Category: Basketball

It was one of the biggest questions ahead of the series. 

Who on the Knicks would get the responsibility of guarding the explosive and dynamic Tyrese Maxey? 

Josh Hart spent the end of the first round guarding the Hawks’ most dangerous guard, CJ McCollum. OG Anunoby often guards the opponent’s best scorer, regardless of their position. But Maxey’s quickness isn’t a great fit for Hart or Anunoby. 

So Mikal Bridges, back as the Knicks point-of-attack defender, got the assignment. When he came out of the game, it was Miles McBride who matched up with Maxey. 

And they both aced the test. 

“That was huge,” Josh Hart said after practice Tuesday. “Both of those guys obviously are blessed enough athletically to be able to keep up with them, use their physicality, use their length to their advantage. Maxey obviously is an offense unto himself, being able to break out in transition. He’s tough to guard off those handoffs and ball screens so they did an amazing job on him and just have to continue it.” 

Maxey finished with just 13 points on rough 3-for-9 shooting from the field while missing all three 3-pointers he took. None of those three field goals came against Bridges or McBride. He committed four turnovers. 

It was his lowest point total since Jan. 26. In the first round against the Celtics, he averaged 26.9 points on 46.4 percent shooting from the field and 41.8 percent shooting from 3-point range. 

“I feel like the whole team was just locked in, honestly,” McBride said Tuesday. “Mikal started off on him really well and then I came in, but there were times where other guys were matched up with him, and all of our antennas are up just guarding him as a team.” 

It was clear the Knicks placed an emphasis on slowing down Maxey, often having a second defender ready to help Bridges or McBride. They were physical with him — particularly when the 76ers tried to get him going in the pick-and-roll. The only concern was that he was able to get to the free-throw line more than the Knicks would have wanted — he took seven free throws, making all of them. 

His usage was also a bit perplexing — there were long stretches where he was not assertive. He didn’t make a field goal until midway through the second quarter. His nine shots were by far the fewest he took so far in the postseason — and fewest in any game since Feb. 3. 

The Knicks expect that to change. 

“We know Maxey is going to be more aggressive,” coach Mike Brown said Tuesday. “So we have to be more alert than we were in our last game.” 

They also acknowledge they perhaps benefited from a bit of luck. 

“He missed some shots, too,” Brown said. “We know his aggression is gonna be at a higher level in Game 2. Like we told all our guys, it’s five guys guarding the basketball, but at the point of attack, we have to be pretty good. The biggest thing with guarding Maxey at the point of attack is, he just moves so well and he can score at all three levels. His quickness, his athleticism for his size is second to none, because he’s able to score from all three levels. So you have to give a multiple effort on every single possession because when he gives it up, you can best bet that he’s gonna get it back at some point on that possession, if not right away.” 

The 76ers will certainly have countermoves they try in Game 2 to get Maxey going. Because if he’s as poor as he was in Game 1, they have little chance. 

But in Bridges and McBride, the Knicks might have the answers.

Not everyone was over the moon that Victor Wembanyama broke the NBA playoff record for most blocks in a game during Game 1 of the conference semifinals between the San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves, Monday, May 4.

The 2026 Defensive Player of the Year finished with 12 blocks on the night, passing the previous mark by two. He also was one swat shy of Dwight Howard’s record for blocks in one half of a playoff game in what ended up being a triple-double performance with 11 points and 15 rebounds.

A day after the remarkable outing in San Antonio, members of the Timberwolves decried Wembanyama’s final stats after even they they earned a 104-102 road win. After coaches and players looked at the game tape, they came to the conclusion that several of Wembanyama’s blocks were not actually blocks, but uncalled goaltending.

“Obviously, he had a historic night, but when we looked at ‘em, at least four of ‘em were goaltending, maybe even a fifth,” Minnesota head coach Chris Finch told reporters Tuesday, May 5. “To me, it’s a little alarming that none of ‘em were called.”

The discrepancy was startling. 

So much so that, just looking at the box score, it’s hard to believe it existed along with the final score. 

The Knicks took half the number of free throws as the 76ers — 17 to Philadelphia’s 34 — during their 137-98 Game 1 rout Monday night at Madison Square Garden.

Joel Embiid scored eight of his 14 points from the free-throw line. Tyrese Maxey scored seven of his 13 points from the line. 

It went under the radar given the margin of victory. But Knicks coach Mike Brown knows it would behoove the Knicks to not let it continue. 

“Maxey and Embiid are really, really good at drawing fouls,” Brown said after practice Tuesday. “Maxey’s speed, he’s gonna drive and he’s gonna attack the chest. I thought our guys did on some of the calls, but most of them, you can’t lead with your hands, you gotta lead with your chest and hope that the referee sees that at times we’re not initiating the contact. But we can’t put ourselves in the position to put the whistle in the referees’ hands. Make them call a no call. So we gotta do better leading with our chest and showing our hands. 

“And then with Embiid, he’s really crafty. Shot fake, shot fake and he can still shoot it, whether it’s from 2 or 3. So we have to be disciplined, we have to stay down and figure out how to be a second jumper while having contests from behind and stuff like that. But we can’t send those two guys to the free-throw line, and the rest of their team, 34 times and expect to get a win, especially if we only go 17.” 

Brown began his news conference Tuesday by sending his wishes to 76ers coach Nick Nurse. 

Nurse’s brother, Ian, died unexpectedly April 29, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. 

“I heard about his brother, Ian, and I’d like to pass my condolences along to Nick Nurse and his family, his brother’s family and all their friends,” Brown said. “Life is precious. You don’t wish that upon anybody. So I’d like to pass along my condolences to him and his family while they’re going through these times.” 

Miles McBride believes that, given the 76ers’ lack of depth, the Knicks’ physicality can have a cumulative effect over the course of the series. 

“It can definitely play a part if you’re being realistic,” McBride said Tuesday. “If you have more guys running them, being physical can definitely play a big factor.”

Knicks owner James Dolan was having some fun during a Sphere Entertainment earnings call Tuesday when he cracked a joke that alluded to a star of another team.

According to The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov, Dolan made the joke when he was asked about the SG&A costs — the costs related to running the business day to day that exclude direct production expenses — during the call.

“Boy, I’m really tempted to crack a joke here,” Dolan said. “So I guess I will. So SG&A is a great basketball player. And when we get to the Finals, I’m sure we’re going to beat them.”

The Knicks and Garden boss was alluding to the nickname for Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is commonly referred to as SGA for short.

And SGA has become a bit of an antagonist for the Knicks during a recent meeting when the Thunder visited Manhattan and defeated the Knicks 103-100 on March 4.

Head coach Mike Brown earned a technical foul during the game after he complained to the referees about a missed foul on Gilgeous-Alexander that would have been his third of the game late in the first quarter.

Afterward, Brown used his postgame news conference to call out the way Gilgeous-Alexander plays.

“SGA, he’s a tough cover, and he does a great job of convincing the referees — probably better than anybody in the league — that he’s getting hit,” Brown said.

The Knicks are currently in the middle of a second-round playoff series with the 76ers, whom they defeated handily Monday night, 137-98 in Game 1.

Dolan may have been joking on the earnings call, but the Knicks could end up facing SGA and the Thunder if Oklahoma City reaches the NBA Finals.

The Knicks will have to knock out the Sixers and the winner of the Detroit Pistons-Cleveland Cavaliers series, and Oklahoma City has to defeat the Lakers in a best-of-seven series and then dispatch the winner of the Minnesota Timberwolves-San Antonio Spurs series for it to happen.

New Yorkers are planning to storm Philadelphia for this weekend’s NBA playoff games between the Knicks and 76ers — despite the City of Brotherly Love’s efforts to try to block an orange-and-blue takeover.

Xfinity Mobile Arena is limiting direct sales to buyers with addresses in the Philadelphia metro area, while Sixers fans are promising not to resell their tickets to the Knicks faithful, but some New Yorkers say they’re heading south to Philly anyway.

An X fandom account, @BigKnickEnergy_, announced a $75 roundtrip bus fare from Madison Square Garden to Xfinity when the NBA’s Eastern Conference Semifinals series switches from the Big Apple to Philadelphia on Friday and Sunday.

The en masse migration the will depart Friday at 4:00 p.m. from MSG and return at 10:30 p.m.

On Sunday, departure is at 12:30 p.m. at MSG and return at 7:00 p.m.

The Knicks are up in the series 1-0 after a Monday 137-98 dismantling of the rival Sixers at home. Game 2 at MSG is scheduled for Wednesday.

New Yorkers said the city of Rocky should pull a Rambo the policy because they’re only hurting themselves.

“The (Philadelphia) businesses downtown definitely want the New York fans coming,” Morristown resident Morristown resident Keith Gehm, 54 told The Post. “If you’re selling [cheese]steaks, you want the New York fans spending their money.

“But it’s a second city,” he added. “They’re just too fragile!”!’” 

Some fans remain optimistic the self-buyout scheme would ultimately fail.

Anile Melwani, a fan who attends both the New York and Florida games told the Post, “People will find a way to go.”

“Everyone who has a friend or family in Philly, they’re still gonna show up,” he continued, adding that despite the “unfair” treatment of Knicks fans, “there’s still gonna be a lot of New York fans.”

“You know how resilient New Yorkers are.”

Once again, rumor time has struck the Valley, as online discussion has continued to escalate. With teams continuing to get eliminated from the first round, new shakeups are being hypothesized every single hour over on Twitter. That leaves us today with our latest discussion that has hit the Suns’ world, as fans have clung to a new name that may be hitting the market.

Even with the Trail Blazers exceeding expectations, similarly to Phoenix, and beating them in the Play-In tournament, some shakeup seems likely for this Northwest franchise. With the emergence of Scoot Henderson in the first round of the playoffs and Damian Lillard gearing up to return, the question of Jrue Holiday remaining in Portland continues to grow.

The guard was traded there just last year from the Boston Celtics, who were looking to shed salary to drop below the second apron. I wonder if that sounds familiar, Suns fans? Anyways, the guard this offseason could also see another change of scenery, from the recent reporting of Jake Fischer.

For a team in Phoenix with already a surplus of guards, you would think this means they turn away from this, but with his complementary fit alongside Booker, the question is: should they? That is why today we are back with another breakdown of how this could be done for the Suns and whether they should consider it.

How could it get done?

Looking at Jrue Holiday’s contract is pretty taxing. The veteran guard is owed $72 million over the next two seasons with a player option in his final year. With making just under $35 million this year, the only two ways it could realistically get done. You either trade Jalen Green in a one-for-one trade or the combination of Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen.

Which would make the most sense?

As we noted above, the Blazers’ main motivation for moving Holiday off was to give their guard room more freedom, so taking Green back makes zero sense on their end. Unless it was a three-team deal (which, if you want to get creative, let me know down below), it’s virtually impossible.

This leaves us with the package of O’Neale and Allen, who would bring some quality depth and three-point shooting to a team that could benefit from it. Portland was 28th for three-point range last season, hitting 34.3%. And they were dead last in the NBA in bench three-point shooting, where they were 32.0%. Adding O’Neale and Allen would help in this area.

Even if this makes sense for the Blazers and Holiday is a good stylistic fit for the Suns, there are concerns.

Why does it not get done?

For multiple reasons, this package doesn’t get it across the finish line. Mainly on the Suns’ end, as they now take on Holiday, and they face the surplus guard problem. With Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin wanting to resign, this forces them into a Jalen Green trade.

One that the league now knows they are forced to make: with low-ball offers from other GM’s, potentially leaving Phoenix with holes in other areas if they do not accept those deals. Not only that, but you add the age and injury history of Holiday in recent years, and that becomes an issue. With him being 36 going into next year, that does not push forward the youth movement the Suns want to embrace either.

Unfortunately, there is something in the water in Phoenix, as everyone who has come here via trade has suffered an injury. Even if they are completely healthy in their previous endeavors, they always run into some issues here. The guard, who is also going to be in his 18th year, would be a great fit both on the court and playstyle-wise, but has too many concerns with his large dollar amount.

With the league only getting younger and deeper, Holiday would not solve one of those issues for this team and leave an even bigger hole in another spot. Even if his ability to be a perfect locker room fit and culture guy would be a nice addition, it is not worth the cost for the Suns. I do see the benefit of him being the point guard, and of him embracing the team’s defensive hard work and hustle as well. He would definitely make things easier on Booker, but at what cost?

Especially in their position, Holiday is an addition to put you over the top for a championship, as he did for the Bucks and Celtics. The Suns are just not in that spot right now, which is why, even if he is one of my favorite fits alongside Booker, I say it is a no-go.

If Holiday proves he is still a solid player once he is off that contract, I would absolutely LOVE to have him as a secondary guard on a cheaper deal, but the price is not worth the risk in this instance.

Let me know your thoughts down below. Would you entertain a trade for Jrue Holiday for this Suns team?

The Cleveland Cavaliers will look for a strong start in their second-round series against the Detroit Pistons.

Share your thoughts as the game unfolds. If you aren’t a member of the community, sign up so you can talk to your fellow Cavalier fans and make your voice heard!

Go Cavs!

OKLAHOMA CITY — In the modern NBA, spectators put star players’ legacies on the line during the playoffs with every dribble they take.

And within a playoff series, there’s a natural comparison between star players. 

The Lakers-Thunder second-round matchup features two of the biggest names in the league despite Luka Doncic (left hamstring strain) still being sidelined entering Tuesday’s Game 1 at Paycom Center. 

On the Lakers’ side, you have LeBron James, the 41-year-old, four-time league MVP who continues to redefine what the latter stages of a player’s NBA career can look like.

And on the Thunder’s side, you have the reigning and likely-to-be-two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who led the defending NBA champions to a league-best 64-win regular season.

With Doncic sidelined, series like Lakers-Thunder could be saddled with the “passing of the torch” narrative.
But that isn’t the case at all: Gilgeous-Alexander firmly has “the torch” in a way James hasn’t in a while. 

Gilgeous-Alexander claimed “the torch” when he led the Thunder to a franchise-best 68-win season in 2024-25 before receiving his first league MVP. 

He became the 11th player in league history and, ironically, the first since James, to win the regular season and Finals MVP in the same season (which James did in back-to-back-years in 2012-13). 

With respect to Nikola Jokic, Gilgeous-Alexander is the best player in the league, with the opportunity to make even more history this postseason.

In an era defined by parity, Gilgeous-Alexander is looking to lead the Thunder past the Lakers and back to the Western Conference finals, which could make them the first defending champions to qualify for that round since the 2018-19 Warriors. 

And if Gilgeous-Alexander leads the Thunder to becoming the first team since the 2018 Warriors to win back-to-back titles while winning regular season and Finals MVP again? He’d join James (2012-13) and Michael Jordan (1991-92) as the only players in league history to do so (it’s important to note that the Finals MVP was created in 1969, which was the final season of Bill Russell’s career). 

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

He could join James, Jordan, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only players to win Finals MVP in back-to-back seasons.

What’s at stake for Gilgeous-Alexander is far greater than what’s at stake for James: Gilgeous-Alexander, who turns 28 in July, is in the midst of his prime. He could be putting together one of the greatest stretches by a player in consecutive seasons in league history. There should be a lot more chapters to write about his story. 

On the other hand, James’ legacy is solidified. 

Four NBA titles, and four Finals MVPs. Four regular-season MVPs. A league-record 22-time All-Star and 21-time All-NBA honoree. The league’s record holder for most points and minutes played.

But in a career that’s unprecedented, James can accomplish something that’s even rarer for a star: Snatch “the torch” back during the latter stage of his career, even for a moment, by outplaying the league’s best player in a playoff series victory.

Usually when the window for a star to be the leading man on a title-contending team closes, it remains shut. James wasn’t the best player during the regular season, with Doncic and Reaves leading the way. 

But he was during the first-round series against the Rockets with Doncic sidelined and Reaves out for four of the six games. And he still will be for the start of the series against the Thunder.

The closest comparison to what James can do is what Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did in 1985, when he became the oldest player in league history to win Finals MVP (38). The Lakers beat the defending champion Celtics, who were led by the then back-to-back MVP Larry Bird. 

The stakes were obviously much higher because it was a Finals matchup between iconic rivals. 

But the situations were also much different. 

Abdul-Jabbar was just five years removed from winning his last MVP award in 1980, and only a year removed from receiving All-NBA first team honors, which he did again in 1986 for the final time. 

It’s been 13 years since James last won an MVP, and six years since he last received All-NBA first team honors. 

Abdul-Jabbar was teammates with Magic Johnson, who finished ahead of him in the 1984-85 regular season MVP voting, in the midst of his prime.

With Doncic out, James’ best teammate is Reaves, who’s coming off an injury-riddled All-Star-caliber season, with the best teammates after Reaves not being comparable to the “Showtime” Lakers roster. 

The Thunder should win this series.

The challenge in front of James is one that hasn’t been done before.

Which would make it all the more impressive if he’s able to pull off another rare feat against the league’s best.

There are so many intriguing matchups and lineup decisions we are going to see as the Detroit Pistons face off with the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. I’m not sure which is my favorite, or which one is the most important. Jarett Allen vs. Jalen Duren? We are all curious what kind of Duren we will get after his offensive no-show against the Orlando Magic. Allen, meanwhile, was the hero of Game 7 for the Cavs, but the Toronto Raptors don’t have the size Detroit can throw at him. Perhaps it is Ausar Thompson vs. James Harden (or maybe Donovant Mitchell). We know Ausar can guard anyone in the NBA, but can he stay out of foul trouble when Cleveland’s stars are forcing the issue? Conversely, what about Duncan Robinson, who I am sure Cavs’ players will be hungry to switch onto and try to hunt on defense.

Will we have some different unsung heroes for Detroit? Is this a series where Ron Holland can make a mark? How much bigger of a role will Isaiah Stewart have against Cleveland’s double-big lineup. Cleveland’s guards can’t contain Cade Cunningham, but Kenny Atkinson surely knows that as well, and is likely fully prepared to throw Dean Wade and a bunch of other looks at him. How will Cade respond? Just about everything intrigues me about this matchup, and I hope the game lives up to how interesting the unknowns are. I’ve had my fill of gross-looking slugfests, thank you.

Game Vitals

When: 7 p.m. ET
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Watch: Peacock, NBC
Odds: Pistons -3.5

Projected Lineups

Detroit Pistons (0-0)

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Cleveland Cavaliers (0-0)

James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The Minnesota Timberwolves found an offensive approach that worked in the fourth quarter of Game 1, gashing the San Antonio Spurs’ defense with Rudy Gobert on the bench.

This Timberwolves vs. Spurs same-game parlay expects Minnesota to double-down on that approach in Game 2 on Wednesday, May 6.

Our best Timberwolves vs Spurs SGP for Game 2

SGP leg #1: Rudy Gobert Under 11.5 Rebounds (-125)

Rudy Gobert had six rebounds in Monday’s first quarter, and he still ended with 10 boards, falling short of a prop that was set at 10.5 to start the series, albeit at plus-money. 

Gobert played an excellent 30 minutes in that tight win, helping the Minnesota Timberwolves tilt this series. Eight of those minutes came with Victor Wembanyama off the court, the San Antonio Spurs’ superstar’s only time off the court.

Minnesota is likely to focus Gobert on the chances with Wembanyama on the bench, but those are also likely to be few and far between, further limiting Gobert’s minutes.

SGP leg #2: Rudy Gobert Under 8.5 Points (-130)

Even when Gobert is on the court facing Wembanyama, Minnesota found success bringing Wemby into screen action, where he is prone to playing drop coverage despite Gobert creating separation in the on-ball defense. That allows for open 3-pointer looks for shooters like Anthony Edwards, Mike Conley and Naz Reid.

Gobert’s screen effectiveness helps the Timberwolves’ offense despite him not scoring, not to mention he managed just seven points in Game 1.

SGP leg #3: Over 215.5

Less Gobert will help both offenses. When he sat for the first 10-plus minutes of Monday’s fourth quarter, Minnesota scored 32 points. It had not yet managed more than 24 in any of the first three quarters.

Covers NBA betting tools

• NBA odds
• NBA picks
• NBA player props
• Best NBA betting sites
• Today’s NBA matchups

See our full Timberwolves vs Spurs Game 2 preview

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

More Covers NBA Playoff content

NBA Championship odds

Stay up-to-date with the latest NBA Championship odds for each remaining team, as well as NBA title splits, betting trends, and the previous list of teams that have won the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

NBA Finals MVP odds

See what the current line movement and updates are in the NBA Finals MVP odds race, along with Finals MVP betting trends, favorite analysis, and recent superstars to receive this award.

Live NBA Playoff bracket

Never lose track of where each series sits with our live NBA Playoff bracket, as well as the updated prices for each team to win their respective series — round by round. 

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.

The Detroit Pistons host the Cleveland Cavaliers at 7 p.m. ET tonight on NBCSN. Then the Oklahoma City Thunder play the Los Angeles Lakers at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC (WRC-TV).

Enjoy the basketball and the constant playing of John Tesh songs.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is in the dream position. 

He’s the reigning MVP and his Thunder are the reigning champions. He’s expected to repeat for that honor. His team is, too. 

That should’ve been Luka Doncic. 

In a cruel twist of fate, Doncic will be on the bench Tuesday night watching the superstar whose trajectory was supposed to be his as the Lakers open their second-round playoff series against the Thunder in Oklahoma City.

Doncic, who’s out indefinitely because of a strained hamstring, was supposed to be the young hotshot taking over the league.

But his mantle remains empty, while Gilgeous-Alexander’s is decorated with the league’s most prestigious trophies.

Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander were in the same 2018 draft class. Doncic was selected third by the Mavericks and Gilgeous-Alexander was picked 11th by the Hornets before being traded to the Clippers that night.  

It quickly became clear that Doncic was going to become a sensation. 

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

In the NBA General Manager Survey ahead of the 2020-21 season, executives were asked if they were starting a franchise today and could sign anyone in the league who they’d pick. 

Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo tied for first place. 

But eight years after Doncic entered the league, he has yet to win a championship or an MVP Award. 

Meanwhile, Gilgeous-Alexander is atop the league. For the second straight season, he led the Thunder to the best record in the NBA. And according to a player poll by The Athletic, his peers believe he deserves to repeat as MVP this year. 

As for Doncic? 

He wasn’t even an MVP finalist this season despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6). 

Doncic had an incredible season before suffering the hamstring strain on April 2. He became the second person in NBA history to score 600-plus points in March, alongside Michael Jordan. Over that period, he led the Lakers on a 16-2 run. 

But even though Doncic is a generational talent and one of the league’s top players, his career hasn’t gone as planned so far. 

He was supposed to lead the Mavericks to a championship. He was supposed to win multiple MVPs. He wanted to retire alongside the team that drafted him. 

But while Gilgeous-Alexander’s career has been on a rocket ship’s trajectory, Doncic’s has taken a serpentine road. 

The two stars’ paths converged during the 2024 playoffs when they met in the second round. Doncic carried the Mavericks past the Thunder in six games. He went on to reach the Finals for the first and only time in his career. 

Things seemed to be going as planned for the Slovenian superstar. 

But eight months later, he was stunningly dealt to the Lakers.

He was shocked. Devastated. Disheartened. 

He was also disparaged.

Following the deal, whispers came from Dallas’ camp that they were frustrated with the superstar for a myriad of reasons, including his fitness and lack of effort on the defensive end. 

Meanwhile, Gilgeous-Alexander has quietly transformed from a promising young guard into the league’s biggest superstar. 

After the Clippers traded him to the Thunder in 2019, his game flourished. And Thunder general manager Sam Presti put the perfect pieces around him, including Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso. 

Last season, the Thunder took over the NBA. 

And they seem poised for another deep playoff run. They have the best defense in the league. And Gilgeous-Alexander is leading all scorers this postseason with 33.8 points a game. 

As for Doncic, this was supposed to be a revenge season for him. 

He came into training camp in arguably the best shape of his career. He carried the Lakers to fourth place in the West. 

But he was sidelined the last month, including missing the Lakers’ first-round series against the Rockets. 

Now, as he tries to work his way back from a strained hamstring to play in this series, he has to watch the guy whose trajectory should’ve been his.

Doncic was the player everyone expected to be atop the league. 

But until he leads his team to the mountaintop, the spotlight firmly belongs to Gilgeous-Alexander.

Rich Paul is adamant his agency has lost clients due to NBA players’ hatred of LeBron James.

The super agent, who founded Klutch Sports Group over a decade ago, told Max Kellerman on the twosome’s “Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul” podcast this week that his business has been impacted by the way some of James’ peers feel about the Lakers superstar.

“I’ve had NBA current players, and former players, involve themselves in a recruiting process with a kid — it’s not their son — and purposely push a kid to a different agency because of their disdain for LeBron, and I’m his guy,” Paul said. “So, I know what happens.”

Paul’s shocking revelation came as he and Kellerman were discussing the results of the opening round of the NBA playoffs, and how players and media have publicly talked about it.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

Paul accused the masses of giving Nuggets center Nikola Jokic a pass for a postseason loss to the Timberwolves that they wouldn’t have given to James.

“The reason why you don’t hear a lot of conversation about Jokic is because I don’t believe people are happy to see Jokic lose,” Paul said.

“But when LeBron loses, people are happy to see him lose. Especially his peers. Guys that played in the league that have platforms today. For different reasons, it’s extra. They are happy to see him lose. For whatever reason. That’s just how I feel, and I think it’s true.”

Paul didn’t expound on exactly why he believes James is so despised by some in the Association, though he did say it’s “deeper than” them just being envious of the future Hall of Famer’s situation.

“I just think that in our community,” he said, “it makes you feel better when someone else has a thing of detriment placed upon them because of what you lack and what you always wanted.

“That’s the DNA of our communities. We’re born into that. An athlete is not an exception.”

Paul went on to say he’s all for critique, but he insisted it’s more than that when it comes to James.

“I’m telling you,” he said, “it’s a deeper thing.”

It is all pretty simple, really. 

Mike Brown is only the Knicks’ head coach because not even back-to-back 50-win regular seasons were enough to save his predecessor, Tom Thibodeau, from being fired after New York stumbled in the Eastern Conference Finals last spring.

The implied word from on-high for all to see that even though Thibodeau posted a .565 winning percentage over his five years and won NBA Coach of the Year in 2021, the franchise's first trip to the doorstep of the NBA Finals in a quarter of a century was unsatisfactory. 

The perception – and possible reality, too – is that there is a mandate for the first-year man in New York: It better be a trip to the NBA Finals or bust.

“People have talked about a mandate, I'm coaching to win,” Brown said Tuesday after a dominant Game 1 win of the Eastern Conference Semifinals series against the Philadelphia 76ers. 

“It doesn't matter what others say,” he continued. “I'm disappointed if we're not in the Finals and having a chance to win it."

Brown said he’s been “fortunate, blessed, lucky” to have made the Finals six times with three different teams during his career as a head coach and assistant, with four titles.

“It’s the best feeling in the world, and I know that’s what I do it for,” he said. 

As far as the “mandate and all that stuff,” Brown said the NBA Finals-or-bust attitude is something the head coach embraces.

“That’s what I expect, that’s what I want to do,” he said, “and hopefully it can happen, but who knows?”

Despite acknowledging at least that elephant in the room, Brown doesn't let the proverbial Sword of Damocles above his head impact his coaching.

"He doesn't listen to the outside noise and doesn't let that affect him," Josh Hart said Tuesday. "He's focused every day on how he can come in and make this team better. He listens to his coaches, and he listens to us with our feedback and what we have to say, and asks us questions and stuff like that.

"I think it's just a good line of communication with everyone within the organization, with obviously him at the helm of how we can make this team the best unit that we can be. And he's doing an amazing job."

So are the Knicks playing at a championship level in the head coach's eyes?

“We’re playing well at the right time, but I think we have room to grow,” Brown said. “We can’t give up 34 free throws like we did last night. It’s gonna be tough if you give up 34 free throws. We had 15 turnovers last night. We can’t have 15 turnovers against this team because they thrive at the free-throw line, they thrive in the steal game, they convert those turnovers into points really quickly.

“And they didn’t shoot well. We know they’re gonna shoot better. We know that [Tyrese] Maxey is gonna be more aggressive, so we have to be even more alert than what we were in our last game.”

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The Minnesota Timberwolves did not blink when Victor Wembanyama blocked shot after shot in Game 1. They proceeded to upset the San Antonio Spurs thanks to an offensive outburst in the fourth quarter.

My Timberwolves vs. Spurs predictions and these NBA picks expect Minnesota to lean into that fourth-quarter recipe come Game 2 on Wednesday, May 6.

Timberwolves vs Spurs Game 2 prediction

Timberwolves vs Spurs best bet: Rudy Gobert Under 11.5 rebounds (-125)

The Minnesota Timberwolves entered the fourth quarter Monday night trailing the San Antonio Spurs by three. Rudy Gobert went to the bench for the next 10:16; when he returned, the Timberwolves led by seven.

Minnesota had scored 32 points in those 10 minutes, already eight more than it had in any previous quarter. A five-out lineup featuring Julius Randle and Naz Reid as the Timberwolves’ big men pulled Victor Wembanyama too far from the hoop to bolster his inflated blocks stats, and suddenly, Minnesota could score.

Expect more of that look in Game 2, costing Gobert minutes as the game wears on.

COVERS INTEL: The Spurs outscored the Timberwolves 45-40 in the 21:32 that both Gobert and Wembanyama were on the court in Game 1. That went better than Minnesota expected, but it is still a matchup the Timberwolves should want to lessen.

Timberwolves vs Spurs Game 2 same-game parlay

Fewer Rudy Gobert minutes should help both Minnesota’s and San Antonio’s offenses. In the 21:32 that Gobert faced Wembanyama, the Spurs’ offensive rating was 104.7 while the Timberwolves’ was 93. For the entirety of the game, San Antonio’s offensive rating was 106.3 while Minnesota’s was 108.3.

The math does not need to delve further than that. Gobert serves a purpose in this series, but his minutes need to be limited compared to Wembanyama’s, and that should propel both offenses.

Timberwolves vs Spurs SGP

• Rudy Gobert Under 11.5 rebounds
• Rudy Gobert Under 8.5 points
• Over 215.5

Timberwolves vs Spurs odds for Game 2

• Spread: Timberwolves +9.5 | Spurs -9.5
• Moneyline: Timberwolves +300 | Spurs -380
• Over/Under: Over 215.5 | Under 215.5

Timberwolves vs Spurs betting trend to know

After Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch said his team “lied” to him all season, evidenced by their Game 1 loss at Denver, Minnesota has gone 5-1 against the spread, exceeding bookmakers’ expectations by an average of 14.5 points, even when including the ATS loss. For what it’s worth, that ATS loss came by just the hook. Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs. Spurs.

How to watch Timberwolves vs Spurs Game 2

Timberwolves vs Spurs latest injuries

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.