Basketball News · LatestThursday, Apr 30, 2026

The Los Angeles Lakers have had two cracks at closing out the Houston Rockets after taking a 3-0 lead in their first-round playoff series, but have not been able to do so. On Wednesday night, the Rockets survived another Lakers push on the road, getting a 99-93 win to send the series back to Houston […] The post Lakers star LeBron James fires a savage response to Jabari Smith’s claim appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Long before the WNBA official season, the Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark have already found themselves at the brink of history. The Fever’s preseason opener against the New York Liberty underscored their undeniable impact on the league, as they set an unheard-of number in this preparatory season, prompting the hoops community to share their perspectives.

Limited in the first four games, Dennis Schroder broke out in Wednesday's Game 5, scoring 11 of his 19 points in the fourth as the Cavs won 125-120 to take a 3-2 series lead.

The Rockets avoided playoff elimination for the second straight game with a 99-93 victory over the Lakers in Game 5, trimming L.A.'s lead in the series to 3-2.

The Los Angeles Lakers missed a chance to close out their first-round series, falling 99-93 to the Houston Rockets in Game 5 on Wednesday night. The loss trimmed Los Angeles’ series lead to 3-2 and forced a Game 6 back in Houston. Head coach JJ Redick didn’t sugarcoat the outcome afterward, pointing directly to the […] The post Lakers HC JJ Redick drops truth bomb on Game 5 debacle vs. Rockets appeared first on ClutchPoints.

49 points. One-point win. The Warriors had no business winning this game. Curry didn't care.

James Harden garnered the most attention in the series of moves the Cleveland Cavaliers made near the NBA trade deadline. Schroder scored 11 points in the fourth quarter as the Cavaliers came back to beat the Toronto Raptors 125-120 in Game 5 of their first-round series. “This guy’s played in huge games in the NBA and then on the international scene, so this type of game fits him,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said.

Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill will hold a live chat Thursday at 11 am Central time (noon Eastern) exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Use the link below to ask a question in advance, participate in the live event and read the transcript afterward. Unlock Subscriber-Exclusive Articles Like This One With a Trade Rumors Front Office […]

Angel Reese made her Atlanta Dream debut on Wednesday in their first preseason game. Fittingly, it was against her former team, the Chicago Sky. Reese spent the first two seasons of her career with the Sky after they drafted her seventh overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

Two years was all it took for the Chicago Sky to move on from their biggest bet. Just 22 days before the 2026 WNBA season tipped off, the Sky front office made a move that raised more than a few eyebrows.

LeBron James was unhappy with Alperen Sengun and let him know during Game 5 of the Lakers-Rockets series.

If we're hellbent on keeping the lottery and draft, how does making it harder for bad teams to access top prospects make the league better?

New York is running its offense through Karl-Anthony Towns—and the Hawks have no answers

LeBron James had a big game on the stat sheet but couldn't come through in the end as the Lakers fell to the Rockets 99-93 in Game 5.

Boston lost Game 5 thanks to a horrid fourth quarter, but the team’s biggest issue lies with the struggles of one of their most important players.

The Orlando Magic nearly joined the history books on Wednesday night, almost taking down the No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons as the 8-seed in the East. They unfortunately fell a few plays short of the upset, but they’ll have a chance to complete the series win on Friday night in Game 6. Paolo Banchero did […] The post Jalen Suggs reveals best part of playing with Paolo Banchero appeared first on ClutchPoints.

After dropping their first game of the series in Game 4, the Los Angeles Lakers returned home and looked to close out the Houston Rockets in Game 5 at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers got a much-needed boost with Austin Reaves back in the lineup for the first time this series, but the Rockets still kept […]

The Toronto Raptors are on the brink of elimination following a 125-120 loss in Wednesday’s Game 5 matchup vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers. Darko Rajakovic’s squad led by 12 early in the fourth quarter but could not close out the win after losing Brandon Ingram to a heel injury. Ingram played 12 minutes before exiting the […] The post Scottie Barnes believes Raptors need Brandon Ingram to beat Cavs appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Accountability, not excuses, defined the Orlando Magic’s mindset following their 116–109 Game 5 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. With a chance to close out the series, the Magic instead saw its lead trimmed to 3–2, shifting pressure back onto a young roster still learning how to finish in the postseason. The loss […] The post Magic’s Desmond Bane drops eye-opening ‘beat ourselves’ admission after loss to Pistons appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Josh Hart’s availability hangs in the balance for a pivotal Game 6.

Solid performances by Scottie, RJ, and the bench just weren’t enough to overcome the Cavs

The Houston Rockets ain't done yet.

Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese once formed one of the most formidable frontcourts in the WNBA. This was during their time together as teammates with the Chicago Sky. Cardoso and Reese both joined the Sky in 2024 as part of that year’s draft class.

The Golden State Warriors may be looking at some big changes this summer, and all of it could start with head coach Steve Kerr. His future currently remains up in the air as he decides what he steps he wants to take for his future, and his decision will have significant domino effects. In a […] The post Draymond Green gets real on December Steve Kerr altercation appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The Orlando Magic remain in control of their playoff path despite a Game 5 setback, as a message from franchise legend Dwight Howard quickly gained attention following the loss on Wednesday night. The Magic fell to the Detroit Pistons 116–109 in a high-scoring contest that cut its series lead to 3–2. The game featured a […] The post Magic legend Dwight Howard posts directive to Orlando after Game 5 loss appeared first on ClutchPoints.

With Franz Wagner ruled out for Orlando with a calf strain, Detroit looked to capitalize inside. Jalen Duren was working inside early and the Pistons were in the bonus quickly with nine minutes left in the first. They got back to playing basketball the Detroit way with seven offensive rebounds and 12 second chance points. […]

The 2026 WNBA season was supposed to show fans what a fully healthy Indiana Fever roster looks like. However, all they are left with is Déjà vu.