For those not competing for a NBA championship, it's one of the most important times of the offseason. Draft season.
First in order is the lottery on Mother's Day. The anticipated event is here meaning no more simulations on what the 2026 NBA draft order might be and presumably which prospect will go where. Draft positioning will be determined beginning Sunday, May 10 at 3 p.m. ET.
The Sacramento Kings posted a 22-60 record during the 2025-26 season and are searching for a piece that can be a contributor to their future or even the face of the franchise. They have a pretty good chance at landing one of the top prospects.
Sacramento is in need of a point guard. Kings general manager Scott Perry made it clear during end-of-season interviews with reporters that Sacramento will take a "best player available" approach, as they did in 2025.
Perry was brought in to the Kings brass following the 2024-25 season. His first opportunity to put his vision of building a contender began with the 2025 NBA Draft, where he drafted Nique Clifford (24th), Maxime Raynaud (42nd) and signed Dylan Cardwell as an undrafted free agent.
Fast forward to 2026. The odds for the Kings to land the No. 1 pick are 11.5%. The odds for Sacramento to land a top-4 pick are even greater at 45.1%.
However, their draft range is expected to be between No. 5-8, with the No. 9 pick being worst-case scenario. Experts are saying the most likely outcome is a No. 7 pick, overall. However, in many mock draft lists, the Kings have the No. 5 pick. And there's a consensus that they would take Darius Acuff Jr. of Arkansas.
Here's who experts are saying the Kings will select in their pre-lottery mock drafts:
Sacramento Kings experts' mock draft selections
With the draft lottery on May 10, here are predictions from sports experts in their mock drafts for the the Kings.
The Golden State Warriors are going into the draft with unanswered questions: whether or not Steve Kerr will be the coach and whether he wants to incorporate inexperienced players.
The draft isn't until June, but the draft lottery is Mother's Day. The Warriors will know their position in the 2026 NBA Draft beginning Sunday, May 10 at 3 p.m. ET.
Golden State is coming off of a 37-45 season where they were eliminated in the NBA Play-in Tournament by the Phoenix Suns in a game for the No. 8-seed. That game is where questions about Kerr's future emerged, as the end of the season marked the end of his contract.
As the Warriors answer head coaching questions, they must decide the type of player they want to bring in. The Dubs need a ball-handler, playmaker, scorer and an inside presence, namely someone who can be a spark or a glue guy in non-Stephen Curry minutes.
One of the brighter spots from their 2025 NBA draft selections was Will Richard out of Florida. He was scouted a prototypical 3-and-D player, and that's what the Warriors got in the making. Richard was a 56th overall pick by the Memphis Grizzlies later traded to the Warriors on draft night. He averaged 6.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.2 steals in 20 minutes per game. His shooting percentages were on 46.8% field goals and 33% 3-point shooting in the 2025-26 season.
The 2026 Warriors are hoping to have similar fortune as the Dallas Mavericks in 2025, who finished 39-43, had a 1.8% to land the No. 1 pick and did, ultimately selecting Cooper Flagg, the 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year.
The Warriors have 2% chance at landing the No. 1 pick. Very slim, but stranger things have happened. Chances at landing a top-4 pick are better, but still small, at 9.4%.
It's expected the Warriors will likely land a pick between No. 11-14, with No. 14 being the worst-case. Golden State cannot land at No. 5 through No. 10 with less than 1.0% chance at No. 13 or No. 14.
The overwhelming consensus from sports experts is that the Warriors will have the No. 11 pick. Here's who experts' are saying the Warriors would select in their pre-lottery mock drafts:
Golden State Warriors experts' mock draft selections
With the draft lottery on May 10, here are predictions from sports experts in their mock drafts for the the Warriors.
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 9: Donovan Mitchell #45 and James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talk after the game against the Detroit Pistons on May 9, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
CLEVELAND — Donovan Mitchell chased Detroit Pistons sharpshooter Duncan Robinson around screens to the baseline corner late in the second quarter. Mitchell beat Robinson to the spot and bumped him straight into his own bench as a punishment for making him work so hard defensively. Isaiah Stewart was a few steps away and gave Mitchell a light shove after seeing what happened. Mitchell looked up and then returned the favor before continuing to chase Robinson around the perimeter.
Basketball games aren’t always won by the more physical team. It’s a contact sport that rewards size and strength, but the outcome is ultimately decided by who puts the ball through the hoop more consistently.
That said, in a series like this, doing so is much easier if you’re able to get into the paint and create from there.
The Cavs couldn’t do that in the first two games of this series. The offense was stagnant, often relying on the guards to create against a set defense. And when the ball did get kicked out to the perimeter for open threes, the shots weren’t falling, as is often the case for an offense that is moving side-to-side instead of north and south.
That changed on Sunday.
The Cavs were the aggressors in Game 3. They completed more of their shots in the restricted area and were able to get to the free-throw line more consistently. Both are things they weren’t able to do throughout the first two games of the series.
This was most true for Mitchell. He went 6-8 on shots at the rim after taking just one there combined in the first two games. A renewed focus on getting downhill woke up what was a dormant Cavs’ offense.
There was a level of decisiveness from Mitchell that wasn’t in the first two games. Instead of trying to probe the defense for openings in an effort to look for a perfect shot, he attacked whenever he had any sliver of daylight. This included pushing his advantage in semi-transition off missed shots and turnovers.
Here’s six baskets that Mitchell was able to get by just simply carrying his momentum from the backcourt into the front court. That accounts for nearly half of his made field goals.
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These aren’t fast-break or transition baskets, but they might as well have been from an efficiency standpoint. Mitchell is one of the most difficult players to stop when he has a head of steam. That allowed him to more easily showcase the skills that make him one of the most dominant scoring guards in the league for years.
Detroit’s defense is tough for a 6’2” guard to crack. We know that Mitchell can be lethal with his jumpshot, even though he’s struggled with that through three games. Getting downhill in semi-transition like this offsets some of those concerns. It’s why he was able to get an efficient 35 points in a game the Cavs desperately needed to win.
Max Strus provided several things the Cavs desperately needed. His energy and effort changed the game defensively. Strus forced several turnovers, including an incredible steal off a Cade Cunningham inbound pass that led to a critical two points the other way to break a 104-104 tie.
Plays like that encapsulate who Strus is as a player, and why he’s so valuable to the team.
“There’s just so many things he does that don’t show up in the box score,” Mitchell said.
One of those things is screen setting. The Pistons turned the momentum around in the second half by switching more ball screens, similar to what the Toronto Raptors did in the first round. This stalled out Cleveland’s offense at the start of the third quarter before it got going again in the fourth.
Strus’s ability to set hard picks helped get the offense going. The Pistons tried to hide their weakest defender, Duncan Robinson, on Strus. Solid screens forced Detroit to switch, allowing James Harden to get one of his several closing baskets against the matchup he wanted.
You can’t see the screen in this video, but this mismatch doesn’t happen without it.
This showed us what the best version of the Mitchell and Harden backcourt could be. Harden said it was a “small dose” of their full potential afterward, and you could see why.
Mitchell had it going throughout, but he deferred to Harden in the high-leverage moments to get the job done. Harden delivered by knocking down clutch baskets on three-straight possessions, including the game-sealing three over Tobias Harris.
Harden brought them over the finish line, scoring nine points in the fourth quarter, but had just 10 points leading up to it. He had 10 fewer shots than Mitchell overall and wans’t the main focus of the offense.
It’s a different role than what we’ve seen from Harden over the past decade, but one he’s completely embraced because he knows what life is like for Mitchell — the guy forced to carry the fate of the team on his shoulders.
“I talked to Don a few times today, and it’s like, “All right, if you ever feel like tired or you need [a break], you know, I’m available,” Harden said. “I understand what that feels like when you’re that age, and you’re used to scoring 30 points and you know you’re the guy. So, you got to pick and choose and find your spots where you want to take them and where you want to just let them go. … Tonight was one of those cases where he looked like he needed a break, and he called on my number.”
Mitchell and Harden are very different players, but have run into similar roadblocks during their careers. Their playing style has led to incredible regular-season success, but neither has achieved the playoff team success their talent would lead you to believe they should.
Few can relate to the internal weight and frustration Mitchell has felt from playoff losses more than Harden. If they’re going to break through together, it will be due to performances like this.
“I am who I am, he is who he is, but that what makes us so dynamic,” Mitchell said. “Having a trust in him and vice versa is why those moments happen.”
The Cavs passed the test in Game 3. They responded with the physicality they needed to make this series competitive again. They know how to and can beat this team. Now, they just need to show that they can meet that physicality consistently, and not just once every couple of games.
“At the end of the day, it’s just 2-1,” Mitchell said. “We’ve got to find a way to win Game 4. … We’ve got another opportunity to play in front of the greatest fans in the league. Hopefully, we get another one.”
For all his remarkable gifts, Isiah Thomas came along at a tough time in NBA history – well for him, anyway.
Think about all the Hall of Fame talent during his era: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was still playing. The Larry Bird-Magic Johnson rivalry was white-hot. And not long after he entered the league, guys like Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Clyde Drexler, Scottie Pippen, and Michael Jordan entered the league.
The one thing all those guys have in common? They’re all much bigger than Thomas.
At 6-1, Thomas was one of the great small guards in NBA history. Arguably, his only rivals for being the best are Allen Iverson (6-1) and Calvin Murphy (5-9).
Despite his lack of size, Thomas played inside quite a bit, and held his own. Still, he took a lot of punishment, notably from Utah’s Karl Malone, who gave Thomas 40 stitches in the first quarter of a 1991 game, when he tried to block Thomas’s shot with his elbow.
Thomas, demonstrating his toughness, actually returned to the game later.
Despite his undeniable greatness, Thomas was not well-liked and is still despised by Michael Jordan, who essentially kept him off the Dream Team when he said that he wouldn’t play if Thomas was on the team.
In this video, we see some of Thomas’s astonishing talents. Keep in mind that while he looks small on the court, he’s taller than most of us. If you’ve ever been around an NBA player, even casually, you’ll understand the courage it took for Thomas to go inside against these behemoths.
In a different time, he might have been a great warrior, although there would have always been the chance that one of his soldiers might have killed him in his sleep.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MAY 08: De'aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles the ball against Terrence Shannon Jr. #1 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first quarter in Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Target Center on May 08, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In Round One of the NBA playoffs, the San Antonio Spurs lost home-court advantage to the Portland Trail Blazers, and then won two road games to take a 3-1 lead. Now the Spurs find themselves in a similar situation, with the chance to go up 3-1 on the Minnesota Timberwolves before heading back to San Antonio with a chance to win the series.
Victor Wembanyama’s heroics helped the Spurs take a 2-1 lead in a 115-108 victory. Much like the first game of the series, Game Three was defined by back-and-forth play and tough defense. It wasn’t until Wembanyama took over in the fourth quarter that a clear winner emerged. Minnesota desperately needs a win at home to avoid going down 3-1, so expect another physical game with a large sense of urgency from the Wolves.
San Antonio’s strategy of playing fast on offense, pestering the Wolves’ ball-handlers on the perimeter with full-court pressure and doubles, while funneling everything to Wembanyama in the paint, has worked so far. Minnesota’s head coach, Chris Finch, is one of the best in the business. He’ll certainly have adjustments to counter the strategies that have worked for the Spurs.
This series has been pretty close through three games. Game Four should be no different. San Antonio can put itself in a great position to win the series by stealing another game on the road.
Timberwolves Injuries: Donte DiVincenzo – Out (achilles)
What to watch for:
Winning the possession battle
The Timberwolves took 14 more shots than the Spurs in Game Three. It’s rare to win a game where you lose the possession battle so brutally. Minnesota had 15 offensive rebounds compared to the Spurs’ 8. A lot of those offensive rebounds were long or contested 50/50 balls. If San Antonio had eliminated those second-change opportunities, the margin of victory may have been wider.
A great example of that was Game Two, when the Spurs forced 22 turnovers and grabbed more offensive rebounds, leading to a blowout. The Wolves have struggled to shoot the ball well in the series. Giving them easy opportunities and extra possessions is allowing them to make up for this weakness. The Spurs have to secure the defensive glass and take care of the ball to give themselves some more cushion in Game Four.
De’Aaron Fox’s shotmaking
San Antonio’s All-Star guard has been hot and cold in this series. He shot poorly in Games One and Three, but had a nice stat line in Game Two. Fox is averaging 18 points on 46.3% shooting in the playoffs overall. He, for the most part, has stepped up when the Spurs needed him this postseason. It’s been harder for him to get to the rim with guys like Jaden McDaniels and Anthony Edwards guarding him on the perimeter, and Rudy Gobert roaming the paint.
Wembanyama is sure to draw a lot of attention in Game Four. San Antonio is going to need another player to step up and take on some of the scoring load. Fox is the best equipped to do that.
Minnesota’s Wembanyama game plan
Wembanyama has dominated this series. Something has to change for Minnesota to minimize his impact. Will they play Gobert more minutes? Start sending doubles earlier? Give the Spurs more open three-pointers to prohibit him from scoring inside? On offense, will the Wolves look to generate more threes to avoid going at Wembanyama in the paint? Whatever adjustments Chris Finch makes will be important to watch for in Game Four.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the reigning MVP in the NBA [Getty Images]
The Oklahoma City Thunder moved to the brink of another Western Conference Finals appearance with a dominant 131-108 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers to take a commanding lead in the play-offs.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander played his part for the top-seeded Thunder with 23 points and nine assists, but team-mate Ajay Mitchell was generally more accurate in his shooting and added 24 points and 10 assists.
The Lakers had 19 points from 41-year-old LeBron James, but he was not at his best as a team that again competed without the injured Luka Doncic proved unable to stem the tide in a one-sided series.
The Thunder were NBA champions last year and look the team to beat once more. Gilgeous-Alexander had his highest-scoring game of the series despite missing nine of his first 11 shots. His form in the play-offs has been down on his return in the regular season, when he averaged 31.1 points per game.
"Obviously, I haven't been my best in performances, but I think I've been able to help the team win and that's most important," said Gilgeous-Alexander.
"As long as we win. If the rest of the play-off run or the rest of my career look like what it looked like the past few games, I'd be OK with it because we won games."
In the Eastern Conference, Donovan Mitchell produced a 35-point performance to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 116-109 win over the Detroit Pistons.
Victory at Rocket Arena was vital for the fourth-seeded Cavaliers, who cut the Pistons' series lead to 2-1.
Cleveland built a 16-point lead by half-time and, despite a Detroit surge led by Cade Cunningham's 27-point triple-double, featuring 10 rebounds and 10 assists, Mitchell's late free throws secured the win.
The New York Knicks are a game away from progress after a 108-94 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, and the San Antonio Spurs lead the Minnesota Timberwolves 2-1 after a 115-108 win.
Los Angeles, CA - May 09:Los Angeles Lakers forward Adou Thiero (1) dives on a loose ball during first half action against the Oklahoma City Thunder in game three of the second round of the NBA playoffs in Los Angeles, CA on Saturday, May 9, 2026.(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The Lakers headed into Game 3 in search of proof.
Proof that they could find a strategy that worked. Proof that they could find a lineup that clicked. Proof that they could beat the Oklahoma City Thunder. By the end of Saturday night, the only proof they had was that they could not do any of these things.
After getting crushed again by the Thunder, this time by the final score of 131-108, the Lakers find themselves on the verge of being swept. Although there were glimpses, there were ultimately few signs that a different result was on the horizon in Game 4. The team’s season very well may be over.
With plenty of time for reflection to come in the upcoming weeks, let’s remain in the present and take a look at the biggest takeaways from Game 3…
Second half woes continue
It may be hard to believe given the final scores, but the Lakers have held halftime leads in each of the last two games.
Thanks to a strong defensive effort on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and hot shooting from behind the arc in the first half — including Rui Hachimura and Luke Kennard drilling seven of their eight threes — the Lakers clung to a two-point advantage after two quarters.
Then the third quarter started and the team experienced a collective case of déjà vu. As has happened all series, the Thunder imposed their will in the second half, snuffing out anything that worked for the Lakers earlier in the game.
The Thunder accomplished this by following an eerily similar script. They hustled and grabbed every loose ball, secured back-breacking offensive rebounds and turned the Lakers over ad nauseam.
By the end of the game, the Thunder ended up outscoring the Lakers in the second half by 25, with the trio of Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace and Isaiah Joe having nearly as many points (45) as the Lakers did combined (49).
Playing well for two quarters isn’t enough to beat a team like the Thunder. You have to be as close to perfect for all 48 minutes. That’s especially the case for the Lakers’ best players.
The Lakers need more from their Big 2
Even with a healthy Luka Dončić, the Lakers were never going to be able to match the Thunder’s immense depth. Their best bet in the series would be for one of, if not multiple, of their stars to be able to be the best players on the floor in every game. That has not been the case.
Given the talent deficit, the Lakers could not afford an off night from LeBron James or Austin Reaves, and especially not both, if they had hopes of pulling off the upset.
In what essentially was the Lakers’ last hope to get back into the series, James and Reaves combined for just 36 points on 37.5% shooting from the field. They also turned it over eight times.
Admittedly, it is an unfair ask of James and Reaves to propel the Lakers over the reigning champions nearly single-handedly. But it is the reality of the situation, and it is fair to expect them to reach a certain threshold to give the team a fighting chance.
Both James and Reaves have had their moments in the series, and neither will ultimately be the reason the Lakers will lose it. The issue is, neither James nor Reaves is why they’re in it.
Any buttons left to press?
Historically, there are not many cards a head coach can play once their team is on the verge of getting swept that could change the fortunes of a series.
That is even more the case when that team is without its best player and facing an opposition as dominant as the current Thunder team. But that is the job head coach JJ Redick and his staff will be tasked with ahead of Game 4 on Monday.
From a strategic standpoint, Redick has coached a good series. It just hasn’t mattered enough to overcome the Thunder’s advantages over the Lakers. That doesn’t mean he’s stopped trying.
In Game 3, Redick shuffled his rotation once again. After a rough postseason from an offensive standpoint, Redick decided not to play Jake LaRavia on Saturday and, instead, gave the likes of Adou Thiero and Maxi Kleber playing time.
The move ultimately didn’t move the needle enough, as the final score could attest. But it is an example of the type of outside-the-box thinking that’s all that’s left to do. And perhaps, in the process, the team can find something to build on now and into the future.
All stats courtesy of Cleaning the Glass unless otherwise stated. You can follow Alex on Bluesky at @alexregla.bsky.social
Oklahoma City Thunder (64-18, first in the Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (53-29, fourth in the Western Conference)
Los Angeles; Monday, 10:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Thunder -10.5; over/under is 213.5
WESTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Thunder lead series 3-0
BOTTOM LINE: The Oklahoma City Thunder look to clinch the series over the Los Angeles Lakers in game four of the Western Conference second round. The Thunder defeated the Lakers 131-108 in the last meeting on Sunday. Ajay Mitchell led the Thunder with 24 points, and Rui Hachimura led the Lakers with 21.
The Lakers are 33-19 against Western Conference opponents. Los Angeles is 8-3 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.
The Thunder are 41-11 in Western Conference play. Oklahoma City is third in the Western Conference scoring 119.0 points per game and is shooting 48.4%.
The Lakers average 11.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.5 fewer makes per game than the Thunder give up (14.3). The Thunder are shooting 48.4% from the field, 0.1% higher than the 48.3% the Lakers' opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: LeBron James is shooting 51.5% and averaging 20.9 points for the Lakers. Hachimura is averaging 3.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Chet Holmgren is scoring 17.1 points per game and averaging 8.9 rebounds for the Thunder. Luguentz Dort is averaging 1.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Lakers: 5-5, averaging 104.3 points, 40.6 rebounds, 25.7 assists, 7.8 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 47.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.3 points per game.
Thunder: 8-2, averaging 119.3 points, 42.1 rebounds, 27.5 assists, 9.9 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.9 points.
INJURIES: Lakers: Luka Doncic: out (hamstring).
Thunder: Jalen Williams: out (hamstring), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Detroit Pistons (60-22, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30, fourth in the Eastern Conference)
Cleveland; Monday, 8 p.m. EDT
LINE: Cavaliers -3.5; over/under is 212.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Pistons lead series 2-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Detroit Pistons visit the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference second round with a 2-1 lead in the series. The Cavaliers won the last matchup 116-109 on Saturday, led by 35 points from Donovan Mitchell. Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 27.
The Cavaliers are 33-19 in conference play. Cleveland is 2-5 in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Pistons have gone 39-13 against Eastern Conference opponents. Detroit is fourth in the Eastern Conference scoring 117.8 points per game and is shooting 48.5%.
The 119.5 points per game the Cavaliers average are 9.9 more points than the Pistons allow (109.6). The Pistons average 117.8 points per game, 2.4 more than the 115.4 the Cavaliers give up to opponents.
TOP PERFORMERS: Mitchell is shooting 48.3% and averaging 27.9 points for the Cavaliers. James Harden is averaging 2.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Jalen Duren is scoring 19.5 points per game and averaging 10.5 rebounds for the Pistons. Duncan Robinson is averaging 3.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Cavaliers: 5-5, averaging 109.7 points, 42.3 rebounds, 21.5 assists, 7.5 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.8 points per game.
Pistons: 6-4, averaging 104.4 points, 45.6 rebounds, 21.6 assists, 8.6 steals and 7.8 blocks per game while shooting 44.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 99.8 points.
INJURIES: Cavaliers: None listed.
Pistons: Kevin Huerter: day to day (adductor).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
PHILADELPHIA — There hasn’t been much change in OG Anunoby’s availability.
He is again questionable for the Game 4 clash against the 76ers on Sunday afternoon at Xfinity Mobile Arena, as the Knicks look to close out the series. Anunoby, who has a right hamstring strain, was also questionable for Game 3 but did not play.
Coach Mike Brown said Saturday that they still consider Anunoby day to day.
OG Anunoby drives to the basket during the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ Game 2 win over the 76ers. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“Not for me,” Brown said. “It’s all medical related and it starts with [the training staff], the doctors and OG. All I want them to do is tell me when he can play.”
Anunoby suffered the injury in Game 2, when he began limping after driving to the basket in the fourth quarter. He stayed in for a few plays, but soon after asked to be subbed, went to the locker room and did not return.
Miles McBride started in his place in the 108-94 Game 3 win, though he struggled with his shot. It was Landry Shamet, who finished with 15 points and ended up playing more minutes than McBride, who more so helped fill the void.
Joel Embiid, who missed Game 2 with hip and ankle ailments and returned for Game 3, is probable for Game 4 for the 76ers.
No team has ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit. But the Knicks are cognizant that the 76ers just overcame a 3-1 deficit in the first round against the Celtics.
“They’re a really good team and they’ve already done it once before,” Brown said. “We addressed it, but the biggest thing is just trying to stay present, not getting ahead of yourself.”
Giants coach John Harbaugh is itching to get to a Knicks playoff game.
“My wife is on me, she wants to get there for a playoff game,” Harbaugh said Saturday. “Where do they stand? 3-0? Counting on another series.”
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 9: Alex Caruso #9 of the Oklahoma City Thunder dunks the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers during Round Two Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 9, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — The location of the Thunder-Lakers series switched from OKC to LA, but nothing else changed.
It was still a contest where the Lakers had to play to perfection to win and the Thunder just had to be good enough. Like the other matchups, it went OKC’s way as they won131-108 to take a commanding 3-0 lead.
There are plenty of reasons to explain these losses. Key starters have struggled. Austin Reaves had a bad game in Game 1 and LeBron James played poorly in this contest. Turnovers have also been an issue for LA. They led the NBA playoffs in this category, turning it over 17 times on Saturday night.
But the biggest reason they’ve lost is obvious and simple: they just aren’t as good.
“The MVP [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander] is…7 of 20 tonight, and they’ve kicked our ass three straight games,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said postgame. “They’re an incredible basketball team.”
While the result itself was discouraging, how it happened was even more demoralizing.
The Lakers didn’t lose due to a lack of effort. Rui Hachimura was a laser, scoring 21 points and shooting 50% from the field. Luke Kennard gave LA an injection of offense off the bench, scoring 18 points. And Redick made some adjustments as well.
He benched the struggling Jake LaRavia and gave rookie Adou Thiero extended minutes. Before the game, Redick said he wanted Thiero to bring high effort and physicality. Thiero did just that, grabbing a team-high eight rebounds while playing 13 minutes.
With adjustments working and role players shining, the Lakers were up by two at the half. But when it was time to win the game, the Thunder woke up and put the Lakers to sleep.
OKC started the third with a pair of threes from Luguentz Dort and Ajay Mitchell. Then Isaiah Hartenstein slammed the ball on a Mitchell lob to regain the lead. The Thunder continued to pile on, going on a 15-6 run to start the quarter, forcing Redick to call a timeout.
Feel like the Thunder might have just snatched the Lakers' soul in the third.
This was similar to their Game 2 meltdown, when the Lakers went from being up by five in the third quarter to down by 13 to start the fourth. In that instance, it happened when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t on the floor. This time, SGA was on the court, able to relish his team putting another nail into the Lakers’ coffin.
“Especially in that second half, third quarter especially, they’ve just been killing us,” Kennard said. “We know it. It’s in our minds and hopefully we can get together, talk about it tomorrow, figure some things out, and be ready to go.”
The Thunder are the defending champions, have the best record in the NBA and have yet to lose a playoff game. They have arguably the best player in the world in SGA, and even his struggles have been irrelevant with OKC possessing the deepest bench in the NBA.
Jared McCain has hurt the Lakers all series long and Mitchell has looked like one of the best offensive players in the league, including in Saturday’s second half.
LA just doesn’t have the guys to compete with OKC, who are evenare playing without their second-best player, Jalen Williams who hasn’t played in this series.
Teams trailing 3-0 have never come back to win a playoff series. After three blowouts, only delusion at a level beyond comprehension would make one believe LA can turn this around.
Still, while an impossible task lies ahead of him, Redick maintains his message that this comeback can be accomplished.
“Third straight game, we’re right there after two and a half quarters,” Redick said. “We tried different lineups, tried different coverages, still lost those minutes again. We’ve got to be better.”
At this point, the only question that remains is how much fight does this team have left? Will they bring the appropriate level of urgency and play with the perfection and execution needed to win on Monday? Or does giving into a sweep seem far more pleasant than playing Game 5 in OKC?
What is wholly unquestionable, though, is that the Thunder are just the better team.
The No. 4 seed Lakers led the No. 1 seed Thunder at halftime for the second straight game, but were outscored by 25 points in the second half following yet another collapse over the final two quarters to find themselves down 3-0 to the defending NBA champions.
"I'm not angry or disappointed," James told reporters postgame. "Obviously, I'm disappointed being down 3-0, but we still got life and that's all you can ask for, and we gotta be much better on Monday. We'll see what happens."
Whatever happens in Game 4, there's a chance it could be James' last in a Lakers uniform. His contract is set to expire at the end of the season, and the fact that no extension has been worked out has been at the center of a season-long soap opera filled with rumors suggesting a deterioration of his relationship with team governor Jeanie Buss. There's also been rumors to the contrary, that the Lakers would be happy to keep James in purple and gold through the remainder of his playing days.
And, of course, there's also the chance that James retires this summer.
All signs throughout the season have pointed to James playing a 24th NBA season next year, but his recent declaration that he wouldn't want a retirement tour sparked renewed speculation.
James' legacy as a Laker is a complicated one, but that's another story for another time. He brought a championship back to LA in his second season, ending a decade-long drought for the second-most decorated franchise in NBA history. He was the superstar who wanted the pressure of playing in LA when several in the years before 2018 eschewed what was then perceived as a dysfunctional, rebuilding team that lacked direction (remember LaMarcus Aldridge?).
Though James will probably forever be associated with the Cleveland Cavaliers first, his eight years as a Laker is his longest continuous stretch with any one team, surpassing the first seven years of his career in his home state (though he later rejoined the Cavs for four more seasons following his stint in Miami). He broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record — and several others — wearing a gold jersey.
But none of that matters right now. There's still more basketball to be played.
Both James and Austin Reaves had off nights offensively on Saturday; James contributed 19 points to go with eight assists and six rebounds, but was an inefficient 7-of-19 (36.8%) from the field and 2-of-6 from long range and was a -24 in his 37 minutes played. He and Reaves combined for eight total turnovers, half of the Lakers' total.
That's not to place the blame solely on the Lakers' two stars. Realistically, the Lakers were doomed from the moment Luka Doncic strained his hamstring on April 2 in Oklahoma City. It was James who turned back the clock and showed that he can still do incredible things on the court at 41 years old by leading LA to a first-round win over the Houston Rockets; don't forget his game-tying 3 in the final seconds to send one game to overtime, where they eventually gutted out a 112-108 win behind his 29 points, 13 rebounds and six assists.
In this round, however, the Lakers have simply run into a team that's just flat-out better than them.
They've done an admirable job limiting MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but Chet Holmgren has thrived. So has Ajay Mitchell, who has stepped into a bigger role while Jalen Williams has been sidelined with a hamstring strain of his own. Mitchell led OKC on Saturday with 24 points, 10 assists, four rebounds and three steals. Jared McCain and Cason Wallace have been sparkplugs off the bench all series. The Thunder are simply too talented and too deep across the board for the Lakers to compete with for all four quarters, especially without the NBA's leading scorer this season in Doncic.
"They're pretty damn good, from top to bottom," James told reporters. "They don't let their foot off the gas. ... They have a lot of bodies and they got a lot of guys who can do multiple things on the floor, so it helps to have that depth."
As for the possibility that Monday might be it?
"Nah, you don't really talk about that," James told reporters. "Just focus on the moment, and go from there."
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 9: Luke Kennard #10 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers high five during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Round Two Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 9, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
While it doesn’t make the losses feel any more frustrating in the moment, there is something comforting in the long run knowing that the team you’re losing to is just a better team.
It was apparent before Saturday, but Game 3 made it abundantly clear that the Lakers are simply levels below the Thunder. LA has made mistakes at times, but OKC is relentless and punishes them every time.
Normal teams make mistakes. Normal teams do not take advantage of every one of them. The Thunder are an abnormality. We have rarely seen a team like this.
There’s a bit of bitterness that the Lakers won’t have Luka Dončić this series. But against many other teams, this effort would result in a competitive series. The scheme is there. The effort is there more often than not. It’s not been perfect and there are areas to improve, but it ultimately doesn’t matter because they’ve run into a buzzsaw.
The only question left is if they’re interested in taking a flight back to Oklahoma.
So, let’s dive into the loss. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
This wasn’t LeBron’s best effort. He’s looked more tired as the series has progressed. He hit a couple of threes in the first half that were big, but he was much quieter in the second half.
He’s still attacking the rim…and not getting calls. The Lakers need that. But can we just let this man have continuation on one jumper?
The biggest winner of this series for the Lakers is Rui. He’s been a playoff riser before, but he’s been unbelievable in this series. Even after all the attention on it after Game 2, Rui came out and had his best game of the series.
This wasn’t a great Ayton game. That being said, it seems he became a bit of a lightning rod for blame for this loss. Oddly, that was led by the broadcast.
Blaming Ayton for the team not grabbing offensive rebounds felt out of order. He was battling Isaiah Hartenstein on most of those possessions and getting a hand on it. He isn’t solely responsible for rebounding.
Now, having said all that, he’s been outplayed by both OKC bigs and it’s made a steep hill even harder to climb.
The positive was that his playmaking remained strong. He set a new playoff career high with nine assists. However, eight of those came in the first half, a sign of how much the Lakers tailed off in this one.
The big negative, though, was his overall shooting. He started the game missing a lot of shots. He found his way a bit later on, but it was too little, too late. The Lakers just need him to be better, flat out.
It’s not realistic to expect him to average 30 points and be an elite playmaker. But it is what the Lakers need right now.
And when he’s not doing that, his defensive shortcomings look really loud.
These have been back-to-back frustrating Smart games. He’s doing a lot of the little things on both ends of the floor. He’s making things difficult defensively. His hustle created a couple of baskets on the offensive end.
Those things are great when Luka is around. When he’s not, the Lakers need more and he’s unable to provide it.
At the same time, he’s still doing some nonsensical things. His football pass to LeBron in the first half was a terrible decision that somehow worked and ended in a Luke Kennard three. OKC was forcing him to create as well, and you’ll never believe how that went.
Easily his best game since the start of the first round. The difference in Game 3 was that he was aggressive, both as a shooter and as a driver. The Lakers got multiple open looks off his drive and kicks.
There are still negatives with him — he plays small even as a small player, which gets him crushed on switches — but this was still a great showing.
Adou got Jake LaRavia’s spot in the rotation and was largely good. There were some chaotic moments, like blowing a wide open dunk and then getting bailed out by a foul call right after. But he grabbed eight boards, played decent defense and wasn’t awful. I’d suspect he gets time again in Game 4.
It was a bit of a surprise to see Kleber get minutes. It was even more surprising that he got them without another big on the floor. And those minutes went terribly. He turned the ball over, bobbled a pass out of bounds and set an illegal screen in consecutive possessions.
So, enough of that.
Grade: F
Dalton Knecht, Bronny James, Nick Smith Jr.
Only minutes in garbage time for this group.
JJ Redick
Redick is coaching one hell of a series. For a third straight game, they got Shai Gilgeous-Alexander out of rhythm as he finished 7-20 from the field. They’ve found some things that work offensively in spreading the Thunder out and finding shooters.
He changed up rotations today and found something that worked in Adou and something that didn’t in Kleber. But given where the team was in the game and series, you can’t blame him for trying something.
At the end of the day, it’s just obvious the team isn’t good enough.
LOS ANGELES — There comes a point in almost every series where one coach realizes he's beaten, he's thrown every conventional lineup and attacked every matchup he could, and nothing has worked. So, the coach tries something desperate.
Midway through the third quarter of Game 3, with the game and the season slipping away, Lakers coach JJ Redick went small, playing without a center and playing Adou Thiero against a big Thunder team. It worked for a minute, the Lakers went on a 7-0 run and the home crowd — desperate for something to cheer for — got loud. Just as quickly, Ajay Mitchell settled the Thunder down, they made a couple of 3-pointers, and the Thunder's lead was back up to double digits.
"Typically, you can poke holes at a team in a playoff series. There's a good chance they might have, like a temporary solution, or can sort of adjust, maybe a little bit," Lakers coach JJ Redick said. "This [Thunder] team — in-game because of their personnel — they just adjust. They need shooting on the floor, great. They need multiple wing defenders on the floor, great. They need two bigs on the floor, great. It's just, they're a terrific basketball team."
Game 3 felt like a replay of Game 2 — the Lakers did a lot of good things in the first half, but the Thunder's talent and depth won out in the end.
Oklahoma City pulled away for its biggest win of the series, 131-108, and now has a commanding 3-0 series lead. The Thunder have now won seven consecutive playoff games, a franchise record.
Tonight, Oklahoma City became the sixth reigning champ in NBA history to start the playoffs 7-0 or better!
Game 4 is Monday night in Los Angeles and the Lakers will try to find something to keep their season alive.
Once again, it was the Thunder depth that was the difference. Jalen Williams, an All-NBA player a season ago, remains out with a hamstring strain, so Mitchell again stepped into a starting role, and this time dropped a team-best 24 points with 10 assists. He was particularly strong in the second half, when Oklahoma City needed him most.
GAME 3 FOR OKC: AJAY MITCHELL'S TAKEOVER
24 PTS (new postseason career high) 10 AST (new postseason career high) 3 STL (new postseason career high)
Thunder will look to close out the series vs. the Lakers on Monday at 10:30 PM ET on Prime! pic.twitter.com/zmZ2pCrStS
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had another mediocre night by his MVP-level standards, with 23 points on 7-of-20 shooting. Seven Thunder players scored in double digits, including Chet Holmgren scoring 18 points and Cason Wallace hitting four 3-pointers off the bench and scoring 16.
"It's what makes us dangerous. I think we can throw so many people out there that can contribute, pretty much everybody, and everybody excels in their roles," said Isaiah Joe, who hit four 3-pointers off the bench. "It's what gives us the edge. A lot of the times we can go 10, 11, 12, 13 deep, and we can keep people on their toes."
The first half felt like the first half of Game 2 — Los Angeles was forcing turnovers (nine, for 13 points), draining 3-pointers (11-of-20), had seven offensive rebounds, and got 16 from Rui Hachimura. Despite all that, Los Angeles still led by just two, 59-57, after 24 minutes.
The Thunder came out much more intentional with their offense in the second half: Their first three possessions went right at Deandre Ayton. After that, it was a couple in a row targeting Austin Reaves. The result was the Thunder shooting 6-of-7 and going on a 19-6 run to grab an 11-point lead midway through the third, which was the difference heading into the fourth.
That forced JJ Redick to try something and go small, and it was all over from there.
Rui Hachimura led the Lakers with 21 points, while Luke Kennard added 18 off the bench. The Thunder focused their defense on LeBron James and Austin Reaves, and they combined to score 36 points on 12-of-32 (37.5%) shooting. The Lakers did take 15 more free throws in Game 3 after being mad about the officiating in Game 2. It didn't matter.
The question now is what can the Lakers do, what might work, to extend their series on Monday?
CHICAGO,IL - MAY 17: A detail photo of the ball machine during the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery at McCormick Place on May 17, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It all comes down to this!
Tomorrow is the biggest of the season for all the teams at the bottom of the standings. The Utah Jazz did everything they could to set themselves up for the most successful possible outcome in the lottery. The lottery is one of the most fascinating nights in all of sports. With the drawing of four lottery balls, the NBA’s future is decided. Will it be the worst teams in the league getting elite prospects, or will we see some of the better teams get lucky like the Oklahoma City Thunder or Atlanta Hawks?
Tomorrow, and for some reason on a Sunday on Mother’s Day, the NBA will decide which teams will receive a franchise-altering talent and which fan bases will come up with coping conspiracy theories as to why their ping pong balls didn’t come up in the lottery machine.
How to watch the 2026 NBA Lottery
Channel: ABC/ESPN
Start Time: 3:00 PM ET
Date: May 10, 2026
Where: McCormck Place Convention Center, Chicago, IL
What are the odds for the NBA Draft Lottery?
The Wizards, Pacers, and Nets are the three teams with the best odds to win the NBA lottery, with the Utah Jazz and Sacramento Kings tied with the next best odds at the 4th and 5th spots, with the Jazz owning the tiebreaker.
Here are the odds for each team in the NBA Draft Lottery
TEAM
RECORD
ODDS for #1 Pick
Washington
17-65
14.00%
Indiana (May be conveyed to the Clippers if not top-4)
19-63
14.00%
Brooklyn
20-62
14.00%
Utah
22-60
11.50%
Sacramento
22-60
11.50%
Memphis
25-57
9.00%
New Orleans (to Atlanta or Milwaukee)
26-56
6.80%
Dallas
26-56
6.70%
Chicago
31-51
4.50%
Milwaukee^
32-50
3.00%
Golden State
37-45
2.00%
LA Clippers (to Oklahoma City)
42-40
1.50%
Miami
43-39
1.00%
Charlotte
44-38
0.50%
But what are the odds for the rest of the picks? Here are the odds for each team and the range of likelihoods where the land.
