Category: NBA

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Ever lose a bet and come away even more convinced you were right? It’s a risky mindset—but sometimes it holds up.

That’s the case here. The New York Knicks played far from their best in Game 1 and still walked away with an overtime win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Those busted Tuesday tickets might just be setting the stage for Thursday cashes.

These Cavaliers vs. Knicks props and NBA picks are doubling down on a pair of Game 1 angles, with confidence that New York’s shooting bounces back in Game 2 on Thursday, May 21.

Best Cavaliers vs Knicks props for Game 2

Player	Pick
Karl-Anthony Towns	Over 1.5 3-pointers	+125
James Harden	Over 17.5 points	-120
Jalen Brunson	Over 6.5 assists	+110

Game 2 Prop #1: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 1.5 3-pointers

+125 at bet365

Karl-Anthony Towns hit just one 3-pointer in Game 1, yet this price has fallen to +125 now from +145 then. Why? Because he took five 3-pointers.

With the New York Knicks center, the question to consider in these moments is not how many 3-pointers he will make but how many 3-pointers he will take. He has made a career from beyond the arc, even if sometimes reluctant to chuck from deep.

Towns shot 36.8% from beyond the arc this season while taking 4.8 threes per 36 minutes. Through 11 postseason games, Towns has shot 44.1% from beyond the arc while taking just 3.8 threes per 36 minutes.

Simply enough, Towns hardly needed to play or play well in the seven games closing out the Hawks and the 76ers. He needs to play and play well against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

If Towns takes five 3-pointers again tonight, making at least two is far more likely than not.

Game 2 Prop #2: James Harden Over 17.5 points

-120 at bet365

The jokes the last two days have been fair. Is Donovan McNabb or Phillip Rivers the more apt NFL comparison to James Harden’s postseason career? Has a former MVP ever been described as a “journeyman” before?

Harden was Cleveland’s weak link in its fourth quarter collapse. He should be lampooned.

But he is also still James Harden. He cleared this prop in five of seven games against the Pistons, a better defense than the Knicks even if no one in New York would agree with that. For that matter, he cleared it in six of seven games against the Raptors.

Is James Harden a clutch player? No.

Has there been an overreaction to his Tuesday struggles? Very much so.

Much like Towns’ five 3-point attempts, the most notable Harden stat is that he took 16 shots in Game 1, going 1-for-8 from deep. No matter how poorly Harden plays, there is no reason to think he will shoot that poorly again, creating some value for us here.

Game 2 Prop #3: Jalen Brunson Over 6.5 assists

+110 at bet365

The Knicks really escaped on Tuesday, huh? Through three quarters, they shot 4-of-22 from deep, 18.2%. Not to get too far into the math here, but that is bad.

From the field, they shot 26-for-60, 43.3%. Again, not so good.

Then New York went 6-for-9 from deep in the fourth quarter and in overtime, part of going 16-for-28 from the field.

Jalen Brunson ended with six assists. Imagine if the Knicks had not been absolute garbage for three quarters and he then had to go nuclear in the fourth quarter.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will try to even their Eastern Conference finals series against the New York Knicks. The Knicks won the opener in overtime on Tuesday after rallying from a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter — the second-largest fourth-quarter comeback in NBA playoff history. New York is 6.5-point favorites in Game 2.

How to watch Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks

• Date: Thursday, May 21

• Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT

• Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

• TV Channels: ESPN

• Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Team records

• Cleveland Cavaliers: 52-30 (#2 in Eastern Central)

• New York Knicks: 53-29 (#2 in Eastern Atlantic)

Odds

• Spread: New York Knicks -6.5

• Moneyline: New York Knicks -238 (67.6%) / Cleveland Cavaliers +196 (32.4%)

• Over/Under: 216.5

Series schedule, results

Game 1: Knicks 115, Cavaliers 104 (OT)
Game 2: Cleveland at New York (Thursday May 21, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 3: New York at Cleveland (Saturday May 23, 8 p.m. ET, ABC)
Game 4: New York at Cleveland (Monday May 25, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 5: Cleveland at New York (Wednesday May 27, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)*
Game 6: New York at Cleveland (Friday May 29, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)*
Game 7: Cleveland at New York (Sunday May 31, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)*

*if necessary

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Whether you’re riding high off the New York Knicks’ crazy comeback or wallowing in disbelief at the Cleveland Cavaliers’ collapse, we now know that anything can happen in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals.

My Cavaliers vs. Knicks same-game parlay isn’t discounting Cleveland – even if everyone else is – and looks up to big man Jarrett Allen to anchor the Cavs' attack. I’m also going Under on a staple of New York’s postseason success, as adjustments may limit his minutes tonight.

Here are my best NBA picks and SGP predictions for May 21.

Our best Cavaliers vs Knicks SGP for Game 2

SGP leg #1: Cavaliers +6.5

The Cleveland Cavaliers were playing fantastic basketball coming into the Eastern Conference finals, having won four of their last five while eliminating the top-seeded Pistons. And the Cavs kept that up for about 36 minutes in Game 1, before the wheels came off in the fourth quarter. Cleveland knows it can hang with the New York Knicks and is mentally tough after a loss, going 27-9 SU when coming off a defeat this season. The Cavs are also 5-2 ATS as an underdog coming off a loss.

SGP leg #2: Jarrett Allen Over 20.5 points + rebounds

Considering how much trouble New York had with Joel Embiid inside in Round 2, Cleveland should have leaned into big man Jarrett Allen more in Game 1. He didn’t have a bad game, but seemed forgotten at times. He’ll often get matched with smaller forwards, and projections for Game 2 call for 13+ points and as many as 10+ rebounds from the 7-footer. He grabbed seven boards in Game 1 – six on the offensive glass – and was in position for 17.0 rebounding chances.

SGP leg #3: Josh Hart Under 12.5 points

Josh Hart’s defense is a staple of this New York run, but his lack of offensive pop is being exposed. Cleveland is choosing to guard Hart with 7-footer Jarrett Allen and begging Hart to shoot from outside. His minutes took a hit in Game 1 with Landry Shamet offering a better two-way return, and his Game 2 forecasts all come in below his 12.5-point scoring total.

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See our full Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 2 preview

Get Jason Logan's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Cavaliers vs. Knicks predictionsfor Game 2.

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Real or not, Charmin is jumping in to reward the player they have crowned the "MVPee" of the NBA playoffs. Hours after a viral video showed San Antonio Spurs rookie Carter Bryant using a public restroom at Paycom Center in full uniform, they offered him free toilet paper.  

The brand announced on Instagram that they would like to send Bryant enough of its Forever Roll to last him through the end of the season. Charmin called it “the best FAST BREAK of the night,” and an “MVPee performance.” 

But is the video real? 

Well, in this day and age of AI, we really don’t know yet. 

The video shows him in full uniform washing and drying his hands. The caption said “mid game btw.” It could be a fake, but it is also possible that Keith Hillary, whose TikTok bio identifies him as an artist at Almighty Ink in Oklahoma City, could have happened to have been standing in the restroom when the Spurs rookie walked in. 

Charmin doesn’t need to confirm the video to jump on a fun marketing campaign.  

With the news of the week now officially days old, it’s time for us to examine what the Dallas Mavericks might actually do to fill their head coaching position. While no official interviews have taken place, consider this a hot board of sorts. Thanks to some offshore means, we have an idea of some of the names who will be considered here. Let’s dive into the names.

According to Bet Online, San Antonio Spurs Associate Head Coach Sean Sweeney (+125) is the favorite to be the next head coach of the Mavs. Sweeney is, of course, a known entity for the Mavs and its fans, as he was former coach Jason Kidd’s number one assistant, handling the defensive side of the ball. Considering how young this search is at this juncture, it’s a bit surprising to see this overwhelming of a favorite. For those who are unfamiliar with the betting odds, (+125) is implied odds of 44.4%.

Next in line are Nick Nurse (+300) and Frank Vogel (+400), respectively. Nurse is a well-known entity to Team President Masai Ujiri, as Nurse was the first coaching hire that Ujiri ever made in his career. It will be tough to pull this off, though, as Nurse is the coach of the Sixers. It would require them giving Dallas permission to interview him. Vogel, on the other hand, was Kidd’s lead assistant last season. It is unknown if Ujiri retained him, as we are still learning who was let go in the organization’s sweeping changes.

Amazon Prime’s Steve Nash (+650) checks in at fourth in the odds. Nash has head coaching experience from his time in Brooklyn, which came with Kyrie Irving, funny enough. I don’t think this is a viable option for various reasons, but it would be very ironic if they went from one iconic Maverick point guard to another.

Rounding out the top five is former Bulls coach Billy Donovan (+700). It sounds like he’s the favorite in Orlando, so I wouldn’t put too much into this.

Here are the rest of the odds:

• Tiago Splitter, former Blazers interim head coach (10/1)
• Tom Thibodeau, former Knicks, Wolves, Bulls head coach (12/1)
• Michael Malone, current head coach at North Carolina, former Nuggets, Kings head coach (16/1)
• Johnnie Bryant, current head coach at UCF, longtime Coach K assistant at Duke (20/1)
• Micah Nori, current lead assistant with Timberwolves, former assistant with Raptors (22/1)
• Darvin Ham, current assistant with Bucks, former head coach of Lakers (28/1)
• Jon Scheyer, current head coach at Duke (28/1)
• Chris Quinn, current lead assistant with the Heat (33/1)
• Phil Handy, current Mavs player development coach (33/)
• Terry Stotts, former assistant with Warriors, Mavs, former Blazers head coach (40/1)
• Todd Golden, NCAA Champion, current head coach at Florida (50/1)
• Dirk Nowitzki, GOAT, current Amazon Prime analyst (75/1)

Who would you like to see be the next head coach? Sounds off below.

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It would be hard for Jalen Brunson to have an even more productive Game 2 after his Game 1 heroics, but the New York Knicks would probably be quite glad if he did not take three quarters to find his rhythm.

These Cavaliers vs. Knicks predictions and Jalen Brunson picks recognize how Brunson finally broke through in Game 1 and expect that playmaking in Game 2 tonight.

Jalen Brunson prop pick for Game 2

Jalen Brunson best bet: Over 6.5 assists (+105 at bet365)

This price has hardly changed from Game 1, +110 then. This prop at 6.5 has not changed from Game 1, when Jalen Brunson managed six assists.

“Managed” is an intentional verb choice. Brunson reaching six assists despite the New York Knicks’ wretched shooting should be praised.

Remove Brunson’s 15-for-29, and New York shot 27-for-59 from the field, 45.8%. It's a wonder he notched six assists.

If the Knicks had not been absolute garbage outside of Brunson, a seventh assist would have been likely.

Chalk up some of that shooting to rust thanks to sweeping the 76ers, and chalk up some of it to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ defense, but do not expect it to be so atrocious again tonight.

Jalen Brunson same-game parlay

Brunson did not play particularly well in Tuesday’s first three quarters, either. He was 7-for-20 from the field, including 0-for-5 from beyond the arc, but when he stopped taking such a chunk of his shots from deep, Brunson found holes in this Cavaliers defense.

He proceeded to go 8-for-11 from the field in overtime and the fourth quarter, hitting the only 3-pointer he took. In those same 15 minutes from Brunson in 17 minutes of game action, he found four of his six assists.

It took a while, but Brunson found the way to carve up Cleveland. Drive and finish or drive and kick.

Presumably, the Cavaliers will not leave James Harden so exposed against Brunson, thus cutting down on Brunson’s total points output, but that should only leave other Knicks open.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

It feels like just yesterday Sixers fans were in ferocious debates over who the team should select No. 3 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft. The team ultimately took VJ Edgecombe out of Baylor.

There was also a sector of the fan base who contemplated what the Sixers could get in a Tyrese Maxey trade after the Orlando Magic paid a draft pick ransom to the Memphis Grizzlies for Desmond Bane.

Fast forward to the end of the 2025-26 season and it’s hard to imagine where the Sixers would be without the VJ-Maxx backcourt in the fold. Despite a second-round sweep by the New York Knicks and complete chaos surrounding the franchise, Maxey and Edgecombe represent a fleeting feeling amongst fans — hope.

The Sixers are locked in with max contracts for Paul George and Joel Embiid. The likelihood of either being moved this summer seems low. Daryl Morey is out, while his successor has yet to be named. Nick Nurse’s seat probably isn’t the coldest. There’s plenty of uncertainty and dismay over where the organization goes from here.

But none of those questions revolve around the future of the Maxey-Edgecombe backcourt.

“He’s been exceptional,” Maxey said of Edgecombe after the team was eliminated. “That’s the word that I can use, exceptional. Man, I know I sat up at this podium a lot and talked about him a lot this season, just about his maturity, about all the different things that he brings to the game. He had a hell of a rookie season, man. Hell of a not just rookie season, hell of a season. A lot of guys in the NBA wish they had a season like him. So the sky’s the limit. Future is bright.”

Edgecombe was better than just about anyone could’ve anticipated. He was a First Team All-Rookie pick and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting, doing so in a stacked draft class while playing for a playoff team. For the season, he averaged 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 43.8% from the field and 35.4% from three. For a 20-year-old rookie with his athletic profile, that’s a damn fine statistical rookie season.

His numbers were unsurprisingly down during the postseason, but stellar performances in Games 2 and 7 against the Boston Celtics flashed his serious potential. Between his athleticism, skill and intangibles, it’s not hyperbolic to think Edgecombe has star potential.

“VJ is up next,” Embiid said. “Philly got a good one in him. He’s the guy. I’m telling you guys, that guy is something different. And this was only year one. Year two is going to be better. Year three, even better. But he has a chance to be extremely special.”

If you’ve learned anything about Edgecombe this season, it’s not at all surprising to hear how much he deflected praise and poured it on his teammates. There is a required delusional confidence Edgecombe possesses, but it doesn’t raise to the level of arrogance — quite the opposite.

He frequently cites his hard work as a reason for his confidence while deflecting much of the credit for his team’s success onto others. It’s very similar to the way Maxey carries himself. It’s easy to see why the two have been such a natural pairing.

“For me, from day one,” Edgecombe said of Maxey, “before I even knew I was getting drafted here, he welcomed me with open arms. I’ve been learning from him since then — just trying to keep building that relationship, keep building that chemistry. And I’m really proud of how he handled the season, a lot of ups and downs.”

Both players will go back to the lab this summer, looking to add to their games and fix the flaws that revealed themselves this postseason.

Edgecombe talked about wanting to play on the ball more to help keep the pressure off Maxey. Maxey talked about playing more off the ball to help Edgecombe develop more as a ball-handler. They also talked about Edgecombe making his way to Dallas this summer for a workout.

“I know probably like two, three years ago, I sat up here with Joel and sat up here with James, and they saw something in me,” Maxey said. “And I guess I’m getting old now because I’m sitting up here with VJ, and I’m just happy to be a part of his journey. I’m happy to be someone who can help him.

“And another thing is, I’m just going to push him to be as good as he possibly can, because it’s a lot more left in that tank that we’re gonna get out of him. And he’s someone that it’s not gonna take much. You ain’t gotta push his buttons much. He works too hard and he wants it too much.”

Nobody really knows where the Sixers go from here. Bob Myers, who is leading the charge to find the organization’s next president of basketball operations, spoke to reporters for the first time last week. He didn’t offer much as far as the direction the franchise will go.

The reality is, the next person in charge will have their work cut out for them. The Sixers’ depth was a major issue at times through the regular season, but it was on full display as the team was ran out of the gym in a four-game sweep to the Knicks. How you build out that depth with so little resources is a huge question mark.

But the most alluring part of this job to any executive candidate is going to be Maxey and Edgecombe. Once the Embiid and George contracts are off the books — one way or another — they’ll be able to build around this electric backcourt.

On nights when Embiid is ailing and George needs a rest, just remember Maxey and Edgecombe will be running things soon.

“It’s surreal to see,” Edgecombe said of Maxey’s ascenion. “He’s gonna be a superstar for years to come. I’m really proud to just be a part of the journey. He’s just been so great for me, for this team. We ain’t going anywhere without him.”

The King has spoken.

LeBron James has presented a timeline regarding his future and when to expect an update on his decisions. Yes, plural.

James, 41, will be an unrestricted free agent coming off his 23rd NBA season where he led the league in fast break points while averaging 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game. He could consider retirement. Or, he could opt for his 24th NBA season – further extending the NBA record for most seasons played.

And if year 24 is the answer, there would most definitely be suitors. But pump the brakes.

During an episode of his podcast "Mind The Game" with Steve Nash, James shared that he hasn't really thought about what his next chapter is going to be, whether retirement, a return to the Los Angeles Lakers or possibly even a different team.

"I'm still in the moment of like, just taking my time," James said. "I haven't even really thought about it too much. Obviously, I understand that I'm a free agent and I can control my own destiny, (if it's) being here with this (Lakers) franchise for the foreseeable future, or if it's going somewhere else."

James elaborated on a timeline leaning into late summer for when he'd have a decision, but first come his priorities – family.

"I haven't even really even gotten to that point. I haven't even taken my family vacation yet, which is going to happen after Memorial Day. That's kind of the thing at the forefront of my mind," James said. "But I think at some point you know, up until late June, as July rolls around, free agency starts to get going and July's rolling and maybe into August we start to kind of like get a feel of what my future may look like."

Whether James continues to play the game that he loves is up in the air. What's not in question is his ability to do so.

James said he knows he can "still give so much to the game and play at a high level" but hasn't came to a point where he's making a decision.

"When I get there, it'd be fun to kind of see what the future could hold," he said.

Tiers. It’s a subject we spent plenty of time discussing here at Bright Side of the Sun as we worked through our postseason SunsRank rankings.

Having tiers created a much more structured approach to ranking every member of the Phoenix Suns roster and determining who the team’s best players actually are. That’s the beauty of tiers. They provide segmentation and definable categories, making the entire exercise easier to navigate and comprehend.

Anybody who plays fantasy football already understands this concept. Tiers become incredibly important when you’re on the clock, scurrying to determine who should come off the board next. If you’ve already separated players into groups, the decision-making process becomes cleaner and easier to process. So yes, I love me some tiers.

When you extrapolate that concept outward beyond just the Suns roster though, it becomes an even more useful tool for understanding and ranking players across the NBA as a whole. It’s also an incredibly daunting task, one I absolutely do not envy. Thankfully, Law Murray of The Athletic has been tackling exactly that challenge, releasing a series of articles breaking players across the league into different tiers. I highly recommend reading the series and appreciating the work.

It’s a far more in-depth process than what we did with SunsRank because you’re evaluating the entire NBA landscape. There aren’t clean labels like cornerstone, pillar, wildcard, or depth piece. Instead, it’s tier-based with subcategories like Tier 2B or Tier 3A. Still, the overall goal remains the same: creating structure around player evaluation.

Murray has five tiers, with the following designations:

Now that those tiers have started rolling out, we finally have a national perspective on where certain members of the Suns roster land within the larger NBA hierarchy. And while rankings are typically something we roll our eyes at, I find value in these rankings. Because it allows us to see a structured perception. This isn’t some click-baity article meant to stir conversations in the doldrums of social media. These are rankings that, much like SunsRank, carry historical caveats within. You can see either progression or digression, which provides a greater context and layer to the conversation.

So where did the Suns players end up? Let’s start by reviewing the entire list of Suns’ players, and then delve a bit further.

My initial reaction to seeing these rankings is that, internally, the Bright Side writing staff and community largely got it right. Through all of the thought exercises, tier definitions, and polling, the order of where Suns’ players ranked locally and nationally was very…what’s that word Brian Gregory has made us fall in love with?…aligned!

If you remember our SunsRank exercise, Devin Booker was followed by Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green in the writers’ rankings, while the community rankings flipped Brooks and Green. Even then, the margin between the two on the community side was razor-thin, with only five votes separating them. Both Collin Gillespie and Grayson Allen made the list as well, although our writing team had Mark Williams ahead of Grayson in SunsRank. But overall, having 5 players in the top 125 is a solid foundation.

Seeing Green ultimately land below Brooks by three sub-tiers in Law Murray’s rankings actually fortifies how the local fan base views those players relative to one another. Green has the talent, the upside, and the athleticism. But Brooks is the emotional leader, the tone setter, and the one who carries with him a much more deliverable price-for-value paid.

What becomes really interesting, though, is when you start digging deeper into where each player lands compared to the rest of the league within their respective tiers. And probably the most surprising thing for people outside Phoenix, at least from a national perspective, is seeing Booker land in Tier 2D.

Only one player other than James Harden fell in their ranking as compared to last season. And that player is Devin Booker. It’s a reminder, and honestly a reinforcement, that the perception of Devin Booker both locally and nationally is beginning to shift. The feeling now is that he’s falling out of that true superstar stratosphere, that a player who once comfortably lived in the top 15 conversation is starting to slide further down those lists.

Whether the driving factor is production, overall skill set, or some combination of both, it’s understandable why he ended up in this tier.

I’ve said it multiple times recently. Booker is a star. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being a star. Still, the conversation naturally changes once a player is being paid superstar money. That’s where the value discussion begins to creep in, fairly or unfairly. It’s a conversation you know and I know we will continue to have for quite some time, because we are beginning to enter that uncomfortable space where the price tag rises as the potential for production wanes. We’re not there yet. But it’s just over the horizon, and some do not want to see that day.

At this point though, Booker remains the foundation and backbone of the Phoenix Suns franchise.

Per Murray:

The shooting guards here are Devin Booker and De’Aaron Fox, two players who could also be called point guards. Booker has won just four playoff games without Chris Paul on the floor with him, and all five of Phoenix’s series wins with Booker have been against a team missing a star for all or part of the series (Anthony Davis, Jamal Murray, Kawhi Leonard, Zion Williamson, Paul George). That’s not to say that Booker isn’t a very good player. The Suns would be lost without him, as he is his team’s best chance for anything close to efficient offense, and he competes on defense. But he would benefit significantly from three things: a point guard who consistently helps him get easier shots, another star teammate at any position and a head coach who can stick around a while (Jordan Ott is Booker’s eighth head coach).

Sometimes I feel defensive when national writers speak to who and what Booker is. I poke my nose into the sky and sigh, knowing that they typically are only touching the surface. But in this case, is Murray wrong? I think not. And that realization is one that many still struggle to come to grips with.

Further down the list is Dillon Brooks, who lands in Tier 4C. Who is he next to in the rankings?

I think this ranking is appropriate as well.

Dillon Brooks absolutely elevated his game this past season, and people around the league took notice. He was one of the few risers who landed in Murray’s 4C. For a long time, and I’ll include myself in this, what he did with the Memphis Grizzlies often felt more rooted in antics, while his stint with the Houston Rockets came across as more annoying than impactful. Last season changed that perception.

What Brooks did in Phoenix reinforced the idea that he genuinely moves the needle. Emotionally, he’s always done that. This year though, he proved he could do it through offensive production and through the cultural impact he had on a basketball team. Nobody expected the Phoenix Suns to be remotely competitive entering the season. Then you inject Brooks into the equation alongside a group of young, feisty players, and suddenly the entire identity of the team shifts. The league noticed that. His placement within these tiers reflects exactly that.

And then there’s Jalen Green, who fell into Tier 4E.

You’ll notice I added a third column to this tier breakdown because I think it’s unbelievably important to the conversation.

I’ll start with the obvious. Jalen Green missed 50 games this season, and that absolutely impacted how he’s perceived both locally and nationally. Interestingly enough though, his tier placement one season ago was also Tier 4E. Then you start looking around the rankings and notice players like Ja Morant, who missed 62 games, sitting in Tier 3E. Or Domantas Sabonis, who missed 63 games and also lands in Tier 3E. That’s where your eyebrow starts to raise a little because it forces you into an uncomfortable realization.

The national perception of Green simply isn’t where it needs to be right now.

That matters because the Phoenix Suns are about to pay him $36.3 million next season, and when you scan the players around him in these rankings, he’s making significantly more money than most of them. You start understanding why the fans who want Green traded this offseason may ultimately be disappointed.

Based purely on this type of ranking system, you can see that his national value probably isn’t high enough right now to bring back the kind of desirable assets Phoenix would want in return to meaningfully move the franchise forward. Now granted, this isn’t a ranking system put together by NBA executives or general managers. It’s the perspective of a writer at The Athletic. Still, it provides insight into how Green is viewed nationally, and that’s really the crux of the Suns’ current situation.

Even if Phoenix were interested in exploring trades involving Green, which honestly I don’t believe they are right now, this probably isn’t the time to do it.

Now we turn to a pair of players who saw their stock rise this season. First up? Collin Gillespie.

As Collin Gillespie approaches unrestricted free agency this offseason, his rising national value becomes incredibly important. Ultimately, that perception could help dictate the price point at which the Phoenix Suns bring him back, something that certainly appears to be a priority for the organization.

It’s funny because when you look across Tier 5A, most of the players in that grouping are either making a lot of money already or are players beginning to trend downward in their careers. There are exceptions though, and Collin is one of them. His value is clearly rising after what was a breakout season for him.

Locally, we understand the context. We watched him fade a bit as the season progressed. Still, when you step back and evaluate the season holistically, the value is obvious. The hope entering next year is that the progression continues, he takes another step forward, and his placement in these rankings keeps climbing.

Lastly, there’s Grayson Allen.

He landed just one tier below Collin Gillespie and is the second-oldest player within that grouping. Like Gillespie, Allen did not crack the top 125 rankings a season ago, which serves as a reminder of how valuable he still is around the league. It also reinforces the idea that he could ultimately become one of the pieces the Phoenix Suns move if they decide to pivot certain aspects of their roster construction.

Allen possesses one of the more tradable contracts on the roster, paired with a skill set that translates almost anywhere. Shooting always travels. Teams are always looking for secondary scoring and spacing off the bench. Because of that, it’ll be interesting to see what his market value actually looks like around the league.

That said, regardless of what Phoenix could potentially get back in return, moving off Allen absolutely hurts your depth and second-unit scoring.

What these rankings ultimately reinforce is something Suns fans are still wrestling with emotionally. Phoenix has good players. Legitimately good players. The issue is the league no longer views the roster as one built around overwhelming star power. Instead, it’s increasingly viewed as a team trying to construct functionality, depth, and identity around Devin Booker rather than simply stacking names and hoping it all works. Honestly, that’s probably healthier long term, even if it feels less sexy on paper.

And that’s where these tiers become valuable. They strip away emotion and force you to evaluate the roster through a colder lens. Booker remains the clear headliner, although nationally he’s drifting closer toward “high-end star” than “untouchable superstar.” Brooks is gaining respect because his impact finally translated into winning basketball people could quantify. Gillespie and Allen are viewed as legitimate rotational pieces. Green remains the wild card, simultaneously carrying the highest ceiling and the most uncomfortable price-to-production conversation on the roster.

Taken together, the rankings paint a pretty honest picture of where the Suns currently exist within the larger NBA ecosystem. Competitive. Interesting. Deeper than expected. Still lacking the kind of top-end hierarchy that typically defines true championship contenders.

In sports, there are three types of players. Those who are great regular season players, who take their greatness to a whole other level in the playoffs. Then there are great regular season players who flame out in the postseason. Lastly, there are the players who are average to good regular season players, who step their game up when it matters most, including in the playoffs. In my opinion, Jabari Smith Jr. is lining up to become that kind of player, and in 2025-2026 he showed us glimpses.

A lot of what is required to be successful in the postseason is mental. In the playoffs, every team is good and made up of good players. In the course of a seven-game series, there are no more secrets about what you or your opponent are going to try to do, it’s about executing your gameplan better, and imposing your will mentally and physically. Now I won’t say that physically Jabari Smith Jr. imposed his will on these playoffs, but he has the mentality that you need to win. Sadly, there were moments in the series against the Lakers that he looked like the only player who cared.

In the series against the Golden State Warriors last season, Jabari’s first taste of playoff basketball, he was extremely efficient on the offensive end but not nearly aggressive enough, taking less than five shots per game. This postseason, Jabari knew he’d have to be more of a factor with Kevin Durant missing all but one game in the series, and the team being down 0-3 in the series as a result. Yes, he stepped up his point production slightly in the playoffs, but honestly, it wasn’t enough. The team needed more from him offensively.

That being said, Jabari Smith Jr. took more than 14 shots per game in the series. The issue being that he only shot 38.3 percent from the field, including 37.3 percent from three. He played hard defensively as he always does, but let’s face it for a man of his stature he should be more of a factor on the boards. I don’t believe watching him on the court that it is from lack of effort, which is why I won’t be too harsh on the young man in this review. I think he has what it takes to be a contributor on a winning team, he just needs to finally put it together in his upcoming fifth season.

If he can combine the efficiency of his first playoff series with the aggressiveness and sense of urgency he showed in his second playoff series, then he will be one of those impact players in the postseason. I think at this point Jabari’s ceiling is a fringe All-Star ultimately on the outside looking in, unless the Rockets are just grossly misusing him, I don’t see him being much more than that. However, I can’t explain enough how big of a fan I am of his mental makeup. His 15.8 points per game in the regular season is fine with me, as long as he can bump it up to 18-19 points per game in the postseason. His 7.9 rebounds per game is cool with me, as long as it turns into 9-10 rebounds in the postseason. He doesn’t have to shoot 50 percent from the field and 45 percent from three like he did in the 2024-2025 playoffs, but he needs to be close.

Since Jabari Smith Jr. was drafted third overall in 2022, he’s been on a personal mission to prove to himself that he belongs. With Paolo Banchero winning rookie of the year, Chet Holmgren already being a key contributor to an NBA Championship, and the eyes of many wondering if the Rockets made the right choice selecting him third overall, you can see that the spirit is willing with Smith, the question… Is he really that dude? I think he can be, because I see how hard he works, I see how badly he wants it, the only thing left for him to answer to me is, is he willing to go take it. Because no one is going to hand it to him. If he can match his on-court production with that dog mentality I sense in him, then I hope he’s still wearing a Rockets jersey when it happens.

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The San Antonio Spurs may not have won the battle, but they’ve got the inside track on the war with the Western Conference finals locked at 1-1 heading to Texas.

After winning the series opener, San Antonio struggled through a disjointed road loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday. Injuries, turnovers and OKC’s physical approach to slowing down Victor Wembanyama all took their toll.

Our Thunder vs. Spurs predictions for Game 3 see Wembanyama pushing back, especially with the unknown status of San Antonio’s backcourt stars. 

My NBA picks like Wemby to top his scoring prop on May 22.

Thunder vs Spurs prediction Game 3 prediction

Thunder vs Spurs best bet: Victor Wembanyama Over 25.5 points (-105)

The Oklahoma City Thunder put Isaiah Hartenstein on Victor Wembanyama in Game 2 and used a more physical defensive approach to push him away from the basket. 

After taking 21 of his 25 shots in the paint in Game 1, Wembanyama attempted just 8 of 16 FGAs in the key on Wednesday. 

The constant abuse wore him down late and contributed to a more passive outing. He also reached the foul line only twice despite plenty of questionable contact. 

With the San Antonio Spurs home for Game 3, I expect a more aggressive Wembanyama and friendlier whistles from the officials.

COVERS INTEL: Wembanyama sees a near 3-point uptick in scoring at home compared to the road and Game 3 projections sit as high as 27+ points. Those forecasts include injured guards De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper. Should one or both guards sit, Wemby shoulders more of the scoring load.

Thunder vs Spurs same-game parlay

A lot could change between now and tipoff on Friday. De’Aaron Fox has missed the last two games with an ankle injury and Dylan Harper is fighting through a bum leg. That said, I have more confidence in those guards coming back than OKC’s Jalen Williams, who re-aggravated a hamstring injury in Game 2.

The Spurs played poorly and had bad luck yet still stuck around on Wednesday. Getting back home helps settle things down, especially in the turnover department. 

With Williams out, Oklahoma City needs another scorer to step up. Chet Holmgren has had issues against the Spurs this season, carrying over to a 7-for-17 start to this series. He did make two triples in Game 1 and his ability to stretch the floor with his shooting is vital to the Thunder.

After missing minutes in Game 2, Chet gets a wake-up call and knocks down two or more 3-pointers in Game 3.

Thunder vs Spurs SGP

• Spurs moneyline
• Victor Wembanyama Over 25.5 points
• Chet Holmgren Over 1.5 threes

Thunder vs Spurs odds

• Spread: Oklahoma City +2 | San Antonio -2
• Moneyline: Oklahoma City +110 | San Antonio -130
• Over/Under: Over 217.5 | Under 217.5

Thunder vs Spurs betting trend to know

San Antonio is 13-2 SU and 12-3 ATS at home when coming of a loss in the previous game this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Thunder vs. Spurs.

How to watch Thunder vs Spurs

Thunder vs Spurs latest injuries

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There were 13 former Michigan Wolverines players that logged minutes in the NBA in the 2025-26 season. With the playoffs winding down, let’s take a look at how every Michigan alum performed this year.

Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic)

Wagner is definitely the best former Wolverine in the NBA right now. Despite being injured for more than half the season, he still proved to be a high-level performer, posting 20.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Unfortunately, Wagner went down with a calf injury in the first round of the playoffs and was forced to miss the final three games of the series, but he will continue to be a cornerstone of the franchise going forward.

Tim Hardaway Jr. (Denver Nuggets)

Hardaway is well over a decade into his pro career and is still a very effective contributor. In his first season with the Nuggets, he led Denver in scoring off the bench with 13.5 points per game on 40.7 percent shooting from three-point territory. Playing a key veteran role and shooting at a high clip from beyond the arc, Hardaway should continue to be an impactful player in the years to come. He is set to be a free agent this summer, but there’s no doubt he’ll have a number of suitors.

Jordan Poole (New Orleans Pelicans)

Poole had an up-and-down season in his first year with the Pelicans, falling in and out of the lineup and playing just 39 games. After playing a significant role on the Golden State Warriors en route to winning a championship in 2022, Poole was dealt to the Washington Wizards and is now trying to find his footing in New Orleans. He averaged 13.4 points per game with the Pelicans this year.

Duncan Robinson (Detroit Pistons)

Robinson was a much-needed addition for the Pistons this season, bringing one of the NBA’s premier sharpshooters back to the state that he played in college. Following a successful stint with the Miami Heat from 2018-25, Robinson scored 12.2 points per game and shot a red-hot 41 percent from three this year. The former Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year has carved out a solid role for himself after going undrafted.

Danny Wolf (Brooklyn Nets)

Wolf was selected late in the first round last summer following his lone season at Michigan, and he immediately showed why he was one of the Big Ten’s most versatile players, scoring 22 points, four assists and four rebounds early in his rookie year. Later in the season, he was thrust into the starting lineup due to injury and he scored a career-high 23 points and nine rebounds in March. Following a solid debut season, there’s no doubt he will be a part of the Nets’ future.

Moussa Diabaté (Charlotte Hornets)

Diabaté experienced a breakout season in fourth year in the NBA, racking up career-highs including 7.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 26 minutes per game on 63.1 percent shooting from the field. The former All-Big Ten Freshman honoree has seemingly found a home in Charlotte, showing major strides this season and eventually earning the NBA’s Hustle Award. Now, he will attempt to build on his breakout campaign next season and beyond.

Caris LeVert (Detroit Pistons)

LeVert came to the Pistons with hopes of being a secondary playmaker off the bench, but he ended up having a much lesser role than expected and played a career-low 19.2 minutes per game. He also averaged single-digit scoring for just the second time in his career, posting 7.4 points per game. The 2016 first-round pick showed he can still be a valuable player though, erupting for a season-best 24 points and four rebounds in a playoff game this month.

Moritz Wagner (Orlando Magic)

Wagner’s pro career has been a bit overshadowed by his younger brother, but he has carved out a role with the Magic as well. Wagner was selected in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft and has spent the last six seasons in Orlando. Coming off a season-ending ACL injury, he returned to the court after missing nearly two full years. In 36 games, Wagner averaged 6.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game and will now enter free agency.

Jett Howard (Orlando Magic)

Howard is another former lottery pick from Michigan, and although he hasn’t exactly hit the ground running to start his career, he has displayed glimpses of impressive upside. Most notably, Howard went off for a career-high 30 points, including a 22-point fourth quarter in November. Howard scored 5.5 points per game on a career-best 37.2 percent shooting from three-point range in a slightly expanded role off the bench, so perhaps he’ll continue to make strides next season.

Kobe Bufkin (Los Angeles Lakers)

Bufkin hasn’t quite been able to carve out a consistent role in three years in the NBA, but he was one of the best players in the G-League this season by averaging 24.8 points and 4.4 assists in 17 games with the South Bay Lakers. He was eventually called up to the NBA, scoring 2.9 points per game in 16 appearances with the Lakers. In the final weeks of the season, Bufkin was waived by the Lakers, so he’ll try to find a new home this summer.

Caleb Houstan (Atlanta Hawks)

Houstan was one of the highest-rated recruits in Michigan history and went onto be a second-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. After playing the first three years of his pro career with the Magic, Houstan spent this past season with the Atlanta Hawks on a two-way contract, splitting time between the NBA and G-League. In 18 games with the Hawks, Houstan averaged just 2.3 points on 53.8 percent from three. Unfortunately, he was waived late in the season and is currently a free agent.

Isaiah Livers (Phoenix Suns)

Livers spent the first three seasons of his career with his hometown Pistons before signing with the Phoenix Suns last summer. He wasn’t really a part of Phoenix’s rotation for most of this season, putting up just 1.8 points and 1.7 rebounds in 36 appearances. Livers has proven he can be a relatively effective option off the bench with the Pistons, scoring 6.6 points per game in his first two seasons, but he hasn’t been able to recreate that success the last two years.

Vlad Goldin (Miami Heat)

Goldin went undrafted after receiving All-Big Ten recognition in his only season with Michigan, but he quickly signed a two-way contract with the Miami Heat. He put up 23 points and nine rebounds in his G-League debut and eventually made his NBA debut in December. Goldin wasn’t much of a factor with the Heat, averaging only 0.8 points per game, but his G-League statistics — 11.3 points, seven rebounds, two blocks — were impressive.

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A historic rally set the tone for the Eastern Conference Finals, and now all eyes turn to Game 2 as our NBA player prop projections zeroes in on the Cavaliers vs. Knicks matchup at Madison Square Garden — highlighting several high-value betting opportunities as Cleveland looks to regroup.

By analyzing the data against current market lines, we’ve identified where the strongest edges exist.

These Cavaliers vs. Knicks predictions are driven by numbers instead of guesswork.

If you’re building your card, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Thursday, May 21.

Cavaliers vs Knicks computer picks for Game 2

Cavaliers	Knicks
Mitchell u26.5 points  -112	Brunson o27.5 points -110
Harden o18.5 points -112	Towns o11.5 rebounds +100
Allen o7.5 rebounds  -112	Bridges o1.5 3-pointers  +100

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Cavaliers Game 2 computer picks

Donovan Mitchell Under 26.5 points (-112)

Projection: 25.64 points

Donovan Mitchell looked every bit the steady force while the Cleveland Cavaliers controlled most of Game 1 against the New York Knicks — until the fourth quarter hit, when he managed just three points the rest of the way in an overtime collapse.

He still finished with 29 points, clearing this prop line even in defeat, but the current projection feels a bit shaken—perhaps too hesitant to trust that Mitchell can deliver a bounce-back performance and lead a Game 2 redemption.

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James Harden Over 18.5 points (-112)

Projection: 20.31 points

James Harden’s Game 1 showing was a letdown—no sugarcoating it. The Cavaliers veteran managed just 15 points on 5-of-16 shooting, a far cry from what Cleveland needs.

Whether it was fatigue from a quick series turnaround or the Knicks simply locking him down, the Cavs won’t stand a chance unless Harden sharpens up in Game 2. Another 31% shooting night—or anything close to it—won’t cut it if Cleveland hopes to steal one on the road.

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Jarrett Allen Over 7.5 rebounds (-112)

Projection: 7.68 rebounds

Evan Mobley has been so productive that the Cavaliers may have lost sight of Jarrett Allen a bit  and that can’t happen, especially after Game 1.

Cleveland needed strong contributions from both bigs to avoid the collapse they suffered, but Allen was quiet, finishing with just 10 points and seven rebounds in the opener.

If the Cavs want to steady themselves in Game 2, they’ll need to get him more involved offensively and bring a much more aggressive presence on the glass after hovering over this prop line on Tuesday.

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Knicks Game 2 computer picks

Jalen Brunson Over 27.5 points (-110)

Projection: 27.94 points

Everyone’s talking about Jalen Brunson — and for good reason.

He once again played the hero in Game 1, erupting for 38 points and powering the Knicks to a stunning overtime win. His fiery leadership has been the driving force behind New York’s playoff surge, and the buzz has only grown louder since Tuesday’s comeback.

Don’t expect that hot streak to cool off now. In Brunson, you can trust with clearing this points prop line.

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Karl-Anthony Towns over 11.5 rebounds (+100)

Projection: 11.93 rebounds

Karl-Anthony Towns opened the series with a strong 13-point, 13-rebound double-double and has been a force on the glass all postseason. He’s now hit double-digit rebounds in seven of New York’s 11 playoff games, consistently controlling the boards.

With Towns dominating down low, expect him to keep that momentum rolling at home and clear this rebounding prop once again.

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Mikal Bridges Over 1.5 3-pointers (+100)

Projection: 1.73 3-pointers

Mikal Bridges delivered a strong two-way showing in the Knicks’ Game 1 win, finishing with 18 points on 64% shooting Tuesday night, including a couple of treys at a 50% clip from deep.

With New York riding high, Bridges should once again find his rhythm — making the Over on his 3-point prop a live play in Game 2 tonight.

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How to watch Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 2

Location	Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Date	Thursday, May 21, 2026
Tip-off	8 p.m. ET
TV	ESPN

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