NBA News

CJ McCollum heard it from a hostile MSG crowd after kicking Jalen Brunson in the groin on a jump shot during Game 1. The hometown fans gave him a warm welcome again for introductions ahead of Game 2, and they let him hear it even more after he got face-to-face with Knicks guard Jose Alvarado following an offensive foul call …

NEW YORK — The version of the Atlanta Hawks that entered the 2026 NBA playoffs is drastically different from the one that began the campaign back in October. Franchise centerpiece Trae Young is gone; so, too, is key offseason addition Kristaps Porziņģis. The team dramatically reoriented its identity in early January, changed its starting lineup in February, and hit the …

Well, that was a wild half of playoff basketball. The Denver Nuggets raced out to a 44-25 lead and appeared to be cruising to a 2-0 series lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves Monday night. But the Timberwolves punched back with a 39-25 advantage in the second quarter by repeatedly attacking Denver’s interior defense and almost went into halftime with the …

Even with the Knicks’ fourth quarter collapse, they had an opportunity to hang on for the Game 2 victory at the buzzer. Atlanta’s CJ McCollum played the villain role perfectly all night long, racking up a game-high 32 points on 12-of-22 shooting from the field after hearing it from the MSG crowd. Advertisement The veteran missed a pair of massive …

The Cleveland Cavaliers rode their three best players (Mitchell, Mobley, and Harden) for 83 points to take a 2-0 series lead over the Toronto Raptors. Let’s go over today’s winners, because there were no losers. Advertisement WINNER – BAGcourt It was somewhere between Donovan Mitchell’s second windmill gather and James Harden’s third step-back jumper of the game that I realized …

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers grinded out a sometimes ugly 115-105 win over the Toronto Raptors in Game 2 to take a 2-0 series lead. Much of that success was due to their defense and how they shut down forward Brandon Ingram, thanks in part to the services of Dean Wade. Toronto’s leading scorer was held to just seven points …

Well, CJ McCollum and the Atlanta Hawks are headed home with an even series after all. The Hawks, despite trailing by double digits in the fourth quarter, absolutely shut down the New York Knicks in the final period to grab a 107-106 win in Game 2 of their opening-round playoff series. That tied things up 1-1 as it shifts back …

DENVER (AP) — Timberwolves coach Chris Finch hasn’t gotten over the free-throw disparity in his team’s series-opening loss to the Denver Nuggets. “Maybe we ought to start flopping, too,” Finch said before Game 2 on Monday night. Advertisement More specifically, he was agitated about Jamal Murray going 16 for 16 from the free-throw line. Finch called Murray’s 16 attempts a …

CLEVELAND — It wasn’t pretty, but the Cleveland Cavaliers did enough to grab a 2-0 series lead in what became a somewhat physical game. They defeated the Toronto Raptors 115-105 and are firmly in the driver’s seat as the series shifts north of the border. Head coach Kenny Atkinson was concerned about his team’s intensity level to start Game 2 …

The Cleveland Cavaliers protected home court, as expected, as they walked away from Game 2 of their first-round matchup against the Toronto Raptors victorious and in great position to close out this series sooner rather than later. Despite just modest bench production — 19 points to Toronto’s 45 — Cleveland’s starting lineup and potent offensive system was simply too much for …

NEW YORK (AP) — Backup Mouhamed Gueye bruised his right hip early in Game 2 of the playoffs Monday night, but was able to return to the game late in the first half for an Atlanta Hawks team in need of healthy big bodies against the New York Knicks. Gueye had just come into the game in the first quarter …

Victor Wembanyama was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year Monday, April 20 and made history twice: becoming the first unanimous pick for the award and the youngest winner. Wembanyama, 22 years 106 days, is also the first winner under 23 years old to win the award. The previous youngest winner of DPOY was Dwight Howard, who was 23 years, …

In his third year in the NBA, Victor Wembanyama is finally reaching many milestones we all knew were coming when he entered the league. While he made his first All-Star appearance last season, it was ultimately cut short due to deep vein thrombosis, and he missed out on award and All-NBA eligibility due to only playing in 46 games. (Although …

CLEVELAND, OHIO – APRIL 18: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers defends Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena on April 18, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this …

The question was not whether Victor Wembanyama would win Defensive Player of the Year, but whether he would be the first-ever unanimous winner of the award. Yes, he would be. Wembanyama was officially crowned as the Defensive Player of the Year on Monday, becoming the youngest player ever to win the award at age 22. He also is only the …

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Draymond Green made one thing clear on podcast Monday morning: He doesn’t expect coach Steve Kerr to stick around with the Golden State Warriors. “I hope he’s our coach next year. You want my opinion? I think not, just because it just feels like that, it felt like that was it,” Green said on “The Draymond …

When the doors opened after Lakers practice on Monday, injured stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were nearby as their teammates took some final shots after the session. Doncic, who is back with the team after traveling to Spain to receive treatment for his Grade 2 left hamstring strain, sat out the Lakers’ Game 1 win over the Houston Rockets. …

Multi-year Connecticut starter Solo Ball Jr. will miss the entirety of the 2026-27 season to recover from a wrist injury he played through in 2025-26, the school announced Monday, April 19. He’ll take a medical redshirt to return to action in 2027-28. “Solo is a true husky and a champion that would do anything to be out on the court,” …

There had never been a unanimous NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Until now. Victor Wembanyama — as expected — was announced Monday as the league’s top defensive player. The San Antonio center was second in the voting for DPOY as a rookie, was the favorite last season until a medical condition ended his season prematurely, then left no doubt …

Victor Wembanyama was a virtual lock to win Defensive Player of the Year in 2024-25 before a blood clot cut his season short at 46 games. There were no shortcomings this season. The NBA announced on Monday that Wembanyama won the 2025-26 Defensive Player of the Year award, the first of his three-year NBA career. Advertisement He was the first …

While a regular Peacock subscription begins at $10.99 for a Premium Plan and goes up to $16.99 for the ad-free Premium Plus plan, you can get an ad-supported subscription for free if you’re a Walmart+ subscriber.  Walmart+ members actually get their choice between Paramount+ or Peacock included in their membership at no additional cost. A monthly Walmart+ subscription costs $12.99, …

Well, even the little sliver of optimism I had for this Sixers-Celtics series evaporated rather quickly on Sunday. Boston was dominant and the Sixers looked out-classed in every facet of Game 1. It looks like it’s going to be a long week for Sixers fans as their team marches their way to inevitable doom. Until then, I’ll hit our loyal …

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here. Learn to spell his name. Learn to pronounce his name. Learn to enjoy the absurdities that come when Victor Wembanyama is on the court. They will likely define the next few weeks of the NBA playoffs, to the San Antonio Spurs’ great delight …

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here. The last time I saw a bunch of dinosaurs taking that much of a pounding, Morgan Freeman was narrating an asteroid hitting Earth in the late Cretaceous. Advertisement The Cleveland Cavaliers crushed the Toronto Raptors by 13 points in their series opener this …

Draymond Green thinks that the Steve Kerr era in Golden State is over. Green, speaking on his podcast on Monday, thinks that the longtime Warriors coach won’t be with the organization next season. Their loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday night, which kept them out of the playoffs, felt like the end. “I hope he’s our coach next season,” …