Category: NBA

Nothing is set in stone regarding a potential coaching change for the Golden State Warriors. Whether Steve Kerr will stay or go is yet to be determined. For now, he is still the coach.

It may remain that way, it may not.

If this does mark the end of Kerr's tenure, it would be the first time the Warriors were in search of a head coach since May 2014, when they let go of Mark Jackson three days after losing to the Los Angeles Clippers in seven games in the first round of the playoffs. Kerr was hired eight days after Jackson was fired.

Should Kerr and the Warriors decide to not continue into a 13th season together, Golden State's coaching carousel begins ... and there are a number of ideal candidates.

Here are coaches the Warriors could look at if Kerr isn't brought back:

Potential Warriors coaching candidates

There are a number of coaches whose names will be thrown in the hat if Kerr doesn't return. Here's who could appear in the conversation:

Terry Stotts

Stotts is currently the Warriors' lead assistant coach. He is familiar with the guys, having coached in Golden State since 2024. He finished a Jan. 5 game as head coach against the Clippers after Kerr was ejected. Stotts was last a head coach with the Portland Trail Blazers from 2012 to 2021. They were a perennial playoff team, and made a Western Conference finals appearance in 2019, where they lost to Kerr's Warriors.

Jerry Stackhouse

Stackhouse, another Warriors assistant coach since 2024, would seemingly be a candidate to succeed Kerr as Warriors coach. Stackhouse hasn't been a head coach in the NBA, but was the head coach at Vanderbilt prior to joining Golden State, from 2019 to 2024. Stackhouse was a two-time All-Star in 18 NBA seasons. He can relate to every player, from stars to role players.

Mike Brown

We're not going to fill this list completely with former Warriors assistant coaches. And Brown is currently the head coach of the New York Knicks, who are in a playoff series with the Atlanta Hawks. The Warriors probably aren't thinking about him right now, and Brown definitely isn't thinking of the Warriors. Plus, Brown was hired just last summer on a four-year, $40 million deal. So, you can probably cross Brown's name off the list ... unless he's shockingly fired.

Doc Rivers

Newly elected Hall of Fame coach Doc Rivers recently told Andscape's Marc J. Spears it was his decision to step down from his head coaching position with the Milwaukee Bucks and that he's probably coached his last game. However, the championship-winning, veteran coach's name is always in conversations. If the conversation shifted towards him coaching future Hall of Famers like Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, he'd have to consider, right?

Tiago Splitter

Keep an eye on what Splitter has done with Portland. He was named interim head coach following head coach Chauncey Billups' arrest as part of a federal investigation into an allegedly rigged high-stakes poker scheme. Splitter coached the Trail Blazers to a 42-40 record and they're in a battle with the No. 2-seed San Antonio Spurs, with the series tied at 1. There's been some interesting reporting about Splitter and new Blazers owner Tom Dundon, though.

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported that Splitter is "trying to be a pro" even as Dundon is reportedly shopping for head coaches to potentially replace Splitter. Dundon supposedly offered Splitter the Blazers head coaching position, but reportedly lowballed Splitter. Maybe Joe Lacob and Mike Dunleavy can persuade Splitter to join Golden State if Portland doesn't work out.

Tiago Splitter discussed a contract during the season but the salary presented to him to was far below a standard NBA head coaching salary, per @ramonashelburne

The Trail Blazers are now looking for candidates to replace him next season while they are tied 1-1 in the Playoffs pic.twitter.com/G7BACG6iRl

— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) April 22, 2026

Todd Golden

The Warriors will plan to pursue University of Florida head coach Todd Golden if Kerr does not return, according to Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor.

Golden coached at the University of San Francisco for three seasons before leaving for Florida and reportedly has a relationship with Warriors owner Joe Lacob and his family.

Andre Iguodala

Iguodala is a former Warrior who won four championships with the franchise and was named the 2015 Finals MVP. He's been an All-Star and played a veteran role mentoring young guys, especially during the Warriors' 2022 championship run, which birthed an iconic meme during the NBA Finals in a teaching moment with Andrew Wiggins.

Coach Iguodala was not playing with Andrew Wiggins 😅

Peep Nelly in the background too 😂 pic.twitter.com/oCKuVvbUAl

— NBA on Prime (@NBAonPrime) February 25, 2026

Although it would be fun and would make a good story, realistically Iguodala isn't high on the list ... or maybe even on the list, according to The SF Standard's Tim Kawakami, who called Iguodala his "outside-the-envelope candidate."

Mark Jackson

Nostalgia alone is enough to keep Jackson's name circulating among Warriors coaching rumors. He helped pioneer the Warriors' run over a decade ago. Now that their run appears to be over, a reunion may seem fitting, but probably won't happen.

Billy Donovan

Donovan is on the market. He's a veteran coach who's worked with stars before and has a history of developing young talent, having won two national championships at Florida in 2006 and 2007. The Chicago Bulls announced on April 21 that Donovan would be stepping down as Bulls coach. What's next? Could it be the Bay Area?

There are now three coaching vacancies in the NBA: Billy Donovan is stepping down from his Bulls post.

Chicago will join Milwaukee and New Orleans in conducting a coaching search.

The Bulls also have one of the league’s two front office vacancies alongside Dallas. pic.twitter.com/pclwydGHqk

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) April 21, 2026

Micah Nori

Nori is currently a Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach. He has been adorned for how he connects with superstars and his bravado during in-game interviews. In Minnesota, he's connected with Anthony Edwards. In his previous stop, Denver, he was tight with Nikola Jokic. With his ability to connect with others, a first-time head coaching position could be in his future.

Chris Quinn

Quinn is the longest tenured Miami Heat assistant coach. He's been in the role since 2015, where he's helped the Heat form one of the best player development systems. It seems natural Quinn would wait to succeed Erik Spoelstra, but what if that opportunity doesn't come and one does with the Warriors? Why wouldn't Quinn go for his first top job?

Sean Sweeney

Sweeney has developed a repertoire of having success in scouting and developing talent with the San Antonio Spurs. He also brings Finals experience, having been an assistant with the Dallas Mavericks during their run in 2024. A leap from assistant coach to head coach would be daunting for Sweeney, but who wouldn't welcome the challenge?

Johnnie Bryant

Bryant is an assistant coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was a candidate for the Cavs coaching job before Kenny Atkinson was hired. He was a candidate for the Phoenix Suns before they opted for Jordan Ott. Bryant has been high on many lists, so if the Warriors are serious about not bringing Kerr back, expect Bryant's name to surface as a candidate.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Steve Kerr, Warriors coaching rumors, potential candidates

The Phoenix Suns already have a tall task in trying to knock off the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the opening round of this year's playoffs.

Star guard Devin Booker says the referees are making it even more difficult.

The normally reserved Booker was hit with a technical foul in the third quarter of the Suns' 120-107 loss in Game 2 of their series on Wednesday, April 22, for complaining about the officiating.

"It's definitely something that has to be looked at," Booker told reporters after the game. "I heard (the Thunder's Alex) Caruso tell them to call the tech and he ended up doing it. In my 11 years, I haven't called a ref out by name, but James (Williams) was terrible tonight."

Full video of Devin Booker criticizing the officiating following Game 2, via @CamCox12.pic.twitter.com/p5vkVmP2fmhttps://t.co/4n1XplHuNe

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) April 23, 2026

Booker was particularly upset with a sequence in the second quarter in which he was called for an offensive foul on a drive to the basket, then on the next possession, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drew a foul on a Suns defender on an eerily similar play.

"Whatever I get fined for, everybody can pull the clips and see where the frustration comes from," Booker said.

OKC is a great team—they don’t need special treatment.

Also OKC: pic.twitter.com/Hx0UI9cKji

— Ferries Fredt💎 (@Ferries_Fredt) April 23, 2026

Booker is far from the first to raise the issue of officials' calls favoring the Thunder, and reigning league MVP Gilgeous-Alexander in particular.

"He a little frail, and that's what the refs are going to call," said Suns forward Dillon Brooks, who fouled out of Game 2 with 25 seconds remaining.

"Like, I used to watch this back when Michael Jordan was playing or whoever else, when LeBron was younger. This is physical basketball. I don't get why all the dropping and the falling and the flopping and the flailing and all this stuff is allowed when we get to the playoffs."

Last month, New York Knicks coach Mike Brown issued a similar complaint.

"SGA, he’s a tough cover," Brown told reporters after the Knicks' loss to the Thunder on March 4. "And he does a great job of convincing the referees – probably better than anybody in the league – that he’s getting hit."

Gilgeous-Alexander brushed off the criticism as the top-seeded Thunder took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

"I can't control what Dillon or anybody else on the other side is going to complain about," the Thunder star said after scoring a game-high 37 points and making all nine of his free throw attempts. "All I can do is try to go out there and win basketball games for my team."

Game 3 is set for Saturday, April 25, in Phoenix.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Devin Booker rips referee by name for calls in Suns-Thunder Game 2

The Phoenix Suns were looking to bounce back in Game 2 in Oklahoma City, and while a 13-point loss does not scream “bounce back,” it kind of was. The adjustments showed up. The competitiveness showed up. It looked more like a real game.

The first change was obvious. Pace. Phoenix pushed it. That matters against the Oklahoma City Thunder, because living in the half-court against that defense is a tough way to survive. They are too connected, too disruptive, and too quick on closeouts. When the Suns played faster, moving the ball after makes and misses, it created cleaner looks. It worked, especially in the first half.

The third quarter hurt. Oklahoma City came out of the locker room and took control, outscoring Phoenix 35-20. The aggression ramped up, the game tilted, and the lead pushed to 22. It felt like it could get away from them.

Then the fourth happened. For the first time in a while, the Suns dictated something late. Pace. Physicality. Energy. They fought back and cut it to nine. Dillon Brooks set the tone with his aggression, and Devin Booker followed. Jalen Green tried to find it, but could not, going 1-of-6 in the quarter. Khaman Maluach played the entire fourth, and that is something worth circling moving forward.

More than anything, the Suns showed fight again. The kind that defined them early in the season. The kind that had faded in the final two months of the season. It showed up when it mattered most, and it reminded you of what this group can look like when they lean into their identity. Outscoring OKC 30-20 in the fourth was something.

They head back to Phoenix for Game 3 feeling better about where they are. Whether that turns into a win is another question. But for a night, it felt like the Suns again.

Bright Side Baller Season Standings

Wow. How bad was Game 1? Rasheer Fleming played 7:34 minutes of garbage time. He went 3-of-3 from the field, scoring 9 points in his postseason debut. And that was enough, with over 200 votes, to easily win the Bright Side Baller of the Game. I think that alone tells you where this fan base is.

Bright Side Baller Nominees

Game 86 (Game 2) against the Thunder. Here are your nominees:

Dillon Brooks
30 points (12-of-23, 5-of-9 3PT), 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, -11 +/-

Devin Booker
22 points (7-of-14, 0-of-3 3PT), 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 8-of-10 FT, 5 turnovers, -12 +/-

Jalen Green
21 points (8-of-23, 1-of-8 3PT), 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 7 turnovers, -12 +/-

Royce O’Neale
16 points (4-of-5, 4-of-5 3PT), 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, -4 +/-

Collin Gillespie
7 points (3-of-9, 1-of-5 3PT), 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, -14 +/-

Oso Ighodaro
7 points (3-of-8), 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 turnovers, 1 block, -23 +/-

---

Cast your vote.

INDEPENDENCE — The Toronto Raptors made their first major lineup adjustment of the series against the Cleveland Cavaliers when they decided to bench their typical starting center, Jakob Poeltl, for the entire second half in Game 2. Instead, they opted to go small with the 6’7” Collin Murray-Boyles and the 6’9” Sandro Mamukelashvili nominally playing the five.

After Game 2, Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković said that the idea behind going smaller was to provide a different look defensively. “We wanted to be able to switch more in the pick-and-roll.”

That idea made sense, but didn’t work out well for Toronto.

Instead of feasting on Poeltl in the pick-and-roll, the Cavs were able to attack and hunt out mismatches by forcing switches on screens. This was seen most clearly in how James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, and Evan Mobley all attacked Brandon Ingram whenever matched up against him. And without a center, there wasn’t additional help defense waiting to bail Ingram out.

The numbers highlight this problem. Toronto has had an abysmal 128.1 defensive rating (0th percentile) in the 128 possessions they’ve played without Poeltl. The defense hasn’t been stellar with Poeltl, it’s been considerably better (117.7 defensive rating, 22nd percentile).

Despite Cleveland’s success, Jarrett Allen wasn’t able to take advantage of Toronto’s smaller front line. He registered just four points in the second half and wasn’t included in the team’s closing lineup despite being guarded by a much smaller RJ Barrett.

Despite not making an impact as a scorer, head coach Kenny Atkinson liked what he saw from Allen.

“These are the little sacrifices you have to make,” Atkinson said after practice on Wednesday. “Obviously, we got to reward him if they’re going to go small and get him down on the mismatches, but he sacrificed himself with screening.”

Allen did do a good job as a screener. He had a game-high six screen assists, leading to 16 points.

Atkinson said that he wants to keep Allen in the dunker’s spot against some of these smaller lineups. This would allow him to clean up missed shots and potentially finish lobs if the help defense steps up.

“I give him a 10-out-of-10 in terms of understanding that and then sacrificing for the squad,” Atkinson said. “After I watched the film, [I realized] this guy is way more impactful than even I think. His impact is monumental for the team.”

It’ll be interesting to see if the Cavs can get Allen more involved against these smaller lineups.

Despite not helping Toronto’s defense, going smaller did jump-start the offense.

“[It] probably increases their transition offensive rate,” Atkinson said. “They’re going to double down on their speed.”

The smaller lineups have, in fact, done so.

Toronto is getting out in transition on 14.8% of their offensive possessions (93rd percentile) this series without Poeltl on the floor. That’s up from the 11.1% of possessions in transition (24th percentile) when he’s playing. This has all resulted in the offense being better in these smaller lineups.

“It makes them space the floor a little more and makes them play faster,” Max Strus said. “It’s a new thing that we’re gonna have to figure out, and I think we did some things to prepare for it today.”

The Cavs came into this series talking about needing to keep the Raptors from running in the open court. They’ve succeeded at that front in the first two games of the series, and will need to do so again if they want to steal a game in Toronto or potentially end the series there.

Going smaller hasn’t produced considerably better results for Toronto. They’re just 0.5 points per 100 possessions better with Poeltl off the court, and have registered a -12.5 net rating. That isn’t going to get it done.

Even though benching Poeltl may be the best move for the Raptors, it isn’t going to close the talent gap that we’ve seen through the first two games, at least not on its own. They need better performances from their best players — mainly Brandon Ingram — and hope that the Cavs’ stars cool off.

Despite how stress-free the first two games have been, the Cavs aren’t taking anything for granted as the series shifts north of the border.

“The series hasn’t even started yet until you go on the road,” Strus said. “So we got to come in with an aggressive mindset, just like we treated games one and two, and play our best basketball.”

It was hard to watch on Tuesday as Victor Wembanyama collided with Jrue Holiday just minutes into the second quarter. Upon impact, Wemby lost his balance and landed face first onto the hardwood. In the immediate aftermath, it was unclear if Wemby had been knocked unconscious. After a few moments, he turned around appearing to stand up, only to need another moment to regain his composure.

Dusty Garza with Spurs Reporter posted this doctor’s opinion:

There is growing doubt and speculation that Victor Wembanyama will even be allowed to fly to Portland.

A surgeon who happens to be a huge Spurs fan communicated to me that “a chin blow causes a vasovagal response to lose consciousness not like a direct blow to the head like we… pic.twitter.com/lq1xqOT36K

— SpursRΞPORTΞR (@SpursReporter) April 22, 2026

As Shams Charania reported, Wemby’s 48 hours began immediately after the diagnosis. He is being re-evaluated and monitored. As of this post, the 2-days ends this evening, Thursday, April 23rd at arounf 8:00 p.m.

Wemby is hoping to travel with the Spurs in the event he is available to play in either game 3 or game 4, but no decision will be available until he’s been fully checked out and given the go ahead.

Dr. Brian Sutterer, who independently analyzes sports injuries for his own YouTube channel, posted this video:

According to NBA protocol, which is less stringent than the NFL, Wemby “theoretically, could come back for game 3,” but the doctor states that he doesn’t think that time should be the only metric used in making the decision.

If past is prologue, the Spurs will not release any information until necessary and will not play Victor Wembanyama until it is believed he is in the right physical and emotional state and that his injury won’t hamper his playing ability or harm him.

---

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

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

In Wednesday’s Brotherhood Playoff Action, Detroit beat Orlando, 98-83, and OKC tamed Phoenix, 120-107.

Detroit didn’t have too much trouble with Orlando in this one, though Paolo Banchero scored 18 points and also had 6 rebounds and 8 assists.

With just three points, Wendell Carter didn’t have a great game, though his rivalry with Jalen Duren livened things up. Carter is dating Angel Reese, while Duren used to as well. Things might get a bit heated, obviously, and they did.

The Thunder took a 2-0 lead on Phoenix, but the Suns are still without Mark Williams and Grayson Allen, both out with injuries.

Khaman Maluach got 19 minutes, scoring 4 points and grabbing 2 boards.

On Thursday, we’ll see Quin Snyder’s Hawks take on the New York Knicks. Tyrese Proctor and the Cleveland Cavaliers will see the Toronto Raptors, featuring RJ Barrett and Brandon Ingram. Finally, Tyus Jones and the Denver Nuggets will challenge the Timberwolves.

• Bianchi: Hey, Magic, the Pistons just punched you in the mouth! How are you going to respond?
• Paolo Banchero Scores 18 Points In Loss To Pistons
• Game 2: Paolo Banchero
• Paolo Banchero posterizes Isaiah Stewart
• Banchero ‘a man on a mission’ for Magic
• Wendell Carter Jr.’s Reaction After Steal-and-Dunk Moment Over Jalen Duren Adds Fuel to Ongoing Angel Reese Drama
• Wendell Carter Jr., Jalen Duren’s rivalry continues in Magic-Pistons series

Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions || Drop us a line

One of the best value contracts on the Warriors last season was De’Anthony Melton, who averaged 12.3 points and 1.6 steals in 49 games, for just under $3.1M. After proving he’d recovered nicely from his ACL tear early in the 2024-25 season, a Warriors insider suggested that Melton will have teams planning to offer him more than a one-year minimum deal.

De’Anthony Melton has a $3.4 million player option. He said he’d love to come back to the Warriors but said testing the open market is on his mind.

I’d be very surprised if Melton picks up that option. There will be more guaranteed dollars and security out there for him.

— Danny Emerman (@DannyEmerman) April 20, 2026

Melton signed with the Warriors for $12.8M before the 2024-25 season, but suffered an ACL tear in his sixth game with the team. The team traded him for Dennis Schroder, then flipped Schroder in the trade for Jimmy Butler, while Melton spent the season rehabbing. He came back to Golden State on a make-good minimum contract, eventually debuting on Dec. 4.

He made good. Melton played 49 out of 60 games since his return, mainly due to sitting out one half of their back-to-backs. His outside shooting was pretty bad, going 29.4% from three-point range, but some of his shooting decline was due to having to shoot off the dribble and create his own shot more when the Warriors stars were out. Melton has been an excellent role player for some very good teams, the Memphis Grizzlies and Philadelphia 76ers, and last season indicated he could do it again.

At the very least, Melton should be able to get a two-year deal at the taxpayer mid-level exception, which would be roughly twice the years and twice the money of his 2026-27 player option.

Does that mean he’ll leave the Warriors? Honestly, the only player who seems certain to be a member of the 2026-27 Warriors is Wardell Stephen Curry. While the Warriors would probably love to have Melton back, their may be a limit to what they’d love to pay him.

Melton would probably love to get more financial security. The Warriors may no longer be in a position to offer that, nor can they entice veterans with the chance to compete for titles. Or, realistically, the chance to compete for guaranteed playoff seeds. If a quality role player wants to take a discount for a real shot at playing not one, but two play-in tournament games? Then welcome to the Chase Center!

Golden State already has a lot of free-agent decisions to make on players ranging from Kristaps Porzingis to Gui Santos to Gary Payton II. All signs are pointing to Melton joining that uncertain group.

INDEPENDENCE — Brothers Jaylon and Jordyn Tyson have a friendly wager on whether Jordyn will be a top-10 NFL Draft pick. Unfortunately, Jaylon won’t be able to go to the draft or even watch it on TV live to find out who wins the bet. The Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Toronto Raptors at the same time the Draft is set to start.

The Cavs can’t let Jaylon watch the start of the draft, but they are working on a plan to keep him updated on what’s happening.

“We’re going to make sure he gets the news somehow,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said after practice on Wednesday. “I know it’s the playoffs and all, but that’s your family and your brother. So we’re going to get that to him.”

We’ll see where Jordyn ends up going in the draft. Many see him as the best wide receiver in this year’s draft class. ESPN’s latest mock draft has him landing in the fifth spot with the New York Giants. However, there’s speculation that he may fall down the board due to some injury concerns.

Although Jaylon doesn’t see a fall happening. He’s been steadfast in his belief that Jordyn is going to go high.

“JT has been telling me he’s a top-10 pick, so I’m going with that,” Atkinson said. “That would be awesome.”

Jaylon is expected to have a big role in Game 3 for the Cavs. Atkinson thinks that Tyson has played well in the minutes he’s gotten in the first two games of the opening round series and believes that he will have a breakout game. It’s not a matter of if, just a matter of when.

“I told him today he’s next up,” Atkinson said. “Max had that big game, core four had their big games. [Next] it’s going to be Jaylon Tyson. I can almost guarantee that he’s going to have one of those games.”

It’s impossible not to think back to the unprecedented shooting bombardment Boston endured in a Game 2 loss to the Miami Heat in the opening round of the 2024 playoffs, which will have happened two years to the day when the Celtics travel to Philadelphia for Game 3 of their current first round matchup. 

On that night, the Heat, after a 20-point loss in Game 1 and without Jimmy Butler for the entire series, hit a franchise playoff record 23 3-pointers, running away from a Celtics team led by Jaylen Brown’s 33 points that got the deficit down to as close as six points late in the fourth quarter before the Heat slammed the door shut. 

“It seemed we couldn’t get them to miss,” Brown said after that game. “They made a lot of shots that usually we’re comfortable with.”

In the end, it was a small divergence from a 5-game series where Boston smacked Miami in every other game, but we’ve seen it before and we’ve seen it since: the Celtics have lacked comfort as hosts in Game 2.  

Among their last eight Game 2s at home, they’re now 3-5, with frustrating displays against Cleveland in 2024 (118-94), New York last year (91-90) and now, against an Embiid-less Sixers, who shot 49% on 19 made threes and were led by a VJ Edgecombe 30-point, 10-rebound performance that hasn’t happened since Tim Duncan’s rookie year in 1998. TIM DUNCAN.

19 threes for the 76ers tonight, they hit that mark just 3 times this season prior to tonight.

— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) April 22, 2026

Between Boston’s own shooting misfires (they were 13/50 from beyond the arc), a deep drop coverage that opened the door for Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey to fire pull up threes at will, and Philly’s own defensive adjustments that shut the door on a paint that Boston had previously owned, the Celtics often looked unrecognizable from the team we’ve seen this season. 

Even as they cut the deficit to two with 6:25 left to play, the Celtics, already with the slowest pace in the league, spun their wheels deeper and deeper into a muddy rut, and in this area of the game in particular, the Sixers do deserve credit for putting more foot traffic in the middle of the floor.

Though the first quarter indicated more of the same from the Celtics after they attacked Philly’s weak point-of-attack defense in Game 1, the 76ers started to send more help defenders into pick-and-roll actions, while playing their bigs up-to-level and pushing pickup points farther out from the 3-point line. 

Simply put, they made the Celtics work when they wanted to drive.

The Celtics took 22 shot attempts with a shot clock of seven seconds or lower on Tuesday night, shooting just 5/21 (24%) on those possessions. That’s 24% of their shots for the entire game that came with the clock winding down. 

On the other end, two days after hitting just four 3-pointers for an entire game, the Sixers looked way too comfortable shooting the ball, most evident in their shooting around screens. 

Nearly a third of Philly’s shots were from 24 feet or deeper. Of Philly’s 90 shots for the game, 47 were considered either open (4-6 feet of space) or wide open (6+ feet of space), and they shot 55% on those attempts.

It often felt like after a sluggish shooting night in Game 1, the Celtics dared the Sixers to beat them from deep rather than give up space in the paint for Maxey or Edgecombe to accelerate into, and the Sixers happily obliged.

It was a gamble that didn’t pay off. 

When the Celtics did bring Queta closer to the action at the end of the game, the results still weren’t promising.

“That’s the low-hanging fruit to look at,” Joe Mazzulla said of Philly’s 3-point shooting. “It starts with the stuff that we can control.”  

Mazzulla pointed to pick-and-roll positioning and the timing and level of their defensive shifts as adjustments to make it harder on Philly to generate open looks. 

Of the three most recent Game 2 losses the Celtics have endured after a win (Miami 2024, Cleveland 2024 and now Philadelphia 2026), they’d entered that night by winning their series openers by an average of 25.7 points.

Pure and utter dominance, right out of the gate.

For it to follow with uncharacteristic shooting execution both from them and against them is a tough pill to swallow for this group, but in a more hopeful outlook for Friday, they’ve gone 4-1 in their last five Game 3s that followed a loss.

The Sixers landed a big punch across the jaw to split their games on the road, and now we’ll get to see exactly how Boston responds. At least we can’t say we haven’t seen this story play out favorably before.

The deadline for men's college basketball players to enter the transfer portal has come and gone (April 21). And while five of USA TODAY's top-six ranked portal entrants remain available, many players have already found new homes.

Which schools have done the best business so far this offseason? We're glad you asked. Here are USA TODAY Sports' portal class team rankings so far (as of 10 p.m., Wednesday, April 22).

These rankings take into account just incoming players, not players who are leaving.

1. Indiana

• C Aiden Sherrell (Alabama)
• C Samet Yigitoglu (SMU)
• PG Markus Burton (Notre Dame)
• SG Bryce Lindsay (Villanova)
• SF Darren Harris (Duke)
• SG Jaeden Mustaf (Georgia Tech)

Incoming by the numbers: 66.3 ppg, 24.1 rpg, 11.3 apg, 47.7% FG, 34.9% 3FG, 245 career starts

Indiana is going hard in the transfer portal — because it has to. Darian DeVries' first season was a complete waste as the Hoosiers missed the NCAA Tournament yet again, and DeVries was left having to rebuild nearly an entire roster again (only freshman Trent Sisley is coming back). His bosses are figuring out spending big in the portal is probably cheaper than more coach buyouts. Ryan Carr arrived from the Pacers front office to help build this roster, and so far the results are encouraging. This group includes something of everything: a point guard, multiple bigs, wing depth and perhaps most important — players with multiple years of eligibility so Indiana doesn't have to do this all over again next year. Sherrell (No. 13), Burton (No. 21) and Yigitoglu (No. 39) all land inside the top 40 of USA TODAY's portal player rankings.

2. Tennessee

• SF Jalen Haralson (Notre Dame)
• PG Dai Dai Ames (Cal)
• SG Tyler Lundblade (Belmont)
• SG Terrence Hill Jr. (VCU)
• PF Miles Rubin (Loyola Chicago)

Incoming by the numbers: 75 ppg, 18.5 rpg, 11.7 apg, 48.6% FG, 38% 3FG, 256 career starts

It's a total reboot in Knoxville for Rick Barnes, who has to replace his top six scorers from this past season, assuming freshman standout Nate Ament (16.7 ppg) declares for the NBA Draft. J.P. Estrella's transfer to Michigan hurts, and Bishop Boswell's decision to head to Maryland removes another starter. But the Vols have done some good work in the portal. There's no star in this group, though all five of their additions averaged at least 11.3 ppg last season and bring substantial starting experience (except Hill, who was VCU's microwave off the bench). Haralson is a do-everything small forward (except hit 3s), with room to grow. Rubin is your Estrella replacement, but with a defensive edge (2.3 blocks per game). Ames, a third-team All-ACC pick, will run the point, while Lundblade, the MVC Player of the Year, and Hill, the A-10 Sixth Man of the Year, provide the shooting. It's a strong class, that likely isn't done yet.

3. Louisville

• C Flory Bidunga (Kansas)
• PG Jackson Shelstad (Oregon)
• SF Karter Knox (Arkansas)
• PF Alvaro Folgueiras (Iowa)

Incoming by the numbers: 45.4 ppg, 20 rpg, 9.8 apg, 52.3% FG, 33.5% 3FG, 200 career starts

Bidunga, USA TODAY's No. 2 ranked player in the portal, was one of the biggest gets of the entire offseason. He's still raw offensively, but his defense changes games. The Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year averaged 2.6 blocks per game, fourth-most in the NCAA last season. Shelstad, No. 15 in USA TODAY's portal rankings, had his season cut short after just 12 games, but was a double-digit scorer in each of his three seasons in Eugene and was making nearly three 3-pointers a game before his injury. Knox hasn't quite lived up to his recruiting hype and was limited with injuries last season, but the talent is there. Folgueiras started just one game for Iowa last season, but he broke out in March Madness. His last-second 3 knocked Florida out of the tournament and he averaged 14.7 points per game in Iowa's three NCAA Tournament wins. Even if Folgueiras doesn't start for the Cardinals, having a scoring forward off the bench who can spread the floor will be of great value to Pat Kelsey.

4. Duke

• SG John Blackwell (Wisconsin)
• PF Drew Scharnowski (Belmont)

Incoming by the numbers: 29.8 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 4.9 apg, 50.3% FG, 38.5% 3FG, 98 career starts

It's just a two-person class so far, but it's more about fits and quality than quantity. Blackwell was arguably one of the biggest fish in the portal after the former Wisconsin guard averaged 19.1 points with 5.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game last season, earning third team All-Big Ten honors. Blackwell, the No. 8 player in USA TODAY's portal rankings, will fit in seamlessly if Isaiah Evans enters the NBA Draft. Scharnowski is a big pickup in the frontcourt to offset the loss of do-everything Cameron Boozer and Maliq Brown. The 6-9 Scharnowski was a first team All-Missouri Valley Conference pick, averaging 10.7 points (68.1% FG), 6.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists during his sophomore season at Belmont.

5. Texas

• PF David Punch (TCU)
• PG Isaiah Johnson (Colorado)
• SF Elyjah Freeman (Auburn)
• SG Amari Evans (Tennessee)

Incoming by the numbers: 44.3 ppg, 18.1 rpg, 7 apg, 47.3% FG, 32.7% 3FG, 99 career starts

Start with Punch and Johnson, who both earned Big 12 honorable mention last season. Punch is the 10th-ranked player in USA TODAY's portal player rankings, while Johnson landed at No. 17. Johnson averaged 16.9 points for the Buffaloes, while Punch provided 14.1 ppg, 6.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game for the Horned Frogs. Freeman averaged 9.2 points and 5.2 rebounds in his lone season at Auburn after transferring in from Division II. Evans played 14.4 minutes a game as a true freshman for Tennessee and his addition, along with Johnson, will be key to replacing Dailyn Swain's production.

6. North Carolina

• SG Neoklis Avdalas (Virginia Tech)
• SG Matt Able (NC State)
• SG Terrence Brown (Utah)
• PF Maxim Logue (Florida Atlantic)

Incoming by the numbers: 45.6 ppg, 12 rpg, 9.3 apg, 44.3% FG, 32.9% 3FG, 111 career starts

Three of Michael Malone's first four transfer additions landed inside USA TODAY's top 40 portal player rankings: Avdalas, No. 11; Brown, No. 29; Able, No. 35. Brown, Able and Avdalas are all combo guards and perhaps offer a glimpse into the style Malone will bring to Chapel Hill. Brown was All-Big 12 honorable mention, averaging 19.9 ppg for Utah after arriving from Farleigh Dickinson. Avdalas and Able had decent freshman seasons in the ACC last year, but Avdalas will need to improve his 38.6 FG% and 2.2 turnovers per game.

7. Houston

• PG Dedan Thomas Jr. (LSU)
• SG Corey Hadnot (Purdue Fort Wayne)
• PF Delrecco Gillespie (Kent State)
• PF Braden East (Lamar)

Incoming by the numbers: 66.2 ppg, 27.1 rpg, 12.4 apg, 50.9% FG, 32.7% 3FG, 192 career starts

Houston had plenty of holes to fill, primarily in the backcourt with Kingston Flemings headed to the NBA and Milos Uzan and Emanuel Sharp out of eligibility. Thomas , the No. 16 player in USA TODAY's portal rankings, will slot into the point guard role. He was averaging 15.3 ppg and 6.5 apg before a foot injury ended his season in January. A first-team All-Horizon League pick, Hadnot exploded last season improving his scoring from 9.0 ppg as a sophomore to 20.4 as a junior. Gillespie was a do-everything for Kent State, averaging a double-double (17.1 ppg, 11.3 rpg) and East nearly averaged a double-double at Lamar (12.8 ppg, 9.1 rpg). Except for Thomas, the Big 12 will be a major step up in competition for this transfer class, but Kelvin Sampson should be able to coach them up.

8. Providence

• SG Ryan Sabol (Buffalo)
• SG Devin Vanterpool (Florida Atlantic)
• SG Miles Byrd (San Diego State)
• PG Malik Mack (Georgetown)
• PF Arrinten Page (Northwestern)
• PG Gavin Hightower (South Florida)
• C Samson Aletan (Yale)

Incoming by the numbers: 80.7 ppg, 29.2 rpg, 17.1 apg, 44.5% FG, 34.3% 3FG, 344 career starts.

Bryan Hodgson is getting the financial backing Providence promised when he chose the Friars job over interest from Syracuse. Five of the seven incoming transfers averaged at least 10.2 ppg last season, and all but one (Hightower, the lone USF player to follow Hodgson) were starters at their previous school. Vanterpool was the American Conference's Most Improved Player, and Hodgson knows the scouting report on the third-team all-league pick. Sabol is one of the best shooters in the country, his 3.8 made 3s per game were third-most in the country last season. Mack (13.6 ppg, 4.1 apg) will run the point, with 90 career starts under his belt. Byrd was the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, averaging 2.2 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. The 6-11 Page will be on his fourth team in four years, but had his best season last year, averaging 10.2 ppg and 4.5 rpg for Northwestern.

9. Iowa State

• PG Jaquan Johnson (Bradley)
• SG Ryan Prather Jr. (Robert Morris)
• PF Tre Singleton (Northwestern)
• SF Leon Bond (Northern Iowa)
• PF Taj Manning (Kansas State)

Incoming by the numbers: 56.3 ppg, 22.4 rpg, 11.1 apg, 45.1% FG, 34.3% 3FG, 185 career starts

The Cyclones are losing their top scorer (Milan Momcilovic, portal), top rebounder (Joshua Jefferson, graduation) and top guard (Tamin Lipsey, graduation). So it's no surprise T.J. Otzelberger has been busy in the portal. This is a class built on depth and less on star quality. Johnson, a first-team all-MVC pick and the conference's Most Improved Player, will try to fill Lipsey's shoes. He was the MVC's No. 2 leading scorer (16.9 ppg), while also earning the league's Defensive Player of the Year. Bond joined Johnson on the MVC All-Defensive team in keeping with Otzelberger's rugged style. Singleton started 31 of 34 games as a true freshman at Northwestern and has plenty of room for growth in his game after averaging 7.6 ppg and 4.8 rpg last season. Prather was a second-team All-Horizon League selection after averaging 15.7 ppg last season with 84 made 3s.

10. Cincinnati

• C Riley Allenspach (George Mason)
• SF Tyler Tejada (Towson)
• SG Myles Colvin (Wake Forest)
• PG Tylen Riley (Tulsa)
• G Trevian Carson (North Dakota State)
• SF Eric Mahaffey (Akron)
• PG Elijah Perryman (Utah State)
• PF Adlan Elamin (Utah State)
• C David Iweze (Utah State)

Incoming by the numbers: 88.7 ppg, 36.7 rpg, 17.3 apg, 46.8% FG, 32.8% 3FG, 275 career starts

New Bearcats coach Jerrod Calhoun brought three Utah State players with him from Logan who will help teach his impressive offense to the rest of the roster, which is basically a complete reset. In addition to the incoming former Aggies, Cincinnati's haul includes plenty of mid-major all-conference picks. Riley was a second-team All-American Conference selection at Tulsa and will likely be the Bearcats' primary ball-handler. The 6-11 Allenspach will help anchor the post. He earned second-team All-Atlantic 10 honors averaging 13.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Tejada was sixth in the CAA in scoring (17.7) and a third-team all-conference pick. Carson did a bit of everything at NDSU and was a first-team All-Summit League and All-Defensive team pick, while Mahaffey was MAC All-Freshman. Colvin is an explosive athlete, who averaged 11.6 ppg in his lone season at Wake Forest after two seasons at Purdue.

Honorable mention: Pitt, Xavier, DePaul, Creighton

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College basketball transfer portal team rankings, best classes, signings

A former Met helped play the role of peacemaker between Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan, Sir Charles said during a radio appearance Wednesday on a Chicago sports talk station. 

Vince Coleman, who played three seasons from 1991 to 1993 in Queens, brokered the truce when he randomly called Barkley while with Jordan, putting the two on the phone together. 

Ironically, Barkley told this story while appearing on ESPN Chicago’s “Waddle & Silvy” show, the very same radio program on which he made his critical comments about Jordan’s ownership of the then-Charlotte Bobcats. 

“It’s interesting,” Barkley said on the show Wednesday, according to The Athletic. “I was just chillin’ at the house last week, and one of my good friends is Vince Coleman, the great baseball player. When we answer the phone, we (jokingly) say some unkind words to each other … he says, ‘Yo, I’m down here at The Grove. I’m sick of you and MJ’s BS. He’s right here. Y’all need to talk.’ And we had a conversation, but Vince Coleman’s the person who’s responsible. We [Barkley and Jordan] talked for a couple minutes. He said, ‘Man, let’s get together and play golf.

“And as soon as I get a break, we’re gonna fly down there and spend a couple days playing golf.’”

The comments Barkley made in 2012 fractured his friendship with Jordan when he said on the show that he loves Jordan, “but he has not done a good job” when discussing the NBA legends’ ownership of the Bobcats. 

Barkley recently revealed on Chris Russo’s Mad Dog Unleashed on SiriusXM on Friday that he and Jordan had talked and that they’re going to play golf after the NBA season. 

The NBA commentator added on Wednesday that “we’ll be fine.” 

“I tell people it’s not like we’re Prince Harry and Prince William, who hate each other. Honestly, I think we both missed each other, because we’ve had this conversation with other friends, and we’re both too stubborn to pick up the phone, to be honest with you. But I think both parties missed each other a great deal,” he said.

It was a competitive, physical Game 2 between the Phoenix Suns and the Oklahoma City Thunder, as most postseason battles are. And when you get two teams with a reputation for an aggressive style of play, the officials sometimes jump the gun on attempting to regulate it. We witnessed this early on Wednesday night when Dillon Brooks and Lu Dort were given double technical fouls during a box out on a made free throw.

FULL MOMENT: Dillon Brooks and Lu Dort get double techs and then Devin Booker gets a tech for saving the ball pic.twitter.com/NFk1xNT4EY

— NBAbzy (@nbabzyy) April 23, 2026

Yeah. There wasn’t much there. But this wasn’t an isolated occurrence. There were multiple calls throughout the game that felt off, confusing in the moment and even more confusing after the explanation. It got to the point where Devin Booker addressed it postgame. He called out the officiating crew, knowing what comes with that. A fine is coming. He said it anyway. The official at the center of it was James Williams.

The first play he referenced was the technical foul assessed to Booker with 2:05 left in the third quarter. Booker was driving left above the break toward the corner when Jaylen Williams bumped him off his path. Booker was headed out of bounds and flipped the ball back in, trying to save the possession. It hit Williams. After a crowd formed around the official, a technical was called.

Devin Booker got a tech for this play while trying to save the ball.

What am I missing here? Why was this a tech?pic.twitter.com/KqwDd6VuaX

— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) April 23, 2026

When asked if he had received an explanation of the play, Booker responded, “I still haven’t got one.”

“It’s definitely something that has to be looked into,” he continued. “I heard Caruso tell him to call the tech and, you know, he ended up doing it.”

Then there was the earlier offensive foul assessed at the 2:31 mark of the second. Booker rose for a jumper with Alex Caruso on him. It looked like a normal shooting motion, but his elbow made slight contact with Caruso’s face. Caruso went down, the whistle came, offensive foul. Jordan Ott challenged it. The call stood. It felt like marginal contact, the kind you see on jump shots all the time, with no change in motion and no added force.

Offensive foul on Devin Booker vs free throws for SGA

🤔🤔🤔 pic.twitter.com/6lgcX3uuSU

— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) April 23, 2026

That added to the frustration.

“[The officials] said ‘unnatural shooting motion’ that hit Caruso, ” Booker said of the play. “But Caruso is moving forward on that. And if that’s unnatural shooting motion compared to what guys are doing to get fouls nowadays, like you can play them side by side. And you know, I’ll let you guys be the judge. Like, pull the clips, run it back. I’m surprised this is happening on national TV in playoff games.”

Oklahoma City plays aggressive defense. That is their identity. They press, they bump, they hold on the perimeter, and they live in that gray area where you dare officials to call everything. Most nights, they do not. That style works when the whistle stays quiet.

“In my 11 years, I haven’t called a ref out by name, but James [Williams] was terrible tonight,” Booker stated. “Through and through. It’s bad for the sport, bad for the integrity of the sport. People are going to start viewing this as a WWE, you know, if they’re not held responsible.”

WOW. Never heard Devin Booker call out the refs like this..

"I'm surpsied this is happening on national TV during playoff games. It feels disrespectful. This is my first time in 11-years (calling out the refs).. It's needed." pic.twitter.com/4eUuCqbQS8

— Cameron Cox (@CamCox12) April 23, 2026

In this game, a few of those moments stood out more than usual. They were noticeable. And it raises the question that always comes up in these spots. Who holds the officials accountable? What happens after a call that feels clearly wrong in the moment and does not get corrected?

“It just feels disrespectful. I haven’t won a championship in this league, but you know, I have been in it for 11 years now. So to get to this point, to be treated like that, for me to even be saying something out loud. It’s bad.”

“It’s my first time in 11 years,” he added. “But it’s needed. Like I said, whatever I get fined for, everybody can pull the clips and see where the frustration comes from.”

Booker will likely be fined. The series will move forward. The playoffs will keep rolling. But the conversation does not go away. The integrity of the game, as Booker pointed out, continues to sit under a microscope when moments like this pass without clarity.

---

The NBA Draft Lottery is a wonderful event. Using the latest in retirement home bingo technology, the wealthiest and most advanced basketball association in the world leaves the order of the upcoming draft up to chance. For some invitees, this is the event of the season — the singular moment where they learn if their year of self-sabotage and anguish has finally reached its merciful end, or if Adam Silver sees his shadow and promises another season of competitive purgatory.

The lottery is a beacon to the flies and gnats that survive on the pitiful crumbs of Oklahoma City’s dinner table. The most broken and destitute organizations in all of North American professional basketball hitchhike their way to the podium, where they are privileged to watch helplessly as their future is decided.

14 franchises hold back tears and stiffen their upper lip as they receive an answer to the question they dare not ask: Will I walk away with the jackpot, or is my ticket hardly worth the paper it’s printed on?

For some participants, the lottery will become a milestone in their history. The moment they knew that the next surefire superstar was theirs. For others, an unfortunate draw will be remembered as another grain of sand dropped in an endless desert of failure.

You can’t control how the lottery will shake out — you can tank for greater odds, but even then, luck has to be on your side. There is one thing that every team has 100% control over, however, and that is who your team sends as a representative.

Ah, yes, the lottery representative. Every team goes about selecting the face of their franchise for this historic night in their own unique ways. Some teams opt to trot out their most recent lottery pick as a symbol of the team’s future. Others place a coach or a member of the front office behind the podium as a steady, stable figure to accept the news with grace. You’ll see a team dig up a historic legend or Hall of Fame inductee on occasion. And quite commonly, you’ll see completely random and hardly-connected representatives appear on the stage.

No matter who is representing your organization, the individual you choose makes a statement. For the Utah Jazz, approaching what the front office anticipates to be their last lottery appearance for the foreseeable future, they have an opportunity to go out in a blaze of glory. With this in mind, these are the candidates I would select, and the message I hope their appearance would deliver.

---

The best candidates to represent the Utah Jazz at the NBA Draft Lottery

Ace Bailey

Ace is the optimistic choice. He’s the bright, smiling face you want out there as a physical manifestation of Utah’s successful tank. Despite falling from the first odds down to the fifth overall pick, the Jazz still managed to come away with one of the most exciting young players in the draft class. Ace represents resilience and strong drafting return, but he is also a manifestation of how poorly the draft lottery has treated Utah, a franchise that has never moved up in the order.

Most importantly, Bailey is the ideal candidate to vouch for Utah — both the team and the location. A player who the media heavily portrayed as a disgruntled draftee, unhappy with his new home, and who would rather suit up for a bigger market organization. The media was wrong, and Ace Bailey is the future for the Utah Jazz.

This is the good karma pick.

Derrick Favors

…but good karma is boring.

The man who started it all. The reason why the Jazz had to tank for one final season. The reason why winning the coin toss with Sacramento was monumental. The reason why Utah’s first-round pick was top-8 protected in 2026. As one final “screw you” to Oklahoma City, Utah is represented by the player whom the Jazz paired with their protected first in a trade to the Thunder all those years ago.

In an effort to dump the lifelong Jazzman’s contract back in 2021, Utah stapled a protected first-round pick to Favors in return for cash and a 2027 second-rounder courtesy of the Oklahoma City Thunder. OKC has more than enough picks — they even have LAC’s lottery pick this season — so the Jazz may as well rub it in that the Thunder will never get to use that draft pick, because this was the final season it could have conveyed.

Sweet victory.

One of Ryan Smith’s five children (or all five, whatever)

Last year, the Utah Jazz were represented by owner Ryan Smith’s wife, Ashley. It didn’t work out too well. Now, there are two potential avenues to take. The Jazz could: A) avoid going the family route altogether after one failed attempt, or B) double down and send in the children.

A quick Google search will tell you that Smith has five children, any of whom would be a fantastic option to represent the Jazz. Hey, NBA! Do you really want to make a child cry? Is that what you like to do? Because if you don’t give Utah the number-one pick, you’re going to bring out the waterworks. Send one, two, or even all five of the kids — whatever would pressure the NBA into tilting the odds most into Utah’s favor.

The Zammoth

The team formerly known as the Utah Hockey Club has benefitted from a remarkable amount of success in just its second season in Salt Lake City. Perhaps some of that good juju could grace the Utah Jazz if the representative is the behemoth Zamboni that has captured the admiration of the hockey world?

Bonus points if it’s being ridden by Clayton Keller or the Mammoth mascot, Tusky. Or better yet, Clayton Keller dressed as Tusky.

---

BONUS ROUND: NAME THAT LOTTERY REPRESENTATIVE!

Do you remember when I mentioned how some teams will send complete unknowns to their podium on lottery night? Well, it’s a much more common occurrence than you might think. With this in mind, I want to play a little game with you.

I’ve dug through the recent history of the NBA Draft Lottery and picked out some of the strangest lottery representatives I could find. Your task is simple: using only a picture, you will tell me who they are. You’ll have four rounds to name these individuals, with each round increasing in difficulty (you can find the answers at the bottom of the article).

Round 1: Easy

An NBA MVP, Hall of Famer, and champion, this player led the Houston Rockets through their golden age and represented his team at the 2025 lottery.

Round 2: Medium

Representing the Philadelphia 76ers in 2025, this promising recent draftee would be traded for practically nothing to the best team in the NBA later that same season.

Round 3: Hard

The face of evil, as the Dallas Mavericks unjustly won the lottery behind impossible odds, on the heels of the increasingly horrible Luka Doncic trade that sparked countless conspiracy theories. This individual is a former player who spent the majority of his career in Dallas.

Level 4: Impossible

This individual is the Governor of the Boston Celtics, and I know literally nothing else about him.

(Answers: Hakeem Olajuwon, Jared McCain, Rolando Blackman, Wyc Grousbeck)

---

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

Los Angeles Lakers (53-29, fourth in the Western Conference) vs. Houston Rockets (52-30, fifth in the Western Conference)

Houston; Friday, 8 p.m. EDT

LINE: Rockets -9.5; over/under is 205.5

WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Lakers lead series 2-0

BOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Lakers visit the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference first round with a 2-0 lead in the series. The Lakers won the last matchup 101-94 on Wednesday, led by 28 points from LeBron James. Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 23.

The Rockets have gone 29-23 against Western Conference opponents. Houston is 23-8 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponents and averages 14.4 turnovers per game.

The Lakers are 33-19 against Western Conference opponents. Los Angeles is 8-3 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.

The Rockets are shooting 47.9% from the field this season, 0.4 percentage points lower than the 48.3% the Lakers allow to opponents. The Lakers are shooting 50.2% from the field, 4.2% higher than the 46.0% the Rockets' opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Durant is scoring 26.0 points per game with 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists for the Rockets. Amen Thompson is averaging 18.9 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 59.5% over the past 10 games.

James is averaging 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists for the Lakers. Rui Hachimura is averaging 1.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Rockets: 7-3, averaging 117.5 points, 46.1 rebounds, 27.1 assists, 8.0 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.1 points per game.

Lakers: 7-3, averaging 111.7 points, 39.9 rebounds, 28.8 assists, 9.8 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 52.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.5 points.

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

Lakers: Austin Reaves: out (oblique), Jake LaRavia: day to day (leg), Luka Doncic: out (hamstring).

___

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

Boston Celtics (56-26, second in the Eastern Conference) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (45-37, seventh in the Eastern Conference)

Philadelphia; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT

LINE: Celtics -7.5; over/under is 215.5

EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Series tied 1-1

BOTTOM LINE: The Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics are in a 1-1 series tie in the Eastern Conference first round. The 76ers defeated the Celtics 111-97 in the last matchup on Tuesday. VJ Edgecombe led the 76ers with 30 points, and Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 36.

The 76ers are 9-7 against the rest of their division. Philadelphia ranks eighth in the Eastern Conference with 50.1 points per game in the paint led by Tyrese Maxey averaging 14.0.

The Celtics are 10-6 against the rest of the division. Boston ranks third in the league averaging 15.5 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 36.7% from deep. Derrick White leads the team averaging 2.7 makes while shooting 32.7% from 3-point range.

The 76ers make 46.2% of their shots from the field this season, which is 2.0 percentage points higher than the Celtics have allowed to their opponents (44.2%). The Celtics are shooting 46.7% from the field, which equals what the 76ers' opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Maxey is scoring 28.3 points per game with 4.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists for the 76ers. Paul George is averaging 19.2 points and 4.6 rebounds while shooting 47.5% over the past 10 games.

Brown is averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Celtics. Sam Hauser is averaging 2.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: 76ers: 5-5, averaging 110.7 points, 44.9 rebounds, 22.8 assists, 7.9 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 46.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.7 points per game.

Celtics: 7-3, averaging 119.3 points, 45.8 rebounds, 26.9 assists, 6.7 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.5 points.

INJURIES: 76ers: Joel Embiid: day to day (abdomen).

Celtics: None listed.

___

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