Luka Doncic’s injury creates a power vacuum with huge stakes for 2026 NBA Playoffs Sports can be rather ruthless when it comes to poorly timed injuries. Luka Doncic, the Los Angeles Lakers’ only hope and a legitimate MVP candidate, strained his hamstring and is out indefinitely — very possibly missing the first round of the NBA Playoffs or more. Austin Reaves, their second primary offensive creator, went down to an oblique strain and could miss even more time. He’s trying to rush back, but that’s a scary idea in itself, too. If this was not pro basketball, everyone could just rest up and hit the ground running when healed. The Lakers do not have time for that, and they must soldier on with whatever forces they can muster.If LeBron James can somehow drag his shorthanded team out of the first round, it will be an iconic, hitherto unheard-of effort that the poets will sing about for decades. But the far more pressing fallout of these injuries is this: the Lakers’ peril creates a power vacuum in the Western Conference that other teams are ready to pounce on.What was a fairly even field in the West just got tilted hard in favor of whoever can figure out how to play the Lakers in the first round. Currently, the Lakers, Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets are separated by less than two games with only four games left. It’s anyone’s guess who will be 3, 4 and 5. The Nuggets and Rockets have both been on absolute tears, winning nine and six straight games, respectively. The Minnesota Timberwolves, the six seed, thought they had won the lottery and that the Lakers had locked up the three seed to be their first-round opponent — not so. This is all terribly confusing, so I’m going to break it down like an NBA seeding-logistic DJ making a really boring mixtape:The NBA Playoffs do not re-seed opponents each round. I repeat: The NBA Playoffs do not re-seed opponents. That means the winner of the 2-7 match always plays the winner of the 3-6 match AND the winner of the 1-8 match always plays the winner of the 4-5 match. I forget this every year, but we have to remember it this time because it’s important. Write it on your hand. Tattoo it on your back like John Wick. Schedule send an email to yourself every two hours with the subject line “The NBA Playoffs do not re-seed.” Whatever you have to do.That is critical this year, because, with the Lakers absolutely gutted but right in the thick of a Western Conference seeding battle, tiny shifts in standing can have explosive results on the bracket. I’m not sure any of this is really controllable, but here’s my read on how it could shake down.If Denver bops the Lakers down to four, the Rockets may luck out, and Oklahoma City may seriously luck out by having to play … whoever the eight seed is and then the winner of Los Angeles/Houston; a very easy duo to beat if the Lakers do not have Luka. Meanwhile, Denver is now faced with a super winnable 6-3 against the Timberwolves and a second round against the scary-but-inexperienced San Antonio Spurs.The Rockets could mess all of that up if they somehow stumble their way to the three seed, in which case the Spurs are your big winners, staring down only the winner of Houston/Minnesota while the Thunder are like “bro what do you mean I have to play the Nuggets in the second round?”Denver, meanwhile, might have four free wins left on their schedule, playing two tanking teams and then the Spurs and Thunder in their last two; seems hard, until you realize both those teams are basically locked into their seeds and will probably rest their starters. Houston has a bunch of teams that might actually be trying, and the Lakers are going to have to dig deep, no matter who they play.This is a fascinating ordeal. With everyone trying so hard to avoid that guy but seek out that other guy and making sure that this dude isn’t waiting around the corner has created so much confusion that we should probably just all agree to just… win basketball games and circle back later. But if we had to distill all of this into some deliverables, here’s what I got:1. The Timberwolves could be trouble for everyone if this breaks right — if the Wolves get the Lakers in the first round and the Spurs in the second round, they could plausibly make the Western Conference Finals. They are 2-1 against the Spurs this year and their loss was by three points. They have size and match up pretty well. Meanwhile, the Thunder may have to deal with Stephen Curry in round one and Nikola Jokic in round two. That’s less fun.2. If LeBron James can drag his team out of the first round without Luka and Reaves, he might be the GOAT — I’m not going to sit here and tell you that LeBron, Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton have a great shot at beating anyone, but if they do… I mean, come on now. That would be legendary stuff. 3. Every single team in the West’s Top 6 can win the West — this has been a hilarious, weird, unpredictable NBA season. You can talk yourself into every single team in the field to make the Finals; if the Lakers are forfeit, even the Rockets can make this happen. If the Lakers somehow make it to Luka’s return, they could pull a rabbit out of a hat.Basically, had the Lakers, Nuggets, Timberwolves and Rockets all stayed in their assigned seats, this would be reasonably simple and predictable. Now, we’re in a full-blown crisis trying to figure this out. Nothing about this will be logical, nothing about this will be boring. And as a fan of a team in the Eastern Conference, I cannot wait. #Luka #Doncics #injury #creates #power #vacuum #huge #stakes #NBA #Playoffs

Luka Doncic’s injury creates a power vacuum with huge stakes for 2026 NBA Playoffs
Sports can be rather ruthless when it comes to poorly timed injuries. Luka Doncic, the Los Angeles Lakers’ only hope and a legitimate MVP candidate, strained his hamstring and is out indefinitely — very possibly missing the first round of the NBA Playoffs or more. Austin Reaves, their second primary offensive creator, went down to an oblique strain and could miss even more time. He’s trying to rush back, but that’s a scary idea in itself, too. If this was not pro basketball, everyone could just rest up and hit the ground running when healed. The Lakers do not have time for that, and they must soldier on with whatever forces they can muster.
If LeBron James can somehow drag his shorthanded team out of the first round, it will be an iconic, hitherto unheard-of effort that the poets will sing about for decades. But the far more pressing fallout of these injuries is this: the Lakers’ peril creates a power vacuum in the Western Conference that other teams are ready to pounce on.
What was a fairly even field in the West just got tilted hard in favor of whoever can figure out how to play the Lakers in the first round. Currently, the Lakers, Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets are separated by less than two games with only four games left. It’s anyone’s guess who will be 3, 4 and 5. The Nuggets and Rockets have both been on absolute tears, winning nine and six straight games, respectively. The Minnesota Timberwolves, the six seed, thought they had won the lottery and that the Lakers had locked up the three seed to be their first-round opponent — not so. This is all terribly confusing, so I’m going to break it down like an NBA seeding-logistic DJ making a really boring mixtape:
The NBA Playoffs do not re-seed opponents each round. I repeat: The NBA Playoffs do not re-seed opponents. That means the winner of the 2-7 match always plays the winner of the 3-6 match AND the winner of the 1-8 match always plays the winner of the 4-5 match. I forget this every year, but we have to remember it this time because it’s important. Write it on your hand. Tattoo it on your back like John Wick. Schedule send an email to yourself every two hours with the subject line “The NBA Playoffs do not re-seed.” Whatever you have to do.
That is critical this year, because, with the Lakers absolutely gutted but right in the thick of a Western Conference seeding battle, tiny shifts in standing can have explosive results on the bracket. I’m not sure any of this is really controllable, but here’s my read on how it could shake down.
If Denver bops the Lakers down to four, the Rockets may luck out, and Oklahoma City may seriously luck out by having to play … whoever the eight seed is and then the winner of Los Angeles/Houston; a very easy duo to beat if the Lakers do not have Luka. Meanwhile, Denver is now faced with a super winnable 6-3 against the Timberwolves and a second round against the scary-but-inexperienced San Antonio Spurs.
The Rockets could mess all of that up if they somehow stumble their way to the three seed, in which case the Spurs are your big winners, staring down only the winner of Houston/Minnesota while the Thunder are like “bro what do you mean I have to play the Nuggets in the second round?”
Denver, meanwhile, might have four free wins left on their schedule, playing two tanking teams and then the Spurs and Thunder in their last two; seems hard, until you realize both those teams are basically locked into their seeds and will probably rest their starters. Houston has a bunch of teams that might actually be trying, and the Lakers are going to have to dig deep, no matter who they play.
This is a fascinating ordeal. With everyone trying so hard to avoid that guy but seek out that other guy and making sure that this dude isn’t waiting around the corner has created so much confusion that we should probably just all agree to just… win basketball games and circle back later. But if we had to distill all of this into some deliverables, here’s what I got:
1. The Timberwolves could be trouble for everyone if this breaks right — if the Wolves get the Lakers in the first round and the Spurs in the second round, they could plausibly make the Western Conference Finals. They are 2-1 against the Spurs this year and their loss was by three points. They have size and match up pretty well. Meanwhile, the Thunder may have to deal with Stephen Curry in round one and Nikola Jokic in round two. That’s less fun.
2. If LeBron James can drag his team out of the first round without Luka and Reaves, he might be the GOAT — I’m not going to sit here and tell you that LeBron, Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton have a great shot at beating anyone, but if they do… I mean, come on now. That would be legendary stuff.
3. Every single team in the West’s Top 6 can win the West — this has been a hilarious, weird, unpredictable NBA season. You can talk yourself into every single team in the field to make the Finals; if the Lakers are forfeit, even the Rockets can make this happen. If the Lakers somehow make it to Luka’s return, they could pull a rabbit out of a hat.
Basically, had the Lakers, Nuggets, Timberwolves and Rockets all stayed in their assigned seats, this would be reasonably simple and predictable. Now, we’re in a full-blown crisis trying to figure this out. Nothing about this will be logical, nothing about this will be boring. And as a fan of a team in the Eastern Conference, I cannot wait.
#Luka #Doncics #injury #creates #power #vacuum #huge #stakes #NBA #Playoffs

Sports news nba April 7, 2026

Sports can be rather ruthless when it comes to poorly timed injuries. Luka Doncic, the Los Angeles Lakers’ only hope and a legitimate MVP candidate, strained his hamstring and is out indefinitely — very possibly missing the first round of the NBA Playoffs or more. Austin Reaves, their second primary offensive creator, went down to an oblique strain and could miss even more time. He’s trying to rush back, but that’s a scary idea in itself, too. If this was not pro basketball, everyone could just rest up and hit the ground running when healed. The Lakers do not have time for that, and they must soldier on with whatever forces they can muster.

If LeBron James can somehow drag his shorthanded team out of the first round, it will be an iconic, hitherto unheard-of effort that the poets will sing about for decades. But the far more pressing fallout of these injuries is this: the Lakers’ peril creates a power vacuum in the Western Conference that other teams are ready to pounce on.

What was a fairly even field in the West just got tilted hard in favor of whoever can figure out how to play the Lakers in the first round. Currently, the Lakers, Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets are separated by less than two games with only four games left. It’s anyone’s guess who will be 3, 4 and 5. The Nuggets and Rockets have both been on absolute tears, winning nine and six straight games, respectively. The Minnesota Timberwolves, the six seed, thought they had won the lottery and that the Lakers had locked up the three seed to be their first-round opponent — not so. This is all terribly confusing, so I’m going to break it down like an NBA seeding-logistic DJ making a really boring mixtape:

The NBA Playoffs do not re-seed opponents each round. I repeat: The NBA Playoffs do not re-seed opponents. That means the winner of the 2-7 match always plays the winner of the 3-6 match AND the winner of the 1-8 match always plays the winner of the 4-5 match. I forget this every year, but we have to remember it this time because it’s important. Write it on your hand. Tattoo it on your back like John Wick. Schedule send an email to yourself every two hours with the subject line “The NBA Playoffs do not re-seed.” Whatever you have to do.

That is critical this year, because, with the Lakers absolutely gutted but right in the thick of a Western Conference seeding battle, tiny shifts in standing can have explosive results on the bracket. I’m not sure any of this is really controllable, but here’s my read on how it could shake down.

If Denver bops the Lakers down to four, the Rockets may luck out, and Oklahoma City may seriously luck out by having to play … whoever the eight seed is and then the winner of Los Angeles/Houston; a very easy duo to beat if the Lakers do not have Luka. Meanwhile, Denver is now faced with a super winnable 6-3 against the Timberwolves and a second round against the scary-but-inexperienced San Antonio Spurs.

The Rockets could mess all of that up if they somehow stumble their way to the three seed, in which case the Spurs are your big winners, staring down only the winner of Houston/Minnesota while the Thunder are like “bro what do you mean I have to play the Nuggets in the second round?”

Denver, meanwhile, might have four free wins left on their schedule, playing two tanking teams and then the Spurs and Thunder in their last two; seems hard, until you realize both those teams are basically locked into their seeds and will probably rest their starters. Houston has a bunch of teams that might actually be trying, and the Lakers are going to have to dig deep, no matter who they play.

This is a fascinating ordeal. With everyone trying so hard to avoid that guy but seek out that other guy and making sure that this dude isn’t waiting around the corner has created so much confusion that we should probably just all agree to just… win basketball games and circle back later. But if we had to distill all of this into some deliverables, here’s what I got:

1. The Timberwolves could be trouble for everyone if this breaks right — if the Wolves get the Lakers in the first round and the Spurs in the second round, they could plausibly make the Western Conference Finals. They are 2-1 against the Spurs this year and their loss was by three points. They have size and match up pretty well. Meanwhile, the Thunder may have to deal with Stephen Curry in round one and Nikola Jokic in round two. That’s less fun.

2. If LeBron James can drag his team out of the first round without Luka and Reaves, he might be the GOAT — I’m not going to sit here and tell you that LeBron, Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton have a great shot at beating anyone, but if they do… I mean, come on now. That would be legendary stuff.

3. Every single team in the West’s Top 6 can win the West — this has been a hilarious, weird, unpredictable NBA season. You can talk yourself into every single team in the field to make the Finals; if the Lakers are forfeit, even the Rockets can make this happen. If the Lakers somehow make it to Luka’s return, they could pull a rabbit out of a hat.

Basically, had the Lakers, Nuggets, Timberwolves and Rockets all stayed in their assigned seats, this would be reasonably simple and predictable. Now, we’re in a full-blown crisis trying to figure this out. Nothing about this will be logical, nothing about this will be boring. And as a fan of a team in the Eastern Conference, I cannot wait.

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#Luka #Doncics #injury #creates #power #vacuum #huge #stakes #NBA #Playoffs

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Favourite tag means nothing, says PSG’s Luis Enrique ahead of Liverpool clash <div id="content-body-70834883" itemprop="articleBody">Paris St Germain manager Luis Enrique has played down suggestions his side is favourite ⁠ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League quarterfinal first leg at home to out-of-form Liverpool.The English champion, fifth in the Premier League, has suffered 15 ‌defeats across all competitions this season – its most in a single campaign since losing 18 matches in 2014-15.PSG, ‌meanwhile, leads Ligue 1 and is well placed to ‌defend its Champions League crown. “It’s difficult to talk about ⁠Liverpool,” Enrique told reporters on Tuesday. “Liverpool manager Arne Slot speaks very well about them.READ | <a href="https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/champions-league/psg-vs-lens-postponed-may-13-lfp-champions-league-liverpool/article70788243.ece" target="_blank">PSG vs Lens postponed to May 13 as LFP prioritises Champions League and UEFA coefficient push</a>“My view is that it’s both the same team and a different team. Everyone is trying ‌to work out who the favourites are, but in this sort of match that means nothing. It will be tough for both teams.“Showing that we’re still in the running ‌every year and playing against Liverpool is always a positive thing. We want to reach the semi-finals; we know how difficult it will be, but we’re ⁠very motivated.”The tie is a repeat of last season’s round-of-16 meeting, when PSG knocked Liverpool out on penalties.“Last year, everyone said ‌it was Liverpool, and PSG went through,” the Spaniard said.This time, it will also see Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike come up against his former club.The 23-year-old France international has enjoyed an impressive first season in England, scoring 17 goals and providing six assists in 43 appearances.Ekitike spent a brief ‌spell at PSG between 2023 and 2024 but found minutes hard to come by in a squad featuring Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.“After leaving here, he did very ⁠well in Germany and at Liverpool,” Luis Enrique added. “He’s now an ⁠international player and has made great progress. He was very young when he was here; he’s improved a ‌lot.”Spanish midfielder Fabian Ruiz did not train with the squad on Monday due to injury, but French winger Bradley Barcola did following an ankle problem.Published on Apr 07, 2026</div> #Favourite #tag #means #PSGs #Luis #Enrique #ahead #Liverpool #clash

Deadspin | Celtics return home with chance to finish off reeling Sixers Apr 26, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) reacts after making a three point basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images The Boston Celtics can close out the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series with the visiting Philadelphia 76ers in Game 5 on Tuesday night. After splitting two games in Boston, the second-seeded Celtics took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series by beating the seventh-seeded 76ers twice in Philadelphia. “Played another about-as-bad-as-you-can-play game,” Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse said following Boston’s 128-96 victory in Game 4. “That’s two out of four in this series. Played well in the other two and we got to get back to playing well quickly. Got to go get one.” Philadelphia can point to defending the perimeter as one of the must-fix items on the 76ers’ list in order to stave off elimination. The Celtics made 24 3-pointers during Game 4, shooting 48.3% overall and 45.3% from 3-point range. Payton Pritchard, Boston’s backup point guard, made 6 of 12 3-pointers and tossed in 32 points in the Game 4 victory. Pritchard was 2-of-13 from 3-point territory in the first two games of the series and then made 5 of 10 3-pointers in Boston’s Game 3 win. “I don’t know if I saw anything different,” Pritchard said. “It’s just more playing with that aggression, playing with that spark. I felt it in Game 3. I was telling some of the coaches I thought it was a step in the right direction as far as my aggression and getting my rhythm back.” Boston’s 24 3-point field goals set a franchise record for made 3-pointers in a playoff game. Jayson Tatum made five shots from beyond the 3-point arc. “It was very bad,” Nurse said when asked about his team’s defensive effort in Game 4. “It just didn’t seem like any matchup could guard anybody one-on-one. We had them pushed out and bottled up and physical and really off kind of rhythm for a couple games, and there was none of that “ Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid returned to the court after missing the first three games in the series following an emergency appendectomy on April 9. He finished with a team-high 26 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, but didn’t get a lot of offensive support. Tyrese Maxey scored 22 points, but attempted only three shots in the first half. VJ Edgecombe was 2-of-9 from the field and had six points. “That can’t happen,” Maxey said. “That’s on me. That absolutely can’t happen. That’s unacceptable by me. I was playing within the flow of the game and it kind of just happened that way. ” … We can’t win basketball games with that happening and I take full responsibility on that one.” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said the Celtics have to be prepared for Philadelphia’s best effort in Game 5. “Regardless of who we’re playing against, we have to have an understanding that they are a really good team,” he said. “They can beat you on any given night. They’ve got great talent with the three stars that they have (Embiid, Maxey, and Paul George) and their role players when they are at their best … We’ve got to be disciplined on all the things that we can control – physical, mental, emotional, psychological, tactical, all of them.” The winner of the Celtics/76ers series will meet either third-seeded New York or sixth-seeded Atlanta in the next round. That series is 2-2 headed back to New York for Game 5 Tuesday. “We’ve got three chances to win one game,” Jaylen Brown said. “And the goal is just to get it done as soon as possible.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Celtics #return #home #chance #finish #reeling #Sixers

#Deadspin #Celtics #return #home #chance #finish #reeling #Sixers">

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Apr 26, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) reacts after making a three point basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Boston Celtics can close out the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series with the visiting Philadelphia 76ers in Game 5 on Tuesday night.

After splitting two games in Boston, the second-seeded Celtics took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series by beating the seventh-seeded 76ers twice in Philadelphia.

“Played another about-as-bad-as-you-can-play game,” Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse said following Boston’s 128-96 victory in Game 4. “That’s two out of four in this series. Played well in the other two and we got to get back to playing well quickly. Got to go get one.”

Philadelphia can point to defending the perimeter as one of the must-fix items on the 76ers’ list in order to stave off elimination. The Celtics made 24 3-pointers during Game 4, shooting 48.3% overall and 45.3% from 3-point range.

Payton Pritchard, Boston’s backup point guard, made 6 of 12 3-pointers and tossed in 32 points in the Game 4 victory. Pritchard was 2-of-13 from 3-point territory in the first two games of the series and then made 5 of 10 3-pointers in Boston’s Game 3 win.

“I don’t know if I saw anything different,” Pritchard said. “It’s just more playing with that aggression, playing with that spark. I felt it in Game 3. I was telling some of the coaches I thought it was a step in the right direction as far as my aggression and getting my rhythm back.”

Boston’s 24 3-point field goals set a franchise record for made 3-pointers in a playoff game. Jayson Tatum made five shots from beyond the 3-point arc.

“It was very bad,” Nurse said when asked about his team’s defensive effort in Game 4. “It just didn’t seem like any matchup could guard anybody one-on-one. We had them pushed out and bottled up and physical and really off kind of rhythm for a couple games, and there was none of that “

Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid returned to the court after missing the first three games in the series following an emergency appendectomy on April 9. He finished with a team-high 26 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, but didn’t get a lot of offensive support.

Tyrese Maxey scored 22 points, but attempted only three shots in the first half. VJ Edgecombe was 2-of-9 from the field and had six points.

“That can’t happen,” Maxey said. “That’s on me. That absolutely can’t happen. That’s unacceptable by me. I was playing within the flow of the game and it kind of just happened that way.

” … We can’t win basketball games with that happening and I take full responsibility on that one.”

Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said the Celtics have to be prepared for Philadelphia’s best effort in Game 5.

“Regardless of who we’re playing against, we have to have an understanding that they are a really good team,” he said. “They can beat you on any given night. They’ve got great talent with the three stars that they have (Embiid, Maxey, and Paul George) and their role players when they are at their best … We’ve got to be disciplined on all the things that we can control – physical, mental, emotional, psychological, tactical, all of them.”

The winner of the Celtics/76ers series will meet either third-seeded New York or sixth-seeded Atlanta in the next round. That series is 2-2 headed back to New York for Game 5 Tuesday.

“We’ve got three chances to win one game,” Jaylen Brown said. “And the goal is just to get it done as soon as possible.”

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Celtics #return #home #chance #finish #reeling #Sixers">Deadspin | Celtics return home with chance to finish off reeling Sixers

Apr 26, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) reacts after making a three point basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Boston Celtics can close out the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series with the visiting Philadelphia 76ers in Game 5 on Tuesday night.

After splitting two games in Boston, the second-seeded Celtics took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series by beating the seventh-seeded 76ers twice in Philadelphia.

“Played another about-as-bad-as-you-can-play game,” Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse said following Boston’s 128-96 victory in Game 4. “That’s two out of four in this series. Played well in the other two and we got to get back to playing well quickly. Got to go get one.”

Philadelphia can point to defending the perimeter as one of the must-fix items on the 76ers’ list in order to stave off elimination. The Celtics made 24 3-pointers during Game 4, shooting 48.3% overall and 45.3% from 3-point range.

Payton Pritchard, Boston’s backup point guard, made 6 of 12 3-pointers and tossed in 32 points in the Game 4 victory. Pritchard was 2-of-13 from 3-point territory in the first two games of the series and then made 5 of 10 3-pointers in Boston’s Game 3 win.

“I don’t know if I saw anything different,” Pritchard said. “It’s just more playing with that aggression, playing with that spark. I felt it in Game 3. I was telling some of the coaches I thought it was a step in the right direction as far as my aggression and getting my rhythm back.”

Boston’s 24 3-point field goals set a franchise record for made 3-pointers in a playoff game. Jayson Tatum made five shots from beyond the 3-point arc.

“It was very bad,” Nurse said when asked about his team’s defensive effort in Game 4. “It just didn’t seem like any matchup could guard anybody one-on-one. We had them pushed out and bottled up and physical and really off kind of rhythm for a couple games, and there was none of that “

Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid returned to the court after missing the first three games in the series following an emergency appendectomy on April 9. He finished with a team-high 26 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, but didn’t get a lot of offensive support.

Tyrese Maxey scored 22 points, but attempted only three shots in the first half. VJ Edgecombe was 2-of-9 from the field and had six points.

“That can’t happen,” Maxey said. “That’s on me. That absolutely can’t happen. That’s unacceptable by me. I was playing within the flow of the game and it kind of just happened that way.

” … We can’t win basketball games with that happening and I take full responsibility on that one.”

Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said the Celtics have to be prepared for Philadelphia’s best effort in Game 5.

“Regardless of who we’re playing against, we have to have an understanding that they are a really good team,” he said. “They can beat you on any given night. They’ve got great talent with the three stars that they have (Embiid, Maxey, and Paul George) and their role players when they are at their best … We’ve got to be disciplined on all the things that we can control – physical, mental, emotional, psychological, tactical, all of them.”

The winner of the Celtics/76ers series will meet either third-seeded New York or sixth-seeded Atlanta in the next round. That series is 2-2 headed back to New York for Game 5 Tuesday.

“We’ve got three chances to win one game,” Jaylen Brown said. “And the goal is just to get it done as soon as possible.”

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Celtics #return #home #chance #finish #reeling #Sixers

Deadspin | Giants, John Harbaugh not concerned about WR Malik Nabers’ draft feedback Apr 10, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers sits court-side during the second half of the NBA game between the New York Knicks and the Toronto Raptors at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers traded his helmet for a draft analyst cap and shared a less than flattering assessment of the team’s investment in Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese with the No. 5 pick in the 2026 draft. Among other thoughts shared by Nabers, he said he would have preferred Ohio State teammate Caleb Downs, a safety he “would rather play with than against.” Nabers was at LSU when Downs played for Alabama as a freshman in 2023. Downs was the No. 11 pick to the NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys. “I love (Reese) the player but just like (podcast co-host Micah Parsons) said, where does he play? You want to be on the outside and rush but we just drafted someone last year to that same position,” Nabers said. Head coach John Harbaugh said he reached out to Nabers to explain how Reese could be used in combination with the fully loaded pass-rush group already on hand in New York, including 2025 first-round pick Abdul Carter and edge Brian Burns. “One thing that you’ll kind of probably see as we go here, we don’t get too worried about stuff,” Harbaugh said. “As long as the person’s heart is in the right place, as long as the person really cares … and you really want what’s best for everybody and he’s got a good heart and it’s coming from a good place, say what you think. Put it out there. “We talk all the time about confronting everything that has to do with our football team. And so Malik wants to know how we’re going to use our first-round pick. I want to show him. I want to explain it to him. The fact that he says it publicly, who cares? I know fans are probably thinking the same thing.” New York passed on Downs again with the 10th pick, selecting Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa. Harbaugh said Nabers was at team headquarters on Friday, before the second day of the draft began, and they discussed how Reese would be used. According to the first-year Giants’ coach, Nabers came out of the conversation “fired up” about Reese. “We had a great conversation with that,” Harbaugh said. “Like came in the next morning, sat up there and we were talking about it. He made himself clear. It’s like you even said, if you go back and you watch it, I appreciate kind of where he’s coming from. I mean, you’re in a podcast, you’re talking ball and he’s just like, well, how do they got to use the guy? How’s he going to play? … It’s like he said, ‘I was curious about how you’re going to use him.'” Nabers said the public reaction was more of an overreaction. “First off, we have to stop overreacting,” Nabers said in a social media post. “I would never intentionally take away from the biggest moment/night of Arvell’s life. Very excited to see him play on the team and happy that we have another dawg on the squad!!” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Giants #John #Harbaugh #concerned #Malik #Nabers #draft #feedback

#Deadspin #Giants #John #Harbaugh #concerned #Malik #Nabers #draft #feedback">

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Apr 10, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers sits court-side during the second half of the NBA game between the New York Knicks and the Toronto Raptors at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers traded his helmet for a draft analyst cap and shared a less than flattering assessment of the team’s investment in Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese with the No. 5 pick in the 2026 draft.

Among other thoughts shared by Nabers, he said he would have preferred Ohio State teammate Caleb Downs, a safety he “would rather play with than against.” Nabers was at LSU when Downs played for Alabama as a freshman in 2023. Downs was the No. 11 pick to the NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys.

“I love (Reese) the player but just like (podcast co-host Micah Parsons) said, where does he play? You want to be on the outside and rush but we just drafted someone last year to that same position,” Nabers said.

Head coach John Harbaugh said he reached out to Nabers to explain how Reese could be used in combination with the fully loaded pass-rush group already on hand in New York, including 2025 first-round pick Abdul Carter and edge Brian Burns.

“One thing that you’ll kind of probably see as we go here, we don’t get too worried about stuff,” Harbaugh said. “As long as the person’s heart is in the right place, as long as the person really cares … and you really want what’s best for everybody and he’s got a good heart and it’s coming from a good place, say what you think. Put it out there.

“We talk all the time about confronting everything that has to do with our football team. And so Malik wants to know how we’re going to use our first-round pick. I want to show him. I want to explain it to him. The fact that he says it publicly, who cares? I know fans are probably thinking the same thing.”

New York passed on Downs again with the 10th pick, selecting Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa.

Harbaugh said Nabers was at team headquarters on Friday, before the second day of the draft began, and they discussed how Reese would be used. According to the first-year Giants’ coach, Nabers came out of the conversation “fired up” about Reese.

“We had a great conversation with that,” Harbaugh said. “Like came in the next morning, sat up there and we were talking about it. He made himself clear. It’s like you even said, if you go back and you watch it, I appreciate kind of where he’s coming from. I mean, you’re in a podcast, you’re talking ball and he’s just like, well, how do they got to use the guy? How’s he going to play? … It’s like he said, ‘I was curious about how you’re going to use him.'”

Nabers said the public reaction was more of an overreaction.

“First off, we have to stop overreacting,” Nabers said in a social media post. “I would never intentionally take away from the biggest moment/night of Arvell’s life. Very excited to see him play on the team and happy that we have another dawg on the squad!!”

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Giants #John #Harbaugh #concerned #Malik #Nabers #draft #feedback">Deadspin | Giants, John Harbaugh not concerned about WR Malik Nabers’ draft feedback

Apr 10, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers sits court-side during the second half of the NBA game between the New York Knicks and the Toronto Raptors at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers traded his helmet for a draft analyst cap and shared a less than flattering assessment of the team’s investment in Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese with the No. 5 pick in the 2026 draft.

Among other thoughts shared by Nabers, he said he would have preferred Ohio State teammate Caleb Downs, a safety he “would rather play with than against.” Nabers was at LSU when Downs played for Alabama as a freshman in 2023. Downs was the No. 11 pick to the NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys.

“I love (Reese) the player but just like (podcast co-host Micah Parsons) said, where does he play? You want to be on the outside and rush but we just drafted someone last year to that same position,” Nabers said.

Head coach John Harbaugh said he reached out to Nabers to explain how Reese could be used in combination with the fully loaded pass-rush group already on hand in New York, including 2025 first-round pick Abdul Carter and edge Brian Burns.

“One thing that you’ll kind of probably see as we go here, we don’t get too worried about stuff,” Harbaugh said. “As long as the person’s heart is in the right place, as long as the person really cares … and you really want what’s best for everybody and he’s got a good heart and it’s coming from a good place, say what you think. Put it out there.

“We talk all the time about confronting everything that has to do with our football team. And so Malik wants to know how we’re going to use our first-round pick. I want to show him. I want to explain it to him. The fact that he says it publicly, who cares? I know fans are probably thinking the same thing.”

New York passed on Downs again with the 10th pick, selecting Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa.

Harbaugh said Nabers was at team headquarters on Friday, before the second day of the draft began, and they discussed how Reese would be used. According to the first-year Giants’ coach, Nabers came out of the conversation “fired up” about Reese.

“We had a great conversation with that,” Harbaugh said. “Like came in the next morning, sat up there and we were talking about it. He made himself clear. It’s like you even said, if you go back and you watch it, I appreciate kind of where he’s coming from. I mean, you’re in a podcast, you’re talking ball and he’s just like, well, how do they got to use the guy? How’s he going to play? … It’s like he said, ‘I was curious about how you’re going to use him.'”

Nabers said the public reaction was more of an overreaction.

“First off, we have to stop overreacting,” Nabers said in a social media post. “I would never intentionally take away from the biggest moment/night of Arvell’s life. Very excited to see him play on the team and happy that we have another dawg on the squad!!”

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Giants #John #Harbaugh #concerned #Malik #Nabers #draft #feedback

Deadspin | Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua set for 2026 fight Oct 9, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Deontay Wilder (red/black trunks) and Tyson Fury (black/gold trunks) box during their WBC/Lineal heavyweight championship boxing match at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images Former world heavyweight champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have signed contracts to fight each other for the first time later this year, promoters confirmed Monday. No specific date or venue has been announced for the long-awaited battle of aging British boxers, which will be broadcast live on Netflix. London’s Wembley Stadium and Dublin’s Croke Park reportedly are under consideration. “To my friends in Great Britain — it’s happening. It’s signed,” Saudi boxing booster Turki Al-Sheikh posted on X. “Signed, sealed, delivered! AJ v Fury is on!” Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Productions, posted on Instagram. Fury, 37, is 35-2-1 with 24 knockouts. Fighting for the first time since 2024, he defeated Arslanbek Makhmudov by unanimous decision in a 12-round bout in London on April 11. Joshua, 36, is 29-4 with 26 knockouts. His most recent fight was a sixth-round knockout of Jake Paul in Miami on Dec. 19, 2025. Joshua is scheduled to face Albania’s Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Saudi Arabia. It will be Joshua’s first fight since a car accident in Nigeria last December that claimed the lives of two of his close friends. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Tyson #Fury #Anthony #Joshua #set #fight

#Deadspin #Tyson #Fury #Anthony #Joshua #set #fight">

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Oct 9, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Deontay Wilder (red/black trunks) and Tyson Fury (black/gold trunks) box during their WBC/Lineal heavyweight championship boxing match at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Former world heavyweight champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have signed contracts to fight each other for the first time later this year, promoters confirmed Monday.

No specific date or venue has been announced for the long-awaited battle of aging British boxers, which will be broadcast live on Netflix. London’s Wembley Stadium and Dublin’s Croke Park reportedly are under consideration.

“To my friends in Great Britain — it’s happening. It’s signed,” Saudi boxing booster Turki Al-Sheikh posted on X.

“Signed, sealed, delivered! AJ v Fury is on!” Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Productions, posted on Instagram.

Fury, 37, is 35-2-1 with 24 knockouts. Fighting for the first time since 2024, he defeated Arslanbek Makhmudov by unanimous decision in a 12-round bout in London on April 11.

Joshua, 36, is 29-4 with 26 knockouts. His most recent fight was a sixth-round knockout of Jake Paul in Miami on Dec. 19, 2025.

Joshua is scheduled to face Albania’s Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Saudi Arabia. It will be Joshua’s first fight since a car accident in Nigeria last December that claimed the lives of two of his close friends.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Tyson #Fury #Anthony #Joshua #set #fight">Deadspin | Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua set for 2026 fight

Oct 9, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Deontay Wilder (red/black trunks) and Tyson Fury (black/gold trunks) box during their WBC/Lineal heavyweight championship boxing match at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Former world heavyweight champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have signed contracts to fight each other for the first time later this year, promoters confirmed Monday.

No specific date or venue has been announced for the long-awaited battle of aging British boxers, which will be broadcast live on Netflix. London’s Wembley Stadium and Dublin’s Croke Park reportedly are under consideration.

“To my friends in Great Britain — it’s happening. It’s signed,” Saudi boxing booster Turki Al-Sheikh posted on X.

“Signed, sealed, delivered! AJ v Fury is on!” Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Productions, posted on Instagram.

Fury, 37, is 35-2-1 with 24 knockouts. Fighting for the first time since 2024, he defeated Arslanbek Makhmudov by unanimous decision in a 12-round bout in London on April 11.

Joshua, 36, is 29-4 with 26 knockouts. His most recent fight was a sixth-round knockout of Jake Paul in Miami on Dec. 19, 2025.

Joshua is scheduled to face Albania’s Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Saudi Arabia. It will be Joshua’s first fight since a car accident in Nigeria last December that claimed the lives of two of his close friends.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Tyson #Fury #Anthony #Joshua #set #fight

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