With Victor Wembanyama (concussion) out, Dylan Harper shined with a career-high 27 points off the Spurs’ bench during their Game 3 win against Portland. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
We’re bringing you the best of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google, with the NBA.com live blog, featuring all of the meaningful moments, performances, observations, news, notes and highlights from Friday’s action.
That’s a wrap for tonight’s action-packed triple-header on Prime Video, as the Celtics, Lakers and Spurs all claim victories on the road.
Jayson Tatum rose to the occasion in Boston’s 108-100 win over the Sixers in Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead in the series. JT scored 11 of his 25 points while shooting 4-for-5 and 2-for-2 from 3-point range in all 12 minutes of the fourth quarter.
The Lakers survive to go up 3-0 on the Houston Rockets behind LeBron James (29 pts, 13 reb, 6 ast, 3 stl, 1 blk) and Marcus Smart (21 pts, 4 reb, 10 ast, 5 stl, 2 blk). The final two minutes of regulation and overtime were wild, but LA held on to be the first team in the 2026 NBA Playoffs to go up 3 games to none. No team in postseason history has lost a series after being up 3-0 (159-0).
No Wemby, no problem for the Spurs. San Antonio took down the Blazers 120-108 to take a 2-1 lead in the series despite a 15-point second-half deficit. Dylan Harper (career-high 27 pts) and Stephon Castle (postseason career-high 33 pts) propel the West’s No. 2 seed to a gritty win without Victor Wembanyama (concussion).
Stephon Castle drops a game-high 33 points (10-18 FG, 3-4 3PM, 10-11 FT) with 2 rebounds, 5 assists and one steal, and Dylan Harper catches fire with 22 of his career-high 27 points (9-12 FG, 4 3PM) in the second half to spark the Spurs to a 120-108 victory against Portland. San Antonio secures a 2-1 series lead and takes back home court.
Harper adds 10 rebounds, 3 dimes, one steal and one block in 30 minutes off San Antonio’s bench. He started taking the game into his own hands during the third quarter, going back and forth in a duel with Scoot Henderson (21 pts, 5 3PM) to rally his team back from a 15-point deficit.
Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper join KD and Russell Westbrook as the only duos in NBA history, age 21 or younger, to each score 25+ points in the same playoff game 🔥 pic.twitter.com/mgZ89KBIv9
Jrue Holiday was sensational at both ends, finishing with a team-high 29 points on 12-for-18 from the field with five made 3s, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. Deni Avdija tallies 19 points on 3-for-15 shooting with 6 boards and 9 dimes, and he and the Blazers will look to regroup for Game 4 on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
APRIL 25, 2026 / 1:10 ET
Harper taking over in 2H
Dylan Harper takes off and detonates over and around Robert Williams III, and he’s up to a career-high 27 points on 9-for-11 shooting and 4-for-5 from downtown in 25 minutes. The Spurs are in the midst of a 15-2 run and hold a 108-97 lead over Portland with 5:01 left in the contest.
Jrue Holiday is cooking with a game-high 25 points on 10-for-15 shooting and 5-for-8 from beyond the arc, adding 4 rebounds, one assist and 2 steals in 30 minutes. Portland leads San Antonio 84-78 with 2:43 left in the third.
Stephon Castle leads the Spurs with 22 points on 7-for-14 shooting, while Dylan Harper chips in 13 points (4-5 FG, 2-3 3PM), 5 rebounds, one assist and one steal in 17 minutes off the bench.
Portland starts the third quarter strong to gain a 77-66 lead over the Spurs with 6:45 to go in the period. The Blazers look to secure a 2-1 series lead and home court.
Portland is getting tremendous performances from Jrue Holiday (17 pts, 3 reb, 1 stl), Scoot Henderson (14 pts, 4 3PM) and Robert Williams III (7 pts, 4 reb, 1 stl, 3 blk) en route to a 7-point advantage at the break.
Stephon Castle has a game-high 19 points on 6-for-11 shooting (6-7 FT) with 2 rebounds and 3 assists, while De’Aaron Fox (10 pts, 4 reb, 4 ast) and Luke Kornet (9 pts, 7 reb, 2 ast, 2 blk) do a bit of everything for San Antonio.
The second half will start soon on Prime Video. Do the Blazers hang on, or will the Spurs fight back to grab a 2-1 series lead without Victor Wembanyama (concussion)?
APRIL 24, 2026 / 11:50 ET
Witness The King
LeBron James took over and came up clutch to help the Lakers go up 3-0 on the Rockets.
Stephon Castle (15 pts, 2 ast) and Luke Kornet (9 pts, 7 reb, 2 blk) pace the Spurs.
APRIL 24, 2026 / 11:26 ET
Spurs, Blazers in a good one early
Portland led 29-27 after the first quarter, but the Spurs hold a 36-34 advantage with 8:55 remaining in the second. Stephon Castle has a game-high 15 points on 5-for-7 shooting after a tough and-1.
Scoot Henderson has 8 points with two made 3s, while Jrue Holiday has a team-high 9 points on 4-for-7 shooting. Deni Avdija (3 pts, 3 ast) and Robert Williams III (6 pts, 3 reb) continue to display some elite chemistry this postseason.
2 plays.
2 alley-oops between Deni Avdija and Robert Williams III 🔥
LeBron James turns back the clock en route to 29 points (10-22 FG), 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and one block in 45 minutes during the Lakers’ unreal 112-108 victory over Houston. Marcus Smart adds 21 points, 4 boards, 10 dimes, 5 steals and 2 blocks in an all-around performance.
Alperen Sengun drops a game-high 33 points (15-27 FG) and 16 rebounds to go along with 6 assists, 3 steals and a block, recording a game-best +10 in 47 minutes. Houston had 6-point lead in the final minute of regulation, but some bad miscues allow the Lakers to come back and eventually prevail.
No team has ever rallied to win a playoff series when trailing 3-0 (159-0).
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APRIL 24, 2026 / 11:04 ET
Spurs-Blazers underway
San Antonio and Portland are tied at 15 with 4:09 to go in the first quarter.
We’re headed to OT after LeBron (29 pts, 12 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl) misses the turnaround 3 just before the regulation buzzer. Extra postseason basketball is live on Prime Video!
Houston is absolutely buzzing right now, thanks in large part to Reed Sheppard (14 pts, 3 3PM, 2 stl, 2 blk) and Amen Thompson (26 pts, 11 reb, 3 stl, 3 blk). The Rockets fight back to take a 95-91 lead over the Lakers with 3:32 remaining in the contest.
LeBron James continues to lead LA with 24 points on 8-for-14 shooting (3 3PM), 10 rebounds, 5 dimes and one steal in 37 minutes. Tune in now on Prime Video to see if the Rockets hold on or if the Lakers claim a 3-0 series lead.
LeBron James couldn’t help but mess with Bronny during his halftime interview 😅 pic.twitter.com/6s8sDvDhpL
Jrue Holiday and the Blazers host Devin Vassell and the Spurs for Game 3 of their series tied at 1-1 on Prime Video. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Amen Thompson is doing it all for Houston, tallying 21 points on 6-for-11 shooting with 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocks. Los Angeles takes an 80-75 lead as we head to the final frame on Prime Video.
LeBron James (20 pts, 8 reb, 5 ast) leads the way for the Lakers as they seek a 3-0 series lead.
APRIL 24, 2026 / 9:55 ET
Celtics take Game 3 in Philly
Clutch triples in the final two minutes from Jayson Tatum (25 pts, 5 3PM, 4 reb, 7 ast) and Payton Pritchard (15 pts, 5 3PM) give Boston a 108-100 win over the Sixers and a 2-1 series lead. JT erupts for 11 points on 4-for-5 shooting (2-2 3PM), 2 boards and 2 assists while playing all 12 minutes of the fourth quarter.
Jaylen Brown tallies a full line with 25 points (9-16 FG, 1-2 3PM, 6-6 FT), 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks and one steal in 40 minutes of action. The Celtics finish 20-for-47 (42.6%) from 3-point range after going 13-for-50 (26%) in Game 2’s defeat.
Tyrese Maxey drops a game-high 31 points (12-31 FG, 5-13 3PM, 2-2 FT) to go along with 4 boards, 6 dimes, 2 blocks and one steal in almost 43 minutes. Paul George adds 18 points with four made 3s, 5 assists and 2 steals, while VJ Edgecombe secures a double-double (10 pts, 10 reb, 5 ast) for the second straight game.
APRIL 24, 2026 / 9:44 ET
Rockets climb back in 3Q
Houston is outscoring LA 14-7 in the third to trim their deficit to 70-66 with 4:41 left in the period. Jabari Smith Jr. has a game-high 18 points on 6-for-10 shooting with four made 3s.
Los Angeles takes a 63-52 lead into the break as LeBron James (3 reb, 4 ast) and Rui Hachimura (3 3PM, 1 stl) pour in 16 points apiece. The Lakers shoot 57% (23-40 FG) overall and 62% (8-13) from downtown, while the Rockets finish at 37% (16-43 FG) from the field and 37% (7-19) from 3.
THE FIRST FATHER-TO-SON ASSIST IN POSTSEASON HISTORY 🤯
Jabari Smith Jr. (14 pts, 4 3PM), Alperen Sengun (11 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl) and Amen Thompson (11 pts, 3 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 3 blk) lead the way for Houston.
Jaylen Brown (17 pts, 7 reb, 3 ast), Jayson Tatum (14 pts, 5 ast) and Payton Pritchard (12 pts, 4 3PM, 4 reb) power the Celtics’ 5-point advantage heading to the final frame on Prime Video.
Tyrese Maxey leads Philadelphia with a game-high 21 points on 8-for-21 shooting (3 3PM), adding 3 boards, 5 assists, one steal and 2 blocks in 30 minutes.
APRIL 24, 2026 / 8:58 ET
LeBron making plays
LeBron James is up to 14 points on 5-for-5 shooting (2 3PM) with 3 rebounds, 4 dimes and one steal in 14 minutes, giving the Lakers a 59-46 lead over the Rockets with 4:49 left in the first half.
Jabari Smith Jr. (12 pts, 4 3PM), Alperen Sengun (11 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast) and Reed Sheppard (8 pts, 2 3PM, 3 ast) fuel Houston’s offense as they look to climb back in Game 3.
Philadelphia is outscoring Boston 20-12 in the third behind Paul George (16 pts, 4 3PM) and Tyrese Maxey (game-high 19 pts, 3 3PM), and the Sixers grab a 67-66 edge with 5:14 remaining in the quarter.
Rui Hachimura drops a game-high 16 points on 6-for-6 shooting and 3-for-3 from long range, giving the Lakers a 39-32 edge over Houston after 12 minutes. Luke Kennard adds 8 points and 4 dimes, and LA dishes out 14 assists on 14 made field goals.
This Lakers sequence…
Jaxson Hayes hustle. Luke Kennard assist. Rui Hachimura triple.
Rui Hachimura (11 pts on 4-4 FG, 2 3PM) and LeBron James (5 pts, 2 ast) are clicking in the first quarter, as the Lakers and Rockets are tied at 21 with 4:36 to go in the frame.
LeBron James making plays early in H-Town 👀
Dime to Rui Hachimura for 3. Knocks down his own 3.
Jaylen Brown (11 pts, 5 reb, 1 blk), Jayson Tatum (8 pts, 5 ast, 1 stl) and Nikola Vučević (8 pts, 2 3PM, 4 reb, 2 blk) stuff the stat sheet to help Boston take a 7-point advantage over the Sixers at the break. The Celtics shoot 12-for-28 (43%) from 3 as four C’s have hit at least two 3-pointers.
Kelly Oubre Jr. (11 pts, 3 reb) is the only Sixer in double figures, but Tyrese Maxey (9 pts, 4 ast, 1 blk), Paul George (8 pts, 2 3PM) and VJ Edgecombe (8 pts, 5 reb, 1 blk) are right behind him.
LeBron James and the Lakers look for a commanding 3-0 series lead when they visit Alperen Sengun and the Rockets on Prime Video. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
Los Angeles Lakers
PG – Luke Kennard (25.0 ppg, 72.7% on 5.5 3PA, 5.0 rpg, 1.5 spg)
Boston takes a 29-24 edge over Philadelphia heading to the second frame behind Jaylen Brown (7 pts, 4 reb, 1 ast) and Jayson Tatum (6 pts, 3 ast). The Celtics are outscoring the Sixers 21-6 from the 3-point line.
It’s been somewhat of a slow start in Philadelphia, as both teams are shooting below 39% from the field with the game tied at 18 with 3:08 left in the first quarter.
Jaylen Brown and the Celtics visit Tyrese Maxey and the 76ers for Game 3 of their series tied at 1-1 on Prime Video. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)
BOS @ PHI — Joel Embiid will not play as he recovers from Appendectomy surgery.
LAL @ HOU — Luka Dončić (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) are both out for the Lakers.
Kevin Durant (ankle) is out for the Rockets.
SAS @ POR — Victor Wembanyama (concussion protocol) traveled with the Spurs to Portland but has been ruled out. Jordan McLaughlin (ankle) is out for the third straight game.
Damian Lillard (Achilles) remains out for the Blazers.
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