Category: NBA

Welcome to the NBA's changing of the guard.

We're down to four teams, the NBA's conference finals, and the old guard is out. No LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant (his team didn't even make the postseason), or even a Jayson Tatum in sight.

There is still plenty of star power — the next generation is rising. Here are the top 10 players still playing as the NBA conference finals begin.

1) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City)

If he wasn't going to be on top of these power rankings before, he cemented his grip on the top spot Sunday with 35 points to lead the Thunder in a close-out Game 7 — the best performer stepped up on the biggest stage.

" You know who this is? The MVP," Chet Holmgren said, standing next to Gilgeous-Alexander in the team's walk-off interview after the win.

SGA is averaging 29 points, 6.4 assists and 5.9 rebounds a game in the playoffs, all while playing high-level defense and pitching in 1.5 steals a night. This is the best player on the best team remaining, and he is the best player left in the postseason.

2) Jalen Brunson (New York)

Sometimes a player wins one of the NBA's postseason awards, then goes out in the playoffs and shows exactly why — Jalen Brunson was voted the NBA's Clutch Player of the Year and has more than lived up to that in these playoffs.

Brunson is averaging 28.8 points and 7.7 assists a game for the Knicks this postseason, he is the engine of their playoff offense. The Knicks' offense falls off a cliff when Brunson is not on the court (New York has a 97.1 net rating when he is off the court this postseason, 18.7 points less than when he is on). Brunson has secured his Knicks legend status, which will only grow if he can lead New York to the NBA Finals.

3) Anthony Edwards (Minnesota)

We have been able to watch Edwards grow throughout these playoffs, to figure out the mental side of the game and take a step forward with each game. Golden State has a quality defense that threw different looks at him, and you could see him figuring out how to handle and attack them in real time. Edwards continues down the path to becoming one of the true faces of the league.

These playoffs, Edwards is averaging 26.5 points, 8 rebounds, and 5.9 assists a game, shooting 38.5% on 3-pointers (and taking 9.1 a game). Edwards is not done being tested by strong defenses — Lu Dort, Alex Caruso and the Oklahoma City Thunder are on another level, and Edwards being able to take care of the ball will be a key stat in that series.

4) Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana)

The focus coming into the last round was all the stars on the Cleveland Cavaliers, but while they stumbled through the series it was Haliburton who was the best player on the floor. Through the playoffs, he is averaging 17.5 points, 9.3 assists, and 5.5 rebounds a game, but the numbers (especially his 33.8% shooting from 3) don't tell the story — he is the conductor of a high-paced symphony of an offense. Also, he's been as clutch as Brunson this postseason.

And don't forget this one:

5) Julius Randle (Minnesota)

Minnesota is in the Western Conference Finals because Julius Randle outplayed Draymond Green in the last round.

"I lost my matchup," Green said after the Timberwolves eliminated the Warriors. "Julius was incredible. He played great basketball. Honestly, some of the shots he was taking were shots you want him to take, and he made them. He made the shots. At the end of the day, the game comes down to shotmaking and he made the shots. So I got to give Ju a lot of credit."

Randle is averaging 23.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.9 assists a game this postseason. It took most of the regular season for Randle and Rudy Gobert to figure out how to fit next to each other, but they do now and the Timberwolves are a threat because of it.

6) Karl-Anthony Towns (New York)

Towns has already had a strong playoffs, averaging 19.9 points and 11.3 rebounds a game. With Mitchel Robinson healthy, the Knicks have two dominant bigs on the floor, which has been a big part of what has fueled them to this point.

Towns' biggest days may be ahead of him: He averaged 30.3 points and 12 rebounds a game against the Pacers this season, having some of his best nights of the regular season, including a 40-point, 12-rebound game after the All-Star break. He will need to do that again if the Knicks are going to advance.

7) Pascal Siakam (Indiana)

Siakam is arguably the most underrated player in the NBA, and he has experience on this stage that his team needs. Don't forget that he has a ring from Toronto. Siakam knows what is required in order to win at this level, and how to do so next to a red-hot superstar.

Siakam is averaging 18.8 points and 6.2 rebounds a game these playoffs, numbers close to what he did during Toronto's title run (19 points and 7.1 rebounds), plus he is a quality defender who gives Rick Carlisle options in slowing New York's attack.

8) Jalen Williams (Oklahoma City)

Williams has been incredibly inconsistent this postseason, but when the Thunder have needed him most he has stepped up, like his 24 points and +35 performance in Game 7 against Denver. For the playoffs, Williams is averaging 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists a game. The Thunder need Williams to be more consistent in this series and especially in the NBA Finals (if they advance).

9) Myles Turner (Indiana)

Myles Turner was tough against the Cavaliers. Going up against a physical and impressive front court of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, Turner was the best big on the floor — and often the most physical — in helping spark the Indiana win. Turner is averaging 16.5 points and 6 rebounds a game, but most importantly, 2.5 blocked shots a game. He has been a force in the paint and needs to be again when facing Brunson and friends.

10) Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City)

Much like Jalen Williams, Holmgren has not been consistent or efficient as the Thunder need this postseason (which is why this spot almost went to Andrew Nembhard of the Pacers), but he's done just enough to earn it. Holmgren is averaging 15.7 points and 9.7 rebounds a game, plus 2.2 blocks a night in these playoffs. He's a big presence in the paint who needs to have a big series against the size of Minnesota if OKC is to advance.

The NBA prioritizes parity over dynasties, and with that the path to repeat as NBA champions is intentionally difficult. The NBA is also set up to make it incredibly difficult to keep a contending team together for any reasonable length of time. That is especially true in the tax aprons era of the latest CBA.

The Boston Celtics have run headlong into the wall of both of those realities, which is why change is coming this summer.

The only question is how much.

How Boston got here

Boston was riding high after last season’s NBA title, so it didn’t make many changes last summer and ran it back, which was the right thing to do. Throw in the franchise sale and the decision was made to punt on the big financial questions for a year, knowing the price tag to continue down that path would eventually get too steep. Look at it this way: To bring back Boston’s starting five for next season (2025-26) would cost about $188 million, and the second apron of the luxury tax is expected to be $207.8 million. To keep this full Celtics roster together next season would set a record of more than $500 million in payroll and luxury tax (including a steep repeater tax that kicks in).

There had been buzz around the league for more than a year that the Celtics would have to trade away a core player or two to save money this coming summer, and that was before Tatum tore his Achilles and cast a shadow over next season.

This year, the Celtics were bounced from the playoffs much earlier than expected, in the second round at the hands of the New York Knicks. Part of that was this Boston team that leaned even more heavily into 3-pointers than the championship squad — 53.6% of their shot attempts were from beyond the arc during the season. Even with a top-five defense and a team that still scored well around the rim when they got there, this team was at the mercy of 3-point variance. When Orlando came out with a plan in the first round of the playoffs to take away those 3-point attempts (a model New York followed), it put the Celtics on their back foot and they had some less-than-stellar games.

Bad luck also played a role in the early exit. There was Kristaps Porzingis’ respiratory illness slowing him, Jaylen Brown playing through a torn meniscus, and then Jayson Tatum’s torn Achilles. That last injury leads to the big question before Brad Stevens and the Celtics’ brass heading into this offseason:

How big a change does Boston make?

If Tatum were healthy, we likely would have seen Boston move away from one (maybe two) rotation players, replace them with younger or minimum-contract players, and hope that the depth would hold out. That is still an option, perhaps even the most likely one.

Or, the Celtics can treat next season more as a “gap year” — not trying to lose, but accepting it may not be a championship season — giving them more time to be aggressive and retool the roster to contend with Tatum once he’s healthy. How many moves the Celtics make and who will be sent out depends on how Stevens answers the “how big” question.

Let’s look at players who could be on the move.

Jrue Holiday/Derrick White

We’re combining the guards because it was already expected that one of them would be out the door, even before Tatum’s injury.

Holiday is more likely to be moved, according to league sources. Holiday will be 35 next season and has three years, $104 million left on his contract, starting at $32.4 million. He’s a proven, winning two-way point guard who will draw interest — there are teams like Orlando where Holiday would be a fantastic fit — but with his age and contract, this is not an easy deal to make. The Celtics may need to attach a second-round pick or something else of value to get another team to take on that contract.

While rumors are flying around Holiday, he made it clear, speaking to reporters at his exit interview, he wants to stay in Boston and compete for a title.

“We still have a really, really great opportunity and a great window to be successful and win a championship again,” Holiday said. “I think the talent that we have on this team, not only on the court, but the coaching staff all the way up to Brad, has been amazing. So, the opportunity to win is now, and I still want to be a part of that.”

White, who will be 31 next season, has four years, $118 million remaining on his contract. That deal may be too good to trade away, other teams will ask but they will have to blow away Boston with an offer to make it a reality.

Kristaps Porzingis

He has an expiring $30.7 million contract and is the kind of stretch big in high demand all over the league. He’s also coming off two straight playoffs where he missed time due to injury, and he has been out for 65 regular-season games since coming to Boston.

The Celtics will make calls to try and find a new home for Porzingis, but the market for him is not that deep, especially at that price tag. Again, the Celtics might have to attach another player or a pick to move on from him.

Jaylen Brown

It would be devastating to the fan base — and the ultimate example of why the new CBA with its aprons is bad for fans who want to watch their team draft a player and win with him — but the Celtics have to at least consider trading him this summer.

Brown is 28, in his prime, and next season his five-year, $285.4 million contract kicks in. It's going to be expensive to keep Brown and Tatum together and have enough around them to contend, which is why if a team like Houston (with good young players and picks) calls and wants to talk Brown trade, Stevens has to consider it.

Brown isn't looking to move on. He talked about playing through his meniscus injury and his desire to come back and win in Boston after the team was eliminated.

“Losing to the Knicks feels like death,” Brown said. “But I was always taught that there’s life after death, so we’ll get ready for whatever’s next in the journey. I’ll be ready for it.”

“I’m looking forward to coming back stronger, so you just take this with your chin up,” Brown added. “I know Boston, it looks gloomy right now, obviously with JT being out and us kind of ending the year, but it’s a lot to look forward to. I want the city to feel excited about that. This is not the end, so I’m looking forward to what’s next.”

Luke Kornet

Kornet is a free agent this summer who will have better offers from other teams than the Celtics are willing to pay. It’s difficult to see how Boston can afford to bring him back, unless there is room after a major move this summer. Kornet had a strong Game 5, and that should help him get a deal in a spot where he will get more run.

Al Horford

Horford is a free agent who will be 39 next season. He’s still good enough that will be a contract for him if he wants to play, but it won’t be in Boston.

Tatum talked about retirement at his exit interview.

"I'm going to take some time here with my wife and my kids," Horford said. "There's still a lot for me to process, feeling everything out from last night -- that was difficult.”

On Thursday, May 22, the Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33) and Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14) are all set to square off from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.

Oklahoma City closeout Denver in Game 7 at home, 125-93 behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 35 points and exquisite defense from Alex Caruso and company. The Thunder will have a quick turnaround with a few days off to host the Timberwolves who last played on May 14.

Minnesota beat Golden State in five games after Steph Curry went down with an injury in Game 2. The Timberwolves beat the Lakers in five games over the first round, so Minnesota has a clear rest advantage. The Timberwolves won four-straight games to close out the Warriors series, but it's worth noting that both OKC and Minnesota are 1-1 in Game 1's this postseason.

The Timberwolves are currently 24-17 on the road with a point differential of 5, while the Thunder have an 8-2 record in their last ten games at home. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.

Game details & how to watch Timberwolves vs. Thunder live today

• Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025
• Time: 8:30 PM EST
• Site: Paycom Center
• City: Oklahoma City, OK
• Network/Streaming: ESPN

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Timberwolves vs. Thunder

The latest odds as of Thursday:

• Odds: Timberwolves (+245), Thunder (-305)
• Spread:  Thunder -7.5
• Over/Under: 215.5 points

That gives the Timberwolves an implied team point total of 103.5, and the Thunder 111.5

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Thursday’s Timberwolves vs. Thunder game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the Thunder in 7 games, but is fading their team total in Game 1:

"Oklahoma City doesn't have any favors with limited rest as they take on Minnesota in the Conference Finals. The Thunder are almost -400 favorites to win the series and while they've been the best team in the West all year — there is a chance Minnesota gets a game or two in the first four.

I like the value of +370 to +400 on the Thunder to win in seven games compared to a gentleman's sweep of 4-1 for +300 (the favorite). I lean toward OKC 4-2 for +475 as my second choice.

With a little over a week of rest for Minnesota and OKC playing seven games in a grind of a series, I like the Thunder's Team Total Under 111.5 for Game 1. The Timberwolves held the Lakers to 95 points and the Warriors to 99 points in their two Game 1's. I would consider Minnesota ML as teams that likely cover win and that's the side I lean."

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Timberwolves & Thunder game:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Minnesota Timberwolves at +7.5.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 215.5

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Timberwolves vs. Thunder on Thursday

• Oklahoma City and Minnesota are 1-1 ATS and on the ML in Game 1's this postseason
• Minnesota has four straight games and is 4-1 on the road this playoffs
• Oklahoma City is 5-1 at home in the playoffs
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 or more points in three straight games
• Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle combined to average 58.8 PPG in the second round

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

While the NBA Playoffs are in full swing, now is a good time to recap the fantasy basketball season for all 30 teams.

In the following weeks, we will provide a recap for each team, starting with the team with the worst record and concluding with the NBA champion in June.

Today, we’re looking at a team whose future is oh so bright after an historic turnaround in 2024-25.

Detroit Pistons 2024-2025 Season Recap

Record: 48-34 (6th, East)

Offensive Rating: 114.6 (14th)

Defensive Rating: 112.5 (10th)

Net Rating: 2.1 (12th)

Pace: 100.27 (11th)

2025 NBA Draft Picks: 37th pick

The Pistons became the first team in NBA history to triple their win total from the previous, 82-game season when they went from 14 wins in 2023-24 to 48 wins in 2024-25.

Detroit has been a laughingstock in the Association for years, but the 2024-25 Pistons pushed for 50 wins and played competitive basketball throughout the season.

Detroit delivered its first playoff appearance since 2019, but this one was different. Between 2003-2008, the Pistons made it to the Conference Finals or better each season, but from 2009-2024, the team made the playoffs only three times and was swept in each series.

Detroit won two games in this year’s playoffs, marking the Pistons’ first playoff wins in over 15 years. The 48 wins were also the most in that span.

Last season showed that franchise cornerstone Cade Cunningham can lead a team to the postseason and make it a contender with the right pieces in place. The long-time cellar dwellers showed just how quickly a franchise’s fortunes can change, and the importance of Detroit’s season for the fanbase cannot be understated.

For the first time in more than a decade, there is hope and excitement in the Motor City for Pistons basketball.

Let’s recap last season’s fantasy performances and look ahead to 2025-26.

Fantasy Standout and Revelation: Cade Cunningham

There were no players on Detroit’s roster outside of Cade who could be defined as revelations, so he gets that title along with standout. Cunningham took a major leap in 2024-25, averaging 26.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 9.1 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.8 blocks and 2.1 triples. He shot 46.9% from the floor, 84.6% from the charity stripe and 35.6% from beyond the arc.

The points, assists, triples, field goal percentage and three-point percentage were all career highs, but most importantly, so were his games played. In his fourth season, Cunningham logged a career-best 70 games while playing a career-high 35 minutes a night, putting durability concerns to bed after three seasons with trouble staying healthy.

The do-it-all guard finished with a career-high 18 assists when he posted a 20/11/18 triple-double against the Heat on December 16. That was one of his career-high nine triple-doubles, tied for fifth-most in the NBA. Cunningham posted two triple-doubles as a rookie and none in each of the next two seasons.

Cunningham was an elite facilitator and a strong rebounder for a guard, but he was magnificent as a scorer, too. He finished with 23 30-point games, and his 13 games with at least 35 points was good for fifth-most in the NBA.

Set to turn 24 in the offseason, Cade hasn’t yet played his best basketball, and he’s one of the most promising young guards in the Association. He’s got 30/10 upside so long as he can stay healthy, and fantasy managers should consider taking him in the first two rounds of 2025-26 drafts after he finished 25th in per-game value last season.

Fantasy Disappointment: Jalen Duren

Duren finished 77th in per-game fantasy value behind averages of 11.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.7 steals and 1.1 blocked shots across 26.1 minutes per game. The big man shot 69.2% from the floor and 66.9% from the charity stripe while committing 1.7 turnovers.

Duren set new career marks in blocked shots, field goal percentage and assists, and his fantasy finish narrowly topped last season’s. He played a career-high 78 games, but Duren’s third season felt like meat was left on the bone.

In his second season, Duren averaged 13.8 points and 11.6 rebounds across 29.1 minutes per game, and it looked like he was ready to take the next step in 2024-25. Instead, Detroit divvied up minutes evenly across the roster, and Duren’s playing time was cut.

Duren finished with a career-high six blocked shots against the Nets on March 1, turning in an 18/11/2/2/6 line. He set a new career mark in the assists department when he handed out seven against the Sixers on February 7. Duren recorded 41 double-doubles in 78 appearances after going for 44 in just 61 games a season ago.

In a vacuum, Duren’s 2024-25 season was a huge success, but given his 2023-24 performance and career trajectory, it felt like a big disappointment. The sky’s the limit for the 21-year-old center, but how high he flies moving forward is largely dependent on how much playing time he’s given.

Fantasy Recaps/Look-Aheads

Tobias Harris:

After spending the last five and a half seasons with Detroit, Tobi signed on for a second stint with the Pistons on a two-year, $52 million deal last offseason.

The veteran showed that he still has plenty left in the tank, as he averaged 13.7 points, 5.9 boards, 2.2 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.8 blocks and 1.2 triples while shooting 47.7% from the floor, 86.1% from the charity stripe and 34.5% from beyond the arc and committing just 1.2 turnovers.

The points were Harris’ fewest since the 2012-13 season but so were his 11 field goal attempts. On a team with Cade Cunningham and a number of lethal shooters, Harris didn’t need to do a ton on offense, and he played his role perfectly for a Pistons team that shocked the Association with a playoff appearance.

Heading into his 15th season, Harris should be a valuable later-round option for fantasy managers after finishing 76th in per-game value in 2024-25. He logged at least 70 games for the fourth straight season and the eighth time in nine seasons, so durability is not a concern. Expect him to play a similar role for the Pistons in 2025-26.

Ausar Thompson:

The versatile two-way forward finished the 2024-25 campaign with averages of 10.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.7 blocks and 0.2 triples. He shot 53.5% from the floor, 64.1% from the charity stripe and 22.4% from beyond the arc while committing just 1.4 turnovers.

Thompson’s playing time dropped from 25.1 minutes per game to 22.5, but he started 54 of his 59 appearances after starting only 38 of 63 games as a rookie.

The second-year man delivered a career-high seven assists with a 19/5/7 performance against the Bulls on February 12. He set a new personal best in the steals department with six against the Timberwolves on January 4.

Thompson finished 144th in per-game fantasy value, and he should only continue improving. Despite fewer minutes, he set new career highs in points, assists, steals and all shooting percentages. He’s worth a look in the final rounds of 2025-26 fantasy drafts.

Malik Beasley:

Beasley offered arguably the best bang for his buck of any NBA player this season. He signed a one-year, $6 million deal with Detroit in the offseason and delivered historic numbers.

Beasley appeared in all 82 games last season and averaged 16.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.9 steals and a career-high 3.9 triples per game. He shot the lights out from beyond the arc, hitting 41.6% of his three-point attempts.

Beasley finished the season with a Pistons franchise-record 319 made three-pointers, good for eighth-most in a single season all time. He became just the fifth player in league history with 300 made triples in a single season.

Beasley will surely command more than $6 million a year on the open market, and teams should line up for the services of a guy who can score 20 off the bench and provide elite floor spacing on any given night. For fantasy managers, he’s useful as a points and triples specialist, but production in any other category will likely be lacking.

Isaiah Stewart:

“Beef Stew” was more notable for his silly nickname and his on-court fights than for meaningful basketball contributions this season. The big man’s minutes and production were cut dramatically this year, and he finished 182nd in per-game fantasy value.

Stewart averaged 6.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.4 steals and 1.4 swats across 19.9 minutes per game. The points, rebounds and minutes were all career lows, while the blocked shots were a career high. Stewart shot 55.9% from the floor and 75.9% from the charity stripe, making 2024-25 the most efficient shooting season of his career. After averaging better than 1.3 made three-pointers across the last two seasons, he made just 0.2.

Stewart started 92 of his 96 appearances across the last two seasons, but he started just four of his career-high 72 games in 2024-25. The big man is likely to remain in a bench role moving forward, particularly with the strong play of veteran Tobias Harris. There’s no need to select Stewart in 2025-26 fantasy hoops drafts.

Dennis Schroder:

The veteran played for a sixth team in four seasons after getting dealt to Detroit, but he made an immediate impact with averages of 13.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.7 triples. Schroder’s shooting splits left much to be desired, but he offered veteran leadership and ran the offense effectively off the bench.

Schroder was a far better on-court presence than he was a fantasy hoops contributor. He showed out in the playoffs, offering key fourth quarter minutes in multiple games, including the Pistons’ Game 2 victory.

Schroder is set to hit the open market this summer, and he’ll likely look to sign with a contender if he chooses not to return to Detroit.

Jaden Ivey:

The 2024-25 season was a lost one for Ivey who unfortunately appeared in just 30 games due to a broken left fibula. The young guard averaged a number of career highs before getting injured, going for 17.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 2.1 triples while shooting 46% from the field and 40.9% from beyond the arc.

Ivey was quite durable across his first two seasons, missing just 13 total games in that span, so availability shouldn’t be a question for Ivey moving forward. He’s expected to be ready for the start of the 2025-26 campaign, and fantasy managers will hope he takes another step forward.

Tim Hardaway Jr.:

After spending the last five seasons with the Mavericks, THJ signed a one-year deal with Detroit to help address the team’s three-point deficiencies. He provided 11 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 2.2 triples across 28 minutes per game and helped space the floor for Cade Cunningham.

Hardaway Jr. shot 40.6/85.5/36.8 splits and offered little outside of the three-pointers category. A hot-and-cold scorer, he posted a handful of big scoring performances to go with quite a few duds.

Set for free agency this summer, it’s unclear where he’ll sign, but the long-range specialist should have no problem latching on with a team in need of shooting.

Restricted Free Agents: Daniss Jenkins

Unrestricted Free Agents: Paul Reed, Malik Beasley, Dennis Schroder, Lindy Waters III, Tim Hardaway Jr.

Club Option: None

Player Option: None

Oklahoma City has the likely MVP on its roster, but all season long its calling card was its defense — getting stops and turning those into transition offense fueled a 68-win regular season.

It also led to a Game 7 win against Denver — particularly in an 18-5 run to end the first half, which changed the game.

That run had the Nuggets up by 14 at the half, a lead that stretched to 23 just a minute-and-a-half into the second half. It was all Thunder the rest of the way and by 9:12 in the fourth quarter it was a 30-point game and Nuggets interim coach David Adelman emptied his bench.

In the end it was a 125-93 win that puts the Thunder through to the Western Conference Finals, taking the series 4-3. Minnesota will be in Oklahoma City on Tuesday night to open the West finals.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looked like an MVP with 35 points on 12-of-19 shooting Sunday, but what won the game was the Thunder's role players stepping up:

• Jalen Williams scored 24 points with seven assists.

• Alex Caruso did a brilliant job as the primary defender on Nikola Jokic, harassing the two-time MVP into a human night (20 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists) while scoring 11 points himself.

• Chet Holmgren had 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Those points didn’t come because the Thunder were bombing away from 3 — they shot 30.8% on the night — but in the paint, where the Thunder scored 64 points before both coaches emptied their benches. It took seven games, but the Thunder finally figured out how to score against the Nuggets' zone defense, by getting the ball to a player at the free throw line and having a strong finisher cutting out of the dunker’s spot.

Denver looked the more comfortable team in the bright lights early, racing out to a 21-10 lead. Oklahoma City was pressing, missing 3s (they started 0-of-6) and aiming shots. The Nuggets have been here and done this, they got to the rim and with that got eight early free throws.

Aaron Gordon played through a strained hamstring and gave it everything he had, finishing with eight points and 11 rebounds, but he moved slowly all night and was a shell of himself. Christian Braun made plays and stepped up with 19 points, but after that, things fell off. Jamal Murray was 6-of-16 shooting in the face of defensive pressure from Lu Dort and Cason Wallace.

Denver led by five after one quarter, but to start the second David Adelman sat both Jokic and Murray, and the result was a 6-0 Thunder run 1:02 that put Oklahoma City back in the lead.

It was close most of the second quarter until the 18-5 run at the end. Things just snowballed from there.

Denver now heads into an offseason without a formal head coach — although after this run and his performance, David Adelman should have the interim tag removed — and they need to find a new general manager. That person will walk a fine line, trying to find a way to get more around Nikola Jokic while he’s in his prime — more shooting, more athleticism, more depth — and doing so while not spending deep into the luxury tax.

UPDATE: In the face of a report that Aaron Gordon has a Grade 2 hamstring strain that should sideline him for a month, Gordon will start Game 7 on Sunday and play for the Denver Nuggets in Oklahoma City.

How well Gordon will move and how well he can play are up for debate, but he will be out there. Expect the Thunder to test him early, dragging him into pick-and-rolls and making him move laterally.

What follows is our story on ESPN's report that Gordon was unlikely to play on Sunday due to his hamstring.

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Officially, heading into Game 7 in Oklahoma City Sunday, Anthony Gordon is listed as questionable. Denver coach David Adelman talked up how Gordon would go through the morning walkthrough with the team and would be a game-time decision.

Reality is Gordon has a Grade 2 hamstring strain and not only will he be out for Game 7 but he would need weeks to heal and would miss the Western Conference Finals if the Nuggets advance, reports Shams Charania of ESPN. The reality is he will be out closer to a month.

Gordon strained his hamstring in the final minutes of the Nuggets’ Game 6 win on Thursday, going so far as to check himself out in the final minute. There was concern in Denver about the injury after the game, although Gordon said he would be okay, and he has searched for a way to be able to play Sunday. It just will not be possible.

Gordon has averaged 16.8 points and 7.3 rebounds a game while playing strong defense in these playoffs, and he hit the game-winning shot in Game 1.

Without him, it's a big ask for Peyton Watson and other Nuggets reserves to step up on a big stage.