Category: NBA

Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

We don’t dip our toes into the NBA waters very often, but we’re less than two months away from the 2026 NBA Draft! Once again, there are multiple former Mountain West players testing their waters, specifically in the G-League combine, which will begin Friday and last through Sunday in Chicago, Ill.

What do these two prospects need to do to improve each of their respective stocks?! Let’s examine!

Jaden Henley, G, Grand Canyon:

Skinny: Henley had the best season of his career in 2025-26 with Grand Canyon. Bouncing around with four different programs in four years, Henley averaged career highs across the board, tallying 17.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game on 46.6 percent shooting and 56.2 percent true shooting.

The All-Mountain West first team honoree was a very explosive rim finisher; his ballhandling was good-not-great, but he did a good job exploding from his lower half through contact. He didn’t care if the low man was 6-foot-5 or 7-foot-5 — he was going to the rack with mean intentions.

Henley also defended well in Grand Canyon’s scheme defensively, which was aggressive at the point of attack with sound help principles. At 6-foot-7, 200 pounds, he has an NBA-ready body and will have some defensive versatility. He can guard multiple positions, and I project that to be his ceiling at the next level.

Where Henley must improve, however, is his shooting and playmaking. He wasn’t a good shooter, shooting just 26.8 percent from 3-point range on 3.8 attempts. For his career, he’s just a 30.7 percent long-range shooter on 2.5 attempts. Teams are smarter at scheming non-shooters now more than ever, so Henley’s going to have to clean up his mechanics and efficiency to excel offensively at the next level. If he can show some growth during the G-League combine, then that should bode better for the future, although it’s easy for anyone to shoot 5-on-0 compared to 5-on-5.

M.J. Collins, G, Utah State:

Skinny: Collins, an All-Mountain West first team honoree, broke out in his lone season with Utah State, averaging a career-high 17.5 points on 62.0 percent true shooting. He was a microwave scorer, capable of getting hot from anywhere at any moment, helping ignite the Mountain West’s best offense this season.

Standing at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, Collins was effectively able to score from all three levels. One of my favorite traits of his was his off-ball movement. You’d be hard-pressed to find many possessions where Collins wasn’t moving, trying to find every crease and crack to exploit. He has fairly good understanding of screen leverage and how to attack those advantages. When he was able to attack as a secondary creator, Collins had pretty good feel, lift and a high release point on his jumper

Similar to Henley, Collins was an explosive leaper around the rim. He also improved as a 3-point shooter, canning 36.1 percent of his attempts after failing to exceed 29.3 percent over his first three seasons at Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt. He shot 78.4 percent from the free-throw line from 2022-25 and 81.0 percent last year; personally, I’m not super concerned. But Collins must show that wasn’t an aberration.

Hold on, I need to start this out with a pep talk to myself.

Deep breaths. This is a safe space. We are among a few thousand of your closest friends. Even considering this will break your heart and brain and could quite possibly traumatize many others. But you are supposed to be a quasi-objective writer that considers all sides and asks difficult questions. You can do this.

Ok, let’s get this over with.

The Boston Celtics need to improve their roster. That much was made clear by the exasperatingly short playoffs and was hammered home by Executive of the Year Brad Stevens in his comments this week. We’ve already talked about the seismic shift option of dealing Jaylen Brown. On the other end of the spectrum would be making smaller moves around the edges and counting on free agent exceptions or trade exceptions to make impactful improvements. We will likely spend a lot of time this summer talking through those options.

The next logical category to consider is trades involving rotation players not named Tatum or Brown (no, I will not consider trading Tatum and I’m not sorry). Stevens did such a good job of shedding bloated salaries that there simply aren’t a lot of salary matching options left on the roster. So I’m very, very reluctantly broaching the subject of using Derrick White and his $30M salary slot to see if there are any trade fits that make this roster better. Specifically better at attacking the rim.

Much has been said about White’s concerning shooting struggles this season. That’s a real thing and a legitimate concern going forward. I tend to think (or hope) that he will find his stroke again next year. I would also submit that all the other positives he brings to the basketball court far exceed any shortcomings he has shooting the ball. However, the Celtics’ superpower of bombing 3’s from all over the court becomes a fatal flaw if a key rotation player is streaky at best shooting from deep. At his best, White can provide some rim pressure, but he typically prefers floaters over layups and dunks.

So are there options for trading Derrick White to provide this roster with more rim attacking? There are bigs that could be available on the trade market. Perhaps Jarrett Allen or Isaiah Hartenstein could be available. I don’t really want to get into the Domantas Sabonis business. There are cheaper options, but those wouldn’t require White’s salary. So here’s a bit of a zag. Why not a guard that attacks the rim?

Fox is an elite slasher that uses his speed to blow by point of attack defenders and bend the court to himself. The more that Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle emerge, the less they’d need Fox at point guard. White provides them with elite role player energy and would fit in seamlessly. It would also be a chance for him to “go home” to where his career started. Hauser’s value as a cost effective shooter is obvious.

The Celtics would still need to address the center position, but they can use one of their exceptions to accomplish that. It should also be noted that Fox isn’t exactly known for his outside shooting, which is a concern here as well. But there are only so many players in the world that are good at shooting and slashing and they typically make max paychecks. So you have to pick your poison at some level.

This isn’t the only trade option the Celtics would have. I’m just using it as a conversation starter or food for thought. Feel free to suggest your own ideas in the comments. Oh, and please go easy on me, this was not easy for me to consider.

Nobody would be happier if Brad Stevens could figure out a way to improve the team in other ways and keep Derrick White on the Boston Celtics. I’ll be a fan of his for the rest of his career, wherever that leads him. I’m just trying to consider all the options.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are howling with homecourt advantage after splitting the first two games of their Round 2 series with the San Antonio Spurs.

Game 3 tips off in the Target Center tonight, and I'll sink my teeth into the player prop odds, feasting on any value in the game-to-game adjustments.

Here are my best Spurs vs. Timberwolves props and NBA picks for Friday, May 8.

Best Spurs vs Timberwolves props for Game 3

Player	Pick
Mike Conley Jr.	Over 3.5 assists	+120
Rudy Gobert	Over 1.5 blocks	+105
Victor Wembanyama	Over 12.5 rebounds	-110

Game 3 Prop #1: Mike Conley Jr. Over 3.5 assists

+120 at bet365

The Minnesota Timberwolves can’t afford to keep coughing up the ball and setting up the San Antonio Spurs with extra possessions. The Spurs flipped 22 T-Wolves’ turnovers into 19 points during their Game 2 squash.

Veteran point guard Mike Conley Jr. was responsible for only one of those turnovers in his 16 minutes of action, in which he also recorded three assists.

I expect Conley's floor time to pick up tonight, given his steady hand and multiple injuries to Ayo Dosunmu (questionable for Game 3) and the lack of depth in the backcourt. 

Minnesota’s style will be slower, trying to keep this game in a half-court set, rather than running with San Antonio. That suits the aging legs of Conley just fine, allowing him to create shots for his teammates.

Conley dished out six dimes over 24 minutes in Game 1 of this series and also had six helpers in the Game 6 win over Denver in Round 1.

I believe Conley will serve a big playmaking role, and I love the plus-money return on Over 3.5 dimes.

Game 3 Prop #2: Rudy Gobert Over 1.5 blocks 

+105 at bet365

Minnesota center Rudy Gobert failed to register a block in Game 2, which speaks more to the style of the Spurs’ offense than anything. San Antonio scored in transition and on fast breaks, not allowing the T-Wolves’ shot swatter to set up in the paint.

If Minnesota is to avoid another blowout, it can’t let the Spurs set the tempo and must force them into a half-court battle. That means protecting the perimeter and funneling drives into Gobert's length at the rim.

The multi-time Defensive Player of the Year recorded two or more blocks in three of the final four games against Denver and finished with one swat in the series opener against San Antonio.

With the Timberwolves slowing things down and making an effort to get back on defense, I like Gobert to turn away at least two field goal attempts tonight.

Game 3 Prop #3: Victor Wembanyama Over 12.5 rebounds

-110 at bet365

At this point, we almost have to blindly bet Victor Wembanyama to top his rebound total. The Spurs’ 7-footer is cleaning the glass like Windex, grabbing 15 boards in each of the first two games of the series.

Wembanyama wrangled 15 rebounds in just 26 minutes thanks to the T-Wolves’ shit shooting in Game 2, which skews his stats a bit. Focusing on his 15 rebounds over 40 minutes in Game 1, those came from 23 rebounding chances at a pace that will likely mirror the tempo of Game 3.

Minnesota must be careful about its aggressiveness on the offensive glass, or it could allow the Spurs to push the pace with numbers in transition. As a result, don’t expect San Antonio to face much resistance on the defensive boards.

Wemby has snatched 13 or more rebounds in three straight games and in 10 of his last 14 outings. His game models range from 11.2 to 15.3 boards in Game 3, and I’m leaning toward the higher end of those projections tonight.

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.

When the Dallas Mavericks concluded their 2025-2026 campaign — one of the worst seasons in franchise history with a 26-56 record — all eyes turned to the NBA draft. Fans are hoping the team can notch a top pick like they did last season when their 1.9% chance to get the No. 1 pick turned into reality in May.

At 3 p.m. E.T. on Sunday, they’ll have a chance, and a better one than they had last year, to repeat history.

Dallas has the 8th-best odds of claiming the No. 1 overall pick, coming in at 6.7%. The Mavericks have a 29.0% chance t0 move into the top four picks. Mavericks legend Rolando Blackman and co-general manager Matt Ricardi will be representing the team in Chicago for the lottery. The duo also represented the Mavericks at last year’s draft lottery.

It is most likely the team will remain at No. 8 (32.9%) or drop one slot to No. 9 (31.1%), and there is a slim chance the team drops to No. 10 (6.6%). If the team gets incredibly unlucky, there is a 0.4% chance they could fall to 11, and a less than 0.1% chance they fall to 12.

Cut all the math out of it and it comes to this — if you flip a coin twice and it comes up heads both teams, that’s about the likelihood of Dallas jumping to the top 4.

All 14 non-playoff teams are entered into the lottery every year to decide which teams get the top four picks. After the lottery, the rest of the first round goes in reverse order of record. The worst three teams each get a 14% chance of securing the No. 1 overall pick and the odds go down from there.

This system has been ever evolving since its inception in 1985 and will likely change next season, as ESPN’s Shams Charania recently reported on changes to the draft lottery odds to disincentivize tanking in the league.

This may be the last year the lottery looks like this. So take a second, dip away from your family, mothers, spouses, and children on Mother’s Day, and gather round the television to watch the NBA’s deputy commissioner, Mark Tatum, announce the results of the 2026 Draft Lottery at 3 p.m. E.T., since apparently there was no other time they could’ve scheduled this.

Top NBA draft prospect Darryn Peterson believes he knows the reason for the severe cramping issues that caused him problems as a freshman at Kansas this past season.

Peterson said ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft lottery and the start of the NBA Draft Scouting Combine in Chicago next week that a new round of a bloodwork and other tests following the college basketball season led doctors to determine high doses of creatine he was using caused the condition.

Peterson told ESPN in an interview published Friday, May 8 that he'd never taken the supplement used to increase muscle mass and enhance athletic performance before getting to college. "But after the season I took two weeks off and they did tests which showed my baseline level was already high," he explained. "So, they said when I dosed, it must've made the levels unsafe."

After two losses at Madison Square Garden, the Sixers return home for the first time in over a week facing another two-game deficit in a best-of-seven series against one of their rivals. This time it’s a 2-0 hole against the New York Knicks, a series deficit Philly has never been able to dig out of in a best-of-seven in its history. But don’t let that feel like the Sixers are climbing Mount Everest as they attempt to pick themselves up off the mat.

In case you needed a reminder, Philadelphia’s comeback against Boston in the first round was the first series victory from a 3-1 deficit in franchise history. It was the first time since 1982 that the Sixers eliminated the Celtics in the postseason, having lost seven consecutive series to Boston previously. The Celtics had been 32-0 in best-of-seven series when holding a 3-1 cushion. Whether you needed to read those facts or not, they were worth repeating. The Sixers just had their greatest playoff moment in a quarter century and that ought to earn some positive equity in the minds of its fans.

There are no moral victories in the playoffs, but Wednesday night’s effort in Game 2 should have Sixers fans feeling optimistic that they can fight back against the Knicks. Down Joel Embiid on the road, Philly went toe-to-toe with New York, a team that appears to be firing on all cylinders, for 40-45 minutes of regulation. The Sixers simply ran out of gas down the stretch and the Knicks escaped with a 108-102 victory. 

There wasn’t much to nitpick in Game 1 as the Sixers just got steamrolled in a quick turnaround after last Saturday’s Game 7 in Boston in the first round. But by now, we’ve all heard the most common complaints about the Game 2 loss. Some say it was a Daryl Morey loss as the President of Basketball Operations opted to subtract instead of add three months ago at the trade deadline and Philly had a thinner bench as a result in a game it was already without Embiid. Others have pointed the finger at Tyrese Maxey. There’s reason to be upset with Maxey after he had a relatively pedestrian stat line by his standards and if he’s going to be the face of the franchise after Embiid, he’ll have to be better than he was in Game 2. On a lesser note, Nick Nurse not playing Dominick Barlow enough when Barlow clearly looked like the best option at center on a night sans Embiid has also been brought up.

There have even been questions about Embiid’s toughness and some have quickly resorted back to the common critiques of Embiid that we hear this time of year. Sixers fans, it’s time to move forward with confidence. Friday night will be the first time the team plays a game at home since completing the 3-1 comeback against Boston. Regardless of how many Knicks fans are in the building, Friday offers a chance for the Sixers fanbase to throw its full support behind a team that has undoubtedly earned it. Don’t let such a great moment from less than a week ago be erased from your memory so quickly. Don’t allow yourself to think that the Sixers only won the series against the Celtics because Boston’s three-point field goals weren’t dropping and Jayson Tatum didn’t play in Game 7.

I get it. It’s easy to think more about the extensive history of postseason disappointments that this franchise has provided us with than a good week-long stretch of basketball against the Celtics. But everyone owes it to the Sixers to get behind them and attempt to will them back into this series with New York. They certainly showed ample grit and fight in Game 2 and we should expect them to bring that same energy for the rest of the series.

Of course, the availability of Embiid looms large. We’ll see if New York wing OG Anunoby suits up on Friday night after suffering a hamstring injury in Game 2. Both Embiid and Anunoby were on their respective rosters two years ago when these two teams met one round earlier in the playoffs. Philadelphia lost the first two games in New York in that series as well. Embiid dropped 50 points in Game 3. The Sixers would go on to extend that series to a Game 6 at home, one that they ended up losing by three points, and the game was tied until Josh Hart buried a triple with 25 seconds remaining for the Knicks.

A strong argument can be made that both the Sixers and Knicks are better teams now than they were two years ago. But the point we’re getting at is, the Sixers were very close to forcing a decisive seventh game back at Madison Square Garden in 2024 after trailing 2-0 and 3-1 in that series. They haven’t bowed out of the playoffs in embarrassing fashion since the Mother’s Day 2023 blowout loss in Boston.

So save me your “same old Sixers” takes and go support your team on Friday night on their home floor. Maybe have a little bit of faith that they can win a basketball game after seeing what they did in the first round. Should they get it done on Friday, a series can’t be any closer than 2-1 after three games. They’d be one home win in Game 4 away from making it a best-of-three at that point. The series isn’t over so don’t act like it is. If you didn’t learn that after watching the Celtics series, you never will.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers will donate 500 tickets for each remaining home second-round playoff game to area community groups in their latest attempt to keep more of their own fans in the building and avoid a New York takeover.

The Sixers’ previous strategy to ward off Knicks fans in this playoff series was to try through Ticketmaster to geographically restrict sales to fans in the greater Philadelphia area.

The Sixers said 250 frontline medical personnel from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine and 250 local educators selected by Learn Fresh, Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia, the Philadelphia school district and Camden, New Jersey, school district would attend Game 3 on Friday night.

The 76ers will host 500 moms and children selected by Uplift Center for Grieving Children, Boys and Girls Club of Philadelphia, La Liga del Barrio and Apologues for Sunday's Game 4.

The Knicks lead the best-of-seven series 2-0.

When the teams met two years ago in the first round, Knicks fans swarmed Philadelphia, and Sixers All-Star center Joel Embiid pleaded with fans ahead of this series not to let it happen again.

“Last time we played the Knicks it felt like this was Madison Square Garden East. So we’re going to need the support,” Embiid said. “Don’t sell your tickets. This is bigger than you. We need you guys. The atmosphere we’ve had the last couple games in Philly, especially the last one pushing it to Game 7, I mean, we need all of it.”

___

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

The NBA playoffs really bring out the competitive side in people.

In 2020, LeBron James famously led the Lakers to the NBA title in a season massively disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

While Anthony Davis was great during that run, Alex Caruso was the breakout star. His two-way ability as a glue guy was proof that those types of players can flip an entire series — just as Caruso did.

Six years later and that competitive fire still burns deep inside James and Caruso. However, instead of teaming up to win another title, they’re battling on opposite sides.

And it got heated Thursday night.

With 22.2 seconds remaining in the third quarter and the Lakers trailing 92-80, cameras overhead an NSFW argument between James and Caruso while OKC’s Ajai Mitchell was shooting free throws.

Appearing to complain about the officiating — a very hot topic during the game and whenever the Thunder play — James began barking at Caruso, who fired right back.

The entire exchange was caught on camera.

James: “Every f–king call. No AC f–k that.”

Caruso: “I don’t give a f–k about none of that s–t.”

Bron: “AC I don’t want to hear that s–t.”

LEBRON AND ALEX CARUSO GOING AT IT:

Bron: “Every f*cking call. No AC f*ck that”

Caruso: “I don’t give a f*ck about none of that sh*t”

Bron: “AC I don’t want to hear that sh*t.”
pic.twitter.com/yLf1jDT5XY

— Hater Report (@HaterReport) May 8, 2026

Despite the 125-107 loss, James was sensational. He finished with 23 points (9-of-18 shooting), six rebounds, three steals and two assists.

Meanwhile, Caruso was his typical self when he finished with five points, four rebounds and four assists — but was a +17 in 22 minutes.

While these two still share a special bond, Thursday night was proof that previous relationships go out the window in the heat of playoff competition.

With the Lakers trailing 2-0, Game 3 is Saturday night in Los Angeles at 5:30 p.m. PT.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The Philadelphia 76ers aren’t sweating a 0-2 hole against the New York Knicks as their Round 2 series swings to Philly on Friday night.

The Sixers rallied in Round 1, and my Knicks vs. 76ers props believe they could face a very different New York roster, considering the injury report for the Knicks. 

I sort through the individual odds for Game 3, giving my best NBA picks and prop predictions for May 8, featuring V.J. Edgecombe.

Best Knicks vs 76ers props for Game 3

Player	Pick
V.J. Edgecombe	Over 13.5 points	-110
Paul George	Over 2.5 threes	-112
Jalen Brunson	Over 6.5 assists	-105

Game 3 Prop #1: V.J. Edgecombe Over 13.5 points

-110 at bet365

Philadelphia 76ers rookie V.J. Edgecombe’s usage didn’t shift too far between Game 1 and Game 2. The Sixers’ stylistic approach in the last outing, however, was more Edgecombe’s speed and he finished with 17 points.

Philadelphia played with pace and tried to avoid getting stuck in halfcourt sets against the New York Knicks. The 76ers will try to do that again in Game 3 but against a banged-up New York defense. As of this writing Josh Hart and OG Anunoby are listed as questionable. 

Hart has been Edgecombe’s primary defender in the two games with New York, but those injuries may force a shakeup in the Knicks’ rotation, pulling smaller players off the bench to guard the 6-foot-4 shooting guard.

Edgecombe’s scoring prop was at 15.5 O/U in Game 2 with Joel Embiid sidelined but with the big man trending toward playing in Game 3, his total is down to as low as 12.5 at some books. 

Projections are very positive for Edgecombe, even with Embiid in, with only one model coming up short of 14 points. His ceiling sits at 15.5 and my number is at 14.3 points in Game 3.

Game 3 Prop #2: Paul George Over 2.5 threes

-112 at bet365

Paul George has been the Sixers' most consistent score in the postseason, anchoring in his action from 3-point land.

The veteran small forward is shooting 52.5% from distance in the playoffs, including a collective 9 for 19 from deep in this series. With Embiid out in Game 2, he launched up 13 3-pointers (hitting five) after starting the first quarter on a tear from outside.

With Embiid in tonight, the Knicks defense will get compressed, creating more room on the outside for PG. With him out, George gets increased touches and more FGAs. He’s knocked down three or more triples in seven straight outings, going back to Game 3 with Boston.

Forecasts for George sit between 2.0 and 3.0 makes from downtown, with most models leaning toward three 3-pointers on Friday night.

Game 3 Prop #3: Jalen Brunson Over 6.5 assists

-105 at bet365

If you read my breakdown of Game 3, you’ll see I’m fading Jalen Brunson when it comes to his scoring prop. This bet on the Over for his assists goes hand-in-hand.

The 76ers did a great job defending Brunson in Game 2, using longer defenders like Kelly Oubre and Edgecombe to get a hand in his face. Brunson was able to get inside for easier looks and drew fouls, scoring from the free-throw line.

But with Embiid back patrolling the paint and those longer arms on the perimeter, he’s going to have to create for his teammates. What’s more, injuries to Hart and Anunoby force New York to dig into the reserves, with a lack of scoring threats off the pine. That offers Philadelphia more opportunities to double Bruson with less risk of getting burned.

Brunson’s scoring has put his playmaking on the backburn in those first two games, finishing with three and six dimes. He wrapped Round 1 with an average of 6.2 assists but did dish out seven or more helpers in four of those six games. 

Tonight’s player models point toward seven assists, with a ceiling of 7.5. My projection comes out to 7.2 dimes from Brunson on Friday.

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.

Staring down the possibility of a 3-0 series deficit, the 76ers return home to South Philadelphia to host the New York Knicks for Games 3 and 4 of their second-round playoff series.

The Sixers trail the Knicks 2-0 in the series thus far after dropping the first two games at Madison Square Garden. Game 1 was an absolute blowout at the hands of New York, but Game 2 offered up a much more competitive contest. The issue for Philadelphia in the end of that one was simply being outlasted by New York’s deeper squad, with the Knicks finally pulling ahead in the final minutes of the game. By that point, no one for the Sixers could make any shot, Tyrese Maxey looked absolutely exhausted (having played almost every minute of the game) and the Knicks pounced to take full advantage, snagging the 108-102 win.

Now, things shift to Xfinity Mobile Arena for Games 3 and 4 this weekend. First up is Game 3 on Friday night.

There are some major names on the injury report as of Friday morning. For the Sixers, Joel Embiid is questionable for Game 3 with injuries to his right ankle and his hip, the same ailments that caused him to miss Game 2. As is frequently the case with him, I wouldn’t be surprised if we aren’t sure if Embiid will play until much closer to tipoff.

The Knicks have a few big question marks as well for Friday, with OG Anunoby questionable due to a right hamstring strain. Anunoby subbed out of Game 2 with 2:31 left to play after clearly struggling with the discomfort, limping significantly for moments before. ESPN’s Shams Charania confirmed the hamstring strain diagnosis on Thursday, noting that the forward is considered day-to-day. No OG would be a massive loss for the Knicks, with Anunoby playing some of his best basketball as of late. He is the second-leading scorer for New York this postseason, notching 21.4 points per game and been shooting 64% from the field against the Sixers in this series.

The other uncertainties for the Knicks are Josh Hart, questionable with a left thumb sprain picked up in the second half of Wednesday’s contest, and Mitchell Robinson, probable to return for Game 3 after missing the last game due to illness.

Regardless of whether or not Embiid plays, the Sixers are susceptible to falling to the same issues that plagued them (and ultimately made the difference) in Game 2. Especially if Embiid is out, the team relies so heavily on Tyrese Maxey to be the offensive force, to the degree that Nick Nurse doesn’t feel comfortable subbing him out for even a minute. Maxey played 46:48 of 48 possible minutes on Wednesday, and he looked (understandably) completely wiped as things drew to a close. After playing nearly every minute of the first half, he played the entirety of the second half, posting just seven points on 3-for-9 field goal, 0-for-3 long range shooting with three turnovers in those 24 minutes. He was a sloppy shell of himself by the end of that.

Again, it’s hard to really fully blame Maxey himself… who wouldn’t be completely gassed by then? This is the difference between the Sixers and some of the other teams in the playoffs: depth. Nurse clearly does not have faith in the bench to put up points or sustain any high level of play even in small stints just to get his starters some rest. It’s a fair assessment too, since the bench has been lackluster at best throughout the postseason minus a few decent individual performances here and there — but it means having a team that can be run into the ground throughout a game and simply outlasted once the fatigue sets in.

That “glut of guards” would sure come in handy right now, huh?

But I digress. The last contest showed that the Sixers absolutely have a chance to steal a win away from this Knicks squad — they damn near did it in Game 2. But to get across the finish line into the W column this series, it feels like it’s really going to take someone off the bench stepping up in a way that allows Nurse to let his starters at least catch their breath. Otherwise, even if they compete their asses off, they run the risk of having the exact same result as Wednesday: a valiant battle that completely sputters out at the end due to fatigue.

There’s no time like the present, too, if you’re Philly. Friday is an absolutely pivotal contest: a 2-1 series deficit feels a whole lot different than 3-0. One obviously hopes Embiid is good to go to give the team that boost, but it’s going to take a number of stars to align to keep this series… well, a series.

Game 3 tips off from South Philadelphia at 7 p.m. ET.

Game Details

When: Friday, May 8, 7 p.m. ET
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Watch: Prime Video
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers

My discussion with Thilo Widder from Canis Hoopus continues as the series shifts from San Antonio to Minneapolis all tied up at 1-1. Before Game 1, we discussed how the Spurs would need to be prepared for the Timberwolves’ size advantage. Then, after a last second loss in which the Spurs got little offensive help from their their stars, we discussed what needed to change to get them going again. Now, after a blowout Spurs win in Game 2, we review what the Spurs did to create such an amazing turnaround and what adjustments the Wolves must make to get themselves back on track.

Thilo Widder

Okay, maybe I shouldn’t have called the last frat “slightly braggadocious” but alas, when else am I going to be able to use that word?

That was certainly a game. Not a good one, but it was certainly one. The Wolves guards imploded under the weight of a Stephon Castle without foul trouble while Jaden McDaniels unfortunately found himself on the wrong side of Scott Foster.

The Wolves continue to be one of the least consistent teams in the league, but a 16-7 (Spurs) run was enough of a run to build a 25-point lead that just got worse and worse. That run was the least of the numerous problems Minnesota had, as their guards shot 10/36 on the game.

Ayo Dosumnu, who I highlighted as a swing player, had only a block and a steal in 10 minutes of playtime before getting injured again. Bones Hyland continues to play very badly. Anthony Edwards is still so clearly hobbled.

If that was a representation of the rest of the series, that would suck (for me as a fan at least, I’m sure you’d disagree). Fortunately for us as content creators and fans of good basketball, it probably won’t be.

On that note though, I’m curious what the biggest changes you saw and if they are sustainable. Obviously, DeAaron Fox and Victor Wembenyama played better, but that was always to be expected. What turned this from a neck and neck Game 1 to a blowout of that scale in Game 2?

J.R. Wilco

One of the reasons we watch sports is to see something that we don’t expect. And nothing fulfills that purpose less than a blowout. I had an absolute blast watching Game 1, and even though the evening ended poorly for me, I have good memories of that tightly contested game that felt like each play mattered. 

In the regular season, when the other team goes on a run, you tell yourself that there’s plenty of time in the game and your team can definitely make it back. But in a game like we saw on Monday, even a seven point lead seems daunting. Both teams dialed-in to that extent is one of the joys of being a fan. Nothing else quite touches it.

Of course, another joy of being a fan is watching your team absolutely pummel a squad that they’ve recently lost to, and so I’m not gonna lie: Wednesday night was fun too. Just a different kind of fun. Fox was slithering through the lane. Wembanyama was flying all over the court — I mean that literally and not just vertically, because I saw a still shot taken at the beginning of the play he got his rebound dunk on, and Victor isn’t even on the screen when Julian Champagnie starts his shooting motion. And the screen covered all the way to mid court! Julian and Devin Vassell pulled off one of the most rare plays in basketball, the alley-oop three-pointer. I’m still geeking out about it. 

I’m also geeking out about the chess match Johnson and Fitch are engaged in. Here are the things that I think are responsible for the way the Spurs ran the table.

They turned Edwards and Julius Randle into passers by doubling and trapping, much like OKC did in last year’s WCF. When the Wolves doubled back on all of the talk about how Wemby would have to keep blocking every shot they took, he recognized that they weren’t coming at him and stayed down so he could just challenge and rebound instead of trying to go after every attempt. That kept Minnesota’s possessions mostly one and done. Third, San Antonio committed to running at every opportunity, especially after scores. They just had so many buckets early in the shot clock and Minny looked unprepared for those quick strikes. 

Those are the things Finch needs to respond to. What do you see happening in Game 3?

Thilo

God, hard to say. The Wolves of yesteryear (or yesteryesteryear, I forget) were absolutely incapable of stopping the fast break, or any team with pace in general. I don’t doubt that this is a return to that form.

The Wolves are built first and foremost on turning defense into offense, not in the typical sense but by wearing out their opponents with their defense until Minnesota faces no pushback on the other end.

It is, by and large, a war of attrition.

However, for that to work, you cannot allow any easy points. 29 fast break points is far too much. Hell, 15 is probably too much for the “beat them with hammers” approach to work. 

I think part of that problem will fix itself with Ayo and Ant getting healthier – more bodies back typically means less opportunities on the break – but I think the solution is in committing to one of two extremes

The Wolves of the past, the ones that would bleed points in transition, were violently pursuant of offensive rebounds. Karl-Anthony Towns would crash the glass. Rudy Gobert would crash the glass. Jaden McDaniels would crash the glass. There were even possessions where Minnesota would leave Michael Conley Jr. as the only man back in pursuit of those ever alluring extra possessions.

Now, would I suggest doing that against the eight foot demigod and his trusty sidekick, possibly the fastest player in the league? No, probably not. That would be dumb and obscenely risky and I simply would not have the heart to bring that up in fear of being yelled at like an old school scout on the set of Moneyball.

But it is an option.

The other, more likely option is far less fun. Instead of going all in on extra possessions, you do the opposite. You abandon the offensive glass as much as you can. A five-on-four break is infinitely easier to defend than a two-on-one or three-on-one alternative. Rudy Gobert becomes your only offensive rebounder. Julius Randle commits to getting back after his mid-range shots.

This sucks though. And more importantly, it doesn’t fix the turnover problem. Quite simply, this is also a part of who the Wolves are. They’re not 22 per game bad, but they tend to play fast and loose with the ball far too often. 

Ultimately, I think Chris Finch will try incredibly hard to make this series be played in the half court entirely. That could mean a lot of conservative calls. Rebounding is the start of that, but I think Mike Conley probably gets more run, simply because he’s not as prone to bad choices as TJ Shannon or Bones Hyland.

To follow that up, I think Bones has lost his spot in the playoff rotation of this series. While the Thunder of last year absolutely broke Julius Randle with ball pressure and pass-forcing, the Spurs are breaking Bones by simply letting him overdribble.

That may not be a full answer, but it’s certainly a start: play slower, be more boring, keep going to the rim, and, Jaden: stop fouling.

To that point, it feels like the underspoken most important data point of this series will be who can foul out the opposing team’s perimeter stopper first. McDaniels and Castle are so hugely important in these next three to five games that it feels like losing either loses the game.

How did the Spurs play without Castle during the regular season? Is there a backup plan if he’s sitting like he was in Game 1? How do the Wolves attack him without burning through their usable possessions?

(God, Donte would be eating the Spurs drop coverage alive right now. Truly a crushing loss. Fly high, Big Ragu.)

J.R.

There was a point when one of the main fears I had about the T-wolves was how they could keep DiVincenzo from going off for an entire series. Talk about a man who can’t be left alone at the arc! I’ve been an admirer of Donte’s for a while now. All the best to him, and a quick recovery. Now to your questions. 

San Antonio was 11-3 without Castle this year, but that was the regular season and we know that the playoffs are a different animal. But one of the accidental benefits of the Spurs’ bottoming out wasn’t just the timing, it was the repetition. Trading for Fox and then lucking into the second pick last draft means that we have a three-headed guard lineup, which is an incredible crutch to lean on when any of them have to take a breather, need a night off … or happen to foul out. 

We love our Castle, no doubt, but I know a number of Spurs fans who swear that Harper will be even better than Steph. Yeah, the fact that backup plan is a rookie point guard would usually terrify me, but Harper isn’t your typical rookie, and while he’s not yet the defender that Castle is, Dylan shoots a higher percentage, is impossibly smooth around the basket, and takes better care of the ball. As much as Steph’s defense is missed when he’s not on the floor, the team plays quite well without him. 

If the rest of this series turns into a battle of defensive aces struggling against foul trouble, that’ll be a shame. We already have too much talk about the timing and the frequency of the whistles in the rest of the matchups for that mess to invade ours too. But it’s 2026 after all, what else should we expect if not some top-tier controversy? Hopefully, we’re spared that, and Friday night’s game is another competitive and enjoyable contest.