Sports
Three Eastern Conference Trade Deadline Winners to Watch
Feb 24, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) brings the ball up court during the second half against the New York Knicks at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images When the Pacers made an improbable run to the NBA Finals last spring, a clutch-shooting guard, do-everything forward and plucky reserve led the way.
Thanks to the Bucks and Grizzlies, there were no Tyrese Haliburtons or Pascal Siakams available at the trade deadline earlier this month. But that didn’t stop Eastern longshots from taking a stab at cheaper versions – and even a T.J. McConnell type – in their hopes of duplicating the Pacers’ success.
The extremely early results have been encouraging.
While, for the most part, the title favorites stood pat, here are three clubs that at least put themselves on the postseason map with a trade-deadline addition, and now can be identified as Teams to Avoid in the Eastern playoffs.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers were the biggest disappointment in the first half of the NBA season. For those who wagered that last year’s regular-season champs would duplicate their 60-win success … well, at 37-22 with 23 games remaining, you can prepare to make those tickets a sacrifice to the spring’s last fire.
And those vacation-home investments in the Cavaliers to win the NBA title. You can …
Whoa, now hold on there.
No one expected the addition of James Harden earlier this month to rejuvenate the future superstar, but few have been more consistent than the league’s boringest player in his first seven games out of the California sunshine.
The best part about Harden’s play on LeBron’s old court is that he’s accepted the role of Haliburton – a guy willing to sacrifice shots (until a big one is needed) while being a glue piece. He’s had seven or more assists six times already, complementing games of 10 rebounds, three steals and three blocks.
When the Cavaliers won for the sixth time in Harden’s short honeymoon on Tuesday, they sent a message to the Knicks: We were better than you last season, and now that we’ve caught you in the standings, rest assured we’re better than you this year, too.
Who knew Harden still had secret powers beneath the beard?
Atlanta Hawks
Feb 24, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga (0) controls the ball against the Washington Wizards during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images The Hawks were labeled a winner at the trade deadline more so for what they dumped (Kristaps Porzingis) than what they hauled (Jonathan Kuminga).
As much as they came to despise Kuminga, three games into the Porzingis era, Warriors fans would have to agree.
The Hawks certainly didn’t respond well immediately to the deal, losing to the Hornets twice among three straight defeats in the immediate aftermath of the deadline. But that was to be expected from a team still acclimating to the earlier exporting of former franchise posterboy Trae Young.
They also played six straight games without Kuminga, who debuted with a bullet on Tuesday, demonstrating his personal highlight reel from days past wasn’t some AI-created cartoon.
Like in his teen-age days with the Warriors, Kuminga was the best player on the court – OK, the Wizards were the opponent – in his Atlanta curtain-raiser, dunking from short range and splashing from deep in a 27-point, 24-minute tribute to Dominique Wilkins.
The Siakam-type performance demonstrated the Hawks now have the star power in tandem with Jalen Johnson to take good outside shooting, perimeter defense, size and depth to the next level.
Their rise is bad news for other likely play-in teams in the East, and then to one of the favorites who might have seen this movie before – like when they were jolted by the underdog Pacers last season.
Charlotte Hornets
Feb 22, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) takes a shot over Washington Wizards guard Jaden Hardy (8) during the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images Who would have thought T.J. McConnell would become one of the most feared bench players in the Eastern playoffs last season?
The Hornets were watching on TV, but clearly they noticed. Because they went out at the trade deadline and made a similar under-the-radar addition in Coby White.
White is actually more like Kuminga than McConnell, but it’s his game-changing role in short spurts that potentially gives him the type of impact the Pacers got from their gnat last spring.
In an Eastern bracket dominated by defensive-minded clubs, the Hornets appear prepared to demonstrate that good offense beats good defense. Don Nelson will be proud.
Coincidentally, White, like Kuminga, debuted for his new team Tuesday and couldn’t have been more electrifying. With a pair of 3-pointers, 10 points, three rebounds, four assists and a steal in just 16 minutes, he showed his former team – the Bulls – and his former home fans just how much better off he is in ACC country.
Despite a pitch count, the Hornets were 20 points better than the Bulls when White was on the court. It helped produce a second straight win as Charlotte chases Atlanta toward the top of the play-in quartet, with the distinct possibility both will make the playoffs.
Harden, Kuminga and White. Three guys unwanted three weeks ago.
Now three guys nobody wants to have to deal with.
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)
