Is it going to be a sweep?

It is going to be a sweep!

Here’s the latest after a delightful Game 3!

Mike Brown

On Philadelphia’s strong start to Game 3:

“They jumped out and they kind of punched us in the mouth to start the game. Our guys settled down and they figured it out the next three quarters after that first one went by. Great response by our group. They’re resilient, they’ve been through a lot as a veteran group and it showed tonight.”

On learning his team slowly but surely:

“I said when I took the job, you don’t really know the team until you get in the trenches with them. But from the outside looking in, you felt that this team would give you a chance. And they’ve done things throughout the course of the year … that we’re like, ‘OK, yeah, we might have a chance at this.’”

On Jalen Brunson as his security blanket:

“I’m Linus, and Jalen’s my blanket. So he gets me, he helps me relax at a lot of different times throughout the course of games. But that’s what great players do. They keep you poised, they make the game easier for everybody else, and they help you get through the stretch.”

On the bench’s resilience in Game 3:

“We’ve got a lot of good guys that are resilient, that are fighters. And they’ve done a good job of keeping their mind or staying present in whatever we’re doing. And it’s showing when they go out there and get the opportunity.”

On Shamet’s impact in Game 3:

“Landry hasn’t played a drop all playoffs. The first game, he was in the rotation, second game a little bit, and then he was out. Six, seven games that he hasn’t seen significant minutes on the court. Landry was huge for us tonight. Huge for us on both ends of the floor.”

On Shamet providing a spark:

“We needed a spark when they hit us in the mouth and Landry gave it to us. It was a big game on the road and it didn’t phase him. It was a lot of fun to watch.”

On depth players staying ready:

“As a coach, you love to see it. Sometimes you start Landry, sometimes you start [Mohammed Diawara]…at the end of the day, coming from me, that I have confidence in them. Not only that, your number can be called at any time and you need to be ready. They’ve done a good job of keeping their mind and staying present in whatever we’re doing. It’s showing whenever they get the opportunity. It’s shown with Jordan, it’s shown with Jose and it’s shown with Landry…Just a fantastic job by Landry tonight.”

On Mitchell Robinson’s Game 3 performance:

“Mitch Robinson was huge for us. He was huge. We ran him longer in stretches at times than we normally do but he was great in both directions for us. He was big for us throughout the course of the game. You talk about being physical without fouling defensively. You can be physical without fouling offensively, too. He set some great screens. And you can talk about, too, driving to the paint for a paint touch and a spray 3. His rolls — he’s a dynamic roller — his rolls caused Philadelphia’s defense to collapse. And that allows us to spray our passes. His rolls are dynamic and it helped us generate great looks from the perimeter, as well as his vertical threat. He had a couple lobs at the rim. And his offensive rebounding. He kept the ball alive a handful of times. So he was great on both sides of the ball.”

On Mikal Bridges guarding Paul George without OG Anunoby:

“Obviously with OG out we were down a big wing. So Mikal had to take that part over. We’re not switching Mikal necessarily on Embiid, but if it happens he’s just got to play him without fouling. Mikal did a lot of good tonight defensively no matter who he guarded. He was big in helping us get the win because of it.

“I applaud Mikal. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t point out the continued work Mikal is doing at the point of attack with Maxey. Maxey is a great player and you’re not going to stop him. You’ve got to give multiple efforts while guarding him. Mikal’s busting his behind trying to do that while also doing well offensively too.”

On playing without OG Anunoby:

“No matter who’s in or out — Mitch was out for us last game — we just have to go out, try to do our job, whatever our job is. Nobody has to do anything extraordinary. And so defensively and offensively, it’s the same with OG being out. You know, it’s going to be a collective effort for everybody to step up. And, you know, you always talk about next man up, and that’s what it is during this time of year or the regular season.”

On defending Tyrese Maxey:

“Maxey’s a great player, and you’re not going to stop Tyrese. Mikal has had most of the responsibility at the point of the ball, and so the point of the ball, you’ve got to be locked in guarding Maxey, you’ve gotta give multiple effort and you’ve gotta make him feel you without fouling because he’s a great player. Mikal is trying like the dickens to do that, and he’s doing a pretty good job with it based on who Maxey is.

“You’re not going to stop him. He had 13 in Game 1, and there was no point during the year where he had two games below 25 in a row. You just hope he misses some and you hope you can keep the pressure on him. But more importantly, you hope the defense is understanding what the coverages are and where the help is available, because he’s good. Great players find a way, and that’s why it’s our job as a staff to keep trying to throw different coverages at him, so hopefully that helps the guys on the floor.”

On the idea of drama motivating the team:

“I don’t look at it like that. I just coach the team, and I just tell them what I think is the truth. So I don’t try to intentionally increase, you said drama?”

Karl-Anthony Towns

On the Game 3 comeback win:

“Is a testament to the guys in this locker room, our discipline, just our mental fortitude to get through all the adversity and just find a way to win.

“We withstood the first punch. That’s a great team.”

On his belief in the locker room:

“I’ve been telling ya’ll, we believe in everybody in this locker room entering into the game and producing at a high level. Today showed that again.”

Jalen Brunson

On the Knicks not having reached their ceiling:

“I think we still have a lot of room that we can grow.”

On stepping up without Anunoby:

“It was definitely a team effort. Obviously, we want everyone back healthy. But it was important for everyone to step up and have the right mindset. To do whatever you gotta do to win.”

On Bridges’ Game 3 performance:

“We needed him, and he was great.”

Josh Hart

On Jordan Clarkson’ off-the-pine game:

“He’s an amazing person. He’s a great character dude and a true professional. We see him out there picking up full court at times, being physical on the perimeter and re-establishing himself in terms of defense. The way he’s able to bring an energy defensively, and he’s one of our best offensive rebounders. It’s amazing to see him change his game and doing his role to the best of his ability.”

On Knicks fans on the road:

“New York always comes out and shows love. They support us wherever we go. We need that. We need them to continue to do that, continue to support us.”

On stepping up without OG:

“Everyone picked it up. It’s one of those things where it’s next man up. Obviously we say that but that just means it’s more opportunity for guys. Mikal did an amazing job. Deuce gave us what he had. Landry, the ultimate professional, giving us big minutes offensively and defensively. We responded well to that adversity.”

On the Knicks’ identity:

“That’s just what our identity is. We continue to give something game after game and that’s energy. That’s what we strive to have, that energy, that physicality, that attention to detail and focus. We try to have that every game. We need to do that game after game after game.”

Mikal Bridges

On Shamet’s professionalism:

“Lan is a true professional. Just mentally not playing and throwing him out there and he ends up finishing the game. And we talk to him and give him his dap for what he does, but that’s just a true professional. And he works so hard and just got that mental — that mental killer in himself.”

On the Knicks’ response without OG:

“Everybody stepped up. We know how much OG means to us and everybody has to do their part. Everybody has to lend a hand. I think we all did that.”

Landry Shamet

On how the Knicks won Game 3:

“We talked about it the last few days. We knew they would. Coming back home down 2-0, you’re going to have a sense of desperation. That was coach’s sentiment this week… They played really well, scored the ball really well early. We weren’t as physical as we needed to be. Made a couple of adjustments and picked up our physicality and presence defensively, and it helped us.”

On staying ready as a bench player:

“Just stay ready. Your number’s called, you just stay ready. Felt good to be out there with my teammates. Felt good to get a win. We got one more in a matter of hours, really.”

On stepping up in Game 3:

“Yeah, it felt good, felt good to get in there with my teammates, felt good to get a win. We got one more, one more in a matter of hours, really. So trying to get our bodies right, get our minds right and try to go get one.”

Mitchell Robinson

On the Embiid poster not being good enough:

“The picture don’t got no trucks in it.”

On moving past the Embiid controversy from two years ago:

“No, not no more. I hear people talk about it. Kind of just channel it out. At the end of the day, it happened two years ago. You can’t go back in the past and I don’t want to go back in the back in the past and relive it. So it’s like, just learn, move on from it, keep pushing.”

On his free-throw work before Game 3:

“It paid off.”

On competing against Embiid:

“I like that fight. He’s a talented player, a great player. Been playing against him over the years now. And we’re playing on the big stage now. At this point, we just got to go.”

Nick Nurse

On Embiid’s effort in Game 3:

“I thought he gave us everything he could. I really do. I think he tried to give us everything he could tonight, and that’s all he can do.”

On facing elimination:

“We’re in a situation where we have to go out there and get the next one and see what happens. If you get one, it gets to 3-1, and then a series can turn pretty quickly. But we’re going to have to dig in and do some things better. We started out tonight playing great. But we had a bad stretch of defensive rebounding, and we gave up direct line drives. We just didn’t score enough. We didn’t keep the scoreboard moving.”

Joel Embiid

On returning from injury for Game 3:

“I’m OK. Obviously, a tough loss tonight. Just have to take it one game at a time.”

On the refs supposedly siding with the Knicks in Game 3:

“I’m not sure. Maybe it was let go on our end. They shot 32 free throws, we had 16. We’re not a team that shoots a lot of threes. We attack, put the ball on the ground. So, yeah, I don’t know. I guess it’s good when New York wins, so we’ve just got to have that mentality of just not fouling, I guess, and being smart enough to not put ourselves in a position where they’re going to take advantage of it.”

Paul George

On what’s next for the Sixers:

“S—. Win a game. Win a game. Keep the season alive.”

On playing tight games even in defeat:

“We’re right there. We’re just not finishing the game. I think we’re right there. We’re putting together three great quarters. We’re just not closing it out. I think we’ve just got to take it one game at a time. Again, we’ve been in position to win these games, give them credit. They’ve been huge down the stretch on their end, but I think the adjustments we can make limit their possessions, their extra second possessions, take one game at a time, and we’ll be back in that 3-1 spot where we were comfortable in the first series and try to claw our way back into it.”

On Brunson’s shot-making:

“Yeah, I mean, I think our defense have been good for the most part. I mean, we’ve got to tip our hat to JB. He’s making some big shots. He’s getting to his spots.”

Tyrese Maxey

On avoiding a sweep:

“We have to add a game to it. We have to just come out and try and get a game. We have to take it one possession at a time and one play at a time. But most importantly, we have to play with some pride and not get swept on our home floor.”

On making shots and limiting rebounds:

“We just have to make some shots. We have to limit rebounds. We have to keep playing together and playing the right way. Hopefully, that will benefit us.”

On facing Game 4 down 3-0:

“It’s still a great challenge. You gotta go do it. Either you don’t play with any pride, and you get swept on your home floor in the 2nd round of the playoffs, or you play with some pride, you win one game at a time.”

Kelly Oubre Jr.

On staying focused despite Knicks fans invading Philly:

“I could say something that could get clickbaited, but I’m not. At the end of the day, we’re the show on the court. We’re not necessarily focused on the crowd, the things like that. Obviously, we need it. We love it and we love our fans. But at the end of the day, we have to lock in on our task. We have to figure out our game plan, just have a tight huddle. No matter what, it’s loud. It’s kind of the same no matter who the crowd is cheering for. It’s loud. We have to be focused on the task at hand and just kind of have a short-term memory when it comes to things like that.”

The Los Angeles Lakers will try to climb into their Western Conference semifinals series with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder won the series’ first two games in Oklahoma City. The next two games are in L.A. Oklahoma City is favored by 8.5 points. The over/under for the matchup is set at 211.5.

How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers

• Date: Saturday, May 9

• Time: 8:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. PT

• Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California

• TV Channels: ABC

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

Odds

• Spread: Los Angeles Lakers +8.5

• Moneyline: Los Angeles Lakers +298 (24.1%) / Oklahoma City Thunder -379 (75.9%)

• Over/Under: 211.5

Series schedule, results

Game 1:Thunder 108, Lakers 90
Game 2:Thunder 125, Lakers 107
Game 3: Oklahoma City at Los Angeles (Saturday May 9, 8:30 ET, ABC)
Game 4: Oklahoma City at Los Angeles (Monday May 11, 10:30 ET, Prime Video)
Game 5: Los Angeles at Oklahoma City (Wednesday May 13)*
Game 6: Oklahoma City at Los Angeles (Saturday May 16)*
Game 7: Los Angeles at Oklahoma City (Monday May 18)*

*if necessary

The Knicks silenced the doubters on Friday night, defeating the 76ers 109-94 to take a commanding 3-0 series lead and move within one win of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Even with the return of Joel Embiid, Philadelphia had no answers for New York’s talent and depth. The Knicks weathered an early 12-point deficit, dominated the glass 49-33, and gradually broke the game open behind the poise of Jalen Brunson, the versatility of Mikal Bridges, big contributions from the bench, and another relentless effort from Josh Hart.

With defense par excellence, our heroes have held their opponents under 100 points for five of their current six-game win streak. Tyrese Maxey, who some in the media have mistakenly called a better player than Brunson, was handcuffed all night and worked hard to score 17 points in 44 minutes. Embiid, the 2022-23 NBA MVP, had to rely on dirty chicanery and still barely cleared 18 points and six rebounds in his 35 minutes. Once again, Paul George scored a dozen out of the gate and then sipped Gatorade for the rest of the game. When Kelly Oubre, Jr. is one’s best player in a playoff game, perhaps one’s championship aspirations are exaggerated? Coach Nick Nurse thought so. He folded in surrender with two minutes left and the game still within reach.

Let’s crack open the gradebook, shall we?

Jalen Brunson

38 MIN, 33 PTS, 5 REB, 9 AST, 3 TO, 11-22 FG, 3-8 3PT, 8-9 FT, +13

Brunson started slowly, missing six of his first eight shots, but eventually did what he always does: took complete control of the game. Philadelphia’s traps and double teams failed to rattle him. He dissected the Sixers’ coverage with patience, punished mistakes with smart passing, and buried several momentum-killing buckets late in the fourth quarter. His nine assists were every bit as valuable as his scoring. Grade: A

Karl-Anthony Towns

26 MIN, 8 PTS, 12 REB, 7 AST, 1 BLK, 1 TO, 3-8 FG, 0-2 3PT, 2-2 FT, +3

Towns never found his rhythm as a scorer, but he impacted the game elsewhere. He battled Embiid physically, cleaned the glass, and repeatedly punished Philly’s defensive rotations with sharp passing from the high post. His rebounding helped neutralize second-chance opportunities (eight defensive boards), and his willingness to facilitate kept the offense humming in the second quarter, allowing New York to take a lead that would last the rest of the game. Grade: B

Mikal Bridges

37 MIN, 23 PTS, 3 REB, 1 AST, 2 STL, 0 TO, 8-14 FG, 2-4 3PT, 5-5 FT, +15

After a abysmal first round series against Atlanta, a completely different Bridges has emerged in the second. In OG Anunoby’s absence (strained hammy), Bridges expanded his offensive role and delivered exactly what the Knicks needed. He attacked gaps aggressively, hit timely threes, and spent a good portion of the game in Maxey’s jersey. Perhaps most impressively, he logged 37 intense playoff minutes without committing a turnover. This must be the Iron Man conditioning of which they speak. His steady two-way play stabilized the Knicks throughout the night. Grade: A

Josh Hart

40 MIN, 12 PTS, 11 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 4 TO, 6-12 FG, 0-4 3PT, 0-2 FT, +5

Even with a jammed thumb and a crooked middle finger, Hart continues to do Hart things. Who expected any different? He led the team in minutes, grabbed 11 rebounds, defended multiple positions, and relentlessly chased loose balls. The outside shot never arrived (he has eight working fingers, so…) and the turnovers got sloppy at times, but that’s the price you pay when playing full-tilt boogie. His energy and physicality wore Philadelphia down over four quarters, and they have no one who can match him. Grade: B+

Miles McBride

21 MIN, 3 PTS, 2 AST, 2 BLK, 1-6 FG, 1-5 3PT, -4

The lowest grade of the night, and it’s a bummer given how much we revere Deuce around these parts. But, McBride struggled offensively for the second straight game, missing open looks and failing to provide much scoring punch with the second unit. Still, his defensive effort never wavered, and it was essential with Anunoby missing. The Knicks can survive quiet shooting nights from him as long as the defense remains intact. Grade: C+

Mitchell Robinson

19 MIN, 6 PTS, 6 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1-3 FG, 4-8 FT, +16

Big Mitch brought exactly the kind of interior force the Knicks needed against Embiid. He protected the rim, controlled space in the paint, and generated extra possessions with offensive rebounding. His free-throw shooting remains an adventure, but he hit half, and that was good enough to end Nick Nurse’s Hack-a-Mitch nonsense. His dunk on Embiid in the second quarter broke Philly’s back and immediately became an iconic Knicks image. It’s the definition of a poster. Grade: B

Landry Shamet

26 MIN, 15 PTS, 3 REB, 1 STL, 5-6 FG, 2-3 3PT, 3-4 FT, +20

What can you say about Shamet? He kind of fell out of favor in the Atlanta series, but he is always ready to contribute big minutes in a pinch. Last night, he was enormous off the bench. He missed one shot all night and repeatedly punished Philadelphia for collapsing too hard on Brunson drives, providing a reliable parachute for Cap. His spacing opened the floor, his shooting stabilized the bench lineups, and his team-high +20 plus/minus reflected just how impactful his minutes were. Drafted by Philly, wasn’t he? Grade: A

Jordan Clarkson

13 MIN, 4 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 2-3 FG, +11

Clarkson provided solid connective tissue minutes. He moved the ball, rebounded surprisingly well for a guard, and avoided forcing offense. Nothing too flashy, but exactly the sort of steady bench contribution winning teams need in May. Grade: B

Coach Grade: Mike Brown

Brown coached a disciplined, patient game. The Knicks never panicked after the rocky opening quarter. He managed Towns’ foul trouble effectively, leaned into the lineups that controlled the rebounding battle, and trusted Brunson and Bridges to close the door late. In his postgame presser, he called Jalen the blanket to his Linus. If only we all had a Jalen Brunson in our lives (I smell an ESPN skit). Grade: A

The Knicks now stand one win away from the Eastern Conference Finals. If they bring this same focus, rebounding, and late-game execution into Game Four, Philadelphia’s season may end on Sunday. Which is Mother’s Day, btw. Don’t forget the flowers. And go Knicks!

The Detroit Pistons will try to take a commanding 3-0 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers in their Eastern Conference semifinals series. The Pistons won the series’ first two games in Detroit. The next two games are in Cleveland. The Cavaliers are favored by 4.5 points in Game 3. The over/under for the matchup is set at 212.5.

How to watch Detroit Pistons vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

• Date: Saturday, May 9

• Time: 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT

• Where: Rocket Arena, Cleveland, Ohio

• TV Channels: NBC, Pea

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

Odds

• Spread: Cleveland Cavaliers -4.5

• Moneyline: Cleveland Cavaliers -179 (61.5%) / Detroit Pistons +149 (38.5%)

• Over/Under: 212.5

Series schedule, results

Game 1:Pistons 111, Cavaliers 101
Game 2:Pistons 107, Cavaliers 97
Game 3: Detroit at Cleveland (Saturday May 9, 3 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)
Game 4: Detroit at Cleveland (Monday May 11, 8 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)
Game 5: Cleveland at Detroit (Wednesday May 13)*
Game 6: Detroit at Cleveland (Friday May 15)*
Game 7: Cleveland at Detroit (Sunday May 17)*

*if necessary

The Los Angeles Lakers aren't getting Luka Doncic back as they head back home down 0-2 in their conference semifinal series with the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

Doncic has been out since April 2 with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, which he suffered against the Thunder during the final days of the regular season.

The Lakers have been without their leading scorer all throughout the playoffs.

Doncic, who averaged 33.5 points and 8.3 assists per game in the 2025-26 regular season, was ruled out of Game 3 in Los Angeles against the Thunder as he continues to nurse the injury and heal, according to the league's injury report as of 1 a.m. ET Saturday.

He missed the entire first round, where the Lakers handled the Houston Rockets in six games.

Anybody could have had Jalen Brunson in the 2018 NBA Draft. Anybody. The Villanova guard was the 33rd overall choice in that selection process, and has since parlayed his old-man game into four 20 point-per-game seasons and three All-Star appearances.

That same June night, the Sixers did have Mikal Bridges, albeit briefly. (Perhaps you’ve heard.) Landry Shamet, too.

They’re all Knicks now, Brunson via Dallas, Bridges (Brunson’s former teammate on the Main Line) via Phoenix and Brooklyn and Shamet via seemingly half the teams in the league. And on Friday night their play proved pivotal in the Knicks’ 108-94 victory over the Sixers in Game 3 of an Eastern Conference semifinal series.

That the Sixers are down 3-0 is due not only to Joel Embiid’s brittle body, Paul George’s aging body and Tyrese Maxey’s compromised body, but because the team doesn’t have nearly enough bodies.

Even without forward OG Anunoby (hamstring), and even with foul-plagued Karl-Anthony Towns managing eight points, the Knicks had ample reinforcements. Brunson scored 33. Bridges, amid a playoff heater, had 23, and Shamet surprised with 15 off the bench.

This is a guy who had managed 14 points in New York’s first eight playoff games. A guy who hadn’t cracked double figures since putting up 13 against Memphis in a regular-season game on April 1, and one who had played sparingly during a four-game stretch of the Knicks’ first-round series against Atlanta.

But on Friday he shot 5-for-6 from the floor and was a team-best plus-20 in 26:20.

“You just stay ready,” he said. “When your number’s called, you stay ready. … It felt good. It felt good to be out there with my teammates. Felt good to get a win.”

Bridges called the 29-year-old guard “a true professional.” Coach Mike Brown called him a lifesaver.

“We needed a spark,” he said, “and Landry gave it to us.”

The Knicks’ reserves outscored the Sixers subs 23-0 through the first three quarters, 29-11 overall. (Kudos to Quentin Grimes, minus-17 in 22:28, for a pair of fourth-quarter three-pointers.)

We need not relitigate the Jared McCain trade here, but we all see what he’s doing with Oklahoma City. (The counterpoint is that the Thunder is better able to cover up his defensive deficiencies, which the Knicks would certainly have attempted to exploit in this series, were he still on the roster. Still, the dude can shoot.)

The greater point is that the Sixers’ bench has been hideous all year, whether McCain has been on it or not. And whether because of tired legs or whatever, the team as a whole has run out of gas late in the last two games of this series. They were outscored 19-12 in that period in Game 2, 22–18 Friday. 

Also noteworthy – the 36-year-old George was 6-for-9 while scoring 15 points in the first quarter, scoreless on 0-for-9 shooting thereafter. Embiid gave it his best shot, but he’s clearly not even close to being right; he finished with 18 points and six rebounds.

And Maxey, who for weeks has been playing with a pinky injury, managed just 12 shots against a Bridges-led defense. Made eight, mind you, but it was clear the Knicks weren’t gonna let him wreck the game. And he didn’t, finishing with just 17 points.

One other thing: The Sixers, as has been their wont, were outrebounded 49-33, and outscored on second-chance points, 20-11.

Does Game 4 even need to be played on Sunday afternoon? Can’t the Sixers just fax a concession to league headquarters? Can’t the airtime be filled by Ben Simmons summer workout videos or some such thing?

Friday’s game began on a promising note for Philadelphia. Spurred by the crowd and desperate to climb out of an 2-0 series hole, the Sixers raced to a 20-8 lead highlighted by a pair of VJ Edgecombe dunks, off feeds from Maxey. But the Knicks kept coming, due in no small part to two guys with Sixers ties.

Bridges, taken 10th by Philadelphia in that 2018 draft and immediately flipped to Phoenix for another draftee, Zhaire Smith, and a 2021 No. 1, shot 8-for-14 from the floor. After an uneven regular season he is knocking down 64.9 percent of his attempts in the series, 69.4 percent over his last four games, while defending with his usual verve.

Shamet, selected 26th in 2018, spent 54 games with the Sixers before he and the first-rounder in the Bridges trade were sent to the Clippers for Tobias Harris. Shamet has since played for Brooklyn, Phoenix and Washington as well. And when Brunson rested late in Friday’s first quarter, it was Shamet who scored five points, helping the Knicks cut the gap to four by period’s end.

They went ahead for good with 8:20 left in the first half, at 38-35, and fended Philadelphia off the rest of the night. Brunson did his thing at the offensive end, Bridges on D. And everybody else seemed to help out.

When asked afterward about Bridges’ work against Maxey, Brown talked about the multiple efforts required to contain such a dynamic player. 

“And Mikal is busting his behind, trying to do that, trying to make it tough on him while giving it to us offensively,” the coach said. “So again, I applaud Mikal. I also applaud our defense behind Mikal.”

Bridges, who made his bones on defense early in his career at ‘Nova before blossoming as a scorer, agreed that defending Maxey is a group project. But certainly it began with him.

“Just trying to do whatever it takes to win,” he said. “The regular season means a lot, but it’s just another season after. Just giving it all.”

Added teammate Josh Hart, yet another Villanovan: “I never worry about (Bridges), because he’s gonna bring it every game. He’s gonna take his matchup personal.”

Brunson pointed out that defending at such a level is a matter of maintaining “that next-play mentality, having short-term memory, just focusing on the next play, next play.”

“So regardless of what’s happening, positive or negative,” he added, “he’s locked in for the next one. That’s just who he is.”

The Sixers closed the gap to 78-76 late in the third quarter, only to see the Knicks reel off the period’s last seven points, capped by Shamet’s right-wing three-pointer with 7.1 seconds left. New York, by that point up nine, then extended its lead to 16 in the fourth. And that was that.

“We’ve got one more, one more in a matter of hours, really,” Shamet said. “So try to get our bodies right, get our minds right, and try to go get one.”

Certainly they all seem to be pulling in the same direction. And it is all of them, too. That is what is most striking, and that is the difference in this series. Numbers. Bodies. Options. In order to fulfill expectations, Daryl Morey and Co. need to fill out the team’s roster. They need to find useful pieces along the lines of, say, Mikal Bridges or Landry Shamet. That is the challenge that awaits this offseason, which now appears to be very close indeed.

It’s been more than 26 years since the Knicks swept an opponent in a playoff series. After a 108-94 victory on Friday night against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Knicks have a chance to accomplish a feat that hasn’t happened since Patrick Ewing was their starting center. 

New York has put it all together in the playoffs. After falling behind 2-1 to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round, the Knicks have won six consecutive playoff games. The offense and defense are both humming. With a chance at a 4-0 series sweep on Sunday afternoon, let's walk through some keys to Game 4. 

Bridges game

With OG Anunoby unavailable due to a hamstring injury, Mikal Bridges stepped up in an immense way, posting 23 points on 8-for-14 shooting. Bridges led a decisive Knicks run in the second quarter, scoring 10 points in the frame.

We knew Jalen Brunson was going to be productive. The Knicks All-Star guard ended up with 33 points. But New York needed another player to come along for the ride and Bridges was game for the challenge.

With Karl-Anthony Towns limited to just eight points in 26 minutes due to foul trouble, Bridges stepped in for one of his best two-way performances of the season. Bridges has made a near 180-degree transformation from just two weeks ago. He’s been more aggressive in looking for his shot. 

Also, he’s done a good job of playing off of New York’s two All-Stars. Brunson is occasionally being blitzed on the pick-and-roll which has opened up some looks for Bridges. Towns’ emergence as a playmaker has allowed Bridges to make more plays as an off ball cutter. 

Going forward, the Knicks don’t need the 6-foot-6 wing to get out of character. He’s effective when he’s making quick reads as a play finisher.

Defense to the max

Defense is where Bridges has also helped the Knicks. His main responsibility has been checking 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey throughout this series. New York’s aggressive defensive strategy of blitzing Maxey in the pick-and-roll has largely worked. Maxey was efficient, going 8-for-12. But he only finished with 17 points in 44 minutes in Game 3. 

The Knicks have done a good job covering Maxey during this series, holding the All-Star point guard to 18.7 points and five assists through three games. That’s a far cry from 2024, when Maxey torched the Knicks for 29.8 points in six first-round games. Miles McBride and Landry Shamet also deserve some credit for defending Maxey throughout this game. 

Heading into Game 4, the Sixers will look to find a few ways to free up Maxey. Philadelphia could take a page out of New York’s playbook and have Maxey come off screens more often à la Brunson. The Sixers could also emphasize getting out and running to create some easy transition looks for the point guard.

Bench mob

A key to this series has been New York’s depth. Over the course of three games, New York’s reserves have an 86-51 scoring edge over Philadelphia. The Knicks bench shined brightest on Friday, outscoring Philadelphia’s subs 28-6 before the benches were emptied late in the game. Specifically, Shamet was a significant difference maker, putting up 15 points on 5-for-6 shooting from the field. 

Mitchell Robinson also returned from an illness to have a solid performance. In 16 minutes, he was a plus-16 with six points and six rebounds, including a monster alley-oop over Joel Embiid.

On the Sixers side, head coach Nick Nurse is not utilizing his bench much in this series. Outside of the starting lineup, the 76ers have about two or three reserves playing real rotation minutes. Maxey has sat for just five total minutes in the last two games. Starters Paul George and VJ Edgecombe have both played at least 38 minutes in both Games 2 and 3.

Every playoff series is a war of attrition. If the 76ers are going to lean this heavily on their starters, that gives the Knicks an energy advantage going into Game 4.

There’s a small sliver of hope settling over Lakers fans as the Western Conference semifinal series shifts to Southern California this weekend. 

Fans aren’t panicking yet, but make no mistake about it, the walls are closing in on the Lakers’ season.

Down 2-0 to the reigning champion Thunder, the Lakers aren’t just chasing wins, they’re chasing history, they’re chasing the odds, they’re even chasing the officials.

Let’s start with history. Teams that go up 2-0 in a best-of-seven series go on to win that series 93.7% of the time. In the conference semifinals, the odds are roughly the same; teams that take a 2-0 lead are 111-8 all time in the second round. 

Lakers fans will always believe in their team, but the better question is whether there’s something tangible to grab onto that provides proof LA can send this series back to OKC. 

Let’s dive into it. 

Firstly, the Lakers have actually done a credible job guarding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The reigning MVP hasn’t had much space to operate, much less be his dominant self. LA has thrown multiple coverages at him the second he crosses half court. 

They held him to 18 points in Game 1 and 13 points through the third quarter in Game 2. 

And yet, the Thunder are up 2-0. 

That’s the problem.

Because while the Lakers have been busy chasing the head of the snake, the body has been striking everywhere else. Chet Holmgren has 46 points and 21 rebounds. Ajay Mitchell has 38. The Thunder aren’t just deep, they’re surgical. They can beat you in so many ways. As soon as the Lakers take away one option, they crush you with three more. 

Which leads us to the first thing the Lakers must do to win Games 3 and 4 at home. 

They have to win the minutes when SGA is on the bench.

Right now, they’re getting dominated in those minutes. They are minus-26 across two games when SGA is not on the floor. If you can’t win the non-MVP minutes, you don’t deserve to extend this series.

But that also requires them to win the minutes when their own superstar is not on the floor. Or at the least, survive them. At 41 years old, LeBron James is still the best player on the court in the postseason. But when he sits for two- to three-minute breathers every quarter, the Lakers collapse without him. They’re minus-18 when he’s on the bench in this series. 

To survive those minutes, Austin Reaves needs to become the primary scorer on the court. He was a horrendous 3-for-16 shooting the ball in Game 1 but bounced back with a playoff career-high 31 points in Game 2. He helped the Lakers win one stretch without LeBron in the second quarter, but he needs to do that every quarter for the Lakers to win.

Because without Luka Doncic, when LeBron rests, the Lakers’ offense just doesn’t have the firepower necessary to keep up with the Thunder. 

Then there’s turnovers and extra possessions. 

The Thunder thrive on creating live-ball turnovers and turning defense into offense. The Lakers have committed 37 turnovers in two games, and most of them have been lazy passes, out-of-control dribbling and poor decisions. OKC has turned those into transition baskets and a plus-21 advantage in second-chance points.

If the Lakers can take care of the ball and clean that up, they’re back in the game.

Finally, there’s one stat that’s been following the Lakers all postseason, it’s the great equalizer: the 3-point line. 

It’s comically simple. In their eight playoff games, when they outshoot their opponent, they win. When they don’t, they lose. Shoot better than 40% from 3, hold OKC under its average and you’ll win. 

And yet, even if the Lakers can check all those boxes … their ceiling in this series still feels low.

The Thunder are the better team. They are the younger, deeper, more athletic and more physical team. Their defense doesn’t just contest shots, it makes the Lakers uncomfortable in everything they do. They manipulate whistles like a master magician. They get to the free-throw line and don’t get called for fouls on the other end of the floor. 

It might not be fair, especially with everything else the Lakers have to deal with, but that’s what it takes to win a championship. Which brings us back to reality. 

Without Doncic, the Lakers aren’t just trying to climb a mountain, they’re scaling a steep cliff without a rope. They have to play absolutely perfect basketball and pray the officials stop giving the Thunder the benefit of every call. The good news is they are back home. They need two nights of flawless basketball. Two nights where every loose ball bounces their way, every shooter is on a heater and every rotation gets there in time.

Do that and maybe you’ve bought yourself enough time for something miraculous to happen. 

Do the Lakers have a chance? 

Yes, but it just happens to be about 6%.

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This time, the referee went after the coach.

Veteran NBA referee Tony Brothers had to be held back from confronting Timberwolves coach Chris Finch in a shocking scene Friday night during Minnesota’s home 115-108 Game 3 loss to the Spurs.

Finch then called out the veteran official for his actions.

Tony Brothers had to be HELD BACK against Chris Finch pic.twitter.com/GgeC0nNQGV

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 9, 2026

“Pretty unprofessional, huh?” Finch said after the game.

The tense moment happened with a little more than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter when Finch attempted to call a timeout with his team trailing 102-100.

Finch believed Brothers delayed in granting the timeout with 5:09 left and voiced his displeasure, walking toward the referee and giving him his thoughts.

Brothers did not back down before being intercepted by a Minnesota player.

“I wanted the timeout. I had called it three seconds earlier and I wanted the timeout. I said, ‘I want my three seconds back,'” said Finch, whose team fell in a 2-1 series hole. “He clearly heard me. He looked my way, ignored me, went on with the play and then almost cost us a turnover.”

During the timeout, Brothers stood near the Minnesota huddle, and Finch said something to him that resulted in Brothers attempting to walk his way.

One Minnesota staffer and players prevented Brothers from getting face-to-face with Finch — and stopped a potential combustible situation.

“He lost it,” Finch said. “Then, I went to ask him where the ball was going to be taken in, and he screamed at me for that. Completely unprofessional behavior by him.”

Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards indicated that Brothers’ actions did not surprise him.

“We didn’t really hear what was going on. It’s competition at the highest level, man” Edwards said. “We wanna win, Finchy wanna win. And Tony Brothers is Tony Brothers. We all love him, so it’s all good.”

This is the second notable interaction between a player and referee in as many days, with the Lakers’ Austin Reaves accusing John Goble of yelling in his face Thursday, which left him feeling “disrespected.”

The 76ers’ Joel Embiid also alleged that the referees had some bias in Game 3, with the Knicks attempting 32 free throws to Philadelphia’s 16.

“I guess it’s good when New York wins,” Embiid said.

In our last installment, we took a look at the start of the season. The Mavericks lost their starting center, fired their GM and gave Cooper Flagg plenty of burn as a point guard. As December rolled in, Flagg was already showing exponential improvement and Anthony Davis returned to the lineup after missing 15 out of 16 November games.

December Record: 6-7 (12-22 overall)

The Mavericks opened the month with back-to-back wins, the first of which came against the Denver Nuggets. Dallas won four of their first five games in December, and five of their first seven. Suddenly, fans started picking up vibes that the Mavs may be finding their way and could ultimately make a push for the PlayIn Tournament or better. The wins weren’t due to a soft schedule either, as Dallas got the best of the Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons during this stretch. Then they lost five of their final six games of the month, with the sole victory ironically coming against Denver for a second time in three weeks. The stumble robbed the Mavs of momentum as they entered the new year ten games under .500.

Flagg’s first 40-point game

In an overtime loss to the Utah Jazz on December 15, Flagg scored a point per minute played. He poured in 42 points on 13-for-27 shooting from the floor and 15-for-20 from the free throw line. It may seem like the feat deserves an asterisk for being an OT game, but Flagg actually hit the 40-point mark in regulation. He was still a week shy of turning 19 years old at the time, making this effort even more amazing. Flagg’s game was developing at a rapid pace right before our eyes, with this gem being the highlight to that point.

The emergence of Ryan Nembhard

Nembhard went from a player who did not play a single minute in 13 of the Mavericks’ first 21 games, to a starter in all 13 December contests. During the stretch, he averaged 9.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. He double-doubled on points and assists on three occasions and scored in double figures six times. Although his season overall was up-and-down, he proved a capable floor general when needed and helped bring a semblance of balance to a lineup that was often anything but.

Anthony Davis’ back-to-back 30-point games

Davis gave himself an early Christmas present with two of the best games he played in a Mavericks’ uniform. In a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on December 22, he dropped in 35 points, then followed it up the next night in the aforementioned win over Denver with 31 more. Combined across the two games, Davis scored 66 points on 60% shooting from the floor, to go along with 26 rebounds, six assists, four steals and a blocked shot. Davis was as dominant as he had ever been in his short time with the Mavs. Across those same two games, Flagg scored a combined 49 points of his own, matching Davis’ 30-plus point outing with 33 against Denver. It was a brief glimpse of how effectively Davis and Flagg could play together against a good team, however it wasn’t meant to last, as we’ll see next time when we take a look at January.

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 Washington Wizards’ second most productive player last season was someone they acquired with a 10-day contract in Febuary of 2024. A couple weeks later, they signed him to a two-way deal. A calendar year later, they signed him to a four-year $10 million contract with a team option on the final season.

I’m talking about Justin Champagnie, of course. And Champagnie — despite haphazard minutes and an apparently eternal case of bedhead — has already outperformed the contract. Don’t be shocked if the Wizards decline that option so they can give him a better deal after next season. Well, depending on a big “if.”

If the Wizards hold an open competition for roles and minutes, I suspect Justin Champagnie would emerge as one of the team’s starting forwards. “Suspect” is doing some work because the Wizards have kept him in a reserve role while they gave developmental minutes to their draft picks.

Only thing: on a per minute basis, Champagnie has outperformed all of them, except Alex Sarr.

I kinda get the coaching staff’s reticence at elevating him. His game is more “four” than “three” though his size (6-6, 205) is more “three” than “four.” He’s somehow effective, efficient, and productive…and shot just 31.9% from three this season — exactly the same percentage as Bilal Coulibaly.

Basketball-Reference’s position estimator doesn’t know what to do with him. B-R guesstimate’s he spent 77% of his minutes at small forward or shooting guard. Drill into the lineup data and you’ll quickly see he played close to zero minutes at either.

Eliding the issue that traditional position designations are meaningless in the modern NBA, Champagnie’s real position is “forward.” He rebounds, defends up in size reasonably well, is a willing and effective screen-setter, and he has some of the requisite perimeter skills basically everyone except behemoths and freaks need. And the behemoths and freaks often need some perimeter skills too.

Last season, the Wizards entered the season with Champagnie firmly planted on the bench. He didn’t surpass six minutes until the sixth game of the season. After a couple strong games in limited minutes, he returned to single digit playing time for three more games. The on-court time got more steady after that, but he went over 30 minutes just five times all season.

This season, Champagnie set new per possession career bests in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. He set a new low in turnovers (just 1.5 per 100 possessions) and a new high in offensive rating (nearly 10 points per possessions better than average).

And while I’ve previously cited research to explain away the lack of plus/minus impact from his younger teammates, the Wizards have been better each of the past two seasons with Champagnie on the floor — +3.5 per 100 possessions last season, and +4.8 the year before.

This is not to say the Wizards have been good with him out there. They’ve been -9.0 or worse both seasons. It’s more accurate to say they’ve been less awful when he plays.

Don’t get me wrong: I don’t think Champagnie is a viable starting forward on a good team. He’d be a valuable rotation guy on a good team — a seventh or eighth man who will make a bunch of right plays, avoid mistakes, and rise to the intensity of truly competitive basketball.

And I think there’s a better than 50/50 chance that he’ll take minutes from more celebrated teammates in a fair competition.

Below is Champagnie’s performance ekg for this season. The graph suggests a greater level of consistency than the game-to-game data shows. The 5-game, 10-game, 20-game, and full season rolling PPA scores were relatively consistent, but his score in my consistency index was 84 — about the same as Sarr’s. That’s much more consistent than Coulibaly’s or Kyshawn George’s. I suspect the consistency of his production would improve with a more consistent diet of minutes.

If there’s one thing on Champagnie’s page in the spreadsheet to worry about, it’s a relative lack of high-end games. This season, he had just six games with a PPA over 200, and 17 over 150.

If I had to add one more thing, it’d be that his overall PPA score (105) this season was just around average.

Okay, there’s one final thing: this was his age 24 season, right at the end of the age grouping when players typically make their biggest leaps forward. From 25 forward, improvement tends to be more incremental before beginning to decline in their late 20s and early 30s. And then there’s often a cliff (at least traditionally) at ages 32-33.

That’s jumping ahead quite a bit — the point here is that he’s at an age where “what you see is what you get” is more likely than not. That’s not bad. Words I’d use to describe what he’s done the past couple years are ones like decent and competent. I’m hopeful guys like George and Coulibaly are able to relegate him to the bench.

But my guess is when they’re battling for postseason seeding or they’re in the playoffs, Champagnie will be out there in high-leverage situations and one or more of his more ballyhooed teammates will be watching from the sidelines.

The Detroit Pistons are up 2-0 on the Cleveland Cavaliers due to their relentless intensity on both ends. The Cavs aren’t just folding; Detroit is putting them in positions to fail.

Any headline about this series should lead with what Detroit is doing right instead of what Cleveland is failing at. Detroit can force mainstream media to lead with them if they take a commanding 3-0 lead Saturday afternoon. 

The Cavs have been a different team in Cleveland in the postseason, but the Pistons are road warriors. Their 24-point comeback in Orlando gave them even more belief that they can barge into anyone’s home and kick their feet up.

GAME VITALS

Where:  Rocket Arena, Cleveland, Ohio

When: 3:00 PM EST

Watch: Peacock/NBC

Odds: Pistons (+3.5)

Analysis 

The Cavs have tanked on the road in these playoffs. They’ve averaged 100 points in five road losses. At home, they explode with 120 points and have yet to lose at the Rocket Arena.

Detroit can change that if they ratchet up the pressure on Cleveland’s guards. James Harden may be dealing with something, but his play has not been up to par. 

It’s not going down like this because he is a playoff choker. Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson are legit defenders who take matchups personally. Harden’s theatrics got Ausar in foul trouble, but the results of that were Ron Holland minutes. That’s not an easier task for Harden. There are dawgs everywhere in Detroit. 

Some speak on the Cavs and Harden’s turnovers like it’s easy to just stop flipping the ball vs this Pistons defense. Detroit has made teams and players with tight ball security morph into revolving turnover doors all season. That’s what they do. 

Cade is showing what superstars do. Cade’s 20-point streak to start his playoff career should remind everyone that Detroit has one of the future faces of our game.

He has clearly outplayed Cavs star Donovan Mitchell. Cade comes alive in the clutch, while Mitchell has not yet. Mitchell is due for one of those playoff explosions. It seems like he was flowing after hitting that bank shot, but Detroit bottled him up in the fourth quarter.

Evan Mobley has been in a straitjacket. He’s been invisible for stretches over the first two games. The Pistons bigs are handling their business winning the physicality battle. That was an advantage coming into this series, and it must be doubled down on to go up 3-0. Good Mobley usually means good Cavs. It’s paramount that Detroit continues to slow down arguably the Cavs most important player. 

Jalen Duren’s stats aren’t head-turning, but his approach has been better this series. If nothing else, he is drawing 4.5 fouls per game vs Cleveland compared to 2.7 against Orlando (PivotFade). Duren has been more aggressive and can get even better.

As the saying goes, role players play better at home. So expect Jaylon Tyson, Dennis Schröder, Max Strus, and Dean Wade to look a bit better. Their best shooter, Sam Merrill, remains questionable with a hamstring injury.

Their role players should step up at home, but Detroit’s need to replicate what they’ve done. Duncan Robinson is on a heater. Maybe he doesn’t average five 3s in Cleveland, but he’s forcing the Cavs to guard him. 

Daniss Jenkins and Tobias Harris are as well. Their off-the-dribble juice has given Cleveland trouble. Cleveland choosing to ignore these players like Orlando did is detrimental because they are rolling now. 

Detroit can go up 3-0 and shift the conversation. This series has not been about Cleveland’s downfall. And this series is certainly not about Cade having help and Mitchell having none. 

If Mobley, Harden, Jarrett Allen, and the Cavs’ role players aren’t stepping up, it’s because those dawgs in Detroit continue to shut their water off. That is how that should be framed. This defense has made great players uncomfortable all year.

LINEUPS

Detroit Pistons (2-0): Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Cleveland Cavaliers (0-2): James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Have your thoughts on Tobias Harris changed due to these playoffs?

A look at each team in the NBA draft lottery — and how it's gone for them in the past originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The NBA draft lottery is Sunday, with Washington, Indiana and Brooklyn having the best odds of winning the No. 1 pick.

The lottery began in 1985, when the New York Knicks received the top selection and altered the course of their franchise by taking Patrick Ewing. The format has had its share of changes since then, and there might be another coming soon, but for now the process should be pretty familiar. The top four selections are determined via a weighted draw. Then picks No. 5-14 are dispersed in reverse order of finish from this season.

Last year, The Associated Press reviewed each franchise’s draft lottery history. Here is an updated version — including only the teams involved in this year’s lottery.

___

Washington Wizards/Bullets

Lottery Wins: 2001 (Kwame Brown) and 2010 (John Wall)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2024; No. 3 in 2012 and 2013

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1993, 1995, 2004, 2009 and 2025

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 14%

Details: Only 11 teams have received multiple No. 1 picks in the lottery era, so the Wizards’ luck hasn’t been all bad. But dropping from second to sixth last year was a blow. If their pick had fallen out of the top eight this year, it would have gone to the Knicks, but after finishing with the league’s worst record, Washington doesn’t have to worry about that.

Indiana Pacers

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1985 and 1988

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1986

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 14%

Details: Indiana was one of the worst teams in the league when the lottery began and narrowly missed out on Ewing in 1985. The Pacers’ pick this year goes to the Los Angeles Clippers if it is outside the top four.

Brooklyn/New Jersey Nets

Lottery Wins: 1990 (Derrick Coleman) and 2000 (Kenyon Martin)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1991; No. 3 in 1987 and 2010

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1988

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 14%

Details: The Nets had just a 4% chance at the No. 1 pick when they won it in 2000, and they would have another top pick to their credit if they hadn’t dealt their selection away before the 2017 lottery.

Utah Jazz

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 3 in 2011

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2025

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 11.5%

Details: The Jazz haven’t been in the lottery much over the past four decades, and when they have they’ve often been an afterthought. A trade gave them the Nets’ pick at No. 3 in 2011. Last year, Utah was in the top pre-lottery spot but fell to the No. 5 pick.

Sacramento Kings

Lottery Wins: 1989 (Pervis Ellison)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2018; No. 3 in 1991

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2009 and 2010

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 11.5%

Details: Sacramento’s lone lottery victory led to a forgettable selection at No. 1, but the Kings haven’t had as many heartbreaking drops as you might think. Only once, in 2009, have they had the top pre-lottery position.

Memphis/Vancouver Grizzlies

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009 and 2019; No. 3 in 1996

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1997, 2002, 2007 and 2018

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 9%

Details: Plenty of No. 2 picks but no No. 1s. In 2003, the Grizzlies moved up four spots to No. 2, but that pick belonged to Detroit because of a trade. Had Memphis moved up one more spot to No. 1, its pick would have been protected — and the Grizzlies would have had a chance to draft LeBron James.

Atlanta Hawks

Lottery Wins: 2024 (Zaccharie Risacher)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2005; No. 3 in 2001, 2007 and 2018

Dropped Out Of Top 3: None

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 9.8%

Details: The Hawks finally exited the never-won-the-lottery club two years ago, making good on a 3% chance to land the first pick. This year Atlanta gets either New Orleans’ first-round pick or Milwaukee’s, whichever is better. (The Pelicans are seventh in the pre-lottery pecking order and the Bucks are 10th.)

Dallas Mavericks

Lottery Wins: 2025 (Cooper Flagg)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1994

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1986, 1992, 1993 and 2018

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 6.7%

Details: The Mavericks were one of the unluckiest franchises in lottery history before capitalizing on a 1.8% chance to land Flagg. Before that, Dallas had never once improved its pick position. The mid-1990s were particularly dire. In 1993 the Mavericks went 11-71 but dropped three spots to No. 4. A 13-69 mark the following season didn’t yield the top pick either.

Chicago Bulls

Lottery Wins: 1999 (Elton Brand) and 2008 (Derrick Rose)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2002 and 2006; No. 3 in 2004

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2000 and 2001

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 4.5%

Details: The Bulls landed the No. 1 pick just a season after losing Michael Jordan. They’ve struggled to build a contender since then, but they’ve had their chances.

Milwaukee Bucks

Lottery Wins: 1994 (Glenn Robinson) and 2005 (Andrew Bogut)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2014

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2007

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: None

Details: Neither of those No. 1 picks was as much of a game changer for the Bucks as Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was taken outside the lottery in 2013. If Milwaukee’s pick this year is higher than New Orleans’, it would go to Atlanta and the Bucks would get the Pelicans’ selection.

Golden State Warriors

Lottery Wins: 1995 (Joe Smith)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2020; No. 3 in 1986, 1993 and 2002

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1985, 1988 and 2001

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 2%

Details: The Warriors were the lottery’s first big losers, receiving the No. 7 pick in the very first edition in 1985 after finishing tied for the worst record in the league. It wasn’t long before the NBA changed the rules to make drops of that size impossible.

Oklahoma City Thunder/Seattle SuperSonics

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1990, 2007 and 2022; No. 3 in 2009

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2008

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 1.5%

Details: Of the eight franchises that have never won the lottery, this is one of the luckiest. While in Seattle, the team moved up eight picks to get Gary Payton in 1990 and climbed three spots to select Kevin Durant in 2007. Now the Thunder have the Los Angeles Clippers’ pick.

Miami Heat

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2008; No. 3 in 1990

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1989 and 1991

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 1%

Details: The Heat have neither needed nor received much help in the lottery recently, but they could have used some during the franchise’s difficult early years. Miami dropped from first to fourth in 1989 after winning 15 games, then fell from second to fifth a couple of years later.

Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats

Lottery Wins: 1991 (Larry Johnson)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1992, 2012 and 2023; No. 3 in 1999, 2006 and 2020

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1989, 2005, 2013, 2024 and 2025

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 0.5%

Details: Charlotte has had so many lottery appearances that it is not surprising the franchise has experienced some good and bad. Jumping six spots to get Alonzo Mourning in 1992 might’ve been even more important than landing Johnson at No. 1 the year before. The Hornets also moved up a whopping 10 spots to No. 3 in 1999 and took Baron Davis.

Los Angeles Clippers

Lottery Wins: 1988 (Danny Manning), 1998 (Michael Olowokandi) and 2009 (Blake Griffin)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1989, 1995, 2001 and 2004; No. 3 in 1985 and 2000

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1987 and 1999

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: None

Details: The Clippers have had bad luck in a variety of ways, but the lottery has generally treated them fairly. Three No. 1 picks and six more top-three picks more than make up for occasional disappointments, like missing out on David Robinson after a 12-win season in 1987. Los Angeles has to give its pick to Oklahoma City, but the Clippers receive Indiana’s if it is No. 5 or No. 6.

A look at each team in the NBA draft lottery — and how it's gone for them in the past originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The NBA draft lottery is Sunday, with Washington, Indiana and Brooklyn having the best odds of winning the No. 1 pick.

The lottery began in 1985, when the New York Knicks received the top selection and altered the course of their franchise by taking Patrick Ewing. The format has had its share of changes since then, and there might be another coming soon, but for now the process should be pretty familiar. The top four selections are determined via a weighted draw. Then picks No. 5-14 are dispersed in reverse order of finish from this season.

Last year, The Associated Press reviewed each franchise’s draft lottery history. Here is an updated version — including only the teams involved in this year’s lottery.

___

Washington Wizards/Bullets

Lottery Wins: 2001 (Kwame Brown) and 2010 (John Wall)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2024; No. 3 in 2012 and 2013

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1993, 1995, 2004, 2009 and 2025

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 14%

Details: Only 11 teams have received multiple No. 1 picks in the lottery era, so the Wizards’ luck hasn’t been all bad. But dropping from second to sixth last year was a blow. If their pick had fallen out of the top eight this year, it would have gone to the Knicks, but after finishing with the league’s worst record, Washington doesn’t have to worry about that.

Indiana Pacers

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1985 and 1988

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1986

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 14%

Details: Indiana was one of the worst teams in the league when the lottery began and narrowly missed out on Ewing in 1985. The Pacers’ pick this year goes to the Los Angeles Clippers if it is outside the top four.

Brooklyn/New Jersey Nets

Lottery Wins: 1990 (Derrick Coleman) and 2000 (Kenyon Martin)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1991; No. 3 in 1987 and 2010

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1988

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 14%

Details: The Nets had just a 4% chance at the No. 1 pick when they won it in 2000, and they would have another top pick to their credit if they hadn’t dealt their selection away before the 2017 lottery.

Utah Jazz

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 3 in 2011

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2025

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 11.5%

Details: The Jazz haven’t been in the lottery much over the past four decades, and when they have they’ve often been an afterthought. A trade gave them the Nets’ pick at No. 3 in 2011. Last year, Utah was in the top pre-lottery spot but fell to the No. 5 pick.

Sacramento Kings

Lottery Wins: 1989 (Pervis Ellison)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2018; No. 3 in 1991

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2009 and 2010

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 11.5%

Details: Sacramento’s lone lottery victory led to a forgettable selection at No. 1, but the Kings haven’t had as many heartbreaking drops as you might think. Only once, in 2009, have they had the top pre-lottery position.

Memphis/Vancouver Grizzlies

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009 and 2019; No. 3 in 1996

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1997, 2002, 2007 and 2018

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 9%

Details: Plenty of No. 2 picks but no No. 1s. In 2003, the Grizzlies moved up four spots to No. 2, but that pick belonged to Detroit because of a trade. Had Memphis moved up one more spot to No. 1, its pick would have been protected — and the Grizzlies would have had a chance to draft LeBron James.

Atlanta Hawks

Lottery Wins: 2024 (Zaccharie Risacher)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2005; No. 3 in 2001, 2007 and 2018

Dropped Out Of Top 3: None

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 9.8%

Details: The Hawks finally exited the never-won-the-lottery club two years ago, making good on a 3% chance to land the first pick. This year Atlanta gets either New Orleans’ first-round pick or Milwaukee’s, whichever is better. (The Pelicans are seventh in the pre-lottery pecking order and the Bucks are 10th.)

Dallas Mavericks

Lottery Wins: 2025 (Cooper Flagg)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1994

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1986, 1992, 1993 and 2018

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 6.7%

Details: The Mavericks were one of the unluckiest franchises in lottery history before capitalizing on a 1.8% chance to land Flagg. Before that, Dallas had never once improved its pick position. The mid-1990s were particularly dire. In 1993 the Mavericks went 11-71 but dropped three spots to No. 4. A 13-69 mark the following season didn’t yield the top pick either.

Chicago Bulls

Lottery Wins: 1999 (Elton Brand) and 2008 (Derrick Rose)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2002 and 2006; No. 3 in 2004

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2000 and 2001

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 4.5%

Details: The Bulls landed the No. 1 pick just a season after losing Michael Jordan. They’ve struggled to build a contender since then, but they’ve had their chances.

Milwaukee Bucks

Lottery Wins: 1994 (Glenn Robinson) and 2005 (Andrew Bogut)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2014

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2007

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: None

Details: Neither of those No. 1 picks was as much of a game changer for the Bucks as Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was taken outside the lottery in 2013. If Milwaukee’s pick this year is higher than New Orleans’, it would go to Atlanta and the Bucks would get the Pelicans’ selection.

Golden State Warriors

Lottery Wins: 1995 (Joe Smith)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2020; No. 3 in 1986, 1993 and 2002

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1985, 1988 and 2001

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 2%

Details: The Warriors were the lottery’s first big losers, receiving the No. 7 pick in the very first edition in 1985 after finishing tied for the worst record in the league. It wasn’t long before the NBA changed the rules to make drops of that size impossible.

Oklahoma City Thunder/Seattle SuperSonics

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1990, 2007 and 2022; No. 3 in 2009

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2008

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 1.5%

Details: Of the eight franchises that have never won the lottery, this is one of the luckiest. While in Seattle, the team moved up eight picks to get Gary Payton in 1990 and climbed three spots to select Kevin Durant in 2007. Now the Thunder have the Los Angeles Clippers’ pick.

Miami Heat

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2008; No. 3 in 1990

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1989 and 1991

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 1%

Details: The Heat have neither needed nor received much help in the lottery recently, but they could have used some during the franchise’s difficult early years. Miami dropped from first to fourth in 1989 after winning 15 games, then fell from second to fifth a couple of years later.

Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats

Lottery Wins: 1991 (Larry Johnson)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1992, 2012 and 2023; No. 3 in 1999, 2006 and 2020

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1989, 2005, 2013, 2024 and 2025

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 0.5%

Details: Charlotte has had so many lottery appearances that it is not surprising the franchise has experienced some good and bad. Jumping six spots to get Alonzo Mourning in 1992 might’ve been even more important than landing Johnson at No. 1 the year before. The Hornets also moved up a whopping 10 spots to No. 3 in 1999 and took Baron Davis.

Los Angeles Clippers

Lottery Wins: 1988 (Danny Manning), 1998 (Michael Olowokandi) and 2009 (Blake Griffin)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1989, 1995, 2001 and 2004; No. 3 in 1985 and 2000

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1987 and 1999

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: None

Details: The Clippers have had bad luck in a variety of ways, but the lottery has generally treated them fairly. Three No. 1 picks and six more top-three picks more than make up for occasional disappointments, like missing out on David Robinson after a 12-win season in 1987. Los Angeles has to give its pick to Oklahoma City, but the Clippers receive Indiana’s if it is No. 5 or No. 6.

Joel Embiid believes the fix is in.

The 76ers center said, “I guess it’s good when New York wins” after pointing out the Knicks tallied twice as many free-throw attempts as Philadelphia in their 108-94 road win in Game 3 of the second-round series.

Friday’s physical contest featured the Knicks notching their most free throw attempts in the series with 32, while the 76ers attempted their fewest with 16.

“Maybe [some potential fouls] was let go or not. They shot 32 free throws, we had 16. We’re not a team that shoots a lot of 3s. We attack, put the ball on the ground. I don’t know,” Embiid said.

“I guess it’s good when New York wins, so we’ve just got to have that mentality of just not fouling, I guess, and being smart enough to not put ourselves in a position where they’re going to take advantage of it.”

The 76ers find themselves in a 3-0 hole, and Embiid’s frustrations are seemingly boiling over after Philadelphia missed a chance to make this a series Friday night.

Philadelphia attempted more free throws in the first two games — 62 to 42, including a 34-17 edge in Game 1 — but did not receive the same advantage in what could have been billed as a must-win.

The Knicks’ high free-throw attempt total was boosted by Mitchell Robinson’s eight shots from the line, with the 76ers employing the Hack-a-Mitch strategy, but even if one were to exclude those from the Knicks’ total, they still would have finished with 50 percent more tries than Philadelphia.

Jalen Brunson, who has attempted at least eight free throws in all three games and 25 total, had more than half of Philadelphia’s total with his nine attempts.

Emibiid, who had attempted at least seven free throws in each of his five postseason games entering Friday, only had six tries in his 18-point, six-rebound performance.

Both Embiid and Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns — who played just 26 minutes due to five fouls — showed frustration with the whistle during the game.

Early in the first quarter, both Embiid and Towns fell to the ground while fighting for a rebound and Embiid could not believe the referees did not call a foul on the Knicks’ big man.

He then fouled Towns on the other end and demonstratively yelled at the referees.

Embiid was also surprised after being called for a moving screen in the second quarter while Landry Shamet ran through him with the Knicks ahead by 11.

One particular play that enraged the 76ers — and particularly their fans — came late in the third quarter a critical juncture.

After Philadelphia sliced the deficit to 80-76 with less than 50 seconds remaining, the referees called Quentin Grimes for a questionable foul on Brunson, who embellished the contact.

When in doubt, just throw your head back and yell. pic.twitter.com/NOrxscfoQV

— Jason Timpf (@_JasonLT) May 9, 2026

Brunson hit two free throws to push the lead to six, the 76ers missed two 3s on the other end and Landry Shamet then drilled a 3 to give the Knicks an 85-76 lead going into the fourth quarter.

The cruel reality for the 76ers is that even if one subtracts the extra free throw makes (10) from the final score, Philly still would have fallen short Friday.

And now they are one loss away from being eliminated by the Knicks for the second time in three years.

“Tough loss tonight,” Embiid said. “Got to take it one game at a time.”