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And now we wait.

On Sunday, May 11, the New York Knicks completed their stomping sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight season.

This time around, Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges and co. will face either Cade Cunningham’s No. 1-seeded Detroit Pistons or Donovan Mitchell’s feisty Cleveland Cavaliers.

If you’d like to see Mike Brown’s red-hot club at the Garden, tickets are already available for all four hypothetical (if the Cavs win, the NYK will have home-court advantage) games in the Big Apple.

At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on potential Knicks Madison Square Garden Eastern Conference Finals game tickets was $642 including fees on SeatGeek.

Other MSG games start between $651 and $1,200 including fees.

While pricey, Knicks fever is at an all-time high following the teams’ defiant statement wins over the Hawks and Sixers in the first two rounds.

“The Knicks’ wins on and off the court were a gift to fans who finally saw their faith rewarded,” The Post reported following Mike Brown’s squad’s statement game four victory.

“…[they’re] moving on after a game and a series in which they left zero doubt about the better team. The Knicks swept the 76ers by a cumulative total of 497-408 — that’s about a 22-point difference per game — in a matchup that technically was the East’s No. 3 vs. No. 7 but felt like varsity against freshmen.”

Now, in order to ensure they keep that momentum going and move onto the NBA Finals for the first time since the 1998-99 campaign, Brunson and Knicks will need all the help they can get from the fans.

Spike Lee will be there. Timotheé Chalamet will be there. Ben Stiller will be there. Tracy Morgan will be there. Will you?

For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about seeing the Knicks at Madison Square Garden in the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals below.

New York Knicks playoff home game tickets

A complete calendar, including all potential Knicks Eastern Conference Semifinals home game and the best prices on tickets can be found here:

New York Knicks 2026 NBA Finals tickets

Want to get ahead of the curve?

You can (prematurely) snag NBA Final tickets below.

2026 NBA playoff schedule

Been meaning to see howthe postseason has shaken out?

Check out the NBA’s 2026 playoff bracket here.

Huge concerts at MSG in 2026

Not sure what to do once the final buzzer sounds on the 2025-26 NBA season?

MSG has you covered.

The legendary venue has booked a number of exciting acts to entertain audiences all summer long.

Here are just five of our favorites you won’t want to miss live.

• Bon Jovi (July 7-9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26)

• Earth, Wind, and Fire with Lionel Richie (July 11)

• Phish (July 22, 24, 25, 27, 29)

• RUSH (July 28, 30, Aug. 1, 3)

• J. Cole (Aug. 2, 4)

Want to see who else is Big Apple-bound? Check out this list of all the upcoming events at Madison Square Garden to find the show for you.

Why you should trust ‘Post Wanted’ by the New York Post

This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.

The Dallas Mavericks entered Sunday’s NBA Draft Lottery with the primary objective of moving up in the draft order for the second straight year. Their secondary objective was to at least not fall in the order. Neither objective was accomplished, as Dallas slid one spot and will be picking 9^th in the Draft this June.

Throughout the season, there were instances that frustrated fans who were fully on board with the effort to tank for a better draft pick. Late in the season, aside from Cooper Flagg’s Rookie of the Year campaign, the best thing the Mavs could play for was a better draft pick.

Two primary reasons are cited for hurting the Mavs most. While accurate, there is an alternative perspective on both grievances being filed, and we’ll take a look at them here.

Specific unnecessary wins doomed the odds

A select few games continue to come up in the public lexicon as those which particularly hurt the Mavs’ chances at a better outcome in the Draft Lottery. April 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers, March 12 against the Memphis Grizzlies (more on them below) and game 82 against the Chicago Bulls.

The Lakers game came at a time the Mavericks were playing out the season and the Lakers were playing to keep hold of a top seed. Dallas took the victory in a game where both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves sat out. Less than a month prior, Khris Middleton went out of his mind scoring 35 points on 8-for-10 three-point shooting in a win over the Grizzlies, with whom the Mavs were neck-and-neck with through the final stretch of the season. The Bulls game was the object lesson of who wanted to tank more. A Bulls loss would prevent them from tying the Milwaukee Bucks, while a Mavs loss would prevent them from tying the New Orleans Pelicans. Dallas ended up tied, then lost a coin flip with the Pelicans. The Bulls jumped to #4 in the Draft Lottery.

These were three (admittedly glaring) games across 26 total wins. They didn’t count more than any other win, yet we are more annoyed by them than we are about two wins against the Denver Nuggets in December, an overtime win against the 60-win Detroit Pistons, and a late-season win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland. Recency bias at its finest. That doesn’t mean early-season wins didn’t equally hurt the Mavs’ draft standing. We also often fail to think of the favorable losses (if there really is such a thing). For example, Dallas lost to the Pelicans in three of their four matchups, yet still tied them when all was said and done.

In reality, these worst-offending games are no worse than any other. They just happen to be recent or ironic enough (Middleton going All-NBA for a night?) to anger us more.

The Mavs could have moved up to #3 instead of Memphis had they ended the season tied

The Mavericks ended the season with a 26-56 record. The Grizzlies ended at 25-57. Memphis subsequently moved from their slot at #6, all the way up to #3. The #6 slot was very attainable for Dallas had they lost even a single game more, frustrating fans who feel Dallas could easily be sitting with the #3 pick next month had they simply been in the spot Memphis held coming into Sunday’s Lottery. I would contend that is not exactly the case.

Had Dallas lost one more game, they would have been in a tie with Memphis. This would have required a coin flip for the #6 slot, which they may or may not have won. Even assuming they had won, that doesn’t necessarily mean it would be them sitting at #3 right now. In other words, it wasn’t necessarily the #6 slot that moved up, but rather, it was the Grizzlies that moved up.

In the Draft Lottery, each team is designated a certain number of four-number combinations. If one of those four-number combinations is pulled, it’s that team’s lucky day. One of Memphis’ four-number combinations was pulled third, and that was that. Had Dallas been slotted in the #6 spot, it still would have been Memphis’ four-number combination that was pulled. There remains an argument that had Memphis been slotted lower than Dallas, they would have had fewer combinations and one of those combinations they didn’t have could have been the one that pulled them up to #3. Still, had they not had that magic combination, it doesn’t mean that Dallas would have had it – it could have been any other team as well.  

Closing arguments

To be clear, I’m not intending to tell anyone how to think. This is as much an exercise in catharsis for me as it is (hopefully) a perspective-helper for anyone reading. I was massively disappointed to see the Mavericks name called early. It was like a game of Russian Roulette on each envelope.

Candidly, I feel like somehow Middleton should have sat a few more minutes on that turn-back-the-clock night. Maybe a couple of our better players happen to sit out the Laker game for load management. Ultimately, we can probably say something similar about any given night.

As it stands, the Mavericks still have a very good pick. On top of that, we have absolutely no idea what will transpire before the Draft, or on Draft night. Dallas could package #9, #30 and a player(s) to move up (or back). For now, we’ll just have to trust the new regime to steer things the right way.

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 2026 NBA Draft lottery concluded on Sunday afternoon, and it included a couple of big nuggets, with several teams moving up and down the board, which also involved the Indiana Pacers ceding the No. 5 pick to the Los Angeles Clippers.

With the draft order now set, mock drafts are flowing as players continue to decide whether to stay in the 2026 NBA Draft or return to college for another season. One of those decisions is former Wisconsin Badgers guard John Blackwell, who committed to the Duke Blue Devils earlier this offseason, but was among the invites to the NBA Draft Combine.

Blackwell is expected to return to Duke for his senior season, but another Badgers star, guard Nick Boyd, is also competing at the Combine and is hoping to hear his name called in the draft next month.

Well, in The Athletic’s post-lottery mock draft, Boyd was taken as the No. 60 overall pick by the Washington Wizards, making him the oldest player taken in the mock draft.

On big boards, Boyd has typically been seen as a late second-round or undrafted player. He was undrafted on ESPN’s post-lottery mock draft and is considered the No. 93 player in the class by them.

Boyd will have his chance to improve his stock by performing well at the Combine, especially in shooting and defensive drills, and will hope to hear his name called after John Tonje was a second-round pick for the Boston Celtics last year.

Generally, when a season ends in a sweep, there are going to be questions about the futures of the front office and coaching staff.

After the Sixers were crushed by the New York Knicks in Game 4 Sunday, the focus shifts to the culpability of Daryl Morey and Nick Nurse for the team’s quick exit in the second round.

According to Tony Jones of The Athletic, neither is guaranteed back next season — at least as of now:

“The jobs of Morey and head coach Nick Nurse are expected to be evaluated entering the offseason, multiple league sources told The Athletic. As of Sunday’s elimination, team sources said ownership has not made final decisions on either and is likely to take a few days to assess before making any major calls.“

It would be a reasonable decision if Josh Harris and company decide to move on from Morey and Nurse.

As Jones notes in the article, the actions (and inactions) at the trade deadline did not sit well with Joel Embiid and others in the locker room. The trade of second-year guard Jared McCain wasn’t viewed positively, especially considering Morey and the front office chose not to make any corresponding moves to improve the team now.

While nobody was expecting the Sixers to mortgage their future by trading for a mid-season upgrade, moves were made by other teams around the league to improve. The Sixers have a bounty of second-round picks, something several teams used to add depth at the deadline — including the Knicks, who acquired guard Jose Alvarado for a pair of seconds. Surely Morey could’ve spared a couple second-round picks to help the team now while holding on to its premium assets (the future LA Clippers’ first-round pick and pick swap, for example) for the future.

Even with maneuvering below the luxury tax, something this franchise has regularly achieved, there were ways to improve the roster. The organization will push back on their emphasis for dipping below the tax and point to successful teams doing the same. It’s true, several teams did dip below the tax at the deadline, but several also at least attempted to add and make their rosters better.

On top of that, it’s difficult to watch players like Isaiah Joe, Paul Reed, Justin Champagnie and McCain thrive in the postseason, while a player like Quentin Grimes, who was the only bench player firmly in Nurse’s rotation, struggled mightily. The inability to fortify the backup center position, knowing Embiid’s shaky health, is also glaring. Andre Drummond gave the Sixers all he could. Adem Bona showed flashes, but also exhibited his rawness as a second-year big. Johni Broome, a high second-round pick in 2025, never appeared to be a legitimate option.

The lack of bench options does make Nurse’s evaluation trickier.

Nurse essentially played 6.5 players during the postseason — and he didn’t have much of a choice. Maybe he could’ve used Justin Edwards or Dominick Barlow more, but it’s hard to see how either guy would’ve made an immense impact in either series. The roster was flawed. Trendon Watford and Jabari Walker were solid regular-season contributors at times, but it’s hard to see how either could’ve had success against the Celtics or Knicks.

At the same time, Nurse was far from perfect. As Jones points out, Nurse does coach his teams hard. That type of coaching can grate on players over time. He also ran Maxey and Edgecombe into the ground during the regular season, something Nurse was known for with his best players while coaching the Toronto Raptors. Aside from his lingering pinky issue, Maxey simply looked exhausted in the Knicks series.

There were also weird lapses during the season, including the playoffs, where the team looked ill-prepared and unfocused during games. The multiple blowouts in the Boston series were jarring. The effort in the Knicks series you can chalk up more to fatigue and New York simply being the better team.

Lastly, there’s Embiid, whose future is very likely to be in Philadelphia. His three-year max extension begins in 2026-27 and it’s hard to imagine a trade scenario that makes sense. The Sixers are unlikely to get positive value given Embiid’s injury history and contract, but the former MVP is also too good to give away (or even possibly attach assets to).

Embiid is obviously far from blameless when it comes to the current state of the Sixers. The incident that occurred on April 1 — when Embiid missed shootaround in D.C and posted his displeasure on being ruled out that night on social media — was a cause of consternation, per Jones.

“On April 1, the same day as Embiid’s social media post, a handful of players met with members of Philadelphia’s coaching staff before shootaround in Washington to express concern over certain players’ participation in team activities and frustration over the direction of the 76ers’ season, multiple league sources told The Athletic. Among other things, the players expressed they felt there wasn’t enough control of the locker room, according to those sources. The meeting was tense enough to briefly imperil the team’s shootaround; however, the conversation resolved enough that the activity was able to proceed as planned, those sources said.”

Jones does not explicitly say the players who raised concerns were talking directly about Embiid, but it’s not a difficult conclusion to draw. You’ll recall last season, there was a point where Maxey even called out Embiid for chronic latenesses during a heated team meeting in Miami.

When talking to the media yesterday, Embiid did make a comment about his situation, taking blame for frequent absences and how that affected the team. He believes with the health of his knee in a good place, he should be more available in general.

“That’s where I put it on me,” he said, “where I felt like I wasn’t around for much of the season, for a lot of things, and moving forward, understanding what it takes when it comes to my body, and what we have to do as a group to make sure that I get to play every game. I feel like we found that solution, so it’ll be better next year.”

It’s also worth noting that Embiid’s teammates did all seem to truly rally around their embattled star after his emergency appendectomy.

All of this adds up to another messy offseason in Philadelphia.

Should Morey be allowed to oversee the draft, an area where his front office has done its best work? Is Nurse’s voice still the right one for this group? How do you handle roster building around a supremely talented but undependable Embiid? How do you fix the glaring depth issues while paying three max contracts and essentially operating on two timelines?

There hasn’t been a dull moment during the Joel Embiid era. This summer should be anything but boring.

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The Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers are ready to rock and roll in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinal set tonight.

With Cleveland countering last time out, the Cavs are once again home chalk on Monday. I pass on the point spread and turn my attention to the individual efforts with my Pistons vs. Cavaliers props.

For more NBA picks, check out our full Pistons vs. Cavaliers predictions for May 11.

Best Pistons vs Cavaliers props for Game 4

Player	Pick
Donovan Mitchell	Over 4.5 rebounds	+110
Cade Cunningham	Over 9.5 assists	+105
Duncan Robinson	Over 2.5 threes	-160

Game 4 Prop #1: Donovan Mitchell Over 4.5 rebounds

+110 at bet365

Donovan Mitchell hauled down 10 rebounds in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ win in Game 3 — tying his second-biggest day on the boards all season.

Those rebounds weren’t all because Mitchell was feeling extra froggy on the glass, but rather a byproduct of the Cavs putting extra emphasis on boxing out the Detroit Pistons forwards. 

“Their bigs are elite, elite at offensive rebounding,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson told the media. “A lot of times, our bigs are wrestling with their bigs. That’s why Donovan having 10 rebounds was huge last night.

With Jarett Allen and Evan Mobley throwing themselves in the way (and snatching only 12 collective rebounds Saturday), Mitchell found himself in position for 17 rebounding chances in Game 3. That’s more than the 16 combined in the first two games, which led to outputs of four and six boards.

His Game 4 projections all sit north of the 4.5 O/U, with a ceiling of 5.7 rebounds. He’s brought down five or more boards in seven of his 10 postseason outings and has topped this bar in 10 of his past 13 games overall.

Game 4 Prop #2: Cade Cunningham Over 9.5 assists

+105 at bet365

Game 3 was a rough one for Cade Cunningham. The Pistons' point guard failed to energize the offense — shooting 10-for-27 — and barfed up eight turnovers in the loss. 

Despite that mess, he still topped his assist total. Yet there was a lot of meat still left on the bone when it came to Cunningham’s playmaking. 

Part of the problem was Cleveland couldn’t miss on offense, shooting a sizzling 58% from the field. That forced a Detroit attack to start its possessions off the inbounds, rather than having its defense fuel the offense in transition and from turnovers.

He was clocked for 16 potential assists in Game 3, trickling down to 10 actual dimes (62.5% conversion rate). The Pistons fired at only 45% from the field, being forced to play more half-court schemes, and wasted those setups. 

In the prior two games combined, Cunningham dished out 17 helpers on 23 potential assists (74% conversions).

The Cavs’ shooting comes back to earth in Game 4, and Cunningham will find himself in his usual spot behind the wheel, pushing pace and creating for teammates on the open floor. 

His models for Game 4 are divided, ranging from 8.2 to 10.3 assists. Given the unique circumstances on Saturday, I’m leaning toward the high side of Cunningham’s playmaking vs. a Cleveland defense that’s 25th in opponent assist rate (64.9%).

Game 4 Prop #3: Duncan Robinson Over 2.5 threes

-160 at bet365

Duncan Robinson’s 3-point prop isn’t coming cheap in Game 4, nor should it. 

The Pistons’ sharpshooter is clicking at 58% from distance in the series, 43% for the playoffs, and has knocked down at least three triples in eight of his 10 postseason outing. 

That includes totals of five, five, and four long-range makes in the opening three games of this series. It’s not just Robinson’s success that should sell you on his 3-point prop, however. 

It’s the volume of attempts from beyond the arc and the amount of space the Cavaliers are giving him. Fourteen of his 24 total 3-point shots have come with no defender within at least four feet of Robinson (making nine of those “open” to “wide open” looks). 

It also helps that Robinson is 6-foot-7 and facing smaller defenders in Mitchell (6-foot-2), James Harden (6-foot-5), and Max Strus (6-foot-5), who struggle to get a hand up on closeouts.

His Game 4 forecasts call for at least three makes from downtown with a ceiling of 3.6 treys. His defensive shortcomings make me a little nervous in terms of minutes, but with Detroit an underdog on the road, game script says it trails and needs Duncan to take and make triples in order to close that gap.

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

Chris Cenac Jr. is one of the more intriguing big men in the 2026 NBA Draft, and it’s the potential that he has shown on both sides of the ball that makes him someone teams could keep their eyes on. At 6-11, the Houston center has the size to be a solid big in the league, but it’s his mobility that helps him stand out more than others at his height. To add on to that, some of the things that he does on the defense are important for what teams are looking for nowadays.

The one thing that sticks out when watching Cenac is his knack for grabbing rebounds (7.9 per game). He may be one of the best in the draft in that category, because when the ball comes off the rim, he seems to always be in the vicinity. That’s where his athleticism comes in, because he has a solid second jump that keeps him in play for grabbing rebounds.

Cenac still has a long way to go with building out his frame, and there were times throughout his collegiate career where he got outworked by bigger centers than him. There’s no doubt that he has to get stronger, especially when comparing him to what he’ll see once he enters the league. As far as perimeter defense, he slides his feet well, but it’s not something that he’s best at right now. He’ll be better off staying down low and defending players around his height.

The biggest concern with Cenac’s defense is picking up fouls. He’s typically been aggressive closing out on shooters, and he can be undisciplined if he’s on the perimeter, reaching in when he doesn’t have to or getting beat off the dribble.

On offense, Cenac has a nice mid-range jumper that can help teams spread the floor. He also took a few threes with Houston, shooting 2.4 attempts per game, and making 0.8 of them. They mostly came off catch and shoot, and he’s not known as a creator. For a center, shooting 3-pointers are big, and he’ll need to continue that when he enters the league.

As far as what he can do in the interior, Cenac’s athleticism allows him to finish well around the rim. All you have to do is throw the ball up, and he’ll throw it down, no matter where the ball is coming from. He also has a nice touch at the rim, and he has the ability to take advantage of mismatches if he has to.

Cenac has the motor that teams want in a center, but it’s the inconsistency that could hold him back at times. Nonetheless, if he’s actively engaged in the game, there will be a lot of good things to come from him.

The Atlanta Hawks had a problem with their center depth throughout the season, and adding a player like Cenac could be the start to improving that area. With his size and potential to space the floor, he’s a player the Hawks might look at with their pick later in the draft.

The Sacramento Kings landed the No. 7 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, which might seem like a consolation prize.

The Kings had a tie with the Utah Jazz after both posted 22-60 records during the 2025-26 season and thus a pretty good chance at landing a top-4 pick. That decision was decided by a coin flip and resulted in Utah getting the No. 2 pick.

With the No. 7 pick solidified, Sacramento can start figuring out who it'd select in the draft. General manager Scott Perry has said that he was prepared with at least nine prospect during an April exit interviews in April.

It most likely won't be AJ Dybantsa, Cam Boozer, Darryn Peterson or Caleb Wilson that the Kings select but there are still number of prospects that they could grab at No. 7.

Perry said the team would select the "best player available" during his exit interview with media, but acknowledged that the team needs a starting-level point guard for the long-term future.

Here's which prospects USA TODAY Sports and other sports experts predict the Kings could select at No. 7 in the 2026 NBA Draft:

The Golden State Warriors have got a couple questions answered about their future: they know their coach will be and which pick they'll have in the 2026 NBA Draft.

A day before the NBA draft lottery, Steve Kerr ended a three-week negotiation with the Warriors, deciding to remain in the Bay Area on a two-year contract extension, his agents told ESPN. Kerr will remain the highest-paid coach in the NBA on a yearly basis, ESPN reports.

Next, the Warriors found out at the lottery that they would have the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft in June.

A team that's looking to add a superstar in the offseason whether it's via trade or a free agent signing, that No. 11 pick could look enticing to suitors. But also, the Warriors could choose to take a look at some of the prospects on the board projected to fall between No. 10 to 15.

Golden State is nearing the end of its Stephen Curry era. Whether they package the pick in a trade or utilize it is yet to be determined. However, in the event the Warriors get young talent to add to their core, experts have them adding a ready-now player.

Here's which prospects USA TODAY Sports and other sports experts predict the Warriors could select at No. 11 in the 2026 NBA Draft:

For the second straight season, the Knicks are going to the Eastern Conference Finals, this time on the back of a 4-0 sweep over the 76ers. New York won the series by a combined 89 points, averaging out to roughly a 22-point blowout per game, despite most expecting a competitive six- or seven-game series. 

Instead, the Knicks delivered their most dominant stretch of basketball in recent history, and will look to build off that momentum to make their first NBA Finals appearance in over a quarter-century. Here’s how they did it, and what we can glean from it going forward.

From a bird’s eye view, there was no area of the game that the Knicks didn’t spectacularly outperform. In the series, they scored 129.1 points per 100 possessions, eight points higher than the regular-season leader, and allowed only 106.3, or worse than the rock-bottom Nets. 

However, let’s start with the defense, as it was the foundation for this conclusive win. The Philly offense is run through its two cornerstones – Joel Embiid and TyreseMaxey – and New York was able to stop them at the source.

Embiid’s 26.9 points per game during the regular season dropped to a measly 18.7 against New York, though he was relatively efficient and able to get Karl-AnthonyTowns and the Knicks in foul trouble. That was seemingly the ceiling to his contributions, though. 

In Game 1, Embiid went just 3-for-11 from the field, despite largely being covered solo. After missing Game 2, the Knicks went to a more aggressive strategy, sending a second defender on every touch.

This forced Embiid into more of a playmaker role, where he struggled with six turnovers in the final two games. New York did a strong job of bodying up the paint, so Embiid had to generate much of his offense on the perimeter, where his jumpshot wasn’t bailing him out this series.

He wasn’t 100 percent, but the Knicks strong-armed and schemed him out of his comfort zone as well. Ditto for Maxey, who looked even less like himself than Embiid did this series.

Maxey went from scoring 28.3 points a night in the regular season and 26.9 against Boston in the first round to just 18.3 versus New York, shooting a rough 43.3 percent from the field and 16 percent from three. Credit to Mikal Bridges and Miles McBride for the jobs they did one-on-one, tracking the explosive Maxey.

Both did an excellent job on the scout and keeping Maxey out of the paint, where he causes the most havoc. He never scored less than 20 against the Celtics and did it three times against the Knicks, in large part due to their defensive talent.

They also schemed Maxey super aggressively, high-hedging or trapping every one of his screens, especially anything towards the baseline where he loves to get going downhill. This forced him to continually burn energy trying to turn the corner on Towns, who’s having the defensive postseason of his life, or try and force passes over the outstretched arms of Knicks defenders. 

Maxey couldn’t find the easy targets – if dumped off to Embiid, who needs a beat to make the next read, the defense recovered. The rest of the Sixers didn’t have the scoring or creation chops to continually take advantage of a 4-on-3 halfcourt, especially with how quickly and accurately the Knicks rotated. 

Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, Jalen Brunson and the rest of the roster cannot be overlooked here. They each did their jobs on multiple different matchups, allowing the heavy-handed defense on Embiid and Maxey to work.

When the Sixers would miss, the Knicks did a phenomenal job of securing the defensive boards to take advantage on the other end. The ensuing transition opportunities helped open up the gates for their offense.

The truth is, New York’s offense was historically anomalous in Games 1 and 4, while doing just enough in Games 2 and 3. A lot of that has to do with the mental side of the game and some shooting luck, but the headline from the series is the Knicks found their winning recipe on this end.

Their strategy carried over from the back end of the Hawks series – have Towns facilitate from the high elbow, and watch the embedded motion offense and top-tier talent make use of the space. Towns averaged 7.5 assists against Philly in a show of comfort with the pivot.

This flow got the Knicks so many looks and the Sixers so worried about Towns's passing, that in one Game 4 possession running the same action, Towns kept pivoting for a pass, until his man bizarrely left him wide open for a mid-range swish. It was a hilarious signal of Philly’s panic in trying to cover the Knicks’ vexing attack.

Of course, Brunson was the star of the offense, averaging 29 points and six assists on 51 percent shooting from the field. While he benefited from ample transition opportunities and off-ball looks playing off Towns, he also reminded folks of the gaping chasm in talent between him and the rest of the league.

Philly simply did not have the bodies to guard Brunson, who was a bit slower against Dyson Daniels and the big-winged Hawks. The 76ers opted for sticking rookie VJ Edgecombe, a feisty but smaller defender, on Brunson for most of the series.

Other teams, even the Sixers of two years ago, would have sent more double teams or different, bigger defenders at Brunson. They kept it conservative with Brunson this series, opting to let him beat them one-on-one, and he did so efficiently time and time again.

New York needed more than just their two stars to step up. Anunoby had 18 and 24 points in his two contests before going down with a hamstring injury, and Bridges stepped up in his wake to average 17.5 on 64 percent shooting from the field on the series. 

Both were pivotal to the offense converting at this rate, knockdown from range, decisive in attacking smaller defenders, and methodical in their cuts and transition breaks. 

Both took on pick-and-roll reps to ease the creation from their stars, while filling in corners and making the little plays required that don’t fill up the stat sheet. But perhaps the Knicks' biggest edge here came from their bench.

While the 76ers struggled to field a true eight-man rotation, the Knicks were finding sparks from all over their pine. Mitchell Robinson was an unsurprising lift, McBride broke out in Game 4 with 25 points on seven threes, Landry Shamet joined the rotation late and delivered two massive games, all while Jose Alvarado and JordanClarkson provided steady hands throughout. 

It can be hard to judge a team’s true ability to contend during the regular season, when stakes are lower and randomness much higher. But Knicks fans who waited until the postseason to draw their conclusions are being rewarded handsomely. 

These last seven games have been the best basketball New York has played this millennium, with this Philadelphia sweep serving as Exhibit A in their case for competing. If they can build off what got them here, the Knicks have a real chance at accomplishing what they’ve been desperate to.  

One of the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team’s new names is currently in Chicago looking to impress scouts and other NBA personnel.

Aiden Tobiason, who announced he was transferring to the Orange from Temple in April, was among dozens of players picked to suit up for the 2026 AWS NBA G League Combine. Tobiason is currently one of 44 prospects participating in this weekend’s combine, which allows them to showcase their skills through various drills and five-on-five scrimmages.

Right off the bat, we do have some new numbers about how Tobiason measures out:

The nearly 7-1 wingspan definitely stands out the most. Tobiason is definitely bringing a reputation of being a scorer going from the Owls to the Orange. He had a career year in 2025-26, averaging 15.3 points in 35.3 minutes per game on 48% from the field, 34% from three, and 80% from the foul line.

The wingspan could be intriguing if he can improve on the 1.2 steals per game he had last year and truly be a point of attack defender at the one. Tobiason being close to 6-4 will also, in theory, help in that department.

We’ve also got some stats from scrimmages Tobiason took part in. On Saturday, he played nearly 15 minutes and finished with five points on 2/5 shooting, one assist, and one steal. He was plus-eight in his minutes for “Team One,” which defeated Team Two 77-74.

On Sunday, Tobiason had 13 points on 4-9 shooting (2-4 from 3 and 3-4 from the foul line) but his team was on blown out 98-68.

Tobiason previously confirmed to Syracuse.com that he would participate in the pre-draft process, which includes the combine, then head to Upstate New York to participate with the program.

It seems scouts, on first impression, seem to agree.

Tobiason will be entering his junior year with Syracuse and Orange fans shouldn’t be surprised when he starts appearing in 2027 mock drafts.

Now that the NBA Draft Lottery has taken place, the top of the NBA Draft is now set with the top five picks belonging to the Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, Chicago Bulls, and Los Angeles Clippers.

Caleb Wilson seems to be a consensus top five pick so with the order now set, what would be his best and worst fit?

Best Fit: Memphis Grizzles

Before the lottery, my choice for this spot would’ve been either the Indiana Pacers or the Atlanta Hawks, as both have good rosters and would allow Wilson to join a winning program. Obviously, neither team made the top five (the Pacers actually did land pick number five but had to surrender it to the Clippers). I went with the Grizzlies over the Clippers because Wilson seems to fit better with timeline in Memphis as opposed to Los Angeles, though that could change based on the moves the Clippers make regarding players like Kawhi Leonard.

In Memphis, Wilson would get to play with a young team that has an opening in the post after trading away Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz this past season. With Ja Morant also likely soon out the door the team looks to turn to younger players like wings Cedric Coward, who finished fifth in the Rookie of the Year race, and Jaylen Wells as well as a young center in Zach Edey.

Worst Fit: Utah Jazz

 I went back and forth between the Jazz and the Wizards. Both have front courts already in place, and of course neither have shown the ability to win with both finishing in the bottom of the league the past three seasons. However, Washington seems to have made better moves to actually try to win next season (and they play in the East where making the playoffs is easier) by acquiring veterans in Trae Young and Anthony Davis and with Davis’s health, there is a way for Wilson to get some playing time.

However, in Utah they have a young front court of the aforementioned Jackson Jr and former one time Tar Heel Walker Kessler, and though neither are the epitomes of health, both are still young and would be much more established making it harder for Wilson to get the playing time he needs to further develop into the superstar he could easily become.

Projected Spot: Chicago Bulls

Wilson is rated as the fourth overall pick and therefore is being mocked as such to the fourth overall team, which in this case would be the Bulls. The Bulls do have history with former Tar Heels — most recently with Coby White and most notably with Michael Jordan — but are horribly run and currently don’t have a head coach. The Bulls do need size and Wilson would get lots of playing time, but until they hire a coach the situation would look murky due to the ownership alone.

So what do you think? Let us know in the comments below.

Steal a road game, steal the series. That is what both the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers must be thinking as they enter Game four with Detroit up 2-1. That means Cleveland will be looking to protect its homecourt advantage, where it is unbeaten these playoffs, while Detroit attempts to take full control with a win in enemy territory. All three games in this series have featured one team seemingly to roundly outplay the other before the opponent somehow storms back to take a late lead that they can’t quite maintain. Will that trend continue tonight?

Game Vitals

When: 8 p.m. ET
Where: Rocket Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
Watch: NBC/Peacock
Odds: Pistons +3.5

Analysis

Much attention was paid to Cade Cunningham’s three consecutive turnovers, which allowed the Cavs to pull away in the fourth quarter of a tied game. Fair enough. Cade giveth great performances, and Cade taketh away in a critical moment. The bigger issue, to my mind, is Detroit’s biggest problem in these playoffs — its big men.

Jalen Duren is straight up having a bad playoffs, and it’s now stretched to 10 games. It’s not just that opponents are taking away his opportunities, though they are doing that. It is that Duren is fumbling away the opportunities he does get, sometimes literally.

This season for Duren has been all about an elevated level of skill and assuredness that he added to his prolific strength as a big man. He was no longer strictly a rim-running big; he was a center who had a dangerous face-up game, who could make the right decision in the short roll, and who could combine burst with a new level of touch and finesse that made him a lethal scorer within eight feet.

Duren shot 67.3% on 10.6 attempts within eight feet in the regular season. That trailed only Giannis Antetokounmpo for players with at least eight such shots per game. Duren was a monster. In the playoffs, Duren’s attempts have been whittled to just over seven per game, and his field goal percentage has plummeted to just 50%. Of the 17 players in the playoffs who have averaged that many shots within eight feet, only Paolo Banchero and Jamal Murray shoot worse than Duren. The 22-year-old big man has also seen his free throws and rebounds tick lower while his turnovers have increased.

No problem, you might think, Detroit’s deepest position was at the center spot, and Isaiah Stewart was a whispered defensive player of the year candidate before a suspension and injury took him out of contention late in the season.

Stewart has been a bit of a disaster in these playoffs. There has been no definitive indication of any health concerns, but something simply doesn’t look right. In the regular season, Stewart’s impact was felt up and down the floor. His absence in last year’s postseason matchup against the Knicks is often cited as one that swung the series.

Well, Stewart is available in these playoffs, but he isn’t making any impact. He’s been limited to just under 14 minutes per game, but that is masking just how little he is accomplishing on the floor. On a per 36-minute basis, Stewart’s scoring has plummeted from over 15 to around 10, his three-point shot has almost completely disappeared, down by 66%. Detroit’s defense has been stout throughout the playoffs, and is a mighty 94.1 when Stewart is on the floor. The issue is that offense, already a middle-of-the-road offense in these playoffs, falls off a cliff with Stew on the floor. It goes from a modest 110.2 to a 93.7. Looking at Stewart’s on-off splits, the team is 20 points per 100 possessions better on offense with him off the floor compared to on the floor. That’s not all on Stewart, of course, but it’s been a black hole of a position for the Pistons, and it’s so bad not even Stew’s defense can make up for it.

It was no surprise to many Pistons fans that when the Pistons finally made their run to take the lead in game 3, it was with Paul Reed on the floor. He scored 11 points in just over nine minutes of action and breathed some actual life into a very stagnant offense.

JB Bickerstaff has to figure out this big man conundrum, and he’s got to be willing to ask some hard questions and come to some hard conclusions. The Cavs, with both Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, were always going to present some challenges for the Pistons bigs, but I think we can definitely say whatever the team is doing is not working. Maybe it’s more Paul Reed; maybe that means resting Isaiah Stewart. Maybe it means whoever starts the game isn’t necessarily finishing the game, and instead riding whatever is the closest resemblance to a hot hand.

It feels like if Detroit can get a good to great game from a big, they are almost defacto going to win that game, and if they win that game, they will be on the doorstep of winning the series and advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals (with its own matchup issues for bigs against the mighty New York Knicks).

Projected Lineups

Detroit Pistons (2-1)

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Cleveland Cavaliers (1-2)

James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Questions of the Game

Confidence level in Detroit winning tonight’s game? Confidence level in Detroit winning the series?

Would you believe the aftermath of a sweep is one week without the Knicks?

Guess beggars can’t be choosers.

Here’s the latest from Pennsylvania’s Garden.

Mike Brown

On why he trusted Miles McBride in OG Anunoby’s absence:

“Deuce, he’s not afraid. He gives us the ability to make shots from range and or the ability to go get a shot. He gives us another ball handler. He’s a really good defender, and he’s versatile. When he’s on the floor with Jalen, analytically, they’re pretty good together. But he just brings a lot to the table for us on both ends of the floor, last thing offensively he’s got to be guarded because he can makes shots.”

On McBride’s mental toughness during the series:

“He’s just tough-minded. In order to have success in anything you do in life you need to have a short memory, and he definitely has a short memory.”

On how McBride’s shooting performance elevated the team in Game 4:

“Obviously, all of our guys, starting with Jalen [Brunson] and KAT [Karl-Anthony Towns], were really good, but Deuce — he was unbelievable. His ability to stretch the floor and create space for others is second to none. He’s got a confidence about him and in himself that just makes us take another level on both ends of the floor.”

On where McBride’s resilience comes from:

“It’s Mother’s Day. It comes from his mom. Get that correct. It comes from his mom. [Deuce is] just tough. He’s tough. He’s a football player, you know? In order to have a chance in life and at anything you do, you have to have a short memory, and he definitely has a short memory.”

On embracing criticism while making bold adjustments:

“We made a lot of moves throughout the course of the year and throughout the course of the playoffs, and you just keep trying to do what’s best for the team. I don’t care what team I’m with. When you’re talking about being in the NBA, even if you do stuff right, you’re going to get criticized. So you just embrace whatever’s out there and you keep trying to do what’s best for the team. And at the end of the day, if it doesn’t work out, the one thing I know I can do is I can go look in the mirror and say, ‘Hey, I tried to do the best I could for this group, regardless of anything else.’ I try to do the best I could, and that’s what keeps me going.”

On gaining appreciation for the Knicks’ traveling fan base:

“I obviously didn’t know how well they traveled and stuff like that, because I was out of coaching, so I watched [them] once in a while. I watched ESPN and all of that stuff during basketball time. And they showed videos of fans after first-round wins climbing light poles. So I’m like, wow. You love it. You love seeing stuff like that. But I got a lot of respect for them. And the more you’re around, the more you appreciate and understand why they are like that. But more than anything else, they’re knowledgeable. It’s a knowledgeable group, a knowledgeable fan base, and you respect that just as much as their passion shows.”

On the timing of the next game after a sweep:

“I wouldn’t want to play [Monday] or Tuesday. Maybe Wednesday?”

Miles McBride

On meeting the expectations placed on him in a starting role:

“This is what I expect to do. I feel like that’s why the coaching staff trusts me in the lineup, my teammates trust me out there, and just I trust my work.”

On his mindset when stepping into bigger minutes:

“I just want to win and do what I can to help this team win.”

On the significance of being part of a record-setting playoff performance:

“It’s definitely special. I didn’t even know honestly. To have anything like that on your name is a legacy you want.”

On capitalizing when the Sixers left him open:

“They left me open. This is what I expect to do. That’s why the coaching staff trusts me, my teammates trust me. And I trust my work.”

On seeing Knicks fans hand out posters of Mitchell Robinson’s dunk on Embiid:

“Man, Mitch did his thing right here, so shout-out to the fans.”

On how the team’s mentality shifted after an earlier loss in the series:

“I feel like our mindset shifted. We know we’re the better team (but) we can’t just come out there and expect to win, because they’re talented too. So I feel like our mindset just shifted totally to ‘take the game’ instead of (waiting for) them to give us the game.”

On the internal standard the team is holding itself to:

“People on the outside always have their expectations, but internally we have our own. Our expectations are a championship, nothing less. So, this series is done, enjoy it. Obviously we’re happy, can’t take it for granted but we have a lot more to go.”

Karl-Anthony Towns

On the team’s maturity heading into another Eastern Conference Finals:

“This year we just have another year with each other, it’s just us being very locked into the moment and understanding there’s a lot more work to do.”

On how McBride’s early barrage set the tone in Game 4:

“He was fantastic. The start of the game really was the Deuce McBride show. He went out there and hit some really big shots that gave us momentum. We talked about how we wanted to start fast and we’ve talked about starts, and Deuce allowed us to do that. Shout out to Deuce. That’s one of the best games I’ve ever seen Deuce play, especially in the moment.”

On adjusting the team’s approach after the first-round struggles:

“Shout out to our team. We found a way to, in a way, stabilize our season and do what was needed to adjust to Atlanta. And [we] found ourselves in a better position. It’s a shout-out to the coaching staff for realizing adjustments that needed to be made and also [a] shout-out to me personally that they trusted me.”

On the difficulty of closing out a series and ending another team’s season:

“It’s great when you see a team having that kind of focus and discipline and execution. I’ve always said that the toughest games are to end someone’s season and to see us taking that to a series, it’s great. It’s great for us to see. But now we’ve got to reset. We’ve got to readjust. Get our minds back right and enjoy this time with our family and get back to business.”

On staying grounded despite outside criticism during the season:

“It was a rollercoaster for sure. I think outside the Knicks organization, things looked worse than what they were. From the outside looking in. But inside the building, we were working every single day to be the best team we can be. That’s all we were focusing on. There were times when there were positives and negatives, ups and downs. But that’s what our goals were. And that’s still our goal. Be the best we can be. Continue to learn. Continue to get better. The journey shows you who you are.”

On what lies ahead despite the sweep:

“We have a lot of work to do.”

Jalen Brunson

On the team’s focus throughout the playoff run:

“We’re focused. We’re staying poised, staying composed. Just focusing on the little things. One day at a time, one game at a time. Not looking ahead at all, staying in the moment.”

On whether it matters who they face next in the conference finals:

“One game at a time. One game at a time. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

On hearing Knicks fans take over opposing arenas:

“It’s one of the coolest things in the world hearing Knicks fans take over opposing arenas.”

On how team chemistry has developed over time:

“I think the more we’ve played together as a team, the more we’ve grown. And we’ve continued to get better. It’s a chemistry thing. It’s a feel thing. It’s how things get better. Things get better over time.”

On reflecting on his growing legacy in New York:

“I think that’s a question I would love to answer when I retire. This place means a lot to me. We’re still writing our story. I’ll answer that another time.”

Josh Hart

On his view of Philadelphia’s faithful:

“I used to think Philly was a sports town. I don’t know if it is anymore. Everybody was begging for Philly (fans) not to sell their tickets. It never felt like a road game.”

On keeping emotions in check after advancing to the ECF:

“No relief, no jubilation. Just another step in the process. The way we beat Boston last year, the comebacks and all that, it was — I don’t wanna say it was celebratory — but it hit a little bit differently. Here, it’s business as normal, and we gotta make sure we’re locked in and focused.”

On the ball movement that fueled the Knicks’ historic shooting night:

“Guys were sacrificing good shots for better shots, and when you do that, the ball has energy and we have to knock down shots. So playing a style like that is fun.”

On rediscovering his three-point touch in Game 4:

“My right hand remembered that the goal was to make 3s. So happy to have her back.”

On how the Sixers’ arena atmosphere felt during the takeover:

“It was like a branch of MSG here today.”

On the importance of recovering during the playoff break ahead:

“We’re a little banged up. We need to get some treatment, get some rest, recover a little. And be ready to go.”

On how he plans to spend the downtime before the next series:

“We’ll relax. Maybe watch a few games.”

Mitchell Robinson

On Jalen Brunson’s long-term impact on the franchise:

“He’s definitely proved himself. I don’t think he gets enough credit for what he’s done for this team for, what, the last five years? S—, they don’t give him his credit.”

Paul George

On the loss to the Knicks:

“We ran into a hot New York team. They’re getting momentum. And they’re playing better and better as these games are coming. And they came out hot. They threw haymakers early and they kept throwing them.”

Joel Embiid

On the Knicks being simply superior to the Sixers:

“I mean, they were just better. I’m proud of this group. I feel like we play hard, we tried, as we have done all season, and at times it’s OK to say that the other team was just better. Tonight, they made every shot, they made every single play, we didn’t make shots. We just got to get better from top to bottom. Ownership, front office, players, coaches … everybody just got to get better.”

On the organization-wide need for improvement after the sweep:

“So, we just gotta get better, from top to bottom. Ownership, players, coaches, everybody just has to get better.”

On taking personal responsibility for the team’s shortcomings:

“Frankly, they were just better than us. So, we have to look at each other, and that starts with me. I wasn’t around for much of the season for a lot of things. So, moving forward, I have an understanding of what it takes to make sure that I get to play. I think we will be better next year. But, for now, I’m disappointed we didn’t get a chance for a championship. So, everyone has to look at themselves, starting with me.”

Tyrese Maxey

On the frustration of Knicks fans taking over Philadelphia’s arena:

“It absolutely sucks, if I’m being honest. It just sucks. That’s really all I can say about it, man. It’s hard. It’s definitely difficult. It’s only one way to put a stop to it and it’s, we have to go out there and win these games. Just being completely honest, we were better when we played them in the Garden this entire season. I know we lost Game 2 and 1, but Game 2 was better. The regular season was better. I was telling them, it felt louder here for them than it did in the Garden. We got to put a stop to it as a team. Winning these games, that’s gonna make our fans louder than theirs or whatever. I don’t know how to keep them out. I don’t know the logistics of it, but it does suck. I can’t even lie. It definitely does suck.”

Nick Nurse

On Joel Embiid battling through injuries during the series:

“I commend him man, he worked his ass off to get out there and play. He certainly was trending upward toward the end of the Boston series…obviously, he gets the hip, ankle, injury that took him out a game, and I don’t think he ever got back to where he was trending.”