Category: Basketball

Tonight, the third-seed New York Knicks host the seventh-seed Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden for Game One of the Eastern Conference semifinals. A strong Knicks start could shape the series, while the Sixers look to grab a road win in hostile territory. Our heroes enter as roughly seven-point favorites, buoyed by their superior regular-season record, home-court edge, and deeper rotation. Aside from Joel Embiid’s sore hip, both teams are at full strength. Let’s get ready to rumble!

Game’s at 8 p.m. EST on NBC and Peacock. This is your game thread. This is Liberty Ballers. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Be good ambassadors of humanity. And go Knicks!

Lakers center Deandre Ayton bounced across the court after practice Monday wearing all black, his chains swaying, his mood jovial as he approached the media to talk about his role in the Western Conference semifinals.

His spirits were high for what lies ahead for the Lakers as they prepared to face the best team in the NBA, the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

Lakers coach JJ Redick said the play of his center “changes our ceiling the most.”

Simply put, Ayton’s high-level of play will be paramount for the Lakers when they begin the best-of-seven series Tuesday night in Oklahoma City.

Read more:How the Lakers and Thunder match up entering their playoff series

"Everything has been pretty solid, just staying in my role and just doing more in my role," Ayton said. "This is the playoffs, so everybody can do more, everybody has another level. And this is the second round coming in, so I think we all deserve that little bit of increase of confidence from what we’ve done so far and the outcome from the adversity we’ve faced.

"I feel like that’s where we are right now and I think that’s what’s motivating me, as well, coming into these games. Just seeing, listening and being dialed in and seeing the results of it."

There were times Ayton was a force against the Houston Rockets in the first round. He had double figures in rebounds in four of the six games and had three double-doubles in the series. He averaged 11.8 points and his 10.8 rebounds are third-best in the postseason.

"DA's had a great season,” Redick said. “He was instrumental in us getting past Houston. I think his baseline of who he is every day for the last two, two-and-a-half months has been awesome. And I know his teammates, certainly the staff, we've all embraced him all season long. Again, he's the person that changes our ceiling the most."

Both Ayton and Marcus Smart came to the Lakers last summer, giving them a much-needed center and a defensive-minded guard. Smart said he didn’t know Ayton before they became teammates, but the two of them have bonded.

They sit next to each other in the locker room and Smart is the first to always encourage Ayton, to push him, to expect more out of him.

“Not his big brother, but I'm just somebody who he respects,” Smart said. “He sees [me] go out there and not only preaching, I'm actually doing what I'm preaching. I'm not just preaching, I'm out there with him, in the midst of it, battling with him, going through adversity with him, right? I think that drives a lot of respect for one another in that aspect, when you're going to battle with somebody. You’re struggling while they're struggling right there with you, trying to help you get through yours.”

The 7-foot Ayton will be going up against 7-1 Chet Holmgren and 7-foot Isaiah Hartenstein. Holmgren averaged 17.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in the first round and Hartenstein averaged 11.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks.

Ayton will have to hold his own against them and still be the force the Lakers have leaned on in the postseason.

Read more:'You can’t fear them': Upset-minded Lakers refuse to be intimidated by Thunder

“Playing bigger. ... Just being relentless on the glass, you know, protecting the rim as much as possible and not letting them in my paint,” Ayton said. “It's gonna be big with me protecting that paint in this series. They really generate and touch the paint. ... Them having 50-plus points in the paint, you know they're a really unstoppable team. So, I'm really just looking forward to protecting the paint as best as I can and staying on the floor as long as possible. That's about it.”

Being on the road and in a hostile environment is something that Ayton also is looking forward to. He knows the crowd in Oklahoma City is like a college atmosphere and that he and the Lakers can’t get rattled.

“Yeah, you can't hear yourself,” Ayton said. “It's definitely the ‘Thunder’ for a reason, you know? Their fans are thunderous. You know, you can hear the floor shaking, the bleachers, you can't even hear a play call. And you gotta be super dialed in.

"They're the defending champs and you know their fans have been in atmospheres and hype games and you know they’re ready for their team to do their thing. So, we just gotta come in super prepared and just dial out all the noise and just come in and play together.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The 2026 NBA playoffs quickly became a battle of attrition. The number of significant injuries that loom over the start of the league's four conference semifinals are proof enough.

It's not clear yet when NBA star Jalen Williams will return from injury after missing games in the Thunder's first-round series. Anthony Edwards, meanwhile, hopes to get back on the floor for the Timberwolves sooner rather than later following a hyperextension and bone bruise on his left knee that kept him out of Minnesota's final two games of their series against the Nuggets.

Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers has yet to play in the postseason due to a hamstring ailment. His teammate, Austin Reaves, only just came back. Same goes for the oft-injured Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers.

The injury intrigue adds to the drama with only eight teams left in pursuit of an NBA championship. Some of the league's marquee names and role players under the spotlight when the second round of the playoffs begins on Monday, May 4.

Here's one star player and one role player from each remaining team whose performance (or availability) could swing their team's fortunes during the second round of the 2026 NBA playoffs:

ORLANDO MAGIC: Who will replace coach Jamahl Mosley?

NBA playoffs 2026: Conference semifinals players to watch

USA TODAY Sports tabbed one star player and one role player from each team remaining in the 2026 NBA playoffs whose contributions could swing their respective teams' conference semifinals series.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers

• Luka Doncic: The availability and effectiveness of the Lakers' star is likely the key to them being competitive in the series. Doncic hasn't played in a game since injuring his hamstring in an April 2 game against the Thunder.
• Jalen Williams: The Thunder breezed past the Phoenix Suns in the first round despite a hamstring injury to Williams. His status for the start of this series remains uncertain.
• Marcus Smart: Assuming Austin Reaves regains his 3-point stroke, Smart's two-way presence looms large. He could be a primary defender on Shai Gilgeious-Alexander and called upon to hit 3-pointers in crunch time.
• Alex Caruso: He's a defensive weapon off the bench for the Thunder with a history of raising his level of play in the postseason. He can be deployed on Doncic or Reaves depending on the situation.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

• Anthony Edwards: When Edwards returns from the knee injury he suffered during the first round, and how limited he is upon getting back on the court, looms over the entire series.
• Victor Wembanyama: The Spurs only loss in the first round came in Game 3 when Wembanyama sat out due to concussion protocol.
• Rudy Gobert: His defense on Nikola Jokic helped spur the Timberwolves to a first-round upset of the Denver Nuggets. Now Gobert is tasked with making life more difficult on Wembanyama, his countryman from France.
• Dylan Harper: No Spurs player had a better NET rating than Harper during their first-round series against Portland.

New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers

• Joel Embiid: The version of Embiid that played the final four games of the 76ers' first-round series win over the Celtics, combined with Tyrese Maxey and Paul George, make Philadelphia a serious threat in this matchup. But will Embiid's body hold up?
• Jalen Brunson: The Knicks series against the Hawks swung in Game 5 when Brunson produced a 39-point gem, and he's two years removed from averaging 35.5 points and nine assists in a playoff series win.
• Mikal Bridges: He was mostly a non-factor in the first round, but came alive for 24 points in a Game 6 blowout over the Hawks. Bridges should factor heavily in the Knicks' strategy for slowing down Maxey.
• VJ Edgecombe: The 76ers' rookie served as a barometer for Philadelphia in the first round. He shot 50% from the field (including 45% from 3-point range) in the team's four wins. He shot 30.2% (and went 0-for-16 from 3-point range) in three losses to Boston.

Detroit Pistons vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

• Jalen Duren: The Pistons struggled to get past the Magic in the first round, in part, because Duren hardly resembled the player who blossomed into a dominating big man this season. Maybe a 15-point, 15-rebound double-double in Game 7 was a good sign because the Cavaliers won't be as forgiving as the Magic if Duren falters again.
• Donovan Mitchell: The Cavaliers needed a Game 7 to beat the Raptors because Mitchell shot 38.8% from the field and less than 28% from 3-point range over the final five games of the series. Cleveland will need his shot-making against Detroit's rugged defense.
• Daniss Jenkins: Cade Cunningham needs more help on offense than Tobias Harris for the Pistons to win this series, and Jenkins showed in Game 7 by making four of his five 3-pointers against the Magic that he could be the role player to provide it.
• Jarrett Allen: His third-quarter outburst in Game 7 pushed Cleveland past Toronto. The Pistons might not have the firepower inside to combat both Evan Mobley and an inspired Allen.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA playoffs second round players to watch for every team, series

With the first round complete, these are going to be the matchups for the second round of the playoffs.

Eastern Conference Semi- Finals

(1) Detroit vs. (4) Cleveland

• Game 1: Cleveland at Detroit | Tuesday May 5 (7 ET, Peacock/NBCSN)
• Game 2: Cleveland at Detroit | Thursday May 7 (7 ET, Prime Video)
• Game 3: Detroit at Cleveland | Saturday May 9 (3 ET, NBC/Peacock)
• Game 4: Detroit at Cleveland | Monday May 11 (8 ET, NBC/Peacock)
• Game 5: Cleveland at Detroit | Wednesday May 13*
• Game 6: Detroit at Cleveland | Friday May 15*
• Game 7: Cleveland at Detroit | Sunday May 17*

(2) New York vs. (7) Philadelphia

• Game 1: Philadelphia at New York | Monday May 4 (8 ET, NBC/Peacock)
• Game 2: Philadelphia at New York | Wednesday May 6 (7 ET, ESPN)
• Game 3: New York at Philadelphia | Friday May 8 (7 ET, Prime Video)
• Game 4: New York at Philadelphia | Sunday May 10 (3:30 ET, ABC)
• Game 5: Philadelphia at New York | Tuesday May 12*
• Game 6: New York at Philadelphia | Thursday May 14*
• Game 7: Philadelphia at New York | Sunday May 17*

Western Conference Semi-Finals

(1) Oklahoma City vs. (4) Los Angeles

• Game 1: Los Angeles at Oklahoma City | Tuesday May 5 (8:30 ET, NBC/Peacock)
• Game 2: Los Angeles at Oklahoma City | Thursday May 7 (9:30 ET, Prime Video)
• Game 3: Oklahoma City at Los Angeles | Saturday May 9 (8:30 ET, ABC)
• Game 4: Oklahoma City at Los Angeles | Monday May 11 (10:30 ET, Prime Video)
• Game 5: Los Angeles at Oklahoma City | Wednesday May 13*
• Game 6: Oklahoma City at Los Angeles | Saturday May 16*
• Game 7: Los Angeles at Oklahoma City | Monday May 18*

(2) San Antonio vs. (6) Minnesota

• Game 1: Minnesota at San Antonio | Monday May 4 (9:30 ET, Peacock/NBCSN)
• Game 2: Minnesota at San Antonio | Wednesday May 6 (9:30 ET, ESPN)
• Game 3: San Antonio at Minnesota | Friday May 8 (9:30 ET, Prime Video)
• Game 4: San Antonio at Minnesota | Sunday May 10 (7:30 ET, NBC/Peacock)
• Game 5: Minnesota at San Antonio | Tuesday May 12*
• Game 6: San Antonio at Minnesota | Friday May 15*
• Game 7: Minnesota at San Antonio | Sunday May 17*

My Predictions

Eastern Conference

Cleveland Cavaliers in 7

New York Knicks in 6

Western Conference

Los Angeles Lakers in 6

San Antonio Spurs in 7.

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If you want to discuss anything, you can do so below. I will update this thread as the semi-final round continues. Have at it in the comments below.

When I am not posting ridiculous trades on here you can find me talking about Nintendo, LGBT content, music, and the Lakers on my Twitter. You can follow Alexis on Twitter at @BeautifulShy_RS and on BlueSky at @msshyskye.bsky.social.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Adrian “Odie” Smith, whose Hall of Fame basketball career included a college national title with Kentucky, a gold medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics and a 10-year stint in the NBA, has died at age 89.

Smith died on April 28th, the University of Kentucky said in a statement. There was no word on how or where Smith died.

Smith played for the Cincinnati Royals (now the Sacramento Kings) from the 1961-62 NBA season until the 1969-70 season, when he was traded to the San Francisco (now Golden State) Warriors.

The 6-foot-1 guard, who was named MVP of the 1966 NBA All-Star game, also played one season in the ABA with the Virginia Squires, finishing his pro career as a teammate of then-rookie Julius “Dr. J” Erving.

Smith grew up in rural Graves County, Kentucky, in a farmhouse without electricity or indoor plumbing. His path to profession basketball began with him tossing a homemade ball through a peach basket nailed to a tree.

His college career began at Northeast Mississippi Junior College, where his coach persuaded a Kentucky assistant to watch him, resulting in a scholarship offer from the Wildcats.

Smith played two seasons for Kentucky, averaging 10.2 points, and was one of the “Fiddlin’ Five” who brought the Wildcats a 1958 national title.

Smith served in the U.S. Army and was selected for the U.S. men's national team for 1960 Olympic Games. A year later, he began his NBA career alongside Oscar Robertson in Cincinnati.

Smith was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010 along with the gold medal-winning 1960 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team.

Smith is survived by his son, Tyler, and his brother, Kenny.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

There’s a cadence to every postseason. Teams get eliminated, and they move into the space the Phoenix Suns currently occupy. The early exit offseason. As these teams book flights to Cancun, their players become names to ponder, evaluate, and wonder whether they are what your team is missing. It’s the natural order.

The latest name catching the attention of Suns fans? Former University of Arizona Wildcat, Aaron Gordon.

I get it. I understand the appeal. Power forward has been a problem area for a while. The roster has felt undersized, and it shows up at the rim. The Suns consistently finish near the bottom of the league in finishing around the basket as well as defending it. So when a name like Gordon is linked, people start connecting dots and picturing the fit.

The reality is pretty simple. There isn’t much Phoenix can offer the Denver Nuggets that moves the needle outside of sending out young prospects. That’s not a deal that makes sense here, and therefore, this one feels dead on arrival.

What I do find interesting, however, is the verbiage provided by Brett Siegel, which states that the Suns are a “win now” team. 

The Lakers, Suns, and Celtics are among the win-now teams expected to show interest in Aaron Gordon as realistic trade suitors, per @BrettSiegelNBA

“Teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, and Boston Celtics are among the many win-now teams Gordon would obviously fit… pic.twitter.com/GbCHQkMsqc

— NBA Base (@TheNBABase) May 3, 2026

And that’s where I push back. I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it throughout this offseason. The Phoenix Suns are not in “win now” mode. “Win now” mode is what teams like the Denver Nuggets live in. You have an MVP-level player, you have a real path to a title, and every move is about maximizing that window and competing at the top of the Western Conference.

That’s not who the Suns are right now. Good, bad, or indifferent, that’s the reality. It’s not fun to say. It’s not fun to hear. Your team is not positioned to win a championship next season.

You still have to live in reality. And once you accept that reality, you can start building a plan, both short-term and long-term. A path that puts you in a position to become one of those teams down the line. One that can actually operate in “win now” mode when the time comes.

I believe the Phoenix Suns want to run it back, hoping health swings more in their favor. Health never fully cooperates; injuries happen. Still, this team took a hit in 2025-26. Because of that, they never had enough data to truly understand who they are. We can all have our offseason conversations about what they should be and how they can operate better. That’s the fun part. I’m in that group. I don’t want to see three guard lineups. I’d bring Collin Gillespie back as a bench piece. I’d like to see Rasheer Fleming in the starting lineup, sliding Dillon Brooks to the three where he can be a defensive menace. That’s my view. Those are not moves of a team trying to “win now.”

The Suns do have desirable assets, sure. It means you’re going to hear noise from national pundits. It’s going to sound like they’re sellers, and while it would be irresponsible not to pick up the phone and hear offers, it doesn’t mean they’re actively shopping everyone.

The Suns’ priority this offseason should be continuity. Build a foundation and let it grow from a consistent place. You don’t plug in new pieces and expect chemistry to match overnight.

I’m currently watching Untold: Jail Blazers on Netflix, and one of the main takeaways from Rasheed Wallace, Damon Stoudamire, and Bonzi Wells is how fragile chemistry can be. That team was 12 minutes away from knocking off the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference Finals. That offseason, a lot of the fringe pieces got swapped out. In came Shawn Kemp, Dale Davis, and Will Perdue. The chemistry slipped, and the team finished as a 7th seed.

That doesn’t mean the Phoenix Suns ignore the fringes. They should absolutely work those margins. But it doesn’t need to be splashy or dramatic like the national conversation wants it to be. That’s the part the fan base has to accept. When names like Aaron Gordon pop up, pay attention to the teams tied to those reports. You’ll see situations where franchises are trying to sell LeBron James on coming back, or a Boston Celtics group that just got bounced in Game 7 and sits closer to a title than Phoenix does right now. Both of those are “win now” teams as they are entering eras in which the window might be closing or is still wide open. That simply isn’t where Phoenix is right now.

Progression for Phoenix next season is clear. They need to win more games, climb the standings, and perhaps get a round, maybe two, in the postseason. That’s a win. That sets up a different conversation a year from now. Right now, this isn’t a team operating in “win now” mode. They’re building culture, leaning into continuity, and doing it in a responsible way.

This is the part of the cycle where patience feels like inaction, even when it’s the smarter play. Phoenix doesn’t need to chase noise to prove intent, it needs to define itself with clarity and consistency. Let the roster breathe, let roles settle, and let progression happen on its own timeline. If that foundation takes hold, the window everyone wants to force open now will come into focus soon enough, and it’ll actually mean something when it does.

Observations after Sixers start Round 2 of playoffs with 39-point loss to Knicks originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

NEW YORK — The Sixers thudded back to earth Monday night at Madison Square Garden.

Two days after celebrating a historic Game 7 victory over the Celtics, the Sixers opened their second-round playoff series against the Knicks by suffering a 137-98 loss. 

Jalen Brunson starred in New York’s Game 1 win, posting 35 points on 12-for-18 shooting in 31 minutes.

The Sixers’ top scorer was Paul George with 17 points. 

Joel Embiid had 14 points on 3-for-11 shooting. Tyrese Maxey scored 13 points and went 3 for 9 from the field. 

Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET. Here are observations on the Sixers’ Game 1 loss:

Not how the Sixers drew it up against Brunson 

Mikal Bridges scored the first points of the series with a fast-break slam. VJ Edgecombe replied with a sweet baseline jumper and also nailed a corner three-pointer in the early going. 

Edgecombe had done strong work defending Brunson during the regular-season series and unsurprisingly began the night on the Knicks’ star guard. The Sixers’ other defenders on Brunson included Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes. 

Brunson started out in a serious zone against whoever he saw in front of him, finding shots with subtle fakes and hesitations. He poured in 14 of the Knicks’ first 21 points on 6-for-7 shooting. Edgecombe picked up his third foul at the 4:26 mark of the second quarter when he tripped up Brunson as the two chased after a loose ball. 

The Sixers will need to keep throwing different defenders and coverages at Brunson throughout the series in an effort to be unpredictable and disrupt his rhythm. They’ll also have to be better with the fundamentals of on-ball defense and try to make everything less comfortable for Brunson, from stepping into pull-up jumpers to wriggling free in the mid-range. 

Short rotation doesn‘t work this time for Sixers

Embiid started 0 for 3 from the floor, although he did draw Karl-Anthony Towns’ second foul with 6:55 left in the first quarter. Mitchell Robinson entered.

The Sixers began intentionally fouling Robinson with a little under three minutes in the first quarter, aiming to exploit a widely known weakness. Robinson made a mere 40.8 percent of his free throws this year.

Back on Dec. 19, the Sixers also hacked Robinson and he had his best foul shooting game of the season, going 7 for 8. He did not replicate that Monday, starting 0 for 4. New York subbed Robinson out and briefly replaced him with Ariel Hukporti so the Sixers couldn’t keep hacking. 

Despite the issue with Robinson’s free throws, the Knicks’ bench clearly outplayed the Sixers’ in the first half. Part of that was simply because Sixers head coach Nick Nurse maintained a short rotation. Grimes served as the Sixers’ sixth man. Andre Drummond and Justin Edwards totaled eight first-half minutes.

The Sixers’ lack of rest was surely relevant in Game 1. They had a single day off following a very taxing series against the Celtics. At some point, it appears Nurse will have to expand his rotation a bit, buy slightly more rest for his stars, and see if the Sixers’ bench players can provide an impactful performance or two. 

The Knicks also rely heavily on their star power, but they played 11 men Monday before garbage time and kept growing their lead in the second quarter. Towns canned a three over Drummond early in the second to put New York up 49-37. The Knicks’ advantage ballooned to 23 points when Brunson sunk a second-chance three on the final play of the first half. 

“They’re deep, they’re big, they’re pretty physical as well,” Grimes said of the Knicks before the Sixers’ Monday morning shootaround. “They’ve got a lot of guys who can shoot the three. … They’ve got a lot of guys who can do a lot of different things to put pressure on us at the defensive end. We’ve got to be ready to take their punches and just take care of business.”

Another nightmare Game 1

Maxey didn’t make a field goal until he converted a driving layup with 6:58 to go in the second quarter.

Bridges guarded him well and the Knicks mixed up their pick-and-roll coverages effectively. Maxey committed an uncharacteristic turnover when the Sixers ran a double drag action and he threw a high-risk pass toward the paint that Josh Hart intercepted. 

Almost nothing unfolded as the Sixers would have hoped on either side of the ball. George did stay scorching from three-point range, going 4 for 6 after shooting 55 percent beyond the arc in the Celtics series. 

Just like in their Game 1 and Game 4 defeats to the Celtics, the Sixers had no chance in the fourth quarter and garbage time was abundant. Nurse called timeout with 5:19 left in the third following a Bridges three that gave the Knicks a 95-65 lead.

Though the Sixers were full of self-belief after their comeback against the Celtics, it’s worth remembering that the Knicks also entered Round 2 on a three-game winning streak and eliminated the Hawks with a 51-point Game 6 victory on the road.

Monday’s result doesn’t mean the Sixers are destined to get crushed in this series. They still have dangerous stars and showed in Round 1 that they can defy conventional wisdom.

The Knicks are unequivocally another difficult opponent, however, and now the Sixers must play from behind again. 

The Minnesota Timberwolves face the San Antonio Spurs in the first game of their Western Conference semifinals series. The Timberwolves beat the Denver Nuggets 4-2 in the first round while the Spurs beat the Portland Trail Blazers 4-1. Minnesota star guard Anthony Edwards, who missed the last two games of the first round with a knee injury, could return in the opener.

How to watch Minnesota Timberwolves vs. San Antonio Spurs

• Date: Monday, May 4

• Time: 9:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. PT

• Where: Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, Texas

• TV Channels: Peacock

• Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Odds

• Spread: San Antonio Spurs -13.5

• Moneyline: San Antonio Spurs -641 (83.0%) / Minnesota Timberwolves +464 (17.0%)

• Over/Under: 217.5

The Philadelphia 76ers meet the New York Knicks in the opening game of their Eastern Conference semifinals series. The Sixers eliminated the Boston Celtics in seven games in the first round. The Knicks beat the Atlanta Hawks 4-2. The Knicks are favored at 7.5 points with an over/under of 212.5.

How to watch Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks

• Date: Monday, May 4

• Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT

• Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

• TV Channels: NBC, Peacock

• Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Odds

• Spread: New York Knicks -7.5

• Moneyline: New York Knicks -294 (71.4%) / Philadelphia 76ers +235 (28.6%)

• Over/Under: 212.5

NEW YORK (AP) — The “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast won a Pulitzer Prize in audio reporting on Monday for its deep dive into the finances of the Los Angeles Clippers and star Kawhi Leonard, capping a remarkable rise for the influential show.

Torre's show — which has three episodes each week — has reported on several major stories since its debut in 2023. Topics include Jeffrey Epstein and his ties to Harvard, Madison Square Garden’s use of facial recognition software at games and team collusion in the NFL.

“We are honored to have been named the winner of the 2026 Pulitzer Prize in Audio Reporting!” the podcast’s official X account posted.

Last September, a report by Torre alleged that the Clippers violated NBA salary cap rules involving a $28 million endorsement contract between Leonard and the now-bankrupt California-based sustainability services company called Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC. The report led to an ongoing NBA investigation.

The Pulitzer judges called the project a “pioneering and entertaining form of live podcast journalism.”

Leonard has denied any wrongdoing, saying he didn’t receive all of the money he was owed from the company.

The Clippers have strongly denied that any rules were broken and said they welcomed the league’s investigation, which is being run by an outside firm.

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer made a $50 million investment in Aspiration, and the company and the team announced a $300 million partnership in September 2021. That was about a month after Leonard signed a four-year, $176 million extension with the Clippers.

The team ended its relationship with Aspiration after two years, saying the contract was in default. Aspiration’s co-founder, Joseph Sanberg, agreed to plead guilty in August after facing federal charges of wire fraud. Prosecutors said he defrauded investors and lenders out of $248 million, adding that “Aspiration’s financial statements were inaccurate and reflected much higher revenue than the company in fact received.”

Torre's podcast is produced by Meadowlark Media and licensed by The Athletic, which is owned by The New York Times Company. The 40-year-old Torre also has worked for Sports Illustrated and ESPN.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

The team that’s won Game 1 has won every series that the Donovan Mitchell-led Cleveland Cavaliers teams have played. How much stock you put into that is up to you. What we can say is that Game 1 against the Detroit Pistons is important.

Neither the Cavs nor the Pistons have had much time to prepare for the second round. Both teams went seven games in a series that many thought would be over far before it was. As a result, both have just one day to transition from the highs of winning a Game 7 to the onset of a new series.

The lack of preparation usually means that the team, or more specifically the team with the star players, that executes better will come away with the win on Tuesday.

For what it’s worth, the Cavs and Pistons split their four regular-season contests this year.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30) at Detroit Pistons (60-22)

Where: Little Caesars Arena – Detroit, MI

When: Tue., May 5 at 7 PM

TV: Peacock, NBC Sports Network

Point spread: Pistons -3.5

Cavs injury report: None

Pistons injury report: Kevin Huerter – QUESTIONABLE (abductor strain)

Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Pistons expected starting lineup: Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Previous matchup: The Cavs defeated the Pistons 113-109 in March thanks to a big game from Jaylon Tyson

Here’s a look at both teams’ regular-season impact stats via Cleaning the Glass.

	Offensive Rating	Defensive Rating	Net Rating
Cavs	118.9 (8th)	115 (15th)	+3.9 (9th)
Raptors	118.3 (10th)	109.5 (2nd)	+8.8 (3rd)

Happy Monday everyone. The second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs begin tonight.

The New York Knicks play the Philadelphia 76ers followed by the Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs. Sorry for the blunder folks! All games on Peacock or NBC (WRC-TV).

DETROIT (AP) — Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff has agreed to a contract extension on the heels of Detroit's first-round playoff series victory over the Orlando Magic.

Details regarding the value and length of the extension were not released by the Pistons when they announced the deal on Monday.

The Pistons have gone 104-60 in regular-season games under Bickerstaff and made two playoff appearances since he took over for Monty Williams at the start of the 2024-25 season.

Detroit lost in the first round a year ago. This season, the Pistons had the best record in the Eastern Conference at 60-22 and on Sunday defeated Orlando 116-94 to close out a playoff series victory for the first time since 2008.

In the fall of 2024, Bickerstaff took over a Pistons franchise that had posted the NBA's worst record in each of the previous two seasons, including a 14-68 record in 2023-24.

Before Bickerstaff arrived, Detroit finished with the worst record in the NBA in consecutive seasons.

Detroit opens a second-round playoff series at home on Tuesday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers — a team Bickerstaff coached from the end of the 2019-2020 season through the 2023-24 campaign.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba