Category: Basketball

The Cleveland Cavaliers have played awfully through the first two games of the series. The guards haven’t lived up to their standards, the defensive communication hasn’t been good, and the team is simply missing wide-open shots. That isn’t going to get the job done on the road against a 60-win Detroit Pistons team.

Yet, despite how bad things have looked, the Cavs had chances to steal both Game 1 and 2. The Cavs were either tied or had a brief lead in the fourth quarter in each outing, but poor late-game execution cost them. We’ll see if that changes as the series shifts back to Cleveland.

Technically, this isn’t a must-win game. The season isn’t over if the Cavs drop this game. However, no team has come back from a 3-0 deficit in NBA history. We’ll see if the Cavs have what it takes to get off the mat and keep their season alive.

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Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (0-2) vs. Detroit Pistons (2-0)

Where: Rocket Arena – Cleveland, OH

When: Sat., May 9 at 3 PM

TV: NBC, Peacock

Point spread: Cavs -4.5

Cavs injury report: Sam Merrill, – QUESTIONABLE (hamstring)

Pistons injury report: Kevin Huerter – DOUBTFUL (abductor strain)

Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Pistons expected starting lineup: Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Previous matchup: The Cavs fell apart down the stretch of Game 2 in a way that felt all too familiar.

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

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid returned to the Philadelphia 76ers' lineup for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Friday night after he missed the previous game against the New York Knicks with a sprained right ankle and a sore right hip.

Embiid struggled through a short night in the Knicks’ 137-98 romp in Game 1, scoring 14 points on 3-for-11 shooting before the starters were benched with the game out of reach.

Embiid had been listed as probable to play in that game and the Knicks repeatedly took advantage of his lack of mobility to create open shots.

He had been expected to play Game 2 but was ruled out hours beforehand.

Embiid had an appendectomy late in the regular season. He returned during Game 4 of Philadelphia’s first-round series against Boston and helped the 76ers overcome a 3-1 deficit to eliminate the Celtics.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Ready for a curveball?

The latest NBA Mock Draft from Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor not only has Malachi Moreno going in the first round, but even ahead of Jayden Quaintance.

Yes, this projection has Moreno going 24th overall to the New York Knicks, while Quaintance goes 29th to the Cleveland Cavaliers, nearly falling out of the first round altogether.

This would be both a shocking rise for Moreno and a stunning fall for Quaintance, though perhaps an earned one for the latter after he missed most of this past season due to the longest case of knee swelling ever recorded (we think).

I don’t agree with this projection, but if it turns out that this is how NBA executives view Moreno and Quaintance, you’d think there’s actually a chance Moreno stays in the draft and Quaintance returns to college.

The real story here is these recent mock drafts and rankings continue to suggest there’s a very real chance Moreno could hear his name called toward the end of Round 1. Could that be enough to sway him into keeping his name in the draft?

Next week’s NBA Draft Combine in Chicago could go a long way in deciding where Moreno is playing basketball next season.

Elsewhere, Iowa State transfer and Kentucky recruiting target Milan Momcilovic went 46th overall to the Phoenix Suns. While Momcilovic reportedly prefers to stay in the draft, if that’s the kind of projection he’s getting from NBA decision-makers, then it’s hard not to see him returning to college and collecting an NIL paycheck that could cross $5 million.

Saying this, it only takes one team to fall in love with you, and with Momcilovic’s ability to shoot scorched earth from deep, it won’t be a surprise if someone in the first round will take the gamble on him.

Also, there’s likely going to be a host of players ranked ahead of Momcilovic who return to school, including Andrej Stojaković, Matt Able, Billy Richmond, Flory Bidunga, Rueben Chinyelu, Tyler Tanner, and potentially Moreno.

It’s going to be a process, one that I’d now expect to go into deadline day on May 27 for Moreno and Momcilovic (and Quaintance if his stock really is this bad right now).

Finally, new UK graduate Otega Oweh hears his name called at pick No. 59 to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the second-to-last pick of the draft. There haven’t been a lot of mock drafts with Oweh being drafted, so this is nice to see for a guy who’s undoubtedly been the MVP of the Mark Pope era thus far in Lexington (and I selfishly hope we get to see him again playing for La Familia one day).

Be sure to check out the full projection here!

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — OG Anunoby was ruled out for Game 3 on Friday night with a strained right hamstring, but the New York Knicks forward appears to have avoided a serious injury and remained day to day in the second-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Anunoby was injured late in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, in which he scored 24 points.

The Knicks hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Anunoby was having another strong game Wednesday before appearing to suffer a leg injury and motioning to come out of the game. He went to the locker room area and did not return to the bench before the end of the Knicks’ 108-102 victory.

Anunoby is averaging 21.4 points per game in the postseason while shooting 61.9% from the field and 53.8% from 3-point range.

The 6-foot-7 Anunoby, who is considered the Knicks’ top defender, injured his hamstring two years ago in the second round as the Knicks were taking a 2-0 lead over Indiana. He missed the next four games and played just a few minutes in Game 7 as the Pacers rallied to win the series.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Greetings, Panthers fans. Welcome to your weekend.

Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the sites ToS, it’s fair game here.

You know the drill.

The Dallas Mavericks are turning to an Arizona alum to take over their franchise.

The Mavericks on Friday announced the hiring of Mike Schmitz as general manager ahead of next month’s NBA Draft. Schmitz spent the last four seasons on the Portland Trail Blazers staff after serving as a draft analyst for ESPN.

Schmitz attended the University of Arizona from 2009-12, where he covered UA athletics for the Daily Wildcat. Schmitz’s Arizona basketball beat helped showcase his eye for identifying talent, according to a 2018 profile in the Daily Wildcat.

Schmitz worked for Yahoo Sports and Draft Express before joining ESPN. He worked for the Worldwide Leader for five years, then transitioned to a front office role in Portland. He most recently served as the Trail Blazers’ assistant GM.

“Mike is one of the most respected evaluators and basketball minds in the NBA,” said Dallas president Masai Ujiri. “He brings intelligence, discipline, humility and a relentless work ethic to everything he does.”

Schmitz takes over a Mavericks franchise that a year ago won the NBA Draft Lottery, earning the rights to the No. 1 pick, which they used on Duke standout Cooper Flagg. Dallas went 26-56 this season and holds a 29% chance at receiving a top-four pick in this Sunday’s Draft Lottery.

Dallas is more likely to receive a mid-lottery pick, and some mock drafts have linked the Mavericks to Arizona guard Brayden Burries.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers return home for Game 3, facing a massive hole after dropping the first two games of the series in Detroit. With no NBA team ever coming back from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series, urgency should be at an all-time high for Cleveland on Friday night.

These Pistons vs. Cavaliers predictions are built around a bounce-back performance from James Harden and a Cavaliers team that has been dominant on its home floor throughout the playoffs.

Our best Pistons vs Cavaliers SGP for Game 3

SGP leg #1: James Harden Over 18.5 points

James Harden has been far more aggressive offensively at home, and Cleveland desperately needs that scoring punch with its season threatening to spiral. Detroit has struggled to contain downhill guards in this series, and Harden’s usage should spike in a must-win environment. Expect Cleveland to lean heavily on its stars early and often.

SGP leg #2: James Harden Over 6.5 assists

James Harden has been far more aggressive offensively at home, and Cleveland desperately needs that scoring punch with its season threatening to spiral. Detroit has struggled to contain downhill guards in this series, and Harden’s usage should spike in a must-win environment. Expect Cleveland to lean heavily on its stars early and often.

SGP leg #3: Cavaliers 4.5

The Cavaliers have failed to cover the spread in five straight road games, but they're 4-1 ATS across their last five at home. Cleveland will be playing with a major sense of urgency, looking to avoid a 3-0 hole that has never been overcome in playoff history. I expect Harden to be better, and the combination of him and Donovan Mitchell will be too much for Detroit to contain.

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See our full Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 3 preview

Get Zak Hanshew's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Pistons vs Cavaliers predictions for Game 3.

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As the series shifts to Minnesota, the Timberwolves return home looking to respond in Game 3 against the San Antonio Spurs, with our NBA player prop projections identifying several strong value spots on the board.

By breaking down the data and comparing it to the latest market lines, we’ve uncovered where the strongest betting edges lie for this pivotal matchup.

These Spurs vs. Timberwolves predictions are driven by numbers instead of guesswork.

If you’re building your card, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Friday, May 8.

Spurs vs Timberwolves computer picks for Game 3

Spurs	Timberwolves
Wembanyama o12.5 rebounds -110	Edwards u23.5 points -115
Castle o16.5 points -112	Gobert o10.5 rebounds -135
Fox o5.5 assists -105	Reid o1.5 3-pointers  -150

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Spurs Game 3 computer picks

Victor Wembanyama Over 10.5 rebounds (-110)

Projection: 13.44 rebounds

Death. Taxes. And Victor Wembanyama snatching up rebounds for the San Antonio Spurs like it's going out of style.

This one has become a staple for a reason, and there’s little indication that changes now. Expect Wemby to keep doing Wemby things and stay active on the boards.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet wembanyama Now at bet365!/span

Stephon Castle Over 16.5 points (-112)

Projection: 17.18 points

Stephon Castle has been operating like a well-oiled machine throughout the playoffs, especially against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He’s shot 50% or better in both Game 1 and Game 2 against Minnesota and has cleared his points prop in each outing.

With that level of consistency, there’s little reason to expect the trend to slow down anytime soon.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet castle Now at bet365!/span

De'Aaron Fox Over 5.5 assists (-105)

Projection: 6.18 assists

De’Aaron Fox has cleared this assists line in five of the Spurs’ last seven playoff games, reinforcing how effective San Antonio is when he’s setting the table and keeping them within striking distance — or outright in control.

Playmaking is built into Fox’s game, and he’s not likely to drift away from what makes him most effective.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet fox Now at bet365!/span

---

Timberwolves Game 3 computer picks

Anthony Edwards Under 23.5 points (-115)

Projection: 20.95 points

The Timberwolves are taking a cautious approach with Anthony Edwards’ health, making it no surprise that his points prop is leaning toward the Under.

While he’d undoubtedly like to bounce back and help erase the disappointment from Game 2, Minnesota’s priority is keeping his minutes in check to avoid aggravating his knee issue and risking further setback.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet edwards Now at bet365!/span

Rudy Gobert Over 10.5 rebounds (-135)

Projection: 11.56 rebounds

Rudy Gobert has been right on the edge of this rebounds line, grabbing 10 boards in both Games 1 and 2 against the Spurs.

With the Timberwolves looking to respond in Game 3, he should have another strong opportunity on the glass—and this time, it feels like he finally breaks through and hits the Over.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet gobert Now at bet365!/span

Naz Reid Over 1.5 3-pointers

Projection: 2.04 3-pointers

Naz Reid has been knocking down threes at a hot clip against the Spurs, shooting 67% in Game 1 and 75% in Game 2.

He’s consistently been good for at least one or two triples throughout the playoffs, and with the series shifting back to Minnesota, there’s little reason to expect that trend to slow down now. He'll do enough from beyond the arc to clear the Over in Game 3.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet reid Now at bet365!/span

How to watch Spurs vs Timberwolves Game 3

Location	Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Date	Friday, May 8, 2026
Tip-off	9:30 p.m. ET
TV	Prime Video

Not intended for use in MA.
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With free agency still more than a month away, teams already eliminated from the postseason are putting together their big boards. Targets they’re interested in. Assets they have available. Ways to start piecing together the puzzle that will become the 2026-27 Phoenix Suns roster.

We all have our theories about who the Suns should add, who they could add, and how they can make the money work. At the same time, the front office is building its own board. And according to reports, two names on that list are players still active in the postseason. Two players who bring very similar traits.

Per Clutch Points reporter Brett Siegel, the Suns have been linked to Dean Wade of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Harrison Barnes of the San Antonio Spurs.

Both players are power forwards who can stretch the floor. Neither gives you much interior size, still, both provide a real presence from beyond the arc.

Harrison Barnes will be 34 next season and entering his 13th year in the league. He’s coming off his second season with the San Antonio Spurs and made $19 million last year. San Antonio does hold his Bird rights if they want to bring him back. Given the youth movement happening there, it’s hard to see them spending heavily to retain Barnes at this stage.

Dean Wade is interesting for different reasons. He’s 29 years old with six seasons of NBA experience, all spent with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He’s finishing up a three-year, $18.5 million contract. Cleveland is operating over the second apron, which means tough business decisions are coming. They also hold Wade’s Bird rights, still, retaining him could become difficult depending on how aggressive they want to be financially.

So the question becomes, what is their value on the open market? And is it something the Phoenix Suns would be willing to pay?

There are other factors involved as well. If the Suns move off either Grayson Allen or Royce O’Neale, or both, then Dean Wade becomes a much more intriguing target. You don’t want to overpay for him, still, he could replicate parts of the outgoing skill set while giving you more size in the process.

Harrison Barnes is different for me. On a veteran minimum deal, sure. Beyond that, I’m not interested at this point.

Given the fact that Phoenix will probably operate on the fringes instead of chasing splashy trades, these are the kinds of names you should expect them to be tied to. Moving off Allen or O’Neale is realistic, and doing so could open different ways to improve around the margins. You still have to replace what those players provide.

Wade shot 36.2% from three this season. Barnes shot 38.8%. Both are complementary pieces that can help in spot starts and rotational roles. The question becomes role expectation. They’re unrestricted free agents. Maybe they want more. Maybe they want starting opportunities, similar to what Tyus Jones once sought in Phoenix.

That’s where restraint matters. If starting promises are part of the pitch, the Suns should pass. You already have Rasheer Fleming sitting there. He should be getting starts at power forward next season, not veterans born during the Bush administration.

That’s my two cents. Let us know in the comments how you feel about the Suns being linked to these two players.

DALLAS (AP) — The Dallas Mavericks hired Mike Schmitz as general manager on Friday, naming the Portland Trail Blazers' assistant GM to his new role three days after introducing Masai Ujiri as team president and alternate governor.

The announcement gives Schmitz the title Nico Harrison held until he was fired in November, nine months after trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a move that backfired badly on the franchise.

The Mavericks said Schmitz would oversee day-to-day management and strategic alignment in the club's basketball operations department.

The move comes with Dallas still not having provided any clarity on the future roles of Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi. They were named co-interim GMs when Harrison was fired and engineered the trade of Anthony Davis, the centerpiece acquired by Dallas in the Doncic deal, to Washington.

Schmitz and the Nigerian-raised Ujiri have strong ties to Africa. Schmitz has spent time working on youth basketball development in Ujiri's homeland and has served as an assistant coach with the Ugandan national team.

Schmitz joined the Trail Blazers in 2022 after spending five years as a draft analyst at ESPN.

“I have tremendous respect for Masai, this ownership group and the vision they have for the future of the franchise,” Schmitz said. “I'm excited to get to work alongside the talented people already in place and help build a championship-caliber organization.”

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

The San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves meet in Game 3 of their Western Conference semifinals series. The teams split the first two games in San Antonio. Game 3 is in Minneapolis. The Spurs are favored by 4.5 points. The over/under for the matchup is set at 216.5.

How to watch San Antonio Spurs vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

• Date: Friday, May 8

• Time: 9:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. PT

• Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota

• TV Channels: Amaz

• Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Odds

• Spread: Minnesota Timberwolves +4.5

• Moneyline: Minnesota Timberwolves +165 (36.2%) / San Antonio Spurs -198 (63.8%)

• Over/Under: 216.5

Series schedule, results

Game 1:Timberwolves 104, Spurs 102
Game 2:Spurs 133, Timberwolves 95
Game 3: San Antonio at Minnesota (Friday May 8, 9:30 ET, Prime Video)
Game 4: San Antonio at Minnesota (Sunday May 10, 7:30 ET, NBC/Peacock)
Game 5: Minnesota at San Antonio (Tuesday May 12)*
Game 6: San Antonio at Minnesota (Friday May 15)*
Game 7: Minnesota at San Antonio (Sunday May 17)*

The game of basketball can be complex. But often, its solutions can be simple. For the Lakers, there are two things they consistently haven’t been able to do this postseason: grab rebounds and control the basketball.

Against Houston in the first round, they eventually won the battle of the boards as the series progressed, but now in the second round, the Thunder are winning in this department.

Across two games, OKC has outrebounded Los Angeles 76-71. Turnovers have been even more concerning. The Lakers lead the playoffs in turnovers, averaging 18.1 per game. In their Game 2 loss, the Lakers had 21 turnovers, and the Thunder scored 26 points off them.

“You can start seeing some trends here,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said postgame. “We probably need to go back to the two keys we had against Houston which is take care of the ball and box out. It’s not on a high volume, but they’ve killed us in both games. Every time they’ve gotten an offensive rebound, they’ve scored.”

If you give the Thunder additional opportunities, they will make you pay. OKC leads the NBA in 2nd chance points, averaging 18 per game in the playoffs. Against the Lakers, that number has increased to 19. With LA struggling to take care of the ball and unable to retain possession on misses, it’s no surprise they are down 2-0 in this series.

“I think tonight, we did a good job with our first defense, but we have to clean glass,” LeBron James said. “We have to do a better job. We let Chet get some offensive rebounds and some putbacks, either get to the free throw line or some putbacks. [Against] a team like that, you can’t give up second-chance points. We did a great job in the Houston series as the series went on of being better at that. We got to do a better job of hitting and not allowing them to get second-chance points. When you’re able to hold a team like that to a first stop, I think we can get better at that.”

Before this series started, LeBron mentioned a need to take care of the details. In Game 1, the Lakers all agreed that it didn’t happen. Now, after Game 2, the chatter after the loss is more of the same.

So far, the Lakers haven’t been able to execute on all phases of a game for four quarters. The reason is a combination of the Lakers not taking care of things and the Thunder making that happen. This is a tough matchup for the Lakers. OKC is the favorite to win it all and hasn’t shown any cracks in its armor.

It’s up to the Lakers to create them, and that starts with controlling what they can control. In Game 3, they need to grab those boards and be smarter with the basketball. If not, they’ll be one step closer to elimination.

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

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Down 2-0 to their Central Division rivals, the Cleveland Cavaliers head home looking to gain some momentum and earn a much-needed win over the Detroit Pistons.

James Harden stunk it up in Game 2's loss, but my Pistons vs. Cavaliers predictions look for the superstar guard to get back on track in front of the home crowd.

Here are my best free NBA picks for Saturday’s Game 3 from Rocket Arena.

Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 3 prediction

Pistons vs Cavaliers best bet: James Harden Over 18.5 points (-120)

James Harden delivered a dud in Game 2, scoring 10 points on just 3-of-13 shooting while failing to do much as a rebounder or facilitator. He’s been hounded with a reputation for flopping in the playoffs throughout his career, and I expect him to respond with a bounce-back effort in Game 3.

Harden is averaging 19.6 points per game in the playoffs, and he’s scored 19+ in five of nine outings. He’s reached that scoring milestone in 21 of 35 games with the Cleveland Cavaliersoverall and in nine of 16 at home. He finished with exactly 18 points in three more home appearances.

The superstar guard has averaged 22.8 points at home compared to just 17 on the road in his first postseason run with Cleveland, scoring at least 18 in all four games at Rocket Arena and at least 19 three times.

It’s do-or-die time for Cleveland, and with the series - and his reputation - on the line, I’m betting on a big game from Harden.

COVERS INTEL:James Harden has scored 19+ points in 112 of 182 career playoff games, good for 61.5%.

Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 3 same-game parlay

Harden has averaged 7.2 assists across 35 appearances with the Cavaliers, and he's dished at least seven dimes 23 times. Harden finished with exactly seven assists in four of five matchups against the Detroit Pistons this season, failing to do so only in his disappointing Game 2 performance.

The Cavaliers have failed to cover the spread in five straight road games, but they're 4-1 ATS across their last five at home. Cleveland will be playing with a major sense of urgency, looking to avoid a 3-0 hole that has never been overcome in playoff history.

I expect Harden to be better, and the combination of him and Donovan Mitchell will be too much for Detroit to contain.

Pistons vs Cavaliers SGP

• James Harden Over 18.5 points
• James Harden Over 6.5 assists
• Cavaliers -4.5

Pistons vs Cavaliers betting trend to know

The Cleveland Cavaliers have covered the spread in four of their last five home games. Find more NBA betting trends for Pistons vs. Cavaliers.

How to watch Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 3

Pistons vs Cavaliers latest injuries

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The Dallas Mavericks made something of a surprising hire on Friday after welcoming Masai Ujiri in as president of basketball operations and alternate governor in a press conference on Tuesday.

The Mavericks announced that Mike Schmitz will be the team’s next general manager, working under Ujiri. All of a sudden, the uncertainty surrounding Ujiri’s titles, neither of which were “general manager,” becomes a little clearer.

Schmitz comes to Dallas from the Portland Trail Blazers, where he has served as assistant GM since 2022. He is widely regarded as a keen talent evaluator. Shams Charania of ESPN first reported the news.

Schmitz worked as an NBA Draft analyst for ESPN before the Blazers hired him in 2022. Portland’s picks during Schmitz’s tenure in the Trail Blazers’ front office include Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson, Kris Murray, Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen.

Schmitz was suspended for two weeks without pay by the NBA in April after the team self-reported that Schmitz and his fellow co-general manager, Sergio Oliva, made illegal contact with Yang in 2023, two years before the youngster from China was eventually drafted by the team. The NBA fined the Blazers $100,000 for that self-reported violation.

In Dallas, Schmitz will “oversee the day-to-day management and strategic alignment of the Mavericks’ basketball operations department,” according to a press release from the Mavericks’ PR machine. His experience across both domestic and international ball-knowing landscapes make him a unique fit under Ujiri, who also specializes in procuring talent from overseas.

“Mike is one of the most respected evaluators and basketball minds in the NBA,” Ujiri said in the release. “He brings intelligence, discipline, humility and a relentless work ethic to everything he does. Just as importantly, he understands how to build an aligned, collaborative culture across every part of a basketball organization. We are building something special in Dallas, and Mike will be a major part of that vision.”

At least part of Schmitz’ quote in the release will be of interest to those fans wondering what the move means for Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi, who served as co-interim general managers for most of the 2025-26 season, following the highly satisfying ouster of former GM Nico Harrison.

“Joining the Dallas Mavericks is an incredible opportunity,” Schmitz said in the release. “I have tremendous respect for Masai, this ownership group and the vision they have for the future of this franchise. I’m excited to get to work alongside the talented people already in place and help build a championship-caliber organization.” 

Finley and Riccardi are net positives in the front office, even if they didn’t have the juice to squeeze the GM seat in the end. The fact that Schmitz acknowledged “the talented people already in place” may bode well for Fincardi’s future with the organization. NBA insider Marc Stein reported on Friday after Schmitz’ hiring that Riccardi is still planning to attend Sunday’s NBA Draft Lottery, representing the Mavericks off-camera.

Schmitz has worked as an assistant coach for the Ugandan national team since 2018 and traveled around the globe as a scout for DraftExpress since 2012. Schmitz worked as a video coordinator for the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA G League during the 2012-13 season. He is a 2012 graduate of the University of Arizona.

The New York Knicks will try to take a commanding 3-0 lead over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series. The Knicks won the first two games. The 76ers are favored by 1.5 points in Game 3. Joel Embiid is listed as questionable for Game 3.

How to watch New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers

• Date: Friday, May 8

• Time: 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT

• Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• TV Channels: Amazon

• Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Odds

• Spread: Philadelphia 76ers -1.5

• Moneyline: Philadelphia 76ers -121 (52.4%) / New York Knicks +101 (47.6%)

• Over/Under: 213.5Series schedule, results

Game 1:Knicks 137, 76ers 98
Game 2:Knicks 108, 76ers 102
Game 3: New York at Philadelphia (Friday May 8, 7 ET, Prime Video)
Game 4: New York at Philadelphia (Sunday May 10, 3:30 ET, ABC)
Game 5: Philadelphia at New York (Tuesday May 12)*
Game 6: New York at Philadelphia (Thursday May 14)*
Game 7: Philadelphia at New York (Sunday May 17)*

*if necessary