NBA Game Notes (April 21, 2026)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on April 21, 2026.
Three Stars
Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games, with the “first star” considered the top performer.
First ⭐️
VJ Edgecombe produced team highs of 30 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 111-97 victory over the Boston Celtics, knotting their Eastern Conference First Round series at one game apiece. Edgecombe shot 12-20 from the field, hitting six of his 10 attempts from 3-point range. He also swiped a game-high two steals (tied with Tyrese Maxey) and did not commit a personal foul in 35 minutes played.
Second ⭐️
Marcus Smart scored 25 points as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets 101-94 to take a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference First Round series. Smart went 8-13 from the floor, sinking five of his seven 3-point attempts. He added a team-high seven assists (tied with LeBron James), a game-high five steals, and one block in 35 minutes of action.
Third ⭐️
Scoot Henderson scored a game-high 31 points in the Portland Trail Blazers’ 106-103 win over the San Antonio Spurs, tying their Western Conference First Round series at one game each. Henderson shot 11-17 from the field, knocking down five of his nine tries from beyond the 3-point arc. He also contributed one steal and one block in 38 minutes played.
Milestones
At 20 years and 265 days old, Edgecombe became the youngest player in NBA history to record at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in a playoff game. The previous mark of 20 years and 276 days was set by Magic Johnson in Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals.
Edgecombe is also the youngest player in Philadelphia 76ers history to score at least 30 points in a playoff game. He surpassed teammate Tyrese Maxey, who was 21 years and 163 days old when he achieved the feat on April 16, 2022.
At 22 years and 77 days old, Henderson became the youngest player in Portland Trail Blazers history to record a 30-point playoff game. The previous mark of 23 years and 201 days was set by Lionel Hollins in Game 2 of the 1977 Western Conference Finals.
The Rockets’ Kevin Durant (23 points) became just the seventh player in NBA postseason history to reach 5,000 career points. The others to achieve the feat are LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Tim Duncan.
Durant (four defensive rebounds) passed Al Horford to move into ninth place on the NBA’s playoff career leaderboard for defensive rebounds with 1,202. Note that defensive boards have been tracked since the 1973-74 season.
The Celtics’ Jayson Tatum (8-19 field goals) and Jaylen Brown (11-24 field goals) each ended the game with exactly 1,000 career field goals made in the playoffs. They are the third- and ninth-youngest players in NBA postseason history, respectively, to reach that mark.
Tatum (2-8 on threes) and Brown (5-12 on threes) both moved up the NBA’s playoff career leaderboard for 3-pointers made. Tatum passed J.R. Smith to take over 10th place with 295 triples, while Brown passed Chauncey Billups to take over 16th place with 270 triples.
Streaking
Durant has scored in double-figures in 171 consecutive playoff games, tying Kobe Bryant (June 19, 2000 to May 21, 2012) for the second-longest such streak in NBA postseason history. The record of 179 such games in a row is held by Michael Jordan.
The Lakers’ LeBron James (28 points) has scored at least 10 points in 142 straight playoff games, the fifth-longest such streak in NBA postseason history.
Brown has scored 10 or more points in each of his last 100 playoff games. He’s the 13th player in NBA postseason history to record at least 100 such games in a row.
The Sixers’ Paul George (2-5 on threes) extended his 3-point streak to 45 games, breaking a tie with Reggie Miller (May 13, 1995 to April 29, 2000) for the fourth-longest such run in NBA postseason history.
Miscellany
Brown was the night’s leading scorer, dropping 36 points. He was followed by Henderson (31 points), Edgecombe (30), the Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey (29), and James (28).
Tatum was the top rebounder last night, collecting 14 boards. Also grabbing double-digit rebounds were the Spurs’ Devin Vassell (12), the Rockets’ Alperen Sengun (11), the Trail Blazers’ Donovan Clingan (10), and Edgecombe (10).
Four players shared nightly honors in assists with nine dimes each: the Trail Blazers’ Jrue Holiday, Maxey, Tatum, and the Rockets’ Amen Thompson. Next in line were James and Smart with seven assists apiece.
Durant was charged with nine turnovers, matching his postseason career high. He also committed nine errors in playoff games on May 23, 2011 and April 15, 2019.