secured the No. 2 seed, and will take on the No. 7 seed.

The other two matchups in the Western Conference are set. In the first, No. 3 Denver will take on No. 6 Minnesota, while in the second, No. 4 Los Angeles matches up against No. 5 Houston.

No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 (TBD)

Game 1: TBD at Oklahoma City: Sunday, April 19 (3:30 p.m., ABC)
Game 2: TBD at Oklahoma City: TBD
Game 3: Oklahoma City at TBD: TBD
Game 4: Oklahoma City at TBD: TBD
Game 5: TBD at Oklahoma City: TBD*
Game 6: Oklahoma City at TBD: TBD*
Game 7: TBD at Oklahoma City: TBD*

No. 2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 7 (TBD)

Game 1: TBD at San Antonio: Sunday, April 19 (9:00 p.m., NBC)
Game 2: TBD at San Antonio: TBD
Game 3: San Antonio at TBD: TBD
Game 4: San Antonio at TBD: TBD
Game 5: TBD at San Antonio: TBD*
Game 6: San Antonio at TBD: TBD*
Game 7: TBD at San Antonio: TBD*

No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves

Game 1: Minnesota at Denver: Saturday, April 18 (3:30 p.m., Prime Video)
Game 2: Minnesota at Denver: TBD
Game 3: Denver at Minnesota: TBD
Game 4: Denver at Minnesota: TBD
Game 5: Minnesota at Denver: TBD*
Game 6: Denver at Minnesota: TBD*
Game 7: Minnesota at Denver: TBD*

No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 5 Houston Rockets

Game 1: Houston at Los Angeles: Saturday, April 18 (8:30 p.m., ABC)
Game 2: Houston at Los Angeles: TBD
Game 3: Los Angeles at Houston: TBD
Game 4: Los Angeles at Houston: TBD
Game 5: Houston at Los Angeles: TBD*
Game 6: Los Angeles at Houston: TBD*
Game 7: Houston at Los Angeles: TBD*

#NBA #Playoffs #Firstround #schedule #bracket #regular #season #ends">NBA Playoffs 2026: First-round schedule and bracket after regular season ends  The 2026 NBA playoffs are upon us.As of this moment, 20 teams are still alive for a shot at the Larry O’Brien trophy. However, eight of those teams still have some work to do before their playoff journeys can begin in earnest. Things kick off on Tuesday with the Play-In Tournament, as four teams in the Eastern Conference, and four teams in the Western Conference, vie for the final two spots in each conference.Here is the schedule for the Play-In Tournament as well as the First Round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs. And be warned, if you want to watch all the games, you better have Prime Video.Here’s the final bracket for the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Remember, the NBA does not reseed.Eastern Conference Play-InThe Eastern Conference Play-In tournament gets things going on Tuesday, April 15. The Miami Heat and the Charlotte Hornets square off in the first game, with the loser eliminated from postseason contention. The winner will take on the loser of Wednesday’s game between No. 8 Orlando and No. 7 Philadelphia, with the winner of that game securing the No. 7 seed in the East.The loser of that second game will drop to the No. 8 spot.No. 10 Miami Heat at No. 9 Charlotte Hornets: Tuesday, April 14 (7:30 p.m., Prime Video)Loser eliminatedNo. 8 Orlando Magic at No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers: Wednesday, April 15 (7:30 p.m., Prime Video)Winner secures No. 7 seed in EastNo. 7/No. 8 loser vs. No. 9/No. 10 winner: Friday, April 17 (7:30 p.m., Prime Video)Winner secures No. 8 seed in East, loser eliminatedWestern Conference Play-InOver in the Western Conference, the Play-In Tournament begins with the Phoenix Suns hosting the Portland Trail Blazers, with the winner of that game on Tuesday securing the No. 7 seed. The loser will take on the winner of Wednesday’s game between No. 10 Golden State and No. 9 Los Angeles.No. 8 Portland Trail Blazers at No. 7 Phoenix Suns, Tuesday, April 14 ( 10:00 p.m., Prime Video)Winner secures No. 7 seed in WestNo. 10 Golden State Warriors at No. 9 Los Angeles Clippers: Wednesday, April 15 ( 10:00 p.m., Prime Video)Loser eliminatedNo. 7/No. 8 loser vs. No. 9/No. 10 winner: Friday, April 17 ( 10:00 p.m., Prime Video)Winner secures No. 8 seed in West, loser eliminatedEastern Conference PlayoffsSix teams are waiting in the Eastern Conference, led by the top-seeded Detroit Pistons. They’ll take on the No. 8 seed in the first round, while the Boston Celtics — who check in as the No. 2 seed in the East — will take on the No. 7 seed.The other two first-round matchups are set: No. 3 New York vs. No. 6 Atlanta, and No. 4 Cleveland vs. No. 5 Toronto.No. 1 Detroit Pistons vs. No. 8 (TBD)Game 1: TBD at Detroit: Sunday, April 19 (6:30 p.m., NBC)Game 2: TBD at Detroit: TBDGame 3: Detroit at TBD: TBDGame 4: Detroit at TBD: TBDGame 5: TBD at Detroit: TBD*Game 6: Detroit at TBD: TBD*Game 7: TBD at Detroit: TBD*No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 (TBD)Game 1: TBD at Boston: Sunday, April 19 (1:00 p.m., ABC)Game 2: TBD at Boston: TBDGame 3: Boston at TBD: TBDGame 4: Boston at TBD: TBDGame 5: TBD at Boston: TBD*Game 6: Boston at TBD: TBD*Game 7: TBD at Boston: TBD*No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 6 Atlanta HawksGame 1: Atlanta at New York: Saturday, April 18 (6:00 p.m., Prime Video)Game 2: Atlanta at New York: TBDGame 3: New York at Atlanta: TBDGame 4: New York at Atlanta: TBDGame 5: Atlanta at New York: TBD*Game 6: New York at Atlanta: TBD*Game 7: Atlanta at New York: TBD*No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Toronto RaptorsGame 1: Toronto at Cleveland: Saturday, April 18 (1:00 p.m., Prime Video)Game 2: Toronto at Cleveland: TBDGame 3: Cleveland at Toronto: TBDGame 4: Cleveland at Toronto: TBDGame 5: Toronto at Cleveland: TBD*Game 6: Cleveland at Toronto: TBD*Game 7: Toronto at Cleveland: TBD*Western Conference PlayoffsOver in the Western Conference, the defending champions are waiting on the results of the Play-In Tournament, as the Thunder will have home-court in the First Round against the No. 8 seed. Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs secured the No. 2 seed, and will take on the No. 7 seed.The other two matchups in the Western Conference are set. In the first, No. 3 Denver will take on No. 6 Minnesota, while in the second, No. 4 Los Angeles matches up against No. 5 Houston.No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 (TBD)Game 1: TBD at Oklahoma City: Sunday, April 19 (3:30 p.m., ABC)Game 2: TBD at Oklahoma City: TBDGame 3: Oklahoma City at TBD: TBDGame 4: Oklahoma City at TBD: TBDGame 5: TBD at Oklahoma City: TBD*Game 6: Oklahoma City at TBD: TBD*Game 7: TBD at Oklahoma City: TBD*No. 2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 7 (TBD)Game 1: TBD at San Antonio: Sunday, April 19 (9:00 p.m., NBC)Game 2: TBD at San Antonio: TBDGame 3: San Antonio at TBD: TBDGame 4: San Antonio at TBD: TBDGame 5: TBD at San Antonio: TBD*Game 6: San Antonio at TBD: TBD*Game 7: TBD at San Antonio: TBD*No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6 Minnesota TimberwolvesGame 1: Minnesota at Denver: Saturday, April 18 (3:30 p.m., Prime Video)Game 2: Minnesota at Denver: TBDGame 3: Denver at Minnesota: TBDGame 4: Denver at Minnesota: TBDGame 5: Minnesota at Denver: TBD*Game 6: Denver at Minnesota: TBD*Game 7: Minnesota at Denver: TBD*No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 5 Houston RocketsGame 1: Houston at Los Angeles: Saturday, April 18 (8:30 p.m., ABC)Game 2: Houston at Los Angeles: TBDGame 3: Los Angeles at Houston: TBDGame 4: Los Angeles at Houston: TBDGame 5: Houston at Los Angeles: TBD*Game 6: Los Angeles at Houston: TBD*Game 7: Houston at Los Angeles: TBD*  #NBA #Playoffs #Firstround #schedule #bracket #regular #season #ends

Eastern Conference Play-In

The Eastern Conference Play-In tournament gets things going on Tuesday, April 15. The Miami Heat and the Charlotte Hornets square off in the first game, with the loser eliminated from postseason contention. The winner will take on the loser of Wednesday’s game between No. 8 Orlando and No. 7 Philadelphia, with the winner of that game securing the No. 7 seed in the East.

The loser of that second game will drop to the No. 8 spot.

No. 10 Miami Heat at No. 9 Charlotte Hornets: Tuesday, April 14 (7:30 p.m., Prime Video)
Loser eliminated

No. 8 Orlando Magic at No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers: Wednesday, April 15 (7:30 p.m., Prime Video)
Winner secures No. 7 seed in East

No. 7/No. 8 loser vs. No. 9/No. 10 winner: Friday, April 17 (7:30 p.m., Prime Video)
Winner secures No. 8 seed in East, loser eliminated

Western Conference Play-In

Over in the Western Conference, the Play-In Tournament begins with the Phoenix Suns hosting the Portland Trail Blazers, with the winner of that game on Tuesday securing the No. 7 seed. The loser will take on the winner of Wednesday’s game between No. 10 Golden State and No. 9 Los Angeles.

No. 8 Portland Trail Blazers at No. 7 Phoenix Suns, Tuesday, April 14 ( 10:00 p.m., Prime Video)
Winner secures No. 7 seed in West

No. 10 Golden State Warriors at No. 9 Los Angeles Clippers: Wednesday, April 15 ( 10:00 p.m., Prime Video)
Loser eliminated

No. 7/No. 8 loser vs. No. 9/No. 10 winner: Friday, April 17 ( 10:00 p.m., Prime Video)
Winner secures No. 8 seed in West, loser eliminated

Eastern Conference Playoffs

Six teams are waiting in the Eastern Conference, led by the top-seeded Detroit Pistons. They’ll take on the No. 8 seed in the first round, while the Boston Celtics — who check in as the No. 2 seed in the East — will take on the No. 7 seed.

The other two first-round matchups are set: No. 3 New York vs. No. 6 Atlanta, and No. 4 Cleveland vs. No. 5 Toronto.

No. 1 Detroit Pistons vs. No. 8 (TBD)

Game 1: TBD at Detroit: Sunday, April 19 (6:30 p.m., NBC)
Game 2: TBD at Detroit: TBD
Game 3: Detroit at TBD: TBD
Game 4: Detroit at TBD: TBD
Game 5: TBD at Detroit: TBD*
Game 6: Detroit at TBD: TBD*
Game 7: TBD at Detroit: TBD*

No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 (TBD)

Game 1: TBD at Boston: Sunday, April 19 (1:00 p.m., ABC)
Game 2: TBD at Boston: TBD
Game 3: Boston at TBD: TBD
Game 4: Boston at TBD: TBD
Game 5: TBD at Boston: TBD*
Game 6: Boston at TBD: TBD*
Game 7: TBD at Boston: TBD*

No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 6 Atlanta Hawks

Game 1: Atlanta at New York: Saturday, April 18 (6:00 p.m., Prime Video)
Game 2: Atlanta at New York: TBD
Game 3: New York at Atlanta: TBD
Game 4: New York at Atlanta: TBD
Game 5: Atlanta at New York: TBD*
Game 6: New York at Atlanta: TBD*
Game 7: Atlanta at New York: TBD*

No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Toronto Raptors

Game 1: Toronto at Cleveland: Saturday, April 18 (1:00 p.m., Prime Video)
Game 2: Toronto at Cleveland: TBD
Game 3: Cleveland at Toronto: TBD
Game 4: Cleveland at Toronto: TBD
Game 5: Toronto at Cleveland: TBD*
Game 6: Cleveland at Toronto: TBD*
Game 7: Toronto at Cleveland: TBD*

Western Conference Playoffs

Over in the Western Conference, the defending champions are waiting on the results of the Play-In Tournament, as the Thunder will have home-court in the First Round against the No. 8 seed. Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs secured the No. 2 seed, and will take on the No. 7 seed.

The other two matchups in the Western Conference are set. In the first, No. 3 Denver will take on No. 6 Minnesota, while in the second, No. 4 Los Angeles matches up against No. 5 Houston.

No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 (TBD)

Game 1: TBD at Oklahoma City: Sunday, April 19 (3:30 p.m., ABC)
Game 2: TBD at Oklahoma City: TBD
Game 3: Oklahoma City at TBD: TBD
Game 4: Oklahoma City at TBD: TBD
Game 5: TBD at Oklahoma City: TBD*
Game 6: Oklahoma City at TBD: TBD*
Game 7: TBD at Oklahoma City: TBD*

No. 2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 7 (TBD)

Game 1: TBD at San Antonio: Sunday, April 19 (9:00 p.m., NBC)
Game 2: TBD at San Antonio: TBD
Game 3: San Antonio at TBD: TBD
Game 4: San Antonio at TBD: TBD
Game 5: TBD at San Antonio: TBD*
Game 6: San Antonio at TBD: TBD*
Game 7: TBD at San Antonio: TBD*

No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves

Game 1: Minnesota at Denver: Saturday, April 18 (3:30 p.m., Prime Video)
Game 2: Minnesota at Denver: TBD
Game 3: Denver at Minnesota: TBD
Game 4: Denver at Minnesota: TBD
Game 5: Minnesota at Denver: TBD*
Game 6: Denver at Minnesota: TBD*
Game 7: Minnesota at Denver: TBD*

No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 5 Houston Rockets

Game 1: Houston at Los Angeles: Saturday, April 18 (8:30 p.m., ABC)
Game 2: Houston at Los Angeles: TBD
Game 3: Los Angeles at Houston: TBD
Game 4: Los Angeles at Houston: TBD
Game 5: Houston at Los Angeles: TBD*
Game 6: Los Angeles at Houston: TBD*
Game 7: Houston at Los Angeles: TBD*

#NBA #Playoffs #Firstround #schedule #bracket #regular #season #ends">NBA Playoffs 2026: First-round schedule and bracket after regular season ends

The 2026 NBA playoffs are upon us.

As of this moment, 20 teams are still alive for a shot at the Larry O’Brien trophy. However, eight of those teams still have some work to do before their playoff journeys can begin in earnest. Things kick off on Tuesday with the Play-In Tournament, as four teams in the Eastern Conference, and four teams in the Western Conference, vie for the final two spots in each conference.

Here is the schedule for the Play-In Tournament as well as the First Round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs. And be warned, if you want to watch all the games, you better have Prime Video.

Here’s the final bracket for the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Remember, the NBA does not reseed.

Eastern Conference Play-In

The Eastern Conference Play-In tournament gets things going on Tuesday, April 15. The Miami Heat and the Charlotte Hornets square off in the first game, with the loser eliminated from postseason contention. The winner will take on the loser of Wednesday’s game between No. 8 Orlando and No. 7 Philadelphia, with the winner of that game securing the No. 7 seed in the East.

The loser of that second game will drop to the No. 8 spot.

No. 10 Miami Heat at No. 9 Charlotte Hornets: Tuesday, April 14 (7:30 p.m., Prime Video)
Loser eliminated

No. 8 Orlando Magic at No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers: Wednesday, April 15 (7:30 p.m., Prime Video)
Winner secures No. 7 seed in East

No. 7/No. 8 loser vs. No. 9/No. 10 winner: Friday, April 17 (7:30 p.m., Prime Video)
Winner secures No. 8 seed in East, loser eliminated

Western Conference Play-In

Over in the Western Conference, the Play-In Tournament begins with the Phoenix Suns hosting the Portland Trail Blazers, with the winner of that game on Tuesday securing the No. 7 seed. The loser will take on the winner of Wednesday’s game between No. 10 Golden State and No. 9 Los Angeles.

No. 8 Portland Trail Blazers at No. 7 Phoenix Suns, Tuesday, April 14 ( 10:00 p.m., Prime Video)
Winner secures No. 7 seed in West

No. 10 Golden State Warriors at No. 9 Los Angeles Clippers: Wednesday, April 15 ( 10:00 p.m., Prime Video)
Loser eliminated

No. 7/No. 8 loser vs. No. 9/No. 10 winner: Friday, April 17 ( 10:00 p.m., Prime Video)
Winner secures No. 8 seed in West, loser eliminated

Eastern Conference Playoffs

Six teams are waiting in the Eastern Conference, led by the top-seeded Detroit Pistons. They’ll take on the No. 8 seed in the first round, while the Boston Celtics — who check in as the No. 2 seed in the East — will take on the No. 7 seed.

The other two first-round matchups are set: No. 3 New York vs. No. 6 Atlanta, and No. 4 Cleveland vs. No. 5 Toronto.

No. 1 Detroit Pistons vs. No. 8 (TBD)

Game 1: TBD at Detroit: Sunday, April 19 (6:30 p.m., NBC)
Game 2: TBD at Detroit: TBD
Game 3: Detroit at TBD: TBD
Game 4: Detroit at TBD: TBD
Game 5: TBD at Detroit: TBD*
Game 6: Detroit at TBD: TBD*
Game 7: TBD at Detroit: TBD*

No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 (TBD)

Game 1: TBD at Boston: Sunday, April 19 (1:00 p.m., ABC)
Game 2: TBD at Boston: TBD
Game 3: Boston at TBD: TBD
Game 4: Boston at TBD: TBD
Game 5: TBD at Boston: TBD*
Game 6: Boston at TBD: TBD*
Game 7: TBD at Boston: TBD*

No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 6 Atlanta Hawks

Game 1: Atlanta at New York: Saturday, April 18 (6:00 p.m., Prime Video)
Game 2: Atlanta at New York: TBD
Game 3: New York at Atlanta: TBD
Game 4: New York at Atlanta: TBD
Game 5: Atlanta at New York: TBD*
Game 6: New York at Atlanta: TBD*
Game 7: Atlanta at New York: TBD*

No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Toronto Raptors

Game 1: Toronto at Cleveland: Saturday, April 18 (1:00 p.m., Prime Video)
Game 2: Toronto at Cleveland: TBD
Game 3: Cleveland at Toronto: TBD
Game 4: Cleveland at Toronto: TBD
Game 5: Toronto at Cleveland: TBD*
Game 6: Cleveland at Toronto: TBD*
Game 7: Toronto at Cleveland: TBD*

Western Conference Playoffs

Over in the Western Conference, the defending champions are waiting on the results of the Play-In Tournament, as the Thunder will have home-court in the First Round against the No. 8 seed. Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs secured the No. 2 seed, and will take on the No. 7 seed.

The other two matchups in the Western Conference are set. In the first, No. 3 Denver will take on No. 6 Minnesota, while in the second, No. 4 Los Angeles matches up against No. 5 Houston.

No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 (TBD)

Game 1: TBD at Oklahoma City: Sunday, April 19 (3:30 p.m., ABC)
Game 2: TBD at Oklahoma City: TBD
Game 3: Oklahoma City at TBD: TBD
Game 4: Oklahoma City at TBD: TBD
Game 5: TBD at Oklahoma City: TBD*
Game 6: Oklahoma City at TBD: TBD*
Game 7: TBD at Oklahoma City: TBD*

No. 2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 7 (TBD)

Game 1: TBD at San Antonio: Sunday, April 19 (9:00 p.m., NBC)
Game 2: TBD at San Antonio: TBD
Game 3: San Antonio at TBD: TBD
Game 4: San Antonio at TBD: TBD
Game 5: TBD at San Antonio: TBD*
Game 6: San Antonio at TBD: TBD*
Game 7: TBD at San Antonio: TBD*

No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves

Game 1: Minnesota at Denver: Saturday, April 18 (3:30 p.m., Prime Video)
Game 2: Minnesota at Denver: TBD
Game 3: Denver at Minnesota: TBD
Game 4: Denver at Minnesota: TBD
Game 5: Minnesota at Denver: TBD*
Game 6: Denver at Minnesota: TBD*
Game 7: Minnesota at Denver: TBD*

No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 5 Houston Rockets

Game 1: Houston at Los Angeles: Saturday, April 18 (8:30 p.m., ABC)
Game 2: Houston at Los Angeles: TBD
Game 3: Los Angeles at Houston: TBD
Game 4: Los Angeles at Houston: TBD
Game 5: Houston at Los Angeles: TBD*
Game 6: Los Angeles at Houston: TBD*
Game 7: Houston at Los Angeles: TBD*

#NBA #Playoffs #Firstround #schedule #bracket #regular #season #ends

Arne Slot admits Liverpool will need a “very special” performance to overturn its 2-0 deficit against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg on Tuesday.

Slot’s side are on the brink of being eliminated by PSG for a second successive season after a disappointing display in Paris last week.

Liverpool failed to muster a single shot on target at the Parc des Princes and Slot acknowledged the side will have to improve significantly to stun Luis Enrique’s team at Anfield.

“We know we need an exceptional performance to go to the next round but that’s completely normal when you face the champions of Europe,” Slot told reporters on Monday.

“In the 49 home games we have played under me, 36 times we were able to score two goals or more.

“Yes, we have not played all these 49 games against Paris Saint-Germain, I realise that, but the Premier League and Champions League opponents we had were very strong.

“So there is a belief we can do special things tomorrow but we need to be very, very, very special to achieve that.”

Slot has come under mounting scrutiny following Liverpool’s woeful defence of the Premier League title and its embarrassing FA Cup quarterfinal exit in a 4-0 thrashing at Manchester City.

After three successive defeats against Brighton, City and PSG, Liverpool kept the critics at bay, for a few days at least, with a 2-0 win against Fulham on Saturday.

But a tame exit from the Champions League would intensify the pressure on Slot ahead of Sunday’s Merseyside derby at Everton.

Start aggressive

Slot knows Liverpool needs to at least put up a better fight than in Paris, where it struggled to retain possession and rarely troubled the PSG defence.

“We are playing the champions of Europe so that makes the task more difficult but not impossible,” he said.

“For now let’s just focus on the job on hand, start aggressive and make sure we can get back in the tie.

“Even Saturday showed how important a goal is… minutes (later) we scored the second. That is what football is about, a goal can change the momentum, which happened negatively for us at Manchester City.”

While Slot was criticised for Liverpool’s passive first-leg performance, the Reds boss insisted his side could win with a similar approach at Anfield.

ALSO READ | Atletico needs ‘personality’ to prevent Barca comeback, says Koke

“People probably find it very hard what I am about to say now but the approach is not so different tomorrow than it was in Paris. For the people who know me I never tell them to play in a low block for 90 minutes,” he said.

“You could see we pressed them high on multiple occasions. Unfortunately, seven or eight of those moments led them to being one-on-one with our goalkeeper.

“The last time we faced each other they had the ball for 76 percent of the time, so that’s the first thing we have to change tomorrow, to have the ball more.

“If we have it more then it’s nice to have the attacking threat on the pitch and that’s what we will have tomorrow.”

Published on Apr 13, 2026

#UEFA #Champions #League #Liverpool #special #night #stun #PSG #Slot">UEFA Champions League 2025-26: Liverpool needs ‘very special’ night to stun PSG, says Slot  Arne Slot admits Liverpool will need a “very special” performance to overturn its 2-0 deficit against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg on Tuesday.Slot’s side are on the brink of being eliminated by PSG for a second successive season after a disappointing display in Paris last week.Liverpool failed to muster a single shot on target at the Parc des Princes and Slot acknowledged the side will have to improve significantly to stun Luis Enrique’s team at Anfield.“We know we need an exceptional performance to go to the next round but that’s completely normal when you face the champions of Europe,” Slot told reporters on Monday.“In the 49 home games we have played under me, 36 times we were able to score two goals or more.“Yes, we have not played all these 49 games against Paris Saint-Germain, I realise that, but the Premier League and Champions League opponents we had were very strong.“So there is a belief we can do special things tomorrow but we need to be very, very, very special to achieve that.”Slot has come under mounting scrutiny following Liverpool’s woeful defence of the Premier League title and its embarrassing FA Cup quarterfinal exit in a 4-0 thrashing at Manchester City.After three successive defeats against Brighton, City and PSG, Liverpool kept the critics at bay, for a few days at least, with a 2-0 win against Fulham on Saturday.But a tame exit from the Champions League would intensify the pressure on Slot ahead of Sunday’s Merseyside derby at Everton.Start aggressiveSlot knows Liverpool needs to at least put up a better fight than in Paris, where it struggled to retain possession and rarely troubled the PSG defence.“We are playing the champions of Europe so that makes the task more difficult but not impossible,” he said.“For now let’s just focus on the job on hand, start aggressive and make sure we can get back in the tie.“Even Saturday showed how important a goal is… minutes (later) we scored the second. That is what football is about, a goal can change the momentum, which happened negatively for us at Manchester City.”While Slot was criticised for Liverpool’s passive first-leg performance, the Reds boss insisted his side could win with a similar approach at Anfield.ALSO READ | Atletico needs ‘personality’ to prevent Barca comeback, says Koke“People probably find it very hard what I am about to say now but the approach is not so different tomorrow than it was in Paris. For the people who know me I never tell them to play in a low block for 90 minutes,” he said.“You could see we pressed them high on multiple occasions. Unfortunately, seven or eight of those moments led them to being one-on-one with our goalkeeper.“The last time we faced each other they had the ball for 76 percent of the time, so that’s the first thing we have to change tomorrow, to have the ball more.“If we have it more then it’s nice to have the attacking threat on the pitch and that’s what we will have tomorrow.”Published on Apr 13, 2026  #UEFA #Champions #League #Liverpool #special #night #stun #PSG #Slot

Atletico needs ‘personality’ to prevent Barca comeback, says Koke

“People probably find it very hard what I am about to say now but the approach is not so different tomorrow than it was in Paris. For the people who know me I never tell them to play in a low block for 90 minutes,” he said.

“You could see we pressed them high on multiple occasions. Unfortunately, seven or eight of those moments led them to being one-on-one with our goalkeeper.

“The last time we faced each other they had the ball for 76 percent of the time, so that’s the first thing we have to change tomorrow, to have the ball more.

“If we have it more then it’s nice to have the attacking threat on the pitch and that’s what we will have tomorrow.”

Published on Apr 13, 2026

#UEFA #Champions #League #Liverpool #special #night #stun #PSG #Slot">UEFA Champions League 2025-26: Liverpool needs ‘very special’ night to stun PSG, says Slot

Arne Slot admits Liverpool will need a “very special” performance to overturn its 2-0 deficit against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg on Tuesday.

Slot’s side are on the brink of being eliminated by PSG for a second successive season after a disappointing display in Paris last week.

Liverpool failed to muster a single shot on target at the Parc des Princes and Slot acknowledged the side will have to improve significantly to stun Luis Enrique’s team at Anfield.

“We know we need an exceptional performance to go to the next round but that’s completely normal when you face the champions of Europe,” Slot told reporters on Monday.

“In the 49 home games we have played under me, 36 times we were able to score two goals or more.

“Yes, we have not played all these 49 games against Paris Saint-Germain, I realise that, but the Premier League and Champions League opponents we had were very strong.

“So there is a belief we can do special things tomorrow but we need to be very, very, very special to achieve that.”

Slot has come under mounting scrutiny following Liverpool’s woeful defence of the Premier League title and its embarrassing FA Cup quarterfinal exit in a 4-0 thrashing at Manchester City.

After three successive defeats against Brighton, City and PSG, Liverpool kept the critics at bay, for a few days at least, with a 2-0 win against Fulham on Saturday.

But a tame exit from the Champions League would intensify the pressure on Slot ahead of Sunday’s Merseyside derby at Everton.

Start aggressive

Slot knows Liverpool needs to at least put up a better fight than in Paris, where it struggled to retain possession and rarely troubled the PSG defence.

“We are playing the champions of Europe so that makes the task more difficult but not impossible,” he said.

“For now let’s just focus on the job on hand, start aggressive and make sure we can get back in the tie.

“Even Saturday showed how important a goal is… minutes (later) we scored the second. That is what football is about, a goal can change the momentum, which happened negatively for us at Manchester City.”

While Slot was criticised for Liverpool’s passive first-leg performance, the Reds boss insisted his side could win with a similar approach at Anfield.

ALSO READ | Atletico needs ‘personality’ to prevent Barca comeback, says Koke

“People probably find it very hard what I am about to say now but the approach is not so different tomorrow than it was in Paris. For the people who know me I never tell them to play in a low block for 90 minutes,” he said.

“You could see we pressed them high on multiple occasions. Unfortunately, seven or eight of those moments led them to being one-on-one with our goalkeeper.

“The last time we faced each other they had the ball for 76 percent of the time, so that’s the first thing we have to change tomorrow, to have the ball more.

“If we have it more then it’s nice to have the attacking threat on the pitch and that’s what we will have tomorrow.”

Published on Apr 13, 2026

#UEFA #Champions #League #Liverpool #special #night #stun #PSG #Slot

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