Key Knicks starter OG Anunoby has been diagnosed with a hamstring strain, is day-to-day, and will be listed as questionable for Game 3 against Philadelphia on Friday night, according to multiplereports out of New York.
The key question is just how serious a strain is this? If it's just a tweak, then Anunoby may only miss a game or two, if that. However, if this is an actual Grade 1 strain, the standard recovery timeline is at least a week and maybe two, which would mean he might not return for this second-round series against the 76ers, which the Knicks lead 2-0.
The injury appeared to occur in the final minutes of the game, when Anunoby took a quick step. He still went up for a dunk a few seconds later — Paul George blocked it — and he seemed in pain when he landed. Anunoby instantly asked out of the game at that point.
Ugh… looks like a right hamstring injury for OG Anunoby.
You can see him grab at the back of his right leg on a cut with 3:00 mins remaining in the 4Q. Stays in the play got a few seconds but then immediately motions to the bench that he needs to come out pic.twitter.com/Pn9rPJvVtq
Any time he misses with this injury is a blow to the Knicks. He is averaging 21.4 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in these playoffs, is shooting a lights-out 53.8% from 3-point range (on almost five attempts a game) and is the team's best defender. The Knicks cannot afford to be without him for an extended period.
Expect Miles McBride and Landry Shamet to get more run while Anunoby is out. Also, Mike Brown could go with more double-big lineups with Mitchell Robinson, if he is healthy next game.
The men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments will grow to 76 teams starting next season, following a vote by the NCAA selection committees, Thursday, May 7.
It’s the first time the NCAA tournament will expand on the men’s side since it went for 65 to 68 teams in 2011, and the women’s side followed suit in 2022. However, it’s the first major expansion since the men went from 53 to 64 in 1985, and the women’s jumped from 48 to 64 since 1994.
The move has been anticipated since conversations began in 2025 as NCAA president Charlie Baker has strongly vouched for expansion. Multiple college athletic directors and coaches confirmed to USA TODAY Sports on April 28 there’s an “expectation” for it to grow after ESPN reported it was in the final stages of being approved.
The proposal was accepted by the men's and women's basketball committees on May 7, and now the men's and women's basketball oversight committees, the Division I Cabinet and DI Board of Governors approval is all that's needed to finalize the move.
With eight more spots, the new NCAA tournament will have a First Four play-in that will go from eight teams in four games to 24 teams playing 12 games to advance to the first round of the tournament. It has yet to be determined where the games will be played, but it is expected to take place Tuesday and Wednesday prior to when the first round begins on Thursday.
The first round of 64 and ensuing rounds remain intact.
While the major bracket stays the same and keeps the excitement of it, the main issue with expansion is it waters down the potential field, allowing Power conference teams with subpar records in, while still keeping quality mid-major teams out.
Another factor is the expanded field will require mid-major conference tournament champions that are high seeds to play their way into the first round. In the 68-team format, the four-lowest seeded automatic qualifiers (No. 16 seeds) played in the First Four to advance to the first round.
It was not announced if there will be any changes to the selection format. The 2027 men’s NCAA Tournament is scheduled to begin on March 16 and the women’s on March 17.
Yet, as New York has taken a 2-0 lead over the Philadelphia 76ers in the conference semifinals, Anunoby has been diagnosed with a right hamstring strain and is listed as day to day, per a May 7 social media post by ESPN's Shams Charania.
Late in the fourth quarter, Anunoby attempted to cut to the basket when he pulled up and grabbed his right leg, near his hamstring. In the moments that followed, Anunoby remained on the floor and even attempted a dunk when the ball found him down low.
OG came up gimpy on this cut. Then tried and missed a dunk. Then asked out.
It became clear, however, that Anunoby was hobbled by the injury and limped fairly significantly once he tried to jog to the other side of the court. He asked to be subbed out and left the game with 2:31 to play, replaced by backup guard Miles McBride.
Anunoby did not return to the bench for the remainder of the game.
Anunoby has emerged as a multi-purpose threat for the Knicks in the playoffs and is integral to their title hopes, so the injury is a bit of a setback.
Not only has he been tasked with guarding a premier offensive player — on May 6 he was the primary defender on Paul George — but he has ramped up his effort on rebounding. Anunoby is also a reliable perimeter shooter, the Knicks now must find how to replace him.
OG Anunoby injury: who steps in?
New York could slide Josh Hart, who plays all over the floor, to fill his immediate assignment if Anunoby misses time. That could free up backup guard Miles McBride to start alongside Jalen Brunson in the backcourt.
Given that McBride stepped in for Anunoby in the clutch of a tight game, logic dictates that he would be the first player up. McBride, however, plays a very different game than Anunoby, giving up size and strength.
New York could also deploy some combination of Jose Alvarado, Jordan Clarkson and Landry Shamet to contribute, or spell McBride once he heads to the bench.
“Next man up,” Knicks forward Mikal Bridges said Wednesday night after the game. “That’s really it.”
OG Anunoby stats
In 67 games this season, Anunoby averaged 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Known for being an excellent two-way player and one of the better wing defenders in the NBA, Anunoby has elevated his play in the postseason; over New York’s last six games (including May 6), he’s averaging 23.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per game and has totaled 12 steals and 8 blocks over that span.
If the Philadelphia 76ers are going to pull another comeback out of their butts, it starts with slowing down New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson in Game 3.
Our Knicks vs. 76ers predictions like Philly to bottle up Brunson — or at least keep him below his scoring total — with my NBA picks taking the Under for this May 8 matchup.
Knicks vs 76ers Game 3 prediction
Knicks vs 76ers best bet: Jalen Brunson Under 26.5 points (-112)
The Sixers sent longer defenders at him in Game 2, utilizing Kelly Oubre Jr. and VJ Edgecombe, and Brunson finished just 9-for-21 from the field. The bulk of those shots came inside the key, which will be off limits if Joel Embiid returns in Game 3.
Nick Nurse says the 76ers did an "above average" job defending Jalen Brunson:
"He certainly wasn't getting near the clearance as he was in Game 1. He was getting practice shots a lot in that game. I think the challenges were much better." pic.twitter.com/cvEFxOIihU
With OG Anunoby questionable, the Knicks’ rotation loses offensive punch, and Philadelphia can afford to put even more emphasis on defending Brunson.
Projections for Brunson are good but not great, ranging from 26.6 to just over 24 points on Friday.
COVERS INTEL: Jalen Brunson has benefited from some “hometown calls” in the playoffs. He’s averaged 6.6 FTM on 7.8 FTA inside MSG but just 3.33 makes on 3.6 free throws on the road. That holds true for the entire season, averaging 6.1 FTM at home vs. 3.5 FTM on the road.
Knicks vs 76ers Game 3 same-game parlay
The 76ers played with better tempo in Game 2 and traded shots with the Knicks. Philadelphia allowed 56 points in the paint, but getting Embiid back puts an end to those easy looks inside. New York also could be without a significant scorer in Anunoby, leaving them with poor offensive options off the bench.
Paul George came out firing in Game 2 but cooled as the contest played out, still finishing with 19 points in the loss. George has quietly come through for Over bettors on his scoring prop in four of his last five games. He’s forecasted for 17+ points back in Philly on Friday.
Knicks vs 76ers SGP
76ers moneyline
Jalen Brunson Under 26.5 points
Paul George Over 16.5 points
Knicks vs 76ers odds for Game 3
Spread: Knicks +1 | 76ers -1
Moneyline: Knicks -105 | 76ers -115
Over/Under: Over 213.5 | Under 213.5
Knicks vs 76ers betting trend to know
The Under is 23-18 with the Philadelphia 76ers coming off a loss this season, including 3-1 in the playoffs so far. Find more NBA betting trends for Knicks vs. 76ers.
How to watch Knicks vs 76ers Game 3
Location
Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Date
Friday, May 8, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Knicks vs 76ers latest injuries
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The Los Angeles Lakers are trying not to hit the panic button as they strive to snatch Game 2 in a tough environment against the Oklahoma City Thunder, where our NBA player prop projections has pinpointed several high-value opportunities.
By breaking down the data and comparing it to the latest market lines, we’ve uncovered where the strongest betting edges lie for this pivotal matchup.
If you’re building your card, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Thursday, May 7.
Lakers vs Thunder computer picks for Game 2
Lakers
Thunder
Reaves o18.5 points -120
Gilgeous-Alexander o29.5 points -112
Hachimura o1.5 3-pointers -165
Holmgren o8.5 rebounds -135
James o6.5 rebounds -120
Mitchell o3.5 assists -130
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Lakers Game 2 computer picks
Austin Reaves Over 18.5 points (-120)
Projection: 20.97 points
Oklahoma City Thunder made life difficult for Austin Reaves in Game 1, as he struggled to a 3-for-16 shooting night and finished with just eight points.
With the Los Angeles Lakers trying to avoid falling into an 0–2 hole before heading back home, expect Reaves to come into Game 2 with something to prove.
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Rui Hachimura Over 1.5 3-pointers (-165)
Projection: 2.11 3-pointers
Rui Hachimura has been as steady as it gets from deep throughout the Lakers’ playoff run, shooting 50% or better from three in every game and clearing this prop in all but one.
With L.A. needing every bit of confidence it can find heading into Game 2 against OKC, expect Hachimura to keep delivering on his end.
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LeBron James Over 6.5 rebounds (-120)
Projection: 7.15 rebounds
Limiting the Thunder’s second-chance opportunities will take a full team effort from an older Lakers squad working to keep pace with OKC’s youthful energy.
That puts added emphasis on LeBron James to be more active on the glass, as he and the Lake Show must consistently outwork Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein to secure rebounds first.
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Thunder Game 2 computer picks
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 29.5 points (-112)
Projection: 32.34 points
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander turned in a relatively quiet 18-point outing in Game 1, yet the Thunder still cruised to a blowout win over the Lakers without needing much from him offensively.
With L.A. expected to respond with more urgency, OKC will likely lean more on SGA in Game 2 to keep control in front of the home crowd; setting him up to clear this points prop.
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Chet Holmgren Over 8.5 rebounds (-135)
Projection: 9.13 rebounds
Chet Holmgren made his presence felt on the glass in Game 1, posting a dominant double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds.
With the Thunder focused on defending home court and maintaining their strong playoff momentum, expect Holmgren to stay aggressive on the boards and pick up right where he left off — putting him in a great spot to clear this prop once again.
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Ajay Mitchell Over 3.5 assists (-130)
Projection: 3.79 assists
Ajay Mitchell has been right around this assists line, clearing it in three of the last five playoff games and narrowly missing in the other two.
With the Thunder facing a Lakers squad playing with their backs up against the wall, expect Mitchell to take on a larger role as a facilitator and do enough to push past this mark.
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How to watch Lakers vs Thunder Game 2
Location
Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Date
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Tip-off
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
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The playoffs have been well underway for several days with intense buzzer-beaters, back-and-forth matchups and even some serious dunks. Reese has been a witness to the best basketball of the year and took to social media to share her thoughts. She appeared to give a shoutout to rumored boyfriend, Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr, on her Instagram story by posting a shot of Carter dunking on Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren during their first-round playoff series.
The post gained traction online because many people on social media pointed to past rumors that Reese potentially dated Duren before connecting with Carter. Fans assumed the posts could have more meaning. The post also caught the attention of Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham.
The subject came up on a recent episode of Cunningham's Show Me Something podcast. "Something had to have happened for her to want to embarrass (Jalen Duren) in some way," Cunningham said. "Or nothing happened," her co-host replied. Then, Cunningham chimed in again, offering words on how she felt Reese should operate.
"Valid. But then move on," Cunningham said. "Worry about the current boyfriend."
Angel Reese's viral post on her rumored NBA boyfriend
Angel Reese posted a video of her boyfriend dunking on her ex boyfriend on IG 😭💀 pic.twitter.com/Wm68dmtsqv
It has become quite clear that the Oklahoma City Thunder will not be bothered by the Los Angeles Lakers, especially with L.A. potentially without Luka Doncic for the entire series.
However, my Lakers vs. Thunder props and NBA picks actually question Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, as Oklahoma City’s reigning MVP won't need to exert much effort for Game 2 on Thursday, May 7.
Best Lakers vs Thunder props for Game 2
Player
Pick
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Under 29.5 points
-112
Austin Reaves
Under 18.5 points
-105
Jared McCain
Over 4.5 points
-110
Game 2 Prop #1: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Under 29.5 points
-112 at bet365
What happens when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is awarded only three free throws? He falls short of 20 points for the first time since last year's postseason.
The Oklahoma City Thunder star doesn't need to hurl himself into the floor in this series to produce offense. Given how outgunned the Los Angeles Lakers are, the Thunder will find offense regardless.
On top of that, the Lakers ranked No. 4 this year in foul rate. Opponents took fewer than one free throw for every four field goal attempts.
Perhaps that is a Los Angeles bias; perhaps it is quality defense. Either way, it is a reality.
And without renting space at the free throw line, Gilgeous-Alexander should fall short of his points prop for most of this series, something that will reverse quickly next round with the return of the free throw merchant.
Game 2 Prop #2: Austin Reaves Under 18.5 points
-105 at bet365
Austin Reaves really struggled in Game 1, going 3-for-16 from the field for eight points in 36 minutes.
With injuries working their way through the Lakers’ rotation, Reaves is likely to see even more of a workload, worrying oblique notwithstanding. The problem is that Oklahoma City is well aware of that Los Angeles necessity.
The Thunder have a bounty of defenders seemingly designed to bother a scorer like Reaves. With so few genuine threats in the Lakers’ rotation, Reaves never has a moment away from someone like SGA, Lu Dort, or Alex Caruso.
It is, not to be dramatic, a miserable existence, and it will be the case throughout this entire series for the ailing Reaves.
Game 2 Prop #3: Jared McCain Over 4.5 points
-110 at bet365
Did the oddsmakers not watch Game 1? Do they think the Lakers are suddenly going to solve the Thunder despite going 0-5 against the spread against them this season?
Jared McCain played 15 minutes in Game 1, going 4-for-7 from the field for 12 points, and there is no reason to think Game 2 will be close enough to limit his playing time.
Oklahoma City can't reach much further than McCain in a blowout. He is the ninth or tenth man on this roster, a reflection of the Thunder's embarrassment of riches.
There is even some logic in firing on the McCain 20-point milestone prop, available at +3500. He could get there in a blowout, and this should be exactly that.
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Cavaliers Game 2 computer picks
Dean Wade Over 3.5 rebounds (+105)
Projection: 4.19 rebounds
Jarrett Allen looked unplayable in Game 1, meaning the Cleveland Cavaliers may have to mix up rotations. That will provide Dean Wade with more minutes, which will lead to more rebounds
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Donovan Mitchell Over 3.5 assists (-140)
Projection: 4.60 assists
Donovan Mitchell is known for his scoring, but he's a capable playmaker as well. Spida's shot hasn't been falling the way he's wanted to, and our model suggests he'll look to pass more in Game 2.
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James Harden Over 19.5 points (-112)
Projection: 20.40 points
No matter how bad he's shooting, James Harden has no fear. He still put up 22 points in Game 1 after shooting an abysmal 6-for-15 from the floor. His field-goal percentage will even out, getting him to this point total.
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Pistons Game 2 computer picks
Jalen Duren Over 14.5 points (-125)
Projection: 16.79 points
Jalen Duren is a must-have for the Detroit Pistons as they try to deal with Cleveland's size, which will keep his minutes up all series. Our models have him scoring close to 17 points after a rough shooting night in Game 1.
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Ausar Thompson Over 10.5 points (+105)
Projection: 11.28 points
Ausar Thompson scored 11 points in Game 1 on an efficient 4-for-6 shooting. He knows when to pick his spots, and he'll take enough shots to reach 10 points.
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Tobias Harris Under 17.5 points (-110)
Projection: 17.06 points
With our model expecting strong games for Thompson and Duren, it sees Tobias Harris regressing slightly in Game 2. He's had a good run, but Detroit will look to get everybody involved as it looks to go up 2-0.
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How to watch Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 2
Location
Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Date
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Tip-off
7 p.m. ET
TV
Prime
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The rumors flew after Jaylen Brown sounded frustrated on his Twitch stream earlier in the week, calling out Joel Embiid as a flopper and the referees for being biased — the NBA fined him $50,000 for his comments about officiating. Adding fuel to the fire was Tracy McGrady, who said on his podcast "Cousins" with Vince Carter: "I think [Brown's] frustration lies deeply within the organization and other things that we don't really have the details to. There's just been a lot of stuff that I've been hearing just going on with the Boston organization, with JB."
"A lot of stuff swirling around the Celtics and the organization. I hate that our president of basketball operations even had to respond to this. Me and Brad [Stevens] have a great relationship. I love Boston. And if it was up to me I could play in Boston for the next 10 years."
Stevens was asked about the rumors at his end-of-season press conference earlier on Wednesday and said Brown had not said anything to him.
"I talked to Jaylen Monday a little bit... and was nothing but positive. He has not expressed those frustrations to me."
Brown also reiterated that this was his favorite season as a pro, despite the early exit from the playoffs. For him, it was about the Celtics coming together while Jayson Tatum was out injured for much of the season to become the No. 2 seed in the East.
"You got to see all of these guys, all of my teammates, grow. I got to see them overcome adversity as a group, up close and personal…
"Obviously, we're not satisfied with the result. If it sounds like an excuse, it's not. But to fight and maneuver through adversity and grow, and galvanize with a bunch of guys and to have that mindset and approach, this was my favorite year."
NEW YORK CITY, UNITED STATES - MAY 06: Josh Hart (3) of the New York Knicks in action during the Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 2 of the National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs between New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden in New York City, U.S., on May 6, 2026. (Photo by Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images) | Anadolu via Getty Images
Mitch was ill, Embiid was sore, and the Sixers are growing sour.
New York swept the home half of their second-round series, and it’s now time to do the same, only a few miles out southwest.
Here’s the latest from a delightful Game 2 victory.
BP "When Brunson runs offense how come OG's not getting the opportunities he's gotten when offense thru KAT?"
Wally "Normally when JB running it, it's high PnR…OG spaces floor…in corners…When ball in KAT's hands, JB's a cutter…as a result help from all over…OG free to roam" pic.twitter.com/VIjHNgHCeH
“I haven’t talked to anybody. He looked like he was hopping.”
On OG Anunoby’s overall impact throughout his career:
“He was freaking good back then, and he’s freaking good now. At that size and athleticism and IQ, feel, two-way player — you want a guy like OG on your team.”
On Anunoby’s feel for the game:
“As we continue to move along, you really get a better sense or a better feel of his feel for the game. He’s more than a willing passer at his size. He causes matchup problems because you can’t really always switch a smaller guy on him because he’s pretty big and strong and athletic around the basket, especially if the spacing is right. He could play pick-and-roll. He can come off a pin-down and make plays. So these are things that you learn more and more about him as you kind of go along and see him in different situations.”
On Anunoby’s never-ending sacrifices:
“He’s a quiet guy, so you have to observe more than anything else, like a few other guys on our team. The ultimate definition of sacrifice is where you just go and do your job as best you can to try to help the team win.”
On Mitchell Robinson’s illness keeping him out of Game 2:
“I don’t know. I know he’s sick and that will be up to our performance group, the doctors and then him at the end of the day. But I know just as much as you do.”
On Philadelphia’s scoring threats without Joel Embiid:
“We know that [Tyrese Maxey is] going to be ultra aggressive. Paul George is going to be aggressive. [VJ] Edgecombe is going to be aggressive. Those guys probably see it as an opportunity for more touches for themselves. Those guys are all capable of stepping their game up to another level.”
On defending Tyrese Maxey collectively:
“You’re gonna have to keep working and give multiple efforts and the team defense behind him is gonna have to be great in order to even think you’re gonna slow him down, because he’s a great player. But Mikal did what he could, as well as everybody else behind him. And then on top of that, Mikal hit some big shots for us down the stretch, especially when we looked a little discombobulated offensively. He got to his spot and knocked down some big shots. So great game on both ends of the floor for Mikal.”
On the need to avoid falling into foul trouble:
“We can’t put ourselves in the position to put the whistle on the referees’ hands of making a call or no call. So we gotta do a better job of leading with our chest and showing our hands.
“We have to try to do something about it, because they’re killing us from the free-throw line in this series. I know it’s only two games, but they had 34 and 28 tonight. So let’s add them up now. That’s 62, and we had 17 and 25, so that’s 42, right? Forty-two to 62. So, we have to do something right. I have to do a better job addressing it. Hopefully, it can get evened out a little bit more throughout the course of the series, but it’s tough to win a ballgame if you’re getting beat from the free-throw line like that versus a really good team.”
On Maxey’s ability to draw fouls:
“Maxey and Embiid are really, really good at drawing fouls. Maxey’s speed, he’s going to drive and he’s gonna attack your chest. I thought our guys did on some of the calls, but most of them you can’t lead with your hands, you got to lead with your chest. You hope that the referees see that at times, we’re not initiating the contact. We can’t put ourselves in the position to put the whistle in the referees hands of making a call or no call. We’ve got to do better of leading with our chest and showing our hands. With Embiid he’s really crafty … we have to be disciplined and we have to stay down … we can send those two guys to the free-throw line, and the rest of their team, 34 times, and expect to get a win.”
On the team’s defensive effort late on Wednesday:
“The shots are not going to always go in. And you’ve got to give Philly’s defense some credit. Just like you got to give our defense some credit. But we know we missed some shots that we normally make. And they missed some shots that they normally make. And it’s about trying to find a way to get a stop. That’s what you can control more than the ball going in. And I thought our guys did a decent job of that as we were going down the stretch without fouling.”
On Brunson’s play late in Game 2:
“They started switching a little bit and he got to his spots and scored. That’s what he’s expected to do for us.”
Q "You & OG rly good chemistry…No update on [him] but if you do wind up having to play w/o him…can you find somewhere else?"
KAT "Uh yeah but I don't have any plans of doing that. I don't rly know. We'll regroup tomoro, see what whole situation is. Obv they'll give you update" pic.twitter.com/jYizMvY2Rk
On the need for more discipline to stay out of foul trouble:
“I don’t ever want to lose the physicality. That’s done us well. I’ll look at the tape. I’ll get better, more disciplined. I don’t want to put my team in that position again, so I gotta do a better job. For better, for worse, I may not have been able to play many minutes in the first half, but I tried to use that as an advantage to have a more rested body than everybody else on the court and try to be a spark plug for our team coming out of halftime.”
On wanting to impact winning no matter what:
“I just want to [make] the right plays when the ball hits my hands, whether that’s driving, passing, taking the shot or slowing down our offense to get us organized. I just want to impact winning, and I was able to do that.”
“Most importantly just staying poised, staying composed, just figuring out one play at a time, one step at a time and not looking too far ahead. Just focusing and paying attention to the details and finding a way to make the next play.”
On the fourth-quarter defense:
“I think we made things difficult. I also think they missed some good looks, so we got away with a couple, but we strung some stops together down the stretch when we needed to.”
“This team just came back from 3-1, so you can’t sit here and be happy about where we are or complacent. There are 15 or 16 teams, ever, that have come back from 3-1, so we know what this team is capable of. We have to continue to be focused.”
On Anunoby’s status:
“Hey, man, I don’t know. You gotta holler at him on that one.”
Jeremy Sochan and Kevin McCullar attempt to congratulate VJ Edgecombe and Kelly Oubre for not getting blown out but for some reason it is not received with the intended warmth pic.twitter.com/6TS45kE8AR
On how he feels about replacing OG in the lineup if he misses time:
“Extremely comfortable. I feel like the coaching staff trusts me, I know my teammates trust me and I trust myself overall. So if that happens, I know I’ll be ready.”
On how to replace OG:
“He’s one of the best two-way players in the league so it’s tough to replace that but you don’t replace him with one guy. Everyone is going to have to step up.”
On Bridges’ Game 2 defense:
“Honestly, it started with Mikal. He’s just been great for us at the point of attack. And the team has been locked in. He’s a tough player. And for Mikal, he’s just going to keep going at him. He’s going to step up every time.”
On the final minutes of Game 2:
“We’re really comfortable. We’ve got a bunch of leaders in this locker room, a bunch of guys who want this moment. And we’ve been here before, so we just got to attack it with an open mind, with an aggressiveness, and just trust it.
“I feel like we just had to lock in. It was a tough game. I felt like our focus could’ve been a little bit better. Sometimes it takes a little scare like that for you to lock in in the fourth.”
“They’re not two completely different players because they’re both lockdown defenders. When they make up their mind to start guarding people, it gets pretty tough. OG’s a better shooter…Kawhi’s probably a better 1-on-1 player.”
On Anunoby’s career development:
“OG’s just continually, year after year, just keeps getting better and better. And he was amazing in our last series. He was really, really great and I thought he was really, really great in Game 1, too. He’s kind of always been really great at defense, and then the shooting came and now he’ll rebound heavily when they need him. His cutting game’s gotten a lot better. I think his starting and ending on drives have gotten better as well. So he just kind of keeps getting better year after year, and he’s just a hardworking guy.”
On Anunoby’s shooting improvement being the most impressive to him:
“When I had him, he was really fascinated with the art of shooting, and that was really cool to see him dig into that and just take his own journey on it to improve. He’s a guy you cannot leave open, so he’s really done a great job at just working, and so that’s what happens when you do that year after year, and you keep playing heavy minutes and all that stuff. You’re going to get better.”
On why Embiid missed Game 2:
“He woke up with a bunch of soreness. They were treating him during shootaround, etc., and then after shootaround, they determined he’d be out.
“I mean, listen, he’s really disappointed. He really wants to be out there. He has been doing — I mean I said this before — but coming back from that appendectomy so quickly was not easy for him to do. He’s worked extremely hard to get back and he continues to want to play badly and I feel really bad for him. He really wants to be out there and we want him out there.”
On the Sixers’ bigs gettting quickly into foul trouble:
“Yeah, I mean it’s a bit of a concern. All the bigs on both teams were in foul trouble tonight, so I don’t know what to tell you about that.”
On being forced to give extended minutes to the backups:
“Well, there was a number of things. I thought Barlow — excuse me, Bona — was impacting the game, especially early with the rim protection. He got in foul trouble. They went small, so there was a couple factors that at least get out there and look at it. We felt we could switch a little bit more too with him. We had a couple breakdowns on some of that stuff, but I thought again, I mean we played good enough defense to win that game, especially in the fourth. Yeah, that certainly had a factor of them being in there and then we — it’s like you go through the playoff series and you’re trying some stuff and we decided to throw Paul on Towns and he did a nice job so we just kind of rolled with it.”
“I shot, like, one shot in the third quarter. Mainly, they were just putting two on the ball. Every ball screen, every action, every switch, they would just put two on the ball, and I was just getting rid of it, getting off of it. That’s really it. I was just trying to create and do different things like that and use my gravity.”
On Dominick Barlow’s unexpected cameo:
“He was pretty good. He was pretty good. He got in, he was active, played the right way, so we appreciate him for that.”
VJ Edgecombe: "We feel like we shoulda won it…came down to shotmaking…Brunson made a lot of tough shots towards the end, we missed wide open ones…We did pretty good [on Brunson.] He's gonna score 😆 we're not gonna hold him scoreless, he's a good player" pic.twitter.com/pkfNu1tSdQ
After an impressive win in Game 1, the Pistons have an opportunity to head to Cleveland up 2-0, which is still hard to process after how the series against the Orlando Magic went. It won’t be easy, as the Cavaliers will be motivated to bounce back after a sloppy Game 1 in which they turned the ball over 19 times.
The great thing about the NBA Playoffs is that each game can bring a whole new group of challenges. Maybe the Pistons are less successful in generating turnovers in Game 2 and now have to put up a better performance on offense in order to win. The Pistons offense was not great in Game 1, as Cade Cunningham struggled with his shot, but they did enough to come out on top.
Whatever happens, this should be another great game at home with a chance to put the Cleveland Cavaliers in a very difficult hole early in the series.
Game Vitals
Where: Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI When: Thursday, May 7 at 7 pm EST Watch: Prime Video Odds: Pistons (-3.5)
Analysis
People have talked about how the Cavaliers were careless with the ball in Game 1 without giving much credit to the Pistons’ defense. The Cavaliers were definitely sloppy, but the Pistons are the best team in the league at generating turnovers, so it isn’t all that shocking that they were able to control the game through generating turnovers.
They are able to overcome many of their offensive short-comings by getting out in transition and the Cavaliers have turned the ball over the most out of every team in the Playoffs, so at some point you have to concede that this probably isn’t the best matchup for the Cavaliers, even if they are the superior team on offense.
I don’t want to downplay the Cavaliers and make it seem like Game 2 will be an easy win, but many of the things the Pistons did in Game 1 are easily repeatable since they have done it all season. The toughest part for the Pistons so far this postseason is actually going out and doing it every night, which they struggled with at times against the Orlando Magic. That is why it took them 7 games and a 3-1 comeback to take them down.
A noticeable difference for the Pistons on offense in Game 1 as opposed to their series against the Magic is that offense seemed a little bit easier to come by for every other player on the Pistons besides Cade Cunningham. Cade was put through the ringer by having to deal with physical defense all game by Dean Wade and Jaylon Tyson for the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers don’t have quite the defensive infrastructure that the Orlando Magic do and didn’t pack the paint as much, so it opened things up a bit.
I wouldn’t even say that Cade had a more difficult time generating offense, as he still got up 19 shots and many of the looks he got were fine, he just only made six of those shots. Many of the missed shots were shots that he was making against Orlando, so I would suspect that he gets back to form in Game 2.
One notable player looking to get back to form for the Cavaliers is Jarrett Allen, who only played 18 minutes and scored 2 points due to being in foul trouble. Jalen Duren was able to attack him early against a more spaced out defense and draw a few fouls. It led to Allen not playing the rest of the 1st half, then Kenny Atkinson decided not to close with him despite him only having 4 fouls.
Although James Harden nearly led a 4th quarter comeback for Cleveland with some tough shot-making, he also helped the Pistons get the edge in the turnover battle by turning over the ball seven times. Many of his turnovers were also live-ball turnovers that allowed the Pistons to get out and run.
Donovan Mitchell also had a bit of an off-game as he only scored 23 points on 9-of-19 shooting. He made some comments after the game about the lack of foul calls, but he also didn’t do a ton of attacking the basket as he shot 4-of-10 from behind the arc and many of his drives ended in floaters. I would expect a much more aggressive Donovan Mitchell in game 2, so the Pistons may have to put other players besides just Ausar Thompson on him if he starts to get some foul calls.
It will be interesting to see who JB Bickerstaff settles with playing off the bench. Isaiah Stewart struggled mightily in Game 1 and the last couple games of the Orlando Magic series, so does he finally unleash Paul Reed off the bench? Ron Holland got the 3rd most bench minutes in Game 1 after not getting much playing time against the Orlando Magic, so will this be a Ron Holland series?
It is very clear that Daniss Jenkins is going to get a ton of minutes off the bench, and if he keeps playing how he has been the last couple of games it is completely justified. He helped swing Game 7 against the Magic with his shooting and helped swing Game 1 against the Cavaliers with a ton of hustle plays and 7 rebounds. He was also huge as a safety valve for Cade in the 4th quarter when the Cavaliers started to trap.
The Cavaliers played six different players off the bench, so I would expect that to get cut back as the series goes on and Kenny Atkinson is able to settle on which players work the best for this matchup. Thomas Bryant, in particular, probably got more minutes than was planned due to Jarrett Allen’s foul trouble.
The biggest takeaway I have from Game 1 is that the Pistons were able to get back to playing their brand of basketball and if that continues, I don’t see this series going longer than 5 or 6 games.
Lineups
Cleveland Cavaliers (0-1): James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen
With their new coach Taylor Jenkins in the house, are the Milwaukee Bucks going to be able to build out a roster that gets Giannis Antetokounmpo to sign an extension and stay in Milwaukee, or are they going to trade him this summer (as is widely expected around the league)?
Whatever is going to happen, Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam wants it to happen soon — before next month's draft.
"I just think before the draft is a natural time," Haslam said at Jenkins' introductory press conference, via the Associated Press. "Because if Giannis does play somewhere else, we've got to have a lot of assets. That's Jon's [Horst, Bucks GM] job to do. And if he's here, then you build the team differently."
The expectation in league circles has always been exactly this, that any trade likely would be worked out before this draft. That allows a team trading for Antetokounmpo to include this year's pick as part of the deal (even if the trade couldn't be consummated until the end of the July moratorium). Horst gauged the market for Antetokounmpo at the trade deadline but did not make a deal, in part because he believed more teams would get in the mix and better offers would be available this offseason. That said, because Antetokounmpo now has just one year remaining on his contract (and a player option after that), he has a lot more leverage to get to a place he wants to be because he can just tell a team he will opt out and not extend with them.
"I think he's an incredible person. Obviously, he's an incredible coach… He had incredible culture in Memphis...
"I don't think Milwaukee is just getting just a good coach, I think they're getting a good person. And that's where it starts. Having a good person around that's gonna be able to set the tone, that set the culture and what Milwaukee Bucks basketball is all about. He's a really good coach."
However, when asked about the possibility of being coached by Jenkins...
"We'll see."
Whatever is going to happen, expect the rumors about an Antetokounmpo future and the trade market to ramp up and up as we get closer to the June 23 draft.
With their new coach Taylor Jenkins in the house, are the Milwaukee Bucks going to be able to build out a roster that gets Giannis Antetokounmpo to sign an extension and stay in Milwaukee, or are they going to trade him this summer (as is widely expected around the league)?
Whatever is going to happen, Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam wants it to happen soon — before next month's draft.
"I just think before the draft is a natural time," Haslam said at Jenkins' introductory press conference, via the Associated Press. "Because if Giannis does play somewhere else, we've got to have a lot of assets. That's Jon's [Horst, Bucks GM] job to do. And if he's here, then you build the team differently."
The expectation in league circles has always been exactly this, that any trade likely would be worked out before this draft. That allows a team trading for Antetokounmpo to include this year's pick as part of the deal (even if the trade couldn't be consummated until the end of the July moratorium). Horst gauged the market for Antetokounmpo at the trade deadline but did not make a deal, in part because he believed more teams would get in the mix and better offers would be available this offseason. That said, because Antetokounmpo now has just one year remaining on his contract (and a player option after that), he has a lot more leverage to get to a place he wants to be because he can just tell a team he will opt out and not extend with them.
"I think he's an incredible person. Obviously, he's an incredible coach… He had incredible culture in Memphis...
"I don't think Milwaukee is just getting just a good coach, I think they're getting a good person. And that's where it starts. Having a good person around that's gonna be able to set the tone, that set the culture and what Milwaukee Bucks basketball is all about. He's a really good coach."
However, when asked about the possibility of being coached by Jenkins...
"We'll see."
Whatever is going to happen, expect the rumors about an Antetokounmpo future and the trade market to ramp up and up as we get closer to the June 23 draft.
The 35-year-old retired in August after a decorated career that included nine seasons as Washington’s star point guard. Wall departed the Wizards as the franchise’s leader in assists (5,282) and steals (976) and led the team to three playoff series wins.
After finishing 17-65 — the NBA’s worst record — Washington owns a 14% chance of winning the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Wizards can fall no further than No. 5 and own a 52.1% chance of winning a top-four pick.
This isn’t Wall’s first time on the lottery stage. The five-time NBA All-Star represented Washington at the 2011 draft lottery when they owned the fourth-best odds at winning the top pick.
That time, the odds were not in Washington’s favor, the team instead dropping two spots to No. 6 before later selecting Jan Vesely.
Fifteen years later, Wall will take the stage once more, this time hoping for a better result in a monumental draft lottery for the Wizards, who just finished their third tanking season and appear one star player away from making real noise in the Eastern Conference.
The Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday will look to rebound from their Game 1 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in their second-round playoff series. Once again, Lakers superstar Luka Dončić will not be available for the game.
Doncic indicated to reporters on Wednesday, May 6, that he was given an eight-week recovery timetable for his hamstring injury. It’s been five weeks as of Thursday, May 7.
He suffered the injury on April 2 in a regular-season blowout loss to the Thunder and has not played in a game since.
Dončić also confirmed to reports that he went to Spain shortly after the injury to receive specialized Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injections, with the intention of it accelerating his recovery. He stayed for an extended period to receive four separate injections that were spaced out four days apart and worked with specialists.
"I went to Spain to do PRP," Doncic said. "Everybody knows that Spain, they're just one of the best countries to do that. And obviously, I talked with the Lakers' doctors, so everybody agreed for me to go there."
The Lakers have officially ruled out Doncic for Game 2. Doncic would likely need to participate in practice and 5-on-5 simulated basketball games before being fully cleared to play.
When do the Lakers play next?
The Los Angeles Lakers will play the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road on Thursday, May 7. The game is slated to start at 6:30 p.m. PT (9:30 p.m. ET) and will be aired on Prime Video.
COVERS INTEL: Jalen Brunson has benefited from some “hometown calls” in the playoffs. He’s averaged 6.6 FTM on 7.8 FTA inside MSG but just 3.33 makes on 3.6 free throws on the road. That holds true for the entire season, averaging 6.1 FTM at home vs. 3.5 FTM on the road.
Lakers
Thunder
Cavaliers
Pistons
