Category: Basketball

NBA history spans 80 seasons, and as CelticsBlog readers well know, the Boston Celtics have won a league-high 18 championships. This month, we are recapping each of those title years.

In 1974, the Boston Celtics won their 12th championship in a tension-filled seven-game Finals versus the Milwaukee Bucks. Game 6 of that series went to double overtime and was one of the closest, most hard-fought battles fans had ever seen. Nothing could top that, we thought.

Well, we thought wrong, because Game 5 of the 1976 Finals between Boston and the Phoenix Suns, tied at 2-2, had more ups, downs, plot twists and unbelievable moments than any championship-series pivotal game in the NBA’s 80 years. It’s widely considered the NBA’s Greatest Game, especially by Celtics fans. And Glenn McDonald became a household name in New England (for a little while, at least) for helping bring home Banner 13.

The regular season

After winning in 1974, the Celtics were 60-22 in 1975 and looking like a favorite to repeat, but they were upset in the Eastern finals by a Washington Bullets (Wizards) squad (coached by K.C. Jones) that got hot at the wrong time for Boston. Those Celtics were led by veterans John Havlicek, JoJo White and Dave Cowens, all of whom were back for 1975-76 and surrounded by a strong supporting cast. There were many reasons to think they could get back to the top for the second time in three years.

The main rotation players included elite rebounder Paul Silas, crafty scorer Don Nelson (who had announced this would be his last season) and energy guys Steve Kuberski and Kevin Stacom. Don Chaney, a starting guard for the ’74 champs, had scored a lucrative free agent contract from St. Louis of the rival American Basketball Association. Such player movement was common during the Seventies, as the NBA and ABA competed for the best talent. The leagues settled that by merging before the 1976-77 season.

One more key player no longer in green was dynamic young guard Paul Westphal, traded by Boston to Phoenix for high-scoring guard Charlie Scott. Two future Hall of Famers, they ended up facing off in the 1976 postseason, where it was evident that the trade worked out for both teams.

Boston’s regular season began slowly, but a nine-game winning streak brought their record up to 19-8. Two more streaks, of seven and six games, helped them finish 54-28, first place in the East, behind only the Golden State Warriors (59-23). Cowens and Havlicek were voted All-NBA second team.

This season also featured an amusing incident that pretty much represented Cowens’ style of play. The 6-foot-9, 230-pound center body-blocked Houston guard Mike Newlin to the floor intentionally. “Big Red” was incensed that Newlin had twice gotten away with flopping, so he sent Newlin flying and screamed to the referee, “Now that’s a foul!” Cowens was T’d up, but stayed in the game, so you could say his point was made.

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Charlie Scott’s Celtics odyssey

Hall of Fame guard Charlie Scott played 152 regular-season games and 27 playoff games over three seasons with Boston. He directly helped the Celtics win in 1976, but he indirectly determined the outcomes of several other years, as well. Scott’s transaction history also confirms the genius of Red Auerbach as a team builder.

Scott was eligible for the NBA draft in 1970, but was known to have signed with the Virginia Squires of the rival ABA. The common wisdom for NBA teams was not to bother drafting him. But Auerbach saw it differently and used a seventh-round choice (106th overall) to select the 6-foot-5 guard from North Carolina. Boston would own the rights to sign Scott if he ever decided to come play in the NBA.

Two years later, Scott was ready, and Phoenix was his choice. Boston traded Scott’s rights to the Suns and filled a need by getting All-Star power forward Paul Silas in return. Silas was a key member of the Celtics title teams in 1974 and 1976.

Scott was in Phoenix for four seasons, then was traded back to the Celtics for Paul Westphal and a couple of second-rounders. Westphal was up for a contract that Auerbach did not want to pay, which was too bad because Westy ended up an All-NBA player. Game 5 in ‘76 demonstrated that potential.

In 1977, the Celtics traded Scott again, this time to the Lakers for Don Chaney (reunited with his original team), Kermit Washington and a 1978 first-round pick. Washington was serving a long suspension for punching and severely injuring Houston’s Rudy Tomjanovich in a fight on court. The Lakers washed their hands of him, even though he was a top rebounder and defender. By the way, that was the first time the two rivals ever traded with each other.

What happened to that Lakers first-round pick? The Celtics took Freeman Williams, who ended up traded away in another deal. But having the Lakers pick at no. 8 in addition to their own pick at no. 6 enabled the Celtics to gamble a bit and draft someone named Larry Bird.

Bird was going to play out his last season of college eligibility and, by NBA rules, whoever picked him would have just one year to sign him, or he’d go back in the draft. Teams with only one draft pick didn’t want to risk it, but armed with the backup pick, Auerbach went for it, and it obviously worked out, with Bird-era titles in 1981, 1984 and 1986.

That’s not all. In 1980, the Suns traded Westphal to the Seattle SuperSonics for guard Dennis Johnson. After three seasons in Phoenix, DJ was traded with two picks (one first and one third) to Boston for Celtics backup center Rick Robey and a couple of second-rounders. DJ went on to help Boston win in 1984 and 1986; have his number retired; be recognized as Bird’s “favorite teammate” ever; and retire as a beloved Boston sports icon.

Summing up, Charlie Scott and the assets he brought to Boston influenced the outcomes of five championship seasons in the Seventies and Eighties. He’s a Celtics legend.

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Eastern playoffs

The Celtics would need to win three best-of-seven series, beginning with the Buffalo Braves (now the LA Clippers). The Braves finished eight games behind Boston but were potent offensively with center Bob McAdoo, the league scoring leader at 31.1 points per game, and a quick, clever backcourt of Randy Smith and Ernie DiGregorio.

In Boston, Game 1 went to the Celtics, 107-98. Cowens had 30 points, 17 rebounds, seven assists and five steals, obliterating McAdoo’s stats. Cowens was physically a good matchup with McAdoo, the Celtic being a top defender and shot-blocker who could also outscore the Buffalo star on occasion.

Havlicek injured his foot in Game 1, and thought he could still play after implementing an icing routine. But he was forced to sit the next three games, and the foot would nag Hondo throughout the postseason.

Game 2 was also in Boston, and the Celtics protected homecourt, 101-96. McAdoo erupted for 40 points, but Cowens and Nelson combined for 49. The Cs won the boards, 53-41, and shot better at the free-throw line to win a game that was close throughout.

Games 3 and 4 were in Buffalo, and both went to the home team, 98-93 and 124-122. In Game 4, Cowens had 29/26/8, White added 28 and 11 assists, and Nelson had 27 points. Trouble was, Buffalo’s starters all were between 18 and 30 points, too much to give up.

Havlicek returned in a limited role for Game 5, a win at home. The heavy lifting was done by Cowens with 30 points and 16 rebounds, and Silas with 15 and 22. The difference in the 99-88 score was the field goal attempts: Celtics 113, Braves 83.

Game 6 in Buffalo was taken over by Charlie Scott, who this night had game highs of 31 points and 8 assists. His backcourt mate, JoJo White, added 23 points in the 104-100 closeout win. Havlicek was able to play his second straight game, posting 14 points, 6 assists.

The Eastern Conference Final brought on the Cleveland Cavaliers, coached by future Celtics head coach Bill Fitch. The Cavs were founded in 1970 and this was their first year in the playoffs. They had acquired bruising center Nate Thurmond from the Golden State Warriors as a veteran defender, rebounder and leader. Thay did not have a dominant scorer, but instead relied on having seven players average double figures. They had led the Central Division with a 49-33 record.

The Cavs allowed 99 points per game, fewest in the league. After the Celtics won game 1 at home, 111-99, they did not break 100 again. Game 2 was 94-89, Boston going up 2-0.  In the first game, Havlicek led all scorers with 26 points and looked like his foot was fine for 40 minutes. In the second meeting, White led all with 24 points and the Cs staged a fourth quarter comeback to pull out the 94-89 win.

But just as in the Buffalo series, the 2-0 lead vanished on the road. The Cavs notched wins of 83-78 and 106-87. In the latter, the Cavs’ Bingo Smith was lifted by the loud home crowd to 13 of 17 shooting and 27 points.

Game 5 in Boston was a nail-biter. Coach Tommy Heinsohn was ejected in the third period for arguing, leaving his only assistant, John Killilea, to take over. Red Auerbach moved from his seat down to near the bench, just in case. Cowens led the way with 26 points and 11 rebounds, and in the final moments, Havlicek swished two clutch free throws and Paul Silas tipped in a miss for two crucial points that helped lock it up, 99-94.

Game 6 in Cleveland saw White deliver 29 points on 12-22 shooting, supported by Cowens’ 21 points (and 18 rebounds) and Scott’s 20 points. The Celtics used a 27-18 fourth quarter comeback to end the series, 94-87. The key play was a midcourt steal and dunk by Scott that enabled the Celtics to take final control. Also notable: The Cavs did not have a single 20-point scorer in three of the six games. Meanwhile, White scored 20 or more five times.

So, the first two rounds played out similarly: Facing a young, hungry team that was not intimidated, the Celtics went up 2-0, were tied 2-2, then won a tense Game 5, and closed it out on the road, 4-2. That exact pattern was about to happen a third time, but much, much more intensely.

NBA Finals

The Celtics were in the Finals for the 14th time, and the Phoenix Suns for the first time since they joined the NBA in 1968.

The matchup

Phoenix was 42-40 in the regular season, third in the Pacific Division, and lost four of the six games they played against the Celtics. It’s doubtful anyone except themselves thought they’d get near the Finals. But they upset the 59-win Warriors in the Western final, winning Game 7 on the road. At this point, their regular season record meant nothing. They got hot at the right time. To not take them seriously would be a fatal error.

The series

Once again, Boston won the first two on their home court, only to see their underdog opponent return the favor and tie the series 2-2.

Game 1 saw Suns rookie center Alvan Adams score an impressive 26 points, but his counterpart, Dave Cowens, delivered a magnificent 25-point, 21-rebound, 10-assist triple-double. JoJo White added 22 and John Havlicek, still dealing with the foot injury, added 16 off the bench. Ex-Celtic Paul Westphal shot terribly and scored only eight points for Phoenix.

In Game 2, Boston blasted the Suns 56-32 in the second and third quarters combined. That was enough to bring home the win, 105-90. Westphal came alive with 28 points, offset by 23 from Havlicek. It seemed as if Phoenix had hit a wall.

In Game 3, the Suns smashed through that wall, 105-98. Adams was again impressive with 33 points. Westphal added 22. Only White scored well for Boston, with 24. Game 4 was closer, 109-107, but still a loss for a 2-2 tie. Game 5 would be the turning point.

Game 5

“There were so many highs and lows. You thought you had it won, and all of a sudden you were elated. Within a second, it would turn around and you thought you were defeated.”

John Havlicek on Game 5

No lead is safe in the NBA, and this Game 5 was Exhibit A. The game looked to be over countless times, yet again and again, the plays that had to be made were made, and the overtimes piled up. If you were a neutral fan watching, this would have been basketball heaven, but for Celtics and Suns fans, it was endless hours of agony.

Game 5 began with the Celtics owning the first quarter, 36-18, then stretching the lead to 42-20 early in the second quarter. Their running game was in high gear. The Suns began to get their footing, but the lead at halftime was still 16. The score tightened up when the Suns took the third quarter, 27-16. The tension was rising in Boston Garden and in front of televisions everywhere.

Boston led by nine with under four minutes to go. Then Westphal caught fire, scoring nine points in a couple of minutes to pull Phoenix even. Near the end of regulation time, Phoenix was ahead one, when Havlicek was fouled. He made the first but missed the second.

Phoenix had one more possession, but the Celtics broke up the inbounds pass. Paul Silas briefly signaled for timeout but the Celtics had none. That would’ve been a technical foul except that referee Richie Powers ignored the signal. Phoenix assistant coach was so upset that he later had a fake Suns championship ring made for the referee. Inside it was inscribed: “Bleep you, Richie Powers.”

On to overtime.

The first OT was somewhat calm, both teams scoring six points. The second OT also proceeded normally – until the last 19 seconds:

• JoJo White runner off the glass, Celtics lead 109-106.
• Suns’ Dick Van Arsdale midrange jumper, 109-108.
• Westphal steal of inbounds pass.
• Curtis Perry miss, gets own rebound.
• Perry 15-footer, Suns 110-109.
• Celtics timeout, 5 seconds to play.
• Havlicek running bank shot, Celtics 111-110.
• Fans think game is over, swarm onto court, Celtics leave floor, but referee Richie Powers correctly signals one second on clock.
• In the swarm, Powers is attacked by a fan who apparently wants the game to be over.
• Celtics recalled from their locker room for remaining one second.
• Suns purposely call timeout, knowing they have none left, to get the ball at halfcourt after timeout. Technical foul.
• White swishes free throw, Celtics 112-110.
• Suns’ inbounds pass goes to Garfield Heard near top of the key, maybe 20 feet out, turnaround jump shot at buzzer, 112-112.
• Overtime no. 3.

Here are the huge shots by Havlicek, then Heard in those final seconds of OT no. 2. More videos appear below.

Fouls were an issue by the third OT. Suns centers Alvan Adams and Dennis Awtrey had fouled out, as had Celtics Cowens, Silas and Charlie Scott (who played just 33 minutes). Little-used Celtics center Jim Ard and forward Glenn McDonald were about to play the most important minutes of their lives.

With the score tied at 118, Ard tied up Perry and then won the ensuing jump ball. Boston had a fast break and McDonald banked in a runner off White’s assist. Another Celtics stop led to McDonald’s baseline turnaround fadeaway for a four-point lead. Westphal made a ridiculous spinning bank shot but White answered, then McDonald was fouled on a rebound for two free throws. He made both, Celtics 126, Suns 120, with 36 seconds to play.

Suns rookie Ricky Sobers quickly made a driving layup, then Phoenix intentionally fouled Ard. The big man made both crucial free throws for a 128-122 advantage. Westphal then threw in an even more outrageous 360-degree spinning bank shot, 128-124.

Boston beat the Phoenix press, but a pass to a cutting McDonald bounced off his hands near the hoop. Sobers grabbed it and threw a full-court pass to Westphal for a layup. The lead was cut to two with still 12 seconds left. Westphal came within an inch or two of another steal, but Ard got the ball to White, who mercifully dribbled out the clock. Final: 128-126.

JoJo White played 60 of the 63 minutes and was so tired that, during a brief stoppage near the end, he sat down on the court. White made 15 of 29 shots, scored 33 points (15 of them in the OTs), six rebounds, nine assists, two steals, and countless clutch baskets and hustle/heart plays. For the whole series, White led the Celtics with 21.7 points and 5.8 assists per game, but it was no doubt his Game 5 performance that put his name on the Finals MVP trophy.

How stressful was Game 5? Tommy Heinsohn fainted in the postgame locker room from a combination of high blood pressure, dehydration and stress.

Game 5 Box Score

Game 5 Videos

There are so many talented fans posting on YouTube that there are too many videos to choose from. Here’s an assortment of different approaches, including the full game original broadcast.

Highlights with Interviews

Short-version OTs

Full Game 5

Game 6

Less than 48 hours later, Celtics-Suns Game 6 tipped off in Phoenix. A test of survival of the fittest. The game was low-scoring and close, with Boston ahead by a single point after three quarters. The Celtics pulled away in the fourth quarter for a final score of 87-80.

The heroes we needed

• Charlie Scott was the main attacker for Boston. Scott had played only 33 minutes of Game 5’s 63 minutes because of foul trouble, so he was relatively rested. In Game 6, he scored 25 points with 11 rebounds, three assists and five steals.
• Dave Cowens still had energy. He was 10 of 16 for 21 points with 17 rebounds and three steals.

Turning point

With seven minutes left and Phoenix up one, the Celtics clamped down on defense and broke it open with a 17-6 run. The Suns didn’t make a field goal during that time. The key play was Cowens stealing the ball from Adams, driving the length of the court, and making a reverse layup with the and-one on Adams.

It wasn’t over until…

The Suns tried to rally back, but there was no Game 5-like magic this time. JoJo White beat Westphal on a burst to the rim for a layup, making it 79-71 with under three minutes left.

Notable facts and stats

• White won the Finals MVP, joining 1974 winner Havlicek. Cowens never won FMVP, but he did win the regular season MVP in 1972-73.
• Cowens and Silas combined to average 30 rebounds per game in the series. The team averaged 56.2, a large advantage over the Suns, at 42.3.
• Both teams shot exactly 43.1% from the floor.
• Glenn McDonald went out a hero. He was cut before the next regular season, signed with Milwaukee but only lasted nine games before the Bucks waived him. That was the end of his NBA career, but he will forever have a place in Celtics lore.
• Jim Ard stayed with Boston for another season, then finished his career with a brief stint in Chicago.

Banner Years continues tomorrow with a review of the 1980-81 season and the road to winning Banner 14.

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse made an appearance in Brazilian soccer.

But if you thought it was Fla-Flu, Palmeiras vs. Corinthians, Grenal, Galo vs. Cruzeiro, or any other Série A derby, you were wrong!

LeBron James’ coach in the NBA went to Estádio dos Aflitos, in Recife, to watch the match between Náutico and Ceará in the 23rd round of Brazil’s Série B.

Connection to Brazil

At 59, the coach watched the match from the stands wearing a Náutico shirt.

After the game, he received a gift from the club from Pernambuco.

Reason for the trip

Nurse’s presence in the city is due to his family.

He has been married for 12 years to Roberta Nurse, a former volleyball player from Pernambuco, with whom he has two children: Noah and Leo.

History in the Northeast

This is not the first time the coach has been in the region. In 2022, he was in Recife to follow the FIBA AmeriCup at Geraldão arena and gave a sports clinic for local coaches.

In 2023, he traveled to Campina Grande, Paraíba, to give a lecture at a university.

NBA context

Nick Nurse is a major name in North American basketball, having won the NBA title in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors.

In charge of the Philadelphia 76ers since 2023, he will now have the mission of coaching LeBron James, the league’s all-time leading scorer, who recently signed a two-season contract with the franchise.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Warriors fans and fans across the country.

The Golden State Warriors have gone with the “running it back” approach this offseason, as they’ve yet to sign or trade for a player outside of the organization … and training camp is, somehow, right around the corner.

Running it back has its positives and its negatives, and it certainly suggests that the team will continue trying to build their future around their small corps of young players. That, of course, includes Brandin Podziemski, who is extension eligible.

The Warriors and Podziemski have until the eve of the season to agree on an extension. Otherwise, he’ll play out his rookie deal this year, and enter next offseason as a restricted free agent. It seems likely that Podz and the Dubs will reach an agreement on an extension in the next two months, but for how much? Let’s hear your predictions!

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The Los Angeles Lakers’ interest in Jonathan Kuminga has been widely known for months, but there’s been little movement in a potential deal.

The Lakers initially pitched the idea of Kuminga starting alongside Luka Dončić, earning roughly $10 million annually.

For weeks, the idea of the Lakers landing Kuminga has hit a standstill because of the forward’s desire to earn more money in LA. The Lakers, who made several additions in free agency, can’t afford to bring Kuminga in on a $20 million deal, which is what the 23-year-old had wanted.

But Kuminga returning to the Atlanta Hawks on a minimum deal seems far-fetched after the team added Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort via trade. That opens the door for a potential sign-and-trade with the Lakers, but Kuminga reportedly is only willing to take a pay cut on a one-year deal.

A sign-and-trade deal is comprised of three seasons. Nevertheless, the domino will have to fall one way or another.

According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, only the Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Lakers seem like legitimate options for Kuminga at this point in the offseason.

Though, the Los Angeles Clippers had initially also expressed interest in the free agent.

The ongoing drama surrounding the Lakers this summer — from LeBron James leaving to Mark Walter selling the team after owning the franchise for 10 months — has largely overshadowed the Lakers’ moves in free agency.

The Lakers are missing a versatile wing defender, especially after the departure of Rui Hachimura in free agency. As September quickly approaches, the team’s options are limited to bolster the roster.

But Kuminga remains on the market, which means general manager Rob Pelinka still has a chance to get creative and ink a deal.

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Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Celtics fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

It’s an age-old debate between the generations, often that uncomfortable conversation at Thanksgiving that can divide a family more than politics or what you thought about The Odyssey.

In honor of History Month and the great in-depth work and storytelling that CelticsBloggers Rich Jensen and Mike Dynon have put in this August on the storied past of the franchise, we plainly ask, “who ya got?”

Is it the dynamic duo of Bill Russell and Bob Cousy who won six championships in seven years under Red Auerbach with teammates like Sam Jones, Tom Sanders, Tommy Heinsohn, Frank Ramsey, and Bill Sharman?

What about those spunky 70s squads with Dave Cowens and John Havlicek?

Who has the better Big 3: Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish or Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen?

And where does the 2024’s Banner 18 and the Jays rank amongst the greats?

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Try to put recency bias aside or what you might think about how the game of basketball was played seventy, sixty, fifty, or forty years ago. Read up about just how dominant some of these teams were and how surprisingly close some of their series and games were in order to hang eighteen banners in The Garden. And in the end, just appreciate how lucky we are to be fans of the greatest team in the history of the sport.

This time, the scene unfolded 10 blocks north of the Garden, two months after OG Anunoby first took off from just inside the paint and tipped in a Jalen Brunson miss — with 1.2 seconds left in Game 4 of the NBA Finals — to form his forever Knicks moment.

This time, Anunoby was at Times Square — inside the mesh surrounding an Essentia-created court as part of the water company’s “Change the Equation” platform — taking shots as Gersh Park Basketball players cycled through a line, trying to flip Anunoby’s misses in.

A set of footprints on the court, with an “O” in one and “G” in the other, marked the approximate spot of Anunoby’s historic moment. Fans along the outside tried to capture his presence with their phones.

Less than three years ago, Anunoby was in Toronto, already with a championship ring but without much of a celebrity presence on the Raptors.

But now, two months removed from that iconic tip-in, Anunoby has become just that for the Knicks — a defining presence in the NYC sports lexicon and the main attraction of the takeover event in the tourist hub of the world.

OG Anunoby trying to recreate his iconic Game 4 tip-in but he can’t miss at Essentia’s Supercharged Court. pic.twitter.com/o5wqn8oOJh

— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) August 18, 2026

“It’s been really fun,” Anunoby, near the end of his summer as a Knicks champion, told The Post.

The scene Tuesday, remembering the tip, was “really cool,” Anunoby said. He could “feel all the fans, all the excitement after the win, all together” on the Essentia court.

“OG, we’re going back-to-back,” one fan shouted as Anunoby posed for pictures.

The most stoic Knicks player even cracked smiles as the Gersh Park Basketball players kept trying to recreate his shot. Sometimes, they couldn’t tip it in. Other times, Anunoby made his attempts.

But unlike some of his other public appearances that followed the title — when he won Best Play at the ESPYs with his Knicks teammates in attendance, when his reaction on a “Good Morning America” appearance alongside other players went viral, when he attended a World Cup match next to Mikal Bridges and Miles McBride — this spotlight belonged to Anunoby.

The challenge for the Knicks and their $212.5 million star, though, has already shifted to sustaining that success. In just over two months, their quest to repeat will begin. The 76ers, their Opening Night opponent, added Jaylen Brown from the Celtics via trade and LeBron James in free agency. The Heat won the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. The Pacers will get Tyrese Haliburton back after he missed the entire 2025-26 campaign.

“Every year, there’s turnover, player movement,” Anunoby said of the shifting landscape in the East. “So just usual.”

So much went right for the Knicks to etch their place in NBA history. So much went right for Anunoby to become a featured piece of that, too, with his Game 4 moment. He averaged 16.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game during the regular season, and those numbers rose to 20.3 and 6.1, respectively, in the playoffs.

And along the way, Anunoby became more than just a complementary piece alongside Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Tuesday served as just the latest reminder of that.

Champagne problems make for interesting offseason conversations. Coming off an NBA Finals run, the San Antonio Spurs are returning a stacked roster with some minor additions. The signing of Tobias Harris gives the Spurs another option in their starting lineup, alongside De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, and Victor Wembanyama.

But Julian Champagnie was a starter for 68 games last season and started every single NBA Playoff game. He has some claim to keeping his spot to start the season. Then there is Dylan Harper, who became a 19-year-old star in the postseason, at times looking like the best player on the court across multiple series.

So between Harris, Harper, and Champagnie, who gets the fifth spot? We want your input. Vote in the poll below, and we will be back later in the week to go over the results.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Spurs fans and fans across the country.

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The Utah Jazz are going into the season with a pretty clear core of five players that Jazz fans are looking most forward to watching: Darryn Peterson, Keyonte George, Jaren Jackson Jr., Ace Bailey, and Lauri Markkanen.

But winning teams can’t win only with their stars, they need role and bench players contributing as well. Utah has drafted a collection of interesting prospects who have each shown distinct elements of potential. Isaiah Collier has been impressive assisting the ball. Brice Sensabaugh has shown flashes of high-level scoring. Kyle Filipowski has shown a lot of skill for a 7-footer and Cody Williams has shown some nice two-way potential. But potential is all these players have shown, and potential doesn’t mean anything if they don’t eventually have a winning impact on the game.

That brings us to this week’s question. Of those players, who will have the biggest impact this upcoming season?

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Between Mark Walter selling the team to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner and the Buss family’s predictable in-fighting over whether to join them, there has been a constant stream of information and rumors that’s hard to stay on top of.

In lieu of multiple stories, here’s a roundup of the latest information and updates on Walter, the sale and the Buss family.

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Expected hiring freeze

More often than not, when a company is sold, there is a hiring freeze during the transition. That appears likely to be the case here as well.

On Tuesday, Dan Woike of The Athletic reported that the expectation around the league is that the Lakers are not going to make any front office hires until Iger and Kushner take over.

According to a pair of league sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to publicly discuss the Lakers’ internal operations, there is a belief around the NBA that the team cannot complete the buildout of its basketball operations department until the ownership situation is resolved. After laying out a vision for a pair of assistant general managers, with one focused on analytics and one focused on player scouting, the team has yet to make any inroads in pro scouting. With preseason games set to start in a little more than a month, filling a staff and getting everyone accustomed to a system was already going to be difficult. Now it feels like a distant hope more than a reality.

The biggest impact will be the second assistant GM that was never hired. The team hired Rohan Ramadas as one of the assistant general managers with his role focusing on the stats and analytics aspect. The other general manager was supposed to focus on scouting and development.

One of the next questions, then, would be whether the team ever hires for that position. Those moves were made by Walter and likely with the insight from those in the Dodgers front office working with the Lakers.

Will Iger and Kushner have that same vision?

Walter fire sale?

Speaking of Walter, it looks like selling the Lakers was only the start.

Roughly around the time the news of the Buss family moving on came out, there was also a report from Liam Twomey, Simon Johnson and Matt Slater of The Athletic revealing that Walter looks set to sell his stake in English soccer team Chelsea.

Todd Boehly and Mark Walter are in talks to sell their shares in Chelsea to Clearlake Capital.

Buyout talks between the parties have been explored at various times in the two years since The Athletic detailed a breakdown in relations between Boehly and Clearlake, who partnered in the BlueCo consortium which purchased Chelsea for £2.3billion from the sanctioned Roman Abramovich in June 2022.

It sure seems like the federal investigation into Walter is finding legitimate issues because Walter is making the moves of someone trying to avoid legal issues.

What could be interesting here is that Walter has apparently made it clear he’s going to have his finances “fixed” by the end of the year. That will be largely dependent on the Lakers being sold. If Jeanie is still fighting her family and holding up the sale, then things could get really dicey.

Mark Walter has told regulators that his companies books will be fixed by the end of the year. So if Jeanie Buss decides to drag this out, delaying the transaction and therefore Walter’s liquidity event, things could get real ugly real fast.

— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) August 17, 2026

Explaining Jeanie’s stance

While it might seem like she’s grasping at straws — and she probably is — Jeanie does have at least an argument for why she feels like she has the final say.

In an appearance on ESPN LA, Dave McMenamin broke down Jeanie’s stance and her siblings’ stance.

“The question is where will the legal precedent lie. In 2017, there was basically documentation that Ramona Shelburne has actually shared in the last couple hours on her Instagram account that, in order for there to be a sale, three of the six trustees have to agree — the three trustees, being Jeanie Buss, Janie Buss and Joey Buss. I believe I got that right.

Now, fast forward eight years later, though, when the team was sold to Mark Walter, all six siblings signed off on what’s referred to as a tag-along provision which would be, if the team is sold by Walter, we are going to have the ability to attach our shares to the sale to the new owner if the new owner is interested at that valuation.

Now, I’m sure everyone involved with that agreement back in 2025 in their wildest dreams didn’t think that Mark Walter would be selling the team 10 months. The siblings that voted yes on the sale — five out of six, everybody but Jeanie Buss, according to sources — they all believe that that should be the precedent that stands considering they all just agreed to it 10 months ago.“

It does feel like the siblings have the stronger case here, but I say that as someone with zero legal expertise who also didn’t stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night either.

The hope here is that this situation is handled quickly, whatever the conclusion may be. Ideally, that conclusion also involves being done with the Buss family and their constant drama.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

If you’re a Laker fan, go see your doctor. 

Your blood pressure is high. You have new crease lines on your forehead from shock. You have whiplash from shaking your head in disbelief. 

This offseason has been heart pounding. It has been eyebrow raising. It has been jarring. 

LeBron James stunned the world by leaving the Lakers in free agency after eight seasons. 

The Lakers left everyone crossing their fingers after mortgaging their future on Walker Kessler, whom they acquired in a sign-and-trade from Utah on a four-year, $130 million deal, sending out unprotected first round picks in 2031 and 2033 alongside pick swaps in 2028 and 2030. 

Then Mark Walter sent shockwaves through the sports universe by selling the Lakers to former Disney CEO Bob Iger and venture capitalist Josh Kushner just 10 months after buying the team.

The encore came on Monday. 

Within a few-hour stretch, Laker fans had to digest the news that the Buss family was selling their 17.8% stake in the franchise to the team’s new owners after a 47-year reign, only to quickly learn that Jeanie Buss was waging war against her siblings to block the deal and remain the team’s governor. 

Check on your friends who are Laker fans. 

They’re not okay. 

Just ask Laker superfan Flea, the founding member and bassist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. 

Flea, whose real name is Michael Peter Balzary, took to X on Monday to lament what has been one of the most wild offseasons in Laker history, if not the wildest. 

“Oh lakers, I just wanna get lost in the transcendent and telepathic communal cosmos of the orange bouncing ball why do you do [this] to me,” he wrote.

It’s a fair question.

This offseason has been so drama-filled that it’s almost comical. At this point, this isn’t sports. It’s satire.

And it’s far from over.

The board of governors still has to approve the sale from Walter to Iger and Kushner.

What’s going to happen with Jeanie Buss?

Meanwhile, the basketball side of things is at a standstill. These major pending pieces essentially stunt the franchise from taking care of much-needed offseason business, such as building out the front office and revamping the data and analytics department.

How about the players?

This is a lot of drama for Luka Doncic, who’s preparing for his inauguration as the sole torch bearer for Laker fans’ championship dreams. 

He’s hosting a four-day mini camp in Slovenia this week to try to build team chemistry, including paying for all of his teammates’ expenses during the trip. While Doncic and Austin Reaves will be lovingly teasing each other and trying to build rapport with their new teammates, there’s static blaring in the background. 

There’s so many unknowns. So much movement. So much chaos. 

Sure, Lakers players and fans are used to drama. The franchise is under the brightest spotlight of all 30 teams in the NBA. They’ve had some of the league’s biggest stars, including Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant and James. They’ve won 17 championships. They’re always under the most powerful of microscopes. 

But this offseason is an aberration. 

Even for the Lakers, the drama has been eye popping. It has been relentless. It has been unnerving. 

Want to relax on the beach before the marathon 82-game season begins? Think again. Here’s some news that’s going to give you heart palpitations. 

Want to unwind before Doncic tries to lead the Lakers to their first championship since 2020? Joke’s on you! There’s more action in August than there could ever be in June. 

The Lakers have gone from being the darlings of the NBA to degenerating into tabloid fodder. They’re on the front page. Their makeup is smeared. They’re wide-eyed. They’re entrenched in scandal. 

It has been a doozy for Laker fans. 

The Lakers were supposed to turn a new page this summer. 

Instead, they blew up the script, leaving everyone reeling. 

The buzz around NBA2K27 is picking up ahead of its September 4th global release. In addition to early access, cover art, and first look images, they’ve finally released the top 100 player OVR ratings. 

If you’ve played the game, or follow the global conversation, every year there are huge surprises and disappointments. More than ever if you’re a Raptors fan. While they haven’t released the full roster yet and many of the player ratings won’t be available until closer to the early access release date of August 28th, there’s already more than enough to have opinions on just in the top 100.  

Some of the ratings were on par as expected. Back-to-back MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander having the highest OVR of 97 is respectable. Right there with him are the other top finishers in voting, Wemby and Jokic. Jalen Brunson edging Lebron James out of the top 10 also feels warranted with his performance and championship. But the longer you look at the list, the more you start to realize some things that are… not really anything that can be rationalized. While we could take all day and point them out, there’s enough just amongst the Raptors to get worked up about. So let’s break down the three most shocking:

1. Scottie Barnes is an 88 OVR.

You would have to have seen this coming. A huge leap from his 51st rank to start last year in 2K26, he now sits 23rd. Positionally I’m okay with this. Until you start to compare him to other 88 OVR players. Deni Avdija, whose post season numbers were substantially worse than Scottie, who only played 66 games last year, and whose defense is considerably worse than Scottie sits at the same OVR. The exact same can be said about Austin Reaves who also sits at an 88. To add insult to injury, Anthony Davis who only managed to play 20 games last season is two points higher at 90. The only solace in this situation is finally both Paolo Banchero and Evan Mobley are ranked lower than him. 

My hot take: Scottie is an 89, and Jamal Murray and him should both be above Davis. 

2. The 19-position fall of RJ Barrett.

So last year, RJ started at an 82 OVR. This year, he is starting as an 82 OVR. Already, I have some questions. Statistically, he may not have been as electric, but if you actually watched the games he played better. He had to share the scoring load with more ball-handling players. He had less touches. Still, he was efficient, played better in the clutch, and in some games, felt like the only reliable scoring option. Apparently that means you stay the same OVR. Since there’s so many guys that sit at 82 though, this means he’s actually fallen from 68th to 87th, suggesting he’s gotten worse. Even if that was the case, compare that to players rated more highly: Ajay Mitchell (a talented player, but genuinely, what am I missing here?), Payton Pritchard (absolutely not), and Paul George (????). 

My hot take: If they’re all 82s fine, but there’s no way there’s 86 people in the league you’d rather have than RJ Barrett. Especially those three.

3. Kawhi Leonard erasure. 

It’s no secret that the investigation has complicated things for the Raptors, the trade still isn’t official, and Kawhi is listed in 2K27 as a Clippers player. But it already feels like he’s getting the Raptors treatment. Yes, he moved up and OVR point to 93 and from 15th to 11th, all great. But now, Cade Cunningham is above him, despite averaging 4 fewer points per game, fewer rebounds, a lower FG percentage, and his complete disappearance in game 7 against Cleveland. It feels like while previous years, 2K has valued the “grandfathered in” greats, giving guys like LeBron, Kawhi, KD, and Steph the edge, now they seem to be favouring the “younger talent” and the fresh faces in the League. Wemby being second after three years isn’t undeserved, just surprising. Cunningham being 8th this quickly also caught me by surprise. It seems like things are slowly changing. 

My hot take: I’d have Steph 8th, KD 9th, and Kawhi 10th if it’s them over Cunningham (although honestly I think Maxey, Tatum, and Mitchell could all make a case for 10th over Cunningham too). 

Let’s see how the rest of the Raptors OVRs stack up as more information is announced.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Rockets fans and fans across the country.

You ready for this week’s question? It’s a good one. With former Houston Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni recently being named to the Basketball Hall of Fame, it’s time to discuss who was the second-best coach in Rockets history?

I had the luxury of being a senior in high school when the Rockets won their first title and a college freshman for the second, so it’s clearly Rudy T for me in the top spot. But both D’Antoni and former Rockets coach Rick Adelman (RIP) have a legitimate case for the number two spot.

Adelman finished with 195-135 Rockets record (.588), while D’Antoni was 217-101 (.682). However, it’s important to note that the Rockets only had a true contending roster until about 2009 for Adelman, with the next several seasons being mired in mediocrity. Adelman was 108-56 in his first two seasons (.659) until Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady fell to pieces.

Adelman was 9-10 in the postseason, getting to the Western Conference Semis in 2009, where the Rockets had a legitmate shot at the NBA Title (Yao was playing out of his mind), until injuries did them in against the Los Angeles Lakers.

D’Antoni made it all the way to Western Conference Finals in 2018, where injuries also did him in against the Golden State Warriors. I think both of those teams wind up with hardware if they didn’t get hurt. But the history books show they both fell short. D’Antoni was 28-23 in the postseason for Houston.

D’Antoni did take home Coach of the Year honors in the 2018 season, and he was the architect of the best regular season Rockets record at 65-17, while Adelman peaked at 55-27, but was the man to turn a perennial first round out under Jeff Van Gundy to a legitmate title contender. He also won multiple NBA Coach of the Month awards, but never took home Coach of the Year trophy.

So what say you? On paper, it looks like D’Antoni has the edge. He also transformed James Harden into an offensive juggernaut. But Adelman brought the best out of that group in 2009 and had a coaching tour de force during 2008 and 2009, including the famous 22-game win streak.

So what say you, TDS?

Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys:

Cast your vote, tell us in the comments, and we’ll be back soon with the results.

It looks like both sides are digging in their heels ahead of a fight between Jeanie Buss and her siblings.

News of the Buss family agreeing to sell their nearly 18% stake in the Lakers was quickly followed by Jeanie’s opposition to the sale. On Tuesday, the family responded to Jeanie’s claims with a statement to Shams Charania of ESPN.

Statement from Jim, Johnny, Janie, Joey and Jesse Buss after attorney of Jeanie Buss made clear she will battle her family members on selling their remaining 17.8% Lakers ownership stake:

The Los Angeles Lakers have never been just a basketball team. They have been one of the…

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 18, 2026

Here is the full statement:

The Los Angeles Lakers have never been just a basketball team. They have been one of the greatest privileges of our lives.

Our focus has always been on what we believe is best for the Lakers, the fans who have supported this franchise for generations and the greater Los Angeles community.

Johnny, Jimmy, Janie, Joey and Jesse have made the decision to sell the family’s remaining stake, and we remain united in that decision. We intend to move forward thoughtfully, respectfully and through the appropriate process.

We have tremendous respect for Bob Iger and Josh Kushner and believe they understand what the Lakers represent to Los Angeles and our incredibly loyal fan base. We are confident they will honor everything this franchise stands for while building upon the foundation our father created.

Clearly, the family is focused on moving forward with the sale, which is to be expected since they were the ones who voted for it. Of the two sides, the non-Jeanie siblings are definitely winning the PR battle right now.

Both this statement and the one when the sale was initially reported were well-crafted and portray the family making the decision that’s best for the Lakers. Portraying it in that light is a great win in the court of public opinion.

On the other hand, Jeanie’s letter about her siblings’ decision didn’t have the same vibe. It felt much more aggressive and dismissive about their wishes with an attitude that she knows best. Because she was put on the back foot, it was always going to be hard for her to come off as anything other than defensive, but that’s how her letter came across.

Unfortunately, a public back-and-forth is likely how portions of this will play out. It doesn’t really serve anyone’s best interests in doing so, but given how the family has handled things throughout the last decade, it feels like it’s the path we’re heading down.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.