On April 18 Beijing time, the NBA officially released the injury report for the first game between the Rockets and Lakers. For the Rockets, VanVleet (recovering from right knee ACL surgery) and Adams (recovering from left ankle surgery) are out, while Durant (right knee contusion) is listed as questionable. For the Lakers, Doncic (left hamstring strain) and Reaves (left oblique strain) are absent.

On April 18 Beijing time, the Philadelphia 76ers are set to begin their first-round playoff matchup on Monday, facing the Boston Celtics away. The attention of the entire team and the outside world is focused on Embiid. This interior core underwent an appendectomy surgery on April 10 while the team was away playing against the Houston Rockets, and has been resting and recovering since then. Currently, he has been confirmed to miss the first game of the playoffs.

On April 18 Beijing time, Hall of Fame basketball player Oscar Schmidt, revered by Brazilians as "Holy Hand," passed away on Friday local time at the age of 68. Schmidt's family released a statement stating that he battled a brain tumor courageously for 15 years, always brave, dignified, and resilient, living a life of perseverance, generosity, and passion, serving as an example to the world.

On April 18 Beijing time, Clippers basketball operations president Lawrence Frank reiterated at today's season wrap-up press conference: the team plans to keep Kawhi Leonard and Tyronn Lue long-term. "Our plan is to compete for championships alongside Kawhi (Leonard)," Frank stated. "The club has already demonstrated through actions that we desire to sustain competitiveness and are focused on pursuing victories.

On April 18 Beijing time, the 2025-26 regular season has officially concluded, the play-in tournament ends today, and the 2026 NBA playoffs are ready to begin. This season saw many career milestones, and as the playoff curtain rises, a large number of historical records are poised to be rewritten.

On April 18 Beijing time, Hall of Fame-bound coach Doc Rivers officially announced his retirement, stepping down as an NBA head coach, during Bill Simmons' podcast. The 64-year-old Rivers spanned 27 years in his coaching career, leading the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Milwaukee Bucks. His regular-season record totals 1194 wins and 866 losses, a winning percentage of 58.

On April 18 Beijing time, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced that Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has been named the 2026 Michael H. Goldberg National Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year. Previously, Bickerstaff also received the Rudy Tomjanovich Award from the Professional Basketball Writers Association this season.

It's crucial, extremely important, the Cavaliers' playoff run this year is vital...... They will face the Toronto Raptors in the first round. If the Cavaliers can't even advance past the first round, they might dismantle the team, especially since their top offensive core Mitchell is being eyed by countless eager suitors.

The Clippers missing the playoffs is a cause for celebration for the Thunder, as it helps them secure a 2026 lottery pick. For the Clippers, the good news is that they have officially paid off all their debts to the Thunder, finally ending seven years of hardship. In the summer of 2019, to acquire Paul George to pair with Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers sent to the Thunder Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, four unprotected first-round picks, one lottery-protected first-round pick, and two first-round pick swap rights.

On April 17 Beijing time, according to The Athletic (TA), league sources revealed: Harden has a $42 million player option for next season, and he is highly likely to opt out. Even if he subsequently signs a long-term contract with a lower annual salary, the total salary value remains substantial. Under the current labor agreement rules, sky-high salaries will continuously squeeze team operational space.