Bryan Bash endured a difficult night on April 24, 2026, finishing 0-3 across three NBA playoff matchups. All three selections fell short as favorites and underdogs alike failed to deliver, resulting in a clean sweep against the handicapper.
Lakers at Rockets
Bash opened with the Houston Rockets -8.5 at -105 odds, but the selection never had a chance to cover as the Los Angeles Lakers escaped with a 112-108 overtime victory to take a commanding 3-0 series lead. Lost. The Rockets actually led by six points with under 30 seconds remaining in regulation, appearing poised to cover comfortably, but LeBron James tied the game with a clutch 3-pointer with 13 seconds left. Marcus Smart then took over in the extra period, scoring eight points in overtime to seal the comeback win for Los Angeles. The Lakers shot a blistering 48.1% from the field and 41.4% from three-point range compared to Houston’s struggles at 40.8% and 28.2%, respectively. Alperen Sengun delivered a monster performance with 33 points, 16 rebounds, and six assists for the Rockets, but Houston’s poor shooting and inability to close out the game in regulation doomed the spread. The Rockets were notably outscored 11-7 in overtime, turning what looked like a certain cover into a painful loss.
Celtics at 76ers
The second selection featured the Philadelphia 76ers +7.0 at -110 odds in their home matchup against Boston. The Celtics prevailed 108-100, giving Boston a 2-1 series advantage but falling just short of covering the seven-point spread by one point. Lost. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each scored 25 points to lead the Celtics, with Tatum continuing his impressive return from Achilles surgery by hitting 5 of 9 from beyond the arc. Jaylen Brown proved decisive late, scoring eight straight points in the fourth quarter to push Boston’s lead to 96-92 and effectively put the game away. The Celtics held a significant advantage at the free-throw line, converting at 94.1% compared to Philadelphia’s 75.0%, and that efficiency proved crucial down the stretch. Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 31 points and six assists, but Philadelphia couldn’t keep pace in the final frame, getting outscored 29-26 in the fourth quarter as the Celtics pulled away just enough to deny the cover.
Spurs at Trail Blazers
The final play of the night backed the Portland Trail Blazers +2.5 at -110 odds, but San Antonio cruised to a 120-108 victory despite playing without Victor Wembanyama, who remained sidelined with a concussion. Lost. The Spurs trailed by 15 points in the third quarter but completely flipped the script with dominant second-half play. San Antonio outscored Portland 29-22 in the third quarter to erase the deficit, then delivered a crushing 32-21 fourth-quarter performance to pull away comfortably. Stephon Castle led the Spurs with 33 points while Dylan Harper added 27 points and 10 rebounds. The Spurs shot an exceptional 48.5% from three-point range and 47.1% overall from the field, overwhelming Portland’s 41.1% shooting. The Trail Blazers also struggled at the free-throw line, converting just 69.0% compared to San Antonio’s 78.6%. Jrue Holiday’s 29 points for Portland weren’t nearly enough to overcome the Spurs’ second-half surge.
Bryan Bash’s April 24 card resulted in a winless 0-3 performance, with all three selections falling on the wrong side of the final score. Late-game collapses, poor shooting performances, and second-half momentum swings all contributed to the sweep, marking a forgettable night for the handicapper.
