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Offseason | NBA Week 26

NBA roundup: Thunder rout Mavs, claim No. 1 seed in West

Mon Apr 15 12:07am ET
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 points in just 16 minutes as the Oklahoma City Thunder left no doubt, blowing out the visiting Dallas Mavericks 135-86 on Sunday.

The Thunder finished the regular season with a five-game winning streak to claim the top seed in the Western Conference for the first time since the 2012-13 season. They held both the tiebreaker with the Nuggets and the three-way tiebreaker; Denver winning sealed the Thunder's playoff position.

Oklahoma City had seven players finish in double figures, with Aaron Wiggins scoring 14 off the bench and Ousmane Dieng contributing 13. Rookie Chet Holmgren scored 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting with nine rebounds in just 11:32.

With the Mavericks' playoff position set, they sat all of their starters other than Tim Hardaway Jr. Brandon Williams led the Mavericks with 22 points and Olivier-Maxence Prosper added 15 as Dallas finished a season-low 33 percent from the field.


Suns 125, Timberwolves 106

Bradley Beal scored 36 points on 14-for-21 shooting, including 6-for-6 from beyond the arc, and Phoenix cruised past Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Devin Booker added 23 points and seven assists for the Suns, who moved past New Orleans for the sixth seed in the Western Conference, escaping the play-in tournament.

Rudy Gobert scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead Minnesota. The Timberwolves entered the game in a three-way tie for the best record in the Western Conference, but they dropped to the No. 3 seed after losing on Sunday while the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets both won to secure the top two spots.

Knicks 120, Bulls 119 (OT)

Jalen Brunson recorded 40 points, eight rebounds and seven assists and New York landed the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference by holding off visiting Chicago in overtime.

A loss to the Orlando Magic by the Milwaukee Bucks aided the Knicks, who registered their second 50-win season in 24 seasons. Donte DiVincenzo added 25 points for the Knicks, who took the lead for good after DiVincenzo's 3-pointer gave them a 114-112 lead with 3:13 remaining in overtime.

DeMar DeRozan paced the Bulls with 30 points, five rebounds and five assists. Nikola Vucevic finished with a 29-point, 11-rebound double-double and Coby White had 26 points.

Celtics 132, Wizards 122

Payton Pritchard scored a career-high 38 points and added 12 assists and nine rebounds as Boston beat visiting Washington.

Pritchard made 15 of 21 field-goal attempts. Svi Mykhailiuk had 26 points for the Celtics, who received 19 points and nine rebounds from Neemias Queta.

Eugene Omoruyi led Washington with 26 points, and Jared Butler added 22. The Wizards ended their season on a six-game losing streak.

Pacers 157, Hawks 115

Myles Turner racked up 31 points and 12 rebounds as Indiana clinched an Eastern Conference playoff spot with a lopsided victory over Atlanta in Indianapolis.

By matching their highest-scoring performance in franchise history, the Pacers earned the No. 6 seed in the East and will play the third-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the playoffs. Pascal Siakam added 28 points as seven Pacers scored in double figures. Indiana shot a stunning 65 percent overall (65 of 100) and went 19-for-36 from beyond the arc (52.8 percent).

Dejounte Murray scored 32 points to pace the Hawks, who are set to face the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the play-in tournament.

Warriors 123, Jazz 116

Klay Thompson scored 25 points, but Golden State couldn't improve from 10th place in the Western Conference despite a victory over visiting Utah in the regular-season finale.

The Warriors will face the Sacramento Kings in an elimination game on Tuesday to tip off the Western play-in event. Golden State elected to rest Stephen Curry and Draymond Green on the eve of the playoffs, and limited Thompson to 20 minutes, during which he had enough time to shoot 6-for-12 on 3-pointers en route to his game-high point total. Gui Santos finished with 13 points and Lester Quinones 12 among Golden State's game-ending group. Andrew Wiggins had 19 in a starting role, while Dario Saric chipped in with 12.

Keyonte George paced Utah with 21 points, while Omer Yurtseven put up a double-double with 11 points to complement a game-high 18 rebounds.

Nuggets 126, Grizzlies 111

Jamal Murray scored 21 points, Nikola Jokic had 15 points and 15 rebounds and visiting Denver beat Memphis to secure the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.

Denver moved past Minnesota, which lost at home to Phoenix on Sunday, and will begin the first round of the playoffs against the winner of Tuesday night's play-in game between the No. 7 New Orleans Pelicans and No. 8 Los Angeles Lakers. The Nuggets bounced back from a disappointing loss at San Antonio on Friday night to tie the franchise record for wins set in the 2012-13 season and give head coach Michael Malone his 424th career win. Christian Braun had 19 points and 10 rebounds, Aaron Gordon had 15 points, Michael Porter Jr. added 12 and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Reggie Jackson and Peyton Watson scored 11 each.

GG Jackson scored a career-high 44 points, Jake LaRavia had 29 and Scotty Pippen Jr. finished with 15 for the Grizzlies.

Magic 113, Bucks 88

Paolo Banchero had 26 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists and Orlando clinched a playoff spot with a rout of visiting Milwaukee.

Franz Wagner added 25 points and three steals as the Magic earned their first playoff berth since the 2019-20 season. Orlando is the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference and will face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round.

The Bucks lost for the eighth time in the past 11 games. Milwaukee will be the 3 seed in the East and will face the Indiana Pacers in the first round.

Heat 118, Raptors 103

Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro scored 17 points each as host Miami routed out-of-contention Toronto.

With the game virtually decided after three quarters, the Heat went to their bench, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. finished with 18 points. Reserve Thomas Bryant also had 18 points and added 10 rebounds. Despite the win, the Heat will have to settle for the play-in round as the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. They will face the No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers in the play-in round on Wednesday.

Toronto was led by Gary Trent Jr., who had 18 points. Toronto was missing several injured standouts, including starters Scottie Barnes (hand), RJ Barrett (knee) and Immanuel Quickley (adductor).

Hornets 120, Cavaliers 110

Nick Smith Jr. pumped in 24 points to lead a bunch of backups as Charlotte ended the season by beating playoff-bound host Cleveland.

The Hornets were sparked on a late 15-2 burst by Smith, Amari Bailey and JT Thor (20 points), surging to a 117-110 lead with less than two minutes to play. It was the final game for Charlotte coach Steve Clifford, who will move into a front-office role with the organization.

Max Strus recorded his first career triple-double with 14 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who finished fourth in the Eastern Conference for the playoffs beginning Saturday against the Orlando Magic. Cleveland also used a largely makeshift lineup and had reduced minutes for several who did play.

76ers 107, Nets 86

Tyrese Maxey scored 26 points as Philadelphia led virtually the entire way to beat visiting Brooklyn.

The Sixers ended the regular season with eight straight wins and survived another absence by Joel Embiid, who sat out after tweaking his surgically repaired left knee in the first half against the Orlando Magic on Friday. Embiid appeared in 39 games and the Sixers went 31-8 when he played.

Cam Thomas led the Nets with 18 points and rookie Noah Clowney added 16. Trendon Watford contributed 14 and Lonnie Walker IV finished with 12 as Brooklyn shot 38.6 percent and misfired on 25 of 34 3-point tries.

Spurs 123, Pistons 95

Sandro Mamukelashvili poured in 18 points to lead eight players in double figures as host San Antonio rolled over Detroit, both long since eliminated from the postseason.

The Spurs, despite being without six injured players who started games this season, finished strong, winning four of their final six games to end up in 14th place in the West, one spot out of the cellar.

James Wiseman racked up game highs of 21 points and 17 rebounds for Detroit. The Pistons dropped 15 of its last 17 games and finished as the worst team in the NBA after setting a team-low mark for wins in a season, supplanting the 16 wins produced by the 1979-80 squad.

Lakers 124, Pelicans 108

LeBron James had a triple-double, Anthony Davis had a double-double and visiting Los Angeles dominated New Orleans.

James finished with 28 points, 17 assists and 11 rebounds and Davis had 30 points and 11 rebounds as the Lakers clinched the No. 8 seed and set up a rematch with the seventh-seeded Pelicans in a play-in game Tuesday night in New Orleans.

CJ McCollum scored 25 points to lead New Orleans. Herbert Jones added 18, while Larry Nance Jr. and Brandon Ingram, returning from a 12-game absence due to a hyper-extended knee, scored 13 each.

Kings 121, Blazers 82

De'Aaron Fox scored 24 points in three quarters as host Sacramento cruised past Portland.

After finishing with the third seed in the Western Conference last season -- when they made the playoffs for the first time since 2006 -- the Kings will be the No. 9 seed this time. Sacramento will host the Warriors in a play-in game on Tuesday.

Dalano Banton led the Trail Blazers with 17 points before being ejected for a flagrant 2 foul late in the fourth quarter. He went 6-for-26 from the field and missed all 15 of his 3-point tries, becoming the first player in NBA history to go 0-for-15 from behind the arc. Eric Gordon, Brook Lopez and Justin Anderson shared the previous mark of futility by going 0-for-12 from 3-point range.

Rockets 116, Clippers 105

Cam Whitmore scored 21 points and Amen Thompson recorded his first career triple-double with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists as Houston defeated host Los Angeles.

Jabari Smith Jr. had 15 points for Houston, which won for the third time in its last four games and avoided a fourth straight losing season.

Terance Mann led the Clippers with a season-high 24 points. Both teams relied on reserve players in a game that did not have postseason implications. The Clippers trailed 105-102 with 3:09 remaining before Houston went on a 14-0 run to put the game away.

Player Notes
Jayson Tatum Wed May 1 11:20pm

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum delivered 16 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists in the team's Game 5 series-clinching win over the Miami Heat. Tatum did not have to showcase his usual scoring excellence with the game out of hand early, but he still produced a double-double in just 32 minutes. The 26-year-old averaged 39.5 minutes per game in the series before tonight's game to show that the blowout impacted his fantasy output and time on the court. Kristaps Porzingis (calf) missing more games could mean more fantasy production from Tatum in the next round.

Jaylen Brown Wed May 1 11:20pm

Boston Celtics forward/guard Jaylen Brown scored 25 points in the team's Game 5 victory over the Miami Heat. Brown had his third game of the series with at least 20 points to help the Celtics advance to the next round. Boston had a relatively easy night on the job by taking control early and never letting up. The 27-year-old contributed to this dominant outing by shooting 11-for-19 from the field to lead the way. He also added five rebounds and two assists. Boston will see Brown having a higher ceiling in the second round, with starter Kristaps Porzingis (calf) expected to miss several more games.

Nikola Jovic Wed May 1 11:10pm

Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic had eight points, seven boards, and four assists in Wednesday's meeting with the Celtics. Unfortunately, his efforts weren't enough, as Boston closed out the series in five games. At any rate, the 2022 No. 27 overall pick picked things up toward the end of the 2023-24 campaign. He ended the year by averaging 12.0 points and 4.6 rebounds in eight games in April. It appears Erik Spoelstra could give Jovic regular playing time next season, assuming he remains in Miami. However, the 20-year-old has a way to go before earning the trust of fantasy managers.

Duncan Robinson Wed May 1 11:00pm

Miami Heat guard/forward Duncan Robinson (back) finished with just two points in Wednesday's loss to Boston. Robinson admittedly wasn't healthy for this series. On a positive note, he finished the regular season by averaging 12.9 points, a significant upgrade from the 2022-23 campaign. Unfortunately, the 30-year-old has had issues staying healthy over the last few seasons, which is something for fantasy managers to consider moving ahead. There's also a chance Robinson won't be in Miami next season, considering the Heat have been trying to move him for years. Yet, a change of scenery could do him good, especially if he gets more minutes elsewhere.

Caleb Martin Wed May 1 10:50pm

Miami Heat forward Caleb Martin finished with 10 points in Wednesday's loss to the Boston Celtics. He added four boards and one assist. The 28-year-old was one of Miami's top rotational pieces during the regular season. He averaged a career-high 10 points. Unfortunately, he was limited to 64 games due to injury. That's been the theme for Martin throughout his career. He also isn't a consistent fantasy producer. Assuming he remains in Miami, he may battle for minutes with Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic throughout the 2024-25 campaign. Martin's injury woes over the years are another reason fantasy managers may look the other way.

Tyler Herro Wed May 1 10:50pm

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro struggled in Wednesday's loss to the Boston Celtics. While he had 15 points, he shot a rough 6-for-19 from the field and 1-for-8 from downtown. With Miami's year finished, Herro will get some much-needed rest. He ended the regular season by averaging a career-high 20.8 points with 5.3 boards and 4.5 assists. Unfortunately, he was limited to only 42 games because of various ailments. Without question, the 24-year-old can be a potent fantasy performer. However, his inability to remain on the court will significantly lower his fantasy value heading into the 2024-25 campaign. The Heat might also make some roster moves during the offseason, so Herro's name will likely be mentioned in several trade scenarios.

Bam Adebayo Wed May 1 10:40pm

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo had a team-high 23 points in Wednesday's loss to Boston. He added six assists, five rebounds, and two blocks. Although Miami's year is finished, Adebayo can hold his head high. While he regressed slightly in some statistical categories during the regular season, he improved in others, especially with his career-high 35.7% shooting from behind the arc. The Heat will need to make adjustments to the roster this offseason if the club hopes to make another deep postseason run. Yet, Adebayo will remain one of the team's top producers on both ends of the floor regardless of any potential changes, so he'll likely be a top-30 fantasy option heading into the 2024-25 campaign.

Luka Doncic Wed May 1 9:30pm

Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic (knee) has been officially upgraded from probable to available for Wednesday's Game 5 against the Clippers. The Slovenian superstar said Wednesday morning that his right knee is "not good," and he has also been dealing with an illness lately, but Doncic is ready to play through pain. Despite battling health issues, Doncic has averaged a massive 43.3 minutes in the 2024 playoffs and should be heavily involved again as Dallas attempts to grab a 3-2 series lead in Los Angeles.

Tyrese Haliburton Wed May 1 9:20pm

Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton (back) remains on the injury report ahead of Game 6 against Milwaukee on Thursday. He's been battling back spasms lately, but the Pacers have kept him in the lineup. It's been an up-and-down series for Haliburton, who is averaging 15.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 9.2 assists. After posting a double-double and a triple-double in back-to-back games, the Pacers point guard has been limited to only 10 assists across the last two contests.

Patrick Beverley Wed May 1 9:20pm

Milwaukee Bucks point guard Patrick Beverley (oblique) will likely continue to play through injury on Thursday against Indiana. He's listed as probable with an oblique strain for Game 6 of the first-round series. Beverley has just had his strongest outing of the matchup, leading by example at both ends of the floor in Tuesday's 115-92 win. He recorded 13 points with 12 assists, four rebounds, one block, and two steals.

Khris Middleton Wed May 1 9:10pm

Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (ankle) is considered probable for Thursday's Game 6 against Indiana. Middleton has been playing through an ankle injury in the series and is expected to do so again. Despite tweaking his right ankle in Game 2 and missing some practice time, Middleton has put together a three-game double-double streak. He's averaged 32.0 points and 10.7 rebounds during the stretch.

Damian Lillard Wed May 1 9:10pm

Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard (Achilles) will likely remain out for Game 6 against the Pacers on Thursday. He's again listed on the injury report as doubtful. Malik Beasley has started back-to-back games with Lillard unavailable. The former Laker has gone for 38 points across the two games with very impressive 8-for-13 shooting from three-point range. Patrick Beverley is also counted on a lot more offensively. He recorded a nice 13-point, 12-assist double-double in Tuesday's Game 5 win.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Wed May 1 9:00pm

Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) continues to carry a doubtful designation on the injury report ahead of Thursday's Game 6 against Indiana. After the Bucks extended the first-round series with a 115-92 win on Tuesday, head coach Doc Rivers said Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard (Achilles) are "very, very, very close" to returning, but the doubtful tag indicates that Thursday's game will come too soon for them. Bobby Portis will be counted on to start instead of Antetokounmpo again. He's had a very good series with four double-doubles in five games.

Mitchell Robinson Wed May 1 8:50pm

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (ankle) has been listed as questionable on the injury report for Thursday's Game 6 against Philadelphia. The seven-footer was back in action in Game 5 on Tuesday after sitting out one contest. Robinson produced an impressive defensive display across 25 minutes with two blocks and three steals. He also had seven rebounds while settling for two points. If he's deemed good to go, Robinson will continue to split minutes with Isaiah Hartenstein, who went for six points, seven rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block in Game 5.

Mike Conley Wed May 1 5:50pm

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley has been awarded the NBA's 2023-24 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year. This is the second time he has earned this honor in his career, as he was given the award during the 2018-2019 season as well. In the voting, the 36-year-old finished ahead of Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson. Conley's efforts helped Minnesota earn the third seed in the Western Conference this year. He will try to propel the Timberwolves to a deep playoff run as they prepare for a highly anticipated second-round matchup with the Denver Nuggets.

Joel Embiid Wed May 1 5:40pm

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) is considered questionable for Thursday's game versus the New York Knicks because of a left-knee injury. This injury designation has become the norm for the superstar big man, but he has not missed a single game in this series. The 76ers have a ton of momentum heading into Game 6 after their thrilling victory on Tuesday, however, they still face elimination and will need Embiid to be at his best to keep their season alive again. Despite his field-goal percentage being lower by more than 9% compared to the regular season, he has still posted dominant numbers during this postseason, with averages of 31.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game. The official word on his playing status will come on Thursday.

Duncan Robinson Wed May 1 5:40pm

Miami Heat guard Duncan Robinson (back) will play in Wednesday's contest against the Boston Celtics. The sharpshooter has continued to play through a back injury, and Miami will need everyone to step up as they face elimination in Game 5. Robinson has not made much of an impact in this series, playing less than 10 minutes in both of the previous two games. However, the Heat continue to struggle with injuries, as Jimmy Butler (knee), Terry Rozier (neck), and Jaime Jaquez Jr. (hip) are all unavailable to play, which could lead to a bigger role for Robinson.

Haywood Highsmith Wed May 1 5:40pm

Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith (foot) will suit up for Wednesday's game versus the Boston Celtics. The 27-year-old is listed on the injury report because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot, however, he will be able to play through the ailment as Miami hopes to keep their season alive in Game 5. The Heat are facing elimination against a talented Celtics team, and it is likely Highsmith will play a larger role since Miami is missing key players such as Jimmy Butler (knee), Terry Rozier (neck), and Jaime Jaquez Jr. (hip). Highsmith could be a sneaky play for DFS managers for Wednesday's game, as he has seen at least 19 minutes in every matchup of this series.

Tyrese Haliburton Wed May 1 9:30am

Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton had a rough outing in Game 5 against Milwaukee on Tuesday, finishing a 115-92 loss with 16 points, four rebounds, and six assists. Haliburton turned in a below-par line despite a hot start that saw him hit two treys inside the first four minutes. He ended up going 4-for-10 from downtown with a 6-for-14 overall effort from the field. Pascal Siakam was limited to 12 points, and the Pacers definitely need more from their leaders to wrap up the series in Game 6 on Thursday.

Bobby Portis Wed May 1 9:20am

Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Bobby Portis was back to his best against Indiana on Tuesday, helping the team extend the series in Game 5 with a 29-point, 10-rebound double-double. He shot 14-for-24 from the field and had one assist and one steal as well. This was an impressive bounce-back performance from Portis after he was limited to only four points and three rebounds in Game 4 due to an early ejection. Filling in for Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) in the first unit, Portis has done a great job, averaging 15.8 points and 10.6 rebounds in the series. He should remain a double-double threat even if Antetokounmpo is cleared for action and Portis heads back to the bench.