Category: NBA

At least publicly, Mitchell Robinson isn’t holding a grudge against Joel Embiid.

When the Knicks and the 76ers met in the playoffs two years ago, Embiid’s flagrant foul, in which he grabbed Robinson’s left leg while he was airborne, eventually cut Robinson’s postseason short.

Then-teammate Donte DiVincenzo called it a dirty play.

Asked about it Sunday, Robinson took the high road.

“I don’t [think he’s a dirty player]. I really don’t live in the past,” he said, as the Knicks prepared to host the 76ers for Game 1 of the second-round series. “It is what it is. I just move on.”

Robinson is focused on slowing down the superstar center and helping the Knicks return to the Eastern Conference finals.

He will have a major role, not only defending Embiid, but as one of the key pieces to the Knicks defense overall.

In the opening-round series against the Hawks, the 7-footer was terrific, averaging 6.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and a block in 14 minutes per game.

The Knicks outscored the Hawks by 20.5 points per 100 possessions with Robinson on the floor.

Embiid is coming off a strong series himself, averaging 28 points and nine rebounds after missing the first three games of the playoffs following emergency surgery for appendicitis late in the regular season.

“He’s a great player, and it’s fun playing against him,” Robinson said.

Asked the key to defending Embiid, Robinson said: “Watch out for fouls.”

In Game 6, the Knicks destroyed the Hawks, winning by a franchise playoff-record 51 points.

Robinson wasn’t around for the on-court celebration.

He was ejected in the second quarter after getting into an altercation with Hawks guard Dyson Daniels.

And this is exactly why I’m rooting for Philly to beat Boston.

Mitchell Robinson is finally healthy, and it’s time for him to get his get back on Embiid for this dirty play. pic.twitter.com/R6TwFPSzgR

— Big Knick Energy (@BigKnickEnergy_) May 2, 2026

“Two grown men playing competitive basketball, kind of the nature of this game,” Robinson said.

He was also fined $50,000, in part for a social media post in which he mocked Daniels by retweeting a reel of an AI singing rodent that included graphic lyrics.

He received a call from the league office about it.

“Honestly, I forgot,” Robinson said when asked the nature of the conversation. “I wasn’t paying attention.”

Most importantly, Robinson wasn’t suspended for the dustup and will be available for Game 1 against Embiid and the 76ers.

The Knicks are going to need him.

“He can be big. Mitch is unique, so no matter who we play, Mitch is extremely important to what we’re trying to do, the way he offensive rebounds, the way he’s a vertical threat in the pick-and-roll game, the way he protects the rim, his versatility guarding,” coach Mike Brown said. “All that stuff is extremely important for us in this series. We need him to bring it at a high level, as well as everybody else.”

The Cleveland Cavaliersdid enough to get past a plucky Toronto Raptors team that put up a much better fight than we thought going into the series. Now, they have their hands full against a 60-win Detroit Pistons team.

The Pistons didn’t look like the juggernaut they were in the regular season in the first four games of their first-round series against the Orlando Magic. All of the concerns about their offense not being able to translate to the playoffs were validated. That was, until things changed in the last three games.

Whether or not you want to attribute the Pistons’ coming back from their 3-1 deficit to their grit and determination or if you want to chalk it up to the Magic folding is up to you. Both views are valid. What we can confidently say is that there are ways that this Pistons team will really push the Cavs.

Detroit had the second-best defense in the league throughout the regular season. That is mostly attributed to their ability to keep teams from getting to the basket. They limited their opponents to the fifth-fewest shots at the rim throughout the year. And when they did allow a look in the restricted area, teams converted on only 62.8% of those attempts, which is the second-best percentage in the league.

Their biggest strength carried over to the playoffs. The Pistons had the best defensive rating in the first round (103.2). The principles that made them so formidable in the regular season were present against Orlando. The Magic converted only 56.2% of their looks at the rim.

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This is one of the areas Toronto had success with against the Cavs in the first round. They kept Mitchell from getting into the lane, effectively making him an outside shooter. He wasn’t able to make them pay for that strategy, which is one of the reasons the offense struggled as much as it did.

Detroit presents a lot of those same issues. If you can keep Mitchell from getting to the basket, offense becomes a lot more difficult for Cleveland.

At the same time, Detroit doesn’t have a defender as equipped as Scottie Barnes was at staying in front of Mitchell. Barnes’s combination of size and length disrupted Mitchell in a way we haven’t seen before in the postseason. Even if Detroit has a better overall defense, Mitchell should be able to get going a little bit easier than he did in the first round.

The Pistons’ offense has been the big concern all year. The first round didn’t do anything to dispel those worries.

Detroit’s offense became stagnant in the half-court against Orlando. They weren’t able to get the three-ball to fall, Jalen Duran’s easy offense dried up, and everything fell on Cade Cunningham’s shoulders.

Cunningham is one of the best players in the league and showed why in the second half of the first round. He single-handedly willed his team to victory as he recorded 45, 32, and 32 points in the three elimination games.

Dean Wade will once again play a huge role for the Cavs in the second round. He’ll be tasked with keeping the other team’s best player under wraps. Wade handled that assignment well when he was matched up against Brandon Ingram and Barnes. Cunningham is much better than both, considering his incredible playmaking ability.

If you can keep Cunningham in check, the Pistons’ offense can fall apart quite quickly, as we saw in the first half of the first round. Tobias Harris, Daniss Jenkins, and Caris LeVert are fine role players, but they aren’t elite secondary creators. That, combined with the lack of outside shooting, makes them way too dependent on one player than you’d ideally like.

Still, this will be a dog fight. The Cavs have struggled mightily with physical and aggressive teams in the playoffs. Detroit will be the grittiest and toughest team this core has ever faced. Even though the Pistons aren’t a perfect team and may not be a true title contender, they will give the Cavs all they can handle. Expect this series to go long.

Game 1 tips off Tuesday night in Detroit at 7 PM.

The Cleveland Cavaliers might’ve saved this era of basketball with a Game 7 victory over the Toronto Raptors. However, they won’t have long to celebrate that victory. They’ll be back in action right away as they start the second-round series against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday evening.

Here’s how the schedule looks:

• Game 1 in Detroit: Tue., May 5 at 7 PM on NBCSN and Peacock
• Game 2 in Detroit: Thur., May 7 at 7 PM on Prime Video
• Game 3 in Cleveland: Sat., May 9 at 3 PM on NBC and Peacock
• Game 4 in Cleveland: Mon., May 11 at 8 PM on NBC and Peacock
• Game 5 in Detroit: Wed., May 13, time and TV TBD
• Game 6 in Cleveland: Fri., May 15, time and TV TBD
• Game 7 in Detroit: Sun., May 17, time and TV TBD

Games five through seven will only be played if necessary.

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There’s only one day between each game in this series. That could be difficult for both teams that are coming off grueling seven-game series in the first round, with each ending on Sunday.

This is expected to be a close series. They split their four games in the regular season.

The Cavs prevailed in their first meeting in October, 116-95, in a game that was much more lopsided than the final score accurately indicates. Donovan Mitchell scored an effortless 35 points in the victory.

Detroit came back and won the next two.

On Jan. 4, the Cavs had a chance to win late, but Ausar Thompson won the game with an offensive rebound and putback to secure a 114-110 victory. In February, the Pistons took care of a skeleton-crew Cavs team in a crazy overtime win.

Finally, the Cavs won their last meeting of the season in March 113-109 without Mitchell. James Harden had 18 points and seven assists in the victory.

We’ll see how the postseason shakes out when the series starts in a few days.

CLEVELAND — To say losing Game 7 to the Toronto Raptors would be disastrous for the Cleveland Cavaliers is an understatement.

Eight years of building led to the most expensive roster in the league that traded for a 36-year-old former All-Star at the deadline just to save this season. Dropping this game would’ve been an indictment of every decision the front office made that led to this point, as well as the players who once again got bounced in the playoffs by a lower-seeded team.

However, judgment day has been cancelled. Or at the very least, it’s been put off for at least a week.

It wasn’t pretty in the first half, but a strong response in the second half was enough to close out a plucky Raptors team in seven games, 114-102. It should’ve never gotten to this point, but the Cavs did what they needed to grab a win. And at this point, that’s all that matters.

As has been the case throughout most of this series, the Cavs started poorly. Jarrett Allen missed a wide-open dunk on Cleveland’s first offensive possession. That set the tone for what became a disastrous first quarter.

Toronto was once again the aggressor. They jumped out to an early 10-point lead behind seven early points from certified Cavalier killer Jamal Shead.

This continued in the second quarter.

Toronto held a nine-point advantage with 2:41 left in the first half, but the Cavs erased it just before the break. A 11-2 run, capped off by a Jaylon Tyson triple, evened things up and gave Cleveland momentum for the first time all evening.

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That carried over into the third quarter. The Cavs registered the first nine points of the second half. In total, the Cavs had a 20-2 run that flipped a nine-point deficit into a nine-point advantage.

Evan Mobley picked up his fourth foul just four minutes into the half. That meant that the Cavs would have to rely on Jarrett Allen for likely the remainder of the third quarter.

However, what looked like a lifeline for a Raptors team that was losing momentum was actually the final nail in the coffin for their season.

Allen, who’s been much maligned for not showing up in the biggest moments, put the game away. He was the best player on either team all night — that showed up most in the third quarter. He single-handedly squashed the Raptors’ hopes every time they had something positive going their way.

Defensively, Allen was everywhere. He shut down seemingly every drive to the basket by providing great contests without fouling and was there to clean up the glass when Toronto missed.

Offensively, Allen dominated the paint in all the ways you want him to. He forcefully attacked the basket every time he had a runway to do so. And when another Cavalier had the audacity to take a shot, Allen was there to clean up the mess if they missed.

In the end, he registered 14 points and 10 rebounds in the third quarter with five coming on the offensive end in the third quarter. By contrast, the Raptors as a team had just 19 points and eight rebounds in the third.

Allen’s efforts allowed the Cavs to win the third 38-19.

The Raptors didn’t roll over in the fourth. They cut what was a 22-point deficit to 11, but they weren’t able to get closer than that.

Allen led the way with 22 points and 19 rebounds on 7-11 shooting in what was an all-around team effort.

Cleveland received positive contributions from nearly everyone who stepped on the floor. Sam Merrill poured in 13 points on 3-7 outside shooting. Max Strus provided hustle and grit, which led to him leading the team in plus/minus by being a +20. Jaylon Tyson supplied great energy on both ends and hit some momentum-changing shots.

These contributions were much needed on a night when the Cavs’ backcourt wasn’t the best version of themselves.

Donovan Mitchell was held to 22 points or less for the fourth time this series. He had 22 on 9-20 shooting.

James Harden kept the offense on schedule and did a good job of taking care of the ball. However, he didn’t have his most efficient day shooting as he went 3-9 from the field. Nearly all 18 of his points came at the free-throw line, where he went 11-13.

Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett led the way once again for Toronto. Barnes paced the team with 24 points on 8-14 shooting to go along with six assists. Barrett put in 23 points and six assists in the loss.

The win keeps the season alive. They’ll head to take on the 60-win Detroit Pistons, led by former Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, in the second round. That series starts in Detroit on Tuesday at 7 PM.

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With Minnesota Timberwolves' superstar Anthony Edwards on pace to play in Game 1 against the San Antonio Spurs barring any pregame setback, switching up the playstyle that won them their series against Denver may be the best call.

These Timberwolves vs. Spurs predictions and NBA picks expect Rudy Gobert's rebound total to take a hit as a result.

Timberwolves vs Spurs Game 1 prediction

Who will win Timberwolves vs Spurs Game 1?

Spurs: The comedown from toppling their biggest rival is probably reason enough to doubt the Timberwolves in Game 1. This matchup should be closer than the 13.5-point spread suggests, but Minnesota is on the road and more worn out, both physically and emotionally.

Timberwolves vs Spurs best bet: Rudy Gobert Under 10.5 rebounds (+102)

The Minnesota Timberwolves wouldn’t have advanced without Rudy Gobert, but that resounding series has raised his props too high when the San Antonio Spurs await.

Gobert faced Victor Wembanyama only once this season, but he only played 29 minutes in that 104-103 Timberwolves win despite not being in foul trouble.

Wembanyama can camp out in the paint on defense when Gobert is in the game, stifling any Minnesota drives.

Without Donte DiVincenzo and with Anthony Edwards's shot already struggling before his hyperextended knee, the Timberwolves need some space inside. Expect more five-out lineups from Minnesota with Julius Randle as the primary defender on Wembanyama.

COVERS INTEL:The Spurs took 12.4 corner 3-pointers per game in the regular season, shooting 39% from there compared to 34% from above the break.

Timberwolves vs Spurs Game 1 same-game parlay

Quite possibly the biggest X-factor in this series — aside from Anthony Edwards returning — may be how Julius Randle shoots from beyond the arc.

If Gobert’s minutes need to be limited to draw Wembanyama out of the paint, thus obviously impacting Gobert’s scoring as well as his rebounding, then Randle hitting some 3-pointers will best pull Wembanyama out of the paint. But Randle is a streaky shooter. From Feb. 1 to the end of the regular season, he shot 27.3% from deep.

Do not bet on Randle’s shooting until he proves it in this series. But he will get that chance, and he should play plenty of minutes to rack up rebounds.

Timberwolves vs Spurs SGP

• Rudy Gobert Under 10.5 rebounds
• Rudy Gobert Under 8.5 points
• Julius Randle Over 6.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: Randle, Not Rudy

If Randle hits a couple of 3-pointers, Minnesota will suddenly have a viable offensive plan against the Defensive Player of the Year. And while Randle is a streaky shooter, he did hit multiple 3-pointers in three of the six games against the Nuggets.

Timberwolves vs Spurs SGP

• Julius Randle Over 20.5 points
• Julius Randle Over 1.5 threes
• Julius Randle Over 6.5 rebounds
• Timberwolves +13.5

Timberwolves vs Spurs odds for Game 1

• Spread: Timberwolves +13.5 | Spurs -13.5
• Moneyline: Timberwolves +500 | Spurs -700
• Over/Under: Over 216.5 | Under 216.5

Timberwolves vs Spurs betting trend to know

Both the Timberwolves and the Spurs were considered “Under” teams this season, Minnesota cashing Unders in 49 of now 88 games (55.75%) while San Antonio did so in 51 of 87 games (58.6%). Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs. Spurs.

How to watch Timberwolves vs Spurs Game 1

Timberwolves vs Spurs latest injuries

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In the Thunder’s last series, Suns guard Devin Booker had a bit of a crash out while airing his grievances over officiating and, specifically, with James Williams, who Lakers fans will be familiar with.

There shouldn’t be any similar remarks from the Lakers this round, though, because, according to Lakers head coach JJ Redick, the Thunder don’t foul.

“You’re talking about a team that’s top five in every category that’s disruptive-based — steals, blocks, turnovers, forced, all that stuff,” Redick said after Sunday’s practice. “And they don’t foul. They somehow do all of that without fouling, which is one of the most remarkable things I think in NBA history.”

Add that to the keys of the game: the Thunder don’t foul.

No need to be concerned with how aggressive Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander is as an on-ball defender or his push-offs offensively. Don’t worry about Luguentz Dort committing a dirty play and putting a Lakers player at risk with a move that belongs in AEW, not the NBA. They don’t foul.

Don’t expect any Redick crashouts during this series. He will remain as cool as the other side of the pillow, since he wouldn’t be asking for a call when there isn’t one to make.

“They don’t foul,” Redick said. “The whistles aren’t gonna be there. So, it’s like, you accept that going in, they don’t foul.”

Given that the NBA is a copycat league, maybe other teams should try defending without fouling. Why foul when you can just play elite defense and clamp other teams down without reaching in or making illegal contact on an offensive player?

It’s going to be an uphill battle for the Lakers, who haven’t quite adopted the strategy of not fouling yet. Hopefully, they’ll be able to take some notes in this series.

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

It is rumor central in Suns’ land, as every day it seems a new name pops up on social media, with fans discussing whether the team should trade for them. That is what comes with the offseason: speculation from fans, and it runs rampant when a team gets eliminated, too. This is where the latest rumor comes from, as in his latest reporting, Brett Siegel from Clutch Points stated this snippet.

Well, this is now interesting, isn’t it? Denver has just lost in the playoffs, and with their finish, it is clear that changes will take place. One of those could be Aaron Gordon, who struggled to stay healthy this year for the Nuggets. Yet even if that is the case, how do the Suns even do this, and does it even make sense?

How could it get done?

The Suns have multiple ways to get to Gordon’s remaining $71 million he is owed over the next two seasons, with the 2023 NBA Champion owed $31.9 million in 2026-27. One is with using Dillon Brooks, whom one Denver page has suggested.

Another is using Jalen Green’s contract to move off the young guard. Lastly, it is combining Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale’s deals to reach $30 million to trade for Gordon.

Which would make the most sense?

In my view, the first point doesn’t make sense, as Brooks has already shifted the culture for Phoenix, and there is no need to ship him out for someone who would do the same. Brooks also makes less than Gordon and is set up for an extension, one that the Suns want to pay him, so it does not look like he is on the move.

Green could make sense salary-wise for the Suns, but for the Nuggets, it does not at all. The Nuggets need to shed salary this year to resign Peyton Watson, so taking on Green does not make that easier. He would also be in a troubling situation with Jamal Murray.

Realistically, the last option makes the most sense for both parties. Denver can get some scorers alongside Nikola Jokic, and the Suns get a power forward. I still see a problem with this trade.

Why does it not get done?

This is due to the Nuggets realizing that, with this move, they are still dealing with salary issues. As I said earlier, the Nuggets want to re-sign Peyton Watson, and rumors have swirled that they might trade guys like Gordon to do so. Even with saving a little over $4 million on this deal, that is not enough to get a deal with Watson. Forcing the Nuggets to have them move off one of Allen or Royce to figure out how to still do cap gymnastics with Camreon Johnson or Christian Braun. This is a headache the Nuggets would rather not get into, even if it splits one of their contracts into two smaller ones.

For the Suns as well, yes, this allows more development time for Rasheer Fleming and Ryan Dunn, while slotting Gordon as the permanent power forward. With his injury history and larger contract, this is something I’d rather not jump on. Even if he brings championship experience and is a great fit, it is risky. If he is hurt, does this mean Fleming or Dunn is shoved to be the PF at one point? What if they are not ready? Will fans turn on them as they did with Oso Ighodaro when he was out of position at the beginning and end of the year? Those are questions I would rather not get into, because with this fanbase, we already know the answers.

As Mat Ishbia stated, continuity will be a big part of this team. I don’t think that means no moves will happen, but a change for a star role player doesn’t make sense.

What do you think? Do you think the Suns should do this?

The Spurs will host the Timberwolves in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals on Monday as heavy favorites despite the uncertainty surrounding Anthony Edwards’ status. Even if the injured superstar guard returns, he’ll likely be limited by two knee injuries, so San Antonio is expected to win this series, as long as they play with the focus and intensity required for any postseason matchup.

So far, the “young team struggling with the bright lights” narrative hasn’t fit this group, but they will face a tough test against Minnesota. If Edwards remains out, they will have to avoid complacency and put away a veteran team with two consecutive trips to the Conference Finals on their back. If Edwards does return and looks anything closer to his best self, they’ll face a formidable opponent.

It’s an interesting matchup in many ways, but one that is hard to preview because of the potential absence of a superstar. For now, let’s assume Edwards will either be out for a few games and/or severely limited at least for the first few.

The Spurs should run their offense through Wembanyama, but without forcing things

Rudy Gobert is coming off a terrific series against the Nuggets in which he contained Nikola Jokic’s scoring largely by himself in the first few games, a feat that only a few others can even hope to achieve. He’ll get another chance at proving his many, many haters wrong about his playoff impact when he matches up with Wembanyama, but it’s arguably going to be a tougher battle for the four-time Defensive Player of the Year, as long as San Antonio plays smart

Unlike the Nuggets, the Spurs have enough shot-creation elsewhere to have Wemby to act as a decoy and draw Gobert out of the paint, putting tremendous pressure on a perimeter defense that is missing integral pieces. If Gobert sags off of Wemby to try to remain near the paint, as he did in their one regular-season matchup, Wemby can get open threes. The Timberwolves might decide to bet on Wemby, a streaky shooter, struggling to make them pay, but Wembanyama can also attack off the dribble if he has a runway and a well-spaced floor, and Gobert has traditionally struggled with agility more than strength.

At his best, Wembanyama is also less post-oriented than Jokic and can do work coming off screens and acting as a rim-runner. If Wemby’s shot is off and Gobert does a good job containing him one-on-one, allowing the Timberwolves to deny the corner three-pointers their defense does a terrific job of preventing, San Antonio can just force the big man to chase Wemby through the perimeter as they set him up for open jumpers. They can also use Wemby’s tremendous gravity as a roll man to get their guards going, as Gobert would likely focus on trying to prevent lobs and staying in place for defensive rebounds.

If the Spurs use Wembanyama smartly and Gobert struggles to guard him without much help, it might lead Chris Finch to do what other coaches have tried in the past: use a forward on Victor. Julius Randle had some success guarding Wembanyama on his own during the regular season as long as he was allowed to be physical with him, especially when the Spurs tried to get their superstar going through touches at the elbow or free-throw line. The problem then is that there’s no true safe place to slot Gobert. The Trail Blazers put their center on Stephon Castle, but he has hit shots and, equally importantly, has known when to take them and when to continue running the offense, even when he’s initially open.

The Timberwolves’ defense can be great at times, especially when Gobert is shining, but San Antonio has ways to hurt them, as long as they don’t fall for the trap of trying to get any one player going. Wembanyama, in particular, seems to understand now that at this point in his career, in which he lacks a go-to move, his versatility is his best weapon. As long as the ball and players move, scoring should not be too hard despite Minnesota having a few elite defenders.

The perimeter defense needs to be suffocating

While the big man matchup seems to be the key on offense for the Spurs, on the other end, the biggest battle will probably be waged on the perimeter. Julius Randle will score, and Naz Reid could take advantage of his size advantage against a smaller Spurs forward group, but San Antonio can live with that. The most important task with Edwards out or limited will be to prevent the other Wolves’ guards and Jaden McDaniels from going off, as they did in turns against the Nuggets.

Stephon Castle will likely be tasked with guarding McDaniels, unless Mitch Johnson makes the bold decision to put him on Randle. The Wolves wing is mostly known for his defense and might be an 11-point-per-game scorer for his career, but he averaged close to 18 against the Nuggets despite his outside shot abandoning him. He can use his length to shoot over defenders from midrange, and if he’s not pressured, he can get to his spots off the dribble on drives, finishing with finesse near the rim or with explosiveness at it. The Spurs have handled craftier scorers, but the importance of making McDaniels look like the elite role player he’s been instead of a nascent star ready to make the leap would have a direct impact on both Minnesota’s offense and their confidence.

Beyond McDaniels, the Wolves have some guys who can’t be discounted when it comes to exploding for big scoring nights. Ayo Dosunmu dropped 43 off the bench in one game against the Nuggets, and he’s a dynamic two-way guy with limitless energy. Bones Hyland might shoot a team out of a win, or he might string together enough buckets to keep the offense going for a stretch by himself. Shannon Jr. is not gun-shy, and his confidence should be sky-high after his performances in the last two games against Denver. Mike Conley, who is closer to retirement than his prime, can still pick apart a lazy defense or hit open shots if they are conceded to him.

It’s tempting to focus on the Timberwolves’ one true advantage on offense: their size at the big forward spots, and especially Randle’s scoring. But they are a team first and foremost, built around defense and a transcendent perimeter scoring talent that shouldn’t be at his peak whenever he returns. Preventing others from stepping up and filling that void is arguably the most important task for the Spurs this series.

Prediction: Spurs in 5

As mentioned, it’s hard to preview and even harder to predict a series in which there’s uncertainty about such a major factor. If Edwards returns early in the series and looks like himself, there’s no way the Wolves don’t make it a long battle that could go either way. If he takes a while to return or looks hobbled, and the Spurs play with appropriate fear against a tough, experienced opponent, their talent advantage should be enough to overcome a size disparity that favors Minnesota and get to the Conference Finals without suffering too much.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves already sprung one upset this postseason, three of their four wins against the Nuggets in the first round coming as underdogs. Now the San Antonio Spurs await, with both a rest advantage and homecourt advantage.

This Timberwolves vs. Spurs same-game parlay anticipates Minnesota preemptively adjusting before Game 1 on Monday, May 4.

Our best Timberwolves vs Spurs SGP for Game 1

SGP leg #1: Rudy Gobert Under 10.5 Rebounds (+102)

This is not a knock on the Minnesota Timberwolves or Rudy Gobert. This is a reality of facing Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. If Minnesota wants to get to the rim, it needs Wembanyama out of the paint.

When Gobert is on the court, Wembanyama can set up in the paint. So, quite frankly, Gobert’s minutes should fall in this series. Playing a five-out lineup will be the Timberwolves’ best approach to dragging Wembanyama out of the paint.

SGP leg #2: Rudy Gobert Under 8.5 Points (-110)

Even when Gobert is on the court, he will likely be playing against one of the few players taller and longer than he is, not to mention the Defensive Player of the Year. Do not expect Gobert to reach double-digit points unless Minnesota plays him directly counter to Wembanyama’s minutes.

That approach may come, but seeing such a bold thought in Game 1 would be a surprise.

SGP leg #3: Julius Randle Over 6.5 Rebounds (-140)

If Gobert’s minutes do fall, someone else's have to rise. Julius Randle may give up seven inches to Wembanyama (and three to Gobert), but he has the physical strength to perhaps keep Wembanyama away from the rim.

This is going to be a challenge for Randle, but the sheer minutes and position of it should yield an opportunity.

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See our full Timberwolves vs Spurs Game 1 preview

Get Douglas Farmer's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Timberwolves vs Spurs predictions for Game 1.

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The Lakers aren’t the only team that has been without a star player during the NBA playoffs because of a hamstring injury.

The Thunder, whom the Lakers will play in the second round of the playoffs, were without star forward Jalen Williams for the final two games of their first-round series.

Williams suffered a Grade 1 left hamstring strain during Game 2 of the series against the Suns on April 22. His status for Tuesday’s Game 1 against the Lakers is uncertain.

The Thunder said April 23 that Williams would be reevaluated weekly.

Grade 1 hamstring strains typically heal in one to two weeks.

InStreetClothes, an NBA injury database run by certified athletic trainer Jeff Stotts, said the average time lost for the type of injury Williams suffered is about 12.4 days.

Those timelines could put Williams back in the lineup for Game 1, which is 13 days after he suffered his injury.

Game 2, scheduled for Thursday in Oklahoma City, is 15 days after he suffered the injury.

When asked about Williams on Saturday, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said: “He’s chipping away at his rehab. He’s doing a good job.”

Realistically, Williams should be back in the lineup when the series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 (Saturday) and Game 4 (May 11).

And when he returns, the Thunder will get a significant difference-maker back in the lineup. 

Williams averaged 17.1 points, 5.5 assists and 4.6 rebounds during an injury-riddled season, playing in 33 regular-season games.

He was sidelined for the Thunder’s first 19 games, during which they went 18-1, because of offseason surgery on his right wrist. 

Williams was sidelined for 10 games between January and February because of a right hamstring strain, playing in two games, before aggravating the hamstring and missing another five weeks.

These are the NBA teams that overcame a 3-1 series deficit in the playoffs originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Coming back down 3-1 in the NBA playoffs is a rare feat.

It’s already been achieved twice in the first round in 2026.

The No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers did it first, taking down the No. 2 Boston Celtics on the road in Game 7 with Joel Embiid back in the lineup and dictating the action. Boston didn’t have Jayson Tatum in the final game, but it’s a tough loss to take regardless.

The No. 1 Detroit Pistons then pulled it off the very next day, routing the No. 8 Orlando Magic at home as Franz Wagner missed the last two games due to injury. The No. 3 Denver Nuggets and No. 5 Houston Rockets had a chance to push their respective series to a seventh game, but both fell in Game 6.

So, what teams have come back down 3-1 and how many? Here’s what to know:

How many NBA teams overcame a 3-1 series deficit?

In the NBA, only 15 teams have achieved a successful 3-1 comeback dating back to the 1960s.

Has an NBA team overcame a 3-1 deficit in the Finals?

Out of the 15, only one 3-1 comeback was successfully completed in the NBA Finals. That came in 2016 when the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers won at the Golden State Warriors.

List of NBA teams that overcame a 3-1 playoff deficit

These are the 15 teams in the history books for overcoming a 3-1 deficit (bolded teams also won the Finals that year):

• 1968 Eastern Division finals: Boston Celtics defeat Philadelphia 76ers
• 1970 Western Division semifinals: Los Angeles Lakers defeat Phoenix Suns
• 1979 Eastern Conference finals: Washington Bullets defeat San Antonio Spurs
• 1981 Eastern Conference finals: Boston Celtics defeat Philadelphia 76ers
• 1985 Western Conference semifinals: Houston Rockets defeat Phoenix Suns
• 1997 Eastern Conference semifinals: Miami Heat defeat New York Knicks
• 2003 Eastern Conference first round: Detroit Pistons defeat Orlando Magic
• 2006 Western Conference first round: Phoenix Suns defeat Los Angeles Lakers
• 2015 Western Conference semifinals: Houston Rockets defeat Los Angeles Clippers
• 2016 Western Conference finals: Golden State Warriors defeat Oklahoma City Thunder
• 2016 NBA Finals: Cleveland Cavaliers defeat Golden State Warriors
• 2020 Western Conference first round: Denver Nuggets defeat Utah Jazz
• 2020 Western Conference semifinals: Denver Nuggets defeat Los Angeles Clippers
• 2026 Eastern Conference first round: Philadelphia 76ers defeat Boston Celtics
• 2026 Eastern Conference first round: Detroit Pistons defeat Orlando Magic

Has any NBA team come back from a 3-0 series deficit?

The NBA is the only major sport with a best-of-seven playoff series that has not seen a 3-0 deficit be overcome.

Four teams — 1951 New York Knicks, 1994 Denver Nuggets, 2003 Portland Trail Blazers and 2023 Boston Celtics — have forced a Game 7 down 3-0, but all failed to win.

The Cleveland Cavaliers need a win to keep their season alive. We’ll see if they can bounce back from an ugly Game 6 loss to defeat the Toronto Raptors in Game 7.

Share your thoughts as the game unfolds. If you aren’t a member of the community, sign up so you can talk to your fellow Cavalier fans and make your voice heard!

Go Cavs!

While fans in Philadelphia and New York prepare for what looks like a classic Eastern Conference playoff series this week, Brooklyn fans will be looking forward to next Sunday’s NBA Lottery in Chicago. Their third worst record gives them a 14.0% shot at the overall No. 1, a 52.1% shot at a top four pick … a 14.8% at No. 5, a 26.0% at the No. 6 and (ugh) 7.0% at No. 7.

There is mystery, of course, not just about where the Nets will pick after the nationally televised (ESPN) selection process but how they see the top seven candidates. It is as closely held a “state secret” as there is at the HSS Training Center.

Anyone who watched the SCOUT docu-series last summer could see just how secret: every screen from the team’s big board to the scouts’ computers at HSS Training Center was scrubbed — fuzzed out — before it aired. And it is not above Sean Marks & co. to engage in a disinformation campaign. While most pundits thought Brooklyn had its eyes on Khaman Maluach at No. 8 last June, the Nets instead were focused on Egor Demin. Indeed, as some video from the Hornets war room showed, Charlotte execs, several of them former Nets staffers, were shocked that Brooklyn had passed on Maluach who they had coveted. (How’d that work out?)

This year, a number of pundits like Cam Boozer of Duke, as we noted earlier in the week. One even called him the “perfect Net,” with his fundamental skillset, maturity and leadership potential. Any comparison with Tim Duncan is going to get Marks’ attention considering how much he reveres his former Spurs teammate. Many may see Boozer as boring, but a lot of people saw Duncan that way too … as he won five NBA championships.

Any of the top four — Boozer, A.J. Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Caleb Wilson — would fill a Nets need either in the short term, long term or both. After that, the Nets would likely have a choice of guards who would duplicate skillsets of the young players already on the roster — Kingston Flemings, Mikel Brown, Keaton Wagler and Darius Acuff. Draftniks have opined that teams picking between Nos. 5 and 8 are likely to have a difficult time sorting them out.

Do we even know who the Nets have brought in for workouts and interviews? Nope. That’s not going to be public either. (One thing to spy if you want more info: who the 76ers and Knicks are working out. Agents often arrange workout schedules to take advantage of geography, save time and money.)

One thing we think we can plan for next Sunday, the dreaded commercial break at the Lottery. Normally, ESPN lets deputy GM Mark Tatum call out picks Nos. 14 through 5 before going to commercial. Assuming the Nets have enough luck to avoid falling to Nos. 6 or 7, that break will test our patience before the big moment.

Possibly, we will know more by the end of the week? Likely not. Know this, though: once the Lottery is done, no matter how things work out, things will change. Would Nets try to move up? One NBA decision-maker says tells NetsDaily he thinks that with all their assets, Brooklyn has a shot at moving up a couple of slots. They tried last year, but a number of potential trade partners wanted the 2026 first which the Nets had no interest in trading. Would they try to get a second first? They might, again using their assets. But any move like those won’t likely happen till closer to the Draft.

Another league source noted to ND this week the bottom line: “Man, they have a lot of options.” As one player in the Nets Draft War, Simone Casali, the director of international scouting, told an Italian interviewer 18 months ago that Draft Night can be quite intense.

“In the NBA, a lot can change from one moment to the next, I cannot know when we will have a choice available and how high,” said Casali whose overall interview is quite revelatory about scouting culture. “It can happen, for example, that on the night of the Draft you suddenly find yourself with choices available as a result of a trade: you cannot afford to improvise. Scouting always follows the same rules, the same attention to detail.”

We still have six weeks till the Draft, of course. In the meantime, we can only wait and pray.

Early Free Agency Rumors

What about free agency? That same anonymous league source who spoke about options told us that while he loves the Nets current situation, he wonders how they will transition from rebuild to build. He can recite all the team’s assets an added that the tanking reforms are yet another positive for them.

“The league getting rid of tanking in some ways has really helped them but also is going to cause them to have to quickly pivot in terms of their day to day,” he said. “They have to play to win, but I don’t know if they know how to do that.”

It wasn’t so much a criticism of Marks, Tsai, etc.‘s ability to get things done but rather how big they want to go and how soon. “I don’t understand how they don’t see Giannis or Kawhi as their big swing … shoot even bring KD back to finish his career.”

Moving on any of those 30+ superstars would be risky and at this point, fans seemed to be patient (enough) to continue the organic rebuild. Barclays Center attendance numbers seem to reflect that with the arena selling out 99.2% of capacity over 41 home dates. (We can’t speak to the TV ratings. They’re not public, but are almost assuredly ugly. We will find out soon enough.)

Bringing back the soon-to-be 38-year-old Kevin Durant would create headlines and with some well-crafted P.R. engender nostalgia for what might have been. There are people in the organization who’d like to see him back, citing how he changed the franchise culture his first time around. Remember the good times! There are others, however, who are not so enamored of a reunion, recalling his ugly exit, criticism of teammates, lack of leadership particularly re his superstar teammates, and his push for short term solutions whether it was advocating for DeAndre Jordan over Jarrett Allen, signing short-term fixes, demanding front office firings, pushing his business partner Rich Kleiman for a top job or demanding Ime Udoka be hired as head coach despite his suspension from the Celtics. Did we miss anything? Probably.

How does KD, who did average 26/6/5 on near 50/40/90 shooting, feel about a reunion? We don’t know but things are not good in Houston. After missing only four games in the regular season, he sat on the bench in all but one game of Houston’s first round flameout due to a nagging ankle injury. He is simply not that popular in Texas. Many Rocket fans see him as a “mercenary” after his stays in OKC, Golden State, Brooklyn, Phoenix and now Houston. He has also gotten beyond the first round only once leaving New York. The scandal surrounding his burner comments re his young Houston teammates never got resolved and again, his leadership got questioned. He will be meeting soon with Rockets brass about his now uncertain future.

He did have provide some comments in 2024 and 2025 expressing his love of the franchise (that he helped blow up) …

Sounds nice.

What might a reunion cost the Nets … beyond psychically? He is owed $44 million next season, then has a $46 million player option in 2027-28 at age 39. Acquiring him would almost certainly require the Nets to give up Michael Porter Jr. who will be an expiring at $41 million next season. Would Brooklyn be required to add picks? Or would they require some in return?

Bottom line: the KD reunion may sound intriguing, but without polling fans, it seems from social media that the base is more “been there, done that,” than “welcome home.” He is still a great player but exhausting.

Beyond the choice between going for a superstar or building organically through the draft, there is the intriguing third path, adding a young piece who might not be a superstar but damn good and did we say young? We’re talking about 6’8” 23-year-old Peyton Watson of the Denver Nuggets. Jake Fischer wrote this week what fans have known: that the Nets along with the at least the Lakers and Bulls have interest. He averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game on 41.1% shooting.

He’ll be a restricted free agent this summer, the Nugs having decided last summer to sign Christian Braun to a five-year, $125 million deal instead of him. Part of the windfall for Braun came from money the Kroeneke family saved by trading Michael Porter Jr and an unprotected first in 2032 for Cam Johnson. Ironic much?

Fischer wrote a lot about the Nuggets quandary in keeping him. To avoid the pain of the second apron, the most likely scenario has them dealing CamJ away to make room for a big deal for Watson. Easier said than done. Johnson is 30 and hasn’t played 60 games in any of the past four seasons. Still, that could help Denver avoid a Nets offer sheet that could 1) contain poison pills the Nuggets might not want to swallow or 2) begin talks on a sign-and-trade at a disadvantage. That speculation is all well and good, but this weekend saw something easier to digest than CBA provisions… an exchange between Watson and MP….

Well now! The two players are known to be close from the time when Porter mentored a young Watson and as he told N3ON this weekend, MPJ thinks Brooklyn is going to get better soon. We are always a bit skeptical of how friendships affect free agency. Money usually talks loudest but the Nets have, as our source noted, a number of options.

Expect to hear other names, of course. Free agency is even further away than the Draft. It opens June 30.

Who’s in charge here?

By the way, if you are wondering who makes the final decision on big things like trades, signings and picks — whether it’s the GM or owner — Sean Marks shed some light about how that process works on a podcast with Boki Nachbar and Ric Bucher. Their Fullcourt Passport, is focused on the NBA’s wider world, Read closer and you can see that while Joe Tsai and Mikhail Prokhorov had “advised,” “helped” and “influenced” him over his tenure, he’s the guy.

“Having two different owners in my time in Brooklyn, obviously from my current owner, Joe Tsai, to our previous Russian owner,” Marks began. “I always ask those guys their advice, their help. I mean these guys are doing multi-billion dollars deals and I’m doing trades with guys who will a half million bucks or three million dollars or five million dollars.

“It’s still their baby and I want to make sure … how they can influence me in my negotiating skills or what have you. I’d be a fool not to involve them. They’ve come from a completely different backgrounds but also to empower them to understand why we’re doing to these deals and what it means down the road. I’m very fortunate in that regard.”

Of course, the owner and GM talk near daily even if the owner is flying over the Pacific a lot of the time and in the case of the Draft, the owner will be in the room.

Draft Sleeper of the Week

We love having a high second rounder, particularly in a deep draft. Teams are not required to give second round picks a guaranteed deal. Often, as the Nets did in the case of No. 31 pick Nic Claxton in 2019, they will, generally agreeing to a deal near or at the level of the last pick in the first round. This year. per Salary Swish, that would amount to roughly $3 million.

The Nets currently hold two picks in the second round, their own at No. 33, thanks to the tank, and the Los Angeles Clippers at No. 43, a product of last year’s trade of the No. 36 pick — part of the Mikal Bridges trade — to the Phoenix Suns for two future seconds. (The Suns later sent the 36th pick to the Lakers who chose Adou Thiero.)

Assuming the Nets keep the picks and assuming they follow their recent history, they’re likely to sign the 33rd pick to a standard deal and the 43rd to a two-way. One prospect we have been intrigued by at the top of the second is Joshua Jefferson, a 6’9”, 240-pound point forward out of Iowa State who in our most recent mock draft update has been ;inked to the Nets by two outlets, the Athletic and NBADraft.net. (It should be noted, however, in the weeks since those mocks, JJ has moved up quickly, now being touted at No. 25 by Tankathon.)

Although a little older than most prospects at 23 years old, he would seem to fit neatly into Jordi Fernandez’s position-less system. Here’s what NBADraft.net wrote of him recently.

One of the most statistically unique players in the country, becoming the only player nationally (and first in Big 12 history) to post 450+ points, 250+ rebounds, 100+ assists, 70+ steals, and 25+ blocks in a single season … Strong basketball background with family ties to high-level football … Known for toughness, IQ, and all-around production.

And here’s some highlights as well…

Does scream Nets to us.

Summer Games

We love the idea of playing in two summer leagues. The Nets announced this week that before the Las Vegas Summer League which runs between July 9 and July 19, in which the Nets will play a minimum of five games, they will also be in Sacramento at the Garden 1 Center for three games on July 4, 5 and 6. So that’s eight games in 15 days, a mid-season schedule for the NBA.

There’s a lot of good reasons for double duty, starting with their continued youth. The Nets will have seven players on rookie deals next year, Noah Clowney, the Flatbush 5 and the lottery pick plus maybe a second rounder as well as the three rookies who played this year without a standard deal: Chaney Johnson, Malachi Smith and Grant Nelson who of whom are likely to be available plus two-ways E.J. Liddell and Tyson Etienne etc. etc. Might Josh Minott play? He’s 23 but not many fifth year players spend time in Vegas … or Sacramento

Final Note

We hear Mr. Whammy, aka Bruce Reznick, is all set for his debut as the Nets lucky charm at the Draft Lottery next Sunday. He and his grandson will be taking the train to Chicago we are told — he is 90 — and on arrival will be treated as a guest of honor by the Nets. As we’ve noted Whammy can’t sit on the dias. League rules, you know, but he will be in the audience, presumably hexing away. We don’t yet know who will be sitting on the dias, but we expect to know sometime mid-week. Good luck to all.

Next week, we expect our report will be late. We will either be celebrating or lamenting.