NBA Basketball 24 Hours

Last updated: April 3, 2026, 2:30 PM ET

League MVP & Rookie Races

The final push for the NBA's major awards shows Shai Gilgeous-Alexander maintaining a narrow lead over Nikola Jokic in a straw poll of 100 league insiders regarding the Most Valuable Player trophy, though Victor Wembanyama's late-season surge is tightening the race considerably. Meanwhile, the Rookie of the Year contest is also heating up, even as other rookies are setting franchise milestones; the Charlotte Hornets' Kon Knueppel established a new club record for three-pointers made in a single season, and Phoenix's Collin Gillespie simultaneously achieved the same feat for the Suns. Adding intrigue to postseason qualification, Anthony Edwards is now ineligible for NBA awards after missing the 65-game threshold due to illness, as the Minnesota Timberwolves rested him for their game against Detroit.

Team Strategy & Injury Updates

Despite resting Wembanyama due to right ankle injury management, the San Antonio Spurs managed an impressive 118-99 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, a result that bettors are still analyzing for playoff futures, with some analysts identifying the Spurs as a dark horse to win the championship. This strategic shift toward managing star workloads comes as new ownership for the Portland Trail Blazers, led by Tom Dundon, publicly signaled a mandate to move beyond mere talent development toward achieving immediate winning results, stating plainly, "It's more fun to win." However, serious injury concerns emerged in the West as Luka Doncic exited Thursday's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder after straining his left hamstring, prompting an immediate MRI to assess the severity of the issue for the Dallas Mavericks.