Houston Roundball Review Men's Hoops Blog

2026 NBA Finals Schedule

2026-06-05T22:26:00.000-05:00

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Updated: June 5, 10:26 p.m.

#2 San Antonio vs. #3 New York

Day	Date	Away	Home	Game	Time (CT) / Result	TV
Wed	6/3	New York	San Antonio	1	Knicks 105, Spurs 95.	ABC
Fri	6/5	New York	San Antonio	2	Knicks 105, Spurs 104.	ABC
Mon	6/8	San Antonio	New York	3	7:30 p.m.	ABC
Wed	6/10	San Antonio	New York	4	7:30 p.m.	ABC
Sat	6/13	New York	San Antonio	5*	7:30 p.m.	ABC
Tue	6/16	San Antonio	New York	6*	7:30 p.m.	ABC
Fri	6/19	New York	San Antonio	7*	7:30 p.m.	ABC

Knicks lead series, 2-0.

* - if necessary

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ESPN announces matchups, dates for fourth annual SEC/ACC Men’s Basketball Challenge

2026-06-05T13:03:53.593-05:00

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The SEC/ACC Men’s Basketball Challenges returns for a fourth season in 2026-27, bringing together two of the nation’s premier conferences for 16 matchups across two days of competition.

The SEC/ACC Men’s Challenge will be played Tuesday, Dec. 1, and Wednesday, Dec. 2, All games will air across ESPN networks, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ACC Network and SEC Network, and will stream live on the ESPN App via an applicable subscription.

The men’s Challenge is highlighted by a blockbuster matchup between the top two teams in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25, as Florida (No. 1) welcomes Duke (No. 2) to Gainesville. Additional ranked showdowns include No. 9 Texas at. No. 13 Louisville, No. 11 Arkansas at No. 25 North Carolina, No. 15 Alabama at No. 20 Miami and No. 14 Virginia hosting No. 17 Kentucky. Overall, 13 teams featured in ESPN’s preseason Top 25 will participate in this year’s Men’s Challenge.

The 2025 Men’s Challenge posted double-digit year-over-year viewership gains, with audiences up 25%. Florida vs. Duke (1.7 million viewers) and North Carolina vs. Kentucky (1.5 million viewers) paced the men’s Challenge.

Coverage details, including start times, network designations and commentator information, will be announced closer to the 2026-27 college basketball season.

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Knicks in 6

2026-06-01T12:17:07.014-05:00

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2026 NBA Playoffs Schedule Update - Western Conference Finals

2026-05-30T21:49:00.000-05:00

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Updated: 5/30, 9:49 p.m.

#1 Oklahoma City vs. #2 San Antonio

Day	Date	Away	Home	Game	Time (CT) / Result	TV
Mon	5/18	San Antonio	Oklahoma City	1	San Antonio 122, OKC 114 - 2OT.	NBC / Peacock
Wed	5/20	San Antonio	Oklahoma City	2	OKC 122, San Antonio 113.	NBC / Peacock
Fri	5/22	Oklahoma City	San Antonio	3	OKC 123, San Antonio 108.	NBC / Peacock
Sun	5/24	Oklahoma City	San Antonio	4	San Antonio 103, OKC 82.	NBC / Peacock
Tue	5/26	San Antonio	Oklahoma City	5	OKC 127, San Antonio 114.	NBC / Peacock
Thu	5/28	Oklahoma City	San Antonio	6	San Antonio 118, OKC 91.	NBC / Peacock
Sat	5/30	San Antonio	Oklahoma City	7	San Antonio 111, OKC 103.	NBC / Peacock

San Antonio won series, 4-3, and advances to the 2026 NBA Finals.

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NBA Board of Governors Approves New Draft Lottery System to Address Tanking

2026-05-28T16:35:02.433-05:00

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The NBA Board of Governors today approved a new NBA Draft Lottery system designed to eliminate incentives for teams to prioritize their position in the Draft over winning games.

The “3-2-1 Lottery” expands the lottery from 14 to 16 teams and flattens odds among teams that do not qualify for the NBA Playoffs or NBA Play-In Tournament. The new system will take effect beginning with the 2027 NBA Draft.

KEY ELEMENTS OF THE 3-2-1 LOTTERY

Flattened Odds and Draft Relegation: Each team participating in the Draft Lottery will receive three, two or one lottery ball for the drawing. Teams that do not qualify for the NBA Playoffs or NBA Play-In Tournament will receive three lottery balls each, except that – to provide an increased incentive to win – the teams with the three worst records will be “draft relegated” and lose one of their lottery balls. The No. 9 and No. 10 Play-In seeds in each conference will receive two lottery balls each, while the losers of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 Play-In games in each conference will receive one lottery ball each.

Lottery Drawing: Lottery balls allocated to all 16 participating teams will be drawn to determine the order of selection for the first 16 picks in the first round of the NBA Draft.

Pick Floors: Each draft-relegated team will receive, at worst, the No. 12 pick in the NBA Draft. All other lottery teams can fall as far as the No. 16 pick.

Pick Restrictions: No team’s pick will be permitted to be the first pick in two consecutive NBA Drafts or a top-five pick in three consecutive NBA Drafts. These restrictions will apply only to each team’s own pick without regard to whether that pick has been retained by the team or traded to (and thus held by) another team.

Pick Protections: Teams will be unable to attach top-12 through top-15 protections to newly traded draft picks.

Discipline: The league will have expanded disciplinary authority to address tanking, including the ability to reduce teams’ lottery odds, modify teams’ draft positions and impose significant fines on offending teams.

Since October, the league office has met with key stakeholders to discuss current competitive incentives and solicit ideas aimed at discouraging tanking. That process led to the creation of the 3-2-1 Lottery.

The 3-2-1 Lottery will be in effect for the 2027, 2028 and 2029 NBA Drafts. Rules governing selection order beginning with the 2030 NBA Draft will be determined by a vote of the Board of Governors.

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2026 NBA Playoffs Schedule Update - Eastern Conference Finals

2026-05-25T22:14:00.000-05:00

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Updated: May 25, 10:14 p.m.

#3 New York vs #4 Cleveland

Day	Date	Away	Home	Game	Time (CT) / Result	TV
Tue	5/19	Cleveland	New York	1	New York 115, Cleveland 104 - OT.	ESPN
Thu	5/21	Cleveland	New York	2	New York 109, Cleveland 93.	ESPN
Sat	5/23	New York	Cleveland	3	New York 121, Cleveland 108.	ABC
Mon	5/25	New York	Cleveland	4	New York 130, Cleveland 93.	ESPN

New York won series, 4-0, and advances to the 2026 NBA Finals.

* - if necessary

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2025-26 KIA All-NBA Team Announced

2026-05-24T20:00:21.712-05:00

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The NBA today announced the 2025-26 Kia All-NBA Team.

A global media panel of 100 voters selected the Kia All-NBA Team. Voters selected five players to the First Team, five players to the Second Team and five players to the Third Team regardless of position. Players received five points for each First Team vote, three points for each Second Team vote and one point for each Third Team vote.

The 2025-26 Kia All-NBA Team appears below. The complete voting results are attached. The balloting was tabulated by the independent accounting firm Ernst & Young LLP.

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2026 NBA Playoffs Schedule Update - Conference Semifinals

2026-05-17T21:48:00.000-05:00

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Updated -- May 17, 9:48 p.m.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#1 Detroit vs. #4 Cleveland

Day	Date	Away	Home	Game	Time (CT) / Result	TV
Tue	5/5	Cleveland	Detroit	1	Detroit 111, Cleveland 101.	Peacock / NBCSN
Thu	5/7	Cleveland	Detroit	2	Detroit 107, Cleveland 97.	Prime
Sat	5/9	Detroit	Cleveland	3	Cleveland 116, Detroit 109.	NBC / Peacock
Mon	5/11	Detroit	Cleveland	4	Cleveland 112, Detroit 103.	NBC / Peacock
Wed	5/13	Cleveland	Detroit	5	Cleveland 117, Detroit 113 - OT.	ESPN
Fri	5/15	Detroit	Cleveland	6	Detroit 115, Cleveland 94.	Prime
Sun	5/17	Cleveland	Detroit	7	Cleveland 125, Detroit 94.	Prime

Cleveland won the series tied, 4-3, and advances to the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals.

#3 New York vs. #7 Philadelphia

Day	Date	Away	Home	Game	Time (CT) / Result	TV
Mon	5/4	Philadelphia	New York	1	New York 137, Philly 98.	NBC / Peacock
Wed	5/6	Philadelphia	New York	2	New York 108, Philly 102.	ESPN
Fri	5/8	New York	Philadelphia	3	New York 108, Philly 94.	Prime
Sun	5/10	New York	Philadelphia	4	New York 144, Philly 114.	ABC

New York won series, 4-0, and advances to the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals.

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WESTERN CONFERENCE

#1 Oklahoma City vs. #4 LA Lakers

Day	Date	Away	Home	Game	Time (CT) / Result	TV
Tue	5/5	LA Lakers	Oklahoma City	1	OKC 108, Lakers 90.	NBC / Peacock
Thu	5/7	LA Lakers	Oklahoma City	2	OKC 125, Lakers 107.	Prime
Sat	5/9	Oklahoma City	LA Lakers	3	OKC 131, Lakers 108.	ABC
Mon	5/11	Oklahoma City	LA Lakers	4	OKC 115, Lakers 110.	Prime

Oklahoma City won series, 4-0, and advances to the 2026 Western Conference Finals.

#2 San Antonio vs. #6 Minnesota

Day	Date	Away	Home	Game	Time (CT) / Result	TV
Mon	5/4	Minnesota	San Antonio	1	Minnesota 104, San Antonio 102.	Peacock / NBCSN
Wed	5/6	Minnesota	San Antonio	2	San Antonio 133, Minnesota 95.	ESPN
Fri	5/8	San Antonio	Minnesota	3	San Antonio 115, Minnesota 108.	Prime
Sun	5/10	San Antonio	Minnesota	4	Minnesota 114, San Antonio 109.	NBC / Peacock
Tue	5/12	Minnesota	San Antonio	5	San Antonio 126, Minnesota 97.	NBC / Peacock
Fri	5/15	San Antonio	Minnesota	6	San Antonio 139, Minnesota 109.	Prime

San Antonio won series, 4-2, and advances to the 2026 Western Conference Finals.

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NBPA Statement Regarding the Passing of Jason Collins

2026-05-12T18:47:02.179-05:00

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The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) deeply mourns the passing of our brother, Jason Collins. A beloved teammate across 13 NBA seasons, he was universally respected for his on-court toughness and off-court kindness.

In 2013, Jason changed sports forever by becoming the first active male athlete in a major North American team sport to publicly come out. His courage shattered barriers, making him a global beacon of hope for the LGBTQ+ community. He worked relentlessly to foster inclusion in locker rooms, schools, and communities, challenging us all to be more empathetic.

The NBPA is proud to call Jason one of our own. Today, we mourn a devastating loss while celebrating a trailblazer whose legacy of bravery and inclusion will resonate for generations.

Our deepest condolences go out to Jason’s husband, Brunson Green; his brother, Jarron Collins; and all those who loved and were inspired by him.

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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's Statement Regarding the Passing of Jason Collins

2026-05-12T17:49:03.623-05:00

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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued the following statement today regarding the passing of NBA Cares Ambassador and former NBA player Jason Collins:

“Jason Collins’ impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations. He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador. Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others.

“On behalf of the NBA, I send my heartfelt condolences to Jason’s husband, Brunson, and his family, friends and colleagues across our leagues.”

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Statement on Behalf of the Family of Jason Collins

2026-05-12T17:45:10.303-05:00

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The following statement was issued today on behalf of the family of Jason Collins:

“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma.

“Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”

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NBPA Statement Regarding the Passing of Brandon Clarke

2026-05-12T15:05:00.000-05:00

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NBPA Executive Director Andre Iguodala and NBPA President Fred VanVleet issued the following statement today regarding the passing of Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke:

“We are heartbroken by the tragic passing of our brother, Brandon Clarke. This is an incredible loss for the brotherhood. We will remember Brandon not only for the immense joy he brought to so many throughout his career, but for the genuine friendships he built far beyond basketball. Our deepest condolences go out to Brandon’s family, friends, and teammates during this difficult time.”

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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's Statement Regarding the Passing of Brandon Clarke

2026-05-12T14:25:00.000-05:00

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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued the following statement today regarding the passing of Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke:

“We are devastated to learn of the passing of Brandon Clarke. As one of the longest-tenured members of the Grizzlies, Brandon was a beloved teammate and leader who played the game with enormous passion and grit. Our thoughts and sympathies are with Brandon’s family, friends and the Grizzlies organization.”

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Washington Wins 2026 NBA Draft Lottery

2026-05-10T16:31:00.001-05:00

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The Washington Wizards today won 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, which was conducted at Navy Pier in Chicago. The Wizards will have the first overall pick in 2026 NBA Draft, which will be held Tuesday, June 23 (First Round) and Wednesday, June 24 (Second Round) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Premium experiences and exclusive hospitality packages for the First Round are currently available at NBAEvents.com. Tickets for the First Round live at Barclays Center go on sale to the General Public on Monday, May 18, at 11 a.m. CT, at Ticketmaster.com.

Below are the results from 2026 NBA Draft Lottery:

Washington
Utah
Memphis
Chicago
LA Clippers (from Indiana)
Brooklyn
Sacramento
Atlanta (from New Orleans)
Dallas
Milwaukee
Golden State
Oklahoma City (from the LA Clippers)
Miami
Charlotte

Below is the order for the remainder of the first round of 2026 NBA Draft:

15. Chicago (from Portland)

16. Memphis (from Phoenix via Orlando)

17. Oklahoma City (from Philadelphia)

18. Charlotte (from Orlando via Phoenix)

19. Toronto

20. San Antonio (from Atlanta)

21. Detroit (from Minnesota)

22. Philadelphia (from Houston via Oklahoma City)

23. Atlanta (from Cleveland)

24. New York

25. Los Angeles Lakers

26. Denver

27. Boston

28. Minnesota (from Detroit)

29. Cleveland (from San Antonio via Atlanta)

30. Dallas (from Oklahoma City via Washington and Philadelphia)

Note: The draft order above assumes that a team with the right to swap one pick for another exercises such right only if it is favorable to do so.

Below is the order for the second round of 2026 NBA Draft:

31. New York (from Washington via Oklahoma City and Houston)

32. Memphis (from Indiana via Milwaukee)

33. Brooklyn

34. Sacramento

35. San Antonio (from Utah via Minnesota)

36. LA Clippers (from Memphis via Atlanta and Utah)

37. Oklahoma City (from Dallas)

38. Chicago (from New Orleans via Boston, Detroit, and Portland)

39. Houston (from Chicago via Washington)

40. Boston (from Milwaukee via Orlando)

41. Miami (from Golden State via Charlotte, New York, Oklahoma City, and Atlanta)

42. San Antonio (from Portland via New Orleans)

43. Brooklyn (from the LA Clippers via Houston)

44. San Antonio (from Miami via Indiana)

45. Sacramento (from Charlotte via San Antonio, Atlanta, and New York)

46. Orlando

47. Phoenix (from Philadelphia via Houston and Oklahoma City)

48. Dallas (from Phoenix via Washington)

49. Denver (from Atlanta via Brooklyn and Golden State)

50. Toronto

51. Washington (from Minnesota via Detroit and New York)

52. LA Clippers (from Cleveland)

53. Houston

54. Golden State (from the Los Angeles Lakers via Toronto, Miami, and Cleveland)

55. New York

56. Chicago (from Denver via Minnesota, Phoenix, Charlotte, and Phoenix)

57. Atlanta (from Boston)

58. New Orleans (from Detroit via New York, Brooklyn, Phoenix, Orlando, and the LA Clippers)

59. Minnesota (from San Antonio via Indiana)

60. Washington (from Oklahoma City via San Antonio and Miami)

Note: The draft order above assumes that a team with the right to swap one pick for another exercises such right only if it is favorable to do so.

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Celtics' Jaylen Brown Fined $50000

2026-05-05T19:30:00.001-05:00

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Boston Celtics guard-forward Jaylen Brown has been fined $50,000 for public criticism of the officiating, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.

Brown made his comments on a livestream on May 3 following the Celtics’ 109-100 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of their first-round playoff series on May 2 at TD Garden.

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2026 NBA Playoffs Schedule Update - First Round

2026-05-03T21:25:00.000-05:00

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Updated -- May 3, 9:25 p.m.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#1 Detroit vs. #8 Orlando

Day	Date	Away	Home	Game	Time (CT) / Result	TV
Sun	4/19	Orlando	Detroit	1	Orlando 112, Detroit 91.	NBC / Peacock
Wed	4/22	Orlando	Detroit	2	Detroit 98, Orlando 83.	ESPN
Sat	4/25	Detroit	Orlando	3	Orlando 113, Detroit 105.	Peacock / NBCSN
Mon	4/27	Detroit	Orlando	4	Orlando 94, Detroit 88.	NBC / Peacock
Wed	4/29	Orlando	Detroit	5	Detroit 116, Orlando 109.	Prime
Fri	5/1	Detroit	Orlando	6	Detroit 93, Orlando 79.	Prime
Sun	5/3	Orlando	Detroit	7	Detroit 116, Orlando.	ABC

Detroit won series, 4-3.

#2 Boston vs. #7 Philadelphia

Day	Date	Away	Home	Game	Time (CT) / Result	TV
Sun	4/19	Philadelphia	Boston	1	Boston 123, Philly 91.	ABC
Tue	4/21	Philadelphia	Boston	2	Philly 111, Boston 97.	Peacock / NBCSN
Fri	4/24	Boston	Philadelphia	3	Boston 108, Philly 100.	Prime
Sun	4/26	Boston	Philadelphia	4	Boston 128, Philly 96.	NBC
Tue	4/28	Philadelphia	Boston	5	Philly 113, Boston 97.	ESPN
Thu	4/30	Boston	Philadelphia	6	Philly 106, Boston 93.	Peacock / NBCSN
Sat	5/2	Philadelphia	Boston	7	Philly 109, Boston 100.	NBC / Peacock

Philadelphia won series, 4-3.

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#3 New York vs. #6 Atlanta

Day	Date	Away	Home	Game	Time (CT) / Result	TV
Sat	4/18	Atlanta	New York	1	New York 113, Atlanta 102.	Prime
Mon	4/20	Atlanta	New York	2	Atlanta 107, New York 106.	NBC
Thu	4/23	New York	Atlanta	3	Atlanta 109, New York 108.	Prime
Sat	4/25	New York	Atlanta	4	New York 114, Atlanta 98.	NBC / Peacock
Tue	4/28	Atlanta	New York	5	New York 126, Atlanta 97.	NBC / Peacock
Thu	4/30	New York	Atlanta	6	New York 140, Atlanta 89.	ESPN

New York won series, 4-2.

#4 Cleveland vs #5 Toronto

Day	Date	Away	Home	Game	Time (CT) / Result	TV
Sat	4/18	Toronto	Cleveland	1	Cleveland 126, Toronto 113.	Prime
Mon	4/20	Toronto	Cleveland	2	Cleveland 115, Toronto 105.	Peacock / NBCSN
Thu	4/23	Cleveland	Toronto	3	Toronto 126, Cleveland 104.	Prime
Sun	4/26	Cleveland	Toronto	4	Toronto 93, Cleveland 89.	ESPN
Wed	4/29	Toronto	Cleveland	5	Cleveland 125, Toronto 120.	ESPN
Fri	5/1	Cleveland	Toronto	6	Toronto 112, Cleveland 110 - OT.	Prime
Sun	5/3	Toronto	Cleveland	7	Cleveland 114, Toronto 102.	NBC / Peacock

Cleveland won series, 4-3.

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WESTERN CONFERENCE

#1 Oklahoma City vs. #8 Phoenix

Day	Date	Away	Home	Game	Time (CT) / Result	TV
Sun	4/19	Phoenix	Oklahoma City	1	OKC 119, Phoenix 84.	ABC
Wed	4/22	Phoenix	Oklahoma City	2	OKC 120 , Phoenix 107.	ESPN
Sat	4/25	Oklahoma City	Phoenix	3	OKC 121, Phoenix 109.	NBC / Peacock
Mon	4/27	Oklahoma City	Phoenix	4	OKC 131, Phoenix 122.	Peacock / NBCSN

Oklahoma City won series, 4-0.

#2 San Antonio vs. #7 Portland

Day	Date	Away	Home	Game	Time (CT) / Result	TV
Sun	4/19	Portland	San Antonio	1	San Antonio 111, Portland 98.	NBC / Peacock
Tue	4/21	Portland	San Antonio	2	Portland 106, San Antonio 103.	NBC / Peacock
Fri	4/24	San Antonio	Portland	3	San Antonio 120, Portland 108.	Prime
Sun	4/26	San Antonio	Portland	4	San Antonio 114, Portland 93.	ESPN
Tue	4/28	Portland	San Antonio	5	San Antonio 114, Portland 95.	ESPN

San Antonio won series, 4-1.

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#3 Denver vs. #6 Minnesota

Day	Date	Away	Home	Game	Time (CT) / Result	TV
Sat	4/18	Minnesota	Denver	1	Denver 116, Minnesota 105.	Prime
Mon	4/20	Minnesota	Denver	2	Minnesota 119, Denver 114.	NBC / Peacock
Thu	4/23	Denver	Minnesota	3	Minnesota 113, Denver 96.	Prime
Sat	4/25	Denver	Minnesota	4	Minnesota 112, Denver 96.	ABC
Mon	4/27	Minnesota	Denver	5	Denver 125, Minnesota 113.	NBC / Peacock
Thu	4/30	Denver	Minnesota	6	Minnesota 110, Denver 98.	ESPN

Minnesota won series, 4-2.

#4 L.A. Lakers vs #5 Houston

Day	Date	Away	Home	Game	Time (CT) / Result	TV
Sat	4/18	Houston	L.A. Lakers	1	Lakers 107, Rockets 98.	ABC
Tue	4/21	Houston	L.A. Lakers	2	Lakers 101, Rockets 94.	NBC / Peacock
Fri	4/24	L.A. Lakers	Houston	3	Lakers 112, Rockets 108 - OT.	Prime
Sun	4/26	L.A. Lakers	Houston	4	Houston 115, Lakers 96.	NBC / Peacock
Wed	4/29	Houston	L.A. Lakers	5	Houston 99, Lakers 93.	ESPN
Fri	5/1	L.A. Lakers	Houston	6	Lakers 98, Rockets 78.	Prime

Lakers won series, 4-2.

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Hawks' Daniels and Knicks' Robinson Fined

2026-05-01T19:34:00.001-05:00

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New York Knicks center-forward Mitchell Robinson has been fined $50,000 and Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels has been fined $25,000 for their roles in an on-court altercation, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.

With 4:39 remaining in the second quarter of the Knicks’ 140-89 victory over the Hawks in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series on April 30 at State Farm Arena, Robinson and Daniels became entangled while battling for position during a free throw attempt. Both players escalated the altercation with Robinson continuing to aggressively pursue Daniels after the players had been separated. The altercation resulted in both players being assessed technical fouls and ejected.

The amount of Robinson’s fine takes into account his inappropriate post on social media in reference to the incident postgame.

To view the incident, click here.

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Lakers' Smart and Kennard Fined

2026-04-27T22:12:00.000-05:00

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Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart has been fined $35,000 for questioning the integrity of game officials and Lakers guard Luke Kennard has been fined $25,000 for directing inappropriate language toward game officials, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.

The incidents occurred following the conclusion of the Houston Rockets’ 115-96 victory over the Lakers in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on April 26 at Toyota Center.

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Dallas' Cooper Flagg Named 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year

2026-04-27T18:58:00.003-05:00

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Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg has been named the 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year, earning the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy.

Led all rookies in scoring (21.0 ppg) and ranked fourth in rebounding (6.7 rpg), second in assists (4.5 apg) and steals (1.20 spg), and fifth in blocks (0.91 bpg) in 70 games
Joined Michael Jordan as the only rookies to lead their team in total points (1,473), rebounds (466), assists (316) and steals (84) since steals were first recorded in 1973-74
Youngest player in NBA history to score at least 50 points in a game (51 vs. Orlando Magic on April 3)
First rookie to have four or more games with at least 40 points since Allen Iverson in 1996-97
Second-youngest NBA Rookie of the Year winner (19 years, 112 days as of April 12, the final day of the regular season), behind only LeBron James (19 years, 106 days in 2003-04)

A global media panel of 100 voters selected the winner of the 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year Award. The balloting was tabulated by the independent accounting firm Ernst & Young LLP.

The 26-point margin between the first- and second-place finishers is the second smallest in NBA Rookie of the Year voting under the current format (since 2002-03), behind only the 15-point margin in 2021-22. The complete voting results are below.

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Nuggets’ Jokić and Timberwolves’ Randle Fined

2026-04-26T18:47:00.001-05:00

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Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić has been fined $50,000 and Minnesota Timberwolves forward-center Julius Randle has been fined $35,000 for their roles in an on-court altercation, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.

With 1.3 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of the Timberwolves’ 112-96 victory over the Nuggets in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on April 25 at Target Center, Jokić initiated the incident by confronting and shoving Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels. Randle escalated the incident by forcefully inserting himself into the scrum and shoving Nuggets guard-forward Bruce Brown. Jokić and Randle were assessed technical fouls and ejected from the game.

To view the incident, click here.

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Suns' Devin Booker Fined $35000

2026-04-23T20:40:00.002-05:00

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Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker has been fined $35,000 for public criticism of the officiating, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. Following an investigation including multiple interviews and video review, the league found no basis to any claim of bias or misconduct by game officials.

Booker made his comments to the press following the Suns’ 120-107 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series on April 22 at Paycom Center.

The NBA also determined that Booker’s technical foul at 2:05 in the third quarter was improperly assessed and it has therefore been rescinded.

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San Antonio's Keldon Johnson named 2025-26 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year

2026-04-22T18:36:00.004-05:00

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San Antonio Spurs guard-forward Keldon Johnson has been named the 2025-26 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year, earning the John Havlicek Trophy.

Averaged 13.2 points and 5.4 rebounds in 23.3 minutes as the NBA’s only player to play all 82 games off the bench
Set a San Antonio franchise record with 1,081 bench points, the second most in the NBA
Shot 51.9% from the field, his highest mark since his rookie season in 2019-20
Helped the Spurs finish with the NBA’s second-best record (62-20)
Second player to win the Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award with San Antonio (Manu Ginóbili, 2007-08)

To be eligible for the Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award, a player had to have come off the bench in more games than he started.

A global media panel of 100 voters selected the winner of the 2025-26 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award. The balloting was tabulated by the independent accounting firm Ernst & Young LLP. The complete voting results are below.

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San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama Named 2025-26 NBA Defensive Player of the Year

2026-04-20T20:27:00.002-05:00

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San Antonio Spurs forward-center Victor Wembanyama has been named the 2025-26 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, earning the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy.

First unanimous NBA Defensive Player of the Year selection since the award’s inception in 1982-83
Youngest NBA Defensive Player of the Year recipient (22 years, 98 days on April 12, the final day of the regular season)
First player to win the award within his first three seasons since David Robinson (1991-92, San Antonio)
Led the NBA in blocks per game (3.08) for a third straight season, becoming just the third player to accomplish the feat (Dikembe Mutombo, Marcus Camby)
Helped lead the Spurs to the NBA’s No. 3 ranking in defensive rating; San Antonio allowed 10.1 fewer points per 100 possessions with him on the court than off

A global media panel of 100 voters selected the winner of the 2025-26 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. The balloting was tabulated by the independent accounting firm Ernst & Young LLP. The complete voting results are below.

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2026 NBA Playoffs Schedule Update - April 18 and 19

2026-04-18T00:05:00.000-05:00

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Updated: April 18, 12:05 a.m.

Please be advised of the 2026 NBA Playoffs First Round Schedule for Game 1s on April 18 & 19:

Day	Date	Away	Home	Game	Time (CT) /	TV
Sat	4/18	5-seed Toronto	4-seed Cleveland	1	12:00 pm	Prime
Sat	4/18	6-seed Minnesota	3-seed Denver	1	2:30 pm	Prime
Sat	4/18	6-seed Atlanta	3-seed New York	1	5:00 pm	Prime
Sat	4/18	5-seed Houston	4-seed L.A. Lakers	1	7:30 pm	ABC

Day	Date	Away	Home	Game	Time (CT) /	TV
Sun	4/19	7-seed Philly	2-seed Boston	1	12:00 pm	ABC
Sun	4/19	8-seed Phoenix	1-seed OKC	1	2:30 pm	ABC
Sun	4/19	8-seed Orlando	1-seed Detroit	1	5:30 pm	NBC
Sun	4/19	7-seed Portland	2-seed San Antonio	1	8:00 pm	NBC

Schedule Subject to Change

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2026 NBA Play-In Tournament Schedule

2026-04-17T23:48:00.000-05:00

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Updated, April 17, 2025 - 11:48 p.m.

Game	Away	Home	Central Time / Result	TV
		Tuesday, April 14
1	Miami - 10th Place	Charlotte - 9th Place	Charlotte 127, Miami 126 in OT.	Prime
2	Portland - 8th Place	Phoenix - 7th Place	Portland 114, Phoenix 110.	Prime
		Wednesday, April 15
3	Orlando - 8th Place	Philadelphia - 7th Place	Philadelphia 109, Orlando 97.	Prime
4	Golden State - 10th Place	LA Clippers - 9th Place	Golden State 126, LAC 121.	Prime
		Friday, April 17
5	Charlotte - 9th Place	Orlando - 8th Place	Orlando 121, Charlotte 90.	Prime
6	Golden State - 10th Place	Phoenix - 7th Place	Phoenix 111, Golden State 96.	Prime

Game 1 Final: Charlotte 127, Miami 126 in OT. Miami is eliminated. Charlotte advances to Game 5 on Friday, April 17, to face Orlando. The winner of the Charlotte - Orlando game will be the 8th seed and face the 1-seed Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

Game 2 Final: Portland 114, Phoenix 110. Portland earns the 7th seed and will face 2-seed San Antonio in the 1st round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Phoenix will play the winner of the Golden State - LA Clippers game on Friday, April 17. The winner of that game will be the 8th seed and face 1-seed Oklahoma City in the 1st round.

Game 3 Final: Philly 109, Orlando 97. Philly earns the 7th seed and will face 2-seed Boston in the 1st round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

Game 4 Final: Golden State 126, LA Clippers 121. Clippers eliminated. Golden State advances to Game 6 on Friday, April 17, to face Phoenix. The winner of the Golden State - Phoenix game will be the 8th seed and face the 1-seed Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

Game 5 Final: Orlando 121, Charlotte 90. Charlotte eliminated. Orlando earns the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs and will face the 1-seed Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

Game 6 Final: Phoenix 111, Golden State 96. Golden State eliminated. Phoenix earns the 8th seed in the Western Conference Playoffs and fill face the 1-seed Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

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