Category: NBA

WHOOPS.

My bad, everyone.

I missed the window to actually get this post up in between the Philadelphia 76ers advancing to the second round to face the New York Knicks on Saturday and Game 1 of that Eastern Conference semifinal series on Monday. I totally had time to do it on Sunday night and Monday morning…. just totally did not realize that the series was starting up that quickly, and here we are.

This is going to be a shorter post than our first round entry in keeping track of the NBA Playoffs through a Marquette magnifying glass. That is due to Oklahoma City eliminating Oso Ighodaro and Phoenix in four games as well as Detroit rallying from down 3-1 to bounce Jamal Cain and Orlando in seven games. We got very close to being able to keep an eye on the Magic, as they had a 20 point lead at halftime of Game 6…. and then they lost by double digits and then lost Game 7 by 20 points.

That leaves us with just one former Marquette player involved in the NBA Playoffs, and as we’ll get to in a second, “involved” is a stretch of a word to use……

Tyler Kolek — New York Knicks

Kolek and New York advanced out of the first round with a 4-2 series win over the Atlanta Hawks. After Atlanta got a 107-106 win in Game 2 and a 109-108 win in Game 3, that series got out of hand in a hurry. New York won the next three games by 16, 29, and 51 points. That Game 6 wasn’t even as close as the 140-89 margin suggests it was as the Knicks were up 61 at one point in the third quarter not to mention it was 40-15 at the end of the first quarter and 83-36 at the half.

As mostly expected, our man Tyler Kolek was not that involved in the series. He appeared in just three of the games for a total of 19 minutes. We can’t help but notice that he played in the three games that the Knicks won by increasingly larger margins, so perhaps head coach Mike Brown should have been giving the former Big East Player of the Year a little bit more run, eh? Kolek averaged 2.7 points and 1.7 assists per game in his limited action, but his series against Philadelphia in the second round is off to a better start. One-for-one in games played, eight points and four assists in 10 minutes, and he got to celebrate the 137-98 win with Timothee Chalamet, who passed on going to the Met Gala with his girlfriend to be at Game 1 at The Garden.

New York was led by Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby in the first round series against Atlanta, with both men averaging at least 21 points per game. Brunson had the team lead in assists, barely beating out Karl-Anthony Towns, 6.2 to 6.0 per game. Towns was the leading rebounder for the Knicks with 11.3 per game to go with his nearly 19 points a night, and it’s kinda weird that a guy that was averaging 19/11/6/2/2 in a playoff series isn’t getting the spotlight.

As mentioned, Kolek’s Knicks are facing Philadelphia in the second round or the conference semifinals if you want to be fancy about it. The 76ers beat Boston in seven games maaaaaaaybe helped along by Jayson Tatum missing Game 7 with a knee injury of some sort…. and maaaaaybe helped along by head coach Joe Mazzulla starting Baylor Scheierman, Luka Garza, and Ron Harper, none of whom scored in a combined 35 minutes of action in a Game 7 that ended up decided by nine points. Weird!

The Sixers are 100% Tyrese Maxey’s team at this point as he averaged 27 points, five rebounds, and over six assists per game against the Celtics. Joel Embiid recovered from his appendectomy to play in the final four games of the series and average 28 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists a game. That’s pretty much vintage Embiid right there, but as always, the question is whether or not the 32 year old will remain available all playoffs long. He hasn’t played 60 games in an NBA season since 2022-23 and has never played in 70 games in a season. He only appeared in 38 this year for the Sixers, so we’ll have to wait and see how this series goes. It certainly seemed like KAT was able to abuse Embiid in an inside-outside game way in Game 1, which is perhaps a bad sign for Philly but a great sign for you and me trying to see a Marquette guy win an NBA title this year.

Which reminds me: Are the Knicks the favorite in the Eastern Conference right now? Detroit nearly got bounced in the first round by #8 seed Orlando, the Sixers knocked the #2 seeded Celtics out, and the Knicks are the #3 seed. Nobody’s taking Cleveland seriously as the #4 seed except for people in Ohio, and that’s because James Harden Melts Down In What Turns Into The Final Game Of The Season is looming out there for the Cavaliers. Interesting to think about, at the very least.

Game 1: Monday, May 4; Knicks 137, 76ers 98
Game 2: Wednesday, May 6, 6pm Central, ESPN
Game 3: Friday, May 8, 6pm Central, Prime Video
Game 4: Sunday, May 10, 2:30pm Central, ABC
Game 5*: Tuesday, May 12, TBD, TBD
Game 6*: Thursday, May 14, TBD, TBD
Game 7*: Sunday, May 17, TBD, TBD

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The lottery drawing for the 2026 NBA Draft was always going to have massive stakes. A.J. Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer have been hyped as an elite trio at the top of the class going back to their high school days, and their presence caused a tank-off for the ages this season. Add in a breakout freshman year from North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson, and the draft now offers major prizes at all four spots drawn in the lottery.

The tanking was so bad this season that the NBA is ready to push through lottery reform starting next year. The bottom three teams will suddenly have worse odds than those in the 4-10 range, and the floor for the worst teams has fallen out of the top-10. The odds are going to be flattened so much throughout the order that the results will feel completely random. Bad teams better cash in now on this lottery, because the chances of landing a top pick are going to be greatly diminished in the near future.

At this point, anyone who follows the draft closely has already run hundreds of lottery simulations. But who actually deserves lottery luck? We’re here to answer that. This is all very subjective, but there are still right answers. Here’s how the lottery will play out if there’s any justice in the drawing.

14. Charlotte Hornets

Odds at top-4 pick: 2.4%

The Hornets feel like the East’s team of the future after closing the season with the best net-rating in the league after Jan. 1. Landing a power forward who can defend and space the floor or a bigger rim protecting center would be ideal with this pick. Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara would both be a great fit here, but if they’re both gone, I’d also like their teammate Morez Johnson Jr. in this spot.

13. Miami Heat

Odds at top-4 pick: 4.8%

The Heat never tank, and for that I was tempted to move them into the top-four. The odds are just extremely long for that to happen. If there’s a miracle coming Miami’s way, a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade feels more likely than a jump into the top-4.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder

Odds at top-4 pick: 7.1%

The Clippers failing to make the playoffs puts the Thunder in the lottery. OKC moving up is the nightmare scenario for the rest of the league, but it’s not likely to happen. OKC should be able to land a very good prospect even if it stays at No. 12, and I’ll just point out that Yaxel Lendeborg was already telling me about how he’d fit next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during March Madness.

11. Golden State Warriors

Odds at top-4 pick: 9.4%

The Mavs moved up from No. 11 in the lottery to the No. 1 overall pick last year for Cooper Flagg. Could the Warriors get the same bit of luck? Golden State has a convincing case for deserving some good luck after getting screwed over by Jimmy Butler’s torn ACL. It would be wonderful to see Steph Curry play meaningful basketball again before he retires, and a top pick could help him get there whether Golden State trades it or keeps it. I wouldn’t be shocked if the Warriors move up, and I think it would be kind of cool. They just missed the cut-off for the top-4 picks in these rankings.

10. Milwaukee Bucks

Odds at top-4 pick: 13.9%

The Bucks owe a pick swap to Atlanta, who also has the rights to New Orleans’ pick, so Milwaukee can only land in the top-4 if the Hawks are ahead of them. The Bucks moving up might be the most explosive possible outcome for the lottery that doesn’t involve OKC landing a top pick. Taylor Jenkins is the new head coach here, and Giannis trade rumors are likely to be kicking into high gear again this summer. Landing a top pick might make Giannis more likely to stay. I could see it happening.

9. Dallas Mavericks

Odds at top-4 pick: 29%

The Mavs cashed in on a 1.8 percent chance to land Cooper Flagg last year. Do they really deserve more lottery luck after that? This pick will be extremely important for Dallas regardless of where it ends up because the team doesn’t control its first round pick until 2031 after this year due to a series of deals made to build around Luka Doncic. Whoops. Flagg needs a co-star in the worst way, but getting super lucky two years in a row would feel like a little much.

8. Memphis Grizzlies

Odds at top-4 pick: 37.2%

The Grizzlies tore down the roster because they thought they were stuck in the middle, but it certainly feels like they sold high on both Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. Memphis has a good young core already emerging led by Zach Edey and Cedric Coward, and I feel confident this front office will find more good players in this draft (they also own Phoenix’s pick at No. 16 this year) even if they don’t move up. The Grizzlies have put themselves in position to get lucky, and no one can hold it against them if they do.

7. Utah Jazz

Odds at top-4 pick: 45.2%

Utah was at the forefront of tanking shenanigans this year by resting their best players in the fourth quarter of close games. They were already fined for this, and their main goal was just to keep their pick inside of the top-8, otherwise they would have to send it to the Thunder (seriously). You can make a case that a lot of teams deserve lottery luck this year, but the Jazz aren’t one of them. The good news for Utah is that they should be a lot more competitive next year with a core of Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Keyonte George. They can land a premium talent in this range like Illinois’ Keaton Wagler or Arizona’s Brayden Burries even if they don’t move up.

6. Brooklyn Nets

Odds at top-4 pick: 52.1%

The Nets toed the line of gunning for a top pick without outright tanking the way Utah and Washington did. Brooklyn hasn’t gotten any lottery luck since moving off its Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden core from a few years ago, and next season they don’t own their first-round pick because Houston has swap rights. The Nets have a great young head coach in Jordi Fernandez, and they have a very good veteran wing in his prime in Michael Porter Jr. who enjoyed a career renaissance under Fernandez this year. You can’t be mad if the Nets land in the top-4.

5. Washington Wizards

Odds at top-4 pick: 52.1%

Congrats to the Wizards: they were the worst team in the NBA with 17 wins, and because of that they can’t fall further than fifth in this draft. That still isn’t exactly a cause for celebration though because to me it feels like there’s a big drop off in talent between pick No. 4 and pick No. 5. It felt like Washington tanked hard and rested players at every opportunity, but they were never fined for it. It almost feels like the Wizards know they aren’t getting lucky after trading for Anthony Davis and Trae Young mid-season to accelerate their timeline. Getting a top pick would completely change Washington’s two-timelines approach, especially with rumors that AD doesn’t want to be there. The Wizards fell to their pick floor last year when they landed at No. 6, and I could see it happening again.

4. Chicago Bulls

Odds at top-4 pick: 20.3%

The Bulls have the fourth-worst cumulative record in the NBA over the last nine seasons, but they haven’t landed a top-3 pick over that time, and the only time they moved up they got stuck with Patrick Williams. Chicago actually has a little bit of hope right now after firing Arturas Karnisovas and landing the Portland Trail Blazers’ pick at No. 15 overall (which finally conveyed from the 2021 Lauri Markkanen trade), but ultimately they’ll need some lottery luck to actually start to build something sustainable. The Bulls have refused to tank for years, and spent the entirety of the AK era pushing for a play-in tournament bid to try to backdoor into the playoffs. This roster is pretty bleak beyond Matas Buzelis, Josh Giddey, and the hope that last year’s lottery pick Noa Essengue can provide something in his second season. If the league really wants to punish tanking, the Bulls deserve to move up into the top-4.

3. Atlanta Hawks

Odds at top-4 pick: 43.2%

The Hawks made a brilliant trade during the 2025 draft to earn New Orleans’ unprotected first-round pick, and they can add it into their swap rights with the Bucks for a convincing chance at moving up. The Hawks have a nice foundation in place and just stole a couple games from the Knicks in the first-round of the playoffs, and moving up in the lottery would make this a fantastic season for the franchise. The Hawks still feel like they’re searching for a No. 1 option even after Jalen Johnson’s rise this year, and landing a player like Darryn Peterson or A.J. Dybantsa could set them up with success for a long time. Atlanta absolutely whiffed on its No. 1 overall pick in 2024 with Zaccharie Risacher, but that front office has been fired, and the team has made a lot of good moves since then. It would be fun to see the Hawks move up.

2. Indiana Pacers

Odds at top-4 pick: 52.1%

The Pacers gave the NBA a thrill on their underdog run to the 2025 NBA Finals. Indiana was on the doorstep of a championship when Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles in Game 7, and the result was a lost season this year in his absence. The Pacers have more at stake in this lottery than any other team after trading their top-4 protected first-round draft pick for Ivica Zubac at the trade deadline. If this pick lands at No. 5 or lower, it belongs to the Clippers. It’s easy to imagine a world where Pacers immediately become the class of the East again next season with a healthy Haliburton, a full season of Zubac, and a top-4 pick like Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer, or Wilson. I’d like to see them rewarded after putting together such an inspiring run before Haliburton’s injury.

1. Sacramento Kings

Odds at top-4 pick: 52.1%

Don’t lump the Kings in with all the other tankers this year. Sacramento badly wanted to win this season; they just failed spectacularly at doing so. A roster led by Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis, and Russell Westbrook was ill-conceived from the start, but not because the Kings were trying to lose on purpose. Sacramento has been very bad for a very long time, and it feels even more painful right now after watching Haliburton and De’Aaron Fox go on to enjoy success with other teams after they were drafted in Sacramento. The Kings haven’t had the No. 1 overall pick since 1989 when they drafted Pervis Ellison despite finishing in the lottery 19 of the last 20 years. I think Sacramento fans deserve a little luck at this point. I’m also just worried the gap between Sacramento and the rest of the West is going to get even more stark in the coming years with the new lottery odds. In a season where tanking brought the NBA great shame, the Kings put forth a real effort every night. Plenty of other teams tried to manipulate the odds to their favor. The Kings were just flat out bad.

Luka Doncic is still building towards a return, but it won't come in time for Game 1.

The Los Angeles Lakers will be without Doncic for the start of their second-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported on "Inside the NBA."

Charania reports the Lakers are evaluating Doncic on a week-to-week basis, and he is currently on a "slow path" in his recovery from a Grade 2 hamstring strain that has kept him sidelined for the past month.

"He's doing more and more on the court," Charania said. "But right now, still not full-fledged running or full-contact workouts."

Fresh off an opening-round sweep of the Phoenix Suns, the Oklahoma City Thunder will continue their title defense tonight as their second-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers tips off at Paycom Center. OKC is the heavy favorite over the Luka Doncic-less Lakers, but they'll also be down one of their own key players for Game 1 Tuesday, May 5 with star forward Jalen Williams still sidelined.

Williams, who sustained a grade 1 left hamstring strain in Game 2 against Phoenix, has been officially listed as out for Game 1 on Tuesday in the latest NBA injury report.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault told reporters Monday, May 4 that Williams was "progressing according to plan," but declined to put a timeline on his return.

"We're not going to release that," Daigneault told reporters. "We’ll continue to let you guys know on a week-to-week basis."

Mark Daigneault on Jalen Williams: “He's progressing according to plan, I would say. In terms of timeline, we're not going to release that. We’ll continue to let you guys know on a week-to-week basis.” pic.twitter.com/zxM3HW8IjF

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) May 4, 2026

Here's what to know about Williams' status against the Lakers:

Is Jalen Williams playing tonight?

No. As stated above, Williams is listed as out for Game 1 on Tuesday and is considered week-to-week with a left hamstring strain.

The Thunder aren't putting a definitive timeline for his return publicly, but reporting by The Oklahoman, part of the USA TODAY Network, estimates that the usual recovery window for a grade 1 hamstring strain is 1-2 weeks. Williams went down on April 22, so that would theoretically put his return sometime around Games 3-5.

Williams exited in the third quarter when he went up for a layup attempt, grabbed his left hamstring after landing back on the court and has not played since.

Jalen Williams left Game 2 vs. the Suns with an apparent hamstring injury. pic.twitter.com/P47wjF0c9T

— ESPN (@espn) April 23, 2026

The 2025-26 season has been a frustrating one for Williams, who established himself as an All-Star last season and was one of OKC's biggest contributors to their title run. But injuries have added up over the course of this season.

Williams underwent wrist surgery after the NBA Finals, which forced him to miss the start of the regular season. He later missed 49 games with a right hamstring strain.

Jalen Williams stats

Jalen Williams averaged 17.1 points and 5.5 assists per game this season, a major reason the team posted the best record in the league this season. Williams recorded 22 points and seven rebounds in Oklahoma City's Game 1 win over Phoenix and had 19 points in 23 minutes before his injury in Game 2.

The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t assemble the highest-paid roster in the league just to get out of the first round.

“We haven’t done anything,” Donovan Mitchell said after his team closed out the Toronto Raptors in seven games. “It’s just the first round.”

The Cavs will have their hands full against a 60-win Detroit Pistons team that proved to be one of the best defenses in the league all season. That said, there’s a path to winning the series and advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals. Let’s get into the keys for Game 1.

1. Reestablish the pick-and-roll

Both Mitchell and James Harden struggled to shake free of Toronto’s perimeter defenders. The top-locking defensive strategy, coupled with their ability to switch every screen and not be at a distinct disadvantage because of it, made it difficult for them to establish a consistent scoring rhythm. At least not the kind we’re used to seeing.

Detroit is a better statistical and traditional defense than Toronto. They were the second-best unit in the league for a reason. Their ability to run teams off the three-point line, funnel them inside, and then provide tough contests from there made them difficult for teams to crack, especially with two imposing centers in Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart.

At the same time, they aren’t a switch-heavy team like the Raptors, which does present some additional openings for the Cavs to attack mismatches.

Cleveland’s best offense this year has been when they can create advantages off the pick-and-roll. They should be able to get into those actions much easier, given Detroit’s drop coverage.

2. Exploiting the weak links

The Raptors weren’t the most talented team in the playoffs, but there aren’t many groups that had as many passable two-way players. There really weren’t any weak links to attack on offense or ignore completely on defense.

The Pistons have more talent, but there’s more guys who aren’t high impact on both sides of the ball.

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Duncan Robinson is a great shooter, but he’s someone that the guards can go after in a matchup much easier than any of Toronto’s rotation players. On the other end, Ausar Thompson is a phenomenal defender, but you can cheat off him defensively due to his lack of playmaking and shooting.

The Cavs also have several players that teams can take advantage of as well. Opponents mostly ignore Dean Wade on offense and attack guys like Mitchell and Harden on the other end.

The team that can hide its weaker players and exploit their opponents could come away with the win.

3. Find the three-point shot

The Cavs won their first-round series without ever getting the three-ball going. They shot just 34.1% from beyond the arc throughout the series. This included shooting below 30% in three games, including the Game 7 victory.

Cleveland isn’t the outside-shooting juggernaut they were at times last year, but they’re still one of the better shooting teams in the league as they connected on 36% of their shots in the regular season.

This is an advantage they should have over Detroit. The Pistons aren’t a high-volume three-point shooting team, and they don’t connect on them particularly well. That came through repeatedly in their first-round victory over the Orlando Magic, even in some of their wins.

4. Win the possession game

Head coach Kenny Atkinson has preached the need to grab rebounds and limit turnovers all season. The Cavs struggled at times throughout their first-round series with both, but closed the Raptors out in Game 7 by winning this category by nine.

That same focus will be needed against the Pistons.

Cade Cunningham was at his worst in the first round when he was turning the ball over. He averaged 5.9 giveaways per game against Orlando. This includes averaging 6.7 in Detroit’s three losses.

As a team, the Pistons aren’t great at protecting the ball. They finished the regular season 22nd in turnover percentage (15%) as an offense. However, what they made up for that in other areas, particularly in offensive rebounding and forcing turnovers of their own.

Detroit was second in offensive rebounding percentage in the regular season. They grabbed 34.3% of their missed shots.

On the other end, the Pistons had the highest turnover percentage in the league as a defense. They turned opponents over on 16.8% of their possessions.

However, despite their good offensive rebounding, they struggled ending possessions, as they finished 20th in defensive rebounding percentage.

There are areas the Cavs can attack here. They could be disruptive on the offensive glass and force Cunningham into turnovers. But they have to be careful not to fall victim to those same issues themselves.

5. Can Dean Wade make things difficult for Cade Cunningham?

Stopping a player as good as Cunningham is a complete team effort, but you’d expect Wade to draw the primary assignment on the superstar guard.

Wade has been the team’s best wing defender all season. He did an excellent job of taking Brandon Ingram away at the beginning of the series against Toronto and shifted onto Barnes as the series progressed.

Cunningham struggled against Orlando when he was guarded by Franz Wagner. Wagner’s size and strength presented real issues. It wasn’t until a calf strain forced Wagner out of the lineup that Cunningham really got going.

Wade has some of those same qualities. He has good length, quickness, and strength. Wade has continually shown he’s comfortable defending on the perimeter against an opponent’s primary offensive engine.

The key to this will likely come down to the other end of the court. For Wade’s defense to be its most effective, his offense needs to be good enough to justify staying on the court. That was an issue at times in the first round as Wade’s outside shot left him for stretches.

Outside of Wade, the Cavs don’t have many good options to turn to for guarding Cunningham. Max Strus has shown a willingness to battle with bigger wings, but he doesn’t have the strength or size to present the same issues for Cunningham. Jaylon Tyson has had stretches of looking like that guy, but it’s fair to question whether he’s ready for such a big assignment.

Cunningham is the head of the snake. There’s no situation where the Pistons get past the Cavs if he isn’t playing at an All-NBA level. That puts a premium on Wade and the rest of the team’s defense against Cunningham.

Good morning, BBN!

It is officially one of the greatest times of the sports calendar as the NBA and NHL Playoffs are in full swing. Now, while there are not a lot of former Kentucky Wildcats riddled across the NHL, there are plenty of them in the NBA.

On top of that, there are still several Cats fighting for a chance to win an NBA Championship this season.

As the second round gets underway, we have eight teams remaining: Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, and the Philadelphia 76ers. Only one team does not have a former Cat on the roster: The Pistons.

So who is still playing? Here is a quick list:

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC)
• Cason Wallace (OKC)
• Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL)
• Julius Randle (MIN)
• De’Aaron Fox (SA)
• Keldon Johnson (SA)
• Olivier Sarr (CLE)
• Karl Anthony-Towns (NYK)
• Tyrese Maxey (PHI)
• Justin Edwards (PHI)

At the moment, it looks like the chances of another former Wildcat bringing home an NBA Championship are quite good. Should be a fun few rounds left to watch who cuts down the nets.

Tweet of the Day

Plenty of people are spending on college basketball this offseason.

Headlines

SEC Tournament Tuesday Schedule Update – UK Athletics

Kentucky Softball is set to play Mississippi State around 2 PM ET.

ABS system approved for SEC Tournament- KSR

FINALLY!

New 2026-27 preseason projection poll has Kentucky sitting outside the top 40- KSR

The Cats have room to go forward.

Doubling Up: Bell, Van Cleave Earn SEC Weekly Honors- UK Athletics

A big week for a few Cats.

Kentucky continues to improve its chances with three-star RB Kelsey Gerald- Cats Pause

Will Stein is continuing to stay hot on the trail.

Tigers’ Tarik Skubal to undergo surgery on left elbow- ESPN

A huge loss for th Tigers.

Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards to play in Game 1 vs. Spurs- ESPN

He’s Baaaack.

Way-too-early 2027 NFL Mock Draft- CBS

These are always great to follow.

With Louisville, Tennessee thriving, Mark Pope’s hot seat intensifies amid Kentucky’s portal struggles- CBS

Never good when your recruiting struggles continue to make national news.

Jerry Krause doesn’t get enough credit for what he did with the Chicago Bulls. Not only did he not make the mistake that Houston and Portland made in not taking Michael Jordan (the Bulls took him at #3 in the 1984 draft), he quickly paired him with Scottie Pippen.

For the first three championship teams, the Bulls put guys like Bill Cartwright, Horace Grant, and John Paxson around their Dynamic Duo.

Jordan, of course, stepped away from basketball after the 1993 championship, but came back in 1995.

The team to an extent had already been rebuilt, notably with Grant being traded, but Krause again put together a brilliant group. He still had Pippen, and of course, Jordan was back. But the core of the rotation had been rebuilt, and brilliantly.

Chicago brought in shooter Steve Kerr, Aussie big man Luc Longley, Ron Harper, Dennis Rodman, and a player Krause had long coveted, Toni Kukoc.

Krause had long celebrated Kukoc, a native of Croatia, to the point where Jordan and Pippen were sick of hearing about him, so they went out of their way to shut him down when the Dream Team played Croatia in the 1992 Olympics.

But Krause wasn’t wrong: Kukoc was great. Not really good. Great.

At 6-11, Kukoc had point guard skills, as you’ll see here, and he meshed perfectly with that team. You wanted to keep Jordan and Pippen on the court as much as possible, but you could add Rodman, Kukoc, and Harper to almost anyone else on the floor and have possibly the most versatile team in NBA history.

That team really did invent positionless basketball, and did it decades before the term was even considered.

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The Rockets are not going to fire their GM or their Head Coach. Once you allow the emotion of the immensely disappointing end to the Rockets season subside, (and please take all the time you need) then you understand why they aren’t doing it, even if you think they should fire Rafael Stone and Ime Udoka. As for this writer? I’m in the camp that doesn’t think it’s time to fire them yet, but things sure seem to be heading in the direction where I think they may need to go. For instance, should they turn right around and trade Kevin Durant for pennies on the dollar, that would signal to me a complete admission that trading for him was a mistake in the first place.

Now, I want to say there is no way they are going to trade Kevin Durant, but I am the same guy who said they would never trade for Kevin Durant and hang their championship hopes on a 37-year-old with a lengthy injury history. That to me is kind of the issue. I hope they know what the plan is, because from where I am sitting, I have no clue. I have stood 10 toes down for Rafael Stone and Ime Udoka over the last three seasons, but in my humble opinion, enough time has passed where it’s time to start asking some questions about the job Rafael Stone has done.

My first question is this… How is it that after having a top four pick for four years in a row, having 10 first round nd picks total, the Rockets managed to get exactly zero consistent shooters, and after trading away Jalen Green and Cam Whitmore, have just one freakishly athletic player in Amen Thompson, who can create their own shot or shots for others. Yes, Alperen Sengun is athletic for his size, however he is not the type of player that will break down any defender and create offense, and if you want to agree to disagree that’s okay… I’ll give Stone two guys… out of 10. Neither of whom is a consistent shooter.

How is it that the Oklahoma City Thunder have shooters all the way down to the ball boy and guy who wipes the sweat off the floor, and the Houston Rockets have none? How is it that they have 11 guys who can create a shot for themselves, and the Houston Rockets have two? Rafael Stone built this team. No one, and I mean NO ONE he has drafted is a consistent shooter. If Reed Sheppard becomes that, then he will have drafted exactly one shooter.

Now, for those of you who will say, “But the ping pong balls never went his way…” Okay, so he couldn’t have drafted Cade Cunningham, but you did get an absolute freak of nature in Jalen Green, and you gave up on him at the age of 23. He couldn’t draft Paolo Banchero… but he could have drafted Jaylen Williams. I’ll give a slight pass on this as Jabari was projected to be a much more consistent shooter in the NBA, but I get my draft analysis from TV and the internet. Rafael Stone gets paid a lot of money to be right. I will give Jabari this complement. He cares and he steps his game up in big moments. That’s the kind of guy you want on your team, but in hindsight, he is not the third best player from that draft class. I’m not going to fault him for drafting Amen Thompson because in my opinion, outside of Wemby, Thompson is the best player from that class. However, Thompson is a guy you put on a team full of shooters and the Rockets had none at the time they drafted him.

So, if you couldn’t draft the shooters then why couldn’t you add them in free-agency? Luke Kennard could have been made a Rocket last offseason. Instead, Stone signed DFS to a three-year deal. A 35-percent career three-point shooter, because he had one efficient shooting season with the Lakers and Nets. Duncan Robinson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Seth Curry??? Anyone? Rather, we saw the Rockets turn into a stand around and watch KD, because no one else can create a shot, offense. Udoka is not absolved from this conversation, but Raphael Stone is doing the grocery shopping, and like me when my wife sends me to the store, he keeps forgetting stuff.

The Rockets cannot, in my opinion, turn around and make the Kevin Durant trade obsolete by flipping him after one season. I think, they want to get a look at the team with Fred Van Vleet, with a healthy DFS, with a healthy Durant and Steven Adams, but go back and just read what I wrote there. Put the odds on all of that happening. Put the odds on that beating OKC, or even the Lakers. The year to run it back one more time was this past season and Rafael Stone said “NOPE!” So now, what is he going to do? Because the job is still his. He painted himself into this corner and he’s going to have to get himself out of it, quickly.

Florida only added one player via the college basketball transfer portal ahead of the 2026-27 season, but came away as one of the biggest winners of the offseason due to retention.

The Gators were able to keep leading scorer Thomas Haugh and two-year starting forward Alex Condon for next season, despite both players having heavy NBA interest. Starting guard Boogie Fland is also returning, and starting center Rueben Chinyelu is testing the NBA draft waters while maintaining his eligibility.

Elsewhere, Connecticut was able to keep March Madness hero Braylon Mullins for his second season, despite Mullins being projected as a first-round pick.

There's a new No. 1: College basketball transfer portal team rankings

Basketball portal’s early losers: Big names, big swings, bigger questions

Sometimes the best additions are the ones already on the roster, especially in today’s era of the transfer portal and name, image and likeness influencing players' decisions.

Here’s a look at our top-10 retentions ahead of the 2026-27 college basketball season, whether it was an NBA or portal decision looming:

College Basketball Transfer Portal Retention Wins

Braylon Mullins, UConn

Before the Cleveland Cavaliers traded for superstar guard James Harden, there was reportedly another team that his representatives inquired about seeking a deal with: the Houston Rockets.

According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Tim MacMahon, Harden’s team reached out to Houston to gauge their interest in acquiring the former MVP from the then-reeling Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers, who started 6-21, were in the midst of several crises and the subject of many trade rumors to try to right the ship. There had been mutual interest in both Harden’s camp and the Rockets’ over the past several years, according to ESPN.

But the Rockets, having moved away from that heliocentric type of player, were not interested in adding. One source told ESPN that, while it would be intriguing to have as great a player as Harden on the young Rockets team, they wanted to develop players like Reed Sheppard, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson instead. This was not the first time that Houston had spurned the chance to acquire Harden, having done so twice before.

Another source told ESPN that the Rockets “weren’t going to put the ball in James’ hands anyway”, and questioned the need to trade for someone that requires the rock to be impactful. All this despite the fact that Houston was without their starting point guard, Fred Van Vleet, who suffered a torn ACL before the season started.

As history would tell it, the Cavs swooped in and acquired Harden for Darius Garland and a second-round pick. The move, which garnered plenty of criticism and raised eyebrows across the league, was the kind of risk that the Rockets were not willing to take. But for the Cavs, it was worth it to raise their championship window for the next year or two just a smidge wider.

Part of the wink and nudge of the deal with the Clippers was probably a contract extension for Harden, who doesn’t have too many of them left in his Hall of Fame career. After all, the Cavs very likely would not move on from their former All-Star point guard in Garland — 10 years younger than Harden — for just half a season of Harden. But perhaps that is not a forgone conclusion given the reported mutual interest in a return to Space City.

The Cavs figure to be one of the more interesting teams this upcoming offseason, whether that occurs after this series with Detroit or beyond. Harden’s contract is a big part of the equation that Koby Altman must solve.

Brad Stevens earned his Executive of the Year award by resetting his team’s roster financially while also fielding a squad of productive, overachieving, high effort players with high future potential. Then the first round happened and Cinderella’s carriage turned back into a pumpkin. So for his next trick, Brad Stevens has to use that hard earned flexibility to reload this roster for the future and get that glass slipper.

For a brief reminder, the reason the team cut all those salaries last offseason was because the current CBA was designed to break up teams like the 2024/2025 version of the Celtics. The ginormous tax bill was part of the problem, and we’ll never know how much it was a motivator. But the other big factor was all the team-building restrictions put on any team above the 2nd apron. I’m not looking to re-litigate that whole process — just pointing out that decisions were made with a stated objective to maximize future flexibility.

Well, the future is now. Jayson Tatum returned looking better than any could have hoped (with the unfortunate exception of Game 7) and will have a whole offseason to get back to 100%. Both Jayson and Jaylen Brown are squarely in the primes of their careers (and paid handsomely over the next 3-4 years). The singular goal of the front office is to field a championship level team this year and for the foreseeable future.

So where do we stand with the team’s books? Bobby Marks lays out the basics below.

Let’s take a closer look at some of those subjects. This is by no means an exhaustive breakdown, but a good place to kick things off two months before the draft and offseason and reset expectations.

While the team is under the tax aprons, they are still over the salary cap, which means they don’t have room under the cap to offer to free agents. (See Spotrac for a year over year breakdown of the roster). The good news is that they do have exceptions that they can use. More on that below.

Celtics Own Free Agents

The Celtics have several players that could be free agents, but nearly all of them have a team option to keep around. Some of those are no-brainers (Jordan Walsh) and others are decisions that can be made in the fall based on how the rest of the roster shakes out (Amari Williams, Ron Harper Jr., etc.).

Perhaps the most important objective is to find a way to keep Neemias Queta around. The team has a team option on him (so he’s almost certainly going to be back next year), but he’s also extension eligible. The team would be best served by picking up his option and extending off of that at (subject to what Queta is willing to agree to). The other option is to decline the option and sign him to a contract that starts off with a bigger first year value. The problem with that is that it takes away a lot of the flexibility that the team worked so hard to create.

Finally, the team has to decide what to do with Nikola Vucevic. In my opinion, they would be best served by letting him walk and using the flexibility elsewhere. There are also sign-and-trade options but I’m not sure if there’s going to be a ton of demand for his diminishing skills.

Another note: Payton Pritchard is not a free agent, but he is extension eligible as well (with one of the best contracts in basketball). I think the team would be wise to consider extending him beyond the two years left on his deal.

Free Agent Exceptions

The biggest lever the Celtics have for improving might be their Non-Tax Mid-Level Exception ($15M). They also have the Biannual Exception ($5.5M) that they could use. The asterisk here is that they will still have to make moves with an eye on the luxury tax. The trade deadline deals were made to duck the tax this year, but the repeater tax penalizes teams that are in the tax 3 out of 4 years. It is possible that under certain circumstances the team would consider it worth it to pay the taxes, but it would be an interesting decision given the cuts made this year.

The other item of note are the trade exceptions ($27.7M and others). The important note here is that the team would get hard capped at the First Apron if they used any of these. There are ways to cut costs elsewhere and/or use these exceptions in creative ways. Just don’t assume that we can simply trade for anyone making under $27.7M and call it a day.

Draft Picks

The Celtics currently own picks #27 and #40 in the upcoming draft. From what (little) I understand, the draft should be relatively deep and there could be value found. On the other hand, the team currently skews pretty young already and Brad might find better value in using those picks to trade for veteran contributors.

Your turn

So what do you think the Celtics should do next? What areas of need do you think the team should address as a priority? What would you do with Vucevic? Are there any free agents that you would target? Leave your thoughts in the comments below and let’s start a discussion.

Philadelphia 76ers (45-37, seventh in the Eastern Conference) vs. New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference)

New York; Wednesday, 7 p.m. EDT

LINE: Knicks -6.5; over/under is 215

EASTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Knicks lead series 1-0

BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks host the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference second round with a 1-0 lead in the series. The Knicks won the last meeting 137-98 on Tuesday, led by 35 points from Jalen Brunson. Paul George led the 76ers with 17.

The Knicks are 14-3 against opponents in the Atlantic Division. New York averages 116.5 points and has outscored opponents by 6.4 points per game.

The 76ers are 9-7 in division matchups. Philadelphia ranks eighth in the Eastern Conference scoring 50.1 points per game in the paint led by Tyrese Maxey averaging 14.0.

The Knicks score 116.5 points per game, 0.4 more points than the 116.1 the 76ers allow. The 76ers score 5.8 more points per game (115.9) than the Knicks give up (110.1).

TOP PERFORMERS: Brunson is scoring 26.0 points per game with 3.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists for the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 16.7 points and 9.6 rebounds while shooting 58.1% over the last 10 games.

Quentin Grimes is shooting 45.0% and averaging 13.4 points for the 76ers. George is averaging 3.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 7-3, averaging 116.4 points, 42.0 rebounds, 25.7 assists, 9.2 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 51.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 101.1 points per game.

76ers: 6-4, averaging 105.5 points, 41.9 rebounds, 21.2 assists, 6.5 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 44.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.3 points.

INJURIES: Knicks: None listed.

76ers: None listed.

___

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

A record-breaking defensive performance from Victor Wembanyama was not enough to prevent the Minnesota Timberwolves taking a 1-0 lead against the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA's Conference semi-finals.

Wembanyama made 12 blocks - a record for the NBA play-offs - but Minnesota, sixth seed in the Western Conference, upset second seed San Antonio by claiming a 104-102 win on the road on Monday.

The defensive player of the year added 11 points and 15 rebounds, becoming the third player to get a triple-double in the play-offs including blocks since the league began tracking blocks in 1973-74.

Anthony Edwards returned from a knee injury for the Timberwolves and scored 18 points from the bench as they held on to win the opening game of the best-of-seven series.

San Antonio remain at home for game two on Wednesday.

"We have to be better," said Wembanyama. "We need to figure it out in the next 48 hours, and I've got no doubt that we will. I would trust us."

The New York Knicks made a commanding start to their series with the Philadelphia 76ers, winning 137-98 at home.

The Knicks, who are the third seed in the Eastern Conference, became the first NBA team to win three straight play-off games by at least 25 points.

Jalen Brunson scored 27 of his game-high 35 points in the first half while London-born forward OG Anunoby finished with 18.

After beating the Atlanta Hawks 140-89 on Thursday, the Knicks became just the second team in NBA history to end one series and begin another with consecutive victories by at least 30 points.

"Wasn't any fun to be a part of, to be honest," said 76ers coach Nick Nurse. "But it's 0-1. Doesn't really matter if it's six points or 36 or whatever the hell it was."

Game two is scheduled for New York's Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.

• Pistons and Cavaliers advance in NBA play-offs

Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33, sixth in the Western Conference) vs. San Antonio Spurs (62-20, second in the Western Conference)

San Antonio; Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. EDT

LINE: Spurs -9.5; over/under is 215.5

WESTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Timberwolves lead series 1-0

BOTTOM LINE: The Minnesota Timberwolves visit the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference second round with a 1-0 lead in the series. The Timberwolves won the last meeting 104-102 on Tuesday, led by 21 points from Julius Randle. Dylan Harper led the Spurs with 18.

The Spurs are 36-16 against Western Conference opponents. San Antonio is ninth in the league with 28.1 assists per game. Stephon Castle leads the Spurs averaging 7.4.

The Timberwolves are 31-21 in Western Conference play. Minnesota ranks second in the Western Conference shooting 37.0% from 3-point range.

The Spurs make 48.3% of their shots from the field this season, which is 2.1 percentage points higher than the Timberwolves have allowed to their opponents (46.2%). The Timberwolves are shooting 48.1% from the field, 3.0% higher than the 45.1% the Spurs' opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: De'Aaron Fox is shooting 48.6% and averaging 18.6 points for the Spurs. Victor Wembanyama is averaging 15.2 points over the last 10 games.

Anthony Edwards is averaging 28.8 points and 3.7 assists for the Timberwolves. Jaden McDaniels is averaging 15.7 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Spurs: 7-3, averaging 114.8 points, 45.4 rebounds, 26.3 assists, 7.6 steals and 7.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.5 points per game.

Timberwolves: 7-3, averaging 116.4 points, 43.4 rebounds, 25.7 assists, 6.8 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.7 points.

INJURIES: Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle), Carter Bryant: out (foot).

Timberwolves: Ayo Dosunmu: out (calf), Donte DiVincenzo: out for season (leg).

___

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

The game never felt comfortable. Not for a second. Every possession was a fight. Every shot was earned. And by the time the final seconds ticked away Monday night, the difference between the San Antonio Spurs and the Minnesota Timberwolves came down to a single shot that wouldn’t fall.

San Antonio opened its Western Conference semifinal series with a narrow 104-102 loss, a game defined less by scoring runs and more by survival. From the opening tip, it was clear this wouldn’t be pretty. Shots clanged off the rim. Driving lanes disappeared as quickly as they opened. Both teams leaned into physicality, turning the game into a defensive grind that never allowed rhythm to settle in.

“They’re physical, they guard the basketball really well,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said of Minnesota. “They take a lot of pride in it. In first half, I thought we were a bit indecisive, that hurt us in the first half, picked up pace in 2nd half. We missed some good shots.”

Still, the Spurs never broke.

They absorbed Minnesota’s pressure, matched their intensity, and kept the score within reach all night long. It wasn’t smooth or flashy, but it was enough to keep hope alive deep into the fourth quarter with a three point lead.

If there was one force that shaped the night, it was Victor Wembanyama. Every time Minnesota thought it had an easy look at the rim, he was there: altering shots, blocking attempts, and reshaping the Timberwolves’ offense entirely. His performance was historic, anchoring a defensive effort that gave San Antonio every chance to steal Game 1.

But even dominance on that end couldn’t solve everything and for all their defensive success, the Spurs struggled to find consistent scoring. Open looks were rare. Clean possessions were even rarer. And when opportunities did come, San Antonio couldn’t convert enough of them, especially from beyond the arc.

“Offensively I used too much energy on things that didn’t really help our team. So that’s on me,” Wembanyama said after the game. “First thing, I need to start making some shots [in Game 2].”

Instead, they leaned on balance. Contributions came from across the roster, with rookie guard Dylan Harper stepping into the moment and leading the team in scoring with 18 points. It was enough to stay close, even going into the final minutes. Unfortunately, it was not enough to steal the win from the jaws of defeat.

For the Timberwolves, didn’t solve the Spurs’ defense. Instead, they handled it better than the Portland Trail Blazers. Timely baskets from Julius Randle helped create a sliver of separation late, while Anthony Edwards returned to the lineup and provided a spark that shifted momentum in key moments.

In a game where neither side could build a cushion, those small bursts mattered. And in the final minutes, they were the difference. Despite off games from Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox, the Spurs still had a chance to win the basketball game. That alone should give the Spurs and their fans some hope going into Game 2.

Game 1 didn’t reveal a mismatch. It revealed how thin the line is. The Spurs proved they can go toe-to-toe with Minnesota’s physicality, match their defense, and withstand the pressure of a playoff atmosphere. But they also learned how little room there is for error.

Two points. One shot. A handful of possessions.

That’s all that separated them from a different ending — and perhaps, a different start to the series.

Game Notes

• De’Aaron Fox had one of his worst outings as a Spur, scoring 10 points on 35% shooting and turning the ball over six times. After the game, Fox told San Antonio Express-News’ Tom Orsborn that the loss is on him. “I think this game, in particular, I think it was on me,” he said.
• There has been debate on Mitch Johnson not calling timeout on the final play and that seems like the right move. Julian hits that shot 95% of the time. This was the 5% he didn’t. You move on. As bad as Fox and Wemby were, the Spurs almost stole Game 1 from the jaws of defeat. Encouraging for Game 2.
• Wemby’s 12 blocks are just incredible.
• De’Aaron Fox and Wemby combined for just 21 points and were 0-for-12 from three-point range. That’s not likely to happen again in this series or the rest of the playoffs. So that’s good news for the Spurs.