Category: NBA

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — OG Anunoby was ruled out again for Game 4 on Sunday with a strained right hamstring, and the New York Knicks forward remained day to day in the second-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Anunoby was injured late in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, in which he scored 24 points.

The Knicks hold a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Anunoby was having another strong game Wednesday before appearing to suffer a leg injury and motioning to come out of the game. He went to the locker room area and did not return to the bench before the end of the Knicks’ 108-102 victory.

Anunoby is averaging 21.4 points per game in the postseason while shooting 61.9% from the field and 53.8% from 3-point range.

The 6-foot-7 Anunoby, who is considered the Knicks’ top defender, injured his hamstring two years ago in the second round as the Knicks were taking a 2-0 lead over Indiana. He missed the next four games and played just a few minutes in Game 7 as the Pacers rallied to win the series.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

The odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NBA draft are known ahead of time, but there are any number of ways teams will look to get an extra push from Lady Luck.

The NBA Draft Lottery is set to take place Sunday, May 10, with each of the 14 eligible NBA teams sending its own delegation in hopes of bringing home the top prize. The teams with the three worst records this past season – the Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets – each have 14% odds to receive the No. 1 selection.

Team executives, former players and current stars will be in attendance with the hope that they'll bring their teams the coveted top pick.

So who will be repping each NBA team during today's draft lottery? Here they are:

The Lakers made it clear from the beginning of their second-round playoff series against the Thunder what they would be willing to live with.

What they weren’t willing to live with: Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander going 1-on-1.

Which led to automatic double teams in the first two games of the series in Oklahoma City, getting the ball out of Gilgeous-Alexander’s hands and forcing the other Thunder players to beat them. 

The problem for the Lakers: The Thunder’s “others” did beat them. 

And even in Game 3, with the Lakers being less aggressive with their defensive coverages against Gilgeous-Alexander on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena, it was still the non-Gilgeous-Alexander Thunder players who stepped up in the Thunder’s 23-point win.

Chet Holmgren, the Thunder’s leading scorer for the series, was a difference-maker. Second-year guard Ajay Mitchell continued his breakout season, recording playoff career highs of 24 points and 10 assists in the Game 3 victory. Instead of Jared McCain, as in the first two games, Isaiah Joe provided the scoring punch off the bench for the Thunder, and Cason Wallace continued his stellar two-way play.  

The Lakers have dared everyone on the Thunder except Gilgeous-Alexander to beat them.

Which is why it’s time for the Lakers to challenge Gilgeous-Alexander to beat them. 

And Gilgeous-Alexander is perfectly capable of doing so. 

The reigning MVP, who’ll likely win the award again this season, is arguably the NBA’s best player.

But it’s time for the Lakers to live with more of Gilgeous-Alexander being the driving force behind the Thunder’s success. Through three games, it’s become clear the rest of the team is more than good enough to beat the Lakers, even with 2025 All-NBA honoree Jalen Williams sidelined. 

“You’ve seen them over the years: They have a lot of bodies, and they got a lot of guys that can do multiple things on the floor,” LeBron James said. “It helps to have that depth.”

What would it look like for the Lakers to challenge Gilgeous-Alexander to beat them?

It starts with allowing Marcus Smart, who’s been the Lakers’ best defender this season and best defensive matchup against Gilgeous-Alexander, to guard Gilgeous-Alexander without help.

Smart is up to the task. 

Toward the end of the third quarter of Game 3, with the Lakers trailing 87-79, Smart pressed up on Gilgeous-Alexander’s isolation near half court before backing up and putting his left hand up to signal to his teammates that he had Gilgeous-Alexander. 

But rookie forward Adou Thiero showed gap help one pass away. Gilgeous-Alexander passed to Wallace (whom Thiero was guarding), and Wallace drove into the paint to put the Lakers in rotation during a possession that ended with a Joe catch-and-shoot 3-pointer that put the Thunder up by 11.

The Lakers trailed by double digits the rest of the game.

Let Smart see if he can stay in front of Gilgeous-Alexander and test his jumper. Gilgeous-Alexander is shooting 11-of-28 (39%) outside of the paint in the series.  

Gilgeous-Alexander will get the best of Smart. That’s what league MVPs do. There isn’t one player who can stop Gilgeous-Alexander. Smart wouldn’t be expected to shut down Gilgeous-Alexander.

But Smart has the best chance of disrupting Gilgeous-Alexander 1-on-1. He’ll get the best of Gilgeous-Alexander, too.

And having less aggressive defensive coverages will lessen the likelihood of the Thunder getting 100-plus points from the non-Gilgeous-Alexander players on the roster.

This doesn’t mean the Lakers should completely go away from what worked.

Their flooding — man-to-man defense with zone principles in which a team loads up the strong side on wing isos — was effective in the first half of Game 3. It kept Gilgeous-Alexander out of the paint, the No. 1 priority. 

But Gilgeous-Alexander was more comfortable in the second half against a worn-down Lakers defense that showed fatigue from being put in rotation while also trying to score on OKC’s league-best defense. 

Letting Smart take Gilgeous-Alexander 1-on-1 more often should reduce the burden for everyone else. This could help the Lakers’ offense, which has averaged 45 points in the second half (the Thunder have averaged 63 second-half points) after averaging 56.7 points in the first half (the Thunder have averaged 58.3 first-half points). 

If Gilgeous-Alexander has Austin Reaves or Luke Kennard guarding him after a switch or crossmatch? Flood and show gap help. 

Switch less, allowing Smart to stay on Gilgeous-Alexander more and keep the defense’s backline bigger for rim protection and defensive rebounding. Be more aggressive with the defensive coverages on Mitchell. 

And dare Gilgeous-Alexander to beat you.

It’s the last option that hasn’t been tested.

Happy Mother’s Day! Here are four events to keep you busy today.

• 2026 NBA Draft Lottery — 3 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC (WJLA-TV)
• Washington Mystics vs. New York Liberty — 3 p.m. ET on Monumental Sports Network
• New York Knicks at Philadelphia 76ers Game 4 — 3:30 PM ET on ABC (WJLA-TV)); Knicks lead series 3–0
• San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves Game 4 — 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN and Peacock; Spurs lead series 2–1

Let’s hope the Washington Wizards come out ahead in the lottery. And enjoy the basketball!

We’ve arrived at the final stop on our journey to understanding how the community at large ranks each player of the Phoenix Suns roster relative to the term “best.”

Typically, I don’t like to use words like greatest, best, or worst. They sound decisive. In sports, they usually create more confusion than clarity. They rely on subjective criteria. What counts as “best”? Stats, leadership, longevity, impact, or performance in clutch moments? Everyone weighs those differently. One fan leans on availability, another leans on impact or advanced metrics. Without clear criteria, it becomes opinion dressed up as analysis.

I throw all that out of the door when I look at the SunsRank conversation. Because I want the subjectivity. I like reading how people ended up where they did. Speaking of which, here’s where we are through the first 15 players that you’ve been asked to SunsRank:

I knew there would be a difference of opinion in the Pillars tier, and we sure received it. Outside of Oso for 8th, the percentages were all over the board. That’s what made that tier so intriguing, because it truly personified the SunsRank conundrum. You likely ranked on attributes you deemed most important, and thus the variance occurred.

Consensus brought us to where we are, but not everyone saw it the same way. While the majority believed Mark Williams was the 7th best player on the Suns, we still had 20% vote him 4th. Jordan Goodwin recevied 18% of his votes for 4th. It’s a reminder that, while we all watch this team and this sport, we see it differently.

And now, on to the final tier, the Cornerstones. These are the players the franchise rests on, the names etched into the season’s story before the first tip. They set the tone, and if the Suns succeed, it’s because these players delivered.

Devin Booker

On the surface, when you look at the total points and percentages, it feels like a down year for Devin Booker. Then you look around him and see how many players had career years, and you can point directly to the gravity he creates as part of the reason why.

Was he great late in games toward the end of the season? No. Absolutely not. That’s what makes evaluating him this year feel different. Not difficult, different. It feels like some of the edge wasn’t there.

Dillon Brooks

If you want to talk about edge, Dillon Brooks brought it in abundance. He delivered one of the more surprising seasons I can remember in recent years. We all had expectations for what he could be as a member of the Phoenix Suns, still, I don’t think many of us expected the scoring production he provided.

That’s why he lands in the Cornerstone tier.

Jalen Green

The young player with all the upside, the kind of upside that could genuinely alter the trajectory of the Phoenix Suns if everything clicks. Jalen Green gave us an incomplete season, and that’s disappointing considering he entered with a reputation for being available and durable.

The status still exists. The talent still exists. The question becomes whether the lack of availability changes how you rank him overall.

And now, your final SunsRank votes of the spring.

Finn Wentworth isn’t a well-known Nets executive. He was franchise president back in 2000 and was chosen by the team to witness the draft that year in a back room at the NBA TV headquarters in Secaucus, N.J. where the ping pong balls were drawn. The New Jersey Nets had a 4.4% chance in the Lottery that May 20 after finishing seventh. Moreover, the Draft was not very good. In fact, it may well have been the worst draft in NBA history (until maybe 2004.)

There was only one obvious top pick, Kenyon Martin of Cincinnati and he had broken his leg at the end of the season! When the careers of the picks were tallied up, Martin was one of three players eventually selected to an All-Star team and he was only selected once. Mike Miller of Florida, taken at No. 5, was Rookie of the Year and the player with overall best career, an All-Star and All-NBA selection, Michael Redd of Ohio State who was taken all the way down at No. 43. A lesson to be learned there!

So hopes were not high. “Ours was the worst draft,” Wentworth told Brian Lewis recently. But the oddsmakers were wrong and the Nets secured a building block. The franchise-changer would come the next off-season when Rod Thorn traded Stephan Marbury for Jason Kidd.

When the winning combination for the Nets came up — 6-8-9-14 — Wentworth was the first to know things had finally changed in the Meadowlands.

“I had the sheets in front of me, and when he pulled out those balls, I checked them off, and I just yelled ‘bingo,’ because I thought it was kind of a fun exercise just to show how it works,” Wentworth said. “Then he goes, ‘Finn Wentworth and the New Jersey Nets have the No. 1 pick in the 2000 draft.’”

Immediately, the told Lewis, representatives from other teams approached him about possible trades … before he had left the room!

“I was like, ‘No, we’re good, we’re good,’” Wentworth recalled. “We’re just going to keep this thing.”

The fun had only begun. The results were brought to the TV studio and deputy commissioner Russ Granik read them out, much to the never-ending delight of co-owner Lewis Katz…

“That was the worst draft in NBA history, arguably. And we got the only guy who became a star. We got the only guy who really should’ve been [a top pick],” he said, ticking off the names of prospects once revered but now footnotes. “It was [Martin] and Stromile Swift and Darius Miles, guys that most people unless you’re a basketball-aholic wouldn’t recognize.” Another lesson learned, perhaps?

The ramifications were instant. On June 7, three weeks before the Draft, Thorn was hired away from the NBA head office where he was Commissioner David Stern’s No. 2.

“If we don’t have the No. 1 pick, I’m not sure if Rod’s coming,” said Wentworth who recruited Thorn in the back of co-owner Ray Chambers corporate jet. “Rod comes [in], and they were saying Stromile Swift and Darius Miles. As hard as it is for a lot of people to think, but they thought Darius Miles was going to be the next Penny Hardaway, and Stromile Swift was going to be the next [Karl] Malone from Utah.

“But, of course, Rod looked right through it, and said Kenyon’s the guy. And then on the Kidd deal, some people were nervous trading Stephon Marbury away at a young age. And inside the organization, they didn’t want it to be the next Dr. J … [but] Rod saw it clearly for what it could be. And he was right.”

What’s Wentworth’s take on the situation today? He likes their chances, he told Lewis. He even offered some advice, based on his experience in the Draft Room when he was surrounded by the lottery losers.

“Ours was the worst draft,” Wentworth said. “This is arguably the best draft in the modern era…

“Depending on who you believe is the No. 1 player — the kid from BYU or Duke or Peterson from Kansas — if you’re saying that’s my guy and you believe the [top team] might want someone else, but you’re not sure about the guy in between, if you’re No. 3, I’d offer draft picks, move up and take my guy,” Wentworth said. “This is one of those drafts where it’s very, very deep. You have three or four guys that are A-pluses, and you have a bunch of As.

“… If [the Wizards] are looking at finally rebuilding and getting up to the next level, it’s going to take more than one player in this draft. So keep an eye out for that. … If [Brooklyn] gets the No. 1 pick, it’s not an issue. But if you get the No. 3 pick for example, or if they ended up No. 4. They have something we did not have, which is the amount of capital, equity that they could use to buy up.”

Indeed, an NBA insider told ND that he thinks that with all their assets, all those picks — 13 firsts, 22 seconds and two first round swaps — the Nets could move up two spots.

“The only reason you bank firsts like that is to be able to strike opportunistically,” he said. “Now [moving up] in this Draft and they will have to find a dance partner but say they land in the dreaded fifth spot. They have enough draft capital to get them to the third.”

All of that, of course, can wait till Joe Tsai starts shaking hands. A lot, hopefully.

Here’s the fourth installment of the second round’s Fraterniz With The Enemy, my ongoing, series-long conversation with Thilo of PtR’s sister site covering the Minnesota Timberwolves, Canis Hoopus.

J.R. Wilco

In the middle of a series that feels like a movie from a director intent on subverting expectations above all else, Game 3 was a weird game. (We’ll get to it in a moment, but it was weird.) First, San Antonio was favored heavily, and it’s a true-ism that a series doesn’t begin until the road team wins. So we got a tight game that the visitors won, and so the series began  right away. Expectations subverted.

After Minnesota’s victory Coach Finch gripes about a lack of goaltending calls, setting up Game 2 to focus on how the refs treat Wemby’s defensive game, only for it to be a practical non-issue as Minnesota largely stopped driving. After a close opener, Game 2 was a blowout. Expectations subverted.

To start Game 3, the Spurs dominated the opening half of the first quarter and Minnesota couldn’t score at all. Wembanyama was playing out of his mind and dominating on both ends, which looked like the game they played two prior; let’s saddle up for another blowout. But San Antonio couldn’t build much of a lead because the Spurs couldn’t hit a three and all of their shots in the paint were rimming out. So, instead of getting a repeat of Game 2, we got a repeat of Game 1. Expectations subverted!

After going 0-fer, and 2-fer from deep, Victor goes off and combines his excellent defense with an offensive master class. Now San Antonio is up 2-1, and Minnesota is known for being an incredible team when their backs are against the wall. So what are the next expectations that we will see subverted? And what do you expect from Minnesota looking at potentially their last home game of the season?

Thilo

To start with, I would certainly be shocked if Jaden McDaniels started hitting his shots again. That would subvert the cratered expectations I have for him now.

On an individual level, the bar has recently gone through the floor for Julius Randle and McDaniels, while Ayo gets the most marginal amount of slack due to his injury status.

But God, I don’t know. On a surface level, the Wolves seem to have lost their identity entirely. They aren’t getting to the rim the way they had initially promised in Game 1. They’re talking a lot less trash (unless Tony Brothers is the target) and they’re backing up even less.

A subversion could be anything from shooting better to rebounding again. Any of that would be shocking.

If I sound pessimistic, it’s because I am. Friday night’s game was not one to inspire confidence. Naz Reid was the only role player on the Wolves that played up to standards. Anthony Edwards did what he could. 

I am quite simply shocked that the Wolves were able to stay in Game 3 the way they played. It seems like shooting variance decides whether these games will be close or an abject demolition in favor of San Antonio.

Unfortunately, what I’m getting at is that I’m not really sure what I expect to change that’s remotely realistic. 

Julius Randle could become the optimized version of himself from last year’s playoffs, but that would require him not facing the style of defense that has caused him the most trouble in the past few playoff runs. So that looks unlikely.

The Wolves roster could have a hot game from deep, but their shooting specialist and the only guy outside of Ant that can’t be dared to shoot is out for the year and more. That looks unlikely, albeit more possible.

That leaves the possibility of Ant going supernova, but that’s a LOT to ask of a guy playing on a lower body that reminds friends older than myself of Orlando Magic Grant Hill.

No, I think the winning formula was stealing a game and then pressing the pedal all the way down. The Wolves accomplished step one, but don’t look poised to reclaim that needed head start.

That being said, anything but a decisive win in Game 4 would be a huge red flag.

I guess I’ll flip the question on you. It feels like the Spurs have turned a corner after a shaky Game 1. What scares you the most in terms of ways the Wolves can muscle their way back into this bout? How possible/probably do you think those things are?

J.R.

While it makes sense given being down 2-1, I think you’re being overly harsh on your team’s prospects. Try thinking about it from this perspective: Minnesota has played San Antonio close for 8 quarters out of 12, including a decisive fourth quarter on the road. The Spurs played their best game in their second homer, so perhaps the Wolves will do the same. We talked before Game 3 about how some regression to the mean would be in favor of Wemby and Fox, and now that’s the case for McDaniels and Randle. 

I’d also like to draw your attention to something that you might be taking for granted. Your home crowd is amazing; in fact, I credit them for keeping the Timberwolves from cratering in the first. With San Antonio in the middle of throwing basketball’s version of a shutout (how better to describe yielding a single point over the first 6 minutes of a game) the Mill City audience was primed for something to cheer for. When Gobert got that first basket with a tip-in, there was this sustained response from the crowd that was way out of proportion. I noted it, but didn’t think it would go far as the Spurs scored a quick four points on a Vassell bucket and a pair of Castle freebies. But then Naz hit a three and there was that strange cheer again. It was longer that normal and had the feel of a crowd that had been rooting for a team that had been working their way back from a big deficit and was about to tie it up. But the Wolves were just starting to claw their way back into it. 

I’ve got to say, though, that the team really responded. The home team’s activity picked up, their urgency ratcheted up a couple of notches, and thought that if the Spurs could score, it would take the air out of the arena and both the team and the crowd might cave. What happened on the next possession? Timberwolves forced a shot clock violation and the crowd came unhinged. The rest of the quarter was a 17-4 run from the home team on the back of the energy that the fans decided to give before there was really much to cheer for. 

But none of that is really what scares me the most. It’s scary, but the truly terrifying bit is what all of that might enable – a tight game down the stretch with enough scoring and defense to put the ball in Edwards’s hands with just enough time on the clock to rip the hearts out of the Spurs. He’s done it three times already this year: twice in the regular season, and once in Game 1. Plus, he did it at the end of the 1st on Friday, and McDaniels closed out the 2nd in the same way. 

So that’s what I’m most afraid of. Your team sticks around, and Ant pulls a rabbit out of his hat again. It wouldn’t subvert expectations much, but it sure would even up the series. 

Which of those options do you think is more likely? A wire to wire dogfight like Games 1 and 3 or a blowout like Game 2? Or maybe it’s something else entirely…

Thilo

It’s funny isn’t it? That you’re the one convincing me to have hope in my team, while I wallow in the self-pity of refusing to have my heart broken again. 

What you’re describing, ultimately, is a Wild-Westian gamble where the Wolves maneuver themselves, bet by bet, flop by flop, to an even game before letting Ant go all in on the final hand of the game. How fitting it is to be facing the Spurs in that regard.

To that end, what I am truly hoping for is a Game 4 victory that shatters the record for largest playoff win in NBA history in favor of the Timberwolves. I do unironically think Minnesota evens up the series tonight, as the second game at home is always the easier one to hold on to and dominate (vis a vis Game 2).

I think I will stand by some of my pessimism however. There is no escaping that the Spurs are an excellent team, and while the Wolves are quite good as well, they are neither at full strength nor particularly locked in right now.

I think that one of those things can change on a dime. I’d say that would enable pulling away in a close game. I think that’s what we’ll see in Game 4.

Still, if I think back to the first frat we did, I remember the focus we put on “well, the Spurs can’t just ‘play better,’ there’s always give and take.” It feels like the Spurs have had to give up very little to gain a ton. Minnesota probably needs to flip that script.

Give up nothing, and take back momentum. 

Winning two on the road is going to be a lot harder than just winning one. Losing two at home should be a lot harder than just losing one.

We’ll see tonight, and I hope we get a good one, because despite the loss, Game 3 was a lot more fun than Game 2.

NBA Draft Lottery winners and losers: Wizards earn top pick, trade dooms Pacers originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Washington Wizards are officially on the clock.

The NBA’s worst team this season was rewarded with some lottery luck on Sunday, winning the top pick in a loaded draft.

The Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls filled out the top-four picks, in that order. Now, it’s time to start scouring mock drafts and studying some of the top players in this potentially historic class.

Here are some winners and losers from the lottery:

Winner: Wizards

Starting with the obvious, winning the lottery is monumental for the Wizards.

The team has won fewer than 20 games in three straight seasons, but lottery luck hasn’t given them the first overall pick since 2010. John Wall, who was their representative at Sunday’s drawing, was the pick that year. Washington, in 2025, fell from second to sixth, where it selected Tre Johnson.

There isn’t an obvious No. 1 player in this class, but that’s only due to the glut of talent at the top. BYU forward AJ Dybantsa projects as a potential pick, but you could make the argument for Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Duke forward Cameron Boozer or North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson. For a roster that just added Trae Young and Anthony Davis in mid-season trades, perhaps a wing talent like Dybantsa is the pick.

Loser: Nets

Lottery luck hasn’t been on Brooklyn’s side recently.

Last year, the Nets dropped from sixth to eighth. This year, they fell from third to sixth. These results come after years of surrendering their own first-round picks to teams like the Celtics and Rockets — where they picked players like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Reed Sheppard.

The Nets can still add talent at No. 6, but they will miss out on the top-four talent that seems to be on another tier. Arkansas guard Darius Acuff, Houston guard Kingston Flemings, Illinois guard Keaton Wagler and Arizona guard Brayden Burries could be options for Brooklyn.

Winner: Trades shake up the order

Four trades were revisited during this lottery, with the results impacting the Pacers, Clippers, Pelicans, Hawks, Bucks and Thunder.

The Pacers-Clippers trade this season involving Ivica Zubac meant that Indiana kept its pick if it was top-four, or else it went to LA. Well, it was fifth — so the Clippers now have a premium pick after losing in the Play-In Tournament. The reigning Eastern Conference champions, meanwhile, have nothing to show for their 19-win campaign — although they will get Tyrese Haliburton back from injury next season.

The Pelicans gave up their unprotected first-rounder to the Hawks last year during the draft, but the Hawks could also swap picks with the Bucks if Milwaukee’s pick jumped over New Orleans’. Neither pick moved into the top four, so the Hawks will take the Pelicans’ No. 8 pick and the Bucks will keep their No. 10 pick.

The Thunder, who are rolling through the playoffs and seem poised to win consecutive titles, own the Clippers’ unprotected first from the trade that also gave them reigning (and potentially repeat) MVP winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. For the rest of the NBA, it was a sigh of relief that their pick stayed put at No. 12.

Winner AND loser: Tanking

It was tough to watch for most of the season, but fans of many bad teams were rewarded Sunday. Others, not so much.

The Wizards had the worst record in the NBA, blatantly resting Young and Davis and letting their young talent play extended minutes. The Jazz and Grizzlies had a similar strategy, with Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant missing time and both teams opting for development over victories in 2025-26.

Other teams that tanked weren’t as lucky. The aforementioned Pacers and Nets fell just outside of the top-four despite their year-long losing effort. The Kings dropped from fifth to seventh despite going 22-60, which was their worst record since 2008-09.

The good and the bad of tanking were on full display Sunday, and it’s unclear how these results will impact the NBA’s potential plans to revamp the lottery odds moving forward.

NBA Draft Lottery winners and losers: Wizards earn top pick, trade dooms Pacers originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Washington Wizards are officially on the clock.

The NBA’s worst team this season was rewarded with some lottery luck on Sunday, winning the top pick in a loaded draft.

The Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls filled out the top-four picks, in that order. Now, it’s time to start scouring mock drafts and studying some of the top players in this potentially historic class.

Here are some winners and losers from the lottery:

Winner: Wizards

Starting with the obvious, winning the lottery is monumental for the Wizards.

The team has won fewer than 20 games in three straight seasons, but lottery luck hasn’t given them the first overall pick since 2010. John Wall, who was their representative at Sunday’s drawing, was the pick that year. Washington, in 2025, fell from second to sixth, where it selected Tre Johnson.

There isn’t an obvious No. 1 player in this class, but that’s only due to the glut of talent at the top. BYU forward AJ Dybantsa projects as a potential pick, but you could make the argument for Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Duke forward Cameron Boozer or North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson. For a roster that just added Trae Young and Anthony Davis in mid-season trades, perhaps a wing talent like Dybantsa is the pick.

Loser: Nets

Lottery luck hasn’t been on Brooklyn’s side recently.

Last year, the Nets dropped from sixth to eighth. This year, they fell from third to sixth. These results come after years of surrendering their own first-round picks to teams like the Celtics and Rockets — where they picked players like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Reed Sheppard.

The Nets can still add talent at No. 6, but they will miss out on the top-four talent that seems to be on another tier. Arkansas guard Darius Acuff, Houston guard Kingston Flemings, Illinois guard Keaton Wagler and Arizona guard Brayden Burries could be options for Brooklyn.

Winner: Trades shake up the order

Four trades were revisited during this lottery, with the results impacting the Pacers, Clippers, Pelicans, Hawks, Bucks and Thunder.

The Pacers-Clippers trade this season involving Ivica Zubac meant that Indiana kept its pick if it was top-four, or else it went to LA. Well, it was fifth — so the Clippers now have a premium pick after losing in the Play-In Tournament. The reigning Eastern Conference champions, meanwhile, have nothing to show for their 19-win campaign — although they will get Tyrese Haliburton back from injury next season.

The Pelicans gave up their unprotected first-rounder to the Hawks last year during the draft, but the Hawks could also swap picks with the Bucks if Milwaukee’s pick jumped over New Orleans’. Neither pick moved into the top four, so the Hawks will take the Pelicans’ No. 8 pick and the Bucks will keep their No. 10 pick.

The Thunder, who are rolling through the playoffs and seem poised to win consecutive titles, own the Clippers’ unprotected first from the trade that also gave them reigning (and potentially repeat) MVP winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. For the rest of the NBA, it was a sigh of relief that their pick stayed put at No. 12.

Winner AND loser: Tanking

It was tough to watch for most of the season, but fans of many bad teams were rewarded Sunday. Others, not so much.

The Wizards had the worst record in the NBA, blatantly resting Young and Davis and letting their young talent play extended minutes. The Jazz and Grizzlies had a similar strategy, with Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant missing time and both teams opting for development over victories in 2025-26.

Other teams that tanked weren’t as lucky. The aforementioned Pacers and Nets fell just outside of the top-four despite their year-long losing effort. The Kings dropped from fifth to seventh despite going 22-60, which was their worst record since 2008-09.

The good and the bad of tanking were on full display Sunday, and it’s unclear how these results will impact the NBA’s potential plans to revamp the lottery odds moving forward.

It’s the biggest day of the year for the Brooklyn Nets and it all comes down to luck — a 52.1% chance at a top-4 pick and a 14% chance at the No. 1 overall pick. If you’ve followed the organization long enough, luck is not something Nets fans are accustomed to. They really need that to change on Sunday.

Vince Carter is on the dais, Mr. Whammy will be hexing other teams from the crowd, and Joe Tsai will be in the drawing room. Wednesday will mark 50 years exact since the Nets won the ABA championship and later sold off its franchise player.

Proceed with expectations as you shall!

🏓 KEY INFO

TIME: 3:00 PM ET

WATCH: ABC/ESPN

• Washington Wizards: 14% No. 1 (52.1% top 4)
• Indiana Pacers: 14% No. 1 (52.1% top 4)
• Brooklyn Nets: 14% No. 1 (52.1% top 4)
• Utah Jazz: 11.5% No. 1 (45.2% top 4)
• Sacramento Kings: 11.5% No. 1 (45.2% top 4)
• Memphis Grizzlies: 9.0% No. 1 (37.2% top 4)

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The Knicks are just one win away from sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers to secure a second consecutive appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals.

New York moved one win closer to the ECF with a commanding 108–94 Game 3 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Despite the return of Sixers center Joel Embiid, who finished with 18 points and 6 rebounds after missing Game 2, the Knicks took control in the second quarter and never looked back.

Jalen Brunson led the way with 33 points and 9 assists, making history for the most 30-point playoff games in franchise history (passing Carmelo Anthony’s record), while Mikal Bridges chipped in 23 points to help New York secure a 3–0 series lead.

The Knicks were without starter OG Anunoby in Game 3 due to a hamstring injury; he’s currently listed as questionable and will likely be a game-time-decision today.

If the Knicks win tonight’s matchup with the 76ers, they’ll advance to the ECF, where they’ll face either Detroit or Cleveland. A 76ers win would lead to Game 5 on Tuesday.

Knicks vs. 76ers start time:

The Knicks vs. 76ers game today, May 10, is scheduled to tip off at 3:30 p.m. ET.

What channel is the Knicks game on today (May 10)?

The Knicks-76ers game will air on ABC.

How to watch Knicks vs. 76ers for free:

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the Knicks game for free.

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes ABC (plus most channels you’ll need for the WNBA season). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $44.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.

You can also tune in to today’s game with fubo’s Pro or Sports and News plans. Live TV plans from fubo start at $44.99 and also include a five-day free trial.

Knicks-76ers second round playoff schedule

• Game 1: Knicks 137, 76ers 98
• Game 2: Knicks 108, 76ers 102
• Game 3: Knicks 108, 76ers 94
• Game 4: Sunday, May 10 (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
• Game 5: Tuesday, May 12*
• Game 6: Thursday, May 14*
• Game 7: Sunday, May 17*

* if necessary

Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.

One player has shined the brightest on the NBA playoff stage, and his name is not LeBron James, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić or Austin Reaves. 

It’s Rui Hachimura. 

Playing on a court with superstars, future Hall of Famers and generational icons, Hachimura has been the best player in the Western Conference semifinal series between the Lakers and Thunder. 

“He’s a talented guy. He plays like a Japanese [Michael] Jordan,” said Thunder center Chet Holmgren of Hachimura. “He can really make shots and make shots in bunches. You can’t let him get hot.”

Holmgren was complimentary of Hachimura because both played at Gonzaga, but his analysis still rings true. You can’t let him get hot, and right now in this series Hachimura is scorching.

He’s shooting a blistering 58% from 3-point range in the postseason. He’s averaging 18.3 points in this series. To drag Hachimura’s 3-point percentage below 40, he’d have to miss 46 straight 3s. All this as a quiet, corner-dwelling forward whose job description is that of a role player and not a headliner. 

Rui Hachimura has been unconscious from three this postseason… my goodness. pic.twitter.com/6PfGl29aPy

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 10, 2026

And yet, through three lopsided losses, he’s been the most consistent Laker on the court and one of the few players who has kept them in games before everything eventually unravels. 

What makes Hachimura’s performance this postseason even more remarkable is that he’s doing it all without the ball in his hands. LeBron and Reaves are the Lakers’ primary ball handlers. Heck, even Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard handle the ball at times. 

But there are no play calls for Hachimura. No high pick-and-rolls. No offense built around him. No 3-pointers off a perimeter screen or dribble penetration. Just patience and timing. Hachimura waits for the pass that may or may not come, but he delivers when it does.

“Rui has been shooting lights out and has been playing really well for us,” Kennard said after Game 3, in which not much else went right for the Lakers. 

Game 3, when the Lakers’ backs were against a wall, should have been a night when LA pushed back against the defending champs and won its first game of this series. Instead, it became yet another reminder of the large gap between these teams. Especially without Dončić.

Even as Hachimura led the Lakers with a team-high 21 points and knocked down five 3s, the Lakers still got steamrolled by the Thunder, 131-108. One stat in particular was even more shocking. In their eight playoff games entering Saturday, every time the Lakers outshot their opponent from the perimeter, they won the game. Game 3 was the first time they outshot OKC in the series, and they still got run out of the building. 

That tells you everything you need to know about this matchup. 

As we’ve been telling you all along, the Thunder are just better. They’re operating on a different plane of existence than the Lakers now. OKC has won all three games by an average of nearly 20 points; that’s the worst playoff point differential in Lakers’ franchise history. 

The fact that Hachimura has been able to stay this hot, this consistent, against this elite defensive team is even more impressive. But he’s also quietly making himself more expensive.

Hachimura will be a free agent at the end of the season, and he’s about to hit the open market.

Hachimura signed a three-year, $51 million deal before the 2023 season. It felt reasonable then. It feels like a bargain now. In a league starving for playoff performers, especially ones who don’t need the ball, can stretch the floor and punish mistakes, Hachimura is about to create a bidding war for his services. 

There’s no doubt that teams will line up to sign him. They always do for role players like this. We expect him to get offered a deal somewhere in the four-year, $80 million to $100 million range. 

Can the Lakers afford that? Maybe, but they’re staring at a financial puzzle that borders on impossible. 

James, Reaves, Maxi Kleber, Kennard, Deandre Ayton, Smart and Jaxson Hayes all can be free agents June 30. All of them will command money. The Lakers will be forced to make some tough decisions. You can’t afford to pay everyone. That’s just the reality of the NBA. 

But here’s one reality that fans should talk about: If the Lakers let Hachimura walk for nothing, then they’re not just losing a role player. 

They’re losing their most consistent playoff performer. The one guy who showed up for every game this series against the reigning champions.

Not LeBron. Not Reaves. Not Dončić. 

And sometimes, in a league obsessed with superstars, the quiet role players end up being the most costly to replace.

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The Knicks head to Philadelphia tonight looking to complete a second-round sweep of the 76ers after dominating the first three games of the series by nearly 20 points per contest.

With New York one win away from another trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, I’m breaking down the best Knicks vs. 76ers props for Game 4, along with today’s top NBA picks and full Knicks vs 76ers predictions.

Best Knicks vs 76ers props for Game 4

Player	Pick
Jalen Brunson	Over 27.5 points	-110
Karl-Anthony Towns	Over 5.5 assists	+102
Kelly Oubre Jr.	Over 1.5 made threes	+120

Game 4 Prop #1: Jalen Brunson Over 27.5 points

-110 at bet365

He’s known as Captain Clutch for a reason. In his four seasons with the Knicks, Jalen Brunson has improved his scoring average by an average of 3.2 points per game in the playoffs. He’s scoring 28 points this postseason, up from 26 in the regular season. Against the Sixers, he’s found another gear, averaging 31.3 points per game in the series.

Brunson is taking more than 20 shots per game this series, and that volume should continue. OG Anunoby missed the last game and is a game-time decision Sunday with a hamstring injury, meaning the offense may lean even more heavily on Brunson. Coach Mike Brown joked that Brunson is his “security blanket,” and that has certainly been the case throughout this matchup.

Despite the increased volume, Brunson is shooting over 50% from the field this series and has also elevated his free-throw efficiency from the regular season.

Game 4 Prop #2: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 5.5 assists

+102 at bet365

The Knicks center is turning into a facilitator this postseason. After averaging 3.0 assists per game during the regular season, Karl-Anthony Towns has boosted that number to 6.2 in the playoffs and 6.7 in the current series.

New York appears to have unlocked something with Towns’ passing midway through the first-round series against Atlanta. He has recorded six or more assists in six straight games, and the Knicks have won all six.

Towns’ scoring numbers have dipped while battling Joel Embiid inside, but that has created more opportunities for him to facilitate. With Brunson and Mikal Bridges both thriving offensively, Towns should continue finding open shooters rather than forcing difficult looks against Embiid.

Game 4 Prop #3: Kelly Oubre Jr. Over 1.5 made threes

+120 at bet365

The Sixers’ top scorers have struggled badly in this series. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey are both averaging roughly 10 fewer points than their regular-season numbers, while Paul George and VJ Edgecombe have also seen offensive drop-offs.

That has forced Kelly Oubre Jr. to take on a bigger scoring role. After averaging 14.1 points during the regular season, Oubre has elevated that to 17.7 points per game in the series against New York.

He’s shooting 50% from the field and 46.2% from deep in the matchup, averaging two made threes per game. With Embiid limited physically and the Knicks' defense collapsing on Philadelphia’s primary scorers, Oubre should continue getting quality perimeter looks.

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Jeff Green is the ultimate bench guy. The 39-year-old Uncle Jeff shows the young players how to operate as a professional, how to be ready night-in and night-out, how navigate the pitfalls of a life partially on the road, and basic emotional support to an overall young team. It’s been valuable.

But on the court, Green’s goose is pretty much cooked. Green played in just 30 contests this season, averaging just 5.8 minutes per game. His per night averages of 2.2 points on 0.8 rebounds were the lowest of his career.

Green’s contract is also up, making him an unrestricted free agent. In addition, as we saw in the playoffs, if nothing else changes this season, Houston absolutely needs an influx of bench talent — skilled bench talent that can shoot and/or make plays. You can see where I’m going with this.

Green helps with none of those.

Sadly, it looks to me like it just may be time to part ways with Uncle Jeff. The locker room stuff is great and all, but this is a team that is looking to take the next step from above average/good up to the next tier of good/great. To do that, each roster spot needs to be maximized. I no longer think the Rockets can afford to roster a locker room guy that doesn’t help on the court.

Green’s three seasons with the Rockets are a nice swan song for the veteran, but as we saw recently with another Rockets locker room guy — Boban Marjanovich — there comes a time to ride off into the sunset, and with the Rockets likely to do at least a little shuffling this offseason, particularly on the margins, this just might be it for old Unc.

If it is, we loved having him in Houston, and when the Rockets were still babies, his presence was invaluable. But as the team grows up and the Rockets look to continue to improve, re-signing a guy who’ll be over 40 by the time the season starts who’s not named LeBron James isn’t exactly a path to a title. We appreciate you, Uncle Jeff. But if he remains on the roster next season, I’ll believe that Rockets GM Rafael Stone hasn’t fully done his job to improve.

Tracy McGrady is clarifying his comments about Jaylen Brown.

After previously saying he believed Brown’s frustration “lies deeply within the organization,” McGrady said Saturday on NBC’s “NBA Showtime” that Brown had not personally told him he was frustrated with the Celtics. Instead, McGrady said he was speaking as an analyst based on what he had observed publicly.

“I haven’t talked to Jaylen at all about this,” McGrady said. “I just know my friend, and when I see certain things, I see frustration.”

Quite the change-up from what T-Mac said earlier this week.

McGrady’s initial comments, made on “Cousins with Vince Carter & Tracy McGrady,” quickly made the rounds after the Celtics’ season ended with a first-round loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. In the clip, McGrady said Brown’s frustration “lies deeply within the organization” and referenced “a lot of stuff” he had been hearing around the Celtics organization and Brown.

McGrady has a long-standing relationship with Brown, so it was easy to understand why those comments were interpreted as more than an outside read. McGrady’s wording sure made it seem like he was passing along something Brown had told him directly.

On Saturday, McGrady pushed back on that idea.

“I’m part of the media, so if I see something, I’m gonna speak about it,” McGrady said. “I think they haven’t really separated my friendship versus me being an analyst and talking about this. It was nothing that we had a conversation about.”

McGrady pointed to Brown’s public comments after Game 7, including Brown saying he found out shortly before tip that Jayson Tatum would not play, as well as Brown’s post-elimination Twitch comments about officiating, which resulted in a $50,000 fine from the NBA.

“Because I have a relationship with Jaylen, I know him and I know how he acts,” McGrady said. “So, watching this series, how it unfolds, watching the behavior change and uncharacteristics of who I know Jaylen is, so it looked like he was frustrated to me.”

That is a very different thing than reporting that Brown privately expressed frustration with the Celtics organization, something both Jaylen and Brad Stevens had to deny in streaming and media appearances, respectively.

McGrady is certainly allowed to interpret what he sees. After all, that’s part of the job. But this is also where modern sports discourse can get messy. A comment from someone with a personal relationship to a player that sounds rooted in truth can quickly turn into a bigger story, especially when it involves a star player, a disappointing playoff exit and an offseason already filled with trade speculation.

Brown has repeatedly pushed back against questions about his future. After Boston’s season ended, he called this past year his favorite and said he would stay in Boston for another decade if the decision were up to him.

McGrady and Brown have known each other for years, which is exactly why McGrady’s original comments carried weight. It is also why the clarification was necessary.

T-Mac may still believe Brown looked frustrated. Given the way Boston’s season ended, that would not exactly be shocking. But according to McGrady, Brown never told him that directly.

If this is any indication of how conversations around Brown will be handled this summer, it’s going to be a very long offseason in Boston.