The Chargers will become full Division I members in 2028-29.
Florida raises basketball coach Todd Golden’s salary to $6M annually after national title
Florida basketball coach Todd Golden inked a six-year, $40.5 million extension, adding a year to his current deal and putting him under contract through the 2030-31 season. He signed a two-year extension in March 2024 that increased his average salary to $4.1 million annually.
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark receives 3-year contract extension through 2030
His original five-year contract was set to expire in 2027.
Sports Icons Shine at the 2025 Met Gala: Angel Reese, Jalen Hurts, Simone Biles and more
Some would equate the Met Gala to "the Super Bowl of Fashion", and this year's red carpet (technically it was blue) didn't disappoint as Olympic, NFL, and WNBA champions — athletes across the biggest leagues in the world — took center stage in their best looks.
The theme of the 2025 Met Gala was "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style", inspired by Monica L. Miller's book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity.
Many were excited to see LeBron James,who was named the honorary chair of the 2025 Met Gala, look dapper on the carpet, but the four-time NBA Champion and MVP announced that he would be missing the historical event due to a knee injury. Still, his wife, Savannah James, dazzled in his absence.
See below for a glimpse into one of fashion's brightest nights and the standout looks of some of sports' biggest stars, including NBC Sports' own Maria Taylor, Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts, three-time Olympian Miles Chamley-Watson, and more.
Angel Reese
Miles Chamley-Watson
Sha’Carri Richardson
Savannah James
Jalen Hurts
Breanna Stewart
Noah Lyles
Jonquel Jones
Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 05: (L-R) Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens attend the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 05, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images)
The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images
Joe Burrow
Lewis Hamilton
British car driver Lewis Hamilton arrives for the 2025 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025, in New York. The Gala raises money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. The 2025 Met Gala is themed “Tailored for You,” aligning with the Costume Institute’s exhibition, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” set to open to the public on May 10. (Photo by Angela WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
Maria Taylor
Russell Wilson and Ciara
Gabby Thomas
Serena Williams
RELATED:Met Gala - Simone Biles, Sha’Carri Richardson, Noah Lyles, Gabby Thomas arrival photos
WTHELLY? Pacers, Haliburton Ride Rob49 Anthem Into NBA Playoffs
Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton is rarely featured in national TV advertisements, but he has a name mention in a new hit rap song reverberating around the U.S.—a cultural claim to fame none of his peers still active in the 2025 NBA playoffs have matched this year.
The song “WTHELLY” has helped elevate the profile of Haliburton and New Orleans born rapper Rob49 as the Pacers compete in their second-round series with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Haliburton, who scored 22 points in a Game 1 win in Cleveland on Sunday, is referenced in the song’s outro, along with Halle Berry and LeBron James.
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With more than 7 million Spotify streams, 1.5 million YouTube listens and hundreds of thousands of sound repurposes on TikTok, “WTHELLY” has gained the appreciation of the Oshkosh, Wis., product, who is on a quest to return to the Eastern Conference Finals for a second year in a row. Haliburton told reporters it was “fire” to have his name dropped on the song, which continues to pick up steam on social media. He also wore a T-shirt that read “WTHELLY” last week on the plane to Milwaukee ahead of Game 3 of the Pacers’ prior series against the Milwaukee Bucks, a five-game success.
Haliburton boosted his profile last year through an NBA All-Star bid, his first deep playoff run, a Team USA appearance at the Olympics and a WWE cameo. The “WTHELLY” name-drop has continued Haliburton’s climb to becoming a household name this season, and the Pacers are making a concerted effort to help him capitalize on the moment.
The franchise’s digital media and marketing teams have partnered with Rob49’s label Interscope Records to gain the rights to post the song on various clips and promotions featuring their point guard. The Pacers also sat Rob49 courtside at Game 2 against the Bucks, and following a feverish comeback to close out the series in Game 5, players blasted “WTHELLY” in the locker room.
Indiana will play Game 2 of the second round in Cleveland on Tuesday night.
“Our players love music, television and consume things like everyone else,” Pacers senior vice president of marketing and content Tyler Beadlescomb said in a video interview. “The genuine excitement that came from Tyrese and the team is something that we tried to carry through when we brought this [rollout] to life. … There was nothing about this that was forced. It was something that we all loved.”
Haliburton plays in a small media market and does not get the same airtime during commercial breaks as many other guards and wing players active in the 2025 playoffs. For example, Jamal Murray is a mainstay in New Balance ads, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is spending another year in AT&T spots (not singing this time, thankfully), Jayson Tatum is one of the faces of Gatorade and Anthony Edwards is seemingly everywhere. Even Jalen Green, the recently eliminated Houston Rockets guard without an All-Star nod to his name, is in a major Wing Stop ad.
That said, Haliburton isn’t entirely new to the spotlight. The ex-Iowa State standout has appeared in GQ Magazine and The Players’ Tribune and boasts endorsement deals with Puma and Movado. This organic music culture collaboration is a next step encouraged by Indiana.
“We love when the stars align and we can use our organization to lean in and create make some magic moments,” Beadlescomb said. “We think of ourselves as a major brand, and that means we have to welcome way more than just Hoosiers. We love our fan base, but we want fans all over.”
The love affair culminated on April 22 when Rob49 arrived to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for Game 2. The 26-year-old rapper sat courtside alongside former Pacers star Lance Stephenson to watch Haliburton drop 21 points in a 123-115 victory.
On the Club 520 podcast co-hosted by former Pacers guard Jeff Teague, Rob49 described the evening as a memorable one. Soaking in the playoff energy in the basketball-crazed state of Indiana, he was surprised by how many fans knew him and remembers at one point fans collectively yelling “What the helly?”
“I was like ‘what the hell,’” he said on the podcast with a laugh. “That was crazy to me.”
The special guest activities also included meeting Haliburton in person for the first time and being gifted personalized merchandise from the team.
“I knew it was going to go, but I didn’t know it was going to go this far though,” Rob49 said of his song’s takeoff. “This is about to be crazy.”
Rob49, who started rapping in 2020, first gained wide attention for his verse on Travis Scott’s 2023 hit song “Topia Twins.” Since his TikTok banger dropped at the end of March, he has gained more notoriety and soon plans to release a remix with number of stars including Justin Bieber set to be featured. He isn’t done with the basketball references anytime soon either as he gave fans a snippet of his unreleased song “Angel Reese“ last week during his live stream.
The Pacers don’t host celebrities as often as the Los Angeles Lakers or the New York Knicks but aim to capitalize when they can expand their national brand. Popular rapper turned businessman Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson makes a couple appearances each season, as the Pacers have a partnership with his liquor and wine company Sire Spirits. Actor Will Farrell, who starred as Jackie Moon in 2008 basketball comedy Semi-Pro, also famously attended a game in a hype man role in 2023.
They have also been quick to implement the star power of the WNBA’s Indiana Fever, who share their arena and whose players regularly attend their games—and vice versa. Fever phenom Caitlin Clark has become a friend of Haliburton’s since she was drafted No. 1 overall in 2024. Both Indiana basketball teams are owned by parent company Pacers Sports & Entertainment.
As the ongoing NBA playoffs progress, the Pacers remain in talks with Rob49 about a potential halftime show or another appearance at the arena depending on how long their run lasts. Regardless, the viral song will be remembered as the backdrop of a season that has solidified Indiana’s return to NBA contention.
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Is Porzingis' illness tied to previous absence? Mazzulla shares update
Is Porzingis' illness tied to previous absence? Mazzulla shares update originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Kristaps Porzingis’ availability is once again in question after his abrupt exit from the Boston Celtics’ Game 1 loss to the New York Knicks on Monday night.
The Boston Celtics big man is “day-to-day” with an illness, head coach Joe Mazzulla confirmed to reporters Tuesday. Porzingis exited Monday’s game at TD Garden with 7:34 remaining in the second quarter and did not return after the team listed him as questionable with a “non-Covid illness.”
“He’s a little bit better. We’ll see how he feels,” Mazzulla said Tuesday of Porzingis.
While the nature of Porzingis’ illness is unclear, it’s fair to wonder whether his current condition is related to the upper respiratory illness that caused him to miss eight straight games from Feb. 28 to March 14. Porzingis noted at the time that he hadn’t “been this sick for probably ever in my life.”
“I was really, for a week, really just laying at home trying to recover,” Porzingis said after his first game back on March 15. “And after that, I had lingering fatigue — and I still have it a little bit.”
Mazzulla said Tuesday he has “no idea” if Porzingis’ current illness is related to what he had in March but then revealed that the big man is still dealing with some lingering effects of that illness.
“Since he came back, I think he’s been kind of dealing with it on and off, fighting through it, working through it, doing the best he can,” Mazzulla said. “I think it was just too much for him in that game.
“… He had been working through it since he’s gotten back and he’s done a great job of being available. It was just tough for him to continue (Monday), so we’ll see kind of how he handles that.”
Porzingis started in Game 1 but didn’t look like himself, going scoreless in 12:58 of playing time on 0 for 4 shooting with four rebounds, one assist and a turnover. And outside a 20-point effort in Game 1 of the first round against the Orlando Magic, Porzingis has largely struggled this postseason, shooting 32.8 percent from the floor and just 11.8 percent from 3-point range (2 for 17) in six playoff games to date.
The Celtics didn’t need a fully-effective Porzingis to dispatch the Magic in five games, but they could certainly use him against New York, especially considering the former Knicks lottery pick has had plenty of success against his former team.
Game 2 of Celtics-Knicks is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET at TD Garden, and Porzingis’ status will be worth monitoring closely.
UPDATE: The Celtics listed Porzingis as probable on their injury report Tuesday afternoon, suggesting he’s on track to play in Game 2.
How Knicks stole Game 1 against Celtics in Eastern Conference Semifinals
In perhaps the most impressive win in modern Knicks basketball history, New York came back from 20 points down to beat Boston on the road, 108-105, stealing Game 1 in the second round and securing home court advantage.
It took a massive two-way team effort to accomplish it.
Let’s break down how the Knicks pulled it off...
Defensive masterclass
Head coach Tom Thibodeau pulled out all the adjustments for this series, and his team executed them to perfection.
Unsatisfied with how his team guarded Boston in the regular season, opening with mostly drop coverage then slowly experimenting with others, Thibs had his team switch most ball screens.
This gave the Celtics a bunch of favorable one-on-one matchups instead of putting the Knicks defense in a blender, pushing them away from their patented ball movement and advantage creation towards isolation basketball. While Boston has the talent to adjust, New York acquired specific personnel this offseason to make it tough, and they did just that.
OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, or "Wingstop" as they’ve aptly been nicknamed, had standout performances. They finished with four steals and two blocks between them, holding Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to a combined 46 points on 14-for-43 shooting, lobbing the head off the Celtics offense.
They were especially impressive in the second half and overtime, helping whenever Boston would attackJalen Brunson or Karl-Anthony Townsone-on-one, somehow digging into driving lanes and recovering in time to contest the Celtics' shooters. And when they needed to get timely stops, they made it happen.
Clutch execution
The Knicks have been a strong crunch time team, as evidenced in the previous round but put on full display in Game 1 in Boston. It starts with their Clutch Player of the Year, who helped lead the ferocious comeback with his shot making.
Brunson scored 20 points on 6-for-11 shooting from the field in the third and fourth quarters. Halfway through the final period, Brunson laced three threes and a couple of free throws in under three minutes to give the Knicks a six-point edge.
Boston wouldn’t let him carry New York to victory that easily, and started sending soft doubles and much more attention his way. Brunson responded, getting inside to draw in the defense and spray out to Anunoby for a huge three with 90 seconds to play.
He also held his own defensively, putting in a big effort to bother Tatum and Brown on switches and seal Al Horford and other Celtics bigs as the low man. For all the clutch shot making, there was some serious clutch defensive playmaking as well.
Anunoby had a huge fourth quarter steal, Mitchell Robinson came in to shut down Tatum on a game-winning attempt, and Bridges came through with two steals in overtime -- including the game-deciding one off the inbounds in the final seconds.
Flipping Boston’s strengths
The Knicks did an excellent job taking perceived strengths and preferences on the Celtics side and turning them on their head. Boston took advantage of ignoring Josh Hart offensively in the regular season, and he made them pay in Game 1.
Hart had 14 points and 11 rebounds on 5-for-9 shooting, which may not pop off the box score but doesn’t adequately capture his impact on this game. He was constantly pushing the Knicks tempo and finding good looks in transition, while helping slow down the Celtics’ offensive rebounding in the second half.
Boston’s big playing six feet off him? Hart would set off ball screens, and get involved in the action via a few variations of pick and rolls to constantly keep them on their toes.
The Celtics buried the Knicks from three all season? No problem. New York switched heavy to limit their offensive opportunities and force them into tough off-the-dribble threes in isolation -- exactly the shot you want.
They shut down the paint and watched Boston panic from beyond the arc, shooting a ghastly 15-for-60 from three. Those long misses led to transition chances and had the Celtics questioning their offense.
It was a great approach and tremendous effort that caught Boston by surprise in Game 1, but it will take repeat performances to steal more than a game.
Let’s see if the Knicks can pull off another shocker when they face the Celtics again on Wednesday in Game 2.
Warriors vs. Timberwolves Predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends and best bets for May 6
Golden State Warriors vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Preview
It’s Tuesday, May 6, and the Golden State Warriors (48-34) and Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33) are all set to square off from Target Center in Minneapolis.
The Warriors survived a game seven with an impressive win over the Houston Rockets. It will be interesting to see if we see another case of rest versus rust in game one of this match.
The Warriors last played on Sunday. The Timberwolves last played last Wednesday.
So far, the teams in the longer series have come out on top in game one. The Cavaliers, the Celtics, and the Thunder all lost game one at home.
As a 7-point underdog and +230 on the moneyline, the Warriors would be an interesting pizza money bet, to see if it happens.
The Warriors are currently 24-17 on the road with a point differential of 3, while the Timberwolves have a 8-2 record in their last ten games at home.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.
Game details & how to watch Warriors vs. Timberwolves live today
- Date: Tuesday, May 6, 2025
- Time: 9:30PM EST
- Site: Target Center
- City: Minneapolis, MN
- Network/Streaming: TNT, truTV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.
Game odds for Warriors vs. Timberwolves
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
- Odds: Warriors (+234), Timberwolves (-289)
- Spread: Timberwolves -7
- Over/Under: 209 points
That gives the Warriors an implied team point total of 103.45, and the Timberwolves 107.1.
Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!
Expert picks & predictions for Tuesday’s Warriors vs. Timberwolves game
NBC Sports Bet Best Bet
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Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas) is betting on the Warriors +7 and +230...
Thomas: "It's game one, and the Timberwolves will likely win this game. If the Warriors complete the lower seed upset sweep, I want to have a little piece of the action."
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Warriors & Timberwolves game:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Golden State Warriors at +7.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the under on the Game Total of 209.
Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
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- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
Dallas Mavericks 2024-2025 fantasy basketball season recap: Future uncertain in post-Luka era
While the NBA Playoffs are in full swing, now is a good time to recap the fantasy basketball season for all 30 teams.
In the following weeks, we will provide a recap for each team, starting with the team with the worst record and concluding with the NBA champion in June.
Today, we'll take a look at a team whose outlook has swung wildly since 2024 due to mounting injuries, huge contracts and an historic in-season trade.
The Rotoworld Basketball crew breaks down each team’s season and an early look at what to expect from a fantasy perspective going into the 2025-2026 campaign.
Dallas Mavericks 2024-2025 Season Recap
Record: 39-43 (10th, West)
Offensive Rating: 113.7 (18th)
Defensive Rating: 115 (20th)
Net Rating: -1.3 (19th)
Pace: 100.15 (12th)
2025 NBA Draft Picks: 1.8 percent chance of winning the lottery; no additional picks
After a wild run to the NBA Finals in 2024, the outlook in Dallas was peaches and cream. Early-season injuries kept the Mavs around .500, and Luka Doncic injured his left leg on Christmas in a loss to the Timberwolves.
Unbeknownst to everyone not named Nico Harrison or Rob Pelinka, that marquee matchup was Doncic’s last with Dallas.
In the middle of the night on February 1, the Mavs traded Doncic to the Lakers for Anthony Davis in a move that will be remembered as one of the most shocking in NBA history.
Dallas stayed afloat for five weeks after the incomprehensible trade, finally falling below .500 on March 9 with a loss to the Suns. From there, the Mavs were in free fall thanks to numerous injuries across the roster, including a devastating groin injury to Anthony Davis in his Dallas debut and a torn ACL for Kyrie Irving in early March.
According to ESPN, “Dallas used 47 different starting lineups this season, tied for the fourth most by any team since starters were first tracked in 1970-71. The Mavs missed a combined 363 games this season, nearly double from a year ago.”
Dallas had just two players on the team appear in at least 60 games, and at one point, the roster was so thin that the notion of forfeiting games was on the table.
The Mavericks ultimately stayed in the Play-In Tournament thanks to Phoenix’s utter collapse and a slew of underperforming teams at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. Dallas won its first game only to get crushed by Memphis and eliminated.
With a ton of money potentially on the books for next season, limited roster moves to make and an extended Kyrie absence, Dallas is in a far different place than it was last offseason after coming off a Finals loss to the Celtics.
Let’s recap last season’s fantasy performances and look ahead to 2025-26.
Fantasy Standout: Kyrie Irving
Irving was a steady producer yet again, as he delivered 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.9 triples while pushing for another 50/40/90 shooting season. Those numbers were good enough to finish 13th in per-game fantasy hoops value.
Irving has averaged 25.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.6 blocks and 2.9 triples across his last eight seasons, with 48.9/90/3/40.1 splits. You know what you’re going to get from this guy year in and year out, but unfortunately, that also means plenty of missed games.
Irving has appeared in 60 or fewer games in each of the last six seasons, appearing in fewer than 30 twice. He logged just 50 games in 2024-25 before suffering a torn ACL in his left knee on March 3. Irving stepped to the free throw line with tears in his eyes before ultimately leaving the matchup with Sacramento.
Kyrie Irving made both free throws after tearing his ACL and was then helped off the court. pic.twitter.com/2BBza6S9Xl
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 4, 2025
Irving underwent surgery on March 26, and he’s targeting a return to the court in January. Given his injury history, age and severity of his latest injury, Irving will be a tough guy to draft in fantasy hoops for the upcoming season. Managers looking to stash him on the bench may want to take a chance on him late in drafts but otherwise, he can remain on the waiver wire.
Fantasy Revelation: Naji Marshall
Marshall was excellent in his first season with the Mavs, averaging 13.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 steal and 0.9 triples across 27.8 minutes. He shot 50.8% from the floor and 81.3% from the charity stripe, setting new career highs across all aforementioned categories.
The former Pelican appeared in 69 games and earned 31 starts, picking up the slack for the injury-riddled Mavs and shining when given additional playing time.
Over the final 20 games of the season, Marshall racked up 18.5 points, 6.3 boards, 3.8 dimes and a steal across 34.4 minutes. He was a top 100 player in that span, and he’s on the rise heading into the 2025-26 campaign.
Dallas will be without Kyrie for multiple months to start the season, and the Mavs’ roster is far from deep. Expect Marshall to play meaningful minutes next season, making him an interesting late-round selection in fantasy drafts.
Fantasy Disappointment: Klay Thompson
Thompson’s break with Golden State after 13 seasons and four titles was a monster headline last offseason, but the fit with Dallas seemed like a match made in heaven. Play off-ball as a catch-and-shoot sniper alongside Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic? No-brainer!
Despite being available for a surprising 72 games, Thompson’s performance was far from elite. He averaged 14 points, 3.4 boards, 2.0 dimes, 0.7 steals and 3.0 triples across 27.3 minutes per game.
The points and minutes were his fewest since his 2011-12 rookie campaign, and his three-pointers were his fewest since 2013-14. To make things worse, he shot a career-low 41.2% from the field.
Heading into his 15th season and with two major injuries on his resume, it’s highly unlikely Thompson shows significant improvement in efficiency or scoring. He finished 141st in per-game fantasy hoops value, and that’s his likely ceiling for the 2025-26 season.
Fantasy Recaps/Look-Aheads
Anthony Davis:
AD enjoyed another productive campaign, finishing fourth in per-game fantasy value behind averages of 24.7 points, 11.6 boards, 3.5 dimes, 1.2 steals, 2.2 blocks and 0.7 triples.
On February 1, he was shockingly dealt to the Mavs for Luka Doncic. Davis went off for a monster 26/16/7 with three blocks in his Dallas debut before suffering a groin injury that kept him out for the next month and a half.
Davis logged only nine games with the Mavs, averaging 20 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.2 blocks. He went for a 23/13/10 triple-double in the regular season finale and dropped 40 in the final Play-In game.
Davis should be a per-game monster once again, but availability remains a glaring concern. After appearing in a career-high 76 games in 2023-24, he took the court just 51 times last season.
Daniel Gafford:
Gafford finished his first full season in Dallas with averages of 12.3 points, 6.8 boards, 1.4 assists, 0.4 steals and 1.8 swats across 57 appearances. An MCL sprain in his right knee forced him to miss significant time, sitting out from February 12 to March 31.
The big man split time fairly evenly with Dereck Lively II when both were available, and the pair posted similar numbers across the board. Gafford shot at least 70% from the floor for the third straight season, and he’s reached that mark in four of six.
He finished just inside the top 100 in per-game fantasy value, but that was with meaningful minutes splitting time with Dereck Lively II as a two-headed monster at center. A full season of Anthony Davis means a diminished role for Gafford if he remains on the roster, but he’s a guy who could be on the move.
Dereck Lively II:
Lively II was productive when available, but he struggled to stay on the court for a second straight season. After logging just 36 games as a rookie, Lively II finished with just 55 games in Year 2, missing time due to a stress fracture in his right ankle.
The young big man averaged 8.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.6 steals and 1.6 blocks while shooting 70.2% from the field and 63% from the charity stripe. Lively II played 23.1 minutes per game, down marginally from the 23.5 he averaged as a rookie.
Lively II set new career highs in rebounds, assists, blocks and shooting percentages while posting eight double-doubles. He enjoyed one of the best games of his career when he went for 21/16 with three blocks on January 9 against Portland.
With a number of talented bigs on the roster, Dallas may trade one in the offseason, likely moving the older Gafford to address roster concerns elsewhere. If that happens, Lively II may play a similar role with 20+ minutes behind Anthony Davis, but his production could take a hit alongside the talented superstar. Fortunately for Lively II, he doesn’t need big minutes to finish around the top 100 in fantasy hoops thanks to his efficient FG% and strong shot-blocking ability.
PJ Washington:
Washington enjoyed arguably the best statistical season of his career, finishing with 14.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.1 blocks and 1.6 triples. Washington’s 45.3/72.2/38.1 shooting splits left a bit to be desired, but he posted strong counting stats, particularly in the defensive categories.
In his first full season with the Mavs, Washington logged 32.2 minutes and appeared in 57 games. Dallas was particularly thin at center for much of the season, and Washington stepped into a larger role as a rebounder, finishing with a career-high in that category. He set a new career-best mark when he grabbed 19 rebounds against the Thunder on January 23, finishing with a loaded 22/19/3/3/2 line with two triples.
It’s unclear if Dallas will roll out Anthony Davis at the four or the five, but if AD plays the four, Washington’s value could take a hit. He’ll surely see big minutes for this team, but he may not be as involved on the glass or on defense. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to the Mavs’ training camp and projected lineups heading into the 2025-26 season.
Spencer Dinwiddie:
Dinwiddie has played for four teams over the last four seasons, and he could be set to play for a fifth in five if he leaves this offseason. Dinwiddie is an unrestricted free agent following his second stint with Dallas, but the Mavs may be inclined to keep him around given the number of holes in the backcourt.
Dinwiddie averaged 11 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.4 triples across 27 minutes, but his playing time was sporadic. He appeared in 79 games (30 starts) but logged only six total minutes across Dallas’ two Play-In games. Depending on how the offseason fleshes out, Dinwiddie may be worth a late-round selection in fantasy drafts if he lands in the right situation or stays in Dallas to take on an elevated role.
Max Christie:
Christie came over from LA in the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade, and he made an instant impact. The young guard scored at least 15 points in each of his first seven games with Dallas, and he finished with 11.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.7 triples in 32 games with the franchise.
With Kyrie Irving set to miss time and plenty of roster questions, Christie could see an elevated role to open up the 2025-26 season. He’s a great late-round draft option for fantasy managers looking to take a chance on a high-upside player.
Brandon Williams:
Williams finished far outside the top 200 in per-game fantasy value, but he enjoyed a productive stretch while multiple key players were injured. Over his final 15 games with Dallas, B-Will averaged 15.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.2 triples across 23.7 minutes.
The Mavs may want to give him a long look this offseason and bring him back on a team-friendly deal to shore up the roster. He’s not on the fantasy radar just yet, but he could be relevant if given the right opportunity.
Dante Exum:
After logging six games for Cleveland during the 2020-21 campaign, Exum was out of the NBA until signing with Dallas in 2023-24. He’s had a nice revival with the Mavs, and he averaged a career-high 8.7 points and 1.2 triples across 20 games in 2024-25. He’s an unrestricted free agent this summer, but even if he returns, he’ll be a role player with limited rotational minutes at best. Exum’s return has been a nice story, but it doesn’t translate to fantasy hoops production.
Restricted Free Agents: Kai Jones
Unrestricted Free Agents: Spencer Dinwiddie, Dante Exum
Club Option: None
Player Option: Kyrie Irving, Dwight Powell
SEE IT: NYC back pages react to Knicks' wild Game 1 comeback win over Celtics
The Knicks erased a 20-point deficit and prevailed in overtime against the Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Monday night in Boston.
Here's how the New York City back pages reacted...
Here's our @nydnsports back page. @nyknicks@celtics@apse_sportmedia#knicks#NBAhttps://t.co/QTrS3ZKOWNpic.twitter.com/f4votPhzlP
— Back Page Guy NYDN (@BackPageGuyNYDN) May 6, 2025
The back page: MEN OF STEAL!
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) May 6, 2025
Knicks swipe Game 1 after being down 20 as Bridges theft seals miracle comeback
Read more: https://t.co/NQ9H1S1tyqpic.twitter.com/stJ9aZWce1
I’m gonna go get the papers, get the papers: back page edition. pic.twitter.com/x3RosLTzAp
— Robert Shields (@rshields37) May 6, 2025
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Golden State Warriors Preview: 2025 NBA Playoffs series prediction, schedule
This is only the third time in NBA history that the No. 6 and No. 7 seeds meet in the playoffs. However, the last time was two years ago and also included the Warriors (vs. Lakers, a series won by Los Angeles, who was then swept in the conference finals by eventual champion Denver). Here is what to know from this series.
When does the Timberwolves vs. the Warriors begin?
Minnesota travels to Golden State for the series opener on Tuesday night, May 6, at 9:30 p.m. Eastern. This is a fast turnaround for the Warriors, who played in a Game 7 in Houston on Sunday.
Minnesota vs. Golden State Playoffs Schedule 2025
All times are Eastern (* = if necessary)
Game 1: Warriors at Timberwolves (Tue. May 6, 9:30 ET, TNT)
Game 2: Warriors at Timberwolves (Thu. May 8, 8:30 ET, TNT)
Game 3: Timberwolves at Warriors (Sat. May 10, 8:30 ET, ABC)
Game 4: Timberwolves at Warriors (Mon. May 12, 10 ET, ESPN)
Game 5: Warriors at Timberwolves (Wed. May 14, TBD, TNT)*
Game 6: Timberwolves at Warriors (Sun. May 18, TBD, TBD)*
Game 7: Warriors at Timberwolves (Tue. May 20, 8:30 ET, ESPN)*
Player to watch: Jaden McDaniels
Nobody guarded Stephen Curry more in the regular season than Jaden McDaniels. Per NBA.com, McDaniels spent 28:40 matched up with Curry across four regular season matchups. The next closest was Keegan Murray at 18:50. Curry averaged 28.8 points per game against Minnesota in the regular season, and the Warriors went 3-1 in their matchups. The last time these teams played was in January, and Golden State’s lineup looks quite different. That shouldn’t change things for McDaniels, who averaged four fouls per game in the first round. They need him on the floor and making life difficult for Curry.
McDaniels enjoyed the best statistical season of his career this year, and that translated into 17.4 points per game in the first round. The Warriors’ defense will be keyed in on slowing down Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle, and McDaniels will need to step up as a scorer. He only averaged 10.8 points per game against the Warriors in the regular season. This series is a big opportunity for him on both ends of the floor.
—Noah Rubin, Rotoworld basketball analyst
Keys to watch for in Minnesota vs. Golden State
1) How do the Warriors handle the Timberwolves’ size?
Golden State's most-used lineup — and arguably best — in the first round was a small-ball five with Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, Jimmy Butler III and Draymond Green at center (it had a +13.9 net rating).
That lineup will struggle to defend a huge Minnesota starting five of Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert. It's an issue of size. Steve Kerr can start Butler on Ant and Green on Randle to try and slow the two Minnesota shot creators (or swap the Butler/Green assignments), but there are potential mismatches elsewhere, such as who guards Gobert? The French big man punished the Lakers in the last series when they went small (particularly in the closeout game). Kerr could play a lot of Kevon Looney to match up with Gobert, but that still leaves a smaller player on McDaniels while at the same time hurting the Warriors' offense. Gary Payton II could get heavy minutes this season because of his defense.
Golden State's ultimate concern is this: A big Minnesota team plays nearly as good of defense as Houston, but led by Edwards, the Timberwolves' offense is exponentially better. Especially if Randle plays at the level he did against the Lakers.
2) Draymond Green vs. Rudy Gobert
There’s more than a little history here.
Draymond Green put Rudy Gobert in a headlock and was ejected pic.twitter.com/ub7ZT34WiL
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) November 15, 2023
In a playoffs where the referees have permitted — if not outright green lit — increased physicality, letting Green and Gobert go at it with the proverbial gloves off could impact the series.
Another thing to watch with Green and Gobert: Will one have a big offensive impact in a game or games? When they did (Gobert in Game 5 vs. the Lakers, Green early in Game 7 vs. the Rockets), it’s a huge boost for their team.
—Kurt Helin, NBC Sports lead NBA writer
Predictions
Jay Croucher (NBC Sports Lead Betting Analyst): Timberwolves in 6
Minnesota is a version of Houston that can actually score. The Wolves will give GSW a lot of the same issues the Rockets did - size, athleticism, speed - but instead of Jalen Green as chief protagonist on offense it’ll be Anthony Edwards.
This Minnesota team looks improved on last year’s version that entered the conference finals as heavy favorite - they’re more versatile now and can play more styles. Their ability to play super big, or go 5 out with elite spacing and switching, should be too much for Golden State.
Drew Dinsick (NBC Sports Betting Analyst): Timberwolves in 5
Golden State has the best offensive player in the series with Steph and the experience with vet players and coach, but the numbers look bad in terms of overall matchup here, and the Warriors are coming out of a truly physical seven-game series that may have taken the wind out of their sails. Minnesota has had a propensity for playing with their food so I'm prepared to be wrong and would love a better price for them in series than what is currently available but it's looking like a clean win for Minnesota to me.
Kurt Helin (NBC Sports lead NBA writer): Timberwolves in 6
Before the playoffs tipped off, I predicted Golden State would advance to the Western Conference Finals, but after seeing Minnesota in person in the first round and watching the Warriors vs. Rockets games, I changed my mind. Anthony Edwards is ready for his star turn and will be the best player in this series (sorry, Steph), the Timberwolves' defense will challenge the Warriors as much or more than Houston, and Minnesota brings size across the board that Golden State will struggle to handle. The Warriors with Butler will not go quietly, but this is a rough matchup for them, if they thought the Rockets were physical…
OG Anunoby might be biggest X-factor in Celtics-Knicks series
OG Anunoby might be biggest X-factor in Celtics-Knicks series originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Jalen Brunson will garner most of the headlines from the New York Knicks’ surprising overtime win over the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series Monday night at TD Garden. He played very well and hit some clutch 3-pointers late in the game.
But the biggest difference-maker for the Knicks in their 108-105 victory was OG Anunoby.
The veteran wing made a massive impact on both ends of the floor. If that continues, the Knicks will have a real chance to upset the Celtics and reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000.
Anunoby tied Brunson with a team-high 29 points, bolstered by 6-for-11 shooting from 3-point range. The Celtics led by 20 with 5:37 left to play in the third quarter. That’s when the Knicks finally woke up, and it started with Anunoby 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to trim the lead to 14.
It didn’t take much longer for the Knicks to erase most of the Celtics’ lead. Another 3-pointer by Anunoby early in the fourth quarter pulled the Knicks within one.
knock it down, OG‼️ pic.twitter.com/Y7Dlntbo6V
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) May 6, 2025
Anunoby also out-hustled Celtics forward Jayson Tatum for a crucial and-1 dunk in overtime.
mikal ➡️ josh ➡️ OG SLAM 💥 pic.twitter.com/32LURK0gfH
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) May 6, 2025
When Anunoby gives the Knicks offensive production, they are tough to beat. For example, New York is 4-0 in the 2025 playoffs when he scores 20-plus points. They were 22-10 in the regular season when Anunoby scored 20 or more points, and they’ve won five consecutive games in which he’s scored 25-plus points.
Anunoby averaged 18 points per game this season, but he only scored nine per game in the four regular season matchups versus the Celtics. If he can just score close to his regular season average in this second-round playoff series, that would take a lot of pressure off of Brunson to be great.
But it wasn’t just Anunoby’s scoring that played a pivotal role in New York’s series-opening win. His defense was even more important.
The Celtics shot 2-for-18 when Anunoby was the primary defender in Game 1. He dominated defensively and picked up only one foul.
OG STEAL & SLAM. TIE BALL GAME.
7 minutes to play in Game 1 on TNT 🚨 pic.twitter.com/MQil4UmU1H
— NBA (@NBA) May 6, 2025
Tatum (1-for-6) and Jaylen Brown (0-for-2) both struggled against the Knicks forward. But they weren’t alone.
Tatum easily won his matchup with Knicks forward Mikal Bridges in the regular season. In those four matchups, Tatum shot 13-for-19 for 35 points when Bridges was the primary defender. However, Tatum shot just 4-for-16 for 15 points versus Anuboby in the three regular season meetings in which the Knicks forward played.
Anunoby has been a better defender on Tatum, so it wasn’t surprising that the Knicks tried to match him up on the Celtics superstar as much as possible in Game 1. Bridges mostly guarded Derrick White as a result.
Anunoby is unlikely to score 29 points again in this series. It’s 11 points above his regular season average. Expecting him to shoot almost 60 percent on 11 3-point attempts again in this series would be a reach, too. But could he score 20-plus points again in this series? Absolutely. Brunson’s ability to drive to the basket and draw multiple defenders will give Anunoby open looks from beyond the arc.
On the defensive side is where Anunoby’s impact can be consistently elite. He’s been one of the league’s best perimeter defenders for years. He has height and length at 6-foot-7 and enough strength at 240 pounds to bother a lot of wings.
The Knicks are still underdogs in this series. The Celtics have more talent, depth and playoff experience. And it’s unlikely that Boston will have many more horrific 3-point shooting performances like it did in Game 1. The C’s literally set a single-game playoff record with 45 missed 3-pointers.
But the Knicks do have a chance to make this series more competitive than originally thought. That path runs through Anunoby and his ability to make a strong impact, particularly defensively against Tatum and Brown.
Draymond shares great response to Edwards' viral Warriors plea
Draymond shares great response to Edwards' viral Warriors plea originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Anthony Edwards got his wish of playing the Warriors on the big stage of the Western Conference semifinals, and Draymond Green is looking forward to the highly anticipated matchup.
The Minnesota Timberwolves star stated two years ago he wanted to play the Warriors “wherever they at.” When asked for the reason why he specifically targeted the Warriors, he replied, “Because Draymond talks so much trash.”
spoke it into existence. pic.twitter.com/zArdNwTwr2
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) May 5, 2025
And of course, that’s music to Green’s ears.
“Of course I’ve seen it. I remember the video. I laughed when I saw it,” Green said on “The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis.” “That’s who Ant Man is. I’ve stated on the show already if there’s two guys that I think talk talk that’s young, it was Ant Man and Ja [Morant]. That’s who Ant Man is. He continues to be that guy. I respect it. It is what it is.
“He’s obviously going to play a huge role for the Timberwolves, I’m going to play a huge role for us. But this series ain’t about me versus Ant Man or who can out-talk who. This is about high-level basketball. … Ant had a great playoff series in that [Los Angeles] Lakers series. I’m looking forward to the matchup.”
After having a career year in the 2024-25 regular season, Edwards led his Timberwolves to a 4-1 series win over LeBron James and the Lakers, averaging 26.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.2 steals in 41 minutes.
Green and the Warriors survived a tense seven-game series against the Houston Rockets, getting just one day off before Game 1 in Minnesota. And the Warriors vet expects a completely different series against the Timberwolves.
“It’s a much different series. Even from a personnel standpoint, it’s a completely different series than the one we just played,” Green said. “Sometimes you get series back-to-back where you’re like, ‘Yo, we just played a team that plays like this.’ These two teams play totally different. They couldn’t be further apart from the way they play. So it’s a completely different series that we’re going to have to make an adjustment to.
“I think we’re a completely different team to the Lakers that they’ll have to make an adjustment to. Once you get to the playoffs, second round, conference finals, it’s all about adjustments. Obviously, players got to play great, but you get in those first two, three games and you’re figuring them out, they’re figuring you out. We just got to come out and play hard. Stick to our principles. That scouting report gets more and more in-depth as the series goes. But playing hard is what gets you wins to start the series.”
Golden State posted a 3-1 season series record against Minnesota during the 2024-25 regular season.
But the playoffs are a different ballgame, and that’s exactly what both Edwards and Green want.
The two sides of Celtics' historically bad shooting in Game 1 vs. Knicks
The two sides of Celtics' historically bad shooting in Game 1 vs. Knicks originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Two things that are in the eye of the beholder: beauty, and the Boston Celtics’ 3-point shooting stats.
The Celtics set NBA playoff records for 3-point attempts (60) and 3-point misses (45) in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series against the New York Knicks at TD Garden, going 15 for 60 beyond the arc while blowing a 20-point lead in a stunning 108-105 overtime loss.
Even for a team that set a host of 3-point records during the regular season, the Celtics’ reliance on the 3-ball in the second half Monday night was astounding: 34 of their 41 field goal attempts in the second half were from 3-point range, including an astounding 19 of their 20 attempts in the third quarter.
That’s right: Boston attempted just one 2-point shot in 12 minutes of third-quarter action.
The Celtics’ late-game 3-point obsession was a complete 180 from the second quarter, when they made 12 of 15 2-point attempts while scoring 35 points to take a 16-point lead into halftime. But rather than continue to attack the paint, Joe Mazzulla’s club curiously started settling for 3s in the second half, as the shot charts below illustrate starkly.
“In those moments when the other team’s got momentum, we can’t just fire up threes,” Celtics wing Jaylen Brown lamented after the game. “We’ve got to get to the free throw line, get to the paint, get to the basket, and then maybe the next 3-pointer feels a little bit better.”
“We settled in the second half, a lot. It felt like they were daring us to shoot; they wanted us to shoot those shots. That’s an abnormal game in terms of us shooting the basketball.”
The Knicks deserve some credit for making a defensive adjustment to steer the Celtics away from the paint and goad them into “settling” for 3-point shots. But Brown’s final comment hints at the other side of this story.
Boston shot just 25 percent from 3-point range, tied for its fifth-worst shooting game of the season (regular-season or playoffs) and well below its season average of 36.8 percent. And according to the NBA’s tracking data, 56 of the Celtics’ 60 attempts Monday qualified as “open” looks.
As Celtics Insider Chris Forsberg illustrates below, the C’s made just 29.2 percent of their “wide open” 3-point attempts Monday after making them at a 40.7 percent clip during the regular season.
Are those stats a green light for the Celtics to keep chucking? Not necessarily. In the case of Monday’s game, they had success scoring inside early in the game — especially with Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson in foul trouble — and let the Knicks off the hook by settling for 3-pointers.
But it’s also true that Monday was an “abnormal” shooting game from Boston, to use Brown’s term. Case in point: There was just one instance this season where the Celtics shot 29 percent or worse from 3-point range in back-to-back games (Jan. 10 vs. Sacramento and Jan. 12 vs. New Orleans). In the 12 other instances, they shot 33.3 percent or better the following night.
So, history suggests Boston should make more of its 3-pointers in Game 2 on Wednesday. The question is whether this team can strike the right balance between using the deep ball as a weapon — which played a key role in raising Banner 18 last season — and finding other ways to score when the game dictates a different approach.
“I have to have better play-calling; (we) have to make shots,” Mazzulla said after the game. “We have to make some better reads. It’s a combination of all those things.
“We have to be better. You have to make the ones when you’re open. The process of our shot quality was good.”
Tip-off for Game 2 at TD Garden is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET. NBC Sports Boston’s coverage begins at 6 p.m. ET with Celtics Pregame Live.
Draymond cooks ‘sucka' Brooks for Warriors-Rockets postgame disrespect
Draymond cooks ‘sucka' Brooks for Warriors-Rockets postgame disrespect originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Draymond Green had one final parting message for Dillon Brooks.
After Green and the Warriors eliminated Brooks and the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs, the Golden State forward took to his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show With Baron Davis,” where he criticized Brooks for immediately leaving the court after Game 7 on Sunday at Toyota Center without acknowledging any of his opponents.
“Dillon Brooks ran off the court. So when I say, ‘You see what guys are made of,’ he ran off the court,” Green said. “Like ain’t shake nobody up. You admitted you were trying to hurt Steph [Curry’s] hand. Again, fine by me, bro. I get it, we all get it when you hoop.
“So if you’re going to be on that type of time, wear shades in the press conference, you’re going to be talking, you going to be Mr. Big Bad Wolf, don’t lose and then not face the music. Don’t be that guy. Because, again, you lose a lot of respect for guys in that moment.”
Green and Brooks’ beef dates back three-plus years, when the two faced off against one another in a fiery series between the Warriors and the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2022 Western Conference semifinals.
“I had a moment with Dillon Brooks when he was with Memphis and I said, ‘The dynasty starts after you,’ and the reason I said that is because of things like that,” Green added.
Green also shared that Rockets forward Tari Eason also left the court immediately after the game, but he eventually caught up with him later in the evening at the arena and gave him a pass for the snub due to his age.
“So then guess what, Tari Eason does it. He leaves the court,” Green shared. “I got love for Tari Eason. His mind was talking, my mom almost had to get at him for that one. He was chilling. I’ve got a lot of love for the way he plays.
“And I ended up catching him right before he was about to walk around the arena … I waved him down and I went and dapped him up. That was kind of a little save, but don’t be that guy, man. But that’s who Dillon Brooks is, and we understand you a sucka, man. But Tari Eason, he’s not.
“I’ve got a lot of love for the young fella for the way he goes about his business, the way he plays the game. I’ve got a lot of love for.”
Green shared his parting advice for Eason, who he hopes does not follow down a similar path as Brooks.
“Don’t be like that, because when guys lose respect for you in this league, it don’t matter and it’s going to catch you in the end,” Green said. “Like Dillon Brooks couldn’t come through in this series, in large part, because nobody on the court respects you. So anything you do, the way it’s going to be looked at, the way it’s going to be received, it ain’t beneficial to your team when you’re trying to win championships. When you’re trying to compete at the highest level and you’re that type of guy, it ain’t beneficial to your team and it’ll catch you in the end.
“I gained a lot of respect for a lot of guys over there, not that I ever had much respect for dude, but it just shows why you don’t. Tari Eason, I still got love and respect for. He a young fella. But I’m going to tell a young fella, don’t be like that and don’t follow clowns, man.”