Sports
Overhauled Knicks open camp with changes still swirling
New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) celebrates with guard Jalen Brunson (11) in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers in game one of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Unable to comment on the latest roster addition, New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau played his hand with his facial expression on Monday.
A pending trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves that would bring Karl-Anthony Towns to New York has yet to be finalized with the NBA’s stamp of approval, which restricts Thibodeau from commenting on the former All-Star he coached in Minneapolis.
“Nice try,” Thibodeau said with an ear-to-ear grin when asked about his experience as KAT’s head coach at his previous stop.
Point guard Jalen Brunson and wing Josh Hart were hit in a different way by the trade for KAT. As proposed, it would include their former Villanova teammate Donte DiVincenzo and All-Star forward Julius Randle. Hart said the business side of the deal is the best and worst part of the NBA, while Brunson reminded media DiVincenzo was a groomsman in his wedding.
“Hate to see a guy like that go, especially with the caliber of player they are, the caliber of people they are,” Hart said. “KAT is an amazing player. Someone who is really good in terms of spacing, knocking down shots, blocking shots. You love it and hate it.”
Even so, Brunson said he trusts the front office to improve the roster with bigger goals in mind than the second round of the postseason.
“Obviously we want to take the next step, we want to be better than we were last year,” Brunson said. “We have to start all over again. That’s the beauty about all of this — you never know where you’re going to end up. … But we have a long way to go.”
Brunson is fully cleared medically and recovered from surgery to repair his broken left hand. Brunson was injured in the Game 7 loss to the Indiana Pacers in May. Brunson went on a scoring bender in the playoffs and turned in an MVP-caliber season. But with Bridges and Towns in the mix, he’s not likely to be asked to carry as much of the offensive burden this season.
Brunson signed a team-friendly extension in July — his 2024-25 salary is nearly $25 million less than Towns is owed — after the best season of his six-year NBA career, featuring career highs in scoring (28.7 points per game), assists (6.7 per game) and 3-pointers made (211). He shot 40.1 percent from beyond the arc. Brunson was named an All-Star for the first time, made the All-NBA second team and finished fifth in NBA Most Valuable Player balloting.
Thibodeau wouldn’t touch KAT questions even as he arrived at the practice facility during the press conference. But he would comment on the evolution of his offense — hinting at playing the “5 out” system with nobody in the paint to accentuate Towns — and revealed plans for a defense with vastly improved versatility upon completion of a trade that would put an exclamation point on the Knicks’ offseason.
Thibodeau signed a contract extension, the Knicks acquired Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets and re-signed OG Anunoby to a massive contract right when it appeared he was bolting in free agency. He signed a five-year, $212.5 million deal in July.
Anunoby, acquired from the Raptors in the trade that sent Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett to Toronto, reported to camp fully healthy, Thibodeau shared with great delight. A hamstring injury during the playoffs slowed New York, but if all goes according to plan, the Knicks will use him at almost every position in 2024-25.
Thibodeau even said it could be Anunoby who most helps the Knicks recover from the free-agent exit of center Isaiah Hartenstein. Mitchell Robinson is not likely to be on the floor until January.
But the 6-foot-7 Anunoby’s 7-foot-2 wingspan makes him a candidate to guard “4s and 5s,” Thibodeau said.
With all the pieces to fit together, Hart knows there are new roles and evolving lineups to be encountered. One big change expected for the versatile defender is the end of his playing time at the center position.
“Thank God,” Hart said.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Knicks use third-quarter spurt to down Hawks in Game 1
Apr 18, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) is guarded by Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (7) during the first quarter of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to start the decisive third-quarter run for the host New York Knicks, who pulled away for a 113-102 win over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference quarterfinal series Saturday night.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Monday night in New York.
Jalen Brunson scored 19 of his game-high 28 points in the first quarter for the third-seeded Knicks, who reached the Eastern Conference finals last year for the first time since 2000. Towns finished with 25 points and was 10 of 10 from the free throw line while Anunoby collected 18 points.
Josh Hart (11 points, 14 rebounds) posted a double-double while Mikal Bridges added 11 points.
CJ McCollum scored 26 points for the Hawks, who earned the sixth seed in their first trip to the playoffs since 2023. Jalen Johnson had 23 points while Onyeka Okongwu (19) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (17) each scored in double figures. Dyson Daniels had 11 rebounds.
The Hawks led by four in the first quarter but never led again after Anunoby’s free throw put the Knicks ahead 24-23 with 2:29 left. New York matched its biggest lead of the quarter when Brunson ended the period with a floater to put the hosts up 30-24.
The Knicks opened a trio of 11-point leads in the second before the Hawks mounted a 19-8 run to tie the score at 48-all on McCollum’s floater with 3:43 left. Anunoby answered with a dunk for New York, which ended the half with a 57-55 lead.
Okongwu hit a 3-pointer 1:48 into the third to tie the score for the final time at 58-all before Towns and Anunoby drained their 3-pointers to spark a decisive 15-5 run that ended with a Bridges dunk with 5:31 left. The Hawks got within five once before New York concluded the quarter ahead 83-74.
The Hawks inched no closer than seven in the fourth, when the Knicks went on a 10-0 run to expand their lead to 106-87 with 4:36 remaining. Atlanta scored the next 11 points, but the teams traded empty possessions before Towns’ layup gave New York a double-digit lead again with 48 seconds left.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rockets open series vs. Lakers without star Kevin Durant (knee)
Apr 10, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) warms up before the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant was ruled out for the playoff series opener against the host Los Angeles Lakers because of a right knee injury, coach Ime Udoka said before the game on Saturday.
“He bumped a knee in practice on Wednesday,” Udoka said. “Hopefully, it’s a one-game thing, but he tried it out just (a) short (time) ago and didn’t feel good enough.”
At age 37 and in his 19th season, Durant averaged a team-high 26.0 points as well as 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists. Perhaps most impressive of all was his 78 regular-season games played, his most since 2018-19.
The teams play Game 2 of the Western Conference first-round, best-of-seven series in Los Angeles on Tuesday. The Rockets started forward Jabari Smith Jr., center Alperen Sengun and guards Josh Okogie, Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard in Game 1. When Durant last started a game on April 10 against Minnesota, Sheppard came in off the bench.
Udoka said that no structural damage was revealed in medical imaging on Durant’s knee after he was hurt.
“It’s very tender, tough to bend certain ways,” Udoka said of Durant’s knee. “He hit it in a very awkward spot, I guess, more than anything. If he had a regular bumped knee, I think he could kind of play through that. But right above the knee, the patellar tendon area, up there, it’s just very tender and sore.
“Pain tolerance is one thing, but actually limited movement is more the cause (of Durant being out).”
Durant is a 16-time All-Star, the 2013-14 NBA Most Valuable Player, the 2007-08 Rookie of the Year and a six-time first-team All-NBA selection with two league championships (Golden State in 2017 and 2018) to his credit.
He has career averages of 27.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.1 blocks and 36.7 minutes in 1,201 regular-season games (1,198 starts).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Nashville SC maintains early East lead with road shutout of Atlanta
Apr 18, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Nashville SC forward Cristian Espinoza (7) kick the ball towards the goal against Atlanta United defender Enea Mihaj (4) during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images Cristian Espinoza and Abdul Shakur Mohammed each scored second-half goals – both assisted by Hany Mukhtar – for Nashville SC, who defeated host Atlanta United 2-0 on Saturday night.
Despite missing leading scorer Sam Surridge (seven goals) to a hamstring injury for the second straight match, Nashville (6-1-1, 19 points) extended its win streak to three matches across all competitions while maintaining its lead atop the Eastern Conference standings. It also improved to 3-1-1 on the road in MLS play.
Atlanta (1-6-1, 4 points) saw its winless streak in MLS play reach four matches (0-3-1).
Nashville pulled ahead in the 61st minute after Atlanta’s Emmanuel Latte Lath lost possession in the attacking half.
After the ball reached Mukhtar on the resulting counterattack, his pass near the scoring area found the foot of Espinoza, whose shot sailed past Lucas Hoyos and just inside the left post to make it 1-0. It was Espinoza’s third goal of the season.
Nashville grabbed an insurance goal in the first minute of second-half stoppage time when Mohammed made it 2-0, his first goal in MLS.
Atlanta and Nashville played an even first half, though Nashville had a couple of opportunities to pull ahead late in the period.
In the 39th minute, Hoyos turned aside a header from Daniel Lovitz. Then, in the 41st minute, Mukhtar found himself one-on-one with Hoyos, but was denied by the goalkeeper for the go-ahead goal.
Ultimately, Nashville SC pulled away in the second half while keeping its fourth clean sheet in MLS play. Brian Schwake was credited with three saves in the win. Hoyos finished with six saves.
Atlanta United fell to 1-3-1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium with the loss. They also entered Saturday’s match without Miguel Almiron, who was dealing with a knee injury sustained during the team’s win over Chattanooga FC in Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup Round of 32.
–Field Level Media
Knicks use third-quarter spurt to down Hawks in Game 1
Rockets open series vs. Lakers without star Kevin Durant (knee)
