The Lakers announced Thursday that its G-League affiliate South Bay Lakers will no longer play their home games at UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo, California, instead moving the team to the Greater Palm Springs region and renaming them the Coachella Valley Lakers.
At the start of the 2026-27 NBA G-League season, the Coachella Valley Lakers will play their home games Acrisure Arena, an 11,000-max capacity multi-purpose event venue in Palm Desert.
"I have enjoyed a long-time relationship with Jerry and Jeanie Buss, Lon Rosen and Linda Rambis. And I am beyond thrilled to have the Coachella Valley Lakers call OVG’s Acrisure Arena their home. Go Lakers," Oak View Group Senior Partner Irving Azoff said in a news release.
The venue has been mainly used for concerts, comedy shows and hockey games. The facility serves as the home of the American Hockey League affiliate of the Seattle Kraken, the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
The Lakers have also hosted a couple of NBA preseason games at Acrisure Arena in 2024, against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns on Oct. 4 and 6, respectively.
"Moving the Lakers G League team to the Coachella Valley is an incredible opportunity for the organization,” Lakers president of business operations Lon Rosen said in a press release. “The Lakers have had a strong presence in the region for decades, from the Showtime Lakers holding training camp in the 1980s to more recent preseason games.
"We are looking forward to extending that experience and becoming a staple for Coachella Valley sports and entertainment. Acrisure Arena is the perfect modern venue that provides an incredible fan-first experience, while ensuring players have the premium facilities and space they need on game day."
Season ticket deposits starting at $100 per account are available online at coachellavalleylakers.com. Season tickets are fully refundable at the time of seat selection, the team said.
In two decades, the franchise has recorded 60 NBA call-ups across 38 players.
The Lakers' G-League team has a knack for finding raw talent and developing them into quality NBA talent, from current Laker Austin Reaves, two-time champion Alex Caruso, NBA All-Star Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, Lonzo Ball and even Kyle Kuzma, who played a role in the Lakers' 2020 NBA championship.
And it's been the case most recently with Bronny James Jr., Dalton Knecht, Adou Thiero, Kobe Bufkin and Nick Smith Jr. This past season, the South Bay Lakers clinched the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference with a 26-10 regular-season record.
LeBron James did his best “Roger Murtaugh” impersonation following the Los Angeles Lakers’ latest loss to the Houston Rockets.
“I'm too old for that shit,” was James’ response to one reporter, who tried to bait the frustrated veteran into a soundbite.
After blowing a 3-0 series lead and now having to travel to Texas for Game 6, perhaps a struggling Los Angeles offense needs less “Lethal Weapon” from LeBron and more of another Danny Glover classic film: “Operation Dumbo Drop”.
As in... dropping a dumbo-sized amount of dimes.
My Lakers vs. Rockets predictions call for James to prop up this L.A. attack with his passing, and our NBA picks are courting “The King” to top his assist total on Friday, May 1.
Lakers vs Rockets prediction
Lakers vs Rockets best bet: LeBron James Over 7.5 assists (-130)
After soaring well beyond expectations in the opening three wins versus the Houston Rockets, the Los Angeles Lakers have fallen back to earth with all the grace of a dinosaur-killing asteroid.
Poor shooting and too many turnovers have flushed possessions down the crapper, sending the Lakers’ assist-to-FGM rate from north of 70% in the first three games to below 61% in those two defeats.
But what goes up must come down... and then go back up a bit.
Los Angeles leveled off in Game 5, and it will be LeBron James who steadies the ship. He’s still creating opportunities, but the team’s bad offensive efforts have burned his setups. LeBron has squeezed just 22 assists out of 37 potential assists over the past three contests.
Austin Reaves’ return should help cash in on those passes. He led L.A. in usage in Game 5 but looked rusty, going 4-for-16 in his first action since April 2. I expect Reaves to be much sharper on Friday, along with the rest of the Lakers’ offense.
In games with Reaves in and Luka Doncic out, James becomes the primary ball handler. And if we look across the Lakers’ season, we see LeBron dishing out around 10 assists per contest in those Luka-less spots with Reaves available.
LeBron had only seven assists on 13 potential dimes in Game 5, and his projections for Friday lean toward eight assists. With improved shooting and tightening the belt on turnovers, I don’t see L.A. pissing away James’ passes this time around.
Lakers vs Rockets same-game parlay
The Lakers will clean up their play with sharper shooting and fewer turnovers. Those miscues have gifted Houston 48 total points across the past two outings. The Rockets have capitalized on those mistakes for easy buckets, but they struggle when forced into a half-court game.
Reaves will work out the kinks and provide L.A. with a reliable scoring option alongside LeBron. He still finished with 22 points in Game 5, drawing fouls and converting at the line, and that will continue on Friday.
Lakers vs Rockets SGP
Lakers +4.5
LeBron James Over 7.5 assists
Austin Reaves Over 22.5 points
Lakers vs Rockets odds for Game 6
Spread: Los Angeles +4.5 (-110) | Houston -4.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Los Angeles +150 | Houston -180
Over/Under: Over 206.5 (-110) | Under 206.5 (-110)
Lakers vs Rockets betting trend to know
The Lakers are 10-4 SU and ATS in their last 14 games as underdogs. Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Rockets.
How to watch Lakers vs Rockets Game 6
Location
Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Date
Friday, May 1, 2026
Tip-off
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Lakers vs Rockets latest injuries
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The Detroit Pistons stayed their execution for a few more days, but the odds are still against them. The Orlando Magic may be one-bucket underdogs in this Game 6, but my Pistons vs. Magic predictions and these NBA picks expect Detroit’s silver bullet from Game 5 to go missing on Friday, May 1.
Pistons vs Magic prediction
Pistons vs Magic best bet: Jalen Duren Under 13.5 Points (-112)
The fact that the Orlando Magic shot 17-of-38 from deep in Game 5 and still trailed throughout demands a closer look at the box score. Ah, there it is. The Detroit Pistons outrebounded the Magic by 16, including snagging 16 offensive rebounds compared to just eight for Orlando.
The Pistons corralling 39.0% of available offensive rebounds is wildly impressive and something that the Magic should focus on correcting heading into this Game 6.
Jalen Duren led Detroit on the offensive glass, grabbing five offensive rebounds that yielded four points for the center. And yet, he still scored just 12 points. In fact, Duren has not cleared this points prop in any of the five games of this series.
He averaged 19.5 points per game in the regular season, which explains oddsmakers’ reluctance to lower this points prop further. He was also taking 11.5 shots per game, compared to just 7.6 shots per game in this series.
Chalk some of that up to the Magic defense. And chalk some of it up to the change in the game come the postseason. Possessions take longer, defenders are allowed to be more physical, and superstars tend to hang onto the ball even more often.
Duren is not going to become a scorer at any point in this series, not even when he hits the offensive glass.
Pistons vs Magic same-game parlay
While Duren has not scored more than 12 points in any game in this series, he also has not reached double-digit boards in any of the five games. Grabbing five offensive rebounds in Game 5 was vital, but Duren still topped out at nine total boards.
That offensive rebounding emphasis should be countered by Orlando tonight, and removing that gear from the Pistons should tilt this game toward the Magic.
Pistons vs Magic SGP
Jalen Duren Under 13.5 Points
Jalen Duren Under 9.5 Rebounds
Magic +3
Our "from downtown" SGP: Onward, Orlando
If Detroit had not so thrived on the offensive glass in Game 5, it likely would have been the fourth game out of five in this series to cash its Under. Betting against Duren because those offensive rebounds should not be as available also coincides with a bet on the Under as well as a bet on Orlando winning this series at home.
Pistons vs Magic SGP
Jalen Duren Under 13.5 Points
Jalen Duren Under 9.5 Rebounds
Under 211
Magic Moneyline
Pistons vs Magic odds for Game 6
Spread: Detroit -3 | Orlando +3
Moneyline: Detroit -155 | Orlando +130
Over/Under: Over 211 | Under 211
Pistons vs Magic betting trend to know
It should be mentioned somewhere in this preview that Orlando is 4-1 against the spread in this series, exceeding bookmakers’ expectations by an average of 7.1 points even when including the sole ATS loss. Find more NBA betting trends for Pistons vs. Magic.
How to watch Pistons vs Magic Game 6
Location
Kia Center, Orlando, FL
Date
Friday, May 1, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Pistons vs Magic latest injuries
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The Los Angeles Lakers blew a 3-0 series lead over the Houston Rockets and are trending the wrong way toward history in Game 6.
Oddsmakers have Los Angeles pegged as a road pup, and my same-game parlay gladly grabs the points with the Purple and Gold. The Lakers offense gets right with the help of LeBron James’ playmaking and Austin Reaves shaking off the rust.
Here are my best NBA picks and SGP predictions for Lakers vs. Rockets on May 1.
Our best Lakers vs Rockets SGP for Game 6
SGP leg #1: Lakers +4
The Los Angeles Lakers' offense came crashing back to earth in the past two games, but things balance out in Houston.
Austin Reaves will get over his rough return to power the L.A. attack, and the Lakers will tighten the bolts on turnovers, not allowing the Houston Rockets to score easy buckets off those miscues. Los Angeles has made good on the points, going 10-4 SU and ATS in its last 14 games as an underdog.
SGP leg #2: LeBron James Over 7.5 assists
With Luka Doncic out and Austin Reaves in, LeBron James has dished out around 10 assists in those spots. He’s made plenty of plays, but L.A.’s poor offensive efforts have either missed shots or coughed the ball up. Those passes won’t go to waste in Game 6, with James projected for eight or more dimes.
SGP leg #3: Austin Reaves Over 22.5 points
Austin Reaves was just 4-for-16 from the floor in his first game back since April 2 but made up for those misses by getting to the foul line, finishing with 22 points in 34 minutes.
He topped the Lakers in usage in Game 5 and will be much sharper in this second contest. Given his playing time and touches, Reaves will put up 23+ points on Friday night.
Get Jason Logan's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Lakers vs Rockets predictions for Game 6.
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The Minnesota Timberwolves can wrap up their first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a victory in Game 6. The Timberwolves led the series 3-1 before losing Game 5 125-113 on Monday in Denver. A win by Minnesota sends it to the second round to face the San Antonio Spurs. The Nuggets are favored by 5.5 points in Game 6.
How to watch Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Boston Celtics will try to close out the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series. The 76ers already won one elimination game, beating the Celtics 113-97 in Game 5 to extend the series. If Boston wins, it will advance to the second round of the playoffs to face the winner of the Atlanta Hawks-New York Knicks series. The Celtics are favored by 5.5 points in Game 6.
How to watch Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Date: Thursday, April 30
Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The New York Knicks will try to close out the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series. The Knicks have won the past two games to take a 3-2 lead in the series. If New York wins Game 6, it will advance to the second round and face the winner of the Philadelphia 76ers-Boston Celtics series. The Knicks are favored by 2.5 points in Game 6.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 26: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets sits on the bench with Alperen Sengun #28 during the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Four of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Toyota Center on April 26, 2026 in Houston, Texas. 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 Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After falling behind 3-0 to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Houston Rockets have some life again – winning Game 4 and Game 5 to bring the series back to Texas for a Game 6.
Arguably the most bizarre part of all of this is that the Rockets’ have managed this without their leading scorer and best player, Kevin Durant.
Given how notorious Durant is, this raises an interesting question: are the Rockets a better team without Durant?
The answer is obviously a resounding no. But then, in a weird way, it is also yes. When the Rockets initially traded for Durant, I was skeptical that it would elevate them to the next level in the way they thought it would.
Even at the relatively geriatric age of 37, Durant is still one of the most formidable scorers in the association. But so much of Houston’s success last year was predicated on their youth and athleticism sparking easy offense in transition. That just isn’t who Durant is. And since he’s more of a ceiling raiser than a floor enhancer on offense, the value he adds in the halfcourt doesn’t justify what they lose in turnover creation.
We saw this signal in the regular season. In his minutes, the Rockets had a pedestrian change in their point differential (49th percentile, per Cleaning the Glass). Durant improved their offense (+3.4 points per 100 possessions), but the hit to their defensive rating was slightly higher (+4.1 per 100).
The bottom line here is the Rockets’ halfcourt offense is too flawed for Durant to fix. So, trying to win the turnover battle is still their best avenue for success. That’s exactly what’s happened in the last two games. In Games 4 and 5, Houston has won the turnover battle 39-24 and the points off of turnover battle 48-32.
Even the miniature Reed Sheppard does a better job of defensive playmaking (93rd percentile steal rate) than The Slim Reaper (17th percentile steal rate). When it looked like the Rockets were going to choke another game away down the stretch, it was the sophomore guard who grabbed it by its balls, literally:
Of course, this doesn’t explain how the Rockets lost Games 1 and 3, which Durant also wasn’t in uniform for (frankly, nothing can explain their Game 3 collapse). It also helps that the Lakers are shooting just 24.5% from three in the last two games after hitting 46.5% of those shots in the first three games of the series.
Still, it is a fascinating case study in the idea that acquiring better teams doesn’t necessarily make your team better. And with the recent news that Durant is a no-go for Game 6 as well, who knows, maybe Houston takes this thing all the way to seven.
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 29: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks poses for a photo with Caleb Martin #16, Kyrie Irving #11, Max Christie #00, Dereck Lively II #2 and Jason Kidd during the 2026-26 Rookie of the Year Presentation on April 29, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Y’all are chatty! The previous thread accrued over 1,000 comments in 11 days. Well done, we’re glad you’re here. Here’s the old thread in case you need to carry over.
Since the posting of the last thread, Dallas has lost the coinflip (firmly sitting in eight now) and Cooper Flagg has won Rookie of the Year.
Nothing else has happened and that stinks. I would like Dallas to hire a General Manager already! Granted, because we haven’t heard anything doesn’t mean much, but it’s stressful all the same.
Try out the FEED for one-off things. It’s supposed to drive more clicks and traffic. Those things help keep us at MMB.
Keep it civil, keep me posted on anything I need to know, and thanks for hanging out.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 15: Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors smile during the game during the 2025 SoFi Play-In Tournament on April 15, 2025 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
When the NBA playoffs began earlier this month, 19-year-old Zinzy was disappointed that the Memphis Grizzlies, his favorite team, weren’t in the mix.
The Grizzlies were fresh off a 25-game, rebuilding season and were on the outside looking in for the first time in years.
So, he had a goofy idea — what if he jokingly live-tweeted a fake playoff series, as a gimmick?
At first, he was planning on doing so with a good friend who was a Phoenix Suns fan, who was worried that his team might miss the playoffs, too.
“We were talking, and I was like, ‘Wouldn’t it be so funny if you got knocked out, if you didn’t qualify for the playoffs, and we just did this fake playoff series in our heads?’” Zinzy told SB Nation. “And he was like, ‘Yeah, that would be cool.’ And then, they made the playoffs eventually, and I was just like, that kind of sucks.”
But, after thinking about it a little bit more, he decided to do it anyway. In part, because it’d be funny. And, in part, because it was something to bring together a community that had long meant so much to him.
The rest was history — since his first Warriors-Grizzlies Tweets on April 18th, tens of thousands of NBA fans have posted Tweets and shared Instagram posts reacting to an NBA playoff series that isn’t actually taking place.
How the heck did we get here?
The story actually begins six years ago, in Nigeria
In 2020, Zinzy was a 13-year-old living in Nigeria who had never even taking a liking to basketball.
“I was very ignorant of the sport, right?” he recalled. “I was like, basketball is boring.”
Then, one night, a friend of his dragged him to watch a Grizzlies game on television at 2 am. Almost immediately, he found himself enthralled, drawn to the Grizzlies’ bright-blue uniforms and captivated by rising superstar Ja Morant.
After doing his homework, he learned that the franchise had never won an NBA title and had not had a ton of success relative to other teams. And, in a funny way, that made him want to become a Grizzlies fan even more.
“I did some research on all the teams. And I was like, ‘The Grizzlies don’t have any championships.’ And I love that. It sounds dumb saying it aloud. But, if I could go support a team, and I feel like I’m part of the bigger part of their history when they’re winning, then that would definitely feel good.”
Since 2020, there have been plenty of highs and plenty of lows. The Grizzlies made the playoffs four times in five years. They saw Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr, and Desmond Bane all become stars. Since that first watch, Zinzy estimates he’s watched more than 70% of Grizzlies games.
But the 2025-2026 season was a tough one. They traded away Bane in the offseason and Jackson Jr. ahead of the midseason trade deadline. Now, it appears like it could be the end of the road for Morant, too, with trade rumors circling the point guard all season.
So, on the heels of such a difficult season and the fanbase in flux, Zinzy viewed the gimmick as something silly that could bring the fanbase together.
The 2026 Warriors-Grizzlies playoff series began in a dorm room
One night, while studying for his final exams at the University of Manitoba in Canada, where he studies environmental design, he randomly began to live-tweet a fake series between the Grizzlies and the Warriors.
“I just got this idea, like – I can still do this on my own,” Zinzy said. “I can do it on Twitter, right? So I just, I tweeted fake stats of Ja and Steph in a Game 1 battle. Then right after that, a couple of days later, I decided to fake live-tweet Game 2 out of nowhere.”
He didn’t think much of it at first.
But, slowly but surely, other major fan accounts on NBA Twitter decided to get in on the bit. It helped that several Warriors fan accounts with big-time followings, like @WarriorsMuse and @BasketballPerformances, also jumped in and partook in the fictional series joke.
— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) April 24, 2026
The whole thing really blew up on Monday night, when Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. were actually sitting courtside at an Orlando Magic playoff game to support their old Grizzlies teammate, Desmond Bane.
The broadcast kept panning over to Morant and Jackson Jr. each time they celebrated a Bane triple, and eventually, fans flocked to social media to post photos of Morant and Jackson Jr, jokingly writing captions along the lines of: “What are they doing?? They have a game tomorrow!”
Jaren Jackson Jr on instagram🚨
‘12: “lets go to Orlando…..I gotta clear my head, 7 turnovers is crazy”🤣’
Ja and Jaren were spotted courtside supporting former teammate Desmond Bane tonight
“I just seen my timeline talking about, ‘Don’t they have a game?’” Zinzy said. “And I was like, ‘This is crazy. Like, why do so many people get the reference?’
Since that night, even official accounts like Overtime have gotten in on the joke. Zinzy has aligned the schedule of his fake Warriors-Grizzlies series with the ongoing Houston Rockets series against the Los Angeles Lakers series. He’s also gained more than 4,000 followers since the gimmick began almost two weeks ago.
WARRIORS WIN GAME 5 AND TAKE 3-2 SERIES LEAD OVER THE GRIZZLIES 🚨
Above all, the joke has brought joy and levity after what was a difficult season for diehard Memphis fans.
“I watched every game that I could,” he said. “And it’s crazy, because some of them, we were tanking… And I’ve tried, believe me, I’ve tried to detach myself from this team. I mean, the team is so bad. I say it all the time I could be doing plenty of other things with my time — and then I would still come home, put up my TV, sit down for two, two and a half hours, and watch us lose by thirty.”
He’s enjoying seeing that the joke he began in his dorm room just a few weeks ago has brought laughter to so many Grizzlies fans. The fanbase has provided him with an immense sense of community as he moved from Nigeria to Canada for college a few years ago. He used to livestream games with several other Grizzlies fan accounts, and today, he’s in several different group chats with thousands of other fans.
“We don’t just interact on the timeline,” Zinzy said. “We actually join groups, join DMs, we talk about other things outside of sports, talk about life. It’s just a really nice community. They don’t judge.
He’s never actually made it to Memphis, but that’s a dream he hopes to see realized sooner rather than later.
“The fanbase has been one of the best groups of people I’ve ever met – in real life, Twitter, TikTok, it’s great people everywhere.”
But until then?
Zinzy is preparing for a crucial Game 6 between the Grizzlies and Warriors, which tips off on Friday.
Duke basketball has a trio of nonconference games against top-tier programs next season. Each of the games will only be available on an exclusive platform.
The Blue Devils announced a multi-year partnership with Amazon Prime on Thursday, April 30, giving the platform exclusive access to multiple Duke basketball games each season. Duke's games agains Michigan, UConn and Gonzaga will air exclusively on the streaming platform in 2026-27.
"It's exciting to bring this relationship with Duke University to life, and we're looking forward to presenting this premium college basketball showcase to fans around the world next season and beyond," Amazon Prime Head of Sports Partnerships Charlie Neiman said in Duke's announcement. "Duke basketball games transcend the schedule, and the creation of this all-new offering gives fans more of what we all want, marquee matchups featuring the most successful programs in the nation."
Duke faces UConn, who it faced in the Elite Eight last season, on Wednesday, Nov. 25 in Las Vegas. It then takes on Michigan on Monday, Dec. 21, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and Gonzaga on Saturday, Feb. 20, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
"In addition to our outstanding partnership with ESPN, we are excited to work with Prime Video on this groundbreaking initiative," Duke athletic director Nina King said in the announcement. "As Prime Video's first college sports partner, this collaboration not only expands the global reach of Duke Men's Basketball, but also creates meaningful opportunities for our student-athletes in a way that reflects innovation and excellence."
Duke will also participate in multiple ESPN-owned, neutral-site events in 2027-28 and 2028-29 in exchange of its partnership with Amazon Prime, according to the news release. ESPN is the primary TV partner of the ACC.
ESPN reported the deal will also generate name, image and likeness opportunities for Duke players, who will be able to promote the games on the platform. The deal also shows a new aggressiveness with streaming platforms in gaining exclusive college sports access.
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 29: Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets looks to pass the ball while defended by Rui Hachimura #28 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the game during Round One Game Five on April 29, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — Not only have brooms been shoved back into closets, but another flight to Houston has also been booked.
After being listed as a game-time decision for three straight matchups, Austin Reaves returned for the Lakers in Game 5 on Wednesday while superstar Kevin Durant remained out, putting Alperen Şengün at the top of LA’s scouting report.
Şengün dissected the Lakers’ defensive game plan, burning their consistent doubles by finding cutters or shooters with a patient offensive approach, leading Houston to a Game 5 win and shifting the entire feel of this series.
Houston’s All-Star came off two strong performances at home, where he put up 33 points in the overtime loss in Game 3, shooting an efficient 15-27 from the field and followed it up with 19 in their blowout rout of the Lakers in Game 4, drawing 13 free throws in the contest.
Instead of allowing any single coverage in the post, LA decided to send extra help on Wednesday and dared not only Şengün to make the right read, but Houston’s shooters to knock down their open shots.
The Rockets did both. It started early in the second quarter. Watch below as Jarred Vanderbilt completely leaves his man, Dorian Finney-Smith, in the corner to double up Şengün. A quick spin and a read from Şengün gets a wide open look that falls.
On the first possession of the third quarter, the Rockets posted Şengün up on the wing. LA zones up and flashes two defenders on him in the post. Houston patiently waits for the opening and finds Tari Eason cutting behind for the finish in the clip below.
In the few instances he got single coverage, the big man used his array of spin moves and soft touch to get shots like this one to go down.
Şengün finished with 14 points on 5-9 shooting and a series high of eight assists. LA did force him into five turnovers, but the big man finished a game-high plus-8 on the floor in just over 43 minutes.
“He made good reads,” Marcus Smart said postgame. “We forced him to make some reads and he made the right reads. We knew he would. He’s an All-Star caliber player and really good at what he does but we got to go to the drawing board and see what else we can do and throw different looks at him.”
LA doesn’t have very much time to reexamine the drawing board, as just one day of rest sits between both Game 6 and a potential Game 7. After a slow start to the series, Şengün is up to 22 points and five assists on 54% shooting from the field in the last three contests. Houston has a case to be up 3-2 if not for the late collapse in Game 3.
One option is to increase Deandre Ayton’s minutes, who finished a plus-2, and the only guy head coach J.J. Redick allows for single coverage on Şengün. Another is leaning into small ball and removing backup center Jaxson Hayes from the rotation just as Rockets head coach Ime Udoka has done with big man Clint Capela.
They need to decide quickly, because they could be facing a catastrophic Game 7 before they know it.
While Durant doesn’t seem likely to return in this series, a hungry and feisty Rockets team is growing in confidence and getting comfortable playing without their offensive star. They’ve reoriented around Şengün, and the Lakers will need answers or else their season could end much earlier than expected.
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Celtics Game 6 computer picks
Sam Hauser Over 6.5 points (-125)
Projection: 8.35 points
Sam Hauser went Over this total in just two of the five playoff games so far, but in the other three, he finished with exactly six each time. It's also a much lower bar to clear than the 8.5-point total he faced in Games 3 and 4.
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Jaylen Brown Over 6.5 rebounds (+102)
Projection: 7.8 rebounds
Jaylen Brown finished with seven rebounds in three straight games before logging just five in Game 5. Tonight's projection calls for 7.8 rebounds and the plus-money price makes it an easy button to push.
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Jayson Tatum Under 25.5 points (-115)
Projection: 23.58 points
Jayson Tatum has only scored 26+ points once in this series and also failed to reach that number in five straight games to close the regular season. Projections call for 23.58 tonight, which gives the Under lots of wiggle room at 25.5.
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76ers Game 6 computer picks
Kelly Oubre Jr. Over 8.5 points (-115)
Projection: 12.03 points
Kelly Oubre Jr. struggled in Games 4 and 5 but scored 10+ points in seven straight games before that and averaged 13 ppg across the first three games of this series. This line is too low on that fact alone.
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Joel Embiid Under 28.5 points (-125)
Projection: 23.86 points
This is one of the biggest gaps between projection and total on tonight's board. Joel Embiid is 1-1 against this total in his two games back, and considering how prone he is to leaving the game with injury, the paths to the Under are much clearer than the Over.
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VJ Edgecombe Over 11.5 points (-112)
Projection: 14.32 points
VJ Edgecombe's scoring has dipped since Embiid's return, but this total has made just as much of a dive after being as high as 15.5 in Game 3. The projections expect him to be much better at home tonight.
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How to watch Celtics vs 76ers Game 6
Location
Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Date
Thursday, April 30, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBCSN/Peacock
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Three teams will have the chance to advance to the second round of the playoffs in tonight’s NBA slate, with some great player props available in all three games.
My NBA predictions for tonight include seeing OG Anunoby and Payton Pritchard helping their teams finish off their opponents, while I also like Jamal Murray to help force a Game 7.
Read on below to see why I’m backing these player props and get my free NBA picks for Thursday, April 30.
So far, Anunoby hasn’t had fewer than eight rebounds in a game in the series, grabbing 10 in both Game 4 and Game 5. That’s way up from his regular season average (5.2 rebounds per game), but there are two good reasons for the increase.
First, Anunoby is playing more, getting 37.6 minutes per game in the series. The Hawks are also a relatively poor rebounding team, ranking 20th this season in rebound rate (49.0%). I expect Anunoby to keep crashing the boards as the Knicks likely put away this series tonight.
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ESPN
Prop #2: Payton Pritchard Over 4.5 assists
+120 at bet365
Payton Pritchard had a rough game shooting from deep in Game 5, going just 1-for-5 from beyond the arc in the Philadelphia 76ers 113-97 win over the Boston Celtics. Pritchard has been up-and-down in his scoring, averaging 15.0 ppg in the series with a high of 32 points and a low of just four.
One place where Pritchard has remained consistent, however, has been as a distributor. In four of the five games of this series, the Celtics guard has had 5+ assists, a reminder that he dished out an average of 5.2 assists per game during the regular season.
Pritchard will always be a key third option in the Boston offense, but with Jaylen Brown (25.8 ppg) and Jayson Tatum (24.6 ppg) both putting in strong performances, he’s going to do more work in a support
role than as a leading scorer. That role should continue in Game 6, which is why I’m taking Pritchard to hit his assists total again tonight.
While Nikola Jokic has been inconsistent – at least by his standards – in this series, Jamal Murray has been a constant force keeping the Denver Nuggets alive against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Over the first five games of the series, Murray is averaging 26.0 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game, and outside of a dip in Game 3, his numbers have been similar every night.
Murray and the rest of the Nuggets have a bit of a break for the remainder of the series, as Anthony Edwards (28.8 ppg in the regular season) is done after his knee injury in Game 4. And while it’s not as big a loss, the fact that Donte DiVincenzo is out with an Achilles injury won’t help Minnesota either.
Murray has put up 40+ PRA in three of the first five games of this series. I expect Denver to lean on him and Jokic heavily to make sure they can win the final two games of this series and keep their postseason run alive. In Murray’s case, that means another all-around performance that allows him to hit the Over on his PRA total.
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PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 17: Collin Gillespie #12 & Jordan Goodwin #23 of the Phoenix Suns hug before the game against the Golden State Warriors during the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament on April 17, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With the offseason officially underway for the Phoenix Suns, discussion on offseason plans will begin to run rampant over the next few weeks. Many have already started with fake trade proposals, and we will explore that here, too, but not today.
Instead, we will discuss the recent tweet from known Suns insider John Gambadoro, as he said this early this morning (for us East Coast people) and late last night for Suns fans.
I would expect the Suns top priorities this offseason to be 1. Retaining Collin Gillespie 2. Retaining Jordan Goodwin
Gambadoro stated that two of the Suns’ four free agents should be top priorities to retain. Those would be Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin. This would make sense for the Suns as both players were key pieces to the new culture and identity Phoenix wants to present, and both were hidden gems for the franchise as well.
Gillespie coming from the Denver Nuggets on a two-way deal and then Jordan Goodwin being waived by the Los Angeles Lakers allowed the Suns to get this dynamic duo. Early this week, I wrote about Collin Gillespie’s exit interviews, in which he stated that he and the franchise knew he wanted to be back in Phoenix next year. So hearing the news from Gambadoro is not much of a surprise, but the other name is nice to see as well.
As I stated earlier, Goodwin came over from the Lakers after being waived and had to compete for his roster spot at the beginning of the year against Jared Butler. He ended up winning that battle, and, luckily for both parties, that was a great benefit. Goodwin had a career year in his return to the Valley, averaging 8.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 41/37/70 in almost 23 minutes per game.
He had a career-high 6 threes in one contest vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder, allowing them to win that game while also being a key disruptor on the defensive end for Phoenix. His energy and hustle also earned him the Dan Majerle Hustle Award, which he was definitely the most deserving of. Goodwin would always throw his body on the line to make a winning play, and Jordan Ott fell in love with that from the get-go.
For Goodwin retaining him, like Gillespie, makes sense for the Suns, as he fits everything this team stands for and has carved out bigger roles for himself with this franchise. Both will have a market in free agency, but with the Suns knowing how much they mean to the core, it would make sense for them to come back on long-term deals.
Now, there is another free agent that Gambo mentioned as well, and that was Mark Williams.
I do believe retaining Mark Williams is something the Suns would like to do so not having him in my top two priorities is NOT me saying he won't be back since so many of you are commenting on this. I do think he will be back. Just believe Collin and Jordan are the 2 most… https://t.co/Ha893NcwiQ
It seems Williams is still on the Suns’ priority list, and that is a good sign. Even if Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach may be the future of this frontcourt, Williams is a great starter who can still help bridge the gap for the young bigs next year. The one issue the Suns may run into with him, though, is that he is a restricted free agent.
This allows the Suns to match any offer the team makes to Williams, unlike with Gillespie and Goodwin, but it also means a team could price the Suns out to secure him. That being said, last year, most restricted free agents did not get long-term deals; many just received the qualifying offer. Will Williams get that? I don’t think so. Even if he was injured for the last third of the season, he did play a career-high 60 games and was a nice change of pace for Phoenix in the front court. He will find himself with Phoenix, a team friend who also makes sure he can still develop here long term.
Phoenix likes most of its pieces and will retain their major features. Does that mean there are things they do not need to address? No, they will find a larger size, but it also shows that this internal development still has some ways to go. It’s exciting to see the team sticking together and buying back into a winning culture.
Celtics
76ers
OG Anunoby
