NBA Game Notes (April 17, 2026)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on April 17, 2026.
Three Stars
Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games, with the “first star” considered the top performer.
First ⭐️
Jalen Green dropped a game-high 36 points to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 111-96 victory in the Play-In Tournament. Green shot 14-20 from the field, sinking eight of his 14 attempts from 3-point range. He also contributed six rebounds, four assists, a game-high three blocks, and two steals in 40 minutes played.
The Suns will move on to the Western Conference Playoffs as the No. 8 seed, where they will face the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder. Meanwhile, the Warriors have been eliminated from postseason competition.
Second ⭐️
Paolo Banchero scored a game-high 25 points as the Orlando Magic routed the Charlotte Hornets 121-90 in the Play-In Tournament. Banchero went 9-17 from the floor and 5-8 from the charity stripe. He added a game-high six assists (tied with two others), five rebounds, two steals, and one block in 33 minutes of action.
The Magic advanced to the Eastern Conference Playoffs as the No. 8 seed, setting up a matchup with the No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons. The Hornets, on the other hand, were stopped short in their bid to claim the franchise’s first playoff spot since the 2015-16 season.
Third ⭐️
Jordan Goodwin scored 19 points in the Suns’ win over the Warriors. Goodwin shot 7-11 from the field, hitting four of his seven 3-point attempts. He also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds and swiped a game-high six steals, committing just one turnover and one personal foul in 34 minutes played.
Milestones
Goodwin broke the Play-In Tournament record for most steals in a game with six. The previous mark of five was shared by Gary Trent Jr. (Aug. 15, 2020), Kent Bazemore (May 19, 2021), and Jimmy Butler III (April 17, 2024).
Green tied a Play-In Tournament record for most 3-pointers made in a game with eight, matching Keegan Murray’s effort on April 16, 2024.
The Orlando Magic set Play-In Tournament records for the largest lead at the end of the first quarter (22 points), the largest lead at halftime (31, tied), the largest lead at the end of the third quarter (31), and the largest margin of victory (31).
The Phoenix Suns tied the Play-In Tournament for highest free throw percentage in a game, making all 15 of their attempts. They share the record with the Charlotte Hornets (9-9 on April 14, 2026) and the LA Clippers (17-17 on April 15, 2026).
Streaking
The Charlotte Hornets have failed to reach the playoffs in each of the last 10 seasons, the longest active drought in the NBA and tied for the fifth-longest drought in NBA history.
Miscellany
Green was the night’s top point producer, netting 36 points. He was followed by Banchero (25 points), the Hornets’ LaMelo Ball (23), the Warriors’ Brandin Podziemski (23), and the Suns’ Devin Booker (20).
Podziemski was the top board man last night, collecting 10 rebounds. Goodwin was runner-up with nine rebounds, while the Hornets’ Moussa Diabate and the Warriors’ De’Anthony Melton shared third place with eight boards apiece.
Booker took home nightly honors in assists, handing out eight helpers. Next in line were four players with six assists each: Banchero, Green, the Magic’s Jalen Suggs, and the Magic’s Franz Wagner.