Category: NBA

Y’all are chatty! The previous thread accrued over 1,000 comments in 11 days. Well done, we’re glad you’re here. Here’s the old thread in case you need to carry over.

Since the posting of the last thread, Dallas has lost the coinflip (firmly sitting in eight now) and Cooper Flagg has won Rookie of the Year.

Nothing else has happened and that stinks. I would like Dallas to hire a General Manager already! Granted, because we haven’t heard anything doesn’t mean much, but it’s stressful all the same.

Try out the FEED for one-off things. It’s supposed to drive more clicks and traffic. Those things help keep us at MMB.

Keep it civil, keep me posted on anything I need to know, and thanks for hanging out.

When the NBA playoffs began earlier this month, 19-year-old Zinzy was disappointed that the Memphis Grizzlies, his favorite team, weren’t in the mix.

The Grizzlies were fresh off a 25-game, rebuilding season and were on the outside looking in for the first time in years.

So, he had a goofy idea — what if he jokingly live-tweeted a fake playoff series, as a gimmick?

At first, he was planning on doing so with a good friend who was a Phoenix Suns fan, who was worried that his team might miss the playoffs, too.

“We were talking, and I was like, ‘Wouldn’t it be so funny if you got knocked out, if you didn’t qualify for the playoffs, and we just did this fake playoff series in our heads?’” Zinzy told SB Nation. “And he was like, ‘Yeah, that would be cool.’ And then, they made the playoffs eventually, and I was just like, that kind of sucks.”

But, after thinking about it a little bit more, he decided to do it anyway. In part, because it’d be funny. And, in part, because it was something to bring together a community that had long meant so much to him.

The rest was history — since his first Warriors-Grizzlies Tweets on April 18th, tens of thousands of NBA fans have posted Tweets and shared Instagram posts reacting to an NBA playoff series that isn’t actually taking place.

How the heck did we get here?

The story actually begins six years ago, in Nigeria

In 2020, Zinzy was a 13-year-old living in Nigeria who had never even taking a liking to basketball.

“I was very ignorant of the sport, right?” he recalled. “I was like, basketball is boring.”

Then, one night, a friend of his dragged him to watch a Grizzlies game on television at 2 am. Almost immediately, he found himself enthralled, drawn to the Grizzlies’ bright-blue uniforms and captivated by rising superstar Ja Morant.

After doing his homework, he learned that the franchise had never won an NBA title and had not had a ton of success relative to other teams. And, in a funny way, that made him want to become a Grizzlies fan even more.

“I did some research on all the teams. And I was like, ‘The Grizzlies don’t have any championships.’ And I love that. It sounds dumb saying it aloud. But, if I could go support a team, and I feel like I’m part of the bigger part of their history when they’re winning, then that would definitely feel good.”

Since 2020, there have been plenty of highs and plenty of lows. The Grizzlies made the playoffs four times in five years. They saw Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr, and Desmond Bane all become stars. Since that first watch, Zinzy estimates he’s watched more than 70% of Grizzlies games.

But the 2025-2026 season was a tough one. They traded away Bane in the offseason and Jackson Jr. ahead of the midseason trade deadline. Now, it appears like it could be the end of the road for Morant, too, with trade rumors circling the point guard all season.

So, on the heels of such a difficult season and the fanbase in flux, Zinzy viewed the gimmick as something silly that could bring the fanbase together.

The 2026 Warriors-Grizzlies playoff series began in a dorm room

One night, while studying for his final exams at the University of Manitoba in Canada, where he studies environmental design, he randomly began to live-tweet a fake series between the Grizzlies and the Warriors.

“I just got this idea, like – I can still do this on my own,” Zinzy said. “I can do it on Twitter, right? So I just, I tweeted fake stats of Ja and Steph in a Game 1 battle. Then right after that, a couple of days later, I decided to fake live-tweet Game 2 out of nowhere.”

He didn’t think much of it at first.

But, slowly but surely, other major fan accounts on NBA Twitter decided to get in on the bit. It helped that several Warriors fan accounts with big-time followings, like @WarriorsMuse and @BasketballPerformances, also jumped in and partook in the fictional series joke.

The whole thing really blew up on Monday night, when Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. were actually sitting courtside at an Orlando Magic playoff game to support their old Grizzlies teammate, Desmond Bane.

The broadcast kept panning over to Morant and Jackson Jr. each time they celebrated a Bane triple, and eventually, fans flocked to social media to post photos of Morant and Jackson Jr, jokingly writing captions along the lines of: “What are they doing?? They have a game tomorrow!”

“I just seen my timeline talking about, ‘Don’t they have a game?’” Zinzy said. “And I was like, ‘This is crazy. Like, why do so many people get the reference?’

Since that night, even official accounts like Overtime have gotten in on the joke. Zinzy has aligned the schedule of his fake Warriors-Grizzlies series with the ongoing Houston Rockets series against the Los Angeles Lakers series. He’s also gained more than 4,000 followers since the gimmick began almost two weeks ago.

Above all, the joke has brought joy and levity after what was a difficult season for diehard Memphis fans.

“I watched every game that I could,” he said. “And it’s crazy, because some of them, we were tanking… And I’ve tried, believe me, I’ve tried to detach myself from this team. I mean, the team is so bad. I say it all the time I could be doing plenty of other things with my time — and then I would still come home, put up my TV, sit down for two, two and a half hours, and watch us lose by thirty.”

He’s enjoying seeing that the joke he began in his dorm room just a few weeks ago has brought laughter to so many Grizzlies fans. The fanbase has provided him with an immense sense of community as he moved from Nigeria to Canada for college a few years ago. He used to livestream games with several other Grizzlies fan accounts, and today, he’s in several different group chats with thousands of other fans.

“We don’t just interact on the timeline,” Zinzy said. “We actually join groups, join DMs, we talk about other things outside of sports, talk about life. It’s just a really nice community. They don’t judge.

He’s never actually made it to Memphis, but that’s a dream he hopes to see realized sooner rather than later.

“The fanbase has been one of the best groups of people I’ve ever met – in real life, Twitter, TikTok, it’s great people everywhere.”

But until then?

Zinzy is preparing for a crucial Game 6 between the Grizzlies and Warriors, which tips off on Friday.

Duke basketball has a trio of nonconference games against top-tier programs next season. Each of the games will only be available on an exclusive platform.

The Blue Devils announced a multi-year partnership with Amazon Prime on Thursday, April 30, giving the platform exclusive access to multiple Duke basketball games each season. Duke's games agains Michigan, UConn and Gonzaga will air exclusively on the streaming platform in 2026-27.

REQUIRED READING: Jon Scheyer 'still digesting' Duke's March Madness collapse to UConn

"It's exciting to bring this relationship with Duke University to life, and we're looking forward to presenting this premium college basketball showcase to fans around the world next season and beyond," Amazon Prime Head of Sports Partnerships Charlie Neiman said in Duke's announcement. "Duke basketball games transcend the schedule, and the creation of this all-new offering gives fans more of what we all want, marquee matchups featuring the most successful programs in the nation."

LOS ANGELES — Not only have brooms been shoved back into closets, but another flight to Houston has also been booked.

​After being listed as a game-time decision for three straight matchups, Austin Reaves returned for the Lakers in Game 5 on Wednesday while superstar Kevin Durant remained out, putting Alperen Şengün at the top of LA’s scouting report.

Şengün dissected the Lakers’ defensive game plan, burning their consistent doubles by finding cutters or shooters with a patient offensive approach, leading Houston to a Game 5 win and shifting the entire feel of this series.

Houston’s All-Star came off two strong performances at home, where he put up 33 points in the overtime loss in Game 3, shooting an efficient 15-27 from the field and followed it up with 19 in their blowout rout of the Lakers in Game 4, drawing 13 free throws in the contest.

Instead of allowing any single coverage in the post, LA decided to send extra help on Wednesday and dared not only Şengün to make the right read, but Houston’s shooters to knock down their open shots.

The Rockets did both. It started early in the second quarter. Watch below as Jarred Vanderbilt completely leaves his man, Dorian Finney-Smith, in the corner to double up Şengün. A quick spin and a read from Şengün gets a wide open look that falls.

On the first possession of the third quarter, the Rockets posted Şengün up on the wing. LA zones up and flashes two defenders on him in the post. Houston patiently waits for the opening and finds Tari Eason cutting behind for the finish in the clip below.

In the few instances he got single coverage, the big man used his array of spin moves and soft touch to get shots like this one to go down.

​Şengün finished with 14 points on 5-9 shooting and a series high of eight assists. LA did force him into five turnovers, but the big man finished a game-high plus-8 on the floor in just over 43 minutes.

“He made good reads,” Marcus Smart said postgame. “We forced him to make some reads and he made the right reads. We knew he would. He’s an All-Star caliber player and really good at what he does but we got to go to the drawing board and see what else we can do and throw different looks at him.”

​LA doesn’t have very much time to reexamine the drawing board, as just one day of rest sits between both Game 6 and a potential Game 7. After a slow start to the series, Şengün is up to 22 points and five assists on 54% shooting from the field in the last three contests. Houston has a case to be up 3-2 if not for the late collapse in Game 3.

​One option is to increase Deandre Ayton’s minutes, who finished a plus-2, and the only guy head coach J.J. Redick allows for single coverage on Şengün. Another is leaning into small ball and removing backup center Jaxson Hayes from the rotation just as Rockets head coach Ime Udoka has done with big man Clint Capela.

They need to decide quickly, because they could be facing a catastrophic Game 7 before they know it.

​While Durant doesn’t seem likely to return in this series, a hungry and feisty Rockets team is growing in confidence and getting comfortable playing without their offensive star. They’ve reoriented around Şengün, and the Lakers will need answers or else their season could end much earlier than expected.

You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu

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The Philadelphia 76ers did well to win Game 5 on the road and now return home with a chance to force Game 7 against the Boston Celtics.

There are several players worth targeting in our NBA player prop projections and NBA picks below. Be sure to check out our Celtics vs. 76ers predictions for more.

Celtics vs 76ers computer picks for Game 6

Celtics	76ers
Hauser o6.5 points -125	Oubre Jr. o8.5 points -115
Brown o6.5 rebounds +102	Embiid u28.5 points -125
Tatum u25.5 points -115	Edgecombe o11.5 points -112

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Celtics Game 6 computer picks

Sam Hauser Over 6.5 points (-125)

Projection: 8.35 points

Sam Hauser went Over this total in just two of the five playoff games so far, but in the other three, he finished with exactly six each time. It's also a much lower bar to clear than the 8.5-point total he faced in Games 3 and 4.

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

Jaylen Brown Over 6.5 rebounds (+102)

Projection: 7.8 rebounds

Jaylen Brown finished with seven rebounds in three straight games before logging just five in Game 5. Tonight's projection calls for 7.8 rebounds and the plus-money price makes it an easy button to push.

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

Jayson Tatum Under 25.5 points (-115)

Projection: 23.58 points

Jayson Tatum has only scored 26+ points once in this series and also failed to reach that number in five straight games to close the regular season. Projections call for 23.58 tonight, which gives the Under lots of wiggle room at 25.5.

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

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76ers Game 6 computer picks

Kelly Oubre Jr. Over 8.5 points (-115)

Projection: 12.03 points

Kelly Oubre Jr. struggled in Games 4 and 5 but scored 10+ points in seven straight games before that and averaged 13 ppg across the first three games of this series. This line is too low on that fact alone.

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

Joel Embiid Under 28.5 points (-125)

Projection: 23.86 points

This is one of the biggest gaps between projection and total on tonight's board. Joel Embiid is 1-1 against this total in his two games back, and considering how prone he is to leaving the game with injury, the paths to the Under are much clearer than the Over.

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

VJ Edgecombe Over 11.5 points (-112)

Projection: 14.32 points

VJ Edgecombe's scoring has dipped since Embiid's return, but this total has made just as much of a dive after being as high as 15.5 in Game 3. The projections expect him to be much better at home tonight.

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

How to watch Celtics vs 76ers Game 6

Location	Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Date	Thursday, April 30, 2026
Tip-off	8:00 p.m. ET
TV	NBCSN/Peacock

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.

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Three teams will have the chance to advance to the second round of the playoffs in tonight’s NBA slate, with some great player props available in all three games.

My NBA predictions for tonight include seeing OG Anunoby and Payton Pritchard helping their teams finish off their opponents, while I also like Jamal Murray to help force a Game 7.

Read on below to see why I’m backing these player props and get my free NBA picks for Thursday, April 30.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
OG Anunoby	Over 7.5 rebounds	-105
Payton Pritchard	Over 4.5 assists	+120
Jamal Murray	Over 38.5 points + rebounds + assists	-110

Prop #1: OG Anunoby Over 7.5 rebounds

-105 at bet365

The New York Knicks have regained control of their series against the Atlanta Hawks behind outstanding performances by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. But OG Anunoby has also been key to New York’s success, averaging 20.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game in the series.

So far, Anunoby hasn’t had fewer than eight rebounds in a game in the series, grabbing 10 in both Game 4 and Game 5. That’s way up from his regular season average (5.2 rebounds per game), but there are two good reasons for the increase.

First, Anunoby is playing more, getting 37.6 minutes per game in the series. The Hawks are also a relatively poor rebounding team, ranking 20th this season in rebound rate (49.0%). I expect Anunoby to keep crashing the boards as the Knicks likely put away this series tonight.

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

Prop #2: Payton Pritchard Over 4.5 assists

+120 at bet365

Payton Pritchard had a rough game shooting from deep in Game 5, going just 1-for-5 from beyond the arc in the Philadelphia 76ers 113-97 win over the Boston Celtics. Pritchard has been up-and-down in his scoring, averaging 15.0 ppg in the series with a high of 32 points and a low of just four.

One place where Pritchard has remained consistent, however, has been as a distributor. In four of the five games of this series, the Celtics guard has had 5+ assists, a reminder that he dished out an average of 5.2 assists per game during the regular season.

Pritchard will always be a key third option in the Boston offense, but with Jaylen Brown (25.8 ppg) and Jayson Tatum (24.6 ppg) both putting in strong performances, he’s going to do more work in a support

role than as a leading scorer. That role should continue in Game 6, which is why I’m taking Pritchard to hit his assists total again tonight.

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

Prop #3: Jamal Murray Over 38.5 points + rebounds + assists

-110 at bet365

While Nikola Jokic has been inconsistent – at least by his standards – in this series, Jamal Murray has been a constant force keeping the Denver Nuggets alive against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Over the first five games of the series, Murray is averaging 26.0 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game, and outside of a dip in Game 3, his numbers have been similar every night.

Murray and the rest of the Nuggets have a bit of a break for the remainder of the series, as Anthony Edwards (28.8 ppg in the regular season) is done after his knee injury in Game 4. And while it’s not as big a loss, the fact that Donte DiVincenzo is out with an Achilles injury won’t help Minnesota either.

Murray has put up 40+ PRA in three of the first five games of this series. I expect Denver to lean on him and Jokic heavily to make sure they can win the final two games of this series and keep their postseason run alive. In Murray’s case, that means another all-around performance that allows him to hit the Over on his PRA total.

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

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

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

With the offseason officially underway for the Phoenix Suns, discussion on offseason plans will begin to run rampant over the next few weeks. Many have already started with fake trade proposals, and we will explore that here, too, but not today.

Instead, we will discuss the recent tweet from known Suns insider John Gambadoro, as he said this early this morning (for us East Coast people) and late last night for Suns fans.

Gambadoro stated that two of the Suns’ four free agents should be top priorities to retain. Those would be Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin. This would make sense for the Suns as both players were key pieces to the new culture and identity Phoenix wants to present, and both were hidden gems for the franchise as well.

Gillespie coming from the Denver Nuggets on a two-way deal and then Jordan Goodwin being waived by the Los Angeles Lakers allowed the Suns to get this dynamic duo. Early this week, I wrote about Collin Gillespie’s exit interviews, in which he stated that he and the franchise knew he wanted to be back in Phoenix next year. So hearing the news from Gambadoro is not much of a surprise, but the other name is nice to see as well.

As I stated earlier, Goodwin came over from the Lakers after being waived and had to compete for his roster spot at the beginning of the year against Jared Butler. He ended up winning that battle, and, luckily for both parties, that was a great benefit. Goodwin had a career year in his return to the Valley, averaging 8.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 41/37/70 in almost 23 minutes per game.

He had a career-high 6 threes in one contest vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder, allowing them to win that game while also being a key disruptor on the defensive end for Phoenix. His energy and hustle also earned him the Dan Majerle Hustle Award, which he was definitely the most deserving of. Goodwin would always throw his body on the line to make a winning play, and Jordan Ott fell in love with that from the get-go.

For Goodwin retaining him, like Gillespie, makes sense for the Suns, as he fits everything this team stands for and has carved out bigger roles for himself with this franchise. Both will have a market in free agency, but with the Suns knowing how much they mean to the core, it would make sense for them to come back on long-term deals.

Now, there is another free agent that Gambo mentioned as well, and that was Mark Williams.

It seems Williams is still on the Suns’ priority list, and that is a good sign. Even if Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach may be the future of this frontcourt, Williams is a great starter who can still help bridge the gap for the young bigs next year. The one issue the Suns may run into with him, though, is that he is a restricted free agent.

This allows the Suns to match any offer the team makes to Williams, unlike with Gillespie and Goodwin, but it also means a team could price the Suns out to secure him. That being said, last year, most restricted free agents did not get long-term deals; many just received the qualifying offer. Will Williams get that? I don’t think so. Even if he was injured for the last third of the season, he did play a career-high 60 games and was a nice change of pace for Phoenix in the front court. He will find himself with Phoenix, a team friend who also makes sure he can still develop here long term.

Phoenix likes most of its pieces and will retain their major features. Does that mean there are things they do not need to address? No, they will find a larger size, but it also shows that this internal development still has some ways to go. It’s exciting to see the team sticking together and buying back into a winning culture.

Change is coming to the Lakers’ G League team. The South Bay Lakers will become the Coachella Valley Lakers in 2026 as they move their games to Acrisure Arena.

The Lakers have had their G League team playing in South Bay since 2017, and before that, in 2006, they played at Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Center) before moving to El Segundo.

In a press release, the Lakers’ new President of Business Operations, Lon Rosen, talked about the move for the franchise’s G League team.

“Moving the Lakers G League team to the Coachella Valley is an incredible opportunity for the organization,” said Los Angeles Lakers President of Business Operations Lon Rosen. “The Lakers have had a strong presence in the region for decades, from the Showtime Lakers holding training camp in the 1980s to more recent preseason games. We are looking forward to extending that experience and becoming a staple for Coachella Valley sports and entertainment. Acrisure Arena is the perfect modern venue that provides an incredible fan-first experience, while ensuring players have the premium facilities and space they need on game day.”

There is no question that this is an upgrade for the Coachella Valley Lakers. This past season, they played games at the UCLA Health and Training Center, which is essentially the Lakers’ practice facility. While there were advantages to having them play near and around the main team, they couldn’t even seat 1,000 people during games.

Now, at Acrisure Arena, they can have as many as 11,000 people attending G League matchups.

In a press release, Acrisure Arena Senior Vice President John Page shared his enthusiasm for this partnership.

“Opportunities like this are simply not possible without the support and assistance of incredible partners,” said Acrisure Arena Senior Vice President John Page. “We would like to recognize the efforts put forth by Supervisor V. Manuel Perez and Visit Greater Palm Springs, who have worked in conjunction with Oak View Group, the Lakers organization and many others in order to welcome the G League to our town. We look forward to expanding upon our growing connection to the sports community with the addition of this storied franchise.”

The Lakers have already had a relationship with Acrisure Arena. LA played against Phoenix at the stadium for a preseason game, and clearly, that was a positive experience.

In a statement released to the press, Oak View Group Senior Partner Irving Azoff talked about the connection he has had with the most powerful members of the Lakers organization, including Jeanie Buss, Linda Rambis and Rosen.

“I have enjoyed a long-time relationship with Jerry and Jeanie Buss, Lon Rosen and Linda Rambis,” said Oak View Group Senior Partner Irving Azoff. “And I am beyond thrilled to have the Coachella Valley Lakers call OVG’s Acrisure Arena their home. Go Lakers.”

The Lakers have had plenty of success developing talent in the G League.

Bronny James had played games with South Bay, and players like Alex Caruso and Mac McClung played with the team during the early parts of their professional careers.

Now those moments won’t be happening in El Segundo and will instead take place in the Palm Desert.

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

A 3–2 series is maybe the trickiest one to gauge in sports. One team clearly has the advantage of needing to win just one of the remaining two games, and if said team was the winner of Game Five, as the Knicks were, then their confidence is likely high. But New York will be heading into an Atlanta arena that should be more hostile than Games Three and Four, which saw their fair share of Knicks fans. Not to mention the Hawks are also playing with their season on the line, making it the hardest game of the series to win. Despite having a one-game lead in the series, it oddly feels close to a must-win, seeing as a loss tonight means a Game Seven, where anything can happen.

That being said, the momentum and stats do side with the Knicks. Outside of the fourth quarter in a blowout Knicks win, and the second and third quarters of an even bigger blowout in Game Five, the Knicks have comfortably won each quarter. Not only have they won back-to-back games by 15+ points, they’ve outscored the Hawks by seven or more points in five of the last eight quarters. While starting guard Josh Hart is currently listed as questionable for tonight’s game, the Knicks have seemingly figured out how to slow down the Hawks’ offense while also solving the issues their defense caused.

It took close to 200 minutes of basketball longer than fans might have liked, but Mike Brown, Jalen Brunson, and the rest of the team have learned from their Game Two and Game Three transgressions and have arrived at a game plan that has been simple: take what the defense gives them and attack.

It’s hard to fathom what overtook them and their minds in their losses earlier, but it’s as if they were reminded that they are the more talented and more experienced team, and regardless of what the Hawks do, it’s on them to not shoot themselves in the foot. Atlanta is a capable team that deserves its flowers, but New York has a myriad of weapons it can use to dismantle its opponent.

Want to hone in on limiting Brunson? Play through Karl-Anthony Towns. Pivot and put Dyson Daniels on Towns? Let Brunson go to work. Face-guard both and pray? Look for OG Anunoby on the perimeter and let him knock down threes or attack closeouts. The Knicks currently have all the answers to what Quin Snyder and the Hawks have thrown at them.

But with how unpredictable the first round of this year’s playoffs has been, it would behoove the Knicks to continue putting their first-quarter struggles behind them and come out ready to match, if not exceed, the Hawks’ energy and fight. Regardless of Hart’s status, they must be prepared to withstand not just one or two, but multiple punches (theoretical, of course) from Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, McCollum, and anybody else capable of providing them with a memorable playoff spark. Doing so would not only advance them to the second round, but also serve as a statement game from a team that has repeatedly been labeled inconsistent and not good enough.

If Hart goes, expect an at-times ugly but gutsy performance from the wing. Other than that, I expect business as usual from Towns and Anunoby, who have continued to stand out as the two best players in the series. And while Brunson has had his share of ups and downs this series, the captain often saves his best for last. I’m predicting, and also hoping, he comes out just as patient, composed, and confident as he looked in Game Five to deliver another memorable performance. Manifesting a double-digit win for a Knicks team that will struggle to put away the Hawks early, but come alive in the second quarter.

Game Details

Who: New York Knicks (3-2) at Atlanta Hawks (2-3)
Date: Thursday, April 30, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Place: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
TV: ESPN
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

NEW YORK (AP) — Moussa Diabaté of the Charlotte Hornets was announced Thursday as the NBA’s Hustle Award winner for this season.

Unlike most of the year’s awards, this one was not done by voting. The NBA uses a ranking system that takes nine stats into account — offensive box outs, defensive box outs, screen assists, contested 2-pointers, contested 3-pointers, offensive loose balls recovered, defensive loose balls recovered, deflections and charges taken.

Diabaté ranked 11th or better among qualifying players leaguewide in six of those categories. He also posted career-high numbers in several categories, including points (7.9), rebounds (8.7) and assists (1.9) per game.

Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels was second, Golden State’s Draymond Green — last season’s Hustle winner — was third, Memphis’ Cedric Coward was fourth and New York’s Josh Hart was fifth.

This was the 10th season that the award has been handed out.

___

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

Former Kentucky basketball star and five-time NBA All-Star John Wall has been named president of basketball operations at Howard University, returning to Washington, D.C., in a major leadership role, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Howard officials confirmed the partnership, which positions Wall at the helm of one of the nation’s top HBCU basketball programs. Wall, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft after one season at Kentucky, played for the Washington Wizards from 2010-20 and now transitions to a front-office role focused on program building.

The idea reportedly began on January 31 when Wall served as Howard’s honorary captain for a game and expressed interest in eventually taking on a basketball operations position at the professional or collegiate level.

In his new role, Wall is already involved in roster evaluation, transfer portal decisions, recruiting discussions, NIL strategy, revenue-sharing planning, and player mentorship. School officials say he will help shape the long-term vision of the program.

Many fans around Kentucky basketball had hoped Wall might eventually take on a similar leadership or advisory role in Lexington after Mark Pope’s arrival, but that has not materialized heading into Year 3 of Pope’s tenure. Across college basketball, programs such as Duke with Jayson Tatum and Davidson with Stephen Curry have incorporated former stars into staff or advisory roles, reflecting a growing trend.

It will be interesting to see if Pope eventually gets a full-time GM and whether he brings in a former player for a similar position to what Wall and others have taken at their alma maters.

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The Atlanta Hawks have not only squandered a 2-1 series lead, but they have been blown out in the last two games against the New York Knicks.

Those routs create rather distinct Atlanta doubt in these Knicks vs. Hawks player props and NBA picks on Thursday, April 30.

Best Knicks vs Hawks props for Game 6

Player	Pick
Karl-Anthony Towns	Over 12.5 rebounds	+102
Nickeil Alexander-Walker	Under 17.5 points	-112
CJ McCollum	Under 3.5 assists	-130

Game 6 Prop #1: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 12.5 rebounds

+102 at bet365

The best-shooting center in NBA history has not lost his shot, not by any means. Karl-Anthony Towns has gone 8-of-17 from deep in this series, 47.1%. But taking only 3.4 shots from beyond the arc per game is a worry both for Towns and for the New York Knicks.

More worrying, Towns has taken only eight three-pointers in the last three games. Then again, he has snagged double-digit rebounds in each of the last three games.

Towns recognizes this is the rare matchup where his best advantage comes not on the perimeter against a sluggish big, but in the frontcourt against the undersized Atlanta Hawks. Grabbing 13.7 rebounds per game in the last three games emphasizes that edge.

Game 6 Prop #2: Nickeil Alexander-Walker Under 17.5 points

-112 at bet365

Even when the Hawks were leading this series, Nickeil Alexander-Walker was not pouring in the points. The Most Improved Player of The Year has not cleared this prop yet in five games in this series.

Even when Alexander-Walker went a combined 9-of-19 from beyond the arc in Games 4 and 5, he still scored only 15 and 16 points.

NAW averaged 15.3 shots per game this regular season. That has fallen to 12.6 per game in this series.

Some of that is a credit to Alexander-Walker; he is more focused defensively than on getting his own shot. But regardless of the reason, the drop has not been properly accounted for by oddsmakers.

Game 6 Prop #3: CJ McCollum Under 3.5 assists

--130 at bet365

Perhaps CJ McCollum caught the Knicks by surprise? That would obviously be reprehensible from the New York coaching staff, given McCollum is one of the best shooting guards of his generation and has always been ready to score 30 points on no notice. But perhaps?

He opened the series averaging 27 points per game while taking 20.3 shots per game through the first three games, when Atlanta opened up a 2-1 series lead.

But now that the Knicks coaching staff has been faced with a harsh reminder of his abilities, it is emphasizing getting the ball out of McCollum’s hands. He took only 25 shots total in the last two games.

One might think that leads to assists, but the ball is simply not finding any openings via McCollum. He dished out three assists in Game 4 and then just one in Game 5. Across this whole series, he has cleared this modest prop only once and has averaged 2.4 assists per game.

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

San Antonio has officially wrapped up the first round, winning its first playoff series since 2017. Naturally, now all eyes look ahead in a “hurry up and wait” situation, as the 3-6 matchup plays out between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets.

Regardless of how things play out, San Antonio sits in a position of advantage. Minnesota, who previously held a 3-1 lead (now 3-2), is the most likely winner. However, they are now beyond short-handed in the backcourt. Star shooting guard Anthony Edwards hyperextended his knee in Game 3, resulting in a bone bruise and hyperextended knee, while in the same game, Donte DiVincenzo tore his Achilles tendon. And now Bones Hyland is also questionable with left knee soreness.

This has left Ayo Dosunmu and Mike Conley to fill in the gaps. And while they certainly can and have managed against an also-hobbled Denver team — Dosunmu scored 43 points in game 3 and is averaging 21.8 points in the series — matching up against a defense fronted by Stephon Castle and backed by Victor Wembanyama is a whole other story. The Timberwolves were already short on playmaking this year until trading for Dosunmu at the deadline, and with Conley on the last sunsets of his career, it’s hard to imagine where the guard play will come from for the Timberwolves.

On the other side of things, Denver isn’t looking much better. Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic appears to have lost his jumper, averaging 19.4 percent from long range in the playoffs. This has completely stunted Denver’s offense, as they struggle to find scoring, averaging 108.7 points per 100 possessions: an offensive rating that would rank only slightly better than the worst offensive rating in the league this regular season.

Minnesota’s defense is no slouch, ranking eighth in regular-season defensive rating. Now imagine that same struggling Nuggets offense against the third-best regular-season defense, anchored by the Defensive Player of the Year. It wouldn’t be a great time for the hoopers from Mile High.

Defensively, the Nuggets are also struggling. They finished 21st in regular-season defensive rating. This combined with the fact that Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson, the Nuggets’ best defenders, are questionable and out with injuries, does not bode well for them.

Looking at how they all stack up, it wouldn’t be surprising if it went to 7 games. These two teams have a history, and as their rivalry writes another chapter, it’s a total toss-up as to who will win the honor of traveling to San Antonio for their next challenge.

Profiling both of these potential opponents only highlights why the Spurs need to capitalize on this run as best they can right now. When looking at legacies in the NBA, the term “championship window” is often brought up. It’s an apt metaphor because a window can be opened and closed so easily and often can be shuttered by luck.

Denver was a championship team only three seasons ago but hasn’t been back to even the Conference Finals since. Conversely, Minnesota is a team that has been to the Conference Finals in the last two consecutive seasons. And while that is the best playoff success of the franchise’s history, they haven’t managed to get over the hump to the last round.

There are dozens of similar stories; the overall message is that winning is hard, and if a team finds itself in a position to do so, it needs to make the most of it. Nothing is given, but at the current moment, the Spurs look to have a definitive advantage in the second round.

The 2026 NBA Playoffs continues with a thrilling night of action on Thursday, including the Denver Nuggets battling to stave off elimination against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Minnesota currently leads the series 3-2 and is just one win away from clinching the Western Conference first-round matchup.

Now, the Timberwolves’ hope to advance without their star guard, Anthony Edwards.

Edwards sustained a significant injury in Game 4 against the Nuggets, landing awkwardly after a play that caused his left knee to bend unnaturally. He immediately fell to the floor in visible pain and was forced to exit the game for medical evaluation. Following a thorough assessment, team doctors diagnosed Edwards with a bone bruise and hyperextension in his left knee. As a result, he is expected to miss multiple weeks, leaving a major gap in the Timberwolves' lineup as they look to close out the series.

Taking advantage of Edwards' absence, the Nuggets capitalized on the opportunity and secured a 125-113 victory in Game 5 on Tuesday. The win keeps Denver’s playoff hopes alive and shifts the pressure back onto Minnesota as the series heads toward a decisive Game 6.

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