Category: Basketball

With a chance to clinch a berth in the Western Conference finals, the San Antonio Spurs jumped out to an early lead. One of their key players, however, limped off the floor with an apparent foot injury.

Starting point guard De’Aaron Fox appeared to suffer a tweaked ankle with 1:15 left to play in the first half and limped off the floor under his own power, though he appeared to be unable to put weight on the injured foot.

The injury appeared to happen around the 1:30 mark, when Fox jumped straight in the air to tip a loose ball to a teammate; immediately after landing, Fox hobbled off in evident discomfort. He headed toward the bench and said something to Spurs coach Mitch Johnson before limping straight into the locker room.

Fox had a stellar start to the game, scoring 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting, adding 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block.

De'Aaron Fox taps the rebound, twists his ankle, and blocks Anthony Edwards before limping to the locker room pic.twitter.com/zLgwrSWDDS

— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) May 16, 2026

The good news for San Antonio is that guard is a position of excellent depth. Rookie guard Dylan Harper, who has had an exceptional postseason, was subbed in for Fox.

The Spurs, who have a 3-2 series lead, took a 74-61 lead into the half.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: De'Aaron Fox injury update, status for Spurs-Timberwolves Game 6

The Cleveland Cavaliers fumbled an opportunity to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Now they face their second Game 7 of the postseason. This time, on the road against the Detroit Pistons.

Let’s go over today’s losers.

LOSER – Donovan Mitchell

Closing out a team as talented as the Pistons isn’t easy. It’s borderline impossible if you can’t have the best player on the floor. Cade Cunningham fully took that title as Donovan Mitchell failed to replicate any of his magic from the last time they played in Cleveland.

Mitchell couldn’t find it tonight. He shot 6-20 from the floor and was a team-worst minus-20. He had the right idea, at times bursting downhill towards the basket, but his insistence on shooting floaters instead of going all the way to the rim or trying to dunk is a concern. This isn’t the same athlete that layed it all on the floor and scored 40+ points over the Orlando Magic in 2023. The vertical pop just isn’t there.

The idea of the core four was never for the Cavs to win a title with Mitchell as their outright best player. But I have believed they can win with him as their best scorer.

That’s something that felt possible in the past, and looked realistic as recently as Game 4. But currently, this isn’t it. The door is closed when Mitchell doesn’t score efficiently. And it’s harder for him to score efficiently when you remove one layer of the floor away from him. The rest of his game hasn’t been enough to make up for the lack of rim finishing. He’s more reliant on finesse than ever before, and that can come and go.

LOSER – The Force Battle

Big games can be decided on the margins. Especially in an evenly-contested matchup like this one. The Cavs have stressed the importance of winning the possession battle in each game. But all of that is easier said than done.

In a case of Deja Vu, first-half turnovers put the Cavs in a hole. 13 turnovers led to 15 points for the Pistons. That’s the type of stuff you can’t concede to a team that is fighting for its life. They’ll claw for every last opportunity. You can’t make it easy for them.

James Harden had 8 turnovers while Donovan Mitchell added three more. Dennis Schroder coughed it up three times in his first six minutes. The guards can’t be this loose with the ball. Not if you want to win.

Fortunately, the Cavs managed to force turnovers of their own. Cleveland finished with 20 turnovers while Detroit had 17. That kept them in it for most of the game, and they managed to snag 16 offensive rebounds to further cut into the gap.

Still, Cleveland allowed the Pistons to salvage a handful of possessions that should have been defensive stops. Cade Cunningham, in particular, converted on multiple three-point attempts off of second-chance opportunities. Detroit claimed 13 offensive rebounds of its own.

By the end of the night, the Pistons took five more shots than the Cavs and beat them 48-26 in the paint. Their force and physicality won out.

LOSER – Dennis Schroder

I don’t want to pile on the third-string point guard. The contributions Schroder gave in Game 5 versus Toronto should have made the rest of his postseason bulletproof. But… the Cavs have continued to lean on him way past the point of no return.

Again, Schroder is the third-best guard on the roster. There’s no reason he should be carrying as much usage as he did, particularly in the third quarter when Donovan Mitchell was alongside him, and Ausar Thompson was on the bench. Those are the minutes that Mitchell needs to hit the ground running and score in bunches. Instead, Schroder bricked a three-pointer and was swatted on a layup attempt while Mitchell spaced the floor away from the ball.

There’s only so much that Schroder is supposed to give this team. In the biggest moments, Harden and Mitchell should be the ones determining the game. It was a bizarre decision to lean on Schroder for 15 minutes as he went 0-4 from the field and finished with as many turnovers as assists.

It turns out we’ll have at least one Game 7 in the NBA conference semifinals.

The Detroit Pistons, the No. 1 seed in the East, played with more intensity and energy, and their shot-making responded in kind Friday, May 15 in a 115-94 victory over the No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6.

The Pistons finally got some help for Cade Cunningham, as they saw six players reach double-figures in scoring.

Later Friday night, in the Western Conference, the No. 2 San Antonio Spurs visited the No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves, who have fallen into a 3-2 series deficit and were looking to avoid elimination.

Here are the biggest takeaways from Friday night’s Game 6s of the NBA Playoffs:

Cleveland’s effort, in a closeout game at home, was unacceptable

The Pistons were clearly the more desperate team, but Cleveland compounded that with effort at times that could be described only as casual. And it started early in the game.

Players like James Harden, who stood around on defense – and often didn’t get back on after most of his 8 turnovers – were emblematic of Cleveland’s issues Friday night. Detroit, time and time again, won the hustle plays.

All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell did play with some effort, but a poor shooting night (6-of-20) marred that energy. The biggest issue was that many of his teammates didn’t follow suit.

“They was just hungry, from the jump” Mitchell said of the Pistons. “At the end of the day, we didn’t match it.”

The most fight the Cavaliers showed Friday night was with 0.3 seconds left in the game, when Cleveland’s bench players who were on the floor in garbage time, shoved a few Pistons players.

“Nope,” Harden said when asked if he was satisfied with the level of intensity with which Cleveland played. “No, not at all.”

When pressed about why that effort wasn’t there, Harden added that it “was a great question” and cited the team’s slow start.

“Throughout the course of the game, we never really kicked it to that second level,” he said.

Early turnovers and offensive rebounds allowed put Cavaliers in a hole

The most concerning part was that these effort problems led to many of the same issues that have plagued the Cavs throughout the postseason: turnovers and offensive rebounds.

Through the first 14:34 of the game, the Pistons had generated six offensive rebounds (and 15 boards, overall) compared to Cleveland's two (and 9). In both the regular season and playoffs, the more intentional and aggressive teams tend to be rewarded with rebounding.

Somehow, early turnovers were even worse. Through that first 14:34, the Cavs gave the ball away 11 times, which turned into 14 Pistons points off turnovers, compared to five Detroit turnovers (for six Cavaliers points off those).

Cleveland let itself down with its lack of energy and careless attention to detail.

Jalen Duren (finally) responds

Give Jalen Duren credit. The Pistons All-Star center was benched in Game 5 and didn’t play the entire fourth quarter and overtime, ceding that time to backup Paul Reed.

Just two days after that, Duren played his most impactful game of the series. The stats (15 points on 7-of-10 shooting, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks, 1 steal) don’t necessarily paint the entire picture. Duren’s activity led to contested shots and Cavaliers players backing away from drive attempts and his performance was closer to what he showed during the regular season.

It’s telling, too, that Duren came back after rolling his left ankle in the third quarter and continued to make plays.

Detroit’s bench comes up big, and it could swing the series

All series long, the Pistons had been far too dependent on Cade Cunningham. The reserves showed up big to force a Game 7.

Detroit’s bench shot 18-of-29 (62.1%) and scored 48 points, as Paul Reed (17 points and 6 rebounds) and Duncan Robinson (14 points) were particularly effective. But it was a collective effort; Marcus Sasser scored 9 points but posted a remarkable plus-minus of +27 — a game high — in 18 minutes on the floor.

On the other end of that, Cleveland’s bench disappeared at the worst time: even as Cavs starters played rather sluggishly, the bench also lacked burst and scored just 19 points (through three of those came in garbage time) on a combined 6-of-23 shooting (26.1%).

The reserves that show up Sunday, May 17 in Game 7 may dictate who goes on to face the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pistons beat Cavaliers in Game 6; Spurs seek close out Timberwolves

CLEVELAND — Before Game 6, Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said that you would have to “choke the life out of” his team. Those words proved to be prophetic.

The Cleveland Cavaliers weren’t up for the challenge. They didn’t value possessions like they needed to, and overall didn’t have the attention to detail you need to close out a 60-win opponent. That came back to bite them as they dropped their best chance to go to the Eastern Conference Finals since 2018 with a 115-94 loss in Game 6.

Now, it all comes down to Game 7 in Detroit on Sunday.

The Cavs once again got off to a sloppy start, which has been a trend throughout the playoffs. Turnovers were once again to blame. Good three-point shooting allowed them to close the first quarter just down one, but the giveaways caught up with them in the second.

Detroit pushed its lead to 12 before Cleveland responded. A 7-0 run, capped off by a Max Strus triple, cut the deficit to just three at the break.

The Cavs had all the momentum going into the half. It seemed like they were going to turn things around and take control of the game coming out of the third quarter. Instead, it was the Pistons that did so.

Detroit opened the third on a 14-4 run to push their advantage back to 13 and went into the fourth up 14.

Cleveland never mounted a serious comeback attempt in the fourth quarter. They weren’t able to bring the deficit below double digits as Detroit cruised to a somewhat stress-free victory.

The Cavs have talked this series about letting anyone but Cade Cunningham beat them. They weren’t able to do so. Instead, it was Cade and also everyone else who beat them.

Cunningham was once again the best player on the court. He got to his spots and was efficient with the opportunities he got. This led to 21 points on 7-19 shooting with 8 assists.

This was in stark contrast with Cleveland’s star guards.

Donovan Mithell wasn’t able to find a rhythm. He had a difficult time finishing when he got into the paint, going 3-12 on shots there, which included going 3-9 on shots in the restricted area. This led to an 18-point night on 6-20 shooting with three assists and as many turnovers.

Turnovers were an issue all evening. James Harden was front and center. It’s difficult to have a functional offense when your starting point guard gives it away eight times. Those turnovers wiped out any good that game came from his 23 points on 6-13 shooting.

This theme carried over in the other position group matchups.

Jalen Duren had his best game of the series (15 points and 11 rebounds), while Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley couldn’t get anything going.

Detroit’s role players also significantly outplayed their counterparts. Paul Reed had 17 points, Daniss Jenkins had 15, Ausar Thmopson had 10, and Duncan Robinson — with a bad back — put up 14 points on 4-7 shots.

Meanwhile, Sam Merrill was the only Cavalier outside of the core four with double-digit points. Max Strus, who hit multiple clutch shots in Game 5, had just six points on 2-9 shooting.

Every time you want to believe in the Cavs, they show you that there’s no reason to quite do so yet. We’ll see if they can respond with their season on the line.

Game 7 will be on Sunday in Detroit.

He was playing his best game of the conference semifinals, but Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren suffered a lower leg injury. Thankfully for Detroit, it didn’t keep him out long.

Duren, Detroit’s first-time All-Star, rolled his left ankle Friday, May 15 in Game 6 of the team’s second-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The play came with a little more than six minutes left to play in the third quarter, when Duren bumped into Cavaliers guard James Harden, who was playing for an offensive foul. As Harden fell to the court, Duren took a step forward, but his left foot landed awkwardly, leading to the tweak. Duren immediately went down and grabbed at his leg.

He left the floor and went to the bench immediately, where trainers tended to him. After a few minutes on the bench, Duren went through the tunnel, toward the locker room. Several moments after that, Duren returned to the bench, but did not immediately re-enter the game.

Ausar Thompson spikes down the layup attempt by Max Strus with both hands (with replays).

Jalen Duren grabs his ankle and being subbed out. pic.twitter.com/m0Pn8o2PIz

— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) May 16, 2026

After spending the remainder of the third quarter on the bench, where he occasionally stood and cheered, Duren returned to the floor to start the fourth quarter and did not appear to be hindered by the injury. Duren appeared to wear an additional brace to support the area.

The Pistons outplayed Cleveland Friday night, winning 115-94 to force a Game 7.

Prior to Friday night, Duren had been struggling to assert himself in this series, taking a passive approach on offense. With his struggles, Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff chose to bench Duren the entire fourth quarter and overtime of Game 5.

Duren played the rest of the game, finishing with 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting, with 11 rebounds, 3 blocks and 1 steal.

“Just the will and determination,” Bickerstaff said after the game. “I thought it was huge for JD to get going a little bit. It starts with the rebounding part of it, what he was doing defensively for us, his communication, but the 4 offensive rebounds were huge — that means he’s imposing his will on the game. All the other stuff comes from that.”

This story has been updated with new information.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jalen Duren injury update, status for Pistons vs Cavaliers

The Phoenix Suns have numerous decisions ahead of them this upcoming offseason, including multiple restricted free agents, unrestricted free agents, and players with trade value. The following series will examine those decisions as our writing team presents both a point and a counterpoint for each.

---

Man, I drew the short end of the stick on this one, didn’t I? This is the topic in our point/counterpoint series that nobody wanted to touch. Why? Because it’s not an easy argument to make. It’s the basketball equivalent of going to Costco at noon on a Sunday. You know it has to be done, but you still don’t want any part of it.

That said, part of our job here at Bright Side of the Sun is providing holistic perspectives on the different paths available to the Phoenix Suns. The goal is to give you, the reader, a broader understanding of the options sitting in front of this organization. Yesterday, Bruce Veliz laid out the reasoning for why Phoenix should re-sign Collin Gillespie, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

Today, I’m here to explain why the Suns should let him walk. Let’s see if I can actually pull this off.

I’ll start by acknowledging that Collin Gillespie turned into a player the Phoenix Suns gambled on and actually hit on. That feels increasingly rare these days. Watching him grow and develop into someone worthy of these conversations has been genuinely enjoyable.

Phoenix isn’t the only organization that recognizes what he is now. Teams around the league are going to have interest in him this offseason, especially because he’s entering his fourth year in the NBA and could still be viewed as a value signing on the right contract.

5 players the Celtics could target with their $15M mid-level exception, per @NBCSBoston's Justin Legler:

– Coby White
– Anfernee Simons
– Collin Gillespie
– Mitchell Robinson
– Robert Williams

Which of them would you most like to see the Celtics sign? pic.twitter.com/2GH1Ewb4G1

— SleeperCeltics (@SleeperCeltics) May 13, 2026

So you have a desirable asset that opposing front offices are absolutely putting on their boards as a target this offseason. Why would the Phoenix Suns let Collin Gillespie walk?

The only real reasoning I can come up with is one of two things. Either the Suns don’t view him as part of their long-term plans, which I don’t believe is true, or he becomes a little too expensive for their comfort level, which I’m also not entirely convinced happens.

My guess is he lands somewhere in the $12 million range annually, and maybe that becomes the sticking point. Phoenix could find itself prioritizing staying below certain tax thresholds while also deciding that Jordan Goodwin is a bigger long-term priority.

Honestly, the bigger factor might not even be Phoenix. It might be Gillespie himself.

I think Collin is a bench player. A damn fine one, but in the Suns’ current ecosystem, that’s where he is best served. I think continuing to roll out three-guard lineups with Dillon Brooks at power forward is the wrong direction next season. Gillespie makes the most sense as the second-unit leader. If that role and fit aren’t something both sides agree on, then he could absolutely look elsewhere.

This ultimately comes down to what he wants. There are going to be teams willing to give him the Tyus Jones treatment, not financially, role-wise. More minutes. More opportunity. A cleaner path to starting.

The ball is really in Collin’s proverbial court. Does he want to remain a backup in Phoenix for at least another season as the Jalen Green experiment continues to unfold? If the Suns and Gillespie can’t align on role and fit, then he walks. Not because Phoenix necessarily wanted him gone, but because he wanted something different.

The only other scenario where the Phoenix Suns let Collin Gillespie leave is if another team simply offers more than Phoenix believes he’s worth.

If the Suns view him strictly as a backup guard, then you start asking what the proper price point is for that role. Especially if you’re keeping Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale. At that point, you’re committing roughly $40 million to reserve players. That’s not necessarily a bad strategy. Depth matters. Bench production matters. You still have to decide if that’s the allocation of money you’re most comfortable with. Do I think that’s ultimately what happens? No. Still, like a rogue shopping cart drifting through a Costco parking lot, I’m simply trying to navigate the thought exercise.

And honestly, that’s what makes this such an uncomfortable conversation in the first place. Collin Gillespie is the kind of player every fan base falls in love with because he earned every inch of his NBA existence. Phoenix found value, development, toughness, and stability in a place where they desperately needed all four. The problem is the Suns are no longer operating in a world where good stories alone dictate decisions. Every roster spot, every rotation role, and every dollar has to align with a bigger vision. If Phoenix and Gillespie see that vision differently, the ending might feel frustrating even if it makes basketball sense.

Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much. The rule against trolling also applies to members of this site that visit other fan sites, especially sites of the opposing team. Be polite and don’t insult your hosts.

The Silver and Black return to the hostile confines of Target Center for the first time since the Elbowmania 1 on Mother’s Day with a chance to close out the series and advance to the conference finals against the Oklahoma Thunder, who have been twiddling their thumbs since finishing a sweep of the Lakers on Monday night. The Timberwolves won’t go easily, and the crowd should be frenzied after watching Wemby lose his cool in the first half of Sunday’s game and getting what they believe was a light punishment for the infraction.

The Spurs are coming off of a blowout win on Tuesday night, but with a couple of days off, the Timberwolves have had time to make some adjustments. Minnesota tied the game in the third quarter of Game 5, and they are looking to find out how to duplicate the effort that got them back into the game for long enough for them to steal another game and take the series back to San Antonio for a Game 7, where anything can happen.

The Spurs don’t have any players listed on the injury report for tonight, and they are looking to close out the series and advance to the conference championship on Monday, and not let the rugged Timberwolves beat them up for an additional 48 minutes on Sunday. Dylan Harper has been spectacular for the Spurs in this series, and he supplements Wembanyama’s dominance in the starting lineup by sparking the bench unit to keep pace when Victor sits. Keldon Johnson had his best game of the series on Tuesday, and if he can continue that tonight, it would be very helpful for the visitors. If Julian Champagnie and the rest of the Spurs can unlock their three point shooting it could be a nice night for the Silver and Black.

Look for the Spurs to keep trapping and double teaming Anthony Edwards whenever he has the ball. He’s good enough to beat the double teams enough to still be spectacular, but so long as no one else on the Timberwolves has a big night scoring, it’s a win for the visiting team. LETS GO SPURS!

Game Prediction:

The Minnesota crowd starts out booing Victor Wembanyama, but he wins them over in the second half by rescuing a kitten stuck on top of the backboard. [There’s a unconfirmed rumor that the cat was placed there by Gregg Popovich, but that’s just scuttlebutt.]

San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves, Second Round, Game 6
May 15, 2026 | 8:30 PM CT
Streaming: Prime
TV: Prime
Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.

CHICAGO — The impact of the 2026 NBA Draft Scouting Combine on the actual draft is an annual debate.

After years of evaluating players during high school, grassroots and college basketball games, NBA teams gathered in Chicago this week to conduct medical exams and put the best draft prospects in the world through measurements, agility testing, shooting drills and scrimmages. Hundreds of front office executives were at Wintrust Arena, and inevitably a few draft narratives emerged along with the wingspans, vertical jumps and medical reports.

The early speculation is the top-four players in this class are set but the order in which they'll be selected remains up for grabs during the pre-draft process. There's also a promising group of guards projected as the next best available prospects, so much so there could be promising wings and big men capable of jumping into the top-10 and late lottery picks. The late first round outlook could change in the coming weeks, with several players poised to return to college due lucrative NIL opportunities.

USA TODAY Sports was in the building in Chicago during the NBA Draft Scouting Combine sifting through the latest rumors and speculation after the NBA Draft lottery. Some picks have changed based on the intel. Here's our updated 2026 NBA mock draft based on what we learned from Combine workouts and interviews:

2026 NBA DRAFT: Why AJ Dybantsa is on a mission to be the No. 1 pick

2026 NBA mock draft: Post-scouting combine edition

1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa

• TEAM: BYU
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: Massachusetts
• HEIGHT: 6-9
• DRAFT AGE: 19

2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson

• TEAM: Kansas
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: Ohio
• HEIGHT: 6-5
• DRAFT AGE: 19

3. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer

• TEAM: Duke
• POSITION: Forward
• BORN: Florida
• HEIGHT: 6-9
• DRAFT AGE: 18

4. Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson

• TEAM: North Carolina
• POSITION: Big
• BORN: Georgia
• HEIGHT: 6-10
• DRAFT AGE: 19

5. Los Angeles Clippers: Keaton Wagler

• TEAM: Illinois
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: Kansas
• HEIGHT: 6-6
• DRAFT AGE: 19

6. Brooklyn Nets: Darius Acuff Jr.

• TEAM: Arkansas
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: Michigan
• HEIGHT: 6-3
• DRAFT AGE: 19

7. Sacramento Kings: Mikel Brown Jr.

• TEAM: Louisville
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: Florida
• HEIGHT: 6-5
• DRAFT AGE: 20

8. Atlanta Hawks: Kingston Flemings

• TEAM: Houston
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: Texas
• HEIGHT: 6-4
• DRAFT AGE: 19

9. Dallas Mavericks: Brayden Burries

• TEAM: Arizona
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: California
• HEIGHT: 6-4
• DRAFT AGE: 20

10. Milwaukee Bucks: Nate Ament

• TEAM: Tennessee
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: Virginia
• HEIGHT: 6-10
• DRAFT AGE: 19

11. Golden State Warriors: Aday Mara

• TEAM: Michigan
• POSITION: Big
• BORN: Spain
• HEIGHT: 7-3
• DRAFT AGE: 21

12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Yaxel Lendeborg

• TEAM: Michigan
• POSITION: Forward
• BORN: New Jersey
• HEIGHT: 6-9
• DRAFT AGE: 23

13. Miami Heat: Labaron Philon

• TEAM: Alabama
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: Alabama
• HEIGHT: 6-4
• DRAFT AGE: 20

14. Charlotte Hornets: Hannes Steinbach

• TEAM: Washington
• POSITION: Big
• BORN: Germany
• HEIGHT: 6-11
• DRAFT AGE: 20

15. Chicago Bulls: Jayden Quaintance

• TEAM: Kentucky
• POSITION: Big
• BORN: Ohio
• HEIGHT: 6-9
• DRAFT AGE: 18

16. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Carr

• TEAM: Baylor
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: Minnesota
• HEIGHT: 6-5
• DRAFT AGE: 21

17. Oklahoma City Thunder: Chric Cenac Jr.

• TEAM: Houston
• POSITION: Big
• BORN: Louisiana
• HEIGHT: 6-11
• DRAFT AGE: 19

18. Charlotte Hornets: Karim Lopez

• TEAM: International (Australia)
• POSITION: Forward
• BORN: Mexico
• HEIGHT: 6-8
• DRAFT AGE: 19

19. Toronto Raptors: Bennett Stirtz

• TEAM: Iowa
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: Missouri
• HEIGHT: 6-4
• DRAFT AGE: 22

20. San Antonio Spurs: Morez Johnson Jr.

• TEAM: Michigan
• POSITION: Big
• BORN: Illinois
• HEIGHT: 6-9
• DRAFT AGE: 20

21. Detroit Pistons: Christian Anderson

• TEAM: Texas Tech
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: Georgia
• HEIGHT: 6-3
• DRAFT AGE: 20

22. Philadelphia 76ers: Allen Graves

• TEAM: Santa Clara
• POSITION: Forward
• BORN: Louisiana
• HEIGHT: 6-9
• DRAFT AGE: 20

23. Atlanta Hawks: Isaiah Evans

• TEAM: Duke 
• POSITION: Wing 
• BORN: North Carolina 
• HEIGHT: 6-6 
• DRAFT AGE: 20

24. New York Knicks: Koa Peat

• TEAM: Arizona
• POSITION: Forward
• BORN: Arizona
• HEIGHT: 6-8
• DRAFT AGE: 19

25. Los Angeles Lakers: Henri Veesaar

• TEAM: North Carolina 
• POSITION: Forward 
• BORN: Estonia 
• HEIGHT: 7-0 
• DRAFT AGE: 22

26. Denver Nuggets: Amari Allen

• TEAM: Alabama
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: Wisconsin
• HEIGHT: 6-7
• DRAFT AGE: 20

27. Boston Celtics: Luigi Suigo

• TEAM: International (Serbia)
• POSITION: Big
• BORN: Italy
• HEIGHT: 7-4
• DRAFT AGE: 19

28. Minnesota Timberwolves: Ebuka Okorie

• TEAM: Stanford
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: New Hampshire
• HEIGHT: 6-2
• DRAFT AGE: 19

29. Cleveland Cavaliers: Malachi Moreno

• TEAM: Kentucky
• POSITION: Center
• BORN: Kentucky
• HEIGHT: 7-0
• DRAFT AGE: 19

30. Dallas Mavericks: Dailyn Swain

• TEAM: Texas
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: Ohio
• HEIGHT: 6-8
• DRAFT AGE: 20

Contributing: Bryan Kalbrosky

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 NBA mock draft: Did scouting combine shake up first round?

After years in the LeBron James era under Jeanie Buss’s ownership, the Lakers quickly leapt into a new era last year.

Months after acquiring Luka Dončić via trade, the Buss family sold their majority stake in the franchise to Mark Walter. In what seemed like the snap of a finger, the franchise shifted into a whole new era on and off the court.

Despite how fast everything moved, Luka and Walter have quickly developed a relationship. In Dan Woike’s recent article on The Athletic, he detailed the relationship between the pair as the new leaders of the franchise.

Dončić has had regular contact with new Lakers owner Mark Walter and has been impressed with the level of communication, league sources said. Dončić has also mentioned how well he thought the Lakers played in March when the team went 15-2.

Both changes came abruptly, but both people have adapted on the fly. Across the league, the stars of a franchise always have a certain bit of power. That could have been diluted as the franchise turned over to new hands, but Luka has maintained a relationship with not just the ownership but the front office as well.

During his exit interview, President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka spoke about his constant communication with Luka throughout the season and into the summer.

“I think the keyword is that’s an ongoing, collaborative process,” Pelinka said. “It’s not, ‘Hey, I want x, y and z.’ We’re in constant communication with him and his team. I plan on seeing him before he takes off to go home and spend some time with his daughters. We’re going to get together I think Friday or Saturday. So, ongoing dialogue.

“His knowledge is vast and so those dives and collaborations with him are really inspirational and he also does it in a way where he wants to do his job great and he wants to let JJ do his great and let me do my job great. They really are productive conversations through that lens.”

If they’re taking Luka’s opinion and wishes into account, it seems likely that a lob-catching center would be on the way. After back-to-back seasons in LA without a true, starter-caliber big man in that role, the Lakers sound like a team aiming to acquire one.

Whatever moves they end up making, rest assured that Luka has been included in the conversation and, as we saw last summer, might be actively involved in recruiting the players to LA.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

The Golden State Warriors were able to retain head coach Steve Kerr, inking him to a multi-year deal, but his top assistants won't be back in the Bay Area next season.

Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse will leave the Warriors sideline after their contracts expire and they won't be renewed, according to ESPN's Anthony Slater.

Stotts is looking to get back to an NBA head coaching opportunity and wanted to throw his name in the candidacy pool, ESPN reported. Stotts' NBA coaching career spans more than three decades. He took his first head coaching job in the NBA in 2002 with the Atlanta Hawks. His most successful stint came with the Portland Trail Blazers from 2012 to 2021, where he coached the team to consecutive playoff appearances, including a Western Conference finals run in 2019.

Stotts joined Golden State in 2024 for his second stint with the team. His first tenure as Warriors assistant came in the 2004-05 season under head coach Mike Montgomery.

"I enjoyed my time with Steve, the staff and players," Stotts told ESPN. "My two years there were fulfilling. Nothing but well-wishes."

Stackhouse joined the Warriors as an assistant with Stotts in 2024. Before agreeing to join Golden State, Stackhouse coached six seasons at Vanderbilt. He was named 2023 SEC Coach of the Year for leading the Commodores to a 22-15 record. He was fired after the following season after a lackluster year.

ESPN reported that Stackhouse, too, is searching for a head coaching opportunity.

Those two weren't the only assistants to cut ties with Golden State. Prior to the end of the season, Chris DeMarco left in January to become head coach of the New York Liberty, moving up Kris Weems in the coaching hierarchy.

Golden State will continue its coaching search to fill the sideline alongside Kerr.

One candidate, ESPN reported, is Willie Green, who began his coaching career with the Warriors in 2016 as an assistant. He's since went on to become an assistant for the Phoenix Suns and head coach for the New Orleans Pelicans from 2021 to 2025.

Warriors assistant coaching candidates

When there were discussions about whether Kerr would return, various names came up as to who might succeed him. Well, now that Golden State has retained him, and instead lost their assistants, a few other coaching positions must be filled.

If these were some of the candidates to take Kerr's job, why shouldn't some names be mentioned to coach alongside him? Here are some names to keep in mind as the Warriors search to fill their assistant coaching vacancies:

Andre Iguodala

Iguodala is a former Warrior who won four championships with the franchise and was named the 2015 Finals MVP. He's been an All-Star and played a veteran role mentoring young guys, especially during the Warriors' 2022 championship run, which birthed an iconic meme during the NBA Finals in a teaching moment with Andrew Wiggins.

Coach Iguodala was not playing with Andrew Wiggins 😅

Peep Nelly in the background too 😂 pic.twitter.com/oCKuVvbUAl

— NBA on Prime (@NBAonPrime) February 25, 2026

They say that in a tense situation, you should open with a joke. Here is a joke. There are no players on the injury report for the Detroit Pistons, meaning everyone is available to play. It’s just a shame that the only thing that brings everyone back together is a funeral.

End of joke.

Anyway, the Detroit Pistons are facing elimination on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have not lost a game in Rocket Arena during these playoffs. The Pistons have been here before. They trailed the Orlando Magic 3-1 and triumphed. What kind of performance will we see tonight? Hopefully one like in Game 1 of this series, where it was clear that Detroit was the better team. Will we get that tonight? Not based on the last three games. But it’s basketball. Anything can happen.

Game Vitals

When: 7 p.m. ET
Where: Rocket Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
Watch: Prime Video
Odds: Pistons +3.5

Projected Lineups

Detroit Pistons (2-3)

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Cleveland Cavaliers (3-2)

James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

The Cleveland Cavaliers will try to punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals tonight.

Share your thoughts as the game unfolds. If you aren’t a member of the community, sign up so you can talk to your fellow Cavalier fans and make your voice heard!

Go Cavs!

The Cleveland Cavaliers have reached a point in their second-round series with the Detroit Pistons where all the cards are already on the table. It’s unlikely either team will do anything overly shocking in Game 6. It will be more of the same, with minor tweaks and varying execution.

One trick the Cavs have up their sleeves, however, is when and where they choose to trap Cade Cunningham.

Cunningham might carry the heaviest individual load in the league. Detroit’s success on offense relies almost entirely on his shoulders. That’s why his usage is through the roof, with Cunningham attempting the most field goals per game in the playoffs at 21.6.

This can lead to great things. Cunningham was lights out for most of Game 5, scoring 39 points and pushing his team to the brink of a 3-2 lead. But something changed in the final minutes, and the toll of everything Cade had carried up to that point was eventually paid.

The Cavs began sending two to the ball. Cunnigham saw multiple defenders in front of him, with pressure on him as soon as he crossed halfcourt. This forced Cunningham to give up the rock and work harder to get open. That’s a lot to ask of someone who played 48 minutes in Game 5. The results speak for themselves.

Cunnigham struggled against the trap. He scored just 2 points in the final 10 minutes of regulation and overtime, shooting 1-4 and turning it over at a key point of the game. Max Strus, who stole Cunningham’s inbound pass in the fourth quarter of Game 3, once again capitalized on Cunningham’s exhaustion by ripping him in the backcourt during overtime of Game 5.

The category is Max Strus clutch steal on Cade Cunningham pic.twitter.com/i5EojthiYj

— jack (@TheCavsJack) May 14, 2026

When you’re tired, you make mistakes. The Cavs waited until the perfect moment to ramp up the pressure on Cunningham. The question is, can they find the same luck tonight?

“It’s a feel,” said Kenny Atkinson. “Do you do it after a timeout? You do it to throw them off balance, so do you do it on the first play? To end the game? Obviously, you’ve got to know when to, or not to, go with it.”

Doubling a player like Cunningham comes with risks. You’re giftwrapping the Pistons’ offense a numbers advantage by putting two on the ball. You can get burned in a hurry if Detroit’s role players convert on those scenarios.

That’s why it’s important to deploy this strategy at the right time. Do it too early, and you risk allowing the Pistons to find a rhythym. Do it too late, and well, you’re too late. Mixing up the coverage and keeping Cunningham on his toes is all you can do.

“He’s a great player, we can’t give him one look,” said Aktinson. “So we’re gonna keep mixing it up, and there have been games this series where we didn’t double-team, so it’s a feel.”

The Cavs have an opportunity to eliminate the 60-win Pistons and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2018. To do so, they’ll have to activate their best defensive strategy at the right moment and deliver the knockout blow.