Category: Basketball

Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara played a pivotal role in head coach Dusty May and the Michigan Wolverines winning the national championship this season. Now, after successful first years in Ann Arbor, both big men have important decisions to make in the next month or so.

Mara and Johnson — along with fellow Wolverine Yaxel Lendeborg — are projected to be first-round picks in this summer’s NBA Draft. Mara is projected to be selected in the late portion of the lottery, while Johnson is expected to go in the late part of the first round.

The goal for all guys that enter the NBA Draft is to receive a guaranteed contract. If you are selected in the first round, you will receive a guaranteed contract for two years; the remaining two years after that are controlled by the team. The higher you get picked, the more money you make.

Turning down the NBA isn’t easy, but Johnson recently told NBC5 in Chicago he wouldn’t mind doing it if that’s what’s best for him.

“There’s no rush because if I can’t get (a guaranteed contract) this year, I know I can get it next year, and I have no issue coming back to Michigan and trying to repeat,” Johnson said.

#Michigan PF Morez Johnson and his decision to either stay or go to the NBA via NBC Chicago:

“There’s no rush because if I can’t get a (guarantee NBA contract this year), I know I can get it next year. I have no issue with coming back to Michigan and trying to repeat.” pic.twitter.com/7KVZO6af5l

— Brice Marich (@BriceMarich) April 11, 2026

Johnson is ESPN’s No. 27 overall prospect on their big board this year. Just for the sake of example, let’s say 27 overall is exactly where he goes in this year’s draft. The 27th overall pick last year was former Wolverine Danny Wolf. According to Spotrac, Wolf is making $2,801,280 as a first-year NBA player. Let’s say the number goes up slightly this year and is right at $2.9 million.

With all that information in mind, the question then becomes whether or not Michigan would be able to match or exceed the $2.9 million, bring Johnson back for one more year and help raise his draft stock. Michigan isn’t a poor program by any means, so it wouldn’t be surprising if that scenario were to be reality. I’m sure May and his staff wouldn’t mind having a veteran big man that has experience in the system back in Ann Arbor.

Meanwhile, in a separate interview with a Spanish media outlet, Mara was speaking as if he already had his mind made up as far as declaring for the draft. But it also sounds like he will retain his collegiate eligibility just in case.

“There’s still the whole summer ahead, during which I have to prepare for the draft, talk to teams, train with teams, and see what position I’ll play,” Mara said. “I’m lucky enough to be able to decide what to do; both options are good, whether I stay or leave.”

May already has an insurance policy in the event that one or both big men leave for the draft, as the Wolverines acquired the commitment of former Tennessee center J.P. Estrella on Thursday. However, getting one or both of Johnson and Mara to come back would be incredible for Michigan’s chances of going back-to-back.

At this point, I expect both of them to declare for the draft while retaining their college eligibility. Mara seems more likely than Johnson to stay in the draft, but both of them very well could be ready to move on regardless of where they end up getting selected. The deadline to withdraw from the draft is May 27, so there is a lot of time between now and then for the Michigan big men to finalize their plans.

What do you think Mara and Johnson will do? Go to the NBA? Return to Michigan? Let me know what you think down in the comments section below!

If he stays he would be trouble (for the opponents).

If he goes it might be double (carrying the UNC torch brightly into the NBA).

First off: this is not a question about what’s best for Caleb. Everyone has him as a top five pick in the NBA, and I genuinely believe he could rise as high as #2. Darius Acuff brings serious defensive concerns. Darryn Peterson has created mental health concerns. Cameron Boozer has NBA execs wondering about his positional versatility and inability to play above the rim. AJ Dybantsa seems the clear #1 at this point, but Wilson’s combination of size, athleticism, basketball IQ, and intangibles has GMs salivating. What does the 2nd pick in the NBA draft deliver? $25,000,000 guaranteed over the first two years with another $30,000,000 in the following two years, which are team optional. It’s best for Caleb to go to the draft right now.

But let’s get selfish for a moment and think about this in terms of what’s best for UNC.

If Caleb comes back, he brings star power and an on-court presence UNC could build a champion around. He’d probably be one of the headline players all off-season, the projected top pick in next year’s draft. He’d be taking a legit shot at “legend” both at UNC and within the college game. On the flip side, he’d also consume a massive amount of NIL on next season’s roster, and he’d risk the dreaded sophomore slump. Can you imagine UNC fans ranting about Coach Malone if Wilson wasn’t going for 25 and 12 every game? I can.

If Caleb goes to the NBA, he’d be the first Tar Heel to go in the top 5 since Marvin Harrison and Raymond Felton in 2005. Caleb oozes UNC positivity and can’t stop talking about how much he loves Chapel Hill and Tar Heel basketball. Carrying that energy into the draft and his rookie season would be proof of concept that UNC basketball can nurture an exceptional talent and propel them to the game’s heights, while also delivering an authentic college experience beyond the court. Caleb didn’t live in a basketball bubble at UNC, divorced from real student life. He soaked it all in.

What a walking, talking billboard for UNC in the pro game, something it’s lacked for awhile now.

So, how do you see it? Let us know in the comments below.

This has been a fascinating NBA season in many aspects, but especially when it comes to the various awards races. Despite the regular season being almost complete, a handful of the biddings for these categories are coming down to the wire.

This year’s Sixth Man of the Year discussion is no exception. In most years, we usually have a pretty obvious candidate. However, this go around, injuries have forced some of the best bench guys to start too many games to qualify (i.e., Payton Pritchard). 

With this said, the race has narrowed to two main candidates: Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Keldon Johnson. According to popular sportsbooks like FanDuel, they are the only two players with realistic odds of taking home the crown. 

But which of these two gentlemen is most deserving of the award? Let’s take a look at the numbers.

The Box Score

Raw counting stats favor Jaquez. This season, he boasts a higher PPG, APG, and stocks (steals and blocks) per game, and his RPG (5.1) are nearly identical to that of Johnson (5.4). However, Jaime also plays nearly five more minutes per contest than Johnson, so it isn’t necessarily fair to compare these two without adjusting for playing time.

To do this, we will look at points per 75 possessions, rebounding rates (both offensive and defensive), assist rate, and stock rate. We also need to factor in efficiency. So, true shooting percentage is also included in the chart below:

When you look at it this way, Johnson is the superior scorer and rebounder, and he’s managing this higher scoring output on better efficiency. However, Jaquez’s role within the Miami Heat offense asks him to do a lot more creating for himself (his unassisted field goal rate is 14.7% higher than Johnson’s) and his teammates. 

Jaquez’s steal/block rate is also higher than Johnson’s, but only by a slight margin, and that may be explained by the fact that the Heat tend to be a more aggressive defense than the San Antonio Spurs in general (Miami’s opponent turnover rate is 1.3% higher).

The Advanced Stats

As many of you know by now, the box score hardly ever tells the full story – even when you adjust for pace. A player’s numbers are only as good as their impact on winning, and history is littered with empty-calorie stat sheet stuffers (I’m looking at you Cam Thomas). 

Dunks & Threes’ Estimated Plus-Minus is widely-viewed as the best publicly-available one-number metric because it incorporates tracking data. EPM gives Johnson the edge, as he ranks in the 73rd percentile leaguewide while Jaquez sits at just the 59th percentile.

But again, we need to add more context. One number metrics are limited to measuring how good a particular player is on their particular team. And as we’ve already established, Jaquez is generally asked to do more for the Heat than Johnson is for the Spurs, so he has more to live up to as far as impact metrics go. 

So, we also need to point out how each team fares when these two wings are on the floor. When it comes to pure on-court rating, Johnson laps Jaquez (see chart below), which makes sense because Johnson plays on the far superior team (the Spurs have 20 more wins than the Heat).

That is why we also need to include on/off data (how well a team does when you are on the floor compared to when you are on the bench) to this analysis. Based on this, the Heat are better with Jaquez on the floor, while the Spurs are actually better when Johnson is on the bench.

Historical Precedent

History tells us that to win 6MOY of the year you absolutely need to be able to score the ball and you generally need to be on a good team. Since 2001-02, every player who has won the 6MOY award has averaged at least 13 PPG. In that same span of time, 19 of those 24 players (79.2%) played for teams that finished in the top four in their conference. The key exceptions to that last stipulation are Lou Williams (twice), Jason Terry (2008-09), Mike Miller (2005-06), and Antawn Jamison (2003-04), who all still played on teams that made the playoffs.

Both of these guys clear the 13 PPG threshold (although, in Johnson’s case, just barely). But Johnson has a clear edge as far as team success goes. His Spurs are one of the favorites to take home the NBA title, and they currently sit at second in the loaded Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Heat will need some play-in magic (maybe even against Orlando) to qualify for the postseason. 

So, while they both are deserving of the recognition, it seems that history favors Johnson.

The stats in this story were updated before Friday’s games.

April 12th is the last day of the regular season and then the Spurs have a couple of days off before they begin the first round of the playoffs.

What to do, what to do? How about meeting Devin Vassell?

On Monday, April 13th, Spurs swingman Devin Vassell will be making a guest appearance at Panda Express at 7979 Bandera Road.

From noon until 2PM, fans can meet Vassell while trying Panda Express’ new spicy dish – Dynamite Sweet & Sour Chicken.

There will be a photo booth, DJ, prize wheel, and an appearance by Pei Pei, the Panda Express mascot.

Make sure to get there early as these events typically have long lines.

---

Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.

Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.

The Wizards lost to the Miami Heat last night but got strong performances from Bilal Coulibaly and Bub Carrington. The final tally was 140-117 — the third time this season the Heat scored 140 or more against the Wizards.

The shellacking was Washington’s 28th loss by 20 or more points this season. I might believe that number was made up except I watched virtually every minute of them.

The Miami Heat broadcast had some interesting tidbits about the Wizards. Like:

• The Wizards have the NBA’s worst overall record. They also have the worst record at home and on the road. Quite the triple crown.
• It’s Washington’s third straight season with fewer than 20 wins.
• Washington has used 50 different starting lineups in their 81 games so far this season.

Washington getting stomped by the Heat was inevitable. As has been chronicled extensively, the Wizards want to lose to maximize their Draft Lottery odds. Miami wanted to win to improve their position in the NBA’s play-in games. The Wizards set their lineups and minutes distribution accordingly.

While the Wizards received a thorough butt kicking, there were some positives — Coulibaly, Carrington, and Brian Keefe.

Coulibaly was a classic “tough cover” — 25 points in 22 minutes, 5 rebounds, 5 assists. His usage rate was an astronomical 38.6% and his offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) was 145. That’s a great game.

Carrington had trouble missing shots — 11-15 from the floor, 6-7 from three — en route to 30 points in 34 minutes. He even tossed some accurate lobs, including one to Anthony Gill.

As for Keefe, I’ve liked a lot of what I’ve seen schematically from Keefe this season, at least when the Wizards actually run sets as designed. Last night, there were a number of really clever and well-designed actions on display.

• First quarter, 6:26 — A simple (but effective) “get action.” Carrington passed the ball to JuJu Reese, then ran straight to him for a dribble hand off (DHO). It gave him a wide open three. This is a very old basketball play, and it endures because it works.
• First quarter, 5:32 — Carrington passed to Coulibaly on the wing and runs down to the corner in a classic clearout cut. Coulibaly passed the ball to Reese out top, and then immediately turned and set a pin down screen for Carrington, who sprinted all the way out to Reese at the top for a DHO and a wide open three. I love this play for a few reasons, including how it uses defender assumptions against him (when Carrington cleared out, his defender relaxed just a little because that cleared out guy is usually out of the play at that point). And it gave Carrington an open look from a favorite spot.
• Second quarter, 9:03 — This one was super smart. Miami went zone and Carrington made a normal baseline cut. He emerged on the weak side and came up to the wing. Completely normal action. Except, Will Riley made a similar cut behind him — trailing him to the weak side but going to the corner. The weak side defender picked up Carrington and followed him to the wing. That left Riley undefended in the corner where he got a wide open three-point attempt on the swing pass. He missed, but this is great play design.
• Third quarter, 9:28 — One of my favorite plays of the night — I’m calling it a horizontal Spain pick-and-roll. So, in a Spain pnr, a second screener comes into the action to screen for the original screener. Keefe and the Wizards turned it on its side. In this version, Carrington screened for Coulibaly and then cleared only to double back over a Reese screen into a wide open three from the top.

All this is to say, I’m looking forward to seeing what Keefe and the Wizards coaching staff can do when they’re playing to win.

Four Factors

Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).

The four factors are measured by:

• eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
• OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
• TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
• FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)

FOUR FACTORS	HEAT	WIZARDS	LGAVG
eFG%	72.0%	57.6%	54.5%
OREB%	30.0%	16.2%	26.0%
TOV%	17.6%	12.7%	12.7%
FTM/FGA	0.268	0.120	0.207
PACE	102		99.3
ORTG	137	115	115.7

Stats & Metrics

PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).

PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.

POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.

ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is listed in the Four Factors table above. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.

USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%. Median so far this season is 17.7%.

ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.

+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 115, the league — on average — would produced 23.0 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -3.0.

Players are sorted by total production in the game.

WIZARDS	MIN	POSS	ORTG	USG	+PTS	PPA	+/-
Bilal Coulibaly	22	47	145	38.6%	5.4	307	3
Bub Carrington	34	72	158	23.7%	7.3	200	-2
Sharife Cooper	21	45	179	16.5%	4.7	201	-19
Julian Reese	37	78	111	12.8%	-0.5	67	-11
Anthony Gill	35	75	122	10.1%	0.5	38	-20
Will Riley	28	60	81	28.7%	-5.9	6	-30
Jamir Watkins	31	66	70	16.1%	-4.8	2	-25
Leaky Black	32	67	60	20.5%	-7.6	-52	-11

HEAT	MIN	POSS	ORTG	USG	+PTS	PPA	+/-	zip
Simone Fontecchio	27	57	204	17.7%	8.9	326	3	2
Bam Adebayo	38	82	132	19.2%	2.6	160	22	7
Jaime Jaquez Jr.	36	77	137	21.7%	3.6	161	24	7
Kasparas Jakucionis	31	66	149	16.9%	3.7	179	22	5
Kel’el Ware	22	46	188	14.1%	4.7	215	-1	1
Pelle Larsson	27	56	128	32.7%	2.3	132	17	8
Andrew Wiggins	23	49	108	25.5%	-0.9	80	5	7
Keshad Johnson	30	63	102	14.4%	-1.2	58	23	5
Vladislav Goldin	1	3		0.0%	0.0	0	0	0
Trevor Keels	1	3		0.0%	0.0	0	0	0
Jahmir Young	1	3	62	34.6%	-0.5	-103	0	1
Myron Gardner	3	7	0	15.3%	-1.2	-421	0	1

Neemias Queta’s first season as a full-time starting center for the Boston Celtics has gone according to plan, as teammates have already begun rallying around his campaign for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award.

In the third quarter of Friday night’s 144-118 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, he drew the loudest crowd reaction of the night. Queta set a screen for Jaylen Brown and hovered around the perimeter as Brown drove and kicked the ball out to Jordan Walsh. Walsh then passed up the three and tossed it back to Queta, who sank his first-career 3-pointer, sending both TD Garden and Boston’s bench into a frenzy.

Luka Garza and Ron Harper Jr. stood up with both arms in the air. Nikola Vučević raised three fingers, and Queta returned the gesture.

“Buttery. It was buttery,” Sam Hauser told reporters, per CLNS Media. “It was smooth.”

There was no bounce off the rim. No help from the backboard. Just a clean, nothing-but-net make from the 7-footer.

We know you want to see this 😁👌 pic.twitter.com/EaLYBSAlba

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 11, 2026

Queta missed his first seven attempts this season after missing three last season. In his first three seasons — two with the Sacramento Kings and his first with Boston — he didn’t attempt a single 3-pointer. Still, during his first year with the Celtics, Queta routinely worked on his 3-point shot with the team’s stay-ready group while serving as a backup to Kristaps Porziņģis and Al Horford. That pregame work carried over into his transition to a starting role this season, with teammates eagerly awaiting his moment.

“He was pretty excited about that one,” Hauser said. “We were pretty excited for him. But he’s done a great job all year, gotten better and better and better, and really shown why he’s a starting five in this league and on our team. And I think his name should be in the running for Most Improved Player. He’s come up big for us a lot this year, and we’re gonna need for him to continue that.”

Giving the Celtics a 99-58 lead, Queta helped the team accomplish two feats: clinching the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and tying the NBA’s record for 3-pointers made in a game (29). Although Boston fell short of breaking the record, the C’s became the only team in history to reach that mark twice, doing so for the second time in two seasons.

Boston shot 49.2 percent, making 29-of-59 attempts against New Orleans.

Queta finished with seven points, 10 rebounds, and two assists in 13 minutes. He attempted only three shots, draining each one, and checked out with 5:48 remaining in the third quarter. His lone block made Queta the first player in Celtics history to record 100 blocks, 600 rebounds, and 60 steals in a season since Robert Parish (1990-91).

“That’s cool,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters, per CLNS Media. “Again, those are little things that are important because you see the work that the guys put in. And again, the responsibility, the ownership of a guy taking on being the starting center for the Celtics. So for him to be able to achieve that is great, and just his work and his attention to detail defensively.

“There’s a ton of pressure in our system on the bigs. They have to do everything on both ends of the floor, and he relishes that opportunity. That’s cool. I’m glad he got that, and he’s getting better and better.”

This season, Queta has averaged career highs in points (10.3), rebounds (8.3), assists (1.7), and blocks (1.3). He’s made 75 starts for the Celtics, leads the East in screen assists (272), and ranks sixth in net rating (12.9) — first among centers in the East and third among all centers league-wide, behind Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren.

“He just impacts the game in so many ways,” Vučević told reporters, per CLNS Media. “Some of those things don’t even show up in the stat sheet, but they matter a lot to us.”

Queta is among the most underrated centers in the league, due in large part to recency bias. Last season, he barely cracked Boston’s playoff rotation, logging just four minutes in the first round against the Orlando Magic and nine minutes in the conference semifinals against the New York Knicks behind Porziņģis, Horford, and Luke Kornet. The opportunity wasn’t there for Queta to make an impression — which, if anything, should strengthen his Most Improved Player case.

When the front office parted ways with three of the team’s primary rotation bigs, the pressure was on Queta from day one. He’s made the most of that long-awaited opportunity, transforming himself from what team president of basketball operations Brad Stevens described on Media Day as “unproven” into a legitimate NBA starting center.

For the first 62 games of the year, part of the reason the Celtics survived without Jayson Tatum was Queta.

“I hope he’s up for it and I hope he gets it,” Mazzulla said. “He deserves it. And to me, obviously as a player, but more so what it means to do it for the Celtics, I think, goes a long way, and where he’s been on his journey in the NBA. But also his journey with us in our organization.”

Mazzulla is adamant that Queta should become the first Celtic ever to win the award since its introduction in 1985-86.

“He should seriously be considered that,” Mazzulla added, “because of where he was and where he is now, and we wouldn’t be in that position without him.”

If the Utah Jazz were fined $500,000 for suspected tanking in a game that they won, Adam Silver had better be aligning the crosshairs of his catastrophic death laser (every NBA commissioner has had one since Larry O’Brien had his commissioned back in ‘83) directly at the Memphis Grizzlies. If Utah’s tanking was worth half a million dollars, there’s no rationalizing that what the Grizzlies displayed in Salt Lake City Friday night isn’t worthy of capital punishment.

I mean, come on. Memphis played just six players in the Delta Center this fateful evening, none of whom would be recognizable to your father, who has watched every Jazz game since 1992. They wouldn’t be recognizable to the freakiest of basketball freaks, save for maybe Dariq Whitehead, who played at Duke a few seasons ago, but more recently played a team-low 24 minutes before an SLC crowd.

One could argue that Utah’s response of playing just seven deep on the depth chart is practically just as egregious as their visitors’ transgression, but that argument collapses like a paper cup on its fifth refill when you take into account the point differential; Utah by 46. A 147-101 final in the Delta Center’s season finale.

In what many called the “Tanking Super Bowl” in the hours leading up to tip-off, this end-of-season matchup between the Utah Jazz (22-59, 15th in West) and the Memphis Grizzlies (25-56, 12th in West) should have been entirely irrelevant — and in a lot of ways, it was — but Utah entered this meeting still holding to the hope of snatching the third-best NBA Draft lottery odds away from the Brooklyn Nets. The Grizzlies are fighting for every inch and praying to secure the sixth-worst odds from Dallas, while Utah is in a tug-of-war with the league’s most destitute franchise, hilariously dubbed the Kings. Thank heaven Sacramento messed around and beat Golden State tonight, or else there’d be some real panic in Utah’s front office.

The TANKING SUPER BOWL Tonight! 😂

An entire season of hard work comes down to this. #TakeNotepic.twitter.com/unROt07tIn

— Matt Sanchez (@_MattSanchez) April 10, 2026

But after the Nets nobly fell upon their swords against Milwaukee, the Jazz remained out of reach of a top-3 selection, even if they didn’t dismantle the unrecognizable Memphis Grizzlies (That’s right: the NBA’s poster boy for the tanking epidemic isn’t even in the top three of the practice’s worst offenders, so log that away).

And when I call the Grizzlies unrecognizable, I mean that in complete sincerity. With 15 — count ‘em — fifteen Grizzlies listed on the injury report, not even former Jazzmen Walter Clayton Jr or Taylor Hendricks were available for Memphis’ visit to Salt Lake City. Apologies to those hoping to see our brothers in action.

No, Utah didn’t want to win this basketball game; they’ve got a gawk-worthy receipt to prove their dedication. Unfortunately, it takes two to tank, and Utah’s reserves proved far more formidable than their visitors. Two franchises working in opposite directions, the Jazz hope to compete in the Western Conference Play-Offs around this time next season. Memphis expects to float in deliberate obscurity for the foreseeable future.

These directional differences could not have been more apparent in Utah’s win Friday night. From the tip, Utah crushed the Grizzlies in what was anticipated to be one of the late season’s great tank-offs. But Utah proved to exist in an entirely different realm, scoring 110 points and leading by 26 at the end of the third quarter.

The scoring differential nearly doubled by the end of the fourth.

Yeesh.

Utah won in every quarter of this game, and never scored fewer than 33 points in a 12-minute frame. It’s almost no wonder that this team made NBA history tonight with perhaps two of the three least meaningful triple-doubles since the stat began being tracked. Add John Konchar (former Grizzly) and recent multi-year signee Bez Mbeng (former Ivy Leaguer) to the all-time list of NBA triple-doubles, as both players posted their remarkable stat lines from Will Hardy’s bench.

First teammates in NBA history to record a triple-double off the bench in the same game:

Bez Mbeng:
27 PTS
11 REB
11 AST

John Konchar:
11 PTS
11 REB
10 AST

Jazz beat the Grizzlies 147-101. pic.twitter.com/ljWkbKghhH

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) April 11, 2026

Memphis had a triple-double man of their own, Jahmai Mashack. If you bet any amount of money on that man to post such a stat line before tip-off, you may never have to work another day in your life.

So the Jazz won (or lost?) the Tanking Super Bowl. Big whoop. At the moment, they’re a coin flip away from the fifth-best odds to get the number-one overall pick, but need I remind you all that the NBA Draft Lottery’s flattened odds are not and have never been friendly to the worst record. Since the initial change in 2019, the worst record in the NBA has never walked away from the lottery with the winning ticket. Dallas jumped 10 spots last year. Atlanta jumped 9 in the year before.

Before you panic about winning tank-offs, remember that all the Jazz can do is put themselves in contention. It’s all random, and Adam Silver was never going to let Utah have the first pick, anyway.

---

Calvin Barrett is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. He has covered the NBA and College Sports since 2024.

After a gut-wrenching loss to the Knicks on Thursday, the Celtics turned Game #81 into a three-point exhibition, tying their own record for 29 triples in a game and beating the Pelicans 144-118. Jaylen Brown was efficient (but with too many turnovers), Nikola Vucevic stayed on track, Sam Hauser caught fire, and we got to see Luka Garza and Hugo Gonzalez grace the parquet after falling out of the rotation.

With the blowout, Boston officially clinches the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference, but they’ll have to wait to see how the Play-In Tournament plays out next week; they’ll face the winner of the 7-8 game on April 14th. However, we won’t know who those teams are until Sunday, the final day of the regular season. Currently, the Magic will host the 76ers with the Raptors — the current 6th seed — still in the mix.

Boston’s championship odds have remained steady all month with our friends at FanDuel and are +550 to raise Banner 19 and the favorite to rep the Eastern Conference in the 2026 NBA Finals.

Jaylen Brown

29 minutes, 23 points (2-3 from 3, 5-7 from the free throw line, 8-13 from the field), 3 rebounds, one assist, 7 turnovers, one steal, +24

If we’re going to nitpick what’s most likely JB’s final game of the regular season, the seven turnovers are indicative of his late-season campaign to challenge the officiating and get to the line. Otherwise, he was scoring at all three levels at a high efficiency in a playoff tuneup.

Grade: B+

Jordan Walsh

22 minutes, 6 points (2-4 from 3, 2-4 from the field), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, one steal, one block, -17

After playing a part in the playoff-level win against the Hornets, Joe Mazzulla said, “He just understands that when he’s at his best defensively, he’s impacting the team’s best players, creating turnovers.” Defense has always been his calling card and if the old adage is true about it winning championships, Walsh has clearly solidified his spot in the postseason rotation. If he can continue to hit threes — 5-of-12 over the last six games — even better.

Grade: A

Neemias Queta

13 minutes, 7 points (1-1 from 3, 3-3 from the field), 10 rebounds, 2 assists, one turnover, one block, +13

In a game that was played primarily on the perimeter, Queta’s stat line wasn’t particularly impressive. With the game pretty much out of reach after the first quarter, Queta played only 13 minutes, giving way for more fine tuning for Nikola Vucevic and some Luka Garza playing time.

Oh, and this happened:

We know you want to see this 😁👌 pic.twitter.com/EaLYBSAlba

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 11, 2026

Grade: A-

Sam Hauser

28 minutes, 24 points (8-12 from 3, 8-13 from the field), 6 rebounds, 4 assists, +21

If you could bottle up momentum for the postseason, we might need a keg for Wisconsin’s own. On Thursday, it was Baylor Scheierman lighting up MSG. Twenty-four hours later, it was Hauser. Naturally, the Celtics don’t get close to breaking the three-point record without Hauser getting hot behind the arc.

Grade: A+

Derrick White

16 minutes, 9 points (3-9 from 3, 3-9 from the field), 2 rebounds, 5 assists, one turnover, one steal, +18

We’ve largely used this space to do a little handwringing over White’s season-long shooting slump. Another sub-par night in a blowout won’t assuage those concerns, but it also won’t dampen my confidence that he’ll come up clutch next weekend.

Grade: B-

Payton Pritchard

30 minutes, 21 points (5-9 from 3, 2-2 from the free throw line, 7-14 from the field), 3 rebounds, 10 assists, one turnover, one steal, +21

Pritchard has really hit his stride over this final stretch of games. In April, he’s averaging 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists per game. What’s been most impressive has been his playmaking. In the playoffs, teams might try and take the Jays out of the game, so Mazzulla might need the 2026 Auerbach Award winner to take on more of the point guard load.

Grade: A+

Nikola Vucevic

19 minutes, 14 points (3-5 from 3, 1-2 from the free throw line, 5-7 from the field) 4 rebounds, 5 assists, one block, +15

That’s the Vooch that Brad Stevens dealt for at the trade deadline. He’s not exactly Al Horford defensively or Kristaps Porzingis offensively, but if he can consistently hit shots and punish mismatches in the paint, that’ll do wonders for the second unit.

Grade: A-

Baylor Scheierman

25 minutes, 9 points (2-5 from 3, 1-1 from the free throw line, 3-6 from the field), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, one turnover, -5

At the end of the game, Scheierman had a chance to hit the 30th three-pointer that would have given the Celtics the record, but unfortunately, it just wasn’t on-line. However, he did get some floor time with his buddy Hugo Gonzalez.

Grade: B

Hugo Gonzalez

25 minutes, 10 points (2-4 from 3, 4-7 from the field), 4 rebounds, one assist, 3 steals, +11

After five straight games of DNP-CDs and mop up work, we finally got to see Hugo back on the parquet and he didn’t miss a beat. The defense was still there, he’s still got a nose for the ball with three steals, and his shot looks confident.

Plays like this are worth a couple of decibels in May and June:

Hugo got hops 🐰 pic.twitter.com/qk0KrFt701

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 11, 2026

Grade: B+

Luka Garza

16 minutes, 14 points (0-3 from 3, 2-3 from the free throw line, 6-13 from the field), 6 rebounds, 2 assists, one turnover, one steal, 2 blocks, -2

I’d like a word with the Celtics scorekeeper. There’s no way that Garza filled up the stat sheet and was a minus-2! Regardless, it was great to see the big man out there doing the things that make him the easiest Celtic to root for.

Never gives up 💪 pic.twitter.com/lN0qhs7thg

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 11, 2026

He may have been relegated to the third-string, but you just know that he’s going to get thrown into the mix and make a difference in a game or two in the first round.

Grade: A

Ron Harper Jr.

12 minutes, 7 points (1-4 from 3, 3-7 from the field), one assist, one steal, -8

I would be surprised if the team doesn’t pick up their club option on Harper Jr. The All G League Third Teamer has shown all season that he’s a professional scorer in the big leagues.

Grade: B

DNP-CDs: John Tonje, Amari Williams

Inactives: Jayson Tatum

The Atlanta Hawks secured a spot in the NBA play-offs and the Southeast Division title with a 124-102 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.

The Hawks, who only needed to win one of their remaining two games to guarantee a top-six finish in the Eastern Conference, blew away the already qualified Cavaliers in the third quarter, scoring 35 points to extend their 61-48 half-time lead to 96-65.

Guard CJ McCollum scored a game-high 29 points for the Hawks, who clinched their first divisional crown since 2021 and avoided having to come through the play-in tournament, for teams finishing seventh to tenth in each conference, for the first time in five seasons.

Veteran LeBron James became the fourth player in NBA history to record 12,000 career assists as he helped the Los Angeles Lakers secure home-court advantage in the first round of the play-offs with a 101-73 win against the Phoenix Suns.

James made 12 assists in addition to 28 points and six rebounds as the Lakers recorded their 15th win in 19 games to guarantee a top-four finish in the Western Conference.

Former Utah Jazz point guard John Stockton is the NBA's career assist leader, with 15,806, with Chris Paul (12,552) and Jason Kidd (12,091) also ahead of James (12,010).

Elsewhere, the Boston Celtics clinched the second seed in the Eastern Conference with an emphatic 144-118 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

The 18-time NBA champions scored a record-equalling 29 three-pointers, forward Sam Hauser leading the way with eight, as they wrapped up the Atlantic Division title.

That result means the New York Knicks, who beat the Celtics in their previous match, will have to settle for being third seeds despite beating the Toronto Raptors 112-95.

The Raptors slipped down to sixth place following the defeat, with an identical record (45-36) to seventh-placed Orlando Magic with one match to play in the regular season. The Magic beat the Chicago Bulls 127-103 to extend their winning streak to five matches.

Victor Wembanyama, returning from a one-game injury absence, starred for Western Conference second seeds San Antonio Spurs in their 139-120 win over the Dallas Mavericks. The 22-year-old Most Valuable Player contender made 40 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.

The Denver Nuggets remain in the hunt for third place in the Western Conference after beating reigning champions and top seeds Oklahoma City Thunder 127-107.

Golden State Warriors (37-44, 10th in the Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (41-40, ninth in the Western Conference)

Inglewood, California; Sunday, 8:30 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Clippers -8.5; over/under is 223.5

BOTTOM LINE: The Golden State Warriors visit Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers in Western Conference play Sunday.

The Clippers are 9-6 against division opponents. Los Angeles is fifth in the Western Conference at limiting opponent scoring, giving up just 112.7 points while holding opponents to 46.9% shooting.

The Warriors are 7-8 against the rest of their division. Golden State is second in the league averaging 15.7 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 35.6% from deep. Moses Moody leads the team averaging 2.5 makes while shooting 40.1% from 3-point range.

The Clippers are shooting 48.5% from the field this season, 0.5 percentage points higher than the 48.0% the Warriors allow to opponents. The Warriors average 114.7 points per game, 2.0 more than the 112.7 the Clippers allow.

The two teams square off for the fourth time this season. The Clippers defeated the Warriors 114-101 in their last matchup on March 3. Leonard led the Clippers with 23 points, and Brandin Podziemski led the Warriors with 22 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: John Collins is shooting 55.0% and averaging 13.5 points for the Clippers. Leonard is averaging 25.4 points over the last 10 games.

Stephen Curry is shooting 46.8% and averaging 27.0 points for the Warriors. Podziemski is averaging 2.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Clippers: 6-4, averaging 115.3 points, 40.0 rebounds, 23.7 assists, 9.8 steals and 5.4 blocks per game while shooting 48.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.4 points per game.

Warriors: 4-6, averaging 114.1 points, 40.5 rebounds, 29.0 assists, 9.5 steals and 3.4 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.9 points.

INJURIES: Clippers: Isaiah Jackson: out (ankle), Yanic Konan Niederhauser: out for season (foot), Bradley Beal: out for season (hip).

Warriors: Quinten Post: out (foot), Jimmy Butler III: out for season (knee), LJ Cryer: out (ankle), Seth Curry: out (adductor), Moses Moody: out for season (knee).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

LOS ANGELES – With the Lakers playing without Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić for the rest of the regular season, plenty of people have written LA off. That’s understandable, as most teams can’t get far without their two top scorers.

However, those teams aren’t the Lakers, and they don’t employ LeBron James.

In LA’s road win over Golden State on Thursday, LeBron was brilliant. He finished the night with 26 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists to help end the Lakers’ three-game losing streak.

With the Lakers scheduled to play another game Friday night at home, LeBron, as the NBA’s oldest player, suited up for the back-to-back and raised his level of play once again.

James dominated, leading the Lakers in points, assists, steals and minutes played, lifting them past the Suns 101-73.

LeBron's back-to-back at age 41, with 6:19 left in the 4th:

at GSW: 26 points, 11 assists, 8 boards, 2 steals, 1 block, 11 of 17 FG's, 3 of 5 3's,

vs. PHX: 28 points, 12 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals, 10 of 16 FG's, 2 of 2 3's

That's 63.6% FG's and 71.4% 3's total.

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 11, 2026

The back-to-back wins, paired with the Rockets’ loss to the Wolves, mean the lowest seed the Lakers can finish is fourth.

When Dončić and Reaves went down, and they lost three straight, having home court seemed like an impossibility, and even head coach JJ Redick said seeding was “out the window.”

Thanks to James’ efforts, LA will remain a top seed in a very competitive Western Conference.

“We’re gonna need him to facilitate,” Redick said postgame. “We’re gonna need him to score. We’re gonna need him to defend and rebound. I think he recognizes the task at hand. He’s very locked in. He’s played great all three games.”

It was clear from the jump that LeBron was ready to compete at a high level on Friday night.

He knocked down a corner three early on to put himself on the board. James then hits a trio of free throws and then another three. Then, the league’s all-time leading scorer completed this scoring outburst with an emphatic dunk.

His two-handed slam shook the basket and rocked the crowd. With 4:53 left to go in the opening quarter, James had 14 points, which was as many as Phoenix had as a team.

BRON!!! 🔥🔥🔥

Catch all the action on Spectrum SportsNet+ at no extra cost for Spectrum customers with both Internet and Mobile services.
🔗: https://t.co/k8Sa1tLkWspic.twitter.com/QSAjCF1lgE

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) April 11, 2026

This isn’t new for LeBron. He has been the best player and top performer on each team he’s been on throughout most of his NBA career.

But this season, with Luka cemented as the clear No. 1 and Reaves establishing himself as No. 2, LeBron had to embrace being the third-most-important player.

To his credit, he’s done that and sacrificed for the betterment of the team. Now, due to injuries to the top guys, they’ve needed LeBron to go back in his closet and pull out his Superman cape. Luckily for the Lakers, it still fits perfectly, and he knows what to do with it.

“Just trying to make plays,” LeBron said. I had to tap back into a role that I’ve been accustomed to in the past, but obviously, it wasn’t what it was this year. But circumstances have put me back in, and I’m just trying to feed off my teammates, teammates feeding off of me and just trying to make things happen for us to continue to stay afloat.”

As is typical of LeBron’s performances, he dominated all phases of the game. In the first half, his scoring shined, but in the second, it was his defense that stood out.

LeBron was as alert as ever, swatting at balls and intercepting passes. Three of his four steals came after halftime.

In the fourth, James’ on-ball creation was on full display. He was dishing out dimes that led to easy dunks for Jake LaRavia, Jarred Vanderbilt and Maxi Kleber. This put the game to rest early, allowing LeBron to check out at the 6:19 mark.

With just one contest left, the Lakers can still reach the third seed if they win and the Nuggets lose.

Whether that happens or not, what’s clear is that LeBron playing at this level gives the Lakers a puncher’s chance at taking down any of the teams they’ll play in a seven-game series.

And this late in the season, that’s all any team can ask for.  

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

Memphis Grizzlies (25-55, 12th in the Western Conference) vs. Houston Rockets (51-30, fifth in the Western Conference)

Houston; Sunday, 8:30 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Houston takes on the Memphis Grizzlies after Amen Thompson scored 41 points in the Houston Rockets' 136-132 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Rockets are 28-23 against Western Conference opponents. Houston leads the Western Conference in rebounding, averaging 47.9 boards. Alperen Sengun paces the Rockets with 8.9 rebounds.

The Grizzlies are 6-9 against the rest of the division. Memphis gives up 120.5 points to opponents while being outscored by 5.7 points per game.

The Rockets average 11.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.6 fewer makes per game than the Grizzlies give up (14). The Grizzlies average 114.8 points per game, 4.7 more than the 110.1 the Rockets allow to opponents.

The teams play for the fourth time this season. The Rockets won the last meeting 119-109 on March 28, with Kevin Durant scoring 25 points in the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Durant is shooting 52% and averaging 26 points for the Rockets. Reed Sheppard is averaging 3.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Taj Gibson is scoring 3.3 points per game with 2.6 rebounds and 0.6 assists for the Grizzlies. Adama Bal is averaging 6.5 points and 2.3 rebounds while shooting 39.3% over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Rockets: 8-2, averaging 121.2 points, 48.1 rebounds, 29 assists, 7.3 steals and 5.9 blocks per game while shooting 49.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.3 points per game.

Grizzlies: 1-8, averaging 111.3 points, 35.4 rebounds, 26 assists, 9.2 steals and 2.9 blocks per game while shooting 44.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 131.1 points.

INJURIES: Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle).

Grizzlies: Santi Aldama: out for season (knee), Olivier-Maxence Prosper: out (ankle), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: out for season (finger), GG Jackson: out (knee), Ja Morant: out for season (elbow), Scotty Pippen Jr.: out for season (toe), Taylor Hendricks: out (thumb), Zach Edey: out for season (ankle), Ty Jerome: out (ankle), Jaylen Wells: out for season (toe), Walter Clayton Jr.: out (hip), Cedric Coward: out (back), Cam Spencer: out (back), Brandon Clarke: out for season (calf).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Utah Jazz (21-59, 15th in the Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (52-29, fourth in the Western Conference)

Los Angeles; Sunday, 8:30 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Utah travels to Los Angeles looking to break its nine-game road skid.

The Lakers are 32-19 in conference games. Los Angeles is eighth in the Western Conference with 14.8 fast break points per game led by LeBron James averaging 5.7.

The Jazz are 12-39 in Western Conference play. Utah is 5-8 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.

The Lakers average 11.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.5 fewer makes per game than the Jazz give up (15.3). The Jazz average 12.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.2 fewer makes per game than the Lakers allow.

The teams play for the fourth time this season. The Lakers won the last meeting 143-135 on Dec. 19, with Luka Doncic scoring 45 points in the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: James is scoring 20.9 points per game with 6.1 rebounds and 7.1 assists for the Lakers. Deandre Ayton is averaging 10.7 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 66.7% over the last 10 games.

John Konchar is scoring 4.3 points per game and averaging 4.1 rebounds for the Jazz. Ace Bailey is averaging 14.7 points and 3.7 rebounds over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Lakers: 6-4, averaging 114.1 points, 40.4 rebounds, 27.6 assists, 9.8 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 52.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.8 points per game.

Jazz: 0-9, averaging 120.6 points, 44.1 rebounds, 31.9 assists, 10.0 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 134.0 points.

INJURIES: Lakers: Austin Reaves: out (rib), Jaxson Hayes: out (foot), Luka Doncic: out (hamstring).

Jazz: Lauri Markkanen: out (hip), Isaiah Collier: out (hamstring), Keyonte George: out (leg), Walker Kessler: out for season (shoulder), Jusuf Nurkic: out for season (nose), Brice Sensabaugh: out (rest), Kyle Filipowski: out (back), Elijah Harkless: out (hamstring), Jaren Jackson Jr.: out for season (knee).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Orlando Magic (45-36, seventh in the Eastern Conference) vs. Boston Celtics (55-26, second in the Eastern Conference)

Boston; Sunday, 6 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Magic -4.5; over/under is 216.5

BOTTOM LINE: Orlando will try to keep its three-game road win streak intact when the Magic face Boston.

The Celtics are 35-16 in Eastern Conference games. Boston averages 114.9 points while outscoring opponents by 7.8 points per game.

The Magic have gone 26-25 against Eastern Conference opponents. Orlando is 11-5 in games decided by less than 4 points.

The Celtics are shooting 46.8% from the field this season, 0.8 percentage points lower than the 47.6% the Magic allow to opponents. The Magic score 8.7 more points per game (115.8) than the Celtics allow (107.1).

The teams square off for the fourth time this season. The Celtics won 138-129 in the last meeting on Nov. 23. Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 35 points, and Jett Howard led the Magic with 30 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Brown is averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Celtics. Payton Pritchard is averaging 19.7 points and 4.3 assists over the past 10 games.

Paolo Banchero is scoring 22.2 points per game and averaging 8.4 rebounds for the Magic. Jalen Suggs is averaging 2.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Celtics: 8-2, averaging 120.2 points, 45.3 rebounds, 26.4 assists, 5.8 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 50.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.5 points per game.

Magic: 7-3, averaging 118.7 points, 42.4 rebounds, 27.8 assists, 8.1 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.8 points.

INJURIES: Celtics: Jayson Tatum: out (injury management).

Magic: Jett Howard: out (ankle), Jonathan Isaac: out (knee).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Atlanta Hawks (46-35, fifth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Miami Heat (42-39, 10th in the Eastern Conference)

Miami; Sunday, 6 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Hawks -6.5; over/under is 243.5

BOTTOM LINE: Jalen Johnson and the Atlanta Hawks visit Bam Adebayo and the Miami Heat on Sunday.

The Heat have gone 9-7 against division opponents. Miami ranks second in the Eastern Conference with 54.3 points per game in the paint led by Jaime Jaquez Jr. averaging 9.7.

The Hawks are 9-6 against opponents from the Southeast Division. Atlanta averages 118.5 points and has outscored opponents by 2.8 points per game.

The Heat score 120.6 points per game, 4.9 more points than the 115.7 the Hawks give up. The Hawks average 14.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.7 more makes per game than the Heat allow.

The two teams play for the fourth time this season. The Heat defeated the Hawks 128-97 in their last meeting on Feb. 21. Tyler Herro led the Heat with 24 points, and Onyeka Okongwu led the Hawks with 22 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Kel'el Ware is scoring 11.0 points per game and averaging 9.0 rebounds for the Heat. Adebayo is averaging 18.1 points and 10.7 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Dyson Daniels is shooting 51.7% and averaging 11.9 points for the Hawks. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is averaging 3.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Heat: 4-6, averaging 122.6 points, 42.6 rebounds, 30.5 assists, 6.1 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 48.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 128.1 points per game.

Hawks: 7-3, averaging 122.9 points, 44.3 rebounds, 28.9 assists, 9.6 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.0 points.

INJURIES: Heat: Davion Mitchell: out (shoulder), Nikola Jovic: out (ankle), Norman Powell: out (groin), Tyler Herro: out (foot), Dru Smith: out (foot).

Hawks: Jock Landale: out (ankle).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.