Category: NBA

The Kentucky Wildcats are nearing completion of their 2026-2027 basketball roster, with just a couple more spots to fill.

Kentucky native Malachi Moreno was expected back on the team after he tested the NBA Draft waters. However, some recent draft rankings and projections have left some wondering if he could actually stay in this year’s draft.

The Georgetown (KY) native was mocked 31st overall to the New York Knicks in Jonathan Wasserman’s latest mock draft at Bleacher Report, one spot shy of the first round. His pro comparison was former Wildcat Nick Richards, who saw great success in his junior year in Lexington.

As a few players could potentially withdraw from the draft process in the coming weeks, Wasserman believes Moreno could be a first-round pick based on his size alone.

“With NIL bringing back a handful of first round guys, Malachi Moreno has a chance to capitalize on that during the draft process,” Wasserman said. “There is already enough intrigue around a 19-year-old, 7-footer with strong shot-blocking and passing metrics, plus some touch indicators. Certain teams would prefer to gamble on a freshman with Moreno’s tools, production, impact, and historically translatable/valued archetype, rather than a projected 23-year-old rookie in a shallow draft.

“Scrimmages at the NBA combine will represent a huge opportunity for Moreno to generate more first-round interest.“

Moreno was invited to the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago next week. This is a huge opportunity for Moreno to showcase his size and athleticism in front of NBA scouts, teams, and front offices. The scrimmages will be aired on television as BBN and Mark Pope will be keeping a close eye on the 7-footer.

From Luke Kennard’s Game 1 performance, to Marcus Smart’s offensive surge in Game 2, to Deandre Ayton’s play in Game 6, there were so many great moments for the Lakers during their series win over the Rockets.

While LA’s victory lap has to come to an end as they prepare to face the Thunder in the second round, one lasting memory that deserves an immediate look back is the string of plays LeBron James and Bronny had in Game 3.

With the Lakers looking to take a commanding 3-0 lead and needing a road win to do so, the family duo delivered.

James set a screen for Bronny and he nailed the three. On the next possession, LeBron lobbed it to Bronny, who converted a reverse layup to give LA a 12-point advantage.

LeBron piled on another five straight points, meaning the James family had scored 10 consecutive Lakers points. During Tuesday’s episode of the “Mind The Game” podcast, LeBron reflected on the iconic moment.

“We had that mini-run between the two of us, and that was just something that I will never, ever forget. Something that I’ve learned, obviously, at my elder stage and being 41 years old to kind of like appreciate the small wins in the moment. That was one of the moments where I kind of, I’ve always, like, always been locked in, and that moment right there, throwing him the lob, seeing him make the three, we kind of going back and forth, I kind of blanked out for a little bit and just really accepted and relished in that moment.

“That’s pretty cool for me as a dad. And then us as colleagues and then our whole family, like, I think I mentioned at one point, like my mom being at the game and her being able to watch her son and grandson in a postseason game at the same time. My wife was there. His sister was there. I think Bryce was back home from college. You can’t even write that script in Hollywood better than what’s going on. So just being super appreciative of it.”

After all the hoopla and screaming about nepotism and privilege, it’s great to see that Bronny has silenced those ridiculous criticisms. He stepped up for a shorthanded Lakers team and played meaningful, playoff minutes for LA during the early parts of that series.

Thanks in part to Bronny’s efforts, the Lakers survived without Austin Reaves, and now that he’s back, they’ve advanced to the next round.

LeBron should take this all in as much as he can because these moments are still amazingly cool and unique. Absolutes aren’t wise to say in any sport, but it’s unlikely we’ll ever see another father-son duo playing at that high a level in the NBA again.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

Somehow, someway, the Pistons clawed their way back from a 3-1 series deficit to win in 7 games. They scrapped their way to a historic second-half comeback in Game 6. This team just won’t roll over, we saw that for 82 games, now we’ve seen it in the playoffs. Wes and Blake come to you just before the beginning of the Second Round of the NBA playoffs to react to the extraordinary Round 1 victory, giving specific props to the superstar that is Cade Cunningham, the leadership of Tobias Harris, and the mind of strategies from JB Bickerstaff. They then turn to the upcoming series against the Cavaliers. Do the Pistons have any advantages? Are the Cavs able to employ the same defensive strategy that the Magic did? And, ultimately, what both teams will need to do to secure a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals.

We’ve got you covered for all this and more in this week’s episode!

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Two NBA heavyweights will meet in the playoffs for the first time when Lebron James’ Lakers visit reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunders to kick off Round 2 of the playoffs.

After winning three straight against Houston in the first round, it took the Lakers until Game 6 to advance into the second round in a series that saw the return of Austin Reeves. Now, the Lakers will take on the No. 1 seed in the West.

The Oklahoma City Thunder advanced easily, sweeping the Phoenix Suns in four games. The defending NBA champs come into this series having already swept their season series against the Lakers. Of the four wins, only one was decided by less than a 29-point gap.

Both teams are heading into the second round missing key players. The Lakers are still without Luca Doncic after he suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain on April 2 (in a game against the Thunder), but sources told the California Post that he’s expected to miss the first two games, leaving a door open for a Game 3 return.

Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams has also been out with a hamstring injury, and his status for tonight’s Game 1 is uncertain.

The next game in the Lakers-Thunder series is scheduled for Thursday night.

Lakers vs. Thunder start time:

Tonight’s (May 5) Game 1 between the Los Angeles Lakers and OKC Thunder is scheduled to tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET.

How to watch Lakers vs. Thunder for free:

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

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes ESPN (plus nearly every other channel you’ll need for the rest of the NBA postseason). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $49.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.

You can also stream the NBA playoffs with a subscription to Peacock, which costs $16.99/month after a seven-day free trial.

Lakers-Thunder second round playoff schedule

• Game 1: May 5 (8:30 ET, NBC/Peacock)
• Game 2: May 7 (9:30 ET, Prime Video)
• Game 3: May 9 (8:30 ET, ABC)
• Game 4: May 11 (10:30 ET, Prime Video)
• Game 5: May 13*
• Game 6: May 16*
• Game 7: May 18*

* 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.

The Brooklyn Nets agreed to extensions with Jordi Fernández and his entire coaching less than three weeks ago. Opposing NBA teams are already looking to break them up.

Tuesday morning, Sam Amick of The Athletic wrote a story pooling together everything he’s heard regarding the head coaching searches active around the league. In it, he named Nets assistant Steve Hetzel as a finalist for the lead job in New Orleans.

As for the league’s other coaching vacancy, New Orleans has been deliberating over finalists Darvin Ham (a Bucks associate head coach under Rivers), Steve Hetzel (Brooklyn assistant), Sean Sweeney (San Antonio associate head coach) and Rajon Rondo (a coaching associate with the Bucks),“ Amick said. ”Mosley has long been believed to be a possible candidate if he became available, but it’s unclear as of yet if he’ll be added to the list.

Will Guillory, also of The Athletic, reported on April 27 that New Orleans had conducted at least one interview with Hetzel. Less than two weeks before that, Fred Katz and Eric Nehm named Hetzel in a story titled “Candidates to be first-time NBA head coaches this coming hiring cycle.”

Hetzel got his start coaching in the NBA as the assistant video coordinator for Gregg Popovich’s San Antonio Spurs in 2005. Since then, he has served as an assistant coach for Mike Brown, Lawrence Frank, Steve Clifford, Chauncey Billups and now Jordi Fernandez in Cleveland, Detroit, Charlotte, Orlando, Portland and Brooklyn. He worked in player development early on before being lauded as a smart tactician in the back half of his career. He also served as the head coach of the Canton Charge for the 2013-14 season.

Indeed, Hetzel has been by Fernández’s side during each his first two seasons in Brooklyn, serving as coach both times in the Summer League as well. Hetzel even led the Nets to one of their 19 wins last year and perhaps their most demonstrative one. With Fernández unable to coach at home against Milwaukee on December 14, Hetzel stepped in as his interim replacement and propelled Brooklyn to a 127-82 victory, which tied a franchise record for their largest win margin ever in a game.

This would be Hetzel’s first full-time head coaching job if he lands the job and departs Brooklyn. It’ll also land the Nets another question mark ahead a sure-to-be intriguing offseason.

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse stepped away from the team Tuesday, May 5 so he could attend the funeral of his older brother.

The 76ers coach flew home to Iowa after the loss against the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the NBA conference semifinals following the death of his older brother, Steve Nurse, per The Philadelphia Inquirer. Nurse's brother reportedly died "unexpectedly" on April 29 before Game 6 between the 76ers and the Boston Celtics in the opening round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Steve Nurse, who was 62 years old, was the longtime athletic equipment manager for the University of Northern Iowa.

According to The Athletic, the 76ers held a film session but no practice Tuesday afternoon.

The NBA Draft Lottery is less than a week away. The Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets each have the highest odds — 14% — in the lottery to land the No. 1 pick in what is expected to be a loaded draft. Recent years also have seen a number of teams jump bottom of the lottery into the top three of the draft, including the Dallas Mavericks, who won the lottery last year and earned the right to take the future Rookie of the Year, Cooper Flagg.

The defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder, who had the best record for the second season in a row, could even win the lottery. They own the Los Angeles Clippers’ pick courtesy of the Paul George trade.

This figures to be the final NBA Draft Lottery in its current format before the league likely puts a new system in place for next season in an effort to reduce teams tanking for better odds. Here’s everything you need to know about the 2026 including, the top prospects.

NBA mock drafts: 3.0 • 2.0 • 1.0 | NBA Draft combine participants

When and what time is the NBA Draft Lottery?

The lottery is at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, May 10. It will be at Chicago’s McCormick Place convention center and coincides with the draft combine.

Where is the NBA Draft Lottery streaming?

It will be on ABC, ahead of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers.

NBA Draft Lottery odds to land the No. 1 pick

The 14 teams that didn't make the playoffs have a chance to land the No. 1 pick. The teams that finished with the three-worst records — Washington, Indiana and Brooklyn — each have the highest odds (14%) at winning the No. 1 pick.

Here are the odds for every team in the draft lottery, based on team records at the end of the regular season. Teams that finished the season with identical records had their draft order determined by a random drawing.

1. Washington Wizards

Record: 17-65
Odds for No. 1 pick: 14%

2. Indiana Pacers

Record: 19-63
Odds for No. 1 pick: 14%

Due to the Ivica Zubac trade with the Clippers, if the Pacers’ pick lands between the 5-9 spots on lotto night, it will go to L.A.

3. Brooklyn Nets

Record: 20-62
Odds for No. 1 pick: 14%

4. Utah Jazz

Record: 22-60
Odds for No. 1 pick: 11.5%

5. Sacramento Kings

Record: 22-60
Odds for No. 1 pick: 11.5%

6. Memphis Grizzlies

Record: 25-57
Odds for No. 1 pick: 9%

7. New Orleans Pelicans (Atlanta Hawks)

Record: 26-56
Odds for No. 1 pick: 6.8%

The Pelicans owe their unprotected first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks as part of their 2025 draft-night trade.

8. Dallas Mavericks

Record: 26-56
Odds for No. 1 pick: 6.7%

9. Chicago Bulls

Record: 31-51
Odds for No. 1 pick: 4.5%

10. Milwaukee Bucks

Record: 32-50
Odds for No. 1 pick: 3%

11. Golden State Warriors

Record: 37-45
Odds for No. 1 pick: 2%

12. Los Angeles Clippers (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Record: 42-40
Odds for No. 1 pick: 1.5%

The Clippers owe their 2026 first-round pick to the Thunder as part of the 2019 Paul George trade.

13. Miami Heat

Record: 43-39
Odds for No. 1 pick: 1%

14. Charlotte Hornets

Record: 44-38
Odds for No. 1 pick: 0.5%

How the NBA Draft Lottery works

The draft lottery determines the order of the first 14 picks. It takes place in a private room with NBA officials, representatives of participating teams, select media and the accounting firm Ernst & Young, which oversees the drawings, in attendance.

For the drawings, 14 ping-pong balls (numbered 1 through 14) are dropped in a lottery machine. Before the lottery, 1,000 of a possible 1,001 combinations are assigned to the 14 participating lottery teams. A league representative randomly selects four balls, revealing a four-number combination.

From the NBA:

The drawing process occurs in the following manner: All 14 balls are placed in the lottery machine and they are mixed for 20 seconds, and then the first ball is removed. The remaining balls are mixed in the lottery machine for another 10 seconds, and then the second ball is drawn. There is a 10-second mix, and then the third ball is drawn. There is a 10-second mix, and then the fourth ball is drawn. The team that has been assigned that combination will receive the No. 1 pick. The same process is repeated with the same ping-pong balls and lottery machine for the second through fourth picks.

If the same team comes up more than once, the result is discarded and another four-ball combination is selected. Also, if the one unassigned combination is drawn, the result is discarded and the balls are drawn again.

After the first four picks are determined, the remaining picks are based on regular-season records, in reverse order.

Rest of 2026 NBA Draft order

FIRST ROUND NOS. 15-30

15. Portland (to Chicago)

16. Phoenix (to Memphis)

17. Philadelphia (to Oklahoma City)

18. Orlando (to Charlotte)

19. Toronto

20. Atlanta (to San Antonio)

21. Minnesota (to Detroit)

22. Houston (to Philadelphia)

23. Cleveland (to Atlanta)

24. New York

25. Los Angeles Lakers

26. Denver

27. Boston

28. Detroit (to Minnesota)

29. San Antonio (to Cleveland)

30. Oklahoma City (to Dallas)

Best prospects in 2026 NBA Draft

AJ Dybantsa

Dybantsa could become one of the NBA’s most unstoppable shot-creators. At 6-foot-9, he has a special blend of athletic tools with the way he bends, shifts, and explodes with the ball in his hands. Dybantsa led the nation with 25.5 points per game while breaking Danny Ainge’s 48-year-old BYU freshman scoring record with a 43-point eruption. He gets to the rim at will, cooks in the midrange, draws fouls at a high rate, and displays point-forward potential. What will determine his upside is whether he can become a knockdown 3-point shooter, as well as a more impactful defender to take full advantage of his physical tools. But the native of Brockton, Massachusetts, has a tremendously high floor with his scoring skill alone. — Kevin O’Connor

Cameron Boozer

He’s a do-it-all offensive talent who can post up, run pick-and-rolls, set screens, spot up and crash the boards. He doesn’t need to rely on bully ball to make an impact as a scorer or passer. Defensively, some of the questions about Boozer popped up in Duke’s Elite Eight loss to UConn: He wasn’t big enough to defend Tarris Reed, and he got smoked by Alex Karaban on a key 3-pointer on the perimeter. But he plays hard and has improved at every weakness in his game so far. — O’Connor

Darryn Peterson

He can pull up from anywhere and get to his spots. Plus he’s 6-6 and plays with a fluidity that just screams superstar. Not to mention he’s a defensive playmaker with the tools to guard multiple positions and the approach to impact the game even if he’s not scoring. Between the cramping saga, the missed time, the lack of apparent athletic pop, and the stretches where he played heavy minutes but struggled to produce offensively, there’s a lot to be concerned about. But the pre-draft period could answer any questions. — O’Connor

Caleb Wilson

Wilson is the most gifted athlete in the draft class. He's 6-10 with springs for legs. When he's flying above the rim, finishing through contact, and chasing down every shot in his area code, he looks like a future franchise cornerstone. But the conversation changes when you watch his jumper because he hasn’t shown any consistency as a shooter at any level. Still, even without the jumper, he has star upside. — O’Connor

Darius Acuff Jr.

Acuff is not the biggest guard or the most explosive athlete, but he reads defenses like someone who's been in the league for a decade. He emerged as a freshman as a skilled, low-turnover playmaker. And that’s not even what he’s best at. Acuff is a wiry scorer who can get a bucket from anywhere on the floor with a quick trigger, slippery handle, and a feel for manipulating defenses. He has a knack for clutch moments too. The question that follows every undersized guard into the draft is whether the brilliance survives contact with bigger, longer, faster defenders. — O’Connor

When and where is the 2026 NBA Draft?

The 2026 NBA Draft will again be two days: Tuesday, June 23 for the first round; and Wednesday, June 24 for the second round. Both rounds are in Brooklyn, New York.

ABC/ESPN will broadcast the first round, and the second round will be on ESPN.

Is the NBA Draft Lottery changing?

Almost certainly. NBA commissioner Adam Silver wants to curb the wide-spread tanking teams engaged in ahead of this season’s draft.

The league reportedly will put forth a new 3-2-1 format for a vote by team owners on May 28. The new format will create a system where each team gets a certain number of ping-pong balls to win the No. 1 pick. Here’s how it looks in reverse order of the standings and then play-in game participants:

• No. 1-3: two ping-pong balls (5.4%)

• No. 4-10: three ping-pong balls (8.1%)

• Teams in 9-10 play-in games: two ping-pong balls (5.4%)

• Losers of 7-8 play-in games: one ping-pong ball (2.7%)

The league hopes non-playoff teams will be incentivized to stay competitive late in the season. It also provides the No. 8 seeds in the East and West at least one shot at the top pick.

In addition, the league will not allow teams to win the top pick in back-to-back seasons or win a top-five pick in three consecutive seasons.

NEW YORK (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers coach Nick Nurse was away from the team Tuesday ahead of Game 2 of its second-round playoff series against the New York Knicks to attend the funeral of his brother.

Nurse's brother Steve Nurse, 62, died unexpectedly last Wednesday. Nick Nurse left the team following Philadelphia's 137-98 loss to open the second round against the Knicks on Monday for the service on Tuesday in Ankeny, Iowa.

Nurse is expected to rejoin the Sixers for Game 2 on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.

“I'd like to pass my condolences along to Nick Nurse and his family, his brother's family and all their friends," Knicks coach Mike Brown said at the team's training center in suburban Greenburgh. “Life is precious and you don't wish that upon anybody, so I'd like to pass along my condolences to him and his family while they're going through these times.”

___

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

Eliminating the Thunder from the playoffs is no easy task.

Last year, no one could do it. This season, they have yet to lose, much less even flirt with the idea of being eliminated.

The Lakers are well aware of the challenge at hand as they begin their series against OKC. They understand that a near-perfect performance will be required, especially considering that they are still playing without Luka Dončić.

On Tuesday’s episode of the “Mind The Game podcast”, LeBron James laid out the realities of what it’s going to take to pull off this upset.

“We cannot shortcut the details. In order for us to give ourselves a chance to win games, we cannot shortcut the details and the game plan. We know we can’t stop everything. It’s impossible. They’re that great. But if we can control the controllables, which is not turning the ball over because we know how great they are when it comes to pick sixes and how handsy they are and the athleticism and speed that they play with. Then we can give ourselves a chance, and that’s all you can ask for in the postseason is a chance to compete and compete to win games.”

The recipe to beat the Thunder is still being concocted, but how to lose to them is well-known. If you turn the ball over, they’ll take advantage. Thunder opponents have a turnover rate of 16.5, which is the third highest in the playoffs. Off of those turnovers, OKC scores an average of 20.8 points per game. So, they not only create advantages, but they also make you pay.

Add in the fact that the Thunder never foul — at least according to head coach JJ Redick, with his tongue in his cheek — and OKC employs MVP winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and has one of the deepest benches in all of basketball and it’s difficult to find a weakness that can be exploited.

So, it’s all about the Lakers controlling what they can control. That means protecting the ball, getting good looks at the basket and defending as well as anyone can against the Thunder.

LeBron’s done impossible tasks like beating the prime Warriors and even winning against the Rockets in the first round this season, so we’ll see if he can pull another unprecedented upset by taking down the Thunder.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

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Our NBA player prop projections are ready for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons, with the model highlighting several high-value spots.

By analyzing the data against current market lines, we’ve identified where the strongest edges exist.

These Cavaliers vs. Pistons predictions are driven by numbers instead of guesswork.

If you’re building your card, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Tuesday, May 5.

Cavaliers vs Pistons computer picks for Game 1

Cavaliers	Pistons
Mitchell u25.5 points  -115	Cunningham o26.5 points -125
Mobley o8.5 rebounds -102	Duren o10.5 rebounds  -115
Harden o2.5 3-pointers  -130	Robinson o2.5 3-pointers  -105

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Cavaliers Game 1 computer picks

Donovan Mitchell Under 25.5 points (-115)

Projection: 23.3 points

This season, opposing starting shooting guards have shot just 27.6% from three against the Detroit Pistons (the second-worst mark in the league) making it a difficult matchup for Donovan Mitchell to clear his points prop in Game 1.

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Evan Mobley Over 8.5 rebounds (-102)

Projection: 8.59 rebounds

The Cleveland Cavaliers have led the league with 15.0 offensive rebounds per game over their last five outings, and Evan Mobley made his presence felt on the glass against the Raptors — a trend he’ll look to carry into the Eastern Conference semifinals.

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James Harden Over 2.5 3-pointers (-130)

Projection: 2.61 3-pointers

This season, opposing starting point guards have averaged 6.2 three-point attempts per game against the Pistons — the 10th-most in the league — setting up a favorable spot for James Harden to thrive from deep. When Harden gets it going, the Cavaliers tend to follow, so expect him to set the tone early and clear the Over on this prop.

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Pistons Game 1 computer picks

Cade Cunningham Over 26.5 points (-125)

Projection: 28.7 points

Cade Cunningham is on a tear, averaging 32.2 points over his last five games — a jump of 8.2 from his season average.

The matchup with Cleveland only adds fuel to the fire, as opposing starting point guards have shot a league-high 41.4% from three against the Cavaliers this year, setting Cunningham up nicely to boost his scoring from beyond the arc in Game 1.

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Jalen Duren Over 10.5 rebounds (-115)

Projection: 12.06 rebounds

Detroit ranks third in the league with 13.0 offensive rebounds per game, and as the Pistons’ top presence on the glass, Jalen Duren will look to assert himself early — battling Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen by owning the boards and setting the tone inside.

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Duncan Robinson Over 2.5 3-pointers (-105)

Projection: 3.22 3-pointers

Duncan Robinson cleared the Over in five of seven games during the opening round against Orlando, but this matchup brings a different kind of challenge. Cleveland’s defense is far more disciplined on the perimeter, closing out hard and limiting clean looks from deep, which will put added pressure on Robinson to find space.

If Detroit wants to keep pace, they’ll need Robinson to get going early from beyond the arc and knock down shots against a Cavaliers defense that won’t give him many easy opportunities.

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How to watch Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 1

Location	Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Date	Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Tip-off	7 p.m. ET
TV	Peacock/NBC

Not intended for use in MA.
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The story of the 2025-2026 Boston Celtics is a complicated one. A team that blew expectations out of the water after a 56-win season, that, fair or not, reset those expectations going into the playoffs. The team then fell dramatically short, blowing the first 3-1 series lead in franchise history, and, to dump salt into the wound, they did it against the Philadelphia 76ers. A lot went wrong in the 3-1 collapse. Let’s power rank the reasons why the Celtics are watching the second round of the playoffs from their couch. 

1. Joe Mazzulla

When assigning credit or blame to a basketball team, I tend to shy away from assigning it to the coach. I believe that in basketball, players have an outsized impact on game results compared to other sports. It’s a simple equation: fewer players on the court or field equals more individual player impact. It’s one reason coaches are more valuable and impactful in the NFL than in the NBA. That being said, I have Joe Mazzulla at the top of my list when it comes to why the Celtics were bounced early this season. 

There was a litany of head-scratching decisions from Mazzulla throughout the first round. His decision to turn his back on the identity of the team that won 56 games for him triggered a domino effect that culminated in the collapse. The 2025-26 Boston Celtics racked up wins by being the deeper, harder-playing team every night. Mazzulla left that identity behind immediately to start the playoffs.

Over the last 15 regular-season games, Baylor Scheierman played 24 minutes per game and contributed 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists while shooting 45.5% from three-point range. Scheierman peaked with monster performances late in the season in MSG and a 30-point masterclass in the last game of the regular season. In Game 1 of the first round, Baylor played three minutes going into the fourth quarter. This decision had a compounding impact on the team, as these minutes were funnelled towards Jayson Tatum, who was tasked with playing over 42 minutes in Game 3, and tasked with a heavy load in any game that became close. Tatum himself was not surprised that it led to an injury. 

“A little bit to be expected, I was away for ten and a half months, and then I came back, and I’m playing every other day, and I’m playing 36-40 minutes. So it’s not unusual that something would come up.”

Not only did Mazzulla abandon what made this team special, but he also tightened his rotation and loaded his superstar with minutes after an Achilles rupture.

There are additional micro decisions that I think really hurt the Celtics. Tyrese Maxey fried the faces off of the Celtics in their first-round matchup, dumping 26.9 points per game on an efficient 57.9% true shooting on the heads of the Celtics. There was one player on the Celtics this season who showed they could slow Maxey down: Jordan Walsh. Walsh held Maxey to 18.4% true shooting in the regular season and 54% true shooting in the first round. Mazzulla played Walsh an inexplicable 5 minutes in Game 7. Walsh should have been in the starting lineup several games prior. 

Last on the Mazzulla front. The decision not to play Payton Pritchard more minutes was baffling. When Pritchard was on the court, he gave the Celtics offense a zip that wasn’t there with him off the court. Without Pritchard on the court, the team and specifically the offense, cratered. With Pritchard on the court in the first round, the Celtics had an 11.7 net rating; with him off the court, the Celtics have a negative 14.1 net rating. Zooming in on the offense, with Pritchard on the court, the Celtics offense had a scorching 120.5 offensive rating. With him off the court, the offense collapsed to a 99.8 offensive rating. Joe’s decision to only play Pritchard 26 minutes in Game 5 hurt the Celtics, especially coming off a Game 4 in which Pritchard had flames shooting out of all of his orifices. 

And I won’t even mention the choice to start a lineup in Game 7 that had played zero minutes together. 

Three of the last four seasons ended with Celtics losses, and the Celtics were heavy favorites going into all of these series. Joe Mazzulla did not cover himself in glory in any of those losses. 

2. Jaylen Brown

Moving on to the first player on the power rankings: Jaylen Brown. Brown had an incredible season, and will deservedly find his way onto either First or Second Team All-NBA. Jaylen again showed the world that putting a ceiling on him is typically a mistake.

However, part of what made Jaylen’s season special was the leap he took as a passer and decision-maker. Historically, Jaylen has tended to get tunnel vision in big spots. But in the regular season, Brown was consistently making the right play, getting teammates involved and leading a Celtics offense that ended the season ranked second in the entire league. Brown reverted to his old ways in these playoffs. Jaylen recorded more turnovers (25) than he did assists (23).

I don’t think this came from selfishness. I believe Brown tends to press and force the issue; he wants to put the team on his back and will them to victory. Despite his play coming from a well-intentioned place, it brought out his worst habits. Leading to a Celtics offense that stalled out when he was on the court. With Jaylen on the court in the first round, the Celtics had a negative 1.3 net rating; with him off the court, the Celtics had a 23.2 net rating. With Jaylen on the court, the Celtics had a 108.7 offensive rating; with him off the court, the Celtics had a 131.3 offensive rating. An astronomical swing — a swing that can’t happen with a team’s second-best player.

3. Derrick White

Derrick White is up next. Coming into the playoffs, I wasn’t worried about a down shooting year for Derrick. I thought the team could survive his 32.7% three-point shooting clip. Unfortunately, Derrick took his bad shooting to another level, making it untenable for the Celtics. Not only did White shoot 27.3% from the three-point line, but his two-point field goal percentage also plummeted from 48.7% in the regular season to 42.3% in the playoffs. To make matters worse, White lost confidence and stopped being aggressive. Hesitancy in the playoffs will get you killed. In the last 15 games of the regular season, which marked Jayson Tatum’s return, White was taking 10.5 field goals per game. Coming into Game 7, White was only taking 9.2 field goals per game. It’s very hard for a team to win with their third player struggling to this degree. 

4. Neemias Queta

Neemias Queta unfortunately joins the ranks. Specifically, Neemias Queta’s foul trouble. In Game 7, we saw what Queta was capable of on a big stage. The Portuguese big man was the most impactful Celtic as the team tried to save their season. Pouring in 17 points and 12 rebounds on the way to being a team-high plus nine in his 32 minutes. It was all on display in Game 7: the athleticism, the improved touch, the clutch free-throw making, the ability to clean the glass.

Unfortunately, the Boston Celtics needed more Neemias Queta early in the series. From the first game in the series, Queta found himself in foul trouble, which shouldn’t happen when playing against Andre Drummond and Adem Bona. If I had any hair left, I would have pulled it out when the big man committed another unnecessary foul, reaching in after the 76ers had corralled a defensive rebound. You could live with some of the fouls; it was the avoidable ones that killed the team. With a weak front line, the Celtics needed Queta to play at least 30 minutes per game in this series, and he eliminated that possibility with some horrendous fouls. 

There is plenty of blame to go around for the excruciating first-round loss that the Celtics experienced in round one of the playoffs. However, while it hurts, every issue on the list is fixable, but only if the issues are acknowledged. A lot went wrong for the Celtics in this year’s playoffs, but I remain confident that the team will be right back in the mix this time next year. 

That was fun, eh?

The Detroit Pistons’ first round victory over the Orlando Magic that was overloaded with storylines and narrative shifts feels like it should have earned the victor a vacation. Instead, Detroit turns the page quickly to a tougher test in the Cleveland Cavaliers, with Game 1 tipping off tonight at Little Caesars Arena. The beauty of the NBA playoffs is that it allows no rest for the wicked.

If there’s one thing we learned about Detroit in Round 1, it’s this: they don’t go away easily. That mindset, echoed by J. B. Bickerstaff and his players all season, now faces its stiffest test yet.

Here are the three biggest challenges Cleveland presents.

1. Frontcourt size

Detroit struggled early in the Orlando series adjusting to physicality in the paint and Cleveland brings an even tougher version of that problem.

Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are simply a different tier of frontcourt. Mobley is coming off a strong first round, averaging 18.1 points and 8.6 rebounds while showing off an expanded offensive game, including timely perimeter shooting. His versatility is amplified by Allen, who anchors the paint defensively (2.3 blocks per game in Round 1) and frees Mobley to operate more offensively. Oh, did I mention that Mobley was last year’s Defensive Player of the Year?

Allen, meanwhile, is riding momentum from a dominant Game 7 performance (22 points, 19 rebounds) that may have swung Cleveland’s fate.

On paper, Detroit has more resistance inside than Toronto did – but a concern that didn’t come up as often in round 1 was foul trouble. The Pistons’ physical style is a strength, but against savvy bigs like Mobley and Allen, it can quickly become a liability.

Jalen Duren will need to replicate his Game 7 impact (15 points, 15 rebounds), and Isaiah Stewart has to be a more steady presence. Without that, Cleveland’s size could tilt the series early.

2. Harden’s playstyle

James Harden’s playoff reputation has long been debated, but his ability to manipulate defenses – especially by drawing fouls – still makes him dangerous. It is worth mentioning this will be the first time this season Detroit plays this iteration of Cleveland with both Donovan Mitchell and Harden available. And with Mitchell commanding the bulk of defensive attention, Harden becomes a potential X-factor.

Harden was productive in Round 1, averaging 20.6 points and 6.1 assists while consistently getting to the line (6.9 free throw attempts per game, top 10 in the first round). That matters against a Detroit team that avoided major foul trouble against Orlando – something that may not hold here.

Matchups will be key. Ausar Thompson will be glued to Mitchell, leaving Cunningham and Duncan Robinson to deal with Harden. That’s where Cleveland will hunt advantages, particularly targeting Robinson, which could limit his minutes if he becomes a defensive liability. Do we see an unleashing of Ron Holland to help contain?

3. A style-proof offense?

Detroit just held Orlando to 45.6% shooting in the paint – the worst mark of any playoff team in seven years. That defensive dominance won’t translate as cleanly in this series.

Cleveland can beat you in multiple ways. They can run through Mitchell and Harden, punish mismatches inside with Mobley and Allen, or stretch the floor with perimeter shooting. Unlike Orlando, you can’t neutralize one player and expect everything else to collapse.

The Magic showed flashes of offensive versatility early in Round 1, but ultimately became predictable by the end. Cleveland won’t.

What gives Detroit more than a chance is elite defensive versatility, led by Thompson, who’s may be the best perimeter defenders in the league and can even switch onto bigger players in spurts. If he can disrupt Cleveland’s rhythm the way he did Orlando in Round 1, Detroit has a path.

But this series will demand more. More discipline, more shot-making and more answers.

The Houston Rockets were a relatively top-heavy ball club in 2025-26. Their only consistent performer was Kevin Durant, followed by Amen Thompson, although Thompson’s contributions extend far beyond the stat sheet.

Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason were all major contributors. However, they weren’t exactly consistent contributors, as each of them hit a lull at one point or another during the season. 

Houston had two All-Star players in Durant and Sengun, although Sengun made the All-Star team due to injuries (which still counts). Houston will have just one All-NBA player in Durant. Which likely isn’t enough, due to Durant’s age (although any talks about his decline can and should be neutered expeditiously).

Durant took on a myriad of roles, playing every position, ranging from point guard to shooting guard to small forward to power forward. To the tune of the third-most minutes per night and the second-most minutes in total.

Durant played 78 games –his most since the 2018-19 season. And after a disappointing postseason appearance, in which the Rockets were defeated by the undermanned Los Angeles Lakers in the first-round, the Rockets are rumored to be considering a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks to land two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. 

It’s believed that it would take Sengun, Smith and draft capital to land Antetokounmpo. If so, the Rockets will have to think long and hard about it.

The only two players that should be considered as untradeable are Thompson and Durant (in my opinion). Don’t get me wrong, Smith was the x-factor for Houston. When he played well, the Rockets usually did well also.

And Sengun made consecutive All-Star teams and is still just scratching the surface of his potential. 

But we’re talking about Antetokounmpo, after all. One of the league’s 75 greatest players of all-time, who just averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 65.8 percent true shooting and 63.6 percent effective shooting. 

Antetokounmpo would’ve led the Rockets in scoring and efficiency, even in a season that saw him turn 31-years-old midway through the calendar year. Houston will certainly want to maximize Durant’s window, which will likely be just two more years, at most. 

Neither Smith nor Sengun will likely become the player that Antetokounmpo is, even now. And again, both are fine, young players.

But Antetokounmpo’s presence will make life easier for Durant, which Houston has to consider, after asking Durant to do essentially everything in his first season in Houston. If Houston can get a deal done with Milwaukee by parting just Sengun and Smith (and draft capital), that would be tough to turn down. 

Great things happen, historically, when you pair multiple MVPs together. And the Oklahoma City Thunder aren’t going anywhere.

Houston may as well load up. It’s their best chance of dethroning the Thunder and San Antonio Spurs. 

In Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals series between the Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs, Victor Wembanyama showed why he was awarded the 2026 Defensive Player of the Year and seems poised to win the award for years to come.

Wembanyama blocked an incredible 12 Timberwolves shots in the series-opening game, an NBA record in a playoff game dating back to when blocks became an official stat during the 1973-74 season. Unofficially, according to Basketball Reference, the last time a player had 12 or more blocks in a playoff game was Wilt Chamberlain in 1970.

The Wolves’ ability to generate offense when Wembanyama is on the court is likely to be the largest determining factor of whether or not Minnesota can win this series. Unlike the last series against the Denver Nuggets, where Nikola Jokić provided little to no resistance at the rim, the Spurs have a generational rim protector underneath the basket.

Despite being rejected at the rim so many times, the Wolves made the correct choice to continue attacking the paint as much as possible. While the 3-point shot and the midrange will be a large part of the Timberwolves offense, it cannot be the only way they put the ball in the basket.

“We’re not going to just not attack the basket because he’s down there,” Randle explained about the team’s mindset. “We can be smarter about how we do it, be a little bit smarter. We’re not going to let him deter us from attacking the rim.”

One place the Wolves could do a better job offensively is to more often push the ball in transition and off of defensive rebounds.

If the Wolves can beat Wembanyama down the floor, he won’t be in a position to block the shot, which will lead to makes at the basket and open looks from beyond the arc. Terrence Shannon Jr. executed that idea best in Game 1 by pushing the pace early and often.

“He gonna have to block it every time,” Shannon said of Wembanyama after the game. “I ain’t gonna stop going downhill.”

The Timberwolves scored just 69 points through the first three quarters of the game, but put together a 35-point fourth quarter to win the game.

The big adjustment was moving Rudy Gobert to the bench, which allowed the Wolves to put all five players on the court who could shoot and stretch the floor. Instead of Wembanyama sitting by the rim and ignoring Gobert on offense, he was forced to guard out on the perimeter, which allowed the Wolves to get some open looks near the rim for the first time all game.

The question for the rest of the series is, can the Wolves score enough with Gobert on the floor, or will they need him on the bench to go on a scoring run?

The truth likely lies somewhere in the middle. The Timberwolves still need Gobert to play a large role in this series, as his defense and rebounding are invaluable, and the team did win his 30 minutes in Game 1 by two points, but there will likely be times when it makes sense for Chris Finch to go with the five-out spacing lineup with Randle and Reid.

Finch has been outstanding with adjustments and lineups this entire postseason. Even though the Wolves have been down multiple rotation players since Game 4 against the Nuggets, he has consistently pulled the right levers in each game and will need to continue doing so for the Wolves to win this series.

Game 2 on Wednesday night should be another interesting test for Minnesota as they look to take the first two games on the road of a second-round series just as they did two years ago in Denver.