Category: NBA

OKLAHOMA CITY — Don’t rush back, Luka Doncic. 

It’s not worth it. The Lakers can’t beat the defending champion Thunder. You can’t risk further injury. 

Doncic spoke to the media Wednesday for the first time since suffering a strained hamstring on April 2. He said doctors initially told him he’d be sidelined eight weeks, which would coincide with the start of the NBA Finals.

He confirmed he went to Spain for platelet-rich plasma injections to expedite his return.  

“I’m working every day,” he said. “I feel better every day.”

The Lakers desperately need Doncic, who was the league’s best player last month, averaging 37.5 points a game while leading the Lakers on a 16-2 run.

But it’s not worth the risk.

The Lakers are facing the reigning champion Thunder in their second-round playoff series, trailing 1-0 after losing 108-90 on Tuesday. They need offense against the team’s historically great defense. 

They need Luka Magic.

But it’s not worth the risk.

Doncic recently started running. He’s not yet doing contact drills. There’s no timeline for his return. Game 2 on Thursday is exactly five weeks after he suffered the injury.

Lakers fans are getting impatient. Rightfully so. 

In Game 1, they watched the 41-year-old LeBron James play brilliantly, finishing with a game-high 27 points on 12-for-17 shooting, including 3-for-6 from deep. They watched Marcus Smart bottle up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished with 18 points and seven turnovers, his fewest points and most turnovers this season. They saw Deandre Ayton play with force, grabbing 11 rebounds. 

They felt like the Lakers had a chance. 

If only Austin Reaves had scored more than eight points. If only Luke Kennard wasn’t 1-for-4 from the field. If only the best player on the team was on the court. 

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Wrestling legend Ric Flair took to X to express his frustration, tweeting, “Please Get In The Game! Take A Shot Of Cortisone And Deal With The Pain! They Are Paying You 50 Million A Year, And You’re Not There! WTF!”

But Lakers fans need to keep their perspective. 

If Doncic returned too early, he’d greatly increase his risk of suffering a worse injury, such as an ACL tear, which can rob a player of an entire season. 

No one is more upset than Doncic. 

Basketball is his refuge. Amid the chaos in his personal life, it’s where he has found peace. Amid the drama in his career, it’s where he has silently fought back with an MVP-caliber campaign. 

“I don’t think people understand how frustrating it is,” Doncic said. “All I wanna do is play basketball, especially [at] this time.”

But Doncic also knows he can’t be shortsighted.

“It’s a tough one for me because I came back from injuries before too soon, and it wasn’t the best result,” he said. “But like I say, this is the first time I have the hamstring injury. It’s not the same like other injuries. You have to be very careful.”

Doncic strained the same hamstring earlier this season, missing four games. But this injury was more severe. 

Returning during the intensity of the playoffs against a team with one of the most suffocating defenses ever sounds like a potential recipe for disaster. 

Doncic needs to err on the side of caution. He needs to prioritize his health over a quick return against a team that won all four regular-season meetings against the Lakers by an average of 29.3 points. He needs to ignore the noise. 

Lakers coach JJ Redick echoed that sentiment. 

“It’s very simple,” Redick said. “When he’s ready to play, he should play. That comes with the athlete having confidence. It’s no different from Austin [Reaves].”

Reaves, who suffered a sprained oblique April 2, returned after a month in Game 5 of the Lakers’ first-round playoff series against the Rockets. 

How’s that going? 

Over three games, he has averaged postseason career-lows in points (15) field goal percentage (30.4) and 3-point percentage (11.8%).

At least with Reaves, he’s not risking a worse injury. He’s likely playing through pain. But he’s not putting himself in danger.

When it comes to Doncic, this is not an injury to be rushed, regardless of how tantalizing it may be to have the Lakers’ superstar on the court.

Everyone knows what the Lakers are up against right now.

“When you play against the world champions and [miss] having a guy that averages 34 [points] and eight [rebounds] and nine [assists] and is that special, that’s [tough],” James said. 

But it’s not worth the risk.

Doncic is doing everything he can to return, including traveling to another continent for a regenerative treatment in which he received injections of his own concentrated blood platelets to accelerate hamstring healing.

But Lakers fans need to accept reality.

Doncic may not return. He probably shouldn’t return.

Not against this team.

Not with what could be at stake.

Observations after Sixers battle without Embiid but lose Game 2 to Knicks  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

NEW YORK — The Sixers’ scrappy effort without Joel Embiid on Wednesday night did not yield a series-shifting win in New York.

The Knicks earned a 108-102 victory at Madison Square to take a 2-0 lead in their second-round playoff series. 

Tyrese Maxey was the Sixers’ leading scorer with 26 points.

Paul George (19 points), Kelly Oubre Jr. (19) and VJ Edgecombe (17) all had sizable roles in the Sixers’ Embiid-less offense.

Four Knicks scored at least 18 points in Jalen Brunson (26), OG Anunoby (24), Karl-Anthony Towns (20) and Mikal Bridges (18).

The Sixers dropped to 1-3 in the playoffs this year without Embiid, who was out because of right ankle and right hip injuries. Knicks center Mitchell Robinson sat with an illness. 

Game 3 will be Friday at 7 p.m. ET in Philadelphia. Here are observations on the Sixers’ Game 2 loss:

George gives Sixers immediate jolt 

George scored 11 of the Sixers’ first 13 points on 4-for-4 shooting, including two pure jumpers in a row from the left corner. 

He’s made at least one three-pointer in all of the Sixers’ nine playoff games and multiple triples in eight straight. For the postseason, George has gone a tremendous 31 for 59 (52.5 percent) beyond the arc. 

Kelly Oubre Jr. also had a hot start. He knocked down a pair of corner threes late in the first quarter to give the Sixers a 25-20 lead. 

Edgecombe opened the night playing tighter, more physical defense against Brunson higher up the floor than in Game 1. The rookie drew an early moving screen call on Towns with his effort to fight over the pick. Brunson didn’t score until he made two free throws with 3:05 left in the first quarter and missed his first three field goal attempts. 

Andre Drummond started in Embiid’s spot. Both he and Towns were whistled for two first-quarter fouls. Adem Bona returned to the Sixers’ rotation as Drummond’s backup. He had a strong offensive rebounding night, notching six offensive boards in his 16 minutes.

Maxey makes adjustments 

Towns picked up his third foul just 46 seconds into the second quarter. He subbed out and the Knicks shifted to small ball for a few minutes with 6-foot-5 Josh Hart at “center” and setting tons of ball screens. 

Maxey drained a three to put the Sixers up 41-35. He was great early in the second quarter, hitting his stride as an aggressive shotmaker after a rough Game 1. 

The Sixers got Maxey an easy basket on the first possession of the second period with a clever designed play that concluded with Maxey cutting backdoor and converting a layup. Maxey did a little bit of everything as a scorer, including successful post-ups against 6-foot Knicks guard Jose Alvarado. 

Besides simply seeking out his shot more, Maxey seemed to make some strategic tweaks when the Knicks blitzed or hard hedged ball screens. Quick passes are frequently the only viable option in those spots, but Maxey also mixed in occasionally 1. rejecting the ball screen (or screens) and 2. splitting defenders.

There’s always risk in trying to squeeze between defenders on the perimeter, but Maxey’s typically a low-turnover player and can certainly zoom downhill to the rim once he slithers through the front line of a defense.  With that said, the Sixers were inferior in the turnover department Wednesday. Maxey committed six of the team’s 18 giveaways. The Knicks ended with 13 turnovers.

Maxey couldn’t sustain his excellent run through the whole second quarter and the Sixers headed to halftime with a 62-61 edge.

Every Sixer played under 30 minutes in their blowout Game 1 defeat. Maxey logged a whopping 47 in Game 2.

Turning to Barlow at the five

Fouls were a predictable problem for the Bona-Drummond duo. 

By the 7:09 mark of the third quarter, both Drummond and Bona had four fouls. Towns became a logical focal point for the Knicks’ offense and scored very efficiently. 

With 4:53 to go in the third, Towns drew Bona’s fifth foul on a drive down the middle of the floor. Sixers head coach Nick Nurse responded sensibly by bringing in Dominick Barlow at center for his first minutes of the game.

Towns soon got his fourth foul and Knicks head coach Mike Brown slid Anunoby up to the five For the most part, offense won out in the Barlow vs. Anunoby center minutes late in the third quarter. Anunoby drilled a three to give New York an 86-84 lead.

The contest stayed close early in the fourth quarter. Considering the situation — thrown into a difficult moment in his first NBA postseason — Barlow did quite well. He was handy as a smart short roller passer and also added six points on 3-for-3 shooting and two rebounds. 

Barlow made a big defensive play when he closed out to Anunoby in the corner and blocked his three-point try. Maxey followed by sinking a go-ahead three.

Again, it’s hard to imagine Barlow entering a game with more on his plate. He often had to defend Brunson when the Sixers switched ball screens. The Knicks’ superstar guard made a mid-range jumper over Barlow to lift New York to a 101-99 advantage.

The Knicks went up six points on a long Bridges two-pointer. Down the stretch, the Sixers’ core players missed many of the jumpers they’d been hitting earlier in the night.

The Sixers eventually mobbed Brunson with blitzes and all-out double teams, but the Knicks didn’t leave the comeback door open and polished off a win that was much more testing than their 39-point Game 1 victory.

Kentucky Basketball head coach Mark Pope addressed fan concerns on Wednesday, answering questions about recruiting, the transfer portal, and the Wildcats’ roster outlook heading into the 2026-27 season.

With some frustration building among the fan base following missed recruiting targets, Pope took to social media a three-minute video to provide clarity on the program’s direction. One of the topics centered around NIL and whether Kentucky is being used as leverage by recruits. Pope didn’t shy away from the question.

“Yes, we are the biggest brand in college basketball,” Pope said during the video.

Recruiting was another major focus, especially after Kentucky missed on several top prospects in the 2026 class. Pope explained that while the staff aimed to get as many elite players on campus as possible, their attention was heavily centered on 5-star forward Tyran Stokes.

“This year, we were chasing a generational talent, and we fell a little short, but we weren’t sitting on our hands. We put together a roster that we are going to love watching, crush it in Rupp Arena,” Pope said.

The center position also remains a key factor, with Malachi Moreno currently testing the NBA Draft waters. Pope emphasized that Kentucky is fully supporting Moreno through the process while continuing to build depth at the position.

“Malachi Moreno was our number 1 priority for us, going into this portal season. We think that he is going to be the best center in all of college basketball next year here at Kentucky. He is also going through the (NBA) Draft process. He had a great workout just last night for an NBA team.

“Next week, he is heading to the (NBA) Combine, and we are supporting him every step of the way. This is the place where basketball dreams come true and Malachi has two dreams, he is dreaming of hanging a banner at Kentucky and he is also dreaming of playing in the NBA, so we are supporting him chasing both of those. At the same time, we are working hard in the portal to shore up this 5 spot.

“We are going to have an unbelievable crew at the center position.”

As the offseason continues, Pope made it clear Kentucky remains active in the portal and confident in the roster being assembled for the upcoming season.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Despite the gruesome nature of Jarred Vanderbilt’s dislocated right pinky injury, the Lakers forward’s status is day to day.

Medical personnel were able “to put his finger back together” after Vanderbilt suffered an open dislocation to the pinky during the second quarter of Tuesday’s Game 1 loss to the Thunder, Lakers coach JJ Redick said Wednesday.

“Obviously a tough-minded player and person,” Redick said. “I mean, he had a full dislocation. So they just put the stuff back together. He’ll be day to day.”

Redick added: “It’s called a reduction, apparently. He took some pictures for me, which I passed along to [my wife] Chelsea, because she was very curious, and she wishes I had not sent those photos.”

Sources told The California Post on Tuesday that a bone in Vanderbilt’s pinky broke through the skin after he attempted to block an alley-oop for Chet Holmgren, with Vanderbilt’s pinky hitting the backboard as he swiped for the ball. 

The 6-foot-8 forward immediately went to the ground in pain, holding his right hand near the Thunder bench, with Oklahoma City players reacting when they saw Vanderbilt’s hand. 

He immediately went back to the locker room at the 5:51 mark of the second quarter.

The Lakers ruled Vanderbilt out for the remainder of the game at halftime.

“It was disgusting! Bro’s whole bone was out of his skin,” Jaxson Hayes said. “You never want to see one of your teammates go down, but that was gross. That was really gross.”

Hayes added: “I’ve dislocated many fingers. That was definitely the worst. That was definitely the worst dislocation I’ve ever seen in my life. I have a picture right here; I’m not gonna show it, though. But, yeah, that was the most disgusting dislocation ever.”

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Keep Jays together, or make a push for Giannis? Forsberg and Giles discuss originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

An intriguing offseason lies ahead for the Boston Celtics after their stunning first-round playoff exit.

The Celtics blew a 3-1 series lead for the first time in franchise history, falling in Game 7 in front of their home crowd. Their lack of a strong frontcourt presence, as well as an over-reliance on 3-pointers, may have cost them another run at a championship.

C’s president of basketball operations Brad Stevens addressed those issues during his end-of-season press conference on Wednesday. He also answered a question about star Jaylen Brown’s rumored “frustration” with the organization, stating that Brown “has not expressed those frustrations to me.”

Nonetheless, Brown’s future with the team has become a hot topic as offseason trade rumors begin to swirl. The Celtics have recently been linked to Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, with NBA insider Marc Stein advising to “keep an eye on” the C’s in the Giannis sweepstakes.

While Antetokounmpo would help their frontcourt dilemma, the Celtics almost certainly would have to part ways with Brown to pry him from Milwaukee. That may seem like a non-starter, but given Antetokounmpo’s status as one of the NBA’s elite talents, it’s something Stevens must at least consider if the offer is on the table.

So, should the Celtics stick with the Jayson Tatum/Jaylen Brown tandem on their quest for Banner 19, or should they split them up to acquire Giannis? NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg and Tom Giles discussed the topic on the latest episode of the Celtics Talk Podcast.

“I would rather have Jaylen Brown than Giannis,” Giles said. “But if Jaylen Brown says, ‘I want to be traded,’ that’s where the conversation changes. That’s kind of where I’ve been for a while. If you can have those two guys (Tatum and Brown), that gives you the best chance of winning. If you kind of get nudged into it, that changes the conversation.”

As of now, it seems highly unlikely that Brown will request a trade. During his Twitch stream on Wednesday night, Brown stated, “If it was up to me, I would play in Boston for the next 10 years.”

But as he acknowledges, his future in Boston isn’t up to him. It’ll be up to Stevens to decide which path to take, and although it would hurt to break up the Jays, the opportunity to add an elite talent like Antetokounmpo would be enticing.

“As much as I’m leery of the Giannis stuff, I get why it has to at least be a conversation,” Forsberg said. “I’m hopeful that whatever comes next involves the Jays and figuring out the best way to accentuate their talents and giving them the best opportunity to make another run. …

“Giannis is great in a vacuum, but you’re introducing whole new factors into your locker room. There’s a chance it works really great, there’s also a chance it doesn’t work. He wasn’t always happy in Milwaukee when they weren’t winning. …

“How does Tatum feel about that? All of a sudden, just having another guy who’s very much part of the elite universe. It’s one thing when you’ve done it with Jaylen and Jayson for all these years, it’s just another when you introduce someone new. There’s a whole bunch of variables that go into it.”

Antetokounmpo is a 10-time All-Star, two-time MVP, nine-time All-NBA selection, and NBA Finals MVP. That said, trading a lucrative package centered around Brown to acquire him would be risky. The 31-year-old played in only 36 games last season due to multiple injuries, and as Forsberg notes, it’s possible he wouldn’t be the best fit in the C’s locker room.

The questions surrounding Antetokounmpo’s future could be answered before the new league year begins in July. Bucks owner Jimmy Haslam said Wednesday that he’d like a decision to be made before the NBA Draft, which is set for June 23.

Also in the episode:

• Breaking down Brad Stevens’ end-of-season press conference.
• What’s the Celtics’ roadmap for improvement next season?
• Reacting to Brad Stevens’ praise of Hugo Gonzalez.

The Cleveland Cavaliers had a tough time getting anything going offensively against the Detroit Pistons in Game 1 of their second-round series. That task was made more difficult with the loss of sharpshooter Sam Merrill, who was limited to just seven minutes in Game 1 with a hamstring injury.

Cleveland could be without Merrill for all of Game 2. He’s officially listed as questionable on the injury report ahead of Tuesday’s matchup with a left hamstring strain.

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Merrill has been playing through various injuries this season. A hand injury he suffered near the beginning of the season has required him to ice his hand after games and practices. He’s also been dealing with left hamstring issues off and on, which caused him to miss regular-season games in March and April.

Merrill is one of the toughest players on the team. If there’s any possibility that he could play through the injury, he’ll likely try to.

At the same time, this could be a long series. There’s no point in rushing Merrill back now if there’s a chance that this injury could be in a better place in a week.

Merrill’s shooting has been indispensable for an offense that has been stuck in neutral for much of the postseason. Cleveland’s offense has been 16.8 points per 100 possessions better when he’s on the floor compared to when he’s not. That’s due to his shooting and the gravity he has as an off-ball mover.

The Cavs don’t have an easy way to replicate Merrill’s shooting if he can’t go. Max Strus has been good at times this postseason, but this team needs both Strus and Merrill, not one or the other.

This season, Merrill averaged 12.8 points on 42.1% shooting from deep. In eight playoff games, he’s averaged 6.6 points on 37.9% shooting from deep.

Ric Flair, the legendary professional wrestler, might have captured the frustration of some Los Angeles Lakers fans over Luka Doncic having been sidelined for the past five weeks with a Grade 2 hamstring injury.

Flair also hit a nerve.

Famous for his signature "woo,'' Flair sounded off on X, writing “Luka, Please Get In The Game! Take A Shot Of Cortisone And Deal With The Pain! They Are Paying You 50 Million A Year, And You’re Not There! WTF! I Hope @JeanieBuss Trades You Next Year. Nobody Wants A Lame Duck On Their Team!’’

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Recognizing needed postseason adjustments before oddsmakers adjust for them is the best way to find value in the NBA playoffs. After the Detroit Pistons won Game 1, the Cleveland Cavaliers need to make such an adjustment.

These Cavaliers vs. Pistons predictions and same-game parlay picks for Game 2 anticipate Cleveland sitting Jarrett Allen more and more on Thursday, May 7.

Our best Cavaliers vs Pistons SGP for Game 2

SGP leg #1: Jarrett Allen Under 7.5 rebounds (-135)

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen played six minutes of the first quarter on Tuesday, failing to grab a single rebound. Meanwhile, Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren played 10 minutes and found three rebounds. That is the mismatch that Cleveland cannot survive.

Allen was ineffective out of the gates of this series, no small part of how the Cavaliers were trailing by 16 points in that opening frame.

Allen did not play a minute in the second quarter. That may have been an overreaction from Cleveland’s coaching staff, but a similar adjustment likely looms.

SGP leg #2: Jarrett Allen Under 10.5 points (+100)

Allen scored just two points in his 18 minutes in Game 1. Worse yet, he took only four shots.

Not to sound too harsh, but there may not be a purpose to playing Allen against Detroit. If he cannot rebound and he is not going to get shots up, what threat does he pose?

The Pistons’ frontcourt is simply too athletic for Allen.

SGP leg #3: Dean Wade Over 3.5 rebounds (+105)

Someone needs to play more minutes, though. And that someone seems likely to be Dean Wade.

Look at the fourth quarter on Tuesday, when Cleveland thought about making things interesting. Allen played four minutes, while Wade played nine. All of the Cavaliers’ starters played at least eight minutes except for Allen.

Expect Wade to get more run, for better or for worse.

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Get Douglas Farmer's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Cavaliers vs Pistons predictions for Game 2.

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There appears to be a difference in what Jaylen Brown says behind closed doors and what he divulges to Celtics president of operations Brad Stevens.

Tracy McGrady, who has mentored the Boston superstar, said Tuesday that Brown is frustrated with the only team he’s ever played for his in his career, while Stevens said Wednesday during his end-of-season press conference that Brown has not revealed any lingering issues to him.

“His frustration lies deeply in the organization and other things that we really don’t have the details. It’s just a lot of stuff I’ve been hearing just going on with the Boston organization with JB,” McGrady said Tuesday on his “Cousins” podcast with fellow ex-NBA star Vince Carter.

“I think part of him is like, ‘I showed you guys more of who I am as a basketball player not only what I did on the basketball court but the leadership I displayed within this team and you’ve seen that.’ Not having our best player in (Jayson Tatum). You’ve seen a different side of me and what I’m able to bring to the game of basketball. So, all that stuff just came into play with him and his frustration.”

Stevens said he has not had a lengthy sit-down with Brown since Celtics’ tough Game 7 home loss to the 76ers, a series Boston led, 3-1, but he didn’t catch that vibe.

“I talked to Jaylen Monday a little bit after, just real quickly and it was nothing but positive. He has not expressed those frustrations to me,” Stevens said.

“We’ve been here 10 years together, and I do think that — obviously I love JB and everybody around here loves JB. Just like any of our other guys, as we get to the end of the season, I’ll be here and my door is always open if anybody ever wants to come in and talk about it. Talk about their team, their place, whatever the case may be, I’m all ears. … None of (the frustrations) have been expressed to me.”

McGrady’s remarks certainly open the door for a potential trade-rumor-filled offseason for Brown, especially in light of the Celtics blowing their first-round series.

Brown had to carry the load this year with Tatum missing most of the season in his return from tearing his Achilles tendon, and he responded with a career-high 28.7 points per game.

His brilliance helped the Celtics unexpectedly grab the East’s No. 2 seed, but the bitter ending to the season could change things in Boston.

Since their 2024 championship run, Boston has now been upset before the Eastern Conference finals in back-to-back years, both as a heavy favorite.

Stevens has shown he’s willing to make drastic changes, including shipping off veterans last offseason to get under the luxury tax, and some have wondered if he could plan another big move.

Giannis Antetokounmpo remains the top trade target in the league, and a player of Brown’s caliber certainly would be enticing if Boston wanted to shake things up.

There’s also the chance that this run without Tatum has Brown feeling he should be the alpha on a roster and perhaps he’s eyeing his own team he can lead.

Brown recently called this season his “favorite year” of his career, calling the roster a “special group.”

“Being able to just be a part of a group, through the uncertainty came to fight, came to compete, came and went to war,” Brown said on a Twitch stream. “I’ll take a team like this any day of the week.”

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Luka Doncic said Wednesday he was given platelet-rich plasma injections in Spain in an effort to speed up his eight-week timeline for return from the hamstring injury that has had him sidelined since April 2.

“I went to Spain to do PRP,” Doncic told reporters. “Everybody knows that its one of the best countries to do that. Obviously, you know, we talked with the Lakers doctors, so everybody agreed for me to go there.”

Each injection required four days of rest in-between, calling for an extended stay in Spain, he said.

“I know and trust lots of people in Spain that I used to work with before," he said. "I needed four days in between every shot. I did it four times, so that’s why I stayed longer.”

Doncic said he's been running, but he's yet to reintroduce any contact.

The Lakers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of their Western Conference Semifinals series 108-90 on Tuesday.

Doncic said it has been hard to watch while knowing he can't yet participate.

“It's very frustrating. I don't think people understand how frustrating it is," Doncic said. "All I want to do is play basketball, especially this time. It's the best time to play basketball. It's very frustrating to see what my team is doing, I'm very proud of them, but it's been very tough to watch.”

At the same time, the six-time NBA All-Star is aware that coming back too soon would put him at risk.

“It's a tough one for me. I've come back from injuries too soon before, and it wasn't the best result," he said. ”This is the first time I have a hamstring injury. It's not the same like other injuries. You have to be very careful. I'm doing everything to come back."

The Thunder host the Lakers in Game 2 on Thursday night.

___

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In theory, this should be the competitive Eastern Conference series. Oddsmakers have effectively said the Cleveland Cavaliers should have a legitimate chance at winning this series by favoring the Detroit Pistons by only a bucket at home in tonight's Game 2.

But my Cavaliers vs. Pistons predictions and NBA picks for Thursday, May 7 firmly believe Cleveland has roster problems that should show up again, which could lead to reduced minutes for Jarrett Allen.

Don't miss tip-off at 7 p.m. ET on Prime Video.

Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 2 prediction

Who will win Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 2?

Pistons: It would be bold to suggest Detroit might sweep this series, but at the least, fully expect the Pistons to take a 2-0 lead before desperation and home court give the Cavaliers some traction over the weekend.

Cavaliers vs Pistons best bet: Jarrett Allen Under 7.5 rebounds (-135)

This same bet was priced at +100 in Game 1, but it still holds value as long as the number remains at 7.5.

Cleveland Cavaliers’ center Jarrett Allen might be borderline unplayable in this series. Detroit Pistons’ center Jalen Duren is too active on the offensive glass for the Cavaliers to play Allen as he struggles finding boards.

Duren snagged seven offensive rebounds in Game 1, directly part of why Allen played only 18 minutes.

Cleveland has plenty of work ahead of it in this series, but that work doubles when giving up offensive rebounds as often as Allen did.

COVERS INTEL: Allen’s struggle against Duren is a known problem for the Cavaliers. Allen was not in any foul trouble in their meeting on March 3, yet he played just 21 minutes while Duren snagged six offensive rebounds.

Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 2 same-game parlay

If Jarrett Allen is going to play less, someone needs to play more. Evan Mobley cannot play two positions at once, though Cleveland would be better off if he could.

Dean Wade saw nearly 28 minutes of action in Game 1, nearly 10 minutes more than Allen did. Wade managed only five points and three rebounds, but his plus/minus was only -4 in those 28 minutes, a palatable thought in a game the Cavaliers lost by 10 points.

Wade might join Mobley, Donovan Mitchell, and James Harden by handling a workload in the mid-30s minutes. And that should lend many rebound opportunities.

Cavaliers vs Pistons SGP

• Jarrett Allen Under 7.5 rebounds
• Jarrett Allen Under 10.5 points
• Dean Wade Over 3.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: 2-0, Detroit

Cleveland’s roster fails against Detroit. It may be that simple. When Cade Cunningham can cut through a porous defensive backcourt — yes, that is a direct reference to James Harden’s and Donovan Mitchell’s defensive mistakes — the entire Pistons’ offense hums.

Detroit is content to slow things down and win at the rim, effectively the recipe from Game 1, which would have also cashed this exact same-game parlay.

Cavaliers vs Pistons SGP

• Jarrett Allen Under 7.5 rebounds
• Jarrett Allen Under 10.5 points
• Pistons -3
• Under 216

Cavaliers vs Pistons odds for Game 2

• Spread: Cavaliers +3.5 | Pistons -3.5
• Moneyline: Cavaliers +135 | Pistons -160
• Over/Under: Over 216 | Under 216

Cavaliers vs Pistons betting trend to know

Four of the five matchups between these two this season, including Game 1, have gone Under their totals. Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Pistons.

How to watch Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 2

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DETROIT (AP) — Cleveland Cavaliers reserve guard Sam Merrill had an MRI on his left hamstring after injuring it in a Game 1 loss to the Detroit Pistons.

The Cavs held him out of practice Wednesday, a day before they will shoot to even the second-round series in Detroit.

Merrill had one assist and one turnover in six-plus minutes of the opener on Tuesday night.

The 29-year-old Merrill averaged 12.8 points during the regular season and scored in double digits twice in the seven-game, first-round series against the Toronto Raptors.

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The Philadelphia 76ers will be without their star center when they look to even the second round playoff series against the New York Knicks.

Joel Embiid was ruled out for tonight’s Game 2 with hip and ankle injuries. His absence comes on the heels of scoring 14 points on 3-of-11 shooting from the floor in Monday’s Game 1.

The Knicks recorded a 137-98 statement victory against the 76ers in Game 1 thanks, in part, to 35 points from Jalen Brunson and solid performances from OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges.

The next game in the Knicks vs. 76ers series is scheduled for Friday night in Philadelphia.

76ers vs. Knicks start time:

Game 1 between the 76ers vs. Knicks is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. ET tonight, May 6.

How to watch 76ers vs. Knicks for free:

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the game for free.

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes ESPN (plus nearly every other channel you’ll need for the rest of the NBA postseason). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $49.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.

If you aren’t ready to commit to a full-on subscription, you can try a Sling Orange Day Pass. Priced at $4.99, you’ll get 24 hours of access to all Sling TV Orange has to offer, including ESPN. Sling also offers weekend and week-long passes for its Orange plan, which offer between three and seven days of access.

Knicks-76ers second round playoff schedule

• Game 1: Knicks 137, 76ers 98
• Game 2: Wednesday, May 6 (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• Game 3: Friday, May 8 (7 p.m. ET, Prime Video)
• Game 4: Sunday, May 10 (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
• Game 5: Tuesday, May 12*
• Game 6: Thursday, May 14*
• Game 7: Sunday, May 17*

* if necessary

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