Little-known forward Jamal Cain posterized Jalen Duren last night, serving as an easy metaphor for the first-round series between the No. 8 Orlando Magic and No. 1 Detroit Pistons. Orlando beat Detroit last night to take a 3-1 lead in the series and push the Pistons to the brink of elimination.<\/p>\n
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In other NBA news, the league announced the Rookie of the Year in one of the closer award races of the season. It\u2019s a hoop-focused newsletter today, and we\u2019ll continue to keep you informed throughout the NBA playoffs, here and on the NBC News website<\/a>.<\/p>\n NBA Playoffs<\/p>\n The Detroit Pistons won 60 games this season and were the top team in the Eastern Conference essentially the entire season. Now, after losing to the Orlando Magic, 94-88, last night, they\u2019re on the verge of exiting the playoffs in the first round.<\/p>\n The Pistons\u2019 fall from grace starts with their disappearing offense. During the regular season, Detroit finished 10th in offensive rating, averaging 117.3 points per 100 possessions. Against the Magic in the first round? The Pistons have the worst offense of any playoff team, mustering only 100.3 points per 100.<\/p>\n Detroit\u2019s stars have struggled. Cade Cunningham is shooting under 43% from the field and has a whopping 27 turnovers through four games. Meanwhile, Jalen Duren\u2019s scoring average has dipped from 19.35 in the regular season to 9.8 against Orlando.<\/p>\n In the second half of Monday\u2019s game, the Pistons scored only 36 points as a team. (The Magic only scored 40, but it was enough to win.)<\/p>\n \u201cBack\u2019s against the wall. Whatcha gonna do? You\u2019re gonna fight,\u201d Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart said after yesterday\u2019s loss. \u201cYou have to fight until the end, so let\u2019s get back to the crib, protect the crib and take it one game at a time. The series is not over.\u201d<\/p>\n The No. 3 Denver Nuggets were also facing elimination, but they defeated the No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves yesterday, 125-113. Now the series goes to a sixth game, with Minnesota leading 3-2. Outside of a very brief scare in the fourth quarter, it was a breezy victory for the Nuggets, who were playing a Timberwolves team missing its starting guards Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo.<\/p>\n Rookie of the Year All season, two friends and former Duke teammates seemed to go back and forth with each other, jockeying for the NBA\u2019s Rookie of the Year award \u2014 the No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks, and No. 4 pick Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets.<\/p>\n Last night, the league announced that Flagg had won, barely edging out Knueppel by 26 voting points. Of the 100 voters, Flagg received 56 first-place votes and Knueppel got the other 44.<\/p>\n It was the second-closest vote of the last two decades. Back in 2022, Scottie Barnes beat out Evan Mobley for the award by 15 points.<\/p>\n This season, Flagg mostly lived up to expectations as the top pick. He averaged 21 points per game to lead all rookies and he became the first teenager to score 50 points in a game. He also led the Mavericks in points, rebounds, assists and steals \u2014 and was the first rookie to lead his team in all those categories since Michael Jordan.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Knueppel led the entire league in made 3-pointers, as he shot 42.5% from deep. He averaged 18.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, and was a key part of the Hornets\u2019 resurgence as they made the NBA play-in tournament.<\/p>\n Like everyone else, Flagg was watching Knueppel throughout the season, monitoring the race.<\/p>\n \u201cI see the games every night. I can check the box scores. I see it on Instagram, whatever,\u201d Flagg said on Peacock<\/a>. \u201cBut also, I was watching Kon just because that\u2019s one of my brothers.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have such a good connection, and we\u2019re going to be there for each other the rest of our lives. I was watching him as a fan as well. But there\u2019s obviously that competition at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n Newsletter Feedback<\/p>\n The Sports Desk newsletter has been going for a while now and we want to hear from you, gentle reader. How\u2019re we doing? What do you like about the newsletter? What can we do better? Send your comments to SportsDesk@nbcuni.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n What We’re Reading<\/p>\n Former NBA player Damon Jones pleaded guilty to $10 million sports betting and poker scams<\/a>.<\/p>\n NBC Sports\u2019 Tim Layden writes about the magic of \u201cDerby Day,\u201d<\/a> aka the Kentucky Derby, coming Saturday, an event he has covered 21 times in the past 23 years.<\/p>\n Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby is entering a treatment program<\/a> for gambling addiction.<\/p>\n The Philadelphia Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson after losing 11 of their last 12 games<\/a>.<\/p>\n WNBA star Caitlin Clark is publishing a children\u2019s book<\/a>.<\/p>\n Paige Bueckers addressed her relationship<\/a> with teammate and new draft pick Azzi Fudd.<\/p>\n Ty Simpson revealed that he secretly met with<\/a> Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay, before the team shocked everyone by drafting Simpson in the first round.<\/p>\n LIV Golf is postponing its New Orleans stop, sources told ESPN.<\/a><\/p>\n Allyson Felix is eyeing a comeback<\/a> for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.<\/p>\n What We’re Watching<\/p>\n![\"Cade](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/260427-Cade-Cunningham-ch-1145-17f30f.jpg\")
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham during the second half against the Orlando Magic during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs in Orlando.Mike Watters \/ Imagn Images<\/p>\n![\"Cooper](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/260428-Cooper-Flagg-ch-1147-7fcfed.jpg\")
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg dribbles against Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker in Phoenix.Mark J. Rebilas \/ Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n![\"Kon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/260428-Cooper-Flagg-Kon-Knueppel-ch-1149-c1b0d5.jpg\")
Kon Knueppel and Cooper Flagg during the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery.David Banks \/ Imagn Images<\/p>\n