Thunder vs Lakers Prediction, Picks & Odds for NBA Playoffs Game 3

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Veteran point guard Marcus Smart served as a finger in the dam for the Los Angeles Lakers when Austin Reaves was out of the lineup. 

Now that Reaves is back and rolling, Smart should be taking a step back in terms of his shooting activity. That hasn’t been the case.

Our Thunder vs. Lakers predictions believe that if L.A. is going to climb out of a 0-2 hole versus the Oklahoma City Thunder, it needs less shooting and more playmaking from Smart.

My NBA picks like Smart to top his assist prop in Game 3.

Thunder vs Lakers Game 3 prediction

Thunder vs Lakers best bet: Marcus Smart Over 3.5 Assists (-115)

When Austin Reaves was out, Marcus Smart filled that scoring role. And when Reaves returned at the end of Round 1, naturally, Smart’s shots slimmed. 

Through two games with the Oklahoma City Thunder, however, Smart is a collective 8 for 28 from the field. He’s not who the Los Angeles Lakers need shooting the ball. 

Rather, the Lakers need Smart to set up Reaves, LeBron James, and Rui Hachimura.

Smart has dished out five and seven assists so far and has recorded four or more dimes in six of eight playoff outings. Yet, his assist total for Game 3 sits at 3.5 O/U.

Saturday's projections lean toward four assists from Smart.

Covers COVERS INTEL: Marcus Smart is actually second on the team in touches in Round 2, ahead of LeBron James. He’s generated 12 dimes from 16 potential assists vs. OKC and is averaging 5.6 assists on 9.8 potential assists per game for the playoffs.

Thunder vs Lakers Game 3 same-game parlay

Game 3 will be just the second time the Thunder have been single-digit favorites in the postseason. Despite covering big piles of chalk at home, OKC didn’t look dominant in those wins. Instead, Oklahoma City slowly drifted away from the Lakers.

Los Angeles’ frustrations are starting to boil over, and we’ve seen OKC crush a much stronger version of this L.A. team at times in the regular season. I like them to cover the modest -8.5 in La-La Land on Saturday.

Chet Holmgren is the MVP for this series. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander commanding extra attention from Los Angeles’ defense, Holmgren has stepped up with efforts of 22 and 24 points in the opening two games.

The Lakers don’t have the size or versatility to counter the 7-footer, especially when he steps out and knocks down perimeter shots. Chet is projected for 17+ points in Game 3.

Thunder vs Lakers SGP

  • Thunder -8.5
  • Marcus Smart Over 3.5 assists
  • Chet Holmgren Over 16.5 points

Thunder vs Lakers odds for Game 3

  • Spread: Thunder -8.5 | Lakers +8.5
  • Moneyline: Thunder -390 | Lakers +380
  • Over/Under: Over 212 | Under 212

Thunder vs Lakers betting trend to know

The Thunder are a perfect 6-0 SU and ATS versus the Lakers this season and own an 8-1 SU/ATS record against L.A. over the past two years. Find more NBA betting trends for Thunder vs. Lakers.

How to watch Thunder vs Lakers Game 3

LocationCrypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
DateSaturday, May 9, 2026
Tip-off8:30 p.m. ET
TVABC

Thunder vs Lakers latest injuries

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P.J. Tucker officially retires from NBA after 14 seasons, won title with 2021 Milwaukee Bucks

There was a period in the late 2010s through the early 2020s when the front offices of every contender were asking, "Can we get P.J. Tucker?" He brought grit and toughness, at 6'5" he could defend bigger forwards (and even some centers) in the post, and on corner 3s he was automatic. There was a reason the Milwaukee Bucks traded for him in the middle of the 2020-21 season, the year they won a title.

Tucker officially announced his retirement after a 14-year NBA career in an Instagram post.

"20 years being my job but 40 plus years of not being able to fathom doing anything other than it. So here's to retiring from the NBA… because I will NEVER stop ballin."

Tucker's is a story of perseverance. He was drafted in the second round in 2006 by Toronto, out of Texas, and spent most of his rookie season with the Raptors, but they waived him in March and he couldn't catch on with another NBA team. He played in the G League before taking his game overseas, playing in Israel, Ukraine, Greece, Italy and Germany. However, he kept steadily improving, finding his game and his role, and in 2012, the Phoenix Suns brought him back to the NBA, where he stuck. In his 14 NBA seasons Tucker played for Toronto, Phoenix, Houston, Milwaukee, Miami, Philadelphia, LA Clippers and New York. He went on to play 866 NBA games.

His impact on the court far exceeded his career counting stats of 6.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

BetMGM Pays Over $700,000 for Thunder, Pistons Game 2 Spread Bets

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While the NBA Playoffs might be unpredictable to the masses, BetMGM bettors are wallowing in money following several six-figure wins on Thursday.

According to BetMGM’s John Ewing, more than $700,000 was claimed in select spread bets from yesterday’s playoff matchups.

Key Takeaways

  • BetMGM reported a series of nine ascending spread bets, all worth at least $20,000, on Thursday.

  • The largest individual payout was $110,000 for a $100,000 wager on the Pistons at -4.5 (+110).

  • The Thunder have a 62% implied chance to win the championship.

At least one bettor put their money where their mouth was, supporting the Detroit Pistons in Game 2 of their ongoing series with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the defending-champion Oklahoma City Thunder against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The first in the series of bets was headlined by a $100,000 wager on the Pistons to cover a 4.5-point spread at +110 odds. The full breakdown is shown below.

The user’s confidence paid off as the Pistons stormed ahead to a 2-0 series lead. Cade Cunnignham dropped 25 points and 10 rebounds in the winning effort, while Donovan Mitchell’s 31 points and six rebounds weren’t enough to overcome a 10-point disaster by James Harden. 

The $225,000 in total spread bets that were submitted resulted in a $419,641.58 payout, or $194,641.58 in profit. 

A little over two hours after the Pistons wagers were reported, Ewing shared that another $190,000 in Thunder tickets had been accepted. Once again, the bold bettor was on the money. 

The Thunder logged their second straight 18-point victory over the Lakers as three OKC members scored at least 20 points. Austin Reaves had 31 points in a losing effort scarred by controversial refereeing decisions.

The winning bets produced a $291,860.10 payout and $101,860.10 in profit.

Altogether, BetMGM paid $711,501.68 total and $296,501.68 in profit to the holder(s) of the tickets. It is unclear if the bets were placed by the same or different individuals.

Tracking the NBA playoff odds

Both the Pistons and Lakers were favored to win Games 1 and 2 at home. With both now up 2-0, they are unsurprisingly huge favorites to close out their series and advance to the Conference Finals.

The Thunder were the largest second-round favorites in the playoff bracket. They are now -10000 (99% implied chance) in odds to advance, while the Lakers are +1800 (5.3% chance).

The Pistons are a much longer -450, comparatively speaking, although they still have a 81.8% chance to advance. The Cavaliers are +340 (22.7% chance).

Elsewhere around the league, the San Antonio Spurs are -4.5 favorites entering Game 3 against the Minnesota Timberwolves with their series tied, 1-1. They’re also -325 (76.5% chance) to win the series despite dropping Game 1 as a 10.5-point favorite at home. The Timberwolves are +250 (28.6% chance) to win the series.

The Knicks, the second-largest favorite of the second round with -1200 series odds (7.7% chance), are 1.5-point underdogs in a road Game 3 on Friday night. Joel Embiid, who played in Game 1 but missed Game 2, is questionable.

NBA Finals odds picture

BetMGM has the Thunder leading NBA Finals odds at -165 (62.3% chance). The Spurs (+325), Knicks (+800), and Pistons (+1500) are the only teams with odds shorter than +5000.

While the Thunder are the clear-cut favorites, they still face a tall task getting out of the Western Conference. They are 6-0 against the Lakers across the regular and postseason, but they were only 2-2 against the Timberwolves and 1-4 against the Spurs.

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Projected top-3 pick Darryn Peterson says high doses of creatine led to cramping issues

Health concerns that had Darryn Peterson yo-yoing in and out of the Kansas lineup last season may have cost him being the No. 1 pick (that and a strong AJ Dybantsa season). Of particular concern were the early exits due to a mysterious cramping issue — several times during the season, Peterson checked himself out of games early due to cramping. Including against Dybantsa and BYU.

Peterson believes he found the reason: high doses of creatine, he told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.

"I'd never taken it before [going to college]," Peterson said. "But after the season I took two weeks off and they did tests which showed my baseline level was already high. So, they said when I dosed [a process of increasing a dose over time to create maximum benefit at the beginning of taking a supplement], it must've made the levels unsafe."

Creatine is a popular supplement of a naturally occurring amino acid, with research finding it can help add and maintain muscle mass, improve performance in high-level athletes, and support injury prevention and recovery. There is anecdotal evidence that very high levels of creatine (often with some dehydration) can lead to cramping, but studies have not yet verified that.

Peterson talked with ESPN about being hospitalized in September with intense full-body cramping during a particularly strenuous preseason workout — and that experience had him concerned all season about a repeat of that moment.

It's not an accident that Peterson, by nature a reserved person, spoke publicly in the run-up to the draft, trying to address a major concern about him. Scouts and front office personnel have told NBC Sports they were not overly concerned about Peterson's health issues, but all said they wanted to see the results of the medical evaluations that will take place at the NBA Draft Combine in a couple of weeks.

Peterson, a 6'5" combo guard, is seen by scouts as an elite shot creator and finisher who averaged 20.2 points and 4.2 rebounds a game, shooting 32.8% from 3-point range. What scouts said they really wanted to see from him was whether his explosive first step and quickness were back to what they remembered from his final season in high school.

Even With a Strong Q3, MSG Sports Misses the Goal on Earnings

Madison Square Garden Sports fell short of Wall Street’s expectations when it reported third-quarter earnings on Friday, sending the stock, which trades under the ticker MSGS, down about 0.8% to just below $330 per share by midday.

The parent company of the New York Knicks and Rangers posted revenue of $432.2 million for the three-month period ending on March 31, a 2% improvement year-over-year. Meanwhile, MSG Sports generated a $2 million operating profit, down $32.3 million from Q3 2025. The company also reports an adjusted income measure that excludes depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensations and other factors, which landed at $10.3 million this quarter, falling $26.6 million.

On the revenue side, MSG Sports narrowly beat the $429.7 million forecasted by analysts, according to equity research firm StreetInsider. But the company landed well below the expected earnings per share with a profit of 66 cents, instead posting a loss of 83 cents.

While the Knicks and Rangers played a combined five fewer regular-season games at the Garden compared to the third quarter of last fiscal year, MSG Sports said per-game revenues for tickets, suites, sponsorship, food and beverage, and merchandise sales all increased year-over-year. The company also benefited from a rise in national media rights fees from the NBA, which signed an 11-year, $76 billion package of deals that kicked in this season.

In addition to the Knicks and the Rangers, MSG Sports owns the development affiliates of each franchise—the Westchester Knicks of the G-League and the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack—and operates its training center in Greenburgh, N.Y.

According to Sportico, the Knicks are the third-most valuable franchise in the NBA at $9.85 billion, and the Rangers rank No. 2 in the NHL at $3.65 billion. That puts the collective value of the assets at an enterprise value of $13.5 billion, far surpassing the sub-$8 billion market capitalization of the NYSE-traded stock.

In fact, MSG Sports announced in February that its board of directors unanimously approved a plan to explore splitting the Knicks and Rangers into separate business entities. The goal, the company said, would be to give investors an easier path to evaluating each team’s balance sheet and upside, as well as more flexibility with finances.

No decision has been announced thus far, but because of a new tax rule for publicly traded companies coming in 2027, an uncoupled version of MSG Sports could owe the government an additional $75 million each year.

In the meantime, even with the Rangers failing to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs, MSG Sports can boost its fourth quarter and fiscal year as the Knicks push through the postseason. The team is currently up 2-0 in a second-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers, with Game 3 set for Friday.

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Lakers frustrated with officiating in Game 2, were vocal about it after loss

After the final buzzer of the Lakers' Game 2 loss in Oklahoma City, Austin Reaves could be seen in an animated discussion with the officials, expressing frustration about how the game was called despite his 31 points.

Reaves wasn't alone. After the game, a number of Lakers players, as well as coach JJ Redick, expressed frustration with the officiating.

"I sarcastically said the other day, they're the most disruptive team without fouling," Redick said of the Thunder. "I mean, they have a few guys that foul on every possession... They're hard enough to play. They're hard enough to play, you've got to be able to just call them if they foul, and they do foul."

Redick, who picked up a technical in the first quarter for yelling at official Ben Taylor about a perceived missed call, then went on to say this crew, as well as others, do a poor job officiating LeBron James, who had 23 points and six assists in the loss.

"LeBron has the worst whistle of any star player I've ever seen," Redick said. "I mean, I've been with him two years now. The smaller guys, because they can be theatric, they typically draw more fouls, and the bigger players that are built like LeBron, it's hard for them. He gets clobbered. He got clobbered again tonight a bunch."

Reaves had confronted crew chief John Goble after the game, and it stemmed from Goble yelling at Reaves during a center-court jump ball (off an overturned call) with 5:34 left and the Lakers trying to mount a comeback. Reaves quote via Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

"I felt like I was respectful to all of them all night. I mean, there's a million times in the past I've said way worse stuff..." Reaves said. "At the end of the day, we're grown men. And I just didn't feel like he needed to yell in my face like that. I told him that. I wasn't disrespectful. I told him if I did that to him first, I would have got a tech. I feel like the only reason I didn't get a tech is because he knew he was in the wrong. So, yeah, I just felt disrespected."

As for the Thunder, video circulated online of them watching Reaves talk to the officials postgame, looking amused. They have heard it all before and know it's often complaints borne out of frustration at not being able to beat them. The Thunder are up 2-0, and Game 2 felt like a game where the Lakers had a chance to steal one on the road, only to have OKC finally start to hit its 3-pointers and pull away in the end.

Game 3 is Saturday night in Los Angeles and you can be sure Lakers fans are going to let the referees know how they feel.

How do these 2 players improve stock at NBA G-League combine?

The 2026 NBA G-League combine will be from May 8-10, where the Mountain West will have a pair of representatives.
PHOENIX, AZ - DECEMBER 06: Grand Canyon Antelope guard Jaden Henley (10) looks on before the Jerry Colangelo Classic college basketball game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Grand Canyon Antelopes on December 6, 2025 at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

We don’t dip our toes into the NBA waters very often, but we’re less than two months away from the 2026 NBA Draft! Once again, there are multiple former Mountain West players testing their waters, specifically in the G-League combine, which will begin Friday and last through Sunday in Chicago, Ill.

What do these two prospects need to do to improve each of their respective stocks?! Let’s examine!

Jaden Henley, G, Grand Canyon:

Skinny: Henley had the best season of his career in 2025-26 with Grand Canyon. Bouncing around with four different programs in four years, Henley averaged career highs across the board, tallying 17.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game on 46.6 percent shooting and 56.2 percent true shooting.

The All-Mountain West first team honoree was a very explosive rim finisher; his ballhandling was good-not-great, but he did a good job exploding from his lower half through contact. He didn’t care if the low man was 6-foot-5 or 7-foot-5 — he was going to the rack with mean intentions.

Henley also defended well in Grand Canyon’s scheme defensively, which was aggressive at the point of attack with sound help principles. At 6-foot-7, 200 pounds, he has an NBA-ready body and will have some defensive versatility. He can guard multiple positions, and I project that to be his ceiling at the next level.

Where Henley must improve, however, is his shooting and playmaking. He wasn’t a good shooter, shooting just 26.8 percent from 3-point range on 3.8 attempts. For his career, he’s just a 30.7 percent long-range shooter on 2.5 attempts. Teams are smarter at scheming non-shooters now more than ever, so Henley’s going to have to clean up his mechanics and efficiency to excel offensively at the next level. If he can show some growth during the G-League combine, then that should bode better for the future, although it’s easy for anyone to shoot 5-on-0 compared to 5-on-5.

M.J. Collins, G, Utah State:

Skinny: Collins, an All-Mountain West first team honoree, broke out in his lone season with Utah State, averaging a career-high 17.5 points on 62.0 percent true shooting. He was a microwave scorer, capable of getting hot from anywhere at any moment, helping ignite the Mountain West’s best offense this season.

Standing at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, Collins was effectively able to score from all three levels. One of my favorite traits of his was his off-ball movement. You’d be hard-pressed to find many possessions where Collins wasn’t moving, trying to find every crease and crack to exploit. He has fairly good understanding of screen leverage and how to attack those advantages. When he was able to attack as a secondary creator, Collins had pretty good feel, lift and a high release point on his jumper

Similar to Henley, Collins was an explosive leaper around the rim. He also improved as a 3-point shooter, canning 36.1 percent of his attempts after failing to exceed 29.3 percent over his first three seasons at Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt. He shot 78.4 percent from the free-throw line from 2022-25 and 81.0 percent last year; personally, I’m not super concerned. But Collins must show that wasn’t an aberration.

Reluctantly considering Derrick White trade options

Apr 1, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA;Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) looks on against the Miami Heat during the first quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Hold on, I need to start this out with a pep talk to myself.

Deep breaths. This is a safe space. We are among a few thousand of your closest friends. Even considering this will break your heart and brain and could quite possibly traumatize many others. But you are supposed to be a quasi-objective writer that considers all sides and asks difficult questions. You can do this.

Ok, let’s get this over with.

The Boston Celtics need to improve their roster. That much was made clear by the exasperatingly short playoffs and was hammered home by Executive of the Year Brad Stevens in his comments this week. We’ve already talked about the seismic shift option of dealing Jaylen Brown. On the other end of the spectrum would be making smaller moves around the edges and counting on free agent exceptions or trade exceptions to make impactful improvements. We will likely spend a lot of time this summer talking through those options.

The next logical category to consider is trades involving rotation players not named Tatum or Brown (no, I will not consider trading Tatum and I’m not sorry). Stevens did such a good job of shedding bloated salaries that there simply aren’t a lot of salary matching options left on the roster. So I’m very, very reluctantly broaching the subject of using Derrick White and his $30M salary slot to see if there are any trade fits that make this roster better. Specifically better at attacking the rim.

Much has been said about White’s concerning shooting struggles this season. That’s a real thing and a legitimate concern going forward. I tend to think (or hope) that he will find his stroke again next year. I would also submit that all the other positives he brings to the basketball court far exceed any shortcomings he has shooting the ball. However, the Celtics’ superpower of bombing 3’s from all over the court becomes a fatal flaw if a key rotation player is streaky at best shooting from deep. At his best, White can provide some rim pressure, but he typically prefers floaters over layups and dunks.

So are there options for trading Derrick White to provide this roster with more rim attacking? There are bigs that could be available on the trade market. Perhaps Jarrett Allen or Isaiah Hartenstein could be available. I don’t really want to get into the Domantas Sabonis business. There are cheaper options, but those wouldn’t require White’s salary. So here’s a bit of a zag. Why not a guard that attacks the rim?

Fox is an elite slasher that uses his speed to blow by point of attack defenders and bend the court to himself. The more that Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle emerge, the less they’d need Fox at point guard. White provides them with elite role player energy and would fit in seamlessly. It would also be a chance for him to “go home” to where his career started. Hauser’s value as a cost effective shooter is obvious.

The Celtics would still need to address the center position, but they can use one of their exceptions to accomplish that. It should also be noted that Fox isn’t exactly known for his outside shooting, which is a concern here as well. But there are only so many players in the world that are good at shooting and slashing and they typically make max paychecks. So you have to pick your poison at some level.

This isn’t the only trade option the Celtics would have. I’m just using it as a conversation starter or food for thought. Feel free to suggest your own ideas in the comments. Oh, and please go easy on me, this was not easy for me to consider.

Nobody would be happier if Brad Stevens could figure out a way to improve the team in other ways and keep Derrick White on the Boston Celtics. I’ll be a fan of his for the rest of his career, wherever that leads him. I’m just trying to consider all the options.

Spurs vs Timberwolves Props & NBA Playoffs Game 3 Best Bets

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The Minnesota Timberwolves are howling with homecourt advantage after splitting the first two games of their Round 2 series with the San Antonio Spurs.

Game 3 tips off in the Target Center tonight, and I'll sink my teeth into the player prop odds, feasting on any value in the game-to-game adjustments.

Here are my best Spurs vs. Timberwolves props and NBA picks for Friday, May 8.

Best Spurs vs Timberwolves props for Game 3

PlayerPickbet365
Timberwolves Mike Conley Jr.Over 3.5 assists+120
Timberwolves Rudy GobertOver 1.5 blocks+105
Spurs Victor WembanyamaOver 12.5 rebounds-110

Game 3 Prop #1: Mike Conley Jr. Over 3.5 assists

+120 at bet365

The Minnesota Timberwolves can’t afford to keep coughing up the ball and setting up the San Antonio Spurs with extra possessions. The Spurs flipped 22 T-Wolves’ turnovers into 19 points during their Game 2 squash.

Veteran point guard Mike Conley Jr. was responsible for only one of those turnovers in his 16 minutes of action, in which he also recorded three assists.

I expect Conley's floor time to pick up tonight, given his steady hand and multiple injuries to Ayo Dosunmu (questionable for Game 3) and the lack of depth in the backcourt. 

Minnesota’s style will be slower, trying to keep this game in a half-court set, rather than running with San Antonio. That suits the aging legs of Conley just fine, allowing him to create shots for his teammates.

Conley dished out six dimes over 24 minutes in Game 1 of this series and also had six helpers in the Game 6 win over Denver in Round 1.

I believe Conley will serve a big playmaking role, and I love the plus-money return on Over 3.5 dimes.

Game 3 Prop #2: Rudy Gobert Over 1.5 blocks 

+105 at bet365

Minnesota center Rudy Gobert failed to register a block in Game 2, which speaks more to the style of the Spurs’ offense than anything. San Antonio scored in transition and on fast breaks, not allowing the T-Wolves’ shot swatter to set up in the paint.

If Minnesota is to avoid another blowout, it can’t let the Spurs set the tempo and must force them into a half-court battle. That means protecting the perimeter and funneling drives into Gobert's length at the rim.

The multi-time Defensive Player of the Year recorded two or more blocks in three of the final four games against Denver and finished with one swat in the series opener against San Antonio.

With the Timberwolves slowing things down and making an effort to get back on defense, I like Gobert to turn away at least two field goal attempts tonight.

Game 3 Prop #3: Victor Wembanyama Over 12.5 rebounds

-110 at bet365

At this point, we almost have to blindly bet Victor Wembanyama to top his rebound total. The Spurs’ 7-footer is cleaning the glass like Windex, grabbing 15 boards in each of the first two games of the series.

Wembanyama wrangled 15 rebounds in just 26 minutes thanks to the T-Wolves’ shit shooting in Game 2, which skews his stats a bit. Focusing on his 15 rebounds over 40 minutes in Game 1, those came from 23 rebounding chances at a pace that will likely mirror the tempo of Game 3.

Minnesota must be careful about its aggressiveness on the offensive glass, or it could allow the Spurs to push the pace with numbers in transition. As a result, don’t expect San Antonio to face much resistance on the defensive boards.

Wemby has snatched 13 or more rebounds in three straight games and in 10 of his last 14 outings. His game models range from 11.2 to 15.3 boards in Game 3, and I’m leaning toward the higher end of those projections tonight.

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Dallas to learn its draft position at NBA Draft Lottery Sunday

When the Dallas Mavericks concluded their 2025-2026 campaign — one of the worst seasons in franchise history with a 26-56 record — all eyes turned to the NBA draft. Fans are hoping the team can notch a top pick like they did last season when their 1.9% chance to get the No. 1 pick turned into reality in May.

At 3 p.m. E.T. on Sunday, they’ll have a chance, and a better one than they had last year, to repeat history.

Dallas has the 8th-best odds of claiming the No. 1 overall pick, coming in at 6.7%. The Mavericks have a 29.0% chance t0 move into the top four picks. Mavericks legend Rolando Blackman and co-general manager Matt Ricardi will be representing the team in Chicago for the lottery. The duo also represented the Mavericks at last year’s draft lottery.

It is most likely the team will remain at No. 8 (32.9%) or drop one slot to No. 9 (31.1%), and there is a slim chance the team drops to No. 10 (6.6%). If the team gets incredibly unlucky, there is a 0.4% chance they could fall to 11, and a less than 0.1% chance they fall to 12.

Cut all the math out of it and it comes to this — if you flip a coin twice and it comes up heads both teams, that’s about the likelihood of Dallas jumping to the top 4.

All 14 non-playoff teams are entered into the lottery every year to decide which teams get the top four picks. After the lottery, the rest of the first round goes in reverse order of record. The worst three teams each get a 14% chance of securing the No. 1 overall pick and the odds go down from there.

This system has been ever evolving since its inception in 1985 and will likely change next season, as ESPN’s Shams Charania recently reported on changes to the draft lottery odds to disincentivize tanking in the league.

This may be the last year the lottery looks like this. So take a second, dip away from your family, mothers, spouses, and children on Mother’s Day, and gather round the television to watch the NBA’s deputy commissioner, Mark Tatum, announce the results of the 2026 Draft Lottery at 3 p.m. E.T., since apparently there was no other time they could’ve scheduled this.

How Darryn Peterson figured out mysterious injury issues before 2026 NBA Draft

Top NBA draft prospect Darryn Peterson believes he knows the reason for the severe cramping issues that caused him problems as a freshman at Kansas this past season.

Peterson said ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft lottery and the start of the NBA Draft Scouting Combine in Chicago next week that a new round of a bloodwork and other tests following the college basketball season led doctors to determine high doses of creatine he was using caused the condition.

Peterson told ESPN in an interview published Friday, May 8 that he'd never taken the supplement used to increase muscle mass and enhance athletic performance before getting to college. "But after the season I took two weeks off and they did tests which showed my baseline level was already high," he explained. "So, they said when I dosed, it must've made the levels unsafe."

Darryn Peterson injury update

The 6-foot-6 guard is considered one of the top contenders to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft regardless of the outcome of the lottery on Sunday, May 10. But Peterson faced scrutiny and criticism at times during his lone season at Kansas after missing 11 games and asking out of a few others due to health issues that were initially mysterious.

Peterson then revealed to reporters at the Big 12 Tournament he endured a scary incident in September in which he went into a full-body cramp after Kansas coach Bill Self's preseason boot camp. Peterson wound up being taken to the hospital in an ambulance and said he worried it could happen again throughout the season.

"I made it to the training room and just started begging them to call 911," he told ESPN. "They were trying to get a vein to get me the IV, get me back hydrated. But I was cramping so hard they couldn't get a vein. I thought I was going to die on the training table that day."

"Whenever I felt anything like that come on, my initial thought was that it might get to that again," Peterson added. "And I can't let that happen and be embarrassed and have that on TV and all that. ... My biggest thing was I'm going to keep trying because we don't know what's wrong and we can't say something's wrong. So, I'm going to go out there and when it happens, I'm going to ask to come out. I don't know if that was a right or wrong move."

Peterson noted he hasn't had any cramping problems since identifying creatine as the root cause of the issues. He has been training for the draft in Los Angeles and was among the more than 70 players invited to attend the NBA Draft Scouting Combine beginning Monday.

Darryn Peterson stats

Peterson averaged 20.2 points and 4.2 rebounds over 24 games with Kansas during the 2025-26 season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA Draft 2026: Darryn Peterson thinks creatine caused injury issues

How to watch San Antonio Spurs vs Minnesota Timberwolves: TV, live stream info for Sunday's NBA playoff game

The 2026 NBA playoffs action continues this Sunday night on NBC and Peacock when the San Antonio Spurs go head-to-head with the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals. Live coverage begins at 7:00 PM ET with NBA Showtime. See below for additional information on how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.

Click here to sign up for Peacock!

RELATED:What NBA playoff games are on today?

NBA: Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks
All the games — times, dates, where to watch — in one easy-to-check-out location.

How to watch San Antonio Spurs vs Minnesota Timberwolves:

  • When: Sunday, May 10
  • Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
  • Time: 7:30 PM ET
  • TV Channel: NBC
  • Live Stream:Peacock

Which NBA player has changed legacy in postseason?

How to watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock:

NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the First Round and 11 games in the Conference Semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock

Which playoff rounds will be available on Peacock?

Peacock’s NBA Playoffs coverage spans multiple rounds, including Round 1, the Conference Semifinals, and the Western Conference Finals, with coverage evolving as the postseason progresses.

Will Peacock show both Eastern and Western Conference playoff games?

Yes. During earlier rounds, such as Round 1 and the Conference Semifinals, Peacock will carry a mix of Eastern and Western Conference playoff games.

How to sign up for Peacock:

Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.

What devices does Peacock support?

You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.

How to watch Detroit Pistons vs Cleveland Cavaliers: TV, live stream info for Saturday's NBA playoff game

Coverage of the 2026 NBA playoffs continues this Saturday afternoon on NBC and Peacock when Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons take on Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Live coverage begins at 2:00 PM ET with NBA Showtime. See below for additional information on how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.

Don't miss Sunday night's San Antonio Spurs vs Minnesota Timberwolves Game 4 action at 7:30 PM ET on NBC and Peacock.

Click here to sign up for Peacock!

Detroit Pistons vs Cleveland Cavaliers Game Preview:

The Pistons lead the series 2-0 after defeating the Cavaliers 111-101 on Tuesday and 107-97 on Thursday night. Cunningham had 25 points and 10 assists, while Tobias Harris finished with 21 points and 7 rebounds.

"We never lost composure, we just stayed poised, stuck to our principles, stuck to our system, and just turned up the energy a little bit," said Cunningham after the win.

Cleveland guard James Harden finished with just 10 points, shooting 3-for-13 from the field.

"We won the possession game, we just didn't make shots. We had plenty of chances," said Harden after the loss.

"They came out super aggressive, of course, but it’s the playoffs. Obviously, we haven’t figured that one out. Still back to the drawing board," said Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson.

RELATED:What NBA playoff games are on today?

NBA: Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks
All the games — times, dates, where to watch — in one easy-to-check-out location.

How to watch Detroit Pistons vs Cleveland Cavaliers:

  • When: Saturday, May 9
  • Where: Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH
  • Time: 3:00 PM ET
  • TV Channel: NBC
  • Live Stream:Peacock

How to watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock:

NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the First Round and 11 games in the Conference Semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock

Which playoff rounds will be available on Peacock?

Peacock’s NBA Playoffs coverage spans multiple rounds, including Round 1, the Conference Semifinals, and the Western Conference Finals, with coverage evolving as the postseason progresses.

Will Peacock show both Eastern and Western Conference playoff games?

Yes. During earlier rounds such as Round 1 and the Conference Semifinals, Peacock will carry a mix of Eastern and Western Conference playoff games.

How to sign up for Peacock:

Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.

What devices does Peacock support?

You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.

You owe it to the Sixers to keep believing in them

Boston, MA - May 2: Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid reacts after making a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers played in the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on May 2, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images

After two losses at Madison Square Garden, the Sixers return home for the first time in over a week facing another two-game deficit in a best-of-seven series against one of their rivals. This time it’s a 2-0 hole against the New York Knicks, a series deficit Philly has never been able to dig out of in a best-of-seven in its history. But don’t let that feel like the Sixers are climbing Mount Everest as they attempt to pick themselves up off the mat.

In case you needed a reminder, Philadelphia’s comeback against Boston in the first round was the first series victory from a 3-1 deficit in franchise history. It was the first time since 1982 that the Sixers eliminated the Celtics in the postseason, having lost seven consecutive series to Boston previously. The Celtics had been 32-0 in best-of-seven series when holding a 3-1 cushion. Whether you needed to read those facts or not, they were worth repeating. The Sixers just had their greatest playoff moment in a quarter century and that ought to earn some positive equity in the minds of its fans.

There are no moral victories in the playoffs, but Wednesday night’s effort in Game 2 should have Sixers fans feeling optimistic that they can fight back against the Knicks. Down Joel Embiid on the road, Philly went toe-to-toe with New York, a team that appears to be firing on all cylinders, for 40-45 minutes of regulation. The Sixers simply ran out of gas down the stretch and the Knicks escaped with a 108-102 victory. 

There wasn’t much to nitpick in Game 1 as the Sixers just got steamrolled in a quick turnaround after last Saturday’s Game 7 in Boston in the first round. But by now, we’ve all heard the most common complaints about the Game 2 loss. Some say it was a Daryl Morey loss as the President of Basketball Operations opted to subtract instead of add three months ago at the trade deadline and Philly had a thinner bench as a result in a game it was already without Embiid. Others have pointed the finger at Tyrese Maxey. There’s reason to be upset with Maxey after he had a relatively pedestrian stat line by his standards and if he’s going to be the face of the franchise after Embiid, he’ll have to be better than he was in Game 2. On a lesser note, Nick Nurse not playing Dominick Barlow enough when Barlow clearly looked like the best option at center on a night sans Embiid has also been brought up.

There have even been questions about Embiid’s toughness and some have quickly resorted back to the common critiques of Embiid that we hear this time of year. Sixers fans, it’s time to move forward with confidence. Friday night will be the first time the team plays a game at home since completing the 3-1 comeback against Boston. Regardless of how many Knicks fans are in the building, Friday offers a chance for the Sixers fanbase to throw its full support behind a team that has undoubtedly earned it. Don’t let such a great moment from less than a week ago be erased from your memory so quickly. Don’t allow yourself to think that the Sixers only won the series against the Celtics because Boston’s three-point field goals weren’t dropping and Jayson Tatum didn’t play in Game 7.

I get it. It’s easy to think more about the extensive history of postseason disappointments that this franchise has provided us with than a good week-long stretch of basketball against the Celtics. But everyone owes it to the Sixers to get behind them and attempt to will them back into this series with New York. They certainly showed ample grit and fight in Game 2 and we should expect them to bring that same energy for the rest of the series.

Of course, the availability of Embiid looms large. We’ll see if New York wing OG Anunoby suits up on Friday night after suffering a hamstring injury in Game 2. Both Embiid and Anunoby were on their respective rosters two years ago when these two teams met one round earlier in the playoffs. Philadelphia lost the first two games in New York in that series as well. Embiid dropped 50 points in Game 3. The Sixers would go on to extend that series to a Game 6 at home, one that they ended up losing by three points, and the game was tied until Josh Hart buried a triple with 25 seconds remaining for the Knicks.

A strong argument can be made that both the Sixers and Knicks are better teams now than they were two years ago. But the point we’re getting at is, the Sixers were very close to forcing a decisive seventh game back at Madison Square Garden in 2024 after trailing 2-0 and 3-1 in that series. They haven’t bowed out of the playoffs in embarrassing fashion since the Mother’s Day 2023 blowout loss in Boston.

So save me your “same old Sixers” takes and go support your team on Friday night on their home floor. Maybe have a little bit of faith that they can win a basketball game after seeing what they did in the first round. Should they get it done on Friday, a series can’t be any closer than 2-1 after three games. They’d be one home win in Game 4 away from making it a best-of-three at that point. The series isn’t over so don’t act like it is. If you didn’t learn that after watching the Celtics series, you never will.

76ers to donate 500 tickets for each remaining 2nd-round home playoff game to blunt Knicks' takeover

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers will donate 500 tickets for each remaining home second-round playoff game to area community groups in their latest attempt to keep more of their own fans in the building and avoid a New York takeover.

The Sixers’ previous strategy to ward off Knicks fans in this playoff series was to try through Ticketmaster to geographically restrict sales to fans in the greater Philadelphia area.

The Sixers said 250 frontline medical personnel from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine and 250 local educators selected by Learn Fresh, Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia, the Philadelphia school district and Camden, New Jersey, school district would attend Game 3 on Friday night.

The 76ers will host 500 moms and children selected by Uplift Center for Grieving Children, Boys and Girls Club of Philadelphia, La Liga del Barrio and Apologues for Sunday's Game 4.

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

When the teams met two years ago in the first round, Knicks fans swarmed Philadelphia, and Sixers All-Star center Joel Embiid pleaded with fans ahead of this series not to let it happen again.

“Last time we played the Knicks it felt like this was Madison Square Garden East. So we’re going to need the support,” Embiid said. “Don’t sell your tickets. This is bigger than you. We need you guys. The atmosphere we’ve had the last couple games in Philly, especially the last one pushing it to Game 7, I mean, we need all of it.”

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