The New York Knicks have been doing a lot of that lately, much to the delight of franchise icon Walt “Clyde” Frazier.
The longtime player and broadcaster, 81, was the last man to lead the franchise to a championship way back in 1973. Now, 53 years later, he thinks he’s starting to see some parallels between his dominant team and the current-day Knicks, who currently lead the Philadelphia 76ers 1-0 in the second round of the playoffs.
“I’m mesmerized by the way the team is playing,” Frazier told Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday’s episode of “The Tonight Show.” “Actually, I’m living vicariously through them. They remind me of my team. My team personified team, you couldn’t mention Frazier without (Bill) Bradley, without (Dave) DeBusschere, without (Willis) Reed, without (Dick) Barnett.
“I see similarities to this team, so they’re starting to do that. Their camaraderie, their teamwork, they like each other, it’s manifested on the court.
There’s still a long way to go in the NBA playoffs, but Frazier added that “hopefully we’ll see another championship.”
The Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks 4-2 in the first round after falling behind 2-1. They closed that series with runaway wins by 16, 29 and 51 points, then followed that up with a 39-point blowout over Philly to begin the second round.
Frazier has been watching it all happen from his seats at Madison Square Garden, where he still works for the Knicks’ MSG Network. Wearing his iconic suits, you can’t miss the Hall of Famer on TV or in person.
“It’s genetic,” Frazier said of his fashion sense. “My dad was a guy who was into clothes. Then, I came to the mecca for fashion.
“I wasn’t playing good as a rookie, so in order to pacify myself I went shopping.”
Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks high fives Walt Frazier after the game during Round 1 Game 6 on May 1, 2025, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
How exactly does Frazier pick out his looks? As he told Fallon, there’s one line that gets him the outfit he wants.
“When I go to a suit place, I just say ‘Show me something you think no one will wear.'”
With the Knicks set to host the Sixers in Game 2 on Wednesday night, keep an eye out for Frazier in the crowd.
“In the morning, there was a big wind blowing and the waves were running high up on the beach and he was awake a long time before he remembered that his heart was broken.”
The words are Hemingway’s.
I was woken up, as I usually am, by Clara the cat, whose business is to inform me when the rest of the cats are ready for breakfast. The time, 5:30, was not particularly unusual either.
I woke up with a sense of something lost, something gone irretrievably, and I knew immediately what it was. I was not awake a long time before I remembered that the Celtics’ season had ended on Saturday night.
I used to live in the middle of Sioux Falls, where I could hear the old courthouse clock toll the hours, and there was no silence quite like the silence that came after the final bell tolled—it was not the silence of silence, it was the silence of absence, something missing that had been there a moment ago.
But one thing is certain: the team that was is gone.
Boston, MA – April 10: Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, Payton Pritchard, Nikola Vuevi and Jaylen Brown head to the bench for a timeout in the first quarter. The Celtics played the New Orleans Pelicans at TD Garden on April 10, 2026. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
This happens to every team, and of the sixteen teams that make the playoffs, only one will end the season a champion. For every other team, there comes a moment like the one on Saturday night where it all ends, and where it leaves a hole.
As fans, we kind of get used to this, to a certain extent. We know there’s always a next year—but when the end comes the way it came to this year’s Celtics, it’s hard.
It’s hard not just because Boston put up a 3-1 lead, it’s because of the way they put together that 3-1 lead. They blew out the Sixers twice and won a third time in a closely matched game. There was no reason to expect that the Sixers could win three straight against a team that had blown them out twice, and yet…
Much as we would like them to be, games are not stories. The narratives that fit best are fitted in hindsight. No team in the NCAA tournament is a Cinderella until they’ve won a game they shouldn’t have.
The danger of making narratives in advance was apparent by December, when the Celtics were demonstrating that, at least as far as the regular season went, this was not going to be a gap year.
When Tatum came back, there seemed to be even more validity to the idea that this was a storybook season.
And what we got was a version of Cinderella that went like this: “Cinderella lost her shoe on the way out of the ball. The Prince, although stricken by her beauty, figured that he had no chance of finding her by searching the kingdom, so he got on with his life. Eventually he forgot all about her.”
In other words, the end of the season felt premature, abrupt, and cruel.
But that’s how it feels to us as Celtics fans. On the other side of the court, there’s a different storybook unfolding. Sixers fans who could claim that legitimately, with Embiid’s limited availability and Paul George’s league mandated vacation, they had not been at full strength during the regular season either, now get to savor their own Cinderella story. Perhaps their story will end as abruptly as Boston’s did, perhaps it will linger on as far as the Eastern Conference Finals; it seems unlikely to last much farther.
Trying to tell stories before they unfold, setting expectations that are not matched, is dangerous unless you’re prepared to accept not only the hollow pit of losing, but the added chagrin of having ‘gotten it wrong.’
Were we fooled into expecting more from the Celtics than they were capable of delivering?
I mean, the results are the results, and the reality is that you are what your record says you are, but it feels like Boston left behind unfinished business this season.
Predictably, there have been calls for drastic changes—the notion that Jaylen Brown should be traded has once again surfaced, and there have been calls for a review of Joe Mazzulla’s chops as a coach.
This is not unexpected. And it strikes me as a bit of an overreaction.
It’s tempting to focus on the fact that the C’s lost three straight against Philly, without remembering that Boston finished the series +19 in points scored.
Is this evidence of bad coaching and bad play on the part of the Celtics, over the last three games?
You better believe it is. It’s the fault of the Celtics coaching staff and players that they couldn’t adapt to the return of Embiid.
Does this mean that the only sensible, sane, and reasonable reaction is to make major personnel changes and fire the coach?
No. Not even remotely.
Feb 22, 2007 – Austin, TX, USA – Former Boston Celtic Great guard DENNIS WAYNE JOHNSON, the 13 year NBA star guard who was part of three championship teams and combined with Larry Bird in one of the greatest all time postseason plays, died Thursday February 22nd 2007, after collapsing at the end of practice while coaching an NBA developmental team. the Austin Toros. Johnson was born Sep 18, 1954 in Compton, CA. High School: Dominguez (Compton, Calif.). Junior College: Los Angeles Harbor (Calif.). College: Pepperdine University. Drafted: Seattle SuperSonics, 1976 (29th overall). Transactions: Traded to Phoenix Suns, 6/4/80; Traded to Boston Celtics, 6/27/83. Nickname: DJ. Height: 6-4. Weight: 200 lbs. Honors: NBA champion (1979, '84, '86); NBA Finals MVP (1979); All-NBA First Team (1981); All-NBA Second Team (1980); All-Defensive First Team (1979-83, '87); All-Defensive Second Team (1984-86); Five-time NBA All-Star 1979-82, '85).
PICTURED: Johnson driving down the court in an 1987 game.
(Photo by Sporting News via Getty Images/Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images) | Sporting News via Getty Images
In 1978, Dennis Johnson had a terrible Finals performance. In Game 7, he went 0-14, as the Sonics lost to the Bullets.
The following year, in a Finals rematch, DJ redeemed himself; his shooting percentage jumped from .382 in 1978 to .459 in 1979, and he won the Finals MVP in a series that was over in just five games.
Now I’m not saying that there are guys who came up small in this series who are as good as DJ was. I’m saying that DJ, in just his second year in the league, caught a serious case of the yips, but the Sonics stuck with him, and he redeemed himself—against the same basic team that he choked against the year before.
I think there are young guys on the Celtics who, given a second chance, will surprise us.
Yes, you only get so many bites at the apple—playing careers do not last forever, and finishing a season this way basically wastes a year of Jaylen’s prime, but that year is gone now. No amount of rash actions over the summer will get that year back.
My response to the season is that patience should carry the day. There will probably need to be some personnel tweaks over the summer, but nothing major is warranted, in my opinion. I think this is a time to trust the coaching staff and players to respond the right way to what went wrong against Philadelphia.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 30: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics talks to Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers after the game at Rocket Arena on November 30, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 117-115. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After scoring 33 points in the Celtics’ Game 7 loss at home to the 76ers, Jaylen Brown took to Twitch to get everything off his chest before heading into the offseason. Much of it was positive after his MVP-level performance this year. Despite the early exit, he called the 56-win season the most fun he’s had in his career in what should be a First or Second Team All-NBA season.
However, he did have some choice words regarding the officiating of not just the series-clinching loss at TD Garden, but on the state of the league and how flopping has become so prevalent with the game’s best players.
The NBA’s iconoclast has been on this crusade all year, most vocally after he was ejected from a much anticipated game against the San Antonio Spurs in March. CelticsBlog’s Gio Rivera has this from Brown’s stream:
Brown said Embiid routinely exaggerated contact, insisting it’s an epidemic affecting the NBA.
“It’s like when someone barely touched you, and you selling the call to make it seem like you just got shot by two police officers. Big difference. Whether you like it, don’t like it, your grandma like it, your grandma don’t like it. I don’t really care. That’s just my personal opinion on basketball. Some of y’all might disagree. Argue with your grandma. Flopping has ruined our game. Joel Embiid is a great player, one of the best bigs in f**king basketball history. He flops. He knows it. This ain’t breaking news.”
Yesterday, the league fined Brown $50,000 for “public criticism of the officiating” and hours after a Game 1 loss to the Detroit Pistons, the Cavaliers Donovan Mitchell had his back.
#Cavs Donovan Mitchell on only got to the line twice tonight. His response to why he's not getting more calls:
"I'm just not getting the calls I don't know why, I don't flop, maybe that's why." pic.twitter.com/VJsglOq0dK
“A friend of mine got fined for talking about flopping,” Mitchell said of Brown’s comments. “I’m not trying to double down, but I feel like that’s what I got to do at this point. I’m trying to get downhill, trying to get to the bucket, sometimes people are in my way and I’m trying to fight through contact and I’m not getting these calls…I don’t know why. I don’t flop, maybe that’s why. This isn’t just a tonight thing. This has been the entire season. It’s frustrating —I’m such a dynamic driver — but I can’t control that.”
During the regular season, Brown was second in the league in drives at 9.1 per game with Mitchell trailing behind at 14.1. However, Brown was just ninth in free throw attempts and Mitchell was further down the list at 22nd.
You can bet that with Brown as one of the vice presidents of the NBPA and Mitchell serving as the player rep in Cleveland, the state of officiating will be a topic of discussion the next time the league’s competition committee meets this summer.
To little surprise, Washington Wizards coach Brian Kiefe topped the list at 22 percent after his team had the worst record in the league during the 2025-26 season with just 17 wins.
Coming in just under Kiefe was Kerr, ranked fourth with 6 percent of players’ votes.
As the article notes, Kerr, whose future with the franchise is unknown after 12 seasons as Golden State’s coach, always has been one of the more praised coaches in The Athletic’s past player polls. But with the Warriors missing the playoffs in two of the last three seasons, there appears to be a different perspective, even when things have been out of Kerr’s control, such as injuries.
“I think he’s a great coach,” one of the players who voted for Kerr said. “I just thought the way he handled the Kuminga situation wasn’t very smart.”
Aside from a little recency bias, the former NBA Coach of the Year boasts a 604-353 regular-season record and 104-48 playoff record as coach of the Warriors — all while at the helm of the team that won four NBA titles.
Speaking of recency bias, Kings first-year coach Doug Christie seemed to have bitten the bullet for Sacramento’s disappointing 22-win season. Christie was voted one spot above Kerr at third overall with 10 percent of the votes.
Despite the lackluster season, Christie will return as coach next season in hopes that a top-draft pick and some roster reconstruction can lead to a change during the 2026-27 campaign.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 4: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs is guarded by Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round Two Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 4, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Even with Anthony Edwards on a minutes restriction, the Minnesota Timberwolves were able to come into the Frost Bank Center and steal both Game 1 and home court advantage from the Spurs. The style of play on display in that game was what was expected of the series from the outset: hard-fought, physical games that would likely need to be won on the margins and boy was Game 1 decided on the margins. Meh offensive showings from both Victor Wembanyama and DeAaron Fox coupled with a handful of lackadaisical turnovers (Spurs were +3 in the turnover department) were ultimately the difference in a game that San Antonio still had a chance to win at the buzzer. With Games 3 and 4 in Minnesota and with just a day between each of these games, it is imperative that San Antonio finds a way tonight to pull even in this series against a Minnesota team that’s trying to make their 3rd straight trip to the Western Conference Finals. This will be the first time this young squad is playing from behind in a best of 7 series, and while the pressure valve hasn’t popped yet, a loss tonight against a veteran Timberwolves squad could see it blown wide open.
San Antonio Spurs (0-1) vs Minnesota Timberwolves (1-0) May 6 2026 | 8:30 PM CT Watch: ESPN | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM) Line: -9.5
Spurs Injuries: Carter Bryant, foot (QUESTIONABLE)
Twolves Injuries: Anthony Edwards, knee (QUESTIONABLE), Ayo Dosunmu, calf (QUESTIONABLE)
What to watch for
DeAaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama said all the right things in the aftermath of Game 1, with Fox in particular shouldering the bulk of the loss on his shoulders. Fox finished with just 10 points and had 6 of San Antonio’s 13 turnovers, with a few egregious ones of the live ball variety in the 2nd half where it looked like he was playing with basically no urgency. Wemby meanwhile was a demon defensively, setting the playoff record for most blocks in a game in just his 4th ever playoff game, but shot just 5/17 from the field and was 0/8 from downtown. Knowing that this time of year often comes down to your best players playing at their best, expect Mitch Johnson to try and get those two guys back on track early tonight offensively.
For all the talk about San Antonio not having anyone to contend with Julius Randle, they did a solid job on him for the most part. Randle went just 8/20 from the field and took just 6 free throw attempts for the game. Where he excelled though what using his size and bulk to both pick up a few fouls on various Spurs’ defenders and to slow the pace down for Minnesota at the end of the game. San Antonio wings that get caught on him need to clean up some of those reach-ins and to continue to goad Randle into face-up jumpers.
A few times in Game 1 it looked like Anthony Edwards was in some discomfort, but for the most part he looked very much like the Anthony Edwards people have come to expect. Just 9 days removed from a leg hyperextension, Edwards was limited to just 25 minutes off the bench, but his presence was felt in all of them. He went 8/13 from the field for 18 points, scoring in a variety of ways and putting all the worries about his health at that moment to rest. Whether or not Edwards will be as fresh in a Game 2 that takes place just 48 hours later as opposed to the 9 days off he had before Game 1 though remains to be seen.
If you’d like to, you may follow along with the game on our Twitter profile (@poundingtherock) or visit our Game Thread!
Chet Holmgren earned his first All-Star selection this season [Getty Images]
The Oklahoma City Thunder proved too strong for the Los Angeles Lakers to take a 1-0 lead in the NBA's Conference semi-finals.
The defending champions are the Western Conference's top seed and made a strong start to the best-of-seven series with a 108-90 win at home on Tuesday.
The Thunder produced a balanced offensive performance while their defence restricted the Lakers to their lowest score in a play-off game since 2021.
LeBron James claimed a game-high 27 points for the Lakers while Chet Holmgren led the Thunder with 24 points and 12 rebounds.
The NBA's reigning Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell added 18 points apiece for the hosts.
"You're playing the world champs, your margin for error in terms of mistakes is not that high," said Lakers head coach JJ Redick.
"[There were] just too many tonight. We've got to clean that up."
LA guard Luka Doncic remained out with a hamstring injury and could also miss game two on Thursday.
The Detroit Pistons drew first blood in their series with the Cleveland Cavaliers, holding off a late rally to claim a 111-101 home win.
Cade Cunningham scored 23 points for the Eastern Conference's top seed Detroit, with Tobias Harris adding 20.
Donovan Mitchell led the Cavs with 23 points while James Harden added 22 but had seven turnovers.
Los Angeles Lakers (53-29, fourth in the Western Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (64-18, first in the Western Conference)
Oklahoma City; Thursday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Thunder -15.5; over/under is 209.5
WESTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Thunder lead series 1-0
BOTTOM LINE: The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference second round with a 1-0 lead in the series. The Thunder won the last matchup 108-90 on Wednesday, led by 24 points from Chet Holmgren. LeBron James led the Lakers with 27.
The Thunder are 41-11 in Western Conference games. Oklahoma City ranks fifth in the Western Conference in rebounding with 44.1 rebounds. Holmgren leads the Thunder with 8.9 boards.
The Lakers are 33-19 in Western Conference play. Los Angeles scores 116.3 points and has outscored opponents by 1.7 points per game.
The Thunder score 119.0 points per game, 4.4 more points than the 114.6 the Lakers give up. The Lakers average 11.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.5 fewer made shots on average than the 14.3 per game the Thunder allow.
TOP PERFORMERS: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.1 points and 6.6 assists for the Thunder. Isaiah Joe is averaging 2.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
James is scoring 20.9 points per game and averaging 6.1 rebounds for the Lakers. Rui Hachimura is averaging 2.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Thunder: 8-2, averaging 120.6 points, 43.8 rebounds, 28.8 assists, 9.8 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 49.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.2 points per game.
Lakers: 7-3, averaging 104.8 points, 40.6 rebounds, 26.6 assists, 9.6 steals and 5.6 blocks per game while shooting 49.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 98.3 points.
INJURIES: Thunder: Jalen Williams: out (hamstring), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).
Lakers: Luka Doncic: out (hamstring), Jarred Vanderbilt: day to day (finger).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30, fourth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Detroit Pistons (60-22, first in the Eastern Conference)
Detroit; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT
LINE: Pistons -3.5; over/under is 216
EASTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Pistons lead series 1-0
BOTTOM LINE: The Detroit Pistons host the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference second round with a 1-0 lead in the series. The Pistons won the last meeting 111-101 on Tuesday, led by 23 points from Cade Cunningham. Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 23.
The Pistons have gone 12-4 against division opponents. Detroit is fourth in the Eastern Conference with 18.0 fast break points per game led by Cunningham averaging 3.9.
The Cavaliers are 11-5 in division matchups. Cleveland scores 119.5 points and has outscored opponents by 4.1 points per game.
The Pistons average 11.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.2 fewer makes per game than the Cavaliers allow (14.2). The Cavaliers score 9.9 more points per game (119.5) than the Pistons give up to opponents (109.6).
TOP PERFORMERS: Ausar Thompson is scoring 9.9 points per game and averaging 5.7 rebounds for the Pistons. Cunningham is averaging 27.1 points and 5.3 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Mitchell is averaging 27.9 points, 5.7 assists and 1.5 steals for the Cavaliers. James Harden is averaging 18.6 points, 5.5 assists and 1.6 steals over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Pistons: 7-3, averaging 107.9 points, 47.1 rebounds, 23.6 assists, 9.0 steals and 8.3 blocks per game while shooting 46.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 100.6 points per game.
Cavaliers: 5-5, averaging 111.6 points, 44.7 rebounds, 22.9 assists, 8.1 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.3 points.
INJURIES: Pistons: Kevin Huerter: day to day (adductor).
Cavaliers: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
He's going to need to take a few more throughout this series.
Because even though the Lakers led for most of the first quarter, even though they hung around for the first three quarters and were a foul call and a missed buzzer-beater away from going into halftime trailing by just five points, it just wasn't enough to keep it all from unraveling in a 108-90 loss.
Redick's gameplan was solid. LeBron James had 27 points, six assists and four rebounds. Four of the Lakers' five starters scored in double figures. None of it was enough.
Not against this Thunder squad. Redick said it himself when he told reporters pregame that "we've sucked against this team."
Sure, Austin Reaves had a very, very rough night. And LA as a whole struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 33% from long range. But it was clear that the Lakers were simply bested and worn down by a well-rounded team. They were outscored 39-25 over the final 18 minutes. They had no answer for Chet Holmgren and their offense looked completely stumped by OKC's physical defense by the final frame, which translated to easy buckets far too often as the Lakers allowed 20 points off of their 18 turnovers.
"Once you make a couple mental mistakes, it seems like they take advantage of every one of them," Reaves told reporters.
It all underscores one simple sentiment that has reverberated throughout NBA discussion circles: the Lakers just don't have a chance of winning this series. Not without Luka Doncic.
"When you play against great defense, you have to have guys that can attract multiple defenders on the floor at all times," James told reporters. "... When you play against the world champions, having a guy that averages 34, 35, that's special."
But even if Doncic — whose rehab from a Grade 2 right hamstring strain that's kept him sidelined since April 2 has been slow going — returns at some point this series, how effective will he really be? That's not to say he won't play well, because he more than likely will. Doncic has historically played some of his best ball in the playoffs, even in series that his teams have been overmatched in (see: 2020 and 2021 against the Clippers, 2024 NBA Finals against the Celtics), and that has a good chance of being the case in this series.
The Lakers did many things right in Game 1, like holding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to a season-low 18 points and just three free throws and forced him to turn the ball over seven times, the most he's had since last season's Finals. They had open shots that just didn't drop. The offense was hot to start the game and good enough to claw back into it in stretches, but they weren't able to keep a consistent effort on both ends of the floor throughout the entire game. Each time the Lakers made a run, OKC responded with a bigger one. The Thunder showed just how much deeper their roster is, as shown by their bench outscoring LA, 34-15.
"We had some gameplan breakdowns," James told reporters. "They're gonna test you. They're gonna see how many times they can make you have gameplan breakdowns, and we had a few. Almost too many versus a team like this."
There's plenty of areas for the Lakers to clean up for Game 2 and beyond. Reaves can play better and Doncic can come back before it's too late, but there's a decent chance almost none of it might matter beyond a game or two.
That's just how much of a gap there is between them and a championship team.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 5: Rui Hachimura #28 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Round Two Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 5, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Well, that wasn’t a particularly encouraging loss.
Despite facing a Thunder team coming off a week of rest, the Lakers were the ones who looked out of sorts for most of Tuesday’s Game 1 loss. While they didn’t trail by 30 at halftime — an improvement over the last two trips to Oklahoma City — it never really felt like they were in the game in the second half.
That is despite closing the gap to single digits numerous times. But each one of those runs was answered immediately by OKC, which not only had the solutions to what the Lakers threw at them but also had different players step up throughout the night.
The Lakers, meanwhile, were out of viable options two injuries ago. Now, they also have to figure out what to do with Jarred Vanderbilt’s spot in the rotation after his nasty injury in the second quarter.
Let’s take a look at the three biggest takeaways from Tuesday…
The Austin Reaves conundrum
Austin Reaves was bad on Tuesday. There is no debate or conundrum there. In fact, it was one of the worst performances by a Laker in the playoffs in decades.
Austin Reaves' 18.8 FG% in Game 1 was the lowest by any Laker in a playoff game over the last 35 years (min. 15 FGA) 😳 pic.twitter.com/1o97wPL1tq
For one, the Lakers can’t win this series if he isn’t playing at an All-Star level. For much of this game, the Lakers were hanging around despite Reaves having one of the worst games of his career. Even an average game from him in this one would have made it a far more interesting contest.
At the same time, you can understand why Reaves isn’t playing well. There isn’t much more of a “thrown in the fire” situation than being put into two closeout games against the Rockets and then a series against the defending champions. He clearly doesn’t have his legs under him and is being forced to catch up on the fly.
Even when he was healthy, this was a defense and team Reaves struggled against. In three regular season games, he shot 42.9% from the field, 23.1% from three and had nearly as many turnovers (14) and made field goals (15).
The Lakers need Reaves to be better. It’s an incredible tall ask, but if he can’t get back to his regular season form, this is going to be a short series.
Not enough horses
LeBron James was fantastic tonight from the get-go. There was no feeling out for him in Game 1 as he was aggressive out of the gate, helped the Lakers jump out to an early lead and finished with 27 points on 12-17 shooting.
Rui Hachimura added 18 points on 7-13 shooting and 3-6 shooting from range, making it his 12th straight game of shooting over 50% from three. He continues to rise to the occasion in the playoffs.
However, after that, the Lakers lacked offensive firepower. Deandre Ayton was alright in his 27 minutes with 10 points as foul trouble limited his action. Reaves, as we discussed, was way off the mark. Marcus Smart was 4-15 and can not be relied upon for any level of consistent offense.
The Lakers’ bench, meanwhile, has been a liability all season. Only in the stretch where Rui serves as the sixth man did the team have any level of regular production from it’s reserves.
Compare that to the Thunder, who seemingly have an endless supply of role players who can step up. The Lakers made it their mission to limit Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, so you saw Chet Holmgren (24 points), Ajay Mitchell (18), and Jared McCain (12) step up at various points. Alex Caruso, Isaiah Hartenstein and Lu Dort had various big moments and plays as well.
Part of this is the Lakers being limited by injuries. But the difference in depth between these two teams is stark. The Thunder have different players they can turn to each night while the Lakers simply do not have the horses to keep up.
You don’t want to overreact too much to one game, but the Lakers’ bench woes are not unique to Game 1 of this series.
Jaxson Hayes’ spot is pretty locked in as the backup center. But Luke Kennard is now on his fourth game running with seven points or fewer. Jake LaRavia had a good Game 6 but, otherwise, has struggled these playoffs, particularly offensively. And now Vando seems likely to miss at least some time.
So, does Redick look to mix things up a bit in Game 2? Bronny James provided nice minutes in the Houston series. Maxi Kleber could step into Vando’s minutes and give LA a two-big look. If you really want to get spicy, Adou Thiero is the only other athletic wing on the bench. Or Nick Smith Jr. could get some run to see if he’s got the shot going.
The Lakers have now gone four straight games without reaching 100 points. They are 1-3 in those contests. There needs to be some level of change. It’s not guaranteed to fix anything, but the Lakers can’t keep trotting out the same rotation hoping for different results.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - MARCH 21: Jaren Jackson Jr. #20 of the Utah Jazz smiles during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 21, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
According to Michael Grange, the Utah Jazz outbid the Toronto Raptors for Jaren Jackson Jr. during the trade deadline.
The Raptors season was charmed, refreshing and encouraging. The off-season could be more challenging: https://t.co/31eEGDJqnC
leading up to trade deadline in February, the Raptors were working hard to try and make a deal that would land them Jaren Jackson Jr. from the Memphis Grizzlies before he was ultimately traded to the Utah Jazz in a package that included three first round picks, according to multiple league sources. The sticking point was finding someone to take on Jakob Poeltl’s four years and $104 million the 30-year-old has owed to him.
It’s a good thing that the Raptors made the signing for Poeltl because it likely helped make sure that Jackson would be on the Jazz. There are always stories that come out after trade deadlines, and this is one of them. A little luck appears to have helped the Jazz with this trade. Let’s hope the luck also carries over to the upcoming lottery night.
This is also a good example of why you need to be careful with giving out big contracts to non-all-stars. Utah is in the midst of deciding on a contract with Walker Kessler. Interestingly, Kessler wants more than what the Raptors gave to Poeltl. Kessler is a better player than Jakob Poeltl, but he’s not an all-star, and $30M a year for a rim-protecting center is a tough pill to swallow and could give the Jazz real headaches down the road if Kessler doesn’t live up to the money. Now, if Kessler can continue to develop different aspects of his game, it changes things. But you could argue that Kessler and Poeltl are pretty similar players. Now that Utah is competing for as many wins as possible, the decisions they make have much bigger consequences, they have to get things right. Otherwise, you have unintended consequences down the road you can’t foresee right now.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Chet Holmgren had 24 points and 12 rebounds, and the Oklahoma City Thunder routed the Los Angeles Lakers 108-90 on Tuesday night in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell each added 18 points for the Thunder. The defending champions improved to 5-0 in the playoffs, despite missing 2025 All-Star Jalen Williams with an injured left hamstring for the third straight game. The Thunder shot 49.4% from the field and made 13 of 30 3-pointers.
Oklahoma City will host Game 2 on Thursday.
Los Angeles struggled to find offense without scoring champion Luka Doncic, who has missed the past month with an injured left hamstring. LeBron James scored 27 points and Rui Hachimura added 18 for the Lakers. Austin Reaves, who averaged 23.3 points in the regular season, was held to eight on 3-for-16 shooting.
Oklahoma City won all four regular-season matchups by an average of 29.3 points, and this one was only slightly closer. The Thunder held the Lakers to 41.7% shooting and forced 17 turnovers.
The Lakers ran out to a 7-0 lead, with James scoring five of the points. Eventually, the Thunder shook off the rust from an eight-day break and went up 31-26 at the end of the first quarter, despite 12 points from James.
Holmgren’s two-handed alley-oop dunk on a lob from Isaiah Hartenstein put the Thunder up 48-39. Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt injured the pinkie finger on his right hand on the play, left the game and did not return.
Oklahoma City led 61-53 at halftime, despite 16 points from James.
Mitchell, who started in Williams’ place, made a corner 3-pointer and was fouled by Marcus Smart in the final minute of the third quarter. His free throw put the Thunder up 84-72, a score that held up until the end of the period.
Alex Caruso’s fast-break dunk early in the fourth put Oklahoma City up 88-73, and the Thunder maintained control from there.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 5: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Round Two Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 5, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In the playoffs, rotations shrink, but perhaps Lakers head coach JJ Redick will have to open his up a bit. The Lakers had only eight players who logged at least 10 minutes and with so many subpar performances, someone else needed to be called upon.
The Thunder had 10 players play more than 10 minutes and they got great production from Jared McCain. LA could’ve put Nick Smith Jr. in the game for a stretch to see if he could ignite the offense, especially in a game where Austin Reaves gave the team nothing.
Yes, it’s a gamble, but clearly every option has to be explored if the Lakers are going to pull off an upset against the Thunder.
So, let’s dive into the loss. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
LeBron set the tone early for the Lakers, scoring immediately, knocking down threes, and getting LA ahead 7-0. He stayed aggressive and was efficient, scoring 27 points on 12-17 shooting.
Games like these prove just how valuable LeBron James is. When the games matter, he elevates his game, and others can't be counted on to do the same. If he leaves or retires, the Lakers will need to sign at least two players to even come close to his level of production/ impact.
Once again, LeBron came to play and was far and away the best player in a purple and gold uniform. Hopefully, other starters follow his lead and up their game.
Hachimura played at his expected level. He knocked down shots and was a three-level scorer for the Lakers. Despite the disappointing loss, Hachimura reached a satisfactory level of consistency.
Ayton was aggressive early and had an overall nice game with a double-double. His defense against the Thunder bigs was good, and while many things went wrong for the purple and gold, Ayton wasn’t one of them.
Smart was a bit of a roller coaster. He had some great defensive moments, was fighting for loose balls and knocked down some nice shots. He also had some silly turnovers and frustrating plays, taking shots he had no business taking.
There is no room for error against the Thunder, so he has to make better decisions.
The Lakers need more from him. It’s understandable he’s not at 100%, considering he is just coming back from his Grade 2 oblique strain, but these are the defending champions.
If Reaves can’t score in bunches and Luka Dončić doesn’t return, then they have no shot of winning this series.
As the playoff intensity has increased, Luke’s production has gone the other way. He’s still the best bench player the Lakers have, but that’s kind of the problem. Nothing can be done now, as this is the team they have, so Luke just needs to be more aggressive and take advantage of the opportunities he gets.
Hayes did his job in this game. He was a ball of energy and a willing and able defender. How a blocking call was overturned and became an offensive foul for Hayes in the third quarter is anybody’s guess.
LaRavia’s offense was bad, his passes were suspect, and his defensive impact was minimal. He just isn’t playing well, and this level of competition seems a bit too much for him.
Grade: F
Jarred Vanderbilt, Adou Thiero, Nick Smith Jr., Bronny James, Dalton Knecht
Vando likely would’ve played more, but his night was cut short due to a dislocation of his right pinky. He had to exit the game, and we don’t know what his status will be moving forward.
Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt has sustained a full dislocation of his right pinky finger in a gruesome injury tonight, sources tell ESPN.
Everyone else played for just a minute in garbage time.
JJ Redick
While I would’ve liked some other backcourt looks once it was clear Reaves didn’t have it, Redick did a solid job. The way he was able to contain Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was brilliant, and he was smart with his timeouts, using them earlier than usual when he felt that OKC was going on a run.
His ATOs were very good. He had a brilliant one drawn up at the end of the second quarter that got LeBron a clean look at the basket. James missed it, but it was an example of how Redick can find an advantage and set his team up for success.
DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham scored 23 points, Tobias Harris had 20 and the Detroit Pistons beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 111-101 on Tuesday night in Game 1 of their second-round series.
Duncan Robinson added 19 points for the top-seeded Pistons, who ended an NBA record-tying 12-game postseason losing streak against a single opponent, a drought that dated to the 2007 Eastern Conference finals.
Game 2 is Thursday night in Detroit.
Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell scored 23 points, ending his NBA-record streak of scoring 30-plus points in nine straight series openers.
James Harden had 22 points and Max Stus scored 19 for the No. 4-seeded Cavs, who pulled into a tie midway through the fourth quarter after trailing for most of the night and by as much as 18 points.
Cleveland center Jarrett Allen was limited to two points and three rebounds, coming off a 22-point, 19-rebound performance in an elimination game against Toronto.
THUNDER 108, LAKERS 90
OKLAHOMA CITY, (AP) — Chet Holmgren had 24 points and 12 rebounds, and Oklahoma City routed Los Angeles in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell each added 18 points for the Thunder. The defending champions improved to 5-0 in the playoffs, despite missing 2025 All-Star Jalen Williams with an injured left hamstring for the third straight game. The Thunder shot 49.4% from the field and made 13 of 30 3-pointers.
Oklahoma City will host Game 2 on Thursday.
Los Angeles struggled to find offense without scoring champion Luka Doncic, who has missed the past month with an injured left hamstring. LeBron James scored 27 points and Rui Hachimura added 18 for the Lakers. Austin Reaves, who averaged 23.3 points in the regular season, was held to eight on 3-for-16 shooting.
Lakers forward LeBron James, posting up agianst Thunder guard Alex Caruso, finished with 27 points and six assists in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinal series on Tuesday night in Oklahoma City. (Kyle Phillips / Associated Press)
Lakers coach JJ Redick was succinct about what it was like for his group to face the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder during the regular season.
“We sucked against this team,” he said pregame.
The Lakers lost all four regular-season games against the Thunder by double figures, making L.A.’s 108-90 defeat to Oklahoma City in Game 1 of the second round of the playoffs just another big loss to the talented Thunder.
LeBron James led the Lakers with 27 points and six assists while Rui Hachimura had 18 points, but Austin Reaves had only eight points, shooting three for 16 from the field.
The Lakers doubled-teamed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander frequently, limiting him to 18 points and forcing him into seven turnovers.
But the Thunder just turned to Chet Holmgren, who had a double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds.
Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, driving to the basket against Lakers guard Austin Reaves, finished with 18 points on eight-of-12 shooting from the field and six assists in Game 1. (Kyle Phillips / Associated Press)
The Lakers shot only 41.7% (35 of 84) from the field and 30% (10 of 30) from three-point range while the Thunder shot 49.4% (42 of 85) from the field and 43.3% (13 of 30) from deep.
Game 2 is here Thursday night.
The Lakers didn’t help themselves at the beginning of the fourth quarter, turning the ball over on two of their first three possessions. When Marcus Smart, who finished with 12 points on four-of-15 shooting and seven assists, turned the ball over to Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso waltzed in for a layup, the Lakers went down by 15 points and had to call a timeout with 10 minutes and 41 seconds left to regroup.
The Lakers never did.
They fell into a 19-point hole in the final 12 minutes of play and never recovered.
The Lakers lost by almost 30 points per game in their four-game series against the Thunder during the regular season, and one of the games was a 43-point shellacking.
But the Lakers found their groove in the first round against the Houston Rockets and that has fueled their belief in this series against the Thunder.
“We've been able to execute, even just going back to the last three games of the regular season,” Redick said. “Again, we kind of had to reset with not a lot of time and build something a little bit new on the fly. I think our guys were able to find their way and find their way from an execution standpoint, and for the most part, did a good job of that on both ends in the Houston series.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves makes one of his three baskets on a layup against Thunder center Chet Holmgren, but Reaves finished with only eight points on three-of-16 shooting from the field in Game 1. (Kyle Phillips / Associated Press)
"This is a different team and the best team, and it's going to require more. I think every round that you advance in the playoffs, you need to elevate all of the stuff even more. …That's our attention to detail, that's our belief, that's our poise. We got to be great in all those areas.”
The Lakers talked every practice about the runs the Thunder go on and how they had to limit them.
Well, it happened at the end of the first quarter, when Oklahoma City scored the last five points of the period, and it happened at the outset of the second quarter, when the Thunder scored the first five points to open a 10-point lead.
Redick leaped off the bench to call a timeout with 10:36 left in the second to get things back in order for the Lakers.
The Lakers recovered, but they then went down 56-43 in the second quarter and had to recover again.
They did, pulling to within 61-53 at the half.
Note: Lakers reserve forward Jarred Vanderbilt injured his right finger in the second quarter and didn’t return. Vanderbilt tried to block a dunk by Holmgren, but instead hit hand on the backboard and went down in pain.
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