Category: NBA

Because of the internet and being prisoners of the moment, last night's Detroit Pistons-Orlando Magic playoff game had fans losing their minds, pretending they had never seen anyone get dunked on.

While Jamal Cain's posterization of Jalen Duren earned a spot in this list's best playoff dunks, more importantly, it put the Pistons, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, on the brink of an embarrassing elimination.

There are many criteria for the best playoff dunks, including style, degree of difficulty and the hint of embarrassment it must conjure for those who end up on an endless loop of highlights, and for some, their own claim to fame.

CAIN'S POSTER SLAM, FROM ALL ANGLES 🔥 https://t.co/bRTpaxkaakpic.twitter.com/NxiH5Iq6tc

— NBA (@NBA) April 28, 2026

Duran's dunk makes this list, and here is the rest of ordinary players and Hall of Famers alike (in no particular order) getting yammed on during playoff time.

Kobe Bryant's windmill over Timberwolves

Kevin Garnett now has nightmares about this spectacular throwdown in the 2003 Western Conference quarterfinals by Bryant, who went baseline, not caring who was in his way. Any lesser player would have separated his shoulder on the dunk. However, Bryant's flush over Steve Nash in the 2006 playoffs deserves some run and is criminally underrated.

Tracy McGrady dunks on Shawn Bradley

McGrady, not generally known for his emotion, was understanding hyped after climbing the ladder on the 7-6 Bradley in the Mavericks-Rockets 2005 playoffs first round. McGrady's Rockets ended up losing the series, which included a 40-point rout in Game 7.

John Starks lefty over MJ

The 1990s playoff battles between the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls were must-see TV, and when Starks went baseline on their entire defense late in the fourth quarter of the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals, he sealed the victory and gave the Knicks a 2-0 series lead, which they would eventually lose.

While Jordan has received his fair share of scorn, Horace Grant and his googles no doubt need some shame in this scenario.

'Ja breaker' over Malik Beasley

These days, Ja Morant's tenure with the Memphis Grizzlies could be considered a disappointment, thanks to his gun-toting celebration antics and multiple suspensions.

Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley was the unfortunate recipient of this nasty jam in the 2022 playoffs, sending Morant into playoff dunk lore.

Michael Jordan baseline treat

Knicks fans would swear up and down that Jordan carried the ball on his way to the baseline and into the face of Patrick Ewing. But the Knicks tried to press, and MJ easily slipped a double team and went way above the rim to put Ewing on growing list of posters he received throughout his Hall of Fame career.

'The Lister Blister'

Shawn Kemp was as talented a forward as there was in the Western Conference during his heyday, and his wild tomahawk slam over Alton Lister of the Golden State Warriors backed up that claim, as he cradled the ball on his way to rising way above the rim.

Kemp pointing at Lister while he is still on the ground fueling Liston's embarrassment probably would have gotten him tossed in today's referee-sensitive NBA.

We believe in Baron Davis

The No. 8 seed "We Believe" 2007 Warriors, fresh off their dispatching of top-seed Dallas in the first round, rode that momentum in the next round against the Utah Jazz. Baron Davis, who later showed fancy footwork on "Dancing with the Stars," got the frenzied Oracle Arena crowd with a ferocious slam against Andrei Kirilenko in Golden State's only win in the series.

The NCAA sports betting saga continues.

Less than 24 hours after Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby checked into a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction — casting his future eligibility with the Red Raiders into doubt — the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions released violations and updates on two separate sports betting violation investigations.

REQUIRED READING: Is Brendan Sorsby done at Texas Tech? NCAA rules on gambling penalties

Two athletes involved across the two investigations did not cooperate with the NCAA's investigations, the organization revealed, resulting in Level I violations. 

The student-athletes mentioned include former Kennesaw State guard Simeon Cottle and former Fordham players Elijah Gray and Will Richardson. None of the three athletes is currently a member of their respective school's basketball programs. They are not currently competing in an NCAA-regulated sport.

Both Gray and Richardson are connected with a February 2024 game in which a bettor placed a $10,000 wager. In the NCAA's release, Gray admitted in an interview that he exchanged messages with one of the known bettors, and that he and Richardson participated in a call with the bettor and a former NBA player who was involved in the scheme. Gray said both players agreed to lose the game in exchange for $10,000-$15,000 in payments each.

The NCAA's release said Gray told the organization he ultimately reversed course and "said he played with his normal effort" in that game. He finished with three points on 1-of-4 shooting for Fordham, which was a 3.5-point underdog. Gray told the NCAA the bettor called after the game to express disappointment, at which point Gray cut off communication with him. Gray also said he didn't receive any payment from the bettor.

He also acknowledged violating ethical conduct rules by providing information to a known bettor, and "expressed remorse for his actions."

Gray said the former NBA player continued to communicate with Richardson, who denied his partaking in the scheme and failed to cooperate "with the investigation by knowingly providing false information during an interview and failing to preserve the integrity of the investigation."

REQUIRED READING: Dismissed Wisconsin player allegedly involved in point-shaving at previous school

Gray was dismissed from the Wisconsin basketball team in October due to "events preceding his enrollment at UW-Madison," as noted by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network. He spent the 2024-25 season at Temple.

Cottle was indicted by the United States Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in January for wire fraud and bribery charges surrounding Kennesaw State's game versus Queens (New York) on March 1, 2024. Similar to Richardson, Cottle, who was suspended from the Owls, did not cooperate with the NCAA's investigation.

REQUIRED READING: Cincinnati alerted of Brendan Sorsby gambling issue before 2025 season

Texas Tech announced on Monday that Sorsby was leaving the program to check into a residential treatment program for gambling addiction.

Sorsby, who transferred from Cincinnati this past offseason, is under NCAA investigation after reportedly making "thousands" of online bets on a variety of sports via a gambling app, which includes bets on Indiana during his true freshman season as a Hoosier in 2022.

USA TODAY Sports' Matt Hayes reported Monday through two people with direct knowledge of the situation that the Cincinnati athletic department was alerted in August that Sorsby was gambling before the start of the 2025 season. The Bearcats had "no comment at this time" when reached out by USA TODAY Sports, and Sorsby has made "mostly small, $1 bets" on various sports at various times.

The NCAA prohibits student-athletes and athletics department staff members from making bets and/or sharing information with bettors on college sports.

USA TODAY Sports' Matt Hayes contributed to this story.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: As Brendan Sorsby enters treatment, NCAA unloads more betting violations

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With three NBA postseason series continuing tonight, we can look across the board to find some quality player props. 

I’m eyeing Payton Pritchard and Karl-Anthony Towns to build on their outstanding Game 4 performances, and I’m also backing Stephon Castle to keep shooting from deep tonight.

Keep reading to see why I like these player props, and get my free NBA picks for Tuesday, April 28.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Payton Pritchard	Over 13.5 points	-120
Karl-Anthony Towns	Over 36.5 pts + rebs + asts	-110
Stephon Castle	Over 1.5 threes made	+102

Prop #1: Payton Pritchard Over 13.5 points

-120 at bet365

Payton Pritchard is coming off by far his best performance of this series, scoring 32 points in the Boston Celtics’ 128-96 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday. But that outburst didn’t come completely out of nowhere.

Pritchard averaged 17.0 ppg this season, by far the highest total of his career. That wasn’t all based on his 3-point shooting, either. He saw his volume and percentage (37.7%) from beyond the arc go down compared to last season, while showing far more versatility in his scoring all over the court.

While Pritchard started this series slow, he scored 15 points in Game 3 before exploding in Game 4. Heading into Game 5, he’s averaging 15.8 ppg for the series, and his season-long numbers suggest he should get to at least that range for the rest of the playoffs. I love the Over here at just 13.5 points.

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

Prop #2: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 36.5 points + rebounds + assists

-110 at bet365

Karl-Anthony Towns never seemed quite comfortable in the New York Knicks offense this year, even publicly saying so earlier in the season.

But head coach Mike Brown tried something different in Game 4 against the Atlanta Hawks, running the offense through Towns. The result: a triple-double for Towns, and a 16-point win for the Knicks on Saturday.

While that was a particularly outstanding performance for Towns, he’s been excellent throughout the series. Game 4 marked the third occasion in which he put up at least 37 PRA in this series, and his 36.8 PRA average is dragged down only by a poor performance in Game 2.

But with a new approach working wonders for the Knicks offense, I can’t see Brown moving away from a KAT-led offense tonight. I’m taking the Over on his PRA total.

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

Prop #3: Stephon Castle Over 1.5 threes made

+102 at bet365

Stephon Castle was an important support piece for the San Antonio Spurs all season, but he’s stepped up his efforts during the playoffs. In the first four games of their series against the Portland Trail Blazers, Castle is averaging 21.0 ppg, and is shooting an outstanding 42.9% from 3-point range.

In each of the last three games of the series, Castle has hit two or more shots from deep. Even Victor Wembanyama’s return to the lineup in Game 4 did little to reduce his volume, as he shot 6-for-14 and hit three shots from beyond the arc in the 114-93 win.

Castle might be relegated to the third option beyond Wemby and De’Aaron Fox for the rest of the playoffs, but the Spurs have been good at utilizing him to maintain some offensive balance. Based on his usage in this series so far, I like Castle to hit at least two threes tonight. 

• 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.

The 2026 postseason is over, at least for the Phoenix Suns. After their loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night, they became the first team eliminated and the only team without a postseason win. And honestly, it did not come as a surprise.

Oklahoma City is a machine. We saw it up close. Once the playoffs begin, they lock in with a level of focus that feels different. Possession after possession, they send wave after wave of defenders. Each one capable, each one connected. In a league shaped by cap constraints and competing priorities, that kind of depth stands out. The Thunder are built different.

Just ask Devin Booker.

“You got to give them credit,” Booker said after Game 4. “There’s three All-Defensive guys over there that they keep in rotation, and it seems like the game plan is don’t let me get any touches at any time. So, still trying to be aggressive and find spots, but you know, if somebody’s locked onto me and it’s opening up another opportunity for a teammate, the quicker we can exploit that and get that advantage, I think they can sag off a little bit and open up more opportunities for me.”

I think it’s safe to say that from a production standpoint, this easily was Devin Booker‘s worst postseason series. Sure, he was also swept the last time he was in the postseason in the first round, but statistically, he put up a fight. He averaged 27.5 points against the Wimberwolves two seasons ago. In this series? Those statistics are not so friendly.

The tale of the tape? Booker averaged 21.3 points, doing so with 46/25/79 splits. He had 4.8 assists and 4.0 turnovers over the course of the series. 

There is context here. He was facing an elite defense, the best in the league, and one that belongs in the conversation with the best we have seen in the modern era. The spacing today stretches everything, and Oklahoma City still closes it off. They move as one, shrink the floor, and contest everywhere, not only at the rim, but across all zones. I can safely say I am thankful we don’t have to play against them. Seeing them 9 times this season was enough.

Devin Booker felt it. The doubles came early and often, and the Thunder controlled the terms of engagement. They were comfortable letting Jalen Green or Dillon Brooks carry the burden. That approach worked. Booker averaged 15.7 attempts, third on the team this postseason. Dillon Brooks led the way at 22.0, with Jalen Green at 19.3.

But then there’s that other side of the coin, the one that allows you to be critical of Booker, even given the circumstances. Because, quite honestly? Superstar players rise to the occasion, and even if they’re playing potentially historic defenses, they have the ability to make an impact beyond 21.3 points a game. There was no variance game in this series for Booker. He didn’t score more than 24 points in a game. And that’s where the critical mind simply wonders what went wrong.

How does Sam Quinn of CBS Sports view this series for Booker?

His Thunder series was… fine? He generated reasonably efficient offense. He also did little to create advantages his teammates could consistently capitalize on. Nobody expected him to win the series or even a game, but this was far from the overwhelming postseason force we saw a few years ago. This version of Booker isn’t an All-NBA player. He’s more like a low-end All-Star.

Booker was forced into more of a playmaking role, that part is fair. Against that defense, the results were not where you need them. His assist-to-turnover ratio sat at 1.2 to 1. That is not elite. Guards in that range this season include Gradey Dick, Jordan Hawkins, and Rayan Rupert. That is not the company you expect when the number next to your name is $53.1 million.

That is where the frustration comes from. You do not only want Devin Booker to be better in the postseason, you need him to be better. The team exceeded expectations, the season delivered more than most thought it would, and the one place it felt stagnant was at the very top. But even that statement has fluidity and context to it. Players around him had career years. What Booker is, how he operates, and the attention he draws created opportunity. Others stepped into that space and produced. So while it was a down year statistically, it was a positive year relative to leadership.

The question still lingers. Star or superstar? A superstar finds a way to bend even a defense like Oklahoma City. It is not easy. It is not always fair. It is still the expectation.

Still, I know there is frustration with the postseason performance. I see the fan base expressing its disdain for the lack of perceived aggression, the inability to be efficient, and the continual poor decision-making. In a year in which Booker was handed a pricey contract (that we must remember is a fluid number, as it is a percentage of the projected cap, not a hard number yet), the numbers weren’t there. The impact wasn’t as profound. The deliverables weren’t as clean.

So, how do you view this Booker postseason in the grand scheme? From my perspective, I brush it off. The criticism is fair, the results are what they are, but the context matters. OKC is Thanos. They are inevitable. It is not hard to imagine Devin Booker struggling against a defense like that. And guess what? Stars have rough series. Tragic Johnson, anyone? How about Larry Bird in ’83? It happens.

I would caution against being a prisoner of the moment. Step back and look at the full picture. Mark Williams did not play. Jordan Goodwin logged five minutes. Grayson Allen did not truly arrive until Game 4. This was an eighth seed facing the defending champions without a full deck. That shapes everything. What did you expect? 30 a night? It was always going to be difficult. Oklahoma City loaded up on Booker, forced the ball out of his hands, lived with the turnovers, and trusted the math. That is how it played out.

This is not a free pass. There are real conversations ahead about who Booker is for this team moving forward and what that means at his salary number. Those discussions belong in the offseason. They deserve a full lens, not a single series. But it is now the offseason.

Now the work begins. The evaluation, the decisions, the paths forward. And we will dig into all of it, with a holistic view of what comes next, right here at Bright Side of the Sun.

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The Atlanta Hawks and the New York Knicks now find themselves in effectively a best-of-three series, and at that point, one should always take a long look at the superstars.

These Hawks vs. Knicks predictions and NBA picks see two plus-money pieces of value for Game 5 tonight.

Best Hawks vs Knicks props for Game 5

Player	Pick
Karl-Anthony Towns	Over 1.5 threes	+120
Nickeil Alexander-Walker	Over 3.5 rebounds	+120
Jalen Brunson	Under 2.5 threes	-135

Game 5 Prop #1: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 1.5 threes

+120 at bet365

The best-shooting center in NBA history has gone 7-for-14 from beyond the arc in this series, impressive even by his lofty standards. Then again, he went 5-for-10 from deep against the Atlanta Hawks in two games in the regular season.

Karl-Anthony Towns is getting enough looks in this series to always justify betting on him to hit multiple 3-pointers, particularly when it is foolishly priced at plus-money. It especially stands out that Towns took nine shots from long range in the two games at MSG, compared to just five down in Atlanta.

Expect Towns to put up at least four or five triples tonight, and at that volume, it is very much more likely than not that he hits multiple 3-pointers.

Game 5 Prop #2: Nickeil Alexander-Walker Over 3.5 rebounds

+120 at bet365

The Most Improved Player winner has played well in this series, but nowhere near as well as he did in the regular season. Nickeil Alexander-Walker has not scored more than 17 points in a game, and he's shooting a painful 34.6% from the field.

Alexander-Walker is at least hitting his 3-pointers, going 13-for-30 (43.3%) from deep through these four games.

More than that, he's playing a well-rounded game. He may have scored only nine points in Game 2, but he added three blocks, five rebounds, and six assists.

Alexander-Walker has cleared this rebounding prop only twice in four games, but he has snagged at least three boards in each of the last three games, averaging four per game in those three games.

That may all sound like modest work on the glass, but think about those numbers when enjoying a +120 payout.

Game 5 Prop #3: Jalen Brunson Under 2.5 threes

-135 at bet365

The worry is not that Jalen Brunson is shooting poorly from deep. He isn’t. The New York Knicks star has hit 10 of 26 in this series, good for 38.5%.

The worry is that in two games, if not arguably three, he has not taken a bounty of 3-pointers. Remove Brunson’s 4-for-10 effort in Game 2 and his series rate falls to 6-for-16. That 37.5% would still be plenty quality, but taking only 5.3 long-range looks per game is not enough to justify a prop this high.

Brunson is not finding the space from deep that he prefers. Give some credit to Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Without that space, Brunson should be doubted from beyond the arc.

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.

Disgraced ex-NBA star Damon Jones dressed like he was going to a funeral in Brooklyn court Tuesday as he pleaded guilty to participating in two alleged mob-linked gambling schemes.

Jones, 49, wore all black as he glumly fessed up to his part in the illicit scheme, admitting to the judge that he used “insider information that I obtained as a result of my relationships as a former player’’ to feed to bettors.

Some of the information he leaked was about whether Los Angeles Lakers stars such as LeBron James and Anthony Davis were injured or would be playing during certain games, prosecutors said. Jones was unofficially helping to coach the team at the time.

Gamblers would then take those tips and use them to inform their bets.

“I would like to sincerely apologize to the court, my family, my peers and also the National Basketball Association,” Jones said in a statement he read in court while making his plea.

“I knowingly and intentionally agreed with others to join in this conspiracy to defraud sports betting platforms based on inside information I obtained as a result of my relationships from my playing career in the NBA.”

Follow The Post’s latest on the gambling scandal rocking the NBA:

• Terry Rozier could face new federal bribery charges in alleged gambling scheme
• Ex-NBA player Damon Jones expected to plead guilty in mob-tied gambling sweep
• Heat planning to cut Terry Rozier while on leave for NBA gambling investigation
• All 31 suspects in bombshell NBA poker case hauled into court as feds say plea negotiations ‘have already begun’

The former baller looked despondent as he left the courthouse, only saying, “God be the glory,” when asked for comment by reporters.

Jones played for 10 NBA teams from 1999 to 2009, raking in more than $20 million, and was an unofficial coach for the Lakers from 2022 to 2023.

He confessed to participating in the gambling scheme from 2022 to 2024.

Jones pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud — charges that could land him up to 27 months behind bars when sentenced in September.

He also confessed to his participation in a related poker scheme, where he would use his NBA fame to lure victims into high-stakes poker games – which were rigged with elaborate cheating devices to ensure windfalls for the conspirators.

About $7 million was netted from victims in the poker scheme, which used tools such tampered card shufflers, x-ray poker tables and an elaborate network of handlers communicating with insiders in the game.

Jones explained to the court that he was known as a celebrity “face card” among his conspirators.

“As a face card, my presence as a former NBA player would attract bettors,” he said. “I knew the games were being rigged and players were being cheated.”

He is expected to be sentenced to between 63 and 78 months for the poker con – upwards of 6.5 years.

It remains unclear if his sentences would run concurrently or consecutively.

More than 30 people were arrested in the schemes in October, with other former NBA players and alleged mobsters among those charged.

Former Miami Heat player Terry Rozier was charged, along with Basketball Hall of Famer and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billips.

Jones is the first person to plead guilty in the sensational case – and he initially pleaded not guilty after his arrest.

With Post wires

Though only one first-round series is complete and none of top championship contenders are eliminated, the 2026 NBA playoffs have already been jarred by unexpected drama.

The Oklahoma City Thunder swept the Phoenix Suns but did so after losing Jalen Williams to a hamstring injury. The Minnesota Timberwolves are also adjusting to a knee injury that will sideline Anthony Edwards for at least the rest of their first-round series against the Denver Nuggets. The top seed in the Eastern Conference, meanwhile, sits on the brink of elimination after the Orlando Magic took a 3-1 series lead on the Detroit Pistons and the preseason favorite in the East (New York Knicks) is locked in a tied series.

Through all this during the opening 10 days of the NBA playoffs, some of the league's biggest stars and a few unexpected names have emerged to produce compelling and clutch performances. Here's a look at the 10 best players in the 2026 NBA playoffs through games played on Monday, April 27:

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If you bet on the last meeting between the Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers, you likely still have a sour taste in your mouth regardless of if you won any wagers or not.

The great thing about Game 5 is there’s really nowhere to go but up after a historically bad shooting night from both teams. My same-game parlay for Toronto vs. Cleveland calls for another close contest, circling two of Toronto’s top stars to shine.

Here are my best NBA picks and predictions for Raptors vs. Cavaliers on April 29.

Our best Raptors vs Cavaliers SGP for Game 5

SGP leg #1: Raptors +8.5

The Toronto Raptors won ugly and knotted this Round 1 series at 2-2, heading back to Cleveland for Game 5. The Raptors made some defensive tweaks to take away the Cleveland Cavaliers’ off-ball action, and their length has started to slow down Cleveland’s outside threats. This isn’t the same team that got knocked around in the first two games in Cleveland, and I like Toronto to cover as sizable road dogs on Wednesday.

SGP leg #2: RJ Barrett Over 19.5 points

RJ Barrett shot the ball 22 times with a spike in usage in Game 4. Unfortunately, he was among the many throwing up bricks. He finished with 18 points — in part to a 1-for-4 night from the stripe — but was Toronto’s most consistent threat in the three games prior. He opened the series shooting better than 64% and topped 20 points in each of the first three outings. He’s projected for as many as 22 points in Game 5.

SGP leg #3: Scottie Barnes Over 7.5 assists

With point guard Immanuel Quickley sidelined for the series, Scottie Barnes is Toronto’s primary ball handler. His assist production spiked when the PG was out at the end of the season, and he’s primed for another big passing performance, as the Cavs' defense tries to take the ball out of his hands. Bad shooting spoiled 16.0 potential assists in Game 4, but Toronto won’t stay cold, and Barnes will dish out eight or more dimes in Game 5.

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See our full Raptors vs Cavaliers Game 5 preview

Get Jason Logan's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Raptors vs Cavaliers predictions for Game 5.

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Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones pleaded guilty in a Brooklyn federal court on Tuesday, April 28, admitting he took part in a widespread illegal gambling probe in which inside information was shared about players' injuries, and also that he took part in rigged poker games.

Jones pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud during the first of his plea change hearings. According to sentencing guidelines, Jones is expected to receive a sentence of 21 to 27 months and is scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 6. Jones is prohibited from gambling or being involved with members of organized crime.

The 49-year-old Jones, who played 11 seasons in the NBA, earning nearly $22 million in salary, remained free on bail after his arrest in October, and is the first of the 30 people to enter a plea in the case. He originally pleaded not guilty on Nov. 6 to wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering, which carry a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison.

"I would like to sincerely apologize to the court, my family, my peers, and also the National Basketball Association," Jones said in a prepared statement during his court appearance.

According to prosecutors, Jones gave NBA lineup decisions and pre-released medical information to his co-conspirators, who then placed significant wagers based on the tips. The medical information allegedly involved LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who were playing for the Los Angeles Lakers at the time.

NEW YORK (AP) — Ex-NBA player Damon Jones becomes first defendant to plead guilty in a gambling sweep that netted more than 30 arrests.