Category: Basketball

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.

Ever since his arrival, Collin Gillespie has taken the Valley by storm and shown he’s a piece of this future. Last year, when he took off on his two-way venture, many did not know his name, but he sure changed that sentiment real fast. After the Suns had seen some injuries (per usual), he was thrust into the rotation and made a name for himself.

That small sample size gave the Suns’ front office confidence to bring him back on a one-year deal. One that Gillespie wanted, as he knew his role would increase, and he could earn a hefty payday. This was deemed the right decision, as the guard exploded onto the scene and fans around the league started to realize he had some potential.

The guard had an electric year, not only showing up on the stat sheet but also breaking a franchise record in his first full year with the team. Gillespie doubled his minutes, now seeing almost 29 per game, and posted 12.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.2 blocks while shooting 42/40/87 on the season. He also broke the Suns’ three-point record for most in a season, breaking Quentin Richardson’s record. Gillespie finished the year with 232 makes, which was an incredible feat to witness.

Add this to his great playmaking and recognition to run an offense, and it was beneficial for the team. Whether it was the starting unit with Jalen Green out or the bench unit when everyone was healthy, he was one of the true initiators on this team. He also grew a nice connection with big man Oso Ighodaro, one that seemed to flourish when they were together.

All of this discussion surrounding him and how he found this path on the Suns should prompt the Suns to re-sign the guard. The question, though, remains: how much would it cost?

Even if he did run into a shooting slump late in the year, I think the best version of Gillespie on a healthy team will resemble his start of the year. In a role where he can come off the bench and be that true six-man and even close out games if he is hot offensively, is where he will thrive.

With the Suns having early-bird rights on his contract, they can go over the salary cap to bring him back. This will be a big factor in the ability to keep him, as opposing franchises could outprice the Suns if they want to sign him.

Finding a contract that reflects his play and his value to the franchise can be hard, but a happy medium of around 11-13M annually seems like a good price to meet. On a three-to four-year extension that would resemble some other solid backup point guard contracts.

With him making just over 2M this season, this will be a huge payday for the guard, who I believe would be more than happy to continue his journey here in Phoenix. This is the team that allowed him to get into the spotlight, and they should not let that talent walk out the door.

The Suns want to stay competitive and keep building on this successful season. Re-signing Gillespie lets you do that while keeping the fans happy. That being said, I think the Suns should bring him back at any cost.

It's the offseason for most teams around the NBA and squads are meeting with draft prospects at the combine in Chicago.

While some teams are weighing their options, others are considering whether they will use their pick and select a draftee or trade the pick for other assets.

That was one question looming around the Golden State Warriors once the No. 11 pick was conveyed to them in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft (June 23 and 24).

The Warriors have been linked to multiple teams in potential trades for star players to pair with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler. Some of the names that have surfaced as potential targets are the Los Angeles Clippers' Kawhi Leonard and Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Warriors are going after those guys, or players of their caliber. Golden State wants to bring in another star ... but not at the expense of their No. 11 pick. The team has no plans to part ways with their draft pick, according to ESPN's Marc J. Spears.

"The Warriors have that 11th pick and people wondering can they get in the Giannis mix. From what I'm being told today from several people, the Warriors like to keep that pick," Spears said during a May 14 appearance on ESPN's "NBA Today."

Austin Reaves taking a leap this season was not new to his career. He’s made a habit of steady improvement throughout his career.

What was different about this season was that it came in a contract year. On the brink of his next big payday, Reaves played at an All-Star level. An untimely injury kept him out of the mid-February exhibition game, but it did not change his level of production.

For the fifth straight season, Reaves saw his scoring increase, this year jumping up to 23.3 points per game. And as a result, he’s set to rake in a whole lot of cash this summer. According to Dan Woike of The Athletic, the expectation around the league is that Reaves will get a contract around $40 million per year.

While team and league sources believe that the Lakers and Reaves will eventually land on a contract that makes sense, the door for Reaves to walk is open should he get a big offer elsewhere. Rival executives predicted Reaves could command $40 million a season due to a combination of his play, his age and, perhaps most importantly, a free-agent class completely devoid of players as productive as him in their prime.

While that number seems high, in the new NBA, it’s going to become far more standard to see deals this big. On the flip side, a number that big is going to limit the teams that could even offer him that in free agency. Woike also detailed the teams that could target Reaves.

At present, the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets, who both have needs at the guard position, are the only teams with the sort of salary-cap space available to meet that sort of financial mark. Other teams that are known to have some interest in Reaves — like Utah and Atlanta, per league sources — would need to make roster moves to find the necessary space. League sources say winning will be a significant factor in Reaves’ thinking.

Having said all that, there have been no indications that Reaves is going to leave for another team. Luka Dončić has campaigned for him, Austin has made it clear he wants to return and the Lakers want him back.

The other good news is that his big deal won’t stop LA from making deals this summer. His cap hold will be about half of that expected $40 million salary. As our own Bryan Toporek previously wrote, his low cap hold will be the key to the team’s free agency plans.

Since Reaves is an undrafted free agent rather than a first-round pick, he’ll have a relatively modest free-agent cap hold. As long as his 2025-26 salary ($13.9 million) is above the league’s average salary, his cap hold will be only 150% of his previous salary, or $20.9 million…The salary cap is projected to be north of $170 million in 2026-27, so Reaves would be eligible for a maximum starting salary of $42.5 million as a free agent.

Fortunately for the Lakers and Reaves, they should be able to have their cake and eat it, too. They can make free agent moves and then give Reaves the payday he has earned.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have a chance to advance out of the second round for the first time since 2018. We’ll see if they have what it takes against a Detroit Pistons team that’s used to having their backs against the wall.

After falling down 0-2 in the series, the Cavs have strung together three straight wins thanks to exceptional play from their entire core four. This included overcoming a double-digit deficit to defeat the Pistons on the road in Game 5

Getting the last game could be the hardest.

“I’ve been in this position before, and have lost this next Game 6, then that puts a lot of pressure on you in Game 7, especially if you have to go on the road,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said immediately after Wednesday’s win. “It’s a must-win game for us in terms of if we want to move forward.”

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Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (3-2) vs. Detroit Pistons (2-3)

Where: Rocket Arena – Cleveland, OH

When: Fri., May 15 at 7 PM

TV: Prime Video

Point spread: Cavs -3.5

Cavs injury report: None

Pistons injury report: Duncan Robinson – QUESTIONABLE (back), Kevin Huerter – QUESTIONABLE (abductor strain), Caris LeVert – QUESTIONABLE (heel)

Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Pistons expected starting lineup: Cade Cunningham, Daniss Jenkins, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Previous matchup: The Cavaliers overcame a nine-point deficit in the final three minutes to steal Game 5.

Here’s a look at both teams’ regular-season impact stats via Cleaning the Glass.

The Spurs have outscored the Timberwolves by 67 total points this series. Do you think that if the Wembanyama ejection hadn’t happened, the series would be over?

Marilyn Dubinski: It’s certainly possible.  It’s also possible it would be over if either Wemby or De’Aaron Fox showed up offensively in Game 1, but neither is a sure thing.  That being said, as long as this doesn’t stretch to Game 7 and/or fatigue doesn’t become a factor in the Western Conference Finals (*mandatory “assuming they get there” to avoid any jinxes), I’m actually not upset with this series going as it has (as long as it’s over tomorrow).  It has been quite the learning experience for the young Spurs, both mentally and physically, and while you can’t claim a defending champion who went to Game 7 in the Finals is not battle tested, you can tell the Thunder have been coasting through the first two rounds against possibly the easiest schedule ever (at least in the West), winning but not dominating.  Is it possible the Spurs will be the more-ready team thanks to this match-up? Time will tell.

Mark Barrington: Probably, but I feel like if the Night of the Flying Elbow was a turning point, not just for the series, but for the future of the franchise, as they learned that playing superior basketball on the court wasn’t enough to make a serious run at a championship, but they also had to sharpen their mental and emotional skills to overcome teams already hardened in the pressure of playoff basketball. Every team at this level is talented, and teams will do anything to get even the smallest mental edge, and the Spurs found out how to deal with that and react the right way. Getting that experience was much more valuable than a routine win, which was the likely outcome if Wemby kept his cool. Wembanyama took his game to another level in Game 5, and we’ll see if that’s sustainable in Game 6 and in the Conference Championship round, if they advance.

Devon Birdsong: It’s hard to say due to the degree of physicality that was being allowed in that game, and I think it would have been a very close game due to that, but I’m leaning toward a ‘no’ because I think the Wolves would have come out firing in Game 6, and (whether you were in favor of it or not) the attention that Wemby’s elbow and ejection brought to the officiating of the series might have continued unabated. Even before the series, I told myself it would be 6-7 games if Edwards was healthy enough to play well, and for the most part, he has been. 

Jeje Gomez: It feels very likely. When nothing strange has happened after shaking off the cobwebs on Game 1, the Spurs have looked like the better team against a Timberwolves squad that can’t rely on Anthony Edwards as much as it normally would. But there’s nothing wrong with going to six or seven games with a veteran contender that has been to the Conference Finals twice in a row, and could have pulled off the win even with Wembanyama on the floor.

Who or what has been the X Factor for either team so far, and do you expect it to be a major factor in Game 6?

Dubinski: There are several X factors for the Wolves (Edwards’ knees, Julius “The Wild Card” Randle), but I’ll go with a more subtle one who isn’t there: Donte DiVincenzo. Without him, they have almost no outside shooting beyond Edwards, and that has been huge in allowing the Spurs to outscore them so badly in this series.  To that extent, three-point shooting could also be considered an X factor for the Spurs.  Interestingly, while neither team is shooting great, with both sitting at about 33% for the series, the Spurs – and especially Julian Champagnie – have been vastly superior in their wins vs. losses.  This series doesn’t necessarily hinge on three-point shooting, but it has certainly been a factor that has helped the Spurs.

Barrington: The Timberwolves live or die by how well Anthony Edwards plays. He’s been slowed by injuries in this series, but he’s still been playing great, especially when Wembanyama is out of the game and he can drive without worrying about the big guy’s rim presence. Ant seemed oddly passive in Game 5, and if that passivity continues in Game 6, Minnesota’s season is over. To extend their playoffs, he has to have another 30+ point game and bring his teammates with him. Julius Randle isn’t having a good series, but he could bust out at any time. Hopefully it won’t be Saturday.

Birdsong: The Spurs hitting their threes has been the difference between blowouts and close games/losses, but if we’re going with a player, I’d have to go with Keldon. Every time he’s had a good game (offensively or defensively) the Spurs have crushed it. If he’s off, things get a little tighter. The same is true of Harper, but he’s a little more consistent on the scoring end, and he pretty much runs the offense for the second unit even if he’s off. Getting 10+ points from Keldon in conjunction with solid defense usually gives the team separation. 15+ points, even if everyone else is having an average game, pretty much clinches it for them most of the time. He was a very deserving 6th man because against good teams he is very often the difference. 

Gomez: Double-teaming and trapping Anthony Edwards is not necessarily a new strategy, as many have tried it in the past, but the Spurs have been using it well, and it has limited what the superstar guard and the Timberwolves’ offense can do. Not only has San Antonio made Ant have to play off the ball more than he’d preferred, but it has put pressure on others to make plays, and few have been able to answer the call. Whether the Wolves can find that secondary scorer to carry the offense for a while and whether the shooters connect on some of the open looks the strategy inevitably concedes could determine whether the series ends or goes to a Game 7.

Do you think the Spurs will close it out in Minnesota in Game 6, or are we heading for a Game 7? 

Dubinski: Without any drastic occurrences (another unexpected ejection, injury, someone besides Edwards going supernova, etc.), I think the Spurs know what it takes to beat this team and will close things out.  The scenario I foresee is the Wolves come out hot, giving it all they have early and take a decent but not insurmountable lead. Then, the Spurs inevitably regain their composure, be it in the second quarter or at halftime, surge back, and that’s that, since the Wolves have nothing left in the tank and no new wrinkles to throw out there.  Or it could be a wire-to-wire Spurs win.  Or it could be a loss and we’re back here on Sunday. Who knows with this series.

Barrington: The Spurs will close it out in Game 6, unless Ant has a 50-piece and drags at least one teammate with him. I’m expecting a huge effort from Edwards in a close loss as Rudy Gobert gets played off the court due to his inability to get a hoop or even catch a pass, which frees up the paint for Wembanyama to punish the Wolves relentlessly. Julius Randle will contribute his usual dozen points or so, and Naz Reid will make an impact off the bench, but it won’t be enough as they go fishin’ before the weekend starts.

Birdsong: Barring officiating shenanigans or a team-wide shooting drought, I think they know they have Minnesota’s number. They looked incredibly confident by the 4th quarter of the last game, to the point that they let up just a little for a minute or two. They’ll need to approach Minnesota like a wounded/cornered animal in Game 6, but as long as they do that, I think they have it. Talk to me again once I see the officiating assignments for Friday, though, because I’m not 100% sure that the shenanigans are over. 

Gomez: I think the Spurs will be eager to close it out and should be able to, as long as they keep Edwards under control and no one else from the Wolves has a career game. As mentioned, they have looked like the better team in general. Wembanyama has dominated inside, the guards have provided scoring, and the perimeter defense has been tenacious. The Timberwolves are a tough opponent and no one would be shocked if they force a Game 7 and end up winning the series, but I think the most likely scenario is a Game 6 win for San Antonio.

Steve Kerr summed up the Golden State Warriors’ current state in two sentences.

“What we had is gone, but we’re trying to hang on to it,” Kerr told ESPN’s Wright Thompson. “I don’t know if anybody really knows if it exists anymore.”

That’s where the Warriors are in an uncertain 2026 offseason. Steph Curry and Draymond Green are still around, but in older, slower, more injury-prone versions of themselves. The team can’t stop trying to compete while they still have the greatest player in franchise history, and Kerr himself worries he “can’t walk away.”

Kerr resigned with the team on a two-year contract that may well align him with the last years of Curry, if not also Green. The deal came nearly a month after the Warriors’ season ended with a play-in game loss, a sign of Kerr’s deep ambivalence about returning to what he called a “fading dynasty,” though he insists there’s “beauty in the struggle” of “trying to fight until the last breath.”

It’s an interesting intellectual approach for a team that’s clearly a level below the best teams in the Western Conference. They’re raging against the dying of the light with the odds and the actuarial tables against them. It’s kind of like when Curry would read critical tweets about him during halftime, only this time the primary hater is Father Time.

The marketing department asked Kerr to stop talking about this concept while they were trying to push season-ticket renewals, because apparently “dying” is not a word that gets fans excited to spend money.

“Dying Dynasty” isn’t quite as compelling as “The Last Dance,” the name for the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls, who had Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, coach Phil Jackson, and a guy named Steve Kerr all on expiring deals. That team was united to win a final championship and also stick it to the team and its management that seemed insistent on breaking them up. (R.I.P. Jerry “Crumbs” Krause)

However, it seems to be the way everyone is going forward, at least for the next two seasons. Owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy seem excited about the plan, and still believe that as long as they have Curry, they can beat anyone. Maybe not for four straight series, or even a full seven-game series — the Warriors would have rested Curry, Green, and Al Horford for the first game of the playoffs had they gotten past the Phoenix Suns — but they can still be competitive.

That seems to be what’s keeping Kerr going. Realistically, it’s not about winning a fourth title. It’s about remaining competitive and having nights like the play-in win against the Los Angeles Clippers. And it seems to be about coaching Steph Curry for as long as he can and probably Draymond, too.

Given his comments about wanting to give the franchise a “clean start” after Curry is done, it sounds like Kerr is committed to being there for the messy ending. The dynasty might be dying, but Kerr is there to go down with the ship.

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It’s do-or-die time for the Detroit Pistons, who will have to win on the road in Game 6 to keep their season alive. The Cleveland Cavaliers are looking to close out the series at home and advance to their first Eastern Conference Finals since 2018.

After a heartbreaking loss in Game 5, Detroit is reeling, and my Pistons vs. Cavaliers predictions expect Cleveland to get the job done and win the series handily at home.

Here are my best NBA picks for Friday, May 15. 

Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 6 prediction

Pistons vs Cavaliers best bet: Cavaliers -3.5 (-120)

The Detroit Pistons have to be heading into Rocket Arena completely demoralized after blowing a nine-point lead late in Game 5 and ultimately losing at home in overtime.

As a result, the Cleveland Cavaliers have gone from down 2-0 in this series to being one win away from the Conference Finals.

The Cavaliers rank in the Top 3 in points, 3-pointers, efficiency, offensive rating, and fewest turnovers at home, and they're a perfect 6-0 at Rocket Arena in the playoffs.

Evan Mobley’s emergence as a facilitator and his work in containing Jalen Duren have been instrumental in Cleveland’s success, and Donovan Mitchell — who has been much better offensively at home — should bounce back after a relatively quiet Game 5.

COVERS INTEL: Although Detroit averaged the eighth-most points per game in the regular season (117.8), Cleveland has held the Pistons to fewer than 110 points in all three head-to-head matchups at Rocket Arena in 2026.

Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 6 same-game parlay

Cleveland’s 120.4 offensive rating at home is third-best in the playoffs, and its 118.0 points per game at Rocket Arena ranks second. Cleveland has scored 107 points or more in all six of its home playoff matches, and I expect that trend to continue in Game 6.

Mitchell has averaged 30.2 points on 50.8% shooting at home compared to just 22.3 points on 40.2% shooting on the road this postseason. He’s scored 27+ in four of six games at Rocket Arena, and he’s reached that mark in three of five in the Eastern Conference semis.

Pistons vs Cavaliers SGP

• Cavaliers -3.5
• Cavaliers team total Over 106.5
• Donovan Mitchell Over 26.5 points

Pistons vs Cavaliers odds for Game 6

• Spread: Pistons +3.5 (+100) | Cavaliers -3.5 (-120)
• Moneyline: Pistons +145 | Cavaliers -170
• Over/Under: Over 209 (-110) | Under 209 (-110)

Pistons vs Cavaliers betting trend to know

Cleveland is 5-1 ATS at home in the 2026 postseason. Find more NBA betting trends for Pistons vs. Cavaliers.

How to watch Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 6

Pistons vs Cavaliers latest injuries

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Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr decided to continue his tenure with the organization on a multi-year deal to keep him as the NBA's highest-paid coach.

But that almost didn't happen. He seriously contemplated retirement, according to ESPN.

Although he never went through with the decision, there have been multiple instances where retirement has crossed his mind, per ESPN.

ESPN says he discussed retirement for the first time in June 2025, about a month after the Warriors lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals in five games, losing star Stephen Curry to injury in the process.

"My wife and I have been talking about it a lot," Kerr told ESPN's Wright Thompson then. "I have a year left on my contract. Maybe one more season. Maybe two. When Steph Curry and Draymond Green leave, the franchise deserves a clean start. We are one injury from completely falling apart."

That's nearly what happened during the 2025-26 campaign. The huge blow was losing Jimmy Butler to a torn ACL in January, especially as the team was starting to roll.

Even before then, retirement had crossed Kerr's mind. The Warriors lost an overtime game to the Toronto Raptors, a contest they led for most of the game. The loss didn't sit well with Kerr.

"I think things have run out here," he said. "It's just time to move on. For me and for them. I'm probably being too emotional after yet another close loss, but it's probably true. ... We will commiserate and drink beer and watch the game on our computers and complain about all the dumb plays we made."

That loss was in late December. Golden State turned into one of the better teams through January until Butler got hurt. About a week and a half later, they lost Curry for 27 straight games to runner's knee.

The battered Warriors scraped their way to the 10th seed, somehow finding themselves still in NBA Play-In contention, as the season drew to a close. Even then, Kerr said he had his mind made up on calling it quits after the season, before the Warriors played a March 25 game against the Nets.

He told ESPN's Thompson that he spoke with his wife, Margot, at the time and they both agreed that the 2025-26 season would be his last. All Kerr wanted was a classy ending.

In today’s Dub Hub:

• Steve Kerr says he’s “excited to keep competing” after the team makes his return official via a press release on Tuesday.
• ESPN’s Wright Thompson shared the full details behind Steve Kerr’s decision to return to the Warriors.
• Cavaliers beat the Pistons, 117-113, in Game 5 Wednesday night to take a 3-2 series lead.

The Golden State Warriors made it official on Tuesday, announcing the return of head coach Steve Kerr after the two sides agreed to terms on a multi-year contract. In a press release posted by the team, Kerr expressed his gratitude to the organization and said he is “excited to keep competing” with the Warriors once again.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue coaching this team,” Kerr said via the team’s press release. “This organization has meant so much to me for the last 12 years — from ownership to our players, our staff and our fans — and it’s an incredible privilege to be a part of something so special. I’m excited to keep competing with this group.”

Kerr’s return brings stability to a Warriors organization entering a pivotal offseason after finishing the 2025-26 season with a 37-45 record and missing the playoffs. Despite the disappointing finish, Golden State is clearly still placing its trust in the coach who helped lead the franchise to four NBA championships and help build one of the NBA’s greatest dynasties.

So with Kerr now officially back in the fold, attention quickly shifts to the Warriors’ offseason plans and how the front office decides to build around Steph Curry for what could be one final run at another championship.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Thursday, May 14th:

Warriors News:

Why Steve Kerr stayed with the Warriors | ESPN

STEVE KERR WALKED into the lobby of the Beverly Wilshire with a secret. Win or lose, he’d decided to retire as head coach of the Golden State Warriors. It was a Tuesday morning in mid-April, the day before the team’s first postseason play-in game in Los Angeles. When this season ended, his 12-year run with the Golden State Warriors would end, too. In the airy hotel restaurant behind the concierge desk, Kerr gave his name and room number, 516 — “Johnny Bench Joe Montana” — and a hostess showed us to a table by the window. He looked around and lowered his voice.

“I think it’s over,” he said, almost mouthing the words.

The latest NBA Intel … most notably the view from Chicago on where Philadelphia goes from here | The Stein Line

It was stressed to me Tuesday night that Myers — although he is scheduled to arrive soon in Chicago to dive into his various pressing tasks — will step back into an advisory role once Morey’s successor is named.

I’m also told Myers will interview candidates internally as well as externally to take over … but also that it’s far too early to name any possible favorites for the role.

One item, however, that has been spelled out rather definitively: For all the recent rumblings about Myers’ affinity for former Golden State Finals MVP Andre Iguodala, I’m told Philadelphia does not plan to consider the ex-Sixer and current executive director of the NBA Players Association as a potential candidate for its new front office.

Draymond Green talks Clippers following the results of the NBA Draft Lottery: “Are they gonna move Kawhi Leonard?”

NBA News:

4 takeaways: Cavaliers earn overtime victory and 3-2 edge over Pistons | NBA

The Cleveland Cavaliers won a road playoff game and did so despite shaky shooting from Donovan Mitchell.

It’s hard to tell which one was more disbelieving, but both happened in the swing game of their semifinal series, and because of that, the Cavs can close out the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in Cleveland on Friday.

The Cavs, who won on the road for the first time in these playoffs, had most of the answers in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter and in overtime. They were scrappy, determined, unbothered by their previous mistakes.

Baylor’s Cameron Carr among standouts in NBA Draft combine scrimmage

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

Warriors had a lot of ‘Giannis conversations’ at draft lottery

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.

Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.

Here are the NBA playoff games for Thursday, May 14, 2026:

• New York Knicks at Philadelphia 76ers — 7:00 PM ET (ESPN)
• San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves — 9:30 PM ET (ESPN)

Enjoy the hoops tonight!

Officiating has been a topic of conversation during the entire second-round series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons.

At the start of the series, there was discussion about Donovan Mitchell not getting to the foul line enough. In the second half of the series, the discussion turned to Pistons’ head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, bemoaning the free-throw disparity between the two teams.

That trend continued after Cleveland’s Game 5 victory.

Bickerstaff believed that his team was on the wrong end of a few missed calls down the stretch, including a possible loose-ball foul on Jarrett Allen in the closing seconds of regulation.

“[Allen] fouled Ausar [Thompson],” Bickerstaff said postgame. “It’s clear. He trips him when he’s going for a loose ball. End of game situation, that’s tough.”

If it had been called a foul, the Pistons would’ve been awarded two free throws in the final second to break what was a tie game.

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Tony Brothers, the crew chief from Game 5, defended his call afterward in the Pool Report with Coty Davis of Detroit News.

“During live play, both players were going for the ball and there was incidental contact with the legs with no player having possession of the ball,” Brothers said.

He then confirmed that a foul shouldn’t have been called when asked to clarify.

“No, there was no incidental contact on the play,” Brothers said. “The play will be reviewed by the league office tomorrow and will be posted in the L2M (Last Two Minute Report).”

Well, the Last Two Minute Report is out, and it backs up Brother’s statements. This wasn’t a foul.

According to the report:

“Allen (CLE) and Thompson (DET) legally step to the same spot while pursuing the loose ball [before either player has possession], and both lose their balance from the marginal contact.”

Additionally, the report states that there were no missed calls in the final two minutes of either regulation or overtime of Game 5.

One of the other controversial calls from the end of overtime was a foul called on Paul Reed against James Harden with 24 seconds left in overtime. Harden was drifting out of bounds, but a foul was called before he went out.

In the moment, the Pistons argued that he went out of bounds before the foul, but the Last Two Minute Report stated that Harden remained “in bounds with possession of the ball prior to the illegal contact. by Reed.” As a result, Harden was awarded two free throws.

In the end, the league confirmed that everything was called correctly on the court at the end of Game 5.

The Cavs will have a chance to punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday evening.

Former Celtics star Isaiah Thomas is joining the organization as a pro and college scout, as first reported by the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach. Thomas will remain based in Seattle and serve as one of several regional scouts for the Celtics, working closely with Brad Stevens and the Celtics front office.

Thomas is currently at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago with Celtics executives and will assist with scouting in the year ahead. (The Celtics already have regional scouts in Atlanta and Dallas).

Thomas, who played for 11 different NBA teams, became a star during his three-year tenure with the Celtics. Thomas’s best season came in 2016-2017, when he averaged 28.9 points and 5.9 assists per game and finished fifth in MVP voting.

Thomas sat courtside alongside new Celtics owner Bill Chisholm at a December home Celtics game and has routinely spoken positively about his relationship with the team, even though his tenure ended abruptly, with him being traded for Kyrie Irving in 2017 after he suffered a hip injury.

Thomas recorded a voiceover for a Celtics hype video earlier this year and wrote the foreword for the Boston Globe’s 2024 Celtics championship book. And, a few weeks after the Celtics won the 2024 NBA title, Thomas told CelticsBlog it’s been an honor to still be so connected to the Celtics fanbase.

“It means everything,” he said. “It’s a blessing. I always talk to my friends about it — you would think I played 10 years here, you would think I won multiple championships. The love I have with the city, and vice versa, it’s just genuine.”

Now that love has been formalized into an official working relationship.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way, man. Dorian Finney-Smith was supposed to be a difference maker for the Houston Rockets.

An impact player, if you will. The Rockets’ brain trust even tabbed Finney-Smith as Dillon Brooks’ replacement. (And we know how valuable he became and how important he was for this Rockets ball club).

And justifiably so. The Los Angeles Lakers viewed him as a potential missing piece. DFS started on a Dallas Mavericks team that went to the Western Conference Finals in 2022 and averaged 11.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 47.1 percent from the field, 42.6 percent from deep, 61.8 percent effective shooting and 63 percent true shooting during the Mavs’ title chase that year.

Sadly, that feels like forever ago. Frankly, it was forever ago.

Finney-Smith didn’t fare well for the Rockets in his debut season. And that’s being kind.

In fact, a farewell would be a much greater contribution. In all seriousness, Finney-Smith was clearly bothered by an ankle injury that he underwent surgery on last offseason.

His shot looked off (again, that’s being kind) — to the tune of 27 percent from long-range. His mobility was significantly affected, which limited his effectiveness on defense. Finney-Smith even logged DNP-CD’s in the playoffs. 

Again, it wasn’t supposed to be like this, man.

Finney-Smith did have a few highlight blocks here and there.

(Okay, maybe just like two, but again, we’re being kind here).

Finney-Smith looked like one of Rockets’ GM Rafael Stone’s worst pickups since his arrival as Houston’s GM and it was a bit perplexing hearing Houston’s end of season presser by Stone and Rockets coach Ime Udoka, as the two stated that they were caught off guard by the amount of time it took for Finney-Smith to rehab and recover from the surgery.

One would think the front office would have done their due diligence on something of that magnitude. Especially since they gave him a four year deal worth $52.7 million, which consumed Houston’s non-taxpayer mid-level exception.

The positive, however, is that Finney-Smith just has one more year of guaranteed salary, which is next season, which gives him valuable on the trade market as expiring salary.

DETROIT — Trading Darius Garland for James Harden was as much a bet on this current group as it was on Harden. Specifically, it was a gamble on Evan Mobley being good enough to handle postseason pressure right now, not in three or four years.

In Game 5, he showed that he was ready for the challenge.

Mobley dominated the paint in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Game 5 victory over the Detroit Pistons, but they made him earn it. The new cut he sported near his left eye afterward was proof of that.

Defense has been Mobley’s calling card since he came into the league. That proved accurate again as he continually deterred shots at the rim down the stretch and overtime, while also outplaying opposing All-Star center Jalen Duren to the point that Pistons’ head coach J.B. Bickerstaff decided to close with Paul Reed instead.

Offensively, Mobley’s seven points to close the fourth quarter will get the headlines. He hit a clutch triple and two free throws to tie the game in regulation. Both are areas he’s struggled with throughout the regular season.

More than that, his decision-making was what kept the Cavs’ offense afloat on a night Detroit was selling out to stop Donovan Mitchell and Harden.

Bickerstaff has had an up-close look at the best and worst versions of Cleveland’s core group. He knows from first-hand experience how the Cavs’ offense can bog down when you trap the guards and force the bigs to beat you in the short roll. After all, that’s the strategy the New York Knicks used against him back in 2023.

Back then, Mobley wasn’t ready for the moment. He was simultaneously sped up to the point he wasn’t making the right decisions, but also wasn’t moving quickly enough to capitalize on the mismatch blitzing the ball handler brings. This led to an underwhelming playoff debut.

Three playoff runs later has proven to be a different story.

Bickerstaff deployed the same strategy that Tom Thibodeau used against his group three years earlier, but it didn’t work this time.

In Game 5, Mobley continually made the right play whenever he was asked to create in the short roll by reading the defense and correctly getting the ball to where the help defense was coming from.

There was a decisiveness with Mobley’s rolls that made him difficult to guard. He attacked the rim with a purpose, but also kept his eyes up to see what the defense was presenting him. When the backline defender stepped up, he found Jarrett Allen three times for easy baskets around the rim.

If the help defense came from the corners, Mobley made the pass out to the shooters who were there.

This evolution is where head coach Kenny Atkinson has seen Mobley make strides this season.

“That’s been a big part of his development piece,” Atkinson said of Mobley’s playmaking. “Getting him to make the right reads, helping him make the right rights. I think he’s getting better at it.”

This season has been a journey for Mobley as a playmaker. The Cavs started the year trying to run the offense through him. That experiment didn’t go well, as he often got stuck dribbling the ball too much below the free-throw line and wasn’t able to adjust when the help defense came.

The coaching staff responded by scaling his usage back after a short experiment. Even though the results didn’t pay off right away, you’re seeing the fruits of going through that struggle now.

“You rewind to the beginning of the year, it was probably more head down scoring and maybe not finding that balance,” Atkinson said. “Some of that was intentional, but I think he’s gotten to a nice equilibrium where he’s aggressive to score, but can read the geography of the court. [He] can read the swarms. We call them swarms. They swarm, and you’ve got to find windows.”

Mobley was continuously finding the windows to the point of picking up a team-high eight assists in the win.

Making the right read also requires you to call your own number when the situation calls for it. When the Pistons’ defenders stayed home and forced Mobley to beat them as a shooter, he confidently took those shots by canning two crucial triples when the “swarms” went away from him.

Mobley is one of the most difficult players to judge.

On one hand, the flaws in his game — self-creation, dribbling, lack of strength — are obvious and can be frustrating to watch. On the other hand, what makes him elite are the more underappreciated skills that he’s mastered so well, such as defense, finishing well at the rim, and being a good secondary playmaker. Mobley is considerably better than the loudest detractors would lead you to believe, but also not as skilled as you’d like from a number one franchise player — at least not yet. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t win with him if he’s in the right context, as the Cavs are showing right now.

The Cavs have been in a weird spot as a team. They’ve tried to thread the needle between winning now and having the longest runway possible. That’s how you’ve gotten a two-timeline approach between Mobley (24-years-old) and Mitchell (29). Moving a 26-year-old, two-time All-Star for a point guard a decade his senior committed them to one path. This team is trying to win now in a two to three-year window.

For that to happen, Mobley needs to play like an All-NBA caliber player in the postseason. When he has, as was the case in Game 5, the Cavs look like a team that very well could come out of the Eastern Conference.

Reps like the ones Mobley got in Detroit, where he’s consistently making the right play and coming up big in the crunch, is only going to help him when he’s called upon to do so again.

“Just boost his confidence to another level,” Harden said about Mobley’s performance. “He’s versatile, he can protect the rim, he can generate steals, he can do a little bit of everything defensively and offensively. … With an opportunity to present yourself, he’s available. Tonight, he came up big for us.”