Category: NBA

This time, the referee went after the coach.

Veteran NBA referee Tony Brothers had to be held back from confronting Timberwolves coach Chris Finch in a shocking scene Friday night during Minnesota’s home 115-108 Game 3 loss to the Spurs.

Finch then called out the veteran official for his actions.

Tony Brothers had to be HELD BACK against Chris Finch pic.twitter.com/GgeC0nNQGV

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 9, 2026

“Pretty unprofessional, huh?” Finch said after the game.

The tense moment happened with a little more than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter when Finch attempted to call a timeout with his team trailing 102-100.

Finch believed Brothers delayed in granting the timeout with 5:09 left and voiced his displeasure, walking toward the referee and giving him his thoughts.

Brothers did not back down before being intercepted by a Minnesota player.

“I wanted the timeout. I had called it three seconds earlier and I wanted the timeout. I said, ‘I want my three seconds back,'” said Finch, whose team fell in a 2-1 series hole. “He clearly heard me. He looked my way, ignored me, went on with the play and then almost cost us a turnover.”

During the timeout, Brothers stood near the Minnesota huddle, and Finch said something to him that resulted in Brothers attempting to walk his way.

One Minnesota staffer and players prevented Brothers from getting face-to-face with Finch — and stopped a potential combustible situation.

“He lost it,” Finch said. “Then, I went to ask him where the ball was going to be taken in, and he screamed at me for that. Completely unprofessional behavior by him.”

Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards indicated that Brothers’ actions did not surprise him.

“We didn’t really hear what was going on. It’s competition at the highest level, man” Edwards said. “We wanna win, Finchy wanna win. And Tony Brothers is Tony Brothers. We all love him, so it’s all good.”

This is the second notable interaction between a player and referee in as many days, with the Lakers’ Austin Reaves accusing John Goble of yelling in his face Thursday, which left him feeling “disrespected.”

The 76ers’ Joel Embiid also alleged that the referees had some bias in Game 3, with the Knicks attempting 32 free throws to Philadelphia’s 16.

“I guess it’s good when New York wins,” Embiid said.

In our last installment, we took a look at the start of the season. The Mavericks lost their starting center, fired their GM and gave Cooper Flagg plenty of burn as a point guard. As December rolled in, Flagg was already showing exponential improvement and Anthony Davis returned to the lineup after missing 15 out of 16 November games.

December Record: 6-7 (12-22 overall)

The Mavericks opened the month with back-to-back wins, the first of which came against the Denver Nuggets. Dallas won four of their first five games in December, and five of their first seven. Suddenly, fans started picking up vibes that the Mavs may be finding their way and could ultimately make a push for the PlayIn Tournament or better. The wins weren’t due to a soft schedule either, as Dallas got the best of the Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons during this stretch. Then they lost five of their final six games of the month, with the sole victory ironically coming against Denver for a second time in three weeks. The stumble robbed the Mavs of momentum as they entered the new year ten games under .500.

Flagg’s first 40-point game

In an overtime loss to the Utah Jazz on December 15, Flagg scored a point per minute played. He poured in 42 points on 13-for-27 shooting from the floor and 15-for-20 from the free throw line. It may seem like the feat deserves an asterisk for being an OT game, but Flagg actually hit the 40-point mark in regulation. He was still a week shy of turning 19 years old at the time, making this effort even more amazing. Flagg’s game was developing at a rapid pace right before our eyes, with this gem being the highlight to that point.

The emergence of Ryan Nembhard

Nembhard went from a player who did not play a single minute in 13 of the Mavericks’ first 21 games, to a starter in all 13 December contests. During the stretch, he averaged 9.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. He double-doubled on points and assists on three occasions and scored in double figures six times. Although his season overall was up-and-down, he proved a capable floor general when needed and helped bring a semblance of balance to a lineup that was often anything but.

Anthony Davis’ back-to-back 30-point games

Davis gave himself an early Christmas present with two of the best games he played in a Mavericks’ uniform. In a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on December 22, he dropped in 35 points, then followed it up the next night in the aforementioned win over Denver with 31 more. Combined across the two games, Davis scored 66 points on 60% shooting from the floor, to go along with 26 rebounds, six assists, four steals and a blocked shot. Davis was as dominant as he had ever been in his short time with the Mavs. Across those same two games, Flagg scored a combined 49 points of his own, matching Davis’ 30-plus point outing with 33 against Denver. It was a brief glimpse of how effectively Davis and Flagg could play together against a good team, however it wasn’t meant to last, as we’ll see next time when we take a look at January.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

The Washington Wizards’ second most productive player last season was someone they acquired with a 10-day contract in Febuary of 2024. A couple weeks later, they signed him to a two-way deal. A calendar year later, they signed him to a four-year $10 million contract with a team option on the final season.

I’m talking about Justin Champagnie, of course. And Champagnie — despite haphazard minutes and an apparently eternal case of bedhead — has already outperformed the contract. Don’t be shocked if the Wizards decline that option so they can give him a better deal after next season. Well, depending on a big “if.”

If the Wizards hold an open competition for roles and minutes, I suspect Justin Champagnie would emerge as one of the team’s starting forwards. “Suspect” is doing some work because the Wizards have kept him in a reserve role while they gave developmental minutes to their draft picks.

Only thing: on a per minute basis, Champagnie has outperformed all of them, except Alex Sarr.

I kinda get the coaching staff’s reticence at elevating him. His game is more “four” than “three” though his size (6-6, 205) is more “three” than “four.” He’s somehow effective, efficient, and productive…and shot just 31.9% from three this season — exactly the same percentage as Bilal Coulibaly.

Basketball-Reference’s position estimator doesn’t know what to do with him. B-R guesstimate’s he spent 77% of his minutes at small forward or shooting guard. Drill into the lineup data and you’ll quickly see he played close to zero minutes at either.

Eliding the issue that traditional position designations are meaningless in the modern NBA, Champagnie’s real position is “forward.” He rebounds, defends up in size reasonably well, is a willing and effective screen-setter, and he has some of the requisite perimeter skills basically everyone except behemoths and freaks need. And the behemoths and freaks often need some perimeter skills too.

Last season, the Wizards entered the season with Champagnie firmly planted on the bench. He didn’t surpass six minutes until the sixth game of the season. After a couple strong games in limited minutes, he returned to single digit playing time for three more games. The on-court time got more steady after that, but he went over 30 minutes just five times all season.

This season, Champagnie set new per possession career bests in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. He set a new low in turnovers (just 1.5 per 100 possessions) and a new high in offensive rating (nearly 10 points per possessions better than average).

And while I’ve previously cited research to explain away the lack of plus/minus impact from his younger teammates, the Wizards have been better each of the past two seasons with Champagnie on the floor — +3.5 per 100 possessions last season, and +4.8 the year before.

This is not to say the Wizards have been good with him out there. They’ve been -9.0 or worse both seasons. It’s more accurate to say they’ve been less awful when he plays.

Don’t get me wrong: I don’t think Champagnie is a viable starting forward on a good team. He’d be a valuable rotation guy on a good team — a seventh or eighth man who will make a bunch of right plays, avoid mistakes, and rise to the intensity of truly competitive basketball.

And I think there’s a better than 50/50 chance that he’ll take minutes from more celebrated teammates in a fair competition.

Below is Champagnie’s performance ekg for this season. The graph suggests a greater level of consistency than the game-to-game data shows. The 5-game, 10-game, 20-game, and full season rolling PPA scores were relatively consistent, but his score in my consistency index was 84 — about the same as Sarr’s. That’s much more consistent than Coulibaly’s or Kyshawn George’s. I suspect the consistency of his production would improve with a more consistent diet of minutes.

If there’s one thing on Champagnie’s page in the spreadsheet to worry about, it’s a relative lack of high-end games. This season, he had just six games with a PPA over 200, and 17 over 150.

If I had to add one more thing, it’d be that his overall PPA score (105) this season was just around average.

Okay, there’s one final thing: this was his age 24 season, right at the end of the age grouping when players typically make their biggest leaps forward. From 25 forward, improvement tends to be more incremental before beginning to decline in their late 20s and early 30s. And then there’s often a cliff (at least traditionally) at ages 32-33.

That’s jumping ahead quite a bit — the point here is that he’s at an age where “what you see is what you get” is more likely than not. That’s not bad. Words I’d use to describe what he’s done the past couple years are ones like decent and competent. I’m hopeful guys like George and Coulibaly are able to relegate him to the bench.

But my guess is when they’re battling for postseason seeding or they’re in the playoffs, Champagnie will be out there in high-leverage situations and one or more of his more ballyhooed teammates will be watching from the sidelines.

The Detroit Pistons are up 2-0 on the Cleveland Cavaliers due to their relentless intensity on both ends. The Cavs aren’t just folding; Detroit is putting them in positions to fail.

Any headline about this series should lead with what Detroit is doing right instead of what Cleveland is failing at. Detroit can force mainstream media to lead with them if they take a commanding 3-0 lead Saturday afternoon. 

The Cavs have been a different team in Cleveland in the postseason, but the Pistons are road warriors. Their 24-point comeback in Orlando gave them even more belief that they can barge into anyone’s home and kick their feet up.

GAME VITALS

Where:  Rocket Arena, Cleveland, Ohio

When: 3:00 PM EST

Watch: Peacock/NBC

Odds: Pistons (+3.5)

Analysis 

The Cavs have tanked on the road in these playoffs. They’ve averaged 100 points in five road losses. At home, they explode with 120 points and have yet to lose at the Rocket Arena.

Detroit can change that if they ratchet up the pressure on Cleveland’s guards. James Harden may be dealing with something, but his play has not been up to par. 

It’s not going down like this because he is a playoff choker. Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson are legit defenders who take matchups personally. Harden’s theatrics got Ausar in foul trouble, but the results of that were Ron Holland minutes. That’s not an easier task for Harden. There are dawgs everywhere in Detroit. 

Some speak on the Cavs and Harden’s turnovers like it’s easy to just stop flipping the ball vs this Pistons defense. Detroit has made teams and players with tight ball security morph into revolving turnover doors all season. That’s what they do. 

Cade is showing what superstars do. Cade’s 20-point streak to start his playoff career should remind everyone that Detroit has one of the future faces of our game.

In crunch time, Cade Cunningham makes plays!

Yet another example occurred last night 🔥

He became the 4th player in NBA history to score 20+ points in each of his first 15 career postseason games!

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (27)
LeBron James (19)
Anthony Davis (16) pic.twitter.com/by9iMdRkfi

— NBA (@NBA) May 8, 2026

He has clearly outplayed Cavs star Donovan Mitchell. Cade comes alive in the clutch, while Mitchell has not yet. Mitchell is due for one of those playoff explosions. It seems like he was flowing after hitting that bank shot, but Detroit bottled him up in the fourth quarter.

Evan Mobley has been in a straitjacket. He’s been invisible for stretches over the first two games. The Pistons bigs are handling their business winning the physicality battle. That was an advantage coming into this series, and it must be doubled down on to go up 3-0. Good Mobley usually means good Cavs. It’s paramount that Detroit continues to slow down arguably the Cavs most important player. 

Jalen Duren’s stats aren’t head-turning, but his approach has been better this series. If nothing else, he is drawing 4.5 fouls per game vs Cleveland compared to 2.7 against Orlando (PivotFade). Duren has been more aggressive and can get even better.

As the saying goes, role players play better at home. So expect Jaylon Tyson, Dennis Schröder, Max Strus, and Dean Wade to look a bit better. Their best shooter, Sam Merrill, remains questionable with a hamstring injury.

Their role players should step up at home, but Detroit’s need to replicate what they’ve done. Duncan Robinson is on a heater. Maybe he doesn’t average five 3s in Cleveland, but he’s forcing the Cavs to guard him. 

Daniss Jenkins and Tobias Harris are as well. Their off-the-dribble juice has given Cleveland trouble. Cleveland choosing to ignore these players like Orlando did is detrimental because they are rolling now. 

Detroit can go up 3-0 and shift the conversation. This series has not been about Cleveland’s downfall. And this series is certainly not about Cade having help and Mitchell having none. 

If Mobley, Harden, Jarrett Allen, and the Cavs’ role players aren’t stepping up, it’s because those dawgs in Detroit continue to shut their water off. That is how that should be framed. This defense has made great players uncomfortable all year.

LINEUPS

Detroit Pistons (2-0): Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Cleveland Cavaliers (0-2): James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Have your thoughts on Tobias Harris changed due to these playoffs?

A look at each team in the NBA draft lottery — and how it's gone for them in the past originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The NBA draft lottery is Sunday, with Washington, Indiana and Brooklyn having the best odds of winning the No. 1 pick.

The lottery began in 1985, when the New York Knicks received the top selection and altered the course of their franchise by taking Patrick Ewing. The format has had its share of changes since then, and there might be another coming soon, but for now the process should be pretty familiar. The top four selections are determined via a weighted draw. Then picks No. 5-14 are dispersed in reverse order of finish from this season.

Last year, The Associated Press reviewed each franchise’s draft lottery history. Here is an updated version — including only the teams involved in this year’s lottery.

___

Washington Wizards/Bullets

Lottery Wins: 2001 (Kwame Brown) and 2010 (John Wall)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2024; No. 3 in 2012 and 2013

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1993, 1995, 2004, 2009 and 2025

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 14%

Details: Only 11 teams have received multiple No. 1 picks in the lottery era, so the Wizards’ luck hasn’t been all bad. But dropping from second to sixth last year was a blow. If their pick had fallen out of the top eight this year, it would have gone to the Knicks, but after finishing with the league’s worst record, Washington doesn’t have to worry about that.

Indiana Pacers

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1985 and 1988

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1986

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 14%

Details: Indiana was one of the worst teams in the league when the lottery began and narrowly missed out on Ewing in 1985. The Pacers’ pick this year goes to the Los Angeles Clippers if it is outside the top four.

Brooklyn/New Jersey Nets

Lottery Wins: 1990 (Derrick Coleman) and 2000 (Kenyon Martin)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1991; No. 3 in 1987 and 2010

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1988

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 14%

Details: The Nets had just a 4% chance at the No. 1 pick when they won it in 2000, and they would have another top pick to their credit if they hadn’t dealt their selection away before the 2017 lottery.

Utah Jazz

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 3 in 2011

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2025

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 11.5%

Details: The Jazz haven’t been in the lottery much over the past four decades, and when they have they’ve often been an afterthought. A trade gave them the Nets’ pick at No. 3 in 2011. Last year, Utah was in the top pre-lottery spot but fell to the No. 5 pick.

Sacramento Kings

Lottery Wins: 1989 (Pervis Ellison)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2018; No. 3 in 1991

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2009 and 2010

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 11.5%

Details: Sacramento’s lone lottery victory led to a forgettable selection at No. 1, but the Kings haven’t had as many heartbreaking drops as you might think. Only once, in 2009, have they had the top pre-lottery position.

Memphis/Vancouver Grizzlies

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009 and 2019; No. 3 in 1996

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1997, 2002, 2007 and 2018

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 9%

Details: Plenty of No. 2 picks but no No. 1s. In 2003, the Grizzlies moved up four spots to No. 2, but that pick belonged to Detroit because of a trade. Had Memphis moved up one more spot to No. 1, its pick would have been protected — and the Grizzlies would have had a chance to draft LeBron James.

Atlanta Hawks

Lottery Wins: 2024 (Zaccharie Risacher)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2005; No. 3 in 2001, 2007 and 2018

Dropped Out Of Top 3: None

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 9.8%

Details: The Hawks finally exited the never-won-the-lottery club two years ago, making good on a 3% chance to land the first pick. This year Atlanta gets either New Orleans’ first-round pick or Milwaukee’s, whichever is better. (The Pelicans are seventh in the pre-lottery pecking order and the Bucks are 10th.)

Dallas Mavericks

Lottery Wins: 2025 (Cooper Flagg)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1994

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1986, 1992, 1993 and 2018

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 6.7%

Details: The Mavericks were one of the unluckiest franchises in lottery history before capitalizing on a 1.8% chance to land Flagg. Before that, Dallas had never once improved its pick position. The mid-1990s were particularly dire. In 1993 the Mavericks went 11-71 but dropped three spots to No. 4. A 13-69 mark the following season didn’t yield the top pick either.

Chicago Bulls

Lottery Wins: 1999 (Elton Brand) and 2008 (Derrick Rose)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2002 and 2006; No. 3 in 2004

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2000 and 2001

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 4.5%

Details: The Bulls landed the No. 1 pick just a season after losing Michael Jordan. They’ve struggled to build a contender since then, but they’ve had their chances.

Milwaukee Bucks

Lottery Wins: 1994 (Glenn Robinson) and 2005 (Andrew Bogut)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2014

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2007

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: None

Details: Neither of those No. 1 picks was as much of a game changer for the Bucks as Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was taken outside the lottery in 2013. If Milwaukee’s pick this year is higher than New Orleans’, it would go to Atlanta and the Bucks would get the Pelicans’ selection.

Golden State Warriors

Lottery Wins: 1995 (Joe Smith)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2020; No. 3 in 1986, 1993 and 2002

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1985, 1988 and 2001

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 2%

Details: The Warriors were the lottery’s first big losers, receiving the No. 7 pick in the very first edition in 1985 after finishing tied for the worst record in the league. It wasn’t long before the NBA changed the rules to make drops of that size impossible.

Oklahoma City Thunder/Seattle SuperSonics

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1990, 2007 and 2022; No. 3 in 2009

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2008

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 1.5%

Details: Of the eight franchises that have never won the lottery, this is one of the luckiest. While in Seattle, the team moved up eight picks to get Gary Payton in 1990 and climbed three spots to select Kevin Durant in 2007. Now the Thunder have the Los Angeles Clippers’ pick.

Miami Heat

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2008; No. 3 in 1990

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1989 and 1991

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 1%

Details: The Heat have neither needed nor received much help in the lottery recently, but they could have used some during the franchise’s difficult early years. Miami dropped from first to fourth in 1989 after winning 15 games, then fell from second to fifth a couple of years later.

Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats

Lottery Wins: 1991 (Larry Johnson)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1992, 2012 and 2023; No. 3 in 1999, 2006 and 2020

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1989, 2005, 2013, 2024 and 2025

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 0.5%

Details: Charlotte has had so many lottery appearances that it is not surprising the franchise has experienced some good and bad. Jumping six spots to get Alonzo Mourning in 1992 might’ve been even more important than landing Johnson at No. 1 the year before. The Hornets also moved up a whopping 10 spots to No. 3 in 1999 and took Baron Davis.

Los Angeles Clippers

Lottery Wins: 1988 (Danny Manning), 1998 (Michael Olowokandi) and 2009 (Blake Griffin)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1989, 1995, 2001 and 2004; No. 3 in 1985 and 2000

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1987 and 1999

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: None

Details: The Clippers have had bad luck in a variety of ways, but the lottery has generally treated them fairly. Three No. 1 picks and six more top-three picks more than make up for occasional disappointments, like missing out on David Robinson after a 12-win season in 1987. Los Angeles has to give its pick to Oklahoma City, but the Clippers receive Indiana’s if it is No. 5 or No. 6.

A look at each team in the NBA draft lottery — and how it's gone for them in the past originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The NBA draft lottery is Sunday, with Washington, Indiana and Brooklyn having the best odds of winning the No. 1 pick.

The lottery began in 1985, when the New York Knicks received the top selection and altered the course of their franchise by taking Patrick Ewing. The format has had its share of changes since then, and there might be another coming soon, but for now the process should be pretty familiar. The top four selections are determined via a weighted draw. Then picks No. 5-14 are dispersed in reverse order of finish from this season.

Last year, The Associated Press reviewed each franchise’s draft lottery history. Here is an updated version — including only the teams involved in this year’s lottery.

___

Washington Wizards/Bullets

Lottery Wins: 2001 (Kwame Brown) and 2010 (John Wall)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2024; No. 3 in 2012 and 2013

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1993, 1995, 2004, 2009 and 2025

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 14%

Details: Only 11 teams have received multiple No. 1 picks in the lottery era, so the Wizards’ luck hasn’t been all bad. But dropping from second to sixth last year was a blow. If their pick had fallen out of the top eight this year, it would have gone to the Knicks, but after finishing with the league’s worst record, Washington doesn’t have to worry about that.

Indiana Pacers

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1985 and 1988

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1986

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 14%

Details: Indiana was one of the worst teams in the league when the lottery began and narrowly missed out on Ewing in 1985. The Pacers’ pick this year goes to the Los Angeles Clippers if it is outside the top four.

Brooklyn/New Jersey Nets

Lottery Wins: 1990 (Derrick Coleman) and 2000 (Kenyon Martin)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1991; No. 3 in 1987 and 2010

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1988

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 14%

Details: The Nets had just a 4% chance at the No. 1 pick when they won it in 2000, and they would have another top pick to their credit if they hadn’t dealt their selection away before the 2017 lottery.

Utah Jazz

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 3 in 2011

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2025

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 11.5%

Details: The Jazz haven’t been in the lottery much over the past four decades, and when they have they’ve often been an afterthought. A trade gave them the Nets’ pick at No. 3 in 2011. Last year, Utah was in the top pre-lottery spot but fell to the No. 5 pick.

Sacramento Kings

Lottery Wins: 1989 (Pervis Ellison)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2018; No. 3 in 1991

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2009 and 2010

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 11.5%

Details: Sacramento’s lone lottery victory led to a forgettable selection at No. 1, but the Kings haven’t had as many heartbreaking drops as you might think. Only once, in 2009, have they had the top pre-lottery position.

Memphis/Vancouver Grizzlies

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009 and 2019; No. 3 in 1996

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1997, 2002, 2007 and 2018

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 9%

Details: Plenty of No. 2 picks but no No. 1s. In 2003, the Grizzlies moved up four spots to No. 2, but that pick belonged to Detroit because of a trade. Had Memphis moved up one more spot to No. 1, its pick would have been protected — and the Grizzlies would have had a chance to draft LeBron James.

Atlanta Hawks

Lottery Wins: 2024 (Zaccharie Risacher)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2005; No. 3 in 2001, 2007 and 2018

Dropped Out Of Top 3: None

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 9.8%

Details: The Hawks finally exited the never-won-the-lottery club two years ago, making good on a 3% chance to land the first pick. This year Atlanta gets either New Orleans’ first-round pick or Milwaukee’s, whichever is better. (The Pelicans are seventh in the pre-lottery pecking order and the Bucks are 10th.)

Dallas Mavericks

Lottery Wins: 2025 (Cooper Flagg)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1994

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1986, 1992, 1993 and 2018

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 6.7%

Details: The Mavericks were one of the unluckiest franchises in lottery history before capitalizing on a 1.8% chance to land Flagg. Before that, Dallas had never once improved its pick position. The mid-1990s were particularly dire. In 1993 the Mavericks went 11-71 but dropped three spots to No. 4. A 13-69 mark the following season didn’t yield the top pick either.

Chicago Bulls

Lottery Wins: 1999 (Elton Brand) and 2008 (Derrick Rose)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2002 and 2006; No. 3 in 2004

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2000 and 2001

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 4.5%

Details: The Bulls landed the No. 1 pick just a season after losing Michael Jordan. They’ve struggled to build a contender since then, but they’ve had their chances.

Milwaukee Bucks

Lottery Wins: 1994 (Glenn Robinson) and 2005 (Andrew Bogut)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2014

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2007

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: None

Details: Neither of those No. 1 picks was as much of a game changer for the Bucks as Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was taken outside the lottery in 2013. If Milwaukee’s pick this year is higher than New Orleans’, it would go to Atlanta and the Bucks would get the Pelicans’ selection.

Golden State Warriors

Lottery Wins: 1995 (Joe Smith)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2020; No. 3 in 1986, 1993 and 2002

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1985, 1988 and 2001

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 2%

Details: The Warriors were the lottery’s first big losers, receiving the No. 7 pick in the very first edition in 1985 after finishing tied for the worst record in the league. It wasn’t long before the NBA changed the rules to make drops of that size impossible.

Oklahoma City Thunder/Seattle SuperSonics

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1990, 2007 and 2022; No. 3 in 2009

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2008

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 1.5%

Details: Of the eight franchises that have never won the lottery, this is one of the luckiest. While in Seattle, the team moved up eight picks to get Gary Payton in 1990 and climbed three spots to select Kevin Durant in 2007. Now the Thunder have the Los Angeles Clippers’ pick.

Miami Heat

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2008; No. 3 in 1990

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1989 and 1991

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 1%

Details: The Heat have neither needed nor received much help in the lottery recently, but they could have used some during the franchise’s difficult early years. Miami dropped from first to fourth in 1989 after winning 15 games, then fell from second to fifth a couple of years later.

Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats

Lottery Wins: 1991 (Larry Johnson)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1992, 2012 and 2023; No. 3 in 1999, 2006 and 2020

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1989, 2005, 2013, 2024 and 2025

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 0.5%

Details: Charlotte has had so many lottery appearances that it is not surprising the franchise has experienced some good and bad. Jumping six spots to get Alonzo Mourning in 1992 might’ve been even more important than landing Johnson at No. 1 the year before. The Hornets also moved up a whopping 10 spots to No. 3 in 1999 and took Baron Davis.

Los Angeles Clippers

Lottery Wins: 1988 (Danny Manning), 1998 (Michael Olowokandi) and 2009 (Blake Griffin)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1989, 1995, 2001 and 2004; No. 3 in 1985 and 2000

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1987 and 1999

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: None

Details: The Clippers have had bad luck in a variety of ways, but the lottery has generally treated them fairly. Three No. 1 picks and six more top-three picks more than make up for occasional disappointments, like missing out on David Robinson after a 12-win season in 1987. Los Angeles has to give its pick to Oklahoma City, but the Clippers receive Indiana’s if it is No. 5 or No. 6.

Joel Embiid believes the fix is in.

The 76ers center said, “I guess it’s good when New York wins” after pointing out the Knicks tallied twice as many free-throw attempts as Philadelphia in their 108-94 road win in Game 3 of the second-round series.

Friday’s physical contest featured the Knicks notching their most free throw attempts in the series with 32, while the 76ers attempted their fewest with 16.

“Maybe [some potential fouls] was let go or not. They shot 32 free throws, we had 16. We’re not a team that shoots a lot of 3s. We attack, put the ball on the ground. I don’t know,” Embiid said.

“I guess it’s good when New York wins, so we’ve just got to have that mentality of just not fouling, I guess, and being smart enough to not put ourselves in a position where they’re going to take advantage of it.”

The 76ers find themselves in a 3-0 hole, and Embiid’s frustrations are seemingly boiling over after Philadelphia missed a chance to make this a series Friday night.

Philadelphia attempted more free throws in the first two games — 62 to 42, including a 34-17 edge in Game 1 — but did not receive the same advantage in what could have been billed as a must-win.

The Knicks’ high free-throw attempt total was boosted by Mitchell Robinson’s eight shots from the line, with the 76ers employing the Hack-a-Mitch strategy, but even if one were to exclude those from the Knicks’ total, they still would have finished with 50 percent more tries than Philadelphia.

Jalen Brunson, who has attempted at least eight free throws in all three games and 25 total, had more than half of Philadelphia’s total with his nine attempts.

Emibiid, who had attempted at least seven free throws in each of his five postseason games entering Friday, only had six tries in his 18-point, six-rebound performance.

Both Embiid and Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns — who played just 26 minutes due to five fouls — showed frustration with the whistle during the game.

Early in the first quarter, both Embiid and Towns fell to the ground while fighting for a rebound and Embiid could not believe the referees did not call a foul on the Knicks’ big man.

He then fouled Towns on the other end and demonstratively yelled at the referees.

Embiid was also surprised after being called for a moving screen in the second quarter while Landry Shamet ran through him with the Knicks ahead by 11.

One particular play that enraged the 76ers — and particularly their fans — came late in the third quarter a critical juncture.

After Philadelphia sliced the deficit to 80-76 with less than 50 seconds remaining, the referees called Quentin Grimes for a questionable foul on Brunson, who embellished the contact.

When in doubt, just throw your head back and yell. pic.twitter.com/NOrxscfoQV

— Jason Timpf (@_JasonLT) May 9, 2026

Brunson hit two free throws to push the lead to six, the 76ers missed two 3s on the other end and Landry Shamet then drilled a 3 to give the Knicks an 85-76 lead going into the fourth quarter.

The cruel reality for the 76ers is that even if one subtracts the extra free throw makes (10) from the final score, Philly still would have fallen short Friday.

And now they are one loss away from being eliminated by the Knicks for the second time in three years.

“Tough loss tonight,” Embiid said. “Got to take it one game at a time.”

The Dallas Mavericks hired Masai Ujiri last Monday to lead the team as President and Alternate Governor. Naturally, questions abound as to what the organization will look like under the new regime. The Draft Lottery is mere days away and garnering much of the Mavericks-related attention. Where will they land? What type of player will Ujiri target? That all remains to be determined, but along with that comes questions about the leadership structure already in place, particularly in respect of head coach Jason Kidd. Since Monday’s hire, a few interesting tidbits have surfaced which are rife with speculation.

Kidd wanted the President role in Dallas

Tim MacMahon appeared on The Hoop Collective Wednesday with some interesting tidbits of information. MacMahon proclaimed unequivocally that Kidd lobbied for the role of President. There was suspicion of this for some time, but it is now all but confirmed.

Mavericks HC Jason Kidd tried to become team president, according to @BannedMacMahon but has known for months he wasn’t getting the job.

Kidd wasn’t involved in the search for Masai Ujiri & was informed of the move when the deal was done #MFFL

(@ESPNNBA via Hoop Collective/YT) pic.twitter.com/YVPEweN4DX

— Kevin Gray Jr. (@KevinGraySports) May 6, 2026

There are at least two layers to this particular onion. First, Kidd is apparently open to migrating away from the head coaching spot he’s held since 2021. Second, Kidd just watched someone else get hired into the role he wanted for himself. While the first isn’t necessarily an indication of imminent change, and the second isn’t a guarantee of resentment, the combination at least makes it plausible to believe Kidd could, of his own volition, be desirous of a change in scenery.

Patrick Dumont did not consult Kidd on his hiring decision

Marc Stein indicated that Mavs’ owner Patrick Dumont had a select few in his brain trust when it came to hiring Ujiri – namely, Mavs’ CEO Rick Welts, and President of Business Operations Ethan Casson. That’s it. Meanwhile, Stein also reported that Dumont wanted to hire an executive that was willing to keep Kidd in place. This is where things get interesting. It isn’t necessarily common practice to consult a coach on the hiring of whomever will eventually be their boss, but Kidd is now the only remaining person in the organization with some of the residue of the Luka Doncic trade on him. Gone are Nico Harrison and Anthony Davis, arguably the two biggest reminders of the trade. However, Kidd has also been implicated (by former majority owner Mark Cuban, no less), so it births some curiosity as to whether Dumont – and his new-found commitment to making things right – is more ambivalent than he once was when it comes to retaining Kidd, especially when viewed against the backdrop of saying “no thanks” to Kidd’s efforts to land the President role himself.

Looking at it “from head to toe”

During his introductory press conference, Ujiri was asked point blank about the ongoing status of Kidd. As he had done throughout the presser, Ujiri responded with aplomb, stating:

“I’m going to meet with Jason Kidd and hear his thoughts on everything. He’s done a great job. We’re going to look at this thing from head to toe and evaluate in every way that we can.”

In a way, this ties together all that we are seeing and hearing on the matter. Ujiri provided a politically correct yet sincere response, but stopped well short of committing to Kidd remaining head coach. In no uncertain terms, he made it clear that every aspect of the organization will be looked at, with the implication it will be done with a scalpel rather than a hacksaw. Nothing is guaranteed beyond a full and precise assessment of everything. This of course leaves every door open. Kidd may ask out. Ujiri may relieve him of his duties. The entire coaching staff may remain intact going into next season.

We close with an attempt to pull away from the speculative and focus on what we know. Kidd wanted the President role. Kidd was informed he would not be given said role. Ujiri holds the reigns. Change on all levels of the organization is a possibility under the new leadership. Going against Kidd is his 49.6% winning percentage as a head coach and quasi-involvement in the Doncic trade. Going for him is his incumbent status and apparent support of Dumont. Well-regarded as a player’s coach, Kidd still makes plenty of sense to guide the Mavericks into the future, but time will tell if that will be the case.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Lakers haven’t had a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander problem. 

They’ve had a non-Shai Gilgeous-Alexander problem.

Which is much worse, and one of the biggest reasons they’re trailing the Thunder, 0-2, in their best-of-seven second-round playoff series, which shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Saturday and Game 4 on Monday after the Lakers’ Game 2 loss Thursday.

The Lakers are looking to avoid falling behind 0-3 — a deficit no team has overcome in a playoff series.

And if they don’t figure out how to win the minutes when Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP who’ll likely repeat, isn’t on the floor, they’re facing quick elimination at the hands of the defending NBA champions. 

“I talked about it a little bit [on Wednesday], them being plus-nine in the non-SGA minutes [in Game 1],” coach JJ Redick said. “And then in the second half, we just got blitzed, 32-14, seven turnovers. They shot 14 free throws during that stretch. So we got to look at lineups, look at everything, try to figure out how we can be better in those minutes.”

The Thunder outscored the Lakers by nine points in the 13 minutes Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t play during Game 1.

They were even better without their best player in Game 2’s 125-107 victory, outscoring the Lakers by 13 points in the 20 minutes Gilgeous-Alexander was on the bench, giving the Thunder a combined 22-point advantage across 33 minutes in the first two games of the series when Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t on the floor.

The Thunder have been a plus-14 in the 63 minutes he has played in the series.

“We got to keep up the intensity even when he’s out,” Rui Hachimura said. “When he got off the court, we kind of relaxed a little bit. We still have to keep our intensity up. All these guys, they can make plays. We can’t have those little mistakes.”

Those “little mistakes” Hachimura referred to were on full display during the third quarter the Lakers lost 36-22, including 32-14 in the final 10 ½ minutes of the quarter after Gilgeous-Alexander subbed out early after picking up his fourth personal foul.

Poor defensive rebounding also hurt LA; the Thunder had four offensive rebounds for nine second-chance points off those extra opportunities when Gilgeous-Alexander was on the bench during the third.

The Thunder scored 17 second-chance points off nine offensive rebounds in Game 2. OKC took advantage of the Lakers’ switching defense, having its big men create extra opportunities by grabbing offensive boards over the Lakers’ smaller players. 

“We did a good job with our first defense,” LeBron James said. “But we got to clean the glass. We got to do a better job. We let Chet [Holmgren] get some offensive rebounds, get to the free-throw line or get some putbacks. Against a team like that, you can’t give up second-chance points. We got to do a better job of hitting and not allowing them to get second-chance points.”

Another issue was not staying attached to Jared McCain, who followed a 15-point performance on four 3-pointers in Game 1 with an 18-point showing on 4-for-5 shooting on 3s in Game 2.

Too many fouls. Too many turnovers.

Too many lapses that the Thunder took advantage of with ease.

Holmgren (22 points, nine rebounds, four steals, three assists and two blocked shots), Ajay Mitchell (20 points and six assists) and McCain combined for 60 points, including outscoring the Lakers 23-22 in the third. 

“We need to up our physicality,” Luke Kennard said. “Obviously, we’ve been putting two guys on Shai a lot. And kind of let some of those guys get open looks. But when Shai’s off the floor, we really got to sit down and guard, and try to take some of those guys out.
Our physicality has to go up another level, and we know that. And it’s something we’ll definitely talk about and, hopefully, figure out.”

And if the Lakers don’t figure it out, they won’t have any shot against the Thunder.

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The 2026 NBA Draft lottery feels like one of the most important in the recent history of the sport, and not necessarily because there’s a no-brainer future MVP candidate available at the top of the order. This draft is special because the top-four prospects all have the potential to be a franchise player down the line. Cameron Boozer is the No. 1 player in the class in our eyes, but A.J. Dybantsa feels like the favorite to be drafted with the first-pick, while Darryn Peterson will have plenty of fans as well. North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson has the potential to be as good as any of them.

The available talent is just one reason why this lottery is so important. The NBA is rushing through anti-tanking reform for next year’s draft that flattens the odds to such a degree that it will essentially randomize the draft order. The floor has also been taken out of the new rules, so while the worst team in the league can only fall to the No. 5 pick this year, next season they could fall as far as No. 12 overall.

The stakes are so high. Check out our most recent mock draft, and read our take on who deserves lottery luck. Now, let’s rank every lottery team by how desperate they are to move into the top-4.

14. Oklahoma City Thunder

No. Just no. If the Thunder cash in on their seven percent chance to move into the top-4, the rest of the league is in deep, deep trouble.

13. Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets already look like the Team of the Future in the East to me after posting the league’s best net-rating after Jan. 1. The Hornets are going to be good either way next year, and they’ll have a chance to add two solid long-term pieces to the draft in this draft with multiple picks in the teens.

12. Indiana Pacers

The stakes are higher for the Pacers than any other team. If their pick drops out of the top-4, it goes to the Los Angeles Clippers as part of the Ivica Zubac trade. It’s hard to see the Pacers as “desperate” for lottery luck though because they were just in the NBA Finals last time they had a healthy Tyrese Haliburton. Let’s hope the star point guard recovers quickly from his shingles, but he should be ready to go coming off the Achilles tear.

11. Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks took two games off the Knicks in the first-round this year, and they already have a nice young core in place led by Jalen Johnson. Atlanta is still searching for a true No. 1 option in this draft, but they have a bright future even if their pick remains in its expected range around No. 8.

10. Miami Heat

The Heat feel like they’re stuck in no-man’s land. The current team is just good enough to make the play-in tournament but not the playoffs, and they’ll never be bad enough to have decent odds for a top pick. Next year’s lottery changes really helps a team like Miami who is always in the middle. Lottery reform is basically a bailout package for the Heat, so they don’t need luck as badly this year as some other teams.

9. Dallas Mavericks

The Mavs needed a miracle to land Cooper Flagg last year, and now they really need to make this year’s pick count to find him a co-star. Dallas doesn’t control its pick from 2027-2030, so this chance is precious. Flagg is going to be an A1 star starting next season, so they already have a bright future just with him plus a top-10 pick this year even if they don’t move into the top-4.

8. Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies appear ready to trade Ja Morant after already trading Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. Memphis has a decent young core in place with Zach Edey and Cedric Coward, and I fully trust this franchise to keep uncovering hidden gems in the draft. They would love lottery luck, but they don’t need it.

7. Utah Jazz

The Jazz should be pretty good next season even if their pick falls out of the top-4. Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Keyonte George are a solid core, and Ace Bailey could also take a leap in his second season. Landing Dybantsa or Peterson would be the perfect final piece, and give Utah a real chance to be contenders in the future.

6. Golden State Warriors

The Warriors are staring down the reality that they’re just not going to be good enough to contend in Steph Curry’s golden years. Moving into the top-4 wouldn’t necessarily get the Warriors back on top, but it would at least give them a plausible exit strategy after Curry retires. I could see a big fall from Golden State coming soon if they don’t get lottery luck and/or nail this pick.

5. Chicago Bulls

The Bulls’ roster feels bottom-3 in the league for next year before the offseason gets started. Chicago does have a lot of cap space and two top-15 picks in this draft, and best of all Arturas Karnisovas isn’t calling the shots anymore. New EVP Bryson Graham seems prepared to take a long-term view of the franchise’s recent struggles, but the best way to turn things around is a little lottery luck. Chicago hasn’t picked in the top-3 since it moved up to No. 1 for Derrick Rose despite being one of the league’s worst teams over the last decade.

4. Washington Wizards

The Wizards traded for Anthony Davis and Trae Young to accelerate their rebuild, but AD doesn’t seem thrilled to be there. Washington has a decent young core led by Alex Sarr after a few years of tanking, but they still don’t have a young franchise player. If the Wizards fall in the draft lottery again and can’t get Davis to buy-in, they could be in danger of falling off the deep end when the new lottery odds begin.

3. Milwaukee Bucks

The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade saga continues to hold the Bucks hostage. It feels like we’re finally going to get some finality to the situation this summer as Milwaukee has the ability to offer their superstar a max extension. If Giannis turns it down, Bucks ownership has already said it will trade him. Getting lottery luck would change everything for the future of this franchise — whether that involved Giannis or not. The Bucks can pick as high as No. 2 — but only if the Hawks land No. 1.

2. Brooklyn Nets

The Nets had five first-round picks in last year’s draft, but none of them are likely to turn into the franchise player this organization desperately needs. Brooklyn has a bottom tier roster right now and really needs a young star to build around. The Nets also owe a pick swap to Houston next year, so this is their last chance to add a premium young talent until 2028.

1. Sacramento Kings

The Kings didn’t want to tank — they just built a terrible team on accident. Sacramento’s core is old and expensive, and somehow none of the main pieces are on expiring contracts. How are the Kings ever going to compete in the West if they don’t get lottery luck this year? The new odds are going to hurt them, and the roster probably has less young talent on it than any team in the league currently. I’d love to see more top picks land in the East to address conference imbalance, but the Kings are the most desperate team in the league for a little bit of luck.

Welcome to Inside the Suns, your weekly deep-down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team. Each week, the Fantable — a round table of Bright Siders — gives their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.

Fantable Questions of the Week

Q1: How important do you think it is for the Suns to re-sign Mark Williams this summer?

GuarGuar: For the right price, I absolutely would bring Mark back next season. It was very apparent after the All-Star break that we were a different team, and his absence during that time is no coincidence. His size and presence are things Oso doesn’t have, and we sorely missed them during our OKC series. The health of Mark is a big concern for sure, so I wouldn’t commit too much to him, but I saw enough last year that I do want him back.

Diamondhacks: On the court, not even Dillon Brooks or Collin Gillespie was as integral to our early success as Mark Williams. But if you think he’s our center of the future, I have a bone to pick. The third metatarsal. It’s come to my attention (a year or so after Rob Pelinka’s) that this is a very important basketball bone, and further, that Mark Williams performing at the lofty standards he set is cumulatively bad to the bone.

Absent more hopeful orthopedic expertise, I guess Ishbia could foot the bill for a quality center, good for a thousand minutes or so, but more or less on the foot’s schedule.

Ashton: I can take it or leave it, but as it stands now, I think the Suns must do it. Giannis is not walking through that door anytime soon.

I was impressed with Oso’s development, but he needs another season, and I still question if he is a long-term piece. I really have no idea what affordable centers may be on the FA market to replace him.

And the draft to save the day? Centers are returning to school for big NIL paydays. Well beyond the money that the Suns could offer with their second-round pick.

Rod: At this point in time, I don’t think either Khaman Maluach or Oso Ighodaro should be starting at center for the Suns, so bringing back Williams is pretty important. That being said, it’s even more important to bring him back on a team-friendly deal because I believe Maluach could be ready to start in 2027-28 or perhaps even before next season ends.

I don’t want to let him walk this summer, but I also don’t see him as the Suns’ long-term answer at center, so if the price of bringing him back is too high, I would let him go rather than committing too much money to a contract longer than a year. Personally, I’d be fine with him returning to play on the 1-year qualifying offer of $9.6 millon.

Q2: There’s been talk of offering Dillon Brooks a 4-year contract extension worth up to $125 million this summer. What are your thoughts on this?

GuarGuar: I am okay with giving Dillon that type of contract. He isn’t a max player or close to one. I want to be clear about that. He’s a great culture setter and plays very hard and with so much energy, which I love. He can be a black hole offensively, though, and can really take us out of a rhythm at times. On the flip side, sometimes he’s the only one aggressive enough to keep our offense afloat, so you take the good with the bad with him.

I’d love to keep him here in Phoenix; he seems to get along really well with this group.

Diamondhacks: My thought is to do whatever the opposite of an extension is. Truncation? Swap Dillon for someone who does things the Suns actually and desperately need. Like pass and rebound the ball. Honestly, I’m not sure what Brooks does out there sometimes, other than miss a lot of shots and stare at people. He really is an exceptional starter. You have to go back a long way to find someone who stares like that. Kurt Thomas, maybe?

Brooks likely had a significant intangible influence early (i.e., in Flagstaff and beyond) on a younger, impressionable roster, and our FO appears to be “all in” on the idea that this will continue. My poker observation is that his performative intensity generated valuable returns but, eventually, trickled in, less of a river than the flop. Teammates modeled and internalized some of his toughness, which is great. Now seems like a good time for those cheaper and more active proteges (or possibly an outside ‘leader’ type) to run with the competitive culture Brooks instilled. Without some of his ‘thirtysomething’ basketball and adolescent excess.

Ashton: H-E-Double-Picks no. Four years?

Look, I realize that some fans want the Dillon Brooks Fanclub pinned to the sidebar conversations, and for good reason. He is a motivational speaker, and that is putting it politely.

I looked it up. Does everyone here know that Brooks led the charge in technical fouls last season? Sure, you did. But did you know Booker was third? These mouthy “shooting guards” are complaining about not getting the calls and what to you expect? Love Thy Ref and get the calls.

Personal fouls? Brooks is doing well in that area as well, ranking number four (Booker is 21st). I pulled my stats using team rankings if you want to double-check.

All of this to say that you want to extend a player who couldn’t even get through his first season without legal trouble. What is the encore? Buckeye prison system basketball team? You do not reward bad behavior in any system.

If an argument were to be made for Brooks, then consider him as future trade bait? I almost wish the Suns could do an incentive-based contract that stipulates staying out of the top 20 in both foul areas and making a million or two. That and it would save him fines,

But I am a solid pass.

Rod: I really like having Brooks on the team, but $125 millon over 4 years seems a bit too high to me. As important as he is to the team, I don’t want to insult him with a low-ball offer either. Hopefully they can come to an agreement closer to $100 million over 4 years instead or, my personal favorite, agree to put off talking about an extension until the 2026-27 offseason begins. By then, we should have a much better idea of whether the team is indeed headed in the right direction with the current core and really worth making big investments to keep it together.

Q3: Both Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin will be unrestricted free agents this summer. If the Suns could only afford to bring one of them back, which would you choose?

GuarGuar: This is a very tough question, but if we could only afford to bring back one, I would bring back Collin. He’s a true playmaking PG, and when he’s hot, he can literally take over games offensively, which Goody can’t do. Gillespie isn’t a starter for a championship team, but he is a very serviceable rotation guard on one. Would hate to lose either of those guys though!

Diamondhacks: No two Suns executed Ott’s up-tempo Chaos Culture better – or frankly, as well — as Gillespie and Goodwin. These G-stringers won’t win you a sexy championship, but they personify a timeless ethic about how basketball should be played. Relentless, physically courageous, unselfish, opportunistic – and self-controlled. And since we’re not winning a title anyway, I suspect that ethic and execution may have more currency to some fans — and perhaps even to Mat Ishbia — than the Illusory Trophy itself.

I would, with appropriate compensation, sooner move on from more established players like Green, Brooks, or one of Allen/O’Neale, than part with either Jordan Goodwin or Collin Gillespie. Sorry. I’m keeping them both.

Ashton: Some chatter about how some teams could really use Collin Gillespie, and I wonder if he is being over-valued. Loved Goodie, but in the same vein of trade conversations later down the line, it has to be Collin Gillespie. He is generating the most NBA interest.

Also, if you study mock drafts for 2026, you are going to scroll past a lot PGs and PFs in the first round. A playmaker position is valued this year.

Rod: In all the years I’ve been doing Inside the Suns, this is the first question that I’ve ever put forth to the Fantable that I didn’t already have some idea of how I would answer it. Goodie vs Gillespie is a tough one because I love having both of these guys on the team.

Of the two, Collin is the better point guard while Goodie is the better all-around player. They’re both very important to this team and losing either one would be a shame, but I’m going to have to give Collin the nod as being the more important of the two to keep…by a very narrow margin.

As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!

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Quotes of the Week

“With the continuity of our players, with the continuity of our staff, with a huge focus and emphasis on development, we’re going to take big jumps this summer and you’re going to see it next year.” – Brian Gregory

“There’s never a point where we’re not always looking and having communication on are there players out there that fit what we’re all about .” – Brian Gregory

“I like this team, I like where we’re going, I like the direction of the organization, I like the culture that we built, I like the identity that we have and we’re not going to do anything silly to mess that up.” – Mat Ishbia

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Suns Trivia/History

On May 9, 2010, the Suns defeated the San Antonio Spurs 107-101 in San Antonio to sweep the Spurs 4-0 in the Western Conference Semifinals. It was only the 2nd time in franchise history that the Suns had swept a team in a 7-game playoff series. The First occurred 5 years earlier when the Suns swept the Memphis Grizzlies 4-0 in a first round series.

On May 11, 1992, the Suns lost 153-151 to the Portland Trail Blazers in a double overtime Western Conference Semifinals game. Phoenix’s 151 points are the most ever scored by a Suns team in a single playoff game and the most points scored by the Suns in a loss.

On May 14, 2007, after defeating the San Antonio Spurs 104-98 to tie their Western Conference Semifinals series 2-2, Amar’e Stoudemire and Boris Diaw were suspended for one game by the NBA for stepping off the bench and onto the court after Robert Horry’s hit on Nash in the final minute of the game even though Stoudemire and Diaw never got close to the altercation on the court. Horry also received a two-game suspension from the league for his flagrant foul on Nash and for striking Raja Bell above the shoulders in the subsequent fracas.

On May 15, 1994, Kevin Johnson posterized Houston’s Hakeem Olajuwon.

On this day in 1994… Kevin Johnson drove baseline and got way up for the emphatic slam! #NBAVault#NBA75pic.twitter.com/M842HgALcK

— NBA History (@NBAHistory) May 15, 2022

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Important Future Dates

May 10-17 – NBA Draft Combine (ESPN2/ESPNU/NBA App/YouTube TV)
Mid-June (date TBD) – Teams can begin negotiating with their own free agents (following the Finals)
June 23 – NBA Draft First Round, 8 ET (ABC/ESPN)
June 24 – NBA Draft Second Round, 8 ET (ESPN)
June 30 – Free agency begins
July 6 – Moratorium ends, official free agent contract signings can begin
July 9-19 – NBA 2K Summer League 2026 in Las Vegas

The Lakers’ second-round series against the Thunder is shifting from Paycom Center, widely considered one of the NBA’s loudest arenas. 

That could be good news for the team’s role players. 

Against the Thunder’s deep roster, the Lakers need everyone to make a positive contribution. 

What is one major advantage the Thunder have had this series?

Bench points. 

In Game 1, the Thunder’s reserves outscored the Lakers’ bench, 34-15. In Game 2, that advantage ballooned to 48-24.

The Thunder, quite simply, have more players who are playing well than the Lakers, which makes all the difference in the playoffs. 

The Lakers have actually done a good job limiting reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who led all postseason scorers in the first round of the playoffs with 33.7 points a game. This series he’s averaging just 20 points.

But unfortunately for the Lakers, trying to limit the Thunder has been like playing Whac-A-Mole at an arcade. In Game 1, Chet Holmgren led the team with 24 points and 12 rebounds. In Game 2, Holmgren, Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell each had 20 or more points. 

Meanwhile, for the Lakers, nearly everyone not named LeBron James has struggled offensively at various points this series. 

Austin Reaves went from scoring eight points in Game 1 to finishing with a game-high 31 points on 10-for-16 shooting in Game 2. 

Deandre Ayton had three points on 1-for-7 shooting in Game 2. Luke Kennard had a disappearing act in Game 1, shooting 1-for-4 from the field. Jake LaRavia has struggled to make an impact. Marcus Smart has been quiet on the offensive end after having a few scoring explosions in the first round. Jaxson Hayes hasn’t made much of an impact.

Rui Hachimura has been consistent, finishing with 18 points in Game 1 and 16 points in Game 2. But other than him, the team’s role players have left a lot to be desired. 

If the Lakers’ role players could become a threat, that would greatly help spread the court for James and Reaves, who are trying to carry the Lakers while Luka Doncic remains sidelined with a strained hamstring. 

The Thunder have had the NBA’s top-rated defense the last two years. The Lakers need bigger contributions from their role players both in the starting lineup and on the bench. 

They need to become a threat. They can’t allow the defense to collapse on James and harass Reaves. Everyone on the court needs to make the Thunder respect them. 

Even though the Lakers are down 2-0 in their second-round playoff series, losing both games by 18 points, the final score made those games seem more lopsided than they appeared. 

In Game 1, the Lakers jumped to a 7-0 start and trailed by only eight points at halftime, 61-53. In Game 2, they were neck-and-neck with the Thunder for much of the game until OKC pulled away midway through the fourth quarter. 

Now the Lakers are going home.

They’re going to be on their turf, in front of their crowd, shooting on the baskets they’ve developed a feel for over 41 regular-season games. 

If the Lakers’ role players step up, they could claw their way back into this series.

The Lakers’ second-round series against the Thunder is shifting away from Paycom Center, which is widely considered one of the loudest arenas in the NBA. 

That could be good news for the team’s role players. 

Against the Thunder’s deep roster, the Lakers need everyone to make a positive contribution. 

One major advantage the Thunder have had this series?

Bench points. 

In Game 1, the Thunder’s reserves outscored the Lakers’ bench, 34-15. In Game 2, that advantage ballooned to 48-24. 

The Thunder, quite simply, have more players who are playing well than the Lakers, which makes all the difference in the playoffs. 

The Lakers have actually done a good job limiting reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who led all postseason scorers in the first round of the playoffs with 33.7 points a game. This series he’s averaging just 20 points.

But unfortunately for the Lakers, trying to limit the Thunder has been like playing Whac-A-Mole at an arcade. In Game 1, Chet Holmgren led the team with 24 points and 12 rebounds. In Game 2, Holmgren, Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell each had 20 or more points. 

Meanwhile, for the Lakers, nearly everyone not named LeBron James has struggled offensively at various points this series. 

Austin Reaves went from scoring eight points in Game 1 to finishing with a game-high 31 points on 10-for-16 shooting in Game 2. 

Deandre Ayton had just three points on 1-for-7 shooting in Game 2. Luke Kennard had a disappearing act in Game 1, shooting 1-for-4 from the field. Jake LaRavia has struggled to make an impact. Marcus Smart has been quiet on the offensive end after having a few scoring explosions in the first round. Jaxson Hayes hasn’t made much of an impact.

Rui Hachimura has been consistent, finishing with 18 points in Game 1 and 16 points in Game 2. But other than him, the team’s role players have left a lot to be desired. 

If the Lakers’ role players could make themselves a threat, that would greatly help spread the court for James and Reaves, who are trying to carry the Lakers while Luka Doncic remains sidelined with a strained hamstring. 

The Thunder have had the top-rated defense in the league the last two years. The Lakers need bigger contributions from their role players both in the starting lineup and on the bench. 

They need to make themselves a threat. They can’t allow the defense to collapse on James and harass Reaves. Everyone on the court needs to make the Thunder respect them. 

Even though the Lakers are down 2-0 in their second-round playoff series, losing both games by 18 points, the final score made those games seem more lopsided than they appeared. 

In Game 1, the Lakers jumped to a 7-0 start and trailed by only eight points at halftime, 61-53. In Game 2, they were neck-to -neck with the Thunder for much of the game until OKC pulled away midway through the fourth quarter. 

Now the Lakers are going home. 

They’re going to be on their turf, in front of their crowd, shooting on the baskets they’ve developed a feel for over 41 regular season games. 

If the Lakers role players could step up, the Lakers could claw their way back into this series. 

Broderick Turner and Thuc Nhi Nguyen reported that Lakers coach JJ Redick said, "The Thunder is one of the greatest teams ever in NBA history." Maybe Redick is right. The Lakers were able to contain Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and with Jalen Williams not playing, OKC still won Games 1 and 2 by 18 points each.

Hopefully the Lakers can avoid a sweep when they return to The Crypt, but it doesn't look very likely, not when committing 39 turnovers in two games.

Vaughn Hardenberg
Westwood

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It was so bush league to see the Lakers crowd around the beleagued referees at the end of an 18-point loss to the Thunder in Game 2. The number of free throws was nearly even, favoring OKC 26-21. There are no bigger whiners in the league than LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton, who have in their minds never committed a foul and are always fouled with no call on any possession. This is playoff basketball — grow up and play ball. The results in this series speak for themselves.

Bob Goldstone

Corona del Mar

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You cannot tell me that the defensive “mauling” allowed by NBA officials during the playoffs would be tolerated during the regular season. It almost looks like the NBA upper brass — Adam Silver and his cohorts/consultants — have directly or indirectly “suggested” that referees simply “let ‘em play.”

This inconsistency and change of “style“ by the officials has either confused or frustrated many offensive players as well as some fans. To me, a foul is a foul, period! Considerations like superstar or rookie, home team or visitors, the fourth quarter versus the first, closing minutes or seconds of a game, regular season versus the playoffs should not matter.

Rick Solomon
Lake Balboa

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I'm watching Lakers-Thunder Game 2 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is running into people and getting the Michael Jordan treatment. Everything is a foul against the Lakers. On the another hand, LeBron James is getting the stuffing beat out of him and no calls. Coach JJ Redick needs to bring this bias up with the media and put the spotlight on the refs. That’s what Phil Jackson and Pat Riley would do. Lakers fans can start a go-fund-me page for the fine.

Ed Villanueva
Chino Hills

It ain't over yet

So is now a good time for Times columnist Bill Plaschke to jump off the Lakers bandwagon and go back to his column from April 9th and say the Lakers should shut it down against the Thunder? Of course that proclamation was made before the Lakers won their final three games of the regular season to clinch the fourth seed in the playoffs and then proceeded to overwhelm the favored Rockets in the first round. Remember, the series Plaschke called over after just two games?

Danny Balber Jr.
Pasadena

LeBron spells GOAT

LeBron James' performance against the Houston Rockets in the first round of the NBA playoffs should put to rest the discussion of whether LeBron or Michael Jordan is the NBA's GOAT. The number of championship rings a player obtains is dependent on teammates and coaching systems. Based on both individual play and contributions to his teams, LeBron's entire body of work is unmatched and LeBron's play at age 41 is still magnificent.

Richard Raffalow
Valley Glen

Cut Trout loose

Mike Trout is having a renaissance season so far with the Angels. He is back to playing center field and is hitting home runs like the Trout of old. He has avoided injuries which have plagued him for several years. Now is the time for the Angels to give Trout a real shot at a postseason by trading him. The Angels are once again in last place and going nowhere. Trout will turn 35 soon and he deserves to go to a contender and play meaningful baseball in September and October. Free Trout!

Dave Ring
Manhattan Beach

Reign of pain

Since 2017, the L.A. Kings have employed a dizzying array of players, coaches, general managers and front office executives. Despite all that personnel turnover, in that time they have amazingly failed to win even a single playoff series much less be a consistent regular-season threat. The one constant who is responsible for all the hockey decisions and has overseen this astounding lack of success over the previous nine years is team president Luc Robitaille.

Why does absentee ownership group AEG continue to allow him to remain in charge, annually selling hope instead of actually providing results? Could it be that the Kings' steadily increasing valuation, most recently pegged at $3.5 billion (2nd highest among all U.S. teams), is really all that motivates AEG as opposed to accountability and on-ice success?

Andre Miller
El Segundo

Will fit right in

Detroit Tigers free agent ace Tarik Skubal will miss time on the IL after elbow surgery, which means he’ll fit right into the Dodgers’ rotation next season.

Steve Ross
Carmel

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

It feels like the Lakers are close to putting together a winning performance in at least one of their games against the Thunder in their second-round playoff series.

But their 18-point losses in Game 1 and Game 2 in Oklahoma City suggest they aren’t as close as it feels. 

The series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Saturday and Game 4 on Monday, with the Lakers looking to avoid falling into the dreaded 0-3 hole — a series deficit no team in NBA history has overcome. 

If the Lakers want to have a shot at winning the best-of-seven series, they need to make a few adjustments for Game 3:

Zone defense

The Lakers spent a significant chunk of the regular season deploying a zone defense.

And yet, they haven’t played zone during the playoffs.

The Thunder faced the second-most zone defense in the league this season, scoring 1.005 points per possession (ranked 20th), compared with the 1.039 points per possession they score when playing against man-to-man defense (ranked second).

The Lakers played zone defense the third most of any team this season, allowing 0.955 points per possession (ranked sixth in the NBA).

The Lakers have stuck with putting two on the ball when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the ball handler.

It’s produced the results they’ve wanted when it comes to limiting Gilgeous-Alexander, who’s averaged 20 points and five turnovers to go with four assists through the first two games. The Lakers are getting the ball out of his hands and forcing other Thunder players to make plays.

The problem for the Lakers is that the “others” have been making those plays when the Lakers’ defense voluntarily puts itself in rotation. 

The Thunder are scoring 1.75 points per possession in the playoffs when their opponent sends a double team on isolations — which is by far the highest mark in the league. And when teams have doubled Gilgeous-Alexander’s isos during the regular season and playoffs, the Thunder are scoring 1.286 points per possession, an elite mark.  

The Thunder are comfortable when the Lakers put two on the ball against Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Lakers need to throw in different looks more consistently. Playing zone defense again, even if it’s only in doses, should be part of the equation. 

Attack Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Another way to limit Gilgeous-Alexander is attacking him on the other end of the floor, which the Lakers did once Game 2 was pretty much decided. 

Austin Reaves kept having the Laker that Gilgeous-Alexander was defending, which was Luke Kennard at the time, set ball screens late in the fourth quarter when the Thunder had full control.

Gilgeous-Alexander was hedging to try to avoid switching. 

The Thunder may not have been as locked in defensively as they were earlier in the game, but the Lakers were creating the kind of advantages they wanted.

If they have a similar strategy in Game 3, it could help them wear down Gilgeous-Alexander in other ways outside of the defensive double teams. 

Less switching 

The Lakers’ 1-5 switching is allowing the Thunder to pick their preferred matchups, even if the Lakers show up or double like they have with Gilgeous-Alexander.

Even if the Thunder aren’t scoring on the first shot, mismatches are in the Thunder’s favor, leading to easier offensive rebounding opportunities for Thunder players including Chet Holmgren.

Being more judicious with the switching could help the Lakers on the defensive glass, which is an area they need to win to have a chance of beating the Thunder.

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