Victor Wembanyama Out For Game 3
Spurs star big man Victor Wembanyama has been ruled out for Game 3 of the team’s series against the Trail Blazers on Friday, Shams Charania of ESPN reports (via Twitter).
Wembanyama went through shootaround in the hopes of returning from the concussion that he suffered when he took a hard fall in Game 2, but he has not yet cleared the NBA’s protocol and been given the green light to play.
“Obviously, there’s a lot that goes into that, but he’s doing well and progressing,” head coach Mitch Johnson said, per Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News (Twitter video link).
When pressed, Johnson declined to provide more details on his outlook, other than repeating that Wembanyama is making progress.
Backup center Luke Kornet got the start in place of Wembanyama.
Thunder Notes: Williams, Mitchell, Joe, 2007 Trade
The news that Jalen Williams suffered a left hamstring strain and will be evaluated on a weekly basis was a discouraging development for the Thunder forward after he got off to such a strong start in the playoffs. However, head coach Mark Daigneault actually considers the diagnosis a “relatively positive development,” Joe Mussatto writes for The Oklahoman.
Daigneault believes that the injury – described as a Grade 1 (mild) strain – could’ve been much worse and said that Williams will travel with the team to Phoenix on Friday instead of staying in Oklahoma City and rehabbing.
Williams missed considerable time this season with hamstring injuries in his right leg, but he looked like his old self in the first two games of the first-round series against the Suns, averaging 20.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in just 26.0 minutes per game.
It remains to be seen if he’ll be available in the second round, assuming Oklahoma City advances.
We have more from the Thunder:
- With Williams out, second-year guard Ajay Mitchell will likely step into a larger role for the Thunder, Mussatto writes. Mitchell had 14 points, five rebounds, five assists, and two steals in Game 2, and has proven all season that his game is mature beyond its years, especially considering he missed much of his rookie year due to injury. “He was on track to be a rotation player for us last season in the playoffs before the injury,” Daigneault said. “He’s obviously a very talented player, but he’s also a very high-execution player.” While Mitchell is the only player outside of Williams, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Chet Holmgren to average more than 25 minutes per game so far this series, Mussatto expects Cason Wallace to step into the starting lineup while Mitchell plays a significant role off the bench.
- Isaiah Joe is listed as out for Game 3 due to personal reasons, Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman notes (Twitter link). Joe had a career-best year for the Thunder this season, averaging 11.1 points per game and hitting 42.3% of his threes, both personal bests. Through two playoff contests, he is averaging 7.5 points in 17.5 minutes per night and has hit 5-of-15 (33.3%) three-point attempts. He has yet to attempt a two-pointer or free throw in the series.
- A trade 19 years ago is still paying dividends for the Thunder as they attempt to repeat as champions, Baxter Holmes writes for ESPN. Holmes details how a 2007 sign-and-trade of Rashard Lewis from the SuperSonics to the Magic created a trade exception that the Thunder used to add Kurt Thomas, along with two first-round picks, one of which became Serge Ibaka. Ibaka was sent out in a deal for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis, who were later flipped for Paul George, whose move to the Clippers sent Gilgeous-Alexander and several first-rounders (including one that became Williams) to OKC.
Draft Decisions: Johnson, Daniels, Atamna, Ruzic, Faye, More
Michigan big man Morez Johnson has declared for the 2026 NBA draft while retaining his college eligibility, as Friday’s deadline for early entrants to declare for the 2026 NBA draft fast approaches, CBS’s Jon Rothstein reports (via Twitter).
The 6’9″ sophomore averaged 13.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game across 40 outings with the Wolverines after transferring from Illinois. He made 62.3% of his shots from the floor and 78.2% of his free throws.
Johnson started every game for Michigan and was a big part of the team’s success, as exemplified by his 12-point, 10-rebound, 2-block performance in the national title victory over Connecticut.
The defensive big man is 27th on Jeremy Woo’s big board for ESPN and is slotted 24th overall in Jonathan Wasserman’s most recent mock draft for Bleacher Report, with Wasserman citing Johnson’s combination of strength, versatile athleticism, and motor as reasons to be excited about him.
We have more draft notes:
- Dash Daniels, Adam Atamna, Michael Ruzic, and Mouhamed Faye have decided against entering the 2026 draft, Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress reports (via Twitter). Of the four, Daniels and Atamna were the highest-ranked prospects, with Daniels coming in at No. 49 on Woo’s board and No. 42 in Wasserman’s mock draft, while Atamna sits at No. 58 for Woo and No. 40 for Wasserman. The younger brother of Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels, Dash is a good defender but struggled with his offense this season in the NBL, averaging 4.2 PPG and hitting just 37.9% of his free throws. Atamna is a 6’4″ guard out of ASVEL in France who showed potential as a shooter and a play-maker, averaging 8.1 points and 2.1 assists in 15.6 minutes per game. Ruzic, a 6’8″ power forward with Joventut in Spain, is 63rd on ESPN’s big board after showing an improved three-point touch. Faye, a 6’9″ center for Paris, averaged 5.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks in 14.9 minutes per game. Woo had him 82nd overall, while Wasserman had him at No. 48 in his mock.
- Bassala Bagayoko, a Malian big man out of Bilbao in Spain, has declared for the draft, his agents at Klutch Sports tell Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress (Twitter link). The 6’9″ 19-year-old played 13.4 minutes per game this season in Liga ACB, averaging 4.3 points and 3.6 rebounds. He’s unranked by both Wasserman and Woo, but Chepkevich notes (via Twitter) that he holds a wingspan of at least 7’1″ and has a strong motor.
- Russian forward Vsevolod Ishchenko has declared for the draft, per Givony (Twitter link). Ishchenko averaged 8.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 22.8 minutes per game this season for Lokomotiv Kuban. While unranked by ESPN and Bleacher Report, Ishchenko, at 6’8″ with a 7’0″ wingspan, offers an interesting combination of size and versatility at the wing, says Givony.
Cameron Boozer Declares For 2026 NBA Draft
Duke star forward Cameron Boozer has declared for the 2026 NBA draft, according to the school (Twitter link).
Boozer is generally considered a lock to go in the top four of a loaded class after putting together a dominant freshman season in Durham. He averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game on shooting splits of .556/.391/.789.
Boozer was second in the country in total points, third in total rebounds, and tied for first in double-doubles. Despite being a natural power forward, he showed himself to be one of the better passers in the draft class and was often used by Duke as a play-making hub, finding open shooters while facing double teams.
For his efforts, he was named Associated Press Player of the Year and Consensus All-American while winning the Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year award as well as the Karl Malone Award, which recognizes the best power forward in the country.
The top of the draft is still considered somewhat open and team-dependent, with BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson also jockeying for the top pick. Caleb Wilson, out of UNC, is generally seen as not far behind the top three options, and could play himself higher with strong pre-draft workouts. Boozer ranks third on ESPN’s big board and was the No. 3 pick in Jonathan Wasserman’s latest mock draft for Bleacher Report.
While Boozer had one of the more impressive statistical freshman seasons in recent memory, he will look to answer questions surrounding his athleticism, defensive fit, and reliance on bully-ball for his offense as he goes through pre-draft workouts with teams.
Injury Notes: Durant, Reaves, Embiid, Edwards, Gordon
Kevin Durant will miss Game 3 for the Rockets on Friday due to a left ankle sprain, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (via Twitter). Durant had previously been listed as questionable after suiting up for Game 2’s loss. He missed Game 1 due to an unrelated knee injury.
Before the announcement of Durant’s status, head coach Ime Udoka said that if Durant couldn’t play, Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason would fill out the starting five alongside Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, and Jabari Smith Jr., per Yahoo’s Kelly Iko (Twitter link). Sharania notes (via Twitter) that this would be the second-youngest starting lineup in playoff history.
According to The Athletic’s Will Guillory (via Twitter), Udoka said the team is looking at using more small-ball units in Game 3, which could mean that Dorian Finney-Smith sees his first action of the postseason.
On the Lakers’ side of the injury report, guard Austin Reaves has been ruled out as well, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Twitter link). Head coach JJ Redick told reporters during his pregame media session that Reaves would go through warm-ups at 5:45 pm local time and that the team would make a decision on his availability at that point (Twitter link via McMenamin).
Reaves, who has been sidelined since April 2 with an oblique injury, has been doing full-contact five-on-five work, Redick said (Twitter link via Dan Woike of The Athletic). It sounds like he’ll have a decent chance to play in Game 4.
We have more injury notes from around the league:
- Joel Embiid is out for the Sixers in Game 3 against the Celtics on Friday, Tim Bontemps writes for ESPN. The star center, who underwent an emergency appendectomy earlier this month, had previously been upgraded to doubtful, but isn’t yet cleared to return. “He’s just not ready,” coach Nick Nurse said pregame. “He’s lifted some, he’s got on court a bit, but we’re still at two weeks and a day, I think. So we’re just not ready yet.”
- Anthony Edwards is not on the injury report for the Timberwolves‘ Game 4 on Saturday, the team announced (via Twitter). He had previously been listed as questionable for each of the first three games of the series due to a knee ailment. “I think it’s definitely still something that we’re managing and he’s managing but all signs are pointing that it is getting better,” coach Chris Finch said when asked about the injury.
- The Nuggets are in must-win territory as they go into Game 4 down 2-1, but they still lack clarity on Aaron Gordon‘s status. According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater (Twitter link), the versatile forward is listed as questionable after doing a walk-through at practice and icing his calf. Gordon missed Game 3 due to calf tightness. Another injured Nuggets wing, Peyton Watson, remains out for Game 4 due to his hamstring strain, Slater adds.
Knicks Notes: Bridges, McBride, Robinson, Hart, Fouls
The Knicks‘ loss to the Hawks in Game 3 on Thursday was a team effort, but the most notable aspect was the performance of Mikal Bridges, who went scoreless in 20 minutes, with more turnovers (four) than steals, assists, rebounds, and points combined.
Head coach Mike Brown isn’t benching Bridges, but he came closer to doing so on Thursday, as he was replaced for most of the second half by Miles McBride, Vincent Goodwill writes for ESPN.
While McBride was one of the few Knicks hitting shots, Bridges looked out of sorts, lacking confidence or intentionality, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. After the NBA’s iron man was benched two minutes into the third quarter, Brown put him back on the court to start the fourth quarter. His one attempt to make a play with the ball ended in a turnover, and he was pulled once again in favor of McBride.
“I’ve got to take it on the chin, handle it how I’m supposed to and be ready for the next one,” Bridges said. “You know, it’s going to suck. It is what it is. I’ve just got to be better to help my team out there.”
Determining whether to replace Bridges with McBride in the starting lineup will be a crucial decision, according to Ian Begley of SNY, who notes that the Knicks have been getting off to slow starts and says they can’t afford to do so in Game 4 on Saturday.
Brown isn’t committing to a change yet, but he’s also not ruling anything out, per James L. Edwards III at The Athletic. The Knicks’ coach told reporters on Friday that the lineup for Game 4 would be a game-time call.
We have more from the Knicks:
- New York has struggled to get backup center Mitchell Robinson involved in this series despite his importance to the team throughout the year. Brown hasn’t been able to find ways to use him, especially with Karl-Anthony Towns playing well, Andrew Crane writes for The Post. On Thursday, Robinson played just 11 minutes and finished the game with four rebounds. Crane notes it’s only the seventh game all year in which the big man recorded four or fewer boards. When asked what he was looking for in terms of using Towns and Robinson together, Brown said the two-big lineup “has to fit offensively and defensively over the course of a ball game,” per Begley (Twitter link), adding that it’s been hard to find the right matchups to roll it out against.
- Josh Hart also struggled on offense in Game 4, recording just two points on 1-of-9 shooting in 40 minutes. However, he has still managed to be the Knicks’ most important player through three games, Edwards writes. His defense on Jalen Johnson and CJ McCollum has been crucial for keeping the Knicks in a series they might otherwise be trailing 3-0, and he remains an elite rebounder, averaging 12.0 per contest through three games. If the Knicks are going to make it out of the first round, they’ll need even more from him, Edwards says. More importantly, they need the rest of the team to play with as much hustle and determination as their versatile, undersized forward.
- While a majority of the Knicks’ issues have been either self-inflicted or the result of the Hawks’ tough defense and shot-making, Brown is also frustrated with a lack of calls for his players as they drive to the basket. “When they close out hard, we gotta drive the basketball. I do think it’s a tough game for the officials to officiate,” Brown said. “But I know we got fouled on a few of the drives that didn’t get called. It’s tough to see 20-26 [free-throw discrepancy] in a one-possession game when you know for sure there were a couple of fouls that should’ve been called.”
Immanuel Quickley Ruled Out For Remainer Of First Round
Immanuel Quickley has been ruled out for the rest of the Raptors‘ first-round series against the Cavaliers, the team announced (Twitter link via Marc Stein).
Quickley missed the first three games of the playoffs due to a right hamstring injury. According to the team, he re-injured that hamstring during the course of his ramp-up process.
The Raptors’ release doesn’t provide a timetable for Quickley’s recovery or indicate whether he might return if the Raptors win the series, which they currently trail 2-1. The club simply states that his status will be updated “as appropriate.”
After an injury plagued 2024/25 campaign, Quickley played 70 games this season, averaging 16.4 points and 5.9 assists per contest. In his absence, Jamal Shead has started two playoff games, while Ja’Kobe Walter started Game 3, a 126-104 victory.
It’s unclear who will start in Quickley’s place moving forward, with Shead, Walter, and rookie Collin Murray-Boyles all potentially in the mix. Murray-Boyles was very effective in Game 3, scoring 22 points and adding eight rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench.
Pistons Notes: Bickerstaff, Thompson, Green, Duren, Cunningham
After dropping Game 1 at home to the Magic, the Pistons once again struggled to get their offense going in the first half of Game 2. But things turned around when the third quarter got underway, fueled in part by a passionate halftime outburst from head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, ESPN’s Ohm Yungmisuk writes.
“He really got on us in the locker room,” forward Tobias Harris said. “[His message was] there is no more of ‘my bads.’ It’s like they’re out there hustling, getting offensive boards on us. And there’s too many of them for us [to allow] as a group. We know that’s not our standard.”
Bickerstaff loved how his team responded to the adversity, putting together a 30-3 run on the back of good shooting and tenacious defense.
“That’s us,” said Isaiah Stewart, who had a major impact with 10 points and two blocks. “That’s what we were talking about. If we just be who we are, who we’ve been all season long, we’d be just fine.”
We have more from the Pistons:
- While their names might not show up in the headlines as often as some, Ausar Thompson and Javonte Green were heroes in their own right in Game 2, Marlowe Alter writes for the Detroit Free Press. A Defensive Player of the Year finalist, Thompson struggled with fouls in the first half, but came out in the third quarter and shut down the Magic’s offense, registering a pair of big steals that helped the Pistons build their momentum. Green, meanwhile, managed to impact the game without hitting a shot. He had three blocks and five rebounds in 23 minutes, including a huge weak-side block on Magic star Paolo Banchero. Green played in every game for the Pistons this season and showed why he had earned Bickerstaff’s trust with his gritty defense.
- Jalen Duren‘s rise has been a major force helping to propel the Pistons’ ascendance from perpetual lottery dweller to bona fide contender, ESPN’s Michael A. Fletcher writes. The 22-year-old sets the physical, imposing tone that the team prides itself on, and has grown considerably as a defender and offensive creator this season. In doing so, he has helped the Pistons get back to their Bad Boy roots.
- Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley only needed two words to describe Cade Cunningham‘s impact in Game 2. “He’s special,” Mosley said, according to Coty M. Davis of The Detroit News. The talented guard scored 27 points, along with 11 assists and six rebounds, putting the Magic away through off-the-dribble breakdowns and timely play-making. “He’s him, and he understands that,” Bickerstaff said. “To have the size, agility, touch, speed, (and) patience that he has. He’s a matchup nightmare for people. It takes multiple bodies to stop him, and then even that, because he can get to his spot and shoot as many, it’s hard to get to him. So, he’s embraced the moment, and he’s leading us the way he needs to.“
Devin Booker Fined $35K For Criticizing Officials
Suns star Devin Booker has been fined $35K for his public criticism of the Game 2 referee crew, the NBA announced (via Twitter).
Following Wednesday’s loss, Booker was not shy in expressing his displeasure about receiving a technical foul, which he claimed was prompted by the Thunder’s Alex Caruso telling the referee to call it. The technical foul was rescinded after the game.
“In my 11 years, I haven’t called a ref out by name, but James (Williams) was terrible tonight, through and through,” Booker said. “It’s bad for the sport, bad for the integrity of the sport. People are going to start viewing this as a WWE if they’re not held responsible.”
Suns owner Mat Ishbia backed Booker up following the game, taking to Twitter to say that while the officiating wasn’t the reason they lost, it was still unacceptable.
“If the referees are going to demand respect from the players — as they should — then the players should demand respect from the referees,” Ishbia said. “When a referee is missing calls and clearly disrespecting the players, almost mocking them, they must be held accountable.”
The league said that following video review and inquiries, they “found no basis to any claim of bias or misconduct by game officials.”
Game 3 of the first-round series between the Suns and Thunder will be Saturday.
Sixers Notes: Embiid, Edgecombe, George, 22nd Pick
Joel Embiid has been upgraded to doubtful for the Sixers‘ Game 3 against the Celtics on Friday, Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports notes (via Twitter).
As The Athletic’s Tony Jones writes, Embiid partially participated in Philadelphia’s practice on Thursday, though coach Nick Nurse described it as only slightly more than a walkthrough.
“I think we’re going to know a lot more probably by the end of today where he is,” Nurse said, per PHLY Sixers (Twitter video link). “It’s kind of like, the work increases a little bit and then we gotta see how he comes out of that stuff… He wants to play and we want him to play. I don’t know how close we are to that at this point, but I think there’s some progress being made.”
Embiid, who underwent an emergency appendectomy during the last week of the regular season, hasn’t played since April 6. The Sixers and Celtics are tied 1-1 in their first-round series.
We have more Sixers notes:
- VJ Edgecombe made history in the Sixers’ Game 2 win over the Celtics, surpassing Magic Johnson to become the youngest player ever to have a 30-point, 10-rebound playoff game. He was also the first rookie to put up those numbers since Tim Duncan in 1998, notes ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “I’m going to be honest, I think we all knew where the shots were going to come from,” Edgecombe said. “… Everyone can make a play on the court, so we kept trusting each other and I was in the spot and they wanted me to shoot the ball. It wouldn’t have been right if I didn’t shoot the ball, so I had to shoot the ball, hit wide-open shots and try to get my teammates assists.” The game was indicative of the mature, composed player Edgecombe has shown himself to be throughout his rookie season, Tony Jones writes for The Athletic.
- When the Sixers signed Paul George, it was to make him the team’s third star. That’s what happened in Game 2, though it wasn’t the pecking order Philadelphia had in mind when they made the deal, Gina Mizell of the Philly Inquirer writes, with Edgecombe starring in place of Embiid. “That’s kind of the role I’ve adjusted to,” George said, “Making sure [if] they go on a run or we need a good basket or a good look, I think I can get my shot off or I can still create and find people and put us at ease. It’s just kind of be the guy that can settle us down a little bit when we need it.”
- The Sixers own the 22nd pick in the 2026 draft, but with team president Daryl Morey at the helm, a trade is never out of the question, Adam Aaronson writes for the Philly Voice. Aaronson looks through some of the potential options at that spot, focusing on frontcourt depth.