Category: Basketball

The Sixers’ 109-97 win over the Orlando Magic in the Play-In tournament to secure the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference cemented their turnaround from a disastrous 2024-25 campaign. Thanks to a 21-win increase they were able to clinch a playoff spot for the eighth time in the last nine seasons.

It’s not like the Sixers achieved this with major roster upheaval. They retained 11 players from the prior season heading into this one. Proving that the previous season was just an injury-riddled disaster was something they all took pride in.

Head coach Nick Nurse opened the year saying there was a lot of “pissed off-ness” about how the ’24-25 season went and how motivated the organization was to erase that. He reiterated that again after the victory over Orlando.

“I said we had a really, really big hole to dig out of and we want to get in the tournament somehow” Nurse said postgame. “It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t pretty, but we’re here now and now we get to see what we can do with it.”

To Nurse’s point, it’s not like everything that went wrong a season ago suddenly clicked into place. Joel Embiid and Paul George still missed a combined 87 games this year with no guarantee Embiid will be able to suit up for the playoffs.

“It means a lot,” George said. “Last season, that was as about as tough as a season I’ve been a part of, but for us to turn it around, we dealt with some adversity this year but we got through it.”

No player took this more to heart than Tyrese Maxey. While he hasn’t quite snatched the title of most impactful star on the Sixers roster from Joel Embiid, he is definitely the most available. The fact that he’s able to suit up regularly makes him bear the brunt of the team’s on-court struggles on a day-to-day basis.

The All-NBA caliber season in which he averaged 28 points per game is nice, but proving he can lead a team through the regular season to the playoffs has been a larger goal. He made a vow to get back watching last year’s playoffs, and didn’t care for Knicks’ commentator Walt Frazier’s preseason assessment that he better get used to losing.

Yall deserve to be in the playoffs and we gotta work to get back there for yall!! 💯💯

— Tyrese Maxey (@TyreseMaxey) May 14, 2025

Tyrese Maxey wasn’t a fan of Walt Frazier comments saying he should get used to being on a losing team 👀 pic.twitter.com/Hm8PvJ39ZU

— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) October 6, 2025

Driving this type of winning is so important to Maxey that he promised multiple teammates that he would lead them back to the playoffs.

“I promised Kyle [Lowry] before the season,” Maxey said. “He called me around May, I said ‘there’s just no chance that I’m gonna let you not be in the playoffs next year.’”

He also detailed how important that was for many of the younger guys who haven’t made the playoffs yet, guys like Dominick Barlow, Jabari Walker and, of course, VJ Edgecombe.

“Dalen Terry came up to me at shootaround and just said ‘please, man, just please, get me in there. I have been in the Play-In four years straight,’” Maxey explained. “I said, ‘we going to the playoffs, so don’t worry about it, D.T.’”

In his own words, coming through on this promise meant everything to Maxey.

“The way last season went, I just didn’t want to have that feeling again,” he said. “I just challenged myself last summer, and I feel like I rose to that challenge.”

Maxey’s teammates have not been shy about the vocal leader he has developed into over the past couple of seasons. If there’s one way to cement yourself as the locker room leader, it’s coming through on promises like that.

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The Golden State Warriors aren’t done yet. 

Golden State was able to rewind to 2017 for 12 minutes and live another day, setting up Friday's NBA Play-In Tournament showdown with the Phoenix Suns for the No. 8 seed in the West (and the right to get smacked by OKC).

However, my Warriors vs. Suns predictions aren’t drinking from Golden State’s fountain of youth, as I’m betting on Phoenix to sunset the final remnants of this dynasty.

Read more in my latest NBA picks for April 17.

Our best Warriors vs Suns SGP for April 17

The Phoenix Suns opened as short home favorites, being discounted for a close loss to a red-hot Portland squad in Tuesday’s Play-In opener. Phoenix has the homecourt and rest edge over a Golden State Warriors team ripe for a letdown and playing its fourth away game in eight days.

The last thing the Suns want is to get into a shootout with the Warriors. Phoenix plays a methodical pace on offense and is among the better defensive teams in the NBA — especially at home, where they own a 15-27 Over/Under record.

Jalen Green’s knee is doing just fine. He exploded for 35 points against a very stingy Blazers team and now faces a Golden State squad that ranks among the softer defenses in the Association.

Green's projections call for 20+ points, which is a bar he’s hit in 15 of his last 21 outings.

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A former player tied to a major NBA betting scandal seemingly wants to switch his stance in one of the federal cases against him. 

Key Takeaways

• Ex-NBA player Damon Jones is tied to the betting scandal and the rigged poker games.
  
  
• Jones hasn’t changed his not guilty plea in the other charge.
  
  
• He allegedly provided bettors with the injury information for LeBron James and Anthony Davis for profit.

Damon Jones originally pleaded not guilty in November 2025 to providing injury information on star NBA players LeBron James and Anthony Davis to bettors. However, he has requested a change-of-plea hearing, according to ABC News, citing court documents. 

The hearing has reportedly been scheduled for April 28.

Jones allegedly twice attempted to sell personnel information to a group of bettors that included Marves Fairley and Shane Hennen. Jones, who played 11 seasons in the NBA for 10 teams, was charged by federal prosecutors in the same case involving Terry Rozier in October 2025. 

He was also named in the indictment as a part of a rigged poker game with suspended Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups. Jones hasn’t altered his not guilty plea to that charge. 

Insider information instance

The first occasion occurred before a February 9, 2023, game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, when he had a close relationship with James as an unofficial assistant coach. 

Jones told the group of co-conspirators that James was going to miss the game. He told them in a text message to “get a big bet on Milwaukee” before the public information on James’ status was released, and Jones asked them to “bet enough” that he would get a piece of the winnings. 

James indeed sat out. The Lakers lost the game, and the group of bettors profited from nonpublic information, according to the indictment. James, also a former teammate of Jones, was not implicated in the scheme. 

“As alleged, the defendants turned professional basketball into a criminal betting operation, using private locker room and medical information to enrich themselves and cheat legitimate sportsbooks,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said in a statement last year. “This was a sophisticated conspiracy involving athletes, coaches, and intermediaries who exploited confidential information for profit.”

Other alleged improprieties 

In January 2024, Fairley paid Jones $2,500 on a peer-to-peer transaction app for injury information reportedly on Davis, who was listed as probable for the game. 

The conspirators thought Davis would sit, but he played, and the Lakers won. Fairley asked for his money back, but Jones claimed it was “credible” insider information, the indictment notes.

Fairley has also pleaded not guilty and said he didn’t benefit from Jones’ nonpublic NBA player injury information. 

In the other case, Jones is accused, with Billups, of luring poker players into a game rigged by the mob. The defendants, who have also pleaded not guilty, allegedly used sophisticated electronic equipment to cheat players out of millions of dollars, according to the indictment. 

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Basketball nostalgia is a potent drug. I’ve spent hours watching highlights from the past, reminiscing on the glory days of NBA action.

Hoop heads got a strong dose of just that on Wednesday, when the Golden State Warriors erupted for 43 points in the fourth quarter to stun the L.A. Clippers.

Stephen Curry’s 3-point barrage, Draymond Green’s lockdown defense, and the Dubs digging themselves out of a 13-point hole stirred up memories of Golden State’s past postseason dominance and sets up a Play-In Tournament tilt with the Phoenix Suns.

But despite what my retro-heavy sneaker collection would tell you, I’m not buying this throwback.

Our Warriors vs. Suns predictions are being realistic about Golden State’s tough situational spot on Friday, and my NBA picks are siding with an undervalued home team.

Warriors vs Suns prediction

Warriors vs Suns best bet: Suns -3 (-110)

I’m a big fan of situational betting, and after hearing Golden State head coach Steve Kerr, following his team’s comeback in L.A., my “spot betting sense” is tingling.

"For one night, we're us. We're champions again,” Kerr told reporters. “I know that that may sound crazy to everybody out there, but it's a play-in game. I don't care.”

The Warriors’ motivations were already mixed heading into the Play-In Tournament, but after such a wild win and that statement from Kerr, it really feels like the Dubs are ripe for a massive letdown in Phoenix on Friday.

If you can separate from that nostalgic joy for a second, you’ll remember Golden State backed into the postseason with one win in its final eight games. The Warriors were the ninth-worst defense since the All-Star break and finished 4-10 SU in their final 14 road games.

That potential for a faceplant isn’t the only reason I’m fading Golden State. The Warriors will now hit the road for the fourth time in eight days, which is a lot of wear and tear on the aging legs of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis. 

The Phoenix Suns, on the other hand, get to stay home and enjoy an added day of rest and prep. Phoenix is being discounted after running into a red-hot Portland squad in the Play-In and has shown an ability to bounce back from poor performances, going 22-15 SU and 21-16 ATS when coming off a loss.

Warriors vs Suns same-game parlay

If the Suns are going to get right and put away the Warriors, it will be with defense. Phoenix plays a methodical pace and ranks among the stingier home teams in the league, allowing just 108.5 points against inside Mortgage Matchup Center, and they are 15-27 Over/Under at home this season.

Jalen Green looked great coming back from a knee injury against Portland, exploding for 35 points in the Play-In loss. He’s scored 20+ points in 15 of his last 21 games and is projected for 20 points versus the Warriors on Friday.

Warriors vs Suns SGP

• Suns -3
• Under 220
• Jalen Green Over 18.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Green monsters

These Green guys can pack the box score for both teams. Draymond gets after it on the glass against the Suns’ small-ball lineup while Jalen keeps up his play-in performances with another huge game for Phoenix.

Warriors vs Suns SGP

• Jalen Green Over 18.5 points
• Jalen Green Over 4.5 rebounds
• Draymond Green Over 8.5 points
• Draymond Green Over 5.5 rebounds

Warriors vs Suns odds

• Spread: Warriors +3 | Suns -3
• Moneyline: Warriors +135 | Suns -150
• Over/Under: Over 220 | Under 220

Warriors vs Suns betting trend to know

Favorites of -3 or shorter are 9-4 SU and ATS in the current format of the NBA Play-In Tournament (since 2021). Find more NBA betting trends for Warriors vs. Suns.

How to watch Warriors vs Suns

Warriors vs Suns latest injuries

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The Spurs are headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2019, with Game 1 against the Portland Trail Blazers set for 8 PM CT on Sunday. That’s still several days out, so in the meantime, we’re looking back one of the best regular seasons in franchise history.

In Part 1, we reviewed the first part of the Spurs season that featured a strong start despite missing De’Aaron Fox to start the season and Victor Wembanyama for 12 straight games. In Part 2, we recalled their memorable and arguably season-defining stretch in the second half of December, which featured Wemby’s return and a Cup Semi-finals win plus two more in a 12-day span against the defending champion Thunder, officially putting the Spurs on the map. The year concluded with a record-breaking performance from Julian Champagnie against the Knicks, but then the Spurs hit arguably their only rough patch of the season, which is where we’re picking up today.

Part 3: January 2026 (8-7)

After suffering a strained oblique in the Knicks game to close 2025, Wemby missed the two opening games of 2026: a win over the lowly Pacers and close loss at home to the Trail Blazers. (I’m just now realizing Wemby missed all three regular season matchups against them this season, so there’s a new twist to the playoffs due to them not having a chance to scout that match-up.) He soon returned, but January continued to follow an up-and-down pattern with some good wins combined with frustrating losses.

They got their second win over Lakers despite a typical 38-10-10 triple double from Luka Doncic, followed by a victory in Boston against a Celtics club that was supposed to be in a “gap” year with Jayson Tatum missing most of the season and them having to trade away a lot of their depth but rode an MVP-level performance from Jalen Brown to the second seed in the East. Oh, and the Lakers game was our last great Jeremy Sochan “troll” moment as he set off Jared Vanderbilt after the game.

Those two wins were followed by road losses to two playoff teams in the Timberwolves and Thunder, but then it was up again with another classic match-up between Wemby and Giannis Antetokounmpo. (It wasn’t that exciting of a game, but who knows where this match-up is headed with Giannis uncertain future with the Bucks, so we’ll enjoy it while it lasts.)

That was followed by a heart attack-inducing but thrilling victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Spurs built a 25-point halftime lead thanks to a season-high 48 points in the second quarter, but in pattern from each of their match-ups against this team this season, the Spurs proceeded to blow it while Anthony Edwards scored 26 of his 55 points in the fourth quarter. The Wolves eventually took the lead before bald Wemby went into superstar mode to bring them back with a 39-point performance, but it wasn’t won without plenty of free throw drama first.

The Spurs continued to trade wins and losses from there, with wins against the Jazz and Rockets alternating with losses to the Pelicans and Rockets, and of course who can forget the final game in January, when their Saturday game in Charlotte got moved back to noon so they could play and get out before the impending snow storm, only for the Spurs to blow the game in the final moments, still get trapped by the weather, and face even more troubles before getting back to San Antonio for a game the very next day. If there was one month to forget from this season, January was it.

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They say all good teams must go through some adversity to truly come together, and as it turned out, this may have been it. From there, the Spurs would go on a nearly unprecedented run the rest of the way, so check back tomorrow for the greatest moments of the (very long) final stretch of the season, when the Spurs proved to be a true contender.

NEW YORK (AP) — Ex-NBA player Damon Jones set to become first person to plead guilty in gambling sweep that led to more than 30 arrests.

Just minutes after the Clippers were bounced from the playoffs, Chris Paul threw some salt in their wounds.

The former Clippers point guard, who went through an ugly divorce from the franchise earlier this season, raced to his Instagram page following the Warriors’ 126–121 win over LA at Intuit Dome and trolled his former team over its early postseason exit Wednesday night.

Paul, who goes by the nickname “CP3,” shared part of a popular meme that’s been used by internet users to celebrate someone’s demise.

The image features a man in a black tie and dark sunglasses looking stern while at a wake. The caption on the picture normally reads, “I Stopped By One Of My Biggest Haters Funeral Today Just To Make Sure That N—a Was Dead.”

Paul’s image cut out the text, though the meme has become so famous, it wasn’t needed.

Plenty of fans noticed Paul’s shade right away, with one writing on X, “CP3 got the last laugh in his retirement year.”

Paul became a Clippers legend thanks to his time in the City of Angels from 2011–2017, but his second stint with the team, which began in July 2025, ended unceremoniously, to say the least.

Paul played in just 16 games before he was abruptly sent home during a road trip in early December after he reportedly clashed with head coach Ty Lue.

Paul was eventually traded to the Raptors, though he was waived just days later. He ended up retiring before playing another minute on an NBA hardwood.

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Inside the rise of the Celtics' player development machine originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics’ 2025-26 season finale was an ode to the organization’s exceptional player development program.

Boston’s “Stay Ready” culture was on full display in its 113-108 win over the Orlando Magic. The C’s sat eight rotation players, including all five starters, but still put on a show against a fully healthy Magic squad.

Baylor Scheierman, drafted at the end of the first round in 2024, led the way with a career-high 30 points. Ron Harper Jr., who couldn’t get minutes with Toronto or Detroit, erupted for 27 points just days after having his two-way contract converted to a standard NBA deal. Luka Garza added 27 points and 12 rebounds to wrap up a standout campaign after failing to carve out a consistent role in Minnesota.

The B Team’s big night wasn’t a huge surprise to anyone who has followed the Celtics closely in recent years. Boston’s bench unit is nicknamed the “Stay Ready Group” for a reason.

Payton Pritchard (2020 26th overall pick), Sam Hauser (undrafted), and Jordan Walsh (2023 38th overall pick) are prime examples of players who have made tremendous strides in the C’s development program. This season, 20-year-old rookie Hugo Gonzalez (2025 28th overall pick) showcased his two-way potential on several occasions.

Big man Neemias Queta has revitalized his NBA career with help from Boston’s player development system. The C’s gave him a chance after he was waived by the Sacramento Kings in 2023, and he has since become a difference-maker in Boston’s frontcourt. He made a solid case for the Most Improved Player award with an outstanding 2025-26 season as the Celtics’ starting center.

In summary, if you’re drafted by the Celtics and you put in the work, chances are you’ll turn into an impactful NBA player. Otherwise…

“If you’re not getting better here, it might be your fault,” C’s president of basketball operations Brad Stevens told NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg.

Forsberg sat down with Stevens, Joe Mazzulla, Pritchard, Queta, Walsh, Scheierman, Harper Jr., and Gonzalez to take a deeper look inside the Celtics’ “player development machine.” The group spoke about how the development program has been the key to the organization’s sustained success.

Watch the full video on YouTube below, or via the player above:

Four months after being pushed into retirement by the Clippers, future Hall of Famer Chris Paul apparently took delight in the team's quick exit from the postseason Wednesday night.

Paul posted the familiar meme "stopped by my biggest hater's funeral" on his Instagram story shortly after the Clippers blew a 13-point fourth-quarter lead in a 126-121 play-in loss to the Golden State Warriors.

Paul, the Clippers’ all-time assists leader, called out teammates, coaches and executives during his short second stint with the team early this season. In an effort to inject accountability during the team's 6-21 start, Paul instead angered many, including head coach Tyronn Lue, who wasn't on speaking terms with Paul at the end.

“Everyone was fed up," a league source told The Times in December.

Paul, who is second to John Stockton in NBA career assists with 12,552, posted at the time about his being cut on social media, saying “Just Found Out I’m Being Sent Home,” along with a peace emoji.

For their part, the Clippers turned around their season, going 36-19 after a horrific start to finish with a winning record for the 15th consecutive season at 42-40.

Then came the dispiriting loss to the Warriors and the 40-year-old Paul's opportunity to get in the last meme, even though it wasn't exactly original. Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid posted the same one when the team traded guard Ben Simmons in 2022.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Former NBA player and coach Damon Jones has requested to change his plea to guilty after he was charged with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering and accused of sharing and selling insider information about undisclosed details of NBA games on numerous occasions.

Jones' change-of-plea request was noted in a court filing on April 16, obtained by USA TODAY Sports, and the date for him to officially appear before a judge was not disclosed.

Jones originally pleaded not guilty to those charges on Nov. 6 at a federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York.

According to prosecutors, Jones gave NBA lineup decisions and pre-released medical information to his co-conspirators, who then placed significant wagers based on the tips. The medical information allegedly involved LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who were playing for the Los Angeles Lakers at the time.

Before a Lakers game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 9, 2023, authorities say Jones texted a co-conspirator, alerting them to bet on the Bucks before the injury statuses of both teams were released. James ended up not playing in the game because of a lower-body injury, and Los Angeles went on to lose the game 115-105

Jones, who played 11 NBA seasons for 10 teams from 1999 to 2009, is also accused of using his notoriety to get people to poker games rigged by organized crime figures in order to steal money from them, sometimes using technology, including poker chip trays with hidden cameras, and rigged shuffling machines with the ability to read the cards in the deck.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Damon Jones Ex-NBA player to plead guilty in betting, gambling scandal

The minute both Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves were diagnosed with their respective grade-two muscle injuries, the Lakers immediately became the team every other Western Conference playoff entrant wanted to face.

JJ Redick said as much at the end of the regular season and no amount of medical treatment – whether here or in Spain – Luka and Austin receive is going to change that.  

The Lakers opening as huge underdogs to the Rockets in their first round series, then, is no surprise. Houston may not be the powerhouse, inner-circle contending team many thought they could be before the season started, but they’re a very good outfit with an established identity, a superstar shot-maker and enough young and athletic talent across their roster to push even a fully healthy Lakers team.

That this Lakers team is nowhere near fully healthy makes the pre-series odds understandable. But just because we can make sense of Houston’s position doesn’t make the outcome already determined. It would be a steep hill to climb, but winning isn’t out of the question. The path is just narrower than what JJ Redick and his players would like.

But as Redick said himself, this season’s Lakers have been pretty good at finding the path needed for the different iterations of their roster this season. So, with that, here are four things the Lakers need to go their way for them to not only hang tough with Houston, but to beat them outright.

1. Win the turnover battle

Redick has made a point of emphasizing the Lakers’ need to take care of the ball and limit their own turnovers. This makes sense considering Houston is one of the better teams in the league at generating more shots than their opponents, so keeping their own miscues to a minimum could help the Lakers to bridge that gap in good old field goals attempted.

But beyond limiting their own turnovers, the Lakers need to force the Rockets into mistakes of their own.

Without a traditional point guard in their starting lineup and only Reed Shepherd as a primary ball handler in their main rotation, Houston can be susceptible to pressure at the point of attack when the heat is turned up. Further, collectively, their rotation wings and off-ball players are more limited when it comes to the sort of ball skills that often serve as the connecting element between their best shot creators and those off ball finishers — particularly when defenses execute their rotations well and force the Rockets into making quick and accurate reads.

If the Lakers can simultaneously pressure the ball to force the action away from Houston’s best shot creators — i.e. Kevin Durant and Alperen Şengün — and then execute their rotations with pace and accuracy, they can hopefully force players like Tari Eason, Josh Okogie, Jabari Smith Jr. and Jae’Sean Tate into making quick reads and plays on the move. And while these players aren’t just going to cough the ball up, they can be forced into making the wrong play, which can help the Lakers turn defense into offense.

And even before the ball is moved onto the role players, the Lakers must test the playmaking and ball security of Houston’s best players. Both Durant and Şengün can outright give the ball away when playing in a crowd and the Lakers would be wise to throw multiple looks — and defenders — at both to force them into making the right reads over and over again. Because if they can’t, or if their consistency or shot-making falters even just a little, the Lakers can tilt the game in their favor.

Lakers defense holds Kevin Durant to 2 points and 6 turnovers in the second half in their win over Houston.

Film breakdown on JJ's halftime adjustment.

For @joinoffsidepic.twitter.com/QvTBprTzC5

— Raj C. (@RajChipalu) March 18, 2026

2. Make substantially more threes than Houston

By any metric, the Lakers aren’t much better of a 3-point shooting team than the Rockets, if at all. For the season, the Lakers and Rockets ranked 22nd and 25th in made threes per game, respectively, while Houston had the slight edge — 36.4% to 35.9% — on 3-point field goal percentage.

Considering the Lakers are now without Luka and Austin, it feels like a stretch to ask the Lakers to even keep pace from behind the arc, much less outdo them, but that’s exactly what needs to happen. Houston is going to win in other margin areas — namely on the backboards and, particularly, in second chance points. The Lakers, then, are going to need to win a part of the game where it’s known Houston is unlikely to thrive.

Which means finding a way to can more baskets from deep.

Getting there won’t be easy without the collective volume and off-the-dribble shot creation Dončić and Reaves normally provide. But if LeBron can continue his uptick on both attempts and accuracy, and the Lakers can find ways to better involve both Rui and Kennard to also up their volume, the team has a chance to make up some of what’s been lost.

Further, and maybe more important, they’ll need at least one of Marcus Smart or Jake LaRavia to get into a rhythm from deep if not for the entire series, then at least for a game or two. Both have shown they’re capable of knocking down shots this season, but both players’ jumpers are also erratic enough that it’s impossible to rely on them coming through in this way.

That said, if one or both can catch a heater at any point during the series, it would go a long way towards the Lakers outpacing Houston in a meaningful enough way that it could turn a game (or more) in their direction.

3. Don’t get bludgeoned on the backboards

Let’s be real — the Lakers aren’t going to win the rebounding battle against the Rockets. Houston is a better rebounding team on both sides of the ball to such a degree that it’s just too big an ask for the Lakers to be better than them at this specific thing over the course of the series.

That said, they need to try to keep it close.

If Houston is allowed to crash the offensive glass with impunity and create second and third chances on possessions, the Lakers simply will not be able to keep pace on shot attempts and they’ll lose. The Lakers don’t have enough offensive talent to make up for a major discrepancy in simple shots on goal, so they simply have to find a way to ensure the Rockets don’t overwhelm them here.

Considering the Lakers are likely going to need to gamble on defense by trapping, being more aggressive at the point of attack, and even playing some zone, it won’t be easy to find a body and box out. Houston will certainly get some chances to have crashers, from the corners and from above the break, run free at the rim, but the Lakers must do their best to limit this as much as they can by finding a Rocket, being physical, hitting first and finishing plays.

There are no shortcuts or magic elixirs here. There’s a reason Redick said much of the team’s first practice in preparation for this series was spent on rebounding drills, and their next practice highlighted the number of crashers the Rockets have in their rotation.

The Lakers need to be mentally prepared for how relentlessly Houston will attack the glass and physically ready to respond to the challenge of boxing out and chasing down the ball.

If they can do it well enough to just keep the margins close, they’ll set themselves up well to survive and advance. If they don’t, well, all they need to do is listen to their head coach to know the outcome.

4. Win at role player roulette

If the Lakers are to win this series, it’s a given that LeBron will need to be amazing. Nearly as important, I think, will be Deandre Ayton having a certain amount of success in his direct matchup with Şengün. Ayton doesn’t need to match Şengün stat for stat, but I think if he’s 80-90% as productive as him, it will tilt the series.

That said, even if you were to guarantee me that LeBron and Ayton would essentially cancel out Durant and Şengün, I would tell you that the Lakers will still need at least one, and probably two, role players to pop every game and outshine their Rockets counterparts.

It doesn’t need to be the same player(s) every game — though I’d argue Rui and Kennard are the most ideal candidates because of their shooting — but someone needs to outpace their expected production in a meaningful way to help lift the team overall.

Again, if I could nominate someone, it would be Rui and/or Kennard simply because their value as shooters add a much-needed dimension to the Lakers’ overall offensive attack. But if LaRavia could have a repeat performance of his “who is number 12?” game vs. the Wolves or if Smart could have one of those nights where he makes half a dozen threes, it could single-handedly swing a game, and at the same time, the series as a whole.

To be clear, these sorts of contributions don’t have to be limited to shot making. An especially disruptive night from Jarred Vanderbilt, where he’s getting deflections, forcing turnovers, and hitting the glass hard, can be particularly impactful. Similarly, if Jaxson Hayes can race the floor, create easy baskets in transition and hold up on the glass on both ends, he too can tug-o-war the rope more in the Lakers’ direction.

But, the role players, as a group, have to find a way to make a push over the course of the series with one or two of them bursting through with a standout performance that can uplift the team in a way that wasn’t necessarily expected.

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To be clear, the Lakers can win a game without one or more of these things happening. A brilliant LeBron performance, a particularly sloppy or disengaged Rockets showing, or a combined hot shooting night from a Lakers team that just has it going that night can power a victory in any single game.

But, if the Lakers want to advance to the second round, I do believe they will need to hit on most of these over the course of the series.

This is why they’re underdogs. It’s a tall task, for sure. But, the path does exist. The Lakers just need to find a way to it.

You can follow Darius on BlueSky at @forumbluegoldand find more of his Lakers coverage on the Laker Film Room Podcast.

The Phoenix Suns’ loss to the Portland Trail Blazers in the 7–8 Play-In game was disappointing. In a season where the team overachieved, defied expectations, and rarely let you down, this one didn’t feel good. You can point to a lot of things that make your blood boil, even if it’s two days later. Devin Booker disappearing in the fourth. Deni Avdija getting downhill whenever he wanted. The Suns struggling at the point of attack. Jordan Ott going small against a team with size and length. All of it is fair. All of it played a role.

None of it means you fire the coach.

There’s a cycle to this. It happens every year. The team falls short, emotions spike, and the search for blame begins. In Phoenix, that cycle feels familiar. 58 seasons and no championship will do that to you. There is one thing we all share: every year ends with some level of disappointment. Then comes the reaction. The frustration. The need to point at something and say, “That’s the reason”.

I’m not immune to it. None of us are. You watch, you process, you try to explain why it didn’t work. And more often than not, that conversation lands on the head coach. That’s the easy target. That’s the normal cadence.

But this season, it doesn’t track.

Booker has a rough fourth quarter. Fire Ott. The rotations don’t match what you want to see. Fire Ott. Avdija cooks whoever is in front of him. Fire Ott. It becomes reflexive. It becomes lazy.

There have been times when moving on from a coach made sense. When the locker room is gone. When adjustments never come. When expectations aren’t met in a meaningful way. This isn’t that. What you’re seeing now, after one frustrating loss and a team that hovered around average after the All-Star break, doesn’t justify that kind of reaction. It doesn’t hold up. Calling for a reset here isn’t measured. It’s noise.

And the people pushing for it need to take a step back and let it breathe.

Fire Ott

— Cedric Mussi (@CedricMussi) April 16, 2026

Oh, the Suns are done. Warriors gonna smoke them. Got my popcorn and beer ready for this beatdown! Fire Ott! Fire Ott! Fire Ott!

— SmackTalk (@shokkphx) April 16, 2026

FIRE
JORDAN
OTT #SunsUp

— Max Julien III 🇭🇹🇵🇭 (@KarterMcFly) April 15, 2026

There are some people I wish didn’t have opposable thumbs and therefore couldn’t run to social media to give us their brain-rotting opinions. Go on a walk. Hug a friend. Move to the Austrian Alps, climb atop a grassy hillside, and sway your arms as you sing about the sound of music. Seriously people, fucking relax.

Have I agreed with Jordan Ott and his rotations late in the season? No. The team has consistently struggled at the point of attack and protecting the rim, and I believe the roster has pieces that could help address that. I’m not convinced that putting Jordan Goodwin on Deni Avdija is the best approach. There’s also an argument for leaning into the youth, letting them try to solve some of these issues while gaining experience.

But it’s not simple. It never is. If you play the rookies more to fix defensive gaps, other issues show up. The offense can stall. The balance shifts. Every decision comes with trade-offs. Ott and his staff are navigating that in real time, and even if I don’t agree with the choices, that doesn’t mean you move on from the coach.

Take a step back. Think it through. Look at the bigger picture. 

The head coach position in Phoenix has been unstable for years. If you want to build something, stability matters. Ott is a rookie head coach, learning on the job, and it’s something we all understood coming into the season. This team was projected to win 30.5 games. They won 45. That’s a massive jump. That’s 50% better than expected.

This is a team finding its direction and building an identity with a young coach who understands the modern game and is laying a foundation. And the response is to want him gone because of rotation choices or the fact Fleming isn’t playing?! I’m worried about you if this is your conclusion.

I get the frustration. I feel it too. The tactics haven’t always worked, and the results haven’t always followed. But jumping back on the cycle, searching for the next coach you’ll eventually disagree with, that’s not a solution. That’s spinning your wheels.

Yes, I understand the thought exercise. That’s what we do at Bright Side. That’s what every fan base does. We look for ways to make the teams we care about better. But again, this isn’t that. This isn’t a real exercise. It’s futility. It’s wasted energy, wasted space, and pointless pixels on a screen. Because no matter what happens Friday against the Golden State Warriors, no matter what rotations Jordan Ott rolls out, the idea of moving on from him shouldn’t even be on the table.

This team took two steps forward this season. That part matters. Walking away from that now, after one game or one stretch, isn’t a pivot. It’s regression. It’s taking eight steps back.

After each game, Brew Hoop evaluates each Buck’s individual performance with a letter grade. At this season’s 25% mark, we decided to check the Bucks’ grades as a progress report. We also had a midseason report and a 75% point. Now it is time to see the final grades. Given I’m the tenured professor who is on his way out, I decided that some grades didn’t tell the whole story and added some factors to the final grade. Based purely on the game-by-game scores, some had grades that were far too generous, while others felt unfair.

Giannis Antetokounmpo: B+

• Q1 average: A-
• Midseason average: B+
• Q3 average: Incomplete since he missed the majority of the quarter due to injury
• Final grade: B+
• Most common grade: A (nine games)
• Best grade: A+ on October 26 (Cavaliers), November 17 (Cavaliers), March 15 (Pacers)
• Lowest grade: D on January 15 (Spurs)

Myles Turner: C

• Q1 average: B-
• Midseason average: C+
• Q3 average: C+
• Final grade: C
• Most common grade: B- (eleven games)
• Best grade: A on November 7 (Bulls) and December 29 (Hornets)
• Lowest grade: F on January 15 (Spurs), March 19 (Jazz), and April 3 (Celtics)

Ryan Rollins: B+

• Q1 average: B+
• Midseason average: B
• Q3 average: B-
• Final grade: B+
• Most common grade: B (twelve games)
• Best grade: A+ on October 28 (Knicks), October 30 (Warriors), December 27 (Bulls), and March 21(Suns)
• Lowest grade: F on March 2 (Celtics)

Kevin Porter Jr.: B-

• Q1 average: Incomplete
• Midseason average: B-
• Q3 average: B-
• Final grade: B-
• Most common grade: A (eight games)
• Best grade: A+ on December 6 (Pistons)
• Lowest grade: F on January 15 (Spurs)

AJ Green: C+

• Q1 average: B-
• Midseason average: C+
• Q3 average: C+
• Final grade: C+
• Most common grade: B+ and B (nine games)
• Best grade: A on October 26 (Cavaliers), November 29 (Nets), December 3 (Pistons), January 19 (Hawks), and February 12 (Thunder)
• Lowest grade: F on December 21 (Timberwolves), January 4 (Kings) and 15 (Spurs), March 2 (Celtics) and 4 (Hawks)

Gary Trent Jr.: D+

• Q1 average: C+
• Midseason average: C
• Q3 average: Incomplete
• Final grade: D+
• Most common grade: C+ (six games)
• Best grade: A- on February 3 (Bulls)
• Lowest grade: F on October 26 (Cavaliers), December 21 (Timberwolves), January 2 (Hornets), January 15 (Spurs), and February 1 (Celtics)

Bobby Portis: B-

• Q1 average: C+
• Midseason average: C+
• Q3 average: C+
• Final grade: B-
• Most common grade: B (twelve games)
• Best grade: A+ on March 15 (Pacers)
• Lowest grade: F on February 11 (Magic)

Kyle Kuzma: C+

• Q1 average: B
• Midseason average: C+
• Q3 average: C+
• Final grade: C+
• Most common grade: B+ (four games)
• Best grade: A+ on November 14 (Hornets)
• Lowest grade: F on November 15 (Lakers) and January 13 (Timberwolves)

Jericho Sims: B-

• Q1 average: C+
• Midseason average: C+
• Q3 average: C+
• Final grade: B-
• Most common grade: C and C+ (two games each)
• Best grade: A+ on December 3 (Pistons), February 11 (Magic), April 8 (Pistons)
• Lowest grade: D- on February 27 (Knicks)

Gary Harris: C-

• Q1 average: B-
• Midseason average: C+
• Q3 average: C
• Final grade: C-
• Most common grade: C (six games)
• Best grade: A- on November 14 (Hornets) and January 7 (Warriors)
• Lowest grade: F on March 2 (Celtics)

Pete Nance: B

• Q1 and midseason averages: Incomplete
• Q3 average: B-
• Final grade: B
• Most common grade: A- (four games)
• Best grade: A on January 19 (Hawks), January 30 (Mavs), March 17 (Cavaliers)
• Lowest grade: F on March 19 (Jazz)

Ousmane Dieng: B

• Q3 average: C+
• Final grade: B
• Most common grade: C- (two games)
• Best grade: A+ on February 12 (Thunder)
• Lowest grade: D on February 27 (Knicks), and March 29 (Clippers)

Taurean Prince: C+

• Q1 average: B-
• Q2 and Q3 averages: Incomplete (injured)
• Final grade: C+
• Most common grade: B-, C+, and C- (four games each)
• Best grade: A+ on April 5 (Grizzlies)
• Lowest grade: D on March 28 (Spurs)

Andre Jackson Jr.: C-

• Q1 through Q3 averages: Incomplete (too much garbage time)
• Final grade: C-
• Most common grade: C+ (three games)
• Best grade: A- on March 23 (Clippers)
• Lowest grade: D- on April 7 (Nets)

Thanasis Antetokounmpo: C-*

Alex Antetokounmpo: B-*

Cormac Ryan: B+

• Q1 through Q3 averages: Incomplete (not with team)
• Final grade: B+
• Most common grade: B+ and A (two games each)
• Best grade: A+ on April 5 (Grizzlies)
• Lowest grade: C+ on April 3 (Celtics)

Doc Rivers: D+

• Q1 average: B-
• Midseason average: C+
• Q3 average: C
• Final grade: D+
• Most common grade: D (eight games)
• Best grade: A on October 30 (Warriors), November 7 (Bulls), February 20 (Pelicans), and March 10 (Nets)
• Lowest grade: F on December 14 (Nets), January 13 (Timberwolves), January 15 (Spurs), and March 1 (Bulls)

Released or traded players’ final grades

• Mark Sears: D-*
• Cole Anthony: D+
• Amir Coffey: D+
• Cam Thomas: D

*only graded for one game

Final grades had three parts. The first part is just the overall grade from the writers in all 82 games, averaged out. That resulted in the following:

Player	Games
Giannis Antetokounmpo	B+
Myles Turner	C+
Ryan Rollins	B-
Gary Trent Jr.	C
AJ Green	C+
Bobby Portis	C+
Kevin Porter Jr.	B-
Kyle Kuzma	C+
Gary Harris	C
Jericho Sims	B-
Pete Nance	C+
Ousmane Dieng	C+
Taurean Prince	C+
Andre Jackson Jr.	C+
Thanasis Antetokounmpo	C+
Cormac Ryan	B+
Alex Antetokounmpo	A
Mark Sears	D
Cole Anthony	C-
Amir Coffey	C
Cam Thomas	C-
Doc Rivers	C

Yes, I know what you’re thinking: how in the world did Alex Antetokounmpo receive an A? Well, it was simple; he was only graded for one game (since we typically don’t give out grades when someone plays under 10 minutes), and it was an A. But this, along with some other grades, didn’t feel as though it told the full story. So there were two more portions that made up the final grade: expectations and their availability. The reason for this was that in the comments on the progress reports, some wondered how some players received a better-looking grade despite underwhelming, and in our grading scale, a DNP was treated the same as being out due to injury, which wasn’t fair. Here are their availability grades:

Player	Availability
Giannis Antetokounmpo	B
Myles Turner	B
Ryan Rollins	A+
Gary Trent Jr.	D
AJ Green	A+
Bobby Portis	A
Kevin Porter Jr.	C+
Kyle Kuzma	B
Gary Harris	D
Jericho Sims	B
Pete Nance	A
Ousmane Dieng	A
Taurean Prince	A
Andre Jackson Jr.	D-
Thanasis Antetokounmpo	F
Cormac Ryan	A-
Alex Antetokounmpo	F
Mark Sears	D
Cole Anthony	D-
Amir Coffey	D-
Cam Thomas	D

Guys like Gary Trent Jr., Thanasis Antetokounmpo, and Andre Jackson Jr. were docked because they were primarily collecting DNP-CD or garbage-time minutes for most of the season. Others like Ryan Rollins, AJ Green, and Ousmane Dieng were mostly available and were rewarded. Players like Myles Turner, Bobby Portis, and Kyle Kuzma got the benefit of the doubt from being shut down at the end of the season, but were available before tanking efforts began. Taurean Prince earned an A because coming back from neck surgery in the same season feels like an extraordinary feat that should be lauded.

The other part of the final grade was performance relative to expectations. This was also part of the grades from our recaps, but with the season over, we can do some reflection. We can all agree Myles Turner did not play up to the contract. Some of that is on Doc Rivers and his inability to utilize him, but there were games where Turner’s rim protection simply wasn’t good enough. Ryan Rollins was obviously the star and the only A+ given, but others like Bobby Portis, Kyle Kuzma, and Pete Nance deserved some praise as well.

Player	Expectations
Giannis Antetokounmpo	A-
Myles Turner	D
Ryan Rollins	A+
Gary Trent Jr.	F
AJ Green	C+
Bobby Portis	A-
Kevin Porter Jr.	B
Kyle Kuzma	B
Gary Harris	C-
Jericho Sims	B
Pete Nance	A+
Ousmane Dieng	B+
Taurean Prince	C-
Andre Jackson Jr.	F
Thanasis Antetokounmpo	C
Cormac Ryan	A
Alex Antetokounmpo	F
Mark Sears	F
Amir Coffey	F
Cole Anthony	F
Cam Thomas	D-
Doc Rivers	F

Weighing those two portions with the game grades gives you their final grades as seen above. In the end, the season was a disaster, though different players had different peaks and valleys. Sometimes there were games in which most players received high grades, but one failed to make an impact. Others could see a team lose badly but have a silver lining. Jericho Sims struggled early in the season but blossomed in the final quarter of games. AJ Green had stretches of struggling and not justifying his extension, but then had games where he sparked the Bucks’ offense; such is the role of a shooter. Even Doc Rivers had moments this season when he wasn’t a bad coach; the issue was that when the games mattered, and the team was reasonably healthy, more often than not, he couldn’t get the job done.

We appreciate you being along for the ride this season, and feel free to provide your own player grades below. You can base it on expectations, their play in general, or simply vibes—whichever works best for you. Enjoy your summer break, and come back next season when we’ll provide the syllabus.

2025–26 End-of-season Bucks grades

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The Charlotte Hornets were one of the hottest teams in the home stretch of the schedule and are one win away from securing the No. 8 seed in the East when they take on the Orlando Magic in the NBA Play-In Tournament.

If you’re cheering on Charlotte Friday night, I’ve got a pro-Hornets same game parlay to add a little buzz to your betting action.

Here are my best NBA SGP picks and predictions for Hornets vs. Magic on April 17.

Our best Hornets vs Magic SGP for April 17

The Charlotte Hornets were 18-9 SU in the second half of the season and showed grit in their Play-In win over Miami on Tuesday. Charlotte has been one of the best two-way teams since the All-Star break and boast a 13-3 SU mark as road favorites this season.

Rookie sensation Kon Knueppel would like to put his postseason debut in the past. While he couldn’t connect from deep Tuesday – and may not get much more versus the Magic’s defense – Knueppel’s playmaking is being undervalued. His projections flirt with four assists Friday.

Brandon Miller is a constant offensive engine for Charlotte. He dropped 25 and 20 points in his last two run-ins with Orlando and Friday’s forecasts call for as many as 22.5 points from the Hornets small forward.

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