Raptors’ Brandon Ingram Doubtful For Sunday’s Game 7
The Raptors are unlikely to have Brandon Ingram available for Sunday’s do-or-die Game 7 in Cleveland, according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca, who tweets that the All-Star forward been downgraded to doubtful after initially being listed as questionable.
Ingram aggravated a right heel injury in the second quarter of Wednesday’s Game 5 loss in Cleveland and was unable to return for the remainder of that contest. That same heel issue that caused him to miss three games near the end of the regular season, when he made 77 appearances, the second-highest total of his career.
Ingram, who was out for Game 6, was still in a walking boot during the Raptors’ shootaround on Sunday morning, notes Michael Grange of Sportsnet (via Twitter), so his downgraded status doesn’t come as a major surprise.
The second overall pick in the 2016 draft after one college season at Duke, Ingram is in his 10th NBA campaign despite being only 28 years old. He averaged 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 33.8 minutes per game during the regular season, and while he had struggled in the first-round series against the Cavs, he still draws a lot of defensive attention and is a long and versatile player.
With Ingram out on Friday, Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic started Jamal Shead, the second-year guard out of Houston. Shead didn’t shoot well in Game 6 (he was 2-of-9 from the field and had seven points), but he dished out six assists (against two turnovers) and played strong defense. Shead finished plus-six in 33 minutes during the two-point overtime victory.
Cavaliers Notes: Game 6, Mitchell, Harden, Mobley
The Cavaliers are trying to quickly move on from a heartbreaking Game 6 loss in Toronto, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. The shorthanded Raptors outplayed the Cavs through three quarters on Friday, but Cleveland clawed its way back from a double-digit deficit to force overtime and briefly held a couple of leads with less than a minute left in the extra period before RJ Barrett hit a high-bouncing game-winner.
“The first thing I said when we came in here, we’ve just got to protect home court,” Donovan Mitchell explained late Friday night following the 112-110 overtime loss. “If I sit here and continue to sulk about that shot, then we’re not preparing for what’s coming forward. That shot happened. It’s over. They won. Cool. We’ve got to protect home court. Simple as that.”
The Cavs have the most expensive roster in the league and major changes could be in store if they have another early playoff exit, Fedor notes. Still, history is on their side, as the home team has won every game so far in the first-round matchup and Toronto has never won in Cleveland during the playoffs (0-10 all time).
“Just one game at home,” James Harden said. “We don’t really look at it as a Game 7. You get an opportunity to go out there and play at home and win a game.”
Here’s more on the Cavs ahead of Sunday evening’s Game 7:
- Cleveland had “no business” losing Game 6 to a less talented team playing without injured starters Immanuel Quickley and Brandon Ingram, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, who points out that Mitchell and Harden have had an uneven first series together. Mitchell got off to a strong start in the first two games but has struggled since, while Harden has been turning the ball over at an alarming rate (5.7 per game) throughout the series due to Toronto’s ball pressure. “I don’t think Donovan, offensively, played well. I didn’t play well,” Harden said. “I don’t think it’s about that. The best players and stars aren’t going to score 30 every game. I think for us, it’s doing the things that’s necessary for us to win.”
- Big man Evan Mobley believes the officials missed a key call late in overtime, when Collin Murray-Boyles poked the ball away from and off Mobley, forcing a turnover that led to Barrett’s game-winning shot, per Fedor. However, the one-time All-Star isn’t dwelling on the past. “We’ve got one game that we’ve got to win, and it’s at home,” Mobley said. “This is what we fought early in the season [for], to get home court advantage. Ball is in our court, and we’ve just got to come together and produce and come out with a win.”
- In an interesting feature story for The Athletic, Mirin Fader details how Mitchell’s relentless work ethic and team-first attitude have left a lasting positive impression in Cleveland as he looks to make the first deep playoff run of his career. “Almost every game he’s saying something about what he needs to do better,” Sam Merrill said. “Any time he’s trying to get after the whole team he always turns to himself. It’s like, ‘Dude. You’re the face of the franchise. It’s OK to just yell at us occasionally,’ but that’s just the kind of person he is.”
Central Notes: Bulls, Lloyd, Nori, Reed, Pistons, Furphy
The Bulls have reportedly narrowed down their list of candidates for their head of basketball operations job to Matt Lloyd, Bryson Graham, Dennis Lindsey and Dave Lewin. Of those four finalists, Timberwolves general manager Lloyd is considered the frontrunner, a source confirms to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.
Lloyd, who grew up in the Chicago suburbs and got his NBA start with the Bulls, could be hired within the “next several days,” Cowley writes. Like Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Cowley has heard Lloyd has a head coach in mind if he lands the Bulls job — Wolves top assistant Micah Nori.
Lloyd may not be the only significant front office addition the Bulls make, according to Cowley, who suggests Lewin could become the general manager and head of the analytics department. Lewin is currently an assistant GM with the Celtics.
Here’s more from around the Central:
- Backup big man Paul Reed was an unlikely playoff hero for the Pistons during their second-half comeback in Orlando on Friday, writes Shawn Windsor of The Detroit Free Press (subscriber link). Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff turned to Reed, who had been buried on the depth chart behind Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, in the third and fourth quarters with the season on the line, and Reed delivered six points, six rebounds and three blocks in 11 minutes. “Anytime his number is called,” Cade Cunningham said, “he’s ready to go, comes right out there and imposes himself on the game. I don’t think there is any situation in basketball where you bring him in, and he’s not going to bring some type of productivity to the floor. … He’s like a safety blanket for us. He’s won us so many games with his intensity.”
- Pistons wing Duncan Robinson had high praise for Reed after Friday’s Game 6 victory, tweets Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. “I’ve said this before but I’ve never been around a teammate like him,” Robinson said. “The way he handles his work every day behind the scenes and prepares for a moment that honestly, he doesn’t know is going to come … he shows up every day with spirit and works his tail off.”
- Cunningham credited the Pistons‘ defensive intensity for their epic comeback, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Detroit outscored Orlando 55-19 over the final two periods after trailing 60-38 at halftime. “It’s our defense,” Cunningham said. “When we’re guarding the way that we’re supposed to be, it’s really hard for them to score on us. And there’s just been too many stretches throughout this series where we haven’t guarded the way we supposed to. So, we’ve allowed them to have life. We’ve allowed them to move and get their shots and all that stuff. But whenever we really lock in on our defense, it’s tough for them to score on us, and we know that.”
- Johnny Furphy showed signs of growth in his second season prior to suffering a torn ACL in February, according to Tony East of Circle City Spin. “I think I was finding my feet when I was getting some more [playing time]. I was really starting to settle in. So I’m happy I had that experience,” the Pacers forward said. “And I think, obviously, I learned a lot from that. But now it’s just a matter of building on that, not taking any steps backwards.” The 21-year-old Australian said there’s no specific timetable for his return from the major knee injury, East adds.
Magic Notes: Game 6 Collapse, F. Wagner, Game 7
The No. 8 Magic had a great chance to complete their first-round upset of the top-seeded Pistons on Friday. They led 60-38 at halftime and were up 24 points early in the third quarter, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic.
However, the rest of the game was an entirely different story, as Orlando only managed to score 19 points over the final two quarters, the fewest points in a half in NBA playoff history. The Magic missed 23 shots in a row over a prolonged stretch, ultimately losing by 14 points.
“I think they were just playing more desperate than us, playing harder than us,” guard Desmond Bane said. “Whether it was offensive rebounds or heating up their pressure to get steals, it really kind of took us out of our stuff, messed with our flow. I mean, it’s going to be hard to win games (when) you score 19 points in a half, and I thought a lot of that was because they came out with more energy than us in the second half.”
While there’s recent precedent for the Magic collapsing — Toronto went on a historic 31-0 run against Orlando on March 29, Robbins notes — Friday’s game was different due to the stakes.
“This team always shows fight,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said. “There’s no other way to put it: This does suck. You know, you have a 24-point lead, and we let it go, and I think that the reality is it’s got to sting, and it’s got to hurt right now. But you’ve got to be able to bounce back, and you’ve given yourself an opportunity to go get it done in Game 7.”
Here’s more on the Magic, whose Game 7 matchup at Detroit will take place on Sunday at 3:30 pm ET:
- Mike Prada of The Athletic shares some of the historically inept stats from Game 6. The Magic shot just 4-of-37 in the second half, the worst field goal percentage (10.8%) in a half by any team — regular season or playoffs — since 1997/98. They were 3-for-17 in the third quarter, when they scored 11 points, and 1-of-20 in the fourth, when they only managed eight. The 1-for-20 mark was, unsurprisingly, the worst field goal percentage (5.0%) in a playoff quarter in the play-by-play era, Prada adds.
- Star forward Franz Wagner has been ruled out of Game 7 as he continues to deal with a right calf strain, tweets Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. The 24-year-old German suffered the injury in the third quarter of Game 5.
- As badly as the second half of Game 6 went for Orlando, the team remains confident it can emerge victorious on Sunday and advance to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2010, according to Beede. “We all believe already what we’re about to go do,” guard Anthony Black said. “It’s one game. That’s all that matters,” added star forward Paolo Banchero. “We’ve got to do whatever it takes.”
Blazers Interested In Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis
The Trail Blazers appear to be on the upswing after making the playoffs for the first time in five years. They also have a new owner in Tom Dundon, who has drawn plenty of scrutiny for the cost-cutting measures he implemented while Portland was in the postseason.
Although Dundon has reportedly ruffled some feathers around the league, particularly in regards to the team’s coaching search, he has developed a reputation during his time with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes as a team owner who is willing to spend on players. Dundon also suggested at his introductory press conference that he would be “more aggressive than most” in pursuit of star talent.
Dundon said at the time that general manager Joe Cronin considered making a “big splash” trade ahead of the deadline. Cronin said a couple days ago that the team was intrigued by the possibility of making a major move, but “only at the right price point.”
With all that in mind, multiple league sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) that the Trail Blazers are “expected to emerge as a prime trade suitor” this summer for Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP who was limited to just 36 games played this season due to injuries.
Fischer and his colleague Marc Stein reported in late January that the Blazers were among the teams interested in the Greek star. While the feeling at the time was that Portland may have been more motivated to help facilitate a multi-team Giannis trade, Fischer heard this week that the Blazers are just as motivated as other potential Antetokounmpo suitors to acquire him outright.
Despite the team’s interest, Portland may not be high on Antetokounmpo’s list of desired destinations if he pushes for a trade this summer, Fischer writes, so selling him on a long-term future with the team could be difficult.
According to Fischer’s sources, a potential trade offer for Giannis would be built around the contract of Jerami Grant, who’s owed about $70.6MM over the next two seasons. Additional salaries would have to be added to make the deal legal, Fischer notes.
If the Blazers are unable to acquire Antetokounmpo, Wizards big man Anthony Davis is considered a fallback option, sources close to the situation tell Fischer.
Portland talked to Dallas during the season about a possible Davis deal centered around Grant and unspecified draft capital, per Fischer, but the Mavs were more interested in clearing their books, which is why they preferred — and ultimately accepted — Washington’s package that featured Khris Middleton‘s sizable expiring salary.
Davis raised doubts at his first media availability as a Wizard last month about the Washington’s ability to quickly go from the worst team in the league to a contender. NBA insider Chris Haynes recently said on SiriusXM NBA Radio that he wouldn’t be shocked if Davis is traded again this offseason before he ever plays in D.C., and Fischer has heard similar rumblings (Twitter video link).
“I do think there’s a good chance that he may end up somewhere else by the time next season starts,” Haynes said.
Antetokounmpo, 31, and Davis, 33, could be free agents in 2027. Both players will be extension-eligible before next season begins and hold player options for ’27/28.
NBA Announces Schedule For Second Round Of Playoffs
The NBA has announced the schedule for the second round of the playoffs, which will feature a total of eight teams (four from each conference). Each series’ schedule is subject to change, per the league.
While we know the Western Conference semifinal matchups, the Eastern Conference matchups are still up in the air, with three first-round series going the full seven games. Boston and Philadelphia are playing on Saturday to determine New York’s second-round opponent. The other side of the Eastern bracket features Detroit/Orlando and Cleveland/Toronto, with both deciding games to be played on Sunday.
Below are the tentative schedules for all four series (all Twitter links here). All of the times listed are for the Eastern time zone. Games marked with an asterisk (*) are if necessary, and the times and TV broadcasts for those potential contests are to be determined.
Western Conference
No. 2 Spurs vs. No. 6 Timberwolves:
- Game 1: 5/4 at 9:30 pm on Peacock/NBCSN
- Game 2: 5/6 at 9:30 pm on ESPN
- Game 3: 5/8 at 9:30 pm on Prime
- Game 4: 5/10 at 7:30 pm on NBC/Peacock
- Game 5: 5/12*
- Game 6: 5/15*
- Game 7: 5/17*
No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 4 Lakers:
- Game 1: 5/5 at 8:30 pm on NBC/Peacock
- Game 2: 5/7 at 9:30 pm on Prime
- Game 3: 5/9 at 8:30 pm on ABC
- Game 4: 5/11 at 10:30 pm on Prime
- Game 5: 5/13*
- Game 6: 5/16*
- Game 7: 5/18*
Eastern Conference
No. 3 Knicks vs. No. 2 Celtics OR No. 7 Sixers
- Game 1: 5/4 at 8:00 pm on NBC/Peacock
- Game 2: 5/6 at 7:00 pm on ESPN
- Game 3: 5/8 at 7:00 pm on Prime
- Game 4: 5/10 at 3:30 pm on ABC
- Game 5: 5/12*
- Game 6: 5/14*
- Game 7: 5/17*
No. 1 Pistons OR No. 8 Magic vs. No. 4 Cavaliers OR No. 5 Raptors
- Game 1: 5/5 at 7:00 pm on Peacock/NBCSN
- Game 2: 5/7 at 7:00 pm on Prime
- Game 3: 5/9 at 3:00 pm on NBC/Peacock
- Game 4: 5/11 at 8:00 pm on NBC/Peacock
- Game 5: 5/13*
- Game 6: 5/15*
- Game 7: 5/17*
Celtics’ Tatum, Sixers’ George Added To Game 7 Injury Report
Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has been downgraded from available to questionable ahead of Saturday’s Game 7 matchup against Philadelphia, the team announced (via Twitter).
Tatum, a five-time All-NBA member who made his season debut in March after tearing his right Achilles tendon in last year’s playoffs, is dealing with left knee stiffness. The 28-year-old star downplayed the left leg issue after Boston’s Game 6 loss in Philadelphia, but clearly it’s bothering him more now.
A key member of the Sixers has also been added to Saturday’s injury report, according to Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports, who tweets that Paul George is probable due to an illness. That designation suggests the nine-time All-Star forward is considered likely to suit up tonight.
Tatum has averaged 23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.2 steals on .475/.365/.781 shooting through six games in the first-round series, while George has averaged 18.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.7 APG and 1.7 SPG on .487/.543/.778 shooting splits.
The Celtics were heavy favorites entering the series and got off to a 3-1 start, but the 76ers have the momentum after outplaying Boston the past two games to even the series. Game 7 will be in Boston, which theoretically should give the Celtics an advantage. However, they’ve dropped two of their three home contests so far in the series.
Blazers Notes: Camara, Splitter, Offseason, Dundon
After being eliminated from the playoffs in a Game 5 loss in San Antonio on Tuesday, young players like Toumani Camara, Scoot Henderson and Deni Avdija came away encouraged by the Trail Blazers‘ first postseason appearance in five years, writes Joe Freeman of The Oregonian.
“My first two years, I was trying to figure out what the main goal was for this team, where we’re trying to go, what we have, what was our mission,” Camara said. “Well, now we have more of a clear view of what we can do and what we can accomplish. So I think it’s very promising. We have a lot of talent. We have a group of great-character guys. I’m just very excited for what we’ve got coming.”
As Freeman notes, Portland overcame a significant amount of adversity to make the playoffs. Head coach Chauncey Billups was placed on indefinite leave following the first game of the season after being arrested on federal charges related to illegal gambling, and the team endured several injuries throughout 2025/26.
“We had a crazy year, man,” Camara said. “We’ve battled all year. It’s a tough league. It’s a tough league to win. But we stuck together, believed in one another throughout all the ups and downs, and I think it was a positive season for us, especially the way we were able to end things. We didn’t get the results or play the way we wanted during the playoffs. But it was our first time for a lot of us and we’re learning, still trying to build connection. I think it’s only positive things and nowhere to go but up from here.”
Here’s more on the Blazers:
- A year ago, Bill Oram of The Oregonian was skeptical of the team’s direction, but he viewed this season as a major success and now believes the Blazers are trending in a positive direction. Oram argues fans shouldn’t lose perspective on all the promising developments of ’25/26, despite the team being overmatched against the Spurs.
- Veteran wing Matisse Thybulle lauded Tiago Splitter‘s performance as interim head coach, according to Brenna Greene of KOIN News (Twitter video link). “There’s a term where, if its late in the shot clock and someone throws you the ball because they don’t have a good look and you have to shoot it with no time left, they call it a grenade. In a sense that’s kind of what Tiago was thrown,” Thybulle said. “… It’s in some cases a bit of miracle, but in our world, even if you overachieve, it can still be disappointing to people. … As far as I’m concerned, Tiago did an amazing job.”
- Thybulle is one of many Blazers who’s supportive of Splitter, according to Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (subscriber link), who thinks the former NBA big man has “more than earned” the full-time job. Finding a permanent head coach will be the first order of business in Portland, but there are several other big questions facing the team this summer, Highkin writes, mostly centered on new owner Tom Dundon and how his involvement will impact the organization going forward. Highkin views Camara, Avdija and Donovan Clingan as the team’s core, with shooting an obvious area of need going forward.
- Within his offseason preview, ESPN’s Bobby Marks also points to Dundon as a wild card this summer, since he may or may not push the team to be ultra-aggressive. Robert Williams and Thybulle are among Portland’s potential free agents, with Henderson eligible for a rookie scale extension.
- Dundon has been heavily criticized for a series of cost-cutting measures in his first month-plus as major owner. However, he recently opened his wallet to make another investment in pickleball, per Ben Axelrod of Front Office Sports.
Hawks Notes: Future, Elimination, Snyder, Offseason
The Hawks were humbled by the Knicks on Thursday, losing the deciding Game 6 at home by 51 points. Although obviously disappointed with Thursday’s result, general manager Onsi Saleh was pleased with the progress the team made throughout 2025/26 and he told the players on Friday that they have plenty of room for growth, per Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (subscription required).
“The best version of ourselves is yet to come,” Saleh said. “I think everybody is really pissed off, frustrated from yesterday, and that’s a good thing. You got to take that, internalize that, understand what the summer entails.
“You feel that experience against those guys, and this is what the playoffs look like, and a lot of our guys have not done it, especially in their roles. So everybody was focused, I would say. There’s a focus for next season already for our group, and that’s going to be super exciting.”
As Williams notes, the Hawks control two first-round picks in the upcoming draft, including one in the lottery. Saleh said the team will take a best-player-available approach to those selections.
“We’re not one player away from this,” Saleh said. “The best iteration of this team is going to be through development and our players currently getting better. We’re really excited about the future and what holds there, with the draft to the flexibility moving forward, all that stuff. We’re in a good place (and) position, set up moving forward.”
Here’s more from Atlanta:
- Jake Fischer of The Stein line recently reported that the Hawks are open to extending head coach Quin Snyder, who’s entering the final year of his contract. Saleh praised Snyder during Friday’s media session, tweets Kevin Chouinard of Hawks.com. “He has been an unbelievable partner in all of this, and it has been so nice, just having a partner who you’re so aligned with. It makes it easy,” Saleh said. “I understand the types of players that work for him and understand the types of guys that make sense for us as an organization, and we always have healthy dialogue. We talk every day. He’s unbelievable.”
- Maura Carey of The Associated Press relays some quotes from Snyder, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jalen Johnson following Thursday’s loss, which eliminated Atlanta from the playoffs. “This is a big learning experience, not only for myself, but just everybody in general. And I’m going to take a lot from this and continue to get better from it,” All-Star forward Johnson said. “We’re growing. We’re going to grow from this. We’re going to definitely be better from it.”
- John Hollinger of The Athletic takes a deep dive into the Hawks’ offseason, predicting that the team will probably look to trade either Zaccharie Risacher or Corey Kispert this summer after both played very modest roles in the first-round series vs. New York. The Hawks will have a lot of financial flexibility this offseason and could go in a number of different directions, but Hollinger expects the team to operate over the cap rather than with room. ESPN’s Bobby Marks previews Atlanta’s offseason as well, writing that figuring out what to do with CJ McCollum (unrestricted free agent) and Jonathan Kuminga ($24.3MM team option) will be top priorities for the front office.
Mitchell Robinson, Dyson Daniels Fined By NBA
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson has been fined $50K and Hawks guard Dyson Daniels has been docked $25K for their roles in an on-court altercation during New York’s series-clinching victory on Thursday, the NBA announced in a press release (Twitter link).
The two players got tangled up during a free throw attempt by OG Anunoby with 4:39 left in the second quarter of the Knicks’ blowout win (YouTube link). Both Robinson and Daniels were determined to have escalated the situation, ultimately leading to their ejections.
According to the league, Robinson’s harsher penalty “takes into account his inappropriate post on social media in reference to the incident” following the game. That expletive-laden Instagram story – which didn’t directly reference Daniels but seemed to be aimed at him – can be viewed here.
Daniels and Robinson had been going at each other throughout the six-game first-round series. Robinson received an unsportsmanlike technical in Game 2, when he committed a moving screen on Daniels and then walked over the Australian guard, who was knocked to the ground (YouTube link).
Robinson is earning a little under $13MM in the final year of his contract, while Daniels is making $7.7MM in 2025/26 before his four-year, $100MM rookie scale extension kicks in next season.