NBA Playoffs Scores, Live Updates: Alperen Şengün, Rockets Trying to Stave Off Elimination vs. LeBron, Lakers
Welcome to Sports Illustrated’s live blog of the NBA playoff action set to take place on Sunday, April 26. We’ve got a group of pivotal Game 4s that will feature two teams trying to carve out some breathing room after falling down 2–1 in their respective first-round playoff series, while two others will desperately try to avoid elimination with their backs against the wall.
The first game of the afternoon tipped off at 1 p.m. ET between the Cavaliers and Raptors, and the home side won the day. The series is now 2–2 after Toronto outlasted Cleveland through four quarters of ugly basketball that came down to the wire. The Raptors’ defense shone as Donovan Mitchell missed multiple game-winning or tying attempts. Next up, the Spurs rebounded from a slow first half to cruise to a 114–93 win to take a 3–1 series lead against the Trail Blazers, with Victor Wembanyama back on the court after his absence following a concussion in Game 2.
The evening slate began with the Celtics putting together a dominant four-quarter performance against the 76ers. Late in the day on Sunday, a wild card was thrown into the mix for that contest—Joel Embiid would be back in the starting lineup after spending the last three weeks recovering from an appendectomy. He put up 26 points and 10 rebounds, but wasn’t nearly enough against a red-hot Boston squad.
Sunday’s action concludes with the Rockets working to stave off an embarrassing sweep at the Lakers. Houston fumbled Friday’s Game 3 in truly awful fashion, and will have to try to stave off elimination without Kevin Durant in the lineup.
It should be a wonderful day of playoff basketball. Below you’ll find SI’s live blog, which will be running throughout the afternoon and into the evening with regular updates, scores and highlights.
Live updates: Lakers take on Rockets in Game 4 of first-round series
NBA playoff schedule today
LeBron James and the Lakers look to close out the Rockets in Game 4 on Sunday. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
1 p.m. ET: Cavaliers vs. Raptors, Game 4, ESPN
The series is now 2-2 after the Raptors defended home court by winning both games in Toronto after dropping the opening two contests. Sunday’s win was all thanks to the Raptors’ defense, which was instrumental in keeping Cleveland’s scoring numbers low as Toronto shot brutally for four quarters. The final minutes were thrilling and the Raptors emerge victorious to give this series a huge injection of juice.
3:30 p.m. ET: Spurs vs. Trail Blazers, Game 4, ESPN
Victor Wembanyama was ready to go after suffering a concussion and shined as San Antonio pulled off a historic comeback to go up 3-1 on the Trail Blazers. It was an electrifying for the Spurs and puts Portland against the wall with Game 5 and potential elimination scheduled for Tuesday night.
7 p.m. ET: Celtcs vs. 76ers, Game 4, NBC/Peacock
The last contest between the two sides on Friday was an ugly affair with both teams playing like sludge, but Boston proved victorious thanks to clutch scoring from its experienced championship duo of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. But Embiid is now in the fray, recovered from his appendectomy earlier this month; how he fares in the starting lineup could swing this series.
9:30 p.m. ET: Lakers vs. Rockets, Game 4, NBC/Peacock
LeBron James and Co. are laser-focused on finishing this series as soon as possible in order to maximize the chances either of Austin Reaves or Luka Dončić can return from injury before a second-round date with the Thunder is solidified. That means they’ll be giving it their all tonight to close things out and head back to L.A. with only rest on the mind. It’s hard to see how the Rockets can stop them after how the prior games panned out, but the desperation of avoiding elimination can inspire greatness previously unseen.
More NBA Playoffs From Sports Illustrated
Listen to SI’s NBA podcast, Open Floor, below or on Apple and Spotify. Watch the show on SI’s YouTube channel.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
