Team president Jeff Weltman said in a statement that the Magic is seeking "a new voice and fresh perspective," and the job remains an intriguing one despite Orlando's collapse against the Eastern Conference's top seed. The Magic still have 2022 No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane and former lottery picks Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter, Jr. under contract, and could potentially make the jump many anticipated this season a year later with the right hire.
Here's a breakdown of six potential candidates to replace Mosley as the Orlando Magic's next coach:
Donovan notoriously accepted the Magic job and even held an introductory news conference in Orlando in 2007 before deciding to return to Gainesville as Florida's coach. He recently stepped down as the Bulls coach after six years and has already been linked to the job in several reports. Donovan has a 469-413 overall record in 11 seasons as an NBA coach, with a trip to the Western Conference Finals with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016.
Mike Budenholzer
Budenholzer was unceremoniously fired after one season with the Phoenix Suns last year, but he still has a reputation for producing high-performing offenses from his days with the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks previously and an NBA championship on his resume in the past five years. His scheme is also known for operating well even without a traditional point guard, which could free up the Magic's pre-existing personnel.
Tom Thibodeau
Thibodeau has been on the shelf since the New York Knicks fired him after last year's loss in the Eastern Conference Finals, but he's a proven coaching commodity with everything but an NBA Finals appearance on his resume. Thibodeau's defensive identity would build on the Magic's strengths, but might not be the best fit for a team whose stagnant offense caused it issues all season long.
James Borrego
The former Charlotte Hornets coach and Magic assistant/interim head coach could make a return to Orlando after an admirable 24-46 run as the Pelicans interim head coach this season. Despite his ties to San Antonio Spurs and Gregg Poppovich, Borrego's lack of playoff credentials will be hard to overcome in the coaching search if the Magic front office intends to act as aspiring contenders this offseason.
Sam Cassell
Might the Magic be the team that finally gives the longtime NBA point guard and assistant coach his first chance to lead an NBA team? He's been mentioned as a candidate for various openings over the years, and he's been a lead assistant coach under Joe Mazzulla during his successful run with the Boston Celtics.
Terry Stotts
The longtime Portland Trail Blazers coach spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach for Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors. His eight-straight playoff appearances with the Trail Blazers, combined with time spent in Kerr's offensive system, could be appealing to Orlando if it can't reel in its top candidates.
The San Antonio Spurs see their first action in a week when they open their Round 2 series with the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight.
While San Antonio is well rested and ready, Minnesota is licking multiple wounds — none deeper than missing superstar Anthony Edwards heading into Game 1 tonight.
My Timberwolves vs. Spurs props try to read the tea leaves for this Western Conference clash. Here are my best NBA picks and prop predictions for T-Wolves vs. Spurs on May 4.
Best Timberwolves vs Spurs props for Game 1
Player
Pick
Rudy Gobert
Over 8.5 points
+102
Jaden McDaniels
Over 2.5 assists
-105
Devin Vassell
Over 12.5 points
-112
Game 1 Prop #1: Rudy Gobert Over 8.5 points
+102 at bet365
It’s May 4th. You didn’t think you could get out of here without reading at least one “Star Wars” reference, did you?
Veteran Rudy Gobert goes up against his padawan and fellow Frenchman Victor Wembanyama, giving us “Obi-Wan vs. Anakin” vibes. And while I don’t think Gobert is going to leave Wemby sliced, diced and smoldering on the edge of a lava river, the Minnesota Timberwolves center can strike in the scoring column.
Gobert scored in double figures in three of the six matchups with Denver in Round 1, with his points prop bouncing between 9.5 and 10.5 O/U in that series.
His Game 1 total is 8.5 O/U with the Over priced at plus-money, anchored in his regular season results versus the San Antonio Spurs. Gobert played the Spurs only twice, putting up two and eight points — the latter coming without Wembanyama in San Antonio’s lineup.
The T-Wolves are without Donte DiVincenzo, Anthony Edwards, and potentially Ayo Dosunmu for the series opener, leaving touches up for grabs and a need for the frontcourt to pick up the scoring slack.
Projections are positive for Gobert, ranging from 10.7 to as high as 11.7. That's more than enough to get past this modest ask for Minnesota’s big man.
Game 1 Prop #2: Jaden McDaniels Over 2.5 assists
-105 at bet365
T-Wolves forward Jaden McDaniels picked up the scoring slack with Edwards out versus Denver but won’t find the same success in the paint against Wembanyama and the Spurs.
Daniels becomes more of an inside-out passer versus San Antonio, drawing in the defense and finding open hands on the perimeter. Minnesota was able to attack the rim with the Nuggets missing Aaron Gordon, sending Daniels’ touches through the roof, but now he becomes more of a drive-and-kick facilitator.
He posted assist totals of five, three, and one in three regular season matchups with the Spurs and finished with three assists in all but one of the six games versus Denver in Round 1. He'll dominate the ball, considering the missing pieces for Minnesota, but will be forced to give it up more in Game 1.
His assists forecasts for tonight aren’t bullshit on Daniels' distributing, ranging from 1.7 to a couple projections at 2.9. However, with the adjustments the T-Wolves must make on offense and an empty backcourt, I’m on the high side of Daniels’ dimes tonight.
Game 1 Prop #3: Devin Vassell Over 12.5 points
-112 at bet365
The Spurs roll out a smaller lineup and with the injuries to the Minnesota backcourt, San Antonio will try to push pace and put the lumbering Timberwolves on their heels.
That means fastbreaks and transition off turnovers and long rebounds. Devin Vassell thrives in the open floor and is one of the Spurs’ best fastbreak attackers.
He started Round 1 strong, scoring 15 and 16 points in the opening two games on a collective 11-for-29 shooting as well as picking up points at the foul line. His usage slimmed in the final three outings versus Portland, closing out the series with outputs of 11, 11, and 10 points.
Minnesota’s defensive scheme will see it send top perimeter defender Jaden McDaniels after De’Aaron Fox, which leaves Vassell guarded by Terrence Shannon Jr. or Mike Conley (or a hobbled Dosunmu) — neither are great defenders.
Player models for Vassell all sit north of his scoring total of 12.5 O/U, ranging from 13.0 to a ceiling of 15.0 points. My number boils down to 14.3 points tonight.
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Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont wanted to take a big swing in hiring a new head of basketball operations in Dallas, something made clear by the names leaked that he had interest in.
Dumont may have hit a home run. The Mavericks have hired former Toronto Raptors executive Masai Ujiri as the team's new Team President and Alternate Governor, a story confirmed by the team soon after it broke.
"I'm honored to join the Dallas Mavericks and step into this role at such an important time for the organization," Ujiri said in a statement announcing his hiring. "This is a franchise with a proud history, passionate fans, and a commitment to winning. I look forward to working with our players, coaches, and leadership team to build something that reflects that standard and competes at the highest level. We will win in Dallas."
He is being given the keys to the franchise. "Ujiri will oversee all aspects of the Mavericks' basketball operations, including roster construction, player personnel, and scouting, while working with team leadership to shape the organization's basketball philosophy and long-term direction," the team said in announcing the hiring.
"Masai Ujiri is one of the great basketball leaders of this generation and his addition to our franchise is a critical step in meeting our goals," Dumont said in a statement announcing the hiring. "We are honored to have him join the Mavs family. We welcome his energy and determination along with his leadership, experience and many accomplishments as a basketball executive. We are very excited about the future of our team."
Ujiri is one of the more respected front-office minds in the league and turned things around in Toronto. When he was first hired, the Raptors had missed the playoffs in nine of the previous 11 years. He stockpiled talent (through smart draft picks and trades), built one of the best player development programs, and turned the Raptors into a consistent top team in the East for years behind franchise legends such as Kyle Lowry. In that stretch, after a bold move to bring in Kawhi Leonard for a year, Toronto won its lone title in 2019.
Ujiri now takes over a franchise with a cornerstone player in Cooper Flagg and a highly respected coach in Jason Kidd. He also inherits two first-round draft picks, one in the lottery. In addition, Dallas has Kyrie Irving under contract for next season, plus some solid role players under contract, such as P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford. This is a well-positioned roster now, and it doesn't need an overhaul.
Ujiri was let go by the Raptors after the draft a year ago, largely because of a personality conflict with the new CEO of the Raptors' parent organization (which did not replace him, but gave his responsibilities and a new title to people already in the organization).
Ujiri's hiring in Dallas was not a quick process. Dumont and Ujiri reportedly first sat down and talked last December during a long lunch in Las Vegas, according to ESPN.
This is not Dumont's first bold move to bolster the organization. He lured former Golden State Warriors president Rick Welts out of retirement to serve as the franchise's CEO in 2024. Welts reportedly met with Ujiri as part of this process as well.
Patrick Dumont swung for the fences and hit a home run.
The Dallas Mavericks governor announced the hiring of Masai Ujiri as the franchise’s new team president and alternate governor. It ends a six-month search with a splash, as Ujiri is one of the most accomplished front office executives in NBA history.
Ujiri spent 13 seasons in Toronto building the Raptors from afterthought to champion. The centerpiece of his tenure was obviously the 2019 NBA title, which was engineered by his bold moves. He traded franchise cornerstone DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard in the summer of 2018. Everyone thought he was crazy, but Toronto won the championship the following June.
Before the Raptors, Ujiri ran the Denver Nuggets' front office from 2010-2013 and was named the NBA’s Executive of the Year after assembling a 57-win roster. He is the only non-American ever to win the award.
Ujiri parted ways with Toronto in June 2025 after the Raptors missed the playoffs in four of five seasons. He joined the ownership group of the WNBA’s Toronto Tempo in March and made no secret he had unfinished business in the NBA.
"One of my main goals is to win another championship," Ujiri told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne earlier this year. "I want to win again so I can actually enjoy it."
The Mavericks finished the season with Cooper Flagg, the No.1 pick from the 2025 NBA Draft, already looking like a cornerstone to build on after a rookie of the year campaign. Dallas enters Sunday's NBA draft lottery with the eighth-best odds at another top pick in what projects to be a loaded class.
May 1, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images
If you’ve spent any time watching the NBA Playoffs, especially the very dramatic L.A. Lakers vs. Houston Rockets playoff series that sadly ended with a Lakers win in game six on Friday night, you may have seen some speculation going around about Texans star Will Anderson Jr. and his uncanny resemblance to current Lakers’ guard and LeBron James’ son, Bronny James:
Over the last several days, more and more Texans fans have noticed the visual similarities between Anderson and Bronny James, to the point that discussion surrounding the two stars nearly eclipsed Rockets fans’ frustration with their favorite team. This playful speculation entered the mainstream in a big way that Friday night, as the “brothers” were in the same building. After having a dunk attempt blocked by Rockets’ forward Jabari Smith Jr., LeBron James went spiraling down courtside, crashing into the feet of none other than his “fourth son,” Will Anderson:
James was overjoyed to see Anderson – who is not only his son but also a fellow Klutch Sports client – there to lift him up, almost as if he was brought home by seeing the smile on Anderson’s face. Although, all joking aside, James was deferential to Anderson and his real parents. Speaking to Houston Chronicle reporter Jonathan M. Alexander after the game six win, James had this to say:
“…the moment was pretty cool…it was good to see him, y’know, that’s my fourth child, um…yeah, him and Bronny are twins and don’t nobody know it…me and [wife] Savannah have been trying to keep it under wraps for a long time. But nah, no disrespect to his parents, his real parents, let me not get that started. Unbelievable football player, deserving of everything that he’s got and…it was definitely dope to see him.” – LeBron James to Jonathan M. Alexander
I asked LeBron James what that moment was like between he and Will Anderson Jr. when the #Texans’ star helped him up in the third quarter.
Stop the presses! Hold everything! To quote the KING himself, “…me and Savannah have been trying to keep it under wraps for a long time?” I’m sorry, is there a “LeSecret” that has just been uncovered by this unlikely courtside linkup? A LeCoverup revealed? A LeRevelation? While public sources may tell you that Will Anderson was born in Hampton, Georgia in 2001 and Bronny James was born in Akron, Ohio in 2004, our insider – or, our LeSource – will beg to differ! And when you take a look at the highlight reels for both of these “LeTwins,” well, let’s just say the tape speaks for itself!
Houston…we may have a twin! LeBron/Bronny to the Houston Rockets CONFIRMED!
Okay, while there is certainly no secretive “connection” between Will Anderson and the James’ family, it certainly did provide a moment of light-hearted fun to a playoff series that has otherwise been a difficult watch for Rockets fans. Although, the jokes come as a double-edged sword for many. Watching Lebron James cheese it up with Will Anderson on the sideline while he simultaneously rips out the hearts of Rockets fans everywhere – at age 41, no less – is an awkward pill to swallow on a Friday night. But, hey, the Rockets’ playoff trips may be temporary, but likeness to LeBron James is forever.
It wasn’t just Anderson there repping the Texans, either. He was joined by Vice President of the Houston Texans Foundation Hannah McNair and 2026 second-round pick Kayden McDonald, with this meetup in Houston providing a warm welcome to the rookie after his arrival from the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. McDonald is still in that press-conference headspace, though, as evidenced by this response to a question from reporter Chancellor Johnson:
Hannah McNair, Will Anderson and Kayden McDonald are here at Game 6.
Me to Kayden: “How are you enjoying Houston?”
Kayden: “I’m just here to plug up the middle, man.”
“I’m just here to plug up the middle.” My kind of guy! Aren’t we all here to plug up the middle, Kayden? If only the Houston Rockets were able to plug up the hole left in the middle of their lineup when Kevin Durant went down. Sorry, I just couldn’t help it! McDonald even answered questions about potential business opportunities in Houston while at the NFL Draft, and even though “plugging up the middle” may not bring to mind the sort of barbeque or horse-related collaborations he was envisioning a week ago, it certainly does bring to mind the profitable avenue of plumbing solutions!
Alright, while I won’t be expecting a star NFL defensive lineman to be sponsoring drainage plugs or rubber stoppers, I was still happy to see Kayden McDonald, Will Anderson, and Hannah McNair all spending time together and enjoying the fruits of what Houston has to offer to them. Will Anderson has certainly earned the respite as well as the opportunity to re-connect with his long lost father, and it’ll only be a matter of time till everyone will know just how well Kayden McDonald can “…plug up the middle.” For all other musings about plugs and Bronny James lookalikes, be sure to keep it tuned to Battle Red Blog!
One of the fiercest rivalries in the NBA begins anew tonight when the New York Knicks host the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The big man headlines this 76ers vs. Knicks same-game parlay that is also bullish on Philly keeping it close in a high-scoring clash on Monday, May 4.
Our best 76ers vs Knicks SGP for Game 1
SGP leg #1: Joel Embiid Over 40.5 points + rebounds + assists
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid will be a focal point of this series, and he will need to be at his absolute best against the New York Knicks to reach the Eastern Conference Finals.
Embiid has averaged a healthy 44 PRA since returning in the playoffs, hitting the Over on this combo line in three of four games. In 11 career games at Madison Square Garden, Embiid has gone for 41+ PRA eight times.
SGP leg #2: 76ers +7.5
Simply put, the 76ers are better when Embiid is healthy and playing. With the big man available, Philly's offensive rating soared to 118.5 from 112.9 without him.
And while the Knicks may have the advantage of rest, the Sixers are in a groove and have played New York well over the last two seasons. Philly is 4-1 against the spread across its last five games at Madison Square Garden.
SGP leg #3: Over 212
The Sixers have hit the Over in two of their last four games, while the Knicks have done so in three of four. With Embiid playing, Philly's attack is a Top-5 offense, and New York averaged 133 points per game in the last two games against the Hawks.
Get Zak Hanshew's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his 76ers vs Knicks predictions for Game 1.
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76ers Game 1 computer picks
VJ Edgecombe Over 12.5 points (+100)
Projection: 15.2 points
This prop clocks in at a whopping +25.29% EV edge, making it a five-star play.
VJ Edgecombe has hit the Over in six of his last 10, and our computer has identified this as an extremely positive matchup.
"When the New York Knicks have the home court advantage, they have given up the most points per game in the NBA to the other team's starting SGs this year (21.5)."
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Edgecombe Now at bet365!/span
He cashed this prop in six of seven games vs. the Celtics.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet George Now at bet365!/span
Kelly Oubre Jr. Over 9.5 points (-125)
Projection: 11.6 points
Kelly Oubre Jr. is expected to beat this line by over two full points.
Oubre Jr. has reached double-figures in seven of his last 10 overall, and once in two meetings with the New York Knicks this season.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Oubre Jr. Now at bet365!/span
Knicks Game 1 computer picks
Mikal Bridges Over 2.5 assists (+130)
Projection: 3.2 assists
Mikal Bridges has gone for 3+ assists in only three of his last 10 overall, but our system is valuing the plus-money being offered on the Over tonight.
With a projection of 3.2 assists, this wager checks in as a five-star play with a +23.53% EV edge.
It should be noted that Bridges beat this line in all four regular-season meetings with Philly.
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Karl-Anthony Towns Under 3.5 assists (+125)
Projection: 3.2 assists
Although Karl-Anthony Towns has hit the Over in nine of his last 10 overall, our computer believes now is the time to sell, especially at plus-odds.
Helping out Under bettors is an expected sluggish tempo.
"The New York Knicks have played at the most lethargic tempo in the NBA over the last 25 games.. The New York Knicks are expected to see a decline in possessions in this game from squaring off against the 4th-slowest pace-of-play offense in the NBA over the last 5 games (the Philadelphia 76ers)."
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Jalen Brunson Over 6.5 assists (+100)
Projection: 7.4 assists
Jalen Brunson has 7+ assists in seven of his last 10 games. Our system believes he's good for 7.4 assists tonight, yielding a +16.27% EV edge.
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How to watch 76ers vs Knicks Game 1
Location
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Date
Monday, May 4, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBC/Peacock
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Philadelphia, PA - April 30: Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey makes a 3-pointer in the first quarter. The Boston Celtics played the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 30, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Is everyone still flying high from Saturday night’s Game 7 victory over the Celtics? You absolutely should be. I certainly am. With the Sixers moving on to the second round of the playoffs, let’s build off that energy ahead of a matchup with the Knicks. Let’s get after it with a new “5 Sixers thoughts” column.
Cinderella already has her glass slipper
My thought process going into the Sixers’ series against Boston was that it would be a Sisyphean task. The odds were stacked against them when facing a rival that has perpetually owned them. Coming back from a 3-1 deficit was a cathartic release for Sixers fans who’ve truly been in the cut with this franchise through the lows and even lower lows for so long. I am still in disbelief waking up two days later.
Don’t ever forget what the victory over the Celtics means for us all, but I am ready to turn the page on the defense mechanism this fan base, myself included, uses of just expecting the worst to happen. Frankly, screw it. Bring on this Knicks team. I’m rolling with the tandem of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey over Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson. If the Sixers’ supporting pieces fall into place, this series is for the taking with the team’s first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in a quarter of a century staring them in the face.
Tyrese Maxey can get his Big Apple revenge
Walt Frazier, a Hall of Famer and a two-time NBA champion with the Knicks who currently serves as one of the team’s broadcasters, took a shot at Maxey and the Sixers overall when the teams met for a preseason game this past October.
Maxey had previously remarked that last season was the first time he had ever been on a losing team, as the Sixers finished 24-58 and missed the playoffs. While announcing that game, Frazier laughed and said, “He better get used to it.”
Walt Frazier on Tyrese Maxey saying last year was the first time he’s ever been on a losing team:
Maxey was elite in the Sixers’ six-game playoff loss to the Knicks two springs ago, averaging 30-5-7 with fantastic shooting efficiency. If Maxey can play like that once more with an improved cast around him this series, the Sixers will be marching to the Eastern Conference Finals and Maxey will make Frazier eat his words.
Kelly Oubre needs to make his open threes
Kelly Oubre was a key defensive cog as the Sixers slayed the Celtics and his work as a backdoor cutter can provide an offensive boost, but he was dreadful from long range, shooting 16.0 percent on his threes on 25 attempts with a sizable chunk of them being wide open. I would’ve sweated out that Boston series a tad less if he made them at the solid 36.0 percent clip he hit from beyond the arc in the regular season.
The deeper the Sixers go in the playoffs, the smaller the margins for error become. He’s the fifth option, at best, on offense. During the moments the team is counting on him, Oubre must rise to the occasion.
Do not get crushed on the boards again
Early in the Sixers’ series with Boston, they struggled mightily when trying to rebound the ball, leading to so many extra chances for the Celtics. That’s very much not a new problem for the team. During their first-round loss to the Knicks in 2024, New York crushed them on the glass with Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson seemingly nabbing every possible offensive rebound.
That cannot repeat itself this year.
Maybe Nick Nurse gets a little weird and throws Dominick Barlow out there for help on the boards at the four? He played just 40 minutes in the first round. Nurse exceeded all my expectations for him as a coach in that series upset over Boston. Let’s see how creative he’ll get against the Knicks.
A path of redemption?
The Sixers obviously need to take care of business with the Knicks first, but this could be their road to the NBA Finals…
First round: A Celtics team that had beaten them a bajillion times in the playoffs.
Semifinals: A Knicks team that eliminated them two years ago.
Conference Finals: Either Tobias Harris’ Pistons or James Harden’s Cavaliers.
With Game 1 of Knicks-Sixers coming up on Monday night, an Atlantic Division scout shares what to watch during the series:
APPROACH VS. MAXEY
"It's (obvious) to say they (the Knicks) need to figure out Tyrese Maxey. You saw how (Boston) struggled with him. New York hasn't been able to keep up with him (well) this year or even last year. Do you allow (Maxey) to get his and let the others beat you? Who do you put on (Maxey)?
"I really liked what (Josh) Hart did on CJ (McCollum) in the first round. CJ is obviously not the same player as Maxey. But if you're picking between OG (Anunoby), (Mikal Bridges) and Hart, I'd see how it goes with Hart. Obviously, (Mike) Brown will throw different looks at him, especially in pick-and-roll. The way he got straight to the rim when (Boston's big moved further from the basket) on-pick and-rolls has to be a nightmare (for the Knicks). This one will tilt the series, I think."
DOUBLE-BIG LINEUP
"(New York) has been solid on the glass, especially when (Mitchell Robinson) is on the court. I think they should lean into that and force Philadelphia to play big. I liked the (lineup featuring Robinson and Karl-Anthony Towns) against Atlanta. I thought they picked the right spots for it late in the series. If you go there again, make Philadelphia match you and then (win the rebounding margin). It sounds simple, but the Knicks can win the possession battle by controlling the glass and they have the (personnel to do it). (Anunoby) rebounded really well (against Atlanta)."
PREDICTION
"The Sixers aren't (a traditional No. 7 seed). With (Joel Embiid) healthy, they have the top of the roster talent to compete with (the Knicks). If Joel is on the floor, I think the Sixers really test (New York). But I can't ignore (what the Knicks did in the last three games of the Hawks series). This Knicks team is playing at a higher level than any time I (saw them in the regular season). If they look to play through (Towns) as often as they did last series, they will ultimately (be too much for the Sixers). I like the Knicks in six."
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 03: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers in action against Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during game at Madison Square Garden on January 03, 2026 in New York City. The Philadelphia 76ers won 130-119. 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 Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New York Knicks (53–29) open their second-round series tonight against the Philadelphia 76ers (45–37) at Madison Square Garden. Game time is 8 p.m., and you can catch it on NBC and Peacock.
The Knicks finished their first-round series 4–2, thanks to a 51-point evisceration of the Hawks on Friday. Pacome Dadiet went 2-of-4 and finished with five points. Nice! Our heroes scored a couple of extra days off, thanks to Philadelphia pushing their series with Boston to seven games, completing a comeback from a 3–1 hole.
These teams split the season series 2–2. The last meeting—February 11 in Philadelphia—was a demolition, a 138–89 Knicks win. Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges controlled the game, while Tyrese Maxey had 32 in defeat.
The Philadelphia 76ers (45–37, seventh in the East) profile as a middle-of-the-pack team on both ends—17th in offense (115.9 PPG), around league average defensively (116.1 allowed). It’s a volatile group that leans heavily on star power rather than depth or consistency. They ranked in the bottom tier for three-point shooting, but they get to the free-throw line a bunch and were sixth in steals.
Joel Embiid averaged 32 points, 10.5 rebounds, and five assists in two tussles with the Knicks this season. The big fella—who once had some choice words for Karl-Anthony Towns—is listed as probable for today’s game with a sore hip. After a regular season defined by load management and a late-season appendectomy, Joel Embiid has regained his MVP-caliber form at the perfect moment for the Cheesesteaks. After playing just 38 games this season, the big man has been a dominant presence in the postseason so far, dropping 34 points in the final game against Boston. Although this became Tyrese Maxey’s team while the aging Embiid nursed his injuries, Embiid remains the biggest problem on New York’s whiteboard.
Karl-Anthony Towns has averaged 20.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 14 games versus Joel Embiid, while Embiid has averaged 28 points, 9.4 boards, and 3.6 dimes. But really, we’re most excited to see Mitchell Robinson square up with Joel, especially after the latter tried to end Mitch’s career in their last playoff series.
Speaking of Maxey, the young guard had another strong 2025–26 regular season as the Philadelphia 76ers’ primary option. He averaged 28.3 points (5th in the NBA), 6.6 assists (15th), and 4.1 rebounds per game across 70 games, while playing heavy minutes (>38 MPG). Shooting 46% from the field, 37% from three, and 89% from the free-throw line, he’s a scoring threat from all depths—and not shabby on defense either (1.9 steals per game). We expect Mikal Bridges will guard him to start the series.
Jalen Brunson (23.6 PPG, 5.7 AST, 4.6 REB) has a slight all-around edge over Tyrese Maxey (22.5 PPG, 4.3 AST, 2.9 REB) across their 16 career matchups.
The third star of their squad is Paul George, who pulled off one of the cleverest scams in NBA history. Not only did he take a banned substance that (we assume) benefited his body, but that led to a 25-game suspension (or, if you like, rest) that has him nice and fresh for the postseason. Aging hoopers, take note! Due to his scandal-shortened season (scandal seems strong, given how little media attention has been given to his malfeasance), Georgie boy appeared in just 37 games, averaging 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.7 steals in 30.7 minutes per game. The 15-year vet just turned 36 this week, but can still shoot—he made 44% from the field, 39% from three-point range, and 82% from the free-throw line. We expect OG Anunoby to defend him to start the series.
VJ Edgecombe had an outstanding rookie 2025–26 regular season with the Sixers after being selected third overall in the 2025 NBA Draft. The 20-year-old guard played in 75 games (all starts), averaging 16 points, about six boards, and 1.4 steals in 35 minutes per game. While making 43.8% from the field, 35.4% from three, and 81.8% from the free-throw line, he showed strong two-way versatility, athleticism, and playmaking as a primary wing creator. As a result, he earned strong Rookie of the Year consideration (finishing third) and has become a cornerstone piece for the Sixers.
Rounding out Nick Nurse’s starting five is one of my least favorite players in the league, Kelly Oubre Jr. When not perfecting his Sideshow Bob hairdo or suspicious hit-and-run stories, Oubre has carved a nice niche for himself in Philly. In an injury-shortened 2025–26 season, he appeared in 50 games (41 starts), averaged 14.1 points, five boards, and 1.4 steals in 31.5 minutes per game. Oubre shot 46.7% from the field, 36% from three-point range, and 77% from the free-throw line, providing reliable scoring, athleticism, and perimeter defense.
One thing that might sting will be seeing Quentin Grimes come off the bench. The former Knick had a productive 2025–26 regular season as a key rotation guard/wing for the Sixers, appearing in 75 games (19 starts) and averaging 13.4 points in 29.4 minutes per game. He shot 45% from the field, 33.4% from downtown, and 84% from the free-throw line. In the Celtics series, he delivered in a few big moments, and it can be hard to watch him without thinking what could have been. You may recall that Q-Dot was traded to the Detroit Pistons in February 2024 as part of a multi-player deal to acquire Bojan Bogdanović and Alec Burks.
Aside from Embiid’s hip, there’s nothing noteworthy on the injury report for tonight’s game. Check back later in this series, which is sure to be physical, and you’re likely to see the list fill up.
Prediction
ESPN.com thinks the Knicks have a 77% chance tonight. Wowza! The central question seems to be: can Philly’s top-end talent generate enough offense to overcome New York’s depth, size, and physicality? The Knicks want a grind, and they stand a good chance to win the series if they can dictate pace and physicality (and make their shots). It starts with one win, however, and it starts with defense and rebounding. Towns and Robinson need to control second chances and make Embiid sweat. If New York can stymie Embiid, Maxey, and George and deliver on the offensive end, then we should enjoy a nice, eight-point Knicks win to start Round Two. Go Knicks!
Game Details
Who: New York Knicks (0-0) vs Philadelphia 76ers (0-0) Date: Monday, May 4, 2026 Time: 8:00 PM ET Place: Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, NY TV: Peacock / NBC Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky
As the NBA Playoffs transition to the conference semifinal stage on Monday, sportsbooks are still heavily backing the Oklahoma City Thunder to win their second straight championship.
While the Thunder are the outright leaders, the New York Knicks enjoyed the largest surge in Finals odds after the Boston Celtics were eliminated in seven games.
Key Takeaways
The Thunder and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lead in Finals and Finals MVP odds.
Philadelphia’s 3-1 comeback propelled the Knicks to lead the East in Finals odds.
BetMGM users are backing Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs in Finals and Finals MVP markets.
The Thunder began the year as a +240 leader in NBA Finals odds, according to BetMGM. They had closed to +115 when the playoffs began and are now down to -140 (58.3% implied chance) with a leading 19.3% of all money in the futures market behind them, along with 10.6% of tickets (third).
The San Antonio Spurs have shortened from +450 at the start of the playoffs to +325. They have 10.9% of tickets, first among remaining teams, and 16.8% of the handle, second only to the Thunder.
One of the main reasons the Spurs have such a large share of the handle is that they have the largest reported futures bet at BetMGM, a $50,000 wager at +650 odds.
Over on the other side of the brackets, the Knicks (7% of bets, 6.5% of money) were only fourth in odds to win the Eastern Conference when the postseason commenced. Their title odds grew from +2200 to +900, the new leading mark in the East, after they dispatched the Atlanta Hawks in six games.
While the Knicks are now the team to beat in their conference, they wouldn’t be in their current position without several unforeseen developments.
No result was more beneficial for the Knicks than the Celtics blowing a 3-1 lead against the Philadelphia 76ers. Boston was +550 in odds to win the NBA Finals (third) when the playoffs began and would’ve faced the New Yorkers in the second round had they advanced. Instead, Philly overcame their near-fatal position and will now battle the Knicks for a spot in the conference finals.
I know some people out there 100% believed in the 76ers' chances to come back after Game 4
— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) May 3, 2026
The 76ers’ improbable victory shocked the odds board as they climbed from +25000 to +3500. Despite that, they only have 3.8% of tickets and 3.4% of the pot.
The first-seed Detroit Pistons were also shockingly taken to seven games and needed to overcome a 3-1 deficit to get past the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic. Their title odds (+1700) are the same as they were at the start of the playoffs, but they have 10.4% of tickets, 8.5% of the handle, and one $25,000 wager at +1400 odds supporting them.
Who else is in the picture?
Only three teams that are still alive have not been mentioned up to this point. One of those is the Los Angeles Lakers, who are both the biggest winners and losers of the postseason thus far.
LA was an enormous underdog against the Houston Rockets in the first round as both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were sidelined by injuries. Despite that, they raced ahead to a 3-0 lead and eventually closed the series out in six games. Their NBA Finals odds are down from +20000 at the beginning of the playoffs to +2500.
Unfortunately for the purple and gold, they now get to battle a Thunder team that won the Western Conference at 64-18, swept the Phoenix Suns in the first round, and is the largest series favorite of the second round (-2000).
Reaves is back, but Doncic is still out and reportedly hasn’t begun running. Despite that, the Lakers have 9.1% of bets and 7.5% of money wagered backing them.
The Cleveland Cavaliers were +1600 in odds to win the Finals at the beginning of the playoffs, but they fell to +2000 after being taken to seven games by the Toronto Raptors. They’re looking up at the Knicks and the Pistons in the East.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are the final team remaining. Although they upset the Denver Nuggets in the first round, their odds lengthened from +8000 to +10000 due to injuries suffered by Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo, and Ayo Dosunmu. Chris Finch's team has 5.5% of bets, and 5.2% of money is in favor of the Wolves.
NBA Finals MVP odds picture
While the Thunder are in pole position to win the championship, the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama is BetMGM bettors’ pick in the NBA Finals MVP odds market. A high percentage of tickets, 14.5%, and 7.5% of the handle are on the French sensation, who is down from +600 in the first round to +400 currently.
Only three players received more than 7.5% of the handle in this market. Two of them, Jamal Murray and Jayson Tatum, were already eliminated.
The third, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, has 7.6% of tickets and 14.3% of bets behind him. He sits at -135 to win his second straight Finals MVP after beginning the playoffs at -105.
Apr 9, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) celebrates with an imaginary crown after a 3 point basket in the second half against the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
I may not be very good at it, but I love chess. Not to the level that I love basketball, the NBA, or the Lakers, but it’s not too far off!
The strategy, the tactical decisions, the way every player seems to have their own style and approach that forces you to play them as much as what the board is telling you to play, the way you can instantly switch from defending to attacking and back, the way a great move exhilarates and a blunder totally deflates you…there’s just not really another game quite like it.
In fact, after reading the above graf again, maybe I enjoy the game as much as I do exactly because it does remind me of basketball in a bunch of ways.
No, it’s not physically taxing in the same way as, say, defending Luka Dončić coming off a pick and roll or trying to fend off LeBron James in the post, but playing chess at the highest levels can put a massive toll on your body, and some believe that “a chess grandmaster’s stress reactions can mimic what elite athletes experience…based on breathing rates (which triple during competition), blood pressure (which elevates) and muscle contractions before, during and after major tournaments”.
What does any of this have to do with the Lakers right now, you might ask?
Well, first, in the aftermath of the Lakers’ upset win over the Rockets my mind reflexively goes to how much of the series mirrored a high-level chess match, with JJ Redick taking a lead in the opening with his superior game planning to help get his team an early lead, the Rockets getting their footing the middle game to try to come back, and then the Lakers leveraging their better position to execute a check mate and close things out.
Dončić is a well-known lover of the game and once even had an AI-driven chess bot created in his likeness by chess.com. The Luka-bot would improve the more games it played, learning the tendencies of players who tested it and ultimately becoming good enough to beat elite players. It’s now one of the best bots on the site and nearly impossible to beat.
In any event, this has all led me to think about this year’s team and how they relate to chess. And, what better way to do that than to compare the players themselves to actual chess pieces?
If you’re not familiar with the game or the pieces themselves, don’t worry too much. I’ll do my best to explain my reasoning below. You can also learn more about the pieces and how they move here. With that, here we go…
Luka Dončić
Clearly, Luka is the queen — the game’s most powerful piece. Like the queen, Dončić is the game’s most ferocious attacking piece and is equally a threat from long distance and in close quarters and everywhere in between.
The queen also has full reign of the entire board, moving in whatever direction it likes for as far as it wants to go, which aptly describes how Luka traverses the court, getting to whatever spot he pleases, whether through craft, skill, or brute force. There’s no more dangerous a piece than the queen and there’s no more dangerous player than Luka.
I know Luka is still out with injury, but when healthy and at the top of his game, there are few players in the league who can match the diversity of his skill set and all the ways he deploys it to take down opponents.
LeBron James
With Dončić out injured, LeBron put his crown back on and took on that same role to dominate the Rockets series and push the Lakers into the second round. That said, when everyone has been healthy this season, the man whose nickname is “The King” is more of a rook in the way he’s asked to play on these Lakers.
Rooks are an incredibly powerful piece whose forceful, straight-line, and limitless exploration of the board remind of LeBron streaking up court in transition for powerful dunks and (what remain) insane finishes at the rim.
Further, rooks are masterful end-game pieces who often take over games when both players’ queens come off the board and LeBron has long been a master in the clutch, making the right decision for the team to win the game instead of seeking out glory for himself. Again, ask the Rockets about how Game 3 ended.
Lastly, because they’re so powerful and important, Rooks can also greatly impact the game by giving themselves up in a sacrifice in order to open up space for another piece to attack and checkmate the opposition, which almost perfectly describes how LeBron, in the last part of the regular season, took on a lower usage role for this team so Dončić and Austin Reaves can cook.
Austin Reaves
Some might find this controversial, but I see Austin as a knight. Knights are tricky pieces that move in unorthodox ways and excel in tight spaces. They often deceive opponents, particularly in end-game situations, where their ability to hop around the board can lead to taking down queens and rooks just as easily as they would a pawn.
If this doesn’t perfectly describe how Austin manipulates defenses with quick changes of direction, playing in tight quarters and finishing in the paint under and around bigger defenders, I don’t know what does. Also, just like a knight, he is great in end-game situations, particularly when teaming up with a rook to control a bounty of space on the court — just as he has for so long with LeBron.
AUSTIN REAVES PERFECT MISS TO SEND NUGGETS-LAKERS TO OT!!
Okay, so this one is as obvious as it is easy — these guys are the Lakers Bishops. Bishops are long-range snipers who help control the game from long distances, but can also do damage in close quarters when protected by their mates. This is exactly the role that Rui and Kennard fill on the Lakers, spacing the floor and targeting opponents from behind the arc.
But if they get pressured, they are also adept at moving in closer while maintaining their deadly accuracy.
Kennard and Rui were both deadly in this exact way vs. the Rockets, with Luke’s outside shooting driving the team’s success early in the series, and then Rui’s hot-shooting Game 6 helping to clinch the series and send the Lakers to the 2nd round.
— Laker Performances (@LALPerformance) May 2, 2026
Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia
It might sound pejorative, but these two rugged wings are like center pawns. The two pawns directly in front of the king and queen control critical space in the middle of the board, often serving vital roles on both offense and defense.
These pawns help deflect opponents and keep them at bay, preventing them from penetrating past a certain point to protect the back line. The nature of them being the middle of the action give them great responsibility as defenders, often absorbing much of the offensive pressure from the other team and, if doing their job well, forcing the opposition to attack from different parts of the board.
Offensively, they help anchor in your main pieces, serving as complementary forces who can bring value when they create an outpost for your Knights and Bishops or when they advance in tandem up the board to protect each other.
These are the types of roles Smart and Jake serve for the Lakers, helping protect their teammates with their hard-nosed defense while also showing enough offensive utility to help win games. This is especially true of Marcus, who, as he did against Houston, showed enough two-way ability to help win the team games both by knocking down shots and working out of the post and by thwarting the Rockets’ offense with steals and drawn charges.
Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes
If Smart and Jake are manning the center of the board, I see Ayton and Hayes operating more as flank pawns, serving in complementary roles to the pieces who operate in the middle of the action but are also critical to the rest of the game.
Flank pawns work in tandem with their mates in the middle, protecting them when they advance up the board for defensive stability but also can sneak outside near the edge of the board to pose practical problems on offense. And then, when they do advance up the board, they can anchor themselves in near the edge of the board, ready to sacrifice themselves for the Queen or a Rook to deliver the death blow.
For these Lakers, this is how Ayton and Hayes operate.
Defensively, they back up their perimeter partners to deny driving lanes and protect the rim, but sometimes have to step up themselves and defend on an island while others assist them. Ayton is particularly adept at holding up in this exact way, defending post players one-on-one on the block while also venturing further out to check perimeter players on switches.
On offense, they are constantly trying to sneak behind the opposing defense to get closer to the rim, either to finish themselves or to screen a defender so Dončić, James or Reaves can score. There’s a thankless nature to the work they do, but without their efforts, the team would not be nearly as successful. In this way, they’re very similar to a flank pawn who, if the board shifts a certain way, can become the most dangerous passed pawn that pulls attention there way for a more critical piece to do damage on another part of the board.
There are many more analogies to make regarding the Lakers and the other game I love. But I think the most basic one is that, just as in chess, a key to the Lakers’ success is as much mental as anything they do physically. By locking in, playing with discipline, and leaning into the nuances of their own gameplan — while also being smart enough to know how to disrupt their opponents — the Lakers can position themselves to win any game in front of them.
The NBA has an inside information problem. How it's handled. How it's possibly mishandled. How it's potentially misused.
The key to ensuring that inside information isn't abused is limiting it. As Saturday's Game 7 in the 76ers-Celtics playoff series approached, it's clear that Boston was carrying around a key piece of inside information.
Jayson Tatum, who made an early exit from Game 6 and didn't return after the game morphed into a blowout, wasn't going to play in the final game.
On Saturday afternoon, roughly six hours before the game started, the Celtics added Tatum to the injury report, with a knee injury. And then he didn't play at all.
After Game 6, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters that Tatum hadn't been injured when he left in the second half. "He just went to the back and just got stretched, got some treatment," Mazulla said. "That was about it."
Tatum also downplayed the situation. "My leg just was a little stiff when I came out in the third quarter," Tatum said. "But, you know, just kind of assessing the moment, like, the game was a little out of reach."
Mazzulla again downplayed the possibility of Tatum being injured when he spoke to reporters on Friday. By Saturday, Tatum was listed as questionable with a knee injury.
Whether the Celtics complied with the NBA's rules is one thing. If they didn't, that's for the NBA to address. If they did, the NBA has a different issue.
The rules, if the Celtics complied with them, demonstrate the existence of significant, and valuable, inside information. When did the Celtics know Tatum wouldn't play? When did they know there was a good chance he wouldn't play?
Who knew? And what did they do with that information?
Just last week, former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones pleaded guilty to charges arising directly from his mishandling of inside information. Surely, others have done the same thing, especially since the moment sports betting became normalized and legalized.
And so, at a time when the NBA is increasingly concerned about the impact of tanking on the integrity of the game, the NBA should be taking a closer look at ways to minimize the information that isn't available to the public. The manner in which the Celtics handled Tatum's injury reconfirms that the effort to keep the opponent in the dark keeps the public in the dark.
Which could allow someone who knows the truth to get in the money.
The NFL should be paying close attention. To date, the NFL has not had a major gambling scandal. If the NFL isn't careful, it's inevitable.
One day after the team was eliminated in a Game 7, the Orlando Magic fired head coach Jamahl Mosley on Monday.
"We're grateful to Jamahl (Mosley) for all he's done for the Orlando Magic," Orlando President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman said in a statement. "We appreciate his leadership and the positive contributions he made as head coach. While this was a difficult decision, we feel it's time for a new voice and fresh perspective. We wish Jamahl and his family nothing but the best."
Mosley had five seasons as head coach, and this team was eliminated in the first round each of the last three years. This move was expected and had been rumored almost since the season tipped off for three reasons:
• This team underachieved all season long, and frankly, for a couple of years. When Weltman and the front office sent out four first-round draft picks and a pick swap, they thought they had a roster that could compete with any in the East. Most pundits projected Orlando to hit 50 wins and push for a top-three seed in the East, instead they were the No. 8 seed and had to fight through the play-in just to make the playoffs. While the offense improved slightly, the team's defensive calling card fell way off this season. While injuries to stars like Franz Wagner had something to do with that, Mosley had not built a culture or system that overcame those issues, as we saw in Boston, for example.
• He did not have a good relationship with Orlando star Paolo Banchero. It was the worst-kept secret in the league and occasionally spilled out in public.
“Teams, a lot of times, adjust at halftime and I think that’s why we struggled a lot in the second half just cause we don’t really adjust to their adjustments,” #Magic forward Paolo Banchero said after Orlando’s loss to Detroit.
In the NBA, star players have the power, and if there is a conflict with the coach, the player wins 99% of the time.
ª Orlando's offense was unimpressive schematically, something a lot of scouts were willing to talk about. While this season Orlando's offense finally moved out of the bottom 10 for the first time in a decade, it was still just 19th in the league. While the injuries to Wagner and Banchero this season played into that, a lot of people around the league have openly wondered whether a new coach could get more out of this roster.
A new coach likely will get a chance. While there is some speculation about whether Orlando might move on from one of Banchero (more likely) or Wagner, the general belief around the league is that the Magic get a new coach, make changes around the edges, and run it back and see if a new person in charge and maybe some better luck with health will change things.
Weltman will lead the search for a new coach. Weltman signed an extension with the organization during the regular season, something that just became public as Mosley's exit was announced.
The eighth-seeded Magic had a 3-1 series lead over the Pistons, who are the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed, before losing three games in a row.
"We're grateful to Jamahl for all he's done for the Orlando Magic," said team president Jeff Weltman in a statement. "We appreciate his leadership and the positive contributions he made as head coach. While this was a difficult decision, we feel it's time for a new voice and fresh perspective. We wish Jamahl and his family nothing but the best."
Mosley had been the Magic's coach for five seasons and led the franchise to the playoffs the past three years. But Orlando made a big move during the 2025 offseason acquiring Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for a package built around four first-round draft picks. Expectations were that the Magic would be contenders in the East this year with former No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner still in the fold.
The Magic, however, endured a stilted campaign in which they needed to qualify for the playoffs through the play-in tournament. Their offensive issues of previous seasons continued to be a problem into the postseason. Their historic Game 6 collapse against the Pistons last Friday included 23-straight missed shots and just 19 second-half points.
Mosley had a 189-221 overall record with Orlando and never won a playoff series.
The Magic job remains an intriguing one despite Orlando's collapse against the Eastern Conference's top seed. The Magic still have 2022 No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane and former lottery picks Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter, Jr. under contract, and could potentially make the jump many anticipated this season a year later with the right hire.
"They didn't fire you because you lost a 3-1 lead. They fired you because they wanted to. They fired you because this was all in the plan and there was probably going to be very little to nothing Jamahl Mosley could have done about that," ESPN NBA reporter Vince Goodwill said on "The Rich Eisen Show" after Mosley was fired. "... I do think Orlando, with their young players, a more attractive job than Milwaukee because you don't know Giannis' future, you don't know about his health, you don't know about the direction of the organization. "
"They didn't fire you because you lost a 3-1 lead. They fired you because they wanted to. ... I do think Jamahl Mosley will be in high demand."@VinceGoodwill reacts to the Magic dismissing head coach Jamahl Mosley ⤵️
“It has been an incredible five-plus years, and this organization and city will always mean so much to me and my family. In my heart, I truly hope that during our time here we were able to impact the players, staff, and the Magic organization in a… https://t.co/uoCOdHlGGm
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