The Horizon League announced it was suspending Gottlieb for one game for his comments following a 75-72 loss to in-state rival Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Sunday, Feb. 15. As a result, he will miss the Phoenix's matchup against Oakland on Friday, Feb. 20.
"The Horizon League is suspending Green Bay men's basketball head coach Doug Gottlieb for violating the League's Operating Regulations on Sunday, Feb. 15," the league wrote in a statement shared on X.
The post also added that it considers the matter closed and will have no further comment.
Shortly after the league announced the discipline, Gottlieb took to his own personal X (formerly Twitter) account to apologize for his actions.
"I'd like to apologize to the Horizon League and the officials for my disparaging comments following Sunday's game," Gottlieb wrote. "I understand and appreciate how difficult their job is, and respect what they do for the sport of basketball. I will be better moving forward."
Gottlieb was upset about a foul call against his best player, CJ O'Hara, which was his fourth and came with 4:25 left in the game. The Phoenix led by four at the time, but the foul changed the direction of the game.
Later on, Gottlieb was further angered by a no-call for a foul when his player drove to the hoop for a potential game-winning shot with just a few seconds remaining.
"You had the exact same play at both ends on the last play of the game," Gottlieb said to reporters, pausing momentarily to aggressively slam his fists onto the table.
"The exact same [expletive] play!" he yelled, "The exact same play!"
Following UWGBâs loss to UW-Milwaukee on Sunday, 75-72, Doug Gottlieb gave an intense postgame speech on the late second half technical foul. Full story in comments. pic.twitter.com/MsOxU8LNYz
Gottlieb also took exception to a technical foul he was hit with, with just under seven minutes left in the game.
"I need the new commissioner of the Horizon League to explain to me what a technical foul is when I don't leave the box, I don't curse, I'm not demonstrative," Gottlieb said. "There was nothing, nothing that should have been called a technical foul. I know when I earn one. I did not earn one.
"The CJ play, we're up [four] points, that dramatically changed the [trajectory] of the game."
For the game, Milwaukee shot 37 free throws, while Green Bay shot 19, despite drawing only five more fouls.
"All we ask is that there's a fair game. That's what we ask," Gottlieb said. "CJ O'Hara goes and gets an offensive rebound, their player dives at his legs and CJ gets called for a foul. I need [Jill Bodensteiner] at the league, our new commissioner, to explain to me the disparity in the officiating. That's what I need explained to me."
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 04: Max Strus #1 is helped up by Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the fourth quarter of game one of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Indiana Pacers at Rocket Arena on May 04, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Pacers defeated the Cavaliers 121-112. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Itâs been a long season full of recurring injuries for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Soon, hopefully, they can put those concerns behind them and finish the final 27 games strong. That means getting multiple key players such as Evan Mobley, Dean Wade and Max Strus back on the court.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson says those guys are starting to ramp up towards a return.
âAll are trending very positive,â said Atkinson. âDean and Evan are trending toward playing tomorrow. They went through a full practice today and looked good.â
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Getting back Mobley and Wade would give this surging team another boost. They both bring tremendous value defensively and should pair well offensively with newcomer James Harden. Thereâs an entire pick-and-roll game to develop between Harden and Mobley, while Wade should benefit from catch-and-shoot attempts in the corner off Hardenâs drive-and-kicks.
As for Strus, the timeline is still murky.
âMax is progressing,â said Atkinson. âDid a pretty high-level workout today, no contact still, but heâs starting to ramp up. Donât get too excited, but heâs doing a lot more, so thatâs good news.â
Strus has not played yet this season after suffering a foot injury in August. It was announced in January that Strus would miss at least another month with the injury.
The Cavs have missed Strus for his ability to space the floor and get hot in a hurry. Heâs one of the streakiest three-point shooters in the league, and thatâs led to some of the most entertaining games of the last few years for Cleveland. Theyâd love to have him back, not only for his volume shooting, but for the connective tissue he brings to both ends of the floor. Strus is a competitor that raises the floor for everyone.
For now, Cavs fans can at least look forward to Mobley and Wade returning soon. Cleveland is back from the All-Star break tomorrow as they host the Brooklyn Nets.
LONDON (AP) â Real Madrid set up a Clasico against three-time champion Barcelona in the women's Champions League quarterfinals by beating Paris FC 2-0 on Wednesday.
Striker Naomie Feller opened the scoring and Melween NâDongala put through her own net as Madrid advanced 5-2 on aggregate, having won the first leg in Paris 3-2.
Later Wednesday, defending champion Arsenal protects a 4-0 lead when it hosts Belgian side OH Leuven. Qualification for the London club would set up a quarterfinal with rival Chelsea.
Attacking midfielder Caroline Weir missed a chance to put Madrid ahead from the penalty spot in the 36th after Picard handled a cross. Goalkeeper MylĂšne Chavas, playing against her former club, pushed away the spot kick with both hands.
Feller broke Paris' resistance in the 54th when she volleyed in from close range following a fine cross from right back Eva Navarro, who also set up the second goal midway through the second half when her cross led to NâDongala's own goal from near the penalty spot.
The revamped womenâs Champions League format has followed the menâs competition, with an opening league phase of six rounds instead of eight.
The top four in the 18-team league phase â Barcelona, Lyon, Chelsea and Bayern Munich â advanced directly to the quarters and teams placed fifth to 12th went into the playoffs.
To come
In Thursday's second legs, Juventus hosts two-time champion Wolfsburg with the score 2-2 while Manchester United defends a 3-0 lead at home to Atletico Madrid.
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 30: Ryan Rollins #13, AJ Green #20, Myles Turner #3 and Kyle Kuzma #18 of the Milwaukee Bucks celebrates during the game against the Golden State Warriors on October 30, 2025 at Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images). | NBAE via Getty Images
Late in the 2024â25 campaign, the Bucks featured a three-guard look that was quite effective, even in the playoffs: Kevin Porter Jr., AJ Green, Gary Trent Jr., Giannis, and Bobby Portis. It was so intriguing that many fans thought the answer this year would be to replace Portis with newcomer Myles Turner and run with it. But while that lineup has been good, weâve barely seen it thanks to injuries and ineffectiveness. Still, weâll attempt to figure out how playing three guards is going this year.
Yesterday, we found that when the best lineups stayed together over the 2024 offseason, they remained pretty good, even with a drop-off from increased playing time. That generally held when these teams swapped or added significant talent to their rotations too, improving their holdover lineups on paper. It also held when said talent came in the form of a big man.
But that was only entering last season. To get a handle on how itâs gone in recent years, weâre going to increase the scope here. I looked at teams that made a significant frontcourt acquisition the previous offseason, particularly additions who regularly played the five, then I compared how they integrated with smaller or less-talented groups from one year to the next. This dates back to offseason big man additions since 2018:
Lineup
Team
MP
Year 1 Net
MP
Year 2 Net
Diff.
Horford/G. Williams/Brown/White/Tatum
BOS
117
13.1
Horford/Porzingis/Brown/White/Tatum
BOS
118
16.2
+3.1
Horford/Smart/Brown/White/Tatum
BOS
432
12.2
Horford/Porzingis/Brown/White/Tatum
BOS
118
16.2
+4.0
Horford/R. Williams/Brown/White/Tatum
BOS
69
44.9
Horford/Porzingis/Brown/White/Tatum
BOS
118
16.2
-28.7
Horford/Brogdon/Brown/White/Tatum
BOS
48
2.0
Horford/Porzingis/Brown/White/Tatum
BOS
118
16.2
+14.2
Olynyk/Clarkson/Markkanen/Sexton/Vanderbilt
UTA
133
15.7
Olynyk/Clarkson/Markkanen/Sexton/Collins
UTA
256
4.3
-11.4
Olynyk/Clarkson/Markkanen/Sexton/Kessler
UTA
79
-0.1
Olynyk/Clarkson/Markkanen/Sexton/Collins
UTA
256
4.3
+4.4
Olynyk/Clarkson/Markkanen/Sexton/Beasley
UTA
37
-3.8
Olynyk/Clarkson/Markkanen/Sexton/Collins
UTA
256
4.3
+8.1
Olynyk/Clarkson/Markkanen/Sexton/Conley
UTA
30
30.4
Olynyk/Clarkson/Markkanen/Sexton/Collins
UTA
256
4.3
-26.1
Olynyk/Clarkson/Markkanen/Horton-Tucker/Kessler
UTA
41
18.4
Collins/Clarkson/Markkanen/Horton-Tucker/Kessler
UTA
84
-22.1
-40.5
Russell/Towns/Vanderbilt/Edwards/McDaniels
MIN
155
-4.6
Russell/Towns/Gobert/Edwards/McDaniels
MIN
260
4.0
+8.6
Russell/Towns/Beasley/Edwards/McDaniels
MIN
104
11.9
Russell/Towns/Gobert/Edwards/McDaniels
MIN
260
4.0
-7.9
Russell/Towns/Beverley/Edwards/McDaniels
MIN
76
10.7
Russell/Towns/Gobert/Edwards/McDaniels
MIN
260
4.0
-6.7
Russell/Towns/Okogie/Edwards/McDaniels
MIN
45
-0.9
Russell/Towns/Gobert/Edwards/McDaniels
MIN
260
4.0
+4.9
Thompson/Smart/Brown/Tatum/Theis
BOS
95
-4.3
Horford/Smart/Brown/Tatum/Theis
BOS
59
33.9
+38.2
Thompson/Smart/Brown/Tatum/G. Williams
BOS
32
30.1
Horford/Smart/Brown/Tatum/G. Williams
BOS
61
-13.7
-43.8
Valaciunas/Anderson/Melton/Morant/Bane
MEM
50
14.0
Adams/Anderson/Melton/Morant/Bane
MEM
60
-25.2
-39.2
Redick/Favors/Ingram/Ball/Hart
NO
94
-10.7
Redick/Adams/Ingram/Ball/Hart
NO
46
20.0
+30.7
Bledsoe/Henson/Middleton/Giannis/Brown
MIL
32
20.7
Bledsoe/Lopez/Middleton/Giannis/Brown
MIL
130
-10.4
-31.1
Bledsoe/Henson/Middleton/Giannis/Snell
MIL
606
5.8
Bledsoe/Lopez/Middleton/Giannis/Snell
MIL
67
3.5
-2.3
Bledsoe/Henson/Middleton/Giannis/Brogdon
MIL
224
13.0
Bledsoe/Lopez/Middleton/Giannis/Brogdon
MIL
597
5.7
-7.3
Bledsoe/Henson/Snell/Giannis/Brogdon
MIL
40
-23.4
Bledsoe/Lopez/Snell/Giannis/Brogdon
MIL
35
61.7
+85.1
Livingston/West/Iguodala/Thompson/Green
GS
139
9.4
Livingston/Cousins/Iguodala/Thompson/Green
GS
67
13.2
+3.8
Durant/Pachulia/Curry/Thompson/Green
GS
414
8.5
Durant/Cousins/Curry/Thompson/Green
GS
268
13.1
+4.6
These arenât all elite teams by any means, but does the pattern aboveâthe best lineups fell off but were still generally very good, and increased exposure lowered net ratings overallâhold? Well, lineups that shifted their biggest guy down the positional spectrum, then installed their shiny new big man in place of a guard or wing, sometimes saw a nice jump. Look at the Celtics replacing Malcom Brogdon with Kristaps Porzingis in 2023, then further down the list, Tristan Thompson with Al Horford in 2021. A post-ACL tear DeMarcus Cousins elevated some Warriors holdovers too.
On the other hand, newcomer Rudy Gobert plus lesser defender Karl-Anthony Towns lineups in Minnesota were a mixed bag, as were groups that added John Collins alongside one of Utahâs returning bigs, Kelly Olynyk or Walker Kessler. Even Lopez couldnât elevate two of the Bucksâ better quintets in 2017â18, though they were still solid (the 20.7 net with Sterling Brown looks quite fluky).
Generally, though, new big men lineups did fit the pattern I mentioned: the four-returnees-plus-one-new-guy groups averaged a 1.5 points per 100 possessions decrease in their net rating. And when previous-year lineups saw an uptick in minutes, their net decreased 73% of the time. But the truly elite groups didnât usually maintain a standard of excellence. Of all the fivesomes with net ratings above 12 (usually around 80th percentile), nearly all sank to league average or below in net, except for the Porzingis crews.
We now finally arrive to this yearâs Bucks. Unfortunately, only two Milwaukee lineups with Turner replacing Lopez and the other four not changing have carried over from 2024â25 to 2025â26 thus far. The sample size is far too small to glean anything from:
Lineup
MP
24â25 Net
MP
25â26 Net
Diff.
Porter/Green/Trent/Giannis/Lopez
17
75.8
Porter/Green/Trent/Giannis/Turner
17
48.9
-26.9
Porter/Green/Trent/Kuzma/Lopez
43
-9.8
Porter/Green/Trent/Kuzma/Turner
4
18.3
+28.1
Though Giannis may be returning soon, we may not get more data on last yearâs three-guard trio since Trent seems to have been replaced by Cam Thomas in the rotation. But itâs really Rollins who has replaced him in the Bucksâ three-guard groups, which they have used a lot this year: theyâve played 373 minutes together, which CTG defines as 754 non-garbage time possessions. They have a very solid 119.9 offensive rating and 111.0 defensive rating; a +8.9 net rating, good for the 90th percentile. Their most successful and most used groups slot Giannis alongside Portis, Turner, or Kuzma, though using Portis and Turner together has also worked in small doses (only seen in four games):
Lineup
Possessions
Net Rtg
%tile
ORtg
%tile
DRtg
%tile
Rollins/Porter/Green/Giannis/Turner
356
13.6
81st
123.0
74th
109.4
74th
Rollins/Porter/Green/Kuzma/Turner
99
-17.6
12th
104.0
11th
121.6
26th
Rollins/Porter/Green/Giannis/Portis
94
30.2
96th
120.2
62nd
90.0
99th
Rollins/Porter/Green/Sims/Turner
87
4.1
54th
114.9
38th
110.9
68th
Rollins/Porter/Green/Portis/Sims
36
-2.0
37th
133.3
96th
135.5
3rd
Rollins/Porter/Green/Kuzma/Portis
28
-59.1
0th
96.4
2nd
155.6
0th
Rollins/Porter/Green/Portis/Turner
26
32.6
98th
115.4
42nd
82.8
100th
Rollins/Porter/Green/Kuzma/Giannis
19
31.6
97th
142.1
100th
110.5
70th
Of the four lineups that are made up of returning players from 2024â25, only one saw any action last year: the one at the very bottom, with just five possessions. But the third lineup down, with its +30.2 net, is probably the best analogue for Porter/Green/Trent/Giannis/Portis, and the top lineup is the closest weâll get to Porter/Green/Trent/Giannis/Lopez. If we use Rollins as our Trent equivalence (not too far off, given Trentâs excellent shooting last year and scratch defense), hereâs how they compare across seasons:
Lineup
Poss.
24â25 Net
Poss.
25â26 Net
Diff.
Porter/Green/Trent/Giannis/Lopez
34
88.2
Porter/Green/Rollins/Giannis/Turner
356
13.6
-74.6
Porter/Green/Trent/Kuzma/Lopez
84
-7.4
Porter/Green/Rollins/Kuzma/Turner
99
-17.6
-10.2
Porter/Green/Trent/Giannis/Portis
88
54.6
Porter/Green/Rollins/Giannis/Portis
94
30.2
-24.4
Porter/Green/Trent/Kuzma/Portis
33
61.5
Porter/Green/Rollins/Kuzma/Portis
28
-59.1
-120.6
Porter/Green/Trent/Portis/Lopez
22
-58.2
Porter/Green/Rollins/Portis/Turner
26
32.6
+90.8
Porter/Green/Trent/Kuzma/Giannis
58
-6.3
Porter/Green/Rollins/Kuzma/Giannis
19
31.6
+37.9
Porter/Green/Trent/Kuzma/Sims
96
4.2
Porter/Green/Rollins/Kuzma/Sims
3
133.3
+129.1
In a sense, the Bucksâ small-ball âdeath lineupâ didnât go anywhere, if you just replace Rollins with Trent, and the three-guard âtriumverateâ still exists with him alongside Porter and Green. The sample sizes of Porter/Green/Trent/Giannis/Portis and Porter/Rollins/Green/Giannis/Portis are now about the same, and though itâs seen a net falloff of 24.4, itâs still 96th percentile. Thatâs in line with findings from other teams dating back several years: the best lineups fell off but remained generally very good, and increased exposure lowered net ratings overall.
And as much as weâve bemoaned the Bucksâ lack of size on the wing, playing AJG as an undersized three has actually worked pretty well as long as he has the right frontcourt: CTG gives lineups with Green playing alongside two smaller guards (not just Rollins and KPJ, but also small doses of Cole Anthony and Cam Thomas) a +7.8 net. What you donât want, though, is him plus another non-ballhandling guard (-28.6 in 35 possessions). Or worse yet, one of Trent or Gary Harris moving up a spot to the three (-9.4 in 1228 possessions).
Rollinsâ emergence has been so critical to the Bucks this year, as roster construction and an injury to Taurean Prince have dictated that they play three guards very often. Though they can now play bigger on the wing when necessary, thanks to Ousmane Dieng, itâs still a good weapon. One question moving forward is how it will work with Thomas: playing next to any of Rollins, KPJ, or Porter, will he bring enough offense to keep three-guard lineups above water? If so, how high above even, and who do they need in the frontcourt? Weâll check on this down the road, provided Doc doesnât abandon the three-guard look, which he shouldnât, even if playing that small is usually a necessity.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) â Green Bay coach Doug Gottlieb was suspended one game by the Horizon League on Wednesday for comments he made while criticizing officials after a 75-72 loss to Milwaukee last Sunday.
Gottlieb slammed his hands on the table at one point and used an expletive in his postgame news conference while complaining about what he perceived as inconsistency in the officiating. Video of his news conference garnered attention on social media.
âGottliebâs postgame comments do not reflect the Leagueâs values or sportsmanship expectations,â the Horizon League said in a statement announcing the suspension. âThe Horizon League considers this matter closed and will have no further comment.â
The suspension will take effect for Friday when Green Bay (15-13, 10-7) visits Oakland (14-13, 10-6).
âIâd like to apologize to the Horizon League and the officials for my disparaging comments following Sundayâs game,â Gottlieb said Wednesday in a statement. âI understand and appreciate how difficult their job is, and respect what they do for the sport of basketball. I will be better moving forward.â
Kerry Rupp, an assistant on Gottlieb's staff, will be Green Bay's acting head coach on Friday.
âWe have talked to Coach Gottlieb about the comments he made following Sundayâs game," Green Bay chancellor Michael Alexander athletic director Josh Moon said in a statement. âWe appreciate his apology and respect the commissionerâs decision, however, we do not believe his actions warrant a suspension. We feel a reprimand or public censure would have been appropriate.â
Green Bay was trailing 73-72 in the closing seconds when Milwaukeeâs Stevie Elam stole the ball from Preston Ruedinger, who was driving to the basket. Elam then made two free throws with 1 second left.
On Milwaukeeâs previous possession, Amar Augillard had driven to the basket, got a foul call and made two free throws to put the Panthers ahead. Green Bay believed a foul should have been called on Ruedingerâs drive as well.
âItâs the exact same play as the other end â could not be more similar,â Gottlieb said after the game. âAnd yet, every time they drove, it was a foul. And every time we did, it was mixed.â
Milwaukee went 30 of 37 on free-throw attempts, while Green Bay was 14 of 18. There were 23 fouls called on Green Bay and 18 on Milwaukee.
Gottlieb also wondered why he received a technical foul at one point in the game. Gottlieb said he didnât curse, wasnât demonstrative and hadnât left his box before the technical was called.
âThere was nothing, nothing that should have been called a technical foul,â Gottlieb said. âI know when Iâve earned one. I did not earn one.â
UCLA basketball coach Mick Cronin did it again Tuesday night â he keeps doing this â and someone needs to get him under control. Iâd suggest Cronin needs to control himself, stop bullying his players and others, but these arenât isolated incidents. This keeps happening. Itâs who he is:
A bully. A vicious one.
Yeah, I hear some of you: Wah, wah, youâre so softâŠ
Maybe so. But maybe being soft, being vulnerable, is more of what this world needs. Everywhere you look, on the streets and on social media and even in our seats of government, weâre being hard, being invulnerable, being downright mean. Look around. You like what you see? Not me.
And what weâre seeing from Bruins coach Mick Cronin is appalling. Hereâs what we saw Tuesday night, and please, see the whole picture. Donât focus on one thing â the foul by one of his players â and decide: Welp, thatâs what the kid deserved.
Nah. UCLA senior forward Steve Jamerson II didnât deserve this.
Neither did the reporter who asked Cronin, afterward, about the atmosphere in East Lansing, Michigan.
Hereâs how it started:
Michigan Stateâs Carson Cooper is running down the court, ahead of the pack, going up for a dunk. The No. 15 Spartans lead UCLA by 27 with 4œ minutes left, well on their way to victory, when Cooper rises for a dunk. Behind him, Jamerson arrives a split-second late. He goes for the block, nothing dirty â watch the play yourself â but Cooperâs momentum, combined with the contact Jamerson makes on his arm, sends Cooper to the floor.
Cooper rises, angry. Hey, thatâs his right. Jamerson stands his ground. His right, too.
And then Mick Cronin did one of the single cruelest things Iâve ever seen.
First, UCLA's Mike Cronin ejects his own player
Youâre picturing the scene, right? The Breslin Center is furious, turning all its rage on Jamerson. That was the crowdâs right. So far, nobody has done anything wrong. Jamerson was hustling, competing. Didnât look frustrated, just a split-second late as he contested the shot. Cooper was angry. The crowd was furious.
It happens.
But then Cronin does something that canât happen. Cronin grabs Jamerson by the shirt, by the arm, and tells him to get out. Points angrily to a staffer, then to Jamerson, and gives the âget him out of hereâ signal.
Watch the video. See that look on Jamersonâs face? Heâs bewildered, dejected. The entire building has just turned on him, and now his coach is sending him off the court, into the locker room, to face all that fury by himself? The video shows students giving Jamerson the middle finger, and shouting at him. You can see the finger(s). Canât hear the shouting, thank goodness.
You hope Jamerson didnât hear it, either, but thatâs naĂŻve.
After the foul, UCLA HC Mick Cronin ejects his own player, Steven Jamerson III. pic.twitter.com/KOFMCDRYjg
This was the worst example, but just the latest example, of Cronin humiliating his players. His postgame news conferences tend to go viral after losses, because he questions his playersâ toughness or effort in the most straightforward terms, and has even suggested â rather blatantly â that his players arenât smart enough.
âThe most important thing for a teacher is for his students to have aptitude or they canât learn,â he said in 2024 after a loss to Stanford. âIf a team makes adjustments, we struggle to adjust to instruction on the fly.â
"Itâs really hard to coach people that are delusional," Cronin said in 2025 after a loss to Michigan. "We got guys who think theyâre way better than they are. Theyâre nice kids. Theyâre completely delusional about who they are.â
âYou can't call your mommy; she can't help you,â he said in 2024. âYou've got an opportunity of a lifetime and it may not last forever depending on your performance.â
Cronin thinks heâs old-school tough, and that players are soft. Heâs not the problem â they are.
âIf youâre hard on Little Johnny in this era,â he said earlier this month, after a win at Rutgers, âyou might get investigated.â
At first, forgive me, I found it almost refreshing. Maybe thatâs because I was inclined to like Cronin â because Iâd always liked Cronin â since meeting him 20 years ago when he was coaching Cincinnati and I was living there, covering college basketball for CBSSports.com. In 2011, when players from Xavier and Cincinnati brawled, Croninâs postgame disgust was so real, so deserved, I texted him that night to thank him for standing up for decency.
Now this is me, standing up for decency, and telling Mick â or telling UCLA â this has to stop. What happened to Steven Jamerson was the breaking point, for me.
What happened afterward, to a reporter? Another brutal, bully move.
Then Mick Cronin bullies a reporter
This story hinges on Xavier Booker, who spent the past two seasons at Michigan State before transferring to UCLA this season. The Breslin Center student section, the 5,000-strong Izzone, taunted Booker by chanting his name.
Afterward, a reporter asked Cronin what he thought about that.
âI could give a ratâs ass about the other teamâs student section,â Cronin said. âI would like to give you kudos for the worst question Iâve ever been asked.â
A second reporter starts to ask a question on another topic, but Cronin ignores him to turn on the first reporter. His team has just been embarrassed. Croninâs about to take it out on someone else.
âYou really think I care about the other teamâs student section?â he asks.
The second reporter tries to defend himself, and if his voice went up ever so slightly â and thatâs all it was â could you blame him? He was being humiliated by the coach of UCLA, with cameras running. He was standing up for himself, and you know bullies:
They donât like that.
âAre you raising your voice at me?â Cronin demanded.
The reporter, trying to calm the situation, backed down and said he wasnât.
âYeah, you are, yeah, you are,â Cronin said. âCome on, dude ⊠everybodyâs standing here listening to you. Everybody. This is on camera. They can hear you. I answered the question. I could give a ratâs ass about the other teamâs student section. I coach UCLA. I donât care about Michigan State students. Who cares?â
This was the biggest kid in the schoolyard, pushing down a smaller one and then mocking him. Itâs what Cronin had done to Jamerson, using the assembled crowd to reinforce his own cruelty.
This is who Cronin is with cameras rolling, and NBA scouts tell me heâs even worse behind closed doors, at practice. A Western Conference scout, a longtime friend of mine, was discussing Croninâs recent odd behavior with me before tipoff at a recent Big Ten game. This was before the incident Tuesday night at Michigan State â thatâs how bizarre Cronin has been behaving â when the scout told me:
âHe mother(bleeps) them in practice like you wouldnât believe,â the scout said. âOh, he (bleeps) them. Mick is the only coach I know who doesnât film his practice. You know why? He doesnât want evidence.â
An Eastern Conference scout, another longtime friend who has attended UCLA practices, said heâs heard the same â that Cronin doesnât film practice â and added: âJohn Wooden would be beside himselfâ at the way Cronin treats his players on a daily basis.
âNot sure why heâs so combative,â the scout continued. âHeâs an excellent coach, and actually a great guy off the court.â
What is Cronin waiting on? How about you, UCLA? Contrast UCLAâs silence, its unspoken approval of Cronin, with what Kansas State did Sunday, firing basketball coach Jerome Tang for a postgame rant that included: âThese dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform, and there will be very few of them in it next year.â
You ask me, Kansas State wasnât standing up for its players but being cheap and opportunistic, using Tangâs rant to try to fire its losing coach for cause â and get out of his $18 million buyout. That might stick in court, but probably not.
Contrast Croninâs postgame behavior Tuesday with Purdue coach Matt Painter the same night, when Michigan trounced his team at Mackey Arena and Painter stuck up for his players, said he âlikedâ them and even âlovedâ them, and then joked with reporters afterward.
âThat was way too much talking,â he said as he rose to head back to the locker room.
âThatâs on you,â a reporter teased.
âYou have to own your part,â said Painter, teasing back, maybe the nicest great coach ever.
Mick Cronin? If heâs not the meanest coach in the country, God help the players of any coach who deserves the title more.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 06: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives the ball around Karlo Matkovic #17 of the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on January 06, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A franchise and its biggest star need to be aligned, and it appears the Lakers have that with Luka DonÄiÄ.
Since then, every move has been about building around Luka and maintaining flexibility so that they can have optionality this summer with as much cap space as possible.
This is why they had a rather quiet trade deadline and why Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka described the team as being aggressive by saying no to bad deals.
A source familiar with Doncicâs thinking told ESPN that L.A.âs deadline approach with âadherence to disciplineâ and focus on the âlong-term pictureâ was supported by the 26-year-old star. He has not pushed the team to add a superstar-level co-star for when James is no longer on the roster.
The relationship between Luka and the Lakers is still fairly new, but theyâve shown that theyâll work hard to do what he approves of.
So, if he understands the inner workings of the organization and believes in the plan, then thatâs what matters most.
Still, the pressure will be on the Lakersâ front office to prove they didnât waste a deadline and can actually capitalize on the opportunity they created in the summer.
Because if they donât upgrade the roster in significant ways this summer, then it wonât be long before even Luka will be wondering whatâs being done to foster winning.
And while things are good now, as weâve seen around the NBA with other franchises and their stars, it doesnât take much for a situation to turn sour.
For now, though, Luka is happy and aligned with the vision.
This is not midseason, but rather there is only a third of the season remaining. The playoff picture is very much in focus.
NBA championship odds already reflect that, but they may overvalue the Oklahoma City Thunder. My NBA picks tell you why the Celtics and the Timberwolves are viable alternatives.
NBA Championship odds
Team
Oklahoma City Thunder
+130
Denver Nuggets
+500
Cleveland Cavaliers
+1200
New York Knicks
+1200
Boston Celtics
+1200
San Antonio Spurs
+1400
Detroit Pistons
+1400
Houston Rockets
+2200
Minnesota Timberwolves
+3500
Los Angeles Lakers
+4000
The post-All-Star break schedule can yield a genuine amount of absurdity as tanking takes hold and other teams coast into the postseason.
In a genuine way, the most telling stretch of the regular season is the six weeks following December 1. Everyone in the NBA is still playing competitively, and the seasonâs fatigue has not yet grabbed total hold.
Looking at the net ratings in those six weeks, two teams are well ahead of the pack: The Oklahoma City Thunder at +10.8 and the Boston Celtics at +10.0.
Betting on the Thunder is obviously the safe play, but those odds of just +130 are not rewarding enough for this thought process, especially since taking Oklahoma Cityâs series price in four straight rounds would likely create a rollover approach close to that +130.
But the Celtics are worth considering at +1200.
The talk of Jayson Tatumâs possible return should be ignored in this moment. Perhaps he does make a risky return, but making this bet because of that raises your risk profile. Instead, look at the Boston roster as it is known.
At his best, Jaylen Brown can match up with anyone over a series. Derrick White is one of the most all-around clutch players in the NBA. Adding Nikola Vucevic should help both on defense in the post and on the glass.
That may seem like a shorthanded group when facing deeper Eastern Conference teams like the Detroit Pistons, the New York Knicks or the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the Celticsâ net rating was 2.4 points better per 100 possessions than the Pistonsâ in that six-week stretch following December 1. Some faith should be put into that.
NBA Championship prediction: Boston Celtics to win (+1200 at bet365)
NBA Championship sleeper pick
Full disclosure: Yours truly has Minnesota Timberwolves season tickets. No one would be more delighted by the Timberwolves winning the Western Conference (+1800). If they did, they would likely be favorites in the NBA Finals.
Look back at that same six-week stretch beginning on December 1. The three-highest net ratings are the Thunder (+10.8), the Celtics (+10.0) and the Pistons (+7.6). Detroit has the longest title odds of that group at +1400.
Only two other teams had net ratings higher than +4.5. The San Antonio Spurs (+5.5) are still as short as +1400 to win the Larry OâBrien Trophy.
But the Timberwolves (+5.8) are a lofty +3500. There is a disconnect there.
Minnesota has been better at seasonâs end than at the All-Star Break in each year of Chris Finchâs tenure, particularly the last two seasons.There is a reason the Timberwolves made the Western Conference Finals in each of the last two years.
Adding Ayo Dosunmu at the trade deadline may seem like a low-impact move, but Minnesota added a quality contributor to its bench without sacrificing any present pieces. Simply put, the Timberwolves got better.
Just know, if Minnesota goes on such a run for a third straight spring, yours truly will be telling you he told you so from inside Target Center.
NBA sleeper prediction: Minnesota Timberwolves to win (+3500 at bet365)
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 09: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons walks down the court during the first half of a basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center on February 09, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Detroit Pistons have the best record in the league through the All-Star break, and there is a lot to like. In this Zach Lowe â10 Thingsâ inspired piece, weâll go over 10 things about the team that could represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals.
Finish emâ Cade
Cade has always been streaky at the rim. Heâd make a triple-contested scoop lay, then miss a one-on-one lay attempt against a not-so-big player. Thatâs why heâs hovered around 56% finishing at the rim throughout his career. The angles he took or the decision to go up against multiple players tanked his rim field goal percentage in the past.
The Pistons MVP candidate has been more stable at the rim this season, shooting a career high 65% (58th %tile amongst point guards). His versatility in getting to the rim keeps defenses honest. Drives, transition takes, curls, hand-offs, and post-ups are all play types that allow Cade to get his finishes off. His shot-creating has led to finishes and jump shots, and the film is filthy.
Cade is a big guard, and heâs abusing smalls like always. He is an ambidextrous finisher who can sprinkle in tough, skilled layups or power through your chest with strength-based layups.
This finishing uptick will aid the Pistons halfcourt offense quite a bit. They will need every bit of finishing come playoff time. If their offense can remain average or just above it, that dogged defense can carry Detroit to early 2000s heights.
Duncan Robinson is more than a shooter
Duncan Robinson helps the halfcourt offense in many ways. The spacing he provides is second to none. How he weaponizes his shot is the bigger story.
Running Robinson off the 3-point line means you want the 6-foot-7 wing whoâs a great finisher to get a lane to the basket. Robinsonâs rim volume is low compared to his position, but he gets there plenty for his sharpshooter archetype. Heâs not the unconscious get-it-up-at-all costs shooter Detroit has had in the past, but Robinson is an impactful driver, screener, and a plus passer.
Those three skills work in unison in dribble hand-off actions. Robinson takes advantage of defenses glued to his hip. After he runs off screens with shoulder-to-shoulder precision, the defense is at his mercy. Robinson can fire from deep, drive all the way to the cup, where he finishes 74 percent, or deliver pinpoint passes.
Bigs eat off Robinsonâs gravity and movement. He makes defenses pay for playing him like heâs only a shooter. Wings eat off his gravity, too. Robinson is going to be a crucial piece in the postseason. Detroit needs him to play like the 2023 playoffs version of himself, not whatever these last few years have been.
How good can Jalen Duren be?
Jalen Duren is one of the bigs who eats the most while playing next to Robinson. Detroit is +10.1 when those two share the floor. Thatâs a theme for Duren. He has a positive two-man Net Rating with every player on the roster.
Durenâs getting assistance from all over, but nobody makes him. Duren is super impactful in his own right. From competing as a defender to his individual growth as a self-creator, the sky is literally the limit for him.
Young bigs who are poor defenders usually stay that way for a long time, but Duren has shaken off that narrative. Bball-Indexâs rim protection grade, which factors in rim deterrence, activity, and disruption in on-ball and help rim defensive situations, grades Duren an A. His value is 10 points better than it was last year.
Duren still has meat on the bone as an offensive player. Heâs creating for himself more and more. Duren has self-created 194 field goal attempts compared to 162 last year (PBP Stats). Heâs always been a decent passer, and heâs taking boards off the glass and pushing the break more this year.
Not here to say heâll ever be a point center, but heâs shown some of those skills that those who are that archetype have. With Cade excelling coming off curls and Iverson cuts, maybe Duren can be a hub at his peak.
Peak Duren is so far from now as heâs only 22. This All-Star breakout is encouraging, and his future is limitless. Heâs always been an elite lob catcher, that hasnât changed. But now thereâs more than one guy on the squad who constantly wants to throw it up to JD.
Those are the types of dimes Daniss Jenkins drops when sharing the floor with Duren.
Jenkins is willing to try any pass, and his handle makes life easier for him. Jenkins keeps his dribble alive while running through the paint. This gets defenders off balance, and Jenkins is throwing pinpoint accurate passes before they can blink.
This ânashingâ move is a staple in Jenkins game. The fact that heâs a threat to score gets defenses to react favorably. If he were just nashing always to pass and never score, defenders wouldnât help off their man because they know heâs not a threat to get a bucket. You canât do that with Jenkins.
Heâs eager to throw lobs, and itâs clear bigs loves playing with guards that spoonfeed guaranteed two points. Whether itâs off-hand passes to the corner man or right-on-target dump-offs in PnR play types, Jenkins is going to find the open man.
The alley oop to Isaiah Stewart involved Jenkins using a Shammgod move to create space before giving Stew an easy one. That goes back to his handle. Detroit has two strong ball handlers.
Jenkins has several tricks up his sleeve in addition to taking care of the ball. Jenkinsâ 11.8 TO percentage is a solid mark for someone who handles the ball as often as he does. Jenkins isnât careless with the rock and is willing to try any pass. Chances make champions.
Insane depth
Jenkins has helped establish the next man up culture in Detroit. The Pistons have won with their All-Stars out of the lineup, and JB Bickerstaff is getting the most from his guys. The Pistonsâ turnaround isnât getting enough shouts.
While tanking and All-Star Weekend fixes dominate headlines, remember the actual game. Remember that Detroit won 14 games a few years ago and now has the best record as we start the back end of the season. This isnât normal, and Bickerstaff and the deep roster are news.
The Pistons were underdogs in the matchup with the Toronto Raptors before the break. Odd makers or the public thought it made sense that Detroit would struggle without Duren and Stew. Thereâs sound logic in that thought process.
Paul Reed had other thoughts, though. He was the best big on the floor in Detroitâs dominant win against the playoff-bound Raptors â not the first time heâs been impactful this year. Reed has stepped up all season when needed. He stays ready. Reed plays every game like itâs his last and is looking to shake up every game with endless effort and thunderous slams.
Javonte Green was an afterthought signing, but heâs contributing to the insane depth Detroit has â heâs a handsy nuisance and another candidate to put anyone on a poster.
Jenkins has developed into a late-game closer right before our eyes. Marcus Sasser can make big shots. Caris LeVert provides solid play on his best days. Everywhere you look, Detroit has a player who can step in when needed. Weâre yet to see what Kevin Huerter can provide as well. There are options.
The Pistons are 8th in bench points. Their backups have been game changers in the regular season. Ron Holland is a part of the rabid bench attack, but unlike the rest of these names, he was expected to do so. Hollandâs second year has been positive so far, and his hustle remains his game-changing trait.
Hustlers donât stop
Holland, alongside Green, check in every game as must-see firecrackers. If nothing else, something is going to happen when those two touch the floor. Holland is susceptible to missing a steal, falling face-first into the hardwood, and recovering to get his hands on the ball in seemingly one motion. Thatâs the type of motor he has â Hollandâs STL percentage remains in the 98th percentile amongst forwards.
Those brilliant hands allow him to turn defense into offense. Detroit is one of the best teams scoring in transition off steals, and Holland has a hand in that.
Green zig zags on the floor, tagging everyone in sight. Offensively, Green is always on poster watch and has made timely 3s. He is shooting 36 percent from deep, but it feels even better. Green has active hands â he is top 20 in deflections and has not played 1,000 minutes this season. Only he and the Miami Heatâs Dru Smith are in that club. Green doesnât need a significant amount of minutes to show his value.
These two Tazmaynian devils will bring energy and pop on the Pistonsâ postseason run. A lot of their value is defensively slanted. The Pistons have more defensive monsters who should be locks for league honors.
All-Defense
Ausar Thompson and Isaiah Stewart bring effort and best-at-what-they-do technique defensively. Ausar is the best perimeter defender in basketball. If you told me âpick one player to defend a random superstar,â Iâm going with Ausar every time. Youâre comfortable with him guarding smalls, big wings, forwards, and the occasional switch on a big is in his repertoire.
Surprisingly to some, Ausar hounds point guards better than those other positions. Thatâs insane considering his height, but his lateral quickness and instincts are second to none.
Ausar is the best Pistons defender in the passing lanes. Heâs third in deflections league-wide, and his film has some âwhat was that?â in there.
Thereâs no way anybody thought Ausar would get back into this play. The way he patiently baits Memphis is beautiful. He blew that thing up and turned offense to defense. Thatâs a Deion Sanders-level lurk job, and heâs just as good on the ball as he is playing the lanes.
The league honored Ausar with Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month in January. If thatâs a sign of things to come, the third-year play-destroyer should be in line for his first All-Defense first team selection.
Chet Holmgren, Victor Wembanyama (65-game rule), Scottie Barnes, Rudy Gobert, and Bam Adebayo are in the mix for first-team, but Stew should be too if these awards are a snapshot of the season.
The story of this season wouldnât be whole if Stew were left off both All-Defense teams. Ausar is the Pistonsâ most versatile and destructive defender, but Stew is the anchor for the best(?) defense in the NBA.
Lowest opponent FG% allowed on shots at the rim this szn (min. 200 FGA defended):
42.7 â Isaiah Stewart . 46.6 â Chet Holmgren . 52.6 â Evan Mobley 53.5 â Rudy Gobert 53.9 â Luke Kornet 54.5 â Jaren Jackson Jr. 55.1 â Alex Sarr 55.1 â Derrick White 55.3 â Jay Huff 55.3 â Wemby pic.twitter.com/wFmpANDMgb
Nothing is allowed with Stew at the cup. Opponents shoot 42 percent at the basket when heâs there. Thatâs just a comical number. Nobody else is near that. He defends fewer shots at the rim compared to todayâs rim protectors because he is a backup, but there arenât many better per-minute rim protectors. And at 6-foot-8, one could make the argument that Stew is the best pound-for-pound rim protector.
Everyone else in that conversation is longer than Stew, even though he has a freakish 7-foot-4ish wingspan. His timing, anticipation, and intimidation factor put him in these conversations.
Stew gets challenged at the rim, but the result will never stop him from continuing to man the paint. If he gets postered, he shrugs it off and defends his yard over and over again.
Shaedon Sharpe is known for his Looney Tunes bounce, but that means nothing to Stew. He challenged both of these back-to-back Kodak moment dunk attempts and lived with the outcome both times (that block was clean). Youâre going to have to be an insane leaper to catch Stew as Sharpe did on his second attempt.
Stew has easily been a top-10 defender this year. He is the anchor of Detroit, which thrives off its defense, and his contagious attitude is in the fabric of this franchise. The 65-game rule could keep Stew awardless this year, but thatâs just not a reflection on how this season went.
The Oklahoma City Thunder had Jalen Williams and Lu Dort make defensive teams last year as the best team defense, and Detroit should have two this year as well.
Is it 2004?
Sure, the Thunder are still the No. 1 D in hoops, but the early portion of the season is doing some lifting there. Since November 19th, the Pistons have the No. 1 ranked defense with garbage time filtered out.
The Thunder have dealt with injuries. Naysayers will say thatâs why Detroit has passed the defending champs in defensive efficiency in that time frame, but Detroitâs personnel is on par with a healthy Thunder team.
Ausar is the best perimeter defender of the bunch, full stop. Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso, and Dort are more than a strong perimeter trio in fairness, though. Williams or Caruso are the most versatile defenders on either team, but OKCâs clear-cut advantages stop there.
Holmgren over Stew as a defender? Not an outrageous take, but Stew is right there. Holmgrenâs advantage is length and the ability to stay out of foul trouble. Duren vs Hartenstein is pretty even in terms of what their teamâs ask of them. Durenâs effort and consistency on that end are noticeable. Weâve mentioned all the junk yard dogs Detroit has at its disposal, like Holland and Green, but Deuce doesnât get enough love for his defense.
Cade has turned into a legit good defender. Heâs a problem when sitting in his defensive stance, and heâs a plus weakside help defender. The All-Star game is only an exhibition, but Cadeâs all-around and two-way game was on full display in that setting. The offensive burden is heavy, but that hasnât stopped him from locking in on defense.
Robinson is the only huntable defender the Pistons play a lot (Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins arenât world beaters either). Heâll never be a great on-ball defender, but he does communicate and rotate off the ball. Detroitâs defense is better with him off the floor, but he doesnât sink the ship. Robinson will be hunted in the postseason, but a team on a string like Detroit could overcome his individual isolation struggles.
Throw it to Unc
Tobias Harrisâ post-up game should be a bail-out option for Detroit in the postseason. Heâs always posted up plenty in his career, but heâs posting like a league-leading man this year.
Harris posts up less frequently than bigs like Nikola JokiÄ, Ivica Zubac, and Joel Embiid, but heâs outperforming two of them when he is on the block. Harrisâ 1.18 points per possession on post-ups is better than anyone who posts up as frequently as he does, besides JokiÄ (1.21) and Kristaps Porzingis (1.23).
Screenshot
That shot will be a reliable option for the Pistons halfcourt offense. Harris hasnât always thrived with expectations throughout his career, but heâs the third or fourth option here. Solid defense and bail-out shotmaking are what Detroit needs from Unc to reach the Finals. He has it in there.
State of the East
To reach the Finals, Detroitâs lack of shooting or a go-to secondary scorer must be mitigated. The Thunder indeed won the title last year without shooting the leather off the ball, so shooting mitigation is possible, but Jalen Williams did have a 40-piece in the Finals, and heâs a dependable second option for the most part.
Cade would need to be at an MVP level shotmaking-wise, and somebody else has to come along for the ride. Whether that be Duren, a shooter flaming on, or the group as a collective, there needs to be a dynamic second option that puts pressure on the defense.
Another obstacle in Detroitâs Finals aspirations is the field. The New York Knicks are rolling, winning 8 of their last 10 games. Jalen Brunson is who he is. Thatâs a tough cover for anyone, but Ausar made him work last year, even though all the casual fans remember is the ending. Their Jose Alvarado addition adds some feistiness to a passive Knicks squad. Theyâre the biggest threat.
The Cleveland Cavaliers could be serious contenders, too. Weâre yet to see the James Harden + Evan Mobley connection, but Harden has helped Jarett Allen thrive so far. The Pistons have the double bigs to match Cleveland and the perimeter defenders to make Donovan Mitchell and Harden sweat.
The Boston Celtics are probably lower on the contender tier compared to these teams. Jaylen Brown has been spectacular, and they added more shooting with Nikola VuÄeviÄ at the deadline, but they donât have their horses. Without Tatum (maybe he returns), I envision a world where JB isnât the most efficient No. 1 option in a playoff setting. Detroit could take advantage of his eventual cold nights and grind Boston down. Toronto and Philly are there, but the Pistons are better.
Detroit could very well be better than every team in the East and go on a real run for the first time since the Goin to Work era. Thereâs a lot to like about the team with the best record in the NBA as we enter the post-All-Star break portion of the year.
Stats as of 2/18/2026 via Basketball Reference, Bball-Index, Cleaning The Glass, PBP Stats, PivotFade, and NBA.com
Jones enjoyed at least one cold beverage during the outing as well.
Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers have been off this week due to the NBAâs All-Star break. Instagram/@jadeeejones
âon island time w my baby â,â Jones wrote in a caption on the pics.
Based on their social media activity, it appears the two have been in Puerto Vallarta for several days, as on Wednesday, Jones shared an image of what appeared to be a Valentineâs Day gift from her future husband.
Jade Jones shared a photo on Wednesday of what appeared to be a Valentineâs Day gift from Tyrese Haliburton. Instagram/@jadeeejones
The NBA, of course, has been on pause since Feb. 12.
While Haliburton has been out the entirety of the 2025-26 season after sustaining a torn Achilles in last yearâs NBA Finals, heâs nonetheless been very involved with the Pacers, sitting on the teamâs bench throughout the first half of the year.
He told NBA on Prime earlier this month heâs âin a really good spaceâ with his rehab, and while he wonât suit up again until 2026-27, he has advanced to playing 3-on-3 and 4-on-4 games.
With All-Star Weekend in the rear view, weâve reached the final stretch of the NBA season, and fantasy basketball playoffs are right around the corner. The All-Star break has given the Rotoworld NBA crew some reflection time, so Zak Hanshew and Raphielle Johnson put together their fantasy picks for MVP, Biggest Bust, Best Value Pick, Rookie of the Year, Biggest Breakout and Comeback Player of the Year.
MVP
Kawhi Leonard, Clippers
The show that Leonard put on during Sunday's All-Star Game was not a departure from what he's done consistently for the Clippers this season. In 41 games, he's averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.1 steals, 0.5 blocks and 2.7 three-pointers while shooting 49.1 percent from the field, 38.3 percent from three and 91.2 percent from the foul line. He's already played four more games than he did in the entirety of the 2024-25 regular season, and his scoring has increased by over six points per game. In addition to the improved availability, Leonard has been close to a 50/40/90 player on career-high usage (33.5). -Johnson
KAWHI TOOK OVER IN HIS OWN BUILDING
31 POINTS IN 12 MINUTES... and the winner to send USA Stripes to the championship! pic.twitter.com/uPf5ezyfdP
Maxeyâs ascension from fantasy stud to bona fide superstar has come to fruition in 2025-26, as Philadelphiaâs floor general has taken the next step forward in multiple categories. Maxey is averaging 28.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 2.0 steals, 0.8 blocks and 3.3 triples while shooting 46.9% from the floor and 88.9% from the charity stripe. Aside from the FG%, Maxeyâs numbers are career highs across the board. He ranks in the top 10 in points, steals and triples per game, and due to his durability, heâs top 10 in total points, assists, steals and three-pointers. Maxeyâs shooting percentages are remarkable considering he ranks third in field goal attempts at 21.5. Maxey ranks behind only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in total fantasy value, and I canât pick any other player as my Fantasy MVP. -Hanshew
Given Morant's track record, fantasy managers know to anticipate an extended absence at some point. While the numbers have been good when the Grizzlies' point guard has been available, he's only appeared in 19 games due to injury. Being close to a top 75 player in eight-cat formats, according to Basketball Monster, doesn't do managers much good if the player can't stay on the floor. And with the Grizzlies trading Jaren Jackson Jr. at the deadline, it's worth questioning how many, if any, games Morant will play the rest of the season. -Johnson
Anthony Davis, Wizards
Davis played only 11 games with Dallas last season after getting traded on February 1. Injuries plagued his 2025-26 campaign, and he logged only 20 games before getting dealt to the Washington Wizards. Washington is shutting Davis down for the rest of the season, ending a monumentally disappointing run for fantasy managers. When on the court, Davisâ numbers were down across the board with averages of 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.7 blocks while shooting 50.6% from the field and 72.8% from the charity stripe. AD was taken as a first or second-rounder based on average ADP, and heâll finish 2025-26 on the waiver wire. -Hanshew
TM3 was a fourth-round selection in fantasy drafts, but he ranks 11th in per-game value and seventh in total games value. New Orleansâ sharp-shooting wing is averaging career highs across the board with 22.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 3.2 triples. Heâs shooting 89.2% from the free-throw line and a career-high 47.6% from the field. Murphy III appeared in 53 and 57 games across the last two seasons, but heâs logged 52 appearances at the break, showing that availability wonât be a concern for him. As New Orleansâ most reliable option on both ends of the court, Murphy III has a realistic chance to finish the season as a top 12 fantasy player. If you selected him with a mid-round pick, youâre likely doing pretty well in your league. -Hanshew
After taking a significant leap last season, Johnson has been even more productive in 2025-26. He entered the All-Star break providing top 10 fantasy value in eight-cat formats, playing well enough to hasten the Hawks' decision to make Johnson the team's focal point moving forward. That led to Trae Young being moved to Washington. Double-doubles have become the norm for Johnson, who also has 10 triple-doubles to his credit. His All-Star Game appearance over the weekend may have been the first of many for the versatile Hawks forward. -Johnson
Cooper Flagg has come on strong in recent appearances, and he will almost certainly win the real-life Rookie of the Year award, assuming he isnât forced to miss significant time down the stretch. In the realm of fantasy hoops, however, the award goes to Knueppel, and itâs not particularly close. Managers who drafted Flagg invested an early-to-mid-round pick for his services, but Knueppel was drafted outside the top 100 on average. At the break, Flagg is ranked just a few spots ahead of Knueppel in per-game value, making him a significantly more valuable selection based on draft capital weighted with performance. Knueppel has buried 183 triples, and with 27 games left to play, heâs on pace to shatter Keegan Murrayâs rookie record of 206 made three-pointers. -Hanshew
Cooper Flagg, Mavs
Flagg got off to a slow start, as he began the season as the Mavericks' starting point guard. While an awkward fit in the beginning, head coach Jason Kidd's decision appeared to pay dividends as the season progressed. Flagg entered the break averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.8 blocks and 1.1 three-pointers, shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 80.4 percent from the foul line. College teammate Kon Knueppel has also been excellent this season, but Flagg edges him out here. -Johnson
There are plenty of great options here, but Clingan takes the cake for me. The second-year big man out of UConn has taken on a major bump in playing time, and heâs shined with that new opportunity. In 27.6 minutes per game, Clingan is averaging 11.6 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.5 steals, 1.4 blocked shots and a surprising 1.0 triples. Unlike most centers with a decent outside shot, Clingan crashes the glass with authority. He ranks third in rebounds per game, and heâs tied for the second-most 20-rebound games at two. Clingan is ranked 52nd in per-game fantasy value, which makes him a nice value due to his ADP near pick 100. The skyâs the limit for Clingan, who offers elite rebounding, strong defensive numbers, efficient FG% and even some triples. -Hanshew
Keyonte George, Jazz
After two uneven seasons, there were questions regarding George and whether he was the point guard best equipped to lead the Jazz in their rebuild. Well, he's risen to the challenge in year three. Through 48 games, George has averaged 23.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.5 three-pointers, shooting 45.8 percent from the field and 89.4 percent from the foul line. Few, if any, fantasy managers anticipated George being a top 25 player, but he's been that productive. -Johnson
Bridges ranked 84th and 91st in per-game fantasy value across the last two seasons, but at the break, heâs ranked 19th - best on the Knicks. Bridges has yet to miss a game in his NBA career, and heâs ranked ninth in total games fantasy value. Heâs averaging 15.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.8 blocked shots and 2.1 triples while shooting 50.4% from the floor and 82.9% from the charity stripe. Aside from steals, Bridgesâ production isnât elite in any one category, but heâs solid across the board and doesnât hurt you anywhere in the box score. After back-to-back campaigns outside the top 75, itâs nice to see Bridges posting strong numbers for fantasy managers again. -Hanshew
Chet Holmgren, Thunder
Limited to 32 games last season due to injury, Holmgren has played in 49 of Oklahoma City's 56 games in 2025-26. In those appearances, he's averaged 17.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.2 three-pointers while shooting 56.0 percent from the field and 78.6 percent from the foul line. Holmgren's production has aligned with his ADP, and availability hasn't been an issue, ensuring that fantasy managers receive full value for their choice. -Johnson
Franz Wagner tried to come back for a couple of games before the All-Star break, having missed 25 games this season due to a high ankle sprain.
He's going to miss more time. He was still suffering from ankle soreness, and imaging done over the All-Star break confirmed that Wagner needs more time to recover. He will be out indefinitely and re-evaluated in three weeks, the team announced on Wednesday.
Franz Wagner, who suffered a left high ankle sprain on Dec. 7 and has missed 25 games due to the injury, will be out indefinitely as he continues to experience soreness.
Recent imaging confirmed Wagner requires additional time and rehabilitation before returning to full⊠pic.twitter.com/mpdGB7rXYw
This news crushes the hope that Orlando could start to get healthy and find some consistency after the All-Star break. Orlando has been one of the league's most disappointing teams this season. Projected as a potential contender before the season, the Magic are 28-25 and would be in the play-in if the season ended today. Their defense was elite a season ago but has been middle-of-the-pack this season. Injuries are part of that: Orlando's home-grown trio of Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs have played together in just 19 of the Magic's 135 regular-season games in the past two years.
Wagner has looked like an All-Star when he has gotten on the court this season, averaging 21.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists a game in the 28 games he has played. The 24-year-old German is in the first year of a five-year, $224 million max contract extension with the team.
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The All-Star break is the unofficial midway point of the NBA season, but the Sixers have just 28 games remaining, beginning Thursday night as they host the Atlanta Hawks â a team they really need to beat, quite frankly.
Coming out of the break, the Sixers sit at 30-24, good for the sixth seed (and final guaranteed playoff spot) in the East. The conference is jumbled â the Sixers are five games back of the two seed, but five games up on the nine seed. These last 28 games will determine a whole lot.
After a quiet deadline that saw the team make no additions, Cameron Payne was brought back from overseas to take up the teamâs final standard roster spot. Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker had their two-way deals converted. Dalen Terry and Tyrese Martin took over the vacant two-way slots.
So, what are your most pressing questions and thoughts as the Sixers resume play?
Mark Pope is attempting to pull off the unthinkable, a feat Mark Stoops never had a prayer of achieving. Heâs turning Kentucky into a football school.
Seriously, after Kentucky lost to Georgia inside Rupp Arena on Feb. 17 for the first time since 2009, spring practice canât get arrive quickly enough in the Bluegrass State.
OK, so one look at the Rupp environment tells you Big Blue Nation remains ravenous for hoops â and particularly hungry for a team that plays better than this one did in an 86-78 upset loss that serves as the latest rebuke of Popeâs second season.
Kentucky is unranked and not about to be ranked after a home loss to a bubble team.
âWe feel like we got a beautiful Ferrari, and we canât wait to take it for a spin,â Pope told reporters before the season.
Those mega millions bought a team that keeps stalling.
Mark Pope: 'Disappointing effort' in Kentucky loss to Georgia
What went wrong against Georgia?
âWe were not good defensively,â Pope said.
Also:
âDisappointing effort.â
And:
âThey got us on our heels.â
Yep, this too:
âWe fell apart.â
One more:
âYou cannot take plays off in this league. You canât get distracted.â
Other than that, coach, how was the game?
Buck up, Kentucky. Will Stein's first season on the way
In Popeâs defense, multiple injuries havenât helped Kentucky. Also, thereâs no quit in these âCats, at least. Kentucky nearly rallied past another double-digit deficit, just as it did in a pair of critical victories against rival Tennessee.
Kentucky is consistent. Itâs perfected the art of falling behind by big margins and then furiously trying to erase the deficits.
Question is, why was Kentucky losing by double digits to Georgia in the first place?
Maybe, because Popeâs team had 13 turnovers. Or, because Georgia drilled 14 3-pointers.
Best thing you can say about this Kentucky season is it could be worse. These are tough times for basketball royalty. Take it from UCLA. The Bruins are a bubble team. After their latest loss, Mick Cronin said he could âgive a ratâs assâ about Michigan Stateâs student section, as UCLAâs cantankerous coach popped off at a reporter. At least Kentuckyâs coach isnât a jerk.
Speaking of ass, the Bruins played like it in a 23-point loss to the Spartans.
This came on the same night North Carolina lost by 24 points to rival NC State.
Banners hanging inside historic arenas donât carry the weight they once did. Just donât tell blue-blooded fans that. Though the Wildcats are still pointed toward the NCAA Tournament, this is not the product Kentucky expects, and Pope knows that better than most. Heavy is the head that wears his alma materâs crown.
Hey, itâs not all bad around Kentucky. The snow finally melted. How long âtil fall?
As for Popeâs 2026 recruiting class, well, it doesnât include a single commitment.
Not that Calipari is keeping score. Well, maybe he is. Heâs got three five-stars lined up for Arkansas.
What day do the shoulder pads go on in Lexington?
Stoops, Steinâs predecessor, could tell you all about just how much Kentucky invested in basketball and how much he wished it invested in his football program. In Stoopsâ final seasons, he bemoaned Kentuckyâs football cheapness.
That didnât stop Stein from lining up Notre Dame transfer Kenny Minchey, whoâs got the potential to be Kentuckyâs most exciting quarterback in years.
âWe have plenty of (money) here,â Stein said after Kentucky hired him.
Thereâs a refreshing new energy at the head of a football program that badly needed it.
Used to be in Kentucky, Midnight Madness would provide a necessary distraction from the doldrums of football season. Times change. Whenâs the spring game?
Hereâs another edition of our Round(Ball) Table, where the Posting & Toasting crew convene to share our speculations, worries, and frustrations. With the All-Star weekend now behind us, itâs time to speculate about the remainder of the season.
With the New York Knicks sitting third behind the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics, what seed should they realistically target, and how hard should they push for No. 2?
Antonio Losada: No. 2, and not much. Itâs going to be rather hard to overtake Detroit in the standings, and I donât think itâs worth entering a war for the regular-season Eastern Conference crown. Let the Pistons win it, sit second, beat them in the playoffs. The Celtics, I donât believe, will hold onto that No. 2 seed, and I think thereâs nothing left to add about the Cavsâ chances at anything, because theyâve lowkey turned into Clippers Eastânow even with James Harden in town!
Michael Zeno: No. 2. The Pistons are out of reach, barring an unforeseen collapse by them, so the Knicks will have to strive for the 2-seed and their first Atlantic Division (is that still a thing?) title in 12 years. I believe they should prioritize getting as high a seed as possible, as weâve seen the team go from dominant at home to average on the road. Average doesnât cut it in the playoffs, so theyâll need to secure home-court against a potential second-round matchup against Cleveland or Boston.
Andrew Polaniecki: Maintaining their position is more important than anything right now. Securing the No. 2 seed would certainly be ideal, but slipping from the No. 3 spot could prove far more damaging for the New York Knicks. They are currently just one game ahead of the fourth seed, and the Cleveland Cavaliers look like a very different team than they did two weeks ago following the addition of James Harden. The Knicks cannot afford to surrender home-court advantage, especially with only 1.5 games separating Cleveland and the Boston Celtics in the standings, particularly given the uncertain timetable surrounding Jayson Tatumâs return.
Miranda: I donât think it matters. The Knicks won three times in Detroit and twice in Boston in last yearâs playoffs, and those Celtics didnât feature Jayson Tatum working his way back after nearly a year away. Adding Nikola VuÄeviÄ gussies up their ability to play 5-out, but when heâs on the floor the defense thatâs eighth in defensive rating and top-five the past four years has a soft underbelly. The last time the Cavaliers got past the second round without LeBron James was 1992. These Knicks donât need to duck anyone.
Kento Kato: The two seed, but not at all costs. The Knicks should want to secure home-court advantage through the first two rounds, but at the end of the day, health is all that matters. This team, when healthy, and not coming off of an ugly NBA Cup hangover, have shown that they can beat anyone. Teams like that shouldnât, and donât need to, lay everything on the line during the regular season. Outside of last season, when Jalen Brunson missed 15 games after going down with an ankle injury, the Knicks have fared well after the All-Star break in recent years. In 2023, thanks in large part to the Josh Hart trade, the Knicks went 14-8 after the festivities, and a year later, they went 17-10, despite both Julius Randle, and OG Anunoby missing significant time. New York will be sans Deuce McBride for a few weeks, and thatâll sting. But I donât see why a team that seems to have put their lowest lows behind them, and has historically saved some of itâs best for February, March, and April, canât do so again.
What players deserve high marks for the season so far, and who has underwhelmed you?
Losada: Brunson gets into the high-mark category by default, so Iâm picking Josh Hart for proving Coach Brown wrong early in the season, putting on never-ending Engerzier Bunny efforts, and simply being invaluable for this team (honorable mention for Deuce, whose injury hella bugged me). On the other end, I have KAT. Heâs sublime at his absolute best, but he does so many maddening things on a nightly basis that I just canât deal with him more often than not, let alone his awful shooting this season.
Zeno: Brunson, Hart, Shamet, Deuce (when healthy), and Mitch get the high marks. Hartâs recovered well from his early-season struggles and has become a sniper from deep, as has Shamet. Mitch is as healthy as heâs been in several years thanks to load management. KAT and Clarkson are the more underwhelming ones, but you see flashes from the Big Bodega. Clarkson just seems completely lost right now. Iâm in the middle when it comes to Wingstop, as theyâve both excelled defensively but have had extremely inconsistent offense.
Polaniecki: I have to go with Josh Hart. He struggled in the first four games and has missed 11 due to injury, but his impact when heâs on the court is undeniable. The Knicks are more than +75 in plus/minus with Hart on the floor this season. During the 11 games he missed, the Knicks lost six of them, roughly a third of their total losses this year
Miranda: If John Starks, Pablo Prigioni and Jeremy Lin had a baby, that baby would be Jose Alvarado. Thatâs impressive! Also impressive: Mo Diawara going from a bright future to a bright present. The biggest disappointment has been how many national games Mike Breenâs done this year, because Tyler Murray and Walt Frazier go together like Ewing and Cartwright. Frazierâs been funnier than ever this year, something Murray never, ever runs with. Sometimes he sounds like he has no sense of who Frazier was, like the time he told him heâd been underrated defensively; Clyde couldnât hide his surprise before gently explaining the seven All-Defensive honors. If Breen and Frazier are the Frazier and Monroe of MSG broadcasters, Murray & Clyde are more Marbury/Francis.
Kato: Brunson is the by far the best player on the team, and as ungrateful as it may sound, his production at this point is almost a given. We all take it for granted at times, but thatâs also what star players make you do. When I think of players that deserve high marks, I think of players who have overperformed expectations. And to me, that has been Deuce McBride, and Mo Diawara. Weâve all known what McBride can do, and what he is capable of. But somehow, he continues to surprise us, and defy what an undersized combo guard can really do for a team. Heâs followed up a somewhat disappointing season with career-highs in PPG, RPG, and 3P%, and has certified himself as one of the best role players in the league with one of, if not the, best contracts in the league. As for Diawara, not many had him being this good, let alone this quick when he was drafted. But after a surprising Summer League, and some very intriguing minutes over the last few weeks, he has leapfrogged every other recent draftee as the most promising and exciting prospect on the roster due to his unique combination of size, defense, passing, and an unexpected level of shooting.
Will the deadline addition of Jose Alvarado stabilize the bench?
Losada: It should, even more with Deuce McBride out for the regular season and due to his defensive chops. We have yet to see if Jordan Clarkson ever returns to a playable dude, but on the other hand, weâve enjoyed some blossoming from Mohamed Diawara, and weâve yet to see how the Jeremy Sochan addition works, and if it provides a little boost up front while helping keep bodies (looking at you, Mitch) fresh for the playoffs.
Zeno: Absolutely. Tyler Kolek has had his moments this season, but he still hasnât solidified himself as the teamâs backup point guard who can run the offense when Brunson sits. Alvarado not only brings the ability to do that, but his intensity on defense makes it so that you can feasibly play him with Brunson in certain lineups, giving him a more diverse role. The bench will really be turbocharged when McBride returns from his hernia.
Polaniecki: 100%. Heâs already made an immediate impact and plays with the kind of energy you canât fake. You can tell heâs genuinely thrilled to be wearing a New York Knicks jersey and representing New York, you could just tell how he wears his heart on his sleeve every night.
Miranda: Stabilize? Stabilize? The past two playoffs, McBride led all Knick reserve guards in minutes; Alec Burks was second in 2024, Cameron Payne last year. Assuming Deuce is back for the postseason, Alvarado, Shamet, Clarkson and Kolek are an entirely different class of bench backcourt.
Kato: Weâve had a small sample size thus far, but weâve already seen Alvarado impact the game in multiple ways, in a way, akin to McBride. Alvarado may not be the shooter that McBride is, but he provides some much needed ball-handling, passing, and connectivity that the roster, both starters, and bench players, lacked. McBride will be sorely missed, but being able to replace Clarkson, and Kolekâs minutes with Alvarado cannot be anything besides a big win for New York. Weâve already seen him go off 26-points against the Sixers, and dish out five assists in 18 minutes against the Pacers, so in a way, weâre getting the best out of both Clarkson, and Kolek, while getting much, much, much more defense. Alvarado, along with Shamet, Diawara/Sochan, and Robinson should prove to be one of the better benches in the league.
Has Mike Brown met expectations in Year One, and what adjustments would you like to see?
Losada: The expectations were gaudy from the onset, and James Dolan only made it tougher for Brown with his mid-season, championship-or-bust, comments. That said, Brown took over a team nearly fully built and already on its way to making a Finals run, so heâs doing what he was supposed to, even amid ups and downs. There is still time to address a few pending issues and perfect the machine, but weâve already seen how the Knicks can perform when everything clicks. I have to approve Brownâs work, solid A grade.
Zeno: There were three main reasons the Knicks moved on from Tom Thibodeau after last yearâs Eastern Conference Finals run. They wanted to lean more on the teamâs depth to minimize regular-season workload, get the most out of this offensive juggernaut, and get a coach who would adjust and not be so âmy way or the highwayâ. Mike Brown has met all three, lowering the startersâ minutes while leaning on rejuvenated depth, augmenting the offense to make it one of the best in basketball, and making a big defensive adjustment to stop the early January nosedive. Weâll see how the playoffs go, but Iâm a fan through the All-Star break.
Polaniecki: In some ways yes, and in some ways no. Would they be sitting in third place if Thibs were still the coach? Maybe. But his stubbornness and reluctance to expand the rotation ultimately cost him his job. Itâs been great to see the New York Knicks actually use their depth this season. The bench has a role. The minutes are more balanced.
But are they truly better than they were a year ago? Thatâs still up for debate. If Brown doesnât take them to the Finals, then for me, the answer is no.
Miranda: Theyâve gone from 11th in corner 3s to third. The defense has been best in the league since they shifted from pushing ballhandlers to the middle of the floor to pushing them toward the sidelines. I donât know if Towns is âstrugglingâ so much as having his role changed, and I donât hate it; even when his shotâs off, heâs impactful on the glass and as a spacer. All that said, if Brown is still coaching in June, his hiring was a success. If not . . .
Kato: This largely depends on what your expectations were. For me, his regular season was always going to be graded on his, and the teamâs process. Sure, winning 55+ regular season games would be nice. But if he did that by running the same heliocentric, stagnant offense, limiting on-court experimentation, and forgoing playing time of the younger players, then keeping Thibodeau would have been the move as it wouldâve lead to a higher floor. Thus far, Brown has done a good enough job of, simply put, not being Thibodeau. His offense, while still over reliant on Brunson at times, sees more movement, more threes, and more sets, and actions, and his rotations arenât perfect, but still better than Thibodeauâs. So far, so good, but ultimately, heâll be graded on how the Knicks fare in the playoffs.
Whatâs the biggest obstacle for a Finals run?
Losada: Itâs going to be a grueling playoffs, as âweakenedâ as the Eastern Conference is said to be. See, the Pistons are young, tough, strong, and will probably have homecourt advantage through the postseason. The Celtics might bring back Jayson Tatum, and I fear that if they know heâs coming the might take it easy later in the season to enter the playoffs healthier, thus dropping to a lower seed and making it tougher for a top-4 seed. The Cavaliers, I donât care about. But the Raptors, the Sixers, and mostly the Magic and Heat have underperformed and/or can give you fits and steal a couple of postseason games, so itâs going to take more than a Foâ foâ foâ to get to the Finals. Will the Knicks stay healthy through it all? Will they get the No. 2 seed and actually benefit from starting (and finishing) series at MSG, or will it turn against them? Not an obstacle this year: another 1-in-100000-odds shot made by Hali.
Zeno: Inconsistency. One day, they look like theyâll win the Finals, the next day, they might be a first-round exit. There are certain first-round matchups that make you wince, but those mostly depend on health (looking at you, Philly). If Jayson Tatum returns, Boston could be extremely tough. The Cavs canât be counted out, and then, of course, thereâs Detroit. The Knicks will need to play their best basketball come playoff time and canât rely on Brunsonâs hero-ball for the fourth year in a row. We need KAT to get back to what made him a perennial all-star, Bridges to get more confident on-ball, OG to be making his shots, and the bench to be healthy and able to hold their own. Iâm confident in the team, but thereâs a lot that can go wrong.
Polaniecki: The Cup curse. Just kidding! But all jokes aside, the Knicks eliminated the Detroit Pistons in last yearâs playoffs, but now sit five games behind them in the standings. They beat the Boston Celtics with Jayson Tatum available for most of that series, yet currently trail Boston as well.
Cleveland added James Harden. The conference landscape has shifted, and the path to the Finals is going to be much harder than people thought at the beginning of the season, especially if Tatum comes back for the Celtics.
Miranda: The likelihood that at some point in the playoffs, KATâs gonna be in foul trouble, Mitch is gonna be injured and Ariel Hukportiâs playing 30+ minutes.
Kato: Iâm stuck between saying âthemselvesâ, and âroster constructionâ. I think talent-wise, they are, and should be, the favorites. But thereâs still a part of me that fears KATâs ability to hold up defensively more times than not through three or hopefully, four playoff series. And offensively, the Knicks still lack reliant ball handlers, and playmakers over the height of whatever Brunson, and Alvarado are listed as. But even with those roster limitations-the same ones they dealt with last season, they found themselves a couple games, and a historical choke job away from making the NBA Finals, even while being coached sub-optimally. That leads me to lean towards the former. If they are healthy, get their minds right, and show up, theyâre still good enough to win four out of seven times against most teams in the league.