In the NBA playoffs, all it takes are a few extra foul calls to determine the outcome of a game. When games are close and everything is on the line, players bristle when a bad call or bad decision by a referee potentially affects a contest.

Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker, however, took things to a whole other level following the team’s 120-107 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday. Booker called out NBA official James Williams by name after the contest, saying the ref had a “terrible” performance that would lead to fans questioning the “integrity of the sport.”

“In my 11 years, I haven’t called a ref out by name, but James [Williams] was terrible tonight through and through. 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.

“It just feels disrespectful. I know I haven’t won a championship in this league, but I have been in it for 11 years now. So to get to this point to be treated like that, for me to even be saying something out loud, it’s bad.”

Booker went so far as to invoke WWE, where outcomes are predetermined before wrestlers take the ring, in his criticism. All of that should earn Booker quite the fine once the NBA reviews his comments. The league is unlikely to respond kindly to a player implying — even lightly — that game outcomes are predetermined.

Booker, in particular, took issue with receiving a technical foul in the third quarter of the contest. The foul occurred after Booker was bumped by Thunder defender Jaylin Williams near the edge of the court. As Booker was going out of bounds, he flipped the ball behind him, trying to save it from leaving the court. The ball, however, hit Jaylin Williams, leading to referee J.B. DeRosa calling Booker for a technical foul.

In real time, it didn’t look like a nefarious action by Booker.

Booker claimed he never received an explanation for that foul. He also claimed that Thunder guard Alex Caruso told officials to call a technical foul on Booker, which was then granted. After the contest, Booker said, “It’s definitely something that has to be looked into.”

Booker wasn’t the only member of the Suns to call out the officiating following the loss. Team owner Mat Ishbia expressed support for Booker, saying he was “100% behind” Booker in this instance.

Ishbia said the team didn’t lose due to poor officiating, but said referees must be held accountable when they are “missing class and clearly disrespecting players, almost mocking them.” He asked the league to take action against that kind of behavior, saying, “The league needs be far more aggressive about this kind of thing. All players and all fans deserve it.”

Dillon Brooks also called out the officials for not allowing the teams to engage in a physical game. He also criticized Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for flopping to get calls, a common complaint of Thunder opponents during the regular season.

“[Gilgeous-Alexander is] a little frail, and that’s what the refs are going to call,” Brooks said. “I used to watch this back when Michael Jordan was playing or whoever else, when LeBron was younger. This is physical basketball. I don’t get why all of the dropping, the falling, the flopping and the flailing, all this stuff, is allowed when we get to the playoffs. For the fans, this is about who is the better team, who is the more winning team. Don’t decide the games on no free throws.”

Gilgeous-Alexander shrugged off those comments after the contest, saying he can’t control what opponents say about games. He added that Brooks’ role is to bring energy and “rile up the game.” Gilgeous-Alexander said Brooks did exactly that Wednesday.

Gilgeous-Alexander got to the free-throw line 17 times in the Thunder’s 119-84 blowout win in Game 1 of the series. Things weren’t as extreme Wednesday, as Gilgeous-Alexander attempted nine free throws in the win. Booker actually attempted one more free throw during the contest.

With the Suns now down 2-0 in the series, there’s pressure on the team to get things turned around immediately. Calling out the refs could be the team’s way of trying to change how games are officiated in the series moving forward, though it’s also going to lead to Booker — and maybe Brooks — taking a significant financial hit for their comments.

The New York Knicks and the Atlanta Hawks are currently tied 1-1 in their NBA playoff series heading into Game 3 this Thursday. The Knicks hosted the first two games and the series now heads to Atlanta – Thursday night’s tipoff at State Farm Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. You can take an in-depth look at the playoff bracket for every NBA team right here, and check out the schedule for the rest of this week’s games below.

Here’s everything you need to know so you won’t miss Thursday’s game, or any other game in the Knicks vs. Hawks NBA playoff series.  

How to watch the Knicks vs. Hawks Game 3:

Date: April 23, 2026

Time: 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

TV channel: N/A

Streaming: Prime Video

Knicks vs. Hawks game time:

Game 3 between the Knicks and the Hawks tips off at 7 p.m. ET.

Knicks vs. Hawks game channel:

The next NBA playoff game of the Knicks-Hawks series will stream live on Prime Video. 

How to watch the Knicks vs. Hawks without cable:

Select NBA playoff games, including Game 3 of the Knicks-Hawks series, are available to stream on Prime Video.

More ways to watch the NBA playoffs:

2026 NBA playoffs schedule:

April 23

• New York Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks: 7 p.m. ET (Prime Video)

• Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors: 8 p.m. ET (Prime Video)

• Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves: 9:30 p.m. ET (Prime Video)

April 24

• Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers: 7 p.m. ET (Prime Video)

• Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers: 8 p.m. ET (Prime Video)

• Portland Trail Blazers vs. San Antonio Spurs: 10:30 p.m. ET (Prime Video)

April 25

• Orlando Magic vs. Detroit Pistons: 1 p.m. ET (Peacock, NBCSN)

• Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns: 3:30 p.m. ET (Peacock, NBC)

• Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks: 6 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

• Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets: 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

April 26

• Toronto Raptors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: 1 p.m. ET (ESPN)

• Portland Trail Blazers vs. San Antonio Spurs: 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

• Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics: 7 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

• Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers: 9:30 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

Remaining NBA playoffs key dates:

• May 4: Conference Semifinals begin (can move up to May 2 or 3)

• May 19: Eastern Conference Finals begin on ESPN/ABC (can move up to May 17)

• May 20: Western Conference Finals begin on NBC/Peacock (can move up to May 18)

• June 3: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 1 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET

• June 5: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 2 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET

• June 8: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 3 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET

• June 10: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 4 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET

• June 13: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 5 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)

• June 16: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 6 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)

• June 19: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 7 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)

The Oklahoma City Thunder will be without Jalen Williams due to another hamstring injury. The team announced Thursday that he has a Grade 1 hamstring strain and will be re-evaluated on a weekly basis.

Williams went down early in the second half of the Thunder’s 120-107 win over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday. That victory at the Paycom Center gave the Thunder a 2-0 lead in their opening-round playoff series as it shifts to Phoenix later this week.

Williams missed a layup midway through the third quarter and pulled up awkwardly under the basket as play started moving the other way, immediately looking bothered. He didn’t leave the game right away, but Williams was shaken up and in a significant amount of pain.

After trying to play through a few possessions, Williams eventually subbed himself out and motioned to his left hamstring as he did so.

Williams eventually limped back to the locker room and did not return.

“We think he aggravated his left hamstring,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said after the game. “We’ll take a look at it in the next couple of days, and we’ll update you guys when appropriate.”

Though Williams has missed extensive time this season with a hamstring injury, his injury Wednesday was a new one. Williams missed 49 games largely due to a hamstring strain in his right leg earlier this season. Williams underwent surgery on his wrist in July after helping the Thunder to their NBA Finals win last season, and missed the start of the regular season because of it.

Despite his limited action, Williams averaged 17.1 points and 5.5 assists per game this season and helped the Thunder to the top seed in the Western Conference. He had 22 points and seven rebounds in the Thunder’s 119-84 win in Game 1 of the series. 

Williams had 19 points and shot 7-of-11 from the field when he went down Wednesday. Despite his early departure, the Thunder carried a 23-point lead into the final period and held on late and survived one final Phoenix push to grab the 13-point win.

Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 30 points in the loss after he went 5 of 9 from the 3-point line. Devin Booker finished with 22 points and seven rebounds, and Jalen Green had 21 points. The Suns had 21 turnovers.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 37 points and nine assists. Chet Holmgren finished with 19 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks. Ajay Mitchell added 14 points off the bench.

While the Thunder have not had any real issues so far in the playoffs, losing Williams for a significant amount of time would change the series and open the door a bit for the Suns as they hit their home court for the first time on Saturday. And, based on Williams’ injury history in recent months, it’s hard to imagine the Thunder would be in a hurry to get him back on the floor.

For the first time since Aug. 23, 2025, Shohei Ohtani didn’t reach base in a regular-season game on Wednesday.

The Los Angeles Dodgers star went 0-for-4 with no walks in a 3-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants, ending his on-base streak at 53 games. He entered Wednesday tied with Shawn Green for the second-longest streak by a Dodger in the modern era (since 1900).

Ohtani finished five games short of Duke Snider’s franchise record of 58, and 31 games short of Ted Williams’ MLB record 84-game streak.

Most responsible for Ohtani’s empty night at the plate was Giants starting pitcher Tyler Mahle, who faced him three times and got two groundouts and a strikeout. He threw seven scoreless innings overall, with Caleb Kilian getting the final plate appearance from Ohtani in the eighth inning.

Ohtani’s best chance at reaching base was in the third inning on a 103.1 mph grounder, but Giants first baseman Rafael Devers made a nice play to get the out.

On the bright side for Ohtani, he was once again terrific on the mound, striking out seven, allowing five hits and walking none across six scoreless innings. His ERA is now 0.38 through four starts.

We could put this another way. Ohtani now has as many earned runs allowed this season as games in which he has failed to reach base: one.

Another fun fact: Ohtani has reached base every game this season, and yet is on pace to post his worst OPS (.854) since 2020, the year before his first MVP campaign.

San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama reported to the team’s facility as scheduled on Wednesday while recovering from a concussion. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Wembanyama is “hopeful” to travel with the team to Portland on Thursday. His status for Friday’s Game 3 remains uncertain.

The Spurs lost Wembanyama early Tuesday night after he took a hard, awkward fall and smacked his face directly onto the floor in Game 2 of their 106-103 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.

Wembanyama was quickly placed into concussion protocol and ruled out for the rest of the game. He was diagnosed with a concussion, head coach Mitch Johnson confirmed after the contest.

Further specifics, including how long he might be sidelined, are not yet known. League rules stipulate that a player can not return for at least 48 hours after being diagnosed with a concussion. He will have to complete the required return-to-participation process and be cleared by a team doctor, too. Players can participate in some degree of activity after 24 hours.

Though concussions are difficult to compare, the average of time of recovery for NBA players in recent years has landed around seven-to-10 days. That timeline undoubtedly puts at least the next few games in doubt for Wembanyama.

“He has a concussion, he’s in the protocol and we’ll obviously take the proper and appropriate steps,” Johnson told reporters after the game.

Johnson also said Wembanyama did not go to the hospital and the Spurs were not concerned about any additional injury beyond the concussion.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Wembanyama goes down early with concussion

Wembanyama lost his balance in the lane as he tried to make a move past Jrue Holiday midway through the second quarter Tuesday. But as he turned around to try to get to the rim, Wembanyama collided with Holiday and lost his balance. 

That sent him crashing face-first to the floor at the Frost Bank Center. Wembanyama’s chin collided with the court, and he remained down, clearly shaken up for quite some time under the rim.

After getting to a seated position, Wembanyama eventually jumped up and ran back to the locker room with 8:57 remaining in the second quarter.

Wembanyama had five points and four rebounds at the time. The MVP candidate was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year via a unanimous vote on Monday and received his trophy ahead of Tuesday’s contest in San Antonio.

The Spurs rolled to a 1-0 lead in the series on Sunday as Wembanyama dropped 35 points in his postseason debut.

Trail Blazers rally without Wembanyama available

While the two teams entered the locker room tied at halftime, the Spurs erupted to start the fourth quarter. They opened the final period on a 13-0 tear to finally get some separation.

But things flipped in the second half of the quarter, and the Spurs completely collapsed.

The Trail Blazers, without Wembanyama clogging things up for them inside, finally rallied back and took the lead again after Holiday cleaned up a missed Robert Williams bucket with about two minutes left on the clock. That capped a 12-2 Portland run.

Eventually, it was Williams who sealed the deal with an and-1 dunk right through Julian Champagnie with just 12 seconds left. While he missed the free throw, it gave the Blazers enough space out in front and allowed them to hang on to grab the three-point win.

Devin Vassell had a look to send the game to overtime in the final seconds, but he was just off the mark. The Trail Blazers closed the game on a 27-10 run to grab the win.

Stephon Castle led the Spurs with 18 points and eight rebounds, and Vassell added 16 points and 12 rebounds. Scoot Henderson led the Trail Blazers with 31 points after he went 5-of-9 from the 3-point line, and Holiday finished with 16 points and nine assists.

Game 3 of the series is set for Friday night at the Moda Center in Portland. It’s unclear how long Wembanyama will be in concussion protocol, though Friday’s game is technically outside of the league-required 48-hour window. Wembanyama will still have to be cleared to travel on Thursday first.

If Wembanyama ends up missing any extended time, the series could shift dramatically. With things tied now 1-1 and headed to the Pacific Northwest for the first time, it clearly already has.

The 2026 NBA playoffs tip off this weekend with eight games across Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19. You can catch NBA playoff games on ABC, NBC, ESPN, and Amazon Prime Video. Looking to watch the tournament with just one streaming service? We’ve (almost) got you covered. With DIRECTV’s MySports® Genre Pack®, you’ll have everything you need to tune in, apart from Prime Video — but who doesn’t have access to an Amazon account these days, anyway?

Here’s what you need to know so you won’t miss a single game of the 2026 NBA Playoffs. 

How to watch the 2026 NBA playoffs:

Dates: April 18 – June, 2026

TV channels: NBC, ESPN, ABC

Streaming: DIRECTV

When are the 2026 NBA playoffs?

The 2026 NBA playoffs officially get underway on April 18. The Eastern Conference finals are scheduled to begin May 19, and the Western Conference finals are scheduled for May 20. The NBA finals are set to begin on June 3, 2026.

What channels are broadcasting NBA playoff games?

 NBA playoff games will be broadcast across Prime Video, NBC, ABC, and ESPN. 

How to watch the 2026 NBA playoffs without cable:

NBA playoff games that air on NBC, ABC and ESPN are all available to stream with DIRECTV’s MySports® Genre Pack®, which includes access to ESPN (and the ESPN Unlimited streaming tier), local ABC and NBC.

Cancel anytime. Local channels vary by market. Blackout restrictions apply. Select sales channels only.

This will not replace any existing Disney+, Hulu, ESPN, or Disney bundle subscription you may already have. All other accounts must be managed separately. You must remain on an eligible plan to retain your offer.

Note: You’ll still need Amazon Prime access to catch the Prime Video-exclusive NBA playoff games — but who doesn’t have Amazon Prime access these days?

Why we love DIRECTV:

As Senior Yahoo Tech writer Rick Broida puts it, DIRECTV is the “polished and likable” cable alternative that cord-cutters have been searching for. Miss flipping through endless channels on the hunt for a gem to tune into? DIRECTV’s got one of the best channel guides out there. And in terms of content diversity, DIRECTV has you covered there, too, with packages ranging from hyper-specific Genre Packs for sports fans and reality TV zealots to full-coverage options for TV fans who want it all. Sports fans, meanwhile, will appreciate that ESPN Unlimited is included with many DIRECTV plans to boot. And don’t worry about missing your favorite shows, either: In addition to live channels, DIRECTV offers a full range of on-demand programming and unlimited DVR, too. That’s why we called DIRECTV the best cable TV replacement in the streaming world.

2026 NBA playoffs schedule this week:

All times Eastern

April 22

• Orlando Magic vs. Detroit Pistons: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)

• Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns: 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

April 23

• New York Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks: 7 p.m. ET (Prime Video)

• Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors: 8 p.m. ET (Prime Video)

• Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves: 9:30 p.m. ET (Prime Video)

April 24

• Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers: 7 p.m. ET (Prime Video)

• Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers: 8 p.m. ET (Prime Video)

• Portland Trail Blazers vs. San Antonio Spurs: 10:30 p.m. ET (Prime Video)

April 25

• Orlando Magic vs. Detroit Pistons: 1 p.m. ET (Peacock, NBCSN)

• Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns: 3:30 p.m. ET (Peacock, NBC)

• Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks: 6 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

• Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets: 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

April 26

• Toronto Raptors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: 1 p.m. ET (ESPN)

• Portland Trail Blazers vs. San Antonio Spurs: 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

• Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics: 7 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

• Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers: 9:30 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

2026 NBA playoffs key dates:

• May 4: Conference Semifinals begin (can move up to May 2 or 3)

• May 19: Eastern Conference Finals begin on ESPN/ABC (can move up to May 17)

• May 20: Western Conference Finals begin on NBC/Peacock (can move up to May 18)

• June 3: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 1 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET

• June 5: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 2 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET

• June 8: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 3 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET

• June 10: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 4 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET

• June 13: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 5 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)

• June 16: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 6 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)

• June 19: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 7 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)

Everything seems to have clicked for Youssef
Zalal.

The Marc Montoya protégé faces perhaps his most difficult test to
date and tries to move one step closer to contention in the

Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight division when he
toes the line against Aljamain
Sterling in the
UFC Fight Night 274 main event on Saturday at the UFC Apex in
Las Vegas. Zalal, 29, steps into the spotlight on the strength of a
career-best eight-fight winning streak that now spans more than
1,200 days. He last saw action at UFC 320, where he put away

Team Alpha Male’s Josh Emmett
with an armbar a mere 98 seconds into their Oct. 4 encounter. It
was Zalal’s fastest finish as a pro and propelled him into the Top
10 rankings at 145 pounds.

A 13-fight lineup at UFC Fight Night 274 features several fighters
on the rise, with Zalal at the front of the line. Four others to
monitor:

Joselyne
Edwards

Violent predispositions have made Edwards impossible to ignore. The
Panamanian hunts her latest potential victim when she zeroes in on
Norma
Dumont in a three-round women’s bantamweight co-main event that
provides a platform for two would-be contenders at 135 pounds.
After a rather non-descript start to her UFC tenure, Edwards has
hit the accelerator and pieced together a run of four straight
victories. All four have resulted in finishes, highlighted by
first-round knockouts of Chelsea
Chandler and Priscila
Cachoeira. Edwards, 30, last suited up on Feb. 21, when she
dispatched Nora
Cornolle with a rear-naked choke midway through the second
round of their UFC Fight Night 267 pairing. The
Kings MMA rep held titles in the King of
the Cage and Panama Fight League promotions prior to her arrive
in the UFC.

Michelle
Montague

Montague may carry the late-bloomer tag, but she certainly appears
ready, willing and able to make up for lost time. The undefeated

American Top Team-trained Kiwi draws her second assignment
inside the Octagon when she takes on Mayra
Bueno Silva in a three-round women’s bantamweight prelim.
Montague, 32, moves back into view with a perfect 7-0 record in
tow. The
Professional Fighters League alum last strapped on the gloves
at UFC Fight Night 260, where she outpointed Luana
Carolina to a unanimous decision across three rounds on Sept.
27. Montague, the first woman from New Zealand to compete in the
UFC, did not start her formal training until she was 20 years
old.

Adrian
Luna Martinetti

Martinetti was a relative unknown until he appeared on
Dana White’s Contender Series and emerged as the last man
standing in a remarkable 15-minute firefight with Mark
Vologdin on Oct. 7. The 30-year-old Entram
Gym product makes his anticipated promotional debut opposite
“The Ultimate Fighter” Season 18 finalist Davey Grant
in a three-round bantamweight attraction. Martinetti, a star on the
regional circuit in his native Mexico, enters the Octagon armed
with an impressive 17-1 record and the wind of a 15-fight winning
streak at his back. The ex-Ultimate Warrior Challenge champion has
secured more than half (10) of his 17 career victories by knockout,
technical knockout or submission.

Jafel
Filho

Though he has yet to fully take off in the 125-pound weight class,
Filho continues to show signs of development. The
Nova Uniao rep seeks his second win in as many outings when he
locks horns with Cody
Durden—a late-notice replacement for Lucas
Rocha—in a three-round flyweight battle on the undercard.
Filho, 32, last competed on Oct. 11, when he dismissed Clayton
Carpenter with a kimura in the first round of their UFC Fight
Night 261 confrontation. The former Shooto
Brazil champion now boasts 16 finishes among his 17
professional victories, nine of the first-round variety. Filho
punched his ticket to the UFC via Dana White’s Contender Series in
2022.