Category: NBA

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As NBA MVP debates continue to intensify, the heavy favorite, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, is slipping.

Both Victor Wembanyama and Luka Doncic have made up substantial ground on Gilgeous-Alexander, who seemed like a shoo-in to win the award.

Key Takeaways

• Gilgeous-Alexander had been shorter than -1000.
  
  
• Wembanyama recently shared three reasons why he felt he was the MVP of the league.
  
  
• Doncic averaged nearly 40 points per game over the last three weeks.

Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP, is still a sizable favorite to win the league’s most prestigious individual award. However, after being shorter than -1000 at top online sportsbooks, his NBA MVP odds have dropped to as low as -500 (83.3% implied chance) at DraftKings. 

As SGA’s odds have declined, both Wembanyama and Doncic have experienced jolts in their odds to win the MVP.

Wembanyama could become the youngest MVP winner if he earns the confidence of the voters, assuming the mantle currently held by former Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose (22 years and 191 days old). He recently said that “it is still reasonable that there is a debate” as to who deserves the honor, before listing three reasons why he felt that he deserved it over his peers:

• He is the most impactful defensive player in the league
• The Spurs won four of five matchups against the Oklahoma City Thunder
• His offensive impact goes beyond points

Asked Wemby to provide his 3 campaign bullet points for why he should be MVP https://t.co/HjRppaPLfYpic.twitter.com/FHXrFMjAi3

— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) March 24, 2026

With odds as short as +500, Wembanyama has at best an implied 16.7% chance—still a long way to go to catch the lead dog.

Doncic, the NBA’s leading scorer, finds his shortest odds at Caesars at +1100 (8.3% chance). While he was always among the top 10 candidates for the award, he never made substantial headway until recently.

The Los Angeles Lakers are in the middle of an excellent stretch that caused them to rise from +8000 to +3000 in FanDuel’s NBA Finals odds just over the past couple of weeks. Their Slovenian superstar also played at an extraordinarily high level during that time, averaging 39.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.3 assists on 48% shooting over his last 11 games, eight of those coming against projected playoff teams.

Luka Doncic is the first player to average 40 points over a six-game span — all on the road — since MJ in 1986 😳

Luka Magic 🪄 pic.twitter.com/1TuT78Yu1T

— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) March 26, 2026

Breaking down the NBA MVP race

While both Wembanyama and Doncic are making the MVP race a compelling storyline over the final weeks of the season, Gilgeous-Alexander is not going out of his way to lose the award.

Since returning from a right abdominal strain at the end of November, last year’s Finals MVP averaged 30.3 points, 7.4 assists, and 4.3 rebounds on 57.2% shooting in 12 games, 11 of those being wins. The Thunder also have the best record in the NBA, leading the Spurs by two games and the Lakers by 10 in the race for the first seed in the Western Conference.

Here’s a look at the players’ relevant stats:

• Gilgeous-Alexander: 31.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 1.4 steals, 55.7% FG, 39.3% 3PT, +7.8 on/off net rating
  
  
• Victor Wembanyama: 24.2 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 3.1 blocks, 1.1 steals, 50.5% FG, 35.1% 3PT, +16.9 on/off net rating
  
  
• Luka Doncic: 33.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.6 steals, 47.4% FG, 36.4% 3PT, +5.0 on/off net rating

A team's regular-season record has been an important part of determining the MVP in years past. That could spell trouble for Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder, who finish the year with a tough run of games.

OKC will face off against the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Lakers (twice), Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, and Phoenix Suns between now and their final game on April 12. Tankathon ranks that as the second-toughest remaining schedule, while the Spurs are only 20th, and the Lakers 22nd.

The head-to-head matchups between the Lakers and Thunder could also give Doncic a platform to vault in MVP odds if he puts together great performances and helps his team take down the conference leaders.

Sportsbooks get it wrong?

Sportsbook odds are not always perfect, but they are usually indicative of what is going to happen. However, there have been notable exceptions.

One recent case of sportsbooks getting their award odds completely wrong came in 2023.

Buffalo Bills safety, Damar Hamlin, who went into cardiac arrest during a game, was an enormous favorite to win the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. He ended up losing it to then 39-year-old Joe Flacco, who only played in five games for the Cleveland Browns.

The Thunder, Spurs, and Lakers all have exactly nine games left in their regular seasons. The Thunder and Lakers will be in action on Friday night, and the Spurs will kick off the Saturday afternoon slate.

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 Los Angeles Lakers (47-26), ranked third in the Western Conference, host the Brooklyn Nets (17-56), who are second to last in the East. The Lakers are heavily favored with a -16.5 spread and a -1600 moneyline. Both teams have played 73 games this season.

How to Watch Brooklyn Nets vs Los Angeles Lakers

• Date: Friday, March 27

• Time: 10:30 PM ET / 7:30 PM PT

• Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California

• TV Channel: YES, SN-LA

• Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Team Records

• Brooklyn Nets: 17-56 (#14 in Eastern Conference)

• Los Angeles Lakers: 47-26 (#3 in Western Conference)

Odds

• Spread: Los Angeles Lakers -16.5

• Moneyline: Los Angeles Lakers -1600 / Brooklyn Nets +875

• Over/Under: 222.5

Earlier this week, NBA Players Association (NBPA) released the following statement rebuking the Bucks over their alleged desire to shut Giannis Antetokounmpo down for the remainder of the season following yet another injury:

“The Player Participation Policy was designed by the league to hold teams accountable and ensure that when an All-Star like Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy and ready to play, he is on the court. Unfortunately, anti-tanking policies are only as effective as their enforcement; fans, broadcast partners, and the integrity of the game itself will continue to suffer as long as ownership goes unchecked. We look forward to collaborating with the NBA on meaningful new proposals that will directly address and discourage tanking.”

So, before I pick this apart, let’s recap the injuries Giannis has sustained this season. First, he suffered a groin strain in November and was projected to be out 1–2 weeks; he returned in 11 days. Then, he suffered a calf strain in December and was projected to be out 4–6 weeks; he returned in 24 days. He then reinjured that same calf in late January and, again, was projected to miss 4–6 weeks; this time, he and the medical team finally took that timeline seriously, missing about five weeks.

Following that, after playing three games, he rolled his ankle in the March 10 contest against Phoenix, which clearly hindered him for the rest of the game, but of course, Doc took GA’s word that he was fine and allowed him to keep playing; he missed no games, and we have no clue if the effects of that were/are still lingering. His latest injury, for crying out loud, is a hyperextended knee in which he also rolled an ankle (again) on the same play. Suffice to say, I’m willing to bet he isn’t 100%.

With that in mind, let’s rip into this statement. In essence, the NBPA claims that Milwaukee does not want Giannis to play because they are tanking and his presence will hinder their pursuit to lose games. What’s likely happened here is that Giannis wants to play, the front office wants him to sit, and so he (or his camp) has tattled to the players association to pressure the team into letting him play. Now, judging by Antetokounmpo’s previous handling of injuries and admission that he hasn’t been as careful as he should’ve been (why it was ever in his hands to such a degree, I’ll never understand), I’m not sure he has built up a great deal of credibility in this area. As reported by The Athletic’s Eric Nehm, the team’s stance is that Giannis is not healthy, and that’s all we can currently go by.

Now, maybe Antetokounmpo is telling the truth that he’s good to go, and the team is playing politics. But as I have written about, those politics likely have very little to do with tanking, as the NBPA asserts, and a whole lot to do with keeping Giannis healthy going into one of the most consequential offseasons in Bucks history; the “losing games” part of it is just a side effect (or bonus, if you see it that way). Not to rehash the whole article, but a catastrophic injury would put an almighty spanner in the works as it relates to Milwaukee’s future. So, hear me when I say that while a fine from the NBA would be ridiculous on many levels, I would pay 20 fines, and that would still be preferable to him returning.

To be clear, the assertion that Milwaukee is tanking or has tanked at any point this season is laughable at best, and deceitful at worst. The Bucks do not pass the smell test of any of the tanking hallmarks. They haven’t abused the injury report in any shape or form, and the perfect example of that is Giannis. They allowed him to come back as soon as humanly possible from his injuries, despite (I assume/hope) knowing the risk that was involved; could you imagine how long the Jazz, for example, would have held Lauri Markkanen out if he’d suffered the same calf injury GA suffered? “Oh, Lauri? Yeah, we know he’s been out seven weeks now, but he’s just not quite right yet. Trust us.”

The Bucks have played their young guards into the ground all year long, so much so that Kevin Porter Jr. has had to sit out a bunch of games now because of synovitis in the same knee he had meniscus surgery on earlier this season. They have closed with their best-performing unit in every game, even when that came at a political price (think of the number of games Sims has closed over Turner). I am sure the NBPA is aware of the league’s actual tankers, who’ve been closing games with their third-string unit for months now, right? Right?

Most importantly, Milwaukee has never even had a clear green light to tank anyway because they don’t own their first-round pick outright! There has always been the threat that finishing below New Orleans would mean Milwaukee would have to swap further back in the draft, so on the most basic level, trying to lose every game was never a cogent strategy. Sure, the Pelicans being horrible for most of the season has been calming for Bucks fans watching their team lose a bunch of games, but losing was never the team’s goal.

And sure, there is incentive now for the Bucks to tank the remaining games because, with so few left, the Pelicans are unlikely to rise higher than eighth in the lottery odds, and the Bucks can lock down ninth, but that incentive hasn’t come to bear until the last few days. And frankly, if Milwaukee wanted to do exactly that, they should have the full right to do so! After all, there are seven teams below them who have been egregiously tanking for months! I mean, some of these teams started weeks before the All-Star break! Like, what are we talking about here? The players association is calling out the Bucks of all teams? I’m not sure they’ve thought this one through.

There you have it, NBPA. Your statement is nonsensical garbage, and whoever wrote it should be embarrassed. Go take your tanking accusations and apply them to the teams who deserve them—there are plenty to choose from.

The Atlanta Hawks (41-32) will face the Boston Celtics (48-24) in their third regular-season NBA matchup of the season. Both teams are ranked first in their respective divisions, with Boston favored by 4.5 points. The Celtics have a 67.7% implied probability of winning according to the moneyline odds.

How to Watch Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics

• Date: Friday, March 27

• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT

• Where: TD Garden | Boston, Massachusetts

• TV channel: Airing locally on FanDuel Sports Network Southeast, NBC Sports Boston

• Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Team Records

• Atlanta Hawks: 41-32 (#5 in Eastern Conference)

• Boston Celtics: 48-24 (#2 in Eastern Conference)

Odds

• Spread: Boston Celtics -4.5

• Moneyline: Boston Celtics -210, Atlanta Hawks +170

• Over/Under: 224.5 (Over -115, Under -105)

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Let’s tip the weekend off with some slam dunks in the NBA player prop markets. With 10 games on the schedule, there’s no shortage of options.

My favorites for today include Ace Bailey doing his best to sabotage the Utah Jazz’s tank job, while Chet Holmgren takes the Chicago Bulls by the horns and stuffs the stat sheet.

Those and more NBA picks for Friday, March 27, below.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Chet Holmgren	Double-Double	+200
Ace Bailey	Over 20.5 Points	-105
Donovan Clingan	Over 14.5 Points	-115

Prop #1: Chet Holmgren Double-Double

+200 at bet365

The Oklahoma City Thunder will try to roll into a new winning streak when they play host to the Chicago Bulls on Friday night.

The Thunder can pull off these streaks because they can hurt you in so many ways. Just look at Chet Holmgren.

The Thunder big man is averaging 16 points and 9.9 rebounds in his 15 games played since the All-Star break. 

His rebounding prop is sitting at 8.5 for this matchup, but our Covers Prop Projections have him at 9.4 rebounds against a Bulls defense that surrenders the third-most opponent rebounds per game.

That has me looking at Holmgren’s double-double prop, which is priced at 2/1. 

• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: CHSN+, FanDuel Sports Network Oklahoma

Prop #2: Ace Bailey Over 20.5 Points

-105 at bet365

The Utah Jazz might have to start sitting down Ace Bailey if they want to fully embrace tank mode, because the Bailey breakout is for real.

Bailey is proving why he was worth a Top 5 pick. He’s averaging 21.9 points while shooting an impressive 42.9% from 3-point range over his last nine games. That includes putting up 32 or more points three times.

He gets a good matchup tonight against the Denver Nuggets. While Nikola Jokic and Co. are a machine on offense they are struggling at the other end of the floor. Denver ranks 21st in defensive rating and 18th in opponent made threes per game.

Expect another strong game from Ace tonight as he goes Over 20.5 points for the fourth time in five games.

• Time: 9:0 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: KJZZ, ALT

Prop #3: Donovan Clingan Over 14.5 Points

-115 at bet365

The Portland Trail Blazers are a really exciting young team and that includes big man Donovan Clingan. 

The second-year center is arguably playing his best basketball of the season. He’s averaging 16.8 points with a .598 effective field goal percentage over his last eight games, and I like Clingan to keep putting in work in tonight’s matchup against the Dallas Mavericks.

The Mavs are a young team as well, with plenty of areas to work on, with the inside maybe being the most glaring. Dallas ranks dead last in the NBA in opponent points in the paint per game.

So, let’s back Clingan to go Over his point total of 14.5, a number that he’s topped in four of his last eight games.

• Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: KFAA, KUNP

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.

March Madness is in high gear, and so there’s more interest to the upcoming NBA Draft, likely to take place on June 23 and 24 at its home since 2013, Barclays Center, Brooklyn. No, the dates are not yet official but the enthusiasm is.

For the Nets, with a high lottery pick, this year’s draft is seen as critical to their rebuild. More than one pundit has suggested that Sean Marks & co. hope to use their pick as part of a big upgrade, moving from two and a half dreary years of rebuild to perhaps what could be called a build. No longer will they be trying to lose.

Could it be analogous to what the franchise did in 2018-19 when a young team led by D’Angelo Russell wound up with the sixth seed … and enough NBA street cred to attract first Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving as free agents, then James Harden in a trade. Don’t expect this build to follow that same scenario but the pick will be critical nonetheless.

This year will also be very different from last June’s draft. After failing to move up — not willing to pay a hefty price that could have included their 2026 pick — they chose quantity over quality, taking a historic if risky five first rounders, even adding one the night before the Draft! (Interestingly, the Nets went into last year’s draft with a No. 2 ranking in Tanathon’s draft power rankings. Same so far this year. They may not have five firsts like last year but a higher lottery pick plus two picks in top half of the second round could be a better haul in a generational draft.)

Now though, hopes are higher. For one thing, the 2025-26 tank — excuse us, “playing the probabilities” — is deeper than last seasons meaning higher odds on May 10, lottery night in Chicago. At the moment, the Nets floor looks like No. 4, maybe even No. 3. They’re in second and only a game out of the top spot, currently held by the Indiana Pacers. Of course, things could change.

And since the Nets sent out future draft assets to get their 2025 and 2026 picks back from the Rockets, it would be ideal for them to get payback. But mostly it’s because this draft is seen as a great draft with comparison to the generational drafts of 1996 and 2003.

With the NCAAs now in the Sweet Sixteen, draft speculation is a little subdued with Darryn Peterson and A.J. Dybansta already done for the season. That leaves Cam Boozer of Duke fighting for the Final Four and beyond.

All that said, here’s the latest mocks. Is there a consensus? Not really. Boozer, Dybantsa and Peterson all have their advocates. Of the eight we surveyed, six had the Nets taking one of the three, with the outliers being forward Caleb Wilson of North Carolina and guard Kingston Flemings of Houston. Interestingly, none had Nets choosing guard Darius Acuff of Arkansas.

Some mocks go with the lottery standings the day they post, others where they think Nets will land after the lottery. Some mocks only project the first round, others the full two. The Nets currently have two picks at Nos. 32 and 43.

ESPN

Jeremy Woo was out last week with his picks. He has Brooklyn in fourth and out of the running for the Draft’s Big Three of Cam Boozer, A.J. Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson. Instead, he has them taking one of the next three, Caleb Wilson, the 6’10 ” forward out of North Carolina. He, along with Darius Acuff, Arkansas’ 6’3” point guard, and Kingston Flemings, Houston’s 6’5” combo guard, seem to the draftniks’ favorites just behind the Big Three although some are starting to suggest Acuff could move up and Peterson move down. Here’s his two-round takedown:

• #4 – Caleb Wilson, PF, 6’10”, North Carolina, Freshman
• #34 – Juke Harris, SG, Wake Forest, Sophomore
• #44 – Milan Momcilovic, PF, Iowa State, Junior

Here’s Woo’s take on Wilson and the fit:

Wilson opted to have surgery after breaking his thumb last week in practice, ending his season and depriving him of an opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament.

A first-team All-ACC selection, he has done enough to sit safely among the top picks even without taking the court again, showcasing his ability to play above the rim and two-way upside at power forward. Evaluators are curious how much more he can develop his 3-point shooting (25.9%) and ball skills, but Wilson plays exceptionally hard, having compiled 11 double-doubles and setting himself apart as an elite prospect. NBA teams have penciled him in as a top-four selection.

Brooklyn has built patiently, holding onto Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton at the trade deadline and will be hoping to add star power to the youngest roster in the NBA, no matter where this pick falls.

Bleacher Report

Jonathan Wasserman actually came closest to nailing the Nets preferences in 2025, projecting that Brooklyn would take Nolan Traore (at No. 19); Danny Wolf (at No. 26) and Drake Powell (at No. 27) in his final mock. So, we should pay attention to him!

This time around, with the third pick of the NBA, he has the Nets selecting Darryn Peterson, a 6’6’ shooting guard who drew comparisons to Kobe Bryant at the start of the season but lately, he’s dropped, inconsistency and injury with a wee touch of weirdness hurting his cause.

A productive yet confusing freshman season came to an end for Darryn Peterson after St. John’s buzzer-beater in the Round of 32.

Despite all the controversy around his injuries and in-game tap-outs earlier in the season, he still averaged 20.2 points on 43.8 percent shooting (38.2 percent from three) while playing 29.0 minutes a game. Peterson’s shotmaking skill remains as exciting it seemed at Prolific Prep.

Plus, concerns over the cramping have seemingly faded with Peterson playing over 30 minutes a game over the last month.

Falling from No. 1 to No. 2 or 3 may be caused more by issues with his decision-making and shot selection. Since his 18 points in 20 minutes against Dybantsa on February 2, Peterson shot 39.2 percent from the floor, often relying on difficult, contested jumpers. He also dropped to 51.9 percent finishing on layups, a number that could be caused by a variety of things, including poor spacing, overconfidence in his shooting and legs that aren’t likely at full strength.

At this point with the predraft process approaching, whether he goes No. 1, No. 2 or even No. 3 will come down to the eye of the pick’s beholder, as there doesn’t seem to be any consensus right now when ranking Peterson versus Dybantsa and Boozer.

Going deeper, he likes a wing and a big. Both are from west Africa, Yessoufou from Benin and Chinyelu, Nigeria.

• #3 – Darryn Peterson, SG, 6’6”, Kansas, freshman
• #33 – Tonde Yessoufou, SG, 6’6”, Baylor, freshman
• #45 – Rueben Chinyelu, PF/C, 6’10” Florida, freshman

It should be noted that if they keep the two seconders, at least one and may be both could be candidates for a two-way.

Tankathon

If you claim to be a Nets fan, don’t deny you refresh Tankathon.com at least 20 times a day. Admit it! That is the fist step toward overcoming an addiction. Unlike other addictions, however, it is not debilitating. That could change and lead to sprained index fingers by the end of June.

Not only does Matt Hoover’s site offer up-to-the-minute mocks, they also meticulously maintain the draft order, aka tank guide, for fans of lottery teams. Tankathon even offers a draft power rankings, based on the combined value of each team’s picks. (Nets are currently ranked No. 2 with their three picks in the top 45, just behind the Grizzlies with the nos. 7, 16 and 32.)

Tankathon believes the Nets will go the traditional route and take the country’s top player, 6’10” Cam Boozer of Duke. While their format is light on analysis unlike their rivals, they are long on video:

(Is this kid really only 19?)

In the second, Hoover thinks the Nets would be good with Boozer teammate, 6’6” guard Isaiah Evans and Australian Dash Daniels who like his brother Dyson, a defensive terror (and someone who Sean Marks travelled to Perth, Australia, 11,600 miles away, to scout — along with Karim Lopez — back in January.)

Here’s their summary:

• #3 – Cam Boozer, PF, 6’10”, Duke freshman
• #33 – Isaiah Evans, SF, 6’6” Duke, sophomore
• #43 – Dash Daniels, SG, 6’6” Melbourne, Australia, 18

Marks personally scouted Daniels in Perth, Western Australia back in January.

NBA Draft.net

Aran Smith, founder of NBADraft.net is often the outlier in mock draft projections, but the analysis is often top-notch with regular updates on some of the big names. That said, Smith is yes, unconventional again, projecting the Nets will take Kingston Flemings, the 6’4” Houston PG, at No. 4. Four mocks so far, four different projections.

Yes, in terms of rumored interest, Flemings is the only one of the consensus outside the top four who anyone in the media has suggested has the Nets attention, as Corey Tulaba of No Ceilings told Erik Slater of Clutch Points last month…

“A name that I think is really important for Nets fans to monitor from what I’ve heard around the league is Kingston Flemings of Houston. That is a name I’ve heard the Nets are kind of interested in and he’s been incredible this year.”

Drew Wolin of NBADraft.net thinks he’s got a good chance at making a mark

Projects as a high-level lead guard whose speed, poise, and efficiency translate well to the NBA game … Has the tools to impact winning early due to decision-making, defensive engagement, and ability to control tempo … Continued refinement of shooting mechanics and expansion of his scoring package could elevate him from a strong starter profile to an All-Star caliber guard … Defensive tools and mindset point to long-term two-way value … Winning habits, maturity, and coachability strengthen his overall projection and reduce long-term risk …

Flemings indeed hasn’t gotten a lot of attention. Powerfully built with a blazing quick step, the 6’5” sophomore is unlikely to fall out of the top 10 and is the type of player who often sneaks up the mock draft consensus in the last few weeks … and he is in the Sweet Sixteen.

In the second, Smith et al like Keyshawn Hall, a 6’7”, 250-pound 3-and-D candidate who is among this draft’s older players at 22. (Their mock like a couple of others don’t have the Nets picking in the forties. Perhaps the permutations of the draft order caused them to wait a bit.)

• #4 – Kingston Flemings, PG, 6’4”, Houston, freshman
• #33 – Keyshawn Hall, SF, 6’7”, Auburn, senior.

Sporting News

One thing about this round-up of mock drafts is how diverse the choices are at Nos. 3 and 4. There is no consensus on who the Nets should select … other than a high lottery pick. Last year, Khaman Maluach was for a long time the draftniks’ favorite to stroll across the stage wearing a Nets cap to a waiting commissioner. There was also a contingent who believed the Nets could wind up with Kon Knueppell!

The closest thing to a consensus – among fans at least – is A.J. Dybantsa and that’s not scientific. Reading though social media, the BYU forward is all smooth games reminiscent of, take your choice, Kevin Durant or Tracy McGrady. Heady comparisons. As Elliot Pohnl of TSN wrote recently in his latest mock:

Dybantsa plays with an incredible amount of force and assertiveness, which allows his athleticism to shine. Despite being surrounded by a mediocre BYU roster that got worse after the Richie Saunders injury, the Cougars were competitive in the Big 12. Dybantsa can take over games, and more importantly, he wants to take over games. He can handle the ball at a high level, and his length and athleticism helps him be a plus defender. His shot could use polish and he isn’t perfect offensively, but he has what it takes to be a franchise-changing selection.

Add to that Egor Demin’s endorsement of fellow Brigham Young product and you can see that if Dybantsa was still in March Madness, there’d be viewing parties among Nets fans. Alas, he is not. Also alas, Sporting News only does first round selections so no guesses on No. 32 or 43.

SB Nation

The Home Team.

Ricky O’Donnell thinks that Darryn Peterson will be the name called by Adam Silver, assuming Nets get that top three pick in the lottery. Peterson is the big question mark among the top 3 and O’Donnell thinks the 6’6” Kansas guard (also around) may not answer that question with an exclamation point.

Darryn Peterson looked like Gen-Z Kobe Bryant coming out of high school. He hasn’t lived up to that billing at Kansas due to a bizarre set of injury circumstances that included “traumatic” cramping and multiple soft tissue strains in his lower body. Peterson just doesn’t look as explosive athletically as he did in high school, but he still put up awesome per-possession scoring numbers in an off-ball role by showing off his elite shotmaking. His freshman tape looks more like Richard Hamilton or Tre Johnson than anything else, bending defenses by darting around screens and splashing shots all over the floor. The fact that his shooting touch and outside volume both look better than expected is an encouraging sign for his star upside if he can regain his physical gifts. I had Peterson at No. 2 for most of the year, but at this point I’m tempted to slide him down to No. 4. Part of that is because North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson looked awesome before his season-ending thumb injury. Part of it is because Peterson just didn’t meet our expectations this season.

O’Donnell has Cam Boozer at No. 1 and A.J. Dybantsa and No. 2. He, too, only goes one round deep in his projections.

CBS Sports

Adam Finkelstein is another vote for Cam Boozer who more than one draftnik thinks will carry the day (if available) because in addition to his skillset is that high character type Sean Marks & co. crave in the post Big 3 era. We’ve heard one draftnik describe Boozer in the simplest of terms: “the Perfect Net.”

This may be the easiest pick of the draft. Executives are terrified of missing on Dybantsa or Peterson if they end up reaching their full potential, but there’s little doubt that Boozer will be a long-term impact player. His resume of winning is unmatched, he’s physically ready for the next level and one of the smartest players in the draft. He’s a big-time rebounder, passer, has terrific hands and can operate at different spots on the floor offensively. Boozer has a war of a matchup Friday night against St. John’s and defensive menace Zuby Ejiofor.

The choice of a power forward would make for some interesting speculation come Draft Night. Boozer would not replace Nic Claxton or Day’Ron Sharpe in thinking about Nets big men. They all have different skillsets and fits. But of the Draft’s top three picks (if they get so lucky), he’s the one that would best round out the Nets team building exercise. Also, there’s no indication that the Nets are going to divert from their long-held belief in BPA — best player available. The reasoning is simple: you get a high lottery pick in a generational draft, you’re not drafting for next season. You’re drafting looking way down the road.

USA TODAY

That said, Bryan Kalbrosky thinks that A.J. Dybantsa makes the most sense because he is the prospect most likely to raise the Nets level of offense which, as he notes, is currently horrific.

The Nets have the worst offense in the NBA and could instantly inject life into their offense by selecting AJ Dybantsa, who would likely go No. 1 overall depending on which team gets the pick. He emphasized that point during his one game for BYU in March Madness, putting up 35 points and 10 rebounds. The Big 12 Rookie of the Year led the nation in unassisted points scored (680) by a wide margin this season, per CBB Analytics. The emerging star also had 40 points against Kansas State in the Big 12 Tournament on March 10 and averaged 28.8 points per game over his final 17 appearances.

There may be other aspects of Dybantsa’s potential that could use some upgrades, including maturity, but the name of the game is buckets and he knows how to do that, as Kalbrosky notes. No second round projections from USA TODAY. You’ll see more draftniks delve into the second day of the draft the closer we get.

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The Boston Celtics will look to build on their impressive win over the Oklahoma City Thunder as they host the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.

Jayson Tatum came up big on Wednesday, and I’m counting on him to lead Boston to cover again in my Hawks vs. Celtics predictions.

Read on for more analysis of this matchup in my free NBA picks for Friday, March 27.

Hawks vs Celtics prediction

Hawks vs Celtics best bet: Celtics -4.5 (-110)

The Boston Celtics have been working Jayson Tatum back into the lineup, and that fully paid off on Wednesday, when he put up 19 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists while playing more than 35 minutes against the Thunder.

Boston is now 7-2 with Tatum in the lineup this season. The 28-year-old is averaging 19.1 ppg and 9.2 rebounds per game, and while his shooting touch isn’t quite there yet, he showed improvement against the Thunder there as well, going 3-for-6 from three-point range.

The one thing that might make bettors question the Celtics tonight is the injury report. Jaylen Brown is out for tonight, which is a significant blow for Boston, but Derrick White and Neemias Queta will both be available after initial worries that the Celtics would be short-handed. 

With Tatum healthy and improving in every game, Boston shouldn’t miss a beat. 

The Atlanta Hawks continue to rack up wins since the All-Star break, but these wins have largely come against weaker competition. In their last two road games against quality opponents, the Hawks lost by 22 points to the Houston Rockets, then beat the Detroit Pistons by a single point in overtime on Wednesday.

As hot as the Hawks are right now, the Celtics are a different team with Tatum on the court, and they showed how tough they’ll be to beat at TD Garden down the stretch on Wednesday. 

Hawks vs Celtics same-game parlay

The shaky injury report for Boston has sent the total down several points in this game, and that’s enough for me to target the Over.

The Hawks have hit the Over in five of their last six games, and there’s more than enough offensive talent on both sides to hit this number.

I’m also taking Tatum to grab Over 8.5 rebounds, a total he’s hit in each of his last four games.

Hawks vs Celtics SGP

• Celtics -4.5
• Over 225.5
• Jayson Tatum Over 9.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: Tatum Does it All!

With Tatum coming off his best game since his return from injury, I’m backing the Celtics star to shine again tonight, especially with a potentially limited roster around him.

I’ll add Tatum to pick up another double-double after recording three in his last four games. I also like him to get Over 5.5 assists after dishing out seven on Wednesday against the Thunder, and pick up Over 1.5 steals, which he’s done in two straight contests.

Hawks vs Celtics SGP

• Celtics -4.5
• Jayson Tatum double-double
• Jayson Tatum Over 4.5 assists
• Jayson Tatum Over 1.5 steals

Hawks vs Celtics odds

• Spread: Hawks +7.5 | Celtics -7.5
• Moneyline: Hawks +183 | Celtics -215
• Over/Under: Over 224.5 | Under 224.5

Hawks vs Celtics betting trend to know

The Celtics have won five of their last six games by 5+ points. Find more NBA betting trends for Hawks vs. Celtics.

How to watch Hawks vs Celtics

Hawks vs Celtics latest injuries

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With the Western Conference a tight-knit race yet again this season, this series will look at the standings and games to watch across the league as the Lakers look to secure home court and move up the standings.

The Lakers had a great road trip, winning five of their six games. However, the teams beneath them also performed well, with the Wolves beating the Rockets and the Nuggets currently on a four-game winning streak.

So, while LA has the tiebreaker over the teams they are competing with for playoff position, the race remains tight.

Here’s a look at the current playoff standings in the middle of the conference:
3. Lakers — 47-26, 10 GB
4. Nuggets — 46-28, 11.5 GB
5. Wolves — 45-28, 12 GB
6. Rockets — 43-29, 13.5 GB
7. Suns — 40-33, 17 GB

If Denver keeps on winning, it’ll apply pressure on LA to do the same. With only a game and a half separating the two teams, anything can still happen.

Let’s take a look at the big games to watch around the league for the next couple of days and who Lakers fans should be rooting for.

Friday

Jazz at Nuggets — It’ll probably be five wins in a row for Denver after they play Utah. While the NBA aims to discourage tanking, under the current rules, the Jazz have no incentive to win.

Rockets at Grizzlies — Memphis has lost 12 of their last 13 games. The Rockets are struggling, but it’s hard to imagine them losing to the Grizzlies.

Saturday

Pistons at Wolves — The Lakers lost to the Pistons, so they witnessed firsthand how tough they can be to beat. Perhaps this weekend, they can help LA out by beating Minnesota.

Jazz at Suns — Rooting for Utah to win in March is an exercise in futility.

Sunday

Warriors at Nuggets — Golden State is still trying to win games and potentially surpass the Blazers for the No. 9 seed in the West. With Steph Curry still out, they don’t have much firepower to compete with the Nuggets, but at least they are incentivized to do so.

Rockets at Pelicans — New Orleans has been playing better than their 25-49 record suggests. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games with wins over the Clippers and Raptors. They won’t be favored against the Rockets, but they’ll be at home and an upset is a possibility.

Monday

Wolves at Mavs — The Mavericks aren’t trying to win games. Check the box score at halftime and see if this contest is worth watching after that.

Suns at Grizzlies — The bad news here is that the Grizzlies play the Suns, and Laker fans want Memphis to win. The good news is the Suns are seven games back of the Lakers, so it’s virtually impossible for them to catch LA at this point.

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

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Detroit Pistons
Date: March 28th, 2026
Time: 4:30 PM CDT
Location: Target Center
Television Coverage: ABC, FanDuel Sports Network – North
Radio Coverage: Wolves App, iHeart Radio

There are regular-season wins, and then there are the kind of wins that feel like they belong in a 30-for-30 intro montage. Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets was that kind of game for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Not just because of how it ended, but because of how many different ways it should have ended before it ever got there.

This wasn’t just another March game. This game was about standings math, playoff positioning, and psychological survival all wrapped into one. It was two teams entering with identical records, deadlocked in the Western Conference at the five seed, staring each other down with the kind of stakes that don’t need a playoff logo to feel like a playoff game. The winner gets separation. The loser gets anxiety.

And Minnesota walked into it shorthanded.

No Anthony Edwards.
No Ayo Dosunmu.

Which meant renewed responsibility for Mike Conley Jr., more on-the-fly adjustments, and a general sense that this was going to be one of those nights where everything had to go right just to have a chance. Meanwhile, Houston rolled in with Kevin Durant, size, athleticism, and every reason to believe this was their moment to seize control of the standings and snatch the tie-breaker with the Wolves.

For about 44 minutes, Minnesota didn’t just survive. They controlled the game. The Wolves looked like the team with the clearer identity. They dictated the tempo, leaned into their physicality, and played through their size in a way that has become their most reliable offensive blueprint. The result? 63 points in the paint.

Defensively, they were connected. Rotations were sharp. The effort level, something that completely vanished during that California spiral, was back where it needed to be. The lead never ballooned into a blowout, but it lived in that steady 4-to-8-point range, the kind that tells you one team is just a little more in control than the other.

Then late in the game, Minnesota stretched it.

Eleven-point lead. Three and a half minutes left.

And if you’ve watched this team long enough, you already know what comes next.

This is where the game turned from a basketball contest into something closer to a psychological endurance test.

Minnesota gave up a 12–0 run. The offense tightened. The ball movement stalled. The rhythm disappeared. And layered on top of that, the Wolves found themselves on the receiving end of a whistle pattern that, let’s just say, tilted things in a very specific direction.

Houston finished with 25 free throws. Minnesota got 10. That’s not just a discrepancy. That’s a storyline, especially when the Wolves are living in the paint all night. Then came the moment that flipped everything: a flagrant foul on Julius Randle running through a screen, which turned a tense finish into a full-on momentum avalanche. Free throws, possession, chaos.

The lead evaporated, and suddenly, everyone in Target Center found themsslves back in that familiar Wolves nightmare, the one where they snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Except this time, there was a twist.

Down one, late, with everything unraveling, Julius Randle rose to the occasion and forced a massive bucket to put Minnesota back up by one. It’s the kind of shot that feels like it should be the story. The kind that usually becomes the defining moment, but Scott Foster and his crew had other ideas.

Houston’s final trip down the floor required an inbounds pass, and the refs took the opportunity to turn a Sengun flop into a Rudy Gobert foul-out, sending the Rockets to the free-throw line for the game-tying point.

Overtime.

And if that final minute of the 4th quarter felt like survival, what followed felt like punishment.

In overtime, Minnesota was basically playing a game of musical chairs with its rotation.

No Edwards.
No Ayo.
Rudy Gobert fould out.
Jaden McDaniels injured.

Then Naz Reid gets hit with a charge call that somehow gets upheld despite Alperen Sengun very clearly not being set and then gets ejected for good measure.

So now you’re down basically… everyone.

Houston opened overtime on a 13–0 run. Minnesota has been outscored 26-2 over the course of six minutes. The Target Center crowd is already halfway out the door, fans muttering, typing the mental postgame recap that ends with “same old Wolves.”

Except… it wasn’t.

Because out of absolutely nowhere, with a lineup that felt like it had been assembled five minutes earlier, Minnesota rips off 15 straight points.

Not a couple of lucky buckets. Not a mini run. A full-on reversal of reality.

The energy flipped. The defense tightened. The shots fell. The Rockets look stunned. And the Wolves, who had every excuse in the world to fold, just kept coming.

Down two in the final seconds, Durant got to the line (because of course he did) with a chance to swing things back.

Miss.

The subsequent intentional miss goes nowhere.

And just like that, the Wolves walk away with a win that makes absolutely no sense on paper and somehow means everything in the standings.

Why This Matters More Than It Should

This wasn’t just about beating Houston. This was about survival in a stretch that could have buried their season.

After that disastrous California trip where they couldn’t defend anybody and looked completely disconnected, the Wolves have now won four out of five games without Anthony Edwards.

That’s not accidental. That’s identity. They’ve rediscovered what works: defense, physicality, connected offense. Not hero ball. Not hoping Ant saves them. Actual structure.

And now they’ve put themselves in position to do something that felt impossible a few days ago.

Detroit, and the Trap That’s Always There

As if Wednesday night wasn’t enough of a test, now comes the part where this team has historically failed.

They get to face a Detroit Pistons team missing their best player in Cade Cunningham, on an early-tip weekend game, with a chance to grab real momentum and go 3–0 through a brutal stretch.

It’s the amalgamation of every scenario this team has fumbled all season.

Keys to the Game

1. Recommit to That Defensive Identity

What we saw against Houston, and before that against Boston, was the version of Minnesota that actually works. It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t about one guy going nuclear. It was about five guys moving on a string, shrinking driving lanes, contesting everything, and forcing opponents to grind through possessions like they’re dragging a sled uphill.

That has to carry over. This team hasn’t shown success in winning shootouts. Their margin for error lives on the defensive end, and if they want to finish this gauntlet 3–0, it starts with bringing that same suffocating, connected effort for a full 48 minutes.

2. Dominate the Paint Like You Mean It

The Wolves didn’t just edge Houston inside, they imposed their will with 63 points in the paint, and it changed the entire tone of the game. That’s not just a stat you glance at. It’s the identity they need to lean into when Edwards isn’t there to bail them out.

Now they get a Detroit team anchored by Jalen Duren. This is where Rudy Gobert has to be a monster again. Every rebound, every loose ball, every shot at the rim needs to be his territory.

Julius Randle can’t have another Portland-type night where the effort comes and goes. This is a grown-man game. You either win the paint or you spend the night chasing.

3. Keep the Ball Moving

One of the weird silver linings of the Anthony Edwards absence has been how the offense has opened up. The ball has moved more. Players are cutting. Decisions are quicker. There’s less of that “everyone stand around and watch Ant cook” dynamic.

That has to continue.

Randle has actually struck a nice balance lately of attacking when needed, but also kicking out and trusting teammates. That’s the version of him that makes this offense dangerous. The moment this devolves into isolation-heavy, slow-developing possessions, you’re playing right into Detroit’s hands.

Minnesota doesn’t need a hero tonight. They need five guys making the right read, over and over again, until the defense cracks.

4. Push the Pace When the Opportunity Is There

Without Edwards, the Wolves don’t have that same instant offense button, but they do have ways to manufacture easy points. And it starts with getting out in transition.

Players like Ayo Dosunmu and Bones Highland can push tempo, collapse the defense, and either finish or kick out for clean looks. That’s where this team can steal 10–12 easy points that don’t require half-court execution.

And against a Detroit team that wants to play physical and grind, those transition buckets are like cheat codes. They break rhythm, flip momentum, and turn a close game into a manageable one.

5. Don’t Beat Yourselves (Because You Almost Just Did)

This is the one that matters most, because we just watched it nearly cost them everything.

Turnovers. Missed free throws. Mental lapses. Those three-minute avalanches where the entire operation falls apart and suddenly a comfortable lead is gone or a close game becomes a massive hole. It happened at the end of regulation against Houston. It happened again at the start of overtime. The Wolves were incredibly fortunate to survive it.

Detroit won’t care that Minnesota just pulled off one of the wildest wins of the season. If the Wolves give them those same openings, this game flips in a heartbeat.

So this is about discipline. Value every possession. Secure rebounds. Hit your free throws. Make the simple play.

It’s one thing to lose because the other team is better. It’s another to lose because you handed it to them.

The Bigger Picture: One Win Away From Something Real

A few days ago, this team looked like it was spiraling: defense gone, identity gone, standings slipping, everything trending in the wrong direction at the worst possible time.

Now?

They’ve taken down Boston. They’ve survived Houston in a game that should’ve broken them three different times. They’ve won four out of five without Edwards and somehow rediscovered the version of themselves that actually has postseason teeth.

Yet this is the exact kind of spot where the old Wolves fold.

Emotional high. Undermanned opponent. Chance to stack a third straight win in a brutal stretch. Early tip on a weekend. Every possible ingredient for a letdown.

If this team is serious. If this stretch is actually the beginning of something and not just another hill on the roller coaster, then this is the game where they prove it.

Because the next rung on the ladder is right there again. Not handed to them. Not guaranteed. But right there within reach.

And after everything they just went through… it would be a shame to fall off it now.

At the bank this morning the teller was talking about movies and asked if I’d seen Sinners. When I said I had, she asked what I thought of it.

For better or worse, our expectations not only shape our realities, they often become them. I haven’t met anyone who’s seen Sinners and not enjoyed it; I said I’d loved it. Her face fell. She had not. I asked her why. She said she’d loved it up until the vampires. She didn’t understand “the point” of them. I asked if she’d known it was a vampire movie when she watched it. She hadn’t.

“A late March game in Charlotte” entered the NBA lexicon long ago for the league’s Lucifer franchise, i.e. the fallen. In 1988 Charlotte and Miami joined the league, followed a year later by Orlando and Minnesota. The Hornets built up talent their first four seasons, then were a winning team six straight, winning 50+ three times in a four-year span. If you weren’t alive then, you wouldn’t believe what a homecourt atmosphere The Hive was. One of the louder buildings in the Association. And they weren’t just home cooking. Guess who ended the 1996 Bulls’ 44-game home winning streak.

After last night’s 114-103 impressive Hornet win over the Knicks, “a late March game in Charlotte” may soon go the way of “literally” and get a second definition that contradicts the first. This year’s Hive looks nothing like last year’s team. Or the year before that. Or . . . well, this is quicker: the last time Charlotte made the playoffs, the retired Malcolm Brogdon was in college. The last time they won a playoff series, LeBron James played for St. Vincent-St. Mary High. Enough with the then. Get with the now.

Sometimes it’s not about who you are, but who you know. This is not one of those times. Who the Hornets are today looks nothing like who they were a year ago. Their top -five in minutes then: Miles Bridges, Josh Green, LaMelo Ball, Nick Smith Jr. and Tidjane Salaün. This year: Kon Kneuppel*, Bridges, Ball, Moussa Diabaté and Brandon Miller. Green and Salaün are down to ninth and 11th. Smith Jr. is down on the end of the Laker bench.

*I know it’s “Knueppel.” But I find it charming when a player smacks you in the face so unexpectedly with their potential for greatness that you only mess up the spelling once before it’s seared in your mind. When I was drafting the Kristaps Porzingis Know The Prospect, I initially thought it was “Kirstaps.” Still like that better.

After Jalen Brunson scored on New York’s opening set, the Knicks trailed the rest of the game. This wasn’t sudden death so much as strangulation: the home team got the better position and steadily squeezed the air out of the visitors. The Hornets put up 65 in the first half and held the Knicks to 48 in the second, dominating the glass to an extent I can’t remember the Knicks being bossed, particularly not with Mitchell Robinson playing.

Never hurts when you luck into a goldmine, which Charlotte has with Knueppel. Combining Glen Rice’s height with Kemba Walker’s range and Dell Curry’s quick trigger, the rookie carries the aura of a 10-year vet. Fellow first-year Ryan Kalkbrenner is feckin’ yuge, even for a center. They’re young and alive and have no pressure and tons of fun. The past two months they’re 23-6. Now, Knicks fan, the bad news.

The Knickerbockers will end up second or third in the East, meaning they’ll face whoever’s sixth or seventh, which could be Atlanta, Toronto, Philadelphia, Orlando, Miami . . . or Charlotte. In 2023 the Knicks and Cavs were locked into the 4-5 seeds for so long I remember racking my brain for ways to write about them as the playoffs neared; so much had already been said. As we enter the final weeks of this season, the possibilities in the East are staggeringly vast.

I don’t want the Knicks to get the Hornets. I think they’d win, but I’d rather they not spend two weeks running themselves ragged against them before a likely no-holds-barred battle against Boston. I’d love for the Pistons to get the Hornets. I’d love for the Hornets to upset the Pistons. You’d have been committed for saying that two months ago. One collapsed lung + 23-6 for two months (including wins over the Spurs, Rockets and Celtics) = new expectations. Maybe a new reality?

Quoth rcnt123: “The Hornets are last year’s Pistons.” If they are, let this year’s Pistons duke it out with their Bizarro. The Knicks’ next game is a national tilt Sunday at Oklahoma City. If these Knicks stay true to form, they’ll look as good then as they did not last night.

The Golden State Warriors new they were taking a big risk when they acquired Kristaps Porzingis at the trade deadline. While Porzingis has at times been one of the most talented big men in the NBA, the Latvian has consistently struggle to stay on the court throughout recent seasons. A combination of injuries and chronic illness have limited him to fewer than 58 games in six of the past eight seasons. However, he seems quite happy to be working with Warriors lead physiotherapist Rick Celebrini.

“Rick is amazing,” Porzingis told reporters about Celebrini after Wednesday’s 109-106 victory over the Nets. “Rick is the GOAT.”

While Porzingis declined getting into the specifics of Celebrini’s treatment regiment with him, he is clearly confident that he is in good hands. It’s still early, but the recent signs have been positive. Porzingis has appeared in just 26 games this season, 17 with the Hawks and nine with the Warriors. However, he’s played eight of the Dubs last 11 games.

With free agency on the horizon, Porzingis is showcasing health at an ideal time for him. Perhaps his comfort with Celebrini will give the Warriors an advantage in extension negotiations, possibly creating a pathway to a team-friendly contract. On the season, Porzingis is averaging 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.4 blocks in 23.5 minutes per game on 44.4%/33.3%/83.5% shooting.

Adam Silver loves to to quickly react to public outcry. Sometimes, it works: the 2026 NBA All-Star Game was fun and competitive with shorter games and a USA vs. The World format after years of drab and uncompetitive play. The 65-game rule for award eligibility feels like more of a mixed bag: it does feel like some stars are resting less often to meet the threshold, but it also works against players like Cade Cunningham, who deserved a First-Team All-NBA spot this season but won’t get it because of an unfortunate collapsed lung late in the season.

The NBA’s newest crisis is tanking, and Silver is ready to address it. The commissioner gave some tough talk earlier this week regarding tanking, telling the assembled press: “We are going to fix this — full stop. Going into next season, the incentives (regarding the lottery and tanking) will be completely different than they are now.”

On Friday morning, the NBA dropped three anti-tanking proposals via ESPN insider Shams Charania. A vote is coming in May, and it’s likely to go into effect for the 2027 NBA Draft. Here are the three plans the league is considering:

1. 18 teams in draft lottery (seeds 7-15 in each conference) – flattened odds, with bottom 10 teams having an 8% chance, the remaining 20% odds distributed in decreasing order for 11 through 18, and and a lottery drawing for all 18 picks.

2) 22 teams in lottery using 2-year record (seeds 7-15, plus the four playoff first round exits in both conferences). Lottery teams would reach a minimum win total floor in each season, such as 25 wins. If a team falls short of the floor, it gets slotted to meet the floor. Top 4 drawn as part of lottery, as is currently.

3) 18 teams in a “5 by 5” lottery – bottom 5 teams have equal odds for the top pick, with lottery formed for picks 1-5. Bottom 5 teams have a floor at 10; those that fall out of top 5 get sorted in a separate drawing.

As I wrote the last time the NBA leaked some anti-tanking measures: “in rushing to find a medicine to cure tanking, the NBA risks giving itself bigger problems from the side effects.” It seems even more true now. Tanking is a problem to some degree, but it’s not among the league’s biggest problems, which should start with the length of the season, the pace of play, and the rules favoring the offense too much. These proposals will all have unintended consequences and threaten to make the NBA’s “tanking” issues much worse going forward.

There are a myriad of issues here. For one, it feels like it’s punishing the wrong teams. The NBA’s “tanking crisis” was caused by teams like the Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards actively resting healthy players to avoid winning games so they can maximize their ping pong balls. Well, the Jazz traded for Jaren Jackson Jr. and the Wizards traded for Trae Young and Anthony Davis so both can be competitive next year. These changes penalize teams like the Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls who eschewed tanking for years to try to win before coming to the realization that they couldn’t get out of the middle. The Grizzlies and Bulls both seem primed to “tank” next year — aka, undergo a full rebuild — but now they would be working with a completely different set of rules than the ones they made their recent trade deadline decisions under.

There’s also a lot of picks already traded under the current system. Those picks would become more valuable or less valuable depending on which rule change is adopted.

Imagine being the Portland Trail Blazers thinking you’re getting some primo Milwaukee Bucks picks after trading a franchise icon in Damian Lillard to them. Suddenly, the lottery could be open to playoff teams, and the chances of those picks paying off are greatly diminished.

Back to trades: one advantage the NBA has over other pro leagues in maintaining interest is all the trade chatter and offseason movement. It feels like speculating about trades is such a key factor in getting fans invested about the NBA, and these deals happen way more often in the NBA than they do in the NFL, MLB, or NHL. Adopting one of these anti-tanking measures could kill the trade speculation that makes the league so fun to follow. Star trades are good for the NBA, and under these rules teams would have more incentives to just hang onto their guys rather than chasing a big package of picks to kick start a rebuild. Does Silver really want a trade deadline every year where only sixth men are involved in deals?

Let’s tackle each of the NBA tanking proposals one-by-one:

1. 18 teams in draft lottery (seeds 7-15 in each conference) – flattened odds, with bottom 10 teams having an 8% chance, the remaining 20% odds distributed in decreasing order for 11 through 18, and and a lottery drawing for all 18 picks.

Last year, the Dallas Mavericks jumped from No. 11 to No. 1 in the draft lottery. The San Antonio Spurs also jumped way up after Victor Wembanyama’s season-ending injury late in the year. Did good teams winning the lottery fix tanking? No! Tanking is worse than ever this year. This plan would have decent-to-good teams jump up more often, and bad teams staying bad. Given that it’s so hard to sign good free agents under the current rules, and that trades could become less frequent if this is adopted, the league risks its bad teams never getting any hope.

2. 22 teams in lottery using 2-year record (seeds 7-15, plus the four playoff first round exits in both conferences). Lottery teams would reach a minimum win total floor in each season, such as 25 wins. If a team falls short of the floor, it gets slotted to meet the floor. Top 4 drawn as part of lottery, as is currently.

OK, so now teams are just going to start resting their good players once they get to 25 wins. Genius.

3. 18 teams in a “5 by 5” lottery – bottom 5 teams have equal odds for the top pick, with lottery formed for picks 1-5. Bottom 5 teams have a floor at 10; those that fall out of top 5 get sorted in a separate drawing.

This only creates a bigger race to tank into the bottom five. When there’s eight teams that want those five lottery spots, you are going to have some ugly, ugly basketball.

Here’s another big picture thought:

Tanking is part of the NBA life cycle, and the league only needs a minor fix

The Detroit Pistons won 17 games three years ago and 14 games two years ago. Now they’re the best team in the Eastern Conference because they built through the draft. The Phoenix Suns went from the No. 1 overall pick in 2018 to the 2021 NBA Finals despite choosing the wrong player in Deandre Ayton. The Houston Rockets were in the dumps after the James Harden trade, but now have one of the NBA’s better young cores and should be set up for annual contention. The Spurs went from worst-to-first by landing Victor Wembanyama … and then also moving up in the lottery the next two years.

Tanking for a couple seasons is fine. The biggest issues happen when teams do it year after year. That’s why the most sensible tanking solution is this: teams can only pick in the top-5 two out of every three years, and after that your pick is frozen at the end of the lottery.

There are unintended consequences with my plan too, of course. Take the Wizards. They landed at No. 2 in the 2024 draft lottery, but fell to No. 6 with the NBA’s second-worst record last year. If they fall to No. 6 in this year’s lottery again, it would reset their tanking clock.

Ultimately, every tanking fix is going to have unintended consequences. We’ve seen that with the current reform that flattened the odds back in 2019, and subsequently caused wider tank races. The NBA needs to remember what’s really important beyond short-lived bad publicity: fans of bad teams need to find a way to have hope. The draft is the best way to do it, and the proof is in the standings that it has allowed the NBA’s worst teams to rebuild pretty quickly many times before.

My wildest tanking fix? Just have the league pick who they think deserves each draft choice. The NBA is in the business of selling stories. Let’s say the Grizzlies won the 2003 lottery instead of the Cavs. LeBron James going to the Grizzlies just isn’t as good of a story as it was with him going to his hometown team, and it probably would have cost the league a lot of money. Funny how things worked out so well. I think the same thing about Wembanyama: by going to the Spurs in 2023, he’s continuing that franchise’s long tradition of Hall of Fame big men and international stars. It just doesn’t hit the same if the Hornets won the lottery instead of coming in second. I realize this is extreme and I’m not even sure if I’m joking here, but league could just decide, hey, the Bulls deserve the No. 1 pick this year, and the Jazz and Wizards deserve to fall, because Chicago was more ethical in its team-building choices. I swear there are worse ideas.

The tanking discourse is out of control right now because the 2025 and 2026 drafts were so strong. Rushing into quick fixes without understanding the full scope of how it will change the league just feels so shortsighted.

I believe that adopting any of these three tanking measures would make things worse. It really feels like Silver is rushing this just because fans who will never watch the Utah Jazz or Washington Wizards are complaining about the integrity of the product. Silver would be wise to take a beat and assess the problem next year when there’s bound to be less tanking due to a weaker 2027 draft class. It isn’t good practice to rush into big decisions in any pat of life, and it feels like the NBA could be on the verge of making a big mistakes if they’re committed to finding a tanking solution immediately.

It’s not quite a Friday news dump, but it might as well be one.

In his latest attempt to thwart tanking, NBA commissioner Adam Silver leaked a few new rules he plans to implement to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Here are lots of words:

Like everything else the NBA does — see: the current CBA, All-Star Game format — this is so convoluted. How do you expect the average fan, the people who you are most trying to appease with anti-tanking rules, to understand or even care about this?

And how does this even help? Having a worse record still gives you a better chance at a higher draft pick. When teams don’t have the ability to build a competitive roster, losing games on purpose will still beat vying for a spot in the Play-In.

The idea of factoring in two years worth of records is also silly. You want teams to be more competitive, so you punish them for tanking, which will then make them even worse. How does that create competitive balance?

What about the teams who are just bad without tanking? The Chicago Bulls came into the season looking to reasonably compete (I know, I know). After being stuck in Play-In purgatory, Chicago fans are probably ecstatic the front office finally decided to go this route.

People make fun of The Process, but it worked. The Sixers were irrelevant basically from the time Allen Iverson was traded until Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons arrived — save for one playoff run where they benefitted from a significant injury to Derrick Rose. No, they haven’t won a championship, but they’ve built multiple rosters over the years that at least felt like they had a chance. And the tanking wasn’t full-proof — they selected Markelle Fultz first overall and Jahlil Okafor third. You still need to have an ounce of competence to make the strategy work.

Look at the top teams in the NBA. The Oklahoma City Thunder deployed the most brazen tanking strategy in professional sports and now they have a juggernaut. The San Antonio Spurs, an organization that’s considered a gold standard, tanked their way into Victor Wembanyama. The Detroit Pistons are led by No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham, but suffered plenty with other bad selections after tanking.

The bottom line is the best franchises find the best way to acquire talent. When you see teams like the Thunder and Spurs tank to build what will likely be dynasties, you know it’s a viable and effective strategy — if you draft properly and get a good bit of luck.

I’ll admit to bias in being a pro-tank guy. I think about teams who are always in the lottery because they don’t have great front offices and they’re not attractive enough destinations for free agents. Even if they don’t tank, they still won’t be very good. Again, how do any of these rules help competitive balance? How can a team like the Washington Wizards get out of NBA hell without tanking?

NBA ratings are OK. There are great games being played almost every night. I just watched that Rockets-Timberwolves game the other night. It was awesome. I think the playoffs have a chance to be very competitive and a lot of fun.

We spend so much time focusing on tanking and not enough on the actual awesome games being played. If you don’t want to watch the Thunder destroy the Bulls, don’t want watch it. Flip on Hawks-Celtics or Heat-Cavs instead.

Tanking and load management are considered big problems with the NBA, but Silver hasn’t done anything to help either cause. Less games might be the answer to both, but then people would lose money.

And therein lies the problem — are you trying to produce the best product or trying to make the most money? Maybe by simply improving the product, the money will come. It’s hard to see how these rules do either.

The ascent of Caleb Williams in his second NFL season was dramatic. It was a rocky beginning, working with new head coach Ben Johnson for the first time, but by the midpoint of the season the two had managed to marry Johnson’s exacting passing demands with Williams’ creativity, giving Chicago something truly special.

One way this manifested throughout 2025 was Williams’ incredible ability in the clutch, leading the Bears’ to six fourth-quarter comebacks and six game-winning drives. He started to get the nickname “Iceman” as a result, referring to his cold nature with the game on the line. One problem: The original “Iceman” in sports isn’t happy.

Williams moved to copyright the nickname this offseason, and San Antonio Spurs legend George Gervin isn’t happy about it.

“I’ve been the Iceman for 40-something years,” Gervin said. “I never thought anybody would try to trademark it. He kind of knocked me out the box.”

Gervin garnered the nickname in 1974 after being drafted into the NBA by the Spurs following several successful ABA seasons. Teammates and fans said Gervin’s relaxed, loose play was effortlessly cool — they also noted that no matter how intense a game was, Gervin seemingly never sweat on the while playing basketball, hence the nickname. Between 1977-1982 the Spurs’ guard won four NBA scoring titles, peaking in 1981-82 when Gervin averaged 33.1 points-per-game on 50% shooting on the year. One of the best pure scorers in NBA history, Gervin was a nine-time All-Star, and was named to the All-NBA First Team five years in a row at his peak.

After learning about Caleb Williams’ trademark attempt Gervin has moved to trademark “Iceman” himself. Now it will be up to the United States Patent and Trading Office (USPTO) to decide who gets the nickname. There’s precedent from the USPTO to both award trademarks to the individual who first filed (which would be Williams), but also side with later filings if there has been a longstanding established history of usage (which would side with Gervin).

The battle over who owns “Iceman” is only just beginning.