Next Tuesday, when the Knicks take the court for the first round of the Eastern Conference Finals, expect OG Anunoby to be back and in the starting lineup.
Officially, Knicks coach Mike Brown said Wednesday they were taking things one day at a time and he wasn't sure if Anunoby would play in Game 1. That said, he was getting up shots at the team's facility.
OG Anunoby is doing shooting after practice. We’re still not sure if he practiced today yet. Will learn soon. pic.twitter.com/QwSkpTOaOZ
— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) May 13, 2026
The Knicks will face the winner of the Detroit Pistons vs. Cleveland Cavaliers starting next Tuesday, either in Detroit if the Pistons win or in New York if the Cavaliers do. Anunoby would be critical in either series as he would draw the Cade Cunningham assignment vs. Detroit, or spend time on Donovan Mitchell and James Harden against Cleveland.
In addition to playing elite defense, Anunoby is averaging 21.4 points a game these playoffs, shooting a ridiculous 53.8% from 3-point range, and is grabbing 7.5 assists a night. While Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns get the headlines, Anunoby has been critical to the Knicks' return to the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons meet in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series. The Cavs evened the series with a 112-103 victory in Game 4. The Pistons are favored by 4.5 points in Game 5, with the over/under set at 212.5.
How to Watch Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Detroit Pistons
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 11: NBA draft prospect, Dailyn Swain poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 11, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Texas Longhorns junior wing Dailyn Swain plans is remaining in the 2026 NBA Draft, a decision made during the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, which ends on Sunday, he told ESPN’s Jeff Borzello.
Projected as a late first-round pick in this year’s draft in the latest projection from ESPN, Swain measured at 6’6.5, 211 pounds, good height for the wing position with strong athleticism testing numbers in his max vertical and three-quarter court sprint, but is less prototypical with his wingspan and standing vertical and average agility.
Swain’s shooting has drawn some mixed reactions between the optics of his shot and his ability to hit it off the dribble in drills.
Dailyn Swain star drill shooting. Shot has a hitch to it and he dips it too far on the catch.
The mechanics of Swain’s shooting stroke won’t help him in the draft, but his ability as a slasher is elite and he is one of the best prospects competing in the five-on-five portions of the combine, scoring eight points on 3-of-8 shooting with five rebounds, two assists, and two steals in his first game.
Regardless of where Swain goes in the draft next month, his decision gives head coach Sean Miller and his staff some surety as they pursue a final piece or two for the 2026-27 roster.
Virat Kohli struck an unbeaten 105 to lead defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the top of the IPL table with a six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday.
When OG Anunoby missed the closing minutes of the Knicks’ game two victory over the 76ers, New York fans couldn’t help but expect bad news. After seeing the team’s playoff run suddenly come to a halt just two seasons ago when the forward strained his hamstring, PTSD started to creep in.
Thankfully, by the following afternoon, reports started to come out that the Knicks and Anunoby had dodged a bullet. While he’d end up missing the rest of the series, which, to be fair, only lasted 8 more quarters, there was optimism that, had the 76ers found a way to extend the series, his return was still in play.
"OG Anunoby will play in Game 1. I feel very comfortable saying that, just because of where this thing was in the day or two days after it happened."
On The Putback with @IanBegley, Ian says that barring any setbacks, the Knicks should expect to have OG Anunoby ready to go for… pic.twitter.com/YKrL5budKx
Now, with a week and a half between his initial injury and the start of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, many are expecting him to be all set and ready to take the floor again for the opening game of the Conference Finals.
Ian Begley of SNY went on the air jus two days ago and expressedhis confidence in Anunoby suiting up. Sham Charania of ESPN also confirmed that the expectation is he’ll be ready.
Mike Brown did try to temper expectations when asked about it today, saying, “I just want to take it one day at a time.”. Anunoby didn’t participate in live scrimmages at the Knicks’ practice today, but Brown did note that he went through “some parts” of practice, which, from the reports, seem to include shoot-around, and individual workouts.
This isn’t a guarantee that he’ll play, and as Stefan Bondy of the New York Post notes, Brown also wouldn’t say whether Anunoby is sprinting or not. But some of this could also just be some gamesmanship for a team trying to make game planning for their next opponent slightly more difficult.
Even if it isn’t, the fact that so many people are hearing positive news surrounding Anunoby’s progress is a great sign for Knicks fans, especially since they still have another four to six days until Game 1.
Apr 7, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) and Jalen Green (4) against the Houston Rockets in the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
As we button up the 2025-26 Phoenix Suns season, I imagine this is what it feels like to be a teacher in May. The school year ends, the kids head home, and those final few days become administrative. You’re putting away files, cleaning the classroom, shutting off the lights before heading into summer break.
That’s kind of what we’ve been doing here at Bright Side as we say goodbye to the 2025-26 Suns. It was an unexpectedly fun season, and our view of the players on this roster changed over time. That’s the purpose of SunsRank. To look at who these players were and who they became over the course of the year.
Before we reveal the complete community rankings, I wanted to take a moment to show how the Bright Side writing team viewed the roster by season’s end. Below are the rankings from our writers, along with some explanation as to why certain players landed higher or lower on individual ballots.
#
Player
John Voita
Brandon Duenas
Holden Sherman
Bruce Veliz
Rod Argent
Kevin Humphrey
John Doeshass
Pano
1
Devin Booker
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
Dillon Brooks
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
Jalen Green
3
6
3
3
3
4
3
4
4
Collin Gillespie
4
3
7
4
4
5
5
5
5
Mark Williams
5
4
5
7
5
8
6
3
6
Grayson Allen
6
8
4
6
8
3
5
6
7
Jordan Goodwin
7
5
6
5
6
6
7
7
8
Oso Ighodaro
9
7
9
9
9
7
8
8
9
Royce O’Neale
8
9
8
8
7
9
9
9
10
Rasheer Fleming
11
10
11
10
10
10
10
10
11
Ryan Dunn
12
11
12
11
11
11
11
11
12
Khaman Maluach
10
12
14
12
12
13
12
12
13
Haywood Highsmith
15
13
10
14
13
12
13
12
14
Jamaree Bouyea
13
15
13
13
15
15
15
13
15
Amir Coffey
14
14
15
15
14
14
14
15
16
Isaiah Livers
17
16
15
16
16
17
16
14
17
Koby Brea
16
17
17
17
17
16
17
16
18
CJ Huntley
18
18
16
18
18
18
17
17
Take a few minutes and look through the rankings. You’ll probably find yourself agreeing with one writer more than another. You might question why someone had a player ranked too high or too low compared to your own list. That’s part of the fun.
To dig into that a little more, we did a small Q&A session with the writing team to better understand some of their rankings.
Brandon, you had the lowest ranking on Jalen Green, ranking him 6th. Why is he that low on your SunsRank?
Availability is the best ability. The bottom line is that Jalen Green only played in 32 games this season, and he had some very rough stretches as he worked his way back from injury. Do I think he is the sixth-best player? No. Do I think he had the sixth-best season? Yes. And even that feels like a stretch given the fact that he missed 50 games combined with the rough shooting stretches. His great play in the Play-In and Playoffs do not mask the overall body of work in the regular season for me.
Holden, you had the lowest ranking on Collin Gillespie, ranking him 7th. Why is he that low on your SunsRank?
Gillespie’s lack of efficiency and consistency at the end of the year and ability to play alongside Green and Booker rendered him to be less valuable for the team, and with his thin frame was a liability on defense when he wasn’t generating turnovers
Pano, you had the highest ranking on Mark Williams, ranking him 3rd. Why is he that high on your SunsRank?
Mark Williams’ 6.3 Win Shares reflect a real positive impact on the team’s overall success. With roughly a 57% win rate, his strong performances were often tied to team wins. His absences clearly hurt — not as much as Devin Booker or Dillon Brooks — but losing his size, length, and a reliable offensive option definitely affected the group. His presence would’ve been especially valuable against the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team that physically overwhelms a lot of opponents and completely crushed us in the Playoffs…
He also managed to stand out in an offensive system that wasn’t necessarily built for him in the first place, with its focus on three-point shooting and constant movement. As the team’s best rebounder, he was essential in Jordan Ott’s system, which constantly looks to generate extra possessions to make up for certain weaknesses. Alongside Jordan Goodwin, he was probably the player creating the most of that kind of invisible impact.
And above all, he played 60 games — a career high for him after never playing more than 44 in a season before. Even if he was occasionally managed carefully, he made himself available, stayed available, and remained consistent in both effort and impact for most of the year, even if, unfortunately, he wasn’t there against OKC.
Kevin, you had the highest ranking on Grayson, ranking him 3rd. Why is he that high on your SunsRank?
Behind Dillon Brooks and Devin Booker, no one was more important to the Suns’ offensive success this season than Grayson Allen. Despite ending the season in a shooting slump due to multiple nagging injuries, Allen’s floor spacing, passing, and physical driving ability allowed the Suns to generate the best ball movement and offensive pace when he was playing. He elevated his role this season from floor spacer to one of the Suns’ most reliable scorers as he averaged career highs at 16.5 points, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 3.3 free throw attempts per game.
Allen’s ability to oscillate between scorer, shooter, and connector, plus his physical strength, allows him to be an effective player in almost any lineup pairing offensively and survive on the defensive end of the floor.
Bruce, you had the highest ranking on Jordan Goodwin, ranking him 5th. Why is he that high on your SunsRank?
Jordan Goodwin showed me that even if he wasn’t in the starting lineup every night, he was one of 5 best players this year due to the hustle and heart he showed every night. Goodwin displayed the epitome of what Suns fans want to see on the court every game, and he deserves the credit for doing so.
Voita, you had the highest ranking on Khaman Maluach, ranking him 10th. Why is he that high on your SunsRank?
I’m looking at this through the lens of the word “best.” As I look over my rankings, I think Khaman Maluach stands out from an upside standpoint. He’s unique.
Sure, part of my ranking leans more into the future than what we saw this season. Maybe that’s my folly. I truly believe this kid has it. The motor is there. The physical tools are there. The desire to become great is there. And honestly, it’s going to be fun revisiting SunsRank in a couple of years when he’s sitting comfortably in the top five.
So yes, my ranking is rooted more in projection than current reality. I still don’t think it’s far off. Maybe Rasheer Fleming should’ve been 10 and Maluach 11. I can hear that argument. I still think he’s better than Ryan Dunn, Jamari Bouyea, Amir Coffey, and Haywood Highsmith when you view it through the lens of talent and possibility.
That’s why I had Maluach at 10.
So there you have it. Who got it right? Who got it wrong? When you sit down and actually go through the exercise of ranking the Phoenix Suns roster player by player, whose list lines up closest with your own.
DETROIT (AP) — Pistons games will be available on local television next season for the first time since 2005 as part of a multiyear deal with Scripps Sports.
The Pistons were one of 13 NBA teams looking for a new home because Main Street Sports is shutting down. Detroit is the first NBA franchise to partner with Scripps, which has the rights to five NHL teams, a WNBA franchise and a National Women's Soccer League squad.
WMYD-TV in Detroit will be the local broadcast home. Scripps also owns stations in Grand Rapids and Lansing. The team and Scripps also announced plans for direct-to-consumer streaming.
The Tigers and Red Wings have partnered with Major League Baseball for their local rights.
“Over-the-air broadcasting has proven to be one of the most powerful ways to connect sports teams with their fans,” Scripps Sports president Brian Lawlor said in a statement. “As we are seeing right now, the fandom around the Pistons is high and every fan deserves to have access to Detroit Pistons games.”
The Pistons finished as the top seed in the Eastern Conference in the regular season and are currently playing a conference semifinal series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Mikhail Prokhorov famously said that his Nets would “turn Knicks fans into Nets fans.” The Nets owner, a confirmed bachelor, also promised that if the Nets didn’t win a title in five years, he’d get married. Spoiler alert: None of those things happened.
So Sam Zussman, now president of Nets parent Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment under Prokhorov’s successor Joe Tsai, has come up with a different, long term plan — generational fandom — essentially getting them while they’re young.
In a wide-ranging and rare interview Monday with an Israeli business site, the Israeli-born Zussman laid out the plan in detail and suggested that the payoff may not come for a decade or more but could eventually pay dividends for a half-century or more. At a moment when the Knicks look like the Showtime Lakers and pundits as well as fans are lamenting the team’s bad luck in the Lottery — even suggesting the franchise is cursed — the comments have particular relevancy.
Zussman spoke as well about fandom in general, including how while he’s admittedly “frustrated” in not being able to control winning and losing on the court, he can control the experience off it.
In addition, the former IDF officer spoke about his relationship with the Nets’ two Israeli players and how he brought wounded Israeli soldiers to both a Nets game and practice last year as part of their recovery. Zussman has been active in raising funds for wounded Israeli soldiers.
In the interview with CTech, which took place recently in New York at an Israeli tech conference, Zussman noted that the Nets relatively short stay in Brooklyn put them at a disadvantage compared to the the generational fan base of older franchises. Although he didn’t say, the obvious comparison is to the Knicks.
“We’ve only moved to Brooklyn 14 years and we’ve never won a championship. So, we don’t have this generational fandom of a grandfather or a grandmother taking … or you as a parent have gone to a game with with your parents and you’re now taking your son or daughter. And I realized that needs to change,” he said.
“And if you look at what happens and if all of you look back to to your childhood,” he added, motioning to the audience, “you became a fan of a team somewhere between the age of six and 10 and it was on account of a slightest touch. You went to a game, you met a player, you got a t-shirt, you went to a clinic. That is stickier than your bank account. That does not change!
“So I realized this is what we need to do. So we started a movement called Brooklyn Basketball. And we now not only have a facility but we also go to public school and we deliver clinics free to 40,000 kids a year and so, you would ask me, ‘you’re spending a couple of million dollars a year that yes has a community aspect but where’s the revenue? And the revenue is a stream of season ticket holders that could be season ticket holders for 50 or 60 years starting 10 or 15 years and that’s okay.”
The clinics and center are indeed but one part of the Nets’ community involvement that could ultimately reap rewards, things as diverse as refurbishing playgrounds or financing a Jean Basquiat art curriculum.
Once in the building, Zussman said, fans need to have “an incredible experience whether the team won or lost” to keep the connection. “I can’t control what’s on the court. I can’t control what happens on any given night, but what I can’t control is the experience around it,” he added, admitting there’s a level of frustration.
Moreover, he said, fans must be treated differently than just customers because of their level of commitment.
“Fans have a very different relationship with your product. They’re people who feel like a minority owner. They feel invested, ‘Now, I’m a fan of the Brooklyn Nets.‘”
As for the use of AI, Zussman — despite his boss’s obvious expertise and experience — said he does not focus that much on the technology that touches the actual consumer. After all, he’s selling a tactile experience inside the arena rather than on the screen.
“It’s a bricks-and-mortars experience,“ he argued. ”You already have a superior technological solution. You can sit at home and watch a game on a 75-inch screen. You can pause it. You can rewind. You can use your own restroom. You can have your own food.
“Yet people get in their own car, take the subway whatever. They spend a lot money on the tickets. They stand in line. They have a lot of people around them for better or worse, just to physically be there because there’s no substitute for the passion, the energy, the experience, the memory, of being there. People come to consume that! … ahead of a technology-driven experience.“
Zussman also talked about the Nets two Israeli players: native Israeli Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf who was born in Illinois but holds an Israeli passport and has played for Israel in international competition. They were taken back to back at No. 26 and 27 at the end of the first round in the 2025 NBA Draft. He said he didn’t influence the selection of the two, noting he was on a plane at the time. (In fact, say insiders, it was coach Jordi Fernandez who pushed Saraf in particular.)
“No, we make decisions on the merits in the board room,” he said. “and we make decisions on the merits in the Draft room. They were the two players that our general manager and our front office believed were the two best picks at those positions. They’re great. They’re great human beings. They also help with a lot of community activity.”
He noted as well that they attended a dinner of the Irgun Nechei Zahal in the United States a group that raises funds for wounded Israeli soldiers that Zussman champions.
“Being an Israeli, being born and raised in Israel and serving in the IDF, that’s a really important thing,” he said.
Indeed, Zussman disclosed how the leader of the group came to him two years ago and said he had promised a wounded soldier that he’d take him to an NBA game as part of his recovery.
“From that, there came a group of 22 wounded warriors with a few other people in the delegation and we brought them here for a week,” he recalled. “We took them to a closed practice of the team. We took them to a game and to the U.N. We made a whole week out of it. They branded it, ‘When Heroes meet Champions.’
“And you could see it just put a spark in their eyes. you could see they felt the warm embrace of the Jewish community. You could see that there could be life after … it was in March 2024 so you could see it was a few months after October 7 (the date that Hamas attacked across Israel, killing 1,200 Israelis.) At that moment, I realized that was something I needed to lean into.”
Since then, of course, the Israeli response has been declared a genocide by the U.N. with a death toll approaching 75,000, mostly civilian.
CHICAGO — They positioned A.J. Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson on podiums a few feet apart in the center of a hotel ballroom, their backs to one another with only two NBA Draft Combine backdrops separating them.
Peterson arrived first wearing the standard issue combine sweatsuit the majority of prospects don throughout the week. Dybantsa came a couple minutes later in a brown pinstripe suit. It stood out and it was intentional, the BYU star explained. His father told him this is the first job interview of his life, “so come professional, come in a suit,” Dybantsa said.
“I’ve been No. 1 in the rankings since, like, ninth grade and I ain’t drop,” Dybantsa declared in front of the cameras on Wednesday, May 13 in Chicago, “so I’m not planning on dropping in the draft.”
The debate over the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft is likely to rage until the Washington Wizards are officially on the clock. Dybantsa, Peterson and Duke’s Cameron Boozer have long been pegged as the most likely candidates, and Caleb Wilson of North Carolina could also be in consideration. The chance that all four could become NBA All-Stars eventually has helped fuel the positive perception of this draft class and the historic amount of tanking NBA teams did at the end of this past regular season.
But Dybantsa has separated himself in one regard – a willingness to admit how badly he wants to go No. 1.
Darryn Peterson wants NBA to ‘learn the real me’
Peterson, for instance, used his session with reporters on Wednesday to emphasize that he’s using the pre-draft process to help teams “learn the real me and not what people are saying about me,” after a freshman season at Kansas in which he missed 11 games and left several others early due to cramping issues.
Peterson said he’s back to feeling like himself athletically after recently determining creatine usage was causing his health problems. He also noted, after mostly being used off the ball with the Jayhawks, he views himself as a point guard.
“Being No. 1 is cool,” Peterson said, “but I’m more worried about what’s the best fit for me and my career.”
AJ Dybantsa's current starting 5:
PG: LeBron James SG: Steph Curry SF: AJ Dybantsa PF: Kevin Durant C: Nikola Jokic
“I’ll have Curry at the 2, but he’s strictly there to shoot.” 🤣
The meetings and workouts to determine that have already started, with a wave of them occurring in conjunction with the scouting combine in Chicago this week.
Dybantsa slots more cleanly as the No. 1 pick in Washington’s current lineup as a 6-foot-8 athletic freak with elite three-level scoring ability. But that’s only if the Wizards are committed long term to point guard Trae Young.
If not, Peterson could be the right call. There’s also the chance Washington trades back, with speculation that the Utah Jazz might want to move up to No. 1 to choose Dybantsa over Peterson due to Dybantsa’s relationship with Jazz owner Ryan Smith, who is also a prominent BYU booster.
Cameron Boozer looks ahead, Dybantsa looks back
Boozer might be the least athletic of the three but perhaps the most polished, with an inside-outside skill set, a cerebral feel for the game and a competitiveness that has him slotted ahead of Dybantsa and Peterson in certain advanced statistical models. The son of longtime NBA player Carlos Boozer said Wednesday the pick isn’t as important as the place.
“You’ve heard some other people talk about it,” noted Boozer. “For me, whether I go 1, 2, 3, 4 or even lower than that, for me it’s just about going to the right fit, the right situation for me. What organization believes in me and understands what I bring to the table for the organization. I understand where you go matters for your career and how your trajectory goes, so that’s the biggest thing for me.”
The impetus behind Dybantsa’s strategy might be more straightforward. He lost to Peterson twice, once in high school and then again when the two faced one another in Big 12 play this year. It still eats at him, he admitted.
So when asked for the toughest player he’s gone against, Dybantsa immediately thought about the person seated only a few feet behind him, and why he can't just talk his way into being the No. 1 pick.
“Probably Darryn,” he said. “He got the best of me.”
The Pittsburgh Penguins took a nice step in the right direction this season by making the playoffs. Now, they will be looking to build off that next season.
One player who should be watched incredibly closely on the Penguins next campaign is forward Rutger McGroarty. The 22-year-old forward is one of the Penguins' top breakout candidates heading into next season, and it would not be surprising if he takes a big step in development because of it.
McGroarty showed clear signs of progress this season in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. In 30 games with the AHL squad, he recorded 10 goals and 34 points. This is after he had 14 goals and 39 points but in 60 games for the AHL club during the 2024-25 season.
With this, the Penguins will now be hoping that McGroarty can tap into his potential more next season on their NHL roster. The 2022 first-round pick posted three goals and six points in 24 games this season for Pittsburgh, so it will be interesting to see how much he improves his offense next year in the NHL.
There is a lot to like about McGroarty's game, and it would be huge for the Penguins if he has that big breakout year.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 07: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks congratulates Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors after the Warriors beat the Bucks at Chase Center on January 07, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
At first, the Golden State Warriors’ choice of Larry Harris to represent them at the draft lottery Sunday was curious. Harris is clearly a trusted executive, having worked for the Warriors for 18 years, the last decade spent as director of player personnel and assistant general manager. But he also spent 20 years with the Milwaukee Bucks, serving as the team’s GM from 2003-08.
That’s why it’s intriguing that ESPN’s Jay Williams reported that the Bucks had “a whole lot of Giannis conversations” at the lottery, specifically with the Warriors and the Miami Heat.
REPORT: There were a “whole lot of Giannis conversations with Miami and Golden State” at the Draft lottery yesterday, per @RealJayWilliams.
The Warriors’ interest in Giannis Antetokounmpo is no secret. They’ve been eyeing, circling around, discussing, sniffing around, gauging the interest of, lobbying for, seriously considering, setting their sights on, and even exploring trade scenarios for the Bucks forward for years. Now that the Bucks are “open for business” regarding Antetokounmpo, it’s time for the Warriors to make that big trade!
However, the lottery results didn’t help their cause. The Warriors didn’t move up from the No. 11 pick, though on the plus side, the Heat didn’t move up either. Getting a top-4 pick might have sweetened a potential package for the Greek Freak, especially in a draft with a clear consensus top four prospects in AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson.
It’s obvious why the Warriors would be interested in Antetokounmpo. It’s less clear why Antetokounmpo would be interested in a Warriors team that was under .500 and missed the playoffs last season, even if he has a fondness for Steph Curry. Even if Larry Harris is incredibly plugged in to the Bucks front office, he can’t magically turn a package headlined by Draymond Green, Brandin Podziemski and the No. 11 overall pick in 2026 into a better offer than what Milwaukee could get from a number of other teams.
But the Warriors also don’t have a lot of options better than taking a home-run swing on Antetokounmpo if they want to maximize the rest of Steph Curry’s career, and trading for Antetokounmpo is probably more likely than convincing LeBron James to take a substantial pay cut to relocated 350 miles north.
It’s still quite early to be making moves, but as a wise man from Tupelo, Mississippi, the Warriors need a little less conversation, and a little more action.
The Philadelphia Flyers acquired defenseman David Jiricek from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for forward Bobby Brink on trade deadline day. The move was understandable, as the Flyers need help on their blueline and had a surplus of NHL-caliber wingers. As a result, they are now hoping that Jiricek can become a solid part of their blueline as he continues to develop.
Jiricek undoubtedly showed promise in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms after being acquired by the Flyers. In 15 games with the Phantoms following the move, he recorded two goals, 11 assists, and 13 points. Now, the Flyers will be hoping that he can translate some of his play with the Phantoms this campaign over to next season on their NHL roster.
When noting that Jiricek is still only 22 years old and has good upside, there is no question that he is a breakout candidate to watch for next season. The 2022 sixth-overall pick has the potential to emerge as an impactful NHL defenseman, and it will be interesting to see if he can take that next step with the Flyers in 2026-27 from here.
In 85 career NHL games split between the Columbus Blue Jackets, Wild, and Flyers, Jiricek has recorded two goals, 11 assists, and 13 points.
With the series turning back to the Motor City and all knotted up at 2-2, our NBA player prop projections are ready for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons, with the model highlighting several high-value spots.
By analyzing the data against current market lines, we’ve identified where the strongest edges exist.
If you’re building your card, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Wednesday, May 13.
Cavaliers vs Pistons computer picks for Game 5
Cavaliers
Pistons
Harden o19.5 points -105
Cunningham u26.5 points -105
Mitchell o3.5 assists -120
Robinson o2.5 3-pointers -140
Mobley o7.5 rebounds -125
Duren o9.5 rebounds -125
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Cavaliers Game 5 computer picks
James Harden Over 19.5 points (-105)
Projection: 22.11 points
The Detroit Pistons present a favorable matchup, allowing the second-most points per game to opposing starting point guards this season (21.2).
That sets up well for James Harden, who cleared this scoring line in Game 4 and will be counted on to deliver again for the Cleveland Cavaliers in a pivotal Game 5.
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Donovan Mitchell Over 3.5 assists (-120)
Projection: 4.46 assists
Fresh off a dominant 43-point showing in Game 4, Donovan Mitchell heads into Game 5 on the road with momentum on his side.
While he’s only surpassed this assists line once — in Cleveland’s Game 3 win — he may need to lean more into his playmaking to keep the offense balanced and avoid carrying the scoring load alone.
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Evan Mobley Over 7.5 rebounds (-125)
Projection: 8.57 rebounds
The Cavaliers have been one of the league’s most effective offensive rebounding teams over the last five games on the road, ranking third overall in that span. Evan Mobley has been right in the middle of it, clearing this rebound line in every game of the series except Game 2.
Consistent on the glass throughout Cleveland’s playoff run, Mobley should continue to make his presence felt on the boards and help tilt the possession battle in the Cavaliers’ favor.
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Pistons Game 5 computer picks
Cade Cunningham Under 26.5 points (-105)
Projection: 26.25 points
Cade Cunningham has only cleared this points prop once in the series against the Cavaliers, coming in Detroit’s Game 3 loss where he finished with 27 points.
A return home could help him get back closer to his usual scoring output in this matchup, but Cleveland will continue to make him work and try to keep his offensive production in check the same way they have for most of the series.
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Duncan Robinson Over 2.5 3-pointers (-140)
Projection: 3.24 3-pointers
Duncan Robinson has been a steady threat from deep in this series, shooting 50% or better from three-point range throughout.
Back in front of the home crowd, where he’s already posted strong shooting nights — going 5-for-8 in Game 1 and 5-for-9 in Game 2 — he tends to elevate his offensive output. Expect him to lean on that rhythm again and push past this prop line once more for the Pistons faithful.
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Jalen Duren Over 9.5 rebounds (-125)
Projection: 11.58 rebounds
The Pistons have been one of the league’s best on the offensive glass over their last 10 games, ranking second with 13.6 offensive rebounds per contest. However, Jalen Duren has struggled to make his usual impact on the road, managing just four rebounds in one game and two in another during the series in Cleveland.
Back in Detroit, he’ll look to reestablish himself on the boards and get back to the dominant presence he’s shown all season, shaking off the recent stretch where the Cavaliers have limited his production.
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How to watch Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 5
Location
Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Date
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Tip-off
8 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
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The Montreal Canadiens might have failed to take a 3-1 series lead over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night, but that wasn’t because of Alex Newhook. The speedy winger has goals in four of the last five games, and he was the one who first got the Habs on the scoreboard in their 3-2 defeat.
Earlier in the series, Tage Thompson said that everything he touched turned to crap. Newhook is experiencing the exact opposite; it seems like everything he touches turns to gold. With a pair of goals in Games 2 and 3, he became the first Canadiens player since Mark Recchi in 1997 to score multiple goals in consecutive playoff games.
In the same span, Ivan Demidov has also gathered three assists, which will go a long way to making the young Russian more confident. The rookie has struggled to make an impact in these playoffs; he’s yet to find the back of the net, so having someone on his line who can at least complete his plays is essential.
As for Jake Evans, four of his five assists this postseason have come in the last three games while playing with Newhook and Demidov. There’s no doubt that Evans is not in the right chair; he’s not a second-line center, but it works well for the Canadiens, and they have to roll with it for now.
On Tuesday night, Newhook had five shots on goal and seven attempts on net while landing three hits on the forecheck. He’s the only Canadiens player to sport a Stanley Cup ring, he knows what it takes to earn the right to lift Lord Stanley’s mug, and he’s leading by example on the ice.
If some still thought Kent Hughes paid a high price to land Newhook in a deal with the Colorado Avalanche when he sent a first-round pick, a second-round pick and Gianni Fairbrother to Denver, they have quieted down lately. The winger still has another year on his contract, but if he can keep playing as he has all season (in the 42 games he played) and in these playoffs, he could end up being with the Canadiens for a long time.
Cavaliers
Pistons