Category: Basketball

The NBA playoffs really bring out the competitive side in people.

In 2020, LeBron James famously led the Lakers to the NBA title in a season massively disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

While Anthony Davis was great during that run, Alex Caruso was the breakout star. His two-way ability as a glue guy was proof that those types of players can flip an entire series — just as Caruso did.

Six years later and that competitive fire still burns deep inside James and Caruso. However, instead of teaming up to win another title, they’re battling on opposite sides.

And it got heated Thursday night.

With 22.2 seconds remaining in the third quarter and the Lakers trailing 92-80, cameras overhead an NSFW argument between James and Caruso while OKC’s Ajai Mitchell was shooting free throws.

Appearing to complain about the officiating — a very hot topic during the game and whenever the Thunder play — James began barking at Caruso, who fired right back.

The entire exchange was caught on camera.

James: “Every f–king call. No AC f–k that.”

Caruso: “I don’t give a f–k about none of that s–t.”

Bron: “AC I don’t want to hear that s–t.”

LEBRON AND ALEX CARUSO GOING AT IT:

Bron: “Every f*cking call. No AC f*ck that”

Caruso: “I don’t give a f*ck about none of that sh*t”

Bron: “AC I don’t want to hear that sh*t.”
pic.twitter.com/yLf1jDT5XY

— Hater Report (@HaterReport) May 8, 2026

Despite the 125-107 loss, James was sensational. He finished with 23 points (9-of-18 shooting), six rebounds, three steals and two assists.

Meanwhile, Caruso was his typical self when he finished with five points, four rebounds and four assists — but was a +17 in 22 minutes.

While these two still share a special bond, Thursday night was proof that previous relationships go out the window in the heat of playoff competition.

With the Lakers trailing 2-0, Game 3 is Saturday night in Los Angeles at 5:30 p.m. PT.

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The Philadelphia 76ers aren’t sweating a 0-2 hole against the New York Knicks as their Round 2 series swings to Philly on Friday night.

The Sixers rallied in Round 1, and my Knicks vs. 76ers props believe they could face a very different New York roster, considering the injury report for the Knicks. 

I sort through the individual odds for Game 3, giving my best NBA picks and prop predictions for May 8, featuring V.J. Edgecombe.

Best Knicks vs 76ers props for Game 3

Player	Pick
V.J. Edgecombe	Over 13.5 points	-110
Paul George	Over 2.5 threes	-112
Jalen Brunson	Over 6.5 assists	-105

Game 3 Prop #1: V.J. Edgecombe Over 13.5 points

-110 at bet365

Philadelphia 76ers rookie V.J. Edgecombe’s usage didn’t shift too far between Game 1 and Game 2. The Sixers’ stylistic approach in the last outing, however, was more Edgecombe’s speed and he finished with 17 points.

Philadelphia played with pace and tried to avoid getting stuck in halfcourt sets against the New York Knicks. The 76ers will try to do that again in Game 3 but against a banged-up New York defense. As of this writing Josh Hart and OG Anunoby are listed as questionable. 

Hart has been Edgecombe’s primary defender in the two games with New York, but those injuries may force a shakeup in the Knicks’ rotation, pulling smaller players off the bench to guard the 6-foot-4 shooting guard.

Edgecombe’s scoring prop was at 15.5 O/U in Game 2 with Joel Embiid sidelined but with the big man trending toward playing in Game 3, his total is down to as low as 12.5 at some books. 

Projections are very positive for Edgecombe, even with Embiid in, with only one model coming up short of 14 points. His ceiling sits at 15.5 and my number is at 14.3 points in Game 3.

Game 3 Prop #2: Paul George Over 2.5 threes

-112 at bet365

Paul George has been the Sixers' most consistent score in the postseason, anchoring in his action from 3-point land.

The veteran small forward is shooting 52.5% from distance in the playoffs, including a collective 9 for 19 from deep in this series. With Embiid out in Game 2, he launched up 13 3-pointers (hitting five) after starting the first quarter on a tear from outside.

With Embiid in tonight, the Knicks defense will get compressed, creating more room on the outside for PG. With him out, George gets increased touches and more FGAs. He’s knocked down three or more triples in seven straight outings, going back to Game 3 with Boston.

Forecasts for George sit between 2.0 and 3.0 makes from downtown, with most models leaning toward three 3-pointers on Friday night.

Game 3 Prop #3: Jalen Brunson Over 6.5 assists

-105 at bet365

If you read my breakdown of Game 3, you’ll see I’m fading Jalen Brunson when it comes to his scoring prop. This bet on the Over for his assists goes hand-in-hand.

The 76ers did a great job defending Brunson in Game 2, using longer defenders like Kelly Oubre and Edgecombe to get a hand in his face. Brunson was able to get inside for easier looks and drew fouls, scoring from the free-throw line.

But with Embiid back patrolling the paint and those longer arms on the perimeter, he’s going to have to create for his teammates. What’s more, injuries to Hart and Anunoby force New York to dig into the reserves, with a lack of scoring threats off the pine. That offers Philadelphia more opportunities to double Bruson with less risk of getting burned.

Brunson’s scoring has put his playmaking on the backburn in those first two games, finishing with three and six dimes. He wrapped Round 1 with an average of 6.2 assists but did dish out seven or more helpers in four of those six games. 

Tonight’s player models point toward seven assists, with a ceiling of 7.5. My projection comes out to 7.2 dimes from Brunson on Friday.

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

Staring down the possibility of a 3-0 series deficit, the 76ers return home to South Philadelphia to host the New York Knicks for Games 3 and 4 of their second-round playoff series.

The Sixers trail the Knicks 2-0 in the series thus far after dropping the first two games at Madison Square Garden. Game 1 was an absolute blowout at the hands of New York, but Game 2 offered up a much more competitive contest. The issue for Philadelphia in the end of that one was simply being outlasted by New York’s deeper squad, with the Knicks finally pulling ahead in the final minutes of the game. By that point, no one for the Sixers could make any shot, Tyrese Maxey looked absolutely exhausted (having played almost every minute of the game) and the Knicks pounced to take full advantage, snagging the 108-102 win.

Now, things shift to Xfinity Mobile Arena for Games 3 and 4 this weekend. First up is Game 3 on Friday night.

There are some major names on the injury report as of Friday morning. For the Sixers, Joel Embiid is questionable for Game 3 with injuries to his right ankle and his hip, the same ailments that caused him to miss Game 2. As is frequently the case with him, I wouldn’t be surprised if we aren’t sure if Embiid will play until much closer to tipoff.

The Knicks have a few big question marks as well for Friday, with OG Anunoby questionable due to a right hamstring strain. Anunoby subbed out of Game 2 with 2:31 left to play after clearly struggling with the discomfort, limping significantly for moments before. ESPN’s Shams Charania confirmed the hamstring strain diagnosis on Thursday, noting that the forward is considered day-to-day. No OG would be a massive loss for the Knicks, with Anunoby playing some of his best basketball as of late. He is the second-leading scorer for New York this postseason, notching 21.4 points per game and been shooting 64% from the field against the Sixers in this series.

The other uncertainties for the Knicks are Josh Hart, questionable with a left thumb sprain picked up in the second half of Wednesday’s contest, and Mitchell Robinson, probable to return for Game 3 after missing the last game due to illness.

Regardless of whether or not Embiid plays, the Sixers are susceptible to falling to the same issues that plagued them (and ultimately made the difference) in Game 2. Especially if Embiid is out, the team relies so heavily on Tyrese Maxey to be the offensive force, to the degree that Nick Nurse doesn’t feel comfortable subbing him out for even a minute. Maxey played 46:48 of 48 possible minutes on Wednesday, and he looked (understandably) completely wiped as things drew to a close. After playing nearly every minute of the first half, he played the entirety of the second half, posting just seven points on 3-for-9 field goal, 0-for-3 long range shooting with three turnovers in those 24 minutes. He was a sloppy shell of himself by the end of that.

Again, it’s hard to really fully blame Maxey himself… who wouldn’t be completely gassed by then? This is the difference between the Sixers and some of the other teams in the playoffs: depth. Nurse clearly does not have faith in the bench to put up points or sustain any high level of play even in small stints just to get his starters some rest. It’s a fair assessment too, since the bench has been lackluster at best throughout the postseason minus a few decent individual performances here and there — but it means having a team that can be run into the ground throughout a game and simply outlasted once the fatigue sets in.

That “glut of guards” would sure come in handy right now, huh?

But I digress. The last contest showed that the Sixers absolutely have a chance to steal a win away from this Knicks squad — they damn near did it in Game 2. But to get across the finish line into the W column this series, it feels like it’s really going to take someone off the bench stepping up in a way that allows Nurse to let his starters at least catch their breath. Otherwise, even if they compete their asses off, they run the risk of having the exact same result as Wednesday: a valiant battle that completely sputters out at the end due to fatigue.

There’s no time like the present, too, if you’re Philly. Friday is an absolutely pivotal contest: a 2-1 series deficit feels a whole lot different than 3-0. One obviously hopes Embiid is good to go to give the team that boost, but it’s going to take a number of stars to align to keep this series… well, a series.

Game 3 tips off from South Philadelphia at 7 p.m. ET.

Game Details

When: Friday, May 8, 7 p.m. ET
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Watch: Prime Video
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers

My discussion with Thilo Widder from Canis Hoopus continues as the series shifts from San Antonio to Minneapolis all tied up at 1-1. Before Game 1, we discussed how the Spurs would need to be prepared for the Timberwolves’ size advantage. Then, after a last second loss in which the Spurs got little offensive help from their their stars, we discussed what needed to change to get them going again. Now, after a blowout Spurs win in Game 2, we review what the Spurs did to create such an amazing turnaround and what adjustments the Wolves must make to get themselves back on track.

Thilo Widder

Okay, maybe I shouldn’t have called the last frat “slightly braggadocious” but alas, when else am I going to be able to use that word?

That was certainly a game. Not a good one, but it was certainly one. The Wolves guards imploded under the weight of a Stephon Castle without foul trouble while Jaden McDaniels unfortunately found himself on the wrong side of Scott Foster.

The Wolves continue to be one of the least consistent teams in the league, but a 16-7 (Spurs) run was enough of a run to build a 25-point lead that just got worse and worse. That run was the least of the numerous problems Minnesota had, as their guards shot 10/36 on the game.

Ayo Dosumnu, who I highlighted as a swing player, had only a block and a steal in 10 minutes of playtime before getting injured again. Bones Hyland continues to play very badly. Anthony Edwards is still so clearly hobbled.

If that was a representation of the rest of the series, that would suck (for me as a fan at least, I’m sure you’d disagree). Fortunately for us as content creators and fans of good basketball, it probably won’t be.

On that note though, I’m curious what the biggest changes you saw and if they are sustainable. Obviously, DeAaron Fox and Victor Wembenyama played better, but that was always to be expected. What turned this from a neck and neck Game 1 to a blowout of that scale in Game 2?

J.R. Wilco

One of the reasons we watch sports is to see something that we don’t expect. And nothing fulfills that purpose less than a blowout. I had an absolute blast watching Game 1, and even though the evening ended poorly for me, I have good memories of that tightly contested game that felt like each play mattered. 

In the regular season, when the other team goes on a run, you tell yourself that there’s plenty of time in the game and your team can definitely make it back. But in a game like we saw on Monday, even a seven point lead seems daunting. Both teams dialed-in to that extent is one of the joys of being a fan. Nothing else quite touches it.

Of course, another joy of being a fan is watching your team absolutely pummel a squad that they’ve recently lost to, and so I’m not gonna lie: Wednesday night was fun too. Just a different kind of fun. Fox was slithering through the lane. Wembanyama was flying all over the court — I mean that literally and not just vertically, because I saw a still shot taken at the beginning of the play he got his rebound dunk on, and Victor isn’t even on the screen when Julian Champagnie starts his shooting motion. And the screen covered all the way to mid court! Julian and Devin Vassell pulled off one of the most rare plays in basketball, the alley-oop three-pointer. I’m still geeking out about it. 

I’m also geeking out about the chess match Johnson and Fitch are engaged in. Here are the things that I think are responsible for the way the Spurs ran the table.

They turned Edwards and Julius Randle into passers by doubling and trapping, much like OKC did in last year’s WCF. When the Wolves doubled back on all of the talk about how Wemby would have to keep blocking every shot they took, he recognized that they weren’t coming at him and stayed down so he could just challenge and rebound instead of trying to go after every attempt. That kept Minnesota’s possessions mostly one and done. Third, San Antonio committed to running at every opportunity, especially after scores. They just had so many buckets early in the shot clock and Minny looked unprepared for those quick strikes. 

Those are the things Finch needs to respond to. What do you see happening in Game 3?

Thilo

God, hard to say. The Wolves of yesteryear (or yesteryesteryear, I forget) were absolutely incapable of stopping the fast break, or any team with pace in general. I don’t doubt that this is a return to that form.

The Wolves are built first and foremost on turning defense into offense, not in the typical sense but by wearing out their opponents with their defense until Minnesota faces no pushback on the other end.

It is, by and large, a war of attrition.

However, for that to work, you cannot allow any easy points. 29 fast break points is far too much. Hell, 15 is probably too much for the “beat them with hammers” approach to work. 

I think part of that problem will fix itself with Ayo and Ant getting healthier – more bodies back typically means less opportunities on the break – but I think the solution is in committing to one of two extremes

The Wolves of the past, the ones that would bleed points in transition, were violently pursuant of offensive rebounds. Karl-Anthony Towns would crash the glass. Rudy Gobert would crash the glass. Jaden McDaniels would crash the glass. There were even possessions where Minnesota would leave Michael Conley Jr. as the only man back in pursuit of those ever alluring extra possessions.

Now, would I suggest doing that against the eight foot demigod and his trusty sidekick, possibly the fastest player in the league? No, probably not. That would be dumb and obscenely risky and I simply would not have the heart to bring that up in fear of being yelled at like an old school scout on the set of Moneyball.

But it is an option.

The other, more likely option is far less fun. Instead of going all in on extra possessions, you do the opposite. You abandon the offensive glass as much as you can. A five-on-four break is infinitely easier to defend than a two-on-one or three-on-one alternative. Rudy Gobert becomes your only offensive rebounder. Julius Randle commits to getting back after his mid-range shots.

This sucks though. And more importantly, it doesn’t fix the turnover problem. Quite simply, this is also a part of who the Wolves are. They’re not 22 per game bad, but they tend to play fast and loose with the ball far too often. 

Ultimately, I think Chris Finch will try incredibly hard to make this series be played in the half court entirely. That could mean a lot of conservative calls. Rebounding is the start of that, but I think Mike Conley probably gets more run, simply because he’s not as prone to bad choices as TJ Shannon or Bones Hyland.

To follow that up, I think Bones has lost his spot in the playoff rotation of this series. While the Thunder of last year absolutely broke Julius Randle with ball pressure and pass-forcing, the Spurs are breaking Bones by simply letting him overdribble.

That may not be a full answer, but it’s certainly a start: play slower, be more boring, keep going to the rim, and, Jaden: stop fouling.

To that point, it feels like the underspoken most important data point of this series will be who can foul out the opposing team’s perimeter stopper first. McDaniels and Castle are so hugely important in these next three to five games that it feels like losing either loses the game.

How did the Spurs play without Castle during the regular season? Is there a backup plan if he’s sitting like he was in Game 1? How do the Wolves attack him without burning through their usable possessions?

(God, Donte would be eating the Spurs drop coverage alive right now. Truly a crushing loss. Fly high, Big Ragu.)

J.R.

There was a point when one of the main fears I had about the T-wolves was how they could keep DiVincenzo from going off for an entire series. Talk about a man who can’t be left alone at the arc! I’ve been an admirer of Donte’s for a while now. All the best to him, and a quick recovery. Now to your questions. 

San Antonio was 11-3 without Castle this year, but that was the regular season and we know that the playoffs are a different animal. But one of the accidental benefits of the Spurs’ bottoming out wasn’t just the timing, it was the repetition. Trading for Fox and then lucking into the second pick last draft means that we have a three-headed guard lineup, which is an incredible crutch to lean on when any of them have to take a breather, need a night off … or happen to foul out. 

We love our Castle, no doubt, but I know a number of Spurs fans who swear that Harper will be even better than Steph. Yeah, the fact that backup plan is a rookie point guard would usually terrify me, but Harper isn’t your typical rookie, and while he’s not yet the defender that Castle is, Dylan shoots a higher percentage, is impossibly smooth around the basket, and takes better care of the ball. As much as Steph’s defense is missed when he’s not on the floor, the team plays quite well without him. 

If the rest of this series turns into a battle of defensive aces struggling against foul trouble, that’ll be a shame. We already have too much talk about the timing and the frequency of the whistles in the rest of the matchups for that mess to invade ours too. But it’s 2026 after all, what else should we expect if not some top-tier controversy? Hopefully, we’re spared that, and Friday night’s game is another competitive and enjoyable contest. 

If you have been watching the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Playoffs over the last few weeks, chances are you have seen some familiar faces sitting in the stands and courtside. On top of the countless other celebrities attending Pistons games, there have been several members of the Detroit Lions, too.

We have seen quarterback Jared Goff, running back Jahmyr Gibbs, defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, and wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams all in attendance, a trend I would expect to continue for as long as the Pistons continue their playoff run. Side note—it really is cool how the Detroit sports teams support one another, proving yet again that Detroit is an S-tier sports town.

With all of that said, seeing so many of the Lions players in posts like this one from the NBA Twitter account, it got me thinking—who is the biggest star on the Lions right now? And because the term star can be interpreted in a multitude of ways, let’s make the parameters for this discussion as who is the biggest household name? As in, who would a casual NFL fan living in a different state recognize on the Lions?

My answer: I am going with Jahmyr Gibbs. On the field, Gibbs has quickly cemented himself as one of the most dynamic offensive players in the entire league, and someone that puts fear in the hearts of defensive coaches everywhere. And off of the field he has inked deals with globally known brands such as Jordan and Sony.

What about you? Who do you think is the biggest name on the Lions? Let us know in the comments below.

There’s a Shakespearean irony unfolding in the Western Conference semifinal series between the Lakers and Thunder. 

It’s a tale of two superstars: LeBron James and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. 

Between them, they have a total of six MVPs, but the irony is that through the first two games of the series, the two best players on the floor are not the ones deciding the outcome. 

It’s everyone else. 

When James and SGA share the stage, this series tightens.

The numbers reflect that.

If both players played the entire 48 minutes, the games would be an extremely close back-and-forth heavyweight fight. But the moment either superstar heads to the bench, everything tilts.

And someone should call Harry Styles, because right now, it’s tilting in only one direction.

Let’s start with James, because at 41 years old, what he’s doing in the playoffs is downright absurd.

Every minute he’s on the court, he’s in full control. He dictates the pace, manipulates defenders, and is carrying the Lakers offense deep into the postseason without the NBA’s leading scorer in Luka Doncic. 

James has played 77% of the available minutes in this series. That’s not a typical workload for a quadragenarian.

When he’s on the floor, the Lakers are competitive. They’re always within striking distance, especially early in the games where they have led.

But within those two-to-three minute breathers he takes each quarter, that is where the series collapses like a house of cards. 

In the 22 total minutes that James has not been on the floor, the Lakers are a -18.

If not for a brief second-quarter pulse on Thursday when Austin Reaves led the Lakers on a little run, they would have lost every single stint that James has been on the bench in the series. 

“Being undermanned it’s hard. We’re trying our best with the rotations we got,” Lakers head coach J.J. Redick admitted.

The truth is that when LeBron sits, the Lakers don’t just struggle — they unravel. 

But the Thunder have the exact opposite problem. 

When SGA sits, the Thunder dominate in his absence. 

When SGA left the floor with 10:34 remaining in the third quarter of Game 2, the Lakers were up 66-61. That should have been the window the Lakers needed. With the MVP on the bench, that was the moment they could swing the game and even the series. 

Instead, it became the breaking point of the series. 

OKC ripped off a 32-14 run the rest of the quarter as SGA sat with four fouls. 

“In the non-Shai minutes in the second half we got blitzed. 32-to-14. Seven turnovers. They shot 14 free throws during that stretch,” Redick said. “We’ll look at everything and try and see how we can be better in those minutes.”

Better might not cut it because through two games, OKC is an astonishing +26 when SGA is off the floor. 

That’s right, the Thunder are absolutely thumping the Lakers when the soon-to-be back-to-back MVP is not in the game. 

Meanwhile, the Lakers are hemorrhaging points the second their star heads to the bench for a breather. 

That’s a 44-point swing in non-superstar minutes across two games the Thunder have won by 36 combined points.

You don’t need advanced analytics to understand that math. 

This series has exceeded expectations when the two stars are on the floor. But when they’re not on the floor it reveals what we’ve known all along. 

This series wasn’t about James vs. SGA. It was about infrastructure. It was about depth. It was about identity. 

And right now, OKC has all three. And the Lakers just have a 41-year-old.

There are other issues plaguing the Lakers as well.

They’re getting outshot from three. They’ve coughed up 37 total turnovers. They’re losing the second-chance points battle 38-17, which is basically like handing over extra possessions like party favors. 

Those feel more like symptoms though. The real disease is what happens when James and SGA sit. 

Through two games, the Lakers have slowed down SGA by throwing doubles, blitzes, hedges, and traps at him. But when he’s gone, they go back to man-to-man defense. The focus and aggression disappears. The communication softens. The physicality dissolves. 

“We need to up our physicality,” said Lakers’ guard Luke Kennard. “When Shai is off the floor, we really have to sit down and guard.”

Kennard and Reaves must step up offensively in the James-less minutes, as well.

In the SGA-less minutes, the Lakers need to treat the Thunder’s primary ball-handler as if that’s the reigning MVP. Throw two guys at him and force him into mistakes.

Or, go back to playing the connected, physical defense they played against the Rockets when Kevin Durant missed five games.

Because right now this series isn’t being decided by its two superstars. 

It’s being decided by everything that happens when they’re not playing. 

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The New York Knicks will attempt to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Semifinals when they travel to Philadelphia to battle the 76ers on Friday.

The Knicks used a dominating performance in Game 1 and held on in Game 2, as they attempt to get back to the East finals. But New York, like Philadelphia, has its own injury concerns heading into a crucial Game 3.

The 76ers played Game 2 without Joel Embiid, who is dealing with hip and ankle issues, and the Knicks are awaiting the status of starting forward OG Anunoby.

Anunoby was injured in Game 2 with three minutes left in the 4th quarter after grabbing at his leg during a cut to the basket. He was helped off the floor and didn't return. The team said he has a right hamstring strain and is listed as questionable for Game 3 on Friday.

Playoff James Harden was in full force Thursday night.

Harden is off to an awful start through the first two games of the Cavaliers’ Eastern Conference semifinals series against the Pistons, with his 3-of-13, four-turnover performance Thursday dooming Cleveland in its 107-97 loss that landed it in a 2-0 series hole against Detroit.

The veteran scored just 10 points Thursday and has 11 turnovers to nine field goals in the series.

Longtime ex-NBA big man Udonis Haslem called out Harden for his showing in this series.

“The Magic gave us the blueprint [the Pistons] are a one-trick pony in the half court,” Haslem said in reference to Detroit having trouble scoring. “How can you give these guys 31 points off turnovers?”

“There is five guys who have been in the NBA that have went to the playoffs 17-plus consecutive times. (John) Stockton, (arl) Malone, Jason Kidd, Tony Parker, James Harden. Why the hell are you turning the ball over so much? You have been in the playoffs and know what it’s like to be in the playoffs. Why the hell are you turning the ball over? It’s so self-inflicted wounds. One-handed passes. Things that I would take my son out the game for if I was coaching him for throwing passes like that. Why are you having these kind of passes and plays in the 2nd round of the playoffs? I don’t understand that.”

Another poor postseason performance for Harden has been the norm for him over his career and this latest clunked happened following an ugly argument between Charles Barkley and Draymond Green after Game 1.

The “Inside the NBA” crew began discussing Harden having 35 playoff games (now 36 after Game 2) in which he had more turnovers than field goals, which Barkley said “should never” happen.

Green defended Harden, saying he has the ball all the time and his team relies on him too much to facilitate offense for his team.

ESPN then revealed that Green has the most of those games in NBA playoff history, with 43 games scoring fewer field goals than turnovers committed, tied with Kendrick Perkins with the most ever.

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons also had some harsh comments for the Cavaliers.

“This Cleveland thing is going so bad that we’re now going into a scenario where LeBron [James] may need to come in here as a savior this offseason.,” Simmons said. “Detroit is making him look old. He’s lost the ball multiple times on moves he used to make in his sleep for the 16 years of his career.”

The Cavaliers traded for Harden at the NBA trade deadline in an attempt to make a Finals run, but his poor playoff performances continue to haunt him and have Cleveland on the brink of elimination.

The Golden State Warriors are nearing the end of the Stephen Curry era.

It all began when the Warriors took Curry with the seventh overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. They followed that up with Klay Thompson in 2011, Draymond Green in 2012 and then built a championship dynasty, winning four NBA titles (2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022).

Since their last ring, they've been eliminated in the second round or missed the playoffs altogether. This season, they were eliminated in the final NBA Play-In game against the Phoenix Suns, which determined the No. 8 seed, sparking questions about the future of the Warriors, head coach Steve Kerr and what's next in the Curry era.

They believe that there would have been a different outcome if they didn't battle injuries to Curry all year, or experience Jimmy Butler's season-ending ACL tear. There's no quit in this team. The Warriors brass are confident they will be back next year.

They are looking to bring in another superstar to pair with Curry. Here are some trade targets the Warriors could be looking to acquire:

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. San Antonio Spurs
Date: May 8th, 2026
Time: 8:30 PM CDT
Location: Target Center
Television Coverage: ESPN

Wolves-Spurs Game 3 Preview: Bury the Blowout, Protect the Den

The Timberwolves had a chance to put this series in a vice grip.

That’s what Game 2 could have been. Steal another one in San Antonio, fly back to Minneapolis up 2-0, and suddenly the Spurs, young, talented, terrifying, but still young, would be staring at the full weight of playoff reality. The Wolves would have gone from escaping Game 1 to talk of a gentleman’s sweep in the span of 48 hours.

Instead, Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs grabbed the script, lit it on fire, and spent the second half treating Minnesota like the Washington Generals.

Game 2 was ugly. Not “missed a few shots” ugly. Not “the other team got hot” ugly. This was 35-points-at-halftime ugly. This was “turn the TV off and go reorganize the garage” ugly. This was one of the poorest postseason performances in Timberwolves history, which is not exactly a franchise category lacking competition.

The Wolves looked nothing like the team that marched into Frost Bank Center in Game 1 and stole home court with grit, defense, and just enough offensive burst to survive. In Game 2, their offense was disjointed. The ball stuck. Easy looks turned into clanks. Layups and threes spun out. The Spurs ran, ran again, and then ran some more, turning every Minnesota miss or mistake into a track meet. The Wolves wanted another rock fight. San Antonio decided to sprint past them while they were looking for rocks.

This was a game of want-to, and the Spurs wanted it more. They were the desperate team. They played like it. Minnesota kept it within reach early, but as the lead grew, the fight slowly drained out of the Wolves. A 24-point halftime deficit ballooned into the 40s, and by the end, the only reasonable response was to take the tape, bury it somewhere in the desert, and hope nobody with a conscience ever digs it up.

But here’s the thing about the playoffs: a 40-point loss counts the same as a four-point loss.

The series is 1-1.

That’s it.

There are no style points. No standings penalty. No automatic carryover because you got embarrassed. The Wolves still did their job in San Antonio. They split the first two games. They stole home court. They put themselves in position to control the series if they can protect Target Center.

We’ve seen how little a dominant playoff victory means in the larger context of a series. The Wolves blew out Oklahoma City by 42 in last year’s Western Conference Finals and still lost that series 4-1. The 2024 Denver series had teams taking turns laying the wood to each other before everything came down to Game 7. In the playoffs, one game can lie to you. One game can make you feel invincible or doomed, and then 48 hours later the entire story changes.

So Game 2 has to go in the rearview mirror. Not ignored, not excused, but filed away properly. It was a bad night with bad energy and bad execution. If you want a silver lining, the Wolves got the Scott Foster game out of the way before he could really ruin something more consequential. Whatever helps you sleep.

Now comes Game 3.

Target Center. Series tied. Home court in Minnesota’s hands. A chance to reestablish the terms of engagement and remind the Spurs that one blowout does not make a series. This is where the Wolves need to respond like the battle-tested team they claim to be.

And with that, here are the keys to Game 3…

1. Defend the Entire Length of the Floor

Minnesota is not winning this series with offense first. Not with Anthony Edwards still compromised. Not with Donte DiVincenzo out. Not against a Spurs team that has Victor Wembanyama turning the paint into a haunted corn maze.

This has to be a defense-first series, but Game 2 showed that “defense” cannot just mean getting set in the half court and trying to grind possessions out. San Antonio punished Minnesota in transition. The Spurs ran off misses, ran off mistakes, and at times even pushed off makes before the Wolves could get organized. Once they got into open space, the Wolves were scrambling, cross-matched, and reacting instead of dictating.

That cannot happen again. The Wolves need to defend from the moment a shot goes up. Floor balance matters. Sprinting back matters. Communication matters. You cannot let a young, athletic team build confidence through easy baskets. If San Antonio is going to score, make them do it against a set defense. Make them face Rudy Gobert at the rim. Make them beat Jaden McDaniels in the half court. Make them execute.

Minnesota held the Spurs to 100 points in Game 1. That needs to be the target. One hundred or less. That is the mission. That is the path.

If the Spurs get loose in transition again, they could run away with the series.

2. Stay Out of Foul Trouble, Especially Jaden

Jaden McDaniels flirting with foul trouble is becoming one of those playoff subplots that makes every Wolves fan start stress-eating. He cannot spend long stretches on the bench. Period.

When Jaden sits, the Wolves lose one of their best perimeter defenders, one of their few players with the length to bother San Antonio’s creators, and one of their most important secondary offensive weapons. We saw it against Denver. We saw it in Games 1 and 2. When he has to play cautiously, the defense loses some teeth.

He has to be aggressive, but he also has to be smart. No cheap reaches 30 feet from the basket. No frustration fouls. No picking up silly whistles just because the game is physical and the officials are calling it tight. The same applies to Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and Rudy Gobert, who all have to deal with Wembanyama in different ways. The Wolves have three bigs, but that depth only matters if they are available.

If Minnesota fouls, make it count. Make it physical. Make it strategic.

3. Hit Shots… But Create Better Ones First

The Wolves’ offense was on life support almost immediately in Game 2. The missed threes were bad enough, but it wasn’t just the long ball. They missed bunnies. They missed layups. They missed chances that could have stabilized the game before San Antonio opened the floodgates.

Against Wembanyama, offense is already hard enough. You cannot make it harder by wasting the looks you actually earn. The Wolves need to generate cleaner possessions. That means ball movement and getting San Antonio’s defense rotating. That means using screens and seals to pull Wemby out of the play when possible. That means attacking with purpose rather than driving into traffic and hoping something good happens.

And yes, when the open threes come, they have to fall.

This is still a make-or-miss league, and Minnesota cannot survive another night where the ball refuses to cooperate. They need mid-30s from deep. They need confident shooting. They need Conley, Naz, McDaniels, Randle, Shannon, whoever gets the look, to step into shots like they belong there.

And free throws? Make them. Please. For everyone’s blood pressure.

4. Bring the Physicality Back

The Wolves made Wembanyama uncomfortable in Game 1. They did not do that nearly enough in Game 2.

Wemby is going to adjust. He is too smart, too talented, too absurdly gifted not to. He is going to find better spots. He is going to be more aggressive. So Minnesota has to make sure every touch comes with contact, every cut comes with resistance, every rebound comes with a body.

The Wolves’ trio of big men need to lay the wood to Wembanyama. The guards and wings need to crack down, box out, and help clean the glass. The Spurs cannot be allowed to pile up second-chance points, especially in a series where every possession feels like pulling teeth offensively.

And it extends beyond Wembanyama. Stephon Castle needs to feel pressure. San Antonio’s drivers need to be met with bodies. Their cutters cannot glide untouched through the lane. Their young legs need to learn that playoff basketball in Minneapolis is supposed to hurt a little.

You are not going to out-finesse the Spurs. You have to outmuscle them.

5. Find the Hero

With Ant still not fully himself, the Wolves do not have the clean, obvious answer they usually do.

That means someone has to step into the moment.

Maybe it’s Julius Randle bullying his way to 28 and controlling the game as both scorer and facilitator. Maybe it’s Jaden McDaniels turning defense into offense and rediscovering the aggressive scoring rhythm that changed the Denver series. Maybe it’s Terrence Shannon Jr. using his downhill burst to attack before San Antonio’s defense gets set. Maybe it’s Naz catching fire. Maybe it’s Mike Conley giving them another calm, veteran shooting night. Maybe Rudy dominates defensively so thoroughly that his impact becomes the story even without a big scoring line.

Somebody has to rise.

That has been the theme since Edwards got hurt. The Wolves cannot wait around for one savior. They need game-by-game heroes.

In Game 2, nobody grabbed the game.

In Game 3, someone has to.

Bite Back

The Wolves accomplished the basic mission in San Antonio. They split, stole home court, and gave themselves a path.

But Game 2 was a warning.

San Antonio is not some cute young team happy to be here. The Spurs are dangerous, fast, long, and confident. And if Minnesota gives them the opportunity, they will turn this series into something very uncomfortable very quickly.

Game 3 is where the Wolves have to reassert control. Not by talking about experience. Not by pointing to the Denver series. Not by assuming Target Center will save them. The building will be loud, sure. The crowd will be ready, but the players have to bring the force.

They need to defend. They need to run back. They need to hit shots. They need to stay out of foul trouble. They need to get physical. They need to play like the team that has been through postseason wars and knows exactly what this moment requires.

The Wolves cornered the Spurs with Game 1, and then the wounded animal bit back.

Now it is Minnesota’s turn to answer.

This is their hunt. This is their territory. This is where they either restore order or hand a young team even more belief.

The response to Game 2 belongs to the Wolves.

Now go make it count.

The Dallas Mavericks closed the 2025-2026 NBA season with a 26-56 record, good for 12^th place in the Western Conference. There was no PlayIn Tournament for Dallas. There was no Playoffs. The season simply ended with game 82 in the middle of April. Being tied for the seventh worst record in the league left much to be desired.

Despite a disappointing ending, the 2025-2026 season may yet come to be remembered as a positive turning point in franchise history. In this series, we’ll take a month-by-month look at some of the comings and goings surrounding the team.

October/November Record: 6-15

The Mavericks got off to an inauspicious start, taking a 125-92 home loss at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs on opening night. Any hopes of using a season-opening five-game homestand to get off to a hot start were quickly dashed as the Mavs dropped their first two and only managed a 2-3 record in that span. A four-game losing streak immediately followed.

Cooper Flagg’s first game

Despite a season-opening drubbing, game one featured the debut of Mavs rookie and number one draft pick Cooper Flagg. Flagg’s box score won’t blow you away, as he shot only 4-for-13 and turned the ball over three times. Still, he managed a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds and showed flashes of what he would quickly develop into as the season progressed. Early in the third quarter, Flagg hit his first field goal through contact.

The Nico Harrison era comes to an end

On the off-day between losses to the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns, then-GM Nico Harrison was relieved of his duties. The Mavericks held a 3-8 record at the time. Harrison’s seeming vendetta against Luka Doncic and obsession with Anthony Davis that resulted in a swap of the two players, ultimately proved to be a nearly unmitigated disaster. A staggering amount of backlash had Harrison on the ropes for months and the poor start to the season finally saw an end to the “Fire Nico” chants, as the fans got what they so desperately wanted. November 11, 2025 marked the end of the Harrison era in Dallas.

Dereck Lively’s seven game season

Lively played in the first three games of the season, giving the fans hope that his almost disastrous injury run of the prior season was behind him. That was not to be the case. Lively missed the next nine games, returned to play four of the following five, the last of which was his final game of the season; a win over the New Orleans Pelicans on November 21. Lively is all but officially in the danger zone of being an injury-prone big man. He sought surgery overseas to hopefully correct things once and for all.

Next time, we’ll take a look at December, one of the better months of the season for Dallas.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

The Thunder did what they do best. 

They swarmed the Lakers. They dizzied them. They slowly unraveled them with an unparalleled level of physicality. 

But the Lakers felt as though they weren’t just facing the defending champions in Game 2 of their second-round playoff series on Thursday. They felt as though they had another adversary on the court. 

The referees. 

After the Lakers’ 125-107 loss to the Thunder, frustrations spilled over. 

JJ Redick sarcastically reiterated that the Thunder are “the most disruptive team without fouling.” LeBron James gave one-sentence responses when asked about the officiating while staring straight ahead. Austin Reaves opened up about feeling “disrespected.” 

But the Lakers can’t blame the referees. 

They’re down 2-0. They’ve lost both games by 18 points. They’ve averaged 19.5 turnovers this series.

The Lakers need to look in the mirror before pointing the finger. They need to figure out a way to stop the Thunder from blowing open games. They need to protect the ball. They need to make their 3-pointers. 

The Thunder are stunningly aggressive. They’ve mastered gamesmanship.

Reigning NBA champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got the nickname “Foul Merchant” for a reason. The Lakers knew what they were getting into with this series.  

“They’re super tightknit,” Redick said. “They don’t complain to the officials and maybe they’re the beneficiaries of that, I don’t know.”

Do the Thunder get away with fouls? Absolutely. 

Are the Thunder masters at drawing fouls? Absolutely.

Is there something absurd about the fact that James has only shot five combined free throws over the last two games? Absolutely. 

Is that an excuse for the Lakers’ loss? No way. 

The Lakers lost their cool. They let their emotions take over. It took them out of the game. It was a distraction. 

The Lakers can’t do that, even if they had reason to be upset. 

With just under 5 minutes left in the first quarter, James was irate that he didn’t get a whistle after Jaylin Williams clobbered him as he went up for a layup. He fell to the ground. He grabbed at his hip.  

“LeBron has the worst whistle of any star player I’ve ever seen,” Redick said. “I mean, I’ve been with him two years now. The smaller guys, because they can be theatric, they typically draw more fouls. And the bigger players that are built like LeBron, it’s hard for them.”

As for James? He wanted to keep his money after Game 2. 

When asked if he was satisfied with the referees’ responses when he was talking to them throughout the game, he deadpanned, “No.”

As for why James doesn’t think he gets a lot of whistles? 

“I don’t know,” he said. 

Then there’s Austin Reaves, who lost his cool in the fourth quarter when he felt as though referee John Goble snapped at him when he tried to switch spots before a jump ball. 

“I was just trying to keep an advantage,” Reaves said. “And he turned around and just yelled in my face. I just thought it was disrespectful.”

Reaves started barking at Goble. He had to be held back by Luka Doncic. He directed an expletive at the referee.

But as the Lakers were focused on what they viewed as the officials’ faux pas, they let the game get away from them. 

It’s a shame because they showed a lot of toughness in Game 2.

The Lakers were surrounded by a sea of dark blue shirts and a decibel level that will probably cause future hearing damage, and they fought like hell against a deeper, younger and better team.

There were 12 lead changes and five ties. The Lakers tried to match the Thunder’s physicality. In the first half, they outshot the Thunder from beyond the 3-point line 43.8% to 25%. They held reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to 22 points. ‘

James had another strong performance, finishing with 23 points on 9-for-18 shooting, six assists and three steals. Reaves, who had just eight points in Game 1, roared back with a game-high 31 points on 10-for-16 shooting, 3-for-6 from deep in Game 2.

But ultimately, the Thunder turned a 5-point lead with 7:36 left into a route. They got under the Lakers’ skin. They frustrated them. They did what reigning champions do.

The Lakers are playing the best defense in the league. It’s suffocating. It’s overwhelming.

They need to figure out a way to generate enough offense in spite of the Thunder’s superpower. They don’t need to bemoan what the referees may have missed.

It’s not helpful.

It’s not the reason why they’re two losses away from their season ending.

“We didn’t lose because of the refs,” Redick said. “That’s never the case. You don’t lose because of refs, You lose because the other team outplays you. And Oklahoma City outplayed us.”

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The game had just ended and Austin Reaves made a straight beeline for referee John Goble.

A crowd formed around him, including his Lakers teammates, staffers and another referee, while Reaves gave Goble a piece of his mind after being “disrespected” during Los Angeles’ 125-107 Game 2 loss to the Thunder to fall in a 2-0 series hole in the Western Conference semifinals.

It made for an unusual scene since referees usually do not receive talking-downs after games and marked the second time Reaves sternly addressed Goble.

Austin Reaves spends some time after the final whistle talking to the officials.pic.twitter.com/bEkQD4skAd

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) May 8, 2026

“At the end of day, we’re grown men and I didn’t feel like he needed to yell in my face like that. I told him that, I wasn’t disrespectful,” Reaves said. “I told him if I did that to him first I would have gotten a tech, I felt like the only reason I didn’t get a tech was because he knew he was in the wrong. I felt disrespected.”

Not that long after Reaves’ postgame outburst, Lakers coach JJ Redick took it even further by calling out the stripes while stating LeBron James has the “worst whistle” of any star player.

He did clarify that he did not feel the referees cost his team the game.

“I sarcastically said the other day, they’re the most disruptive team without fouling,” Redick said. “I mean, they have a few guys that foul on every possession. All the good defenses do. … They’re hard enough to play, you’ve got to be able to just call if if they foul, and they do foul.”

Plenty of teams have made it known that they believe the referees are one-sided when it comes to Thunder games and frustrations boiled over for the Lakers on Thursday now that they’ve lost both games in these series by 18 points and stand two losses away from elimination.

Reaves said Goble particularly upset him late in the game when the guard alleged the referee “yelled in my face” while he positioned himself during a jump ball.

I want to call this the game within the game, but these teams versus this crew has been explosive for the entire game. Lakers were furious about the way that jump ball was officiated. Thunder snagged it, went down the floor and got a Cason Wallace 3 and Redick timeout. pic.twitter.com/ZJaZWbkofX

— Joel Lorenzi (@JoelXLorenzi) May 8, 2026

The Thunder gained possession and hit a 3 to take a 107-94 lead with 5:54 remaining.

“I thought it was disrespectful,” Reaves said. “The whole time that was going on over there, I don’t think he said much to them.”

The Lakers called timeout right after that score and Reaves tore into Goble, with lip readers speculating he said: “That’s some bulls–t for you to talk to me like that.”

It appeared he called the referee a crass term for a female body part after Goble turned his back to him and walked over to the scorer’s table.

Reaves later said he felt he was respectful to the referees all night and has said there’s “a million” times where he’s said “way worse stuff.”

Redick said he had no problem with his team’s emotions, while not mentioning Reaves specifically, and the series shifts to Los Angeles on Saturday with the Lakers essentially in a must-win spot.

“Our guys were so good tonight just staying together, poised,” Redick said. “The emotion is part of basketball. I think some of the reason (the Thunder are) officiated the way they are is because they don’t show emotion, and that’s a credit to them. They’ve really been taking the emotion out of the game. They’re super tight-knit. They don’t complain to the officials and maybe they’re the beneficiaries of that, I don’t know.”

Welcome to our Phoenix Suns Season in Review series, where we revisit every player who suited up during the 2025–26 campaign through the lens of expectation, reality, and what it ultimately meant.

Player Snapshot

• Position: SF/PF
• Age: 29
• 2026-27 Contract Status: $3.8 million, UFA in 2027-28
• SunsRank (Preseason): NR
• SunsRank (Postseason): 13

*SunsRank is based on Bright Side writers’ ranking.

Season in One Sentence

Highwood Highsmith was a pleasant surprise that was brought in with the big picture in mind.

By the Numbers

The Expectation

The expectations for Highsmith should not have been high, given the circumstances. He signed with the Suns after choosing between multiple playoff contenders.

Highsmith’s midseason addition was a pleasant surprise, brought on with the big picture in mind, considering he was fresh off a meniscus-tear recovery this season. He was always going to be rusty. The injury was in August during camp, so the fact that he got back on the court this year at all was a win for him mentally. Next season, we should see more growth as he starts to trust his legs again.

The goal was to get him in the system. Learn. Adapt. Progress. It was a bit of a rollercoaster with him missing an additional 12 games after he made his debut and played in 6 of 7 games to begin his Suns career.

The Reality

Highsmith only appeared in 7 regular-season games, but made the most of his time when he played. He only played 12+ minutes in four games this season, averaging 7.5 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 1.5 APG, and 1.0 SPG on 50% shooting in those four contests.

There were some serious defensive flashes from Highsmith throughout his opening Suns tenure. He also displayed (occasionally) that he can score when needed, even if that isn’t in his job description.

What It Means

Zooming out, it’s easy to see the real reason why Phoenix brought him in. He was a useful role player and difference-maker for the Miami Heat for several years. He provides the length and defensive chops that fit right in with Jordan Goodwin, Dillon Brooks, and others.

Highsmith said, “Defense wins championships. If you can guard a lot of different positions, your versatility can help a lot. You can switch a lot of different pick-and-rolls and [play] different schemes, stuff like that. I feel like that’s very valuable for any team around the league, having someone like me that can guard one through four, sometimes the five … I’m going to keep proving that I’m one of the best and most versatile defenders in the NBA, in my opinion.”

Finding a “cheap” role player who coaches can trust, especially when they are in the mold of a high-IQ, 3&D wing, is a win. Despite the limited gameplay this season, his addition was never about the immediate future.

Defining Moment

In a season where he only appeared in 7 games in limited minutes, it’s difficult to find a ton of “defining moments”, but this play and game were by far his best as a Sun.

He finished with 16 points on 4 of 5 shooting from deep in 18 minutes of action. Haywood also had 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal in the ballgame. This late-game steal right after he knocked down a big shot was the single best HH moment we had, and hopefully a precursor of what’s to come.

He did some brief cardio in a couple of small stints against the Thunder in the 1st Round of the Playoffs. He compiled 3 rebounds in 11 minutes and did not record a point on 0-2 shooting. He was mostly brought in as a “change of pace” attempt by Ott for defensive purposes.

Grade: B-

I believe he can do more than he showed us this year, because he has been a strong wing in the past. He wasn’t overly impressive or anything, but that was expected with him working back from an injury.

Get him to camp healthy, and he should be a consistent ~15-20 minutes per game impact player off the bench. He fits the identity this team is looking for. It will be especially interesting to track the likes of Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen, as one (or both) of their departures could set him up for an even more significant role. I’m here for more Rasheer Fleming, Jordan Goodwin, and Haywood Highsmith minutes next season.