Category: Basketball

With Game 1 of Knicks-Hawks coming up on Saturday, an Eastern Conference scout shares three things to watch during the series:

SLOWING ATLANTA IN TRANSITION

"They have been really good getting out on the break. Jalen (Johnson) is such a great rebounder and he gets it and goes. New York’s transition defense has been okay lately. But Jalen will put a lot of pressure on them. You (have to) pay attention to (Nickeil Alexander-Walker). He’s great in transition. (Jonathan) Kuminga can hurt you. Atlanta doesn’t need a turnover to get going – that’s what makes them so tough. It’s a rebound from Johnson and they are off. And they have multiple guys who can (push the ball off of a rebound). Even if you get back, their flow and the screening in their half court offense is tricky. 

"Maybe the Knicks give up something on the offensive glass and keep some people back to slow the Hawks. This, to me, is where the Knicks can get into trouble if they don’t execute.”

HAWKS VS. KAT

"So many teams have put a wing on (Karl-Anthony Towns) and put a center on (Josh) Hart. That’s obviously worked for some of (those teams). I don’t know if the Hawks will do that. I can’t see (Jalen Johnson) defending KAT. Maybe there is another wing who can do it? It’s one of the biggest factors, to me. If Atlanta defends Towns with (Onyeka Okongwu), I think that’s a potential series-killer for them. When a big (is guarding Towns) it just opens up so much for the Knicks. 

"The (Jalen Brunson-Towns two-man action) was strong the (last time the Knicks played Atlanta, which was a road win). Putting (Okongwu) on KAT gives them a chance to really get (the Towns-Brunson action) going. Tough call for Quin (Snyder) and the group."

DEFENDING BRUNSON

"The results have been up and down, but I like (Dyson) Daniels on Brunson. If they try to get Daniels off of him with a screen, the Hawks have other (versatile defenders) who can step in. You know Brunson is going to get to his spots but you want to make him work for everything and play him physical without fouling. Not an easy (job), but I’d take Daniels over just about anybody.

"On the other end, does (Brunson) guard CJ (McCollum)? Can Atlanta create mismatches by screening (and forcing Brunson to switch who he is defending)? That’s obviously what they want to do. But (Brunson) is tough and doesn’t die (on screens). That’s another (part of the) chess match I’m keeping an eye on."

PREDICTION

"I love Atlanta but I think the atmosphere at the Garden could be tough for them and I think they’ll struggle with Towns (and Mitchell Robinson). I don’t think this is going longer than six (games), so I’ll take Knicks in six."

Welcome to the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

For the third time in four years, the Minnesota Timberwolves will take on the Denver Nuggets in the playoffs. The two teams have become incredibly familiar with each other as they have played a total of 28 times over the past four seasons.

Three years ago, fresh off a trade for Rudy Gobert, the eighth-seeded Wolves lost to the eventual champion Nuggets in five games, a series that Nuggets players called the toughest of their playoff run. The next season, in possibly the greatest game in Timberwolves history, Minnesota came back from 20 points down in the second half of Game 7 in Denver to reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 20 years.

For the two fanbases, the history goes back even further than that. In 2004, the Wolves’ first-ever playoff series victory as a franchise came against Carmelo Anthony and the Nuggets. In 2018, Jimmy Butler and the Wolves beat the Nuggets, eliminating them on the final day of the regular season while clinching the franchise’s first playoff berth in 14 years.

“I don’t think there’s anything else to call it but a rivalry.” -Anthony Edwards on the Timberwolves-Nuggets matchup.

A new chapter in this rivalry is set to begin Saturday afternoon in Denver, and it’s sure to be electric. It always is with these two teams.

Playoff Anthony Edwards

Any discussion of the Timberwolves in the playoffs, but especially against the Nuggets, has to begin with the team’s superstar, Anthony Edwards.

Edwards comes into the playoffs as the biggest health question mark for Minnesota. Ant played in a career-low 61 games, 18 fewer than the past three seasons. Since mid-March, Edwards has only played in a total of three games, averaging just 25.3 minutes per game.

The most recent issue has been what is colloquially known as “runner’s knee.” It’s an injury that is unlikely to lead to further issues, but also one that can flare up seemingly out of nowhere and cause pain. The best thing an athlete can do to treat the injury is rest, something Edwards has gotten plenty of the past month.

Edwards was a full-go at practice this week, but his ability to play at 100 percent in this series likely won’t be known until the two teams step on the floor for Game 1. If Ant is limited physically in this series, the Wolves’ path to winning this series becomes a lot more clouded.

If Edwards is healthy, this Denver matchup should be an advantageous one for him. The Nuggets’ defense ranked 21st during the regular season, and they do not have a traditional rim protector or an All-NBA caliber wing defender, two archetypes that have given Edwards issues in the past.

Given Denver’s lack of point-of-attack defenders or an ideal matchup for Ant, the Nuggets will likely throw multiple defenders at Edwards as many as possible. That is what happened during the Wolves’ lone win over the Nuggets on March 1. The Nuggets consistently sent two defenders at Edwards in an attempt to get him off the ball, and by the end of the game were picking him up the moment he crossed the mid-court line.

How Anthony Edwards deals with Denver's different defensive coverages and double-teams is going to play a huge role in this series. Here's what that looked like in the Wolves lone win over Denver on 3/1

Finch said at practice today: “If they’re going to pick him up and pressure,… pic.twitter.com/gExYnkuz0r

— Ryan Eichten (@REichten) April 15, 2026

“My 4 is better than they 3,” Edwards said following that game. “We’re playing 4 on 3. So, I hit Rudy, and he makes a play, and I feel like we’re gonna win if they keep making us play like that.”

A month and a half later, Ant still feels the same way. “I’ve seen everything now. So nothing they’re going to throw at me that’s unexpected. I know they’re going to put two or three on the ball. I’ve just got to be willing to make the right play and take my shots and live with it.”

“Ant sees a ton of different types of coverages,” Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch explained. “We review them as the season goes along. This week gives us a chance to put him through a lot of live reps where he’s gotta make reads against what we think might be coming or just anything that’s out there.”

Speaking specifically about Denver picking up Edwards at halfcourt, Finch said, “If they’re going to pick him up and pressure, we just need him to make the easy play to the right guy and trust the open man to make the same decision.”

Ant’s ability to pick apart the Denver defense and dominate the series offensively is the Wolves’ most straightforward path to beating the Nuggets. If Edwards is merely good instead of sensational, that will likely not be good enough against a Nuggets team looking for revenge from what happened two seasons ago.

Game 1 should be an interesting litmus test for this. The Wolves’ margin of error in this series is already slim, so if Edwards is slow to find his legs or a rhythm in the game, that might be a bad sign for the Wolves in this series. Minnesota will need Edwards to step up his game right from the opening moments or potentially dig themselves into a hole.

Let’s see if Ant can rise to the occasion yet again.

The Tradeoff of Offense vs Defense

The Timberwolves’ largest challenge in this series will be containing the Nuggets on offense. During the regular season, Denver sported the league’s best offensive rating of 121.2, a full point better than second place.

Unsurprisingly, the two main drivers for Denver’s incredible offense this season were Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray. This season, the pairing of Jokić and Murray led the NBA in scoring efficiency among qualified pairings with an offensive rating of 128.7. For comparison, the Wolves’ best offensive two-man pairing was Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo with a 120.8, which ranked 102nd.

If Minnesota has any chance of slowing down the league-best Denver offense with possibly the best two-man game of the past half-decade, they are likely going to need to utilize Rudy Gobert in this series, both on offense and on defense.

While Gobert has been the foundation of a Timberwolves defense that has been one of the best units in the league since he arrived in Minnesota in the summer of 2022, the Wolves have struggled to maximize his impact on the offensive end. This season has possibly been the most extreme differential between the two sides of the court with Gobert.

With Gobert on the court this season, the Timberwolves have a defensive rating of 109.8, which would rank 3rd in the NBA as a team. The offense on the other end had a 114.8 rating, which would rank 16th. While the +5.4 net rating Gobert generated while on the court speaks positively of his impact, it also begs the question: Can the Timberwolves outperform their mediocre offensive numbers with Gobert on the court?

At many points this season, when the Wolves have been down in games, the first lever Finch has pulled is to take Gobert off the floor to generate more offense. While that move may make sense in the regular season or in a different

In the minutes with Gobert on the bench this season, the Wolves had a defensive rating of 118.8, a number worse than the 26th-ranked Memphis Grizzlies’ defense. While the offense often made up for that and more in those minutes, the Wolves’ inability to defend without Gobert on the floor would likely mean disaster if Minnesota decided to increase the minutes of the Julius Randle-Naz Reid frontcourt.

With Edwards set to receive an outsized portion of the attention from the Nuggets’ defense, the ball is more likely to end up in Gobert’s hands as it did down the stretch of the Wolves’ win over the Nuggets on March 1. Gobert was successful in that game in receiving the ball from Edwards and making the right play against the shifted defense, often finding open teammates either under the basket or on the perimeter.

“Just being poised,” Gobert said about the potential of increased offensive touches against Denver. “Take whatever the defense gives us. I’m going to have a lot of opportunities to find my teammates. I’m going to have a lot of opportunities to be aggressive. It’s the beauty of our team. Taking what the defenders give us and doing that as a team, and if we do that, we will have some success.”

“I feel like every series that we’ve been in when I play with Rudy, they’re like daring us to throw it to him,” Edwards explained about Gobert. “Just getting comfortable with throwing that lob, with getting downhill, with him getting to the dunker more instead of pick-and-roll, just getting to the dunker and allowing me to go by my man and them helping uphill, just throwing that lob, learning how to throw it, how much touch to put on the pass.”

To keep Gobert on the floor in this series, the Timberwolves will need to keep him involved in the offense, at least on a level that prevents Denver from completely ignoring him on that side of the court. Minnesota has not done well in that area this season, or really at any time during Gobert’s time with the Wolves. They have often been hesitant to throw him the ball with worries that he will either fumble the pass or be unable to finish near the rim.

To upset a dangerous Nuggets team, though, what the Wolves did during the regular season is not going to be good enough. They will need to either trust their franchise center on offense or look to find any defense with their other lineups.

What Version of Julius Randle Shows Up?

The Timberwolves have seen two different forms of Julius Randle this season.

The one from the first half of the season gave the Wolves exactly what they needed. Randle scored at a solid clip, defended his matchup well, and dished out assists whenever a second defender came to help. For most of the first couple of months of the season, it appeared Julius was on track to make the All-Star Game.

In the second half, all of that completely flipped for Randle. The scoring dipped, his defensive focus fell off a cliff, and the turnovers went up while the ball movement stopped.

The statistical splits from before and after the All-Star Break tell the story of Radle’s Jekyll and Hyde season. Before the All-Star Break, Rande averaged 22.3 points and 5.4 assists on 49.2/32.5/82.3 shooting splits with a net rating of +5.7 while he was on the court.

In the second half, all of those numbers went down. Randle had just 18.1 points and 4.2 assists per game while putting up rough shooting splits of 44.9/28.2/75.3.

A large x-factor in this Timberwolves-Nuggets series is whether or not Randle can return to his first-half form. One possible reason for optimism in that area is that Julius was outstanding in the first two rounds of the playoffs last season.

“First and foremost, health,” Randle explained as the reason for his success in the playoffs last season. “
Going into the playoffs healthy was big. Just a competitive nature. It’s the basketball you live for throughout the year. Just having that certain level of focus and sharpness and attention to detail and all that different type of stuff. I felt good. Coaches had a great game plan for us and myself. It’s really about trusting that and trusting your work. It’s no different than any other game.”

A positive sign for Randle is that he appears to be entering the playoffs healthy again. Julius played in the Wolves’ first 79 games before sitting out the last three once the Wolves’ seed was more or less solidified.

If the Wolves can get the first-half version of Randle, the Wolves will have a much easier time attacking the Denver defense, which is likely to focus a majority of their attention on Edwards. If the second half of the season is more indicative of what to expect from Julius, it might spell the end of the power forward’s time in Minnesota.

Can the Wolves Flip the Switch?

For the second straight season, the Timberwolves finished the regular season with 49 wins and in sixth place in the Western Conference. Unlike last season, though, there was not a big trade that was made right before training camp; instead, they returned all but Nickeil Alexander-Walker from their “seven starters” rotation.

There have been some solid stretches of play and wins against the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs. There have also been mind-numbingly poor stretches, including a five-game losing streak in January and a three-game losing streak by a combined 66 points in March.

There has been a sense all season that the Timberwolves have just been waiting for the playoffs to begin, and that when they do, they will be able to flip a switch and transform into a capable of beating anyone in any given series. In their minds, it seemed they had proven all they needed to by making the past two Western Conference Finals, the second of which as the lower seed following a lackluster regular season.

Edwards was asked if the team had been just waiting for the playoffs to begin: “It felt like that at times, like we was just trying to get through the season to get to the playoffs, but we’re here now, and all the other excuses are out the window. So it’s time.”

Ant is right about one thing: nothing from earlier in the season matters now. While there will be plenty of time in the offseason to debate the success or failure of the regular season, the entire context of the season changes if the Wolves can play as they have in the past two postseasons.

To do that, though, they are going to need to play with a level of intensity and consistency on the defensive end of the floor that was severely lacking during the regular season.

“We don’t have a choice,” Gobert said about the defense needing to find another gear. “When our group doesn’t have a choice, usually it shows up, and so once again it’s all in our hands. It’s all in our power. We’re facing a great opponent, and we know that if we don’t come out hungry, we don’t have a chance.“

Naz Reid echoed Gobert’s points, saying, “It has to. We have no choice. Defense wins games. They say that in football, and I think it translates to basketball, as well. You can score, but who’s going to get the stops? We have no choice.”

Whether or not the Wolves can pull it all together will be tested right out of the gates against the Nuggets. “It’s really on us to do it,” Randle posited. ”We gotta come in with that focus from Game 1. We can’t ease our way into the series.”

The Timberwolves have said all the right things. They’ve acknowledged their shortcomings, identified what needs to change, and spent the week at practice and in film sessions implementing their new game plan. Everything gets put to the test Saturday afternoon in Denver for Game 1. The Wolves can either back up their words and lock in for the next weeks and possibly months, or continue down the path of a disappointing season.

When asked if Finch believes the Wolves have a flip to switch, the Wolves coach stated through a chuckle, “We’ll see.”

The Charlotte Hornets beat Miami in a highly entertaining play-in game the other night, and it sparked a ton of conversation. Some of the themes: Kon Knueppel blew the Rookie of the Year race, the Hornets are in big trouble, and one more we’ll get to in a minute.

The Rookie of the Year business is stupid. It’s going to be Knueppel or Flagg, if not both. One game is not going to change that.

And secondly, for anyone who has paid attention to Knueppel, he’s not going to let that game control the next game. He’s too smart and too competitive to do that.

Third, Miami has one of the best cultures in the NBA, and in particular, one of the best defensive cultures in the league. They singled out the rookie, and took him down.

And fourth, while Knueppel had a bad game, Charlotte definitely didn’t.

On Friday, the Hornets will play the Orlando Magic for the final spot in the playoffs. Orlando has some talent, notably up front with former Dukies Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter.

The teams played four times this season, with the Hornets winning three of those. Orlando won the first one, in October, but the Hornets won the other three quite easily.

Knueppel averaged 12.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game in those games. It doesn’t mean the Hornets will win a third time, but it is a clear pattern.

Okay, back to what we said we’d come back to. It turns out that LaMelo Ball had a key role in Charlotte’s drafting Knueppel. In fact, his analysis of Knueppel was so impressive that Hornets GM Jeff Peterson said this about Ball:

“[Ball] was very detailed in his evaluation of why he liked him. That was even more impressive that he was able to kind of highlight him because there were some other guys that he didn’t highlight. He may have a future in the front office if he wants.”

That’s pretty high praise.

That said, one other topic of conversation about Ball is his flagrant foul against Bam Adebayo. It was intentional and dangerous, and it may have cost Miami the game. He’s lucky to have only gotten a $35,000 dollar fine.

• LaMelo Ball helped convince the Hornets to draft Kon Knueppel
• Kon Knueppel’s disastrous finale is a double warning for the Spurs
• Mavs insider explains why Cooper Flagg should win Rookie of the Year
• Draymond Green selects Kon Knueppel as the Rookie of the Year for winning contributions
• The secret draft meeting where LaMelo Ball convinced the Hornets to take Kon Knueppel
• ‘Kon (Knueppel) Wasn’t Ready to Dance’ – NBA Champion Trolls Hornets Rookie After Tanking ROTY Race vs. Cooper Flagg
• How Luka Dončić’s appeal of NBA’s 65-game rule could cost Kon Knueppel rookie of the year
• Charlotte Hornets’ Youth Continues to Lead Franchise Turnaround
• NBA Rookies: Kon Knueppel can Bounce Back in Final Play-In Game
• “The Other Guy (Cooper Flagg) Is in Cancun”: Kon Knueppel’s ROTY Bid Remains Safe After Heat Game, Says Ex-Mavs Star
• Kon Knueppel’s wake-up call hits at the absolute worst time for the Hornets
• d

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And just like that, the 2025-26 NBA regular season has come to an end.

It’s been one of the weirder years in league history. We started with a tree-planting controversy in pre-season, to the tanking and 65-game rule discourse hitting overdrive, and most recently, the entire Wizards organization almost got cancelled for a misinterpreted April Fools joke.

Thankfully, that’s all in the rearview mirror. Before the playoffs start, though, we need to have a cordial discussion about awards.

Let’s start with the Big Kahuna.

Most Valuable Player: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Runner-ups: Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokic

The MVP is Shai, and I don’t think it should be that close. His 55.3% FG is the highest out of every 30-point-per-game season in history, and his 66.5% true shooting is also the second-highest, only behind Steph’s outlandish 2016 season at a nice 66.9%. Shai also tied his own record for least turnovers per game in any 30ppg season at just 2.2, which he first set two years ago. Oh, and did I mention that the Thunder are the West’s one-seed for the third straight season?

The best argument against Shai is OKC’s elite supporting cast, as the Thunder still have a +4.8 net rating with him off the floor. However, they are also an absurd +12.3 with Shai on and Chet and JDub both off, and OKC has arguably been the most banged-up team amongst the MVP candidates. The case in favor of Wemby and Jokic is that they both have larger on/off splits than Shai does. However, Jokic’s lack of defensive effort is impossible to overlook, and while the Alien has a case as the most impactful player per minute, it doesn’t make up for the 400-minute difference between him and Shai (as shown by their overall plus-minus, with Shai at 788 and Wemby at 682).

If the award only takes into account the last three months, then Wemby and Luka would have a case. If it only takes into account the first two months, then Jokic would have a case. Unfortunately for those three, MVP encompasses the entire regular season, and none of them consistently played at their best for the whole year. Shai did, which is why he is the clear MVP. 

Defensive Player of the Year: Victor Wembanyama

Runner-ups: Chet Holmgren, Rudy Gobert

Uhh… do we even need to discuss this? It’s obviously Trae Young — his defensive prowess forced Ben Simmons into a pro fisherman!

Jokes aside, this year’s DPOY is the most obvious award pick since Steph’s 2016 unanimous MVP season, and Wemby should be the unanimous pick here too. San Antonio’s 105.1 defensive rating in Wemby’s minutes is 2.2 points lower than OKC’s this season, and many already consider the Thunder to be one of the greatest defensive teams ever. Unlike OKC, though, the Spurs only have one other elite defender in Castle, and the numbers bear that out too: San Antonio has a 117.4 DRTG without Wemby, which would rank 21st in the league. 

Surprisingly, Wemby isn’t the absolute best in any one rim protection stat, but that’s because opponents only take shots around the basket when they’re somewhat confident he can’t block it, and oftentimes, he still does. The more revealing number is the drop in opponent rim attempts when Wemby is on/off the floor: with him playing, 31.7% of opposing shots are at the basket (49th percentile), which drops to just 26.2% when he plays (94th percentile). Opponents are also making just 60.8% (93rd percentile) of their shots around the rim, even with those being very selective attempts. 

Wemby is well on his way to becoming perhaps the greatest defensive player ever, and he’s just getting started. 

Coach of the Year: Joe Mazzulla 

Runner-ups: JB Bickerstaff, Mitch Johnson

I didn’t have much hesitation picking Mazzulla over Bickerstaff, though the latter is very deserving of this award too. Ultimately, the decision came down to the following question: which team exceeded expectations more through the coach putting players in the best position to succeed? 

To me, the answer is Mazzulla. Boston lost 3/5 starters and their entire frontcourt rotation in one offseason, and none of their core players are young enough to make the leaps that the Detroit stars have. Mazzulla has gone from running 5-out with Porzingis and Horford to designing a scheme with a rolling big in the middle, while also rotating a bunch of former “who he play for?” guys to fill Tatum’s absence. Bickerstaff has done a great job maximizing Duren’s improved offensive game and role players like Jenkins too, but Mazzulla leading Boston to 56 wins following their roster turnover is simply more impressive. 

Most Improved Player: Nickeil Alexander-Walker 

Runner-ups: Keyonte George, Neemias Queta

NAW is the epitome of what this award is for: a player well into their career who takes an unexpected leap when everyone thought his role would never change. Yes, he’s been given more responsibility in Atlanta, but the Wolves were also desperate for another lead guard to play alongside Ant, and they moved on from NAW specifically because he never showed the ability to be that guy. 

This year, he’s more than doubled his scoring average from last season, going from 9.4 to 20.8 points per game. Remarkably, NAW has increased his efficiency too, and not by a little: his 61% true shooting is way above the positional average, and his previous career average was just 55.7%. Atlanta also has a +4.6 net rating with him playing, which drops to -1.8 when he sits, with most of that change coming from offense. Moreover, NAW has still been a good perimeter defender even with the increased offensive responsibilities, playing at an All-Star level on both ends of the court.

Rookie of the Year: Cooper Flagg 

Runner-ups: Kon Knueppel, VJ Edgecombe

One of the tightest award races in recent history, ROY is truly a coin toss. However, if you base this off advanced metrics, it’s not even close. Kon is way ahead due to his three-point volume and efficiency, and he’s also been an underrated playmaker who’s been Charlotte’s connector at times. Leading the league in threes made as a rookie is absolutely bonkers, and Kon’s already one of the most efficient players at his position with a true shooting of 63.3%. 

With that said, my pick is Flagg because his season has been just as impressive, and I view him as the better player — not just moving forward, but right now too. Yes, his 54.8% true shooting is way below not just Kon’s, but also the league average, but I think he’s a better player in every facet of the game outside of shooting. Now, the gap between their shooting is much larger than the gap in every other skill that Flagg has an advantage in, but I also believe that Kon went to the absolute best team for his specific skillset while Flagg went to the worst: the Hornets would be just as good with Flagg in Kon’s place, while Kon wouldn’t be in this race if he were on the Mavs. 

Again, both players are absolutely deserving of this award and this pick was by far the most difficult one to decide on. I flip-flopped 10 times while writing and could regret this choice in the next hour, but as of this exact moment, I’m going with Flagg. 

Sixth Man of the Year: Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Runner-ups: Keldon Johnson, Naz Reid

No offense to Jaime Jaquez, but this is one of the worst sixth-man crops in recent memory. All other candidates either did not play enough minutes (off the bench) or had lackluster counting and/or advanced stats. Keldon Johnson, for instance, played all 82 games, but I didn’t even think he was the most impactful bench player on the Spurs. That belongs to Dylan Harper, who I would’ve picked if he played more minutes. Reed Sheppard also lacks the minutes, while Naz Reid isn’t as well-rounded a player as Jaquez is. The latter is the only player who has somewhat eye-popping stats (15/5/5) with positive plus/minus splits while also playing enough minutes. 

Congrats Miami! You can hang a new banner beside the #heatculture and #bam83 ones. 

All NBA First Team: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic, Kawhi Leonard

Kawhi has been the best player this year outside of the four MVP candidates, which is why he snagged that final First-Team spot over Jaylen Brown. It was a hard decision, though, given the Clippers’ turbulent season (and their tree planting), but Kawhi deserves almost all the credit for LA finishing above .500, along with help from Harden at the start of the year. Meanwhile, I would attribute Boston’s overachieving more to Mazzulla’s genius than Brown’s play since the Celtics are good no matter who’s been on the floor, though I’d also have no problem with the latter finishing on the First-Team given his borderline MVP-level play this year. 

All NBA Second Team: Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson, Jamal Murray, Jaylen Brown, Kevin Durant

Jamal Murray deserves a special shoutout. Contrary to popular belief, he never deserved to be an All-Star in previous seasons, and was overrated due to playing above his usual level during the 2020 and 2023 playoff runs. However, he’s finally played at that level for a full regular season, being one half of the most dynamic offensive duo in the league (Denver has a 130.6 ORTG with him and Jokic playing, the highest in league history) while also keeping the Nuggets’ offense afloat without Jokic (116.5, 61st percentile). Murray is also having the most efficient high-volume three-point shooting season in the league by making 43.5% on 7.5 attempts per game, vaulting his true shooting to 62.2% — the first time he’s been above 60%. 

All NBA Third Team: Jalen Duren, Jalen Johnson, Tyrese Maxey, Chet Holmgren, Deni Avdija

The Third-Team is composed of first-time All-NBA selections. Maxey leads the league in minutes per game and is fifth in overall points, Chet will likely finish second in DPOY voting, and Johnson is averaging 22/10/8 as the first option on a playoff team. Meanwhile, Duren went on a rampage after I foolishly left him off my All-Star team, averaging 23 and 10 with Cade out. I’m still not sure if he can be the second option on a true title team, but there’s no doubt that he’s blossomed into one of the 30 best players in the league and is still just 22. The last spot was a toss-up between KAT, Deni, and Toronto’s own, Scotland Barnes. KAT has by far the best advanced numbers and also improved his defense during the second half of the season, while Scottie is arguably the most well-rounded player of the three. I ultimately went with Deni, though, since he was essentially a one-man offense in Portland, averaging 24/7/7 and leading the Blazers to an above-average 116.7 ORTG with him on, which drops to 110.8 when he sits — equivalent to the 28th-ranked offense in the league. 

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This week, please check out Marilyn’sregular season recap! The Spurs have been one of the league’s most pleasant surprises this year and are ready to get their first taste of the playoffs.

Thanks for reading!

All stats courtesy of Cleaning the Glass and NBA Stats.

The first time Kevin Durant and LeBron James stepped on the basketball court together the NBA landscape looked a lot different. 

The Lakers and Celtics rivalry had been renewed featuring the “Big Three” against Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. 

The year was 2008. James led the league in scoring and Durant was named NBA Rookie of the Year for a forgotten franchise of green and gold, the now-defunct Seattle SuperSonics. 

By the time they faced off against each other, James was already a force of nature and the future face of the league. He had been to one NBA Finals, and would soon run off a streak of eight-straight appearances. But through that first meeting a budding rivalry of future NBA legends was born. 

Because over the next two decades, Durant and James would become two of the greatest players in NBA history, and their playoff matchups are the stuff of mythology and lore. 

And it’s not finished yet. 

The 2012 NBA Finals

The early years weren’t so much a rivalry, but a warning sign. Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden were slowly turning the Oklahoma City Thunder into contenders. James finally left Cleveland to join forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. 

The first true collision between Durant and James came in the 2012 NBA Finals between the Thunder and the Heat. 

Durant was brilliant in that series. He averaged 30.6 points. But James was at the peak of his powers and still thirsting for his first NBA title. He finally got it. Miami won the series in five games, and even though Durant outscored him, James was named the Finals MVP. 

But it was that first playoff series that established the dynamic that would shape their future collisions. Durant could score and dazzle, but he needed more help to defeat LeBron. 

The Decision That Changed Everything

After James’ decision to leave Cleveland for Miami—only to return four years later—came another decision that created a seismic shift in the NBA. 

It was the Fourth of July in 2016, and the record-breaking 73-win Golden State Warriors had just blown a 3-1 lead to LeBron’s Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. 

Durant was a free agent, and he announced his decision in an article for The Player’s Tribune entitled “My Next Chapter.” Call it revenge. Call it opportunistic. Call it weak if you want. But Durant’s decision to join those Warriors and form a super team alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green titled the basketball universe. 

Now with Durant, the Warriors didn’t just beat LeBron and the Cavaliers over the next two NBA Finals, they overwhelmed them. A gentleman’s sweep in 2017, a four-game sweep in 2018. Durant was the best player on the floor in both series. Winning back-to-back Finals MVP Awards and his first two NBA championships. 

Lakers and Suns Rebirths 

James’ back-to-back Finals losses to Durant and the Warriors led to his decision to head west and join the Los Angeles Lakers. As James was busy trying to build a contender in Hollywood, Durant was cementing his legacy with a third straight Finals appearance. 

But in Game 5 of the 2019 Finals, Durant snapped his Achilles. Everything changed. He signed with the Brooklyn Nets that summer, and oddly the rivalry went dormant. They never played against each other when Durant was in Brooklyn. 

When it resumed in 2023, Durant and James were in the same conference for the first time in their careers. James had joined forces with Anthony Davis and won another title in the bubble in 2020. Durant had been traded to the Phoenix Suns. Their head-to-head matchups were more frequent now, less mythic, but still meaningful. They had a couple clashes in the NBA Cup, including a quarterfinal game in 2023 that proved to be a step in crowning the Lakers as the first Cup Champions. 

One More Chapter—Maybe the Last

Now the story shifts again.

Durant, in his first season with the Houston Rockets, faces LeBron’s Lakers in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Not the Finals. Not the grand stage we’re used to. 

Durant’s Rockets are heavily favored over the injury-riddled Lakers, who will be starting the series without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Durant is now the elder statesman on a young Rockets team that is young, deep, and athletic. 

James, at 41 years old, is trying to carry the Lakers on his back for one last career-defining playoff achievement. 

When they take the court on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena for Game 1 of the series, they will have played against each other a total of 46 times. James holds the overall edge at 26-20, but because of those back-to-back Warriors titles, Durant has the advantage in the postseason 9-5. 

If Durant and the Rockets win the series as expected, that advantage will only grow and it will likely close the book on their playoff rivalry. 

But if LeBron wins?

Strip away the nostalgia and mythology, because it might be one of the most remarkable feats in his 23-year career. 

Game 1 is scheduled for 5:30 PM PST on ABC.

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There are collapses, and then there are Clippers collapses. 

The latest chapter of the Clippers Curse was authored on Wednesday night at the Intuit Dome when L.A. unraveled in the fourth quarter, blowing a 13-point lead to the Warriors that ultimately ended their season.

The Clippers latest meltdown felt so familiar, so painfully on-brand, that it felt less like a loss and more like a highlight reel of the franchise’s greatest hits of heartbreak. 

LA led its do-or-die elimination play-in game by for 85% of the game. A majority of it by double-digits. They were up by 13 with nine minutes left, and they still found a way to lose. 

“I’m pissed off,” said Clippers head coach Ty Lue after the season-ending loss. “We had the game in our hands. To be up 13 in the fourth quarter we have to finish that game.” 

He’s right.

But finishing off a diminished Warriors team playing without Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody is not what the Clippers do. It’s not in their DNA. This is a franchise that keeps changing jerseys, logos, and arenas more than leaves change colors. 

But in Los Angeles, the ending never changes. 

On Wednesday night the Clippers didn’t just blow a big fourth quarter lead to the Warriors, they surrendered it piece by piece, like a team unsure if they even deserved to win in the first place.

They committed 18 turnovers, gifting Golden State 26 points.

They allowed a 43-point fourth quarter. 

With their season on the line, they couldn’t even execute an inbounds pass. Possession after possession, chance after chance, it all slipped through the Clippers’ fingers like sand.

DRAYMOND GREEN WITH A PAIR OF INCREDIBLE STEALS IN THE CLUTCH.

WARRIORS KEEP THEIR SEASON ALIVE. https://t.co/8SITELoXjEpic.twitter.com/7Hre7jG5TX

— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2026

“On the inbounds we threw the ball away,” said Lue. “That was a big momentum shift for them.”

The momentum didn’t shift on that turnover, it shifted when No. 30 across the floor put on his cape and took over. 

Steph Curry, who only returned from a knee injury four games ago, scored 27 of his 35 points in the second half.

Each bucket louder than the last, until his dagger three with 50 seconds left echoed through a building that had turned against the home team. As he drilled the go-ahead three and fell into the front row, the arena erupted in chants of “MVP!” and “Warriors…”

STEPH CURRY GIVES THE WARRIORS THE LEAD!

GSW 120
LAC 117

50.4 TO PLAY IN A MUST-WIN GAME pic.twitter.com/HgYTHtLlOp

— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2026

This may have been a road game on paper, but it sure as hell didn’t sound like it in the arena.

“When he’s on the floor, you always have a chance,” said Draymond Green of Curry.

The Clippers had every chance to win too. Maybe a dozen or more chances to put the game away. That’s what makes this sting. That’s what makes this different—and yet exactly the same.

Because we’ve seen this before.

We saw it in 2015 when a 3-1 lead vanished against Houston. We saw it again in the 2020 bubble when another 3-1 cushion disintegrated against Denver. We saw it last season in a Game 7 collapse in Denver. And now this—another double-digit lead, another fourth-quarter fade, another season ending not with a fight, but with a shrug.

Here in Los Angeles, we call it the “Clippers Curse.”

And it’s real. 

Even Kawhi Leonard couldn’t escape it. The stoic star, who had his best season in two years, looked shell-shocked in the fourth quarter. When the game mattered most, he disappeared into the margins, picked clean by Green on a possession that could have breathed life into the Clippers, instead they were left gasping for air. 

“Draymond is a hall of fame defender. It was hard to get shots up,” Leonard admitted.

Hard isn’t supposed to mean impossible. The Clippers didn’t lose because of bad luck or coincidence. This is who they are. 

Only the Clippers could start the season 6-21, and then complete the single greatest in-season turnaround in NBA history only to choke away a 13-point lead in the final minutes of it. 

And the embarrassment doesn’t stop at the final buzzer. The loss drops them into the lottery—except their pick belongs to the Oklahoma City Thunder who now have a 9.4% chance of a top-four selection and a 2% chance of the number one overall. The rich get richer while the Clippers stare into another offseason with nothing but questions, and an NBA investigation into Leonard-Aspiration and salary cap circumvention looming over their head like a dark cloud. 

Even their past came back to mock them. Chris Paul—discarded midseason, unceremoniously shipped out before getting the retirement tour he deserved—watched from afar and posted the internet’s coldest meme, the digital equivalent of showing up in a black suit just to confirm the burial.

Chris Paul’s IG story tonight after the Clippers collapse against the Warriors in the play-in game. pic.twitter.com/st3u72hEAP

— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) April 16, 2026

Petty? Sure.

Accurate? Absolutely.

This was supposed to be a new era for the Clippers. A new building. A new culture. A new hope. It was supposed to lift the curse, not continue it.

Benjamin Franklin once famously said that nothing can be certain in life but death and taxes. The Clippers have added a third certainty—finding the most painful way possible to lose when it matters most.

The curse didn’t just follow them to Inglewood.

It beat them to the door and let itself in.

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With the Suns exceeding most people’s preseason expectations, we saw many guys shine when they were not expected to. This was all led by new head coach Jordan Ott, who took the team and changed the narrative. He wanted to change the culture in Phoenix and did so by getting players who fit his playstyle and the scheme he wanted to run. That was one invested in three-pointers, but also one who played fast-paced and caused havoc on the defensive end.

This allowed many players to succeed on this team, but I think three players truly exceeded everyone’s expectations. Players that truly shocked the development of this team and the future of how the Suns will continue to build.

Collin Gillespie

The first of those and the biggest riser, honestly, has to be Collin Gillespie.

Gillespie started the season last year on a two-way contract and found himself with playing time with the Suns as injuries depleted the roster. In that short stint last season, he averaged 5.9 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 0.6 steals in 14 minutes over 33 games. This showed the Suns that if they invested in Gillespie, they could find a diamond in the rough, and they did. He was brought back on a one-year deal, something he wanted to sign, to prove his worth and show his true value.

The Suns have announced the re-signing of guard Collin Gillespie. Here’s what GM Brian Gregory said in a statement:

“Collin earned this opportunity with his work ethic, toughness, and the way he competes every single day. He brings a gritty edge and a high-energy presence that…

— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) July 2, 2025

Well, Gillespie did that from the jump, as he showed he was a lot better than anyone anticipated. He first came off the bench for the team, looking to be the great sixth man that many, including myself, thought was his best role, but then he continued to succeed, finding himself in the starting lineup when Jalen Green was injured for most of the season. This allowed Gillespie to get comfortable alongside Devin Booker, someone he showed last year worked well with.

Collin Gillespie is so much fun to watch for the Suns

— BruceVeliz (@BruceVeliz) November 5, 2025

Gillespie remained in the starting lineup throughout the year, even as everyone wondered whether it was too small. This is due to his tremendous effort and hard work on both ends throughout the year. Gillespie, who is known for his solid three-point shooting and playmaking, broke a franchise record for most threes in a season with 232, passing Quentin Richardson on the list.

He also plays on the defensive end, plays with that heart and grit this team embodies. He is fighting for loose balls, always trying to steal, and even though he may be the smallest on the court, he is fighting for offensive rebounds.

Your new franchise leader in single-season three-pointers made: Collin Gillespie 👏 pic.twitter.com/Gf9bxaC7uX

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) April 2, 2026

He finished the season, suiting up for 80 games and averaging 12.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.2 steals in almost 29 minutes. As you can see, every stat rose for Gillespie this season, and he worked hard to showcase it. He has proved that, regardless of what contract you are on in the NBA, if given the opportunity, you can find your path to greatness.

Jordan Goodwin

The next player I would like to acknowledge is another guard, Jordan Goodwin. Goodwin came back to the Valley this year looking for some redemption after not fitting in on his first stint. He was picked up off waivers by Phoenix when the Los Angeles Lakers waived him this offseason. That move would be one that I have been eternally grateful for all season long.

I once again thank the Lakers for waiving Jordan Goodwin

— BruceVeliz (@BruceVeliz) January 31, 2026

When Goodwin was signed, he had to compete against Jared Butler for the final roster spot. This left fans wondering whether he would even make the team, but he proved his playstyle was a perfect match for Ott’s system. A guard who could pick up anyone on the court and allow the Suns to have the defensive versatility with him out there. Goodwin had proven that in our guard lineups, it did not matter; he was going to disrupt the opponents’ wings and bigs, just as he could with opposing guards.

Goodwin also had a season with the Lakers, where he was a pretty solid three-point scorer last year. Even if his numbers dropped a tiny bit (38.2% to 37.1%) from three, he still proved he could hit them for this team. Especially in the big game against OKC, where he had a career high six threes that helped the Suns beat the Thunder for the first time this year.

Jordan Goodwin would make an All NBA 1st Effort Team if there was one of those

Man is just relentless on both ends trying to create opportunities for his team

— BruceVeliz (@BruceVeliz) March 14, 2026

Goodwin is the epitome of what Ott wants for this team on all cylinders, and he was rewarded for that by winning the Dan Majerle hustle award this season. This award goes to the player who shows the most heart and grit on the court for Phoenix. Goodwin showcased that all season long with his relentlessness to never give up on a play, even if it put him in a silly situation.

The winner of this year’s Majerle Hustle Award: Jordan Goodwin 😤 pic.twitter.com/JuKQ8eiELq

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) April 8, 2026

With Goodwin and Gillespie hitting free agency, these are two players the Suns need to bring back, as they fit exactly what Phoenix wants. Not only that, but both of them also work very well together in a bench backcourt that can squander their opponents. Similar to Gillespie, his stats rose with more playing time. In 22 minutes of play, Goody averaged 8.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 steals, which was a beautiful sight to see.

Oso Ighodaro

Lastly, but certainly not least, let’s dive into one of the centers who has had this fanbase second-guessing him since he arrived in Oso Ighodaro. Ighodaro last year did not get much playing time under coach Budenholzer, but this year his trust in coach Ott has grown immensely. When the season started, Mark Williams was still ramping up for 5 on 5, and Khaman Malauch was unproven. This gave Ighodaro the keys to the frontcourt, leaving many fans puzzled. Especially with the Suns beginning the year by taking on Ivica Zubac and Nikola Jokic, it looked not great.

Many fans were turning on Ighodaro and ready to ship him out, but they were seeing Oso in a spot he is not used to. Then, when Williams came back, and Ighodaro was allowed to be the backup big, he began to flourish. He started learning to work with Gillespie in the pick-and-roll, and the two had a nice connection that was blossoming. One that would stick around all season long as the two Big East graduates had now found some chemistry.

Among the topics we covered on today's show was the two-man game of Brunson and KAT, which has had a significant uptick in efficiency over the last couple of months https://t.co/P0mxq3Errjpic.twitter.com/XhlOSthKzv

— ALL NBA Podcast (@ALLCITY_NBA) April 10, 2026

Not only would Oso shine with Gillespie, but he would show off in other ways. One of those would be his defense and his rim protection. As he is not the best offensive big, Ighodaro has to be resilient on defense and not make mistakes. One memory that still sticks with me is when the Suns took on the Knicks at home back in January. The game was close late, and Oso Ighodaro was forced onto Jalen Brunson via a switch after missing two free throws, keeping the Suns up three. Many would be nervous in this situation, but Ighodaro showed no fear, not biting on any pump fakes and staying grounded.

This then forced Brunson to make a bad pass to Mikal Bridges, who was intercepted by Grayson Allen, who then threw it to Bridges for the possession.

"Didn't want to give him the cheap foul."

"He knew the stepback was going to come."

"When they challenged it, I had a little bit of a doubt."

"Game changer."

Oso Ighodaro, Dillon Brooks, Jordan Ott and Grayson Allen discuss defending Jalen Brunson on biggest play of Suns… pic.twitter.com/Z64Pv4KCpV

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) January 10, 2026

Most would reward Allen for the play, and I definitely recognize that, but without Ighodaro, it never happens. The fact that he also missed both free throws in a close game, yet remained focused and unfazed, shows why Ott has trust in him.

He may not be the best big man or the flashiest, but famn, he does his job effectively as a backup big. Arguably one of the best in the league on his current contract, which is a scam. The iron man who was the only one to suit up for all 82 games this year averaged 6.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.7 blocks. Many people called me crazy for my predictions at the beginning of the season, but he proved all those doubters and haters wrong.

I hope everyone who hated on Oso Ighodaro at the beginning of the season realizes they woke up a beast!

The growth from the sophomore this year has been key not only for his but the teams success

With no MW his role is continuing to increase and he does not slow down

— BruceVeliz (@BruceVeliz) March 7, 2026

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That being said, many of the Suns played to a great standard this year. All of them showed they can be viable for this team in one or another for the future, which is something we have not seen for years. This team was deep and has the depth to match opponents if needed, and will continue to do so in the future. If all three players are back next year, their development will only improve the team, and the Valley will witness another finals run in the future!

This is the second of a series of roundtable questions I’m asking the staff here at Peachtree Hoops about the Hawks as we approach the postseason. Today’s question: should the Hawks have pushed harder for the 5 seed to play the Cavaliers instead of the Knicks?

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Wes: For me, no. Making sure your playoff rotation is as healthy as can be for the first round is a much bigger deal than any gap between how difficult the matchups are between the Knicks and the Cavs. There’s just no reason to have anyone turn an ankle in a meaningless game against the Heat.

Jackson: No. I thought going in that New York was a more favorable matchup for the Hawks, primarily due to the Cavs’ size on the interior and the personnel they have to throw at Jalen Johnson defensively. The Hawks are understandably underdogs against New York as well, but things broke well for them matchup-wise in my opinion, and they didn’t risk suffering an unnecessary injury against a physical Heat team.

Malik: I don’t think so. There wasn’t much of a difference between playing the Cavs or Knicks, and neither team has something where I think they’d rather avoid just to play the other. I personally believe the Knicks were the better matchup for the Hawks because you don’t know what you’re going to get from anybody outside of Jalen Brunson on any given game, and that can benefit the Hawks.

Graham: I’m going to say yes, perhaps they should have. I think while both Cleveland and New York are very likely to beat the Hawks on the offensive glass in a series, I actually prefer the Cavaliers matchup for the Hawks than the Knicks, who averaged more offensive rebounds (15) per game in the season-series against the Hawks; Towns and Robinson kicked the Hawks’ ass when they played. I also believe there’s a postseason vulnerability with the Cavaliers, who flamed out after their stellar regular season last season. Donovan Mitchell hasn’t had deep playoff success, Mobley and Allen have disappointed previously in the postseason, and James Harden can be…hit or miss in the postseason.

I’m also thinking of the second-round matchups should the Hawks advance. I think all of the contending Eastern teams will be interested to see how the Detroit Pistons will fare in the postseason, and if I were the Hawks I would be one of those teams interested in testing that squad. That assumes the Hawks progress, which is absolutely not a guarantee, but I think the Hawks should have pushed more for that side of the bracket than the one they ended up in. 

Hassan: I’m going to go with the majority here and say no, the Hawks should not have pushed harder on the final day of the regular season to try to face Cleveland instead of New York in the first-round of the playoffs. Given that the Hawks are currently operating on 24 year-old Jalen Johnson’s timeline, any postseason experience for this iteration of the team is a positive, and I don’t think the team’s odds of advancing out of the first-round would be significantly different if they were playing the Cavs rather than the Knicks. 

Man for man, Cleveland has the most talented roster in the Eastern Conference, and as scary as Jalen Brunson is as a postseason closer, I don’t want any part of Donovan Mitchell either. New York’s first-four off the bench are Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride, Landry Shamet, and Jordan Clarkson – not nearly as frightening as Cleveland’s options off the bench. Given Atlanta’s lack of depth, I think they’ll benefit from playing more of a top-heavy Knicks team. 

Additionally, is there a better place to find out what this team is made of than Madison Square Garden – one of the most raucous playoff atmospheres in the league? What is for certain is that if any of Atlanta’s starters suffered an injury on the final day of the regular season, their chances of advancing out of the first-round – regardless of their opponent – would have taken a major hit. Simply put, not worth the gamble. Bring it on, New York!

The NBA released a list of their best selling jerseys. The results should come as little surprise. At the top, Stephen Curry. The two-time MVP is the greatest shooter of all time. He’s the face of the last NBA dynasty, and an internationally recognized superstar.

Luka Doncic has the second best selling jersey. He’s the leagues best scorer and ranks third in assists and three-pointers made, and twenty-second in rebounds.

The third best jersey sales goes to Jalen Brunson. The once back-up Dallas Mavericks guard honed his game in New York and revealed a three-time All-Star.

And the fourth best selling jersey this season belongs to the face of the NBA. San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama continues to shatter records as he molds himself to MVP levels. His maturity, grace, and eloquence is infusing an international appeal transcending the court

All-time legend LeBron James has the fifth best selling jersey this season. The hardest working man on the hardwood still plays at a high level considering the years, games, and minutes he’s played over the last two-plus decades.

Anthony Edwards (6), Jayson Tatum (7), Shai Gilgeous- Alexander (8), Cooper Flagg (9), and Nikola Jokic (10) round out the top 10 with Kevin Durant (11), Tyrese Maxey (12), Devin Booker (13), Cade Cunningham (14), and LaMelo Ball (15) close behind.

Are there any of these that catch you off guard?

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On Saturday April 18th at 7:30 PM CST, the world will be tuning on to watch two of the greatest players of all-time square off in the postseason for the fourth time in the careers of Kevin Durant and LeBron James. All week the talking heads have been discussing the matchup, and the main focus has been on the headliners, those who are playing and those who aren’t. While the KD and LeBron matchup is fascinating, there is a much more storied rivalry that this series presents. It has nothing to do with the names on the back of the jersey’s, but on the front of them.

The Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers will be meeting in the playoffs for the 10th time in the history of their respective franchises. From the Lakers perspective, the Rockets are their fifth most frequent playoff opponent behind only the Trailblazers, Spurs, Suns, and Celtics. For the Rockets, this series will put the Lakers at the top of the list of their most frequent postseason opponents, narrowly passing the Utah Jazz. The Lakers lead in series wins six (1990, 1991, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2020) to the Rockets three series victories (1981, 1986, 1996).

1981 – Houston beats the Lakers in the 1st Round

The Lakers were the defending champs that season, and the Rockets had gone 40-42 securing the sixth and final playoff seed in the Western Conference. Moses Malone was dominant! Averaging 31.3 points, 17.7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.7 blocks and shot 51-percent from the floor and out playing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar severely in two of the three games. The Houston Rockets shocked the NBA world to defeat the Lakers in the three-game series and would continue to shock the world all the way to the NBA Finals, where they would see their magical run end losing to the Boston Celtics in six games.

1986 – Rockets beat the Lakers in WCF – “The Shot”

Five years removed from the Rockets playing David to the Lakers Goliath, the 1986 Western Conference Finals was billed as a “Clash of the Titans”. The Lakers were once again the defending NBA Champs and after going 62-20, they finished the regular season with the Western Conference’s best record, but this time the Rockets were much more evenly matched opponent on paper, finishing second in the West with a record of 51-31. Houston was not the favorite, but they were no fluke.

“The Twin Towers” made up of Ralph Sampson and a young third year player out of the University of Houston by the name of Hakeem Olajuwon (referred to as “Akeem”, at the time) were unstoppable. Olajuwon averaged 31 points, 11.2 rebounds and 4 blocks per-game. Sampson averaged 20.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.2 blocks per-game. After losing game one in Los Angeles 119-107, the Rockets would go on to win four games straight, capped off by “The Shot”.

With one second on the clock and the game tied 112-112, and the defending champs on the brink of elimination, Rodney McCray threw a mid-court sideline inbounds pass to Ralph Sampson. Sampson had to jump to catch the ball, about 14 feet away with his back toward the basket. In mid-air Sampson contorted his 7-foot 4-inch frame, essentially flipped the basketball behind his head toward the basket. The ball bounced twice on the rim as the buzzer sounded, before falling through and sending the Rockets to the NBA Finals, along with Gene Peterson and his broadcast partner Jim Foley into an absolute frenzy! To this day, it is one of the greatest moments in NBA postseason history. The Rockets unfortunately would go on to lose once again to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.

1990- Lakers win series 3-1 in Round 1

The Lakers were the team of the 80s and Rockets had not won a playoff series since 1987. Hakeem Olajuwon was now the lone face of the franchise. The same Lakers team that dominated the 80s was largely still intact. Magic, Worthy, Cooper, Scott, Green and a young 7-foot 1-inch Center from Serbia, Vlade Divac taking the place of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Magic now 30 years old still had the juice to get the Lakers up and down the floor. He averaged 19 points, 7 rebounds and 13.5 assists.

The Rockets were far from a one man show. In fact, Otis Thorpe was the top scorer for the Rockets in the series scoring 20 points a game. Hakeem had a mild scoring series by his standards, averaging just 18 points and 13 rebounds, but he did block nearly 6 shots per-game. Overall, the Lakers proved to be too formidable, and the Rockets postseason ended in just four games. The Lakers would go on to lose to the Phoenix Suns in the next round.

1991 – Lakers Sweep Rockets in Round 1

In 1991 the Rockets and Lakers decided to “run it back”, and it didn’t go as planned for the Rockets. Both teams added a Tar Heel to essentially the same roster from the previous season. The Lakers added the sweet shooting big man Sam Perkins, and the Rockets added the sharpshooting point guard from Queens, Kenny smith.

Adding Smith to the roster made the Rockets more competitive in the individual games, but ultimately it just wasn’t the Rockets’ time. The experience and the pedigree of the Lakers prevailed, and they swept the Rockets in three games. It was certainly disappointing to the Rockets and their fans, as the Lakers would go on to face the Bulls in the NBA Finals. Don Cheaney won the award for Coach of the Year that season, but after the team started 26-26 in the ‘91-’92 season, he was fired and replaced by his assistant, Rudy Tomjanovich.

1996 – Rockets beat the Lakers in Round 1

In the third playoff matchup between these two franchises, the roles had been reversed. Now, the Rockets were the defending champs. However, the Lakers, with a roster that was made up partly of young up and comers like Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel, mixed with some vets in their prime like Vlade Divac, Elden Campbell and Cedric Ceballos, topped off with a 36-year-old Magic Johnson, won 53 games in 1996 and secured the four seed in the West. Meanwhile the Rockets had won just 48 games in the regular season and finished in the fifth seed. The teams would split the first two games before the Rockets would return to Houston and win both games, ending the series with a 3-1 advantage.

This series featured three of the NBA’s top 75 players, but they were well past their prime at this point. Hakeem averaged a respectable 26.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. Clyde Drexler averaged 14 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists and remarkably, 36-year-old Magic Johnson, who had come out of retirement with 32 games to go in the regular season, averaged 15 points, 8.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists, having his two best games in Houston. The Rockets would go on to lose in the next round to the Seattle Supersonics, who would go on to represent the West in the NBA Finals. Their respective losses in the 1996 playoffs would change each franchise forever. That very next summer, the Lakers would sign Shaquille O’Neal in free agency and make a draft day trade for a high school phenom from Lower Merion, Kobe Bryant. The Rockets would trade Sam Cassell, Robert Horry, and Mark Bryant to the Phoenix Suns for Charles Barkley.

1999 – Lakers beat the Rockets in Round 1

After a disappointing lockout shortened season the Rockets and Lakers both finished 31-19 with the Lakers wining the regular season series and earning the four-seed in the West and the Rockets earning the fifth-seed. The previous summer the Rockets had acquired Scottie Pippen in a sign-and-trade, in a last-ditch effort to try and earn Charles Barkley that ever elusive NBA Championship. Unfortunately, the Rockets ran into the team that was on the verge of becoming a dynasty. Shaq in his prime, versus an aging Hakeem Olajuwon, Kobe Bryant a young blossoming star frequently guarded by a now disengaged Scottie Pippen (the feud between he and Barkley is now the stuff of legends), or a combination of two young rookies out of Rhode Island and Arizona respectively, Cuttino Mobley and Michael Dickerson.

Charles Barkley was the best Rockets player in the series averaging 23 points and 13 rebounds. With the Rockets on the brink of elimination in Game 3, he scored 30 points and grabbed 23 rebounds to go along with Scottie Pippen’s 37 points. Hakeem was just a shell of himself going up against Shaquille O’Neal, who he had dominated against in what seemed like just a short four years prior. The man now known as “Shaq Diesel” was just too much. He averaged 29.5 points 10.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 4.0 blocks per-game. None of those blocks more crucial than the final play of Game 1, when young Cuttino Mobley challenged Shaq at the rim for what would have been a game winning layup, only to have the shot swatted away. There’s no telling how that series could have gone with the momentum of stealing the first game on the road. However, as it turned out, Game 3 would be the only Rockets victory in the series. The Lakers would move on to be swept by the eventual NBA Champions, rookie Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs.

2004 – Rockets return to the Playoffs for the first time in five years, lose to Lakers in Round 1

The Clutch City era had ended. The Rockets began to rebuild after a disastrous injury riddled 1999-2000 season. Hakeem left in free agency for Toronto and father time caught up with Charles Barkley and he was forced to retire after a season-ending knee injury. The team now belonged to a young backcourt composed of Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley. As exciting of a duo as they were, that excitement did not translate to winning until 2002 when the Rockets selected Yao Ming with the number one overall pick in the draft. Now the Rockets had something that had become the blueprint of the now 3-time champion Los Angeles Lakers. A dominant big man inside with Yao Ming and a dynamic scoring guard on the outside with Steve Francis.

After just missing the playoffs in Yao Ming’s rookie season with coach Rudy Tomjonovich having to retire for health reasons midseason, the Rockets were determined to break the playoff drought in the 2003-2004 season with new head coach Jeff Van Gundy. The plan came to fruition. The Rockets won 45 games and finished seventh in the Western Conference. What was their reward for making the playoffs for the 1st time in 5 years? To play the 3-time champion Lakers, who coming off of a loss to the Spurs in the WCF the year before, now featured a starting lineup of, Gary Payton, Kobe Bryant, Rick Fox, Karl Malone, and Shaquille O’Neal.

It was a defensive battle of youth versus experience and experience won. The scoreboard hit triple digits just once in the Rockets 102-91 win in Game 3. Game 1, in very similar fashion to Game 1 in 1999 ended in a 1-point loss by the Rockets thanks to a clutch defensive stop by the Lakers. The Lakers went on to complete the “Gentleman’s sweep, and went all the way to the NBA Finals, where the Detroit Pistons returned the favor and beat the Lakers in five games. Once again, the respective playoff losses would change both franchises forever. The Lakers went on to trade Shaquille O’Neal and Gary Payton to the Miami Heat the following year, and the Houston Rockets traded Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, and Kelvin Cato for Tracy McGrady, Juwan Howard, Reece Gaines, and Tyron Lue.

2009 – Rockets lose to the Lakers in Game 7 of the WCSF – “What If”

Folks… this one hurt to have to relive. As I’m writing I fight back tears as this might be the number one “What If..” moment in Houston Rockets history. Arguments can be made for 2018 against the Warriors, but at the beginning of the 2008-2009 season, the Rockets were as legitimate a championship contender as there has ever been. Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady, Shane Battier, Luis Scola, Dikembe Mutombo and Rafer Alston, who had all been a part of a 22-game win streak the season prior, added one of the best two-way players in the NBA at the time in Ron Artest. Not to mention the very feisty young bench that featured Aaron Brooks, Luther Head, Carl Landry, Von Wafer, Chuck Hayes, Brian Cook and later after he was acquired in a trade for Rafer Alson… Kyle Lowry.

The team was stacked! But the injury bug hit early. Tracy McGrady who had carried the team in Yao’s absence the season before, only played 35 games. Dikembe Mutombo only played in nine regular season games before having a career ending injury in Game 2 of the first round series against the Portland Trailblazers. Ron Artest even played in less than 70 games that season. Even still, the Rockets managed to win 53 games that season thanks to the incredible depth built by GM Daryl Morey. Heading into the 2009 NBA Playoffs, the Rockets were the fifth-seed in the West, but their momentum headed into the postseason made them a team to look out for.

After beating the Trailblazers in the first round and getting into the second round for the first time since 1997, the Rockets were rewarded by getting to face the reigning Western Conference Champion Los Angeles Lakers. Kobe, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, Trevor Ariza, and Derek Fisher, to go along with their own young bench of Shannon Brown, Sasha Vujacic and Jordan Famar. The 65-win Lakers were the top seed in the West and favorites to get back to the finals. It was expected they would beat the Rockets in five or six games tops. The Rockets had other plans. This series was so insane I have to break it down a little more than the previous years’ matchups.

Game 1 – The Yao Comeback Game

The Rockets went toe-to-toe with the Lakers in Game 1 of the series. The starting lineup of Yao, Scola, Battier, Artest, and Brooks got the Rockets off to a great start. They led by three points at the half and in the second half were successfully keeping the Lakers at arm’s length thanks to great shooting from Aaron Brooks and Ron Artest. However, in the fourth quarter Yao Ming was the go-to guy. With five minutes to go in the game, Kobe banged knees with Yao during a drive to the basket that sent Yao Ming to the floor writhing in pain.

When head athletic trainer Keith Jones walked Yao into the tunnel toward the visiting locker rooms at the then Staples Center, Yao had 20 points and the Rockets led by six. The writing was seemingly on the wall, as the television camera followed Yao as he was limping back, he stopped, shook his head no, and began stretching. He was determined to go back in despite the athletic trainer seemingly wanting him to at minimum have the knee looked at. Yao Ming took his arms off the shoulders of his trainers, walked up to the wall and began lifting his leg back and forth to work out whatever pain he was feeling and he turned around and walked back to the Rockets bench. 54 seconds later he checked back in still with 20 points and the score still at 85-79. He finished the game with 28 points, 10 rebounds and the Rockets won the game 100-92.

Game 4 – The Aaron Brooks Game

After losing Game 2 and Game 3 on top of losing Yao Ming for the remainder of the season with a stress fracture in his foot, the Rockets were expected to roll over and accept the inevitable. They did no such thing. On the strength of Aaron Brooks’ 34 points, Shane Battier’s five three-pointers, and 12 points off the bench by Kyle Lowry the Houston Rockets tied the series at two games apiece with a 99-87 win.

Game 6 – The Rockets refuse to go away

Game 4 was a fluke. Right? The Rockets answered that question quickly as they jumped out to an early 17-1 lead in the first quarter. Luis Scola scored 15 of his 24 points in the first quarter matching the entire Lakers squad’s offensive output. The Rockets had four players with 15 or more points, while only three Lakers scored in double-digits. Ron Artest’s ability as an emotional leader and relentless effort on the court shined in this game and really for the entire series.

Midnight Strikes in Game 7

The Rockets would get blown out 89-70 in the deciding game of the series as the Lakers flexed the muscle that would eventually lead them to becoming the 2009 NBA Champions. However, that Rockets team will forever go down in history as one of the toughest and grittiest teams in NBA playoff history and in my humble opinion, the single biggest “What If…” in Rockets history. What if Yao, T-Mac, Battier and Artest had played the entire season together? Would the Rockets have been a top three or maybe even a top two seed? What if Mutombo is available to fill in for Yao Ming Pau Gasol isn’t being guarded by the 6-foot 8-inch Chuck Hayes? We will never know, but I do know that this will also forever be one of my favorite Rockets teams off all-time.

2020- Rockets lose to the Lakers in Bubble Round 2

We are all in agreement that 2020 was weird in every aspect, but the NBA was something else entirely. The Rockets had played 64 games, and the Lakers had played 63 games before the season was suspended in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Prior to the season’s suspension, the Lakers having just traded for Anthony Davis were the top team in the West, and the Rockets were in the six-seed. The Rockets had been as high as the four-seed, before making the decision to go all in on small ball and trading away Clint Capela at the trade deadline. Yet another move that made the season and the Rockets in general feel weird. The move was made mainly to accommodate Russel Westbrook, who the Rockets acquired by trading away Chris Paul and draft picks.

Westbrook never really made sense on a team built to shoot three-point shots, get layups, or free-throws. he played better once the paint was no longer clogged up by a big man, with P.J. Tucker playing at “Center” while mostly hanging out in the corner on offense waiting for a kick-out pass, but the team overall began to slide. In July of 2020 the NBA decided to invite 22 teams to Orlando to play inside what became known as “The Bubble.” 22 teams and their staffs would be quarantined at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex located inside Walt Disney World Resort and play in eight “seeding” games to determine the final playoff seeding. Both teams went 3-5. For the Lakers, it was dealing with rust in an awkward situation, with no fans in the building, playing in front of cardboard cutouts of fans and celebrities, that caused them to struggle.

The Rockets faced the same obstacles on top of Russel Wesbrook getting Covid right before getting to the bubble, injuring his quad right before the playoffs and coming back looking rusty. Russel Westbrook, never really known for efficiency or ball security was especially bad in the playoffs. The Rockets were able to barely squeeze by Westbrooks former team and former Houston Rocket Chirs Paul and the OKC thunder in the first round. By the time the Rockets and Lakers got together in the second round, most Rockets fans knew that the extremely weird 2020 season was about to end. After winning the first game 112-97, the series ended in five games with none of the games really being close. The Lakers would go on to defeat the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. For the Rockets, once again the loss changed their franchise, as the very next year Russel Westbrook, James Harden and all of the teams key role players were traded away and Daryl Morey resigned as GM. He was replaced by Raphael Stone and the Rockets rebuild began.

2026 – Tale of the Tape

One thing has always been consistent when it comes to Rockets versus Lakers in the playoffs, no matter the era, and that’s star power. This Saturday will be no exception… except… I’m sure the TDS faithful are very sad that Luka Doncic’s hamstring injury is going to keep him out of this series and Austin Reeves oblique injury will be keeping him out as well.

The Rockets are -600 favorites to win this series because of the fact that the Lakers are so banged up. We all know the narrative about Kevin Durant since he left the Golden State Warriors after horrible stints in Brooklyn and Phoenix. This is a legacy moment for Kevin Durant, from fans’ and the media’s perspectives alike. However, I think we all know that from Kevin Durant’s perspective, he likely feels no pressure and just wants to hoop and win. Is that a good thing? Well, we are going to find out soon enough. The Lakers have been playing well even with the injury issues and LeBron James is still a force to be reckoned with.

Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson were both impressive at times versus the Warriors last postseason in their playoff debuts. They will need to take that next step if the Rockets are going to move on in this series. All eyes will be on how the Rockets get into their offensive sets without a true point guard on the floor, something they have been trying to figure out all season. Aaron Holiday may end up being very important in this series from that regard.

Ultimately, this is a series between two extremely proud and storied franchises, and it’s this humble writer’s opinion that it’s the Rockets turn to come out on top. Game 1 will tip off Saturday April 18th at 7:30 PM CST from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. You know where to come for all the coverage you need from the only website that cares as much as you do. See you all this weekend TDS faithful! Go Rockets!

Watch Steph Curry hilariously ask fan courtside if his clutch shot went in originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry needed some assistance from the crowd after a clutch shot in Wednesday’s 126-121 win over the Los Angeles Clippers at the Intuit Dome.

With the game tied 117 apiece with 55 seconds remaining in the game, Curry came off a screen from forward Draymond Green and heaved up a 3-point shot from the left wing that went in after his momentum took him into the courtside crowd.

STEPH FOR THE LEAD 😤pic.twitter.com/ktv1XT3LEv

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 16, 2026

Curry, with his back to the basket, seemingly asked the fans he was face-to-face with if his shot went in, as if he already did not know from the crowd’s reaction.

Did Steph ask this fan if the shot went in? 😂 pic.twitter.com/AISiB84W0W

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 16, 2026

It’s safe to say the Warriors sharpshooter, who famously has mastered the look-away shot over the course of his career, has a pretty good idea of when his shots fall.

But just to be sure, he wanted a little reassurance from the fans before he broke out into a fiery celebration.

DUBS WIN pic.twitter.com/84PSOFOa8x

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 16, 2026

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INDEPENDENCE — Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson has been asked how James Harden has helped this team since his arrival in early February. He’s spoken at length about how good a passer he is and how skilled he is as a scorer. But there’s one thing that sticks out above all of that — his knowledge of the game and his willingness to pass that on to others on the team. Both are byproducts of his obsession with the game.

“There are certain players in this league that they love it more,” Atkinson said of Harden. “They’re obsessed. There’s love and obsession.”

Harden falls into that second category.

“There’s very few of them to that degree,” Atkinson said. “How obsessed they are with the game, the nuances of the game, it’s different.”

Those nuances show through most when Harden is running the pick-and-roll. He’s an expert at that action and has developed seemingly instant chemistry with nearly every big he’s come in contact with throughout his 17-year career with six different franchises. That one exception was Evan Mobley — at least in their first few weeks together.

Mobley’s game didn’t fit with Harden’s right off the bat. Mobley isn’t known for being a hard screen setter and roller. Instead, he’s typically done most of his damage attacking in space off the dribble, cutting, and attacking after slipping screens.

Earlier this season, Dallas Mavericks head coach and legendary point guard Jason Kidd said that it took him half a season before he felt comfortable with a new big. The Cavs didn’t have that much time to make things work with Harden since they traded for him four months into the season. They had to find a different way to develop their on-court chemistry without game reps. That meant they had to do most of their work in the film room.

“Us going through film, me learning him, him learning me, and where he likes to pass the ball. That was a big thing at the start,” Mobley said. “Once I kind of figured that out, and how he likes to come off [screens], and what his cues are. Sometimes you can’t really say anything. You just kind of have to look. Once I learned that, it got very easy.”

Mobley describes Harden as being “light-hearted” in these film sessions.“It’s just info. He just tells me what he sees. I tell him what I see, and the coaches chime in. It’s just a back-and-forth conversation.”

Harden’s impact breaking down film is one of the things that the Cavs pointed out immediately after the trade.

“James is a teacher,” Atkinson said. “He always has a slant and a new idea on how we can do things better. He’s not afraid. … He’s very bold — extroverted. Talking with guys, it’s a huge help.”

Harden and Mobley’s two-man game has continued to grow throughout the season. Harden has done a good job of delivering passes to Mobley above the waste where he can catch the ball in stride. In turn, Mobley has been more decisive in rolling to the basket and exploiting mismatches.

That development didn’t happen overnight. It was through trial and error and having an open line of communication, which Harden believes is the biggest reason why they were able to get onto the same page.

“Figure out what works, whether it’s the pick-and-roll, whether it’s just me throwing him the ball in the post,” Harden said. “Whether I have the mismatch or I feel like he has the mismatch. It’s a split-second decision. If it doesn’t go right, we talk about it and then move on.”

This has carried over to more than just the pick-and-roll. The Cavs as a team have thrived when both share the floor. Cleveland has outscored their opponent by 5.5 points per 100 possessions (77th percentile for net rating) with a 119.5 offensive rating (80th percentile) and a 114 defensive rating (68th percentile).

If the Cavs are going to go far in the playoffs, it will be because their best players are on the same page and the team is at its best when they share the floor. To do that, Mobley and Harden have to be in sync, and they’ve made an effort to do so through their communication.

“I’m just trying to learn from him,” Mobley said. “Learn the most I can and figure out how he’s become who he is. He does a great job of explaining and spreading his knowledge to us. I’m just soaking it all in.”

The difficulty of guarding an action involving Steph Curry and Draymond Green is the sheer unpredictability of how it will manifest. It’s difficult enough to solve the typical Curry-Green pick-and-roll — playing drop will end up in Curry pulling up around the screen for a rhythm three. Playing a more aggressive form of coverage such as a hedge or outright blitz unleashes Green in the short roll with a 4-on-3 numbers advantage, a realm that Green has historically dominated with near-equal efficiency as a Curry pull-up three.

Adding to that difficulty is when Green starts possessions out handling the ball with Curry parking himself in the middle of the paint. Whenever Steve Kerr calls for “Small,” it often entails an inverted pick-and-roll in which Curry steps up to set the screen for Green. The reticence of Curry’s defender to detach himself from the greatest shooter of all time often allows Green to dribble downhill through a wide-open lane.

Teams have come to expect “Small” action, owing to the fact that the Warriors are so fond of having Curry be the ball screener for Green and bigger ball-handling wings (previously, that role was played by the likes of Jimmy Butler, Andrew Wiggins, and Jonathan Kuminga). Naturally, a scouted action needs to evolve in order to maintain its effectiveness. As such, back on December 14 against the Portland Trail Blazers, Kerr called for “Small” action and the Blazers expected an inverted pick-and-roll possession.

However, the Warriors were expecting the Blazers to expect the ball-screen. In that regard, the Warriors threw a curve ball that caught the Blazers with their tail between their legs:

Warriors┃ "Small"

Kerr calls for "Small" for an inverted PnR between Draymond and Steph.

The inverted PnR is a fake, instead flowing into a handoff for Steph. pic.twitter.com/Hf7HFjf7ts

— Joe Viray (@JoeVirayNBA) December 15, 2025

The rationale behind this action is rather simple: with Green’s defenders often sagging way off of him (with the additional purpose of not letting themselves getting screened by Curry above the free-throw line, which would give Green a runway toward the rim), Green’s defenders will find themselves playing drop coverage unintentionally whenever Curry comes off of Green and pulls up from deep. The irony of the situation is then realized: teams are forced to play a pick-and-roll coverage that has been proven to be extremely ineffective against basketball history’s greatest shooter.

This callback all leads into a sequence against the Los Angeles Clippers in the Golden State Warriors’ momentous Play-In victory, one that prolonged their tumultuous season. With the seven-minute mark approaching in the third quarter and the Warriors aiming to keep things manageable in the midst of a precarious deficit, “Small” is called for what is apparently going to be a Curry screen for Green, who brings the ball up.

To Brook Lopez’s credit, he refuses to sag back and let Green and Curry dictate matters at the top of the arc. The risk behind this decision, however, is Curry catching Lopez with a screen and Green diving past for what could be an easy layup. But Curry elects to come off of Green instead of setting the screen. Perhaps in anticipation of a screen, Lopez drops back to avoid the pick — but falls victim to an unintentional bout of drop coverage.

To add insult to injury, Derrick Jones Jr. attempts to recover over the screen, and in the process fouls Curry on the four-point play:

The deceptive nature of the action underscores its overall inevitability, one that has had Curry and Green in the center of it all. The Clippers may have had the Warriors’ number over the past couple of years, but they fell victim once again to the one-two punch that has taken opposing fanbases’ hearts several times, over and over, enough to convince a die-hard fan to accept the fact that Curry and Green will forever haunt them in their dreams, even after their stories careers have seen their eventual end.

In an elimination game with everything on the line, Curry and Green were expected to handle things from their respective specialties: Curry as the Warriors’ offensive engine, Green as their defensive anchor. The former, with help from Green but whose machinery was driven by the all-time talents of Curry, furthered a legacy that already was and has been unimpeachable:

The latter saw Green get up for a vintage performance that belied his aging profile.

While Green’s defensive reputation was built mostly on a role that saw him as an off-ball roamer and mistake-eraser, Green was tasked to defend the Clippers’ resident terminator. Kawhi Leonard finished the game with 21 points on 17 shots — good for a true shooting percentage of 56 percent. In a do-or-die game, 17 shots clearly wasn’t good enough for a superstar the caliber of Leonard’s, whose resurgence this season will see him almost certainly be included in an All-NBA Team, let alone the first team.

But Leonard managing to put up only 17 shots had plenty to do with Green and his tenacity as Leonard’s tormentor. Of those 17 shots, six were taken in the second half; two of those six were taken in the crucial fourth quarter.

Make no mistake, Green had schematic help — i.e., Kerr and de facto defensive coordinator Jerry Stackhouse opting to surprise Leonard with doubles. The Warriors were clearly more concerned with Leonard the scorer as opposed to Leonard the passer; the latter was even more palatable if Leonard was forced to pass in the face of daunting pressure:

But on an individual basis, Green displayed his mettle and pedigree. He rose to the occasion on two separate occasions, both of them equally crucial behind the Warriors’ win.

Showing an incredible refusal to be dictated by the Clippers’ after-timeout (ATO) play (in the sense that the Clippers wanted to draw Green away from Leonard courtesy of a screen), Green tenaciously fights over the screen, pins Leonard against the sideline, and intercepts a pass that was meant for Leonard, leading to an and-1 layup by Brandin Podziemski:

A few possessions later, Green flashes an incredible knowledge of Leonard’s rhythm and handle by timing a swipe at the end of Leonard’s right-to-left crossover, forcing another turnover that all but seals the deal for the Warriors:

Despite the fleeting nature of this run, in the sense that one loss can send it all into the realm of futility, it was nevertheless a treat to see these two legends of the sport turn back the clock and produce another vintage performance. Let it be known, however, that they had the requisite help: Al Horford had four massive threes in the fourth quarter and finished with 14 points; Kristaps Porzingis chipped in with his 20 points; Podziemski himself had 17 points while hauling in seven rebounds as a 6’4” unathletic guard; and Gui Santos produced 20 crucial points, all while the Warriors outscored the Clippers by 16 points in his 32 minutes of floor time, a team high.

No matter what the outcome of the next tilt against the Phoenix Suns may be, the Warriors —powering through a season that saw season-ending injuries to Butler and Moses Moody, a 27-game absence from their franchise superstar, and a highly unnecessary saga involving Kuminga — have already overachieved. If their so-called “uncs” have more gas in their tanks, further overachieving would be the money that keeps on giving — until it chooses to stop giving.

Many of the top men's college basketball transfers are off the board as rosters are starting to shape up ahead of the 2026-27 season.

But transfer portal rankings are hardly an exact science, and best fit is usually a better indicator for future success than anything.

While Yaxel Lendeborg, a first-team All-American in 2025-26, was rated the No. 1 player in the portal and delivered Michigan a national championship, UConn center Tarris Reed Jr., one of the best players of the NCAA Tournament in 2026, was rated outside the top 75 as a portal prospect in 2024 by 247Sports' Composite.

Top 40 available players: College basketball transfer portal rankings

The deadline to enter the transfer portal is April 21, and impactful players are still entering the market each day.

Here's a look at our best fits so far of players that have already committed in the 2026 transfer portal:

10 transfers that are perfect fits in college basketball

Stefan Vaaks, Illinois

Former Providence guard Stefan Vaaks will fit right in with Illinois, which is developing a reputation for European standouts.

The Estonian will likely join a starting lineup that consists of Andrej Stojakovic, David Mirkovic and Tomislav Ivisic, who all averaged double figures last season. A 6-7 sharpshooter, Vaaks averaged 15.8 points with 2.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game last season for the Friars as a true freshman.

Illinois had a void at guard this offseason after Keaton Wagler declared for the NBA Draft, and in steps Vaaks.

Dedan Thomas, Houston

Houston is almost assuredly losing star guard Kingston Flemings, a projected top-10 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. It'll aim to replace him with LSU transfer Dedan Thomas, one of the best playmaking guards available.

USA TODAY's No. 16 overall transfer, Thomas averaged 15.3 points with 6.5 assists per game last season for the Tigers, and is poised to take over as Houston's lead ball handler with Flemings and multi-year starter Milos Uzan out of the picture.

Houston has been fueled by its guard play under coach Kelvin Sampson, going from Marcus Sasser and Jamal Shead to LJ Cryer and Emanuel Sharp to Flemings, Uzan and Sharp in consecutive seasons. Thomas will be asked to do a lot next season as Houston loses three starting guards.

David Punch, Texas

David Punch emerged as one of the best defenders in the country last season at TCU, and averaged 14.1 points with 6.8 rebounds and two assists in a do-it-all role for the Horned Frogs. It was a surprise when he entered the portal, but less of a surprise when he chose the hometown Longhorns.

Punch is from Harker Heights, Texas, less than an hour drive from Austin, where Texas' campus is located. That, paired with Texas' need for a frontcourt mate next to returning center Matas Vokietaitis made for a perfect fit for second-year coach Sean Miller.

Punch averaged 1.9 blocks and 1.3 steals per game last season, and gives Texas a feisty defender that can guard multiple positions.

Najai Hines, UConn

UConn needed a center to replace Tarris Reed this offseason, and it found a fit that made perfect sense. Not only did Najai Hines show flashes in the Big East last season as a true freshman, but he also did so at coach Dan Hurley's alma mater, Seton Hall.

Hines stats don't jump off the page — 6.5 points with 5.5 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game — but he came on late in the year for the Pirates and was a blue-chip high school recruit, rated as a top-10 center in the 2025 class, per 247Sports' Composite.

Hines is huge, listed at 6-10, 265 pounds. Hurley and the Huskies will look to develop him similarly to how they did with Reed after he transferred from Michigan.

J.P. Estrella, Michigan

Similar to fellow national championship opponent UConn, Michigan also has some holes to fill in its frontcourt with Yaxel Lendeborg off to the NBA Draft and center Aday Mara likely following suit.

The Wolverines will look to replace some of that production with former Tennessee forward J.P. Estrella, who averaged 10 points with 5.4 rebounds per game last season. The 6-11 redshirt sophomore scored seven points with seven rebounds against the Wolverines in the Elite Eight.

Coach Dusty May has been masterful at developing his frontcourt, and Estrella will be the latest to learn from the national championship-winning coach.

Collin Chandler, BYU

It didn't take long for former Kentucky guard Collin Chandler to choose his next destination, as he committed to BYU, his hometown school, shortly after entering the transfer portal. He was formerly committed to BYU as a high school prospect, and took two years off after high school to fulfill a church mission in Africa.

Chandler averaged 9.7 points with 2.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists last season, also shooting 41% from 3-point range. He's also a perfect fit at BYU offensively, as the Cougars have finished No. 9 and No. 12 in adjusted offensive efficiency each of Kevin Young's seasons as head coach.

BYU also has a void at wing, with AJ Dybantsa likely off to the NBA Draft and Richie Saunders out of eligibility. He'll be one of BYU's top options next to returning guard Rob Wright III.

Neoklis Avdalas, North Carolina

New North Carolina coach Michael Malone's first portal recruit was one of the most intriguing available players in former Virginia Tech guard Neoklis Avdalas.

The 6-9 true freshman averaged 12.1 points with 3.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game last season for the Hokies, and showed flashes of being a potential NBA lottery pick with his unique playmaking and shooting ability at his size. Avdalas was on the NBA Draft radar after only his second career game, as he scored 33 points with five rebounds and six assists in an overtime win over Providence in November.

Avdalas is expected to take a huge step forward as a sophomore, especially under Malone's tutelage.

PJ Haggerty, Texas A&M

Former Kansas State guard PJ Haggerty ranked fourth nationally in 2025-26 averaging 23.4 points per game. Now at his fifth school in five seasons, Haggerty joins an offense tabbed as "Bucky Ball" under second-year coach Bucky McMillan, who runs a fast-paced offense predicated on taking shots early and often.

Sounds like a strong fit for one of the best pure scorers in college basketball.

Haggerty is also from Crosby, Texas, a Houston suburb that's less than a two-hour drive from College Station, Texas.

Derek Dixon, Arizona

Derek Dixon entered the portal after North Carolina hired Malone as its next coach, despite starting 16 games as a true freshman. His landing spot? Arizona, which made the Final Four in 2025-26 and has a glaring need at guard.

Arizona loses Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley, its starting point guard, to graduation, and also loses leading scorer Brayden Burries, a surefire first-round pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.

Dixon averaged 6.5 points with 2.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game last season with the Tar Heels, and now finds himself as coach Tommy LLoyd's likely starting point guard.

Jaquan Johnson, Iowa State

Iowa State coach TJ Otzelberger has done work in the transfer portal since taking over the program, but his point guard in four of his five seasons has never changed.

Bradley transfer Jaquan Johnson will be tasked with replacing four-year starter Tamin Lipsey, one of the most accomplished players in school history. He has the means to do so, averaging 16.9 points with 3.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game last season despite being undersized at 5-11.

With Otzelberger's portal track record, Johnson should fit quite nicely with Iowa State, who has to replace Lipsey, leading scorer Milan Momcilovic and All-American Joshua Jefferson.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College basketball transfers who are best fits with new teams

Pressure usually feels obvious this time of year. You know who it’s on, you know what’s at stake, and you know exactly who’s going to hear about it if things go sideways.

This Celtics team is a little different. The expectations are obviously real and earned, but they’re not overwhelming. The core has already proven it can win, the supporting cast has spent the year exceeding assumptions, and the entire season has carried a “found money” feel to it. Which makes the pressure question harder to pin down than usual.

We asked the CelticsBlog staff where it actually sits heading into the postseason, and whether it’s even there at all.

Which player is under the most pressure for the Celtics this postseason?

Jeff Clark: Frankly, I don’t see any Celtics players under pressure. Sure, there’s the pressure of the playoffs. There’s the pressure of not wanting to waste a year of Tatum and Brown’s primes. But this whole season has been found money. They have the veteran crew that’s been through the battles and won the whole thing. Then they have the young crew that is too young to know that they aren’t supposed to be this good. And they have a maniac coach that has them all locked in and on the same page. That’s a great combo.

Bill Sy: In a gap year that saw the front office get under the luxury tax, I don’t think there’s much pressure on anybody.  Joe Mazzulla is the frontrunner for Coach of the Year (despite renouncing the honor), Tatum is less than a year from his Achilles tear, Brown has proven himself as an MVP candidate, and every role player has played above expectations.  If there’s anybody that has anything to prove, it might be Nikola Vucevic.

You have to imagine that when Brad Stevens traded for him, the deal came with the prospect that he could re-sign with Boston in the summer.  He showed signs of fitting in before and after he fractured his finger, but a playoff run will ultimately be the proving ground.

Rich Jensen: I don’t think anyone’s under a great deal of pressure. The C’s have so far exceeded expectations that they’ve been playing with house money since December or so. I think Tatum might be putting himself under pressure to rise to the level of performance that he thinks the rest of the team deserves, but I certainly wouldn’t put any external pressure on him. Maybe the rest of the media landscape and segments of the fanbase have ratcheted their expectations of Tatum and the team to unrealistic levels, but I’m not going to be on that bandwagon. 

Look. Being a Celtics fan is like winning the lottery at this point. I’m not going to go around thinking that I’m entitled to more than what we ultimately get from the team.

Ian Inangelo: The person under the most pressure right now is probably Jaylen Brown. Just due to the fact he has been the lead option for most of the season and has put up MVP level performances so far. He is going to be seen as the guy who is going to lead the Celtics to another championship.

Mark Aboyoun: Nikola Vučević. Similar to why he may be a reason Boston won’t win the championship, since he’s returned from his thumb injury, he hasn’t looked great. When he was traded to Boston, he had to learn the team’s defensive scheme and, at times, struggled. Then he got injured early in his Celtics career, and with that, Garza was able to get back into the mix — and he’s done well, as he has all season. In the playoffs, the rotation gets shorter, and Mazzulla will have to figure out what’s best for the team.

Nikola Vucević did it all against his former team 😤

19 points (4-5 3PT), 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks

His passing open some new layers to Celtics' offense: pic.twitter.com/FtD4jGYc7b

— Tomek Kordylewski (@Timi_093) February 12, 2026

Nirav Barman: JB and Derrick may be tied for being under the most pressure, but for different reasons. While the MVP is a regular season award, players are still judged on their ability to retain that value and production come playoff time. Jaylen has proved himself in the playoffs plenty of times before, but this year he will be under even more scrutiny. As for Derrick, he’s done just about everything this year, except for score the ball efficiently. If White’s shot isn’t falling, the Celtics will be in an incredibly tough spot, and a whole year of poor shooting will be a bad look for Derrick.

Mike Dynon: No one is truly under pressure because the Celtics were never expected to be where they are. Boston is playing this postseason with the proverbial house money. If forced to pick someone, let’s go with Sam Hauser. After alternating hot and cold all season, he finished with a sizzling April (52.6%) – yet he still ended the season at only 39.3%, the first time he’s been below 40%. Hauser also dropped in the league three-point percentage standings; he ranked 40th this season after placing 20th last year and 11th in 2024.

Hauser’s production is a key indicator for Boston. He appeared in 54 wins this season, making 42.4% of his shots from distance. Conversely, he converted only 30.9% in 24 appearances where the Celtics lost. Boston’s path will be much easier if Sam gets into Haus-Fire mode for the next two months.

Ryan Paice: Derrick White. Overall, I don’t think his position in Boston is under threat regardless of how he ultimately plays. But the spotlight is going to turn to him early and often. Playoff defenses tighten the screws and focus in on eliminating strengths, while taking chances on testing perceived weaknesses. 

One of those perceived weaknesses may be White’s shot, as he has struggled to hit at a solid clip all season, so I expect the defense may sell out on the Jays and let White take a few shots. If he can recover his shot from the past couple seasons, the Celtics should walk into the Finals. If he can’t, it could be tough to watch as opponents game plan against him. 

I, for one, can’t stand the thought of the inevitable calls for his head from some of the sillier talking heads in the media landscape if White can’t hit his shots on a consistent basis.

Gio Rivera: Collectively, the frontcourt is under the most pressure. Sure, there will be plenty of talk about Tatum’s return and Brown’s ability to carry his MVP-caliber play into the postseason, but that’s nothing new. They’ve dealt with those expectations for years, and as champions who led the 2024 title run, the only pressure that could reach them is the kind they place on themselves.

Neemias Queta and Nikola Vučević will need to hold the fort. Last postseason, Queta appeared in just four games, averaging 3.3 minutes. That’s no longer his reality. He’s no longer stuck in the shadows of Kristaps Porziņģis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet. He’s now regarded as a legitimate starting center, and he earned that.

Even when veteran champion Chris Boucher was in the mix, Queta earned his role and did everything to keep it. When Vučević arrived, he still held firm, reinforcing that the job was rightfully his. His averaged career highs in points (10.2), rebounds (8.4), and blocks (1.3), along with the best field-goal percentage among Eastern Conference centers (65.3) and the third-best net rating (13.2) among centers, trailing only Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren. That doesn’t just earn him locker room endorsement for the Most Improved Player award — it raises the bar for what’s expected this postseason.

Neemias Queta has Jaylen Brown's vote for Most Improved Player 🙌

Here's a look at the current NBA MIP odds ➡️ pic.twitter.com/cySRS9Pw5M

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) April 6, 2026

Vučević, too, is in a similar spot. After missing 14 games with a fractured right finger, he struggled to regain form, averaging 7.4 points and five rebounds while shooting 31 percent from three over the final four games of the regular season. As the trade deadline return for Simons — and a player the organization has eyed for years — Boston will need him to bounce back quickly, ideally as early as the first round.

Grant Burfeind: It has to be the best player on the team this season, Jaylen Brown. He’s done the incredibly hard job over the last few years, which is get better every single season, and at a certain point, that almost raises the stakes instead of lowering them. He’s proved he belongs, now it’s about proving that this version of you is the new baseline.

Despite this amazing season, it still feels like he’s one shaky playoff run away from all the old conversations creeping back in. The forced drives, the loose handle, the possessions that stall out into isolation — we’ve seen it before, even if it feels like he’s moved past it. If he plays at the level he’s reached this season, it raises the ceiling of the entire team and could be the difference in bringing home Banner 19. If he slips back into some of those habits, he’s going to wear a lot of that outcome. That’s pressure in its simplest form.