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Knicks done in by missed free throws to lose Game 5 to Pistons, 106-103

The Knicks lost Game 5 to the Detroit Pistons, 106-103, on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.

Here are the takeaways...

-With the chance to close out a playoff series at home for the first time since 1999, the Knicks looked a little discombobulated in the first six to seven minutes, scoring just seven points before Josh Hart's corner three with 4:57 left in the quarter got New York closer and made it 12-10 Detroit. The triple was the Knicks' only made three of the quarter as they shot 16.7 percent (1-for-6) from deep.

-Hart led all scorers after 12 minutes with nine points on 4-of-7 shooting while usual scoring suspects Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson combined for just five points in the opening quarter. Brunson went 0-for-3 from the field and had two of New York's six turnovers in the quarter. He also uncharacteristically missed two free throws, but had four assists in a low-scoring period where the Knicks shot 37.5 percent from the floor.

-The Pistons weren't much better, shooting 29.2 percent from the field. Cade Cunningham had an abysmal quarter with two points and two fouls, including an offensive foul against Hart while bringing the ball up the court with 1:33 left in the first. The foul was initiated by the cagey veteran Hart after scoring a layup and seemed to give New York the momentum to finish the quarter on a 9-2 run and go into the second quarter with a 23-22 lead.

-Mitchell Robinson had seven of his 11 rebounds in just six minutes in the first quarter, five of them on the offensive glass.

-After a few misses to start the second quarter, the offense began clicking for both sides. For the Knicks, Towns came alive and scored nine while OG Anunoby had seven in just over a minute.

-On the Pistons' side Tobias Harris became a man on a mission after getting poked in the eye early in the quarter and scored seven points on three straight makes. He cooled off after that but Ausar Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr. made up the difference with Cunningham still hardly a factor.

-Coming out of the break with a 50-49 advantage, New York quickly lost its lead as Cunningham started to come around and Detroit's role players continued to hit shots. The Knicks' deficit grew to as big as 10 points with 4:29 left in the quarter as Thompson knocked down a couple of free throws to make it 71-61.

-From that point on it was a total team effort to get back into the game as New York went on a 9-0 run to cut the Pistons' lead to one. Malik Beasley put an end to his team's scoring drought with a couple of made shots and Detroit, desperate to keep its season alive, went into the fourth quarter with a three-point lead.

-Mikal Bridges, quiet for most of the game, gave the Knicks their first lead since early in the third quarter with a three-pointer with 10:03 left in the game. 13 of Bridges' 17 points came in the fourth as he did his best to keep his team alive.

-After Robinson knotted things up at 90 with a two-pointer with 5:15 remaining and Towns tied it again with a deep three nearly two minutes later that sent the crowd at Madison Square Garden into a frenzy, the Pistons retook the lead and did not relinquish it, surviving multiple huge shots by New York down the stretch to cut the lead.

Bridges made his second three of the quarter with 25.1 seconds left to make it 103-100 and Anunoby somehow saw a contested shot from downtown go in to get the Knicks to within one with seven ticks left. But with ice in his veins, the 23-year-old Cunningham calmly hit two free throws and New York couldn't get a final shot off, losing 106-103.

-Neither Brunson nor Cunningham shot the ball well at all in this one, but they both made their money by getting to the free throw line. Cunningham, who finished with 24 points, went 11-for-12 at the stripe while Brunson had 16 points and went 7-for-10 from the line.

-As a team, the Knicks went 16-for-27 (59.3 percent) from the free-throw line which cost them the game.

Game MVP: Cade Cunningham

With just four points at halftime, Cunningham stayed with it in the second half and finished with a game-high 24 points.

Highlights

What's next

The Knicks will have another chance to close out the series at home on Thursday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

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Indiana comes from 7 down in final 40 seconds of OT to beat Bucks, win series on Haliburton bucket

NBA: Playoffs-Milwaukee Bucks at Indiana Pacers

Apr 29, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) reacts during a time out during game five of the first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Bucks were up by seven and just needed to hang on for 40 more seconds of overtime to keep their season alive and force a Game 6 back in Milwaukee.

Then came the Andrew Nembhard 33-foot 3-pointer. Then the Bucks’ Gary Trent Jr. — who was brilliant all game and scored 12 points in overtime — threw a pass right to Nembhard that he intercepted. Which set up Tyrese Haliburton getting to the rim for the and-1, and suddenly the seven-point lead was just one with 17.1 seconds left. That’s when the wheels came off the Milwaukee express. Trent Jr. was all alone and fumbled a pass from AJ Green out of bounds, which led to this game-winner from Haliburton.

Throughout the series, Milwaukee struggled to stop the Pacers from scoring, and that ultimately came back to bite them in Game 5, ending their season. Pacers center Myles Turner summed it up best.

It was such an intense game that a minor postgame scuffle broke out on the court, where players were separated, reportedly with some friction between Antetokounmpo and Haliburton’s father (Haliburton said he had told his father postgame that he was in the wrong).

Indiana won 119-118 in overtime and takes the series 4-1. The Pacers advance to take on the No. 1 seed, the Cleveland Cavaliers, in the next round.

“I’m still trying to process it. That’s one of the craziest games I've been a part of,” Myles Turner said.

Milwaukee heads into a summer where Antetokounmpo and the franchise will stand at a crossroads.

That crossroads is all about getting Antetokounmpo the help he needs to win — he was brilliant in this game as he has been all series, racking up a 30-point, 20-rebound, 13-assist triple-double.

He got help in this one. Trent Jr. hit eight triples on his way to 33 points, while Green added six more and 19 points. He got help early when Milwaukee raced out to a 13-0 lead to start the game and pushed that lead as high as 20 in the first half.

The reason for that fast start was Milwaukee turned up the defensive pressure, played with desperation, and the Pacers wilted in the face of that shooting 5-of-20 to start the game (and 1-of-8 from 3).

However, like all series, the Bucks could not sustain that defense. The Bucks' lead was six at the half, and it was tied going into the fourth.

It was a brutal series for Milwaukee. Not just this loss, but also losing Damian Lillard to a torn Achilles, which likely keeps him out of most or all of next season as well.

Which gets to the crossroads Milwaukee and Antetokounmpo faces. This team has been eliminated in the first round for three consecutive years, the last two by the Pacers, and because of a lack of draft picks (don’t control theirs until 2031) and cap space, there is no clear path to build a contender around Antetokounmpo. He has never asked for a trade, and when he has pressured the team in the past to upgrade the roster they have, including landing Lillard. Now Antetokounmpo faces the personal question of what matters most to him.

It’s going to be a wild summer in Wisconsin, either way.

Indiana isn’t thinking about the summer, it is thinking about the Cavaliers.

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C's overcoming 3-point woes is great sign for title chances

C's overcoming 3-point woes is great sign for title chances originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics often lived and died by the 3-point shot throughout the regular season. The Orlando Magic forced the reigning NBA champions to play a different style out of the gate in the playoffs, and they passed their first test with flying colors.

Boston clinched the first-round series 4-1 despite struggling against Orlando’s stingy 3-point defense. After making only nine 3s in Games 3 and 4, the C’s prevailed with a 120-89 Game 5 victory after shooting 0-for-6 from distance in the first half.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla preached throughout the series about the importance of winning on the margins: rebounding, taking care of the basketball, and defending without fouling. Those proved key to Boston’s wins and were evident in the second half of Tuesday’s blowout.

“Yeah, we didn’t turn it over in the third quarter,” Mazzulla said. “It’s that simple. Occam’s Razor.”

Occam’s Razor is a problem-solving principle that suggests the simplest explanation is usually the best. In this case, that’s true.

The Celtics actually didn’t turn the ball over at all in the entire second half after tallying nine turnovers in the first. They outrebounded the Magic 20-17 and had seven fouls to Orlando’s 10 — including star Paolo Banchero’s game-changing fifth foul — over the final 24 minutes.

Boston ended up with more made more 3s (13) than Orlando (eight) but were -14 in 3-point attempts (24 to 38). That is by far the C’s worst margin of the season, with their previous worst of -8 coming against the Brooklyn Nets on March 15.

“Orlando did a good job of trying to make us play a different style of ball, and I think we adjusted to that well,” Celtics star Jaylen Brown said. “They wanted to take away our 3-point shooting. … I think it was a great challenge for us, and I think it’s a great step for us moving forward.”

Brown capped off his solid series with 23 points (9-18 FG) and six rebounds. His co-star Jayson Tatum erupted for a game-high 35 points (10-16 FG, 4-5 3-PT) with 10 assists and eight rebounds, making NBA playoff history in the process.

The tandem will look to carry that momentum into the Eastern Conference semifinals, where they will meet either the Detroit Pistons or New York Knicks. Regardless of who they face, Mazzulla is sticking with the same keys to victory.

“The margins,” he said. “We’ve got to be able to rebound. We’ve got to be able to defend without fouling. We’ve got to take care of the basketball.”

The Celtics may not be able to get away with poor 3-point shooting against the Knicks or the top-seed Cleveland Cavaliers, both of whom ranked top five in offensive rating. Still, it’s encouraging that they won’t have to rely solely on 3s falling to have a shot at their second straight NBA title.

The Knicks have a 3-2 series lead heading into Thursday’s Game 6 in Detroit. The Celtics will rest up with the second-round series likely to start early next week.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo explains heated incident with Tyrese Haliburton's dad

Giannis Antetokounmpo explains heated incident with Tyrese Haliburton's dad originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Indiana Pacers knocked out the Milwaukee Bucks from the NBA playoffs Tuesday with a gentlemen’s sweep, and emotions ran high not long after.

Milwaukee held a 118-111 overtime lead and looked to extend the series in the first game after Damian Lillard’s Achilles tear.

But Doc Rivers’ side stunningly blew the cushion and lost 119-118, ending the Bucks’ season and potentially Giannis Antetokounmpo’s final game with the franchise that drafted him.

After the game, Antetokounmpo got into heated conversations with some Indiana players — and the father of Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton.

The two were forehead to forehead for a few seconds exchanging words before being separated.

Shortly after the clip went viral on social media, new angles emerged on Haliburton’s dad appearing to provoke Antetokounmpo before they exchanged words.

Haliburton addressed the incident involving his father in his post-game conference, saying his dad was in the wrong and that he’ll reach out to Antetokounmpo to ensure there’s no bad blood.

Antetokounmpo detailed what happened when Haliburton’s dad provoked him, but Antetokounmpo didn’t know who the fan was until later and showed respect to Haliburton.

“Losing the game. The emotions run high,” Antetokounmpo explained. “Having a fan, which at the moment I thought he was a fan, but then I realize it was Tyrese’s son, which I love Tyrese. I think he’s a great competitor. It was his dad, sorry. Coming in the floor and showing me his son, a towel with his face, this is what we do. This is what we F-ing do. This what the F we do. This… I feel like that’s very, very disrespectful.”

Antetokounmpo also mentioned being “humble in victory,” as he has won a championship in his career while the Pacers have not.

Haliburton’s father, John, later posted to social media apologizing to Giannis, the Bucks and the Pacers.

Haliburton scored the game-winning layup in the closing seconds to avoid a Game 6, with a series against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers up next.

Meanwhile for Milwaukee, the future could get dark if Antetokounmpo chooses to leave via a trade. The Bucks don’t have a competitive roster and Antetokounmpo turns 31 in December.

With Lillard’s Achilles tear and Kyle Kuzma not providing help after Khris Middleton faded away, Antetokounmpo’s best shot at winning may lie elsewhere. Milwaukee’s pool of young talent and draft picks are both stark, too.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo explains heated incident with Tyrese Haliburton's dad

Giannis Antetokounmpo explains heated incident with Tyrese Haliburton's dad originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Indiana Pacers knocked out the Milwaukee Bucks from the NBA playoffs Tuesday with a gentlemen’s sweep, and emotions ran high not long after.

Milwaukee held a 118-111 overtime lead and looked to extend the series in the first game after Damian Lillard’s Achilles tear.

But Doc Rivers’ side stunningly blew the cushion and lost 119-118, ending the Bucks’ season and potentially Giannis Antetokounmpo’s final game with the franchise that drafted him.

After the game, Antetokounmpo got into heated conversations with some Indiana players — and the father of Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton.

The two were forehead to forehead for a few seconds exchanging words before being separated.

Shortly after the clip went viral on social media, new angles emerged on Haliburton’s dad appearing to provoke Antetokounmpo before they exchanged words.

Haliburton addressed the incident involving his father in his post-game conference, saying his dad was in the wrong and that he’ll reach out to Antetokounmpo to ensure there’s no bad blood.

Antetokounmpo detailed what happened when Haliburton’s dad provoked him, but Antetokounmpo didn’t know who the fan was until later and showed respect to Haliburton.

“Losing the game. The emotions run high,” Antetokounmpo explained. “Having a fan, which at the moment I thought he was a fan, but then I realize it was Tyrese’s son, which I love Tyrese. I think he’s a great competitor. It was his dad, sorry. Coming in the floor and showing me his son, a towel with his face, this is what we do. This is what we F-ing do. This what the F we do. This… I feel like that’s very, very disrespectful.”

Antetokounmpo also mentioned being “humble in victory,” as he has won a championship in his career while the Pacers have not.

Haliburton’s father, John, later posted to social media apologizing to Giannis, the Bucks and the Pacers.

Haliburton scored the game-winning layup in the closing seconds to avoid a Game 6, with a series against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers up next.

Meanwhile for Milwaukee, the future could get dark if Antetokounmpo chooses to leave via a trade. The Bucks don’t have a competitive roster and Antetokounmpo turns 31 in December.

With Lillard’s Achilles tear and Kyle Kuzma not providing help after Khris Middleton faded away, Antetokounmpo’s best shot at winning may lie elsewhere. Milwaukee’s pool of young talent and draft picks are both stark, too.

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Tatum makes more NBA playoff history with dominant Game 5 vs. Magic

Tatum makes more NBA playoff history with dominant Game 5 vs. Magic originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

There’s consistent excellence, and then there are Jayson Tatum’s last three playoff games with the Boston Celtics.

Tatum delivered a brilliant all-around performance Tuesday night in Game 5 of Boston’s first-round playoff series with the Orlando Magic, racking up a game-high 35 points on 10 for 16 shooting (4 for 5 from 3-point range) to go along with eight rebounds and 10 assists. Tatum also went a perfect 11 for 11 from the free-throw line to help the Celtics rout the Magic 120-89 and win the series 4-1.

That effort earned Tatum a place in the record books, as he’s the first player in NBA history to make 10-plus free throws without a miss in three consecutive playoff games. Here’s a look at Tatum’s stats in his last three games:

  • Game 3: 36 points, 12 for 12 FT
  • Game 4: 37 points, 14 for 14 FT
  • Game 5: 35 points, 11 for 11 FT

That’s right: Tatum went 37 for 37 at the free throw line over a three-game span and missed just four free throws in the entire five-game series (37 for 41).

The Magic, who allowed the fewest 3-pointers per game to opponents this season, made a concerted effort to limit the Celtics’ 3-point attack. But Tatum countered by aggressively getting to the basket and drawing fouls, then making them count at the charity stripe.

“He did a great job of staying patient and going through his progressions,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said of Tatum after the game. “At the end of the day, every game is different. Every team is different. You have to be ready to answer the call. And I thought he did that.”

Tatum’s history-making wasn’t limited to his free throws, either: According to Celtics stats guru Dick Lipe, the All-Star forward is the first player ever to have at least 35 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds, four 3-pointers and a shooting line of at least 60 percent from the floor, 80 percent from 3 and 100 percent from the line in one game — regular season or playoffs.

As for Tatum’s three straight playoff games with 35-plus points? He’s only the second Celtics player to accomplish that feat, joining Hall of Famer Larry Bird (1987 Eastern Conference Finals vs. Detroit Pistons).

Tatum’s dominance in Games 3, 4 and 5 is all the more impressive considering he missed Game 2 with a right wrist injury after suffering a bone bruise in Game 1. The ailment clearly didn’t impact him the rest of the series, however, as he was the catalyst for Boston overcoming a physical Orlando team and advancing to the second round.

The Celtics await the winner of the New York Knicks-Detroit Pistons series, which the Knicks lead 3-2. Game 6 of that series is set for Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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Spurs’ Stephon Castle is runaway winner of NBA Rookie of the Year award

Stephen Castle was not the wire-to-wire winner of the NBA Rookie of the Year award, however, by the time the race neared the finish line, he had run away from the rest of his class.

Castle was the landslide winner of the NBA Rookie of the Year award, getting 92 of a possible 100 first-place votes on his way to becoming the second consecutive San Antonio player to win the award (Victor Wembanyama won a year ago).

The last team with back-to-back Rookies of the Year? The Minnesota Timberwolves in 2015 and 2016 with Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns.

No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher of Atlanta finished second, while second-round pick Jaylen Wells of Memphis finished third in the voting of a select panel of media members. The Wizards' Alex Sarr and the Grizzlies' Zach Edey rounded out the top five.

Castle was considered one of the leading candidates to win ROY from the moment San Antonio drafted him. However, he started the season as the No. 3 option (at best) in the Spurs offense, which meant he wasn’t putting up numbers. Castle averaged 5.6 points a game off the bench in October, and by December he was averaging an inefficient 10.3 points a game (with an unimpressive 46.6 true shooting percentage). What kept him playing was his defense, because from Day 1 he was asked to guard opponents’ top perimeter scorers and held his own for a rookie.

With Chris Paul as a mentor, Castle grew and evolved as the season progressed — he was named the Rising Stars MVP for All-Star Weekend and competed in the Dunk Contest. By the end of the season, when Victor Wembanyama was in street clothes, Castle had grown into the primary offensive threat in the Spurs' offense. After the All-Star break, with the ball in his hands, Castle averaged 17.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5 assists a night (in March, Castle was averaging 19.5 points a night with a 54.6 true shooting percentage, close to the league average).

Like Castle (but even more so), Zaccharie Risacher started the season slowly and came on at the end, averaging 16.3 points a game in March. Jaylen Wells had a consistent year for the Grizzlies, playing in critical games throughout the season (his teammate, Zach Edey, came in fifth in the voting and could easily have made this list).

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Giannis Antetokounmpo explains heated incident with Tyrese Haliburton's dad

Giannis Antetokounmpo explains heated incident with Tyrese Haliburton's dad originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Indiana Pacers knocked out the Milwaukee Bucks from the NBA playoffs Tuesday with a gentlemen’s sweep, and emotions ran high not long after.

Milwaukee held a 118-111 overtime lead and looked to extend the series in the first game after Damian Lillard’s Achilles tear.

But Doc Rivers’ side stunningly blew the cushion and lost 119-118, ending the Bucks’ season and potentially Giannis Antetokounmpo’s final game with the franchise that drafted him.

After the game, Antetokounmpo got into heated conversations with some Indiana players — and the father of Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton.

The two were forehead to forehead for a few seconds exchanging words before being separated.

Shortly after the clip went viral on social media, new angles emerged on Haliburton’s dad appearing to provoke Antetokounmpo before they exchanged words.

Haliburton addressed the incident involving his father in his post-game conference, saying his dad was in the wrong and that he’ll reach out to Antetokounmpo to ensure there’s no bad blood.

Antetokounmpo detailed what happened when Haliburton’s dad provoked him, but Antetokounmpo didn’t know who the fan was until later and showed respect to Haliburton.

“Losing the game. The emotions run high,” Antetokounmpo explained. “Having a fan, which at the moment I thought he was a fan, but then I realize it was Tyrese’s son, which I love Tyrese. I think he’s a great competitor. It was his dad, sorry. Coming in the floor and showing me his son, a towel with his face, this is what we do. This is what we F-ing do. This what the F we do. This… I feel like that’s very, very disrespectful.”

Antetokounmpo also mentioned being “humble in victory,” as he has won a championship in his career while the Pacers have not.

Haliburton’s father, John, later posted to social media apologizing to Giannis, the Bucks and the Pacers.

Haliburton scored the game-winning layup in the closing seconds to avoid a Game 6, with a series against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers up next.

Meanwhile for Milwaukee, the future could get dark if Antetokounmpo chooses to leave via a trade. The Bucks don’t have a competitive roster and Antetokounmpo turns 31 in December.

With Lillard’s Achilles tear and Kyle Kuzma not providing help after Khris Middleton faded away, Antetokounmpo’s best shot at winning may lie elsewhere. Milwaukee’s pool of young talent and draft picks are both stark, too.

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Why Mosley ‘absolutely loves' coaching against Mazzulla

Why Mosley ‘absolutely loves' coaching against Mazzulla originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

BOSTON — The first-round NBA playoff series between the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic has featured two entirely different coaching philosophies. Despite trailing 3-1 heading into Tuesday’s Game 5, Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley has enjoyed the “chess match” against Joe Mazzulla.

Mosley was asked before the matchup about taking on the reigning champion Celtics coach.

“I absolutely love it,” Mosley said. “Joe is an incredible coach. He does a great job of putting his guys in the right position, the right spaces after time-outs, finding different situations to put guys in that have you constantly thinking throughout the game.

“This is the part of coaching that you love, that chess match of trying to figure out what you can do without overthinking it, and putting yourself in a situation where you have to worry about not doing what you’re capable of doing because you’re chasing something that they’re doing.”

The Mazzulla-led Celtics are the best 3-point shooting team in the NBA. The Magic are the worst from beyond the arc, but no team has been better all season at defending the 3-point shot.

“It is our identity,” Mosley said, noting the importance of Orlando sticking to its game plan even on the brink of elimination.

Although it hasn’t translated to a series lead, the Magic have succeeded in limiting Boston’s 3s. The C’s made only nine 3s in their Game 4 win, nine in their Game 3 defeat, and 12 in their Game 2 victory. They averaged 17.8 3-pointers per game during the regular season.

Mosley’s defensive-minded Magic will have to keep Mazzulla’s high-powered Celtics in check from deep again in Game 5 to bring the series back to Orlando. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston.

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Spurs' Stephon Castle named NBA Rookie of the Year

Spurs' Stephon Castle named NBA Rookie of the Year originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Stephon Castle made no secret about it: He wanted to be rookie of the year.

And he got it done — by a wide margin.

The San Antonio Spurs now have back-to-back winners of the award, with Victor Wembanyama last year and Castle this season. Castle was the fifth rookie in Spurs history to score more than 1,000 points.

It was one-sided in the voting. Castle got 92 first-place votes, easily topping runner-up Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks and third-place finisher Jaylen Wells of the Memphis Grizzlies. Risacher got five first-place votes, Wells got the other three.

“Coming in with all the confidence that I had in myself as a player, that was definitely a goal of mine from Day 1,” Castle said on TNT, which broadcast the unveiling of the results. “I’m just happy I was able to execute it.”

Castle’s win marked the second time in more than a half-century that one franchise went back-to-back with the top-rookie honor. Minnesota’s Andrew Wiggins (now of Miami) and Karl-Anthony Towns (now of New York) were voted rookies of the year in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

The last instance of a team going back-to-back before that: 1973 and 1974, when Bob McAdoo and Ernie DiGregorio pulled it off for the Buffalo Braves.

“I get so excited watching him play,” said Chris Paul, Castle’s backcourt mate this season in San Antonio. “The first thing that I want to see in a teammate or anybody is how competitive they are. That’ll take you further than talent any day. And I saw immediately was that he was competitive. I was like, ‘OK, cool. This is going to be easy.’”

Castle led all rookies this season in points (1,190) and steals (74). Risacher finished strong, winning Eastern Conference rookie of the month for both February and March. Wells led all rookies in games started (74) and 3-pointers made (138, matching the total posted by Washington’s Bub Carrington).

Risacher — who hails from France, like Wembanyama — was looking to give the NBA the first instance of international players winning the award in consecutive years since Australia’s Ben Simmons and Slovenia’s Luka Doncic in 2018 and 2019. Wells was bidding to be Memphis’ first rookie of the year since Ja Morant in 2020.

The rookie of the year award was voted on by a global panel of 100 writers and broadcasters who cover the league and cast ballots shortly after the end of the regular season.

The other awards that were part of that voting process and have already had their results unveiled: Cleveland’s Evan Mobley winning defensive player of the year, New York’s Jalen Brunson winning clutch player of the year, and Boston’s Payton Pritchard winning sixth man of the year.

On Wednesday, the most improved player — Cade Cunningham of Detroit, Dyson Daniels of Atlanta, or Ivica Zubac of the Los Angeles Clippers — will be announced, also at 7 p.m. EDT on TNT.

Other awards announced by the league since the end of the regular season: Golden State’s Stephen Curry won the Twyman-Stokes teammate of the year award and Warriors teammate Draymond Green won the hustle award.

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Spurs' Stephon Castle named NBA Rookie of the Year

Spurs' Stephon Castle named NBA Rookie of the Year originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Stephon Castle made no secret about it: He wanted to be rookie of the year.

And he got it done — by a wide margin.

The San Antonio Spurs now have back-to-back winners of the award, with Victor Wembanyama last year and Castle this season. Castle was the fifth rookie in Spurs history to score more than 1,000 points.

It was one-sided in the voting. Castle got 92 first-place votes, easily topping runner-up Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks and third-place finisher Jaylen Wells of the Memphis Grizzlies. Risacher got five first-place votes, Wells got the other three.

“Coming in with all the confidence that I had in myself as a player, that was definitely a goal of mine from Day 1,” Castle said on TNT, which broadcast the unveiling of the results. “I’m just happy I was able to execute it.”

Castle’s win marked the second time in more than a half-century that one franchise went back-to-back with the top-rookie honor. Minnesota’s Andrew Wiggins (now of Miami) and Karl-Anthony Towns (now of New York) were voted rookies of the year in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

The last instance of a team going back-to-back before that: 1973 and 1974, when Bob McAdoo and Ernie DiGregorio pulled it off for the Buffalo Braves.

“I get so excited watching him play,” said Chris Paul, Castle’s backcourt mate this season in San Antonio. “The first thing that I want to see in a teammate or anybody is how competitive they are. That’ll take you further than talent any day. And I saw immediately was that he was competitive. I was like, ‘OK, cool. This is going to be easy.’”

Castle led all rookies this season in points (1,190) and steals (74). Risacher finished strong, winning Eastern Conference rookie of the month for both February and March. Wells led all rookies in games started (74) and 3-pointers made (138, matching the total posted by Washington’s Bub Carrington).

Risacher — who hails from France, like Wembanyama — was looking to give the NBA the first instance of international players winning the award in consecutive years since Australia’s Ben Simmons and Slovenia’s Luka Doncic in 2018 and 2019. Wells was bidding to be Memphis’ first rookie of the year since Ja Morant in 2020.

The rookie of the year award was voted on by a global panel of 100 writers and broadcasters who cover the league and cast ballots shortly after the end of the regular season.

The other awards that were part of that voting process and have already had their results unveiled: Cleveland’s Evan Mobley winning defensive player of the year, New York’s Jalen Brunson winning clutch player of the year, and Boston’s Payton Pritchard winning sixth man of the year.

On Wednesday, the most improved player — Cade Cunningham of Detroit, Dyson Daniels of Atlanta, or Ivica Zubac of the Los Angeles Clippers — will be announced, also at 7 p.m. EDT on TNT.

Other awards announced by the league since the end of the regular season: Golden State’s Stephen Curry won the Twyman-Stokes teammate of the year award and Warriors teammate Draymond Green won the hustle award.

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Clippers vs. Nuggets Odds, predictions, recent stats, trends and Best bets for April 29

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Denver Nuggets Preview

It’s Tuesday, April 29, and the Los Angeles Clippers (50-32) and Denver Nuggets (50-32) are all set to square off from Ball Arena in Denver.

The series is tied after Aaron Gordon's putback dunk as time expired.

The Clippers are currently 20-21 on the road with a point differential of 5, while the Nuggets have a 4-6 record in their last ten games at home.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.

Game details & how to watch Clippers vs. Nuggets live today

  • Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2025
  • Time: 10:00PM EST
  • Site: Ball Arena
  • City: Denver, CO
  • Network/Streaming: TNT

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Clippers vs. Nuggets

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Odds: Clippers (-129), Nuggets (+108)
  • Spread:  Clippers -1.5
  • Over/Under: 208 points

That gives the Clippers an implied team point total of 104.42, and the Nuggets 103.64.

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Tuesday’s Clippers vs. Nuggets game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas) is betting on Nikola Jokic over 12.5 rebounds...

Thomas: "22 rebound chances per game. He hauled in over 20 last game and 13 in the game prior. The idea that the Clippers' half-court defense is one of the best in the NBA is absolutely true. If Jokic can pull the rebound and move the ball up the court in transition, it makes life easier, hence the max effort on the glass in the last two games."

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Clippers & Nuggets game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Denver Nuggets at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 208.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Clippers vs. Nuggets on Tuesday

  • The Nuggets finished the regular season with a home record of 26-15
  • Each of the last four matchups between the Clippers and the Nuggets have stayed under the expected total
  • The Clippers have covered in four of their last five games as a road favourite

The Nuggets are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games as a home underdog

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Bet the Edge is your source for all things sports betting. Get all of Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick’s insight weekdays at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)

- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)

- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)

- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

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Adam Silver says NBA considering 'international competition' theme for 2026 NBA All-Star Game

During February's NBA All-Star weekend, much of the chatter in league circles centered on how to improve the product. Or, to put it more bluntly, how to get the players to care about the All-Star Game itself again. All this talk was going on while a large number of viewers at home were drawn to the NHL's 4 Nations Face-off, which had star players going all out on the ice — even dropping the gloves at points — to represent their nation.

Add in the fact that NBC will broadcast next year's All-Star Game and falls right in the middle of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, and well, we can all see where this is headed. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver confirmed that an international format — USA vs. the World (Ryder Cup style) — is being discussed. Here is what Silver told Joe Varden of The Athletic.

"Given the strong interest we've seen in international basketball competitions, most recently in last summer's Olympics in Paris, we're discussing concepts with the players' association that focus on NBA players representing their countries or regions instead of the more traditional formats that we've used in the past."

Speaking earlier in the day to the Associated Press sports editors, Silver said:

"It's not lost on us … we'll be in L.A., the home of the '28 Summer Olympics, and we'll be competing in the arena at Intuit, where the basketball competition will take place in the 2028 Olympics. So I think all of those factors, when they come together, it presents an enormous opportunity for us to do something with an international competition instead of the traditional All-Star formats that we've used."

When asked about this format possibility during this year's NBA All-Star weekend, international players generally seemed more enthusiastic about the idea than their American counterparts.

"I would love that. Oh, I would love that," Giannis Antetokounmpo said. "I think that would be the most interesting and most exciting format. I would love that. For sure, I'd take pride in that. I always compete, but I think that will give me a little bit more extra juice to compete, like having Shai, Jokic, Luka, Wemby, Towns, Sengun. I know those players — obviously I'm missing some guys that I cannot think from the top of my head, going against the best U.S. players. I think it would be fun. I think that would be the best format."

"I would love to. My opinion is that it's more purposeful," Victor Wembanyama said. "There's more pride in it. More stakes."

At the top end, a World team would have as much or more talent than a USA squad — the last six MVPs have been international players, and that will become seven this season, whether Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada) or Nikola Jokic (Serbia) wins it. About a quarter of NBA players are international, and there is concern that at the bottom end of the World roster (spots 10-12) international players could be selected as All-Stars over more deserving American-born players.

While the NBA league office will listen to those concerns, we can all see which way the wind is blowing.

One interesting note, it is possible the 2026 NBA All-Star Game could be an afternoon affair West Coast time, starting earlier than is traditional and becoming part of a massive day of international sports, with the Winter Olympics on the air that evening, something reported by Marc Stein.

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Sacramento Kings reportedly to remove interim tag, hire Doug Christie as head coach

Doug Christie is Kings' owner Vivek Ranadive's guy. The latest piece of evidence showing Christie's favorite child status among ownership and some team management members came on Tuesday.

The Kings are about to remove the interim tag and make Christie the head coach in Sacramento. The news of Christie's hiring is not a surprise and is a story broken by ESPN’s Shams Charania.

It's a great narrative. Christie was the popular starting point guard in Sacramento in the early 2000s who has come back "home" to be the head coach. The Kings went 27-24 after Christie took over last season, winning some close games early on that they had not under the deposed Mike Brown, but also not looking appreciably better than under their previous coach. While they advanced to the Play-In Tournament, the Kings were eliminated there for the second consecutive year.

After the All-Star break, under Christie (and with key changes to the roster after the trade deadline), the Kings went 12-15 with a bottom-10 defense in the league.

The real challenge in Sacramento falls not on Christie but on Scott Perry, who has taken over as general manager and head of basketball operations. He needs to provide clarity on the team's direction, both in the short and long term. Perry is now counting on Christie to be part of the stability for this franchise going forward.

Not long after Brown was fired (and it was handled clumsily by ownership), face-of-the-franchise De'Aaron Fox asked for a trade. As part of the deal that sent Fox to San Antonio, Sacramento brought in another scorer in Zach LaVine to pair with Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan. That becomes the first big question for the Kings: Can they win enough with that trio as their core? The Kings had a -3.5 net rating when those three were on the court together last season. Plus, Sabonis said he wants to sit down with ownership and get a sense of the club's plans and direction. Like Fox before him, Sabonis wants consistency and to see a coherent, reasonable plan to build out the roster.

Perry has work to do to find a new point guard and some defenders to add to this roster if Sacramento is going to compete for a playoff spot in next season's still deep Western Conference. He has financial flexibility and the full non-tax mid-level exception to use.

Whatever roster Perry puts together, Christie will be the coach.

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Spurs' Stephon Castle named NBA Rookie of the Year

Spurs' Stephon Castle named NBA Rookie of the Year originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Stephon Castle made no secret about it: He wanted to be rookie of the year.

And he got it done — by a wide margin.

The San Antonio Spurs now have back-to-back winners of the award, with Victor Wembanyama last year and Castle this season. Castle was the fifth rookie in Spurs history to score more than 1,000 points.

It was one-sided in the voting. Castle got 92 first-place votes, easily topping runner-up Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks and third-place finisher Jaylen Wells of the Memphis Grizzlies. Risacher got five first-place votes, Wells got the other three.

“Coming in with all the confidence that I had in myself as a player, that was definitely a goal of mine from Day 1,” Castle said on TNT, which broadcast the unveiling of the results. “I’m just happy I was able to execute it.”

Castle’s win marked the second time in more than a half-century that one franchise went back-to-back with the top-rookie honor. Minnesota’s Andrew Wiggins (now of Miami) and Karl-Anthony Towns (now of New York) were voted rookies of the year in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

The last instance of a team going back-to-back before that: 1973 and 1974, when Bob McAdoo and Ernie DiGregorio pulled it off for the Buffalo Braves.

“I get so excited watching him play,” said Chris Paul, Castle’s backcourt mate this season in San Antonio. “The first thing that I want to see in a teammate or anybody is how competitive they are. That’ll take you further than talent any day. And I saw immediately was that he was competitive. I was like, ‘OK, cool. This is going to be easy.’”

Castle led all rookies this season in points (1,190) and steals (74). Risacher finished strong, winning Eastern Conference rookie of the month for both February and March. Wells led all rookies in games started (74) and 3-pointers made (138, matching the total posted by Washington’s Bub Carrington).

Risacher — who hails from France, like Wembanyama — was looking to give the NBA the first instance of international players winning the award in consecutive years since Australia’s Ben Simmons and Slovenia’s Luka Doncic in 2018 and 2019. Wells was bidding to be Memphis’ first rookie of the year since Ja Morant in 2020.

The rookie of the year award was voted on by a global panel of 100 writers and broadcasters who cover the league and cast ballots shortly after the end of the regular season.

The other awards that were part of that voting process and have already had their results unveiled: Cleveland’s Evan Mobley winning defensive player of the year, New York’s Jalen Brunson winning clutch player of the year, and Boston’s Payton Pritchard winning sixth man of the year.

On Wednesday, the most improved player — Cade Cunningham of Detroit, Dyson Daniels of Atlanta, or Ivica Zubac of the Los Angeles Clippers — will be announced, also at 7 p.m. EDT on TNT.

Other awards announced by the league since the end of the regular season: Golden State’s Stephen Curry won the Twyman-Stokes teammate of the year award and Warriors teammate Draymond Green won the hustle award.