Category: NBA

Before his team’s first round playoff series victory over the Rockets, Lakers coach JJ Redick laid out what needed to happen for his team to have success: take care of the basketball and prevent offensive rebounds.

The Lakers won early in the series despite struggling in those areas, before finding the right formula in a series-clinching Game 6 victory.

Now, they’re doubling down on the first emphasis ahead of their second round matchup against the Thunder, the defending NBA champions, with Game 1 set for Tuesday night at Paycom Center. 

“The reality of their defense is that whatever moments we felt Houston pressuring, like the maximum amount of pressure they put on us, that’s OKC’s baseline,” Redick said. “That’s their core.”

The Thunder have had the league’s top-ranked defense for the last two seasons for multiple reasons. 

They’ve been the best team in the league at protecting the rim from an accuracy standpoint for three seasons in a row. 

In general, the closer opponents get to the basket, the stingier the Thunder’s defense gets. 

But on the perimeter, they’re the most disruptive team in the league. 

They were one of two teams, along with the Pistons, during the regular season to be top-five in deflections (league-most 20.7), steals (second-most with 9.7), blocked shots (second-most with 6.4) and turnovers forced (second-most with 16.7).

But unlike the Pistons, they don’t commit a lot of fouls, ranking No. 7 in personal fouls per game during the regular season compared to the Pistons being last in the league (No. 30). 

“You’re talking about a team that’s top five in every category that’s disruptive-base: Steals, blocks, turnovers forced, all that stuff,” Redick said. “And they don’t foul. They somehow do all of that without fouling, which is one of the most remarkable things I think in NBA history.”

Whether Redick was being sarcastic with his comment about the Thunder’s lack of fouling, that’s the challenge the Lakers will be facing during against the Thunder: Taking care of the ball and trying to create quality offense against a Thunder defense that has very few weaknesses. 

This was one of the biggest struggles for the Lakers during the four games of their regular season series against the Thunder.

They committed 17.5 turnovers per game against the Thunder, including 20 in the Nov. 12 loss and 18 in the April 2 loss in Oklahoma City.

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The Thunder averaged 25 points off turnovers in those home wins over the Lakers, and 22.3 per game during the regular season series. 

“You can’t hear yourself,” Ayton said of the environment at Paycom Center. “It’s definitely the “Thunder” for a reason. Their fans are thunderous. You can hear the floor shaking, the bleachers, you can’t even hear a play call. You gotta be super dialed in.”

Realistically, the Lakers can’t be expected to have a low turnover rate.

Even in their losses, the Thunder won the turnover battle by a decent margin, still recording 14.2 takeaways per game.  

Their physicality forces and playstyle force errors.

And with the Lakers being a more frequent passing team with the absence of Luka Doncic, there will be openings for the Thunder to take advantage of.

The Lakers’ focus will be on limiting their mistakes. 

Limiting the types of turnovers that feed the Thunder’s ability to go on quick runs that put the game out of reach. 

“They’re really good at runs, and part of that is how good their defense is, their ability to create turnovers,” Redick said. “The live-ball turnovers really kill you. And they don’t get out in transition a ton, but when they do, they’re the best in the NBA in terms of [points per possession]. Limiting their runs, [Pacers coach] Rick Carlisle is the master of that, the quick timeout. 

Redick added: “I’ve already told the staff, already told the players, I’ve got to be  more diligent than I normally am. I like my timeouts, I like going into the fourth quarter with four timeouts, I like having two in the last 30 seconds. I don’t think you have the luxury of worrying about that because the games get away from you so quickly because of how explosive they are when they go on their runs and they do that to everybody. It’s what they do. Mitigating the 12-15-point runs, I think, is really important.”

If Cormac Karl “Max” Christie had put up the numbers he put up in 2025-26 in support of a team battling for playoff positioning down the stretch, Dallas Mavericks fans would be calling him one of the most underrated players in the NBA. He’d be a bona fide up-and-comer.

He shot a career-best 40.4% from 3-point range in his fifth year out of Michigan State and also put up a career-high mark of 12.3 points per game in his first full year with the Mavericks. He played in 77 games, starting 68 of them.

The numbers say he’s developing into a nice complementary player. The eye test does too, at times. On a roster pockmarked with holes, salary fillers and projects, why doesn’t Christie’s status as a core member moving forward feel more cemented? Why does the mention of his name and place in the organization evoke little more than a shrug and a “meh.”

In the absence of anything better, Christie seems… fine. Why is that?

Season in review

The most glaring reason may just be the collective numbness Mavs fans feel after the team’s 26-56 effort this year. It is harder than ever to feel feelings about basketball under present circumstances. If that’s the case, don’t let a bummer of a year sour you on one of the few guys on this roster who could be useful moving forward as the Mavericks start to build around Cooper Flagg.

But another part of the ambivalence that Christie engenders may be due to his tendency toward exaggerated streakiness.

He’s been streaky in the extreme since he arrived in February of last season as part of the trade that sent Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers. He scored 15 or more points in each of the first seven games he played in a Mavericks uniform. He promptly followed that with a month of March that saw him average just over nine points per game on just 33% shooting from beyond the arc. He was even worse from the perimeter toward the end of last season.

Christie sustained a really good start to the season for more than a month this year. He was one of the best corner 3-point shooters in the league for most of the year, but his shooting above the break wasn’t nearly as consistent. He had a down month in December, as his minutes tapered off some, before bouncing back with 16.5 points per game in January. He seemed to lose his touch from outside down the stretch of the season, but found other ways to score in an offense that threw everything up against the wall in search of something that would stick alongside Flagg.

Would Christie’s efforts be more appreciated on a better team? Or would Christie be relegated to fewer minutes and an even smaller impact on a winner? He brought with him to Dallas a reputation as at least a plus defender, but he’s neither big nor bad enough to solve the point of attack. He can be part of a good defensive unit, but he’s not individually brilliant enough on that end of the floor to lead one.

Best game

Max Christie scores 26, hits 8 3-pointers as Mavericks roll at Madison Square Garden | NBA.com

Christie scored 26 points on 8-of-10 shooting from 3-point land and grabbed six rebounds in a 114-97 upset win at the New York Knicks on Jan. 19. In retrospect, that win and two or three similar flukes in the second half of the season likely were the difference between the Mavericks having the fifth-best odds in the Draft Lottery and eventually ending up with the eighth-best odds.

Still, it was a hell of a game for Christie, and it came amidst another one of his patented streaks. It was the second of what would be four straight games of more than 20 points in January. He made 20-of-38 from 3-point territory in those four games, but he just couldn’t miss in that head-scratcher at Madison Square Garden.

Contract Status

In the end, this team needs so much help, that it seems the best idea to keep Christie around, especially on his current contract, which will pay him just north of $8.2 million next season, before his player option ahead of 2027-28, with just under $9 million waiting. If he can take one more step in the right direction, that deal will look like a steal. He signed that four-year, $32-million deal while he was still with the Lakers.

Looking ahead

Ideally, Christie would be an effective scorer and able defender coming off the bench as the Mavericks rebuild. He was forced into a higher-profile role on a really dumb team in 2025-26, and the Mavericks may need all he can give them next year, depending on who Dallas lands with their first pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

If he can improve his above-the-break 3-point shooting and show a little more on defense, he might grow into something akin to the guard version of Naji Marshall. Capable, lovable and something altogether more than “meh.”

The Lakers are marching towards a storm. 

It’s in the form of a defense that encircles its opponents, obscuring their vision, sapping their energy, rendering them shells of themselves. 

The Lakers have lost to the Thunder in all four regular-season meetings, by an average of 29.3 points per game. Now they face them in the second round of the playoffs. 

The question on everyone’s mind: Do they have a chance?

So much must go right for the Lakers to compete against the reigning champions, who are younger, faster, deeper and more physical.

The Thunder have the top-rated defense in the NBA. The Lakers are missing the league’s leading scorer in Luka Doncic, who averaged 33.5 points per game before sustaining a strained hamstring on April 2.

That’s not exactly a recipe for success.

For the Lakers to stand a chance in this series, near-perfection is required.

They need to make their 3-point shots. They need to drastically reduce their turnovers. They need to control the pace.

The 41-year-old LeBron James, who’s the same age as both teams’ coaches in this series, needs to once again put the team on his shoulders and carry them as the first offensive option.

Austin Reaves, who returned in Game 5 of the first round from an oblique strain, needs to shake off his postseason struggles over the last two years and play the All-Star-caliber basketball he displayed for much of this season.

Luke Kennard, who led the league in 3-point shooting (44.8%), needs to be aggressive and hunt for his shot as though he were a star instead of deferring to his teammates.

Marcus Smart needs to channel his Defensive Player of the Year campaign in 2021-22, using all of his basketball IQ and energy to try to slow down reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Deandre Ayton needs to be DominAyton, the most dominant, forceful version of himself, not the guy whose intensity wavers.

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Doncic needs to… return.

The Lakers aren’t just facing an uphill battle. They’re facing the Mt. Everest of opponents.

Lakers coach JJ Redick likened them to the Bulls of 1995-97 and Warriors of 2015-2017.

“The Thunder is one of the greatest teams ever in NBA history,” Redick said. “It’s just the reality. They’re that good.”

It’s easy to look at this series and say the Lakers have no chance. But somehow this team thrives under those desert-like, harsh conditions.

When they were counted out of their first-round playoff series against the Rockets without Doncic and Reaves, they responded by taking a 3-0 series lead.

When James was dismissed as being too old to carry a bunch of role players into the second round, he responded by outplaying guys nearly half his age.

When Ayton and Smart were viewed as has-beens who were slipping out of the league, they reminded us that the former was the No. 1 overall pick in 2018 and the latter was considered the league’s top defender.

Doncic’s absence sharpened everyone. It heightened their awareness. It made them become the best version of themselves.

“As much as we see that narrative and feel bad, you would think that it hurts us not having him, but it actually helps,” Smart said. “It forces guys to have to elevate their game to a whole other level.”

Each rotation player has met the challenge.

Against the Thunder, the tide must rise even more.

Smart didn’t hesitate when asked where guarding Gilgeous-Alexander ranks among his toughest challenges.

“No. 1,” he said.

Ayton’s task is just as difficult.

He has to try and outmatch the skills and physicality of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein.

“He’s the person that changes our ceiling the most,” Redick said of Ayton.

The Thunder have no holes. No weaknesses. Their defense is notoriously suffocating. Offensively, they were rated seventh.

They’re a group of guys who like each other. Who play for each other. Who know how to win.

“You can respect the team,” Jake LaRavia said. “But you can’t fear them.”

The Lakers need to believe they belong.

They need to be hyper-focused. They need to star in their roles. They need to take their games to another level.

The storm is coming.

How will they weather it?

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."

Is Luka Doncic playing tonight vs. Thunder?

No, he is out for Game 1. The timeline for his return is also still unclear, according to Charania.

Doncic was seen putting shots up during Lakers practice on Monday, May 4, but he has yet to progress to 3-on-3 or 5-on-5. Lakers head coach JJ Redick had no update for reporters.

Doncic has missed 11 games since straining his left hamstring against Oklahoma City on April 2. The Lakers have gone 7-4 in that span and ran out to a 3-0 lead in the first round of the playoffs against the Houston Rockets before winning the series in six games.

Luka Doncic, getting up shots Monday. When asked about his availability for Game 1, JJ Redick said, “no update.” pic.twitter.com/UZBw9x2E9R

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) May 4, 2026

The odds are stacked against Los Angeles yet again with a matchup against the defending NBA champion Thunder, who won a league-best 64 games in the regular season. The absence of Jalen Williams makes things slightly less lopsided, especially if the Lakers keep producing total team efforts with contributions from Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura.

Make no mistake, though: Doncic, who led the league in scoring with 33.5 points per game and finished third in assists with 8.3 per game, will be needed this series. It just remains to be seen when – or if – he'll be back in time.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Luka Doncic injury update, status ahead of Lakers vs Thunder Game 1

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.

Thunder vs. Lakers playoff schedule

All times Eastern

• Game 1 at Oklahoma City: Tuesday, May 5 at 8:30 p.m. | NBC, Peacock
• Game 2 at Oklahoma City: Thursday, May 7 at 9:30 p.m. | Amazon Prime Video
• Game 3 at Los Angeles: Saturday, May 9 at 9:30 p.m. | ABC, Fubo
• Game 4 at Los Angeles: Monday, May 11 at 10:30 p.m. | Amazon Prime Video
• *Game 5 at Oklahoma City: Wednesday, May 13 | Time and TV TBD
• *Game 6 at Los Angeles: Saturday, May 16 | Time and TV TBD
• *Game 7 at Oklahoma City: Monday, May 18 | Time and TV TBD

*If necessary

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jalen Williams hamstring injury: Thunder star to miss Game 1 vs. Lakers

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.

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

How many 20+ million dollar rosters are there in college basketball this offseason? Sean Miller's perspective:

"Educated guess? Sometimes you don't have all the information… I would say 20-25." 👀

🎥: https://t.co/kRYnhn5fpCpic.twitter.com/nG8CMfoVOg

— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) May 4, 2026

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

Mullins proved to be a missing puzzle piece for Dan Hurley and UConn to get back to the Final Four as an all-around player, highlighted by his ability to hit challenging shots. He hit the game-winning shot to get the Huskies to within two wins of their third national championship title in the past four NCAA tournaments.

After averaging 12.0 points per game, 33.5% from 3-point shooting and 29 starts in 33 games, he was being projected as a mid- to late-first round draft pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. However, he opted to return to the Huskies for his sophomore season, where there's "unfinished business" to be settled.

Mullins’ return to UConn positions him as one of the top players in the country and one of the Huskies' leading scorers next season, but also gives him a real chance to elevate his stock into a lottery pick for the 2027 NBA Draft.

Thomas Haugh, Florida

Haugh is another player who seemed destined to declare for the draft. He decided to pass up on being a projected lottery pick and return to the Gators in an attempt to making one last deep run in March Madness after an abrupt end this past season.

"Most guys in my position in the draft, it would be a no-brainer to go to the NBA," Haugh said on his reasoning. "It’s not just the NIL. It’s a chance to play with my boys. To play for coach (Todd) Golden." While NIL certainly isn't the main reason in his return, it certainly is a factor in why the Gators were able to retain him. As noted by ESPN, Haugh is expected to be one of the highest-paid players in the country this upcoming season which, like Mullins, will likely be more than he would have potentially made in the NBA.

His return gives Golden an All-American returning to his frontcourt and a reliable go-to scorer and rebounder who averaged 17.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game last season.

MORE: When the stars are gone, the smart transfer portal moves matter most

Patrick Ngongba II, Duke

Patrick Ngongba II was another top talent who opted to run it back one more year in college rather than go to the NBA, where he was projected as a late first-round draft pick.

The return of the 6-11 center is a big one for Duke, who will look to give it another go at snapping an 11-year national championship drought. Ngongba finished as Duke's third-leading scorer last season with 10.1 points per game and 60.6% shooting from the field, while being one of the top defensive players in the country with 5.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.

Before sustaining a foot injury just before the ACC Tournament, Ngongba was playing some of his best basketball down the stretch of the regular season, as he scored in double figures in five straight games before the injury.

Nigel James Jr, Marquette

One of Marquette's most important offseasons in the Shaka Smart era began with retaining the core three — Nigel James Jr., Adrian Phillips and Royce Parham — of the Golden Eagles' freshman class for their 2026-27 roster rebuild.

The first domino to fall came on Day 1 of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden when James announced he was returning to the Golden Eagles for his sophomore season during his Big East Freshman of the Year acceptance speech. It was not only a moment that shut down any thought of him potentially entering the transfer portal, but it also provided Marquette with a point guard and go-to scorer to build around with its expected portal activity.

The 6-foot guard finished as one of just two freshmen in the country to finish with at least 19.0 points, 5.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game in conference games this past season, with the other being Darius Acuff Jr. at Arkansas.

Cayden Boozer, Duke

All signs pointed to Cayden Boozer returning to Duke for a sophomore season after playing alongside his brother, Cameron Boozer. His announcement of his return was a big one for Jon Scheyer.

Boozer provided Duke with quality minutes at the end of the season when Caleb Foster got injured ahead of the ACC Tournament. The 6-4 guard, the son of former Duke legend Carlos Boozer, averaged 13 points per game in the seven starts he made during Foster's absence.

Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt

Tyler Tanner enjoyed a breakout season in 2025-26, averaging 19.5 points with 3.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game for Vanderbilt. The 6-foot sophomore declared for the 2026 NBA Draft while maintaining his eligibility, keeping the option to return to school.

Tanner returning to Vanderbilt looks likely, where he’ll be well-compensated and be one of the best returning guards in college basketball. His size (listed at 6-foot), along with the 2026 class being loaded at guard, could factor into his decision.

Alex Condon, Florida

Condon nearly left Florida for the NBA Draft after winning a national championship in 2025. He returned for 2025-26 and now will be back again for 2026-27 as a senior.

The 6-11 Australian averaged 15.1 points with 7.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game last season for the Gators, and formed one of the best frontcourts in college basketball with Haugh and Chinyelu, who’s also trending toward a return next season.

Condon could be the best returning big man in college basketball next season, especially with his playmaking ability as both a scorer and passer.

Trey McKenney, Michigan

One of the most popular breakout picks for next season, former five-star recruit Trey McKenney is returning for 2026-27 despite having NBA interest after his true freshman season at Michigan.

The 6-4 former McDonald’s All American averaged 9.9 points while shooting 39.1% from 3-point range off the bench for the reigning national champions. He should enter the starting lineup next season, and has a chance to turn into Michigan’s go-to scorer as a sophomore.

McKenney averaged 12 points per game during the NCAA Tournament and was a huge retention win for coach Dusty May and the Wolverines.

MBB recruiting 2026 team rankings: Kansas lands top player, but another program is No. 1

Andrej Stojakovic, Illinois

Illinois guard Andrej Stojakovic also entered his name into 2026 NBA Draft consideration, although it's becoming increasingly likely he'll return to school.

The 6-7 guard was an NCAA Tournament breakout, earning All-Region honors after averaging 13.8 points with four rebounds per game off the bench for the Fighting Illini. The two-time transfer will likely start alongside a cast of Illinois returners, including Tomislav Ivisic and David Mirkovic, along with transfer Stefan Vaaks from Providence.

Stojakovic, the son of former NBA star Peja Stojakovic, averaged 13.5 points per game in his first season after transferring from Stanford and Cal.

Rob Wright III, BYU

BYU guard Rob Wright III initially entered the transfer portal, but the Cougars were able to retain their second-leading scorer for his junior season.

Wright averaged 18.1 points with 3.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game last season, despite playing second fiddle to projected No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa. Wright will pace BYU in 2026-27 and will be the No. 1 option for the squad in his second season after transferring from Baylor.

Wright was one of the top-ranked players in the transfer portal, but he ends up returning to BYU, where he’ll be asked to score early and often.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sometimes best transfer portal move is keeping what you already have

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.

https://t.co/SMOI7sX2tapic.twitter.com/N17c2U0f7K

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) May 3, 2026

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.

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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).

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