Category: Basketball

Game One of the San Antonio Spurs second-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves was a tough, physical contest. Both teams struggled to score for most of the games. The Wolves went on a 14-2 run to build a 9-point lead, the biggest of the game. San Antonio surged back late, but fell just short in a 104-102 loss.

The Timberwolves have now grabbed a 1-0 series lead and stolen home court advantage. That’s important because Minnesota has not lost at home in these playoffs. Despite the loss, the Spurs are still -360 favorites to win Game Two at home on FanDuel.

San Antonio will need more offense in Game Two. Their two stars, Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox, combined for 21 points on 10-31 shooting on Monday. We’ll start with them for our Game One player grades. As a quick reminder, these grades are based on each player’s on-court performance, going beyond just the stat sheet. A “B” grade represents the average performance for an individual. If a player logs fewer than 5 minutes or plays only in garbage time, their grade will be incomplete.

Victor Wembanyama

40 minutes, 11 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists, 12 blocks, 3 turnovers, 3 fouls, 5-for-17 shooting, 0-for-8 threes, +5

If you just looked at the box score, you’d think this was one of Wembanyama’s best games of the postseason. He had a triple-double with 12 blocks, the most in any NBA Playoff game. He was great at protecting the rim for most of the game, but in the fourth quarter, the Wolves were able to pull him away from the basket or set Gortat screens on him under the rim, where he couldn’t get to shots. As a result, Minnesota ran a much more efficient offense than San Antonio and ultimately won the game.

The Spurs have to find ways to get Wembanyama the ball in advantageous situations in this series. He did not get many strong looks in the half-court. Most of his possessions were spent at the top of the arc as a screener and passer, rather than coming off screens for jumpers or rolling to the rim for lobs. As a result, Wembanyama never got into a rhythm and had a rare, inefficient shooting night. The counting stats were impressive, but his overall impact on the game was more limited than usual.

Grade: B+

De’Aaron Fox

33 minutes, 10 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 6 turnovers, 3 fouls, 5-for-14 shooting, 0-for-4 threes, -13

Bring out your pitchforks and torches! Fox had a bad game!

Hopefully, we’ve learned not to overreact to one game. Fox struggled mightily to make an impact on offense when the Spurs needed him most. He racked up turnovers, some of them very bad ones, and couldn’t get a shot to fall. Near the end of the game, he finally started to push the pace and score around the rim. It seems like he doesn’t have the same athletic advantage in this game that he had against Portland in Round One.

Fox is far too gifted for this to continue throughout the series. He started to figure things out late in the game. Perhaps that offensive outburst will continue into Game Two.

Grade: D

Stephon Castle

28 minutes, 17 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 6 fouls, 4-for-8 shooting, 3-for-5 threes, +4

Castle will be vital to the Spurs’ success in this series. San Antonio needed his tough defense to match the Wolves’ physicality. He fouled out of the game, but some of those were just about getting caught in a bad situation with two physical players. With Anthony Edwards seemingly healthy enough to make a real impact on the series, Castle will be tasked with slowing him down.

Dylan Harper led the team in scoring, but Castle’s offense was the most impressive to me. He knocked down open spot-up jumpers and was one of the few Spurs who could get to the rim and draw fouls, going 6-8 from the free-throw line. They’ll need him to play more than 28 minutes to compete in this series.

Grade: B+

Julian Champagnie

32 minutes, 17 points, 7 rebounds, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 7-for-12 shooting, 3-for-7 threes, +7

Champagnie helped the Spurs tremendously with his rebounding down the stretch. He had 3 offensive rebounds, many of them contested, to keep San Antonio alive. That’s why it was fitting that the ball found him with seconds remaining on the clock. If Champagnie’s game-winning three-pointer goes down, we are having a different conversation about this series. It was a great look from the team’s best three-point shooter. He’ll have more chances to redeem himself in the series, as the Spurs will desperately need his floor spacing.

Grade: B+

Devin Vassell

36 minutes, 14 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, 5-for-11 shooting, 3-for-6 threes, +7

Speaking of shooters stretching the floor, Vassell did just that, shooting 3-for-6 from deep on Monday. His shooting gave the Spurs offense a boost. San Antonio could use more mid-range jumpers from Vassell. He wasn’t able to get many of them off due to the Wolves’ length. It felt like those mid-range J’s he usually nails were not available with Rudy Gobert roaming the paint.

Vassell swiped the ball away three times, but his defense may remain an issue in the series. Minnesota went at Vassell when he switched onto Julius Randle. That defensive matchup caused a lot of problems for the Spurs late in the game. Finding out how to deal with Randle while smaller players are on the floor should be a key for San Antonio moving forward.

Grade: B

Dylan Harper

29 minutes, 18 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 fouls, 7-for-13 shooting, 1-for-4 threes, -4

Harper led the Spurs in scoring on Monday. He and Castle were really the only Spurs guards who could attack the basket in the half-court. His touch around the rim allows him to finish around or through Minnesota’s bigger defenders. Defensively, Harper did an inspired job on Edwards. Harper has the strength and quickness to keep up with the Wolves’ star. I’d like to see more of that matchup as the series progresses.

Grade: B+

Keldon Johnson

24 minutes, 11 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 fouls, 5-for-10 shooting, 0-for-2 threes, -13

After struggling against Portland, Johnson finally got back to his game of bullying his way to the rim and finishing. He was limited on the boards, and his defense late in the game was not great. He missed key defensive rotations and was toast when he switched onto Edwards. The Spurs need more of the hard-nosed Johnson they saw in the regular season, especially against Minnesota.

Grade: C+

Luke Kornet

8 minutes, 2 points, 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 0-for-1 shooting, -7

The Wolves attacked the basket like crazy when Kornet was in the game. He was a liability on both ends in Game One, posting a -7 plus-minus in just 8 minutes. One thing Kornet could afford to add is a push shot in the paint, as so many big men have utilized to score when the defense is on its heels. There were several occasions when Kornet could have had a bucket if he had a floater or a pop-a-shot look in his bag of tricks.

Grade: D

Harrison Barnes

10 minutes, 2 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block, 1-for-1 shooting, +4

Barnes grabbed three offensive rebounds and did a lot of the little things in his limited minutes. The Spurs might need him in this series as they are forced to play bigger to match up with Minnesota. If that is the case, they’ll need Barnes to hit a hot streak from three, as he’s been cold so far in the playoffs.

Grade: B-

Inactives: Harrison Ingram, David Jones-Garcia, Emanuel Miller

The 2026 NBA playoffs shift into high gear as the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder prepare to battle the No. 4 seed Los Angeles Lakers in a Western Conference semifinals showdown.

The Thunder remain perfect in first-round action, pushing their record to 12-0 after a commanding sweep of the Phoenix Suns. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continued to shine for the Thunder with his elite scoring, while Chet Holmgren anchored the defense and contributed clutch plays. Oklahoma City’s first-round dominant run also secured a valuable rest period ahead of the matchup with the Lakers.

The Lakers advanced to the second round after a 4-2 series victory over the Houston Rockets. With Luka Doncic sidelined by a Grade 2 hamstring strain, LeBron James continued to show up for the Lakers, including a standout performance in Game 6 with 28 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Austin Reaves, returning from an oblique injury, also made a major impact, providing crucial offensive contributions when the Lakers needed them most. This marks Los Angeles’s first trip to the second round since 2023, and the team remains optimistic that Doncic could rejoin the lineup if their postseason run continues.

Here’s what you need to know as the Oklahoma City Thunder host the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the second round of the NBA playoffs.

More: From stars to sixth men, key players to watch in NBA conference semifinals

The New York Knicks crushed the Philadelphia 76ers 137-98 in Game One of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Building a big lead early, they led by 23 at halftime and then cruised, with all starters resting in the fourth quarter. Jalen Brunson poured in 27 of his 35 points in the first half, while Tyrese Maxey didn’t score his first bucket until a few minutes into the second period.

The win extends New York’s strong postseason momentum from their First Round series with the Hawks and gives them a chance to go up 2-0 at home on Wednesday. In a powerhouse performance, the whole team earned an A+. Here are their individual marks.

Jalen Brunson 

31 minutes, 35 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover, 12-18 FG, 3-6 3PT, +27

Brunson was unstoppable from the jump, exploding for 27 points in the first half alone to set an aggressive tone and help build a commanding lead. He dictated the pace with elite ball-handling, repeatedly attacked mismatches, knocked down tough mid-range jumpers and floaters, and remained efficient even as the game turned into a rout. Defensively, he added two steals and set a tenacious tenor for the team, refusing to let Philadelphia build any steam. O Captain! My Captain!

Grade: A+

Karl-Anthony Towns 

20 minutes, 17 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 turnovers, 4 fouls, 7-11 FG, 3-5 3PT, +11

Towns was highly effective in limited minutes, showcasing excellent spacing with three made treys while battling Joel Embiid in the paint. He was a playmaking hub with six assists, grabbed important rebounds on both ends, and was a steady presence in the paint. Though he picked up four fouls and had some turnovers, his efficiency and all-around impact helped the Knicks pull away comfortably. Totally made Embiid look overpaid.

Grade: A

OG Anunoby 

30 minutes, 18 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, 7-8 FG, 2-2 3PT, +22 

Anunoby delivered a classic two-way masterclass. On defense, he locked down Philly’s perimeter threats and disrupted passing lanes; offensively, he was surgical with near-perfect shooting and ferocious in attacking his opportunities in the lane. His athleticism in transition and +22 plus-minus highlighted his massive impact in the blowout. Sometimes OG simply looks like an apex predator among a frantic herd of scattering sheep.

Grade: A

Mikal Bridges 

27 minutes, 17 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 7-10 FG, 3-5 3PT, +19

Bridges continued his seamless fit with the Knicks, providing efficient two-way production. He scored in a variety of ways (slashing, spotting up, and creating off the dribble) while adding five assists and strong perimeter defense (including tormenting stints on Maxey). His unflappable shot-making was key to multiple Knicks scoring stretches. This is the Bridges we like! This is the Bridges we need!

Grade: A-

Josh Hart 

26 minutes, 8 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 3-7 FG, 1-2 3PT, +24

Hart provided his customary high motor with relentless energy on both ends. He loaded the stat sheet with eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals, excelling at connectivity and hustle. His defensive stops and rebounding sparked several fast breaks and second-chance opportunities that powered the Knicks’ first-half surge. Note that despite playing some of the toughest defense of his career this postseason, Josh committed just one foul last night. Are you not impressed? And by keeping his minutes low, Josh should have fresh legs for Game Two.

Grade: B+

Mitchell Robinson

12 minutes, 2 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 fouls, 1-1 FG, 0-4 FT, +6

Robinson provided rim protection and rebounding in his limited stint before sitting with foul trouble (he picked up four fouls while battling Embiid). He finished an alley-oop dunk efficiently on offense but Philly’s Nick Nurse targeted him with hack-a-Mitch, and the strategy worked because Mitch whiffed on four attempts. Overall, his defensive anchor role was still felt in the paint during his limited time in the blowout win. It’s a bummer about the fouls and the free throws, though.

Grade: B-

Ariel Hukporti

13 minutes, 5 points, 9 rebounds, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, 2-2 FG, +22

Hukporti was thrust into meaningful action early due to Robinson’s quick foul trouble against Embiid. The young center held his own in the paint, grabbing a game-high 9 rebounds (including key offensive boards) and providing solid rim presence and hustle. He finished efficiently with a layup and free throw, and his +22 plus-minus reflected the blowout. He saw extended garbage-time minutes as the Knicks pulled away comfortably. We saw glimpses of good Huk and bad Huk throughout the season. Oh baby, this was definitely the good version. Remember: 58th pick!

Grade: B+

Miles McBride

16 minutes, 8 points, 2 assists, 1 foul, 3-6 FG, 2-5 3PT, +16

Deuce delivered reliable bench scoring and perimeter spacing, knocking down two threes (including a corner three off a Brunson assist early) that helped New York to build some separation on the scoreboard. He provided solid perimeter defense and helped maintain the Knicks’ momentum during bench stretches and garbage time, contributing to the dominant victory with efficient shot-making and positive energy.

Grade: B

Jordan Clarkson

14 minutes, 2 points, 2 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 steal, 0 blocks, 4 turnovers, 3 fouls, 1-2 FG, 0-1 3PT, +11

Clarkson saw bench minutes in the blowout and provided a bit of spark with a nice floating jumper off an OG Anunoby assist. However, he struggled with ball security (four turnovers) in his limited role. He added a steal and a couple of rebounds but was quiet otherwise and made little impact as the Knicks cruised to victory.

Grade: B–

Bench / Rotation Notes

The Knicks’ bench was outstanding. They seamlessly maintained and extended the massive lead while the starters rested throughout the fourth quarter. Besides Hukporti and Deuce, Tyler Kolek chipped in eight points and four assists, while Jose Alvarado, Landry Shamet, Pacome Dadiet, and Mohamed Diawara all delivered positive minutes. Overall, New York’s depth overwhelmed Philadelphia’s bench, dominating in energy, shooting, and second-chance opportunities to turn the game into a rout early. Depth was a factor in the Game One victory, for sure.

Grade: B

Coach Mike Brown

Brown had his team ready for a high-stakes playoff opener and orchestrated one of the most dominant performances of the young postseason. The Knicks came out aggressive on both ends, built a massive first-half lead, and executed an efficient, motion-based offense that generated high-quality shots all night. He effectively managed rotations, especially after Mitchell Robinson got into early foul trouble, and wisely gave Ariel Hukporti meaningful minutes that paid off. The bench was fresh and productive in the second half, allowing the starters to rest in the fourth quarter of a 39-point blowout. After a few shaky moments early in the Atlanta series, Mike has regained our confidence.

Grade: A

The Knicks are locked in, but you know Philly will come back with a big counterpunch in Game Two on Wednesday. Can’t wait. Go Knicks!

The TD Garden curse? Inside Celtics and Bruins' home playoff struggles originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

In the final seconds of Saturday night’s Game 7 between the Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden, as the C’s watched their comeback bid fall short, Philly fans who made the trip to Boston broke out in a gleeful chant.

“We want Boston! We want Boston!”

In the past, such bold declarations were ill-advised. But in recent postseasons, visiting teams and their fans have enjoyed a lot more of their stays in Boston.

Exhibit A: In the 2026 playoffs, the Celtics and Bruins went a combined 1-6 at the Garden.

The Celtics routed the Sixers in Game 1 at home, then lost three consecutive games in their own building (Game 2, Game 5 and Game 7) en route to a stunning first-round collapse.

The Bruins, meanwhile, went 0-3 on home ice in their first-round matchup with the Sabres, with Buffalo outscoring Boston 13-3 at TD Garden to earn a six-game series win.

Unfortunately for Boston fans, the 2026 postseason wasn’t an aberration, but rather the continuation of a concerning trend.

Let’s get to the numbers for both teams:

It wasn’t always this way…

Boston used to be a house of horrors for NBA teams in the playoffs. From 1980 to 1992, the Larry Bird/Kevin McHale/Robert Parish Celtics went 72-21 in postseason games at the old Boston Garden for a winning percentage of .774. In 1986, they went a perfect 10-0 at the Garden en route to a championship.

The “Big Three” of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen found similar success at TD Garden, winning 72.3 percent of their home playoff games (34-13) between 2008 and 2013 and going 13-1 at home during their 2008 title run.

This current Celtics club? Since the 2016-17 season — Jaylen Brown’s first with the team — that winning percentage has dipped more than 10 percent, with Boston winning 62.9 percent of its home playoff games (44-26) in that span.

That percentage was lifted by the 2018 postseason, when Brown and Jayson Tatum helped an upstart Celtics team win its first 10 home playoff games before falling to LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers at home in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Celtics’ recent home struggles

The Celtics have had plenty of success over the last five postseasons, with one NBA title, two trips to the NBA Finals and three Eastern Conference Finals appearances in that span.

They’ve also done a surprising amount of losing at TD Garden.

Since 2022, the C’s are a pedestrian 25-19 (.568 winning percentage) in home playoff games, and that includes a 9-2 mark at home during their 2024 title run.

In the 2022 NBA Finals, Boston lost twice to the Golden State Warriors at TD Garden, including a decisive Game 6 that ended with Stephen Curry and Co. celebrating a championship on the parquet.

In the 2023 East Finals, the Celtics lost Game 1 and Game 2 to the Miami Heat on their own floor, then rallied back from a 3-0 series deficit — only to lose Game 7 at home by 19 points.

History repeated itself against the New York Knicks in 2025, as Boston dropped the first two games of the second round at home before eventually falling in six games.

This past week, the Celtics lost consecutive home playoff games for the third time in four years, losing two potential closeout games at TD Garden (Game 5 and 7) while allowing the Sixers to rally from a 3-1 series deficit.

Setting aside that 2024 championship run, the Celtics are a brutal 16-17 at home in the other four most recent postseasons.

Bruins’ recent home struggles

If you thought the Celtics were bad at home in the playoffs … their winter season counterparts are even worse.

In 2022, the Bruins pushed the Carolina Hurricanes to seven games in their first-round series by winning all three games at home before losing Game 7 on the road.

Since then, Boston is a mind-boggling 3-10 in playoff games at TD Garden.

In 2023, the Bruins entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the East but bowed out to the Florida Panthers in Round 1 after dropping Games 2, 5 and 7 on home ice.

In 2024, they gave two games to the Toronto Maple Leafs at TD Garden in the first round (Games 2 and 5) before rallying to win Game 7 at home. But their home struggles did them in vs. the Panthers in Round 2, as they lost all three home games in the series (Games 3, 4 and 6) to end their season.

After missing the playoffs in 2025, the Bruins also lost all three of their home games this postseason … which means they’ve lost six home playoff gamesin a row.

Putting it all together

In fairness to the Celtics and Bruins, winning at home has gotten progressively harder across the board in both sports.

Improvements in travel and sports medicine have made it less taxing for teams to play on the road, and the numbers bear that out: NBA teams have won just 58.4 percent of their home playoff games since 2021, while NHL teams have won 65.2 percent of home playoff games in that span.

Still, Celtics and Bruins are both below those league averages, combining to win just over half of their playoff games (31-29 record, 51.7 percent) over the last five seasons.

There’s another side to this story, of course: The Celtics and Bruins both have fared relatively well on the road in recent postseasons, with the C’s in particular parlaying their success away from TD Garden into deep playoff runs.

But for a Boston fanbase that expects its teams to compete for championships on an annual basis, losing nearly half of your playoff games at home isn’t going to cut it.

The Knicks hit first in their second round series with the Philadelphia 76ers, taking Game 1 in a 137-98 rout. 

Everything was working well for New York, who built a 23-point advantage at halftime and led by as many as 40 points. The Knicks shot a scintillating 19-for-37 (51.3 percent) from three and had 34 assists in the win.

With Game 2 on Wednesday, there is no rest for the weary. Here’s three keys to watch for... 

On a heater

Jalen Brunsonmust be relieved. After a first-round series where he was pestered by Atlanta Hawks guards Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Brunson is facing less pressure from the 76ers. 

Brunson was dynamic in Game 1, registering 35 points, with 27 coming in the first half. He was also efficient, shooting 12-for-18 from the field. 

It was clear that Philadelphia’s softer defensive coverage allowed Brunson to cook. Centers Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond are positioned in drop coverage, where they sag back into the paint. It gave Brunson a free runway to pull up from the three-point line or in the midrange. 

Atlanta switched many of its defensive actions, which gave Brunson fewer windows to attack in the pick-and-roll. With the 76ers, Brunson should be more comfortable. 

The next question will be how Philadelphia will adjust for Game 2 after Brunson’s hot night. They could blitz the pick-and-roll to get the ball out of Brunson’s hands or switch more often. But the Knicks look prepared to answer any adjustments. 

Foul trouble

It didn’t take long for fouls to be a story in the series. Karl-Anthony Townspicked up two fouls just over five minutes into the game. His backup, Mitchell Robinson, quickly followed suit with two fouls in the first quarter. 

Both centers had three fouls in the first half, eventually leading to third-string big Ariel Hukporti seeing real rotation minutes. Fouls are going to happen in this series, since Embiid is a crafty big with a variety of pump fakes and tricks to draw fouls. But it’s the silly mistakes that the Knicks bigs should focus on excusing from the game. For example, Towns swiped at the ball numerous times in the first quarter. While one of those reaches did lead to a steal, it put Towns in a compromising position.

He’s too valuable in multiple aspects of the game, as evidenced by his 17 points, six rebounds and six assists on Monday night.

New York as a whole committed 25 fouls and allowed 34 free-throw attempts -- a high number. The foul trouble didn’t decide Game 1, but it could be a pivotal factor for Game 2.

Defensive aggression

Despite the numerous fouls, the Knicks' defense was otherwise exceptional. Priorities number one and two involved slowing down Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. New York was successful in keeping both stars in check, holding them to a combined 27 points on 6-for-20 shooting from the field.

Embiid was able to draw fouls in the first half, but New York kept him out of the paint for much of the game, occasionally throwing double teams at the former MVP. Maxey was defended by Mikal Bridges for most of the night, and Bridges and the Knicks did a solid job containing the point guard on the pick-and-roll.

The Knicks had active hands, forcing Philadelphia into 19 turnovers. Several of the Sixers' miscues were live ball turnovers, which allowed New York to get easy runouts. The Knicks had 16 fastbreak points.

New York has dominated the last four games, and while the offense has received a lot of the credit, the defense has been elite. If the Knicks keep defending this way, the team’s playoff ceiling changes drastically.

New York is known to overpower all that came before — such as Reggie Jackson in Oakland and Mark Messier in Edmonton — making it easy to forget that Josh Hart spent parts of seven seasons with three teams (Lakers, Pelicans, Trail Blazers) before the career-altering trade that brought him to the Knicks in 2023.

Until arriving in New York, Hart had never reached the playoffs. But since reuniting with Jalen Brunson, the Knicks have made the second round in four straight seasons, marking the first time the franchise has done so since Patrick Ewing’s final seasons with the team (1997-2000).

So, what does that mean to a former national champion?

“Not a damn thing,” Hart said before Game 1 of the conference semifinals. “That’s not the goal. The goal isn’t to advance to one series or two series. That’s not a goal that we have as individuals or as a team. To be honest, that’s pretty irrelevant. We’ve gotta make sure we do what we’re supposed to do and focus on advancing in this series.”

In the 137-98 series-opening blowout of the 76ers, Hart was essentially the only Knick who didn’t catch fire.

But as usual, he did just about everything else.

Coming off an uneven first-round series against the Hawks — in which Hart averaged 10.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.3 steals, but shot 41.1 percent from the field and 5-for-23 on 3-pointers — the do-everything guard repeatedly ignited the Madison Square Garden crowd with his unrivaled energy and relentless defense, getting the offense into transition and treating every loose ball as if his job were at stake.

Hart, who ranks third in Knicks history in triple-doubles, finished with eight points, three steals, eight rebounds and six assists in just 26 minutes, while shooting 3-for-7 from the field (1-for-2 on 3-pointers).

“We want to play a little fast, so being physical, getting stops, pushing the pace, doing those kinds of things is something we’re trying to do, and we’ve got to keep it up,” Hart said. “We need to make sure we’re focused on Game 2 and mentally locked in … They’re definitely gonna come out aggressive.”

In the 2024 first-round matchup against Philadelphia, Hart was one of the biggest reasons why the Knicks prevailed in the teams’ first playoff matchup in 35 years.

He averaged over 46 minutes per game and ranked second on the Knicks in scoring (16.8) and assists (4.5), while leading the team in rebounds (12.3), shooting 43.2 percent and delivering the series-winning 3-pointer.

Once again, the 76ers had no one who could provide the same spark as Hart, no player as motivated, no player who cares half as much about the final score.

“Where we’re at right now, everyone is being unselfish,” Hart said. “We’re willing to sacrifice individual numbers and stats for the betterment of the team. And when we do that, we’re playing our best basketball.

“Being unselfish, that’s the biggest thing.”

“How can the Thunder win this series?”

Simple. As long as the team bus arrives on time. 

That’s a joke, but it’s also deeply-rooted in truth. 

Because if the Thunder simply show up as themselves—not some overcaffeinated version trying too hard or an overcautious one afraid of the moment—this series will be over quickly. 

The Lakers had to find a new identity in the postseason without their MVP Luka Doncic. 

The Thunder don’t need a new identity.

OKC are the reigning NBA champions, and a 64-win machine that crushed anything in their path during the regular season. They chewed through the Suns in the first round like it was a warmup drill at practice. 

Yes, the Lakers are gritty and resilient, they’re also older, thinner, and injured. 

So when it comes to what OKC needs to do to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the second straight season, let’s not overcomplicate it. 

All the Thunder need to do to win this series is do exactly what they’ve been doing for the last two years. 

That starts on defense where the Thunder are already the best in the league. 

OKC has a backline eraser in Chet Holmgren, who finished second for NBA Defensive Player of the Year this season. Holmgren doesn’t just block shots, he erases them entirely. The Rockets didn’t have Steven Adams in their first-round series so LeBron James and the Lakers were able to get to the paint, especially when their perimeter shots were falling. Holmgren takes that away from Los Angeles. 

The Thunder are also the second-best team in the NBA at forcing turnovers. The Lakers are vulnerable with the ball. That’s a recipe for disaster. The Thunder can break this series open simply by continuing to be surgical in their defensive ball pressure. Anticipate the passing lanes and have active hands. Turn mistakes into quick transition points.

The second thing the Thunder need to do to beat the Lakers is pretty obvious: don’t let LeBron beat you. 

At 41 years old, LeBron is still brilliant and capable of dominating a game, but without Doncic beside him, it makes it easier to hone in on him defensively.

This is where guys like Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, and Alex Caruso will earn their money. Nobody will be able to stop LeBron completely, but the Thunder plan to use all three of their versatile and aggressive defenders to disrupt him. Expect OKC to throw length and multiple bodies at him. To turn him into a passer and pressure him into making mistakes. 

Lakers guard Marcus Smart said last week, “pressure bursts pipes, but also makes diamonds.”

The Thunder’s pressure plans on bursting the Lakers and creating a flood. That flood will lead to transition offense where reigning MVP Shai Gilegous-Alexander thrives. Offensively, OKC doesn’t need a game plan to beat the Lakers. SGA is the game plan. 

The Lakers will not be able to replicate his pace or stop his herky-jerky rhythm on offense. He can attack the basket, pull up from midrange, or drain a dagger three in your face. The Thunder just need to let him operate in space and the Lakers defenders will look like they’re caught in a windstorm.

“He’s very professional at putting the ball in the basket,” said Lakers guard Austin Reaves of SGA. “He’s good at all three levels. He also shoots a lot of free throws. When you do that at a high-efficiency, it’s going to be tough to stop him.”

Thankfully for the Thunder, even if they do stop him, others can beat you. 

Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein bring an interior toughness that could allow OKC to dominate the paint. Alex Caruso, Jalen Williams, Ajay Mitchell, Lou Dort, and Isaiah Joe can all beat you from beyond the arc. Depth isn’t just a luxury for the Thunder — it’s a weapon.

If the Thunder have a weakness it’s that they allow a lot of three-pointers. The Lakers proved in their four wins over the Rockets that when they’re hot from three, they can shoot you out of a series. That’s the one area the Thunder can’t get beat at. 

They need to contest without fouling and close out under control. Two things they are already excellent at. The Lakers shot 36% from three during the regular season. Keep them below their average and OKC will be just fine. 

Entering Game 1 on Tuesday, the Thunder are the more rested team. They’ve had exactly a week off between games. Against the oldest team still standing in the playoffs, that matters. OKC needs to punch early and set the tone in Game 1. Remind everyone why they are the reigning champs and turn the Paycom Center into a storm the Lakers can’t escape.

Which brings us back to the beginning. The Thunder just need to show up and play their game. 

Do that, and this series doesn’t stretch into drama. 

It ends quickly. 

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A few notes on the Knicks' Game 1 rout of the 76ers...

BUILDING BRIDGES

Mikal Bridges' fingerprints were all over New York’s dominant win.

He gave the Knicks 22 points and five assists in 26 minutes. He hit seven of 10 shots. New York outscored Philadelphia by 19 with Bridges on the court.

On the other end of the floor, Bridges helped hold Tyrese Maxey to 3-for-8 shooting and three turnovers in the first half of Game 1.

"I give Mikal a lot of credit for is his alertness and his ability to have multiple efforts when guarding Maxey because Maxey is similar to Steph (Curry), you know, where he's constantly moving, especially when it comes to the two game with (Joel) Embiid," Mike Brown said. "So he's a hard (cover). You can't ever relax."

Bridges certainly didn’t relax on Monday and he didn’t fold after a few ugly performances early in the playoffs.

In his last two games, Bridges has scored 46 points on a combined 17-for-22 shooting and handed out eight assists.

"He’s a huge factor for us," Jalen Brunson said. "He’s been playing great."

The Knicks used five first-round picks to acquire Bridges from Brooklyn. So his play will always be heavily scrutinized.

Bridges has had an uneven performance in his Knicks tenure thus far. But, like the Knicks a whole, Bridges may be finding his stride at the perfect time.

"Obviously, there’s times throughout the season for every player when there’s ups and downs. But he stays mentally strong," Brunson said of his Villanova teammate. "He comes into work, does his work, does his routine and all that stuff. As long as you keep chipping away things are going to fall in your favor."

BRUNSON BURNER

Brunson had a fantastic game on Monday.

He had 35 points, three assists and two steals against the Sixers. It was his 16th career playoff game scoring 35+ points. That ties former teammate Luka Doncic for seventh among active players in the postseason.

"Jalen’s pace, his change of speed, all that stuff with the basketball was really good," Brown said after the game. "They like to play in a drop, and he was able to come off and get a couple of pocket 3s, because we had good screens. When he did that, he made them come up the floor a little bit and he was able to get by them, but when we touched the paint, if the help came, he did a pretty good job playing off of two and spraying it, which meant the next time down, guys would stay on him a little bit more.

"Now, you get the opportunity to finish. So, Jalen was really good as the head of the snake, but the guys behind him set the screen, making sure we’re spaced the right away. Being ready to make a quick decision when that ball got sprayed, that was all really good, too."

The Knicks offense as a whole seems to have unlocked something in the past four games. They have won all of those games by at least 16 points.

"Obviously a lot of trial and error, seeing what works and seeing what doesn’t, and being unselfish. ... I think that’s the biggest thing," Josh Hart said after Game 1. "I think that’s where were at right now where everyone is unselfish. ... we’re willing to sacrifice individual numbers and stats for the betterment of the team, and I think when we do that, we’re playing our best basketball."

WHOOPS.

My bad, everyone.

I missed the window to actually get this post up in between the Philadelphia 76ers advancing to the second round to face the New York Knicks on Saturday and Game 1 of that Eastern Conference semifinal series on Monday. I totally had time to do it on Sunday night and Monday morning…. just totally did not realize that the series was starting up that quickly, and here we are.

This is going to be a shorter post than our first round entry in keeping track of the NBA Playoffs through a Marquette magnifying glass. That is due to Oklahoma City eliminating Oso Ighodaro and Phoenix in four games as well as Detroit rallying from down 3-1 to bounce Jamal Cain and Orlando in seven games. We got very close to being able to keep an eye on the Magic, as they had a 20 point lead at halftime of Game 6…. and then they lost by double digits and then lost Game 7 by 20 points.

That leaves us with just one former Marquette player involved in the NBA Playoffs, and as we’ll get to in a second, “involved” is a stretch of a word to use……

Tyler Kolek — New York Knicks

Kolek and New York advanced out of the first round with a 4-2 series win over the Atlanta Hawks. After Atlanta got a 107-106 win in Game 2 and a 109-108 win in Game 3, that series got out of hand in a hurry. New York won the next three games by 16, 29, and 51 points. That Game 6 wasn’t even as close as the 140-89 margin suggests it was as the Knicks were up 61 at one point in the third quarter not to mention it was 40-15 at the end of the first quarter and 83-36 at the half.

As mostly expected, our man Tyler Kolek was not that involved in the series. He appeared in just three of the games for a total of 19 minutes. We can’t help but notice that he played in the three games that the Knicks won by increasingly larger margins, so perhaps head coach Mike Brown should have been giving the former Big East Player of the Year a little bit more run, eh? Kolek averaged 2.7 points and 1.7 assists per game in his limited action, but his series against Philadelphia in the second round is off to a better start. One-for-one in games played, eight points and four assists in 10 minutes, and he got to celebrate the 137-98 win with Timothee Chalamet, who passed on going to the Met Gala with his girlfriend to be at Game 1 at The Garden.

New York was led by Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby in the first round series against Atlanta, with both men averaging at least 21 points per game. Brunson had the team lead in assists, barely beating out Karl-Anthony Towns, 6.2 to 6.0 per game. Towns was the leading rebounder for the Knicks with 11.3 per game to go with his nearly 19 points a night, and it’s kinda weird that a guy that was averaging 19/11/6/2/2 in a playoff series isn’t getting the spotlight.

As mentioned, Kolek’s Knicks are facing Philadelphia in the second round or the conference semifinals if you want to be fancy about it. The 76ers beat Boston in seven games maaaaaaaybe helped along by Jayson Tatum missing Game 7 with a knee injury of some sort…. and maaaaaybe helped along by head coach Joe Mazzulla starting Baylor Scheierman, Luka Garza, and Ron Harper, none of whom scored in a combined 35 minutes of action in a Game 7 that ended up decided by nine points. Weird!

The Sixers are 100% Tyrese Maxey’s team at this point as he averaged 27 points, five rebounds, and over six assists per game against the Celtics. Joel Embiid recovered from his appendectomy to play in the final four games of the series and average 28 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists a game. That’s pretty much vintage Embiid right there, but as always, the question is whether or not the 32 year old will remain available all playoffs long. He hasn’t played 60 games in an NBA season since 2022-23 and has never played in 70 games in a season. He only appeared in 38 this year for the Sixers, so we’ll have to wait and see how this series goes. It certainly seemed like KAT was able to abuse Embiid in an inside-outside game way in Game 1, which is perhaps a bad sign for Philly but a great sign for you and me trying to see a Marquette guy win an NBA title this year.

Which reminds me: Are the Knicks the favorite in the Eastern Conference right now? Detroit nearly got bounced in the first round by #8 seed Orlando, the Sixers knocked the #2 seeded Celtics out, and the Knicks are the #3 seed. Nobody’s taking Cleveland seriously as the #4 seed except for people in Ohio, and that’s because James Harden Melts Down In What Turns Into The Final Game Of The Season is looming out there for the Cavaliers. Interesting to think about, at the very least.

Game 1: Monday, May 4; Knicks 137, 76ers 98
Game 2: Wednesday, May 6, 6pm Central, ESPN
Game 3: Friday, May 8, 6pm Central, Prime Video
Game 4: Sunday, May 10, 2:30pm Central, ABC
Game 5*: Tuesday, May 12, TBD, TBD
Game 6*: Thursday, May 14, TBD, TBD
Game 7*: Sunday, May 17, TBD, TBD

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Lower seed on the road shocks higher seed at home in Game 1. It’s a tale as old as time (e.g., The 2003 playoffs when the number 8 seeded Phoenix Suns stole Game 1 on the road against the number 1 seeded San Antonio Spurs). They say a playoff series truly doesn’t start until someone loses at home. Well, consider this playoff series started!

Dylan Harper led the team with 18 points, plugging in while Stephon Castle battled foul trouble. Victor Wembanyama notched a triple-double with 11 points, 15 bards, and 12(!) blocks.

This atmosphere looked fun. Seemed almost collegiate-like energy.

Victor Wembanyama was on a warpath in the paint on Monday night. The 12 blocks represented the most all-time in a playoff game. That’s the new benchmark, Victor. Let’s go for 13+ next game out and at least triple that amount in points (insert Cheshire grin here).

Stephon Castle shot well from downtown in Game 1, draining 3 out of 5 attempts. Who knows, maybe if he was able to play at least 35 minutes, could have been 4 out of 6 or 5 out of 7. Seems a shame that your second-best player could not stay on the floor for at least 30 minutes because of some circumstances outside of his control (and others within his control, but mostly a lot outside of his control).

Am I biased? Yes. Am I (probably) wrong? Also yes (probably). Am I coping? Yes, but that’s why they play the game, babyyy (read that in your best Dick Vitale voice).

De’Aaron Fox with the nice dish to find Dylan Harper for the dunk. Fox led the team with 6 assists in a slug fest where both teams found difficulty finding any offensive rhythm. My wife said I should say something nice about the officiating. So if she asks, I did—it’s somewhere in this paragraph if you look close enough. It’s a good thing she doesn’t read my articles unless I ask her to.

OK no more coping. It’s a highlights article for Tim Duncan’s sake. Let’s focus up like Wembanyama was focused up on defense for this entire possession where he got two blocks in a row.

Even though I’ve watched this team all year, the increased minutes in the playoffs for Dylan Harper has made me really notice how smooth his game is around the rim.

Case in point, Harper going coast-to-coast for a left-handed (his dominant hand) lay-in on the right side of the rim to protect it from would-be blockers. He makes it looks so effortless and fluid.

If you told me back in 2016 that in ten years I’ll be watching two Frenchmen battle each other in the playoffs, I’d assume you meant Tony Parker and Boris Diaw because I love those guys. I’d still watch them play today, but I suspect Diaw is off the grid somewhere doing most interesting man in the world things like stealing the Declaration of Independence or the Magna Carta, because not everything in the world revolves around the U.S.—unless it’s the NBA playoffs.

Wembanyama set up this nice transition bucket with a volleyball swat on the defensive end. Castle scoops up the remains of that poor swatted ball and finds Fox for the flush. No one asked me, but if you asked me, if these three score just a bit more in Game 2, I like the Spurs’ chances.

Blocks aren’t easy. Even if you are as tall as a tree, the timing and athleticism required to swat a shot without hitting your opponent’s arm/hand/elbow/appendages used to type out some Mandalorian fan fiction is difficult as it is, much less doing it 12 times in a playoff game.

Shout out to my wife who didn’t roll her eyes or have me sleep on the couch while I was watching the Spurs on our anniversary. To be fair, she knew what she was signing up for seven years ago when I suggested naming our daughter Bruce Bowen.

If you missed the game because you were too busy researching the number of baby girls named Bruce Bowen, here are the full-game highlights:

Next up, the Spurs remain at home against the Timberwolves for Game 2 on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.

From celebration to concern.

Former Knick J.R. Smith got knocked to the ground during the postgame celebration outside of Madison Square Garden on Monday night in a hectic scene, with the folk hero sternly telling those around him, “Relax, man, relax,” after the Knicks’ 137-98 win over the 76ers in Game 1.

Smith, who played for the team from 2011-2015, often finds his way back to The Garden to watch big Knicks games, and he took to the streets after the blowout win to start this second-round series with a smile while smoking something rolled up in a white casing.

“Relax man relax “

JR Smith joined the crowd outside MSG

At one point it got out of hand pic.twitter.com/LCHRWM0EJN

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) May 5, 2026

The scenes outside Knicks playoffs games are always hectic, especially after wins but even after losses, and fans quickly mobbed Smith while he ventured into the mass of humanity.

The situation quickly changed, though, with Smith — and others — being knocked from his feet and having to be helped back to an upright position several moments later.

One X user posted a video that seemingly showed the crowd pushing toward Smith from behind and the momentum knocking him forward to the ground.

The 40-year-old New Jersey native impressively did not lose his joint during the fracas.

One social media video showed Smith later holding out his right hand and telling fans to relax, seeming agitated after being knocked to the curb compared to the celebratory mood he seemed to have earlier in the night.

Not every ex-Knick who attends playoff games will have the courage to do what Smith did Monday night, and how the situation unfolded could be a deterrent for others to do the same.

JR Smith got trampled at the Knicks mosh pit after the Game 1 victory against the Sixers pic.twitter.com/G9rQVJahqq

— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod (@big_business_) May 5, 2026

The next chance for a celebratory mosh pit will be Wednesday night when the third-seeded Knicks attempt to take a 2-0 series lead after the seventh-seeded 76ers.

The Knicks’ offense steamrolled a tired Philadelphia squad in Game 1 just two days after the 76ers completed their rally from a 3-1 series hole against the Celtics.

It didn’t end up mattering in a blowout, but it’s something worth monitoring going forward.

Nick Nurse pretty much forced the Knicks to play Ariel Hukporti during their 137-98 bludgeoning of the 76ers in Game 1 Monday night at Madison Square Garden. It’s something that could actually play a factor in a closer game if Mitchell Robinson’s free-throw woes continue.

Robinson checked in for Karl-Anthony Towns earlier than usual in the first quarter, since Towns picked up two early fouls.

And, knowing the Knicks didn’t want to put Towns back in the game, Nurse opted for Hack-a-Robinson.

Robinson went 0-for-4 from the line, pretty much the only thing that temporarily slowed down the Knicks offense. With no other option, coach Mike Brown took him out for Hukporti.

Hack-a-Robinson is something the Hawks at times utilized in the first round to limit Robinson’s impact and slow down the Knicks offense. He is just 5-for-17 from the line this postseason.

Some of the Hack-a-Robinson could be mitigated if Towns stays out of foul trouble and is a viable option to check back in. That’s something that could dissuade Nurse from using the strategy.

“We can’t expect them to go to the free-throw line 34 times and for us to get a win like we did,” Brown said. “We have to be better.”

The 76ers’ grand plan to keep Knicks fans away from Xfinity Mobile Arena is so far failing.

For their Eastern Conference semifinal series’ first game in Philadelphia, 56 percent of ticket purchases on secondary markets for Game 3 have a ZIP code from New York or New Jersey, according to TickPick.

Only 15 percent came from Pennsylvania.

The 76ers previously announced that they were limiting their ticket sales to residents in the Philadelphia area. That does not limit people outside that area from purchasing tickets on the secondary market or through other means, though.

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NBA STANDINGS AND KNICKS STATS

“One thing I know about Philly fans is they’re very passionate,” Jalen Brunson said after Game 1.

“One thing about Knicks fans is they’re very passionate as well. I think the real fans from both teams are gonna show up and support.”

Landry Shamet continued to ride the bench, only seeing action in garbage time. He’s been out of the rotation since Game 3 of the first round.

The lottery drawing for the 2026 NBA Draft was always going to have massive stakes. A.J. Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer have been hyped as an elite trio at the top of the class going back to their high school days, and their presence caused a tank-off for the ages this season. Add in a breakout freshman year from North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson, and the draft now offers major prizes at all four spots drawn in the lottery.

The tanking was so bad this season that the NBA is ready to push through lottery reform starting next year. The bottom three teams will suddenly have worse odds than those in the 4-10 range, and the floor for the worst teams has fallen out of the top-10. The odds are going to be flattened so much throughout the order that the results will feel completely random. Bad teams better cash in now on this lottery, because the chances of landing a top pick are going to be greatly diminished in the near future.

At this point, anyone who follows the draft closely has already run hundreds of lottery simulations. But who actually deserves lottery luck? We’re here to answer that. This is all very subjective, but there are still right answers. Here’s how the lottery will play out if there’s any justice in the drawing.

14. Charlotte Hornets

Odds at top-4 pick: 2.4%

The Hornets feel like the East’s team of the future after closing the season with the best net-rating in the league after Jan. 1. Landing a power forward who can defend and space the floor or a bigger rim protecting center would be ideal with this pick. Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara would both be a great fit here, but if they’re both gone, I’d also like their teammate Morez Johnson Jr. in this spot.

13. Miami Heat

Odds at top-4 pick: 4.8%

The Heat never tank, and for that I was tempted to move them into the top-four. The odds are just extremely long for that to happen. If there’s a miracle coming Miami’s way, a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade feels more likely than a jump into the top-4.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder

Odds at top-4 pick: 7.1%

The Clippers failing to make the playoffs puts the Thunder in the lottery. OKC moving up is the nightmare scenario for the rest of the league, but it’s not likely to happen. OKC should be able to land a very good prospect even if it stays at No. 12, and I’ll just point out that Yaxel Lendeborg was already telling me about how he’d fit next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during March Madness.

11. Golden State Warriors

Odds at top-4 pick: 9.4%

The Mavs moved up from No. 11 in the lottery to the No. 1 overall pick last year for Cooper Flagg. Could the Warriors get the same bit of luck? Golden State has a convincing case for deserving some good luck after getting screwed over by Jimmy Butler’s torn ACL. It would be wonderful to see Steph Curry play meaningful basketball again before he retires, and a top pick could help him get there whether Golden State trades it or keeps it. I wouldn’t be shocked if the Warriors move up, and I think it would be kind of cool. They just missed the cut-off for the top-4 picks in these rankings.

10. Milwaukee Bucks

Odds at top-4 pick: 13.9%

The Bucks owe a pick swap to Atlanta, who also has the rights to New Orleans’ pick, so Milwaukee can only land in the top-4 if the Hawks are ahead of them. The Bucks moving up might be the most explosive possible outcome for the lottery that doesn’t involve OKC landing a top pick. Taylor Jenkins is the new head coach here, and Giannis trade rumors are likely to be kicking into high gear again this summer. Landing a top pick might make Giannis more likely to stay. I could see it happening.

9. Dallas Mavericks

Odds at top-4 pick: 29%

The Mavs cashed in on a 1.8 percent chance to land Cooper Flagg last year. Do they really deserve more lottery luck after that? This pick will be extremely important for Dallas regardless of where it ends up because the team doesn’t control its first round pick until 2031 after this year due to a series of deals made to build around Luka Doncic. Whoops. Flagg needs a co-star in the worst way, but getting super lucky two years in a row would feel like a little much.

8. Memphis Grizzlies

Odds at top-4 pick: 37.2%

The Grizzlies tore down the roster because they thought they were stuck in the middle, but it certainly feels like they sold high on both Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. Memphis has a good young core already emerging led by Zach Edey and Cedric Coward, and I feel confident this front office will find more good players in this draft (they also own Phoenix’s pick at No. 16 this year) even if they don’t move up. The Grizzlies have put themselves in position to get lucky, and no one can hold it against them if they do.

7. Utah Jazz

Odds at top-4 pick: 45.2%

Utah was at the forefront of tanking shenanigans this year by resting their best players in the fourth quarter of close games. They were already fined for this, and their main goal was just to keep their pick inside of the top-8, otherwise they would have to send it to the Thunder (seriously). You can make a case that a lot of teams deserve lottery luck this year, but the Jazz aren’t one of them. The good news for Utah is that they should be a lot more competitive next year with a core of Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Keyonte George. They can land a premium talent in this range like Illinois’ Keaton Wagler or Arizona’s Brayden Burries even if they don’t move up.

6. Brooklyn Nets

Odds at top-4 pick: 52.1%

The Nets toed the line of gunning for a top pick without outright tanking the way Utah and Washington did. Brooklyn hasn’t gotten any lottery luck since moving off its Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden core from a few years ago, and next season they don’t own their first-round pick because Houston has swap rights. The Nets have a great young head coach in Jordi Fernandez, and they have a very good veteran wing in his prime in Michael Porter Jr. who enjoyed a career renaissance under Fernandez this year. You can’t be mad if the Nets land in the top-4.

5. Washington Wizards

Odds at top-4 pick: 52.1%

Congrats to the Wizards: they were the worst team in the NBA with 17 wins, and because of that they can’t fall further than fifth in this draft. That still isn’t exactly a cause for celebration though because to me it feels like there’s a big drop off in talent between pick No. 4 and pick No. 5. It felt like Washington tanked hard and rested players at every opportunity, but they were never fined for it. It almost feels like the Wizards know they aren’t getting lucky after trading for Anthony Davis and Trae Young mid-season to accelerate their timeline. Getting a top pick would completely change Washington’s two-timelines approach, especially with rumors that AD doesn’t want to be there. The Wizards fell to their pick floor last year when they landed at No. 6, and I could see it happening again.

4. Chicago Bulls

Odds at top-4 pick: 20.3%

The Bulls have the fourth-worst cumulative record in the NBA over the last nine seasons, but they haven’t landed a top-3 pick over that time, and the only time they moved up they got stuck with Patrick Williams. Chicago actually has a little bit of hope right now after firing Arturas Karnisovas and landing the Portland Trail Blazers’ pick at No. 15 overall (which finally conveyed from the 2021 Lauri Markkanen trade), but ultimately they’ll need some lottery luck to actually start to build something sustainable. The Bulls have refused to tank for years, and spent the entirety of the AK era pushing for a play-in tournament bid to try to backdoor into the playoffs. This roster is pretty bleak beyond Matas Buzelis, Josh Giddey, and the hope that last year’s lottery pick Noa Essengue can provide something in his second season. If the league really wants to punish tanking, the Bulls deserve to move up into the top-4.

3. Atlanta Hawks

Odds at top-4 pick: 43.2%

The Hawks made a brilliant trade during the 2025 draft to earn New Orleans’ unprotected first-round pick, and they can add it into their swap rights with the Bucks for a convincing chance at moving up. The Hawks have a nice foundation in place and just stole a couple games from the Knicks in the first-round of the playoffs, and moving up in the lottery would make this a fantastic season for the franchise. The Hawks still feel like they’re searching for a No. 1 option even after Jalen Johnson’s rise this year, and landing a player like Darryn Peterson or A.J. Dybantsa could set them up with success for a long time. Atlanta absolutely whiffed on its No. 1 overall pick in 2024 with Zaccharie Risacher, but that front office has been fired, and the team has made a lot of good moves since then. It would be fun to see the Hawks move up.

2. Indiana Pacers

Odds at top-4 pick: 52.1%

The Pacers gave the NBA a thrill on their underdog run to the 2025 NBA Finals. Indiana was on the doorstep of a championship when Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles in Game 7, and the result was a lost season this year in his absence. The Pacers have more at stake in this lottery than any other team after trading their top-4 protected first-round draft pick for Ivica Zubac at the trade deadline. If this pick lands at No. 5 or lower, it belongs to the Clippers. It’s easy to imagine a world where Pacers immediately become the class of the East again next season with a healthy Haliburton, a full season of Zubac, and a top-4 pick like Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer, or Wilson. I’d like to see them rewarded after putting together such an inspiring run before Haliburton’s injury.

1. Sacramento Kings

Odds at top-4 pick: 52.1%

Don’t lump the Kings in with all the other tankers this year. Sacramento badly wanted to win this season; they just failed spectacularly at doing so. A roster led by Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis, and Russell Westbrook was ill-conceived from the start, but not because the Kings were trying to lose on purpose. Sacramento has been very bad for a very long time, and it feels even more painful right now after watching Haliburton and De’Aaron Fox go on to enjoy success with other teams after they were drafted in Sacramento. The Kings haven’t had the No. 1 overall pick since 1989 when they drafted Pervis Ellison despite finishing in the lottery 19 of the last 20 years. I think Sacramento fans deserve a little luck at this point. I’m also just worried the gap between Sacramento and the rest of the West is going to get even more stark in the coming years with the new lottery odds. In a season where tanking brought the NBA great shame, the Kings put forth a real effort every night. Plenty of other teams tried to manipulate the odds to their favor. The Kings were just flat out bad.

Before his team’s first round playoff series victory over the Rockets, Lakers coach JJ Redick laid out what needed to happen for his team to have success: take care of the basketball and prevent offensive rebounds.

The Lakers won early in the series despite struggling in those areas, before finding the right formula in a series-clinching Game 6 victory.

Now, they’re doubling down on the first emphasis ahead of their second round matchup against the Thunder, the defending NBA champions, with Game 1 set for Tuesday night at Paycom Center. 

“The reality of their defense is that whatever moments we felt Houston pressuring, like the maximum amount of pressure they put on us, that’s OKC’s baseline,” Redick said. “That’s their core.”

The Thunder have had the league’s top-ranked defense for the last two seasons for multiple reasons. 

They’ve been the best team in the league at protecting the rim from an accuracy standpoint for three seasons in a row. 

In general, the closer opponents get to the basket, the stingier the Thunder’s defense gets. 

But on the perimeter, they’re the most disruptive team in the league. 

They were one of two teams, along with the Pistons, during the regular season to be top-five in deflections (league-most 20.7), steals (second-most with 9.7), blocked shots (second-most with 6.4) and turnovers forced (second-most with 16.7).

But unlike the Pistons, they don’t commit a lot of fouls, ranking No. 7 in personal fouls per game during the regular season compared to the Pistons being last in the league (No. 30). 

“You’re talking about a team that’s top five in every category that’s disruptive-base: Steals, blocks, turnovers forced, all that stuff,” Redick said. “And they don’t foul. They somehow do all of that without fouling, which is one of the most remarkable things I think in NBA history.”

Whether Redick was being sarcastic with his comment about the Thunder’s lack of fouling, that’s the challenge the Lakers will be facing during against the Thunder: Taking care of the ball and trying to create quality offense against a Thunder defense that has very few weaknesses. 

This was one of the biggest struggles for the Lakers during the four games of their regular season series against the Thunder.

They committed 17.5 turnovers per game against the Thunder, including 20 in the Nov. 12 loss and 18 in the April 2 loss in Oklahoma City.

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The Thunder averaged 25 points off turnovers in those home wins over the Lakers, and 22.3 per game during the regular season series. 

“You can’t hear yourself,” Ayton said of the environment at Paycom Center. “It’s definitely the “Thunder” for a reason. Their fans are thunderous. You can hear the floor shaking, the bleachers, you can’t even hear a play call. You gotta be super dialed in.”

Realistically, the Lakers can’t be expected to have a low turnover rate.

Even in their losses, the Thunder won the turnover battle by a decent margin, still recording 14.2 takeaways per game.  

Their physicality forces and playstyle force errors.

And with the Lakers being a more frequent passing team with the absence of Luka Doncic, there will be openings for the Thunder to take advantage of.

The Lakers’ focus will be on limiting their mistakes. 

Limiting the types of turnovers that feed the Thunder’s ability to go on quick runs that put the game out of reach. 

“They’re really good at runs, and part of that is how good their defense is, their ability to create turnovers,” Redick said. “The live-ball turnovers really kill you. And they don’t get out in transition a ton, but when they do, they’re the best in the NBA in terms of [points per possession]. Limiting their runs, [Pacers coach] Rick Carlisle is the master of that, the quick timeout. 

Redick added: “I’ve already told the staff, already told the players, I’ve got to be  more diligent than I normally am. I like my timeouts, I like going into the fourth quarter with four timeouts, I like having two in the last 30 seconds. I don’t think you have the luxury of worrying about that because the games get away from you so quickly because of how explosive they are when they go on their runs and they do that to everybody. It’s what they do. Mitigating the 12-15-point runs, I think, is really important.”