Frustrated by his team getting blown out by 50 in the first half of a must-win playoff game, Atlanta's Dyson Daniels threw an extra elbow and then got into it with New York's Mitchell Robinson after a fight for free-throw rebound positioning. Quickly, things escalated, with other players stepping in to keep them separated, a referee and a security guard falling over, and a whole lot of pushing and shoving.
CHAOS IN KNICKS-HAWKS
Both Mitchell Robinson and Dyson Daniels were assessed with technical fouls and ejected from the game. pic.twitter.com/sjeATc59Pl
After review, both Robinson and Daniels were given technicals and ejected.
Daniels was clearly the instigator, throwing an elbow during the initial fight for position, but something must have been said that made Robinson try to charge Daniels after they had already been separated.
There's some history here, Robinson picked up a technical in Game 2 for stepping over Daniels.
The ejections will have no impact on Game 6, which New York led by 50 when the incident occurred with 4:39 remaining in the first half. This game was over. The only question is about the league punishments that will follow. Most likely, Daniels and Robinson each get fined, and that's it. However, it's possible that, with the ejection, the league would suspend Robinson for a game, which would mean he would miss Game 1 of the Knicks' second-round series against Boston or Philadelphia.
Mitchell Robinson doesn't back down from a fight during games, and that attitude got the Knicks center ejected during Thursday's Game 6 against the Hawks.
With the Knicks up big in the second quarter, Robinson was on the floor while OG Anunoby was taking a free throw. Dyson Daniels of the Hawks tried to box out Robinson and seemingly gave the Knicks big man a strong elbow to the rib area. Robinson didn't take kindly to the move and got in Daniels' face and held the Hawks forward. Oneyeka Okongwu pulled Robinson off his teammate, but Daniels must have said something that caused Robinson to go after him again. Players, officials and coaches eventually separated the two, but both were eventually ejected.
Robinson, in his 8:35 minutes on the court, scored six points on 3-of-3 shooting while coming down with three rebounds and picking up two blocks.
"It’s hard. I haven’t seen the film. It’s tough, when you’re up that big, stuff happens," coach Mike Brown said of the alternation after the game. "It’s hard if someone feels something that shouldn’t have happened to them happened, it’s hard to keep your composure in that moment. Our guys did a good job of that the rest of the game."
The ejections occurred with 4:39 remaining in the second quarter of Game 6 with the Knicks leading by 50(!) points. Up 72-22, Robinson was called for a loose-ball foul, and things exploded from there.
Robinson took exception to Daniels' actions when they were trying to box each other out after a free throw and the players latched on to each other. They were pulled apart, with several players and staff ending up on the court in the process, but they repeatedly tried to go after each other.
No punches were thrown and eventually cooler heads prevailed, but both players were ejected from the game after reviews.
CHAOS IN KNICKS-HAWKS 😳
Both Mitchell Robinson and Dyson Daniels were assessed with technical fouls and ejected from the game. pic.twitter.com/sjeATc59Pl
Los Angeles, CA - April 29:Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart (36) knocks the ball from Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) in game 5 of the first round, of the NBA playoffs. Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday, April 29, 2026.(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The Lakers’ defense, or lack thereof, has been a topic of conversation all season long. The narrative of Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves as poor defenders portrays the team as incapable of stopping anyone from scoring.
However, perception isn’t always reality.
In the postseason, the purple and gold has been a respectable defensive team with a defensive rating of 109.4, right at the median for playoff teams.
In Game 5, they held the Rockets under 100 points, a benchmark the winning team has reached every game this series. But it wasn’t enough as the Rockets won and extended this first-round matchup to at least six games.
After the defeat, Lakers head coach JJ Redick said the defense did its job and should’ve been enough to secure the result.
“You got to give [the Rockets] a lot of credit,” Redick said. “They made shots tonight, including some guys who normally don’t make threes. I think our defense, you hope 99 [points for Houston] is enough to win. We just couldn’t make shots. We missed some layups. Certainly had some good looks from 3 that didn’t go down.”
The Rockets shot 14-40 from 3-point range, a below-average performance. Los Angeles also outscored Houston in the paint 44-36. Add in the Lakers winning the rebounding battle 41-34 and Houston only grabbing six offensive boards and the stats certainly signal that a win was on the table for the Lakers.
It’s not just Redick stressing that defense has been good, the players are saying the same thing.
After their Game 4 loss, LeBron James said the defense wasn’t the problem and pointed out that turnovers were a much bigger negative for the team.
The Rockets might have scored enough to squeak out these pair of wins, but that’s more due to timely baskets by Houston and the Lakers’ inability to throw a pea in the ocean.
In this series, LA has held Houston under 100 points in three games. In the regular season, they only had seven times where they held opponents under the century mark.
The defense might’ve been good enough, but there are two sides to the game. And if you can’t reach at least 100 points in a playoff matchup, then losing is what’s going to happen.
“They made shots,” Marcus Smart said. “You tip the hat off to those guys. They made some shots tonight that they weren’t making in Games 1, 2 and 3. But we understood that. We knew that. We gave ourselves a chance, but we just fell short and it’s part of it. We got to put this one in the back of our mind and move on to the next one.”
The return of Austin Reaves should help the offensive side of things for the Lakers. He scored 22 points coming off the bench and will likely play even more in Game 6.
Los Angeles’ defense has been good enough all series long, and it’s why they are ahead 3-2. But if they want to close this out, they’ll need a bit more scoring to occur.
NEW YORK CITY - MARCH 25: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addresses the media following the Board of Governors meetings on March 25, 2026 at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The NBA has informed general managers about the new anti-tanking reforms it hopes to implement as soon as the 2027 season, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The wideraging meassures are expected to have enough support from owners to pass.
The three worst teams in the league are in the “relegation zone,” which means they lose ping-pong balls.
Teams that finish 4th through 10th in the reverse standings get three lottery balls in the drawing.
Teams in the “relegation zone” get two lottery balls and can’t fall further than the 12th pick
“The Nos. 9 and 10 play-in seeds in each conference receive two lottery balls each, and the losers of the 7-8 play-in games receive one lottery ball each.”
The lottery is expanded from 14 to 16 teams.
Under the current system, lottery balls are only drawn for the top-4 picks. Now, the first 16 spots in the draft will be up for grabs in the drawing.
Teams can’t land the No. 1 pick in back-to-back years, and they can’t pick in the top-5 three times in a row.
How does the proposed lottery reform affect the Spurs?
The simplest answer to that question is, it doesn’t. Not in any meaningful way, anyway.
The Spurs owe the Kings a 2027 unprotected first-round pick from the De’Aaron Fox trade, but unless something truly catastrophic happens, they should still be a playoff team next season after winning 62 games this year. After that, San Antonio is in control of all of its picks, which should still not be in the lottery, considering how good and young their core is. The franchise already did its tanking and set itself up for the future.
What happens with the extra pick and the swaps the Spurs have? Not much, once again. There’s a chance the Hawks, who owe the Silver and Black their unprotected 2027 first-rounder, take a step back next season and land in the play-in, giving San Antonio a chance at the top pick. Considering how successful they were once they traded Trae Young, it doesn’t seem likely, but it’s not completely out of the question.
As for the pick swaps the Spurs have with the Mavericks, Celtics, and Timberwolves in 2030, they might not be affected at all. The league can opt out of this format after the 2029 draft, and who knows what could replace it. Even if they keep the format, 2030 is a long time away. Right now, it would be safer to predict that franchises that have superstars will be successful by then, but it’s impossible to be sure. Maybe one of those swaps becomes more valuable, but we won’t know until 2029.
So, if the reform doesn’t affect every team, why is it getting so much attention?
The changes seem like a massive overreaction
Were tweaks to the anti-tanking rules necessary? The answer is yes. Tanking had gotten to a point where something had to be done. Teams were sitting healthy players or having them suit up, play for a half, and then sit them out to ensure they would not win. Few people would agree that doing things like that is good for the league or the fans. But was such a drastic change needed?
The league had an instrument to use already that could have curbed the most blatant cases: fines. The Utah Jazz got fined half a million dollars for essentially point shaving back in February. It might seem like chump change for an NBA franchise, but getting consistently hit with them would hurt.
If fines felt not hefty enough to deter tanking, there are other ways to disincentivize monetarily in a targeted way. What if the franchises that finish in the bottom three in consecutive years don’t get to participate in revenue sharing? What if their salary floor gets raised to force them to spend more? Sanctions like that would directly punish the tanking teams without completely changing things with little notice and potentially creating a lot of unintended consequences because a few franchises were too blatant about their commitment to bottoming out.
To be fair to the Wizards of the world, this also seems to be a reaction to the success of the Spurs and other teams that built through the draft. San Antonio picked in the top five three years in a row, securing Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper. They would not be allowed to do that with the new system. The issue is that while the Spurs made the most of their lottery luck, landing a high pick doesn’t guarantee success. And changing things now makes it harder for the teams that didn’t get to tank like the Spurs without actually punishing the Spurs. It all feels very reactionary.
There will be time after the playoffs to discuss the draft and the offseason. For now, the important thing to know is that even though such a deep reform doesn’t seem like a good idea at first glance, it shouldn’t hurt the Spurs in any meaningful way.
The Sixers’ hope of storming back to win their first-round playoff series vs. the Celtics remain alive and well.
With a 106-93 victory on Thursday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena, the Sixers earned the right to play a Game 7. They’ll visit Boston on Saturday and look for a third consecutive win.
Tyrese Maxey had 30 points and five assists in Game 6.
Paul George scored 23 points. Joel Embiid tallied 19 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
Jayson Tatum posted 17 points and 11 rebounds for Boston. Jaylen Brown had 18 points.
Here are observations on the Sixers’ emphatic Game 6 victory:
Celtics tweak defense on Embiid
Embiid carried over the momentum from his stellar second half in the Sixers’ Game 5 win. He scored the team’s first five points with a mid-range jumper and an off-balance, and-one layup.
With three-pointers from George and Maxey, the Sixers jumped out to an 11-4 lead. The Celtics started 2 for 9 from the field.
Boston varied its defensive looks against Embiid and predictably showed him less pure single coverage than in Game 5.
While the Celtics’ changes weren’t dramatic out of the gate, they were clearly wary of Embiid’s post scoring and preferred to make him a passer. Embiid notched a first-quarter assist from the post after the Celtics double teamed him on the dribble. Kelly Oubre Jr. cut free and Embiid found him for a dunk.
Embiid got several good early mid-range looks off of his two-man game with Maxey. He was still a tad off as a jump shooter and went 6 for 18 from the floor in the game.
Brown runs into foul trouble, Sixers capitalize
Both Brown and VJ Edgecombe were called for their second fouls around the midpoint of the first quarter. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla didn’t take any dramatic steps to curb Brown’s first-half minutes, trusting he would avoid a third foul.
Crucially, Oubre drew Brown’s third at the 5:05 mark of the second quarter. The Sixers got the off-arm push call on Brown they’ve been seeking throughout the series. Brown protested the whistle but had to sit for the remainder of the first half. He was called for his fourth personal just 31 seconds into the third quarter on another offensive foul.
Also significant in the foul department: The Celtics had a poor start at the free throw line. They missed 6 of their first 8 foul shots, all on attempts by Brown and Tatum. That included three straight Brown misses.
The Sixers’ defensive energy and playmaking were pluses in the second quarter, too.
Justin Edwards returned to the rotation and worked hard in his possessions against Brown. Oubre picked up a block and a steal. George rotated over sharply and rejected big man Neemias Queta’s layup. Not much came easily for the Celtics, who committed nine first-half turnovers, and the Sixers were rock-solid on the defensive boards.
Sensational third quarter for Sixers
On the other end, Maxey poured in 21 points over the first two quarters. A Maxey runner with 3.5 second left in the second period gave the Sixers a 58-49 lead.
Maxey turned to his two-man game with Embiid a ton, including on plenty of side pick-and-rolls. As a pair, Maxey and Embiid struck a nice balance in the first half between probing the defense and attacking without hesitation when the moment was right.
The Sixers expanded their advantage early in the third quarter. In a crowd-thrilling sequence, Oubre swatted a Brown layup, leading to a fast break that finished with George dishing a behind-the-back pass and Edgecombe jamming the ball home.
The Celtics asked for timeout. They soon trailed by 17 points with a George pull-up triple. George’s high-quality two-way play and outstanding three-point shooting in this series continued Thursday night. He made five threes in Game 6 and has gone 19 for 35 (54.3 percent) beyond the arc.
Though the Sixers benefited from Boston missing some open jumpers, they maintained strong defensive focus and prevented the Celtics from eating into their lead late in the third quarter. The Sixers thought Andre Drummond beat the third-quarter buzzer with a corner three, but replays showed he didn’t release his shot in time.
Boston still found itself down 23 points early in the fourth quarter after Embiid fed George for a backdoor lay-in. Mazzulla called timeout again and played an all-bench lineup.
That unit fared well. The Sixers’ offense grew cold and sloppy. George was assessed a technical foul for his complaints about a no-call. Ron Harper Jr. drained a corner three. Luka Garza’s dunk cut the Celtics’ deficit to 88-76.
The Sixers eventually restored order and steered clear of a horrendous collapse. They didn’t close the night in especially clean fashion, but the final score is all that matters. The Sixers thoroughly deserved the win and a chance to complete their series comeback on Saturday.
Apr 28, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) controls the ball against Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) during the third quarter of game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The Knicks face the Hawks tonight at State Farm Arena in Game six of their Eastern Conference first-round series. New York leads the series 3-2, and a win would close out the series, sending them to the second round to battle either the Boston Celtics (boo) or the Philadelphia 76ers (also boo). The Knicks mostly breezed through the last two games against Atlanta and are favored tonight.
Tip-off is 7:00 pm EST on ESPN. This is your game thread. This is Peachtree Hoops. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Make your dead ancestors proud. And go Knickerbockers!
Apr 28, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) drives to the basket against New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) and center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during the third quarter of game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Apr 29, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrates his three-point basket against the Toronto Raptors in the first quarter of game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images
The stats in the table below are taken from Cleaning the Glass. As a note, the percentiles are in comparison to other playoff games, which influences the sample size.
Offensive Rating
Effective Field Goal Percentage
Offensive Turnover Percentage
Offensive Rebounding Percentage
Free Throw Rate
Cavs
123.8, 81st percentile
65%, 97th percentile
14.9%, 52nd percentile
19.5%, 8th percentile
26.6, 73rd percentile
Raptors
120, 70th percentile
54.8%, 57th percentile
15%, 49th percentile
38.9%, 89th percentile
18.1, 26th percentile
Now, let’s dive into the numbers.
The Cavs took 39% of their shots at the rim (80th percentile). The offense stalled out in games 3 and 4. They failed to register over 105 points in both losses, largely due to an inability to get to the rim. Cleveland took just 26% of their shots in the restricted area in Game 3 (29th percentile) and 28% in Game 4 (34th percentile).
Cleveland completed 76.9% of their shots at the rim (74th percentile). The willingness to get to the basket was coupled with the ability to finish there. Relentlessly attacking the basket caused the defense to shift, which opened up the rest of the offense.
The Cavs knocked down 50% of their threes. That’s up considerably from the 31.1% they hit in Game 3 and the 25% they converted in Game 4. This shouldn’t come as a surprise. The Cavs are an inside-out team, not the other way around. When they’re getting to the basket and causing the defense to collapse, the ball gets kicked out for open catch-and-shoot threes. When they aren’t, they’re usually settling for stagnant pull-up jumpers. In general, if you’re ever wondering why the Cavs aren’t hitting their threes, it’s probably because they aren’t getting inside enough.
Toronto destroyed the Cavs in transition, as they were in the 100th percentile in points added in the open court. Cleveland has mostly done a good job of keeping Toronto from getting out on the break. They didn’t in Game 5. Allowing a team to get out and run in transition comes down to many different factors, but the Cavs ineffectiveness on the offensive boards partially led to this. It’s much easier to get out and run off missed shots if you don’t have to crash the boards as hard as the Raptors needed to at times earlier in the series.
The Cavaliers’ ability to control the paint made up for this, as Toronto converted just 58.6% of their shots at the rim (25th percentile).
Toronto struggled against a set defense, as they registered a 90.9 half-court offensive rating (43rd percentile). When the Cavs kept the Raptors from running, the defense was good. When they didn’t, things got out of control as they did in the second quarter when the Raptors put up 40 points.
The Raptors picked up 28 points off turnovers. This was the second-fewest turnovers the Cavs committed in a game this series, but the Raptors were still able to capitalize. This was most evident in the second quarter when Toronto converted six Cleveland miscues into 14 points heading the other way.
Toronto still won the possession battle with 15 offensive rebounds. This led to 13 second-chance points and allowed the Raptors to take 14 more shots from the field. Head coach Kenny Atkinson has talked about how important the possession battle is in this series. The Cavs lost that handily and were still able to win.
The Cavs held the Raptors to just 17 points in the fourth quarter. There are several reasons why this happened. Brandon Ingram leaving the game in the first half with a heel injury put more of the playmaking and scoring burden onto Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett. That caught up with both as Barnes had no points on 0-5 shooting while Barrett was held to just three points on 1-7 shooting in the fourth.
Cleveland committed no turnovers in the fourth. This helped the Cavs’ defense immensely. The lack of turnovers helped limit the Raptors to just four fastbreak points in the quarter. When the Cavs keep possession, good things have happened this series.
The starters with Max Strus lost the 10 minutes they played by 11 points. On the series, that five-man lineup has been outscored by 24 points in as many minutes. Conversely, the starting unit with Dean Wade has outscored the Raptors by 17 in 38 minutes.
Dean Wade still leads the Cavs in plus/minus as a +39 for the series. Cleveland has lost the 118 minutes he hasn’t played by 37. If this series has taught us anything, it’s that the Cavs need more Dean Wade, not less.
The Cavs played their best basketball with Sam Merrill on the court as they won his minutes by 19 points. Merrill’s off-ball gravity as a shooter changes the game. This led to the Cavs posting a 152.1 offensive rating when he was on the court.
Cleveland lost the minutes Donovan Mitchell played by nine. Being outscored when Mitchell is on the floor was rare for the Cavs this season. Overall, they’ve been seven points better per 100 possessions with him on the court than when he’s off (86th percentile).
Of the 70 regular season game Mitchell played, the Cavs have only lost his minutes 21 times. They’re 5-16 in those contests, meaning they were 40-9 when the Cavs won Mitchell’s minutes. That trend has continued in the playoffs. This was the third-straight game Cleveland has lost Mitchell’s minutes. They’re now 1-2 in those situations.
To further that point, this was the first game in this series that the Cavs won when Mitchell had scored fewer than 21 points. The Cavs have gone as Mitchell’s scoring has throughout the regular season. They were 7-11 when he played and failed to score over 20 points.
Mitchell is still struggling to finish in the paint, as he went 4-10 there in Game 5. This included going 3-6 in the restricted area. This has been a trend all series. Mitchell is converting just 52% of his shots at the rim (18th percentile) after completing 66% of them (60th percentile) during the regular season.
Dennis Schroder scored 19 points in Game 5, after compiling just 18 points in the first four games combined. To say this performance was unexpected based on recent form would be an understatement. Schroder only scored in double figures four times in the 24 regular-season and playoff games he’s played since the beginning of March, coming into this game. This was only the third time he’s scored 19 or more points since being traded to the Cavs.
Evan Mobley’s 16 second-half points flipped the momentum of the game. This performance ties the fourth-most points he’s scored in a second half this season.
Mobley’s three triples are one off his high for the season. This was also the first time he’s made all of his outside shots while taking more than one in a game this year.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 23: Onyeka Okongwu #17 and Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks react after their 109-108 wi over the New York Knicks in game three of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at State Farm Arena on April 23, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Hawks (2-3) need this to stave off elimination and force a Game 7 against the New York Knicks.
Jock Landale (right high ankle sprain) has been ruled out.
Starting lineup:
G CJ McCollum
G Nickeil Alexander-Walker
F Dyson Daniels
F Jalen Johnson
C Onyeka Okongwu
Please join in the comments below as you follow along.
Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen
Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
Start Time: 7:00 PM EDT
TV: ESPN
Radio: Sports Radio 92.9 the Game (WZGC-FM)
Streaming: Watch ESPN, Fubo, NBA League Pass (out of market)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 15: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts during play against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first half of an NBA play-in tournament game at Intuit Dome on April 15, 2026 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr reportedly met with owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy on Monday, according to ESPN.
Rockets’ Kevin Durant will miss Game 6 against the Lakers on Friday night due to an ankle injury, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Golden State Warriors fans might hear the words Steph Curry and free agency and immediately think trouble—but in this case, it was all for a good cause.
During the 2025–26 NBA season, Curry, who had famously been partnered with Under Armour for the past 13 years, stepped away from the brand and became a sneaker free agent. This meant that for the first time in over a decade, he was able to take to the court in a variety of different shoes instead of just his own signature line.
Curry’s pregame sneakers quickly became a viral storyline throughout the season. From Kobes to Jimmy Butler’s JB4s and other player tributes, Curry used each appearance as an opportunity to highlight the culture of basketball while showing respect to those still shaping the game today.
As it turns out, Curry’s sneaker free agency became much more than a viral fashion statement—it turned into a powerful fundraiser.
After the season, he announced that he would auction off the entire collection of sneakers, with all proceeds benefitting his Eat.Learn.Play. Foundation. The results were massive as Curry’s sneaker free agency run generated $1.7 million for charity.
Stephen Curry’s sneaker free agency auction earned a staggering $1,721,728 😳💰
A total of 81 pairs were available for auction, with the top individual bid for a pair reaching $121,600 🤯
For Curry, what started as a new chapter in his sneaker journey turned into something far more meaningful. This time, the impact wasn’t just felt on the court, but in the communities he continues to uplift, serving as yet another reminder that his influence extends well beyond the game.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Thursday, April 30th:
Both sides described the meeting as productive, but there remains no resolution nearly two weeks after the Warriors’ season ended in Phoenix. Kerr, Lacob and Dunleavy plan to reconvene next week to continue discussions, league sources said.
Kerr will take a previously planned golf trip to close out this week as those around him continue to describe Kerr as torn about his own side of the choice.
“It’s April,” one source said. “We don’t need to rush.”
Yaxel Lendeborg | 6-9 big | 23 years old | Michigan
Even though Lendeborg gutted through an ankle injury in the Final Four, he led Michigan to a title and transformed his game. His counting numbers were down from his heights at UAB, but he averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists while playing aggressive defense. He showcased serious switchability, often picking up lead ballhandlers at the point of attack as well as playing against power forwards when Mara or Morez Johnson Jr. would leave the court. He’s also an active help defender with excellent hands.
He drilled 37.4 percent of his 3s for the season, thanks to a hot streak at the end of the year in which he made 48.1 percent over his final 16 games — and that includes a 0-of-5 mark when he was clearly hobbled against UConn in the title game. The Warriors could use another big wing next to Stephen Curry and Draymond Green as they near the end of their careers.
Cunningham played almost 44 minutes, cut down on his costly turnovers – “Just pass the ball to our team instead of theirs,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff had deadpanned – and found the ideal blend of hero ball and facilitating his teammates in the final quarter.
“There’s a handful of them in the league, right?” Bickerstaff said of Cunningham’s leadership. “They’re unique. They’re special. To put the work in, have the talent, even then [to] understand his responsibility and what he means to this team, he wasn’t going to let us go down tonight.”
Not bad for a guy who suffered a collapsed lung in a game six weeks ago.
The “take a week or two” for a coach is like couples therapy in a relationship: it’s doing due diligence for something that, more often than not, already has a predetermined fate.
But that might not be the case in Kerr’s situation, and it feels like the tide is starting to turn, and the momentum has shifted towards a Kerr return. An article published on Wednesday by ESPN’s Shams Charania, Ramona Shelburne, and Anthony Slater reports that Kerr met with Joe Lacob and Mike Dunleavy Jr. for a few hours on Monday, and that the trio will meet again next week. That points to something fairly obvious: if Kerr wanted to leave, he would have done so already.
Follow@unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.
One of the most exciting moments for a basketball franchise is if they learn they have won the NBA draft lottery, especially when it's unexpected.
Lottery odds formatting have changed several times since the system began in 1985 when the New York Knicks selected Patrick Ewing. In the future, the format might change again to help prevent tanking from league bottom-dwellers.
The upcoming 2026 NBA Draft Lottery is on May 10 in Chicago and will determine which teams will have a chance to draft top prospects like AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson and Caleb Wilson.
14 teams will have a chance at No. 1 overall and with that in mind, here are all of the lottery winners who received the pick despite less than 10 percent odds.
This was shortly after Luka Dončić was sent to the Los Angeles Lakers for a trade involving Anthony Davis. Flagg was recently named 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year.
Before the draft, the Clippers traded the rights to this pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Irving was named 2012 NBA Rookie of the Year and won a championship with the Cavaliers in 2016.
This pick was shortly after the Pelicans traded Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers. Williamson is a two-time NBA All-Star who has not yet made the playoffs.
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 26: Brandon Ingram #3 of the Toronto Raptors drives to the basket during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 26, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Their road to stealing the series just became more difficult. Toronto could be without its leading scorer from the regular season, Brandon Ingram. He left Game 5 in the first half with right-heel inflammation. This was a previous injury that he was playing through, but aggravated in the second quarter. He’s officially listed as questionable for Game 6.
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It’s fair to point out that Ingram has struggled this series. The Cavs have done a good job of keeping him from being a lethal midrange scorer by sticking defensive specialist Dean Wade on him. They’ve also sent a fair amount of double teams his way, especially in late shot clock situations.
This has added up to him averaging an underwhelming 12 points on .324/.444/.769 shooting splits in five playoff games. Scoring just one point in Game 5 brought these averages down. Even so, those numbers are considerably less than the 21.5 points on .477/.382/.820 shooting splits he had during the regular season.
Despite the poor player, not having him on the court would hurt Toronto’s offense. The Raptors are already at a play creation deficiency without Quickley. Losing Ingram just puts more on the plate of Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett, who were both already shouldering a large offensive load.
Ingram’s absence will mean that the Cavs can shift more of their defensive attention and better defenders towards Barnes and Barrett. This could make what was already a difficult task even harder.
On the other end, the Cavs have a clean injury report heading into Friday’s matchup.
The California Classic is back for its eighth year this July.
It's a basketball invitational, a kickoff to the NBA Summer League, hosted by the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors as rookies from the 2026 NBA Draft, second-year players, among other athletes are out to prove themselves, vying for spots on NBA and G League rosters.
The summer showcase has returned to its dual-city, three-day format between Sacramento and San Francisco from July 3 to 6.
Games at Chase Center, presented by Carmax, will be on July 3, 5 and 6 with the Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs. The three-day tournament at Golden 1 Center is presented by Ticketmaster, and will take place from July 4-6, featuring the Kings, Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and Warriors.
A Battle of NorCal showdown between the Kings and Warriors at Golden 1 Center on July 5 where the Mitch Richmond Trophy will be awarded.
Passes for the three-day event are available at Kings.com/CAClassic. Passes for the July 3 and 5 showcases in San Francisco are available at chasecenter.com/california-classic. The July 6 games at Chase Center will be available via broadcast only, the venue's website said.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - APRIL 28: Julian Champagnie #30 and Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs celebrate after being removed from the game against the Portland Trail Blazers during the fourth quarter in Game Five of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Frost Bank Center on April 28, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Spurs completely dominated the series and would have swept the Trail Blazers had Wembanyama not suffered his concussion: true or false?
Marilyn Dubinski: It’s easy to say true since they still got ahead without him later in Game 2 before blowing it, then also made a massive comeback to win Game 3 without him, but ultimately it’s impossible to say. He is just as capable of losing a game by trying to do too much as he is winning one for them, but why not? True.
Mark Barrington: True! But the experience of facing and overcoming adversity was good for the team and will work in their favor for the rest of the playoffs, and in years to come.
Bill Huan: The Spurs did largely dominate the series, but I don’t think it would’ve been a sweep even with a healthy Wemby. Even in a lopsided matchup, the lesser team usually has a hot shooting night combined with the better team taking their foot off the pedal, so I still believe it would’ve ended with the Spurs in 5. OKC is the exception instead of the norm, and hopefully San Antonio can reach that level one day.
Devon Birdsong: I think it’s likely, but I also think that Portland woke a slumbering beast in Game 3. From the end of that game onward, the Spurs were borderline merciless in the execution. I think there’s a possibility that this series might have gone five games anyway, because I do feel like they needed that little wakeup call to know they have to be the best version of themselves as much as possible. There’s no sleepwalking in the playoffs.
Jeje Gomez: True. It was almost a sweep with Wembanyama missing one and a half games and the Spurs having no third big man who could step up, forcing them to play small. In no way is this meant to disrespect a Portland team that played hard and outexecuted a shorthanded San Antonio team down the stretch in Game 2, but the Spurs, with Wembanyama on the floor, outscored them by 45 total points in four matchups.
What is the biggest lesson you think the Spurs learned from the series?
Dubinski: Considering one of the biggest takeaways from every game besides Game 1 was that it was always a tale of two halves – whether they had bad first halves and had to come back in Games 3 and 4, or bad second halves that either blew (Game 2) or had them holding on (Game 5) – the biggest lesson is a reminder that they have to play all 48 minutes. The Blazers are a poor enough offensive team that is prone to long droughts, so that helped the Spurs survive their own poor stretches, but better teams won’t be as forgiving.
Barrington: I think the Spurs learned that they’re good, but just being good isn’t enough to win in the playoffs. You have to keep your composure and not get complacent. The talent gap between the Spurs and the Blazers was big enough for them to get away with not being mentally ready to play at the start of some of the games, or coast after gaining a lead while still winning easily. They won’t have that luxury in later rounds. I don’t know if the Spurs are capable of playing up to their potential for 48 minutes, but they can definitely do better than the 24-minute efforts in the first round series.
Huan: The most obvious one is that they need to play a full 48 minutes, which Marilyn and Mark have already mentioned. More specifically, in order for them to play a complete game, the Spurs need to always push the pace. The offense bogs down when it becomes stagnant and lacks movement on and off the ball, and playing fast and deliberately is when they look best on both ends of the court.
Birdsong: I think they learned that they have to step on the neck every time they get an opening, because the whole complexion of a series can change in a heartbeat. We’re seeing it all over the postseason, but there’s a difference between knowing something intellectually and being on the other side of a momentum turn. It was a good scare, and I’m betting they’ll remember it. They gave Portland precious few opportunities to turn the tide over the last two games.
Gomez: I think the biggest lesson is that they can’t let opponents dictate how they play. The Trail Blazers did a lot to throw them off balance, like letting Stephon Castle completely open on the perimeter, playing extra physical to slow things down, and using a lot of different players and lineups. The Spurs were at their worst when they fell for the trap of trying to force things to match them instead of simply adapting within their preexisting identity. There’s no need for weird lineups, slow, grind-it-out possessions, or hero ball, and it seems like, as the series progressed, the Spurs realized it.
There were many good moments and performances from both teams in this series. Which will you remember as the best or most meaningful?
Dubinski: It’s easy to just say Game 1 was a huge playoff debut for Victor Wembanyama and proved he is ready for bigger things, but that really shouldn’t surprise anyone who recalls he has prior professional experience and has played in an Olympic Gold Medal Game. I think the performance that will stick with me the most is Dylan Harper’s breakout in Game 3. It was so unexpected and out of nowhere, and the way he responded to Scoot Henderson’s trash talk (who, by the way, hasn’t been the same since) was a joy to watch. It was a beautiful performance that even had Kevin O’Connor backing down from his stance that the Spurs made a mistake in drafting him over Kon Knueppel.
Barrington: I’m going to go with a Portland moment, where they were outclassed for the entire series, but didn’t give up and fought back in the closeout game to pull within single digits late in the fourth quarter. You have to respect them for keeping their edge even when they were in a bad spot. The Spurs need to learn from that and embrace that kind of intensity and composure, because things are going to be tougher going forward.
Huan: I love Mark giving the Blazers credit because it’s a great point: the Spurs need to keep fighting regardless of what the score is, even if they’re up big. Other than that, I’d say the second halves of games 3 and 4 were some of the most fun I’ve ever had watching basketball. Spurs fans have all known what Harper’s capable of, but seeing it on a big stage opened the eyes of the entire league. Meanwhile, the comeback in game 4 validated the lack of panic I felt at halftime. I’d never been more confident down 20 and knew the Spurs would claw back if they locked in, but even I didn’t see a 40-point swing. Cue the gif of LeBron pretending to be scared.
Birdsong: Having written about it, that 4th quarter comeback/explosion in Game 3 is going to stick with me for a very long time. I was already prepping an article in my head about the loss. I genuinely thought it was over. Just about every Spurs fan I know thought the same. Not only was it a historical-grade comeback, but it’s also something I’ve never seen from the Spurs before. And after 30-ish years of being a fan, that’s no small thing. I would never have bet on that in a million years.
Gomez: The last few minutes of Game 5 stand out to me. The first half was fantastic, and it set them up to win, but we had seen big comebacks and the Spurs struggling to close out Game 2 in this series, so there was some tension about whether their youth and inexperience would cost them. Instead, they looked like a veteran team that might play with its food but knows when to put opponents away. Fox and Wembanyama were terrific, but the entire group looked confident as they crushed the comeback attempt.
