Atlanta Hawks fire general manager Landry Fields, start search for new head of basketball operations

The Atlanta Hawks finished 40-42 this season, the No. 8 seed in the East, but never made it out of the Play-In Tournament after losses to Orlando and Miami (the second straight year they lost in the play-in). It's a franchise at a crossroads, deciding whether to continue building around Trae Young or pivot.

Landry Fields will not be making those decisions. On Monday, the Hawks let Fields go and announced that Onsi Saleh has been promoted to general manager, while the franchise searches for a new head of basketball operations.

"Every offseason we evaluate how we operate and ways we can improve our organization. As we enter this pivotal offseason, we have several complex decisions ahead of us, and we are committed to providing the human and financial resources needed to ensure that we navigate these decisions with a high level of precision and foresight. Adding an accomplished, senior-level leader to provide strategic direction and structure as well as partnering with Onsi and our talented front office is a top priority," Principal Owner Tony Ressler said in a statement announcing Fields firing.

Philadelphia 76ers executive Elton Brand will be among those considered for the top basketball spot in Atlanta, reports Marc Stein. It's an interesting job, but one where owner Ressler — through his son Nick, who is officially the Vice President of Strategic Planning and the alternate governor — is believed to have a heavy hand in personnel and player decisions, according to league sources.

Atlanta is at a crossroads. Trae Young, 26, is extension eligible off the $46 million he is set to make next season (Young has a player option for the 2026-27 season). Do the Hawks want to continue with him as their franchise tentpole? Young is a high-level offensive player (averaging 24.2 points and 11.6 assists per game last season) who is a liability on the defensive end, which has limited the Hawks' ceiling (despite their 2021 run to the Eastern Conference Finals). There are other quality young players on the roster in Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels and Zaccharie Risacher. Should they be the foundation of what comes next? Should the Hawks try to trade Young?

Those are questions for the next head of basketball operations in Atlanta, and the search is on for that person.

Mavs GM Nico Harrison says fans' love for Luka Doncic was deeper than he knew, but stands by trade

Mavs GM Nico Harrison says fans' love for Luka Doncic was deeper than he knew, but stands by trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison says he miscalculated the depth of love his club’s fans had for Luka Doncic before the trade that sent the young superstar to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis.

Despite the persistent catcalls from fans for him to be fired in the 2 1/2 months since the deal, Harrison still believes it was the right move for building a championship contender in Dallas.

“I did know that Luka was important to the fan base,” Harrison said Monday during his season-ending news conference, six days after a session with a smaller group of reporters that the club called to try to move on from the exhaustively discussed Doncic trade. “I didn’t quite know it to what level.”

As he has said before, Harrison expected plenty of blowback from the trade, but thought it would have eased sooner if Davis had been able play with Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington and Dereck Lively II for most of the rest of the season.

Instead, those five haven’t played together yet, and the star combo of Davis and Irving shared less than three quarters together before Davis injured a groin in his Dallas debut. Irving tore the ACL in his left knee while Davis was out.

“We feel that’s a championship-caliber team and we would have been winning at a high level and that would have quieted some of the outrage,” Harrison said as part of the same answer about the fans’ love for Doncic. “And so unfortunately we weren’t able to do that, so it just continued to go on and on.”

The Mavericks almost didn’t have enough players to meet the NBA’s minimum requirement for several games while Davis was sidelined. Once he returned, the Mavs steadied themselves and qualified for the final spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament at No. 10.

Dallas won at Sacramento for a shot at the eighth seed in the playoffs before losing at Memphis.

Harrison said he believed the Mavs would get a good player in the first round of the draft, where they are currently slated to pick 11th. He also didn’t rule out changes in free agency.

But when asked what Dallas needed to become a contender again, Harrison said, “Really, we just need to get healthy. I think the team we’re bringing back is a championship-caliber. We fully expect to have Kyrie back with us next year when he gets healed from his injury. And we believe we’ll be competing for a championship.”

After Harrison said repeatedly last week that “defense wins championships” while defending the trade, Doncic was asked by ESPN his reaction to the session, saying it was “sad” what Harrison was saying and he wanted to move on.

Harrison, who said last week he still hasn’t spoken to the five-time All-NBA player who led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals last season, was asked about that exchange and said, “I feel the same way he does. I’ve actually never spoken ill of Luka, and I’m just ready to move on with this team that we have.”

Presumptive No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg makes it official, declares for 2025 NBA Draft

As the No. 1 pick on everybody’s draft board, this has long been expected, and on Monday morning he made it official:

Cooper Flagg is entering the 2025 NBA Draft. He made it official in an Instagram post.

Flagg entered the college season as the top prospect on most draft boards and only solidified that standing with a season where he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. He won the Naismith National Player of the Year award and the Wooden Award, plus was voted the National Player of the Year by the Associated Press, National Association of Basketball Coaches and U.S. Basketball Writers Association. He became the first freshman in NCAA history to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks, leading Duke to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament.

Heading into the season, NBA scouts questioned how good he would be at creating his own shot — he has answered that emphatically.

Flagg admitted he thought about returning to Duke during the season, even telling The Athletic," S***, I want to come back next year." However, for a future No. 1 pick, the injury risk and the money left on the table — it could cost him as much as $75 million over the course of his NBA career — made choosing the NBA draft the only option.

There are a lot of teams heading into next month's NBA Draft Lottery now hoping for the ping pong balls to bounce their way so they can land a franchise cornerstone player in Flagg.

Eddie House: Tatum is the ‘most disrespected superstar' in the NBA

Eddie House: Tatum is the ‘most disrespected superstar' in the NBA originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Jayson Tatum will have to wait at least another year for his first NBA MVP award.

The league announced the three finalists for the award on Sunday: Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. Tatum will likely finish fourth in MVP voting for the second time in three years.

Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic have been co-favorites to win the award throughout the 2024-25 season. Choosing Antetokounmpo over Tatum is where NBC Sports Boston’s Celtics analysts Chris Forsberg and Eddie House take issue.

“I thought by the end of the season, the people that vote for these awards would recognize that if we sit here and keep saying, ‘We’re gonna vote for SGA (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) because (of) the team’s success,’ so we’re not rewarding Tatum for the success of the Celtics? So I thought they’d recognize that and put him ahead of Giannis,” Forsberg said on Sunday’s Celtics Postgame Live.

“Giannis had a great season. I get the numbers are probably pretty glitzy and he had to carry a heavier load without Damian Lillard out there. And yet, you can’t tell me that Jayson Tatum doesn’t more positively impact winning this season for a 60-win team. I think it’s just ridiculous that he’s not in the top three. If he needs any motivation, he finds it at every turn because people just don’t give him the respect he deserves.”

House, befuddled by the continued dismissal of Tatum’s impact, believes the six-time All-Star will use his latest MVP finalist snub as fuel for another deep postseason run.

“Most disrespected superstar in the league,” he said of Tatum. “Most disrespected All-NBA First-Team player in the league. Was it three straight years he’s been All-NBA? He’s disrespected.

“And that’s OK, because sometimes that’s fuel for the fire and for the greater good of what the Boston Celtics are doing. I think it’s turning him into a monster, and eventually, he’s gonna get that MVP. So thank you, everybody.”

Tatum averaged 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists over 72 regular-season games. The 27-year-old tallied 17 points and 14 rebounds in Sunday’s Game 1 win over the Orlando Magic.

C’s fans were given a scare in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game when Tatum went down with a wrist injury. However, it appears it won’t keep him out for Game 2, as X-rays came back clean.

Game 2 at TD Garden is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Coverage begins on NBC Sports Boston with Celtics Pregame Live at 6 p.m.

Clippers vs. Nuggets Odds, predictions, recent stats, betting trends, and Best bets for April 21

It’s Monday, April 21, and tonight is Game 2 of the Western Conference series between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Denver Nuggets from Ball Arena in Denver.

Denver took Game 1, 112-110, in overtime. Nikola Jokic went for 29 points, 9 rebounds, and 12 assists and Russell Westbrook poured in 15 off the bench to lead the home team. James Harden had 32 points and 11 assists for the Clippers. Kawhi Leonard chipped in a somewhat quiet 22 for LA.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Game details & how to watch Clippers vs. Nuggets live today

  • Date: Monday, April 21, 2025
  • Time: 10:00PM EST
  • Site: Ball Arena
  • City: Denver, CO
  • Network/Streaming: TNT, truTV, MAX

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Clippers vs. Nuggets

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Odds: Clippers (-117), Nuggets (-102)
  • Spread:  Clippers -1
  • Over/Under: 218 points

That gives the Clippers an implied team point total of 109.27, and the Nuggets 108.75.

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Monday’s Clippers vs. Nuggets game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Clippers & Nuggets game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Denver Nuggets on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Denver Nuggets at +1.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 218.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Clippers vs. Nuggets on Monday

  • The Nuggets have won 9 of their last 11 home games against the Clippers
  • The Under is 29-24 in the Clippers' matchups against Western Conference teams this season
  • The Nuggets are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games as a home underdog
  • Ivica Zubac's coming out party continues as the center scored 21 points and pulled down 13 rebounds in Game 1 for LA

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

How Pritchard made strong impact on both ends in Celtics' Game 1 win

How Pritchard made strong impact on both ends in Celtics' Game 1 win originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

One of the reasons why the Boston Celtics could be more difficult to beat in the 2025 NBA playoffs compared to last year’s championship run is the emergence of Payton Pritchard as a go-to scorer and momentum-shifter off the bench.

Pritchard made a huge impact in Game 1 of the Celtics’ first-round playoff series against the Orlando Magic at TD Garden on Sunday, which Boston won 103-86.

The Sixth Man of the Year Award favorite entered the series opener with 1:50 left in the first quarter and immediately hit a 3-pointer, then assisted on a Jayson Tatum 3-point shot as the C’s closed the opening 12 minutes with a 26-18 lead.

Pritchard then scored eight points in the first four minutes of the second quarter before exiting with 7:50 remaining in the half and the Celtics up 39-31. He did not play the rest of the quarter and the Celtics offense began to stall. Orlando capitalized on this and ended the half on a 19-8 run to take a 49-48 lead into the break.

The Celtics found their groove again in the second half. Pritchard hit a couple 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter to destroy any hope the Magic might have had of a late-game run.

Pritchard finished with a playoff career-high 19 points on an efficient 6-for-8 shooting (4-for-6 from beyond the arc). The Celtics outscored the Magic by 13 points during Pritchard’s 25 minutes of playing time. He actually ended up outscoring the entire Magic bench (19-17) by himself.

The Celtics’ scoring depth might be their biggest strength and a huge advantage over pretty much every other team in the playoffs. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown both scored fewer than 20 points Sunday. For most teams, an average (or worse) performance from your two-best players will often result in a loss. But it wasn’t an issue for the Celtics because Pritchard, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White picked up the slack with a combined 58 points on 19-for-32 shooting.

“I think we did a very good job on those guys (Tatum and Brown),” Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley told reporters postgame. “Made it tough on them, made it difficult for them to get easy shots. They had a couple blow-bys to the rim, but for the most part it was the Derrick Whites of the world and the Payton Pritchards, coming off the bench for 19. Two guys that you don’t necessarily account for coming up with 49 points. I think we’ve got to do a better job there.”

Pritchard had some good games in the playoffs last season, but he wasn’t very consistent. He scored 10-plus points in four of the five games against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. But in the other three rounds, he scored in double-digits only twice. He really struggled against the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals, scoring 17 total points over five games.

Pritchard has been much more reliable this season. He scored in double-digits in 57 of his 80 games played, which helped him average a career-best 14.3 points per game.

Pritchard isn’t just a one-way player, though. Despite his lack of size (6-foot-1, 195 pounds), he plays with great effort, physicality, energy and attention to detail on defense. There aren’t many weak spots in Boston’s lineup. But if teams are going to hunt one player on offense, it’ll probably be Pritchard.

The Magic tried to do that a little bit in Game 1 and didn’t have much success. They shot 3-for-7 against Pritchard when he was the primary defender. Magic star Franz Wagner shot 1-for-3 against Pritchard. Pritchard isn’t a lockdown defender, but he’ll make you work hard to score on him.

His defense did not go unnoticed by head coach Joe Mazzulla.

“I thought he was just as good defensively as he was offensively,” Mazzulla told reporters postgame. “Just him pushing the pace on the offensive end, but really his physicality at the point of attack was big for us. I think he got two tip-out rebounds in the second half that were big for us.”

Holiday had a similar assessment of Pritchard’s all-around impact.

“I think when he first came out, he had a quick 11 points (in the first half) — crazy,” Holiday told reporters postgame. “I think just Payton being Payton, taking the opportunity. Payton is also a gamer, as everybody here sees. Any opportunity he can to put the ball in the basket, he does it. But what makes him special is what he does on the defensive end — picking up anybody full-court, just being a dog, hounding whoever is in front of him.”

If the Celtics are going to get back to the Finals and repeat as champs, their offense will need to be firing on all cylinders. Boston’s path to a title, assuming they eliminate the Magic, would likely include the New York Knicks in the conference semifinals, the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Finals. All three of those teams ranked top 10 in scoring during the regular season. The Cavs ranked No. 1.

The Celtics probably will need to consistently score around 110 to 115 points per game in the playoffs to achieve their ultimate goal. If Pritchard chips in 15-plus points off the bench on a consistent basis, the C’s should have no trouble scoring enough points to beat their toughest competition.

Pritchard is an X-factor who raises the Celtics’ ceiling when he gives performances like he did Sunday.

3 biggest questions for Knicks vs. Pistons ahead of Game 2 in first round of playoffs

The Knicks went up 1-0 against Detroit in the first round of the playoffs behind a dominant 21-0 fourth quarter run that turned the game around.

New York will be looking to defend home court in Game 2 on Monday, but the Pistons will come ready for revenge.

Here are the three biggest questions going into the next contest:

How will the Pistons adjust?

Detroit taking the first game on the chin likely means they’ll come back with some adjustments for New York to work through. Their first objective should be getting Cade Cunningham some breathing room.

The Knicks started their best defender on him, and threw a mix of aggressive pick-and-roll coverages, especially in that fourth quarter run. Cunningham was held to 8-for-21 shooting and forced into six turnovers, a rough outing for the engine of his team’s offense.

Detroit’s surrounding vets picked up the slack with some hot shooting, but expect the coaching staff to switch things up. More slipped screens that Cunningham can target can catch the Knicks defense off guard, and expect him to be better prepared for the aggression and less susceptible to turnovers.

They can also screen him with wings, and especially Jalen Brunson’s man, more. It was an effective strategy in the regular season and made Brunson work at the level at times in Game 1, but they could’ve pressed that button much more.

Cunningham could also get more off-ball plays run for him. If they get him going downhill off the catch with Anunoby screened and help in the blender, scoring should come much easier.

New York didn’t deal with much Ausar Thompson in Game 1 as he struggled with foul trouble. It’s not an “adjustment” per se, but expect more of an impact from him on Monday.

They also couldn't really adjust anything. If they’re of the belief the fourth quarter was an inexperience-fueled meltdown and the game plan is solid, they could walk into MSG with an identical approach to Game 1.

Whatever direction they go, the Knicks will need to respond on the fly if they want to keep home court secure. 

Will Mikal Bridges get more involved?

One hot button issue for Knicks fans after the win was Bridges’ play. His defense was outstanding, but his offense was a quiet eight points and two assists on 4-for-9 shooting, leading to a prolonged benching during New York’s comeback run. 

Jan 13, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart (28) sets a pick for guard Cade Cunningham (2) as he drives around New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (25) during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden.
Jan 13, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart (28) sets a pick for guard Cade Cunningham (2) as he drives around New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (25) during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

In his defense, he hit a timely bucket with under two minutes to play and created a lot of early offense even if it didn’t result in a big presence on the box score. Bridges had a good if uneventful game, just not a five-first-round-pick trade package game, which is the unfortunate standard he’s held to.

Still, even if Game 1 just wasn’t his scoring night, he could’ve been more aggressive in offensive creation during some of the team’s lulls, and the Knicks need him in rhythm to go far. Will they or Bridges make any changes for him to have a bigger role in Game 2?

New York can be more targeted in running some sets for Bridges, like when Cunningham is off the floor and he can target the diminutive and pesky Dennis Schroder. Bridges should generally take the reins more if the offense is in a rut, especially with Brunson off the floor, and call for picks to make something happen.

Will we see more Mitchell Robinson-Karl-Anthony Towns lineups?

One thing the Knicks have up their sleeve these playoffs -- should they choose to use it -- is creative lineup constructions, and enough of them to deal with anything an opponent throws their way. Many hoped New York would avail themselves of the Towns-Robinson frontcourt lineups in this series, given the Knicks' size advantage and defensive concerns with Towns in the middle.

It saw sparse regular season minutes and head coach Tom Thibodeau can often need his hand forced before turning to big changes, but we saw it in its full glory during Game 1. Granted, all nine minutes came in the first half, with Josh Hart in foul trouble.

Does Thibs still bring it out in Game 2 if Hart is foul free? It was only a +2 in that stretch, but looked dominant on the glass and defensively for the most part.

If the Pistons swing back hard, the Knicks may need a silver bullet to pull out Game 2. This lineup could be the answer. 

Warriors' Butler drops fire Steph bar after win vs. Rockets

Warriors' Butler drops fire Steph bar after win vs. Rockets originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

There are two words that best describe the Warriors’ big win over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night.

‘Organized chaos.’

The phrase was uttered time and time again by Golden State’s star forward Jimmy Butler after its 95-85 win over Houston at Toyota Center, and perhaps is the thematic representation of Warriors teams past, present and future, as long as there is one common denominator: Steph Curry.

“I’m great in the organized chaos, because I know when I can see it coming and [I’m thinking] ‘Let’s get back just in case.’ But he’s (Curry) incredible out of that organized chaos,” Butler told reporters postgame. “I think he gets an incredible shot, or he makes an incredible shot for himself, or he gets it for somebody else.

“I love the organized chaos, I’m not going to lie to you, because nobody knows what to expect. Not even myself, not even coach. The only person that knows what’s coming out of the organized chaos is the person that’s creating it.”

The Warriors led Houston by as many as 23 points in the third quarter before the Rockets stormed back to make it a one-possession game midway through the fourth. As it oftentimes is in the NBA, turnovers were contagious on Sunday night, but it was the Warriors who did a better job at course-correcting mid-chaos.

“[Warriors coach Steve Kerr] hates [bad turnovers] as much as I hate it as well, but sometimes good things come out of this organized chaos, that one player in particular loves and thrives in,” Butler added. “So you’ve got to take the crooked with the straight sometimes. It’s not going to be all good and it’s not going to be all bad either.”

The Warriors’ offense, even at the peak of its powers during the dynastic run with Curry, Kerr and Draymond Green, has been turnover-prone at times. However, there usually is a signature Curry Flurry that emerges from the chaos and helps fuel an eventual win.

That still is part of the recipe for success in Year 16 of the Warriors’ Curry-led offense.

“We’re living or dying with that organized chaos,” Butler concluded.

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Duke star Cooper Flagg officially declares for 2025 NBA Draft

Duke star Cooper Flagg officially declares for 2025 NBA Draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Cooper Flagg is going pro.

The Duke star officially declared for the 2025 NBA Draft on Monday in an Instagram post.

Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 37 games as a freshman for Duke, winning College Player of the Year, ACC Player of the Year and leading the Blue Devils to their first Final Four appearance since 2022.

Flagg entered the collegiate season as the consensus top recruit, and he lived up to all the expectations. Duke went 35-4 with a 19-1 mark in the ACC — winning the regular season and conference tournament titles. While the Blue Devils fell two games short of a national championship, it wasn’t due to Flagg’s production. He scored 27 points in the Final Four loss to Houston.

There were rumors that Flagg could consider returning to Durham for a sophomore season, but NBA money — mainly once he gets to his second contract and beyond — is too much to pass up, even in the NIL era.

The forward from Maine is now widely expected to be the No. 1 pick in June’s draft, but the team who has the right to select him is still unknown.

The NBA Draft Lottery is set for Monday, May 12, with three teams sharing a 14% chance at winning the top pick — the Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets. Other teams in the mix include the New Orleans Pelicans (12.5%), Philadelphia 76ers (10.5%), Brooklyn Nets (9%), Toronto Raptors (7.5%) and San Antonio Spurs (6%).

The NBA Draft will take place from June 25-26 in New York.

Duke star Cooper Flagg officially declares for 2025 NBA Draft

Duke star Cooper Flagg officially declares for 2025 NBA Draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Cooper Flagg is going pro.

The Duke star officially declared for the 2025 NBA Draft on Monday in an Instagram post.

Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 37 games as a freshman for Duke, winning College Player of the Year, ACC Player of the Year and leading the Blue Devils to their first Final Four appearance since 2022.

Flagg entered the collegiate season as the consensus top recruit, and he lived up to all the expectations. Duke went 35-4 with a 19-1 mark in the ACC — winning the regular season and conference tournament titles. While the Blue Devils fell two games short of a national championship, it wasn’t due to Flagg’s production. He scored 27 points in the Final Four loss to Houston.

There were rumors that Flagg could consider returning to Durham for a sophomore season, but NBA money — mainly once he gets to his second contract and beyond — is too much to pass up, even in the NIL era.

The forward from Maine is now widely expected to be the No. 1 pick in June’s draft, but the team who has the right to select him is still unknown.

The NBA Draft Lottery is set for Monday, May 12, with three teams sharing a 14% chance at winning the top pick — the Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets. Other teams in the mix include the New Orleans Pelicans (12.5%), Philadelphia 76ers (10.5%), Brooklyn Nets (9%), Toronto Raptors (7.5%) and San Antonio Spurs (6%).

The NBA Draft will take place from June 25-26 in New York.

2025 NBA Playoffs results, highlights, recap for April 20, including Stephen Curry going off. Again.

Four more playoff series got underway on Sunday, with the top four seeds in the league getting into action. For three of them, they got the expected wins. However, Houston may have a problem.

WARRIORS 95, ROCKETS 85

It was the defining question for Houston going into this series: When the Rockets needed a bucket in the fourth quarter of a tight game, who would they turn to? Could they score in the half-court when it mattered?

After watching Game 1, we still don't have an answer. While Alperen Sengun scored 26 to lead the Rockets, he's not the guy who creates his own shot in the half-court like that. It was often Amen Thompson trying to create late, but he finished 4-of-9 shooting on the night (although he did have six assists). Maybe he will evolve into that guy, but he's not that guy yet.

The Warriors, on the other hand, have two of those guys, and one of them is one of the greats ever to do it.

Stephen Curry scored 31, Jimmy Butler 25, and other players like Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody stepped up with clutch shots late.

This is going to be a defensive struggle of a series and the Rockets can't leave points all over the court like they did in Game 1 (6-of-29 from 3, 20.7%, and 11-of-20 on free throws, 55%). For Houston, there is room for improvement and ways to win. However, the big question about them entering this series is the same question we have after Game 1.

CELTICS 103, MAGIC 86

While a deep Celtics playoff run will be about Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Game 1 against the Magic was all about the Boston guards: Jrue Holiday, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard. That trio powered the Celtics to a 1-0 series lead against the Magic.

Boston trailed by one at the half but Jrue Holiday changed the tenor of the game in the third quarter with his two-way play — he was a disruptive defensive force at the point of attack against Franz Wagner and he scored all nine of his points in the quarter. His energy flipped the game on its head.

Meanwhile, on a day Boston's biggest names were not sharp — Tatum and Brown were a combined 2-of-10 from 3 — White took over, hit seven 3-pointers and led everyone in scoring with 30.

Payton Pritchard looked like the Sixth Man of the Year he will be and added 19 points.

This game followed the expected script for this series: Orlando was physical, its defense impressive, making life difficult for Boston, but the Magic couldn't score enough to win. They don't have the shooting or depth of options. Paolo Banchero put up 36, Wagner 23, but they were the only Orlando players to score in double digits. It's not clear where more offense is going to come from for the Magic.

CLEVELAND 121, MIAMI 100

Before tip-off of this game, the NBA on TNT crew announced the finalists for all of the league’s individual postseason awards. When it got to Sixth Man of the Year, there were likely some casual fans who said, "Who is Ty Jerome?"

He's the guy who came off the bench, scored 16 in the fourth quarter (making it 28 for the game) and secured the Cavaliers' Game 1 win.

It wasn't just Jerome. The Cavaliers had the best offense in the Association during the regular season and nothing changed in this game. In the first quarter, the Cavaliers' guards drove into the lane at will, scoring 18 points in the paint. Then, when the Heat adjusted, the Cavaliers kicked out to open shooters at the arc, who knocked down shots. Donovan Mitchell stepped up with 30 points and Darius Garland had 28. Miami, which played good defense in the final weeks of the season, had no answers.

"They have guys that drive and break you down off the dribble and they can also just shoot pull-up threes and they're very good spot-up shooters, as well," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "So that's the task and it's up to us to figure out how to beat that."

It will be interesting to see what adjustments Spoelstra makes. Miami's offense hung with the Cavaliers for three quarters, then went ice-cold. Kel'el Ware looked like a rookie. The challenge for Spoelstra is he doesn't have enough chess pieces on the board to simply move things around and compete with the No. 1 seed Cavaliers. There are no easy answers.

THUNDER 131, GRIZZLIES 80

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While one could summarize what worked for Oklahoma City with "everything," let's focus on their defense. It's just astoundingly good, and with a week off and fresh legs, Memphis was doomed.

Oklahoma City walled off the paint to Grizzlies guards, rotated on a string and challenged everything, and essentially forced Zach Edey floaters or contested shots on every part of the court. There was no air for Memphis to breathe.

Oklahoma City put up 131 points in a game where Shai Gilgeous-Alexander struggled, shooting 4-of-13 from the field. Jalen Williams led the Thunder with 20 points, but no player was under pressure to take over. This was a team win. And a demoralizing one for the Grizzlies, who were outplayed in every facet of the game.

The only drama left in this series: Can Memphis win a game? Didn't feel like that Sunday.

Playoff Jrue returns at perfect time for Celtics: ‘I like to win'

Playoff Jrue returns at perfect time for Celtics: ‘I like to win' originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Our working theory has been that, since arriving in Boston, Jrue Holiday spends pretty much the entirety of the 82-game regular season exploring all the different ways he can impact winning, shunning his own counting stats so that the rest of his teammates can pile up theirs. Then when the postseason begins and the games really matter, he goes into turbo mode.

When we presented this theory to him recently, Holiday had a much simpler explanation for his knack for giving games exactly what they need, particularly on the playoff stage.

“I like to win,” said Holiday.

And for the better part of the past half decade, all he’s done is win. Two NBA titles. Two gold medals. He’s the glue that holds together whatever collection of talent you pair him with.

In Sunday’s Game 1 against the Orlando Magic, Holiday limited his opponents to five points on 2-of-10 shooting with three forced turnovers. Holiday changed the entire tenor of the game with his third-quarter defense on the Magic tandem of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, helping the Celtics pull away.

Banchero finished with 0 points on 0-for-4 shooting and a turnover in five minutes, 15 seconds of matchup time, per NBA tracking. Wagner managed two points on 1-of-3 shooting with 2 turnovers.

In maybe the defining sequence of the game, Holiday forced Wagner to turn the ball over at midcourt then drilled a 3-pointer in transition.

Holiday, typically stoic and composed, had a little extra bounce as he did his trademark Dr. Evil pinkie finger celebration and bounced toward a euphoric Celtics bench.

Holiday finished with nine points while knocking down a trio of 3-pointers. He added five assists, three rebounds, and three steals over 33:13. And his defense was a game-changer yet again. Just like it was throughout last year’s playoff run.

So back to that theory on Playoff Jrue.

“I like to win and I feel like, when it comes to winning, you have to do whatever is necessary,” said Holiday. “Sometimes if you want to and sometimes if you don’t. A lot of the time, you get a certain gratification if you’re the handyman or doing the dirty work. Or even just seeing your teammates succeed. Like, that’s a big smile put on my face.”

Holiday insists he gets more gratification from watching Derrick White and Payton Pritchard do their thing — whether that’s combining for the first 40/40 game in Celtics history, or propelling the offense in Sunday’s Game 1 win over the Magic — than he does in chasing his own counting stats. He’s secure in what he brings to the team.

It was easy to fret about Holiday’s inconsistent 3-point shooting during the 2024-25 season. One year after being the best corner 3-point shooter in the NBA, his efficiency literally halved, dipping from 60 percent (55 for 92) in the corner last year, to 30 percent (32 of 105) this year.

At age 34, was Father Time finally catching up to Holiday? Would the Celtics regret the big-money extension they delivered at the end of last season?

A late-season surge, even as he battled a rare mallet finger injury, calmed those concerns. And to the surprise of no one, Holiday shifted to another gear at Sunday’s start to Boston’s latest postseason adventure.

“He just does so much for our team,” said White, praising the havoc Holiday created on the defensive end while taking on the challenge of defending Banchero in the third quarter. “And [Holiday] just doesn’t care about the numbers and whatnot. It’s great to have him as a teammate.”

Holiday and the Celtics kicked up their defensive energy throughout Game 1. The Celtics averaged 13.9 deflections per game during the regular season, but that number spiked to 26 deflections in Game 1, the highest mark of any team in the weekend’s opening games.

The Celtics posted a defensive rating of 88.5 during Holiday’s court time. They had a +24.6 net rating overall in his court time.

That’s the Playoff Jrue we know. When the lights are the brightest, Holiday is ready to give the game whatever it requires.

Duke star Cooper Flagg officially declares for 2025 NBA Draft

Duke star Cooper Flagg officially declares for 2025 NBA Draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Cooper Flagg is going pro.

The Duke star officially declared for the 2025 NBA Draft on Monday in an Instagram post.

Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 37 games as a freshman for Duke, winning College Player of the Year, ACC Player of the Year and leading the Blue Devils to their first Final Four appearance since 2022.

Flagg entered the collegiate season as the consensus top recruit, and he lived up to all the expectations. Duke went 35-4 with a 19-1 mark in the ACC — winning the regular season and conference tournament titles. While the Blue Devils fell two games short of a national championship, it wasn’t due to Flagg’s production. He scored 27 points in the Final Four loss to Houston.

There were rumors that Flagg could consider returning to Durham for a sophomore season, but NBA money — mainly once he gets to his second contract and beyond — is too much to pass up, even in the NIL era.

The forward from Maine is now widely expected to be the No. 1 pick in June’s draft, but the team who has the right to select him is still unknown.

The NBA Draft Lottery is set for Monday, May 12, with three teams sharing a 14% chance at winning the top pick — the Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets. Other teams in the mix include the New Orleans Pelicans (12.5%), Philadelphia 76ers (10.5%), Brooklyn Nets (9%), Toronto Raptors (7.5%) and San Antonio Spurs (6%).

The NBA Draft will take place from June 25-26 in New York.

Experienced Warriors prevail in battle of lessons vs. young Rockets

Experienced Warriors prevail in battle of lessons vs. young Rockets originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors spent most of three quarters Sunday night dragging the young Houston Rockets down a path of self-destruction. Their postseason experience was teaching lessons. They were cooking up a rout.

This first-round playoff series was going to be over in four or five games.

But prosperity is fleeting for this season’s Warriors. After building a 23-point lead (66-43) with 6:28 left in the third quarter, Houston pulled within three (76-73) over the next 12 minutes.

Under threat, the Warriors recalled the formula that served them so well earlier, taking charge over the final six minutes and escaping with a 95-85 victory in Game 1 of the first-round Western Conference playoff series.

Golden State over the final 6:33 limited Houston to four field goals and forced four turnovers to walk out of Toyota Center with the W and a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

“It took everything,” Draymond Green said on “Warriors Postgame Live.” “We know that’s a great ball club. They’re the No. 2 seed for a reason. They’re a great defensive team. They never back down. We got up 23 points, and they continued to fight. That’s what we expect. It just takes a consistent effort for 48 minutes.

“And we can be a lot better.”

That’s true, and it’s not something the Rockets want to hear. The Warriors shot 47.4 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from distance. Stephen Curry (31 points) and Jimmy Butler III (25) carried an offense that otherwise was ordinary.

This was a triumph of intellect over athleticism, discipline over zeal. The Rockets dominated rebounds (52-36), second-chance points (22-12) and attempted 11 more field goals than the Warriors. Those wins were rendered irrelevant because Golden State’s execution of its defensive game plan kept nudging their offense out of rhythm.

“They’re the best team in the league in the possession game,” coach Steve Kerr told reporters in Houston. “They got 11 more shots than we did tonight as a result of all those offensive boards. Now we’re going to turn them over, too. Our defense is excellent. We just held a hell of a team to 85 points on their home floor, so our defense is big time and we’re going to count on that.”

Houston’s top scorer, Jalen Green, managed seven points on 3-of-15 shooting, including 0 of 4 from deep. His backcourt mate, Fred VanVleet, was 4 of 19, including 2 of 13 from beyond the arc. Aside from center Alperen Şengün’s 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting, the Rockets’ offense was MIA.

The game plan was to keep the Rockets in the half court, where their offense tends to stagnate. It’s a lesson the Warriors learned two weeks ago in a 106-96 loss to Houston at Chase Center. They committed 20 turnovers, mostly of the live-ball variety, and that allowed the Rockets to launch into transition buckets.

“If we can keep them in the halfcourt,” Moses Moody said after that game, “their offense is basically whatever Şengün can get or step-back 2-pointers by Jalen Green.”

When the Warriors took care of the ball, they were in command. When they got sloppy, as they did late in the first half and early in the second, they opened Houston’s transition game, which narrowed the margin.

“We’ve got to recognize that we don’t need to take chances in this series,” Kerr said. “We need to be clean with our execution and transition. We don’t need to dribble through traffic. We don’t need to throw a lob passes to try to get a dunk. We’ve got to be rock solid. And if we’re smart and tough, we’re going to be in good shape.

The Warriors had some trouble with the Houston’s twin-towers lineup, featuring Steven Adams and Şengün, who combined for 21 rebounds, seven on the offensive glass. But Golden State’s defense exposed the Rockets’ mediocre shooting.

“We just flew around,” Green said. “We didn’t give up any easy looks. We followed our defensive game plan. Just make them take tough shots. Be a lot better off if we could get some rebounds.”

The Rockets learned that forcing turnovers and pounding the glass is their only route to success against Golden State. They’re not built to win any other way.

The Warriors learned that they’re able to navigate Houston’s physicality barely well enough – only 20 assists – but their offense is what will dictate the direction of this series. 

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Curry leads Warriors to play-off win at Rockets

Stephen Curry dribbles the basketball
Stephen Curry (left) is a four-time NBA champion [Reuters]

Stephen Curry scored a game-high 31 points as the Golden State Warriors began their play-off campaign with a 95-85 win at the Houston Rockets.

The seventh-seeded Warriors made it successive wins in Houston, with Curry also adding six rebounds and three assists.

Jimmy Butler chipped in with a further 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists to hand Golden State a 1-0 series lead - with Game 2 scheduled for Thursday.

"Steph was incredible. He was incredible," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.

"With that type of pressure on him from [Amen] Thompson and others, he just made some amazing plays and, obviously, carried us offensively along with Jimmy."

The Rockets, seeded second in the play-offs, endured a disappointing end to the regular season with three successive defeats and have lost back-to-back games at home.

Ime Udoka's side are featuring in the play-offs for the first time since 2019-20, when they lost against the Los Angeles Lakers in the semi-finals.

"I wouldn't say the moment, I would say the physicality at times, going after guys, and just play-off basketball," Udoka said when asked if a lack of experience cost his side.

"It's not really about the moment. Going into the lane, trying to shoot over too many and not finding your outlets is a big thing and a big key for us all year."

Elsewhere, the Cleveland Cavaliers sealed a 121-100 win against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference play-offs.

Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points with Ty Jerome adding 28 points and Darius Garland scoring 27.

Jerome, who picked up 16 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter, was making his play-off debut.