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Recap: 2026 NBA Playoffs, R1 | Celtics, Thunder, Magic and Spurs start 1-0

The second day of the 2026 NBA Playoffs is in the books, with the Orlando Magic the only road team to earn a victory in Game 1.

Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs host Deni Avdija and the Trail Blazers for Game 1 on NBC and Peacock. (Photos by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

We’re bringing you the best of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google, with the NBA.com live blog, featuring all of the meaningful moments, performances, observations, news, notes and highlights from Sunday’s action.

Top Storylines from second day of Playoffs

  • The 2025-26 NBA Awards Finalists for the league accolades were announced before and at halftime of Game 1 of Magic-Pistons.
  • Boston’s 32-point win over the 76ers marked their largest margin of victory to open the playoffs in franchise history.
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (25 pts, 7 ast, 2 blk) notched postseason career-highs in free throws made (15) and attempted (17) during OKC’s 35-point victory in Game 1 against the Suns.
  • Orlando shocked Detroit to take a 1-0 series lead behind Paolo Banchero (23 pts, 9 reb, 4 ast) and Franz Wagner (11 of 19 pts in 4Q) while holding the Pistons to 40% shooting overall.
  • Detroit’s loss is their 11th consecutive playoff defeat at home, extending an NBA record for the most all-time. The Pistons’ last postseason win at home came against the Celtics in Game 4 of the 2008 Eastern Conference Finals.
  • Victor Wembanyama set an NBA record with 21 points in the first half of his postseason debut. Wemby finished with 35 to set a Spurs franchise record for the most points scored in a playoff debut during San Antonio’s 111-98 win over Portland, and became the only player in NBA history with at least 35 points and 5 3PM in their debut.

Sunday’s scores

Victor Wembanyama (35 pts, 5 reb, 1 ast, 2 blk) is your player of the night!

APRIL 19, 2026 / 11:51 ET

Spurs win 111-98 to take 1-0 lead

Victor Wembanyama (35 pts, 5 3PM, 5 reb, 2 blk) set a new Spurs franchise record in their 111-98 victory over Portland. De’Aaron Fox (5 reb, 8 ast, 1 stl) and Stephon Castle (7 reb, 7 ast) add 17 points apiece in a game where San Antonio led by as many as 21 in the fourth quarter.

Deni Avdija was stellar with 30 points (12-21 FG), 10 rebounds, 5 assists, one steal and one block in almost 40 minutes, while Scoot Henderson tallies 18 points (7-11 FG), 3 boards, 3 assists and one steal. The Blazers finish 10-for-38 (26.3%) on 3-pointers while the Spurs connect on 15 of their 33 attempts (45.5%) from distance.

For San Antonio, it’s their first home postseason win since 2019. Wemby and Avdija also become the first opponents to each score 25+ points in their playoff debuts.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 11:24 ET

San Antonio remains in control

The Spurs are rolling in the second half and lead 103-88 with 5:25 to go in the contest. Victor Wembanyama is up to 33 points on 12-for-19 shooting (5-6 3PM) with 3 rebounds and 2 blocks in 28 minutes.

The 33 points for Wemby are the most for a Spur in a playoff debut in franchise history, as the French phenom surpasses the legendary Tim Duncan’s previous record of 32.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 11:05 ET

Spurs take 15-point lead to 4Q

San Antonio takes an 87-72 advantage to the final quarter behind Stephon Castle (17 pts, 6 reb, 7 ast) and Devin Vassell (14 pts, 4 3PM, 2 blk). The Spurs 3-point shooting has been a major factor in their 15-point lead, as they’re 13-for-27 (48.1%) from downtown compared to just 8-for-30 (26.7%) for Portland.

Deni Avdija leads the Blazers with 24 points on 9-for-15 shooting, adding 7 rebounds, 3 assists, one steal and one block. Portland cut their deficit to one near the midpoint of the third, but costly turnovers and missed shots led to a quick turnaround for the Spurs.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 10:52 ET

Vassell cooking in 3Q

Devin Vassell is taking over at both ends for the Spurs in the third, tallying two big blocks and two made 3s to extend San Antonio’s lead back to 11, 72-61, midway through the quarter.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 10:41 ET

Blazers start 3Q hot

Portland scores the first 8 points of the third to trim their deficit to just two, 59-57, to force a timeout from Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 10:39 ET

Wemby makes history in 1H

Victor Wembanyama continues to raise the bar in just his third NBA season.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 10:26 ET

Spurs take 10-point lead at halftime

San Antonio secures a 59-49 edge over the Blazers after two quarters. Victor Wembanyama leads all scorers with 21 points on 8-for-13 shooting with three made 3s, while De’Aaron Fox tallies 10 points, 2 boards, 4 dimes and a steal in 17 minutes.

Deni Avdija powers Portland with 19 points on 7-for-13 from the field (4-5 FT), adding 4 rebounds, 2 assists and one block. Robert Williams III (9 pts, 5 reb) and Shaedon Sharpe (8 pts, 1 stl) help the Blazers earn a 20-13 advantage in bench scoring.

Tune in for the second half on NBC & Peacock to see if the Blazers can rally back in this 2 vs. 7 matchup.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 10:00 ET

Come for the alley, stay for the oop

Victor Wembanyama is up to a game-high 16 points on 6-for-8 shooting and 2-for-2 on 3-pointers, helping the Spurs jump out to a 41-31 lead with 7:21 to go before halftime.

Over half of the Blazers’ 34 shot attempts have come from behind the arc, but they’re shooting just 5-for-18 (27.8%) thus far. Portland will need to find some success closer to the basket if they want to stay close in Game 1.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 9:47 ET

Wemby is a cheat code

Victor Wembanyama debuts in dazzling fashion, dropping 12 points on 4-for-6 shooting with two made 3s in 9 minutes. San Antonio shoots 6-for-11 from downtown to fuel a 30-21 lead over Portland after one quarter.

Deni Avdija has 11 of Portland’s 21 points through 12 minutes of play, adding 4 rebounds and 2 dimes.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 9:30 ET

Blazers-Spurs underway

Stephon Castle (5 pts, 1 ast) and Victor Wembanyama (4 pts, 1 ast) lead the way for San Antonio, who lead 14-12 midway through the opening quarter.

Deni Avdija leads all scorers with 7 points on 3-for-5 shooting, adding 2 rebounds and 2 dimes already.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 9:15 ET

Magic go wire-to-wire in Game 1

Paolo Banchero leads all Magic starters in double figures with 23 points on 8-for-15 shooting (2 3PM), adding 9 rebounds, 4 assists and one steal in 37 minutes. Franz Wagner (19 pts, 5 reb, 2 stl), Wendell Carter, Jr. (17 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast) and Desmond Bane (17 pts, 6 reb, 3 stl) all chipped in across the board as Orlando never trailed.

The victory marks the first road playoff win for Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley.

Cade Cunningham finishes with a game-high 39 points on 13-for-27 shooting (3-8 3PM, 10-11 FT) to go along with 5 rebounds and 4 assists in 40 minutes. Tobias Harris was the only other Piston to reach double figures in scoring, posting 17 points with 6 boards, 3 assists, 2 blocks and one steal.

Detroit has now lost an NBA record 11 straight home playoff games, with their last home win coming against Boston in 2008.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 9:04 ET

Starting lineups: Blazers-Spurs, Game 1

For Portland, Scoot Henderson, Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan will start in their playoff debuts.

Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle are among the first five for San Antonio making their postseason debuts.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 8:56 ET

Down to the wire in Detroit

It’s been a thrilling second half in the Motor City, with big time plays at both ends from each squad. Orlando has a 103-96 lead over the Pistons with 3:45 left in the game.

Cade Cunningham is up to a game-high 34 points.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 8:49 ET

This game is GOOD

All five Magic starters have scored in double figures, led by Paolo Banchero (23 pts), Franz Wagner (16 pts) and Desmond Bane (15 pts).

Orlando continues their wire-to-wire lead in the series opener, as they’re in control 101-92 with 5:47 remaining in the game.

Cade Cunningham leads all scorers with 32 points on 11-for-22 shooting with three made 3s in 35 minutes.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 8:33 ET

Magic in control after 3Q

Orlando has never trailed in the contest, and they take an 81-74 edge over the Pistons to the final quarter on NBC & Peacock.

Paolo Banchero (23 pts) and Cade Cunningham (23 pts) are trading buckets and pace their teams in scoring after 36 minutes of action. Tune in now for the fourth and see if Detroit can rally back!

APRIL 19, 2026 / 8:22 ET

Game of runs in Game 1

Orlando responds to Detroit’s 10-0 run in the third with a 16-6 run of their own, and the Magic jump out to a 79-68 lead with 2:52 left in the third.

Superstars Paolo Banchero (23 pts, 8 reb, 4 ast) and Cade Cunningham (21 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast) pace their respective squads in this thrilling series opener.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 8:19 ET

Wemby ready for playoff debut

Victor Wembanyama and the rest of the Spurs dressed in all black ahead of Game 1 of their first round series against the Trail Blazers.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 8:11 ET

Back and forth in Detroit

In the blink of an eye, Orlando’s 63-52 lead is down to just one after a 10-0 run by the Pistons. The Magic have a 63-62 advantage with 7:45 remaining in the third quarter.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 8:05 ET

2025-26 NBA Awards Announcement Schedule

APRIL 19, 2026 / 8:00 ET

Finalists for NBA Coach of the Year

APRIL 19, 2026 / 7:56 ET

Finalists for Kia NBA Rookie of the Year

Congratulations to the three finalists!

APRIL 19, 2026 / 7:55 ET

Finalists for Kia NBA Most Valuable Player

Congratulations to the three finalists!

APRIL 19, 2026 / 7:50 ET

Orlando holds 55-51 edge at half

In a matchup between two tough defenses, the Magic take a 55-51 lead over the top-seeded Pistons after two quarters of play. Orlando held a 13-point lead in the opening frame but will settle with a 4-point advantage at halftime, powered by Paolo Banchero (17 pts, 7 reb, 2 ast) and Jalen Suggs (11 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast, 3 stl).

Cade Cunningham (14 pts, 4 reb, 1 ast) is doing work as the only Piston in double figures scoring, as Detroit finishes the first half shooting 35.6% from the field and 29.4% from 3-point range.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 7:37 ET

Magic, Pistons battling in 2Q

Detroit has kept it close despite not leading at any point in this game so far. Daniss Jenkins (5 pts, 2 reb) and Ron Holland II (2 pts, 1 ast) are bringing the energy off the bench for the Pistons, as they trail Orlando 49-47 with 3:34 remaining before halftime.

Cade Cunningham fuels the Pistons with 11 points on 4-for-10 shooting, while Tobias Harris adds 9 points, 2 assists and one rejection.

Paolo Banchero has a game-high 14 points on 4-for-7 shooting, along with 5 rebounds and 2 dimes in 15 minutes. Jalen Suggs is doing a bit of everything with 11 points, 3 boards, 3 assists, 3 steals and one block.

 

APRIL 19, 2026 / 7:09 ET

Magic up 35-27 after 1Q

Orlando responds to the 12-0 Detroit run with a 6-0 spurt of their own, and they take an 8-point advantage to the second frame. The second quarter is live now on NBC & Peacock!

APRIL 19, 2026 / 7:03 ET

Beef Stew says NOPE

Detroit is surging back in the first quarter, fueled by some staunch defense leading to easy buckets in transition. A 12-0 run for the Pistons has them trailing Orlando 29-27 with 1:03 remaining in the quarter.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 6:47 ET

Hot start for Orlando

Jalen Suggs (8 pts, 2 3PM) and Paolo Banchero (5 pts, 1 reb) give the Magic a 13-5 lead over the Pistons with 8:27 to go in the opening frame on NBC & Peacock.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 6:35 ET

Finalists for Kia Clutch Player of the Year

APRIL 19, 2026 / 6:34 ET

Finalists for Kia Most Improved Player

APRIL 19, 2026 / 6:33 ET

Finalists for Kia Defensive Player of the Year

APRIL 19, 2026 / 6:32 ET

Finalists for Kia Sixth Man of the Year

APRIL 19, 2026 / 6:27 ET

Starting lineups: Magic-Pistons, Game 1

Buckle up for what is sure to be a physical series between the Magic and Pistons.

Game 1 tips at 6:30 ET on NBC and Peacock!

APRIL 19, 2026 / 6:15 ET

Thunder handle business to take 1-0 lead

Oklahoma City starts the postseason in dominant fashion, taking down the visiting Suns 119-84. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (25 pts, 7 ast, 3 blk), Jalen Williams (18 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast) and Chet Holmgren (16 pts, 7 reb, 2 stl, 2 blk) were sensational in the convincing victory.

The Thunder’s defense was simply too much for Phoenix all afternoon, forcing 19 total turnovers en route to 34 points off for the defending champs. OKC held commanding leads in paint scoring (52-24), fast break points (18-2) and points off TOs (34-2).

Devin Booker (23 pts, 6 reb, 2 ast), Jalen Green (17 pts, 5 reb, 1 stl) and Dillon Brooks (18 pts, 7 reb, 2 ast) finished as the only Suns in double figures. Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday at 9:30 ET on ESPN.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 5:45 ET

Thunder up 31 heading to 4Q

It’s been a dominant showing to open the 2026 NBA Playoffs for the Thunder, as they take a 97-66 lead over the Suns as we head to the fourth quarter. OKC is shooting 46% from the field while limiting Phoenix to just 34% overall.

The star trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (25 pts, 7 ast, 3 blk), Jalen Williams (18 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast) and Chet Holmgren (16 pts, 7 reb, 2 stl, 2 blk) lead the way for OKC.

Devin Booker (23 pts, 6 reb, 2 ast) and Dillon Brooks (16 pts, 6 reb, 2 ast) are the offensive engines for Phoenix, but they have a lot of ground to cover over the final 12 minutes if they want to be the first road squad to earn a victory this postseason.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 3:40 ET

Celtics dominate to take 1-0 lead

This 32-point victory marked Boston’s largest margin of victory to open the playoffs in franchise history. Joe Mazzulla’s squad put together a complete performance to take all the momentum in this series. Boston poured in 16 threes, four times as many as Philadelphia who finished just 17.4% from behind the arc.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 3:10 ET

Seeing green ☘️

Philadelphia was unable to shrink the halftime deficit in the third quarter, as the gap actually widened after another 12 minutes of play.

Paul George added to his decorated resume with a second-half triple. He passed Paul Pierce on the all-time postseason rankings for made three. He now sits behind former Laker Derek Fisher.

Jaylen Brown is continuing his high level of play from the regular season. He has 26 points through 30 minutes of action as his team is up big late.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 2:25 ET

Back like he never left 🔥

Jayson Tatum was remarkable in the first half, ending with 21 point, 8 rebounds and five assists. It’s hard to imagine that he tore his achilles less than one year ago with the way he looks today.

The rest of Tatum’s team is following suit, resulting in an 18-point advantage at halftime. Philadelphia is searching for answers on both ends of the court. The 76ers are shooting 33.3% from the field, and only Tyrese Maxey is in double figures so far with 14 points.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 1:49 ET

Boston grabs double-digit lead

The first bit of separation settled in late in the first quarter as Boston continued to be active on defense and score in transition. The 76ers have seven turnovers, as the second quarter gets going. Meanwhile, the Celtics are turning those extra possessions into high-quality looks.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 1:38 ET

Sixers foul trouble early

Andre Drummond and Adem Bona have two fouls each, and there’s still several minutes to play in the opening quarter. Philadelphia is without Joel Embiid as well, forcing Head Coach Nick Nurse to go small early on.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 1:20 ET

9-1 C’s run, timeout Philly

Boston started clicking on both ends following z Paul George free throw that tied this one at six-apiece. The Celtics embarked on a 9-1 run to follow.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 12:30 ET

Starting Lineups: Celtics-76ers, Game 1

VJ Edgecombe and the Philadelphia 76ers face the Boston Celtics to open Sunday’s action on ABC.

Philadelphia:

  • PG Tyrese Maxey (31.2 ppg, 7.2 ast)
  • SG VJ Edgecombe (18.6 ppg, 6.8 reb)
  • SF Kelly Oubre Jr. (15.7 ppg, 5.6 reb)
  • PF Paul George (21.4 ppg, 6.6 reb)
  • C Andre Drummond (9.7 ppg, 12.5 reb)

Boston:

  • PG Derrick White (17.9 ppg, 5.9 ast)
  • SG Jaylen Brown (32.0 ppg, 8.0 reb)
  • SF Sam Hauser (9.2 ppg, 39.3% on 6.5 3PA)
  • PF Jayson Tatum (25.6 ppg, 11.8 reb)
  • C Neemias Queta (11.7 ppg, 9.6 reb)

What we know about Sunday’s games:

  • The Celtics and Sixers are the most familiar opponents in NBA history. They’ve played 116 times across their storied history — Boston’s up 66-50 in the series.
  • NBA teams that win Game 1 in the NBA Playoffs have gone on to win the series 77.8% of the time.

APRIL 19, 2026 / 12:15 ET

Today’s injury report

Joel Embiid is out, while Tyrese Maxey is available for the 76ers.

Grayson Allen and Mark Williams are questionable for the Suns.

Desmond Bane is probable for the Magic, while Wendell Carter Jr. is available and Jonathan Isaac is questionable.

Jordan McLaughlin is out for the Trail Blazers.

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