NBA Playoffs: Shai Dominates As OKC Near Sweep; Magic Shake Up Pistons Again

Last Updated:April 26, 2026, 07:37 IST

Shai drops 42 as Thunder go 3-0 up, while the Magic stun top-seeded Pistons to take control.

The NBA playoffs are starting to take shape fast.

One series is teetering on the edge of a sweep, while another has turned into a full-blown upset watch.

Thinder Close In On Sweep

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is playing like a man on a mission, and the Oklahoma City Thunder are reaping the rewards.

The reigning MVP exploded for 42 points in a clinical 121-109 win over the Phoenix Suns, pushing OKC to a commanding 3-0 lead in their first-round series.

Yet again, it was ruthless efficiency from SGA, who hit 15 of his 18 shots.

“I think we did a really good job tonight of playing to our identity offensively," he said. “Everyone was aggressive… it kept their defense… in a bind."

Phoenix, led by Dillon Brooks’ 33 points, showed flashes early but had no answer down the stretch.

Now staring at a 0-3 hole, one no NBA team has ever escaped, the Suns are running out of time and answers.

Game 4 could be a formality. Or a last stand.

Magic Stun Pistons Again, Knicks Draw Level

If the West looks predictable, the East is anything but.

The eighth-seeded Orlando Magic are flipping the script against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons, taking a 2-1 series lead with a gritty 113-105 win.

Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane dropped 25 apiece, with Banchero flirting with a triple-double. Even when Cade Cunningham sparked a late Pistons rally, Orlando held firm, closing the game on a 9-0 run.

“We know how we stack up… we don’t fear them," Banchero said.

Meanwhile, the New York Knicks bounced back in style, beating the Atlanta Hawks 114-98 to level their series 2-2.

Karl-Anthony Towns delivered a playoff triple-double (20-10-10), while OG Anunoby led scoring with 22.

“We understood the magnitude of the moment," Towns said. “We’ve got to exceed the moment."

(with agency inputs)

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