NBA Game Notes (April 27, 2026)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on April 27, 2026.
Three Stars
Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games, with the “first star” considered the top performer.
First ⭐️
Nikola Jokic recorded his 23rd career playoff triple-double, racking up game highs of 27 points (tied with Julius Randle), 12 rebounds, and 16 assists as the Denver Nuggets staved off elimination with a 125-113 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of their Western Conference First Round series. Jokic shot 9-15 from the field and 8-10 from the free throw line. He also blocked two shots in 38 minutes played.
Second ⭐️
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 31 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a series-ending 131-122 victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 4 of the Western Conference First Round matchup. Gilgeous-Alexander went 10-17 from the floor (2-4 on threes) and 9-11 from the charity stripe. He also dished out a game-high eight assists and blocked one shot in 38 minutes of action.
Third ⭐️
Franz Wagner scored 19 points despite sitting out the fourth quarter of the Orlando Magic’s 94-88 win over the Detroit Pistons, giving Orlando a 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference First Round series. Wagner shot 7-15 from the field and 4-4 from the free throw line. He added five rebounds, a game-high four steals, and three assists in 24 turnover-free minutes.
Milestones
Jokic recorded at least 25 points, 15 assists, and 10 rebounds in a playoff game for the second time in his career. The only other player in NBA postseason history to produce multiple such games is Oscar Robertson, also with two.
Jokic produced his 221st career triple-double in the regular season and playoffs combined, tying Russell Westbrook for the highest such total in NBA history. He also recorded his 75th career double-double in the playoffs, becoming the 19th player in NBA postseason history to reach that mark.
The Nuggets’ Jamal Murray scored 24 points and handed out seven assists, reaching 2,000 points and 500 assists for his playoff career. He’s one of 42 players in NBA postseason history to attain both of those milestones.
The Suns’ Devin Booker made his 115th career 3-pointer in the playoffs, tying Dan Majerle’s franchise postseason record for most career 3-pointers made.
The Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart broke the franchise record for most blocks in a playoff game with eight. The previous mark of seven blocks had been achieved four times, most recently by Rasheed Wallace on April 20, 2008.
The Magic’s Jalen Suggs went just 1-11 from beyond the arc, tying the franchise record for most 3-pointers missed in a playoff game. He shares the mark of 10 misses with Nick Anderson (May 9, 1999) and Franz Wagner (April 25, 2025).
Led by Murray’s four steals, the Denver Nuggets broke the franchise record for most steals in a playoff game with 16. The previous mark of 15 thefts had been achieved three times, most recently on May 3, 2009.
The Minnesota Timberwolves set a franchise record for most turnovers in a playoff game with 25, eclipsing the 24 errors they committed on May 12, 2004 versus the Sacramento Kings.
Streaking
The Pistons’ Cade Cunningham scored a game-high 25 points to extend his streak of 20-point playoff games to 10. That ties George Yardley (April 5, 1956 to March 23, 1958) for the longest such streak in franchise postseason history.
Gilgeous-Alexander has recorded 13 straight 20-point games, five straight 25-point games, and three straight 30-point games in the playoffs. He’s averaged 32.4 PPG and 6.8 APG with a free throw percentage of 90.5% over the former span.
Jokic has scored at least 20 points in each of his last 10 playoff games, a stretch in which he’s posted figures of 26.7 PPG, 13.7 RPG, and 7.6 APG with a free throw percentage of 89.2%.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have scored at least 120 points in three straight playoff games for the first time in franchise history. They recorded back-to-back 120-point playoff games on May 26 and 28, 2025.
The Phoenix Suns have lost 10 consecutive playoff games, the longest such streak in franchise history and tied for the seventh-longest such streak in NBA history. They’ve been outscored by an average margin of 17.0 PPG over that span.
Miscellany
Gilgeous-Alexander led the nightly scoring brigade, bagging 31 points. He was followed by Jokic (27 points), the Timberwolves’ Julius Randle (27), Cunningham (25), Booker (24), the Thunder’s Chet Holmgren (24), and Murray (24).
Three players shared the nightly lead in rebounds with 12 apiece: the Thunder’s Isaiah Hartenstein, Holmgren, and Jokic. The Magic’s Wendell Carter Jr. also collected double-digit boards with 11.
Jokic was the night’s premier playmaker, handing out 16 assists. Gilgeous-Alexander was runner-up with eight assists, while Murray placed third with seven dimes.
Jokic’s 23 career playoff triple-doubles rank third on the NBA’s all-time postseason list, trailing only Magic Johnson (30) and LeBron James (28).
Jokic and Murray have each recorded at least 20 points and five assists in the same playoff game 36 times, the most such games in NBA postseason history by a duo.
The Orlando Magic recorded a field goal percentage of 32.6%, the lowest such figure in a playoff win in franchise history. Leaguewide, only four teams in the 3-point era have shot worse from the floor in a postseason victory.