Attending a Lakers playoff game is an exciting outing for any family.
The Lake Show isn’t just a basketball team in this city. It’s a Broadway show, a Hollywood premiere and a sports spectacle all rolled into one. A-list celebrities are everywhere, the arena is rocking and fans get to watch the 17-time NBA champion Lakers featuring LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
Lakers fans have seen some great NBA playoff games, but this year it cost a lot to watch LA get swept by the Thunder. AP
However, on Monday night, a family of four paid staggering prices just to watch their beloved Lakers get swept by the reigning champion Thunder. Talk about a tough way to say goodbye.
The Thunder completed the sweep in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals in a thrilling 115-110 victory, sending LA into a very long offseason filled with questions about LeBron, Austin Reaves and the future of basketball’s most glamorous franchise.
But while OKC delivered the knockout blow on the court, Lakers fans were busy absorbing another one in their wallets.
According to a new analysis from The Action Network, it cost a family of four a staggering $2,615.01 total to attend Game 4 at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles. That total price includes four tickets, parking, food, drinks and merchandise. For perspective, the average cost for a family of four to attend a regular-season Lakers game is about $677.64.
The inflated prices might be attributed to fans willing to pay for what possibly was LeBron’s last game in a Lakers uniform.
Knicks fans are paying the most this postseason. A family of four’s total cost for one game: more than $3,610. NEW YORK POST
Meanwhile, families in OKC were attending Games 1 and 2 at Paycom Center for $1,796.09, nearly $1,000 cheaper than the cost in LA.
And yet, Los Angeles and OKC were not even the most expensive or cheapest of the eight teams playing in the conference semifinals.
Somehow, the Knicks laughed at the Lakers’ prices.
A family of four attending a playoff game at Madison Square Garden for Games 1 and 2 against the 76ers paid $3,611.73. That’s the price of a used car and a bucket of popcorn in most cities.
The most affordable postseason experience belonged to the Cavaliers in Cleveland, where a family of four paid $1,330.96 to catch the Cavs against the Pistons.
With another round to go before the NBA Finals tips off in June, Lakers fans might be grateful their team is no longer competing. Whereas Thunder and Knicks fans will have to keep opening their wallets to see if their team wins a title.
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DETROIT, MICHIGAN - MARCH 20: Head coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors reacts against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on March 20, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Talking to the media is an important part of an NBA coach’s responsibilities, but that obligation doesn’t mean a coach can’t have fun with it. That’s something that Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr knows all too well.
Thursday, Wright Thompson’s feature on Kerr for ESPN revealed that a few seasons ago, the coach had starting working the lyrics from “All Too Well” by Taylor Swift into his postgame comments to the media. Kerr crossed off lyrics when he had used them and eventually his son, Matthew, who is on the writing staff for “Rooster,” edited all the Swiftie moments into one video that made it look like Kerr was reciting the whole song.
Taylor Swift eventually saw the video and enjoyed it, but Kerr asked her team not to share the video. That’s refreshing in the social media era! It also makes this writer wonder when Kerr managed to work in comments about borrowed scarves and dancing around the kitchen in the refrigerator light when discussing how to stop Luka Doncic on the pick-and-roll.
That being said, “Casually cruel in the name of being honest” would describe about a lot of Kerr’s responses to questions about Jonathan Kuminga. Though if Kuminga and Steph Curry had been closer in age, maybe it would have been fine.
It appears that Kerr only included the lyrics to the original “All Too Well,” and not the extended, 10-minute edition, which is probably for the best. People might have started getting concerned if Kerr muttered that it was supposed to be fun to turn twenty-one, or talked about his “F–– the Patriarchy” keychain or revealed that he liked Gui Santos because he “reminds you of innocence and smells like me.”
The story does present a question: Is Steve Kerr a secret Swiftie? It seems unlikely, but you never know. We learned from Thompson’s piece that the first concert attended by Kerr’s other son, Warriors assistant Nick Kerr, was the Backstreet Boys at the Alamodome in San Antonio. (Kerr’s first show was The Police. This author’s first show was the Grateful Dead at age 10, during which I wondered why the band was using so many smoke effects in the crowd and why I was ravenously hungry at intermission.)
If so, it could transform Warriors news conferences. After a while, there’s only so much that Kerr an say about Steph Curry’s brilliance (Taylor would say he’s a “never-needy, ever-lovely jewel whose shine reflects on you”). Instead, let’s see what Kerr thinks about the way Jake Gyllenhaal treated his 21-year-old girlfriend! Does he think Travis Kelce is good for her? Should she branch out from working with Jack Antonoff so much?
Now that the story broke, we can’t see Kerr trying something like this again. Which is a shame. Because Kerr reciting the lyrics to “Wood” during a postgame interview would be a truly Hall of Fame performance.
With a chance to clinch a berth in the Western Conference finals, the San Antonio Spurs jumped out to an early lead. One of their key players, however, limped off the floor with an apparent foot injury.
Starting point guard De’Aaron Fox appeared to suffer a tweaked ankle with 1:15 left to play in the first half and limped off the floor under his own power, though he appeared to be unable to put weight on the injured foot.
The injury appeared to happen around the 1:30 mark, when Fox jumped straight in the air to tip a loose ball to a teammate; immediately after landing, Fox hobbled off in evident discomfort. He headed toward the bench and said something to Spurs coach Mitch Johnson before limping straight into the locker room.
Fox had a stellar start to the game, scoring 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting, adding 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block.
De'Aaron Fox taps the rebound, twists his ankle, and blocks Anthony Edwards before limping to the locker room pic.twitter.com/zLgwrSWDDS
The good news for San Antonio is that guard is a position of excellent depth. Rookie guard Dylan Harper, who has had an exceptional postseason, was subbed in for Fox.
The Spurs, who have a 3-2 series lead, took a 74-61 lead into the half.
That was the Pistons team that won 60 games and was the No. 1 seed in the East.
Detroit was the more physical team and owned the paint, outscoring Cleveland 48-29. The Pistons' defense was locked in, holding the Cavaliers to 38.5% shooting overall, with Donovan Mitchell shooting 6-of-20 and Evan Mobley 6-of-14. That was the deep Detroit team from the regular season, and on Friday, it got 48 points from its bench, led by 17 from Paul Reed, compared to just 19 total points from the Cavaliers' bench.
And that was the All-Star Jalen Duren that has been missing this series: 15 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and he was a huge presence inside.
The result is Detroit forcing a Game 7 with a dominating win, 115-94. That is the second-straight series the Pistons won Game 6 on the road to keep their season alive
Also, for the second straight series, the Pistons will host a Game 7, this time on Sunday.
While we saw a far more balanced Detroit offense on Friday night, this is still Cade Cunningham's team and he led the way with 21 points, including five 3-pointers, plus eight assists. What was different was the shooters around him knocking down shots: The Pistons hit 16 3-pointers while shooting 44.4%.
However, for the Pistons, everything started with their defense, as it did during the regular season.
Detroit also forced 18 turnovers, allowing them to get out and run, getting easy buckets in transition that they had been missing for much of the last few games.
Detroit was resilient all night. Thanks to the energy of their home crowd, Cleveland went on a 17-7 first-quarter run to take a six-point lead. Detroit just put its head down and hustled its way to a 10-2 run to end the first, and it was 27-25 Detroit after a quarter. If the Cavaliers wanted to know why they were down, it was the seven first-quarter turnovers that became nine Pistons points.
Pistons extended that run to 16-2 early in the third and eventually pushed the lead to 12. How did Detroit earn that lead? Outscoring Cleveland's bench 17-0 to start the game, and the Pistons grabbing five offensive rebounds — they dominated the possession game early.
Detroit led much of the night, but the Cavaliers finished the first half on a 7-0 run — in part due to a couple of lazy passes by Cunningham that became turnovers going the other way — and it was close, 54-51, at the half. Cunningham had 16 at the half, Mitchell 13.
In the third quarter, Detroit just kept grinding. Cleveland would make a little run, the Pistons would answer. Detroit was just more driven, more relentless, and it just kept getting to the loose balls and making plays when it needed them.
Cleveland was led by Harden, who scored 23 points but has now fallen to 4-14 in his career in Game 6s. Mitchell had 18 points on his 20 shot attempts, and Evan Mobley also had 18.
Detroit got 17 off the bench from Paul Reed, 14 from Duncan Robinson, including four 3-pointers, and Marcus Sasser was 4-of-5 for nine points, but that undersells his impact — he was a team high +27. Duren and Daniss Jenkins each scored 15 for the Pistons.
If these Pistons show up on Sunday, they will be playing the Knicks for the Eastern Conference title starting Tuesday. However, expect a much better outing from a desperate Cavaliers team on the road Sunday.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 15: Paul Reed #7 of the Detroit Pistons celebrates after a basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the third period in Game Six of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Rocket Arena on May 15, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Daniss Jenkins would get the start in Game 6 despite Duncan Robinson returning from injury. The decision would pay off as the Detroit bench scored 48 points in a complete team win with a 21-point victory over Cleveland.
The Pistons got out to a 10-6 start until back-to-back threes from James Harden and Donovan Mitchell gave Cleveland the lead. Caris LeVert hit two important threes – one took back the lead to make it 17-16 and another tied the game up 25-25 before the end of the quarter.
Paul Reed started the second quarter for Detroit and the Pistons instantly went on an 11-2 run after a Cade three made it 38-27. The Bball Paul Impact continues to be felt every time he has hit the court recently. Although Ausar Thompson was called for a flagrant one foul against Sam Merrill, he also had this insane block:
After Cade hit back-to-back threes to make it a double-digit game again, he had two careless turnovers and Detroit allowed an offensive rebound off a free throw into a three-pointer that led to a 7-0 Cavs run before the half. It felt like another one of those times where Detroit was shooting itself in the foot, but they held a a 54-51 lead halfway through the game.
Cade would lead the way for Detroit with 16 points and five assists while Duren added nine points and six rebounds. Thompson was doing it all with eight points, five rebounds, two assists, and four steals. Mitchell led Cleveland in scoring with 13 points.
Once the second half started, it was over.
Detroit got out to a 15-4 start after halftime and never looked back. Duren rolled his ankle halfway through the third, though, he would return a quarter later. Paul Reed finished this hilarious possession in JD’s absence:
Duncan Robinson still had his scoring impact off the bench as did Marcus Sasser. Sasser hit a floater at the buzzer to finish off a 10-2 Detroit run that made it an 84-70 lead – the largest lead of the night at the moment.
Sasser’s hot hand continued in the final quarter as did the rest of the bench. Daniss Jenkins also added some quality minutes including a couple made threes in the fourth. It felt like a complete team effort despite Cade struggling late as Detroit would outscore Cleveland 61-43 in the second half. The Pistons would go on to beat the Cavs 115-94 to force another Game 7 back in Detroit.
Cade still led the way for Detroit with 21 points despite taking 19 shots and only having five points in the second half. Despite an unfriendly whistle from the referees, Cade made his impact from deep by shooting 5-for-10. He also added eight assists.
Jalen Duren had his best game of the playoffs so far with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks while shooting 7-for-10 from the field. He was able to overpower Jarrett Allen down low and looked like the regular season version we’re used to seeing when he puts the ball on the floor. He converted multiple drives, finished well around the rim, and also provided great rim protection on defense.
Fellow big man Bball Paul also had a great game with 17 points (playoff career-high) and six rebounds while shooting 7-for-9 from the field, including a made three. Reed’s performance these playoffs is a big part of why they’re still playing postseason basketball and he continues to be worthy of more minutes.
Ausar Thompson fouled out and had some questionable calls against him (again), but he stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Jenkins, Robinson, and Sasser all provided efficient scoring, and it’s worth noting how ready Sasser looked for this moment.
We’re now heading back to Little Caesars Arena for a Game 7 for the second round in a row.
The Pistons forced a Game 7 with their win against the Cavaliers on Friday.
CLEVELAND — Cade Cunningham scored 21 points and the top-seeded Detroit Pistons dominated the second half, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-94 on Friday night to force a Game 7 in their Eastern Conference second-round series.
The decisive game is Sunday in Detroit.
Jalen Duren had 15 points and 11 rebounds while Daniss Jenkins also scored 15 for the Pistons, who have won four games this postseason when facing elimination.
They were down 3-1 to Orlando before winning the last three to advance out of the first round.
Cunningham made five 3-pointers as the Pistons went 16 of 36 from beyond the arc. Duncan Robinson, who missed Wednesday’s Game 5 with a lower back injury, had four 3-pointers and scored 14 points off the bench.
Cade Cunningham reacts during the Pistons’ May 15 win over the Cavaliers. Getty ImagesJalen Duren drives to the basket during the Pistons’ May 15, 2026 win over the Cavaliers. NBAE via Getty Images
Paul Reed also had 17 points as Detroit’s reserves outscored Cleveland’s 48-19.
James Harden scored 23 points for Cleveland, which suffered its first home loss of the postseason. Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley scored 18 apiece.
Detroit asserted its will on the offensive boards and took advantage of Cleveland turnovers. The Pistons converted 13 offensive rebounds into 20 points. The Cavaliers had 20 turnovers, which resulted in 28 Detroit points.
Donovan Mitchell attempts a shot during the Cavaliers’ May 15 loss to the Pistons. NBAE via Getty Images
The Pistons were up 54-41 at halftime and started the second half with a 12-2 run. The Cavaliers rallied to get within 74-68 before the Pistons put it away with a 13-2 spurt.
Evan Mobley missed a dunk and Marcus Sasser drove the length of the floor for a layup at the buzzer to give Detroit a 84-70 lead at the end of the third quarter.
May 15, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) drives to the basket against Detroit Pistons forward Duncan Robinson (55) during the first half in game six of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers fumbled an opportunity to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Now they face their second Game 7 of the postseason. This time, on the road against the Detroit Pistons.
Let’s go over today’s losers.
LOSER – Donovan Mitchell
Closing out a team as talented as the Pistons isn’t easy. It’s borderline impossible if you can’t have the best player on the floor. Cade Cunningham fully took that title as Donovan Mitchell failed to replicate any of his magic from the last time they played in Cleveland.
Mitchell couldn’t find it tonight. He shot 6-20 from the floor and was a team-worst minus-20. He had the right idea, at times bursting downhill towards the basket, but his insistence on shooting floaters instead of going all the way to the rim or trying to dunk is a concern. This isn’t the same athlete that layed it all on the floor and scored 40+ points over the Orlando Magic in 2023. The vertical pop just isn’t there.
The idea of the core four was never for the Cavs to win a title with Mitchell as their outright best player. But I have believed they can win with him as their best scorer.
That’s something that felt possible in the past, and looked realistic as recently as Game 4. But currently, this isn’t it. The door is closed when Mitchell doesn’t score efficiently. And it’s harder for him to score efficiently when you remove one layer of the floor away from him. The rest of his game hasn’t been enough to make up for the lack of rim finishing. He’s more reliant on finesse than ever before, and that can come and go.
LOSER – The Force Battle
Big games can be decided on the margins. Especially in an evenly-contested matchup like this one. The Cavs have stressed the importance of winning the possession battle in each game. But all of that is easier said than done.
In a case of Deja Vu, first-half turnovers put the Cavs in a hole. 13 turnovers led to 15 points for the Pistons. That’s the type of stuff you can’t concede to a team that is fighting for its life. They’ll claw for every last opportunity. You can’t make it easy for them.
James Harden had 8 turnovers while Donovan Mitchell added three more. Dennis Schroder coughed it up three times in his first six minutes. The guards can’t be this loose with the ball. Not if you want to win.
Fortunately, the Cavs managed to force turnovers of their own. Cleveland finished with 20 turnovers while Detroit had 17. That kept them in it for most of the game, and they managed to snag 16 offensive rebounds to further cut into the gap.
Still, Cleveland allowed the Pistons to salvage a handful of possessions that should have been defensive stops. Cade Cunningham, in particular, converted on multiple three-point attempts off of second-chance opportunities. Detroit claimed 13 offensive rebounds of its own.
By the end of the night, the Pistons took five more shots than the Cavs and beat them 48-26 in the paint. Their force and physicality won out.
LOSER – Dennis Schroder
I don’t want to pile on the third-string point guard. The contributions Schroder gave in Game 5 versus Toronto should have made the rest of his postseason bulletproof. But… the Cavs have continued to lean on him way past the point of no return.
Again, Schroder is the third-best guard on the roster. There’s no reason he should be carrying as much usage as he did, particularly in the third quarter when Donovan Mitchell was alongside him, and Ausar Thompson was on the bench. Those are the minutes that Mitchell needs to hit the ground running and score in bunches. Instead, Schroder bricked a three-pointer and was swatted on a layup attempt while Mitchell spaced the floor away from the ball.
There’s only so much that Schroder is supposed to give this team. In the biggest moments, Harden and Mitchell should be the ones determining the game. It was a bizarre decision to lean on Schroder for 15 minutes as he went 0-4 from the field and finished with as many turnovers as assists.
The Detroit Pistons, the No. 1 seed in the East, played with more intensity and energy, and their shot-making responded in kind Friday, May 15 in a 115-94 victory over the No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6.
The Pistons finally got some help for Cade Cunningham, as they saw six players reach double-figures in scoring.
Here are the biggest takeaways from Friday night’s Game 6s of the NBA Playoffs:
Cleveland’s effort, in a closeout game at home, was unacceptable
The Pistons were clearly the more desperate team, but Cleveland compounded that with effort at times that could be described only as casual. And it started early in the game.
Players like James Harden, who stood around on defense – and often didn’t get back on after most of his 8 turnovers – were emblematic of Cleveland’s issues Friday night. Detroit, time and time again, won the hustle plays.
All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell did play with some effort, but a poor shooting night (6-of-20) marred that energy. The biggest issue was that many of his teammates didn’t follow suit.
“They was just hungry, from the jump” Mitchell said of the Pistons. “At the end of the day, we didn’t match it.”
The most fight the Cavaliers showed Friday night was with 0.3 seconds left in the game, when Cleveland’s bench players who were on the floor in garbage time, shoved a few Pistons players.
“Nope,” Harden said when asked if he was satisfied with the level of intensity with which Cleveland played. “No, not at all.”
When pressed about why that effort wasn’t there, Harden added that it “was a great question” and cited the team’s slow start.
“Throughout the course of the game, we never really kicked it to that second level,” he said.
Early turnovers and offensive rebounds allowed put Cavaliers in a hole
The most concerning part was that these effort problems led to many of the same issues that have plagued the Cavs throughout the postseason: turnovers and offensive rebounds.
Through the first 14:34 of the game, the Pistons had generated six offensive rebounds (and 15 boards, overall) compared to Cleveland's two (and 9). In both the regular season and playoffs, the more intentional and aggressive teams tend to be rewarded with rebounding.
Somehow, early turnovers were even worse. Through that first 14:34, the Cavs gave the ball away 11 times, which turned into 14 Pistons points off turnovers, compared to five Detroit turnovers (for six Cavaliers points off those).
Cleveland let itself down with its lack of energy and careless attention to detail.
Jalen Duren (finally) responds
Give Jalen Duren credit. The Pistons All-Star center was benched in Game 5 and didn’t play the entire fourth quarter and overtime, ceding that time to backup Paul Reed.
Just two days after that, Duren played his most impactful game of the series. The stats (15 points on 7-of-10 shooting, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks, 1 steal) don’t necessarily paint the entire picture. Duren’s activity led to contested shots and Cavaliers players backing away from drive attempts and his performance was closer to what he showed during the regular season.
All series long, the Pistons had been far too dependent on Cade Cunningham. The reserves showed up big to force a Game 7.
Detroit’s bench shot 18-of-29 (62.1%) and scored 48 points, as Paul Reed (17 points and 6 rebounds) and Duncan Robinson (14 points) were particularly effective. But it was a collective effort; Marcus Sasser scored 9 points but posted a remarkable plus-minus of +27 — a game high — in 18 minutes on the floor.
On the other end of that, Cleveland’s bench disappeared at the worst time: even as Cavs starters played rather sluggishly, the bench also lacked burst and scored just 19 points (through three of those came in garbage time) on a combined 6-of-23 shooting (26.1%).
The reserves that show up Sunday, May 17 in Game 7 may dictate who goes on to face the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.
May 15, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson (9) fouls Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) while going for a loose ball during the first quarter in game six of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
CLEVELAND — Before Game 6, Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said that you would have to “choke the life out of” his team. Those words proved to be prophetic.
The Cleveland Cavaliers weren’t up for the challenge. They didn’t value possessions like they needed to, and overall didn’t have the attention to detail you need to close out a 60-win opponent. That came back to bite them as they dropped their best chance to go to the Eastern Conference Finals since 2018 with a 115-94 loss in Game 6.
Now, it all comes down to Game 7 in Detroit on Sunday.
The Cavs once again got off to a sloppy start, which has been a trend throughout the playoffs. Turnovers were once again to blame. Good three-point shooting allowed them to close the first quarter just down one, but the giveaways caught up with them in the second.
Detroit pushed its lead to 12 before Cleveland responded. A 7-0 run, capped off by a Max Strus triple, cut the deficit to just three at the break.
The Cavs had all the momentum going into the half. It seemed like they were going to turn things around and take control of the game coming out of the third quarter. Instead, it was the Pistons that did so.
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Detroit opened the third on a 14-4 run to push their advantage back to 13 and went into the fourth up 14.
Cleveland never mounted a serious comeback attempt in the fourth quarter. They weren’t able to bring the deficit below double digits as Detroit cruised to a somewhat stress-free victory.
The Cavs have talked this series about letting anyone but Cade Cunningham beat them. They weren’t able to do so. Instead, it was Cade and also everyone else who beat them.
Cunningham was once again the best player on the court. He got to his spots and was efficient with the opportunities he got. This led to 21 points on 7-19 shooting with 8 assists.
This was in stark contrast with Cleveland’s star guards.
Donovan Mithell wasn’t able to find a rhythm. He had a difficult time finishing when he got into the paint, going 3-12 on shots there, which included going 3-9 on shots in the restricted area. This led to an 18-point night on 6-20 shooting with three assists and as many turnovers.
Turnovers were an issue all evening. James Harden was front and center. It’s difficult to have a functional offense when your starting point guard gives it away eight times. Those turnovers wiped out any good that game came from his 23 points on 6-13 shooting.
This theme carried over in the other position group matchups.
Jalen Duren had his best game of the series (15 points and 11 rebounds), while Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley couldn’t get anything going.
Detroit’s role players also significantly outplayed their counterparts. Paul Reed had 17 points, Daniss Jenkins had 15, Ausar Thmopson had 10, and Duncan Robinson — with a bad back — put up 14 points on 4-7 shots.
Meanwhile, Sam Merrill was the only Cavalier outside of the core four with double-digit points. Max Strus, who hit multiple clutch shots in Game 5, had just six points on 2-9 shooting.
Every time you want to believe in the Cavs, they show you that there’s no reason to quite do so yet. We’ll see if they can respond with their season on the line.
He was playing his best game of the conference semifinals, but Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren suffered a lower leg injury. Thankfully for Detroit, it didn’t keep him out long.
Duren, Detroit’s first-time All-Star, rolled his left ankle Friday, May 15 in Game 6 of the team’s second-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The play came with a little more than six minutes left to play in the third quarter, when Duren bumped into Cavaliers guard James Harden, who was playing for an offensive foul. As Harden fell to the court, Duren took a step forward, but his left foot landed awkwardly, leading to the tweak. Duren immediately went down and grabbed at his leg.
He left the floor and went to the bench immediately, where trainers tended to him. After a few minutes on the bench, Duren went through the tunnel, toward the locker room. Several moments after that, Duren returned to the bench, but did not immediately re-enter the game.
Ausar Thompson spikes down the layup attempt by Max Strus with both hands (with replays).
After spending the remainder of the third quarter on the bench, where he occasionally stood and cheered, Duren returned to the floor to start the fourth quarter and did not appear to be hindered by the injury. Duren appeared to wear an additional brace to support the area.
The Pistons outplayed Cleveland Friday night, winning 115-94 to force a Game 7.
Prior to Friday night, Duren had been struggling to assert himself in this series, taking a passive approach on offense. With his struggles, Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff chose to bench Duren the entire fourth quarter and overtime of Game 5.
Duren played the rest of the game, finishing with 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting, with 11 rebounds, 3 blocks and 1 steal.
“Just the will and determination,” Bickerstaff said after the game. “I thought it was huge for JD to get going a little bit. It starts with the rebounding part of it, what he was doing defensively for us, his communication, but the 4 offensive rebounds were huge — that means he’s imposing his will on the game. All the other stuff comes from that.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 19: Collin Gillespie #12 of the Phoenix Suns brings the ball up the court during the fourth quarter of the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on January 19, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns have numerous decisions ahead of them this upcoming offseason, including multiple restricted free agents, unrestricted free agents, and players with trade value. The following series will examine those decisions as our writing team presents both a point and a counterpoint for each.
Man, I drew the short end of the stick on this one, didn’t I? This is the topic in our point/counterpoint series that nobody wanted to touch. Why? Because it’s not an easy argument to make. It’s the basketball equivalent of going to Costco at noon on a Sunday. You know it has to be done, but you still don’t want any part of it.
That said, part of our job here at Bright Side of the Sun is providing holistic perspectives on the different paths available to the Phoenix Suns. The goal is to give you, the reader, a broader understanding of the options sitting in front of this organization. Yesterday, Bruce Veliz laid out the reasoning for why Phoenix should re-sign Collin Gillespie, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Today, I’m here to explain why the Suns should let him walk. Let’s see if I can actually pull this off.
I’ll start by acknowledging that Collin Gillespie turned into a player the Phoenix Suns gambled on and actually hit on. That feels increasingly rare these days. Watching him grow and develop into someone worthy of these conversations has been genuinely enjoyable.
Phoenix isn’t the only organization that recognizes what he is now. Teams around the league are going to have interest in him this offseason, especially because he’s entering his fourth year in the NBA and could still be viewed as a value signing on the right contract.
5 players the Celtics could target with their $15M mid-level exception, per @NBCSBoston's Justin Legler:
– Coby White – Anfernee Simons – Collin Gillespie – Mitchell Robinson – Robert Williams
So you have a desirable asset that opposing front offices are absolutely putting on their boards as a target this offseason. Why would the Phoenix Suns let Collin Gillespie walk?
The only real reasoning I can come up with is one of two things. Either the Suns don’t view him as part of their long-term plans, which I don’t believe is true, or he becomes a little too expensive for their comfort level, which I’m also not entirely convinced happens.
My guess is he lands somewhere in the $12 million range annually, and maybe that becomes the sticking point. Phoenix could find itself prioritizing staying below certain tax thresholds while also deciding that Jordan Goodwin is a bigger long-term priority.
Honestly, the bigger factor might not even be Phoenix. It might be Gillespie himself.
I think Collin is a bench player. A damn fine one, but in the Suns’ current ecosystem, that’s where he is best served. I think continuing to roll out three-guard lineups with Dillon Brooks at power forward is the wrong direction next season. Gillespie makes the most sense as the second-unit leader. If that role and fit aren’t something both sides agree on, then he could absolutely look elsewhere.
This ultimately comes down to what he wants. There are going to be teams willing to give him the Tyus Jones treatment, not financially, role-wise. More minutes. More opportunity. A cleaner path to starting.
The ball is really in Collin’s proverbial court. Does he want to remain a backup in Phoenix for at least another season as the Jalen Green experiment continues to unfold? If the Suns and Gillespie can’t align on role and fit, then he walks. Not because Phoenix necessarily wanted him gone, but because he wanted something different.
The only other scenario where the Phoenix Suns let Collin Gillespie leave is if another team simply offers more than Phoenix believes he’s worth.
If the Suns view him strictly as a backup guard, then you start asking what the proper price point is for that role. Especially if you’re keeping Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale. At that point, you’re committing roughly $40 million to reserve players. That’s not necessarily a bad strategy. Depth matters. Bench production matters. You still have to decide if that’s the allocation of money you’re most comfortable with. Do I think that’s ultimately what happens? No. Still, like a rogue shopping cart drifting through a Costco parking lot, I’m simply trying to navigate the thought exercise.
And honestly, that’s what makes this such an uncomfortable conversation in the first place. Collin Gillespie is the kind of player every fan base falls in love with because he earned every inch of his NBA existence. Phoenix found value, development, toughness, and stability in a place where they desperately needed all four. The problem is the Suns are no longer operating in a world where good stories alone dictate decisions. Every roster spot, every rotation role, and every dollar has to align with a bigger vision. If Phoenix and Gillespie see that vision differently, the ending might feel frustrating even if it makes basketball sense.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 12: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs handles the ball during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round Two Game Five of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 12, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much. The rule against trolling also applies to members of this site that visit other fan sites, especially sites of the opposing team. Be polite and don’t insult your hosts.
The Silver and Black return to the hostile confines of Target Center for the first time since the Elbowmania 1 on Mother’s Day with a chance to close out the series and advance to the conference finals against the Oklahoma Thunder, who have been twiddling their thumbs since finishing a sweep of the Lakers on Monday night. The Timberwolves won’t go easily, and the crowd should be frenzied after watching Wemby lose his cool in the first half of Sunday’s game and getting what they believe was a light punishment for the infraction.
The Spurs are coming off of a blowout win on Tuesday night, but with a couple of days off, the Timberwolves have had time to make some adjustments. Minnesota tied the game in the third quarter of Game 5, and they are looking to find out how to duplicate the effort that got them back into the game for long enough for them to steal another game and take the series back to San Antonio for a Game 7, where anything can happen.
The Spurs don’t have any players listed on the injury report for tonight, and they are looking to close out the series and advance to the conference championship on Monday, and not let the rugged Timberwolves beat them up for an additional 48 minutes on Sunday. Dylan Harper has been spectacular for the Spurs in this series, and he supplements Wembanyama’s dominance in the starting lineup by sparking the bench unit to keep pace when Victor sits. Keldon Johnson had his best game of the series on Tuesday, and if he can continue that tonight, it would be very helpful for the visitors. If Julian Champagnie and the rest of the Spurs can unlock their three point shooting it could be a nice night for the Silver and Black.
Look for the Spurs to keep trapping and double teaming Anthony Edwards whenever he has the ball. He’s good enough to beat the double teams enough to still be spectacular, but so long as no one else on the Timberwolves has a big night scoring, it’s a win for the visiting team. LETS GO SPURS!
Game Prediction:
The Minnesota crowd starts out booing Victor Wembanyama, but he wins them over in the second half by rescuing a kitten stuck on top of the backboard. [There’s a unconfirmed rumor that the cat was placed there by Gregg Popovich, but that’s just scuttlebutt.]
San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves, Second Round, Game 6 May 15, 2026 | 8:30 PM CT Streaming: Prime TV: Prime Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
After years of evaluating players during high school, grassroots and college basketball games, NBA teams gathered in Chicago this week to conduct medical exams and put the best draft prospects in the world through measurements, agility testing, shooting drills and scrimmages. Hundreds of front office executives were at Wintrust Arena, and inevitably a few draft narratives emerged along with the wingspans, vertical jumps and medical reports.
The early speculation is the top-four players in this class are set but the order in which they'll be selected remains up for grabs during the pre-draft process. There's also a promising group of guards projected as the next best available prospects, so much so there could be promising wings and big men capable of jumping into the top-10 and late lottery picks. The late first round outlook could change in the coming weeks, with several players poised to return to college due lucrative NIL opportunities.
USA TODAY Sports was in the building in Chicago during the NBA Draft Scouting Combine sifting through the latest rumors and speculation after the NBA Draft lottery. Some picks have changed based on the intel. Here's our updated 2026 NBA mock draft based on what we learned from Combine workouts and interviews:
“I couldn’t imagine walking away from the Warriors,” Kerr said Friday from the top floor of the Warriors’ arena, overlooking a sweeping view of the city the coach couldn’t give up.
Warriors coach Steve Kerry said he met multiple times with GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. and owner Joe Lacob the last few weeks. Getty Images
In his first public comments since signing a contract extension that will extend his tenure in Golden State for a 13th and 14th season, Kerr expressed excitement about continuing his partnership with Steph Curry, emphasized that he still has a vigor for coaching and acknowledged that some things will have to change next season.
All that was no sure thing following the Warriors’ ouster in the play-in tournament, Kerr explained. Who else but his wife, Margot, helped him see the forest through the trees.
“My wife said something, she said you might coach again someday, but you’ll never coach the Warriors again,” he said. “That was really meaningful to me because I love this team. I love our players. That struck me. … At that point, it was really: ‘What do you guys want to do.’”
Kerr met multiple times with general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. and owner Joe Lacob over the next two weeks. He looped in Curry and Draymond Green, too, but said that neither had “any impact or influence on whether I was going to be the coach.
“That’s a credit to them,” Kerr continued. “Our best player isn’t telling Mike or Joe what to do. He understands the repercussions of that if he were to go down that path … it usually doesn’t go well.”
The decision was up to Kerr and the front office with whom he touted a collaborative relationship that resulted in a process that “I don’t think actually happens in pro sports, honestly,” Kerr said.
“Where you have these kinds of conversations and genuinely, authentically try to figure out what’s the right thing, you know?”
Still, it was no foregone conclusion that Kerr would be back. Speaking after their elimination loss to the Suns, Kerr sounded like a coach ready to step away.
Dunleavy wasn’t sure when the Warriors’ season ended that Kerr would return as coach. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
Dunleavy thought so, too.
“There were plenty of nights where I went to bed where I didn’t think he’d be back as coach,” Dunleavy said, but “it became clear as long as he wanted to do it, it made a ton of sense for him to be back.”
Dunleavy said he didn’t broach the subject with Kerr during the season — “not once.” When it came time for them to talk, one demand Dunleavy and Lacob made was for Kerr to sign on for more than another lame-duck season, like he did this past year.
“We needed a multiyear commitment, and Steve unequivocally gave us that,” Dunleavy said, adding that they “fully expect” Kerr to serve out the two-year contract, if not “hopefully more.”
“It’s not just a one-year swan song, ‘Last Dance’ thing,” the GM continued. “That is 100% not what this is about. Joe would not have been good with that.”
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Part of their discussions focused around shifting expectations, given the state of their roster. Curry and Green will be a year older, and they won’t have the reinforcements from Jimmy Butler or Moses Moody to begin the season as the two wings recover from injuries.
Lacob, with his insatiable appetite for success, wasn’t going to let them off so easily.
“We were talking about injuries and how this is the first time we can’t realistically just say, ‘Hey, let’s win a title next year,” Kerr recalled. “He just said, you know, ‘I’m the owner and I can’t help but just say, I expect to be in the playoffs every year and have a shot.”
One topic that Kerr was insistent didn’t come up in talks was his tendency to speak up on sociopolitical issues. It had been reported that Warriors brass hoped he would tone it down.
“That literally never came up,” he said. “That was not part of the conversation at all.”
Mostly, the conversations oriented around how to maximize the final years of Curry’s career and send out the core of their dynasty the right way while also setting a foundation for the future.
As Dunleavy said: “It’s gonna end for them. … It’s not gonna end for us. The Warriors are forever.”
Kerr said he spent the past week reviewing every Warriors turnover from this season. NBAE via Getty Images
Dunleavy described the Warriors’ 37-45 finish as “underwhelming” and a “disappointment” but chalked up their shortcoming to injuries — Curry also missed two months, in addition to the season-ending knee surgeries for Butler and Moody — rather than roster construction.
That said, there will be some stylistic changes. At the top of the list: taking better care of the basketball after the Warriors committed the third-most turnovers in the NBA.
“We can play however we want,” Dunleavy said. “Just don’t turn the ball over.”
Since putting pen to paper on his new deal, Kerr said he spent the past week reviewing each and every one of the Warriors’ turnovers. He acknowledged that he had room to improve, too.
“I know I have to be better,” Kerr said. “I didn’t have a great coaching year this year. I know there are a lot of things I can do better.”
The fact that Kerr toasted an extension that reportedly maintains his status as the league’s highest-compensated coach by watching film should tell you exactly where his head is at.
“If I were tired and burned out, I would not be here,” he said. “I love my job.”
And now, he will get to do it for another two years.
“The idea is let’s see how good we can be,” Kerr said. “We think we can still be good. We’ve got to get some guys back from injuries; we’ve got to make some moves; I’ve got to do some things.
“But let’s run it back. Let’s see how good we can be. I think we’re all really excited about that.”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 12: Mark Walter attends a basketball game between the Loa Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks at Crypto.com Arena on February 12, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After years in the LeBron James era under Jeanie Buss’s ownership, the Lakers quickly leapt into a new era last year.
Months after acquiring Luka Dončić via trade, the Buss family sold their majority stake in the franchise to Mark Walter. In what seemed like the snap of a finger, the franchise shifted into a whole new era on and off the court.
Despite how fast everything moved, Luka and Walter have quickly developed a relationship. In Dan Woike’s recent article on The Athletic, he detailed the relationship between the pair as the new leaders of the franchise.
Dončić has had regular contact with new Lakers owner Mark Walter and has been impressed with the level of communication, league sources said. Dončić has also mentioned how well he thought the Lakers played in March when the team went 15-2.
Both changes came abruptly, but both people have adapted on the fly. Across the league, the stars of a franchise always have a certain bit of power. That could have been diluted as the franchise turned over to new hands, but Luka has maintained a relationship with not just the ownership but the front office as well.
During his exit interview, President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka spoke about his constant communication with Luka throughout the season and into the summer.
“I think the keyword is that’s an ongoing, collaborative process,” Pelinka said. “It’s not, ‘Hey, I want x, y and z.’ We’re in constant communication with him and his team. I plan on seeing him before he takes off to go home and spend some time with his daughters. We’re going to get together I think Friday or Saturday. So, ongoing dialogue.
“His knowledge is vast and so those dives and collaborations with him are really inspirational and he also does it in a way where he wants to do his job great and he wants to let JJ do his great and let me do my job great. They really are productive conversations through that lens.”
If they’re taking Luka’s opinion and wishes into account, it seems likely that a lob-catching center would be on the way. After back-to-back seasons in LA without a true, starter-caliber big man in that role, the Lakers sound like a team aiming to acquire one.
