April 2026

There were 1,683 posts published in April 2026 (this is page 154 of 169).

Knicks Injury Tracker: Karl-Anthony Towns ruled out vs. Bulls

Here are the latest news updates and possible return dates for Knicks players…

April, 3, 7:05 p.m.

It looked as if the Knicks were completely healthy heading into Friday’s game against the Bulls, but things changed suddenly.

Karl-Anthony Towns was listed as questionable with a right elbow impingement, and shortly before tip, the team ruled him out for the game.

Mitchell Robinson will start in Towns’ place.

Towns is coming off a game where he recorded his second triple-double as a Knick in the team’s win over the Grizzlies on Wednesday night.

April 1, 7:01 p.m.

After initially being listed as questionable with right ankle soreness, Jalen Brunson has been ruled out by the Knicks for Wednesday’s matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Brunson joins Miles McBride (core muscle injury management) and Mitchell Robinson (load management) on the bench, leaving New York shorthanded and with few options to turn to for the second game of a back-to-back following Tuesday’s loss to the Houston Rockets.

Jose Alvarado will likely be inserted into the starting five as the point guard, alongside Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns.

March 21, 5:50 p.m.

The latest NBA injury report has Landry Shamet (knee) as out for Sunday’s game against the Washington Wizards. Shamet exited Friday’s win against the Nets with right knee soreness.

Josh Hart (knee), who missed Friday’s game in Brooklyn, is questionable as he continues to manage his knee injury.

Shamet took Hart’s place in the starting lineup against the Nets. If Hart is unable to play, Jose Alvarado could see himself inserted into the starting five. When Shamet exited the game against Brooklyn, Alvarado was the second guard on the floor with the starters. 

March 19, 5:25 p.m.

The Knicks officially ruled Josh Hart (knee) out for Friday’s game against the Nets. Hart missed two games during the Knicks’ West Coast road trip earlier this month with knee soreness. 

Jalen Brunson, who missed the Knicks’ win against the Pacers on Tuesday with neck soreness, is off the injury report and is set to return to the lineup when they take on the cross-town rivals.

March 17, 6:05 p.m.

The Knicks ruled Jalen Brunson (ankle) out for Tuesday’s game against the Pacers. Coach Mike Brown confirmed Jose Alvarado will take Brunson’s place in the starting lineup. This is the first time Brunson has missed a game due to injury since Jan. 17. 

In addition, Brown said that Mitchell Robinson will play after being questionable with a back injury.

Feb. 11, 1:30 p.m.

The Knicks have ruled out OG Anunoby for Wednesday night’s game at the Philadelphia 76ers.

Anunoby has been out of the lineup since playing 48 minutes in the double-OT win over the Nuggets on Feb. 4 with a toenail avulsion on his right foot.

New York will have Mitchell Robinson available for the game against the Sixers after the big man missed the first game of the Knicks back-to-back, a disappointing OT defeat to the Indiana Pacers.

Feb. 8, 11:00 a.m.

The Knicks will remain shorthanded on Sunday in Boston, but they are getting two big pieces back.

Karl-Anthony Towns (eye laceration) and Josh Hart (ankle) are set to play while OG Anunoby (toe) will remain out. 

Towns and Anunoby missed Friday’s game in Detroit with their respective injuries.

Hart was forced to leave that loss early with his.

New York will also have Jose Alvarado available for the first time after he passed his physical.

Feb. 7, 5:20 p.m.

The Knicks are listing Josh Hart (ankle), Karl-Anthony Towns (eye laceration), and OG Anunoby (toe) as questionable for Sunday afternoon’s game against the Boston Celtics, the team announced.

Towns and Anunoby missed Friday night’s loss to the Pistons, during which Hart sustained an injury that saw him exit the game in the third quarter.

New York will have Jose Alvarado available for the first time since adding the guard in a trade before this week’s deadline. 

Feb. 6, 7:02 p.m.

The Knicks will be without star Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby on Friday night in Detroit against the Pistons, per the NY Post’s Stefan Bondy.

Towns was previously listed as doubtful with an eye laceration, while Anunoby was a game-time decision due to right toe soreness.

The good news for New York is that Josh Hart will be active after missing Wednesday’s 2OT win over the Denver Nuggets.

Feb. 6, 1:10 p.m.

It appears the Knicks will be a bit shorthanded when they head to Detroit on Friday night. 

Karl-Anthony Towns has been downgraded to doubtful with an eye laceration suffered Wednesday, and OG Anunoby is being listed as questionable with right toe soreness. 

Additionally, Jose Alvarado is not yet with the team, as he and Dalen Terry still need to pass their physicals. 

On a more positive note, Josh Hart is now being listed as probable after missing Wednesday’s game with an ankle sprain. 

Hart was originally questionable, but he’s already been upgraded hours before tipoff. 

New York is looking to push its winning streak to nine games against the Eastern Conference leaders.  

Feb. 5, 4:15 p.m.

The Knicks could be a bit short-handed when they take on the Pistons on Friday night. 

The team is listing Karl-Anthony-Towns (eye laceration) and Josh Hart (left ankle) as questionable, while OG Anunoby (toe soreness) is probable to play. 

Hart did not play on Wednesday night against the Denver Nuggets, the same game in which Towns played through a cut above his eye.

Miles McBride (core muscle surgery) is also out, and likely won’t be able to return until the playoffs. 

Feb. 4, 5:25 p.m.

The Knicks are once again dealing with a thin backcourt, as head coach Mike Brown revealed guards Josh Hart and Miles McBride are unavailable for Wednesday’s home game against the Nuggets with ankle injuries.

Hart suffered a left ankle sprain during the third quarter of Tuesday’s road win over the Wizards, as cameras caught him hobbling to the locker room. While the severity of his injury is still unknown, the veteran missed a handful of games earlier this season due to a right ankle issue.

As for McBride, who last played on Jan. 27 against the Kings, he’s about to miss a fifth straight game. He’s averaged 12.9 points across 35 games this season, shooting a career-best 42 percent from three.

The good news is rookie Mohamed Diawara, who also exited Tuesday’s win early with an ankle injury, will be active on Wednesday. 

Feb. 2, 5:00 p.m.

The Knicks’ depth will be tested against the Wizards on Tuesday night, as Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson have already been ruled out due to left ankle injury management.

McBride, who last played on Jan. 27 against the Kings, will be unavailable for a fourth straight game. The fifth-year guard has averaged 12.9 points across 35 games this season, shooting a career-best 42 percent from three.

As for Robinson, his absence is more precautionary with a back-to-back slate ahead. He racked up seven rebounds and one block (23 minutes) in Sunday’s win over the Lakers, and SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley reports he’s likely to return to action on Wednesday against the Nuggets.

Jan. 31, 6:30 p.m.

New York ruled out Miles McBride (left ankle injury management) for Sunday’s primetime game against the Los Angeles Lakers, per the team’s Saturday injury report.

It will be the third straight game that McBride has missed, last playing on Jan. 27 against the Sacramento Kings. Over 35 games this season, McBride is averaging 12.9 points per game and shooting 42 percent from three.

Despite his absence the past two games, the Knicks have extended their winning streak to five games after a rough 2-9 stretch

Jan. 28 1:36 p.m.

The Knicks will be without Miles McBride (left ankle management) and Mitchell Robinson (left ankle management) when they take on the Raptors in Toronto on Wednesday night in the second game of a back-to-back.

McBride played 30 minutes in Tuesday’s win over the Kings, scoring nine points. Robinson also played against Sacramento, scoring seven points with 13 rebounds (six offensive) over 27 minutes of action.

Additionally, Josh Hart is being listed as questionable due to right ankle soreness.

Jan. 24, 2:36 p.m.

After the Knicks designated Karl-Anthony Towns as questionable with back spasms, the team announced just before Saturday’s tip with the 76ers that the big man will indeed play.

Philly upgraded Paul George (knee) and Joel Embiid (ankle) as available for Saturday’s game.

Jan. 23, 6:20 p.m.

The latest NBA injury report was updated and Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns is listed as questionable for Saturday’s game against the 76ers.

New York is citing thoracic back spasms as the reason for Towns’ designation.

As for Philly, Paul George (knee) and Joel Embiid (ankle) are listed as probable for the big showdown between Eastern Conference rivals. 

Jan. 19, 3:35 p.m.

Fresh off being named an All-Star starter for the second straight year, Jalen Brunson (right ankle sprain) will be back in action on Monday when the Knicks take on the Dallas Mavericks, head coach Mike Brown said.

Brunson has missed most of New York’s last three games, all losses, after spraining his ankle in the first quarter against the Sacramento Kings last Wednesday.

Josh Hart (right ankle soreness) will also return to the court on Monday after sitting out Saturday’s loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Jan. 18 5:20 p.m.

Jalen Brunson (right ankle sprain) and Josh Hart (right ankle soreness) are both being listed as questionable for Monday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks.

The former college teammates did not play on Saturday night in a loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Brunson has already missed 2-plus games since suffering the injury on Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings, as the Knicks have dropped their last three straight contests.

Jan. 17, 5:58 p.m.

After initially being listed as questionable, Knicks head coach Mike Brown ruled out Josh Hart (ankle) and Jalen Brunson (ankle) for Saturday’s game against the Suns.

Jan. 17, 1:15 p.m.

The Knicks are listing Josh Hart as questionable for Saturday’s game against the Phoenix Suns due to right ankle soreness.

Hart has played in New York’s past three games after missing eight games with an ankle injury suffered on Christmas Day. The team went 3-5 in his absence.

He’s averaging 12.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game over 31 contests this season.

Jalen Brunson (ankle) is also questionable for Saturday night and still listed as day-to-day after suffering a right ankle sprain against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. He did not play in Thursday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors.

Jan. 15, 8:20 p.m.

The Knicks will be without Jalen Brunson on Thursday, but they will receive reinforcement in the rotation.

Landry Shamet has officially been ruled available for the meeting with the Warriors.  

Shamet’s been out since Nov. 22 with a shoulder injury, but he’s been working his way back and was officially upgraded to questionable heading into the matchup. 

It’s unclear whether or not he’ll be on a minutes restriction, but his return is certainly a welcome sight. 

Shamet was averaging 9.3 points on 45 percent shooting from the field in 15 games prior to the injury.

Jan. 10, 5:00 p.m.

Josh Hart (ankle) has been upgraded to questionable for Sunday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

The wing has not played since Christmas Day, missing the past eight games.

New York has gone 3-5 without him, including dropping five of their last six games.

Jan. 6, 5:20 p.m.

The latest Knicks injury report lists Josh Hart and Landry Shamet as out for Wednesday’s tip against the Clippers at MSG.

Hart (ankle) will miss his seventh consecutive game, in which the Knicks are 2-4 in his absence. SNY’s Ian Begley said on The Putback that Hart is “close” to coming back. The team had said last week that they would re-evaluate Hart in a week, and it seems enough progress hasn’t been made.

After Wednesday’s game, the Knicks travel west to take on the Suns in Phoenix on Friday.

Jan. 3, 2026, 1:41 p.m.

The Knicks are listing Karl-Anthony Towns as questionable for Saturday night’s game against the visiting Philadelphia 76ers due to illness. Towns missed Friday night’s defeat to the Atlanta Hawks with the same ailment.

Mitchell Robinson (ankle injury management) is off the injury report for Saturday after not playing the previous night.

Josh Hart (shoulder) is making improvements, but remains out alongside Landry Shamet (shoulder). 

Dec. 30, 10:27 p.m.

Mitchell Robinson (ankle injury management) is out for Wednesday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs.

New York’s big man is one of three players who have been listed as out for the NBA Cup rematch on New Year’s Eve. Robinson joins Josh Hart (right ankle sprain) and Landry Shamet (shoulder) as those unavailable for the game.

Tyler Kolek (right ankle soreness) is listed as probable, while Ariel Hukporti (lip laceration) is questionable for Wednesday’s game.

Dec. 27, 6:10 p.m.

On the last injury report ahead of Saturday’s tip against the Hawks, the Knicks listed Miles McBride (ankle) as out.

McBride was listed as questionable as recently as Friday, but it seems the guard will miss his eighth game.

Dec. 26, 3:42 p.m.

The Knicks will be without forward Josh Hart when they play the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. The forward left the Christmas Day win over Cleveland in the fourth quarter and has been diagnosed with an ankle sprain. 

But there was some good news: reserve guard Miles McBride (ankle) has been upgraded to questionable. That’s an indication that he is very close to making a return to the court after missing the last seven games.

Landry Shamet (shoulder) remains sidelined.

Dec. 22, 4:20 p.m.

The Knicks will be short-handed on Tuesday night in Minnesota against the Timberwolves.

Jalen Brunson (right ankle management), OG Anunoby (left ankle soreness), and Guerschon Yabusele (illness) are all listed as out.

Additionally, Miles McBride (ankle), Landry Shamet (shoulder), and Pacôme Dadiet (G-League assignment) will remain out as well.

New York has gone 2-1 since winning the NBA Cup last Tuesday and face a hot Minnesota squad, winners of four out of their last five games.

Dec. 19, 5:25 p.m.

Head coach Mike Brown confirmed that Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart will play against the 76ers on Friday, hours after they were listed as probable on the injury report.

Dec. 19, 2:00 p.m.

On the heels of a back-to-back, the Knicks will get some of their core back in the lineup on Friday night against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Karl-Anthony Towns (knee soreness) and Josh Hart (rectus abdominis strain) are listed as probable, while Mitchell Robinson and OG Anunoby aren’t on the injury report and should be available. Towns, Hart, and Robinson all did not play in Thursday’s win over the Indiana Pacers. 

Miles McBride (ankle) and Landry Shamet (shoulder) will remain out for New York on Friday. Additionally, Pacôme Dadiet was assigned to the Westchester Knicks.

The Sixers will be without former MVP Joel Embiid (illness, right knee injury management), who was downgraded from questionable. Embiid has played in just 11 of Philly’s 25 games this season, averaging only 20.5 points and 6.6 rebounds when on the court (26.2 minutes per game). Philadelphia will also be without Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee sprain) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain).

Dec. 18, 5:15 p.m.

Fresh off the NBA Cup triumph, the Knicks are going to be without a host of players for Thursday night’s matchup with the lowly Indiana Pacers (6-20).

Karl-Anthony Towns (knee soreness), Josh Hart (rectus abdominis strain),  and Mitchell Robinson (ankle management) will all not feature due to slight injuries. New York will already be without Miles McBride and Landry Shamet, who are on the shelf with longer-term injuries.

OG Anunoby (knee contusion) was on the injury report, but will play.

Dec. 7, 3:22 p.m.

Knicks guard Miles McBride exited Sunday’s win over the Orlando Magic in the first half, and according to SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley, the guard is still in the process of being evaluated for a left ankle injury.

The Knicks say they will know more on McBride’s status on Monday. 

As a starter or a bench player, McBride has been terrific this season. In 19 games (nine starts), McBride has averaged a career-best 15.8 points per games while shooting 46.2 percent from beyond the arc.

Dec. 4, 5:10 p.m.

The Knicks are seemingly close to getting OG Anunoby back. According to SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley, Anunoby (hamstring) has been upgraded to questionable for Friday’s game against the Utah Jazz at MSG.

Begley noted on Thursday’s episode of The Putback that this weekend’s games are a target for the Knicks to get Anunoby back on the court.

Anunoby has missed every game since suffering the injury on Nov. 14 against the Miami Heat.

Head coach Mike Brown said that Anunoby has progressed to taking contact in practice and it seems as though the forward is reacting to it in a positive manner. Of course, this doesn’t mean Anunoby will play on Friday, but it leaves open the possibility.

Dec. 3, 6:40 p.m.

Knicks head coach Mike Brown gave a short update on OG Anunoby (hamstring). The coach said that Anunoby has progressed to taking contact in practice.

“It’s still the same, he’s still progressing in the right direction,” Brown said of Anunoby before Wednesday’s game against the Hornets. “We’re not going to rush him.”

Brown also confirmed that Mitchell Robinson (injury management) will miss Wednesday’s game, as it’s the second of a back-to-back. 

Nov. 19, 9:05 p.m.

Jalen Brunson (ankle) will return to the court and start on Wednesday night in Dallas against the Mavericks, the team announced prior to tip-off.

Brunson suffered a Grade 1 right ankle sprain against the Orlando Magic on Nov. 12 and missed the team’s next two games against the Miami Heat. New York split the two contests, winning at home and losing on the road. The team is still searching for its first road win of the season, dropping all four games away from the Garden.

Over 11 games this year, Brunson is averaging 28.0 points on 46.7 percent shooting and 6.5 assists per game. 

Meanwhile, the Mavs will be without rookie Cooper Flagg (illness) on Wednesday night as he’ll miss the first game of his career.

Nov. 18, 6:50 p.m.

The Knicks upgraded Jalen Brunson (ankle) to questionable for their Wednesday tip against the Mavericks in Dallas. 

Brunson had missed the team’s last two games since suffering a right ankle sprain back on Nov. 12 against the Orlando Magic at MSG. Already without OG Anunoby (hamstring), the Knicks could use their captain to try and get their first road win of the season. 

Oct. 28, 7:18 p.m.

Before the Knicks’ tip-off against the Bucks, the Knicks announced that Towns (right quad strain) will play, but Yabusele (left knee sprain) will be out, joining McBride (personal) and Robinson (ankle sprain management) as players who are unavailable for Tuesday’s game.

Oct. 28, 3:35 p.m.

Miles McBride has been downgraded from questionable to out for the Knicks’ game on Tuesday at the Milwaukee Bucks, the team announced. This is the second-straight game the guard missed due to personal reasons. He was out for Sunday’s loss against the Miami Heat.

Oct. 27, 6:45 p.m.

Mitchell Robinson still isn’t ready to make his season debut, as the Knicks have officially ruled him out again for Tuesday night’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks. 

Robinson has been sidelined for the first three games due to left ankle injury management, and it’s still unknown when he’ll make his return to the court. 

New York has also listed Karl-Anthony Towns (right quad strain), Miles McBride (personal reasons), and Guerschon Yabusele (left knee sprain) as questionable for the contest. 

Yabusele is the only new addition to the injury report. Towns has been included heading into each of the first three games, but played in all three, and McBride missed Sunday’s game against the Heat for personal reasons. 

Yabusele left Sunday’s game at one point and had his knee checked, but he was able to return and saw regular time off the bench down the stretch.

Oct. 23, 6:10 p.m.

The latest NBA injury report has been released and the Knicks have designated center Mitchell Robinson (left ankle injury management) as out for Friday’s home game against the Celtics.

Robinson missed Wednesday’s season opener and the Knicks are being cautious with their big man this season as they want to have him at close to full strength for an anticipated long playoff run.

The Knicks have also designated both Josh Hart (lower back) and Karl-Anthony Towns (right quad strain) as questionable. 

Hart also missed the season opener but has not seen action since the first preseason game where he tweaked his back. Towns almost missed Wednesday’s game but toughed out his quad strain and to help the Knicks’ win against the Cavaliers.

OG Anunoby, who played Wednesday despite being questionable with an ankle sprain, is probably for Friday’s game.

Oct. 22, 10:59 p.m.

Karl-Anthony Towns was questionable, then doubtful, then questionable again in the hours leading up to the Knicks’ win over the Cavaliers and now we know exactly why.

The Knicks forward told reporters after Wednesday’s win that he is playing through a Grade 2 quad strain. 

“I’ve been banged up and haven’t really got a chance to practice or play in the last two preseason games,” Towns said. “I didn’t want to disappoint the fans, dealing with a Grade 2 quad strain. It’s not something that’s easy to do. We made it happen tonight. Glad the fans respect the effort I put in to play tonight, and my teammates, too. Shoutout to them for supporting me, knowing the situation that I was in.”

Towns played through the pain to give the Knicks 19 points and 11 rebounds in 30 minutes.

Game Thread: Knicks vs Bulls, April 3, 2026

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – FEBRUARY 22: Josh Giddey #3 of the Chicago Bulls drives against Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks during the second half at the United Center on February 22, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Tonight, the Knicks (49*-28) host the Chicago Bulls (29-47) at Madison Square Garden. The matchup is important for New York as they fight to maintain the third seed ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers and face four tough games on the remaining slate. As of this writing, both Josh Giddey and Tre Jones are questionable for Chicago, and most their roster is on crutches.

Tip-off at 7:30 PM ET on MSG. This is your game thread. This is Blog a Bull. Please don’t post illegal streams or large, kinky pics of your doberman. And go the Knicks!

* Should be one more, but the NBA Cup was infested with ants.

Nets shut down Michael Porter Jr., Danny Wolf for season

DETROIT, MI – MARCH 7: Danny Wolf #2 and Michael Porter Jr. #17 of the Brooklyn Nets celebrate after winning the game against the Detroit Pistons on March 7, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Speaking to reporters ahead of tonight’s matchup against the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernández announced that Danny Wolf and Michael Porter Jr. will miss the remainder of the 2025–26 season.

Wolf was shut down with a left ankle injury, while the team opted not to rush Porter Jr. back before the season’s conclusion as he deals with a left hamstring injury. Including tonight’s matchup against Atlanta, Brooklyn has just six games remaining on their calender.

In addition to MPJ and Wolf, the Nets have already lost Egor Demin (plantar fascia), Day’Ron Sharpe (thumb) and Grant Nelson (knee) for the season.

In his first year with Brooklyn, Porter Jr. appeared in 52 games and delivered the most productive season of his career in multiple statistical categories. He averaged 24.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, and a career-high three assists while sdhooting 46% from the field and 36% from 3-point range.

Due to those numbers, many believed he was snubbed by voters who chose the league’s All-Star game participants.

Starting July 6, he’ll be eligible for an extension of up to four years and $234 million. On one side, he looks like a cornerstone piece for a team like the Nets in need of high-end talent. Most pundits believe MPJ, who turns 28 in June, is unlikely to get those numbers but he will earn $40.8 million next season on an expiring.

Yossi Gozlan of capsheets.com has said he’s more likely to get around $44 million to start his next deal. That would work out to somewhere around $160 to $170 million or so, depending whether they want to front-load his deal as they did with their last three big restricted free agents: Joe Harris, Nic Claxton and Cam Johnson.

As for Wolf, his rookie season is now in the books. Throughout 57 games (15 starts) with Brooklyn, the 27th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft averaged 8.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while converting 40.5% of his field goal attempts and 32.2% of his tries from beyond the arc.

Like fellow rookies Drake Powell and Ben Saraf, the Michigan product flashed intriguing upside, although it wasn’t sustained over long stretches.

Still, there’s plenty to like and for fans to be optimistic about heading into Year 2 of his professional career.

With the season winding down, all eyes will quickly shift to the NBA Draft Lottery on May 10.

Luka Doncic diagnosed with Grade 2 hamstring strain, out for remainder of season at least

This is exactly what the Lakers and their fans feared when they saw Luka Doncic pull up and grab his hamstring in the third quarter Thursday night.

Doncic has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 hamstring strain and will be out for the remainder of the regular season, the Lakers announced. While the Lakers did not discuss the playoffs — which begin April 18, just more than two weeks away — a Grade 2 strain typically takes at least three weeks to heal, and more often players are out for a month or more.

This injury could have a couple of significant impacts.

The first is on the Lakers’ playoff seeding and first-round matchup. Los Angeles is currently the No. 3 seed in the West, just one game ahead of No. 4 seed Denver and 2.5 games ahead of No. 5 seed Houston (Minnesota is sixth). The advantage for the Lakers is that Denver has the toughest remaining schedule in the NBA, but the Lakers have some challenging games remaining in the final nine days of the season, including against the Thunder, Suns, and Warriors with Stephen Curry back in the lineup. If the Lakers go into any playoff series in the West without Doncic for at least the first few games, they will be heavy underdogs.

The other is Doncic’s MVP and First Team All-NBA case. Doncic has played in 64 games, one shy of the league’s mandated 65-game threshold to qualify for postseason awards. As it stands, if he misses the rest of the regular season, he would be ineligible for any postseason honors, even though voters would put him there. (ESPN’s MVP straw poll that came out Friday had Doncic fourth in that race.)

There is a potential exception for Doncic, the “extraordinary circumstances challenge.” That challenge states that if “it was impractical for the player to play in one or more of the [missed] games” and the player would have reached 65 games if he had played in those games, an independent arbiter (selected by the league and player’s union) can grant him an exception. Doncic missed two games in December for the birth of his child.

Doncic’s agent, Bill Duffy, said in a statement to ESPN’s Shams Charania that he would file that challenge.

“This season, Luka Dončić has performed at a historic level, leading the league in scoring, carrying the Lakers to third place in the Western Conference and placing himself in the middle of one of the most tightly contested MVP races in memory. To ensure that Luka’s incredible accomplishments this season are rightly honored and he can be considered for the league’s end-of-season awards, we intend to apply for an “Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge” to the 65-game rule. Luka missed two games this season for the birth of his second child in Slovenia. His daughter was born on Dec. 4 on another continent, and yet he was back in the United States competing with his team on Dec. 6. Luka has gone to great lengths to show up for his team and this league this season. His record-breaking season deserves to be noted in the history books, despite last night’s unfortunate injury and other extraordinary circumstances. We look forward to working with the NBAPA and the league office to ensure a fair outcome in this matter.”

Doncic has played at an MVP-level this season, averaging a league-leading 33.8 points per game, while adding 7.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists a night. He has been the driving force behind the Lakers being one of the hottest teams in the league down the stretch.

The injury occurred in the third quarter Thursday night of a Thunder blowout win against the Lakers. Doncic tried to drive on OKC’s Jalen Williams, stopped sharply for what appeared to be one of his trademark pull-up jumpers, but then instantly dropped the ball and grabbed his hamstring in pain. Soon after he limped directly to the locker room,l and was clearly very emotional about the injury.

Issues with his left hamstring have been a season-long story for Doncic. He injured that hamstring prior to the season, missed four games because of it during the season, and has had on-and-off hamstring soreness since before the All-Star Game. In February, he had an MRI on his left hamstring, but that did not show anything that caused him to miss time.

Now, unfortunately, he is going to miss a lot of time at the biggest moment of the season.

LIVE DISCUSSION: Atlanta Hawks at Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 PM ET

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 29: Nolan Traore #88 of the Brooklyn Nets reacts after scoring a three point basket during the fourth quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Barclays Center on March 29, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Pamela Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Six games left and then Nets fans can look forward to the NBA Lottery. They’ve officially shutdown Michael Porter Jr. and Danny Wolf for the remainder of the season. In the meantime, there’s still games to be played, minutes to be earned, lottery odds to keep an eye on.

🏀 KEY INFO

Who: Atlanta Hawks (44-33) at Brooklyn Nets (18-58)
When: 7:30 PM ET
Watch: YES Network / Gotham Sports App

💬 DISCUSSION

Share your thoughts and react, but please be respectful. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.

Los Angeles Lakers’ NBA championship odds plummet after Luka Dončić injury news

The Los Angeles Lakers lost in embarrassing fashion against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night, falling 139-96 — but Luka Doncic was hurt during the game, adding injury to insult. While the severity was unknown, it didn’t look good — and those fears were confirmed on Friday afternoon when ESPN reported that Doncic has a Grade 2 hamstring strain that will keep him out the rest of the regular season (five more games) and his status for the postseason is up in the air.

It’s hard to overstate the impact that Doncic has had on a Lakers team that currently sits in the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference and had 25-1 odds to win the NBA title at BetMGM on Thursday night before the Thunder game. BetMGM lowered those odds all the way out to 150-1 for the Lakers on Friday in response to the injury news. For comparison, those are the same title odds as the Atlanta Hawks.

The sportsbook also moved the Lakers’ odds to win the West from 14-1 (fourth-best odds) to 55-1 (seventh).

Even if Doncic could return sometime during the first round, it’s likely that the Lakers would be underdogs against either the Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets or Denver Nuggets — their three most likely opponents.

“If Doncic is out the first round, the Lakers would be an underdog in that series,” Jeff Sherman, vice president of risk at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, told Yahoo Sports in a text message. “I have them as a ‘dog against Denver even with him and home court.”

Lakers star Luka Dončić to miss remainder of regular season with hamstring strain, will challenge NBA’s 65-game minimum for awards eligibility

The Los Angeles Lakers suffered both insult and injury Thursday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder. During the team’s blowout loss, star guard Luka Dončić was forced to leave the game due to a left hamstring injury.

Dončić underwent an MRI on Friday and was diagnosed with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, resulting in the Lakers ruling him out indefinitely, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin. At the very least, he will miss the remainder of the regular season.

His status once the playoffs begin is reportedly uncertain.

According to one expert, Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes, Grade 2 hamstring strains lead to an average time lost of 35 days. That would line up Dončić for a May 8 return, which would land him in the conference semifinals phase of the playoffs.

With Dončić out, the Lakers saw their title odds all but disappear, going from 25-to-1 to 150-to-1 at BetMGM. They were also previously 14-to-1 to win the Western Conference and are now 55-to-1.

Luka Dončić appears poised to miss part of the NBA playoffs too.
Cooper Neill via Getty Images

The development not only costs the Lakers their leading scorer for the foreseeable future, it also leaves Dončić one game short of the NBA’s 65-game minimum for regular season awards eligibility.

In a statement released shortly after the news broke, Dončić’s agent, Bill Duffy, said his camp intends to challenge that rule on the grounds that Dončić missed two games in December for the birth of his daughter:

“This season, Luka Dončić has performed at a historic level, leading the league in scoring, carrying the Lakers to third place in the Western Conference and placing himself in the middle of one of the most tightly contested MVP races in memory. To ensure that Luka’s incredible accomplishments this season are rightly honored and he can be considered for the league’s end-of-season awards, we intend to apply for an “Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge” to the 65-game rule. Luka missed two games this season for the birth of his second child in Slovenia. His daughter was born on Dec. 4 on another continent, and yet he was back in the United States competing with his team on Dec. 6. Luka has gone to great lengths to show up for his team and this league this season. His record-breaking season deserves to be noted in the history books, despite last night’s unfortunate injury and other extraordinary circumstances. We look forward to working with the NBAPA and the league office to ensure a fair outcome in this matter.”

The injury occurred with a little over seven minutes remaining in the third quarter. Dončić pulled up near the free-throw line after being double-teamed and grabbed at his left hamstring. He laid on the court for a while before eventually leaving the contest.

After the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick revealed Dončić actually tweaked his hamstring in the first quarter, but was cleared to play in the second half. Dončić missed four games earlier in the season due to a left hamstring injury.

The injury comes at an awful time for the Lakers, as the team has just five games left in the regular season. Following Thursday’s loss, the Lakers sit at 50-27, good for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.

They are only one game ahead of the fourth-place Denver Nuggets, though. With Dončić out for their remaining games, they could be facing a fight to hold onto their spot in the standings, which comes with seeding implications (i.e. having to face the West-leading Thunder a round earlier).

And then there are the end-of-season award implications, which Dončić’s camp is trying to overcome. While not the favorite, Dončić launched himself into the MVP race following a dominant stretch of games as the Lakers’ regular season came to a close.

Coming into Thursday’s game, Dončić averaged 39.8 points in his previous 13 contests. He scored 12 points in nearly 26 minutes against the Thunder before leaving Thursday’s game. If eligible, he would be a lock for All-NBA honors at the very least.

Cubs starter Cade Horton leaves after 1 inning vs. Guardians with forearm discomfort

Chicago Cubs starter Cade Horton threw just 17 pitches on Friday before leaving a start against the Cleveland Guardians with forearm discomfort.

The second-year major leaguer who finished second in Rookie of the Year voting last year was making his second start of the season.

The Cubs announced Horton’s injury after his exit in the second inning. The extent of his injury wasn’t immediately clear.

Horton pitched a 1-2-3 first against the Guardians, then walked Kyle Manzardo on five pitches to lead off the second. After throwing a pitch to Josh Naylor on the next at-bat, Horton immediately looked to the Cubs dugout. Manager Craig Counsell and a trainer left the dugout for a meeting on the mound, and Horton left the field with the trainer, his day done.

The Cubs announced shortly after his exit that he had been initially diagnosed with right forearm discomfort.

Horton, 24, flashed ace potential during his promising 2025 rookie campaign. In 23 appearances, Horton posted a 2.67 ERA and 1.085 WHIP with 97 strikeouts and 33 walks in 118 innings pitched. He finished second behind Braves catcher Drake Baldwin in NL Rookie of the Year voting while garnering nine of 30 first-place votes.

Horton allowed two earned runs in 6 1/3 innings in his first start this season, a 10-2 win over the Washington Nationals.

Horton started this season as a key member of Chicago’s rotation as the Cubs seek to make the playoffs for a second consecutive season and unseat the reigning NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers. The Cubs and their fans are now left to hope that his injury isn’t significant and doesn’t require an extended layoff.