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.

On April 17 Beijing time, according to The Athletic, multiple team and league sources granted anonymity revealed: James has not yet made any decision about his future, retirement remains a real option.

The playoffs are routine for James. By participating this year, he will tie Karl Malone and John Stockton, making his 19th playoff appearance and tying for the top spot in league history. However, the 41-year-old James is looking forward to a new experience this spring: playing alongside his 21-year-old son, Bronny.

As the final buzzer sounded, the broadcast screen was filled with Warriors players embracing and celebrating. They nearly played a perfect quarter, overcoming a 13-point deficit in the final period to win this crucial game and extend their season. A fleeting glimpse in the broadcast showed Leonard and his teammates waiting on the court to acknowledge the Warriors. It was undoubtedly an exciting playoff game, though the outcome was not favorable for them.

On April 17 Beijing time, the third day of the NBA play-in tournament will take place on April 18, determining the final eighth seeds in both conferences. The NBA official website previewed these two games, favoring the Hornets and Warriors to advance respectively.

On April 17th, in Miami, the NBA's ruling that LaMelo Ball's ("Melo") pull on Bam Adebayo was a Flagrant 2 foul warranting immediate ejection did not cause much stir. In Charlotte, the league's decision not to impose an additional suspension on Ball allowed the team to breathe a sigh of relief.