Jamahl Mosley did not have to wait long.  

Less than two weeks after the Orlando Magic let him go, Mosley is heading to New Orleans. The Pelicans are hiring him as their next head coach on a five-year deal, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Monday.  

League executives at last week’s combine had been whispering for days that Mosley was the reason the Pelicans kept stalling their decision. New Orleans wanted him. They just had to see if he was ready to jump back in.  

Clearly, he is.  

It’s the first major coaching hire for Joe Dumars, the Hall of Famer who took over the Pelicans’ front office last April after a long run in Detroit. Dumars was a legendary Pistons player and then built a championship team as an executive. He came to New Orleans to do it again.  

This hiring is how Dumars begins that process. 

Mosley, 47, spent five seasons in Orlando, going 189-221 with the Magic. He built them into a legitimate defensive force. They were ranked second in the NBA in defensive efficiency last season. They made three straight playoff appearances under Mosley, but also three straight first-round exits.  

The last one, a blown 3-1 lead to the Detroit Pistons, cost Mosley his job.  

Before Orlando, Mosley spent 15 years as an assistant with Cleveland, Denver and Dallas before getting his shot as a head coach.  

He inherits a Pelicans team still looking for stability after Willie Green was fired just 12 games into last season.  They finished 26-56 overall, going 24-46 under interim coach James Borrego. Zion Williamson remains the centerpiece. Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen give him young pieces to develop.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jamahl Mosley hired as Pelicans' new coach following Magic exit

The Knicks play in their second consecutive Eastern Conference Finals beginning Tuesday, when they take on a Cleveland Cavaliers team that is coming off seven-game series wins over the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons. 

These two teams met, albeit under different circumstances, in the first round of the playoffs just three short years ago, and now get to reignite that rivalry with a spot in the NBA Finals on the line. 

Here’s what to expect from the series and who we expect to advance...

The Cavaliers have one major question the 76ers also failed to solve against the Knicks: what do you do about Jalen Brunson? Both their starting guards are lackluster defensively, their wing options are shaky, and their bigs are better suited for the paint.

There’s a strong chance Cleveland deploys whoever out of Max Strus, Caris LeVert, or Dean Wade is on the floor on Brunson, who should be able to get to the paint with ease against these names. As far as individual matchups go, Brunson may have more pickings in this series than any of the previous ones, with almost any switch giving him a huge advantage. 

Of course, he’ll need to execute and not fall too deep into the isolation hole. With how successful the motion offense and Brunson off-ball play has been, this shouldn’t be a concern.

If Cleveland decides to send extra bodies Brunson’s way, their backline defense can easily get stretched too thin between relying on their guards (who have now led their offense through two seven-gamers) and less mobile bigs to make plays three-on-four. Teams haven’t been able to employ this effectively thus far in the postseason, though Cleveland has some decent size to cause problems at least.

Speaking of wings, the Knicks have more advantages here, as OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges have been looking for their offense all postseason, and the Cavs don’t have clean matchups for them. Harden and Mitchell lack the instinct, one wing is likely on Brunson, and Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen will have to be really polished if switched on.

One measure New York will have to attack early is Cleveland putting a big on Josh Hart so they can roam the paint defensively. He’ll need to be ready to take and make threes, as well find timely cuts to punish them for this.

Karl-Anthony Towns has of course been the star of the Knicks' offense with his patience and playmaking, and will need to continue that streak against tighter passing lanes and longer arms inside. Where he and his fellow big man Mitchell Robinson can really win the series is on the glass.

Cleveland has been one of the worst defensive rebounding teams in the playoffs, which plagued them against New York three seasons ago. Towns and Robinson could have the chance to bully them on the offensive boards again, and we could see more double-big lineups to press upon this edge.

On the flip side, the Cavs boast a ton of raw offensive talent that will push the Knicks defense to its limits. Mitchell and Harden are each capable of turning an entire game on their own, and will be probing New York’s pick-and-roll defense for holes.

Expect the Knicks to start Hart on Mitchell, Bridges on Harden, and Anunoby on Mobley. They could also switch their bigs so Towns is on Mobley, allowing Anunoby to ghost Allen and deal with most of the pick coverage. 

A key here will be not falling for Harden’s foul-baiting and forcing him into tough jumpers and floaters instead of layups and easy assists. They’re going to try and get him in empty-side situations so the Knicks have a tough time helping on the roll, don’t expect traditional drop coverage too often.

If the Cavs are getting too much leverage on their star pick-and-rolls, the Knicks have the defenders to switch everything and try and force them to win one-on-one. Expect Brunson to be a major target again in screens and set plays, especially since he’ll have to chase sharpshooters in Strus and Sam Merrill. 

Mobley stepped up as a shot-maker, averaging 17 points on 55 percent shooting from the field and 36 percent from three these playoffs, including some clutch buckets against Detroit. Anunoby and Towns can’t expect an easy matchup here and will need to work to limit him.

After their first three games, the Knicks have largely moonwalked through these playoffs, while the Cavaliers have scratched and clawed their way here. Was this a sign of asymmetric preparedness, or the strength of their foes?

We’ll find out for certain in a couple weeks' time, but for now it’s hard not to be impressed with the Knicks' precision and dominance in the face of the Cavaliers' inconsistent production. While anything can happen in the playoffs, one outcome seems much more certain.

Prediction: Knicks in 5

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Dinners should not be where revelations take place.

After a Saturday night meal, Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert told head coach Kenny Atkinson that Jarrett Allen was the team’s spark. Atkinson has since credited that conversation as a turning point. And while Gilbert was right, it’s a “no s***” observation. Frankly, the fact that it took a dinner with the owner to shift Atkinson’s worldview is the most concerning detail of Cleveland’s postseason run so far.

Because the evidence was already there. Repeatedly. In plain sight.

Game 7 against the Toronto Raptors was a blueprint. Allen’s presence was stamped all over the 114-102 win. Allen was physical, assertive, and finished at the rim. Donovan Mitchell, who was nowhere near his best that night, operated as a facilitator rather than a hero. The offense flowed. Cleveland advanced.

Then the series shifted to Detroit, and almost like the coaching staff hadn’t been in the building for Game 7, the focus reverted back to the star backcourt. Allen played just 18 minutes in Game 1, which is unacceptable even though he was dealing with foul trouble. He and Evan Mobley combined for only 11 points. Cleveland lost 101-111. The team spent the next several games trying to find Mitchell’s groove rather than building on what had just worked.

Games 2 through 6 against Detroit told the same story in rotating chapters. When Allen and Mobley were connected and involved, the offense had a logic to it. When Cleveland fell back into “let’s see if Mitchell has it” mode, and more often than not in this postseason, he didn’t, the offense siloed. James Harden became the primary facilitator by default. Mitchell forced. The life drained out of the building, and it seemed like the Cavaliers blew their chance at the Eastern Conference Finals.

The pattern was never subtle. Mitchell playing hero-ball, chucking up contested looks, is electric when they’re falling. When they don’t, it is the most aggravating form of basketball to watch, and it visibly drags him and everyone around him down with it.

Game 7 against Detroit confirmed what Game 7 against Toronto had already shown. From the opening possession, the bigs were going to be involved. Allen was set up immediately and converted. Mitchell ran the offense as a distributor, getting Mobley and Allen engaged early and keeping them there. The result was an offense that played with a coherence Cleveland rarely sustained for more than a few minutes at a stretch across either series; it produced a 125-94 blowout on the road.

When Mitchell drives and draws defensive bodies, it opens a dump-off lane for Allen or Mobley. Either they finish inside, or they kick out to Sam Merrill, Max Strus, or Harden for open looks. Allen and Mobley are too gifted offensively to exist solely as pick-and-roll partners. The offense becomes genuinely difficult to guard when they’re true options, not afterthoughts.

The Cavaliers have now won two Game 7s this postseason running this offense. They’ve also dropped winnable games in both series when they abandoned it.

Cleveland opens against the New York Knicks on Tuesday as significant underdogs, and they are heading into a road series against a deeper, well-coached team. The margin for error is thin. Reverting to Mitchell-first basketball when it isn’t working; burning possessions, flattening the offense, waiting for a hot streak that may not come, is a luxury they cannot afford.

The blueprint has been written twice now. Allen and Mobley at the forefront. Mitchell as the engine who makes everyone better, not the lottery ticket the team cashes in and hopes for the best. When this Cavaliers offense is a collective effort rather than an individual one, it is as good as anything left in these playoffs.

Atkinson shouldn’t need another dinner to figure that out.

After what felt like a month, the Knicks finally learned the next team they’ll put to the sword.

It’s the Cleveland Knights, no puns intended.

Here’s the latest in what will likely be the softest and most casual Bulletin in the next two weeks.

pic.twitter.com/u0qjAtsrqm

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) May 18, 2026

Mike Brown

On sticking with Mikal Bridges despite outside questions:

“I don’t know if I was publicly backing him. I was just telling the truth. He can play, he’s been in this situation before, we’ve had success with him. So I was just basically answering the questions regarding him. He’s earned the right to be there. He’s earned the right to do a lot of different things. And I was just reiterating it.”

On Bridges’ importance within the team structure:

“He’s definitely an important piece of what we’re trying to do, as well as everybody else. He’s gotta do his job on both ends, and when he does, we’re pretty good. Not just him; when anybody else does, we’re pretty good. So he’s no different than anybody else.”

Donovan Mitchell: "Yeah it's great I get to play at home…doesn't matter. We gotta be locked in and ready to go. I know we will be. They're a tough team. We're excited"

Jarrett Allen: "Thank you guys"

(rise to leave)

Mitchell: "My Mets beat the Yankees today too" pic.twitter.com/85bjDedXfW

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) May 18, 2026

Mikal Bridges

On the need for steady improvement throughout the playoffs:

“You can’t look at the past. You learn from it, but just be present and do what you gotta do to get better. I think that’s really it. Just learn from each game and try to get better every single game. And that’s really it. Like I said, I always try to play to help win and just keep trying to get better. That’s been the outcome.”

Dirk "Knicks rolling–what do you see next round?"

Donovan Mitchell "Peaking right time…Obv Brunson head of snake, KAT–but Mikal/OG equally dangerous…Josh Hart dog…We know them v well…Gonna be dogfight…boards, D…They been off feels like 3 weeks…We gotta…continue momentum" pic.twitter.com/B4TYeHIcxp

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) May 18, 2026

Miles McBride

On the benefit of extra rest before the Eastern Conference finals:

“It’s good to give your body some rest. Be able to sit back and watch your opponents beat each other up in a sense.”

Patrick Ewing gets candid with The Post about feeling 'a part' of Knicks' run after his pain of near misses https://t.co/pfxgIEej5zpic.twitter.com/nISJwdlhWO

— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) May 16, 2026

Patrick Ewing

On the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in front of the Knicks:

“What I would tell them is they have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. No one knows if it’s going to come back around. When we got there in ’94, I definitely thought that we were going to have another opportunity in ’95 — take advantage of this opportunity. Continue to do the things that they’ve been doing. Continue to play as a team. The five guys on the floor got to do their part, the bench has to do their part. So remember that it’s about team, this is not tennis with one person against another person, all five have to be locked in, be unselfish, be selfish when you need to be selfish, and just play a team game.”

On why these Knicks can win a championship:

“Anything is possible. These guys have been putting in the work, the coaches have been putting them in great positions to accomplish that. That’s everybody’s goal at the beginning of the year to win a championship, and we’re all hoping that happens.”

On how the Knicks finish the job:

“They have to continue to do what they’ve been doing. We’ve been definitely hot in these last two rounds. We have to continue to do the same thing that we’ve been doing — playing as a team, both offensively and defensively taking care of business, no turnovers, just all the things that they’ve been doing.”

Mike Lupica: Karl-Anthony Towns is a big reason why Knicks are different this time https://t.co/MGZiOhBuMB

— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) May 16, 2026

John Calipari

On how playing through Karl-Anthony Towns elevates the Knicks:

“What everybody is seeing is that playing through him the way they are doesn’t take away from anybody else’s game. On the contrary, it adds to everybody else’s game. And is exactly right for this team. The style of game he’s been playing, especially since they got behind the Hawks, I call that Jokic style, and that’s without him getting a ton of shots. Good for Mike and good for Karl.”

On Towns handling regular-season criticism:

“You know why I’m happy for him? He never said a word when he was taking all the grief he took during the regular season. He just kept walking. There’s a word for that, by the way: Professional.”

“Hey, I know it’s hard to listen to me when I’m talking about him. I admit I’m biased. But I stand up for my guys and this time it was easy, even when it looked as if he was scuffling. Now he’s started making things easier for everybody else. I told Spike the other day: If they keep playing through Karl this way, they can win the whole thing.”

On Towns’ versatility and unselfishness:

“You can’t foul him because he shoots free throws like a guard. He can absolutely make the right pass if you make a hard cut. And because of his size, he can pass the ball over the defense if he has to. As good a scorer as he’s been, guy’s not thinking shoot first. It just speaks to how unselfish he is. Hey, back when we were both at Kentucky and I needed him to play 21 minutes a game so Dakari Johnson could get 19, you know what he did? He went and sat down and didn’t say a word then, either.”

On first recognizing Jalen Brunson’s talent:

“I remember seeing [Brunson] when he was on his way to Villanova. And even though I knew Jay Wright had him locked up, I called up Jay and said, ‘I need to recruit the hell out of this Brunson kid.’ Because it was clear how good he was.”

Naz Reid on supporting Karl Anthony Towns and the Knicks run in the playoffs now that the Wolves season is over

“I'm trying to get out there back home for sure, trying to see him play in person, you know, from a spectator aspect, that's a brother for sure, he's I've been years… pic.twitter.com/sY85D8xsI4

— Andrew Dukowitz (@adukeMN) May 16, 2026

Naz Reid

On supporting Karl-Anthony Towns during the Knicks’ playoff run:

“I’m trying to get out there back home for sure, trying to see him play in person, you know, from a spectator aspect, that’s a brother for sure, I’ve been years in with him as well. So, and him also being from Jersey, I’ve known him long before NBA. So I mean, just trying to make sure I give the same love to him that he’s reciprocated to us and so forth and so on. I obviously want to be there for him as much as I can. I mean, he’s been there for me more than you guys know. So I mean, just showing that love is the least I can do.”

Baron Davis

On comparing Jalen Brunson to Allen Iverson:

“Jalen Brunson to me is like Allen Iverson in this era. Like nobody can guard him. No matter what you do, he going to get his shot off. He gets hot. You know, it’s on fuego and he can play to the moment.”

Jamal Crawford

On the similarities between Jalen Brunson and Allen Iverson’s usage:

“I think they are a little more diverse in using Brunson. To me, they’re using Brunson, as AI was used in Philly. And they got him off the ball some. They moved him around. Then they got him in pick-and-roll situations. Obviously, we know the playoffs slow down, and you want the ball in your best player’s hands, but they’re a little less predictable.”

Stephen A. Smith ranks the Knicks as the No. 1 option for LeBron next season 👀

(via @FirstTake) pic.twitter.com/8yeJOqLFVS

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 12, 2026

Stephen A. Smith

On why the New York Knicks are LeBron James’ best option:

“Now, I understand that it’s emotional. I know that. But what I’m thinking about when it comes to the New York Knicks is two things. If you don’t win the title this year, again, you don’t … He gonna be with the Knicks. That’s the brand that will easily enable LeBron to pocket an additional half a billion dollars. And then you got LeBron with Brunson, with OG, with Karl-Anthony Towns.”

Paul Pierce says he thinks LeBron James should retire:

“Just like for the simple fact that at the age that he still receives the criticism that he still does. The greats wasn’t getting this criticism late. Nobody was criticizing Kobe when he wasn’t going to the playoffs in his… pic.twitter.com/1gzMrMvQwi

— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) May 15, 2026

Paul Pierce

On why LeBron James should retire:

“Yeah, I think he should, man. Just like for the simple fact that at the age that he still receives the criticism that he still does. The greats wasn’t getting this criticism late. Nobody was criticizing Kobe when he wasn’t going to the playoffs in his last year. They was just enjoying his moments. Like, the same with Jordan in Washington.

“For the simple fact that the man is 41, and we still critiquing him like he 25 and should be winning championships still. Just the criticism he gets still. He still gets criticism.”

Homer Simpson’s shoes https://t.co/BOwlUx7YO9

— YOUNG O.G. 🇵🇦 (@SNEAKERFANDAN) May 17, 2026

After a great night for Cleveland in Detroit, the Guardians head to the Motor City to play the Tigers for four days beginning tonight. Let’s hope it goes as well for the Cleveland baseball team as it did for the Cavaliers.

Yesterday was a tremendous day for the Guardians. Nicole/Deborah covered it quite well here as always.

If you haven’t been keeping up with Zack Meisel’s amazing work at the Athletic, now’s the time to catch up. He covered remembering Bob Tayek, Guardians’ stadium PA here. He covered Parker Messick’s historic start here. And it’s a good idea to go back to take a look at Angel Martinez’s hot start as covered by Zack here. I have to note that the Athletic tried to get their Twins’ writer to go national and he refused and started his own website, so I’d continue to subscribe to the Athletic and support Zack were I a Guardians’ fan who loves his content.

FanGraphs’ Michael Baumann had a nice article about Erik Sabrowski that I missed earlier.

AROUND MLB:

The Tigers lost, but the Royals, White Sox and Twins all won yesterday.

Mikal Bridges chose the perfect time to find his mojo. After a tepid close to the regular season, and an alarming first few games in the playoffs, the Knicks' wing has played some of his best basketball lately. 

With the Cleveland Cavaliers standing between the Knicks and an NBA Finals appearance, Bridges will be an X-Factor in the Eastern Conference Finals. 

Bridges’ offense has taken off. In the last five games, he’s averaging 18.8 points on 67.8 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from the three-point line. 

The Knicks have needed the offense from Bridges with OG Anunoby missing the last two games of the second round with a right hamstring injury. Anunoby is expected to play in the Conference Finals, but it’s unclear how he will look both physically. Also, it will be important to see if he can quickly shake off the rust of not playing for nearly two weeks. 

That makes Bridges’ offensive role even more important. He’s not a playmaker for the Knicks, but he’s proven to be a very good play finisher. He can score both as a cutter and outside shooter. 

As New York's assists and passing have increased since center Karl-Anthony Towns’ emergence as a playmaker, Bridges has become one of the main beneficiaries of the stylistic shift.

Defensive pest

Defense is where Bridges should have an even larger role. He will check Cleveland's star perimeter duo of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden throughout the Conference Finals. Both Mitchell and Harden are dynamic with the ball in their hands and are capable of creating scoring opportunities for themselves and their teammates.

Bridges’ playoff defense has been a strength to the Knicks during these playoffs, hounding the likes of Tyrese Maxey and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in the first two rounds. In the second round sweep against the Philadelphia 76ers, Bridges led the charge in defending Maxey. He and New York did a good job on the 76ers All-Star, limiting him to 18.3 points on 43.3 percent from the field.

Now, Cleveland presents some different challenges for New York’s defense. During the Knicks’ February loss to the Cavs, Bridges guarded Mitchell for much of the game, so expect him to take on that challenge again for Game 1.

Mitchell is a tough cover. He can be electric on the drive with power reminiscent of a tailback striding through the teeth of an NFL defense. Mitchell can also pull up from three as a shooter. He’s not the best playmaking guard in the NBA, but he’s shown he can both score and distribute. In Cleveland’s 125-94 rout of the Detroit Pistons in Game 7 of the second round, Mitchell had 26 points and eight assists. He consistently knifed into the lane and found Cleveland big men Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley for drop-off passes.

Bridges’ skills on defense are bolstered by length. Armed with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, he can get into passing lanes and disrupt offenses with deflections and steals. As New York blitzed Maxey in the pick-and-roll, Bridges’ anticipation created some deflections to slow down Philadelphia’s offense. New York’s defense is allowing 104.8 points per 100 possessions through 10 playoff games, the second-best number among all 16 playoff teams.

Though New York’s trade of Bridges nearly two years ago continues to be debated, he’s proven to be a key cog in the playoffs. For the Knicks to advance to the NBA Finals, they will need him to have a significant impact in this series.

As anticipated, the Cleveland Cavaliers are expected to re-sign guard James Harden once free agency starts, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. The Cavs traded Darius Garland at the trade deadline to acquire Harden, a major shake-up that shifted the outlook of the team for the near future. That includes more than the current season.

Windhorst says the Cavs traded for Harden with the intent of getting multiple seasons out of him, along with greater certainty that he would be healthy enough to play in the playoffs. Garland, for as much of a fan favorite as he was, described his injury as like playing with nine toes. Harden, despite being ten years older than Garland, has had a cleaner bill of health. Of course, Harden also wanted contract certainty heading into next season — something his former team, the Los Angeles Clippers were not willing to provide.

The Cavs were willing to work out a new deal with Harden and his representation, according to Windhorst, with the understanding that it would be a multi-year deal. Harden has a $42 million player option (with $13 million guaranteed), and the rebuilding Clippers were not willing to absorb that. Cleveland, who is all-in to win right now, saw it as an opportunity.

While no contract agreement is allowed to be announced, the Cavs appeared willing to play ball with the former MVP and his team to work out a deal. Besides, Harden would have rejected any deal that did not have this handshake agreement as part of the trade.

Despite several uneven playoff performances already for Harden, the overwhelming expectation is that he will remain in the wine and gold for a few more years to come. There could be more changes on the way as well, and some big ones at that.

Jaylen Brown is skeptical about the NBA’s Social Justice Champion award, challenging the idea of honoring players for what he considers a basic responsibility.

Brown, the NBPA Executive Committee’s Vice President since 2019, sees paying it forward as a moral obligation rather than a commendable chore. Each season, the NBA selects five players nominated for the award, and this season, Brown joined Bam Adebayo, Tobias Harris, Harrison Barnes, and Larry Nance Jr. as the finalists in the running.

“I’m not sure why the NBA decided they needed to create this award,” Brown said Sunday night on his FCHWPO Twitch livestream. “They’ve actually asked for my participation over the course of the last five or seven years, and I turn them down every time. I don’t really feel like you need to be rewarded for your responsibility. I honestly feel like it’s a responsibility to my community. I know some people don’t feel like that.”

Five years ago, the NBA introduced the Social Justice Champion award in honor of Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the six-time champion’s lifelong efforts in social activism. Last season, then-Celtics guard Jrue Holiday won the award, which came with a $100,000 donation to the charity of his choice — the Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Impact Fund (JLH Fund), an organization founded in 2020 to assist Black-owned small businesses, entrepreneurs, and Black-led non-profits.

As we honor the sixth year of the NBA Social Justice Champion award, join us in recognizing Bam Adebayo, Harrison Barnes, Jaylen Brown, Tobias Harris, and Larry Nance Jr. as the finalists for the 2025-26 season. This award honors NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and his… pic.twitter.com/YYuHuiEpri

— NBA (@NBA) May 15, 2026

Brown, who shared the floor with Holiday for two seasons as Celtics teammates, remains connected to Jrue and his wife as the three continue to carry out their mission in Boston by investing in the Boston Creator Accelerator — a partnership between Holiday’s JLH Fund and Brown’s Boston XChange (BXC).

That’s fulfilling enough for Brown, who, throughout his decade-long stint in Boston, has strived to empower the city’s underrepresented communities.

Brown does, however, recognize Abdul-Jabbar as a pioneer worthy of admiration for both his basketball accolades and his role as a catalyst in the fight against social injustice.

“Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the one who highlights that and emphasizes that,” Brown said. “Kareem was also a great player, one of the players that I also grew up looking up to — on and off the court.”

Ever since being drafted third overall in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Celtics, Brown has grown in a similar trajectory to Kareem — both as a player and a community leader. He’s immersed himself in Boston’s culture and has never shied away from calling out areas where he believes the city can improve. In 2024, Brown launched BXC to help combat the city’s racial wealth gap by supporting Black and Brown entrepreneurs and collaborating with institutions including MIT, Harvard, and Roxbury Community College.

Annually, Brown also hosts the Bridge Program, which, through his 7uice Foundation, helps students of color prepare for college by exploring STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics).

After Brown signed his then-record-setting $304 million contract extension with the Celtics in July 2023, he stated his desire to create “Black Wall Street” in Boston. Soon after, BXC was founded.

Coming from humble beginnings in Atlanta and raised by his single mother, Dr. Mechalle Brown — who earned her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan — Brown understands the challenges of overcoming adverse circumstances. In his mind, efforts to help the next generation carve out opportunities of their own far exceed any trophy the NBA is willing to hand out.

“I feel called to do this type of work,” Brown told his stream.

“What I do with education and STEAM, it’s a weird thing to feel like you should be compensated. I have a platform, I’ve been blessed. God has blessed me, so I take the responsibility, and I pour it to my community.”

The NBA playoffs are down to just four teams. And what a battle it's shaping up to be.

The Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off a stunner in the Eastern Conference by dominating the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in Game 7. Now the Cavs will look to knock off a well-rested New York Knicks team coming off a sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers that seems to be peaking at the perfect time.

In the Western Conference, the No. 2 seed San Antonio Spurs eliminated the No. 6 seed Timberwolves on the road in Minnesota. This series had been a back-and-forth affair, but the Spurs took command in Game 5 at home then clinched a trip to the conference finals on the Timberwolves home court in Game 6. The Spurs will take on the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, who haven't lost in these playoffs. The Thunder started this postseason by sweeping the Phoenix Suns, and then they did the same to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals.

Here’s a look at the bracket and upcoming schedule for the Eastern and Western Conference finals:

NBA Eastern Conference finals

The New York Knicks have the higher seed and will host Games 1, 2, 5 and 7, while the Cleveland Cavaliers will host Games 3, 4 and 6.

No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers

All games on ESPN unless otherwise noted; *-if necessary

• Game 1 at New York: Tuesday, May 19, 8 p.m.
• Game 2 at New York: Thursday, May 21, 8 p.m.
• Game 3 at Cleveland: Saturday, May 23, 8 p.m. (ABC)
• Game 4 at Cleveland: Monday, May 25, 8 p.m.
• *Game 5 at New York: Wednesday, May 27, 8 p.m.
• *Game 6 at Cleveland: Friday, May 29, 8 p.m.
• *Game 7 at New York: Sunday, May 31, 8 p.m.

NBA Western Conference finals

The Oklahoma City Thunder have the No. 1 seed and will host Games 1, 2, 5 and 7, while the San Antonio Spurs host Games 3, 4 and 6.

No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 2 San Antonio Spurs

All games on NBC and Peacock; *-if necessary

• Game 1 at Oklahoma City: Monday, May 18, 8:30 p.m.
• Game 2 at Oklahoma City: Wednesday, May 20, 8:30 p.m.
• Game 3 at San Antonio: Friday, May 22, 8:30 p.m.
• Game 4 at San Antonio: Sunday, May 24, 8 p.m.
• *Game 5 at Oklahoma City: Tuesday, May 26, 8:30 p.m.
• *Game 6 at San Antonio: Thursday, May 28, 8:30 p.m.
• *Game 7 at Oklahoma City: Saturday, May 30, 8 p.m.

NBA Eastern Conference semifinals

No. 1 Detroit Pistons vs. No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers

Cavaliers win series 4-3

• Game 1: Pistons 111, Cavaliers 101
• Game 2: Pistons 107, Cavaliers 97
• Game 3: Cavaliers 116, Pistons 109
• Game 4: Cavaliers 112, Pistons 103
• Game 5: Cavaliers 117, Pistons 113 (OT)
• Game 6: Pistons 115, Cavaliers 94
• Game 7: Cavaliers 125, Pistons 94

No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers

Knicks win series 4-0

• Game 1: Knicks 137, 76ers 98
• Game 2: Knicks 108, 76ers 102
• Game 3: Knicks 108, 76ers 94
• Game 4: Knicks 144, 76ers 114

NBA Western Conference semifinals

No. 2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves

Spurs win series 4-2

• Game 1: Timberwolves 104, Spurs 102
• Game 2: Spurs 133, Timberwolves 95
• Game 3: Spurs 115, Timberwolves 108
• Game 4: Timberwolves 114, Spurs 109
• Game 5: Spurs 126, Timberwolves 97
• Game 6: Spurs 139, Timberwolves 109

No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers

Thunder win series 4-0

• Game 1: Thunder 108, Lakers 90
• Game 2: Thunder 125, Lakers 107
• Game 3: Thunder 131, Lakers 108
• Game 4: Thunder 115, Lakers 110

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA playoff bracket 2026: Conference finals schedule, scores, matchups

I’ve said before that one of my favorite things about being editor-in-chief of this website is reaching out to the writers that cover other teams and having conversations with them. The Fraternizing with the Enemy series is one of the things of which I’m most proud from my tenure at PtR. So when I say that I very nearly took this series off, you’ll understand what a big deal that is.

See, running this website has brought me not only a lot of joy since 2010, but also a lot of friendships. Of those relationships that have developed over the years, none have been more important to me than the one that grew between J.A. Sherman and me. J.A. used to run Welcome to Loud City when it was a part of S.B. Nation, and we met as fellow blog managers. We frequently Fratted together, and even did so through the Western Conference Finals of 2014 which Spurs fans remember fondly and Thunder fans less so.

As time went on and he left the sports blogging world, he became one of my closest friends. Last year, at the age of 49, he died. I don’t currently have the words to express what losing him has meant to me. Those of you who have experienced the loss of someone close to you know how foundation-shaking a thing it can be.

I wrestled with the idea how best to honor him, and finally settled on continuing the series. I reached out to one of his former contributors, Cray Allred, who currently runs the excellent Daily Thunder and has agreed to accompany me as our teams battle it out on the court. Please enjoy and discuss, but also remember my friend. His family misses him terribly, and so do I. This is for him.

Cray:

Nice to meet you, J.R.! I actually used to write and podcast a bit for J.A. at Welcome to Loud City (rip). Great guy. 

12 years ago, but it seems like yesterday. The Spurs battles from that era were some of the best (i.e. most grueling and miserable until they were over) for Thunder fans. I still have nightmares about Derek Fisher guarding Tim Duncan in the post in 2014. And I bet Anthony Edwards’ in-game congrats in Game 6 didn’t wash away your memory of KD hugging his family in the final moments of the 2012 G6. Or maybe you’re a more well regulated fan than I am lol. 

J.R.

I’ll admit that I’d completely forgotten Durant’s 2012 celebration. Candidly, 2014 put a lot of negative memories to rest. In some ways, it does seem like yesterday. And in other ways it’s been long enough that it feels like forever. The DeMar DeRozan years. The Dejounte Murray years. The misses in the draft like Lonnie Walker and poor Josh Primo. Tearing down the team meant losing Derrick White and Jakob Poeltl; bottoming out meant learning to actually pay attention to the lottery. Not much fun. 

Nightmares aren’t fun either, so I’m sorry that last year’s championship didn’t cleanse your subconscious of the trauma that the Beautiful Basketball Spurs inflicted on you and your fanbase. That’s the thing about zero sum games like professional sports. There’s no ultimate celebration for thee without misery for me. And it’s not just a single me. Every title-clinching team leaves a collection of bitter opposition fans in its wake.

It’s hard to remember, in the midst of our fond memories of victories last, that every series we remember with nostalgia is a painful memory for up to four different communities — and speaking of painful memories, the loss of J.A. Sherman is something I’m still dealing with. He had become one of my closest friends, and I miss him terribly and daily. The time I was fortunate enough to spend with him is both a source of joy and pain, but I’m so glad you knew him too, and this conversation helps me to not focus on that loss. 

Which brings me to the series, and what now seems like the inevitable clash of these two young teams that has all of the markings of an epic (and potentially annual) conflict. What do you think of the series? What are you looking forward to and what concerns you? 

Cray

I suggest we dedicate this article to J.A. He was the rare sports media member, able to voraciously follow every play and story without losing his positive, good-natured outlook. We could all stand to be a little more like him when yelling at the TV, muting our @s, and writing from the rollercoaster that every fanbase rides.

As for the series, my Thunder optimism has provoked the “blind homer” label from a loyal reader. I know the Spurs are capable of reaching OKC’s level in the very near future. I know Oklahoma City looked just as spooked as the rest of the league when struggling against Victor Wembanyama and the talent orbiting him in their matchups this regular season. I know Wemby might be the most inevitable force of nature the sport has ever seen.  (Is he still growing? Please tell me he at least stopped growing.)

But I know the Thunder are in a historic tier of excellence in their own right. Specifically, their defense has become one of the most relatively dominant of all-time, as has their lead bucket-getter. If a reigning champ was ever built to withstand an alien invasion, it’s the basketball team in Oklahoma City.

If healthy.

That’s my main concern for the conference finals: that Jalen Williams’ fourth return from injury this season will not be shortlived like the others. OKC needs his size and rim pressure on the mix in order to hold up against Wemby on both ends. Ajay Mitchell has been a revelation, and there are plenty of bright spots throughout the postseason roster I could point to for the Thunder hopeful. But only JDub adds the kind of perimeter and paint force on the level of SGA and Chet Holmgren.

As for the matchup dynamics, I think the biggest game-by-game swings will come from corner shooting volume (San Antonio’s bread and butter, which OKC de-emphasizes in their defensive scheme) and midrange proficiency (Shai’s all-time bread and butter, which only doubles and triples have been able to slow thus far in 2026).

What do you think? Should I feel like the Spurs are more of an existential threat than my interpretation of the numbers has convinced me?

J.R.

I don’t think it’s my place to try to dial up your fear of San Antonio. Through the first two rounds of the playoffs, my Fraternizing partners have been very upfront about their doubts as to whether they could keep pace with the Spurs. So your confidence is not only refreshing, but well-founded, I think. I’ve never thought it was wise to put too much faith in regular season success when trying to predict how a postseason series would go. As a result, I’m trying to maintain my balance in the face of so many people I respect picking the Spurs, or at least calling the matchup even. 

The Western Conference Finals is a reality now, but at the beginning of the season it was just dream, and a remote one at that. I feel a bit like I should be thankful for how far the team has come, but what kind of fan can satisfy themself with nearly making the finals? No, fanatics are never satisfied. Which means we have to get our hands dirty and dive into the nitty gritty. 

But where to begin? How about Wemby’s dislike for Holmgren! What does it mean to you that there’s some unfulfilled animosity brewing under the surface before the games even get underway?

Cray

I can relate to your capacity for greedy discontent. The Thunder vaulted into the 1 seed two years ago, way ahead of schedule. Pushing Luka and the Mavs, the eventual Finals representatives from the West, to six games was way beyond our expectations for OKC. And it felt awful. As soon as you can sniff title contention, you stop counting moral victories. (Not to mention those 2012 Thunder, who appeared primed to leave San Antonio and the rest of the league in the dust. We know how that worked out.)

I’m a total hypocrite when it comes to Wemby and Chet. I love the rivalry, and I enjoy it getting as petty and charged as possible. It wouldn’t feel like Thunder/Spurs if everyone seemed to be having a good time. But I still find Wemby’s disdain for Chet to be pretty annoying since it’s never felt provoked by Holmgren, let alone reciprocated. Maybe Chet starts to take it more personally this time around. That might be a good thing for OKC, since he’s been far from his best against San Antonio of late.

One thing to track is SGA tiptoeing into the petty wars. Known for his class, SGA has developed a routine of avoiding verbal spats and sticking to the high road *during* the series, only to flex at the opponent after besting them. See: Dillon Brooks and the Los Angeles Lakers. If he pulls out this win, you can expect Shai to finally trade a barb or two with Wemby on their budding MVP and championship rivalry about which Victor has been much less bashful.

All that is to say, I think the animosity between our fanbases will be raging in the very near future. There is no way out of this postseason without us locked into another very bitter feud in place for the years to come. And this time around, the algorithms are here to make it even nastier.

Aside from Wemby, I expect to be most tormented by Dylan Harper and Devin Vassell. They’re both gamers I’ve been admiring from a distance up until now. Are you worried about any Thunder players outside of Shai driving you insane?

J.R.

Two words. First word. First syllable. Sounds like “Eww.” Second word. First syllable. Sounds like “Fort.”

I don’t think that there’s anyone I’m more primed to dislike than Lou Dort, and it’s not a new thing because I’ve had a decades-long dislike for guys that are a danger to the health and well being of their fellow players. It started when I was a kid watching a game with my day and I was so upset at the player who was killing our team with these baseline jumpers. He kept getting open and simply refused to miss. 

I finally blurted out, “Someone kick him in the knee!” and my dad had a talk with me about what we do and don’t do as fans. It was a lesson in sportsmanship and mutual respect. About playing hard but also recognizing that it’s better to take your lumps and learn from it than it is to give in to your worse instincts and lash out, endangering the career and livelihood of your fellow competitor. 

That lecture is something that guided me as a student athlete, and it guides me as an editor-in-chief. Every writer on PtR called out Wemby’s shot at Naz Reid’s neck as being unjustified. I was horrified that Vic was about two inches below what might have shattered the dude’s jaw. 

So when I see a guy that’s not just going to the edge of what the refs will allow (never the line that I think should be the limit for a player) but into the realm of what could take an opponent out of a game, I get uncomfortable. 

So here are my questions: is Dort’s reputation earned, or does he get a bad rap? Am I right to be concerned that he could injure one or the Spurs, or has that threat been blown out of proportion?

Cray:

Wow, most other fans LOVE Sweet Lu.

Jokes aside, I get it. Dort is the Thunder most prone by far to actual, outright flopping. And he lost the benefit of the doubt with many after tripping Nikola Jokic this season. He’ll be scrutinized even more closely as a result of taking such a blatant action out in the open. So I wouldn’t call his rap sheet unfounded. (And props to you for holding Wemby to the same standard.)

While he’s even admitted to crossing the line, I do think his reputation as a goon or even an enforcer is overstated. (Jaylin Williams has a lot more fun doing the latter.) No one who has seen his multitude of finishing fails would accuse him of masterful body control that could mask constant dirty intent. Referees are always trained on his matchup, and he racks up a small fraction of the uncommon fouls that other boundary-pushing, sly defenders like Draymond Green and Dillon Brooks are notorious for. If he were as sneaky and capable as his reputation, he would be capable of more than standing in the corner on offense. He’s guilty of more reckless hustle plays than cheap shots, though that’s little consolation if your favorite player is at the bottom of the pileup. 

What I think is underrated: Dort’s genuine, elite on-ball defense. It’s not just driven by his physicality; he’s not just good because he fouls. He’s thrived through the changing winds of what refs call too much or too little over the years. And he isn’t the one turning halfcourt into football. Opposing offenses run him through a gauntlet of screening collisions to free their best scorers from Dort’s ball denial. Of course they’d rather he let up when facing the first, second, or seventh pick of a possession; his coaches don’t, and that’s why he’s got a starting gig in the NBA. 

But when his dreads go flying on one end after he brushes your big’s shoulder, followed by an ugly, swished moonball after the ball swings his way on the other end…I get that the Dort experience is annoying at best.

With the conference finals almost underway, here’s to a healthy series free of any dangerous swinging limbs. I hope De’Aaron Fox and Luke Kornet join Jalen Williams in flipping from questionable to active when Game 1 tips later tonight. Strength for strength, I’m ready to find out who’s got whose number.

Good news, everyone!

Marquette fans everywhere still have a rooting interest in the 2026 NBA Playoffs! Our lone entrant in the Conference Semifinals advanced to the Conference Finals, so we’ve still got something to latch onto here.

Tyler Kolek — New York Knicks

Look, I’m not trying to tell head coach Mike Brown how to do his job here, but the fact of the matter is that New York is a perfect 6-0 when Marquette’s very own Tyler Kolek gets on the floor for the Knicks in these playoffs. Fair’s fair, so I have to remind myself that the Knicks are 2-2 when Kolek does not play, and .500 in the playoffs isn’t that far from advancing anyway. It does mean that the Knicks have only lost when Mike Brown does not get Kolek into the game though, so perhaps I’m more right than I realize.

We should also point out that Kolek has played in six of the Knicks’ last seven games, all of which have been a part of the most overwhelming 10 game point differential stretch in NBA Playoffs history.

Tyler Kolek is helping the Knicks mollywhop the opponents, and I will not accept explanations that challenge this information. I mean, come on, like anyone could possibly believe that the Knicks would have beat the Sixers by 30 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals without Kolek giving them four points, three rebounds, and two assists in 13 minutes?

Anyway, that level of Kolek-led domination has the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight year. Oooh, that means Tyler Kolek is a two-time Eastern Conference Finalist! Take that, almost every single other pick in the 2024 NBA Draft!

While Tyler Kolek’s playing time is the clear key to the Knicks’ success, we do have to acknowledge that Jalen Brunson led New York in scoring against the Sixers, averaging 29.0 points thanks to 45% three-point shooting. However, the Knicks’ point guard in name was not their assists leader in the series, as that went to Karl-Anthony Towns. The self-proclaimed best shooting big man in NBA history beat out Brunson in the helpers department, 7.5 per game to 6.0. KAT also shot 55% on threes, which is some Markus Howard freshman year level nonsense, and having fun beating the Knicks when Brunson and Towns essentially can’t miss from deep.

After more than a week off, #3 seed New York will face off against the #4 seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Cavs have had to play two seven game series in the playoffs so far, which means they’ve played 14 games against just 10 for the Knicks. Cleveland went down 2-0 out of the gate against #1 seed Detroit in the Eastern semis, then evened the series out, and then won two road games to close the series out, handing out a 125-94 thumping in Game 7 on Sunday night.

Donovan Mitchell was the Cavs’ leading scorer in the series, putting up 28.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. His three-point shooting was not working in the series, landing at just under 29%, but Mitchell was a 36% shooter in the regular season, so the Knicks will have to watch out for a bounce back from him. Evan Mobley was Cleveland’s leading rebounder at 7.4 per game, while the Cavs were led in assists against the Pistons by James Harden. He had 6.3 assists per game to go with nearly 20 points and just over five rebounds a night in the series. Harden was a shooting liability in the series, hitting just 38% of his shots overall and just 29% from long range. I’m not entirely sure why the 36 year old guard led the Cavaliers in minutes in the series, but that’s a thing that happened, and you gotta wonder if that’s going to start catching up with Harden, who is in his 17th year in the league.

2026 NBA Playoffs

Eastern Conference Finals

All games at 7pm Central on ESPN

Game 1: Tuesday, May 19
Game 2: Thursday, May 21
Game 3: Saturday, May 23
Game 4: Monday, May 25
Game 5*: Wednesday, May 27
Game 6*: Friday, May 29
Game 7*: Sunday, May 31

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