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LeBron James makes history every time he steps on the floor. He isn’t looking to be on the wrong side of it when the Los Angeles Lakers host the Houston Rockets in Game 5 on Wednesday, April 29.

As I’m sure you’ve heard, no NBA team has ever come back from a 0-3 hole to win a playoff series. But after Houston avoided the sweep at home this past weekend, the history buffs aren’t too sure that stat will hold up.

Tonight's Rockets vs. Lakers predictions know James isn’t taking Houston for granted, especially coming off one of the worst performances of his storied career.

My NBA picks like LeBron to top his scoring prop in Game 5, even if it's not enough to land the knockout punch.

Rockets vs Lakers prediction

Who will win Rockets vs Lakers Game 5?

Rockets: The Lakers are home chalk for Game 5. That’s a contrast to Game 1, when they closed as 2.5-point home underdogs once Kevin Durant was ruled out. A few wins, home court, and the promise of Austin Reaves’ return has flipped the script on this series but I’m not counting out the Rockets just yet. Houston’s defense has improved greatly over the past six quarters and I think there’s value in them stealing a victory in L.A. as +150 moneyline pups.

Rockets vs Lakers best bet: LeBron James Over 23.5 Points (-115)

A lot of factors folded into LeBron James’ terrible night in Game 4. 

The tight turnaround, exhaustion from carrying the club, Tari Eason’s defense, and perhaps a little complacency all stewed together for a 2-for-9 shooting effort and just 10 points from James. Oh, and there were the eight turnovers.

Following the one-sided loss, James immediately pointed the finger at himself and was quick to correct anyone asking if the Los Angeles Lakers were comfortable with a 3-1 series edge over the Houston Rockets.

“There’s no such thing as being comfortable until a series is done. None of us are,” he told the media.

Before his dud in Game 4, James scored a combined 57 points in the two games prior and fired up 42 total field goals in those efforts. That had his scoring prop jacked to 25.5 points with heavy juice on the Over Sunday.

LeBron has now enjoyed a two-day break to recharge and reassess the Rockets’ defense, while that 10-point sputter and Austin Reaves’ possible return anchor his scoring total at 23.5 points for Wednesday night.

This number is the shortest scoring O/U listed for James since losing Reaves and Luka Doncic late in the regular season. Even if Reaves does return, he’ll likely be restricted, and the scoring load remains on James’ broad shoulders.

Player projections for Game 5 don’t discount “The King”, pegging him between 24.5 and more than 27 points Wednesday night. The pressure of giving Houston a glimmer of hope, as well as cleaning up his mess from Game 4, has me leaning toward the high side of those forecasts.

Rockets vs Lakers same-game parlay

The Rockets' offense has been a mess with Kevin Durant in and out, but Houston decided to get it done with defense in Game 4, and this team has looked much stronger on that side of the ball over the past six quarters. Those stops and turnovers translated into easy buckets, and desperation keeps things close on Wednesday.

Alperen Sengun has stepped up as the Rockets’ leader in this series and has been a steady scorer the past two games, putting up 19 and 33 points on a combined 21-for-39 shooting (54%). With the Lakers doing a better job limiting turnovers, this game is played at a slower tempo in the halfcourt, which works well for Sengun. Some models sit as high as 24.5 points in Game 5.

Rockets vs Lakers SGP

• Rockets +4.5
• LeBron James Over 23.5 points
• Alperen Sengun Over 22.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Rocket Man

Alperen Sengun is the Rockets' top option with KD out. I see this as more of a half-court game, and he can go after the Lakers' weak interior defense. His projections call for 24+ points, 11+ rebounds, and he’s been a shot swatter on the defensive end all series.

Rockets vs Lakers SGP

• Rockets moneyline
• Alperen Sengun Over 22.5 points
• Alperen Sengun Over 9.5 rebounds
• Alperen Sengun Over 1.5 blocks

Rockets vs Lakers odds for Game 5

• Spread: Rockets +4.5 | Lakers -4.5
• Moneyline: Rockets +150 | Lakers -180
• Over/Under: Over 208.5 | Under 208.5

Rockets vs Lakers betting trend to know

The Houston Rockets have gone Over their Team Total in 20 of their last 30 games (+8.35 Units/24% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Rockets vs. Lakers.

How to watch Rockets vs Lakers Game 5

Rockets vs Lakers latest injuries

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NBA moves closer to anti-tanking measures with ‘3-2-1' draft lottery proposal originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The NBA moved closer to a slightly expanded 16-team lottery Tuesday, one that will flatten odds of winning the No. 1 pick and try to deter tanking by drastically lowering the chances of winning for the teams that finish with the three worst records.

The “3-2-1 Lottery” proposal, which was reviewed by the league’s general managers, will be further discussed before it goes the Board of Governors for a final vote that is expected next month. It will not change the current format, which will likely be utilized for the final time when the lottery for this year’s draft is held May 10. This would go into effect next year.

The proposed plan will be discussed again at a competition committee meeting on Thursday. It would add two teams to the current 14-team lottery structure and incentivizes winning even for teams that aren’t still in the race for play-in or playoff spots.

The 16 teams in this proposal would all get somewhere between one and three lottery balls — hence the 3-2-1 name that has been attached to the plan — and the awarding of those balls would be broken down thusly:

— The losers of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 play-in games in both conferences would get one lottery ball each.

— The No. 9 and No. 10 seeds going into the play-in tournament would get two lottery balls each.

— The remaining 10 teams that miss the playoffs and the play-in would all get three lottery balls — with the exception of the three worst teams in the standings. They would enter “draft relegation” and have one of their lottery balls taken away, which the NBA hopes would keep teams from trying to lose as many games as they can for the worst possible record. That practice, the so-called “tanking,” has been rewarded in the current system by better lottery odds.

The league was furious this season at how some teams were clearly prioritizing their draft spot over winning, even fining the Utah Jazz $500,000 “for conduct detrimental to the league” over the way two top plays were held out of the fourth quarter of a pair of games — one of which the Jazz actually won.

There was a clear race to the bottom this season with five teams — Washington, Indiana, Utah, Memphis and Brooklyn — all having winning percentages below .180 after the All-Star break. There has never been a season in NBA history, until now, where so many teams lost that often after the break.

“The incentives are not necessarily matched here,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in February when discussing the correlation between the teams with the worst records having the best lottery odds. “I think the tradition in sports where the worst-performing team receives the first pick from their partners, when any economist comes and looks at our system, they always point out you have the incentives backwards there. That doesn’t necessarily make sense.”

Silver has vowed that the league — which has changed the lottery system several times over the past decades — would strongly address the tanking issue before next year.

Odds of winning

The teams that finish with the three worst records would all have a 5.4% chance of winning the No. 1 pick, and could not fall below the No. 12 pick.

But the best odds of winning No. 1 would go to the other seven teams that miss the play-in and the playoffs — with those clubs all having an 8.1% chance of finishing with the No. 1 selection.

The No. 9 and No. 10 play-in seeds would also have a 5.4% chance of winning the lottery, and the losers of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 play-in games would both have a 2.7% chance.

Major changes to odds

The three worst teams this season — Washington, Indiana and Brooklyn — have 14% odds of winning the lottery and are guaranteed a top-seven pick. (In Indiana’s case, if the Pacers finish with the fifth or sixth pick, it would convey to the Los Angeles Clippers because of a previous trade.)

In the proposed system, those teams would have a 5.4% chance of winning and could fall as low as 12th in the first-round draft order. There would be a 72% chance that those teams would fall outside the top five.

“This is a decision that needs to be made at the ownership level,” Silver said earlier this year. “It has business implications, has basketball implications, has integrity implications for the league. It’s one that we take very seriously. We are going to fix it, full stop. I want to say that directly to our fans. … Incentives need to be fixed. We will fix them. I’m looking forward to that.”

Other proposed changes

More elements within the 3-2-1 proposal include:

— No team could win back-to-back No. 1 picks or have three consecutive picks in the top five.

— No protections in trades would be allowed for picks that fall between Nos. 12 and 15.

— The league would have “expanded disciplinary authority” to address tanking, with potential moves including lowering teams’ lottery odds or even changing draft positions.

— The proposed plan, if approved, would sunset after the 2029 draft and require the Board of Governors to vote to either continue the system or make changes yet again.

BOSTON – Before the season began, Jayson Tatum scoffed at the notion that the Celtics were going to tank the season. 

“It’s the way our organization is ran,” Tatum told ESPN’s Malika Andrews. “It’s the culture that we set, it’s the standard that we have — regardless of who is on our team.” 

Six months later, and Tatum’s comments seem awfully prescient. The Celtics are fresh off a 56-win season and have a 3-1 lead over the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the playoffs.

And on Tuesday, Brad Stevens was (unsurprisingly) named the league’s Executive of the Year, earning 11 first-place votes (and 69 total points), beating out Atlanta Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh, who came in second place.

It’s Stevens’ second such honor in three seasons, his first coming in 2024, after the championship season.

I talked to a front office executive earlier this month who told me he continues to be baffled about why teams are willing to even pick up the phone when Stevens calls, considering how many trades he’s won in recent years. (He said the same of Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti).

But what actually makes Brad Stevens so good at the job?

Few can answer that question better than Rich Gotham, the Celtics’ longtime team president. Gotham joined the Celtics as a marketing executive in 2003 and replaced Red Auerbach as team president in 2007. 

So, when I got the chance to sit down with him a few weeks ago, the first thing I wanted to discuss was this elusive notion of “Celtics culture.”

It hasn’t always really been there during Gotham’s tenure, but it’s been on full display for years now. And the Brad Stevens era — which began 13 years ago — has embodied it.

“Early on, we were, candidly, bringing players through the organization so quickly, so many moving parts to build the team that became the ‘07, ‘08 champs,” Gotham said. “Culture? It wasn’t the same. You had pride in being part of the Celtics and what that means. But when you’ve got players coming in and out, you don’t really have a chance to cement it.”

Things began to change in 2007; that was the year the Celtics traded for Kevin Garnett.  

“He was a culture-maker,” Gotham said. “Suddenly, you got a player who’s a superstar, who’s coachable, who outworks everyone, who holds everyone to the highest standard, and people just sort of like – if he’s in the layup line, I’m on point. If he’s not, if he’s hurt, if he’s out, it’s a little looser.”

Garnett served as a model for younger players like Kendrick Perkins and Leon Powe, and also influenced his co-stars, like Paul Pierce. The result was the franchise’s first championship in 22 years. And Garnett’s tenure in Boston served as a cultural reset. 

“When he came here, we as an organization got our swag back,” Gotham said. 

Then came Brad Stevens

The next most critical part of that culture-building was Brad Stevens, who took over as head coach of the Celtics in 2013. 

Stevens had already emerged as one of the best young coaches in the game; few could draw up an ATO quite like the Indiana native. But Stevens’ defining characteristic may have been his ability to cultivate culture. 

“Brad is a believer in culture, and he brought a good, strong sense of what he felt constituted being a good teammate,” Gotham said. “And when Brad got here, we were in transition. His years as a coach helped build culture, and then when he moved into the position where he’s the one acquiring the talent, that sort of played over there.”

Stevens has served as the Celtics’ general manager since 2021, meaning that he wasn’t the man responsible for bringing in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown (shoutout Danny Ainge).

But, he was the driver behind the trades that brought players like Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, and Al Horford to Boston – players who epitimized the team-first, Celtics mindset the organization wanted to embody. 

“Brad really looks at [talent acquisition] from a team standpoint,” Gotham said. “And, a lot of it is sort of the unselfishness that you really need to make it work for an NBA team. If you look for that in players, the rest of it kind of follows.” 

For Joe Mazzulla, Stevens’ talent acquisition philosophy has made life a whole lot easier. Countless times this season, he’s deflected questions about his own coaching and deferred to the players in the locker room.

“The greatest gift you can have as a coach is to have players that have a high, competitive character, care about winning, and want to get better,” Mazzulla said a few weeks ago.

Who signs those players?

Brad Stevens, whom Mazzulla coached under from 2019 to 2021. That synergy has made the whole operation run a lot more seamlessly.

“We have a unique relationship because I worked for him, and there aren’t many of those former coaches in the GM role, who can see from a GM perspective and a coach perspective,” Mazzulla said. “And I know how he thinks and the language that he speaks and how he sees the game because I worked for him, and he knows how I look at it — because we had that.”

Craig Luschenat, the Celtics’ head of player development, told me that the front office is a major reason for the program’s success. Neemias Queta, Sam Hauser, Jordan Walsh, and Baylor Scheierman all got their start with the Maine Celtics — and all four are now hugely important to the Celtics’ success.

“They only bring in guys that are, first of all, great people and hard workers,” Luschenat said. “And so, we’re very fortunate that we don’t have to deal with guys who are lazy or don’t love basketball. We don’t have to deal with any of the off-court stuff, so when they get to the building, they’re ready to work. And that’s a huge advantage.”

And, it goes beyond just being a hard worker: basketball IQ is something that Stevens and the front office prioritize.

“You could look at a lot of players that have been here previously, that now aren’t with us, or just guys around the league that are super athletic… if you just watch them in a workout, one-on-one, you’d be like, ‘Oh my gosh, this guy’s a freak, right?’” Luschenat said. “But as soon as you put 9 other players on the floor, they can’t think the game, or they can’t make high-level decisions, and aren’t competitive. And so, our front office does an amazing job of bringing guys that can think, compete at a high level, and work hard, and if you have that as a foundation, it makes our jobs as coaches so much easier.”

Luka Garza epitomizes what’s made Brad Stevens so effective

I’ve talked to many people around the league this season, and they all affirmed one thing: Luka Garza is widely considered to be one of the best locker room guys in the NBA. 

So, when he was set to become a free agent, he was one of Stevens’ first calls.

“There are no secrets in the NBA,” Gotham said. “You generally have a good understanding of players who are really good culture contributors. And Brad definitely puts an emphasis on that aspect of the whole player.”

The backup center’s play became key to the Celtics’ on-court success this season; he’s averaged 8.1 points in 16.2 minutes per game, while shooting a team-best 43.3% from three.

But, equally pivotal to the Celtics’ success has been his mindset. 

Some nights, Garza has eclipsed 25 minutes of action, and other nights he’s ridden the bench. Garza fell out of the rotation for two distinct stretches – in December and in February. Still, his attitude never wavered.

“Luka Garza is such a great example of a player who’s got that – no matter what role he’s playing,” Gotham said. “If he plays two minutes, or if he plays 20 minutes, if he’s not playing for a couple of games, he’s the same person coming to work every day, giving you everything he has. He has just a great attitude, just a great positive vibe to him. And that really does contribute to the team. And when players get a chance, who’ve put in the work, and then they start to thrive – I just think the team feeds off it.” 

That culture is why Hugo Gonzalez goes berserk when Baylor Scheierman draws a charge, or why Ron Harper Jr. jumps up and down on the sidelines when it’s Gonzalez’s turn and he gets a defensive stop. 

“You’ve seen this team this year – how happy they are for each other on the bench, how happy everyone’s been to see Jordan have success, Hugo have success, Baylor have success, Neemi have success, Ron Harper have success,” Gotham said. “It feeds itself.”

Getting below the luxury tax

Stevens didn’t win the award exclusively because he knows how to cultivate culture — he, alongside a team of assistants that includes Mike Zarren, Dave Lewin, and Buddy Scott, also managed to get the team under the luxury tax line ahead of the trade deadline.

Payton Pritchard, the NBA’s third-most efficient isolation scorer in the NBA and the Celtics’ third-leading scorer, is making less than $8 million this season.

Neemias Queta, a 2021 second-round pick who was waived by the Sacramento Kings three years ago, established himself as the team’s front-court anchor while playing on a minimum contract.

Jordan Walsh has been locking up Tyrese Maxey on a second-round rookie deal. Sam Hauser, who went undrafted, was a perennial starter this season. Hugo Gonzalez quickly established himself as one of the most impactful rookies despite being picked No. 28 overall. And Baylor Scheierman turned into a legit rotation player in just his second year in the league.

Walsh, Gonzalez, Scheierman, Queta, and Garza are each making less than $3 million.

The result?

While shedding hundreds of millions of dollars in payroll, the Celtics survived Jayson Tatum’s 62-game sidelining en route to a 56-win season, good for second-best in the East.

And, after many expected them to head toward the lottery, the Celtics are back in familiar territory: eyeing an NBA title.

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Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs are just one win away from their first playoff win in almost 10 years.

Our NBA player prop projections expect San Antonio's role players to play a big part in making that happen.

For more NBA picks, check out our full Trail Blazers vs. Spurs predictions.

Trail Blazers vs Spurs computer picks for Game 5

Trail Blazers	Spurs
Camara o8.5 points -120	Fox o17.5 points -110
Henderson o2.5 assists  -115	Harper o9.5 points -130
Williams III o6.5 points -130	Vassell o12.5 points -115

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Trail Blazers Game 5 computer picks

Toumani Camara Over 8.5 points (-120)

Projection: 11.93 points

This is one of two five-star plays according to our model.

Toumani Camara is a valued member of the Portland Trail Blazers' starting lineup, and they'll need to get buckets from everyone tonight.

Camara has eclipsed this line just once in the series but has finished at exactly eight twice. The volume will be there; he just needs to make them.

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Scoot Henderson Over 2.5 assists (-115)

Projection: 4.11 assists

Our second five-star play focuses on Scoot Henderson, who is coming off a rough outing. Henderson had a donut in the points column but still collected two assists.

The Blazers shot terribly as a whole, but with this being a kitchen-sink game, they'll step up on offense. That will lead to more dimes for Scoot.

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Robert Williams III Over 6.5 points (-130)

Projection: 8.58 points

Robert Williams III is a steady force off the Portland bench, seeing 23+ minutes in every game this series. Game 4 was the first time he failed to reach this posted points total, but as mentioned, everyone was off for the Blazers.

RW3 will get back on track, scoring easy buckets down low.

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---

Spurs Game 5 computer picks

De'Aaron Fox Over 17.5 points (-110)

Projection: 20.20 points

De'Aaron Fox has been superb for the San Antonio Spurs this season, and his best performance came over the weekend when he scored 28 points on 11-for-17 shooting.

Portland has its hands full again with Wemby, which allows Fox to go to work.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet fox Now at bet365!/span

Dylan Harper Over 9.5 points (-130)

Projection: 11.50 points

Before a stinker in Game 4, Dylan Harper scored double-digit points in back-to-back games. Harper is trusted to lead San Antonio's bench unit, and he'll find his rhythm when he returns home.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet harper Now at bet365!/span

Devin Vassell Over 12.5 points (-115)

Projection: 13.80 points

Devin Vassell has been steady for the Spurs this series, clearing this line in 2 of 4 games while finishing with 11 in two others. When Portland collapses down low to stop Wemby, Vassell will be available for wide-open looks on the wing.

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How to watch Trail Blazers vs Spurs Game 5

Location	Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
Date	Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Tip-off	9:30 p.m. ET
TV	ESPN

Not intended for use in MA.
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Because of the internet and being prisoners of the moment, last night's Detroit Pistons-Orlando Magic playoff game had fans losing their minds, pretending they had never seen anyone get dunked on.

While Jamal Cain's posterization of Jalen Duren earned a spot in this list's best playoff dunks, more importantly, it put the Pistons, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, on the brink of an embarrassing elimination.

There are many criteria for the best playoff dunks, including style, degree of difficulty and the hint of embarrassment it must conjure for those who end up on an endless loop of highlights, and for some, their own claim to fame.

CAIN'S POSTER SLAM, FROM ALL ANGLES 🔥 https://t.co/bRTpaxkaakpic.twitter.com/NxiH5Iq6tc

— NBA (@NBA) April 28, 2026

Duran's dunk makes this list, and here is the rest of ordinary players and Hall of Famers alike (in no particular order) getting yammed on during playoff time.

Kobe Bryant's windmill over Timberwolves

Kevin Garnett now has nightmares about this spectacular throwdown in the 2003 Western Conference quarterfinals by Bryant, who went baseline, not caring who was in his way. Any lesser player would have separated his shoulder on the dunk. However, Bryant's flush over Steve Nash in the 2006 playoffs deserves some run and is criminally underrated.

Tracy McGrady dunks on Shawn Bradley

McGrady, not generally known for his emotion, was understanding hyped after climbing the ladder on the 7-6 Bradley in the Mavericks-Rockets 2005 playoffs first round. McGrady's Rockets ended up losing the series, which included a 40-point rout in Game 7.

John Starks lefty over MJ

The 1990s playoff battles between the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls were must-see TV, and when Starks went baseline on their entire defense late in the fourth quarter of the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals, he sealed the victory and gave the Knicks a 2-0 series lead, which they would eventually lose.

While Jordan has received his fair share of scorn, Horace Grant and his googles no doubt need some shame in this scenario.

'Ja breaker' over Malik Beasley

These days, Ja Morant's tenure with the Memphis Grizzlies could be considered a disappointment, thanks to his gun-toting celebration antics and multiple suspensions.

Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley was the unfortunate recipient of this nasty jam in the 2022 playoffs, sending Morant into playoff dunk lore.

Michael Jordan baseline treat

Knicks fans would swear up and down that Jordan carried the ball on his way to the baseline and into the face of Patrick Ewing. But the Knicks tried to press, and MJ easily slipped a double team and went way above the rim to put Ewing on growing list of posters he received throughout his Hall of Fame career.

'The Lister Blister'

Shawn Kemp was as talented a forward as there was in the Western Conference during his heyday, and his wild tomahawk slam over Alton Lister of the Golden State Warriors backed up that claim, as he cradled the ball on his way to rising way above the rim.

Kemp pointing at Lister while he is still on the ground fueling Liston's embarrassment probably would have gotten him tossed in today's referee-sensitive NBA.

We believe in Baron Davis

The No. 8 seed "We Believe" 2007 Warriors, fresh off their dispatching of top-seed Dallas in the first round, rode that momentum in the next round against the Utah Jazz. Baron Davis, who later showed fancy footwork on "Dancing with the Stars," got the frenzied Oracle Arena crowd with a ferocious slam against Andrei Kirilenko in Golden State's only win in the series.

The NCAA sports betting saga continues.

Less than 24 hours after Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby checked into a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction — casting his future eligibility with the Red Raiders into doubt — the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions released violations and updates on two separate sports betting violation investigations.

REQUIRED READING: Is Brendan Sorsby done at Texas Tech? NCAA rules on gambling penalties

Two athletes involved across the two investigations did not cooperate with the NCAA's investigations, the organization revealed, resulting in Level I violations. 

The student-athletes mentioned include former Kennesaw State guard Simeon Cottle and former Fordham players Elijah Gray and Will Richardson. None of the three athletes is currently a member of their respective school's basketball programs. They are not currently competing in an NCAA-regulated sport.

Both Gray and Richardson are connected with a February 2024 game in which a bettor placed a $10,000 wager. In the NCAA's release, Gray admitted in an interview that he exchanged messages with one of the known bettors, and that he and Richardson participated in a call with the bettor and a former NBA player who was involved in the scheme. Gray said both players agreed to lose the game in exchange for $10,000-$15,000 in payments each.

The NCAA's release said Gray told the organization he ultimately reversed course and "said he played with his normal effort" in that game. He finished with three points on 1-of-4 shooting for Fordham, which was a 3.5-point underdog. Gray told the NCAA the bettor called after the game to express disappointment, at which point Gray cut off communication with him. Gray also said he didn't receive any payment from the bettor.

He also acknowledged violating ethical conduct rules by providing information to a known bettor, and "expressed remorse for his actions."

Gray said the former NBA player continued to communicate with Richardson, who denied his partaking in the scheme and failed to cooperate "with the investigation by knowingly providing false information during an interview and failing to preserve the integrity of the investigation."

REQUIRED READING: Dismissed Wisconsin player allegedly involved in point-shaving at previous school

Gray was dismissed from the Wisconsin basketball team in October due to "events preceding his enrollment at UW-Madison," as noted by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network. He spent the 2024-25 season at Temple.

Cottle was indicted by the United States Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in January for wire fraud and bribery charges surrounding Kennesaw State's game versus Queens (New York) on March 1, 2024. Similar to Richardson, Cottle, who was suspended from the Owls, did not cooperate with the NCAA's investigation.

REQUIRED READING: Cincinnati alerted of Brendan Sorsby gambling issue before 2025 season

Texas Tech announced on Monday that Sorsby was leaving the program to check into a residential treatment program for gambling addiction.

Sorsby, who transferred from Cincinnati this past offseason, is under NCAA investigation after reportedly making "thousands" of online bets on a variety of sports via a gambling app, which includes bets on Indiana during his true freshman season as a Hoosier in 2022.

USA TODAY Sports' Matt Hayes reported Monday through two people with direct knowledge of the situation that the Cincinnati athletic department was alerted in August that Sorsby was gambling before the start of the 2025 season. The Bearcats had "no comment at this time" when reached out by USA TODAY Sports, and Sorsby has made "mostly small, $1 bets" on various sports at various times.

The NCAA prohibits student-athletes and athletics department staff members from making bets and/or sharing information with bettors on college sports.

USA TODAY Sports' Matt Hayes contributed to this story.

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

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: As Brendan Sorsby enters treatment, NCAA unloads more betting violations

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With three NBA postseason series continuing tonight, we can look across the board to find some quality player props. 

I’m eyeing Payton Pritchard and Karl-Anthony Towns to build on their outstanding Game 4 performances, and I’m also backing Stephon Castle to keep shooting from deep tonight.

Keep reading to see why I like these player props, and get my free NBA picks for Tuesday, April 28.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Payton Pritchard	Over 13.5 points	-120
Karl-Anthony Towns	Over 36.5 pts + rebs + asts	-110
Stephon Castle	Over 1.5 threes made	+102

Prop #1: Payton Pritchard Over 13.5 points

-120 at bet365

Payton Pritchard is coming off by far his best performance of this series, scoring 32 points in the Boston Celtics’ 128-96 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday. But that outburst didn’t come completely out of nowhere.

Pritchard averaged 17.0 ppg this season, by far the highest total of his career. That wasn’t all based on his 3-point shooting, either. He saw his volume and percentage (37.7%) from beyond the arc go down compared to last season, while showing far more versatility in his scoring all over the court.

While Pritchard started this series slow, he scored 15 points in Game 3 before exploding in Game 4. Heading into Game 5, he’s averaging 15.8 ppg for the series, and his season-long numbers suggest he should get to at least that range for the rest of the playoffs. I love the Over here at just 13.5 points.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ESPN

Prop #2: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 36.5 points + rebounds + assists

-110 at bet365

Karl-Anthony Towns never seemed quite comfortable in the New York Knicks offense this year, even publicly saying so earlier in the season.

But head coach Mike Brown tried something different in Game 4 against the Atlanta Hawks, running the offense through Towns. The result: a triple-double for Towns, and a 16-point win for the Knicks on Saturday.

While that was a particularly outstanding performance for Towns, he’s been excellent throughout the series. Game 4 marked the third occasion in which he put up at least 37 PRA in this series, and his 36.8 PRA average is dragged down only by a poor performance in Game 2.

But with a new approach working wonders for the Knicks offense, I can’t see Brown moving away from a KAT-led offense tonight. I’m taking the Over on his PRA total.

• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBC

Prop #3: Stephon Castle Over 1.5 threes made

+102 at bet365

Stephon Castle was an important support piece for the San Antonio Spurs all season, but he’s stepped up his efforts during the playoffs. In the first four games of their series against the Portland Trail Blazers, Castle is averaging 21.0 ppg, and is shooting an outstanding 42.9% from 3-point range.

In each of the last three games of the series, Castle has hit two or more shots from deep. Even Victor Wembanyama’s return to the lineup in Game 4 did little to reduce his volume, as he shot 6-for-14 and hit three shots from beyond the arc in the 114-93 win.

Castle might be relegated to the third option beyond Wemby and De’Aaron Fox for the rest of the playoffs, but the Spurs have been good at utilizing him to maintain some offensive balance. Based on his usage in this series so far, I like Castle to hit at least two threes tonight. 

• Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ESPN

These props are available now at bet365, one of our best betting sites.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The 2026 postseason is over, at least for the Phoenix Suns. After their loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night, they became the first team eliminated and the only team without a postseason win. And honestly, it did not come as a surprise.

Oklahoma City is a machine. We saw it up close. Once the playoffs begin, they lock in with a level of focus that feels different. Possession after possession, they send wave after wave of defenders. Each one capable, each one connected. In a league shaped by cap constraints and competing priorities, that kind of depth stands out. The Thunder are built different.

Just ask Devin Booker.

“You got to give them credit,” Booker said after Game 4. “There’s three All-Defensive guys over there that they keep in rotation, and it seems like the game plan is don’t let me get any touches at any time. So, still trying to be aggressive and find spots, but you know, if somebody’s locked onto me and it’s opening up another opportunity for a teammate, the quicker we can exploit that and get that advantage, I think they can sag off a little bit and open up more opportunities for me.”

I think it’s safe to say that from a production standpoint, this easily was Devin Booker‘s worst postseason series. Sure, he was also swept the last time he was in the postseason in the first round, but statistically, he put up a fight. He averaged 27.5 points against the Wimberwolves two seasons ago. In this series? Those statistics are not so friendly.

The tale of the tape? Booker averaged 21.3 points, doing so with 46/25/79 splits. He had 4.8 assists and 4.0 turnovers over the course of the series. 

There is context here. He was facing an elite defense, the best in the league, and one that belongs in the conversation with the best we have seen in the modern era. The spacing today stretches everything, and Oklahoma City still closes it off. They move as one, shrink the floor, and contest everywhere, not only at the rim, but across all zones. I can safely say I am thankful we don’t have to play against them. Seeing them 9 times this season was enough.

Devin Booker felt it. The doubles came early and often, and the Thunder controlled the terms of engagement. They were comfortable letting Jalen Green or Dillon Brooks carry the burden. That approach worked. Booker averaged 15.7 attempts, third on the team this postseason. Dillon Brooks led the way at 22.0, with Jalen Green at 19.3.

But then there’s that other side of the coin, the one that allows you to be critical of Booker, even given the circumstances. Because, quite honestly? Superstar players rise to the occasion, and even if they’re playing potentially historic defenses, they have the ability to make an impact beyond 21.3 points a game. There was no variance game in this series for Booker. He didn’t score more than 24 points in a game. And that’s where the critical mind simply wonders what went wrong.

How does Sam Quinn of CBS Sports view this series for Booker?

His Thunder series was… fine? He generated reasonably efficient offense. He also did little to create advantages his teammates could consistently capitalize on. Nobody expected him to win the series or even a game, but this was far from the overwhelming postseason force we saw a few years ago. This version of Booker isn’t an All-NBA player. He’s more like a low-end All-Star.

Booker was forced into more of a playmaking role, that part is fair. Against that defense, the results were not where you need them. His assist-to-turnover ratio sat at 1.2 to 1. That is not elite. Guards in that range this season include Gradey Dick, Jordan Hawkins, and Rayan Rupert. That is not the company you expect when the number next to your name is $53.1 million.

That is where the frustration comes from. You do not only want Devin Booker to be better in the postseason, you need him to be better. The team exceeded expectations, the season delivered more than most thought it would, and the one place it felt stagnant was at the very top. But even that statement has fluidity and context to it. Players around him had career years. What Booker is, how he operates, and the attention he draws created opportunity. Others stepped into that space and produced. So while it was a down year statistically, it was a positive year relative to leadership.

The question still lingers. Star or superstar? A superstar finds a way to bend even a defense like Oklahoma City. It is not easy. It is not always fair. It is still the expectation.

Still, I know there is frustration with the postseason performance. I see the fan base expressing its disdain for the lack of perceived aggression, the inability to be efficient, and the continual poor decision-making. In a year in which Booker was handed a pricey contract (that we must remember is a fluid number, as it is a percentage of the projected cap, not a hard number yet), the numbers weren’t there. The impact wasn’t as profound. The deliverables weren’t as clean.

So, how do you view this Booker postseason in the grand scheme? From my perspective, I brush it off. The criticism is fair, the results are what they are, but the context matters. OKC is Thanos. They are inevitable. It is not hard to imagine Devin Booker struggling against a defense like that. And guess what? Stars have rough series. Tragic Johnson, anyone? How about Larry Bird in ’83? It happens.

I would caution against being a prisoner of the moment. Step back and look at the full picture. Mark Williams did not play. Jordan Goodwin logged five minutes. Grayson Allen did not truly arrive until Game 4. This was an eighth seed facing the defending champions without a full deck. That shapes everything. What did you expect? 30 a night? It was always going to be difficult. Oklahoma City loaded up on Booker, forced the ball out of his hands, lived with the turnovers, and trusted the math. That is how it played out.

This is not a free pass. There are real conversations ahead about who Booker is for this team moving forward and what that means at his salary number. Those discussions belong in the offseason. They deserve a full lens, not a single series. But it is now the offseason.

Now the work begins. The evaluation, the decisions, the paths forward. And we will dig into all of it, with a holistic view of what comes next, right here at Bright Side of the Sun.

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The Atlanta Hawks and the New York Knicks now find themselves in effectively a best-of-three series, and at that point, one should always take a long look at the superstars.

These Hawks vs. Knicks predictions and NBA picks see two plus-money pieces of value for Game 5 tonight.

Best Hawks vs Knicks props for Game 5

Player	Pick
Karl-Anthony Towns	Over 1.5 threes	+120
Nickeil Alexander-Walker	Over 3.5 rebounds	+120
Jalen Brunson	Under 2.5 threes	-135

Game 5 Prop #1: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 1.5 threes

+120 at bet365

The best-shooting center in NBA history has gone 7-for-14 from beyond the arc in this series, impressive even by his lofty standards. Then again, he went 5-for-10 from deep against the Atlanta Hawks in two games in the regular season.

Karl-Anthony Towns is getting enough looks in this series to always justify betting on him to hit multiple 3-pointers, particularly when it is foolishly priced at plus-money. It especially stands out that Towns took nine shots from long range in the two games at MSG, compared to just five down in Atlanta.

Expect Towns to put up at least four or five triples tonight, and at that volume, it is very much more likely than not that he hits multiple 3-pointers.

Game 5 Prop #2: Nickeil Alexander-Walker Over 3.5 rebounds

+120 at bet365

The Most Improved Player winner has played well in this series, but nowhere near as well as he did in the regular season. Nickeil Alexander-Walker has not scored more than 17 points in a game, and he's shooting a painful 34.6% from the field.

Alexander-Walker is at least hitting his 3-pointers, going 13-for-30 (43.3%) from deep through these four games.

More than that, he's playing a well-rounded game. He may have scored only nine points in Game 2, but he added three blocks, five rebounds, and six assists.

Alexander-Walker has cleared this rebounding prop only twice in four games, but he has snagged at least three boards in each of the last three games, averaging four per game in those three games.

That may all sound like modest work on the glass, but think about those numbers when enjoying a +120 payout.

Game 5 Prop #3: Jalen Brunson Under 2.5 threes

-135 at bet365

The worry is not that Jalen Brunson is shooting poorly from deep. He isn’t. The New York Knicks star has hit 10 of 26 in this series, good for 38.5%.

The worry is that in two games, if not arguably three, he has not taken a bounty of 3-pointers. Remove Brunson’s 4-for-10 effort in Game 2 and his series rate falls to 6-for-16. That 37.5% would still be plenty quality, but taking only 5.3 long-range looks per game is not enough to justify a prop this high.

Brunson is not finding the space from deep that he prefers. Give some credit to Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Without that space, Brunson should be doubted from beyond the arc.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Disgraced ex-NBA star Damon Jones dressed like he was going to a funeral in Brooklyn court Tuesday as he pleaded guilty to participating in two alleged mob-linked gambling schemes.

Jones, 49, wore all black as he glumly fessed up to his part in the illicit scheme, admitting to the judge that he used “insider information that I obtained as a result of my relationships as a former player’’ to feed to bettors.

Some of the information he leaked was about whether Los Angeles Lakers stars such as LeBron James and Anthony Davis were injured or would be playing during certain games, prosecutors said. Jones was unofficially helping to coach the team at the time.

Gamblers would then take those tips and use them to inform their bets.

“I would like to sincerely apologize to the court, my family, my peers and also the National Basketball Association,” Jones said in a statement he read in court while making his plea.

“I knowingly and intentionally agreed with others to join in this conspiracy to defraud sports betting platforms based on inside information I obtained as a result of my relationships from my playing career in the NBA.”

Follow The Post’s latest on the gambling scandal rocking the NBA:

• Terry Rozier could face new federal bribery charges in alleged gambling scheme
• Ex-NBA player Damon Jones expected to plead guilty in mob-tied gambling sweep
• Heat planning to cut Terry Rozier while on leave for NBA gambling investigation
• All 31 suspects in bombshell NBA poker case hauled into court as feds say plea negotiations ‘have already begun’

The former baller looked despondent as he left the courthouse, only saying, “God be the glory,” when asked for comment by reporters.

Jones played for 10 NBA teams from 1999 to 2009, raking in more than $20 million, and was an unofficial coach for the Lakers from 2022 to 2023.

He confessed to participating in the gambling scheme from 2022 to 2024.

Jones pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud — charges that could land him up to 27 months behind bars when sentenced in September.

He also confessed to his participation in a related poker scheme, where he would use his NBA fame to lure victims into high-stakes poker games – which were rigged with elaborate cheating devices to ensure windfalls for the conspirators.

About $7 million was netted from victims in the poker scheme, which used tools such tampered card shufflers, x-ray poker tables and an elaborate network of handlers communicating with insiders in the game.

Jones explained to the court that he was known as a celebrity “face card” among his conspirators.

“As a face card, my presence as a former NBA player would attract bettors,” he said. “I knew the games were being rigged and players were being cheated.”

He is expected to be sentenced to between 63 and 78 months for the poker con – upwards of 6.5 years.

It remains unclear if his sentences would run concurrently or consecutively.

More than 30 people were arrested in the schemes in October, with other former NBA players and alleged mobsters among those charged.

Former Miami Heat player Terry Rozier was charged, along with Basketball Hall of Famer and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billips.

Jones is the first person to plead guilty in the sensational case – and he initially pleaded not guilty after his arrest.

With Post wires

Though only one first-round series is complete and none of top championship contenders are eliminated, the 2026 NBA playoffs have already been jarred by unexpected drama.

The Oklahoma City Thunder swept the Phoenix Suns but did so after losing Jalen Williams to a hamstring injury. The Minnesota Timberwolves are also adjusting to a knee injury that will sideline Anthony Edwards for at least the rest of their first-round series against the Denver Nuggets. The top seed in the Eastern Conference, meanwhile, sits on the brink of elimination after the Orlando Magic took a 3-1 series lead on the Detroit Pistons and the preseason favorite in the East (New York Knicks) is locked in a tied series.

Through all this during the opening 10 days of the NBA playoffs, some of the league's biggest stars and a few unexpected names have emerged to produce compelling and clutch performances. Here's a look at the 10 best players in the 2026 NBA playoffs through games played on Monday, April 27: